The morning call., 1890-07-10
EDITORIAL NOTES.

One of the three sea-going coast line-of-
battle ships, the construction of which
Congress recently authorized, is likely to
be built on this Coast, and judging from
the circular issued by Secretary Tracy
they will be magnificent vessels (the limit
being S4.00000O apiece and well adapted
for the purpose for which they have been
designed. They must maintain maximum
speed of fifteen knots for four consecutive
hours, and are to be protected by an armor-
belt of eighteen inches in thickness and a
mean depth of seven feet The redoubts
and turrets are to be covered with armor
not less than seventeen inches thick. The
sides of the vessels from the arm0r-belt to
the main deck will be protected by five
inches of steel armor, and an armored deck,
not less than three inches thick, will curve
down on each side below the water-llne.
The armament will be heavy one. There
will be four 13-inch, four S-inch and four
6-inch hreech-loading rifles, sixteen g.
FOUNDER and six 1-pOunder rapid-tire guns
and two Gatlings. Some idea of the large
guns may be gained from a reference to the
largest gun ever made by krupp, just
shipped to Cronstadt for the Russian Gov
eminent, which weighs 235 tons, has
caiber of thirteen and a half inches and
barrel forty feet in length. The American
gun, however, is made on different model,
a 14-inch gun weighing but eighty tons.
The chief of the notorious pirates that
operated on the coast OF the Province of
Canton has. like many of his dupes, met
with an ignominiOus death. A strong force
recently sent by the Viceroy overlook two
of the pirate vessels, one of which was
commanded by the notorious Tseng-lu-yu-
Ch'uan, who, when closely pressed, jun ped
overheard and essayed to escape by SWIM
ming. Finding his efforts useless he
stabbed himself, and soon after being taken
captive, expired. His head, with those of
a dozen Of his followers. was exposed to
public gaze as a warning to evil-doerS. For
nearly quarter of a century he claimed to
have been undisputed chieftain of the
pirates in Canton waters and derived great
pecuniary benefits from his nefarious I'M
dertakings. Happily for those engaged in
commerce in the waters of Asia, piracy is
being made too hazardous to be profitable.
Postmaster General Wanamaker is gath
ering data regarding the pneumatic-tube
system of communication, which it is be-
lieyed could be advantageously introduced
IN the larger cues 10 cODutCI iHe ualu
Postoffice with the substations. The sys-
tenn is being quite extensively used ia Eu-
rope. In Paris large areas of the city have
been covered by pneumatic circuits, made
up of iron pipes, round which omnibus
trains of carriers are sent at intervals OF
fifteen minutes. In London most of the
lines connect the central Office with the
district Offices for the purpose of collecting
and distributing kilograms. In New York
the Western Union Telegraph Company
effected saving in one year of half the
cost of the plant.
The Senate has confirmed the nomination
of Colonel r. n. Batchelder to be Quarter
master General to succeed General HOla-
bird, retired. His appointment excited
much attention in army circles, for there
we're six senior officers as the ColonePs conf
petitors. The Colonel, who was volunteer
officer, serving throughout the War of the
Rebellion and attaining the rank of Brevet
Brigader- General, was, by long service,
considered eminently fit for the position.
The officers of the army see in the appoint
ment an indication that they cannot always
claim the highest ranking places on the
ground of seniority, and that in making his
selections the President will hereafter give
due regard to merit
Sensational reports regarding the Behring
Sea controversy are likely to be soon dis
PEELED if the President sees fit to comply
with the request Of the House that the
correspondence on the subject between this
country and Great Britain be furnished for
the consideration Of Congress.
The bill providing for the admission OF
Wyoming has been forwarded to the Presi-
dent for his signature. His approval win
make the number of States in the Union
fOrty-four.