HOME AND FOREIGN NEWS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1515, 14 March 1901, Page 14

HOME AND FOREIGN NEWS

AN ARISTOCRATIC BOARDER

The stipendiary magistrate at Marylebone had before pirn a smart-iooumg woman, giving the name of Beatrice Lesne Maynard, and describing'herself as a music teacher, of Judd street, Fusion road, who was’charged on a warrant vata having unlawfully obtained credit unaer false nretences. Rosa Wicks, a boarding house beeper of 68 Marl and s ro.ad, Paddington, saia the prisoner called on her and gave .her name as Lady Leslie Vivian. \ ivmn, she said, was.the name of her firs* hus- ■ band, and she continued to use it as her professional name, for she was a member of the Carl Rosa Opera Company. (Laugiiter.) Eventually the prisoner took ■auart-ments. She - said she sang at a cathedral, and had an engagement that afternoon. Mr Plowden : "What cathedral ?—VV itjiess I don’t know. I haven’t been in London long. - The Magistrate': 1 should think not. Did not the mention of her connection with the Carl Rosa Opera Company and a. cathedral cause you, as they say, to smell a rat”—did you, not think it extraordinary ? Witness : No, it did not. Mr Plowden: I suppose the name of Lady Vivian charmed you. It is really wonderful simplicity. The prosecutrix said the prisoner, after 'taking the apartments, ordered tea with new laid eggs. That was supplied, and the prisoner left the house after having ordered dinner for herself and her husband. - Mr Plowden: What, Lord Vivian ? (Laughter.)—Witness : No, her second husband’s name, she said was .Forbes. The Magistrate : I see, the Vivian was a. tribute of respect for her deceased husband. (More laughter.) Continuing, the prosecutrix said the prisoner did not return to the house until the next morning, when she apologised, and said her delay was due to an accident to her husband, who had had a fall when landing at the docks, and had broken his arm. She ordered breakfast. -Mr Plowden : New laid eggs again ? -—Prosecutrix :■ No, cutlets. (Laughter.) Continuing, the witness said the prisoner,- an hour - afterwards, wanted a -cheque cashed, and as they could not oblige her, she asked for the> loan of a cape, and she would go out and get it changed herself. • Of course you lent her one?—Yes, one worth £3 os. She then left the house, saying she would return with her husband and the luggage about 4 o’clock, and would pay a month’s rent in vance'V How about dinner that clay r—Oh, before she went out she ordered dinner for Lord Rosebery, her husband and herself. (Loud laughter.) . . Did you believe her? —Yes, certainly, or I-would not have had the' dinner 'prepared, .(More .laughter.) The witness -added- that the prisoner never returned to the. house. The refreshments, supplied. amounted to 3s- ....... Accused, was _ remanded. .

A BLACK SEA TRAGEDY.

'" Details are' to band of a terrible disaster in the Black Sea, involving the loss of no fewer than 39 lives. It appeal's that a party of 38 Turkish subjects, men, women and children, wishing to emigrate to Turkey observing the nsual passport formalities, secretly arranged with the owner of a felucca at, <shonrput-Ban /for -the hire of his craft and the services of two boatmen to •iyaji sport thorn to Turkish territory. The was 4QOO roubles. • The bpatput, off. in heavy weather, ancpsoon great' waves began to break,-over it. The pitchy darkness of the night and the intense; cold added to the horrors of the situation, and a panic of the wildest description broke out on board. - It, was a struggle for life." The children were, first thrown overhoard to lighten the cargo; arid then the, wpriien, ; but the "water still Continued to gain the mastery. The blast was some*how washed overboard, with a 15-year-old hoy clinging to it. This boy was washed .top near an dwt-of-the-Way \ coastguard! station, the only survivor of that night -otf/hofror. ; .yxy. A - '}. . 7 ' '

dpxs, ote tobogganing.

, The following' exhilarating description oj" the delights of the toboggan appears iri the 1 Westminster Gazette’’—- r 7 Tdhbggaiiirig has .setin seriously .in Northern : London, and Hampstead is in a'feverish state-' There is, a splendid run to 'be had down, thehlopes of Parliament Hill,’ 1 and yesterday arid to-day the amusement has been in full swing, or, rather, slide. It is a very simple enjoyment—to all appearances.- Ail tnat ds required is a sledge. This can bo made out of anything,, from the .back of a chair to a baby’s bassinette, with rimners .instead of wheels. Having obtained this requisite, pull it to the top of the hill, seat yourself get someone to give a starting push, and away you go, “Si! hi! hiP-ing like a mad fireman trill you get to the bottom of the hill. Repetari the performance, and keep repsat-

ing until you have not strength enough left either to "Hi f lu!” or drag your toboggan up the hill. That is how it appears to an onlooker, who also enjoys the spc-rt very much; for, although he is very sorry for anyone who happens to c-o-rne a cropper, lie mostly shows his grief by laughter. He can be heard! being sorry miles away. Bi t try a run down yourself, and: that mere onlooker instantly becomes an object tor supreme pit}/. The first experience after starting is a feteling of having left a portion of your internal antomy at the top of the hill; next you discover yourself howling and whooping like a schoolboy, and —— Whoosh, bang! “What’s that?” '‘The first ridge/' answers rim skipper of the machine; “hold tight!” Whoosh! bang! again, and you only think things this time. “Second ridge! Ho id tight!’’ Bang, crash, wallop! “That’s the ditch. Hi! hi! you, sir!” Smash, clatter, earthquakes and explosions ! and you pick yourself up and' feel if your limbs are still all on, and discover that you have collided! with another toboggan, whose owner is slanging away at your captain for all he is worth. But you have found out that the only thing worth doing in this world is to haul your machine up the hill and go through it all again.

v WHAT' SPIRITUALISTS EXPECT.

There Will be no question as to what is the book of its season, if and) when the late Miss Florence' Marry at redeems a promise she is reported to have made. The premise was not given “in the flesh,” to use the phraseology of a gross materialism —but has come from, the world beyond the grave. It is nothing more or less than that Miss Marryaf shall write a book, recounting her experiences since “she crossed the river.” This announcement has caused no great surprise in spiritualistic circles. Mr Gambler Bolton, lion. sec. cf the Society of Spiritualists, who is responsible for it, informed his friends some time ago that the society had been receiving messages from the departed novelist. There is no question about the sincerity of Mr Bolton or his associates. They accept the message as indubitably coining from Miss Marryat, and they are looking forward with eagerness to the time -when she will do ready to dictate her bock. In view of that contingency, a shorthand writer, probably one of their own circle, will attend the seances, and be prepared 'to "take down” the statements Miss Marryat makes through the medium. A spiritualist, discussing the question at the offices of the Spiritualist Alliance, hit upon a difficulty which will occur to most people. “The important question,” he said, “is,, ‘Was it really Miss Marry at who made this promise ? J ” “Surely,” it was urged l , “you do not suggest that a spirit would play such a trick a,s you are hinting at?” “It is possible there may be some power or spirit doing this.” “But surely a spirit would not condescend to, such pranks ?” “We do not know; we cannot understand these things.” “Then supposing a book is dictated, how is it possible to: decide upon its genuineness ?” “We shall see that when it is published, but no doubt the style will give some clue and there will be external evidences of many kinds.”

SCOTSMEN AND THE KILT.

Members and friends of the London Scottism Rifle Volunteers, of whom the Duke, or Argyll, is the honorary colonel, were present in large numbers at the headquarters, Buckingham gate; to witness the annual prize distribution by the B!rirLces9>Louise (Duchess of'Argyll); The large hall was prettily decorated, arid the arrival of the Princess, who was accompanied by the Duke of Argyll was' heralded by a quick-march from the pipers of the regiment. In opening the proceedings Colonel E. J. A. Balfour, the officer commanding/ said the present strength of the regiment was 1139, • 406 recruits .having joined during the volunteer year which ended on Oct. 31 last. With reference to the war in; South: Africa, he claimed that the regiment had been the first‘to come forward for active service in the (lark Weeks of little more than a year ago. Forty non-commissioned officers had reverted to the ranks rather than not go out, and six of their officers had been selected for positions of great responsibility...; ~.x 7 ■: V 7 . •- After the presentation of prizes Ma-jor-General Trotter congratulated the regiment on the splendid work which its; meiribefs had done in South Africa, arid thanked them for- the hospitality extended not only to the”o-T.V.’s, hut to the troops which came up to assist in the reception of Earl Roberts: 7 r V >« • r In ackno wj edging a - vote of thanks to the Princess; the Duke of Argyll referred to the question of the kilt; and expressed .his earnest hope that they might 1 be-allowed to keep it for both peace and war service. It was thought that there, should be uniformity all through, and there was a feeling that it was a dress which made, its wearer a mark for the enemy’s bullets. But in his opinion that could be met by an invention which was known as the reversible kilt, suggested by his (the Duke’s) brother Archie. This was tartan on

•one side and khaki on the other- The question of the sporran must, he supposed, remain in abeyance, but with regard to the lies© he thought they should follow the example of the stalker, and have hose which could be brought over the knees when necessary. These, .said his grace, were not small matters, because costume had much to do with recruiting and national sentiment. In conclusion, the Duke said lie would add to the prizes for next year a gilt bronze statuette of the Princess Louise’s statue of the Queen now in front of Kensington Palace, an announcement which was received with cheers.

RIOT AT A RUSSIAN THEATRE.

It was recently announced that Prince Bariatinsky’s paper, the “Syevenyj Kurier,” was suspended. The reason for this disciplinary measure has to be sought in the disturbances which occurred " at the first performance of the play “The Smugglers,” nearly a month ago'. The play, - which was brought out at the theatre of the Artistic and Literary Club of St. Petersburg, was nothing “ more than a direct attack on the 1 Jews. The principal role was offered to the actress Mile. Yavqrskaya, who is the wife of Prince Bariatinsky, and was refused by her. The Prince put a preliminary notice of the character of the piece in his paper, and recommended a demonstration against it. When the play was produced, it was discovered that almost all the tickets had been bought by Jews, who filled 1 the theatre, and who soon showed their objection to the performance. Beginning by hissing and hooting, they ended by hurling missiles of all kinds —fruit, vegetables, rotten eggs, goloshes, and opera-glasses—at the actors, completely stopping the play. The police were called in, cleared the theatre, and made some arrests. Prince Bariatinsky subsequently defended the action of the Jews in his journal as warrantable and excusable, but the scandal created had been so great that this attitude on his part greatly irritated the authorities, who accordingly prohibited the, publication of the “Earner.” Moreover, the Princess was forbidden to act further in StPetersburg, and she will in future, it is said, appear at Moscow.

CONCERNING GENERAL COLVILLE.

Major-General Sir Henry Edward Colreauest of the War Office, to send in his ville, who' has recently refused, at the resignation, has been more than thirty years in the Army. He took his commission in the year 1870, and has seen active service in Egypt and the Sudan. In 1884 he accompanied the late General Sir Gerald Graham, in the Sudan campaign of 1884, and was present ac the battle of El Teh, being; mentioned in despatches, for which he received the medal and clasp and the Khedive’s Star. As an Intelligence officer, General Colville did some excellent? wprl£ •in r the Gordon Relief Column of 1884-85, being again mentioned in despatches,; for which .he was made a C.B. and rewarded with two clasps. In the years 1885-86 he acted as Assistant-Adjutant-General and Quartermaster-General Intelligence Department, with the Egyptian frontier force, being present at the battle of Giniss. He received after this the brevet rank of colonel. For so successfully conducting, in 1894, the Unyozo expedition in Central Africa, he was rewarded with the C.M.G. When the war in South Africa broke out, General Colville was in command at Gibraltar. He was then appointed to< the command of the First, or Guards, Brigade of the First Division, under Lord Methuen. In this capacity he fought at Belmont-, Graspan, Modder River and Magersfontein; but subsequently he was transferred to the Ninth Division, which was afterwards broken up. It was after the disaster to the 13th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry at Lindley that General Colville was ■brought home. At the time of that occurrence he was on his way to Heilbron with a large convoy for Macdonald arid the Highland Brigade. That was on May 27. A few days later Lord Roberts announced in a message from Pretoria: “I regret to report that the 13th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry had to surrender to a superior force of the enemy on May 31.”

THE FUTURE OF THE NILE

The two great dams of the Nile—at Assouan and Assiout—will be completed, it is estimated, in about two years. Sir John Aird, M.P., left England for Egypt last month in connection with the work, which, it will be remembered, is in the hands of his firm, Messrs J. Aird and Co. Sir John told an interviewer before leaving that 15,000 men were and had been employed for the last two years on the construction work, about 90 per cent, of them being natives. Some Italians were excuting the granite work, but a great many artisans and engineers had gone out from this country. The Assouan dam was the greater ms lertaking. It would stretch, when finished, one and a half miles across the Nile. The smaller work, however, at Assiout would,

it was hoped, be completed within about twelve months, provided the Nile tips year was low, as there was every reason to anticipate would he the case. - \

When the two darns were finally completed the effect would be that the level of the water in the Nile would be raised, for a distance of ISO miles, and while navigation of the river would be made much easier, the general power of the country to carry out irrigation work would be considerably increased. In adition, said Sir John, the whole country would be affected, and the work in progress would greatly kelp, in making Egypt and the Sudan prosperous.

A CORPORAL’S GALLANTRY.

The London “Gaseiie” recently contained the announcement- that the Queen had signified' her intention to confer the decoration of the Victoria Gross on Corporal H. J. Knight, Ist Battalion Liverpool Regiment, No. 1 Company, 4th Division Mounted Infantry, whose claims have been submitted for Her approval, for his conspicuous bravery during the operations near Van Wyk’s Vlei. The act of courage for which Corporal Knight has been recommended is set out as follows : —■ On Aug. 21, during the near Van Wyk’s Vlei, Corporal Knight was posted in .some rocks with four men covering the- right rear of a detachment of the same company, who, under Captain Ewart, were holding the fight of the line. The enemy, about fifty strong, attacked Captain Ewart’s right and 1 almost surrounded, at short range, Corporal Knight’s small party. That non-commis-sioned officer held his ground, directing his party to retire one by one to better cover, where he maintained his position for nearly an hour, covering the withdrawal of Captain Ewart’s forces and losing two of his four men. He then retired, bringing with him! two wounded men. One of these he left in a place ox safety, the other he carried himself for nearly two miles. >. The party were hotly engaged! during the whole time.

A FRENCH SCANDAL.

The Guitry domestic scandal now ranks as a thoroughly Parisian epir sode. The letters published! are instructive, for they reveal a state of things which unfortunately is the result of the corrupt surroundings to which the young people of excellent families are exposed! Jean Guitry, the elder son, appears tb have been expelled from the Arcueuil and Neuiliy Colleges, and after a vain attempt in another school was relegated to M. Blondin, a kind tutor, who soon found that he could only wring his hands in despair over his pupik Mme. de Pontry writes to her ex-husband imploring him to save the lad. - Her life (she says) is like that of a female warder. Jean spends his hours of truancy with a young lady, and carries on an intrigue 1 with an American girl. • “It is tragic and appalling (she adds.) Paris will kill him.” ... A The girl, who is only mentioned ah “l’Etrangere,” used to go to Versailles with Jean, and the bills for refreshments and other items were seUt to the father or grandfather. The mother chided! M;. Guitry for allowing her sons to have the run of his library, which is full of novelh utterly unfit for growing and :precopids§ youths. His paternal-maxim was alwdyHf “Amusez yotts bien.” ; He was about (ii was alleged) to take the younger bo}| Pierre, to Monte Oarlq, tp take the pary of * ‘little Helipri” jin fi'Lej; "yole” jikely to damage tHe chaa ; a young arid impressioriable hoy. 1/.A Ma Guitry has twice been refusedth© custody of his children. The professors of the various colleges affirm that n hd never visited his sons, to which’ -tls£ “Flambeau” of “L s Aiglon” replies , that) when he called'he was f received by the principals with; A minimum of Trigid courtesy* '’•/ : c " ; / • j ' : Q

FIGHTING'' TAMMANYa- Nmco - -A ■>". A : T ; • U . r..:-A awl

Governor Roosevelt has made a big sensation by* dismissing from office. Colonel Gardiner the District Attorney New York.- Mr Eugene PKilbmf a wejllj known lawyer;. has been appointed ;’rii« successor;, ---''• A'-; o ■. V-7 ( ;• p -'y 7 Colonel Gardiner’s dismissal was 'fcaiuP ed by flagrant- violations; qf official duty/ ri,pt : ably' :i ;his--'’fefhMl tocertain Tammany mem accused of serial offences; He came into office two year| ago, and was the author of the famousi reg mark “To with, reform,”- which :T n<9 used in a speech shortly before his poiritmeut.V-^ Mr Devery, the Chief of Police,,Vabdi sever al - other Tariimariy officials 7 official behaviour has recently become A public scandal, are likely to share. Coloriet' Gardiner’s fate before many days have passed. - •' , Proprietors of gambling-houses ana other vicious resorts hitherto' winked at are in a state of panic over Mr Roosevelt’s move against. official; corruption, and nearly all have closed up.

MAJOR CUIGNET’S PUNISHMENT.

The Nationalist papers are evidently trying to make the most of the “affaire Orngnet.” They cling to the fallacy that the decision of the Inquiry Committee was primarily intended as a rebUiff to the Minister of War. I happen to know (writes a “Radiy Chronicle’'’'correspondent) from the best sources that the acting motive was the stratagem adopted 1 by French Juries when they mean to be indulgent. General Noellat and his brother officers rightly considered that, as Major Cui-gnet bad been placed on the retired list, he was not bound by the reserve essential in a n officer on- active service. They therefor© considered that dismissal would be too severe a punishment. General'Andre also shrank from, such a measure on his own initiative. The Mont-Valerin Inquiry was utterly devoid of politics. The officers and ' generals, as in all such cases, gave their comrade,a. “leg-up,” and they were probably conscious that the sixty days’ arrest would square matters. The way in. which this disciplinary measure is being carried out may'be judged from the fact ' that Maitre Menard, Major Ouignet’s counsel, spends several hours with him daily to prepare the libel actions against the “Sieele” and the “Petite Republi- ' ou©.”

“A MESSAGE TO MARS.”

The. New York “Herald” publishes an interview with Dr. Tesla, in which the electrician replies to the criticisms of Professor Fleming and Signor Marconi upon his recent statement. He says: “Having no exact knowledge of the means of investigation possessed by other experimenters, X cannot- judge of the value of their observations. “I have not the slightest doubt, judging by my experiences and measure' rnents, that, with a properly constructed -electrical oscillator, an amount of ener gy can be transmitted towards other planets, such as Mars and Venus, ever, when they are at their greatest distances from the earth, sufficient to-affect a sensitive instrument such as I am using in my observations. “Furthermore, it is an error to- believe that a great expenditure of power is necessary for interplanetary communication. What is needed is an enormous rate of energy in delivery, but lasting each time only the fraction of a second, no that the total power used up is small. I can make this i-ate with my oscillator equal to five million horse-power, and more if necessary, and my calculations show that a small fraction of this rate is amply -sufficient for conveying a message to Mars.”

ARSENIC IN COMMON THINGS.

■During the past few weeks a, number,, or representative foods., drugs and other preparations likely to be contaminated, with, arsenic from the oil of vitriol used in. their manufacture, have been submitted to careful examination by the ££ ‘Lancet’ Analytical Commission/’ with the following results, which are regarded on the whole as reassuring: Tobacco, cigars, and cigarettes.—lt- is well known that glycerine or glucose is added to tobacco to give substance to the cut leaf. We examined a number of samples of sweetened tobacco, but without getting the slightest indication of arsenic. Blacking.—Arsenic was-' found in mere traces only in blacking. In any case the presence of arsenic in small amounts would not matter much in blacking-. Sweetmeats. A number of sweetmeats were examined, but not a trace of arsenic could be found la them. ; Similarly several fruit jams when examined for arsenic gave negative results. Lemonade. —-bio arsenic was found in several samples., Liqueurs.—Sugar, of course, is a large constituent of liqueurs, and it might be glucose. Of two liqueurs examined we co-.uld 1 hot find a trace of arsenic in either sample. • • . v Lemon Crystals.—These are largely employed for the preparation of an acidulated bevei‘ga ; . /We‘ could find absolutely no arsenic in tile samples examined. Arsenic in lemon crystals might exist in the sugar, tartaric acid, or citric acid. Acids.—Specimens of citric acid and tartaric acid as ordinarily sold in. the shops were likewise submitted to examination for arsenic, but in no case could the slightest trace of arsenic be found. Soap and Oleic Acid. —-Specimens of common bar soap were found to contain just a trace of arsenic, but no arsenic was found in oleic acid. Effervescing Salts.—Specimens of natural. Carlsbad salts were obtained, but in, no instance was arsenic found in them. In two specimens of artificial Carlsbad salts arsenic was definitely discovered in one. It may be referred probably to tho use of common sulphate of soda or Glauber’s salts. In the samples of effervOcsing citrate of magnesia examined no arsenic was found. Glauber’s Salts. —Distinct evidence of arsenic, was "found in. the crystals examined;,- •./, \ ' 'r,, • 1 1 n , : Artificial Manulres.— £rsenio in very , distinct quantity was invariably found

in the specimens of artificial manure examined.

THE- DEBT OF RUSSIA

Russia is again trying very hard to obtain a loan in America. It is, however, not very likely that she will succeed, unless she makes enormous concessions—as, for instance, in. regard to petroleum—to certain financiers, who are trying for monopolies over all the Russian Empire. Thd truth is that the real state of Russian finance is known to American business men. They are quite well aware that Russia, with a deficit of 160,000,000 roubles, will be obliged sooner or later to obtain financial aid to *ay her foreign interest, or else she will be obliged to draw on her gold reserve. Possibly a similar attempt may be made in London and in Paris within the next few weeks. It is well known in financial circles that M. de Witte tried very hard to 'obtain-'a loan of 500,000,000 francs in Paris, but in the haute finance circles, as by the French Finance Minister, he was told that France already had enough of Russian stock, and wanted the money now for the development- of her own industries. The story goes that M. de Witte waxed indignant when speaking to the Minister of Finance, and hinted at a possible withdrawal of Russian friendship, and to this the French Minister coolly replied that judging by results France had not had very much of it.

THE GAMBIA EXPEDITION.

The operations of the British expedition which is being despatched to the Gambia under the command of Lieuten-ant-Colonel Brake, D. 5.0., are expected to be brief, says Reuter’s Agency. There is no question of anything like a general native rising in the colony, and the present trouble, which is purely local, was occasioned by the murder last June of Messrs Sitwell and Silva, two British Commissioners in the country. A head chief named Mansa Kota was also killed by the natives at. the same time. The object of the present expedition is to punish the inhabitants of the two villages responsible for the murders. These are situated on the south side of the River Gambia, fifty miles from the coast, and can be easily reached by the troops.

A TALL STORY.

Among the passengers who landed 1 at Plymouth the other day from the Aberdeen liner Moravian were Mr and Mrs A. Dettmer, and their son, Mr H. Dettmer, aged twenty-two. The last-nam-ed- who was born in Cape Colony, has been serving on commando with the Boers, and during the course of four or five months participated in a good deal of the fighting— £ ‘having a fins time,” as he expressed it to a representative of ‘•The Daily Chronicle.” Dettmer served with General Liedenburg, and subsequently was adjutant to the Boer commandant De La Bey. He states that he was present at Klerksdorp in the Potchefstrqom district in July last, on which occasion he alleges that ninety of the Kimberley Horse, as well’as 200 of tho townspeople who had been armed, surrendered to a force of thirty Boers. The only party in the near vicinity—British —were holding all the commanding positions until one man was taken prisoner by the enemy. Then, after informing him that there were 10.000 Boers at hand they released him and sent him back to the town. A little later thirty Boers galloped into the town, which promptly surrendered, as did also the fort, of course in the belief that the force which demanded the arms was only the advance guard of the army. Later, when the smallness of the force was realised, there was tremendous excitement in the town, but the British were powerless to reassert the supremacy. Curiously enough, it was at Klerksdorp. some months later that Dettmer fell into the hands of the British, and the result has been his arrival in England yesterday with his father and mother. '■ ■ :

SENTRY AND ARTIST.

A curious incident recently ocenred at St; George’s Barracks recently Just before nightfair, as the guard was- being changed, the sentry on duty at the main entrance to the barracks was accosted by a gentleman, who was accompanied hy a friend and who asked the soldier to allow himself to be sketched with his rifle. The sentry complied, and remaned still while the sketch was being made, but a non-commissioned officer, noticing through the door what was going forward, took measures to prevent°an escape, and sent the two gentlemen, under escort, to the officer in charge of the barracks. When requested to explain the purpose of his sketch, the artist readied that his object was to make an accurate drawing of the manner in which soldiers carried their rifles. He

added that he was painting a. picture of Cronje’s surrender at Paardeberg. Several sensational reports have been circulated in reference to the artist having been a foreign spy who desired to se~l ciu'e a drawing of the- lock of the new regulation rifle, but the above narticulars supplied at the barracks next day represent what actually took place. Tho sentry who allowed himself to be sketched has been punished for his breach of discipline.

FATAL FORGETFULNESS

The report of Major Pringle to the Board of Trade on the fatal collision at Virginia Water on the South-Western Railway attributes the accident to the forgetfulness of a signalman. A passenger train while standing in the station was run into by a horse-box train. The guard of the passenger train died from injuries received, and both drivers were seriously hurt. ' Furmedge, the signalman, the report states, admitted that he accepted the horsebox train when offered to him by Rusham box, and pulled 1 off the necessary signals for its passage, forgetting that the passenger train was standing on that line at the platform. This, Major Pringle says, is the more inexplicable as lie had an excellent view of the passenger train from the windows of his box. He subsequently recollected the position of the passenger train, and attempted to divert- the horsebox train on to the down Reading line, but too late to avert- the collision. Furmedge bore an excellent character, and the alterations in the time tables, which commenced on the day in question, as well as the unusually* early arrival of the horse-box train, Major Pringle thinks may in part account for the signalman’s mistake.

GENERAL BULLED AND SIR G WHITE.

The “Devon and Exeter Gazette” gives publicity with some authority to the following statement respecting allegations affecting Sir Redvers Duller and the relief of Ladysmith : A misstatement- made some time ago has just been revived concerning the communications which passed between General Duller and Sir George White during the siege of Ladysmith. It is now stated that after the battle of Colenso Sir Redvers counselled Sir George that, the latter only kept the flag fijunc to the end by virtually disobeying the orders of General Builer.

We believe that this statement is an entire misrepresentation of what occurred It is not true that Sir Redvers Duller sent to Sir George White the equivalent of an order to surrender. Af--i battle of Colenso Sir Redvers told Sir George White that he was too weak to get- into Ladysmith 'unless Sir George could help him, and that it would take a full month from Dec. 16 before fie could make another attempt. This__yvoiT.id have taken him beyond tne date up to which, according to Sir Redvers’ information at the time, Sir George White had supplies. Sir Redvers suggested the steps Sir George might take if he ran out of provisions. It turned out that Sir Geoige White had supplies for a much longer period than Sir Redvers Builer had been given to understand, with the result that Sift George was able to hold out, and Sir Redvers to res'ume operations in time to relieve Ladysmith.

JOUBERT ON BULLED.

A reminiscent interest-/ is aroused says a “Central News” correspondent, by lectors written By a burgher under Joubert to his mother in England. The writer had been an English soldier servmg under Bulled twenty years ago, and 1 seUling m one of the country districts had become a. naturalised Boer, and had, at the outbreak of the war, taken UH arms Q n the Boer side. He was, he told his mother, engaged mainly in reconnaisanc© work, and had never killed, an Englishman, nor. intended to do so except under dire compulsion. He went on to say that when Ladysmith was invested and news reached Joubert’s force that General Builer was approaching, the Boer leader massed the burghers and made them a. speech. I have to tell you,” he said, “that-we now have to- face the bravest and finest general in the world, who is- accompanied by an army of men who would go through fire and water for him. Those of you, who fought in the previous struggle with the English T-heed'-not telll speak of General Builer.” As soon as Joubert had' finished, a grey-headed Boer, seventy-two years of age, stoodflip. “We think,” he said, “that we have on our side the bravest and finest general in the world, and he may be sure that his men too will if necessary go through fire and water for him and in defence of their homes and independence.” . The in mentioning his occasional meetings with Christian De Wet,, says that the famous Boer raider was a comparatively unknown man among the r Boers, and that even how the great- mass

of the Boers know but little of him. personally. The Boers are as a rule sparing in their hero worship, and! in the pla-oe of enthusiasm there is but a sober appreciation of De Wefc’s exploits.- They recognise his good work, but they recognise also that they are fighting a desperate battle, and that at any moment any one of them may be called upon for a preat sacrifice or a. bold endeavour. Incidentally it was stated that De Wet speaks German fluently mid well. In a recent letter the writer remarks that the Boers will fight doggedly on tali the end.

FLEECING THE WICKED.

•5S The, ‘'Toronto Despatch” says a firm there advertised that for- five shillings, they would send, “securely sealed, a beautifully bound, book full of good things which every ‘sport’ should read.” The Detective Department, scenting the possible circulation of improper literature, sent five- shillings, for which they yesterday received a shilling Bible. There is no way to prosecute the advertisers.

FRANCE AND THE NIGER

In reference to certain remarks made by an English newspaper regarding the French enclaves in British Nigeria, the “Temps” declares that the Convention of 1898 places it beyond all doubt that-., the French have a right to use the NigerG as a waterway for the transport of Government supplies, and the two; ; Flench enclaves as depots ror such. supplies.

RUSSIAN ATTACKS 021 GENERAL ANDRE.

The French Government has of late taken umbrage because, amongst the distinguished Russians visiting Paris, too much unfavourable social- comment on the attitude of General Andre has: been in fashion. President Loubet is most courteous in his reception of Grand Dukes and Generals, and it is natural* that the remarks made even by the former should lie looked upon as in the worst taste. The military attaches and Russian officers, when mixing with officers in different garrisons, have gone so far as t-o hint that Russia would see a change at the Ministry of. War with, great pleasure. The Nationalists have worked up the situation, and’ have inspired the articles in the “Novoe Vr&iaya” and in the “Svet,” a paper under the direction of General Koaiaroff. How far Prince Ourousoff will be made the scapegoat of this artificial agitation remains to be seen

RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN FRANCE.

A horrible fatality occurred recently at the Enghein Station, Paris. M. and Mine. Lebloud, an aged couple living atMontmorency, in their fear to miss the last train, endeavoured to cross the line instead of taking the foot bridge leading Lo the other platform. At this moment a, luggage train passed through the station. Mine. Leblond stood motionless, with fright, and her husband tried to save her. His effort was fruitless, and he himself was so injured that he died a few hours afterwards. The accident was seen by a crowd of passengers, and several ladies fainted as the mangled remains of Mme. Leblond were picked lip and carried to the waiting-room.

“BOBS’S” EARLDOM AND'GARTER.

By his elevation to the- dignity of an earldom Lord Roberts has jumped from the rank of Baron over the . intermediate title in order of precedence of viscount. This is as unusual as the conferring of the Order of the Garter upon a victorious general.- Of successful sol-? diers or sailors who have received 1 .the, Order of the Garter there are very fesy. The first Duke of Marlborough was decorated with this order by Queen Anne in 1702, and when the Duke ; of Wellington returned from his trying Peninsula campaign in 1813 the same honour was conferred upon him. The Marquis of Anglesey, who e was Wellington’s Chief of Staff, and who lost a leg during the battle of Waterloo, also received the Garter for Conspicuous gallantry in the field; but it was iiot /uiitil three, years -after the great battle. : In the year 1797 George 111. presented . .Earl Howe with the Garter as a reward for the splendid work he rendered while act-: ing as Admiral of the Fleet. Although Admiral Nelson never;;,was ddboratedi with the Order,, had he lived after the battle of Trafalgar it is certain the honour woidd have been conferred upopj him. Between Earl Roberts and Lord Wolseley there is a bond of mutual sym-. pathy respecting their titles., Like EartRoberts, Lord j Wolseley has up ■ male> heir to. succeed: mm.j r mainder: of;the> title , hax ,been)?-gran.fce*jv to; eachr fqr their daughters and their male issue. %

NEW MARITIME LEAGUE

A new “International Maritime Association” has recently been founded in Paris. Its object, M. J. Charles-Roux, one of the best known French authorities on ships and shipping., and president of the organising committee, is to hold international conferences in all the capitals of the world, and to deal in a practical fashion with such questions as lifesaving, lighthouses, t-lie rule of the road at sea, international maritime law, signalling, .-.irens, etc.

SEIZURE OF A STEAMER.

A dispatch from Colon states that the Colombian Government has agreed to pay a sum of £6OOO to the Pacific Steam Navigation Company as compensation for the seizure by the Government of che steamer Taboga. The vessel has been returned to the owners in good condition, and has rehoisted the British flag.

FLAGS: THEIR USE AND ABUSE

At the Royal United Service Institution, Captain Eardley-Wilmot, R.N., delivered a lecture on “Our Fleet and Flags.” He pointed out that it had been especially apparent during the last year that very little was known of what were the national flags of this country. On occasions of national rejoicing he had seen foreign flags used. Many people were under the impression that so long as the flags displayed bad red, white and blue in them they were paying a tribute to the national honour- The' Royal .Standard' was very universally used by persons who had no right whatever to fly it. He hoped that people; would pay more respect to the flag, and that it would not be flaunted indiscriminately over shops and hotels. He suggested that perhaps at no distant date the fourth quarter of the Royal Standard, instead of being simply a repetition of the first quarter, would be taken for the arms of Greater Britain beyond the sea, which had now become as one.

THE RHODESIAN MINES

The German liner Hertzog has arriv ed at Biera with 136 Abyssinians and Somalis on board for work in the Rhodesian mines. On the passage the natives had been told by the firemen on board that they would have to work in chains, and they consequently refused to-land. The overseer therefore called two-Portuguese police -on board to arrest the ringleader, bub they were attacked and maltreated. A large body of police then boarded the steamer. Tfc jy were assisted by Portuguese soldiers and by the passengers. The natives had barricaded themselves on the fore-deck, and; a* serious fight ensued, lasting for an hour. The Portuguese got the upper hand, but nine of the police were wounded, while one Somali was killed and twenty-six were wounded. Fifty were found on board, but the remainder are missing, having jumped overboard.

TRAGEDY IN PARIS

A fearful tragedy took place the other day in the Passage Abel-Leblanc, Paris. An old woman of sixty-three, named Chalmendrey, who was taking care of M. Ferdinand Steckel, a paralysed, and bed-ridden relation, sent for his little niece and nephew to spend a holiday with their .uncle. She tied the two children together, and after placing them in a cupboard, set fire to the bed. The neighbours, seeing smoke issuing from the windows, rushed upstairs and found Mme. Chalmendrey dancing with a razor in her hand. She had already cut her throat, and was taken off in an ambulance to the infirmary of the Profeature of Police. Happily, the fire was speedily extinguished, and M. Steckel and the two children were saved from a. horrible death.

BRITISH GENERAL SAVED BY A CURB CHAIN.

‘ It would be hard to find in the British Army at the present time a more popular cavalry leader than General Sir George Luck. The story of his wonderfully luck? escape when serving in 1879 with the forces in Afghanistan is worth recording. It was during a cavalry charge against the Pathans that he nearly lost his life. A, big, burly Afghan had singled him out, and attacked the gallant officer with a great two-handed sword. The Pathan struck, and the sword crashed on to Sir Geo. Luck’s shoulder. The blow would surely have severed his arm from his body, hut the General’s wife had taken the precaution of sewing a gouple of curb chains on the inside of his jacket, and one of these effectually broke the force ' of the Wow. Before) the Afghan could recover himself he was run through and

despatched. It is said that this is the origin of the steei curb chains now worn by most of cur cavalry regiments. CANADA'S TRADE RECORD. The trade of Canada for the fiscal year is the largest on record. The imports amounted to 189,622,.*513 dots., being an increase of 26,858,200 dels, over the previous year, while the experts amounted to 191,894,723 clois., an increase of 33,000,000 <lois. The imports to Canada from Great Britain reached the figure of 44,789,730 dols. The exports from Canada to Great Britain were of the value of 97,000,000, an increase of nearly 8,000,000 dels. The trade with the United States shows an increase of 25,U00,000 dols., the imports being 93,000,000 dols., and the exports 54,000,000 dols.—-Reuter.

ITALIAN MAIL ROBBERY

A daring robbery was recently committed in a .train between Rome and Naples, when all the money orders in the postal van were carried off. Most of these, valued at 300,000 fr. *,£13,003) were transmitted from New York, London, and Paris. The police have not yet been able to u^scover how the robbery was effected'.

AN AUTOMOBILE DISPUTE

Automobile enthusiasts are greatly concerned at the squabble which has arisen between the French Automobile Club and the French Automobile Union, and which has now developed into a declaration of open war. The latter society has recently decided that all road racing as a record of mere speed conditions should be abolished, and that such races should only be allowed on properly prepared race tracks. The other society at once replied by a decision to disqualify all racers who accepted 1 the conditions of the union, or who entered their machines for races organised by the union. A further resolution declared that the club would disqualify all makers whose machines were used in union competitions. The result of these counter-declarations is awaited with some interest.

WILL HE KEEP THE CUP?

It is reported that Mr F. W. Lawson, who is building a new yacht to defend the America Cup, has engaged the services of Mr Frank Haff as captain for the coming races. Mr Lawson is known in the States as the “Copper King,” from his enormous dealings in this profitable metal. He is a fancier of fashionable horses, and, is known to have given £6OOO for a crack trotter. In his stables may be seen some of the most notable of American trotting horses. Although not altogether a popular man on the American Stock Exchange, he has been backed in most of his big copper coups by Messrs Rockefeller and Rogers, the great Standard Oil magnates.

GENERAL COLVIjILE’S CHALLENGE.

A great sensation has been caused by the publication of General Colville’s defence in connection with the Lindley disaster. In statement of his case he says : “I do net wish to be tried twice on the same accusation, and for an incident of which I do not accept the blame, and on evidence which I have never been given an opportunity of rebutting. I wish to show that throughout the campaign I have shown myself to be a capable general, and even if it is thought that I have made mistakes, it is only fair that my successes shall also' be mentioned; but I do not intend to play the role of scapegoat for the sake of the staff.” General Colville throws the whole blame for the disaster on bad staff management. “I have been criticised,” he continues, “for not having taken into account the special, importance of a portion of Col. Spra,gge’s force, but I cannot admit that military operations Should be influenced by questions of social position, or the safety of 500 Yeomanry (millionaires though some of them might be) was of more importance than that of 4000 Highlander s. ’ ’

LARGEST GUN IN THE WORLD

Some very interesting experiments have just been made at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., with the giant Gathmann gun, the invention of Mr Emil A. Gathmann. Undoubtedly it is one of the largest guns in the world, if not the largest. It is 49ft long, and turns the scale at 59 tons.. There are many entirely new innovations embodied in its construction. It is made of nickel steel. This tremendous weapon has been built by money appropriated by Con-

gress, and it is believed that the gun will be taken over by the United States Government. They required, according to their contract with its inventor, that a velocity of 1800 ft per second should be developed, and that the gun should withstand a pressure of 18.,0UUii> per square inch.

BIGGEST NOISE HEAuivD ON EARTH.

Some extraordinary facts were brought forward by Sir Robert Ball in a recent lecture delivered by him at the Royal Institution. In tfie course of the lecture he assured his audience that the “biggest noise ever heard' on earth” occurred within the memory of the present generation. He afterwards gave a vivid word-picture of the mighty volcanic eruption of Krakatoa in 1883, which produced the noise in question. The island, which lay midway between, Java and Sumatra, was literally blown into the air, the great upheaval causing blocks of red-hot pumice to scorch the decks of vessels ten miles away, and despatching waves seventy feet' high, which flooded a, town distant a hundred miles from the eruption. The stupendous area over which the sound of the explosion travelled was shown by the fact that the vibrations were distinctly observed 4000 miles away.

FAMOUS FAMILY GHOST DISAPPEARS.

A famous old family ghost, the spook of Glamis Castle, has recently disappeared from the scene of hiis troubled appearances. Only three peoplei ever knew what the ghost was like or the mystery attached to it. These were the lord, of the castle, his heir, and the steward. The initiation of the heir always took place when he reached his twenty-first year. On the night of his attaining manhood, he was taken to a room at the top of the castle and then and there was explained to him the mystery of the ghost. According to popular tradition, the spectre was hidden away in this room. Some years ago at a dinner-party in Glamis Castle, Lady Strathmore, who was, of course, not in the secret, made a suggestion that every member of the party should hang something out of his or her window on the following morning, with the idea that the window which had nothing outside was the window of the haunted room. This ingenious attempt to discover the haunted chamber, hbwever, failed, and the ghost has for years remained undisturbed.