The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-01-01

Britain nave been hucceedeu py rehpect,
compelled by the stifen,ng OF the gen.
eral policy of the English speaking races.
which "dlsroRardcd In 1897. are in 1895 re-
garded as potential equals OF the re-
mainder OF the world"
MINOR EVENTS IN LONDON.
Copyrighted 1865 by Associated Press.
LONDON, Dec. si.-I.ondoners are bare
~ recovering from the Christmas festiv-
tiles. which have been made 10 last a.
long as possible, many business houses
closing from Friday. December q. until
Wednesday last The discordant note
OF the festive season was struck In the
announcement that the bubcnio plague
had arrived In England through a pas
senger landed at Plymouth from the mail
steamer Golconda. the case having de-
Veloped In her homewand voyage from
India. and by the arrival In the Thames
Of another suspicious case landed at
Gravesend This startling news caused
stir, but the Lancet now announces that
the man landed at Plymouth was suf-
fering only from a mid type OF the
disease, while the suspicious case at
Gravesend proves to have been sickness
Of another character. Both passengers.
however. have been isolated and the
Golconda has been disinfected. The rats
on board the steamer. which are accused
OF spreading the disease in India. have
been utterly extinguished by burning.
Al. s.F
the imperial penny postage. About &C.
100 letters benefited by Il during the
first three days The majority was COM
posed OF letters destined for Canada.
over 5000 letters paid the old rates,
through the senders' ignorance.
The cars disarmament scheme re-
ceives almost daily "hit below the helr'
In the shape OF announcements Of the
extension Of the military and naval forces
OF the various powers, in one form or
another, After the news that the Ger
man field artillery will be definitely
armed with tho new quick tirers by the
beginning OF the new year comes the
announcement that the French field ar
tinery. before spring, will be fully armed
with The new 15 centimetre quick ilrers
rlvallIng the German arm.
Serious attention Is being given w
Great Britain 10 these important changes,
which one authority describes as being
"the most protentlous military advance
In armament since the Introduction OF
the magazine rifles, or perhaps since the
Germans used the breech-loading needle
guns In the Austrian war OF 1866 EX-
ports estimate that batteries OF the new
guns win be at least three times as
powerful as the present batteries. Each
new French battery costs $6OOOO,O0. The
rearming thus costs France $2S,5VO,0OO in
guns alone. while the improved gun will
also necessitate the reorganization OF the
ammunition, which will bring the total
expenditures to nearly $5OOOO,OOO. British
artlllerlsts point out that against these
new guns the British artillery would be
swept Off the field, and they urge that tho
British field gun be brought to the level
Of the foreign arm. Great Britain must
therefore be prepared for an expenditure
OF S12.5OO,OOO France viii have nine war
ships building in 1899.
Interesting details have been published
In regard to the French submarine tor
pedo boat Gustave zede. which, 1t is
claimed. has Just emerged from some
successful tests at Toulon, She is said
to have torpedoed the French ironclad
Magenta twice, once when the latter was
anchored and the second time when she
was moving. The only drawback, Il Is
pointed out. is that tho eddy caused by
the boat betrayed her movements at
1900 yards In broad daylight The prln-
ciple OF the invention Is that the boat
is no longer blind. two lieutenants hav-
ing invented an eye which facilitates
| submarine progress.
The government inquiry into the cause
OF the terrible mortality among railraap
men, which, during the past ten years,
reached l,7ls persons killed, while @at
were injured, shows the accidents to have
occurred chiefly among swltchmen. In
consequence of this showing, the board
Of trade sent an expert to study the
systems In use In America. This expert
has just returned here. and brought with
/ - a. Ii