The Saint Paul globe., 1901-04-10
.CAN GOAL SHIPS NOV
FIRST FOREIGN STATION HAS BEEN
ACQUIRED BY THE UNITED
sT4TEs
ON WEST COAST OF MEXICO
FIRST SHIPMENT OF COAL FOR
NEW STATION NOW LOADING
AT BALTIMORE
P. c. KNOX In THE CABINET
New Attorney General Was For
malIy Presented to His Col
leagues at the White
House Yesterday.

WASHINGTON, April 9.-Fhe first
United States coaling station to be located
on foreign soil has been completed at
PIchallnqui, on the west coast of Mexico.
ana the collier Alexander is now taking
on 5000 tons of coal at Baltimore to
stock this latest acquisition of the navy
The station is on California bay, at the
extreme end of the long peninsula
which juts down from California. and is
known as Lower California although
it is an integral part of Mexico. Admiral
Bradford, chief of the naval bureau OF
equipment has long been seeking to
develop this point for the use of the
navy. \ footing was secured there
many years ago through the assent Of
the local authorities, but it was desired
that the Mexican government should
give its full authorization to the work
contemplated by the United States
Through the state department. extended
negotiations were carried on with Mexico
resulting finally in complete authorization
for the projected station. The work has
heen IN progress for some time, about
$4,000 having been expended in coal ware.
houses, warehouses and slips. and facil-
tiles for loading coal onto ships of war
The capacity Of the station is 900 tons
of coal. A Mexican custom official will
inspect the ships before they enter the
station.
KNOX SWORN IN.
Mr.. Philander c. Knox. of Pittsburg
who succeeds Attorney General Griggs at
the head of the department of Justice
was sworn in at 40:30 o'clock this morning.
in the cabinet room of the White house
There were present President Mckinley.
Mr.. KnoXs youngest son, Philandcr G.
Knox, Jr., and Justice Shiras. of the
supreme court, who administered the
oath. Justice Shiras is an old friend Of
the new attorney general Nh knox
and his son had arrived in Washington
at $50 this morning. Mr. Knox was ac-
companied to the White house by c.. O.
IL. Cooper, who was Attorney General
Griggs private secretary, and who may
continue with Mr. Knox in similar
capacity, After taking the oath Mr..
Knox remained with the president until
the cabinet assembled.
CABINET TAI.KEa, CHINA:
The cabinet gave soFhe attention to the
question of the indepnitysta be required
from China, it being brought forward
by Secretary Hay, in connection with Mr..
Rcckhill's dispatch received since the last
|: meeting. Great surprise was expressed
at the enormous total Of the claims
which, being all before the minister at
Pekin, approximate the enormous sum OF
a half billion dollars. Moreover. at least
one of the powers insists on keeping
the account open until it elects to with
draw entirely from Pekin at a remote
date to be fixed at it's own will, thereby
leaving the total of its claim to be In
creased greatly hereafter. The opinion nf
the other cabinet officers completely ac-
corded with that of. Secretary Hay as to
the desirahility of securing a reduction
of the claims.
NAVAL OBSERVATORY VISITORS.
The hoard of visitors to the naval OBJ
servatory assembled in this city today
They reported their arrival to Secretary
Long, at the navy department, and were
escorted by him to the White house, and
were formally presented to the president,
after which they inspected the appara-
tus at the observatory about mile
north of Georgetown. The board is COM
posed of Prof OrInondo Stone of the
university Of Virginia; Prof. E. c..
Pickering. of Harvard univ versity; Prof.
Charles 4: Young of Princeton;
DR.. William r. Harper, president
of the University of Chicago; DR..
Charles F. Chandler, dean of the
school Of applied, science Columbia
university, and Prof. Asaph Hall Jr., Of
the University of Michigan. The duties
of the board, of whom four must be
astronomers of high professional stand
ing, and two eminent citizens of the
United States,'' are. defined by a clause
in the naval appropriation act passed
at the last session of congress as fol-
Ljws:
1.-The board of visitors shall report to
the secretary of the navy at least once
in each year the result of it's eXamna-
tions at the naval observatory as respects
the condition of buildings. instruments
and apparatus, and the efficiency with
which its scientific work is prosecuted,
and shall report as respects the. eX-
penditures in the administration of the
observatory. The board of visitors shall
prepare and submit to the secretary of
the navy regulations prescribing the
scope. of the astronomical and other re-
searches of the observatory and the
duties of it's staff with reference there
to. When an appointment or detail is to
be made to the Office of astronomical di-
rector, director of the nautical almanac,
or assistant astronomer, the board Of
visitors may recommend to the secretary
of the navy a suitable person to fill
such office. The superintendent of the
naval observatory shall be until further
legislation by congress a line officer of
the navy of rank not below that of cap
tain