The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-01-07

ana a ss-year Ieass of q large area n
Shantung province, which Is peculiarly rlcn
In minerals. Great Britain. feellns itseit
overreached, especially by the aeuon y.
China for a lease OF the port OF Wei-haii-
Wei, which occupies commanding POSI-
ton. and which was held by Japan az Sc
CURLY for the payment OF the chinese IN
demnity China promptly paid the inoem-
nifty and made the cession. Meanwnne
France secured the lease OF pay ~ e III,
nose waters and also strengthened ltsv,h
along the Tonquin frontier; Immedia,eiy
after this cesslon Great Britain secureu
stu another by leasing large area near
Hong-Kong. which gives II sun strohser
fcothold I'm southern China. These are me
entering wedges which must soon reno me
old empire-a process OF dismemoeImsn
which will be materially aided by revoiu.
tions I'm various parts OF the country ana
by governmental anarchy In the caplthi;
II is apparent that China as an empire, , W..
soon disappear. and that It's partuon
among the western powers Is certain.
Africa.
The march OF events I'm Africa has been
well-nigh as interesting as that IN ASIA,
growing out OF the conflicting interests OF
Great Britain and France In the Souuan.
The trouble began first In February: wnen
French troops Invaded what was claimed
TO be English territory In West Africa
long correspondence ensued between the
two governments. which at last resulted
In a settlement OF the boundary dispute IN
that quarter. Meanwhile. In April the An
began It's expedition UP the Nile. In rapid
succession the dervishes were defeated at
Shendy Kenneri, Gedaref OmduIman ana
khartoum. the latter being the browning
blow which destroyed the dervish army.
made the khalifa n fugitive. gave the
British control OF the Soudan and opened
the way for their project OF securing con-
tinuous stretch OF territory In East Africa
from Cairo TO Cape Town. This project vs.
further aided by another British expedition
Lake Rudolph. which viii soon make
a junction with the forces AT Fa-
shoda Meanwhile. the French force un-
der Mai Marchand. coming In from the
west had occupied Fashoda. but was COM
PEELED to leave by Gen. Kitchener, an event
which for a time hreatened war between
France and Great Britain: The cloud, how
ever. passed over. the French evidently
recognizing the mpossibility OF thwarting
the British plan for new empire In Africa.
The Fashoda incident appears to be closed,
and France Will have 10 content itself With
holding as much OF the Niger country and
Of the Atlantic side OF the Sahara as pos
sible. giving up It's ambition for an outlet
10 the Red sea or the indian ocean on the
east. IL viii not be many years before n
British railroad VIII be In operation be-
tween Cairo and the cape. Meanwhile the
Anglo-French boundary questions 1fll be
referred 20 arbitration on the suggestion OF
Lord Salisbury The only other incident
OF general interest I'm Africa during the
year Is the refusal OF the Transvaal gov
eminent TO recognize British suzerainty
and the development OF feeling OF discon-
aces a revolution In the capital. which the
Beers may End II difficult to suppress.
France.
The Dreyfus agitation has kept France
prominently and disgra cefully before the
whole world during the year. beginning
with the anti-Semite riots and trial OF NJ
Xola In January and closing with the grant
or revision by the court or cessation. This
agitation has made French Justice a mock
cry and n byword. and Il has not been
without It's political influence upon the
government The cabinet resigned early In
June and NJ Brisson formed another In
dividual designations followed. and at last
the whole cabinet resigned In October upon
the question Of the supremacy OF the civil
over the military power. A new ministry
has recently been formed by NJ. Dupuy,
which comes into power amid menaccs ~
revolution and continuous disorder, crow
ing out OF the attempted settlement OF the
Dreyfus AFFAIR.
In other Lands.
Germany outside OF its engagements with
China, has been mainly interested In the
emperor's spectacular visit 10 the Holy
Land and his hobnobbing with the era nd
Turk while Austria has been mourning
the death OF its empress. who fell victim
60 the knife or the anarchist Luchenl ar
Geneva Denmark has also lost its queen,
and happy Holland has a new one by the
accession OF Wilhelmlna. The car OF Rus
STA has delighted the doves by his propo-
sition for an international conference 10
consider the question OF reducing military
forces and at the same time has encouraged
the hawks by immensely increa sing his
own army and navy. Crete has at last been
saved from further oppression by Tur-
key. The Mussulman outbreak against
British authority led TO prompt action by
the great powers. The last Turkish soldier
has been elected from the island the Mus
sulmans on the island have been disarmcd,
and, with the consent or Great Britain,
France and Russia, Prince George Of
Greece becomes governor. and the Chris
tians are secure at last In their rights