The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 17, 1902, Page 4

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 190%. Tte MONDAY .FEBRUARY 17, 1902 SPRECKELS. Froprietor. Acdress All Commueications WA.’!/\‘I:'AKS X anager. MANAGER'S OFFICE.......Telephone Press 204 F. \ OFFICE...Market and Third, 5. Telephone Press 201. EDITORIAL ROOMS .217 to 221 Stevenson St. Telephone Press 202. Delivered by Carriers, 15 Cents Per Week. Single Copics, 5 Cents. Terms by Mail, Including Postage: PUBLICATIO! .$6.00 1.50 65c luding Sunday), 3 months. DAILY CALL—By Single Month. SUNDAY CALL, One Year.. w Year. LY CALL, All postmasters nre authorized to receive subsc: ions. Sample copies will be forwarded when requested, Meil subscribers in ordering change of address should be to give both NEW AND OLD ADDRESS in order to insure a prompt and correct compliance with their request. OAKLAND OFFICE... 1118 Broadway C. GEORGE KROGNESS, Msnuger Foriizn Acvertising, Marguetts Buildiaz. Chicago. (Long Distance Telephone “‘Central 2619.” NEW YORK CORRESPONDENT: C. C. CARLTON.. Hernld Square NEW YORK REPRESENTATIVE: STEPHEN B. SMITH 30 Tribune Building NEW YOR: Astoria Hotel; Hotel STANDS: entano, 31 Union Square; A Br BRANCH OFFICES—3527 Montgomery, corner of Clay, open 1 9:30 o'clock. 300 Haves, open until 9:3 3 ter, open until 9:30 o'clock. 6156 Lark! open until - 3.00 | China following the sacking of Pekin in 1850. THE ANGLO-JAPANESE TREATY. N O event amongst the nations has ever stirred diplomacy as near to its depths as the treaty of alliance, offensive and defensive, between . England and Japan. In the first place it is the first abandonment of the | historic attitude, maintzined by the Western nations toward Asia. Heretoiore the Western nations have never acknowledged -equality of right in an Asiatic government. The European treaties with the East- ern nations have been as a rule forced, made under duress and for the purpose of gaining advantage for the stronger party at the expense of the weaker. Of this class were the French and English treaties with The | Russian treaty relating to Manchuria that is still | pending is of the same class. While the other na- tions were holding China down, occupying her capi- tal, and her government was in flight and in hiding, | Russia’ sought to take advantage of her defenseless | condition and force a treaty that was for the ex- ciusive advantage of Russia. Only the deathbed firmness of Li Hung Chang prevented the accom- plishment of this Muscovite plot. The Anglo-Japanese treaty changes all this, and has set a higher mark for the world in all dealings with Asia. Hereafter it is going to be very difficult for the Western nations to prosecute aggression by treaty in Asia. In addition to this, it is the first treaty of alliance made between an Asiatic and Western power. It advances Japan to the rank of the ruling nations of the world, gives her the hegemony of Asia, assures her territorial integrity and internal stability. As far as English diplomacy is concerned it is the master ock. 1941 Mission, open until 10 o'cloc 11 : Sk 7 5 corner Eixfeenth, open until 9 o'clock. 1006 Va- | Stroke of all the ages. Up to this time Disraeli’s . open until ® o'ciock. 106 Eleventh, open until 9 | purchase of control of the Suez canal has held the NW. corner Twent open |~ . E: A % o'clock. 2200 Fillmore, open until 9 p. record in modern English statesmanship. The im- AMUSEMENTS. Columbia—*“Way Down East.” Orpheum—Vaude £ Temperance Town n of the Cross.” An African King." Alcazar—"“The Orient Express.” Chutes, Zoo and Yneater— vaudeville every aftertoon and evening. Metropolitan Hall—Song Recital. vakiand Kacetrack—HRuces to-day. AUCTION SALES. at 7:43 By Wm. G. Layng—Monday evening, February 1 o'clock, Racehorses and StalMons, at 721 Howard stre TRADE. THE CONDITION OF HILE there are not at present any pro- W nounced features to general trade there are many minor ones which, indicate that s of the country is still on an unshaken | basis and that there are no signs now that the cur- | T activity and prosperity will not continue indefi- ly. The bank clearings of the country last week off to a decrease of 1.4 per cent as compared he corresponding week last year, and a num- the largest cities heretofore showing regular appeared in the column of decreases. The ag- arances ci the country, too, were the 1 r a long time, but this does not necessarily | 1mply siackening in trade, being largely due to the interruption to railway traffic and general busi- | ness by the severe storms ovet the land a fortnight | ago. This is shown by the decrease of 3.5 per cent | in railway earnings during the first week in Febru- | ary, this being the first falling off in these earnings | for a2 long time. That signs, which at first glance unfavorable, only indicate transitory conditions, is shown by the fact that rebuilding, fol- lowing recent explosions and great fires, has been promptly begun, and on a greater scale than before. This feature is attracting attention, as showing gen- throughout the country. { gains gregate liest a these seem eral commercial confidence | | great change has come over India. { portance of that act is marvelously enhanced by this | coup of Lord Salisbury. England controls the Medi- terranean by Gibraltar, the short water route to the Orient by the canal, the Indian ocean by her Indian { empire, and is stationed along the route eastward ‘4in Burmah, Ceylon and the Straits Settlements, and, : | with her standard raised beside that of Japan in the Western Pacific, appears as the primate of the des- tiny of Eastern Asia. The power that is hit hardest is Russia, for her designs were the most ambitious. So far she has made ng, sign, and her flinching is kept out of sight of her rivals. Her policy, since she began her march over the Khanates of Central Asia, has been to ap- proach as near to England’s Indian frontier as pos- | sible, planting herself within striking distance, to de- liver a blow when it suited her policy. To this end she dominates the Shah, has intrigued with the Ameer of Afghanistan and has disturbed the men who watch over the affairs of Turkistan. But is it not true that her designs upon the Indian frontier are out of time? Since the Sepoy rebellion a It is no longer rebellious feeling toward Great Britain. The Rajahs have been conciliated. The religious sec- taries have been kept apart, and the museum_of races on that great peninsula is a British museum, English in feeling, loyalty and purpose. The Hin- doos themselves, introspective, cultivating philoso- phy rather than the defensive arts, have for ages been subject to foreign masters and the history of their country since Clive’s victory at Plassy presents the English as the best masters-they have had. With all its errors English rule contrasts favorably with that of the descendants of the Timour, the Mahome- tan Moguls, who sat on the peacock throne at Delhi. Russia, in the light of her anti-English intrigues in Persia, has anticipated an Indian uprising against England if the Cossacks marched over the border. But this will not be. If a counter move were made on India, Russia must get what she gains as a con- queror, not as a deliverer. Theréfore, it is probable that she will bear in silence the Anglo-Japanese alli- ance and all that it implies. The United States contemplates the alliance with in s But the week was not wanting in many very 3 favorable indications. The South, which has lately | complacency.” We could not make such an alliance been handicapped by considerable depression in the |0 Paper. But our policy in the East is identical cotton trade, is now cheered by a marked improve- ment in this industry, raw cotton having taken the up grade again, with advancing guotations and an in- crease of 13 per cent in thy exports during the past five months, while Chicago reports increased orders from Southern wholesalers. It is to be hoped that cotton will continue to improve, for .the South has been lagging behind the rest of the country for a year or more. There is a fear, however, that cotton is being over-exported, and that in consequence our American manufacturers are not as fully supplied as they should be. Meanwhile the manufactured cotton is following the raw faterial up, and a number of limes report advanced quotations and ‘large orders extending into the future. The.iron and steel trades, too, are keeping up their record-breaking pace, with immense orders for future delivery. however, is still sadly hampered by scarcity of cars, which has caused the temporary suspension of oper- stions at a number of important mills. The South- west is suffering from lack of water, and St. Louis a=d Kansas City report that the railroads are haul- ing it one hundred miles, while the wheat crop in that section is being cwt down materially by the same deficiency. The spring trade is reported lively and expanding all over the country, the best reports still coming from the West and Northwest, though Eastern advices are much better than heretofore. The failures last week were 263, against 226 for the samie week last year. In California the conditions continue to improve and the prospects for a fine year are brilliant. The ra This industry, | | | | { | | | | | | |is finally enacted into law. with that of England. If the sentiment of this new treaty so impress China that she is moved to enter into one like it with Great Britain and Japan, there will rise in the East a new dreibund that will eclipse Germany’s triple alliance in Europe, and will arch the bow of promise over all the future of Asia. A geographical expert figures it out that when we purchase the Danish West Indies our eastern terri- tory will begin at Santa Cruz and our western point will be at Balabac in the Philippines; the distance between the two will lack less than 100 miles of reach- ing hali-way round the globe. It ought not to take us long to make up the little gap by annexing an- other island in the Orient, and then we can begin to devise ways and means of completing the grand cir- cuit, A QUESTION OF BUREAUS. D ESPITE the readiness with which the bill creating a Department of Commerce and Industry passed the Senate, some of the | best informed correspondents at Washington believe it will be subjected to considerable revision before it It is stated that at the time the bill was passed three of the most influential Senators, Allison, Aldrich and Platt of Connecticut, were absent, and that they are not wholly pleased with it. One report says: “No one can scan the proceedings of the Senate over this bill without reading between the lires a purpose to get it over to | the House and to rely on its return trip to the Senate s appeared late, but th-y have been making up |for further study, or perhaps on the conference com- for lost time in the central and northern’portions, immee for the shape it shall ultimately take.” which have now received ample moisture to insure large crops with the usual late spring showers. In | The chief objection to the measure is that the bill collects into the new department a miscellaneous somie counties north of the bay the rainfall has been |lot of bureaus which have no relation to one another very heavy during the past three or four days. The south. however, is still neglected on this score, and though it has received some rain a good deal more is needed. There is an active demand for wheat, bar- ley, butter, eggs, hay, potatoes, and other farm pro- ducts, and at prices considerably over the normal as a rule. The farmer has had very little to complain | of during the past year, which is a good thing, for the farmer as a rule gets the short end of most propo- sitions, and everybody is glad when things go his way. He will roll up another’ good year, unless | current indications fail, and if he does the whole State will do. likewiss. A survey of busines< eonditions all over the State reveals nothing but prosperity. San Francisco is still doing a large local ,and export business, real estate is decidedly looking up, both in city and coun- try, the demand for property being more active than for years, and at improving prices, both for farms and town lots. Population is increasing rapidly and everybody seems to have monsy. and ought not to be combined in one department. The Call directed attention to that fact at the time of the passage of the bill, and pointed out the ab- surdity of the arrangement. Tt now appears from the discussion which: has arisen over the question that the distribution of bureaus among the govern- mental departments is a matter requiring considera- ble study. Some bureaus' are .closely related to the work of several departments, and it is a nice question to decide to which they shall be assigned. Then there are other bureaus whose work to some extent covers the same ground, and while they are in differ- ent departments there is more or less interference with one another. The result has been a good deal of duplication of service in certain directions, with inadequate service in others. Another unsatisfactory feature of the present sity- ation is the unevenness with which the bureaus are divided. Thus the Boston Transcript points out that Secretary Shaw has under his control in Washington nearly 5000 employes, and Secretary Hitchcock has + 4440, while Attorney. General Kniox has but 141 and Secretary Hay only g5." It is believed that if a proper assignment of bu‘r#a.gs were made it would resulf in a more equal distribution of the work of the depart- ments. S 4 The creation of the proposed Department of Com- merce and Industry will afford an opportunity for re- assigning many of the bureaus and thus clearing away something of the existing confusion and duplication of work. In the form in which it passed the Senate the bill is not satisfactory in that respect, and hence the belief that it will he somewhere held up for thor- cugh revision before put upon its final passage. The situation is interesting because it affords an- other opportunity for making a fight for the creation of ‘a Departnient of Mines and Mining. If there is to-be undertaken anything like a thorough and sys- tematic reassigniment of ‘the various’bureaus of ad- ministration at this sessign of Congress, it is the im- perative duty c_i'tfie, ‘Congressmen from the mining States to look after the mining industry, and see to'it thit all buregus; dealing with it be rightly grouped in one department and placed under a central super- vision and control. If it be found impossible to'ob- tain a Department of Mines under control of a Cabi- net officer, then there should ‘be a resolube insistence upon the creation’ of a bureau of mines. . Something at least should bg' obtained ‘for that great industry out of the present moyement for a general reform in the work of adnfinistration. ST ——————— : Prince Henry may-not be the only royal pebble on the-American beach t is year, for it is announeed that visits are expected from the Dowager Queen of Italy and the Crown Prince of Siam and possibly from the Crown ‘Prince of Japgn. - Henry, however, will have this advantage over the others that they come merely as royalties, lput he s :cfif!;j\ng to launch a_yacht. A PATROL BOAT NEEDED. . S concerning. tobberies on the water front The Call brought to'light the fact that the police department of the city has not a single boat for a water front- patrol. This lack of an equipment neces- sary for an efficient service on the part of the police should not be forgotten nor. overlooked, neither should it be ignored until new robberies once more impress it upon the public mind. = It is never a wise policy to wait for the horse to be stolen before locking the stable door. A patrol boat service should be es- tablished, not after further robberies have been com- mitted, but at once in order to prevent them., Every other civilized city .in the world having an extensive water front provides for police supervision on water as well as on land. In the seaport cities of our own country that/service is provided for as care- fully as any other. 'San Francisco is the only con- siderable seaport in the United States where the po- lice department is handicappel by a lack of means for watching and pursuing water thieves; and yet fit is safe to say there ist hardly any city, not even ex- cepting the largest, such as New York and Chicag@, where a water patrol is so important as hére. i Our water front extends for 'miles along the north- crn and eastern sides of the ‘peninsula. In Vman‘y places the wharves are built out over the water, so that thieves can row under them' and attack stores and warehouses from benedth. ' It was in that way that the recent robberies were committed, and the thieves worked in security; f out of sight of the police: pat The comparative impunity wit cah be committed is 2R, engo; OME days ago in the course of an investigation operate in that way as long as present conditions con- tinue. The matter is one of serious concern to the mu- nicipality, and should be kept in mind by the public generally as well as by the municipal authorities. As the requests of the police department for patrol boats have been ignored in the past, so they may be again, unless public sentiment is aroused on the subject. It is for that reason that The Call returns to the issue and once more points out its importance. An effi- cient water front patrol cannot be provided by the police without patrol boats, which will enable them to guard property from assaults by thieves or bur- glars approaching from the water. That much will not be disputed by any one who has any acquaint- ance with the situation. A water patrol is therefore a matter of urgency, and should be supplied at the earliest moment possible. e CONSERVATION. OF BEAUTY. ROM Paris comes an interesting story of the F results” of ‘an investigation made by the Gaulois to discover how women may best conserve their health, their beauty and their charm. The .investigation was made by inquiring how the great ‘women of the stage manage to retain so long and so brilliantly their. vigor, their vivacity and their attractiveness. ‘The testimony obtained is more in- teresting than instruétive, for it appears that none of the more striking examp]eg of long continued suc- cess on the stage follow fhe same rules of life, nor practice anything, like similar methods of conserving their strength. Adelina Patti, whose career on the stage is as re- markable for its length as:for its brilliancy, is re- ported as declaring herself an.advocate of a regular life, simple diet, fresh air-and plenty of exercise. ' It is said she drinks no wine, nor t;a,‘ nor coffee; con- fining herself to water, except.for a glass of milk in the morning and at night. .She gives herself full eight hours -of sieep every night, and takes that in a bedroom with-an oper window all the year round. Very different is ‘the rule of Sara‘Bernhardt, whose career has been éven more remarkable than that of the queen of song. Of her the report says: “She lives in closed rooms; goes to bed at 3 a. m. and sleeps till 9, eats l@tlevbut fish and eggs—often ten eggs in one day—drinks only champagne, drives to the theater in a close carriage, and stays in the the- ater from eleven to: twelve hours. Her holidays at Belle Isle are an exception, and there she lives with open windows, exposed to every breeze that blows. Such a_sudden change in. her habits has never harmed the great actress, she asserts. Ten months of ler year are passed in yninterriipted work and the other two in dxc‘ppetg country.” 2 Such is the conflict in the experience of the two stars. No one can undertake to decide dogmatically concerning the ‘Tt is a choice of, fresh air.and cold water against hot rooms and-champagne; and | say that Mr. Duperu was far too gallant SURPRISES. AT THE MARDI GRAS ‘ OF CONVERSATION MERRY TOPIC 6 HAT did you do at the Mardi Gras?’ has been the merry topic of conversation every- X where since that important ball became a memory. Most of us rémember what some one else did, ‘as it is proverbially easier to see the beam in our brother's eve. Perhaps, then, I may be able to recall a bit of gossip from the confidential groups of those with whom the Mardi Gras has become a his- tory. » The Hopkins party as the eleven red devils certainly made a sensation. They ‘were entirely disguised with long scarlet satin dominoes, with capes, hoods and formidable false faces. Black satin devils were appliqued at intervals on the dom- inoes, while horns and deadly spears added to -the portentous aspect of the make-up. As most of the would-be ‘‘dévils” were tall and wore mustaches, some guest’ supposed they were men and straightway wanted them unmasked, while others are still asking whether they were “‘man or weman—brute or human.” or whether they were ghouls. Armed with pitehforks from the beginning these artful révelers lost no time in contribut- ing to the gayety of the occasion at the expense of other revelers. They surround- ed Mr. Duperu and marched him from one ballroom to another at the front of their spears. They certainly took more or leas advantage of their victim, making mucn fun at -his expense, but.it is needless to to offer resistance even if he had not been overpowered by numbers. This vie- tim, however, does not begin to need the sympathy given to the occupant of the dress suit, who was overcome and pinned down to the floor by the pitchforks. This popular man was decidedly at the mercy of the ‘“red devils,” writhing about on the slippery floor. There is little doubt but he felt the indignity of his positioa, but he had no mask to conceal his agi- tatlon, and the girls say his face ‘‘regis- tered.” Miss Lucie King was bewitching as, the “Flowef Girl” and had several men in her train most of the evening. She carried a gréat basket of the freshest, sweetest blossoms and gave them away one by one to her persistent followers. Carmens galore were at the ball—if every Spamsh costume that was called a ““Carmen’”” had been meant for one, but I $aw. but three, strictly speaking. Miss Edith Preston made her costume of two rare old shawls, the skirt being a red onre, while the bodice and draperies were a black crepe shaw® richly embroid- ered in red roses. She wore a black Span- isu Jace mantilla and red roses in her hair. The tambourine she carried, filled wtih cigarettes for the guests, added to the frolic. Calffornia Hotel. each going to have a dehightful little visit with Mrs. Warfleld | and meeting others who came for the same reason. They were pictures in their stylish gowns and light, fluffy feather boas, with great artistic hats to set off their rare sort of beauty. Perhaps the greatest charm. of all is the happy girlish frankness of their young lives. P P Mrs. S. B. Johnson and daughter, Mrs. John G. Barker, entertained thirty-five of their friends at their MUl Valley cottage Saturday evening. The guests were large- ly residents of Mill Valley. Progressive pedro was the feature of the entertain- ment. The several prizes were Chiness and were very attractive. The cottage was prettily decorated with' spring flow- ers and foliage. The guests enjoyed the hospitality extended and the affair was enjoyable in every detail. A dainty sup- per was served. Those present were: Mr. and Mrs. A. L. House, Mr. and Mrs. Frank House, Clifford House, Mr. and Mrs. Will' Barnard, 'H. Barnard, Dr. and Mrs. Cutter, Mr..and Mrs. Frank Bost- wick, Mr. and Mrs. John Arnold, Mr. and Mrs. John Wood, Mrs. L. C. Tyler, Mrs. R. A. House, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Rey- nolds, Mr and Mrs. S. B. Johnson and Mr and Mrs. John G. Barker. Py BT The Pleasure Seekers thronged Golden Gate Hall Saturday evening. Two hundred guests enjoyed a cotillon and banquet. The hall was elaborately decorated for the occasion and the scene was a festive ome. After the informal dance the ban- quet began about midunight. 4 e e e There was a very pretty tea at the Chi- nese Presbyterlan Mission yesterday aft- ernoon. It was a “tea” in every sense of the word. All the Chinese guests, as well as those at the mission, attended in their native dress, while the Oriental effects, both in costume and decoration, were ar- tistic to look upon and a feast of richness and color. Miss D. Cameron, the super- intendent, sent out 200 invitations, and nearly that number were present. Thers was no set programme, but musical selec- tions were given by the Chinese children in the home and by young people who ars connected with the mission churech. Chinese orchestra was also in attendanc and delicious tea was served by the dainty almond-eyed maidens. Among tha guests were the Chinese Government of- ficials and officers from the Chinese Bu- reau and the Custom-house. Miss Camer- on was assisted in receiving by the presi- dent and officers of the Occidental Board of Foreign .\Iisslcm.- A . Mrs. W. S. Hochstadter gave a very en- joyable “at home'" Saturday afternoon Mrs. E. E. Simmons was a sparkling and bespangled Carmen. The white satin skirt was trimmed with a band of red satin richly embroidered in spangles.. The Jaunty white satin bolero and also the lit- tle hat were dotted with the sauciest lit- tle velvet balls that danced merrily with th2 wearer. Mrs. Ashe wore a Carmen. costume of HERDESS. MISS CATHERINE HERRIN AS SHE APPEARED AT THE MARDI GRAS CARNIVAL IN THE COSTUME OF AN EIGH- TEENTH CENTURY " SHEP- . 4 at 1322 Sutter street. The forty-five guests were entertained at cards and fifteen pret- ty and artistic prizes were offered to the fortunate players. The drawing-rooms were lavishly decorated in foliage and cut flowers. The afterncon was pleasantly spent. < Miss Juliette Garber was hostess at a elegant black silk shawls embroidered with green and red, with green silk fringe everywhere. Novody expected to see Bessie Ames as a cowboy, and it is the unexpected that always pleases, besides the ieather suit was as artistic as it was striking.: The short skirt was of skin unevenly fringed at the hottom. -The leggings, too, were trimmed ~with -fringe at the side. A leather bofero jacket and shirt waist were { worn with' a'heavy leathern belt bearing a dangerous looking gun. A cowboy hat completed the make-up. - Mrs. Worthington Ames was an airy- fairy looking butterfly. The skirt was of fiuffy accordeon-plaited. chiffon, dotted = | with tiny. wings; while a large butterfly b lightly ¥ upon her back. ® WASTING OF MILLI . 3 . 3 ettt delightful tea Saturday at her Berkeley home in honor of Mrs. F. Bixby of Los Angeles. The decorations were spring flowers. There were over fifty guests re- ceived by- Mrs. Frederick E. Magee, Miss Leslie Green, Miss Agnes Duff and Miss Garber. (Photo by Habenicht.) * ‘When Miss Catherine Herrin removed that mysterious yellow domino we discov- ered a beautiful eighteenth century shep- herdess costume. A picture hat was the setting for her girlish face. ST How devoted are the fair buds and their friends to Mrs. Warfleld! They throng her drawing-room at every opportunity, and go away and pronounce her an ideal hostess. Somehow she has that happy faculty of getting the right people to- gether and appointing everything so per- fectly for their enjoyment. Yesterday I saw numbers of girls .from Sen Francis- 1916 Jackson street, on Friday. ¢o's most exclusive set going into the SALLY SHARP. e e e e @) ONSTRUCTION & B Mrs. W. S. Tevis gave a luncheon at the University Club on Thursday in honor of Mrs. Hermann Oeirichs. The guests in- cluded Mrs. Walter L. Dean, Mrs. Mount- ford 8. Wilson, Mrs. Horace Blanchard Chase and Mrs. James W. Keeney. + e Mrs. Simon Clayburgh gave a delightful luncheon to forty-five guests at her home, ONS IN THE C OF FAULTY WARSHIPS IN BRITISH DOCKYARDS Sparti:te, th= Last of Eight Vessels of the Sams Sze and Type, Is Still Ted Up at Pembroke After Her Unsuccessful Trial Over a Year Ago. HE Spartiate, a shéathed cruiser of 11000 tons, ‘is still I tied up at the Pembroke dockyard since her unsuecess- ful trial November 13, 1900. She was'laid down May 10, 1897, launched October 27, 1888, and on her trial run into ¢hallow water when the engineers sucked up water to flush some of the Dbearings, with the result that the bearings were heated to fusing point by sand friction. The Spartiate is the last vessel of cight of the same size and type, all calcu- lated to make 20.75 knots, which, however, has not been real- ized, owing to trouble experienced with the boilers, which are of the Belleville type. The cost of the six cruisers built by contract ranged from $2,805,000 to $2,680,000, while the Andro- meda, built at Pembroke, is reported to have cost 32,875,000, and the Spartiate, also built at Pembroke, cost $3,065,000 up to April 1, 1901 The Agamemnon, second ' class battleship in the British navy, is to be sold as no longer useful. The ‘‘Agie,” or “old wagon,” as she has been nicknamed by the bluejackets, has been a failure from the start and a ship of which no officer was desirous to serve in. Owing to defective lines in the after body the ship was exceedingly erratic in steering and required an ocean all to herself in order not to inflict damage to others by collision or running ashore. Strange to say, the Ajax, a sister ship, has not developed this defect to the same degree. The Agamemnon was built in 1883 at a cost of $3,172,500, and has cost $403,680 in repairs up to one year ago, which compara- tively small cost of repairs indicates that the ship was of very little use and has done but little service. The battleship London, of 15000 tons and 18 knots, passed through her first trial of thirty hours under one-fifth power on January 15. The engines developed 3237 horsepower with 248 ‘pounds of steam, giving a speed of 115 knots, and the coal consumption was 1.81 pounds per unit of horsepower. The British; Admiralty has at last realized the impossi- bility of obtaining torpedo-boat destroyers with excessive speeds, combining strength, seaworthiness and reliability. It has invited tenders from Clyde bullders for ten destroyers which will be larger than those hitherto built, but are to have a speed of only 25 knots, a reduction of five knots. It will no dcubt result in a far superior class of vessels, with greafer strength, more coal capacity and certainty of speed. All other naval powers have abandoned 30-knot destroyers with small displacements and are satisfied with the maximum speed .of 28 knots. ¥ o o s ¥ The Japanese battleship Mikasa has completed her trials in England and is ready for the home journey. The ship devei- oped a speed of 18.6 knots with 16,400 horsepower, which was .§ knots and 1400 horsepower in excess of the contract. During a trial f six hours under four-fifth power the coal consump- tion was 153 pounds per unit of horsepower—the latter being 12,235. Progressive speed trials were made, which gave the’ follow/ng results: At 10 knots the horsepower required was 2000, and for 15 knots 7000 horsepower sufficed. The gunnéry and evolution trials have also turned out satisfactory, the shin turning a complete circle in one and one-half her length. . . . The cruiser Cincinnati, which underwent repairs and alter- ations at’the Brooklyn yard since February, 1899, and sailed February 4 for a cruise, has returned to New York to join the PERSONAL MENTION. ing properties in Palace of New York City and interested in min. Oregon, fleet that is being assembled to receive Prince Henry of Prus- sia. The vessel is now a training ship for engineers and fire- men, and her sister ship, the Raleigh, which is also being re- built, is to be utilized for the same purpose. The Cincimmati was built In 1890-94 and went into commission June 16, 1504, and 1s therefore barely eight years old. She is rated as a 19-knot cruiser, but during the Cuban trouble preceding the Spanish- American war the cruiser failed to overtake filibuster steamers such as the Dauntless, the maximum speed of which did not exceed 14 knots. The first cost of the Cincinnati was $2,371,%5, and the total cost of repairs and alterations up to- the present time is very close o one million dollars. The two ships are of a type‘that will not be duplicated, and they are -more suitabla as training ships for the engine-room force. The Navy Department hags wisely receded from its first in- tention of continuing Rear Admiral Cromwell in command on the European station after that officer’s retirement on Feb- Tuary 9 on account of age. It would have been an unprece- dented innovation on the rights of other officers, and the re- cent act of Congress permitting the employment of r’tired officers on active duty was only intended to cover shore/serv- ice, Of the twenty-two rear admirals there are twelve who have not yet served at sea in that grade, and one has only two months’ sea service to his credit. Fifteen were performing shore duty on January 1, of which ten were at navy yards and naval stations and one was waiting orders. No.distinetion is made in the command of navy yards, as was hitherto the cus- tom, and as it is practiced in foreign navies, for such an insignificant yard as Pensacola has a rear admiral, and the naval station at Port Royal, whith has been abandoned for all purposes as such, Is also honored with a reur admiral-as commandant and thus placed on a leyel with New York, Norfolk and Mare Island. . . . A great clearing out sale of useless vessels is shortly to take place in the Italian navy. Most of the vessels thus to be disposed of have been removed from the active list years ago and range in ages from 20 to 40 years. Four cruisers, namely the Terribile, Sebastiano, Vinlero and Vedetta, are in the lot, and the following seven harbor ships: Gorgona, Laguna, Luni. Bondine, Tiso, Trenetti and Malusssena. The estimated value of the entire fleet is praced at $1,095,000. . . . There -8 vast difference in cost of shipbuilding In French dockyards, unparalleled in any other navy, which can only b@® explained as being due to more or less efficient supervision. The. comparative cost as given by the Minister of Marins shows: Rochefort, leading with 3850 per ton; Cherbourg, $9%; Toulon, $9230; L'Orient, $120 25, and Brest with $408%. These charges inciude only general expenses, and the correspondin; cost of work dome in private yards for the navy averags, $37250 per ton. Adding the amount due for Interest, deterioru. tion. renewal of plant and taxes which private builders have to meet, the cost amounts to $465 50, which is stiit considerably less than in three of the Government yards. Nineteen .vessels were launched during the lastyear'in tie “French navy, of which four were armored crulsers, five de- stroyers and torpedo-boats and_tem submarines. Forty-nine s were begun, Including two . battleships, one armorod cruiser, twenty destroyers and to: bo: a e P LR rpedo-boats and. twenty-six L [ ANSWERS TO QUERIES. is a guest at the C. C. Clark, a mine owner of El Dorado, is at the Lick. Mrs. Richardson Clover and daughter are registered at the Palace. 3 A. H. Birrell, a capitalist of Portland, Or., is at the California with his wife. H. H. Hyman, a merchant.of Cleveland, | 0., is at the the only safe conclusion is that if one is a genius and a woman she can do anything, and still be charm- ing forever.: = friais o keddls 3 —_— : Washingtomte]‘wvfrs. give little encouragement to the hopes ‘of Arizona,' Oklahoma and New Mexico for statehood. . It:is krown they are all right in many respects, but it is feared they would not vote right at Palace, accompanied by his wife. s i George S. Nixon, a bank cashier of ‘Winnemucca, Nev., is registered at the ‘Palace. & Mrs. Judge B. ‘N. Ross of Los Angeles | is at the Palace in company with her son, Robert. . E. Ross. _A. B. Adamis, a wealthy resident of New York and having large mining interests in Mexico, is one of the arrivals at the Pal- ‘ace.. z K - R. Van Bruat, a capitalist and clubman ¢ e 2 —_——— Ex. strong hoarhound candy. Townsend's,* ———eee. Cal. glace fruit 50c per Ib at Townsend's.* Townsend's California glace fruits, 50c a e 639 Special information supplied daily to Says an old bachelor: ‘would object to a would gladly pay —————— G Quality makes price. Were Burnett's Vanilla | Extract no better than extracts its price would be the same. Once tried always used. “Few single men tax on celibacy, as they POOL TABLE—G. B. L., Modesto, Cal. There is a Federal war revenue tax of & & year upon each billlard or paol table and a pro rata amount for part of a year. TRADING COMPANY—H. C., City. For the information desired ahout the North American Trading Company you will have to address a letter of Inquiry to the main office of the company at Seattle. KING EDWARD_N. M, City. ¢ VII, King of Great Beltafl, was con o v »