The record-union. [volume], December 31, 1899, Image 1

About The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

VOLUME 98.—N0. 131.
NO BIG BATTLES
WERE FOUGHT.
Beyond Sorties, Minor Skirmishes
and Bombardments.
. ■
The Week's News Shows No Change In the
Situation io Senth Africa.
The Naval Brigade Shells the Boer
Positions About Ladysmith, But
Their Fire Fails to Elicit Any
Sign of Life Among the Enemy
—A British Cruiser Seizes a Ger
man Steamer in Delagoa Bay.
LONDON, Dec. 31, 4:30 a. m.—The
War Office, when communicating about
midnight copies of the messages ex
changed between the Queen and the
inhabitants of Kimberley, stated that
no further, news had been received up
to that hour, and nothing of importance
has come from other sources during the
night.
The week's sorties, skirmishes, recon
noiasances and bombardments at va
rious points where the British and thei
Boers confront each other, so far as can j
be Judged, has had no effect upon the
general situation at the seat of war,
which is practically the same as it was
a week ago.
During the night of December 2Sth
Ladysmith and Chiveley Camp were in
. full communication, the former report
ing all well. While the signaling was in
progress the Boers attempted to muddle
the messages with flashlights from each;
extremity of their long entrenched line..
The naval brigade took advantage of
the opportunity to shell the Boer posi- 1
tions, which were plainly revealed by
their own lights. The naval battery*
resumed the shelling of the Boer'
trenches on the morning of December
29th, but their fire failed to elicit any;
sign of life.
A dispatch from Cape Town, dated
Wednesday, December 27th, announced
that an armored train had restored
communication with Dordrecht, where
the Free State flag had been hauled
down and that the Boers had been
driven from the adjacent hills to Storm
berg.
LONDON, Dec 30.—The War Office
has received a dispatch dated Cape
Town, Friday, December 20th, evening,
saying that Colonel Kekewich wired,
through the General commanding at
Modder River, December 2iith, as fol
lows:*
"I am desired by the Mayor and coun
cli to forward the following for trans
mission through the proper channel: !
" 'To Her Mott Gracious Majesty, the
Queen: The inhabitants of Kimberley
beg to send your majesty New Year's
greetings. The trouble they have passed
through and are still enduring only I
tends to love and loyalty toward your:
majesty's throne and person.
" "U. S. HENDERSON, Mayor,
" 'On behalf of the inhabitants.' "
The War Offlce also issued the fol-1
lowing, addressed to the Secretary of
State for War:
"Please send the following to Colonel
Kekewich for communication to the
Mayor and council for the Queen:
" 'I am deeply touched by your kind 1
and loyal New Tear's greetings. Ii
watch with admiration your determina-,
tion and gallant defense, though I re
gret the unavoidable loss of life in-!
curred.' "
The reported sortie from Ladysmith,
resulting in the capture of a Boer po
sition, is not confirmed, and apparently
is only a Kaffir story. A Chiveley dis
patch dated Friday, December 29th,
makes no mention of it. The same mes
sage shows renewed activity on the
part of the British apparently prepara
tory to some action.
The Boer position eastward of the
camp was thoroughly reconnoitered De
cember 28th without drawing the en-,
emy. The naval guns engaged in daily
practice, and it is said on good author- •
ity that thirty or forty Boers have
been killed by the firing during two
days.
A dispatch from Durban predicts that
Ladysmith will be relieved on or about
January 7th. While there is not'-iing
to bear out this forecast, there is some
disposition to believe that General Bull
er is preparing another attempt to ad
vance, this time by an attack on the
Boer position on Innlawe mountain.
Advices from Cape Town say there is
* great disaffection there at the action
of the British insurance companies, who
are retarding volunteering by making
policy-holders pay war risk premiums,
while the agencies of the It-ading Amer
ican companies allow perfect freedom
for naval and military service.
The Government has accepted 128
Ceylon volunteers, mostly planters, and
has also accepted the offers of Indian
princes to supply horses.
The non-arrival of the Majestic, due
it Cape Town Thursday, is causing ■
some surprise among the public, who
expected she would maintain her usual
trans-Atlantic speed. Shipping circles,;
however, explain that this is due to'
the conditions Imposed by coaling en j
route, the necessity of economizing her!
supply and of traversing the tropics, all
of which, they add, combine heavily to
discount her usual rate of speed. They
say all trans-Atlantic liners would be
similarly handicapped.
An incredible report is circulating- in
Vienna that Slatln Pasha is on his way
to the Cape to serve the British, and it
is regarded as much more probable that
he is going to Khartoum, as he recently
said he proposed to make a tour of the
Soudan.
VIENNA. Dec 30.—The report that
Slatin Pasha is on his way to Cape
Town is officially contradicted. He
starts for Egypt January 25th.
A GERMAN STEAMER SEIZED.
DURBAN, Friday, Dec. 29.—The
British cruiser Magicienne seized the
German steamer Bundesrath in Dela
goa Bay. She will be brought before a
court.
LONDON, Dec. 30. —A representative
of the Associated Press has learned
that there were three German officers
and twenty men attired in khaki, and
intending to serve the Boers on board
the Bundesrath, which explains her
capture.
THE RECORD-UNION.
Regarding the traffic generally en the
east coast of Africa the British Ad
miralty officials say the British Gov
ernment desires that all ordinary and
legitimate trade conducted by foreign
vessels, should suffer as little restric
tion as possible.
HAMBURG, Dec. 30.—The Directors
of the German East African line have
received news of the arrest of the im
perial mail steamer Bundesrath. The
commander of the port of Durban re
fused an explanation of the cause of
the seizure. It is declared here that
there was no contraband of war on
board, and when application v, as made
to the German Foreign Office, the lat
ter Immediately promised interposition
with the British Government.
LOURENZO MARQUES, Dec. 30 —
The capture of the Bundesrath has in
creased the already strong anti-British
feeling here among the Hollander and
German population.
BRITISH LOSSES SEVERE.
PRETORIA, Friday, Dec. 29.—Three
British prisoners from Malapo report
that Captains Vernon and Sandford of
Colonel t Baden-Powell's staff were
killed during the engagement in which
Lords Edward Creit and Cavendish-
Benetlck were wounded. The object of
the sortie was to capture Boer cannon.
The losses of the British were very se
vere. The "Long Tom" injured at Lady
smith has been repaired and is being re
placed.
The new contract reducing, the price
of dynamite Instituted by the Raad in
August was registered December 28th
between the Government and the fac
tory.
AN ARTILLERY DUEL.
LOURENZO MARQUES, Friday,
Dec. 29. —Advices received here from
Pretoria under date of Wednesday, De
cember 27th, say that an official dis
patch from Mafeking announces that
in the sortie which the British made
from that place December 25th, at
tacking one of the Boer forts with can
non, Maxima and an armored train so
persistently, that the .fighting raged up
to the walls of the fort, the British lost
109 killed and wounded, while the Boers
only lost two men killed and seven
wounded.
The dispatch adds that Captains
Kirkwood and Frefell were captured by
Boer scouts near Colenso and were
being sent to Pretoria.
Ten unloaded shells inscribed "The
Season's Greeting," have been fired at
Ladysmith.
Ten South African medical students
from Edinburgh have arrived at Pr -
toria from Delagoa Bay with five tons
of medical stores.
A dispatch from the Boer camp at
Modder River dated Thursday, Decem
ber 2Sth, reports an artillery duel last
ing an hour. December 27th a British
reconnoitering party made a sortie, >ut
did not come within the Boer
The British on December 28th • m
menced a steady bombardment of the
Boer position.
BOERS FORCED TO RETIRE.
CAPE TOWN, Friday, Dec. 29.— Ti.
troops in the British camp of Victoria
West turned out last night to repel an
attempt of the Boers to cut the railroad
near the station. A patrol reported
early in the evening that they had
sighted the Boers in the neighborhood.
At 10 o'clock at night the Boers opened
a heavy fire near the station. The Brit
ish replied, and the Boers retired at
daybreak, their attempt having turned
out a failure.
IN THE PHILIPPINES.
COL. LOCKETT AGAIN ROUTS
THE FILIPINOS.
By a Brilliant Charge Drives the
Enemy From Their Position,
the Rebels Losing Heavily.
MANILA, Dec. 31.—(9:30 a. m.).—
Colonel Lockett has had a second en
gagement with the insurgents north
west of Montalban, and by a brilliant
charge drove the enemy from their po
sition. Only one American officer and
five men were wounded, but the loss of
the insurgents was heavy. Our troops
captured a number of rifles and a
quantity of ammunition and provi
sions.
MANILA, Dec. 30.—(3 p. m.).—The
funeral of General Henry W. Lawton.
who was killed at San Mateo, Decem
ber 18th, was held to-day with impres
sive ceremonies. The remains were
conveyed from the Paco Cemetery
down the Luneta to Pasig, thence to
the transport Thomas, which sailed
this afternoon.
As the body was removed from the
vault Chaplain Marry read the pray
ers. The personal staff of the late
General was augmented by Color Ser
geant Simon. Trumpeter Haberkam
and Privates Oakum and Mohrusen.
The latter, who were closely connect
ed with General Lawton's recent cam
paigns, bore the casket from the vault
to a six horse caisson awaiting at the
gate.
The funeral procession was composed
of the band of the Twentieth Regi
ment, General Hall and his staff, two
troops of the Fourth Cavalry who were
with General Lawton at the time of
his death, a battery of artillery and
a number of clergymen. The caisson,
covered with flowers, the personal
staff, officers on foot, Generals Wheel
er, Bates, Forsythe, Kobbe and
Schwan and Admiral Watson in thre&
carriages, a naval battalion, Major
General Otis and staff, the foreign
Consuls in full dress and the members
of thf Philippine Supreme Coi rt. Na
tive delegations from the towns where
General Lawton established civil gov
ernments held wreaths.
Women from the same towns waited
upon Mrs. Lawton yesterday, and
presented her with their condolences
and flowers.
Crowds of natives and Americans
witnessed the procession. The band
played dirges, and the crowds uncov
ered.
At Pasig the casket was transferred
to a tug, "taps" was sounded and
prayers were offered by Chaplain
Pierce,.
Four enlisted pall-bearers will ac
company the remains to the United
States.
A Banking Firm Suspends.
BERLIN, Dec*3o.—A private bank
ing firm of Goerlitz, Prussian Silesia,
has suspended. The liabilities are near
ly two million marks. Some small
banks in Berlin and London are said to
be affected to a considerable extent. A
local paper reports the arrest of two of
the Arm's principals.
SACRAMENTO, SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 31, 1899.-TWELVE PAGES.
GLOOMY WEEK IN
LONDON CIRCLES.
The Recent Death of the Duke of
Westminster,
Combined With Mjurnlng on Acconut of
Losses Throughout the War,
Left Few of the Titled Families of
Great Britain Free to Celebrate
tbe Christmas Holidays Witb
tbe Usual Festivities.
(Copyrighted, 1599, by Associated Press.)
LONDON, Dec. 30.—The death of the
Duke of Westminster, combined with
the mourning already prevalent on ac
count of the war loss<*s, left few. of the
titled families of Great Britain free to
celebrate Christmas week with the
usual festivities.
The Grosvenor family has so many
ramifications among the nobility, and
such a large number of other titled
people have recently died, that one
would almost think the court was in
mourning. To this condition of affairs!
a pathetic paradox is found in the so
ciety news columns, which daily an
nounce a long list of forthcoming mar
riages, the bridegrooms in a majority
of the cases being soldiers. It is a sea
son of short engagements and sudden
deaths. Momentarily expecting orders
to start for South Africa, tha British
officers have apparently taken the op
portunity of "striking while the iron is
hot," and many a quiet marriage is now
followed within a few days by a fare
well at Southampton. For instance,
Major Maxse, who took part in the re
cent defeat of the Khalifa, returned to
England, married Lord Leeomleld's
daughter, and is now on his way to the
Cape.
The martial spirit and universal de
sire to serve the country at the front
shows no signs of abatement. The ac
tion of England's Premier Duke, the
Duke of Norfolk, who is Postmaster
General, and by no means a young
man, volunteering for active service,
is the latest example of the spirit which
pervades all classes. The Duke of Nor
folk's position in ths Cabinet and his
tremendous business interests, to say
nothing of his power as lay head of the
Catholic Church in England, will prob
ably prevent the acceptance of his oifer.
The Duke of Connaught, whose
! ardent requests to be allowed to go to
I South Africa have been refused, is men
tioned as likely to succeed General Rob
erts in command of the British forces
in Ireland.
No little comment has been caused by
the War Office's tardy recognition of
the engineers and artillery. Until Gen
eral Warren cf the engineers was sent
out all the general officers in the field
were cavalrymen or infantrymen. The
country howled for General Warren's
appointment, and at last the man who
knows South African topography bet
ter than any other General received
recognition. Then followed in quick
succession General Roberts, an artill
eryman, and GeneraJs Kitchener and
Chermside, engineers, until the cam
paign now bids fair to be chiefly di
i rected by the hitherto neglected "gun
ners and sappers."
The impression continues to gain
ground that General Buller and his sub
ordinates have been instructed to un
dertake no important movement until
the arrival of General Roberts, and
I Roberts will amalgamate the guns un
j der Generals Gatacre, Warren and
' French, subsequently marching upon
j Bloemfontein to capture that place and
draw off the Boers from Ladysmith. To
; accomplish this it is believed that JCim
! berley and Mafeking may be sacrifted.
j Whether General Buller will acquiesce
lin this arrangement is seriously doubt
ied by many who. know him, and they
1 are rather inclined to believe he will
j attempt to emulate General Gourgh,
: w ho. under similar circumstances, re
! trieved his reverses in India while Sir
j Charles Napier was coming out to su
persede him.
' The seizures of cargoes of American
! flour off Delagoa Bay bid fair to excite
! much popular interest in England. It
is generally looked upon as a fine point
of international law that will be ami
cably settled. So far no official steps
in the matter have been taken, owing
to the non-arrival of the necessary pa
pers from Washington. The military
; and international law authorities are
: almost unanimous in declaring that
> Great Britain should not declare food
stuffs contraband of war. The "Naval
and Military Record" under this head
says to-day:
I "Fully 50 per cent, of our food uomos
' from America, the colonies and other
countries. We have ceased to make any
effort to be self-supporting. This con
dition constitutes a danger only bear
; able because of our confidence In the
i strength of the British navy and in the
j friendship and self-interest of the Unit
|ed State's. The States may be counted
lon to All our larder in both peace and
! war, but so essentially have American
j supplies become to our safety that, we
must take no step likely to lead to an
interruption of the enormous supply of
foodstuffs.
"Our enemies on the Continent would
rejoice if we intercepted the foodstuffs
now passing Into the Transvaal via
Delagoa, Bay. A dangerous precedent
would thus be created, which would be
used against England at the Arst op
portunity."
A representative of the Associated
Press learns that the wireless telegraph
instruments recently captured from the
Boers and described as Marconi's were
not his manufacture. They were made
by a well-known German Arm, whom
Marconi once employed to experiment
with plans he afterward discarded
Marconi declares the instruments cap
tured were not workable. Some feeling
has been caused against the young In
ventor by the Arst report, the belief
spreading that he had broken his agree
ment to supply only the British during
trie present war.
Princess Christian of Schleswlg-Hol
stein (Princess Helena of England) for
the first time in twenty years, is sitting
for a portrait, and to an American
painter, W. H. Funk.
During the recent visit to Windsor of
Conyngham Greene, former British
' agent at Pretoria, Queen Victoria asked
him a lot of questions regarding Mrs
Kruger, her housekeeping and personal
characteristics. Mr. Greene entertained
her majesty with incidents showing the
simplicity of Mrs. Kruger's home life
and her personal attention to kitchen
duties, detailing with special zest upon
the excellence of a certain dessert which
Mrs. Kruger makes.
Rumors recurred this week of Lord
Salisbury's retirement at the end of the
present Parliament and the succession
of the Duke of Devonshire to the Con
servative leaCi-ship. These seem found
ed on nothing stronger than deduction
from his age and re«ent bereavement.
From one of the Premier's intimates,
a representative of the Associated Press
learns he has not mentioned any in
clination to retire.
The usual crowd of youngsters flocked
to Drury Lane for the annual panto
mime, though in the stalls and the
boxes there were many sad little faces
and black frocks.
The other theaters have drawn good
galleries, but the better part of the
houses were not so well filled as usual
during holiday week. Few changes
have been made.
Madame Patti heads the list of prom
inent artists who will sing at Covent
Garden on February 22d under the
patronage of the Marchioness of Lans
downe, in aid of the wives and families
of officers killed during the war. On
the same occasion the Duchess of Marl
borough will recite a patriotic poem
The Duke and Duchess of Marl
borough entertained a large Christmas
house party at Blenheim this week-
OUTPUT OF GOLD AND SILVER.
ESTIMATES OT DIRECTOR OF
THE MINT ROBERTS
Show a Large Increase In Produc
tion of Both Metals in United
States in 1899 Over 1898.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.—The pre
liminary estimate of the production or
gold and silver in the United States
during the calendar year 1899, made
by Mr. Roberts, the Director of the
Mint, shows a total gold production of
$70,094,170, an increase over the pro
duction of last year of '$0,230,670. The
production of silver during the year is
estimated at $74,424,694, an increase
during the year of $4,040,211. The gold
production by States for the years 1899
and 1898, is given as follows:
GOLD PRODUCTION.
States. 1899. IS9B.
Nevada $2,442,000 $2,994,500
Washington 306,202 766,2u0
Oregon 1,550,387 1,177,600
Alaska 4,608,819 2,524.800
California 14,952,392 15,637,900
Idaho 2,480,620 1.716,900
Montana 4,919,897 5,126,900
Utah 3,369,509 2,2*5,400
Appalachian States .... ■337,344. 327,KW
Colorado 26,000,000 23,105,300
South Dakota 6,120,000 5,699,700
Arizona 2,500,000 2,465,100
New Mexico 600,000 539,000
Wyoming 6,000
Others 500
Totals $70,694,170 $64,457,500
British Klondike 16,114,150
The estimated production of silver
(coining value) during 1899 and 1898,
are given as follows:
States. 1899. 1898.
Nevada $1,254,800 $1,040,808
Washington 452,542. »28,921
Oregon .. .. .1 192,940 168,081
Aiaska 258,585 119,467
California 1,396,363 830,448
Idaho 5,171,71" 6.560,065
Montana 20,040,130 19,144,663
Utah 9,696,969 8,385,810
Appalachian States ... 9,057 2,068
Colorado 31,208,637 29,498,958
South Dakota 550,700 196.913
Arizona 3,000,000 2,904.954
New Mexico 600,000 594,933
Texas 600,000 611,426
Others 42,020
Totals $74,424,696 $70,384,485
British Klondike 252,000
Funeral of Frederick Holzer.
NEW YORK, Dec. 30.—The funeral
of Frederick Holzer, 32 years old, one
of the victims of the battleship Maine,
took place in this city to-day. Services
were held in St. Joseph's Church, a re
quiem mass being- celebrated by Rev.
Father Chidwick, who was the Chap
lain of the Maine. Fifty members of
the Cecelia Society and forty-eight ma
rines and sailors from the navy yard,
commanded by Lieutenant Dewey, a
nephew of Admiral Dewey, formed the
guard of honor. A firing party of seven
teen marines fired three volleys at the
grave.
A Railway Official Suicides.
GRAND RAPIDS (Mich.), Dec. 30.—
Auditor U. B. Rogers of the Chicago
and West Michigan and Detroit, Grand
Rapids and Western Railroads, com
mitted suicide this noon by shooting
himself through the head while sitting
at his desk in his private office. Death
was instantaneous. Despondency over
a long illness probably caused the deed.
Mr. Rogers had been appointed Auditor
for the newly consolidated Pere Mar
quette system. *
W. J. McLean Arrives at Winnipeg.
WINNIPEG, Dec. 30.— W. J. McLean,
a former officer of the Hudson Bay
Company, who was reported lost In the
northern Slave Lake country, where he
had gone in search of minerals for Chi
cago parties, has reached here in
safety. He reports having discovered
valuable copper ore in the Athabasca
region, and says his party suffered no
privations, owing to the abundance of
game. ,
Civil Service Law.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.—The Civil
Service Commission, in its annual re
port to be issued next week will say
that the civil service law is being more
generally conformed to than ever be
fore. It shows that the removal of em
ployes, based upon its statistics for this
year, now average slightly less than 2
per cent, of the whole number of classi
fied places.
Shot by Robbers.
SIOUX CITY (la), Dec. 30.—John E.
Robson, a well known contractor, was
shot and robbed of $100 in his office
last night. His assailants escaped, and
left no traces behind. Robson's condi
tion is critical.
The Cruiser New York.
ST. THOMAS (D. W. I.), Dec. 30.—
The United States cruiser New York ar
rived last evening, and leaves January
2d.
BRITISH LOOK
TOWARD AMERICA
While Her Great Army Remains
Passive in South Africa.
Held at Bay by Two of the Smallest Re
publics on the Face of the Earth,
Longing Eyes Turn to America for
the Good Will Which in the
Past Has Been Almost Scorned
—Papers and People on All Sides
No Longer Make Any Attempt
to Belittle the Desirability of
Securing the Friendship of the
Greatest Nation Among AU
Powers.
(Copyrighted, 1899, by Associated Press.)
LONDON, Dec 30—It is strange to
note that as the New Year dawns for
Great Britain the greatest army she
ever put in the field remains passive
in South Africa, held at bay oy two
of the smallest republics on tbe lace
of the earth; while at home, in sipte
of the large volume of trade and ap
parent prosperity, her financial inter
ests are in a state of instability not
seen since the Baring crash. All Eu
rope is yelping at her heels, and the
necessity for America's friendship is
recognized on all sides. Papers and
people that for years have been reads
with a jibe for Americas good will now
no longer make any attempt to belit
tle the desirability of securing her
friendship.
"America," says the "Globe,' us
ually humorous at the expense of all
things trans-Atlantic, "with a crop of
542,000,000 bushels, is especially in a
position to help us."
The economic shoe already begins to
pinch the military foot- Not very se- ,
riously, but enough to suggest grave j
cogitations as to what would happen
if Great Britain were at war with a
great Power. The fact that the Gov
ernment has chartered so many trans
ports has resulted in a rise in the price
of bread, while coal is rising by leaps
and bounds to famine prices. It is .such
unpleasant results as these that silence
the scoffer at things American, and
induce such a vituperative publication
as the "Saturday Review" to say: "The
Americans have had their eyes open
as to the possibilities of a foreign 1
policy, and are taking a sounder, besides
a cooler view of the situation. They
are not less friendly to us than be
fore, but the insincere element has been
eliminated, and has left a reliable sub
strata of good will." Which contention
the "Saturday Review" under different
circumstances would doubtless hay
constructed, into damning evidence of
the insincerity of American friendship.
It must r.ot be inferred that this
view is held by many of the sincere
English friends of America, who now
point at what they are pleased to term
its great friendship as proof of what
they have always) maintained.
With such a serious outlook for the
coming year, it is hardly surprising
that articles appear under the head
ing, "Are we decadent?" and similar
strains.
On the other hand, there is still a
small section of the press and public
w-hich devoted its energies to sense
lessly abusing the Boers, and prophe
sying the speedy entry of the British
into Pretoria. Yet, on the whole, the
organs voicing the better class of opin
ion face 1900 and its eventualities in
South Africa with an even-minded un
hysterical determination that compels ;
admiration. That there will be a day
of reckoning for some one is a certainty
that even the most guarded and con
servative dp not try to conceal. Wheth
er it be Lord Lansdowne, Lord Wollse- I
ley or General Buller.it is impossible to
tell. But all the information obtain
able at present and the gist of criti
cisms point to Lord Lansdowne having
to shoulder the onus for the terrible
mismanagement.
While Great Britain feeds contented
ly upon long special cables showing
American friendship, the Boer agents in
Europe believe sentiment in the United
States has been gradually turning Boer
ward, until the time is now ripe to de
velop it into material effect. Under this
impression the Associated Press learns
that they ate contemplating dispatching
a special mission to the United States
for the purpose of influencing public
opinion, possibly by open meetings, and
by personally assisting the efforts of
those in Congress whom they believe
friendly. Moreover, they consider it
advisable to offset what they declare
has been a systematic campaign of
John Hays Hammond, the American
engineer, who wp_s a member of the
Johannesburg Reform Committee, to in
fluence Washington opinion. If the
plans now under consideration are car
ried out, the mission -will include a very
prominent Boer agent and a pro-Boer
member of the British Parliament, who
intended to sail this week, but was pre
vented by what is thought to be a tem
porary hitch in the arrangements. Their
desire is to affiliate themselves with no
particular party, but influencing polit
ical and public opinion to secure at
least an offer of mediation from the
United States.
A representative of the Associated.
Press has made careful inquiries, but
faiied to find any circumstances to war
rant the belief that such an offer, how
ever made, would receive the slightest
consideration.
The British Government is threatened
with a coal famine, the most serious
devedopment of recent weeks. Unless
the conditions improve many industrial
concerns depending on the coal supply
may have to suspend operations before
February, as their margin of profit is
rapidly being wiped out. The root of
the trouble appears to be the with
drawal of so many colliers to take their
places in the ranks of the reserves.
Wages have gone up, but labor is hard
to iflnd. The normal Christmas conges
tion of traffic aggravates the situation,
while the Government need of fuel for
transports, war vessels and depots on
the way to the Cape has created an
unprecedented demand.
TEACHING OF CLASSICS.
Ruling Relative to the Christian
Brothers' Schools in America,
NEW TORK, Dec. 30.—A dispatch to
the "Herald" from Rome says:
The sacred congregation of the pro
paganda has made its report on the
dispute between the heads of the
Christian Brothers in the United
States and the French superiors of the
order relative to the teaching of the
classics in the Brothers' American
schools.
After consideration of the statement
submitted by Archbishop Patrick W.
Riordan of San Francisco, the congre
gation rules that the American claims
to greater lattitude in teaching than is
permitted in Europe are inadmissible.
It is expected that the Pope will con
firm the report at once.
Cardinal Satolll, who drafted the re
port, said: "Just as the Americans
adhere to their national Constitution,
so the Christian Brothers must main
tain theirs. That constitution forbids
the teaching of the classics."
"The teaching- of the classics in the
American schools of the Christian
Brothers," said Superior Brother Ru
benstein, the head of the order, was
permitted for a time, it is true, but only
exceptionally. Now the field of classi
cal tuition is left open, as always, to
Jesuita We have but supported the
fundamental rules of the order."
The Roberts Case.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.—Repre
sentati.e Tayler of Ohio, Chairman of
the special committee which is investi
gating the case of Brigham H. Roberts,
says that the case will not come up for
action in the House before the middle
of January. The arguments will begin
January 4th. When they are finished
the committee will form its conclusions.
Then the report must be written. As
it will be exhaustive, the greatest care
will be required in its preparation, and
although it is the intention of the com
mittee to proceed as rapidly as possible,
Mr. Tayler does not think the case will
reach the House by the middle of the
month.
Fire at Little Rock, Ark.
LITTLE ROCK (Ark.), Dec. 30.—
Three large seed houses and one of the
meal houses of the Consumers' Oil Com
pany mill, owned by Chicago capital
ists, together with 200 tons of meal and
about 3,000 tons of seed, were burned
to-day. The loss will be total, about
$80,000, with $40,000 insurance on the
building. Two hundred men are thrown
out of work.
Consul to Pretoria Hay.
LONDON, Dec. 30.—Adelbert S. Hay,
the new United States Consul at Pre
toria, left Waterloo Station here this
morning for Southamption on his way
to Cape Town. Mr. Hay Is charged
with many commissions from relatives
and friends of the British prisoners at
Pretoria.
Mrs. Langtry Sails for America.
LIVERPOOL, Dec. 30.—The Cu
narder Lucania, which sailed from here
to-day forNNcrw r York, carries Mrs.
Langtry, the actress.
THREE NEW BATTLESHIPS.
THE AMERICAN NAVAL BOARD
OF CONSTRUCTION
Agree* Upon Plans for Warships
That Will Surpass Every
thing Now Afloat.
NEW YORK, Dec. 30.—A special to
the "Tribune" from. Washington says:
Designs for the greatest battleships
ever projected, for the American navy
were agreed upon by the Naval Board
of Construction to-day after several
months of discussion over the important
questions of battery, armor, speed, coal
capacity and displacement. The three
new vessels —to be called the Georgia,
the New Jersey and the Pennsylvania
—will equal in formidabillty the finest
line battleships yet laid down by any
foreign Power, and, with the addition of
typical American improvements, will
surpass in fighting force any ships now
afloat. The salient features of the de
sign contemplate a displacement of
14,000 tons as compared with the Ore
gon's 11,000 or the new Maine's 12,300.
The speed is to be "at least 19 knots,"
with a coal capacity of 2,000 tons.
There will be two super-imposed tur
rets, one fore and the other aft, each
containing two 12-inch and two 8-inch
of the new elongated bore and .high
smokeless powder velocity. The re
maining guns of the main battery will
consist of twelve G-inch quick firers in
broadside. This arrangement of bat
tery has been finally adopted instead of
an alternative plan which provides for
four 12-inch guns in turrets and six
teen 0-inch broadside, which had been
put forward to avoid the expedient of
superimposed turrets.
The board definitely determined upon
the use of the most modern Krupplzed
armor for the new vessels, its precise
distribution to be decided upon after the
chief constructor has made sufficient
progress with the actual plans to de
termine the proper arrangement of
weights. The armor problem has been
the most difficult to solve, and to this
cause is attributable the delay In plan
ning the ships. The Act authorizing
the vessels was approved on March 3d
last,' and it stipulated that no contract
should be made for any portions of the
vessels until a contract was made for
the armor. Congress having limited the
cost of armor to the ridiculous price of
$300 a ton, it was evident from the be
ginning that no satisfactory ship could
be built under such restriction and for
that reason the plans have been dis
cussed with unusual deliberation.
As the weight of armor entering into
these ships was a very large item, the
question of the adoption of Krupp or
Harveyized material was extremely im
portant. This can be readily appreci
ated from the fact that 3,000 tons of the
former (the approximate weight re
quired for each battleship) Is equivalent
as regards resistance to penetration to
4,000 tons of the latter.
The total cost of each of these three
ships when ready for sea will exceed
$7,000,000 each. They will cruise 7,000
miles straightway, and there will not be
three ships of similar offensive and de
fensive strength in the fleet of any pos
sible enemy.
WHOLE NO. 19,012.
MUCH PROPERTY
GOES UP IN SMOKE.
A Firs at Chicago, Breaking Out in
the Early Morning,
fcsults in a Lost of Nino Hundred and
Fifty Thousand Dollars.
Several Buildings Completely Gut
ted and Others Badly Damaged
—Nine Firemen Were Also In
jured, Two Seriously—Was One
of the Worst Fires the Depart
ment Has Had to Deal With in
Years.
CHICAGO, Dec. 30.—Fire at an early
hour to-day completely gutted the
buildings extending from 210 to 222
Monroe street, badly damaged the build
ing at 212-214 Monroe street, caused a
loss aggregating $050,000, and resulted
in the injury of nine firemen, two of
them serious.
The injured: Captain Robert O'Con
nor, serious; James Wolley, serious;
William Paden, Michael O'Hara, Cap
tain John Evans, Captain William Ca
rey, Captain Thomas O'Connor, Luke
Hayes, Lieutenant Oswald.
The fire is supposed to have origin
ated on the second floor in the work
room of Woolley & Co.! wholesale
woolens, at 220 and 222 Monroe street,
and, fanned by a fierce northwest wind,
spread so rapidly that when the first
company arrived on the scene the
whole south end of the building was a
mass of flames. A second and then
a third alarm was sent in, but in spite
of the tons of water thrown into the
burning buildings by the thirty-eight
engines and two fire tugs, the wind
and the bitter cold so hindered the
firemen that for a time the entire
wholesale district was in danger.
The flames quickly com municated to
the building at 210 and 218 Monroe
street, gradually spreading to 212 and
214 Monroe, where its progress was
finally checked.
Immense brands were carried as far
as Twelfth street, and the firemen were
busy extinguishing small fires on the
roofs of surrounding buildings.
The principal losses are: Building at
220-222 Monroe street, $225,000; Ed
wards, Stanwood Company, successors
to Phelps, Dodge & Palmer, boots and
shoes, third and sixth floors, $200,000;
Woolley & Co., first and second floors,
woolen goods, $135,000; Schwartz &
Kline, shirts fourth floor, $0,000; John
Harper cloak manufacturer, fifth floor,
$5,000; building at 210-218 Monroe
street, occupied by J. W. Butler Paper
Company, $25,000; J. W. Butler Paper
Company, damage on stock, $250,0U0,
fully insured; Henry O. Shepard Com
pany, printers, occupying building at
212-214 Monroe street, $100,000.
The building at 217 Fifth avenue was
damaged $2,000.
Beside this there were several minor
losses caused by water.
The escape from death of Captains
O'Connor, Evans and Carey and Fire
men Padden, O'Hara and three others
who escaped Injury was little short of
miraculous. All of the men were work
ing on the roof of the building at 210
--218 Monroe street, and as the fire crept
closer to the west side of the struct
ure, the men were gradually driven to
ward the middle of the roof. Suddenly
the east wall of the building adjoining
fell with a terrific crash. An immense
mass of brick and timbers crushed into
the roof where Captain O'Connor and
his men were at work. The roof tore
away from the sides and fell with a
crash to the floor beneath, carrying
pipemen O'Hara and Padden down In
the debris, and leaving the others on
the frail broken edge of the roof high
above the flames. Captain O'Connor,
Lieutenant Callahan and pipeman Hor
gan finally succeeded In rescuing the
two unfortunate men, and crawling
along the shaking walls they made
their way to a fire escape and de
scended safely to the ground.
After the lire had been raging about
an hour and a half the walls began fall
ing, and several firemen were more
or less injured, James Woolley so se
riously that he was taken to the hos
pital.
The fire was one of the worst the
fire department has had to contend
with in years. The cold was intense,
the barometer being several degrees be
low zero, and a number of firemen
were severely frost bitten.
Reciprocity Treaty With" France.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.—1n order to
correct a misapprehension as to the ef
fect of the pending French reciprocity
treaty upon wines, the State Depart
ment has authorized the statement that
so far from injuriously affecting Amer
ican wines, the treaty actually secures
a reduction of about 25 per cent, of
duty on California wines imported into
France. This has been secured with
out any corresponding remission of our
duty imposed upon French wines im
ported into the United States.
Venezuela's Late President.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.—Word has
been received here that General And
**rade, late President of Venezuela, who
fled on a warship when the Castro
revolution proved successful, is- living
quietly in Puerto Rico, where the Amer.
ican rule affords him every proper pro
tection. General Andrade has sent
back the warship on which he left
Venezuela, together with every other
possession In any way belonging to the
country, and he is now living as a
private citizen.
The Plague at Noumea.
MELBOURNE (Victoria), Dec. 30.—
Advices from Noumea, New Caledonia,
say that five whites there have been at
tacked by the plague, one of them,
dying. Fifteen Kanakas and Chinese
have died from the plague, and twelve
are under treatment.
Rudyard Kipling 111.
LONDON, Dec. 30.—Rudyard Kipling
and his wife and two children are con
fined to their rooms, suffering from in
fluenza, but there is no anxiety felt as
to their condition.