Evening Star Newspaper, June 4, 1898, Page 17

THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 1898-24 PAGES. SE ee a Dg RE as SR SI aoa ee ee we we 17 & IF THEY WERE OURS The Canary Islands Would Soon Be of Great Value. men and ar- ng qualities, ? land owners and trade have also many much progres Fragal and In The islanders consid¥r themselves highly pubtiess correc The peasantry are fru- in order to make a living er tae hard conditions of wretched gov- compelled to b> TE IN THE WORLD —_—— Se FINEST CLIMA ee ae Misrule and Over Taxation Keep the People Poor. ee gee A SPANISH PROVINCE Written for The Evening Star. HE CANARY doubtedly be the first we are obliged to carry the war into as a base the Span'sh without them we will be acting under much ain has done in 1 waters, for ands where r unannounced. @ case exactly comparable to that of Ha- if Japan were c HARBOR AND MOLE fortifications in reality her most vulnerable point. The islands are seven in number, and lie st of Africa, opposite the desert Their combined area is nearly 3,000 square something over t and mount- ti swing to its very broken and moun auc cee Z the water sup- il gives the sufficient the v« idence of great an enlightened government would be mad» nprovements by which the area of culti- population is | vation cou practicable with a better stem of reservoir: nter rainfall two eastern islands. The equable, s and the archipelago constitu vince of Spain, not a colony, like climate permits the continuous growth of crops, so that the re- id at a rather ders, while offices of all k and !and is >ven no: in seeret over the g¢ once to app taxes on all produce nd taxes on -as Palmas and r the larger part of A line of small en the islan¢ E owned by an Cruz, in population and commercial im- portance. Las Palmas and Santa Cruz are located near the northeastern corners of their respective islands, Grand Canary and Tenerife, and are fifty-three miles apart. Both towns are built on narrow shelves between the sea and the steep hills which rise behind them, and being thus at low elevation and sheltered by their flanking hills, they become in summer uncomfort- ably warm and dusty. On the somewhat ™more elevated and exposed parts of the isla however, the climate is simply heavenly for the entire year. The winter rains fall almost entirely at night, while gloriously bright; weeks ‘ovember to May are like est spring weather. In more sheltered of low elevation bananas are grown for the Erglish market, and the graceful date palm is everywhere in evidence, but the climate is whole strictiy temper- ate, the thermometer averdging about 70 degrees, seldom reaching $) and seldom falling below 6) except at higher clevations. Magnificent Climate. Several hooks have ben written by Eng- lish medical men to show that particular places in the Canaries have really the finest climate in the world, being dry, salubrious, equable, sunny and everything 2lse that gees to make-climate, and shiploads of in- valids and tourists visit Tenerife and Grand Canary every winter. A majority of these invalids are suff>rers from consumption or other lung diseases, but many are brought by the assurance that they can here escape the fogs of old Eng- land and spend a winter in the open air, with the flowers and bright sunshine. On both islands are numerous large Eng- lish hotels, those of Grand Canary cent2r- ing about Las Palmas, while in Tenerife the foreign element has gathered in th> magnificent valley of Orotava on the west side of the island. This is one of several scenes which the gr2at Humboldt is repre- sented as having pronounced the finest in the world. That most famous traveler is said to have fallen to the ground overcome with rapture at a turn of the road which pos?s this combination of rugged and ow-capped voleano, peaceful paradise and | restless surf. After roaming over two con- tinents he had found the gem of mundane scenery, and subsequent travel2rs have AT LAS PALMAS. been constrained to admit this verdict as Orotava is about thirty miles distant from Santa Cruz, with which it is con- nected by a fine macadamized road. Simflar excellent roads connect the principal towns of Tenerife and Grand Canary, but all these are of late falling into disrepair. On account of the extremely mountainous Char- acter of the country the building of roads is very difficult. “The roadbed has fre- uently and for long distances to be blasted out of the solid rock, and winds along the perpendicular sides of deep ravines. All bridges are of masonry and are very sub- stantially built, but as the size and span of such structures is limited the road is sometimes miles longer tnan would have been necessary had iron bridges or trestles been resorted to. An extremely easy grade is maintained, which also increases the length of the road, sometimes quite un- s It is said in explanation that cts were let by the mile, and that as many miles as possible were made. Few Good Roads. On these few good roads all kinds of vehicles are, of course, used, tourists being served by carriages which can be hired at very reasonable rates, while the local pub- lic patronizes numerous coaches running on a daily schedule and cffering very cheap rates of fare, a journey of twenty-five miles costing about 40 cents. If one wishes to leave the highway he must rely on his own legs or © of the sure-footed little donkeys, h form the general mi ot transportation throughout the { the macadamized roads or “carrete ch- ing only a very small part of the agricul- ‘al population. All other “roads” are, however, mere paths of the roughest char- acter, usually filled with logse stones and in the winter season forming the beds of small torren ot the slightest attempt at Improvement is made and so difficult is transportation that even cn these most valuable islunds, with a superlative tem- perate climate and fertile soil, there are Bull large tracts of land sparsely inhabited for lack of means of access. For cen- turies the inhabitants of many agricul- tural parts of these islands have been pay- ing a large fraction of their slender in- comes in taxes without having the adyan- tage of a single public improvement, not even a passable road. he same amount of taxation paid over to an honest and efficisnt government and expended for local purposes“instead cf be- ing scnt away to Spain would have made one of the garden-spots of the world. Cli- mate, soil and geographic position are most favorable. With good roads and proper fa- cilitizs for stcring and distributing water the Canaries might become a valuable pos- session. A greater blessing could not come to the good people of these islands than to fall into the hands of England or the United States. The assurane2 of gool government would stimulate the invesiment of capital in numerous paying improvements. The amount of cultivated land could be widely increased and would support in plenty a much larger population than at present, and the employment of laborers in these improvements would be an immediate re- lief to the very hard times inte which the gradual impoverishment of Spain through the Cuban war has plunged the people. During the last few years wages and prices of local products have steadily declined, while imported articles have advanced through the depreciation of Spanish cur- | reney. Should the exigencies of war throw these island into our hands the objections urged against tropical colonies will not apply. and, 4 BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF LAS PALMAS. With the latitude of central Florida and a | firer and more equable clityate, so that all subtropical and many trepical fruits ean be grown with perfect secitity from frost, and with a geograp! Fesition nearer to the European market, than, any region able to compete in these, products, the com- mercial value of the Canaries would not be open tc doubt. The: English have already slightly colonized the two principal islands, many invalids and mérchants having taken up permanent residence there, some fami- lies for several generatiofis. For many years we have been supplying coal, petrol- e.m, lumber, and, strangely enough, Flori- da water for the Cgnarifs, and for the West African trade, ‘Conducted by English and German steamship lines which touch there. The English population would be much larger if it had not beem for the ir- responsible and cortupt Spanish govern- rent of the islands, ander which one may find himself at any {ime at the mercy of an ignorant soldier of, official for some real or fancied vivlation ‘of areal or fancied Iccal regulation or tax law. The purchase and conveyance of property, and especially of water-rights, are also matters of great a@Mculty and insecurity. With a civilized government assured, there would undoubt- edly be a large increase in European, and especially Moglish, population, to say noth- ing of colonists who would go out from this ccuntry. The present inhabitants, too, would prosper as never before, and they are a people worthy of such good fortune. The peasantry would supply a large quan- tity of cheap and efficient labor, and more | intelligent classes are generally desirous of . With good government and good a complete change might be ex- pected in a single generation, as the exam- ple of English superiority’ has already turned attention to the possibility of im- provement. But the great and unique value of the Canaries to us would be as a distributing peint for our products and manufactured articles. All the west and South African and a large part of the South American and New Zealand steamers take coal, wa- ter and provisions at Las Palmas or Saata Cruz. Four or five steamers a day are thus served, that with a base at the Canaries we could lay siege to the world’s ccmmerce at an enormous aJvantage, for none of the European nations occupy any such central port of call. With the Philip- pines and the Canaries we would have the finest commercial bases in the two oceans, king possible the introduction of our wares witn the greatest possible rapidity and advantage into existing lines of com- merce. ——._—— IN THE CHURCHES Rev. Dr. Alfred A. Curtis, formerly bish- op of Wilmington, Del., has been appointed by Cardinal Gibbons vicar general of the archdiocese of Baltimore, vice Rev. Dr. Mc- Colgan, deceased. The appointment is ex- pected to give great satisfaction in this city, where Dr. Curtis is a favorite. Bishop Curtis was born in Somerset coun- ty, Maryland, July 4, 1831, and was reared in the Episcopal Church. In 1856 h» was raised to the deaconship and was sent to St. John’s Parish as a curate, and three years later Bishop Whictinssham made him a presbyter. In the same year, 1859, he left St. John’s and served in various places for three years, when, in 1862, he went to Bal- timore as rector of Mount Calvary Epise: pal Churen, corner Madison avenue nd Eutaw street. He remained as rector of Mount Calvary until 1871, when he resign- ed and went to England to confer with the English Cardinal Newman. After his con- ference he decided to enter the Roman Catholic Church. He was received in the church by Dr. Newman April 18, 1872. In June of the same year Rev. Curtis re- turned to Baltimore gnd Was received as a guest at St. ease on North Paca street. The followii September he entered the seminary as a student, and, after spending two years there, he was or- dained as a priest September 19, 1874, by Archbishop Bayly. After his ordination he was stationed at the Cathedral and remain- ed there until November 14, 1886, when Cardinal Gibbons consecrated him as pisn- op of Wilmington, Del. Bishop Curtis re- mained in Wilmington ten years, and in 1806 sent his resignation to Rome, with an earnest solicitation that itybe accepted. His request was complied with and Bishop Cur- tis returned to Baltimore and has since then been stationed at the Cathedral. The new vicar general will remain as a mem- ber of the cardinal’s household. The annual business meeting of the Luth- eran Young People’s Union was held Tue: y evening In the Keller Memorial Church, pitol Hill, the president, Mr. L. D, Al- den, presiding. Rey. A. Homrighaus read a Scripture selection and Rev. Dr. Domer offered prayer. ‘The pastor of the church, Rev. C. H. But- ler, extended a welcome on behalf of the congregation and the Christian Endeavor Socicty, which was fittingly responded to by the ‘president. Reports were submitted by the retiring president, Mr. Alden; secretary, Rey. C. H Butler, g surer, Mr. F. C. Keefe The just closed the second of its history and {s In good condition, finan- elally and otherw: nine societi re in the union, eight being societies of Chri: tian Endeavor and one the Luther League of St. John’s Chi T nominat been previou. ch, South Washington, ommittee, which had vinted, reported through Spangler. The fol- vere elected officers for the President, Rev. C. H. Butler; . Stanley Billheimer; Miss A. Hinkle, Church of the Reformation; secretary, Mi A.*D. Spangler, Luther Place Memorial irer, Mr. Chas. Zanner, St. John’s. announced that preparations are de for a mass meeting at the close of June, to be in the nature of a send-off to the delegates to the Christian Endeavor convention at Nashville. ev. Geo. Brodthage of St. John’s Church offered the closing prayer and pronounced the benediction. Adjournment was had to the Sunday school room. where the game of the “United States Navy’ was played, light refres! ments served and an hour spent socially. The Sunday school orchestra played several selections nd greatly assisted the music of the meeting, which was led by Mr. Geo. F. Muth. Mr. H. W. Weber led the orchestra, of which the following persons were members: Organist, Miss Edith Keck; violins, Messrs. Weber, Wm. Kern, Chas. Seltzer and Misses Matilda Chester and Raymond; flute, Mr. Fred Souder; violincello, Mr. Chester; cor- nets, Mess-s. D. W. and Paul Keck, W. T. Bowdler and C. Boesch. The Lutheran ministers present were Revs. S. Domer, D.D., J. G. Butler, D.D., Geo. Brodthage, A. Homrighaus, S. Bill- heimer and C. H. Butler. Major Pebbles, commander of the south- ern states division of the Salvation Army, has returned from a visit to Chickamauga and Ailanta, and will at once start a move- ment for the establishment of a Salvation Army tent at the former place. In speaking about the new movement, Major Pebbles sz’ “After taking a look over the camp at Chickamauga, where there are some 40,000 troops, and seeing the numerous crowds of young men playing cards and drinking beer, I became co..vinced that it was a bad idea to cast them off, from, the influence of the church, and at once the idea of estab- lshing a Salvation Army jtent came to me. IT visited the churches, of Chattanooga and conferrsd with the pastors. As a re- sult I am confident Iwill be able to secure the subscriptions nectssary for such a pro- ject, ard will work at thé plan until I see it in successful operation. , “T told the people of the church in which I spoke last Sunday of my plan, and they appeared to be favorably impressed. I have already selected a tént. It has been in use as a circus tent, and will hold easily 4,000 or 5,000 people. In ‘this tent 1 will have books, magazinés, pen, ink and pa- per, and I will try to induce the young men to write to their mothers évery day. “That is the way to hatidle young men. ‘They are more ssceptible in that direction than girls. Keep them in ‘touch with their mothers; don’t let them’ get away from their home influence, and they Will be rear- ed as Christians. “I conferred with Gen. Brooke at Chat- tanooga, and he gave me permission to es- tablish the tent as soon as I should de- Col. George H. Harries is being warmly commended in various influential quarters for his course in refusing to allow the es- tablishment of a canteen in his regim=nt, the Ist District of Columbia Volunteers. A prominent M. E. minister in another city Said to a Star reporter: “It was a noble act in Col. Harries not to allow human sharks to prey upon young men whom their fathers and mothers per- mit to go into the field in answer to their country’s call. “Commanding officers owe a duty to Parents and other relatives of the men under their care. A colonel of a regiment may be like a father to his men. His ex- ample in th2 army counts as good examples count at home. If he surrenders to the un- worthy argument that men who go to wat must accept the risks, and that parents who send their boys to fight must accept all extraordinary responsibilities, they who remain at home will h+ve but little respect for the commanding officer, and but little for which to thank him.” The management of the Sibley Hospital, which is associated with the Lucy Webb Hayes Training School and Deaconesses’ Home, in this city, is preparing to extend its work among the poor. The American Society of Religious Educa- tion, of which Gen. John Eaton and Rev. Dr. J. E. Gilbert of Washington are prest- dent and general secretary, respectiv2ly, has arranged for the fourth annual session of the Southern Biblical Assembly at Knox- Ville, Tenn. The session will begin June 16, and the m2etings will close the 26th. The object of the assembly is stated to be “to unite the efforts of evangelical scholars in applying the principles of the education to improve the methods of Bible study and teaching for spiritual profit; in- troduce such methods in the family, the Sunday school, the pulpit and institutions of secular learning, and to collect and pre- serve full statistical and documentary in- formation of all systems of religious in- structions for the use of the Christian public.”” ‘The death recently of Bishop William Stevens Perry of Iowa has removed an em- inent theologian and scholar, who it was expected would take a prominent part in the proceedings of the ccming triennial general convention of the Protestant Epis- ¢cpal Church, as he had done in each gen- eral convention of the denomination for a number of years past. William Stevens Perry was born in Prov- idence, R. L, Janvary 22, 1882. graduated at Harvard in 1854. he was at the Virginia Theological rary, but he completed his studies, F atory for orders, privately in Boston. was ordained deacon in Grace Church, Newton, Mass., March 29, 1857, by Bishop Eastburn, und priest in St. Paul's Chi Boston, April 7, 1858. For nearly twenty years he was busily occupied in church work, in addition to his perochial labors. He deputy to al convention from New Hamp=i ary tot e of deputies in 1862, secretary in 1805-74; was appointed historiographer of the American Church in 1868, and, in conjunction with Dr. J. Cot- ton Smith, edited the Church Monthl. received the degree of S. T. D. from Trini- ty in 1860, and that of LL.D. from William and Mary in 1 Rev. Dr. A. L. Magnien, president of St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore, who has hosts of friends in this city, has returned from a visit to Europe, and while in Rome he was granted a private audietce with the pope. Arrangements were made to give Dr. Mag- nien an enthusiastic reception by the fuc- ulty and students of the seminary, but in accordance with his custom regarding dem- onstrations, he did not notify the priests ¢ the institution of the hour ef his arrival. Shortly before the breakfast hour he ar- rived at the seminary, and the Gemonstra- tion planned for his reception had to be abandoned. ~ Rev. E. H. Lamar, formerly of this and now pastor of the M. chu Arlington, Md., has been recommended to President’ McKinley for appointment as chaplain in the ni: he clergyman w a relative of the late L. Q. C. Lamar of M ppl. Rev. W. T. Norri s First Baptist Church, Laurel, Md., who died a few days ago. was highly esteemed in this vicinity. He was called to the pas- terate of the Laurel church last June, and or of the hud preached but a few times when he s taken down with pulmonary con- sumption, ive, been He had never, while » lately opened s buried from in the newly erected structu: by his congregation, but the edifice. ‘The collections at the services at Trinity Church, corne: and C streets northwest, tomorrow will be for the decoration fund. Trinity Sunday is the special feast day of this old parish, and it will be appropriately observed with sp2cial music, sung for the first time by Trinity choir. The rector will preach morning and night, and it is hoped that all members of Trinity and former worshipers will be present and help to swell the fund money. Much-ne2ded im- provements will be made during July and August, including a memorial to the late beloved rector, Rev. Dr. Addison. Delegates to the fourth g2neral_confer- erce district convention of the Epworth League, which is to be held in Wheeiing, W. Va., Jure 25 to 29, will be elected at th? next business meeting of McKendree Cnap- ter. ee CHICKAMAUGA TO TAMPA. Graphic Description of the Trip as Taken With Troops. From Collier's Weekly. Forty-five cars in all. Train divided into three sections. Each section in sight of the other, like city cable cars in the rush hours of the evening. A thousand troop- ers in day coaches. A hundred officers in sleepers. Eleven hundred horses in stock cars. Every car window frames a face. Red, white and biue bunting hiding the numbers of the coaches. Stars and stripes waving from the plattorms. ‘Troopers seat- ed on the coal on the tender. Troopers on top of the coaches. Troopers hungry and dirty and going to war armed to the teeth. hickamauga is seventy miles bebind. We nta, enter the station: hooting, screeching, cat-calling. Corned beef and beans travel from cans to ravenous mouths. Caldrons of scalding coffee come out of the ation restaurant. The troopers eat. The 21 cents each to s . Some of them spe Never mind. The coffee was good. R entire population of Atlanta crushes into the station and around the train. They cheer the boys in blue—who laugh and nod and shout. General O. O. Howard, one-armed Union veteran, boards our train. So does Gen- eral Joe Wheeler, under-sized confederate veteran. The two generals stand on the rear platform arm in arm; and the popu- of Atlanta cheers itself hoarse. Gen- ‘al Wheeler is on the way to lead the airy in Cuba. General Howard is com- ing to show the boys the ways of a Chris- Uan. He represents the ¥. M. C. A. ‘The trains rush on. Jacksonville next stop. We thunder over the road, away fycm the red clay of Georgia to the white sand of Florida. It's an all-night run. ‘dhe men must coil up on the car seats and sleep the best they can. In the sleepers, porters have put our two gen- erals and-our officers to sleep in comfort- able beds. A drummer boy Is ill. The rocking of the train, its carcening as it rushes round the curves, makes him, practically, sea- sick. Earnest solicitude on part of men. And sympathy and attention. “Here, boy, take this. "Iwill do you good.” And whisky is poured into his mouth. It’s all they have, in the way of medicine, these men on-the way to war. Jacksonville—just at sunrise, ville is out of bed. Fifteen thousand people greet us at the station. We jump off, pace the platforms, just to stretch aching limbs. Again on, to Tampa—an all-day’s run. The sun—phew! it's hot. Some of the men on the sunny side of the car envy the men on the shady side. Still, many of those cn the shady side offer their seats to those in the sun. They are willing to take turns—in the sun. They do. No sit- ting atop the cars now. The sun is broil- ing. We are in the land cf tall palms and of white sand. The soldiers sing “Suwan- nee River.” Fine voices. The band get out their pieces and play “Old Black Joe.” Anything to pass the time—on the way to war, Do they think of war? of Cuba? of bat- tle? of death? Some of them seem quict. I saw tears—yes, surely those were tears dropping down the cheeks of a swarthy trooper. Perhaps he was affected by the singing. “Suwannee River” is a melody sad and weary. Or perhaps he is thinking of Molly, his wife, or of Kitty, his little baby- girl. On, on to war—some jolly, some sad. Some make brave attempts at cheerful- ness. These are the intelligent men, or rather the more intelligent, more refined. See these lads, really boys, sons of offi- Jackson- cers; accustomed to refinement, luxury, gentleness. The troopers, some of the! curse and swear—on the way to wal Somehow the swearing and cursing is a shock to refined ones. Still, rations and coffee and Tampa are near. Tampa? No—we do not get off at Tampa. On to Port Tampa, nine miles distant. All local trains make way for us. From the car window we see miles of tents, the biggest concentration of troops since the civil war. Here is more evidence of war than at any point in all the vast area of these United States. Tents around the edge of the bay; camps for miles, as far as you can see. Supply wagons~ forming trains miles long. And hospital and Red Cross wagons. And mules and horses. We camp on the edge of the bay in sight of a fleet of steamers. Never so large a fleet has been anchored in Tampa Ba: Forty big steamers—transports. Hun- dreds of soldiers are loading them with ammunition, supplies, medicines, equip- ments. For we are on the way to war. CABLES IN WAR TIME They Play a Very Important Part During Hostilities. MAKE SURPRISES ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE How a Message is Sent From Ma- nila to New York. Wed en INTERNATIONAL QUESTIONS -——+ Formerly when two nations eng: naval war it w ged in a possible for either to so Girect the movements of its fleets as to keep the enemy constantly guessing, uncer- in where to expect an attack. The cable Since the of el has changed all thi naval war the line last gre: tric communie: tion have been pushed around the globe, linking continents together and diving under tropic until even the lonely out- posts of Australasia are. many of them, brought into close daily touch with the rest of the world. With all the corners of the earth brought together at his elbow the naval strategist is in the tion which the miitary co occu- "d for many years through the aid of the telegraph. Battle ships the cable chart is his board, and with his opponent's moves constantly before him he an direct his own game, whether it be to checkmate his rival or to sweep him from the board. The experience of the past few weeks a surprise is practically im- al attack at the present y. Even in the broad Atlantic a fleet hardly able to shake off the newspaper ¢ who can always reach some le office in time to inform the world of its movements. On its first approach to land, whether that land be hostile or neu- there are more correspondents and gents of the enemy’s government to herald its approath. The cablegram can travel a million times as fast as the swiftest er . and with the present network of cable it can travel to almest any corner of the globe. re his chessmen, Made the Victory Possible. It was the cable that made it possible in the present war for the Americans to win their first victory on the opposite side of the world within ten days of the declar- ation of hostilities. It is the that cable has permitted the officials in Washingte m: low and direct the r under Sampson and Schk ell, and to keep tab on the Oregon durin her long journey around the horn, As soon as Spain’s flotilla left the Cape Verde Isl- ands the cable made it known in Washing- ton. In all the islands of the Caribbean men waited to announce the fleet’: ppear- ance. It arrived at Martinique. The new Was flashed to Washington. Washing: flashed its orders back to n. Samp son moved east. The S$ adron ap- peared. In a day a cablegram from the Dutch island of Curacao announced its ar- rival there. Again the news flashed to Sampson and again Sampson changed his in accordance with its import. is a fair sample of the game which able will make it possible to play in any naval operations. Of course, it is two-bladed weapon. Spain has been a well informed of the movements of Ameri- we have of the performance of the Dons’ sailors, in some cases bette! Spain controls. more ends of the man stranded line than does the United State: at least more of the ends that are of im portance in the present contest. This may lessen the advantage of the new war factor from our point of view; it docs not lessen its importance. A Wonderful System. A perusal of the war news of the past few weeks may have given the reader a better idea of the cable system of the wcrld than he had before, but at best it is likely that his conception of its magnitude is hazy and incorrect. For his instruction it may be mentioned that there are, in rough nuuvbers, 200,000 miles of cable un- der the rivers, bays and oceans of our lit- ue round earth, and that these are under the control of some thirty different gov ments and as many private compan: This great stretch of wire weighs probably 8,000,000 tons, and is enough to encirele the globe eight Ps. As a matter of lly encircle the globe. en spanned nts of the and How rn- the Atlantic and Indian o nearly all the smaller se have i ed by it. The furthest stretch by the 1 of electr from the western coast of Ameri- the Atlantic, Europe, Asja and to the French penal set:lement whic w Cal between 4,000 and Francisco. This side of the world is well lines. There are ing the Atlanti to the Anglo-Amer' e to the Comme: Direct United States, lantic and two to the American T and Cable Company, which is connection with the Western Union. What It The many lines and cial Cab! the petition have brought the c resultant com- st of commu- London nication between New York and down to a fairly low figure, cents per word, but when one tr more remote parts of the world, whe line is controlled by a single government or company, or where there is little busin to support it, the cost of sending m mcunts up to alarming figures. ten words from New York to Ma inrtance, cests the modest amou $24. 0 per word beyond London. This commercial rate; newspaper ¢is- patches go for about haif this sum, but even so the cost of bringing a column of news from the Philippines mounts up to nearly four figures. Even from a point so near as the Island of Curacao, wh’ came for a short time the cen’ interest, the commercial rate b3 est route is $1.98. These two Samples will give a fair intimation of the immense sums being expended by the newspapers in guth- ering information about the war. Worth the Money. It may seem at first thought that $2.45 is a large sum tc pay for sending a singte word from New York to the Philippines, but when one reflects that such a message travels 20,000 miles, ard that it must be re- ceived and transmitted over a score of dif- ferent lines or branches, he is more likely to come to the concitsion that it is very cheap, all things corsidered. From New York the cablegram goes first to Halifax and from there, by cnother loop, to Heart's Content, Newfoundland, where it dives be- neath the Atlantic to reappear on the coast | of Ireland and be again forwarded to Lon- don, which is the great center of cabie and telegraph communication for the whole werld. From London to the east there are two great routes. The first, via either the Eastern or Indo-European Company's lines, will take the message across the charnel and overland to Marseilles, or by the all-water ccurse around the Spanish peninsula, stopping xt Lisbon; thence through the Mediterranean to Alexandria, across Egypt by land, down the Red sea to Acen, through the Arabian sea to Bombay, over India by land, across the Bay of Ben- gal to Singapore, along the coast to Hong Kong and across the China sea to Manila. A Longer Route. The other route from London is even longer and covers a much greater part of the journey by laid It takes the message from London by the lines of the Great Northern Company across Russia and Si- beria to Viadivestock, and thence along the China coast to Hong Kong. In its lorg voyage, occupying from three to twenty-four hours, according to its ur- gency, the message has crossed or skiricd a score of countries representing almost as many different nationalities, and yet the sender may rest assured that it will be transmitted with promptness and se- crecy, and at a fixed and known ¢harze. This assurance is provided by the burcau ef international telegraphs, which has its Leadquarters at Berne, Switzerland. it was inaugurated thirty years ago for the purpose of “collecting, arranging and pub- lishing information” on this subject, regu- terests of senders and receivers. It brought order out of the chaos previously envelop- ing international communtcation by wire, and has mace it porsible to cable to any part of the world as easily as one sends a telegraph message from his office to his home. The Seat of War. West Indies and the ists beaa sea nds of the the scene of the principal val operations of the war. c Well supplied with cables. the United § are forwarded by Internatic an Telegraph, worked by the Western Union Vana. The Cuba wh and of th present Messages from tes Occ most and Porto Fi cao, Guayara in Ver branch of this line exten Plata to Martinique, Paramarit and Visue, at the mouth of th These cam also be reac F f the via_Colon. st of Centr is joined to ning from Braz ian Submarine line con terminus of this with ¢ =, 80 that communication may 1 between Cuba or Porto Rico wer this route without passing the t tery or control ef the States all. The Eastern Company's line h at the Cape Verde Islands; from here her line extcnds to St west st of Africa, whence ar r loop of this same system, which is controlled by @ Spanish c ru north along the coast of C It will be seen that there are a num- ber of lines of communi fcr the Spanish forces in Rico in reaching Madrid difficult to stop inter ns except by cutting line that leads out of the two islands, The problem is not so simple was in the Philippines, wh the severance ef a single line effectually shut off the islands from the outside world An International Question. This question of cable cutting is one that has received considerable attention since the begin of the r between Spain and the United States. Hes the United States, for instance, the right to sever a ble belonging to a French or Britis hen it fs known that the ce: ased to give information t fe= on internationa wering this question erythi in 6 that can give my is and may t Railways, telegra under this head ammunition ships the experts is ta s wh prrupted On this nsensus ported by the is that they can inion of to the a ne in t author nion, un ni- nies then Whate r there is no and militar a cable an enemy. opinion n he found governor of the Philip control of the Manila c: i mation to his home government. He cut the wire and shut the islands off from the world. The same thing been done in the West Indies. All but one of the lines connecting Cuba with the outside world were cut during the first weeks of the blockade. One of the bravest acts of the early part of the war was that of the Nash- ville's men, who went into the harbor of Cienfuegos under a hail of shot from the shore batteries and cut both the cables leading out of that port. That the course of the United States in dealing with the cables leading to her enemy's ports would have been that of other nations under the same circumstances 1s proved by the fact that the European navies have ships fitted with grappling hooks for the especial pur- pose of hauling up and destroying cables im time of war. od that ——— NO COMPASS NEEDED. Many Ways in Which the Cardinal Points May Be Fixed. From Forest and Stream. The many different methods to determi. nate the cardinal points while on the moun- ‘cins, in both heavy timber and brush or upon the featureless expan great marsh, are exceedingly numerou reiable enough for all practical purposes avring an every-day life in the bush, unless a very long jourrey is to be made, which would make it necessary to hold on a ver fine point while raking a long distance. We will first take n firs, spru bo trees—piue: ete. The hark of the eclor, harder and drye of the tre2: while it is in color much ¢ er, it is also damper and often covered with mold and ross on the nort |The gum that oozes out from the krothol c., is usually hard a autiful amber color on the sou while on the northern side it remains sticky longer d ts cov 4 with insects and dirt, seldom drying out to more than a dirty gray in color. On large trees that have rough bark. especially during the fall and winter menths, the nets and webs of insects, s ete., will always be found in th> crevice ‘on the south side. A preponderance of the larg branches will also be found on the warmest or southern side of the trees. Also, the needles of all the above-mention- ed trees are shorter, dryer and of a yellow- ish green on the southern sid while they will be found longer, more and pll- able, damper to the touch and darker gree! in color on the north side. ‘The cedars and hemlocks, as if trying to outdo the others, always bend their slender tops of new growth toward a southern sky. The hardwood trees are equally as com- municative, and have all the characteris- tics, as far as regards their trunks, of tha coriferous trees, except the absence of gums; but this is more than made up by the fungus growth of mold and mosses that is very noticeable on the north side of these trees. The edges of rocks, which ma’ be part of stupendous mountains, cr merely asion- al cropping out here end there in the woods, or, perhaps, some great bowlder aicne by itself a silent witness of the ¢ clai period; all alike testify to the et the light and shade. The sunny urusually be bare, or, at most, boast of a thin growth of harsh, dry kinds of mosses nd that will gecw only when having the light; while the northern side will be found mp and moldy, and often covered with a Ivxuriant gro’ of soft, damp mo that love the shade, while every crevice Will bear aloft beautiful and gracefully Waving ferns. The forest floor on the sunny ridges, clumps of trees, bushes, ete., is more noisy under the foot on the northern side of such pla: the dead leaves and litter are ft damp, holding more moisture than places expos+d to the light of the sun. In an open country nearly void of tim- ber, clumps of small bushes during summer will furnish all the conditions found to ex- ist among the leaves of the trees, being equally sensitive to light and shade as are the monarchs of the woods. The land- scape, green with moving grasses, and beautiful to the eye, which feasts on the countless number of wild flowers, repre- serting every form and hue known in the flowery kingdom, also furnishes a reliable guide for locating the cardinal points, as mest wild flowers, especially the long- stemmed varieties, hide their faces from the north, and, like the sunflower, tur, toward a southern sky. -o<s—____ An Arctic Railroad. From the Iron Age. A railroad is being talked of to extend entirely across Northern Sweden and Nor- way from the northern end of the Gulf of Finland, northwest to Ofoten on the Atlan- tic, about 120 miles north of the Arctic Cirele. A part of the route is formed by an old railroad built for carrying iron ore, most of which is north of the Arctic Circle, and Sweden has now provided for extend- ing it 148 miles to the Norwegian border at a point only twenty-five miles from Ofoten, At the other end the raflroad will connect With a iine in Finland, down to the east coast of the Gulf of Finland, and from the Finnish border to Ofoten the length of the line will be just 300 miles. The Swedish line is estimated to cost about $5,000,000, and is to be built largely for strategic reac side of hills, in lating accounts, and guaranteeing the in- | sons. a