The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-03-09

uent, was General w, w. Thomas, OF
Portland. Me. He came with Senator
Hale. General Thomas was twice the
automatic representative OF the United
States at Stockholm, and Is said to have
been assured that he will be sent back
! to Sweden
Colonel John Hay was an early caller,
but the President was engaged. and the
lreputed ambassador to England con-
| cluded not to wait
III. Clay Evans. OF Tennessee, had a
| short talk with the President.
| ~ To APPOINT a IIEADSN1AN.
The term of Fourth Assistant Post
| master General Maxwell will expire to-
| morrow. He was appointed March 9Th,
| 1898, to succeed e. G. Rathbone, of Ohio
The Fourth Assistant Postmaster GEN
eral has practically uncontrolled power
over all the fourth class postna sters,
| that is to say, postmasterS the receipts
| of whose offices do not amount to over
one thousand dollars q year. He can
remove and appoint at pleasure. For
this reason the officer exercising this
function is usually termed the "heads-
man. Of the administration. AS the de-
| mand for appointment to these small
Offices from congressman and others is
very great, and as these places serve
as a sort Of safety valve to the office
| seeking pressure, it is expected that the
name Of Mr.. Maxwcll's successor will
soon be sent into the Senate.
II the President allows the other as
sistant postmasters general to finish
| their four terms OF Office, First Assist
ant Jones will remain until May 10TH
as he succeeded II. Clay Evans, OF
Tennessee, on that date. Second AS
| sistant Nelson succeeded J. Lowrie Bell
| who resigned on September 13th 1888,
and Kerr Cralge, the Third Assistant,
succeeded General Hazen May 18th,
| 1893.
In the Interior Department, First AS
| sistant Secretary Sims was appointed
March 31st, 1893; Assistant Secretary
Reynolds April 10th, 1893; Commissioner
| Lamoreux, of the general land office,
March 2Sth, 1893; Commissioner of Pen
sions Murphy May 2Sth, 1876. succeeding
Judge William Lochren, resigned. Com
| missioner Murphy has been employed in
! the Pension Bureau SINCE March 18th,
1871. with the exception Of q few years.
Commissioner Of Patents Seymour was
appointed March 31st, 1898, and Com
missioner Of Indian Affairs Browning
| April 18th, 1898. @
CIVIL SERVICE APPLIED.
Secretary Long started in a the Navy
Department to-day with an appoint
ment which meets general approval
| from al who, like Secretary Long him
self, believe in civil service reform. He
promoted Benjamin Franklin Peters, OF
Harrisburg, Pa, to the chief clerkship
Of the Navy Department.
Mr.. Peters was appointed q clerk in
one OF the lower grades sixteen years
ago He now occupies the position OF
Appointment Clerk, having risen by
merit to that rank through the various
grades He was Il member Of the board
to revise the business methods of the
Navy Department. Under the immedi-
ate direction of the Secretary Of the
Navy, he prepared the regulations gov
erning the employment Of labor at
navy yards and has charge Of their
enforcement. He revised the card rec
ord system in use by the boards of la
Dor employment at navy yards and has
been the confidential and general utll-
ity man Of Secretaries Whitney, Tracy
and Herbert.
The new chief clerk assumed the du-
ties at once in addition to his other
work
CONTRACT FOR ARMOR PLATE
The Navy Department will in all
probability issuse an advertisement for
armor for the battleship Alabama. IL
linois and Wisconsin upon. which Con-
gresS placed limit Of $500 per ton. 1t
is understood that no time for the deiv-
cry Of the armor will be specified, which
will permit concerns without the re
quired plant to compete for the work
and install the necessary machinery as
the delivery progresses.
Secretary Sherman has signed extra
dition papers applied for by Sir Julian
Paunceforte, authorizing the delivery
of Lee Weller" better known as Frank
Butler, now held at San Francisco to
the Austrian authorities.
The Diplomatic Corps have been no.
tilted that the Foreign Ambassador.
Ministers, Secretaries and Attaches Will
be received at the Department Of State
by Secretary Sherman at IL a. m. on
"Wednesday, and the President will re-
ceive at the White House at noon on
the same day.
PRECAUTION AGAINST SPIES.
Steps have been taken by the War
Department to further guard the sea-
coast defenses from inQuSitive inspcc-
ton by persons who ought not to know
what precautions the United States
have taken for protection in time of war.
The rigorous regulations already in
force during the building Of fortifica-
tificatlons, have now that many of the
works are approaching completion, been
supplemented and emphasized by the
following general orders from Major
General Miles. commanding the army,
which, signed March 1st, were not issued
to the service until today.
mo person, except officers Of the army
and navy of the United States and per-
sons In the service OF the United States
employed in direct connection with the
use, construction. care OF these works.
will be allowed to visit any portion of
the lake and coast defenses OF tho