NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10038, 27 January 1896, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

M. Lakoche, Prefect of the Garonne, has been appointed Resident-Ueneral in Madagascar. He U a Protestant; and will therefore, it is imagined, protect the Protestant English missionaries. We have no reason (says the Spectator) to believe lib will riot, but it is a remarkable fact that, outside Prance, both Protestant and agnostic French officials think it their duty specially to protect the Roman Catholic missions. This has been noticed in China, in IndoChina, and in East Africa, and we fancy that the same policy will be pursued in Madagascar. It is quite possible that M, Laroche will be called upon to act, for the English are unpopular because they did not resist the French advance, and the English missionaries have many enemies. On November 22, a body of natives attacked a mission station five miles out of Antananarivo, and murdered Mr. and Mrs. John son; members of the Society of Friends. The motive is stated by Renter to have been hostility to foreigners; and though it is assumed that the murderers were marauders, encouraged by the prevalent disorder, that is by no means certain. Wo should nob wonder in the least if the conquest of the country were followed by a temporary recrudescence Of paganism, the idea being that protection not having been accorded by Hoaveni Christianity was untrue.

All Germans, except the extreme Conservatives, are greatly irritated by a sentence passed on Dr. Forster on a charge of feemajestc. Dr. Forster, as editor of an ethioal magazine, had, in most temperate language, and without p-r.'.mnl allusion to His Majesty, condemned the Emperor's speoch on ih-: dnhiversary of Sedan, in which the S.icial Democrats had been stigmatised as i rabble, as calculated to impede the reunion of clashes which will one day "bring ponce Into the exalted regions where princes are throned in solitude;" For this article, Dr. Forster has been sentenced to .three months' imprisonment in a fortress, the Judge who condemned him declaring that ho made the sentence light on account of" Dr. Forster's youth, unblemished character, high aspirations, and independence of all political ties." The sentence is the more galling because Dr. Delbriick, who said more* but is a Conservative, has been exonerated because in a private conversation ho convinced the Public Prosecutor of his loyalty. Germans ask, with some reason, whether, after such a trial liberty of thought can be said to exist any longor in Germany. Certainly liberty of criticism does not, except in Parliamentary speechas.

Apropos of Mr. John Morley's speech at the Carlyle centenary, an English journal heartily agrees with him that" Sage" is tlie very last word that could be found to describe Carlyle truly, His genius was as impatient as his industry was patient. There was no toil which lie would hob go through to make his books workmanlike ; but a great many of his carefully compiled facts proved to be more or loss adapted to spoil the effect of his impatient epigrams. The "Life of Frederick the Great" wdS; for instance, a Ion? penance to litmj mainly because he had in bis impatience erected Frederick into amuchwiSefandgreater ruler than he really was, though he certainly was both a wise and steadfast military commander. A great part of Garlyle's genius was a genius for happy exaggeration, though it was a kind of exaggeration which brought out, as nothing else could have brought cut the real drift and Significance of social and political facts. Never did any man preach the diity of submitting to wise authority more eloquently ; hub never WAs there a man of genius who was less inclined to subjugate his own mind to the authority for which he professed so Platonic an affection. Ho has flashed all manner of brilliant lights upon character and history, but he has nob found for us any coherent code of wisdom, or any valuable avenuo to religious truth.

There is a rathor striking article iii the National Review by Mr. Arthur Shadwell on the decliue of drunkenness. He maintains that this vice has declined in the last sixty years more than in the previous six centuries, and produces evidence to justify his statement. In London the number of "drunks" was in 1833 and 1894 as follows :— i, .... ', e ?,°' Proportion of Population, urunke'itess. cs'stotffaTii 1833 .. 1.850.0 0 38,440 lto4o ' 1893 ~ 6,63,800 25,903 1 to '210 The number of drink shops has fallen in nearly equal proportion, the total number in 1876 being just one-third of what ib was forty years before, and there having been a further reduction since. The average number of their customers has also been reduced from 2700 to 1500. The sconos of furious debauchery in the streets described in 1834 to a committee ot the Houbo of Commons, have almost disappeared, while bhe character of the publicans has been greatly altered, and the number engaged iri the trade has declined as follows n ,'""•■ - No.of Popuhtfou. Publicans. Publicans >•.•< -■■.. . per 1000 1831.. .. 13,897,187 i. 57,604 . .. 41 1691.. .. 20,001,018 ' "?. 63,078 2'3 These .are cheering facts, the only draw, back to them being that years of . proa; pflrily-4ike 1876, ■ for ' instance-ate also

-years of : debauch, showing that the tut .forVin'duWnol is rather restrained «,» eradicated, and .that cheap liquor a ul? Again revive it. m

The rdl'kiili'fjuesttonm'afees 'rib headtii 1 The state of things remains pretty tall jhkt ft Waji months m The Wncett o) the Powers is unable to play in lane, iv is, according to all Recounts, easily » plained. While professing to act in concert against Turkey for the purpose of obtain, reforms .in Armenia, Russia and, it i s ,„, pected. France,are coquetting with the Sal tan. Indeed, it is asserted that Russia and Turkey have concluded a secret treaty. Tf report lias been discredited in a semiofficial Banner, hut there seenis to Be no doubt that the Saltan, by lavish gifts is endeavour, iiig to conciliate both Russia arid France, and apparently With some success. The situation altogether is most unsatisfactory, and every. thing seems I'd {Joint Id tile conclusion that England will be obliged to tike the initiative against Turkey single-handed unless she prefers to retreat from. Hie position which 'she has taken up from the first, which we do not think she has any intention of doing. The NeW York correspondent of the London Tithes, Mr. Smailey, Wild for many years was the London correspondent of tho New York Tribune; and who in his now capacity seems' to be emulating the rok which his cdlleagne M. de Blowitz fulfils in Paris, urges England to promptly meet President Cleveland respecting tlib Venezuelan dispute, as the jingo spirit is again being Aroused irk America. We have a great) respect for the opinions of the foreign correspondents of the London Times, but we should be sorry if British elatesmen Were to allow thd foreign policy of the Empire to be guided by 'them, lii Ihij Venezuelan affair Britain has her rights to preserve and mountain whatever tlm popular feeling in America may he. The Transvaal trouble has ended, but according to General Joubert the Uitlanden have riot yet delivered tip all their arms, which he regards as an act of treachery. The war between Italy Arid Abyssinia seems likely to bo drawn to a close. King Meneiek is showing a disposition to end hostilities, and overtures for peace have been commenced. . _____