News and Notes

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 16, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 24.

Progress of the War.—Before daylight on the morning of June 3 Lieutenant Hobson and six American sailors ran the steam collier Merrimac into the narrow channel of Santiago harbor, anchored her so that she swung across the channel, and sunk her by blowing a hole in her bottom. This effectually closed the entrance to the harbor, and prevents the Spanish war ships within from leaving the trap in which they are placed. The seven intrepid sailors were captured by the Spaniards, but Admiral Cervera has offered to exchange them for Spanish prisoners. This deed is regarded as a most hazardous and courageous undertaking, as the doomed vessel had to run the gauntlet of all the batteries along the harbor entrance......Capt. Charles V. Gridley, who commanded the flag-ship Olympia at the battle of Manila, died at the port of Kobe, Japan, while on his way home. It is understood that he received injuries during the battle which resulted in his death. ......According to advices believed to be authentic American troops have already been landed in Cuba and have united with General Garcia’s troops for the attack on Santiago de Cuba. Fifteen vessels, carrying 10,000 troops, left Tampa, Florida, on June 4, bound for Santiago and Porto Rico; and five transports loaded with troops left Mobile on the same day to join the Tampa expedition. It is the intention of the government to occupy the island of Porto Rico before Spain sues for peace, in order that this may be included in the demand for indemnity......Orders have been given for the troops at Chickamauga to proceed southward to take the place of those already embarked for the field of action......The Spanish bark Maria Dolores was captured by an American cruiser on May 30......Admiral Sampson, with a portion of his fleet, joined Commodore Schley before Santiago de Cuba, on June 1. On the preceding day Commodore Schley bombarded the principal fortification at the entrance to Santiago harbor, for the purpose of drawing the fire of the other batteries and learning their location. The amount of execution done is not given authoritatively......The pope has sent a telegram to the queen of Spain, urging her to be content with the success which Spain has already obtained, and abandon the idea of continuing the war. The queen had telegraphed the pope that her troops had sunk a large auxiliary cruiser at the entrance to Santiago harbor......The condition of the bank of Spain is now considered more serious than any reverse of the present war. The bank is unable to help the government, and without its help the government will be more seriously crippled than ever in carrying on the war. The poverty of the common people has never been so distressing, and the difficulties of the government are becoming overwhelming......A despatch from Port-au-Prince, dated June 6, states that the bombardment of fortifications at Santiago de Cuba has been renewed by Admiral Sampson, and that fighting has begun on land between the insurgents and Spaniards around the city......Admiral Dewey has reported from Manila that the insurgents have gained many victories during the week, taken 1,800 men and 50 officers of the Spanish army not native, and have closely invested the fortifications of Manila’s suburbs......The coast defense monitor Monadnock has been ordered to Manila, and will be towed across the Pacific, closely following the monitor Monterey.

Casualties and Calamities.—The Norwegian steamer Kong Frode arrived at Philadelphia on June 1, having on board sixty-five survivors from the wreck of the steamer Belvidere, which went down recently off Cape Maysi, Cuba. The vice-president of the Cuban Republic was among the number......Four log rafters were drowned by the capsizing of a sailboat on May 31, near Seoul Choix Point, Michigan......A naphtha launch exploded on Lake Mono, California, on May 31, and went down with the six men she carried......Within ten days six men have been killed in Pineville, Kentucky, as a result of the long-standing Howard-Baker feud......An unknown schooner was wrecked on Bearsea’s shoals, Massachusetts, on June 4, and it is believed that all of her crew perished......Two negroes were lynched on June 3, for criminal assault, one in Arkansas and the other in Texas. The latter was burned at the stake, while a crowd of over a thousand looked on......A report from Hongkong states that the bubonic plague is rapidly spreading in that city, and also at Macao, Swatow, and Wuchow, where Europeans as well as Asiatics are numbered among its victims. The plague is still spreading in India, and is said to be more virulent in Calcutta than it was last year. Dr. Haffkine, of Simla, India, has discovered a means of plague prevention, which is being successfully used in the inoculation of patients, proving efficacious in nine cases out of ten......A rebellion against the Japanese is considered again probable in southern Formosa, owing to the wanton massacre of thirty innocent villagers by Japanese troops......Seven of the survivors of the recent massacre of American missionaries in Sierra Leone, Africa, reached New York on June 4, and relate the particulars of the terrible sufferings and death of their seven colaborers who lost their lives at the hands of those whom they had gone to teach......The steamer Jane Gray, which left Seattle on May 19, bound for Kotzebue Sound, Alaska, with sixty-one passengers on board, foundered ninety miles off Vancouver Island, on May 22, and went to the bottom so quickly that only twenty-seven of her passengers had time to take to the boats. These were rescued; but of the other thirty-four nothing has been heard, and this is believed to be the number who perished......A cyclone swept across a portion of De Kalb County, Missouri, on June 1, killing one woman and three children at Maysville......Two steamers, the Maitland and Merkworth, were wrecked off the coast of New South Wales, on May 7, during a terrible gale, and thirty-seven of their passengers were drowned.

Domestic Miscellany.—A party of gamblers have purchased a Yukon River steamer, which they are fitting up most elaborately as a floating dance-hall and gambling-house, and will ply their nefarious trade among the ingoing and outcoming miners......The Transmississippi Exposition at Omaha, Nebraska, was opened on June 1, with an estimated attendance of 100,000. President McKinley, at Washington, pressed the electric button which set in motion the ponderous wheels of the exposition machinery......A mutiny broke out among the convicts of the United States penitentiary at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, on June 1, fifteen of them effecting their escape after overpowering the guards......The steamer Elder arrived at Vancouver, B. C., on May 31, with eighty tons of liquor on board which had been seized in Alaska by customs officials......Two members of the California Y. M. C. A. will start for Alaska on June 15 to establish the work of their association at Dawson City......On May 31 work was begun by the construction company on the railroad over the White Pass in Alaska. Six hundred men and several hundred horses are already employed in the work......The American Medical Association met in its fifty-first annual session in Denver, Colorado, on June 7, with a large attendance of delegates from all over the country.

International.—The admirals who are blockading the coast of Crete have demanded from the National Assembly the arrest of those “Christians” who recently raided the neighborhood of Canea, killing unarmed Mohammedans. The admirals threaten to make the arrests themselves unless their demands are complied with......During the 330 years in which Spain has ruled the Philippines she has built but sixteen miles of railway in the entire archipelago, which has a population of between seven and nine millions......An Italian cruiser has been despatched to Haiti to demand indemnity for the three Italians who were murdered in that republic some time ago......A garrison of 300 Russian soldiers in Andijan, Turkestan, was attacked recently by 1,000 natives, who killed twenty of the soldiers and wounded eighteen......The Franco-American reciprocity treaty is displeasing to Germany, and German exporters have announced their intention of memorializing the government upon the questions involved in the treaty......The recent voting in Victoria and Tasmania has resulted in the adoption of the Federation Bill. The result in New South Wales is still doubtful......A despatch from Gibraltar states that a mob of Spaniards attacked and stoned the commander of the English artillery at Gibraltar, while walking with another Englishman.

National.—The Universal Peace Union no longer occupies quarters in Independence Hall, Philadelphia. On May 31 a peremptory order was issued for the removal of the organization, the trouble having arisen over a letter which the president of that organization wrote to the queen regent of Spain and to Premier Sagasta......The steamer Florida has landed on Cuban soil 400 Cubans and a pack train under General Lacret. Other vessels have landed cargoes of food, medicines, arms, and ammunition......The War Revenue Bill passed the Senate on June 4 by a vote of 48 to 28. It is estimated that this measure will produce $400,000,000 annually. Beer alone will yield $96,000,000 from a tax of $1.00 per barrel. Tobacco and tea are also taxed quite heavily. Other items of taxation are bank checks, bills of exchange, drafts, promissory notes, postal money orders, telephone messages, and proprietary articles......Admiral William Sampson will receive $150,000 as his share of the prize money from the sale of the six principal ships captured by his vessels since the beginning of the war with Spain. The total value of the ships and cargoes amounts to $1,500,000.

Temperance.—The date of the State convention of New York Prohibitionists has been changed to June 29 and 30, in order not to conflict with the commencement exercises of many schools and colleges. The convention will be held in Syracuse......The State convention of New Jersey Prohibitionists will be held at Camden on June 14......The recent convention of Prohibitionists in Pennsylvania was reported to be a most enthusiastic and successful one. One thousand delegates were in attendance, besides many others. At this convention Dr. Swallow was nominated for governor of the State on the Prohibition ticket......The State Convention of California Prohibitionists will be held in Fresno, on June 8.