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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, August 13, 1867

The War Rumors.—A despatch from London, July 26th, says that there is much caution shown by capitalists and business men in that city, the feeling having become general that war between France and Prussia is imminent. A private despatch from Berlin, of the same date, also makes mention of the general opinion that war is certain, and adds that Prussia is actively urging forward her preparations for such an event. Still greater sensation was created by a Vienna telegram, stating that the Emperor Napoleon had sent a note to King William of Prussia, urging him to surrender the Danish districts of North Schleswig to Denmark, but that the Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria declined to interfere in the matter at all. The truth of this statement, as far as France is concerned, was positively denied by the Moniteur, on Saturday July 27th. Nevertheless, the semi-official journal of Berlin continued to urge King William to repel the intrusion of the French Emperor in the political affairs of Germany. More important than these vague war rumors is an official statement in the official Gazette of Vienna, saying that it is the right and interest of the Emperor Napoleon to enforce the treaty of Prague. The same paper also says that the Czar of Russia has sent to King William of Prussia a note to the foregoing effect. If the sense of the official paper is correctly given by the cable despatch, it is clear that Austria means to pursue a foreign policy hostile to Prussia.—Methodist.

Mormons.—Late advices from Utah indicate that an irrepressible discord has broken out among the Saints, and that the problem of Mormonism will soon solve itself. Large numbers of anti-polygamists have left Utah, bound for Nauvoo, Ill. Brigham Young is being boldly denounced by many of his followers, and the sect is becoming rapidly demoralized. Two or three Sundays ago, Young, in a sermon at Cottonwood, denounced William Howard, a distiller, who immediately rose in the audience and branded Young’s statement as false. Young then ordered Howard put out of the house, which was done, and subsequently told his hearers to tear down Howard’s house and distillery, which, however, they failed to do. A day or two afterward, Howard sent Young a letter, demanding a retraction of his personal statements, or he would hold him personally responsible. It is said that Young intends to move to the newly-discovered gold mines.

The London Standard says: “Experiments show that the American 450 pound gun is fatal to the invulnerability of the present British ship armor. We have not a vessel afloat that could stand the shock at close quarters.”

The Movement Against Rome Abandoned for the Present.—Florence, August 5. Garibaldi has come to the conclusion that, considering all circumstances, it is best to abandon for the present the movement against Rome. The volunteers who had begun to collect from all parts of Italy, and who had already invaded the Papal territory at various places, will disperse, but the movement will be kept up with great activity. Garibaldi himself expresses his firm belief in the success of the next movement.

Coolies to Take the Place of Slaves.—A cargo of coolies has lately arrived at New Orleans from Cuba, to be used as laborers on the Mississippi sugar plantations, and it is stated that Ah Yue, a commissioner from the Chinese government, has concluded a contract with a number of Louisiana, Alabama and Texas planters, to bring 5000 Chinamen to this country for their use, and that they will soon arrive. We suppose, as in the West Indies and other places, these laborers are bound out to serve for a term of years, for stipulated wages, which are of course very low, and under certain conditions. What the conditions may be in this case we do not know, as the only one announced is that, in case of the death of any of the laborers, their remains shall be returned to China at the expense of their employers. What the other conditions of the service are, however, we do not care; whatever they may be nominally the coolie system is only a modification of slavery, and even worse in some of its features, and we protest in advance against its introduction into the United States.

The experiment of coolie labor has been thoroughly tried in the West Indies, in some of the South American states, in Australia, and elsewhere. Everywhere it is found as bad as slavery, both for the masters and the laborers, who are brought across the ocean much as cargoes of slaves were in old times, and when they reach their destination they are regarded as chattels, without any rights that anybody is bound to respect.

—London, August 3—2 P. M. Dispatches received to-day from Athens bring intelligence that the Grecian government has announced its determination of declaring war against the Sublime Porte on the 1st of September should the hostilities against the Christians of Candia not be ended by that time. Great military preparations are being made for such a contingency, and orders have been issued calling out the entire reserves of the kingdom.

—The total exports of tea from China during the season just closed, were to the United States 29,242,800 pounds, and to Great Britain 109,483,100. In the season of 1864-5, the exports were to this country 10,280,400, and to Great Britain 112,500,700.

A Phenomenon.—The people of this locality were favored last evening with a view of a phenomenon of a somewhat rare occurrence. At 9½ o’clock, during one of the slight showers, a fine lunar rainbow made its appearance in the western sky and continued quite brilliant for about fifteen minutes. The moon was just rising and the bow was consequently very large. It presented faintly, the more prominent colors of a solar bow and gradually faded into a streak of white light, traces of which remained for nearly half an hour.—Troy Times.