The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-04-11

the hight Of the storm the chains of four an
chors snapped, and the vessel commenced TO
drift. Capt. Kane then determined to leave
the harboT, where the danger of being thrown
on the reefs was imminent, and reach, if pos
sible the open sea. This he eventually ac-
complished after hard fight, during which
the vessel made only half a knot an hour. The
seas that broke over the ship were tremendous
aud did much damage No lives were lost
however. The Navy Department officials have
received no tidings of the vessels which were
wrecked but had 10 doubt that the report from
Sidney is authentic, as the Nipsic was only
beached. The other vessels are naturally con-
sidered total wrecks they having been blown
upon the coral reefs. The principal officers of
the Navy on duty in Washington are greatly
elated that the Nipsic is again afoat and say
that she will be sent to Auckland Immediately
for repairs. 1t is not thought possible that
either the Trenton or Nandalia will be saved,
as official dispatches show them to be almost
total wrecks.
COUNTING THE CASH.
All the money in the United States Treas
ury must be counted whenever a change is
made in the Treasurer, and as Mr.. Hyatt has
been superseded by Mr. Huston, the counting
viii commence very shortly, and will necesSari-
" occupy considerable time
At present there is about $l94,000000 in the
Treasury IN coin alone Sl50,000,0O0 being IN
silver, aud $25OOO00O in gold, while there is
about 1888 600 in new United States notes
and gold and silver certificates, which have
never been issued, and about S2l8,000 in bonds,
which belong to National Banks and trust
funds. which have to be accounted for. 1t will
be a very long and tedious operation, and will
be witnessed by men, one party representing
the Secretary of the Treasury, another the re-
firing Treasurer, Mr.. Hyatt, and still another
the newly-appointed Treasurer Mr. Huston:
The gold and silver will be reckoned by
weight and the paper money must be ali count
ed, and unless two reliefs are worked it
viii take nearly six months to complete the
job.
Another big count must be made when the
Sub-Treasury at New York city is turned over,
and experts from the Treasury Department
viii be sent there for that purpose.
Nobody knows who will do the counting, but
it has always been thought advisable to keep
the employees who have access TO the money at
all times away from it while the count is being
made. Therefore the counters will be detailed
1 from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
! Internal Revenue Division and other divisions
/ Of the Department but none from the Treas
urer's own Office. The most expert counters
are always detailed, and it would make bank
! teller's eyes stick out to see how rapidly some
/ OF these expers turn over the bank notes. The
! lady counters are especially rapid, their MINI
! bic fingers going faster than the eye can follow.
THE LYDECKER COURT-MARTIAL.
! The biggest court-martial known to the
/ Army since that one that tried the late Gen.
| William B. Hazen and Judge Advocate-Gen-
I eral David g. Swain, was that one that was in
/ session here at the War Department from March
/ p to april 3, trying Maj. Garrett j. Lydecker,
/ Corps of Engineers, for neglect of duty in per-
mitting fraud TO be perpetrated in the new
4 aqueduct tunnel, whereby the United States
and the District Of Columbia, jointly, sustain a
loss Of about three-QUaTterS OF million dollars.
/ The court Of I3 members sat at the side of a
row OF tables ranged in the long room that was
! the Office of the Secretary of War during the
/ time Of Robert Lincoln and his successor, Mr..
Endicott. In the northeastern corner of the
| room Maj. Lydecker sat during his trial in a
/ huge ioungiBg chair, by the eastern window,
/ and at table Just before him sat his counsel,
/ Ex-Goy. George s. Boutwell,, of Massachusetts,,
! and Mr.. Swift.
There were men on that court that many
! veterans knew Of old times during the war,
/ aud chief of all in fame was the President OF
! the coart, who sat at the head of the tables at
the west end Of the arched room. That was the
gallant soldier that the Indians of the plain
/ and the Apaches Of Arizona call the " Gray
! Fox "-Maj.-G Gen. George Cro0k-the famous
/ commander Of the gallant Eighth Corps. On
his left sat Col. Richard Irving Dodge, 11th
Inf, who was cracking good soldier, and who
/ Yields pen as we'll TO tell in prose or poem OF
his hunting deeds as he does sabcr 10 lead
4 his men. Grim and grizzled is Col. Alexander
Piper, 9th Art, but IN the days of the war he
was as gOod-looking and dashing as any beau
sabfeR you know OF. Gen. Cyrus b. Comstoc6,
! Colonel of Engineers, was the Typographical
/ Aia-de-Camp Of Gen. Grants staff that the
| great leader retained as part OF his military
| family until he became President. Gen. Or
] lando M. Poe also a Colonel of Engineers was
TO Gen. Sherman what Gen. Comstock was TO
/ Grant. and remained on the staff of the hero of
( the - March to the Sea" until Gen. Sherman
went on the retired list. 1t was pathetic 10 watch
Gen. Poe in the last few days of the sitting OF
the court. His eldest son died in Detroit,
| Mich, Saturday morning, March so yet the
afflicted father was forced by the stern rule OF
Official routine to sit with his comrades on
dGty, and could not so TO see his loved son laid
away 10 rest.
The whole country has been told of the ex.
tent of the outrageous frauds perpetrated il
the aqueduct tunnel, aud the trial has been
to endeavor to fix the blame for the fault on
Mai. Lydecker, the charges alleging that if ht
had used proper caution or surveillance ovel
the work, the fraud would have been imposs
BILE.
The record and findings Of the court were
signed on Thursday, April 4, by the Presiden
Of the court, Gen. Crook, and Maj. George 3
Davis. Judge Advocate, aud was sent April I
; Z
ing to law. No one except members of thu
court. aud Acting Judge Advocate Genera
Lieber can definitely know what the sentenc
may be, but at the risk of being sneered at a
a false prophet / venture 10 say that do no
believe that the court has found Maj. Lydecke
gaiity Of neglect to such degree as to dismis
him from his commission, but think he vii
get two or three years suspension from duty
with a reduction IN pay for the same time.
LITTLE GREATNESS.
The Prince aud Princess Takehte Of japan
were entertained at diplomatic reception las
week, and the wide difference between thei
oiye-colored race and ours was almost in tn
+ nature of phenomenon, especially as thes
. celestial visitors were all arrayed in tn
European dress.
The little Princess, and the ladies 0
| her suite, like Mrs. Harrison and Mrs
Mckee, set an example to the ultra fashion
ables by cOstuming themselves in such man
Ier IS 10 cover the neck and arms entirely
. The Princess wore q trained gown of whit
silk, heavily embroidered in silver, with petit
S coat of pale-blue silk under the most exquist
/: white lace. The coEsage was shape, in aC
. cordanee with the present rage, with elbo1
/ sleeves but the neck was filed in with heav
folds Of lace, confined high at the throat wit
q broad band of black velvet, thickly studde
with stars of large diamonds and fringed wit
7; 1 pendants Of the same. In her al-black hal
arranged in the style made so familiar by til