The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-13

standard, but there's the rub with most
men-of-war. They fulfill requirements for
the moment but mostly fall off lamen tahlY
after year or two of service. As the Els
wick Company probably has full discretion
in the construction, II is much more likely
to have succeeded than il Ii had q few mar
tlnet meddesome Government inspectors
at its elbow criticizng plans they know lit
tie about. IL is only by having freedom
that commercial steamers are turned out by
the builders equal to expectations. The
most famous vessel built at Eswick pre-
ceding this one was the Piem0nte. whose
engines gave 81 knots. while the quick-fr-
ing armament enabled a greater weight of
shot to be fired within given time than
battle ships with 110-tOn guns could dis
charge. Progress is the rule in marine
architecture, and this Argentine cruiser is
an Improvement on even recent achieve
ments
Some Of Boccaccio's stories appear grossly
improbable even for the middle ages. on ac-
count OF the credulity required to give them
a foundation. Yet here is an Italian in
New York hoaxing his compatrots in
manner that rivals any psychological situa-
ton that BOecaccio ever invented. In
Christian country, among people who should
be Christians, since they come from Italy,
he has had potent influence by asserting
himself to be- In league with the devil and
authenticating the connection in diplomatic
completeness by producing his satanic ma
jeSty's commission in red ink, drafted in
language not yet known on earth and there
fore beyond the powers OF N0apuk to trans
late. This scoundrel seems to have had
enough of victims during four years and
has caused an infnity of trouble, but he is
at length found out, and 1ammany Judge
will not have the audaeity to pass him by
with light sentence unless it should ap-
pear that by liberating the devils secretary
he might be Instrumental In assisting the
Hill boom. That, however, is so very
doubtful, so mu h crooked policy having
been unavailing, that it is much more likely
the representative of the internal regions
will Ianguish in prison. Meanwhile he is
yelling for bail, and not even his satanic
majesty can help him.
London, it appears, spends over thirty
million dollars year in organized charity.
This is exclusive of probably quite as much
spent in indiscriminate charity, much of
which is pernicious, and 1t takes no account
Of the relief given by the DO orhouses and
the boards of guardians. Yet there are
many thousands of poor who are never
reached by this charity and who cling to
life in desperate straits. 1t is shown that
there are ], 800, 600 persons in England over
60 years Of age, and that at least One-fourth
| of these are paupers. Charles Booth in a
work recently published boldly proposes
that the State should give pension OF FIVE
shillings per week to every person over 65
years OF age This would at least keep the
! INDECENT out of the workh0use and leave
| them free to prosecute small employments
which give them the air Of independence.
| Such pension would amount to seventeen
millions sterling for England alone, but IL
would save good slice of the eight and
hall millions at present expended in poor
law relief. This is a practical form OF So
cialism under Government control The
wealthy classes are not likely to favor 1t.
At all hazards they prefer laiSsez faire to
increased taxation.