The Weekly Tallahasseean., 1901-08-08

a little better, but not much so, the
interests of those who fatten on Gov
ernment extravaganza being power
fut enough to hamper any close in
vestigation. One of the allegations
is that the transports are over
manned, one officer saying that each
transport had twice as many men as
are actually needed. Extravaganza
is also alleged in the matter of sup
plies and repairs, and attention is
called to the condemnation of 100
small boats, the seams of which were
open at the time Of purchase.
| Government contractors, espec-
tally those who are building the wal
vessels Of the Government, seem to
think that they can lay aside
the work on Government vessels
whenever there is any pressure on
them for men to fill the orders OF
their private customers. They seem
to be confident that the. present Ad-
Dinistration will not enforce the
penalties for delay made and pro-
vided in their contracts. According
lY, most of Uncle Sans ships are
about two years behind time, thus
causing further delay in planning
other vessels in which it is desired to
include the novelties incorporated in
the earlier ones. Thus the value OF
the Sampson double turrets, which
were placed on the Kentucky and the
Kearsarge is not yet decided, owing
to the delay in finishing the for.
mer ships and the lack of time since
for a prolonged test. However, q
recent report from the United States
naval attache at London throws
some light on the subject. There
have been some recent tests there il
which a turret containing two 49,
inch guns belonging to the CanOpu'
was fired upon. The results of the
shots fired at the turret were care
fully noted, and a plat of their ef.
feet has been sent to Washington
Taking the area within which the
projectile struck and applying it tt
the space presented as a target by the
! double deck turrets Of the Kentucky
and Kearsarge, the naval experts
find that of the 1O4 6-inch lydditt
shots fired no less than eighty Of
them took effect. If the same attack
had been made on either the Ken.
lucky or Kearsarge fifty-eight of the
shots would have hit the 13-inch
turret and the remainder the upper
turret containing the S-inch guns
any one Of which would have put
both turrets and all four guns ou1
! of action.
The views of wholesale traders in
tobacco and cigars on the effect oi
free trade with Porto Rico upon
their business are extremely varied
Some believe that the competition
of the cheap laborof Porto RicOupor
their business with the better
paid cigar-makers Of the United
States will lead to the re-
mOval of American cigar factorie:
to the island, and the reduction oi
wages of cigar-makers in the United
States. Many dealers think it does
not meet the requiremnts of Ameri
can taste in tobacco and will never
do so. Others believe that a few
months will see established in Portt
Rico factories where American
grown tobacco will be made up int
cigars and sold as Porto Rico stOcE
on its return to the United States
As a matter of fact, the conditions
existing in the trade with regard tt
Porto Rican tobacco products art
so new that all is surmise and NJ
positive predictions are made, al
the country can do is to wait anC
see what will happen.
| EDWARD LEWIS DEAD.