Herculaneum, Aeronautics, and Panama Canal
By Editor
An important archeological undertaking is about to be inaugurated in Italy, namely, the complete excavation of Herculaneum. It is proposed that the vast work be carried out by the co-operation of Italy and all other civilized countries. There is to be an international committee appointed to have charge of the work. No excavation on a large scale has thus far been attempted on account of the fact that the present city of Rosina is built on the site of the buried city. Archeologists feel that Herculaneum offers a far richer field for excavation than Pompeii or any other ancient site. There is continual progress in aeronautics, in spite of the many failures that have been made. The Greth dirigible balloon, of San Francisco, made a successful flight on April 23, proving her ability to remain in the air and maneuver in all directions. The airship of two Virginian inventors is reported also on a fair road to success, having demonstrated its flying ability. These, with the partial successes reported in France, show that advancement is really being made in this dangerous undertaking. The Panama Canal is now the property of the United States. The contract by which the transfer was made was signed at Paris, on April 23. The following day the contract was ratified by the stockholders of the Panama Canal Company. The transfer is complete and without reservation, and the title now vested in the United States is said to be a perfect title. An American commission is now in Panama, ready to take up the preliminary work of constructing the canal. The House, on April 19, passed the Statehood Bill, admitting New Mexico and Arizona as one state under the name of Arizona, and Oklahoma and Indian Territory under the name Oklahoma. There seems to be much dissatisfaction in the states affected over the turn which their application for statehood has taken. The Senate has not yet passed the bill. A twelve-million-dollar fire occurred in the city of Toronto, Canada, on April 20. The flames swept through the wholesale district with frightful rapidity, destroying more than thirty of the leading business buildings. The modern fire-proof buildings are demonstrating themselves to be wonderfully susceptible to the flames. The city of New York is to have the largest and best-equipped hospital in the world. The buildings and the land will cost at least $15,000,000. The structure will cover three blocks. It will contain beds for 2,700 patients. One hundred and twenty-five surgeons will be employed, besides a large corps of nurses. A serious engagement between Turks and Bulgarians at Lipa, in a valley of the Vardar, occurred on April 18. Exact details of the fighting have not been given; but it is reported that many were killed on both sides. A terrible collision occurred on the Mexican Central Railway near Zacatecas on April 19, in which 69 persons lost their lives and a large number were more or less seriously injured. Six Mexican paper factories have formed a paper manufacturing trust, with a capitalization of $15,000,000, for the evident purpose of controlling the paper output of that country. There is probability of another strike of street-car men in San Francisco. After long negotiations between the men and the company no agreement has been reached.