TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XLVII, Issue 7526, 16 April 1890, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Tsb early closing, movement haa our heartiest sympathy. Undoubtedly it ia in the interest of all concerned that shopping should be conducted within reasonable hours and not prolonged into the night. It would certainly be better for the shopkeeper, if only on the score of economy in gas. The advantages from the assistants' point of view are so obvious that we need not repeat a thrice-told tale. Unquestionably the public are not leas likely to get what they want in the day time than ; they are in the doubtful glare of I the gas. Why then are shops kept open till late, and why has an early closing agitation become necessary? Simply because a certain section of the public are so thoughtless and procrastinating that they put off till the evening the task which could be much better done earlier in the day. Candour also compels one ho add that it is the wage-earning community —who have obtained the eight hours boon for themselves, and who ought therefore to be more considerate for others—who are the chief offenders in this respect. We know, ol course, that it is merely want of thought on their part which has led to late eliopping, of which complaint is made. Wβ are glad to see public opinion ia being aroused on this subject, and true* that now that attention has been called to it the evil will be abated. As for legislation, we have no hope of a remedy ia that quarter. Social reforms; which are a question of good feeling as much as anything else, are not to be carried oat by

the aid of the criminal law. Neither the British working nuc, nor any other claea of the British public, will submit to compulsion in a matter of this kind. An was pointed out by th% Very Keverendthe Bean, if legislation is passed in advance of publio opinion it will become » dead letter. If public opinion is in favor of early dosing, no legislation is necessary.

Onb of the most difficult problems in connection with the municipal management of London is to keep the etreeta decently clean in the face of the enormous traffic which is continually grinding their surface into dust in dry weather or churning it into mud when the weather ia wet. An ingenious machine, known as the Hercules, has lately been brought out by a German inventor, which, it is claimed, will mak e even the dirtiest London streets "as clean as a new pin" in an incredibly short space of time. It is the result of five years' experimenting and the expenditure of thousands of pounds. And yet, as is the case with many great inventions, the machinery is simple enough when you come to examine it. It is a combination of a water-cart and a sweeping machine mounted on a carriage resembling a tricycle. The two large wheels of the tricycle are in front, the smaller one behind. The watering arrangement is in front, and when in action either loosens the mud or moistens the dust, as the case may be, and thus renders it more easy to be dealt with by the sweeper. The latter, which ia close to the smaller wheel —that is to say, behind the carriage—consists of a cylinder on which are fixed some twenty rows of strong, thick, flexible square patches of india-rubber. In each row there are twenty such patches, each fixed on end, and these sweep away all rubbish before them in the most marvellous manner. In fact so thoroughly does " Hercules " do his work that it 'is said he can scrape thoroughly clean in sixty minutes, half a mile in length by nearly thirty feet in J width of the street space in I London. For the footpaths hand machines of the same design may be used. London, dustless and smokeless, as sanitarians I would have it, would soon become a model city to live in.

It appears that even yet Palestine ia not so safe for travellers as could be desired. A clergyman, the Ber. J. Howell, in a letter to the Daily New), givee an alarming narrative of the adventures of Mr Kiohard i Webb, an Oxfordshire gentleman and his wife who had resided at Mount Lebanon for about .five years, and who " fell among thieves" when on their way from Beytbut to Jaffa* Mr Webb, on arrival at Caifa, it appears had 'called at the British Consulate for advice, with, the intention of having the protection of soldiers during the remainder iof the journey if necessary. The/Consul, however, assured them there was no need of anything of the kind, stating that no one had been attacked on this road during the past eight years. The travellers, therefore, resumed their road. On the afternoon of the second day of their journey at a lonely place between the sea on the one hand and tall cliffs on the other* they were overtaken by powerful Arabs on horseback with disguised faces, and armed with guns, swords, spears, and bludgeons. The assailants demanded possession of alj their valuables, and attacked* them first of all with their bludgeons. Mr Webb fired a revolver'twice into the air, hoping to frighten them; but the firing only infuriated them. They . then drew their spears, and Mr Webb was seriously wounded on the head, his thigh, and his hand. The robbers not only took all the money Mr Webb had, but also stripped him of all his clothes, except bis trousers and boots. They also took all the upper garments of Mrs Webb, .and all she had, except a watch which she had hidden in her bosom, and one of her earrings. But for the earnest pleading of Mrs Webb, who can speak Arabic perfectly, on behalf of her husband, it is added, it is more than probable that they would have murdered him. It was with the greatest difficulty that the chief of the robbers, with drawn sword, succeeded in keeping off his companions and saved Mr Webb's life. After taking all they could of what was of any value, they then went for the camels, which were some distance behind, and seized their luggage. It was altogether a loss of .£2OO to Mr Webb. Mr Webb was too imuch weakened by loea of blood and pained by his wounds to go on to Jaffa before the following day, where he was received into the English hospital. Such is the substance of the Bey.. Mr Howell's story. It is satisfactory to learn that one of the robbers has been captured. It is to be hoped that all will be arrested and dealt With sharply. The outrage on Mr and, Mrs Webb is the most serious which has been reported for some years. Of course travelling in Palestine has always been looked upon as a littla unsafe. Itiethe usual thing, for parties to engage an Arab escort, and if this is done they are usually let alone. Togo without an escort would be to render yourself liable to annoyance, although not generally Of a. very formidable nature. It is shrewdly euapeofced however, that there is a good understanding between the escort and the marauders, and that the whole affair is an ingenioug arrangement for, obtaining J" backeheesh," Even tourists do not altogether object to it, because it appears to lend a spice of romance to the journey which would otherwise have been absent. The however, stands on a different footing, and if frequently repeated with impunity would seriously impair the popularity of trips to the Holy lend. i