THE EMPIRE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 104, 25 January 1908, Page 12

THE EMPIRE.

• SACRED BATTLEFIJSLDS. "Speaking" to the Women's iCariadian'Club ori December 11, Earl Grey, j the governorGeneral, appealed for steps to rescuo the famous battlefields of Quebec frojn their present deplorable neglect." It has been suggested that tho 300 th bifthday of Cauada should bo celebrated by the c'dflSCcfation of tho Quebec battlefields. / : : ( '' , This suggestion, said Earl Grey, has received the warm'approval of the Pi-omier of Quebec, and of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the Dominion 'Premioiv : . Tho immigrant amiving at' New York is greeted ,iby chie Stable of Liberty. The immigrant-who Looks uy from his steamer to the Plains'of Abraham, whero the fate of Amerida was_;decideci (in tho .defeat of .the Frendh in. 17SS), .sees no inspiring monument, but a gaol, whjch stands on the sacred spot where Wolfe gave lip his life. The'battlefield, 'of Saniter Foye, where the FrehcTTin'l76o, after/a d<iSperato battle, de»' feated-.tho British'; ,and . ij/hence they would have recaptured Quebec ifj a British fleet had, not suddenly appeared; joins the Plains of Abraham.-,

'.'lt ; the more important parts'of the two battle fields in a national park, to;bo called' "King Edward's Park." A largo additionai n Stim will reduired to put the ni a worthV condition, to remove tbo gaol, ; rifle and other buildings, tq- contain' the historic relics, and to make .an avoiiuo round th'e battlefields \in length, for histortcal '.interest and 'rmtural boanty probably the first in tho world. , -'j

'.Lord. Grey {hoped . it might; bo .possible to erect -on'the point of Quebec first;,visible to ii stoamei- coming, up tho St. Lawrence a colfcssal. statue of,. tho Angol of Peace with'arms outstretched, offering to Clasp to her heart every now 1 arrival from Europe. In conclusion, Lord drey read the following cablegram- from' - Sir Dighton 'Probyn:— 'The King commands me to telegraph his approval';of the scheme, for the celebration of tho. Champlain ter'ceiiteiary, and to say that his; Majesty will gladly. subscribe 100, guineas towards 'the''fund you are raising for this good object.". . . ...

~ Samuel do Champlain, Governor ,of tho first French Settlers, discovered Lako Champlain in 1605.1 His -Excellency's- proposal was received with.much..enthusiasm.. , , DEVELOPMENT IN NIGEBIA . Satisfactory proof, is given, in the report on affairs in .Northern Nigeria during the yoar 1906-7, ;of the progress niado in developing tho. Protectorate. Mr. .'.Wallace, the sCmqr.'residpnt", states 'that, generally , speaking, travelling is now .absolutely safe - for -man, woman, and child.' The only exception to this is in tho Ba6sa province and in certain districts,inhabited.by \,moro or less; truculent pagans, elsewhere.. . The . year,, was a peaceful. rme, the , only military operation .required, which calls for special'/notice being,.'the expedition against the Chibbuk savages of Marghi. Mr. Wallace OTii.es:—; ■/ ' , "At.'the end of November, tho Chibbuk recks were attacked by' a small ; force of 170 men under Lieutenants Chr.pman and Chaytor. The assault was continued, for 11 days, andi on which .the troops, at-f-acked... th'ey." sufferedisbnio. losses. > At tho «tnd;'pf this time tho. hills were consilered taken. ; our ; being .. two - (VlicorS slightly wounded, 10' rank and filo kill-cjcl, and 40,.wounded. This .was .the end of the first phase :(if,,the operations. 1 The bulk :of the people had. dispersed- over the .country, but many of them held their extraordinary network. iinpenetrablo ; tunnels in thci north-, western part of tho hills, and refused nil submission. Boforo, during and after_ these operations every effort was made, to induce tlio; Chibbiiks. to' come in, but withcot sucness...... .... ■ -. ■ "Tlio second phase of the operations began wheii Lieutenant- Wolselcy proceeded in midDecemlier, with -.80; men to picket tho hill. This'officer.is the only one. .so far, who..personally knows the wonderful internal formation, of this liilL- . Lieutenant Wolseley, in an iittcnipt to,clear tho tunnels, had We maiV ,lulled,and 12.wo.underl, and decided then that further , attacks wero futilo and much too costly. -By tho most careful picketing, and through the. chance discovery of tho natural water supply, deep down in the centre of tlio hiji, this : officer,.- now late in'. February, cleared tho-last man off the rooks. The hillsinen'.had unlimited food and sufficient water to last probably until tho-rains, and if, as with moro copibinatioiwnight-have happened, from 500 -to 1000 of these pagans had hefd to tho tunnels and taken no, risks, no force could have removed them." Aftor threo months' fighting this robbers'' den was broken up and the tribes, dispersed all . over tho country.;. . , .