The morning call., 1891-04-05

FRENCH SPoLIATIoN CLAIMS - F. j.,
City. During the Revolutionary War
France and the United States made COM
mon cause, as the result of the treaty of 1878.
by which, among other things, each Govern
ment agreed to permit the other to carry on
trade with an enemy and even to carry the
enemy's goods. provided they were not con-
trabaad. After the treaty of peace of 1888
with Great Britain, France found herself at
war with that nation, and maintained that
by the treaty of 1878 America was bound to
assist her; but as this Government would
not admit of this contention, 1t maintained a
neutral position, and the French seized many
cargOes of American vessels trading with
England. The United States overlooked
these acts for time, but in 1891 and in 1893
the claims Of those who had lost property
by these French spoliations were presented
to the Directory by the American Commits
sioners and damages in the sum of $40, 900, 900
were demanded. France would not recognize
them unless the United States would admit
tie compensation owed for breaking the
treaty of 177S in guaranteeing her the pos
session of her West Iudies colonies, some of
which had fallen into the hands of the English.
France demanded $3.50, 0OO, 600 as a counter
claim, and as the French position could not
be changed by argument 1t was finally
agreed to allow one claim TO offset the other
TO effect an agreement on other matters.
treaty in which the settlement was EN-
bodied WAS ratified by the Senate, and thus
the United States was substituted for
France in the cases in which American ship
owners claimed damages for the sp0liatlon
and destruction of their vessels by French
cruisers during period when these
two nations were at peace with eacn
a
to pay their claims, arguing that it was I'M
fair for the Federal Government to secure
the cancellation of public DEBT at the eX-
pense OF individual citizens. and that having
received an equivalent it was bound to
pay their claims For f0ursCOre Years re-
newals Of this petition came before Con-
greSS before any measure OF justice was Sc
cured TO the claimants. Twice an appro-
priation for their relief passed. the first We
toed by Polk, on which occasion one vote
was lacking in the Senate TO override it,
and the second by Pierce Finally bill
passed and was approved by President
Arthur on January 20, 1885, ordering the
Court of Claims to investigate and report to
Congress upon the claims and apprOpriatipg
money 10 pay them.
NATIONAL GUARD IN SERyICE-L. Il.
A, City. Section 2O39 of the Political Code
of this State reads that "in case of war,
instruction or rebellion, or *** upon the
call OF requisition of the President of
the United States, or upon the call
Of any officer Of the United States Army
commanding division, department or dis
trict in California, or upon the call of any
United States Marshal in California - :
the Chief (Which is the Gov
cTnor) is authoriz. TO call into active SER
vice any portion of tie National Guard or
enrolled militia" o. President Lincoln's
call OF April 10, 1861, was for 10000 men for
three months. These were mainly National
GuardSmen, though that term was not in
vogue then but they were as much volunteers
as those who responded TO the second call TO
seryeduring the war. 81 Paragraph of Sec.
ton ii of Article II Of the Constitution
simply means the Presidents the Command
erin Chief Of the National Guards Of the sew
eTal States when called into the actual ser
vice of the United States, and when SO
called of course they can be sent anywhere
in or out Of their particular States.
DIP OF THE NEEDIE-G. F. J.. City. The
assertion that at Australia the compass
points to the South instead Of the North
Pole" is not the literal fact. a magnetic
needle poised so as to move in horizontal
plane points north aud south when held
above the earth. 1t is also found that a
dipping needle in the vicinity of the equa-
tor stands parallel with the plane Of the
horizon and that when carried north from
the equator its north pole dips toward the
horizon, while if it is carried south from
the equator its south pole dips toward the
horizon. 1t is thus found that the earth
acts upon magnetic needle like magnet,
whose poles are near the poles of the earth,
its south pole near the north pole OF the
earth and its north pole near the south pole
Of the earth. The magnetic pole is, as a
matter Of fact seldom tie true north. The
magnetic poles of the earth are two nearly
opposite points On the eartbS surface where
the dip of the needle is 900. They are at
considerable distance from the geographical
poles of the earth.
AUSTRALIA. c., City. Q.-"How is
it that the Dutch discovered Australia and
England governs it?" A.-The whole sub
jeet Of South Sea discovery is traditional,
but the honor of discovering Australia and
utilizing the discovery is generally con-
ceded to Captain Cook. In ITO the discOv-
cry was made, and eighteen years afterward
the first settlement on tile east coast, at the
point now known AS Sydney, but which IN
the day of its discovery was named Botany
Bay. in honor of its yerdure aud flowers.
True, the Dutch explored the country long
before the Englishman's first appearance on
the Australian coast in 1858, but what
availed the discovery to them when they did
not utilize it as the English did?
ROAD PoLL-TAx-J. r., Newark, Cal
There is section of the Political Code
which declares that the annual property tax
for road purposes and the road poll-tax
must not be levied or collected from the in
habitants or property of Incorporated towns
and cities, which by municipal authority
levy such taxes for the streets and alleys
thereof. That would fit your case, pro-
yided you have paid your taxes.
But if without a receipt showing the pay
ment of taxes by you and working in the
at time when such road poll-tax
is due and collectable you will find that you
will have to pay, even though you are "a
which is no indication that you have paid
any tax anywhere.
ANTHRAX. G., City. Anthrax is a
viruIent ulcer or carbunele; malignant an
thrax, destructive, infectious disease of
brutes and sometimes of man, which is asso-
ciated with and seems to depend upon the