Various

“ Civilized nations feel very sorry for France, for she has lowered herself in the eyes of the world. It is almost universally believed that Zola proved his charges, and outside of France Dreyfus is believed to be innocent. ”

“ It is a reasonable desire, and will not hurt us. Russia is not our commercial rival, and is not likely to be. Germany has obtained a pied-à-terre (foothold) in China. On the part of a great commercial power this, also, is not unreasonable. It may not suit us, but it is considerably less than we have got, and we have no right to object. Considering the position which we have so long occupied, and still occupy, in China, this snarling and blustering at the first appearance of a stranger on the scene is more offensive and contemptible than the conduct of the dog in the manger. ”

“ About twenty-five hundred men have been sent to Cuba recently as reinforcements to the Spanish army, and Spain is putting forth the greatest efforts to stop the revolution before the rainy season sets in. Five torpedo-boats are to be towed from Madrid to Havana. It will be unfortunate for Spain if she has no better luck towing these boats than she had with her immense dry-dock, which we told you about several weeks ago.
The Vizcaya, which left New York on February 25th, arrived in Havana safely. The Almirante Oquendo, a sister ship of the Vizcaya, has also reached Havana. ”

“ The fact that relief expeditions are sent by us is in itself an acknowledgment on our part that we either [331] do not consider Spain able to care for these poor people, or that we think that she wilfully refuses to do so. Spain could settle the question at once by properly providing for them. ”

“ The Spaniards, as can be imagined, have not been very charitably disposed toward these poor people, and the United States has generously come to the rescue. Tons of food and clothing have already been sent to the island, and almost every day we read of some vessel starting for Cuba with supplies for these unfortunate people. ”

“ On the margin of the maps are indicated countries in similar latitude; this feature can be best appreciated when one considers the difficulty of making a child appreciate the comparative sizes of the different countries. For instance, as the maps on which North America, Asia, Australia appear are necessarily on different scales, the child cannot understand, indeed never does understand, that India, Australia, and the United States are of approximately the same size. ”

“ In 1818 Sir John Barrow, who did much for scientific Arctic exploration, secured the passage of a law in England offering $100,000 to any one who would find the Northwest Passage, and $25,000 to any one who should reach the 89th parallel of latitude. This stimulated the search. The expeditions of Ross, Parry, and Franklin made trips which, although not successful to the degree of winning the reward, added much to the knowledge of the Arctic regions. ”

“ For the teacher of gymnastics and physical culture, the athlete, and the man or woman, boy or girl, who is sufficiently wise to see the benefits of sensible and reasonable exercise, no better guide and hand-book has been published. ”

“ From reports, Dreyfus is having a very hard time on Devil's Island. He is not allowed to speak to any one, and lives in absolute solitude. It is said that his hair has turned grey, and his confinement in other ways is aging him rapidly. ”

“ Modern ingenuity has not succeeded in accomplishing very much more than was done by the ill-equipped mariners of centuries ago. American expeditions and English expeditions have gone farther into the North, but they have cost more lives. They have been more venturesome and have obtained considerable scientific [352] data, but their gain is not in proportion to the advance in their facilities, and it seems to be established that the contest against the great icy fields of the Polar regions is one that will be waged a long time before man is the conqueror. ”

“ It seems that, of the men killed on the Maine, a great number were natives of foreign countries. The governments of these countries have demanded an explanation of the disaster, and in case it is found that the explosion was due to faults of construction or carelessness, an indemnity will undoubtedly be demanded; or, if Spain is responsible for the disaster, she will be called upon to pay this indemnity. ”

“ Talk of the United States buying Cuba has revived during the last week. The Spaniards seem to think better of this than they did some months ago, and it is reported that one paper in Madrid has come out in favor of selling the island to this country.
It is a question whether it would be wise for this country to buy Cuba. ”

“ No one is better qualified to prepare a work of this nature than Professor Nissen, and he has condensed the knowledge gained during his twenty years' experience as a teacher of physical culture and medical gymnastics into a concise, convenient, and comprehensive manual of rational home gymnastics. ”

“ The Royal Niger Company owned the hinterland of Lagos, which means the country back of Lagos, and this is the only hinterland that England did own. France, owning the country back of the English Colonies, effectually checks their development.
Until 1890 there was a dispute between England and France about their West African possessions. In 1890 there was a difficulty about territory on the Lower Niger, and this was settled for a little while by a treaty which marked out the British "spheres of influence" by a line drawn from Say on the Niger to Lake Chad. ”

“ Reports from Cuba as to the insurgents' cause have this week been perceptibly fewer. It is known that a number of filibustering expeditions have landed, and the Cubans feel very much elated. They say that the Maine disaster has helped them in this country, for it has increased the feeling against Spain. ”

“ Animal life in different zones is shown in beautiful colored pictures; life in the ocean in different latitudes is also shown, and also plant life. The chart of the Solar System also appears on this same sheet.
Schools desiring to examine the set can obtain them for examination by remitting the amount. If the maps are returned, the charge will be $1.00 covering the expressage both ways; this $1.00, however, will not be lost to purchaser, but will be credited on other maps, charts, or globes that may be purchased. ”

“ The great Sepoy Mutiny was partly occasioned by the use of cartridges which were thought to have lard on them; from these cartridges the native soldiers had to remove the ends before putting them in the muskets, and they said that it was intended that they should bite off this larded end and thus lose caste.
Many of these natives will not drink milk, others will not touch lard, and none of them must eat food prepared or handled by certain persons. ”

“ A number of these stations were established, and Greely had charge of the American one.
Of recent expeditions, that of Nansen has attracted most attention because he succeeded in reaching farther North than any one before him had ever been and returned to tell the tale. The case of Andrée, who sailed away last July in his great balloon, expecting to pass over the North Pole, is interesting for its novelty of plan. He was equipped with provisions to last him at least two years, and accompanied by only two comrades on his long voyage.
The question is often raised whether Arctic exploration pays. ”

“ A penal colony is one formed of convicts sent out from the mother country. Many of these colonies have proved successful, particularly the ones where the prisoners are allowed to work and build up their own homes for themselves. ”

“ She left the Canary Islands on February 15th, the day the Maine blew up.
The men on board, of course, had not heard of the catastrophe, and when they saw the wreck they could not imagine what it meant. With these vessels and [333] the Alphonso XII. in Havana harbor, it is said the war fever has attacked the city, and the Spaniards there are anxious to fight the United States.
Conflicting reports have reached us as to whether Spain has bought war-ships in England or not during the last week. It is, however, reported on good authority that Spain has negotiated a large loan in London ”

“ This is a town two hundred miles west of Caracas, and situated in the mountains, which, starting here, extend down the whole western coast of South America. [340]
The cause of the revolution is not known, but it is supposed to be on account of the succession of General Andrade.
The Chinese puzzle still remains unsolved.
Mr. Labouchere, the editor of London Truth, has some very good ideas to offer; he says: "What, in the name of goodness, have we got to quarrel about in China? Russia is striving to get an access to the Pacific which will not be ice-bound in winter. ”

“ This paper then sent its news to Europe, and from there cabled to New York. Over this circuitous route came most marvellous tales, and it is needless to say that most of them were lies pure and simple. The editor of one enterprising journal is reported to have wagered $50,000 that he will cause war between the United States and Spain.
The wounded sailors from the Maine have all been transferred from Havana to Dry Tortugas. Dry Tortugas is an island east of Key West. These sailors say that the Spaniards treated them with the utmost kindness. ”

“ It is not always possible for a school to invest this amount of money at one time; the chart will therefore be sold on terms that will place it within the reach of every one. Fill out the blank below, enclose $3.00, and chart will be forwarded at once to your address. ”

“ Starvation has resulted, and thousands of these reconcentrados, as they are called, are dying. It is estimated that there are very nearly 300,000 of them, and what food and clothing they need must be given to them. ”