The Daily Telegraph. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1897. AT HOME AND ABROAD.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 7977, 1 February 1897, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1897. AT HOME AND ABROAD.

The first number of the Daily Telegraph was published twenty-six years ago this day. Projected as a thoroughly independent journal, to voice the aspirations of the people as opposed to those of cliques and coteries, it naturally had the hostility of schemers and self-seekers. But the people, who are not slow to recognise the value of fearless and candid criticism, even though in some cases directed against mistaken popular movements, stood by us in our battle for the right as we conceived it.

The result is seen to-day in the position and influence of the Daily Telegraph. As a journal catering for the family circle it reaches nearly every home in the district. As a political critic and teacher its reputation extends over the whole colony. Its circulation is considerably larger than i> that of all other newspapers published tin Hawke's Bay put together. As an advertising medium itstands unrivalled. Its motto continues to be " Strike for the right, and strike hard." Hence it has no enemies except among the ranks of those whose projects, based upon selfish desires, will not stand the light of criticism.

It is with keen regret that we approach the subject of the accident to the Kangitikei. To our mind there was gross mismanagement in connection with the failure to communicate with the vessel. Even the signalling was a failure. It was said at the Spit that the signals of the vessel could not be read. This was not so. Mr Cato read the signal "Medical assistance wanted," as soon as it was hoisted, and read it from the Spit. Residents on the hills, using telescopes of moderate power, read the signals quite plainly. At the signal station on the hospital hill there was never any doubt as to what the signals were. If this should be disputed we are prepared with the evidence of two gentlemen who from that hill read every signal given throughout the afternoon. And what are we to say of the miserable story (if the harbor life-boat, unfit to be launched because of a hole broken in her a year ago, and not yet mended? Surely no greater scandal than this could be found ! Yet we are not sure, for if a story which has reached us is correct, as we believe it to be, the officials of the Harbor Board were prepared to set the risk of lose of life against a few shillings for the hire of an express waggon. When the rocket apparatus was ordered to be got ready for transportation to the Western Spit, it was placed in an express that happened to be available. Just as it was going to start orders were given that the apparatus must not go in that express, because a firm of carriers had the contract with the Board to do all carrying required, and therefore the apparatus must wait till an express belonging to that firm could be obtained. Luckily the delay did not result in any loss of life, but what are we to think of delay purposely caused under such circumstances ?

Turning to another aspect of this wretched bungle, why was not one of the steamers in port hired to go out to the Rangitikei ? Was this to sare a few pounds ? At any time after three o'clock on Saturday a steamer could have gone out to the vessel, and have put a doctor on board. But no steamer was sent. Yet all the time, in addition to the ensign at half-mast, were flying the signal of the death of the captain, and the further signal that medical assistance was wanted. To show what could have been done in that way it is only necessary to refer to what the Dingadeo actually did, steaming round the Eangitikei to speak to her.

And if it be said that even at tliis time the Dingadee could not have put a man on board, we reply not only that we doubt it, but that in any case no effort was made to have one of the steamers in port got ready to start so soon as an opportunity to put a man on boatd occurred. They were not even asked to keep steam up. A little after five o'clock the sea had so moderated that a skipper, angry at seeing nothing done, volunteered to make one to take a doctor out in a small boat. Yet at this time there still were steamers in port. The owners of the Bangitikoi might at least, one would have thought, through their agents here, have ordered the Ahuriri or the Weka to have steam up, so as to bo ready to go out, if wanted, and the sea would allow it j

being done. And this suggestion has tho greater force when we remember that the Bangitikei had dragged her anchors, and had drifted so close to a lee shore that she was almost in broken water ; that it was known on shore that some of the crew were sick ; that her skipper had been killed ; and that short of being actually in the breakers no vessel could possibly be in a more dangerous position. From five o'clock till seven there was daylight—plenty of it—and had it been thought desirable by those interested in the vessel to tow her to safe anchorage, the sea had so moderated that it could have been done, either by engaging the Dingadee or the, Ohau to do the towing, or by sending out the Ahuriri and Weka, which had lain snugly in the Pot all day witho^

boing asked evon to keep steam up. j To our mind the circumstances point j either to gross incompetence or to a reckless disregard of risk to life. If it be objected to all or any part of the foregoing that we are not experts, j and that our judgment therefore docs not count for inucli, wu inula; two ' replies. Tlie first is , tlmt we are not altogether speaking without bonk in this matter. The second is that it does not take an expert to know that one, at least, of the two steamers in port should have been asked to keep up steam, so that in the event of the sea. moderating sufficiently to allow of the Hangitikci being communicated with, there would have been a boat ready to go. Are we to suppose that those interested in the vessel were not ! instructed enough to know this, or that it was preferred to risk the ship and crew rather than spend fifteen or twenty pounds in keeping a steamer's fires going ?

The British Government apprehend trouble. It must be homo in mind that the loan of five millions asked for to carry out urgent military work is in addition to a very large expenditure voted for naval purposes. And the fact that a loan for military purposes should be raised, of which loan nearly the whole is to be expended upon defensive fortifications, and that these works should be classed as " urgent," is quite sufficient to show that the Government are possessed of some information of a grave kind.

Bear Haven is the channel between the mainland of County Cork and Bear Island. Lough Swilly is at the other end of Ireland, being situated almost at the extreme north of the country. The Scilly Islands are off Land's End, about forty miles from Penzance. Falmouth is in the same county—Cornwall—but lies to the north-west of Lizard Head. That the fortifications at these places, and that the defensive positions round London, should be made secure against possible danger from invasion is good policy. But that to hurry on the work as " urgent " is proposed, and to raise a loan to do it with, argaes an immedinjfc. neei-'vibi.s ji-j jqstifyTn'g alarm, serves to show that the

Government believe in a danger which they think will be accentuated by neglecting to take precautions. Whence does this danger threaten to come ? The Government are not likely to be too explicit, but it may be remembered that for several years past the officers of the German army have been trained to look upon an invasion of England as not only possible, but as fairly practicable. Yet Germany, even though she has a madman for Emperor, is not likely to find even him mad enough to propose such an invasion unless assured of the support of some of the other Powers. But, from whichever quarter the danger threatens, we may rest assured that it is a real one, or the Government would not have taken the steps the cable now informs us of. It has been said that to be ready for war is the best guarantee of peace. There is much truth in the contention. It may therefore be that the Government, having learned of the danger, will, by merely taking steps to meet it, remove it altogether. Formosa, where the plague has broken out, is an island lying off the coast of China, at a distance varying from ninety to two hundred miles. It is now Japanese territory, having been ceded to Japan in 1895. The area of the island is close upon fifteen thousand square miles. Although its climate is not exceptionally hot, its mean shade temperature being from 80 to 90 iv summer and from 50 to GO in winter, Formosa is very subject to epidemics of malarial fever. Other disadvantages are frequent typhoons and an excessive rainfall. It is a country rich in coal, iron, sulphur, and (to a lesser degree) petroleum. The island possesses about three million inhabitants.