Morning journal and courier., 1889-05-13
wAsHxNGToN NOTES.

The Final Session of she Supreme Court Before she Summer Kecess-Reperr of the Trial of she Charleston-Preside Harrison at Fortress Monroe.
 WASHINGTON, May 12.-The Supreme court of the United States will hold its final ses- sion, prior to the summer recess, tomorrow. A number of important decisions will be rendered, among them the decision in the case brought to test the constitutionslity of the Scott Chinese exclusion law, the celebrat- ed Myra Clarke Gaines suit, two West Vir- ginia cases involving responsibility for acts done during the war, and contempt case growing out of the Sharon will suit in Cali- fornia.
 The following dispatch was received by Secretary Tracey today:
 SANTA BARBARA Gal May 11 To Secretary of Navy, Washington:
 Trial of Charleston made to-day . failure owing to starboard engine slides heating. No trouble with the port engine. Average reyo- lutions for fifteen minutes 107, maximum horse power $500, speed 18I knots. At speed up to ninety revolutions vacuum 27 inches; vacuum decreased as speed increased falling at highest speed to 22 inches Boil- CTS supplied freely.
 Signed BENHAM,
 Commodore.
 Secretary Tracey said in explanation of this report that the announcement that the trial was failure was perhaps susceptible of wrong interpretation. It was failure owing to certain conditions which could, no doubt, be remedied.
 Tugs left here last night for the relief of the British steamer Aberlady Ray reported ashore near Cape Lookout with wheel brok- ken. The cargo consists of phosphate rock.
 Prof. Willetts, assistant secretary of agri- culture, recently received letter from Ire- land in which the professor may solve the question of "what shall take the place of wheat on farms where it can no longer be raised at proft?" The writer has been fla miliar with flax growing in America since 1S40. He attributes the almost complete failure to spin and weave linen by machinery in this country to the fact that the raw ma terisl is not as flexible and requires more costly manipulation and much more labor than cotton wool and silk. Another reason why linen is not made here is thas the duty is too low to correspond with the high duty on raw material, and consequently flax and linen have been neglected for cotton, wool and silks.
 The writer claims to have discovered pro- cess by which he can produce in five minutes from dry natural straw perfect fibre, the color of cotton and soft and fine as raw silk. He saws:
 I have demontrated the practicability of this invention, have made the fibre from American, Irish and Belgium flax straw, had it spun and woven and there is an exhibit of the American product at the Paris exhibi- tion, placed there by Mir. Dodge of the de- partment of agriculture at Washington last January. This invention has the endorse- msnt of the linen men of England, coms pany has been formed and apparatus is at work here, and the process will be at work all over Europe at an early day."
 A sample of the fibre of the new process was enclosed in the letter and it was so satis- factory to Professor Willetts that he inform ed the sender that the subject of his letter would be earnestly considered by the de- partment.
 E. D. Smith, formerly consul at Cartha- gena, now merchant of that city, is in "There is great field in the Colombian Republic for men of enterprise and thrift" he says: Emigration is particu- blood into the republic the government will month, 250 acres of land, a COW, two pigs, a blow and help him build his house and transport him free from the sea- port to the point he desires to locate. l Dr. Nunez, the president, is doing all in his ! power to develop the resources, and has de- cided to completely change his policy toward l the United States and to favor, much as he possibly can, commercial and other friendly intercourse between the republics. He will send representatives to the Ameri- cas conference"
 FoRr MONROE, Va, May 12.-President Harrison arrived here this morning and was saluted by the fort. He attended church in the garrison with Senator Hawley. Secreta- ries Windom and Rusk visited the fort this