The morning call., 1891-04-20
EDITORIAL NOTES.

Secretary Traey's plan Of applying civil SER
vice methods 10 the labor department OF the
nayy-yards provides for the appointment AT each
yard of registration board TO register al; appIi-
Giants for employment in the department Of I'M.
skilled labor, 10 be selected required on the
pinciple of "lrst come, first served" preference
only being given 10 those who have had expert
ence III The class of work for which they apply;
to hose vino have served In the army or navy (;
TO those WHO have families to support and, where
all other considerations are equal, to those pos
sessing superior physical qualifications. IL next
calls Ior the registration OF all applicants Tor
positions OF skilled labor who can give evidence
of experience at their trade 10 be certified in
the order of application under the rules OF prefer
ence, and their employment on trial for a period
OF probation after the necessary test Of prof.
cheney, to be ultimately graded or discharged ae-
cordlug 10 their merits. Foremen are 10 be
selected by competitive examinations, so con-
Quoted 10 bring out Iheir fitness and qualifiea-
lions for the positions they seek. The boards to
carry out the provisions of the Secretary's plan
Will consist OF officers of the navy engaged in
conducting the work Of the yard. The ends 10
be secured are free and open competition, EN-
plOyment upon the grounds OF merit 10 be deter
mined by nOn.parllsan experts engaged In and
responsible for the work. and absolute publicity
Of every detail. The Secretary in outlining his
plan said; Il do no: propose to stop until the
principle of Efficiency and worth is the only test
of navy-yard employment. / satisfied that
such 4 system VIII be In The interest not only OF
the work but of tie workingmen. aud that II can
be carried out so that 1t will remove not only
all machine politics from the navy-yards but all
suspicion OF machine politics"
The cable announcement that the coronet
purchased by Lord BeacOnsheld's admirers
for his Countess, but never accepted by
her. is TO be brought 10 America and
Artr mill Hon Afrafu 10
is not likely TO escape The satrlcal shafts OF
European scribblers. The statement that three
truly royal crowns" were worn during the past
season by ladies' who attended performances at
the New York Metropolitan Opera House caused
a well-known foreign journal 10 point out that
all royal ladies III pecunlary distress In Europe
and Ill pawGbrOkers possessing royal crowns,
which have come 10 them IN the usual routine
OF their business, may now find market for
these articles in America. The jealousy of the
uncrowned heads has waxed SO intense that
every matrOn and maiden who possesses the
wherewithal TO obtain solid gold royal crown
intends at once 10 go in quest OF one. Next year
there are likely TO be three hundred instead OF
three, and the arrogance and hauteur which will
suifuse the atmosphere will, no doubt, be over
whelming TO those who count themselves mere
ladies and gentlemen.
The Chinese test case from The colony of Vic
tOria recently disposed of by tie Judicial Com
init ee OF the Prlvy Council was decided upon the
broad and simple ground that "Ihere Is no
authority in existence giving to alien legal
righI 10 enter British territory" the implication
being that where there is no right 10 enter there
can be no claim for damages caused by the
fusal OF permission to enter. Under the Vie
toiian statute tie immigration of Chinese
regulated first by the limitation in proportion 10
tonnage of The number which any ship was al
81 LEI.
pOll-iaX. For bringing an excessive number the
captain Of a vessel was made liable TO a penalty,
but IL was commended that the Chinese passengers
themselves were not debarred from landing if
they rendered payment of the tax, and that the
Collector OF Customs was bound TO accept the
payment and allow Them to land. This contention
has, however, been decSively disposed OF. or
the 26S Chinese immigrants carried By the
STEAMER Afghan but fourteen were entitled under
the law 10 land.
Some tests at the naval ordnance proving
grounds at Annapolis with brown prismatic pow
ders for hlgli-pressurr guns show results hitherto
unatained either in this country or abroad. a
trial with an S-ineh gun gave The proieclie
velocity OF 2130 feet per second with pressure
in tile powder chamber Of only 14.S tons per
square inch. This Is equivalent TO an Increase
10 the power OF tie gun, which was designed to
give an initial velocity OF but 20S0 feet with a
chamber pressure OF IS tons. The new powder
shows greater uniformity OF combustion, The
speed OF the projeeie being consequently more
gradually accelerated until it leaves the muZZe,
willie at lie same time the strain OH theFDg
weapon is diminished and mort evenly distrlb-
uted. The new explosive not only Increases the
penetratiye power of the gun, but is also calcu-
lated to increase its life.
The preliminary returns OF The census In Bit
ish India show a population of 220. 400, 600. an
Increase of nearly % o0O, 900 in ten years. The
population of Iudia, including the Feudatory
States, amounts 10 about 2S5, 100000, an in
crease OF 25, 100000 in he past decade.