News of the Week

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 12, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 37.

A LUMBER raft 618 feet long, 56 feet in width at the widest part, 36 feet deep, and drawing 25 feet of water has just been started from Seattle for San Francisco, in charge of two tugs. The raft tapers at the ends, and is bound together by chains made of one and a half inch iron, placed 12 feet apart. It is estimated that there are 800,000 feet of piling in it. This is the second raft of this description sent down the coast. Nearly eight months were occupied in its construction.

IT is now announced that a treaty has been arranged between the United States and Spain restoring former relations of amity, and paving the way for closer trade connections. While the relations between Spain and the United States have been cordial since the signing of the treaty of Paris, the amity and commercial relations have not been reduced to treaty form.

A CAUSE for added worry and excitement in official circles is the landing, the past week, of several hundred Japanese marines at Amoy, China. The immediate pretext for this move was the burning of a Japanese temple, which, it was claimed, was done accidentally. A further reason given by the Japanese is that the move is made necessary because this has been the organizing place of numerous bands of depredators on Formosa, which is close by. The larger reason, in the eyes of the powers, is Japan's desire to gain a foothold on Chinese soil. This move is in violation of the agreement between the powers during the present trouble in China, but not much can be said, as Japan is only following in the footsteps of England in her claims in the Yang-tse Valley. The United States is specially disabled from seriously protesting, inasmuch as no protest was entered against England's advance moves. Protests were made, however, by the consuls of other powers at Amoy. Much excitement prevails at Amoy, and many Chinese are leaving the place. The Japanese, under General Goto, have planted Nordenfeldt guns commanding the city. The United States gunboat Castine has been ordered to Amoy, from Shanghai.

THE British arms in South Africa, according to Lord Roberts' reports, are advancing slowly. A heavy engagement occurred on Sunday, August 26, between Botha's commandos and General Buller, resulting in the occupancy of Bergendal, a station on the railroad, by the British. Fighting was resumed Monday. A despatch from Lourenzo Marquez, dated August 28, states that the British had driven the Boers from Machadodorp, where 8,000 of the latter were believed to be intrenched, but the report is not yet confirmed. At last advices, General DeWet, with a few hundred men as body-guard, was on his way to the mountains, his force having been badly cut up and scattered. In the recent engagements the Boers are credited with great activity and determination. General Roberts has confirmed the sentence of death on Lieutenant Cordua, formerly of the Staats artillery, who was convicted as a ringleader in a plot to abduct Roberts and kill other British officers.

A REPORT from Rome states that the Vatican has issued a public edict forbidding Catholics using former Queen Margherita's rosary and prayer either in churches or in private. These were composed by the queen after King Humbert's death, and Bishop of Cremona was asked to authorize their use by Italians who shared her grief. The new king, it is said, deeply resents the action of the Vatican. It is claimed that the pope is not personally responsible for the edict. The circumstance, if true, will not tend to heal the rupture between the Vatican and the Quirinal.

AND now Gilman, Ill., is the scene of much shooting, resulting in two deaths outright, and two or three perhaps fatally wounded, the result of an all-night endeavor to take—first by arrest, and afterwards by mob power—Mrs. Dr. Wright, accused of murder. The doctor's house was burned, and only after a desperate fight was she arrested, badly wounded. A blacksmith in her employ to help defend her against arrest was killed. The deputy endeavoring to make the arrest was also killed.

ITALY's premier bemoans the fact that Italy's navy has descended from third place in 1890 to seventh place at the present time, and has strongly recommended that the government provide a navy adequate to the needs of the country; this, too, at a time when the tax rate of the country is so great as to absorb a large portion of the income of the people.

THE new U. S. battle-ship Alabama recently made the trip from New York to Boston, breaking the record for fast long-distance steaming for vessels of her class. The builders' trial trip developed a speed of 17.2 knots, while the specifications called for a speed of 16 knots. At the official test on Tuesday, August 28, the speed developed was 17.1 knots.

THE officials of Sing Sing Prison have decided to abolish the lock-step except in the case of prisoners who are serving time for second offenses. It is thought that similar action will be taken by other prison officials in various parts of the country.

A STRIKE of 2,000 employees of the Taff Vale Railway, in Wales, followed by 30,000 miners leaving their work in the great Cardiff mines, has threatened England with a coal famine. The miners had no special grievance, so far as is known, and have quit work out of sympathy for the railroad men, who ask a raise of a half penny an hour on wages. The strike is supported by the railroad labor unions all over England, and can be prolonged almost indefinitely, as it is stated the union has in its treasury 25,000 pounds, with a strike income of 3,000 pounds a week. Already the price of Welsh steam coal has increased enormously in price, and factories and vessels not supplied are threatened with a tie-up. This is due also to a general diminution of the coal supply in the United Kingdom. This matter has already claimed the serious attention of the government, and it is believed by good authorities that some steps will have to be taken to encourage the importation of coal from other countries, chiefly America.

AT the last session of Congress an appropriation of $10,000 was made for a general investigation of the cost of construction and utility of the pneumatic tube system for the transmission of mails. This investigation will be made in the cities of New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, St. Louis, San Francisco, New Orleans, and possibly other leading cities later.

STATISTICS of the Pasteur Institute in Paris recently issued show that there is a continual increase in the number of mad dogs in that city, 294 persons having been bitten by rabid dogs between the first of the year and June 8. The tendency to the increase of disease is seen on every hand. The earth and all that it contains are wearing out.

THE Russian Minister of Finance has announced an increase of taxation, due to the Chinese campaign. This is the third increase in a month. It is declared to be unnecessary for the object stated, but is believed to be only an item in Russia's plans for a great campaign in Eastern and Southern Asia.

A LETTER published in a German paper states that in the battles at Tien-tsin the Germans killed Chinese prisoners, but that the Russians killed not only the soldiers that fell into their hands, but women and children also. It will be remembered that the kaiser instructed his troops to take no prisoners.

THE Grand Prix, or first prize in the natural philosophy exhibit at the Paris Exposition, has been awarded Dr. A. A. Michelson, head of the department of physics, Chicago University. The prize is for the echelon spectroscope invented by Professor Michelson about a year ago.

THE rapid increase in the death rate in the Hawaiian Islands, due to the increase of consumption, is causing an agitation of the question of quarantining consumptive patients. The native Hawaiians and the Japanese seem to fall easiest victims to this dread disease.

AN order has been placed by the Russian Government with a Chicago firm for 6,000,000 pounds of "beef on the hoof" to feed the czar's soldiers in China. This means 5,000 fatted cattle. They will be sent via San Francisco, westward.

AT last advices, the friction between Roumania and Bulgaria grows more serious. The general feeling throughout Roumania is in favor of chastising her Southern neighbor, and Bulgarians are being sent across the border.

IT is reported that a serious insurrection has broken out in Persia, having for its object the dethroning of the present shah. This may curtail the visit of the shah in Europe, where he is holding forth in lavish style.

A UNITED STATES war ship has called at Tangier, Morocco, to support a claim for the murder of a naturalized American citizen, last June. Thus the big nations politely whip the small refractory ones into line.

A CABLE has been received by the Foreign Missionary Board of the Methodist Church stating that the native Christians in Northern China have survived the attacks upon them, but are homeless and destitute.

A REPORT from Apia indicates that many of the Samoans are dissatisfied with German rule, and are leaving the islands for Tutuila and Fiji. Germany has not been as indulgent as many had been led to expect.

DURING the twelve months ended July 31 Germany produced 1,580,000 tons of raw sugar, a considerable increase over the past year.

THE steamship Ohio arrived at Seattle on August 12 from Alaska. She carried 332 passengers, and about $2,000,000 in gold.

THE German Government has forbidden the importation of American canned meats and sausages after the 1st of October.