The morning call., 1890-07-12

preliminary evolutons, sent it on its work
of destruction. There was a tremendous
shock, and the land trembled as dense
cloud of smoke, water ana fragments OF
timber shot skyward. The first glimpse Of
the old craft showed that about third OF
the hulk was missing. and in two minutes
the remainder sunk out of sight. The new
coast defense line-of-battle ships, to which
Secretary Tracy has invited the attention
of ship builders, will be provided with quite
anumber of torpedoes, and will be equipped
with seven torpedo tubes. two forward, one
aft and two on each side, and work has just
been commenced on a shed for the storage
of torpedoes on the east end of Goat Island.
The fight over the appropriation Tor con-
tinuing the irrigation survey will be re-
newed in the Senate. When the matter was
under consideration by the Committee on
Appropriations few days ago, the question
debated was whether the appropriation
asked for by the Geological Survey should
be continued, or whether the work should
be transferred TO the Agricultural Depart
ment. Among the experts who put In an
appearance were Chief Engineer Nettleton
and Colonel Hinton, Professor Hay and
Professor Carpenter. interested in the
artesian well inquiry, and their opinions
were against Director PowelPs theories.
An impression is gaining ground that a
smaller sum than the one demanded by
Director Powell. S770, 600, will ultimately be
handed over to the Department of Agrl-
culture to continue the artesian well lnyes-
tigation and the irrigation survey.
The decision of Second Comptroller Gilke-
H. .
most important rendered in years by this
branch of the Treasury Department, as the
claims of officers affected amount to about
81, 500, 600. The accounting officers Of the
Treasury for years excluded the period of
cadetship at the Military Academy from
their computations, but the Court of Claims
held that Section 1924 of the Revised
Statutes included the coIps of cadets as
part of the army, and the Supreme Court
sustained this ruling. Captain Watson, on
the retired list, eSsayed to collect S26l1 10
under those rulings, but the Court of Claims
found that all except SIG % was barred by
the six-year Limitation of the statutes The
Second Comptroller, when appealed to,
claimed that he was bound by another rule
still more sweepingly effective that ac-
counts long settled could not be reopened.
The thousands Of persons interested will
perhaps appeal to Congress for relief.
The Blue Book in which Uncle Sam en-
rolls the Government employees contains
1872, coo names-qute an army, including Off
GERS of high and low degree. 1t costs about
$4,000 to simply put the names Of all these
employees in book form, and but a limited
number OF copies are distributed. Each
Senator and Representative is furnished
with two of them, and there are 1000 for
general circulation. 1t is 10 the politician
a guide to all the fat gifts at the command of
the President and those placed in authority.
While vast army, enough to make new
State, became enrolled in the service of the
Government, n still larger host-whO can
tell the number must have been bitterly
disappointed in the wild scramble for
office.
The fortunate occupants of the land of
plenty are unacquainted with the horrors
of famine that sometimes desolate whole
districts of Asia and Africa. The latest
adyices from the Soudan show that the
famine is spreading rapidly, and that thou
sands of the poor inhabitants are without
food of any kind. The number of deaths
attributed to starvation is appalling, but
the latest advices add cannibalism to the
list of horrors. 1t was first announced that
the dead were being deyoured by the fam
ishing survivors. 1t is now asserted that
in the frenzied craving for food men,
women and children have been put to
death aud served as food to the Vanishing
survivors.
The new cruiser San Francisco, built on
this Coast, stands a good show of being
placed in commission with as little delay as
possible. The ordnance shops at Washing
ton have made special efforts to complete
her armament and the twelve siX-inch guns
composing her main battery will be ready
for shipment across the Continent in time
to be placed in position Immediately after
her acceptance by the Government. Events
up north and in Central America may soon
require the presence of another cruiser to
q with the CharleSfOD