Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-04-03
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette
Washington, d. c.. April 3.


say goodbye to President Roosevelt as
the latter was leaving for his long tour
of the country, the exact circumstances
of his doing so are of interest. 1t hap
pened that the previous evening be was
a guest of Secretary Hay at the latter
residence. The conversation turned up
on the presidential trip and Won Stern
berg said he would like to go to the sta
ton to see his long time friend go away
but he feared that the act might be mis-
construed. Thereupon Secretary Hay
assured him that it would be entirely
proper. And he went. 1t happened
that the German minister was the only
diplomatic representative present al
though in the past, particularly in Presi-
dent McKinley's time, there occurred
several precedents for this act Of courtesy.
Baron Won Sternberg was present only in
his personal capacity and there was an
entire absence of anything which would
indicate his official position.
Homesickness and the deadly
monotony of life ON shipboard are the
principal causes which during the month
of March led to the desertion of 366 en-
listed men in the navy. This number
constituted l.29 per cent. Of the men in
the service-2S, 270. As an offset to
these figures l, 300 men enlisted and
there we're sc deserters who voluntarily
returned gave themselves up for pun
ishment and restoration to duty. This
desire to leave the service has been more
apparent among the ships of the North
Atlantic squadron and this is explained,
in part, by the harder work given those
men and the smaller amount of shore
leave in ports where there were attrac-
tons ashore. The squadron also being
on home stations offered greater
temptation to men to desert. The de-
partment is now considering the pos
sibility of improving the morale Of the
men, and consequently decreasing the
number of assertions, by giving the men
more shore leave.
The International Red Cross Associa-
ton will meet at Berne, Switzerland,
during the coming summer to settle the
differences existing in the American as
ISOLATION. General Wilson, former Sec
retary of State Foster and other promi-
nent people in the American Red Cross
have suggested that Miss Clara Barton
be given the position ofhonorary president
for life and that some one else succeeded
her as the working head Miss Barton
positively refuses to accept the office Of
honorary president. They have now de-
termined to lay the matter before the
Berne convention.
The races at Benning continue to at
tract large crowds daily. Quite num-
Der of Virginia horses have been entered
for the races. Among those who have
entered are Dion Kerr and j. d. Hooe,
of Warrenton; Robert NEVILLE, of Up
perville; H. r. Dulany, of Loudoun;
J. d. Hall, of Warren, and others.
Though 4th Assistant Postmaster
General Bristow declines to discuss the
matter of the investigation being con-
Quoted by him into the affairs of the
Assistant Attorney Generals Office and
other important divisions of the Post
Office department, it is understood that
progress is being made. 1t is thought
certain of the findings may be ready for
the action of the Postmaster General
upon his return from West Indian
waters next week. One of the sporting
firms supplying tips upon the Benning
T. N
investigation, has notified the department
through its attorneys that an attempt of
levying blackmail upon it has been
made. 1t claims to have received a
letter from local law firm soliciting its
business, and promising in return, for a
large retaining fee, to use its influence
toward suppressing investigation by the
Assistant Attorney Generals Office.
Acting Postmaster General Wynne has
requested that the letter referred to be
filed with the department but he had
not received it up to late hour. In
some official quarters the charge is
viewed in the light of an attempt to be-
cloud the issue of fraudulent use of the
mails, now under private hearing by
the legal branch of the department.
Captain Richardson Clover, when re-
lieved as naval attache to the American
embassyin London, will be. given COM
mand of the cruiser Brooklyn. The
Brooklyn is now being repaired at the
New York navy yard, having torn
hole in her bottom in last summers
manoeuvres on the New England coast.
She will be placed in commission June |
ard sent across the Atlantic to become
the flagship of the European squadron.
No successor to Captain Clover has been
selected, the position being one which |
through its social duties requires of the
incumbent something more than an Of |
fcer's salary.
The Navy Department has selected Captain |
Chas. ii. Stockton, recently in command of
the battleship Kentucky on the Asiatic sta |
tion, TO be naval attache at London, vice |
Capt. Richardson Clover, who has been Sc
lected TO command the Brooklyn.
Agernon Dainger6eld, secretary OF the |
Washington Jockey Club, has been appointed |
clerk of the scales at the Metropolitan Jockey |
Club meetings.
Consul General McWade at Canton. cables |
20 the State Department this morning that |
the famine in the Kwang-si province is in
creasing; and that starving parents are sell |
ing their children for small sums of money. |
Consul McWade makes an appeal 10 the |
charity Of the United States for assistance.
Caption Willard Bronson, commandant at
the Naval Academy at Annapolis, this morn
ing called upon acting Secretary of the Navy
Darling. He says hazing at the academy is
now a thing of the past in consequence of the
drastic measures recently enacted for its sup
preston.
Sir Cheng Tung Liang Cheng, X. r. NJ. |
g., the new Chinese minister 10 the United |
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