SECULAR | AdventAI

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 7, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 1.

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SECULAR.

—A rebellion has broken out in Northern Mexico.

—The volcano of Colima, in Mexico, is in a state of eruption.

—During four months in 1885, 1,795 saloon licenses were issued in Chicago.

—The decrease of the public debt during the month of December was $9,089,040.

—The average age of the 1,400 inmates of the prison at Sing Sing, N. Y., is twenty-six years.

—Lieutenant-General Stephenson, commander of the British forces in Egypt, completely routed the rebels in a recent battle near Kosch.

—A severe storm on the Atlantic coast, December 21, wrecked several schooners and many small coasting vessels; but no loss of life is reported.

—Senator Edmunds's anti-polygamy bill provides for the repeal of the act of the territorial legislature which gave the women of Utah a right to vote.

—The captain of a Swedish vessel, who lately arrived in New York, says that twenty-two vessels and sixty lives were lost in the recent storm at Aspinwall.

—On New Year's morning, a very destructive fire occurred in Detroit, Mich. The loss is estimated at over $1,000,000. One fireman was killed, and another badly injured.

—Queen Christina took the oath as regent of Spain, December 30. Since her accession to the regency, she has granted amnesty to all political and press offenders in Cuba.

—The Russians are trying to raise cotton in the Merv oasis, in Turkistan. Some seeds from this country have been sowed, and have produced cotton equal to the American.

—One of the greatest drawbacks to the prosperity of Mexico is the difficulty of breaking up the great landed estates. Out of a population of 10,000,000, only 50,000 are land-owners.

—A terrible explosion occurred in a mine near Pont-y-Pridd, Wales, December 23. Seventy-five dead bodies have been recovered from the pit, and it is feared that others are still buried in the debris.

—Twenty-five years ago, Japan had not a single newspaper. Now it has two thousand,—more than either Italy or Austria, more than Spain and Russia together, and twice as many as the whole continent of Asia.

—Germany has officially announced her intention to expel the German-Americans in Schleswig who emigrated to the United States before becoming liable to military service, and returned after being naturalized.

—By the terms of the protocol drawn up by the International Commission on Balkan affairs, the Bulgarians were to evacuate Pirot, December 27, and the armistice between Servia and Bulgaria is to be prolonged to March 1.

—The proposed German ship canal which is to connect the Baltic with the Elbe, is to be sixty miles long, and its estimated cost is $35,700,000. If ever completed, it will give Germany such command of the Baltic as she has never yet obtained.

—A gentleman from Pittsburgh, Pa., who has had much experience in oil wells, has visited the oil field of California, and pronounces it "valuable territory." The oil region is in the Coast Range Mountains, and covers an area of two hundred miles.

—A serious political riot occurred at Limerick, Ireland, December 26. Women as well as men took part in the melee; and sticks, stones, guns, and pistols were handled with savage earnestness. At least twenty persons, some of them women, were dangerously wounded.

—A single train consisting of 141 loaded cars, was brought into New Orleans one day last month. The train, which was the largest ever handled in this way in the United States, was drawn by a single engine. It was over a mile long, and weighed 7,250,000 pounds.

—In Japan a society has been organized whose object is the introduction of the Roman alphabet into that empire. Many of the members are princes and Government officials, and the Government warmly approves the plan. And it is a much-needed reform; for as the written language now stands, an ordinary public-school pupil is obliged to load his memory with not less than four thousand characters, and in the higher courses of study the number is doubled.

—President Grevy has been re-elected by the French Chamber of Deputies. Premier Brisson has tendered his resignation, and M. De Freycinet has been called upon to form a new Cabinet. In view of the gravity of the political situation in France, De Freycinet hesitates, and has asked the President to grant him time to consult with his friends and the Republican leaders.

—The Apaches are again active. In the vicinity of Silver City, N. M., they ambushed a small body of troops, killing five men and wounding two others. None of the Indians were injured. It is believed that they have committed numerous other murders. Everybody is leaving the country, even the cowboys and the ranchmen, and depopulation and desolation are met everywhere.

—The World says: "The recent bitter election contest in Georgia over the local-option issue, which promises to leave Atlanta the most progressive of the Southern cities, and as free from liquor saloons as any town in Maine, has attracted attention to the almost phenomenal spread of the temperance movement in the South. Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and even Kentucky, are moving rapidly in the direction of absolute prohibition."

—The Standard Oil Company of Pittsburgh, Pa., is making arrangements to supply Buffalo, Philadelphia, and New York, with natural gas. The manufacture of the pipe has been divided among several firms. It is the largest order ever contracted for, and will keep all the works busy for several months. The work of laying the pipe will be begun at once. This is said to be the "most gigantic enterprise of the age," and it will certainly afford employment for a large number of men.

—It is rumored in London that Russia and Austria are secretly arming, and that both countries have sent orders to England for large quantities of stores for their respective armies. New Year's peace prospects are not bright. Krupp has supplied more guns in the last month than in almost the whole year previously. Turkey is still massing troops on the Macedonian frontier. The expense of keeping her immense force under arms all winter will be frightful. The attitude of Greece, showing no signs of an intention to disband, creates the greatest uneasiness. It is stated that very large contracts for cartridges have been placed in the United States.