News and Notes

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 21, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 16.

FOREIGN

—China has voluntarily declared Woo-sung a treaty port, and has given England formal notice of a desire for a revision of the tariff in accordance with the treaty of Tien-tsin.

—The strength of the rebellion in the Philippines grows with each week. There are now said to be 10,000 insurgents, armed and equipped, battling for freedom in those islands.

—A Peking correspondent of the London Times states that “the extension of British territory at Kau-lung, opposite Hongkong, will follow immediately after the French occupation of the new coaling station at Kwang-chau-wan.”

—The region around the city of Shun-king, China, is said to be in a state of open revolt. The local authorities are powerless to arrest the murderers of the American missionary, and a mob has sacked the French mission in that vicinity.

—It is reported that the English foreign office is making arrangements looking to the acquirement of Delagoa Bay, in Portuguese East Africa, either by purchase or seizure, as the first step in Secretary Chamberlain’s program of absorbing the Boer Republic.

—A despatch from Madrid, dated April 7, states that fifteen Spanish men-of-war are to leave Cadiz immediately for the Canary Islands, and several battalions of Spanish troops have been sent to reinforce the garrisons on the Balearic, in the Mediterranean.

—American citizens in Porto Rico have left that island and taken refuge at St. Thomas, fearing that their lives were endangered during the present strained relations between Spain and the United States. The American consul at that port has also taken his departure.

—A battle is reported to have taken place between the Chinese and Russian troops in the territory recently leased to Russia by China. The Russians now contend that this disturbance shows the necessity of Russia taking possession of the city of Kin-chow, which joins the territory she has recently acquired.

—The Anglo-Egyptian expedition in the region of the Upper Nile has met the forces of the Dervishes in a pitched battle and dispersed them, leaving 3,000 of the Dervishes on the field. Mahmoud Pasha, the leader, was captured, with 6,000 of his followers. This battle, which has been expected for a number of weeks, illustrates the superiority of the modern weapons of war over those of earlier date. The English and Egyptians lost only 61 killed, while the trenches of the Dervishes are heaped with their dead.

—Late advices from the Orient state that a severe attack has been made upon the missionaries in Chunchi, Shao-shing. An unsuccessful attempt was made to wreck the missionary chapel. The report states that some lives were lost, but the exact number is not known. A secret society, known as the Ko-lao-hui, has been organized at that place, and is being supplied with arms and ammunition, the society’s avowed object being to drive foreigners and Christianity out of China.

—J. P. Gibbins, an electrical engineer, of London, has written a letter to the New York World, in which he claims to have sold floating mines and ground mines to the Spanish Government for use in Havana harbor. He also claims to know that these mines were placed in the waters of Havana harbor, and that they are now in electrical connection with the shore. He also goes so far as to state that the blowing up of the Maine was the work of one of two men who are personally known to him.

—In St. Cuthbert’s Church, London, on April 8, during the ritual known as the “veneration of the cross,” in which the congregation prostrated themselves before the crucifix and kissed the figure of Christ, John Kenzil, who is leading an anti-ritualist crusade, seized the crucifix and rushed toward the door, denouncing “such idolatry and popery in the Church of England.” A panic ensued, in which Kenzil was roughly handled. Finally the congregation rescued the crucifix and the police rushed in and arrested Kenzil.

—Reports of terrible suffering from bush fires come from Victoria, Australia. The report states: “Farms and stations have been destroyed in every quarter, numbers of human beings, to say nothing of hundreds of thousands of sheep, cattle, and horses, meeting their death in the fire. The heat in this city at the time of writing is 105 in the shade and 154 in the sun, and ever since the outbreak the temperature has ranged from 96 to 108. The destitute settlers themselves are subsisting upon the roasted stock and potatoes which surround them so plentifully.”

—The abolishment of the order of reconcentration in Cuba has but opened the door for more atrocities. Many of the reconcentrados have taken advantage of the abolishment of the decree and gone into the country, only to be slaughtered at the hands of the Spanish guerrillas. Near Guanabacoa about forty women and boys were shot down by the Spanish volunteers while digging potatoes. Similar instances of unprovoked butchery are reported from Guines, Jaruco, and various Pinar del Rio towns. Near Santa Clara over 50 pacificos who had gone into the country in view of the rescinded decree, were slaughtered at night by Spanish guerrillas.

—Emperor William of Germany has signified his intention of making a trip to the heart of Palestine. While there he will officiate in the dedication of the German church at Jerusalem, and lay the cornerstone of a German school, parsonage, and hospital. The important task which the emperor has undertaken is to regain for the Roman Catholic Church the possession of the Coenaculum, the chamber of the last supper. The sultan has intimated his willingness to meet the wish of the emperor in this matter, and the pope has sent the emperor an autographic letter warmly thanking him for this new proof of his interest in the eternal welfare of the Christian church.

DOMESTIC

—The United States war ship Oregon has reported at Callao, and proceeded on her journey around the Horn.

—The United States Government has purchased of Brazil, for the sum of $550,000, the armored cruiser Nichteroy.

—The Legislature of Michigan has voted a war loan of $500,000, to become available on the breaking out of hostilities between the United States and Spain.

—The condition of the United States Treasury at the present time is as follows: Available cash balance, $226,347,786; gold reserve, $179,862,034.

—The Riverside County Hospital, at Bowers, California, was burned to the ground on April 12. All the inmates were rescued, but the loss is estimated at $40,000.

—The body of Miss Frances E. Willard was cremated at Chicago on April 9, and her ashes were deposited in Rose Hill Cemetery, all of which was in accordance with her expressed wish.

—The work of the Red Cross Society in Cuba has ceased, and Clara Barton has returned to the United States. The uncertainty of protection for the lives of those engaged in this work is the cause of this move.

—The Navy Department has purchased four of the Morgan line steamships, which will be at once fitted up as war vessels. These ships, now known as El Norte, El Sud, El Rio, and El Sol, will hereafter be known as Yankee, Dixie, Prairie, and Yosemite.

—The Navy Department has decided to buy the transatlantic liners St. Louis and St. Paul, and to fit them up for use in the expected war with Spain. These are both large, swift steamers, and it is stated will be under command of Captains Sigsbee and Goodrich.

—A fire occurred in the pattern warehouse of the Southern Pacific Railway Company at Sacramento on the night of April 8, resulting in a loss which is estimated at over $500,000. Many men are thrown out of employment by the loss of the company’s models and patterns.

—The United States war ship San Francisco, with the cruiser New Orleans, recently purchased in an English shipyard, arrived at Halifax on April 11, and left for New York on the following day. These vessels are bringing to America a heavy shipment of rapid-fire guns, explosives, and other war munitions.

—The prospect for war between the United States and Spain is causing considerable anxiety on the part of the American Board of Foreign Missions for the safety of its missionaries in Spain, both on account of the differences in religious belief between the missionaries and those among whom they labor, and the natural animosity of the people.

—On March 27 an avalanche of snow and ice swept down Chilkoot Pass, burying scores of the struggling miners. Sixty-three bodies have been exhumed, and it is stated that from 100 to 150 are still under the mass of snow and ice. United States soldiers and many miners are at work along the track of the avalanche, but the extent of this most terrible Alaskan disaster will not be known for several days.

—The Naval Appropriation Bill, which was reported to the House a few weeks ago, carrying a total of $35,686,058, has been reported to the Senate within the last week, with an increase of $8,263,500, making a total of $46,277,558. This increase is to provide for the construction of four harbor-defense vessels of the Monitor type, with their armor, armament, and equipment, and for four additional torpedo-boats.

—The representatives of the six European powers, Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Austria, and Italy, called upon President McKinley on April 7, and presented a “message of friendship and peace at the present critical juncture between the United States and Spain.” The message was delivered by Sir Julian Pauncefote, the British ambassador, and was replied to by President McKinley in a speech carefully prepared for the occasion.

—On April 12 there arrived at Edmonton, Alberta, British America, a messenger from the shut-in fleet of American whalers north of Alaska. He had traveled a distance of 3,000 miles with dog teams during the past five months, through such snow and ice and under such hardships as could only be experienced during a winter journey in such a land. This messenger reports that the whalers have provisions enough to last until help can reach them in the spring.

—On the afternoon of April 9 Consul-General Lee left Havana and sailed for Key West, arriving at Washington on April 12. General Lee received an ovation along his entire route from Florida to the capital, and a grand demonstration was made in his honor on his arrival there. All the Americans in Cuba were given an opportunity to leave the island, and nearly all availed themselves of the opportunity. The Spanish consul at Key West left his post on April 12, giving for his reason for doing so, that threats had been made against his life.

—On April 11, President McKinley sent to Congress his long-expected message on the America-Spanish-Cuban question. The message deals plainly with the horrors of the Cuban war, the inability of Spain to quell the insurrection or insure safety to life and property, the destruction of the Maine by a torpedo, and the duty of the United States to intervene. The President asks authority to use the forces of the army and navy to bring peace to Cuba, and recommends the distribution of food supplies to the starving inhabitants of the island; but is averse to the recognition of the Cuban Republic. In response to this, in both the Senate and House, on April 13 resolutions were introduced authorizing the President to intervene in Cuba, to put an end to the terrible conditions existing there, and establish a stable, independent form of government. In both Houses a minority report was presented declaring for the recognition of the independence of the Republic of Cuba. Neither of the resolutions was passed by the Senate; but the minority report was defeated in the House by a vote of 147 to 190. The resolution introduced in the House by the majority of the Committee on Foreign Affairs was then passed by a vote of 322 to 19. This resolution authorizes the President to use the army and navy to carry out its recommendations. This was a joint resolution, and will have to be passed by the Senate before becoming effective. When passed by that body, it will constitute a virtual declaration of war, granting the request of the President contained in his message of April 11.