Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-03-02

which in the early days Of the war,
performed the remarkable 1eat Oh
sinking three large British cruisers
the Hogue, the Crecy and the Abou-
kir in the North sea, all in the space
Of three hours and returning safely 10
port. Dispatches Of a hk nature
containing little or no DEFINITE lnIor-
nation are constantly finding their
way into the columns of the neWspa-
pers, and more frequently tina other
wise they are without foundation. The
rumor Of the probable loss of the u-s
may be true and it may not be.
A eport of I've japanese cruisers
guarding south Pacific lanes OF travel
and looking for the German cruisers
Dresden and Prince Eitel FREDERICK
has been brought to San Francisco Dy
CAPTAIN William Stevens, Of the Brit
ish steamer Natal, which arrived last
Friday from Sydney, Australia. Capt.
Stevens said he had been In commu-
nication with several of the japanese
warships while in the South seas, and
that he had been told by radio to nave
no fears for the safety OF the Maltal,
as the cruisers were WITHIN Easy
steaming distance. At Tahiti, captain
Stevens said he had learned that the
Japanese cruisers made frequent calls
at the French Society islands. The
cruiser Dresden was the sole German
survivor Of the naval battle fought
off the Falkland islands with Engllsn
ships. The Prince Eitel has been va
riously reported on the Atlantic n
Pacific oceans.
The long fight on the question as
to whether h action OF congress ias.
m amending the law as to the
paw Of rural carriers really meant to
grant a fat increase to $1,000 a year
on standard r. F. D. routes and pro-
p%ortionate increases in proportion TO
length and condition Of routes, or thai
the 81, 200 was only to go to the long
est and most difficult routes, was set
tied with the passage of the postor-
flee appropriation bill last week. For
merly the standard route carrier re-
ceived $1,000 a year, m those pelow
the standard and above the standard,
were paid in proportion. postmaster
General Burleson persisted In constru-
ing the law so as to make S1,2O0 the
limit for the longest and heaviest
routes. and inaugurating a new sched-
ule of pay that practically nullified the
new law. Then the congressman rep
resenting the rural districts set to
work 10 make Mr.. Burleson realize
that the house meant what 1t had tried
to say it meant. Mr.. Finley, ranking
member Of the committee on postof-
fees and post-roads, led the fight In
the house, and the amended law went
through by a decisive majority. The
senate committee cut out, the Finley
amendment and Chairman
reported the measure as thus changed.
The senate, however, put the amend
ment back by a vote Of 81 to 10. SEN
ator Tillman voted against the IN
crease for carriers, and Senator Smith
was absent.
Great Britain, France and their
allies have advised neutral countries
that they hold themselves at liberty
to stop all shipping to and from Ger
many and the countries Of her allies.
Public announcement OF this action
has been made. The text Of the dec
laration sets forth that this decision Is
necessary because Of German subma-
rine attacks, put that Great Britain
and France will respect h lives or
crews and passengers in any steps they
may take. The declaration Is not q
reply to the American terms ooklng
to a cessation Of German activity and
the admission Of food to Germany for
civilians. The declaration will not at
feet cargoes shipped before the I
Of this advice to neutrals. The exact
date carried by the declaration has not
been announced but it probably is
February 26 or 81. No special articles
of commerce will be mentioned in the
British-French declaration. Cotton
and foodstuffs, for example, will not
be specified, but the terms will be
general. The situation created will
be entirely justified, according to the
English view, because of Germany S
unprecedented action in attempting a
submarine blockade regardless OF dan
ger to the crews and passengers or
ships. Shipping in the Baltic will not
be affected except as Great Britain
and her allies prevent supplies from
entering Norway, Sweden n Den
mark for re-exportation to Germany.
Holland, by making its prohibited eX-
port list conform with the British
c%ontraband list and by the creation of
the Netherlands inter-seas trust-to
which virtually all cargoes entering
Holland are consigned with the gov
eminent guarantee that they will not
be exported to Germany-has put its
shipping in a position which Will be
slightly affected by the declaration.
II Is believed hat the Scandinavian
countries doubtless will take similar
action to insure continuation OF sup
plies from America and elsewhere for
home use. While Denmark, Sweden
and Norway have repeatedly modified
the lists of prohibited exports, their
regulations for the prevention and re-
expectation apparently have been UNI
satisfactory to Great Britain, or the
administration of the regulations has
been unsatisfactory as cargoes haVe
not moved to the Scandinavian u
tries with the same freedom as TO
Holland.
- Washington, February 2S: Two
discoveries, each of vast importance
to American industries, one of them
regarded also as a priceless military
asset, were announced today by Sec
rotary Lane Of the interior depart
ment. They are chemical processes,
developed after years of research by
DR.. Walter F. Rittman. chemical en-
gineer of the bureau Of mines. One
is expected to enable oil refiners to in
crease their output of gasoline by zoo
per cent; the other makes possible the
production from crude petroleum of
tuluol and benZol, bases for dyes and
high explosives for which the world
has depended almost exclusively on
Germany. DR.. Rittman has applied
for patents on his processes to pre-
vent the possibility of any monopoly
in their use and will dedicate them to
the American people. These process
es," said Secretary Lane today, ARE
fraught with the utmost Importance.
The Standard Oil company has had a
big advantage ove independents in
producing gasoline, having a patented
process obtaining three times the
amount of gasoline from petroleum
than the independents now obtain.
Now the Federal government through
the efforts of DR.. Rittman, proposes
to make free for the use of all a pro-
cess expected to increase their yields
of gasoline fully 200 per cent and
perhaps more. DR.. Rittman claims
his process is safer, simpler and more
economical. 1t is but two years ago
that the automobile industry offered
a 500. 900 prize for a substitute that
would cost less thai gasoline. This
new process adds to the hope that in
spite of the wonderful growth in the
use of gasoline, there may not be any
shortage in the future. When it is
realized the gasoline industry each
year yields 500, 600. 900 to Sl50,0OO.-
900 the Importance of this discovery
is seen. The second process discover
ed by DR.. Rittman may prove of much
more value than the first, in that 1t
suggests the establishment of an in