THE DOWAGER EMPRESS OF CHINA AND THE EMPEROR RECEIVING THE WIVES OF THE FOREIGN MINISTERS AT PEKING. (This is a reproduction of a drawing by a Chinese artist.) After some discussion the rest of the members agreed with the suggestions of the Commissioners and a res pay-rolls will now be handed over to the American authorities and the work of paying the soldiers will be put through with as little delay as possible. There was some discussion as to the advisability of ordering the soldiers to retain their arms, but happily the majority thought it would be wiser to let the arms be delivered to the municipal authorities, who, in their turn, are to hand them to the government of Cuba. A cablegram from Montevideo (mon-tay-vee-day-oh), Pole. the steamer "Belgica," under Lieutenant Adrian de Gerlache, had arrived at Punta Arenas (poon-tah-ahray-nass), Straits of Magellan. A telegram from Dr. Frederick A. Cook, of Brook. lyn, who was surgeon to the expedition, confirmed the report, and added that the voyage had been completely successful. The doctor's message, though very short, gave the wonderful news that much new land had been dis Return of Party from South Pole 505 covered in Weddell Sea, and that open water had been found to the far south. Dr. Cook is now on his way north, and when he arrives we may expect some highly interesting revelations in regard to this unexplored region of ice, with its active volcanoes belching forth their fires into the darkness of the polar night. Weddell Sea lies across the pole from Victoria Land. It was discovered by Captain Weddell, a whaler, in 1823. Since his voyage no one has penetrated into this portion of the Antarctic seas. The last discovery of land in these seas was made in 1841, when Sir James Ross found Victoria Land. The Belgica" party has therefore had the field pretty well to itself, and has had little to guide it in mapping out its course through these unknown seas. Its record is therefore all the more praiseworthy and remarkable. 66 The expedition was fitted out by the Belgian government, and left Antwerp in July, 1897, to search for the South Pole. The steamer "Belgica," which carried the party, was originally a whaling vessel, which was altered according to the plans of Nansen's "Fram," the ship which proved itself so well adapted to Arctic work. The "Fram" had a rounded keel, and it was found that the ice, instead of forming around and crushing her, would raise her and cake under her, thus making a solid ice bed, which rendered her comparatively free from the ice pres sure and grinding and crushing, which is the greatest danger to which arctic travelers are exposed. The "Belgica" carried a captive balloon from which to make observations, and was equipped with the latest scientific instruments. The results of the trip will be eagerly awaited. It appears from Dr. Cook's message that the "Belgica" may not return north, but very likely will remain another winter in Arctic waters. In spite of the fact that General Otis has refused to allow the Spaniards to treat with Aguinaldo for the release of their prisoners, it is reAffairs in Spain. ported that the government at Madrid has offered him a certain sum per head for the captives, and that Agoncillo is about to go to Madrid to settle the terms. Agoncillo is the Filipino who visited this country and tried to secure recognition from our government. He was wrecked on his voyage from Canada to England, and narrowly escaped drowning. It is said that the price fixed for the release of the prisoners is five thousand pesetas for each Spanish officer, five hundred pesetas for each soldier, and two thousand five hundred pesetas for each civil ian. A peseta is worth about nineteen and a half cents. Agoncillo declared that the prisoners are being treated with kindness, and that only the priests are closely confined. He also declared that the clergy were the cause of bringing on the war, and therefore the natives feel less kindly toward them than they do to the soldiers. In reference to our victory at Malolos, Agoncillo, who is still in Paris, said that it was quite an unimportant affair; that in point of fact Aguinaldo had merely been luring us on, to get us into the interior of the country, where the climate will do deadly work quite as effectually as it could be done by an armed force. In the meanwhile the signing of the treaty has considerably helped matters in Spain. Señor Silvela, the new Spanish Prime Minister, declared the commercial standing of Spain to have been greatly improved by the assurance that she is about to receive twenty million dollars. The payment of the interest on the Cuban debt has been arranged for, and the whole question as to Spain's responsibility for it will be brought up in the Cortes shortly. The Carlists. Premier Silvela said that he has no fear of a Carlist rising; but thirty thousand Spanish reserves were called out last week, in anticipation of an attempt on the part of the followers of Don Carlos to make a demonstration at Easter. |