The Hawaiian gazette., 1890-02-18
OUR AMERICAN LETTER.
FROM A LADY.

American people, but the old and the
new world, you might say. News comes
from across the water that some of the
crowned heads of Europe are afflicted
with la grippe, alias influenza, and the
sneeze Is Immediately taken up by some
OF Ward McAllister's celebrated four
hundred oil New York, and passed round
the globe. There is no use gainsaying
it, La grippe is an epidemic. Commenc-
ing with bad cold and IN many cases
ending with pneumonia, which is invari-
ably fatal when it reaches this stage of
the malady. No one is exempt, old and
young, rich and poor, suffering alike. It
is alarming in the extreme and every
city and town has a sad death record
that la grippe is accountable for.
There was a slight buzz created among
the naval circles when the Naval Policy
Board appointed by Secretary Tracy,
made recommendations at Washington,
D. c., January oath, for the building of
227 ships of 61,O35 tons, at a cost OF
$349, 315, 600 This total includes $67,-
965, 900 already expended and the au-
thorized expenditure OF 1921 $50, 900.
When the committee proceeded to con-
sideration of the recommendations the
issue was raised whether it was advisable
at this time to begin with the construc-
ton of the immense line of battle ships
proposed including harbor defense mon
itors, at q cost of $40 ,249 900. The ma
iority agreed with the Policy Board,
however, and the bill was favorably re-
ported on. This meets with favor with
the American people i'll general for
transposing the old adage, fore-armed is
fore-warned, although peace and good
will towards all is the general sentiment
of this law-abiding people.
Another good bill was introduced in
the House at Washington January 23d,
by Congressman Morrow, directing the
Secretary of the Navy to settle the &C
count with the Union Iron Works for the
construction OF the cruiser Charleston
upon the basis of the full contract price
for construction, without enforcing the
claimed penalty Of $33 900 for apparent
deficiency on trial trips. This settles
long and seemingly uncalled for dispute
between the Union Iron Works Co. OF
San Francisco and the Navy department.
Before leaving the subject OF the craft
upon our high seas, l must tell you OF
the United States sea-going torpedo boat
No. that was successfully launched on
the morning of January 23d from the
shipyard OF the Herreshof Manufacture
ing Co. at Bristol, r. l. The boat was
christened the Gushing, by Miss Kath-
crime Herreshoff, daughter OF the Presi-
dent of the manufacturing company.
Steam was raised in thirty-three minutes,
and the auxiliary machinery was started
and the boat saluted herself with her own
whistle.
A bill has been introduced at Wash
ington for the importation of copper, lead
and nickel in ores for refining, free of
duty, with the proviso that an amount of
copper, lead or nickel, equivalent to that
imported shall be exported within six
months, in a refined but manufactured
state.
The largest death rate in the history OF
the Board of Health in San Francisco
was that for the week ending January
Path, POI having been reported. The
principal causes Of death were pneumo-
MIA, As, and consumption, Is.
G. 2. Huntington, the American capt.
talist, whose adopted daughters mar
rage with Prince Hatzfeldt created so
much comment in social circles recently,
is having more trouble than a little in
getting his wife's finery out OF the custom
house without paying duty Oh the same.
Arriving at this end OF the line ON their
return from the marriage, the usual dec
laration was made that the contents OF
the various trunks were made up OF the
personal wardrobe OF the travellers, but
when the custom-house inspectors went
through them they discovered sufficient
to establish difference of opinion. The
amount of duty claimed is $500. Hunt
ington's son-in-law came so high that he
feels too poor to pay the custom-house
duty demanded of him.
Judge Hoyt, at Clayton, Iowa, passed
sentence, January %, upon the youngest
convict ever sent up for life IN this
country. 1t was Y year old boy named
John W. Elkins, and his crime was the
murder of his father and mother in their
bed last July. The motive he gave for
the crime was that he wished to leave
home and his parents objected and his
father had punished him. He was a
hardened little fellow and expressed no
remorse for his terrible crime.
One would think that the depredations
committed by the Apache Indians i'll the
past would be warning to General
Crook to 90 slow in his dealings with
them and let well enough alone. Yet,
upon his suggestion, proposition has
been made to Congress to remove the
Apache Indian prisoners from Alabama,
placing part of them in the Indian Terri
tory and setting the rest at liberty.
What a charming state of affairs would
then exist. How long would it take
them to cross from the Indian Territory
into New Mexico and Arizona? Not
moment longer than they Guild help,
and the moment they set foot on Arizona
soil the peoples lives would be in danger
and property, which during the Last three
years of undisturbed peace and tranquil
ity has grown in value, would not be
worth one-half the present price. They
are cruel, vindictive and treacherous as.
snakes in the grass.
The citizens of San Diego, Cal :, are
holding meetings for the purpose OF pub