TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9835, 18 September 1897, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Ok the strength of his own The experiences in Alaska, -Mr Olulkoot Harry de Windb, the wellPaea. known explorer, uttered a wptd of warning to those people who at the end of the English eumper were pre* paring to join the wild rush to the Kton" dyke diggings. He crossed the CUilkoot Pass in June-July, 1895, the best season l<* , travelling, and had a rough time getting there. Hie experiences included eewi* starvation, for when Forty Mile City *** reached it wae found that there was h&rdly any food in the place. Mr de Windfc states that Alaska " produces absolutely nothing of an edible nature," and having been $era be ought to know, but others who have returned from Klondyke speak of the creeks as abounding with s&ljnou. Aβ to the Chilkoot Pass iteelf, it is 4000 ft high, and "would, in Switzerland, be * question of ropes and ice-axos." But the Alaskan traveller can indulge in no such luxuries, and has to find his way over as best he can. It is generally traversed at nighfc, as the enow ie then firmer, and there is no darkness to speak of during the ArotK summer night. The hard work cointnenoed in grim earnest, Mr de Windt says, at the edge of the tree line. <• For the first few hours the way lay over a succession of snowy 'plateaus,' which, broken away beneath by numberless water-oourses, formed a kind of orust 16ft to 20f fc above the ground. The travelling Jiere wae extremely'JangeroUfc There was absolutely no cath or trail to guide

ono. and " u E e crevasses, where the snow had fallen in upon some foaming torrent, appeared here and there. There are seven or eight of these ' plateaus,' which increased in steepness until, midway up the last, we were scrambling painfully up the slippery ice-slop o on our hands and knees. The cold was intense. The Ust part of tho ascent was terribly hard, in places literally perpendicular. There is no path of any kind, n or would it bo possible to mako one, for the rocks are loose and insecure, and the passage of a man will often dislodge a huge boulder, and send it crashing down, to the deadly peril of those below. The ascent of the peak occupied nearly three hours, for, towards the end, frequent halts were necesearv. There were two or three place? where a slip must havemeant certain death, notably one about thirty yards from the summit." Mr De Windt has roughed it for tho past fifteen years in Siberia, Borneo and Chinese Tarkary, but he declared that the climb over theChilkoot was the severest physical experience of his life. A miner of Circle City who accompanied the party, described the trip as "a warm and pleasant one for the time of year." The nature of the journey at a lews favourable season may be faintly imagined from this. Of course the difficulties and dangers of the trip are no more than are undergone eveiy year with light hearts by Alpine climber? in all parts of the world, but Alpine climbers are born, not made, and the average units in a gold rush are not adapted by custom or practice to successfully overcome such obstacles as are presented by the Chilkoot Pass. The White Paea, on another route to Klondyke, is nnderetood to be much more easily traversed. In another column we publish The some extracts from the Lambeth Encyclical Letter issued by Conference, tho Archbishop of Canter* bury at tho close of the Lambeth Conference. It may be mentioned that; the recent Conference, which was attended by very nearly 200 Bishops, was held on the lines governing its predecessors, the first week being devoted to the reading of set papers followed by discussionThen came tea days of Committee meetings* which afforded opportunities for the interchange of experiences. The greatest interest centred in tho question of raising the Arch' bishopric of Canterbury to a Patriarchate' This, it is said, received probably onco for all a final settlement. "The Conference," remarks a London contoniporary, "showed iteelf determined that there should be nothing dono which should help, even in the course of many centnriea, to make another Pope. It was generally folt that there has been a tondenoy unduly to centralise power over tho daughter churches in the Archbishop's hands, and this, the Bishops let it be known, must not be. It was as distinctly [aid down as possibly could be that the Archbishop of Canterbury has no power, lave the moral strength his elevated position gives him, over the dootriuee or discipline- of the American and colonial churches. These communions must be allowed to maintain their native autonomy, even though it should sometimes lead to developments distasteful to other branches of the Church. , ' It ia stated that if the decision thus arrived tti had been tho only thing accomplished the Bishops would have held that tho Conference was -worth its while. " They are willing to pay to the descendant of St. Augustine reverence and respect, but they will suffer no diminution of the right to govern themselves in the way that seems to them best." One of the resolutions passed recommended the appointment of a consultative body to whioh resort might be had for information and advice, and the Archbishop was requested to take steps for thecreation of such a body. Bat it woe distinctly laid down that it should only act when asked to do so by the parties interested in any matter of dispute, and that even then its decisions should be only recommendations.

Amo*ig so many prelates Some of there was, it is said, Those Present, only one new man who made a distinct mark. This was Br. Oluwole, the negro Assietaut-Bishop of Western Equatorial Africa. He is described as electrifying the Conference, as much by what lie did not say as by what he did, for, unlike many preachers of his race, he lacks "the fatal excess of fluency and torrent of mere words." He spoke simply and directly, and "his shrewdness and fresh outlook on life were subjects of common talk." The most beautiful speech delivered during the Conference was that made by Bishop Doano, of Albany, U.S.A., in moving a resolution of reverence to the memory of the late Archbishop Benson. Oratory of a rather flowery kind is a distinguishing feature of the American Bishops, and it is a testimony to their common sense that they recognised that the quiet form of speech used by the English Bishops was better in some ways. "You manage to get through so much more business by your method," said one of the Americans. "I have been much struck by the matter-of-fact way you English Bishops •peak, by the way you compress your ideas* *nd the clearness with which you dctai* your plans and motions." The Conference h«e contributed to a better understanding By the Bishops of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Many of them, going on past recollections of him and hearsay evidence, were prepared to find him harsh and over-master-nJl. But since he was appointed to his present high position Dr. Temple is said to have become more sympathetic and humane •ad, so far from resenting his manner, many of the visiting Bishops came to entertain " the sinccrest love and reverence for the toil-worn, gaunt and ascetio lord of Canterbury."

All cricketers and lovers of Cricketing the game will hope that the M.P.'s. team of cricketers from fhe

House of Commons who are B°ing to dash round the world in ninety d'ye uext year will not pass by this colony Without paying it a visit. It will be manifestly impossible for them to follow out the Programme laid down and get Home, again « the allotted time, and while they are **»y they may just as well stay a little tonger and see some more of the colonies. The team undoubtedly contains some good cricketing talent. The Hon. Alfred Lyttel*o»i the youngest of the famous brotherhood °J may bereckoned the "star." For newly twenty years without a break the Eton team contained a Lyttelton, the "lending in 1875, when the Hon. Alfred JBptained the team. Going up to Cambridge ** got his "Blue" at once, representing University in his first season, and being »«o chosen to play for the Gentlemen *g»inet the Players. He was a magnificent wttsman, and his batting has been described, we believe, by "W. G.," as " the <*wnpagne of cricket." As a wicket-keeper to was, when at his best, in the front rank «amateurs. His "lob" bowling waa not te be despised at times, especially on such *° occasion as when he took four wickets «* 19 runs in the match between the Australians and Eugland in 1884, when the Australians put up 551, and the whole "trength of the English eleven waa tried w >tU the ball. Mr Lyttoiton kept wickot m>lßßo, in the firet match played in Engj** between the Old Country and Aneb»li».

Thb rest of the team, Some though not possessing a man of with such a brilliant record the Others, as Mr Lyttelton's, are above mediocrity. Viscount Curzon, M.P. for the Wycombe division of Bucks, was in the Eton team in 1880, and is said to play forward in the best Eton style. Viscount Chelsea was one of the best bats in a good Eton eleven, that of 1887. He represents Bury St. Edmunds. The Lord Willoughby mentioned in the cable message is, doubtless, Lord Willoughby d'Eresby, who, like the preceding gentleman, was educated at Eton and " Trin. Coll., Camb.", sits for a Lincolnshire constituency, but does not appear to have distinguished himself as a cricketer, though he is an enthusiastic follower of field sports in general. The Earl of Dalkeith, son of the Duke of Buccleuch, would probably have stayed in the Navy if his elder brother had not died. He is a keen sportsman, being, like many sailors, especially fond of horsee and hunting, and represents Roxburghshire. Mr George M. Kemp is a cricketer of renown. He played in the Shrewsbury School eleven in 1882-5-4, getting the highest batting average in the first year. Going to Cambridge he at once got into the University team, and headed the Cantabs , batting list in 1886, being second in 1888. He made his debut in county cricket in 1885, when he scored 109 for Lancashire against Yorkshire. Of Mr Bruce Wentworth, one of the members for Brighton, a biographer records that " he goes in first for the Household Brigade, and can punish loose bowling." He is a Harrow and Sandhurst man, was in tho Grenadier Guards, and is a greatgrandson of the great Canning. He headed the Sandhurst batting list in 1883 with an average of 34.6 per innings. Mr Joseph Pease has played some cricket in his time. He was in his College {Trinity, Cambridge) eleven, and captained the Durham County C.C. from 1884 to 1890. He is also said to belong to the New Zealand Golf Club, of which we hear for thefirsttime. Herepresents Tyneside, and is the youngest son of his better known father, Sir Joseph Pease, one of the pioneers of the_ railway system. Captain Chaloner, M.P. for Wiltshire West, is an ardent sportsman, and is'said to have done much to promote county cricket in Wiltshire, without, however, having put that county very far up the list. Still, no one knows how bad Wiltshire cricket may have been before the Captain took it in hand. Mr Austen Chamberlain is the eldest son of his celebrated father. That was probably enough fame for him in hie younger days ; at all events he does not seem to have distinguished himself athletically at Rugby or Cambridge. Perhaps he is as little fond of physical exercise as his father, in which case we may wouder what he is doing in the team. Possibly the Secretary of State for the Colonies intends to visit the colonies vicariously in the person of his son, and thus dilute the impressions gained from the Premiers. Sir William Walrond was "an illustrious long leg " in the Eton eleven, and the Right Hon. Walter Long was a hard hitting member of past Harrow and Oxford elevens. Sir Richard Webster, the oldest member of the team, was a great athlete in his day, and the Hon. R. A. Ward was in the Eton eleven. The "possibles" include Lord Sondes, who as Viscount Throwley piled up some big scores for Kent, inoluding one or two famous partnerships, and Lord Hawke, who, besides being a prominent player in England, has taken teams to Australia, America, South Africa, and the West Indies. With the exception of Mr Peise tho members of the proposed team ate all Conservatives or Liberal Unionists, so that Mr Pease should be converted by the time he sees Westminster again. Most of those who did not go to Eton and Trinity, Cambridge, went to Eton and Christ Church* Oxford.