Evening Star Newspaper, May 12, 1898, Page 11

THE PUBLISHED DA Y EXCEPT SUNDAY. AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, by 11@1 Penasrivaria Avein, llth 85, The Evening Star Havespapee OSRpenye £ t. S. H. KAUPFMA> - — Few York Office, 49 Potter_B ing. F own a>count, at 10 cents per monts. Copies at the By mail—anywhere in the counter cents each. United States or Canada—pestage prepatd—60 cents © menth, Saturday Qrintunic Sheet Star, $1 per year, with foreign postage added, $3, (Entered at the Post Ottice at Washington, D. C.. as second-cla. + mali matter.) 57 All mail sabscriptions must be patil in advance. Rates of advertising made Known on appiteation. eee Che Foening Sta _ Pages 11-14, WASHINGTON, D. ©, THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1898-FOURTEEN PAGES. —o 9 The Evening Star is the only afternoon paper in Washington that receives the dispatches of the Associated Press. It is therefore the only one in which the reader can find the complete news of the world, directly trans- mitted by telegraph, up to the moment of going to press. NEWPORT NEWS SAFE Se The Force Ample to Repel Attack From the Sea, IMPORTANT INDUSTRIES PROTECTED pagers The Ship Building Interests and Norfolk Navy Yard. —_ _+—__- NOTED SEAPORT CITY ————— Special Correspondence of The Evening Star. NEWPORT NEWS, Va., May 10, 1898. The statement was made in a dispatch from city Monday te The Star that there were reasons for believing that the Spaniards might attempt the capture of the ship yards in Newport News and the navy at Norfolk, Va. probable that they have been advised ome of their spies of the fact that the on by them of the two cities named i be made to result in the infliction of It by posses: mounting to many millions of dol- lars in property owned by Americans, be- sides which the bu of a large section e would be almost Whatever may be in this regard, no ution that any ho: ef the country completely paralyzed. the wish of the Spaniar one here any exp tile tleet will make a demonstration in this i There is unlimited confidence in e ability of Gen. Frank, commandant of forts in this vicinity of hley, with his flying squ: er if he bring sed the notorious r years Newport News a wonderful city. t unknown te ago, it has be- about a the Atl c eC n of Baltimore. je the greatest export st, with the one It was the cre: point on way Compar and the Chesay Company have built vu which have attracted m have settled with- ast year. s of Mr. 1893, Sorte, a duplica duplicate put two company ts buil the Ke the ith Hamp- and ent 1 Be which 5 ngton tural har mil- y ship, no > port and urves. Owing to - Atlantic coast lin London and Liverposl—Steamers Chic! aominy, Kanawha, Rappahannock, Green- brier, Appomattox and Shenandoah. Caledonian Line for Leith—Steamer Men- do: Avon Line for Bristol—Two steamers. United States Steamship Company's line for Lendon—Steamer Eidsvold. The following steamers sail from Newport Old Dominion Steamship Line for New York daily. The tion Pro and regularly and Miners’ Transporta- three times a week for four times a week for Boston for Baltimore. aer McCall for Petersburg and s every other day. ginia Navigation Company's uhentas for Richmond and way every other ¢ The steamer Louise, connecting with the Che: rail makes two trips daily to Norfolk and Portsmouth. Sechooners and Coastwixe Steamers. In addition to those above named hun- dreds of schooners, barges and coastwise s s engaged in the coal trade come here annuaily, to say nothing of the barks and craft of like rig that load staves for 3 d ether foreign countries or many tramp steamers that carry ht to the united kingdom. is is the eastern terminus of the Chesa- nd Ohio r . and over its lines frei bro’ immense quantities and loaded i mers for freight from nterier points is d Ohio. There All exported from X goods to the value of more than 009,08 News not only en, a large export . but its import busi- ness show: icuously and nets quite z year to the credit Of course, ny goods im- but tus is nearly all the co neated here devote their only to shipments to foreign ne Chesapeake and Ohio steam- those of the Furness and the s are about the only ones >a regular business of bringing to Newport News return cargees from Eng- Port for Shipping Coal. -wport News is the largest coal ship- ying port in ‘hited States, and con- been made for the Ohio Railway Company to MK) tons at its 7 here during This coe 1 by any year. secur tramp steamer them or sent nerth prin south occasion- sand s for uw manufacturing purposes on Acti Ad on That of Rear n ral Dewey. confirmed Immediate yesterday these ear admiral. ster of the Dz land J.C. Auld and W. Alderson of Mon- tana, to be ¢ joners to examine into and n the land grant and of the Nort »wands Horner Dunn orth Wa United St ot of Ari ant ap- trict of to tern distr’ 7. Andrews, to be ef merchandise in the $100,000,000 INCREASE. Gratifying Statistical Comparison United States Exports. The monthly report of the bureau of statistics shows that during the month of April last the exp from the United States of breadstu‘fs, cotton, mineral oils, cattle and hogs and provisions aggregate 361,64 loss, as compared with March, of about $9,000,000, and a gain as com- fared with April For the ten me the exports of these articles exceeded thc for the same months in 1897 by about $104,- 000,000, ‘The ard the of rts during last April by item: approximate increase or decr pared with April, 1S: $15,000,000. $100,000, 000, Provis 10,000, IN CUBA. Southern Baptists Present an Ad- dress to the President. hi the White Hous reception fternoon to s elegates to the Southern Baptist con- which has beca in session at Nor- » President: McKinl pre committee with “an address adopted b: conve n. The committee consisted, @f.the following named delegates to the conyeation:. Rev. Dr. W. Hatcher, Richmond, Dr. Henry McDonald, E. H. Saw . Dr. W. Steph- News is nearer to hand and to the duc- ntic in ural ref afet News xport city grain, 1, steamship rt News un- mshfp lines from New- and Ly Antw rd Londonderry. rp—Steamers St for Copen- Xenia and sow—Steamers ad Indra eamer Aldboroug Chesapeake and Ohio Steamship Line for m and Amster- Tichenor, 1 hundred de! vention, who had HL upon the F con- om Norfolk to ne address was xs follow “To the Pyesident: “We the citizens of the United States, looking to the probability that our gov: ernment may be called to exercise its of- fices in the adjustment of the pending dit- ficulties in Cuba, and whereas the doctrine of the equality of religious rights of all men is a doctrine dear to the heart of every true American; we therefore earnestly re- the President of the United States t in such contemplated adjustment the government be em- ure equality of religious rights nhabitant of Cubi Popular Vote to Elect Senators. The House devoted yesterday's session to the resolution to submit to the states a Proposition to amend the Constitution so as to provide for the election of senators by a direct vote. The amendment, as re- ported to the House, left it in the discre- tion of the states to elect their senators by ct vote or through their legilatures, o amendment by Mr. Underwood, Ala mandatory, was adopted, and the resolu- tion then passed. ————__ e+_____. Saloon Robbed. jeorge Coldenstroth’s saloon at 403 9th Street northwest was entered by burglars at an early hour yesterday morning. The burglars carried off $17 in money, a dozen bottles of whisky, three bottles of brandy and two revolvers. an making selection by popular vote SPANISH ARE WEARY OF WAR Masses of the People Are Without Food or Work. Impression Gains Ground in Europe That the End of the Strag- gle is Near. A special cablegram to the New York Herald from Madrid yesterday says: I have just had a conversation with one of the n.embers of the cabinet, which may throw the true light upon the workings of the Spanish politicians at the present moment. He said: “A change in the cabinet is bound to come, and almost at once. In that change Seror Moret will be the first to go, and with him those others who are not popular under the present condition of public sen- timent.”” “That means,” I asked, “that more ener- getic war measures will be inaugurated To my surprise, he replied: Spain in Favor of Peace. “No, I consider that any change which may come will be in favor of peace. The truth is, every one now at heart wishes peace, but there are none brave enough to speak first.” “Do you think General Campos is the ccming man?" I asked. “Well,” he replied somewhat hesitatingly, “I conSider that by the middle of next month General Campos will be in power, and, although his will be a military gov- ernment, it will be in favor of peace.” People Weary of War. I have just returned from a tour in the can most strongly affirm that the Spanish people are weary of the war, of Cuba and of all the trouble, stagnation of trade, misery and starvation as some- ‘hing too harrowing. They cannot fight against #it. At Algec among the ply st: no work and no risenfi as also all the other nec life. Theaters Closed in Madrid re in Madrid nea all the places of ed. The stock nd ruin among preud. than ever of des- perately omen, ing for food for th ez chil en the bull and when that is the case mut tremis. On of the x country i ernment keeps talking about ri be voted, but whe it is to n no one can say. The Liberal fills three columns with no- tices of riots from one end of Spain to the other, and in three wecks’ time it is stated that ‘there will be a bread in Madrid. Politics is in such a state that, as a mem- ber of the . “What is the most ter! i nlutely no one can well foresce what the future of this country will be, for everything that is worst is view.” NX The so-much-talked-of national onal bscription a Failure. subscrip- to nothing at all—a drop ocean, enough for a few days’ sup- if the war were to be carried on vig- —not from any lack of patriotism in people, but ly because they have not the ci a to Bive In summing up in its leading article upon tion amounted in the the condition of the country the Liberal In addition to the troubles of the and the Philippines, we are face to face with the necessity of declaring mar- tial law throughout Spain, where discord, and exasperation cry out at every people are er Of that I can ig for food, not for ure you. ‘onfirmatory of the above dispatch the tld says it learns on the highest au- thority that Lloyds recently asked $10,000 war insurance Windward later on vessel bound for the passage, and that they have n willing to take the same risk » feeling in France is also that the war will end soon is shown by the let- ters sent by a prominent banking house in Paris to its correspondents in this coun- . Saying that it considered that peace on the horizon and that they might sulate their business accordingly. pe a SS ea HOW THE MONTSERRAT ESCAPED. tr Two Cruisers Which Were After Her Ran Aground. From Today’s New York Herald: One of the seamen on the United States r Marblehead has written an inter- ing letter to ‘his brother In this city, and inadvertently it largely explains how it bee the ible for the Montserrat to run de into Cienfuegos. It appe from the letter that the Mar- ud, the gunboat Shville and the r yacht Eagle re ordered in any from Key West on a mission un- known to the crew. On their first day out the Marblehead and the gle both ran on a coral reef and stuck fast. The ville di tless tarried io help them off, and all were a y or more late arriving in Cienfuegos, whither they were bound. While the Marblehead and Eagle were stiaining aground the Montserrat slipped in. unknown to any of them, as this pas- sage from the man's letter shows: “It was too bad we ran on the reef, for if we had reached Clenfucgos a day sooner we would have tured a Spanish trans- pert, with eight hundred troops aboard.” In the light of this it seems probable that this section of the fleet was assigned to guard duty near the port of Cienfuegos, and that Admiral Sampson did not learn of their disability in time to close a gap in the blockade there. There seems to have been quite a warn little scrimmage in the harbor of Cienfue- gos, according to the sailor’s account, be- tween the trio, a Spanish gunboat and the batteries on shore. He sald: “We wound up in Cienfuegos on Thurs- day night. Our captain, being the senior officer, was in command. The next day at necn we sighted a Spanish steamer coming into the harbor. The captain signaled to the Nashville to head her off. He then stationed the Eagle near the entrance to the harbor and we started after her. We had not got far before a Spanish gunboat came out and opened fire on the Eagle. The Eagle only carries four six-pounders, but she stuck right there. “We put about and came back and open- ed fire on the Spaniard, but she turned tail and got into the harbor. The forts began at us then. The old man gave the order to fire one or two shots until he got the range. We were then about 8,000 yards from the sand batteries. We closed in and sent about a dozen shells into them, which made them quit in short order. Just for luck we sent a few more right into the town. It was something out of sight. We waited there about an hour, waiting for them to fire again. If they had fired an- other shot we would have put the city on the bum. “The steamer we captured had about a dozen Spanish officers on board, one of them a general, also 800 rifles, £00 cases of ammunition and a lot of supplies for the army.” ‘This probably refers to the steamer Argo- nauta, and the supposed general was prob- ably Col. Cortijo, General Weyler’s brother- in-law, who is now imprisoned at Fort Mc- PROFICIENT KINDERGARTENERS. Interesting Commencement Exercises of the Lucy Webb Hayes School. An admirable illustration of the value of the kindergarten system/in the educa- tion of the young was*given last night at Hamline Church, where theeommencement exercises of the Lucy Webb"Hayes Nation- al Training School were held. The pro- gram was a most interestmg one, as it gave a complete example of kindergarten- ing, from the science ef those adept in its methods to the results*shown in the train- ing of little children. In the advanced portion of the exercises the members of the graduating class took part. The young ladies, who received de- grees for completing the course in the normal school for kindergarteners, were A. 8. Bolway, H. R. Quinter, Eva Skillman, Elizabeth Lee Wiley, Effie Bradfield, Lilly Fowler, Elizabeth Finch an@ Annie Grigg of the District of Columbia, Miss Margaret Thompson of Ohio, Miss H.:Belle Price of Maryland and Misses Mattie Skinner and Mary Betchel of Virginia. The exercises illustrating the effective- ness of the system these proficient young ladies are going to follow were participated in by the kindergartens of Rosedale, Bla- densburg and Pierce alley, the latter being composed of little colored boys and girls from three to eight years old. The exercises were opened and closed with prayer by Dr. Strickland, pastor of Hamline, and the certificates to graduates were awarded by Dr. A. H. Ames, presi- dent ofthe school. ee RAILROAD MEN ADJOURN. Convention of Commissioners Brings Its Labors to a Close. At the close of the second day’s session yesterday the tenth annual convention of railroad commissioners adjourned, to mect next year in Denver, Col. C. J. Lindley of Illinois was elected chairman; W. D. Evans 0% South Carolina, vice chairman; Edward A. Moseley, secretary, and Martin T. Deck- er, assistant secretary. The report of the committee on legisla- tion was adopted, and the convention again indorsed the Cullom Dill, drawn to meet objections of the Supreme Court to the present interstate commerce law. The report of the committee on the unl- form classification of freight rates was read. The committee unable to re- pert that any of the roads have made, during the past year, any effort to unite the three classifications of freight com- monly used all over the country. “A. bill, to be known as the national freight clas: fication bill, was recommended. The com- mittee indorsed Senate bill 775, and the report of the committee was accepted. —— ANACO A HAPPENINGS, Logan Post Adopts Memorial Day Program—Other News. At a meeting of John A. Logan Post, AL held last evening in & Hall, preliminary arrangements were on made for the o ance of Memorial at St. Elizabeth. According to custom, Logan Post and its ay ry, the W . e service The following gan Post 7, will have charge of th ducted at the institution. committee from John A. been appointed to c om- mittee from the ladi in J. H. Snow, J. H. Do H, Grant, T. J. Put- um and W. H. Peck. It was announced at the meeting last that Rev. costia M. E the oration of while Dr. W. W ent, would in all pr Arrangements we abeth Band to gan Post to and Mr. John the Sunday Church, gave . O. “Isaac, pastor of nureh, would deliver the day at St. Elizabeth, y. Godding, the superinitend- satiility read a poem. matie With the St. Eliz- ort the! members of Lo- m the asylum. lent of M. E by means ries of view: of the stereopticon, on the war in Cub: the destruction of the Maine and th United States navy, last night at Odd F lows’ Hall, Sth street southeast. The en- tertainment, which was for the benefit of the Anacostia M. BE. Church, w attended by residents of Anac udience sang several national the entertainment waxed patriotic The large elephant, Duchess, from Cen- tral Park, New York city, has b safely to Congress Heights. Charles R. D&dge is back from Bel- J., where he spent several weeks his children and Mrs. William visiting White, hi The frie Prince Ge was so serio the roof of hi s county, Md., farmer, who y hurt a short time ago by barn falling and crushing him, have received word that he is still unable to leave his bed and will be in- jured for life by the accident. Mr. James Glennon, U. S. N., who has been suffering from ill-health, has so far recovered as to be able to resume duty at Havre de Grace, Md, eee ees MT. VERNON ASSOCIATION. Report of the Committee on Trees and Shrubs, Mrs. Walker, senior vice regent, presided at yesterday’s sessions of the councils of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, in the absence of Mrs. Townsend. The com- mittee on trees and shrubs reported that many of the trees destroyed by the tornado in 1896 had been replaced by the same va- riety, and the sum of $450 appropri- ated for the purpose in the coming year. Mrs. L. Z. Leiter presented a check for $100, given by her son, Mr. Joseph Leiter, to be used in replacing shrubbery destroyed last year. > Mule Was Unfit for Work. George King, a colored man, was arrested yesterday by Agent Replinger of the Hu- mane Society. Working a mule unfit for labor was the charge preferred against him, and he forfeited $5 collateral in the Police Court this morning. fase RR Jacobs Pays a Fine. An old soldier named Henry Jacobs, who says he lives in New York, near Central Park, was a prisoner in the Police Court this morning charged with indecent expo- sure. He pleaded guilty to the charge, but denied what was said about him by Jose- phine Green, a small colored girl. Park Watchman Patrick Dowd arrested the man in Stanton Square, on Capitol Hill. The child’s complaint was tt Jacobs had fol- lowed her for several es and had said something improper to her. Just before his arrest, she said, he offered her 10 cents. Jacobs admitted that he;wanted to give her 10 cents, but that, he said, was nothing un- usual for him to do, He explained that his offense was the result df a physical ail- ment. Judge Scott fined him $. —_.—__ Princeton on Trial Trip. The United States composite screw gun- boat Princeton, started on a two days’ trial trip at Camden, New Jersey, yester- day. The Princeton is one of a fleet of six boats of her class. Her cost, not in- cluding the electric lighting plant and in- terlor fittings, ts $230,000, She Is 204 feet long over all, 36 feet beam, with 1,000 tons ¢isplacement at normal draught. Her engines are of the usual triple ex- pansion type, with three cylinders, work- ing on threo cranks. The armament of the vessel will consist of six four-inch rapid fire guns, four six-pounders and two one-pounders, She was built at the yards of John H. Dialogue & Son of Katghn’s Point, and ber guaranteed speed is twelve knots for four hours. The new gunboat was launched on June 2, 1807. She was istened by Miss faret W. Updyke, daughter of Mayor lyke of Princeton. MINES MALICIOUSLY CUT Evidence Regarding Those Found Adrift at New York. Masters of Merchant Vessels Find Them to Be a Bother in En- tering the Harbor, Special Correspondence of The Evening Star. NEW YORK, May 11, 1898. The government is having trouble with its mines. Scarcely a day passes without a report of a detached mine floating about the harbor. In many instances the con- necting cables are cut through pure care- leseness or cussedness. Masters of vessels, in a hurry to get out of port, make a short cut through the mine fields, with disas- trous results to the system. While the majority of the cases of cable cutting can be traced to the above origin, there is a serious side to the continuous disturbance of the mines. The members of the 2d Naval Reserve, attached to the pa- trol boat Raymond, have made an impor- tant discovery. They learned that the sub- marine mines off Sandy Hook had been tampered with. One of the torpedoes which came to the surface of the water was car- ried to Fort Wadsworth. The officials at the fort had alreaay arrived at the con- clusion that some one had been meddling with the mine fields, and they were about to dispatch inen to make investigation, when the Raymond steamed into the fort. It is thought that the submarine mines were cut by the men on a strange schoon- er which was sighted Monday at an early hour in the morning. The Kaymond was at the same time busy escorting the steam- ship Furnessia of the Anchor line through the proper channel, and for that reason cculd not make after the strange craft un- til the vessel had secured a good start. ‘The schooner ran into shallow water in the vicinity of the point where the torpedo Was subsequently found floating, and it is thought that the captain of the schooner is responsible for the break in the submarine fortifications. Whether this was by acci- dent or by design there are, of course, ail sorts of speculation. ‘The mines bother ship owners conside ably. They fear their policies of insurance may fail to cover risks in the harbor. A nervous ship owner hunted up the official head of a foreign ine insuranc pany the other day and put this que “If/an American Vessel in coming up an harbor touches a mine or tor; blown up, will the insurance panies pay for the los: war ? The ship ow s told to call later for an answer. Wh does call he will be told that the c after due delibera- the danger- Sc harber as war risk and will cter without a Tae tion, has decided to con ous journey legium: pay rr : Although this see: about to be all the foreign and ic comp: the fact r ure compan: who will not cons of a ship under the circumsta s a legitin the decision of several of the ins that ng the situ r of one of the my opinion, ider such a . the gent ign companies said t under for by th mind, it is the only fair wi lock at the matter. A war risk is sed to cover all the dangers involved by the prosecution of hos- tilities between belligerent nations. Surely mines and torpedoes, whether they be planted in Spanish or Anrerican waters, form one of the very serious dangers of wi Th ident of a prominent American co y entertained an entirely different view of the matter. ‘I would not consider it as part of the war risk,” he said. “It would be an accident pure and simple. Un- der the circumstan I don’t think the nies could be expected to pay such war ri This clause in t isk policy © I think, this very ‘But only against the risk ¢ izu truction by u by taking at rests, restraints and detainments of kings, princes and people, authorized and in prosecution of hostilities betw na- tions.’ ” en FIGE IRONCLAD. A Points on British Methods Given by “One Who Knows. From the London Chrontete. Now that a new naval .war is imminent the nature of the discipline on board an iron- clad in action will be of interest to the gen- eral reader. The distribution of the crew for action is based on the principle of di- viding the armament into “quarters,” and to number or name the guns so as to give them an individuality without reference to their size. When action is imminent every one-on board repairs to the allotted station below, on deck or aloft. The gunner ob- tains the keys of the magazines, gives them to the men in charge, sees that the lights are lit and evezything in working order. As soon as the guns are cleared away and loaded report to that effect is made to the captain. When this has been done the guns’ crews are provided with small arms, upon which they close up around their guns and await further orders. A supply of light, quic firing machine gun, rifle and pistol ammu- nition is then passed up ready for distri- bution on deck, and a proportion of it sent aloft. This ammunition is served out first to the small-arm perty and to boarders, and to the remainder of the crew as soon as thelr guns are cleared away and arms provided. In each tube a torpedo is placed ready for discharge. Helmsmen are pro- vided ready to take charge of the hand- steering apparatus in the event of the steam-steering gear being carried away. Orderlies, buglers and men stationed at voice tubes are ordered to repair to their stations, but the use of the bugle in action is restricted as far as possible, as long and complicated calls are liable to be misun- derstood. The dress for men in action is as unin- flammable as possible, the biue working rig being considered the best. There fs no rea- son why action dress should not in future be saturated with the non-inflammable ma- terial similar to that used by the Non-Im- flammable Wood Company, now employed in all American ships of war. : It is a curious point that in action boots and shoes are ordered to be worn by all men on deck and in the tops. That por- tion of the crew engaged in the magazines are provided with list slippers. There was a great tendency in Nelson’s time for the men to strip during action. This practice ig now discouraged. Waist belts and pouches are worn, and men who have pis- tols are obliged to wear them. A fire brigade, consisting of carpenters and stokers, screw on hoses and rig all hand-pumps ready for fire. A man is sta- Honed at each water-tight door, which is kept open, ready to close it when the or- der is given. As the spread of fire may at any time menace the safety of the maga- zine the key of the valve admitting water to the magazine level is either kept in the personal charge of the captain or at his discretion by the officer in charge of the gun deck. A supply of. oatmeal and water for drink- ing is arranged all over the ship, especially in the vicinity of magazines, machinery compartments, stoke holes and shell rooms. No intoxicating liquor is served on the day of action on board any well-regulated iron- clad. This is a great departure from the practice of double rations of grog that were in vogue a hundred years ago. Each division of boarders, ready to leap on to the enemy’s ship and take it by as- sault when its armament has been silenced, has a special place of its own on the up- per deck, whither the men repair when called. Every officer on board has a special Station, where he is to be found unless specially employed elsewhere. The danger of fire during action since THE NEGLECTED DEAD the battle of the Yalu has occupied the close attention of the admiralties of all countries. All fires breaking out below the gun deck are in charge of the fire brigade, thus leaving the guns’ crews free for their important duties. When, however, the fire is likely to make head, notwithstanding the efforts of the fire brigade, one or more guns’ crews are called off as necessity may arise for the purpose of attending the hoses. As a fire may occur in the neigh- borhood of a magazine or a shell room, and the supply of ammunition to the guns on deck during action be interrupted from this cause, a special drill for obviating this dif- ficulty is arranged so as to prevent the slackening of fire, by the provision of shell and other ammunition from other maga- zines. If the fire is on the gun deck the guns’ crews are not told off to deal with it except in emergency, as the maintenance of rapid and steady fire in action is the para- mount object of every commander. In case the fire becomes so serious as to make it necessary to go to general fire static the guns are fired, or their ammunition is thrown overboard. The small ammunition on deck is either thrown overboard or placed in a convenient position for that pur- pose. Other details of action drill include the resistance to torpedo boat attack, which the Americans are now hard at work prac- tieing in their various squadrons. If an attack be expected by night in dry weather the decks, gun carriages, ete., are white- washed, a device which in the absence of artificial ght is of great service to the crew of a ship attacked by torpedo boats. The use of smail arms is discouraged, as experience shows that no weapon. using lead bullets is of much use in repelling tor- pedo attack. The guns in the fighting tops, as they enjoy the advantage of plunging fire through the unprotected decks of the torpedo boats, are found to be the best primzry means of defense. The guns can only be used against boats for one or two rounds. They served when hitting is practical and then only in a last resource. troduction of smokeless 1 auxiliary armament is likely to prove an immense advantage to the American navy, larger torpedo are a of a torpedo boat is practicall: In the event of a night attac in action altogether, the us: is restricted as much as poss!- important orders are now conveyed by it. The noise of an action under any circum- stances is bewildering, the torment of the ear-splitting sound of the three-pounders in the tops being consid. trying than heavy guns in the tu: gun, in the event of t lo at en a de are of the horizon to « nd th crews are ferbi recting their aim at any ot the limits of d guns to wh and but thi no’ action, require a rule, the servic. umed at 2 na- vie t powe tically the sar s taught British n details or of the greatest value, which, being ntial nnot be disclosed in a news- — re ism Tarned Loose. Pat A great a loc esterd, About 1 and ) of the e and offices i hear Duncan Haywood recit Star Spangled Banner. followed by the singing of pi The mother of ship Olympia, which led the line of battle at Manila, was introduced, and those pres- ent gave her three heart —_ Baptist Clergy. A reception to these delegates to the re- cent annual convention of the Southern’ Baptist Church at Norfolk, who visited this city on their way to their homes, was given it evening at the Fifth Baptist. Church, Dr. C. C. Meador, pastor, D s n 4 and 6th streets southwest. school room was well filled. were made by Rev. Drs. Me I. T. Tichenor of Atlanta, Walne an. Williams of Texas, Burr of Mississippi and others. Reception t ee Dr. Bolton’s Topic. “A Family Library of Seventy-Five Ye; Ago” was the sybject of a paper read last evening before the Washington Library As- sociation by Dr. H. Carrington Bolton. The paper was a review of the Copp collection, which was recently placed on exhibition the National Museum, and which was cat- alogued by Dr. Bolton. Se Past Year a Prosperous One. Officers of the Murray Universalist So- ciety have been elected as follows:Modera- tor, J. W. Webb; secretary, H. E. Williams; treasurer, George H. Dyer; trustees for four years, Charles Matthews and A. ‘T. Edson. The reports made at the ann meeting, held in the Church of Our Father Tuesday evening, showed that the past year has been a prosperous oni POLO DECLINES SOCIAL ATTENTION. Former Spanish Minister Will Start Home Saturday. A dispatch from Montreal sa: Polo and his party have declin attentions, owing to the new Senor ed all social from Manila, It is probable that the party will sail for home on Saturday. Senor Diaz De Cortina, the Ameri representative of Don Carlos, the nish pretender, has arrived here. He will leav: on Saturday, he says, to join Don Carlos at Brussels. He declares the time is no: far off fcr Don Carlos to make a move for the Spanish crown. —<—<—— Distributed the Supplies. F. W. W. Ramsden, British consul at Santiago de Cuba, has written to the Cu- ban relief committee in New York city that he distributed all of the supplies left him by United States Consul Hyatt, but that owing to the refusal of the ladies’ charity committee to aid in further distri- bution, he will not .be able to look after supplies for the reconcentrados in the fu- ture. The consul, however, is taking care —— American families in Santiago de a. Col. Cyrus Page Dead. Colonel Cyrus A. Page, publisher of the Boston Beacon, is dead. He was fifty-three years of age. .. Colonel Page was a veteran of the civil war. Protection of Harbor Defenses. Representative Marsh of Illinois has in- troduced the bill recently recommended by the administration to protect the har- bor defenses and fortifications constructed or used by the United States from mali- cious injury, and to punish by state laws any offenses in places where jurisdiction is held by the United States and where the axe is not covered by United States ws. Volunteer Nurses. e The state regent for District of Columbia, Daughters of the American Revolution, has called a meeting of the District chapters for Monday avening in the red parlor of the Ebbitt House, to © arrangements about volunteer nurses for the army of the United Heroes of the Maine Resting in Obe scure Graves, j BEFORT 10 HAVE THEM INCLOSED Statement of Their Condition Mado by Major Butts. CHECK TO START A FUND pp “Remember the Maine!” That was the cry which thrilled the sail- ors of Commodore Dewey's fleet at Manila and redoubled their efforts in vanquishing the ships of the enemy. “In recollecting the Maine we not forget the graves of the here mer on board who mct death at the h. of the treacherous Spaniards,” said Major Frank A. Butts of this city, who has just returned from a visit to Key West, Fia. “There are twenty-four of these graves of the Maine’s dead in the dilapidated “it- ile cemetery at Key West,” continued Major Butts, “and it would make the heart of a patriot bleed with anguish to se these mounds which mark the last resting places of the martyrs of the Maine. While in Key West I took a drive to the cemete ult a= I wished afterward that I had stayed away. “The graves—there are twenty-four of them—are located in a little plot of ground abcut 100 feet square, in the city cemeter: as It is called. The place is about thre quarters of a mile from the center of the town. It is about six acres in extent, one of the most dreary places I ever saw. far from the place where the graves the Maine's men are located stands en old broken down, dismantled he which h been uscd to convey yellow fever dead to the ceme' The appearance of this ve- hicle, bare and white, still further heigh ens the 7 y appearance of the burial grcunds and its forlorn surroundin, It looked to me as if it had been picked h: of its flesh by vultures, and as if or bones had been le Bare and Meached. ats “The two dozen mounds which contain the Maine's sailors are bare and bleached. The shell soil in that locality gives them th 1 white appearance. There they are, a foot a unevenly constructed, blots on even the otherwise disfigured land- Tt be the graves of pau- of the world, but which they possess. On and bedr: 1 little Ameri flag, showing that their memories have been entirely neglected. Little sprigs arbor vit 1 evergreen had been st nm the graves, but these have withe me of the graves hi flag er none. Some of them also have broken 2 lets on them, in which were placed Jlowers i , but they have fallen down ted to one side, while the whole ir of terrible neglect. to w what graves not separate om moth-eaten cemetery— broken tombstones a To one side ar which marks tt who dicc hing are other plots in the heaps of rubbish, other objects of decay 2 diver, buried. hand the grave seamen who have low fever at differe . badly cared for 4 » but not ‘or bushes at much can be undergrowth of have so cove them that unless a se is made them they can nd andant h of the naval sta- West told me he went out t over the grave as and and much shr ore hhe ¢ it. The c ant said he should be glad t> chnsider 4 mmunications sent to him regi condition of the cemetcry. He t it w king stat ould be . soldiers connected with the barracks at Key West have a much better cemetery n the poor sailors. Their dead are 4 near the barracks in a much more able place. The Potter'y Field. “I did not see the potter's fleld, forms a part of the cemetery, but I have no doubt it exists there. The keeper of th place, Peter H. Williams, is an old man, badly paid, and who is not able to attend properly to the duties of keeping the ceme tery in repair, from the fact that he 1 no funds. The citizens of the place carnot do it. The G. A. R. Post at Key West has no available funds. There are but four white men connected with it, and they ed there, which is all poor. The care of cemeteries in whic soldiers and rs are buried comes under the quartermaster’s department, but this seems to be peculiarly isolated, without bility of having pr Major Butts said t bring the matier befo' ncampment real he » the pe intended to attention of, Union Veteran I on, last Sat icht, but it was de ferred until the coming meeting, which will be held Saturday night. It is his intention start a subscription for 100 little fl r the graves, and also a popu- lar subscription for a temporary iron ratl- ing to inclose the graves of the Maine's lost. This will be but about 400 feet for the 100-foot inclosure, and can be tempo- rary, as a finer one, he thinks, will un- doubtediy be provided later on, “Lh ve talked to Senator Hawley of Con- t and Representative Belknap of 20,” Major Butts said, “and both ex- pressed entire willingness to bring up a bill in their respective bodies for an appropria- tion to fit up properly the graves of the sailors of the Maine. Ido not think there will be the least doubt of its passing, but it will take time. For Memorial Day. “My idea is to have something done, so that Decoration day can be celebrated there by these proposed improvements. I do rot believe any of the bodies will be brought rerth, and the whole should have a fitting mcnument to show that the country does not neglect its heroes. It would prove a valuable object lesson.” Maj. Butts stated that a number of ex- confederates down in that country heartily deplored the neglect which charac’ ed the cemetery in which the sailors ‘° buried and the graves themselves. The major has already given a check to start the fund for improving the condi:ion of the plat of ground in which the Maine's men rest. ae Appeal for Aid. The ladies of the Newsboys’ and Chil- dren’s Aid Society propose to hold soon a pound party for the benefit of the society. The occasion for this comes from the grow- ing work of the society and the increased number of children who are entirely de- pendent upon it for care and support. Aid is now urgently needed to carry on the work of the society through the summer months, when so many of its friends are absent from the city. Gifts of provisions, and es- Ladies will be in gy 5 ga west, Tuesday, May 17, through the day and evening.