AMONG THE MAGAZINES

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1611, 14 January 1903, Page 70 (Supplement)

AMONG THE MAGAZINES

an ENGLISHMAN ON AMERICAN IND USTRIAL METHODS.

• Por it is not so much, in the excellence of American machinery that success lies as in the outturn o brained, by that machinery. The American machinery, good as it is, cannot surpass the machinery used in some of the; best English firms: nay, English machinery has some good points that are lacking in that made across the water; but nowhere out of the; States have I seen machines forced to yield such an out-turn. Is there a brass foundry in Great Eritain, for instance, that gets from five hundred to six hundred moulds per day of ten hours out of an ordinary pneumatic moulding mar chine? Is there an iron foundry that can get fifteen hundred moulds in the same time from the same machine, however simple and however rough ? Yet these figures are the ordinaiy daily rates of one great factory at Pittsburg; and similar work is done in countless other places. “Labour is dear in America,” we are told; and it is; but labour could well earn equal wages in England if it would give as great return in the day.

Overhead travelling electric cranes are widely used in. England, as in America, but it is very rare to see them working in tiers, one above another; it is rarer still to see them provided with self-ex-tending arms to move material from one bay of a shop to another. Yet the latter feature I have seen in the States, and the former., is quite common; even Government factories have them. In American steel works, for making steel bars and plates, the original heat under which the ingot was poured is never lost until the ingot is delivered as finished material; it is rushed through the works, dragged by engines while white hot from one workshop to anotner, and finally dumped into the waiting railway cars. Where in Great Britain is the metal run Straight from cupola or converter into the ingot moulds, mounted on railway trucks, which are coupled up and have a locomotive under steam ready to drag the load away directly the last ingot .is poured? But that is done day in and day out at the Illinois Steel Works near Chicago, and in several other places.—“ Contemporary Review." ALPINE AVALANCHES. In the night of July, a sub-glacial lake, beneath the glacier of Tete Rousse, burst away and swept down with a tremendous mass of ice, rock and debris into the valley of Bionnassay, carrying away in its course half the village of Bionnay. Then it joined the course of the Bon Nant torrent and made its way into the narrow gorge of Crepin. From the lower end of this it issued with terrible violence and descended to the Baths of St. Gervais, the hotel of which formed three sides of a square at the mouth of the valley. The terrified visitors were awakened by a fearful cannonade of the mass brought down with irresistible force, and in a few minutes the place was batte.'ed to ruins and swept away, all but the left wing. The hotel was full of visitors from all parts of the world, and it could never be ascertained how many perished, although the number is believed to have exceeded one hundred and twenty. _ A new hotel now stands on the fatal site, and the curious traveller may see on the roof of a building near at hand, which lay out of Rat track of the debris, the marks of the level to which the muddy flood rose. The most recent catastrophe of the kind was that which occurred on the Gemmi Pass in 1895. On the morning of Wednesday, September 11. a great poi-

tion of the glacier on the summit of the Altels, a mountain nearly twelve thousand feet high, fell away and rushed bodily over a precipice, shooting out in a lateral direction some three-quarters of a mile in mid-air over the forest by the hamlet of Spitalmatte. Some of the blocks of ice were carried to a distance of three miles from the starting point. But the strangest part of the occurrence was the effect of the fearful rush of air that accompanied the avalanche. The forest below, although entirely untouched by the mass, was levelled flat in one fell swoop by the awful blast, the great trees lying side by side in parallel lines. The houses of Spitalmatte were destroyed by the same blast of air, and many of the planks carried to a considerable distance. Six persons lost their lives, as well as nearly two hundred cattle, which were feeding on the pastures. The Gemmi road was blocked for a time by the debris:, but was subsequently reopened.—‘‘‘‘Chambers’s Journal.”

AN IMPIOUS RITE IN MARTINIQUE. The dechristianising process that agitates France lias its reflex in her colonies, especially in electioneering times, when agitators from Paris are sent out to whip up voters for Radical and Socialist representatives whose views: are in. harmony with those of the majority.. Unfortunately, in such places as Martinique, .for instance, the coloured population has not as yet attained an intellectual standard compatible with the advanced opinions of the philosophers who rule the roost at home. I remember Martinique as it was a good many years ago, and being struck by the delightful dole© far niente existence of its old-fashioned inhabitants in those not remote days, still very good Catholics, for whom, however, the outward, rather than the inward, graces of the Church were most attractive. Things have changed since then, and the imported Socialistic agitator has been only too busy with the cheerful and faithful Samboes and Maries of that once “fair Isle of June.” A few weeks before the recent appalling catastrophe a Socialistic demonstration took place, the weird nature of which adds additional horror to the oncoming apocalyptic catastrophe of fiery streams of scalding lava, and torrents of boiling water that have since devastated the unfortunate island and its capital. It appears that, excited by the factious eloquence of several imported agitators, a number of coloured Socialists selected Good Friday afternoon for a sacrilegious procession, in parody of the Passion. They crucified a living pig, crowned its wretched head with thorns, pierced its side, and, yelling and dancing like fiends, carried it through the streets. At about the same time another procession of fanatics, lashed to fury by the incitement of two or. three other white agitators, ascended Pelee, uprooted a great crucifix that has stood there for many years, and, amid obscene rites and blasphemous songs, cast the sacred figure into the crater, their leader yelling as it sank out of sight, “Go where thou deservest to go, into thine own hell." I give this story in the words of a distinguished French officer, Colonel La Pellouse, who witnessed the scene, and I may add that he is corroborated by several American correspondents. The awful sequel to so hideous an outrage—a coincidence, no doubt—lends additinal horror to an orgy which, I hold, could never have taken place in a colony whose home administration entertains a proper respect for 'religion and its observances. The more respectable part of the popular tion, to its credit, was so exasperated by this abominable performance, that it was with difficulty the people were restrained from lynching the organisers of so damn-

able a travesty of the most tremendous of all tragedies. —“Fortnightly Review.”

THE SENTJSSI.

The various tribes of the Sahara are to a certain extent Ma.hometa.ns, and, though not clear in their religiorxs conceptions, they are very much under the domination of the Senussi, who threaten to become the great stumbling block of the French in their attempt to traverse tho Sahara. Every effort is being made to conciliate them, and if their goodwill could be secured the question of opening tlie roads from the centre of Africa would be easily solved; but it is a grave matter, which threatens much danger. The Senussi are the fanatical enemies of all Europeans.; it is they who have always kept the Sahara closed to white exploration, and recently their hatred has rather seemed to be on the increase. Since the defeat of the Dervishes on the' Nile by Lord Kitchener, the Senussi have become the leaders of the anti-Christian movement in Africa. Only a few years ago they left Gerboda, an isolated spot between Benghazi and the Libyan Desert, where they formerly had their headquarters, and have established themselves in the oasis of Kufra on tho direct road to Wadai. Here they are freer from any possible interference, either by Turkish or Egyptian Governments, and they have pushed their propaganda during the last ten years with remama ble vigour. Their political and religious object is to keep the Sahara closed, and as the chief of the Senussi has recently adopted the title of Malidi, they clearly intend to form the last Moslem strongnoid in Africa. It is very much to be feared that the French will have before them the task of finishing the work begun by Lord Kitchener at Khartoum, that is, to destroy the last, force of organised Moslem fanaticism m Africa. The Senussi have always been in contact with the Dervishes on the Nile, from whom they have received many reinforcements, and at the same time they have easily obtained supplies of arms and ammunition through Benghazi, though the Turks are supposed to prohibit this traffic. Their freemasonry is a powerful institution, possessing ramifications all over the Sahara, though the direct influence is more vigorously felt on the line from Benghazi to Wadai, and it is very unlikely that they will easily abandon their supremacy. If the French find themselves obliged to extinguish the power of the Senussi, it is difficult to imagine how they are to op drat e from "Wadai, where the establishment of a military base would involve untold labour and expense, and any operations in the Sahara proper, over such immense distances, are almost impossible.—“ Contemporary Review.”

RAFFLES IN REAL LIFE. Some years ago a doctor friend of miiiQ* who has a large practice in one of the suburbs, spoke to met about a mysterious patient of his. Now and then he hastened to the man's house in response to an urgent message asking for his immediate attendance; but, though he. always found, him in bed, he never could discover any. thing : ,serious the matter with him. This, however, wag scarcely a grievance from a doctor’s point of view, especially as the patient was rich, and always jiaid his account with commendable promptitude. But a strange incident had recently occurred. When, in compliance -with a summons more urgent, even than usual, my friend hurriedly entered his patient’s room, the man sprang up in bed and covered him with a revolver. As a matter of fact, tlii9 seemingly eccentric individual was one of the criminals I am alluding to. He it was who stole the famous Gainsborough picture which Mr Agnew recovered in such a dramatic manlier. The doctor’s visits were designed, to support an alibi in the event of liis being accused of complicity with any of the crimes he directed. If, for example, a police officer should swear that the man was seen with a fellow criminal, say at twelve o’clock on a certain day, his doctor could testify that an hour later on that very day he found him still in bed. The man lived in luxury, though he never did an honeist day’s work in his life. I know of crimes his “earnings” from which, taken together, amounted to very large sums'; in one case they were reckoned uy tens of thousands of pounds. At ono time he kept a steam yacht. He was not only a master in planning a great crime, but he was in a position to choose suitable lieuteniants to carry it out, and also to supply them with the necessary funds. —Sir Robert Anderson, in “The Nineteenth Century.” IRISH LEGAL WITTICISMS. Bushe and Blanket are names to conjure with at the Irish Bar, and the sparkle of the national genius was to lie observed in each, though Plunket lacked the bel esprit and charm *of Bushe, the “lord of all circles and darling of his own.” Bushe was appointed Chief Justice of the King’s Bench in 1822, after a remarkably brilliant career at the Bai*. With a jury he was almost irresistible. “Kemble pronounced him, with truth, the most perfect actor off the stage,” adding, “we do not believe that Erskine. the great glory of the English Bar, could for a moment, as an advocate to a jury, lie placed in competition with Bushe.” Dignified by nature, Bushe'. delighted in fun. but never allowed anyone to presume upqn that element in his disposition. He

was a “complete gentleman.” of most charming manners, and we have Grattan's word for it that “he spoke with th© lips of an angel.” Standish O'Grady (Lord Guillamore), the Chief Baron of the Exchequer, had a famous passage of arms with Bushe, I am sure was much enjoyed by the combatants and the appreciative audience in the crowded Limerick courthouse. “Bushe was making a speech for the defence, when an ass began to bray loudly outside the court. 'Wait a moment,' said the Chief Baron, 'one at a time, Mr Bushe; if you please.' When O’Grady was charging the jury the ass again began to bray, if possible more loudly than before. 'I beg your pardon, my lord,' said Bushe, 'may I ask you to repeat your last words ? There is sucj an echo in this court I did not quite catch them.' '' Without ever being rude, Bushe could deliver a sarcasm with telling effect. An acquaintance of his, not very remarkable for personal cleanliness, asked, for a remedy for a sore throat. ‘'Well,” said the lawyer, “take a pint of hot water, put it in a pint of bran, and rub your leg well with it for a quarter of an hour.” “Why,” replied the other, “that is nothing more than washing my feet.” “1 admit,” said Bushe, “that it is open to that objection.” —“Empire Review.” PRIZES OE THE BRITISH BAR. The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain is second only in position to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and he enjoys an income of .£IO,OOO a year. The Lord Chief Justice of England has a salary of .£BOOO a year. Tne Master of the Rolls has a salary of <£6ooo a year, and the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary have the same. The Lords Justices of the Court of Appeal and the Judges of the High Court earn <£sooo a year each. The Masters of tlie High Court, the London police magistrates and the County Court judges earn ,£ISOO a year each. The Masters of the High Court are chosen either from barristers or from solicitors, but all the other officeholders to whom we have alluded must have come from the Bar. The Attorney-General makes much mo ve money than any of these dignitaries. His -salary is only £7OOO, but he has fees as well, sometimes to a very large amount. The Solicitor-General has 1 <£6ooo a 3 T ear, besides his fees. Of course, the double work, legal and parliamentary, which these officers have to undertake is most arduous, requiring an iron constitution and a mind that requires but little time for rest. The private practitioners in ] some few cases make larger incomes than j any of the official persons at the Bar It ; is not, indeed, many who make “five j figures;” but there may be always one or two leaders who are achieving this. The j leaders who are chiefly before the public ■ in. ordinary cases do not often make more than from <£sooo to <£6ooo a year. Larger fortunes are frequently made by men who specialise in patent cases, who are engaged in rating appeals and compensation work, or who practise their profession at j the Parliamentary Bar.—“Cornhill Maga- J zine/' i

IN A BKITISxL ARMY CANTEEN.

We will look in at the canteen, tlie soldiers’ “public house” in barracks. At present it i 3 only a “public house,” absolutely frigid in the welcome it extends to the soldier who is thirsty. It is a low, detached building on one side of the barrack square, overlooked by the barracks themselves, tall, three-storied, dirty brick houses, with countless window's all painfully alike; every window open, the sashes pushed up to the same height, mathematically correct, every one of them staring out at the square as if to inspect whether it is in order; the gravel regulation size, not a stone larger than the other. Inside the room the same regularity. It is long and rather low; in the centre a circular “bar,” upon it the beer engines which glitter like gold; round the sides of the room, tables all of the same pattern, the ordinary barrack type, scrubbed as nearly white as may be, the corners bound -with iron; every table supported by iron trestles, painted black; while between them and the wall is a row of forms of the same, unyielding barrack pattern. The room and its furniture are perfectly rigid in uniformity. A few men in various stages of unbuttonment, as to their tunics, are seated at a table on which are pewter pots, the beer supplied from the “bar” by a sergeant, evidently an old soldier, and several men in their shirt sleeves, who work the beer engines as if by word of command, —they are the only non-regulation articles in the place, and it is a relief to see them.—“Blackwood’s Magazine.”