The Portland daily press., 1896-01-06
WAITING.
Admiral Bunce's Squadron Still
Passive.

They May Start for the Bosphorus-what
is the Cause of the Delay? That Nobody
Seems to Know.
Washington, January 4.-The detention
of Admiral Bunoe's squadron at Hamp-
ton Roads the last two weeks although
ready to commence it's cruise promptly
December 2lst. according to the pro-
gramme laid down by Secretary Herbert.
was at first generally supposed to be due
TO reluctance on the part of the admin
lstratlon to permit even the implied
menacs OF its presence in the West Indies
during the excitement following the
residents Venezuelan message to Con-
gress OF December 18th. The explanation
was plausible enough to satisfy everyone
1or several days but now even the com
manolng officers Of the ships forming the
neet are beginning to be mystifed by the
prolonged delay. Such absence of infor-
lnation about squadron's Judgements is
SAID to be unprecedented in times of
peace, especially when it's daily itinerary
Tor the ensuing five months had been
published.
All sorts OF rumors are in circulation
among the ships, according to letters re-
celved here, and the latest, which is not
wholly without believers even in the
navy department. proceeds on the as
sumption that Admiral Bunce has sealed
orders which may. at any moment, send
MIN With his fleet to the Bosphorus. Even
the most conservative officers are dis
posed to attach some credsnce to the idea,
modifying it, however. to the opinion
that Gibraltar or the Azores may be the
first stopping place of the squadron after
leaving the Chesapeake, instead of st.
Thomas, in the West Indies. There are
number Of significant facts which.
grouped together, seem to give probabili-
ty to the rumor.
Would Buy American Silver With Silver
Dollars.
Washington, January 4.-Representa-
tive Baker of New Hampshire has pre-
pared plan for the retirement of the
greenbacks without any expense to the
country except of detail and involving no
interest charges. Mr.. Bakers plan all.
thorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to
buy silver, the product of American
mines only. paying therefor in silver del
lars or silver certificates issued upon the
coined silver. 1t further provived that
the coinage of the silver purchased shall
be as rapid as circumstances will per-
nit and that as often as once a month,
the Secretary of the Treasury, from the
green backs on hand, shall cancel and
destroy an amount equal to the silver
coin, thus reducing the outstanding de-
mand notes of the government as rapidly
as the silver is coined. This course, in
Mr.. Bakers opinion, prevents either a
contraction or initiation of the currency
and retires all the notes so gradually as
not to interfere with business. A further
provision of his bill, which embodies the
foregoing proposition, provides that notes
of So or less shall be first cancelled and
destroyed and that thereafter no new
notes of less denomination that $40 shall
be issued by the government or any
national bank.
Amendments Proposed by the House Sub
Committee.
Washington, January 4.-The sub-com-
mittee of the House appropriations COM
mittee, having in charge the preparation
of the pension appropriation bill, have
finished their labors and the measure
will be laid before the full committee on
Wednesday. The committee have reduced |
the appropriation Tor the next fiscal |
year 50, 600, 600 below the commissioner |
estimates, which were $40. 00n, 600. Sew
eral amendments have been made to the |
existing laws. One makes pension a |
vested right; another provides that when |
applioationsis made under the law of 1890
and rejected and new application is
filed, which subsequently is allowed, the |
pension shall date from the filing of the
first application, provided the disability |
existed at that time; a third amendment |
nullifies that part of the law of 1890
which prevents widow from drawing a
pension except where she is without other
means Of support than her daily labor. |
A Prince of the Blood Locked Up for Talk |