The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-01
ANNUS MlRABlLIS
Great Events That Transpired During
the Year 1898.

q
Tho London Spectator gives the follow
Ing resume OF the notable events Va '''0
year which las just ended.
..,--,,e ,r,rabuis." wrote DRYDEN, and
o.. ,..rots NJ , wear that saw De Ruytef
''-,.,t.l III, sea and hair London burn
mo Vet. as a matter Of fact. m chio-
,.lioofeai tables of European history me
Year 1868 hardly figures as notable Inc
.i.to,,. "a villa Yici0sa in 1860 had Sc
,.,.o1 the Independence of Portugal anu
The death of Philip ~. made iul j"
,sl, ,-oys of Louis XIV. I'm those Gay >,
t,y,a.ar tho year was notable or trivial
..r,,rline to the number OF events al-
rertlv relating 10 "a man own cuuli'i
Nou.4davs. whoever concerns himseu WIN
rir.orr iu the making takes all the WORM
f.- hfs province. and seldom mas thefe
,....,. , vear more wonderful than tnls.
rt has seen every State in Europe, exeep4
,.osrafgl Scandinavia and the Dutch COM
rrurlfies. face 20 face with eit"oI wal
Dr internal dissolution. some OF tnD"'
within measurable distance or potII ] CT
fhe greatest effects have not been IN hu-
fope. Iss has seen the United states
forced. not by any greed on power &Du'
bv IFS humanitarian Ideals, 10 tahe 10
mart i'm European relations. Next In I'M
norfance TO this accession comes a fall
inc of. China has been thrown ike
quarry 20 The armed States OF Europe
and the face 81 the Far East must be
strangely altered within the next Few
wears These two main facts-the flSe
in the international significance OF Anne
rlco and the collapse Of Chna-have
brought a host OF quick-follOwing conse-
ouences They have led directly 10 the
ruin OF Spain. or 70 may be 90 her re-
generation. but, II 50, 10 salvation as
Bog frc They have according To some
politicians. made Russia arbitress or the
worlds destiu.es. now that she has iree
right 90 extend her dominion 20 the
open waters OF tho Pacific and enlist the
innumerable yellow race. They have Ger
tainlv led 90 the establishment OF Ger
many as a naval Power. and they can
NOT be separated from the boidest at
tempt set made % challenge England s
naval supremacy-the Russian naval pro-
cramme-a challenge so promptly ans
wored by Mr. G0schens supplementary
estimates This. TOO. has borne its fruit
for who shall say how much this naked
revelation ST the war which IS being
waved in time OF peace "A garnds coups
d.argent-by desperate contest Of eN-
ct diture-inhuenced the Cars unfore-
seen Rescript urging disarmament upon
Euroge2 Lastly. the evests Ia America
and the events IN China, taken together
and seen in all their bearings, show
themselves likely 10 be parents or a
Power that may transform the world-a
league of the English-speakng races.
10 is for the sake OF these far-reach-
ine movements begun 200 o. that We would
claim for Is9S so sounding a title as "the
wonderful year" but in a smaller sense
~ the word it has also been mirabilis.
the year Of sensations January opened
with rumors Of trouble from China. and
with an the sudden jealousies aroused
by Germanys pounce upon a fragment
Of tho prey. Within the first week OF
the month Kia0-Chow was definitely
coded. Russia and France we're known TO
De- stirring. and a fortnight later Sir
Michael Hicks-Bcach inhamed public
feeling IN this country by a discourse
in which he spoke OF British interests
fhat must be defended. "if necessary. az
tnl cost or war Early in the same
month began the first act IA the French
drama which has been eyer since pro-
crossing and has not yet reached It's last
scene NJ. lola was prosecuted for his
savage attack upon the Headquarters
STAFF. whom he accused OF q conspiracy
10 fix guilt upon an innocent man. DTey-
fus Europe listened intent for some
revelation which might endan6er the
peace between nations. but only saw a
court resOlute. IN defiance OF common
Justice. 10 enforce the irrevocable char
acter Of a single decision. and II saw
tho driving force In French affairs re-
vealed when a whole posse OF generals
trooped into court-as we know now, AT
the suggestion of Colonel Henry-to oe-
nounce Dreyfus, and declare that the
honor OF the army was bound up with
the maintenance OF the chose jugee.
Meanwhile IL was known 20 all inter-
ested ia the matter that France and
England were playing a dangerous game
of bluff in West Africa yet IL came with
a surprise 10 the nation when Alr. Cham
berlaln announced in the House Of Com
mons that French troops had endeavored
10 expel British from two stations-Wa
and Borea-in our Hiinterland. and had
ordered the Union Jack TO be hauled
down. This was published I'm Satur-
DAYS paper, and the insult 10 the nag
Instantly reused the lighting spirit. On
the following Monday. February Ast.
came further news that the French had
crossed the Niger into the territories OF
Sokoto. War seemed inevitable. and
even wheu NJ. Hanotaux disavowed the
proceeding there was little assurance OF