The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-11-14
WASHINGTON.


The November report of the Department of
Agriculture shows that the October returns of
the corn crop we're practically exact. The to-
tai yield will be about 1,600, 100000 bushels
about 10000, 900 less than the previous crop.
The best quality and largest yields per acre are
in the Missouri valley. The yield of potatoes
is 175, 100000 bushels.
The New Standard Time.
Attorney General Brewster, in reply to
Secretary Chandler's letter to heads of depart
ments, has given an opinion that the adoption
of the 10Th meridian as the standard time of
the district, so far as the government depart
ments are concered, cannot be properly effect
ed without Congressional action. Final action
will not be taken until Secretary Chandler
returns.
APost Once Technically.
Postmaster General Gresham has made an
order as to the extra pay of certain postal
clerks in about thirty offices which will cause
those clerks Inconvenience. 1t has been the
practice to have experts from the postal rail-
way service assigned to assist the post offices
In the dispatch OF mail and postmasters have
been permitted to make these experts allow
ances from the general post office. Postmaster
General Gresham is of the opinion that the
appropriations cannot thus be interchanged,
and has ordered the practice discontinued.
the result will be material reduction in the
salaries OF some OF the principal postal clerks.
A Wicked Chaplain.
1t is understood tha9 the court martial in
the case OF Chaplain Soussiann Mesplic, u s.
A., charged with duplicating pay accounts,
found him guilty and sentenced hin to dis
missal. The report of the court is being re-
viewed By the Judge Advocate General.
The Proseus Inquiry.
At the session of the Proteus court of in
quiry today Mr.. Lenden Kent appeared as
counsel for Lieutenant Darlington. The otfic-
cial records of the Navy Department relating
to the subject of the inquiry We're read, after
which oral examination of Lieutenant Gar
lington was begun, the examination being con-
Quoted by Judge Advocate Goodfellow
Lieutenant Darlington said he never saw the
instructions given Commander Wildes until
his return to Washington and knew merely
that the vessel was to accompany him DortfF
subject to circumstances and conditions Of
the ice but understood from the start that the
Yantic was not to interfere with or delay the
Proteus.
In reply TO a direct inquiry by the court,
practically of no use. "Why was she sent
then?" 'Well, as supposed, merely to satis-
fly public opinion Lieutenant Darlington
explained his parting from the Yantic at st.
Johns as due to the fact that he had certain
preparations which he thought to make at
Disco before the Yantic arrived, and the
route from st. Johns to Disco being opened
with no possibility of danger no necessity for
the two vessels to keep in company occurred
to him.
Ap lNhraA EAOSpltAl SCMSme.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13.-Surgeon General
Wales OF the navy in his annual report ex
presses the opinion that the present naval hos
pital system no longer fnlfills the requirements
OF modern sanitary science, for the reason that
few OF the buildings are eigibly situated and
all are too large and costly for present or prob
able future needs. He recommends that the
establishments at Chelsea, Brooklyn and Phil
adelphia be sold and the proceeds turned into
the naval hospital fund, that this fund be in
vested in government securities, the interest
on which will 60 fer to make the system self
supporting, and that station hospitals be
built at convenient points suited to the needs
OF the locality and of the service and intended
for the accommodation of acute cases only.
The cost of the station hospitals he estimates
at SIS 900 each. 1t is intended that chronic
cases and those likely to be Of long continuance
are to be sent to general hospital at a central
point. For the central point he reco~ mends
Norfolk.
misceilaneOus.
The Star says United States Marshal Emory
Speer OF Georgia has accepted the appointment
OF special United States attorney in the South
Carolina cases.