The morning call., 1891-08-07
EDITORIAL NOTES.

AT the banquet of the New York Chamber of
Commerce TO Admiral Walker and his associate
officers OF the White Squadron considerable was
said about our new navy. Since the present adj
mlnistratioD took charge OF affairs. twelve new
vessels which were on March 4, 1889, in various
stages of progress have been placed in commits
sion, the Chicago heading the list with a tonnage
OF $500, followed by the Baltimore with 400
tons, the Philadelphia 1900 tons, San Francisco
and Newark 4os3 tons, the Charleston 1880
tons, the Yorktown, Concord and Bennington
100 ions, tho Vesuvius go tons, the Petrol $40
ions and the Cushing 80 tons. OF the nineteen
other vessels authorized prior TO the beginning
OF the administration the coast-defense monitor
MlantOnomah only awaits a ten-inch gun, and
VIII soon be In commission. The Puritan,
Amphltrtte. M0nadnOek and Terror will be
ready tor their armoT as soon as II can be sup
piled. The Maine and Monterey have been
launched, and are now well advanced toward
completion, and the Texas will be launched
about the end Of the year. The vessels now in
course Of construction include such fine ex-
amples as the three battle ships, the two CON-
merce-destroyeTs. The Rrmored cruiser New
YORK and the protected cruiser No. q. Some OF
the finest in the list essentially American IN
design, and regarded as Inauguratng reyolu.
tion in naval architecture.
Boston is pleased with the prospect OF having
suitable defenses provided 10 resist the possible
hcattons now In course OF construction al Win
throp VIII consist Of two batteries OF sixteen H.
inch mortars, and another armed with three
12-inch guns. For the sites, In all about forty
i've acres, S249,o39 was paid by The Govern
ment. The first or inner battery, upon which
work has been begun. is so situated as TO be alb
soutey beyond the possibility of attack from
guns on shipboaId. The elevation protects Ii
from horizontal firing, while in order to fire vert
cally the guns aboard ship would have to be
elevated to such an extent as 10 work disaster TO
the attacking vessel. The mortar battery viii
be practically out Of sight, and the firing Will be
directed entirely by signaling The three r.
inch rifles will be operated by hydraulic lifts
and machinery, being wholly out OF sight when
not being fired. 1t IS estimated that the 80 Il1
mortars VIII cost S25G,o00, the TWO mortar bat
teries $4,000, the three large guns 81 900,
and cost OF mounting the same behind immense
walls OF concrete S675,oOo making The est-
mated cost Of the fortlhcatlons AT Winthrop On
Guiding land) nearly S1,6O0,o0O.
European governments watch with Jealous
eyes the progress OF reciprocity. The annual
imports of the Latin American countries 1t Is
estimated, average S600,0oo,000, OF which we
have furnished about 10 per cent or about $780,
100000. The annual exports are placed at
$500, 600 600, our purchases last year reaching
nearly S200ooo.oo0. 1t is calculated by the
New York Mail aud Express that during the last
tCu JtdTs NC OF tD0S6 countries nef-
chandlse valued at 81, 5O0,OOO 900 and sold
them merchandise valued at $500. 900, 900, the
difference the immense sum of $1,000, 100000
having been expended in Europe for articles
nearly every one Of which this country could
have furnished of as good a quality and at as
ow price. With the concessions Incident to
reciprocity and The establishment of new steam.
ship lines our exports in this direction are bound
to soon show a remarkable increase.
q The United States Consul at CadZ, in drawing
attention 10 tie popularity of American goods,
points out the INSCRIPTIONS practices OF foreign
manufacturers who are placing cheap imIia-
lions Of American products on that market
Such reprehensible practices have also been dis.
covered in Italy, Mexico and the South Ameri-
can countries.
The prospects are that there VIII be large
increase OF the Socialist representation In the
next Reichstag. The movement is making
marked progress In Germany, and the feudai
lords turn with regretful remembrance to the
time when Bismarck treated the Socialists to
liberal doses of prison and exile.
Recent events have disclosed remarkable
state of affairs in Europe. Hosts Of spies are at
work on all sides, and bureau OF secret infor-
nation Is regarded essential adjunct OF a
well-equpped war department.