The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-08-31
THE oLIvETTE GOES DOWN

WASHINGTON, Aug. 81, 1S98.-There
was little life at the White House today.
With the President absent on his brief
vacation. most of his official household
there have left the city and save for the
work of attending to some unimportant
correspondence and official papers there
was no indication of the White House
being the headquarters of the President.
1t was likewise quiet at most of the
Executive departments. When the Presi-
dent went away it was the understanding
he would transact no official business,
save where prompt action was needed,
and he has kept to this rule, very little
mail having come from him since he left
the city.
Surgeon General Sternberg would not
discuss the statements made by Lieuten-
ant Coltenel Nicholas Sem regarding the
sanitary conditions at Camp Wikoff.
QuEdr%ermaster General Luddington said
no reports had reached him that the
water was bad or likely to become so:
The reports OF water first made showed
tlIat it was good The point that Sur
geon Sem makes is that it will soon be-
come infected with typhoid germs.
Colonel John Jacob Astor was at the
War Department today. He has been on
leave and will return to duty He says
he has no intention of resigning, but will
remain with the army until the war is
at an end and there will be no further
need of volunteer troops.
The 18th Pennsylvania and the First
Battalion of the Seventh .Ohio will leave
Camp Alger today for Middletown. Pa.
The other two Ohio Battalions will go
tomorrow. The destination of the First
New Jersey, First Connecticut and Third
Virginia has not been finally settled upon.
Strong pressure is being brought TO bear
to have the last two regiments mustered
out.
1t is thought the Third Virginia will be
ordered to Richmond, and the First Con
necticut to its home, both to be muster
ed out. Whether the First New Jersey
will be mustered out depends. upon the
recommendation of the Governor of New
Jersey. The report of the Court of In
quiry in the case OF the Third Virginia
Regiment, is hourly expected to be made
public, the delay being due to the absence
of Colonel Dudley the Judge Advocate of
the Second Army Corps.
Miss Barton probably will be obliged to
pay the duties and nnes imposed by the
Spanish officials of Havana upon the car
go of the relief ship Conlal If she de-
sires to secure the admission of the sup
plies to Havana and their distribution.
The information that reached our Gov
ernment as to the imposition of these
charges came from the British Consul at
Havana, who is charged with the care of
United States interests.
After consideration the officials here
have decided that until the United States
military commission, which is to arrange
for the evacuation of the Island of Cuba,
has discharged that duty the admins
fration of the Spanish laws by the
Spanish officials must be respected, and
so long as it appears that there is moth
ing unusual or unlawful in their action
they must be allowed to conduct the
custom house in their own way.
OF course it is hoped that the officials
will not take a narrow view of the condi-
tions which Miss Barton is trying to meet
but as already stated, unless further de-
tails change the. aspect of the case. there
Will be no interference on the part Of
our Government.
The sailing of the Seneca with the Por-
to Rican Commission aboard, from New
York, has been postponed until tomor-
row, owing to the necessity for supply
ing the ship with funds.