Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-09-11
FOREIGN NEWS.
THE METRIC SYSTEM


tuition deploring the fact that England,
Russia, and the United States had not
yet adopted the metric system. Amer
lean and English delegates afterwards
passed resolution petitioning the Eng
llsh and American governments to ap-
point a mixed commission to consider
the adoption of the metric system bv
both countries.
ANOTHER PERE HYACINTH.
Herr Kinks, an Old Catholic priest
at Heidelberg, has been married to a
Bavarian. Old Catholics do not &C
cept the recent decision of the synod
for the abolitionof celibacy.
HOW THE THAMES ACCIDENT HAPPENED.
A London cablegram under date OF
the 9th inst. says that the following is
the account ofthe officers of the steam
er Castle, which run down the excursion
steamer Princess alice on the Thames,
Tuesday evening: The master and pilot
were on the upper bridge. and the look
out on the top-gallant Of the forecastle;
! light air prevailed and the weather was
a little hazy. AT 7:45 P. M, we pro-
ceeded at half speed down the Gallons
| Reach, and when about the center of
the reach, we observed the excursion
steamer coming up, barking and
screeching, showing her red and mast
head lights; then we ported our helm
| to keep over towards the TripcOck
Points. AS the vessel neared we OBJ
served that the other steamer had port
ed her helm Immediately afterwards.
Should say she had starboarded her
helm and was going to cross our bows,
showing her green light close IN
der our port bow. Seeing that
a collision was inevitable, we
stopped our engines and re-
versed them at full speed. The two
vessels came in collision, the bow of the
By1ceA Castle cutting into the steamer
with dreadful crash. We took imme-
date measures for saving life by haul
ing up over our bows several passen-
gers, throwing overheard, rope ends, life
bouys, head ladder and several planks,
and getting out three boats at the same
time, keeping toe whistle blowing loud
ly for assistance, which was answered
| by several boats from shore and boat
| from another excursion steamer which
turned out to be the Princess Alice, turn
ed over and sank under our bows. We
succeeded in resculng many passengers
and anchored for the night No log of
the Princess alice has been made up,nOr
has the captain survived to give an &C
count ct her course. The collision will
be the subject of the board of trade in
quiry Immediately. The accurate esti-
mate of the number of persons drown
ed is impossible, but the general belief
is that it will not fall below 500.
SHOCKING MARINE DISASTER.
A London dispatch of September
3rd says: The Princess Alice
was struck amidships and sunk almost
Immediately. The number of persons
drowned is yariously estimated from 500
to $50. a higher estimate is the latest,
and is given by a London steamboat
company. The owners Of the Princess
alice compaIv's wharf is besieged by
crowds of people anxious to hear of rel
atives and friends who were passen-
gers.
Late advices say the steamer which
sank is the Princess alice, and is sup
posed to be Bewell Castle screw col
lier, bound north. The steward of the
Princess Alice states that after the col
llsion the other steamer proceeded
without attempting to render aid. He
estimates that 700 persons were on
board the Princess Alice. She sank
bow first a few minutes after she was
struck. Some small boats and an ex-
cursion steamer rendered what assist
ance was possible. The drowned in
clude an extraordinary proportion Of
women and children. Several surviv-
ors speak Of having lost as many as
three, five and six children.
! A Tfebizonde special Of September
3rd says The attempt of the Lazis to
obtain ammunition has been defeated.
The Russians refuse to permit further
delay IN evacuation of Batoum, which
| is proceeding.
THE FRENCH HARVEST.
| Reliable reports of the French har-
vest show it to be very good in two de-
partm ents, good in twelve, fair in TWEEN
| ty-three, poor in forty-six, and bad in
seven. s
BRITISH COLUMBIA WANTS TO sECEDE.
A Victoria, B. c., dispatch of Sept,
End says the address to Queen Victoria,
passed in the assembly, IA to 8, prays
that " in the event of the Dominion gov
eminent failing to carry into effect the
settlement of 1874 on or before the first
of May next your Majesty will be
graciously pleased to order that
British Columbia shall thereafter
have the right to exclusively col
lect her customs and excise duties, and
withdraw from the Union, and shall also
in any event, be entitled to be compen-
stated by the Dominion for losses sus-
tanned by reason of post delays and the
| failure of the Dominion government to
carry out their railway and other obi
cations to the Province"
TERRIBLE ACCIDENT IN HUNGARY.
A Vienna special Of the End inst,
says: Later accounts from Mickalitz.
Hungary, state that over four hundred
corpses have already been recovered
and two hundred persons are still miss
ing at Erlau, about sixty-ive miles from
Pesth. The river Eyer broke through