CURRENT TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10213, 6 December 1893, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

Sir Edward Watkin is of opinion that the Channel tunnel should not cent more than three and a half millions c ter Hag, the geological conditions being extraordinarily favourable. Conversing with au interviewer from Cassell's Saturday Journal, ho declared that the whole way across the Englhh Chancel tbs ocean bed is of Rouen. day, a substance which is composed of 65 per cent of chalk and 33 per cent of ch.y, and which is hard enough to stand unsupported when tunnelled, yet soft enough to"cut with the machines, and quite impervious to the water. In spite of increasing years. Sir Edward is not satisfied with nursing this project and actively pushing forward, the construction of his great tower at Wembley Park. _Ho still nurses the notion of a canal right across Ireland from Kingstown Harbour to Galway Bsy, and tho scheme for connecting Ireland and Scotland by a tunnel at their nearest points.

Daring their journey to Toulon, the Eusiian sailors were carefully instructed in tho singing of the " Marseillaise,” in view of the festivities that were preparing for them in France. With the aid of a piano, they were soon pronounced tolerably proficient. Thera was some difficulty, however, in teaching them a few words of French. Tho cry ” Viva la France ”• was regularly practised, but the result disappointed expectation. It seems that Russians have a difficulty in pronouncing tho French “fr,” and the consequence is that whenever Admiral Avelan’s men have assembled, at Toulon and Paris, the spectators have been rather surprised to hear shouts which sound rather like “Vive la Fence.” During tho stay of the Russian visitors the Paris Municipality was very anxious to put a commemorative inscription on the house where Peter tho Great lodged whilo on bis visit to Paris in 1717. Tho house has long been pulled down, but this has not prevented the planing of a tablet on Ho. 10 in the Euo do la Cerisaie, which is supposed to stand on part of the ground once occupied by the Hotel de Lesdigui&res, the house iu question.

Ifc is related oE a lifeguardsman who had fongbt with great bravery at Waterloo, that being asked one day what dress he would prefer if he was again in batlle, ho promptly replied, “1 should like to take off my cost and turn up my bliirt-slecvcs over my elbow,” Colonel Bengough, in discoursing on dress and equipments before a military audience, has declined to go as far as that; but he would limit the soldier’s kit to three rational suits, described respectively as a fighting dress, a review or “walking-out” dress, and a fatigue drees (if necessary). Wo must, ha tell-i us, disabuse ourselves of the idea that a eoldier’a dress to be smart must be tight. Thia striving after extrema tightness is described as a relic of tho days of pigtails and pomatum, of stocks and starch. George TV. said that “in a military dress a wrinkle is unpardonable, but a seam admissible;” the consequence was that the coats of the private soldiers, as well as those of the officers, were made so tight that they could hardly get into them, and tight they still remain. '

A correspondent writing to the London Daily News from Fort Tuli, Mnshonaland, under date cf Sept. 25 eay-j;—No one knowing anything of South African native affairs was surprised when the news came of actual contact having taken placa between tbo Chartered Company’s forces and the swarthy subjects of Lo Bsngola, the King of tho Matafaela. To some of us the surprise was that peace had been kept so long; for, however much the old King might wish to avoid any fighting with his Europe an neighbours—knowing well what tho ultimate result would be he is entirely unable to stem the hot-blooded desire of his younger soldiers to wash their spears in the white man’s blood, and were he to resist the unanimous wishes of his subjects he would probably lose hia throne and his life, autocrat and despot as be undoubtedly is. Ibis, however, fortunate for the British South Africa Comps ny that they have been able to stave off actual collision so long, as it has given them time to establish themselves in the country, occupying in no little strength a line of fortified positions, with two equally good bases of operations, and lines of communication easily kept open. All previous experience gained- in the many native wars which have occurred during the last half-oeatnry in South Africa proves amply that in dosing with a native tribe it is not sufficient to garrison and hold your own border line, making occasional successful forays into the enemy’s territory, but vigorous and sustained action mast be directed against the kraals of the King and hia regiments, whose women, and cattle are generally sent back to their hindermost and most eenure strongholds in forests or on mountains which are almost unapproachable. This latter stop has already bean taken by Lo Bangui?, and his warriors.

The unscrupulous ingenuity of tho native police in India in the matter of procuring evidence has been strikingly exemplified in the case of on old man who has been tried at D-ieca for the murder of a native cultivator. Tho police relied on the evidence of a child, but more particular ly on the accused’s “full confession j” but tho child deposed, manifestly under pressure, to seeing things which it could not possibly have sees, and the full confession was alleged to have been extorted by torture. The prisoner’s statement was that the police threw him on his face, and, placing a bamboo on him, begun to press it from above, and continued to do so till he was forced to consent to say what they would dictate to him. The pressure was so great that his right hand was broken. Tha wife of the accused confirmed this, and said that her husband, who was seventy years old, and herself were mads to tit in heavy rain for five hours before they consented to say what the investigating police officer might tell them to fay. Confirmatory evidence having been given, and the police evidence being confused and unsatisfactory, the Judge ceded the accused to be discharged, and directed that an official enquiry should he made into the whole case.

i One result of the international courtesies ’ between Franco and llussiais that in Paris I Anglomaniacs are disappearing, and Eusao- ' maniacs are taking their place. It is no j longer fashionable to “live o’clcque ” \ (take five o’clock tea). Those thoroughly ! in tho movement call for their samovar.” | The term “ voiture da place” (a cab) la ; rapidly being displaced by “ troika,” and f even “the general” seem disposed to try j caviare. Eussian literature is also being | greedily devoured in translations. I Colonel Bengough puts in a plea for the ! historical scarlet and blue. They became | the Eoyal colours in accordance with the s tmeturco in tho armorial ensign of the I Eoyal Family of England from the time \ of Edward; and even Oliver had his } ** redcoats.” In some experiments carried } out in Franca to test the relative visibility f of colours, if waa found that tho least j conspicuous was a French grey, and one of j tho most conspicuous the EO-cslled “in- ‘ visible green ” worn by our Biflo Brigade; 3 scarlet was well up iu tho ucale; much | f d»j>saliT)f } o£ course, on, the-background

and the weather. Whet makes onr men bo conspicuous on a field day Is, in this officer’s opinion, not the red coats, but the white belts on the red coats, and the brass bn the helmets. On the other hand, Colonel Bengongh thinks that the advantage pi readily recognising one’s own soldiers in battle has become, since the invention of; smokeless powder, more than ever Inw port an t, and it is observed that no one of the Continental armies has, as yet, discarded its national colours in favour of a less visible shade, although the Austrians are. said to be thinking of adopting a light grey*