NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10404, 31 March 1897, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

We publish a, cablegram , in another column which states thab Mr. Gardiner, a memberjof the British Royal Society's recenbexpedition to the jEllico Islands, has come to the conclusion after careful investigation thnb Mr. Charles Darwin's theory as to the origin of coral reefs ia untenable. Mr. Darwin held that since reef-building corals do nob thrive ab a greater depth than 100 feet or (thereabout, it is evident thab the foundations of a coral reef could nob have been had in deeper, wnter, And as euph moderate depths occur only around islands and off

the shores |of continents, the reef-baUder. would first form M rißßrtee{ ; aU £: , suos.dence of the sea bottom I, iojjj to have supervened ; bat while Z i ' foundations were being carried doW '' corals continued to g m »»;; £-3 the rising o! the reef keeping !- with the 9 inkin« of the 8 £ V* Jg to*. The fringing reef in time is 00 $ wrt«l into a barrier reef which aarroand ; jf the island, from which iHßßep.rateilb»-i I navigable channel, and finally theiilani I sinks out of sight) end a complete coral i atoll remains. Mr. Gardiner contends that i it is more probable that the reefs were € formed around the tops submarine mo Bn . 1 tains of volcanic origin which does awav ' H with the ..inking theory. This is no ne> ' fi explanation, for this view was heW br J -I Chamino, who lirai daring the early yJi S of the present century, and it has been I supported since Darwin's time by Profeaior I Karl Lemper, after examining the lee , gol the Pelew Wan!,. Professors Agassi and Lβ Conte, too, found that Darwin', I views would not explain the ori e i 0 { the "* * reefs of Florida, and in 1880 Dr. John?'.-''! Murray, one of the naturalists of the Chal.lender expedition, also declared in fay 0 W of the old views of Chamisso. f Aj

A few days ago we were informed b* cable that President Kruger had ordered the suspension of the publication of the Johannesburg Star, in conseqnMea of the attitude that paper had taSetj towards the Government of the R 9 i public. That paper has certainly been" very outspoken all tliroueh. A despatch | from South Africa of February 2 tells w that the journal in question, speaking of fa: Transvaal Government and the Souj African inquiry, says that its most inmoil history and methods will ba exposed to W pitiless gaze of the whole civilised world' and Pretoria haa far more substantia 1 ! occasion to dislike the immediate oatloo) than the statesman whose political deatl and humiliation are still the relentless objective of Mr. Kruger's policy. " Puny,: menbfor Rhodes," it continues, "has be-' come almost an insane obsession o| the Presidency, but there can be no hesi< tation in declaring thab he will emerge less' scathed from the ordeal than the Govern- ' ment of this country. Once concede, as Johannesburg has persistently though 1 vainly asked, that ib ia necessary fcr thj Committee to go to the root of the whofo convulsion, and the utmost confidence exists in South Africa that the broadest' moral justification will be shown for Mr,! Rhodes' conduct as a sentinel of the oi%. ing empire."

Ib is expected tbab the various European' Courts will be represented a3 follows at thj record reign festivities in London and at Windsor Castle in June next-.—Austria,' Arohduke Joseph and Archduchess Clot tilde; Bararia, Prince Rupprecht; Belgium, King Leopold, Princess Clementina, and Prince .Albert; Denmark, Crowif Prince Frederick and the Crown Louise; Spain, Don Antonio de lIonH pansier and the Infanta Enlalia j Greece, Duke and Duchess of Sparta j Germany, Prince and Princess Albrecfab of Prussia or Prince and Princess Frederick Leopold; Italy, Prince and Princess of Naples, or the Duke and Duches3o| Aosta ; Portugal, Duke of Oporto; Riusia, Grand Duke Serge Alexandrovitch' and Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna; Roumania, Crown Prince Ferdinard and the Crown Princess Marie ; Saxony, Prince Frederick Augustus; Sweden and Norway, , Crown Prince Guetavus; Wurtemberg, Duko Albert. The Empress Frederick,Prince and Princess Henry of Prussia, thr Grand Duke and Grand Duchese of HesK;' and other near relatives will attend as famil),! guests of the Queen.

In a letter to the Times, Misi Frances Power Cobbe states:—" It is a eomevlnt surprising fact to many readers of history (and one nob very creditable to mankind at large) that the only woman on whom tbe' title of 'great , lias hitherto been is thab far from exemplary personagr Catherine 11. of RiHeia. May I suggest thab it would be no more than historical justice to the splendid sovereignty of our Queen if, on the occasion of the sixtieth year of her glorious and beneficent Royalty, she should be hailed by Parliament and people as 'Victoria thl' Great,' and a column, such as thab of' Trajan or Antoninus, set up in London to commemorate the decree of the Smatiis Populusque Britannorimui" Ganon Teign mouth Shore says that as the designation ■"Great" has been applied to such person' agea as Alexander and Napoleon, and (as Miss Cobbe points out) Cabherine 11. of Russia, it is ecarcely in historic and ethics! continuity a title for our beloved and honoured Queen. Why nob " Victoria th( Good"? Goodness is greater than great-, ness, and by her goodness will our Queea ever bo remembered.

The Uretan situation still continues acute. Greeco is unwilling to consenb to a joint) withdrawal of Turkish and Greek troops from Creto, and is desirous of con< trolling the affairs of the island under a European mandate. A risiny has taken place in Albania, and serious fighting has occurred between Moslems and Ohristian?. In view of the disturbed etatt of affairs Russia is said to be massing troops on her southern frontier. Turkej is also said to be arranging for the blockadt of the Gulf of Volo. Mr. Asquith supports Mr. Chamberlain's policy with regatu to the Transvaal. The Canadian Government are retaliating on the United State? in respect of tho Alien Labour Act by introducing a similar measure, Furtaei prosecutions in respect of the Panama Canal frauds are being discussed.