The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-08-19
WEEK IN WASHINGTON.
Events of General Interest in the National
Capital.

President of the Womans Relief Corps, DE.
partment of the Potomac, promulgated Gen.
eral Orders No. 4, in which she notes that
the Department Headquarters will be at %
Irving Place. Buffalo, and states that the
Woman's Relief Corps will. IS usual, accom-
pany the Grand Army on the special train to
Buffalo. Mrs. Balm expects to take her full
voting delegation. and many others will &C.
company them. The names of representatives
10 the National Con vention are: Dept Presi-
dent. Georgia G. Baine; Senior Vice-Presi.
dent, Mary Z. Crawford; Junior Vice Presi
dent, George ID. Van Fleet: Secretary, Julia
Mason Layton; Treasurer, Gladys l.. Thomp-
son Past Department Presidents, Joanna w.
Turner, Ida V Hendricks Indiana Cowling,
Anna NJ. Hamilton. Annie w. johnson Dele
gates, May A. Eldridge lat larRe), Maggie b.
lew; Aternates Anna V. Thompkins lat
large. Marion Gregory. Department Com
mander Hopkins announces the start oy
the local G. A. K. men on the morning OF Aug.
%. Headquarters at Room ZIG, Hotel lro-
quois.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 11.-Returns computed by
the Bureau of Statistics show that In july
the importatons of sugar at New Y ork, Phiia-
dephia, Boston. Baltimore, New Orleans and
San Francisco amounted to 11S,oO4,ooo
pounds on which the duty collected was
81, 152 Pas. The immense importatlons were
due to the desire to secure advantage VI the
lower duties in the old tarih.-lt was an
nounced that the Postofice Department had
entered into correspondence with the Sah-
adam Postoffice Department with view OF
establishing an International Office at Jaw
son City for the Interchange of mail. When
the Yukon closes up it will be necessary to
send the mail for Circle City and other points
in the American territory by Juneau, Dyea
and Dawson City by means of dog siedges.
The Department has contracted for monthly
trip at the rate of 5000, but it expects to be
able to establish a semi monthly service
Which will 60 into effect this Winter. Inc
Department has given permission 10 the
steamers carrying the mail up the YUKON TO
leave mail at the mission posts en- route, ana
as rapidly possible Postmasters are oeihS
appointed for these places.
AUG. LIT was announced to-day
that the tide Of Immigration is at the lowest
point since the General Government assumed
jurisdiction of the subject III 1857 Inc
number OF arrivals from all countries, ac-
cording to Treasury statistics during the last
fiscal year. was $50, S32 a decrease as COM
pared with the previous year of 1l2,435. Inc
lightest immigration of any previous year
was in 1885, when the number from all coun-
tries was 219, 94S. The year of heaviest I'M
migration was the first of the period begin
ming with 1882, when arrivals numbered
7SS, 992, during the entire period OF Federal
supervision 7,432,0l6 having entered the
United States. The arriv walls of Russian Jews
for the past year numbered 22.750, as against
45,137 for the fiscal year ended June 80, 1896.
Italy furnished the greatest number OF i'm
migrants, "a, ADJ, q decrease OF S,62S from last
year.
FRIDAY, AUG. 13-According to figures at the
Treasury Department. made public, British
vessels are carrying over 30 per cent. of the
United States merchandise, both of imports
and exports. The percentage for the first
six months of this year of imports carried IN
American vessels is 1885, aud in foreign YES.
sells "a. %; of imports in vessels the British
have carried 50 SO per cent; the Germans,
l1.49; French, sac; Dutch, $50, and all
other foreign, Sol. Of domestic exports,
only SIG is carried in American bottoms.
The value of imports carried IN American
vessels for the six months ended June 30 was
S66. 426, l49. and of that carried in foreign
vessels $366, 26l, s32 and the value OF ex-
ports for the same period carried Ia Ameri-
can vessels was So, II31 6S. and of that
carried in foreign vessels, S4l5,6S1 ,237.
SATURDAY, AUG. 14.-lt was currently re-
ported to-day that President Mckinley had
offered to Ethan Allen Hitchcock, of st.
Louis, the post of Minister to Russia; that
Nr. Hitchcock had accepted the position.
He succeeds Clifton Z. Brock inridge. of
Congress when he was sent to the 81. Peters
burg post Ethan Allen Hitchcock is a great
grandson of Col. Ethan Alien, who captured
Fort Ticonderoga. in the name OF the Great
Jehovah and the Continental Congress-" dis
grandfather married the second daughter of
Ethan Allen, and took a prominent part in
the carly history of Vermont.
SUNDAY, AUG. 15.-The local commands OF the
Union Veterans Union left Washington for
the Springfield (O) Encampment of the
Order, the date OF which is Aug Is. The
local Commands have had difference lately
that must be settled by the National En-
campmept Some time ago the National
Commander set the Washington Commands
off as a separate Department, and appointed
a local man Commander. Members OF Ham
cock, Logan, and Shaw Commands demurred
10 the action and entered protest. Their
protest was not listened to by the National
Commander, and then an appeal was taken
to the Encampment.
AUG. 10 -Justice Stephen j. Field,
OF the United States Supreme Court, to-day
established the record for longest service on
that bench. Until to-day, tho service OF
Chief Justice John Marshall had been the
longest in the history Of the court. covering
81 wears With to-day Justice Fields SER
vice exceeds that of Marshall. He was APP
pointed in 1863 by President Lincoln, aud is
now in his Slst year, hale and hearty, OF
strong mentality, but feeble body. At the
Supreme Court rooms it is said there is no
present indication that he will retire.