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THE GREAT ROUND WORLD

AND WHAT IS GOING ON IN IT

    SUBSCRIPTION PRICE. APRIL 1, 1897  Vol. 1. NO. 21
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[Illustration: THE GREAT ROUND
WORLD
And WHAT IS GOING ON IN IT.]

    VOL. 1   APRIL 1, 1897.   NO. 21


Greece is certainly the most daring little kingdom!

Far from being alarmed by the message sent her from the Powers, she has
replied that it is impossible for her to withdraw her troops from Crete.
She states that her object in sending them there was to restore peace, and
as serious troubles still exist in the island, she cannot comply with the
request of the Powers.

In the reply, she further states that she cannot consent to Home Rule for
Crete under the direction of Turkey, but is willing to leave it to the
Cretans themselves to decide under the rule of what monarch they wish to
be.

The Powers are surprised and angry that Greece should dare to disagree
with them; but the reply has been written in such a careful manner that it
is not an open defiance of their wishes. They cannot therefore send the
second note of which we spoke in our last number, but have had to call for
a fresh discussion of the matter.

The general idea is that the reply of Greece is very clever, and that it
may be the means of preventing a war, because it is so reasonable in its
tone that Europe cannot find in it an excuse for getting angry enough to
declare war.

The reply of Greece opens a way for further discussion, which may lead to
a settlement.

There is a good deal of sly diplomacy under this soft answer.

The great combination which is called the Powers, consists of six nations:
Germany, France, Italy, Russia, Austria, and Great Britain. It is
necessary for these six nations to agree before any action can be taken by
them. As a matter of fact, they are very far from agreeing. Greece, it
seems, is well aware of this, and relies on it to help her get her own way
in the end.

To begin with, France has sent word that she cannot possibly take part in
any severe measures against Greece, while public opinion remains as it is
in France. She would be glad to act with the Powers, but dares not do so
in the face of the opposition of the French Parliament.

England would gladly take the same stand. She is, however, unable to do
so, because the rest of the Powers are now suspecting her of having
stirred up the Cretan trouble, and so she has to appear severe to show
that she is in earnest in trying to prevent war between Greece and Turkey.
It is known that she is unwilling to support Turkey against Greece, and
that the Queen is taking an active part in the Greek question, and
restraining her ministers from taking severe measures with Greece.

On the other hand, it is reported that the German Emperor only joined the
rest of the nations on the understanding that his advice should be
followed. He suggested that the Powers should first blockade the Piræus,
which is the great port of Greece, at the head of which lies the city of
Athens. Having arranged the blockade, the Powers were then to send a final
message to Greece, ordering her to withdraw from Crete, and if she
refused, were to proceed to bombard Athens.

This gentle advice not being followed, the German Emperor became highly
insulted, threatened to withdraw from the alliance, declared himself no
longer in sympathy with it, and had to be coaxed and flattered till he
grew amiable again.

Russia is openly in favor of Turkey, and is indignant with Greece for her
warlike attitude, and that she should refuse Home Rule for Crete unless it
is under the guidance of a Greek prince.

It is quite certain that Greece knew all about these disagreements when
she sent her reply, and was fully aware that her refusal would throw the
Powers into the greatest confusion.

Little country though she is, Greece has the best of the argument.

If Europe decides to drive Greece out of Crete, she will have a great deal
of trouble in doing so. Not only has Greece a large force of troops in
Crete who are well provisioned, and able to remain some time without
further supplies, but the whole Christian population of the island is on
the side of Greece and will fight with her.

If the Powers attack her, and try to drive her out of Crete, she will at
once attack Turkey on the mainland, and with the help of Servia, Bulgaria,
and what are known as the Balkan States (from the Balkan Mountains which
run through them) will try her best to destroy the disreputable Turkish
monarchy in Europe.

The preparations for war are going steadily on. Greece has summoned all
her army reserves, and ordered them to rejoin their regiments. All the men
are answering willingly to the call.

The army reserve is that part of the military force of a country which is
not made a portion of the regular standing army. For instance, our States
Militia, or National Guard, is an army reserve. The men belonging to it
can follow other professions, and need not be soldiers all the time; but
they learn how to be soldiers, and can be called on by the government
whenever soldiers are needed.

Our standing army is very small. We have only about thirty thousand men in
it; but our National Guard, the reserves that would be called out in case
of war, number over ten millions.

In Greece there is a penalty of $200 for any man belonging to the reserve
who does not answer the call of the country, and, moreover, neither
distance nor citizenship in another country excuses him. If he does not
answer the call, he will be arrested and imprisoned whenever he sets foot
again in Greece.

The United States Consul-General from Greece has been notified to call for
all the Greeks in this country. They have answered willingly, and are
arranging their affairs so that they may be ready to leave the moment war
is declared. They are endeavoring to charter a ship to take them back.
Over a thousand of the Greeks in this country answered the call the first
day it was made.

It seems almost sure that war between Turkey and Greece must come, and to
this end Greece is hurrying troops, arms, and provisions to the Turkish
frontier, every available steamship being chartered to aid in the work.

A number of the warships of Great Britain and the other Powers have
appeared near the Piræus, and it seems likely that some sort of a blockade
may be maintained.

In Crete itself, fighting is still going on. The allied Powers are making
a very determined effort to subdue the Greeks.

The Italians have forcibly put the Greek consul out of Canea. They took
him into custody, and put him on board a Greek war-vessel, with a warning
against trying to re-enter Canea.

The correspondents of the Greek papers have also been ordered to leave the
city, and they, too, will be forced to leave, if they do not go quietly.

The British went to the town of Selino, which was being besieged by the
Cretans, forced the insurgents to desist, and rescued the Moslems who were
besieged, bringing them away from Selino under a strong escort of British
soldiers.

The Cretans were so enraged at the rescue, that in spite of the fact that
they had promised the British commander that they would allow the Moslems
in Selino to go free, they gathered at the gates and waited for the
Moslems to come out, dashed through the soldiers who were guarding them,
and tried to wound and rob them.

A Russian warship made a cruise round the island a few days ago, and
brought back word to the allies at Canea that fighting was going on near
all the coast towns, and that the whole island seemed ablaze with war.

Colonel Vassos has received orders from the King of Greece that he is to
hold all the positions in the island now occupied by Greek troops, and to
resist all attempts on the part of Turkey or the Powers to dislodge him.

A report from Crete states that there has been trouble between Germany and
Greece.

A German vessel, the _Kaiserin Augusta_, ordered a Greek vessel, the
_Hydra_, to come to a standstill, and fired a blank shot at her to make
her obey. The _Hydra_ immediately replied by firing a whole broadside at
the German vessel, and went on her way.

This report has not been fully verified, so after all it may not be true.

       *       *       *       *       *

Turkey, in the mean while, is following her usual method of saying nothing
at all, simply waiting to see what happens.

The various Sultans who have been ruling Turkey ever since the affairs of
that country first began to scandalize Europe, have always maintained this
same attitude, in the hope that the Powers which insisted on interfering
in the affairs of Turkey might at last get into a serious quarrel among
themselves, and so be obliged to leave Turkey alone.

The Turkish troubles have been going on for years and years. The Armenian
massacres, and the misrule in Crete, are only the last two of a long
series of crimes which have made Turkey the horror and the despair of
Europe.

If the various Powers could only have agreed how to divide up the Turkish
Empire between them, the Sultan would have been expelled from Europe long
ago. But they never have agreed, and so the Sultan of Turkey has kept his
throne.

The Powers sent a note to Turkey at the same time that the one was
despatched to Greece, telling him that they wished Crete to have Home Rule
under the control of a Turkish prince.

The Sultan's reply was most amiable; he agreed to the wishes of the Powers
so willingly, that it is said that he is glad to have an opportunity of
ridding himself of Crete, which has long been an annoyance and expense to
his Empire.

At the same time he, too, is massing troops on the frontier, ready to fly
at the Greeks the moment war is declared.

       *       *       *       *       *

Affairs in Cuba are beginning to look a little brighter for the Cubans,
but very dark and dismal for Spain.

The last news from Madrid says that a Carlist rising is feared, and that
Spain dares not send any more of her soldiers out of the country to help
in the Cuban war. Her money is also exhausted. The enormous sums that were
raised last year have been spent, and she has no means of raising any
fresh loans. If she can send neither money nor men to further the Cuban
war, it is likely that the Cubans will soon be victorious, for General
Weyler says that he has not enough men to pacify the island; the funds are
so low, that the Spanish soldiers can neither be paid nor fed properly
and are deserting to the Cuban ranks from sheer want.

The Carlist rising, that is so much feared, concerns the pretensions of a
certain Don Carlos to the throne of Spain.

From the time of Philip V., in 1713, the succession to the Spanish throne
had been according to the Salic law, from father to son; or to the nearest
male relative.

The Salic law is a very old law, which provides that no woman can inherit
lands, or occupy the throne. According to this law, if a king dies leaving
several daughters, but no son, the throne passes away from the daughters,
and goes to the nearest male relative, be he nephew, uncle, or cousin.

In 1829 Ferdinand III. of Spain, having no sons, rendered the Salic law of
no effect in Spain by a decree granting the right of succession to the
daughters and granddaughters of the king.

When Ferdinand died in 1833, his daughter Isabella Maria II. was declared
queen, and the brother of Ferdinand, who under the old law should have
been king, was passed over. This brother was named Don Carlos.

Don Carlos refused to recognize his brother's decree, and declared himself
King of Spain. Many of the nobles, who did not like the idea of being
ruled by a woman, flocked to his standard, and war was declared against
the party of the Queen by the people of Don Carlos' party, or Carlists, as
they were called.

For six years a cruel civil war raged, then Don Carlos was forced to give
in. This first war was from 1833 to 1839.

In 1860 Don Carlos II., the son of Don Carlos I. (Ferdinand's brother),
declared himself King of Spain, and headed a new Carlist rising, which was
again unsuccessful.

There have been several unsuccessful uprisings since then.

From 1873 to 1876 Don Carlos III. headed a rising which bid fair to be
successful.

Don Carlos III. is the direct descendant of Don Carlos I., and is the
present pretender to the Spanish throne, to which, according to the Salic
law, he is the rightful heir.

In January, 1876, he was forced to give up the fight, and nothing more has
been heard of him till the present time.

There have been murmurs of new Carlist risings, but no actual trouble has
been feared.

Now, with the whole country enraged and dissatisfied at the mismanagement
of the wars both in Cuba and the Philippines, Don Carlos is once more
gathering his followers together.

He has agents working for his cause in Cuba, as well as in Spain.

In the Spanish army, there are at the present time a number of officers
who fought for Don Carlos in the last war.

These men were pardoned by the King of Spain when the Carlist revolt was
subdued, and were allowed to enter the Spanish army. They have always been
looked upon with suspicion, and have not risen to power, or grown rich,
like the other officers.

They are of course not very well satisfied with the present state of
things, and are very willing to listen to Don Carlos' agents, who promise
them promotion and fortune if they will once more return his standard.

The rising is planned for an early date.

While this is enough to harass the government, it is not all. There is
another party in Spain, which it is feared will rise up and fight both the
Carlists and the government. This party is called the Republican party,
and it is thought to be the strongest of the three.

Both Carlists and Republicans are using the mismanagement of the Cuban war
as a means of turning the people against the government, and indeed the
Spanish people are so disgusted with the waste of money and life, that
they are ready to revolt against their rulers. A change in the government
is almost sure to come, and the Carlists and Republicans are both trying
to become the new power that is to get in when the old is overthrown.

For these very good reasons the government has told General Weyler that
neither men nor money can be sent to him.

It seems that what money he has in hand will be used up by May 1st, and
then no one knows what will be done.

There is a general idea that while Spain will never withdraw her troops
from Cuba, and allow that she is beaten, she will quietly drop the war,
sending no more men or money to help carry it on, and leaving the
Spaniards who are in Cuba to shift for themselves.

The poverty of the Spanish soldiers is something pitiable. They are sick,
hungry, and only half clothed. The medicines have given out and there is
no money to buy any more, and so the poor fellows have to suffer without
proper medical care.

Then, too, the smallpox has broken out, the government has no means of
checking it, and it is steadily gaining ground, until the people are dying
like sheep.

What pay is left for the poor soldier lads, after the officers have got
through stealing it, is paid to them in the paper money Weyler tried to
force on Cuba. (You can read about it in No. 2 of THE GREAT ROUND
WORLD.) This money is utterly worthless; none of the Cuban merchants
will take it, and yet it is given to the poor soldiers, and they are told
to go and buy what they want, Weyler well knowing that they cannot
purchase even postage-stamps with it.

The disheartened, starving soldiers are falling back before the Cubans,
and victory after victory is reported for the insurgent side.

Havana has been attacked! The insurgents actually passed through the
suburbs, and reached Havana itself. They ransacked stores, put the whole
population in a panic, but after a fierce fight of two hours were at last
obliged to retire.

Weyler did his best to keep this news from the people, but, before his
plans were fully made, the Cubans made a fresh attack on another suburb of
the city, endeavoring to seize a large quantity of provisions and arms
that were stored there.

This time they again loaded themselves with plunder, but failed to get the
rich prize they had gone for.

A part of the same force which attacked Havana descended on the town of
Guines, also in Havana Province, and about thirty-five miles from the
capital. After a few hours' struggle they succeeded in forcing the
Spanish soldiers to take shelter in a church, and then they ransacked the
town, and took $10,000 in gold from the government safe.

Bejugad, another important town in the same province, was also attacked by
the Cubans, and with equal success.

It looks as if one great effort would win for Cuba the freedom for which
she has worked so faithfully.

       *       *       *       *       *

The widow of the Dr. Ruiz who was reported to have been murdered in the
Cuban prison has arrived in this country.

She has gone to Washington, and has laid her sad story before the
government, and asked for help.

It seems that Mrs. Ruiz has some evidence which proves that the Spaniards
were ill-using Dr. Ruiz. The evidence came to her in a most curious way.

As we have mentioned before, the Spaniards do not put either beds or
benches in their prisons. Their captives must either stand, or lie down on
the filthy floors, among dirt and vermin.

Mrs. Ruiz went to the authorities when her husband was arrested, and asked
permission to send him a bed and some chairs.

She was refused. But she still persisted. After many prayers and
entreaties, she was finally allowed to send him a chair.

When it was returned to her after his death, she found scratched in the
varnish under the seat a message from her lost husband.

In this message were the words, "They are killing me!"

The poor unhappy woman and her five helpless children have brought this
message from the dead, and hope, with its aid, to convince this government
of the wrongs she has suffered, and make them demand from Spain money to
take care of her helpless family.

[Illustration: Mrs. Ruiz is received by the President while her children
play on the White House grounds]

       *       *       *       *       *

The election of Mr. McKinley has brought the filibustering parties no
better luck.

It is said that much greater care is to be taken to prevent any such
parties from leaving our shores.

The _Texas_ has been ordered to join the _Montgomery_ off Florida, to
watch for filibusters, and the President seems determined to maintain a
strict neutrality.

       *       *       *       *       *

Matters in the Philippines look just about as gloomy as they do in Cuba,
from the Spanish point of view.

The same story of badly paid and starving soldiers comes from Manila that
we got from Cuba, the same distress from fever and disease.

The general in command is asking Spain for money and men, just as Weyler
is asking. He says he cannot conquer the rebels without a larger force.

With great reluctance Spain is sending a small force out, but it is
understood that she can send no more men, and no money.

The insurgents are gaining ground, and are said to fight with great
steadiness and bravery.

       *       *       *       *       *

The only news from the Transvaal is that England has sent a very
determined message to President Krüger, demanding that he shall give the
English-speaking people in the Transvaal what they are pleased to call
their rights.

It is said that some of the British ministers feel sure that war with the
Transvaal must come before long, and that they are only too willing to
have it come as quickly as possible.

The ministers have decided that in the case of war being declared, a force
of twenty thousand men will be quite enough to send out from England to
conquer the country.

It is understood that President Krüger is kept informed of all that goes
on in England in regard to his country, and is quite undismayed at the
prospect of an invasion by the British.

       *       *       *       *       *

State Senator Lexow has made his report to the Legislature at Albany, as
to the Trusts which he investigated, and the people generally are not
satisfied with it.

Mr. Lexow declares that Trusts are dangerous things, that they kill
competition, help monopoly, dodge taxes, and make enormous profits.

Having said this, he declares himself powerless to prevent any of the
evils which he deplores. He thinks an amendment to the Constitution will
be the only real means of remedying the evil, because the Trusts manage
their business so cleverly that they avoid doing anything that breaks the
law so openly that they can be punished, while all the time they are
contriving to disobey and set the laws aside.

One member of his Committee was, however, of opinion that the Sugar Trust
had not been fairly dealt with. He presented a report of his own, in which
he tried to show that this Trust was of great benefit to the State.

A member of the Albany Legislature has, however, found out a way to stop
Trusts.

He has offered a bill making it a crime for a Trust to give any money,
property, or thing of value to help any political campaign, or to attempt
to bribe Congressmen to vote for its bills. The penalty for doing this
will be a very heavy fine and the breaking up of the Trust.

While we are on the subject of Trusts, we must mention a very interesting
case which came up the other day.

An action was brought by a workingman against the Knights of Labor,
sometimes called the Labor Trust.

The workingman, an engineer named Charles Curran, was employed by the
Miller Brewing Company in Rochester.

He was a clever workman, and had a steady job, and good wages.

One day the Knights of Labor called on him, told him that he must join
their society, pay the necessary fees, and allow himself to be guided in
future by their rules.

They told him that, if he refused, they would see that he was discharged,
and make it impossible for him to get further employment.

Curran did refuse, and the Knights of Labor went to his employers and
demanded that he be dismissed.

The Brewing Company had an agreement with the Knights of Labor to employ
only members of the association in its works. They dared not refuse the
request for fear of a strike being ordered, so they discharged Curran.

True to their threat, the Knights of Labor watched Curran, and prevented
him from getting work in the city of Rochester.

He finally was forced to go to another town, but he soon found that he was
a marked man. Word was sent from one branch of the Knights of Labor to
another to follow Curran, and prevent his getting work.

From being a prosperous, well-to-do man, he became very poor, and finally
suffered for food.

Then he went to the courts and asked for help.

His case has been before different judges for seven years, but at last it
has been decided in his favor.

The Court of Appeals, the highest court in the State, has decided that it
was not lawful for the brewers of Rochester to make a contract with the
Knights of Labor, agreeing only to employ members of the society in their
works. Further, that it was not lawful for this contract to be used as a
means of depriving a man of the opportunity to earn a living.

The Court ordered that Curran should be given money for the damage he had
sustained through the loss of his work, that the Knights of Labor should
pay him this money, and should besides pay all the expenses of the trial.

This Labor Trust has been one of the most dangerous of all the Trusts,
because the members of it have made it a practice to force every workman
to join it, or else treats them as it treated Curran.

Up to the present time men have been afraid to disobey the orders of the
Knights, but now that this very important case has been settled in favor
of a man who is not a member of the Trust, it is to be hoped that
workingmen will have the courage to seek the aid of the law against the
Labor Union, when it treats them unjustly.

       *       *       *       *       *

President McKinley has chosen the various gentlemen who are to be his
advisers for the next four years, and his Cabinet is now complete.

On Wednesday, March 5th, the day after his inauguration, President
McKinley sent word to the Senate that he had a message for it, and almost
immediately after word was brought that he had chosen the men whom he
would like to have for his Cabinet officers, and would be glad if the
Senate would confirm his appointments.

The names of the Cabinet officers are as follows:

Secretary of State, John Sherman.

Secretary of the Treasury, Lyman Gage.

Secretary of War, Gen. Russell A. Alger.

Attorney-General, Joseph McKenna.

Postmaster-General, James A. Gary.

Secretary of the Navy, John D. Long.

Secretary of the Interior, Cornelius N. Bliss.

Secretary of Agriculture, James Wilson.

The Senate confirmed the President's nominations, and the matter of the
Cabinet was settled.

       *       *       *       *       *

A very exciting account of a trip down a lumber flume comes from Pomona,
California.

It seems that in the lumber regions on the Pacific Coast, flumes are built
for the purpose of carrying the lumber from the camps in the mountains to
the sawmills in the valleys below.

These flumes are a kind of V-shaped trough, about three feet deep, and are
built on trestles after the manner of the elevated roads. The height of
the flume from the ground ranges from twenty to one hundred and twenty
feet, and they are fifty to sixty-five miles long.

The logs are floated down on water that is turned into the flume from the
mountain streams. The time taken to make the trip is from two to three
hours.

A party of three men was invited to go up to a lumber camp and take a
trip down into the valley by one of these flumes.

All three of them were accustomed to tobogganing, and thinking it would be
only a toboggan slide on a huge scale, they decided to go.

They spent the night at the lumber camp, and were roused up very early in
the morning, so that they might get down to their business in the valley
betimes. After a hearty breakfast, they wrapped themselves up as warmly as
they could, and prepared for their trip.

They had left warm weather in the valley, but here in the mountains the
snow lay thick, and it was bitter cold.

They shivered (not altogether with cold) when they caught sight of the
little boat that was to take them their fifty miles.

The boat was a very rough-looking thing, nailed together without much
care, and did not look over-strong.

However, as none of the three was willing to be the first man to give in,
they stepped into the little craft, and gripping the seats firmly, in
obedience to the orders of the lumbermen, were pushed off.

For the first few minutes their experience was something terrible. They
were going at such a frightful rate of speed that they could hardly catch
breath; they seemed to be falling down the side of the mountain, and every
moment the speed of their fall increased.

They flew past snowy mountains and ice-bound rivers, and had no time to
see anything.

Each man remembered all the dreadful stories he had heard about accidents
in flumes, and at every curve and turn expected to be dashed to pieces in
the cañon below.

So they sped onward, past rocks and cliffs, down, down, down, until they
flew out of the regions of snow and ice over hillsides clothed with
vineyards. Still down, past orchards, the trees in full bloom, down and
still down, until their fear had passed, and they were able to enjoy the
novelty of their position.

Suddenly a curve in the flume brought them into a wide stretch of water,
and they had reached their journey's end. The little boat, still propelled
by the force it had gathered in its journey down the mountainside, cut its
way through the water, and reached the wharf,--only two hours having been
taken for the trip.

It must have been a wonderful ride. What a clever and yet simple device
for bringing the lumber down from the mountains with so little trouble and
expense!

       *       *       *       *       *

Some people have been complaining that Mr. Theodore Roosevelt, the
President of the Board of Police, has been giving the men, who want to
join the force, such a severe examination that it is almost impossible for
half of them to answer the hard questions that are asked.

Mr. Roosevelt declares that it is necessary that policemen should be
intelligent men, and have some slight amount of education. He thinks they
ought to know a little about the history of this country, and of the laws
which they are called to uphold.

He says the questions were only such as a fairly bright child could answer
with ease, and that the men who cannot answer them have no business on the
force.

To prove the truth of this, he prints a few of the answers made by the
rejected policemen, and asks the people who complain to read them, and
then let him know whether they would like to have such ignorant men as
guardians of the law.

One question was: "Name five of the New England States."

One man wrote: "England, Ireland, Scotland, _Whales_, and Cork"; and
another, "London, Africa, and New England."

To the question: "On what instrument is the Government of the United
States founded?" one answer was:

"On paper."

"Into what three branches is the Government of the United States divided?"
puzzled them sorely.

"Republicans, Dimulcrats, and Popperlists," seemed the favorite answer.

"What is the highest department of the United States Courts?" also worried
them badly.

"The Fire Department," was written by several.

Others suggested, "Sir Pream's Court."

"Why July 4th and February 22d were made legal holidays?" was quite beyond
their understanding.

"The day on which George Washington landed and crossed the Delaware";

"The day on which the President takes his seat"; and

"July _Forth_ was the end of the _warre_," were three of the brilliant
suggestions.

I think we ought all of us to be very much obliged to Mr. Roosevelt for
preventing such ignorant men as these from being set in authority, and
having the difficult duties of the police to perform.

                                    GENIE H. ROSENFELD.





LETTERS FROM OUR YOUNG FRIENDS.


    DEAR EDITOR:

    I have been taking THE GREAT ROUND WORLD for two weeks,
    and think it fine.

    I thought I would ask you a few questions, as I knew you would
    be glad to answer them. Is England in favor of Turkey or Greece?
    and will United States ever help Cuba?

                            Yours respectfully,
                                         LEONARD O.
    SOMERVILLE, MASS.



DEAR LEONARD:

You have asked us the two questions that are puzzling the wisest heads of
Europe and America.

Europe wants to know what England will do, and with whom she is siding;
and all America wants to know whether we are going to help Cuba.

THE GREAT ROUND WORLD only claims to tell its readers what has
happened. The Editor does not profess to be a prophet, and able to
foretell events.

We are glad to answer any questions that we can, but you have given us two
difficult conundrums that we cannot solve. Better luck next time.

                                   THE EDITOR.




INVENTION AND DISCOVERY.


NEW ROAD TO ELECTRICITY.--A paper was read recently before the
New York Electrical Society on the subject of a new method of producing
electricity.

[Illustration]

The discoverer of this process is Mr. Willard E. Case. He has been working
for ten years on this subject, and recently showed the results of his
labors to the scientific men assembled to hear him.

Mr. Case claims that his discovery, when it is worked out to its
conclusion, will mean a new motor or driving force to do the world's work,
in place of steam, and he insists that the new force will be much cheaper
than any now in use.

Mr. Case has found a means of generating electricity without the use of
heat. It has long been known that there was a terrible waste of electrical
energy through the use of heat. The method of producing it by galvanic
batteries was impossible for large electric plants, because the zinc that
had to be used was too expensive.

The great point of Mr. Case's discovery lies in the fact that he has
succeeded in doing with carbon, and without heat, what the galvanic
battery does with zinc.

He is very modest about his invention, and says that at the present moment
it has no practical value whatever; but that to scientists a way has been
opened which will lead them into a new field of thought; and that, when
his discovery has been worked out, and applied to practical methods,
tremendous results will be achieved.

       *       *       *       *       *

A BIG PYTHON.--A story comes from St. Augustine, Fla., of the
capture of a huge python by Walter Ralston, a young man who was employed
in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

Some weeks ago a story was told of the wreck of a ship carrying a circus,
and that the big python had escaped, and was in Rock Key, off the Florida
coast.

Mr. Ralston determined to go and catch the horrid reptile, so he went down
to Florida and tried to secure guides.

He had great difficulty in doing so, for the whole country was in terror
of the snake, and no one wanted to take the risk of hunting him.

At last Mr. Ralston found men, and landed at the Key.

They found the snake coiled up on the body of a small doe he had caught.
The Indians immediately ran away. But Mr. Ralston was not in the least
afraid, and, boldly approaching, tried to put a bag over the python's
head.

[Illustration]

The reptile avoided the bag, and struck at him, catching its fangs in his
coat, and in a moment had twisted its tail around him, and was crushing
him to death in its horrid folds.

He shouted for help, but the Indians were at first too scared to come to
his aid. At last one ventured near, and laid hold of the serpent's tail;
and the others helping, they succeeded in unwinding the reptile and
getting Mr. Ralston out of its clutches. He was more dead than alive, but
even then would not give up the chase. As soon as he was sufficiently
recovered they started after the python once more. And two of the Indians
managing to engage the creature's attention, Mr. Ralston slipped the bag
over its head, and it was caught.

It struggled desperately for a long time, frightening the whole party
nearly out of their wits lest it should get away. But at last they had it
safe; and binding it tightly they carried it off.

                                                      G.H.R.




BOOK REVIEWS.


Charles Scribner's Sons, Fifth Avenue, New York, have sent us one of the
most fascinating books to write to THE GREAT ROUND WORLD boys
about.

_Dan Beard's American Boy's Book of Sport._

No one but a boy could have written such a tip-top boy's book. Dan Beard
is a boy, and has been a boy for thirty or more years, and always will be
a boy even if he lives twice thirty years more. In this book of his he has
put a host of good things that we boys need every day.

Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter games; how to play marbles; make and
fly kites; make a boat, and sail it, too; how to fish, skate, shoot, and
swim, and hundreds of other things are in this book of books--and all are
told as only a boy can tell boys.

It is not filled with impossible games that you never wish to play,
impossible kites that you cannot fly, boats that you cannot row or sail,
ways of swimming that you cannot learn to swim, or kinds of fishing that
you cannot fish, but is just filled cram full, from cover to cover, with
just what you will wish to know if you want to keep on being noble,
strong, manly boys.

We cannot say all that we would wish to in this short space, but you can
find out all about it by writing to Mr. Moffat, care of Charles Scribner's
Sons. Ask him for a full catalogue. This will be sent free to any reader
of the GREAT ROUND WORLD.

       *       *       *       *       *




=THE FAMOUS

"X RAY" PICTURES=


Copies of the very interesting Röntgen or "X Ray" photographs can be
obtained now from _The Great Round World_.

These famous photographs are mounted on cards, size 11 x 14 inches, and
are from selected negatives made by

    PROF. M.I. PUPIN, of Columbia University, New York,

    DR. A.W. GOODSPEED, of University of Pennsylvania, and

    DR. W.F. MAGIE, of Princeton College.

A selection of 39 different subjects is offered.

       *       *       *       *       *

=PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH, (to yearly subscribers of _The Great Round World_,
40 cents net).=

       *       *       *       *       *

Address all orders to THE GREAT ROUND WORLD, or

    =William Beverley Harison
    3 & 5 West 18th Street      New York City=

       *       *       *       *       *





Great Round World Polisher

    =Will take rust off your wheel, will polish your skates, your
    gun, your fishing-reel--any and every polished metal surface can
    be kept clean with it. .. .. .. .. .. ..=

       *       *       *       *       *

It will polish knives--can be used as a knife sharpener. Put up in small
packages convenient to carry in your bicycle tool-bag; full directions
with each package.

=BEWARE OF IMITATIONS. THIS POLISHER IS FULLY WARRANTED BY "THE GREAT
ROUND WORLD."= If it does not do all that we say, and a great deal more,
we will refund amount paid at any time. =CHEAP AND DURABLE=--will remain
good until last morsel is used up. =NON-POISONOUS!!=

Every boy or girl, man or woman, can use it safely.

       *       *       *       *       *

=Price, 25 cents (13 two-cent stamps), postage paid to any address.=

       *       *       *       *       *

=CAN BE OBTAINED BY ALL FIRST-CLASS DEALERS.=

       *       *       *       *       *

    WILLIAM BEVERLEY HARISON,
    5 West 18th Street, New York City.

       *       *       *       *       *

=EVERY PACKAGE BEARS THIS NAME.=

       *       *       *       *       *



NOTICE.

Booksellers and Newsdealers

will furnish at price advertised any book named in GREAT ROUND
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    =WILLIAM BEVERLEY HARISON, 3 & 5 W. 18th Street,
    NEW YORK CITY.=