The National tribune., 1899-11-09
CHAT OF THE CORRIDORS.

Washington has another Rear-Admiral
added to her permanent residents. Capt.
Nicoll Ludlow wAs retired last week with
that rank. He is a brother OF Gen. Lud
low, and a prospective brother-in-law to
Admiral Dewey, having married a sister
of Mrs. Hazen about year ago. He made
a good record i'll the rebellion, and COM
manded a monitor and the batteship Massa-
chusetts during the Spanish war.
&*s
George Bartle, one of the oldest clerks in
the civil service, and the keeper of the
great seal of the United States, died Sun
| day, Oct. %. He was born in Alexandria,
and appointed in the State Department by
Secretary James Buchanan during Folks
Administration, "a years ago.
The largest accounting office of the Gov
ernment, and perhaps of the world, is that
presided over by our good Comrade Capt.
Henry A. Castle, Past Commander of the
Department of Minnesota, GAR. 1t was
formerly called the Sixth Auditors Office,
but is now termed the Auditor of the Treas
| ury for the Post Office Department, and has
charge of all the postal revenues and ex-
pendltures. Auditor Castles report for the
past fiscal year shows a volume Of trans
actions aggregating about S640,00O,O00.
The revenues were sos, ,021 1854; expendi-
| ttiItS. oiol Noiu1lle OI Otutt
transactions, S4i2, 2,4S3,354 There has
been an increase in each of these items and
| in each one of the various subdivisions
thereof. The deficit in revenues was
1O,116-the smallest since 1892, and
only one-half that of 1897
The number OF postoffices in the United
States on June 80 was 74,3S4, and 27,627 of
| these were doing money order business.
| The money order service was conducted
last year at loss of considerably over
100000.
##*
1t is said to be practically settled that
eX-Gov. Fifer. of Illinois. will be appointed
| Interstate Commerce Commissioner to
succeed W. J. Calhoun. who has resigned
! to practice law in Chicago. Gov. F'ifer
IS unanimously backed by Illinois for the
place, and as Mr.. Calhoun is from that
State. 1t is believed that his successor will
| also be from there. The appointment is
held up. 1t Is said, by request of Pacific
| Coast republicans. They say that they
ought to have the place because of lack of
representation on the Commission and be-
cause of varied interests. They have not
presented a candidate, but intend to do so
and viii unite on a man.
The various officials interested have de-
cided that the Pacific cable shall consist of
four links; viz, from San Francisco to
Hawaii, 2,12O miles; from Hawaii to Wake
Guam, .293 miles; from Guam TO Manila
l,3oO miles. These landing points are all
within the control Of the United States, our
flag having been raised on Wake Island.
1t is roughly estimated that the stretch TO
Manila will cost about SS,50G,COD. At
present the Government messages cost
S2.25 a word, or only a small reduction from
the regular rate of $40 Il word. The
special rate on pressing messages runs as
| high as $40 word.
The Ordnance people are in high spirits
| over their mastery of the new terrible cx
| ploSIye, thOrlte. the composition and manu-
facture of which rs theirsecret. Their tests
have shown that 1t can not be ignited by
| fire, as it can be heated over a fire, and will
not explode when a lighted cigar or a hot
iron is put into it. The shock of discharge
rs also without effect on it, and the tests
demonstrated to the Ordnance experts that
absolutely no danger attended the loading
of guns with thorite, whereas other ex-
plOSiveS. such as gun-GOttOn, are handled
at the risk of life. Difficulty was expert
enced in finding time-fuse which would
set off the thorite at the proper time, but the
experts have now overcome that point
The uses to be made of .horite are mainly
as the bursting charge of large prOjectilcs.
Its destructiyeneSs is said 10 be very great.
and quite equal tO gun-cotton. 1t is not
expected that it will be used as a suhsti-
tute for gunpowder in snall-arm ammuni-
ton, or with Shrapnel, as it seems best
adapted to give terrific effect to the bursting
Of a large projectile. It's manufacture on
large scale Will he commenced at once at
Sandy Hook.