News and Notes

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 11, 1897

FOREIGN.

—The Salvation Army in England, during its late self-denial week, raised the sum of $118,775 to be used in carrying on its work.

—The Protestant foreign mission contributions of the world during the past year have exceeded those of the previous year by about $1,100,000.

—The German consul to Siam was recently attacked in the streets of Bangkok by a Siamese mob, which was with difficulty dispersed by the police.

—The Roman Catholic Church now claims 510,501 adherents in China, while the number of Protestant Christians in that country is computed at 100,000.

—Bread riots have recently occurred at Madrid and Aranjuez, Spain, and the municipal authorities at the latter place have resigned because of inability to cope with the disturbance.

—The premiers of all English colonies have been given a special invitation to be present at the celebration of the queen’s jubilee. A company of troops from each colony is included in the invitation.

—A rebellion has broken out in Guatemala, which is the probable outcome of the feeling of discontent stirred up there some months ago. The government troops have had one battle with the rebels, and succeeded in dispersing them.

—The students at the University of Athens, Greece, becoming incensed at one of the professors, armed themselves and took possession of the university buildings, which they held for several days; but were finally dispersed by the troops.

—Fighting between “Christians” and Mussulmans has been resumed in Crete. Frequent skirmishes are reported, but details can not be obtained. The approaching feast of Ramadan is causing much apprehension among all classes in Constantinople, and the wealthiest Turks are removing their families to places of safety.

—It is announced that 2,000,000 persons are now engaged in the relief work in India. Advices from Formosa report that the plague has broken out there. The sultan of Turkey has forbidden the usual pilgrimage to Mecca this year on account of the plague. It is thought that this prohibition will result in a serious insurrection.

—In the House of Commons, February 3, the Woman’s Parliamentary Franchise Bill passed its second reading by a vote of 228 to 157. As there are 1,200,000 more women than men in Great Britain, the opposition pointed out the fact that the success of the movement would involve a fundamental change in the Parliamentary Constitution.

—There is said to be embedded in the walls of the city of Singanfu, China, a marble tablet which bears the date of 781 A.D., and also a record of the work of the Nestorian Christians, who sent missionaries to China in the year 505 A.D. The tablet records the fact that the missionaries found many adherents even among the high officials of the empire.

—The United States Government, through Minister Barrett, has made a formal demand on the Siamese Government for the appointment of a commission to investigate the assault on Vice-Consul Kellett. The Siamese Government has refused, holding that its own court should make the investigation. The outcome of the matter depends upon what action the Washington officials may take.

—The paradoxical discovery that the speed of a sailing vessel may be increased by perforating its sails is claimed by Captain Vasallo, an Italian mariner. He supposes that the fixed cushion of air filling up the hollow of an inflated sail lessens the effect of the wind, and he has sought to prevent the collecting of this cushion by making a number of holes in the canvas. Several trials, made in all weathers, have given surprising results. In a light wind a vessel made 4 knots with ordinary sails and 5 knots with perforated sails; in a fresh breeze, 7 and 8¾ knots respectively, and in a strong wind, 8 and 10 knots. The ship’s value would be increased one-fifth—its trip of five weeks being reduced to four weeks—if the increased speed can be sustained throughout a long voyage.—Thrice-a-Week World.

—During the past few weeks European war vessels have been quietly congregating in the immediate vicinity of the entrances to the Dardanelles. England now has over forty vessels stationed there. Some months ago she sent a fleet of twenty vessels to that locality to act in accord with Italy in forcing the sultan to adopt reformatory measures in Turkey. Italy’s war ships have been called to other localities, but England’s have remained and been strengthened. Russia’s Black Sea fleet is also showing unusual activity near the entrance to the strait, whether to assist in a demonstration against the Porte or to prevent such an action none are able to definitely state. Coupled with this, the present visit of Count Muravieff, a Russian envoy, to France and Germany, and the proposed visit of the kaiser to the czar, seems to add color to the suspicion that a definite move of some kind in relation to the Eastern Question is soon to be made by the powers.

—The reports of the past week bring the following from bleeding, burning, starving Cuba: The slaughter of pacificos (those not bearing arms) and those suspected of sympathy with the insurgents continues unabated, and criminal assaults on defenseless women and girls by Spanish officers and soldiers increase rather than decrease. General Weyler is marching through Havana and Santa Clara provinces with a large army, but finds no rebels. The rebels, however, seem more successful in finding the Spaniards. Insurgents entered the town of Palmas Alta, plundered stores, burned Spanish residences, and escaped unharmed, though a Spanish garrison occupied the place. Insurgents attacked Fort Alfonso XII, but were repulsed, and burned the surrounding cane fields as they retreated. General Weyler sent 300 men in small boats up the Cuanac River to destroy Cuban fortifications. The expedition was defeated with a loss of over 100 men. Many of the boats were sunk by Cuban cannon. Insurgents attacked a Spanish guerrilla company, killing 125 and taking 100 prisoners. Some of the prisoners who had been engaged in murdering pacificos were put to the machete. General Azcarraga, a member of the Spanish cabinet, has been appointed governor general of Cuba, and Weyler will be commander-in-chief of the army. A Spanish military train was blown up by the insurgents with dynamite, and a large number of the soldiers who were on the train were killed in the engagement which followed. A Cuban hospital, defended by Cuban women, was attacked at night by 500 Spaniards, who slaughtered the seventy sick and wounded soldiers, six surgeons, and ten nurses, and all but eight of the women, who sold their lives defending the place. The eight who were not butchered were spared on account of their peculiar beauty, and reserved for a fate worse than death. The Spaniards under General Montaner, attempting to surprise the insurgents, were themselves drawn into ambush, and a dynamite mine exploded in their midst, which was followed by a fierce engagement, in which General Montaner’s troops were driven from the field with serious loss. An engagement took place between the Cubans under Edward Garcia, and the Spanish under Almendarez. The fight lasted six hours and the latter were compelled to retire on account of lack of ammunition. General Hernandez’s company of 300 Havana volunteers were met by a Cuban column ten miles from Havana City, and defeated, being driven almost to the gates of the capital.

DOMESTIC.

—A mother and her five children were burned to death in an incendiary fire at Hoboken, N. J., on the morning of January 31.

—A railroad strike has been instituted in Montana, which, if successful in tying up the road, will throw ten thousand men out of employment.

—Five children, ranging in age from eight to fifteen years, were drowned while skating on a pond near Nebraska City, Nebraska, on February 3.

—The Pennsylvania State Capitol was destroyed by fire on the afternoon of February 2, the Senate being in session at the time. The loss is placed at $1,500,000.

—The Venezuelan arbitration treaty was signed at Washington February 2 by Sir Julian Pauncefote, British ambassador, and Señor José Andrade, Venezuelan minister to Washington.

—On December 30 the U. S. cruiser Brooklyn struck a rock in the Delaware River, and sustained serious injury to her keel and bottom, from which 125 of her steel plates were torn off.

—Reports from Florida state that the recent cold snap has seriously damaged all growing vegetables, and in some parts of the State it is believed that the orange crop has been seriously affected.

—On February 1 the Secretary of War sent to Congress a statement of the number of National Guardsmen in the United States. The total for all the States and Territories, including officers, is 115,627.

—At a reception recently given to a party of Americans by the pope, he reverently blessed the American flag which they presented to him, declaring that America had “done more for the Catholic Church than any other country.”

—The Mid-Continent, a Presbyterian paper of St. Louis, has recently been merged into the Herald and Presbyter, of Cincinnati, Ohio; and the Presbyterian, of Columbia, Mo., has been merged into the Christian Observer, of Louisville, Kentucky.

—On January 30 Sir Julian Pauncefote, ambassador of Great Britain, and Richard Olney, Secretary of State of the United States, signed the treaty providing for a commission to determine the boundary line between Alaska and British America.

—President-elect McKinley has chosen the following members of his cabinet: John Sherman, of Ohio, Secretary of State; Lyman J. Gage, of Illinois, Secretary of the Treasury; Russell A. Alger, of Michigan, Secretary of War; and James Wilson, of Iowa, Secretary of Agriculture.

—A Southern Pacific train was “held up” near Roseburg, Oregon, on the night of January 28. The express car was completely destroyed by explosions of dynamite, and the baggage and sample cases of the passengers were burned up by the fire which followed. The robbers secured very little booty.

—Haverford College, the leading Friends’ college in the east, has recently received an endowment of $750,000, making it one of the richest denominational colleges in America.

—A religious organization has been formed in the city of New York under the title of the “Federation of Churches and Christian Workers,” having for its object a bond of union between the various churches in the work of uplifting and enlightening the non-church-going masses. How long will it be ere it is turned into politics?

—On January 31 a west-bound passenger train on the Great Northern road left the track and plunged down an embankment of twelve feet. There were a large number of passengers on board, but none sustained serious injuries. It is thought the deep snow into which the cars plunged made the wreck less disastrous than it otherwise would have been.

—On January 29 the Senate passed a bill authorizing the President to either call an international monetary conference or appoint five commissioners to such a conference should one be called by any other nation. The object of the conference will be to secure a fixity of the relative value between gold and silver, with free mintage for both metals at the rates agreed upon.

—Senator Bromley, of Colorado, has introduced a resolution requesting Congress to call a convention for the revision of the National Constitution which will give it power to “protect the country against great and impending encroachments and the abnormal growth of powerful corporations—and influences that could not be foreseen at the time of the adoption of the Constitution.”

—The governor of Nevada, against the protests of the governors of other States, signed, on January 29, a bill legalizing prize-fights in that State. The bill was put through the Legislature at this time in order to permit a fight between Corbett and Fitzsimmons for the pugilistic championship of the world—a fight which the principals could not obtain permission to arrange for in any other State in the Union.

—Congressman Frye, of Maine, introduced an amendment to the Sundry Civil Bill on February 3, appropriating $100,000 for the improvement of Pearl Harbor, in the Hawaiian Islands, over which the United States has held jurisdiction since 1887. The senator stated that this appropriation might rightfully be considered an act of sovereignty which would ultimately lead to the annexation of the islands.

—The Antiseptic Fiber Blanket Co., of San Francisco, advertise a novelty in bed covering. The blanket is made of pure fiber, which has been rendered antiseptic by chemical treatment, and contains neither wool nor cotton. On account of its light weight it is especially valuable for invalids, children, and old people. It is so low priced that after being used by persons afflicted with contagious disease, it can be destroyed with but little loss.

—The ship Swanhilda, for which Australian detectives and harbor police have been waiting for weeks at San Francisco, arrived in that harbor from Australia on the morning of February 2, having on board Frank Butler, accused of a dozen murders in New South Wales, Australia. He was arrested before the ship had fairly reached the Golden Gate. Extradition papers were ready for him, and he will be taken back to Australia to answer for his many crimes.