Current Mention

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Dec 28, 1905

— The maiden voyage of the Cunard Line steamship “Carmania,” which is equipped with turbine engines, has demonstrated the utility of this style of engine for the largest ships. Greater speed is attained, and there is almost an entire absence of vibration, even in stormy weather.

— Very conclusive evidence of the prosperous condition of one class of American citizens is furnished by the force fact that although diamonds and other precious stones have risen in price almost twenty-five per cent during the past year, the value of such stones imported to this country during that time is $37,000,000, which is $11,000,000 greater than the value of such imports for any previous year.

— According to the German paper Frankfurter Zeitung, a serious Albanian rebellion is in progress in the western provinces of European Turkey. The first outbreak occurred in the town of Tetovov, where the rebels repulsed 3,000 Turkish troops sent from Uskub to suppress the outbreak. All the Turkish officials in the town were murdered. Later the Turkish troops captured the town, and massacred all rebels found in arms. The rebellion is spreading.

— The dimensions of the principal farm crops for the banner year 1905 are announced as follows by the Department of Agriculture: “Corn, 2,707,993,540 bushels; winter wheat, 428,462,834 bushels; spring wheat, 264,516,655; oats, 953,216,197; barley, 136,651,020; rye, 27,616,045; buckwheat, 14,585,082; flaxseed, 28,477,753; rice, 12,933,436; potatoes 260,741,294; hay, 60,531,611 tons; cotton, 9,283,000 bales; tobacco, 636,033,719 pounds.”

— The change to a “Liberal” government in Great Britain, with Sir Henry Campbell Bannerman at its head, seems likely to be attended with a considerable change in the policy of government throughout the empire, especially in India. The new premier in recent speeches has laid stress on the doctrine of subordinating the military power to the civil authority, as essential to the best interests of the empire, and it is anticipated that Lord Kitchener, who contended with Viceroy Curzon for the establishment of military supremacy in the government of India, and under Premier Balfour succeeded against the viceroy, will be recalled, or will tender his resignation. Another step taken by the government which is considered of momentous importance is the prohibition of further importation of Chinese coolies into South Africa.

— Civil war rages in Russia. The government and the revolutionary forces are in a death grapple, the outcome of which will almost certainly be the complete overthrow of the autocracy, or the re-establishment of the old regime. The situation is the worst in the Baltic provinces, where scarcely any vestige of the czar’s authority remains. A St. Petersburg dispatch says: “The Lettish provinces in the west, Saratoff, and neighboring provinces in the east, and Ekatorinslav and adjoining provinces on the south are all ablaze with the flame of revolution. It is estimated that at least 1,300 palatial mansions of estate holders have been burned to the ground. In many cases all the contents of the palaces, including valuable libraries, catalogues, and paintings, have been destroyed with the mansions. The damage caused in this manner is estimated at $100,000,000. At present, the total number of armed peasants who are in open revolt against the government may be estimated at 200,000.” The city of Riga, which was held by the revolutionists, was shelled and destroyed by the government forces, and a severe battle was fought for the possession of the town of Tukum, in Courland, which was finally captured by assault by the czar’s troops. The city of Kharkoff is in the hands of the revolutionists. The latter appear to be well armed, and led by men of military training. In some places large bodies of troops have deserted to the revolutionary side. Besides opposing the government by armed force, the revolutionary leaders have answered the government’s attack by proclaiming a general strike which has stopped every railway line and suspended all means of communication. The czar has sent his private funds and valuables to be deposited in the Bank of England for safe keeping. News from Moscow, December 23, stated that the city was the center of a pitched battle between the government troops and the insurgents, in which cannon and machine guns were used, and thousands of persons had been killed or wounded. Martial law has been proclaimed in ten provinces of Poland.