p. 14 | International

Pacific Press Publishing Company · OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA · Feb 22, 1899

International

International.—Russia is reported to be pouring troops into Port Arthur and Talien-wan, China, under the pretense that the force now garrisoning these places is insufficient to maintain order. Within the last two months the Chinese in the Liaoning peninsula have risen against the Russians. Within the past month 9,000 Russian troops have landed at Port Arthur, and it is the intention to add 25,000 more before another month shall close. . . . A band of 1,000 bandits are terrorizing the province of New-Chwang, China, and committing many outrages upon the inhabitants. Government troops have been despatched to put down the rising, and are threatened with a severe penalty in case they do not succeed. . . . The French Chamber of Deputies has passed a bill providing that the Dreyfus case be taken out of the hands of the Court of Cassation and placed in the hands of a court created for that purpose. The bill was passed by a large majority, tho warmly opposed by the minority. There was much confusion during the debate, for the triumph of this bill was virtually the triumph of the army over the civil power. The bill must be passed by the Senate before it takes effect. . . . The Spanish Supreme Military Court, which has had under consideration the loss of the Spanish squadron at Santiago de Cuba, on July 3, has decided to prosecute Admiral Cervera and the commander of the Cristobal Colon for the loss of the ships. . . . All the ports on the east coast of Nicaragua have been declared closed on account of the rebellion which is now going on in that State. Government troops are on their way to meet the rebels. . . . Little is being done toward repatriating the Spanish prisoners held by General Otis at Manila. The bulk of those who surrendered to his forces are still in his charge. . . . The revolution in Bolivia is said to be still gaining ground, and many of the troops of the president are deserting to the rebels.

The sultan of Oman (Southeastern Arabia, south of Persia) has leased to France a naval and coaling station on the coast of Oman, and England has despatched a fleet to Mascat, the capital, to back up her protest against the lease. Russia is also manifesting considerable interest in the city of Mascat. England's resentment of the lease is occasioned by the belief that it is part of a Franco-Russian scheme to destroy British influence in Oman. The British Government is also protesting to both Italy and France against the cession by the former to the latter of a part of the Somali coast in East Africa. By the convention of 1883 Italy was forbidden to fortify that part of the African coast; but France claims that she is not bound by the terms of that agreement, and is erecting earthworks opposite the British fortifications on the island of Perim. It is felt that this exchange will seriously affect England's control of the southern entrance to the Suez Canal. . . . It is reported that the Japanese in Formosa have nearly quelled the rebellion there, all the principal rebel leaders having been either killed or taken prisoners. Those yet unconquered are few and are being surrounded by the Japanese troops. . . . A report from Northern Siberia states that the natives of the Timur Peninsula have found a cabin constructed of cloth and cordage, apparently belonging to a balloon. Close by were the bodies of three men, and a number of scientific instruments with which the natives were unfamiliar. It is believed that the bodies found are those of Professor Andree and the two companions who accompanied him in his attempt to reach the North Pole.

Domestic.—After a series of experiments at Sandy Hook with the Gathmann aerial torpedo, the government has given an order for the construction of a new eighteen-inch gun to fire these deadly missiles. It is claimed that one of Gathmann's aerial torpedoes exploding in the vicinity of a battle-ship would cause its complete destruction. . . . A new telegraph company has been incorporated at Cleveland, Ohio, and expects to begin work at once. The company will use what is called the "wave sign" system, by means of which 4,000 words per minute can be sent over the wire. . . . At the recent meetings of the Canadian-American Commission, the Canadian members have made a demand that the United States cede to the Dominion of Canada the port of Skagway, Alaska, together with a strip of territory leading into the Canadian territory, in return for certain concessions granted to the United States by Canada. It is understood that the American commissioners have refused the demand, but are willing to concede a free port of entry for British goods at or near Skagway.

The commission appointed by President McKinley to investigate the conduct of the war has made public its report, which consists of about 65,000 words. It criticizes the appointment of civilians to military positions in time of war, and asserts that the War Department failed to grasp the situation as it should. In general, however, the War Department is commended for its work. General Miles is severely criticized in the report for his course with reference to the provisions furnished the army. It finds no frauds in contracts, no dishonesty in the War Department, no bad meat furnished the soldiers. The selection of some of the army camps is criticized, as well as the preparations for receiving the sick and wounded from Cuba. . . . A commission has been appointed by the President to investigate the charges which General Miles has made in reference to the meat furnished the soldiers during the war with Spain. . . . President McKinley has transmitted to Congress a message urging the building of a Pacific cable, connecting San Francisco, Hawaii, Guam, Wake Island, and the Philippines.

Secretary of the Navy John D. Long has issued an order abolishing the canteens on board ship. The order forbids the sale of any malt or other alcoholic liquors on any of the ships of the United States, or in any of the naval stations, navy-yards, or marine barracks.

The Senate, on February 14, passed the McEnery resolution declaring the policy of the United States in the Philippines, which, if supported by the House, will enable the United States to carry on a high-handed course in those islands. It provides that the inhabitants shall never be citizens of the United States, makes no provision for their ultimate independence, and further provides that they may be disposed of in the future by the United States as it may elect. The Bacon amendment, which was truly republican in principle, and guaranteeing independent government to the Filipinos, was defeated, 29 to 29, with the Vice-President voting in the negative.

Casualties and Calamities.—Many mining towns of Colorado are completely blockaded by the storms which have been raging there during the past week, and the efforts of railroad officials to reach them with provisions has thus far been unsuccessful. It is feared that many will die of starvation before the roads can be shoveled out. The storm which had been raging in the Rockies has swept eastward, and virtually the entire East and South are in the grip of a blizzard. In many of the States no such cold weather has ever been experienced. In Kentucky and Northern Georgia the thermometer has gone as low as twenty degrees below zero, and it has been equally cold in other sections of the same latitude. This unusually cold weather has occasioned great suffering on account of the people being unprepared for it. Thirty-four deaths have been so far reported as directly due to the cold. New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and the New England States have been completely storm bound for days, and in the largest cities the street traffic has been blocked. A virtual milk famine has been occasioned in the larger Eastern cities on account of the inability of the milk trains to reach the cities. . . . Thousands of horses are dying in Eastern Oregon on account of scarcity of feed for them on the ranges. It is estimated that 200,000 will perish before the winter is over.

Seventeen inmates of the South Dakota State Insane Asylum at Yankton were burned to death on February 12 in one of the cottages belonging to that institution. All the victims of this holocaust were women. . . . A large number of Italian miners lost their lives in an avalanche which swept down Cherokee Gulch, at Silver Plume, Colorado, on February 12. The exact number of casualties is not yet known, but eight bodies have been exhumed from the debris, and the search is but just begun. . . . A severe storm swept the coast of the British Isles on February 12, resulting in much damage to property and some loss of life. Several ships' companies are believed to have been lost. . . . The Hamburg-American liner Bulgaria is believed to have foundered in the vicinity of the Azores. Some of her passengers were taken off by a British steamer, but the remainder, over one hundred, are supposed to have gone down with the vessel. . . . Over one hundred persons were drowned recently by the breaking of the ice on a river leading to the city of Tien-Tsin, China.

The Philippines.—The Americans continue to extend their lines around Manila. On February 8 three companies of the Kansas regiment had an engagement with the Filipinos in which the Americans had two killed and four wounded. The Filipinos were driven to Caloocan, where they were shelled by the gunboats. The big guns of the fleet are reported to have wrought great havoc among them. On February 10, after a bombardment by the ships and artillery, Caloocan was taken by the Americans, with considerable loss to the Filipinos. The Igorrotes, tribes of savages from the hills, who were simply armed with bows and arrows, have deserted Aguinaldo and gone back to the mountains. The forces under General Miller at Iloilo captured the place on February 11. The Filipinos fired the town, but the flames were extinguished by the Americans after most of the Chinese and native portion of the town was destroyed. The city of Jaro, north of Iloilo, has also been captured by the Americans. The Filipinos attacked a California regiment at Caloocan February 15, but were repulsed with loss.

New Trusts.—A consolidation of all the outlying street-car companies of Chicago has been quietly formed, and articles of incorporation have been filed at Springfield. This incorporation is to be known as the Chicago Consolidated Traction Company, and its capital stock amounts to $15,000,000. . . . T. A. McIntyre, the New York capitalist, has effected the consolidation of nearly all the spring wheat flour mills of the United States. It is anticipated that this corporation will grind eighty per cent of all the spring wheat consumed in this country. The title of the concern is the United States Milling Company. Its capitalization is not definitely known, but it was known to have been the original intention of the ones who engineered the formation of the trust that it should have a capitalization of $150,000,000. . . . A trust under the name of the International Paper Company is rapidly securing control of the principal print-paper mills in the United States. Within the past two weeks fourteen of these paper mills have come under its control. In order to more firmly secure its hold on the people, this trust is securing control of vast tracts of spruce timber from which the paper pulp is produced.

Fires.—The large book and stationery store of McClurg & Co., of Chicago, was destroyed by fire on February 12, entailing a loss of $650,000. This company carried one of the largest stocks of rare old books and manuscripts outside of the great libraries. . . . The Manhattan Brass Company's factory at New York was totally destroyed by fire on February 12; estimated loss, $250,000. . . . Fire destroyed business property at Albany, N. Y., on February 12, valued at $250,000. . . . The largest hotel in Manitoba, at Winnipeg, is reported to have burned on February 8. The building was erected at a cost of $500,000. . . . The building of the Traders' Warehouse Company of Chicago was destroyed by fire on February 14. There were twenty-two firms represented in the building and the loss sustained amounts to $750,000. . . . A fire causing a loss of nearly half a million dollars occurred at Cincinnati, Ohio, on February 14.

Cuba.—R. P. Porter, the special commissioner appointed by President McKinley to negotiate with General Gomez for the disbanding of the Cuban army, has held a satisfactory conference with that officer. The United States will pay to the Cuban soldiers $3,000,000. This will be distributed among the soldiers at the rate of about $100 per man, to enable them to return to their homes and begin work on their farms. General Gomez has agreed to go to Havana and assist General Brook in the distribution of this money, and in every other way to help in bringing peace to Cuba. Señor Quesada, a member of the Cuban Junta at New York, is traveling through the island urging the Cuban soldiers to accept the President's proposition and disband.