General News.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 246, 5 August 1876, Page 17

General News.

" The return of a retired brigand to active professional duties," observes the Pall Mall Gazette, "is announced from Greece. Petko, one of the most eminent robbers of his time, who had amassed sufficient wealth to enable him to lead the life of a peaceful citizen at Athens, has become disgusted with the ennui of respectability, and has betaken himself to Thrace —the scene of hi 3 former exploits —where he is roving and plundering with great success and with all his former activity. He has lately captured a young woman, for whom he demands a heavy ransom, and has also announced his intention of murdei-ing some intimate friends, who have in his opinion mismanaged some property he left under their care. His proceedings excite unusual interest and admiration, because they are conducted from a pure love of brigandage, and not from necessity. He is, moreover, well advanced in years, being upwards of sixty years old, an age when most brigands are glad to rest from their labors. Petko is of a highly susceptible temperament, and the other day nearly lost his life when scaling the wall of a house in which lived a lady whom he much admires. A Circassian zaptieh, seeing Petko ascending the wall, fired at the venennble thief, who, however, was happily untouched by-the shot, and, sliding to the ground, took to his heels and fled with really marvellous activity. There is some talk of offering a reward for his head, but the inhabitants of the district, having before now brought in heads to the authorities and received no remuneration for their trouble, maintain that transactions of this nature should be conducted on the principle of reward first and head afterwards." The Hon. Mr. Pox recently delivered an •ddress, at the Royal Colonial Institute, on New Zealand, which he concluded as follows :—The remaining question is, " How about the Puture of New Zealand ?" He (Mr. F.) was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet—he could not predict the future, but he might refer them to the past. He had told them what the colony had done, why should it not continue to do the like ? They had a fine fertile country, and though the population at present was not much bigger than that of Birmingham, there were seventy millions of acres, with vast resources in them, all of which had to be developed. Could that country stand still ? In a very few years it would, under Providence, have a million of people in it. Humanly speaking, it must grow, it must increase in prosperity, and it will reward those who have faith in it. In con elusion, he begged to thank the Institute for the patient hearing it had given him, and trusted that neither his time nor theirs had been altogether wasted by thehour's occupation. The Press very favorably reviewed the address, The Colonies remarking : —" It certainly is a great advantage both to the colonies and to the Mother Country, that, by means of such an organised society as the Royal Colonial Institute, such men as Mr. Pox, Bishop Perry, General Bisset, and others, should impart information in England with respect to those colonies about which they are so competent to speak. The Institute in this way instructs, not only people who have never been in the colonies, but also colonists on visits to England, who have the advantage of being Able to acquire knowledge and experience respecting other colonies, which they can take back with them to their own, and probably turn to useful account. Perhaps nowhere else can such varied colonial experience be interchanged as at one of these meetings. At that which Mr. Fox addressed were to be seen the Premier and Surveyor-General of Newfoundland, a number of South Africans, West Indians, and a West African Governor, besides New Zealanders and Australians, who of course mustered in a majority on the occasion of a subject connected with their quarter of the Empire."

" It is reported," says the Daily Neios, " that a peasant woman in the south of Prance pricked her finger while washing linen, and that the ■wound festered. Another woman looked at the sore, said that physicians were in vain, and advised a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady at Lourdes. To Lourd.es the patient betook herself, said the necessary paternosters, went through all prescribed, forms, and came home much worse than when she set off on her pilgrimage. When the friend who had recommended the journey heard this, she observed that nothing could be clearer—the patient was evidently bewitched, and under a spell. This is precisely the argument that would have occurred to the mind of an untutored native of India. Here is a disease for which the proper supernatural remedy has been sought, the supernatural influence ha 3 failed, therefore there must be a counteracting magical force at work. The question then arises, Who is the sorcerer ? To settle this difficulty the friend bought a calf's heart, and gathered some herbs, and boiled the whole. She next ran pins into the calf's heart, observing that the pins would pierce the heart of the malignant witch whose spells prevented the patient's wound from healing. The result would be that the witch would be the first person to enter the house where the Saga, as the peasants style the witch-finder, was busy with her herbs, pins, and other gear. All this mummery was just in the style of Hindoo reasoning and Hindoo macric. If one cannot influence the powers above—the saints—the next step is Acheronta movere, to interrogate the powers below. The question was answered in this case by the entrance of the patient's aunt, bringing the doctor with her. The poor aunt was set upon at once—why did she call in the mere material aid of medicine, she who was clearly the sor- j ceress that hai caused all the evil, and had been detected by her entering as soon, as the calf's heart had been properly perforated ? Moreover, the aunt was a Protestant, and therefore all the more likely to be a witsh,

reasoned the family, just as the Finns reason that all Lapps are wizards. From threats the relatives of both parties came to blows, aud the end of it all was that the aunt suffered as a witch, and was actually put to death by the wild justice of her enraged family. If there is any truth in this tale, it goes to prove how slowly superstitions die, and how like they are in their working, whether in France or in Hindostan, where the more backward natives would look on the proceedings described as quite legitimate, and even necessary." A passage in the new Testament says, " And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee." The European Mail says —Leon Gambetta, the invincible Republican agitator, is said to have deliberately destroyed his left eye when he was a boy at school, if not exactly in obedience to the divine command, yet because he disliked to study the language in which this mandate was originally written. Gambetta hated Greek, and did his utmost to get excused from studying it. But when he found that his entreaties were of no avail with his father, he threatened to destroy his vision. Gambetta pere, a stern and resolute man, who deemed it a wise father's duty to thwart the whims of an obstinate boy, was immovable, and told Leon he could pluck out his eyes if he chose, not of course for one moment supposing the possibility of such a thing. Enraged at this wholly unexpected answer, young Gambetta tore his left eye from its socket, and informed his father that the right eye should go to keep company with the left if there was no other way of escape from study of the hated language. Happily for France, his father, recognising the indomitable will of his son, at once yielded the point.

The Primitive Methodist Conference commenced at Newcastle-on-Tyne on June 7. The Rev. J. Dickenson, of London, was elected president, and Mr. G. Charlton, J.P., Gateshead, vice-president. The ex-president (Rev. R. Smith) stated before leaving the chair that there had been an increase of 7158 members during the past year, the largest increase since 1860, its jubilee year. This, however, represented only a small portion of the members added, for they had vacancies to fill up equal, he considered, to 25 per cent, of the whole number in the connection. Last year they had 170,000 members, and therefore 49,658 must have been added to the church membership during the year. One hundred and thirty-eight chapels had been built dnring the year, at a cost of £113,084, towards which £52,058 had been raised ; and £43,358 had been collected for debts on chapels. One hundred and fifteen new schools had been organised, and there had been an increase of 3037 teachers and 18,006 scholars. A proposal to grant a monetary acknowledgment to Dr. S. Antliff for his services in travelling over 50,000 miles in visits to colonial stations was declined. As to lay representation the conference admitted that it is desirable to meet the demand in some way consistent with its own existing constitution and supremacy. This it appears can only be done by forming as it were a representative house, which shall discuss matters without any power to legislate upon them ; and shall then send up its resolutions, to be accepted, amended, or rejected by the older and superior body. This seems to be all the popular representation which is asked, and in some form or other it will be granted. The meeting did not put its proposals in any definite form ; it merely reaffirmed the resolution of the conference held at Sheffield last year, only substituting for the words the time for lay representation in conference business is approaching, an expression of opinion that the time for a comprehensive plan for this pui-pose to be devised has now come. ENGLAND AND RUSSIA. The following (says the Melbourne Argus) extract from a private letter received by the mail will be found interesting, as throwing light on the present feeling in England in reference to Russia : " I am told that at the present moment the feeling of the Ministers is just this —that they will stand no nonsense whatever from Russia. They almost desire war, and war now rather than later. In this they are most assuredly backed up by the national spirit. ISlever within my memory has the tone of the ' fool-ometers' been so bellicose. Very calmly, very little fuss, but a thorough setting of the teeth, and a genuine determination that we will see this matter out. Now, I am not sure that this is a good thing, and though it is well to check Russia, I don't think we ought to show eagerness to fight. And this the rather because, if I am correctly infoi-med, Germany has informally said:—- ' Don't be troubled about the triple alliance. Russia is no friend of ours. You must fight her one day ; why not now ? The opportunity was never so favorable. She is nearly bankrupt, her population is disaffected. Turkey has a little money for the time and much enthusiasm; the Czar himself is feeble and worn out. Strike, therefore, and strike hard—we'll keep the ring ; and Russia, once beaten, will fall to pieces almost as rapidly as Turkey. She has even less to hold her together. If you wait, Russia will get stronger, both in Europe and in Asia, whilst you will scarcely advance in power, and your possible ally will certainly retrograde.' That, as I read it, means that we are to fight a portion of Germany's battle for her, whilst she husbands her resources and comes in at the fitting time, gaining not only credit, but more solid advantages, by holding back. Austria cannot well- move against us—France daren't. So we should owe Germany no thanks for keeping those powers in check, and although it is satisfactory to find that she desires to cripple Russia even more than we do, and wishes nothing better than an alliance with ourselves, I am not inclined to jump at the bait. Furthermore, I fancy Gortshakoff appreciates most fully how completely his whole scheme has had the bottom knocked out of it, and will in consequence avoid any occasion of offence. Already he

has begun to give way, and nothing short of a rising would, I believe, force Russia to encounter us. 'England is a bull that fancies itself an ox,' you remember a French politician said. You and I have always known that England ia a bull indeed, with very well developed bones and muscles. Depend upon it, Russian statesmen know this well enough too. And we have ceased to believe even that we have lost our vigor. Such a change has taken place since suggested the purchase of the Suez Canal shares, and we began to take our old place at the head of Europe. It makes one's heart leap to see how a few resolute words and one resolute step have been the signal for our detractors to stand clear. I know how you must have rejoiced at the great news, and I most heartily shake hands with you across the sea. It is something to feel that the pride one always has in England is justified in the face of the world. Yet if our rightful influence can be asserted and our interests maintained peacefully, I, for one, would gladly escape war. The three Imperial | powers cannot, of course, maintain their alliance. They are like three ruffians who have stolen a bag of gold, and swear an eternal friendship, to be cemented with the spoil—each is afraid that the other two will combine to cut his throat. THE SORROWS OF A BISHOP. " A Sinner," writing to the Pall Mall Gazette, draws the following amusing picture of the troubles that beset the life of a bishop : " Now, of all men, a bishop seems to me the most to bo pitied, for from being a bishop he can take no holiday. A barrister, when the long vacation comes, can throw his wig up to the ceiling or at his clerk's head; a physician can forget to shake his head; a solicitor can send his clients to the study of their papers; even a Rugby master can forget the universe and allow the universe to forget him. From his respectable piety a bishop has no relief. Men of all other trades, when on an outing, can leave their work behind them. Where can a bishop go where he will not find souls? In this respect it may be objected that he is no worse off than the poorest parson. But a parson can, if he likes, when out for a holiday, so disguise himself as to look like any other Christian. A bishop is, as it were, for ever tied to his own apron strings. He has no real holiday, for a holiday is only enjoyed when the mind has a thorough change. He dare not begin his vacation by hustling his chaplain out of doors, and throwing his "Hymns Ancient and Modern)" after him. He dare not delight his children by making his apron into a kite, and his last sermon into its tail. He dare not take off his black silk stockings and paddle in the sea. He dare not, on a hot Sunday afternoon, lie on his back on a tombstone and listen to the distant drone of the country vicar's sermon. He dare not sit on a quiet alehouse bench, and drink a pot of porter out of its native pewter. As Johnson says, 'A bishop has nothing to do at a tippling-house. It is not, indeed, immoral in him to go to a tavern; neither would it be immoral in him to whip a top in Grosvenor-square; but, if he did, I hope the boys would fall upon him and apply the whip to him.' We all know what answer a judge would give if in his vacation he were asked take upon himself some difficult piece of arbitration. What bishop when out for his holiday, if pressed by the vicar to preach a sermon to his congregation, would venture to answer, ' Preach to them ! I will see them h—ng —d fh-st.' And vet what man leads a harder life than your bishop of to-day ? What man more deserves a thorough change ? What with ordinations, visitations, confirmations, sermons, and addresses, he is for months and months kept in a state of fervent, I might say of ebullient, piety. He has not only to be pious in himself, but a cause of piety to others. He has always to be earnest, even when he ought to be quietly digesting his dinner. He is worried by countless heresies and questions of ritual. He is ever oppressed with the feeling that his diocese expects him to answer Darwin, and he hardly knows what answer to make. His lot is indeed a most unenviable one, and it excites my sincerest pity." ARTIFICIAL ICE. (From a Boston paper.) The manufacture of ice is rapidly becoming an important business in New Orleans, where there is more of the article used than in any other city in the world. The largest manufactory for making ice in existence is now nearly completed in that city. It required to build it over 1,400,000 bricks ; the walls are 115 by 150 feet, and over 50 feet high, and three feet 5 inches thick.

The walls are studded with exterior and interior buttresses at every fifteen feet, which project about one brick, both inside and out. The wall is in three parts, connected at regular intervals—the inner being the thickest, with a space of nine inches between that and the next. This space is filled with sawdust as fast as the wall goes up. Between the middle and the outer portion of the wall there is a space of five inches, with air-holes at the bottom and top for ventilation ; this is the air space.

Pudlocks of scantling are set through the inner and middle walls, and project fifteen inches into the interior, and stud it thickly. To these are to be fastened a strong board lining, and the space between this and the interior brick wall is also to be filled with sawdust. The roof is closed in in the tightest manner, and then there will be a snug little ice-box 115 x 150 x 50, and one partition, with but one door and no window. The ice-room is 115 x 150, having space for the manufactory of 1200 tons and stowing at one time. The room contains over 5000 3-inch iron tubes, 36 feet high, placed upright in pairs 5 feet apart, and each pair connected at top and bottom, the connecting pipes ranging diagonally across the bight lines of the walls. The room is divided into two sets of tubes. Only one set of 252 will be put in operation this season ; these will make 80 tons a day. The ammonia which is so largely used in the manufacture is

brought from New York in vessels in the shape of liquid or aqua ammonia, containing over 2C per cent, of ammonia. The ammonia is vaporised by steam arid forced into the tubes. At the top of the tubes all over the building are pipes finely perforated, into which water is forced by intermittent strokes of the pump, so as to throw out all over the top of the pipes, dn their outside, a fine spray ; this spray comes in contact with the tubes Containing the flow of ammoniacal gas at a temperature below zero ; the spray, which is the extreme of water agitated, is quickly congealed, and slowly climb 3 down the tubes in a coating of ice, which gradually thickens until columns of ice-like particles are formed, 36ft. long and 2ift» thick. These are then sawed up and down and rived off rapidly from the tubes. It is so arranged that one or more pairs of tubes may be worked at will. When it is desired to take the ice off the tubes the gaseous ammonia is drawn off, and either steam or liquid ammonia which is made by condensation under great pressure, thus generating heat—consequently thawing the ice around the tube. Owing to the nature of water to purify itself while freezing, the ice thus made is perfectly clear, though made of muddy water.