INVENTED BY TESLA.
A Device That May Render Fleets
and Guns Useless.
II .« Alleged to lie a Powerful De
stroyer, au(l Distance Is Said
to Have No Kfleel ou Its
Maglo Itesults.
[Special New York Letter.]
Nicola Tesla, greatest of living elec
tricians. is still a young man. lie was
born in the ancient kingdom of Servia,
35 years ago, and combines with the en
thusiasm of the Slav the dogged per
sistence of the same race. Keared
amidst congenial surroundings, and un
der the direct supervision of his moth
er, whose fame as an inventor of looms
and other household devices is more
than local; and assisted in his studies
l«y his father, an eminent preacher ot
the Greek church, his natural love for
mathematics and mechanics was given
full play. While at school he mastereu
half a dozen languages, besides being
recognized as the leader in technical
studies; and consequently had no diffi
culty in securing a position in the Hun
garian government telegraph engin
eering department at lludupest. The.
bureaucratic methods prevailing in the
office where he was employed did not
please him, however, and he drifted to
Paris, and then to the United States,
where he found employment in Ed
ison's famous laboratory.
It is said —whether truthfully or not.
1 cannot tell, that the wizard soon grew
jealous of the young man's genius and
(suggested that his room would be more
agreeable than his company. Tesla
took the hint, and established a labora
tory of his own at New York, where
he has conducted a number of expeii
ments which will forever give him a
high place in the history of electrical
science. A few years ago his worn
shop was destroyed by lire, and with
it the results of years of research. This
calamity, which would have discour
aged most men. only served to lire tha
young inventor's ambition. In pa
NICOLA TESLA, THE WORLD'S GREATEST ELECTRICIAN.
Hence he labored and toiled on lessor
deviees, which brought him the means
of carrying on his greater operations.
And now he has broken his silence by
announcing to the world the perfection
of an engine which, if it does but half
he claims for it, will revolutionize mod
ern warfare and completely change the
position of nations. In fact, the dis
armament of the powers would be a
necessity, and war would be so terrible
that no country could sustain it even
for a few weeks.
Mr. Tesla's invention, to describe it
in a few words, consists in an applica
tion of electricity whereby, without in
terposition of any artilicial medium of
communication, one man can control
and direct with absolute exactness the
movements of any type of vessel, bal
loon or land vehicle at any distance
that may be desired. From a station
on shore or from the deck of a moving
vessel a torpedo boat equipped with
this device may be propelled either on
or below the surface, maneuver at will
in any direction and finally brought
into contact and exploded at the side
of a hostile ship at any point within
the range of the operator. More mar
velous yet, assuming that it were pos
sible to locate the |>ositiou of the war
ship to be destroyed, the torpedo boat
could be directed to it, even if the ves
sel lay in a European harbor and the
operator were stationed at Handy iicok
or Fort Monroe.
The result of this invention? I.et Mr.
Tesla speak for himself:
"War will cease to be possible when
nil the world knows that the most
feeble of nations can supply itself with
n weapon which renders its coast se
cure and its ports impregnable to the
assaults of even the united armadas of
the world. Battleships will cease to be
built and the mightiest ironclads and
the most tremendous artillery afloat
will be of no more use than so much
scrap iron. And this irresistible power
can be exerted at any distance by an
agency of *<; delicate, so impalpable a
quality that I am justified in predict
ing the time will come, incredible as
it may seem, when it can be called into
uvtion by the mere exercise of the hu
man will."
flow does the new device work?
Hitherto the only means of control
ling the movement 01" * vessel from a
distance has been supplied through the
medium r 112 a flexible conductor, such as
an electric cable, but this system, ac
cording to Tesla, is subject to many
limitations, such as are imposed by the
length, weight and strength of thecon
ductor, by the difficulty of maintoiuing
with safety the high speed of a vessel
o. - changing the direction of its move
ments with rapidity, by the necessity
of effecting the control from a poiiu
which is pi aclically fixed, and from
many other drawbacks which are In
separably connected with such a sys
tem.
Tesla's plan seems to involve none of
these objections. He is enabled by the
use of his invention to employ any
means of propulsion, to impart to the
moving body or vessel the highest pos
sible speed, to control the operation of
its machinery, and to direct its move
ments from either a fixed point or from
a body moving and changing its direc
tion, however rapidly, and to maintain
this control over great distances with
out artificial connections between the
vessel and the apparatus governing its
movement and without such restric
tions as these must necessarily im
pose. He requires no intermediate
wires, cables or other form of mechan
ical or electrical connection with the
object save the natural media iu space,
lie accomplishes similar results, how
ever, by producing waves, impulses or
radiations which are received through
the earth, water or atmosphere by suit
able apparatus on (he moving body and
causes the desired actions so long as
the body remains within the effective
i ange of such currents, waves, impulses
and radiations.
Having made these experiments, Tes
la proceeded to demonstrate his the
ories by means of a model which he
I exhibited to a representative of the
! New York Herald.
Elevated on stools in the center of
the inventor's laboratory was a model of
a screw-propelled craft about four feet
long, no attempt having been made t.j
follow the usual sharp lines of a tor
pedo boat. The deck was slightly
arched and surmounted by three slen
der standards, the center one being
considerably higher than the other two,
which carried small incandescent
bulbs, a third bulb being fixed at the
bow. The Keel consisted of a massive
copper plate, the propeller and rudder
being in the usual positions. The boat
contained the propelling machinery,
consisting of an electric motor actu
ated by a storage battery in the hold,
another motor to actuate the rudder
and the delicate machinery which per
forins I he functions of receiving through
the central standard the electric im
pulses scut through the atmosphere
from the distant operating station,
which set in motion the propelling and
steering motors, and through them
light or extinguish the electric lamps
and fire the exploding charge in &
chamber in the bow in response to sig
nals sent by the operator.
"Now watch," said the inventor, and,
going to a table on the other side of the
100111, 011 which lay a little switch box,
he gave the lever a sharp turn. Instant
ly the little propeller began to revolv.s.
"Now I wiii send the boat to starboard,"
he added, and another movement of tne
lever sent the helm sharp over, and
another motion turned it back again.
"During the day," explained Tesla, "we
should steer our course by keeping the
two standards in line, but at night we
should depend on electric lights," and
at a signal both the tiny bulbs we»e
illuminated.
"Now we will assume," continued the
inventor, "that the boat has arrived
within striking distance of the vessel
to be destroyed, and the bulb in the bow
will serve to show that the explosion
has taken place." As he spoke he
touched the lever agaii,. and the light
flashed and was extinguished. "Im
agine, if you can," concluded Tesla,
"what an irresistible instrument of de
struction we have in a torpedo boat
thus controlled, which we can operate
day and night, on the surface or be
low it.and from any distance that may
be desired. A ship thus assailed would
have no possibility of escape."
Mr. Tesla further claims that it is not
even necessary to make a close ap
proach to the vessel to be destroyed.
At a distance of 100 feet the explosion
of 200 pounds of dynamite will exert a
shattering effect on a battleship, and
200 or .'IOO tons of the explosive, when
exploded even a mile away would raise
a wave that would overwhelm the
largest and strongest ship ever built.
Mr. Tesla contemplates giving a pub
lic demonstration of his invention at
the Paris exposition, where he intends
to exhibit a model of a torpedo boat
whose movements are to be directed
from his olliee at New Vork.
(iooil Men Not Needed.
Stranger—l should thick such an en
terprising, public-spirited citizen as Mr.
Goodman would be nominated for some
important oflice in this community.
Politician—He'd run well, but we
don't need him.
"Don't need him?"
"No. We're always sure of a big ina
jcrity, anyhow."—N. Y. Weekly.
A Slow 'l'rain.
I'rakeman (on southern railroad)
Passengers is not, allowed on th' plat
form, sir, when the train is in mo
ron.
Passenger - Beg pardon; 1 will go ia.
1 did not notice that the train was in
motion.—N. i. Weekly.
GAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1898.
SAMPSON TALKS.
Comments on Some Incidents of
the Santiago Campaign.
lie Claim* that Gen. Shatter Uipectod
Too .Wick ol'tlte Blockading Fleet
and ■>!«! ><)( Froperlj llrfug
nl/.e llie >u\y in llie Hour
ol Final Trillin I'll.
Washington, Dec. i.—The navy de
partment yesterday made public a re
port from Admiral Sampson covering
the operations of the blockading fleet
off Santiago after the destruction of
Cervera's squadron. The report be
gins with a dispatch dated July 15,
und winds up with one dated Guan
tanamo, August 4. In tlie first report
Sampson tells of the demonstration
made against. Aguadores by tlie Mich
igan troops under Duffield, the point
of which was that as soon as the
ships took part in the firing the Span
iards disappeared, lie says the bom
bardment of Santiago on July 2 serv
ed no particular end because Shaffers
attack had Wen postponed, lie qur/cs
dispatches from himself to Shaffer
stating that it is impossible to force
an entrance to the harbor until the
mines had been removed and that
work could be accomplished only
after the troops had taken the forts.
Shatter replied that lie could not
tell when lie could take the batteries.
If they were as difficult as those
against which he was pitted it would
take some time and a great loss of
life. Rays he:"I am at a loss to see
why the navy cannot work under a
destructive tire as well as the army.
Mv loss yesterday was over 500 men.
An hour later on the same day.
July 2, Shafter again appealed to
sarnp.son to immediately force the
harbor entrance, so as to avoid future
loss among his men, already very
heavy. Says he: "You can operate
with less loss of life than 1 can."' In
reply Sampson pointed out that the
channel of the harbor was strewn
with mines, which would certainly re
sult in the sinking of one or more of
his ships if lie attempted to enter
the harbor, and that bv sinking one
the harbor would lie blocked against
the entrance of the others, lie had
hoped that Shafter would take the
batteries from the rear so he might
drag for the torpedoes, but if it was
Shafter's desire that he should force
the entrance lie would prepare to
undertake it, thinking, however, that
the posittion of both army and navy
would be made more difficult if they
failed in the attempt.
lie promised to use mines at
fluantananio to countermine those
at Santiago, which would consume
considerable time. Says Sampson:
"It is not so much the loss of men
as it is the loss of ships which has
until now deterred me from making
a direct attack upon the ships within
the port." After the battle with Cer
vera's fleet Shafter renewed his re
quest that Sampson force an en
trance, saying his present position
has cost him a thousand men and he
did not wish to lose any more. Samp
son in comment says this shows a
complete misapprehension of the cir
cumstances. lie alleges that the sink
ing of the Mercedes would obstruct
the entrance of the larger American
ships and that extensive shore bat
teries were known to exist. His chief
of staff had indicated to Shafter the
points that should be carried before
any attention was paid to the city and
the taking of these points would have
insured the destruction of the mines
and the entrance of the American
fleet. Shafter had consented to this
and Sampson did not know why the
plan was changed unless the troops
liad been advanced too far to divert,
lie expresses the belief that an ad
herence to the original plan would
have resulted in the much quicker
surrender of the Spanish troops and
less loss of life except the navy, which
would have borne the brunt of at
tack.
Sampson says:"i have been sur
prised to see published in the papers
any statement of refusal on my part
to endeavor to force my way into the
harbor and cannot understand in case
the newspaper reports be truthful
statements of what was sent by him,
(!en. Shafter's sending any reports
of this kind. I here, moreover, would
animadvert upon the apparently ex
traordinary openness with which
every detail of hope, effort or sugges
tion on the part of the army has been
published. The unwisdom of such
procedure is too manifest for discus
sion."
Admiral Sampson gives a number
of dispatches showing that he was
asked to participate in the terms of
surrender and tried fo find out when
he should send a representative, but
owing to one or two delays no time
was fixed. Sampson's comments fol
low: "The foregoing certainly shows
clearly the most absolute joint action,
and I took for granted that we should
he joint signatories of any capitula
tions. as is customary in all services
in such circumstances, (apt. Chad
wick arrived at the front at the earl
iest hour it was possible for him to do
so. and informed Geti. Shafter of mv
expectancy in the matter, but Shafter
peremptorily refused. The convention
had already been signed, and lie states
as one reason that nothing had been
said of the army in my report of the
fleet action of July 3. There would
have been as much reason for men
tioning the navy in the report of the
land action of July 1. when assault was
made by our army on the Spanish lines,
lClaneo I.cave* Cuba lor Spain.
Havana. Dec. I.—The Spanish mail
steamer Yillaverde. with Marshal
Blanco, the former captain general of
Cuba, and his suite on board, left
this port at I a. in. Wednesday. The
departure of lllaneo was not accom
panied by the pomp and ceremony
marking similar events in previous
years.
I »nr|M(l Jlie Fresldeiiey.
San Francisco, Dee. 1. —Thomas Ke
galado, the head of the revolutionary
government in Salvador, has usurped
the presidency and proclaimed him
self chief executive of tlia republic.
THE EVACUATION OF CUDA.
PICKED UP A PRIZE.
ISrtllHli Steamer Tow* into Fort a
l»l*ina*ted Ship Containing a Valua
ble Carjio.
Philadelphia, Dee. 3, —The British
steamship Marston Moor, which sail
ed from Baltimore November 9 for
Rotterdam, arrived at Delaware
Break water Friday, having in tow one
of the richest prizes picked up at sea
for some time. She towed in the Brit
ish bark I.a Kseoeesa, which was
bound from Iquique to New \ ork,
laden with 2,000 tons of nitrate of
soda, valued at about $63,000. The
prize w as picked up off Cape Ilenlopen,
The bark when sighted was in charge
of the chief officer. Capt. Kvans, her
commander, had died of brain fever.
She was in a helpless condition, hav
ing experienced a heavy gale. Ihe
decks were swept, pump smashed,
boats carried away, together with fore
and mi/.zeti masts.
TIN PLATE COMBINE.
It Will Have a Capital ol" >0,000,000
and Control the Trade 111 this Coun
try.
Pittsburg, Dec. 3. -Representatives
of all of the tin plate manufacturing
concerns in America met here Friday
for the purpose of arranging prelimi
nary details of the combination that
is to unite all the tin plate interests
on this side of the Atlantic. The com
bine will be formed on lines entirely
different from any yet effected in the
United States. The new company will
have a capital of $50,000,000.
The work of appraisement will com
mence next Monday, when 20 of the
plants will shut down (ten of them
being located in the west and ten iu
the east). On the following Monday
20 other plants will be shut down and
an invoice of their value taken.
A Hard Klow at Hueliet SllopM.
Chicago. Dec. 3. —On charges of
using the I'nited States mails to carry
on a scheme to defraud patrons in
bucket shop deals, four persons, form
erly belonging to or connected with
the firm of which W. 11. Hennig was
the head, and including Hennig. were
sentenced and fined yesterday before
Judge (irosseup. The defendants all
pleaded guilty. The eases were the
first in which convictions of bucket
shoppers have been secured under the
federal law in this city and the re
sult is regarded as a death blow to
bucket shops.
An Oflleial Denial.
Washington. Dec. 3.—ln view of a
published statement that a committee
nf the Anglo-American commission
had accepted the recommendations of
a I'nited States naval commission as
to the building of warships on the
great lakes. I.ord llerschcl and Sena
tor Fairbanks, representing all parties
on the commission, say: "The state
ment that an agreement has been ar
rived at by the sub-committee ap
pointed to consider the question of
naval vessels on the great lakes is in
correct. The matter is still under dis
cussion."
Alleged Swindler* Arrested.
New York, Dec. 3.—George S. Mar
tin. Charles S. Grill and W. S. Cutler,
said to be members of the Worthing
ton gang, one of the most notorious
gangs of real estate swindlers in the
country, were arrested Friday and
locked up in the Tombs on charges of
swindling. The police have been after
them for over a year. Each of the
men has a long list of aliases and is
known in nearly every state in the
t'nion. The Worthington gang was
run by Henry and John Worthing
ton. who had offices at IS Wall street.
I.ee'M Troop* Ordered to Havana.
Savannah. Dee. 3. The Second di
vision of the Seventh army corps, the
Second division hospital corps and the
signal corps of the Seventh corps have
been ordered to move as soon as pos
sible from Savannah to Havana.
fliiflalo Join* (lie Western Leaiine,
Chicago, Dec. 3. Buffalo yesterday
became a member of the Western
League of baseball clubs. The papers
were signed by President Johnson on
behalf of the Western league and by
James Franklin on behalf of the
Buffalo club. It is the first time the
Western league circuit ever has ex
tended so far east.
Hale Objeet*.
Washington, Dee. !!. Senator Hale,
of Maine, announces his opposition to
the pea: e treaty which is being form
ulated in Paris, lie is opposed to the
acquisition of the Philippines.
MADE BIG GAINS.
Iron anal Steel Trade Show*
Improvement, Order* tor ?00,tUH>
Tonxut Itailk till* Week.
New York, Dec. 3. —K. (i. Dun &
Co.'s Weekly Review of Trade says:
The report of failures for November
is extremely gratifying because it
shows not only a decrease in number
and a smaller amount of liabilities
than in any other month excepting 1
three summer months since the
monthly record began, but because
careful analysis shows a striking im
provement both in the small and in
the large failures, and in nearly all
classes of industry and trade. Con
sidering that failures are usually
smaller in summer months than in
November, the monthly return may
be considered about the best ever
made and shows a condition of finan
cial soundness rarely surpassed.
Nobody can estimate the gain for
the iron and steel industry which vvill
result from the past week's transac
tions in steel rails, which are said to
exceed 700,000 tons.
Sales of wool were large in Novem
ber, but they have been effected by
important concessions in price. Man
ufacturers have somewhat larger
orders and are more hopeful, but a
considerable share of the machinery
must remain idle until the material
is cheaper in comparison with the cost
of wool and goods in other countries.
Failures for the week have been :ifSl
in the I'nited States, against 306 last
year, and 19 in Canada, against
last year.
Cuban* \ l*H the l*re*ldent.
Washington, Dec. 3.—The members
of the Cuban commission, iieaded by-
Gen. Garcia, called at the White
House Friday and were received by
the president. The meeting was en
tirely unofficial in character. It last
ed an hour and a half. The greeting
of the president was very cordial, but
the Cubans were received as citizens
of Cuba and not as having an official
status. Nothing could be learned as
to the subjects of the conversation.
Naval Militiamen'* Convention.
Philadelphia, Dec. 3.—The annual
meeting of the Association of Naval
Militia of the I'nited States met here
Friday on board the receiving ship
St. Louis, representatives being pres
ent from 12 states. The day was
given to a general discussion of the
advisability of forming a naval re
serve of a national character.
THE MARKETS.
Fliiunclal.
New York. Dec. 3. Money on mil per
cent. Prime mercantile paper 1 ; -i percent.
Sterling exchange steady at 4K4 Vi£4M\ for de
mand and 4Hl'i(a, 181for CO days.
Government bonds llrmcr.
4.rain, Provision* anal Live Stock.
Flour —Active for spring patents.
Wheat No. 2 red 76 , i4#7 , i !»c.
Corn—No. 2 at I0'„c.
Oats—No. a at 32c
Hotter -Western creamery 15752?n.
Beeves Steers t4.S(X(£MO, oxen and stags
83.12'/,<a4.80, veals J.Uo©7.7ft.
Sheep—Medium to good $3L50®4.25, lambs
$5,375(1.70.
Cleveland, Dec 3.—Flour Winter wheat,
patents. H. I.Vg 1-30.
Wheat—No. 2 red 70c.
Corn—No. 2 yellow, in elevator, 37H«s.
Oats No. 2 white 3IV'!/,33i\
Cheese—York state lO'.SjJllc, Ohio lfl&lDVJc.
Potatoes—Per bushel 35c{40e.
Butter Extra creamery 23<<i23 l /4e.
Eggs—Strictly fresh 21(522c.
Cattle—C hoice steers J4.5054.75, fair to good
$4.25@4.40, calves a5.7ft<(56.25.
Sheep Good to choice 53.60ii3.80, fair to good
f3.25f03.50, iambs $4.90 5.10.
Hogs—Yorkers 53.25, pigs $3.3533.40.
Chicago. Dec. 3.—Wheat—December 6514 c.
< orn— December.' B!<c.
Oats—December 20?„c.
Pork —December .9.25.
Lard December 55.15.
liibs—December 54.65.
Hogs—Light Hi'.O (.3.42(4, heavy £3.20(33.50,
rough 3.205J3.30, Yorkers 58.35ri.3.40.
Cattle—Beeves W oj@ft.Bo. cows and heifers
42.0 )@4.65, stockers «2.85y 1.40.
Sheep Sales at i3.50«4.15, lambs S4.ftt)ss.to.
Toledo, Dee. 3.—Wheat No. 2 cash 70'jc.
Corn—No. 2 mixed 31 .c.
Oats—No 2 mixed 27c.
Clover Seed—Prime cash, new, $4.70.
Oil Unchanged.
East Liberty. Dec. 3.—Cattle—Prime ?4.SScS
5.00, good '4.65 C&4.80.
Hogs- Prime heavy 53.4533.50, best Yorkers
3.4">. good pigs 3.45,'rj3.50.
Sheep—B<"st wether* $4.45 4.60, fa*.r mixed
i3.70'i<,4 CO. choice latnDs
East Buffalo, Dec. 3. Cattle—Good butchers
cows .3.25'i3.05, best veals sr. 0^80).
Hogs—Yorkers and mediums 53 35^3.10, pigs
$ .30.
Sheep- Mixed sheep $4.00 J 4.25, best lamb*
5- ;*5 j.5.45.
Oil Market.
Oil City, Dec. 3. -Credit balances'l.is. Cer
tificates opened at 1.12'j bid for cash, noothc
bids; uo
■AN GASBAGS.
Spain's Diplomats are Prizo
Winners in this Role.
ANOTHER DAY OF DELAY".
Dons Claim to Lack Instructions
on Various Points.
TO TIIE HIGHEST BIDDER.
>. |>ulll Wall*. lor u llrttrr Offer lor Ilia
4 arollne 4; roup ol IHIUIMIM 1111111 III"
AmorloaiiH May .'lake and Germany
IN a Factor IN tlw ILEAL.
Paris, Dec. 3. — Friday's session of
the peace commission was a repeti
tion virtually of several earlier meet
ings. Whan. after two hours of dis
cussion the Spaniards were pressed
for definite statements, they pleaded
that they had not received instruc
tions from Madrid. Thereupon the
Americans declared that it was use
less to waste time in debate with men.
who were not empowered to make
bargains. Although adjournment was
taken till to-day it is probable there
will be a further postponement till
Monday.
The Spaniards' version of Friday's
session is that they asked to have the
treaty concluded tirst and then the
minor matters discussed. According'
to reports from American sources the
Spanish commissioners endeavored to
draw hints as to how far the Ameri
cans were willing to compromise the
demands under discussion without
disclosing what concessions Spain was
willing to make.
As the negotiations proceed the
prospects ol'consuming much time in
crease. Several very important propo
sitions, presenting many phases, in
vite discussion and must afterward-*
be embodied in the agreements. This
task of embodying may be long drawn
out, every word requiring considera
t ion.
On the questions yet unsettled
which do not concern territory or
financial interests, both commissions
display anxiety to pro-mote the wel
fare of the inhabitants involved.
Washington, Dee. 3. —It can be stat
ed positively that no hitch has oc
curred in the proceedings of the peace
commission at Paris, and an impres
sion to th ~;irirv in certain quar
ters probably a Hose through a misun
derstanding of the phase those pro
ceedings have reached. With the ae
quiesence by the Spanish commis
sioners in the American demands set
out in the original protocol all dan
ger of a failure to sign a peace treaty
disappeared, and that such a treaty
will be forthcoming, covering at least
all of the protocol points, is consid
ered assured. What is now going
on in Paris is a negotiation respect
ing certain objects which the I'nited
States goverment seeks to accomplish
in that manner, instead of resorting
to the more tedious method of corre
spondence between the two govern
ments.
These objects hav been stated ir»
the cablegrams from Paris, namely,
the acquisition of one of the Caroline
islands as a cable and coaling sta
tion: of certain rights to land cables
on Spanish possessions at other
points; the procurement of freedom
of religious worship in the Carolines,
and the revival of certain treaties of
trade and commerce, etc. These mat
ters do not in any way affect the con
clusion of the peace treaty. They
might all fail to be realized and still
the treaty would not be affected.
Moreover, while Spain was the sub
ject of peremptory demands in the
case of the protocol points, she is free
of compulsion now while these diplo
matic exchanges are in progress. She.
may sell to the I'nited States one of
the Caroline islands or may refuse to
do so. and, moreover, if we buy isl
ands it must be at a price satisfactory
to Spain. She ma;, even sell the Caro
line group to (iermany instead of to
the I'nited States if she can obtain
a better price from the former. There
is good reason to assume the correct
ness of the report that Germany is
bargaining for these islands.
The statement that Spain has re
fused to sell us Ceutil, opposite Gibral
tar, for a coal and cable station is
inaccurate; the I'nited States govern
ment has not made any proposition
for the acquisition of that island.
The ease is different respecting the
Carolines. The American naval ex
perts have urged very strongly that
this group IH> retained and in addi
tion that the l'elew group, lying to
the westward, be purchased. They
have pointed out that 'the south most
island of the l.adrone group. Waloa,
lies only ::00 miles north of Ponape.
!n the Carolines, and the l'elew isl
ands are only about <IOO miles distant
from the Philippines. With these the
I'nited States would have a complete
rhain of islands located at convenient
distances more than half way across
the Pacific.
Moreover, the vast bulk of trade ill
that quarter of the world passes
;hrough the natural channel between
the Lad rones and the Carolines, of
which the I'nited States would have
comma nil.
If (iemianv is able to outbid the
I'nited States for these islands she
may obtain them, but a suspicion is
entertained that the naming of $2,000,-
000 was inspired by a friendly desire
to make the best possible terms for
Spain from the I'nited States, by
raising the price of the goods. One
of the pledges which is almost as
good as a treaty obligation in its force
even now. is that the I'nited States, in
return for the release of the political
prisoners from Cuba and Porto Uieo,
held by Spain, will secure the release
of the Spanish prisoners held by Vgui
uuldu.
3