Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-04-07
WASHINGTON NOTES.
Items OF INTEREST FROM THE CAPT.
tai OF THE NATION.

Many Propositions for Raising the sunlSen
Maine-This Country Leads All in the
Export Trade-The German Government
Increasing Its Consular Agents.
More than 360 propositions have been
submitted to the secretary of the navy
for raising the batteship Maine, which
was blown up in Havana harbOr Feb. 10,
1898. These offers come FROM various
sources, many of which are reliable
firms, who present comprehensive plans
for the salvage of the ship. Others come
from individuals who do not know the
difference between one part of ship and
another; railroad men, house-bulders,
theatrical spectators, and in general
from persons who have no facilities for
doing the work and are without any
clearly defined plan for its execution.
The propositions in the aforementioned
cases have been given careful and
thorough consideration by the secretary
of the navy, and have been filed away
for future action. They almost invari
ably stpulate that a certain amount of
money be paid by the government in any
event, and in most instances demand the
advance of certain sums for the COM
mencement of the Job, and more at GER
tain periods as the work advances.
Nothing has been or can be done by the
'departmentunt congress akes provision
for the expense. Department officials are
not much interested in the scheme looking
to the salvage of the Maine, as they claim
that should she be raised she could not be
pnadp nf "a tO tho and xpnuld
certainly involve great expense to the
government. 1t is said also that if sue
cess were met with in raising and repair
ing her she would always be known as a
"hoodoo," and that sailors would be so
superstitious they would not go to sea in
her. Taking all this into consideration,
it is believed by the naval authorities
that the most practical scheme is to blow
her up and remove the Debris, which is
serious obstruction to navigation.
Japan is the only country whose for
eign commerce has increased more rapid
ly than that of the United States. Ten
years ago three nations-Grc Britain,
France and Germanv-surpassed us in
the volume of their export trade. Since
then the United States has climbed from
the fourth to the first place. and leads
The world. During that period the ex-
ports of Japan have increased G3l per
cent; those of the United States. u per
cent Netherlands. 80 per cent: China. 49,
per cent; Germany. Is ) France, 10 per
cent: British Australasia. 9 Q per cent, and
Belgium, a. per cent. The exports of
the united kingdom have fallen off ii
per cent, those of Russia, s per cent.
and those of British India, ) per cent.
ON the other hand. the United States had
2 very small increase in import trade.
because we have been able to supply our
own market faster than the growth of
our population. We import only per
cent more goods than we did ten years
ago. In imports Japan leads again,
showing an increase of l2l per cent in
the last ten years. Russia'> imports have
increased u / per cent; the Netherlands,
- per cent; Great Britain. 10 3 per cent ::
Germany, los per cent, and China, IS
per cent The imports of France have
fallen oil p r cent; those of British
India, II per cent. and those of British
Australasia. per cent.
The German government. approaching
the value Of reliable information on for
eign al hrs for its subjects. has decided
TO extend its consular and diplomatic
service by the appointment of experts in
Agriculture forestry, manufactures and
commerce Additional. secretaries are to
be appointed TO the embassy at Washing
ton for the purpose of reporting upon
our manufacturing interests. new inven-
lions and methods and other matters of
value to the mechanical Industries of the
German people. Agricultural and com.
mercia attaches are to be sent to Mexico
and Pekin and commercial experts will
be stationed al several of the prominent
cities in South America, in addition to
the consular representatives. for the pur-
pose of reporting information Of value to
the export trade. Capt Mason. our con-
sul-general to Berlin, reports that the
commercial vigilance of the German for
eign office has already been of the great
est value to the people of that empire,
and its effect upon the foreign trade is
becoming more and more apparent.
1t appears from an official report Just
made to the war department that the
Grade of Havana is reviving and the in
dications are that Cuba will soon enjoy
another era of prosperity. During the
month of February last l,G77 $50 pounds
of tobacco in BASS bales were exported
from Havana. 1914, 400 cigars, loo, 405
packages of cigarettes, G2,37s pounds of
cut tobacco and S9lG pounds of leaf TO.
bacco. Nearly all this trade was with
the United States. In addition to the
tobacco ll,9l3.sG4 pounds of other mer-
chandise, chiefly sugar, pneapples and
preserved fruits, was also exported. The
report also shows that during the month
1913 passengers arrived from the United
States, $50 from Spain and $40 from
other countries, total of 30l2 while