Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-10-07
From Washington.
ICorrsspondsnce Of the Alexandria GsEstte.l
Washington, Oct. 8.


Washington, Oct. 8.
Admiral Dewey does not believe that
the navy of which be is the chief officer
is "bluff" and 10 confident that 1t
would render a good account of itself in
any scrinsge 10 which it was called
upon to take part. he is also strongly
10 favor of substituting q merchant ma.
rne, so IS to furnish soxiisries for the
navy in time OF need. when ex-Oou-
gresham Lands used the word bluff"
IN connection with the American navy"
said Admiral Dewey today, refer
riDg to the speech made by Mr.. Lands
In Cincinnati, "he used an unfortunate
word. Of course be meant that the navy
would be comparatively useless 10 time
.ot war without necessary suxiliaries
drawn from the merchant marine. He
wants q subsidy for our ships of COM
merce and so do |. And l believe that
We would get it and build up q strong
merchant marine If 1t we're not for the
use Of the word subsidy Many
people do not like that, thinking that it
means to give something for nothing.
President Taft put it 10 q good way
when he urged that the ships should
be paid for carrying the mails"
After speaking of the strength OF the
present navy, of the auxiliary ships and
the talked of prospects of war, Admiral
DeEey continued: "But there will be
no wsr. And 80 long az We 90 ahead
steadily and moderately in adding to
our navy, replacing the older ships with
those of the most modern type, retiring
the former to the second line, thus
keeping our navy abreast with the
world, 90 one will ever be able to say,
like Mr.. Lands, that other nations do
not regard theAmerican navy seriously"
Admiral Dewey added two interesting
pieces Of information to this talk on
subsidies. One was the fact that the
English, in building their largest battle
ships, are now following the example
set by the American navy in con6ning
their guns to a central line OF fire and
10 abandoning The side guns. The
other had reference to the German navy.
at is d fact little known" said the
admiral, "tbat the German navy is
building its ships with very small
cosl.carryiog capacity, That looks as
though they we're intended for use very
near their home waters. | used to
think that the German ships we're being
buiIt for Us. But do not now"
When President TAFT reaches Will
mington, N. G. on his return from his
western trip November 9, it Is the de-
sire of the citizens of that place to take
him for trip on the Cape Fear river
10 order 10 interest him in the further
imDYovement of that stream. The
Revenue Cutter Seminole has been or
derad TO hold Itself in readiness 10 carry
the President and his party on that &C.
cssiOn.
The hundred American men and won
en- Who were stranded at Nome, ALASKA,
because Of the failure of mining COM
pany ty which they had been employed
to pay them their wages, will soon be
rescued and brought back to Seattle.
The Treasury Department recently sent
word to Capt. Jacobs, 10 command Of
the REVENGE cutter feet 10 Alaskan
waters, to put the destitute people on
cutter and give them transportation to
the states. Today a message was re-
ceived by the department from Capt.
Jacobs stating that be had located the
revenue cutter Besr at sea and had de-
livered to 1t the departments message.
The Bear, which is under the command
Of Cspi. E. P. Btrlholt, will lesve
Nome with the stranded ones tomorrow.
President C. A. Spreckles. of the Federal
Sugar Refining Co., of New York, has com
planned to the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion that the railroads running from the me-
tropolis are disseminating against his conf
psny in favor Of the Arbuckle Bros, of
Brooklyn, also engaged in the sugar refining
business ,snd he claims reparation in the sum
of 82.243.
Charge Fletcher, Of the American Legation
at Pekin, was directed by the State Depart
ment today to express to the Chinese govern
ment the condolences of the United States on
the death Of the late Grand Counsellor Chang
Chih Tung.
b II. Decatur has been appointed pOstmss.
ter at MILES, stafford county, Va, and ).
w. McQusy, at Conicville, Shenandoah
comfy,