Various

“ We have told you that he is a very ambitious man. In Guatemala presidents are elected for six years, and are not allowed to be re-elected.
President Barrios is very near the end of his term, and he could not bear to think that in a few months he would go out of office, and lose all chance of rising to the heights he wished to attain. He therefore had himself proclaimed dictator of Guatemala, and announced that he intended to have a law passed which would allow a president to be elected for a second term. ”

“ Those who suffer most are the merchants. During the disturbances caused by constant changes of government, trade cannot properly flourish, and many of the merchants of Central America wish heartily that a means may be found to restore order and give them a government which will be likely to last.
Some time ago a plan was made to form the five republics of Guatemala, Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica into one republic, under one government. ”

“ The people of Guatemala strongly disapproved of Barrios' action in making himself a dictator instead of a president. A president is guided by the wishes of the legislature, and though he has the power to veto, or forbid the passing of, a law made by congress, that body has also power to overrule his veto, and pass the laws in spite of him. ”

“ At the present time there are forty-two vessels on the navy list which could be used for war purposes in time of need. To make the number yet larger, the Government has called upon all owners of large steamers and steam yachts to give information of the size and strength of their vessels, so that they can be added to the reserve list.
There should be a good many available vessels among the many fine yachts that sail our waters. We are as a nation extremely fond of yachting, and almost every wealthy man we have possesses a craft of some kind. ”

“ They have been fighting for freedom, and nothing less will satisfy them. They are willing to buy their freedom from Spain, but they declare that they will never lay down their arms until Cuba is free.
A despatch from the Philippine Islands brings the news that Spain is faring badly in that direction also.
In a recent battle four hundred Spanish soldiers were killed. It seems that the rebels in the Philippines fight in the American Indian fashion; that is to say, they get under cover, behind bushes or trees, and, taking careful aim at their enemy, make every shot tell. ”

“ In spite of this, the rugged old President of the Transvaal is so anxious to be re-elected that he is going round the country making speeches and trying to secure votes, as if he were still a young man. ”

“ To this President Barrios of Guatemala objected. He is perhaps the most ambitious man in Central America, and undoubtedly aims to be the president of the Central American Republic. Were Mexico to become a part of this great federation, Barrios would have a strong rival in the beloved President Diaz of Mexico, and so he steadfastly set his face against union with Mexico. ”

“ Now the people who know most about city government think that the companies who desire the franchise which gives them the right to lay tracks and run cars through certain streets, should be made to pay a yearly sum to the city for the privilege. ”

“ The soldiers in the Philippines are suffering just as severely for food and pay as their brother soldiers in Cuba, and finding that the rebels feed their soldiers well, and treat them better than the Spaniards, great numbers are constantly deserting and joining the rebel ranks. ”

“ These engineers are soldiers whose duty it is to build fortifications, railroads, bridges, or any works which the commander of the force may think necessary.
In building a railroad the first thing to be done is to prepare the road-bed, so that it will not give way under the weight of the trains that are to pass over it. This is done by digging out or banking up the earth so that the bed shall be level. When the earth-bank has been made as high and as solid as necessary, huge wooden beams, called sleepers, are placed across it at regular intervals, and on these sleepers the rails are laid. ”

“ Hawaiian affairs continue to progress peacefully, notwithstanding the fact that the story of Japanese soldiers being introduced in Hawaii disguised as laborers has been confirmed by so many people that our Government has no longer any doubt of its truth. ”

“ TYPEWRITER FOR BOOKS.—We have for years had typewriters that would write on loose pages of paper, but the making of a perfect machine that could write in bound volumes has not been successfully accomplished until the present time. ”

“ It is in consequence of this that he is reported to have promised not to oppose the annexation of Hawaii if his interests are not interfered with.
It is said that President Dole is so anxious that nothing shall interfere with the annexation treaty that he is willing to promise Mr. Spreckels anything he asks in return for his assistance.
Central America is in a very disturbed condition once more.
Revolutions are in progress, or have just been suppressed in Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua; and Honduras is again in an unsettled state. ”

“ A typewriting machine can write much more quickly than any penman—and the work it does has the advantage of being easy to read, whereas very few people write a clear and legible hand.
In office work much of the writing to be done is making entries in books and copying into ledgers. ”

“ Some people have supposed that this inquiry into the ships available for war service must mean that we are about to fight Spain, but they are entirely mistaken. The Navy Department has realized that our navy is our weakest point, and is doing its best to get it into such a fine condition that we need not fear any foe either on land or sea. ”

“ The rail-cars are in front, just behind the tender, with the rails neatly ranged on racks. At once to either side of each rail-car rushes a party of, if Egyptians, eight men, if blacks, ten, upon whose padded shoulders the ton of sun-heated metal is placed by the car party. ”

“ The ship had been lightened as much as possible to make room for this enormous weight, but for all that the vessel was sunk much too deep in the water for safety when she finally started on her homeward journey.
Scientists say that the meteorite is a mass of metal, and is practically composed of material similar to the steel armor used for armor-plates. All are agreed that it is the largest meteorite ever discovered.
Lieutenant Peary also brought back with him a party of Esquimaux, who are to spend the winter building an Arctic exhibit for the Natural History Museum. ”