The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls | Page 4

that President Simon Sam might
submit.
Now, in face of the two cruisers, affairs took on a new complexion, and
when they heard that the town would be bombarded if Germany's
demands were not acceeded to within eight hours, the natives' only fear
was that the President would not submit.
The foreign residents did not feel any more cheerful than the Haitians.

The members of the French colony took refuge on the French ships in
the harbor; the Germans hurried on board their own vessels; the
English sought shelter on their trading steamers; and the Americans,
having no vessels in the harbor, went to the house of the minister,
carrying with them the most valuable of their possessions.
President Simon Sam determined to resist as long as he dared. He sent
a request to the commander of the German vessels, for more time to
consider.
The German commander refused, and one of the "schoolships" cleared
its decks for action, and took up a position close to the Haitian
war-vessels.
Clearing the decks for action means that everything possible is
removed from the deck, and a clear space left for the sailors to work the
ship in.
The Haitians then became convinced that Germany would not be trifled
with, and the Government decided to yield.
President Simon Sam had feared that if he yielded too easily, the
people would be infuriated with him, and try to put down his
Government, so he held out until the cruiser was actually threatening
the town, and then submitted. The money demanded by Germany as
damages for Lueders, $30,000 in all, was sent on board the German
vessel.
The President at the same time issued a notice to the people of Haiti,
telling them he had been compelled to yield the rights of Haiti to the
superior force of Germany.
The Haitians, besides sending the money, saluted the German flag, and
sent a letter of apology to Germany.
Had the Haitians held out, and allowed the Germans to bombard their
city, the United States would have been bound to interfere. It is said
that the officials of our Government are very glad that the difficulty has

been settled without our being forced to take part in it.
* * * * *
Germany seems to be in great luck at this moment.
It is reported that China, not being strong enough to fight the Germans,
and drive them out of her country, has decided to give up Kiao-Chou to
them.
This rumor has not as yet been confirmed, and it seems hardly to be
believed, when we take into consideration the fact that only a week ago
the Chinese Emperor said he would rather give up his crown than yield
to the enormous demands of Germany.
The day after this announcement was made, two hundred German
marines and sailors entered the city of Kiao-Chou, which is eighteen
miles from the Bay, and took possession of it.
The Chinese forts protecting the town opened fire on the Germans; but
when the invaders replied with their splendid modern guns, the Chinese
retreated, and the Germans took possession of the city without further
trouble.
Several German sailors were injured by stones, flung at them by the
inhabitants of the villages through which they marched; but beyond that
they suffered no loss, and their second victory, the taking of the city,
was as easy as their first, when they captured the forts protecting
Kiao-Chou Bay.
Whether the reports that China has given up Kiao-Chou be true or false,
it is certain that Germany has no intention of letting the prize she holds
slip through her fingers.
She has just sent out a reinforcement of twelve hundred marines and
two hundred artillerymen, under the command of the Emperor's brother,
Prince Henry of Prussia.

Marines are soldiers who form a part of the equipment of war-vessels.
They have none of the sailors' duties, and do not handle the ships, but
are sea troops, so to speak, who fight on shipboard, or are landed to
attack a town, as in the case of Kiao-Chou.
They are a very useful body of men; but being neither soldiers nor
sailors, according to the recognized idea of the terms, they are looked
down upon by both soldiers and jack tars. In England it is a common
saying that a marine is "neither fish, flesh, fowl, nor good red herring."
It is stated that the principal reason for the seizure of Kiao-Chou Bay
was that Germany desired to have her share of the China trade. Finding
that China was indifferent to her wishes, she determined to seize upon a
portion of Chinese soil, and put herself in a position to force the Asiatic
kingdom to listen to her demands and obey them.
A later telegram from China says that