Gilpin observer., 1899-08-17
WASHINGTON NEWS.

Acting First Assistant Postmaster
General Allen has directed the post
master at Denver to reject all bids for
furnishing horses and carts for use of
collectors in the postoffice on one year
basis and to call for new bids on a
four-year basis.
Mall reports received at the Navy De.
partment show that Admiral Watson
is using every means to break up the
lnsurgent traffic between the islands
of the Philippine group. Thirteen ma
tive schooners We're destroyed by a
gunboat during June.
Five battleships will probably be
added to the effective force of the navy
by next spring. Reports from naval
constructors, supervising the work,
show that the Kearsarge, Kentucky,
Illinois, Alabama and Wisconsin will
have completed their official trials ear
ly next year.
The Navy Department has practi-
cally decided to send the cruiser Olym-
pia, upon her arrival home, to the Bos-
ton navy yard for repairs. 1t is under
stood to be the intention to give the
vessel a thorough overhauling and to
modernize her. 1t is probable the flag
quarters will be removed so that Ad-
miral Dewey will be the last flag of
ticer to fly his 'tag on board her:
The State Department has received
from Governor Foster of Louisiana
certified copies or the naturalization
: papers taken out by Frank. Charles
and Joe Difata, three. of the men
lyfched. at ',raf1lsfnlf, and. claimed by
the Italian authorities to be Italian
citizens Governor Fosters final re-
port on the circumstances, of the
lynching have not yet been received.
The report of the. SAMOAN commits
sion has been received at tile State' De-
pnrtment 1t is a.'voluninous document
and until there has been opportunity
for the officials TO go over it. details
will not be made public. Its essential
features are well known, however. and
include the abolition Of tho kingsliip
and the substitution of an administra-
tor or governor general agreed upon by
the three powers and the adoption of
certain measures of local government
among the natives.
Although it has not been definitely
decided to call out more volunteers
there is every. indication that such a
course is likely. The War Department
is preparing lists of officers of the reg
ular army who have been successful as
field officers. Secretary Root has tele-
graphed governors of states asking
them to name officers of volunteers
who had been neglected, and stating
that it was desirable to create IL re-
serve list from which appointments
could be made to fill vacancies.
The committee appointed by the COM
mander of the Grand Army of the Re
public to investigate Pension Commits
sioner Evans and report to the ap-
preaching q. A. II. encampment ut
Philadelphia, has completed its report.
The committee eXonerates Commission
er Evans from the charges preferred
against him and will report that the
pension office is being honestly and
conscientiously administered. The re-
port will say that the cOmmotion that
exists is largely traceable to popu-
lar misconstruction of some of the
pension laws.
Naval Constructor IIobson has been
heard from by the Navy Department
for the first time mt any length since
he was given charge of the Spanish
ships raised from Manila harbor and
now undergoing repairs Mt Hong
Kong. He enlarges on the need of IL
large dOckyard in the Orient. the in
Ni'h"ihS1 ShiDlhhS tllt
prospect that Manila will succeed
Hong Kong as the emporium of the
East. He also says the three Spanish
ships which are completed, Isla de Gu
ba. Isla de Luzon and Don Juan de
Austria will he worth to the govern
ment about S610.O00, and he contem-
plates trying to raise three, more, in
cluding the Ulloa and Nelasco.
The schedule of the army transports
for raising the force in the Philippines
to 10000 men has been completed and
will he delivered to Secretary Root to-
day. 1t shows that If additional steam
crs are chartered about $4,000 soldiers
can he sent across the Pacific to reach
Manila by the end of November. The
remaining 1000 which ii is proposed
to send to General Otis. If he needs
them. will be sent by way of the SueZ
canal. The latter route consumes
nearly two months and If the War De
partment is compelled to wait until the
renovation of the Atlantic transports.
Thomas and Logan, is finished, troops
on those vessels cannot reach Manila
before January /.
The State Department has received
n dispatch from San Francisco an
nouncing the arrival of the American
and German members of the Samoan
commission. They will come to Wash
ington for a conference with the of
iicials, bringing their report and the
draft of the treaty which II Is proposed
to substitute for the treaty of Berlin.
Chief Justice Chambers has written
that he may put off his visit here until
September. According to the view TAX
on at the state Department, the ac-
tion of the commission. 30 far as 1t
changes the Berlin treaty Is merely
nd referendum and does not become
effective until formally approved by
the three governments, and In this
country ratified by the Senate.
Secretary Root has under consldera-