Current Mention

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 6, 1910

— The total public benefactions in the United States during the past twelve months amounted to $141,250,000, which is $40,000,000 greater than for any previous year in the history of the country.

— Political unrest in Europe appears to be increasing. Within a short time there have been four assassinations of high public officials, and one attempted assassination. The unrest in India continues unabated.

— The Canadian government has purchased from the British government the cruiser “Rainbow,” which is the first vessel of the new Canadian navy. The government is negotiating for a second and larger cruiser, also from England.

— The new Belgian king announces that he will apply himself with all the resources at his command to the solution of the Kongo situation and the development of that dependency, declaring that “colonization should mean civilization.”

— The city of Tokyo, Japan, has donated to the city of Washington, D. C., 2,000 Japanese cherry trees, which are now on their way from the Pacific Coast. These are to be planted in a double row, twenty feet apart, extending a distance of three miles along the Potomac Drive in Southwest Washington.

— The battle-ship “Utah,” which is declared to have no equal afloat as a first-class fighting machine, was launched at Philadelphia on December 23. It is rather a striking coincidence that the launching of the “Utah” took place on the anniversary of the birthday of Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet.

— Advices from the capital of Nicaragua state that the new government has appointed a special envoy and confidential agent to represent it at Washington, D. C., for the purpose of settling all pending difficulties between the two countries. The former president, Zelaya, is now in Mexico. It is understood, however, that should the new Nicaraguan government demand his extradition, he will be compelled to return to that country to answer whatever charges may be brought against him.

— A fierce gale and tidal wave along the Atlantic Coast on December 26 resulted in great damage at Boston and Chelsea, Mass. It is estimated that the tidal wave caused a damage of $1,000,000 in Boston and Chelsea. The same storm did considerable damage in the lower part of New York City. The storm accompanying the gale tied up train service to a large extent throughout the entire East. A number of lives were lost, both on land and on the sea during the gale. At least ten vessels have been wrecked along the Massachusetts coast as the result of this storm.

— Statistics in the hands of government statisticians show that 15,000 saloons were put out of business last year, and there is a prospect that five States will join the prohibition ranks within a year.

— On December 28 the whole Turkish cabinet resigned, following the resignation of the grand vizier. The resignation of the cabinet is said to be due to the influence of the Committee of Union and Progress.

— The city of Paris has voted to raise the sum of $180,000,000 to carry out an elaborate scheme of improvements, including the removal of unsanitary quarters, and the construction of new streets, gardens, and schools.

— Violent storms and destructive floods are reported in both Spain and Portugal. The damage done in Oporto and the adjacent country is estimated at $20,000,000. Many boats have been swept out to sea and lost with their occupants.

— The conflict between the forces of the Nicaraguan government and the army of the revolution resulted in the complete defeat of the government troops. The latter were found to be practically in a starving condition and in great need of medical attention as well as of food. This has been furnished as far as possible by the American forces in the vicinity, and by the Red Cross.

— A report from Siberia by way of Vancouver, British Columbia, states that Russia is gathering troops in Siberia with a view to possible hostilities with Japan. Great bodies of these troops are said to be encamped near Lake Baikal. The building of the Amur railroad at a cost of $150,000,000 is being hastened because of the possible necessity for its use in the movement of troops in the near future.

— The War Department of the United States government has just finished tests of the new fourteen-inch navy gun at the Indian Head Proving Grounds on the Potomac River. The tests indicate that this is the most powerful weapon in the world, hurling a fourteen-hundred-pound projectile, with power to penetrate an ordinary war-vessel at a distance of nine miles.

— Bishop Frank M. Bristol, of Buenos Aires, Argentina, who has now completed a lecture tour of this country, in an address at the Hamline Methodist Episcopal church at Washington, D. C., on December 19, made the statement that the people of South America have come to a state of almost universal atheism, and are becoming distrustful of all religious teaching, conditions very similar to those now existing in the Catholic countries of Europe.

— A requiem mass for the repose of the soul of the late king of Belgium was chanted at St. Matthews Church, Washington, D. C., on December 23, in the presence of the papal delegate, Mgr. Falconio, and other prelates of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as the President of the United States and his Cabinet, the entire diplomatic corps, justices of the United States Supreme Court, representatives of the local judiciary, and a large number of the army and navy officials. President Taft occupied a chair in front of the first pew before the altar.