Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-04-15
PEACE PROCLAIM ALTON.
About Canned Beef The New War
Ships Other Notes.

Washington. April 10. President Nc
kinney will this week issue a procla-
nation notifying the world officially that
Spain and the United States are at peace.
The treaty signed by the Que n Regent
Of Spain is already n Washington and
the French Ambassador, acting for Spain,
will arrange Tor the ceremony Of excbang-
ing the treaty. This ceremony will, UNI
less present plans are changed take place
in the White House. 1t will be interest
ing. but brief. The copy Of the treaty
ratified by the T. S. Senate, will be hand
ed to the French Ambassador. as the
repre- sentative Of Span The payment
of the $40 10000 called for by the treaty
will speedily follow, but it is not likely
that the French Ambassador will have
anything to do with that Being bust
ness matter, it will probably be settled by
the notification to the government Of
Spain that i 5 accredited agent can col
lect the money at some European bank,
in which it will be deposited by this gov
eminent
So much time has been taken up by
witnesses whose testimonies have been
practically the same, that the Military
Court OF Inquiry has announced that it
will hta no more witnesses except those
who have something new to offer. Gen.
Shafter has reached Washington in ODE
dence to a summons, and will be heard
this week. Gen. Miles may also be heard
again. There are all sorts OF rumors as
to the report that the court will make, but
none OF them have any more substantial
basis than guesses based upon the evil
dence as a whole. The guess most Ike
ly to prove true is that the report will rec
ommend that the purchase Of canned
roast beef for the Army should be
stopped. The evidence against its unfit
ness for food is overwhelming. 1t has
not been proven that the refrigerated beef
issued to the Army was chemically treat
ed, although it has been shown that 1t is
a common practice for fresh meats to be
so treated and sold in the markets of the
country.
Ever since the bill authorizing twelve
new warships became a law, there has
been a good-natured but spirited rivalry
among the friends of various states and
cities, to give their names to the new
ships. The law provides that battleships
and armored cruisers shall be named
after states, and cruisers after cities. At
ter consulting with Secretary Long, Pres
ident Mckinley announced the following
as the names chosen: For battleships -
Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Georgia.
for armored cruisers-West Virginia. Ne
braska, and California; for cruisers-Den-
yer, DesMoines, Chattanooga, Galveston,
Tacoma and Cleveland.
Here is an official communication re-
ceived by the Department Of State from
the L. S. Minister to Venezuela, which
should be carefully read by those who
grumbe about the expense of keeping u.
S warships in foreign waters. 1t relates
to the recent visit of the u. S. S. Will
mington to the ports on the northern
coast of Venezuela. THE splendid con-
dition and appearance of the men and the
boat, writes the Minister, never failed
to call forth praise from those who saw
them. AS a result of the trip, think it
will be found that American prestige has
been substantially augmented, and the
idea of American power and resources,
vitalized by the war, enormously deep
ened and wdened. Practical results are
coming, too, in the way Of increased COM
merce with the United States, and if our
merchants and manufacturers will take
of the favorable conditions
that have been created for them, they
ought to profit very largely"
President Mckinley is leaving nothing
undone that he thinks will maintain or
add to the existing good feeling be ween
the North and the South His latest act
in that line was to accept an invitation to
attend an encampment and reunion of
ex-Confederates under the control of the
Daughters of the Confederacy, to be held
at Falls Church, Va, June 7 and 8, and
to deliver an address.
The VIII te House has two handsome
new and permanent ornaments in the
shape of pair of magnificent sevres china
vases, made by order of the late Presi- !
dent Faure, of France, expressly to be
presented to the American people and
as souvenirs of the opening
of the new Franco American cable over
which President Mckinley and President
Faure exchanged the first messages. |
The presentation was made by Ambas "a
dor Cambon to President Mckinley, in
the blue room of the White House, where
the vases are to remain. In President
address, accepting them, he
said: In the name of my countrymen
accept the gift YOU offer. Those beaut-
full vases. typical of one of the most cele-
brated arts Of France, will remain in the
Nations care as an evidence of the friend
~ sentiments of the French government
and people towards the United States,
and as a token of the auSDiciOuS event
they were designed to commemorate. "
The vases and pedestals are about six
feet high, and nothing handsomer of the
kind has ever been seen in Washington.