The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Great Round World and What Is Going On
In It, Vol. 1, No. 47, September 30, 1897, by Various
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 47, September 30, 1897
A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls
Author: Various
Editor: Julia Truitt Bishop
Release Date: June 8, 2005 [EBook #16025]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GREAT ROUND WORLD AND ***
Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Emmy and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team.(www.pgdp.net)
[Illustration: THE GREAT ROUND
WORLD
AND WHAT IS GOING ON IN IT.]
VOL. 1 SEPTEMBER 30, 1897. NO. 47
=Copyright, 1897, by THE GREAT ROUND WORLD Publishing Company.=
* * * * *
It is said that the Sultan of Turkey has at last made up his mind to do
something for the Armenians, and has ordered that a commission visit the
villages that have suffered from the massacres, and make a careful note
of the schools, churches, and monasteries which have been destroyed.
This Royal Commission is composed of two Mussulmans, three Armenians,
and one Greek.
It is to start immediately, and the Sultan has ordered that a careful
note of all the damage done shall be taken, and a full report rendered
to him. It is his intention to reconstruct every building that has been
destroyed.
In addition to this, he intends to erect orphan asylums for the children
whose parents were killed during the massacres.
If this report is really true it will greatly rejoice Europe as well as
the unfortunate people it is intended to benefit, for the impossibility
of making the Sultan do anything for the Armenians has been worrying the
various European governments considerably.
There is nothing new to tell about the peace negotiations.
England insists that the Turks shall leave Thessaly, and it seems as if
the other Powers were willing to agree with her. The Sultan has thus far
raised no new objections, and it looks as if peace would be concluded
within a very short time.
* * * * *
The Cubans are rejoicing over the news which we have to tell you this
week.
They have won a great victory which is of the utmost importance to their
cause.
Under the leadership of Gen. Calixto Garcia, the insurgents have taken
Victoria de las Tunas, a large town in the province of Santiago de Cuba.
This town was considered one of the great Spanish strongholds in Eastern
Cuba. At the beginning of the present revolution it was freshly
fortified, and at the time of its capture was defended by seven forts,
which were armed with first-class guns.
It was garrisoned by a force of three hundred soldiers, but after a
fight which lasted three days, the commander surrendered.
The loss of this town was such a severe blow, that the moment the bad
news reached Spain a Cabinet Council was called, to discuss the
situation. It was decided that the Spanish cause must be upheld at all
hazards, and that fresh troops must immediately be sent to Cuba, to
strike some decisive blow which shall offset the triumph of the Cubans.
The capture of this town is of great value to the Cubans for several
reasons, one of which is that it breaks the strength of Spain in Eastern
Cuba.
We have told you before that this part of the island is now known as
Free Cuba, that the insurgent government controls it, and that there are
no Spanish troops marching through it, ravaging it or laying it waste.
What soldiers Spain still keeps in this part of the island are shut up
in a few large and important towns.
These towns are, however, more of a burden than a profit to the
Government, for the Spaniards dare not venture out into the surrounding
country, the Cubans being too strong for them.
They are thus practically besieged; their supplies have to be sent to
them from Havana, and they are entirely dependent on the main army for
support.
For months past the great object of the Cuban troops in Eastern Cuba has
been to waylay the baggage-trains carrying these supplies. Again and
again they have been attacked, the guard slaughtered, and the provisions
captured. The Cubans have begun to boast that such comforts as their
army is now enjoying have been supplied to them through these forays on
the enemy.
Bayamo, one of the towns that especially depended on the convoys, is in
a state bordering on starvation, as the last three trains sent to her
relief have been captured.
The Spaniards declare that a force of ten thousand men is necessary to
take provisions to Bayamo in safety.
But it is not alone the importance of their victory which pleases the
Cubans in the capture of Las Tunas. Their great cause for rejoicing is
that at this battle the Spaniards for the first time accorded them the
rights of belligerents. That is to say, the Spaniards treated them as
soldiers engaged in legitimate warfare, not as brigands and bandits.
The Spanish commander himself requested that the Cubans should consent
to an exchange of prisoners.
That you may understand the importance of this request, you must
remember that there are especial rules and laws which govern the conduct
of a war, and from which no nation dares depart, unless it wishes to be
branded as inhuman and savage.
One of these laws relates to the care of prisoners. Prisoners of war
must not be treated like criminals, for they have done no wrong. The
patriotism that makes a man willing to give his life for his country is
a virtue, not a crime, and therefore prisoners of war must always be
treated as honorable men. Nothing should be done to them but to keep
them in confinement, and prevent them from fighting.
As every prisoner captured weakens the fighting force of the enemy, all
armies try to take as many captives as they can. During a war it is
customary frequently to exchange prisoners; that is to say, each side
gives back the prisoners they hold, in exchange for their own soldiers
who are held by the other side.
Brigands, bandits, and rebels are not considered prisoners of war, and
when captured are treated as criminals.
Up to the time of the capture of Victoria de las Tunas, the Spaniards
utterly refused to exchange prisoners with the Cubans. They have
insisted that the Cubans were rebels, and have shot their captives
without mercy.
The Cubans have tried in every way to get the Spaniards to treat them
fairly and acknowledge their rights as a nation at war, but have been
unable to do so.
Now the situation is changed, and Spain has at last acknowledged the
belligerency of Cuba to a certain extent.
When it was found that Las Tunas could hold out no longer, an unarmed
officer was sent out to parley with the Cubans. He said that the
commander would surrender if the Cuban General would consent to spare
the lives of the garrison, and grant them their liberty in case an
exchange of prisoners could be arranged.
General Garcia was only too pleased to agree to these terms, and the
forts were delivered over to him.
Eighty-seven Spaniards were afterward exchanged for an equal number of
Cubans.
It is thought that the Cubans will endeavor to improve the advantage
they have gained by holding the city of Las Tunas, and establishing
their government there.
One of the reasons why both Mr. Cleveland and President McKinley have
hesitated to acknowledge the war rights of Cuba was that the Cubans did
not hold one important city in which to establish a government. Their
government was carried on in secret and hidden places, and the army
wandered from camp to camp, without one stronghold to call its own.
Should the Cubans fortify Las Tunas, all these objections will be
removed, and the United States may be able to grant these brave people
the rights they ask for.
Once recognized as belligerents, they will be able to buy what they need
in our ports, and fit out a navy to fight Spain.
The Spaniards are fearful that some such action will be taken. The
Government in Madrid has cabled to Weyler that Las Tunas must be retaken
at any cost.
An attempt has already been made on the town, but the Spaniards were
routed by the Cubans, who still retain possession of their prize.
The Spanish prisoners who were exchanged have been put under arrest for
surrendering. They will be court-martialled, that is to say, tried by
military court, and called upon to explain why they gave up the town.
From the Cuban accounts that have reached us, it seems that they
attribute the victory to the fine work done by a new artillery corps
which General Garcia has just organized. An artillery corps is made up
of a number of cannon, each having its regular number of gunners to
serve it. The artillery is a very valuable assistance in all warfare.
The new corps of gunners had only lately landed on Cuban soil. It
consists mainly of American sympathizers with the Cuban cause. The guns
they serve are two heavy cannon, six rapid-firing guns, and one
dynamite-gun.
The Cubans declare that as soon as the dynamite-gun went into action the
victory was assured.
On the other hand, the Spanish claim that the loss of the city was due
to the poor communication kept up on their side between the posts.
For more than two weeks before the attack on the city, the commander at
Las Tunas had been aware that the Cubans were advancing, and
contemplated an assault on it.
He therefore used the heliograph, and with it flashed the news to the
Spanish stations on the Canto River, asking that reinforcements be sent
him. He was surprised to receive no answer, and again and again the
mirrors flashed his message across the hills. No response was received.
For some unknown reason the commander did not send out scouts and
messengers to find out why his despatches were left unanswered. Not
receiving any response to his messages, it is strange that he did not
send scouts to find out the reason; but the idea does not seem to have
occurred to him that the stations on the Canto River had been captured
or abandoned.
He throws the whole blame of the disaster on the river stations, and
declares that if they had only answered his appeal, Las Tunas might have
been saved.
As a matter of fact, the insurgents had been so active in the
neighborhood of the Canto River that the garrisons had all been
abandoned, and the messages from Las Tunas were never received.
The fall of Las Tunas has made the fate of Holguin, Bayamo, and Jiguani
very uncertain. These are other towns which Spain still holds in "Free
Cuba." The Spaniards fear that they too will soon fall into the hands of
the insurgents. It is rumored that Garcia has already sent an expedition
against Holguin.
Reports have reached us that a president has been elected for Cuba. The
reports, however, do not agree, and it is therefore impossible to make
any decided statement about the matter.
One telegram states that General Bartolome Maso has been elected, while
another, on equally good authority, says that the new Cuban president is
Señor Domingo Mendez Capote. Señor Capote is a young lawyer, and while a
bright and clever man, was not thought of as a possible candidate for
the office. His election, if it is confirmed, will be a great surprise.
The only information which we get reaches us through Havana. It had been
arranged that couriers should carry the news of the election to the West
as soon as the result was known. No courier has, however, arrived in
Havana. Such information as we have received has been sent through
channels that may not be reliable.
General Lee has been interviewed in regard to the state of affairs in
Cuba.
He gives a very sad picture of the once prosperous island. He says that
there is no business doing but that which deals with the actual daily
needs. No crops are being raised, except those that are required to
supply food, and even these are maintained under difficulties, for the
Spaniards destroy when they can all the crops the Cubans try to raise,
and the Cubans try to do the same toward the Spanish. Between the two
the island is being laid waste.
General Lee also says that he has distributed about $15,000 of the
$50,000 appropriated by Congress for the relief of the sufferers. He
says that there are very few native-born Americans among those who
apply to him for help. They are mostly Cubans who have come to America
and become naturalized.
Considerable anxiety is being felt on the score of General Woodford's
mission.
He has been presented to the Queen Regent, and we must now wait
patiently to know how the Spanish Government will receive the message
which he bears from our President.
There are new rumors of a Carlist rising.
It is stated that Don Carlos and his advisers are still waiting for a
favorable opportunity to come forward and press their claims.
Don Carlos is still afraid of prejudicing the people against him by
coming forward and trying to seize the throne at a moment when the
country is in so much trouble. He is hoping that the new leaders of the
Government will make some mistake which will render it possible for him
to come forward and declare himself the only person who can save the
country.
It is stated on most reliable authority that the Carlists have secretly
established an elaborate military organization. They have, so it is
said, made lists of all the men who are willing to fight for Don Carlos,
and have arranged and mustered them in troops and companies, posting
each man as to his place and duties. When the time comes that the
Carlists unfurl their standard and revolt against the Government of
Spain, they expect, by these means, to have a well-drilled army to back
up the claims of the Pretender.
Arrangements have been made for the Carlist leaders to meet at Lucerne
in Switzerland. They are to discuss the situation. Many of them think
that they have been passive long enough, and that it is now high time
that a decided attempt should be made to secure the crown for their
candidate.
* * * * *
A flutter of excitement was caused in this country the other day by the
news that a Spanish officer had been inspecting our Southern coast
defences, and had made sketches of some of them to send to Madrid.
Our Government ordered the matter investigated, and it was found that
the man who had apparently been spying on our forts was a lieutenant in
the Spanish navy named Sobrai. He is known to us as being the author of
certain letters, calling attention to the weakness of our coast
defences.
On his arrival in Charleston, Señor Sobrai chartered a boat and went
over to Sullivan's Island, where the new forts are being constructed,
and spent the day examining them.
He was not admitted inside the works, and could only make his
observations from the outside. A new regulation has lately been made by
the War Department, forbidding any persons to inspect the new defences,
except American army and navy officers.
When Lieutenant Sobrai heard of the accusation against him, he protested
against it vigorously. He said that he had not made the slightest effort
to inspect any of our Southern forts or coast defences.
He declared that he had been in the South on a confidential mission from
his Government, and that his visit to Sullivan's Island was merely to
escape the intolerable heat of the city.
Whether his statement be true or false, the scare which he caused will
have the good effect of making our Government still more careful about
admitting strangers to our forts.
* * * * *
The reports from India are not as encouraging as they were last week.
There seems to have been small foundation for the statement that the
Mullah had ordered his followers to go back to their homes, and had
disbanded his forces because of the refusal of the Mohmands to join him.
It is true that the Mohmands have not risen, and that the British have
little or no fear that they mean to make trouble; but the Afridis are
just as troublesome as ever.
They have now been joined by a new tribe called the Orakzais. If these
people are as terrible as their name, they must be an unpleasant enemy.
The news comes from the hills that these two tribes now represent a
force of forty-seven thousand men, and that they are advancing on the
Samana Hills, where the British have a number of small forts.
The tribesmen apparently intend to attack and demolish these forts.
Some brave fighting is being done in these hills. One of the forts was
attacked by a body of Orakzais, one thousand strong. Its garrison
consisted of twenty native soldiers, who defended themselves with
wonderful heroism for a period of six hours.
One of these men whose duty it was to signal to the other forts remained
at his post until the fort was captured. In spite of the bullets that
were whistling around him, he continued sending his messages of warning
until he was overcome by the enemy.
Another had been told off to defend the guard-room of the fort. He
remained at his post, killing twenty of the enemy before he was shot
down himself.
Of the whole garrison, but one man remained alive when the assault was
over.
These heroes were not white men, but native subjects of Queen Victoria.
They belonged to a people called the Sikhs, natives of the Punjaub, a
northern province of Hindustan.
With such brave men as these loyal to their standard, the British should
take heart about their future in India.
The expedition which is to be sent out to punish the rebellious tribes
is being hurried forward with all possible speed.
The Ameer of Afghanistan has, it is said, become seriously alarmed over
the advance of the British troops to the frontier. He is persuaded that
England intends to invade Afghanistan, and take his country away from
him.
The Government in India has sent him word that though they are obliged
to send troops across his frontier, in order to accomplish their
purposes, their object is solely to punish the mad priest, or Haddah
Mullah, and his followers. They assure the Ameer that no harm is
intended to him or his loyal subjects, but declare that all the tribes
who endeavor to oppose their advance or harass the English troops will
be included in the severe punishment which the British intend to mete
out to their enemies.
On hearing this, the Ameer sent a letter to the Mullah, ordering him to
cease from inciting the Afridis to revolt.
In spite of this the British Government continues to be very suspicious
of the honesty of the Ameer.
Word has been sent to him from the Government that no war material or
machinery for manufacturing it will be allowed to cross the frontier
into Afghanistan until the present troubles are over, and the tribes at
peace.
* * * * *
Some time ago we talked to you about the Ex-Empress Charlotte of Mexico,
widow of the Emperor Maximilian who was shot by the Mexicans.
The Empress, as you doubtless remember, went out of her mind from the
troubles of her short reign in Mexico.
We told you that after thirty years of insanity the poor lady had given
signs of returning reason, and that the doctors thought a visit to
Mexico might entirely restore her.
Preparations were being made for the visit, which was to take place as
soon as the doctors thought it safe. All plans have now, however, had to
be abandoned, for the Empress Charlotte has become so alarmingly ill
that her life is despaired of, and the news of her death is hourly
expected.
Ever since her affliction she has been leading a quiet life at the
Palace of Larken, near Brussels.
Her insanity has never assumed a violent or unmanageable character, and
her sweet and gentle nature has endeared the unhappy lady to all her
attendants.
Her mania lay chiefly in a belief that her husband Maximilian was alive,
and she spent her days in hourly expectation of his arrival. She
appeared to have forgotten all the troubles which had unbalanced her
mind, and to be unaware of the cruel death which he had suffered.
The Palace of Larken, where the ex-Empress passed her life, is
beautifully situated in a large park. The gentle Princess would wander
over the estate, interesting herself in all the various phases of a
country life.
It is said that her one pleasure was her dairy. The King of the
Belgians, who endeavored to gratify every wish that she expressed, sent
a very fine herd of cows to Larken, and the ex-Empress established a
model dairy farm, from which she derived much pleasure.
* * * * *
Another traveller has reached the summit of the Enchanted Mesa.
We told you how Professor Libbey, of Princeton, had successfully scaled
the bluff, and had reported that there were no traces of human life on
the Mesa-top.
It seems that the scientists were not altogether satisfied with this
decision.
It has been the experience of all men who have had any dealings with the
red Indians that, no matter how vague and strange their legends may be,
they are always founded on fact. Every tribe has an abundance of
legends, and it has been found that there is always a leaven of truth in
them.
The story of the Enchanted Mesa,--how the roadway which led up to the
village on its summit was destroyed in a great storm, and how the people
left on the top were starved to death because they could not get
down,--exists in one form or another among all the tribes in the
vicinity, and therefore several men who are versed in Indian lore have
refused to believe Professor Libbey's assertion that there were no
traces of life to be found on the Mesa's top.
A representative of the Smithsonian Institution, Mr. F.W. Hodge, has
just returned from an expedition to the Enchanted Mesa, and his account
is utterly at variance with that of the Professor.
Mr. Hodge ascended the Butte by means of an extension ladder, and once
on top proceeded to investigate in a much more thorough and leisurely
manner than Professor Libbey had attempted to do.
After a long and careful search, which convinced him that people had
once dwelt on this mound, Mr. Hodge began to dig at various points where
he thought he had a chance of making a find.
His perseverance was soon rewarded. After a few hours' labor he found
two stone axes, a broken fragment of a shell bracelet, a stone
arrow-point, and several fragments of pottery.
This proves conclusively that there have been dwellers on the Mesa-top,
and it seems a pity that after all his trouble the Professor was not
rewarded by some such find.
Mr. Hodge says that Professor Libbey could not have attempted to dig,
but must have expected to find the traces he was in search of lying
exposed on the surface.
By Mr. Hodge's measurement, the Mesa is 431 feet at its highest point,
and 224 feet at its lowest.
He thinks there is not a shadow of doubt that it was once occupied by
Indians, and suggests that an expedition be sent out prepared to encamp
on the Mesa, and examine it much more thoroughly than he was able to do.
* * * * *
The committee appointed to look into the possibility of establishing a
government factory for the manufacture of armor-plate has reported that
it will cost about three million dollars.
The committee was also instructed to look about for a desirable site on
which to build the works. This raised the hopes of the towns within the
iron districts. Delegates from several States have appeared before the
board to extol the desirability of their various townships. As yet,
however, it is not decided whether the Government will build the works
at all, and so the matter of place has not been taken into serious
consideration.
It was supposed that the Bethlehem Iron Works and perhaps the Carnegie
works might make some offer to the Government by which the works could
be under the control of the Government, or the armor could be made at
the price the Government offers ($300 per ton). No offer has as yet been
made.
A suggestion has, however, come from a man who thoroughly understands
the manufacture of armor-plate.
He says that by the use of a new process of making steel the plate can
be turned out at a much less cost, and with half the waste that there is
in the present method of making it. The plant to make this new-process
steel can be built for half the money required for the old-style plant,
and moreover the armor-plate can be turned out in a much shorter time.
By the use of this process he asserts that the finest armor-plate can be
made at a cost of $150 per ton, and at that price there would be a
margin of $50 profit.
The armor factory board has written to him, telling him that they will
be ready to consider any proposals from him in a few days, and will
inquire into his process.
The manufacturer says that if the Government does not take kindly to his
plan, he will start his own factory, and make armor-plate at $150 per
ton.
There is little fear that the article which this Mr. Carpenter offers is
of an inferior character, for all armor-plate is carefully tested before
it is accepted.
* * * * *
The people who have gone to the Klondike gold hunting have found out for
themselves the truth of the saying that "all is not gold that glitters."
Day after day news reaches us of the trials and struggles, the hunger
and hardships, of those who have hurried off in this mad rush after
wealth.
Only a day or two ago a carrier-pigeon reached its home in Portland,
Oregon, bearing a message from a party of young men who had set out from
that city to seek their fortunes.
Wishing to be able to tell their friends of their safe arrival, the
young men took several carrier-pigeons with them. This bird is the first
that has arrived. The message it brought was by no means a cheerful one.
When the slip of paper tied to its leg was unwound it was found to
contain these words: "We are all well and in good spirits, but tell
every one you know not to come up here this winter."
It was written on the summit of Chilkoot Pass, and dated August 25th.
The pigeon had flown a distance of 1,071 miles to bear this message, and
was completely worn out when it reached its home, refusing food, and
declining to enter the dovecote for some hours.
The scarcity of food is already being felt. Some of the old miners are
frightened, and are coming out of the district before it is shut in with
snow.
Hundreds of men are, however, pouring in from all directions, and
shameful stories are reaching us of the wild and lawless deeds that are
being done.
A returning messenger brought word that a party of men who had for some
reason been separated from their comrades blockaded a mountain pass, and
having barred it up with trees and rocks, guarded it with firearms,
refusing to allow any one to pass until their friends came up with them.
So lawless did they become that they threatened to shoot the first man
who ventured to approach the barrier.
Party after party arrived at the pass, until finally there was a crowd
of two thousand people waiting in the narrow gorge to be allowed to pass
the barrier.
This state of affairs continued for several days, until a party of men,
more resolute than the rest, pushed their way to the front, made a rush
for the barrier, and overcame the resistance.
The waiting crowds promptly pushed aside the barricade, and began to
file through the narrow pass; but so eager was each man to be first into
the land of gold that the travellers pushed each other aside, knocked
their fellows down, and trampled them under foot till the pass looked
like a battlefield.
It is strange how men lose all sense of humanity when they are thirsting
for gold. The stories of jealousy, hatred, robbery, and murder which
have followed the rush for riches into the Klondike are a repetition of
the lawless doings of '49 in California.
The question of providing food for these eager hordes has been
considered by the President and his Cabinet during the past week.
It has been decided to send two detachments of troops to Alaska, to
preserve order and carry supplies to those who are in need of them.
As it will be necessary to send the supplies before Congress can meet
and make an appropriation for it, General Alger, the Secretary of War,
has agreed to purchase the provisions at his own expense, and trust to
Congress to pay him back.
* * * * *
A report is current in London that a great honor has been conferred on
Sir Julian Pauncefote, the English Ambassador at Washington.
The term for which he was appointed ends next year, in 1898, but it is
said that in consideration of the good service he has done, Lord
Salisbury has obtained permission of the Queen to keep Sir Julian in
office for another year.
The rumor that a new arbitration treaty is to be prepared is again being
circulated.
We told you some time ago that it was likely that another treaty would
be arranged for, and it is now said that Sir Julian Pauncefote is to be
kept in office that he may have ample time to arrange the details of a
new agreement which shall be favorably received by both countries.
It is said that when he returns to Washington this winter he will bring
with him full instructions to guide him in this difficult matter.
* * * * *
The next mail from Hawaii is being most anxiously waited for. It is
expected that it will bring word what action the Hawaiian Congress has
taken in regard to the annexation treaty.
The Legislature of the islands was called to assemble on September 8th,
and the first matter to be brought before the law-makers was to be that
of annexation.
While the United States have been invited by the Hawaiian Government to
annex the islands, the voice of the people has not yet been heard. The
decision of the Congress of the Sandwich Islands will therefore be
eagerly looked for.
Some members of our Senate are of the opinion that the people of the
islands are not really desirous of being annexed to the United States
but if the representatives of the people vote for the measure, it will
remove all such doubts from their minds, and greatly help the matter in
its journey through our Legislature.
Mr. Thurston, the Hawaiian Minister to the United States, asserts
positively that the Congress will decide for annexation.
He says that just before the Legislature in Honolulu adjourned, a joint
resolution was offered, declaring that the interests of Hawaii demanded
that she should be joined to the United States.
This resolution was adopted unanimously, and as there have been no
changes in the Hawaiian Senate since the adjournment, he thinks it
absolutely sure that the members voted in favor of annexation.
* * * * *
One of the inhabitants of Milledgeville, Kentucky, has a very
interesting relic of the early days of our country.
It is an old flint-lock rifle which once belonged to Daniel Boone, the
famous pioneer, who opened up Kentucky for us.
It is asserted that this rifle belonged to Boone when he went to
Kentucky in May, 1769, and the history of the rifle can be so clearly
traced back to its first owner that there seems to be little doubt of
the truth of the story.
The barrel of the gun measures four feet one inch, and the entire gun
six feet two inches.
The story goes that it was with this gun that Boone helped to kill the
2,300 deer whose skins were hidden in the mountains of Kentucky, while
the pioneers went back to Virginia for more ammunition and supplies.
When the men returned a few months later, they found that the Indians
had stolen and destroyed the entire lot of skins.
The present owner of the gun has had it for fifty years.
* * * * *
A new bullet-proof cloth has been invented by a priest of Chicago,
Father Casimir Zeglen.
Father Casimir is a man of peace, who takes but little interest in
implements of warfare, and this great discovery was made by chance. The
discovery once made, he determined to bring his invention to the highest
state of perfection, hoping that through it he might lessen the horrors
of war, and save many innocent lives that are now sacrificed for the
honor of a country.
The cloth is intended to be used as a padding or interlining for the
soldiers' uniforms, and its inventor hopes to make the cloth so thin and
flexible that it can be worn without inconvenience.
It has already been tested, and the results were highly satisfactory.
The test was made at Fort Sheridan, near Chicago, and it was decided to
use the Krag-Jorgensen gun against it.
The inch steel bullet thrown by this rifle has, it is said, been known
to pierce through armor-plate. It has made its way through twenty inches
of packed sand, pierced twenty-two inches of oak timber, and fired from
a distance of six hundred yards it will pass through five feet of earth.
The cloth stood the test of these terrible bullets wonderfully well.
Five thicknesses of the material were used for the test, all the pieces
being exactly the same size, and laid together in one compact pad.
The first shot was made at a distance of four hundred yards. It was
found that the bullet had pierced through the first thickness of the
cloth, but had become flattened out against the rest.
When the bullet was removed from the cloth it was said to have looked
like a mushroom, the end that had first touched the cloth being
flattened.
The experiments were continued at shorter and shorter range, but the
cloth was never quite pierced through.
The military men who witnessed the trial were amazed at the results.
Colonel Hall, who conducted the experiments, said that he thought that
the cloth might perhaps be penetrated at a distance of fifty yards, but
even so, there was no doubt that it would afford immense protection for
soldiers engaged in actual warfare.
The material of which the cloth is made is a secret. Father Casimir will
only say that it is made of silk. He keeps it so closely covered that no
one has had an opportunity of examining it.
He evidently has the most absolute faith in the qualities of his
invention, for he is anxious that the authorities of Governor's Island,
New York, shall make a test of his invention, and offers, to envelope
himself in the cloth and let the soldiers fire at him.
He wishes to sail for Europe and give exhibitions of his invention in
various cities.
If the Governor's Island test takes place, regular army rifles are to be
used, and the only precaution the priest will consent to is, that the
soldiers shall first fire at an animal, enveloped in the bullet-proof
cloth. When it is found that the creature escapes unhurt, the priest
insists that he shall be allowed to become the target.
G.H. ROSENFELD.
End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Great Round World and What Is
Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 47, September 30, 1897, by Various
*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GREAT ROUND WORLD AND ***
***** This file should be named 16025-8.txt or 16025-8.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/0/2/16025/
Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Emmy and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team.(www.pgdp.net)
Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.
Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules,
set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project
Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you
do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the
rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose
such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and
research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do
practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is
subject to the trademark license, especially commercial
redistribution.
*** START: FULL LICENSE ***
THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK
To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project
Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at
http://gutenberg.net/license).
Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic works
1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all
the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy
all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession.
If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the
terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or
entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.
1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be
used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few
things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See
paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement
and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works. See paragraph 1.E below.
1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation"
or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the
collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an
individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are
located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from
copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative
works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg
are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project
Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by
freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of
this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with
the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by
keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project
Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others.
1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in
a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check
the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement
before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or
creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project
Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning
the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United
States.
1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:
1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate
access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently
whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the
phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project
Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed,
copied or distributed:
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived
from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is
posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied
and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees
or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work
with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the
work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1
through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the
Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or
1.E.9.
1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional
terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked
to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the
permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.
1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.
1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
Gutenberg-tm License.
1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any
word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or
distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than
"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version
posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.net),
you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a
copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon
request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other
form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.
1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided
that
- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is
owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he
has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the
Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments
must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you
prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax
returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and
sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the
address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to
the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation."
- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License. You must require such a user to return or
destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium
and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of
Project Gutenberg-tm works.
- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any
money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days
of receipt of the work.
- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.
1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set
forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from
both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael
Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the
Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.
1.F.
1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm
collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain
"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or
corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual
property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a
computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by
your equipment.
1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGE.
1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you
received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with
your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with
the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a
refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity
providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to
receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy
is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further
opportunities to fix the problem.
1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER
WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by
the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any
provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.
1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance
with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production,
promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works,
harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees,
that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do
or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm
work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any
Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause.
Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm
Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers
including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists
because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from
people in all walks of life.
Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations.
To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4
and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org.
Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation
The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at
http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent
permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.
The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S.
Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered
throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at
809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email
business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact
information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official
page at http://pglaf.org
For additional contact information:
Dr. Gregory B. Newby
Chief Executive and Director
gbnewby@pglaf.org
Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation
Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations
($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
status with the IRS.
The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations
where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To
SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any
particular state visit http://pglaf.org
While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
approach us with offers to donate.
International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.
Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other
ways including including checks, online payments and credit card
donations. To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate
Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works.
Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm
concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared
with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project
Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.
Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S.
unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily
keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.
Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility:
http://www.gutenberg.net
This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.
*** END: FULL LICENSE ***