Current Mention

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 7, 1908

— The Russian Douma has passed the bill authorizing the construction of the Amur railroad for the purpose of getting an all-Russian route to the Pacific.

— A discharge of dynamite, April 26, caused $15,000 worth of damage to a bridge being built at Fall River, Mass. This is the fourth attempt to wreck bridges being built by this company, which employs non-union men. The other outrages were committed at Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York.

— Twenty-five men, the entire day watch of the police force of Pensacola, Fla., were discharged from the force for refusing to board the street-cars when ordered to do so to protect the non-union operators of the cars during the strike. The situation seems to be quiet, and the provisional troops have gone to their homes.

— The Japanese training cruiser, “Matsushima,” was sunk by an explosion on April 30. Of the officers and men on board 238 were lost, and only 175 saved. Deterioration of the smokeless powder in one of the magazines is given as the cause. Among the cadets who lost their lives were the sons of several prominent officials of the empire.

— Alarmed at the spread of the prohibition movement in the United States, the associations of brewers and malters have decided to prosecute a vigorous campaign. They propose to send broadcast throughout the United States, and especially in the South, data showing the revenue derived by the government and by municipalities from licenses. The aggregate of wages paid and the produce purchased by the brewing and malting interests will also be printed and distributed throughout the country.

— The Republican press of Portugal has recently charged that the late king Carlos sold for private purposes some of the jewels deposited with the bank of Portugal. These formerly were the crown jewels that were confiscated by the state when King Miguel was deposed in 1834, and the whole collection was valued at $2,000,000. The new king Manuel found upon investigation that several articles had been sold, with the approval of the government, to pay the heavy debts of his father. The king has won the admiration of even the Republicans by announcing his intention to refund to the royal treasury the value of the missing jewels, which amounts to $750,000.

— Steam and electricity have laid hold on Syria, and are compelling the land to move and be enlightened. Railroads are now completed between Jaffa and Jerusalem; between Haifa, Tiberias, and Damascus; between Beirut and Damascus; between Beirut, Baalbeck, Hamath, and Aleppo; and between Damascus, Tibok, and Medaien, on the Mecca-Hejaz Railroad, some six hundred miles on the way to Mecca. An electric trolley road runs through the streets of Damascus, and the city is lighted by electricity. Iron pipes are being laid to bring the crystal cold water of Ain Fyi fifteen miles to Damascus. A Belgium company is building an electric trolley tramway through the streets of Beirut, and will furnish electric lights.