Page 3 Advertisements Column 1

Evening Star, Issue 111556, 15 February 1900, Page 3

The Government have rec?iverl the following cable from Mr J. G. Jenkins, ActingPremier of South Australia, re the plague ; “ Patient practically recovered ; out of doctor’s hand:'. No further developoients. All danger apparently passed.” The manner in which Lord Roberta learnt the news of hia son’s death has been related many ways. The true version runs thus : The General knew hia son to be dangerously wounded, and, anxious to escape constant fju-jationiogs, ho avoided the Service Clubs, and went to the Athermurn (nob the Travellira, as the ’Mail’ stated) for lunch. Aa he was sitting alone over hia meal he heard somebody, woo evidently did not know him, say at the next table to him : ” Sod news, this, about the death of Lord Roberta’s aon 1 ’ At once the bearer of the tad news and the gentlemen to v, horn he was speaking observed the agitation of the gentleman at the next table ; saw that he rose abruptly from the table, and went out into the hall. This was the first announcement that cams to him of the fa'al terminr.tion. Lord Roberts wrnt to the tape machine hi the hall of the club ; it contained no confirmation of the dreadful news. Then ha went up to the gentleman who had mentioned the rumor. The gentleman could only say that ho had heard the news—he had had no official confirmation. In a short time the official confirmation came—the tape contained the statement that young Roberts was dead.

The Council of the British Empire League recently submitted to the Colonial Secretary a resolution pa-sad by the Manchester branch urging upon the Central Council “ the advisability of pressing on Her Majesty’s Government that in the negotiations respecting Samoa, aud in all other similar negotiations with foreign countries, the pohey of the ‘open door’ be provided for, and its paramount importance kept in mind.” In reply the Colonial Secretary states that “ Her Majesty’s Government are fully alive to the importance of the policy in question, and calls the League’s attention to iho declaration attached to the recent convention with Germany, by which British trade with Samoa will be entitled to the same treatment aa German trade.” Sergeant Brown: “Halt! You can’t go in there.” Private M’Ginnis : “ Why not?” Sergeant Brown: “ Because it’s the general’s tent, blockhead!” Private M’Ginnis: “Then why have they got 1 Private ’ over the door?”