The Delta independent., 1902-08-15
LATE WASHINGTON NEWS AND
GOVERNMENTAL PROCEEDINGS

| The Bureau Of lnsuler Affairs Of the
| War Department has received a report
from the Board of Health Of the Phil
ippine Islands and city Of Manila, dated
May 10, 1902. Its principal interest
lies In the report of Asiatic cholera
from the date of its first appearance in
Manila, March 20, 1902, to the date Of
the report, which shows that during
that time 1,0O5 cases of Asiatic cholera
have been reported in Manila, 800 of
whom have died and 2O5 recovered.
There is no doubt, the report says, that
the ordinary house fly can transfer the
cholera spirilum from infected matter
to food as is the case with typhoid
fever. The Board of Health has begun
1 a crusade against flies by means Of fly
poison.
The following Is the schedule of
rates upon which permission to lay q
cable to Horolulu and the Philippines
| has been granted to the Pacific Cable
Company: ITO charge not exceeding
80 cents per word for the transmission
| Of messages between San Francisco
and Honolulu, and to reduce such rate
to 35 cents per word within two years
| after the proposed cable between San
| Francisco and Honolulu is in opera
| tion. To charge not exceeding 81 per
| word for the transmission Of messages
between San Francisco and Manila. To
charge not exceeding 81 per word for
| the transmission of messages between
San francisco and China. To be con-
tent to accept from the United States
government half rates for the trans
mission OF governmental messages"
Secretary Shaw has made an impor-
| tant ruling relative to the readmission
to this country of articles of foreign
| production, which have once been i'm
ported and duty paid thereon at the
time of original importation. After
careful consideration. the secretary
has decided that the privilege of free
reentry may be properly accorded to
all articles of foreign manufacture or
! production under proper safeguards
| for the protection of the revenues, pro-
vided the articles so admitted shall
not have been advanced in value or
| improved in condition while abroad.
The articles should be registered. with
full description, at the custom house
on expectation and 4 certificate issued
10 the owner. and on their return they
| must he fully identified as the articles
| exported. The secretary has issued in
structions to the collector of customs
| at New York in accordance with the
decision. Heretofore the department
has held that no matter how many
times an article of foreign manufac-
| ture was brought into this country it
| must pay duty each time.
| All the preliminaries have been ar
ranged ut the state department for the
| submission 10 arbitration at The
| Hague of the Plus fund claims case.
The arbitrators for the United STATES
are Sir Edward Fry of England. for
merly chief justice OF the Court OF
| Appeals Of England, and +. De Mar
tens of Russia. the well known au-
thority on international law. Mexico
| has selected as her Arbitrators Pagano
Guinas VI Chill. judge OF the Court
| OF Cassation of Italy. and Savornin
Iohman. judge Of the highest court
In Holland. These four men will Sc
lect an umpire to act in case of tie.
The arbitration tribuna! will meet at
The Hague September l. The Ameri-
| can party will consist of Judge VIII
liam l.. penfie1d. solicitor for the state
department. who will act as counsel for
the United States: Jackson II. Ralston.
agent for the United States: Walter =.
Penfeld and Henry V. Armes. assist
ant counsel for the United States: Miss
Margaret ~. Hanna. private secretary
to Assistant Secretary Adee. translator
OF Spanish. and Miss L. \. Larkins.
stenOgrapher.
1t is understood Attorney General
Knox will sail shortly for Europe
where, In France. he will devote some
personal attention to the Panama canal
question. 1t IL quite probable now that
proceedings looking TO deter
minati0n OF the ability of the new
Panama Canal Company to pass a
clear title OF the property to the United
States will he conducted In the French
courts. While the administration is
anxious to- have the matter passed up
on as soon as practicable the question
OF time will be secondary to that of
certainty that the United States will
have no trouble with the stockholders
OF the old Panama Canal Company. IL
the property and rights Of the new
company should be acquired by this
country under the Spooner act. The
President. upon whom the responsi-
billty rests. will take no chances upon
the results OF extended litigation in
which the United States might become
Involved II the property of the new
Panama Canal Company were pur
chased before It had been determined
judicinlly that the company possessed
the absolute right to convey n clear
title to this country.
Arrangements have been completed
at the wnr department for the exam
ination Of civilians for appointment as
second lieutenants in the army. The
assignment of this years graduates
OF the military academy to stations
and regiments has left about 100 va
cancies In the grade of second lieu
tenants In the army. These vacancies
will he fillesi by the promotion of COM
petent enlisted men SO far as practic-
able. and those remaining by appoint
ment from civil life. 1t is calculated at
the WAR department that about sixty
OF the men now in ranks will pass the
examination. thus leaving seventy COM
IN 1,.,