Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/448

 24 CHEONICLE. [may

the business part of the city absolutely disappeared. The losses were estimated at upwards of 2,000,000 dollars.

26. The British Government intimated its intention to contribute a yearly subsidy as guarantee for the construction of an all-British cable from Vancouver to Queensland and New Zealand.

— Captain Wingate reached Bhamo from Pekin, having travelled in safety by the provinces of Hu-nan, Kwai-chan and Yun-nan, to Kun- long Ferry.

— The tercentenary of the birth of Cromwell celebrated at Hunting- don, his native town, and at several places throughout the country.

— The 700th anniversary of the grant of a charter by King John to Kingston-on-Thames celebrated by the borough.

— At Newmarket the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes won by the favourite, the Duke of Westminster's Flying Fox, 9 st. (M. Cannon). Eight started.

27. Upwards of 1,000 Russian emigrants of the Dukhoborsky sect left Cyprus for Canada, after a stay of eight months, having found the climate of the island unsuitable.

— A destructive cyclone swept over Kirks vi lie, Missouri, a town of 50,000 inhabitants, sweeping a path a quarter of a mile broad through the eastern quarter. Upwards of sixty persons were killed, and 1,000 injured by the storm, or by the floods and fires which followed it.

— The Mataafan rebel stronghold at Vailima captured by the British and American marines, after it had been shelled by the ships.

28. The East Goodwin lightship run into and badly damaged by a passing steamer. Communication by wireless telegraphy was at once set up with the South Foreland, and assistance despatched.

— At Newmarket the One Thousand Guineas Stakes won by the favourite, Lord W. Beresford's Sibola, 9 st. (J. T. Sloan). Fourteen started.

29. At the banquet of the Royal Academy, Lord Salisbury announced that an agreement had been signed with Russia with reference to the respective rights of the two countries in China.

— The Football League Championship (Association Rules) secured by the Aston Villa team, which beat Liverpool in the final tie by five goals to none. Both teams had played thirty-four games, of which Aston Villa had won nineteen, drawn seven, and lost eight, while Liverpool had won nineteen, drawn five, and lost ten games.

— The first Cretan Government under the autonomous regime con- stituted, consisting of four Christians and one Mahomedan.

MAY.

1. The May-day labour celebrations passed off everywhere without disturbance.

— A deputation, representing 10,000 laymen, presented to the Arch- bishops of Canterbury and York at Lambeth Palace an address express-