Gilpin observer., 1899-05-11
WASHINGTON GOSSIP
AND DEPARTMENT NEWS.


the adoption of scheme for the settle
ment of international disputes by ar
D1tratiOn which will be presented to
the disarmament conference at its
meeting at The Hague on the 10Th of
the present month. The American
delegates, headed by Ambassador
Cuba has been provided with a new
nag by the United States government.
1t Is designed for Cuban-owned YES
sells engaged in the cOastwise trade. 1t
is not desired to give these vessels
the right to use the American flag, as
that would be n step in the direction
or annexation, nor is it deemed ad-
v1sable to allow the use of the flag of
the Cuban revolution.
An order has been made by the
Navy Department for the immediate
dispatch of the converted yacht Vixen
to Bluefields. Nicaragua. The Vixen is
now at Norfolk fitting out for cruize
to the Philippines via the Suez canal.
1t is said at the Navy Department that
no advices of late date have been re-
ceived from Bluefields tending to show
the existence of n crisis there.
1t has developed after the Presidents s
return from Philadelphia, that 1t had
been decided to permit Captain Cogh-
Ian to retain his command of the
Raleigh. Before the President left for
Philadelphia it was determined to re-
move the captain after the Presidents
visit, and the inference now drawn is
that in his interview with the chief
executive the gallant captain present
ed his case in a new light that war
ranted more lenient treatment.
The President has committed to three
years the life sentence of Clyde
Remington. convicted in California, in
1898, of robbing the United States
mails. This communication is granted in
consideration of the valuable aid rem
dered the government by the prisoner
in the prosecution of his colleagues. In
the case of Ellsworth p. Defrance. con-
victed in Nebraska in 1893 for high
way robbery of mail messenger and
sentenced for life, the President has
commuted the sentence to fifteen years.
Postmaster General Smith has made
Il ruling that the sign ~. s." or other
sign indicating the carriage of the
mails must be carried only by such
cars on street railway lines as actually
at the time are transporting the mails
Ihis decision is in responce to re-
quecS rom the Amalgamated Associa-
tion of Street Railway Employees. who,
IN convention in Louisville, Wednes-
day, telegraphed President Mckinley
a protest against the indiscriminate
use of these signs by street car lines
with the apparent design of intimidat-
ing employees.
The government has been notified
that the Spanish government will sell
at public auction, at Havana, the float
ing dry dock of steel, which was there
when the peace protocol was signeda
Recently the Navy Department bid
S2SO,OOO for the dock, but the Spanish
government believed that more money
could be secured if they offered it for
sale at public auction. Only two pri-
vate concerns are known to be con-
templating bidding. One of these is
the Simpson Dry Dock Company of
Philadelphia and the other is New
York firm. 1t is not likely that the
Navy Department will bid.
1t is said by friends of President
Mckinley that he is becoming as much
or an inveterate smoker as was Gen
eral Grant. and that his present ner-
vous condition is due to over-induI-
gence in tobacco. A partial excuse is
round on the ground that almost
every officer who has returned from
CUBA or Porto Rico or the Philippines
has brought the President bcx or
two of cigars. They have been of the
finest tobacco procurable and have
proved temptation that could not be
The President declares
also that smoking gives him relief
from neuralgia. from which he has
been suffering recently.
Secretary Long cabled to Admiral
Dewey Tuesday that Rear admiral
watson had been given orders to re-
port to him and TO succeed him in
command of the Asiatic station when
he determined to return. He was di-
rected to come home on board his flag
ship, the Olympia. This completes the
departments action in the matter. Re
fore his departure from San Francisco
next Tuesday Rear Admiral Watson is
expected to nominate the officers whom
he desires to serve as his flag lieuten-
ants ana nag secretary during his
cruise. The advisability of welcoming
the olympia with the entire North At
lantlc squadron Is one of the proposi-
lions now being mooted, and 1t Is like
~ that the necessary official orders will
DE issued after the Olympia leaves Gil
braltar.
White, are equipped with n fairly we'll
plan for the execution of
this long-cherished project. while the
British delegates are prepared with n
plan which Is almost identical with the
American project. The details cannot
be procured for publication In advance
of the presentation of the projects 10
the conference. The American dele
gates go committed to this arbitration
project much more strongly than to
likely to figure before the
conference. Regarding disarmament.
their instructions ere to tell the con.
ference that the present armament of
the United States and any within the
possibilities of the future, are so far be.
low the present minimum nrmaments