Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 July 1895 — FOREIGN. [ARTICLE]

FOREIGN.

The Corrcll crew won its first heat in the race for the Grahd Challenge cup at Henley-on-Thames without being forced to show what it could do. The Leander crew, the present holders of the cup, were not ready when the umpire gave the word and did not start. Their fluke gave the American boys the heat without a struggle. Yellow fever is increasing alarmingly in the West Indies. The week ?ndi'ng June 29 recorded twenty-eight deaths in Santiago, while there is an average of five deaths daily at Puerto Principe, a city of 45,000 persons. There are 100 eases in the military hospital at San Juan, Island of Porto Rico, and the disease is rapidly increasing. Havana advices say: Gen. Gasco has had a three days’ fightwith the insurgents in the Sierra Maestra. The insurgents lost a great many killed and the troops captured a quantity of arms, ammunition and horses. No further details of the fighting have been yet received. Gen. Navarro is pursuing the insurgents under Garzon, recently defeated near Minas Daiquiri, province of Santiago de Cuba. After being driven from that place the rebels occupied positions at Alto Vill.alon atid later at Matayeguas, from which place they retreated before the advance of the troops with heavy loss. Peru has answered Bolivia’s ultimatum. refusing to accede to the latter’s demand for satisfaction. Bolivia’s .Minis-, ter to Peru is said to have asked for his passports. The ultimatum which Bolivia has presented to Peru demanding an answer within twenty-four hours, was based on an alleged insult to the Bolivians by the Peruvians during the latter’s war with Chile, in which, it is said, Peru “violated” Bolivian territory. As a matter of fact, however, Bolivia is ambitious to possess a strip of coast on the Pacific, as it did years ago. It believes, if it can provoke a war with Peru, it may with the aid of Ecuador, repossess itself of the Provinces of Taena and Arica. War will doubtless be declared at once. It may eventually involve Chile, Argentine anil Brazil.

It is the belief among officials in Washington that Japan will use a large part of the war indemnity which China is to pay her for the purpose of materially increasing her navy. The financial resources of Japan will be very abundant during the coming year, as she will receive over $100,000,000 before next May and thereafter about $20,000,000 a year for five years. This will be drawn entirely from China and will be in addition to Japan’s usual receipts from customs and internal revenues. The customs receipts promise to be very large, as the new treaties which Japan lias effected with leading nations will bring about a readjustment of tariff duties, so that much greater returns Will be realized. It >s owing to the assurance of an ample treasury that American ship-building firms have turned their attention toward Japan. The stringent relations of Germany regarding the importation into that country of American oroduets have again been brought to tbe Attention of the Agricultural Department in n report by European Agent John Mattos, Jr., on American evaporated or dried fruits in the German empire. Shippers of these fruits are given warning of the severe restrictions

imposed by Germany, which the department views as commercial rather than Hygienic, and merely intend ad to shut out American trade. The report cites a re-; cent court trial at Frankfort-on-the-Main to determine whether these dried apples' or “ring apples” were impure and injurious to'-public health and‘subject to seizure under the provisions of the pure food Taw. Government experts testified that they were sprinkled with a tinge of acetate of zinc to give them a bright color and more inviting appearance. Apples iso sprinkled, they claimed, brought on indigestion, dyspepsia, and in children vomiting and diarrhea. The American goods were ordered destroyed as unwholesome. The exporters are advised that if they wish to increase the trade with Germany, now assuming large proportions, they should be careful not to dry the fruit on zinc grates, but to use grates made of canes. The department officials say they are confident That if any zinc is introduced in the fruits the amqpnt is infinitely small and cannot be injurious. It is denied that the" practice exists here of drying fruit on zinc plates, as claimed by Germany, and the warnihg to discontinue The galvanized iron trays jsed for drying is' intended to do away with the possibility of' introducing the zinc, and thus giving opportunity for foreign criticism on that score.