FROM FAR AND NEAR.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 154, 30 June 1903, Page 2

FROM FAR AND NEAR.

Sir A. Co nan Doyle, as president of the Boys' Empire League, some time ago offered a prize of ten guineas for the best song calculated to promote and strengthen a worthy Imperial spirit in British boys all over the world. The prize has just been awarded to the. Rev. J. McKim, of Swinehope Rectory, Lincolnshire. The song goes to the tune of "Marching Through Georgia," and has a fine martial swing. The following are three stanzas: Come, boys, and sing, descendants of the free. Wave high o'erhcad the flag of liberty, Proudly see it waving from utmost sea to sea. Cheer! all ye sous of Britannia! We'll keep our minds like crystal pure and bright, Our bodies strong to aid the Empire's rnifrht; Some tiny she'll call us ki help her in the fight; March on, ye s»;is of Britannia! Now. boys, our King, for bim a three times three. And all the lads who share our destiny; Forward in unison to set the whole world free; God speed the boys of Britannia! Mr McKim- song was selected from 350 others. It will be sung for the first time by the boy soloist. Master Frank Forsyth, at a concert to be given under royal patronage in St. Jambs' Hall on May 28. The youngest member of the United States Congress is Burton L. French, aged 27. He owes the distinction to womanhood suffrage. Seven years ago lie was working with a hoe on a beet farm. Saving money, he entered Idaho University, and got into notice as a member of the debating society. His powers of oratory obtained for him a seat in the State Legislature. He completed his, studies in Idaho University, and then went to Chicago University, where be got his master's degree. On his return to Idaho be was nominated for Congress by the Republicans, who had a majority of 3000 to overcome. If all the voters in Idaho had been men the outlook would have been dubious (according to the "New York Evening Sun"), but a good many were women, and Burton L. French is comely to look upon, keen of eye, ruddy of complexion, straicrht-lippod, strong-jawed. bro"dshouldered, athletic in. build. He made a whirlwind canvass, and won out by 8000.

Judging from cases quoted by medical men and others in a report just issued at Home, it would appear that the chief causes of that dread disease, cancer, include: Irritation of the lip con-

sequent on smoking clay pipes; after effects of wounds arl injuries; Ions; con tact with a cancer patient; chronic dyspepsia and irregular meals; drinking impure water; inherited predisposition; consumption of neat alcohol; use of pipes belonging to sufferers; unfavourable conditions of life, food aud residence. It is pointed out that where several members of a family are. afflicted with cancer others suffer from idiocy, epilepsy, lunacy, or tuberculosis.

There will shortly be celebrated the 250 th anniversary of the municipal birth of New York. Here are some interesting facts from the "Tribune," which show the growth of the city:—Population in 1653, 1120; population 150 years later (1800), 60,000; population in 1903, 3,600,000. In 1653 there were paths, trails, and a few poor roads on the island; now there are 430 miles of streets, of which 365 miles are paved. The buildings in early New York were, low, small structures; to-day there are on Manhattan Island scores of buildings more than ten storeys high, some more than 300 ft high. In place of the little school near where the new Custom House will stand there are hundreds of educational insitutions, and the city Government has voted for public education for the year more than 20,000,000d015. ( £ 4,000,000).

The last seven months of the adventurous life of Mr Edward H. Vizetelly, author, translator of all Zola's novels into English, war correspondent, and one. - time colonel of Bashi-Bazouks, were spent in a common lodging house, and he died in the Whitechapel infirmary. It was stated at an inquest held on April lo that Mr Vizetelly, who was fifty-six, had lodged at the Rowton House, Fieldgate-st., Whitechapel, since August. The manager said he never complained, but always had a very sickly look. He became ill on April 11, was taken to the infirmary, and there he asked whether he was dying. The doctor answered that he was afraid there was no hope, whereupon Mr Vizetelly rejoined that he was "quite prepared." He died the same evening from heart failure following pneumonia. His brother, Mr Arthur Vizetelly, journalist, gave evidence that he last saw the exwar correspondent alive a fortnight ago at the British Museum. He had been in straitened circumstances, but not in actual want, and he was generally of sober habits. "It is very sad," remarked the coroner, "that such a man should have drifted down to live in a common lodging house." "I think," said the brother, "he was living there to gain information for the purpose of writing articles on East End life. There are several manuscripts in possession of the publishers now." The coroner observed that it was hardly likely Mr Vizetelly would be there for so many months for literary purposes, and the inquiry ended with a verdict of "Natural death." It may be recalled that Mr Edward H. Vizetelly was the first man to interview Stanley on the explorer's return to East Africa with* Emm Pasha. He sent off £1500 worth of telegrams in two days to the "New York Herald," and received £2000 for the interview.

A writer on the railways in South Africa points out the splendid work done by the engineers. He says: "The promptitude with which the railway system was reconstituted, and the efficient manner in which the work was done in practically every case, affords a standing record of the skill and devotion of those who carried it out. The work of these men has been throughout the war of the most arduous and useful, and in many cases dangerous, nature, and it was done unobtrusively. While the praises of our fighting men have been sung vociferously in the press and elsewhere during the last few years, the public have heard very little of the splendid doings of the engineers who repaired and kept going the railways during the war. This is especially the case with the Railway Pioneer Corps, recruited almost entirely from the staffs of the various railways in South Africa,"