The San Francisco call., 1899-05-08

/ most entirely reconstructed and modern
! lied The ship is to have new boilers and
! new armament of six-inch quick firers
The British cruiser Powerful made a
! good run from Hongkong to Manila on
March and s. averaging twenty knots
for the trip. The machinery is said to
have worked satisfactorily without theA
slightest hitch.
Russian dockyards differ from those Of
other naval powers in that they are eth
er construction yards or fitting-out naval
depots A vessel built at one yard has
to be taken to another to receive her
armament equipment, stores and other
outf1t-a plan that has nothing to COM
mend it's adoption in any other navy.
Seven vessels built abroad for the Jap
anese navy are scheduled to arrive at
Yokohama on the following dates: Chi
tose. built at San Francisco. to arrive
April II; Kasagi, from Cramps yard,
June II; torpedo boat destroyers Shino-
nome, April II; MurakurnO, April 16;
Ikazuchi, June 4; Yugiri July IA, and
cruiser Asama. built at Elswick. on
June IT, The torpedo boat destroyers
were all built by Yarrow.
Lord Charles Beresford told good
story in the House of Lords during the
recent debate on the navy. He wanted to
know how long the survey of Wei-Hai-
Wei would take, and if, when the results
of that survey were sent home to the
Committee on Defense, the works would
at once be put in hand. Continuing, he
said: "When l was out there the Ger
man admiral made very curious remark
to me. He said: You English are the
most extraordinary people. There are
three ports taken from China. One is
Port Arthur. taken by the Russians; an
kl9OCh9lJ W
mans, and the third is Wei-Hai-Wei, TAX
en- by the British The Russians are
working with great activity in fOrtifyingA
their port; the Germans are employer
with great industry in making a parade
ground, and the English are employed
with great industry in making a cricket
ground. " The House appreciated the
satire and laughed heartily.
The contention made by Admiral Dewey
that the Spanish forces We're superior to
the American fleet at the battle of Manila
Bay increases the claim for bounty from
$1S7 900 to 1914 900 to be divided among 1893
officers and crew. If the court of claims
decides that the American fleet is entitled
to this increase then the admiral will re-
ceive $1S,700. the seven commanding Off
GERS will divide $34 500 in sums ranging
from $4,000 to $500 and the enlisted men
will get about 800 each Rear Admiral
Sampsons share of bounty money for the
destruction of the Spanish fleet off San
tiago will, if allowed. give him about $50
000 It is the last time that bounty and
prize money will be awarded to the navy,
as Congress abolished this old-time sys-
tenn last March. As compared with the
prize money paid to victorious British
sailors during the wars of 1794-1S07 our
sailors have done well, for in ten bloody
and hotly contested naval fights the Brit
ish blueiacket got as little as 50 in prize
money for the battle Of June %, 1895: the
battle of Trafalgar netted $50 81, and the
battle before Copenhagen SIT to each en-
listed man.
The annual report of the Thames Iron
Works London, shows very gratifying
progress and results from It's adoption -
the eight hours work and the 'goodN
fellowship system, sO-called, extended
to the workmen in the establishment
Prior to 1894 the firm experienced great
difficulties with its employees. There had
been a continued series of strikes UP to
that year, when the firm adopted eight
hours as a days work and allowed to
every man employed direct proportional
interest in the work he had in hand in the
shape of dividends. The following table
shows the wages paid and the workmen's
dividends during the past six years: