TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8729, 27 February 1894, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

The wrecks and sunken Dangerous treasure which strew the bed Derelicts, of the ocean have proved %

fruitful source of -peculation to imaginative writers. Few people, however, are probably aware that the wrecks which still float up and down the surface of are in some parts so numerous as to become a serious danger to navigation. This is particularly the case wibh that highway of nations the Atlantic. British captains recently signed a petition to the Firet Lord of the Treasury begging that the English Government would join the United States Government and other Powers in destroying these derelicts, as they arc a great danger to life and property. That this is no imaginary peril waa shown by the Secretary to the Shipmasters 1 Society, who, when interviewed by a representative of the Pall Mall Gazette recently, produced a chart issued by the Hydrograpbic Department of the United States Navy thickly dotted with derelicts reported by various vessels, chiefly in the track of the Gulf Stream. Incidentally ib may be mentioned that the United States Government looks a great deal more after the interest of mariners than do (he British authorities. For instance, a pilot chart is issued monthly showing every known derelict, bhe direction in which they are moving, icebergs encountered and so on. Tracks are also suggested for each month of the year for vessels desirous of escaping the heaviest weather. Nothing of this sort is done for the British mariner by his Government. More than this tha United States officials not only point out the existence of the derelicts, but detail war vesseie to destroy them. The Kearsage, the famous conqueror of the Alabama, was told off for thia work, and only tbe other day, it will be remembered, went on her own account to join those she had sent to the bottom.

It is probable that a large numManrus ber of our readers have never Jokai. heard of the remarkable man

whose remarkable name heads this paragraph. He is the foremost figure in literature in Hungary at the present day —in fact, he may be said to embody the literature of modern Hungary. The Magyars only number about six millions, but they can appreciate literature, and know how to honour a great writer. Jdkai is poet and dramatist as well aa novelist. His works comprise about 120 volume*, and more than half a million copies have been sold among his countrymen, besides trans__tions in various European tongues. Alto-

gether, it is said, he has made £200,000 by his works. The other day his literary jubilee was celebrated, and surely author was never so honoured before. About 2000 members of various deputations attended to offer their congratulations. His admirers liad arranged for a complete edition de luxe of hi 3 works, to coat £20; fifteen hundred copies were subscribed for and half the net proceeds (£15,000) waa to be handed over to tbe author. The presents exhibited at the gathering covered tables thirty metres long and over 2000 addresses, all in costly covers, were presented. Among the congratulatory telegrams woro messages from Prince Ferdinand, of Bulgaria, and the Prince and Princess Philippe, of Coburg, aud the Servian Consul-General handed to the poet, in the name of King Alexander, the Grand Cross of the Order of St. Sava.

Maurus Jokai is patriot as A Romantic well as author, which may Career. partly account for the popular

enthusiasm manifested on hia account. He baa had a remarkable career. He is now in his seventieth year..j In early life he qualitied as an advocate, but never practised, preferring to devote his talents to journalism, in which he achieved a striking success. He fought through the War of Independence, and in 1849 he was present at'the capitulation of Villagos. To escape being made prisoner he resolved on suicide, but he was hindered by the fortunate arrival of his wife, who, 03* the way, was the greatest of-Hungarian tragodians. In Pesth she had converted all her jewels into gold, and with the funds thus provided the pair found their way on foot through the Russian army, reached a safe hiding place in the wood of Bukh, aad at last got safe to Pesth. It waa theu thab Jokai forsook journalism and betook himself to fiction, with the result already stated, thab he practically created a new literature. The rejoicings in his honour will, perhaps, lead to a run on his books by English readers who have nob hitherto made his acquaintance. One or two—such as " Eyea Like the Sea," an autobiographical romance, and " The New Landlord " —have been translated into English. Others, no doubt, will follow, and in a few months English people will talk as learned about Jdka'i as they do now about: Bjornsen or Tolstoi. Recently a garden party Starving was held at the Wellington Wellington. Hospital in aid of funds for a new wing. , The matron and nursing staff, in returning thanks to those who had assisted in makiug the affair a success, concluded with the following remarks:— "The free refreshment tables did not quite carry out their intended purpose, viz., to offer a cup ot tea and slight refreshment to each and every guest, but the tables were besieged aud surrounded in such a rapid, unforeseen, and unprevenbible way by some, that nothing could be done. However, a little dilFerenb arrangement on any future occasion will easily prevent a like trouble, aud we have now to offer our hearty thanks to the many hundreds of i contributors towards the furnishing of our I new wing, and to all those who have assisted and are interested in the advancement and welfare of our institution.'*

There is only one interpretation to be put on this paragraph, so far as we can see. Apparently a certain number of people arrived. at the. garden party in a ravenous state of hunger, surrounded the refreshment tables, and proceeded to gorge themselves in such a determined and protracted fashion that the Tmlkjof the guests were not able to get even a cup" of tea.' If this is so it is painful to think of. There must be an amount of privation in Wellington, of which,the outside world little dreamed, since we cannot imagine that decent people, not suffering from the pangs of starvation, could have acted in the way described. How they got into the garden party ia a mystery, unless they mistook the Hospital for the Charitable Aid Office. However, the ca3e of these poor people Will no doubt be enquired into. The "little different arrangement on a future occasion" referred to in the report will no doubt take the 6hapeof serving out rations to these famishing persons iv the regular way.