Part 1

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

_FIVE CENTS._

THE GREAT ROUND WORLD AND WHAT IS GOING ON IN IT

Vol. 1 AUGUST 12, 1897 No. 40. [Entered at Post Office, New York City, as second class matter]

Subscription $2.50 per year $1.25 6 months

WILLIAM BEVERLEY HARISON. PUBLISHER NO. 3 AND 5 WEST 18TH ST. NEW YORK CITY

=Copyright, 1897, by WILLIAM BEVERLEY HARISON.=

* * * * *

...PREMIUMS...

* * * * *

TO ANY ONE SENDING US 4 NEW SUBSCRIBERS

The Lens is of the fixed focus type, and of sufficient length of focus (2-1/2 inches) to avoid distortion.

Has improved rotary shutter and set of three stops for lens. The slides for changing stops and for time exposures are alongside of the exposure lever and always show by their position what stop is before the lens and whether the shutter is set for time or instantaneous exposures, thus acting as a warning.

In the _quality_ of the work they will do, Pocket Kodaks equal the best cameras on the market. They make negatives of such perfect quality that enlargements of any size can be made from them.

The Pocket Kodaks are covered with fine leather, and the trimmings are handsomely finished and lacquered. They are elegant, artistic, and durable.

=For one more subscription we will send with this camera a bicycle carrying-case=

* * * * *

TO ANY ONE SENDING US 9 NEW SUBSCRIBERS

Fitted with an achromatic lens of superior quality, having a set of three stops; has two finders, one for vertical and one for horizontal exposures; and is also provided with two sockets for tripod screws, one for vertical and one for horizontal exposures. Fitted with improved rotary shutter, for snap-shots or time exposures. Can be loaded in daylight. Handsomely finished and covered with leather.

=Both of the above cameras are manufactured by the Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, N.Y., and this is a guarantee of their worth=

=THE GREAT ROUND WORLD= =3 AND 5 WEST 18TH ST. NEW YORK CITY=

* * * * *

WE ARE PREPARING

==A==

=MAP OF ALASKA=

* * * * *

Corrected to Date, after the Latest Russian and Government Surveys ...

* * * * *

_PRICE, 10 CENTS_

* * * * * EXAMINATIONS

Have you thought of the Relief Maps for examination work? Are you following from day to day the war in the East?

Klemm's Relief Practice Maps

especially adapted to examination work, as they are perfectly free from all political details. Any examination work may be done on them.

For following the Eastern Question use Klemm's Roman Empire, and record each day's events. Small flags attached to pins, and moved on a map as the armies move, keep the details before you in a most helpful way, especially when you use the Relief Maps.

SAMPLE SET, RELIEF MAPS (15), $1.00 SAMPLE ROMAN EMPIRE, - 10 CENTS

WILLIAM BEVERLEY HARISON, - - 5 West 18th Street, N.Y.

* * * * *

Remember that text-books will be taken in exchange for subscriptions to

=THE= .. .. =GREAT ROUND WORLD=

* * * * *

=The Second Bound Volume=

OF

=THE GREAT ROUND WORLD=

(Containing Nos. 16 to 30)

=IS NOW READY=

Handsomely bound in strong cloth, with title on side and back. Price, postage paid, $1.25. Subscribers may exchange their numbers by sending them to us (express paid) with 35 cents to cover cost of binding, and 10 cents for return carriage.

Address =_3 and 5 West 18th Street, · · · · · · New York City_=

* * * * *

VOL. 1 AUGUST 12, 1897. NO. 40

Affairs in Spain are assuming a very grave aspect.

The people are so enraged at the continued demands of the Government for soldiers and money that riots are breaking out all over the country.

The most serious of the outbreaks has occurred at Barcelona.

We told you some time ago that quantities of arms were stored in Barcelona for the use of the Carlists, and that in the event of a Carlist rising, Barcelona would be the headquarters of the revolution.

During the past week the riots in that city have assumed such a serious character that the Government troops have been ordered out to quell them.

These riots are attributed to Carlist influences, because the Carlists have long been in a very restless frame of mind, and waiting eagerly for Don Carlos to come forward and call them to arms.

The mass of the people in the northern provinces are strongly in his favor, and believe that if he were placed on the throne peace and prosperity would be restored to Spain.

The attitude of the Carlist party is now considered so threatening that the prime minister, Señor Canovas, is reported to have said that the most serious of the many troubles which Spain is now called upon to face is the probability of a Carlist rising.

In the mean while Don Carlos, the leader of the party, remains quietly in his house in Lucerne, Switzerland, and appears to be making no effort to secure the throne of Spain.

The representative of a Swiss newspaper asked him his opinion of the Spanish situation.

He replied that he considered it very grave. Speaking of the Cuban war, he said that it had been frightfully mismanaged, not so much by Weyler as by Gen. Martinez Campos, who was the first general sent out by Spain to conquer the insurgents.

In the opinion of Don Carlos, General Weyler is the right man for Cuba.

He refuses to believe that he has done all the cruel things he is accused of, but says that his sternness and severity were necessary for the occasion, and that Spain should be very grateful to have found such a leader at such a time.

When asked about the chances of a Carlist rising, he said that the people were urging him to take up arms and come to the rescue of his country. He hesitated to do so because he felt that it would be a cruel thing for him to plunge his beloved country into the horrors of a civil war at a moment when she was already beset with enemies.

He declared that it cost him a great effort to remain deaf to the call of his people, but that if matters did not improve, he should feel it his duty to come forward and save his country.

In his opinion the United States is only interfering in Cuban affairs because she wants to annex Cuba. Were he on the throne of Spain he says he would grant such a liberal form of government to the Cubans that they would feel it a privilege to remain under the rule of Spain.

The opportunities for Don Carlos to regain the throne of Spain were never so favorable as at this moment, and, in spite of his statement, it is quite probable that he will obey the wishes of his friends, and do his best to secure it.

* * * * *

The evidence in the Ruiz case has been laid before our Government.

After careful consideration the State Department has decided that Spain is in the wrong.

General Woodford, the new minister to Spain, has therefore been instructed to present a claim to the Spanish government for $75,000 damages to be paid to Mrs. Ruiz. Our minister is also instructed to say that his Government has concluded that, under the treaties existing between America and Spain, all the proceedings against Dr. Ruiz were illegal, and that Spain is absolutely responsible for his death. Under these circumstances Spain must pay this sum of money to the unfortunate widow.

General Woodford is to add that while the United States would be justified in demanding a much larger indemnity for Mrs. Ruiz, the friendly feeling that our Government has for Spain has induced us to make the sum as moderate as possible.

An endeavor was made on the part of Spain to compromise the matter with Mrs. Ruiz, but she refused to treat with the Spanish agents, saying that she preferred to leave her claim in the hands of the United States Government.

Congress has also taken action in the _Competitor_ case.

The _Competitor_ was an American schooner which sailed for Florida in April, 1896.

According to the story told by the captain of the vessel, he was no sooner out of sight of land than the passengers took possession of the ship, and forced him to change his course and carry them to Cuba.

Their luggage consisted of supplies and ammunition intended for the insurgents, and thus, against his will, the captain was forced to undertake a filibustering expedition.

The _Competitor_ was sighted by the Spaniards, and captured by them, but all but five of the men on board escaped.

Three of these men were Americans who had sailed the ship.

The prisoners were taken ashore and tried by court-martial. They were accused of piracy. They pleaded that they had not undertaken the voyage to Cuba of their own free will, but had been forced to do so by the passengers. They insisted that they were innocent of any intention to wrong Spain.

In spite of this they were sentenced to death. They declared themselves to be American citizens, and their sentence was suspended until the truth about their nationality could be learned.

It was found that they were really Americans, and so the Government immediately sent a protest to Spain, and the three men were sent to prison until an answer could be received.

After a long time word came from Madrid that the men were to be granted a new trial. Ten months have gone by since the new trial was ordered, and still these prisoners have not had justice done them. They have been kept in close confinement in the Cabanas prison, and have been punished as much as if they had been really guilty, but their trial has been put off for one reason or another until it now appears as if the authorities did not mean to give them an opportunity of securing their freedom.

The schooner has also been held all this time by Spain, and her owners are anxious to have her returned that they may have the use of her services once more.

After waiting patiently for nearly a year, Congress has at last taken a hand in the matter.

A joint resolution has been passed, empowering the President to take such steps as he thinks fit to secure the release of the prisoners, and to have the boat restored to her owners.

The resolution also gives the President authority to employ such means and use such power as he may think necessary to accomplish this purpose.

The Spaniards are angry at the action we have taken in both the Ruiz and _Competitor_ cases, but their especial anger is vented on our consuls in Cuba.

General Lee has been informed that if the Spaniards were revengeful instead of noble, he would not long be allowed to remain at his post and foment trouble between Spain and America.

The consul in Matanzas has been forced to fortify the Consulate in consequence of the threats which have been made against the Americans there. He has done this to afford a safe shelter for the Americans in Matanzas in case trouble should break out.

While the authorities in Cuba are feeling angry with us on account of the Ruiz and _Competitor_ cases, the Government in Spain has a fresh cause of annoyance against us.

This has arisen through a despatch sent by the Spanish minister in Washington.

Señor Dupuy de Lome writes his Government that he has received full information in regard to the instructions that have been given to General Woodford.

He says that the minister has been instructed by the Secretary of State to tell Spain that the United States thinks the war in Cuba has lasted long enough, and that the Americans cannot stand quietly by and allow the struggle to go on as it has much longer. Our minister is to inform Spain that if the war is not soon brought to a close the United States will interfere, and that, under any circumstances, warfare, as carried on by General Weyler, must be stopped instantly, as the United States will not permit it to continue.

The Spaniards are highly incensed at this, and are feeling very unfriendly toward General Woodford.

If this statement is really true, it is a pity that it should have been made public, because it has been definitely stated that the President will not allow any unfriendly act toward Spain until it is absolutely sure that General Woodford is unable to make a peaceful settlement.

Our minister leaves for Spain very shortly. At first it seemed as though there would be a long delay before he could be officially received by the Queen Regent, because the Court had left Madrid and gone to San Sebastian for the summer.

It seems that the Spanish court observes very little ceremony during the summer season, and as the reception of an ambassador is a very important and ceremonious affair, the Queen Regent decided to put it off until the return to Madrid.

This delay was very annoying to us. The Cuban questions are too pressing to be allowed to wait until the autumn, and no business could be transacted with the Spanish Government until we had a property recognized representative there.

Happily for us, Japan has helped us out of the difficulty.

The Mikado has sent a special mission to the Spanish court to present the young King Alphonso with his sacred order of the Chrysanthemum.

It would not be at all polite to keep the Japanese ambassadors waiting all summer to make their presentation, and so there is to be a great court function to receive the messengers of the Mikado, and General Woodford will be recognized at the same time.

* * * * *

The condition of the Spanish troops is reported to grow worse every day.

It is said that their uniforms are ragged and torn, and they look more like tramps than the representatives of a European army.

They are said to go through the streets of Havana begging coppers from the passers-by, and asking bread from door to door.

It is said that numbers of loyal Spanish merchants are leaving the island, because they are forced to supply the soldiers with food without receiving any payment in return. They prefer to leave Cuba rather than be ruined.

In the mean while Havana has been thrown into a panic by the report that General Gomez is marching on the city. The truth of the rumor could not be ascertained, but the fear was strengthened by the sudden return of General Weyler, who had gone off on one of his famous pacifying expeditions.

No sooner had Weyler returned than he began to make extraordinary preparations to defend the city, and so it is generally believed in Havana that the report is true.

It is known positively that the Cubans are very near the city, and that Gomez has issued orders to all the insurgent leaders to press the war forward with unceasing activity.

* * * * *

It seems that the Sultan has really been brought to terms.

The ambassadors, if you remember, gave him a stern refusal to treat with any one but Tewfik Pasha, and repeated their demand for a written acceptance of the frontier.

After this meeting with Tewfik the diplomats held a conference which resulted in the preparation of a note to their governments in which they gave it as their opinion that the Sultan could never be brought to terms unless some decided action was taken.

The Sultan heard of this, and became alarmed.

He therefore sent one of his ministers, Yussuf Bey, to the ambassadors, urging them to do nothing hastily, but assuring them that if they would only have patience for a few days, everything could be satisfactorily arranged.

But the ambassadors had had enough of delay, and they dismissed Yussuf Bey, telling him politely that they could not possibly wait any longer.

The Sultan became still more uneasy, but he was anxious to put the matter off a little longer, until he could have a final understanding with Germany.

It seems that the Emperor William's reply to his note gave the Sultan some hope that he was still inclined to side with him, in case of trouble.

While he was still looking about for a good excuse, he received a message from the German Kaiser, which put a sudden end to all his hopes of an alliance.

The German ambassador arrived at the palace of the Sultan with the information that the Kaiser, his master, had just telegraphed him to say to the Sultan from him that he must immediately obey the wishes of the Powers.

Following closely on this unwelcome visit came a message from the Czar of Russia, telling the Sultan that unless he immediately withdrew his soldiers from Thessaly, the Russian troops would cross the Turkish border.

Thus driven into a corner, the Sultan saw that the only thing left for him to do was to yield.

He therefore sent a message to the representatives of the Powers, that he had at last been able to induce the Grand Vizier to consent to withdraw from Turkey, and as this had been the only stumbling-block in the pathway of peace, he had issued an order to the Porte (the Turkish Government) authorizing them to accept the frontier as laid out by the Powers.

It would seem that this action on the part of Turkey had removed all obstacles, and that there would now be nothing to prevent the peace negotiations from being carried through. Nobody, however, believes that the trouble is over. It is thought that Turkey will make every possible delay in arranging to leave Thessaly, and also in accepting the new plan of government for Crete.

The Turkish troops have not as yet been withdrawn from Crete, and while the Christian inhabitants are settling down, and becoming reconciled to the new plan of government, their hatred of the Turks is in no degree lessened.

Conflicts between the Turks and the Christians are of daily occurrence. The allied fleets have had to make a demand on Turkey that the soldiers shall give up their arms, as the rioting is so incessant.

* * * * *

The British House of Commons will not allow the Transvaal scandal to die out as quietly as the Government hoped.

We told you about the two reports that had been sent in; well, the member of Parliament who gave the second report has offered a resolution that Mr. Cecil Rhodes be removed from his position in the South African Company.

Further than this, it has been decided that a complete change shall be made in the directors of this too powerful company, which has already been able to plunge the British Government into so much trouble.

Complaints have been made that the company under its president, Mr. Cecil Rhodes, has abused the privileges thus given by the Government. In addition to the affair in the Transvaal, the company has treated the natives of Mashonaland with great severity, taking their cattle away from them, and forcing them to live in a condition bordering on slavery.

It has therefore been decided to modify the terms of the charter to such a degree that the South African Company can only manage the commercial affairs of their territory, all matters relating to its foreign policy being henceforth in the hands of the British Government.

The House of Commons has been forced to agree to an open discussion of the Transvaal Raid, when the matter of punishing Mr. Rhodes is to be decided upon. Mr. Hawkesly, the lawyer who holds the missing cablegrams, is also to be summoned before Parliament, and forced to produce them.

* * * * *

The last steamer from Japan brought a renewed protest from the Government against the annexation of Hawaii.

Japan insists that Hawaii must remain an independent country. She says that as soon as the Panama or Nicaragua canals are opened the importance of the Sandwich Islands will be greatly increased, and that it is necessary to the welfare of Japan that her independence be preserved.

The Japanese minister is reported to have declared that "annexation must not be recognized. Japan must oppose it to the utmost."

In spite of this the Senate is going right ahead with the business of the treaty.

In the mean while the Secretary of the Navy is making all the ships at his command ready for service, so that we shall not be altogether unprepared to defend ourselves if occasion arises.

* * * * *

There is not very much to tell in regard to the strike. No settlement has been reached, and there is not much likelihood that the miners and masters will come to any understanding at present.

We told you that some of the miners had stood out against the offer of better wages, and refused to go to work until the condition of their fellows throughout the country had been improved.

All the miners have not been as brave and loyal as these men.

In some parts of Western Virginia, such excellent wages have been offered to the men, that they have weakened and gone back to work in spite of the fact that the labor agitators have been constantly urging them to remain firm.

They have been telling the men that they will secure great benefits if they will only hold together.

At one time there was some hope that the men might submit the whole matter to arbitration, but this seems doubtful.

* * * * *

Another report about the use of the X rays in the French Custom-House has reached us.

This time the rays were applied to thirty packages which had arrived by parcels-post. It took but fifteen minutes to examine the whole of these packets, and their contents were discovered without the necessity of breaking a seal or untying a string.

The amusing part of the story is that the thirty persons to whom the parcels were addressed had been asked by the officers if there was anything dutiable in them, and all had replied in the negative.

The confusion and trouble were therefore great when forbidden articles were found in twenty-seven out of the thirty packets.

The French officials are very strict about such matters, and enforce heavy fines for attempting to bring things into their country without paying duty on them.

The senders had had no idea that the X rays would be used on the packages, and had arranged them so that on opening they would appear to contain nothing dutiable.

One basket was labelled fruit. Had it been opened in the ordinary way the officers would have found nothing but apricots and plums, unless they went to the trouble of emptying the whole basket out--a thing that is seldom done. When the X rays got to work on this packet a pair of patent-leather shoes was revealed, hidden away amongst the fruit.

Another bundle was labelled, "Specimens of clothing--without value."

No sooner was it held before the X rays than it was seen that a quantity of cigarettes and English matches were rolled away inside the linen.

All this was found out without so much as breaking a seal or untying a string.

At the same time that the news of this excellent use for the X ray reached us, we observed statements from several prominent doctors and electricians, warning people of the danger of using this wonderful light without a proper knowledge of its properties.

It seems that under certain circumstances the X ray is capable of inflicting a very serious wound. It acts in the same way as fire does, and burns the skin so severely that it is a very long time in healing.