The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-21
CURRENT TOPICS.

The New York Commercial Advertiser
says that large export movement to the
Mediterranean of Kanawha coal is being
arranged by c. j. Wittenberg, of the c.
and Q. Coal & Coke Company, who has
just returned from a trip abroad. The
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company,
il says, handled this coal over the new
coal piers at Newport News, which have
recently been completed, and which are
probably the largest in the world, costing
the railroad several million dollars. When
seen by a representative OF the journal OIL
Commerce, Mr.. Wittenberg said he thought
the outlook very promising, indeed, for
large and permanent export coal trade.
Kanawha coal. he said, is meeting with
much favor abroad, largely because it is
more lumpy than other kinds. II exporters
were not handicapped as they are at pres
ent with a lack OF sufficient tonnage to
supply the demand, there is no doubt that
shipments would materially increase. Two
large vessels, one British, the other ltal-
ian, of about 1890 tons each, have been
chartered by Mr.. Wittenberg to be used
in the export movement above referred
to.
"A number of inquiries had been received
recently, he added, from Russia, and also
from South Africa, and shipments of coal
to the former. AS regards competition
with foreign coal, he said that American
coal could, no doubt, be landed at Medl-
terranean ports at materially less cost
than could Cardiff coal. There are at
present, he said, vessels at Norfolk aggre-
eating about 10000 tons, waiting for coal
cargoes, and about 10000 tons at Newport
News.
The coal business in the Firginias is
growing all the time.
The question having been raised in re-
cent political discussion as to the attitude
of the United States Government toward
slavery in Sulu, the following extract from
letter Written By Secretary Root to Gen.
Otis. on October 9th, 1889, is published.
Secretary Root said:
THE President instructS me to advise
you that the agreement, signed on August
10th, 1899, by Brigadier-General John c.
Bates, representing the United States, of
the one part, the Sultan Of Jolo, the Dato
Rajah Muda. the Dato Attik, the Dato
Calbi and the Dato Joakanain, Of the other
part, is confirmed and approved, subject
to the action Of Congress provided for in
that clause of the treaty of peace between
the United State and Spain which pro-
vides, The civil rights and the political
status of the native inhabitants of the
territory hereby ceded to the United States
shall be determined by Congress-, and
with the understanding and reservation,
which should be distinctly communicated
to the Sultan of Jolo, that this agreement
IS not to be deemed in any way to author
ize or give the consent of the United States
to the existence of slavery in the Sulu
Archipelago, a thing which is made i'm
possible by the Thirteenth Amendment to
the Constitution of the United States. At
the same time when you communicate to
the Sultan the above mentioned under
standing, the President desires that you
should make inquiry as to the number
of persons held in slavery in the archipela-
go, and what arrangement it may be
practicable to make for their emancipation.
It is assumed that the market price re-
ferred to in the agreement of August 10Th.
1899, is not very high at present, and it
may be that comparatively moderate
sum. which Congress might be willing to
appropriate for that purpose, would suf-
flee TIC secure freedom for the whole nuns
ber..'
A correspondent recently wrote the Lam
Get as to whether or not first cousins may