front, just behind the tender, with the rails neatly ranged on racks. At
once to either side of each rail-car rushes a party of, if Egyptians,
eight men, if blacks, ten, upon whose padded shoulders the ton of
sun-heated metal is placed by the car party. Then they run--they do
literally run--away with the unwieldy thing to its destined place,
where, once it is placed on the sleepers, the gaugers and strikers get
at it, and it is put in position and pinned (to each alternate sleeper,
the operation being completed after the heavy train has passed over the
newly laid rails) in an incredibly short time, at the end of which a
bugle sounds, the steam whistle blows, the engine moves slowly forward
over the rails that less than five minutes ago were stacked on the cars
behind her, and the whole operation is repeated."

* * * * *

Hawaiian affairs continue to progress peacefully, notwithstanding the
fact that the story of Japanese soldiers being introduced in Hawaii
disguised as laborers has been confirmed by so many people that our
Government has no longer any doubt of its truth.

Orders have therefore been sent to the commander of the fleet at
Honolulu to be on the alert, and in case Japan should attempt any
hostile movement to land a company of marines and sailors, run up the
American flag, and take possession of the island in the name of the
United States.

The gunboats _Wheeling_ and _Concord_ have been sent to the Sandwich
Islands, and a cruiser and several gunboats will be kept at Honolulu
until all fear of trouble is over.