The morning call., 1891-01-18
EDITORIAL NOTES.

The death OF George Bancroft removes from
the busy scenes of life the posseSsOr or the mas
ter mind That struck new vein in American
history, original IN design and conception taking
tile subject out Of the hands OF mere aHnallsts
and commentators, and raising il to the dignity
and interest Of philosophical narration Trained
and educated for the ministry, he abandoned
That profession for the pursuit of letters, and his
most enduring fame rests upon the History OF
the United States From the Discovery of the
American Continent" of which the first volume
appeared In 1884. As public official he dis
charged The duties entrusted to him with
marx ed energy and fidelity. His brief tenure of
the Secretaryship of the Navy in President
Folks Cabinet was signaliZed by several needed
reforms, ana particularly by a couple of I'M
portaut additions TO the usefulness OF The service
The naval school at Annapolis and the as
Economical observatory at Washington. As
Minister tC London he derived beuent from IN
Innate association with The eminent men OF let
ters and statesmen OF the day-Mac3ulay, Dick
eDs Peel, BiOGgham ana others whose names
ale now famous. Ii was his eloquence that
later on, IN the halls OF Congress- portrayed in
choice language the life and services OF Lincoln In
Tie House OF Representatives at Washington.
As Minister 70 Berlin lie concluded the treaties
recognizing the hight of eXpatriation and natural
ization, and it was his able and exhaustive
presentation OF the claims of the United States
that secured 10 the United States the Island Of
san Juan aud the adjacent waters.
The new orders in force In the Ordnance De-
partment OF the Washington Navy-yard Is equiv
alent 10 Increasing the amount Of WORK done per
day by One-thrd, and increased work means
more money for The employees a humber OF the
senators interested in naval affairs and coast
defenses on paying visit to the ordnance
shops, were shown a row Of completed G-inch
guns, fifteen Of them all ready for shipment. No
wonder they excited much admiration tor their
finely finished and highly polished steel reflected
lhe light almost like looking glasses. Twelve OF
these guns VIII form the main battery OF the
Newark. Near by lay number of 4-incb rapid.
fire guns, slender and small in comparison win
the larger guns. Some distance away were
the Two great 1O-inch guns constructed for the
Miantonomah, looking like monsters beside the
6-inch guns. Then there great tube OF
steel that VIII form the central part OF OF the
I2-nch guns fer the coast-defcnder Monterey.
II has been bored and is now being prepared TO
receive The long steel jacket that, With number
OF hoops VIII be shruuk over the tube TO
strengthen 1t. The jacket was on another lathe,
being prepared to go on tie tube. \ survey Of
the surroundings showed four G, aud 10 inch
guns In various stages OF completion. The new
rifiiBg machine made at the shop can rife g.
inch gun in fourteen hours, and Is capable OF
riiIng anything up TO 1O-iIch gun. Tie gun
carriage shop, the proiectile shop ana the
INSTRUMENTATION shop are all during working
hours scenes OF busy activity.
Architects have offered no end OF suggestions
for the " oilds Fair buildings al Chicago One
proposed The construction oil iron ana glass
tent 5000 feet In diameter with center pole
1892 feet high. His tent would cover 162 acres
and contain an ampbitheaIer that would seat
$4,000 people, but The cost was So 900, 900. An
other suggested Columbus dome 696 feet high
with a diameter Of 600 feet, set on a building
1892 by 1892 feet. On the dome the protector
proposed 10 Trace an outline OF the Atlantic aud
the course sailed by The discoveries ships.
water palace planned by another. IL would
be located ON the water front 10 accommodate
the fish exhibit. and stand pipe, $50 or 200 feet
high, the source OF The fountains TO play at sew
eral places IN The grounds. 1t was proposed 10
let the water fail The dome of iron and glass
IN ripples and cascades, which, wien lighted by
eleetriiy, would outrival all previous at emrIs at
llluminat' fountains. Partisan planned the
lottiest tower having the most graceful outlines
2750 feet high, with platforms 1000 aud 1850
feet above the ground.
The compound late which England used In
the construction OF her great ironclads is proving
less and less satisfactory. Recently a new 81
inch imor-piercing shell was tried on 14-inch
compound plate aud passed clean through it
The nickel steel plates that to be used in the
construction OF our line of battle ships would
have offered much greater resistance.