DIARY OF THE WORLD'S NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 300, 12 September 1908, Page 10

DIARY OF THE WORLD'S NEWS.

; WEEKLY SUMMARY BY MAIL. Tho following weekly summary of tlio world's news- is takeu from tho " Daily Mail" Overseas Edition of August 1: — JULY 21. Calm is -returning to the Sultan of Turkey after what luis- probably . been tlio most harassing week of his eventful life. Tho sudden outbreak and spread of the Young Turkey rebellion in Macedonia could, his Majesty believed, be crushed by force, while discontent in tho capital could bo allayed by- a change of Grand Viziers. To that end, Said Pasha, noted for his liberal and his Anglophile tendencies, was called to the post, and Fcrid Pasha dismissed. Reports.poured in of tho spread of the rebellion, and of tho : intended advance of the mutinous troops upon the capital. At the same time telegrams and petitions from all parts of the Empire demanding reforms wero continually arriving at tho palace. Thoroughly alarmed, his Majesty called a Council of Ministers. All night they deliberated, tho Sultan obstinate, tho Ministers urging him to savo his throne and his life by yielding. So great was tho strain that his Majesty fainted before tho Council. Recovering, ho consented to proclaim the Constitution of 1876 and to abolish the censorship of tho press and tbe secret polico system. A transformation scone followed. The populace has been marching in procession through the streets enthusiastically .cheering for his Majesty. According to tfio, Turkish newspapers, _ a number of demonstrators at midnight insisted on seeing the Sultan. Thereupon his Majesty appeared at a window, and one of the demonstrators delivered the following speech "Our desiro is only for your good health. Some perfidious ones, have prevented us from seeing your face. For thirty-two years we wanted to see .you. Thank God, our wish is now gratified. Long live our Padishah." Tho Sultan replied:— " Inasmuch as since my accession I havo laboured for tbe salvation and prosperity of the fatherland, God is now witness that my greatest ; objeet is the prosperity and : salvation of-my subjects, who aro no other 1 than my own children." There are evidences on all sides of a remarkable outburst of pro-British feeling among all classes of the population, especially tho Moslems. ■ Tho onlightencd ■ classes feel that tho change of regime is largoly. the outcomo of British policy in Turkey. Germany's preponderating influ- , enco in Turkey is at an end. For. tho moment at least, all racial and religious distinctions have' disappeared. Greek, Turk, Jew, and Armonian aro united in acclaiming the now ora. In Macedonia even the leaders of the marauding bands have sunk their feuds and have figuratively and literally embraced their most bitter enemies. The Sultan has decreed la general amnesty for all political exiles, who aro flocking homeward. The Turkish Parliament is to moot on November 1. It, will consist of two Chambers —the Senate or Council of Notables, nominated by • tho Sultan, and a popularly elected Lower Chamber. Tho Parliament can only discuss such matters as aro laid beforo it by tho ' Council of State, .and tho Sultan has tho solo right to convoke, adjourn, and dissolve'tlio Assembly. A telegram from •Monastir announces that tho troops who ' had been in a stato of mutiny thoro have all returned to their duty, and that tlio 5000 soldiers who had entrenched tliemsolves at Rosina havo struck their tents ■ and havo _ marched into Monastic with--1 colours flying and drums boating, and resumed their military duties. ' JULY 20. '. Tho German War Olßeo announces-that it is prepared to entor into negotiations with motor-car manufacturers and private owners for subsidising thoir vehicles. Tlio Loot-schberg Tunnel, near Kandorstcg, Switzerland, known among the workmen as tho " tunnel of tragedies," has claimed twenty-five victims. A recent avalanche thoro killed nearly as many. At throe o'clock 'in tho morning about ono hundred workmen, mostly Italians, wore warned that six dynamite oxplosions woro about to tako placo and retired to safety in throe groups, fifty, a hundred, and . three hundred yards away. Following the explosions a sudden hurricane of air drove them towards the entrance. Glacial water and debris from tho River Kander then - entered tho tunnel. Tho first group of men escapcd, tlio second- waded through tho water, and lost four of thoir number, and the men in the third group wero overwhelmed. When tho roll was called twouty-fivo wero found to be missing. Tho. accident occurred nearly two miles iii;sido the tunnel^,-SThe wator has formed a lake five-eighths of a mile long at tho north . entranco. • JULY 26. Telegrams received .from Tampico, Mexico, .stato that a groat oil firo is raging there. Enormous damage' has already been causod, and nothing has had the slightest effect in subduing the flames, whicli aro as much as . 1500 feet high. Tho outbreak occurred in one "of tho largest oil wells in tho district, and j it is. calculated that 90,000 barrels of oil. aro being dostroyed daily., A terrible disaster has occurred on the River Amur between Khabarovsk and Nicolaevsk. The steamship Baron Korlf was proceeding up the Amur in company with two largo barges, the Ceres and tho Poltava, aboard which was a large number of Chinese prisoners. Suddenly a terrific storm broke. Whilo tho storm was at its height someone on tho Ceres opened somo of tho lowtr port holes in order to got fresh air, for the heat was intense. The water poured into the great . barge, which in a few moments sank, no fewer than ninety-one men being drowned. The" first of the competing motor cars in the ,- Round .tho World. Race from New York to Paris arrived in Paris without demoustra--1 tion of any kind. It was tho Protos (Gorman) car, driven by Lieutenant Koeppen, of the German Army, who quietly brought ; his travel-stained machine to a' standstill outside tho offices of the "Matin," in the Boulevard Poissonniere. Lieutonant Koeppon and his mechanician at once entered the offices of tlio "Matin," where champagne was drunk in their honour. /Tho triumph of the German competitor's' arrival was quickly discounted when the gallant lieutenant was formally told that the "Matin" could not rccognise him in any way as tho winner of the race owing to tho Protos car having been disqualified through having taken the railway for some distance when crossing the United States, and in consequence of his having failed to cross Japau. It should ho noted that tlio German car was taken by train from Ogden (Utah) to Seattle, where it was shipped to Vladivostok. Tho other .two cars have travelled by moans of their own motors throughout. Tho Gorman car made tliß circuit of tho world, from Berlin to Berlin, via America, in exactly six months. Tho American car has also arrived. The Italian car is at Omsk, in Siberia. JULY 27. Tlio visit of the Amoricaii battleship floet to Yokohama in tho autumn is said to be mado to synchronise with the annual Japanese naval manoeuvres, which aro apparently intended to impress the Americans with tho sea power of Japan. Twenty-two ships of tlio lino and 3,68 minor vessels •will take part in tho manoeuvres. Consternation lias been caused among Austrian motorists by tho new law regulating motor traffic, tho full import of tho measure, having been expounded by Dr. Emil Friscliauer, a well-known Vienna solicitor. Dr. Friscliauer says that thcro is'absolutely 110 limit to tho amount of compensation that may be exacted from a motorist for damage caused by or duo to his car. Ho is responsible for damage dono by friglit- ' enod horses, and tho amount ho Ims to pay may be fixed by any small ,local tribunal. There is no "damage limit.,"-

Thousands, of pounds havo been subscribed by Chinese merchants in Australia towards tiio newly-formed Navy Association which has boon founded to promote voluntary contributions from Chinese throughout tho world with the objcct of securing ail enormous increaso in China's iloet. JULY 28. Mr. Farman, tho famous aeroplanist, has arrived in New York, where on the Coney Island beacii lie hopes to solve the problem of automatic balancing. Mr. Farman hopes that tho Wright Brothers will reconsidor their decision declining his challenge. Tho young aviator is making fifteen ascents during the first fortnight of Au- . gust. Important conferences have been held at lieval, whero President Fallieres has visited the Tsar. 'M. Piclion, tho French Miuister for Foreign Affairs, has been received by the Tsar in private audience, and M. Isvolsky, the Russian Foreign Minister, has had a private audience with President Fallieres. An important two hours' conforenco between -MM. Isvolsky, Piclion, Nelidoff, tho Russian Ambassador in Paris, and Admiral Touchard, the French Ambassador in St. Petersburg, has also taken place. Tho French and Russian Foreign Ministers, interviewed, declared that tho most perfect agreement existed between them on every question. Russian would support France in Morocco, and would work loyally with Britain in Persia. The Francollussian alliance was stronger'that ever be- . fore. Walter Leistikow, one of Germany's most famous modern painters, has died at tho early ago of forty-two. Preserving a crumpled lottery ticket, which a tobacconist gave him to use as a spill, an American negro in Paris, named Gregory, won £4000 at the drawing. As tho result of a great fire at Punta Delgacla, in the Azores, tho ancient and beautiful church of St. Vincent has been com•pletely destroyed. A negro has been burnt at tho stake in the public squaro of Greenvillo, Texas, U.S.A. It is alleged that he attempted to attack a white woman. JULY 29. A motor car accident of the most terribly tragic naturo has occurred near Poissy, Franco. Mr. George Winthrop Sands, a stepson of Mr. AY. K. Vanderbilt, the American capitalist, was killed and another man severely hurt. ' Mr. Sands, who was only twenty-three years old, was the son of Mrs. W. K. Vanderbilt, senr. He was travelling from Deauville to the chatoau noar Poissy, inhabited by his family during tho summer. Ho had nearly reached home when tho accident happened. The car was a 120-h.p. racing machine, and Sir. Sands was accompanied by a chauffeur, a young American named ' P'icking. Travelling at a speed of some sixty miles an hour, the car, apparently through tho breaking of a front axle, gavo a fearful jump, reared up, hit a tree, and turned completely over, pinning both Mr. Sands and Picking under tho wreck. Mr. Sands appeared to havo been stunned and did not stir, but Picking made a frantic .endeavour, to release himself. Both legß below the knees, were pinned down. To add to the horror of the position the petrol I in tho car's reservoir caught fire. The few spectators who witnessed tho accident rushed forward with long poles and pitchforks to try to raiso the wrecked car and release tho men pinned beneath it. They raised the car sufficiently to enable Picking to'crawl out, and were then driven . back, by tho Haines. With a 'tremendous effort, tho 'rescuers succeeded in pushing away'tho car and dragging out Mr. Sands. The lower part of his legs was literally carbonised, and ho had frightful injuries on tho head and neck, while his hands were a ma-ss of blisters. Ho'died shortly after-' i ' wards. I Sixty policeman armed with . revolvers have beonpatrolling New ..York for ..the three days by order of tho City Health Board, shooting every unmiiKzled dog »• which they meet which is not in leash. The pets of tho rich and poor are suffering alike. It is estimated that within three days 600 dogs have been killed. New York merchants trading' with the Orient havo beon astonished to receive an intimation that the Ilill and Harriraan transcontinental railway systems. have under consideration the abandonment as unprofitable of their extensive Pacific steamship service, in which are invested millions of dollars. Tho fundamental reason is that these lines aro unable to' .compete with the ..cheap, rates which tho , Japanese steamers find possible owing to low wages and heavy Government subsidies. Tho Pacific coast trade is valued at about £1,000,000 annually, and its cessation will give tho Japanese a virtual , monopoly of American freight-carrying, across the Pacific. JULY 30. Very serious rioting took place at Villenouvo St. Georges, a few miles outside Paris, ; and: in Paris itself at tho Lyons -Railway Station. Ten thousand men answered tho Labour /Federation's appeal and went on strike. Of these some four thousand•took train "this morning at tho Garo do Lyon for Villeneuvo St. Georges, to demonstrate ill tho adjoining town of Draveil-Vigneux, whero recent serious labour troubles occurred in which two workmon wero killed by gendarmes. A considerable number of mounted troops had been massed in the district, and the authorities had issued orders that no processions or . meetings should be allowed. Police and troops • barred, every direct means of access to the place. . This exasperated the demonstrators, who on arrival at Villeneuvo spread over tho railway lines, completely blocking ' the main line ' traffic, and surrounded the. polico officials' stationed thcro ; with .a squadron of mounted gendarmes. All the troops could do was to protect tho station building, in which were Government officials, who telegraphed for help. Meanwhile at Vigneux some 3000 strikers had arrived by tramway-ear from Paris, and, accompanied by loaders of the Labour Federation, were immediately surrounded and flanked by a squadron of dragoons. In broken order thousands of workmen made their way to a large shed in which strike meetings were • held. Then tho crowd resolved to go to the cemetery of Villeneuvo to demonstrate over tho graves of tho men'killed by gendarmes last week. But on reaching the Mclun railway line a squadron of dragoons barred their passage. Tho strikers pulled out revolvers, .and a volley was fired at tho troops. Several fell from their horses. Drawing swords, the rest prepared to charge, but the strikers scattered and began climbing tho steep embankment of the railway. A dozen soldiers of tho attacking party and a .scoro of strikers were injured before the strikers retreated across tho lino towards Villeneuvo. Then tho wounded wero placed in motors which flew the Geneva Cross flag as though in real warfare, and wero rapidly driven off. Tho . strikors. withdrew in the direction of Villeneuvo, wlioro they joined forces with those '! already in the town. The shop-keepers 1 in frantic alarm hastily put up shutters and barricaded themselves in'their shops. On all sides the strikors began to throw up barricades of paving stones, carts seized in the streots, and articles from a furniture shop which the owner had not had timo to close. By five o'clock no fower than twenty barricades' were up in tho Ruo do Paris and the adjoining streets. Three regiments of dragoons arrived and charged tho barricades, being mot with showers of stones and revolver shots from tho defen- ' ders. Tho troops fired several'volleys in the air, having strict orders not to fire direct at the strikers unless ' ordered by tho civil authority to do so. Finally, tho soldiers, utterly exasporated, and on tho requisition of the magistrates, fired several volleys into ' tho barricades, wounding many strikers and, it is stated, killing three. Immediately the began to fleo. Tho troops rapidly carriod every barricade, and were snon masters of tho situation., According to latest reports, seven men. two of. them soldiers,, wero killed, and twenty to thirty very seriously wounded, whilo 150 of both sidos aro injured.