Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-09-03

Scattcring Millions.
The people who have millions are get
ting to be very many in this country
and In the other into which they are
rapidly dropping of, leaving their wills
and millions and sorrowing relations be-
hind them. The most Of them, 1t is safe
10 say, do not get as much fun out Of their
part Of the performance of making and
distributing the millions as do the peo-
pie who get them for there is great
trouble In great wealth, and not the
least in distributing II satisfactorily by
will.
The latest published effort is that Of
Mr.. Thaw, Of Pittsburg, whose will
covers page or two OF the Pittsburg
papers. Mr.. Thaw seems to have been
held in high esteem by his neighbors
and was noted for his charity. He d.
vides his estate among his widow and
ten children, taking out a good slice for
distribution among divers institutions
and giving few hundred or thousand TO
so many collateral relatives that the land
seems to be full of Thaws. 1t is a great
thing for a family TO have a great Thaw
who dies and remembers them all.
TIRE Haskell multicharge gun Is again
claiming attention. II will be remembered
that his invention was given great promi-
nence several years ago and proved fail
ure, bursting on the first trial. The inven-
tor and his friends have not lost faith In II
and the board of ordinance and fortifica-
tions have provided funds for the purchase
of an eight inch gun constructed on the
same principles. The theory of tho weapon
is admitted TO be very strong, but In its
application great accuracy is required. II
is claimed that after the projectile has once
been started at "A comparatively low rate of
speed II will be possible to greatly accel-
crate is velocity by the successive dis
charge of charges Of quick burning pow
der placed In pockets along the inside of
the gun and exploded by the proiectile in
passing. If this very difficult feat can be
accomplished the range and penetration
will be far greater than that of any other
cannon, and the slow starting of the ball
will permit the use Of dynamite shells.
TuI third volume of "The Writings Of
George Washington" 90. =. Putnam's
Sons) has boen issued and deepens the inn
preston that George was hustler in spite
of his dignity. Ilo is growing fierccly all
the time and as u model soldier well fills
the old maxim that the first duty Of n
soldier il TO grumblc. II il evident that
Washington acted as a kind of whipper in
among the patriots, keeping them up to
their duty. tits rather surprising TO find
him complaining that though he has
twenty times urged the want Of n brigadier
he is without one. Considering the sur
plus OF brigadiers In our civil war, this Is
certainly II curious complaint.
A TALE that seems fifly years out OF date
comes from Australia; The Savo, a small
| trading vessel, was boarded by Malays In
| their famous old piratical style, and one OF
| them shot antl killed tho mate, while
| another cut of the head Of a trader with an
axe, and in the fight, which ended In the
| repulse of the pirates, the owner of the ship
was fatally wounded and many of the crew
| injured. England had better send n few OF
| her gunboats to those waters.
-
| THE home squadrons of the British navy
| have been going through their usual annual
| mimic warfare, which gives them the best
| of training for an actual war. Englishmen
! have lately become alarmed at the naval
development of France and other powers,
and the discovery that largo part of their
own huge navy Is made up of vessels that
| are ten years old and without the latest
| improvements. This scare may be quite
unwarrantod, but 1t has had its effect in
| bracing up the whole navy to develop.
| mont of the best skill with tho ships they
have, while the admiralty Is hard at work
| spending millions for new ones that may
be as worthless In another ton years II i'm.
provements In armor and guns continue.
There Is no lack of promise of such inn
| provements and we may be thankful that
| America does not need to build navie'
| by wholesale inst now. The Xalinsk
| dynamite gun and cruiser naturally
occur TO Americans as likely TO change
| naval warfare but there arc several other
devices FOR throwing dynamite, though IN
much smaller doses. The government has
| arranged 10 test new iron turret with
armor only four inches thick, but sc
| placed that 1t will afford as much protec.
ton as thirteen inch armor, and Mt the
same time is arranging To buy u
| Haskell gun, which Is expected to show
marvellous armor-p piercing qualities. s,
| the contest between guns and nrmor con
| tiuues, and meanwhile tho art of ship ant
engine building is progressing. Electrica
engineering Is going ahead with rush
andJ there may be time not far aheat
when ships can go to sea without coal car.
Frying instead supply of storage, battcric,
and several hugo dynamos. Considering
| these things, we may let rich old England
| put billions in her war ships, while ",
build few of the best but there seems I,
be disposition on the part of the presen
| administ ration TO commit the grave crrol