The Holly chieftain., 1902-08-01
LATE WASHINGTON NEWS AND
GOVERNMENTAL PROCEEDINGS

gated the grounding of the battleship
Illinois while entering Christiania har-
Dor recently, has found that no blame
attaches to the officers or crew. Ad-
miral Crowninshiel approves the re-
port.
Commander Charles 7. Perkins. now
on duty with the naval war college,
has been assigned 10 command the
cruiser Philadelphia. He will succeed
the late Captain Reisinger, who died
while his ship was en- route to San
Francisco from The isthmus.
An order has been published by the
War Department announcing that Brig
Gen. Carter will act as adjutant gen
eral until after November LIST. This
fixes the probabie date of the return
of General Corbin from Europe, where
he is TO be the guest of Emperor Viii
liam during the maneuvers of the Ger
man army.
The President has designated Col.
Z. NJ. O'Reilly 10 be surgeon general
of the army to succeed General For
wood, who will retire September 9TH
next. Colonel O'Reilly will have until
January, 1909, to serve as surgeon gen.
eraL He was appointed from Pennsyl-
vania as medical cadet in 1854. He
is Il graduate of the medical depart
ment of the University of 'Pennsylva-
mia.
1t is learned that the Cuban govern
ment went a little farther in General
Braggs case than was understood at
first. 1t not only made inquiry as to
the accuracy of the quotation reflect
ing on the Cubans but complained of
the consul general criticism. The pa
pers in the case are still before the
President at Oyster Bay, but some ac-
ton is expected soon. either in the way
of recalling the consul general or
transferring him to some other post, If
a suitable one can he found.
The insular bureau of the War De-
partment has cablpd to Manila for all
the captured insurgent records. These,
with the records also in possession of
the bureau. are to be compiled by Cap
tain j. K. NJ. Taylor. Fourteenth infan-
try. who translated many of the docu-
ments captured from the Filipinos. The
compilation will make Il record of the
insurrection againsr the United States.
AS the work progresses it may be eN
tended 10 include the main features of
the Filipino insurrection against the
Spaniards in 1896.
The War Department referred the
order containing the Presidents am
nesty proclamation OF July 4th to the
Navy Department, especially inviting
attention 10 the Filipino prisoners in
Guam. \ reply has been received from
the Navy Department saying that the
governor of Guam will be notified of
the Presidents proclamation and the
prisoners released TO any War Depart
ment transport authorized to return
them to the Philippines. One of the
army transports will be sent to Ma
Mia by way of Guam. and all of the
prisoners who take the oath of ale
glance to the United States will be re-
turned to the Philippine islands.
In connection with the investigation
now going on at the Navy Department
relative to the duties of officers on
shore duty with view to determining
what. IL any. officers can be spared for
sea duty, significant table has been
prepared at the department which
shows that the increase in the sea
going officers in the last decade has
not kept pace with the increased ton
mage of the navy. In 1893 there were
g65 officers and 244,S43 tons displace-
ment of ships in the navy. In 1902
the number of officers has increased
only to 1,O23. while the tonnage had
increased to S2I OBJ. In 1893 there
We're SOC officers on sea duty and 400
on shore duty. against 720 OH sea duty
and 1903 on shore duty. against 100 on
sea duty and 3O3 on shore duty in 1882.
Some weeks ago Senator Penrose
filed papers with the President, which
he asserted tended to substantiate the
charge made by Mr.. Mealey. the
American who has been In trouble in
Mexico. against United States Ambas-
sador Clayton. to the effect that the
ambassador was directly interested to
the extent of 100 shares in a mining
corporation antagonistic to Mealey's
claims. The papers were referred to
the State Department, and now the
senator has been Informed by Acting
Secretary Hill that the President has
decided TO send them to Mexico, invit-
ing Mr. Clayton to examine them and
make a report. The case Of Mealey
was one of the two referred to in the
stirring debate in the Senate In the last
session. involving an encounter be-
tween Senators Bailey and Beveridge.
Eighty miles In an army wagon
drawn by-regulatiOn mules, over roads
that are not excellent at the best of
times, but We're rendered almost i'm
passable In some places by heavy
downpours.of rain. was the experience
OF Elihu Root, secretary of war, a few
days ago. Mr.. Root said that he en-
joyed the trip immensely. Maj. Gen.