Semi=weekly graphic., 1897-08-21
STORIES OF THE DAY
Interesting Notes on Matters That Are
Talked of In Europe.


past on the Nicaragua canal 1t Is IN
full operation upon that OF Panama.
According to the report read at the an
nual general meeting of the new Pana'
ma Canal company, just held in Paris,
mere than 2,000 workmen were. en-
ployed in pushing forward the exeaya-
ton On the Emperado and the Oulehra
in the year 1895, while during the pres
emit year the force has been almost dou-
bJed. The report states that the more
the directors advance in the accomplish
ment Of the task they undertook the
more their confidence increases IN the
final result.
Considerable excitement has been
caused at Athens by the publication in
the official gazette of q proclamation
calling out the reserves and decreelng
the immediate formation Of camp Of
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 III the southeast OF
Europe,
A sentence of divorce has just been
pronounced at Munich against the en-
press Of Austria s niece, Countess George
Larisch, who played SO prominent and
SO questionable role in the scandal
that eliminated in the tragic death Of
Crown Prince Rudolph at Meyerling.
The trial took place lin camera, but
it is generally understood that the
grounds upon which the count based his
demand for dissolution of the mar
riage rested on the behavior of the
countess in connection with the affair,
which, it may be remembered, resulted
in her Punishment from Austria
The 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-
tionaI 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 du Diabe, where he isconfned.
The report Of the Russian prisons de-
partment has just appeared in st. Pc
tersbuTg and contains some remarkable
statistics. It appears that there are $40
prisons in Asiatie and European Rus
gia with the total number Of 100,9
prisoners. The maintenance of this vast
army of C. .aals many of whom are
merely pc. i offenders, involves an
enormous cost, for which adequate pro-
vision is not made by the state, The
consequence is that IN the majority ef
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 30 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 Lasseps is about to be erected at Port
Said, at point overlooking the harbor
and the entrance to the Suez canal.
The commercial treaty between Aus.
tria and Bulgaria which was on tbs
point Of being negotiated at the time
when Prince Ferdinand made his hum.
Bile submission to the car, aud which
has hung fire ever since, is finally about
to receive signature and ratification.
Bulgaria has only obtained this by
means Of sacrificing a number of de.
mands which Austria had formerly con
scented to c0ncede, but which she now
refuses to grant. Inasmueh, however. az
most other countries had declined to
ratlfy their new treaties of commerce
with Bulgaria until that with Austria
had been arranged, there was practical
" no other course open to Prince Ferdi
hand. The treaty with Austria provides
for general Bulgarian duty Of IA per
cent ad yalorem, while 26 specified ar.
tlcles are excepted These include tim.
Der aud agricultural machines, which
pay per cent; glassware, 10 per cent.
and sugar, IS per cent.
1t IS reported at Brussels that Baron
phanis, III command Of the Kongo Free
State troops i'll the Nile valley, has
been killed by the Mahdsts to the north
Of Lado.
Ex-Cabinet Minister Baihaut, recent.
y liberated at the conclusion of the
term of imprisonment for which he 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 com.
pany, has, to the astonishment of every.
body, just been rearrested. 1t appears
that he is still liable to the government
to the extent Of 891, coo francs for fines
costs and legal expenses The courts re-.
Gently decided that the unfortunate
man, who is completely ruined, sbould
either pay this sum at once or be i'm
pnsoned for another year, Naturally he
chose the latter, aud has now the con.
ISOLATION Of knowing that every minnie
spent IN the penitentiary is wiping off.
roughly speaking, about cents Of his
debt to the state.
The English government has inst es.
tapllshed sanctuary for the African
elephant IN the coast area of Somaliland
Within the reserve shooting of elephants
Is strictly forbidden, and the observance
Of this rule will no an e,so,,+ioI .s,..,: