Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

*-' * <? 7/ -<^sa 1 VOL. XXXIII. NO. 1. COUNTRY POSTMASTERS i ARE TOO POORLY PAID Congressman Amos Cumming, of New York, Has Taken Up the Fight in Congress in Their Behalf. By Jos: Ohl. Washington. neo-mb'T 2* Itt.iff <*.wre«.-o.»n*h-nv. .F- ’ 1 have moved about over this «-*>untrj a k«*ml deal, and in my opinion the poorest paid ot all puhlh- ervaatx H the country postmas ter." S.. ,|“ k. Hop Ani-w C .' N« w York, on.- of the leader* oil the ucmo era:l.- rMe .f the house of repr-untn tives. who Is* t.-kinr an active part in th- . ff*»r t> iwlwe rongresn to make •mo • hang* - In the ni* thud of ••onpen .>•. i of i h«* ■••un:r> |«>»tßui.lers t» whom he ad ni ..«!•• reference. As is w* •< known. Mr. Cuntniiii: one of Tammany's real -•i i. i,. ighi*. <."on<r»-ssmen • »tn«- end rnngn ->m- n c«». Inn in all th-* poHitcal . . , « t 'lit N«-w Y.-rk <ry p*r» • •lieallv th«rc is one man who Is undis turiH-.1. For many vears a practical printer *-jmhiK his living at the ease. Amos Cummings’.-* sympathies are nau rally with the people who work-fae js-o --t !e who set small return for their labor. Hr ka« taken «p the cause of the c wintry j-.-ima-ler with no .dea “f vi-tk’*>g a j political play, for there are no country p«»stmas;« re n h*s district. and • :*n if •.here were. they would all be zepuldie I.ls tin*). - this administrate *n; hr is for them because 11 ■ ia !• -v< < it high time to give ■MCe -it in:i.tl r :iii-n ”f lh«lr work ai d their s-rvi--.and hr is for them all over. -Yrs." be a«lded. in talking with me the O’her de J. "I believe they are too poorlv paid, and • think when ihe facts a, - at. Ito cetign •* the senate fcnd , will ;-gn w hme and will make 1 the changes s*ige a >i’ •? in the Mils • have intrmhi*. d. These hills hare .he 1r- -•m«W hrs m,titly h« ld. i at there .s no lobby sere in their l.ehnlf or anything of the jnrt. The m asttres stand on their cwn ni-rit«. Ti e -title fellows Sire nev.- able t, be r« or. :• *«l by fob d-« mid .e-rl.aps that s the rea-on why justice « so flow •n getting around tlwir way. I aot v* ry •-■,-ftil. how.oer. that .lie Is In-i I- d in _v .. ... ,-t .ni »• .» and .hat .his - will tltt b--r Mr. CvtJitui/'-e* * Bills. C.~. > f the-. :»•» . covers >he c*»mnensa tlon «»f p- for is-'linsr money • rd r» '•e otti-r for cotnpf •.sat:«.n for all other service-*. Tie latter bill Is .h --m< re compn-h* nslv e. taking in all the » masters ar*- inter, «t«-d in .t. for it affects th. m .-. I. In addii.on ..» the pr. nt bowls . f r a n iml-er f • •:!»: :.re pr>» vhl- .i. the . Ts-• t of It all leins a «ii»sta:i --: .->1 In. e..se i" mt- as iti..n all .-round. Tn. : :si I- ,ins !•-. i-r >.i.lii'e that the v in-.. -.«■ on of all pns'masters of .he f urth • ■.-■■■- -'.ail iw bXed upon the IKisis f .- i-•in--.••n u|-<n the nmi.uid of'p ist age -I’t*!!' - -tamped envelopes. Je.Stal • ard- ..-a i«a|wr and (a-ri.eb. al stamps • anctb-l .oi matter actually maile-1 i.t l.« ir . Ili--. s. and on p.n*tage du.- stamps ac:•.: •• '■ atlixed and canceled th.-r»-..1. aim ..n matter mailed on r.n'w.iy postal «ars. eteaniU ais ami with carriers and credited t . their reS|-e.-tlvr .-111 •. and on amounts I fro* w. ■ • • d , -ad print'd U,.t r and twill. - -Id. at the pillow UK rat.s: <>n th. lirst one hundred dollars «.r !• - ■ per quarter. l'*» per centum: on ; • <ent.im: on the next fc’»* or less per quar ter. >• per c«-aium; and ott all greater amount- 1“ entum; and in addition to such • -mmi-'ions they shall be enti tled t» all b*»x rents recelred at their r.spective ..Ihe. s. Th. re are three provisos a-ide.l to this M ti»’> «-f the dll iffecting the regulation vs .-'■mrw-nsarion. One of these is •"that when t.ie vomtn :s«ions of any postmas.et «.f this class shall reach hi the ng«r.«i?e i for |wir quartern the sum of «!.••«• the i auditor hail r. port -u« h fact to the post ma.-t- r general. who shall assign th. vfli •» to the proper ••-as* anc affix the salary of the pootmast*r a* provided l>> law.” This means that when sue i aggu- | 4,ate is reached the office is >o be . ••- vanced to the third c ass. The second proviso Is that in no «~i * •bail there lie allowed to any postmastet of this class as <omm.** : on an amount greater than «S*» in any one of the lin-t three-quarters of any fiscal year. ex« lu rlve of money order fees* and in Ihe List ( quarter o f each lis- al year fin-re shall r* allow' d su'h further sum as he m; > be entitled to under the provisions ot this act. not exceeding for the whole fiscal year for such commissions the sum cf il.oo. And it is further pro l d‘d that l.'.e total compensation of any postmaster at any fourth-class postoffice shall not be less than sjo per annum.” Allowances for Rent. Allowances for the expense of rent, | light and fuel at fourth-class pos‘.offi:-es ; are pr..vid.*i in the bill as followM When the yearly commissions of t..e postmaster on the ab«»v.* basis sli-.l? fall a year he is to tie allow *1 !!■» a I year. When th' - • ommissions reach L‘» and , do not exceed Halt he is to be allowed Hi j I When the commissions exceed 11"* 1 and do no? ex**, ed JYA ?.>• r year. When the commissions exceed S*"* and i do n<>t .‘xci-cl s**, he gets J 73 per year for , th. s.. expenses. When th • xeced s.'<'• a year and <t» not exceed JW he gets |lol> j»t year for expenses. When the commissions .-xceed and do not .-xceed he will get the maxi- mum allowan.-e for expense, which 1s H-d a y.-ar. All such allowances! to Im- allo.v ed and credited or paid to the postmaster at 111 - end of each fiscal year. The basis <>n which clerk hire shall be allowed in separating or distributing i ..fhces under the terms of the Cummings . bill be: <hie mall jier week. s!•' per y.*ar, two mails a week. three mails a w<-< k. $»•; ■one mail daily. |M per year: tw-> mails daily. $!••• a year; three malls dally. sll® i a year: four mails dal'.y. s2.l® a year: live mat s daily. s»<» m-r year. No More Boycotts. A provision of th- bt'l which, if enacted i , Into law. would put an end to boycotts of ' poatoffices. Is tht<: -When letters or ..th-r mall matt.-r shall l»e 1* iH.sited for mailing In any rail road postal car or steamboat, or with a 1 star route carrier, at anv station or place ’ v. thin the delivery of a fourth class post- [ ..ffi.-e the raitwt-v steamboat postal «hik in -Inrsc: -r th.- < irri r. shall noti :y the iwstma-ter of such potrtofftce of ! :ueh mailing and of th. amount of post age indicated by the stamlM upon sit. h | illitter Such notice shall Is- g|.v«-n u'x.n jH-naltv postal cards of suitable form, to , , |h* pn-.« rib d and furnished by 'he post ' master g.-netal. such reports to Im- made as of*en is the po-ttni tet g- n. 1;' -ha' direct; and th- posta aster so notitie<i shall be entitled to take «T dit hi his quarterly r*i»orts as If stamps of the value -o indicated in such reports had be n .-anccl.-d at his office upon actual mailing thereon." For Issuing Money Orders. Mr. Cummings’s other bill, providing for the compensation of fourth class post- j V-es''-..—•SXSSZ'-'SZ'-^ — ■ ■ ■ ■** »■ " 1 " ~ J S3,GO?) New Orieans Cotton Receipts. $3,600 Z j ’ 5 / a rtv | - rrr C?T Constitution Subscribers for the ? ( /\ vPOIUUU OLJIn I LO I First Quarter of 1900. > > The Atlant ’ Constitution Proposes to Distribute Among Its Subscribers $3,000 in Cash to Those Comply- ? < with the Rules of This Contest Who Estimate Correctly the ) J KT COTTON IMOTUT O OMK TO TOO®. ) ? > — — As Foil Hows:. —— K ' i Mtk&u ■ : taOTbr ctl ROO OO Cash to the person estimating correctly the nmrber of bales ot hm vn’ r "to the of $l5O nearest estimate on 1 / l vvj cotton received at New Orleans, within the dates mentioned, I)ales rece i vc d at New Orleans, 1. a., within v-e number of bales. / P provided the estimate is received before February Ist, 1900. the dates mentioned. This prize, and ait the p \ following, will be awarded without regard to . f J • the exact receipts, going to the nearest esti- <tlOR in casl ‘ lor ’ bp HFI'H X C . , . . | | { mites, whatever they may be: I NEARESI I.> I IMA IE on / ; d nnn nn Cash if the correct estimate be sent in during February, before in cash for the second the number of bales. \ / -S) i March Ist, I‘XX). ip4uU nearest estimate on C ? the number of bales. for SIXTH 2 X. In cash for the 1 illKi r KFAkVXT on ci cash if the correct estimate be sent in during March, before April SdlOU nearest estimate on number of biles ? Ist, at which time the contest closes short. the number of bales. k ? ~ 27- -• • ' ,N CASH REPRESENTS OUR TOTAL LIABILITY HEREON. ) \ Yc'i wiil rsc,t? the prize for tlhie exact estimate is $11,500, and al! tlhe sex prizes f or Nearest Estimates add up another / / * ' $3,500, making the $3,000 Cash Offer. 2 J I ----- J 9 Statistics o? Former Years. z—Hit fit During January, Every Contestant Sends SI.OO for ? ( rorr. y THE WEEKLY CONSTITUTION ( / A« • niW* 10 your n<* <ive th* fallowing figures The day upon which we receive the e«t mate decide* the standing of the contestant. To those who p f from the rtatmli. .of n.-ir l-rm.-r y-r-. have the lor,gert tlm. ogotnrt them the lorgeot reward, ore offered. Thow who wait unfit the time hM ala r .1 r _•_, g \ > Semnm New Ne. Or-e.,.. moat erpired wbl have n . ham-.-at on»-the emnllert enn... and Gets the Greatest of All Affiencan > f Iteceil 1’ for «‘- n 7 l Crop e Newcmnerc for One Year. A C of xpttr.. ~Vt": ' ?u’ r :il ’-aiue year Will It bo hit exactly? Yea. we think »*>■ It hue been douoin tlie only content »f P P C { 11 . 1 , -7 <C7 thia kißd weever ran before. Mr. K. T. Poole, then of Caple Mill., N. <. iu April. IH9O. Keep fht. in view and .end yoar estimate with yonr dollar / 1 1395-b-'-- 1-620.9/4 i.812.1b/ 7.15/.340 mimed th., exa.-t number ot bale** received atN”W Orleans, and ree-’ive.l from us :> check f or a velr’s .utweription k / 189fc7 ..1,936.537 2 102-470 8-757.9b4 f„. *!.<»<>(> that looked ju.t like this: C P , oq7 o 7 in •»««; 7 C7s, 14,5 11.199.994 - »venrn subscription to THE WEEKI.V t'ONSIIII JION; A < 189/ u 2-43- Jlo the< Mlmat’-lii’ist IH-sent in the Identic*l envelope that I J C 1898 9 1-854-15 3 2.130.29 b 11.274 840 ■ , , / J . 1/ the money Unit pays for the »utwcrlptlon:iometling or A v lb*ro 7 l / f . A It out hv accident or Otherwise, or not knowing of the < ontest X 5 '“t'neTnsmuli'.n market page ( «s. 1* «••< willv..u the FS prbT “-hTnT ’mm.v* tlm.‘; C J you posted on the fig ire. without having to write any!* j /J / / 'T'-/ n, P Contest 'e-gan January Ist. 1900. VVebegnn to keep nn < I about it. .... „«.<• \.7L ——— accurate account of subscriptions received with estimates. C should there be only one correct estimate for th* * KjiJi, We n-cord the answers on the day received an I will allow no f J numtsr of ••les. the'lyeup.n which we rr-Ive the ••’•tlniat Z/) y.P / . change whatever in t >em afterwards. Th* Contest dooes April 1 • will deci Ie which premium sum the party making It shall /// 'f/ , ~ l9t , litao. at which time we will pay out to the successful par- \ f entitled to. HM-eivml {tai the tun prize amount that has accrued In the Contest. 7 x MhonM thore he more than on I , 'j..’ | 1 A' » In aankHW »onr answers nmke your figures very pla'n k / them »ney ~ill Is-divi l-l t>y Iri non »vo .se Z' . / t be the t>! Il mini’s .rr t gu •—•« r •.•■•.*< i. and a h s•_ - faftf'/itrf ■ Address all orderw land Inclose your estimate, subscription < f p,:.'"* ToHmt '’no dd'Ys n°h 1. , “."^t M "a'.sw. ,r r H and money in the same envelope) to < s ' THE CONSTITUTION. Atlanta, Ga. Z the fl.'SS' price, and C one-third of tlie <•<«» prize. t - i^ * ATLANTA. GA., MONDAY, JANUABY 1, 1900. masters fnr I-ulng money orders, pro vid* s the following rates: 'T'or orders for gums not exceeding V>, •"» . »-nt; for orders for sums over f’> and not . x-eedlnr s!'•. < cents, for orders for sums ov.-r SIO ;>nd not exceeding 7 cents; for ord rs for sums ov.-r I'JD and not ex- j ccc.l r g A’>>. X cents; for orders for sums ov< r s"*► and not exceeding sl®. !• cents; for orders for sems ov.-r $W and not ex ceeding L*', 10 cents; for orders for sums ov.-r I’*• and not . x.-.-.-ding H®. 12 cents; for ord-rs for sum ov.-r and not ex e. .--ling J 73. 13 cents; tor orders for sums I ov< r s7.’» and no; < xc« - ding 51'* 1 . 1-1 cents." While th- s.' bills will find strong sup- , porters in both sides of congress, the of- | ticials of th- iMJstoffl.-e department are , decidedly lukewarm. They have refused i to recommend this 1< glslatlon tn any re- ' l>or s and in several instances have made fl uncomfortable for postinasters who hav. been active in the agitation fur 4ii< -< in nr. s. Still, the men inter, sp-d ar.- not discouraged. They believe the ; tills ar. jus; and right and they propose to push th'-m as v gorously as they know how. - DEWEY MUST FOLLOW MILES. Army Officers Rank the Naval Men at the White House. Washington, UeeemlM-r 29.—The pro graritne for the president's new year re ception, issued today. Is accepted as set tling all questions of precedence at ollieiai receptions of the three brunches of the military service, the army, the navy and | th..- marine corps. According to the pro- ; gramme the departments rank In the or <l. r named, thus adhering to the . ustom I I established many years ago of placing ] them in line according to seniority of' organization. When Major General Mlles, j head of the army, and Admiral Dewey, ' tlie head of the nuvj, pay their respects j to the president, as commanders-in-ehief of the army and navy, on New Year's . Pay, they will take their places In line I I in the order named, one at the head of the military branch and the other at the head of the naval. ORGANIZED TO EIGHT TRUSTS. Travelers and Hotel Men Now Open Headquarters. New York. P eember 2!t.—Headquarters ' in New York of tlie Commercial rritvci ers' and Hotel M--n's an.l-Trust Ix-Igue w, r,» oj-ita-d today by William Hoge, sccrediry and tr.,utur<*r of the league, and from this tint- on Mr. Hog-- slid a| vigor, us campaign Is to be urged among tti.- different commercial travels™* asao elatl.ms and also among organizations of hotel men to organize them against the trust:. The league was started in Au g-.i--t. l <-t and .• in.-ntbrfrship of 12,0 M has twen enrolled Davis Starts Home. San .loan de I’orto Rico, P- cember 29 Governoi Gen-rat Pavls and l-le.ji.-nant Rattle. Ids aid-de-.-amp, sailed for the, 1- ted Sates Saturdav <.n the steamer r-,iie< lx.met fol- Washing >n. <>id--rs arrived tn re on Thursday ior th-- general ( to rc|w»rt ot Washington for consultation with the secretary of war. FRANCE IS ASKEUIO FIX THE BOUNDS Her Possessions Adjoining Liberia Must Be Clearly Set Forth. GREAT BRITAIN WILL JOIN European Republic May Be Request ed To Show What Ground She Claims in Liberia—What Director Ponsonby Says About It. Ixrndon, pecemlu-r 29.—Tt has Im en learn- I cd by a representative of the Associated ; Press that the i'nited S'ates cruiser Montgomery's visit to Liberia Is appar ently tlie result of overtures made to Washington by that republic. Though tlie British government is in complete Ignorance of the purpose of the Mont gomery’s commission, the establishment of a coaling station in Liberia by the United States is regarded as scarcely probable, as. It is asserted, no Liberian port has any facilities for coaling. all . of them being open and surfbound. I The Asaiclated .Pres;- representative ' learns, however, that a far more impor tant step is under consideration. It con sists in a joint request of the I’nited States and Great Britain upon France to define fin- boumiary between the ter ritory she < lalms and that claimed by ‘ Liberia. Th’s step is not yet decided upon, but Greait Britain only awaits tliu I Unlt.-d States assent to bee.-me a party , to such a request. It is alleged that Franco for many years has been encroaching on Liberia, and it was only by a strenuous protect of the I'nited States that she was pre vented from appropriating a large slice of Liberia in lsl'2. According to the Hon. Arthur I’onson- ; by. managing director of the Liberia Rub ber syndicate, whl -h re -ently guaran- | teed the interest of Llbei ir public debt, i ■the Montgomery « v> It .-.;>• pr< oal -y prompted by a desire to dneertaln the extent of French activity. Mr. Ponsonby said to a representative of tlie Asso litc t | Press: •'Bishop Hartzell, while in Monrovia this vear. strongly u-ged Ihe government to In’tcrcs! the I’nited Stat.-s in preserv ing the l->undarles. witli the result that Liberia appointed a mission to Washing -ton. I believe it has already made rep resentations and presume Hie commander of the Montgomery Investigated both this and th.- possibility of a coaling sta tion The latter Liberia would gladly > t,. i ie I'nit.d S des. bur b. y-.n-l | hooting h<-r flag upon it. it would be ot little service. •'Tbe feeling among British subjects commercially interested In Liberia Is that the republic's progress had better be imib-r th** projection of cither Great Bril aln or th** Unite*! States. But l-.iti. the British gov.-rnm- til and tho-<- having In terests there lielh ve that so long as 1,1- l>erla can continue to struggle on in, h< present condition, everything possl- ' bl.- should be done to support her." Liberia decorated Mr. Ponsonby this' week w ith'the Order of African Redemp- | tlon In recognition of his services against encroachments. Naval Officers Reticent. Washington, December 29.—A>though the naval officials will make no statement re spc’-tlng the cruise of the Montgomery to West Africa, it is admitted that the ship i was there In the early fall, returning to' her station at Buenos Ayres about the j Ist of last November. These dates in ■j- nis-iv-'s may be regarded as suffi- : cient to dispel any impression that the I cruise was in any manner connected with ■. tin- war between the British and the Boers. As to tlie real objects of the cruise, it is believed that the navy de partment had Its eye upon a possible coal ing station on the west coast, as Is Indi cated in the foregoing dispatch. Before and during the civil war the United States , had no less than three coaling stations | on that coast. They were practically 4 al.andoned when the West African station I was dropiied from the list, but the ehlet of the equipment bureau. Admiral Brad ford. has strongly urged that they be re-, stablishe.l so as to insure our naval vessels a source <»f coal supply when passing from the .-astern Atlantic states around to ’lie Philippines and China in the event the Suez canal should be close.i . against them. Tlie Liberian government alway s lias been willing and even anxious that the station on its coast should be k-pt if only as a manifestation of the interest of the United Slates in the e01,,11V ~lIV it created and to protect it by our moral influence against European aggr. s sion The British conception of the ob ject of tile Montgomery’s 'V* 1 , I there’on- tnav be entirely within the line ( of probability, as Intended not only to , afford us a coaling station, but also , to exhibit to Other nations our natural ; interest in the negro colony founded by Americans. NEVER THE SAME MENTALLY. Congressman Boutelle May Recover Physically, It Is-Said. Boston. December 29.—T0 -all those who inquired after the coimitlon of Congress man Boutelle at tlie Melman asylum to day. the reply was given that h e was getting .long nicely and was improving in strength. Dr. Daniel A. Robinson, the phvsi.ian who came fr.m Bangor ,o iit tend aim after lie was stricken at Young s hotel, savs that "wi ile the congressman may recover his physical health and vigor, it is possible that he may never be tin- same ,-i.uiii mentally. GENERAL BROOKE IN FLORIDA. Washington, December 2rt.—General t Brooke, who arrived at St. Augustine, i Fla., today from Cuba, is not coming . north al once, but it Is expected will stop at St. Augustine or some other convenient ! southern resort for some time in order to | avoid a sudden climatic change. tSHMimi SEIZED BX EHGUBD Steamer Bundesrath Cap tured and Taken to Dur ban as a Prize GERMANY ACTS IN CASE Cruiser Magicienne Took Charge of the German Boat in North Del agoa Bay and Will De mand a Court of Inquiry, T.orenzo Marques, D.-lagoa Bay. Decem ber 31).—The German steamer Bundesrath, ix-ionglng to the German East African line, has b—-n captured as a prize and taken to Durban. The Bundesrath arriv- d here from Mozambique. The Bundesrath. of 1,31'1 tons, sailed from Hamburg Novemb- r Bth. for Tai-ga. East Africa. The capture of the Bundesrath has in creased tlie already strong anti-British feeling here among the Hollander and German section of the population. Durban, December 29.—The British cruis er Magicienne s< Iz.-d the German st. amer Bundesrath in North Delagoa bay. She will b.- brought before a p-!xe court. GERMAN OFFICERS ABOARD. London, December 3). —A representative of the Associated I’ress has learned that there were three German officers and •twenty men, attired in khaki and Intend ing to serve the Boers, on Imk t ’Bundesrath, which explain*, he- R’-gardlrg traffic generally e coast of Africa, tlie Brit is officials say the British gov»-r sires that till ordinary a ? trade conducted by foreign i suffer a- little restriction OWNERS DEMAND 3. Hamburg. December ot tlie Get mail East A celved news of the ar .al ( t..ail steamer Bundet ~n:an- ■ <i.-r of the port of D e ,i an ex- ! planation of the eat -•- seizure. It lis declared here tha.. t re wa.s no con ttaband of war on board, and when appll- PT.I( E FIVE < IMS *ati«>n was ma.i- t>» th*- fh-rrn n foreign ..til.es the latter immediate;', promt * d interposition witli tlie British govern ment . The seizure of tit.- Band, rath wa re f. ned to at a me. ting of m- r. hunts h< bl her.- today. After a .-p«-* ch by Adolph W.erman. pr.-sid* nt of tlie Hamburg chamber of commerce, d.-alii.g with the great progress of the German empire dur ing ihe .-losing <■• !;! ury. H< rr Kiss-. -|Hak ' ing in behalf of the firms trading with South Africa. whether Hi- . hi.til-.r was doing ali that was m-.s-ssarj for the protection <f G rman trade in that part ot the world. Ih rman comm. ree. he as serted. had aln .dy s-iff-r.-d detriment through the war in South \friea, and now •tews rani'- ” r th.- -eizure of a German steamer by a British warship. Herr W.x-rmann n plied that th** < ham Ih r had already considered th qii- sfion of r.-f>res,-ntatioti with the v' w «>f taking ac.ion in the matter. The chamlwr, lie continued, had been informed that the steamship company owning the seized -- sei iiad telegraphed to Prince ||oh>-nlol • , ih> taqterial chancellor, asking f >r gov ernment interi ntion, ami it wa ■. .ar 1 l that nothing whatever had b. • n dow by the company which co-.ild in an. way b regarded as a breach of neutrality. NEGOTIATIONS HAVE OPENED Right of England To Search the Bundesrath Is Questioned by the Berlin Papers. Berlin. Dcc.-misr 31.—Regarding the seizure by th*- British cruiser Migh.’nne of the Bundesrat!., of 'he German E.i-t African line, a high "tii' iai of th. Ger man foreign office, who was interview--.I by the .orrespon.lent of the Associated Press today, said: Silence mus*t be preserved at present concerning tlie actual statu* of th-- ir - go ialions which have !><•• n begun with Great Britain a «>ut matter. Ac prvpriate steps have been taken, of which Germany must await the result. The matter Is regarded by GeAiany as of the utmost importance because se riously itivo.ving the rights of neu trals. This afternoon the foreign secretary, I Count von Buelow, conferred at the fur j eign office with his official advisers and then reported to the emp ror. A cabinet meeting will consider the seizure. I It is also asserted in governm nt circles that the British right of search is eues tioned and that in any event the Briti- i right ty stop passengers, whether th. y in tend to fight for the Doerr, or not, is . str. iiuously disputed, as the vessel upon , which they'were is neutral, an I the terri i tory to which :h y were proceeding, name ly, Delagoa I’, y. is also iivuiral. Redress, it is asserted, will be in sisted upon by Germany. The Ger man press today unanimously con demns British action in the Bundes rath seizure, which is characterized as an instance of gross insolence and as “calculated again to illustrate tha need of a powerful Germun navy to render such overbearanee on the part of England impossible in the fu ture." The National Zeitung strongly argues that England had no right to interfere with tin- Bundesrath and expresses tha hope- tha: she ha* not adopted a flexible theory regarding contraband. Tin- Lok >1 surmls.s that there must have been a serious quarrel between the commanders of the Bundesrath and th • Magicienne before* the latter officer “ever asserted his prerogative carrying I off the steamer” ami exj-n sses the hope tha: Germany will "speedily enforce th release of the vessel.” Even the moderate Vossisehe Zeitung calls the proceedings "characteristic English insolence" and "i<is <t !c- ''whoie attitude of the Eng lish be.ore Delagoa bay provokes a gen eral protest.” It is signiilcant that today tlie Germ m Fiotterverien distributed in Berlin copies of a strongly word d pamphie. ]H,i:iting o-at the n.-ed of a strong German navy. From a well informed authority it is learned that preliminary negotiations have been going on for some time between Gr at Britain and Germany in London lor the purpose of extending the s of he treaty regarding the Portuguese .-••’••ni- . but tlial the Asiatic colonies of i - - /! are not comprised m the exten.-i i. pt - German Cruisers Sail. Berlin, Januarj 1. it is announced that th'- German protected cruisers ('ond-r and SehwallH.- arc now on the way to De a goa bay. BRITISH LOSS WAS HEAVY Christmas Day the English Army Paid for a Sortie. b> irenzo M irqties. liro-m >< •• Ad vices received here from Pretoria under • 'ate of Wednesday. Decern la r 27th. s. that an oitieial dispatch from M if.-king announ.es that in tne sortie whi-h tlie British m ule from that place De - nib- : 25th. attacking otic of the Boers’ farts with cannon. Maxims and an armored train so persistently that the fighting raged tip to the walls of the fort, the British lost I’-!' men killed ami wounded while the Boer-- only lost two men killed and seven wounded. The dispatch a id-- that Captains Kirk wood and Grenfell were captured by Boer stouts noir Coicnso and were being sent t’> Pretoria. Ten unloaded shells insertin'.! “Tin- .- son's gr.-< tings” hav.- been tired at La.ly smith. Ten South African medical stu dents f rom Edinburgh have arrived at Pretoria from Delagoa Bay with live tons of tni-iia-al stores. A dispat’-h from the Boer camp at the Modder river, dated Thursday, De< - mix r 28th. reports an artillery duel lasting an hour. December 27th a British recon noitering party made a sortie, but did not c* me within the Boer rang.-. The British December 2Xth commenced a steady bombardment of the Boer position. TWO CAPTAINS ARE KILLED. Pretoria. Friday. December ■*>.—Thre,- British prisoner- from Malapo report that Captains Vernon ami Sanford, of . Colonel Baden-Powell's staff, were killed during th.- engagement in which L>r< * Edward Ce-.-ii and Cavendish-Bentinck i were wounded. The object of the sortie | was to capture Boer cannon. Th* loues