The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-28
Work to be Resumed at the Philadel-
phia Navy Yard-The Rodes-
Viejo Land Patent.
Important from South America-The
Revolution in Guatemala-Terrible
Condition of Paraguay.
ETC.. ETC., ETC.. Etc. Etc.
FROM WASHINGTON.

Cub" and the Rece22s ra Ac'lvi'y mt the Navy
Special Despatch TO The B0entng Telegraph.
WASHINGTON, Feb. est has recently trans
pired what was cause of the unusual activity for
several months pastat the navy yards in fttingout
old and new naval vessels, and which has caused
so much speculation and comment, and by many
was supposed to be connected with the proposed
acquisition of st. Domingo 1t Is true the
acquisition of st. Domingo was one of the
causes, but not the principal one as it is now
positively known that the speedy and extensive
preparation of naval vessels, for which the Sec
retary of the Navy has been severely censured
in some quarters, was in obedience to the orders
of the President. The President had long since
come to the conclusion to take decided grounds
in the matter of Cuban affairs, In fact was about
recognizing the insurgents as belligerents and
with that intention in view deemed itimportant
that our navy should be in such o condition as
to sustain and defend the act; hence the Navy
Department in its activity and large eXpendi-
tures was but obeying the Presidents orders.
The President was only restrained from carrying
out his inte ntions by the very strong protesta-
tions of certain of his advisers.
Work in the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
Special Despatch to The EUe1li1g Telegraph.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2S.-Secretary Robson
struction and repair and steam engineering
departments of all the navy yards on the first
proximo and in the steam engineering depart
ments of all the naval stations. At the Phila-
delphia Navy Yard nine hundred of the former
employees will be taken on in the construction
branch and seventy-fve in the steam engineering
branch. Great care is to be exercised in the
selection of those to be employed.
The Benicin and the Asintic Fleet.
The United States steamer Benicia, Com
mander s. Nicholson, has orders from the Navy
Department to proceed from Portsmouth, n. H.,
to Singapore, through the Straits of Sunda, and
report to Rear-A imiral Rowan, commanding the
Asiatic fleet. She will doubtless etop en- route
at Rio de Janeiro for supplies, ETC., and after
leaving that place will visit Cape Town on spe-
cial public business; will then go to Natal, east
of Cape Colony, and from thence join the feet
The entire passage will be made under sail. 1t
was the original intention of the department to
have this vessel take the route through the Suez
Canal, but special business prevented.
The ROdes-Vieio Patent.
Despdtch 10 the Associated Press.
WASHINGTON Feb. 2S.-The Hon. j. d. Cox,
Secretary of the Interior, has decided in the
matter of the Rancho Visitacion, Guadaloupe
Rodes Viejo, not TO proceed in the endeavor to
annul the patent, and has recommended to
Attorney General Hoar that mo. further action
should be taken in the premises" The Attorney
General has, however, directed the matter to be
argued before him by Edmond l.. Goold for
Piore Bayesque ct al for the patent, and Hughes,
Denver, and Peck in opposition. This is re-
garded only as a means of correcting mistake.
Superscription of Letters.
petition numerously signed by the most
prominent business men in New York has been
sent to this city, addressed to the Postmaster
General and the Post Office Committees of both
houses of Congress- setting forth that postal
reform should commence with the superscrip-
tions of the letters passing through the mails.
Postmaster-General Holt, appreciating the value
of the invention combining the black lines with
the ordinary letter envelope, directed the incor-
| poration of the new improvement with the
stamped letter envelopes issued by the Post
Office Department. The petition says:-"The
| omission of all reference to this improvement
! in the recent advertisement for proposals tC
supply the stamped envelopes has created an
impression upon the public mind that it is to be
finally abandoned by the Government. Against
such a measure, if contemplated the under.
signed beg leave to respectfully remenstrate.
The omission of reference in the advertise.
| ment for the supply of such ruled envelopes /:
explained by the fact of its being patented im
provement The petition was to-day laid before
| the Postmaster General after being shown to the
Senate Post Office Committee.