South African and Philippine News
There have been several engagements during the week in South Africa, in one of which the losses on both sides are reported to have been heavy. This engagement occurred in the eastern Transvaal about October 27. The Boers attacked Colonel Benson's rear guard and the fight lasted for two days. The British lost 10 officers and 58 noncommissioned officers and men killed, and 156 men wounded. The Boer loss is placed at between 300 and 400, as they repeatedly charged right up to the British lines. Colonel Benson died of wounds received in this engagement. At Great Marico River, on October 24, an engagement occurred in which the Boers left 40 dead on the field. The British loss is not given. Several Boer commandos have been captured during the week. Correspondents from South Africa are protesting against the idea that the war will soon be over, and are warning the British public that a long, difficult campaign is still before the army. The chancellor of the exchequer has warned the English people that next year he would probably have to ask them to shoulder still greater burdens in the way of war taxes. The Philippine Commission has drafted an act against treason and sedition. The penalty prescribed for treason is death, and the act is framed to include those persons giving aid and comfort to the insurgents. Persons who utter seditious words or speeches, or who write libels against the United States Government or the insular government, are punishable by the imposition of a fine of $2,000 or two years' imprisonment. For breaking the oath of allegiance a fine of $2,000 or imprisonment for two years is fixed as the penalty. At a public discussion of the act much opposition was manifested to it on the part of Filipinos and Spaniards. It is reported from Europe that the French squadron has seized three ports on the island of Mitylena, near the port of Smyrna, in order to enforce the payment of her demands on Turkey. Turkey is said to have appealed to England to carry out her pledges given in 1878, in which England guaranteed the integrity of Turkey's Asiatic possessions. Italy is reported to have despatched warships to the Levant to counteract the presence of the French squadron. With the ever-prevalent jealousy of the powers over Turkey, there is in this international tangle the possibility of serious consequences. Nicaragua has renounced the treaty with the United States which permitted the latter country to build a canal across her territory. It is understood that this is done in order to make way for another treaty covering the same ground. The treaty now renounced would expire by limitation next year. Lord Pauncefote, Great Britain's ambassador to the United States, has returned to this country with the draft of another canal treaty which it is thought will be acceptable to both England and the United States. An effort is being made by Belgian longshoremen to induce German longshoremen to unite with them in a boycott on British vessels. They would refuse to load or unload vessels flying the British flag as a protest against the war in South Africa. The German longshoremen show a disposition to join in the boycott, but are being urged by the German press not to do so for fear of its effect upon German commerce. Secretary Hitchcock has announced his intention of revoking the decree of the former Indian commissioner, which required that Indian children be sent to the government schools until those institutions had been supplied, and that the remainder might then be sent to the sectarian schools. This decision of the new commissioner is a concession in the interests of the Catholic schools. The Government of Argentina has requested the Government of Chile to cease building roads in the Cordilleras, and has demanded an official declaration that the road-making already accomplished does not constitute a claim by Chile to the territory in dispute. If this assurance is not given, and the demand is not acceded to, Argentina will break off diplomatic relations with Chile. A large captive balloon broke away from its controlling apparatus at San Francisco on November 2, carrying away on a wild ride through the air eight men and one woman. Part of the time they were sailing over San Francisco Bay and part of the time they were out over the ocean; but the whole party finally landed safely about 50 miles south of San Francisco. It is officially reported that the government has opened direct communications with the captors of Miss Ellen M. Stone, and that she will soon be released. The one who is conducting the negotiations with the brigands reports that Miss Stone is alive and well. Turkey refuses to hold herself responsible for the repayment of the ransom which the brigands demand. General Greely, chief signal officer, reports that the signal corps has constructed 336 miles of telegraph line in Alaska and 4,851 miles in the Philippine Islands. Much of the work in the islands has had to be done over again, as hostile natives have destroyed or carried away the wire and cut down the poles in many places. A real estate trust is reported to have been organized in New York with a capital of $4,000,000, to carry on extensive operations in the manufacture of building materials, in the erection of buildings, and the sale of lands. On account of a “corner in corn” at Purunandiro, Mexico, a bread riot occurred on October 30, in which a large number of persons were seriously injured. A corn famine had existed there for months, and when speculators cornered the market and doubled the price, the warehouses were attacked by the angry populace. The preliminary trials on the German military electrical railway from Berlin to Zossen are reported to be perfectly satisfactory. The speed of the train has been gradually increased until it now runs 85 miles an hour comfortably and smoothly. It is expected that a speed of 125 miles an hour will be developed on this road. On account of the present industrial depression in Germany, there is a remarkable increase in the convictions for lèse majesté, or insults to the ruler. One man was convicted and sentenced to three months' imprisonment because he kept his seat in a meeting when someone had called for a “hoch” (hurrah) for the kaiser. Yaqui Indians continue their depredations in the vicinity of Guaymas, Mexico, and have destroyed many homes of the settlers, driving off their stock and carrying away provisions. A Mexican cavalry troop surprised the Indians in La Tuna cañon on October 30, and a number were killed on both sides. The Indians were routed. General Bartolomo Masso has announced himself as a candidate for the presidency of the Republic of Cuba. He declares that he has been induced to enter the presidential candidacy in order to preserve the nationalism and patriotism of the country, and makes a strong bid for the autonomist, Spanish, and negro vote. A conspiracy against the Government of Colombia was discovered on October 30, in which the minister of war was implicated. The object of the conspiracy was to overthrow the acting vice-president. The participants fled immediately on the discovery of the plot, and only a portion of them were captured. The Navy Department is laying plans for the immediate construction of three first-class battle-ships of 16,000 tons displacement, and two armored cruisers of about 14,500 tons displacement. The construction board also recommends the building of 35 other vessels from gunboats down to tugs. Malvar has issued a proclamation to the Filipinos declaring himself the present leader of the Filipino forces. He proposes a reorganization of the Filipinos under two lieutenant-generals and four generals of divisions. He proposes to put to death all Filipinos acting as guides to the Americans. About the 30th of October, while the members of the Chinese court were preparing to cross a river near Honan, an attempt was made to take the life of the dowager empress. One of her attendants was killed, but the would-be assassin was quickly despatched by the bodyguard. The War Department has announced its intention, according to a report from Washington, of maintaining a force of 30,000 men in the Philippines. To do this it will be necessary to supply the places of about 10,000 men whose terms of enlistment will expire in June. The distress caused in the eastern provinces of Russia by the failure of the crops is so severe that the authorities have forbidden the newspapers to publish any save official statements in regard to it. The entire crew of a schooner was kidnapped by union men at Hoquiam, Wash., on October 30, and marooned on a small island. The captain procured a gasoline launch and rescued his men. Admiral Schley has finished his testimony before the court of inquiry, and the attorneys for the government have begun their argument to substantiate the charges brought against him. A detachment of negro troops recently sent out by the Government of the Kongo Free State to suppress an insurrection was overpowered by the rebels, and all the troops were roasted and eaten. General Hughes reports from Manila that the insurrection forces in the Island of Cebu have taken the oath of allegiance in good faith. Sixty officers and 400 men have surrendered arms. A party of Swazis recently surprised a party of about seventy Boers and massacred them all. Since that the Boers have threatened to shoot all natives found aiding the British. General Gillespie, chief of engineers, is asking the government for an appropriation of $4,000,000 to be used in fortifying the coast cities which are not already provided for. The Turkish ambassador at St. Petersburg has informed the sultan that the annexation of Crete to Greece is imminent and inevitable. A fire occurred in Chicago on October 30 which destroyed the homes of 75 families, the property loss all told amounting to $750,000. A circus train was wrecked near Lexington, North Carolina, on October 29, and 110 of the horses were killed. President Roosevelt has fixed Thursday, November 28, as a day of national thanksgiving.