Evening star., 1901-07-27

| spectators who anxious to protect
| themselves against financial loss should the
| ceremony from any cause not take place.
1 1t Is added however, that the policies will
not be so easy to obtain, inasmuch as the
majority OF life offices have already as
| many insurances on the life of his majesty
/ as they care to issue.
| Harvest for War Contractors.
| The way the British public is feeced by
| contractors to the war office is shown in
the remarkable report of a select commit
tee of the house of commons on public ac-
| counts issued today. Referring to a con-
| tract made in October, 1880, for the supply
to the troops in South Africa of 1900, 900
pounds Of meat at IL pence per pound, the
| committee states that the contract was
| understood by the war office to refer to
| fresh meat only, whereas 1900 600 pounds
| of 1t was frozen meat. / note in today's
| share list that the FL shares of one of the
patriotic companies who have been con-
| tracing for supplying Tommy Atkins with
| meat In South Africa are now quoted at
| f6.5.
| Then there Is an item Of nearly 5000
paid for months hire of a steamship to
De used as transport for the imperial
yeomanry, and which proved unfit for the
conveyance of troops. The committee sug-
| gests that this expense might have been
! saved If the task of inspecting transports
| before hiring had been performed by the
admiralty Items of expenditure which
| have not been sanctioned by parliament
are sharply condemned. The drainage of
| barracks cost nearly double the estimate.
| There was also a misunderstanding" about
the conversion of Woking prison into an
| artillery barracks, which cost the country
some 5000 more than was necessary. AL
together, think we are likely to have our
contract scandals on this side when the
public gets aroused the subject. Per-
haps the military censor will come in for
something at the same time.
In Gladstone's Library.
Mr.. John Morley is very busy on his life
of Gladstone. He is living at Hawarden,
| spending practically all his time in the Ii
brary of the great statesman. The literary
| work is greatly lessened by Mr.. Gladstone's
habits of personal order and regularity.
Through the last sixty years of his career
he not only preserved every important let
ter or document that reached him, but
neatly indorsed with, his hand and
slowed it away in order of date. Herein
he differed from Lord BeaconSfieldS prac-
tice. He also preserved nearly every scrap
of paper that reached him from important
correspondents, but he chucked them pell-
NELL into a box, and when one was filled 1t
was locked UP and another taken in hand.
1t is this collection of boxes which has
chilled the biographical zeal of Lord Row.
ton.
When preparing an important speech it
was Mr.. Gladstones habit to note down in
order certain facts and statements he de-
signed to set forth in support of his argu-
| ments. He never wrote out phrase. IF
/ have the bare facts before me-" he once
said to MIR. Morley, Il can trust to the in
spiration of the moment to find phrases in
which to clethe them" Among the papers
docketed and stored at Hawarden in order
of date Mr.. Morley found notes of speech
delivered by Mr.. Gladstone at the oxford
Union just seventy years ago. The SUBJ
ject was Catholic emancipation, and the
occasion a vote of want of confidence in
the government of Earl Grey, moved by a
budding statesman. The first edition Of
Mr.. Morley's Gladstone is expected to
realize half a million dollars. Thousands
of copies have already been ordered though
the work will not be finished for more than
a year hence.
The Army Requirements.
Commissions In the British army are not
dependent upon mans abilities so much
as upon his physical constitution. The war
office has revised the regulations under
which a man may obtain his commission.
and II he succeeds in passing them there
need be no fear for him on the ground of
health. A glance at these rules may be
of interest to Washington readers. It Is
laid down that there must be a correlation
of age. height and chest girth and strict
instructions are given for ascertaining
ing-mea surfing the chest-the candidate is
directed to empty his chest of air by con-
tinuous whistling with the lips as long as
sound can be produced.
The tape is carefully gathered in during
the process. and when the minimum Is
reached it is noted. When the candidate
has satisfied the examiners under these
three heads the medical men take him in
hand To begin with, eyesight is consid-
cred. and In certain circumstances where
faulty refraction can be corrected by
glasses" he win be thought "ht." but
principal colors'' will cause his rejection.
Among the other points to be considered
are that his speech is without impediment
TO-, orAo
formed, free and perfect motion of all
joints. and lastly whether he is Of pure
European descent.
Black or Gray Warships.
The British admiralty has decided. after
Tong series of experiments, to have the
hulls and masts of all ships painted either
black or gray. The latter color is only to
be applied to vessels which for climatic
reasons are now painted white, and the
difficulty as regards lack of uniformity
hitherto experienced has been sensfbly re-
moved by the admiralty stating precisely
the proportion of black and white paint
that is to be mixed together in order to
secure the gray color Masted ships used
for training purposes will remain the same
color as at present, but in war time they
would be draped in the somber black. All
other vessels in the service, Of whatever
type and on whatever duty employed, are
to be painted black from the gunwale to
the waterline, as well as the masts. yards,
derricks and tunnels. The superstructure,
such as bridges and boat decks and the
davits, ventilators and gunmountings, are
to be painted gray.
So many people speak of the emptiness
of London during August and September
that outsiders are apt to regard the place
as sort of desert This impression. how
ever, Is far from being well founded
Though many big theaters will be closed,
not a few others are sure to remain in
full swing. ''Sweet and Twenty will be
played right through the summer at the
Vaudeville, and 'The Emerald Isle" is
likely to keep the Savoy similarly busy.
The variety halls will. as usual, keep busy
all summer. All sorts Of places are de-
scribed as the coolest in town." but what
ever happens establishments like the Hip
podrome, the Empire, the Alhambra, the
Palace, the Tivoli and dozens Of others
will find supporters, even though, as fash
ionable folks say, there is absolutely mo-
body left in this great capital OF the en-
pire. L. III. MOORE.
A DISASTROUS FIRE.
A Large Area OF the City OF Davenport
Laid Waste.
Fire laid waste an area Of sawmill and
Il