Current Mention

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Apr 19, 1906

— Bubonic plague has arrived at Philadelphia on a steamship from Bombay. There were four cases, all of which were placed under strict quarantine.

— The Italian newspaper Vita says that Austria is preparing to occupy soon Novibazar, in Turkey, under a clause of the Treaty of Berlin. Austria is said to consider this as a favorable moment, because of diminished Russian influence and Germany’s irritation against Italy growing out of the Algeciras conference. The plan is said to be supported by Marshall Beck, the head of the general staff.

— Figures showing the extent of recent border warfare in the Balkans are given in a dispatch from Belgrade, Servia, which states: “Official reports of the border conflicts last year state that the Bulgarian revolutionaries engaged in seventy-five skirmishes with the Turks, during which they lost 335 killed and 858 wounded and prisoners. The Turks lost 1,000 killed and 670 wounded. The Servians engaged in fourteen fights with the Turkish troops, during which they lost 97 killed and 313 wounded, while the Turkish loss was 360 killed and 262 wounded.”

— Regarding the recent eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, Professor Matteucci, director of the observatory situated on the slope of the mountain, is quoted as saying: “Compared with other great eruptions, this is one of the most important in the history of Vesuvius. Its effects are less terrible than those of the eruption in the year 79, when Pompeii was buried, but it equals in intensity the great eruptions of 1631 and 1872.” A special phenomenon of this eruption was the intense electrical display which accompanied it, causing incessant lightning and thunder. Professor Matteucci believes the electricity was generated by friction of the particles of matter thrown out of the crater. The territory surrounding Vesuvius for a number of miles is covered with a considerable depth of “ashes,” and it is stated that the land will be worthless for cultivation for a period of eight or ten years. No accurate estimate of the loss of life due to the eruption has yet been given.