The Forrest City times., 1901-12-13

Engineer-in-Chief Melville has in- vestigated the published reports that the machinery of the battieship H. 6nois. now in dock at New Orleans, has been found defective. and as result it is declared that the Illinois machinery is all right.
 Prof. F. .Lamson-Seribner, the agros- tologist of the department Of agr- culture. has been appointed chief of the insular bureau of agriculture Tn the Philippines. He will have direct charge of agricultural affairs in the archipelago. This is a newly-ereated office.
 The British government has decided to prosecute Conor o'Kelly. NJ. r., chairman of the Mayo county council, and several officials of County Mayo Ireland. under the crimes act, for holding meetings and delivering in- timidating speeches in defiance ot the orders of the police.
 Agitation has been started in Idaho in favor of opening the Occur d'Alene Indian reservation to white settlers. This reservation. which partly sur rounds Lake Occur d'Alene, contains more than 500,oo0 acres, including much fertile land and valuable for ests of white and yellow pine.
 The London papers announce that when the duchess of Marlborough, formerly Miss Consuela Vanderbilt, visits the United States with her ehil- dren. this winter. she will spend Christmas with her father. Wm. k. Vanderbilt. at his country home, Idle Hour. and return to Great Britain in February
 X meeting of the presidents of Presbyterian colleges and universities of the middle west will be held at the Auditorium hotel. Chicago, on the goth. The object of the meeting is to form n permanent organization. and in general devise means for advancing the educational work of the Presby- .terian church.
 Dr. Fernando Sanchez, Nicaraguan minister of foreign affairs. and Wm. L. Merry. United States minister to Nicaragua, signed treaty, ou the 9th by which Nicaragua agrees to lease section of Nicaraguan territory six miles wide. which includes the route of the Niearaguan canal, to the Unit. ed States perpetually,
 Attorney-General Strang of Okla homa received a decision. on the 9th from Judge Nandeyenter. of the in terior department. which suStains a recent opinion of Judge Strang in holding that the school lands of Ok. lahoma are not subject to mineral filings. The decision affects 5000 square miles of land.
 Col, John Doniphan, prominent figure from Missouri in the Mexican war, who served with his uncle. Gen. A. W. Doniphan, in the signallv-suc- cessful campaigns against MeXicans and Indians, is dying at his home in St. Joseph. Mo. Col. Doniphan is SG years old, and has been in feeble health for some time.
 Representative Gardner, of New Jer sey. on the 9th introduced a joint res. olution authorizing the state depart ment to purchase the Danish West Indies and appropriating not exceed ing S4,000,00o for that purpose. The resolution refers to the desirahilits of American ownership of these isl. ands under the Monroe doctrine.
 The largest capture of Boers mad, in many months occurred, on the 5th when three British columns secured an aggregate of 25o prisoners. Gen Bruce Hamilton, near Ermelo: Maj Dawkins, in the Waterbury distriet and Gen. Methuen. in northwest Transvaal. rounded up three laagers with only few casualties on either side.
 The estimated production of golt in the United States during the cal endar year 1900 was of the value oi S79,17l 900. and. notwithstanding the fact that this country led the work in productions. its imports exceed ed its exports by Sl2, ,s66.o1o. The pro sduction of North America, practical ly all of which cones To the Unit ed States. was S1l6.o5l 500.
 The attempt of the socialists in tn, Dutch chamber to induce the foreigs office to intervene in south Africa failed again, on the 9th, the foreigI minister. Melivil Nan Lyndon. inform ing the interpellators that the gov ernment could not interfere in regarC to the concentration camps, except |, relieve its own subjects, and could moi take the initiative in any appeal IL the powers.
 Superintendent Atkinsonof the pub lie schools of the Philippine archipeb ago, has written a letter to Pedro Paterno. Filipino politician. saying in