PASSPORTS. Passports are required for entrance into Russia, Turkey and the Balkan countries, and must be visaed by diplomatic or consular representatives of those countries. There are no such representatives of the Balkan States in the United States and passports for those countries should be visaed by their diplomatic or consular representatives elsewhere. Passports may be required in other countries of persons making a prolonged stay, especially if they reside in boarding houses or rented apartments, but they are often valuable in the securing of registered mail, admissions to certain galleries, etc., which are normally closed to the public. Passports are issued by the Secretary of State. An American abroad may make his application before an American diplomatic or consular officer, who will forward it to the department. The fee for a passport is $1.00. This amount in currency or postal order should accompany each application made by a citizen of the United States. The orders should be made payable to the Disbursing Clerk of the Department of State. Drafts or checks are not accepted. A person who is entitled to receive a passport, if in the United States at the time, must make a written application in affidavit form to the Secretary of State. Application must be made by the person to whom the passport is to be issued, and signed by him, as one person cannot apply for a passport for another. affidavit must be attested by an officer authorized to administer oaths, and an official seal must be affixed, or his official character must be authenticated by a certificate of the proper legal officer. The applicant must take the oath of allegiance to the Government of the United States. The oath is on the application blank. The application must be accompanied by a description of the applicant. Full data for these questions are provided on the blank. There are a number of different forms. There is one for a native citizen, one for the naturalized citizen, and one for a person claiming citizenship through the naturalization of husband or parent. In asking for a blank it should be specified which form is desired. A woman's application must state whether she is married or not, and a married woman must state whether her husband is a native or a naturalized citizen. A passport expires two years from the date of issue, but it may be extended for two years by a diplomatic or consular officer of the United States, if presented when it is about to expire. Applications for passports from naturalized citizens must be accompanied by a certificate of naturalization. The When the applicant is accompanied by his wife, minor children and a servant, to be entitled to receive the passport it is sufficient to state the fact, giving the respective ages of the children and the allegiance of the servant, then one passport will suffice for all. For any other person in the party a separate passport will be required. The woman's passport may include her minor children and servant under the above-named conditions. It should be noted, however, that the term "servant" does not include a governess, tutor, pupil, companion or person holding like relations to the applicant for passport. Professional or other titles will not be inserted in the passports. This information is obtained from the circular THE NOBEL PRIZES. The Nobel Foundation is based upon the last will and testament of Dr. Alfred Bernhard Nobel, engineer and inventor of dynamite, dated December 27, 1895, the stipulations of which, respecting this fund, are as follows: "The rest of my fortune, that is, the capital realized by my executors, is to constitute a fund, the interest of which is to be distributed annually as a prize to those who have in the course of the previous year rendered the greatest services to humanity. The amount is to be divided into five equal parts, one of which is to be awarded to the person who has made the most important discovery in the domain of physical science; another to the one who has made the most valuable discovery in chemistry or brought about the greatest improvement; the third to the author of the most important discovery in the field of physiology or medicine; the fourth to the one who has produced the most remarkable literary work of an idealistic tendency, and finally the fifth to the person who has done the best or the most in the cause of the fraternity of nations, for the suppression or the reduction of standing armies as well as for the formation and propagation of peace congresses, The prizes will be awarded for physics and chemistry by the Swedish Academy of Sciences; for works in physiology and medicine by the Caroline Institute of Stockholm; for literature by the Stockholm Academy, and finally for the service in the THE HALL cause of peace by a committee of five members of the Norwegian Storthing. It is my express desire that the benefits of the foundation are to be open to all nationalities and sexes and that the prize be awarded to the one most worthy, whether Scandinavian or not." Each prize amounts to about $40,000, and the corporation designates a "Comité Nobel" composed of three or five members for each section, with headquarters at Christiana, Norway. As expressed in the will no consideration is paid to the nationality of the candidate, but it is essential that every candidate shall be proposed in writing by some qualified representative of science, literature, etc., in the chief countries of the civilized world, such proposals to reach the Committee before the first of February in each year, the awards being made on the following 10th of December, the anniversary of Mr. Nobel's death. The first distribution of prizes took place in 1901 and including the awards of 1912 only three prizes have been awarded to Americans: 1906, Prof. A. A. Michelson, Physics; 1906, Theodore Roosevelt, Peace; 1912, Dr. Alexis Carrel, Medicine. The following awards were made in 1912: Physics, Gustav Dalen, Swede; Medicine, Dr. Alexis Carrel, American; Chemistry, Prof. Grignard and Prof. Sabatier, French; Literature, Gerhart Hauptmann, German; Peace, No award. OF FAME. "The Hall of Fame for Great Americans" is the name of an open colonnade attached to the Library of the University of the City of New York, on University Heights in New York city, Borough of the Bronx, in which are inscribed on bronze tablets the names of famous American men and women. Nominations for the honor are made by the public and are submitted to a committee of 100 eminent citizens. In the case of men fifty-one votes are required and in the case of women forty-seven. The first balloting took place in October, 1900, when the following were chosen: SALARIES OF OFFICIALS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. The Executive: President, $75,000; Vice-President, $12,000; Cabinet Officers, $12,000; Assistant Secretaries, $5,000, including Assistant Secretary of Navy,. Treasury Department: Treasurer of United States, $8,000; Comptroller of Treasury, $6,000; Commissioner of Internal Revenue, $5,000; War Department: Chief of Staff, $8,000; Adjutant General, $6,000; Inspector, Judge Advocate, Quartermaster, Commissary, Surgeon and Paymaster-Generals, $6,000; Navy Department: President General Navy Board, $13,500; President Naval Examination Board, $8,000; Post-Office Department: Assistant Postmaster Generals, $5,000; Interior Department: Commissioner of Education, Land Office, Pensions, Indian Affairs and Patents, $5,000; Department of Justice: Assistant Attorney Generals, $5,000. Department Agricul ture: Chief, Weather Bureau, $3,000; Chief Forest Service, $5,000; Department of Commerce and Labor: Commissioner Corporations, Labor, Light-House Bureau and General Immigra tion, $5,000; Director of Census, $6,000; Commissioner Fisheries, $6,000. The members of the Interstate Commerce Commission receive $10,000. The Legislative: Senators and Representatives in Congress receive $7,500, and 20 cents per mile to and from seat of Government. The Judiciary: The Chief Justice of the United States receives $15,000; Associate Justices, $14,500. CHAPTER XV. NAVIES OF THE WORLD. To the Cedition of the Reintipitemmean Mitil peaceful means of setting all Entimnational Contronnies are ascist, to the World, prudence and Fatriotina decused that the Writed Natio Maintain a navy commenmate with its inalte reed degrity Oct 27 1911 By Juft LETTER FROM PRESIDENT TAFT, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF THE NEW "EYES" OF THE MAN BEHIND THE MAN BEHIND THE GUN. scout. Aeronautics has developed in such a remarkable manner in the last few years that it is impossible to surmise when or where progress will be arrested. At the present time the aeroplane can be used to extend the range of vision of the fleet, but when operating beyond the sight of its base, parent ship, or landmarks, it is hampered for scouting purposes by lack of navigational facilities for the determination of course and position. It is very probable that these will come, and with them also come a vast increase in the value of the aeroplane as a naval As a station from which to observe and correct the fall of shot the aeroplane will be of service, particularly where long range, indirect, high-angle firing is used as in case of a bombardment. Here, however, the question of communication is seriously involved, as much depends on the prompt and accurate transmission of information. Steady progress is being made in the development of wireless which gives promise of meeting all the requirements of the situation, and which will insure the efficiency of the aeroplane for the purposes of spotting, as above outlined. The hydreroplane, which is an American development, and which may be launched from a vessel, and aligh in the water alongside on the return from a trip aloft, further increases the possibility of the aeroplane as a naval adjunct.-Thomas T. Craven, Lieutenant Commander, U. S. N. Director of Target Practice and Engineering Competitions. (Page 414. Battleships having a main battery of all big guns (11 inches or more in caliber). a Battleships of (about) 10,000 tons or more displacement, and having more than one caliber in the main • Armored cruisers having guns of largest caliber in main battery and capable of taking their place in line of battle with the battleships. They have an increase of speed at the expense of carrying fewer guns in • Includes all unarmored cruising vessels above 1,500 tons displacement. Includes smaller battleships and monitors. No more vessels of this class are being proposed or built by the great powers. England has no continuing shipbuilding policy, but usually lays down each year 4 or 5 armored ships with a proportional number of smaller vessels. Includes vessels of colonies. Germany has a continuing shipbuilding program, governed by a fleet law authorized by the Reichstag. For 1913 there are authorized 2 battleships, 1 battle cruiser, 2 cruisers, 12 destroyers. Eventual strength to consist of 41 battleships, 20 armored cruisers, 40 cruisers, 144 destroyers, 72 submarines. $4,760,000 authorized for experiments and further construction. $78,837,569 authorized to be expended from 1911 to 1917 for the construction of war vessels. Russian shipbuilding program provides for the completion by 1918 of 4 battle cruisers, 8 small cruisers, 36 destroyers, and 18 submarines. Four battle cruisers and two cruisers have been contracted for and are UNITED STATES NAVAL ENLISTMENT The term of enlistment of all enlisted men in the Navy is four years, except for minors under eighteen, who enlist with the consent of parents or guardian. Minors over the age of eighteen may be enlisted without the consent of parents or guardian, but must furnish written statement as to their age. Every person must pass the physical examination prescribed in the medical instructions. Only American citizens of good character who may reasonably be expected to remain in the service are enlisted, and every applicant must be able to read and write English nd must take the oath of allegiance. No person under the age of seventeen can be enlisted. |