Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-16
TO Protect Wireless Messages.

The President has asked Congress to
enact legislation for the better protection
of the government wireless telegraph
service The necessity for action in the
premises was brought to the Presidents
attention by Secretary Metcalf.
Frequent occasions have arisen." said
the latter Ito illustrate the possible con-
sequences of wireless interference. On
one occasion an important message to the
President of the United States while en-
barked on d naval vessel was interfered
with and held up for considerable time
by the workings of a commercial wireless
station. and instances have occurred
wherein the naval stations at Newport.
Washington and San Francisco have at
different times been interfered with by
persons operating with no serious object.
Mr.. Metcaf therefore recommended
that such legislation be enacted as will
insure freedom of official messages from
interference. ITO accomplish this the law
should make IT a punishable offense." he
says. Ito originate or transmit false
message purporting to be official; to break
in and interfere with any wireless station
while 1T is transmitting an official mes
sage: to refuse TO cease fail to cease
sending private wireless message when
called upon to do so by an operator hay
ing an official message to send"
Large Shipment of Naval Supplies.
The largest shipment ever made from
an American port to the naval station
In the Philippines has just been author
lied by the paymaSter general of the
navy. There will be shipped from the
New York navy yard a cargo of not less
than two thousand tons Of every con-
ceivable article which is on the list of
naval supplies and stores. That shipment
IL int pde6 the demands of ba
battleships should they return 10 the
United States by way of the Asiatic sta
ton and Suez. In that event the ships
will load up to the capacity of their bunk
ers with coal and stores In San Fran
cisco. They will be accompanied by sup
ply ships similarly laden. and the stock
shipped to Cavite will be drawn on to
replenish the exhausted stores. With what
may be borrowed from the army stock
in the Philippines IL will suffice to carry
the ships back 10 New York by way of
European waters. All arrangements have
been made by the naval pay officers
for equipping the ships with supplies of
such sorts and quantities 10 have no
interference with the plan of the return
of the ships. whether they come back
by way of South America or through
the Suez canal.
Heavy Furniture for Army.
@. NJ, Gen Aleshire has esti-
mated that it will cost S946, O54 to supply
the officers of the army with heavy furni-
ture. being at the rate of $500 for each
set of quarters. The contracts to be
awarded during the present fiscal year
contemplate an expenditure of d bout one
third OF the total cost and will furnish
each building with "A dining room table
eight dining chairs. desk and "A side
board. Later on. there VIII be supplied
curtain poles for each window, two bed
steads one chest of drawers one book
case. one hatrack. parlor table one
Morris chair and one kitchen table E.s-
Inmates on the cost of these articles have
been obtained. excepting in the case of
curtain poles the Morris chair and the
kitchen table. Bids will shortly be open
ed by the depot Quartermaster in New
York for the furniture. which. it is in
tended to purchase out of the funds now
availa BILE.
Painting of Noted Naval Fight.
Mrs. Caroline c. Furbush. of go Otis
street. West Newton. Mass. has present
ed "A valuable historical painting by
Thomas Birch. of the battle between the
Constitution and Guerrero, to the Navy
Department for the Naval Academy
Thomas Birch was an artist of a CEN