Evening Star Newspaper, December 31, 1896, Page 11

THE EVENING STAR, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1896—12 PAGES. —6Qut Today! The Evening Star’s ALMANAC AND ELAN DIBOOK For 1897, Within its covers is hidden a ver= itable mine of useful information, em= bracing all sorts of interesting sub- jects, statistics on national and local government, as well as answers to a thousand and one questions that arise every day in the entire year. A complete reference book of political, social, torical facts carefully compiled and thoroughly revised up to date. Every person in the District of Columbia should possess a copy of this admira- ble book! ZO C. a Copy. All News Dealers and at the Counting Room of the Evening Star. Prof. W Noted Murderer Was. The American Folk Lore Society, which held its eighth annual meeting in Hamilton Hall, Columbia College, New York, Tues- day, heard the true story of “Bluebeard,” that terror of the nursery, and even of men and women who think of the many murders attributed to him in prose and Prof. Thomas Wilson of Washing- was the narrator, and the vouchers for its truth, he says, are to be found among the peasants of Brittany, where he spent several years. The people of the province of Brittany,” said Prof. Wilson, in the New York Times’ report of the session, “believe, almost in- that ‘Bluebeard’ lived in their prov- According to them, he was Gilles de the latter part of the name being n Gilles de Rats was and of a family that was of the world. Brittany m a part of France. jeprived by death of his f. lived many years after that. ; rding to the theory of the country, the mother was not fit to care for her male children, and young Gilles and his brother came under the care of his maternal grand- father. ‘The grandfather's fir fer a wife for ¢ step was to look about . and the young fellow was a husband when he was sixteen hi and @ hal years old. His wife lived many years after him, and she never complained of having been ill treated. “War came on with the English, and, under command of his grandfather, Gilles became a soldier. His record was one of gallantry and quick advancement. In 1429 me dean of the nobles of Brittany. royal request he went soon after that to meet Charies VII of France. That was about the time of the advent into history of Joan of Are. He became a member of her . a captain, if I remember the By coronation of Charles he was » a marshal of France, but he did not remain in that country long. He went back to Brittany, rich and ready for en- joyment. He owned half a dozen castles and spent money with the greatest extrav- agance. “His income finally fell far short of be- ing sufficient for his expensive tastes, and some plan to make money had to be re- sorted to. He changed his plan of life en- trely. He sought for the so-called philos- opher’s stone. He became a miser. About that time he met an Itallan priest who had Into trouble and who claimed to be an hemist. They worked day and night in a gloomy castle, but success did not come. “Finally the priest persuaded him that to attain what they sought it would be nec- essary that they should have the flesh and blood, particularly the latter, of innocent ng men and women. Then began that er of crime that causes older people to i 1 the story of which Is used to yo oriazed neighbors at last took ection. eard, the priest and their assistant were rested. They were tried and con- vieted by the church authorities, and then by the secular courts. They were sen- tenced to be burned. Bluebeard had a dream, in which a spirit told him that he should be hanged. He requested that form of execution, and the favor was half granted. “He and the priest and the servant were ged, and just as they were expiring were lighted under the gibbet. Even y the peasants of Brittany will point out to you, trembling, the spot where Blue- beerd met his rightecus doom.” The Folk Lore Society heard many more stories during the session from 9 o'clock to 5 o'clock, but none that kept the attention of the members at higher attention than this Dr. Robert M. Lawrence of Lexington, Mass., presented a wonderful budget of lore, legend and fancy about common salt. Miss Alice C. Fletcher of Washington read a paper on “Ceremonial Hair Cutting Among the Omahas and Related Tribes.” Dr. Franz Boas of Columbia University told a legend of Alaska, which he found in Practically the same form in Nova Scotia and the middle parts of North America. W. W. Newell of Cambridge, Mass, had for a subjec: the legend of the Holy Grail; Harlan I. Smith of New York related an Ojibwa myth; the Rev. W. S. Scarborough, colored minister, gave examples of negro iy music, and Stansbury Hagar of lyn told Micmac weather stories. The society elected these officers: Prest- dent, Stewart Culin, University of Pennsyl- Vania; first vice president, Dr. Henry Wood, Baltimore; second vice president, Dr. Franz Boas, Coiumbia University: sec retary, W. W. Newall of Cambridge, Mas: treasurer, John H. Hunton of New York city. MASSACRE << NEAR HAVANA. People of Gu: bacon Being Killed for the Insurgent Raids. A letter to the New York Journal from Guznabacoa, Cuba, December 28, via Key West, says: Vengeance ‘is being wreaked, and remorselessly, on the people of Guana- bacoa for the raids which the insurgents have been committing almost with impun- ity on this suburb of Havana, not further Gistant from the capital than Brooklyn ts from New York. Fondesviela, the new military commander, has literally terroriz- ed the town. He had not been here twenty- four hours before seven native Cubans, who were suspected of sympathy with the revolution, were seized and macheted with- out trial or other formality. The victims of this massacre were: Pedro and Tomas Sotolongo, brothers; Julio Pastoriza; Julio Morales, belonging to one of Cub: families dertakers; Ygnacto Valenzuela. Arrests have followed arrests since with startling rapidity. What has been Jone with all the prisoners, however, is the most alarming thing in connection with Fondesviela’s work. Many of them are be- lieved to have suffew@d the fate of the vic- tims of the massacre that so quickly fol- lowed his taking command here. The reign of terror has been responsible for a general exodus of native Cuban famt- Hes able to get away. Some have trans- ferred their homes to Havana, across the bay. Others have sacrificed their belong- ings for a song and are séeking passports to leave the Island. One of Spain's Butchers. Fondesviela has proved more merciless in town than he has been fn the field, and his reputation as a butcher of pacificos with- out regard to age, sex or condition, only providing that they are native Cubans, is almost equal to Melquizo's. Fondesviela, in fact, has already made just such a repu- tation for himself here as Weyler did when a youthful subordinate in the ten years’ war, under the cruel Valmaseda. There were many executions yesterday— it is impossible to learn how many. Luis Talatero and Jose Arbelo, a coachman, are known to have been of the number killed. The people of tho place who are mys- |*, terlously missing and are supposed by their families and friends to have been summarily and secretly dealt with make a long st. Among them are Jose Carri- mo of Concepcion street, E. Cisneros of Corral Falso street and twelve others, who were arrested yesterday; Francisco Hernandez, Jose de la L. Herrera and six other residents of Cojimar Beach and Pancho Delabat, a local base ball star. Former Mayor a Victim. Enrique Gutrel, municipal doctor and formerly mayor of Guanabacoa, also came under the ban. He was arrested and his house ransacked for incriminating evi- dence. Valuables were taken at the same time, and it is now announced that the doctor will spend the rest of his days at one of the dread penal settlements in Africa. Another of Fondesviela’s startling crimes was the murder of a grocer of Corral Falso street, a native Cuban. His clerk, seek- ing revenge, said to the commander that his employer was aiding the rebels. Fon- desviela unhesitatingly accepted the lad’s statement, and the next day the man was taken to Jata and killed. "It is understood that Major Mauieri has handed Fondesviela a lst of 400 suspects. ——+ 0+ The Star Almanac. The Evening Star Alroanac for '9{ is now ready. To be had at The Star office, at news stands or sent by mail upon receipt of price—25 cents. wakes IOS Test Big Fire at Nelsonville, Ohio. The factory of the welsonville Sewer Pipe’ Company burned yesterday, throwing 150 men out %f employment for the winter. io fully $100,000; partly covered by in- 11 REVIEW OF THE YEAR Events That Will Distinguish the Last Twelve Months. - - PROGRESS OF SCIENCE AND OF WAR Issues Settled in the American and Canadian Elections. TRIUMPH OF DIPLOMACY The past year has been a momentous one. Importart questions have agitated many peoples, battles have been fought, political campaigns have been waged. Elections won; political policies overturned; discover- ies made by daring adventurers and pains- taking students; great. disasters have wrcught ruin and death. Amid the mass of events the following seem to stand out with greatest distinctness as being those that will make the year memorable: The presidential campaign and election. Cuba’s revolt and American sympathy. General election in Canada. The Manitoba question. Settlement of the Venezuelan dispute. Soudan expedition. Italy's flesco in Abyssinia, Dr. Jameson's raid. St. Louis’ cyclone. Nansen’s expedition. Discovery of X rays. THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN AND ELECTION. Long before the republican national con- vention at St. Louis, June 16, it became evident that William McKinley of Ohio would be the presidential nominee, and pub- lic interest centered in the action to be taken on the money question. Mr. McKin- ley’s nomination was opposed by ex-Sen- ator Platt of New York, who favored Gov. Morton of that state; Mr. Manley of Maine, who espoused Speaker Reed’s cause; Mr. Clarkson of Iowa, who piloted Senator Al- lison’s movement, and Senator Quay of Pennsylvania, who managed his own cam- paign. Nevertheless, on the first ballot, Mr. McKinley was nominated by 661% votes against a combined total of 240% for his opponents. Mr. Garret A. Hobart cf New Jersey was nominated for Vice President by 535% votes to 277% votes for Henry C. Evans of Tennessee, 39 for Morgan G. Bulkley of Connecticut, 24 for James A. Walker of Virginia. A straight gold-stand- ard plank was adopted by the committee on resolutions by 40 to 11, and reported to convention, which adopted it py 12% to 110% votes. Senator Teller of Colorado submit- ted a substitute for the gold plank, favor- ing the free coinage of silver, and spoke at length, declaring that he could not sur- render his convictions and rather than ac- cept the gold plank would withdraw from the republican party. On the adoption of the goid plank Senator Cannon of Utah read a protest signed by many of the silver men, and twentytwo of the delegates re- tired from the hall, constituting the first bolt from a republican convention since 1872. The action of the silver delegates created the wildest excitement, and up to the time of the democratic national con- vention there seemed to be a prospect that the democrats would coalesce with bolting republicans and select Senator Teller as their candidate, for it was as evident that the democrats would adopt a free sil- ver plank as it was that the republicans would nominate McKinley. Silver was adopted by 662 to 334. The debate that preceded this action was a long and in- sely exciting one. tit was then that William J. Bryan de- Ivered the speech that threw the gathering into a tumult of enthusiasm which later took effect in his nomination. Five ballots were taken, Richard P. Bland of Missouri leading on the first, and followed by W. J. Bryan, R. E. Pattison, Horace Boies, Sena- tor Blackburn of Kentucky and Governor Matthews of Indiana. New York’s dele- gates refrained from voting, and New Jer- sey cast only two votes. In other gold slates a smail proportion only voted. Bry- an gained thereafter, and was nominated on the fifth ballot by 5, Bland 106, Boies 26, Matthews 31, Pattison 95, Stevenson 8, Hill 1, Turple 1, and 162 not voting. Ar- thur Sewall of Maine was nominated for Vice President, also cn the fifth ballot. On the first Joseph C. Sibley of Pennsylvania led, followed by John R. McLean, Sewall, Williams (Mass.), Bland, Clark, Williams du.), Harrity, Boies, Lewis, Daniel and Teller. The number not voting on the final ballot was 235. On July 22 the populist na- tional convention met at St. Louis, and the vote on permanent chairman indicated that those favoring the indorsement of Bryan were in the majority, but the opposition was large and determined. In order to pre- vent a bolt from these ‘middie-of-the-road” men, it was decided to nominate the Vice President first. The opposition to Sewall as a national banker was so great as to de- feat him, and Thos. E. Watson of Georgia was selected. Mr. Bryan was nominated for the first place by an overwhelming ma- jority. The national silver party conven- tion was held at St. Louis simultaneously with the populist, and Bryan and Sewail were nominated without opposition. The democrats who were unwilling to support the free silver platform of the Chicago convention held a convention at Indianap- olis September 2. All of the states but W oming, Utah, Idaho and Nevada were rep- resented. A gold standard, anti-protective tariff platform was adopted, and Senator Palmer of Illinois was nominated for Presi- dent and Gen. Simon B. Buckner of Ken- tucky for Vice President. Joshua Levering of Maryland was nominated for President by the prohibitionists, and Charles H. Matchett of New York by the soclalist-la- bor party. ‘he political campaign that fol- lowed has never been exceeded, if equaled, in interest in this country. Mr. Bryan aroused the supporters of free silver by a tour through the country, speaking from his car platform at many small places, be- sides the halls in the larger cities. On the other hand, the republicans organized pil- grimages to Canton, Ohio, the home of Mr. McKinley. The democratic campaign was managed by Senator J. K. Jones of Arkan- sas, while Mark A. Hanna, a leading Cleve- land business man, directed affairs for the republicans. November 7 the election was held, and a total vote of 13,950,365 was cast. This was an increase of about 1,840,- 000 over the vote of 1802. Mr. McKinley carried twenty-three states, giving htm 273 electoral votes. and Mr. Bryan twenty-two states, securing 175 electoral votes. While both parties increased their vote over 1802, the increase made by the republicans was enorm: The republicans cast 7,112,481 votes and the democrats 6,365,731, | giving he republicans a majority of 740,730. Pal- mer polled 132,507, Levering 127,595, Match- ett 46,804, Bryan and Watson 152,412. THE CUBAN WAR. ‘The Spanish appear to be no nearer the accomplishment of their effort to subdue the insurgents in Cuba than they were a year ago. The former continue to hold the fortified towns and the latter the country. Captain General Weyler professes to have confidence that he will speedily overco-ne all opposition, and his latest announced plan is to starve out his opponeuts. He has concentrated his efforts on the province of Pinar del Rio, the westernmost of the prov- inces, and proposes to so lay waste the country that the insurgents can obtai no supplies. The country, however. iz moun- tainous, and the mountains are held by the imsurgents, who claim that they have enough supplies on securé table 13 sustain them for months ‘The past y has been passed in numerous skirmishes; only rarely have the forces onthe insur- gent side numbered a thousand. Numerous filibustering expeditions are said to have reached the insurgents, supplying with arms and ammunition. The Three Friends, Bermuda, Laurada and the City of Richmond are mentioned as the vessels that have rendered aid tu the insurgents and are said to have left our ports. The government revenue vessels nave main- talned a close watch, but the filiburters have used remarkable cunning. Frequent prosecutions have followed suspicion of vio- lations of the neutrality Jaws, hut oniy in the case of the Horsa has there ‘@ con- viction. The successful landing of many expeditions greatly aroused Spanish hos- tility to the United States and many anti- American ange a This was afterward modified, on Secretary Olney’s remonstrance, so as to allow the aroused great feel- minated. The Com- tering party to Cu- the Cuban coast, with five men. They were tried and con- demned to death. The United States pro- tested, claiming that as the men were not captured with arms if hand they were en- titled to a civil trial. Mr. Morgan urged in the Senate that vessejg be sent to Havana to demand the release of the prisoners. But the affair, on being referred to Madrid, was decided in Favor the American con- tention, and the senteli¢e was set eside and a civil trial directed. #3 The Presidemt isstted a proclamation warning citizens Sesipet, violating the neu- trality laws by consp! Hi 1g to aid the insur- gents. The administratfon desired to show that it was doing all it could to fulfill its international obligations. The sensation of the year in Cuba has been the death of the insurgent general, Antonio Maceo. many conflicting reports have come of the circumstances surrounding his death that many hesitate to believe any of the state- ments. The Spanish profess to believe that his removal has been.a deathblow to the insurgent but the latter assert that the revolt has only gained greater strength through the reports of double dealing which it is claimed was the only way by which Maceo could have been slain. On the meeting of the American Congress the question of recognition of Cuban belliger- ency, which had been declared advisable in @ concurrent resolution tn the spring, was again brought tothe front. The Sen- ate committee on foreign relations reported a joint resolution by Mr. Cameron favoring recognition of the independence of Cuba. A new chapter was added by Secretary Olney who came out with a declaration that even if Congress should pass the resolution over the President’s veto, the latter would not be obliged to heed it, contending that the recognition of another country was the prerogative of the President. This as- sumption by the Secretary diverted atten- tion from the Cuban question to a discus- sion of the rights of the executive and the degislative departments under the federal Constitution. Meanwhile gthe Cameron resolution has gore over Sant after the holiday recess. THE VENEZUELAN CONTROVERSY. The long dispute over the boundary line between British Guiana and Venezuela seems likely to be nearing an end, through the successful negotiations of Great Brit- ain and this country during the past year. An agreement has been reached as to the details of a treaty of arbitration between Great Britain and Venezuela. As there has been no diplomatic intercourse be- tween Great Britain and Venezuela, this country has acted as the “best friend’ of the South American republic. Two axr- biters are to be chosen by Great Britain and two by the United States, the King of Norway and Sweden to be the fifth, ‘and they will decide the disputed question. Fifty years’ occupancy of territory will remove it from the domain of dispute. Advices from Venezuela are to the effect that that country views with pleasure the Prospect of a speedy termination of the controversy. The treaty will be acted upon soon by a special session of the Vene- zuelan congress. It is not expected that there will be any formidable opposition. The happy termination of the negotiations has much encouraged those who have been laboring for a permanent treaty of arbi- trating disputes between this country and Great Britain. The boundary commission appointed by the President to study the subject of the Venezuelan boundary has been in regular session and has completed its labors, but has net submitted a report. An expert was sent,to.Holland, who ex- amined the Dutch records and submitted the result of his inveStigations. sults of the commissién’s labors. will be available for the userofthe arbiters when Venezuela has approved the proposed treaty, so that its labor ,will not be wasted. ITALIAN WAR‘IN ABYSSINIA, The disastrous campaign of the Italians in their efforts to estabjish a protectorate over Abyssinia demotistrated the efficiency of semi-ctvilized bead ’‘armed with mod- directed by European ern weapons and officers. Abyssinia ig;am-empire in eastern Africa. The reigning emperor, called the Negus Negustl, is “Menelek II, King of Shoa, who established? himself on the throne in 1889, with Ttalian aid, as success- or to Johannes II. ‘BY a treaty made by him May 2, 1889, and confirmed in the fol- lowing October, Italy acquired a nominal protectorate over Abyssinia, and this coun- try is recognized /as. within. the Italian sphere of influence in conventions made with Great Britain, and has been acknowl- edged to be so by Germany, but the negus since repudiated or dented the agreement, and both Russia and Frange refused to recognize the Italian protectorate. Russia, as protector of the Alexandrian church, claims to have special interest in Abys- sinia. In March last, in thelr efforts to establish their authority in Abyssinia by foree, the Italians suffered a defeat which shook Italy as no event has done since the unification. Over 7,000 Italians were slain. Gen. Baritieri, the Itallan com- mander in Abyssinia, was led into a trap. The Shoans pretended to retreat before the Italian advance until the troops were well within the passes leading to Adowa, the capital of Tigre. Then the scene changed. The Shoans, armed with the improved French military rifles and supported by modern artillery, directed by French ar- tillerymen, advanced upon the Italians in overwhelming strength, while the passes became alive with natives, who huried rocks down upon the soldiers, while others kept up a terrible fire upon the troops. Then began the most disastrous defeat in the history of African warfare. The Shoans pressed on after the soldiery, cut- ting them down in great numbers, in spite of repeated formations of squares. The troops in these stands behaved with gal- lantry, but the reserve ammunition was captured and the Italian provisions and artillery fell into the hands of the enem: Great excitement ensued when the news reached Italy. Riots and tumult followed and the Crispi ministry resigned. Peace was shortly after conchided, and the Ital- ians, after concluding a treaty with King Menelek, sailed for home. ‘The radicals in the Italian parliament demanded the im- peachment of ex-Premier Crispi as charge- able with the disasters to the army, but the Rudini ministry reje2ted the demand and were sustained. Gen. Baritierl was tried by court-martial, but was exonerated. OOL QUESTION. The Manitoba school question, which has more than once during the past three years tnreatened a disruption of the Canadian confederation, has been settled on terms which, it is hoped, will be sufficiently sat- isfactcry to both sides to put an end to con- troversy. The following are the main features of the terms of settlement, which have been accepted by the Manitoba government, and will be embodied shorfly in an act of the legislature of that body, viz: “Religious teaching js to be conducted in the public schools (1):if authorized by a resolution passed by any school trustece, or (2) if a petition be-pregented to the board of school trustees asking for religious teaching and sign the parents or guardians of at leas{ tén children attend- ing the school in a ruralvdistrict or by the parents or guardians oft at least twenty- five children attending-'échool in a city, town or village.” i School work of a purely secular character will occupy the whgle f the school day except the last halfchour, when the repre- sentative of any rell, denomination will be allowed to come th and instruct the chil- dren belonging to his denomination, pro- vided the parents .ang-wiWing to have them remain. In cases where the people decide not to haye this raicigys instruction, the regular school work: wi go on until the close of the school hyurs. The proviso that fs intgnded to make the schools acceptable the minority is that districts having anjayerage attendance of twenty-five Roman ‘Gatholic school children shall be entitled to re,@ teacher of their own. denomination, tust be fully qual- ified according to provincial national school — in districts where the children speak French wholly, they are to have a teacher speaking both English and French, so that they will learn English as rapidly as pos- sible. The readers used in such schools will be bi-lingual, so that the children will iretsug up from the first accustomed to Eng- CONSERVATIVE DEFEAT IN CANADA, One of the most exciting’ political cam- ernment was fought this year in Canada, and asa result ofthe election that fol- lowed the bay) eight de ‘Were turned out, after holding the reins of government since the regime-of Alexander Mackenzie, which ended with the elections of 1878. It:is:the second time inthe history of ihe dominion that a liberal ministry has been returned to | The one desire of the people here is for fair power. Led by Sir John A. Macdonald, the conservatives won five of the six general elections between 1867 and 1891. His successors also retained power, but with a weaker hold. The general elections were held June 23, and resulted in an em- phatic Hberal victory. That party, led by Wilford Laurier, secured a majority of 30 over the conservatives, led by Sir Charles Tupper. While the question of the restora- tion of separate Catholic schools in Mant- toba excited the greatest amount of feel- ing, it is admitted that the main issue was not the Manitoba question. but the tariff. Sir Charles Tupper distinctly championed @ protective tariff, and, while it was held to be the patriotic dut} of the government to adhere to the policy they have adopted in relation to the Manitoba school ques- tion, no stress was laid upon that matter. Laurier, on the other and, declared for “the reduction of the tariff as far as the necessities of the revenue will permit, with the complete elimination of every feaiure of the tariff having a distinctively protective character.” No hostility to the Maniioba Catholics’ claims was enunciated. On the contrary, he declared for the “strict ob- servance of the terms of the federal com- pact.” A doctiment was issued by the bishops of the province of Quebec urging all Catholics to vote for candidates who would do justice to Manitoba and restore the separate schools. These instructions were read in all the Catholic churches in the province of Quebec. It is claimed that the leaning of the document was to the side of the conservatives, but the document itself in plain terms disavowed any attempt to influence votes for either political party. At any rate, the liberal victory in the prov- ince was decisive. The Hberal members from the province were increased from 34 to 48. Outside of Quebec the conservatives led slightly. A feature of the election was the gaining by the liberals of representa- tives from many of the cities, such as Montreal, Toronto, Hamilton, Queb2<, Hali- fax, Kingston, Vancouver and St. Jobn. The Laurier ministry having formulated a plan of settling the Manitoba question, which has been accepted by the Manitoba government, the only task that awaits him is the revision of the tariff. Although an ardent free trader, he will go to work ccn- servatively, and whatever will be done will be done slowly. The necessity of raising revenue by custom dues will prevent any radical reductions in the tari~ for some time to come. THE SOUDAN CAMPAIGN. - Early in the spring began the Anglo- Egyptian expedition into the country of the Khalifa, the successor of the Mahdi. Egypt claims sovereignty over the Soudan and it was to establish this that the ex- pedition was formed. Troops were trans- ported up the Nile by light. draft. stern- wheel steamers, Sir H. H. Kitchener, com- manding the expedition, having decided against a march across the desert extend- ing from Suakim to Berber. Numerous small fights took place, in which the Khal- ifa’s followers were worsted and the Egyptian soldiers showed great steadiness. The first engagement of any size occurred at -Firkeh. The Arabs were badly beaten and 2,000 were killed. The Egyptian cav- alry then pushed on to Suardo, twenty miles further south, and half-way between Wady Halfa and New Dongola. It had been the advance post of the dervishes. The Egyptian force readily captured the place. The continued defeats of the der- vishes have been ascribed by some to the fact that there was lack of harmony among them and constant quarreling among bickering factions. The forward move- ment on Dongola, the objective point of the expedition this year, began in August. Fifteen thousand men marched by the tiver side, while a fieet of fifteen steam- boats, bearing cannon and. ammunition, and towing more than 200 other boats and barges filled with supplies, kept pace with them. Thus proceeded the march to Don- gola, distant less than 100 miles. Some op- Position was made by the dervishes at Hafir on the west bank of the Nile. The expeditionary forces bombarded the der- vish position and tne dervishes kept up a heavy fire in reply. The one dervish gunbcat was sunk. Thereupon three boats belcrging to the Egyptians ran through the dervish fire and proceeded to Dongola which was found to be undefended. Tie treasury and records of the dervishes were captured. Some time later General Kitch- ener made his formal entry into Dongola and occupied the Lown. The army will not go further this year. The success of the expedition thus far has been marked, and it Is corfidently believed that the subjuga- tion of the dervishes will follow. GREATER REPUBLIC OF CENTRAL AMERICA. The treaty of Amapala, upon which a new confederation has been founded in Central America, was finally ratified at San Salvador September 15 by representa- tlves of Salvador, Honduras and Nicara- gua. The new federation is called the Greater Republic of Central America. It was designed to include Costa Rica and Guatemala, but both refused to join. ST. LOUIS CYCLONE. No disaster since the great Johnstown flood of 1889 has equaled the cyclone that Swept through St. Louis on the night of May 27. Two storms approached the city from different directions, and, meeting, pro- duced the cyclone. The full effect was not felt at firsi, but was preceded by a violent wind storm, which swept through the city at the rate of elghty miles an hour. Then followed a deluge of rain, and amid light- ning and thunder the cyclone swept across the city. Crossing the river, the cyclone laid waste a large part of East St. Louis and wrecked a vast amount of shipping and many warehouses. For a distance of five miles, through the heart of the city, beginning at the river and extending to Compton hill, there was not a square in which a house was not damaged. This path was from five blocks to threc-cuar- ters of a mile in width. The loss and dam- age caused by the cyclone in St. Louis are estimated at from twenty to fifty millions, and half as much in East St. Louis. The deaths in St. Louis are estimated at 38s, and about 100 in the country districts ad- jacent. The injured in St. Louis are esti- mated at 1,000; in East St. Louis about 300. Congress authorized the Secretary of War to loan tents and extend relief to the sufferers, and numerous contributions were made throughout: the country. DR. JAMIESON’S RAID. While the incursion of Dr. Jamieson and his followers into the territory of the South African republic is generally regarded as an incident of the foreign protest against op- pression, there are many who believe that it was but a premature expression of the British ambition to extend England's colo- nial empire so as to include the whole of Central South Africa, from the Cape to the Zambesi, ard even to the lakes, where con- nection may be finally established with the outposts of British occupation which may result in a chain of communication between Cape Town and Cairo, in Egypt. The South African republic ts the result of British en- croachments upon the Dutch settlers, or Boers, by which they were forced across the river Vaal into the country of the Transvaal. Some settled in Natal, where they were soon outnumbered by British im- migrants; others founded the Orange Free State, while others went further north to the Limpopo. In 1877 Great Britain an- nexed the Transvaal, but three years later the Boers asserted their independence and im successive battles defeated the British. In 1881 the Gladstone ministry decided that the war was an unjust one and acknowl- edged the independence of the Boers under a British suzerainty. .The discovery of gold at Johannesburg in the Transvaal in the eighties greatly Increased the foreign popu- lation, who came with demands for rep- resentation in the government of the com- munity. The population of the Transvaal comprises about 15,000 adult Boers, 60,000 Uitlanders or foreigners and 250,000 Kafirs. The Uitlanders have been practically ex- cluded from the rights of citizenship. Twen- ty years’ residence is necessary to become a citizen, and the children of Uit!ander parents born in the country are aliens. Out of a population of 60,000 in Johannesburg there are only 300 voters. The Uitlanders have been the chief producers of- wealth end are the greatest taxpayers, yet they have been excluded from any voice in the geverament. The discontent among the foreigners at length found voice in the for- mation of a national union and the issuance of a manifesto setting forth their demands for representation. The first reform de- manded was the establishment of a “true republic.” Then j quirements. Int! it was form committee hed to Sir Hercules Robinscn, governor of Cape a tion, and sent a letter to Dr. Jamie- itratcr of Mashonaland, kim to bring “The letter said: called into existence all the elements for armed conflict, play, the maintenance of their indepen- dence and the preservation of those public Mberties without. which life is not worth living. The government denies these things and violates the national sense of English- men at every turn, * * * Should a dis- turbance arise here the circumstances are so extreme that we cannot but believe that you and the men under you will not fail to come to the rescue of people who will be so situated.” He was assured that only th: sternest necessity prompted the appeal. Dr Jamieson, with 700 men, drawn from the ferces of the South Africa Company, at once started to march to Johannesburg. They were constantly attacked by the Boers. who fired from cover, but pushed on to within six miles of Johannesburg. There they inade their final stand, and, their am- munition exhausted, and no sign of help ccming from their friends at Johannesburg, | they surreniered and were taken to Pre- teria. Meanwhile the agitation at Johan- nesburg had been quieted by promises of concessions to the Uitlanders. Great Bri- tain promptly disavowed the expedition, the colonial office, on the receipt of news that Jamieson had started, having sent or- ders for him to return. The British South Africa Company, of which Cecil Rhodes was managing director, stated that Dr. Jamieson had acted without authority. Rhodes, who was premi¢r of the Cape Colony, resigned. Over 50 arrests Were made at Johannesburg of members of the Reform Committee, John Hays Ham- mond, consulting mining engineer of the South Africa Company, being the most prominent American of the several that were arrested. Dr. Jamieson and his force were sent to England for trial. Great ex- citement was caused at about this time by the publication of a message of congratula- tion from the German emperor to President Kruger of the Transvaal, the English re- garding it as an ignoring of the British ciaims of suzerainty and a virtual proclama- tion of the independence of the Transvaal. The English declared they would have no foreign intervention in South Africa, appro- priating bodily the Monroe doctrine. It was explained that no indignity toward England was intended, and the “incident” was closed. The leaders of the reform committee were heavily fined and the oth- ers required to swear they would never again interfere in the affairs of the repub- ‘ic. The Transvaal government then pub- lished a series of cipher dispatches passing between Johannesburg and Cecil Rhodes’ South Africa Company, showing beyond a doubt that Cecil Rhodes was at the head of the movement to invade the Tran: President Kruger asked, indignant! “What must be thought of a person who egged on the dogs to fight ‘while he was setting quietly and unpunished? He, the man who had caused all the trouble, was Dr. Jamieson was sentenced to fif- teen months’ imprisonment and nis asso- clates were given shorter terms. -DR. NANSEN'S ACHIEVEMENT. Although it was in 1895 that Dr. Fridjot Nansen penetrated northward to latitude 86 degrees 15 minutes, nearly 200 miles nearer the north pole than any previous explorer, the fact was not known until this year, and his achievement can properly be recorded among the great events of the year. August 13 Dr. Nansen arrived at Vardo, Norway, after an absence of over three years in the polar regions. July 31, 1893, he had satled fr:'m the same port on the ship Fram to seek the current which he believed would carry his ship from north of the Sibertan coast across the pole to Greenland. In‘ his statement of his expe- rience he says: “As anticipated, our drift northwestward was most rapid during the winter and spring, while the northerly winds stopped or drifted us backward dur- ing the summer.” Dr. Nansen and Lieut. Dohansen left the Fram March 14, 1895, at 83 deg. 59 min. north and 102 deg. 27 min. east. Their purpose was to explore the sea to the north, reach the highest lattitude at- tainable and go to Spitzbergen via Franz Josef Land, where they felt sure of finding a ship. They took twenty-eight dogs,two sledges and tv.o kayaks or skin boats. The dog food was for thirty days, and they took provisions for one hundred days. Finally, April 7, he concluded, on account of the exceeding roughness of the ace, it would be unwise to continue the march further north, Nothing was to be seen but hummock beyond hummock of ice. They saw no sign of land. April 8 they began their march toward Franz Josef Land. Land was finally reached August 6, and it was decided to stop and prepare for winter, as it was too late to make the voyage to Spitz- bergen. A hut was bullt of stones, earth and moss, and a roof of walrus hide thrown over and tied down. Bears and walrus were shot, and both enjoyed good health throughout the winter. May 19, 1896, they were ready to start south. June 17 they met Mr. Jackson of the Jackson- Harmsworth expedition, who had wintered on Franz Josef Land, and August 7 the ex- plorers left on the Windward, belonging to that expedition, and reached Vardo, as al- ready stated. August 20 the Fram reached Norway, not having lost a single person and every one in good health. The geo- graphical results of the expedition have been summed up to consist in the determi- nation of the non-existence of land in an area of 50,000 square miles, and in the dis- covery of a deep sea to the north of the 79th parallel. While the question of a polar current was not settled, it was found that the ice drifted according to the direction of the winds. It was settled that the current, if it existed, conld not be relied upon to carry a ship to the pole. DISCOVERY OF X RAYS. The discevery of a peculiar light ray by Prof. Wm. Konrad Roénigen of the Uni- versity of Wurzburg, Bavaria, attracted the attention of the civilized world and has made the discoverer’s name immortal in sclenee. The discoverer modestly refused to call the new ray “the Roentgen ray,” but insisted on calling it, for brevity, the “X” or unknown ray, or exactly what it is he does not know. Its properties have been attentively studied ever since Profes- sor Roentgen described it before the Berlin Physical Society in January last. Nearly every one is now familiar with the pictures made by the new r: silhouettes of dif- ferent degrees of shading of hands, coins, | books and other bodies opaque to the o: dinary light ray. Rays that would pene- trate metal and other bodies were known before Roentgen’s discovery. Hertz, Le- nard, Sanford and Schmidt had all made discoveries and paved the way for Roent- gen. But the rays he discovered have a much greater range and penetrative power that distinguish them. The organic sub- stances have been found to be penetrated much more readily than inorganic, aceord- ing. @s some think, to the varying atomic weight of objects interposed in the path of the rays. The flesh of the hand is pene- irated far more readily than the bones. The diecovery was taken up with enthusi asm. Its importance in surgery was ae At once and numerous operations have be the use of the ray rendered possible by Professor Neusser of Vienna was the first to use the ray in medicai diagnosis. Janu- 29 he located gallstones and vesical ulus by its means results are | also expected in the metaturgic arts. In | fact the practical value of the discovery must be left to the feild of speculation. SPORTS, | The year opened with a biow at | Squared circle. Congress passed early in | February a bill prohibiting prize fighting’ in {any territory of the United States, or in | 80y ships under federal control. This was passed to prevent the projected fight of Fitzsimmons and Mater in New M The pugilists and their friends conse- quently went over into Mexico, where the fight took place. Fitzsimmons won In one round. A chess contest by cable was pla ed between English and Am: rican players. the latter winning by #% games to ils. Emanuel Lasker won the world’s cham- picnship in chess, leading Steinitz by two games. The two are now engaged in a match in which Lasker is far in the lr Oxford won the annual university boat race the fc with Cambridge, making her thirty-first victory. Cambridge has won twenty-two. The annual Yale-Harvard race having been discontinued, there was widespread interest in the boat race on the Hudson at Pough- keepsie between university eights from Harvard, Columbia, Cornell and Pennsyl- vania. Each university had a university and a freshman crew, and the order of tin- ishing was the same in both races, Cornell winning, Harvard second, Pennsylvania third and Columbia fourth. The university race was four miles and the freshman two. Cornell made a new record for the distance in the former race, 18 minutes 21 seconds. Harvard's time, 19 minut seconds, also broke the record. The annual congress of | the American Whist League was held at | Manhattan Beach, and the Hamilton. ¢ | of Philadelphia won the Ham! | Baltimore Club won the Mian and the New York Club the American League trophy. Showalter won the Ameri- can chess championship. Sir Wa won the Brooklyn handicap, lefeating Cliftcrd, | the favorite. Gaudaur defeated Stanbury of Australia for the world’s sculling cham- pionship, over the Putney-Mortlake course on the Thames in 23 minutes 1 second. Yale University sent an elght to tne Henley re- gatta on the Thames, but the New Haven boys were no more successful than other American crews, and were slefeated in the first heat by the Leander crew, undoubtedly the best eight at Henley this An in- ternational yacht race between half-raters was won by the Canadian Glencairn, feating the American Meirie in three straight races. The Canadiais were also successful on the lakes, ihe Canada defeat- ing the Chicago yacht Vencedor; the second race was won by only 46 seconds, and the third on time allowance. R. D. Wrenn won the American tennis championsnip at New- port for the third time, and owns the all- comers’ cup. John R. Gentry beat the world’s pacing record, making the mile in M%. John S. Johnson, on a wheel, made a mile at Trenton, N. J., September 2s, 1.47, making a record. ‘The Baltimore Pase Ball Club again won of the e pennant National Base Ball League. DEATHs. Death has reaped a great and notable harvest during the year. The most not- able of whose who have been called from their earthly labors are: Frat c. Bar- low, Henry C. Bowen, William H. English, |} Gen. Thes. Ewing, ear Admiral Fyffe, Gen. Joan Gibbon, Gov. Fred T. halge, Bishop Haygood, Archbishop Ken- , Col. Thos. W. Knox, ex-Gov. George D. Robinson, Ambassad: Runyon, Rear Admiral Walke, P Henry of Battenberg, ex-Premier Plog Thoimas Hughes, President Hyppol! Frede Kk Leighton, Alexander 4} Admiral Von Stosch, Paul Verlaine, Abbott, Capt. John G. Burke, ex B. H. Bristow, H. er, Col Cockerill, Au Wa Kate Field, Gen. Noah 1. Jeffri . Tsai Mayrard, ‘Frank Mayo, George Munro, Mark M. Pomeroy, Bishop Ryan, Justus jM. Gilliman, Gen. G. W. Smith, Hear Ad- miral Stevens, Lyman_ Trumbull, Enri Cernvschi, Baron de Grimm, Sir Augus- tus Harris, Baron Hirsch, Nasr ed Din, Shah of Persia; Col. North, Sir H » Lon Sa: Simon, oupis, Gov. Geo. T.’ Aa- theny, Prof. F. J. Child, Bishop A. C. Coxe, Col. Henry L. Crarford, Prof. Crouch, Mary Abigail Dodge (Gail Hamil- tor), Robert Garrett, Dr. G. Brown Goode, ex Minister A. R. Lawton, James Lewis, ex-Senator Henry B. Payne, Enoch Pratt, Pref. A. N, Prentiss, ex-Gov. Wm. E. Rus- sell, William Henry Smith, | Stowe, Prof. J. D. W Mrs. H. B. hitney, Ernst Curtins, Edmecnd de . Lobanoff Rostovski, Sir John E. } Bugene Spuller, Steinway, President Cheésman of Sib Pref. Herrman: John Fellows, bishop of Canterbury Benson, George du Maurier, Gen. Trochu, Baron Mueller, Luigi Palmieri, ex-Secretary Columbus Deler o. Grand Lodge Officers. The forty-ninth annual communication of the M. W. Grand Lodge of F. A. A. Masons for the District of Columbia was closed in ample form on St. John’s day, at which time the following officers were elected and installed for the Ma: year A. L. Sav Hamilton S. Smith, grand master; John H. Burrill, deputy grand master; Richard w Laws, senior grand warden; Geo. W. Jones, junior grand warden; Mason S. Lowery, grand treasurer; Wm. H. M grand secretary; James H. Hill, gre John W. Freeman, grand ma: Mays, grand lecturer and visitor; Geo. M. Webster, senior grand deacon, ‘Jefferson Thomas, junior grand deacon; Wm. H. ; Clark, senior grand steward; Wm. H. Gray, junior grand steward; Robert B. Tunnia, grand lbrarian; John A. Green, grand pursuivant; John H. Hawkins, grand tiller. \wyt )) y Nt € = Aids Uf AN U “T have used |Ripans Tabules and will gladly attest to their merits. I am over 60 years of age, and aside from rheumatic troubles! have always enjoyed _. very good health, but of late I have suffered from indigestion. + Of coursed had heard of Ripans Tabules, and finally one day, _ atthe request of my daughter, with whom I am living, 1 sent up town for a box, and ‘was benefited immediately. ‘Now I am very seldom without them, and usually take a