International

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 21, 1899

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 25, No. 25.

International.—It is reported that cannibalism has been resorted to by the Indians at the head of the Stewart River, Northwest Territory, on account of the fact that the fires of the miners have driven the game back into the interior, and the fish in the river are scarce...... Rome and the republic of Argentina are again at peace. For twenty years there had been a suspension of friendly relations; but Argentina has now ordered her minister at Paris to represent her at the Holy See...... The commission which was appointed in 1891 to investigate the feasibility of a railway from the United States through Mexico, Central America, and the South American countries, has published a report of its work. The commission regards the undertaking as practical. The distance to be covered between New York and the capital of Argentina will be 10,228 miles, and the cost is estimated at $175,000,000...... It is reported that the island of St. Kitts, one of the Lesser Antilles, has asked for admission into the United States...... A report from Samoa states that both native factions are disarming, and that Mataafa has expressed his willingness to leave the matter of the future government of Samoa in the hands of the joint commission.

For the sum of $5,000,000 Germany has purchased of Spain the Caroline Islands, the Pelews, and all of the Ladrones except Guam, which was ceded to the United States...... Spain's new minister to the United States, the Duke d'Arcos, presented his credentials at Washington on June 3. The American minister to Spain, Ballamy Storer, has also presented his credentials to the court of Spain. The two nations are, therefore, really and technically at peace again.

The House of Commons, on May 5, voted General Lord Kitchener a grant of $150,000 for his victorious campaign in the Soudan...... England has demanded of China the removal of one of the provincial governors for his failure to punish the murderers of an English missionary...... English gunboats are soon to patrol the Yang-tse River, in order to make more sure of England's influence in the valley of that river, where Russia has agreed to respect her sphere of influence. Steps will be taken to protect British merchants there and to prevent China alienating to another power any territory bordering on that stream...... The trouble between England and the Transvaal is not progressing toward a peaceable solution. The Boers are unwilling to grant what the Outlanders ask, and England is preparing to force the Transvaal Republic to grant the concessions demanded. The Boers are reported to be arming in preparation for trouble.

It is reported that the Japanese Government is considering the matter of returning to China the war vessels captured during the Chinese-Japanese war. This is for the purpose of enabling China to more successfully resist the demands which Russia is continually making, and which are obnoxious to Japan as well. The latter government is considerably aroused over the execution of twelve Japanese spies by the Russians on the Laiotung Peninsula. Russia is sending further consignments of munitions of war to the East, accompanied by additional regiments of troops.

The French cruiser Sfax has taken M. Dreyfus from Devil's Island and sailed for France, where a new trial is to be given the famous prisoner...... President Loubet, of France, on the occasion of his presence at the Grand Prix, on June 11, was under the watchful eyes of 15,000 soldiers and policemen, as it was feared that another dangerous demonstration would be made by enemies of the president and the republic on that occasion. The precautions taken to preserve order were successful...... The French cabinet resigned on June 12, as a result of several votes taken in the Chamber of Deputies which were adverse to the administration...... M. Marchand, the explorer, arrived in Paris on June 1, and was enthusiastically received by his countrymen, who presented him with a medal and sword of honor.

Casualties and Calamities.—Reports continue to arrive of great distress and many deaths along the Edmonton trail to the Klondike mining region...... Forty-eight persons were injured by a train wreck near Grandview, Mo., on June 9...... A landslide is reported to have occurred at Ross Hollow, Ark., on June 8, resulting in the death of twenty-eight men who were working in a cut on the railroad...... A heat wave swept over several Atlantic States on June 5, 6, and 7, its worst effects being manifest in New York City, where on June 6 seven persons died of sunstroke, and on June 7 twenty-five perished from the same cause...... The cities of Canton, San Ning, and Fatshan, China, are being ravaged by the plague in a very virulent form, and large numbers of the people are dying. A similar affliction is reported from the island of Formosa, where whole villages have been shorn of their population...... A most destructive cyclone visited the town of New Richmond, Wis., on June 12, completely wiping out the business portion of the village, and leaving forty acres of ruins in its path. The dead in New Richmond alone number 126 and the wounded 129, while near-by places also suffered in killed and injured and the destruction of property. Fires added to the horror of the catastrophe, and many are believed to have been burned alive while pinned under the ruins. The following day the town of Herman, Neb., was completely destroyed. Every house was swept clean to the ground, and the number of killed and injured is placed at 70.

Domestic.—A man-hunt of large proportions has been organized in Wyoming for the purpose of capturing the bandits inhabiting the mountain fastness known as the "Hole in the Wall." To this place the robbers of the Union Pacific Express have been tracked, and it is known that many other outlaws are hidden there...... The Government is preparing to prevent the departure of a filibustering expedition from Cuba for Guatemala. The expedition has in view the overthrow of the Guatemalan Government. ......The summer school at Northfield, Mass., under the supervision of Dwight L. Moody, opened on June 9. The student conference for young men will be held from June 30 to July 10. This is to be followed by a similar conference at the Young Women's Christian Association, from July 14 to 24; while the general conference for Christian workers will last from August 1 to 20...... Mrs. Jane Stanford, wife of Leland Stanford, the founder of the Leland Stanford Jr. University, at Palo Alto, Cal., recently gave to that institution stocks, bonds, and real estate to the amount of $10,317,000.

The Philippines.—Aggressive operations against the Filipinos were resumed by General Otis on June 4, principally against those south and east of Manila. An attempt was made to entrap the Filipinos in this locality, but the nature of the country and the oppressive heat rendered the attempt futile. A series of small engagements up to June 11 resulted in driving the Filipinos out of Cavite Province with a loss of fifty killed and 350 wounded. On June 13 the Filipinos made a determined stand at the bridge of the Zapote, where strong entrenchments were thrown up. The bridge was captured and the Filipinos driven from their position beyond, with a loss of 65 killed. The American loss was 5 killed and 20 wounded...... A despatch from Manila states that General Luna has been assassinated by the body guard of General Aguinaldo.

Miscellaneous.—Francisque Crotte, a well-known chemist of Paris, has announced the discovery of a cure for consumption. The remedy consists of inhalations of formaldehyde vapor, transported through the tissues by the aid of electricity...... A joint conference of physicians and veterinarians was held in Chicago on June 9 for the purpose of making war on tuberculosis. It is planned to prevent the sale of all milk in Chicago which is not known to be free from the germs of that disease...... The French war department has recently indorsed the plans of certain French engineers for bridging streams and rivers by using balloons to support the spans of the bridge...... A cave, which is said to be much larger than the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky, has been discovered at Waikato, New Zealand, and plans are on foot for its exploration.

Cuba.—Lynch law is being applied to the cases of captured robbers in the province of Santiago. The citizens in several instances have taken the captured bandits from the rural guards and hanged them. ......Disbandment of the Cuban troops, by the surrender of arms and acceptance of pay from the United States, is going on slowly, and letters are being received by the officials threatening an outbreak at an early date...... A press censor has been appointed for Santiago because of inflammatory editorials in the local papers.

Trusts.—Twenty-six fruit-canning establishments on the Pacific Coast have combined for the purpose of forming a trust...... Plans are on foot for the formation of a billion dollar brewing trust, which will monopolize the brewing business of the entire country...... The attempt to form a cracker trust on the Pacific Coast to control the business in that industry west of the Rockies has proven a failure.