The morning call., 1890-12-28
EDITORIAL NOTES.

Some Idea of the pene.ratiye power OF a no.
ton gun may be gathered from The declaration
that the momentum OF the blow which would be
struck by IL is equivalent to that OF two trains
composed entirely of Cotton locomotives collid-
ing end on at speed OF 100 miles an hour, but
one OF Lieutenant Graydon's 15-incb dynamite
guns, throwing GOO pounds OF dynamite three
miles, II 1t got the drop on the biggest warshp
afloat would do terrible execution. The msbaps
1.-THE no. ton guns made for the Benbow, the Vic
toria and the Sans Pariel excited a feeling some
time ago that the movement In favor Of mon
strous guns had been carried 10 extremes, ex-
peits maintaining that 4 67-ton gun could be
landed more rapidly than a 110-ton gun ana
could pierce any side armor then carried. The
reaction against oyerarming vessels spread to
even lower calibers. but now another change In
favor OF powerful batteries, instead OF going to
extremes, has been manifested. The new and
inch guns for The navy are being made longer,
the afmor trials at Annapolis having shown
decided advantage In favor OF the change, which
considerably augments their peneliai.ye power.
The lO-nch high power breech-oading steel
rifles OF the Miautonomah fire a projeciile of 500
pounds and are capable OF piercing tweny-three
inches OF wrought iron al the muZZe and seven
teen and a half inches at the distance OF a mile.
The record OF these guns Is likely 10 be soon ex-
ceeded by those Intend ed Tor coast defense.
The Washington Star states that new silver
dollar will be created by the Pan-Amercan Mon
next week. he new coin would not only be
other link binding The commercial Interests OF
the republics OF the New W ord, but will also
represent another advantage gained by the
friends OF silver. Recent events show that the
good effects OF the Pan-Ameriean Conference are
being manifested. The total foreign commerce
of the West Indies. Mexico. South aud Central
America last year amounted 10 the immense
sum OF S5,545,ooo in gold, while the total
exchange CT commodities between the United
States and The countries TO the south aggregated
S2S2. SOP i4oS. BlaiDe's CONNER cial policy, in
creased steamship facilities. the Pan-Ametican
Railway and banking scheme and the new coin
age are all factors Thar will promote the extern
sion OF our commercial interests In southern
direction, and each year is likely to show large
increases in our favor.
The manifesto OF the German Socialist leaders
affirming lie determination of Tie party to rally
the peasants around the flag OF socialistc reform
and clubbing The palriarchai system the " mortal
foe of the agricultural labcrer," shows that
Emperor Williams pathway is not strewn with
roses. In his recent remarkable address on
educational reform lie declared " III the schools
had done what they ought 10 dol speak from
the heart, for / have been at high classical
school myself and know what is done there-they
should have taken up the cudgelS against social
democracy OF their own accord, and the teachers
should have so brought up the rising generation
my conIemporares-that they would have fur.
nished me with material 10 work with in the
State in order TO master the movement more
speedily"
Owing to the decreased supply OF natural gas,
the manufacturers of pittsburg have heen COM
PEELED to resort to the use OF other fuel. Expert
ments have been successfully made with crude
petroleum; which is fed to the furnaces in
steady spray and makes tremendous heat with
comparatively little smoke. The tests now being
demon
whether or not a general return must be made to
coal. The change, at all events, means much
financially TO the manufacturers of Plttsburg,
who. owing TO the advantages OF natural gas,
have for years been able TO pay higher wages for
labor than were current In Eastern cities.