The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-07-04

~ itIDo
officer to hoist the Confederate colors on the
| high seas from a warship. The Trent affair is
recounted in the official reports made by the
| Captain of the San Jacinto and tho officers
boarding the Trent and seizing the Confederate
Commissioners Capt. Semmess diary and re-
| ports to the Confederate Secretary of tho Navy,
Mallory, tell of the operations of the Sumter
until her final retirement from the service, just
| nine months after her escape from New Or
leans. during which time she WAS commanded
| by Semmes who was transferred to the famous
| Alabama.
Gen. H. v Boynton, in speaking of the Chick
| amauga National Park last week, said there
were good many small details to be finished
| before it would be ready for dedication in Sep
| TENDER, hut it would be ready In time There
1 will be great crowd of the old soldiers there"
| he continued, land we want to make their
visit as pleasant and comfortable as possible.
| Lately we have had some additional wells dug
that will afford an ample supply of the purest
water. The roads will be in splendid condi-
ton, as free from dust as the asphalt streets OF
Washington. About 100 monuments yet re-
main TO be erected by the States of Illinois,
Michigan, Wisconsin, Kansas, and Pennsyl-
vania. The parks legal limits take up about
| Is square miles, and the Government has al
ready purchased 10 square miles, or 6,400 acres
| Eventually it will buy the rest, and when
fully completed the park will be the most
elaborate and scientific from historical point
! of view of any battlefield reservation i'll the
world"
A sepseless and cruel practical joke was
rerpetrated in the Pension Office Building one
day last week by one of the force of workmen
engaged in painting and decorating the vast
and lofty interior. When a thousand or more
clerks were thronging the galleries. shrek
was heard and body was seen falling over and
over through space in flight from the scaffold-
ing under the roof to the floor below. Strong
men caught at the walls and ratings at the
sight of what they thought was a terrible
| tragedy, and roar of horror assembled, above
which sounded the shrieks of scores of women.
Everybody thought man bad fallen, and
when the object reached the floor there was
rush toward it by those of strong nerves. The
discovery was made that someone had stuffed
shirt and a pair of overalls to which shoes
had been attached and toppied it over from
| the highest scaffelding. Many ladies tainted,
and men afflicted with heart disease narrowly
escaped prostration. The offenders have not
been found yet.
An interesting question of "court etisueth
arises in the case of the newl y-sppointed Ger.
man Ambassador, Baron Won Thielman, in the
absence from Washington of the President. In
the Diplomatic Corps precedence is determined
by the date of presentation of the credentials.
aud precedence often becomes quito an impor.
tant matter in diplomatic functions. If the
new German representative were simply Min
lister Plenipotentiary. he ceuld file his creden-
tials with the Secretary of State and await
some convenient time for formal presentation
to the President. But as an Ambassador he
is accredited directly to the President of the
United States. II is only since April, 1893,
that the United States has introduced the rank
of Ambassador into its Diplomatic service.
Each OF the four Ambassadors accredited by
European Nations to the United States-Sir
Julian Pauncefote from Great Britain, Dir. Pa
tenotre from France, Baron de Fava from
Italy, and Baron Ihielman's predecessor,
Baron Saurma-Jarltsch from Germapy-was
presented to the President almost Immediate
" upon his arrival and takes rank accordingly.
Experienced officials Of the State Department
who have looked into the matter, have arrived
at the conclusion that Baron Thieiman can
hand his credentials to the Secretary of State
for subsequent presentation. and that his order
of precedence will take effect from the date
when this is done.
r
Among the class of 80 graduatce from Cor
nell University on June 20 was William NJ
Purman. son of DR.. J. J. Purman. of this city,
a well-known veteran. late Medical Director
Department of the Potomac, who left a leg at
Gettysburg 30 years ago. Mr. Pnrman after
four years course graduated with honor as a
mechanical aud electrical engineer there be-
ing but two from this city who took this degree
ARMY AND NAVY.
The report of the Superintendent Of the
MilitArY Acadnmv al Wesf pnint ON fha reenlt