Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-06-01
Correspondence OF the Alexandria Gazette
WASHINGTON, June l.


they might be right, though being an
old army man, he had never looked at
the case in that light before. They met
at the White House representative
Wise of Virginia, who had heard that
they intended to oppose the conhrma'
ton of two of Mr.. John Wise's sons,
one OF whom has been appointed to
captaiucy and the other TO lientenancy
in the regiment referred to, and who
are TO be ordered to enlistment duty.
They told him they would rather help
than oppose the confirmation of bis
uephews and would do so, but also,
that he, too, must know that Virginians
would rather fight under officers iron
their own, than from other States. Mr..
Wise now has three sons in the army.
Representative Jones Of Virginia has
returned from a visit to his home and
was 10 his seat in the House to-day.
He says that on Monday evening las,
there was the severest hail storm in
the lower Rappahannock valley that
has occurred there in the memory OF
the present generation, and that it did
great damage to the growing crops, es
pecially on the south side of the river.
The hail stone, were SO large that they
killed unsheltered oxe9, and the
steamer Essex, lying at the Tappahan-
mock wharf, had every pane of glass in
her windows broken and was otherwise
Injured by the violence of the storm.
4 delegation of Alexandria county
people, headed by Mr.. J. E. Clements,
called upon Representative Rixey at
the House to-day to ask him to have
the printing of the plans and surveys Of
the proposed memorial bridge at Ar
liugton hurried, 80 that Chairman Hep
burn Of the commerce committee could
Incorporate them in his report, and
have that bill put on the calendar. Mr..
Rixey informed them that the printing
is now in progress, and that Mr.. Hep
burn would have it as soon as possible.
The complaints made against the
United States officers at Key West Of
improper treatment of the captiVes on
prizes brought in by American vessels
are being daily reinforced and are
creating so much dissatisfaction here
that it would not be surprising if the
prizes hereafter taken by naval vessels
were ordered further north, to Charles
ton, for instance, thus depriying the
Key West officials OF the fat fees which
they have been making from this
source.
The Navy Department had not heard
from Commodore Schley up to noon
10 day concerning his reported engage
ment at Santiago yesterday, and the
officials continued TO treat with skepti-
csm the accounts coming from Hayti
as 10 the extent of the action.
Admiral Geo. Brown, who was COM
mandant of the navy yard at Norfolk,
Va, for number of years, says Hamp-
ton Roads is the rendezvous of the
American navy, and is safe harbor
where the navies of the world can ride.
Although within sight of the Norfolk
navy yard, which is second to none
owned by the government for the re-
pair of modern cruisers and battle
ships, it is absolutely uuapproach-
s5le at this time by naval ships, simply
lor the want of an additional two feet
of water in three reaches of the chan
mel between the roads and the navy
yard. If any of the battleships or ar.
mored cruisers were 10 sustain damage
in an engagement or suffer On accident
it could not put into Norfolk for the
necessary repairs. The Norfolk yard
is the only one equipped with machine
shops for the repair of modern ships
south of Cape Renlopen. The Admiral
says that this conducted should be
promptly corrected and that then the
navy would be 10 easy acce g of a yard
where damages could soon be repaired.
I immediate action be taken on Ad-
misal Browns suggestion the work
could be completed in ninety days, Civ
ing in thirty days channel IS feet deep
md $50 feet wide; in sixty days chan
mel of this depth and 800 feet wide, and
in three months channel IS feet deep
and $50 feet wide, thus securing re-
pair yard, 500 miles nearer the antici
pated scene of naval conflicts than any
other.
Col. William Lamb of Norfolk. here
to-day, says his dear friend, Maj. Otey
of Lynchburg, in recommending den
lists for the army by introducing bill
10 Congress to that effect, must imagine
himself still gallant soldier in the
Confederate army, the men of which
had to have sound teeth, to bite their
cartridges and hard tack, and Ten
nessee colonel of which had his entire
regiment drawn up in front of his tent
to see him clean his teeth with tooth
brush. A fellow under the enemy's fire
never thinks of toothache. 1t would
be pleasant diversion if he had it, to
charge a Spanish masked battery.
In regard to the deepening of the
Norfolk navy yard channel, Col. Lamb
says: 1--WE want but little here below,
but want that little Long John d.
The War Department is massing raiions
bling at Jacksonville, Fla, under command
of Msjor General Lee. The officials decline
to say how many men are to be concentrated
there, or whether they will stay at that place
for the full thirty days for which the rations
are provided.
President Mckinley to-day formally open.
ed the Trans Mississippi and International
Exposition at Omaha, Neh., by touching an
electric button in the telegraph room in the
White House.
Representative Lacey, of Iowa, intro.
duced bill in the House 10. day to enable
volunteer soldiers in the field TO vote in con-
gressionsl elections during the present war.
President Mckinley TO day sent a message
to Congress transmitting the reply of Admit
raj Dewey to the resolution of Congress which
rendered him thanks for his victory at Manile,
The reply is as follows; desire TO express 0