Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1907-04-26
WASHINGTON LETTER
trrom our Regular Correspondent

tfTOLu our ttok uldF COTT6SpOuu0ul.1
Washington, u. z. April 20 -Quas-
tions of international law which will
be submitted i'll the form of recon
mendatlons to the next Hague tribunal,
are being considered here this week by
the American Society of International
law that 10 hOldiI & It's annual sessions.
This society is only a year old, but its
president Is Secretary Root, and it
numbers on its BOARD of dlrectO rs sew
eral other mem ers OF the Cabinet.
International law up to date is rather
like tie English Constitution, an I'M
written mass Of precedents. There is
no lLternatlOnal code In the strict
meaning Ut the term, and one OF The
ooje; 8 of the socIe,y is to develop To-
terest in the subject aud secure the
adoption OF well defined information
al standard. The subject taken up at
the initial meeting of Lhe society was
The long debated one of property rights
on the high seas. Judge ADVOCATE
General Davis, Rear Admiral Stockton
and q number OF other accomplished
lawyers took part in the discussion.
while no conclusion was reached, the
concensus OF opinion was that the
cause OF civilization would not be serv-
ed to any great extent by an interna-
tional convention assuring the safety
OF private property on the nigh seas in
time of war. 1t was pointed out that
one nation could weaken another etfec-
lively by such system Of depreda-
tions, cutting of her fooa supplies and
Gripping her manufacturing interests
without necessarily much bloOdshed.
The association held that this would
tend TO shorten the duration of u war,
and this being the case, it was good
thing to leave this q uestion alone.
There has just been organized in the
Geological Survey new division, the
first OF whose duties has already com
mence. namely, the valuation OF gov
eminent coal lands throughout the
west SO rs to give tue government some
data to 60 by in fixing the price Of
these lands when they are rented or
sold. As the csse now Stands, coal
lands are sold for the nominal price OF
$l. rs an acre, and the government gets
little money benefit out OF the sale. A
large field force has already been start
ed out. aud it is thought that it will
he able TO cover about 10000 square
miles Of territory during the coming
season.
The division will send in car load
samples Of coal from all tue government
coal deposits, and these Will be tested
fer their gas producing value, their
cooking value their steam making
Q uallLlss. and all other lines in which
coal can We made useful. A good dea
of work n fuel investigation has beer
done by the survey III The past year,
main fuel testing plant being located al
st. Louis. One very valuable dlscUv.
cry has already beeu made, and that
il that some OF the government GOA
that las been thought absolutely value.
less tor burning will make excellent
gas, and being thus transformed and
Used in u gas engine will produce more
power at the same cost out OF q ton of
coal than will the best coal when burn
ed and used TO make steam. This il
An immensely valuable discovery, as
will be readily appreciated. There are
hundreds OF thousands of acres of very
low grade coal land still belonging TO
the government. This coal is ~ call
ed Ignite, softer than the very sOftesu
Oitumunous coal, and but little better
tudu pcALs IL uAb uoNoI oV6u phlO W
mine it. But if 1t Can be used for gas
making and the gas used for power as
has been demonstrated, then the Ignite
beds are MS valuable as SO much good
steam coal. Tnis Will aud millions of
dollars to the value of the remaining
public coal lands. There have been
other interesting Developments from
these fuel tests. but some Of them are
too technical to be of general interest,
and the above is enough to show that
they are giving g00d value for the
money expended ON them.
Considerable worry is being INDUCED
in by the officials OF the Navy Depart
ment, and more by the officers who |
be on duty at jamestown, by the re-
port that hayti may send Il vice ad
mlral there to represent her. The
whole proceeding savors largely of
farce comedy. as do most things con
uecJed with Hayti. Tue little island
has no navy at all, but plethora of
aumlrals and generals and nigh Ulcers
1f all sorts. She Is looking around
low for chance to borrow warship
md send it to represent her at the
Jamestown Exposition. If she sue
seeds in doing this, it will mean that