davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1903-02-17
IMPROVED ARMY EQUIPMENTS.
Radical Changes Made and Contemplated by
the War Department.
TB7 TELEGRAPH TO TRE TRIBUNE. !


Washington. Feb. 16-The policy in the army to
employ as far as possible neutral tint in apparel
and equipment of the service has been extended so
far provide in orders which are shortly 70
be issued. that he field material for the ar
tilIery shall be painted with khaki color paint
BY practical experiments made by the quartermas-
ter's department. it has been ascertained that
certain shade OF khaki. which has been more ac-
curately described for trade purposes olive
drab. is the particular color which contributes the
quality of invislbity certain distance. 1t was
found in the exercises at Fort Riley, Kansas. last
fall that the Investigations sustained in the
practical manpuvres but that certain ornaments
by officers and men, notably swords ana
sabres glinted in the sunlight and offset the color
less uniforms. The result has been to advertise
for bids for dull finished bronze insignia. TO take
place of the gilt emblemS which are to be worn
hereafter only dress occasions. The abandon
rnent Of the sword sabre for all but similar
occasions seems be only question OF time. II
found that the weapons and other equipment
of the field artillery. of which IS of new pat
tern and recent adoption, were open TO the same
criticism of furnishing q target for an enemy. IL
is with the idea of protecting the gunners that the
army chief of ordnance. General Crozier. has now
decided TO give the new field material coat Of
khaki color paint
The army quartermasterS have also adopted
new field shoe, which has met the approval of the
President TO whom pair recently sent for
trial 1t is very heavy shoe, the thick sole and
heel OF which bear hobnails The leather is OF tan
color and the upper comes well up on the leg
The shoe is patterned after the British army shoe.
with the improvement that, while as durable and
as irlgervious to water. it much lighter in
weight. Army officers in the Philippines have been
complaining that the service shoe not fit for
use in the islands, where it was subjected TO Sc
we're usage and where the conditions destroy
shoe of ordinary leather and make. General Leon
ard Wood has been wearing pair or me sh%es h IN
report of their durability and comfort that the
shoe has now been adopted
Another subject which is engaging the attention
of the War Department is that of leSsening the
burden carried by the soldier the march. This
has been a problem which military reports
periodically call attention without much prospect
50 far of solving the question. Every year sees
something added TO the soldiers equipment, until
the surgeons have protested that the m
fantryman, who is subject to long marches, shouid
not be further inconvenienced by additions to mis-
personal equipment AS hope of afording some
relief this serious situation, the army ordnance
Office sent thousand cups and meat cans
made Of aluminium. They distributed to in
fantry companies with instructions TO the ofhcers
to give the articles thorough and practical trial
New-York tribune., 1903-02-17
TO CHANGE CONTROL OF PRISONERS
RiIl TO Put All Those of City Under Depart
ment of Correction.

hill nrAnared BY the Prison Association OF New
YORK and introduced by Assemblyman Edward L
r,ou1ing of Kings County is now before the leSis-
1ature nroviding that all prisoners sentenced lot
rois5er,aanors with the exception Of minors ana
,,ornen who NAV be committed TO reformatory n
stitutions shall be committed to prisons under the
i,,risdiction of the Department of Correction Fhe
object of tho bill is said TO be to unity the author-
-. I'D ra--cI IT dealing with prisoners. 70 obtain
better cassi1ca ton better discipline, more uniform
+raa+r,ar+ and more economical administration II
&, noirted ont by advocates of the bill that Wnile
rbs other administrative departments OF the c'tY
baya .,,risdction over the whole territory of the
cftv there are four independent ADMINISTRATORS
with reference TO prisoners. each with different
head II Is also pointed out that though the Com
r,issirror of correction and the Sherins "t Kings
and Richmond counties receive salaries the sheriff
of Queens County is paid SO much head for each
nrisoner under the old fee system. which has been
abolished with reference to criminal prisoners in
the other divisions of the city
Among the arguments advanced for the proposed
change Is that IL will render unnecessary large
exnenditure for new buildings which will have 10
he made in Brooklyn and Richmond If the indie
nendent systems are to be kept up, and that sew
araI thousand prisoners who condemned
to ideness can be employed by the city IN eStab-
Ijshed Industries in the pententaries at the work
drawn by the Prison Association has. il is said.
received the approval OF the Mayor and the Con-
troIler and the support If many charitable and
civic orsaniZa ttons.
New-York tribune., 1903-02-17
EUROPEAN CROP PROSPECTS.

Washington. Feb 1s-The official report on for
eign crop conditions received from the statistical
agent of the Department of Agriculture at London,
under date of February l. show unseasonably mild
weather in most parts of Europe in the greater
part Of January. Official Russian reports. dated
late in December. represent that a serious def
cheney in winter grain is highly probable in most
of European Russia. crops being almost destroyed
in sixteen provinces and poor in others. The Hun
garian fall sown crops generally poor. and the
is less extensive. In Rumana and Bulgaria
the crop outlook is rather favorable The Spanish
wheat crop 1902 estimated l23 439 $50 bushels
nearly 5000 900 in of the previous year.
while Italy's wheat crop is 25.0O0OIO bushels short
of 1901 The weather this winter has been favor
able In the third week of January the weather
in France, It is said. took change for the worse.
far as crops concerned In Great Britain
reports the growing crop were favorable. The
final official figures OF production of the German
Empire for 1902. against 1901. follow: Total
winter and spring wheat l4S S4 $50 bushels against
81 s7 OBJ winter spet. 6S27 400 against q 3s2oS6
winter and spring rye. 37S,76S01 and Sl, ,S4S. $50.
spring barley li2 1872 lSs against 15 $50 oats 54
45l 70S. against ASS. 76O61 The Austrian crop for
1902 is estimated officially ~ $4,000 bushels,
gain Of about 100000 1901 and Hungarys at
17O s5S 2o5 bushels. 100000 in excess of 1901
New-York tribune., 1903-02-17
MORGAN REPLIES TO REYES.
Secrets Of the Senate Surreptitiously OBJ
tanned, He Saws.

Washington. Feb 16.-In the Senate to-day Nlr.
Iorgan Of Alabama, as a question OF privilege
had read a recent communication addressed 10
him by Rafael Reyes, Colombian Minister TO Mex
tco which appeared in the newspapers. denying a
statement alleged 10 have been made by Mr. Nor
gan in the Senate on February u, that the Presf-
g eDOeeo. He declared I'll I if anything was said
hv him il in secret session Of the senate
Reeves he said. seems TO be determined on the
success of the Panama scheme. The coincidence
nf the double assault me" he said. ''is quite
cute enough to have been enacted in the Panama
Canal school. and is brazeu enough 10 have been
prepared in the Office of a NewYork railroad
v-recker' AS his remarks did not appear in the
1thlic records of the Senate the statement, he
SAID was false was surreptitiously obtained
Fle then spoke leaks" in the Senate For years
he said he had Witnessed the abuse of Senators
hv eavesdropTing OF betrayal by persons who
have had the right privilege of being present at
executive sessions of the Senate. and he had long
since ceased expect anything else. II was a
roya rdIv form of calling Senator to account for
remarks or statements made in confidence. The
eyl seemed to be without remedy. he continued,
and the only safety for Senators was IN open ses-
Sious Reeves. said violated principle OF
dfrlor1acy bv obtaining his information surrepu-
fIo-ssy through persons who Vlolated thelr trust
did not saw" Mr.. Morgan declared at any
time that the President hac received SlVrl.ooJ as
pa for resigning said that. after he received
Il o9G 90 in April 1900 he retired 70 his home and
he Vice President substituted IN MS pace
Returning the subject Of giving out lnforina-
on concerning executive sessions. MY Morgan
aid. 1t is only a repetition of the crimes that
7ave been committed by Senators heretofore "
not an unusual thing. he said. but no such &C
-usaton could he laid a. his door
New-York tribune., 1903-02-17
, TO act ON SUBSIDY BILL
House Merchant Marine Committee
H7W Consider 1t Today


Washington. Feb l6.-A meeting of the
House Committee on Merchant Marine and
Fisheries has beer called for tomorrow morn
ing to take action On the Shin Subsidy bill
General Grosvenor. chairman of the committee.
told The Tribune correspondent tonight tina t
action would he taken way the other
on this bill this week. This action will un-
deubtedy he reached at the meeting tomorrow.
The general understanding of the attitude of
the committee is that it will need two more
votes - get favorable report on the bill The
Democrats on the committee solidly against
tho measure and TO their number is added
four Republicans-Messrs. Hopkins. Of Illinois,
stephens, of Minnesota Minor, of Wisconsin.
and Jones, of Washington If two of these op-
position members are absent tomorrow a favor
able report may he the result. If this should
not be the case. final consideration of the blii
may be postponed
Since this bill passed the Senate al the last
session, il has not heen seriously considered oY
the House committee. Two hearings were held
al the last session of Congress. both of which
We're favorabl to the bill. Members who are
poled against the measure believe that II IT
were amended to insure the building or
steamers it should be supported Such amend
ments. however, not in the present pro-
gramme. and if by any means a favoraple re-
port should be authorized. its passage by the
House at this session is declared exceedingly
doubtful
New-York tribune., 1903-02-17
PHILIPPINE CURRENCY
BILL PASSED BY SENATE
Urgently Needed Measure Encoua-
ters Little Opposition.

Washington, Feb 'l6-The Senate today
passed the Philippine Currency bill. which has
been advocated by the administration and the
Ia, commission 1t was called up by Senator
LodSe and the amendment offered by Mr.. Pat
te-5on. Of Colorado. several DAYS ago. providing
for conference between gold and silver stand
ard countries to fix uniform rate of exchange.
was adopted without division
Mr. Dubois, of Idaho. offered A substitute for
tie entire bill and briefly explained its features
The substitute rejected and the bill then
was passed It is the measure recommended by
the House Committee on Insular Affairs but
rejected by the House. The Senate Committee
on the Philippines substituted it for the House
bill
The bill provides that the unit Of value in the
Philippines shall be the gold peso. of twelve
and nine-tenths grains of gold, nine-t tenths fine.
said gold peso 10 become the unit OF value when
the government in the Philippines shall have
coined and ready for circulation not less than
five million of the silver pesos provided for in
the bill. The gold coins of the United States, at
the rate Of one dollar for two pesos. shall be
legal tender in the islands. 1t also provides for
an additional coinage Of seventy-ive million
silver coins Of the denomination of one peso.
which shall be legal tender, except where pro-
1ided by contract. Coins of the denominations
Of fifty centavos. twenty centavos and ten cen
tavos also are provided for all such coinage to
he under the authority OF the government of the
Philippine Islands. in such amounts IL may
determine. with the approval of the Secretary
Of War. The bill also provides for the issue of
certificates Of Indebtedness TO maintain the
parity of the silver and gold pesos, such certii-
Gates outstanding at any one time to be linn
tied 10 S1OO000o or 20,0G0.O0O pesos. The
Mexican dollar and the Spanish coins heretofore
used shall be receivable for public dues at
rate to be fixed from time to t--le by the civil
Governor ef the islands, preference, however,
being given to the Philippine coins and certih-
Gates Provision is made for the issue or SILVER
certificates An option is given for the coinage
of the silver pesos. either in Manila or any mint
i, the United States. which coins shal pear
insrriptfons or devices expressing the soVer-
e+hrnty of the United States. The act making
any form of money legal tender after December
81 1908 Is repealed
Chairman Cooper of the House Committee on
17eu1ar Affairs says that as soon as the Dill is
received from the Senate by the House It VIII
he sent TO conference.
The Indian Appropriation bill also was passed
by the Senate.
New-York tribune., 1903-02-17
IT'S LIFE EXTENDED.
Sir Months More tor the Spanish
7rentU Claims { Commission.

Washington Feb Is-President Roosevelt nss
extended for six months from March ?, 1903 the life
of the Spanish Treaty Claims Commission. which
since it's first meeting April s. 1901. mas been
engaged in examination Of claims submitted to II
under the law of March 2 1901. creating the com
mission. The extension of the life of the commits
sion made a showing Of the necessity there
for by ex-senator William F. Chandler. its presl-
dent Mr.. Chandler, in letter 70 the President
dated January H. says that the total number OF
claims presented to the commission is 542 and the
amount claimed s61 672,G77 OF these claims l52 are
for damages caused enlisted seamen the bat
teship Maine by the explosion In Havana Harhor
February L. 1895 twenty-two for personal
injuries received in various ways from Spanish
authorities fourteen tor damages on account
of both personal injuries and property losses. and
354 for damages to real personal property The
amounts claimed, above classified. are as fol
lows:
For personal injuries suffered by seamen on 90, ooo
For PERSONAL INJURIES received from spanish
For dsmases to real and personal So 1857
The claims Of indemnity on account of property
losses appear from the petitions. MIR Chandler
says. TO be about equa Iy divided into two classes.
those in which the acts complained of were com
mitted by Cuban insurgents and those in which the
acts were committed by Spanish forces These
claims relate about twenty of the 207 centralse
large sugar mills in Cuba. and to about six
hundred of the landed estates in the island which
number 15521 sugar plantations, 1881 tobacco plan
tatious and 60.11 farms An award was made Of
$1,000 for damages arising from arrest and tmPrls-
onment Of United States citizen in Cuba in 1896
The 152 arising from the destruction Of the
Maine have been dismissed. on the ground that IN
diVidual claims do not fdNOr or tne
and Seamen of ship of war for injuries received
while in line of duty and for which foreign gov
is responsible.
The present status of the remaining 3s9 cases now
pending is as follows At issue A. demurrers
163, motions for more SPECIFIC statements So on
StipulatiOnS for continuance and for more SpeClhc
petitions Il, awaiting action Of Attorney General
where demurrerS have been overruied- IL awaiting
action of attorneys for claimants, where demurrers
have been sustained. 45 Total, 3S9 -
The original act Of Congress of March 2. 1901.
express authority for taking testimony
outside the United States, and delay IN this matter
occurred pending passage OF act on June y,
1902. authorizing such testimony 10 be taken Such
other DELAY as has occurred, il is said has been
the necessity of giving the government ample
time for Investigation and counsel time :" prepare
New-York tribune., 1903-02-17
NAVAL COLLIER ADRIFT AT SEA
First Officer Put Off in Small Boat for Help
Picked Up BY Schooner.

Washington, Feb 16.-First Officer Adamson. or
the collier Alexander, at the Navy Department
to-day to give the details of accident to the
collier Of which he informed the department by
telegraph from the Delaware Breakwater yester-
day. He said tnat the propeller shaft of the
Alexander broke when she in the neighborhood
of the Bahamas, and he put off in one of the yes
sells small boats in search of help. A day or two
later he picked up by a schooner which sub
seQuently tran ferred him to steamer Admiral
Schley, and by her he brought to Philadelphia
He reported the Alexander be in good cond1Ilon
The Alexander was competing voyage from the
Pacific Coast, and left San Juan on February =
When last hear from she three hundred miles
east of the Bahamas. A few days ago the collier
Lebanon was sent out from Norfolk to search for
the Alexander. II is expected that she VIII nn
picked UP before the Lebanon finds her.
New-York tribune., 1903-02-17
ARMY AND NAVY ORDERS.
Washington. Feb 16.-The following army ar
navy orders have been issued
ARMY

Second Lieutenant ROBERT sTERRETT 4th Cavalry
will report "a examining board at Jefferson Bar
racks for examination for promotion.
A board Of officers appointed Fort Grant
the examination officers for promotion Detail
Colonel THOMAS c. LEBO, 14th Cavalry Captain
HAROLD F. HOWARD, 14th Cavalry Captain
JAMES H RFrNFcS 14th Cavalry. First Lieutenant
ROBERT q y. assistant surgeon. Contract Sur
geon CHARLES ~. THORP and First Lieutenant
sRAYSON y. HEIDI. 14th Cavalry. recorder
FRS, IJeurenan, ROBERT B. POWERS. 1th Cavalry
report the examining board At ort Grant Tor
examination for promotion
The resignation Of Second Lieutenant LEWIS g HAN
President the good Of the service.
is assigned engineer the Seventh and tighth
lighthouse districts relieving Captain Spencer Cosby.
II engineers.
Lieutenant Commander q PETERS detached tne
home and wait orders
I5e,Jrenar, Commander u. HOGG. detached navy
vsrd Washington 10 Wabash, navy ward, Boston
Lieutenant 4 NJ COOK. detached ward. Norfolk.
20 the Wabash. navy yard Boston.
Ideurenart z I. BEACH. detached Naval Academy
the Wabash. navy yard. Boston
Lieutenant E N. Strife detached the Mohicah. "
naval hospital Mare Island
4utansnt c c FEWEI. the Pensacola. naval train
'ng station. san Francisco.
Assistant Engineer ". II. +. CREIGHTON uefreH' "e
t-,led special dur. with the Stranger
t-sea Assistant Paynsstar u. TIFFANY. detached the
<f7a. Bsinhrdge. pay ofhcer toiptn" 'Da'
ho,lla.
.-t.,5,r, - a ZONES detached the Minneapolis, navy
tTayd League Island the Monongahea.
Naval constructor Z. 5. NOW. detached Hong Kong
New-York tribune., 1903-02-17
NoRTH ATLANTIC SQUADRON DRILLS.
The Warships May Go to the Azores and
Lisbon

Washington. Feb. ls.-On the result Of three
months hard work at target practice about 10 be
undertaken VIII depend the summer plans OF the
81 elaborate and progressive set Of exercises and
drifts devised by the general board the purpose
beine 10 make The officers familiar with naval
movements larger scale than has ever before
been attempted in the United States Navy. 1he
feet has worked through the programme step bN
step and the three months plan now IN eNecu-
tion VIII determine whether or not the gun work
OF The ships has been far perfected as TO war
rant 1he beginning Of the next phase namely =
distance cruise feet formation II tHjS
should be un6e-tlkeu next summer. which
Secretary Moody says is by no means certain. The
North Atlantic Squadron will sail directly for the
azores. aud II TIE comJnec movement is success
fu uD 10 that point The ships may go on as Tar as
lisbon, but ( intended that they shall NlSlt
----I1asTn Europe ander any conditions.
New-York tribune., 1903-02-17
PREL4TES TO MEET.
Pam american EpiSCop0l Conference
IN W0shmetOn IN October.
Inv TELEGRAPH To THE TFrFc~E !


Washington Feb l6.-Bv the authority Of the
Protestant Episcopal Church of America invita-
tions are soon to he Issued to all bishops of the
Anglican faith Of the Western Hemisphere to meet
in Washington in n Pam American Conference the
first week in October Many details Of this con-
ference indefinite. but the plans OF the
bishops who control the preparations provide
for an attendance of about 125 a discussion of all
missionary matters and probably strong move
nent toward Christian unity.
A special committee was appointed at the last
session of the House Of Bishops Of the United
States. held in San Francisco about a year ago. 70
consider the advisability of such meeting, and
make such prepare tions for it as seemed need
full This committee. consisting of the Rev Henry
Yates Satterlee. Bishop of Washington; the Rev
Thomas Underwood Dudley. Bishop of Kentucky.
and the Rev. William A. Leonard. Bishop of Ohio.
has determined issIe the call Immediately
Manfestly such a gathering must include many
of international distinction and assume an I'M
portance unusual even for international church
convention a meeting similar in its essentials to
this prospective gathering in Washington was held
several years ago in the palace of the Archbishop
OF Canterbury. and its proceedings We're published
in the form of the Lambeth QuadrilateraL" The
Washington conference is. however. to be DIS
tinctive 1t will bring together the foremost fig
in the work of this denominat ton from Canada.
the United States and vast of the worlds
surface which reaches from Porto Rico to Hankow.
Shanghai. Kioto and Toxic Its sessions will he
approxirnatelv simultaneous with those of the
missionary conference of smaller proportions to
be held in Washington EeXt fall But 1t Will have.
in addition to its wider jurisdiction breadth OF
missionary ldbOrS of the ChurCh
which the lesser conference could not exercise
The discussion of Christian unity will also mark
the conference as q meeting of extraordinary in
tereSt. This conference, 1t is hoped, may proVlde
Entertainment for the delegates Will be provided
by the Episcopal laity of Washington and vicinity.
and suita BILE preparations for such entertainment
New-York tribune., 1903-02-17
SUES FOR s5OO,o0O DAMAGES.
Tunnel Victim Admits That He Has Played
on Ice and Caught Ball.

Justice Leventritt and jury in the Supreme
Court yesterday began taking testimony in a suit
to recover $500 00o. growing out of the Park-ave
tunnel accident several months ago. Mrs. Walter
.. Coffin. of No IS Lafayette-st. New Rochelle is
the plaintiff in the suit the guardian ad Item
for her SON Everett, eighteen years old
The boy the White Plains local that was
wrecked in the tunnel In her complaint. his
mother asserts that he will be a cripple for life
and will be able to go without at
tendant This is the largest suit that has been
brought against the New-York Central
suit of the collision.
The injured youth. after describing the accident
and injuries. testified that he able to play
marbles, had caught baseball, had been the
ice and had kicked football. The trial will be
ii1Ipd fn-da
New-York tribune., 1903-02-17
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
Fowler Currency Bill Gets Place-To In
crease Safety on Railroads.

Washington. Feb 16.-The House passed a
-ur,,her of bills to-day under suspension OF the
-ules defeating two. The most important was
the Senate bill to amend the railroad safety ap-
rlarce law It compe-s The railroads TO equip
with automatic couplers tenders which had oeell
held not to be cars, and requires more genera
use of air brakes. A special order was adopted
u hich will practically make the Fowler EIas1c
r,air5er of the session. not however, 10 inter
fere with conference reports, appropriation oiiiS
and other privileged matters
New-York tribune., 1903-02-17

statement as 20 the concerns assets and h1blitles
or regarding the cause Of the failure
A few days ago IL rspOl ted that SornSoody
in the employ OF the rrrn had been discovered 20
be a defaulter amount somewhere between
500 coo and so 0Gt and that the FIRMS soveucy had
been somewhat imperilled but y was announced
that suspension or failure vas Prooaole No
verihcation Of the reported defalcation could -
obtained yesterday George f. Bristcr ot No 90
Broadway, who last week counsel FOR Will
lam COSsitt Gone & Co. .t7hoUEced Yesterday that
his relations with the firm had been terminated
He declined discuss the causes Of the concas~~