The Washington herald., 1911-04-09

| obsolete war vessels. During the last
| fifteen months there have been sold as
old iron, fve battleships, one cruiser, four
coasting cruisers, six gunboats, six trans
ports, fifteen torpedo destroyers, as well
a large number of pontoons. &c, ana
] fifty torpedo boats and seven subma-
rines.
All these vessels sold represent ton
mage of nearly $4,000 tons, which is
more than that of the six batteships OF
the Danton type now being built and
almost reaches the tonnage OF France
principal naval force the Mediterranean
squadron The vessels had cost about
sec, 100000. They were sold for less than
s., 900 600.
Strengthening Clerical Tang1e.
For many months an effort has been
made to unravel the tangie caused by NJ
Duez, the hquidator of the property
which was originally owned by the
monks and nuns. Something like order
has been reduced from the chaos, for
the case will come before a jury on
Wednesday, April 12.
1t is said that about 1000 questions will
nave to be submitted to the jury. To
read out these questions to the jury will
occupy five hours, and If is computed
that, even if the jury reeled off their
answers at a rapid rate they would be
occupied fourteen hours
Independent of these 1000 questions
the jury will have numerous other mat
ters to consider. There is Duez himself,
He has played a great role and ii is fully
expected that when he appears in the
ASsiZe Court the questions put to him
and his replies thereto will not lack in
tereSt-
English Influences Felt
NJ Tardieu has declared-with who
knows with what show of reason that
the Franco British entente has lost its
political vitality. Could there be any
thing truer said? Yet it has gained i'm
measurably in the intimate social habits
of the two nations. One cannot go into
the street without seeing a British over
coat on a French back; a wonderful
looking thing, with band behind, snch
as no French tailor could ever devise
The slope of the Shoulders-unathletic
French shoulderS-strikes an odd angle
with the inclination of the shoes, French
shoes.
Again. on Sundays we have proof of
intimate change-the crowds at the Pare
des Princes watching football matches
4 whole page in Mondays paper is de-
voted TO this same subject, eloquent in
deed. of British influence And in the
windows of the great thornughfares you
may see things you never saw before
robust-looking hobnailed shoes, shin
guards, jerseys, boxing gloves, hockey
clubs, exercisers. all the amazing para
phernalia of the man and youth who
want to keep fit
Incidentally. / wonder at the price,
particularly at the English shoes so law
iSnly displayed. How IS it that with
heavy tariff English leather on the bou-
levardes costs little more than in the
Strand? A problem for free traders
Income Tax Coming.
We are soon to be blessed with an in
come tax here. The governments pro-
posaLls, which are stin in an embryonic
state, may be set forth thus: % A tax
on incomes without exception; CO a sup
Elementary tax on the total of incomes;
81 discrimination of the incomes of capi-
tai and labor; 20 certain relief for tax
payers with minimum incomes and fam
lily charges: and % introduction of
graduated system
A CaillauX, the minister of finance, has
expressed his Willingness to receive sug-
EestiOnS concerning the methods of sur
veiIIance and control. He stipulateS,
however, INtl no tluuluC<tIiOIIS SuSII be
proposed which affect the principles gov
t, rning the tax on income or which i'm
peril the interests of the treasury.
The committee which is examining the
income tax proposals, and of which NJ
RoUvier is president, has informed the
that an understanding can
not be arrived at on abstract principles
hut only on complete fOrmUlae. The sub
committee has prepared proposals which
will be submitted TO the pler2Ty commit
tee. and it is only when the latter has