The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-07-13
NOTES FROM WASHINGTON
Interesting News From the Capital
Of the United States.
Proposals for the Construction o. Six
New Composite Gunbouts. The
Cruiser Columbia. The 3. p.
Q. Elks Incorporated. The
Orangemen Parade.
BY Southern Associated rress.

w hSHlNErOS, July l2.-Secretnry
Herbert has called for proposals for the
construction Of six light draught com
posite Sunboats winch Congress M,
.horized at ~ cost not exceeding $3.50
600 each. exclusive OF armament. Four
OF these vessels arc to DO equipped
with considerable sail power in nd
dItion to steam, tho other two having
m8sts for military purposes only
Tho great Innovation involved in
these vessels, as far as tho American
navy is concerned, lies IN the fnct thnt
while their franco and general con
structiOn will bo OF steol their hulis
will be sbeathed with wood aud cop.
per. Essential reasons for this method
Of construction mud for the selection of
these types are that tho vess.ls will be
greatly lndependent of docking faoli
tics and economical in the use Of fuel.
The docking expenses, whether at nome
or abroad, and tho cost OF fuel are two
very serious outays that these vessels
are counted upon To minimize.
The character of the service for
which these gunboats arc particularly
designed requires that they DO exposed
to musketry fire. aud the housing of
the major part OF the battery by an
nnbroken dock, besides adding matcri.
ally to the stiffness aud strength of the
vessels, giving admirable protection to
the gun crews III action. The necessa.
rily exposed portion Of the bow and
stern guns is justified only by their arc
OF fire and possible usefulness in run.
ning action, while for the river service,
for which those boats are particularly
fitted, tho disposition of the gun deck
battery Is all that could DO desired.
single sorrows, tho stoam propeller bonts
have twin screws ma differing III many
ways. The ornaments, being identical
III both typee, will consist of six I inch,
fonr sIX-pounder, and two one. FOUNDER
guns, all rapid fire.
The announcement that tho cruiser
Columbia had been placed in the dry
dock at southampton to have her bot
tom cleaned and made ready for her
race across the ocean for n warship re.
cord, was confirmed by Secretary Her.
bert to day, who, 1t appears, had niveu
Capt. Sumner permission some days
ago to incur this expense. THIS will
materially change tho conditions under
which the Columbia will make the race,
placing her In better condition as far
rs clean hull is concerned than most
of the trans Atlrntic passenger nteam-
ers when their records were made and
| removes one OF the possible cxcusos
should she make poor showing.
1t only remains now to increase tho
force of the iiremen to make her equal
In all respects to other vessels of the
snme coal capacity running between
New York and Europe. All officers
predict TINT the Columbia will sight
Sandy Hook light i'll about seven days
after she leaves southampton, aud that
1t would he unfair to expect any
greater performance from her for such
II long run.
Celso Caesar Moreno, who was yes.
terday indicted for criminal libel III
publishing au article rejecting npop
Baron Favs, the Italian Ambassador,
was arrested to day and brought before
Judge Cole in the criminal court.
Moreno pleaded not guilty and gave
81, 900 bail for his appearance at the
October term OF court.
First Assistant Postmaster. G eneral
Jones to day issued ali order to Post.
| masters throughout the country for
bidding the use OF money orders paye-
BILE on their own Offices The order
can be issued on sub station.
Articles of Incorporation OF the
Benevolent and Protective Order of
| Elks OF the United States Of America
wore filed III the District Court to day
by Edwin b. day, Joseph Y. Potts,
j ohm G. Maxwell and Thomas j. King,
Of the District of Columbia; Willar j
| g. Van Der(ip, of Boston. Mass. Peter
j. Campbell. of Baltimore, Md, and
Joseph w. LauDe. of Richmond, Va.
The objects o! the association are set
forth to be benevolent, social and al
truistic; the promotion and encourage.
meut Of manly friendship and kindly
Intercourse, and the aiding, assisting
| and protection of it's members and
their families. Willard 9. Vanderbilt,
Peter j. Campbell and Jos. w. Laube
| are named az trustees for the tirst year.
Orangemen paradsd everywhere
throughout Canada and the Northern
and Western States to-day without
molestation anywhere so far as heard
from. The greatest number of pa
raiders, 1000, is reported from Phlla
| delphia. the home of Grand Master
Kennedy. The programme was uni
formly.
The convention called by Mary.
landers TO meet 10 this city
to day to take steps to propa