Title: The Great Round World And What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, November 4, 1897, No. 52 - A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls
Author: Various
Language: English
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*** Start of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "The Great Round World And What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, November 4, 1897, No. 52 - A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls" ***


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

    VOL. 1   NOVEMBER 4, 1897.   NO. 52

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


The situation in Cuba remains much the same.

The noteworthy event of the past week has been a sad and unfortunate
shipwreck which occurred on October 16th.

On that day a Spanish steamer was wrecked off the coast of Pinar del
Rio, while making the trip from Havana to Bahia Honda.

The _Triton_, as the steamer was called, was carrying soldiers'
ammunition, money, and mules to be used against the Cubans in Pinar del
Rio.

According to all accounts the steamer was so heavily laden that when she
started her decks were only a few feet above the level of the water.

It was a very black and stormy night, and many sailors on the dock
expressed fears that the vessel could not weather a storm in her heavily
laden condition.

The trip she had to make was merely a matter of four hours, and the
captain declared himself confident of bringing his vessel safely to
port.

All went well till the _Triton_ was within a few miles of her
destination; when off the coast of Pinar del Rio she ran aground.

Those on board who were saved from the wreck said that the vessel was so
heavily loaded that she was not able to take her usual course, and,
because so much deeper in the water, ran aground on a bank that in her
ordinary trips she could pass over without difficulty.

As long as the vessel had been cutting her way through the water, the
heavy lading had caused little inconvenience, but when she grounded the
waves began to wash over her decks, and cause much alarm to the
passengers.

While the vessel was in great danger, she might still have been saved if
it had not been for the mules. These beasts, becoming panic-stricken as
the waves swept over the deck, stampeded to one side of the vessel,
causing it to list over so much that the cargo shifted.

This is one of the most terrible accidents that can happen to a vessel.

The loading of a cargo is a very important thing, and is a business of
itself. The men who direct it must understand just how to distribute the
weight evenly in the hold, and how to pack the boxes and bales and
barrels so tightly together that they cannot move, because if a cargo
should shift it is liable to throw the ship out of her balance, and she
is in danger of overturning and sinking.

This is what happened to the _Triton_. The mules and the shifted cargo
together made such a heavy weight on one side that she keeled over, and
within fifteen minutes of the time she first struck the bank she sank,
carrying down with her one hundred and fifty of the passengers and crew.

The accident happened in the early dawn, when many of the people were
asleep in their berths, and though the captain had them roused, and
lowered the boats to try and take them off the sinking ship, the seas
ran so high that the small boats were swamped, and it was impossible to
save the unfortunate passengers.

The ship went down in one hundred and twenty fathoms of water, so it is
not likely that her valuable cargo of arms and money will ever be
recovered. The loss is a serious one to Spain at this moment, when she
needs every penny she has to help her out of her many difficulties.

       *       *       *       *       *

There are disquieting rumors that the Carlists are smuggling large
quantities of arms into Spain from France, and it is thought that the
long-deferred rising will occur very shortly.

Eleven thousand rifles are said to have been purchased in Belgium by the
Carlist agents during the month of September.

       *       *       *       *       *

There is a vague rumor that the Queen Regent and her new Prime Minister
have arrived at the conclusion that the only possible end to the Cuban
war will be to let the Cubans purchase the island.

There are a good many complications in the way of this action at
present, because the European financiers, about whom we have spoken to
you before, have advanced a great deal of money to Spain, the sugar and
tobacco being taken as security for the return of their money. These
people must first be reckoned with before any agreement to free Cuba can
be made, but it is hinted by people close to the Government that the
Queen and Señor Sagasta are considering a plan whereby they can allow
Cuba to purchase her freedom without making bad friends with the
financiers, or offending the pride of Spain.

It would seem that Señor Sagasta's policy is to put an end to foreign
wars, and gather the strength of the Spanish army around the throne of
Spain, so that it shall be well protected against the Carlist attack
that will undoubtedly be made ere long.

A report has been received that the Spanish general in the Philippine
Islands is treating with the insurgents for peace.

This report is published in one of the reliable Spanish papers, and it
states that General Primo de Rivera has been discussing terms of peace
with Emilio Aguinaldo, the insurgent leader.

The rebels have been so successful that they are not willing to make
peace unless they get very good terms, and so they ask that all who have
taken part in the revolt shall be given a free pardon, that three
million pesetas (a peseta is worth about twenty cents) shall be paid to
the insurgent chiefs, that the Philippine Islands shall be represented
in the Spanish Cortes, and that half the government offices in the
islands shall be held by natives. The insurgents also demand that the
power of the priests shall be lessened, as the rebellion was really
caused by the disagreements between the friars and the people.

       *       *       *       *       *

An amusing filibustering incident has occurred during the week.

The Spaniards obtained information that the Cubans were fitting out a
large expedition with arms and men for the insurgents. They had engaged
a ship called the _Premier_ for this purpose, and were making their
preparations with all possible haste and secrecy.

The Spaniards gave information to our Government, and requested that the
expedition be stopped.

But the Cubans have as many spies around as the Spaniards, and it was
soon learned that the _Premier_ expedition was known to the authorities.
Without appearing to change their plans about the _Premier_, the Cubans
made a secret arrangement with another ship called the _Silver Heels_,
and prepared her to take their cargo instead of the _Premier_.

The watchful Spaniards soon found out about the new vessel, and even
learned the hour and dock at which she was to receive her cargo.

Our Government was warned, and a revenue cutter got ready to intercept
the _Silver Heels_ as soon as she should really have started on her
voyage.

The Cubans were attempting to load and despatch their vessel from the
port of New York, and so it was expected that, with all the police boats
and cutters available here, it would be an easy matter to catch and
convict all concerned in the expedition.

A detective was sent to watch the dock at which the _Silver Heels_ was
to be loaded. Sure enough, the vessel slipped up to the pier as soon as
night had fallen, and the detective watched suspicious-looking cases
being hastily put on board, and suspicious-looking characters taking
passage in her. He became convinced that a filibustering expedition was
indeed being sent out. To make quite sure, he watched until the last of
her load was put on board. The last man had reached the deck, and the
vessel, in tow of a river tug, had once more pulled out of the dock.

He then hurried down to the Battery and told what he had seen, and with
several other officers got on board the cutter and started to intercept
the _Silver Heels_ as she came down the Bay on her way to sea.

To you who do not know New York Harbor, it may be as well to explain
that New York, or Manhattan, Island lies between the Hudson River and
the Sound, an arm of the sea which is called the East River as it flows
by New York.

This East River which, as it widens, becomes Long Island Sound,
separates Manhattan Island from Long Island, which, as its name
suggests, is a long strip of land stretching along the coast for miles
above and below New York city, forming the beautiful New York Bay and
Harbor below the city, and the equally lovely Long Island Sound above
the city.

The Atlantic Ocean washes the outer shore of Long Island, and ships
leaving the port of New York can reach the sea either by going above the
city through Hell Gate and Long Island Sound, or below the city down the
Harbor and Bay, and out through the Narrows, past Sandy Hook and Fire
Island.

The route to Cuba is _down_ the Bay. To attempt to make the journey by
the Sound route is to go a good day's journey out of the way, so it
never entered the heads of the officers on the cutter that the _Silver
Heels_ would start for Cuba by any such out-of-the-way route.

Putting off from the Battery, which is the extreme lower point of New
York city, they steamed up and down the Bay, looking out for their
prize.

The _Silver Heels_ did not put in an appearance, however, and after
waiting about three hours, the officers decided to go up the East River,
and intercept the vessel while she was still in the river.

The night was dark, and the river full of shipping, but every craft that
approached was carefully inspected, and still no _Silver Heels_ was
discovered.

After several tedious hours of waiting had been passed, the officers
decided to steam up to the wharf and find out what had happened to the
ship.

On reaching the pier it was learned, to the consternation of the
marshals, that the _Silver Heels_ had cleared nearly four hours before,
and had been towed up the Sound, instead of down the Bay.

With such a start as that it was felt to be useless to attempt to
overtake her, and the marshals left the cutter, and returned to their
homes, wiser but sadder men.

       *       *       *       *       *

The young Cuban, Miss Evangelina Cisneros, about whom we told you last
week, has lost no time in putting herself under the protection of our
flag.

The very morning of her arrival she went down to the County Court-House
in City Hall Park, and there declared her intention of becoming an
American citizen.

It is a very unusual thing for foreign-born women to become naturalized
Americans. They rarely do so unless they wish to hold property in this
country, for, having no vote or voice in the conduct of the Government,
it is not so necessary for them to become citizens of their adopted
country. When a woman marries she assumes the nationality of her
husband, and can hold any property by right of her marriage, and the
fact that all foreign women who marry Americans become Americans by
their marriage is another reason why it is rarely necessary for women to
take out their naturalization papers.

Miss Cisneros was, however, afraid that the Spanish Government might
insist that the United States should send her back to her prison in
Cuba, and so she hastened to give up her allegiance to Spain, and
shelter herself under the protection of the American Government.

       *       *       *       *       *

For some time past there has been a terrible epidemic of yellow fever in
the South.

An epidemic means a disease that affects a large number of people at the
same time and is widely spread.

The disease was first noticed in a little summer watering-place not far
from New Orleans. It was not recognized as yellow fever, the doctors
thinking it a harmless little summer fever, of which the symptoms are
very similar.

Little by little the disease gained headway, until by the time its true
character was understood it had taken a hold on the people and had
become difficult to stamp out.

The strictest quarantine regulations were enforced as soon as the
sickness was proved to be true yellow fever, even the passengers on the
trains being inspected and closely watched before they were allowed to
pass from infected districts to those which were free from the dreaded
disease. With all the care it continued to increase, and has not yet
been controlled.

On such occasions the scientists are always very busy. While some of the
doctors are trying to cure the disease, others are busy preventing the
sick persons from carrying the contagion to other places, and others
again are occupied in trying to find the cause of the epidemic, and how
to prevent it in future.

One of the scientists who have been working to prevent the disease has
discovered the microbe which causes yellow fever, and claims that an
epidemic can in future be prevented by inoculating people with it in the
same way that they are now vaccinated for small-pox.

Small-pox was at one time a scourge throughout the world, and fearful
outbreaks of this plague would occur wherever numbers of people were
gathered together.

About the year 1718 an English lady travelling in Turkey noticed that
inoculation was practised in that country with the greatest success, and
that epidemics were greatly prevented thereby.

This lady, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, introduced the practice into
England.

The idea was to introduce into the blood the germs of the dreaded
disease, practically giving the patient a slight attack of small-pox,
which made him proof against another attack.

Inoculation was, however, objected to, because sometimes the person
operated on took the disease in its violent form, and died from the
results.

The fact, however, remained that people who had been inoculated were not
liable to take the disease again, and so much good resulted that the
physicians were constantly seeking a means of inoculating that would
insure only a mild form of the disease.

The problem was at last solved by the great English physician, Edward
Jenner, in 1798.

He found that a form of small-pox was prevalent among cows, and that by
taking the germs of this disease, which was called cow-pox, and putting
them into the blood of human beings, he could produce a mild form of
small-pox, which never assumed a dangerous character, and yet prevented
the person treated from taking the real deadly small-pox.

From this experiment vaccination, as we know it to-day, resulted. The
practice was given this name in France; the word is derived from
_vacca_, the Latin for cow.

Since vaccination became general, the decrease in the rate of deaths
from small-pox has been wonderful, and there has not been one serious
epidemic where the practice has been followed.

Yellow fever is a much worse enemy to all people who live in warm
climates than small-pox. It is a terrible disease, and often kills its
victims in a few hours. All sailors and travellers in southern
countries have to meet with the scourge, the sailors calling it
familiarly "Yellow Jack."

If it is indeed true that by inoculation people can be made proof
against this awful disease, it will be one of the greatest blessings
this wonderful century has given to man.

As we have said, yellow fever visits our southern shores every year,
though happily not often in an epidemic form. The Government has
therefore sent an expert down to the affected districts to discover, if
possible, where this disease comes from, and ascertain the best means of
preventing it.

Dr. John Guiteras was chosen as the best man to send, and he reports
that it is from Cuba that this unwelcome visitor makes its yearly call
on us.

The doctor declares that the sanitary conditions in Cuba are dreadful.
He says that nothing is done to keep the cities clean or healthy. The
drainage in Havana is of the worst possible description, and in times of
epidemic no attempt is made to prevent the spread of disease.

There is such constant communication between Cuba and the United States
that our Government has been obliged to keep three health officers in
the island to report on the state of things and enforce quarantine
regulations when necessary.

Yellow fever breaks out regularly every year in Cuba, and the doctor
declares that it would be an excellent thing for us if the Cubans were
allowed to purchase their freedom under our protection, as we might then
be able to induce them to put their country in a properly healthy
condition, and save ourselves the trouble and cost of yellow-fever
epidemics.

       *       *       *       *       *

Prince Mavrocordato, the Greek minister who has been sent to Turkey to
arrange the peace, has arrived in Constantinople, but, if all reports
are true, he has not been received with the respect that he considered
his due.

Some little annoyance at the custom-house put him so terribly out of
temper that he was on the point of turning back and refusing to enter
into any negotiations with Turkey at all. He was, however, pacified, and
is now in the Turkish capital, ready to begin work.

The Sultan has announced positively that he does not intend to remove
his troops from Thessaly until he has something surer to rely upon than
a promise to pay the indemnity.

He has sent supplies of winter clothing to the army, and will keep his
soldiers where they are until Greece has so arranged her affairs that he
can feel sure of being paid.

Considering that the Powers are to take charge of the Greek treasury
until he has been paid, this conduct seems rather extraordinary, but the
Sultan is such an untrustworthy person himself that it is not to be
wondered at that he has no faith in promises or honor.

Last week we prepared you for a surprise in regard to the settlement of
the affairs in Crete.

His Majesty the Sultan has not kept us long waiting for it.

Forgetting that the Cretans accepted Home Rule from the Powers, and that
the matter was supposed to have been settled, Abdul Hamid now comes
forward with a little proposal of his own.

He suggests that all the occupants of Crete, Christians and Mussulmans
alike, shall be forced to deliver up their weapons to the Turkish
soldiers. That he, the Sultan, shall have the power to appoint whom he
pleases as governor of Crete, and shall further be empowered to form a
body of guards, half soldiers and half police, who shall have the duty
of preserving the peace of Crete.

All this means, in so many words, that instead of a Christian governor,
Home Rule, and the payment of a yearly tribute to the Turks, the Cretans
shall go back to the old state they were in before Greece interposed.

We shall probably hear a good deal more about Crete before the winter is
over.

       *       *       *       *       *

England's conduct in regard to the seal question looks as if she had
been playing the old child's game of asking her pinkie finger before she
could give us a decided answer.

From Lord Salisbury's conduct in the affair, one would suppose that he
had shut himself up in his study, and consulted the oracle:

"Pray, my dear little finger, pray tell me whether I shall join the seal
conference or no? Yes--no--yes--no": and so on.

He has said "yes" and "no" so many times that it looks as though he had
just come round to the pinkie again at "yes."

After stating that the end of the five years agreed on in Paris was time
enough to consider the seal question, his lordship has now sent word to
our ambassador that England will join the United States in a conference.
The conference is to be held about the same time as the other one, but
is to have no connection with it.

It seems a pity that England will not meet the Russian and Japanese
delegates, because they may have some interesting information to offer.
As we have said before, there was no question of discussing anything
else but the decrease of the seal herds, and Japan has expressly stated
that she will not enter into any other form of the subject.

It is, however, a point gained that England will discuss any part of the
question, and it is to be hoped that this decision is final, and that
Lord Salisbury may not set to work to recount his fingers, and make the
pinkie come to "no" again.

       *       *       *       *       *

There seems to be a growing desire for independence in Canada.

The French Canadians of the Province of Quebec are urging the people to
demand complete independence from England. They have printed and
circulated an appeal to the people to rise and demand their liberty.

We told you some time ago about England's idea of federating her
colonies.

If this should be done, the mother country would have the right to
demand that the colonies should contribute to her wars, and help her,
and stand by her on all occasions. The federating of England and her
colonies would bind them together in much the same way that our United
States are bound together. They would be under one head and one
government, but each portion of the empire would take its share of the
profits and losses.

It is this which has roused the Canadians of Quebec.

Here is their complaint: "Canada, more securely chained, will be thrown
into the defensive and offensive politics of Great Britain. We will be
called upon to contribute toward the military and naval forces of that
country. We will have to give our money and our blood to defend the
interests of the noble lords who scorn us, the London merchants who
exploit us, and the deserts of Africa or the plains of India will be our
funeral pyres, where many of our people will sleep."

These fears were aroused when, in the latter part of September, it was
announced that the Canadian Government was about to make large purchases
of guns and cannon for the defence of Montreal.

These Canadians became afraid that they were to be drawn into some war
in which they had neither interest nor concern, and they are now anxious
to throw off the English yoke, and be free to make peace or war as they
will.

       *       *       *       *       *

As the winter approaches, the cry of famine is once more being raised in
Ireland.

The potato crop appears to have failed entirely, and the grain, beaten
down by storms and rain, has not ripened, but lays rotting in the fields
where it was planted.

The cry of famine is heard from Ireland with more or less regularity
every year, and therefore some people are inclined to doubt whether this
is a genuine complaint, but from all one hears it would appear to be
only too true.

Mr. John E. Redmund, member of Parliament for Waterford, Ireland, has
stated that the present harvest is the worst since 1879, and that there
is every reason to fear that a large portion of the Irish population
will soon be on the verge of starvation.

To help these unfortunates, sixty-four of the Irish members joined in a
petition to ask the Government to call an extra meeting of Parliament to
vote money for the relief of the famine sufferers.

The Queen has the right to call the British Parliament into session at
any time she deems it necessary, but for a long time it has been the
custom for it to assemble in February and remain in session until
August.

In reply to the petition from the Irish members, the Government stated
that there did not seem to be any necessity for summoning a special
parliament to deal with the Irish troubles, as, if the worst fears for
Ireland were realized, the Government had power to use funds to relieve
the people without waiting for the consent of Parliament.

The Irish members, in addition to asking for a special session of
Parliament, entreated the Government to lower the rents of the Irish
tenants.

The petition stated that, in consequence of the poor crops, it was
hopeless to expect the tenants to pay their full rentals, and to avoid
the suffering and bad feeling that arises from evictions, or turning out
the people who are behind in their rents, it was begged that the
Government would lower the rents by law.

The Government, however, absolutely declined to interfere in the matter,
and this will have to be left to the good-will of the landlords.

Should the coming winter turn out as badly as it is feared, the chances
are that there will be more bitter feeling between England and Ireland.
The cause of the strife will be the money that England is said to owe to
Ireland.

Some time ago the Queen appointed a committee to examine the accounts
between the two nations, and see just exactly how each country stood on
the books of the other.

When the committee handed in its report, every one was absolutely amazed
to find that for nearly a hundred years England had been collecting
about thirteen million dollars a year from Ireland over and above the
sum which she had a right to ask for. It was further shown that the
collection of this big tax was in direct violation of a treaty between
England and Ireland.

If the horrors of famine overtake the Emerald Isle, the Irish people
will certainly demand that this money be returned to them; but the sum
is now so enormous that England can never return it in full, and,
whatever she does for Ireland, the sister isle is sure to feel defrauded
and unhappy.

       *       *       *       *       *

Last July we told you about a great strike that was going on in London
among the engineers. We said that the fight promised to be a long and
bitter one, because both masters and men considered themselves in the
right, and both had plenty of money to help them to stand by their
opinions.

You will be surprised to learn that the strike is still in progress, and
grows stronger as time goes by.

When the strike first began, but seventeen thousand men were involved in
it; but finding the masters refuse to listen to the demands of the men,
the labor unions have decided to call out the workers in thirty other
important industries. This will make about four hundred thousand men in
all on strike.

The complaint of the men is that they want a working day of eight hours,
and do not want to work overtime unless they are paid extra for it.

The engineer's calling is a very hard one; in some branches the men are
forced to work around boilers and furnaces where the heat is stifling.
They feel that eight hours' labor a day is as much as they should be
required to give, and that, if their employers want them to toil longer
than their regular hours, they should be willing to pay them liberally
for so doing.

The men do not like to work overtime. When their day's work is done they
want to be able to go home and rest, and they declare that many of the
masters force the men to work after hours without reason.

The contracts for making and building in large enterprises are nearly
always what are called time contracts. This means that the contractor
agrees to have the work finished by a certain time, and if he fails to
keep his part of the bargain he has to pay a heavy forfeit for each day
that he is behind time.

When the time for a contract is nearly up, it is often necessary for
the men to work overtime to save the master his forfeit.

The men contend that the masters ought to be willing to pay extra for
such service. To save them money they are asking the men to toil for
them after their full day's work is done, and when they are so tired
that it requires an extra effort to do the work.

The leaders of the strike think that overtime is unnecessary if the work
is properly handled from the beginning, and they are anxious to make the
rate so high that masters will not ask it of their men, unless under
very unusual circumstances.

Of late both sides have shown a disposition to settle the strike,
because many of the big contracts for work have had to be given out in
foreign countries, owing to the duration and strength of the strike; but
as neither side seems willing to give in, matters are at a standstill.

The Prince of Wales and Mr. Gladstone have both been asked to arbitrate
the strike, but both of these great men have declined to interfere in
the matter.

The engineers, however, realize that something must be done, so they are
trying to bring the matter to an end by calling out such a number of
other workmen that the trade of the country will be brought to a
standstill.

There was a rumor that the engineers who work on the steamships would be
called out and forced to go on strike. If this should prove true, every
kind of business would be interfered with, for no steamers could leave
the English ports without properly certificated engineers to run them,
and no foreign mail of any sort could be sent out or brought into the
country.

The agents of the great lines running between this country and England,
which are nearly all owned by English firms, declared that they were not
afraid of the strike hurting them. If their engineers should be called
out, they asserted that they could find plenty of men to fill their
places.

This is all very well from the point of view of the agents seated in
their comfortable offices, but very few of us would be willing to trust
our lives on the high seas to inexperienced engineers. We do not care to
ride on the cars in times of strikes when green hands are put on to keep
them running till the trouble is over, and on the cars we can get out
any moment we feel afraid. But on the ocean it is altogether a different
matter. There is no stopping the car and getting out at the next block,
and it would probably pay the steamship companies better to agree to the
engineers' terms than to run their ships empty.

       *       *       *       *       *

The Duchess of Marlborough (formerly Miss Consuelo Vanderbilt) is now
the happy mother of a baby son who may one day be the Duke of
Marlborough.

When it came time to christen the infant, the Prince of Wales sent word
that he would act as godfather to the noble baby.

The child has just been christened, and a grand ceremony was made of the
affair in the Chapel Royal, St. James' Palace, which, by the way, is the
same church in which Queen Victoria was married.

According to the Church of England, three sponsors are necessary to the
christening of a baby. If it is a boy there must be two godfathers and
one godmother; if a girl, two godmothers and one godfather.

It was therefore necessary to have two godfathers for this infant, who,
as eldest son of the Duke of Marlborough, is known by the title of
Marquis of Blandford.

The Prince of Wales was one godfather and the other was Mr. W.K.
Vanderbilt, the grandfather of the baby.

The christening was a very grand affair, and after it was over the
Prince of Wales presented the infant with a golden cup engraved with his
own name and coat of arms, and the baby's name, John Albert Edward
William, and the family coat of arms.

It seems that the young gentleman has good manners even at this early
age, for when he was handed to his royal godfather for inspection he
never whimpered, but, seeming to realize the honor that was being done
to him, behaved with perfect propriety.

       *       *       *       *       *

It may interest you to know that the Princess Kaiulani has arrived in
this country.

The Princess is the daughter of Liliuokalani's sister, who married a
Hawaiian gentleman named Cleghorn. Kaiulani, who is known as Miss
Victoria Cleghorn, is said to be a very charming girl, highly educated
and amiable. She is said to be quite pretty, and to look like a Spaniard
or Cuban.

She is passing through this country on her way to Honolulu.

Because of the fact which we told you a little while ago that
Liliuokalani was talking of abdicating in favor of Kaiulani, every one
was anxious to find out from the young princess whether her visit to the
Sandwich Islands had anything to do with the proposed annexation.

The young lady refused to speak on the subject. She said that she was
simply going there to visit some old friends.

Her father, Mr. Cleghorn, who was taking her to Honolulu, declared
himself opposed to annexation, but stated positively that the trip to
Hawaii was merely a return home for his daughter, who had been finishing
her education abroad.

       *       *       *       *       *

Affairs in Guatemala continue in an unsettled condition.

While the Government continues to gain the upper hand, and the insurgent
leaders are being defeated and obliged to flee the country, the
condition of affairs is most distressing.

The rebel cause was so strong that none doubted that it would succeed.
Numbers of the best people in the country sided with the rebels, and
felt so sure of their ultimate success that they did not scruple to let
it be known where their sympathies lay.

Now that the Government and Barrios have gained the victory, there is a
panic throughout the country.

It is felt that the dictator will deal out a heavy punishment to all who
have revolted against his rule, and in all parts of the country people
are fleeing from his wrath, leaving their houses and plantations to go
to rack and ruin.

Our Government fears that the lives and property of our citizens in
Guatemala may be endangered in the general confusion, and therefore the
cruiser _Detroit_ has been sent down to the Gulf coast of Guatemala to
protect the interests of our citizens.

       *       *       *       *       *

We are sorry to tell you that the forest fires are still increasing in
New York State.

Half of the people of the town of Huron have been engaged for three
weeks in fighting the fires, but have made little or no headway.

Forest fires are also raging on the Alleghany Mountains, and word comes
that the town of Altoona, Pa., is so shrouded in smoke from the fires
that the sun at noonday is almost invisible.

Better news, however, comes from Nebraska. Rain has fallen there, and
the terrible drought appears to be over. The farmers are using every
moment of daylight to plough their fields and get them ready for the
fall planting.

Showers have fallen almost daily over the State since the drought was
broken, and, in the few days that have passed, the grass that was so
terribly burned and parched has sprung up anew, until it looks quite
fresh and green again.

The farmers are now feeling more hopeful.

       *       *       *       *       *

We told you about a wonderful roller-boat that was being built in
Toronto.

It was given its first trial on Saturday, and Mr. Knapp, its inventor,
declared it to be a great success.

People who were on board this strange craft on its trial trip said that
when the machinery was put in motion the sensation was anything but
pleasant. According to their description, it seemed as if the whole ship
was being lifted into the air, and tilted to such angle that it was
bound to go over. When they, were half frightened out of their senses by
the tilting, there came a noise as if all the machinery was bursting at
the same moment, and when they had made up their minds that the whole
affair was going to pieces, the vessel began to move through the water.

As soon as it was found that the ship really did move, and that nothing
was going to blow up, everybody began to praise her, and the trial was
pronounced a great success.

Although at the trial the boat proved very slow, the builder is so
enthusiastic about her that he says he is confident she will be able to
move through the water at the rate of sixty miles an hour.

If this feat is accomplished, the three thousand miles of sea that
divide us from Europe will be crossed in two days and two hours.

                                               G.H. ROSENFELD.



LETTERS FROM OUR YOUNG FRIENDS.


     _Editor_ GREAT ROUND WORLD.

     DEAR SIR: Can you tell me more about the map-holder
     mentioned in No. 47?             W.J.B.


DEAR SIR:

If you refer to the map-holder for bicycles, we would suggest that you
apply to A.G. Spalding & Co., Broadway, New York.          EDITOR.


     DEAR EDITOR:

     Will you please explain in the next issue of THE GREAT ROUND
     WORLD who are eligible to seats in the House of Lords and in
     the House of Commons? By thus doing you will greatly oblige
     one who is very much interested in your paper.


                                Respectfully yours,
                                               N.R.
     MORRISTOWN, N.J.


DEAR FRIEND:

The House of Peers (or House of Lords) is composed of all the peers of
the United Kingdom, the representative Scottish peers, the Irish
representative peers, and the lords spiritual.

A peer is the holder of one of the five degrees of nobility,--duke,
marquis, earl, viscount, or baron. These men have their seats in the
House of Lords by right of birth, and take possession of them when they
come of age.

The House of Peers takes its origin from the body of lords and barons
who were summoned to the king's councils in olden times. Besides the
peers who sit in the House of Lords by right, and who are distinguished
as the lords temporal, there are twenty-six other lords who also form a
part of this body, and who are known as the lords spiritual. These are
the two English archbishops and twenty-four bishops.

The House of Commons is composed entirely of men who are elected by the
vote of the people.

There are no restrictions whatever of birth, education, or religion. Any
freeman who is elected can sit in the House. At one time an endeavor was
made to exclude a man who had been elected because he refused to take
the oath which is administered to all members of Parliament before they
can take their seats. This was Charles Bradlaugh. He said he did not
believe in an oath, but offered to affirm, or give his word instead. The
House of Commons refused to accept this, and Mr. Bradlaugh was not
allowed to take his seat. He afterward stated that he was willing to
take the oath as a matter of form, but this was again objected to. For
six years he struggled for his seat, and at last was allowed to take it,
after going through the form of the oath.

A cobbler has sat in the House of Commons and helped make laws for the
people, and the members of Parliament are of all ranks and ages.

In England, however, men of fortune and family take more interest in the
affairs of the nation than they do with us, and the majority of the
members of the House of Commons are wealthy land-owners, baronets, and
knights, who have large interests at stake, and young men of good family
who have been educated with the express idea of going into Parliament as
soon as they were able to find an opening.

                                               EDITOR.


     DEAR EDITOR:

     I am one of your subscribers, and think THE GREAT ROUND
     WORLD a very interesting little paper. Do you think the man
     that went up in the balloon will succeed in finding the
     North Pole? I hope he will, and when he comes back give us a
     good history of it. And do you think that Cuba will get its
     freedom? I hope it will.

                                             Yours truly,
     NEW PHILADELPHIA PA.,                          LAURA G.


DEAR LAURA:

Great fears are entertained that Professor Andrée has fallen a victim to
his love for science, and is one more of the unfortunate men who have
lost their lives in their search for the Pole.

In regard to Cuba--unless Spain really gives the Cubans liberal home
rule that they can be happy under, they will certainly fight until they
are free.

                                               EDITOR.


We have received a batch of delightful letters from a school in Foxboro,
Mass. We take great pleasure in printing the three following.    EDITOR.


     DEAR EDITOR:

     Your paper came this week. As we read the notes I thought
     they were quite interesting. I should like to see one of
     those meteorites you told us about. I shall be very glad
     when your next paper comes, so I can read about Lieutenant
     Peary. The school is going to write to you and tell you how
     we liked your paper.

                                      Yours truly,
     FOXBORO, MASS.                           C. IRENE B.


     DEAR EDITOR:

     We received our paper this morning. We have only read two
     stories, but we think we shall like it. Our teacher read us
     about Lieutenant Peary, and about the meteorites he got from
     Greenland, and about the Tennessee bicycle. Each one in the
     school wrote a letter. We are going to select the best ones
     and send them to you. Yours truly,

                                               RALPH E.
     FOXBORO, MASS.


     DEAR EDITOR:

     We received our paper to-day. I think we shall like THE
     GREAT ROUND WORLD very much. Our teacher read about the
     meteorites and the bicycles. Each one of us is writing a
     letter. Yours truly,

                                               HARWOOD W.

     P.S.--I have hurt my right fingers and can't write very
     well, but am learning to use my left hand.

     FOXBORO, MASS.


Every one ought to learn to write with their left hand. In England boys
and girls are taught to write with both hands. There is a book published
explaining the method.               EDITOR.


     DEAR EDITOR:

     Can you give me further information relative to condensed
     food described on page 1267 of THE GREAT ROUND WORLD? What
     the probable cost will be; where can it be obtained; how
     soon before it can be bought; and any other facts you may
     know relative thereto, and greatly oblige,

     Yours truly,                     E.A.H.


DEAR SIR:

For further information about the condensed food, we would suggest that
you address the New York Condensed Food Co., New York.         EDITOR.





*** End of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "The Great Round World And What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, November 4, 1897, No. 52 - A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls" ***

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