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The Cordova Daily Times
VOLUME TWO. XI MBER 310. CORDOVA, ALASKA, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1915._ ™CE TKN < T.S'YS. _
All IF
NATIONAL DEFENSE
MAIN ISSUE
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.—A special national defence re
.pfcirt lias been prepared by the general staff of the anny, and
will be presented to Congress in support of the administration
measures for an increased national defence. The report says
that a mobile army of a million and a half, consisting of
trained, or partially trained, men is necessary to secure the
I'nited States from attack. An increase of the regular army
to a half million is strongly urged, without which it would be
impossible to satisfactorily meet the problems which would
arise in the event of an army of invasion attempting to cross
our borders.
According to the plan the army would have 121,000 first
class soldiers in the ranks at the end of an eight year enlist
i#lent period. The further plans of the general staff call for
the creation of a reserve of partially trained men in continen
tal United States, totalling a million and a half. These men
would be under training for three months a year for three
years, the other nine months being on furlough, subject to
being called for an additional three months prior to the regu
lar three months period. This additional three months would
be training which would not require the troops to do field
service, but could be given in armories at their homes.
The board' recommends an appropriation of seven million
dollars to further the work now being done by the state mi
litia regiments. The plans of the staff call for an expenditure
for tin* coming year of five hundred and four millions. This
will be divided as follows: The new army and reserve plan
will necessitate $353,000,000. A reserve of ammunition will
be gathered, which will cost $132,000,000. The plans for addi
tional coast and harbor defences call for $20,000,000.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.—National defence and the
means of providing money to carry out tlx* administration’s
plans, admittedly, are the chief problems which faces the
sixty-fourth Congress.
Democratic leaders who had hoped to make military pre
paredness a non-partisan question, are not confident of suc
cess, notwithstanding the widespread endorsement given
President Wilson’s program by prominent members and or
ganizations affiliated with minority parties. The chief
stumbling block is the method of raising tin* enormous reve
nues which will be needed'.
Certain Republican leaders have indicated they are ready
to make political capital of the Democratic dilemma should
the party in power find itself compelled to resort to a bond is
sue or any of the tariff measures hitherto condemned by them.
With leaders of both parties looking toward the national cam
paign next fall the session promises to be of unusual interest.
President Wilson outlined the salient needs of the country
in a personally delivered address to Congress Tuesday noon,
after which committees wen* organized and actual legislative
grinding initiated. In his opening address the President did
not present in detailed form all ot the legislation tin* adminis
tration has in mind, but as Congress proceeds he plans to send
messages on special subjects.
The President’s first communication concerned chiefly
the needs of the army and navy, giving special attention to
revelations and responsibilities growing out of the European
war and what may be done to finance a plan of preparedness
to assure continuing safety of the nation.
Tin* new Congress is still Democratic, 4>ut not so over
whelming as it has been on previous occasions when President
Wilson addressed it. In the Senate the party has a slightly
iincreased majority, but political fortunes have reduced the
almost unwieldly force in the House that came in on the
Democratic landslide that elected Mr. Wilson, so that now the
party will have only a majority over all of 24 votes. This is
’•egarded as a narrow margin in a body composed of 435 mem
bers, requiring a party deflection of only thirteen votes to de
feat a measure.
The new House as officially classified consists of 229
Democrats, 197 Republicans, 6 Progressives, 1 Independent, 1
Socialist, 1 vacant. Tn the Senate there are 56 Democrats and
j 40 Republicans.
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UNITED STATES WANTS COMMANDER PUNISHED.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.—The United' States has sent a
note to Austria-Hungary, asking that nation to disavow the
attack on the Italian liner Ancona by one of her submarines.
The note also requests the Austrian government to furnish as
surances that such an occurrence will not be repeated, and
asks that the commander of the submarine be punished for
his inhumane attack on the liner, and firing on the small boats
after the passengers and crew had commenced to leave the
ship. Formal demand is also made that reparation be fur
nished to the families of the American citizens who lost their
lives on the boat.
LONDON, Dec. 10.—Latest reports from the Anglo
French front in Serbia state that the Bulgarians attacking the
illied lines have been reinforced by a large body of German
roops, and the attack against the positions are being renewed'
with increased vigor. The allied forces are fairly well suit
died with light artillery, and are using their guns to good ef
fect, the Bulgarians in particular having suffered heavily from
heir many attacks on the French lines. The fighting now i
dmost on the Greek border, and a very slight reverse would
force the allies to retreat into Grecian territory. Tf the allies j
ire compelled to reform their lines and give battle on Grecian
soil, it will put an end to the present uncertainty as to the at
titude of Greece towards the conflict. In any event, Greece
?annot postpone much longer a definite announcement of her
policy. The allies are constantly landing fresh troops at Ka
ioniki, and preparations are under way which confirm tin*
general impression that the French and British have entered
the Balkan campaign to stay, as everything indicates that the
lilies are going to make Saloniki a permanent base for their
soldiers. Extensive works are going on there, which can
mean only that. At the front the allies have shown that they
will retire before subjecting themselves to being smothered
by the numerically superior enemy, and it is felt that this re
routing movement will continue until the allies feel strong
enough to take the offensive, which at the present rati* of de
livering the troops will not be long.
LONDON, Dec. 10.—The Bulgarians have been heavily
reinforced by further additional Teuton troops, and all points
id' the fighting front in southern Serbia are now well sup
ported by both first line troops and reserves. The allies are
being vigorously attacked and' are endeavoring to hold their
own against the enemy, who seem to have an inexhaustible
supply of men and munitions, giving the defenders little rest,
us the attack is kept up night and day. Most of the fighting
against the allies so far has been done by the Bulgarians, al
though it is believed that the Austrians and Bermans are di
recting the artillery fire, but it seems assured that practicall.'
the whole of the Bulgarian army has been concentrated for
the effort to force the allies onto Greece. Further west the
Montenegrins are valiantly resisting the I euton forces, who
have been steadily advancing, although at a slower rate, as
the mountain passes have been reached, and the Montenegrins
are now fighting in a country where they are familiar with
every rock and precipice, and which is a most difficult coun
try to carry on an offensive warfare in. From Albania comes
reports which indicate that the fleeing Serbian army and the
refugees accompanying it are in much better condition than
was supposed. The lines have been reformed, and a real
puard action is being kept up, which sufficiently harasses the
pursuers as to make their progress slow enough to give the
refugees time to get away. _;
MINING EXPERT
The engagement of M. Pierre Bou |
ery as manager of the mining pro-,
pertles of the Valdez Creek Placer
Mines for five years, which the trus
tees have just announced, means that
these properties will have highly in
telligent development. M. Bouery
has for fifteen years been manager
of the Lagrange Mine at Weaver
vitle, Cal., which has long been con
sidered an astonishingly successful
hydraulic mining property. The
owners of the property ascribe this
success entirely to him.
The problem which he overcame
there seems clearly to have been
much more difficult than the work
which awaits him at Valdez Creek.
He had to bring his water for hy
draulicking 49 miles, and he had to
work gravel which would produce
only four cents’ worth of gold to the
subic yard. This he succeeded in do
ing at a real profit, after his prede
cessors had conducted the property
at a loss. At Valdez Creek these dif
ficulties will not be present. The
source of the water supply Is within
two miles of the hydraulic pit, and,
recording to the expert engineers
whom the management has consulted,
the gravel will yield 94 cents per
cubic yard.
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Boston and New England people
ire heavily interested in the Valdez
'reek Placer Mines, and there seems
10 doubt that they are to be congrat
ulated on being now assured that i
heir properties in Alaska will be J
leveloped under the direction of a
most eminent engineer, who knows
his particular line of mining activ
ity thoroughly and has proven his
ibility to cope with any situation
that may arise. M. Bouery did not
make his new contract with the trus
tees of the Valdez Creek Tlacer
Mines until he had gone into th6
question most thoroughly. He had
the offer under consideration for a
month. When, some time ago, the
management of the Valdez Creek
Placer Mines learned that his third
five-year contract with the I,agrange
Mining Company would expire in Oc
tober, they made him an offer, al
though they hardly dared to hope that
le could be had. Now, after careful
consideration, he has decided to ac
cept their contract, and ne will
mage their properties for the next
five years. Thus, there is accom
plished the best combination that
:an possibly be obtained for a mining
enterprise, a good natural property
ind a manager of tested and proven
ibility.
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George Kennedy is back from a
rip to the States, having divided his
ime between Washington and Cali
ornia.
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Mrs. Henry A. Slater has returned
'com an extended visit among friends
it Republic. Wash.
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The steamer Admiral Evans Is due
’rom the westward at midnight.
BIG APPROPRIATIONS
FOR ALASKA
WASHINGTON', Dec. 10.—In tin* budget submit! d t<>
f'ongress were the following items for Alaska: Railway
works, $2,247,000; post road, $150,000; roads, bridges and
trails from Alaska fund, $170,000; investigation of mineral re
sources, $100,000; bureau of education, $250,000; to encourage
trade and industry among the natives, $25,000; medical relief
r)f natives, $50,000; war department, $50,000 for cable mainten
tinee; lighthouse service, $60,000; for aids to navigation, $.>0,
f)00; to establish lighthouse at Cape Spencer, $100,000; Coast
geodetic survey, $508,000; to replace Patterson and Gedney,
$225,000; Pacific surveys, including Alaska fisheries, $50,000;
for new vessel, $20,000; for four tenders, $25,000; for new
buildings on Pribilof Island, $15,000; fur seal service, $1,000;
tor caring for Sitka national monument and boundary survey,
$115,000.
Postmaster Burleson asks for special legislation, giving
him $500,000 for granting the postoffice a monopoly on all
telephone, cable and telegraph lines in Alaska.
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ENGLAND RELEASES AMERICAN COMPANY’S SHIPS.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.—The State Department has re
ceived notice from the British foreign office that the vigorous
protest delivered by Ambassador Page against the requisition
ing of the ships of the American Transatlantic Company, had
been acted upon favorably. The ships have been released, as
the State Department took the position that they could not be
used by the British until condemned by prize court pro
ceedings.
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LORD KITCHENER IN CONFERENCE AT PARIS.
PARTS, Dec. 10.—Lord Kitchener and Foreign Minister
Grey arrived in this city yesterday unannounced, and immedi
ately went into conference with the French government.
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SOUTHERN SERBIA CLEARED OF ALLIED SOLDIERS.
BERLIN, Dec. 10.—It is officially announced that the
Bulgarians have defeated the Anglo-French troops in Serbia,
and have thoroughly cleared southern Serbia of allied oldiers.
The entire Franeo-British contingent has been forced to retire
across the Greek frontier.
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RUSSIANS DRIVE TEUTONS FROM BULAK PASS.
TEHERAN, Dec. 10.—The Russian troops in the Cau
casus have occupied the Sullar Bulak pass, where insurgent
gendarmes and German mercenaries have been fortifying
themselves under the command of German and Turk’ ii offi
cers. The fight for the pass was brisk while it lasted, but the
enemy gave wav before the determined attack of the Russian
troops and broke under a bayonet charge, fleeing in great
disorder, and leaving many dead upon the field. The Rus
sians are pursuing the Germans and Turks.
PEACE PLANS ARE BELIEVED TO BE MATURING
LONDON, Dec. 10.—The speech of Chancellor Bethmann
Hollweg before the Reichstag yesterday is being interpreted
|)V English publicists as showing that the sentiment in Ger
many is swiftly veering in the direction ot peace. The argu
ment is made that Von Buelow has been working quietly on
this behalf for some time, and reference is made to the latter’s
interview with Cardinal Hartmann, and the connection with
the Vatican’s peace efforts. The matter is being watched
with considerable interest, but is meeting with very little
favor throughout Great Britain.__
PACIFIC COAST:
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OLYMPIA, Dec. 10.—The last
hopes of the liquor interest iu this j
state were blasted today when the
State Supreme Court handed down a
decision upholding the prohibitory
law passed by the people at the last
election. The court held the law to
be valid in all particulars, and denied
the contention of the liquor dealers
that their property was being taken
from them without due process of
law. The law will go into effect on
January 1 next.
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All the Real News in the Times.
CONGRESS ADJOURNS
UNTIL NEXT TUESDAY
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10. — Con
gress met this morning, but no busi
ness was transacted. The speaker
has announced the chairmanships,
and the committees are generally
busy getting ready for their work.
Immediately after convening Con
grsse adjourned until next Tuesday.
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PRESENTED WITH CHAIN.
F. Yoshi, who has been cooking for
the piledriver crew for the past
eight months, will leave on the
Northwestern for a short visit to
Japan. As a token of appre< ion of
his services the railroad boys pre
sented Fred with a nugget chain.
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Be a reader of the Times and keep
posted.