BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12716, 30 January 1906, Page 2

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

United Press Association.—Copyright

Received January 29, 8.25 a.m

NEW YORK, January 28. Van Schauk, icaptain of the excursion ctJeamer General Slocum, which was burned mi June 15th, 1904, with great loss of life, has Ibeen sentenced <to ten years' imprisonment for not having fire drills aboard the vessel. [The disaster which happened to the ;tfkree-decked excursion steamer Gonexial Slocum on Juno 14th, 1904, to the nvorst in point of fatalities that has occurred in modern times. The General (Slocum -was conveying 1000 children and 900 adults, chiefly women, and members of St. Mark's German Lutheran iChuareh, 'New York, up the East ißiver to [Long ils-land for a day's outing. While the bands were playing and the flags flying a fire originated in the Mtdhen! and. spread with incredible naipidity. The vessel (happened to be in a narrow reek-bound passage known as He'll iGate just then, and beaching ■was an impossibility. The steamer, theref art, ■ went full siteam ahead until oh© reached a spot <where she could 'be ibeiached. In the meantime many of the children and other passengers succumbed to the fire, or had jumped overboard a>nd were drowned, or had been crushed in the frenzied rushes of the adults to gain places of comparative ©afety on iboaTd. The captain remained on board until the vessel was beached, and then jumped into the e&a with his clothes ablaze. The total number of deaths was 1200. It was subsequently found that the life-belts were rotten iand out of reach of the children, that there were not sufficient boats, and that the 'boats on board were fastened to the ■deck. The fire-hose burst when used, and the pumps would not work.] (LONDON, January 28. 'Dr. iFord Robertson, of Edinburgh, :Miorieon 'lecturer, claims to hare discovered the bacillus of. general paralysis of the insane.

BERLIN, January 28. The KJaiser, addressing cadets about to enter the array, urged 'them to lead a simple, moderate life, earnestly warning ■them against gambling, which undermined comradeship, besides being morally injurious.