Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/432

 8 CHRONICLE. [feb.

3. A large public meeting held at Gratz in Styria under the auspices of the old Catholic party, at which freedom from Rome was strongly advocated. Similar meetings were also held in various parts of Austria, the alliance between the Clericals and the Slavs being resented by the Germans.

— The Tsung-li-YamSn on the instigation of Sir Claude Macdonald agreed to open a new treaty port at Nanning-fu, near the Tongking frontier.

— The German Emperor at the annual dinner of the Brandenburg Provincial Diet, made an animated speech to his "dear men of the Mark/' and referring to his visit to the Holy Land, said that standing on the Mount of Olives he had renewed his military oath of service to heaven.

4. The Filippinos, numbering 20,000, attacked the American positions at Manilla, continuing the fight af intervals throughout the night. They were finally completely defeated with the loss of 4,000 killed and wounded, and 5,000 prisoners.

— M. Rochefort on his way through Marseilles to Algiers, hooted and pursued by an angry crowd, which forced him to keep in hiding throughout his stay. On his arrival at Algiers he was warmly received by a large section of the population, but disturbances ensued, and the mayor and municipal council were suspended by the prefect.

5. A force despatched by the Punjab Government to punish a frontier tribe of marauders surprised on their return, and suffered the loss of six killed and fourteen wounded.

6. At a meeting of the Liberal party held at the Reform Club, and attended by 143 members, Sir Wilfrid Lawson presiding, Sir H. Camp- bell-Bannerman unanimously elected leader of the party in the House of Commons in succession to Sir William Harcourt.

— The United States Senate by 57 to 27 votes, being three beyond the necessary two-thirds, ratified the treaty of peace with Spain.

— The steamship Lucania reached New York in safety, having for nine days experienced terrific weather in crossing the Atlantic — snow, hail, thunder and lightning, and incessant gales, sometimes amounting to a hurricane, raging throughout the voyage.

7. The fifth session of the fourteenth Parliament of the Queen's reign opened by royal commission.

— The criminal chamber of the Court of Cassation having com- pleted its inquiry into the justice of the revision of the Dreyfus case, President Loew informed the Minister of Justice that the court would pronounce judgment.

8. The Queen-Regent of Spain signed a decree re-establishing the constitutional guarantees, and abolishing the state of siege throughout the kingdom.

— Mr. Ruskin, on the occasion of his eightieth birthday, received a national address signed by the Prince of Wales, the trustees of the British Museum, and the representatives of numerous institutions and