NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10477, 24 June 1897, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The thirteenth annual report of tU ' . American Bureau of Ethnology, just pah. •'. /, lished, contains an interesting account, prepared by Cosmos Mindeleff, of aboriginal remains in Verde Valley, Arizona. Than -€' ■ remains are situated near the south' " ■ western limit) of the ancient pueblo region 1 and consist of ruins of large village! with elaborate and complex ground plan, tod I '■: ■ ruins of small villages', with' simple ground plan. Mr. Mindeleff- classifies the ruins Sjpj as follows Stone villages, cavate lodges, | boulder . marked sites, and irrigating ditches and works. In size and in degree '$S of skill attained by ancient builders, loifi& stone villages represent the highest type in the region. - Boulder-marked site*, artthickly scattered over the whole region,-"'/ifS and are supposed to mark the sites of small []';■ farming or temporary shelters. They often •"•■'; occur in connection with irrigating ditchu . ■£, and other works. Fine examples of irrigat- •; ing ditches were found in the northern and <-\fi southern portions of the region, .Thelirgetl '■"'.''■:]' ruin on the Verde covers an area of over" ■ five acres, and has some 225 rooms on the ground plan. It is about a mils .'. above the mouth of Limestone Creak, ■'■'■! and its plan is similar to that of Zuoi, ./• - - the largest inhabited pueblo at present, ' " Cavate lodges ace structures closely re- :S| lated to cliff houses and care dwelling!, and occur in considerable numbers < near the mouth of the San Juan River and in the middle of the Verde region. These lodges are generally assigned to the Santa ' ; ; Clara Pueblo Indiana, but there is a tradition that they have been inhabited by white men during three successive periods, the last occurring after the Spanish conquest of New Mexico in the seventeenth century, Above the cliffs, on the mesas, marks of ■' - more ruins were found. There were pueblos, built of cut stone, rudslj dressed, and are evidently far more anoint than the cavate dwellings found in the faM ' of the cliffs. Mr. Mindeleff thinks that tot j cavate dwellings are not of great. age, hoi that they have been excavated and Occupied > j since the advent of the white man. ■*:•■■%:

Japan is pushing her way among the nations, right and left, Here are two .' instances First, the Japanese Euiigratioi : Commission has acquired » large are* of ',' cultivable land at Ixcuintila, in the Mexican '• •' State of Chiapa. The "tittle Japan "in - - America is at present about 70,000 acres in. extent. The first group of settlers-ten .'. families— from Tokio a short time ago, They were selected for (heir qualifi- '?'£ cation as pioneers, and if they report favour- ■■.•£(; ably of the climate and other conditions of ■'';';„ the land they are to be followed soon rjf by a large number of Japanese famiUw. ,'■■'-.. They will serve as the germ of a JapuaM j|| colony in America, which is likely to be •,..« very different thing to the Chinese cole-';'-,-; nies. The second instance is in Europe,' -■~;-: itself. Last month the International Bxhi- >' :/.'.': bition of Fine Arts was opened in Venice. . The Italian critics say that it is the best : ; which Italy has had for many a year, and ■■';-■. 1 that the foreign artists have been unusually,..'• li generous in the number of their contrite, '■_>: tions. 15ngland,!Sc6tlai>d, France, Belgian, V Germany, and Russia are .brilliantly repre- -~• .y sented in the great show. But the portion of -'0_ the exhibition which excites the most interest ',?■;■_. and curiosity is the "Japanese Depart-.£;'.,; ment," to which artists in* Japan, t.'iOei -p/ : . names are unknown in Europe, have kilt ■ many remarkable works. The merits •(>•;.' Japanese art are now so widely recognise? that the Commissioners felt that art Inter- " ■ ' national Exhibition would be incomplete if.;-." ; Japan were left unrepresented, and «*• ". European collectors agreed to lend sowof -\ ; i their specimens of the Japanese painter*.• j. Bub when it) was known in the studios*!''. . j.. Japan that an exhibition of the tiw*.'. r'S work of all nations was to be new •' .._» 'jj Venice they resolved upon a more direct | contribution of their own pictures. ■•■.-•■'. |

Speaking of the steadiness of stocks >» | face of the disturbed condition of JSutiM B Europe, the National Review suggesti'liM a the true reason for the comrjaeroial cM» || must be sought in the " tardy restoration of the navy" to its former. suprettMf ,vj The credit of this achievement is eotirsly T due to the ability, knowledge, slid devotion | of a small band of Englishmen who have never received an ' recognition for 'M ||| great national services they have r«n*/^ dered. By their persistency. they •»«' '._■.- tually impressed On the public mind a vivid conception of the perilous condition M «': which the want of a decent navy placed an j.gr island, fed, clothed, and employed by meant ■~, of sea-borne produce, The policy ol* .),= strong fleet was finally forced upon Parlia- . ment after the usual official resistance- ;.;. fortified by the usual official optimism-hail ,' been beaten down. Now the need for.' c:\ strong navy is a commonplace with both J,. v. parties; but this should not make us obli-.,. vious of the distinguished public servantsin the literal sense of the term—to whoa ~/ this salutary change of opinion is due. TBI, ,- ;, cash value alone of their labours would run : into many millions during the !»!& »•*>. . and a-half, if we could calculate tM.. v commercial Catastrophes that would h»« '_-/■ -,' been our portion had the naff : -.f ■ and the nation been allowed ■•?.,£'■& slumber on as of old. Among those to who" ; > s | the British Empire Is most indebted fori** • present security ate, besides Captain Mahan; *| Lord Charles Beresford, Mr. Spenser WU-; . kinson, LiWtenaiit-Colonel Sir Gootfj" ; - ; Sydenham Clarke, Mr: J. R. Thursfisfd |d» / Times), Admiral F.H.Colomb, Mr. Art* ■

rir ,ter Mr. W.T. Stead (Pall Mall Gazette old days), and one lady, UissMoraSbavv, Jo we have always understood, first re-.-lid her remarkable powers in a series of .nicies on the navy. The grateful .aoogiion of their fellow-subjects throughout empire goes out to them and toothers wto bare played a no lew influential part.. "he unqualified success of the Jubilee p« celebrations in England was most gtrikintr, and is said to have deeply imnreised the representatives of foreign Peters who witnessed the proceedings. The peat procession to St. Paul's Cathedral was » most magnificent spectacle, and was witne«ed by some two millions of loyal sub■ecu, Her Majesty being enthusiastically cheired along the whole route. She was in MCtllent health, and bowed smilingly to her subjects as she passed along. At the dihedral the scene was most impressive, ,nd touching in the extreme. The Queen w>! moved to tears by the loyalty and enthusiasm of her people. After the " Old Hundredth" had been sung the feelings of the va6t assemblage could no longer be held in check by the requirements of the official programme, and princes, archbishops, and bishops joined in cheer after cheer, the people taking up the shout. It was an unprecedented manifestation of loyalty to the Throne and of love to the Queen herself. The Colonial Premiers hart been made Privy Councillors, and in the long list of honours the names of wellknown statesmen, scientists, judges, musicians, artists, and actors appear. At a banquet to the Premiers at Birmingham Air. Chamberlain stated that if the colonies desired to share in the glorious responsibilities of the empire they would be met more than half way by the Imperial Government; and if they desired closet commercial relations they would be met in no huckstering spirit. These sentiments were loudly cheered, The Premiers intend to pay a visit to Mr, Gladstone. They were each presented to Her Majesty, as were also their wives.