OUR ENGLISH LETTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 8347, 28 March 1888, Page 3

OUR ENGLISH LETTER.

(.V'llO.M OCR O'.VN COUmSI'O.S'O Vi'.) London - , February 10, NEW ZE ALA2s D MINES. The wry interesting handbook on thin • .subject, issued by your (Joveriiment, am 1 of which a copy h i.i keen furnished me by the Agent-General, Ins been very favorably reviewed hy the scientific journals, one of which, in commending the enterprise of the authorities at Wellington, urges the example on other colonial Governments, and remarks very truly that reliable information is very much wanted of this kind. There is no doubt that if it were forthcoming very much good might be done, not only in encouraging legitimate speculation, but also in guarding the ignorant from bogussehemes. The publication of this volume is very well timed Just now ; scarcely anyone remembers a period in which more activity lias been displayed in the mining market. Almost anything can lie floated that has any approach to buoyancy, and all the old long forgotten and often abandoned “bids,” as they are locally called in old Cornwall, are making desperate attempts at resurrection. This is not to lie wondered at with tin and copper at unheard of and advancing prices. What the cause of this sudden and unlooked for rise may be due to is much disputed. Some declare it is a legitimate advance occasioned by the state of trade and the increased and increasing uses for tin, copper, Arc. ; others on the contrary are convinced that a syndicate is, and has been, long at work Borcing up the price, and quite prepared to pull it down the moment it suits their purpose, lam strongly inclined to think this view of the ease to be correct, but on the other hand it is difficult to believe that, if true, it would not be more widely acknowledged, and operate prejudicially on the speculator. However, it is no doubt an excellent time to bring out substantial mines. There is much money lying ioie, the accumulation of years of timidity, and it only needs judicious tapping to yield a golden stream. As I mentioned in a previous communication prospectors would do well to keep an eye open for quicksilver deposits, and tin is by no means so plentiful as it was some years ago. Goldmines are in particular favor just now, and groat interest is being felt in what seems likely to prove a successful bad in our own little Wales. The first results from crushing are very encouraging. if reports are true there is going to tic a rush to Surinham, whore a particularly rich goldfield is said to have been discovered, extending over 25,000 square kilometres, on territory belonging either to France or Holland—it is uncertain which. By latest aim mneements the English capitalists have now a chance of proving their faith in New Zealand gold mines, as the Blue Spur and Gabriel’s Gully Consolidated Company, of Otago, are seeking to amalgamate eleven small concerns, and are asking for LOO,OOO to manage it with. There ftre good names on the directorate, with Sir lv. Stout ns local solicitor, and it will be interesting to note the result. I note that the Broken Hill Silver Mines, New South Wales, have just boon most successfully floated here, and the Secretary, previous to his return to Australia, has been entertained at a complimentary dinner, at which Sir Graham Berry presided.

NEW SOUTH WALES. _ The Centenary of New South Whiles is an event which hits occasioned a good deal of hearty congratulation amongst politicians and journalists of all shades of opinion. New South Wales is a colony which is unquestionably very much in favor hero, owing perhaps to the unconscious flattery of imitation which, in some respects, it pays to the Mother Country, and to its initiation of a policj' of military assistance, which found realisation during our troubles in Egypt. Curiously enough a tale is told how Captain Phillip, riding for England, raced De la Pcrouso, the Frenchman, for Botany Bay, the former in the Astrolabe, and the latter in the Boussolo, and how, as in many another case and contest, the Englishman came in first by three days, while poor Do la Pcrouso, submitting to the inevitable, sailed away and was lost on a coral reef, though this fact was not known for forty years after. It is a strange thing that a very similar story, the time being shifted to about 1840, is told of New Zealand, though I cannot find any authenticated account in official records beyond a very brief and uncertain note, and it suggests itself whether there may not he some possible confusion in the two stories. Certainly, if absolutely true, it is a singular coincidence that the two chief islands of the Antipodes should have been snatched from the French grasp by the expert navigation of British sailors outrunning their competitors by a few hours only. It is perhaps a small matter, but it must be admitted that such names as Now South Wales and New Zealand arc incongruous and unfortunate. There is nothing in any shape to connect the district which claims Sydney as its capital _ with the ancient refuge of the native British races, and still less in Now Zealand to recall the sea reclaimed Hats of Holland. Still it is thought ridiculous hero for New South "Wales, albeit, the oldest of Australasian settlements, to seek to arrogate to herself alone the all-embracing title of Australia, unless indeed that excellent and good time be shortly coming when, agreeing to sink local jealousies, the several colonies shall unite amongst themselves, and forgetful of rivalry, sink their several titles in the one venerated name. Will 1988 witness this most excellent consummation?

PURIFICATION OF THE TURF. It may be in the recollection of some of your readers that not long ago 1 mentioned that the Marquis of Ailosbury bad been warned olf the turf at Newmarket fur malpractices, chiefly in giving orders to his jockeys to ride losing races. This has led to a good deal of public discussion ; and in a recent speech Lord Durham, as one of the stewards of the Jockey Club, has openly charged Sir George Chetwynd, a noted turfite, with practises identical with those for which the youthful Marquis has suffered. Sir George rather foolishly sent his brother, Captain Chelmsford, to his traducer, with a request that he would either withdraw his charges as publicly as he made them, or else tight a duel. Lord Durham declined to do either one thing or the other, but offered to .stand an action for libel in the Courts, and it necessai-y, to prevent technicalities, proposed to publish his speech and admit the authorship. Chetwynd on his part objects, for reasons best known to himself, to go into court, but offers to submit hie case to a committee of the Jockey Club, and abide the result. The objection -to this course is a natural one, vi/, , that such a committee has no power to order the examination of witnesses on oath, or to demand the production of banker’s pass book, cheques, or in fact any evidence that might and would bo absolutely necessary to do justice to the ease. 'The matter is of some importance, inasmuch as the movement so strenuously made to reform the character of sports-, -men, shows only too plainly the serious doubts which have arisen—based, it must be feared, on substantial evidence—-as to

the bona tides of many races that have of late been run. it may, perhaps, not be clearlv understood by the general pul be that the object of “ pulling ” horses in a race is to prevent a true knowledge J of their capacity Lang obtained, so that ■ when a heavy stake is really in sight betting men, deceived by previous performances, may be landed heavily hy the owner. An infhicnt'al meeting of the •fockev Clul> Ims been field with open doors, and both Sir G. Chotwynd and Lord Durham were present. The almost unanimous feeling of those present was in favor of an appeal by Sir George to the law courts as the only satisfactory solution of the difficulty, but the complainant would only in reply fall back on his legal advisors, who, it seems, are of opinion that lie has no case, and_ the meeting broke up, Sir George ' promising to reconsider what steps he should take. The general feeling is certainly against him, and it is thought he fears to risk an inquiry.

SPOUTING NOTES. The professional gentlemen who are in the secrets of the ring best know the cause of the acrimonious disputes now prevailing between Messrs J. L. Sullivan and Jem Smith and their respective backeis. The former declares that he came to England principally to encounter the English champion, and has made all sorts of offers and promises to knock him out of time with or without gloves in the fewest possible rounds ; in fact, he openly expresses in frequent letters to the sporting papers the contempt he feels for every possible opponent either here or in America. It appears that the various parties met a few days ago and tried to arrange terms, but split on the question of date. Sullivan desires the matter to he decided in March at latest, as he returns to America to fulfil his engagements at the cud of that month ; Smith, on the other hand, does not want to fight till the end of May or beginning of June, as ho has starring engagements which would prevent his going into training till the end of April, and as ho is said to make about L3OO a week at this business, it is hardly likely he would care to forego the chance of making so much money. Besides he has scarcely recovered from his contest with Kilrain ; his ear is still severely swollen, and with such a tremendous slogger as the American, it would not do to throw away a chance The opinion of the sporting fraternity appears to bo that any man who could hold his own long enough would tire the American out, as he is said to lack bottom and to seek to end the job in a few tremendous rounds. He is at present in training at Windsor, preparing for the fight with Mitchell. The latter is represented as being one of the most scientific and able boxers going, and not wanting in pluck ; in strength, however, he is probably no match for his bulky opponent. We are in view of several international contests of one sort and another. In a few days, but not in time for results to be given in this letter, a pedestrian match for the championship is to be pulled off at the Aquarium between Joe Scott, the holder of the New Zealand belt, and the Home representative. W. A. Howe, the American bicyclist, will probably shortly meet Howell, the English champion, and a week hence the English sculler George Bnhear is to meet again his former conqueror Wallace Boss for the champion*ship of the Thames and England. There is also some chance that an Australian amateur eight will come over hero, buc not probably in time for Henley. It is reported that there will bo no visits from Australian cricket teams for two or three seasons, hence the burning question that has been raised in Melbourne of substituting in future six balls instead of four in an over, contrary to the regulations of the M.C.C., will not at present be raised, and before then an arrangement will probably be come to without quarrelling.

HOME AND FOREIGN POLITICS. Parliament is meeting again just as this letter is leaving, hut we are f avored with very little information as to what the programme of the Government will be ; whether, as a comic paper has it, “Hirish stow is horf ” the bill-of-fare, is more than the most sanguine could hope. With all sorts and conditions of men in prison, and Mr Shaw Lefevre an ex-Liboral Minister, going over to Ireland to openly express liis sympathies with imprisoned patriots, and in effect to challenge Mr Balfour to imprison him, it is almost idle to expect that the Government will be allo.vedto ride their horses as they like. Mr Gladstone, however, apparently has no expectations of being recalled to power just yet, or he would hardly have taken, as ho has done, a small and unpretentious house in James-streot, Westminster, by no means a fashionable locality. Great efforts are being made by a section of the Radical party to induce Sir Chas. Dilke to stand again for Chelsea, and it is not impossible that but for a serious difference of opinion in the party he would be inclined to do so notwithstanding the fact that he announced his retirement from public life until such time as he could clear himself of the odious and horrible accusations made against him in the Divorce Court. But there is no sign of any intention on his part to prosecute the witnesses for perjury. He has immense wealth at his command, and despite all that has passed a body of enthusiastic friends who believe in him to the uttermost ; but still he makes no move, and it may certainly bo said that the longer he abstains the more deeply rooted will become the conviction that he is verily and indeed guilty. However great, and groat undoubtedly they are, his talents and acquirements may bo, it is impossible that he could ever hope again for political advancement, unless he clears his character from its foul strain. All Eurcpo was astounded recently by the publication of the text of the AustroGerman Treaty signed in 1879 for mutual protection and defence against Russian aggression. That such a document was in existence was not certainly known, though at least suspected, and it now becomes obvious that had Russia any time during the last eight years attempted to invade Austria she would have had to encounter the two most formidable armies that ever existed. W hy this publication has taken place at this exact moment is only known to Prince Bismarck, but it may be certainly assumed that he regards the recent movement of Russian troops on the frontier as an incident too grave to he quietly ignored. The speech of the Prince on introducing the Army Bill in the Reichstag has been most eagerly waited for,' arid though he was very careful to express the most peaceful sentiments. the fact that he asks for an additional 700,000 men is evidence that he fears mischief, not so much probably from Alexander himself, whoso intentions arc believed to be pacific, but from that unruly entourage of the Russian Court, which lives on extortion, and whoso practices and tyranny arc mainly if not entirely the cause of the rise of Nihilism. It is noteworthy that after the delivery of Ins speech the Imperial Chancellor and his sorr received an ovation from the vast crowd which had assembled in the streets to greet him as ho walked home after the sitting. The Russian papers, having doubtless received

their cue from St Petersburg, appear to accept a pacific view of the situation, and it is quite probable that the firmness displayed by the German Court will have the effect of staving off war, at any rate fer this spring. A new instrument of destruction has recently been brought to notice, which, although not yet perfected, may prove one day a formidable weapon in the bands of its users, unless public international opinion demands its suppression, as in the case of explosive bullets. The invention is American, and consists of a gun worked by compressed air for the purpose of throwing a dynamite shell that should explode by concussion. Lieutenant Zalinski, of the United States army, though not actually the inventor, has, by order of his Government, taken the matter up, and pursued it to a practical issue, and from reports which he has published it appears that shells have been thrown successfully for a distance of two miles. Curiously enough it was found that concussion was not sufficient to produce an effective result, and it was necessary to devise means to explode the charge in the rear of the shell and not in ) front, as the initial explosion produced by concussion in front only served to | partially fire the charge, a large part ■ being scattered harmlessly. The diffi-1 culty, however, has been ingeniously got over by an electrical arrangement, and it is said that the results produced arc appalling; in fact, with a sufficient charge there is scarcely anything that can resist the shock. The yihief trouble, however, is to gain accuracy of aim with compressed air, and to insure this it is necessary to cause the projectile to rotate rapidly on its axis. At present the means adopted for this purpose are inadequate and clumsy ; but the difficulty is almost certain to be surmounted, and when it is a terrible weapon of offence will be at the command of those who have the conscience to employ it. Writing of dynamite reminds me that two of the gentry who came over hero last summer to enliven us with a few explosions have received their reward at the hands of Her Majesty’s Judges, in the shape of fifteen years’ penal servitude. The greater criminals have certainly escaped ; the two who werecaptured were evidently mere tools in the hands of others. There is very little doubt that these men, and probably others of similar kidney, were shown over the House of Commons by one of the Irish M.P.’s, but in entire good faith, as there was nt t the slightest reason tfy suppose that the honorable member in question had the faintest idea that he was doing other than showing courtesy to foreigners who came with ostensibly good credentials. It may be remembered that one of the emissaries died from consumption at the very time when the police, who had scent of the transactions of the gang, were about to pounce down on them. Some portion of dynamite was discovered, but there is no doubt that more exists concealed somewhere in London, a fact not very pleasant to contemplate. THE QUEEN’S SPEECH.

The Queen’s Speech, just issued, contains no very elaborate programme for the ensuing session, and there is a general feeling of dulness in the political world. What will chiefly concern the colonial public is a definite announcement that the Government intend asking for money to defend the ports and coaling-stations throughout the Empire, and that the arrangements entered into last year for a special Australasian naval squadron are to he carried out, subject to the contrihu tions promised being forthcoming. Reference is also made to the conclusion of the agreements with the French Governments anent the Suez Canal, and the appointment of a joint Naval Commission to regulate the affairs of the New Hebrides. It will thus bo seen that the Conservatives are anxious, on paper, at any rate, to meet the views of colonists so far as circumstances at present permit, and it is to bo hoped that, as regards the coaling stations at any rate, their proposals will he couched in a generous spirit, and that the Radical party will obstain from ill-timed and unpopular ciiticism on questions so vital to our commercial and maritime supremacy. Great and general regret is felt at the unexpected announcement that pressing private business compels Lord Dufferin to retire, at the end of his fourth year of office, from the Yiceroyalty of India. Such a man can be but ill spared from the public service at any time, but if he can bo induced at no distant time to fill the thankjess post of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, there is little doubt, should it be maintained (which there is some reason to think may not he the case much longer, even by the Tory party) that he would be the most popular representative of the Queen, both as an Irishman and a British subject, that has ever held that distinguished but arduous position. His successor in India is reported to be Lord Lansdowne, : now Governor-General of Canada, who in his turn may probably be replaced by Lord Stanley, of Preston, the only brother of the Earl of Derby. Just as this letter is closing grave news comes from San Remo of the altered condition of the Crown Prince of Germany. There seems now no doubt that the complaint from which the Prince is suffering is not cancer, but an affection of the lower portion of the larynx, under the right vocal cord, which creates great difficulty of breathing and will, it is feared, necessitate tracheotomy. Long before this letter reaches you, however, the cable will have informed yon of the result, so it is useless speculating about a matter on which we arc being kept very much in the dark.