Page 2 Advertisements Column 4

Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 110, 12 May 1885, Page 2

We understand that Colonel Whitmore, Major Cautley, and Captain Bodham were exceedingly well satisfied with the result of their inspection of the harbour defence works yesterday and the manner in whioh they hay« been oarried out. The School of Instruction for Militia and Volunteer officers will, we believe, commence operations on Monday next at Mount Cook Barracks. The course of instruction will be of the most thorough character. Captain Bodham, R.A., has been added to the Examination Board. The Hon. Colonel Whitmore and Captain Bodham will leave in a few days to inspect the defence works at Auokland. Renter's cable message yesterday, announcing that " all the Australasian colonies have signified their acceptance of Mr. Dulley's _ proposal for a joint colonial indemnity in case of damage or loss to shipping at the hands of hostile cruisers," is certainly incorrect. It should probably read, ' ' all the Australian Governments." The Government of this colony has not signified its assent to Mr. Dalley's proposal, and will not do so without taking the opinion of Parliament on the subject. It is intended to add to the Wellington Harbour defences by the construction of a battery at Ngahauranga, on whioh two of the G4-pounder gunß recently received from Australia will be mounted. These guns will have a large portion of the harbour well within range, and will command the approach to the inner harbour. Their range is almost as good as that of some of the larger guns, although their power of penetration is of course not fo great. As no strongly armoured hostile vessel is ever likely to come within range of any of the Wellington batteries, this, of oourse, does not much matter. The guns would be sufficiently effective against any nnarmonred vessel. _ Those who have watched the progress of civilisation in Africa will hear with pleasure of the appointment of the famouß explorer Mr. Henry M. Stanley to the Governorship of the Congo distriot. No man is better qualified to disoharge thoroughly the duties of the position, and to smooth the irritation and complications whioh have lately threatened the peaoeful settlement of this little-known but interesting distriot. Stanley's career as a disooverer is generally well known ; but some particulars of his early life may not be unacceptable to our readers. He was born near Denbigh in Wales in 1840, and is consequently a British subjoot, not an American as many suppose. His origin was so obeonre that at the age of three years he was plaoed in the poorhouse of St. Asaph, where he remained ten years, subsequently taking a situation aS teaoher in a sohool. At the age of fifteen he sailed as cabin-boy in a vessel bound for New Orleans. A merchant in that oity taking a fancy to him adopted him, and henceforth he became known by his patron's name of Stanley, instead of his original appellation, Rowlands. Tho merchant dying without a will, Stanley was thrown upon his own resources, and enlisted in the Confederate service. He was taken prisoner during the Civil War, and for some reason changed his side, during the latter part of the war serving as a petty officer on a Federal war steamer, and finally acting as a newspaper correspondent. His first expedition into Africa was undertaken in 1867, when he was engaged by the New York Herald as its correspondent with the British army in Abyseinia. fo satisfied was the Herald with the way he discharged his duties that a year or two later he was entrusted by the same paper with the mission which made his reputation— the search for Dr. Livingstone. Mr. Stanley's career is a remarkable instance of snooes* achieved by industry, pluck, and perseverance, unassisted by influence or position. Yesterday afternoon, at 2 o'olock, one of the _ Wellington Naval Artillery cutters, having on board the Defenoe Minister (Mr. Ballanoe), Sir George Whitmore, Major Cautley, Captain Bodham, Mr. W. N. Blair, C.E., Captain Charles Johnston, and Lieutenants Hislop and Wallace, of the Wellington Naval Artillery, and one or two M.H.R.'s, proceeded to Point Halswell, and landed the party, who proceeded over the hills on a tour of inspection of the defenoe works in course of construction. They were met by Mr. Connal, C E., who conduoted the party to the various batteries, wbiah were found to be in a very forward state. At Point Halswell two guns are already on the ground, and at Point Gordon the men were busily engaged in laying down the oonorete beds to carry the 13 ton gnns, whioh are now on their way out from Home. The outter, which had gone round to the bay in the vioinity of Point Gordon, then pioked up the party, who arrived in town again at 5.30, well tired ont with their tramp over the hills. A word of praise is due to the crew, who turned ont with their boat in excellent trim on very short notice, upon being ordered to do so by the authorities. The applications for space in the Home Industry Branoh of the Exhibition, 745 in number, are divided as follows : — Wellington, 260; Auokland, 75; Christohurcb, 75; Thames, 71; Dnnedin, 60; Napier, 58; Nelson, 27 ; and from other places, 119. Of the 195 applications for spaoe in the Speoial Art Branch, 86 are from Wellington, 26 from Auckland, 19 from Dunadin, 17 from Christchurch, 11 from Nelson, 8 from Invercargill, 8 from Wanganui, 4 from Napier, 3 from Tim am, 3 from Blenheim, 2 from Thames, 2 from Gisborne, 2 from New Plymonth, 2 from Greymouth, 1 from Akaroa, and 1 from Oamaru, It transpires that the boat acoident in Evans Bay a week ago, in whioh it is now practically oertain that four, if not five, men lost their lives, was very nearly being fatal to two more. Six men went in the boat to the head of the bay, bnt when they were preparing to start back after taking in their cargo of sand, two of the party, one of them being named Vincent, noticed the overloaded condition of the boat, and got * out, eaying they would walk baok to the camp. As might be expeoted, their nwrow esoape made a considerable impression upon the two men, one of whom has a wife and family. The number of applications from new volunteer companies to have their services aooopted has now reaohed 90. A large number of them must necessarily be refused, as thore are not arms enough available. Preference will be given to corps so situated that they can be speedily mustered for service where they will be required if on emergenoy should ever arise. Argument in the appeal cose, Offioial Assignee of Pepperell and O'Malley, was concluded in the Appeal Court after we went to press jesterday afternoon. The Court took time to consider their decision. This morning the appeal re Bloomfield and re mortgage of stock was called on for argument. The Attorney-General, with him Mr. De Lautoor, appeared for the appellant, and Mr. Travers for the respondent. The appeal was from a deoieion of Mr. Justice Riohmond, given on the 31st July last. The case was proceeding when we went to press. The ordinary meeting of the Excelsior Lodge of Druids has been postponed from to-night until to-morrow evening, in order to meet the convenience of the members of the Hutt Lodge, who ate expeoted to pay an official visit. A report from the Fete Committee, 1886, will be submitted at the meetinp. The acoident to the joung man Alfred Lynoh, who, while riding Maid of Athol in the Hack Hurdle Raoe yesterday, fell and had his leg broken, shows the necessity of having a stretcher always at hand on the course, which would be found of great convenience in oases of emergency. Yesterday, Lynch was oarried from the spot where he fell, ud to the Press room on a couple of exceedingly rough planks, and, after the fractured limb had been set, he was conveyed to the railway terminus on an equally rude atruoture. As we understand that the next meeting on the Hutt Coarse is to be a steeplechase one, it would be well if the stewards provided a Btretoher before that meeting. A horse belonging to Mr. Delaney, of the old Porirua- road, met with an accident yesterday. It was attached to a vehicle, in which was Eeated a lad, and bolted along Wool-combe-street. In turning the corner of that thoroughfare with Ghuznee-street the animal snapped one of its legs. Dr. Henry certified that it was fit to be destroyed, but Mr. Michie, veterinary surgeon, declined to give a oertifioate to the same effect, and the injured animal is still alive. All who have attended Mr. Robert Parker's eingincr class at the Young Men's Christian Association Rooms are reminded of the important business meeting to te held this evening as 7 o'olock. Every member ia requested to attend.