PART II. CHRONICLE OF EVENTS IN 1898. JANUARY. 1. The President of the French Republic, when driving to the Senate, came into collision with the carriage of the Finance Minister, of which the horses had bolted. M. Faure and the Prime Minister, M. Méline, were thrown out, but were unhurt. At a conference of trade unionists, held at the Memorial Hall, Faringdon Street, London, attended by about 200 delegates, representing nearly 1,000,000 workmen, it was resolved to support the Amalgamated Society of Engineers in their struggle against the employers. 3. The Scotch East Coast express, when travelling at a high rate of speed between Dunbar and Edinburgh, crashed into a derailed coal waggon. Both engines of the express train were thrown off the rails, and the three front carriages telescoped. One passenger was killed, and several persons were badly hurt. The ambassadors at Constantinople presented to the Porte a general plan for the future government of Crete, providing for the prospective withdrawal of all the Sultan's troops, and the substitution of a native gendarmerie. The conclusion of the truce, pending negotiations, in the engineering dispute, followed by the issue of lock-out notices by firms which had hitherto held aloof from the Employers' Association. At London, Ontario, while a large meeting was being held at the City Hall, the flooring suddenly gave way, and 200 people were carried down through the room below into the cellars; twenty-two persons were killed on the spot and upwards of 100 injured. 4. The Miners' Federation held their annual conference at Bristol, and was attended by fifty-four delegates, representing 407,500 miners. Mr. Pickard, M.P., presided, and in his address justified aggressive tradeunionism to secure fair hours, fair wages and fair treatment of labour. In consequence of disquieting rumours respecting the Mahdists, the 1st Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment left Cairo for Wady Halfa. A 4. At Buda-Pesth, the bill for the provisional prolongation of the status quo with Austria carried by a large majority. The City Commission of Sewers, after a separate existence of 230 years, held its last meeting at the Guildhall, its powers having been absorbed by the corporation. 5. The second test match between the Australian and English elevens played at Melbourne, resulting in the signal victory of the Colonials in one innings by 55 runs. Scores: Australia, first innings, 520 runs; England, first innings, 316 runs; second innings, 150 runs. The voting in the presidential election of the Transvaal began, lasting for a month. Mr. Krüger, General Joubert and Mr. SchalkBurger were candidates. The Malta representatives offered to furnish the British Government with a regiment of 1,000 volunteers for service in Egypt. 6. The German Emperor conferred upon Herr von Bülow, the Foreign Secretary, the Order of the Red Eagle as a mark of his appreciation of his services in obtaining a port in China for Germany. The Chinese Government, for a nominal rental, surrendered all its sovereign rights over Kiao-Chau Bay, its shores and islands. Ex-King Milan appointed by royal decree commander-in-chief the Servian Army. Amboyna, one of the chief towns in the Moluccas, almost destroyed by an earthquake, in which at least fifty persons were killed and 200 injured. 7. A fire broke out on the premises of a firm of wholesale chemists at Glasgow. A violent explosion of chemicals destroyed the interior of the buildings, and four firemen were killed on the spot and two others seriously injured by the falling walls. The German flag again hoisted at Canea on the international redoubt, two officers and twenty soldiers having been landed from a passing German ship. The Tanga Pass, although held in force, occupied without loss of life by the 20th Punjabis, the West Kent Regiment and the Highland Light Infantry, all under the command of General Sir Bindon Blood. 8. Señor Cuestas, President of Uruguay, issued a proclamation assuming the dictatorship, and calling out five battalions of the National Guards to control his election. The Natal Government, by the help of the pressure brought to bear upon members of the Assembly, carried by 25 to 11 votes a bill imposing a tax of 2d. per lb. on frozen and chilled meats imported. 10. The Queen intimated her intention that the old palace at Kew and the state rooms at Kensington Palace should, when restored, be thrown open to the public, the former as a public museum. -The court-martial on Major Esterhazy opened in Paris; the first day's proceedings being public, but subsequent sittings were held in private, and he was eventually acquitted of having maintained underhand dealings with the agents of any foreign Power. 10. Mr. A. J. Balfour, addressing his constituents at the Ardwich Drill Hall, Manchester, stated there was anxious and important negotiation going on between England and France with regard to affairs in West Africa. 11. The French Chamber and the Prussian Diet opened for the session, and the German Reichstag resumed its sittings after the Christmas holidays. Mr. Hanna, the "maker" of the President, re-elected United States Senator for Ohio by two votes, the " Silverite" Republicans joining the Democrats in opposing him. In the Danish Folkething the Foreign Minister, Vice-Admiral Ravn, announced that the Government, after making efforts, had found it impossible to obtain from the Powers a guarantee of the neutrality of Denmark. 12. The election at Plymouth, caused by the death of Mr. C. Harrison (R.), resulted in the return of Mr. Mendl (R.), who received 5,966 votes, against 5,802 polled by Hon. Ivor Guest (C.). The jury on the great fire in Cripplegate in the previous December, after a careful inquest, decided, but not unanimously, that it had been wilfully caused by some unknown persons. The fiftieth anniversary of the Sicilian revolution of 1848 against the Bourbons celebrated with great enthusiasm at Palermo and in other towns, the Prince and Princess of Naples with the Marquis di Rudini and Signor Crispi taking part in the festivities. The report of the Rio de Janeiro police on the attempt to assassinate the President of the Brazilian Republic incriminated twenty persons, including the vice-president and several deputies. 13. The polling for York city resulted in the return of Lord Charles Beresford (C.) by 5,659 votes, against 5,648 recorded for Sir Charles Furness (R.). A letter appeared in the French newspaper L'Aurore from M. Zola denouncing the conviction of Dreyfus, charging the military judges with serious offences, and challenging the Ministry to prosecute him. In the Chamber the Premier, M. Méline, announced that the Government would take that course. In Makran, South Beluchistan, a British surveying party attacked by the inhabitants, and a number of camp followers and others killed. The British officers escaped, but the whole district was declared to be disaffected. 14. Sir James Westland, Finance Member of the Governor-General's Council at Calcutta, introduced a bill for providing the issue of currency notes in India against gold paid to the Secretary of State. The ratifications of the Franco-German treaty, regulating the frontier of Togoland, exchanged in Paris, on which occasion the German Ambassador received the Grand Cordon of the Legion of Honour. 14. In consequence of serious rioting in Havana, the North Atlantic squadron of the United States fleet ordered to cruise in the Gulf of· Mexico. 15. The joint committee of the allied trades notified to the secretary of the Employers' Federation that the demand for a forty-eight hours' week, made on July 3, 1897, was withdrawn. The British Minister at Pekin informed the Tsung-li-Yamên that Great Britain was willing to guarantee, on certain conditions, a loan of 12,000,000l. at 4 per cent., to pay the Japanese indemnity. The Cretan Assembly addressed a memorial to the European Governments protesting against the ambassadors' proposals for the administration of the island. 17. Demonstrations of students and others in connection with the Dreyfus affair took place in Paris and some provincial towns. Jewish shopkeepers were especially threatened, and in all cases the police had to interfere to protect them. The Statthalter of Bohemia announced to the Diet at Prague that the Government was prepared to divide the country into zones of three descriptions-German, Czech and mixed-and that the use of languages should be in accordance therewith. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir M. Hicks-Beach, speaking at Swansea, declared, in reference to the state of affairs in the extreme East, that this country would oppose the exercise of exclusive rights by any nation over the trade of China at all costs, even at that of war. 18. After a trial lasting over five days, in an action brought by a bill discounter to recover nearly 16,000l. from Sir Tatton Sykes, for money advanced to Lady Sykes on promissory bills purporting to be signed by her husband, a verdict was given for the defendant. The Sultan replied to the Russian Ambassador that the Russian proposal of Prince George of Greece as Governor of Crete would not coincide with the wishes of the Ottoman nation. - A bill laid before the Prussian Diet to increase to 200,000,000 marks the fund for settling German proprietors in the Polish districts of Posen and West Prussia, where the proportion of Polish inhabitants was rapidly increasing. 19. The third test match played at Adelaide ended in a decisive victory for the Australians in one innings by 13 runs. Scores: Australia, first innings, 573; England, first innings, 278; second innings, 282. - At a general assembly of Academicians and Associates, Edward J. Gregory, A.R.A. (painter) and George Aitchison (architect) were elected Royal Academicians, and Lionel P. Smythe and H. H. Lathangue (painters) Associates. By a gas explosion in one of the mines of the Russian Donetz Co., in the district of Taganrog, upwards of sixty, out of 180 men in the pit, were killed and many injured. All the horses were suffocated. 19. The Times correspondent arrived at Suakin from Kassala, a distance of 300 miles, after a ten days' ride through the districts formerly held by Osman Digna, but found no traces of the Dervishes. - An anarchist named George Etievant, who had already been under arrest, stabbed two policemen on the Avenue Clichy, Paris, without the least provocation. After a severe struggle he was arrested and placed in a cell, where he began firing a revolver through the grating. 20. The United States Senate, by 41 to 25 votes, adopted a resolution in favour of paying public debts in silver. A serious accident nearly occurred to the Glasgow express shortly after leaving Carlisle. A truck of a luggage train, in shunting, had fouled the line, and before signals could be made the express dashed into it, and many of the coaches were thrown off the metals, but no one was seriously injured. 21. The polling for the St. Stephen's Green Division of Dublin resulted in the return of Mr. James H. Campbell, Q.C. (C.), who received 3,525 votes, against 3,387 given to Count Plunkett (N.). M. Demblon, a Socialist member of the Belgian House of Representatives, having violently attacked the President, M. Beernaert, was censured by the House and ordered to withdraw. Having declined to do so, the sitting was suspended. 22. The officials of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers issued a circular to the members advising them that the prolongation of the strike involved an increasing drain on the resources of the society without chance of betterment. The total eclipse of the sun, visible in India, favourably observed by numerous parties of astronomers sent out from various places to study it. - In the French Chamber a debate raised on the Dreyfus case led to scenes of unparalleled violence and disorder, in which the Clerical and Socialist members took the most prominent part. The President, having ordered the galleries to be cleared, left the chair. 23. Serious rioting took place at Algiers, the houses and shops of the Jews in various districts being attacked and pillaged. 24. The French Chamber of Deputies resumed the Dreyfus debate, but M. Méline, on behalf of the Government, refused to discuss the matter in Parliament, and was supported by 376 to 133 votes. In the Budget Committee of the Reichstag the Foreign Secretary, Herr von Bülow, declared in the most positive manner that there had never been relations or connections of any kind between the German Government and Captain Dreyfus. Lord William Nevill surrendered at Bow Street to answer a charge of having obtained a friend's signature to bills by fraud and false pretence. 25. Herr Johannes Trojan, editor of the German Kladderadatsch, and for thirty-six years connected with its staff, sentenced to two months' imprisonment in a fortress for lèse-majesté. |