CURRENT TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIX, Issue 14704, 8 June 1908, Page 6

CURRENT TOPICS.

Lord Mountmorres, who, as a director of tho Liverpool UAivor-

A HOST) BRIGANDS.

isity of Commercial Research, has spent some years travelling in Africa, relates an exciting experience that he had this year among brigands on the Atlantic coast of Morocco. A French steam trawler went ashore on the coast in February, and tho crew of nineteen were promptly kidnapped by the Moors. Last year some Frenchmen had been captured by the same tribe, and a cruiser Lad been sent to obtain their release. The Moore, outwitted on that occasion, had vowed that tho next frenchman who fell into their haiids would have his throat out. However, they kept the fishermen alive with a view to ‘rpnsoni, and Lord Mountmorres, cruising up the coast, heard of tho incident and went ashore to investigate. Preliminary negotiations were opened with the brigands through a friendly Kaid, and Lord Mountmorres went to Las Palmas to consult the French, consul, tye warned the consul that tho arrival of a.cruiser would lead to the immediate execution of tho prisoners, and then went back with authority to offer tho brigands £2OO. Tho brigands asked for £60,000. They wore given till sundown to accept the more modest offer. That day the Moors inado no sign, and the arrangement was held to be cancelled. “As negotiations were at 'au end at sundown;” said Lord Mountmorres, relating the adventure, “ they thought they would wait till I went ashore, and capture me. But I know what I was doing. They strictly adhere to the terms of a bairgain, but after that you must, look out for yourself.” Next day some Moors went off to the British smack in a, boat, and were promptly made prisoners, so that negotiations were opened on a new basis, tliis time for an exchange. It was the turn of Lord Mountmorres to bo truculent. Tile captured Moots, he said, would be hanged if the Frenchmen were not released. The arrival of a French cruiser made the situation look ugly for a time, but eventually some of i;he captured Moors were sent ashore and advised their fellows that their village was to be bombarded. The whole tribe immediately fled, leaving tho fishermen behind.

MRS ASqUITH.

It is expected that Mrs Asquith, who is a

brilliant hostess, will revivo the social glories that were at one time a marked feature of the political life of the Old Country. The Premier’s first wife died in JB9l, and in 1894 Mr Asquith married Miss Margot Tennant, daughter of one of' the wealthiest of Englishmen. Mrs Asquith reigned for many years in her father’s house, and in her own sphere she is not loss distinguished than is her husband in politics. “ From the temperamental point of view,” says “M.A.P.,” it is doubtful if one could find a more striking instance than in Mr and Mrs Asquith of affinity between husband and wife, whereby one is the perfect complement of the other. Totally opposed to the Premier’s icy reservo are his wife’s sympathy, humour and merry persiflage. Both are alike in the possession of a compelling personality, though each attracts in a different way, while in the homo oircle the wife generally manages by sheer gaiety of spirits to dispel the usual chilliness of her husband’s manner.” A decade and a half ago, when sentimentalism of sorts was fashionable in society, Miss Tennant was a prominent member of a wellknown group of society people with intellectual and artistic inclinations. They called themselves “ The Souls,” and the Duchess of Rutland was their leador. Sympathetic friends called them “ The Select,” and rude people “ The Gang.” The title of “The Souls,” wo are told, was suggested by Lord Curzon in a speech at one of the society’s dinners, his argument being that anyone who wanted to join them must be possessed of a soul above tlio ordinary. The society was still in existence when Lord Curzon became Viceroy of India, and bis departure for the East was humorously referred to as “ the passing of a Soul.” Mrs Asquith has many rare qualities as a hostess, and it is said of her that she enjoys the entertaining which many society women regard as a burdensome duty. It is hinted that her political sympathies are not entirely with the Liberals, and that she was in some measure responsible for. her husband’s attitude during the Boer war. But if she has Conservative sympathies they arc not ov ;_

dent, and in any case she is not an active politician.

'Some rather sensasrnuTUALisji tional developments at ix spiritualistic seances in Australia. Melbourne have attracted much attention in Australia, and have aroused fresh interest in the problem of communication with those who have passed over to “ spirit land.” " Tho results, as described in the Melbourne newspapers seem to be very remarkable. It is stated that “apports” have been taken to meetings from the Himalayas, Borneo, tbe ruins of Babylon, Central America, and other distant places. Those “apports” consist of articles of savage dross, inscribed tablets, nests containing eggs, live fish, plants, pieces of damp mud. containing mosaic stones, and other articles that cannot/ be obtained without difficulty outside museums. One evening lqtely, when a shorthand-writer was present to record the proceedings and messages, the medium, after awaking from a deep sleep, was “controlled” by general spirits, and when tho lamps were lighted the sitters were amazed to see him sitting in his chair on tho table, clothed from head to heel in a gorgeous Chinese costume, with a “ pig-tail ” reaching from his head to the hack of his knees. An announcement was made that the medium had come under the control of tho spirit of a Chinese mandarin, who was killod in China in an affray with Tartars twelve months ago. The mandarin’s naino was “ LoHi.” Ha was shot in tho head and mutilated, and all his clothing, except tho slippers, was left in a house'-near tho scene qiitij it was taken away by his friends. Clad in this grotesque costume, the medium climbed down from the table and tottered round the room. In a moaning voice lie repeated the words “Lo-Hi, Lo-lli-i-i,” and pointed to his head, as if- he,was appealing for sympathy. Still tottering round the table he seized a Vienna chair and raising it above' Ms' head, with his hands, he held it above him by his teeth. He then grasped the end of the heavy table and raised it with one hand. After that, he resumed his appointed seat at the head of the table and took off his Chinese costume from above bis ordinary garments. The Chinese clothing was examined and was found to be splashed with stains, ‘which wore supposed to bo marks of blood. The medium seemed to pass through a rather hard time for a few minutes, but finally was awakened by the sitters, who, according to tho “ Age,” regard the results as a convincing proof of the truth of their faith, \