The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-28
The TEST OF The VESUVIUS.
EOY Harrison Tried 10 Throw DiSlaVOr
Upon Whitney'S Efforts.
SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT NEVERTHELESS
Alarming Extent To which Poiitics Is Al
lowed 10 Enter Into Important Pub
lie Matters Capital Notes.

WASHINGTON. ID. c.. Nav 27.--,Special.l -
The recent test of the pneumatic dynamite
cruiser developed more than an experiment in
naval wareiare. There WAS a deliberate at
tempt made boy the Navy Department, with
the approval of the administration, 10 con-
denim the vessel with tie view Of hearing re-
uroach on c1-Secrctary Whitney and thus dis
crediting the Cleveland administration The
entire test was % prctense and a fraud, de-
signed TO have political effect
Ia connection with the reconstruction OF
.he United States navy the collision between
Secretary Whitney and John Roach Is too
recent o. need recalling. AZ the head of the
Navy Department under President CleNc-
land. Secretary Whitney set out m earnest
leal 20 lay the foundation of an efficient naval
foet. The first serious obstacle he en-
countered was the illegtimato hold
Navy Department and all it's contracts.
Sir. Whitney. with a courage that is
commended 10y all his countrymen, relieved
tae Roach octopus by rejecting some Oh tho
Roach contracts. IL is a matter Of recent po-
Iuca history that the action OF Secretary
Whitney in c0ndemnlng the naval work OF
tle Roach yards in the building OF the Dol
rhn, brought down upon him and upon the
Cleveland administration the seVerest CEN
sure Of all the Republican press and party
EN-Secretary Chandler constituted himself
the champion Of Roach, and on the floor of
the Senate and IN interviews charged that
Secretary Whitney was actually, though lndi-
recuy, the murderer of Roach.
TO DIscREDIT his EFFORTS.
The Republican influence peryaded the
present administration when IL came into
bower. and there was "a fixed purpose TO dis
credit Whitney and his efforts 10 build up
uavv Their especial object of attack was
tae Nesuvius, "a vessel designed and con-
str1cted under the especial orders oil Score
tsrv Whitney. In his efforts t0 provide the
utel States navy with vessels and arIna-
fneuf of the most modern construction Sec
retarv Whitney had the Nesuyius bullt, but
She was not completed and ready for trial
until his term of office had expired. .,
AS the Nesuvus represented the cmel ldea
and theory of Secretary Whitney as the most
effective yesse IN modern naval warfare, the
entire anlm0stv Of the present Republican
administration has been directed agalns 81 lt.
Even before any tests were made, selul-oihclal
statements We're given ont from the Naval
Department that the vessel was q failure.
Finally. when decisive tests could no longer
he deferred q board of naval officers was
detailed T. make arrangements for the
trial After pretentIOus display m the way OF
preparation the board reported that the guns
were totally unfit for trial: that they had
never been ranged. nor had the sights been
fixed. The Naval Board reported that under
these disadVantage0us conditions 1t was
hopeless TO make anything ike q favorable
test The board asked the Navy De
Iartmeut IT, under the circumstances, 1t was
proper % proceed with the trial.
rHB rElAl RUSHED.
It is only due TO Secretary Tracy 10 state
that be favored postponement and a better
preparation, bat President Harrison. with his
whole mind fixed upon "A denomination and
regarding Cleveland as the most dangerous
adversary, ordered that the tests be made I'M
mediately. Secretary Tracy with a regard
for his predecessor which President Harrison
had not. ordered that temporary sights be
fixed to one gun and that the trial 60 ahead.
The officers Obeyed instructions and made the
trial.
piled orders that the Nesuyius should be con-
demned is favorable TO the vessel and lustl-
fes Secretary Whitney. The report states
that the starboard gun, the one tried, gave
grand results, and that with the range properly
ascertaincd il would prove "a most reliable
and effective weapon; that OF the rev
pr0iectiles discharged at least one would have
destroyed any vessel of any navy now atioat
With the purpose of discredltng the vessel,
the pr0iectiles supplied by the department
were of too small cahbre for the guns. The
report evidences SO favorable WORK lOI tut
Vesuvius that the department has ordered
the board TO recOnvene and submit plan for
another trial.
POLITICS AT THE BOTTOM OF IT.
To show the extent to which politics is al
lowed 10 enter into the present construction
of naval vessels and the development of the
navy 10 can be stated that the department
did not furnished enough prolectlles. 1hOse
furnished were of too small cahbre, and had
% be padded 10 make use Of them, thus ma
terially detractng from their force. II
was expected that the naval board
would condemn the NesuyUs, but in the
face of her excellent performance and despite
,he wish Of the Administration to rebuke
Whitney and Cleveland, thaWconldInotAO be
done. and competent naval officers predict
that the \esuvlus will vet be proud feather
iu ex-Secretary Mhitney's cap.
The next trial will take place under better
auspices than the last.
SALE or LOTTERY TICKETS.
The Treasury Department is still struggling |
t1 prevent the sale of lottery tickets IN the |
United States. The law passed by Congress |
prevented the use of the United states mail |
in distributing them. Then the lottery peo- |
pie went 10 Mexico and sought under the Gus !
toms law 10 import them into this country as |
reading matter 40 % light duty. Assistant /
Secretary Spauding put stop - ihis by as /
sessIng duty on the face value OF the tickets. |
the duty being placed al F2.oO on a ten-dollaT !
ticket This was thought 10 be final |
-toppaee of their importation. The /
lottery people. fertile in resources, have had /
the tickets printed IN the United States ex-
ported into Mexico and re-lmpOrted IN the !
United States. and now claim that they are |
exempt from duty as American manufactures
returned without beingi advanced i'm value or
improved in condition. Assistant Secretary |
Spaulding. however, has instructed collectors
oi customs along the Mexican border T. as
sume that all lottery ticket entered are OF
foreign production. and TO assess duty accord
Ng.y
CHARGES AGAINST A CAPTAIN.
CAPTAIN Alfred Marldey. Of the Twenty
fourth Infantry is in trouble with The War
Department authorities, and ii is probable
thai he win b. court-martialed. The Twenty
fourth is negro regiment and Captain
Markley has been accused of drawing the
color lines too closely Charges that he
treated the men OF his company IN man
ler calculated 10 lessen his usefulness as
an officer have been laid before the
secretary Of War. who ordered an investiga-
iion that is now in progress. Ihilty negro
soldiers were confined in the guard-house by
Captain Markeys orders. and they were re-
leased by Secretary Proctor, who decided
that they were uniusty lncarcemted. 10 IS