Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 December 1897 — FOREIGN. [ARTICLE]

FOREIGN.

The Due d’Orleans has resigned the position of Orleans representative in France. Sir Frank Lockwood, liberal member of the British Parliament for York City since 1885, is dead. He was 52 years old. It is understood that the preliminary inquiry at Paris into the charges made against Count Ferdinand Walsin Ester-

hazy has resulted in his committal for trial by court martial. ( r Christiania advices say that the political situation, since the failure of the united committee on foreign affairs, has become critical, and it is feared that Sweden will seek an occasion for armed intervention in Norway. The dispatch adds that the Swedish press hopes for assistance from Emperor William. A special dispatch from Shanghai asserts that China will acquiesce in Germany’s retention of Kiao-Chou. Russia and France are irritated at Germany’s precipitancy in thus prematurely disclosing her plans to England and Japan in a manner likely, says the dispatch, to defeat the objects in view. It appears that when the United States ship Bancroft arrived at Smyrna the night of Dec. 4 fche was greeted with a blank cannon shot and rifled bullets from the fort of Yenikale. A boat from the warship sent shoreward to ask for explanations was fired upon and compelled to return. Thereupon the American admiral lodged a protest with the United States minister at Constantinople, Dr. James B. Angell, who demanded the punishment of the guilty parties and ah apology from the Turkish Government, which was given a week ago. In addition, two Turkish officers were dismissed and sentenced to a week’s arrest. The Navy Department at Washington received news that the United States steamer Bancroft had been fired on at Smyrna, but the cable message was much briefer and less newsy than the Associated Press dispatches, in the light of which comparatively little importance is attached to the incident.