New-York tribune., 1897-10-11
ROUND ABOUT EUROPE.


ernment after much hesitation, has decided to DO
away with the Britannia. which for number Of
decades has constituted the English counterpart 81
the American Naval Academy at Annapolis. and to
transfer the Institution from which so many pros
pectve Nelson's have graduated to college on dry
land which Is to be erected az Mount Boone above
Dartmouth The college will occupy the site Of the
mansion where Sir Humphrey Gilbert, the dscov-
erer of Newfoundland. born. and which subse-
ouentIy belonged to Sir Walter Raleigh In spite OF
the manifold advantages OF the change, the aban-
donment of the Britannia will be Wiley regretted-
For there is not at the present moment a single
commissioned officer in the British navy wno , mas
not been graduated from this famous od huik.
"cIp" BROUGHT UP TO DATE.-In spite OF the
many assertions that have been made about Gibral.
tar having lost all its strategic Importance Dy the
introduction OF steam navigation ana OF huge long
distance ordnance. Great Britain Is quietly SPEND
ing an enormous sum of money in Transforming tho
rock into a modern fortress. Engiand seems az
last to have realized the extent OF the power con-
ferred upon her by the possession OF Gibraltar,
and 50 many of the older characteristics OF the
rock have given way to defences OF the most eiao-
crate and modern order that peop.e who nave NOT
been there in several years would scarcely Know the
place again. Just at the present moment work Is
beinS hnrried by means of day and night relays. on
the construction Of a huge protected haroor ana
dockyard.
AN OLD SCHEME RECALLED-At last saga
land Is to be connected with Europe py caoie' INC
Parliament of Iceland having entered into con-
tract with a telegraph company 10 lay suoma'lhe
o.h,e 70 Revkiayik from Scotland by way OF the
Faroes The line will be Of immense use from
meteorological point of view, TOT the North A'h''S
ls a great brewer OF storms. IL may oe ieca.'eu
that at the time OF the construction OF the hrst
cabIc between Europe and America 1t was proposed
49,. ,ho uno soould run by way OF Iceland. the
geopranhical societies of England and France as
we'll as the British Government peng III iasof 70 S vl
the plan The scheme was ohiy ao,iya ~ =.
William Thompson proving that messages eouI ,ao "
transmitted through a submarine caOle thTee thou'
sand miles long,
THE yLADIVOSTOCK RAILROAD NOW OPEN.
Dispatches from Moscow announce that tiie sco'
ton OF the trans-Sioerian railroad from Niao'o
stock Khabaroysk has NV oeen nss io the Chi
ncse frontier have been begun ana IL Is hopeu 'e'
they will be completed next year.
prNAITrEs FOR INFRACTION OF ThN
GENEVA CONVENTION-The most important
resolution of the International Red Cross Cohier'
encc which has just been In session at 'ieha' was
ore adopted on the motion OF the Russian oe'eea'e
Prvy Councillor Martens Insisting that every ~
ernment should enact penalties for breaches OF 'ns
censva Convention At present. although nearly
everv civilized country has bound itself py soemn
treaty 10 the rules and laws OF the conve"
ton vet no State has as yet decreeo any peha'ees
for the infracton of these laws, whch are coHse'
regarded by many peoPie 40 "eS''S" nv
for theoretical than for practical observance. IL 10
IN renedv this state of affairs that Professor Mar
tens the most eminent authority on interhauohss
law in Europe and one Of the delegates Oh hIssia
~ tho Scaling Conference at Washington, has se-
cured the vote from the Red Cross society congress
above described.
FORBIDDING A QUEEN TO ATTEND
CHURCH-Wth the object OF conciiating ths
French conquerors of her kingdom, the deposed
Queen OF Madagascar few months ago adopted
10 fat
denomination to which she had until that time be-
longed after a fashion According to the latest IN
tellgence received from the Island OF reunion 10
which she has been exiled. she has just receive"
orders from the Governor TO abstain from any iur'
ther attendance at the cathedral unless she rf
ceives special permission to go to church, The ex-
planaton given for this curious order II tna' uen
much for So ef-adornment and for extravagant ana
eccentric rament. which she sported AZ enuCh n 10 !.
the detrment OF the CONGREGATIONS attention 10 'h'
mnistratons Of the clergymen
OPIUM HABIT IN SOUTH AFRICA.-The atten-
tion OF the powerful Aborignes Protection society
in London has been called to a new curse that Ii
now being forced upon the natives in South Africa
Liovnr of the most fiery and poisonous description,
specially distilled for native consumption has long
constituted serious obstacle in the way OF those
who desire to cv!lizc the kafir and II wrecking
the dusky races of Africa. morally as well az
physically Not content with this, the Europeans
have now initiated the black man to the charms OF
opium the nefarious traffic OF which is carried on
Geri Gens in which Kaiir men and women pay sxpence
smoke. The hideous effects OF the opium opium on ,he
scmI-savage kaftirs who work at the mines are az
ready showing themselves in a very marked de-
grce. and the mine managers are unanimous IN , de.
claring that the curse is many times greater than
that of alcohol.
NO 1897 CHAMPAGNE.-It is stated in the wine
districts Of Western France that there will be no
1897 champagne the grapes being too acid and poor
In quality produce "A wine good enough for the
American market According to British consular
reports. the champagne vintage of 1895, which has
and will win for Itself a great name. The most
fortunate people, however. are those who possess
the vintage of 1889 which IL described by the con.
noisscurs as In every sense OF the word grano
cru"
HOW THEY MANAGE ELECTIONS IN
notwithstanding to news received in Europe
from Toxic. good deal OF uneasiness prevails In
Japan with regard TO the general election. which IS
to take place Immediately after the new year
Lively times expected. and the Soshi or
Sanurai "a the former two-sworded petty mobiles
and their retainers are called. have already begun
usual 10 advertise their services at the usual
fixed rates. their charges being regulated according
to whether parliamentary candidate merely wishes
his opponents annoyed and hustled or desires their
blood 10 be spilled AT the last general els''Sn ION
hustines in the Tochi Ken alone: Politics in Japan
is difficult TO follow Parties are in nebulous state
facility and a frequency quite bewildering 10 tho
American mind. In the seven years that have
elapsed since the last general election there have
been less than seventy new parties formed, most
OF which have private rather than public ends IN
view. while II is notorious that judcious distriou-
tion Of the coin OF the realm will purchase the votes
OF any section in Parliament.
AN OLD LANDMARK TO VANISH-The former
castle barracks in Spandau used prison at the
time Gottfried Kinke escaped from 1t with the help
OF Carl Schurz and some o. the citizens. has JUST
been sold to a merchant for the sum OF $4,000 marks.
II Is the valuable piece OF property In the city
and belonged to the Minister OF the Interior. The
old structure will be pulled down TO make room for
houses
MISS BARTON TALKS or HER TRIP.