Evening Star Newspaper, October 13, 1894, Page 18

18 IN OLD MARLBOR An Ancient Maryland Town and Its i Memories. pee nae ee awe ONCE A CENTER OF COLONIAL LIFE ul Famous Men Given to the World by the Village. —>——_—— ITS EXPERIENCES IN 1812 agen clans UPPER MARLBORO’, Md., October 3, 184. This ta historic ground. That, indeed, may be said of almost every square mile of tide-water Maryland. The fields one passes in traveling over the old turnpike between here and Washington have, some of them, been under cultivation more than two cen- turies. They look it, too, more especially most of the holdings observable during the first half of the journey. After passing Forestville the face of the country, looked at from an agricultural standpoint, takes on a decided improve- ment. Many fine, rolling. arable farms are seen, with substantial comfortable-looking farm houses and numerous tobacco barns. In fact, Prince George's is sald to be one of the most fertile counties in the United States, though it is feared that this will seem a rather doubtful statement to the average Washington reader, who may have formed his opinion from observations based upon an occasional street car jaunt into the Anacostia hills. It fs said that In one year of the early @'s the county produced more than 13,000,- 9 pounds of tobacco, which was more than was produced by all the other area cultivated in the United States. A Typical Maryland Town. It requires no stretch of the imagination to imbue one’s self with the spirit of the past in a day's sojourn in this ancient and venerable capital of Prince George's. No real estate boom has ever struck the place, although an adventurous feeder of the Pennsylvania system passes within toueh. One can look out of the back win- dow without the fear of intruding on his Archbishop Carro! feighbor’s kitchen, and the comfortable- looking houses in their detached grounds bave an air of absolute refreshment for the wearied soul that may, perchance, have been surfeited with the city atmosphere of bricks and mortar, sixteen-foot lots, rentals and prices per foot. The old brick hotel, with its wide grounds and gable toward the street, was built of bricks brought as ballast from Engiand. Just off the large roomy entrance hall is a wide, old-fashioned bed room, in which it is said the «reat Washington himself was often lodged. This is more than probable, for the town itself was nearly a century old when Washington passed through it on his way to Mount Vernon, after Tesign- ing his commission at Annapolis. It is also ay that he was a frequent attendant at famous balls which were held in the old assembly hall at this piace, but which has now totally disappeared. Founded 1706, “Upper Marlborough town" was originally Taad out fn 1706, and Daniel Carroll is men- tiomed as one of the commissioners. What relation, if any, he may have been to Daniel Carroll of Duddington, who, eighty yearu later, assisted to lay out Washington city, is not apparent from the records avail- abc. Forty years later the place was laid out anew, the landmarks of the original survey having become obscure. mew charter provision was made against Speculation in lots, by requiring each pur- chaser to build, within three years, a house covering at least 4 square feet, with a chimney of brick or stone; and it was fur- ther provided that all those houses already erected should have such chimneys added within twelve months, or the respective owners should forfeit five shillings current money for each month in default. Evident- ly the stick-and-clay chimney, that next friend of the southwestern pioneers, had scant favor with these aristocratic town- builders of the tide-water region. The Queerest thing about this law was that the penalty was not made payable in tobacco. It was further provided that each purchaser of a lot should pay one penny sterling, per annum, to the lord proprietor. Some of Her Great \. Probably not another little sleepy hamlet in the United States has sent into the world such an array of great men. Just on the corner of the two leading streets of the town stands a little ten-by-twelve law office, where Reverdy Johnson prepared himself for the bar, and in the old court house he made his first speech, ich consisted solely of these few words: “Gentlemen of the jury.” It was a bad case of stage fright, and {t is said that his friends advised him to go back to the plow. The youngster, however, knew the stuff that was in him, end he stuck to his books. In after years KA nhawr and minister In polities he was a whig,with sional lepses into what would now be Wumpism. e Joba Claggett, the pal bishop conse- + crated in the tates. He was chap- lain of the U « States Senate in 1800, and officiated in that capacity at the first ses- stons of that body held in Washington Just across the street from the Marlborough hotel is the site of the old Carroll home- stead, where lived Archbishop John Carroll. He was the founder of Georgetown Univer- sity, and it may also be truthfully said that he was the father of the Catholic Church in America. He was a cousin to Charles Carroll of Carroliton, and stood shoulder to shouk'er with that eminent patriot in the revolutionary struggle. In 1776 he was ap- pointed on a mission, with Charles Carroll, Samcel Chase id Benjamin Franklin, to nada, with @ view of securing ‘the co-operation of the Catholics of that country in our struggle. Eight years later, after our independence had been won, upon the recommendation of Dr. Fi ¥ to Paris—he was appointed by the } authority superior to all the Catholic clersy im the United States. Four years later the bishopric of Baltimore was erect- ed, and, ia 17, De. Carroll was consecrated fa England to that office. lils was prob- the lnrgest diocese ever Presiied over by @ single head. as it comprised all the ferritory then included in tile United States. In 18% Baltimore was erected into an archiepiseopal see, and Carroll was Protestant nited Under the | of the United | ‘anklin—then our | THE EVENING 8TAR, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1894-TWENTY-FOUR PAGES. committing al! manner of robberies, out- rages and depredations. One writer of the period characterized them as resembling the ancient piratical expeditions of the Danes against England, rather than as examples of modern warfare between two civilized na- tions. Marlborough did not suffer from these predatory incursions, except by con- tinual apprehension, until the final move- ment on Washington took shape in August, 1sl4. Commodore Barne; flotilla had engaged the enemy as early June 10, at Saint Leonard's creek on the lower Patuxent. From his operations there he had retired up that stream to Nottingham, and again on the approach of the enemy had gone up as far as Pig's Point, about four miles from Marlborough. Here on the 22d of August Cockburn’s vesels approached the Ameri- cans, and the latter thereupon set fire to their vessels and retreated, and sixteen out of seventeen of the gun boats blew up with- in a few minutes. On the same day Ross had occupied the village with the land forces, and on the next lay, August 23, Cockburn joined him. It Was then that this buccaneer of the Chesa- peake suggested the expedition to Washing- ton. Up to this point their operations seem to have contemplated only the capture or destruction of Barney's flotilla. That accomplished, and finding them- selves within sixteen miles of the capital, they would scarcely do less than attempt its capture. “The government,” declared Cockburn, “will ransom their public butld- ings and homes, and we shall be enriched by contributions.” Ross, it seems, had just ar- rived with his troops from France, where they had taken part against Bonaparte, and Cockburn being familiar with the topo- graphy of the country would naturally be- come the leading spirit. They concerted their plans that day in Marlborough, and in the afternoon moved out and bivouacked at a place three or four miles on the road toward Washington, call- ed Melwood. The Battle of Bindensburg. ‘The next day came the unfortunate battle of Bladensburg. For three-quarters of a century Americans have blushed for that day, and they will probably have to go on so to the end of the chapter. We will prob- ably never have an opportunity now to pay England the debt we have owed her all these years on account of the Cockburn episode. The burning of our Capitol and our infant library was a fit finale to two seasons spent along the shores of the Chesapeake, making war upon non-combatants, burning farm houses, robbing tobacco barns and pillaging churches. The Dr. Beanes Episode. This brings us to another chapter of Marlborough’s history—a chapter growing immediately out of these events, and yet owing its national interest to a subsequent and entirely independent fact. Marlbor- ough was the home of the man who caused the writing of the “Star Spangled Banner,” that immortal song which has made Fran- Scott Key forever famous. D:. Beanes was one of the leading citi- zens of the community at the time of the invasion. It was in his house that Gen. Ross made his headquarters during his stay in the village. and it was in his house that Cockburn joined the general on the 2d, and they thereupon determined on the expedition to Was? ington. As to what next occurred between Dr. Beanes and the British army, It is not so easy to determine. A writer who was with the army during the whole expedition says: “The inhab- {tants of that village (Marlborough), insti- gated by a medical practitioner named Beanes, had risen in arms as soon as we were defeated, and falling upon such in- dividuals as strayed from the column, put some of them to death and made others | prisoners. A soldier who had escaped gave this information, and they immediately re- turned, pulled him out of bed at midnight and made him a prisoner.” This seems too monstrous for belief, and yet there is some mystery about the affair that has never been explained. Chief Justice Taney, who was Key's circumstances by way of preface to a col- lection of Key's poems, in which he states in substance that Dr. Beanes-took part in arresting certain stragglers of the British army who were committing depredations. Whatever may have been the full nature of his offense, all the accounts agree that he was hurried off to the British fleet,where he was treated with the greatest harsh- ness and severity. Key, it seems, was Dr. Beanes’ nephew, and at once undertook to secute his release. He had just taken part in the battle at Bladensburgh, and was withal of a good deal of prominence, and the country at large has always supposed that he accom- plished his purpose and procured the pris- oner's release immediately after the fall- ure of the attack on Baltimore. Such is not the understanding in Tarey expressly states that he secured the promise of Beanes’ release as soon as the expedition should be determined, and leaves the clear implication that he was released, but the statement is made by Mr. Wilson, editor of the Marlboro’ Gazette,and who for many years has studied the history of the village, that the doctor was carried turn for about a year. He refers to old citizens, still living, and to letters written by others who had actual knowledge of the facts. is entitled to great weight, when we con- sider that the doctor did not die until 1828, at the age of eighty years. He was more than sixty when the British carried him off. published versions of the story have been written from a “Star Spangied Banner” standpoint. In our hero worship for Key and our enthusiasm over his great lyric, the man who caused {t all is to some extent lost sight of. ‘The Old Assembly Halt. Who would think of this drowsy little hamlet, that never in its palmiest days had over 300 inhabitants, as being one of the best theatrical stands in the United States. That's just what it was a century ago, and it probably continued such for 4 good many years during the first half of the present century. The Maryiand the colonial period thoroughly believed in enjoying himself, and there was nothing that afforded himscif and his family more pieasure than a horse race, a play or a ball. It was but natural that the new and rich county below the Patuxent,and the chose home of the tobacco plant,’ should early in its history adopt these features of metro- tan life, and it was not long before inments given here rivaled those an public a made it a point to have a date here. ‘The old ball room and theater stood just at the foot of the litve alll not more than stone's throw from the lonely graves of “Dr. Beanes and his wife. It is suid to have en an immense, queer, barn-like old stru | ture, but every vestige of it has disap- peared. aiaciaecgeibes The Japanese as Electricians. Not the least of the advanteges enjoyed | by thae Japanese in their war with China is the f ct that they are thoroughly in- formed as to the use of modern clectricai apparatus, have employed it freely, and do not depend upon foreigners to handle it for them. One of their first actions was to take hold of the telegraph lines and sta- tions in Southern Cor: nd to iurn them over to their Own corps for cperation, for immediate service. In China the telegraph lines have been cut down by the people, on the allegation that they caused drought, and are but now being painfully rebuilt. In Japan, on the contrary, from a humble beginning with about forty miles of line in 1870, the government has developed a land system of 26,000 miles, and has established several cable links between the islands. During the Satsuma rebellion of 1876, th! service proved of great value. The military field telegraphs of the Japanese army are modeled on European systems. The Japs also make free use of the telephone, which caught thelr fancy from its earliest days, and they have alwa: shown a marked partiality for t iss cy nt, There are feveral central tions and Teolated plants in the country, and the operation is brother-in-law, published an account of the | to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and did not re-/ It would seem that the local version | It must be remembered also that all the | IN JEFFERSON'S TIME Events in This City During the First Democratic Administration. THE SIMPLICITY OF THE INAUGURATION Caustic Comment of a British Dip- lomat on American Politicians. ° DISTINGUISHED VISITORS ——a— Written Exclusively for The Evening Star. HOMAS JEFFER- son succeeded to the presidency on the 4th of March, 181. He was the first Presi- dent inaugurated in the city of Washing- ton, which had be- come the national capital only the year before. This fact,with the additional one that Jefferson was the first democratic, or in the phrase of that day republican, candidate elected to the presidency, would probably have drawn a large crowd to witness his inauguration, had he not expressed his desire that it should be entirely devoid of ceremony and without any form save such as was abso- lutely required by the Constitution. At the a Mr. Conrad's, who kept a large boarding house in the block of buildings built by Mr. Law on the west side of New Jersey ave- nue between H and C streets, one square from the Capitol grounds, where he had re- sided during his term of Vice President un- der John Adams. There is no truth in the stery told of his riding up Pennsylvania avenue to the Cap- itol, “hitching his horse to a sapling in front of it,” ete. Jefferson's simplicity did not even require a horse. He had only a short distance to go, and he walked it. Starting from his boarding house a few minutes before noon, accompanied by five or six Senators and Representatives, who were also his fellow boarders, he walked up New Jersey avenue to the Capitul, where Who escorted him into the chamber, wh he took the oath of office, administered b: the chief justice, and thea inaugural address Was congratulated b and also by some of ¢ present, who were agre: iy the moderation of bis addr esident then walked home y delivered his At conclusion ratic he a gent to be a g occasions, when I alwa groom J will watt ull tb before offering my congr: The Simplicity Platform, Having adopted the simplicity platform Jefferson adhered to it all throvgh his ad- ministration in all political and even social details. The etiquette of the Washington and Adams administrations was abolished, and there was no distinction of persons recognized at the White House. There were no formal receptions, but on certain days of the week any one who wanted to se the President was admitted, and on the Ist of January and the Fourth of July the Executive Mansion was thrown open to all comers, and a bountif tell the bride > year m the form and ceremorfy of his pre- decessors was exceedingly distasteful to many who had enjoyed the privileges of the inner circle, and especially to the foreign Aiplomats, who, representing Kurgpean roy- alties, were much disgusted with lulve customs of the Jeffersonian era. Their correspondenc is full of adverse criticisms on this subject. Among. those was Sir Augustus Foster, a young English- men, who was secretary of legation under the British minister, McMerry, in 1804. He subsequently returned to this country as minister, in 1811, and remained until war was declared in 1812. On his first arrival in this country he seems to have been very society, but after he had been here some ume he appears to have become somewhat looked at us through more favorable He did not think much of the federa | at first, but after visting northern cities he came to the conclusion that it was “the most agrecable town to reside in for any length of time.” The at- tractions of the belles of the District seem to have had some influence In this decision, | for he says: “There is no want of handso ladies for the balls, especlally at George- | town. Indeed, I never saw. preiti city Pen Sketch of Jefferson. As a diplomat, h nf course, saw much of cur publie men, and he has left some graphic descriptions of them. He thus por- trays the President In 1804: “fe was a tall man, with a ve freckled face, and Tay neglected his manners good na- ther veteen breeches with pearl stockings and slippers down at the Ii h like that of g . Taw-boned farme said ve his feet as often as he did his hands der to keep off cold, and ay himself unique in so doing. father was a li time Mr. th in Var- " nd where he ate for 100) guine bought could meet nob country he ori; bim to his early y. Most any Virginian of that ¢ | told him that Thon | of Peter Jeeffrson, | | | ald have the son ble phys- born ne It is a somewhat s t Peter Joff i was a land patent for 1, ef land en the anna river. His was adjoined by that of William I from whom he purchased 400 acre te ndolph, . the con- sideration for which, as expressed in the deed, was Henry Weatherbourne’s biggest towl of arrack puncl re enly neighbors, but wv probable that it was at William ndolph's house that Peter Jefferson first met Wil- Nam's fair cousin, the eldest daughter of Isham Randolph of Dungeness, Va., whom he married in 1738, and who was the mother of the author of the Declaration of Inde- pendence. Thomas Jefferson seems to have inherited are told by ore of his biographers that “such were his strength and agility, that he was accustomed, in the society of chil- dren, of which he was fond, to practice feats that few could imitate. Diplomatic Corps in 1804. According to Sir Augustus Foster, the time of his inauguration he was lving at | he was met by a committee of the Senate, | friends | that day begged leave “to wish him joy.” Jefferson repiled, with mile, “IE would | advise you to follow my example on nuptial ange | he prim- | who discussed it most freely and severely | much shocked at the crudities of American | reconciled to his surroundings, and to have | several of the | giria | ci ion of | | a blue cot, a thick | gray-col waistcoat, with a red | under waistcoat lapped over ‘it, green vel- some of his father’s physical force, for we | T! diplomatic corps received scant courtesy at the hands of Mr. Jefferson. Mr. Merry, the English envoy, felt himself highly insulied because at the first state dinner to which he and his wife were invited on the an- sidered as only the political agent of the English government, and, therefore, entitled to no social precedence, Sir Augustus thinks that Jefferson was disappointed because England had not sent,an ambassador in- stead of try. The fact, however, probgbly ,was Bat the Presi- Mrs, Madison to whem he ga’ the precedent set by him on that as — been followed py all his successors office. The French minister, at that time was Gen. Turreau, a man of humble birth, who had ‘risen to’ eminence, during the French revolution. During thoge perilous times he had on one occasion been imprisoned in one of the jails, where he fell in love with the jailor’s daughter and ried her. Mr. Foster says he treated her very badly and was in the habit of horsewhipping her to the accompaniment of a violoncello played by his secretary to drown the cries of the poor woman. ‘The neighbors were so in- dignant at his cruelty that complaint was made to a magistrate, who summoned a posse comitatus, forced the door of the embassy and obliged this Bluebeard to let his wife out and even to subscribe a paper by which he agreed to give her a separation and allowance, which latter, however, was never paid. There is no means of verifying or disproving this story, but in considera- tion of the hostile relations existing at that time between France and England the story of the Englishman must be taken with several grains of salt. Jerome Bonkparte. Another Frenchman who spent a great deal of his time ‘n Washington, and created a great sensation here, was Jerome Bona- parte, the young brother of the first consul. He was, of course, the lion of the day in social circles, and attentions were showered upon him from all sides. He was young and impressionable, and finally fel! a vic- 5 tim to the c sof the fair Miss Patter- son of Baltime Her parents were not dazzled by the prospect of an alliance with the family of the great Napoleon, and op- posed the match, but the young people would brook no opposition, and they were married. The day after be heard of the marriage Jefferson wrote Mr. Livingston, the Ameriein minister in France, announc- ing the event. Anticipating that Napoleon might pprove of it, and might call upon this government to annul it, the President instructed Mr. Livingst inform the French consul that the | | try recognized the ma und womaa ha way. As to the famiiy into which the young y man ze, and this government no power to interfere with it m any Bonaparte bad married, he stated: Mr. Patterson is the president of the Bank ¢ Baltimore, and the wealth®st man in Mary- nd, perhaps in the United States, except Yr. d Carroll. The station of the family in society js with the first of the United | States. White House Dinner "in 1802, In a previous artide I have referred to a eh Cutler, a Congregationalist who was a representative from gland zbout this time. The doctor steunch federalist, but he was also ;D iw pa ebthusiastic botanist. He detested Jef- ferson’s politics, but he greatly admired | bis scientific attainments, and in the field of the vegetable kingdom they always met as fri in ene of his letters Dr. Cutler | says that he has been invited to dine with | the President 3 ¥ at as when we dined before soup, sound of beef, turkey, mutton, nam, loin of ve. or veal, | | fried eggs, fried Veef, a pie called m: « j Sas none in it what ap and butter, with a particviarly stron 1 xed with, them. Ice cream ver | Rood, ¢ t whol dried, crumbled into | thin flakes; a dish somewh: hike a p } ling, inside white as milk or curd, very porous and } t, covered with cream sanc 3; mmean other jim ks; a great plenty of wines and good. We drank tex and viewed again the great chees nine. in ise, at which cteated a sensation, mas Palue, the author of “Com- and other pamphlets that pre- | way for our revolution, and who | ew ington, that of Th mon Sense’ sequently became a member of the! | French national assembly that condemned | Louis XVI to guillotine, against whien Paine voted and protested. Mr. Jefferso: | in recognition of his services in the cause of | American independence, had offered him a ssage to this count in a United States war ship, which he accepted. But Paine in addition to being a radical democrat, was'| notcrious Infidel, and the opposition press made this invitation the pretext of a charge | against the President of sympathy wi Paine’s infidelity and futention to u: him as an instrum: in breaking down religious ventiment of the country and up- turning its institutions, | Mr. Jefferse: ys denied this, and in to Dr. ush of Philadelphia has | summary of his religious views, it appears that he was a Uni- ne ledyed at Lorell’s Hotel and | nee is thus described by Dr. | oH, at that time a Senator from N “He has a red and rugged fae | which looks as if it had been much hack- a letter | neyed in the sery ef the world. His eyes | e biack and . his nose somewhat | aquiline and py downward. It cor- Z e th the fiery appearance fond of talking and | very full of anecdote. | Charming Baron Humboldt | Another Mlustrious visitor during Jeffer- | acta (first term owas Skron von El mboldt. | Of him Mrs. Madison wr “We have | lately had a great treat in the company of | | # charming Prussian baron. All the ladies | love with him, notwith- « of personal charms. He te, modest, well informed | and interesting trevelcr we have ever met, {and is mach pleased with Ariert I hope j you will one Guy bh acquainted with our charming F Hiumbold The Pre: was very fond of enter- | taining sa and men of letters, and all distingutshed fi ceived with n infowmal y ounts represent him as a most charming | In this capacity he = most ably the wife of sretary of | Madison, whe ard in her tel came the lady of the White J. t=. | House. see he Cost of Running Trai | Gaily have eccasion to use the railways, ieguate idea of the cost of run- The cost may differ, and doubtless does differ sreatly with the vary- ing conditions, but the recently published figures of one of the extensive western sys- tems are instructive. The Chicago, Mil- ukee and St. Paul railway, operating | 6147 miles of rofd, Has made public an nalysis of expeps:S per revenue train mile run for the past two years, the total | miles run being 34,750,418 in 1803, and 26,- 92,470 in 1804, The items include repairs of iocomotives and ears, statjon service, train service, locomotive service, train and station supplies, fuel, ofl and waste and miscellaneous expenses. The total operat- ing expenses were’ 96.46 cents per revenue train mile in 1803, and 92.67 cents in 184. he revenue from passengers per train mile run was only 91.51 cents in 1893 and $0.32 cents in 1894, or less than cost. But there was a profit om‘ freight service, the revenue per mile run being 31.5701 in’ 1898 and $1.5834 In 1804, and out of this margin between receipts and expenditures per mile has to come the return for the enopmous investment in road, rolling stock, struc- tures and other property. Stated in a gen- eral way, it costs about a dollar a mile, actual operative expenses, to run a train, without allowing any return on cost of road or equipment. oo. Transplanting Sponges, From the Cincinnati Engatrer. “Sponges | of secrecy STUDYING BATTLES Navy Officers Making Close Obser- vations in the East. THE NAVAL INTELLIGENCE BUREAU How Materials Are Gathered and Compiled for Reference. UNCLE SAM NOT SECRETIVE ei Written for The Evening Star: FEW DAYS AGO Secretary Herbert came to the defense of the officers of the American navy ‘against the charge that they were afraid to go aboard the ves- sels of China and Japan during the Co- rean war to observe and report on the na- val operations of the different engagements Mr. Herbert said that it was not necessary for the Navy Department to detail an of- ficer to observe the movements of the naval forces of the Chinese and Japanese, as the War Department had done in relation to the armies of the two belligerents. Naval officers were already on the ground, and under the general orders governing ships in foreign waters they would observe and report on the conduct of the Chinese and Japanese navies wherever it was possible. He said also that he had no doubt that if the N: Depertment wanted volunteers to gu aboard vessels engaged in battle for purposes of observation a great many could le found to undertake this hazardous serv- ice. Mr. Herbert might have added that the s of the American navy, working in the interest of the naval intelligence bu- ccasion prospect, when fighting inland was in had followed one of the bellig- “S so as to observe and report on the nduct of some engagement. This Happened during the British operations in Egypt in i882, and Jater in Chile. The re- ports of (hese officers are features of the elabe reports Gn war operations Issued by the Navy Department through its intel- ligence bureau. he navel intelligence bureau is the most ‘ret insiitution in the American govern- t except the diplomatic service. In respects it is even more secretive than the State Department. And yet it is BS on a far more liberal plan than ence offices of other naval pow- s talking with Assistant Secretary x few days ago ebout the opera- this bureau, which is under his "t supervision, and he said: “No gov- ‘nt in the world is so liberal as ours ing public Information about naval ffairs. ‘he representatives of other na- fons obtain more information here than could in all the other capitals of the MeAdoo tions of world put together on the subject of ships and naval crdrance. No other nation has vublic tests of its armor and {ts projectiles. And is to making public a series of frauds like those at the Carnegie works, there is no nation that would not strafh every nerve to prevent jt. What other naval power would tell the world that the armor n its war vessels was probably de- : What other nation would take a te from one ox. its vessels and put it to blic test to prove, perhaps, that the Was poorly protected? The only rea- we are so open in naval matters is that public sentiment in this country demands that we shall conduct public affairs with- out sec oy. ‘This government is a sort of co-operative concern, and every one in it feels that he has a right to know how It is being conducted. I do not know that the lack in these matters does us any particular harm; for we are not situated as are the nations of Europe with possible foes on our borders.” Left It in a Barber Shop. Mr. McAdoo is conscious that he is not imbue with the proper spirit in his deal- ing with the intelligence bureau, for one day he was so thoughtless as to leave a very important and highly confidential doc- ument from that bureau in his barber shop, and it remained there for a day or two before he could trace it. No international | complications have arisen, so he ts reason- | ably certain that the matter did not fall into the hands of the enemy, but what might have happened under certain condi- lions is beyond computation. But really it is surprising that the Navy Dep.ronent should not oniy give represen- tatives of other nations access to our ar- mor tests, but should publish the results far and wide. These, however, form but a small part of the information stored in the Maval imielligence bureau. The system of naval intelligence is not complicated. At each of the principal capi- tals of the world we have naval attaches, or We are represented from time to time by Paval officers, detailed for the work. It is the duty of these officers to coliect all the | information obtainable about improvements in naval architecture, in naval equipment, in coast defenses—in fact, in everything v bich would be of importance to this nation to know in time of war. The naval intelli- gence bureau, says Lieut. Singer, who has ge of it, is organized on a “prepare for war” basis, and most of the information filed with this bureau wiil find its chief mis- sion when the United States gets into trouble with some maritime nation. in addition 10 these naval uttaches, there are, throughout the navy, intelligence of- ficers. The commanding ofticer of each ves- sel assigns one of the officers under him to this duty, which he performs in connection With Sis other duties aboard ship. It ts the duty cf every officer to observe closely all that may be of value to the service, and ail otticers are encouraged to write reports, to be forwarded to the Vy Department. But this duty falls chiefly on the intelligence officer. His work is confidential. It passes through the hands of the commanding ficer of the vessel, and from him it is to the Navy Departmer ferred to the intellige: which it 1s referred a the de ‘tment to whose particular work it Is chiefly devoted. At this bureeu ex- tracts are made from it, if necessary, and it is then returned to the intelligence bureau, where it is filed) The system of filing is like that of a brary. AM of the reports are indexed and cross-indexed on sets of cards, which furnish an easy means of ref- erence to reports on any subject. And the range of subjects take in everything which has any place in naval records, from rope to heavy guns, and from steam pumps to coast defenses. Reports about “tools” are grouped under one head. Under another are reports about “ports.” Sailors all over the world exchange news about the minor mat- ters of ship equipment, and these matters are reported constantly to the department. Watching Wars. Wherever a war between nations might be declared, tae United States would have at least one vessel, or usually a fleet. It would be the duty of the intelligence officers on these vessels to observe and report promptly to the department any experience which might be an object lesson for the American army or navy if we shoul be in- volved in an international conflict. These reports are intended, primarily, for the use of the Navy Department; but each year a compilation of them ts made and published for limited distribution to Mbraries. Un- dcubtedly there will be ready for the next blication of this character to be prepared EF tue intelliqenes burvas a very full scription of the operation of the Chinese and Japanese navies,so far as officers of the at Here it is re- ce bureau, from ain to the bureau of ? fleet, tells of the the guns in bombarding earth- This ts all contained in part 1, which is confined to the bombardment. It canal, the cam| battle of Tel-el- the war. sport service, na the marine battalion, the royal artillery, the royal engineers, the rail- way, telegraph, signal corps, military po- lice, medical department, army post office, and, in fact, every feature of interest In the operation of the British forces, both ni A and military. There are a hundred subjects discussed at length in the review, which should be of value to the American navy, and through this publication of the intelll- gence bureau the results of the personal ob- servations of Mr. Goodrich and his fellow officers are brought within the reach of the youngest cadet from the wal Academy. In the year in which this elaborate re- port was published the bureau issued a re- port of the operations of the French navy during the war with Tunis in 1880-81. Jt published glso a report compiled by Lieut. T. B. Mason of the war cn the Pacific coast of South America between Chile and the allied republics of Peru and Bolivia. No naval battle of sufficient consequence to warrant a special review occurred after this until the Chilean revolution of 1 Lieut. Jas. H. Sears and Ensign B. V Wells, jr., compiled a report of the naval operations during this war, which was printed last year and for which there has been such a demand that the supply in the Navy Department has been exhausted it is likely Congress will order a special reprint made. The report is complete in itself. It begins with a description of the conditions leading up to the revolution and a statement of the strength of the forces on both sides. It then describes in detail the operations of the Chilean navy during the war. It is accompanied by maps. Un- like the report on the Egyptian campaign, though, it makes no suggestions. Following the Chilean revolution came the Brazilian revolution and the bureau of naval intelligence has now in type a re- port on the naval operations during the revolt, compiled from the afficial reports and other sources. This repert will be Is- sued in about a month. Special Detail Needed. Thus it will be geen that, as Secretary Herbert stated, no special detail from the Navy Department is needed to insure a full report of the opetations of the Chinese and the Japanese in the war about Corea. Already the bureau of naval intelligence has received preliminary reports from ofi- cers on the Asiatic station in regard to this war and a short time after the war is over the Navy Department will be prepared to issue a full description of the features which are of interest to the American compiled from ie observations of not one, but many officers. The bureau of naval intelligence does not confine itself to publications about battles. It has just furnished to the hydrographic | office of the Navy Department the material | for a map of Corea, which is the most per- fect map of that interesting country in | existence. And, strange to say, this map | has been made, not from information fur nished by our naval officers on the Astatic station (although the data for the road from Chemulpo to Seoul was supplied by a naval officer who had been over the route jon a Bicycle), but from a map drawn by | native Coreans at the time Corea was the | most ctvilized of the far eastern countries. This map was sent to the department by an ex-naval officer named Ffoulke, who had been assigned as naval attache at Seoul because of his knowledge of Asiatic tongues, and who had been made minister when there was a change in the legation there. Ffoulke was removed a few years after his appointment because a report which he made on the Chinese agent at Seoul, which was intended only for the in- formation of the State nena | be- came public in some way and created dip- lomatic difficulties, The map sent by Ffoulke 's a qveer looking thing. From a casual examination of it you might sup- pose that Corea wes the most densely pop- ulated country on the globe, for the towns appear to approach within easy hailing dis- tance of each other. But the circles which represent these towns are made large, so that each may contain a name in Corean characters. The town itself in many cases might be represented by a pinhead. The mountains on the map are crudely suggest- ed by a serles of inverted V' One thing demonstrated by this map is the fact that the town of Ping Yang,where the Japanese gained their most important victory recently, is about thirty miles near- er the coast than it appears to be on the accepted maps of Corea. According to these maps the city is on a small river some distance inland. In reality it is on an estuary of a bay and a war vessel could sail right up to the city’s front. But no vessel is likely to do so, for the rise and fall of the tide 1s twenty feet and the ves- s<l would be left high and dry at low tide. But while Ping Yang ts no* open to naval operations, it is the most important miil- tary point in the country. It is the key to the mountain passes by which troops may enter from China and that is why the battle there was so important. One thing which this map shows is that the real name of Seoul is Han Yang. The word “Scoul” means capital; and people say that they are going to Seoul as they might say they are going to the capital in this country—meaning Washington, By the way, Seoul is pronounced with a short E, almost silent, and the ou is like oo. A copy of this new map of Corea will be sent to any foreign country which wants it. We exchange maps and coast charts with the nations of the world if they wish. But there is no system of exchange be- tween the naval intelligence bureaus of diferent nations. And only a very small part of the information collected by the Navy Department, through Lieut. Singer, ever gets to the public eye. GEORGE GRANTHAM BAIN. ] —— ten for The Evening Star. Our Life. Oar life is like a cloud: Look up! How trave and fair ‘That changeful thing of alr, Unresting, Jone Its robe is puny In many a mystic fold, * its crown translucent gold! But lo! a secret might Its regal pomp invades, And forth from ebon shades Darts devastating light! ‘Then other change appears; No more a form of fears — A very font of tears? Again it greets the day, ‘That lingers down the west, And on its happy breast Fuscarfs the rainbow gay. “Tis moving ately, slow Who shall kno May peace attend thee! Go’ SEATON DONONO, Iyywall, September Bub’s Special Hat. wm the Syracuse Post. A few days since a woman entcred a cer- tain hat store. She had in tow a boy of about ten years of age. That is, his body was ten years old, but his face looked like a@ man of thirty. “I want a cheap hat fOr this boy, I don’t care what it is so long as it is cheap.” The hatter pulled over his stock and finally presented to the woman a hat worth about 3 ao “IT guess tl will sath ou,” “It is 50 cents.” widen “AN right; I'll take it. thing cheap for the end then she went F he said. I wanted some- boy to have fits in,” out. ——__— At the Circus, From the Hamilton (Ont.) Times. The keeper was walking along by the ele- phant, leading the kangaroo, and the ele- phant stopped blowing dust into the tger’s -—— 4 HEARD BY THE WAY Scraps of Conversation Gathered ou the New York Elevated. PATHOS OF TIN-PAN FLOWER GARDENS The Chinese Viceroy’s Family ag' Seen at Private Theatrica's. VULGARITY OF DIAMONDS stile Written Exclusively for The Evening Star. ; ow MANY opp scraps of conversas tion may be heard in* the New York ele. vated trains! so! many travelers dis- cuss their friends’ a fairs, as well as their" own, sans peur, thag! & quiet passenger within earshot often becomes the wiser by these comments, or, possibly, the posses- sor of thrilling gos- sip. The “quiet passenger” sat one morning opposite two refined young mat woing down town In the 6th avenue train. One of them, evidently, had reeently returned to New York after a long absence, for she seemed very much impressed with the pathos of the window-gardening occasion~, ally attempted in the tenement apartments; whereas permanent New Yorkers have be-' come so accustomed to seeing puny chil- dren leaning out of upper windows, and puny plants trying to grow in shallow, old tin pans, that they have ceased to be sad- dened by them. “In the qvaint old southern town where 1 have lately lived,” said the visitor, “to see a vine growing, whether over a hand- some veranda or about the windows of @ negro cabin, ts to eee a luxuriant, cool, re- freshing beauty, But here, while the up- per windows may be screened with vines trained over twine, fastened from the fire- escape to the top of the window frame, what dusty, discouraged vines they are, telling so pitifully of the hunger most dif- feult to appease in the poverty regions of New York—a hunger for the nearness of something fresh and dewy. Do look at the corner of that ctamped Uttle fire-escape balcony, many stories above the earth, and see the sunflowers growing from a tin to- mato can,” she exciaimed, leaning forward and clutching her companion’s arm to se- cure attention before the train had quite whisked by, “The blossoms looked hot faint,” she continued, sympathetically, as she settled back in her seat again, “and as If they had bloomed unwillingly, Do they not suggest a sad story—a loving, longing re- membrance of a happy village home where those warm-hearted yellow things used to lean tenderly toward the garden gate?” “There is a depth of sentiment in these hopeless Mttle floral efforts which appeals to every tender soul,” aaswered her iriend, “But L have seen plants growing from tin pans where we would be justified In a feel- ing not at all akin to pity. I am thinking of harming residence, not far from Washington, on which and in which money been lavishly spent by the occupant. The most conspicuous feature of the house is @ wide, rather imposing veranda, lux- uriously fitted out with divans, ptics of bright cushions, tea tables, Madeira chairs and Cuban hammocks. But, from some inscrutable kink in taste—certainiy not from economical necesbity—at intervals along the veranda rail, as receptacles for growing plants and vines, are placed tin baking pans painted red and green, judg- according to your sentimental eur- mises, the mistress of this mansion must have loving, longing remembrances of yeuthful days spent in a tenement home.” 11 Heng Chang's Family. “While spending an entire winter in Tiene tsin, the home of Li Hung Chang,” re- marked a lady with a tourist air, “of course 1 heard very much of the clever viceroy and of the efforts made by forcign officials to secure an interview with him, but I did not get one least little glimpse of him. I was more fortunate in regard to Lady Li, his wife, who has since died. I will tell you about her. The Tienisin tub boasted a charming little theater, in which. the ladies of the foreign set! { man" aged amateur plays most successfully. On one of these pleasant occasions the viceroy and his famtly were invited to attend, as guests of the dramatic association. For this exceptional entertainment the audi- ence was limited by invitation to a narrow- ly exclusive circle. The viceroy himself aid not lend his presence, but Lady Li, her married daughter, and two of her children, accompanied by maids, }onored the management. The theater for this one evening had been specially arranced to suit the taste of native play goers. to say, heavy, square, carved teak wood tables, laid with dishes of fruits and sweet- meats, were placed within convenient reach of the Hung Chang family, who frequently gobbled these delicacies during the per- formance. “Another habit of these distinguished peo- ple was to wander restlessly about, between theic own seats and the stage, at times go- ing to the foofights to ight their pipes there, and tl complacently smoking, to pass the time. And the very small grand- sons!!! Ah, they, too, were quite untram- meled by their surroundings and followed their impulses in deeds of nature not de- signed to be witnessed by polite eyes. In- deed, there was so little attention given to the performers or to the play, it seemed hardly worth the while for Lady Li to leave her compound—for the first time in two Years—to distribute $000 between her own gates and the Clu ter, to send a check for $300 to th ama- teurs for their pet charity, and to array herself in the gorgeousness of diamonds, embroideries and sables that so dazzied us when she had, apparently, such slight di- version in return.” Vulgari of Diamonds. “I have lost all respect for diamond: came with a sigh from the rose-pink lips of a high-bred girl who was dressed in a quiet gowa, immaculate gloves and shoes and a plain English hat. “How has that extreme cpinion been frought about? I thought all women loved a diamond,” repljed a distinguished-iooking man beside her, “I did ure to ik there wi ‘so beautiful as the clear radian monds, but now I would far rather wear rebies of the rich, rare shade, opais with sive tire in mysterious depths, pearls with a perfect ‘skin’ and ‘orient,’ or sap- phires of the cornflower tnt than any dia- mwonds, It ix not altogether because dia~ tronds seem merely a greater or less ex- panse of Mashing brilliancy, monotonously uninteresting, except for the increase of value, according to the increase of carats, that I have ceased to care for them; but it is because they have become so vulgar- ized. With a certain class of people the addition of diamonds to their ornamenta- tion now and then procioims, so they imagine, their Increasing prosperity. ‘Chere- fore, they wear them traveling, shopping, even pees. 4 you yd to see the misuse of diamonds, go through a large Sth avenue bargain shop—Macy’s, for in- blazing with have @ foolish weakness for clean finger ones, too, I nails, and really big have become so associated with unpicagantly neglested hands end sordid faces that IT have lost much of the desire I once had to them. oe cage in order to address a few remarks to the kangaroo. “Oh, I say!" be called to that marsupial, “what's that thing you've hitched onto yourself?” kangaroo looked at his tail a mo- ssw, See taal tovkre poet ah the wes phant'’s trunk. fully carried on by highly trained men, many of whom gathered their ex; ce America. in The Japanese electrical so- elety ts hundreds etrong, and its principal proceedings are said by those who can Tone nom to te of 3. high stendere. it is worthy of note, y it the Japanese were quicker than ourselves to apply elec- by using Dr. thereu; creat the first archbis! of Seat chara: to kenartens ses Im the War of 1812-14. ‘The period of the second war with Great Britain was probably the most stirring epoch in the histury of the old town. Dur- ing the summers of 1618-'14 the British forces, under Admiral Cockbura, had prowl- m4 cicug both shores of tue Cheeapeste, S788 i gee fi Por I trietty to the operation of motors to raise and lower the boats another. have ene level to id Merry, but that as LLL I ee eee j