NEWS BY THE MAIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11059, 10 May 1899, Page 6

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

FAST TIME AROUND THE WORLD. The Russian Minister for Railroads lias announced in a special despatch from St. Petersburg that when the Trans-Siberian railway is completed it will bo possible to go around tho world in 33 clays, as follows: -Bremen to St. Petersburg, 11* days; St. Petersburg to Vladivostok, 10 days; Vladivostok^ to San Francisco by steamer 10 days; •£"» Francisco to Now York, 4g days; New York to Bremen, 7 days. ENORMOUS INCREASE OF THE BRITISH NAVY. Some striking facts about the British navy aro attracting attention. Tho year 1899 will bo unique in British records, for not only will tho personnel reach 110.640 men, twico as many as 10 years ago, but no fewer than 50 warships of different types will enter tho navy, ready to hoist the pennant for action. These include five groat battleships, the Albion, Canopus, Glory, Goliath, and Ocean, totalling 54,750 tons, and costing £5.000,000; 14 protected cruisers, and 31 unprotected cruisers. Moreover, six new armoured ships will bo begun, making a total of 32 armoured vessels, 17 protectod vessels, and 49 unprotected vessels completing, advancing or beginning. That is, 1899 will soo the stupendous number of 98 British warships under construction, representing an outlay of £35,000,000. For tho present, therefore, wo feel fairly safo in our beds. SERIOUS POLITICAL OUTLOOK IN RUSSIA. Tho St. Petersburg correspondent of the London Times telegraphs an alarmist statement regarding tho spread of serious labour troubles and strikes in the manufacturing districts of Russia. Ominous rumours, ho says, are in circulation in St. Petersburg; reports of troops sent to suppress outbreaks, of tho wholesale destruction of property, of numerous arrests and of the gagging of the press, yet not half of what is happening ever reaches the ears of tho capital. Towns, mills, and factories, tho correspondent declares, aro literally inundated with secret societies and revolutionary proclamations by agitators, who are undoubtedly assisted from abroad. All this, together with tho agitation fostered by tho students, creates a serious political outlook. DISASTROUS FIRE IN NEW YORK. The following is a list of those who perished in the firo at- the residence of Wallace C. Andrews, in Now York: Wallace C. Andrews, president of the New York Steam Heating Company. Mrs. Waliaco C. Andrews, wifo of the above.

Mrs. Georgia no Boyden St. John, wife of Mrs. Andrews' brother, Gamaliel 0. St. John, an officer of tlio New York Steam Heating Company. Orson Si. .John, aged seven years. Wallace Si. John, aged three years. Frederick St. John, aped 13 months. Nellie Roland, Mary Flanagan, Eva Peterson, Kate Downing, Marie .Roth, and Annio Cary, servants. Policeman McKnight was at Fifth Avenue and Sixty-sixth-street when lie heard an explosion, and saw (ho glare of the flames in •Sixly-scventh-strcet. Pie ran to the spot and found tongues of flames leaping from the upper windows of the Andrews' house, and halfway across the street. He tried to break in the door and arouse the tenant.-, but was driven back by the flames. Not waiting any longer than to arouso the family of the Rothschilds in the adjoining house, Xo. 4, lie sent in an alarm. When the firemen arrived they went through the Rothschild house and managed to get in the rear rooms of the third floor of the Andrews' home, whore they found Mrs. St. John and her three-year-old son, Wallace, unconscious on the floor, their nightdresses almost burned oil'. They were quickly taken into tJio Rothschild house. Mrs. St. John died within a few minutes. Her child died ill tho fireman's arms. The fireman made repeated efforts to get into the other rooms, but they might as wall have tucked a furnace. The building, if saturated with oil, could hardly have burned more fiercely. Like most New York dwellings it was high and narrow, and encased 011 two sides by solid brick walls, and the eifect was like a great chimney. The flames roared and crackled and shot, into the air a distance of 100 ft or more, throwing a great, fiery spray over the roofs of tho surrounding houses. All efforts to arouso the inmates in time to save themselves were fruitless, and aside from Mr. St. John, the only other persons who got. out of the house alive were two servants. Jennie Hums and Alice White, who appeared at the upper windows terror-stricken, and, heedless of the cries of tho firemen that they would raise ladders and save them, they jumped. Jennie Ultras leaped out first. She turned over and over and fell almost directly upon hor head. Her skiiil was fractured in several place- 1 . Tho other woman, when she saw the fate of her friend, hesitated a moment, then, as Iho smoke thickened, she 100 jumped. Sho fell upon a rear extension of tho building, and was picked up unconscious and severely injured.

DESPONDENCY OF DREYFUS. Tho Paris Eclair publishes llic report of Governor Deniel, of Devil's Island, of the reception by Dreyfus of the news of the revision of his case. Dreyfus, it is said, had written to his wife that ho wished to commit eiiiejdo. When asked to testify, he said lie had nothing to say—that lie did not remember anything. He 01100 said to a physician who was attending him: "They are afraid lny family will betray the famous incriminating letters; they are afraid the Kaiser will ge„ to know of it; but they are not afraid that my wife will take my two children and throw herself it the feet of the Emperor and ask him for justice." Dreyfus told Governor Denied that he had nothing to say to the Court of Cassation. On November 24, 1893, ho wrote the (iovornor that when ho was tried he asked M. Casimir-l'erier, then 1 resident of the French Republic, for a publie trial, which M. Casimir-Pcrier promised him under conditions which Dreyfus swore to observe, but the publicity was not granted, though why ho does not know. Dreyfus repeatedly said that hi* defence was ill the hands of las wifo and Lawyer Uema"ue. A Paris cable to the New York Sun says: -Sinister rumours are afloat over tho publication in the Eclair of the official report of Governor Deniel containing an alleged statement by Dreyfus that ho "contemplated suioitle. 11ns is taken to bo a preliminary announcement to prepare the public foi the news that the victim is dead. The statement of Governor Doniel differs from Dreyfus' recent telegrams, announcing that he' was in good health, and it is causing anxiety to his family. Mallueu Dreyfus, his brother, said to-day: Ho cannot bo dead yet, but I entertain small hope. AMERICAN COMPETITION.

A London despatch to a New York paper says. America a successful competition in he mans rial market, where she is beating !l, !,l!. 18 011 tlleir own r ""nd, is undoubtedly causing «T re at concern and heartburnings in British engineering circles. The acrimonious protests of English firms respectif, the "warding of (he Atoara bridge conpi p i i °.i ■" r ll , l . lttdcl ' lhill firm brought cut clearly tins fooling, and tho attempts to explain America s success by glut of work 1 ere doesl not harmonise with the complaints f.cm English firms who have not received <rdcrs which have been sent to America. As the St, James Gazette puts it:—"lf the British manufacturers have so much work that they cannot accept contracts, they are to bo conlo I™T if ' that c:IS0 ' !t is *ult to SCO why they aro complaining." Tho fact i» that industrial circles here recognize that these contracts mean more than mere evanescent competition. As in the case of the American engines, the railroad authorities ore have conceived the very highest opinion f American work. This is borne out by the statement of Manager Snell, of the locomotive department of the Great Northern Railway, which recently ordered engines oVThn ? enc ®', *?V aid to a representative ft tho Associated Press: "Apart from the tact that American builders are able to make more speedy delivery than the English, i|. cio IB no doubt whatover that American •uiffmes are of the highest excellenco and that their present features and improvements a-e cf such utility as to attract the custom of Eng. i sh companies. Tho Daily Mail, taking in w •° l i' "J'Scs 8 system of Profit-sharing, with the introduction of the newest and host machinery, as the method "whereby America can bo fought and worsted," though the paper adds: We must own that tho' nation is in some degree suffering from lack 0 slrenuojjsncss, both in employers and em- & Lie secretary .of 11,0 Engineer's Society said : 'We certainly regret the transference of work essentially belonging to our maikct, and it would lie affectation to deny that thoro is indignation and much comm»nt on the state of affairs. We hope it will nro'y the y dang C e""° transferonM ' but J' oll

_ KIPLING'S THANKS. Kipling was aWe to leave bis bed 011 April 2 f the first '"J 10, He sent out 1,10 fullmviii n ' Dar 1899 T) 8: " Hotol (!ro »"W<=. Barti? ~ J ' 18 "' Dear Si, '- you allow me through your columns, to attempt some acfee?!™' l't- "f " l 0 wmldei 'lsympathy, af. feclion, anil kindness shown toward in« during my '?"' illness, as well as the unfailing courtesy that controlled its expression? I Sir fl T° ns <!11 " ,,5h 10 answei Otters in lni» is ? I must take this means of thanku ® ?* humbly .«6 sincerely the countless people of goodwill throughout the world who jia\o ,nit me undei a debt I can never liopo to repay.—Faithfully your, P ° • ItUDIAIiD Kjpj,ij|o.'. ,