The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-01-16

that Congress will take some action this Winter
10 increase the force as recommendations with
that end in view have been made by the Chief
of Police and the District Commissioners TO
Congress.
THE FIRST STATE DINNER
of the season was given at the White House
last week, when the President and his wife en-
tertaiued the Vice President and members oil
the Cabinet and their wives. In many respects
it was one of the prettieSt dinners ever served
from the historic mahogany OF the Executive
Mansion and great many innovations were
introduced in the way of decoration and service.
The Presidents wife has the reputation OF
being an excellent hOusekeepert and she
thought that the preparation of big dinner
in the White House kitchen would seriously
interfere with the ordinary routine, so she had
the dinner cooked outside by the French
caterer, DemOnet The State parlors were
g0rgeOusly decked with flowers, perhaps never
more layishly So while the East Room was
perfect bower of beauty, the mantelpieces be-
ing covered with rich blossoms and the win
dow-ledges banked with foliage plants
The table which was i'm the center of tho
room, was laid for 80 people, and was a marvel
of elegance. Tho old. fashioned gilt plateau
ran down the middle, and on the mrrored lake
sailed pretty toy ship, whose hull was made
of white carnations, the decks planked with
narcissus, white clover was tied in the smilax
rigging NnllG the STARS ana stripes Hoatch w
the top. aud the u. S." in scarlet immor-
telles told the legend of the ship of State"
Rocks and coral reefs were at a safe distance
from the vessel, half-hiddcn under rosebuds
and their foliage. Mareschal Neil roses were ut
each end of the plateau and other flowers
decked the ends OF the table.
AT table the President had Mrs. Morton on
his right and Mrs. Wanamaker on his left
hand. Mrs. Harrison, who sat just opposite,
had the Vice President on her right and the
Secretary Of State on her left hand. The other
guests were Secretary of the Treasury aud Mrs.
Window, Secretary of War Proctor, Attorney
General and Mrs Miller, Postmaster-General
aud Mrs Nanamaker Secretary of the Navy
and Mrs Tracy, Secretary OF the Interior aud
Mrs Noble. Secretary of Agriculture and Mrs.
Rusk, Speaker Of the House and Mrs. Reed,
Gen. Scho6eld. Senator aud Mrs Cockrell,
Senator aud Mrs Sherman, Senator and Mrs.
Hale. J. G. Carlisle aud Mrs Carlisle. Cornelius
N. Bliss and Mrs. Bliss, Mr.. q. w. Runnell, of
Chicago, Mrs. Logan. Mrs. Chandler, Mrs.
Henry q. Davis and Mrs. Mckee.
Another innovation introduced by Mrs. Har-
rision was white servants, the first time any
thing OF the kind has taken place at the White
House These men were all trained walters,
and performed their duties with admirable
precision. In fact, the first State dinner was
one Of the biggest successes of the present Ad-
ministration.
COMMODORE J. II. c. COFFIN.
Commodore John Huntington Crane Coffin.
Professor of Mathematics, (retired,l U. S. Navy,
died in Washington. Jan. Sth, at his residence,
at the corner Of 18th and / streets, aud was
buried in Oak Hill Cemetery on Saturday.
lie was born in Wiscasset Me-. Sept. IL, 1915,
and graduated in 1884 at Bowduiu College, Me-.
where he took the high standing as a profound
student Of the higher mathematics that has
distinguished his professional career.
Fifty years and more ago. when there WAS
no Naval Academy. schools wcro located at the
New York and Philadelphia Navy Yards for
beginning and completing the professional in
struction of Midshipmen; the time of study
being four to six years, but part of the time
was spent IA cruising on foreign stations.
Professors Of mathematics and of English
branches were on duty at the schools but others
were selected To go on the ships with Mid
shipmen, so that the studies were continued
during the cruises.
Prof. Coffin had already attracted the atten-
ton Of learned men for his proficiency in
mathematics. and on Jan. % 1886. before he
was yet Of age, he was appointed professor OF
that branch ia tho Navy, and was sent In the
Vandalia to the West India Squadron, trans
ferTing in 1859 20 the odd Ironsdes " frigate
Constitution, and returned home ia 1871.
His attachments were found TO be too vAlua-
bic in the duty hc had before been engaged in,
aud after a brief station at the Norfolk Navy
fard he served for two years on the survey Of
/ the Florida Coast and inland waters. Just nj
/ the time Prof. Hasser was urging the neccs-
/ sity Of thorough coast aud geodetic survey
4 OF the United States.
When only p flS43j he was placed In charge
OF the then infant Naval Observatory ut Wash
| ingtOn. and remained until 1888. when he was
ordered 10 the then ncwiy-cstablished Naval
/ Academy. IN charge Of tue Department of
/ Mathematics. Later, whom the Department Of
! Higher Mathematics was established, which
I Included astronomy, navigation and survey
l ing. he was placed at lis head and remained in
charge until the close Of the academic year in
/ 1865.
From 1865 until his retirement for age Sept
4 il, 1877, he was Ia. charge Of the preparation
/ and publication Of The Nautical Almanac at
/ Cambridge, Mass, until 1867, and subsequently
/ in Washington. During that period lac also
edited an astronomical periodical, The Amer
/ lean Ephemeris"
From Is45 until bis retirement he was the
Senior Professor OF Mathematics in the Navy.
lie active member Of the American
Academy Of Science OF Boston, of the American
| Pbii0soP hIcal Society OF Philadelphia, and was
/ one Of the charter members Of the National
| Academy OF Science ~ 1866 with Prof. Henry
and Prof. Baird. His Alma Mater conferred
! upon him the degree Of LID. in 1854. the
degree Of NJ. a. having beer given with his
/ diploma IN 1884
He leaves several sons, two Of them officers
| ia the service, and two daughters, who are
married 70 Navy officers One Of the sons ID
Lieut.. J. h. Z. Coffin. jF., u. s. Navy who
graduated at the Naval Academy in 1870. and
another is First Lieut. VIM. II Coffin 9Th Art
who graduated at West Point in 1873. Both o
these young officers have inherited much oil
their fathers taste for mathematics
Prof. Colin had made his mathematics ot
moro value 10 him than scientists usually do
and years ago made profitable investments that
resulted ia bringing him a very comfortable
fortune. lie was a considerable holder of rea
estate, and for many years was a director and
large st0ckholdcr IN several wel-established
banks aud insurance companies here.
EETIOSAL MILITARY PAEK.
Gen. Charles ii. Gfosyenor. Member Of Con
gress from Ohio, has prepared bill which viii
shortly BE- introduced, establishing the Chatta
no0ga aud Chickamauga National Military
Park. This measure meets the approval Of tht
leading members Of the Societies OF the Army
Of the Cumberland, the Army Of the Tennessee,
aud the Army 81 the Potomac. as well as Of al
the leading ex-C0ufedeTate officers who tool
part ia those bloody battles. The bill Is Iikel,
10 become law during the first session of tn
5ist Congress. The bill provides that upOr
jurisdiction being coded 10 the United State
by the States ~ Tennessee aud Georgia certain
public roads shall become approaches 10 an,
parts 81 the said National Park. The parl
proper, 10 which title is 10 be obtained by Ia
. United States by condemnation and pur
! chase after The cediHg Of jurisd iction by Tia
> state Of Georgia. embraces the battlefield q
Z Chlckamauga. The affairs Of the park are L
l. a