Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-04-04
At THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
important Postal Agreement With Canada
Wireless Telcsraphy. Other Topics.

Washington. April 5.-An arrange
ment has just been concluded between
the United States and Canada under
which all postal moneys sent between
this country and Canada will so at the
domestic rate of 3-lJ Of per cent. IN
stead Of the international rate Of J
per cent. as At present. This Conces-
sion is regarded as more important to
the money order business than any ac-
tion taken since the inception Of the
system. 1t Is expected that the radi-
cal reduction in the rate will treble the
business. The reduction is especially
important to business interests along
the border. 1t is probable that similar
arrangements will bc made with the
Philippines. Cuba and elsewhere.
Prof. Willis Moore. chief of the
weather bureau has returned from an
inspection Of the wireless teIegraphy
stations on the Virginia ard North
Carolina coasts and has reported 10
Secretary Wilson that he found the
work progressing satisfactorily be
tween Hatteras and cape Henry. Sig
nails are exchanging daily between
these two stations. A. miles apart and
messages can be transmitted at any
time. 1t is the intention to keep this
section for experimental and research
work, which will be prosecuted viSor-
ously next summer.
Commissioner of Internal Revenues
Yerkes has issued a comprehensive set
of regulations governing special taxes
of brokers. dealers. traders and taxes
ar tar cot ir,p pa pfr,- nj,
and of Schedule 4 of the new reve-
nue. reduction act of March >, 1901.
They hold broadly that a tax OF $50 per
annum is imposed on all persons and
associations doing what is known as a
bucket shop business. Regular brokers
and commercial brokers. paying taxes
as such, must also pay the bucket shop
tax where they have private wires to
their offices elsewhere and do busi-
ness in the nature of bucket shop.
Written memorandum must be deliv-
cd of all tranSa ctiOnS and containing a
certain specification of the agreement
TO which shall be affixed a stamp denot-
ing payment of a tax of cents on each
500 face value covered by the trans
action. Attention is specially called
to the fact that under Paragraph ..
Schedule A, a tax of 10 cents must be
paid on each memorandum of sales or
contract of any goods issued by brok-
ers. this provision being applicable
where the transaction evidenced is not
taxable under any other provision of
the law.
The presence of the French naval
cadets in American waters on board
the practice ship Duguay Trouin. is to
be the occasion for q pleasant cX-
change of international cou,tcsica. The
cadets will come to Washington some
time next week. Secretary Long has
placed at their disposal the United
States auxiliary yacht Sylph for the
purpose of enabling them to make a
pilgrimage to Mt. Vernon. where the
young French officers will do honor to
Washington. who. with Lafayette and
Rochambcau created II bond of sympa-
thy between America and France at a
vital period in the countries history.
Admiral Crowninshield. today, ad-
dressed a letter to the French author
tiles making the Sylph available for
the cadets on cny day except Satur-
day.
The navy department arranged, to-
day. to advertise for the completion of
the torpedo boat Tingey. there having
been a default on the part of the Bal
timOIe contractors in completing that
vessel. \ formal annulment of the con-
tract was made. today. and the adver-
tisement for new bids will soon be is
sued. The ship is afioat and about 20
per cent. completed. The contract
price was $16SOOo, and of this sos, $40
has been paid.
The state department has received
from the United States consul general
at Yokohama, Japan. a circular issued
by the president of the American AS
sociation of Japan relative 10 the pro-
posed erection at Kurihama of monu-
ment commemorative of the arrival at
that place IS years ago of Commodore
Perry. y. s. N, as American envoy fo:'
the purpose of concluding the first
treaty of commerce and friendly in
tercourse between the United States
and Japan. \ site for the monument
has been selected and it is the present
plan to hold the Unveiling ceremony on
the next anniversary of Commodore
Perry's visit. the 14th of next July.
recent rapid development in the
Russian merchant marine is recorded
in report received at the state de-
"~"t~cnt FROM United States Consul
kencl 1T Stettin. Her merchant fleet