The silver lance., 1899-09-15


lands in whole or in part, for period
Of five years, beginning April 1 next.
1t is said that General Miles has in
formed Secretary Root that the first
nine general officers in the army reg
lister, including himself Merritt,
Brooke, Anderson and Merriam should
60 at once to Manila. The secretary
may adopt the plan with Miles IN
command, Merritt in charge OF the neiu
and Brooke as governor OF Manila.
General Corbin says that the war de-
partment has discontinued the re-
cruiting of colored soldiers at Fort
Mcpherson and vicinity for the reason
that every one of the cOlored regiments
in the regular service is full, and SO
far no orders have been given for
the formation of any colored volun-
teer regiments. The race question, he
says, has nothing to do with the stop
page of recruiting at Fort Mcpherson.
The postmaster general has ordered
that every postoffice in the United
States shall note the number of pieces
and character of mail matter handled
by 1t between October 3 and November
6. The execution of this order in
wolves an immense amount of labor;
and Is to be done in order that an ac-
curate table of statistics may be pre-
pared. This is the first time in twenty
years that such an order has been is
sued. it is said.
The Navy Department has sent or
ders to the cruiser Detroit, which has
Just arrived at Philadelphia from New
York, to proceed at once to La Guayra,
Venezuela. She will coal and start
on the voyage in the course of two or
three days. The Detroit should make
the run to La Guayra inside of ten
days. The occasion for her presence
at La Guayra is a report to the State
Department that there are signs of
great unrest and excitement in the in
terror of Venezuela. and that the pres
ence of an American warship might
have good effect in maintaining the
confidence of resident Americans and
other foreigners in their safety.
Mr. Kasson, the special reciprocity
commissioner, received from Minister
Buchanan upon his return to the
United States reciprocity agreement
with the Argentine Republic under
which hides. dye woods and other
products of that nation will be ad-
mitted into the United States Mt re-
duced duty in exchange for conces-
sions in favor of our manufactured
goods especially agricultural machin-
H.
tober the reciprocity agreements with
Italy. Belgium and Holland. He says
the reciprocity treaty with Portugal,
ratified by that government, must be
revised because of clerical error
which gives the duties imposed upon
Portuguese products at a lower rate
than that agreed upon.
Acting Secretary Allen has issued an
| order making important changes in
| the navy yard apprentice system.
| Heretofore there has been no rule for
| the appointment and education OF the
| apprentices. Now commandants at
| navy yards are instructed to receive
applications from likely candidates,
| hold examinations and make up lists
| of eligibles from which appointments
| will be made. The examinations will
not be severe except physically. the re-
| quirements being ability to read and
write and knowledge of arithmetic up
| to decimals. Candidates must be be-
tween the ages of Is and II years.
| Once appointed, the boys will be thor
| oughly instructed in their trades ana
| examined from time to time for pro-
motion. 1t is hoped in this manner to
| cure the ills Of the present apprentice
| system.
The correspondent of a Chicago paper
says: The Cabinet at its meeting Tues
| day decided to suspend negotiations
1 with the insurgents through the Philip
| pine Commission and the commission
| will be quickly dissolved. The President
| and his cabinet advisers have reached
| the conclusion that it is impOlitic and
unwise to maintain the commission
and attempt TIC negotiate with the in
surgents for surrender. An aggressive
l In. inf
ments have been provided for General
| Otis and the army prepared to deal
crushing blows. The military men Of
the service will be given full sway.
Colonel DENLY and Professor WOr-
cester. the two civilian members of the
commission now in the Philippines, will
be promptly ordered home and the in
surgents notified that any communica-
tions they may have to make In the d.
rection of surrender must be addressed
| to General Otis.
The War Department has made pub
lie statement of the trade between
| the United States and all of her colo
MES under military control, and with
Cuba, as well. for the seven months of
1899, ending July 81. making cOmpar-
ison with the year 1898. The exports
from the United States to Cuba for the
seven months were S14, ,116.993 in 1899
against 81. 4.4S5. .937 in 1885, The i'm
ports to the United States from Cuba
for the same period We're $19.976,9 ,956 in
1899 against S12.474.77O in 1898. The
exports from the United States to POr-
to Rico for the seven months were $2,-
299, POI In 1899 against 1869, ,11O in 1898.
Imports into the United States from
Porto Rico during the same time were
$3,379,994 in 1909 against 50, 800
in 1898 The exports from the United
States to the Philippine Islands from
January 1 to July 81 were 1886, 100 in
1890, against $65,736 in 1893. The i'm
ports into the United States from the
Philippines for the same period were
$3,274. 143 in 1899 against S2.2S3.775 in
1898.