News and Notes

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 18, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 45.

FOREIGN.

—The newly constructed railroad between Cape Town, South Africa, and Buluwayo was formally opened on November 4.

—The volcano of Mount Vesuvius is again in eruption, and two wide streams of lava are flowing down the mountain-sides.

—Greece has decided to appeal to Europe and America for $100,000 to relieve the terrible distress resulting from the late war.

—One native officer and thirty-five Sikhs belonging to the English army in India were surrounded by tribesmen recently and massacred.

—A riot of Italians occurred at Sancto Spiritus, Brazil, on November 9, the mob being dispersed by the police only after four had been killed, and a number wounded.

—A terrible famine is said to be raging in the province of Archangel, European Russia. Many have already died of starvation, and tea is said to be the only article of diet left to the peasants.

—A large deputation of the Orakzais tribe in India has entered the camp of the English to treat for peace, but the Afridis are still warlike, and are harassing the British to the extent of their power.

—The United States, Russia, and Japan have signed a treaty in reference to the sealing matter; but the provisions of the document are to remain secret until after the meeting of Congress in December.

—A report comes from Halifax, Nova Scotia, that a large balloon with pendant car was seen floating over that place on November 5, and it is the belief of those who saw it that it was that of Professor Andree.

—Armand Dreyfus, in evident agreement with his wife, a despondent Parisian, shot himself, wife, and three daughters in a small room, on November 8, and committed suicide and murder through the agency of the fumes of coal gas.

—It is rumored that negotiations have been commenced between France and Germany for joint diplomatic action, and, if necessary, naval action, against China, on account of recent outrages upon missionaries in that country.

—A representative of the striking engineers of England is now in America seeking to collect funds to enable the strikers to hold out against their employers. It is claimed that nearly 90,000 men are idle as a result of this strike.

—An American scientist and his assistant were recently murdered on Tiburon Island, in the Gulf of California, by the savage natives of that island, who have never been subdued by the Mexican Government. Five of the attacking party were killed in the encounter.

—An atrocious crime is reported from Montcalm Mills, Quebec, a young man of that place having murdered his three sisters and brother during the absence of his parents, on November 4. The only reason for the crime was a quarrel between himself and his oldest sister.

—General Fuentes, one of the fugitive insurgent leaders from Guatemala, is now in San Francisco, and is accused by Morales as a traitor to the cause of liberty, and the occasion for the present defeat of the insurgents. Morales still predicts the speedy fall of the barrios dictatorship in Guatemala.

—On the invitation of the sultan of Turkey, the New York Herald has selected a commissioner, Rev. G. H. Hepworth, to investigate the condition of Christian subjects in the Turkish Empire, and also to investigate the reported Armenian massacres. The sultan agrees that this commissioner shall be absolutely untrammeled.

—Two German missionaries have been killed in the southern part of the province of Shantung, and the German minister in China and the captain of the German gunboat Cormorant were attacked by a mob in the streets of Wu Chang on the Yang-tse-Kiang River. The German Government has demanded satisfaction of the government at Peking for these outrages.

—On November 5 an unsuccessful attempt was made by a Brazilian soldier to take the life of the president of that republic. The brother of the president was seriously if not fatally wounded in protecting the president, and the minister of war was shot and instantly killed in the melee. It is believed to have been a plot on the part of the monarchical sympathizers.

—The recent disgraceful scenes in the Austrian Reichsrat have tended to still farther widen the breach between the German and Slavonic members of that nation. The two parties are so bitterly antagonistic that rather than yield to one another, they would prefer to throw themselves into the hands of other powers. In such a contingency the Austrian Slavs would turn to Russia and the Austrian Germans to Germany.

—Sir Wilfred Laurier, premier of Canada, arrived in Washington, D. C., on November 9, to be present at the conference between British, American, and Canadian commissioners over the sealing question. It is reported that he will confer with department officials and the president in regard to other matters of American and Canadian interests, reciprocity, border immigration, Klondike mining matters, etc.

—General Blanco has issued an edict of amnesty, in which he pardons all Cuban rebels now imprisoned where the simple crime of rebellion is charged against them. Where they are convicted of crimes other than rebellion, they will have to suffer for these. He has also extended the agricultural zone, and will permit those reconcentrados who have not already succumbed to starvation and disease, to go back to their occupation of farming, "with certain limitations."

—A marked change has recently taken place in the attitude which Japan has assumed toward Hawaii. A prominent Japanese explains the change to mean that the Japanese are preparing for a war with Russia, which must inevitably come unless Russia changes her tactics, and that Japan needs the friendship of all other countries, especially the United States. He states that the rapid increase of the Japanese navy is simply an offset to the completion of the Siberian railway and the large army which Russia is collecting near her eastern coast.

—Spanish affairs at the present time are a masterpiece of medley, and the keenest minds are unable to see the end from the present standpoint. General Weyler furnishes just now one of the most irritating problems. The tone of his speech on leaving Havana will cause his arrest when he reaches Spain; and the arrest seems bound to bring disorder, as his supporters are planning for him a grand reception. At the same time the Vatican is urging the clergy of Spain to stand by the present dynasty, and to influence the people to do the same, on account of the persistent rumors of Carlist uprisings. The army is discontented because of favoritism shown men who have served in Cuba and the Philippines, and the government has threatened to court-martial army officers for secret meetings in which they have participated. Sagasta's latest note to the United States is said to be very conciliatory in tone, and he has declared that he would regard war with this country as a great misfortune, to be avoided if possible. At the same time the Spanish council is making every effort to perfect the navy, and is arranging to build government ships at all the national and private ship-building yards in the kingdom.

DOMESTIC.

—Consul-General Lee left Washington on November 5 to resume his position in Havana.

—The steamer Idaho was engulfed in a storm on Lake Erie on November 6, and sixteen of her crew of nineteen men were drowned.

—The Legislature of Georgia has passed a law, with a heavy penalty attached, against matched games of football played anywhere in the State.

—A severe earthquake shock traversed the States of Idaho and Montana on November 4, doing considerable damage to buildings, but no losses of life are reported.

—The Chesapeake and Ohio express was wrecked at Old Shadwell, Va., on November 5, and five persons were killed. There were also fourteen more or less seriously injured.

—The situation in the yellow fever districts of the south is said to be improving on account of the colder weather. A number have died during the week, but the number of new cases is comparatively small.

—Through the representations of Rev. Sheldon Jackson, educational agent for Alaska, Secretary Alger has decided to send relief trains up the Yukon River, by reindeer, to the miners in the various Yukon gold fields.

—The Cramps Shipbuilding Company, of Philadelphia, have decided to establish a line of steamers between Pacific Coast points and the Alaska mining region, giving weekly service between Pacific ports and the Klondike.

—Theodore Roosevelt, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, is planning to recommend at the next session of Congress large appropriations for the increase of the navy. His argument for the appropriations will be that the strongest guarantee of national peace is a navy on a war footing.

—An attempt was made by incendiaries on November 7 to burn down the old city of St. Augustine, Florida. It was found that the fire-fighting apparatus had been seriously tampered with, and before the conflagration was under control, property to the value of $225,000 had been destroyed.

—The operators of the Braidwood (Illinois) coal mines have signified their intention of importing from 800 to 1,000 Chinese to operate their mines, which were closed down on July 4 by the great miners' strike. The strikers are in an ugly mood over the report, and if the operators carry out their project, there is sure to be blood-shed.

—An east-bound Santa Fe train was held up by bandits near Grant's Station, N. M., on November 6, who wrecked and burned the express and chair cars, blew up the safe, secured a large amount of booty, and escaped to the Zuni Mountains. A posse are on their trail, and it is believed that they will soon be captured.

—It has been decided that the revenue cutter Bear shall be employed by the government to carry relief to the frozen-in whalers near Point Barrow, Alaska. The vessel will proceed to the sound north of St. Michaels, and either dogs or reindeer will be used to pack or drag the food and supplies over the wide stretch of snow and ice to the frozen Arctic.

—It is reported that the U. S. naval attachés, consuls, and ministers, have, under orders from the State Department, secured a complete fund of information regarding the navy of Spain. This information is printed and given to all American naval commanders, that they may be prepared for an engagement with the Spanish navy in case war should come.

—The choir of the People's Church, of New York, refused to sing on Sunday, November 7, because the pastor on the previous Sunday had advocated the election of Seth Low for mayor of the city. This is but the natural outcome of a dabbling in politics by the clergy. Had the pastor stuck to his commission, such a disgrace to the cause of Christ could not have occurred.

—The Chamber of Commerce of New York has adopted resolutions urging the president and Congress to take immediate action toward increasing the force of trained artillerymen to man the new coast defense guns and batteries for the construction of which appropriations have recently been made by Congress, in order that in case of war exacting tribute may not be levied upon the large coast cities.