BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-12-11
Items Of Interest.

Meade for alleged Drunkenness appears to
be confronted with the abstruse question as
to what drunkenness really is and what
degree Of intoxication constitutes that con.
dition. The Century Dictionary has not as
yet been appealed to, but we notice that in !
CROSS questioning one of the witnesses for
the prosecution the counsel for Col. Meade
took deep satisfaction in bringing out 'he
fact that his client was able to walk up
several flights Of stairs at a time when he
was said to have been drunk. Perhaps this
will be the means OF establishing an
adequate test.
"Gil Blas' tells an amusing anecdote of
Gen. de Gallifet the noted Ffenchman.
When Gallifet was sous.lIeutenant he was
ordered to Algiers. At that time the boats
running between Algiers and Marseilles
we're notable chiefly for their discomfort.
The first cabin was bad enough, and the
second and third we're all but unfit to live
in. On the boat in which Gallifet went the
only occupant Of the first cabin was briga
dier general. Galllfet, who as Q sous.lleu.
tenant was compelled to travel second cabin,
tho ught that under the circumstances the
general would permit him to meve into the
first, and he sent formal request to that
effect. The general, who was dyspeptic re-
fused the request in the most ungracious
manner possible. Gallifet meditated reven.
&c. He called his servant, ordered him to
dress in his Gallifets best suit of civilian
clothes, 20 into the first cabin as passen-
ger, represent himself as a prospective colo
mist and become az chummy with the gen.
Il hn t. t-oI ~Ic
and when the boat was being Etied up in Al.
giers the general was seen walking up and
down the deck with his arm thrown about
the shoulders of his new friend. When the
time came to leave the boat the general and
valet were still deeply occupied in an inti-
mate conversation. Lieut.. de Gallifet called
out to his valet in loud voice, so that all
could hear: "Jean, don't forget my baggage
in the second Cabin. jean dropped the
arm of his friend and ran away, exclaimiug:
60 at once, my lieutenant" What the
general thought and did is not recorded.
The recent order OF Brig Gen. Hughes
regarding the importation and sale Of rice
and salt into Samar shows not only the i'm.
portance of these articles of diet, but also
something of the zeal necessary to stamp
out the insurrection in that tempestuous
island. Army officers have been, by this
order, required to take a census of the
peaceful population, and to dole out rice
and salt in such quantities daily or weekly,
but not for any longer period, as may be
absolutely necessary for their subsistence
and no more. Foreigners or foreign bust.
ness firms or agents are absolutely excluded
from this trade. No rice or salt will be
allowed to enter the island except through
the authorized channels, and to show that
the United States hes no money-making
purpose in the enterprise, these articles will
be disposed of in the quantities necessary,
and to the right persons, at cost. Blanks
have been prepared, which are to be carefully
filled OUT by all rice and sal: eaters. In
this soay it is believed that these two prime
essentials of life will be taken away from
all banditti and insurgents in the bushes.
To live without rice and salt may iuc)n. '
ivenience them more than diet of vess
potatoes inconvenienced Gen. Mario.
A Milwaukee plan to advertise aud glor. |
ify that city's best known product, beer, is
agitating that community. A nesc bridge
is to be opened soon with formal ceremony, |
and as the bridge is part Of the highway |
leading to the great breweries which have !!
made Milwaukee famous, it is seriously pro- !
posed to name the structure by breaking on |
it bottle Of beer. The Mayor, who is accu.
sed of being an advocate of wide.open |
town." or some other prominent official, is
to be chosen to break the bottle, and in order
to avoid jealousies among the brewers, the
bUttle will contain mixture Of all the breus.
OF course, the temperance advocates and
the clergy oppose the plan, and for good
reasons that need not be quoted Some op
position is voiced also business men, who
have no particular antipathy to beer, but
who object to the continued advertising of