Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-04-17
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the Alexandra Gazette

Correspondence Of the Alexandria Gazette.l
Washington, d. c., April H.
The first of the great armored cruisers
under construction at the Newport News
yards-the West Virginia, will be
launched tomorrow, and large delega-
ton from Washington will attend the
Junction. Miss Katharine Vaughan
White. daughter of the governor OF West
Virginia. will christen the vessel. Sec
retary of the Navy Moody is unable to
he present but Assistant Secretary Darl-
ING will be there. The West Virginia
is one of the six armored cruisers author
lied in 1901. The Newport News Com
PAW is also building her sister ship, the
Maryland, which will shortly be
launched.
Secretary of War Root has held that
Lieut.. Col. John L. Chamberlin of the
Inspector Generals Department, who re-
ceiyed an appointment as colonel on the
general staff, on the supposition that he
would be promoted to such rank upon the
retirement of Gen. Breckenridge, is not
eligible for such appointment. The act
of Congress of March 2, 1902, reduced
the number of colonies in the Inspector
Generals department from to 3. This
made Lieut.. Col. Chamberlin not eligi-
bic for promotion The Secretary has
therefore appointed Col. Alexander Mac
kenzie of the corps of engineers to fill
the vacancy on the generel staff.
Hugh H. Hanna, Prof. j. w. jerks
and Charles A. Conant, members of the
commission recently appointed to attempt
to secure better adjustment OF the I'M
ancial relations between tye gold and
silver using countries, have arrived in
the city for conference, in order to ar
range plans for their work and to fix the
time for their departure abroad.
1t was learned today that three months
ago while the tattleship Illinois was par
tcipatingin the Carribbeans manoeuyres
her deck was injured by heavy sea
which swept abroad and broke directly
over it.
William H. Harvest, drummer en-
ployod by the Washington Wholesale
Grocery Company, committed suicide
day by swallowing laudanum while at
the Homeward Bound Mission.
Advices received from Manila indicate that
conditions in the Island of Panay are serious.
| Cholera, which made its victims by the thou
sands. has been succeeded by malaria, when
| i proving equally if not more fatal to the
natives At the same time the ladrones are
active and are driving away the carabao OF
the pacifcos. In Rial province, near Ma
Mia. the constabularly have undertaken an
| extensive roundup of the brigands. Con-
Aicts between the cOnstabulary and the la
drones are also reported from Antimonan,
Malabang and Tarlac
Surgeon General Rixey, U. 5. navy, VINO
accompanied President Roosevelt on his trip
to the far northwest, has Unexpectedly re-
| turned TO Washington. He was at the White
House today and his visit is said to have been
i'm connection with Mrs ROosevelts recent i'll
ness. General Rixey will leave Washington
tonight to reioin the presidential party.
The American squadron in European
waters has been ordered to Marseilles to par
ticipate in the reception there of President
! Ioubet on April 30. The vessels are the
| Chicago, Albany, Raleigh and Machias; -,
The discovery of large amount OF silks,
silver. LIQUORS and art curiOs on board the
army transport Seward at Manila has led to
the temporary suspension from duty Of Capt.
! III. b. Chamberlain, quartermaster officer IN
charge of the transport, and the institution OIL
an investigation which may result IN the ar
rest and trial for smuggling Of several prom
inent army officers and their wives now resid-
ing in the Philippines.
Legal officers of the government say that
new civil service rules promulgated by Pres
ident Roosevelt, which have just gone into
effect, bring about more drastic reforms than
have been undertaken since the codlhcatl0n
of the civil service laws in 1896 and that they
place absolutely every branch Of the govern
ment service under civil service commission.
Standing at the head Of steep stairway IN
her boarding house, 11S B. street, northwest,
Nellie Russell, % years Of age, drank bottle
of carbolic acid and then plunged head first
down the stairs. The act was accomplished
as the church bells were striking midnight
| III health was the reason assigned: She was
taken to the Emergency Hospital where
stomach pumps were used and this morning
she is reported to be doing well.