The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-04
ED1rORIAL NOTES.

The contract made with Clyde ship-buidng
firm for two steamships, each Of $4,000 tonnage,
designed 10 cross the ocean IN five days, marks
another notable advance in transatlantic com
munc ttion. Little more than thlfiy years ago
when the CunatdeT Scotia, the last OF The paddle
steamers On tile Atlantic, made the trip III eight
days, the result was hailed with satisfaction. In
1867 lhe first CITY of Paris of the Inman line beat
The Scotia in speed and size. Two years later
she was beaten by the City OF Brussels. In 1870
the Oceanic, the first OF the White star Liners,
gave further impetus TO the race for increased
speed, which was continued by her sister ships
The Britannia and GeTmanlc Nine years later
the Arizona of the GuiOn line on her first trip
beat the record. Tie Sersa OF 1000 tons was
then ordered by the Cunard line and the City of
Rome OF $3.50 ions by the Inman line. The
Alaska in 1882 easily beat the running lime OF
both of them. The Umbria and EtTuria ln 1885
won tie proud distinction OF being the swiftest
steamers ON The Atlantic, bur, four years later,
The cry OF Paris placed he bl Dom al her mast
head. Tie City OF New York and the TWO new
White Star Liners, The Teutouic and the Ma
jestIc are now classed among the fastest
steamers.
Some idea OF the magnitude Of the postal SER
vice may be gathered from the fact that The com.
bined length OF the railway postal routes OF the
country Is IA, 557 miles, While the transpOrta-
ton OF mails on those routes IN 1890 reached
the enormous total OF lS6.575, 3S4 miles. Ger
many, which comes next, ouiy has 24,522 miles
and total transportation OF SO, 267 900 miles
per annum. But while the railway service is one
OF grea magnitude, there are the star-Toute and
steamboat services, which extend over 26l,79
miles, with total annual transportation OF over
II 100000 mites. To carry ON successfully this
i'm mense service requires the work OF over
10000 persons. The postal correspondence OF
This country with foreign lands falls little be.
low that Of Germany. OF the 9o,OO0,00o pieces
sent abroad last year 100000 were carried
by vessels Of foreign register The pOsla! sub
sdy law is not only likely TO inauguiate a much
desired change, but also 10 encourage the con
sttucIi0n OF American steamers capable Of
ranking with the fastest aflOat
Goschens currency proposals continue to draw
the fire OF British bankers. Sir John Lubbock
coutends that the One-pOund-nOle scheme OF the
Chancellor of the Excheguer has already been
tiled in England ana rejected by the people, who
refused 10 use notes OF that denomination in
preference TO coin. In reference 10 The proposal
to Increase the reserves, he asserts that The Gov
eminent Oughi 10 sci the example. The Govern
ment was The greatest deposit bank In existence,
holding over elOOOO0,000 of savings banks de-
posits, against whchit had only reserve fund of
100000. The latest tidlngs intimate that II is
probable. in view of the strong opposition 10 his
proposals. Goschen will once more drop them.
While a Berlin dispatch states that the Duke
| of Cumberland has agreed To abandon all preten-
sions TO the Hanoverian throne If the Guelph
Fund, now amounting 10 100000 francs, is
transferred 10 him, there appears to be little
prospect of the transfer being made. The Dukes
father, King George of Hanover, agreed with the
King of Prussia that the fund should be entaed
and kept IN a public place of deposit in Prussia
under the care Of a Prussian law court. and that
the Interest only should be Iaid 10 King Georges
heirs. Owing to the subsequent representation OF
the fund the interest was never paid as stipu-
latu b,ttt ,,1a fTa EnU Do a. 10
posal as a Secret Service Fund.
The vigorous onslaught made in Parliament on
the new magazine rifle adopted after costly ex-
perimens for the OF the British Army is fol-
lowed by the announcement that OF 300 rifles
supplied to a regiment stationed at Plymouth
| 500 have been condemned by The Governments
own experts, while most OF the remainder are
unfit FOR active service. The general opinion in
| the army Is that the only way 10 obtain an
efficient weapon is TO invite the gun-makers of
The world to enter into a competition, the final
sci ecton being ntrusted TO board of experts.
Wb at makes the new counterfeit So silver
certificates so very dangerous is not only the
| workmanship but the fact that the paper has
been almost perfectly initiated II Is estimated
| that the Treasury issue oil the notes amounts TO
almost $4,000, 00o The determination to sus-
| pend The printing OF the certificates which bear
| the yigneLte of General Hancock and to issue a
! new series WIN NlShette Oh secretary WINDOW
| should be supplemented by vigorous efforts to
run down the counterfeters and destroy their
| dangerous outfit
| With a view to checking the emigration OF Rus
slams TO Brazil the Cars Minister OF Foreign
Relations has appropriated money to assist
thousand disguised emigrants who have already
experienced the bardshiDs OF pioneer lie in
South America 10 return to their native land. 1t
Is believed their stories will have more effect In
staying the emigration OF their countrymen than
any other method yet adopted.