The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-26


mas yesterday, and the usual aspiration for
peace and good viii was uttered and listened
to 10 all the churches fervently and implor-
ingiy. But the signs OF contentment and
universal brotherh God are perhaps more
remote than ever they have been. Conflict
and cOnvulsion may occur at any moment
That is the situation in Europe. and a very
extreme situation il is. South America is
also in a critical volcanic or belicose condi-
ton. Alone among the great nations, the
United States is in position Of tranquility.
The breaking up OF our repose does not APP
pear TO be in sight from any quarter from
wich the wind bloweth. We are happily
free from the complications which perplex
Europe, ana we 10 not require the United
States nation TO be in arms in order to MAIN
tain peace. But in Europe l., GOO. GOO men
are prepared to settle disputes by an appeal
10 arms, and whole populations are ground
down by taxes to maintain this fighting
multitude of idlers. The millennium has not
yet arrived. Force is still the final arbtra-
ment.
Although not exhausting its strength in
the waste Of bloated ornaments tie United
States does we'll TO look after its navy.
Thus far we are nearly abreast of our re-
qlirements, and may soon have all the ships
and coast Notifications we want. A new
quiek-Gring gun OF Finch eaIiber will, if
successful in Its tests, prove terror TO the
invader. Ii Is designed to deliver on rapid
time like a repeating rifle shells weighing
200 pounds, about one-third OF the charge
consisting or dynamite or some other hlgh
| explosive. Such shell striking q ship with
terrific impact, added to the force OF the
local explosion. would blow its side in and
| sink IL In all probability Oh short notice. A
! rain of such shells could certainly not be
| resisted. The advantage ship has is in
| shifting its position. But this is discounted
at the entrance TO haTbOrs by observation
| stations, which can compute the position
accurately, and give the requisite elevation
| aud direction To a battery. The next naval
| war will be a frightful crash.
In the new Mannlicher rife the Austrians
! have a weapon perhaps superior 10 any In
| Europe. IL is well calculated to make an
impression on the line of an enemy ad-
vaucing. The sights are adjusted up TO q
range OF q mile and half. and the point
blank discharge covers 500 yards. There is
| no dispute about the high penetrating
power Of the bullets. At an extreme range
/ they may peTfoTate two or three men. The
| apidity OF fire at discretion is something
| appalling. Two bullets second or over a
| hundred bullets a minute give q deadly hail
that would empty every saddle in charge
! OF cavalry, and the mortality OF infantry,
however widely separated, would be horri-
| bic. As the march OF Improvement goes on.
| it may be found out that war is too deadly
L
available on ships of war 10 sweep the decks
or to repel torpedo attacks.
ra---f --->-----~-----,J srr's Y1Ieslos
| TO test the wits of competitors has been
| caught in legal trap and will have to give
up the business. A sentence is written and
word or phrase is puTpOsely omitted. The
| public are asked 20 guess what the word or
| phrase IS, and each guesser SENDS in a shil-
| ling, which goes into pool for the benefit
OF - Frl In -.
| about $4,000 was accumulated in the pool
and would have formed fine haul for the
| lucky. The fairness of the chances of par
Elephants was undisputed. but the courts
hold that woTd-guessing is only new form
! OF lottery mischief and Is Illegal. The odd
| part of the denouementis that the contribut-
| Ors cannot be identified aud canuot have
their shilliDgs returned. so that the whole
! pool has been conhseaied by the Judges for
I the benefit OF the nation at large, and as far
as it goes it will reduce taxation There
does not appear TO be much poverty in Eng
land after all.
AS the ballots are not allowed to be pro-
duced in court except in the event of re-
count. serious stumbling block has been
put in the way Of convicting any OF the
clerks who, during the recent election in
| San Francisco, perpetrated frauds BY call
| ing off wrong names or giving wrong votes
| on the tally list. Ii is held that the law is
! explicit upon the subject. and il the people
| OF the State desire il to be otherwise they
| must, by their votes, amend the law. But
| 1t is a pity that the sanctity of ballots
should also give sanctiiy TO rogues. of whom
there are many at every election.
a short time ago a case of witch
craft disturbed a superstitious COM
munity OF whites in North Carolina
| Lynehing was In the air to settle
| the trouble. 1t Is not very surprising that
tribe OF Indians in New Mexico has been
| agtated over similar superstition. The
| Indians tortured two witches to death, and
| their sufferngs extended over three DAYS
| Had they been genuine witches they would
| probably have blown away somewhere on
brOomstick after the usual manner of the
| uncanny old women during the middle ages
| Uncle Sam is bent upon bringing the per
| petratOT1 of the outrage to some species of
| justice, but thero is likely to be warm fight
| ing over the matter. for the Indians are
| brushing up their weapons in a determined
manner. 1t is always dangerous to interfere
| with peoples religious beliefs
| PEOPLE TALKED AR0iJT