Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-05-06
FROM WASHINGTON.
ro,rrsspondence Of the Alexandria Gazette
WASHINGTON. May 6.

The Senate committee on finance to.
day resumed consideration of the reve-
nue. bill. The democrats had prepared
some of the amendments they will otter
and these with other questions were
taxed up for consideration. 1t seems
to be the prevalent impression that the
bond feature of the new war tax bill
will not be reported favorably, but that
Congressman Yost'5 amendment to tax
the seats in sleeping cars will be.
The House committee on judiciary
has decided to report fsvorably the bill
authorizing attorneys and marshals to
continue the discharge OF their ofhcial
duties until their successors are appoint
ed and qualified unless sooner removed
by the President, and directing the
courts to fill vacancies that may occur,
pending appointment by the President:
With the best disposition in the world
to meet the wishes OF the many young
men who are coming forward to serve
in the navy Secretary Long has been
obliged to make an announcement that
ne will not be able to do so.
There is a pronounced sentiment
among some of the Congressman in ia
yor of leaving the majority of the brig
adler generalships vacant for a time
and filing them later by the promotion
of officers who distinguish them
selves in action. This idea has been
suggested to the President and finds ia
vor with number of the officers of the
army.
The fifth day since the battle OF Ma
Mia opened without bringing the slight
est trace of news of that engagement
from any official source to the Navy
Department. The State Department
was in equal ignorance. There is a
dawning suspicion that Commodore
Dewey was not able to subdue the forts
at Corregidor Island and the defenses OF
Manila proper Immediately. From the
meager reports received from Manila
before the interruption of cable COM
munication it was not made quite clear
hat the Spanish forts at Cavite were
forced to surrender Immediately sue
ceeding the naval engagement. If that
were the case, Commodore Dewey
would be under the necessity of de-
s.royng or capturing them afterwards
in order to ensure the safety OF his own
fleet. Likewise it would be necessary
to silence the Corregidor guns in order
to avoid being bottled up in the harbor'
The seizure of the French liner La.
fayette by the gunboat Annapolis
caused q distinct sensation In official
and diplomatic circles here, as it was
believed 20 involve the possibility OF
more serious foreign complications than
mad srisen thus far. The officials OF
the State Department aud of the French
embassy received the news OF the cap.
ture from the Associated Press dis.
patches and in both quarters it was
given grave attention. In the State
! Department it was taken as torerun-
ner of q number of cases of like
character to follow, for this was the
experience of the United States block
aiding forces during the civil war. Many
times during the progress of that war
the country was on the verge OF a
breech of diplomatic relations with
some of the European nations because
of the seizure Of blockade runners.
At the French embassy the ambassador
mad intended to go to New York to-
iay, but hearing Of the taking Of
the lafayette, he determined to
remain here to look after such
questions as were likely to arise
1t is sad that France will lodge
protest with the State Department
Immediately upon the receipt OF official
information of the seizure. This is ex-
pected to come almost momentarily
probably from the captain Of the Lafay-
cite, as soon as he arrives at Key
West, or else from N. Bocande, gen.
eral agent OF the French Transatlantic
Company at New York. The view is
entertained in French quarters that the
State Department will promptly direct
the release the Lafayette, owing to GER
tain circumstances in her case. The
embassy was advised eight days ago
tina. the Lafayette was on her way to
this side, and accordingly notice was
sent to the State Department that this
French merchantmen might expect to
reach Havana about this time. No an
swer was received from the State De
partment, but after giving this notice
| the French authorities took it for
granted that the Lafayette would be
allowed to proceed on her voyage with
out molestation. The French think
that the Lafayette has been detained
through a misrepresentation and that
her release will follow speedily.
In other diplomatic quarters it is felt
| that al insistance by the French gov
eminent that the Lafayette be released
might involvs serious consequences, as
the French government always has
been very insistent upon the protection
of it's merchant vessels. And the popu-
lar sentiment in France is such in the
present war that the government might
be impelled to strict upholding OF
what it believed to be the rights of its
merchant ships.
1t is reported here that the successor
of Cadet M. NJ. Greene, from the Sth
Virginia district, at the Annapolis
Naval Academy will be appointed upon
the result of competitive examiua.
ZION, to which applicants from every
county in the district will be admitted.
1t Is currently reported here that
WI en- Colonel John S. Mosby offered
b is services to the COMMANDMENT. Chief
of the army General Miles advised him
by letter to obtain political backing,
and that the Colonel replied that he
had no such backing, and that the only
sort he did have was his own public
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