Sir Robert Hart on the Chinese Trouble
In the December number of the Cosmopolitan Sir Robert Hart, for twenty-five years a foreign official in China, gives a most striking setting forth of the Chinese trouble. He declares that what has happened has been the logical result of previous doings, the treatment of China at the hands of the foreign powers; that China is arousing herself from her sleep of centuries to grapple with her foreign tormentors; that the Boxer movement is a patriotic, volunteer movement, whose purpose is to rid China of foreigners and foreign influences, and may continue to grow until China has a volunteer militia force of twenty million men. The breaking away from ancestor-worship and other Chinese religious practises by the Christian Chinese, and the interference of Catholic priests in matters of litigation, are specified by the writer as among the causes of the Boxer movement. He declares that the future is bound to have a "yellow peril" to deal with, and takes an almost hopeless view of the outlook. THE representatives of the foreign nations in China are said to have reached a harmonious agreement in regard to the demands to be made upon the Chinese Government. These demands, according to the report, are along the lines suggested by the United States, which are a modification of the harsher demands. It has developed, however, that the Chinese envoys who are treating for peace have no credentials from the Chinese Government; also that there are several missions in China which are still being besieged by Boxers and Chinese troops. A report from Peking states that "the impression is gaining ground among men of all nationalities that peace is impossible; that a resumption of the campaign in the spring is inevitable; and that partition is the only solution." Russia has notified China that the suppression of the rebellion in the three eastern provinces of Manchuria has been accomplished by the unaided efforts of her troops, and she invites China to appoint local officials immediately. THE latest reports indicate that the Boer forces under General De Wet are in battle with the British under General Knox. For some days the Boer army has been hard pressed by the British, and at times has been nearly surrounded. The path of the fleeing burghers has been marked by hundreds of dead horses, and even some of their munitions have been abandoned in order to facilitate their escape. About 6,000 Cape Colony Dutch held a convention on December 6, denouncing the course of Great Britain in the present war, and declaring in favor of the independence of the Dutch republics. The meeting was held under the eye of the military, but no trouble occurred. Seeds That Surely Grow.—The cost of seeds compared with the value of the crop is so small that a few cents saved by buying second-rate seeds will amount to many dollars lost when the harvest is gathered. Farmers have found out by many costly failures what a risky thing it is to buy seeds without being pretty sure that they are reliable and true to name. The latest catalog of the seed house of D. M. Ferry & Co., of Detroit, Mich., is a reminder that thousands of farmers in the United States and Canada have pinned their faith to the reputation of this great firm. During a business career approaching half a century in time, Ferry's seeds have won an annual increase in popularity, which is perhaps the best evidence that they grow and give satisfaction. Ferry's Seed Annual for 1901 is a useful guide in selecting seeds for the farm, the truck garden and the flower garden. It is sent free on application. RECENT developments have shown that there is a practical alliance between Great Britain and Portugal. Portugal's dismissal of Holland's minister at Lourenzo Marquez, threatened to cause trouble between those countries, and England promptly despatched war vessels to Portuguese territory as a warning to other nations not to interfere with Portugal. Felicitations have been exchanged between the king of Portugal and the queen of England, and the alliance between the two countries was declared on board the English war vessels at Lisbon. TALK of intervention in behalf of the Dutch republics is still heard from some European centers, but the refusal of Emperor William to see Mr. Kruger is believed to have cut off all such possibility. France is not willing to take the initiative, but it is understood that she would have acted with Russia. The latter country, however, is not free to act, in view of the attitude of Germany. The queen of Holland is championing the Boer cause, but the Boers can hope for little practical assistance from this source. BIDS for the construction of five new battle-ships and six cruisers were opened by the Secretary of the Navy on December 7. The Secretary calls this the greatest industrial event this country has ever seen, involving the placing of contracts for about $50,000,000. These new war vessels are to be nothing less than the equals of anything of their class afloat. Thus is America forging ahead into a position as a military world power. THE Army Bill, providing for the increase of the regular army to practically 100,000 men, passed the House on December 6. The maximum organization will be 96,766 men, which the President may reduce at his discretion to 58,924. The bill carries a provision for the enlistment of a provisional force of natives of the new possessions; also a provision abolishing the army saloon. THE Red Cross Society is planning for a grand "watch meeting" throughout the whole United States on the last night of the nineteenth century. One of the features of the meeting will be the simultaneous singing of "Old Hundred." The principal meeting, which will be at Madison Square Garden, New York, will be presided over by Miss Clara Barton. ABOUT 1,300 telegraph operators on the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway went out on strike December 8. Since the beginning of the strike, trains have been running with considerable difficulty over that system, and there has been much congestion in the freight traffic. The places of the strikers are being supplied as fast as possible by non-union men. THE Woman's Interdenominational Union held a mass-meeting in Washington on December 9 in the interests of the proposed constitutional amendment prohibiting polygamy in the United States and all its Territories. On the same day Representative Taylor, of Ohio, introduced a measure intended to bring about the federal prohibition of polygamy. THE French inspector of forests has invented a process for liquifying wood. After cooling, the molten mass assumes the character of coal, yet without showing any trace of organic structure. This new material is hard, but can be shaped and polished; is impervious to water and acids, and is a perfect electrical non-conductor. GERMANY's imperial budget, or estimates of necessary expenses, for the year 1901 reaches the enormous amount of $448,189,460, which is an increase of nearly $35,000,000 over the budget for the present year. The greater part of this increase, as well as a great portion of the rest of the budget, is due to war and preparation for war. DURING the progress of the Paris Exposition, 66,317 objects of various kinds were found on the fair grounds and turned over to the police. This number included 6,000 umbrellas, and one satchel containing $45,700 in American money, which was never claimed. The number of arrests during the fair was 13,007. THE Senate Committee on Foreign Relations gave a hearing on December 5 to the representatives of several temperance and reform societies in support of the international treaty providing for the control of the liquor traffic in Africa. The committee voted to recommend the ratification of the treaty without amendment. THE officers of the American battle-ship Kentucky were received by the sultan at the Yildiz Palace on December 10, and a dinner was given in their honor, which was attended by the highest Turkish dignitaries. After dinner the captain of the battle-ship was received in private audience by the sultan. FIVE of the smallest-size war vessels are soon to sail from New York for the Philippines to do patrol duty around the islands. They will make the 13,000-mile journey by the way of Suez Canal. Some of these diminutive war vessels are ordinary tugboats which have been remodeled for this purpose. STATISTICS recently forwarded from Hongkong, China, show that in the hurricane which visited the coast of Indo-China 1,600 persons perished. Between 4,000 and 5,000 were rendered homeless, and a vast amount of property was destroyed. A PARTY of 114 Porto Ricans are now on their way to the Hawaiian Islands to labor on the sugar plantations. An investigation of the matter seems to indicate that they are being taken there against their will. Guards have been placed over them to prevent their escape before reaching Honolulu. THERE have been a number of small engagements in the Philippines during the week, with small losses on both sides. Some bands of Filipinos have surrendered, and a considerable quantity of their war supplies has been captured by the Americans. THE Burlington Railway Company has formulated rules affecting all its employees in South Dakota, by which no man is allowed to use tobacco or liquor in any form during the hours of service. A HEAVY gale swept the New England coast on the night of December 4, resulting in the wrecking of twenty-four vessels and the drowning of at least five fishermen. ABOUT 5,000 coal miners resumed work at the River coal mines, in Pennsylvania, on December 5, the mines having been idle for the past seven months. THE Spanish Government is seeking a large loan for the purpose of bringing gold back into the country, the supply of which is diminishing in that country. THE report of the Postmaster-General shows that in the operations of the Post-office Department for the last year there has been a deficit of $5,385,688. AN explosion of dynamite in a Mexican mine at San Andreas resulted in the death of 26 miners. Many others were more or less seriously injured. THE House of Representatives on December 7 passed the Grout Bill, which places upon colored oleomargarine a tax of ten cents a pound. THE list of victims of football during the year shows eleven deaths and sixty-two more or less serious injuries to participants. THE Peter's Pence Fund for this year will amount to more than $4,000,000. THE condition of the king of Sweden is reported to be still serious.