Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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. t fiat place to a (tallng of Britain It U Intar- t a baatjr glance at the oauaa all the trouble and brleflj rerlow the omtdlMB— which bare lad up to It. It la not a tear large tract of country that Bngland want*, bat it la very yalu- Tbera are miner there—gold TO 1 nee I the gUUar Bf the precious metal has >t particularly i of the Sganlafa American i In her dieputea with adjacent na- tag Inker frequent reyolutloni, ^ ** upholding the i of President James Monroe, who the part of “to extend their aye- tam to any portion of this hetnlapbera’* would be regard ml by the United States “ae dangerous to oar peace and mfety” and would ha apposed accordingly. Greet Britain has for years had a foot- held In Sooth America, gained when she early ae 1888, therefore, the United took firm ground on proposition that the between Venesuala Britain wee “one of historical capable of determination only by arbitration according to the evidence, view found positive repetition In the "eneanelen resolution of the lest unanimously, which (le thal the controversy ‘ tdrns axelu- npon simple and readily ascertain able historical tecta*’ of last duly la, above ell other considera tions, an emphatic reaffirmation of a thor oughly established policy of state. It le also a decided extension of that policy, In that It In terms Invokes the Monroe doc trine ee applicable to the matter. The . entire practical situation may be suit mod np briefly as follows: Oar government completely refuses to reoogulze that forcible occupation gives Greet Britain any title to territory olalmed by Venesuela, whether west or east of the arbitrary Sohomburgk line, and luslets that the legitimate ownership of the terri tory, ‘‘in Its entirety, ’’ can be decided only by arbitration on the basis of “historical All considerations of historical fact In the Venosuelen controversy hinge upon one simple question, What were, respec tively, the geographical limits of the Veno- suelan republic when It declared its inde pendence of Spain in 1810 and of British Guiana when Bngland acquired that col ony by tnmty from Holland In 1814? Then la no other question Involved, for Ku gland has not since 1814 added one toot Of territory to her original British Guiana MAP SHOWING THE DISPUTED TERRITOUY. compelled the Dutch to cede her a portion of Guiana. This colony is known as Brlt- Mh Guiana. It adjoins Venesuela on the south. The boundary line of this province has long been In dispute. The British have occupied the disputed territory, and British miners and colonisers have seized on the fertile fields and gold mines there. Falling to get any satisfaction from Bngland after various requests to vacate the territory, Venesuela appealed to the United States. For several years our only reply to this appeal was In the form of mild suggestions to Bngland. These sug gestions bad little effect. A little stronger stand was taken In our next communication ou the subject. Eng land wee asked to submit the question of the boundary dispute to arbitration. Lord Salisbury's recent answer to this was that Great Britain had nothing to arbitrate. President Cleveland’s message to con gress, which has caused all the war talk, proposes that a commission be appointed to aettle the question. Then, If England 1s found to be encroaching on Venezuelan territory, she will either have to give up and get out or fight, provided Uncle Sam does noedback down, and there Is not much danger of his doing that. The whole question, according to the American view of it, is one of boundary lines, and to settle it the commission will have to turn back several pages of history arid search many musty records. Paiely a Territorial Controversy. The dispute turns wholly upon the strong demand made by oar government that the territorial controversy "In Its en tirety’’ shall be submitted to Impartial ar bitration. The outline which the presi dent gives in bis annual message of Secre tary Olney'i July dispatch to Embassador Bayard says with great formality that our government Insists on arbitration as to the whole of the territory, and In the most significant words England's assumption that a portion of the territory already be longs to her, and therefore cannot be put to the riak of arbitration, la utterly re jected. In the language of the message, “the resort to such arbitration should include the whole controversy and Is not satisfied If one of the powers concerned Is permitted to draw an arbitrary line through the ter ritory In debate and to declare that (t will submit to arbitration only the portion ly ing on one side of It’’ The "arbitrary line’’ referred to In the president’s massage la the famous Schom- burgk line, beginning at the mouth of the Orinoco river and punning an Irregular course southward to the Brazilian frontier. This is the line that Lord Balisbnry now insists upon as the extreme possible bound ary of the ' enesuelan republic, and he refuses absolutely to snbmlt to arbitration any of the territory east of It. As a matter of foot, Bngland Is now and lias been for more than ten yean In full control of all toe country east of the Sohomburgk. But Venaouela asserts that throughout that region, extending aa far as the Essequlho river, the B.'.tish an mue usurpers, and the United States substantially Indorses the an-tlnn by refusing to sanction Brtt- lah occupation there unless the English title am ha satahllahed by impartial arbi- featfan. To fully understand the significance of aur government’s position respecting the merits of tbeease and its support of Vene- suela’s demand tar arbitration of the terri torial question “in Its entirety’’ It la nec essary to go book tor a period of about nine 7 ears. On Mi. 17, 1888, Mr. Bayard, then mo- notary of state, ad dress id to Minister i la London a long oommunioailon _ i aeta of British aggression In Vaoenwlan territory. Inttbeaeid: ' "The government.of the United States has Wthmtfi taken aa earnest and friendly Intmast la the question of boundaries so Mag la dhpute between Great Britain and Vaasauala, and, m far aa Its disinterested ■ has advocated Wo have followed l that the is- fact, eminently f arbitratian, and of each party twbleh would, colony by any process wmon can come within the cognizance of the laws of na tions. From 1814 to 1841 England never Inti mated In the slightest manner that she deemed herself entitled to any Important portion of the Atlantic coast west of the Essequlho river. Most Interesting and valuable evidence Is afforded by a long note written on May 90. 1830, by Sir Rob ert Ker Porter, British charge d'affaires at Caracas, to the Venesuelan authorities, petitioning them with great earnestness to erect a lighthouse at Point Barlma and otherwise provide for safer navigation at the grand mouth of the Orinoco. Mr. Porter thus oonqeded that Point Barlma and the Orinoco mouth were exclusively within the jurisdiction of the Venezuelan government, and the British foreign office never took occasion to repudiate his action In that matter until some 60 years later, after It had become the fixed policy of the London cabinet to hold Point Barlma and the mouth of the Orinoco by foroe of arms and without admitting arbitration. Origin of th. Sohomburgk Liao. The Sohomburgk line, with its Initial point at the center of the Orinoco mouth, was traced In 1841 by Sir Robert Seboui- burgk, an English engineer. In surveying It be acted entirely In the Interests of the British government and without the con sent or even the knowledge of Venezuela. Great excitement was occasioned In the re public when It became known what Scbomburgk had done, and that he had set up posts to indicate British dominion. A prompt remonstrance was made, and lord Aberdeen, who was then prime min ister of England, answered, om Deo. 11, 1841, that the marks placed by Mr. Sohom burgk at some points of the country which be had surveyed were simply a preliminary step, subject to future discussion between the two governments; that they were the only tangible means-of preparing to dis cuss the question of limits with the gov ernment of Venexnela; that they were placed with that express object and not, as the government of Venesuela seemed to fear It, with the Intention of Indicating dominion or empire on the part of Great Britain. Soon afterward Lord Aberdeen ordered that all of Sobomburgk’s pasta should be removed. Three years later (1844) Lord Aberdeen voluntarily proposed to Senor Forteque, Venesuelan plenipotentiary In England, a boundary line beginning on the ooast at the mouth of the river Morooo, which empties Into the ocean some distance to the westward of the* Essequlho. On Nov. 11, 1860, Mr. Jbelford Hinton Wilson, charge d’affaires of Great Britain In Venezuela, sent to the Venesuelan gov ernment a note specifically contradicting a rumor that England Intended claiming Venezuelan Galana and adding: “The Venesuelan government lu justice to Great Britain cannot mistrust for a moment the sincerity of the formal declaration which is now made in the name and by the ex press order of her majesty's government that Great Britain has no Intention to oc cupy or encroach upon the territory in dis pute. Therefore the Venesuelan govern ment. In an equal spirit of good faith and friendship, cannot refuse to make a simi lar declaration to her majesty’s govern ment—namely, that Venezuela herself has no Intention to nooupy or encroach upon the territory in dispute.” Veuesuela accordingly gave the desired assorunce, and thus was established the celebrated status quo of i860, which Ven- ezuela has always adhered to In good faith, and which England, during the last dozen Tears, has violated without scruple or bounds. On Sept. 19, 1881, Lord Granville, In a note to Senor Rojer, Venesuela'* diplo matic agent In England, suggested an agreement on a boundary line to begin ' on the ooast 99 miles east from the month of the riVcr Barlma. The starting point that Indicated 1* well to the east of the Orinoco mouth, and, in tact, Granville ex plicitly stated that be had endeavored‘to satisfy the reasonable pretensions and claims at Venesuala, giving to her the so called Dardanelles of the Orinoco and the complete dominion of Its mouth. ffiglawl Kapodlatsd the Treaty. Than fallowed the memorable events trading to Gasman Blanco’s mission to Bngland, ida actual negotiation of a troftij embracing the arbitration principle and the subsequent repudiation of that hy Bngland. In 1881 Venezuela ‘ 'Atonal duty of 89 far cent an aU meaghandlee from the British oolo- -v- - - ... Venetuna to aanaampiomdiio representa tive of high rank to London for the pur pose of settling all question* at Issue be- the two countries, and Guzman Blanco was dispatched accordingly. After ~ negotiations be Indnoed Lord villa, on June 18, 1886, to approve a treaty which provided (article 16) that any differences between Venezuela and England which could not b* adjusted in ordinary ways should be settled by arbi tration. But on July 97 of the same year Lord Salisbury, th* Tories having come Into power meantime, Informed General Blanco that “to engage to refer to arbitra tion all disputes and controversies what soever would be without precedent In the treaties mad* by Great Britain. Questions might arise, snch as those Involving the title of the British crown to territory or other sovereign rights, which her majesty’s government oonld not pledge themselves beforehand to refer to arbitration.'' Therefore Lord Salisbury deliberately re pudiated the Granville treaty, and all sub sequent efforts to revive It were unavail- ‘"Sat notwithstanding this harsh action the Liberal ministry, which soon took tbe place of Salisbury’* government, showed a disposition to recognize the injustloe of British pretension to sovereignty at the mouth of the Orinoco. Lord Rosebery, on July 80, 1886, wrote in a spirit of oonotlia- tlon, proposing a boundary line starting somewhere to the east of the Orinoco month, merely remarking that her majesty attached special Importance to the pn*-na tion of the river Gualma, with the proviso, however, that the river Orinoco should be “entirely free to oommeroe navigation." The foregoing detailed review of the his torical aspects of England’s claim appears to show that Lord Salisbury's present in sistence on the Sohomburgk line aa the boundary between British Guiana and Venesuela Is merely the development of an arbitrary course determined on within tbe past tan years, In contempt of the traditions and also the formal record made In the 78 years from 1814 to 1886. In justification of England’s present at titude It la now urged that the territorial limits have always been In debate; that she has really olalmed all the time do minion aa far west on tbe ooast as Point Barlma; that the various Aberdeen, Gran ville and Rosebery compromise proposi tions were only tentative and conciliatory and never surrendered England'* real claim to joint ownership of tbe Orinoco month, which claim she has ever been prepared to assert and establish, and that, In view of her recognized de facto occupa tion for ten years of all the country east of the Sohomburgk line, she should not be asked to submit the proprietorship of that country to arbitration now. Such Is Great Britain’s defense. Vene zuela’s sole reply Is- that this contention, while very convenient for the Interests of England, utterly Ignores her own national rights, which are founded on historical truths whose great weight nobody In his senses can doubt. Xx-Klaister Scruggs’ Views. William L. Scruggs, for many years United States minister to Brasil, In a late magazine article on the aubjeot, says: “The real Issue involved In tbe present phase of tbe controversy between England and Venezuela Is very simple. Briefly stated, It' Is about this: Whether, under pretests afforded by tbe Incidents of a boundary dispute which she has persist ently refused to aettle upon any Just or reasonable basis, Great Britain shall be permitted to dismember an American re public, menace tbe safety of others adja cent, and thus to indefinitely extend her colonial system on this continent, in open violation of pahllo law and In total disre gard of tbe principles of tbe Monroe doc trine. f-s “This language may seem a little strong, coming as It does from an impar tial source, but It will be found to be fully justified by the facts and olroum- stanoes of the ease. It Is an axiom of in ternational ethlos, sanctioned by general usage, that all boundary disputes arising from imperfect surveys, or from adverse constructions of treaty provisions, or which turn exclusively upon asoertalnable historical facts, or which involve questions of prescriptive right, are, in tbe last resort, properly referable to a joint commission or to outside friendly arbitration. The present case falls clearly within these pro visions and should constitute no excep tion." A Queer Cemetery. A correspondent of the Boston Traveller describes the queer cemetery Of the Mexi can city of c oanajuato. There la hardly room In Guanajuato for the living, so It behooves her people to exercise rigid econ omy In the disposition of her dead. The burial place Is on tbe top of a steep hill, whleb overlook* the city, and consists of an area Inclosed by what appears from the outside to be a high wall, but which dis covers Itself from within to be a receptacle for bodies, which are placed In tiers, much as the oonflnss of their native valleys com pel them to live. Each apartment In the wall Is large enough to admit ooe coffin, and Is rented for 81 per month. The poor people are buried in tbe ground without the formality of a coffin, though one Is usually rented, la which the body Is con veyed to th* grave. As then are not graves enough to go around, whenever a new one Is needed a previous tenant must be disturbed, and this likewise happens when a tenant’s rent Is not promptly paid In advance. The body la then removed from its place la the mausoleum, or ex burned, as tbs case may be, and the bone* are thrown Into the basement below. 'A Fulflllsd Prophecy. M the time of the boom In southern California a gentleman who was about to •tart for tbe golden land of which so much was said, and who bad a passion for quot ing the Bible whenever it was possible, telegraphed to a friend already resident in tbe west in tbe following words: “Read the second epistle of John, twelfth verse.” The friend looked up tbe verse and read, “Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and Ink, bnt I trust to come unto you and speak face to face, that our joy may be fuin" The friend was also a student of the Bible, and from his beautiful home In one of the loveliest of California towns h* sent back the words: “Delighted to hear It. Read Deuteron omy, eighth chapter, seventh to tenth verses.” The message translated gives the noblest description of what It* grateful Inhabitants love to call “God’s country:” "For the Lord tby God bringeth thee unto a good land, a land of brooks of water, -of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley and vines and fig trees and pomegranates; a land of oil olive and honey; a land wherein thou shalt eat br. ad without soaroeness, thou shalt not lack anything In it; a land whom stones are Iron, and oat of whom hills thou mayest dig brass. When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land he hath given thee.” —Tooth’s Companion. Slightly Better Oft Weary Watkins—Don’t yon believe the' poor le gettin poorer right along? Hungry Higgins — I hadn't noticed nothin of the sort. I owed 818 ten yean ago, and I didn’t have a cent. Torday I ain’t got a cent, bnt them debts is out lawed, to I guess they'll one pore man a little batter off.—Indianapolis Journal. Tariff was tbe name erf tbe Moor- , tab ohieftain, Aboa al Tarifa, who bad a fortress near tbe strait of Gibraltar and levied toll on ahipe and merchandise passing through.* IN THE EVENT OF A WAR W. B. TMRT.D. D.S. GIS I troops niero woum on tnot part °l ot: J'| England'. W«t lodl.c ^ ! ulM J‘^J^ts 8 ’prese“rdutlrt w'd the Offers his pfofes-ional cervices to St. Lucia In tbe last two ;‘1^1™“art. Reliance would not be j the people orl?8riii>ston andvieinlty. Speculations as to tbe Field of Conflict. ' ST, ? h rI the Store of Edwards & Co! THE FIRST FOIST OF ATTACK. Importance of Halifax to Great Britain. Relative Strength of the Two Power. In Case of a Conflict on the fiea—Compurl- eon cf the Two Naval For-we—View* of Army and Navy Officer.. In the event of war with England what would happen? It has been stated uiat the war would beoarried on lu Venezuelan territory. Such would hardly ho the case. The most effective course for the United States would be the iuimodloto Invasion of Canada. Halifax, where Great Britain’s chief naval station in North America is located, would be the first point of attack. There Is not much doubt that the two forts which protect that station would strike their col ors after a few hour.-' L -u bardraent hy some of our big battl ships. With Halifax in mr pr \ •, too im mense naval stores wl ich.lt on ains,seized and appropriated to o ir owv use, and ti-- 14 acres of dockyard viosed to BrU ships, a severe blow would be dealt to 'ou anemy. The next move would bo to throw a strong military force over the border. Our regular army con Id be vastly increased by the addition of tbs national guard and a formidable foroe put lu possession of the country. This, it is probable, would soon bring England to her senses, and Uncle Sam could dictate his own terms. When It comes to a question of sea fight ing, we would be placed at a disadvantage. But suppose we did attempt to drive the English out of Venezuela, see in what a position we would find ourselves. We would load our regular i.rmy on board tbe American liners, which, as part of the naval reserve, would at once be pressed into service. Such other vessels as could be found would bo seized and used as troopships. When our standing army of 97,000 men was afloat, our eutlre naval foroe would probably be mobilized to con voy the troopships down the Atlantic, across the gulf of Mexico mid thq Carib bean sea to the shores of Venezuela. Groat Britain would send out her big battleships to prevent us from lauding troops. Then would follow sea fights which would be the most terrible history has ever recorded. In the event of a combat for supremacy on the sea it must bo oonfossed that the outlook Is not very promising for Uncle Sam. Naval men say frankly that wo are not prepared to fight a nation like Eng land on the sea. Although the following facts concerning tbe comparative naval strength of tbe two nations may sound discouraging, It must be remembered that Euglund has other troubles that eugage her attention, and that she would not dare to leave all h.-r other colonies unprotected. She bus wany Brituin in the West Indies and is not only Knghind wh „ si ,„ k fame and advancemi’iit the opportunity to win both by entering the volunteer service as organizers. If all the men of I’c'itury „„0 could he considered as available to swot' .« volunteer army. It would bo possi ble to put lu the field several millions 01 men If the emergency became so groat ns to demand the enrollment of ever)- male ; per>; • who could carry a musket, i Hie uanger from attack by . rltlsh ! battleships is not- regarded as very great | ; The coaling capacity and sailing radius of \ these ships are small, ami they could scarce- lv do much more thnu steam from IJcr- nitida to New York without exhausting their fuel supply, thus rendorlug them worse than useless at the time they would bo expected to do their most Important i work. An advantage would bo enjoyed ' by our warships, which would keep near i the ports of the principal cities for their I defense and would at all times bo within a day’s sailing of their base. The fart the Army Would Play. The part the array would play in this problematical war has been discussed In ti e war dopr.tiuent, where it Is not ad mitted that our military resources are lim ited, crippled or Incompetent. It Is said i at army headquarters that the army was , never In better condition than at present. tor .in could be'easily augmented by volnn- are and repair of warships. Three great , the u , 0 of tho nBt i ona l guard. It '* ' “ ““'• k u admitted, however, that the greatest d'fdculty to contend with would be In , .ulng a large body of soldiery- This In- Claude Milling, LOCAL AGENT FOR • Ti— r PRESIDENT CI'.KSPO OF VENEZUELA- enemies, and tho complications which might arise were war to be declared be tween England and this country would probably be favorable to us. Here are two table which show at a glance how Inslgnlficr ,t Is ou" naval force beside that of Englai d. Th ibles show that where we have but 131 li: ding ships of all kinds England has hi,4, and that where we have but 939 guns, England hr., 6,790 guns. Not all these guns however, could be trained on the United States flee’ at once, and our entire naval force could be collected to meet all the ships that England could send Into our waters. The Naval Force. Compared. NAVAL STRENGTH Or TnX UNITED STATES. Class of vessels. Armored vesse ls Unarmored cruisers, gunboats and battleships ; 25 Wooden and iron ships, unarmored. 12 Torpedo boats 6 Other vesselsdncludlng small steam ers, tugs, schoolshlps and con demned ships CO Totals ENGLAND’S NAVAL STRENGTH. No. of No. guru. . 28 . 25 407 . 12 33 . 6 34 . no _ . 131 022 No. Of No. guns. 2,608 2,SM) 13 6C7 118 BKXOIt JOSE ANDRADE. (Venezuelan minister to tho United States.) a 'ormidable military garrison, but is also a superbly equipped naval station, with .1 the appurtenances necessary e and repair of warships. Th! forts guard on each side the narrow en trance to its harbor, about two miles from tbe ocean. Submarine mines, torpedo outfits and all the paraphernalia of defense are In place and ready for immediate ac tion. Of late the Island has been used as a station where Insubordinate troops and those whoso services at homo have not been satisfactory have been exiled for three or four years. The famous troops which gave the military authorities attached to the quoen’e household throe years ago so much annoyance were sent there, but aft erward were transferred to St. Thomas, 80 miles distant, on account of the un healthy conditions. St. Thomas, until St. Luola bcosme Great Britain’s station of great Impor tance in the West Indies, was her main military point and carries a garrison still of several thousand well organized and equipped men. Hundreds of others art understood to bo stationed there, ready to bo dispatched to St. Luola in event of trouble. This country. on t' 10 other hand, has not a single possession in the Islands whore refuge for ships or supplies could he received. Great Britain, naval officers and exports on warfare at the war depart ment say, has realized that If she ever got In ’ rouble with the United States tho war would be carried on on this side of the ocean, and that without coaling stations, repair shops and supply depots no success ful hostilities could be pursued. Thcv point to Halifax, Bermuda and St. Lucia ns well ns to St. Thomas and Kingston as tho network of stations on the east coast of the United Status and to Vancouver on the west, where there is one of the fin- esLpnval stations In the world. These stations are not only powerfully garrisoned, hut have over, f llity for docking and repairing wars' Ips. Tie total number of British soldier- the carry is not known, but on officer oi , army be lieves that they would not fall far short of the entire standing strength vt the United States army. In ohservlug the power of Great Britain near our own coast, and tho facility with which she could land thou sands of men from St. Lucia, officers ot the military service do not take into con sideration the resources she would bring in to play at honie. They predict that, should the United States determine to oppose ac quisition of tho land in dispute, her chan nel fleet alone would ho required to land as many soldiers in Venezuela us she might deem proper and at tho same time pre vent the United States from getting a reg iment ashore. Her policy, naval strate gists declare, would bo to Intercept at once any fleet of warships we might gather for the purpose of giving safe convoy to regu lars and national guard, and this, they say, she would have no difficulty In doing. The Condition of Onr Navy. The present available fighting strength of our navy could not he materially in creased under three months, with ship yards working night and day. The best part of tho navy is now at sea and most of tbe ships on foreigu stations, and ot the real fighting class there arc but throe bat- Class of vessels. Armored ships 83 Unarmored ships 142 Armored gunboats 2 Unarmored gunboats 76 Dispatch vessels 4 Training ships, storesL.ps, tugs, transports, etc 28 Torpedo boats 220 Totals (including torpedo host guns). 364 6,790 Great Britain, every naval officer in the navy knows, has powerful military sta tions within a tew days’ sail of La Guayra, and her supplies at these points are almost inexhaustible. No comparison between the fighting forces of the two countries on the seas can be made wllhuut its becoming vividly apparent that, as at present con stituted, tbe American navy would be hardly a match for the British fleets now in the Atlantic between Halifax and Ven ezuela. Tbe files of tbe naval Intelligence offics show that while there are no battleships attached to the fleet the cruisers are in numerable, and most of them are as good as some of our best. As flghtlug machines of their class they are the equal of vessels of the Raleigh and Cincinnati type, hut there are no vessels at tbe station compara ble with either *Jie New York or Columbia. Tbe British ihannel fleet, hewever, Is understood to be now well mobilized and in excellent condition and was prepared for active service some weeks ago, presum ably for duty in the Medltorrnuean In event of further trouble In Turkey. While Great Britain could send powerful fleets and thousands of men to Venezuela In two weeks, naval officers assert that thii country probably would not be able to get a man there If England once anchored her fleets at La Guayra. Her strength In the West Indies at present is a matter of some little question, but InformatloL that has come to the navy department from lutelll- aeuoe officers on ships visiting the Islands' last winter show tiint at St. Luola she has one of the most powerful military stations outside of Great Britain. Not even Gibral tar 1* said to be better fortified or to have more ample arrangements for caring for large bodies of men and for affording ab solute proteotlon to any fleet she might send Into its landlocked harbor, ^with anchorage sufficient for the largest Usnle- •141* - - 1 Veritable bargains now offered. LATEST STYLE, FINEST QUALITY, MOST PERFECT FIT, TULL LINE OF SAMPLES. Examine them and be convinced. ENGLISH BATTLESHIP BLAKE, eludes tho question of nmmnnltion, of which there Is llttlo on hapd. At present tho national guard U equipped with a va riety of guns, which makes identical am munition lmpo««-.»i)lt. It would take tlirs to properly equip a largo body of troops and a large expendi ture of public hinds. There is no ques tion that tho national guard could be readily mobill”. r * and easily brought with in the discipline of the regular army. General Miles’ capacity for command and campaigning is readily agreed to. His youth, activity, experience and ambition combine to make him a fit commander in any opr Mons by land. Ma .• < the war department officers are of tho c i . ilon that the invasion of Canada Is less likely as a military operation on ac count of the present incident than the oc cupation of Venezuelan territory. An of ficer said in referring to.this subject: “The Invasion of the neighboring Do minion grows out of the assumption that there wo must make tho principal strike at Gr’at Britain, since bur naval force Is pit lably inadequate. England, it is felt, cannot withdraw her armed forces from India, Gibraitar^nd tho colonies to in crease tho military in^ Canada, and It is taken for granted that tho United States can cosily obtain possession of Canada. It seems to me that this will precipitate an attack on our undefended const, a result of immense cost to our seaboard Cities, to say nothing of tho loss of innocent life. After all, the contest, if there bo one, must bo at sea or at least between two navies. Tho army is more likely, it seems to me, to go to South America and there sustain the Monroe doctrine, the military allied with tho naval force of this country.” fcS SS JUST AS CQC- FCnAO-JLV ' WARRANTED. PRSCEGOcts. GAi.ATt a, Ills., JIov. 10,161-3. Por'.n Medicine Co., til. Lou 1 '', Ilo. Gentlemen:—Wo fold lus»» year, noo bottles of GROVE’S TASTELESS ClliLL TONIC x:r,d bought ihreo grera r.Ircady this ycr.r. I.. ;:1! our ex perience of U yeirs, in tho crufj biH-inen, h-vo .•.ever sold nn nrticJo that gave puch universal facUoiA as your Toutc. Yours truly, •Abney, Caui: A Or For Sale by DR. J- A. BOYD, UNITED STATES BATTLESHIP MAINE, tloshlps ready for active service. Tho un finished vessels comprise three ,attlc- snlpg,' an armored cruiser, three monitors and three little gunboats. The construction bureau has prepared u table showing the percentages of work re quired to complete the vessels launched, and of this number the liattleships Massa chusetts and Oregon are nearest comple tion . Tee list of warships us given in the na val register hardly shows the rjal fighting strength of the service. Those building, rather than those In commission, would be the vessels th* government would hate to depeqd upon chiefly should there he trouble in the next two years. Of ships ranked as first rate there are five—the New York, Columbia, Minneapolis, Maine and Olympia, r.U now cruisers—but not one capable of giving fight to.' bnttlyshlp. Of the second rate vessels !In r, are 16, headed by the Baltimore, be la :-st, of 6,600 tons, and ending wlti th Unstop and Atlanta, of 4,000 tons. Those vessels Include the monitors Amphitrite and Mi- antonomoh, and all of the remainder are of the cruiser class. Of th third rate ships there are about 25 available fur service, consisting of ships of the class of the Ra leigh, Cinoinnuti, Yorkiown and Machlas. These also include ail the old wooden ves sels. The rest of the navy’s actual fight ing strength on the water consists of two torpedo boats aud a number of smaller cruisers. The vessels under construction number 16 altogether. Inadequate Coast Defense*. Out ooast defenses are inadequate, hut the coast towns are not so absolutely de fenseless os Is generally imagined, and some of them are supplied wilh the best of our new guns. Under pressure the naval gun factory, near Washington, could add to tho ordnance of the war depart ment, and the army gun establishments oould do wonders If urged to speedy work and would furnish In a few mouths many batteries of powerful guns. For manning the defenses and for sup- porting any undertaking by bodies of A MARTYR -TO- INDIGESTION Cured by Using Ayer’s Sarsaparilla Words of Comfort to All who Suffer from Dyspepsia. “For years. I was a martyr to indigestion, and had about given up all hope of ever finding relief, as the complaint only seemed to grow worse instead of better, under ordinary treatment. At last, 1 was induced to try Ayer’s Sarsaparilla, and I hereby testify that after using only three bot tles, I wascured. I can, therefore, confidently recommend this med icine to all similarly atllicted.”— Franklin Buck, Avoca, la. “I am personally acquainted with Mr. Beck and believe any statement he may make to be true.”—W. .T. Maxwell, Drug gist and l’h;\ macist, Avoca, la. “I have used Ayer’s Sarsapa rilla for general debility and, as a blood-purifier, find it does ex actly as is claimed for it.”—S. J. Adam-, Ezzell, Texas. , The OOnly Admitted lor Exhibition AT THE WORLD’S oooooooooooooooooooooooe Antler,Sarsaparilla FAIR § in with an experience of seven years, on WOODS STREET, House owned by J. H. Mason. Will give all work in her line prompt attention. Oct. 3—tf. WATCHES, CLOCKS, JEWELRY Docs This HitYou? The management of the Equitable Life Assurance Society in the Department of J | the Carolinas, wishes to se cure a few Special Resident Agents. Those who are fitted for this work will find this A Rare Opportunity It is tiw/,', however, and those ■whosucceed best in !' possess character, mature judgment, tact, perseverance, and the respect of tlieir conrinmity, Think this matter over care fully. There’s an unusual opening for somebody. If it fits you, it will pay you. Fur ther information on request. W. J. Roddey, Manager, Rock Hill, S. C. THE BANK OF DA.BLINGTCN DARLINGTON, S. C. j CAPITAL, - - SURPLUS, — — — lien,i — ij50. At lowest New York prices for cash. WSpoctalesto suit ‘ all kinds of eye- ” Highest cash prices paid for old gold. Keparing of Watches, Clocks and Jewelry * peciaitv, and satisfactory work iruarunteed Everything I sell guaranteed to be ust what 1 represent it. 13-ly. S. WOLFRAM. Savings Lepartment, Interest allowe' 1 at ,v*c of r, cent, per annum .loin date of dep —payable quarterly on tne first da January, April, July and October, Transacts a General Banking Busin I'll;r.i '11 iRN : W, O. t'oker, J. I, Coker, R. W. Boyd, J. J Ward. E. R. Melver, A. Nachman Bright Williamson. BRIGHT WILLIAMSON, _ Presidei L. E WILLIAMSON, Cashier.