Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-04-20
WASHINGTON LETTER
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE. !


and three torpedo boats whose con.
Btrnction was authorized by the last
congress, is being considered by the
secretary Of the navy. According tc
the provisions of the law, one of the
battIeships is to be named the "Kear.
sarge" in order TO perpetuute the
name of that historic vessel The
grnboats will probably be named
after celebrated battleieIds of this
country, although the selection OF
names will probably be limited to the
wars previous to that Of the rebellion.
1t has been suggested that "Brnddock's
Fields" be selected. While the battle
fought there resulted dlsastrously to
the English and Americans, the yalor
of the latter did not suffer by the
defeat, which was due to the ignorance
of the English commander OF frontier
warfare, ard his refusal to listen to
the advice Of the great American,
George Washington.
PRETTY AS A PICTURE - The ap-
proved designs for the new 81, 81, So
and so greenback notes, to be issued
some time during the current year,
are now on exhibition in the office OF
Chief johnson Of the bureau of en-
craving and printing, in the form OF
oil paintings upon huge panels OF
canvas. 1t is conceded that they are
more artistic than any other paper
money ever issued, The size of the
present greenback note is adhered to,
and the usual silk fibre paper will bear
the engraving.
WEALTH OF NATIoNS-The compare
tive wealth of nations rs shown by the
best available figures, affords much
food for popular MS well as scientific
thought. The United States had its
total wealth computed in 1890 Mt sixty
five billions plus thirty-seyen millions
of dollars. The shrin&ugc in values
OF the past two years has been care
fully estimated at not much less than
seven billions Of dollars, so that today
the nations total valuation is approx
mately set down at siXty-three billions
plus seven hundred aud fifty millions,
OF this almost inconceiyably huge ag-
gregate of wealth nearly two.thirds is
represented by the one item, real es-
tate" No other rnltion has lands and
houses nearly 50 valuable. Engand's
total wealth is put at fifty bill
lions, plus one hundred and sev-
enty-tivc millions ldollars) SO that
she is behind the United States in the
size of her pile by about fourteen bill
lion dollars In other words, Uncle
Sans estate is bigger than John Bulls
in the proportion Of l3 to 10. Frances
total valuation is very close to Eng
lands. 1t is torty-elght billion dol
lars, and the largest single item, as in
the account of the United States as
sets, is real estate. French lands and
houses are appraised at twenty eight
billions. But France is a large cred
itOr nation, too, her total holdings of
securities being estimated at sixteen
billions, of which one-fourth is held in
IOlclSLI b'huS' ne OlltI ltuulIlS ma
tiOns rank in wealth in the following
order: Germany, thirtv-two billions;
Russia, twenty-five billions; Austria
Hungary, nineteen billions; Italy,
eleven billions. 1t is hattering to our
national pride to know that the United
States, youngest of the great nations,
is, nevertheless the wealthiest.
HARD BEDS / =: BULLErs-The Or
diuuncc Bureau of the War Depart
ment has been conducting series Of
tests Mt the arsenal at Frankfort, Pa,
to determine the penetration of the
Krng-J -Jorgensen rifle. The results of
the experiments are now made public.
All shots were fired over the j00-vard
range, and with mean velocity of
1867 feet. FIVE different species of
targets were used, and five shots were
fired Mt each. The targets consisted
of green oak, s'ft pine, brick wall,
moist sand, loan, coarse gravel, clay,
clay and loan combined The bullets
penetrated 6! inches into the green
oak, and were scarcely dishgured.
They went 2l; inches into the
soft pine uninjured. The moist sand
was penetrated to depth of 1St
inches. The loan admitted the bull
lets 233 inches, but slightly crushed
their points. The coarse gravel stopped
the bullets at Is inches, and crushed
the front OF them into fragments. The
sand and loan target and the clay tar
get were penetrated ! and 22j inches
respectively, without damage to the
bullets, except for a little scraping by
the sand. The clay and loan was en-.
tered for % inches, but gashes were
cut in the. sides of the bullets. The
bullets were crushed into shape
less Jumps against the brick wall,
but not until they had penetrated 1t
inches.
BIG SALE OF STAMPS The auditors
division Of the Postoffice Department
has just completed the settlement of
accounts of postoilices for the last
quarter of the calender year 1894, and
the figures as compared with those of
the same quarter of 1898, are viewed
with much satisfaction by the officials.
The volume of business transacted by
the postal service has long been con-
sidered Il reliable index of the condi-
ton of trade and commerce of the
country. When the recent panic be-
gan to effect the business interests of
the country, that fact was at once
shown in reduced receipts at the post
offices. The sale of stamps for the
quarter was $40, ,405,57l. This is said
to be the largest sum received from
that source within the same period in
the history of the postal service. The
receipts for the last quarter of 1898
were SIS, 1919, 729 The receipts at
eighteen of the principal postoffices
show an increase varying from two to
10 percent. The receipts at Boston
for the last quarter of 1894 were S706,
254, aga nst S67S, sos for the last quar-
ter of 1898.
More NarraganSett Batteries.
1t has been said on the most reliable author
ity that the government is negotiating for