Semi=weekly graphic., 1897-02-06
sroRlEs o. - DIV
interesting Notos on MATTERS That Al
Tallfea II IN Rnrope.

interesting Eotos on bEastsss That Are
Talltea VI IN Bnrope.
1t will doubtless be news to many
people to learn that whereas all work
has been stopped fer q considerable time
past ON the Nicaragua canal it is in
full operation gpon that OF Panama.
According to tho report read at the an
nual general meeting Of the new Pana-
ma Canal company, just held in Paris,
more than 1900 Worlmen were en-
ployed in pushing forward the exonva-
tion on the Emperado and the Culebea
in the year 1898. while during the pres
ent year the force has been almost dou-
bled The report states that the moro
tho directors advance in the accomplish
ment Of the task they undertook the
more their confidence increases in the
final result.
Considerable exoitement has been
caused at Athena by the publication in
the official gazette Of a proclamation
calling out the reserves and deoreeing
the immediate formation Of oamp oR
exercise and instruction. The conviction
is generally entertained that the king,
who has recently returned from Vienna,
would not have done this had he not
acquired there the knowledge that grave
events are imminent in che southeast Of
Europe
A eontenee of divorce hos just been
pronounced at Munich against the om-
press of Austria Is niece, Countess George
Larisoh, who played so prominent and
SO questionable o role in the scandal
thai eliminated In tho tragic death OF
Crown Prince Rudolph at Meyerling
The trial took place in camera, but
it is generally understood that the
grounds upon which the count based his
demand for a dissolution OF the mar
riage rested on the behavior Of the
countess in connection with the affair,
which, It may be remem bered, resulted
in her punishment from Austria.
Tho agitation which has recently
taken place in France regarding ex-Oap-
tain Dreyfus, condemned TO imprison-
ment for life for betrayal Of military
state secrets, has had the effect OF eaus-
ing the government to institute addi-
tional measures for the prevention of
any escape Of the captive. According to
a circular just issued by the minister
Of the colonies at Paris, the governor Of
Guiana is ordered to change every three
months the guards charged with the
duty of keeping watch on Dreyfus on
the lie Gu Diable, where he is oonfned.
The report Of the Russian prisons de-
partment has just appeared In ST. Pc
tersburg and contains some remarkable
statistics. It appears that there are $40
prisons in Asiatic and European Rus.
STA, with the total number of 100, 018
prisoners. The maintenance Of this vast
army of criminals, many Of whom are
merely political offenders, involves an
enormous cost, for which adequate pro-
vision Is not made by tho state The
consequence is that in the majority Of
cases the inmates Of the prison have to
endure the worst conceivable sanitary
conditions, and the official figures,
which are invariably optimistic, show
that no less than 80 per cent of the pris-
on population suffer during the year
from typhoid fever and kindred epidem-
les.
A statue OF the late Count Ferdinand
dc Lesseps is about to be erected ct Port
Said, at a point overlooking tho barber
and the entrance to the Sue7 canal.
The commercial treaty between Aus
tria and Bulgaria which was on the
point Of being negotiated at the time
when Prince Ferdinand made his hum
Bile submission to the ozar, and which
has hung fire ever since, is finally about
to receive signature and ratification.
Bulgaria has only obtained this by
means Of sacrificing number OF de-
mands which Austria had formerly con-
scented to ooncede, but which she now
refuses to grant. Inasmuoh, however, as
most other countries had declined to
ratify their new treaties of commerce
with Bulgaria until that with Austria
had been arranged, there was practical
~ no other course open to Prince Ferdi
nand. The treaty with Austria provides
for a general Bulgarian duty Of IA per
cent ad valorem, while 28 specified ar
ticles are excepted. These include tim
Der and agricultural machines, which
pay 8 per cent; glassware, - per cent.
and sugar, 10 per cent
It is reported at Brussels that Baron
Dhanis, in command Of the Kongo Free
State troops In the Nile valley. has
been killed by the Mahdists to the north
of Lado
Ex-Oabinet Minister Baihaut, recent
ly liberated at the conclusion of the
term of imprisonment for which ne was
sentenced for fraud and corruption, Of
which he had while minister Of public
works rendered himself guilty in con-
nection with the defunct Panama CON-
pany, has, TO the establishment Of every.
body, just been rearrested. 1t appears
that he is still liable to the government
to the extent of 891, 900 francs for fines,
costs and legal expenses. The courts re-
Gently decided that the unfortunate
man, who is completely ruined, should
either pay this sum at once or be i'm
prisoned for another year, Naturally he
chose the latter, and has now the con-
ISOLATION of knowing that every minute
spent in the penitentiary is wiping off,
roughly speaking, about 8 cents of his