NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11202, 24 October 1899, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The Cologne Gazette publishes a long letter, dated August 11, from its correspondent at Apia. The object of the letter, in pursuance of the German Chauvinist mot d'ordre regarding the Samoa question, is to make out that Germany, not England, is in line with Americain a word, that Codlin is the friend, not Short." The letter deals with the deliberations of the Samoa Commission, which led to the provisional investiture of the American Consul, Mr, Osborn, with the office of Chief Justice "during the absence of Mr. Chambers. ' Dr. Solf, the new German President of the municipality of Apia, claimed the appointment for himself on the strength of an article in the Berlin Treaty, and threatened to resign if he were not selected for the post. According to the Cologne Gazette's correspondent, the British Commissioner, Mr. Eliot, was the hindrance to Dr. Solf's appointment. With an indiscretion which any German official in like circumstances would be quick to resent, the correspondent professes to give an account of an interview he had with Mr. Eliot, in the course of which the British Commissioner is represented as saying that "he could not consent that the two most important offices in the Samoan Government should be combined in the hands of a German." The up- ' shot of the whole controversy was that Mr. Bartlett Tripp, the American Commissioner, pacified Dr. Solf, and persuaded him not to complicate the situation by resigning the Municipal Presidency. In order further to appease Dr. Solf, "The Commission," according to the Cologne Gazette, wrote him a letter in which they gently suggested to him that the combined duties of Municipal President and Chief Justice would be too much for one man. He was assured that in the opinion of the Commission he was " in every way qualified for the difficult post of Chief Justice." In fact, the appointment of Mr. Osborn was represented as having been made 011 Dr. Solf's " recommendation, and by his consent." This letter purports to come from " the Commission,' but as a matter of fact the British Commissioner, Mr. Eliot, did not sign it. For this the Cologne Gazette fiercely attacks Mr. Eliot and accuses him of causing discord in the Commission. It seems only natural that the British Commissioner should have declined to append his signature to a document which bore the appearance of an acknowledgment that the" suggestion, or consent" of Dr. Solf was required for an appointment which was within the competency of the Commission alone.

Mr. Clement Wragge finds it hard to keep balderdash out of his weather bulletins. Thus in one issued the other week he must need describe an imaginary scene on board ship in the region of the Kermadec group. The " old man" is in his long-sleeved chair, on the broad of his back, comfortably digesting the latest romance, and all sail is set barring a royal clewed-up. The hands are aloft, overhauling chafing gear, or "serving" the ropes, while the boys cheerily pass the ball, anon handing a marlinespike, and the grease-pot is handy if required. "Chips" has got his orders overnight, . but the captain takes half a turn and addresses him. " Carpenter," says he, " if to-morrow's as fine as this I want you to take your mallet and go <,v:r the decks in the wake of the hatches, and get a hot bolt and try the seams over that fellow's bunk what's been growlin'; maybe there is a leak, but he'll think it's all right." The sailmaker on the poop, sitting on his bench, plods at his trade, and thinks of home. He is going through the suit ready for the Horn, but the best canvas is bent, and a new upper topsail is also in hand, Tiie steward is yarning with the "doctor" by the galley door, counting his wages and the days to Liverpool—for the ship has been driven to northward by the gales of "Nerva," preceding—while the men below are mending their clothes in the afternoon watch, discussing their ships, and preferring the last, as is always the case.

Our cable messages to-day give additional particulars of the battle of Glencoe and the lighting at Elands Laagte. In the former engagement, which was a hotly-con conflict, the Boers lost from 1000 to 1200 men, and in the latter 800. . The enemy showed great determination and pluck, but fled at the sight of the British bayonets, many prisoners being taken, including General Joubert's nephew, while one of their commandants was mortally wounded. The British loss at Elands Laagte was 160. There has been continuous fighting at Mafelting, but so far the Boers have failed to dislodge the British. At Kimberley they have captured the waterworks, and have devastated the surrounding country. The Queen, who is greatly distressed at the heavy losses on the British side, has sent a message to the troops.