The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-18
MEETING OF THE C0NSULS
CALLED BY ADMIRAL KAUTZ FOR
DISCUSSION OF SITUATION.
Physical Examina lions of Schley and
Sampson-Indianian mt Homo
lulu Ordered to Return.

date to have a full and free discussion or
Samoan affairs. The cable dispatch Is
dated a week ago, so that this meeting UNI
doubtedly already has taken place and the
admirars next report may be expected TO
tell the results of the conference. 1t is be-
| leved here that the presence of the adj
miral on his flagship, the Philadelphia, Will
serve to restrain the natives, as well as the
more exctable element of the foreign COM
| munity from any further outbreaks pending
the ultimate decision of the three treaty
| powers as to the future of the islands.
The German gunboat Fake is to leave
Apia Samoa, owing, it is said to the ad-
vance of the season when the harbor OF
| Apia is unprotected against severe tropical
| storms. While no international significance
| is said to be attached 10 the move. yet II is
| felt that it will give further evidence of the
| improved relations existing with Germany
and the purpose of the German authorities
| to avoid the occasion for friction In Samoa.
| Neither the British nor German embassies
| has received word of renewed trouble at
| Apia 1t is felt in both quarters that the
| governments will have little difficulty In
| reaching adjustment, and that the Danger
| lies in the possibility of preciptous action
| by officials at this far off point. The with
uTdNdl VI Tic It dihC, IL 10 SotiN, WIN ANAAO'>
| an element of possible menace, as 1T reduces
| to that extent the armed force supporting
| the several elements.
| To correct a misstatement that has been
published respecting the action of the Navy
| Department in ordering the physical and
| professional examinations of Rear Admirals
| Sampson and Schley, the following state
| ment was made public by the Navy Depar-
ment to-day:
Section 1893 of the Revised Statutes pro-
/ vides that no officer shall be promoted TO
higher grade on the active list OF tne
| navy until he has been examined by poaru
| of naval surgeons and pronounced physical-
| ly qualified 10 perform all his duties at sea-
! except when physical qualification was oc-
| casione by wounds received In the line OF
| duty. On March 10 the department. wrote an
| order to Admiral Sampson, who Is at sea
| i'm command of the North Atlantic meet
| directing him to be physically examined In
| accordance with this statute. and on the
| same day sent an order to Admiral Schley
| who is in Washington, TO report at the
| navy yard for the same examination. Both
| these examinations are simply physical ex-
| aminations ordered in the regular routine
| way, in compliance with the statute ana
| have no relation TO the Sampson-Schley con-
| troversy. The mental, moral ana profess
| sional examinations OF all the oI1lcers OF
| flag rank. including both Admirals Samp-
SON and Schley, will be conducted IN he e S5
| appointed by the department. and composed
| Of Admirals McNair Howell and Howison,
| the two former being at the head OF the
| list Of rear admirals. and the third senior
| to both sampson and Schley.
] An interesting complication has arisen in
| connection with the failure of the First
| National Bank of Cordele, GA. On receipt
| of notice a few days ago that the bank was
| insoIvent Mr.. Dawes, the controller of the
| currency. Immediately appointed w. II. S.
/ for
that district. as receiver of the failed bank.
| Being detained at Asheville, n. c., on ac-
| count of business before the United States
| Court there, Mr.. Burgwin did not reach
| Cordele until some days later In the mean
| time Judge Emory Speer, OF the United
| States Circuit Court, on the application OF
| creditor of the bank, appointed a man
| named Harris as receiver, who now refuses
| to turn over to Mr.. Burgwin the effects or
| the bank in his possession. 1t is expected,
however, that Judge Speer viii depose ms
| ceiver This is said to be the first instance
| of the kind on record.
Secretary Long to-day cabled orders to
| Captain Todd, of the gunboat Wilmington,
| now at Para. Brazil, TO go up the river
| Amazon as far as the vessel can proceed,
| probably about / 500 miles, make a thorough
| study of this comparatively unknown coun-
| try and gather specimens OF the fauna for
| the OHlleu 1huSSuh iiCiS.
The Treasury Department has begun the
| settlement of claims against the govern
| ment for which appropriation was made in
| the omnibus claims bill passed at the last
| session of Congress. Warrants aggregating
| about $4,000 already have been issued to
| the beneficiarieS and 1t is expected that the
| whole amount carried by the act, approx
| mately $1,000 900, including the French spoil
| iation claims, will be liquidated within
/ the axt
There is more gold in possession Of the
| treasury and official banks now than at any
time for many years. The total gold held by
| the treasury three years ago to-day was
| S127. 900 co., The total to-day is more than
| s241, 600 OO0 The total gold held by the ma
| tional banks on May Z. 1896. was 37771, 800.
| These banks held. on the date of the last
call Feb A. 1899. 1921 .915. 196. This shows an
| increase of s114. 10000 in the gold held by
| the treasury and $164. 100000 in that held by
| the national banks. 1t is assumed that the
| amount of gold held by private banks has
| increase in IL. same proportion, though no
| accurate statistics can be obtained. There is
also considerable gold in general circulation.
| as the government for some time. has been
| paying out gold very freely, SO as TO relieve
as far as possible the demand for paper cur
| rency.
The President has appointed Hugh r.
Belknap of Chicago: Brandon d. Slaugh-
1
| bold of the District of Columbia, TO be adj
| ditional paymasters in the army. Mr..
| Belknap has served two terms in Congress
| and is the son of the late General Belknap.
| eX-secretary of war. Captain Newbold Is
| well known here. He entered the regular
| army as a lieutenant at the breaking out of
| the civil war and was advanced for gallant
| and meritoriouS service in action. He re-
| signed from the army in 1867.
| General Greedy. Of the signal corps, is
just now trying to solve the problem of how
| to manage the telegraph system Of Cuba
| and Porto Rico, which is in the hands of
five hundred volunteers. with three hundred
| regulars who do not know anything about
| telegraphing and little about the manage
| ment of telegraph lines. The general has
| been trying and. with some success. to have
| the volunteers enlist in the regular army
| and be detailed to the signal corps for the
| purpose of working the telegraph lines and
| managing the different stations and offices.
| The Nineteenth Signal Corps Company has
| recently been organized at Manila and Is
| composed OF sixty men who have been serv-
ing in the volunteers in the Philippines. This
| corps insures good working force for the
| signal corps In the far East.
The announcement was made at the Post
| office Department that no more fourth-class
postmasters would be appointed until the
! return OF Fourth Assistant Postmaster Gen.