--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Hull, Thomas collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 1 number: 7 published: 1898-05 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Thomas Hull, "Events of the Month," *Improvement Era* 1, no. 7 (May 1898): 541–544.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera17unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera17unse start_page: 541 end_page: 544 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1898-05) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera17unse publication_year: 1898 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1898, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Events of the Month EVENTS OF THE MONTH, BY THOMAS HULL, SECRETARY OF THE GENARAL BOARD Y. M. M. I. A. March i8th: The Brazilian ship "Amazonas," recently purchased in England by the United States, was formally transferred to the latter today at Gravesend, England. 21 St: The Spanish inquiry into the cause of the "Maine" disaster has abandoned the accident theory and will charge the explosion to 'unknown ' causes." * * * The secretary of the navy issued an order today that the ships "Amazonas" and "Abruell," recently purchased from the Brazilian government shall be rechristened. Hereafter they will be known as the "New Orleans" and "Albany, "respectively. * * _ * The house today unanimously passed the bill for the relief of the sufvivofs anrf vKtims of the "Maine" disaster. The bill reimburses the sufvivors, afficeps Shd men for the losses they sustained to an amount nol to exceed a year's p^y, and directs the payiHeiit ^of- a stfnf feq[ual~t6 i ^yei^'s pajstai thie4egsel:h^tS of those who perished. .a;";::rj };,: isj - ' 227td: News was received at San Francisco" today that the bark - t'Helen W. Almy," which sailed from that place for Alaskan points on Sun- day, March 20th, has been wrecked and all on "board lost. Forty people were drowned. * * * Lieut. -Commander Marix left Key West this afternoon on his way to Washington, by the way of Miami, tak- ing with him the report of the court of inquiry in the "Maine" disaster. 2jrd: An almost steady downpour of rain for nearly a week resulted today in terrible floods in the middle states. Railroads are blocked, manu- factories submerged, many people injured and some drOwned. Enormous < property loss will result. 24th: Two great battleships, the "Kearsage" and the "Kentucky,'*: were successfully launc4ied at Newport News, Virginia, today. The fof^ raer was christened with champagne, and the latter with water from the spring on the old Lincoln farm. * * * jhe Spanish torpedo ilotilla sailed from the Canary Islands for Porto Rico today: /' -• r.aq 2^ih: The report of the board of inquiry into the "Main©'"-disia*ler''is delivered to President McKinley. •.. •:: jiL - - - 261/1: Hon. William E. Gladstone, the great English statesm&n,i'fef reported to be in a very critical condition. It is said he has bid farewell fa several old friends, and knows his end is approaching. Referring to his illness, Mr. Gladstone said to a friend: — "A final lesson a final trial!" s- ivV^.- The following abstract of ^he report of the"Maine" board of fnquiry was made public today. The report comprises eight parts, as fol- that at the time of the explosion the battleship lows- First, the court finds "Maine" was lying in five and one-half fathoms of water; second, thediscip' excellent; everything stored according to orders- line aboard the ship was ammunition, guns, stores, etc. The temperature of the magazine at 8 p. m. magazine and that did not explode; was normal,' except in the after ten-inch . 542 IMPR O VEMENT ERA third, the explosion occurred at 9:40 o'clock on the evening of February 15th. There were two explosions, with a very short interval between them, the ship lifted on the first explosion; fourth, the court can form no definite opinion of the condition of the wreck from the divers' evidence; fifth, the technical details of the wreckage from which the court deduces that a mine exploded under the ship on the port side; sixth, the explosion was due to no fault of those on board; seventh, the opinion of the court, stating that the explosion of the mine caused the explosion of two magazines; eighth the court declares that it cannot find evidence to fix responsibility. The report is unanimous and is signed by all the members of the court. It does not re- fer to the existence or non-existence of the mine in the harbor of Havana, except in the specific finding that a mine was exploded under the ship, and the opinion that the explosion of the two magazines was caused by the ex- plosion of a mine. * * * Cincinnati, Ohio, is suffering dread- fully from floods. One thousand houses in the lowlands are flooded with from one to four feet of water. 2Sth: President McKinley today transmitted to congress the "Maine" report with a message in which he simply reviews the circumstances leading up to the sending of the "Maine" to Havana, and recites the story of i^s de- struction and the organization, work and findings of thu court of inquiry. He informs congress that he has directed that the findings of the court and the views of this government thereon be communicated to the Queen of Spain and invokes the deliberate consideration of congress. * * * While everything is being done to prepare for war in case it cannot be averted, the president is doing everything in his power to accomplish a peaceful settlement of the differences between the United States and Spain. * * * Commodore W. S. Schley assumed command of the flying squadron today. * * » ^ synopsis of the report of the Spanish naval commission which investigated the destruction of the "Maine" has been made public. The conclusion is reached that the explosion was of in- ternal origin. ^oth: The United States has submitted propositions to Spain which contemplate a complete and immediate cessation of hostilities in Cuba, the return of the reconcentrados to their usual avocations and the indepen- dence of Cuba, this last feature to be secured probably on an inder^nity basis by which the island would pay a substantial sum for its freedom from Spanish rule. The Spanish ministry is considering the propositions and it is expected that a reply will be received shortly. * * » Capt. Sigsbee, who commanded the battleship "Maine" at the time of the explosion, has been assigned to duty as aide to Secretary Long. * * * ^ severe shock of earthquake, said to be one of the most severe ever ex- perienced in the state, was felt in Central California tonight. Great damage was done at the Mare Island navy yard. Buildings were wrecked, the machinery misplaced, and 1,700 men are temporarily rendered idle. * * * United States Minister Woodford has notified the state de- partment that three formidable Spanish war vessels sailed today from Carthagena for the west. * * * nwas stated today in a high diplomatic quarter that the Spanish government, within the last ten days, had addressed a note to the great powers of Europe fully setting forth the grave aspect of the controversy with the United States and at least inferen- tially suggesting that the time was now opportune for European influence to be exerted. 31st: An answer to the propositions made by the President of the United States to Spain was received in Washington tonight. The Spanish government neither accedes to, nor declines the propositions, but makes a counter argument that Spain be allowed to propose terms as to what should be done with her own territory. * * * Captain-General Blanco in command of the Spanish forces in Cuba has issued a decree which is published this morning, directing the end of reconcentration in the pro- " — EVENTS OF THE MONTH. 543 vinces of Pinar del Rio, Havana, Matanzas and Santa Clara. After a pre- amble which sets forth that the pacification of these provinces has been considerably advanced and directing that steps be taken to assist those re- concentrados who are without resources, the order continues: Article I. After the publication of this order, the reconcentrados and their families will be allowed to return home in the four provinces given above. Article — II. Orders all relief committees and military authorities to facilitate the workings of the decree, and also to aid the reconcentrados in selling and securing new houses. — Article III. ^Directs the Colonial Government, through its secretary and ministerial officers, to prepare to execute all necessary orders to secure for the country people work on public improve- ments, and also to give food, by economical kitchens, to all the suffering, attention being called to those on the small country estates Article IV. All the expenses over and above the funds now in the hands of the commit- tee are to be provided for under the head of an extraordinary war credit. Article V. — All former orders of reconcentration are abrogated. Afril I St: Today the Uncompahgre reservation is open for settle- ment, the joint resolution postponing the opening for six months having failed to pass the house of representatives yesterday. * * * xhe Queen Regent of Spain has sent an autograph letter to the Queen of Eng- land, the New York World correspondent learns from a high source, im- ploring help. Queen Maria Christina begs Queen Victoria to use her in- fluence to prevail upon the British government to support Austria and France in an attempt to secure European mediation. The World's in- formant added: "Queen Victoria simply forwarded a copy of the Queen Regent's letter to Lord Salisbury, whose policy will not in any way be af- fected by it. England will tolerate no policy of bolstering up Spanish rule in Cuba. jrd: This afternoon the levee at Shawneetown, Illinois, broke a mile above the town and the place is flooded with from ten to twenty feet of water. Many lives were lost and a vast amount of property destroyed. * * * The Spanish minister at Washington has received a tele- gram from Havana stating that the Autonomist Cabinet has addressed an appeal to the insurgents asking them to adjust an armistice to fix terms of peace. The insurgents are appealed to on the ground that they are all Cubans and should unite for peace and liberty, which all want. The appeal also states that Spain is willing to enlarge the present scope of autonomy and will suggest such a plan to the cortes, which is soon to meet * * * It is announced in China that charges have been filed against the en- tire Chinese foreign office to the effect that it has been bribed by Russia, and an investigation and the beheading of Li Hung Chang is demanded. £th: The twenty-fourth infantry, stationed at Fort Douglas, Salt Lake City, received orders today to be in readiness to march at a moment's notice. * * * The United States government dispatched a fleet of six vessels to Havana today to transport Consul-General Lee and all the United States consular officers, together with all Americans now in Havana and vicinity who desire to leave the island of Cuba. 6th: The sixty-eighth annual conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began in Salt Lake City today. * * * Mrs. Woodford, wife of the United States minister, accompanied by her niece and Lieut. G. L. Dyer, the United States naval attache, left Madrid by the 8 o'clock train for Biarritz. Gen. Woodford bade them farewell at the station. The staff of the United States legation have left Madrid and will probably remain in Paris for the present. 'jth: The representatives of the six great European powers, Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Austria and Italy, today waited upon President McKinley and presented a joint note appealing to feelings of hu- manity and moderation of the president and the American people in the differences with Spain. Sir Julian Pauncefote, the British embassador presented the note. * * * a special dispatch from Madrid says the embassadors of France, Germany, Russia and Italy waited together this evening upon Senor Gullon, the foreign minister of Spain, and presented a joint note in the interests of peace. Senor Gullon, replying, declared that the Spanish cabinet were unanimous that Spain 'had reached the limit of ' international policy in conceding the demands and allowing the pretensions of the United States." * * * A dispatch to the New York World from Madrid says the text of a message, cabled to President Mc- Kinley by the pope is given in a dispatch from Rome as follows: "As the head of the religion of fraternity, I will solicit Spain to grant an armistice in the name of humanity. I pray you pending the result of this step, to deign to suspend all extreme measures." The Rome correspondent of the World obtained at the Vatican the text of the president's reply, in the fol- lowing words: "An armistice is a question which concerns Spain and Cuba alone. But between Spain and the United States another question is pend- ing, and I must receive a distinctively submissive and conciliatory answer from Spain." 8th: A frightful avalanche occurred on the Chilcoot trail to the Klon- dike country, in which many prospectors were killed and their outfits de- stroyed. Seventy bodies have been recovered and many more are still un- der the immense body of ice and snow. * * * United States Consul-General Lee and his staff, with Consuls Springer and Barker, left Havana at 6 o'clock tonight on the lighthouse tender "Fern." United States Minister Woodford has been officially informed that the Spanish government today telegraphed to the pope that in view of, his urgent request, fca-tified today by a visit fiiom the representatives in Madrid of the great {Miners, "ttiey (ths Spanish government) have telegraphed to JSen; Blancoiri; Cuba, instructing him to issue an armistice proclamation tomorrow, thediira* CiSifif of the armistice to be as he decides. - : -' il : 'z.-^^\, 'to ijotli": Senor Polo, the Spanish minister at Washington/ sfeadiaeTiiErfe tbday' to^he istate department in "which iie stated that the arnaistice ?\^s proClairned in Cuba yesterday without conditions, and that General Blancd willdetermine later the duration and conditions of it. Public opinion in this country, he declared, seems to ignore the fact that Spain has frequently ex- pressed condolence for the loss of the "Maine," horror at the disaster and sympathy for the nation. The cause of the ship's destruction, he said, can be determined only by submitting the question to the maritime powers, and this Spain is willing to do. This document was the official notification of the Spanish government to the United States, of the granting of an armistice and its essential terms. * * * Senor Gonzalo de Quesada, the diplomatic representative of the Cuban junta in Washington, today issueda signed statement to show that the insurgents have a regularly organized civil government, whose independence can be recognized. -.iIl^ /;.Z; nth: The president has forwarded to congress his long expected mes- sage on the relations existing between Spain and the United States. He traces the history of the Cuban war, calls attention to the condition of an- archy existing on the island, which he says is responsible for the destruction of the "Maine" and declares that the state of affairs is no longer endurable. He submits Spain's decree for the suspension of hostilities with the observa^ tion that if it attains a successful result, "Then our aspirations as a peacer^ loving people will be realized. If it fails, it will be only another justifica:? tion of our contemplated action. " He states that the only hope of relief from the condition is the enforced pacification of the jsland and asks con- gress to authorize the executive to take measures to secure the termination of hostilities and to use the nailitary and naval forces of the United States to accomplish it. * * * While boasting of the ability of Spain to overcome the United States in a war, the former Spanish minister of marine stated that all the Cuban ports are defended by electric and automatic torpedoes with a large radius of action.