International

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 14, 1899

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 25, No. 24.

International.—President Krueger, of the Transvaal Republic, has been given permission by his government to cross the frontier, and discuss with the premier of Cape Colony the differences existing between English subjects and the Transvaal Republic. . . . There was a riot in the Italian Chamber of Deputies on May 27, in which the Socialists were attacked by the Rightists. A free fight ensued, the session was suspended, and the chamber cleared by the officials. . . . Russia now has no representative at the Vatican. For several months the czar's minister to the "Holy See" has endeavored to obtain an audience with the pope. On making inquiry as to the reason for his failure in this, the minister was informed that as the czar had ignored the pontiff's sovereign rights by omitting to ask him to send delegates to the disarmament conference, "his holiness" did not feel called upon to receive the czar's representative. The Russian minister at once requested to be relieved of his mission, and it is reported that the czar will not be again represented at the Vatican. . . . The Diet of Finland, after a protracted debate over the new Russian military law which places additional burdens upon the Finns, is drawing up a set of counter propositions to the Russian Government which it is hoped will safeguard the Finns. Proclamations are being circulated among the people urging them to "make common cause with the Poles against Russian barbarism."

Orders have been issued from Peking directing the viceroys and governors of the neighboring provinces to put all their forces on a war footing, owing to the arrival of six Italian war-ships in San Mun Harbor. It is thought also that the Chinese are contemplating an attempt to drive the Germans from Shantung Peninsula. . . . There is marvellous activity through Russia along the line of outlets to the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic. Three of these projects are being pushed as rapidly as possible. One is a line of railway from Russia south through Persia to the Arabian Sea, another is an extension of her Trans-Caspian system toward the headwaters of the rivers of China, and a third is her Trans-Siberian Railway of 6,500 miles, from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok and Peking, China, or more than twice as far as from New York to San Francisco. To the completion of these systems the Russian Government is giving itself assiduously, and it may be regarded as a stroke of brilliant diplomacy on her part to induce other nations to cease increasing their armaments by land and sea until she is in a condition to keep pace with them.

Guatemala is seeking to intervene between the United States and Honduras in the Pears case. The Honduras Government has resisted the demand of the United States for indemnity in behalf of the relatives of Pears, who was murdered while in that country. . . . There is serious rioting in the island of Guadaloupe, French West Indies, between the natives and British contract laborers, and much property has been destroyed in consequence. In a conflagration due to this condition, thirty-one lives were lost and 2,000 persons rendered homeless. . . . The Nicaraguan Government has removed General Torres as commander of Bluefields. The removal is the result of the demand of the American Government, and was due to Torres' demand that American merchants in Bluefields pay double taxes to the Nicaraguan Government. . . . An expedition under Prof. A. G. Nathorst has sailed from Copenhagen, to search for Professor Andree along the northeast coast of Greenland. . . . Through the efforts of the United States State Department the Belgian markets have been again opened to American cattle. They have been closed since 1894. . . . A Liberian statesman is now on his way to America empowered by his government to secure an American protectorate for Liberia or failing in that, he is empowered to approach the British Government on the same subject.

The Philippines.—An attack was made by the Filipinos on the American forces at San Fernando, the former Filipino capital, on May 26. The attacking party was repulsed with a loss of twenty-five killed, and many wounded. A battalion of the California volunteers has been sent to the island of Negros to assist in putting down the forces of those opposing American occupation. There are uprisings both in this island and Cebu, due it is said to the emissaries of Aguinaldo. The Spanish have evacuated the island of Jolo, and it was at once occupied by the Americans. Zamboanga, on the island of Mindanao, has also been evacuated by the Spanish, and the island of Sulu has been occupied by the Americans. The new constitution of the island of Negros has been adopted by the officials of the island. This constitution is similar to that offered the inhabitants of Luzon. The arrival of the rainy season seems to be putting new courage into the Filipinos, and the commands of Generals Luna and Mascardo are becoming more aggressive than usual. The United States troops are compelled to sleep in the trenches in their clothing and to be constantly on the alert to prevent surprises and dashes on the outposts. The garrison life of the troops holding small towns is also rendered exceedingly uncomfortable on account of the activity of the Tagalog. . . . The U. S. transports Ohio and Senator arrived at Manila on May 29 with the thirteenth infantry regiment. . . . General Otis has reorganized the Philippine courts, with prominent Philippine jurists on the bench. The Spanish code (in so far as it does not conflict with American sovereignty) has been adopted, and the Spanish language is to be used.

Casualties and Calamities.—A returned prospector from the Copper River country, Alaska, reports that eighty men have been lost in that region during the past winter and spring, having gone out with scant provisions on prospecting trips from which they never returned. . . . A disastrous tornado swept through a portion of South Dakota near Chamberlain on May 28, destroying buildings and standing crops, and killing seven persons. The tornado was accompanied by a heavy fall of rain and hail, the latter as large as eggs. On the same date considerable destruction was wrought by a tornado in portions of Nebraska and Iowa. The hail-stones accompanying this storm were also reported to have been as large as hens' eggs. Thousands of panes of glass were broken and large numbers of fowls were killed. . . . Nine persons lost their lives and twenty-three were injured in a train wreck near Waterloo, Iowa, on May 28, a cloudburst having washed out the roadbed, leaving the track unsupported. . . . Particulars received regarding the famine in Russia confirm the previous harrowing accounts. The press censors had prevented the truth from being published by the press, so that even the Russians were not aware of the gravity of the situation. Some authorities estimate that as many as twenty million peasants are starving. The members of the Russian aristocracy have at last begun to send contributions into the stricken provinces. . . . Several acres of buildings at Coney Island, New York, have been burned to the ground. The property loss is placed at $1,000,000.

Domestic.—A wireless telephone apparatus is on exhibition in Madison-Square Garden, New York, and in successful operation. The electric waves produced in the transmitter are sent along a beam of light to the receiving instrument, where the sound is heard as distinctly as tho conveyed by the usual wire. . . . A small detachment of soldiers has been sent to the new mining region at Cape Nome, Alaska, to prevent bloodshed among the miners over the possession of claims. . . . A fleet of six revenue cutters has been dispatched to the Bering Sea and Alaskan waters to patrol the coast and prevent unlawful sealing. . . . The Washington University, at St. Louis, Mo., has received a gift of $500,000, to be used on new buildings and endowments. . . . Admiral Kautz, in command of the U. S. cruiser Philadelphia at Samoa, has announced his departure with his vessel for this country. In German circles this is regarded as a move on the part of America to show her desire to be on friendly terms with Germany. . . . The Studebaker Manufacturing Company of South Bend, Ind., has entered into a contract to build $1,000,000 worth of automobile vehicles for New York and Boston capitalists. . . . By order of President McKinley 4,000 places, in the government service have been declared exempt from the civil service rules.

The trusts.—The trusts have won a victory in the State of Arkansas in the decision of the State Supreme Court in the case of the insurance companies which have been doing business in that State, and against whom the Attorney-General had entered suit. . . . A plan is being perfected for the consolidation of all the perfumery concerns in the United States under one management, with a capital of $20,000,000.

Cuba.—Altho most of the Cuban leaders are endeavoring to have their troops disband without turning in their arms and receiving their share of the money offered by the United States, the tide seems to be turning in favor of disbandment according to the American plans. The work of paying off the troops has now begun in Havana Province, and preparations are being made for extending the work to the other provinces.