Various

“ We have told you about the troubles with the Boers in the Transvaal, and of Germany's determination to stop the British advance in that direction.
We have also mentioned the check given by Menelik of Abyssinia to the Italians, and of the fight of the Mahdists to keep the Soudan out of the hands of Egypt and England.
Fresh trouble is now arising between the English and the French.
You must not get the idea that the English are doing dreadful things in Africa, because they are concerned in most of the troubles that are disturbing the "Dark Continent." ”

“ Señor Estrada Palma, the Cuban delegate in this country, declared that he was in a position to state that the Cubans will accept no compromise from Spain. They are willing to give up their lives for their country's freedom, but they will never accept Home Rule as a solution of their struggle for independence.
The Cubans in Havana are feeling nervous about the demonstrations that are to be made in honor of General Weyler on the eve of his departure from Cuba, which is to take place on October 30th. ”

“ The fact of the matter is simply that England and France are the largest landholders in Africa, and are therefore interested in most of the quarrels. The British colonies are also much more scattered than the possessions of any of the other powers, and consequently England has more neighbors to dispute with than the others, and from this fact appears to be more quarrelsome than she really is. ”

“ The West Indies, the East Indies, and Australasia have all been settled in this way. Africa was the last country to excite the ambition of Europe, but its turn has come, and it is now being forced to yield up its secrets to the explorer and its riches to the trader. ”

“ The real serious point lay in the fact that there was but one path by which the summit of the hill could be reached, and this was only wide enough for one man to pass at a time. It was therefore impossible to send large bodies of troops against the enemy, and there was the terrible danger that sharpshooters might pick off the men one by one as they tried to ascend the path.
The work had, however, to be done, and an English regiment and two troops of native soldiers were sent forward to storm the hill. ”

“ The fight began to look serious for the English, and might have gone against them but that the general in command, realizing that the men could no longer stand against the deadly fire of the enemy, ordered a fresh regiment, the Gordon Highlanders, to go to the assistance of the struggling troops.
It is customary for a general to keep a portion of his army in reserve, so that should the battle seem to be going against him, he can send fresh soldiers into the fight to strengthen the weak places. ”

“ To obtain possession of these lands, it has been necessary for the different nations of Europe to fight, or make treaties with numberless small native rulers and kings. The Europeans have seized the country belonging to these people, but have allowed the kings and rulers to retain their positions, provided they paid tribute and performed certain services for their conquerors. ”

“ He draws a lively picture of the desperate state of the island when he was appointed governor, and then shows the great improvements he has made.
According to his statement, Havana is in an absolutely healthy condition, and great preparations have been made for continuing the war now the rainy season is over; he also praises the fine condition of the hospitals in Havana—statements which have all been proved false time after time.
Every failure or defeat that he has met with he attributes to the want of soldiers. ”

“ The advance was extremely difficult owing to the rough nature of the ground, the soldiers having actually to climb from rock to rock.
As soon as the English were well within rifle range, the tribesmen, who had not fired a shot until the troops were in the bad ground, opened such a deadly fire on them that the on-coming troops were checked. All this time the British artillerymen were assailing the sharpshooters with shot and shell, trying their best to drive them off the side of the hill. In spite of their best efforts the enemy never wavered, but held their position. ”

“ The majority of the workmen employed are Italians, many of whom have bought little plots of land and built homes for themselves near their work.
Nearly five hundred workmen are employed, and for the convenience of these men and their families the company put up a large general store where they could get their provisions; and a boarding-house for the single men. Both of these were leased to an Italian named Joseph Rico. ”

“ In 1896 it was known that the Ameer had already manufactured enough breech-loading rifles to give arms to fifty thousand soldiers. It is uncertain what became of this store, but it was supposed that they were being kept for the Afghanistan troops. Now the English are wondering whether the Ameer has not been quietly supplying their enemies with weapons and ammunition.
The latest reports from the seat of war state that the tribesmen are offering a determined resistance to the English advance, and from all one hears some serious work lies before the British army in India. ”

“ While vegetation has something to do with the climate, the sudden changes to which we are subject are due to the configuration of the land. The Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Range rising at either edge of the continent form the immense valley through which the Mississippi takes its course ”

“ There is to be a Cuban parliament, divided into upper and lower houses, which is to settle all the affairs of the island except those which concern foreign policy, naval and military matters, and the manner in which the law is to be administered. ”

“ It would appear that the Hawaiians who wish to see a monarch once more on the throne of the Sandwich Islands are not agreed as to which queen they wish to serve under. There is a strong party for Kaiulani and another equally strong for Liliuokalani. Congress, however, meets in December, and it is rumored that the Hawaiian treaty will be one of the first things the Senate will consider. The rival queens will therefore not have so very long to wait before they will know whether there will be any throne left for them to fight for. ”

“ For writers these springs are particularly delightful, as the forward movement of the body brings the seat forward with it, and the writer can have the comfort of resting his back at the same time that he is at a convenient angle for his work. ”

“ The action of the earthquake causes the waters to retreat from the shores, and gather themselves into a mighty mass, which suddenly turns and advances upon the shore in one huge wave of enormous height. ”

“ It has been reported, however, that the strikers have agreed to withdraw their demand for an eight-hour day and that the meeting will take place.
One of the great societies of engineers is, however, holding out for the eight-hour day, and as this society includes the master-workmen of the trade, the end of the strike may still be far off. ”

“ It is not against the law to carry arms, and if the Silver Heels had been stopped with only a cargo of ammunition on board, it might have been difficult to prove that she was not engaged in a lawful mercantile expedition. ”