davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-04

however, is indispensable to legislation.
For whereas the House of Lords can
dispense with the presence Of the Judges
of the Supreme Court, at least one pref
ate is necessary to make up quorum
The Scotch representative peers are
summoned in an entirely distinct man
ner and do not receive any individual
royal writ The procedure is as fol-
lows: Whenever a new Parliament is
summoned a special royal proclamation
is posted up at the Market Cross in
Edinburgh, and in all the county towns
of Scotland, ordering the election with
in a given number of days of the six
teen peers of Scotland by whom the lat
ter is represented in the House of Lords
at Westminster. The election takes
place at Hollywood Palace. at Edinburgh,
the meeting of all the peers of Scotland
who are of age, who are not bankrunt,
and who are not aliens, being presided
over by the Lord Clerk Register, as the
principal judicial dignitary of Scotland.
Three at least Of the peers entitled to
vote are of foreign birth, namely LORD
Fairfax, who was formerly an American,
Lord Reay, who was for many years a
member of the Dutch diplomatic service.
aid Lord Newburgh, who was born as
an Italian. All three owe their Scotch
rctrages to inheritance For since the
union of England and Scotland, two hun
d,eG years ago the Crown has been ie-
barred from creating any new Scotch
reerages. Names and proxies are hand
ed in a the voting at HclyrOod, and then
the Lord Clerk Register declares the &C
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-04
Arfbur Murray >Sbos0S Equal Skill q
Stvayine Congress or Constructing
FEsbinG Rods.

admitted his belief that were the navy
and the coast defence corps to be ANAL
gamated while Arthur Murray was in
command Of the latter it would not be
two years before every piece of ordnance
in the navy would be mounted in a har-
Dor fertilization and every Jack Tar en-
gagged in planting mines.
Like the next Speaker of the House,
General Murray is the product of Pike
County, Mo-, and is proud Of it. AS
a fiaxen haired youth he felt the weight
Of the reputation of Pike County on his
shoulders when he was admitted to the
Military Academy at West Point and II
was for the glory of Pike County that he
was graduated, in 1874. second in his class.
Having been assigned to the artillery at
a time when that arm presented COM
paratively few opportunities for energy
such as his, Lieutenant Murray soon OBJ
tanned an assignment to the Military
Academy as instructor Of philosophy He
was a born teacher, and there IS not
man who came under his instruction VINO
does not speak with enthusiasm To-Day
Of the lucid explanations and constant
incentive to do his best which he re-
ceiyed from Arthur Murray.
When that tour of duty was completed
vo11ng Murray received the variety OF
assignments which fall TO junior offl-
cor hut while performing every duty as
signed to him he also found time 10
write and rubbish a manual of courts
martial. which was Immediately adopted
hy- the army, and is still the Vade
rnecrIm'' Of every officer assigned TO llat
dutv. He served for period as lnstruc-
for of military science ut Yale UnlVer-
CITY b,,t with the outbreak Of the war
with Spain was appointed judge adVo-
cate general Of the First Corps, ana later
If the departments Of Matanzas ana
Santa Clara. Cuba.
The necessity of an increased military
@orca 70 deal with the Philippine 1hsur-
rection led to Captain Murray beins
assigned TO duty as colonel OF the SOD
United States Volunteers, which, as soon
as its colonel had whipped 1t into shape
ras sent TO subdue the insurrection in
Samar and I.eyte where. as all students
OF history will of course remember the
fighting was thickest. His command
participated in 451 engagements. losing
sixtv-one killed and lightweight wound
ed. He conquered the hostile forces as
he had conquered every other obstacle
he had encountered, and while he re-
NAMED there all was quiet along Samar
and Leyte. The man who in times of
IL ion lE
a military theorist and scientist. demon
strated in the field that he could put his
knowledge into practical use with equal
facility, and he was recommended for
a brigadier generalship by General Mo-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-04

Arthur. In the words Of an officer ia
miliar with Colonel Murray's Philippine
record. Murray did more and made less
fuss about it than all the others" The
promotion went to an officer who had
never left the United States and Colonel
Murray's regiment was mustered out,
while he became a major of the line and
was assigned to the organization of a
school of submarine defence. There he
developed the system Of mine defences.
which in time of war must constitute
the protection of every harbor in the
country save that in the immediate
rear of the naval fleet, and there he in
structed the officers of the coast defence
corps in the art of effectively laying the
mine fields.
The system is well worth a word in
passing. The mines themselves are
spherical steel cases, each containing 800
pounds Of guncotten, and each connected
with a casemate on shore by an electric
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-04

wire. BY the manipulation of an cleo
trio switch in the Casemate the mines
can be made to explode on contact with
a passing vessel, or to record such
contact on a switchboard. In the lat
ter case the location of the mine touched
ia indicated by the lighting of an cleo
trio bulb Should the searchlight thrown
on the approaching vessel reveal an
enemy the mine would he exploded by
pressing button. The planting of these
mines involves, of course, the connection
of an electric wire and the assembling
of the wires in a group into a cable and
the connection of the cable with the
casemate And so proficient has the
corps become in this work that a record
of planting a group of seven mines in
twenty-one seconds was recently estab-
lished.
To plant these mines with such eXpedi-
ton required a fleet OF vessels especially
fitted for the work. and as chief OF ar
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-04

! large share of General Murray's fleet
at least, that is the way they put it
/ 1t is. of course as chief or artillery
and later as chief of the coast artillery
that General Murray has rendered the
greatest service to the army He pos
sesses to a remarkable degree the fac
ulty of arousing the enthusiasm of those
about him, not less so the newspaper
man who comes to him for news of the
work in which he is engaged than the
! young officers of the corps, who look to
him for direction and enCOura cement
Throughout the corps it is a recognized
fact that those who come into close con-
tact with the general will get out all
that is in them will do credit to them
selves and their corps. will work hard
but Will achieve propOrtiOnate results
There is. probably. no member of the
. coast artillery who does not regard II
as the most important factor in the mill
tary esta blishment. and his part. be 1t
large or small an essential to the sue
cess of the corps. That is the spirit
which the general. with his CHEEKY smile
his twinkling eyes and his intense car
nestness of purpose manages TO lnfuse
into all about him. Intolerant of any
thing but perfection as an ideal he mas
word of enCoura cement for every man
who gives evidence of earnest effort and
who achieves even a modicum of prog
ress.
What has been done in the way of
educating mine companies has been told.
Now a word with regard to range find
ing. gun and mortar efficiency. Mortars.
it may be we'll to explain. are the type
of cannon much shorter than the mod
ern rif1ed gun. fired at an angle Of ~
degrees or more from concealed NOR
tar pit where the gunner cannot see his
target. designed to attack the deck Of
an approaching vessel by dropping q
thousand pound projeCtile from a tire
mendous altitude. to penetrate the deck
armor and play havoc with the vitaIs
of the ship. In 1906. when General Muir
ray began his work of improving the hit
ting ability of the corps. the mean per
centage of hits for all guns other than
nortars was not more than per cent
To-day IL is more than n per cent
while some remarkable records have
been established. \ battery at Fort
Hancock, n. j.. for instance. made a
record of hits with shots. fired from
lO-inch rifles within less than one min
ute. all four shots passing through a ma
terial, rectangular target II feet high by
Or feet long. at a range of 1000 yards
or nearly four miles. The efficiency of
mortar batteries shows even greater i'm
provement. from 10 to 80 per cent of hits.
greatly increased speed of firing. etc
AT Fort Howard. n. j.. a battery of 10
inch mortars made a record of = hits
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-04

tillery, to which post General Murray
was appointed by Secretary Taft in 1906,
he induced Congress to appropriate ST.
.0O0 with which he constructed eight
mine planters preparing all the designs
himself. And such stout craft have
these little 16O-foot boats proved that
two have successfully rounded the Horn.
while two others have made the voyage
to the Philippines. AS an outbreak of
war would require the immediate ser
vice of far larger number of mine
planters, General Murray also borrowed
from the lighthouse board all it's ten
ders. These he fitted with the necessary
paraphernalia for mine planting, making
IL detachable and storing it in the sew
eral Notifications where, on a moments
notice, ii may be again mounted on the
tenders. Meanwhile, the government is
saved the expense of building additional
vessels. and the lighthouse board is pay
ing for the maintenance and repairs of a
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-04

suit of the election. and makes his return
to the clerk of the crown at Westmin-
ster, and through him to the clerk of the
House of Lords. The representative
peers of Scotland are. therefore, not
summoned by writ, as are the peers of
the sister kingdom. and, moreover, hold
their seats in the House of Lords merely
for the duration and the life of the Par
lament for which they are elected.
With regard to the representative peers
of Ireland, they are elected whenever
there is a vacancy, in the following
fashion: The Lord High Chancellor of
England, on receiving a certificate from
two temporal peers, communicating to
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-04
BY GEORGE GRIswoLD HILL.

Soldier. sailor and diplomat, cabinet
maker, fishing rod expert and lawyer
such is Arthur Murray, the CHEEKY. rosy
checked. white haired, big little man
whose nomination as the latest major
reneral Of the United States Army Presi-
dent Taft is expected to send TO the
Senate as soon as Congress conVeileS'
AS a. soldier of the line General Arthur
Murray has a record Of which any man
might be proud AS chief Of the coast
artillery he has made the efficiency OF
that arm Of the service, and he COM
uaauds a feet Of vessels more numerous,
II less in tonnage, than those Of any
rear admiral His leisure hours he de-
votes to cabinet making, the study OF
srbor,culture and the construction Of
fishing rods which are the envy Of all
true disciples of Isaak Walton
AS diplomat he has shone in the
halls Of Congress, or rather in the COM
nittee rooms, where he has Instructed
the Republicans and Cajoled the Demo-
Gratis until the appropriations for the
coast artillery have been the envy OF
every other branch Of the service. Incl
6entally. while serving as Judge adVo-
cate general Of the Department OF the
Missouri and the Dakotas. he found
time TO study law and was admitted TO
the Missouri Bar. And. finally, he is the
father Of the system of submarine mines
which in time Of war would guard every
important harbor from Passamaquoddy
n Puget Sound
With the face of Santa Claus, and the
kindly disposition of good old St Nick,
General Murray has mind which for
ana lvtical power. mathematical precision
and an Unsuitable appetite for differen-
,ial calculus cannot be excelled in the
army. He has also an acquiring dispo-
sition. He has acquired practically
everything in sight in the way Of Con-
gressional appropriations, the best men
in the service, the floating paraphernalia
of the Lighthouse Board, the pick Of the
militia and, indeed, everything that ii
occurred to him might promote the eff
cheney Of the coast artillery corps. In
deed. there are officers who insist that
General Murray Is being promoted to
the rank of major general because that
;s the only feasible method of prevent
ing his acquiring the entire mobile army
and q large slice of the navy and con-
verting them into coast artillery.
Some years ago there was srgges-
ZION that it would be wise to separate
the coast artillery from the army and
attach il to the navy because the task
of both was the same, the defence Of the
rittoral But the suggestion was vio-
lentlv. not 10 say Historically, opposed
ny the navy. and one flag officer frankly
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-04
All Ewes Are Fixed Now on the British General Election

) him the decease Of representative peer
OF Ireland, directs writ, under the
Great Seal Of the realm, to be issued u
the Lord Chancellor Of Ireland. contain
ing the Kings commands for the eiec-
ton of a new representative peer or Ire
land. There is no meeting Of the irish
peers for the purpose, as in the case OF
the representatives of the peerase OF
Scotland at Hollywood Palace. Ireland
peers, in response to the invitation of the
Lord Chancellor Of Ireland, address their
votes In duplicate by mail to the clerk
~ the crown at Dublin. One of the du-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-04
Home
andHo of Lords Are To Be

downright 1910 h1 the brentwood Company
An English general election is at all
times an event in the life of the world
From the Himalayas to the western
stones Of the Pacific: from the area OF
the Polar Star to the zone Of the South
ern Cross: from the land of the Golden
Fleece TO that Of the Midnight sun, II
will touch some chord Of curiosity. con-
Germ and interest-never more SO than
during the coming fortnight. when the
people .of the United Kingdom VIII be
called llpon to determine at the polls
whether ,,r not the House Of LordS-that
is TO say. the more ancient of the TWO
chambers of this the Oldest parliament
in the worlds To he shorn OF Its con-
stitutional power of defeating and viz
finally yetoing legislation enacted by the
Commons.
Until now the House Of Lords has en-
joyed much the same prerogatiVes as the
United States Senate. and has served IN
the same fashion as a a restraint upon
bastv and sometimes reckless legisla-
ton on the part Of the lower chamber
It differs from the United States Senate.
IN that It's membership - dl'E'SiliNi'o $500
hereditary. instead Of elective.
The lords themselves and the Union
lists are prepared to abandon the heredl-
tarv features of the upper house. and to
render It largely elective But the AS
auth government is not content with
this. 1t is determined 10 deprive the
lords Of all further power OF Vetolng
measures enacted by the Commons. o.
reducing il to the role Of mere con-
s1lltative body. 10 register without derlur
the edicts Of the lower house. once TINS
IS ACCOMPLISHED the Liberals-that is TO
say. the present goVernmenl-afe
pledsed to accord Home Rule 10 Ireland,
although two-f1fths of the people OF Ire
land. constituting the most prosperous
and economically important molety OF
The population of Erin. are bitterly OPP
posed thereto. even threatening to re
sort to arms rather than to recognize
tbe authority Of any Home Rule Parlia-
n1ent at Dublin
So the issues to be decided at the polls
this week and next Week-for the polls
close on Saturday. December Ia; that IS
n say less than a fortnight hence-are
the question Of the deprlval Of the House
If Lords Of those prerogatives which 1t
has enjoyed by virtue Of the constltu-
ton for many hundreds Of years and the
inauguration Of Home Rule in Ireland
and Of a number Of socialistic measures
70 which the Liberal government stands
committed.
The polls open on Tuesday; that Is TO
saw. the day after tomorrow, and pE d
week from Saturday next the vast Bit
isb empire will know its fate For II IS
not merely the future OF the Chltea
Kingdom and Of Ireland that is involved
hi,t that OF all the dominions Of KING
George beyond the sea. since the LID
erals are distinctly anti-imperialistIc.
\ week before Christmas the entire
general election will be over. For so
,erfect is the system by which an ap-
neal Of this nature to the people IS
managed in Great Britain that within
three hours after the issue of the proc
3aInation by the King on Monday last
dlssolv;rg Parliament and directing the
election Of another in its place TO meet
on January 81, orders bearing his sign
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-04

other convenient places Is he may
select. Each polling place is in charge
of a presiding officer appointed by the
returning officer. and the latter, as well
as his deputies and clerks, is sworn to
secrecy, any infraction of which renders
the culprit liable to six months impris-
onment with hard labor.
/ The polling must take place within
certain number of hours after the NOM
! ination, usually forty-eight hours, and
T., Friday next will be the last possible
day for nomination.
The room in which the votes are count
ed is usually the town, borough, or
county hall. At the upper end, and if
possible on a raised dais, are placed
three tables. for the returning officer,
the under sheriff, or town clerk, and the
chief counting assistant The candidates
are admitted, and all their duly appoint
ed agents, as well as the returning OFF,
GERS assistants and clerks. Hitler are
brought the voting papers from all the
stations The numbers are verified, and
the contents of the various boxes are
mixed together before the count is pro-
! CSeUPu WIFI. AS SpOll tiiS iottSi AZ
completed a declaration of the poll is
made by the returning officer; usually
from a balcony or window of the hall
in which the count has taken place.
The returning officer again within the
SPACE Of a stipulated number of hours
sends to the Clerk of the Crown his GER
tificate of the return. along with the poll
books, and thereupon the victorious can
didate has nothing more to do but to
await the meeting of the new Parlia-
ment and the ceremony of swearing him
! in in order to become full-fedged
! legislator.
But the returning officers of parlia-
mentary constituencies of the House of
Commons are rot the only persons who
receive writs from the Clerk of the
Crown. The latter at the same time
when he dispatches the writs for the
Commons likewise issues summons re-
curing attendance at the new Parlia-
ment, on the date appointed by the
royal proclamation, to all temporal
peers of England and Wales who do not
happen to be minors or undischarged
| bankrupts, to what are known as the
representative peers Of Ireland, twenty
eight in number; 70 the spiritual lords
of Parliament. that is to say, to the
Archbishops of Canterbury and of York,
and to tWenty-six of the bishops of Eng
lish and Welsh dioceses occupying seats
as such in the upper House. and to the
Judges of the High Court not being
peers The judges attend the House of
Lords merely in an advisory capacity,
do not rank as peers, have no votes as
such and take their places on WOOL
sack, more remote from the throne than
that occupied by the Lord High Chan
cellor, for, contrary to general belief
there are several so-called woolsacks in
the House of Lords
The archbishops and bishops differ
from the judges in that they possess a
vote in the House of Lords. though they
do not rank as peers They are amen
able to the jurisdiction Of the ordinary
courts and cannot demand trial by the
House of Lords. They cannot vote or
even take their seats in the House, I'M
less robed in their ecclesiastical vest
ments, with rochet lawn sleeves and
mortar-beard complete. Their presence,
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-04

plicates is retained by the Crown Office
in Dublin, while the other. duly certified,
is dispatched to the clerk of the House
of Lords, and the election is complete
Only once in the history of Ireland
has the electoral race for the office or
representative peer of Ireland resulted
in dead heat, namely. couple of years
ago when Lord Ashtown and Lord
Farnham obtained identicaIly the same
number of votes. The question was de-
termined by the drawing of lots, Lord
Ashtown winning. The office is held for
life or until invalidalion through bank
ruptcy.
The above notes will convey some idea
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-04

manual were in the hands of the Lord
the Lord Chancellor of Ireland. COM
handing them to issue writs for the
calling of a new Parliament. to meet
at the City of Westminster" while the
very same evening the writs held in
readiness for the occasion We're sent
out to the various constituencies of Eng
land. Scotland and Wales, by Sir Ken
meth Mackenzie. who for the last thirty
years has been the clerk of the crown
and as such assigned to attendance upon
the Lord High Chancellor of Great Brit
ain, and in the case of Irish constitu-
encies, by the clerk of the crown, James
OBrien, who is in attendance on the
Lord Chancellor of the Emerald Isle.
These two clerks of the crown not only
issue all the writs, the preparation of
which begins Immediately after the
completion of one general election, so
as to be in readiness for the next, but
they also receive and have the custody
Of all the returns to Parliament for the
United Kingdom and Ireland, as we'll as
the custody Of all poll books and ballot
papers used at the election
The writs in the case of the London
constituencies are delivered by hand to
the various returning officers by the
messengers or pursuivants of the Great
Seal While all the other writs are dis
patched by mail, free of charge. from
the General Postofice, to which they are
conveyed by poursuivants of the Great
Seal. who hand them to the Postmaster
General or to his deputy. securing from
him an acknowledgment in writing.
Every sort of preCaution is adopted to
insure their safe and speedy transmits
sion, wilful neglect or delay in the de-
livery or dispatch of a writ of Parlia-
ment. such as were occasionally prac-
tised in former days, being a misde-
meanor. punishable by fine and impris-
onment- on reaching the constituency
The local postmaster carries the Writs to
the addresses: that is to say. to the re-
turning officers. The Irish writs are
sent out in the same way from the
crown Office in Dublin.
The returning officer. who must be a
solicitor; that is to say. a lawyer. hold
ing his appointment from the Sheriff of
the county. is compelled within certain
number of hours after the receipt OF the
writ to give public notice of the cleo
ton and TO fix a place where he will re-
ceive nominations
The nomination of a candidate is a
very elaborate affair. The candidate is
nominated in writing, the paper being
subscribed by two electors. as pro-
poser and seconder, and by eight others
in support thereof. Usually there are
number of such nominations for each
candidate, these representing the vari
Gus important classes of his supporters.
The paper is delivered TO the returning
officer as a rule by the candidate him
self, who for the sake Of regularity is
accompanied by his prOposer, seconder
and agent. Any mistake in the nomina
ton paper renders the nomination void.
The returning officer has the sole con-
duct Of the election in each constituency.
he has the right to use the public school
buildings on the day of election, and as
soon as the nominations have taken
place he causes polling booths to be ex-
temporized at the schoolhouses, or such