The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 20, 1899, Page 4

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20. 1899. N D. SPRECKELS, Propretor. RS ins to W. S. LEAKE, Manager. ...Market and Third Sts., S. F. hone Main 1868 EDITORIAL ROOMS ..2i7 to 221 Stevenson Street Telephone Main 1574 ACE .. one year.. . § months. , 3 months. gle Montk Year.... - UL, One Year........ s are authorized to rece! ptions. vles will be for when requested. ...908 Broadway _OAKLAND OFFICE. "NEW YORK OFFICE Room 188, World Building DAVID ALLEN, Advertising Representative. WASHINGTON (D. C.) OFi Riggs Houso - C. C. CARLTON, Corrcspondent. Marquette Building _CHICAGO OFFICE.......... ing Represeatative. - C. GEORGE KROGNESS, Adver! BRANCH OFFICES—527 Montgomery street, corner Clay, open untll 9:30 o'clock. 387 Hayes street, open unti! 2 o'clock. 621 McAllister street, open untll 9:30 c'clock. 615 Larkin streel, open until 9:3¢ o'clock. 1941 Mission street, open until 10 o'clock. 2291 Market street, corner Sixteenth, open until 9 o'clock. 2518 Mission street, open untll 9 o'clock. 106 Eleventh strect, open untll 9 o'clock. 1505 Polk street, open until 9:30 o'clock. NW. corner Twenty-second ana open until 9 o'clock. _Ellis Opera Company, Monday even-| afternoon, lecture by ding—Wed esday oo—Pianka, the “‘Lady of Lions." M Masor. and Ellis streets, Speclalties. teeplechase. ACLTION SALES, at 11 a. m, at Mis- at 12 THE WEATHER @AND TRADE. Fect of weather upon trade is forcibly v the decline in the country’s bank last week to a mere 2% per cent gain week last year, whereas the gain of late nging ffom 25 to over 50 per cent. About i more important towns showed a rd played havoc while it lasted. The of merchandise was practically sus- 1 days, passenger traffic was seri- ted and merchandising in country towns i Northwest came to a temporary ycks and herds of the whole country, pleted, suffered losses from freezing. And, already 3 worse orchards from the Missouri River to the Atlantic coast and from Michigan to Florida were deprived of the major part of their forthcoming crop, | 1 some States were killed outright. This was y the case with the peach orchards of Michigan, Delawa Georgia, three leading peach States of the Union. The destruction was so general that we are told that the United States will have to look to lifornia for peaches this year. The wheat crop, too, is feared, has been cut down by the terrible weather. over and business has been re- sumed with a rush. The promptness and vigor of the revival are surprising. Evidently there is plenty of good blood in the commercial body, -or it would not revive with such force. Wall street was especially{ b ant, and developed unexpected strength, though the volume of business was not up to the previous Tev The buoyancy was helped by the continued good showing of the railroad earnings, and by the t London has ceased to throw our securities bzck at us. The West reported a good demand for spring ount in spite of the incomplete resumption .of railroad transportation. The condition of the iron trade was well illustrated by the enormous increase ir: bank clearings at Pittsburg, the gain over the same week last year being 111 per cent. This industry still ‘leads all others in point of activity. The other promi- nent staples, such as wool, cotton, hides, leather, “ boots and shoes, wheat, corn, etc., exhibited no par- ticular change during the week. Mention has already been made of the recently born eagerness in the East to form trusts and all sorts of -trade and financial combinations. In some quarters this tendency is being viewed with distrust, not to say apprehension; but the banks are showing them- “selves very conservative regarding all new ventures of this class, and this acts as a check to overspecula- ion, so the long heads see nothing alarming in it. Combinations become automatic after a while and regulate themselves. If they are-topheavy they go to the wall of their own gravity and hurt noboody but | those immediately concerned in them. This is the daily history of trade in every form. 2 The local, like the Eastern, situation is at present the plaything of the weather. But here it is not the storm, but the lack of one, that is affecting business. We have now been over a month without rain, and, while no district is actually suffering, we shall need rain everywhere very soon to mature the crops. At the moment the question is of feed, not seed. The crops are looking all right, but the pasturage is un- deniably deficient. Even in the coast counties the grass is too short and backward, and the farmers and stockmen are feeding their cattle and sheep hay, some- thing unprecedented in former years. The sown crops are green and growing, but the growth is slow and the plant is of short staple. Scattering rains from now on, however, will bring it out all right. Under these conditions the merchants are naturally conservative, but business throughout the State is Failures are small and few, collections are up to the average, money is plentiful and readily available to solvent borrowers at the usual rates, and with a good rain in a few days the commerc ituation will be rosy enough to suit even the chronic croaker, who, like the poor, is always with us. ut the storm is fact tha very fair, nevertheless. Whether the volunteers shall be kept in service for two years is a question, but as to the power of the Government to keep them there there seems no room for doubt. This does.not aiter the fact that the Alger fhreat of retaining them until he shall have been pro- vided with a regular army the size he wants was a bluff, While there is seldom excuse for interfering with a family quarrel, there surely can be no wrong in stating that the Oakland woman who poured acid into the face of her husband should be sent to‘jail or to an asylum for the rest of her life. In the sad fate of Lieutenant Neall there ought to be a lesson, but the world has had the benefit of many THE SENATORIAL DEADLOCK. e . HE treachery of Dan Burns to the Republican Tparty and his complete willingness to turn the State over to the Democracy in 1900 are becom- ing more apparent every day. His tactics are upon an exact level with himself and correspond to his politi cal experience as a railroad hireling. Any falsehood is told or any contradiction tolerated to make yotes tor him. Senator Simpson was induced tp play j\hl;ui to Mr. Bulla in direct opposition to his own pledges and to the Republican organization of his own lo cality, Thus, for some unexplained consideration, this wretched old sinner incurred personal degrada tion and popular wrath to a degree that cannot fail to | irjure his party in the mext Presidential campaign. | | Here is an instance of a direct slap in the face admin istered by Burns and the railroad to the Republican In other parts of voters in one Senatorial district. the State the railroad machinery is brought to bear on | Republican central committees, and, although it has usually failed, in some instances it has succeeded s the case in Ventura County, where a re tion was adopted requesting Assembiyman Greenwell to transfer his vote from Grant to Thomas R, Bard Greenwell, however, had made the transfer in advance of the resolution. Upon its face this proceeding was plausible. As The Call stated on Saturday last, Mr. | Bard, who resides in Ventura County, is an influential and a reputable citizen, and if the intention had been in good faith to give him the vote of his own Assem bly distgict even at this late day the compliment would not be censurable. But if, as many believe, | the plan is to weaken Grant, up to this time the most formidable competitor of Burns, and when this has been done to transfer the vote to the Mexican and | railroad candidate, then an act that might have lwru‘ innocent is turned into a shameless iniquity | The Call repeats its warning against these homi al attacks upon the Republican party. The dead-| lock would never have existe it for the candidacy soln Such w of Burns. It could have been broken weeks ago but for the obstinacy of the railroad and its brazen dis ‘regard of its own prefessions during the campaign of 1808. All that was necessary was the withdrawal of this defaulter to the State, possessing no qualiications and every disqualification, backed only by corruption and repudiated by the mass of his fellow-citizens. A | deadlock is greatly to be deprecated and may beat the party in 1900, but the election of Burns would send it to irretrievable destruction, and if both results are attained the railroad will have won its entire fight There never was an opportunity for the Republican party of California, with its grand history behind it, ate its principles and its in is and atesmanship so completely to vindi tegrity. It can grasp the situation as it really sume an at it the dominant political organization of the State. Tt won the last election on its own merits and on the | distinct assertion and belief that the railroad was out of politics. Let it now hold the railroad to its own declarations and defeat its concealed purpose to turn a subsidized and inferior agent into a Senator of the | United States. Let Burns and Grant be set aside and | the standard of s and integrity sub- | stituted for the debasing exhibition that has so far | marred the legislative session. Let the “grandeur” of | Dan Burns’ Republicanism glisten solely in the mud in which it originated, and, following the example of | Indiana and the lofty ideals of the past, let the dead- | lock be broken and the future ascendency of the party | ih this State secured by the prompt election of a Re- | publican, a statesman and a gentleman. AN EASTERN DELUSION. RECENT debate in the Prussian Diet on the | fl outlook of the sugar industry has given rise to | no'little exultation among our contemporaries | of Boston, New York and Philadélphia. Their de-f light is dueto an agreement on the part of the Prus- | sian statesmen that under American administration | Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines will produce so | much sugar that the beet sugar industry of the tem- | perate regions of the earth will be well nigh unprofit- ) able. Commenting upon the outlook, the Eastern papers | maintain that/while the development of the West | Indies and the Philippines will be bad for Germany | it will be very good for the United States, inasmuch | as it will save us from having to import sugar frgm | abroad. The argument is that from the enlarged out- | put of the islands the people of the United States will [ derive a clear profit undiminished by any loss. As one of our exchanges puts it: “A line in our tariff giving Cuban and Porto Rico sugars a prefer- ence of a fraction of a cent a pound over the bounty- fed sugar of Germany, and the islands would be worked to their utmost capacity. More than that, such a preference would stimulate all the other sugar- growing West Indies, English, Dutch and French, to apply for annexation. If they got it, they would all prosper, and our market would be very nearly if not wholly supplied.” This roseate view of the prospect is due to an illu- sion rather than to anything in the reality. America | as well as Germany has a beet sugar industry at stake. | The enormous stimulation of sugar production in the | islands which would result from the free importation of the product to this country would affect the en-| tire West from Nebraska to California. It would | ruin one of the most promising of our rural indus- | tries and check the prosperity of thousands of farm- | ers who are now engaged in the cultivation of the sugar beet. Our Eastern contemporaries are taking too nar- row a survey of the situation. They perceive what they regard as a prospective benefit to the East, and, pleased with the promise, pay no attention to the in- | terests of the West. It is certain, however, that even from the standpoint of Eastern interests they are mis- taken. Eastern manufacturers have no better market | than that afforded by the growing West, and what- ever injures the West is sure to react upon the East. | There is indeed no aspect of imperialism that is | genuinely favorable to the interests of the people of | the United States. If the mongrel islanders prove recalcitrant it will cost us much to subdue and keep them in order. If they prove to be willing workers the competition of their cheap labor will be costly to American industry in many ways. Without imperial colonization and conquest we | can and will in a short time build up a sugar industry in the United States capable of supplying all the sugar our market demands. With imperialism we shall check that industry and have our source of sup- ply far away instead of at home. Qur welfare as well as that of Germany is at stake in the issue. It is a delusion to think otherwise. THE MERCANTILE LIBRARY. FTER a long discussion of ways and means the /:\ trustees of the Mercantile Library have devised a method of raising money which promises to provide the institution with a sum sufficient to clear off the incumbrances and give it a sound financial standing. The method proposed is the simple one of a direct appeal to the liberality and public similar lessons. hundred has been appointed, each of whom agrees to raise $1000. If all succeed in the undertaking $100,000 will be added to the treasury of the library, and once more the institution will have a fair/prospect of that prosperous career to which it is entitled by reason of its history and its usefulness to the community.. That the citizens generally should make a prompt and liberal response to this appeal goes without say- ing. San Francisco lags behind the great cities of the Union in library equipments. That of course is not whaolly to her discredit, for she is younger than most and cannot be expected to vie with communities where lihraries have had the benefit of such magnifi- cent private endowments as have been common in the Kast Nevertheless, it {s something to our discredit that we have not better brary buildings, The Mercantile i the only fatitntion of the kind having a home of which it way he justly prond. 1t was the effort to obtain the bullding that fuvolved it in financial diffi- cultien, and it has therefore the more potent claim wpon the Hherality af the community Fortunately, theve fa every yeason to believe the [appeal that 1 to bhe made will he anecessful. The vittne of civie patviotiam s vapidly inereasing in the community, and the desiie 1o assist in making San Francisco a true wetropalis of culiire and beauty is now shared hy a lavge propartion of our people of wealth and influence. Such people vannat fail to ap- preciate the importanes of maiitaiiing the Mereantile and preserving for it the atately hame on Van Ness avenue R e ] CONSERVATISM IN FRANCE, NCE more the French vepublic has con- ( founded ita enemies by the accomplishment of the unexpected in the settlement of a dan gerous crisis by prompt and wise action. The elec tion of a successor to Preasident Faure on the first ballor, without disturbance of a sevions nature, 18 a decisive proof that the statesmien of the republic, however turbulent and frantic they may geetin on or dinary issues, know how to be ealm, prompt and resolute when a truly eritical sitwation demands the exercise of their patriotism, . The ease and rapidity with which the erisis was met 1 overcome are the more remarkable because the fssue was precipitated wholly unexpectedly and at a time when the French seemed to outsiders to be in- capable of acting reasonably upon any subject. For months past we have been reading of stormy sessions in the Chamber of Deputies, of riots on the streets, { angry criminations and recriminations between the rival parties in the country and of intrigues and con- their conclusions upon the conspicuous features of this turmoil, not a few prophets have been freely pre- dicting the speedy downfall of the republic. The ex- pression has been common that the French are in- capable of self-government, and that a race so ex- citable cannot maintain a stable administration. What has happened is only another proof that the French are different from some other people, but not worse than other people. Their natural vivacity is such that every argument sounds to our ears as something very much like a quarrel. We mistake the vehemence of their eloquence for a sign of an ill-bal- anced intellect. We shall after a while come to learn that an uproar in Paris does not mean that any one wishes to fight, but only that every one wishes to talk. When a real danger is to be confronted the Gaul can be as wary as any other man, and is not going to ruin his nation for the sake of his party. The conscious strength of the conservative Repub- licans was shown by the easy toleration of the little outbursts made by the radicals on one side and the imperialists on the other. No attempt was made to mitted to play their parts during the day as they thought best, and the election went surely on to the desired. Clearly the French republic has come to stay. It ness of its opponents. Neither the radicals, the im- perialists nor the monarchists have either a leader or to do more than create an uproar on the boulevards. President Loubet may not prove to be a great man, are going in these days that is better than greatness. PREPARING A WELCOME. N indeed throughout the State, over the an- nouncement that the Native Sons have under- the California Volunteers when they return from Ma- nila. It is everywhere recognized that some formal and State on their arrival at home, and no body of citi- zens is better fitted to arrange the ceremony or can It is stated that a majority of the members of the volunteers and of the heavy artillery are natives of affiliated with the Native Sons organization. The welcome that is being prepared for them will there- well as State pride. The occasion of the greeting will be one of no little moment to the e¢ity and will no high rank among the festal records of the city. The reception given in the Eastern cities to their the nature of a spontaneous outburst of popular en- thusiasm.and patriotic pride. The warmth of the wel- ment of the war and the flush of victories which were then still fresh in the public mind. Those feelings the California troops return. The excitement of the battle with Spain is over and we are now engaged in suppress them by military force. They were per- conclusion that the conservative will of the people is doubly secure in its own strength and in the weak- a principle around which they can rally enough people but he promises to be a safe statesman; and as affairs O little gratification will be felt in the city, and taken the work of preparing a suitable reception for stately welcome should be given to the heroes of the more appropriately carry it out than the Native Sons. California, and a considerable proportion of them are fore have in it something of fraternal cordiality as doubt be carried out upon a scale that will give it a volunteers as they came home from Santiago was in come thus given was largely increased by the excite- will to a considerable extent have passed away before the comparatively dull task of discussing how we shall | pay the war debt and what we shall do with the Phil- ippines. It is therefore advisable that we should pre- pare to receive our returning troops with something more than a mere outburst of street applause. They should be greeted with the highest honors their fel- low-citizens can bestow, and all will note with pleas- ure that the Native Sons are resolved their welcome shall be so given. s THE WRONG CREDIT. N editorial entitled “The Act of a Traitor” was reproduced in The Call Saturday morning, and by accident credited to the Sacramento Bee. It should have been credited to the Los An- geles Express. The Pioneers and the Masons united yesterday in obsequies over the body of Dr. Washington Ayer, who had held several important municipal offices in this city. It was truthfully said of him that during a residence of fifty years his personal or his political in- tegrity had never been questioned. Such a character would be valuable even in the Senate of the United States. { spirit of the citizens. A committee of one itude that for years to come will keep | spiracies in the army and among the clericals. Basing‘ COMMERCE IN CHILE IS AT A VERY LOW EBB Effect of Argentina Boundary Row. BUSINESS AT A STANDSTILL A. J. BIDSTRUP TALKS OF AF- FAIRS IN SOUTH AMERICA. Big Issue of Paper Money by the Chilean Government Puts a Big Premium on Gold and Silver. A. J. Bidstrup, who has been located in Guayaquil, Ecuador, for some time, ar- rived here by way of Valparalso yester- day on the City of Para accompanied by his wife and engaged apartments at the Oceldental. Mr. Bidstrup was in busi- hess in Guayaquil and is on his way to Chleago, but intends to return to South America in the course of a few months. Tle says that Chile is commercially dead and that affairs in that country are in a bad condition. “This bad condition,” says Mr. Bid- strup, “has been brought about by vari- ous causes. Principal among these is the dispute between Chile and the Argentine Republic over the boundary. This has beon a bone of contention between the two countries for forty years, but last May it assumed a critical aspect, and cnised a good-sized war scare. The prop- ositlon was referred to a commission, which surveyed the Cordilleras and prac- tically established the boundary line, but there were other questions on which the onposing. Interests could not agree, and Queen Victoria was at last appealed to to arbitrate the differences. The two coun- tries say they will abide by the decision, but Chile is very much afraid that the Argentine Republic 1s not sincere in its promise. Business interests have been cripnled by this hull-headedness over a strip of land which is really valueless. It is a barren tract extending from Tacne on the north down toward the Straits of Magellan, to a point east of Punta Are- nas, and i{s about twenty leagues wide, with no habitation or vegetation, yet both s lay claim to it. 5 “Another cause of the depressed condl- tions is the manipulation of the money inarket by a combination of bankers, who prevailed on the Chilean Congress to is- sue fifty million pesos in paper currency, and the result has been that gold went up to 47 per cent premium, and silver 18 per cent over the paper money. The Govern- ment established the gold standard in 1852, and a coin of eighteen penniques, or thir- ty-five cents in American money, was minted. After the paper was floated it was possible to buy twenty-one pesos for $ in gold. Of course it is impossible to carry on an importing business under that high rate of exchange. The customs duties are payabie in gold and the Gov- ernment holds an auction every Monday and sells the yellow metal to the highest bidder. Naturally there is a great scarc- ity of gold. Capital is disinclined to make investments under the exisllnicnndll!on& though there is considerable tindeveloped property. is*absolutely at a standstill and her citizens will be glad to tide over the trouble. Santiago: the capital, with its 400,000 people, is little better off. Ar- ntine Republic is more prosperous, and as more resources. 5 ““The salvation of Chile is to settle for all time the boundary question. She must also reduce her navf. the expense of which is rapidly draining her resources. She has but 8000 soldiers, while Argentina has over 10,000, and though her navy is not so great, I take it that she would prove victorious in a struggle with Chile. “‘President Errazuriz of Chile is a 1ib- eral, but_has not much power and is not well liked. The party of Balmaceda, who was deposed some years ago, is growing stronger every day and at the next eiec- tion, two years hence, it may assume the reins of government.” LEGISLATIVE MONSTROSITIES X minin, ‘‘Valparaiso It is surprising to note with what equanimity the newspapers in Califor- nia regard the twin monstrosities, the ‘Works bill and the Morehouse bill; one, if it becomes a law, will place in the power of every disappointed scoundrelly officeseeker to sue for libel or damages without any provocation or without even flling a bond, and annoy out of existence nine-tenths of the poverty- stricken country papers which have not sufficient funds to keep even, much less defend law suits filed by irresponsible scrubs. The other virtually gives a right to shoot in the back any news- paper man who has the courage to ex- pose their villainy, and it will be a shot in the back every time, for the framers and advocates of such a bill have not the sand to approach even a country editor in front. Newspapers sometimes. carry things to the extremes, but as a general thing they have a good foundation and ample proof for all they print, and are amen- able to the law at present, the same as others. They enjoy no special privi- leges and the people should protest against legislating any special favors to the rascals who are afraid of the truth.—Willows Journal. WATER FOR PRECITA VALLEY. Plan to Cut Through Bernal Heights to Cortland Avenue. At a meeting of the Precita Valley Im- provement Club, held at Graham’'s Hall on Alabama street Friday night, the ex- ecutive committee reported that Engineer Schusler of the Spring Valley Water Com- pany had promised to have hydrants set on Precita avenue just as soon as the mains were laid along the street line. It is the intention of the water company to rom g‘ut its men to work in laying mains 'olsom street to San Bruno avenue dur- ing the coming week. esident Vizzard stated that the con- tract for the filling in of Bernal Park will be signed in the course of a few days. This information was hailed with delight as it was one of the principal objects for which the club was organized. ¥ An effort will now be made to have Ala- bama street ed from Precita to Cortland avenue, which will mean the lercing of Bernal Heights and the ogon- ng up of new southern territory hehind the hill, where there is already a settle- ment of industrious property owners. e e PARK AND CLIFF. Thousands Visit the City’s Pleasure Grounds for Sunday Outing. Rarely has the crowd that was on the beach yesterday been exceeded in nura- bers. From the Cliff House as far as the eye could reach the surf-beaten shore was studded with humanity. The same condi- tions existed in the Park and all suburban l.tg_usem%n& Jesorts. rom p. m. the cars returni from the Park and Clff were packed 1;;0 the limit. The Chutes, Sutro Heights anq the Cliff House were the favoreg places, and were thronged all day long. Early in the mornlxfi the attendants of the Park Emergency Hospital were called upon_to sew up an eye wound which Har- ry Verges recelved while attempting to rul before an Ellis street car with his aundry Wi Verges, his father, on. . was_also sllfimy injured. They reside at 512 H.alflxt street, and are proprietors of ® TR kangiras at the Park bi e 0 Lve to twok%m yesterday, wNeT:. she m"?‘: mediately secreted in her ventral pouch. AROUND THE CORRIDORS. B. F. Brooks of Riverside is at the Pal- ace. A. Bonnheim of Sacramento is at the Lick. . Tim Kelleher, a mining man of Helena, Mont., is at the Russ. W. T. Cowan and wife of Sacramento are guests at the Grand. A. F. Stander of Seattle, who has large mining interests in the Klondike, is at the Lick with his wife. Sydney Newell and Dr. J. J. Tully, prominent citizens of Stockton, are regis- tered at the Grand. W. W. Doolittle and P. E. Holt, two prominent citizens of Stockton, will be at the California for a few days. ‘W. F. Purnell, a busines man of Sacra- mento and W. A. Morrissey, a Stockton attorney, are guests at the Lick. C. F. Gopelly, a mining man of Placer- | ville, and Dr. Frank Livermore of New York are registered at the Occidental. G. T. Porter, a railroad official of San Jose de Guatemala, has arrived at the Occidental with his wife en route to Chi- cago. George W. Kingsbury, proprietor of the Lick. has returned from a flying trip to the East and says he is glad to get back to this land of sunshine. H. M. Monnastes, an insurance man of Portland, Or., and P. L. Flanagan, a mer- chant of Reno, are among the arrivals at the Grand. A coterie of New York tourists consist- ing of H. B. Chamberlin, A. W. Booth and C. E. Annette, with their wives, have taken apartments at the Palace. Baron A. Jacobs Kautstein, who has extensive coffee plantations in Mexico, ar- rived on the City of Para and iIs at the Palace. He leaves for New York to-day to visit his family. E. H. Barker, proprietor of the Hotel Mascarel at Santa Barbara; J. C. Turner, of Red Bluff, and Herbert Slater, pro- prietor of the Santa Rosa Press-Demo- crat, are at the Russ. The sad news conveyed by telegram to William A. Brady that his little son was sinking and could not survive his illness impelled the grief-stricken father to leave for New York on a fast train. A later telegram, however, reassured him and he decided to remain. W. D. Arnold and wife of New York, who have been visiting Panama; G. M. Bingham, in the employ of the Pacific Mail Steamship, Company at San Jose de Guatemala, and Dr. Albert D. E. Miles, a surgeon who has been traveling in Mex- ico, were among the passengers who ar- rived on the City of Para yesterday. —_——— NEWS OF FOREIGN NAVIES. The French armored cruiser D'Entre- castaux is still undergoing steam trials. She was launched over two years ago and since her completion has been trying to develop the designed horse power and speed. The design called for 13,500 horse power and 19 knots, but the best results so far have been 10,547 horse power and 18.45 knots. K The British battleship Victorious is proving herself to be an undesirable ves- sel on the China station because of her great draught of water. She has not been docked for ten mdnths and there is only one dock in the Far East that can take her in. This is the Kowloon dock at Shanghai, but the difficuity of docking her is also greatly increased by the swift tide running past the dock entrance and a risk is run. The Victoria draws nearly twenty-eight feet of water, and there are but few ports in Asiatic waters where she can ile comfortably. Italian naval appropriations allow $4,- 800,000 for new building during the coming fiscal year. The vessels under. construc- tion number twenty, of which nine are torpedo boats, the others are battleships and armored cruisers. Notable among the latter are Amiraglio Brin and Regina Margherita, sister ships, of 12,675 tons, 433 feet 4 inches in length, 27 feet 6 Inches draught, and intended to make a speed of 20 knots. The sum of $840,000 is to be ex- pended upon these two vessels during the | coming year, which will nearly complete the Brin. Penalties for exceeding the time limit on contract bullt ships are rarely enforced in any navy in times of peace. In the United States navy the penalty clause is | entirely ignored, and the British Ad- miralty appears to be equally lenient with its contractors. In 1884 contracts for six torpedo-boat destroyers were signed, to be | delivered by March 30, 185. None had been delivered up to March 31, 1897, and the penalties amounted to $350,000. It was not until January 6, 1898, that the first de- livery was made, and it is tacitly under- stood that there will be no demand made for payment of penalties. Russian specialists claim to have solved the successful use of petroleum fuel on board of ships. A splendid result was ob- tained in the trial of the machinery of the Rotislav. The success is attributed to a new process of pulverizing petroleum res- idue by mechanical (pneumatic) means in- stead of by steam as. formerly. The en- gines of the Rotislav greatly exceeded the contract and gave the ship nearly two krots more speed than anticipated, and during six hours at full speed showed the great advantage which liquid fuel, when treated by the new method, has over coal. {t is lproposed to erect at St. Petersburg ‘WO large reservoirs capable of 6500 tons of petroleum. 2 L One yéar ago Great Britain an ‘were practically the only navnlIi Earvav:ic'se that had coaling stations abroad, and the former was especially well provided, it be- ing possible for her fleets to proceed to any part of the globe without running the risk of getting short of coal. The coal. ing stations of France are unimportant carrying but small supplies, and are in. differently protected. The United States had coal piles at La Paz, in Lower Cali- fornia, at Pago Pago, in Samoa, and at Pearl Harbor, in the Hawalian Islands. To these have now been added Guam and the Philippines in the Pacific, and on the Atlantic Cuba and Porto Rico will assist our ships more than half ‘Way across to Europe. Germany has only the station in the territory acquired in China, and Russi v S Is similarly limited to Asiatic sta- The fastest cruisers in the Ja navy are the Takasago, Yochino, (?l;‘i:::: and Kasagl, regarding which a brief sum. | mary 1s of interest just now as showing | the remarkable progress made i this | country in warship building during twelve | years. The Takasago was built at Bls. | wick Iaz;g'ea‘r. ::‘md has been delivered in e is 360 feet in I s Zir;(:‘xxegsm?e:;n; and displaces 500 e o of 17 feet. Her bat posed of two S-inch quick-bt:-;:: i N inch, and sixteen o s 3-pou | contract speed was L‘:% :gs::.’ al‘n!?e {};e shh:lo Is also a product of the Rlswick | Tone, and was built in 1891 She is 350 fect | n length, 46 feet § inches breadth, with & {isplacement of 410 tons on a draught of z keet. Her armament is four ¢-irch quick-firers, eight 4.7-inch quick-firers ind twenty-three 3-pounders; St 12{1:17( In 1892 gave an average speel ne nots under natural draught,and : knots under forceq draught. are sister ship in December, vears. The K. ®. and were contracced for 189, to be completed in two asagi sailed fo gland on November 3 last year, after ;.1‘5'::: s passed through the requisi te trials. v :;1:11 3:;;5)1: the speed is re;nrltj at ol orced draught ;hs;le the Chitose is credued“w 2L1 and d‘:augllxmthh under natural - The two ships are ii',‘.E‘i‘n 49d!eet beam, and agplace 4760 a draught of 17 feet 7 Bches. Their armam, Ynlhln:.m:_n:r: heavier than that of the 4.7-inch, twelve ‘;:nlllt of twj S-inch, ten ers and two Mpo::fi:::_"' wo 6-pound ! Y DEEP WATER SHIPS MAKING LONG PASSAGES Over a Dozen Are Now Fully Due. 8 FLEET DETAINED AT PANAMA FOUR OF THE MAIL COMPANY'S VESSEL3 TIED UP. City of Para Loaded by the Crews of Other Steamers—No Rush of Visitors to the Iowa. The British ship Centestma arrived from Newcastle, N. S. W. yesterday after a long passage of eighty-two days. Light winds and calms delayed the vessel, the only exciting incident during the voyage being a terrific thunder and lightning storm, encountered in 20 south latitude. Over a dozen deep water, vessels are now fully due, and the pllots are girding up their loins in anticipation of a busy week. A heavy westerly swell has boen setting inshore for several days, and Pilot F. Jordan reasons from this that there must be a breeze off shore somewhere that will bring the fleet along. ‘'L.e Centesima was the first of the expected vessels, and the others should come drop- ping in one or two at a time during the week. The American ship Erskine M. Phelps, ‘which is now out 146 days from Baltimore, is fully due. She is a new vessel, on her maiden voyage, and is commanded by Captain Graham, formerly of the Wiuiam F. Babcock. The British ships Inchcape Rock and Talus are out 144 and 143 days respectively from Cardiff. The Inchcape Rock is making an unusually long vay- age for her, while Captain Stenhouse of tite Talus 1 noted for his quici passsgee. The ship Riversdale is out 134 days from Hamburg, the Bidston Hill 130 days from London, the Cederbank 105 and Primrose Hill 138 days from Newcastle, England the Brussels 88, Cardigan Castle 77 an Brenda 65 days from Newcastle, Austra- la; the American ship M. P. Grace 81 and the British ship Crown of India 71 days from Sydney, N. 8.W., and the brig Galilee 36 days from Tahiti. All these vessels will have tales of light winds and calms to tell when they reach port. The Crown of India is really 291 days out from Newcastle, N. 8. W., for San Francisco. When 150 miles off the coast of New South Wales she was caught in a hurricane and dismasted. After being given up as lost she was picked up by a tug and towed Into Sydney, N. S. W. New masts and yards for her had to be pro- cured from England, and it was Decem- ber 11 last before she was ready to sail for San Francisco again. The Pacific Mail Company's steamer City of Para arrived from Panama and way ports. She brought up an unusually heavy cargo, and it was late in the af- ternoon before she was got into her berth. At Panama the strike was still on. 'ne ’longshoremen who handled the freiguc ‘were e[tlnfir $17_ in silver and de- mn.ndeg $2. When their demand was re- fused they marched out, and soon the freight from New York began to pile up at Panama. Just as the railroad com- pany was about to give in the strikers de- manded $1 in gold, which is equal to $2 75 in_silver. When the Para left Panama_the Mall Company’s steamers San Blas, uan, Acapulco and " Starbuck were tied up awaiting cargoes. The crews of these vessels pitched in and loaded the City of Para, or else she also would have had The railroad company was try- ng in laborers from Fortuna Island, but the venture was not a suc- cess, and the chances were favorable for the continuance of the deadlock. Besides her New York cargo the City of Para brougit up 13,252 sacks of coffee and 8322 sacks of sugar from Central Amercia. She had fourteen cabin and seventeen steerage passengers. Amon; those in the cabin were Baron A. Jacol de Kaustein, an Austrian nobleman <who is makm¥ a fortune at cotfee growing in Guatemala. Mr. and Mrs. Bidstrup have been living at Valparaiso for some vears, and joined the Para at Panama. Dr. A. D. E. Miles, who has been prnctldn‘f in Mexico for some years, returned to America on the Para for a visit. There was not the expected rush to the battle-ship Iowa yesterday, and in conse- quence many of the tugs and stern-wheel steamers did not pay for the coal they burned. It was an ideal day for an out- ing, and those who did pay a visit to the warship had a thoroughly enjoyable time. Henry Peterson and Captain Leale ran the launches Amy and Willlam D and the steamer Caroline. ey carried the majority of the people who went out, many of the other boats not turning a wheen. Around the Mission-street bulk- head where the steamers congregated they made such a noise with their whis- tles that the doctors in the Harbor Hos- ital complained, and Sergeant Tom Ma- Roney quickly abated the nuisance. Shouid the Iowa be open for inspection next Wednesday and Sunday excursions will be run to her, but it is safe to say that not a third of the boats engaged yesteraay will be running. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. COINS AND DATE-M. D. R., Surt, There is no premium on half dollars of is44, 1861, 1869 and 1853 (with arrows). The 17th of February, 1862, fell on a Mon- day. r SPECIALISTS—W. D. T., City. This department will refer you to the advertis- ing, columns for the speclalists, who treat such cases as are named in your commu- nication. s DATE OF BIRTH—E. McL., City. The date of the birth of a person born In San Francisco may be obtained at the County Recorder’s office, if the law has been com- plied with. For a long time there was not a rigid compliance with that law. MARRIAGE OF FIRST COUSINS—Co- manche, Cal. The marriage of first cous- ins is prohibted in Arizona, Arkansas, Tlli- nois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington and Wyoming and in some of these States such marriages are de- clared to be incestuous and void. SAILING VESSEL—Subscriber, City. The Potosi is the largest salling vessel ufloat. She 15 a five-master, 3663 feet ng, 49.7 feet beam and 28.5 feet depth. }.“l’ef ‘gross tonnage is 4027. Next come La . 361, 48, 25, 3942; then the May France P00, a3, 377: then the Roa oke, '311.3.° 49.2. 3539, and then The Somali, 399.9, 47, 27, 333 net. There {s no ished record of the amount of canvas ?1:‘:!] these vessels spread. Such informa- tion may be obtained by addressing a 1ot ter to the master of the vessel al which the information is desired. Cal. glace fruit 50c per Ib at Townsenda® lied daily to Special information sup; bus‘l’nesx houses and public men by the Press Clipping Bureau (Allen's), 810 Mont- Telephone Main' 1042. gomery street. e sixteen British battle-ships There are tse of construction or pro- either in c jeeted. | “Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup” for fifty vears by millions of thelr children while Teething with ::r‘tz:;'l‘::ccu. It soothes the child, softens the gums, allays Pain, cures Wind Colic, res- Ulates the Bowels and is the best remedy for Diarrhoeas, whether arising from teething or other causes. For sale by Druggists in every part of the world. Be sure and ask for Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup. %ic a bottle. —————— HOTEL DEL CORONADO—Take advantage ‘ of the round-trip tickets. Now only $60 by steamship, including fifteen days' board at hotel; longer stay, $3 per day. Apply at 4 New Montgomery street, San Francisca, Has been used b