davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-07
Mysterious Firing

Nightly firing of what seems to be cannon south of Picking arouses curiosity It has not been possible to ascertain the cause but 1t is thought that villagers are firing jingals-Chinese guns--to scare off robbers.
 Willard D. Straight, the former Amer can consul at Mukden. describes an ln- teresting adventure In which Prince Ching. the former premier, who is now in the French hospial was one of the prin- cipas.
 Prince Ching decided 10 recover stolen treasure and store 1t in the French bank Mir Straight and Jeane Casenave a French banker, with Chlngs son, accom- panied him and they proceeded with q number of charts 10 the palace The bullion was found where it had been secreted and 10000 ,taels and other valu- ables were gathered together. The sol- diers guarding the palace became surly when they saw that the wealth was to be taken away and threatened to seize it. The distribution of 1900 taels how ever. with gentle persuasion by the prince, resulted in their permitting the carts to depart.
 Strange incidents are numerous One official who returned to his wrecked home found that only silver had been taken. The floors were strewn with foreign bank notes. the soldiers knowing nothing of their value. A pawnshop keeper saved his house from flames by delivering a basket of silver to soldiers at the door.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-07
QUIET RESTORED
 AROUND PEK|NG  Request Is Made for More American Troops
 - NATIVES IN DISTRESS Little Prospect of Immediate Control By Government and the Authorities Are Talk
 ing No Chances

has been restored at Picking. The action of the American minister. MT. Calhoun, in cabling 10 Manila for further troops for Tien Tsin, 1t is stated. was not due to the fear of concerted attempt against foreigners, similar to tho boxer rising, but on account of the belief that it was unwlse 10 take any chances, in view of the fact that the Chinese troops cannot be depended upon and disorders are sweeping the north with little prospect of immediate restoratiop of government control.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-07
MADERO WILL MAKE CABINET CHANGES Taft Canvasses the Mexican
 Situation GOMEZ MAY RETURN
General Trevino May Become Minister of War, While De La Barra Will Probably Return = Believe
 Calero Was Misquoted

Washington. March 6.-President Taft canvassed the situation in Mex leo today with the Mexican commander. Senor Martinez y Crespo.
 The chief subject was a more rigid enforcement of the neutrality laws along the border. The ambassador pre- dicted a gradual return of normal con- ditions.
 What measures are being planned by the Mexican government for the paci- fication of the country has not been made known here officially, but well authenticated report tonight has it that several cabinet changes would be made soon by President Madero to apease the .lise an tepte3 elements s,..i-..
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-07
De La barra May Return

These changes are said to include the possible return to the cabinet of Senor Francisco De La Barra, now traveing abroad. and Dr. Francisco Vasquez Gomez, the defeated candidate for vice president i'll the recent cleo tions, and brother of Emilio Vasquez Goniez It was reported that Gen. Ger onimo Treyino might be named as min ister of war.
 Senor De La Barra successively served as ambassador to the United States, minister of foreign affairs, pro- vlsional president. and now as special representative is touring foreign coun- tries. Besides his years of experience in foreign relations, he is regarded as particularly will fitted by reason of his close friendship with President Taft and Secretary Knox 10 direct Mexico's international relations in the present crisis. Manuel Calero, new minister of foreign affairs, it is said, desires tu come to Washington as ambassador, re- lieving Senor Martinez y Crespo, who would return to his former post in Vienna.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-07
Gomez Suggested

pr. Vasquez Gomez return to the cabinet is suggested as likely to have great moral efect in Mexico. pr. Gomez mas taken no part in the anti-government activity of his brother, Emilio, now at San Antonio, Tex Many or the so-called Vasquestas, however, were supporters of pr. Gomez when he was unsuccessful as a vice presidential candidate.
 pr. Gomez was made representative at Washington during the last rebellion. He is said to be on intimate terms With President Madero, notwithstanding his defeat as vice president, and would be able to pacify not only his own followers, but those who have taken up the cause of his brother.
 Gen. Geronimo Trevino, for minister of war. 1t is said has been brought forward because of his military prestige as sol dier of the type of General Diaz His friends are said to be requesting the President to make him director of the military in Mexico.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-07

(CONTINq ? ON PAGE II,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-07

Mineoia, L. l., March 6.-Secretary Stimson's speech in Chicago last night supporting President Taft for the repub- lican nomination brought out from Theo- dore Roosevelt today sharp reply
 Tn regard to MT. Stimson's statement that against my original intention I am being forced by certain persons into tlie arena this year. l need merely to say,'' declared Colonel Roosevelt. that the statement is correct only in the sense that 1t would be correct to make the same
The sun., 1912-07-14

The ten medical investigators in the
New York Health Department labora-
tories have just promulgated the results
OF their bacterial investigation. So pains
taking. conservative and careful have
these workers been that only after spend
ing whole year over this bit OF research
did they feel qualified TO speak.
Two hundred and thirteen foreign
immigrants and natives with trachoma
were studied by the New York physicians.
The details and history OF the life OF
each one OF these patients were carefully
examined and recorded. Then tho dis
cased eyelids were scraped. A tiny rake
with microscopic teeth was used by the
medical men for thi y purpose.
The scrapin y from the 'yelids were
I en- discreetly collect ed. rubbed w
with "a mortar and pestle in some ster-
ilixe,l water. transferred to boiled beet
bio d tea and gelatine and placed in al,
incubator for several days, The result
was startling hut most satisfactory. A
new cluster ~ bacilli was found to have
developed IN the incubated beef blood.
The sun., 1912-07-14

Trachoma. that horrible ailment OF
the European immigrant. which because
Of its contagious nature the Federal
Government has tried in vain by Con-
gressional legislation and medical in
spection laws to exlude from American
ports. is an infectious disease of the eyes.
apparent to the man on the street as u
granular variety of "pinkeye," The
cause of trachoma has been sought ever
since Pasteur and Koch, ii ster and Won
Behring stalked the deadly microbe to
its lair, These thirty years ceaselessly,
ever hopefully. bacteriologists the world
over have left no tissue or germ unturned
in their assiduous investigation into the
possible causes OF this vicious variety
of pinkeye,
Therefore II il with no little pride
that tho American public learns that "a
corps os scientists tndcr the leadership
Of Dr William II. PARK Of the Nav York
city Health Department have given us
tho first beams Of light from this dark
lanl VI eye ailments.
The sun., 1912-07-14
Ad<l A"a VS. 81 February 1'a4o <" ""~

sells were not in the position assigned -
them. Thus Scott was said to havH
sailed over Wilkes Land" when in fact
he had not reached it; and the Challenger
expedition thought it was within fifteen
miles Of Termination Land. but couloht
see it; and the Gauss Sailed over Ter
mination Land and therefore Drygalski
declined to put it on his chart, though
it il the home OF explorers in this present
Antarctic winter.
The verification OF Wilkes's work gives
still greater importance TO discoveries
that Scott and Shackleton have recently
made. A gap in the Antarctic coast hhe
was still untitled between the northwest
end Of Victoria Land and the eastern
point of Wilkes Land. Shackleton sighted
land to the west OF Cape North. and the
Terra Nova of the present Scott expedi'
tion on February % last discovered
mountainous land in 90 degrees 30 MN
utes south latitude. l0a degrees 20 minutes
east longitude. This land was seen again
OH February rs and followed to 6s degrees
80 minutes south latitude, 1853 degrees
Is minutes east longitude.
These discoveries by Shackleton ana
Scott are in an almost direct line betwesn
Cape North and Cape Hudson. sighted
by Wilkes In 1870. The British discoveries
uni to the Victoria Land Of Ross with
Wilkes Land. With the extended sur
veys Of the coast Of Victoria Land by
the first Scott expedition and by Shackle-
ton and with the later additions which
Amundscn has been able tn make geog-
raphers now know the general contour
of q practically CONT nuo'is stretch ol
the coast Of tho Antarctic continent
nearly 1900 miles in length.
The sun., 1912-07-14
n The WncenncS
in
Disappointment
pay.
(Aseer Wc,kSO.'
@}B-

explorer were equipped with brass shields
which slipped on over the bows. but they
came of at the first contact with heavy
ice foe
On January 10. Is4o. Wilkes sighted
the first land and named 1t Ringgold's g
Knoll He was always painstaking.
always striving for accuracy. His first
mention of new land denoted the char
acter OF his entire record.
"The indications Of land" he wrote.
"were received with doubt and hesitancy.
did not venture to record in my private
journal the certainty Of land until three
days after those acquainted with the
appearance OF land in high latitudes
were assured OF the fact"
But the land was there. its peaks and
promontories were mapped and sketches
were made OF the slope rising rapidly
toward the interior. Of the wall Of barrier
ice IN front and the pack ice that
prevented near approach to the shore.
So Wilkes moved westward along the
coast. For thirty-eight days he crused
on amid exciting experiences. but often
encouraged by the ght Of new coasts.
Long before the end Of the voyage the
ice barrier and the mountains became 80
familiar that the later entries in the log
book referred to the continental edge
only as "the land" The course was
laid as near the ice barrier a. possible
and the ships dodged in and out among
the bergs. some Of which rose to $50 feet
above the sea.
The commander named Cape Hudson
after one Of his officers. and deep and
broad indentation where the ice kept
the vincennes from approaching the
land was called disappointment Bay.
In Peacock Bay the Peacock was SO
badly injured by collision with an iceberg
that she had to leave the polar sens and
make for Sydney. Wilkes saw and
named Points Emmons. Case and Alden
and then approached the dark cliffs OF
Adele Land and little later Clairie Land.
Wilkes did not know it. but these two
stretches Of the coast had been discov-
cred Just before hi, arrival by DUrville.
These bits OF coast and the shores OF
Sabrina Land are tho only places on this
long shore line OF waich Wilkes was not
| the original discoverer. and yet Sir
Clements Markham wrote in the leading
encyclopaedia Of his country: -Com-
mander Wilkes Of the United States
expedition made cruise to the south
ward and mapped a large tract Of land
in the neighborhood Of the Anarctic
Circle, for which he claimed the dis
covery. But as a portion OF it had al
ready been seen by Balleny (this sailor
saw only Sabrina Land) and the rest
has since been proved not to exist the
AA
Beyond Cape Carr Wilkes was driven
out to sea by icebergs and did not regair
sight Of land until he reached North
Land. Totten Land is the name he gav'
to Balleny's Sabrina Land. high
The sun., 1912-07-14

These microbes were stained pink with
an aniline dye and were thus easily viewed
under the microscope. They presented
themselves az granular masses like
others found inside the epithelial cells
of the eyes.
This discovery. showing so many
similar germs in such large percentage
of natives well as immigrants shows
that the same bacterium causes trachoma
both here and abroad These investi-
gated New York cases make up the
greatest number of accurately studied
instances Of trachoma 40 far recorded
The New York doctors directed by DR.
Park are already at work brewing a vac
cine composed of the scotched. cooked
and killed trachoma germs with which
to vaccinate all incoming sufferers with
this eye trouble.
1t is merely "a matter OF brief period
now when this chronic and binding
variety Of granular pinkeve will be
brought within the bounds Of cure. The
doctors have dominion over diphtheri1.
tuberculosis, ,ypiloid and smaiipox. much
more malicious ma,adcs. II is then a
question of weeks when. thanks to DR..
william II Park and his assistants. ira
choma will have been transferred into the
region Of durable diseases.
The sun., 1912-07-14

James Cook furthest south, the nearest
approach to the south pole made up to
that time. All this was good work. but
it has almost been forgotten in the greater
fame OF Wilkcs's coming discovery, which
he recognized as the revelation OF a part
OF the shores OF a continent.
Ten months later the expedition sailed
into Sydney harbor. Australia. and began
to prepare for a second Antarctic expedi-
ton. Wilkes's instructions said: From
Sydney you will make second attempt
to penetrate within the Antarctic region
south OF Van Diemen's Land lnow Tas-
manial and as far west as longitude IS
degrees east. or to Enderby's Land"
! 1t was on this cruise that Wilkes made
his great discovery OF the Antarctic con-
tinent. The undertaking was full OF
peril. In these days. when polar explora-
tion has been reduced to q science. when
| steam navigation is the powerful ally
of tho explorer and every contingency
isfully provided for. such dash as Wilkes's
into the unknown would be regarded as
the height of folly.
| Not a soul in the party had ever had
any experience in polar navigation ex-
1
from TERRA del Fuego No adequate
clothing had been supplied. The entire
stock was found to be untitled in every
respect for the rigors Of the polar climate.
Sails were the only means Of propulsion
in waters often crowded with pack ice
and thickly studded with icebergs.
The ships were in no way adapted for
their work. They could not be kept dry
between decks because they were pierced
with large ports for guns The bulwarks
were 40 rotten "a to cause great anxiety
The ships boats were filed with bread
because there were not hags enough to
contain full supply nor a proper place
in which to stow it. The expedition had
no anti-scorbutics.
Wilkes's ships were only ordinary
cruising vessels. but they were tho boats
assigned to him. He had been ordered
to go into the unknown Antarctic. and 20
The sun., 1912-07-14

There were shoals that menaced ships,
new islands were now and then acci-
dentally discovered and lands were re-
ported whose existence was in doubt.
Very little study had been made OF the
natives Of the South Pacific. Here was
an opportunity to combine the promotion
Of business with the enlargement Of geo.
graphical knowledge and Congress de-
cided to improve it. Lieut. Wilkes.
then 20 years old. was chosen to lead the
expedition. He was known as an able
navigator and good executive officer, but
he accepted the great responsibility
with diffidence. for many officers superior
in rank had been passed over in his selec-
ton.
At the present day one or two well
equipped vessels would be sent out on
such mission. but at that time squadron
was considered necessary and Wilkes
was really overburdened by having six
Government vessels thrust upon him
the sloops of war Vincennes and Peacock.
the brig Porpoise. the storeship Relief
and the pilot boats Sea Gull and Flying
Fish. The Sea Gull. in the course of the
hazardous journey, was lost at sea with
the fifteen men on board.
All told 5sa men took part in tho ex-
pedition. Of whom eighty-thres we're
officers and twelve were members OF
tn" scientific stan or artists. In the course
Of the three years cruise i27 OF ths sailors
deserted, showing that the service. rang
ing from hot lands to arctic cold. was
anything but popular.
A member Of the scientific staf who
later achieved great distinction was
Prof. j. ID. Dana OF Yale. None of the
scientific men was taken on the journey
to the Antarctic continent but all were
left AZ the various duties assigned them
among The Pacific Islands Very detailed
instructions were given To Wilkes and
h" faithfully carried out every phase Of
the great task
lie sailed ON August "a. 1898. and on
jun" 10 isi.. his stormswrpt vessels
were home again, having circumna vlgatcs
~" world y Wa 0a" %! the srya. ,y-
plorlug expeditions Tho entire reppr /
ON tho work have never been published
bat tho nineteen large volumes issued by
the Government include all VI the Ant
The sun., 1912-07-14
,now covered mountain ch in was ma med

snow covered mountain ch in was ma med
Budd Land.
All along the route Wilkes saw i'm
bedded in the icebergs many boulders
and smaller rocks and stones. He knew
that they came from the land. and their
prevalence everywhere in these ice strewn
seas confirmed him in the belief that they
originated on a land of very great extent.
He had made only third Of the journey
when he decided to place the name THE
Anarctic Continent on his chart.
The pack loo kept him from landing
anywhere. an impeachment that the steam
polar ships OF to-day are often able to
overcome. At Knox Land he was only
twelve miles from the coast. and the
next day. whom about eight miles from
the shore. Wilkes estimated that ninety
miles OF the coast was visible and that its
elevation was about $500 foet. He spoke
Of Termination Land. rs he called the
point where he left Antarctic waters.
AZ IAN appearance OF land.' 1t is a
reality. and part of the Mawson expedi-
ton is now in camp there. Wilkes saw a
succession of coast lands eQualling the
distance between New York and tho Mis-
sissippi River. and now this long coast
is heinS studied by one Of the host and
most scientific Of polar expeditions.
DIR, u. Mawson. the leader OF the Austria
lasian expedition. is u well known Austria
Ian geologist and in other respects
Il highly trained scientific man. lie
was in charge of the magnetic work in
Shackleton's expedition. His scientific
staT il made up Of = number Of the best
specialists in the Australian and New
Zealand universitiss.
The sun., 1912-07-14
Last fall he started on the polar explor.

Last fall he started on the polar explor.
ing ship Aurora. not south pole hunt but
to make scientific investigation Of tho
coast OF Wilkes Land. Over $1,000 was
raised for his expedition. He intended TO
make three camps along the 300 miles
of shores skirted by the Wilkes expedition.
but succeeded in planting only two.
He planned that his own camp should
be pitched at the eastern end Of the series
Of Wilkess discoveries but it was neces-
sary to place it a little further west on
Adele Land. His other camp in charge
Of Mr.. Wild. is on Termination Land at the
extreme western limit OF Wilkes's dis
coveries The Aurora has steamed along
the entire waterway that Wilkes's vessels
traversed.
Wilkes was much impeded by storms
fog and ice and so was Wild when he
steamed westward along tho coast this
year. Wilkes was sometimes driven az
much as sixty miles from the coast and
il was at that distance that he discovered
his appearance Of land" which he called
Termination Land and which the charts
have always marked with an interroga-
tion point.
Wild has not seen all that coast either.
but his party has seen and identified most
of the lands discovered and named BY
Wilkes and it has also seen parts Of the
coast which Wilkes did not discover.
The explorers on the Aurora have. in
fact. observed so much Of the continental
nature of that coast line that the hypothe-
sis that Wilkes might have discovered
only the outer edges Of a chain OF islands
falls to the ground.
The great thing that Mawson and
Wild have done is to substantiate the
work of Wilkes. and this Is more inn
portant in a geographical sense than the
discovery OF the south polo. In the words
Of Dr. Bruce. the leading British authority
on south polar topics:
.The Mawson Australasian expedition
has proved. over q distance OF moro or
less 200 miles, the existence OF Wilkes
Land, which has been disputed during
tho past seventy-two years. and has set
up stations at the west and almost at tho
east end Of it. DR.. Mawson has thus done
much to support the theory OF there being
ono continental land mass round about
the south pole
Wilkes found that coast line and mapped
| IL. but he made one mistake. as Mawson
has discovered Nearly all Of his coast
line is shown ON his chart little further
north than 1t ought to be. His general
position throughout his survey was
little nearer the south pole than hs
thought 1t was.
The blunder was a very natural one and
the best men OF Wilkess time would have
been likely to make it, Wilkes's scientific
instruments for determining position
we're not 30 accurate as those made now.
and Furthermore it is difficult to-day to
get accurate longitudes and even lati-
tudes in polar regions during the con-
tinuous daylight. when stellar observa-
tions cannot be made and it is often inn
possible to get solar observations.
This explains some OF the misinter-
pretation OF Wilkes's work that prolonged
the life OF the attacks upon him; and
explorers who have criticised Wilkes
may have been in greater error than he
was, because very likely the r own ves-
The sun., 1912-07-14
LIEUT.. WILKES INDICATED AFTER SEVENTY YEARS
Antarctic Continent Discovered by American Explorer but
Long Denied by British Geographers Proved to
Exist-Results of a Remarkable Voyage of
the Last Century Are Corroborated This
Year by an Australasan Expedition

Fe rose TO high rank in the nEvy. did good
service for the North in the civil war. two
years later became Rear Admiral and
died at the age of 10 in 1877.
1t was thirty-hve years after he died
that proof came at last that Wilkes had
told the truth His only important
mistake was that the coast line he char
tered is n little fursher south than he
supposed it TO he.
Late in the 80, OF the last century
the whalerics Of tho Southern seas and
trade with China were very substantial
part Of American business enterprises.
Danger still lurked in these wide spread
waters because they were not well charted