HERE AND THERE.

Evening Star, Issue 10339, 12 June 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

HERE AND THERE.

la a recent discussion in London on improvements in the X ray apparatus oue of tho speakers mentioned that he possessed a fluorescent screen measuring 6ft by lift. Ii is intended u show Ihe full-length figure ail at ono view, and on an occasion when the apparatus was beioy inspected by a number of persons it war. the means of creating un embstrassment almost beyond the power of words to describe. The ' Lancet' says that a lady having incautiously passed in the line of rays was suddenly displayed on a large screen, and as dress materials are very transparent to the rays her costume, of course, did not count for much in the picture.

A parliamentary return, recently issued, shows that the receipts and transfers into the Supreme Court of Judicature (England) during the year ended February 29, 1896, were £15,383,257. This sum, added to the balance in hand on March 1, 1895, makes a grand total of £76,768,417. After payments out of court to successful claimants and others, amounting to £17,035,643, there remained in hand, in cash and securities, on 29th February, 1896, the large balance of £59,762,768, exclusive of a large item uudor the head of "Foreign currencies." The proportion of this balance, which is classed as " unclaimed," is not stated, but no less than £2,3*27,822 has been appropriated, in the absence of claiments, to various objects.

An ancient and once famous London hostelry is likely to be demolished soon. It is the Magpie and Stump, in Fetter lane, which claims to have been established in 1605, and to have been a chosen haunt of Otway and Dryden, " Leviathan " Hobbes, Malmesbury, Dr Harvey, and Cowley, the poet. In the earlier half of the current century it was much frequented by prizefighters and their following. It was in a room of the Magpie and Stump that Edmund Waller, Nathaniel Torakins (bis brother-in-law), and Challoner concocted their plot for delivering the City to the Royalist party, but were overheard by a servant of Tomkins, who betrayed them to Praise-God Barebones, the leather seller or skinner of Fleet street

A novel excuse for being drunk has been given in one of the New York police courts, when the prisoner in his defence stated that " he obeyed the teachings of the Bible." The magistrate did not agreo with this view, whereupon the prisoner requested the loan of the Bible which was ordinarily used for administering oaths. Without a moment's hesitation the prisoner turned to the thirtyfirst chapter of Proverbs, and read the sixth aud seventh verses to the astonished magistrate : "Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more." The magistrate listened, and, rising to the occasion, uttered the one word " Discharged."

Public school teachers who are at a loss as to the proper means of restraining their disorderly pupils will be interested to hear of the charge of assaulting a child brought at a Norfolk Police Court the other day against a schoolmistress. The child had complained io its parents of an unpleasant taste of soap in it-3 mouth, and upon inquiry it was found out that the teacher had established a new punishment for the use of foul language—the formal washing out of the offender's mouth in the presence of the class, a3 a symbol of the dirtiness of the expression used. The taste of soap is not a pleasant one, but the school managers came forward and expressed their strong approval of the system. They felt that they could not suggest anything better, and the magistrate dismissed the ea=e. In effectiveness it beats any of Mr Gilbert's well-known list of " punishments that fit the crime."

The Russian Government have just revived a decree issued more than half a ceutuiy ago, and which has been permitted to fall into oblivion. According to the terms thereof, Jews are absolutely debarred from living io Siberia. To those in whose minds the name of Siberia has always been associated with ideas of cruel exile and terrible penal servitude the calling into existence once more of this obsolete law will appear in the light of a boon rather than as a hardship.

The csd£H3 of Hawaii, recently completed, shows that over 19,000 more people are dwelling on the islands to-day than in 1890, at the lime of the previous census. Th ; .s net increase is made up entirely from immigrants and foreign population, for th» native Hawaiians and half-breeds, who now do not number over 40,000, have steadily declined ever since their first contact with civilisation, when there were supposed to be about 300,000 of them. The Japanese, Chinese, and Portuguese have immigrated in swarms, especially during this decade. The following is the population at present : Hawaiians, 31,019; Japanese, 24,407; Chinese, '21,616 ; Portuguese, 15,000; Part Hawsiians, 8,485; Americans, 3,086; British, 2,250; miscellaneous, 3,057; total, 100,020.

One of the oldest of Scottish literary figures is about to exchange official duty for the pleasures of retirement. Dr John Skelton, better known, perhaps, as "Shirley," is the last of the old Christopher North school (and, indeed, ho edited the 'Noctss'), with its poetry, Jacobitism, and genial humor. His connection with * Fraser's Magazine' brought him into contact with Froude, and they became fast friends, which was the more rotable that "Shirley," in opposition to Froude, is a frantic champion of Mary Queen of Scots, and disbelieves entirely in the Casket Lettere. His sumptuous work on the unfortunate Queen was issued some three years ago at the high price of £B. Dr Skelton was originally a lawyer, but Disraeli, for whom he had always expressed a strong admiration, gave him the post of secretary to the Scottish Board of Supervision, and it is from the presidency of that institution that he iB now retiring.

Germany is decidedly unfortunate in-her African colonies, for scandals succeed one another there with such rapidity that the administration of theee dependencies has achieved for itself a most unenviable name in the mother country. The latest episode of this kind has resulted in the dismissal from the colonial service of Captain Werther, who has been sent back from East Africa to Berlin under arrest, charged with shameful maltreatment of the Natives, and with gross dishonesty in connection with sums of money confided to him by German firms doing business in the colony.

Eiihetn Pasha, the commander-in-chief of the Turkish army operating in Greece, is an officer with a distinguished career. He was a general of brigade under the famous Osman Pasha at; Plevna. As such he commanded the van of a Turkish column which started from Orkanye on September 18, 1877, to reinforce Plevna. On September 21 and 22 his men were hotly engaged with the Russians, whom they beat off without much loss. On the 22nd, as a result of his brilliant handling of bis men, Edhem was placed in the post of honor, in command of the rear-guard. That same day a sharp action was fought with the Russian cavalry of General Krylov, at GomaDubnik, in which Edhem was severely wounded. In this fight he showed great courage, and still further increased his reputation. On September 24 the column entered Plevna in good order. In the final sortie he was in command of the sixth brigade, detailed to protect the right flank of the Turkish train of baggage during the retreat. Though he had proved himself both brave and capable hitherto, his behaviour on this occasion was much criticised. Six of his battalions surrendered prematurely, and he with them, while the battle was still in full swing. The alleged cause of this was that the Roumanians, who were opposing him, had summoned him to lay down his arms, ou the ground that Oaman Pasha had already hoisted the white flag. This was an unjustifiable ruse, and it should not have succeeded against an officer of bis tried capacity.