NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7800, 20 November 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

NEWS IN BRIEF.

* — There are about 230,000 Gaelic-speaking people in Scotland, according to a recent Scotch paper. - Mr. Daniel Burgoyne, assistant underbutler to Her Majesty, TH found dead ia his bed at Balmoral Castle* ~ • la the fifty years of the Queen's reign the numbers under her sway have increased from 126,000,000 to 252,000,000. The Recorder of Montreal ha* decided that members of the Salvation Army have * right to parade the streets and sing. The ethnological collection* made by Dr. Sohweinfurth, the German explorer, are to be placed in a body in a museum at Berlin, ' A number of "sandwich" men have been arrested in Paris for displaying placards on which were caricatures of Prince Bismarck. the Figaro states that the people of the Argentine Republic, in an Excess of enthusiasm, have given to Sarah Bernhardt 600Q acres of lsfad.

It is estimated that there were 50,000 Americans in Paris last month, and the residential American population of the town is over 30,000.

Some oak timber which, in 1824, had served for 364 years for roof beams in an English church, is still doing duty as a seat in a farmer's kitohen.

An English rector recently expelled a boy from school because he did not bow to him on the street. The school is a public one, receiving a Government grant. ' Masonic lodges composed exclusively of women, are said by a late Paris publication to be carried on in France numerously, and with the completes! of ceremonial.

Mr. Gladstone attended early service at Hawarden Church on October 4; and in the afternoon, assisted by Mr. Herbert Gladstone, he cut down a tree in the park. Whilst a trapeze artist named Hold was going through a performance at the. Gaiety Music Hall, Hanley, he struok his head on the stage, sustaining shocking injuries. In 1386 William Buokels, of Holland, salted the first barrel of herrings, and now his grateful countrymen are about to oele« brate the fifth century of his simple yet memorable discovery. A Krupp cannon weighing more than 100 tons . has been embarked at Antwerp for Spezzla on board the English steamer Engineer. The great shears at Antwerp lifted and lowered it with ease.

The New York correspondent of the Commonwealth, speaking of Mrs. . Langtry'g £2000 (or is it £4000?) wardrobe, declares that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as the Jersey Lily will be.

More than 100 French officers in civilian dress are said to have watohed the late manoeuvre* at Alsace without hindrance on the part of the German War Minister, who knew of their presence in Straabarg. Queen Victoria has manifested great interest in the tobacco growing experiments which are bow being made in England. Th© Prince Consort had great faith that the cultivation of tobacco would one day be of national benefit to England.

It costs nearly £40,000 every year to move the Viceroy of India and his Government from Caloutta to Simla during the hot season and baok again when the 000 l weather set* in. Lord Dufferin has just sent in a bill of this amount, and the natives protest. The Greek bandits who recently captured the Archbishop of Elassona in Macedonia, and demanded a ransom of £4000 for .hi* release, were attacked by a force of 600 Turkish troops sent out against them irons Salonica, and forced to surrender their captive.

- Rents are falling in London at a remarkable rate, owing .chiefly to the relief of the congested regions through the suburban extensions and the improved facilities for reaching these suburbs. The change is confined chiefly to the most populous and least wealthy districts.

Railway competition in London has obliged the 'buses to reduce their fares to one penny, and now one can take long rides in them at that low figure. The penny 'bus is said to pay, and it la expected in turn to effect a redaction in the railway fares, which are considered high.

A proposal to sell the Shah frigate, 6250 tens, to one of the colonies is under the consideration of the Admiralty. The Shah was built in 1873, and has served only one commission, and she will be remembered by reason of her engagement with the Peruvian ironclad fiuascar.

In the course of an interesting conversation which the Marquis Tseng had with the editor of the Figaro, the ex-Chines* Ambassador stated that France was very backward in agricultural matters, and that if it would import Chinese labourers it would learn much to its advantage. The Nihilist chief Degajeff, who murdered Colonel Sopdeikin, the chief of the Russian political detective police, on December 28, 1883, and who only a few months ago was arrested abroad, has just now succeeded in making his escape. A reward of £1000 is offered for his capture. ;

Speaking at a Primrose League demonstration held near Ashby-de-la-Zouche, Mr. Edward De Lisle, M.P., denounced Mr. Parnell's appeal to America for more money, and stated that next session he would introduce a Bill to prevent any member sitting in the House of Commons whose election expenses had been paid by foreign help. In accordance with the advice of General - Buller, and with the full approval of the Home Office, General Warren, Chief Inspector of Police, has largely withdrawn the special police protection from the public buildings in London, in order to liberate at least one thousand policemen, to be hence l forth employed in watching suspeots. Vice Admiral Thomasset and M. Bouquet de la Grye waited on the Minister of Public Works in Paris to present a memorial asking for a concession for deepening the Seine between Paris and Rouen, so as to admit seagoing .vessels drawing 18 feet of water. No subsidy or guarantee is asked for, but simply a maximum rate of 2s 6d per ton for 99 years, and the cost is estimated at £450,000. There would be four looks. It is not generally known how excellent an artist is Her Majesty the Queen, who, in spite of political worries and domestio anxieties, has, in company with Princess Beatrice, devoted many hours this autumn to the pleasure of sketching. Some of the Princess's sketches, I hear, are destined when finished for exhibition next season. It is a pity Her Majesty cannot be prevailed upon to give the public a chance of also admiring her really clever productions, In Dublin an inquest was held concerning the death of James Loftus, a discharged soldier of 16 years' service, who poisoned himself with oxalio acid, and then surrendered at a police station, telling a constable what he had done. On a piece of paper he wrote Ellen, I love you; for you 1 die; forgive and forget." Ellen's father had forbidden him the house on account of bis tippling. A verdict was returned in accordance with the evidence.

A Paris correspondent says General Boalanger took down a large and distinguished company to Chavignon, in the Aisne, to witness farther experiments with the new destructive bombshells. The spectators were more than startled; they seemed terrified at tbe results. A strongly fortified, earthwork was knocked to pieces in 50 shots, The new explosive substance, the composition of which is kept a secret, has been given the name of melinite by its discoverers.

Intelligence received at St. Petersburg on September 27 from Merr states that a detachment of the Russian-Afghan Boundary Commission, which is proceeding up the Amu Daria from Bosaga to Gbardjui, has been joined by Major Buran, an English officer, who is making bis way to England through ; the Trans-Caspian territory and the Caucasus. It is added that the Russian Commissioners are everywhere being greeted with the utmost respect by the inhabitants of Bokhara." : : The nomination of the Prince of Wales for' election as Grand Master of English Mark Masons will take place at th« half-yearly communication of Grand Mark Lodge on 30th ■ November. •• The election will be taken on l 31st May, 1887, on whioh day, if reelected,: His : Royal Highness will be again installed.* His nomination for eleotion as Grand Master - of English (Craft) Freemasons will be made at the quarterly communication of ■ United » Grand Lodge on Deo. I, The eleotion will be on March 2, and the installation en April 27,1837. - ' : v A despatch from Beverly, Mm, itatas that; not far from the spot where « youth ' named, Smith wa«. drowning in > the lake, there was a boat 'containing two young wan v and two young v/omen. ' The former started ' to row to Smitblia assistance ; hot tiieyooag women were suddenly smitten withsenseleea H modesty, and, refuted :to allow their •woprta I to row near to Smith. " Yen shall not yon * shall uot," t hey screamed, " take that naked » man into y.iis boat." The yonng men wera ' compelled to; r»iw their female companions % ashore efore helping Smith;. n»t\ mJcm-'J quently reaching the spot, Smith had sank forth?, last tim&.