Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-11-21
WAR OVER TRIPLES.
Troubles Caused by a Teapot, Bucket
and q Glass Of Water.

Troubles Caused by a Teapot, Bucket
and Glass Of Water.
The history Of warfare contains
numerous examples of conflicts that
have originated through trifing
causes, says the London Globe. For
instance, Turkey in the past suffered
greatly. in war with Venice. When
the Venetian ambassador was asked
by the Turkish grand vizier to ratify
a treaty by swearing in the Moslem
fashion upon his 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 the other to tear up the treaty
and retire from the conference. The
sequel was a sanguinary conflict, in
which fell 10000 Christians and four
times that number Of Turks.
But the Turks were not the only
ones to use blows instead Of argu-
ments on the slightest provocation.
The emperors Of China have ever been
famous in this direction, the record
instance being a war $50 years ago
which began through the smashing Of
a teapot. This indispensable house,
hold article was looked upon by its
owner, a high dignitary Of the court,
as. priceless treasure, and conse-
on his Journeys.
It so happened that when he was
travelling through the lawless prov
inces in the northwest of China some
Of his retinue were intercepted by a
band Of robbers, who found the tea
pot among the baggage and indig-
nantly flung 1t TO the ground and
broke 1t. The matter was reported
to the emperor. who was so indignant
at his favorite's loss that he sent out
q punitive force, and a long war be-
gan which resulted in the death Of
100000 men.
A conflict over a teapot, even a val
liable one, seems almost out Of the
range Of possibility, until one recalls
that bucket was once the innocent
cause of a terrible war. Nine hundred
years ago a party Of soldiers Of Mo-
dena stole a bucket, apparently as
practical joke, from a public we'll ir
Bologna, and refused to restore 1t.
Fights thereupon took place between
the soldiers Of the rival states and
started a war which devasted q large
part Of Europe.
The cash value of that bucket was
only a few shilings, but wars have
often been waged concerning things
that represented little from a none
tration Is afforded by Algeria, which
came in to the possession Of France
through a disagreement over a petty
debt. The bey Of Algiers demand
ed immediate payment through the
French consul, who asked for time to
pay, and in reply was beaten and
thrown into prison.
A couple of days later, conflict
was begun that continued for twenty
years, during which time more than
half a million lives were sacrificed.
Such calamity was surely unneces-
sary for so paltry a cause, and the
same remark Is equally applicable to
other wars.
In 1879 the Transvaal was declared
a crown colony, and the salaries Of
officials, both Dutch and British, were
cut down. Among the number 80
treated was a certain Paul Kruger,
whose salary was reduced by e SO per
annum. The loss Of the money an
noyed the Dutchman, who raised the
standard of revolt. AS a consequence
there followed the Majuba Hill fight.
years Of agitation, the Jameson raid.
and finally the great war, which cost
Britain 9220,000,000 and the lives OF
$4,000 Of her sons.
And equally tiny sparks have kim
died many other conflagrations. The
borrowing Of a tobacco pipe and its
retention caused civil war In the Pa
mfrs and Afshanistan, while the steal
ing Of a lace petticoat belonging to q
CASTLE lady by a Moor led to long
conflict. The war between Sweden
and Poland, which began in 1854,
arose through a supposed slight.
The king Of Sweden suddenly dis
covered in dispatch that his name
and titles were followed by only two
etceteras, while the king Of Poland
of war More disastrous in its sequel
was the throwing Of a small stone by
Hugenot child at the Duke Of Guise,
for It was the immediate cause Of the
massacre Of Vassy and Of the thirty
years war that followed it.
II will thus be seen that no article
is too worthless or a subject too triv-
ial for the purpose Of unloosening the
dogs Of war-not even the spilling OF
water. Mrs. Masham, the favorite
lady in waiting to Queen Anne, was
carrying a glass of water to her royal
mistress, when she collided with the
Marquis de Torrey, on whose clothes
the water was spilled.
The marquis, failing to get an apol-
ogy, looked upon 1t as an insult both
to himself and his country. The bad
feeling engendered spread to the
courts, and other subjects were drag
ged into the dispute which was not
settled without the Intervention Of the
great Duke Of Marlborough and his
brilliant campaigns
But the most curious war ever
waged over a little matter occurred
in the sixteenth century. 1t was car
ried on single-handed for about SIX
years between a bankrupt grocer OF
Berlin and the elector of Saxony. The
immediate cause of the quarrel was
the arresting Of two Of the tradesman's s
horses in the electors territory, he
being a subject of the elector Of
Brandenburg.
Failing to get redress he adopted
what was then a perfectly legal ex- :
pedient and declared formal war on
the realm of Saxony. The declaration |
was accepted in due form, and the |
war began. The grocer burned farms
and even villages, employed mercen-
aries after the fashion Of the times.
and made himself the terror Of the
district,
Te finally was induced to stop hos
tililies by Luther, but was betrayed
into a further act of hostility by
treachery, and being captured. suf-