The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 47, September 30, 1897 by Various
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Various >> The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 47, September 30, 1897
[Illustration: THE GREAT ROUND
WORLD
AND WHAT IS GOING ON IN IT.]
VOL. 1 SEPTEMBER 30, 1897. NO. 47
=Copyright, 1897, by THE GREAT ROUND WORLD Publishing Company.=
* * * * *
It is said that the Sultan of Turkey has at last made up his mind to do
something for the Armenians, and has ordered that a commission visit the
villages that have suffered from the massacres, and make a careful note
of the schools, churches, and monasteries which have been destroyed.
This Royal Commission is composed of two Mussulmans, three Armenians,
and one Greek.
It is to start immediately, and the Sultan has ordered that a careful
note of all the damage done shall be taken, and a full report rendered
to him. It is his intention to reconstruct every building that has been
destroyed.
In addition to this, he intends to erect orphan asylums for the children
whose parents were killed during the massacres.
If this report is really true it will greatly rejoice Europe as well as
the unfortunate people it is intended to benefit, for the impossibility
of making the Sultan do anything for the Armenians has been worrying the
various European governments considerably.
There is nothing new to tell about the peace negotiations.
England insists that the Turks shall leave Thessaly, and it seems as if
the other Powers were willing to agree with her. The Sultan has thus far
raised no new objections, and it looks as if peace would be concluded
within a very short time.
* * * * *
The Cubans are rejoicing over the news which we have to tell you this
week.
They have won a great victory which is of the utmost importance to their
cause.
Under the leadership of Gen. Calixto Garcia, the insurgents have taken
Victoria de las Tunas, a large town in the province of Santiago de Cuba.
This town was considered one of the great Spanish strongholds in Eastern
Cuba. At the beginning of the present revolution it was freshly
fortified, and at the time of its capture was defended by seven forts,
which were armed with first-class guns.
It was garrisoned by a force of three hundred soldiers, but after a
fight which lasted three days, the commander surrendered.
The loss of this town was such a severe blow, that the moment the bad
news reached Spain a Cabinet Council was called, to discuss the
situation. It was decided that the Spanish cause must be upheld at all
hazards, and that fresh troops must immediately be sent to Cuba, to
strike some decisive blow which shall offset the triumph of the Cubans.
The capture of this town is of great value to the Cubans for several
reasons, one of which is that it breaks the strength of Spain in Eastern
Cuba.
We have told you before that this part of the island is now known as
Free Cuba, that the insurgent government controls it, and that there are
no Spanish troops marching through it, ravaging it or laying it waste.
What soldiers Spain still keeps in this part of the island are shut up
in a few large and important towns.
These towns are, however, more of a burden than a profit to the
Government, for the Spaniards dare not venture out into the surrounding
country, the Cubans being too strong for them.
They are thus practically besieged; their supplies have to be sent to
them from Havana, and they are entirely dependent on the main army for
support.
For months past the great object of the Cuban troops in Eastern Cuba has
been to waylay the baggage-trains carrying these supplies. Again and
again they have been attacked, the guard slaughtered, and the provisions
captured. The Cubans have begun to boast that such comforts as their
army is now enjoying have been supplied to them through these forays on
the enemy.
Bayamo, one of the towns that especially depended on the convoys, is in
a state bordering on starvation, as the last three trains sent to her
relief have been captured.
The Spaniards declare that a force of ten thousand men is necessary to
take provisions to Bayamo in safety.
But it is not alone the importance of their victory which pleases the
Cubans in the capture of Las Tunas. Their great cause for rejoicing is
that at this battle the Spaniards for the first time accorded them the
rights of belligerents. That is to say, the Spaniards treated them as
soldiers engaged in legitimate warfare, not as brigands and bandits.
The Spanish commander himself requested that the Cubans should consent
to an exchange of prisoners.
That you may understand the importance of this request, you must
remember that there are especial rules and laws which govern the conduct
of a war, and from which no nation dares depart, unless it wishes to be
branded as inhuman and savage.
One of these laws relates to the care of prisoners. Prisoners of war
must not be treated like criminals, for they have done no wrong. The
patriotism that makes a man willing to give his life for his country is
a virtue, not a crime, and therefore prisoners of war must always be
treated as honorable men. Nothing should be done to them but to keep
them in confinement, and prevent them from fighting.
As every prisoner captured weakens the fighting force of the enemy, all
armies try to take as many captives as they can. During a war it is
customary frequently to exchange prisoners; that is to say, each side
gives back the prisoners they hold, in exchange for their own soldiers
who are held by the other side.
Brigands, bandits, and rebels are not considered prisoners of war, and
when captured are treated as criminals.
Up to the time of the capture of Victoria de las Tunas, the Spaniards
utterly refused to exchange prisoners with the Cubans. They have
insisted that the Cubans were rebels, and have shot their captives
without mercy.
The Cubans have tried in every way to get the Spaniards to treat them
fairly and acknowledge their rights as a nation at war, but have been
unable to do so.
Now the situation is changed, and Spain has at last acknowledged the
belligerency of Cuba to a certain extent.
When it was found that Las Tunas could hold out no longer, an unarmed
officer was sent out to parley with the Cubans. He said that the
commander would surrender if the Cuban General would consent to spare
the lives of the garrison, and grant them their liberty in case an
exchange of prisoners could be arranged.
General Garcia was only too pleased to agree to these terms, and the
forts were delivered over to him.
Eighty-seven Spaniards were afterward exchanged for an equal number of
Cubans.
It is thought that the Cubans will endeavor to improve the advantage
they have gained by holding the city of Las Tunas, and establishing
their government there.
One of the reasons why both Mr. Cleveland and President McKinley have
hesitated to acknowledge the war rights of Cuba was that the Cubans did
not hold one important city in which to establish a government. Their
government was carried on in secret and hidden places, and the army
wandered from camp to camp, without one stronghold to call its own.
Should the Cubans fortify Las Tunas, all these objections will be
removed, and the United States may be able to grant these brave people
the rights they ask for.
Once recognized as belligerents, they will be able to buy what they need
in our ports, and fit out a navy to fight Spain.
The Spaniards are fearful that some such action will be taken. The
Government in Madrid has cabled to Weyler that Las Tunas must be retaken
at any cost.
An attempt has already been made on the town, but the Spaniards were
routed by the Cubans, who still retain possession of their prize.
The Spanish prisoners who were exchanged have been put under arrest for
surrendering. They will be court-martialled, that is to say, tried by
military court, and called upon to explain why they gave up the town.
From the Cuban accounts that have reached us, it seems that they
attribute the victory to the fine work done by a new artillery corps
which General Garcia has just organized. An artillery corps is made up
of a number of cannon, each having its regular number of gunners to
serve it. The artillery is a very valuable assistance in all warfare.
The new corps of gunners had only lately landed on Cuban soil. It
consists mainly of American sympathizers with the Cuban cause. The guns
they serve are two heavy cannon, six rapid-firing guns, and one
dynamite-gun.
The Cubans declare that as soon as the dynamite-gun went into action the
victory was assured.
On the other hand, the Spanish claim that the loss of the city was due
to the poor communication kept up on their side between the posts.
For more than two weeks before the attack on the city, the commander at
Las Tunas had been aware that the Cubans were advancing, and
contemplated an assault on it.
He therefore used the heliograph, and with it flashed the news to the
Spanish stations on the Canto River, asking that reinforcements be sent
him. He was surprised to receive no answer, and again and again the
mirrors flashed his message across the hills. No response was received.
For some unknown reason the commander did not send out scouts and
messengers to find out why his despatches were left unanswered. Not
receiving any response to his messages, it is strange that he did not
send scouts to find out the reason; but the idea does not seem to have
occurred to him that the stations on the Canto River had been captured
or abandoned.
He throws the whole blame of the disaster on the river stations, and
declares that if they had only answered his appeal, Las Tunas might have
been saved.
As a matter of fact, the insurgents had been so active in the
neighborhood of the Canto River that the garrisons had all been
abandoned, and the messages from Las Tunas were never received.
The fall of Las Tunas has made the fate of Holguin, Bayamo, and Jiguani
very uncertain. These are other towns which Spain still holds in "Free
Cuba." The Spaniards fear that they too will soon fall into the hands of
the insurgents. It is rumored that Garcia has already sent an expedition
against Holguin.
Reports have reached us that a president has been elected for Cuba. The
reports, however, do not agree, and it is therefore impossible to make
any decided statement about the matter.
One telegram states that General Bartolome Maso has been elected, while
another, on equally good authority, says that the new Cuban president is
Senor Domingo Mendez Capote. Senor Capote is a young lawyer, and while a
bright and clever man, was not thought of as a possible candidate for
the office. His election, if it is confirmed, will be a great surprise.
The only information which we get reaches us through Havana. It had been
arranged that couriers should carry the news of the election to the West
as soon as the result was known. No courier has, however, arrived in
Havana. Such information as we have received has been sent through
channels that may not be reliable.
General Lee has been interviewed in regard to the state of affairs in
Cuba.
He gives a very sad picture of the once prosperous island. He says that
there is no business doing but that which deals with the actual daily
needs. No crops are being raised, except those that are required to
supply food, and even these are maintained under difficulties, for the
Spaniards destroy when they can all the crops the Cubans try to raise,
and the Cubans try to do the same toward the Spanish. Between the two
the island is being laid waste.
General Lee also says that he has distributed about $15,000 of the
$50,000 appropriated by Congress for the relief of the sufferers. He
says that there are very few native-born Americans among those who
apply to him for help. They are mostly Cubans who have come to America
and become naturalized.
Considerable anxiety is being felt on the score of General Woodford's
mission.
He has been presented to the Queen Regent, and we must now wait
patiently to know how the Spanish Government will receive the message
which he bears from our President.
There are new rumors of a Carlist rising.
It is stated that Don Carlos and his advisers are still waiting for a
favorable opportunity to come forward and press their claims.
Don Carlos is still afraid of prejudicing the people against him by
coming forward and trying to seize the throne at a moment when the
country is in so much trouble. He is hoping that the new leaders of the
Government will make some mistake which will render it possible for him
to come forward and declare himself the only person who can save the
country.
It is stated on most reliable authority that the Carlists have secretly
established an elaborate military organization. They have, so it is
said, made lists of all the men who are willing to fight for Don Carlos,
and have arranged and mustered them in troops and companies, posting
each man as to his place and duties. When the time comes that the
Carlists unfurl their standard and revolt against the Government of
Spain, they expect, by these means, to have a well-drilled army to back
up the claims of the Pretender.
Arrangements have been made for the Carlist leaders to meet at Lucerne
in Switzerland. They are to discuss the situation. Many of them think
that they have been passive long enough, and that it is now high time
that a decided attempt should be made to secure the crown for their
candidate.
* * * * *
A flutter of excitement was caused in this country the other day by the
news that a Spanish officer had been inspecting our Southern coast
defences, and had made sketches of some of them to send to Madrid.
Our Government ordered the matter investigated, and it was found that
the man who had apparently been spying on our forts was a lieutenant in
the Spanish navy named Sobrai. He is known to us as being the author of
certain letters, calling attention to the weakness of our coast
defences.
On his arrival in Charleston, Senor Sobrai chartered a boat and went
over to Sullivan's Island, where the new forts are being constructed,
and spent the day examining them.
He was not admitted inside the works, and could only make his
observations from the outside. A new regulation has lately been made by
the War Department, forbidding any persons to inspect the new defences,
except American army and navy officers.
When Lieutenant Sobrai heard of the accusation against him, he protested
against it vigorously. He said that he had not made the slightest effort
to inspect any of our Southern forts or coast defences.
He declared that he had been in the South on a confidential mission from
his Government, and that his visit to Sullivan's Island was merely to
escape the intolerable heat of the city.
Whether his statement be true or false, the scare which he caused will
have the good effect of making our Government still more careful about
admitting strangers to our forts.
* * * * *
The reports from India are not as encouraging as they were last week.
There seems to have been small foundation for the statement that the
Mullah had ordered his followers to go back to their homes, and had
disbanded his forces because of the refusal of the Mohmands to join him.
It is true that the Mohmands have not risen, and that the British have
little or no fear that they mean to make trouble; but the Afridis are
just as troublesome as ever.
They have now been joined by a new tribe called the Orakzais. If these
people are as terrible as their name, they must be an unpleasant enemy.
The news comes from the hills that these two tribes now represent a
force of forty-seven thousand men, and that they are advancing on the
Samana Hills, where the British have a number of small forts.
The tribesmen apparently intend to attack and demolish these forts.
Some brave fighting is being done in these hills. One of the forts was
attacked by a body of Orakzais, one thousand strong. Its garrison
consisted of twenty native soldiers, who defended themselves with
wonderful heroism for a period of six hours.
One of these men whose duty it was to signal to the other forts remained
at his post until the fort was captured. In spite of the bullets that
were whistling around him, he continued sending his messages of warning
until he was overcome by the enemy.
Another had been told off to defend the guard-room of the fort. He
remained at his post, killing twenty of the enemy before he was shot
down himself.
Of the whole garrison, but one man remained alive when the assault was
over.
These heroes were not white men, but native subjects of Queen Victoria.
They belonged to a people called the Sikhs, natives of the Punjaub, a
northern province of Hindustan.
With such brave men as these loyal to their standard, the British should
take heart about their future in India.
The expedition which is to be sent out to punish the rebellious tribes
is being hurried forward with all possible speed.
The Ameer of Afghanistan has, it is said, become seriously alarmed over
the advance of the British troops to the frontier. He is persuaded that
England intends to invade Afghanistan, and take his country away from
him.
The Government in India has sent him word that though they are obliged
to send troops across his frontier, in order to accomplish their
purposes, their object is solely to punish the mad priest, or Haddah
Mullah, and his followers. They assure the Ameer that no harm is
intended to him or his loyal subjects, but declare that all the tribes
who endeavor to oppose their advance or harass the English troops will
be included in the severe punishment which the British intend to mete
out to their enemies.
On hearing this, the Ameer sent a letter to the Mullah, ordering him to
cease from inciting the Afridis to revolt.
In spite of this the British Government continues to be very suspicious
of the honesty of the Ameer.
Word has been sent to him from the Government that no war material or
machinery for manufacturing it will be allowed to cross the frontier
into Afghanistan until the present troubles are over, and the tribes at
peace.
* * * * *
Some time ago we talked to you about the Ex-Empress Charlotte of Mexico,
widow of the Emperor Maximilian who was shot by the Mexicans.
The Empress, as you doubtless remember, went out of her mind from the
troubles of her short reign in Mexico.
We told you that after thirty years of insanity the poor lady had given
signs of returning reason, and that the doctors thought a visit to
Mexico might entirely restore her.
Preparations were being made for the visit, which was to take place as
soon as the doctors thought it safe. All plans have now, however, had to
be abandoned, for the Empress Charlotte has become so alarmingly ill
that her life is despaired of, and the news of her death is hourly
expected.
Ever since her affliction she has been leading a quiet life at the
Palace of Larken, near Brussels.
Her insanity has never assumed a violent or unmanageable character, and
her sweet and gentle nature has endeared the unhappy lady to all her
attendants.
Her mania lay chiefly in a belief that her husband Maximilian was alive,
and she spent her days in hourly expectation of his arrival. She
appeared to have forgotten all the troubles which had unbalanced her
mind, and to be unaware of the cruel death which he had suffered.
The Palace of Larken, where the ex-Empress passed her life, is
beautifully situated in a large park. The gentle Princess would wander
over the estate, interesting herself in all the various phases of a
country life.
It is said that her one pleasure was her dairy. The King of the
Belgians, who endeavored to gratify every wish that she expressed, sent
a very fine herd of cows to Larken, and the ex-Empress established a
model dairy farm, from which she derived much pleasure.
* * * * *
Another traveller has reached the summit of the Enchanted Mesa.
We told you how Professor Libbey, of Princeton, had successfully scaled
the bluff, and had reported that there were no traces of human life on
the Mesa-top.
It seems that the scientists were not altogether satisfied with this
decision.
It has been the experience of all men who have had any dealings with the
red Indians that, no matter how vague and strange their legends may be,
they are always founded on fact. Every tribe has an abundance of
legends, and it has been found that there is always a leaven of truth in
them.
The story of the Enchanted Mesa,--how the roadway which led up to the
village on its summit was destroyed in a great storm, and how the people
left on the top were starved to death because they could not get
down,--exists in one form or another among all the tribes in the
vicinity, and therefore several men who are versed in Indian lore have
refused to believe Professor Libbey's assertion that there were no
traces of life to be found on the Mesa's top.
A representative of the Smithsonian Institution, Mr. F.W. Hodge, has
just returned from an expedition to the Enchanted Mesa, and his account
is utterly at variance with that of the Professor.
Mr. Hodge ascended the Butte by means of an extension ladder, and once
on top proceeded to investigate in a much more thorough and leisurely
manner than Professor Libbey had attempted to do.
After a long and careful search, which convinced him that people had
once dwelt on this mound, Mr. Hodge began to dig at various points where
he thought he had a chance of making a find.
His perseverance was soon rewarded. After a few hours' labor he found
two stone axes, a broken fragment of a shell bracelet, a stone
arrow-point, and several fragments of pottery.
This proves conclusively that there have been dwellers on the Mesa-top,
and it seems a pity that after all his trouble the Professor was not
rewarded by some such find.
Mr. Hodge says that Professor Libbey could not have attempted to dig,
but must have expected to find the traces he was in search of lying
exposed on the surface.
By Mr. Hodge's measurement, the Mesa is 431 feet at its highest point,
and 224 feet at its lowest.
He thinks there is not a shadow of doubt that it was once occupied by
Indians, and suggests that an expedition be sent out prepared to encamp
on the Mesa, and examine it much more thoroughly than he was able to do.
* * * * *
The committee appointed to look into the possibility of establishing a
government factory for the manufacture of armor-plate has reported that
it will cost about three million dollars.
The committee was also instructed to look about for a desirable site on
which to build the works. This raised the hopes of the towns within the
iron districts. Delegates from several States have appeared before the
board to extol the desirability of their various townships. As yet,
however, it is not decided whether the Government will build the works
at all, and so the matter of place has not been taken into serious
consideration.
It was supposed that the Bethlehem Iron Works and perhaps the Carnegie
works might make some offer to the Government by which the works could
be under the control of the Government, or the armor could be made at
the price the Government offers ($300 per ton). No offer has as yet been
made.
A suggestion has, however, come from a man who thoroughly understands
the manufacture of armor-plate.
He says that by the use of a new process of making steel the plate can
be turned out at a much less cost, and with half the waste that there is
in the present method of making it. The plant to make this new-process
steel can be built for half the money required for the old-style plant,
and moreover the armor-plate can be turned out in a much shorter time.
By the use of this process he asserts that the finest armor-plate can be
made at a cost of $150 per ton, and at that price there would be a
margin of $50 profit.
The armor factory board has written to him, telling him that they will
be ready to consider any proposals from him in a few days, and will
inquire into his process.
The manufacturer says that if the Government does not take kindly to his
plan, he will start his own factory, and make armor-plate at $150 per
ton.
There is little fear that the article which this Mr. Carpenter offers is
of an inferior character, for all armor-plate is carefully tested before
it is accepted.
* * * * *
The people who have gone to the Klondike gold hunting have found out for
themselves the truth of the saying that "all is not gold that glitters."
Day after day news reaches us of the trials and struggles, the hunger
and hardships, of those who have hurried off in this mad rush after
wealth.
Only a day or two ago a carrier-pigeon reached its home in Portland,
Oregon, bearing a message from a party of young men who had set out from
that city to seek their fortunes.
Wishing to be able to tell their friends of their safe arrival, the
young men took several carrier-pigeons with them. This bird is the first
that has arrived. The message it brought was by no means a cheerful one.