The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1898-12-08
WASHINGTON WH1spER1sGs.

| WASHINGTON WHIsPERINGs. The an
nual report OF the secretary of the interior,
Bliss, reviews the progress of pension,
lndlan, land, patent, educational and
territorial affairs. Reviewing the gradual
ammunition of the public land area of
| desert lands requiring irrigation to render
them valuable farming lands, the available
water supply is sufficient for only II, 800
Oo0 acres, leaving 260, 676, 600 acres suitable
only tor grazing purposes. There are
thirty forest reservations embracing an
estimated area of so, 719, 427 acres. -.
clear, concise business like statement of
SO much of the operations of the navy de-
partment during the war as related to the
procurement and care of ships, and
generally to the material, is provided in
the annual report of Assistant Secretary
Allen, just made public. Among other
duties the assistant secretary was charged
with the procurement of vessels for the
auxiliary navy. He says this work was
managed with the utmost care not only as
to the quality of the ships, but also to the
price paid. For the first time in many
years, one of Names two senators will be
absent at the beginning of a session of
congress. Senator Frye's duties with the
peace commission will keep him in Paris
Tor some time yet and Senator Hale will
be the only Maine senator. When he re-
turns Senator Frye will be more con
spicuouS figure than ever in the senate.
particularly IN connection with the treaty
between this country and Spain. Col.
f. e. Ainsworth, chief of the record and
pension office, wal department, in his an
nual report says that 1913, 29S cases were
received and disposed Of during the past
Of
received and disposed of. .... The most in
teresting review of the postal service for
some years, owing to its operations in
military and naval fields, is the report of
Postmaster General Charles Emery Smith.
Aside from the discussion of the regu-
| lar branches of the department it tells of
the work accomplished and policies adopt
ed IN our territorial acquisitions. 80. There
were only 81 casualties in the navy dur
| ing the war, seventeen killed and 81
wounded. This remarkable exemption
was due in large measure to bad Spanish
gunnery. A battleShip was too small a
mark for the Spaniards to hit often.
| ....Secretary Long in his annual report
recommends the building of three bat
tleships, three armored cruisers, three
protected cruisers, and six sheathed
cruisers. He also recommends the reviv-
al of the grades of admiral and vice ad-
miral.
FISH AND GAME. HOLSTERS have been
very scarce along the Maine coast for
several years, that is, as compared with
former periods, says the Fishing Gazette
Good sized Holsters used to be sold from
the cart for five cents apiece, and, of
course, at wholesale they went even
cheaper. Many people suppose that the
smallness of the lobster catch in Maine is
accounted for by the existence of many
canneries, but this is not so. There have
been no lobster canning factories in opera
ton in Maine since 1895, in which year a
law was passed forbidding the taking OF
Holsters under 10 IL inches in length
This law forced the canning companies
out OF business, as it was intended to.
The average annual catch of HOLSTERS OF
the Maine coast is about 1900 600, esti-
mated to be worth $50, 900.
GLOW is your son Jack getting along
Mrs. Spriggins? Is he rising in the
world?'
'Risinge Well, l guess he isl said
the old lady. ''Why, he began last yeal
as a chiropodist, and now he's a barber.
| Uarper'S Bazaar