It is reported from Thessaly that the Turks are ruining the country.
The correspondent who sent the news, having managed to escape the notice
of the Turkish officials, claims to have made a personal examination of
the state of affairs in the city of Larissa.
He found that all the houses, except those inhabited by Mohammedans, had
been stripped of their contents, and he was informed on the best
authority that many car-loads of plunder had been sent by the soldiers
to the Turkish town of Elassonna.
In Turnavo, another city of Thessaly, the same condition of affairs
exists as in Larissa. Here, however, the inhabitants had some warning of
the coming of the Turks, and had time to remove many of their valuables
before the enemy arrived.
The condition of Thessaly is desperate. The harvests are rotting in the
fields. The peasants dare not attempt to gather them in, for fear of the
Turkish soldiers, who, under pretence of seeking for arms, beat them
unmercifully until they hand over what money or valuables they have.
* * * * *
The governorship of Crete has been offered to Monsieur Droz, the
ex-president of Switzerland.
It is said that he has accepted on condition that he is first to be
given an opportunity of seeing how he can get along with the Cretans.
* * * * *
The latest report from Cuba is that General Gomez has been wounded, and
some say killed.
There was a fight in the province of Puerto Principe, and during the
action General Gomez's horse was killed under him and the old soldier
wounded.
The whole story comes from the Spanish side, and so the Cubans, before
being disturbed by the news, are waiting for it to be confirmed.
The insurgents have been very active during the last few days.
It is reported that they have had the good fortune to intercept a couple
of valuable Spanish expeditions, securing in one a prize of $200,000,
and in the other $3,000 in cash, $1,700 worth of medicines and two carts
laden with provisions.
We are, however, sorry to tell you that the Cubans are beginning to
adopt the same cruel methods toward the Spaniards that the Spaniards
have been using against them.
A coach full of travellers was journeying with the expedition that
carried the medicines and provisions. The Cubans outnumbered the party,
and took them all prisoners. A woman and a little child who were of the
party were treated kindly and set at liberty, but every Spanish soldier
and every man with the expedition was put to death.
If the Cubans continue to practise these cruelties they will lose the
strong sympathy which their bravery has so far gained for them.
Many Spanish soldiers are still deserting to the Cuban lines. The
deserters say that life is unbearable in the Spanish army. The soldiers
are roughly treated, have scarcely anything to eat, and receive their
pay in worthless paper money.
One entire battalion mutinied a short while ago, and refused to accept
this paper money. The colonel had to give the soldiers his solemn
promise that their pay should be given them half in gold and half in
silver before they would consent to return to duty.
It is stated that the sum of $50,000,000 is needed for the payment of
the soldiers, and that there is little hope of getting it from Spain,
because the Rothschilds will not lend the Government any more money
unless Spain sacrifices the income of the famous Almaden quicksilver
mines for twenty years.
The Rothschilds are the greatest and richest bankers in the world.
This firm has branch houses in all the great capitals in Europe, and has
probably lent money to every government on the continent.
If a war is contemplated, and a nation needs a large sum of ready money
to make preparations, it is to the Rothschilds that its government
generally turns.
When good security is offered there is never any trouble in getting
money from them, but if the security is not of the best they never find
themselves in a position to lend the money.
In 1870, Spain, needing money, applied to the Rothschilds and obtained
what she needed because she offered as security for the repayment of the
loan a lease of the Almaden mines for a term of thirty years.
These mines are said to be the greatest quicksilver mines in the world,
and yield an immense profit.
The Rothschilds worked the mines and realized their profits, the Spanish
Government receiving a royalty of so much money for each flask of
quicksilver sold.
This royalty, in the twenty-six years the bankers have been working the
mines, has amounted to thirty-six millions of dollars.
The contract with the Spanish Government expires in 1900, and so when
Spain needed money for the Cuban war and applied to the Rothschilds for
it, the bankers were very willing to lend it, asking in return that
their lease of the mines be extended for another term of twenty years.
This, Spain was unwilling to do.
She had been informed by her engineers that if she could get the control
of the mines into her own hands, she could realize a yearly income from
them of $6,000,000.
The Government therefore decided that the lease could not be granted,
and the Rothschilds on their part said that they could not accommodate
Spain with the required money, and so the last loan for the Cuban war
had to be obtained from other sources.
Spain is again in need of money. If she decides to grant a new lease of
the mines she can obtain it readily.
If she does not make this arrangement, it is said that she will be
obliged to come to terms with Cuba for lack of funds to fight her.
A plan to raise money for Cuba has been started in this country.
A silver coin has been struck off, which is to be sold in the United
States, and the proceeds used to buy arms for Cuba.
The coin is about the size of a silver dollar, one side bearing the head
of the Goddess of Liberty, and the reverse the arms of Cuba. Its price
will be one dollar.
Ten thousand of these coins are to be ready during the first week in
July, and the Cubans have made arrangements for a further three millions
to be coined if they are required.
* * * * *
The fate of Gen. Rius Rivera is not absolutely decided.
He was tried by court-martial in the Cabanas fortress and was condemned
to be shot.
A cablegram was received by General Weyler from Madrid, ordering him to
delay the execution on account of the feeling in the United States.
General Weyler is said to have cabled back that the United States should
not interfere with prisoners who are not Americans, and to have
requested that he be allowed to carry out the sentence of the court,
because the punishing of General Rivera would have a very desirable
effect on the insurgents.
A Cabinet council has been called in Madrid, and the question is being
carefully discussed. The decision is anxiously awaited.
A letter has been received from General Lee saying that food purchased
with the Relief Fund is being distributed to the needy Americans.
* * * * *
The _Dauntless_ is certainly a very lucky little vessel.
We told you last week how she had been captured by the cutter _McLean_,
in consequence of an accident to her machinery.
The crew of the _Dauntless_ were of course arrested with her, and were
brought to Key West for trial.
To everybody's surprise they have been discharged on the ground that
there was no evidence to prove they were engaged in fitting out a
filibustering expedition.
The Madrid newspapers are saying very bitter things about the United
States for not punishing the persons connected with these affairs. They
declare that we make a pretence of taking them prisoners to satisfy
Spain, and then set them at liberty to please ourselves.
* * * * *
It would seem that the reports from the Philippine Islands are as
unreliable as those from Cuba.
It was only last week that we heard that the rebellion was on a stronger
footing than ever, and that there was little chance that it would soon
be put down.
This week a steamer from Japan brings the news that the Governor-General
of the Philippines has issued a proclamation that the rebellion is at an
end, and announcing that Spanish rule had been re-established.
It will be interesting to know whether this is really true or merely a
statement of the same kind as those General Weyler has been making for
so many months.
* * * * *
A curious experiment is being tried in Tennessee.
A co-operative town has been established by a few workingmen, and from
all accounts it seems to be a great success.
The town is called Ruskin, and at the present time has seventy families
in it.
In this town all men are considered equal, every man, and woman too,
receiving the same amount of wage for his labor, whether it be skilled
or unskilled. The school teacher receives the same pay as the day
laborer; all stand on an equal footing.
When a man wishes to go and live in Ruskin, he has first to ask for
permission to settle there. The Ruskinites own their town, and are
careful not to allow any people to settle in it who are not likely to be
agreeable to them.
To every person who wishes to join them they send a list of questions,
asking the would-be settler what his ideas are on certain points.
If the answers are unsatisfactory, the applicant is told that there is
no room for him in Ruskin.
If, however, his ideas agree with those of the rest of the community,
his name is put up for membership, and he is elected by ballot, as he
would be to a club.
When elected, the new member is obliged to pay an initiation fee of $500
toward the general funds of the town, and he and his family are then
welcome to join the settlement as soon as they see fit.
When they arrive they are given a house and lot rent free. There are no
taxes to pay in Ruskin; everything is free but furniture and food.
Schools and school-books, doctors, medicines, all are free; the family
washing is even undertaken by the community free of charge.
In return for these advantages the family is required to work.
The father must be willing to do any task that is assigned to him,
without complaint. It does not matter if he has never handled a spade in
his life, he must dig if required to, and dig to the best of his
ability.
The payment in Ruskin is not in dollars and cents, but hours' labor,
notes of one, five, and ten hours' value being printed, and passing for
currency in the town.
The community allows each man the value of fifty hours' labor a week,
his wife the same amount, and his children twenty hours each.
The husband is required to work the full time for the community; the
wife is allowed four hours of the day to work for her home, and need
only give five hours to the general good. The four hours that she spends
in her housework are, however, credited to her as hours of labor,
because she is benefiting the community by keeping an orderly home.
In the same way the twenty hours' weekly labor for which the children
are paid are the hours they spend in school. By going to school and
learning they, too, are benefiting the community, so that their labor is
also for the general good.
When school is over, children who wish to do so can wait on table in the
community dining-hall, and then they earn more time-checks.
These checks can be exchanged at the general store for goods, the prices
of articles not being reckoned at so many cents but at so many hours of
labor.
The Ruskin people seem to be hopeful that they have solved the problem
of living.
A similar experiment is to be tried under the management of Eugene Debs.
He is the man who led the strikers in Chicago, got into trouble with the
authorities, and was finally sent to prison.
Debs proposes to start a co-operative town in the West, taking one
hundred thousand men and women along with him to settle it.
He is going to build factories and start all kinds of industries, which
are to belong to all the people in common, the profits and the losses to
be shared by all the citizens alike.
Peace and prosperity are promised to all who will enter this ideal town.
It will be interesting to watch the experiment and see just what results
can be achieved.
* * * * *
Foreign governments are beginning to be heard from on the subject of the
annexation of Hawaii.
A member of the English House of Commons has asked the Government
whether it intends to allow this very important coaling-station to pass
out of its reach without protest.
The Secretary of the Foreign Office replied that no decision had as yet
been reached by the United States, and therefore the Government did not
see that any action was necessary at present.
The Secretary went on to state that the English ministers would be
careful that none of the rights of British subjects were interfered
with.
Russia, on her part, has stated that she thinks that the annexation of
Hawaii may be followed by the seizure of Cuba, and considers it a step
very dangerous to Europe. She will not, however, join with Japan in her
protest.
A report was circulated that Spain and Japan were forming an alliance to
resist the annexation of the Sandwich Islands, but this report has been
denied.
The German Emperor is said to have declared that he fears the
interference of the United States with European affairs if she is
allowed to extend her territory in this way.
With all these more or less unfriendly comments there has been but the
one serious objection to the project, and that has come from Japan.
The State Department has replied to the protest from the Japanese
minister. The Department refuses to allow the claim that the treaty
between Japan and Hawaii was a perpetual treaty. The refusal was based
on the grounds that we gave you last week.
The Japanese protest also declares that there are twenty-five thousand
of her people resident in the Sandwich Islands who have earned the right
to become citizens, and our Government is asked what it proposes to do
about these people in case the treaty is ratified.
In replying to this point the State Department refused to give any
definite answer, saying that it was a matter to be settled by Congress
or the courts.
This reply was sent to the Japanese minister, who immediately cabled it
to his Government.
The next step in this matter must be taken by Japan, and there is a good
deal of anxiety as to what it will be.
The arrival of the steamer from Honolulu was eagerly watched for, as it
was thought that the news from Hawaii might give some idea of the temper
of the Japanese.
Every one was therefore very delighted to learn that the Japanese had
taken no aggressive steps.
The steamer brought news of a slight alarm in Honolulu, but it had
amounted to nothing.
A report had been spread that the Japanese warship _Naniwa_ was about to
land her marines and take possession of the Hawaiian Government
buildings and custom-house.
The news soon reached Admiral Beardslee, who is in command of the
cruiser _Philadelphia_.
Since the _Philadelphia_ has been in port the Admiral has held weekly
drills of the crews of his own ship, and also of the _Marion_, which has
long been on the Hawaiian station.
At the time the news reached him, the crews were ashore drilling.
The Admiral sent an order for them to hurry back to their ships and be
in readiness to prevent any such action on the part of the Japanese.
When the Japanese minister heard of the matter, he made light of it, and
declared that there had never been any idea of landing marines from the
Japanese warship.
The people of Honolulu say that the report was true nevertheless, and
that the prompt action of Admiral Beardslee prevented it from being
carried out.
It seems that the Japanese minister in Hawaii is maintaining that he has
not yet received any reply to his letter to the Hawaiian Government.
He absolutely declines to regard Mr. Cooper's letter, which was
published in the papers before it reached him, as a reply to his
official communication.
* * * * *
Prince Henry of Orleans has arrived safely at the court of Menelik of
Abyssinia, and has been received by him.
Menelik is described by Prince Henry as an intelligent, good-humored
man, of about forty years of age. His skin is dark, but not nearly so
black as has been stated.
The Prince found him an agreeable person, much interested in foreign
affairs, and he asked so many intelligent questions about the government
of foreign countries that his visitor was astonished. This savage
monarch knew all about the struggle between Japan and China, and
realized the immense progress the Japanese had made since the war.
Menelik questioned the Prince about the French President, and seemed
fully acquainted with everything concerning him. He had also heard of
the Prince's voyages, and was extremely interested in his Chinese trip,
asking many questions about the way the people lived in China, their
manufactures and their food.
This information is particularly interesting when we realize that
Menelik is the king of a savage nation. There are no schools or books in
his country, no manufactories or railroads,--indeed, little civilization
of any kind.
In the heart of the wilderness this man has made himself familiar with
the doings of the outer world, and has made his power felt among the
great nations.
The friendship of this savage is necessary to the great Powers of
Europe, and he is well aware of this fact, and is striving to make his
knowledge of practical value for the advancement of his people.
[Illustration]
It is toward Africa that the Powers of Europe are turning their
attention at the present day. England, France, Germany, and Italy are
all seeking to plant colonies there, and gather its riches for
themselves.
For years the various countries have had their way in Africa and have
pursued their conquests practically unchecked.
The few savage tribes that have resisted have been mastered with more or
less difficulty, and the country has been settled by the conquerors.
No nation had been met with that was strong enough to check the onward
march of Europe, until Menelik, Negus of Abyssinia, defeated the
Italians at the battle of Adowa, and showed Europe that he, at least,
intended to bring the conquerors to terms.
Since this battle all the nations interested in Africa have been seeking
the friendship of this swarthy monarch.
England finds it necessary to make a friend of him, lest in her wars
with the Mahdi's followers, in the Soudan, she have Menelik also against
her.
France and Italy both need the alliance of this powerful king, else they
will not be able to maintain the colonies they have already established.
Most of the African rulers have been won over with presents of beads and
gaudy ornaments, but Menelik belongs to a different class. He has
studied and tried to fathom the intricacies of European government, and
if he gives his friendship to the nations that are suing for it, it will
be in exchange for benefits much more substantial than the Europeans
have been accustomed to give.
* * * * *
Steady progress has been made with the Tariff Bill, and it is expected
that it will be passed within a very few days.
An attempt has been made to put a provision against Trusts in the bill.
The proposed clause would make it unlawful for people to combine
together to restrain free competition or to increase the market price of
materials. All materials unfairly increased in price are to be forfeited
to the United States, and it is to be the duty of the Attorney-General
to enforce all laws against Trusts, and to do all in his power to
suppress them.
It is thought that it will be difficult to add this clause to the bill,
but every effort will be made to accomplish it.
Mr. Sherman expressed himself very strongly on the subject of Trusts the
other day.
He said that in his belief the question of Trusts was the most important
one before the nation to-day.
He said that the Trust Law was not strong enough in its present form,
and that he was in favor of making all combinations that restrained
trade unlawful.
He declared that even if the effect of Trusts was to lower prices, he
considered them injurious to the public good, because they prevented
competition and drove the smaller men out of business.
The Tobacco Trust trial has resulted in a disagreement of the jury.
* * * * *
A wonderful diving-bell is being tried in the Great Lakes.
We described the method of using diving-bells in a previous number, but
this new invention is built on an entirely different plan, and can
accomplish results never before dreamed of.
The kind formerly made could not withstand the pressure of the water at
any very great depth. No machine had been invented capable of bearing
this strain until the new Smith bell was tried.
This bell has worked successfully in two hundred feet of water, and it
is claimed can withstand the pressure at a much greater depth.
The most remarkable thing about the bell is that it can move about under
the water, instead of merely being let down to remain in one place like
an ordinary diving-bell.
Attached to its cage are four long arms, which can be moved about at
will by the persons in the bell.
With the aid of these arms the huge machine can move from place to place
like a great spider.
The arms can also be drawn together like pincers, and made to grip
objects and carry them up to the surface.
The interior of the bell is lighted by electricity. Outside it carries a
large headlight, which enables those in the bell to see around them for
a distance of a hundred feet.
Experiments have been made in the Great Lakes with this bell, and its
first practical work has been to locate the exact position of the
steamer _Pewabic_, which was wrecked in Lake Michigan thirty-two years
ago.
Many attempts have been made to find this steamer because she was laden
with a cargo of copper ingots, and had besides a large sum of money on
board, the two together amounting to about $140,000.
All attempts had, however, been unsuccessful until the Smith bell was
used. The steamer was found lying in one hundred and sixty feet of
water.
To prove the truth of the find, portions of the wreck were brought to
the surface.
The success in Lake Michigan has determined the owner of the diving-bell
to try and raise the North German Lloyd steamer _Elbe_, which was
wrecked off the coast of England in 1895.
The owners of the _Elbe_ have already spent about fifty thousand dollars
in efforts to recover their vessel.
The position of the ship was located by divers, who, at a depth of one
hundred and seventy-one feet, found the upper works of the steamer.
These men, however, declare that it is utterly impossible to raise the
ship.
The _Elbe_ had a valuable cargo and a large amount of gold on board. The
owners of the diving-bell are determined to make the effort to raise her
and secure for themselves the immense reward offered.
They intend to remove the cargo first and then raise the hull, if it is
possible to do so.
They are very hopeful of success, and say that the task does not appear
to them any more difficult than the raising of the cargo of the
_Pewabic_ which latter task they are sure of accomplishing.
* * * * *
On the 24th of June there was a celebration in Halifax, Nova Scotia, of
the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of the mainland of
America.
A tablet was placed in the Parliament building in honor of John Cabot,
who four hundred years ago sailed from Bristol, England, and finally
reached the shores of Newfoundland.
An endeavor was made to make the celebration a general one throughout
Canada and the United States, but this was found to be impracticable.
Cabot's voyage could not be made of the same importance as that of
Columbus.
The foundation-stone of a monument to Cabot was laid in his native town
of Bristol on the same day that the celebration took place in Halifax.
* * * * *
Lieutenant Peary has started on another Polar expedition, and feels
hopeful that this time he will be able to reach the Pole.
His plans for his trip are much the same as those of Dr. Nansen; that is
to say, he will establish little colonies of Eskimos at certain
distances along his route, leaving supplies with each colony, which he
can fall back on in case of need.
He intends to keep up a constant communication with these settlements by
means of dogs and sledges, so that he will not be entirely cut off from
the world as previous explorers have been.
Lieutenant Peary has obtained five years' leave of absence from the Navy
Department. He will therefore have plenty of time for his experiment. He
says that if he fails the first time he will keep on trying until he
succeeds in reaching the Pole.
There is a story that one of the men who expect to go north with
Lieutenant Peary has a scheme for reaching the Pole on a bicycle.
This seems to be the strangest use thus far suggested for the bicycle.
Mr. Lee, who is the inventor of this novel plan, was with Lieutenant
Peary on his last trip.
He says that there are miles and miles of smooth surface in the Polar
regions that could easily be covered on a wheel.
According to his statement the water freezes smoothly, and the salt
crystals that form on the top of the ice make the surface like a
gravelled path, and there is consequently no danger that the wheel would
slip.
He says that where the snow covers the ice it is pounded so hard by the
winds that the crust is quite solid enough to bear the weight of a man.
In his opinion a wheelman would find no difficulty in travelling over
it.
He thinks wheeling to the Pole is the simplest and most practical plan
that has yet been proposed.
If he goes with Lieutenant Peary, Mr. Lee declares that he will take his
wheel along with him and make the experiment. He thinks that a man could
wheel to the Pole and back from the north of Greenland in one week.
The great difficulty in the way of his scheme is that it would not be
safe for one man to make the trip alone.
He thinks that at least half a dozen ought to start together. In those
far northern lands the fewer white men there are in a party the better
its chance of success, because they require so much more food than the
Eskimos, and it has to be of a more dainty character. Where provisions
are so scarce, this is a serious consideration.
Mr. Lee says that the present pneumatic tires would not be of the
slightest use, as rubber cracks and splits with the extreme cold. He has
a plan for a new kind of tire that could withstand the climate.
* * * * *
We saw an account the other day of a new sport for the wheel, which is
being indulged in by the cyclists of England and France.
It is called bicycle duelling, and consists of fighting mock duels on
the wheel.
It is said by those who have witnessed it to be a very interesting
sport.
The contestants are masked; use foils with buttons on the points, and
fight according to the strict rules of fencing. The game is won by
touching the adversary over the heart with the sheathed point of the
foil.
In fencing, a man has to keep his eye closely on his adversary, and
dares not allow his attention to be distracted for a moment. It is
therefore absolutely necessary that those who engage in a bicycle duel
should be expert riders.
The mimic battle begins by the two riders circling slowly round each
other, waiting for an opportunity to dash in and strike a blow.
This circling continues for a few moments until one darts forward--the
foils clash, and the aggressor passes swiftly on, only to turn and
recommence the circling until he sees another opportunity.
They fight in this way, back and forth, round and round, until the final
touch is given; then the cyclist who is touched is obliged to dismount,
as a sign that he has been defeated.
This pastime is particularly popular in France, where fencing forms a
part of every young man's education.
* * * * *
We have had several inquiries about the George Junior Republic at
Freeville, and are pleased to say that the young citizens are being
received there in as large numbers as the funds will permit.
It might interest our readers to know that any one sending $15 to Mr.
A.G. Agnew, Treasurer of the George Junior Republic, 7 Nassau Street,
New York, can give a ten-weeks' holiday to one poor little lad of the
streets.
It is a very small amount of money to do so much good with, and it is to
be hoped that people who have $15 to spare will send it to the Junior
Republic to help the good work along.