St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-12-25
GENERAL NEWS.
schIey Court of Inquiry Ended.

The chic topic OF conversation during
the past week in Washington and indeed
throughout the country, has been the
findings of the Sch'ey court ctinquiry, a
review of which was published IN last
weeks issue. Secretary Long issued an
order Saturday, approving The majority
report and mildly censuring Admiral
Dewey tor his minority report on the
ground that the question Of who was in
command at the naval battle of Santi
ago was not a matter that had come
before the court. The formal order dis
solving the court was issued SATURDAY.
ternoon. Shortly after the findings OF
the court had been made public Lieut.
Gen. Miles in an interview in Cincinnati
said: Il think Dewey has summed up
the matter in a clear and concise manner,
and | be lieve his conclusions will be in
dorsed bv the patriotic people of the
United States. | have no sympathy with
the efforts which have been made to de-
stroy the honor OF an officer under such
circumstances"
The publication of this statement
brought letter of inquiry from Secre-
tarv Root to Gen. Nil s, concerning the
truth OF the report. The latter did not
| deny the interview and the result was a
singing reprimaud from the secretary in
which he said: you, the lieutenant
general of the army, saw fit to make a
public expression OF your opinion as be-
tween the majority and minority of the
court, accompanied by criticism of the
most severe character which could not
fail to be applied by the generality of
readers to the naval officers against
whose views your opinion was expressed.
1t is OF no Const quence on whose side
your opinion was, or what it was. You
! had no business in the controversy and
no right, holding the office which you
did, to express any opinion. Your con-
| duct was in violation of The regulations
above cited and OF the rules OF official
propriety; and you are Justly liable to
censure, which | now express"
1t seems to be the determination of the
administration that discussion of the
matter so far as the navy department is
! concerned, be terminated at once. His
| torian MaClay, who is a clerk at the
Brooklyn navy yard, and whose history
OF the navy was the direct cause of the
Official inquiry, has been asked to resign
rom the service.
Wireless Signals Across the Atlantic.
Signor MarcOn's announcement that
he has succeeded in transmitting signals
across the Atlantic by his wireless sys-
TEN Of biography marks the beginning
of the twentieth century's advance in in
dustria science. which may easily sur
pass the wonderful achievements of the
nineteenth. No messages have yet been
sent, but for two successive days Mr.,
MarCOri, stationed at St. Johns, New
oundland, received prearranged signals
from POldhu, on the Cornwall coast.
100 miles distant. He did not return
the signals, because he had not the neces-
sary apparatus at the receiving station,
His endeavOr now will be to perfect the
apparatus so as to enable him to trans
NIT and receive messages from both sta
tons. In the successful experiment OF
which announcement is now made the
operator at Poldhu, with more power
lul apparatus than has heretofore been
used at transmitting stations, sent the
letter S, y three dots, at frequent inter.
walls du ing Wednesday afternoon from
unit o clock. During the correspond
ing hours at St. Johns (11.30 a. m. II
2.30 p m. }, Signor Marconi was at the
receiving station He used a kite to
carry the 9rial wire to a considerable
height, and was grati6ed by hearing the
Signal repeated so frequently that there
could be little doubt whence the impulses
came. To make assurances doubly sure,
however, the experiment was repeated
on Thursday, with the same result. In
consequence of this success Signor Mar
conf will leave his other work in the
hands OF assistants, and will return at
once to England to arrange, if possible,
tor the transmission of messages across
the Atlantic.
Florida narrowly escaped a serious
freeze last week Tuesday night when the
mercury was at 3Odegrees and ice formed
in northern Flor da. Some damage was
done to citrus fruits in southern Florida,
but the warning sent out saved many
groves, as huge fires were kept burning
all night by hundreds of growers. In
southern California the mercury was
below freezing tor one or two days, but
| lltle damage was uOne'
For the first time in eight wears we are
importing potatoes from Europe for
home consumption. For the past few
weeks hundreds OF thousands OF bushels
arrived in New York from Scotland, Ire
land and Regium. 1t is said that p ,ta'
toes can be bought abroad tor 70 Ger a
barrel There is a duty OF rs cents a
hi Ia; ba- |,
the cost at New York to 81 70 a barrel
and the importers are reaping a harvest
1t is unlikely that many of the potatoes
will leave New York for according to
trade estimates that city consumes about
$4,000 bushels day.
Sir Thomas Upton, in the long inter
view which he had with King Edward
We nesdav, at which the Americas cur
races Were discuss ed, unfolded his plan;
for the future. His majesty exhibited
the keenest interest in them and at times
offered suggestions, He expressed tn,
opinion that it would be hard to get
boat to beat the Americans, to which ST.
Thomas repli, tnat he was at least con
tident he could secure a yacht a gooC
deal better than Shamrock II. The kin,
appeared TO be satisfied, and hearth,
wished him success.
The American residents of Montrea
have subscribed fund of 50 600 for tn
foundation OF a fellowship on polticd
economy at McGilI University to b
known as the William Mckinley fellow
ship.
The Rev. DR. E ward l.. Clark has IT