A GILBERTIAN SITUATION.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13005, 6 January 1908, Page 7

A GILBERTIAN SITUATION.

The Paris correspondent of the "Standard," writing of tho debate in th 6 Chamber of Deputies on colonial scandals, reports a story worthy cf comic opera- A Customs officer and a Government clerk ol tho town of Conakry being in want of money, founded 8 tribunal, and this only eight miles away from the seat of administration. i cellar was tho "court house," and in old Almanac Hachette served as their ,7 code." One called ITimsolf "President" and the other "State Prose-' enter." The scale of punishment was simple. Everybody brought up was condemned to prison, but was let off on payment of fines, which wero divided between judge and attorney. This incredible foolery lasted six months before the Commissary at Con-a- __]- heard of it, and sent down one of his policemen, who came before the court, and just as ho was being condemned to prison, arrested the "bench." The party then went before tlio Administrator, and asked for two militiamen, on pretence of arresting a malefactor, and these two. in turn, arrested the Conakry policeman, and set the court free. The police officer, however, escaped during the night, and brought up reinforcements in the shape of three or four more police. The court, however, had fled, only to bo caught later, and finally condemned to two vcars' imprisonment. M.Papassan, the ""President." died of grief, but Moushto, the "Procureur, is now secretary to » prison. These strange happenings occurred in the town of Conakry in French Guinea, in the year of grace 1905. The Chamber seemed scarcely able to decide whethor to lau_th or cry over this and other tales, which, however, were allowed to pass practically unchallenged.

THE KAISER'S " REST CURE." When tho Kaiser left Windsor and travelled "incognito" (in the full knowledge of everybody, and pursued by special corrtto'poudents) to Highciine Usue, he was 6upp_ed to go there lor a lioliuay or "reo>t cure." i'erbaps it was a rest cure, as he understands such ttun_js (says the '•Ages London cor- • respondent, j at any rate he prepared for it by having telegraph aad telephone communication established between the castle and Berlin, b> arranging lor special postal facilities, and by taKing down a 6ta_ of secretaries and other officials with him. While at Windsor he started his Imperial duties usually at 6 a.m. In the seclusion of . Highcliffe, where no mayors with addresses or other inflictions could reach him, he recognised his emancipation by beginning work as late as 7 a.m. Sacksful of correspondence were received and despatched from the castle daily. It vas an active healthful timo for all concerned. There was no opportunity for aajone to acquire bad habits. In his relaxations, too, tho Kaiser proved strikingly energotic. Tho outdoor part of his rest cure usually took the form of long motor drives in the clammy November air at high speeds. Tho local * police had been informed fliat anyone seen tearing through the district at ' from 40.to~t>0 miles an hour would be tho German Emperor, and that they wore to look the other way until He was out of sight/ He has a boyish love of fast driving, and always er- ' ceeded the legal speed limit. Even the farmers' pigs and poultry became aware that some kind of abnormal and unusually privileged person was abroad ia the neighbourhood. The members of Ms sUff t distributed in three oars, followed him everywhere, and his ideas of time and distance had of ooutso to be theirs also.

HIGH SPEEDS IN SEA TRAVELLING. While English people little acquainted with 6©a travel are enthusiastically disct'fising the perfonnaaices of the now -C'lnird steamers, Mr Frank Bullen intervenes with the remark that they probably fail to realise the cost of high speed—the cost not alone in money •btit.also in health—which has to be Ed for the saving of a few hours, appears (says the "Age's" London correspondent) to accept all reports as to tho comfort of tho Lusdtonia and ■ ' the tMauretania with a considerable grain of 6alt. "In tho first place," he 6*ys., "the tremendous accession, of . power which must be provided for each extra knot gained means vibration', groat, even with turbines, at very high speeds; but in vessels with reciprocating engines perfectly appalling in its effect upon the nerves. It therefore becomes a question, not whtrther a man can afford the money price demanded for a five-day passage, but whether his need of saving a little extra time is sufficiently great to* risk his being put ont of action altogether by the terrible shaking he is bound to get." Mr Bullen prefers 6uch steamers as the Adriatic and Baltic, whose average speed w_l he about equalled by that ; j£the ne-n- _ip_ t }_ o Orient ;■ Company has undertaken to provide r under the Australian mail contract. For the present, however, tho record breaking Cunarders are proving irro- '•■ ""table. The Mauritania made her { maiden voyage in the "off" season, yet 1 » crowd of passengers rushed for aci comncdation in hex, some of them ;: giving from £250 to £300 for cabins <-.: «c luxe, although the voyage was not :■ expected to occupy moro than four »nd a half days. These large sums ; ore cheerfully piid by wealthy Ameri- •:. ta a .business men. Most of them eordinue their work during the Atilaiv tic voyage. They want 6pace and Pnvacy; they like it to bo known that they ere travelling expensively; and if the speed of the ship does them some damage, their suffering is