St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-09-25
GENERAL NEWS.
Lieut.. Peary Heard From.

Sept. 10. All well. Peary left Fort
Coneer, latitude 81: A degrees north
where be was last reported on March 81
1900, on April Is of that year, and, &C.
companied by Henson and five Esqui-
maus, crossed Robson Channel to the
West Greenland coast, and followed it
along, on foot and over sea ice, to the
northward.
At Blackburn Cliffs, on April 26, two
natives were sent back, and from Cape
Britannia, SO: "a degrees north, Beau
mont's furthest, two more were sent
back in May. Lockwood's furthest
north cairn, IS: "a 5 degrees north, of
May Is, 1882, was opened at 11.40 p.
M, on May 8. Its records were taken.
and at Cape Washington, the headland
seen by him fifteen miles northeast, in
1882, another cairn was crested, and a
copy of the "Farthest record and addi-
tional memoranda" were deposited.
Peary, with Henson and the other Es-
quimau, pushed on, and at $3.50 de-
grees north, rounded the northern ex-
tremity OF Greenland, finding the coast
at this point to trend rapidly eastward.
Here, on the most northerly known land
in the world, Peary built a cairn, in
which he deposited, in addition to the
records of his journey to that point, por-
lions OF the flags of his country, of his
club and of his private signal, together
with few other articles interesting as
souvenirs.
Changing his course directly north
ward, Peary then struck out over the
sea ice for the Pole, but was able to ad-
vance only to SO: so north, when he was
stopped by the broken pack and much
open water. Retracing his steps to the
shore, he pushed on along the Greenland
coast, all the time eastward, about one
hundred and sixty miles beyond Lock
woods furthest, to latitude 83 north,
longitude 25 west, or, approximately, a
little more than degree from Independ-
ence Bay, discovered and named by him
July 4, 1892, the high mountain, then
visible to the north, being plainly recog-
nized from his new position to the south.
The reconnaissance ended with def
mite demonstration of the western and
northern coast lines of Greenland, and,
with one or two small breaks along the
eastern coast, an exact and accurate
chart Of the entire archipelago.
Disaster for England on Land and Sea.
England, Thursday received the news
OF disasters to her army and navy. The
catastrophe at sea, involving the loss of
sixty-seven lives and the wreck ofthe new
torpedo boat destroyer Cobra, was a
very serious affair. Since the loss OF her
sister ship. the Viper, which was wrecked
in the English Channel during the recent
naval man9uvres, the Cobra was the
fastest in the world, and the only ship of
the turbine class in the British navy.
She ran on the rocks off the Lincolnshire
coast in bad weather on Wednesday
morning while on her way from the con.
tractors at Newcastle to Portsmouth,
where she was to have been put on
commission. Twelve men were saved.
The story of the survivors is exceedingly
pathetic, and many tales of heroism are
reported. Lieutenant Bosworth Smith,
the Cobra's commander, stood upon the
bridge, as impassive as if on parade, and
went down with the vessel.
A dispatch from Lord Kitchener
from Pretoria, dated September IS,
announces that the Beers on September
II ambushed three companies OF mount
ed infantry, with three guns, commanded
by Major Cough. in the vicinity of Schee-
per's Mex. After severe fighting the
British were oyerpowered, and lost their
guns, the sights and breechblocks of
which were first destroyed. Two officers
and fourteen men were killed and five
officers and twenty-five men wounded.
Five officers and $50 men were made
prisoners. Major Cough, who escaped
during the night, reports that the Beers
thousand men, and that they
were commanded by General Botha.
General French reports that Command
ant SHUTS, in order to break through
a Gordon, rushed on a squadron of the
18th Lancers at Glands River Poort,
killing three officers and twenty men and
wounding one officer and thirty men,
The Beers, who were dressed in khaki,
and who were mistaken tor British
troops, lost heavily.
Estate and Life Insurance.
Well informed life insurance men say
that President Mckinley carried from
100000 to 100000 on his life.
One big New York company is said to
have a single policy for $50,00O
Mrs. Mckinley is understood to be the
beneficiary named in all the policies.
The value of the estate of the late Pres
ident, inclusive of everything he owned
and the insurance policies upon his life,
is believed to be about $200,000.
When Mr.. Mckinley was elected for
the first time he had just lost practically
every cent he possessed by indorsing
notes for Ohio friends. His friends,
prominent among whom were Hanna
and Kohlsaat, went to his rescue. They
took up his paper and put him on his
feet.
The President was frugal and lived
plainly at the White House. He saved a
good part of his salary of nearly $1,000
a week and devoted it to repaying the
friends. Eventually he paid back every
penny advanced on his behalf a sum
total of about 100000.
The Canton home, the farm near that
place and life insurance policies, amount.
ing probably, to not more than $50, 900,
comprise the bulk Of the estate.
One of Mr.. McKinley's closest personal
friends said Friday that the Canton
house was worth SIP, 900 and the farm
100000, and that with securities and
cash of 100000 and insurance oil
of 100000, the estate would be worth a
trihe over 100000.
Studying Military Methods.
A distinguished party of German mill
tary officers arrived in San Francisco,
recently from the Orient, on the steamer
Dorio. Although they made no an
nouncement Of their mission. they are to