The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 24, 1896, Page 2

2 THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 1896. HAPPENINGS OF NOTE IN EUROPE, Harold Frederic’'s Weekly Letter on Timely Topics. ITALY’S NEW ALLIANCE Turkey's Treachercus Intentions Regarding the Autonomy of Crete. BRITISH ADVANCE IR AFRICA. Splendid Preparatioas tfor the Recep- tion of the Cz:r in Vienna and Paris. [Copyright 1896 by the New York Times. ] LONDON, ExG.,, Aug. 23,—Lord Chief Justice Russell’s address at Saratoga and the fervent reception which from all ac- counts it received are regarded here as forming by far the most noteworthy epi- sode of the week. It surprized nobody that Lord Russell should have made a great speech, because his power to rise to the full possibilities of any occasion has come to be an article of faith in England, but it is perhaps a trifie remarkable that Britieh public comment should be so uni- formly enthusiastic on him and on his performance. His merciless arraiznment of the London Times is still fresh in men’s memories as the lofriest forensic product of our day, yet the Times leads in the chorus of admiring approval of his Sara- toga speech. Lord Russell was not afraid to talk frank Republicanism to an American audience, just as here he has always been an out- spoken Radical, but the Tory papers praise his address quite as warm!y as the rest. The truth is that he has already at- tained, without their knowing it, 2 very powerful hold upon the respect and the imagjnation of the English people, and it needed only that huge outburst of cheer- ing at Saratoga to wake them up to the fact that when he returns he will find him- self publicly set on a pinnacle to which none of his predecessors ever climbed. The facts that Lord Russell is an Irish- man and that from the beginning he has been a devoted Nationalist haye played a bigger part in the shaping of public opirion here in the past year or two than any one imagines. The effect of his grow- ing prestige on the bench has been insen- sibly to modify English prejudices about Irishmen and Home Rulers in general. In proportion as he rose above others as the typical great judicial figure in England, it became more difficult to despise as bar- barians or to hate as traitors his country- men, with whom he was in such full sym- pathy. I believeit is to this subtle in- fluence on men’s minds that the Tory land bill for Ireland and the Tory release of the dynamite conviots are largely due. These things could not have been attained if the rank and file of the party, and society be- hind it, had not undergone a sensible softening toward Treland. Lord Russell's objections to s permanent arbitration tribunal are recognized here as important and striking, but the press rather shrinks from expressing ah opinion on their merits. There is a disposition instead to leave that matter to the author- ities on both siaes for settlement between themselves and this is done with a lighter heart since faith in a friendly and satis- factory understanding among these authorities is now universal. The fastern question has passed for the time being into a relatively pacific phase. The Turk has obtained his customary stay of proceedings. This will enable him to think up reasops for not doing what he has been told to do, and the Cretans have with some difficuity been persuaded to keep quiet during the interval, There is hope among the Continental Chancellors that this artificial lull will be maintained, at least till the Czar gets home again on November 1, but it is' doubttul if it can be managed. The Cretans have been led to believe that they are going to get an- tonomy at the very least, and meanwhile they are steadily increasing their stores of arms and supplies, obtained from Greek smugglers. When the disclosure is made that the Turk refuses even to consider autonomy for Crete they are very unlikely to continue the truce, The possibilities are that another fortnight will see the island plunged in civil war again. Mean- while no visible progress is made among the powers toward a decision as to what will be done next when Turkey declines 1he suggestions now before her. It isnot even clear, indeed, what these suggestions are, although it is suspected that England is uvpofficially pressing for Cretan au- tonomy and getting more or less informal support from Russia, ¥rance and Italy. This drawing of Italy toward the Franco-Russian combination is the most interesting of the whole imbroglio, It is years since a royal betrothal has created such a volitical sensation as was caused this week by the engagement of the Prince of Naples to Helene of Mon- tenegro. The Prince is a fragile, sickly little fellow., He is idolized by those about him, but it has always been under- stood that be was doomed to celibacy. His sudden betrothal to the magnificent mouniain-bred beauty whom the present Czar was not allowed to wed is hence re- garded everywhere as a political coup, It brings the Italian court at once into sym- pathetic relations with the Montenegnn principality, which is a strictly Russian outpost on the Adriatie, and gives Italy a direct interest in Russi game in the Balkans. Naturally, Vienna and Berlin are astounded and disgusted at this sud- den development and they take no pains to conceal the fact. Rumors about the German Emperor’s ill temper continue to come, but they are now accompanied by siens that the Ger- man publie, too, is getting angry. The dismissal of Bronsart Schellendorf from the War Ministry is rather the worst thing which the Emperor has yet been persuaded to do by his “Kitchen Cabinet” of favorites, tor the reason that it closely toughes the army, with which not even Emperors ean afford to trifle. Discipline is so omnipotent in the army that of course not @ word has been heard from it, but it is well nnderstood that was saerificed becanse he urged reforms in the present medieval star chamber systems of couris-martial, andj that all the progressive military leaders are dismayed and exasperated by his re- moval. The German press is speaking with great plainness about the affair, an there promises to be, when the Reichstag meets, an open debate on the ‘whole sub- ject of the Emperor's unofficial ad- visers. There are reports this evening that the latest Franco-German frontier incident is likely to develop unpleasantly. A group of young French soldiers who seem to have been intoxicated crossed the frontier and went half a mile into German terri- tory at Wurtzelstein. In the course of their boisterous frolic they stripped off the coat of a German soldier on furlough and carried it back with them. Another account says that the Frenchmen merely found the coat in the house of a peasant to whose absent brother it belonged, and that they cut off the buttons and brought it away. The German Foreign Office of course complained, and now there is a rumor that the answer of the French Government was unsatisfactory. Itisim- possible to verify the report. Vienna is decorating on an extravagant scale and in wild haste for the Czar’s visit next Thursday, and the special six horses that have been assigned for the use of the imperial visitors are drilled daily not to shy at orowds, flags or brass bands, All the grooms spend an hour daily bawling “‘Hoch” into the earsof these horses, so as to accustom them to.cheering. Nearly 20,000 troops are to line the way from the station to the palace. This is more soldiers than Vienna has ever seen thus employed. Paris too is already repaving the street in front of the Russian Embassy, and will soon be in frantic throes of deco- ration on a scale never dreamed of before. The fears lest violence may be attempted have created a veritable panic in the Paris- ian official mind, and it is announced that foreigners who are in France during the period of the Czar’s visit must have their passports ready to show at any moment, and must expect the most minute police surveillance. These precautions far exceed anything the late Czar ever thought essential in foreign capitals, and make one wonder whether personal terror is one of the afflictions with which Nicholas II is struggling. Now that the upper Nile isatlastin condition to be traversed by steamers, a lively dash ferward to Dongola by the British is a matter of days. For the last few weeks there has been a sharp censor- ship in the English camp over both telegrams and mail letters, so the public here is quite in the dark as to the amount and character of the opposition which the Sirdar expects. This, however, has dis- turbed no one, since it is taken for granted that the dervishes are played out as a serious fighting force. Such public inter- est in the Soudan effair as exists is ab- sorbed in the problem of what is to hap- pen after Dongola has been occupied and tbe Caliph chased out of Omdarman, for this is universaily assumed to be included in the plans of the campaign. When the expedition was first announced last spring these dispatches reflected Sir Charles Dilke's position, that nothing iess than the conquest of Darfur and Equatorial Africa was its ultimate object. - At that time the ministry indignantly repudiated the idea; but now we hear of a Congo Btate force advancing forward to clear this dark and little-known land, and 1f it hap- pens in the end that the whole Nile Val- ley and the road into U:anda are rid of dervish control, and that somehow it has all come to be British territory, no wise man will be surprised. The French at least firmly believe that this is what is intended, and it is likely that the British or Belgian aavance will find French posts near the sources of the Nile in unexpected places. This prospect must be kept in mind as a possible occa- sion of trouble, but no one here regards it with apprehension. The French occupation of Timbuctoo, whatever its material results, has proved to be of remarkable service to the students who are grappiing with the archmological problems of Africa. Felix Dubois is now publishing in L'Illustration as a serial the results of his explorations there. His text is plentifully illustrated by photographs, and to judge from the first chapters it has been along time since such a strikingly original and valuable book has appeared. The architectural and etknographic re- mains of early Egyptian colonies near Timbuctoo are especially noteworthy. The recent popular rage for books about mountain elimbing is said to show, from the publisher’s point of view, some signs of abatement, but its effects on the public will make this a miserable year in the Alps. Already the fatalities among the climbers for the season exceed the total which used to be considered bad for a space of ten years. Until last year the Predigstuhl in the Tyrol had been considered inaccessible. Then it was climbed for the first time, and this year there have been five ascents, two of which resulted in fatal accidents, and numerous adventurous persons are now on the spat preparing for an attempt to reach this pulpit, As for the Alps proper lives are thrown away weekly on all sorts of foolhardy ventures by people who, baving read Whymper ana Conway, decline to take the advice of gnides or -to conform to any of the old rules governing mountain work. It is safe to predict that there will be an unprecedented attendance to-morrow at the littie German Oatholic Church in ‘White chapel, where the nephew of the King of Saxony is to make his first ap- pearance as a priest and to preach at high mass. There are four lives between Prince Max and the throne, so there was nody- nastic objection to his following his voca- tion and taking orders, which he did some months ago, but why he wanted to come to Engiand and do rough mission work in the east end of London is not understood. It appears that both his family and some atleast of the British priesthood discour- aged the ides, and the Leipsic and Dres- den press pointed out that Saxony was an extremely good field for missionaries, but the young man had his own way. It seems as if every week brought same fresh note on the chances which the bi- cyle is making in popular tastes and habits, A year ago fashionable London was quite daft over the notion of skating on artificial ice, and the rinks made such huge profits that speculators formed a company to build a great national skating palace. Now this company has gone into the hands of a receiver, and another enter- prise similar, though less ambitious, is also on its last legs, The explanation is the one that serves to account for every- thing nowadays—namely, that everybody is cycling, Ten weeks hence the use of motor car- riages 8t the rate of fourteen miles an hour will be legal on English roads, and shrewd men in the gycle business balieve that this new development in locomotion wiil be even more remarkabie than cycling in its general effects on the country. The great manupfacturing firms of Leeds, Preston and Bedford have already made big preparations for ihe new industry, but ap- parently the bulk of it will be centered at Coventry, the town which first bad the in- telligence to grasp the possibilities of the bicycle trade, Hazoup Frenesic, ITRIUE R N FATHERLID, Rumors of Changes in the German Ministry Continue. HOTBED OF DISCONTENT. The Military‘ Faction Is Getting the Upper Hand in State Affairs. VON HOHENLOHE'S POSITION. Inducea by the Kais:r to Remain in Office Until After the Visit of the Czar. [Copyright,1896,by the United Associated Presses] BERLIN, GerMANY, Ang. 23.—Before the Reichstag reassembles in November it is certain that there will be important changes in the Cabinet, if indeed an entire revision of the Ministry does not take nlace. Despite the persistent semi-official denials that Prince Hohenlohe, the In- perial Chancellor, 18 an the eve of retire- ment from office, the Boersen Zzitung hits the mark squarely in stating that the Chancellor asked the Emperor for his dis- missal at the time of his recent visit to the Kaiser at Wilhelmshohe, knowing that the Hahnke-Lucanus cabal prevailed against him, but the Emperor induced the Prince to remain in office until after the visit of the Czar and Czarina to Breslau. The Freisinnige Zeitung (Radical) 1n an article discussing the character of the future Cabinet, asserts that during the Emperor's recent trip to the Nordland Count Bothe zu Eulenburg, master of ceremonies at the imperial court of Ger- many, accompanied by his cousin, Count Doennoff, followed the Kaiser's route throughout his Majesty’s tour and kept up constant communication with his brother, Count Philip Eulenburg, German Embassador to Austria, who accompanied the Kaiser in the capacity of rcpresenta- tive of the Foreign Office. The motive of the Freisinnige Zeitung in making this statement is to depict the Emperor as the central figure in the in- trigues for a change in the Chancellor- ship, and this opinion of the matter has obtained the ready support of a large num- ber of persons in and out of official life in view of all that is now transpiring in offi- cial eircles. The feature of the existing imbroglio is that two parties exist within the Govern- ment which are fighting each other des- perately., First, there is Freiherr Mar- schall von Bieberstein, Minister of Foreign Affairs, whose inspired organ, the Cologne Gazette, declares that it is impossible to consider the Kaiser’s Military Cabinet as identical with the Emperor himself; and second, there is the practically governing General yon Hahnke, chief of the Kaiser's Military Cabinet, who, through the me- dium of the Reichsanzeiger, the official gazette, savs that the Military Oabinet only exercises the Emperor’s behests. Freiherr Bieberstein himself seems destined to be elbowed out of the Cabinet, and Dr. Lucanus, the chief of the Em- peror's Civil Cabinet, is mentioned as having a very good chance of being pro- moted to a higher ofhce. Nobody con- nected with the semi-official press, nor an) body connected with the Govern- ment, has bitherto supposed that Dr. Lucanus held the inside track, but that rsonace is now credited with being nlly informed of everything that the Kaiser intended to do. Several newspapers which pretended to be officially inspired were woefully dis- credited over the matter of the retire- ment of General Bronsart von Schellen- dorf from the Ministry of War. Instances of this are shown in the fact that the Ber- lin Iageblatt and the Hanover Courier, at the same hour that the announcement of General Scheliendorl's resignation was published . in the Reichsanzeiger, ap- peared with their alleged inspired an- nouncements that the Minister of War and the Kaiser had become reconciled and that the Minister wouid retain his st. The Berlin Government continues to actively support the initiative of Count Goluchowski, Austrian Minister of For- eign Affairs, toward the solution of the difficulties existing in Orete. Bince Lord Balisbury's rejection of the proposal to establish a blockade around Crete, Count Goluchowski has urged the Porte to grant @new constitution to the island, the main features of which are the a pnlntmenl of a Christian Governor and the establish- ment of Cretan financisl autonumy, with the payment of tribute to the Sultan under the general guarantee of the Eu- ropean powers. The foreign Consul at Canea communicated the terms of Count Goluchowski’s proposal to the Christian Deputies of Urete on Friday, and although the fighting between the Christians and Turks on the 1sland 1s still in progress it is the opinion in diplomatic circles here that the Christians will accept the gon- ditions, which are really tantamount to autonomy with an annual payment of tribute to the Porte based upon the ratio of the revenues of the island, Although the statistics of the current harvests are still incomplete, a sufficient numoer has been received at the Depart- ment of Agriculture upon which to base an estimate that there will be a medium erop of wheat and rye in Germany and a fine crop of both of these ‘grninl in Aus- tria-Hungary, The general failure of the cereal crops in Russia and the prohibition of time operations on the boursesin Ger- many are leading to speculative transae- tions in import orders upon the chance that a demand for the grain thus pur- chased will spring up. The agrarian news- papers are advising home producers to hold on to their grain with the assistance of bank advances, and the position points to a reaction with keen competition be- tween home-grown and impo: grains, Concerning the state of the erops in Russia the consensus of apinion is that the harvest there 1s gp absolute failure. The crops in the great sonthern ares are fair, but in the basins of the Volgs, Dneh;:rd and Don the gemeral average is very o 1t is reported that a famine exists in the Kherson districts of Southern Russia, ana that the local suthorities are appealing to the Government for relief, eise the people must die from starvation.- The Schuhmarkt, the organ of the Ger- man shoemakers, ealls attention to the report forwarded to the State Department %‘ni‘&li' Government by F. H. Mason, fort-on-Main, and d that a American shoestore e;ri‘}:: in Snrlln.m“lfhe paper says that Mr. Mason in making the statement that such stores did exist was 'mfidy m:k t exists § Germ fo “"No market exis n a0, r ‘,;3""“,‘ boots and -lwu."3 the yvew' adds, “for many regsons, German ma- chinery for the manufacture of boots and States Consul-General at Fraufi i shoes is as fect as the American ma- chinery, and the shapes Worn in America would not do here.” The United States Consular.Agent at Kiel has informed the representatives of the United Associated Presses that the United Siates Attorney-General has taken fl% the case of the steamer Hermann, which shipped at Libau, Russia, on Jan- uary 30, 1896, thirty emigrants who were put on board the ship and treated in such an inhuman manner that six of them died and the others narrowly escaped the same iate. It that the six who died were loct:g n a close compartment of the vessel, and expired from suffocation a few hours after the ship had left the harbor of Libau. The bodies of the dead men were thrown overboard, and the survivors were threatened with being brought back ‘to Russia if they revealed the fate of their compenions, The Emperor gave a luncheon to the Third Regiment of Foot Guards yesterday after unveiling a monument to the memory of the soldiers of the German army who had fallen in battlefields, and in the course of the entertainment made a rather long speech, ending with his never- ceasing theme of implicit obedience to the_ King. -‘Ihope,” he said, “tuat this regi ment, in case I should be forced to cal upon them to go to war, will go as duti- fully to death for me as they did for my grandfather, the great Emperor Wil- ham L’ The Deutsche Landwirthschaft Presse demands that the Government issue a de- cree completely locking out from Germany all agricultural animals, from horses to poultry, coming from countries where pro- tective measures against Germany exist. The Volks Zeitung, in an article com- menting upon this demand, says: “If this piece of madness is carried out, the people will be starved for the sake of fat- tening the landlords.’’ The Hamburg Correspondenz, a semi- official organ, demands that energetic steps be at once taken to protect German interests in Samoa against the encroach- ments of American adventurers, The paper asserts that Americans are actively seizing the trade in Samoa, ignoring the international arrangements entirely. The Freisinnige Zeitung, replying to this article, says that Samoa is not worth quarreling over with the United States and England, The Russian police will co-operate with the Beriin police in the matter of guard- ing the Czar and Czarina upon the occa- sion of their coming visit to Breslau. A large number of members of the Russian secret police will arrive at Breslau several dny: before the arrival of the Imperial party. The railroads touching ‘Berlin will sus- pend freight traffic during the presence of the Czar in Germany, and a special watch will ‘be kept at Hamburg, Bremen and other ports to prevent an entry of sus- picious persons or explosives. These pre- cautions are being taken upon thestrength of reports that the anarchists in London have been plotting against the Czar's life. The German ~ Government requests Americans desiring to visit the German schools to make their applications for per- mits through the Government in Wash- ington instead of making them -through the United Stutes Embassy in Berlin, where there is an inevitable delay which oiten prevents the use of the permits. CUBAN LEADERS TO WEET Plans for the Future Conduct of Freedom’s Battle Will Be Discussed. Armies of Gomez and Maceo, It Is Thouzkt, Wiil Shortly Assume the'Aggressive. PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Aug. 28.—It 15 said that within the next month General Estrada Palma, Minister Plenipotentiary of the Cuban Republic to the United States, and Gonzales Quesada, the Secre- tary of Legation, with other prominent supporters of the revoiutionary cause, will %0 to Cuba to consult with President Ois- nerios as to the future conduct of the battle for freedom. General Gomez and Maceo are both said to have expressed the opinion that noth- ing can be accomplished under the pres- ent system of fiehting, 5 They do not want to go on struggling, as during the ten years’ war, with no hope of gaining the freedom of the island un- less they secure recognition as belligerents from the United States. To do thisitis claimed by both the commanders that they must inaugurate a campaign of the most destructive character, Hitherto when parts of their armies have invaded a town they have simply driven the Spanish forces out and then have themselves re- treated, Their plan now is to make forced marches upan all of the interior cities, and after effecting their capture destroy them. They cannot do this, however, without the sanction of the Cuban Junta in the United States, and it is for the purpose of settling the issue thus raised tbat Palma, Quesada and others have been summoned to the island. How these leaders will get to Cuba is, of course, a mystery to all save themselves. It is stated on good authority that three large expeditions are to be sent out from aifferent places in this country, and that they will unite and land at a designated point. The vessels will be armed and pre- vared to fight if overtaken by Spanish cruisers, At the same time that the three large expeditions go out there will be other ships sent’ to the coast as decoys. The leaders of the movement have no ap- prehension of their ability to effect a landing, It is expected that the conference be- tween Cisnerios, Palma, Quesada and others.will result in a decision to start the armies of both Gomez and Maceo on the aggressive about the 1st of October ana that when a town is captured it will be destroyed. Maceo, It is said, would like to inaugs urate a line of action something skin to Sherman’s march to the sea, and it is be- lieved that he wiil have his way. . —_— CY¥CLONE STRIKES A CIRCUS, Several Animals Escape From 2heir Cages, but Are Kecaptured. HUNTINGTON, Ixp, Aug. 25—The Wallace circus was struck by a small cy- slone in this city last night and the can- vas torn to shreds, Several animals es- caped from broken cages, but were recap- tured. Four men were slightly injured by falling poies. The damage amounted to ;“l‘:l!.‘;‘).gflt The oloe:‘m nn‘:‘el‘bd;re the 0 ad been o 10 admit the peo- ple. During the storm fourteen bara in this county were struck by lightning and destroyed, causing a loss n¥szo,ooo. oo Db Gl GRAND ARMY REUNION, Lively Scones nt Camp Fairchild, Near Lincoln, Nebraska. LINCOLN, Nesr, Aug. 23,—Snpplies for an army of from 50,000 to 75,006 men Are now on the grounds at Camp Fair- ehild, one mile from the ity, the seat of the Nebraska Grand Army reunion, which Was thrown open to the public this morn- . The reunicn proper does not begin until to-morrow, but a Sunday programme of religious service and music was_carried out to-day, The attendance during the week promises to be lnrfi;. 1000 é’,m-l being slready occupied, Poiitical discussions will not be barred, and Candidate Bryan is on the grogummo fora ;reaoh. but of course he cannat be present in view of hi more recent itinerary. MILTARY KD WAL AEFARS Army Circles Interested in the Matter of Coast Defense. LARGE SUM NECESSARY Reports of Generals Miles and Craighill to Secretary Lamont. OVERHAULING OLD MONITORS, Admiral Bunce’s Squadron to Be Kept in Fighting Trim for Emergencies. WASHINGTON, D. C., Aug. 23.—Great interest is felt in army circles in the ex- pected recommendatiens to Congress at its next session in the matter of coast de- fense. Major-General Miles recently made an inspection of northeastern points where batteries are needed, and has sab- mitted his recommendations to Secretary Lamont. Brigadier-General Craighill, chief of the corps of engineers, has re- turned from an inspection of the New England coast and of Fort Montgomery on Lake Champlain. Both of these of- ficials will make strong recommendations for pressing the work of coast defense. General Miles has practically outlined this feature of his report and will urge the necessity of suflicient appropriations, His recommendations will cover not only the Atlantic coast, but the Pacific coast as well. General Craighiil will submit his estimates for the work, and iiis certain that he will not ask for a small sum, Under the terms of the last fortifications act he was allowed about $5,000,000, a minor portion of which was immediately available, the remainder to be spent under the continuing contract system. In_his estimate for next year's work General Craighill will ask for $5,000,000, to be immediately available upon the passage of theact. It is poiated out that with such small appropriations as much as fife teen years wil! be required to get the coasts 1n a proper condition of defense, General Craighill’s tour, just completed, included Fort Knox, on the' Penobscot river, not now occupied, but which 1n his opinion should be supplied with a garri- son; Fort Popham, at the mouth of the Kennebec River, and most of the harbors along the New England coast, including Boston, Newport, Narragansett Bay, etc, He also visited Fort Montgomery. While on his tour, General Craighill also in- spected some river and harbor work. He is satisfied with the progress the work is making with the present limited appropri» ation, but feels that it shouid be pushed more rapidly. Brigadier-General Flazler, chief of ords nance, did not intimate before his de- parture how much he would want from the next Congress, It 18 roughly esti. mated that as much as $15,002,000 will be asked for at the next session.’ There is strong probability that an at- tempt will be made during the coming session of Congress to secure legislation creating the grade of lieutenaut-colonel in the Signal Corps. This will be done for the benefit of Major H. C. Dunwoody, The pro- posed measure will not increase the num. ber of officers in the corps, but wiil reduce the number of lieutenants to three. Of- ficers of the corps say this action is'neces- sary because of the small chance of any retirements 1in senior grades, Brigadier-General Greely, chiei signal officer, will not retire until 1906, and in the interim a number of officers older than he will be rele- gated to the retired list. There has been talk for some years that General Greely would retire on bis own application, but this gossip has proved to be without foundation, and the probabilities are now that be will remain in active service. It is understood that the forthcoming annnal reports of bureau chiefs will con~ tain little that is new in the way of recom- mendations. Major-General Miles, com- manding the army, will have an interest- ing report, and will make a number of valuable suggestions looking to the im- provement of the condition of officers and men, He wili forcibly urge upon Con- gress the necessity of Euslnglhn reorgani- zation bill proposed by the War Depart- mentduring last session. In accordance with resolutions of Con- gress the United S:ates steamship Alba- tross has been detailed by the President to assist a commission appointed by the Executive to make a scientific investiga- tion of fur seals on the Pribylof, Com- mander and Kurile islands. The com- mission is composed of Dr. David Btarr Jordan, president of Leland Stanford Jr. University; Lientenant-Commander Je!- ferson F. Mose, U, 8. N,, commanding the Albatross; Dr. Leon Hard Stejneger ofthe National Museum, Dr. F. A. Lucas of the National Museum and Charles H. Town- send of the Fish Commission, The Alba- tross arrived at Unalaska July 2 and will roceed at once on the work, ~ S8he carried th the American and British Commis- sioners. The Carnegie Steel Company is pushing its work on the armor it is manufacturing for the battle-ships Kearsarge and Ken- is | ceiving necessary :uok{. It bas informed the Navy Depart- ment that it has all the casement 'i’:m from 10 to 12 inches in thickness -ng the lates for the forward 13-inch barbettes, rom 15 to 17 inches in thickness, ready for machining, and asks that it be fur- nished with final Elanl. These are now being prepared at the Navy Department. The steel company is said fo be pushing its material for the purpose of showing thatitis able to keep pace with if not ahead of the hull constrnotion, While Cuba isin a state of insurrection Becretary Herbert wiil not create the naval reserve he has in contemplation. This is the opinion of the officers of the Navy Dep’rlmenl, notwithstanding the Secre- tary's action in ordering the board to make recommendations governing the creation of such reserve. Instead of lay- ing up sbips in orainary it is the intention of the Nayy Department to place addi- tional ships in commission, The meonitor Puritan, whieh is to be completed by orders f the Secretary this fall, will ba at on.. ordered into active service. The craiser Brooklyn, upon the completion of her preliminary acceptance trial the latter part of this mont| , will have the finishing touches piaced upon her, and in October next will receive her officers and crew. It was the intentjon of ch1 Secretary to r.laee the torpedo-boat Ericsson in commission, but the un/ortu- pate accident of a few days agoat the New York navy.yard: prevents this for some The Brook! e“hl:n'g:::l:::;sionud will lg'n ::&mm".f the North Atiluutic squadron, Tt s possible that after the nayal ma- Ay ks (U al onths pairs. particularly l?o' e y New York, The Biooklyn, being supplied with flag officers’ quarters, could be use in the place of the New York as fll;:!h‘ of the station, Another indication of th intention of the authoriies is the fact that they are enlisting men daily to take the places of those whose time is about to expire. In this way all of tne ships of Ad- miral Bunce's squadron have been practi- cally remanned with sailors whose terms of enlistment will not expire or are begin- ning. It is the expectation of well-in- formed officers at the Navy Department that the ficet will cruise on the North At- lantic coast until October, then receive Decessary repairs at the navy-yard, and about the middle of December or early in the new vear will go to the Caribbean Sea to continue maneuvers, Apny recom- mendations of the Naval Reserve Board will hardly be’ put in Operation, they :}hlg:, until the close of the rebellion in =+ . One of the most significant actions of the Nl:ipeputmenl is the repairing of the machinery of all the old single-turret monitors, with the exception of two which require new boilers and for which no appropristion is available. Thege monitors have been distributed along the North Atlantic coast and have been placed at ports where they could do valuable work in case defense were neces- sary, An officer of the navy stated that these monitors, with the exception of some little injury to their hulls, are in as condition to-day as they were dur- ing the war. They can steam ail about the harbors they are in, he said, and could take a position in the middle of the channel where they could do much to annoy an enemy trylng to pass. It is true they are armed only with smooth- bore guns, but at short range they would be of some use, and if the vessels were sank they would effectually blockade the chanpel of the harbor, VENCEDOR AKD CANADA Yachting Enthusiasts Flocking to Toledo to Witness the Great Race. Canadians Confilent of Victory, as the American Boat Is Badly Handicapped. TOLEDO, Oxnto, Aug. 23, —Everything is in readiness for the international yacht race between the Vencedor and Canada, and every train and boat is bringing hun- dreds of yachting enthusiasts from Chi- cago, Detroit, Milwaukee and Buffalo, to- gether with a few from New York and other Eastern citics. Both boats were measurad yesterday. So far as could be as+ certained in advance of the official an- nouncements the measurements are as follows: Canada—Length over all 55.21; water line, 37.04; boom, 42.83; eaff, 24.42; hoist of , 24.55. Vencedor—Length over all, 62,78; water line, 43; boom, 46,90; gaff, 27.80; hoist of mainsail, 26,30. The Canadians are confident that their boat will win, for through Commodore Berriman's anxiety to get in arace at all ‘hazards he has handicappea the Vencedor 80 that it is extremely doubtful if she wlil be able to win in anything but a blow, Captain Barbhour, howeyer, siili bas con- fidence in the Vencedor, and to-nizht said that in any sort of a braeze the Chicago yacht will win. Off Riversile Park, in the Maumee River, where the chailenged boat and de- fender are anchored, there is & great fleet of Canadian and American yachts from almost every part of the great lakes, and at ‘“colors” ihis morning, several acres of parti-colored bunting were flunv to the breeze. The spectacle drew thousands of people to the shore. Shortly before. noon the Vencedor went out for a trigl spin and made one circuit of the twelve-mile triangle. The trial was very satisfactory, for the Vencedor in a gooa stiff breeze. with only her working topsail, covered the twelve knots, which included four miles of windward work, in 1 hour and 52 minutes. In consequence of the Vencedor's sail area being found in ex. cess of the limitation by official measure-~ ment, it was decided to reduce the canvas by using the 0id wainsail, which does not set well, e OLYMPICS AT SIOCKTON. San Francisco Cyoiers Sths & Wil Tn ZLodi’s Famed Melons. S8TOCKTON, CaL., Aug. 28.—The Olym- pic Club Wheelmen took possession of Btockton to-day. They could rot come to participate in the watermelon run of the Terminal City Wheelmen on August 9, and so arranged for a watermelon run of their own. They arrived last night in large numbers, and the morning boats brought crowds of wheelmen from San Francisco. The bicycle annex of the Stockton Ath- letic Association, the Stockton Road Olub and the Terminal City Wheelmen joined the Olympics, and the blue and white, black and orange and green and vellow of ibe local clubs helped the wearers of the winged “'0" to make the affair a great success, The run was made to 8mith’s Grove, near Lodi, where a feast of luscious red fruit had been prepared, and the visitors had a royal time. The run back to Stock- ton was jull of amusing incidents, and to-night the Olympic wheelmen whao did not return by the evening boat had a royal time with the Stockton cyclers. LA Santa Monica Races. SANTA MONICA, Can, Aung. 23.—A larsze crowd attenaed the second Sunday meeting of the Los Angeles Wheelmen, There were six events on the card. The results were: One-quarter miledash, J. L. Standefer won. Time, :31. Mile dunh,gplen andem pace, W. W. Hatton One-third 1{111 ush, bandicap—Grifin (18 ; time, 41, ’fi‘m Tendemt. sifller and #, W, Holbrook won; time, 2: Mile lap race—W, W. Hatton won. Time, & nfi zhh; zdicup—\v. A, Taylor (30 yards) wop. % E B —r——— Will Kace at San Jose. SAN JOSE, Car., Aug. 23.—The race committee of the Garden City Cyclers has decided to hang upa purse ol $50for a race between Hardy Downing of the Gara den City Cyclers and Robert Terrill of the Bay City Wheelmen on Admission day, Downing has already issyed a challenge to Terrill. The race will be of miie heats, best two in three. To-day the Cyclers participated in a joint run to Glen Willig with the Pajaro Valley Wheelmen of Wat- sonville, the Tribune Cyclers of GUrot the Mountain View Cyelers and the O servatory Cyclers, —_— Monterey's Boy Marksman. MONTEREY, CaL, Aug. 23,—The Mon- terey Wing Club held its monthly shoot this afternoon at De] Mente Park. After the regular spoot Master Chester Lipp, a |- lad of 14 years, gaye an exbibition of trap- | -shooting. He is ike champion boy marksman of California, having won this title on May 8, when he in breaking eighteen ant of twenty bluerocks. His exhibition to-day was exceilent, He broke twenty-three out of a possible twenty-iive elay pigeons. v ——— tedding Cyele Club Races. REDDING, CAr, Aug, 23.—The Red- ding Cycle Club gave the first of a series of races this afternoon, The event of the day was a hall-mile race between three of Shasta County’s best uolrhtho time made being 1:19 45, by William Hopping of this city. This time beats the coast record for a half mx{:i muingb a%ulnu under the auspices of the A, W., and was made ©on a poor track, against the wind, BLINGUM'S WEEK ~ AT DEL MONTE Track and Polo Grounds Are Ready for the Meeting. COUNTRY CLUB EVENTS. Feminine Interest Centers in the Paper Chase and Drag Precession. HCBART'S BANGTAILS ARRIVE. A Trainload of Thoroughbreds Sent From the Young Mil i)n- eire’s Ranch. DEL MONTE, Car., Aug. 23.—The race- track and polo grounds are at lgst, after hard work and much expense, ready for the events that will begin on Tuesday. L. D. Norton, who originally surveved the grounds and who has for the past few weeks been superintending the prepara- tions for the coming meet, bas finally an- nounced the work completed. He has made a fine job of it, for track and grounds are in prime condition in every way, and, except for daily sprinkling and sweeping, is just as Burlingame will use it. The polo grounds in particular are in much better condition than last year, for the earth has been packed and scraped level, treacherous holes filled and stones taken off, so there will now be almost no danger, either to men or ponies, in the event of falls. The stone wall for the cteeblechnse has also been softened by being well covered with turf. In a number of events the owners of horses will ride. Among the well-known riders who will be seen in the saddle are: W. S. Hobart, R. M. Tobin, P. D. Martin, Charles I. Baldwin, J. Lawson, Baron von Schroeder, J. Bogert, H. H, Hinshaw, J. F. J, Archibaid, Captain A. F. Wain- wright. The polo game on Tnesday will be be- tween the ‘‘Reds’’—Messrs. Joseph Tobin Jr., first; Walter 8. Hobart, second; Jo- seph Tobin, thire Perry Eyre, fourth; and the “Blues”—Captain A. F. Wain- wright, first; J. Lawson, second; Charles Baldwin, third; R. M. Tobin, fourth. Both are Burlingame feams, A club from Riverside or Sania Monica will contest with the victorious four from Burlingame, The puper chase is scheanled for Wednes- day, and that day is to be given up to it tirely. This will, of course, be the so- ciety event of the meet, and is anticipated with more pleasure by the ladies than any other feature, except, verhaps, the drag procession, Captain \Vainwn.xht has laid out the course, and it comprises between seven and ten miles of cross-country rid- ing, with some very pretty doubles and false scents. The bearers will be Mrs. Crooks, Mrs. Neave and Miss Warburton. J. F. J. Archibald, R. M, Tobin, Captain A. F. Wainwright and all who can procure amount will combine themselves into an eager pack. alter 8. Hobart's stable came down on & special train of six cars, arriving here last evening. Another special irain, loaded with horses, in charge of Thomas F, Meagher, which left Third and Town- send streets in San Francisco at 6 o’clock this morning has arrived. The horses are in fine condition. The list of entries for Thursday's racing events follow: -+ e, purse $100, for quali- 00 5oL Bonle, top Welgni 170 ponndi—Lady Grey, Brandy, Lady Green, Mitkmaid. 8ix furlongs, l?150—Rubln Hood, Duke Stevens, Chariie Hoots, Baby Bill, Minnie II, Maniord, Catch *Em, Don Gars, Iows, Burt. Five furlongs, fof ponics, top welght 170 pounds, $100—The Duke, Conrad, Geld Coin, Aladdin, Lowle Persons. One mile, all ages, $150—Tuxedo, Duke Quarterstaff, fi-bg Bill, Charli¢ Boots, Minnie 11, Trix, Fin Slaughter, Two-mile steeplechese, $150—Fin Slaughter, Roeder, Captain Srencer, Esperance, Argenta, Jim Corbett, Reform, Hanford, Morgan G, Yangadine. KILLED AT CENTRAL HILL, Miner Joe Flamm’s Plunge to the Bot- tom of @ Shaft. BAN ANDREAS, CAn, Aug. 23, —A fatal accident occurred in the Cassinelli mine at Central Hill, about threé¢ miles west of town, at noon to-day. Joe Fiamm and his brother Tobias were on the bucket coming “up for the mnoon hour, ‘When the bucket reacted the landing the horses attached to the winen became frigntened and before (he lander could throw the lever the men were carried up the pulley. Joe Flamm Jumpod wheu he saw that an accident could not be avoided, and fell to the bottom of the shalt, a ais- tance of 140 feet. His neck and both legs were broken. Tobias Flamm's hand caught in the sheave, badly lacerating three fngers. Al SN Ukiah Stage-Robber Convioted. UKIAH, CAL, Aug. 23.—David Oldham, who was convicted of complicity in the robbery of the Ukiah-Rooneville stage on June 15, 1895, and sentenced to twelve years at Folsom prison, and for whom a new trial was ordered by the Supreme Court on appeal, was again found guilty on the second trial by a jury, which re- turned a verdict early this morning after five hours’ deliberation, The time for sentence will be fixed to-morrow morning. S —————— NWORTHY dealers try to substitute nasty iodide of potassium preparations for what is good, Don't aecept a genuine and Caliiornian, substitute for ] Uld-fashioned and poerly made. gan be bad by pay- ing your mongy o éleciria beit -quaeks”’ and LEVEATS w2 teadonaie icle el 83 art all for D pricg write or call FIERCI & SON, 704 Sactarmints sty eoF, Kearags fourth fioors, San ¥rancisco.