The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-09
EDITORIAL NOTES.

Protected cruiser No. -. proposals for the
construction of which have been Invited by Sec
rotary Tracy, is TO be built on plans following
closely the general scheme OF the Pirate. Tbs
design is the result OF American skill, the prin-
cpal dimensions of the vessel being: Length
on mean load line 400 feet, extreme breadth 50
feet pa inches depth of hold from top of main
deck beams 90 feet 15s inches displacement
1850 tons. The material and machinery must be
of domestic manufacture. The total weight OF
the machinery, together with the boilers ready
for sea, must not exceed 1850 tons, penalty OF
$500 being eXacted for each additional ton and
further deduction of $4,000 will be made II this
weight Is exceeded by per cent. The vessel
must maintain speed of 81 knots for four con-
secutive hours ON her trial trip. In appearance
she will resemble as closely as possible an
ordinary merchantmen. The vital portions will
be protected by an armored deck inches
thick on the slopes and 212 inches thick on the
fiat. The space between This deck and the gun
deck will be subdivided into stOTe-rnOms aud
bunkers for coal. In addition coiferdam
feet in width viii be worked next TO The ships
side for the whole length of the vessel. In the
bunkers this Will be filled with patent fbrOus
fuel, forming wall feet thick against ma
chine gun fire, and forward and abaft the coal
bunKers the cofferdam will be filled with some
thing like wOodite. The triple screws Will be
run by engines OF 21,oo0 prse- power, and with
1000 tons OF coal 1t Is calculated that the
cruiser could travel 26240 knots at ten-knot
speed. Her armament will consist of an Sinch,
two 6-inch and twelve 4iuch breech loading
rifles, sixteen 6pounder rapid firing, eight l.
FOUNDER rapid firing, four gatlings and four tor
pedO tubes. II Is asserted that six OF such veS-
sells could eXterminate the commerce OF any
country under the present conditions of COM
metCe protection.
Statesmen OF Norway have repeatedly boasted
Ina upY Eurnnonu rauubliP would Celebrate
its birth at ChrsIanii, aud ev nts in the -" Land
OF the Midnight Sun " have of late shown ten
dencv toward the desired goal. The vote OF the
Storthlng that led 10 the retirement Of Herr
SIang'S Cabinet resulted In the approval OF 4 mo-
ton providing for constitutional amendment
assuring Norway an equality with sweden II
controlling the foreign relations Of the union,
and hing Oscar was finally compelled to
invite Herr Steen, VINO for almost a decade has
been in diSfavor, to form Ministry. Herr Steen
since 1867 has been rector Of the College OF
StavangeT. which city he represented from 1867
to 1889, with the exception OF few short inter-
walls. For a time he was regarded rs a possible
mediator between the King and the Extreme
Lett That, however. was made impossible by
his successful opposition TO tue eXel else of the
power OF veto until recently neld by The throne.
A few years ago he King retaliated by directing
10 his selection 70 Cibner portfolio. In the
government OF Sweden aud Norway the unfair
division OF power naS long Deen q cause OF us
content 10 Norwegian statesmen, who long since
withdrew from their countrymen the privilege OF
accepting titles OF nobility 1t is now considered
improbable that the Steen Ministry Will make its
formal demands for change in the admnstra-
ton of foreign affairs until after the elections 70
the Storthins in the fall. Stems ultimate sue
cess is hardly In doubt among his friends aud
admirers,
Helen Markoych, whose supposed murder in
a Seryian prison las prI cticallY been charged
by ex-R King Milan against eX-Premier GaraScha-
nine was The widow Of Servan officer who
was shot for conspiracy without the proof of his
guilt having been very clearly established The
Injustice Of his sentence excited his widow to
frenzy, aud In October. 1882, she fired three
shots at King MILL in the Cathedral OF Bol-
grade. Among those arrested as accessories
was a young widow. who was never tried, but
was supposed 10 have died suddenly in prison in
the following January. Helen Markovltch,
when convicted, was sentenced to death. but the
sentencs was committed to life Imprisonment and
size died mysterouSiy in the spring OF 1888. EX-
King Milan virtually charges that one of these
prisoners was strangled and the other smothered.
As an experiment the Postmaster General re.
Gently gave thirty small places IN various sec
tons of The country the benefit OF the eedeliv
cry service. Some of The reports so far received
show that where the experiment has been tried
the receipts of the Postoffce have exhibited an
increase, thereby demonstrating that additional
facilities result In Increased patronage The
chief Item of expense is The salary of the letter
carriers for each Postofltce, the expense being
1912 per annum Tor few hours each day. The
superintendent OF the free-deIiyery service cacu-
lates that an appropriation Of S1OO,o would
enable HIM TO extend the service TO every town
thai needs il.
Army officers In the East are studying the
leading characteristics OF the most rapid firing
repeating rife In The world, recent trial DEM
onsirating that five shots second could be fired
without removing the weapon from the marks
mans shoulder. The deadly character of this
rife can be inferred from the fact that single
| pull of the trigger loads. fires and elects the
empty shell, each successive pull OF tie trigger
| repeating the operation.
The retirement of Justice Stephen and the
! comments thereon will once more Ievive interest
| in Mrs. Maybnck's case. HIS charge to the jury
! II is believed convicted her, aud there are many
who think lie was OF unsound MIND when he
| delivered that charge.