The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-26
MANY EVENTS
OF IMPORTANCE
TranspiTed in Foreign Lands
Last Week.
ATTEMPT OF THE FIL|PINOS
To Burn Manila Generally Con-
demned in England.
| RESURRECTION OF THE KHALIFA
Matters Would be Simplified If He
Offered Battle.
Matters Would be Simplified If He
Offered Battle.
DESTRUCTION ,oF MAHDI TOMB
Charged That the British Officers Di-
vided the Bones Among Them as
Mementoes, While Gordon's
Nephew Got the Head.

London, February 25.-The political pano-
rama has shown a number of varied and
striking pictures this week
The agreement to burn Manila, the fun
eral of the late President Faure, the
threatened bombardment of Muscat by
British warships, the resurrection of the
Khalifa and the reported death of the
Ameer of Afghanistan were unfolded to the
public gaze in rapid succession. while the
proceedings in parliament formed a back
ground of unusual interest.
The adjournment of the American Cana
dian commission at Washington has caused
much feeling of deep regret here and the op-
timistic tone of the British foreign office Is
not reflected by the general public, al
though the newspapers as a rule profess to
hope that the fresh attempt to reach an
agreement in the autumn will prove mora
successful.
The Spectator says; !sl-
The Spectators Comment
Arbitration seems to be different mode
Of settling the disputes. The professional
diplomats have right to chuckle little"
The events at Manila have been followed
with intense interest and there has been
general condemnation of the Filipinos at
tempt to burn the town.
The Speaker calls it Suicidal policy''
which will only injure themselves.
private cablegram in London computes
the loss to foreign merchants by the bonn
bardment of 1loilo at $5,000,090. Only one
European warehouse it appears, escaped
An announcement very 1attering TO the
United States was made in the house of
commons this week, when the president of
the board of trade, Mr.. Ritchief promised
to introduce a bill to compel railroads to
adopt automatic couplings.
The Daily News, commenting on the
above, says:
"An interesting feature of the proposal
is that it is frankly avowed to be the result
of a lesson of experience in the United
States. Our public departments hitherto
have not been very ready to admit that
they had anything to learn from abroad;
least of all, the board of trade"
MajorGeneral Sir Archibald Hunter the
governor of Obdurman. is quoted as say
ing in an interview:
The X alif q Nuisance
Il regard the khalifa as nuisance. He
is no longer dangerous and it will greatly
simplify matters if he comes out and
fights"
In the meanwhile, detachments of Brit
ish troops have been ordered to get ready
to return to Omdurman from Lower Egypt
and strong expedition has been formed
and advanced to meet the khalifa.
A controversy has been raging this week
over the destruction of the mahdi's tomb
at Omdurman and the disposal of his bones.
1t is said that the officers, after the battle,
divided his bones among themselves one
officer getting finger-nail, while the en-
balmed head was given to the late GEN.
eral Gordon's nephew. The radical news
papers Indignantly condemn the outrage,
which is defended on the other side on the
ground of expediency, 1t beng held that the
destruction of the mahdi's remains was a
great blow to fanaticisnl.
General Gordon's nephew denies his pos
session OF the mahdi's head, which is ex-
pected shortly to find it's way to the Col
lege of Surgeons of London, to take its
place alongside the heads of Eugene Aram
and Jonathan Wild.
There is considerable anxiety over the
reports of the death of the ameer but up
to today the Indian government had not
received any confirmation of the rumors.
There Is only one Englishman at Cabul.
The rest left recently, owing to the ameers
not paying their salaries, etc.