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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1899-12-21, Page 66 THE BRUSSELS POST. CREAT BATTLE FOUGHT. After a Day's Battle the British Fell Back to Modder River Whole Companies of Boers Were Annihilated. With Lyddite Shells ---The British Casu- alties Estimated at 450, General Wau- ehope Being Among the Killed --"British Unable to Dislodge the Enemy. STORMING Ole GUNHILL. She London Standard's Ladysmith eorrespoodent tells u graphic story of tbo storming of Gun hill. After de- ooribing the ascent of the hill and the flight of the Boors in fear of the Brit - Mb bayonets, which were not there, he says: "There was a hurried Boercb, for the big guns. Fora moment the bor- rible thought seized us that there might be. no guns at all; that the enemy, as had so often been the case, had somehow got wind of tha project- ed attaok and removed their cannon to a safe distance; but ail last, to the delight of everybody, the 'Long Tom' itself was discovered snugly ensconc- ed behind a parapet a0 sand bags 31 fest thick. A. 4.7 -inch howitzer was found in an eniltlaoement hardly less etrang, with n Maxim gun between the two, posted apparently for the purpose of repelling such an assault as the one we had actually delivered. "Lieut. Turner, with two sappers and six artillerymen, at once took charge of the 'Long Tom,' and with crow- bars and hammers smashed the breech and elevating gear. Two charges of gun -cotton were then placed in the their losses were terrible, some corps breach and muzzle and connected with being quite wiped outs 1 fuses. While the 'Long Tom' w -as j "They have been most kind to my thus being provided for., similar atten- wounded" tion was bestowed on the howitzer by —" Captain Fowke and other sappers and HIGHLANDERS MOWN DOWN., gunners. The London Daily News' correspon, The preparations being completed, 1 General Hunter ordered the men down,dent with Gen. Methuen cables: -1 the hill, The fuses were lie with the "After shelling the Boars all dayl burning ends of officers' cigars. Every Sunday with aur howitzers and naval' body fell back with the exception of guns, the whole force, with,Lhe creep. Captain Fowke, who remained midway between the two big guns, and after a tion of those lefb to guard the camp, couple of minutes of suspense a loud moved forward., report showed that our object had been accomplished. "Capt. Fowke hastened to examine the debris. He found the six-inch gun with two gaping holes in the muzzle, which was badly bulged, and that the breech rifling had been destroyed be- yond all chance of repair. The how- itzer was to even a worse plight, the explosion having wrecked the carriage as well as the gun. The Maxim was seized and carried off, "The men returned to camp across the plain unmolested. "Other trophies of the sortie were an English song book that was found in a cave underneath the parapet, where the gunner evidently took re- fuge, and a private latter, in which it was said that the burghers were not a bit frightened." the kgpje. The attack was properly timed, but failed, " The Guards were ordered to protect the Highlanders' right and rear. ' The (revelry and mounted infantry, with a howitzer artillery battery, at- tacked the enemy on the. left, and the Guards on the right, supported by field artillery. " They shelled the position from day- break, and at 1.15 I sent the Gordons to support the Highland Brigade. " The troops held their own in front of the enemy's entrenchments until dusk, the position extending, including the kopje, from a distance of six miles towards the Modder River. " To -day ate holding my position and entrencbing myself. " I bad to face at least 12,000 men, Our loss was great. " Gen. Wauohope, in command of the Highland Brigade, was killed." This despatch was received by the War Office later from Gen. Methuen: "Modder River, Deo. 12, 7.30 p.m.— A.s the Boers occupied the trenches strongly this morning, I retreated! in perfect order here, where I and in se- curity, "I gather from prisoners and from Boers speaking to ambulance men that MESSAGE OF SYMPATHY. A special cable from London, says the Princess of Wales, through the columns of a woman's weekly news- paper, sends a message of sympathy to the women of England, The Prin- cess' words are: "My heart bleeds for the poor widows and fatherless whose loved ane; have met glorious death in fighting for their Queen and country. May God help and comfort them in their saddened Christmas, and give them that peace which passetb understanding. Alexandra, Princess of Wales." TO DESTROY THE BRIDGES. The London Daily Telegraph's Pieter- maritzburg correspondent says that the Government has been informed that a force of Boers is advancing to- wards Weenen, from Ladysmith, with the object of destroying the bridges over the Moot river. The Government notified General Buller, who has sent out reconnoitrers. MR. KNIGHT LOSES HIS ARM. A despatch from London says:—Mr. E. F. .Knight, the distinguished war correspondent of the Morning Post, has suffered amputation of the rigbt arm in consequence of the wound he received during Lord Methuen's ad- vance. Mr. Knight, it will be remembered, was shot at Belmont; by Boers who had raised a flag of truce. His wound was oaused by a due-dum bullet, MAFEKING CHEERFUL. A despatch fram Mafeking says:— The garrison is aheertul, although the shelling has increased in effect The rations have been reduced, meat by half a pound and broad by a quar- ter of a pound. On Sundays there are church concerts and games of cricket and polo. TRANSPORT ASHORE. A despatch from the Las Palmas, Canary Islands, says:—The £refight steamer Denton Grange, bound far Cape Town, is ashore near here, Her crew were eaved. There aro hopes of saving the vessel's cargo, whie.h in - eludes; a number of traction engines for the British army and remounts to lake the places of horses that have been killed in battle or died from disease. A despatch from London says:—The following despatch was received on Wednesday from Gen, Methuen to the War Office, dated Tuesday Deo. 12:— "Our artillery shelled a very strang (position held by the eneiny,in along, high kopje, from 4 until dusk Sunday. It rained bard last night. " The Highland Brigade attacked at daybreak ail Monday the south end of "The attack was opened at 3,20 Mon- day morning by the Highland brigade. In front were the Seaforths, Argylls, and the Black Watch, with the Gor- dons and the Highland Light Infan- try in support. The men, marched in quarter column formation. "The Highlanders bad reached to within YOU yards df the, Boer trenches; when a deadly fire was opened on the front and the rightl flank, "Here about 200 men were mown down, and those leading were forced to retire. "The supports were then brought up, but they also failed to carry the kopje, and the right flank was thus in serious jeopardy. "The guns, however, dashed to the rescue, and, protected by their fire, our shattered force was able to retire, "The 4.7 -inch naval gun opened an the enemy. at 6 a.m.. When our right flank was threatened, two squadrons of the 12th Lancers were dismounted and skirmished through the bushy country, clearing and bolding it until the afternoon. "Our terrific artillery fire provoked not response, except from the enemy's rifles, "A11 efforts to carry the position having failed, the action at midday sank into a desultory artillery fire, with the exception of some sharp skir- mishing on the right flank, "At 3.45 the Highlanders formed up to renew the attack on the trenched kopje, but the Boers, who had made no use of their artillery during the whole day, now opened on them with a heavy shrapnel fire. Tha brigade was immediately forced to retire again and the fight between the guns con- tinued until dark. "The losses on both sides were very severe. Many Doers were killed in the trenches Mud wire entangle- ments." The entanglem•ntsmentiuned in the foregoing are probably explained by tee fact mentioned in another press de- spatch that the Boers came upon open ground on the British front for the purpose oe attark;ng the .ilriti h .lank, but were arrested by the Guards and the artillery. THREE TO ONE. The special correspondent of the London Daily Mail at Modder river, dee scribing the fighting, says:— "The ays:"The Boer trenches extended far be- yond the kopje, into the open plain. Those on the plain were hidden by screens of leaves. Those near the kopje were guarded by a double line of barbed wire. Evidently they fear our storming and bayonet attack. "We raked the kopje and trenches with an intense well -directed fire of thirty guns, including a naval gun and a liowitzer battery, bath using lyddite. It is believed they effected heavy damage. "Cho Boer pee:mums report that ono lyddite shell fell among forty men, only five 0f whom escaped unhurte Other shelte burst in the enemy's laager, causing its complete destruc- tion. "The Boers are in still larger force than we found them ah Modder river, outnumbering us by almost three to one. The Transvaalera are apparently donrinatiag in their military councils, although in a mi.noriLy." GEN. WAUCHOPI, KILCN)l). A deslattub from London roust—The Wer Office has received the follow- ing deepateh from General Forestier - We Iker:--"Ce.pe Town, Tuesday, Dec. 12.—Methuen wires that General Wau- ohapee was killed in action; yesterday." General Wauchope, of the Bla.ek Watch, was in commend: of. the High- land brigade with General Metbuen'a column. He wan a great favorite in the army, and his death is muab de- plored, General. Wauahope's wide was among the eniquirers at the Wer Offtoo a few minutes before the telegram an- nouncing his death was posted. ANOTHER 'ARMY FOR BULLER. , A despatch frot,n London, Friday, says:—Thee mord serious fact of the anoanent from the British point of view is .the undoubted great Dutob disaffec- tion leo Calle Colony, not only on the borders, but in the soutb as far as King William's Town, and elsewhere ]n the neighbourhood of East -Condon, The oritios are impressed by what this portends, and deimand that more troops be sent to South Africnt 1 The Morning Post's critio, whose identity is today revealed, he being Henry Spenser Wilkinson, for many years a volunteer officer, treata of the outlook with great gravity, end raises the !question of the desirability of plac- ing in coannrlssiou all the ships o.I the navy without delay4 There is no indication of the origin of the report that .Leelysne l.li had been relieved, nor is there the least con- firmation of it. • There is eager, even painful anxiety, for news from Gen. Buller, whose advance Is widely be- lieved to have 'begun Thursday. "When it begins," says one critic, ",tba fate of the .Umpire will be Gene bred in his camp." The Government's announcement that a sea^e-nth army division will be mobilized is everywhere welcomed. It will consist of about 13,000 men, It is understood that preparations have al- ready begun to mobilize an eighth di- vision, comprising 16 regiments of in- fantry and three of cavalry. This will necessitate the summoning of all the remaining services of the regular army. THE SEVENTH MOBILIZED. The War Office Thursday evening matte the following announcement:— "The sixth division has been mobil- ized, and four battalions of this divi- sion will have embarked by Sunday. The Government has also approved of the immediate mobilization of the seventh division." WAR OFFICE SCENES. The scenes at the War Office on Thursday when Gen, Methuen's caen- alties were posted, were highly drama - Cc.. There was a steady Incursion of anxious enquirers from the moment tate doors opened, and there was in- tense excitement when an official ap- peared bearing the ominously long lists of names. The women present crowded eagerly forward and begged for copses of the lists. : The supply was not sufficient, so the official rend out the. lists. Intense feeling was evidenton all the faces, and the piti- able anguish of the bereaved was ex- to me it.wasa memorable scene. Some of the woman were so overcome that they had to be assisted from the room. HER MAJESTY'S SORROW. A despatch from London says: The Royal Household is intensely anxious over the mental suffering which the Queen endures anent the repulses to the British arms in South Africa and the Loss of life in the regiments. Her Majesty is continually sending to the War Office for the minutest. informa- tion concerning the state of affairs, and when she receives the information breaks down under the weight of her sorrow. It is asserted that frequent- ly when engaged in correspondence or other business the Queen suddenly bursts into tears and talks of the suf- ferings endured not only by the sol- diers, but by their relatives at home, and even the Boers are said to be in- cluded in her sympathies. Her Majesty has sent a message of deep sympathy to the widow of Gen, Wauchope. PICKING OFF OFFICERS. According to the Boer stories at Ma- gerstonteln, it was impossible for the burghers to escape fearful loss. One' Boer prisoner said a Bingle lyddite shell killed or wounded, over 70 Boers, and that two other shells burst over two bodies of Boers ensconed behind the range, doing fearful damage. All agree that the Boers fought throughout with the utmost gallantry. Their sharpshooters seldom missed the mark. A Saafnrth Highlander says that while he was lying wounded on the field he sawaBoer, of typical German appearanr.e, faultlessly dressed, with polishes top boots, a shirt with sills ruffles, and a cigar, in his mouth walk- ing' among the anthills picking off the British, This Boer was quite alone, and le was apparent from his frequent use of field glasses that he was singling out officers. Another wounded dither Bays that a lyddlte shell fired on Sunday fell in the middle of an upon -air prayer meetinglhelrl to offer suppliant ions foe the emcees of the BoeraCma. :All the wounded are full of praise for the treatment they received from the,medteei department on the battle- field.. WHAT THE RETURNS SHOW, The returns indicate that the man who thinks Santa Claus ie a barren myth la overwhelmingly defeated. KILLED BY A TIDAL WAVE. Octans or the Terrible tees or min, 01, Comm. A despotole from San Francisco says: Mail advices from Canada give the first details of the disaster omitted by a tidal wave, which swept over Ceram, one of the Malacca Islands, between Borneo and New Guinea, on Nov, 2, These advioes show that 5,000 people wore destroyed an Ceram alone, when the earthquakes of November sbook the Japan coast and the lands adjacent, On the night of Nov, 2 the people of Ceram were awakened by a terrific earthquake that moved from north to south. All fled front their bouses to the public squares. A few hours later it was reported that the water was rising in the bay of Arnbania. The sea came forward in the shape of a Lugo tidal wave and forced water into the bay entrance. It came up fifty feet over the lowlands, At :Pauholy and Samasoeraa, on the bay, the wave swept over the tops of trees thirty feet high. Out of nearly 118,000 inhab- itants only 40 escaped. The whole coast for miles was trans- formed, Every Lew rods were great heaps of stones and boulders that had been washed up from the sea, chang- ing the entire topography of thecoun- try. The exact number ,of killed along the coast will never he known, as in many cases the bodies are buried yards under the new ground. PIRATES CAPTURED STEAMER. +—a Then axed Her to Attack Ocher s'eseels itobber( to the thine Kens, A despatch from Vancouver, B. C., says: News has 'been recelved from China by the Empress ,of Iadie, which arrived an Thuredey, that pirates con- tinue their depredations, on the West river, not fearing to attack even Bri- tish vessel. The British steamer Cboong-Song, to Hong Song from Wu - chow, was attacked by pirates on the voyage and plundered, The robbers collected everything of value, on the steamer, and compelled the master to steam to Cha -Tau -San. There they landed their plunder. This having been accomplished tthey used the steamer to make an attack on a junk towed by a steam Launch. The steam launch, at once opened fire, which thepirates returned, The battle bested half an hour, when the launch oast off liar tow and steamed away, leaving the junk to the pirates' mercy, The latter boarded the junk and made a rich haul, as they found on her 171 oases of opium and n box of gold coins. valued at about 39,000, A large number of salt }junks are at present held up .et Tai -Ping -Ohs, be- tween Ku-Min-Churok, and Sam-Shui, the pirates demanding a ransom, of some tbousands of dollars. The junk People succeeded in sending word of 'their pl'ght to the Viceroy, but are still waiting for assistance. HUDSON'S B t v WHALERS. Two /allude: ?hip, ctper.ded 'Phare the t'aet Season. ,A despatch from Ottawa, says:—The Department of Marina and Fisheries has been advised that during the pant season two Dundee whalers, the Aa- tiv° and the Polar Star, operated in Hudson's bay. Neither of the ves- sels was very fortunate, and the Polar Star is now lying a wreck on the west- ern shores of the strait. • She bad a long and continuous struggle with the ice, beginning in June and ending en September, and had ultimately, to be left to her fate, en, an utterly un- seaworthy state, Her crew and car- go, 182 walrus and four bears, were transferred to the Active. The catch of the Active comprised 17e walrus, 60 wolves and four wolverines. At Southampton Island the Active landed the first mate, the carpenter, and a nook, who will be engaged in whole hunting far three yettrs, having the no -operation of Mee boats' crews of Esquimaux. A large wooden house, which had been taken Guilin seotiona, t was erected fox their accommodation,. THE CORRECT POSITION. Any fond youth who cherishes ideas of pressing the lily hand of his sweet- heart in the mazes of the dance dur- ing the coming winter may at once relinquish that ambition, It is hope- lessly out of date. Henceforth be will waltz and "two-step" with his left arm pinned to his side, while the fair one employe her right hand to hold up the train of her gown. The train is d° rigeur—no more affectation of a train, but a sweeping flow of silk or satin. NO MUSTACHES 1N ALASKA. Men exposed to the rigors of the Alaskan winter never wear mustaches, They wear full beards to protect the throat and fano, butkeep the upper lips clean-shaven. The moisture from the breath congeals so qulekly that a mustache becomes embedded in a solid cake of ioe, and the face le frozen In a abort time. Poet Office, !English Church. Road to Wcenan` THE TOWN Or ElBTcoUaT4 NEWS SUMMARY, CANADA. The Hamilton Chlee of Pollee wants the force enlarged, Hamilton talks of appointing it plumbing inspector, London electore are to vote on the proposal to abolish (be ward system of electing aldermen, British Columbia. has subscribed over $8,000 for the relatives of the troops ordered to South Afriae, Verdicts of 30O end 3175 have been given against the London Street Ry, in actions for damages and injuriee. An anonymous gift of 310,000 has been received by McGill 'University to found a °hair in electrical research. Orillia has sold 375,000 thirty-year power scheme debentures to the Cen- tral Loan and Saving Company at a premium. The Ottawa St, Patrick's Literary and Scientific Society has decided to erect a building to cost in the neigh- borhood of $15,000. Henceforth the Canadian regulars serving in the Yukon will be officially known as the Yukon Garrison in place of the Yukon Field Force. It is said that a big trust, beaked by English and American capital, to the extent of about $5,000,000, is after the knitting factories in Canada. Dunnville has blossomed from a vil- lage into a town, and the next issue of the Ontario Gazette will contain a proclamation to that. effect. ' The War Office has ordered from a firm in Belleville twenty-five thou- sand pounds of evaporated vegetables for the use of the troops in South Af- rica. Messrs. Flavell° Bros, of Lindsay have just finished a consignment of 20,000 turkeys, 2,000 geese and 4,000 chickens for the British Christmas markets. Mr. James Rosa, the well known Montreal millionaire, bas been elected a director of the Bank of Montreal, to succeed tiro late Mr. Hugh McLen- nan. Robert Mackie has completed the first year of bis ten years' sentence in Kingston Penitentiary. It is estim- ated that he will be released in one year more. Thomas Powell, a farmer residing near Ancaster, is dying of blood -foie - thing, the result of a knife wound sue- tained while whittling a stick with a rusty jack-knife. Mr. W. 11. Bennett of the Posboffice Department is in Vancouver to inquire into recent complaints of letter-ear- riers and mail -sorters regarding in- sufficient pay, At Montreal a man climbed to the top of the new Victoria bridge and jumped Into the river.. He is supposed to bave been awealthy resident of St. Lam- beth, named Ennis, It is reported that the Canadian manufacturers of paper have in con- templation the formed:Ion of an asso- ciation for mutual protection and for the regulation of the trade. Geo. Nicholson, a foreman in the James Smart Mfg. Co.'s foundry at Brockville, had one of his lege badly shattered by the explosion of a tank beside which he was working. g Mr. W. G. Parmelee, Deputy Minis- ter of Trade and Commerce, has gone to the West Indies to enquire into trade and steamship subsidy matters. He will be gone probably two months. Her Excellency the Countess of Min- to sent, tbree dozen beautiful paint- boxes and paint books to the Ottawa branch of the Aberdeen Association as Christmas gifts to the boys and girls 01 the Northwest, Dr. Beaudry, Inspector of the Pro- vincial Health Board of Quebec, re - !porta the smallpox epidemic at Kam- ouraska completely under control. In all there were 198 cases, The disease was in, so mild a form that no deaths occurred, Prof. Robertson, Dominion Commis- sioner of Agriculture, reports chat ar- rangements are being rapidly complet- ed for the establishment of manual training in Canadian schools, which has been made possible by the gener- ous gift of Sir William C. McDonald of Montreal. . Dawson Oity Is to have an electric railway line. A line is being built through the oily, which will canes the Klondike River and connect Dawson City and Klondike City, if Parliament- ary satiation is obtained. It is propos- ed to extend this line up the Klondike River Lo the mouth of Bonanza Creek, and thence to the forts of Bonanza and Eldorado. The difficulty raised by the Audit- or -General regarding the Government allowance to the wives and children of the Royal Canadians serving in South Africa has been adjusted by the Minister of Militia. 'Under the Im- perial regulations the wives get 10e, and mob child 40, a day, while the husband and father is on active hire vice. G]I.EAT BRITAIN. The report of the British Board of Trade for the month of November shows inoreases of £2,175,000 in im- ports and £4,751,700 in exports. It is an.nouneecl that the Bull Hotel at Rcmhenter, England, aasooialed with the Irate Charles Dickens, is to be sold at auction during the present moot h. Ona little aitting room Is entirely fur- nished with things formerly used by the novelist. UNITED STATES, 33y it vote of 26 td 14 in the Georgia State Senate, state prohibition was defeated. A concerted movement will be made in Chicago and other western cities against the bucket -shop system. The movement to advance wave in cotton mill center's has become general throughout the New England States. Mr, John Wana,maker gave evident° before the lauluat.rial Commission at Washington in favor of department. storax. 'Rev. 1). E. Obeboy, of the FirstBap- tilt Church, at Racine, Wis., and his wife were shot and probably fatally injured by a burglar who entered their house, The Red Star liner. Frissla.cd 1,0151- ad with and sank the British steamer Lassell, a Santos steamer carrying 28,000 Melee of coffee, in New York bay Tuesday. Walter Boston and Fred Slater of DE0, 2t, 1699 �v.J401w.E.ELL, o.D,. _'rjIRriOLTON,On1T, James A. Bell, of Beaverton, Out., brother of the Rev. John Wesley Bell, B,D.,rostrated by nervous headacbee A victim of the trouble for several years. South American Nervine effected a complete ,cure. In their own particular field few men are bete*, knowp then the Rev. John Wesley Bell, B.D, and ble brother Mr. 'i James A. holt t `he former will be re- cognised by his tbonaanda of friends all ever the country es the popular and able rniasiaaary superintoadeat of the Royal Te .• -tars of Temperance. Among the 20,' ' members et thio order in Ontario l.s counsel a g e co la nn ht a an all sort of oc- casions. n the public platform be is one O p wp o of the !troop mss of the day, nettling against the ov11s of Intemperance. Equally well known is Mr. Bell is other previewers of the Dominion, having been for ream a member of the Manitoba Methodist Cenfereaee sad part of this time was etatiened la Winnipeg. }iia brother, het. Janos A. Bell, is a highly respected resident of Beaverton, where his infineaee, though perhapn more cir- cumscribed than th tt of Ma eminent brother, is none the less effective and productive of good. Of recent years,li,w- ever. the working ability of Mr. James A. Bell ham been sadly marred by severe attgqcks of, nervone headacbe, aroma - pealed byladigyesiion. Who ase do fit work wen this trouble takes hold of Sold by G. them and especially when it broom chronic, as was, seemingly, the ease wtt`�e Mr. Bell/ The trouble reached sues 1dt tensity that last June he was complete. ly prostrated. In this condition a friend recommended South American Nerving: Ready to tryanything and everytnine' though he tought he had covcren tit list of proprietary medicines, be secure a bottle of this great discovery. A second bottle of the medicine was taken and the work was done. Employing h own language: NTwo bottles of. Bout American Nervine imme!9 ether rer Muir m hdach o and. have t c myhe a 4p system in a wonderful manner." Let nk not deprecate the good our etergymo and social reformers are doing in titworld, but how 111-eltted they would bl Mr their workw i were t not the red t that South American Norbrio vins se them when phynleal Ilia overtake them, and when the ardent, 21 a r anti of hard, earnest and conttanoa work, breaks down. Nervine treats"tla system as the wise reformer treats erne he is battling agaiupt. It senses the root of the tremble. Ail ease comes from dioerganiseptien of nerve centers. Thla le a aalentitic fa Nervine at once works an these nerr eeaters; gives to them health and v or; and thea there eeursea through t 11P-mamtatnla 'Mang, healthy, e system t y v g, OO Y troubles Of Irybleed and Her u P variety are things of the pasts, A. Deadman. Rahway, N. J., quarrelled over a bet on the bioyule race in Madison Square Garden, New York, and Rosser shot and mortally wounded Slater. U, S. Government expenditure for the fiscal year ending Juno 80, 1101, ac- cording to estimates presented to Con- gress, will be 3831,001,094, an increase over the present: year of $98,000,000. Representativea Corliss, of Mich- gan, has introduced &hill for aPaetflo cable to be built by the United States of Hawaii, the Philippines, Japan and China, at a Hilt of cost of 38,000,000, of which $500,000 is to be immediately available. The House at' Representatives at Washington, by a vote oe 800 to 80, adopted the resolution offered by Mr, Taylor, of Ohio, for the appointment of a special committee to investigate the charges against Brigham II. Roberts, the Mormon representative from Utah, agreement was received by the na- tives with apparent indifference. The Socialist Congress, which has been in session in Paris, deoided to meet annually and to elect an Este eoutive Committee. When the Con- gress broke up red Plage were display ed and revolutionary songs were sung. The polios interfered and blows were struck, but the delegates were dis- persed without dlfficully. The American force.; in the Philip4 pines have abandoned the pursuit of ' Aguinaldo, who, it is believed, has slipped back to Cavite Province, where the Filipinos have resumed the aggressive. There were 813,933 births registered in Franco, during 1898, a decrees° o 15,174, The deaths Cor !the same period numbered 810,073, an increase of 59,- 054, as compared with 1897. The Governor of the Province Of Shang -Tung, China, hits been rlismito sect In consequence of his inability. to deal with the ,inti-miseionaryt' troubles which have been rife through, out that province, At Butte, Mont,, Prof. Maiaohy Dwyer, 08 years old, during a heated religious discussion, with J. S. Cherie - bole, a divine healer, attempted to strike the latter. Charlebcis called on God to protect hien and Dwyer drop- ped dead, The coroner's inquest de- veloped the fact that death was duo to heart failure, produced by exc'itc- ment. GENERAL. Count Tolstoi has been seriously ill. For two days he was unconscious, but he is now sligbtly better. ,'.Cha German Reichstag ham repealed the law, passed at: the last session, prohibiting workmen's amsociolions, Admiral Fournier, oornmander of the French naval squadron, is visiting the .Russian Minister of, the Navy at Se- b'a.stopol, It is reported that the De Beers melee aro filling with wstar and that Mr, Rhodes estimates tiro damage at $50,000 ler da.y. A German trader bas been murdered land of SH;. Andrew to the north of German New Guinea. Reports Limn Cocas. Rica indicate that: yellow fever bas broken out, in the interlor of the country, for iho Met time en record, Maximo Gomez is, reported to be stirring kip the (ubans to fight flim United Slates, which is ritdueing the number of its troops in the Im-itend. Ativlees from Apia, Samoa, any that the net`s of the German annexetionof the 'Menders as a mutt of the Samdan M. Osiris, of Paris, has given the .Institute of Franco, a sum 10 provide a triennial prize of 320,000 for the ' most remarkable work of discovery of general interest:, espcoially in surgery and medicine, the prize being open to all countries. Twenty-five American fishing ves- ,sels have sailed from the Bey of Wends, Newfoundland, for Boston and Gloueaster with herring rargoes. This represents the biggest fishery use vetoed in that quarter. Herring are still abundant but the fishermen, are waiting far cold weather, the eltip- ntents so fur having been packed is malt, A LARGE 1.IOCBING STONE, Buenos Ayres seems to have the large est " rocking stone," yet discovered. It ]e situated on the slope of the mourn fain of '1'andil, in the southern part of the province, and measures 00 feet long by 18 feet broad, and it is 34 feet high. Its bulls is 5,000 cubiofeee, and it weighs at least 2t tons, Nevers thnless,it is so beautifully poised that a mingle person can set it rocking. When the wind blows from the Meth - emit, the stone, which 10 pyramidal in Verne, sways to and fro on its fou4tde tion like the beanohes of a tree. 1'''.