The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 39, August 5, 1897 by Various
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Various >> The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 39, August 5, 1897
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THE GREAT ROUND WORLD
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Vol. 1 AUGUST 5, 1897 No. 39.
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AND WHAT IS GOING ON IN IT.]
VOL. 1 AUGUST 5, 1897. NO. 39
It seemed, at the early part of last week, as though the Sultan of
Turkey might be brought to terms, but matters have again become
threatening, and the outcome is as doubtful as ever.
The Sultan is a very wily person, and, finding that delays and triflings
would no longer serve him, he changed his tactics and said that he had
been misrepresented by the reports, and was as anxious for peace as the
rest of the Powers.
He issued a proclamation of the most friendly character, declaring it to
be the plain duty of Turkey to put an end to the uncertainty, and
commanded his ministers to find some means of coming to an agreement.
The following day the Ambassadors sent to Tewfik Pasha, and asked him
whether Turkey was willing to resume the peace councils in accordance
with the wishes of the Powers. They stated very clearly that if matters
were not to be discussed on those lines, they would be obliged to break
off the conference, and tell their various governments that Turkey could
only be made to obey by force of arms.
After consulting with his Government, Tewfik Pasha replied that the
Porte was willing to accept the frontier suggested--with some slight
alterations.
This did not seem unreasonable to the Ambassadors, and they telegraphed
hopefully to their governments that the peace was as good as concluded.
As to the slight changes asked for, the Powers had informed Turkey early
in the conference that they would be willing to meet her wishes in
regard to the frontier line if it was possible to do so.
Everything seemed in train for a speedy peace. In addition to being
willing to give up Thessaly, the Sultan had also intimated that he would
reduce the sum of money asked for as war indemnity. When first the
negotiations were commenced, Turkey demanded $50,000,000. It was said
that she would now accept $20,000,000.
The Ambassadors were prepared to have the Porte (the Turkish Government)
ask that all the mountain passes between Greece and Turkey should be
given to Turkey, and that the army should continue to occupy Thessaly
until the war indemnity was paid. They thought that the final
understanding would be reached at the very next meeting.
They were doomed to disappointment. The following day, when the
conference assembled, Tewfik Pasha kept the Ambassadors waiting a long
time for him, and, when he at last appeared, laid a new frontier plan
before the diplomats.
To their surprise, they found that the frontier demanded was mapped out
in direct opposition to their wishes.
They one and all declined to discuss it, and informed Tewfik that they
would adjourn until he brought a written acceptance of the frontier as
they had designated it, and the meeting broke up with unpleasant feeling
on both sides.
The military experts who had arranged the frontier line had appointed
the day after this stormy interview to meet the Turkish frontier
commission.
They waited and waited, but the Turks did not put in an appearance.
They then went over and reported the fact to the Ambassadors, who had
met together in the council room--in the hope that Tewfik would come
with the written acceptance.
The hours went by and brought no Tewfik.
The Ambassadors went to the Austrian embassy to talk the matter over and
decide what course they should pursue. They had hardly reached the place
before the Pasha appeared. He said that the Sultan, his master, had
detained him and the military commission, discussing the situation, and
added that the Sultan had decided to appoint two of the military
delegates to discuss the peace negotiations in his (Tewfik's) place.
Believing this to be but an excuse for further delay, the Ambassadors
one and all refused to have any dealings with any one but Tewfik Pasha.
The Turkish Minister then withdrew, to acquaint His Majesty with the
decision of the Ambassadors--and so the matter stands for the present.
No one knows what the Sultan's next move will be.
England does not believe that he really intends to give up Thessaly, but
the other Powers think that he will do so as soon as he is absolutely
sure that a refusal will mean war.
* * * * *
The most interesting news in regard to Cuba this week is the renewal of
the report that Spain and Japan have entered into an alliance against
the United States.
A correspondent at Paris, France, telegraphs that the understanding
between the two countries is to the effect that should the United States
take any active measures to secure the freedom of Cuba, or persist in
the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands, Spain and Japan shall declare
war on her at the same moment. The plan is that Spain shall send vessels
to attack our Atlantic seaboard, and Japan shall simultaneously make war
on the Pacific coast.
Inquiries at the Japanese embassy only elicited a denial of the report.
The Japanese insist that it is absurd to think of an alliance between
Japan and Spain, because there is an unfriendly feeling between the two
countries on account of the war in the Philippine Islands. Spain, as you
may remember, accused Japan of assisting the rebels in Manila with the
hope of securing the Philippines for herself.
Inquiries were also made of the Secretary of State, but the department
denied the truth of the rumors as firmly as the Japanese had done.
We should not be too sure that these rumors are false on this account,
for Ambassadors and diplomatists are frequently obliged, for state
reasons, to deny facts which they know to be perfectly true.
There has been considerable excitement in Havana on account of the
arrest of some fifty of the most prominent merchants in the city.
The charge made against them was that they had been shipping goods into
the interior of the island without a license, as required by a recent
rule of Weyler's.
The true cause of their arrest was that a number of packages containing
medicine and ammunition were found on board one of the trains leaving
Havana. Weyler declared that these packages were intended for the Cuban
rebels, and had the merchants arrested.
There is intense indignation in Havana over this outrage. All the men
arrested were wealthy and prominent, some having held important official
positions in the city--one in particular having been Mayor.
It is openly said that the whole affair was planned by the Spaniards to
give them an opportunity of plundering these men of their wealth. It is
reported that the Chief of Police has informed the prisoners that they
will be released, and no further proceedings taken against them, if they
will pay him the sum of one million dollars.
When the news of these arrests became known, crowds gathered around the
jail, protesting against the Government and calling loudly for the
recall of Weyler.
The Government in Madrid has been cabled to upon the subject, but so far
no reply has been received.
A dispatch from Madrid tells us that the people are indignant over Senor
Canovas' promise to send another twenty thousand soldiers to Cuba.
They say that Spain has already suffered enough, and that the
Government ought not to ask for any more money or soldiers.
They complain that they were told that Cuba was pacified a month ago,
and that nothing remained to be done but to subdue some bands of
insurgents that were scattered throughout the island. This was only a
month ago, and now they are asked to prepare a fresh army to go to Cuba,
and are told that the Spanish cause has met with disaster.
The Spanish papers are openly declaring that the time has come to put a
stop to the sacrifice of men and money, and that the mother country must
end her wars and give her people peace.
The latest news of the insurgents is that Gomez is advancing on Havana,
and promises that at the gates of the city he will show General Weyler
whether the island is really pacified or not.
He has issued a proclamation, saying that Spain might as well stop any
attempt to grant reforms to Cuba. He says: "We will accept neither
reforms nor home rule. Spain must know that this war is one for
independence, and that the Cubans would rather die than yield. The day
we lifted our flag of liberty, we wrote on it: 'Independence or death.'"
* * * * *
The committee appointed to inquire into the Transvaal raid has sent in
its report to Parliament--or, to speak correctly, it has sent in two
reports, for the members could not agree.
One report says that, whatever justification there may have been for the
people of Johannesberg to rebel against the rule of the Boers, there was
none whatever for Mr. Cecil Rhodes to organize and dispatch an invading
army into the Transvaal.
This portion of the committee declares that the blame rests entirely on
Cecil Rhodes, notwithstanding the fact that Dr. Jameson did finally
invade the territory without direct orders.
They find that Cecil Rhodes seriously embarrassed the home and colonial
governments, by thus breaking the peaceful understanding between the
nations; and further, that he used his high position to provoke a
rebellion, and deliberately deceived the home Government that he might
be able to carry out his own personal plans. The Government in England
is declared to be entirely innocent of any knowledge of the affair, but
two officers of the colonial Government are found guilty.
To the surprise of everybody, the report contains no suggestion for the
punishment of any of the offenders.
In regard to Cecil Rhodes' refusal to produce the telegrams which they
asked for, the committee says that he ought undoubtedly to be
disciplined for his conduct, but that it would take so much time to do
so that it would perhaps be as well to let the matter alone.
This is one report.
The other is much stronger in its tone. It blames everybody concerned,
and says that there is little doubt that the raid was simply a plot
arranged to make wealthy men wealthier.
This report does not agree that the home Government is entirely
blameless. It says that it is a pity that the matter was not more fully
investigated, so that it could be thoroughly ascertained whether the
Government, and especially Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, was in truth ignorant
of the plot.
Both reports agree that the officers who led the raiders imagined that
they were acting under orders from the British Government, and that they
have been punished more heavily than they deserved. The second report
suggests that their commissions should be restored to them.
After the raid was over these soldiers were arrested and sent to
England, where they were tried for invading a friendly country without
proper authority. They were found guilty and sent to Holloway Jail in
London.
When they were convicted they were one and all deprived of their
commissions in the British army. While they were only imprisoned for a
short time, and were not harshly treated in any sense, the fact of being
dismissed from the army was a very serious thing for them.
A commission in the army means the authority by which the officer holds
his rank of Captain or Colonel--or whatever it may be--and is naturally
valued very highly by the holder.
In England, especially, the highest class of young men go into the army
as officers, and to leave the army without wishing to, to have one's
commission taken away from one, is a great disgrace. An officer who
leaves the army at his own wish has all other careers open to him, but
one who is dismissed from the service is disgraced and cannot easily
find fresh employment, and moreover loses all the income and standing
that being an officer in the army had given him.
This is the position of the officers who led the Transvaal raid; they
have been disgraced and deprived of their profession.
If, indeed, they are innocent, it is only right that their commissions
should be restored to them.
* * * * *
The Tariff Conference has done its work very rapidly.
After less than two weeks of discussion, this committee has prepared its
report and given it to Congress.
It was presented to the House on the 20th of July, and after a debate of
two hours it was adopted by a vote of 185 to 115.
The Conference had done its work so well, and had arranged the changes
in the bill in such a manner, that the House made little objection to
them.
The measure now goes to the Senate, where it has to be readopted; but,
as the changes made by the Conference were so very slight, no doubt is
felt that it will be passed without delay.
Unless something very unforeseen occurs, it will be in the hands of the
President before the week is out, and the Dingley Bill will then become
a law.
There is general rejoicing that the long and tedious discussion is over,
and that Congress will be able to adjourn before many days have passed.
* * * * *
An interesting story comes from Paris about the new X-rays.
According to the account which reaches us, an apparatus has been
prepared by which the Custom House officers can examine the baggage and
ascertain whether there are any dutiable articles concealed in it,
without going through all the trouble of unpacking and searching.
It is said that cigars can be easily counted by this new process, which
promises to be a great success.
The method of using it is very simple.
The instrument is mounted on a large table; one of the Custom House
officers takes the fluoroscope and stands at the end of the table. Two
others seize the baggage, and piece by piece hold it in front of the
rays for examination.
If this method is really as useful as it is declared to be, it will save
an infinite amount of trouble in our Custom House. Unfortunately there
are so many more dutiable articles in this country than in France that
it is possible even the X-rays might not be sharp enough to discover
them all.
* * * * *
The treaty for the annexation of Hawaii has been approved by the Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations, and returned to the Senate for
ratification.
The committee thoroughly approved of the treaty, and sent it to the
Senate without any alteration or criticism. It therefore stands as we
explained it to you in No. 34.
The chairman of the committee, Senator Davis, would be glad to have the
treaty ratified at once, as he thinks that speedy action would be the
best way to avoid any trouble with Japan. He has, however, been warned
that if he tries to press the treaty this session, the Senate will block
it with the lengthy discussions about which we told you. Senator Davis
therefore thinks that it will be best to let the matter rest for the
present.
The President called a cabinet council to discuss the affairs of Hawaii,
and at the council a policy was laid down to protect our interests in
the Sandwich Islands until the treaty can be ratified.
In accordance with this policy full instructions have been sent to
Rear-Admiral Beardslee, who is in command of the cruiser _Philadelphia_,
which is now in Hawaiian waters.
The Admiral has been commanded to land a force of sailors and marines
and hoist the American flag over the Hawaiian Islands at the first sign
of hostility from Japan.
As we stated before, the American fleet in Hawaiian waters is to be
reinforced by the battle-ship _Oregon_, one of our first-class cruisers.
This will give the Admiral three vessels under his command--the
_Philadelphia_, the _Oregon_, and the _Marion_. There have been several
rumors that the _Marion_ was to be recalled, because she was an
old-fashioned wooden ship, and was badly in need of repairs. She will,
however, remain where she is for the present.
* * * * *
Reliable information has been brought to us of an enormous find of gold
on the borders of British Columbia and Alaska.
The accounts of the find read like a fairy-story.
Those familiar with placer mining declare that the new gold-fields are
the richest and finest ever discovered; they say that the California
find of 1849 cannot be compared with this present one.
The place where this great discovery has been made is on the borders of
Alaska, not many miles east of the British Columbia boundary, and
therefore on English territory. It is called the Klondike district.
The Klondike is a river, a tributary of the Yukon River, into which it
flows above Forty Mile Creek.
The story of the find is interesting.
It was discovered by an old hunter named McCormick.
McCormick had married an Indian squaw, and was therefore, according to
the custom, known by the uncomplimentary name of squaw man, and was not
much liked by other white men.
He lived a very lonely life in his cabin, with his squaw wife and his
half-Indian children, and made his living by hunting and fishing.
In the spring of 1896 he went up the Klondike River to fish. At the
point where this stream meets the Yukon, very large salmon are often
caught. It was for this profitable spot that McCormick set out.
He had poor luck, however. The salmon didn't run as usual, and his
fishing expedition was a failure.
He didn't want to go home empty-handed, and cast about for some fresh
game. In his uncertainty he bethought him that the Indians had often
told him that gold was very abundant in this region, and could be washed
out of the sand in any little pan or vessel that hunters happened to
carry.
Failing to catch salmon, he determined to seek for gold, and, starting
off in the direction the Indians had pointed out, he soon found that
their stories were absolutely true.
Filling his pockets with all the nuggets he could carry, he started back
with the news.
As soon as word was spread abroad, the miners began to rush into the new
district.
After McCormick's fishing-trip several men went prospecting, and,
finding that he had not exaggerated the greatness of his discovery, men
began to hurry to the Klondike region to take up their claims and secure
their share of the great prize.
The work of mining this gold is very lengthy and somewhat curious.
The Yukon region, in which the Klondike lies, is very cold. Alaska is
bounded on the north by the Arctic Ocean, and the Arctic circle runs
right through the Yukon country. You can imagine therefore that it is
terribly cold, and that the ground is frozen nearly all the year round.
The rich pay-dirt in which the gold is found lies from eighteen to
twenty-five feet below the surface. It would not pay the miners to wait
for the short warm season when the frost is out of the ground to make
their harvest; so they have found a plan to get at the gold all the year
round, no matter how hard or frozen the earth may be.
They build great fires on the top of the gravel, and fix them so that
they shall burn all night. When morning comes about eighteen inches of
the ground beneath the fire is found to be thawed out. This surface is
shovelled away, and another fire built on the gravel where it is frozen
again.
They keep right on in this slow and tedious way, until finally the
pay-dirt is reached.
The yield from these new gold-fields is something wonderful. It is
greater than anything ever recorded in the history of gold mining.
[Illustration: ALASKA: YUKON VALLEY AND GOLD FIELDS.
(The State of Pennsylvania is inserted to show comparative size.)]
One miner, who is a thoroughly experienced man, declares that he is
absolutely amazed at the amount of gold that has already been produced.
He says that the work has only been commenced, and that this present
find which is setting people crazy is nothing to the gold that will be
discovered as soon as the miners really get to work.