NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10125, 7 May 1896, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Why should a meeting of Churchman be called a congress and a meeting of fruitgrowers a conference? What is the difference between the two terms ? This latter question was much discussed at the time of the Berlin Congress when Professor Marten! undertook the task of defining the distinction so far as diplomatic assemblages are concerned. There can be no doubt, in thj first) place, he said, that a meeting of sovereigns in person for diplomatic purpose! ought to be called a congress; and this is the name which all authorities on international law have given to the interview) between the sovereigns of Russia, Prussia, and Austria at Laybach and Troppau, in the beginning of this century. The sams name must also be given to the meetings ol Cabinet Ministers sent out by their respective Governments as plenipotentiaries, provided always that they are authorised to enter irtto definite agreement? on the part of those Governments, and are nob bound to refer back for instructions from home. The most notable distinction is, however, to be | found in the subject matter of the deliberation for which the meeting is held. Upon this Professor Martens says that "the mora important are the questions to be discussed the more careful the study which they involve, and the more weighty and final the decisions to be- arrived at, so much the more has the assemblage the character of a Congress," It was thus that the earliest international Parliament of which historians make mention—that which met at Mun/.er andOsnaburgin the middle of the sixteenth century—although it was not attended by Sovereigns, was yet purposely called a Congress, inasmuch as its deliberations were to result in a no less important settlement than the Peace of Westphalia. Conferences tnay be held—ant! often are held, as at Vienna, in 1815—for the purpose of arranging and preparing subjects of deliberation for a Congress sitting at the same time; but it has of late become more usual, as Processor Heffter, of Berlin, thinks, not to bold Congresses without the presence oi Sovereigns, but to settle matters in a Conference, at which the Ministers present have the right of conferring, from time to time, with their colleagues or official chiefs at home.

gxecnted by his orders, revives interest) in the unhappy victim. Mr, Stokes, who had been an evangelist at Liverpool, was accepted by the Society as a lay missionary in 1878, and was ono of the second party for Uganda, sent out when the news came jf the death of Lieut. Shergold Smith and Vlr. O'Neill. He reached Uganda in the jarly part of 1879, but only remained a few weeks there, returning to one of the intermediate stations. Re subsequently developed a remarkable capacity for managing the native porters by tact and kindness, and he became virtually the Society's wravan leader and general agent, a post of importance affording much opportunity for pitnessine for Christ, both by life and by word. He conducted Mtosa's envoys back to Uganda in 1880, and Hannington and Ashe's first party in 1882, While at Zanzibar in the latter year ho stood sponsor to Henry Wright Data, who had been brought from Uganda by Mr. Pearson, and was baptised at the Universities' Mission, and who is now so well known as a loading Native clergyman in Uganda. In 1883, Mr. Stokes married an excellenb nurse belonging to the Universities' Mission, and after a short visit to England, eettled at Mpwapwa. There Mrs. Stokes died in the following year, leaving an infant daughter. Subsequently Mr. Stokes was stationed at Uyui, but in 18S6 h«i voluntarily rotired from the Society's service. Of Mr. Stokes' later career as a trader it is not necessary to speak, but some of the missionaries who knew hira well, always entortained for him personally a sincere respect.

Although the greatest diamond mines in the world are in South Africa, Brazil exports more diamonds to that part than to anywhere else on earth. The explanation is easy. They are black diamonds, and are not of the kind used as jewellery. The place of their greatest utility is underground in the mines. South Afrioa does not produce them, but it could not get s!ong well without them. Black diamond is the hardest substance known. Its utility has only been realised for about 20 years, and improvements are constantly being made in it. The rough stones are taken and split by machinery, in a way that was unknown until recontly. The split must follow the grain. If it does not, half the stone will be wasted. Each stone is split into cubes of different sizes. The cubes are then welded into mining drills, if they are to be used for boring. The steel is cast about the diamond so that it cannot get loose. In the same way nearly all diamond saws are made. They are circular saws. Every tooth is a black diamond cube. It is fastened on when the steel portion of the instrument is in a molten state. The attempt to make these stones artificially has proved a failure in every instance. The cost is greater than the market price of the Brazilian diamond. Black diamonds weigh ordinarily less than 100 carats, ranging all the way down to half a carat. The largest in existence was found only a short time age, its weight being 320 carats. The diamond was sold to a museum for £SOOO.

In consequence of the charges brought against him, as the result of the disclosures at the trial of the prisoners at Pretoria, Mr. Cecil Rhodes has intimated to Mr. Chamberlain, the Secretary for the Colonies, his willingness to resign, not only from the Chartered Company, but the Privy Council, and to return to England, if the Government so desire. The matter is now being discussed by the Cabinet. Earl Grey has telegraphed that the rebellion in Rhodesia has been completely broken, and that Buluwayo is as safe as London, The message of President Kruger to the Volksraad is of a pacific character. The assassin of the Shah has made a confession, from which it appears that bis act was the outcome of a widespread conspiracy. It is said that the object of Li Hung Chang's visit to the West is to induce the European Powers to permit the duties imposed at the treaty ports in China to be increased to eight per cent,