The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-22
EDITORIAL NOTES.

1t Is probable that within a week or so the
Miantonomoh Will be placed In commission and
assigned to the defense of New York. The
monitor was built at ROach's yard IN 1874, and
four years ago she was removed 10 the Brooklyn
Navy Yard 10 be finished. The amor for the
sides Of The vessel and her turiets were made
abroad. That on the sides Is seven inches
thick. The turreis 2412 feet in diameter
and each has 9613 tons of amor about it. They
are like Two large round boxes set on the deck,
and any blow but square one would be likely
TO glance from the cylindrical sides. Even strik-
Ing squarely there would be 1112 inches of
armor and a foot or more of wood backing to
penetrate. With tie weight OF the big guns, ynelr
Carriages and the mechanical apparatus. each
turret weighs In the neighborbood OF 200 tons
and they are adjusted to reYolve once In minute.
The two 10-nch breeeh-loadng rifles now
mounted on The after turret were the first made
in this country. They the biggest In the navy
each weighing $4,000 pounds The pTojectile
weighs 200 pounds and with charge of 200
pounds of powder viii penetrate twentytbree
inches Of wrought iron at the muZZle. Tie
vessel is 262 feet long, 90 feet inches wide and
has an extreme depth OF 10 feet inches Her
speed is 1919 knots. Captain Montgomery
Slcaid. eX-chief of the Bureau of Ordnance is
likely TO be her commander, and the ships com
pany is likely to number 200 men, Despite the
prejudice against life on board of monitors there
Is said 10 be somewhat of rush for duty on the
for months 10 come, all Of which time will count
for so much service at sea.
The adverse report OF the House Coinage Com
miIIee on the Senate Free Coinage OF silver Bill
declares that under the present law S54.oO0,000
are being each year added 10 the Volume OF The
eountry's currency in the form OF Treasury notes
ISSUED for silver bullion purchased. This pro-
cess, IL continued for len years at the same rate,
would gradually add 10 The volume of the cur
ha M NJ bau
notes should they be all retired. Attention is
called to the Secretary OF The TreasuTy's estimate
OF tie surplus silver in the whole world, and the
report concludes that under The present law there
Is provision for using he worlds surplus, which
is all that unlimited coinage cOnld accomplish.
The Treasury uoes issued under the present law
are legal tender, the highest function that could
be given silver under Tree coinage, so that there
Is now provision made for the use OF all the Sill
yer that would be brought TO the minis under
free coinage law. The money issued has all The
legal qualities and purchasing power OF coined
money, and in addition is confined practically 10
the American product. From the declarations
of the majority of the committee it looks as
though they believe the benefits OF bimetalism
can be gra dually attained without mourning the
danger OF financial fluctuations Incident to
sudden change.
II Is reported that il is Sir john Macdonald,s
Intention, If reelected, TO make oYertures TO
Great Britain and Australia with view to ar
ranging mutual tariff as against the rest of the
world. There is also another side TO the cues.
ton that was lately presented by The officials of
the British Board of Trade who were deputed TO
examine into the projected commercial treaty be-
tween Canada and The West indies. They took
the view That such compact might possibly in
volve Great Britain III commercial war with the
United States, ii the latter Government upon
finding American products excluded from the
West Indies in favor OF Canadian products
should use lis power 10 discriminate against
British imports in the United States. The same
caDlegram that brought the intimation declaied
that the Colonial Office supports the policy of an
arrangement between Canada and the West
Indies, while the Board of Trade opposes 1t, and
1t is probable that the Government will accent
the advice OF the latter and act accordingly
The report OF the Commission OF Army EnpI-
neers which investigated the mining debris cues
tion contains suggestions of interest TO the entire
Stale. They confirm the oft-repeaIed deciara-
ton that the navigation Of the rivers In the Sac
ramento Valley has been greatly injured by
hydraulic mining, vast quantities of debris having
been deposited in The beds OF the Sacramento
and Feather rivers, there also being vast de-
posts of debris that VIII be carried down bv
floods and eventually lodged In the streams To
improve the rivers and grapple with the problem
their recommendations are 10 restrain the debris
now lodged In the canyons OF the Yuba ana Rear
rivers and in the plains below by dams or other
restraining works and TO contract the width of
the rivers at certain points by brush wing dams.
Disappointed In an attempt TO secure 800
acres, harassed by the selfshness OF railroad
interests and vexed beyond endurance by the
confiictlng and unreasonable demands OF pro-
performers, the WORLDS Fair Directors have
decided TO abandon the lake front of Chicago as
part OF the site for the exposition and conceD-
tiate the fair at Jackson Park. This determine
tion OF the Directors will not only result in a
large saving, but also gives a well.merited rebuke
to tie avaricous who heaped insuperable
obstacles in their path.