The Sketcher.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 178, 28 November 1874, Page 5

The Sketcher.

PRESS CARRIER PIGEONS. One of the most curious incidents connected with modern journalism is the regular employment of carrier pigeons in collecting intelligence for the daily and weekly newspapers. In the competitive exertions to procure the “ Latest Intelligence,” it has been found that for short distances newspaper reports can be sent readier, cheaper, and quicker, by press carrier pigeons, flying a mile per minute, than by the Postal Telegraph. These aerial postmen are entrusted to resident correspondents in various places, ready to he despatched at any moment, whilst others are sent out by reporters to places where important events are transpiring. It is now no uncommon thing to see reporters at police courts, inquests, public meetings, &c., despatch folio after folio of “copy,” by press carrier pigeons tossed through the nearest windows, or thrown out of a train or steamer going at full speed. The attachment of these birds to the place of their birth, and their ability to find their homes from marvellous distances, are, of course, their distinguishing characteristics. A “columbier” or home is established at the various newspaper offices, and whenever a bird arrives with a message the act of the pigeon entering its cot sets a call-hell ringing in the editor’s room, the bell machinery continuing in motion until attended to. Being expressly bred for press purposes—conveying news to our great cities—they are not the pure carrier pigeon (which is larger, heavier, and slower on the wing, and not so well adapted for press purposes), but are of a special pedigree, bred by Messrs. Hartly and Sons, of the “Woolwich Gazeteer,” Woolwich, from prize birds imported from the best lofts of Antwerp, Brussels, and Liege ; all “ producteurs ” being rejected which have not won a 300 mile “ concours.” Press carrier pigeons owe their origin to Darwin’s principle of “ natural selection,” or the “ survival of the fittest.” In the struggle for life in connection with the compulsory flying of long distances, the homing and flying powers of the pigeons are developed to a large degree, whilst the birds which cannot do the distance are necessarily lost and eliminated. The surviving or winning voyagours become thus educated to the highest standard of perfection, and this system being continued through many generations (the flying distances increasing every year) a race of pigeons has been produced with powers which a few years ago would have been deemed impossible. Press carrier pigeons, though as a rule only used for short distances, in competition with the electric telegraph, can be specially trained to distances of 500 miles, and frequently fly to England from Dublin, Brussels, Paris, Lisbon, and even Rome. The utilisation of the instincts of birds is being carried even further than this. An ocean homing bird, of great docility, intelligence, and spirit, has been found in Iceland, which flies at a meteor-like speed oi 150 miles an hour, and is able to find its home over sea and land, from any part of the habitable world. A pair of these birds a few days ago brought despatches from Paris to a lonely spot, congenial to their nature, in a wild and rocky part of Kent within ten miles of London, in 1]- hours. Press carrier pigeons took the despatches on to the city ; the whole distance from Paris to London, by actual parcel mode of conveyance, being done within I k hours. THE ENGLISH MERCHANT NAVY. Continental Cassandras who delight in predicting the decadence of England will not find much to support their theories in the tables recently published by Parliamentary order, showing the progress of British merchant shipping. If continuous development of the commercial marine be a sign of national prosperity, the English people have every cause to congratulate themselves on facts proving them the chief carriers of the commerce of the world. Going back as far as 1838, the aggregate tonnage of the English mercantile navy amounted at that date to 2,890,601 tons, against 1,956,951 tons belonging to the United States, or an excess of about one-tliird, and about four times as large as the tonnage of Prance, which was 679,863 tons. Gradually, however, these proportions changed, until at the breaking out of the American civil war, in 1861, England owned 5,895,369 tons, the United States 5,482,027 tons, and Prance 983,996. Prom that period the mercantile navy of the United Kingdom rapidly developed, until in 1872, the last date included in the return, the aggregate of British tonnage was 7,213,829, against 4,351,957 belonging to the United States, or an excess of about twothirds and nearly seven times as large as the tonnage of Prance, which was only 1,077,611. Prom this it follows that the commercial navy of Great Britain has increased more quickly than those belonging to the two other chief maritime powers, and that the principal part of this increase has taken place latterly. Por 20 years after the battle of Waterloo there was not any appreciable development of the British mercantile marine, the tonnage in 1815 being 2,681,276 against 2,783,761 in 1835, being a difference of only about 100,000 tons, or at the rate of 5000 tons per annum. After the expiration of another twenty yeai’S, the aggregate had risen in 1855 to 5,250,553, being an increase of 2,566,792 tons, or at the rate of nearly 130,000 tons per annum. During the subsequent seventeen years included in the tables, the increase of tonnage has been 1,963,276, averaging 115,000 tons per annum. As might be expected, the greatest development took place in the years immediately succeeding the outbreak of the American Civil War, when a considerable portion of the ocean-carrying trade performed by the United States fell into the hands of England. Between 1861 and 1565, when the war terminated, the aggregate tonnage of Great Britain rose from 5,895,369 to 7,322,604, the highest point ever reached, being an increase of 1,427,235 in four years, or at the rate of 355,000 tons per annum. During

the same period American tonnage, exclusively registered for ocean traffic, fell off from 2,642,628 to 1,602,583, or a decrease of more than a million tons, being at the rate of 250,000 per annum. Since 1565 there has been an insignificant falling off in the tonnage belonging to both nations, while that of Prance has slightly increased. More detailed particulars are given in another table, setting forth “ the tonnage of shipping entered and cleared in the United Kingdom, United States, France, Holland, Norway, Prussia, and Sweden, distinguishing between national and foreign ships, from 1850 to 1572, both in cargo and in ballast.” In the first-named year England employed 65T per cent, of indigenous tonnage, and 3 4‘9 per cent, of foreign, but in 1872, the proportion of the former rose to 67‘6, while the latter fell to 32.4. The contrary occurred in the case of the United States. In ISSO they cleared 59'S national tonnage against 40 - 2 foreign, but in 1572 the former had decreased to 34'3 per cent., and the latter increased to 65‘7 per cent. A similar transfer of the carrying trade to foreign bottoms is seen in the case of France. Her proportion of national tonnage cleared has fallen from 41 to 3 4'2 per cent., while the foreign has increased from 59 to 65'S per cent. Holland follows suit, indigenous tonnage having contracted from 41 - 8 to 25'S per cent., and foreign increase from 58'2 to 74'2 per cent. Norway, Prussia, and Sweden also each display some decrease in the amount of national, and increase in that of foreign tonnage cleared from their ports, but the difference is only slight. Taking a comprehensive view of the seven nations included in the return, England is found to be

the only country employing a greater percentage of national tonnage and smaller of foreign than was the case twenty-two years ago. Nor do the figures giving the total tonnage of all sorts, home and foreign, cleared by seven nations afford less satisfactory proofs of British prosperity. That of England has increased from 14.505,064 in 1850, to 42,501,025, or, roughly speaking, by 200 per cent. The United States has risen from 8,709,641 to 21,540,157 tons during the same period, being an increase of 150 per cent. ; France, from 4,610,719 to 14,597,788 tons, or 220 per cent. ; Holland, from 2,236,435 to 5,677,038 tons, or 150 per cent.; Norway, from 1,396,945 to 3,231,986 tons, or 130 per cent.; Prussia, from 2,090,358 to 8,516,574 tons, or 300 per cent. ; and Sweden, from 1,066,886 to 2,791,893, or 170 per cent. Taking the aggregate amount of tonnage employed by these seven nations at the two epochs Great Britain cleared 42 per cent, of the whole in 1850, and 43 per cent, in 1872. The result of 22 years’ experience certainly does not appear to denote that national decadence on which some foreign critics of Great Britain insist. However, if they are content, England can well afford to rest satisfied. “ JOTTINGS FROM THE PLOUGH” The above is the title of a column in the People's Courier, the organ of the Laborers’ Union. AVe select a few:— Geography. —Mr. H. Cox, of Pangbourne, writes that the numerous readers of the People's Courier in Berks know more about Queensland than they do about their own country. They would like Queensland beef better than its geography, but the pot of Atlantic brine prevents them tasting it. Bare Pact. —The wife of a laborer of Stoke Mandeville, the mother of ten children in nine years, was left a widow with five children under eight, Three persons heard this statement : one laughed, another exclaimed, “Dreadful!” and the third said “Legislate." The mother doesn’t laugh, nor think it dreadful; but will be glad to know what legislation can do for her.

Pensioners and Paupers. —A certain duke’s great uncle -watched a great big battle from behind a tree; pension, thousands per annum for ever. A farm servant of the duke’s, ft man of toil fifty years, went through the battle of life, the father of thirteen children; pension, fialf-a-crown a week and a loaf, for life only. Moral: study English history. Aliases. Our Poor-houses, alias Union AVorkhouses, alias Licensed Gruelling Institutions, separate husband from wife, and children from parents. If Dean Swift was alive, he would say, —“ AVhom God has united let not the devil go between.” There is no fear of the devil going between in our workhouses ; he would be starved ,in a week, the only merit of such institutions being cleanliness. Eightpence.—The wives of many Oxfordshire laborers go into the field for eightpence a day. Do the men keep their wives, or do the wives keep themselves ? And pray, who keeps house ?

Teetotalers are no better than they should be. If there were a few more in the world the sun would shine just as bright ; and if all were to turn teetotalers to-morrow, the result would almost affect workhouses, asylums, gaols, hospitals, schools, and churches. Teetotalism ia not religion, any more than Unionism is, but a good deal of both may be stowed away in the heart without overcrowding it. AVas I right ?—Speaking one day about bad cultivation and waste lands, I said—Tree, I am neither landlord, tenant, nor laborer ; can neither plough a straight furrow nor a crooked, one, nor tell the age of a horse by its teeth ; at the same time, I am not such a fool as not to be able to tell the difference between wheat and poppies, barley and thistles ; and some farmers have been growing five acres of weeds to every fifteen acres of grain. That’s why Englishmen eat sevenpence when fourpence should satisfy them.

Boaz is dead.—Said a D.D. in the course of his sermon, expressly compiled for the edification of some hundreds of farm laborers.—“ Contrast your position with that of the Jewish poor, and you will find it infinitely better.” This learned divine had evidently overlooked the time of Boaz and the Book of Ruth. “ And she gleaned in the field after the reapers.” The Jewish poor gleaned corn amongst the sheaves ; the English poor are hardly allowed to glean stubble. AVho Say ]3read aud Lard ?— At Aston Abbot’s Club feast the members sat down to

boiled beef, roast pork, Yorkshire pudding, vegetables, cheese, bread, and beer ; and after eating as though they were hungry, they all declared that a poor man should have such a dinner every day. How people do talk. Once a year is quite enough to feast. Bread and lard is quite good enough for poor people. Never Satisfied.—The Cublington laborers have been waiting patiently for the last century for some allotments. A field has at last been cut up into one rood farms, and now these laborers have got a rood they want an acre. Just like their masters, never satisfied. Mutton Hoes.—A' bean field near Marston Gate station wanted hoeing, and so a flock of sheep and lambs -were turned in to do the work. We should be glad to know if the mutton hoes were by the day or on piece work, because a good many were lying down alongside their work. Idle Land.—There are a few score acres of land in Quainton parish that have yielded such enormous profit that the owner in gratitude has been allowing the land to have a two years’ rest and holiday. The farm took advantage of the absence of the laborers, and has run right away into couch, and also into another man’s possession, who is now wreaking his vengeance upon it in the shape of a steamplough. Behold the reward of giving farms rest and holidays; they run away from you. A Dear Dinner.—Two pheasants, a blancmange, and one bottle of champagne. A Good Dinner. —What yau like, and what likes you, and plenty of it. Words and Actions.—The labor agitators have used hard words against both farmers and landlords, but they have not forcibly ejected an employer from his home, nor a landlord from his mansion, we hear of some Dorset drudges that have been passing the day and night under the hedges. The weather is in their favor.

And Binds His Own Shoeleather.-—A Dullingham laborer walked eight miles a day, to and from work, for fourteen years ; that is forty-eight miles per week, 192 miles per month, 2496 miles per year, and 34,944 miles altogether, besides twelve hours’ work daily at 2s. 6d. per day. A good business that for shoemakers.

Logic.—A miner once drank one bottle of champagne ; therefore all miners do the same thing. One coal-owner made a fortune ; therefore all coal-owners are making fortunes also. Locked-Out. —A farmer loclced-out all his men, and the thistles grew so rank in his field that they locked out all the sheep. The men couldn’t go to work, and the sheep couldn’t go to eat. Bunny, yet true. Thistle Grazing.—Wanted, by the Cambridgeshire farmers, 500 good hard-mouthed donkeys to eat up a few loads of thistles that the locked-out laborers have left growing in the fields. Excellent thistle grazing. Terms on application to the Chairman of the Defence Association.

Is it Bive ?—A boy starving crows near Winslow began at 11 a.m. to ask passers-by “ was it 5 ?” and by 4 p.m. had asked overtwenty people. Will no one give an old watch to that little boy? When asked the reason for his anxiety about the time, he replied, “ I’m hungry.” The boy got more starvation than the crows did.

His Lordship’s Compliments.—A Rutlandshire farmer (120 acres) lost £IOO in one year through his lordship’s weakness for game preserving. One day the landlord, -with a number of princes, came and shot over the estate, bagging some fourteen dozen hares and other game. On the morrow the gamekeeper paid a visit to the small farmer with “ his lordship’s compliments, and he has sent you a brace of hares.” These hares were skinned, stuffed, and roasted, and the farmer, a pious man, said grace before meat : “ May the Lord make us truly thankful for these two hares out of the two hundred I’ve fatted for my landlord since last shooting season.” BEECHER ON THE FAULTS OF SOCIETY. All nations consider the people of all nations conceited. The truth is that there is considerable conceit at the bottom. To have a good opinion of ourselves is to take the first step towards advancement. I propose to talk to you to-night of the faults and foibles of society, and to point out that there is ample opportunity to reform some abuse, or to point out Borne improvement on what is now regarded as perfection. The relation of good health to society as well as industry is not always fully estimated. No community can afford to have many sick people among its ranks. It is a poor investment. Weakness is just as great a burden as sickness. A sick man either gets well or dies, but weakness is a chronic annoyance. No man who is weak, be he ever so capable of great efforts when well, can perform good work. The people of a great city cannot afford to have a portion of their citizens living well while the great bulk of the population are dwelling in hovels. The second element of waste which I shall speak of is ignorance. By this I do not mean those who cannot read and write. I have seen men who could read and write—aye, and cipher — who -were profoundly ignorant. Some are troubled about their pedigree. Bor my part, this does not disturb me at all. I have no prejudice against the animals. I would just as lief know that I am descended from a monkey as not, if the line could be traced far enough back to satisfy me. What is more worthless, or even more helpless, than man when he is bom ? It would be an honor to begin as high up in the scale as a calf. By an ignorant man I mean one who is born an animal, grows up, and always remains simply an animal. Great mistakes are made in the choice of trades or professions. I know it to be true of the ministry. When men are called to preach some are always called to hear them, and when no one does come to hear them, after a fair trial, it is a pretty good evidence that they have mistaken their calling. I would next refer to the waste of lying, considered in the light of political economy. If we can’t trust or believe any one but ourselves, industry is clogged in every branch. vj Anything which weakens

public confidence weakens society. I cannot pass over even the gigantic wickedness of our Government in printing lies by the hundred thousand. I would next refer to the burden of war. I hold that many wars are inspiring, and that a nation often comes out of war better. But this is not the rule. Twenty-one thousand million dollars of war debt overhangs the Christian nations of the globe. Do you wonder what makes Communism ? Where debts are infamous they never -will be paid. The devil can t tax me for vice and not hear about it. The three classes whom to blame for this more than all others are the rich, the cultured, and the religious. They draw back from the duties of citizens, and then complain that the politics of the country are in the hands of the low and unscrupulous.