Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-07-31
Scraps aud fafts.

The vessel Is larger and stronger ana
is designed to be much faster than the
Maine that was destroyed in Havana
harbor.
Secretary Long has selected Admi-
raj Dewey and Rear Admirals Lewis A.
Kimberly and Andrew E. K. Benham,
to sit in the Schley court Of inquiry.
Captain Lemley will act as judge advo-
cate. The court will meet in the navy
department at Washington on Septem-
ber IL, and the proceedings Will be
public. The investigation will include
the whole Santiago campaign, and all
of the questions that have since arisen
. out Of the Sampson Schley contro-
versy.
Bad blood among the Boer prison
ers in st. Helena over the question Of
taking the oath Of allegiance to King
Edward, has led to so much fighting
and disorder that it has been necessary
to remove those who have taken the
oath, to separate enclosure. There
were several encounters, and the vigil
lance committees of the irreconcilables
subjected those who had taken the
oath to indescribable indignities. The
ringleaders have been imprisoned in
the fortress.
In the house Of lords last Friday,
Lord Salisbury, the premier, introduc-
ed a bill authorizing King Edward to
assume by proclamation, within six
months Of the adoption Of the bill,
such title as he may think fifty recog-
nizes his dominion beyond the seas.
The premier added this title would
probably be as follows: Edward the
Seventh by the grace Of God, Of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland and Of British Dominions be-
yond the Sea, King. Defender Of the
Faith and Emperor of India" ,''
Events have already proved, says a
San Juan. Porto Rico dispatch, that
the tax law drawn up by the legisla-1
tors Of this island will provide ample
means for the islands requirements.
This indicates that Porto Rico is more
prosperous than it was couple Of
years ago. Steady improvement has
been made since the day General Miles
landed at Guinica three years ago.
The people are in better physical con-
dition and work with more spirit.
Plantations that went unworked for a
long time are beginning to show signs
Of prosperity. There is more shipping
in the harbor and the signs generally
indicate better times. Nevertheless
scarcely an instance can be cited
where any considerable amount Of
American capital has been invested in
Porto Rico enterprises. Numerous pro-
moters and capitalists who have visit
ed the island. have declared that this
or that investment would bring good
returns, and then have gone away new
er to be heard from again.
Russia has accepted on trial the
modified proposal Of England concern
ing the method Of payment Of the Chi
nese indemnity, so that at the next
meeting of the representatives OF. the
powers at Pekin, a perfect agreement
can be reached-a thing which, up to
the present time, has not been possi-
BILE, says the st. Petersburg correspon-
dent Of the New York Herald. This Is
the most important news since the
commencement Of the troubles, be-
cause it means that settlement has
been reached, enabling and, indeed,
compelling, the powers Immediately to
withdraw their troops in keeping with
th,,r a
obstacle to the return Of the Chinese
court to the capital. 1t will also pre-
vent renewal of the serious out
breaks which, according to excellent
information, were sure to have taken
place If the present show Of foreign
force had been maintained in the Chi
nese capital. In fact, this agreement
is looked upon as. terminating the COM
plications in China.
A remarkable record has recently
been brought to light concerning the
distance at which the firing of heavy
guns can be heard. These discoveries
nave an important bearing upon rain
making experiments and throw side
lights upon the Sampson-Schley con-
troversy. An expert named c. David
son. made elaborate preparations to
take observations of fleet firing when
the late Queen Victoria's body was
taken from Cowes to Portsmouth. The
result of these observations established
the fact that the reports of heavy guns
were clearly audible at the extraordi-
while at distance of "a miles the re-
ports were SO loud that laborers in the
helds put down their spade to listen,
and at 81 miles from the guns windows
were shaken and other symptoms of
concussion were shown not unusually
connected with any but adjacent de-
donations. These statements bear I'D
on the Sampson-Schley controversy in
so much as Admiral Schley's state
'ment, made May %, 1885, concerning
the hearing of guns 40 miles away,
which he believed was the Spanish
fleet, was received by many with con-
siderable incredulity.
Following the rumors of an import-
ant step toward enforcing peace be-
tween England and the Beers, which
have pervaded the British house of
commons for several days, came last
Friday speech by Mr.. Bowles, Con-
servative. that caused profound SEN
sation. Bowles gave the government
solemn warning that unless peace was
made in South Africa before spring,
extremely grave combinations confront