OUR LONDON LETTER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 995, 27 March 1891, Page 23

OUR LONDON LETTER.

Middle Temple, E. 0., January 23, 1891. GENERAL booth’s SCHEME. This still remains the topic of the day. Opinions are of course much divided. The probable result, the tendency, even the authorship of the scheme, are fiercely debated. On the one side we have bitter attack and invective; on the other unmeasured praise. But several events have lately happened whioh are rather “staggerers ” for the General’s supporters, One was the resignation of Commissioner Smith, who was at the head of the “Social wing department. Re contended that the Social wing was meant to be entirely distinct from the other brauches of General Booth’ philanthropic work—the Salvation Army. But he complained that although it was so in most respects, in the chief matter of all—that of cash—the two were inextricably mixed up. However, on this point the General would not yield, so there was nothing for it but the resignation of the Commissioner. Another awkward thing in connection with the money matter is General Booth’s seeming determination to have the sole fingering of the cash. Many suggestions have been made for trustees to act jointly with the General in the supervision of the cash, but to all he turns a deaf ear. A committee of inspection he wishes for—he yearns to have ; and the bigger the names of the committeemen the better. Illnatured people suggest that this is to insure that the Committee will have as little liesnre as possible for inspection. But trustees the General will not so much as hear of. fie is unwilling to throw the responsibility upon others ; he would prefer to bear it all himself. Then, as to all his outcry about the security of the contributors. Is he not like Caesar’s wife —above suspicion? Has there ever been any awkward question raised about funds and to this day left unanswered ? Echo replies unanswered. Then, too, he is having a trust deed prepared and enrolled in Chancery, nnder which every subscriber may have hia remedy. It would be unjust to doubt that this deed will bind the General down to his duty as strictly as the law will allow. Of course it will; and it is so cheap and eaßy for any one to nontrol a trustee, with absolute discretion the simplest thing in the world. Then, too, there is such ample security if General Booth should make a false step—the personal security of General Booth. Oh, never were subscribers to a public object better looked after. Such sweet confidence, so sweetly rewarded, is refreshing in these degenerate days. Another source of dissatisfaction exists. It is this : The social scheme began by being distinct from the Salvation Army, both practically and spiritually. This \would still seem to be the case, with reservations. We are now told that the funds must be dealt with solely by the General, and that the scheme, although in no way connected with “ salvation,” cannot exist apart from it. Still these two trilling exceptions do not amount to anything much. If they are left out of consideration the scheme is quite distinct fiom the Salvation Army. Perhaps you will be more interested in knowing when the reformed are to be shipped for the colony over the seas, where that colony is, how many will be in the first shipment, what particular trades will be most favoured, and what training they will first go through. I can only refer you to “ Darkest England ’’ for au answer. Definite information la hard to get. General Booth and his chief officers are too busy to be seen ; the junior officers know nothing about these petty details. There have been glowing accounts of great tracts of country offered somewhere, but where we are not told. Probably in Africa. I believe there i 3 a fine large tract of country there, which only wants population. It is called the Sahara. But let us hope that it will not be allowed torobyou Australasians of the advantage, which it was half promised you were to have. One more little trifling matter Beems to ask some consideration When you have robbed us of all that we love best, of the pick, the flower of our slums, is it or is it not intended to keep on supplying you with a foreign article ? Probably it may be so, but the question must still be considered an open one. The oracle has not yet deigned to enlighten us. Time alone will tell. Of course, the English pauper must be first got rid of. Even if General Booth’s scheme euoceeds, as well as its most ardent supporters hope, that must be a matter of time. Bat will it succesd ? Judging from the fierce opposition it is meeting with, and the tendency it shows to coalesce more and more with the Salvation Army, or in other words with General Booth, that seems to become ever more doubtful. DR KOCH’S CONSUMPTION CURE.

At last the silence has been broken. Professor Koch has given to the world the history and details of bis discovery. The lymph, of which so much as been said aud written, is a glycerine extract of pure cultivations of tubercle bacilli. In order to understand the reason why this should act favourably on the disease, and also Professor Koch’s explanation of the action, it is necessary to know a little about the action of the bacillus : so, aB I know how much interest is taken in this “cure,” and how few people have time or opportunity to read a long scientific account, I will give you a short resumd. In all cases of tuberculosis certain bacilli are present. These form, as it were, a nucleus and pioduce in the surroundiug tissue certain changes, at first detrimental and finally fatal to the living being affected by the disease. These changes are produced by certain substances, emitted by the bacillus. One of these substances is, however, rather a parricide. That is to say, when aoting freely, it so affeats the surrounding tissue, as to produce the death of its parent bacillus by starvation. But in a state of nature this does not take place until there has been such a destruction of the tissue as to ensure the death of the person, &c, affected. Professor Koch having verified the presence of this active principle by his experiments, saw that if it could be obtained, apart from the baoillus, the death of that interesting little creature might be

greatly accelerated, This of means in many cases, and within certain limits, the recovery of the patient. A further discovery opened the door to success. He found that his active principle was also present in the dead tubercle bacillus. The rest was matter of detail. It waß necessary to separate the active principle as far as possible, and after much labour this was done by meauß of a glycerine solution. Farther experiments wore necessary to find cut the right strength of the dose. These arei Btill proceeding. But what Professor Koch claims ia that his preparation, injected under the skin, will in time kill or force out the baoillus. Such is the account we have been giveD by Professor Koch, within the last few days. Needless to say we have been deluged with warnings, outcries and refutations,, Of coarse hundreds of real inventors are now coming for ward—persons who made the same discovery years back. We have also had eulogies—though not so many. There always is that to expect; but, when doctors disagree—as I am bound to say they generally do—it is not for a layman to decide. If Professor Koch is right, his discovery is a very wonderful and glorious one in itself. It seems to be still more so in the vistas it opens up. For he would seem to be the first to put foot on a fertile country of verywide expanse, in whioh we may expect many fresh discoveries.

Naturally one phase of the subject readily presents itself to the Colonial. Has the discovery any bearing* on the rabbit question? Can the new prooess be used to exterminate the harmful unnecessory bunny, or at least suggest a means of doing so ! We have just got Professor Koch’s views on the subject. He has been interviewed by Professor Anderson Stuart, of Sydney. Professor Stuart was in Germany to 9tudy the aure, as representative of the Governments of New South Wales, South Australia, and New Zealand. He was also furnished with letters from the highest medical authorities here. Yet for all that he had to wait three days for an interview ; and only got it then as a great favour. No wonder: there are 300 medical men now waiting an interview, among them being Dr MoMnrray, of Sydney, and Drs Maoknight aud Boillean, of Victoria. Professor Koch spoke in no doubtful terms on tbe subject. He is certain that there are bacterial diseases, which would quickly exterminate the rabbit. Further, he affirms, that he has met with such. But he will not take up the matter himself. Nor would he fall in with the proposal of Professor Stuart, that a nominee of the Colonies should study at Berlin under his direct supervision. His advice is that the combined Colonies should appoint two bacteriologists, to devote their whole time to the question. He is convinced that with good men to work, a suitable disease can be found, cuitivated or produced. Professor Stuart is Bhortly to leave Berlin on hia way home. He ha 3 been furnished with two bottles of the precious lymph for each of the Colonies. Of course the exact mode of preparing it is still kept a profound secret. But it will give you some idea of the demand, when I tell yon that Dr Koch has 60 assiatints at work preparing it. THE ARCHBISHOP OF YORK. \

A new Archbishop has quickly bean found in place of the late Dr Thomson. Lord Salisbury’s choice fell on Bishop Mac Gee, the Bishop of Peterborough. The new Archbishop is the only Irish clerio in the English Church. He was brought over to England by Lord Beaoonsfield shortly before the dis-establishment of the Irish Church ; and his Bpeech in the House of Lords in favour of that institution is one of the greatest masterpieces in English prose. Tbe new Primate is no typical ecclesiastic, and some of his Bayings, notably as to betting and drinking, are calculated to Bet men thinking. THE SUICIDE OF A DUKE. London was rather startled on Tuesday to hear that the Duke of Bedford, one of our most respected Peers, had died suddenly. Still more sad did the case appear when it leaked out that His Grace had committed suicide. It appears that the deceased nobleman had caught a nasty chill. The severe weather prevailing had its effect, and the chill degenerated into a bad attack of pneumonia. The story is much like that of poor Archer, the jockey’s, death. The pain drove the patient mad. He eluded the vigilance of his two narses, and, once he was alone, shot himself through the heart. Death was instantaneous, i may mention that the body was cremated. This practice seems to become every day more common. Several other eminent men have lately been cremated, among them Baron Huddleston and Professor Lancaster. THE ATTACK ON NEW ZEALAND HARBOUR BOARDS. Really something ought to be done if New Zealand’s credit is not to be wholly damned in the financial world here. To - day’s Financial Times contains the thirteenth attack. New Plymouth being the victim this time. Charges of breach of faith and other things by the Board, are freely thrown about. Nor i 3 the Board alone assailed. A virulent onslaught is made upon the New Zealand Government in connection with the Board’s doings. The article winds up by the threat of proceedings against the Board, to be taken by the Council of Foreign Bondholders. LABOUR TROUBLES. The Scotoh railway strike drags on its weary course. Each side equally loudly announces its victory. The men declare that the employers must soon yield; the employers, on the contrary, say that the strike is over to all intents and purposes. One thing is clear, however, and it is a bad sign for the men. The traffic is undoubtedly increasing. Every day more engines are sent out. But at the same time, on some of the lines at least, the Direotors are having a very trying time ; and in the present state of matters, he would be a bold man who would make a confident prediction as to the result. You may remember that large promises of help were made by the Unions over here, at the time of the Australian strikes. Some money was undoubtedly seat; but nothing like the figure stated to have been subscribed, £14,000. Well, Mr Fitzgerald, the labsur delegate to this country, has taken

the matter np. He finds that not half of this suuu was ever forwarded ; the exact amount up to date being £6475. Where lias the rest gone ? Mr Fitzgerald has written to Mr John Barns, the treasurer of the Assembly Hall Fund, asking for particulars. So far he has had no reply, as Mr Burns is in Scotland. It does seem monstrous that the £14,000 subscribed in a country like this should never be sent; while the £43,000 from the much smaller numbers in Australia was not only subscribed there, but actually received here.

The New Zealand shipping companies are feeling the results of employing free labour. Each one of the direct ships that is either loaded or unloaded at the Albert Docks gives rise to a fresh outburst of feeling. This week the Coptic did not start till Friday instead of Thursday, The Rimutaka has also been the cause of disturbances. However, the Unionists have not completely boycotted her ; indeed, they are engaged in discharging her now. But the great trouble always arises when the ships are loading. Then stevedores have to be engaged, and in ease a non-Unionist crew is retained, trouble will arise. The Unionist coalheavers are acting with the stevedores, and they have refused to coal the ship, so that the coal has had to be got on board by men sent down by the Federation steam barges. But the companies are, as you know, persisting in their determination, and we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that each ship has less trouble. That is the weakness, the necessary weakness, of boycotting in a place like this. The first blow is a staggerer, but each successive attempt becomes less so. The difficulty of supply, the delay caused by unskilled labour and the friction resulting from the machinery being out of joint become ever less and less. So as time goes on free labour becomes as efficient as Unionist. This the New Zealand Shipping Company are experiencing. MISCELLANEOUS AND PERSONAL.

A great deal of interest is being shown in the forthcoming special meeting of the Royal Colonial Institute, to be held at Princess Hall on the 26th inat., when Lord Carrington will read his paper on " Ans. tralia as I Saw It.” The Prince of Wales will take the chair. There is certain to be a tremendous gathering of members and of prominent colonists. In the Nineteenth Century for this month there is a very readable article by Sir W. F. Drummond Jervois on “ Home Rule for the Navy.” The writer advocates the completest independence for the navy, not only in matters peculiarly its own, but also in those indirectly relating to naval warfare, such as defence of harbours, coaliDg stations, &c. Yon will have probably seen the article before this reaohes yon. It has has caused no little discussion here. There are again rumours of change at the Agent-General’s offioe. It is said that Sir Francis Dillon Bell is shortly going. I know this is not a new cry ; but I heard the news from a pretty reliable source. Who will be his successor, should this be true, no one seems to know. I have heard various reports. Some say Sir Harry Atkinson, some say Sir William Jervois, and I have even heard the Hon R. Oliver named. iiSMr George Alexander McLean Buckley, second son of the late Hon George Bnckley, M. L.C., of Christchurch, who will be known to many of your readers, has just married Miss Mabel Gertrude Warren, second daughter of Mr Francis Robert Warren, of Slough. I see that the young couple have booked for Lyttelton by the Oceana, which leaves on February the 6th. No doubt you have all heard of Fitzgerald, the labour representative of Australia, who came home recently. It is said that he is to h-.ve a great honour, viz., the pleasure of an interview with the young Emperor of Germany, The Kaiser, as is well known, takes a great interest in labour questions, and is always anxious to meet representative men, wherever they hail from. You are promised the visit of a celebrity, in bis own line. I refer to the Rev Mark Guy Pearse, one of the superintendents of the West London Mission. He has been asked to lecture iu all the Australasian Colonies on and for the mission. He will start by the Ormuz on the 30th instant, and hopes to be back at work about the middle of October. Santley made his first appearance since his return at the lost Monday Pop. He was as usual enthusiastically received. He declares that he greatly enjoyed his Australian trip, and that the Australian climate suited hia voice admirably. One thing only he found fault with. He couldn't stand the drinking, or, as he expressed it, “ thirst slackening,” in whioh all colonials so freely indulge, and expect everyone else to follow suit. The great John L. Sullivan is really going out to Australia—but not to fight. Hia intellect has taken possession of him ; mind has conquered matter, and he now graces the stage. Besides the ex-champion, several other American stars are going. The party is nnder contract with Messrs MacMahon Brothers, of Her Majesty’s Opera House, Melbourne, for an Australian tour. They will sail from San Francisco in June, and will open at the Opera House in Melbourne in the following month. Lord Carrington wa3 the chief guest at a dinner given at the Mansion House on Thursday evening by the Lord Mayor to the members of the Court of Common Council and the high officers of the Corporation. The Mayor, in proposing Lord Carrington’s health, warmly eulogised his administration in New South Wales. His Lordship, in reply, thanked the company for their hearty reception, knowing a3.be did that it was the earnest of the kindly message sent from Englishmen to their brethren across the sea. He expatiated on the kindly feeling for the Old Country shown by our brothers at the Antipodes, and wound up with a glowing tribute to the genial good qualities of Australasians, and he seemed as if he meant it.