The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Great Round World and What Is Going On
In It, Vol. 1, No. 50, October 21, 1897, by Various

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net


Title: The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 50, October 21, 1897
       A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls

Author: Various

Editor: Julia Truitt Bishop

Release Date: June 9, 2005 [EBook #16031]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GREAT ROUND WORLD ***




Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Emmy and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team.(www.pgdp.net)






[Illustration: THE GREAT ROUND
WORLD
AND WHAT IS GOING ON IN IT.]

    VOL. 1   OCTOBER 21, 1897.   NO. 50

=Copyright, 1897, by THE GREAT ROUND WORLD Publishing Company.=

       *       *       *       *       *

The new Prime Minister of Spain is Senor Sagasta. After several days of
uncertainty the Queen decided to appoint him.

No sooner was her decision known than a report was circulated that
Weyler had sent in his resignation; it was also rumored that Sagasta had
stated that one of his first official acts would be to remove Weyler
from Cuba.

The truth of the matter is that Weyler does not intend to leave the
island if he can help it.

Just before the ministry resigned, when it was known that they could not
remain in power many days longer, he hurried off a long report of the
work he had done in Cuba; this he hoped would help him with the new
Minister, and enable him to keep his place.

In this report he said that Western Cuba was pacified, and that he had
effected a great improvement in the condition of Cuba since his arrival
there. He stated that he had given Cuba a fresh lease of life, that
trains were running regularly throughout the island, the telegraph was
in working order, and the troops, in spite of the fact that their pay
was six months in arrears, were in excellent health and spirits. Every
one of these statements is declared, by those who are in a position to
know the real state of affairs in Cuba, to be absolutely false.

Having this letter safely in the hands of the Government, the General
waited for developments; then as soon as the ministry under General
Azcarraga had gone out of office and that of Senor Sagasta had come in,
he cabled to the new Prime Minister, saying that he had no intention of
resigning his office, but instead, begged to offer his services to the
new ministry.

A great excitement is being worked up over him in Cuba, which his
enemies declare is being done by his orders. Soldiers are parading the
streets, crying, "Long live Weyler!" Merchants are hurrying to the
palace, begging him not to resign, and a rumor having been circulated
that it is the United States that has been asking that he be sent away
from Cuba, the soldiers are adding cries of "Death to the United
States!"

The Cuban and American residents of Havana are terror-stricken. Much as
they desired to be free of the tyrant, they now dread his downfall lest
it shall cause more trouble for them.

It is said that Senor Sagasta will try to bring the war to a close by
offering liberal terms of Home Rule to Cuba.

In fact, the new cabinet has already held a council in which it was
agreed to establish reforms in the island with as little delay as
possible.

The Colonial Minister has been instructed to prepare a draft of the
scheme for Home Rule, and to have it ready to present to the cabinet
officers at their next meeting.

The Cubans, however, declare that they do not want Home Rule. They have
been fighting for freedom, and nothing less will satisfy them. They are
willing to buy their freedom from Spain, but they declare that they will
never lay down their arms until Cuba is free.

A despatch from the Philippine Islands brings the news that Spain is
faring badly in that direction also.

In a recent battle four hundred Spanish soldiers were killed. It seems
that the rebels in the Philippines fight in the American Indian fashion;
that is to say, they get under cover, behind bushes or trees, and,
taking careful aim at their enemy, make every shot tell. In this manner
they are able to inflict great injury without suffering much themselves.

It is reported that an entire battalion of Spanish soldiers, eight
hundred strong, has deserted in a body to the rebels.

The soldiers in the Philippines are suffering just as severely for food
and pay as their brother soldiers in Cuba, and finding that the rebels
feed their soldiers well, and treat them better than the Spaniards,
great numbers are constantly deserting and joining the rebel ranks.

       *       *       *       *       *

Affairs in Greece are still unsettled.

When the Prime Minister told the Boule[A] or parliament the terms of the
treaty, there was much dissatisfaction expressed by the members.

Mr. Ralli, the Prime Minister, stated that he was fully aware how hard
the terms of the treaty were, but he thought that Greece must accept and
make the best of them.

He told the Boule that it was not possible for Greece to continue the
war; she had neither men nor money to do it with; but he wished it
understood that he was merely stating his opinion; he would not attempt
to advise the nation on such a serious point.

If the Boule decided to accept the terms offered by Turkey, he stated
that the ministry was prepared to carry them out, and do all in its
power to assist the country in the crisis; he, however, asked the Boule,
on behalf of the ministry, for a vote of confidence, that is, an
expression of belief that the ministers were doing the best that could
be done for the good of the country.

When Mr. Ralli had finished speaking, a member of the House rose to his
feet, and began to blame the ministry for all the ills that Greece was
called upon to endure. This turned the members against Mr. Ralli and the
rest of the ministers, and the vote of confidence was refused. Mr. Ralli
was thereupon obliged to send his resignation to the King.

King George has already chosen the new Premier, and a Greek prince of
high rank has been selected to go to Constantinople and arrange the
treaty, the Boule having decided to accept the terms offered.

Both Spain and Greece now have new ministers who are undertaking the
difficult task of piloting their countries through their difficulties.


FOOTNOTES:

[A] Pronounced _voulee_.


       *       *       *       *       *

It was just as well that we did not put too much faith in the story
that the war on the Indian frontier would be ended with the defeat of
the Haddah Mullah.

News has reached us that the British forces have once again been checked
by the tribesmen.

This time it was the Mohmads who were the victors. These men, if you
remember, professed themselves ready to submit to English rule, and when
the troops arrived in their neighborhood, offered their allegiance to
the British officers.

They were, however, told that to prove their good faith they must, one
and all, give up their rifles. Upon hearing this they became sulky, and
refused to do anything of the sort.

The British waited the two days they had promised, and then began to
destroy the villages of the rebellious tribesmen. On one of these
expeditions they were in turn attacked by the Afridis, and defeated.

In the meanwhile the Ameer of Afghanistan is uneasy over the advance of
the British into the hills that form his frontier. He is afraid that the
British will not be satisfied with punishing the tribesmen, but will
endeavor to take possession of lands belonging to him. He has therefore
sought the aid of Russia, and has obtained the Czar's promise to help
him in case the British attempt to encroach on Afghanistan.

He is at the same time keeping faith with the English. He has issued a
proclamation, forbidding his subjects to leave the country under penalty
of a heavy fine, so that it will not be possible for them to go and join
the tribesmen. He is doing all in his power to keep faith with England,
but it is said that he is much pleased that he has secured the aid of
Russia to protect him in case of need.

       *       *       *       *       *

In the Soudan, the English are steadily advancing on Khartoum.

The Mahdists are making a strong stand there, and it is expected that
the decisive battle will be fought in the near neighborhood of that
city.

A newspaper correspondent who is with the Soudan expedition writes a
most interesting account of the rapid way the soldiers are building a
railroad across the desert. The road is being finished at the rate of
nearly two miles a day, and when completed will enable the army to bring
men and supplies from Cairo in a few days instead of the many weary
weeks which are now required.

The building of the railway through the desert has been entrusted to the
engineer corps. These engineers are soldiers whose duty it is to build
fortifications, railroads, bridges, or any works which the commander of
the force may think necessary.

In building a railroad the first thing to be done is to prepare the
road-bed, so that it will not give way under the weight of the trains
that are to pass over it. This is done by digging out or banking up the
earth so that the bed shall be level. When the earth-bank has been made
as high and as solid as necessary, huge wooden beams, called sleepers,
are placed across it at regular intervals, and on these sleepers the
rails are laid.

The correspondent describes the laying of the rails as follows:

"A great sight was the actual work of laying the line. We went out in a
car drawn by a spare engine, to see this at the place where the work was
in progress. The second construction train had reached the scene of
active operations just before we arrived, and the desert fairly hummed
with busy turmoil. It has been given but to few to see a railway line
made and used while you wait. Yet we had that experience on this
afternoon. Everything was done at once. The long train moves slowly
toward the end of the rails, getting as near to the bare bank as is
possible. So soon as she stops, an eager army of workers attack her,
with, of course, much wild noise of strange rhythmic chant. To the
uninitiated this onslaught of the workers on the train bears all the
appearance of a raid, yet, should one watch awhile, it gradually dawns
upon one that marvellous orderliness and most studied method underlie
every seemingly wild movement. The engine stops--say, ten rail lengths
from the end of the track--and the game begins. The rail-cars are in
front, just behind the tender, with the rails neatly ranged on racks. At
once to either side of each rail-car rushes a party of, if Egyptians,
eight men, if blacks, ten, upon whose padded shoulders the ton of
sun-heated metal is placed by the car party. Then they run--they do
literally run--away with the unwieldy thing to its destined place,
where, once it is placed on the sleepers, the gaugers and strikers get
at it, and it is put in position and pinned (to each alternate sleeper,
the operation being completed after the heavy train has passed over the
newly laid rails) in an incredibly short time, at the end of which a
bugle sounds, the steam whistle blows, the engine moves slowly forward
over the rails that less than five minutes ago were stacked on the cars
behind her, and the whole operation is repeated."

       *       *       *       *       *

Hawaiian affairs continue to progress peacefully, notwithstanding the
fact that the story of Japanese soldiers being introduced in Hawaii
disguised as laborers has been confirmed by so many people that our
Government has no longer any doubt of its truth.

Orders have therefore been sent to the commander of the fleet at
Honolulu to be on the alert, and in case Japan should attempt any
hostile movement to land a company of marines and sailors, run up the
American flag, and take possession of the island in the name of the
United States.

The gunboats _Wheeling_ and _Concord_ have been sent to the Sandwich
Islands, and a cruiser and several gunboats will be kept at Honolulu
until all fear of trouble is over.

The Japanese ship, the _Naniwa_, has gone back to her own country to be
cleaned and repaired, but will return to Hawaii as soon as this has been
done.

During her absence our Government is taking advantage of the opportunity
to make some necessary changes in the ships stationed at Honolulu, and
when the Japanese cruiser returns she will find quite a fleet of
American ships waiting to receive her.

A statement has been made that the Japanese Government is willing to
settle the immigration dispute with Hawaii for $100,000.

Hawaii is not anxious to make any such arrangement. She is a little
afraid that if she consents to do so, Japan will declare that she is
bound in future to let in as many Japanese immigrants as the Mikado
chooses to send. She is anxious to reserve the right of declaring what
citizens she will allow within her boundaries.

[Illustration]

The annexation of the islands is by some people regarded as assured.

The Senators and Congressmen who have visited the islands declare that
there is no opposition to the idea. Some few followers of the Queen
Liliuokalani would prefer to have her once more on the throne rather
than to be under the government of a foreign president, but there is no
serious opposition to the treaty.

With this news comes the information that Mr. Spreckels, the Sugar King
of Hawaii, has offered to withdraw his opposition to the treaty when he
is convinced that his rights in the island are not to be interfered
with.

Mr. Spreckels is a millionaire who has made most of his money through
his vast sugar interests in the Sandwich Islands. He was so afraid that
his business would be hurt by annexation, that he threatened to spend
half his fortune to prevent it.

Besides his sugar interests, he owns a line of steamers between Hawaii
and San Francisco, and he controlled so many votes in Hawaii that he was
a dangerous enemy to the project.

President Dole of the Sandwich Islands has been endeavoring to break Mr.
Spreckels' power, but has made very little progress until the other day,
when he granted permission to one of the Pacific mail steamers to enter
into competition with Mr. Spreckels' boats for the carrying trade of the
islands. The permission stated that the President would allow the
Pacific Mail Company to increase the number of vessels on the line if
they desired to do so.

This was a dreadful blow to Mr. Spreckels.

The carrying trade with Hawaii is hardly large enough for several
companies to make money at it, and as the new line will endeavor by
reduced rates and increased accommodations to get the trade away from
Mr. Spreckels, the chances are that he will lose a good deal of money
through it.

It is in consequence of this that he is reported to have promised not to
oppose the annexation of Hawaii if his interests are not interfered
with.

It is said that President Dole is so anxious that nothing shall
interfere with the annexation treaty that he is willing to promise Mr.
Spreckels anything he asks in return for his assistance.

       *       *       *       *       *

Central America is in a very disturbed condition once more.

Revolutions are in progress, or have just been suppressed in Guatemala,
Costa Rica, and Nicaragua; and Honduras is again in an unsettled state.

In addition to this, there is bad feeling between Costa Rica and
Nicaragua, which may break out into war at any moment.

As this last quarrel concerns the Nicaraguan Canal, in which our country
is so much interested, it is perhaps better to tell you about it before
we speak of the more serious troubles in Guatemala.

The cause of the unpleasantness between Nicaragua and Costa Rica is the
boundary line which divides them.

This boundary question involves the mouth of the Nicaragua Canal.

In 1858 it was agreed between the two countries that the channel of the
Rio San Juan del Norte at its exit into the ocean should be the dividing
line between them.

Owing to changes of current and other causes, the course of this river
has changed, until it is now several miles farther south than it was in
1858.

Costa Rica claimed that the boundary should be the spot where the old
channel was; Nicaragua, that the treaty called for the channel of the
river where it emptied itself into the sea, and that therefore the new
mouth of the river is the boundary.

It is a serious matter for Nicaragua, for the opening to the Nicaragua
Canal on the Atlantic Ocean side is through the Rio San Juan del Norte.
If Costa Rica were to own the mouth of the canal while Nicaragua owns
its body, there would be no end to the complications and troubles which
would arise.

The matter was therefore submitted to arbitration, President Cleveland
appointing the arbitrator.

The decision has just been rendered, and is against Costa Rica. The
arbitrator decides that the old treaty holds good, and that the boundary
line of Nicaragua is the channel of the river as it flows into the
ocean, and that no matter how far the Rio San Juan del Norte creeps down
into Costa Rican territory, Nicaragua will always own to the channel
where it flows into the sea.

Costa Rica is of course angry that the decision was against her, and she
may try to secure her lost territory by force of arms.

This is the Nicaraguan and Costa Rican trouble. The disturbance in
Guatemala is in the shape of a revolution, which, if the accounts we
hear are true, is of a serious nature.

We have told you before of the many revolutions that are constantly
taking place in South America, and that the people have become so
accustomed to them that they take very little notice of such things, and
no one regards a Central American revolution as a serious affair.

Now while it is amusing to make fun of these toy revolutions, some of
the best people of the country suffer severely through them, and to
these people they are very real and terrible. Those who suffer most are
the merchants. During the disturbances caused by constant changes of
government, trade cannot properly flourish, and many of the merchants of
Central America wish heartily that a means may be found to restore order
and give them a government which will be likely to last.

Some time ago a plan was made to form the five republics of Guatemala,
Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica into one republic, under
one government.

At this time Mexico objected to the plan. She was afraid that a strong
republic at her doors might give her more trouble than she was likely to
have from the five weak little countries.

Attempts were made to carry the plan through, but it was finally
abandoned.

It was not, however, forgotten, and in January of this year the first
step was taken toward such an arrangement, by the union of Nicaragua,
Honduras, and Salvador, forming together the Greater Republic of Central
America. It was hoped that Guatemala and Costa Rica would also join in,
and in June of this year Guatemala did join the other republics.

Mexico still disapproved of the plan, and was not at all pleased that
the Greater Republic of Central America had been formed.

The level-headed men of Central America then suggested that Mexico
should be asked to join the union, and one vast Central American
Republic be formed.

To this President Barrios of Guatemala objected. He is perhaps the most
ambitious man in Central America, and undoubtedly aims to be the
president of the Central American Republic. Were Mexico to become a
part of this great federation, Barrios would have a strong rival in the
beloved President Diaz of Mexico, and so he steadfastly set his face
against union with Mexico.

The friends of solid government were much disappointed at this, and it
is stated on good authority that they then formed a plot, which has
resulted in the present disturbances throughout Central America.

It was decided that as Barrios of Guatemala and Diaz of Mexico were
opposed to the plan, they must both be removed from office as soon as it
could be managed.

According to this story, Barrios was the first to give his enemies the
opportunity they sought.

We have told you that he is a very ambitious man. In Guatemala
presidents are elected for six years, and are not allowed to be
re-elected.

President Barrios is very near the end of his term, and he could not
bear to think that in a few months he would go out of office, and lose
all chance of rising to the heights he wished to attain. He therefore
had himself proclaimed dictator of Guatemala, and announced that he
intended to have a law passed which would allow a president to be
elected for a second term.

This meant of course that he intended to be elected again, and that it
would be another six years before there was any hope of forming the
federation.

The people of Guatemala strongly disapproved of Barrios' action in
making himself a dictator instead of a president. A president is guided
by the wishes of the legislature, and though he has the power to veto,
or forbid the passing of, a law made by congress, that body has also
power to overrule his veto, and pass the laws in spite of him. So you
see the power is pretty equally balanced. Then, too, a president can be
impeached, or called to account, if he neglects the duties which he has
agreed to fulfil.

With a dictator it is very different. He has absolute power in the
government of the state. His word is law, and he is not accountable to
the legislature for his actions.

A dictator is sometimes appointed in times of war or great trouble, but
he should always be a man whom the people love and honor, and to whom
they can entrust this great power.

The reason for appointing a dictator is, that not being accountable to
the legislature for his actions, he is able to do as he thinks best,
without waiting for the long delays that must follow the submission of
plans to congress.

While the people were so opposed to the idea of giving these great
powers to Barrios, it was thought to be a good opportunity to overthrow
him, and so a revolution was begun, with Gen. Prosper Morales at its
head.

This revolution has steadily grown stronger. Most of the important men
in Guatemala have joined it, and success has attended the rebel arms.

They have captured one of the most important towns of the country, and
it seems as if the overthrow of Barrios was assured.

If the rumors of this great plot are true, the revolution in Guatemala
is but the commencement of the great rising which is to end in the
formation of the new republic.

That there is some truth in these rumors is shown by the fact that a
cowardly attempt which was made to kill President Diaz of Mexico, a
short time ago, was found to be connected with the present disturbance
in Guatemala.

It was found that the man who had attempted to do this wicked deed was
the agent of some persons in Guatemala; and thinking that there was
something strange in this, the Mexican authorities handed the prisoner
over to one of the highest police officials, with orders to keep him
under close guard until further inquiries could be made.

The man to whom the criminal was given in charge was General Velasquez,
one of the most trusted officials of the Government.

In the middle of the night after this arrest, pistol shots were heard
coming from the place where the prisoner was confined, and when the
soldiers ran out from their barracks, they were informed by General
Velasquez that a mob had broken into the prison and killed the prisoner.

A crowd had meanwhile gathered round the prison, so the soldiers
arrested every one in sight; but when these people came to be examined
they were found to be only citizens who had been attracted by the sound
of the firing, just as the soldiers had been. The men who had broken
into the jail and killed the prisoner had disappeared.

The matter had by this assumed such a suspicious character that the
authorities decided to arrest General Velasquez, and hold him until
something could be found out.

A few inquiries showed that the General and the man who had tried to
kill President Diaz were both connected with Guatemala, and members of
some society there.

This suspicion was considerably strengthened when the General was found
dead in his prison, the morning after his arrest. People then said that
both men were concerned in the great plot, and that both had died rather
than be forced to confess.

All Mexico is very much puzzled and troubled over this mysterious
occurrence.

       *       *       *       *       *

The meteorite has been safely landed, and is now on the dock at the
Brooklyn Navy-Yard, where it is to remain until Lieutenant Peary decides
what he will do with it.

In appearance it is a smooth, mud-colored rock, that looks like a great
boulder. The meteorite is ten feet long, eight feet wide, and six feet
thick. It weighs over ninety tons.

It was no easy matter to get this great stone on board the _Hope_. It
lay a short distance from the shore, and the sailors had to drag it to
the water's edge.

As soon as the _Hope_ arrived in Melville Bay, where the meteorite was
found, the whole crew, armed with shovels and picks, went ashore and
began digging around it.

The job of digging it out of the frozen ground was enough to have
discouraged these men at the outset. It was half covered with snow, and
frozen solidly to the surrounding earth. The sailors had to dig through
seven feet of frozen ground before they finally reached the lower
surface of the meteorite, then more digging followed, and at last,
after five days of this hard work, it was free and ready to be moved.

By means of some strong derricks which they had brought for the purpose,
the monster was finally lifted and dragged to the shore.

Here another kind of derrick, made like those that are used for lifting
heavy guns on board ship, was brought into service, and the mass of
metal was slowly lifted and lowered into the hold.

The ship had been lightened as much as possible to make room for this
enormous weight, but for all that the vessel was sunk much too deep in
the water for safety when she finally started on her homeward journey.

Scientists say that the meteorite is a mass of metal, and is practically
composed of material similar to the steel armor used for armor-plates.
All are agreed that it is the largest meteorite ever discovered.

Lieutenant Peary also brought back with him a party of Esquimaux, who
are to spend the winter building an Arctic exhibit for the Natural
History Museum. The materials they will use have all been brought back
by Mr. Peary. They are to build a little scene which will show the
Esquimaux in their national costume, occupied in some of the typical
Arctic employments. The figures that will illustrate these pictures will
be modelled after the Esquimaux themselves.

There are six Esquimaux in the party brought back on the _Hope_--three
men, a woman, a boy, and a girl. They, men and women alike, wear
trousers of polar-bear skins, sealskin coats, moccasins made from tanned
sealskins, and fur hoods.

To make them more comfortable, Lieutenant Peary had allowed them to
pitch a tent for themselves on the deck, and here the family was
established, in company with their four favorite dogs, from whom they
could not bear to be parted. These dogs are very useful in the polar
regions. They can draw sledges over the ice, and are used by the natives
much as the people of warmer climates use horses.

Lieutenant Peary also brought back with him some relics of the
unfortunate Greely expedition which went to the Arctic regions in 1881,
to establish an observation station for our Government. Owing to the
non-arrival of expected supplies, the Greely party suffered the most
terrible hardships, and was eventually rescued at Cape Sabine in Grinnel
Land in 1883, after eighteen of the party had perished from cold and
hunger.

Greely established the station, and, after his rescue, was raised to the
rank of general, and was given a special government appointment for his
services.

When Lieutenant Peary arrived in New York, he was asked whether he
thought that Andree had been able to reach the Pole in his balloon.

He said that he feared it had not been possible for him to do so.
According to all he could hear, the winds had been unfavorable all
summer, and the chances were that the adventurer had been carried in an
opposite direction to the one he had intended to take.

In regard to his being rescued and ever reaching the land of the living
again, Lieutenant Peary said he feared the chances were very slight. It
all depended on the place where the balloon had descended.

If it had fallen north of Spitzbergen, it seemed unlikely that he would
ever be heard of again; if, however, the winds had carried it southward,
he might have taken refuge on an ice-pack, and would be floated
southward with it, and eventually rescued.

Dr. Nansen, in his recent famous voyage, proved that there is a strong
current flowing across the Polar Sea. By following this, a ship could be
carried from one side of the Arctic Ocean to the other.

When Dr. Nansen went north it was his hope to get his ship, the _Fram_,
into the pack, or rough ice that was being carried along in this
current, and drift with it across the Pole.

He did not succeed in reaching the Pole, but his ship did drift across
the Polar Sea exactly as he had supposed it would do.

It is Mr. Peary's belief that if Andree gets on to the pack-ice, he may
drift southward as Nansen did. Mr. Peary does not believe that any of
the pigeons carried by Andree could live in the Arctic cold, and be able
to fly southward with a message.

       *       *       *       *       *

The fastest ocean voyage on record has just been made by the magnificent
North German Lloyd steamer, _Kaiser Wilhelm the Great_.

The speed record has hitherto been held by the _Lucania_, which made the
trip from Queenstown to Sandy Hook in five days and seven hours, but
that great record has now been beaten. At the rate at which the new
German steamer travels, she can make the trip in four days and
twenty-one hours.

The _Kaiser Wilhelm_ does not, however, travel over the shorter route
from Queenstown, but comes the longer way, from Southampton. She made
this trip in five days and twenty hours, beating the _St. Paul_ by two
hours all but five minutes, and on her return trip beat her own record
by thirteen hours.

Boat-builders are very enthusiastic over the speed of the new steamer,
and declare that it is only a matter of time when boats will be built
which will make the trip across the ocean in four days.

The _Kaiser Wilhelm_, besides being such a fleet vessel, is beautifully
arranged for the comfort of passengers, and is considered a model ship
in every respect.

The New York agents were so proud of their fine ship, that on her
arrival here after her first trip, they issued numbers of invitations to
people to visit her at her dock in Hoboken. The people responded in such
vast numbers that the docks were thronged, and the assistance of the
police had to be called in to prevent accidents.

At the time of the great naval review at Spithead, in celebration of the
Queen's jubilee, the _Teutonic_, of the White Star line, was called on
to take part in the review as one of the naval reserve. We told you
about it on page 1,086.

Our country is also taking active steps to secure a good naval reserve.

At the present time there are forty-two vessels on the navy list which
could be used for war purposes in time of need. To make the number yet
larger, the Government has called upon all owners of large steamers and
steam yachts to give information of the size and strength of their
vessels, so that they can be added to the reserve list.

There should be a good many available vessels among the many fine yachts
that sail our waters. We are as a nation extremely fond of yachting, and
almost every wealthy man we have possesses a craft of some kind. Many of
these yachts are models of build and speed, and should make excellent
gunboats.

Some people have supposed that this inquiry into the ships available for
war service must mean that we are about to fight Spain, but they are
entirely mistaken. The Navy Department has realized that our navy is our
weakest point, and is doing its best to get it into such a fine
condition that we need not fear any foe either on land or sea.

There is an old proverb which says, "In times of peace prepare for war,"
and a very excellent proverb it is.

The Navy Department is also most anxious to secure more seamen to man
its vessels, and to that end is opening recruiting offices in Chicago
and throughout the West. We need more sailors and more officers to
properly fit out our navy, and the department is making earnest efforts
to secure them.

We are so short-handed at present that the cruiser _Philadelphia_,
returning from Hawaii, was obliged to transfer part of her officers and
crew to the _Baltimore_, which was to take her place at Honolulu. There
were not enough sailors available to man the _Baltimore_ without this
exchange.

       *       *       *       *       *

It is said that the health of good old Oom Paul is failing, and that he
is not likely to live very long.

In spite of this, the rugged old President of the Transvaal is so
anxious to be re-elected that he is going round the country making
speeches and trying to secure votes, as if he were still a young man.

Oom Paul has three times been made President of the Transvaal. The
presidents of the South African Republic hold office for five years, so
the reins of government have been in this one man's hands for fifteen
years.

He is opposed by General Joubert, the man who beat the English at the
battle of Majuba Hill.

General Joubert is also much beloved by the people, and has twice before
opposed Oom Paul for the office of President, but there is little chance
of any other candidate being elected, so long as Paul Kruger is willing
to run for office.

The Boers have a reverence and love for this great leader of theirs
which is touching. They regard him as the father of their country, and
feel it their duty to support him.

One old man who was asked at the last election whether he meant to vote
for Kruger or Joubert, replied indignantly:

"Paul Kruger is as my father; I am as his son. Do you think I would
disobey him?"

As the majority of the voters in the Transvaal seem to feel in the same
way, there is little doubt that Oom Paul will be re-elected.

       *       *       *       *       *

There were grave murmurs against the city government the other day.

One morning the papers appeared, telling in indignant words the story
of how the aldermen of the city of New York were about to give away the
right to build a railroad on the Kingsbridge Road.

Now the people who know most about city government think that the
companies who desire the franchise which gives them the right to lay
tracks and run cars through certain streets, should be made to pay a
yearly sum to the city for the privilege.

There has been a good deal of trouble over this Kingsbridge Road
franchise. Two companies have been anxious to secure it, but neither has
offered to pay its real value for it.

The granting of the franchise is done by the vote of the Board of
Aldermen, who pass the resolution much in the same way that Congress
passes a bill, and send their resolution to the Mayor for his signature,
in the same manner that bills are sent to the President.

In the matter of the Kingsbridge Road franchise neither of the companies
made much headway.

Both companies were extremely anxious to get possession of the line, but
the aldermen were equally divided in their favor.

At last a rumor got abroad that in their desire to get a decision the
companies were trying to influence the aldermen.

A few days after this report was spread abroad, people were startled to
learn that the aldermen had reached a decision, and that the franchise
was to be given to the Third Avenue road, for a sum that was nothing
like its real value.

There was a great outcry at once.

The memory of the "Broadway Steal" in 1886 was too fresh in people's
minds for them to be willing that it should be repeated.

The newspapers started the cry, the law was invoked, and the aldermen
were forbidden to pass the franchise for the Kingsbridge Road until the
matter had been looked into.

The aldermen were a good deal startled when these papers were served on
them. They remembered the Broadway trouble, and how three of a former
board of aldermen had been sent to prison, six had had to leave the
country, and four had only saved themselves from punishment by telling
the story of their crimes, and helping the authorities to punish their
fellow-sinners.

The recollection of this worried the aldermen, but they determined to
meet the accusations against them, and asked their lawyer, Mr. Scott, to
go to court, and ask the judge to allow them to grant the franchise.

Mr. Scott, however, refused. He told them that in his opinion they had
not the slightest right to pass that franchise, and he would not go into
court and plead for a thing which he knew to be wrong.

The aldermen, much disturbed at this, decided to let the matter of the
franchise alone, and though there is some talk of looking more closely
into the matter, and finding if any bribery has been attempted by the
railroads, the chances are that now the danger is past the matter will
be allowed to rest.

                                                     G.H. ROSENFELD.




BOOK REVIEWS.


WILD NEIGHBORS, OUT-DOOR STUDIES IN THE UNITED STATES, by Ernest
Ingersoll, is a most interesting addition to the new books of the year.
It treats in a charming way of some of the better-known animals of this
country, and will be especially appreciated by those of our boys who
love out-door sport. It will prove instructive, as well. (The publishers
are Macmillan & Co., New York, and the price, $1.50.)

Part of the author's description of the panther reminds your editor of
an interesting experience he had in the Adirondacks. Ingersoll says that
"'the blood-curdling screams' of the puma have furnished forth many a
fine tale for the camp-fire, but evidence of this screaming which will
bear sober cross-examination is scant." In the fall of 1875 we were
camping in a little clearing on the bank of the Racquette River; one of
our guides, an impulsive Frenchman, started out alone one night, without
waking us, and succeeded in shooting a deer. Down the river he came,
shouting and making a terrible racket to express his delight; the whole
party was awake and out of the tent by the time he reached the landing.
Lifting the deer out of the boat, we hung it up on a pole between two
trees, and then, brightening up the fire, sat around telling stories
until old Father Nod began to remind us that it was 3 A.M., and not
breakfast-time. Just then there came the most blood-curdling scream I
have ever heard, and it seemed so near us that we all jumped to our feet
and made a dash for the guns. Our old guide reassured us by saying that
it was only a "painter," and he was "across the river." In the morning
we went over early, and there, sure enough, were his tracks in the sand,
looking very much like the prints of the palm of a boy's hand, with a
row of little holes on one side where the claws stuck in. I am sure that
if the author of "Wild Neighbors" had been with our party he would not
have been so sceptical about a panther's ability to scream. We will
forgive him because he tells so many good stories in this interesting
book of his.

"OLD MOTHER EARTH," by Josephine Simpson and "THE STORY OF WASHINGTON,"
by Jessie R. Smith.

The first-named book is without doubt one of the very best in its line.
It adopts a simple, direct, natural way of unfolding the subject, and
cannot fail to interest the children in all they see around them.

The "Story of Washington" is a little gem. The children would be
delighted to read it for themselves, and the illustrations are such that
children understand. It is beautifully bound for such a cheap little
book, and surely ought to find favor wherever it is carefully examined.




INVENTION AND DISCOVERY.


TYPEWRITER FOR BOOKS.--We have for years had typewriters that would
write on loose pages of paper, but the making of a perfect machine that
could write in bound volumes has not been successfully accomplished
until the present time.

A typewriting machine can write much more quickly than any penman--and
the work it does has the advantage of being easy to read, whereas very
few people write a clear and legible hand.

In office work much of the writing to be done is making entries in books
and copying into ledgers.

All this has had to be done by hand, and it has of course taken a much
longer time to do.

By means of this new invention books can be kept and entries copied with
the same neatness and speed of an ordinary typewriter.

The great difficulty in making a machine to do this work properly was
that it was not possible to have the paper move back and forth as it
does in typewriting machines generally. For bound books the paper must
remain still, and the type moves over the page in the same manner that
the pen does.

The new book typewriter has mastered this difficulty. The page is held
firmly in a kind of frame, and the type moves with each letter or word
that it writes.

In making entries in books, it is highly necessary to be sure that the
writing is correct--and so this machine has a simple little device which
lifts the type up and shows the writing underneath.






End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Great Round World and What Is
Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 50, October 21, 1897, by Various

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GREAT ROUND WORLD ***

***** This file should be named 16031.txt or 16031.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
        http://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/0/3/16031/

Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Emmy and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team.(www.pgdp.net)


Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalties.  Special rules,
set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark.  Project
Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission.  If you
do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the
rules is very easy.  You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose
such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and
research.  They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do
practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks.  Redistribution is
subject to the trademark license, especially commercial
redistribution.



*** START: FULL LICENSE ***

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK

To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project
Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at
http://gutenberg.net/license).


Section 1.  General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic works

1.A.  By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement.  If you do not agree to abide by all
the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy
all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession.
If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the
terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or
entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.

1.B.  "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark.  It may only be
used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement.  There are a few
things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
even without complying with the full terms of this agreement.  See
paragraph 1.C below.  There are a lot of things you can do with Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement
and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works.  See paragraph 1.E below.

1.C.  The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation"
or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works.  Nearly all the individual works in the
collection are in the public domain in the United States.  If an
individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are
located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from
copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative
works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg
are removed.  Of course, we hope that you will support the Project
Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by
freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of
this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with
the work.  You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by
keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project
Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others.

1.D.  The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
what you can do with this work.  Copyright laws in most countries are in
a constant state of change.  If you are outside the United States, check
the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement
before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or
creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project
Gutenberg-tm work.  The Foundation makes no representations concerning
the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United
States.

1.E.  Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:

1.E.1.  The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate
access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently
whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the
phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project
Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed,
copied or distributed:

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

1.E.2.  If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived
from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is
posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied
and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees
or charges.  If you are redistributing or providing access to a work
with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the
work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1
through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the
Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or
1.E.9.

1.E.3.  If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional
terms imposed by the copyright holder.  Additional terms will be linked
to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the
permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.

1.E.4.  Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.

1.E.5.  Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
Gutenberg-tm License.

1.E.6.  You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any
word processing or hypertext form.  However, if you provide access to or
distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than
"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version
posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.net),
you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a
copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon
request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other
form.  Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.

1.E.7.  Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.8.  You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided
that

- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
     the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
     you already use to calculate your applicable taxes.  The fee is
     owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he
     has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the
     Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.  Royalty payments
     must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you
     prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax
     returns.  Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and
     sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the
     address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to
     the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation."

- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
     you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
     does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
     License.  You must require such a user to return or
     destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium
     and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of
     Project Gutenberg-tm works.

- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any
     money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
     electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days
     of receipt of the work.

- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
     distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.

1.E.9.  If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set
forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from
both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael
Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark.  Contact the
Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.

1.F.

1.F.1.  Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm
collection.  Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain
"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or
corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual
property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a
computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by
your equipment.

1.F.2.  LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
fees.  YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3.  YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGE.

1.F.3.  LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
written explanation to the person you received the work from.  If you
received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with
your written explanation.  The person or entity that provided you with
the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a
refund.  If you received the work electronically, the person or entity
providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to
receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund.  If the second copy
is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further
opportunities to fix the problem.

1.F.4.  Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER
WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.

1.F.5.  Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by
the applicable state law.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any
provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.

1.F.6.  INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance
with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production,
promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works,
harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees,
that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do
or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm
work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any
Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause.


Section  2.  Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm

Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers
including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers.  It exists
because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from
people in all walks of life.

Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
remain freely available for generations to come.  In 2001, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations.
To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4
and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org.


Section 3.  Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation

The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
Revenue Service.  The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
number is 64-6221541.  Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at
http://pglaf.org/fundraising.  Contributions to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent
permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.

The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S.
Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered
throughout numerous locations.  Its business office is located at
809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email
business@pglaf.org.  Email contact links and up to date contact
information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official
page at http://pglaf.org

For additional contact information:
     Dr. Gregory B. Newby
     Chief Executive and Director
     gbnewby@pglaf.org


Section 4.  Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation

Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
array of equipment including outdated equipment.  Many small donations
($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
status with the IRS.

The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
States.  Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
with these requirements.  We do not solicit donations in locations
where we have not received written confirmation of compliance.  To
SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any
particular state visit http://pglaf.org

While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
approach us with offers to donate.

International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
outside the United States.  U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.

Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
methods and addresses.  Donations are accepted in a number of other
ways including including checks, online payments and credit card
donations.  To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate


Section 5.  General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works.

Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm
concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared
with anyone.  For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project
Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.


Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S.
unless a copyright notice is included.  Thus, we do not necessarily
keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.


Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility:

     http://www.gutenberg.net

This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.