NEWS AND NOTES

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 12, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 19.

FOREIGN

—Germany has despatched four war ships to the Philippines to protect her subjects there.

—The schooner Crown was lost off St. Johns, Newfoundland, on May 3, and all of her crew of eleven men were drowned.

—Riots in the provinces of Bari and Ravenna, Italy, on May 2, resulted in the killing of eight persons and wounding of twenty-three.

—A special despatch from Madrid states that the Spanish Government is on the point of expelling all citizens of the United States from Spain.

—It is reported that the government of Chile has sent an ultimatum to Argentina demanding a definite settlement of the boundary question before June 15.

—The fine British cruiser Blake left Gibraltar on May 5, bound for Rio, to observe any engagement which may occur between the battle-ship Oregon and the Spanish fleet.

—Russia has withdrawn her dominating influence over Korea and recalled her financial advisers and military instructors. This action was brought about by Korea’s request.

—Advices from Panama state that an earthquake has occurred in Nicaragua, destroying many lives and damaging much property. In Managua the loss is placed at $500,000.

—General Blanco is reported to be throwing up extensive earthworks around Havana, in preparation for the threatened attack of the combined Cuban and American forces.

—Bread riots are continuing in Italy to an alarming extent, and the authorities have compelled the transportation companies to reduce the freight rates on provisions fifty per cent.

—Military and naval experts from various European nations are arriving in the United States for the purpose of observing military and naval operations in the present war with Spain.

—China, Japan, and Turkey have declared their neutrality in the war between the United States and Spain. Austria has not declared herself, and Germany still reserves her decision.

—A despatch from Havana states that the Spanish authorities have blown up the wreck of the battleship Maine, which has been lying in the mud of the harbor since the night of February 15.

—The headquarters of the American missionaries in the Sherbro district, West Africa, have been burned by a band of insurgent natives. The missionaries belonged to the United Brotherhood of Christ.

—The British consul and the consulate at Santiago de Cuba have been attacked by angry mobs of Spaniards, on account of the consul having continued to carry out the work of the American consul in feeding the reconcentrados.

—News has been received at Lisbon, Portugal, that the Spanish Cape Verde fleet, which it was supposed was nearly across the Atlantic, has returned to Spain to join the Spanish fleet at Cadiz, which is nearly ready for sea.

—It is reported that the Korean Government has recently granted a concession for a railway from the coast to the capital, and that the road is in process of construction at the present time. This will be the first railway in the kingdom.

—It is rumored that the British consul at Santiago de Cuba fired into a mob which had assaulted the consulate, killing one man, and that the consul was at once imprisoned. English war vessels have been despatched to the vicinity.

—The Mexican police have been ordered to prevent the meetings of Spanish sympathizers in that city for the purpose of raising funds for the Spanish Government. These meetings are considered contrary to the obligations of a neutral nation.

—General Pando, commander of the Spanish forces in Cuba, has withdrawn the garrison from Bayamo, one of the principal towns of the province of Santiago de Cuba, and the town was immediately occupied by the forces of Gen. Calixto Garcia.

—The bubonic plague has broken out in Hongkong, and is reported to be spreading rapidly. Energetic measures are being taken to check the disease, but the reluctance of the natives to report cases makes the efforts of the health officers only partially successful.

—Spain’s second squadron, which is now outfitting at Cadiz, experiences much difficulty in securing needed supplies and armament on account of the low financial condition of the country. The British engineers have refused to serve in this squadron, believing that they will be liable to punishment by their own government on account of the foreign enlistment act.

—A despatch from Hongkong states that the imperial Chinese court is preparing to migrate from Pekin to Si Nigan Fu, capital of a department in the province of Shen Se, relying on Gen. Wung Pu Ching to cover the removal. Plots against the dynasty are given as the reason for the anticipated change.

—The queen regent of Spain has again requested the blessing of the pope on the naval and military forces of her kingdom. It was given last week before the battle of Manila. If her request is granted now, reasoning analogically, the American fleet might expect another victory. “The Invincible Armada” of Philip II, in 1588 was blessed by the pope.

—Reports received at St. Thomas, West Indies, state that famine and smallpox are killing men, women, and children in Porto Rico. Hundreds are perishing of hunger. The smaller villages are petitioning the governor for succor. Many of the inhabitants of the coast towns are fleeing to the interior, fearing a bombardment by the American fleet. The war scare has increased the price of provisions fifty per cent., and laborers have struck for higher wages on account of this advance in the cost of living.

—The Spanish Government is on the verge of a revolution. The disaster to the Spanish fleet in Manila at the hands of the American squadron has thrown the populace into a frenzy, and rioting is rife on every hand. Madrid has been declared under martial law, as has also the entire province of Oviedo. In this province the rioting was so dangerous that the troops were compelled to fire into the mob. Strong speeches have been made in the Cortes, denouncing the course of the government and lauding as a patriot the man who should change the régime. The government is said to be aware that it can not depend upon the army, and that a society has been formed within its ranks “to end the humiliation which Spain has suffered at the hands of her incompetent ministers.”

DOMESTIC

—A fire in Armour’s glue factory, in Chicago, on May 4, resulted in a destruction of $250,000 worth of property.

—The battle-ship Oregon, gunboat Marietta, and the dynamite cruiser Buffalo (formerly the Nichteroy) have sailed from Brazil to join the North Atlantic squadron.

—It is reported that President McKinley has notified foreign residents in Havana to leave the city in view of the fact that it may be bombarded before many days.

—At this writing no troops have yet embarked for Cuba, but the regulars are being mobilized at convenient points, and it is expected that an advance will be made in a few days.

—The steamer City of Pekin has been chartered at San Francisco to carry supplies to the American fleet in Manila and bring home the men who were wounded in the engagement there.

—The big American ship Shenandoah, bound from San Francisco to Liverpool, which was reported to have been captured by a Spanish cruiser, has arrived safely at her destination.

—Four robbers held up the Santa Fe train at Comstock, Texas, on April 29, and it is believed they secured a large amount of booty. The safe and express car were blown up with dynamite.

—The United States legation at Montevideo has been placed under guard by the Uruguayan authorities, on account of the threats made against the American minister and consular officials there.

—A supposed Spanish spy is now imprisoned at Fort St. Philip, Louisiana. Plans of the forts and fortifications along the Mississippi were found upon him, and he will be tried before a military commission.

—A series of terrible explosions occurred at the Atlantic Powder Company’s works at Dover, N. J., on April 28, killing six men and wounding four. All of the ten buildings comprising the powder mill were blown up.

—Mr. Berliner, the telephone expert, and other electricians of Washington, D. C., have recently been conducting successful experiments in the line of exploding torpedoes without the use of connecting wires. These experiments are along the line of Tesla’s recent discoveries.

—On April 30, Commodore Dewey, commander of the American squadron in the waters of the Orient, entered the harbor of Manila, the capital of the Philippines, at an early hour in the morning, having passed the batteries without being observed, and immediately engaged the Spanish fleet in the harbor. A terrific battle ensued, in which five of the Spanish war vessels were either burned or sunk. It is supposed that there was a great loss of life on both sides, the American fleet at the same time sustaining the fire of the enemy’s vessels and the forts and batteries on shore. Having silenced the fleet, Commodore Dewey began the bombardment of the batteries, and while this was in progress the cable was cut at a considerable distance from shore, effectually stopping all communication. Dewey’s victory is regarded by all military and naval men as an exceedingly brilliant one, and his dash by the forts in the night is looked upon everywhere as a remarkable achievement.

—A bill was passed by the Senate on May 2 authorizing the enlistment of 10,000 southern men who were immune to yellow fever, to take part in the occupation of Cuba. On the same day the House passed the emergency war bill, carrying an appropriation of $36,000,000 for the expenses of the army.

—The big Atlantic liner Paris, which was recently purchased by the Government for use as an auxiliary cruiser, and about which considerable anxiety was felt during her trip from England to New York, arrived safely on April 30. She was at once turned over to the government and her name was changed to Yale.

—A battle took place off the southern coast of Cuba on April 29 between three American gunboats and two Spanish torpedo boats and one torpedo boat destroyer. The Spanish boats were driven to shelter and the Spanish mail steamer Argonauta was captured by the gunboats and taken to Key West. The Argonauta carried twenty Spanish officers, with arms, ammunition, and supplies for the troops in Cuba. She is regarded as one of the most valuable prizes thus far taken.

—The following resolution, adopted by the bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church in semi-annual session at Albion, Michigan, will illustrate how easy it is for some of the professed followers of Christ to busy themselves about that which is not their Master’s business: “Resolved, That we, the board of bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, . . . express our confidence in the wisdom, ability, and exalted character of President McKinley, and assure him of the sympathy, support, and prayers of our people everywhere. Resolved, That we render most hearty thanks to God for the victory He has vouchsafed to our arms at Manila, and that we congratulate our navy upon this magnificent achievement.”