NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9927, 17 September 1895, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The Americans will no doubt crow with their customary lustiness over the failure of the British yacht—Lord: Dun?aven's Valkyrie lll.—to carry back the Cup which the schooner America won in the Solent 45 years ago. We do nob deny that they are fairly entitled to boast of the cunning of their yacht designers, and the skill of their yachtsmen, which for that long period have enabled them to defeat every com. petitor sent from . Great Britain. But we very much regret to notice a disposition on, the parb of our American cousins to permit the annual contest to degenerate into a mammoth water carnival for the special ; amusement and vanity of New Yorkers.;" Thus an, inter-

national trial of speed and skill in yachting, Originally intended to promote friendly feelings between the two nations, is in danger of having an opposite effect, as shown by what occurred afa this year's race. The outburst' of feeling against Lord Dunraven because of his ( determination to withdraw his yacht from the farce which th« race for the Cap hat been allowed to become by those responsible for its management, was most unreasonableand a - just, and we hope the Americans are by this time heartily ashamed of themselves for such an exhibition of spleen and vexation. Lord Dunraven does not at great expense to himself build yachts and send them over to New York Bay for the sole purpose of affording the American populace an outing on the water; and although it may be a source of ineffable delight (to the thousands of spectators on board the vast fleet of excursion steamers following the race to see the wind , taken out of the sails of the British yacht by these crowded vessels, Lord Dunraven ' can hardly be blamed for refusing to race under such unfair and impossible conditions. He is a true yachtsman and the soul of honour. He has entered his yachts in these international contests for the glory of his country. ; There is nothing mean or petty or mercenary about him. All he asks for is a fair field and no favour. And if the Americans are not prepared to allow British competitors these conditions they are likely to I keep the Cup until the crack of doom. The efficacy of prayer in terminating itough is being resorted- to in New Siuta Wales, where the prolonged absence pf rain b threatening the colony with incalculable lisaster. Appeals of this kind for the drect and special intervention of Pnviffirice are not always successful, nor ar» t«ey always unavailing. We remember baring Dr. Moffat, the well-known Afri:an nissionary, tell a striking story of his own experience of answer to prayer. In the dstrict in which he was stationed in Africa tiere had been a drought of exceptional duration. Month after month passed and 10 rain fell. All the grass had baen ihrivslled up. The wells and watercourses vere dry. The natives were in imminent (anger of dying of starvation. Their sufferiigß were very great. They had offered up sacrifices to their gods, but in vain. The loig looked-for rain came not. Then the chp.fs bethought them of the white man'# Goo of whom the young missionary been telling them. Some of them went to Moffd; and questioned him. If thay abaadoned heathenism and became Christian*, would lis God, who was the God of love and mej?y, send them rain if they asked Him. r Jhe missionary thoughb He would. So ib wa< arranged that they should all assemble *ext day in front of the mission station. Hundreds came, and led by the youthfil Scotchman, they spent the whole day In praying for rain. When evening cane and it was time for them to disperse to their homes, there was no sign of ran. Moffat saw that they were disappointed. It was a supreme and crucial crisis. Bub he never doubted that whatever happened would bo for the best. He asked them to return to their hats, and before retiring to rest to again, each of them, pray for rain. He himself sat on the verandah ol his house until a lata hour watching {he sky. There was no change. The stars and moon shone with their wonted brilliancy. Not a cloud was to be seen in the whole firmament. Weary and worn out the missionary went to bed with a prayer for rain still on his lips. He slept for sometime. Suddenly he awoke. It was pitch dark. Moon and stars had disappeared. He thought he heard an unusual noise. Ha listened. His heart nearly burst with joy. He bounded out of bed, threw open his window, and stretched forth his hand. The prayers of the natives had been answered. It was raining in torrents.

A crime of a peculiarly revolting nature is reported from Plaistow, in Essex, and the coroner's jury have returned a verdict of wilful murder against Robert Allen Coombas, the Bon of the deceased woman. As a rider to their verdict the jury added a recommendation that the Legislature should take steps to put a stop to the inflammable and shocking literature that is sold in the streets and elsewhere to boys and others whose immature imaginations are peculiarly susceptible to its influences. The accused, as it appeared in the evidence, was in the habit of devouring the literary garbage which is popularly denominated the "penny dreadful," and the alleged matricide was evidently attributed 'in no small degree to such unwholesome mental food. Commenting on this case, the Nottingham Daily Express says : " The publication of ultra - sensational literary matter goes on unchecked, and the result is that the reason of many a boy and girl, stimulated by details of crime served up hot for their delectation, becomes practically deranged. Again and again of late years we have heard tales of murder end violence unfolded in our Courts, where the commission of felony has been distinctly traceable to the ' penny dreadful.' The class of the community to which such revolting nonsense appeals is, unfortunately, the roost dangerous the half-educated children of the poorest parents, whose intellects are insufficiently trained to appreciate nobler flight*! of imagination. The fustian notorieties of the Newgate Calendar, the exploits of Sweeney Todd and Charles Peace, these are the ghastly heroes of the youthful street arab with whom our criminal courts, sooner or later, are peopled, and for whom the punishment meted out by the law soon loses all terror." The accounts which continue to come from Madagascar concerning the health of the French troops in that country are of a most distressing character. Disease is proving a far more formidable enemy than the Ho ( and is carrying off thousands. The revolt in Cuba is seriously straining the military resources of Spain. Another large force is being despatched to the island, but there is no prospect of the revolt being speedily quelled. The alarming accounts of are earthquake in Honduras are now said to b< unfounded. The oflice of the New York WorljJ, one of the finest and most conspicuous buildings in the city, and which was only erected a few. years ago, has been partially destroyed by fire. It is said that Mr. Vanderbilb has purchased the American yacht Defender with the object of racing her in English and French waters. Serious election riots are reported to have occurred in Limerick.