The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-12-21
Foreign.

IT is stated In London that the great pow
ers concerned have agreed to German occu-
patton OF the Samaon Islands, beginning
with Apolu.
FIRE occurred last week on the Japan
ese steamer Hal Loong, when near Annoy.
Terrible confusion prevailed among the 200
passengers, many OF whom were confined
below and could not reach the deck. The
flames were exringuished after hard work
at the pumps, but not before two men had
been burned TO death and three injured
THE diagnosis of the case OF the young
emperor of China made by Dr. Detheve, the
physician OF the French legation at Pekin
shows that the emperor has not Brights
disease, as was at first reported, but that
his ailment Is chronic Inflammation OF the
kidneys. DR.. Detheve prescribed for him
but the native papers say that the foreign
medicines were thrown away.
THERE is great irritation at Madrid at the
continued refusal of the Filipinos to re.
lease the Spanish prisoners, who are said to
exceed 10 900 in number. The insurgents
are now demanding that Spain pay, a. a
ransom for these prisoners, the sum Of $780,
900 900, which she is to receive according to
the terms Of the peace treaty from the
United States as compensation for money
expended in the betterment of the Philip
pines islands.
RECENT reports received at San Francisco
from Pekin show that the Eupress ID wager
is not satisfied with The amount Of blood
shed by her orders, aud that executions "of
private nature" have been going on at
the rate OF two week. The majority of
the victims have been eunuchs, palace slave
girls, and ladies-in- itiug, who had been
looked upon with favor by their imperial
master and whose active devotion to the
Emperor led to their beheading. The Em-
press is following out the pan Of destroy
ing all reform measures.
THE steamer Guy of Pekin which arrived
at Honolulu. about two weeks ago from the
o lent had on board eighteen Chinese who
were seeking homes in the Hawaiian ISL
ands. AT the dock they were met by Unit
ed States officials, who demanded pass
ports giving them permission to land on
territory belong to Uncle Sam" II they
cannot prove their right to enter the Unit
ed States they will he shipped back to their
native country. The only soldiers there
are ten men who have been discharged on
accOunr or the expira ion Of tn sir terms of
| enlistment.
TORONTO and Montreal capitalists inter-
ested in street railways are after the fran
chise in Havana They last week made an
offer OF 81 800 coo for the present servce.in
that city, which, Il il believed, Will be ac-
copied. William McKinzie OF the Toronto
street railway and Frederick Nichollo of the
| Canadian General Electric Light company
left Toronto last Thursday to perfect the
American West Indies syndicate, of which
I. b. Widener, Senator Elkns, Thomas
| Dolan of Philadelphia, S. P Olcott of New
York and o N. Bradley of Albany are mem
| bers, had prepared to take over the road
but were outbid by the Canadian.
TERRIBLE atrocities are reported from
| Formosa. Two hundred rebels recently at
tackled a village, surprising the people,
| looting the place and burning thirty-seven
houses Japanese police inspector and
six constables persisted in repelling the at.
tack. One constable was captured alive.
| The insurgents fastened on his back the
bloody heads of his companions and drove
| him before them into the woods. Reinforce
ments were sent to the village, where the
mutilated bodies of the victims were found
| One constable who escaped killed his own
wife and child with his sword to prevent
them from becoming captives. He was
then killed by the savages.
The ashes of Columbus were transferred
| last week from the cathedral to the Condo
de Venadto, en- route to their last resting
place in Spain. Capt Gen Castellanos,
Gen. Arolas, Senior Gown of the Colonial
cabinet, Marquis ID Esteban, the mayor of
Havana, and a large company Of notables,
attended upon the removal The steel cas-
| ket containing the remains of the discover
| or of America was examined by Senior Co
| vim in the presence of the captain-general
and other high Spanish officials and found
to be intact. 1t was then borne to the ca
thedral steps by the canons amid the toll
| ing OF bells and placed on a gun carra ge
heavily draped with flags and decorated
with floral garlands. A solemn procession
I then moved to the Marchina wharf, where
! the casket was taken in a launch being be-
tween lines of twenty-five men of war boats
to the cruiser.