TOPICS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4262, 23 January 1901, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY

INTERESTING YACHT RACE. At the anniversary regatta of the Port Nicholson Yacht Club yesterday, much interest was taken in the meeting between the Auckland yacht Rainbow and the Wellington yacht Waitangi, which were the only competitors in the race for first-class yachts. There was a light north - westerly breeze, varying in strength and being for some portions of the course fluky in direction. Out at the Pinacle Rock there was a nice whole sail breeze, but in the greater part of the harbour the wind was moderate to light. Rainbow was in charge of Mr J. Alexander, and Mr James Jamieson sailed Waitangi. The course was from Queen’s Wharf to Pinnacle Rock, thence to Koro Koro, thence to Queen’s Wharf; twice round. Rainbow got sligncly the better start. She had her sails trimming a little quicker than Waitangi and increased her lead. After rounding Point Halswell both yachts set spinnakers, and the big boat drew up on Rainbow. On rounding the Pinnacle Rock buoy Rain-, bow was about 30 seconds ahead. She put in a short board, and then hove round and worked the Point Halswell shore, standing across the tide. Maitangi worked the eastern shore. The wind freshened somewhat, ant. Rainbow went to windward of Waitangi. The Auckland yacht increased her lead, and rounded the Koro Koro buoy Omin 30seo to the good. She rather more than, maintained her advantage on the lead down to the Queen’s Wharf, completing the first round with an advantage of nearly 11 minutes. Rainbow took down her topsail, as {he topsail yard had damaged the throat ihalyaru block, Waitangi carried her topsail in the second round as far as the Pinnacle Rock buoy,“and also bn the beat up as far as Somes Island. This time she did not go so far east. ' Under reduced sail Rainbow held her own. In the heat up to Koro Koro, 1

she made a further. e a * n - - a ° n d Koro there was a free leaa . “T’ i 6 Rainbow crossed .the \vmTimg n minutes 21 seconds ahead of The yachts sailed about up to their L telton form. Rainbow P e^ ia P s J*f tang i ter, when it is considered that ™ aßangi was carrying a topsail, winch she dia > have at Lyttelton. The crews ofboth yachts did excellent work, and Rainbow was particularly well sailed in the urst round.

MILITARY BLUNDERS. Mr Somers Somerset has an interesting article in the current “Nineteenth Century” on the Army Manoeuvres in France. He is astounded at the “uttenl disregard” shown of the ‘‘power of rifle fire” :—aSingle squadrons came charging forward on to lines of bayonets, ami moved freely through the hottest rifle fire. . . • In war, a faulty system will tend to disappear. A lew day's fighting. and the real stands separate frem the theoretical. But if the tactics employed at Chartres arc those ol the next European war, the loss in resu.t will be too ghastly to contemplate.” On the other hand, Mr Somerset found out that the French had a very poor opinion of the British army. Ho talked with a ‘‘young and distinguished officer. ' wiio talked with contempt of what Great Britain has done, in South Africa. In any future war between Great Britain anil France, we should be invaded ; ‘•The English,! I know the English,” ho would say. “We should kill a lew. wc should march cm London and kill a low more, and when they saw that the ethers would stop fighting and pay. We know the English. Look at their stirrenders in Africa, It in ad anan&cd. But I hope there will -never he a war. It would bo a pity. I like the English very well myself. Oh, yes, U would be a (lying column, hut what of f hat ? There would be very little danger, and we should make our ammunition at, Woolwich. And then you have no army.” Mr Somers Somerset, however, is not dismayed:—“lf ever there comes an invasion when the invading force puts into practice the lessons learnt at Chartres, I cannot help believing that cur military prestige will be restored.” Exactly we are ail dreadfully conscious of each other's shortcomings.

THE BANANA. Tlio banana, ‘winch grows in almost all tropical countries, (has been much abused of fruit growers, who look upon its popularity amongst the public with a jealous eye, but it 'London contemporary has discovered in it many virtues. The banana, it says, “is very nutritive, and forms a nearly perfect food. It contains more than 25 per cent, of assimilable organic matter. According lo Humboldt, it is 48 times more nutritions than the potato, while Crichton Campbell has stated that the banana is 25 times more nutritious than the best wbeaten bread. The analysis of Thoms shows the presence in the flour of banana of 9.01 per cent, of nitrogenous matter. The. best wbeaten flour contains no more than 0 to 11 per cent. It is preferable to manufacture the flour from unripe fruits, because the starch is converted into sugar in .ripening. In Venezuela the flour of the banana is given especially to children; it is equally good for aged people, convalescents, nursing women, and is of great service in the feeding of those suffering from, complaints of the stomach. In Central America, Columbia and Venezuela the banana flour is prepared on a large scale, and sold under the name of Alnsariim. The flour of the banana may b.e used in the same way as wbeaten flour, except for the preparation of bread, for which it is unsuitable, inasmuch as it contains no gluten. There are,various formulae for preparing banana flour for dietetic use. A teaspoohful of the flour in a cup of chocolate or cocoa facilitates the digestion of these drinks, and renders them more nutritious. This addition enables cocoa to be taken by those whose stomachs are in a weak state. A sustaining drink may be made by adding a teaspoonful of the flour to an egg yolk beaten up, mixed with milk, and sweetened with sugar. The sal© (f banana flour in London is insignificant, on account of its high price, and the fact that its uses are not yet understood.”