The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1904-08-25
WASHINGTON
NEWS NOTES
AcCESsIoNs TO THE NAVY TO
BE COMPLETED SOON.
WAR VESSELS BUILDING.
Large Requisitions. Materials to be
Used in Canal Construction are
Wanted. Scheme Secretary Will
son Has to Save Timber,

son Has to Save Timber.
According to advices from Buen-
aventura, Colombia, the government
OF Panama has stationed a military
garrison at Nugui, a city at the
junction of the Atrata and San Juan
rivers. In taking this step the PAN
anna people have assumed formal pos
session of wide strip of the Colom-
bian department of Cauca, which, ac-
cording to a map of Greater Colom-
bia, issued in 1880 at Caracas, was
originally the southern extremity Of
the old department of Panama. If
Panama, morally or by force, sue
ceeds in. maintaining her conquest,
she will acquire ain additional Pacific
seaboard extending from the 18TH
mus proper south to Punta Limones,
near the mouth, Of the Baudo river,
q distance Of about 100 miles. The
minimum width Of the territory is
eighteen miles, the greatest fifty
eight. The news of the seizure is
said to have created intense excite
ment and indignation at Bogota,
where the people have associated
the affair with the Americans, whom
they believe to be seconding the op-
crat:ons of the Panama people and
to be prepared to lend armed assis-
tance it necessary.
Washington. The Bureau of Con-
struction and Repair of the Navy De-
partment has just completed the
preparation of a table showing the
progress made during the month of
July on the construction of the Unit
ed States war vessels now being built
at shipyards on the Atlantic and Pa
cific coasts, which is calculated to i'm
press even the most skeptical with
the liberal naval policy of Congress
in recent years. The table shows
that there are thirty-six new vessels
already completed or under construc-
ton. In fact, the United States navy
will be so substantially augmented
in the near future that officials of the
Navy Department are already figur-
ing on the matter of The necessary
increase in the navy positions.
The War Department is annoyed
over reports emanating from the
Isthmus of Panama that the Ameri-
cans are violating their treaty for
the canal strip, and arc ignoring the
rights of the public of Panama. 1t
was stated that there has been some
friction between the Panamans and
the administrative officers of the ca
nal zone which is said to be the di-
rect result Of an agitation instiga.cd
by the merchants Of Panama and Col
on, mostly foreigners, by the way,
who are apprehensive that they are
to lose all their trade by diversion to
the new port of Ancon, which the
Canal Commission is to erect in the
zone.
The lesson taught by the great ma
val battles in the Far East, the de-
feas of the Russian Port Arthur and
Vladivostok squadrons, will have its
effect upon the deliberations of the
General Board of the Navy now en-
gagged in considering .he ornaments
of the battleships and armored cruis-
ers to be authorized during the next
session of Congress. The manner of
the victories of the japanese has
greatly increased the sentiment in the
navy in favor of heavy guns for the
main batteries of the ships.
In reply to the State Departments S
instructions to request President
Castro to put the New York and Ber-
mudez Asphalt Company again in pos
session of its property in Venezuela
pending the decision of the Venezue-
Ian Supreme Court in September,
Minister Bowen has cabled the De-
partment that he has laid these rep
RESERVATIONS before the Venezuelan
Foreign Office, but that he has not
yes been able to secure an answer
from President Castro, who is at
present absent from Caracas.
Secretary Wilson made an an
nouncement which is among the most
interesting that has emanated from
the Department of Agriculture.
Plans are in progress looking to the
establishment of wireless telegraph
system Of fire alarms in every one
of the forest reserves under the con-
troll Of the United States government.
In detailing his plan Secretary Will
sen said he believed this would prove
TO be one of the most valuable sug-
gestions ever made for the preserva-
ton Of the forests