The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-01
ORNAMENTS OF EUROPE
CONTINENTAL POWERS GIVING NO
HEED TO THE CZAR'S PLAN.
Germany and France Leading in Ex-
tending Their Military and Navy
SOUrces-RaiIway Accidents.
Copyright. 1888. by the Associated Press)

Copyright. 1888. by the Associated Press)
LONDON, Dec. 51.-The Cars disarma-
ment scheme receives almost daily chit
below the belt" in the shape of announce
ments of the extension of the military and
naval forces of the various powers in one
form or other After the news that the
German field artillery will be definitely
armed with the new quick-firers by the be-
ginning of the new year comes the announce
ment that the French field artillery before
the spring, will be fully armed with the
new 10 centtmeter quick-firers rivaling the
German army. Serious attention is given to
these important changes, which one author
lty describes as being "the most portentous
military advance in armament since the in
PRODUCTION of magazine rifles. or perhaps
since the Germans used breech-loading nee
die guns in the Austrian war of 1866" Ex-
perts estimate that the batteries of the new
guns will be at least three times as powerful
as the present batteries Each new French
battery costs 912OO0 ESQ., OO0) The re-
arming thus costs France go, 10000 in guns
alone, while the improved gun will also
necessitate the reorganization of the am
munition transported. which will bring the
total expenditure up to nearly 31O,000,000
as against these new guns the British artil-
lery would be swept Oft the field, and they
urge that the British field gun be brought to
the level of the foreign arm. Great Britain
must thus be prepared for an early eXpendi-
ture of EZ,500J0J ISL, 800 0J3.) France will
nave nine War ships building In 1888.
Interesting details have been published re-
garding the French submarine boat Gustave
zede, which, it 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, it is pointed
out, is that the eddy caused by the boat
betrayed her movements at 1.5O0 yards in
broad daylight. The principle of the inven-
ton Is that the boat is no longer blind, two
lieutenants having invented an eye which
facilitates submarine progress. Another
French submarine boat, the Gymnote, is
now armed with torpedoes, and third, TO
De named the Morse, VIII be ready IN March.
The government inquiry into the causes of
the terrible mortality among railroad men,
which during the last ten years reached 4, 749
persons killed, while 1921 were injured,
shows the accidents to have occurred chiefly
among the switchmen. In consequence of
this showing the Board of Trade sent an
expert to study the systems in use in Amer
lea. This expert has just returned here and
brought with him specimens of the American
automatic couplings, which, he reports, have
reduced the number of accidents in Amer
lea BY 90 per cent. 1t Is understood that the
president Of the Board of Trade, Mr.. Charles
Thompson Richie will introduce bill to
make automatic couplings compulsory in
Great Britain Considerable opposition is de-
veloping against the bill, the change will
cost e7OOO.O0O ($SS ocO,OOo)
The discordant note of the festive season
was struck on the announcement that the
bubonic plague had arrived in England,
through a passenger landed at Plymouth
from the mail steamer Goconda, the case
having developed on her homeward 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 only suf-
fering from mild type of the disease, While
the suspicious case at Gravesend proves to
have been sickness due to some other cause
than the plague. Both patients, however,
have been isolated, and the Golconda has
been disinfected. The rats on board the
steamer. which are accused of spreading the
plague in India, have been utterly extermi-
mated by burning.
Christmas day saw the Inauguration Of the
imperial penny postage. About 36.700 letters
benefited by it during the first three days.
The majority was composed of letters
destined for Canada Over one thousand
letters paid the old rates, through the send
er's ignorance.
A singular occurrence is reported from
the Semmering mountains, near Vienna.
Two youths and young woman assembled
the Rax on Monday, and when they reached
a height OF four thousand feet the woman
was taken i'll and carried to shelter house,
where she gave birth to a son. Her two
companions made fire and wrapped her IN
all their spare clothing, the cold being in
tense. Then one of the young men descended
tho tot or a
first declined to go. thinking the whole az
fair was hoax. The woman, however, can
not be removed for some time, while a seri-
Gus snowfall will compel her to remain IN
the shelter house with her newborn babe
for a long time
The news of uprisings in the Congo Free
State and of massacres of Congo forces has
again brought into prominence the iniqui-
tous system of the rubber trade, to which
three-fourths of the native uprisings can De
traced.
The bright cold weather Of Christmas
tide has given the Pope's health a decided
change for the better. He now walks I'M
aided during his daily constitutional in the
Vatican grounds. The newspapers of Rome
announce that a rich American lady has had
a gold snuffbox. incrusted with superb dia-
monds made by one of the best jewelers. or
Rome as q New Years offering TO the
$50 600 inside the snuffbox. The Pope recent
Nv refused to allow the electric light TO be
introduced into his apartments, remarking:
There is something superfuous about that
light
The Car has returned to st. Petersburg
after a long holiday in the Crimea. Incl
dentally, his Majesty has taken up the fad
OF papering and decorating his room with
black and white sketches. He has had his
study papered entirely with carcatures of
himself which he has collected from for
eign papers.
The chief eunuch of the Sultan of Turkey
has lust died with a suddenness character
istic of deaths in Turkish official circles He
left Jewels and plates worth $4,000. besides
GOO roo in money all of which passes, under
an old law. into the Sultan's treasure box.
Poison and the bow string are limited at.
New Years Gift from Hanna.
CLEVELAND o.. Dec Ex-senator
1zsnns today filled out a check for 5000