News and Notes

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 25, 1897

FOREIGN.

—The Canadian capitol at Ottawa was badly damaged by fire on February 11. The loss is placed at $250,000.

—It is reported that a rebellion has broken out in the Kongo Free State, and the governor has taken the field in person to command the government forces.

—The Japanese Government is laying plans for an ocean cable to the United States via Hawaii, and estimates the cost at $13,680,000, including two steamships.

—Cardinal Satolli has been chosen a member of the commission of cardinals whose work will be to bring about a union of Christian churches throughout the world.

—The Government of Bolivia has taken possession of a large part of the territory of Peru. The Peruvian Foreign Office has protested against this occupation, but without avail.

—The Royal Niger expedition against the Emir of Nupe fought a battle with the troops of the latter on January 26, defeated them with great loss, and took the city of Bida.

—Good work is reported from the Rhenish mission in Sumatra. It is stated that 6,000 members of the Battak tribe have applied for baptism, 1,000 of them being converts from Mohammedanism.

—Advices from South America state that the Bolivian Congress will soon declare war upon Peru. The army has been placed upon a war footing, and recruiting has begun throughout the republic.

—In the House of Commons, London, on February 10, the Wilson Bill, providing for the closing of public houses on Sunday, was defeated by a vote of 206 to 144. This was an attempt at Sunday-saloon closing.

—Vice-president Martin, of the English Anti-Tobacco League, announces the startling fact that the precarious health of the czar of Russia is wholly due to pernicious cigarette smoking, which has made of “his majesty” a physical wreck.

—The commander of the Brazilian troops, sent to suppress the rebellion of the fanatics under Conselheiro, has sent word to headquarters that he must have more troops, as the outbreak has reached such an extent that his present force is wholly inadequate for the purpose.

—There is now in session at Venice an international conference to consider the question of protection from the bubonic plague. An attempt will be made to quarantine all vessels from plague-infected ports as they pass through the Red Sea, and also to stop pilgrimages to Mecca from Egypt and the far east.

—A Japanese Buddhist priest has published a “Farewell to the Buddhist Priests,” having despaired of any reformation of morals under that religion. He states that there is no rallying power left in that system; that the people have lost faith in it, and its end has come. He states that Christianity is destined to take its place in future.

—The International Red Cross Society has been granted permission to go to Cuba to nurse sick and wounded soldiers—of the Spanish army. They will be strictly prohibited from doing anything for the Cubans. Any one found ministering to the latter, surgically or medicinally, is considered worthy of death by the Spanish commanders.

—Dr. Roux, of the Pasteur Institute, Paris, announces that the bacillus of the bubonic plague has little power of resistance to any ordinary antiseptic; that it dies at a temperature of 140 degrees, but retains vitality in soil, which would explain the fact that it is never eradicated from eastern countries. Dr. Koch reports from South Africa that he has discovered an antidote for rinderpest, the disease which has made such havoc among cattle there.

—During the past week the attention of the world has been centered upon Greece, Turkey, and the island of Crete. The “Christians” have secured almost complete control of the island, and are rapidly mobilizing their forces under the direction and command of the Greek colonel Vassos, who has captured several towns garrisoned by the Mussulmans and Turks. Prince George has orders to prevent the landing of any Turkish troops on the island, and has emphasized his intention to carry out his orders by firing on a Turkish transport and driving it back from the shores of Crete. It is believed that Greece has the support of Russia and possibly some other strong power in the position she has taken. Russia’s dowager czarina has wired King George that she will do all in her power to help him. The fleets of the “powers” are protesting in a desultory way against the spirited action of Greece, and there is talk of a joint blockade of the port of Athens to prevent further hostilities. Greece is moving her troops toward the Turkish frontier, and Turkey is sending hers toward the Grecian frontier. War between these two countries is considered inevitable. Greece has 1,500 soldiers in Crete and is sending others. Russia’s fleet, army, and Red Cross Society are making active preparations for service in some direction.

—The situation in Cuba has not changed, and no marked victories have been won on either side. The Spanish claim a victory over a body of 200 insurgents, in which 100 were taken prisoners and immediately shot down. Even the children in the camp were put to the sword. A large expedition of filibusters has sailed from the south coast of Texas with an ample supply of arms and ammunition. An attempt of the Spaniards to capture the insurgents’ dynamite gun resulted in a loss to the former of 300 men killed. The latter still have the gun, altho the attempt to capture it cost the insurgents a loss of 75 men. The army under General Gomez is making rapid marches toward the eastern end of the island, and it is expected that a decisive blow will be struck soon. General Weyler’s plans have miscarried, and he has ordered a fresh supply of men from Havana to enable him to withstand Gomez. A pay train was wrecked by the Cubans on February 12 and over $600,000 in silver secured.

DOMESTIC.

—It is announced that all the leading Kentucky distilleries will keep their plants closed this year on account of the high tax.

—The filibustering steamer Bermuda was released from custody on February 16, and expected to put to sea the day following.

—The great revival at the Ohio Wesleyan University has resulted in the conversion of 150 of the students of that institution.

—On February 16 the Kansas State Assembly killed the bill designed to give women the right to vote for presidential electors.

—The office of the Pittsburg Post was almost wholly destroyed by fire on the morning of February 14. The loss is placed at $60,000.

—By a cave-in at the Freeman talc mine, nine miles from Gouverneur, N. Y., on February 13, six men were buried beneath tons of rock.

—On February 14 the police of San Francisco raided the gambling-houses of Chinatown, and arrested 150 lovers of the “fan-tan” game.

—On February 13 the John Hauck Brewery Company’s malthouse at Cincinnati was partially destroyed by fire, entailing a loss of $75,000.

—Arthur Duestrow, a Missouri millionaire, who two years ago foully murdered his wife and infant babe, was hanged at Union, Mo., on February 16.

—On February 11 the Sacramento River broke through one of its levees near Rio Vista, and overflowed over 9,000 acres of “reclaimed” land.

—The mayors of San Francisco and Los Angeles, Cal., have appointed committees of representative citizens to promote the cause of Cuban independence.

—Two boy murderers were hanged at Clayton, Mo., on February 16, and another boy accomplice will follow on March 18. The youngest of the three was sixteen years old.

—The Senate took action on February 13, placing at the disposal of the Chamber of Commerce of San Francisco any vessel of the navy fitted to convey provisions to the starving people of India.

—A peculiar natural phenomenon is reported from Pacific Grove, Cal. Myriads of butterflies, all of one species, have been congregating there during the past week, and the number is rapidly increasing.

—An American firm has received an order from the Japanese Government for 13,000 tons of steel rails. The bid of the American firm was sixpence per ton lower than that of their English competitors.

—Three prominent officials of the Hawaiian Government are now on their way to Washington to confer with and support the Hawaiian minister in his work for the annexation of the islands to the United States.

—A special train from Chicago to Denver finished its run on February 16, having covered the entire distance of 1,026 miles in 18 hours and 52 minutes. This is claimed to be the fastest long-distance run on record.

—A raisin trust has been formed in New York to control the raisin industry of the entire country; and a rattan trust has been formed in Massachusetts to have similar control of the entire rattan trade in the United States.

—At Florence, Colorado, on February 12, the oil strata was pierced at a depth of 2,100 feet, when a stream of oil spurted into the air over 70 feet. It is expected that this will be one of the greatest oil wells in the country.

—A company of Chicago capitalists, anxious to test the claims of a scientist and inventor, have formed a company to experiment in the transmutation of clay into gold, silver, aluminum, iron, and many other metals. It is stated that by actual test the inventor has changed gold into silver and silver into gold.

—Captain Philo E. McGiffin, who commanded a Chinese iron-clad in the battle of the Yalu River, committed suicide on February 11 at a New York hospital, where he had been taken to receive treatment for wounds received in that battle.

—Eight Theosophical crusaders arrived in San Francisco, Cal., on February 11, having been on a tour of the world in the interests of their belief. They will proceed to found a school at San Diego, which is to have as its object the revival of the lost mysteries of antiquity.

—On February 11 Mrs. Leland Stanford, of San Francisco, Cal., deeded to the Leland Stanford Jr. University, at Palo Alto, Cal., her private residence in San Francisco, together with all its contents and the grounds upon which it stands. The value of the gift is estimated at $1,000,000.

—Rev. James H. Alexander, of Oakland, who has just returned from a six months’ tour of the south sea islands, reports much good work being done by the missionaries there, and refutes the statement that the population in the islands is decreasing as a result of the work of the missionaries. He states, however, that this is true on islands which are under the influence of the traders.

—The House of Representatives of the State of Washington on February 16 passed a bill to adopt a prohibitory liquor law similar to that in force in South Carolina, which will place the dispensing of liquor entirely in the hands of the State officials. If this passes the Senate of Washington and becomes a law, all liquor will be handled through the State commission; none will be sold at retail to be drunk upon the premises; and none will be sold to minors or drunkards.

—Joseph Andrew Tasigi, consul-general for Turkey, was arrested at New York on February 13, for alleged embezzlement. He was about to take passage on a steamer for Europe. Being the representative of a foreign government, his arrest was found to be irregular, and he was released on parol. His accounts so far show a shortage of $125,000, and it is believed that the amount will be doubled before the investigation is finished. He can only be tried in a federal court.