The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1909-01-15
FOREIGN.

M. Bunau-Varilla, French engineer
who has freely criticised the lsthmian
canal construction, has notified Gustav
H. Schwab of New York expressing
his readiness to go to that city should
the chamber of commerce indorse Mr..
Schwab's proposal that he address
that body on the Panama Canal. NJ.
Bunau-Varilla said that he would point
out why the lock system canal is both
dangerous and impracticable.
In Lisbon, in order to dissipate the
rumors current that his recent illness
had entailed lung trouble, King Man.
| uel attired in the uniform of field
marshal, Saturday rode through the
| principal streets of the city, followed
by brilliant staff
Jose ]. de Paul, the special envoy
of the Venezuelan government, ar
rived in Paris Saturday from Dor.
deauX and was warmly greeted by a
score of Venezuelans. His reception
was more sympathetic than that &C.
corded to eX-President Castro last
month.
Gen. MaZZi, who is in supreme com.
mand in Messina, has adopted string
ent measures in order to protect the
people and the peoples property. In
addition to establishing a police serv.
ice around the city. he has issued or.
ders that any person found excayat-
ing without a permit will be shot.
Mrs. Hill, wife of the American am.
bassador, is suffering from a shock
as the result of an automobile acct
dent in Berlin Germany, Saturday.
Prof. Harry Gouvier Seeley of Lon.
don, England, the well-known geologist
and minerologist, is dead. He was
born in London Feb. IS, 1889.
Rechid Pacha, the newly appointed
Turkish ambassador to Australian.
gary, Friday began direct negotiations
with Baron Won Aehrenthal looking to
settlement of all differences be-
tween the two countries.
At Palmi, Italy, Thursday evening,
short but intense earthquake shock
was felt, causing a collapse of walls,
including those of the cathedral. No
one was injured, but the people
rushed from their shelters almost
crazed with fright.
A most impressive funeral cere.
mony was witnessed near Messlna
Thursday when Archbishop Barrina
made his way through the ruins of
the city to the cemetery and blessed
the grave 100 feet wide and 80 feet
deep, containing 1900 bodies. The
dead were piled one on top of another
and the bodies covered with quick.
lime. The Drelate was followed to the
cemetery by large gathering of sur.
vivors, whose lamentations mingled
with the Latin words of the service
and the benediction.
Officials of the Chinese government
have intimated that inquiries concern
ing the treatment of Yuan Shi Kai on
the part of the legations would be I'm.
welcome, and that moreover the Chi.
nese government is not prepared to re.
,ceive representations from foreign
powers on the subject
The religious riots between Moham-
medans and Hindoos have taken
more serious turn, again requiring the
active Intervention of the British troops
at Tittaghur, who fired upon Hindoo
mobs.
1t Is understood that at a meeting
of prominent members of the Japan
csc empire held at the residence of
Count Komura. minister of foreign af.
fairs, at his invitation fund was vot.
ed of $1,000 yen, $4O,5OO, toward the
relief of the sufferers in Italy.
In Rome plans are being discussed
for the rebuilding of Reggie and Mes
Sina.
There is no truth in the report that
1000 Chinese soldi"rs mutinied in Muk-
den and were afterward engaged in
battle with loyal troops.