OUR LONDON LETTER.

Evening Star, Issue 7198, 28 April 1887, Page 4

OUR LONDON LETTER.

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

London, March 10.

THE MAIL BOCXE VIA CANADA. There w a good deal of talk in Anglocolonial circles just now about the scheme of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company for promoting a new route to Australia via Halifax and Vancouver. I heard something of the matter last week, but the gossip seemed so vague and unsubstantial that I thought I had better make further inquiries before mentioning It Since then I have learned that there unquestionably is a scheme of the kind on the tapis, and that several English capitalists mean to back it up. The TEtailway Company propose to build a fleet of four vessels, equal to the Cnnarders, to carry the mails from Liverpool to Halifax. From the latter place they will be conveyed at the rate of thirty miles an hour across the Canadian Continent to Vancouver, and from Vancouver a fleet of five vessels, equal to the P. and 0. and Orient boats, will take the mails to Brisbane, which, of all places in Australasia, has been fixed on as the port of arrival. The Company offer to do the whole distance in from twenty - nine to thirty days, according to the terms of the contract entered into, and ask for a subvention of L 120.000 a-year, of which L 90.000 will be apportioned to the Australian colonies, and L 30.000 paid by the Imperial Government. It is urged that if this arrangement can be carried out it will to a treat extent make us independent of the uez CanaL The scheme seems to me to hive two cardinal defects. In the first place, the route does not promise to be quicker than the Suez one, if indeed (in these dayß of Ormuzes and Orizab*s) it is as fast In the second, Brisbane would be an absurd port of arrival. Fancy a man wanting to get to Melbourne being landed at Brisbane. No, if the scheme comes to anything one thine is certain, viz., Auckland and Sydney will have to be the ports of arrival. At the meeting of the Colonial lustitute on Tuesday evening the Bishop of New Westminster, in the course of reading a paper about "British Columbia," waxed «loquent on the importance of the Vancouver route as a highway to the East, and a military road in case of the failure of the Suez Canal. It brings us, he declared, within twenty-five days' of Japan, thirty-two of Australia, thirty-one of Hongkong, and thirty-eight of Calcutta. THE APPROACHING JUBILEE. As the date of the Jubilee draws near, the Queen shows less and less disposition to join personally in the rejoicings. Her Majesty has given offence to the Committee of the Women's Jubilee Tribute by declaring her intention to spend the greater part of the money on a statue of Prince Consort for Windsor Great Park. The subscribers might not have felt so keenly on the subject had some famous British sculptor been selected for the work ; but once again the Italian Marochetti has been chosen. The balance of the Women's Tribute the Queen promises to devote to some charity; but what charity she declines to say. The Comufttee are horribly disappointed, as they have hoped all along that a thoroughly beneficent use would be made of the sum of the Tribute money. SIB R. «TOUT ON IMPERIAL FEDERATION. An interesting feature of the current number of the ' Nineteenth Century' fs an article on "Imperial Federation" by the Premier of New Zealand. Sir R. Stout is an ardent believer in Imperial federation. There is, he declares, only the alternative of separation, and that would utterly destroy England's prestige as a Great Power. Imperial federation implies (according to Sir Robert) that England must give up interfering in Continental politics. Whatever shape an Imperial Federal Parliament may take, if there are representatives from South Africa, Australasia, India, and British North America, they will never consent to go to war on behalf of any eity or of any political boundary on the map of Europe. If Imperial federation in any form is to be adopted there must neoessarily be a written constitution, and there must be, as in the United States, some supreme Court having power to interpret its provisions. In no other way could the rights of the federal bodies be preserved. This is opposed to English precedent, and would form a new departure in the constitutional history of Britain. Colonial federation, Sir Robert affirms, should precede Imperial federation, though the one is not necessary to the other. The recentattempt at Australasian federation was a failure, because the Convention which passed the Federal Council Bill was entirely in advance of the public opinion of the colonies. In New Zealand it was felt that she was not necessarily one of the Australian States. She is as far from Australia as England is from Spain. Her climate and ber circumstances are quite different. The fact also that the federal or provincial system which existed in New Zealand was destroyed througli financial pressure baa made her people afraid that another central Government might destroy the selfSovernment which the Colony now possess ir Robert considers that the much*improved importance and social status of the colonial Agents-General is actively helping on the unity of tbe Empire. As the colonies progress in power the Agents-General will, he says, have to be members of the Executive Councils of the colonies they represent, and their position will be higher, and even more important, than it is it at present. There would be no need, were this the case, of a special colonial council of elected or appointed members such as Earl Grey proposed. The Agents-General, being members of the Colonial Executives, and being in touoh with colonial feeling, could represent to the Imperial Government the views of the colonies they represent. Public opinion changes more rapidly in a new colony than in an old one; and colonists who live in England for any length of time seem to get out of feeling with their people. Coming from a democratic country, they seem to get intoxicated with tbe aroma of aristoeratie] civilisation, and, like Ulysses amongst the lotus-eaters, they lose all desire for return. They give utterance, .perhaps, to views quite different to those they proclaimed in the colonies. To allow,

therefore, English statesmen to be guided by colonists who have lived long in England, J is to allow them to be misled. The AgentGeneral should retire when his Government go out of office, THK BRENNAN TORPEDO. The House of Commons last night agreed to a payment of LI 10,000 being made to the clever young Australian, Louis Brennan, for his famous improved torpedo. Mr Brennan will also receive a handsome yearly salary so long as the British Government retain a monopoly of the secret of his invention. Naturally these splendid terms were not granted without considerable discussion. Tin- in epicssiblo " Labby" moved to reduce the vote by L 30.000. As another and a better torpedo might and probably would be discovered very soon, he thought it would be a much more sensible arrangement for the Government to pay a royalty to " this Australian " for every torpedo of his invention that they used. Sir VV. Crossman, Mr A. O'Connor, and Mr Shaw Lefevre supported the member for Northampton's amendment, which was, however, opposed by Mr Northcote, who explained, on behalf of the Admiralty, the sterling tests that had been applied to Mr Brennan's invention, and its many remarkable merits. He further declared that he thought the Government had made a very good bargain. This being a semi-Australian debate, naturally Mr 'Enniker 'Eaton must speak. Foreign Governments, said he, would have given "my brother colonist" double the price. It was purely loyalty and love for the Old Country that had induced Mr Brennan to give Her Majesty's Government the preference. In spite of the sceptical remarks that had fallen from the member for Sunderland, he maintained that the principle of this invention was known to no one outside of the Admiralty authorities, and that they would be acting wisely in making the purchase. Mr Stanhope then read out the names of the member? of the Committeo who had, so to speak, "sat upon" the Brennan torpedo, provoking from Sir Edward Reed the criticism that they were all either naval or military men. Why had not a distinguished mechanician been nominated? "He would tell the secret," interjected the member for Australia (as Heaton is often called) facetiously. This raised a titter. It was, however, dearly bought, for, turning severely and somewhat contemptuously on the luckless Henniker, Sir Edward Reed expressed surprise that the member for Canterbury should suppose mechanicians were less honorable and trustworthy than soldiers or sailors. Mr Illingworth, Mr W. S. Caine, Mr James Lowther, Mr Bradlaugh, and Dr Tanner also opposed the vote on various grounds, the most general being scepticism as to the permanent value of the invention. Is it likely, hon. members asked, that a youngster brought up in the wilds of Australia has discovered a torpedo of such value that it can't be improved upon ? Certainly not. English mechanicians will shortly discover young Brennan's secrets and invent something better. We shall then have paid LI 10,000 for nothing. But the House rightly believes in expert judgment and supported the decision of the Admiralty. Mr Labouchere's amendment was put and lost, 77 voting for and 192 against it. So Mr Louis Brennan—to use a vulgar expression—" trousers his hundred thou." Good luck to him ! Advance Australia ! JOURNALISTIC. Mr Philip Mennell, for many years telegraphic correspondent of the ' South Australian Advertiser,' Melbourne 'Age,' and Sydney 'Telegraph,' has severed his connection with those journals and assumed the editorship of the ' Australian Times and Anglo - New Zoalander,' a journal that has for some time been slowly but steadily pushing its way to the front. Mr Mennell is probably the one man in London who could make this property a big success. His Anglo-colonial connection is infinitely larger and further-reaching than that of any other man J meet. In political and Bohemian (by whiuh I mean literary, theatrical, and artistic) society lie has, too, a very large circle of friends and acquaintances ; and, being by nature genial and pleasantmannered, often gets hold of tit-bits of information refused to others. Mr Mennell takes charge of tho ' Australian Times' next week. Mr J. A. Toplis, late editor of the Buxton • Advertiser' and High Peak ' News,' has decided to seek his fortunes in Australia, and sailed for Adelaide by the Orizaba last week. The local papers bewail his departure, and are loud in praise of his many good qualities. One of them says:—" Combined with unusual literary abilities, Mr Toplis has a sincere love for his profession, and granted he is favored with good health, his indomitable pluck and sterling worth both as a man and a litterateur will unquestionably achieve for himself an honorable position and name in that new worl 1 to whose shores he starts this week with such high hopes and aspirations." THE COLONIAL INSTITUTE. At the annual meeting of tho Colonial Institute on Tuesday strong feeling was expressed against any plan which would involve the absorption of the Colonial by the Imperial Institute, Fearing something of the sort would be proposed, a four-line opposition "whip" had been sent out to the Fellows, who mustered in force at the meeting, and obtained from the Council a definite assurance that nothing should be done in the matter without their being consulted. One of the now (alas !) too familiar " cadging letters " of the Prince of Wales was read and but coldly received. It is indeed difficult to see how the Imperial Institute can do aught but injure the smaller club in Northumberland avenue. PERSONAL AND GENERAL. Mr Stuart Cumberland's experiences in Australia and the United States (portions of which have already appeared in your columns) will bo published by Sampson Low under the title of " The Queen's Highway : from Ocean to Ocean." So it is entirely New Zealand's fault that there is no parcel post to that Colony. In answer to Mr Godson in the House of Commons on Tuesday evening, Mr Raikes said that negotiations for a parcel post between England and New Zealand were almost completed last year, but the Government of the Colony had decided to postpone any such arrangement until they had established an inland parcel post. He would again call their attention to the matter. The Master Watkins-Buonaparte scandal is not, it seems, after all to be allowed to rest. Two detectives are en route to Australia in the hope of discovering the errant Lottie. Meanwhile, a firm of private inquiry agents advertise for persons possessing direct information concerning the late Prince Imperial and this young person. There will bo a meeting of members of Parliament of both Houses to Bee whether they cannot, in the interests of the nation, establish machinery for forwarding the work of colonisation.

The Rev. F. W. Goodwyn, who recently refused the colonial bishopric of Bathurst (N.S.W.) was married last week to Miss Thomson, the Archbishop of York's daughter. A Colonial and International Congress on Inebriety will be held on July 6 at Westminster.

Dr Edward Aveling, the well-known Socialist, and (apart from his deplorable principles) a clever and brilliant young man, contemplates visiting Australia and New Zealand shortly on a lecturing tour. He does not, however, propose preaching you the gospel of Socialism, in fact will confine himself strictly to literary and scientific subjects. Two of the Doctor's best lectures (much appreciated during his recent tour in the States) are on " Shelley " and "Darwin." He also gives an effective description of his personal experiences during the Chicago riots, which were of a stirring, not to say perilous character. Altogether Dr Aveling has a capital mixed repertoire, suitable for popular audienceß, and, as his manners are what Yankee reporters call "eminently pleasing," I shouldn't wonder if his colonial tour proved a success. The London Chamber of Commerce are going to petition against a contract for seven years being granted to either the P. and_o. or Orient companies for the Australian mails. They also intend to protest against the German Company being allowed to carry Australian mails.

I met Mr King Hall (son of Admiral King Hall) who was a member of Wybert Reeve's dramatic company. He is living in London and doing a little press work occasionally. An attempt is to be made to resuscitate some of the glories of the Australasian courts at the "Colindies" at the forthcoming "revival" Exhibition at Liverpool. Of all this year's shows, that at Liverpool has the dreariest prospects and promises to be the biggest smash. It failed financially last summer though favored in every possible particular. This year the mammoth Jubilee Exhibition at Manchester (which is being perfectly managed and organised) opposes it, and how any reasonably sane person can support the Liverpool enterprise under the circumstances puzzles me. The Hon. James Mason, C.M.G., who represented Fiji at the

Collndies, has accepted the post of Colonial Commissioner at Liverpool, and is busy organising an attractive collection of Australasian exhibits. A special feature is to be made of colonial wineß, in the hope of doing some of the work that should have been done by the "Colindies." Mr Mason thoroughly understands this subject, and will work your wines into popularity if any man can. I understand, however, that so far the London importers have not shown any very ardent desire to cooperate. Perhaps they don't believe in tho Liverpool show. Mr Egmont Hake, by the way, has also accepted a post at Liverpool —that of " War Trophy Commissioner." Dr Doyle Glanville, who accompanied the New Guinea expedition as special artist for the ' Illustrated London News,' is <vbout to deliver a series of lectures on "New Guinea." The first will be given at the Polytechnic on March 18.

The Agents-General have agreed to become patrons of the Anglo-Australasian Artists' Society. I notice the list of members does not include many distinguished names save Whistler and Chevalier. An Australian friend now staying in Dresden writes me that at a Court entertainment one evening a "reading" was given by a stout, elderly lady whose face he seemed to recognise, Reference to the programme discovered the fact that this was a very old friend, to wit, Mrs Bandmann, whom you may remember years ago as pretty Minnie Palmer. She is now known as Frau Bandmann-Palmer, and seems to be one of the most popular leaders of the English colony in the Saxon capital. Jules Levy, eye-glass, bald-head, diamond studs, and curled moustache, is back again in England, and witching the world (or rather the half-world) at the Aquarium by his playing of the "Lost Chord." The affection of the lips, from which he suffered, seems to have disappeared, and the great cornetist to have recovered his " old form," which, as you may remember, was very good indeed.

An East End clergyman states that within fourteen days he christened three unoffending babies "Jubilee Victoria," or "Victoria Jubilee."