The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 59, December 23, 1897

Everybody was eager to know what Kossuth would do. His love for his country and his desire to see her free were so well known that it was supposed that he had some plan to secure his hoped-for project.

As was expected, he made a strong plea that Hungary should declare her freedom.

Having pointed out to the members that the present was a golden opportunity in which to throw off the Austrian yoke, he ended his speech by asking that Baron Banffy's bill be referred to a committee.

Those who understand parliamentary procedure will see that this was a very clever move. Kossuth hoped thus to delay the final discussion of the bill until after the date of the treaty had expired, and then Hungary would once more have her freedom.

In getting the matter referred to a committee, he was submitting it to all the delays that attend parliamentary work. It would be placed in the hands of men who would be obliged to discuss it thoroughly before they could report it, and it would be unlikely that it could be returned to parliament before the beginning of January, when it would be too late to be of any use.

What the result of this clever move was, we have not yet heard.

It is thought by many people that the fall of the Austrian Empire is at hand.

Some fear that the German element may appeal to Emperor William of Germany, and that a war in which Germany, Austria, and Russia will be concerned may be the upshot of the present troubles.

Germany has a good deal on her hands at this moment.

In regard to Haiti, the case of young Lueders seems to be more complicated than it at first appeared.

By the laws of Haiti he is a Haitian, having been born on Haitian soil of a native mother; but he was educated in Germany, and served his time in the German army, so he has voluntarily assumed the duties of German citizenship.

This makes the case hard to handle.

Haiti has a perfect right to insist that he is a citizen, and must be treated according to her laws, but Germany has also some right to say that he is a German citizen, and shall not be abused by a foreign country. Were Haiti a more powerful country than she is, there is little doubt that she would take a stand and insist on her rights, but as it is, she does not dare to resist a strong power like Germany.

There was, as we told you, a report current that Germany did not intend to send any ship to Haiti, but that the matter would be settled by arbitration.

Three days after the announcement, two German cruisers entered the harbor of Port-au-Prince, and sent in an ultimatum, which is a government's final decision on a given subject.

The Haitian Government was informed that unless Germany's demands were submitted to within eight hours, the town would be bombarded.

Germany had said that two of her schoolships would visit the West Indies during the winter, and the two vessels which arrived at Port-au-Prince are believed to have been the two in question. They were, however, so fully equipped, and presented such a formidable appearance, that they were quite sufficient to seriously alarm the Haitians.

Word had been sent a few days previously that two German vessels were making all haste to Port-au-Prince, but thinking them the coming schoolships, the Haitians felt no fear. They determined to resist these German schoolboys to the last, and armed themselves to fight their foe.

When the German vessels finally made their appearance, and the Haitians saw for themselves that these so-called schoolships seemed to have just as many seamen and murderous-looking guns as the ordinary man-of-war, their courage oozed out at their finger-tips.

Before the ships came in sight, they had paraded the city, crying "Down with the Government!" in their fear that President Simon Sam might submit.

Now, in face of the two cruisers, affairs took on a new complexion, and when they heard that the town would be bombarded if Germany's demands were not acceeded to within eight hours, the natives' only fear was that the President would not submit.

The foreign residents did not feel any more cheerful than the Haitians.

The members of the French colony took refuge on the French ships in the harbor; the Germans hurried on board their own vessels; the English sought shelter on their trading steamers; and the Americans, having no vessels in the harbor, went to the house of the minister, carrying with them the most valuable of their possessions.

President Simon Sam determined to resist as long as he dared. He sent a request to the commander of the German vessels, for more time to consider.

The German commander refused, and one of the "schoolships" cleared its decks for action, and took up a position close to the Haitian war-vessels.

Clearing the decks for action means that everything possible is removed from the deck, and a clear space left for the sailors to work the ship in.

The Haitians then became convinced that Germany would not be trifled with, and the Government decided to yield.

President Simon Sam had feared that if he yielded too easily, the people would be infuriated with him, and try to put down his Government, so he held out until the cruiser was actually threatening the town, and then submitted. The money demanded by Germany as damages for Lueders, $30,000 in all, was sent on board the German vessel.

The President at the same time issued a notice to the people of Haiti, telling them he had been compelled to yield the rights of Haiti to the superior force of Germany.

The Haitians, besides sending the money, saluted the German flag, and sent a letter of apology to Germany.

Had the Haitians held out, and allowed the Germans to bombard their city, the United States would have been bound to interfere. It is said that the officials of our Government are very glad that the difficulty has been settled without our being forced to take part in it.

Germany seems to be in great luck at this moment.

It is reported that China, not being strong enough to fight the Germans, and drive them out of her country, has decided to give up Kiao-Chou to them.

This rumor has not as yet been confirmed, and it seems hardly to be believed, when we take into consideration the fact that only a week ago the Chinese Emperor said he would rather give up his crown than yield to the enormous demands of Germany.

The day after this announcement was made, two hundred German marines and sailors entered the city of Kiao-Chou, which is eighteen miles from the Bay, and took possession of it.

The Chinese forts protecting the town opened fire on the Germans; but when the invaders replied with their splendid modern guns, the Chinese retreated, and the Germans took possession of the city without further trouble.

Several German sailors were injured by stones, flung at them by the inhabitants of the villages through which they marched; but beyond that they suffered no loss, and their second victory, the taking of the city, was as easy as their first, when they captured the forts protecting Kiao-Chou Bay.

Whether the reports that China has given up Kiao-Chou be true or false, it is certain that Germany has no intention of letting the prize she holds slip through her fingers.

She has just sent out a reinforcement of twelve hundred marines and two hundred artillerymen, under the command of the Emperor's brother, Prince Henry of Prussia.

Marines are soldiers who form a part of the equipment of war-vessels.

They have none of the sailors' duties, and do not handle the ships, but are sea troops, so to speak, who fight on shipboard, or are landed to attack a town, as in the case of Kiao-Chou.

They are a very useful body of men; but being neither soldiers nor sailors, according to the recognized idea of the terms, they are looked down upon by both soldiers and jack tars. In England it is a common saying that a marine is "neither fish, flesh, fowl, nor good red herring."

It is stated that the principal reason for the seizure of Kiao-Chou Bay was that Germany desired to have her share of the China trade. Finding that China was indifferent to her wishes, she determined to seize upon a portion of Chinese soil, and put herself in a position to force the Asiatic kingdom to listen to her demands and obey them.

A later telegram from China says that Germany has agreed to give up Kiao-Chou Bay for a coaling-station at Sam-Sah, which is on the coast of China, facing Formosa, the island Japan secured from China in the late war.

This report is also as yet unconfirmed, and so we must wait until next week to know which is the correct one.

From the latest Cuban news, it would seem that the insurgents are gaining a good many victories.

The leader of the Spanish forces, General Pando, was met by the Cubans in a heavy engagement in Santa Clara province. The first reports that reached us were that the Cubans had won the victory, and General Pando had been killed.

This report was denied by the Spaniards, but nevertheless no news has been received from this leader since the engagement.

The Spanish authorities are awaiting information with the deepest anxiety. The idea is growing daily stronger that some disaster must have overtaken him, and that he has been cut off from communication with Havana; otherwise no one can account for the fact that no news of any kind has been received from him.

In addition to this, the towns of Guisa and Canto el Embarcadero have been captured by the Cubans. A force of Spanish guerillas, fifty strong, have gone over to the insurgents, carrying with them arms, ammunition, and a large sum of money. Gomez is busy in Santa Clara, organizing his forces to make a strong stand against the Spanish troops.