The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-11-16
LOSS OF THE SERPENT
CAUSING UNEASINESS AMONG
NAVAL OFFICERS.
They Fear similar Accidents to United
states Cruisers-Biains and Me Reel
prooity Theory--Cost TO the People ef
the Recent Eiections-Cspttal Notes.

States Cruisers-Biains and His Reel
prooity Theory-Cost TO the People ef
the Recent Eiections-Cspttai Notss.
WASHINGTON. ID. C.. Nov. l5.-fspecial-i-
The recent loss OF the British vessel the ser.
pent, of the coast OF spain, is matter thst
il attracting considerable attention and
some uneasiness among officers OF the navy.
The detail OF the circumstance which led To
the serpents loss Is not at hand. but sum-
clent Is known to show that she was by no
means a stauneh vessel. She struck q sharp
rock and went down almos. Immediately.
rhe blow that she received does not seem 10
have been a powerful ooe by any meann, ana
right there comes In the cause OF unessinees
on the part of naval Officers. The TWO Amefi-
can vessels, the Yorktown aud the Henning
ton, are built practically on the same lines ~
was the serpent. and OF the same thickness
OF steel, while two other vessels now In
course OF construction. and kno ~ as cruisers
nine and ten. the same Is true. The question
naturally arises IN naval circles, Would these
four vessels meet a better fate under similar
circumstances than did the SerpentY and
the fear Is that they would not.
BLAINE STILL CASTING ANCHORS.
Mr.. Blaine is proceeding as fast as he can 10
carry out the programme which THE rixEs
a week ago said that he would adopt. In
other words, he Is trying to Induce the coun-
Try to put confidence again Ia the RepubIican
lie. with certain countries on the basis
OF very much lower tarin. snd
I'm some cases no tarin at ali. lie 10 re-
ceiving and conferring with the ministers
nom south and Central America and spain.
and has a couple OF American ministers 70
Brazil and Pitkin To the Argentine Republic
he TO aid him. He Ia earnest In the matter.
publican party. lie has not yet got rid OF his
habit OF looking for himself first. He IL hut
casting another anchor 10 windwato.
The various other Republican leaders
who look upon themselves or poesblc
Republican Moseses Will no.. OF course. view
without some disQuietude the course OF Mr..
Blaine, who has certainly taken 10 himself
one OF NapoIeon's maxims-"Audacity. au-
dacity always audacity.' II IL evident that
the secretary OF State thinks that he has n
MONOPOLY OF the Moses business IN the ke-
publican party at these disastrous times lie
never let's anything that may hflp him slip
away.
COST OF THE ELECTIONS.
From such accounts as have reached the
Department OF Justice, II n evident that the
cost OF tine last Congressional elecu ms viii
be greater to the Government than ever be-
fore. Deputy marshals and supervisors weie
employed up ia the very limit authorized by
law. No attempt was made 10 hold down tho
Government expenditures. Tue hepubiican
party realized to a certain extent the danger
IN which IL was, and the administration III.
lOWtl tue ptlll w WIN bs' tHitNt
states Treasury for all that they could In tho
contest. The result. as stated. will be an un-
precedented bill. 1t will, without much
doubt, be paid. but when the appropriation
for II Is being discussed In Congress at the
next session. Democratic members and sena-
tors will have a few wor IN TO say on the sub
feet, and they will be robust words. too.
IsvEsrfGArING cLARxsos.
The special committee OF the civil Service
Reform League. OF which w. ID. Fouike IL
chairman, appointed 70 INQUIRE INTO the eon-
ditlon OF the Federal service and the OPERA
tion OF the reform law, has made supple
mental report In regars 70 the political char.
acter Of the changes made In PRESIDENTIAL
poslofiices Fiom bi3 answers received re-
garding the politics OF the postmasters sp-
pointed IL appeared that 6lO were he
publcans, / was a knight OF Labor, i
an Independent and 1 Democrat.
The Democrat was Samuel i. Burrls.
OF ralladega. Ala. OF whom his predecessor
writes: IL wasremOyed because was DEM
crat and not In sympathy with the admins
Iation. IL was believed that my successor.
being "a protectionist, was In sympathy with
the administration and would support IT,"
IL Is clear 10 the committee, says the 10.
port that the motive for the numerous
changes. more than sixty -four percent OF oil
the Presidential p0stm ssters has been In
great measure political Mr.. Clsrhson In an
Interview sent through the United PreSs To
all the leading newspapers IN the eouLtry, is
reported as saying; The Presids nj has made
quency, inefiiciency, or violation OF law. lie
refused 10 mako any changes for partisan
reasons
our inquiries" saws the committee, have
led us To the conviction that this declarstion
ca, not be true. and In our opinion IL would
have been more Just To nave acknowledged
the existence of political Influences. Ibis
would have involved an Inconsistency with
the promises Of the last Republican plat
form, that the 'spliit and purpose Of the
civil service laws should be observed In all
executive appointments. But where tho
fact Is so clearly established as II Is In this
case the avowal OF such Inconsistency would
have been far better than To attempt to con-
zeal 1t by giving reasons for the change
which In point Of fact are not real ones.'
CAPITAL MOTIFS.
The following fourth class postmasters were
appointed to-day: North Carolina-A. =.
Patterson, at Dryson City, swain county
Mamie l.. harrington, al Harrington. Har-
nett county; 4. NJ. Musgrove. at saulston.
Wayne county. Virgnla-J. S. Burton. at
ScottsDurg Halifax county.