SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2623, 22 June 1904, Page 13

SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

(Per Sonoma at Auckland.)

A despatch from Indianappolis, Ind., May 11, says: — Seven thousand American soldiers transported to China to officer the Chinese army will be one of the results of Prince Pu Lun's visit to this country according to a railroad official whose company is trying to contract to carry from 5000 to 7000 to San Francisco from different points in the United States. According to this authority the movement of soldiers will begin shortly. The principal recruiting station is at Tankton, South Dakota, and in charge of General Edmund F. English, of New York. The cream of Spanish- American veterans has been selected for the army of the Chines© Emperor. Commissioned and non-commis-sioned men have been offered commissions in the Chinese arnry, with salaries like those paid by th© United States Government. The Prince is the direct representative of her Imperial Majesty, the Dowager Empress of China.

Ten miners were suffocated by gas and sulphur fumos from a locomotive on May 25 in the workings of the Summit Branch Coal Company, in Williamstown, Dauphiu County, U.S. Tho tunnel in which tho disaster occurred is one mile m length, and is used by the Coal Company to convey coal mined in workings in Bear Valley to the breaker in Williams Valley. Men employed in Boar Valley who reside in Williainstown have made a practice for years of rid'iig to and from their work on trains of oars hauled between the two valleys 'by small locomotives. Aboufc 4 o'clock on May 25 the general inside foreman (Golden) and about 50 miners boarded a loaded train, which was about to be hauled from Bear Valley to Williainstown. Everything went all right until about half the journey was made, when some men. attracted the attention of the engineer, who at ono3 stopped, and it was found that nearly every man in th© party had been overcome by gas and sulphur, which emanated from tho engine and floated back over them. Th© engineer at once crowded on all steam possible, and the unconscious men were hurried to the Williamstown end of the tnnnel. Help was at once summoned hero, and the men taken to the surface, where a corps of physicians made every effort to resuscitato them, but tho aid came too late to Foreman Golden and nine other victims.

The French Government has decided to fully present the- Vatican controversy, culrrinatmg in the recent recall of M. Nitard t/> the Chamber of Deputies. A violent debate is expected, and tho Government is preparing itse-lf for more radical action than heretofore taken, smos it is anticipated an effort will he mado to abolish the French Embassy to the Holy See. The Foreign Minister £M. Dclcassa) will present diplomatic negotiations with tho Vatican, and tho Premier (M. Combes) v. ill set forth the attitude and intentions of the Government. Officials express the belief that the Embassy will not be suppressed; bus they say the present feeling n\ay lead to tha.l io:AUt when the appropriation for sustaining tho Embassy comes before theChamber a month hence, at which time the Budget for Foreign Affairs will be considered. But so mo parliamentary elements are seeking immediate consideration of the matter with the view of abolishing the Embassy. Officials in Pans do not credit the report cumulated bj the Tubuue of

Home. King Alphonso has indefinitely postponed his proposed ii<sil to President Loubet m order to avoid friction vwth the Pope. The Spanish King's visit to President Loubet has been settled upon on principle, but the date has not yet been considered. Members of the Diplomatic Corps say it is definitely settled. The piotest to which France took exception was addressed by the Vatican to Spain. This was the only pvotesfc containing the clause intimating that the Papal Nuncio would be withdrawn if other and similar visits were made to King Victor Emmanuel. The Osservatore Romano, the Vatican organ, publishes an official statement reviewing the relations existing between Cardinal Merry del Val, Papal Secretary of State, and M. Nisard, French Ambassador (to the Vatican, immediately before tho recall of the latter as a, result of lihe papal protest against President Loubet's visit to Rome. On Friday last, according to the paper, M. Nisard visited Cardinal Merry del Val and told him he had been instructed by the Foreign Minister (M. Deleasse) to inquire as to the authenticity of the text of the note to the Catholic powers as published in Le Humanite, of Paris, which varied from that directed to the French Government, and to ask especially if the phrase regarding the recall of the Nuncio, which was omitted from the note addressed to France, really occurred in that sent ■to other Powers. Tho Cardinal said he would reply immediately if the Ambassador's interrogations were put in writing. M. Nisard pointed cut that there was no time to do this, and the Cardinal then said that he would give an answer within an hour, or even within half an hour. M. Nisard, however, insisted on an immediate reply, and pleaded ihat the Cardinal should answer "Yes" or "No." The latter said he was unable to comply with the Ambassador's demands. M. Nisard replied: "Then I shall telegraph the- Minister (M. Deleasse) that you decline to answer." M. Nisard then withdrew, saying he would write. Two hours later Cardinal Merry del Val, not receiving word from the Ambassador, sent a communication, to the Embassy, saying he was now at M. Nisard's disposal, and propared to give an answer; but no reply to this communication was received. On Saturday morning M. Nisard again visited the Secretary of State, and informed ram the insistence upon a written form of his question had been interpreted as a desire to elude the subject, and that, therefore, he had been instructed to leave Rome on vacation. The Osservatore Romano concludes : "First, that Cardinal Merry del Val not having given an answer, the recall of the Ambassador was not justified. Second, the answer whioh the Cardinal would have given within an hour would have been exhaustive and thoroughly satisfactory. Third, the request of M. Nisard to be informed as to the content; of notes sent to other Catholic States was absolutely contrary io diplomatics usage, and there was^ no rule which obliged the Papal Government to send a collectivo noio.

THE SIEVIER LIBEL CASE

A despatch from "London, dated May 11, fays: — "The sensational libel Fuifc , brought by the well-known racehorse cwnor, R. Si Sievier, against Sir James Duke, also wellknown on tho turf, was concluded to-day with a verdict for defendant. Sievier alleged that Sir James had called him a thief, cardsharper, and murderer, and charged Sievier that he caused his famous mare, Sceptic, to be pulled in the Derby. Sir James pleaded privilege, and that the statements were made in the Raleigh Club, and adduced evidence to show that Sievier' s character was such that he could not be libelled. The jury decided Sir James had not committed libel, and mulcted Siever in the costs of the suit. Sievier, who was remarkably cool throughout the case, broke down towards ths evd of his counsel's speech, and sobbed bitterly. Mr Justice Grantham, in summing up, was very severe in his strictures on Sievior. saying that the late Queen Victoria would almcst rather have given up her throne than have- such a man presented to her. The case attracted continued interest owing to tbs fact that Sievier's past life wag probed with a minuteness scarcely equalled in similar cases. He confessed to having been three times bankrupt, and to having been several times in the Police Court, but for " trifling assaults." At card games and billiard matches, bets running into thousands of pounds were recounted from the witness stand with, a frankness that amazed the hearers. In the long run Sievier declared ho was a heaty loser in gambling transactions. One game- in particular — when the Duke of Bragaza lost about 25.000d0l while playing with Sievier at Monte Carlo — caused a cross-examination. On one occasion Sievier won 80,000dol from a friend at cards, and the loser's wife wrote him a pathetic letter. Sievier accepted 12,500d01— "a pretty large s\im for a oard-*harper to let anybody off," remarked Sievier on. the stand. After his return from Australia Sievier was presented ait Court, but some months afterwards a Court _ Circular announced that the presentation was cancelled. This Sievier attributed entirely to the fact that he was a bookmaker in Australia. Through all the phases of his uncheckered career Sievier's life was mercilessly dissected. Sievier married Lady Mabel Brace, who eloped with him two days before the time appointed for her wedding with another man.