New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
BATTLES OVER TRIPLES
Wars That Have Originated from
the Most Petty Causes.

The history OF warfare contains numer-
Gus examples OF conflicts that have orlgi-
mated through trifiing causes. For IN
stance. Turkey In the past suffered greatly
/ IN a war with Venice. When the Venetian
/ Ambassador was asked by the Turkish
Grand Vizier 10 ratify a treaty by swear
ing in the Moslem fashion upon mis- beard
and the beard OF the Prophet, he declined.
because. as he said. the Venetians wear
no boards" This remark was too much
for the Turk. who retorted angrily, Nor
do monkeys" an exclamation which caused
che other 10 tear up the treaty and retire
, from the conference. The sequel, say
The London Globe, was a sdnBuIhdI
conflict. in which fell thirty tHousdAU
Christians and four times that NUMBER Oh
But the Turks were not the only ones 70
use blows instead OF arguments on me
slightest prOvOCatiOu. The EmpeToIs Oi
/ china have ever been famous IN TINS diiec
tiOu, the record Instance ~ the ldnu VL
the pigtall being a war, -J} cans aso'
which began through the smashing oL
teapot. This Indispensable ho-seuolu a..
tlcle was looked upon by its owner, hlgh
dlgnltary Of the court, as priceless Ieds-
ure and consequently, Ike Mary niue
lamb il accompanied the great man on MS
Journeys. IL SO happened tAat WheH ne
was travelling through the laWless prov
inces in the Northwest Of China some OF
his ret!nue We're intercepted Oy a pdnu OF
robbers. who found the teapot aHohs lte
baggage and Indignantly flung II 70 the
ground and broke H. The matter was re-
ported 20 the Emperor, who was so mag
uant at MS favorites loss that ne sent out
u punitive force. and long war began,
which resulted in the death OF Aalt a MILL
conflict over a teapot even valuable
. one SENS almost out of the range or pos
sibility until one recalls that bucket was
..rl.4a h. inn d. "A
Nine hundred years ago party OF soldiers
of Modena stole bucket, apparently as a
practical joke, from q public Well IN 80
logna and refused 10 restore Il. rights
thereupon took place between the soldiers
OF the rival states and started a war which
devastated a large part Of Europe
Such ca aiamitv was surely unnecessary
for so paltry cause, and the same re-
mark Is equally applicable 10 other wars
In 1879 the T-9nsvaal was declared crown
colony and the salaries OF officials, both
Dutch and British. were cut down. Among
the number so treated was a certain Paul
Kruger whose salary was reduced by 100
Der arnum The loss Of the money annoyed
fba Dutchman. who raised the standard
Of revolt As a consequence, there fol-
lowed the Maiuba Hin tight, years OF agi-
tafion the Jameson Raid. and, hnally, the
great war which cost Britain f22ODOoo
and the lives Of &,0VD OF her sons Ana
equally tiny sparks have kindled many
other cOnhagratiOus. The borrowing OF a
tobacco pipe arrl its retention caused civi
war In the HdmifS ana AIENaUsldn, Nillf
the stealing ~ lace netticoat belonging
10 a CASTLE lady by a Moor led 70 long
conflict The war between Sweden ana
Poland. which began i'm 1884. arose through
a supposed slight. The King II Sweden
suddenly discovered in a dispatch that his
raroe and titles were followed by only two
at ceteras. Wide the King Of Poland was
given three. result. declaration OF war.
More disastrous IN IT'S sequel was the
throwirs Of small stone by Huguenot
rrila IN the Duke Of Guise. for Il was the
immediate cause = the massacre Of Nassy
and of the thirty years war that fol-
lowed IL.
THE most curious war ever Waged over
a little matter occurred IN the sixteenth
century,. IL was carried on sngle-handed
s-~ about SIX wears between a bankrupt
r-ocer ~ Berlin and the Elector ~ Sax
orv. Tho immediate cause NJ the quarrel
,,-4 fro arrestirg ~ TWO ~ The trades
mans horses in the Electors territory, ne
f.Ir, subject OF the Elector of Bran
6erh,irg. Failing % get redress he al rted
y,-hae was tboU "A perfectly legal eNpeciTiL I
ar1 declared formal war on the realm o.
-evorv Tho declaration was accepted IN
dua form ard the war began. The grocer
burned farms and even villages. employed
rrorccnarioe after the fashion ~ the times.
and made himself the terror OF the dis
.rict Hc Frauv was Influenced 70 stop
hos-lHtfes tv Luther.