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diff --git a/16192.txt b/16192.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b3fe723 --- /dev/null +++ b/16192.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1282 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Great Round World and What Is Going On +In It, Vol. 1, No. 57, December 9, 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.org + + +Title: The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 57, December 9, 1897 + A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls + +Author: Various + +Editor: Julia Truitt Bishop + +Release Date: July 3, 2005 [EBook #16192] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** 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 DECEMBER 9, 1897. NO. 57 + +=Copyright, 1897, by THE GREAT ROUND WORLD Publishing Company.= + +Germany is furnishing us with some interesting news this week. + +She has successfully accomplished something which, to simple folks who +are not diplomatists, seems like a plain, every-day case of robbery. + +Here is the story of it, and you can judge for yourselves. + +Some German missionaries have been killed in China, and Germany has +seized a Chinese port in revenge. + +Missionaries are, as you know, holy and devoted men who go to far +countries to spread the knowledge of the Gospel among heathen and +unenlightened people. + +These good men have always suffered much for their faith. They go +wherever their duty calls, and even carry their message of peace to the +terrible cannibals who kill and eat men. + +In the early annals of our own country we have records of the terrible +sufferings endured by these good men in their missionary work among the +redskins. + +Missionaries count their perils and their privations as nothing if they +can but do the work of God. + +Every government is particularly careful to do all that it can to +protect its missionaries, and if ignorant savages do them harm, an +attempt is always made to punish the wrongdoers, to teach them that +these servants of God are well protected. + +The German Catholic Church some time ago established a mission in +Shantung Province, China. Recently the sad news was received in Berlin +that the mission at Yen Chu Fu had been attacked, and two missionaries +killed. + +The shameful deed was at first attributed to pirates, but later it was +found that it had been planned by the governor of the province in +revenge for some old grievance. + +Following this outrage came news that the captain of a German gunboat +had been attacked by a Chinese mob, which also insulted the German flag +by throwing stones at it. + +The Government was extremely angry at this, and immediately demanded an +explanation from China. + +The Chinese Government expressed its sorrow for the occurrence, and sent +orders to the governor of Shantung to arrest and punish the offenders. + +Germany was informed of the action taken by the Chinese Government, +which, it is said, used all possible diligence and haste to bring the +offenders to justice; so much diligence, in fact, that on the 15th of +the month the governor of Shantung telegraphed that he had arrested four +of the culprits. + +Germany, however, went right ahead in her own way, without paying any +heed to the efforts China was making to appease her; and to the intense +surprise of the world, simultaneously with the news of the arrests came +word that Germany had seized one of the Chinese harbors in the Yellow +Sea. + +The Yellow Sea is on the east of China, and is formed by the peninsula +of Korea. Shantung, where the missionaries were killed, is a province +bordering on the Yellow Sea, and the fortified bay captured by the +Germans is called Kiao Chou, and is an excellent harbor on the Shantung +Coast, with the town of Kiao lying at its head. + +This harbor was guarded by three forts, which were manned by fifteen +hundred Chinese soldiers. + +Without word or warning the German admiral entered the bay, steamed up +opposite the forts, and ranged his ships in line of battle. He then sent +word to the Chinese commander that the three forts must be vacated +within three hours or he would bombard them. + +The Chinese commander made no answer, so the German admiral proceeded to +land a force of men to take possession of the place. + +The Chinamen watched the proceedings without making any demonstration, +and allowed the Germans to land six hundred soldiers and several guns +without making an effort to prevent them. + +As soon, however, as the force began to march upon the forts, the +Chinese became panic-stricken, and fled helter-skelter to the hills. + +The Germans marched into the forts in good order, and took possession of +them without striking a blow. They then hauled down the Chinese flag and +ran up their own in its place. + +It was found that the Chinese commander and his family had not fled with +the rest of the garrison, and as these people promptly placed themselves +under the protection of Germany, there was no trouble with them. + +The German soldiers proceeded to man the forts, and Germany is now in +possession of them. It is believed that she means to keep them. + +China is justly indignant at this act on the part of Germany, and fully +realizes that she has good cause to declare war; but she is so weak in +military and naval force that she is not able to resent the outrage, and +the robbers are likely to be able to hold their prize. + +Europe is astonished that Germany should have committed such a daring +act. It has been understood by all the European nations that when +savages misbehave, the only way to teach them manners is to step in and +seize their lands; but China is not a savage country, and the Chinese +cannot be treated like ignorant barbarians. Every one is wondering what +the outcome will be. + +Germany evidently expects war, and is preparing for it. She has +withdrawn her troops from Crete, and has sent them to the East, it is +supposed to Kiao Chou. + +You remember, of course, that when the Powers occupied Crete, each +nation in the combination landed a certain number of soldiers on the +island to help preserve peace. + +Some of these soldiers have been at Crete ever since, and some have been +withdrawn. England called hers away some time since, and now Germany, +having use for her soldiers in China, has ordered hers to other duty. + +It is said that the Emperor William has long desired to own a port in +China, and that he has used the murder of the missionaries as a pretext +to help him gain his ends. + +We told you last week of his desire to increase the German navy. To +accomplish this, it will be necessary for him to do as other nations do, +that is, have ports all over the world where he can coal and repair his +ships. He has therefore looked with longing eyes on Kiao Chou. + +This harbor is one of the best along the coast; so good, indeed, is it, +that Russia has been making offers to buy it. It has a great advantage +in being far away from the British and Russian ports, thereby +diminishing the chances of interference. + +The Chinese have protested against Germany's unlawful act, and asked her +when she proposes to withdraw her troops, as they have secured the +offenders, and removed all cause of offence. Germany has made no reply, +so China fears she means to keep the harbor she has taken. + +Many people believe that some such act has long been contemplated by the +Emperor. + +China has, however, appealed to Russia for help, and as France and +England are equally interested in the matter, serious trouble may ensue. + +Russia has more than doubled her fleet in the Yellow Sea, and has now +thirty-eight vessels in the neighborhood. England, France, and America +have also sent ships thither. + +From the news as we know it, it seems as if Germany had committed a +very shameful act; but when we hear both sides of the question, we may +find that she has only done the right thing for the preservation of her +national honor. + + * * * * * + +The Sultan of Turkey has been getting into trouble again. Both Russia +and Austria have been making things unpleasant for him. + +Since his successes in the war he has begun to think himself a very +important sovereign, and both Russia and Austria decided that if he were +not checked he might become a very dangerous neighbor, so they met in +consultation, and laid their plans for checking his ambition. + +They first incited Bulgaria to rebel. + +Bulgaria is a small principality on the north of Turkey, which is under +the sovereignty of Turkey. Bulgaria enjoys home rule, and is governed by +a prince elected by the people; the prince must not, however, be a +member of any of the reigning families of Europe. Bulgaria is, however, +a tributary state, and has to contribute toward the support of Turkey. + +Instigated by Austria and Russia, Bulgaria demanded several small favors +from the Sultan, insolently adding that if they were not granted she +would declare her independence and throw off the yoke of Turkey. + +Now until the peace with Greece is absolutely signed and sealed, the +Sultan of Turkey cannot afford to quarrel with anybody, so he was +obliged to give in, and grant Bulgaria's demands; but her independence +made him feel somewhat uneasy and so he sent a number of soldiers to +the Bulgarian frontier, to make sure that the Bulgarians behaved. + +This was exactly what Austria and Russia desired. With her troops +scattered, and uneasy nations on her borders, Turkey is much less +dangerous. + +The Bulgarian matter had hardly been settled when Austria discovered a +new means of checking Turkey. + +The Turkish officials in Asia Minor ill-treated an Austrian subject. He +was the agent of the Austrian Lloyd's Steamship Company at Mersina, and +had been summarily expelled from the city by order of the officials. + +The Austrian consul at once interfered, and was grossly insulted by the +Mutessarif, who is a sort of mayor, and also by the Vali, or governor, +of Adana, in which province Mersina is situated. Adana is one of the +Turkish provinces on the Mediterranean Sea, and Mersina is one of its +chief seaport towns. + +The incident being exactly what Austria had been wishing for, a great +deal was made of it. The Austrian ambassador at Constantinople sent word +that his flag had been insulted, and demanded that Turkey should +formally salute the Austrian flag, that both of the offending officials +must be immediately dismissed, and the agent given money damages. + +The ambassador informed the Sultan that, in case of refusal, he should +leave Constantinople, and sever all diplomatic relations with Turkey, +and that warships should proceed to Mersina and bombard it. + +The Sultan did not like to be treated in this way, and took time to +decide what he should do. + +The ambassador sent a second letter, when he had waited as long as he +thought right for an answer to his first, with the added demand that +Turkey should also pay the claims of the Oriental Railroad Company, and +that the matter should be decided inside of eight days. + +The claim of this railroad company was for carrying troops during the +war, and the bill for this service had not been paid. + +Now the Oriental Railroad Company is not owned by Austria, but by +Austrian citizens, and it was an unheard-of thing for a government to +seek to collect the private debts of her citizens at the cannon's mouth. +Europe has, however, been doing remarkable things to Turkey for many +years past. + +The Sultan dared not refuse Austria, any more than Bulgaria, until the +peace with Greece was signed, and so was forced to agree to all of +Austria's demands. + +In six days he had made up his mind, and a polite message was sent by +the Porte (the Turkish Government) to Austria, that the ill-treatment of +the Austrian citizen was a matter of deep regret, and that the Porte +would pay the required money damages, would discharge the offending +officials, and send warships to salute the Austrian flag; and last, but +not least, the Porte would pay the railroad company's bill, which +amounted to the nice little sum of $1,250,000. + +The letter concluded by stating that the Sultan desired the good will of +the Emperor of Austria, and hoped that nothing might intervene to +endanger it. + +By this little action Austria and Russia succeeded in weakening Turkey +still more through her treasury; but even then they were not satisfied. + +Russia had found out that the Sultan intended to spend part of the +indemnity Turkey was to obtain from Greece in strengthening his navy; in +fact, with Germany's help he meant to have the finest navy in the world. + +This did not suit Russia at all. It became known that Germany had +arranged to supply Turkey with a perfectly equipped navy--guns, +equipment, and all complete--for one-quarter of the money coming from +Greece. + +Turkey has been bankrupt for many years, and owes money to most of the +nations of Europe, so when Russia learned of this dangerous activity on +her part, she took advantage of the old debts to prevent it. + +She sent word that if Turkey was in a position to buy a navy, she must +be also in a position to pay her debts, and therefore Russia would like +to have the old account of 1878 settled. + +This is a war debt which Turkey owes Russia because of the last war +between them. + +This debt is an extremely heavy one, and the Porte, becoming frightened +lest Russia should insist on its payment, hastened to inform the Czar +that nothing definite had been arranged about the navy. + +Russia replied that the moment Turkey shall attempt to build up her navy +or increase her war supplies, she will insist on the payment of this +debt. + +After a few days of reflection, the Porte informed the Russian +ambassador that Turkey had decided not to make any changes in her navy +for the present. + +Between them, Austria and Russia have succeeded in crushing the Sultan's +ambition for the present. + + + * * * * * + +These are, however, not all of Abdul Hamid's troubles. + +Crete, which he had begun to regard as his rightful property, has once +more become a thorn in his side. + +Confident of his power, he has been assuming a haughty tone with the +Greek ambassador sent to settle the treaty, and insisted that he accept +the terms as they were without venturing on any changes. He has also +kept his soldiers in Crete, and sent a Turk as governor of the island +despite the protests of the Powers. + +He has, in fact, been doing pretty much as he pleased, believing that +Europe was afraid of him, and that he was master of the situation. + +Now the Powers have combined to teach him the difference. They have +joined together, and in round terms bidden him obey them or take the +consequences. + +You remember that home rule was promised to Crete, and that (after the +peace negotiations were signed) the Sultan announced that he would see +about the reforms later. + +The Powers have now sent word to him that home rule must be granted to +the island at once, the Turkish troops instantly withdrawn, and a +Christian governor appointed. + +Word has been sent to Turkey that if she oppose the Powers they will +blockade Constantinople. + +With all these different complications to harass him, Abdul Hamid cannot +be a very happy man. + + * * * * * + +It is generally understood by those who make a study of such matters, +that the arrival of Weyler in Spain will be followed by serious trouble +for the Government. + +It is well known that he is opposed to Sagasta's rule, and so the +Carlists, who would like to see Don Carlos on the throne, the +Republicans, who would like to abolish the throne altogether, and +several other lesser parties are approaching Weyler in the hope of +attaching him to their cause. + +He has arrived in Barcelona, where he will remain for a few days, and +will then go on to Majorca, his birthplace. + +Barcelona is known to be the headquarters of the Carlist revolution, and +though Weyler has implied that he belongs to neither Carlist nor +Republican party, his sojourn in Barcelona will give him ample time to +see how the land lies, and find out what profit there may be for him if +he joins the Carlists. + +It is reported that he desires to form a party of his own, which shall +oppose home rule in Cuba, and uphold the kind of warfare that he waged +as the only means of saving the colony for Spain. + +This is a clever idea of his, for he is likely to find many adherents +among the merchants, who are dissatisfied with Sagasta's plan for home +rule, and for giving the Cuban legislature the right to fix the tariff +on all goods sent into Cuba. + +The merchants want the tariff arranged by Spain as it always has been, +and they want it so fixed that Cubans will be obliged to buy their +goods in Spain. + +One of Cuba's greatest causes of complaint was the high tariff which +Spain imposed on all goods entering Cuba except those of Spanish +manufacture. This tariff made it impossible for Cubans to buy their +goods in any of the European markets, and compelled them to take the +class and quality of goods which Spain chose to send them, and to pay +whatever price Spain demanded for them. + +Perhaps you will find this a little hard to understand, so we will try +to make it a little clearer to you. + +All countries are anxious to find markets for the goods they produce. It +is for this reason that we have passed our present tariff bill. + +The United States wishes to make a market for the goods manufactured +here, and so she has laid a heavy tariff or duty on all goods brought +into this country that are similar to those that we make here. A certain +fixed number of cents has to be paid for every pound, gallon, or yard of +such goods before they can be brought into the country. + +The importers cannot, of course, afford to lose this money, and so they +have to add it to the price of the goods, which thus become more +expensive than the same class of articles manufactured here. It is +therefore to the housekeeper's advantage to buy home-made goods in +preference to foreign, and thus a market is made for the home products. + +Spain considers her colonies her rightful market, and therefore has +placed a high duty on foreign goods. The Cuban housewives therefore +found it to their advantage to buy Spanish goods. Cuba is of course too +small an island to manufacture many things for herself. + +This seemed fair enough, but unfortunately, the Spanish goods thus +forced on the Cubans were not satisfactory to them, and were, moreover, +sold at prices much too high for their value. The Cubans found that were +they allowed to go to the world's markets for their supplies, they could +live for half what it cost them under Spanish rule, and rebelled against +the power that was treating them so unfairly. + +The question of tariff is said to be the most serious stumbling-block in +the way of home rule for Cuba. It has been said by both Spanish and +Cuban diplomats that, if it is enforced, the Spanish merchants will rise +in rebellion against the Government. + +The Spanish ministers are, however, determined to carry home rule +through. The plan is now completed, and has been approved by the +ministers, received the Queen's signature, and become a law. + + * * * * * + +The reassembling of Congress and the President's Message are drawing +near again. + +People are speculating as to the course the President will recommend in +regard to Cuba and Hawaii. + +It is thought that he will suggest patience toward Spain until the +promised reforms have had time to be put in effect, and that if these +reforms seem wise and just we shall not uphold the island in her +rebellion. + +As to Hawaii, it seems a foregone conclusion that annexation will be +recommended, and will be an accomplished fact in a short space of time. + + * * * * * + +The _Competitor_ prisoners have just landed in this country. The stories +they tell of the hardships they endured and the cruelties practised on +them are heartrending. + +They declare that they were condemned to death without a hearing, and +were forced to choose a Spaniard to defend them at the mockery of a +trial which they were given. + +This man laughed when they told him they were not guilty, and never +opened his lips to plead for them, or to ask that they be allowed to +make their own statements. + +When they had been adjudged guilty he offered a half-hearted plea for +mercy. + +They were so shockingly treated and so badly fed while in jail that they +have come back mere shadows of their former selves, and weak, lame, and +maimed. + + * * * * * + +The result of the Cuban election has at last been made known, but we +find that the new president is not Capote after all, but Bartolome Maso. + +The election should have taken place on the 2d of September, but owing +to the absence of several delegates it did not occur until early in +November. + +Senor Mendez Capote presided over the meetings, and it was probably this +which made people think that he had been elected president. + +The election was very orderly. Maso was elected president by a large +majority, and Capote vice-president. Maximo Gomez was made +commander-in-chief of the Cuban forces. + +The fact that the election had been accomplished in such a peaceful +manner is considered a proof of the great strength of the revolution, +and has made a good impression on the world generally. + + * * * * * + +Those dreadful Austrian deputies are still quarrelling! + +The Reichsrath reassembled a few days ago, and continued to indulge in a +mild form of misbehavior, which suddenly developed into the most +shocking riot that has as yet occurred. + +The old language question came up. + +A number of petitions had been presented to the Parliament against the +decree making it necessary for officials in Bohemia to understand both +the German and Czech languages. + +It was proposed, as these petitions were nearly all alike, that one +would be chosen from them and read to the House, and the others merely +accepted as reiterations of the same sentiments. + +This project raised a most fearful outcry from the opposition, and was +the signal for such a scene of violence that the very visitors in the +galleries leaned over the railings and called shame on the deputies. + +The President suspended the sitting, and then had to fly for his life, +for the deputies, angry that he should attempt to control them, made a +rush for his desk, calling him all the unpleasant names they could think +of. + +The Bohemian deputy, Dr. Wolff, at once assumed the lead. He was the +first to reach the tribune or raised platform on which the President +sits, and seizing the bell which was placed on the table, he swung it +to and fro, shouting and screaming to make himself heard. + +Then another deputy, deciding that he would like to have the bell, fell +upon Dr. Wolff, and a free fight began. + +The deputies struck one another, tore one another's clothes, and at last +got out their pocket-knives and began to use them as daggers. + +Some of the spectators rushed out for the police, and a few of the +members went in pursuit of the President, insisting that he should +return and quell the disturbance. + +After much trouble he succeeded in restoring order, just as the police +appeared on the scene. + +Dr. Wolff defied everybody and everything, and announced his intention +of coming to the next session with revolvers in his pockets. + +A Cabinet council was called in the evening, and the idea of dissolving +the Parliament was openly discussed. + +Even this did not frighten the crazy ruffians who form the Austrian +Parliament. + +At the next session, doors had been erected and passages blocked, so +that the President could not be attacked on the tribune, and an attempt +made to get on with business. + +The Government had been busy in the interval, and had prepared a motion +that all persons guilty of disorderly conduct in the Reichsrath should +be suspended for a certain number of days, and deprived of their pay for +that time. + +The President read the motion, amid the howls of Wolff and his party. +It is said that the whole affair must have been arranged beforehand, for +not a word of the motion could be heard in the house. But all the same, +as the President ceased to speak, the supporters of the Government rose +as one man, and accepted the resolution. + +You hardly need to be told what followed. + +The ridiculous Dr. Wolff had been standing in front of the tribune with +a cab-whistle at his lips, on which he blew incessantly during the +reading of the resolution. When it was read and passed despite him, his +rage knew no bounds; he started to clamber over the obstructions, and +made for the President, followed by several other equally infuriated +members. + +The President did not wait for them to reach him, but, seizing his bell, +fled in hot haste. + +Count Badeni, who had been present, was also forced to flee, as the mob +of angry men sought to do him injury. + +After an interval the President returned and adjourned the meeting, and +immediately on his withdrawal carpenters entered the hall and began to +build a high and strong fence around the unfortunate man's tribune. + +Despite the rioting, the Government feels that it has at last got the +best of the unruly members. From now on they can be fined and suspended +and excluded from the Reichsrath until the sentence has expired. + +It is to be hoped that the idiotic Dr. Wolff will be given a recess of +several weeks. He seems to need rest from his Parliamentary duties. + +The unruly party, which is opposed to the Government, is infuriated at +the passing of the resolution. + +They declare that it was a violation of their constitutional rights, and +a meeting was held to decide what they should do about it. Nothing was, +however, decided upon. + + * * * * * + +A terrible fire has occurred in London during the past week. + +It is the worst fire that has visited the city since the Great Fire in +1666, when the whole heart of the city was burned. + +This fire, though it consumed 13,000 houses and laid waste 400 streets, +compelling 200,000 persons to camp out in the country, has always been +regarded as one of the greatest blessings London ever knew. + +London had been visited by a terrible plague, and the city was built +with such cramped and narrow streets, the upper stories of the houses +projecting and nearly touching one another, that the infection was borne +from house to house, and it did not seem possible to stamp out the +disease, because there was no means of properly airing and purifying the +city. + +The horrible disease would seem to have passed away, when suddenly there +would be a fresh outbreak, carrying off hundreds of victims, and +bringing terror into every heart again. + +Then the great fire broke out. For four days it raged and consumed +everything in its path, but at the same time it so thoroughly purified +the city that the plague was stamped out for good and all. + +The present fire occurred in the most crowded part of the city, in the +heart of the business quarter. + +London is not laid out like an American city, in blocks and squares, +with broad straight avenues running for miles, crossed at regular +intervals with wide and open streets. + +It is, in the older part, a network of narrow roadways, with courts and +alleys lying back of them. The streets turn and bend and twist and go in +every direction, and leading out of them are other little winding +streets. These side turnings are delightful for those who know London +well, because you can turn down here and up there, and cut off corners +this way and save miles that way, by threading through these strange +byways that lead in and out of the highways. + +In case of fire, these time-saving lanes and alleys are most dangerous +to the welfare of the city, for they are very narrow, with houses on +either side, and flames can easily reach from one side of the street to +the other. + +This is precisely what happened at the recent fire. It sprang from side +to side of these narrow ways, until much of the business portion of +London was in flames. + +There has been a good deal of talk about this fire, because the first +engine did not reach the scene of the disaster until fifteen minutes +after the call had been sent, and it has been said that the English +firemen are not nearly so expert as the American. + +It seems hardly fair to criticise the English firemen without knowing +the difficulties they had to contend with. Some of the streets through +which they had to drive are hardly wide enough for two vehicles to +pass, and the fire occurring at midday, all these ways were blocked with +carts. + +The English firemen cannot drive as rapidly and recklessly as our +firemen do on our wide avenues, for any attempt at such driving would +mean certain destruction to engine and apparatus. + +The English alarm system does not appear to be so perfect as ours, but +otherwise the same engines are used, and the department is finely +organized. The arrangement of the city is all that prevents them from +doing the quick and effective work that we can accomplish. + +When a fire breaks out here, it is the duty of the person discovering it +to run to the nearest fire-alarm box, and, opening the box, pull down +the hook he will see inside. This causes a signal-number to appear on +the key-board in front of the operator at headquarters. + +The number tells him the district in which the fire has occurred, and +with one touch of a telegraphic key he sends out an alarm to the +thirty-odd engine-houses in the neighborhood of the fire. + +The pressure on the key at headquarters releases the horses in the +stalls of the various engine-houses. Instantly these clever beasts dash +out of their boxes and place themselves at the shafts, the collar clasps +around their necks and harnesses them to the engine; the men slide down +the poles to their places, the gates swing open, and the engine is out +and dashing along the road in less time than it takes to tell about it. + +By the use of regularly appointed signals, the first fireman who arrives +at the fire can inform headquarters just how serious the fire is, and +whether more engines should be sent. + +On one occasion a great fire broke out in the busy part of New York +city. It was a serious fire; and according to the records at +headquarters, in less than four minutes the first batch of engines had +arrived and three extra calls had been sent out, which were speeding +half the engines in the city to the scene of the fire. + +It will interest you to know that the fire department of the city of New +York has reached such a degree of excellence that the risk of serious +damage and loss by fire has been greatly reduced, and, in consequence, +the insurance companies have lowered the rate of insurance; that is to +say, they do not charge people as much money to insure their property +this year as they did last year and have done for many years past. + + * * * * * + +The anxiety about Professor Andree has increased. The steamer which left +Tromso, Norway, in search of the explorer has returned, and reports that +no traces of him could be found. Search parties were sent out in every +direction, but nothing could be discovered. + +The vessel sailed on November 5th and returned on the 21st, and her crew +declare that a most vigilant search was made. + +The vessel was sent in consequence of the report brought in by the +wrecked whalers that they had heard cries for help. + + * * * * * + +A strange freak of nature is reported from Kansas. + +The railroad station of Rozel, eighteen miles from Larned, has been +swallowed up. + +When the people in the neighborhood went to bed at night, the station +was in its usual place; in the morning the station, two or three small +elevators, and a few other small buildings had disappeared. + +Investigation proved that they had been swallowed up, and had +disappeared in a chasm. + +The depth of this rent in the earth cannot be determined. The hole is +said to be about an acre in extent, of oblong shape, with walls reaching +straight down for seventy feet, at which depth the hole is filled with +dark, stagnant water, into which anything that is thrown immediately +sinks. + +No lives were lost, as no one remains at the station over night. + +The interest of the surrounding country is intense, and many theories +are advanced as to the cause of the catastrophe. + +Some think that the station dropped into an immense cave, and others +that it was caused by the underflow of the Arkansas River, which is +overflowing its banks at the present time. Others think that this +section of Kansas is over an immense underground river or sea. + +A similar accident occurred in Meade County, Kansas, ten years ago. A +section of land crossed by a public road disappeared in a single night, +leaving a chasm which is a notable landmark to-day. + + * * * * * + +The plans for the Bronx Park Zooelogical Gardens in New York city have +been perfected, and are now before the Park Board for acceptance. + +From all accounts, the new Zoo will be one of the finest animal gardens +in the world. + +It will cover two hundred and sixty-one acres of land, and is to combine +picturesque scenery for the pleasure of the visitor, with roomy quarters +and as nearly natural conditions as possible for the animals. + +The buffaloes are to have a huge field appropriated to their use, where +they can roam at will. The visitors who wish to see them must climb a +wooded hill, from which they can view the beasts without disturbing +them. + +The lions and tigers are to have open cages, where they can romp and +play. + +It is proposed to paint the walls that divide these cages one from +another with African landscapes, so that the captives may feel as much +at home as possible. + +The monkeys in the new Zoo are to be accommodated with a little +artificial forest, where they can roam freely. The birds are to have a +huge tree-grown aviary, with bathing-ponds and every desired luxury. + +The gardens being so large, and the extent of the domain of each class +of animals so spacious, it has been found necessary to arrange a means +for the visitors to see all the beauties of the Zoo without undue +fatigue. + +It has therefore been decided to use electric motor-carriages throughout +the park. Two fine roadways are to be constructed, which are to meander +through the gardens, taking in all the buildings, ranges, animal +enclosures, and lakes and ponds. + +One roadway is for vehicles going in one direction, and the other for +carriages going in the opposite way. By this means the visitors will be +able to see everything in the gardens without getting tired. + +This must be a lesson taught by the World's Fair in Chicago. There you +had no choice between walking until you almost dropped from fatigue, or +being wheeled about (at ruinous expense) in an invalid-chair by a +stripling youth who would pant and perspire until stout and healthy +passengers felt in duty bound to get out and walk to save their +charioteer's further exertion. + + G.H. ROSENFELD. + + + + +INVENTION AND DISCOVERY. + + +CURRYCOMB AND BRUSH COMBINED.--This is such a fine article for the +comfort of our animal friends that we cannot refrain from telling our +young readers about it. + +[Illustration: Currycomb] + +Many of you may have curried a horse, or stood by during the process, +and watched him shrug and twitch with pleasure as the little iron teeth +scratched his skin, and have seen his coat grow glossy and satiny as the +brush was applied as soon as the currying was over. + +Now this operation is most delightful to a horse; it is to him what +taking a bath is to us; and properly done it makes him feel fresh and +vigorous and quite happy to do his master's work. + +If it is not well done he feels restless and dirty, and the pores of his +skin become clogged, and the good horse gets sick. + +Currying a horse is quite hard work, and lazy grooms do not like to do +it, and so they have invented a means of shirking the brushing which is +very unkind to the horse. + +Every owner wishes to see his animals with glossy, shining coats, and so +bad grooms, to save the trouble of currying and brushing, will rub the +horse over with a cloth, dipped in kerosene. The coat will shine +beautifully, but the poor horse is made most uncomfortable. + +The currycomb and brush prevents this wicked practice, by making the +cleaning of the horse so easy that it is not worth the laziest man's +while to oil the horse instead of currying him. + +As you will see by the illustration, the currycomb has a dandruff brush +attached to its outer edge. As the comb is withdrawn the brush passes +over the skin that has been curried, brushes it clean of dandruff, and +makes it smooth and glossy. After one _good_ currying with this device +the nag is ready for harness, his coat sleek, shiny, and, above all, +clean. + +You young people who are the happy owners of horses, must always make +sure that the gloss on your favorite's coat is the result of health and +cleanliness, and not kerosene. + + * * * * * + +CAR-STEP.--This excellent device is the invention of a young lady of +Pittsfield, Illinois. + +Every one who has travelled in Pullman cars knows the discomfort of that +last step before you reach the ground. It is true that the porter is +always waiting with a little wooden stool on which you step from the +high car-step above, but for old people or lame people or nervous people +there is always the dread that they may miss the little stool, and be +tumbled over on the platform. + +This invention is to prevent any such difficulty. + +The steps of the Pullman cars can only be a certain length, and must not +jut out beyond the sides of the car, otherwise they would be liable to +be torn off when the oar passes through tunnels or narrow places. It is +therefore impossible to have them built any longer than they are at +present. The new invention, however, adds a step without going beyond +the proper limit. + +[Illustration: Car-step] + +It is done in this way: The step is made of iron, and is joined to the +regular wooden steps by strong rods. When the train is in motion the +extra step folds under the car-step. When the train stops the porter +touches a lever, and down comes the extra step, making the descent from +the car as easy as walking downstairs. + +It is a fine invention, and we hope soon to see it used on all Pullman +cars. + + G.H.R. + + + + +BOOK REVIEWS. + + +There has just been published a collection of sketches and essays by +Charles Dickens which have hitherto been uncollected and none of which +has been reprinted in the United States. This cannot fail to be an +extremely interesting book to the great army of admirers of Dickens. His +books always bear the unmistakable imprint of the master, novelist's +mind--in his fun, satire, and humor going hand in hand, as well as in +his sincerity and interest in the poor. Everything that Dickens wrote +has upon it the mark of genius, and this book will come as a delight to +many. + +("Old Lamps for New Ones, and Other Sketches and Essays," by Charles +Dickens. The New Amsterdam Book Company: 350 pages, cloth, $1.25.) + + + + +PRIZE CONTEST + + +Owing to the improper character of many of the prize contests which have +recently been offered by many papers and to the criticisms which have +been called forth by them, we have decided that it is best to withdraw +the contest begun in No. 55. We know that these contests are of great +interest to our readers, and hope that we shall be able to renew them in +the near future without subjecting ourselves to the risk of criticism +which so properly attaches to any of the prize contests being published. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Great Round World and What Is +Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 57, December 9, 1897, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GREAT ROUND WORLD AND *** + +***** This file should be named 16192.txt or 16192.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/1/9/16192/ + +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. 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