davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-04

Is as impenetrable as man can create It.. The armor on the present day ships Is great improvement over that installed on the first of the ironclads, and it's re- sisting power is easily 10 times greater than it was before the modern Harvey ized nickle steel was invented. Armor plate has perhaps raised more ructions in the Navy Department than anything else connected with the construction of our fighting vessels. To begin with there is the tariff-then tbere is ''graft''-aud if the country had new battleship for every time the charge had been made that rotten armor was accepted. our Navy would outnumber Great Britain's ships two to one. Still, things are better now than they were ever before in this respect, for Uncle Sam has been quick avenger in many cases in the past when he found himself cheated, and. today the instances of defective plate are few and far.
 Probably the greatest place in the world to see how all the parts of a ship are made and assembled is the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the biggest in the coun- try and second in size to none in the world. There visitors can see men at work on every part of q vessel in course of construction, as well as at the task of renovating ships of older vintage that must be completely altered to be brought up to the efficiency of the yes sels of modern times. At this Navy Yard the ill-fated battleship Maine. one of the first vessels built for the White Squad ron was constructed, and in short time the Florida. which will supercede the North Dakota as queen of the Navy, will be under way.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-04

lyn, once called the peer of any vessel of her class, is now out of commission and so far outclassed by the cruisers of today that she is just now about the equal of the protected cruisers of a dec ade ago. A ship of her tonnage In the armored cruiser class was then consid- cred monster, as she had a displace- ment of 5000 tons, and the battleships of those days were only 1000 tons heavier
 Nowadays the armored cruisers are nearly 5000 tons heavier than the yes sells of the same class q decade ago, which, alongside of them. appear like pigmies In point of size. More than that, they even make the battleships of those days look insignificant. The latest of the speedy monsters added to the navy is the Washington. with the gigantic dis placement of 14,500 tons. and bigger in every way than the flagship of Rear Ad- miral Winfield s. Schley during the bat tie of Santiago. The builders of this mammoth structure of steel claim that the Washington is the most powerful ves- sel of her class in the American Navy and the equal of any ship of war that foreign navy can boast of in the ar mored cruiser class.
 The little torpedo boats of the Navy are the only vessels that do not seem to grow ''out of style" no matter how long they have been in use Of course, they are being built larger all the time, but the smaller craft, like the StIetto, which has a displacement of Al tons, are con sidered just as powerful as the modern Worden, which Is nearly eleven times the size in displacement tons The Navy Department expects much of these little fighters that constitute the mosquito fleet" The manner in which they are
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-04
Sup
 press England?

T NGLISHMEN - those usually call H~ and placid indiyidua ls-are now an &A have been for year all afame owe an alleged plot of Germany to suddenl land her superb army of, say 300.0O0, the best drilled soldiers in the world the east shore of England Any numbe of special articles have been written the subject, the statesmen have bes questioned and bulied in Parliamen about the matter, and a dozen novels an half as many very popular meodrama have been written on the subject
 Sir John Fisher. who is generally COT sldered the greatest of the fighting ad mlrals of England of this day and gent ration, has evidently given much tim and attention to studying the possibilit and the feasibility of Germany ever al. tempting to accomplish this tremendou feat. Sir John says of the Idea:
 .'I am of the opinion that It could hal pen far more easily than most peopl think. With submarines by day and tolI pedo-boat destroyers sweeping the sea at night, the North Sea will be an in possible place for battleships in war. Tn big fleets of both parties will lie behinl booms and defenses at their bases mos of the time each waiting to attack tn olhSAg put uhNf tiiiHB 10 fCbLuic Oul S1 cept on concerted plans of battle.
 '"The destroyers will fight one anothe and every old cruiser and old fashioned gunboat will be sent out. There will b many small battles, partial actions am so forth, and at any time Germany nigh succeed In rushing an invading armi across the Channel. These might mee destroyers, but Germany has many nor of these particular craft than Englalnd
 But the real danger lies in the fac that Germany might come from the Cus haven direction or just as probably 2 around inside the Baltic and come out a the north of Denmark. British ship which could watch one direction coul not do so in the other.
 "A remedy Is imperative and the onl way to safety lies on the water Ther must be many new boats built to watcl the exits from Germany s ports. The. do not have to be very fast or extreme powerful but they must be built ant kept on the watch, for as sure as Grea Britain and Germany ever go to war tn latter country will attempt to invad England and capture London"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-04

Navy. and will have twice the tonnage of the first-class battleships of 10 years ago. The gun power on the North Dakota will be more destructive, the speed will be greater and the armor will be twice as impenetrable as was the case when the Massachusetts reigned supreme.
 Mans ingenuity and his unceasing striv- ing for perfection-his utter unwillingness to leave well enough alone-is at the bot tom of the short life of the fighting ships As soon as a warship Is completed some fault Is discovered in her construction and in the design of the next ship the defect is remedied. This applies equally to the engines and boilers, the guns, the armor plate and the interior mechanism. New inventions are being made right along and every day brings forth something new that holds out hope of increasing the efficiency of vessels.
 Battleships are not the only class of vessels that age rapidly. The armored cruisers and gunboats show what Is called unfitness" five or six years after they are constructed. The cruiser Brook
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-04

such as the recent investigation will complete It in the time set by them-that Is to say, before the close of the year 1915. It has been, so to speak, uphill work until the present. We are just at the point of starting down grade. Abso- lutely all the data necessary is in hand. The ground Is ready for the work of building the concrete structures by which the termination of the operation will be regulated. Contracts have been let for the machinery and cement to be used in the construction of the dams and locks and two large vessels have been bought to transport the material. A change of plan might be made now with little loss. for the work done so far would apply to a sea-level waterway, but hereafter every days work will turn to a dead loss in case the type of canal is altered
 The construction of the locks at Gatun, Pedro Miguel and Miraiores will com mence simultaneously, and will be pushed with all possible speed. It is proposed to consume about 5000 barrels of cement a day. Half this amount will be used at Gatun alone, where 20 mixers are to be installed along the lines of the lock walls
 FORBES LINDSAY,
 Author of
 Panama: the Isthmus and the Canal"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-04
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A HE Gatun Dam has well-estah-
 ished position as the bugaboo of M the canal. The Chagres used to WA1 be the areh-bogey. but now the
 structure which is designed to re- strain that vexatious stream has usnrped the first place in the interest and appre- hension of the public. The criticisms and suspicious that have been directed against the great dam can only be ae- counted for by the fact that 1t is the key to the whole plan and the most es- sential feature of it. Any diseredit that can be cast upon 1t affects the entire lock level project. and so the opponents of the canal concentrate their attacks on what they consider the most vulnerable quarter. The average individual lack ing technical knowledge of the subject, Is prone to accept these strietures To him the mere size of the huge mound in- wolves a menace. But this Is a mistaken view. As matter of fact. consldera- be degree of it's safety lies in it's enor- nous bulk and weight.
 The Gatun Dam will fill the gap In the hills enclosing the Valley of the Chagres. through which that river passes on it's way to the Atlantic Ocean. The obstruc- ton of its course will force the stream and its tributaries to empty on the upper side of the dam and to form a lake about 16O miles in extent The water in this immense reservoir will stand at an eleva- tion of s5 feet above sea level and it's depth will range from 45 to D feet. so that very little excavation will be needed. The canal course across Gatun Lake will be 23 miles in length, or more than half the entire distance from shore to shore Along this stretch ships will have the advantage of open and unrestricted nayi gation.
 Gatun Dam will stretch across the valley in a length approximating one and half miles. It's crest will be 135 feet above sea level and from that it will slope down to 60 feet the distance from face to toe being half mile. It will be composed of selected material impervious to water and reinforced along It's front and back by heavy walls of rock. The dam will exert a weight upon its founda- tions of one ton to every 20 feet of height, so that under the crest the pres sure will be nearly seven tons to the square foot The safety of such strue-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-04

mule and can kick twice as hard. Such combination naturally makes a pet ostrich only another name for suicide.
 But baby ostriches are cute. They are round and plump and covered with the dearest feathers resembling narrow bands of different colored material. The chicks head and neck appear to be covered with sort of natural plush striped like q tigers skin The baby ostriches are always great pets In regions where these animals thrive either in natural state or on some of the big farms where they are raised for the sake of their plumage
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-04
Young Ostriches as Pets.

HN ostrich egg weighs some three
 H pounds. and 1t is claimed 1t tastes H so much like. an ordinary hens egg hat you cannot tell the difference. Also me will make meal for family of five. There is said to be something fascinating ibout baby ostrich, and they love to be ,etted and become very fond of their at- endants. But beware of the grown strich. No matter how tame it has been 8 q young chick, the ostrich is un- amable as an adult bird.
 Nobody ever boasted of having grown eme ostrich. It is trickier than a balky
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-04
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0 NE of the greatest problems that IT M confront the experts of our Navy
 is the rapidity with which the O modern ships of war age. for try
 as they may, the constructors can not prevent the present-day battleships from becoming back numbers in a few short years. The average period during which armored ships are considered first class vessels ranges from between four to six years, while any warship over that age is generally held up as an object lesson of what a great sea fighter of the present day ought not be-
 Take the battleships Massachusetts and New Hampshire for instance; these illus trate how short a period modern bat tleship ranks as a first-class sea fighter. Ten years ago the Massachusetts was one of the largest and most powerful war ships in the world, and it was claimed that she could sink, In less than an hour, the best vessel flying the flag of this or any other nation. Today this famous yes sel is a back number and would be easy picking for most of the battleships now in commission in the American Navy.
 In striking contrast to the Massachusetts is the battleship New Hampshire, the newest addition to Uncle sam's fleet and considered by experts to be as powerful war vessel as can be found in the world. No technical knowledge is needed to convince even the layman that the old vessel would be little more than play thing In the hands of those who direct the movements of the modern leviathan Experts say that the Massachusetts would sink in the storm of an onslaught by the New Hampshire as quickly as she would have had other vessels at her mercy 10 years ago.
 A few weeks ago the North Dakota was launched, and when this giant battleship Is finished and placed in commission the United States will have, for the first time in her history, battleship that can truth fully be called the queen of the seas. She will be four thousand tons heavier than any vessel now in the American
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-04
1~@ 10 5fpokzIN NzyY{aEad
Every Spaniard
 Noble.

~ o students of human manners it will be interesting to realize that tho V lofty courtesy of the Spanish peoplt is due to the fact that each pure-bred native of that sunny land considers him self a noble While of course, all are not granted to wear title still eacn Sraniard is deemed of noble birth If hs has kept his pedigree clear of intermar riages with any but such as have also maintained the Spanish blood intact. This belief has a sound historical basia In the fact that when the Moors were driven from Spain the Spanish people that Is, the ruling class from which the Spanish of pure blood of today are de- scended-all fought against the Moorst and all were of q military caste. And when the Moors were finally driven oul of Spain there remained, besides the pure blooded Spania rds, a great horde of mixed breeds
 So it was decreed by the Crown thai every pure-bred Spaniard was an aristo' crat and d member of the noble classes. Only such were eligible for titles and could hold any of the great court offices. All such were declared, Dons and the title of Don, or master" applied toI all Spaniaras regardless of any other' titles he might possess, and thus every Spaniard was a nobleman by virtue or his blood.
 This curious situation continues in force to the present day. Of course, 1t seems as if there would be many individuals who could claim pure blood, but, in real ity. there are few families not of wealth and importance that can actually do this by authentic documents. Yet such is
 necessary to insure recognition as pure
 bred Spaniard.
 It is needed to produce documents for
 many generations back, including birth
 certificates and marriage records. As
 matter of cold fact there are but few
 such Spanish families, which, in addition
 to their unsoiled descent do not also own
 some title. Also, many Spanish noble
 families with titles would have to admit
 that they have intermarried with other
 than the pure Castllian blood.
 Still, there are enough of the pure
 blood Spanish without title to prove the
 historical value of the fact that every
 pure-bred Spaniard is a member of the
 aristocracy and noble by birth If not
 by distinguishing title. It Is all the
 more interesting when 1t Is realized that
 Spain is the only country on the globe
 where such is the case.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-04

Gin Is still used as a medium of ex- change In some parts of the Niger coun- try, in Africa, but the government dis courages it. Owing to the extreme con servatism In these districts the task b difficult.
The San Francisco call., 1909-10-13
.DESPOTIC RULE IN
CHINA TERMINATES
SeIf-Governing Legislatures to
Convene Today Through
out Celestial Empire

MUKDEN, Oct. 12.-The despotic
government of China will terminate
tomorrow. All the legislatures of the
self-governing provinces throughout
the empire will hold their first meet
ings preparatory to the drafting of a
constitution for the empire.
Each province will be represented in
the imperial assembly that will draft
the constitution by SO members. pub
licly elected.
The assembly will be held in pala-
tial auditorium erected in Peking on
the site of the ancient hall of exami-
nations.
Numerous rooms have been built as
an annex to the auditorium for the
purpose of lodging the members during
the session of the assembly.
The San Francisco call., 1909-10-13
HONEYMOON BEGINS
WITH AUTO WRECK
Bride and Groom Hurled From
Car While Driving in
Alameda
TSpeciol Di,poteh 10 The Call

ALAMEDA, Oct. 12.-Death was
Waterbury and his bride Of less than
two hours tonight. Waterbury is a
prominent Iumberman of Yuba. county.
At $40 o'clock this evening he married
Miss Gertrude Marhoff at the home of
the brides uncle, e. F. Burrill, 1929
Bay street, this city, the Rev DR.. F. S.
Brush officiating.
At 10 o'clock Waterbury and his
bride started on their wedding journey
in the automobile which is to take
them to their future home in the
northern country. Waterbury was
driving the car.
AS the car was approaching Central
avenue and Sherman street at lively
rate of speed Waterbury saw the
southside train approaching rapidly.
He feared for collision and suddenly
turned his machine. The turn was too
short. The car capsized. Both Water
bury and his bride were thrown into
the street.
Edward Wall and wife We're passing
in their automobile and hastened to
the aid of Waterbury and his BRIDE
The newly married couple were picked
up and taken to the home of Dr. H. M.
pond. Doctor Pond found that neither
was seriously hurt. Treatment was
given. Then the Waterburys went back
to where the accident had occurred,
righted their car, tinkered it up and
soon were on their honeymoon journey
again.
The San Francisco call., 1909-10-13
WESTERN PACIFIC
RUSHING CAR SHOPS
Completing Oakland Buildings
in Readiness for Traffic

OAKLAND, Oct. 12.-Work on the
shops OF the Western Pacific. railway
5s being rushed. preparatory to the run
,,i,e of the first train into Oakland
which. the officials of the company say,
viii occur next month
The engineers are now figuring on
the concrete bases for the machine
sbons at the foot Of Adeline street
Their completion viii be followed by
the installation OF machinery that is
now on the ground
The freight wards are also the scene
~ rn,,ch activity at present, and it is
believed that they Will be in shape for
freight trafic next month.
The San Francisco call., 1909-10-13
SON AND HEIR BORN
TO FAMILY OF TAFTS
Oakland Namesake of President
Receives Congratulations

OAKLAND. Oct. 12.--The family of
Maxwell Taft of SIS Montecito avenue
was gladdened today by the advent of
a son, the first. His two little sisters
were among the gladdest. Taft is the
son of H. C. Taft. and is prominent in
Oakland society, as is his wife, for
merly Miss Florence Hayden. The
coming of the first SON was marked by
a large number of gifts from friends of
the famil,-
The San Francisco call., 1909-10-13
INJURIES RECEIVED IN
FOOTBALL GAME FATAL
Woodland Youth Dies Following
Game With Vallejo
TSpecidl Di,patch 10 The Call

DAvISvILLE, Oct. 12.-winfred
injured in a football game with Vallejo
here Sunday, died in Woodland hos
pital today.
An autopsy showed that he had a
dislocated vertebrae.
He had just recovered from two
broken ribs received from kick of a
mule some time ago.
The San Francisco call., 1909-10-13
Resignation Is Demanded

Minister Cranes resignation was
asked for this morning or last night
by Secretary Knox on account of
Cranes action in discussing Americana
japanese affairs, although Secretary
Knox in his statement says. these sto-
ries were cana rds."
Before Knox's written demand for
his resignation reached him Crane
wired TO President Taft Offering to re-
sign If the president desired. He then
replied TO Secretary Knox virtually
telling him that he had gone over
Knox's head. Crane issued a statement
tonight practically charging Knox with
a determination to get rid of him and
as using the alleged "indiscretion" as a
pretext
The San Francisco call., 1909-10-13

Some for saying that Doctor Cook did
the north will be understood by those who following
statement of the Eskimo boys who who
told and Others OF where he did Several
started with Doctor Cook from February 1908
were at Etah when arrived there in August, 1908
They told that Doctor Cook had with they left two
Eskimo boys young sledges and dogs bows
were ITookAShoo and AhPeLah had from their
childhood One about Is and the years old
ESKLMOS CONTRADICT COOKS STORY
On return from Cape Sheridan very first settle
ment touched erke Cape Chaon August 1902 and
nine days before reaching Etah the Ekmo general
where Doctor Cook had ben that he Jones
sound and that he had told the white that he had been
long north but that the boys who him. Took
AShoo and AhPeLah said that this Eskmos
laughed at Doctor Cooks story On reaching with the
Emos there and with the boys asked describe
Doctor Cooks journey members of my party This
they did in the manner stated below R. E. PEARY.
Signed Peay Bartlett McMann Borup and Henson
in regard to testimony of Cooks Eskimo boys:
The Eskimo who accom-
panied Doctor Cook while and 1902 were
Pah the father of of them ToAShoo) personally
that the by as de-
scbed by him by his after his
of by us and no one
of doubt that they ruth
Their
promises
talking journey experiences
the that they would talk hunting trip.
The San Francisco call., 1909-10-13
No Reply From President
At midnight tonight Crane said:

AT midnight tonight Crane said:
Il have not yet had a reply from
President Taft and 1 have nothing to
add to my statement"
1t is taken for granted here that the
president will approve of everything
that Secretary Knox has done To do
otherwise would mean the disruption
Of the cabinet. At the same time it is
recognized that Secretary Knox's ac-
ton has greatly embarrassed President
Taft, who personally selected Crane to
be minister to China.
Cranes friends are circulating the
story tonight that clique exists in
the state department and that II
planned to get rid of Crane at all haz-
ards. They declare that an explosion
is imminent in which much side his
tory will be laid bare.
The San Francisco call., 1909-10-13
EDITORS WIN POINT IN
GOVERNMENT LIBEL SUIT
indianapolis Judge Refuses Or
der for Removal

2 INDIANAPOLIS. Oct. 12.-Judge An
derson of the United States district
court late today refused an order ap-
piled for by the department of justice
for the removal OF Delaven Smith and
Charles B. Williams, proprietors of
the Indianapolis News. to the district
of Columbia for trial on the charge OF
criminal libel in the Panama canal con-
troversy
The San Francisco call., 1909-10-13
NATIVES SHOW ROUTE ON MAP

details: in
table gone with
pointing map but not
making N it.
As he the other boy in and asked
indicated the
o
with Doctor
Cook from the northern end OF Nansns
with the Jones sound and who has Ps
expeditions IS indicated locations
details the boys
brought pencil on the
cording killed their dogs
walru and
then called and wento chart
together, hereafter
to
positions of the with which he personally
The bulk of the boys testimony taken Peay
fact that obyiae possible
awed by him.
independent Of the
suggested by Commander Peay Of
by us to
casual
questions minor points that had to him
d
he told Mr. Whitney
tell Commander anything
and the boys stated Doctor Cook had threatened them
should tell anything.