Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-12-14
From Washington
correspondence Of the Alexandria Gazette.l

Correspondence Of the Alexandria Gazette
Washington, Dec. IA.
When the battleship feet sails for the
Pacific. the organization of another big
fee, will be started on the Atlantic sea-
board. By the first of the year. the
first division of the new feet will be
under tentative formation, TO be known
as the 'Third squadron Of the Atlantic
fleet" At its head will be the new
bstlleship Mississippi. She will be
Joined By the Idaho, the Indiana, and
the New Hampshire. 1t is expected
that these four ships will be under one
commander, probably Rear Admiral
Glover. The second division will be or.
gsnizsd as rapidly as the first. 1t will
be made up of old protected cruisers, all
recently renovated. The flagship will
be the Minneapolis, and William 6.
Swift, who will be promoted to rear
admiral January 8, will probably be 10
command. The other units of this divi-
sion will be the Columbia, Des Moines
and Tacoma.
Ia the spring, special division will be
formed by the three scout cruisers,
Chester, Birmingham and Salem, and
by June or July the two srmored cruls-
els Nor.h Carolina and Montana, now
being completed at Newport News, will
form another special division. With
the new ships, and all OF the old ones
made as much like new as possible. there
will be sufficient battleships and cruisers
to form full two squadrOns Of sixteen
ships within year and half. A tor
pedo aud submarine division already Is
being formed under the direction OF
Captain @. O. Marsh, and maneuvers
will be conducted In the Chesapeake
Bay next spring.
President Roosevelt was presented
this afternoon with a loving cup from
the mayor of Manila by Lieut.. Lewis j.
Van Setback of the Fourth Infantry,
who was special bearer OF the giff. The
cup i. OF silver, and gold lined, made of
native ore, aud stands one foot in
height. The cup is supposed to repre-
sent q combined tribute from the ma
tives of the Philippine Islands and the
American officers there, as from 1t was
drank the first toast at the Manila Taft
banquet TO the President,it being passed
from lip to lip among the guests. O"ing
to the stringent customs regulations on
importations from the Philippines, the
ceremony of presentation was delayed
several days by the cup being detained
in the Gergetown custom house under
bond.
State Senator Alfred K. Page, Of New
York, generally recognized as Gov.
Hughes chief lieutenant, was at the
White House today to see the Presi-
dent, and Immediately rumors began to
ay about reconciliation" between the
governor and President Roosevelt.
f'There Is really no ill-ieeling between
the President and Gov. Hughes" said
Page, upon leaving the White House.
"That impression is based rather upon
indiscreet expressions by friends of the
two msn." New York, he said, would
90 to the convention pledged for Hughes.
Letters addressed to "Sants Claus"
will no longer 90 to the dead letter Office
The Postmaster General issued the fol-
loving order today to every postmaster
in the United States: thereafter, and
until January l, 1908, postmasters are
directed to deliver all letters arriving at
their respective postofices addressed
plainly and Enthusiastically to Santa
Claus without any other terms or ex-
pressiops identifying the person for
whom such letters are intended, to any
regularly organized charitable society in
he city or town OF address, to be used
exclusively for philsnthropic purposes.
Ia the event that claim should be made
by moreS han one such society for letters
30 addressed, such letters will be equally
divided according to number between or
among the societies making such claim"
The condition of Mrs. Longworth, who
underwent an operation for appendicitis
on Thursday, was much improved today.
Surgeon General Rixey announced that
she hGd passed comfortable night and
was progressing nicely.
Postmaster General Meyer announced
today that the President bad decided to
re.appoint Postmaster W,msn at ST..
Louis. This ends bitter fight that has
been wsged against Wymsn. Regard
ing the reappointment OF Wymsp, the
Postmaster General said: "This is
merely in line with the policy introduced
two years ago, of retaining in Office post
masters Of presidential, as we'll as fourth
class officers who are now performing
| their duties satisfactorily.
Efforts to reorganzs the defunet bank
Of commerce OF Kansas City, can Sc
cure the sanction Of the comptroller OF
the currency only under certain condi-
tions. One is that none OF the officers
and directors of the present institution
can servo in that capacity under the
new regime. The comptroller aulhoriz-
ed this announcement today.
Vice President Fairbanks has one
vote pledged to him in Wyoming. He
and Representative Mondell, of Wyo'
ming, met in an snte-room next to the
Presidents private Office today at the
White House. With the Wyoming man
were a bride and groom, the latter res
ident of Omaha, Neb., and the lady OF
his choice just from Wyoming. "Aren't
you sorry thst you will loose your vote
now that you are no longer q citizen of
Wyoming" asked the Vice President
of the bride. 81 shall 90 back in order
TO regain my residence to vote for you
for President" came the reply. The
bride WIS the only one who blushed in
that room.
+ Senator Tillmsn will, as he himself
says, make an Interrogation of himself
on Monday in the Senate. The subject