The morning call., 1891-06-05
EDITORIAL NOTES.

The efforts OF ordnance experts in this country
and abroad to discover some method OF firing
high-eXplOSiYe shells from ordinary powder guns
with velOcities approxlmating those attained by
ordinary service charges of powder, 1t now APP
pears, sIe likely 10 soon prove successful The
French claim TO be able to throw melinite shells
from high power guns at a velocity OF 1000 feet
per second. The experiments OF the Ordnance
Bureau of the Navy Department al the Newport
torpedo station have shown that emmensite and
other high explosives can be handled with pretty
satisfactory results, twenty shots having been
recently fired from twenty FOUNDER bronze
gun. A defective shell, which exploded In the
gun, brought ths experiments 10 an abrupt con-
clusioB, but il is calculated that Improvements
will 10 time enable the gunners to handle the
high explosives with comparative safety TO them
selves and with deadly execution on an enemy.
Secretary Tracy Will SOON readvertis'a for pro-
pOsals for the construction OF torpedo boat
No according 10 plans prepared in the Navy
Department. This torpedo-bo boat viii be larger
than originally contemplated, having dsplace-
ment OF 12J tons instead of 112, ten tons
larger than the Gushing, which she will greatly
resemble in appearance. There WILL however,
be but one coming tower, which will be located
forward OF Tie sniokesiaCk. Her length will be
$50 feet beam 1G feet 3 inches. aud mean
draughl feet inches. The twin screws will
be driven by vertical, diTeeI-actng quadruple
expansion engines developing 1900 indicated
horse power Tie speed is TO be at least twenty
four knots an hour. The torpedo boat Is playing
prominent part in the Chilean struggle, and it
Is about time We had some on this Coast
1t Is sincerely hoped thar the new republic OF
Brazil viii not soon be the scene Of internecine
strife. One Of the organs OF the opposition re-
Gently intimsted that II the Government eontin-
ued in It's policy Of not executing the Constita-
ton armed force might be used 10 GUST IL
from power. Fears are entertained that such a
movement would not only result IN the sacrifice
OF life and treasure, but also end In the creation
OF three or four small republics in place Of one
prosperous union. While this may be an ex-
treme view OF the situation correspondent Of
the New York Mail and Express says a new
revolution is not an impossible event aud can
count on many elements 10 secure success.
Senator DOlph declares In an article in the
Forum that " He who should now undertake TO
estimate the commerce OF the Pacific Coast with
Asia and the Pacific islands twenty-f years
hence would find few who would not consider lis
estimate exaggerated" Tie commerce of the
Pacific is about to receive renewed impetus and
San Francisco should enjoy her share OF the in.
crease. The plan indOrsed by the Pan-Amerlcan
conference, reciprocity and the postal subsidy
law are all bound TO have stimulating effect on
iutciosbS Ccuteiiub III putt
The selection OF judges for the new Court Of
Land Claims mas proven quite an arduOus task,
over hundred applications for appointment
having been filed In the Department of Justice
al Washington Ii is ntimated that politicians
Will not stand much chance OF securing prize,
the President and Attorney General being in-
tent on selecting lawyers who have attained
some prominence In their profession.
Of papeiouin0 aOad yuorI,rcan die
cussed by the French Cabinet, resembles The
& erman system OF State Insurance first tried In
1888. master and man contributing TO a fund To
which The Stale supplies proportlonate amount.