The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-03-10
.ng to Know that the total population

was 35, 600, 600 or 40,000, QUO II Is In real
ity less than 100000. The area OF
France is only few thousand square
miles greater, and yet France has
population of very nearly 4O,OOO,OOO.
Texas has an area of 274,S56 square
miles. Spain could be laid out on
Texas and Texas would have 1856
square miles left over. The states OF
Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois and
Alabama have more population to-
gether than has Spain and are i'm.
mensely more wealthy. These states
could borrow enough money with
their whole field of commodities
and capital behind the loan, to pay off
at one scoop the whole national debt
of Spain. They could raise, pay and
maintain q bigger army than Spain
could. Their natural resources could
out-last Spain's ten to one. Their
steam power is ifinitely greater, and as
man power can always be gagued by
steam power you can imagine the diff
ference. These four states could exist
if separated from all the rest of the
world.
The American navy has been distin-
guished throughout its history for the
strictness of it's disipline and the close
ness of its vigilance. Not shadow
of fact has appeared that suggests even
the possibility that there was any de-
parture from that rule on the Maine.
Nothing in the catastrophe so far as
1t has been reported affords the slight
est indication of negligence on the
ship, but all the circumstances point
to the carefulness of the Names Off
GERS and crew and tend to relieve OF
al responsibility for the loss of the
ship and suggests that no solution of
mystery will be found which throws
discredit on them. The officers of the
American navy were never so thor
oughly trained in their duties as now.
The rise of new methods of naval con-
struction, the invention OF new eX-
plosives, the improvements in arma-
ment, and the many applications of
scientific discoveries to ships of war,
have been followed, step by step, in
the training of our naval officers, until
1t can be said of them without reserva-
tion that nowhere in the world are
their superiors to be found, if indeed,
any other navy contains their equal
as a whole in scientific adoption to the
conditions of modern naval warfare.
More than that they are splendid
body of men, morally and physically.
Queer things happen at social func-
tions in Washington. At a reception
given recently by the Spanish min
lister a woman was discovered in the
act of carrying off a large plate of
chicken salad. She had slipped 1t un-
der a rich wrap which she wore, and
had proceeded as far as the outer door
when a detective in the employ of the
caterer headed her off. This is hardly
an unusual occurrence. AT the public
receptions women thieves have been
accustomed to steal china, silverware
and even common dishes. So great has
become the nuisance that the givers
of the receptions no longer use theiI
own dishes. A caterer is hired to sup
ply everything and he also supplies de-
tectives to watch his property. These
detectives are sometimes in the dis
guise of maids who assist the ladies
with their wraps, but n ore often ap-
pear as guests in proper gowns and
suits. A short time ago lady who
goes in the very best Washington So
ciety was discovered stealing valuable
pins from the dressers at a small private
dinner. She was confronted by her
hostess and said she bad slipped the
jewellery into her pocket so that it
might not be stolen by the maids who
were about the dressing room.
In the great emergency which threat
ems the peace of the Nation, all eyes
turn instinctively to our navy. 1t Is
realized that modern war ships are to
a very great extent experimental affairs
and what the outcome of great naval
battle will be, no one can now tell.
The head of the Navy Department,
Secretary Long, is a cool, clear-headed
man of affairs, capable of doing an i'm