TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9812, 23 August 1897, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

The regulations governing Graduates' the conduct of matriculation Spelling. examinations in conneotion

with Melbourne University have recently undergone revision at the hinds of the governing bodies, and the amendments, which were only arrived at after long consideration, came before the Senate for confirmation. Among the recommendations was one that candidates should be liable to rejection in any subject on account of bad spelling or illegible writing, and a long discussion took place over the clause. Professor Masson, who fathered it, intimated that it was not intended to pluck men for a few chance slips, but it was meant to prevent grossly bad spellers " going about and disgracing the University.'" As to illegible writing the Professor said " it was safer topluck a man whose paper could not be read than to pass him." Another member of the Senate said he knew a man, one who had taken a high position in mathematics, whose examination papers, he would guarantee, would average six mistakes in spelling to the page. It was contended by one or two speakers that the proposed new clause might be fair enough if applied to examinations in English, but not in technical subjects. One gentleman went so far aa to say, "It was well known that it was the big words in the medical school that were responsible for tho men's spelling being ruined." Professor Allen, however, showed that it was not alone in technical subjects that mistakes occurred. He quoted a case which had lately come under his notice, of a fifth year student, who had passed in English and Latin and had taken an exhibition of the highest order. This individual "wrote about 'fare' weather, spelt infer with two r/s, and described how a microscopic specimen should be * staned.' He also spelt inoculate with two n'a, compensating by giving approximate only one p, and described the substance alum as 'alamn.'" Regulations of some kind were wanted, added Professor Allen, both for spelling and writing. On three occasions he had had to interpret students' writine; to other Boards. Eventually, and as most people will think, quite properly, the clause was rejected. It wonld be ridiculous to pluck brilliant students simply because tbey made mistakes in spelling and wrote badly—the credit such students might subsequently reflect upon the University would extinguish any possible disgrace inflicted upon jt by such faults. At the same time, though the Universities are not examining bodies, so far as undergraduates are concerned, in spelling and writing, the man whose papers are not marred by such mistakes as those quoted by Professor Allen, and are readable, as opposed to. being decipherable, should, other things being equal, have some advantage over Ims accurate and careful competitors.

The latest cable news concernAmerica mg Cuba was to the effect that and an American torpedo boat Cuba, flotilla had sailed for the Gulf

of Mexico, and it was believed that it was to be in readiness for tho development of events in Cuba in the early part of next year. The upshot of war between the United State, and Spain is practically a foregone conclusion, and in the end Span, would find herself not only without Cuba, but with a depleted treasury and a probable revolution on hand. The party in the United States who are in favour o* the annexation of the island may be strong enough o ecca the President's hand. Certainly public opinio.: in this direction seems to have been growing of late. But we are now told, on the authority of the New York correspondent of a London paper, that a new scheme for obtaining possession of Cuba has lately been made public in America, although the President had not opened his mouth on the subject. It was premised that Spain, who has already spent a vast sum of money and many lives in the endeavour to quell the revolt, would before very long find herself without the means of carrying on the struggle. The Rothschilds, it was stated, had notified to Spam that they would cease advancing money for the purposes of the Cuban war after July Ist, and though the Spanish people might, by such public-spirited sacrifices as they made more than a year ago, subscribe a new loan among themselves, that source of revenue could not be depended upon for long. The United States, it was therefore proposed, should offer Spain one hundred million dollars (about twenty million pounds sterling) for the independence of Cuba, to be paid by an issue of Cubau bonds, guaranteed by the United States Government, and to be met by the Cuban revenue, which would be collected and applied to the debt, under the direction of United States officers. "If Spain accepts this offer," says the correspondent, " she will at once have a good round sum in her practically bankrupt treasury, Cuba will have gained her independence in an honourable manner, and the trade of this country will once again resume its old dimensions. Of course if this settlement is to be mado it must be done at once, as another year of the present desolating war would ruin the sugar industry of the island, which is alreadyalmost destroyed." The cable has been silent as to the result of this proposal, which may or may not have got beyond the at&ga of talk. The bargain might be a very good one for the United States in time, but the revenue of Cuba is very different now to what it was two or three years ago, and the colonial debt, which was about forty millions in 1895, was then increasing fast. - In any case the proposal comes oddly from a people whose representatives are never weary of declaring they have no wish for territorial aggrandisement, although with Hawaii for one colony they think presumably it would be no harm to have another one or two.

A refugee from Armenia, An formerly a merchant at Armenian Tokat, has arrived in MclRefugee, bourne, and has made

public some of his ex. periences in the hands of the Turk. At the beginning of last year he waa the President of a local Benevolent Society, intended to help Armenian sufferers from the Turkiab. raids, and was one day arrested on a charge of being concerned in a secret revolutionary committee. It would have been no great wonder if this had been the case, but the refugee declared it was a false accusation. In any case, after being thrown into prison he was released on the payment by his father of £70. With his mother lie went to Constantinople, and there worse things befel him. A month after his arrival he was arrested by the police and introduced to a species of inquisition which barely left him with his life. He was invited to declare that he was a conspirator, and also to turn Mahonv medan. Floggings, tortures, dark cells, and starvation were the means adopted by those before whom he was brought to extract confession "and recantation from him. The torturing went on at intervals from nine o'clock every night for six weeks, except on some days when the \mfortunate victim was too weak to stand. In the end he was stripped of most of his clothes and pushed into a pitch-dark, underground cell, tho floor covered with several inches of mud and slime, and the walls and ceiling dripping with moisture. In this place he was left for sixty hours without food or drink, and was then taken out insensible. After that he was kept in another dark cell for six months, wibh no bed or chair, and a daily food allowance of lib of black bread and some dirty water. During all this time his mother and others had been petitioning the Ambassadors of the Powers, who at length secured his release. Being warned by them that he had. better not stay in Constantinople, he made his escape from tha city and came out to Australia, where he intends to start life again. As he is only twenty-five he has every possibility of living down his fearful experiences, the traces of which are said to be strongly marked in his face.