The morning call., 1892-07-25

carried on, and they may succeed in bring
Ing home their guilt to some of the parties
under suspicion. IL Is a marvel that as
nitric acid was used to reduce the coins in
weight the fraud should not have been de-
tected long ago, the odors of this acid,
OWING TO evaporation, being peculiarly pene-
trating. Merchants and bankers will draw
a breath Of relief when the gang is safely
located in the penltentlary.
The sad story Of the death OF a party
of prospectors in the Colorado desert
shows what desperate ventures men
will make in the search tor gold.
They were not, however, men want
ing in experience on the trail. Water was
the only thing that failed them, and their
agonies from thirst before they succumbed
must be indescribabe. The experiment
might be made in this desert by parties of
proSpectors OF sinking thin pipe wells In
the loose sand. Very likely at many places
water would be found at depths OF u or 20
feet. This was the method adopted by the
British army in Abyssinia. Very soon alter
the camps had taken up ground Tor the
night water was flowing plentlfuily from
places that appeared moistureless. The use
of camelS on this desert has also been
recommended, and il is said that 80 or more
Of the camels introduced year ago are still
roaming the wllds in ownerlesS freedom.
camel can travel without water for nearly
month, and in the last resort small supply
can be obtained from its stomach.
STEPS arc about 10 De taken to establish
crematorium in the cemetery at San Mateo.
This is a step to be recommended from two
points Of view. In the first place many
persons, when death comes to them. desire
TO have their bodies disposed Of in this
rapid manner. They have a morbid aver
sion to lying in the ground. In the second
place cemeteries In towns. or near them,
take up large tracts Of valuable space. and
in time when the streets are all improved in
the vicinity the conditions OF health may
be very badly vitiated The cemeteries of
San Francisco occupy such dry ground that
very few of these evils can arise for long
period.
CalifoTnians can only hope the news is
true that the Santa Fe Railroad Company
las resolved TO continue its line into San
Francisco. While here the other day Pres-
dent Marvel denied that his corporation
had any intention OF moving just yet, but
the news telegraphed Yesterday from Wash
ington by the CALL correspondent seems 10
be pretty authoritative on the point. Rail-
road companies do not like TO dYulge their
programme until their arrangements are
well advanced. If only within few years
California could get couple Of competing
railroads such as the Santa Fe and the one
spoken OF TO Salt Lake, an immense i'm
i
would 10 longer be held down by the throat
by the Southern Pacific. and tie develop
ment of our resources would proceed at
surprising rate.
l. is little absurd to argue that because
political parties in England are squabbing
about what should be done there is no such
thing as a constitution sy which 10 be
guided. In matters of this kind there is no
positive law, but there is a considerable
body of precedents quite as good as law.
For instance, after an election there is no
absolute lime fixed for the meeting of a new
Parliament but as a rule Parliament meets
within two months after the will of the
nation has been declared. Parliament il
summoned to meet on the 4lh of August.
and The debate on the address, which is
always the first business, will decide the
situation. 4 hostile vote would turn Lord
Salisbury out of Office. Mr.. GladstOne's
difficulties will be considerable in keeping
his majority together, and il would be no
surprise II on some catch division he Is
defeated. Another election would follow.
T. 7. O'Connor is probably right in holding
that home rule mast be the first legislative
business. The Irishmen would not consent
to a postponement, and without their as
siStance Mr.. Gladstone has no majority.