Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-03-23
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial CORRESPONDENCE, !

have the reputation ul carrying around
more ready money than they can con-
yeniently spend. There are several
OF these senators, and they are the
daily prey of certain impecunious
Southern statesmen of diplomatic
bearing and winning ways, 1t is hard
to resist the pathetic appeal OF real
old-school gentleman for small loan,
even though the appeal is repeated
with almost daily iteration, but it
gets to be something Of II bore after u
while, and hence the welcome to the
4th Of March, after which the "touch"
cannot be SO readily brought into
play. These little amenities of sena-
torial life are some of the things that
are seldom carried beyond the pre-
cincts of the club, and 30 they are not
generally known; Dut among the sem
ators themselves they are very real,
indeed, and the wel.to-do have
found it convenient 60 stand together
for mutual protection.
FoR CARIBBEAN SEA Unless Il
change is made in the present arrange
ments, Admiral Meade's fleet will
shortly visit Mexican ports and places
on the Caribbean Sen, whore disturb
ances have been lately reported. The
ships Of the squadron will soon leave
Trinidad for Puerto CabellO, From
this place they will proceed to Curncoa
and later to Sun Domingo and Port
All Prince, Haytl. Thence they go to
Santiago and other ports, bringing up
at Colon about the middle OF next
month.
RAPID FIRE GUNs-The suggestion
for the arming of vessels with rapid
fire guns will be carried out by the
navy department in the matter OF gun
boats authorized by the recent naval
appropriation law. 1t has already
been determined to give these SHIPS n
main battery of eight tive-lnch guns.
This battery is superior to that which
the Petrol has. This little ship has a
displacement Of S92 tons, somewhat
less than will be given to the prospcc-
tive ounboats. II is the belief Of the
officials that tiYe-iuch rapld.iirc guns
are much the superior Of the b-inrh
rapid tirers for The reason that more
than double the number Of discharges
can be made in given time with the
former than with the latter. Their
muzzle veloc ty with M ordinary
charge of from % to 30 pounds OF
brown powder is 1900 feet per sec
ond, and the projectilo fired will
pierce 6. 90 inches of steel fifteen hun
bred Yards from the muzzle. BY the
time these guns are constructed the
navy will have put in service n mokc-
less powder of its own manufacture.
Terms IN THREE ToNGUEs--Secre-
tarv Gresham is enabled now to com
plete the compilation Of the interna'
tional analogue Of exports and inn
ports. The work is supposed to aid
commerce between the United States
and the "Latin-Am rican' countries.
The work is n uniform nomenclature
of articles of merchandise, such rs are
common in expectation and importa
ton. The terms will be published in
English, Spanish and Portuguese.
The work has been nearly completed
and about So, 600 will be necessary fol
the remaining clerical work and tol
printing and binding the volumes.
The work will probably be sold TO bust
ness houses at the cost OF printing.
Ex's DEPARTING-T There's long
procession of ex's departing from
Washington, and the prefix is attachc,
to some names that have been promi
nent in the proceedings of Congress
for 10, these many wears. Perhup'
the most conspicuous of the ex's arr
Holman, Springer, Bland, Wilson, anl
Harte, Tom johnson, Cultivate, Bry
an, LATE Pence, Jerry Simpson, BY
mum, Breckenridge, Raynor, ONeil
Everett, Stevens, Hatch, Cochran
Lockwood, Sibley and Kilgore al
Democrats or popuists, and about nj
borne down by the big flood of las
November.
FLAG SELDOM SEES-But five Amer
lean vessels passed through the Sue
canal during the year 1894, and thos
were war vessels or yachts ono
one mercantile ship flying the Amer
can flag entered the canal for the year
although many cargoes designated TO
America passed through in Englis
ships" This statement is made b
Consul, General Pentield, stationed .
Cairo, Egypt, in a report just receive
. at the department of state.
SAVING OF $780, 900 A YEAR Coz
gress created on March 3, 1893,
Joint commission TO reOrganlZe tn
accounting system and business metl
DDS in the executive departments. Th
commission consisted of Represents
alive Dockery of Missouri, Richard
son of Tennessee and Dngley {
Maine, and Senators Cockrell Of Mi
souri,, Jones of Arkansas and Cullol
of Illinois. 1t is claimed, in vor
minous report just inade public, tn
as the result of the labors of this con
mission, the services of 25l clerks
the executive departments, whose so
aries aggregate 1851, 900 annual,
have been dispensed with. To tn
: must he added a saving of S247, 600
4 miscellaneous items, making a tot
, saving to the government of S6OI 90,
The commission has suggested othe
reforms, which, if adopted, will +,
suit in an increase saving to the go,
eminent of $3.50, 900, and which wi
: result in the dismissal Of 252 add
. tional clerks.
NEW SEA RrLEs-ln accordan,
with the act OF Congress, the preSldcl
! issued n proclamation postponinS Il
!, effect of the new rules Of the road
= sea until some future dnte. In tt
a proclamation it is stated that TINS II
.ion is taken It the request OF Gre