The morning call., 1891-10-10

EDITORIAL NOTES.

The rrport that the 1IO-ton guns of the big
battle.ship Benbow worked badly, and that this
was the cause of her return 10 Chatham. Will not
surprise those acquainted with the history of
tie une big weapons OF l6l4 inches caliber c0n-
sIrnctcd for British naval pun oSes. When No.
was tried 1t W0Olwich after 4 few rounds IL
dropped along the chase, showing difference
OF inch at the muZZ'e. Steel wedges were
driven into the openings where the coils had sep
arated on he upper side of the gun, and when it
was mounted on the baItle-ship Victoria II was
turned over. But In the ship trial the wedges
were driven out and tie gun dropped again, the
difference at the muZZle being TWO and half
inches. This caused another separation OF the
chase coils the gun tube being in some case ex-
posed 10 view. Another one of these big guns,
after sending projectlle OF 1918 pounds through
4 twenty-mch Brown compOuud plate an eight
inch wrought iron plate twenty feet OF oak, hve
feet of granite aud SIX feet OF brick, was con-
demued for showing the obi etionabe dropping
OF The muZZle.
The Mckinley tariff was in force year on
Tuesday and the New York Press publishes
biOadside OF facts that show its influence on
prices. The free-tradeTs, on the stump and In
the press declared the tariff would increase the
prices OF the necesaries OF life They also assert
ed that it would stop the sale OF American pro-
duets TO other nations 1t has done neither. The
tables presented by The Press show that less than
10 per cent of the articles mentioned nave in
creased in the retail price, The prices OF about 80
per cent remain substantially unchanged, aud
about 60 per cent cost less to-day han they did
year ago. Judging from the tone Of the
London Globe the Mckinl tariff appears to be
working more harm 10 British commerce than
was anticipated.
Judging from Congressman Mills speeches In
OHIO this land in con sequence of the protective
policy was under cloud. He, however over
-,lNI Of
perity. For instance one of the big locomotive
works in the East employing 1000 m n, In spite
OF lie fact hat he establishments capacity had
been increased over 80 Ter cent since last year,
Is now running day and night, all in measure
tTaceable, as one OF the proprietors declared, to
The Mckinley law aud The wonderful grain crop
for this year. Indeed he predicted that before
the end of the year there would probably be
5000 men on The pay roll, and they would be
turning OuI four engines per day, which would
be sent TO al parts OF The country and TO all cor
mere Of The globe.
The selection of Sir Michael Hicks Beach for
the Government leadership in the Commons
created considerable surprise, as II was generally
supposed at the London clubs that Ball0ur would
secure The place. Sir Michael was given the
leadership in 1885 ana held it till GIadstOne's
return to p0wer As Chief Secretary for
Ireland under Beacou>field he is credited
with having in that difficult position dis
played great tact, his moderation and skin,
it is asserted, having even won the
praise OF the home-iule members. He has also
occasionally displayed a leaning toward Irish
reform ideas that gave Salisbury some anxiety.
or late, however he has stood squarely on The
Unionist PLATFORM
For the approaching test OF nickel steel armor
al The Indian Head proving grounds eight plates
ten and hall inches in thickness are TO be sub
mitted by Carnegie, Phipps & Co. and the Betne-
hem Iron Works. TIE plates Will represent
nickel steel oil. the Harvey process all steel OF the
Harvey process and all steel "un-Haryeyed."
The Carnegie plates are rolled while the Belhle-
hem plates are forged. In the trial TWO guns are
TO be used, 6-Inch 40-caber breech-lOading
rife and an s-ineh 35-caliDer gun. Preparations
have been made 10 strike the plates al velocity
Of POO feet per second, more severe test for
gun and plate than that of any foreign trial.
Supervising Architect Edbrook, when cues
toned regarding the plans of the new Pos,office,
replied: - shall design building that such
grand city like San Francisco ought 10 have, In
keeping with her business interests. Then let
the Democratic Congress appropriate the money
or not | shall have done nv duty"