TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14522, 26 November 1912, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

It was a very long ago Round geographer who prescribthe ed fcr a round-the-world World journey, "You must rise Rambles, .with tho sun, and rido with tho samo until tho next morning he riseth again." And even modern enterprise has small hope of achieving this. But tho raco round tho world with tho moon is quite a possible ideal. Princo Kilkoff, Minister of Russian Railways, had laid all his plans for taking a party of guests round tho globo for this big raco, only tho event was unluckily broken off by his recent departure from this globo's activities. Tho Jules Verno record, of course, has been long eclipsed, and a well-known travcllor now on his way via the Trans-Siberian route, hopes to domonstrato that an easy and comfortable journey round may bo done in forty days. But tho Trans-Siberian run of ten days is to bo reduced by a day or two, and a new line of Pacific steamers, flying tho Japaueso flag, will connect Vladivostok, tho Pacific terminal, with Seattle, tho northern terminus of tho American trans-continen-tal system. With ocean- greyhounds to run tho 5000 miles between Seattle and Vladivostok in ten days or less, and four-days-and-a-half trains to carry tho excursionist in hasto acros. America, it does appear that the round-the-world-in-a-calendar-month trip may soon bo ono of tho attractions of modern travel. A writer in tho "MidPacific" remarks that the "round-the-world railway is rapidly becoming a reality." 'When all the proposed lines, across continents and under straits, j have been constructed, tho "two streaks of rust" will certainly havo circled fairly round with only a few gaps. Another ideal is to circle the world in moro leisurely fashion, by what tho American calls tho trolley car. The olectrio lines aro now extending across America. In Japan they are making the connecting link between towns, and in Korea tho nobles "waste their living in riotous riding on the trolley car." In time, a traveller, content with tips inter-urban locomotion, may do all his land travelling by electric tramway, and go round tho world, with as many stops as he pleases, in the samo unpretentious manner that ho takes his doily trip to on office in town. Another suggestion is that we shall houseboat round tho world. Canals are becoming'such important things that we may make our journeys in a style familiar, no doubt, to the inhabitants of Mars. Altogother, there should bo no lack of future members for the "Round-tho-World Travel Club," which lately formed institution already admits to its full privileges only thoso who have qualified by completing tho full circlo of 3CO degrees.

Somo vivid glimpses of Side-lights Montenegro, its people on and their customs, are Side-lights Montenegrin, its people, known traveller, Mr Harry de Windt, in the "Evening Standard." The country he describes las a chaos of mountains, almost as desolate and sterile as the Arctic, save in its lower-lying parts. Podgoritza, which, with its ruined walls and towers, it* mosques and minarets, is reminiscent of somo old Oriental town, is known commercially for tho "Pyrethrum flower," usually known under the namo of "Persian insecticide," a commodity —adds Mr do Windt—which travellers in tho country occasionally find useful. Montenegro differs from Greeco and Albania in having no brigands, the crime of theft being almost unknown in a land where a commercial civilisation has not yet succeeded in drying up the springs of generosity and hospitality. The poorest peasant will entertain a stranger to the best of his ability, without a thought of pecuniary reward. To offer payment for food or lodging, or to refuse an offered present, is esteemed a gross insult. Mr de Wfndt says that on one occasion he refused a dagger which his host pressed upon him, but found it several hours later cunningly concealed among his rugs. When a visitor enters a Montenegrin's house, he is told that all in it is his, and tho owner means what he says. The Montenegrin dress is pic-

turcsqucly medieval. It consists of a tunic of coarse white serge, embroidered with black braid, and baggy breeches with tho "opanki," a sandal sccurod by a network of string. On the head is worn a black silk forage-cap with scarlet crown, bearing the initials of the ruler, and round it five semi-circles in gold thread, symbols of five centuries of independence. The women are described as mostly plain, according to English standards of beauty, their

shapeless white skirts and long da coats doing littlo to enhanco their a pearance. Although Christians, th aro treated as mere beasts burden. In this primitive cou try human life is not held at ai high value. Mr do Windt relates ; cpisodo of which ho himself was i eyewitness. Ho was standing in ti central market-place of Cettinje, id watching tho haggling crowd of buvc and vendors, when a sudden shot w fired, and tho corpse of a man w rapidly borno past him on a wood< shutter. He had not been murdore a bystander explained, ho was only tl victim of a vendetta. "Ho carrie arms, but did not uso them—ril fool!" The writer gives an interestii pen-portrait of King Nicholas—a tai broad-shouldered man with stern, han some features and piercing grey eye straight as a gun-barrol despite h years, moderate in drink and die although tho smoker of as many as 1< cigarettes a day, an unerring shot, i addition a playwright who has had h plays produced in Vienna —certainly tl cleverest and most versatile of Balka sovereigns.