HOME AND FOREIGN NEWS

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4313, 23 March 1901, Page 7 (Supplement)

HOME AND FOREIGN NEWS

POXWELL MYSTERY SOLVED. Tho mystery of the# missing stockbroker has been to a certain extent cleared u p. it v/as on December 20 Inst that Mr Percy it. Foxwell, after transacting business at his_offices in Ihroginorton Avenue. and visiting his mother in -North. London, disappeared entirely. After leaving his mother’s residence ho sent a telegram to his home at Ditton Lawn, Thames Ditton, informing his wife that ho intended to dino in town, lie appears to have gone to Waterloo Station, and there to have dined in tho restaurant, after which, it is conjectured, ho took a train at about nine o’clock to the neighbourhood of Hamp- , ton Court. All trace of Ids movements was, from this point, lost, ami despite tho most strenuous exertions to discover hi:-; whereabouts, no chic was obtainable. Many theories were advanced to explain Ids disappearance, and tho adjoining grounds, tho railway line, and the country for a considerable distance round wore thorougldy searched, and tho river was repeatedly dragged. A reward of £1)0, subsequently increased to £SOO, was offered by his relatives for information as to his whereabouts, but without avail. On January 29th a man named Tovey, in the employ of the Lambeth Water Company, was crossing the river near Long Ditton, when ho saw the body of a man floating with the tide. With tho assistance of a couple of policemen the body v/as taken to the shore, and it was thou found to answer the description of the missing gentleman. Th© clothes wore afterwards identified, ami further proof was afforded by the discovery in the waistcoat pocket of tho gold presentation watch which Mr Foxwell had possessed since 1879, ami to which frequent reference, lias been made in the descriptions of the missing man. Tho body was removed to the mortuary at Thames Ditton, where it now awaits tho necessary inquiry by the coroner for the district. The watch is said to have stopped at twenty minutes bo ten, and this is held to indicate that tho unfortunate gentleman mot with his death on tho evening of his disappearance, after travelling from Waterloo, where lie is supposed to have dined. ARMENIANS AND KURDS. Renter’s Constantinople correspondent, writing on Jan. 24, says ; “Some weeks ago it was .ofliciaUv stated that a band of fifty Armenian brigands attacked a Turkish _ village in the district of Mouslx and killed two Moslem peasants. The true facts of the ‘outrage’ are only just to hand, and, as was anticipated, differ widely from the official version. About tlje middle of December a bank of Kurds attacked tho Armenian village of Chouohamerk, in the district of Saesun. They wore fired upon by some young Armenians belonging to the village and three Kurds were killed. The inhabitants did not make any serious resistance, however, and abandoning .their- homes, fled to the neighbouring lulls. Some of the fugitives were killed by tho Kurds, who. after pillaging and burning the village, went on ti> tho neighbouring Armenian village of Koghashcn. The inhabitants of this place did not wait for Kurds, hut, driving their cattle before them abandoned their houses. Tito Kurds burnt several houses in this village also and then mode off- The authorities went through the pretence of sending troops iu. pursuit .of, the Kurdish raiders, -bat the latter had not been overtaken according to the last intelligence. ‘‘The Kurds of tho Dersim district have always been tho most turbulent and unruly of their race. Their subjection to the Porte has never been complete, as they pay no taxes and refuse to submit to military service. Last year, however, an Irade decreed' that local levies wore to be raised among them and enrolled with tho, Hamidien regiments. The Kurds opposed this decision, and severe fighting occurred between them add the Turkish troops sent against them. According to information which has only just become known tho Turks lost over 300 men during the months of August, September and Or tober last year, and were unable to effect their object. Winter has now put an end to the hostilities, and it remains •to be seen whether they will be resnmedin the spring.” A REIGN OF TERROR. Trustworthy reports have at length been received at Constantinople from Uskub regarding the recent incident j.i Istib. It appears that six or seven members of the Macedonian Committor mot. at Novoeselo, a suburb of istib, anc proposed calling a meeting of the Bui garian inhabitants, presumably: with a seditious object. The Kaimaknm,. having learnt of the presence of these agitators, and of their intentions, deter, mined to spoil their coup. An officer and some gendarmes, together with a police-agent of the To bacco Regie, were sent to the house where tho emissaries,of the secret society were known to bo hiding, ostensibly ■ in order to look for smuggled tobacco: the Jvaimakam hoping thus to take the Bulgarians by surprise. His plan mis carried, however, for barely were the gendarmes within, the door when they were met with a volley which killed tne officer and two men, and wounded some of the others, who beat a precipitate retreat. Reinforcements’ soon arrived, and desultory firing was exchanged between the troops and th© agitators, who succeeded in wounding several of their ■opponents. The Turks ultimately set fire to the building in the hope of bringing about 'the surrender of tho Bulgarians. The latter, however, managed to escape through a back door which the Turks had overlooked. On searching the debris the charred remains of the gendarmes who had been shot at tho outset wove, found. None of the Bulgarian . inhab. Hants interfered iu the fighting between their co-religionists and the troops, and tho disturbance did not extend. Two or three houses, besides the one in which the conspirators had defended themselves, wore also burnt to the ground, and their owners are now claiming compensation from the Government.

Another'incident’took place some days later at Gabrovo, in the Malesh district. Some _ emissaries of the 'Macedonian Committee hr.d demanded a contribution of £(T)oO towards' their fund from the Bulgarian, pope of the village, and on his refusing to pay they attacked and burnt his house, and put his family to death. The priest himself, escaped by hiding in a cellar., ■ As soon .as tins atrocity was reported to tho authorities a detachment of troops was sent in pursuit, and came up witl| the agitators, three of whom were shot. Tho baneful activity of the 'Macedonian Committee is not confined to Northern Macedonia. In tho southern district they are no less energetic, crtl a reign of terror mat- be said to prevail in -certain parts.. Political murders-*are of .almost daily occurrence. In the c:>a» of Vodena no fewer'than 700 persons have been assassinated during the'last twelve months. i:j -- ■■ ' •

.TRAINING OF SAILORS. The North German Lloyd have issued a pamphlet explaining their plan for securing a supply of efficient "officers and of training .voting sailors for the-higher brandies of the seaman’s profession. They have chartered a large four-rnasted sailing ship for a. long trading voyage, on which the cadets will receive a thorough systematic training in tho theory and practice of- their profession in accordance with the requirements of a largo ocean steamer. A three years’ course, is provided, after which they will bo placed for a further year on board ono of their steamers to serve ;.s warrant officers and quartermasters. Then, after two years, there follows a course of attendance at the Navigation School for the attainment of,the certificate ns master of a foreign-going ship, entitling the recipient to the independent command of merchant ships on all seas. It is laid down that the greater part of tho time spent on board must be devoted to acquiring practical seamanship.

BULLFIGHT AT NICE. Nearly 4000 spectators were present at the bullfight on January 30. A troupe of gaily-attired toreadors first entered, sainted the president’s box, and took up a position below it. The trumpets •sounded, the gate opposite the president’s box opened, and a large brown bull with immense unprotected horns entered at a sharp trot. The trot became a gallop when the hull caught sight of mo five toreadors, whom ho chased all over the ring.' The 'toreadors only escaped by vaulting the barrier, ono, extremely agile, faced- , the charge and turned a somersault-over’ the tele's hack, another cleared the animal witli a 'pole jump. The toreadors, flourishing their cloaks, stuck darts into the bull’s neck. The bull apparently suffered no pain. T his performance was ' repeated . with five other bulk, but the entertainment as a whole v/as monotonous. One bull succeeded in flooring n toreador, tho spectators raised cries of horror, .but as fro bull was about to toss the man the_ other toreadors rushed in, diverted lu.s attention, and the toreador escaped unhurt. A horse" was introduced into the arena once, but then tho bull’s horns were covered with rubber. RIOT AT ST. HELENA. A correspondent at St. Helena writes \ There has been serious trouble among the West India' troops stationed -here. A row took place on New Year’s night between a few of tho sailors from 11.M.SThetis and some of tho West India soldiers, in'which one of the latter got worsted and was sent to hospital. While a concert, given by the people of the Thetis in aid of a- local charity, v/as being held tho following evening, a number of the West India soldiers raided the town with clubs and razors tied to sticks. .. Numbers of tho inhabitants were women were Icaren, ono had an eye knocked out, and a man had the'base of his skull fractured. Some children at' the concert-hall were injured by cuts from the razors. Twelve sailors wero more, or Jess seriously injured. The men broke out of barracks, and the efforts of "their officers to 'gut them back were futile. i : , , Strong picqyets; wer©, brought ashore from the. Thetis, but owing to the continual attempts of the soldiers to attack the sailors, the i, concert had to ho ' abandoned. - Their officers were chasing | them backv/afds 'and fcrwa'rds about tho j streets half the night to keep them from! coming iu contact with-the naval men on shore.' Ultimately : the soldiers attacked the’ Bailors’ Rest, and broke doors and window's into atoms. j The following , day they wero ordered to go to Great:Broad,- Bottom Camp tut icfused, and threatened to blow' up the houses in .town. Tho companies of Royal Engineers and-Royal Artillery were turned out, and a strong naval force was landed, and -th© ■ streets paraded and guarded all night. Next morning a company of th© Gloucester® were also Drought from Deadwood, and the West indias were.,ordered .out at once. Failing. compliance' they, would be fired on. Seeing such decisive steps taken they fell ,n and marched quietly off to Broad Bottom. . ■■ Broad Bottom. Camp ■ will soon have t o be vacated by them, as mere prisoners of war are. coming, and 250 of the Glouaesters are already on the way to .the island- These are to be sent to Broad Bottom. It is said that the West Lidias will then be put on Franck? Plain, which is rather near the town, until a troopship /arrives-, to.’.remove'--them.', :

DREYFUS SEQUELS. j A Paris telegram states that startl.ng sequels' ti> ' the i Dreyfus affair still jontinno to be published. M. 'Joseph; Reiuiicli’s statement that Pere Dulac, the Jesuit, had lunched ,vith him at tUg, house of a mutual friend s uucontfadicted. The meeting took place at his urgent request ■ its object ras to' implore ’Reinaoh to intercede j vith Colonel Picquart to deal. gently with his friend General do Boisdeffre. - At- that-time-the denunciation of Es- I beahazy by M. Mathieu. Dreyfus was '■ mown' to a few. • General de Boisdeffre nade no: Secret of.his dread that he was n danger of being shot: He asked Pere Dulao to . give, him blessings just as if ■he firing party were outside. Now that the Amnesty Bill has been voted, the,General’s conduct will escape ill punishment. : But the present disclosures will ’ c'ertainly prevent his incended restoration; M. Bernard Lazare said a few, days igo that the case Trill be resumed in a vay that he deolined to explain fully. Vlaitre Demarige retains all the documents on the side of the defence. Amongst them.is Esterhazy’s confession to “The Daily Chronicle.” CHINA’S RESOURCES. ' The commercial aspect of China formed tho subject of a lecture delivered at :he London Institution by Professor R. Si. Douglas! 'After remarking on the flourishing condition of Great Britain's trade with China in April, 1899, he said that' suddenly this prosperity was overshadowed by the Boxer rising. A vast number of ..the. governing classes wore bitterly opposed, to the presence of any and all foreigners, and believed that they desired the partition of the empire. Trade has been paralysed by the disturbances, and the jealousy of the Powers; the suspicion of the Chinese made progress. slew* and difficult; and it was hardly possible to forecast the .future. Russia, in themicantimb, was following her own ends, and the occupation of Peking had been her opportunity. In return for-her proposal for the withdrawal of tho foreign troops % she had obtained a convention by which sue. controlled Manch'ufia, though it was nominally left iu- Chinese handsfi and wherover Russia planted her standard she excluded the goods of other nations by prohibitive tariffs.: Protests were bejng made by Japanese and American ■merchants, whoso trad© with Manohurja.

had previously been advancing by leaps and bounds, and if tho Russian Convolition became law, we might bid a | long farewell to our. trade there too. . j Turning to the question of China’s re- | sources. Professor Douglas remarked that in Yunnan, Shansi, and Shantung, there were vast fields of mineral wealth. Shansi was said to-possess the largest coal field in the world, but Chinese coal mining was of the most primitive- description. In Yunnan, gold, iron, quicksilver, and lead abounded. This province adjoined the Burmese frontier, hut the Indian Government had stopped the construction of a railway to the border, thereby handicapping the English enterprise. Professor Douglas then pointed out - the changes that were needed if the proposal to'revise the existing commercial treaties were adopted, laying great stress cn the need for abolishing the heavy and irregular transit duties, which varied according to the capacity of the local officials. He also drew attention to the active competition from American, Japanese and German merchants which English traders had now" to face, and tho need for their keeping more closely in touch with tho wants of the native consumers than they did at present. FIGHTING IN VENEZUELA. A telegram from. Port of Spain states that advices received from Caracas say that according to trustworthy reports the situation at the pitch lake rt disastrous. One hundred' and fifty English negroes doing police duty fled to the jungle when tho insurgents fired, leaving behind tv/enty-five Americans to protect their lives and property. ‘•'A messenger has implored the United States Legation at Caracas lor protection. Mr- Loomiek replied that the renorts were probably exaggerated, but that ho would telegraph to Washington. ‘■lnformation has been received that tho insurgents have taken Carupaui, and will attack Oumana soon. Steamers are not allowed to land passenger's and mails at Carunani, and an attempt to capture Gaidai Bolivar is probable, to soon as the. insurgents receive the expected supply of .arms.” FRENCH EX-PREFECT’S SUICIDE. Considerable sensation has boon caused by tho suicide of M. Gabriel Le Roux, the ex-Prefect of Lyons. It appears that in the course of a recent scandal it became certain that M. Meyer, the Chief of the Lyons police, had con trived to place/hidden microphones between the Prefecture and. his central office. These extended -to the official portion of the building, and even to the bed-rooms. M. Moyer could distinctly hear conversations between M. Le Roux and his friends and family. He afterwards drew up a report containing certain grave disclosures. M. Le Roux, fearing that these would bnght his career, came up- from' the country and shot himself under, the chin with a fowling-piece; He lived for some hours afterwards. Tho unfortunate- gentleman was highly respected, and great sympathy is expressed for his-wife, who is English: bur maiden name was Siinniomls. , • CANADA’S .GERMAN TRADE. A discussion has -arisen at the annual meetings "of' tho Board’of 'Trade-and the Corn-Exchange, Montreal, regarding the tariff discrimination • on' tho part" of Germany against Canada. Tho leading merchants strongly ' advocate that the Government bq asked to inaugurate retaliatory measures. It is argued that although the United States tariff is seventy-five per cent, against German imports, and Canada’s only thirty per cent., yet Germany allows the imports from the United States to enter at half the price charged to Canada. As the Dominion, it is urged, imports three times as much from Germany as the latter does from Canada, the Dominion ought to raise its tariff to the level of that of , .the United States, unless Canada receives the same treatment. HORRIBLE CHARGE OF CHILD MUEDji.R. Joseph and Carolina Ott, a couple of poor newspaper colporteurs, aged thirty and twenty-five respeotively. are on trial before the Vienna Landesgericht for ihe murder of their eldest child, Joseph, an attractive little boy of about four years old. The details of. the alleged crime ayo almost too horrible for description. The body pf tho child found: cut_ to pieces and burnt in a.' stove on which the parents cooked their dinner. Little Joseph had been the favourite of all the neighbours, but gradually less and less of him was seen, and from the thrilling but sudbued shrieks it was surmised that the child had /been, tortured/, till he at last disappeared entirely. Joseph' and Carolina Ott after they married were obliged to take out,their eldest child Joseph from the Foundling, where he had been- placed as a poor illegitimate child. 'This addition was too much for the Otts, and it was supposed to have been the! cause of the horrible crime. The ! male prisoner pleaas t not The ■ 'child, he ; asserts,; bad an abscess: which, he opened and’ suddenly the boy. . died, To remove the body quietly he decided to cut it in pieces and burn it; but the mother, he states, knew nothing of the matter, being out busy with the newspapers. SIXTY CHILDREN SUFFOCATED. There is in: London a sort of epidemic of children being suffocated in bed. As many as twenty-two cases occurred in one week, which, with seventeen and twenty-one in the preceding fortnight, make sixty for three weeks./ Influenza deaths last week numbered twenty. This was also an increase’compared with the past few weeks. ■/• There v/as an excess, too, , in the deaths registered from measles - and whooping cough. Thirty-eight deaths were due to the latter, a larger number than in any other week since September; and thirtysix deaths were attributed to measles, there not having been so many in one week for six months. A GANG OP SWINDLERS. ' At Deal three men—Arthur John Pott, Harry Nisbot James,’ and Georg© Collier—were tried on charges of cheque frauds, and conspiracy of a very, farreaching character, thousands of pounds being involved. In October last James and Collier got an introduction to the Bayswater Branch of the London and South-Western. Bank, and opened an account with £ls. On. that account cheques to the extent of over £2200 were drawn, and with one, of these worthless cheques, which was.for.£o6(l, James.qpened an account at ; tlio “Deid 1 Brsttoh"df Woyd’a

Bank. Subsequently tho three pris- ' oners went to Bradford, and stopped at j the Great Northern Hotel for several days, leaving without paying their ac- • counts. One opened an account with the Halifax Commercial Banking Company at Bradford, with a bogus cheque for £4oo,’and a number of small cheques wero drawn. They cashed a worthless cheque at Ramsgate. Collier and Pott are brothers-in-law, and James has been connected with them for some years. Collier was sentenced to 15 months’ hard labour. James to 12 months’ and Pott to 10 months.

IN THE HANDS OF BRIGANDS. Reuter’s /■correspondent, at Smyrna, describes the recent carrying off of M. Mill©, a French subject, by brigands near Syrarna, which was briefly noticed at the time. Since then telegraphic news has been received of the liberation of M. Mills on payment of a ransom of £ (1)2000. Th© c-orres-pandent'says M. Mille, who was accompanied by a friend, M. Menotti, also a French subject, was seized by a band of brigands in his own house and carried off to the hills. The seizure was carried out most audaciously. While Mille and iiis friend were having dinner in one of the ground-floor rooms of the establishment, one of the brigands walked in with bis gun slung over h'is shoulder, and told M. Mille that his captain wished to speak to him outside. M. Mille replied by requesting the man to leave the premises.* Tho brigand thereupon fired over M. Mille’s head to intimidate him, and M.. Milled cavass, an. _Albanian, hearing the shot rushed in and drew his pistol to defend his master. Before he could make use of it he was shot dead. M. Mille then, seeing resistance to be useless, followed the brigand, accompanied by his friend, to the door of - the establishment, where ho found himself in the presence of the rest of tho band, composed of nine men, who summoned him to follow them to tbo kills. M. Mille being a very stout man and unaccustomed to exercise _ found walking very fatiguing. The brigands, therefore, to stimulate him fired pistol shots occasionally between his legs. In this way tho captive was compelled, to tramp for six hours without resting, until the party reached a cavern in the hills, where a halt was made. M. Mille appears to have been kept there ever s'nce. His friend was sent to Smyrna, with a letter to his relatives asking for a ransom of £(T)5_000, which sum , the brigands requested the friend to bring them. M. Mille being a man of small moans, it.is understood that the French Consul, acting under instructions from his Embassy, is putting pressure on tho local authorities to obtain from them payment of 'the. ransom. . |

' ’■ A MERCENARY’S FATE. 1 Considerable feeling has beau aroused . in the parish of Kelvedon, Essex, by an j ‘appeal issued ‘ by-the •urate,.' Itevi - If. ! R. Anson, for subscriptions to ereotai ' memorial 'Over "the grave of a Dutchman, i named Timmermans* who. was buried'in j. .the - ohurohyakl last month. Timmer- j mans wan one of a "natch of “undesir- jaides,” who were sent out; of South Af- 1 riea in November by the order of the ] Commander-in-Chief, the British author- | ities defraying the eost-of-d-heir .passage back to Holland. The party landed-at Southampton, and oh the journey from Liverpool street to Parkeston, en route for the Hook of Holland, Timmermans, by some unexplained; means, left the express train. Allis mutilated. body was found on the line, and) at the inquest at Kelvedon —at which an open verdict was returned —it was stated that ho Lad acted' as secretary to a .Boer commander. The body .was buried in Kelvedon churchyard, and Mr Anson invites; the parishoners .’ to subscribe towards the erection of a memorial. The feeling of the parish, however, is dead against the proposal to raise a monument to a foreign mercenary,,who had been fighting against England, .when So, .many,, of their kith and kin lie in unknown graves in South Africa. CHINESE IDOLS MADE IN BIRMINGHAM. The “Advance,” ■ an influential religious journal published in .Chicago, asks whether i: is not time for England to give up the business of making idols for the Chinese -market.. - .It.' asserts' that a great Birmingham firm manufactures idols for China, and keeps on hand a full and varied stock-suited'to the demands of the different Chinese superstitions. “Looking aroundj,” says ,the writer, who has apparently visited 'this strange factory,, “one was struck . with the incongruity of the surroundings. Arranged in all ’sorts of attitudes wore a number of . gods. . They were all sorts and sizes. Some were gods of war—so at least you would conclude from their stern looks and murderous swords. Another was a god of peace, and looked an extremely agreeable fellow.” It is said that this Birmingham firm prepared to supply all kinds of idols at very reasonable rates. THE AFRICAN DWARFS. * Sir Homy Jolinston, iii ah aecoiihLcf his . journeys - in. Ike neighbourhood of Uganda, gives some particulars of the dwarfs of tho Congo forests, some of whom were encountered by Stanley. It whs found that the. dwarfs were oftwo types—black-skinned, with a good deal of stiff, curling black hair about the body, and red dr yeilow-skinued, with a tendency to redness in the hair of the tho head and yellowish grey in the hair growing , oh the body. Some, of the dwarfs, especially when young, .have quite hairy bodies, and their women not infrequently; have incipient whiskers. These Congo" dfawfs ho longer speak an original language of their own, but talk, in a slightly corrupted form, the language of the taller negroes in whose vicinity they dwell. Amongst physical features which specially distinguish them from their neighbours is tho large size and flatness of f he _ nose. This organ has scarcely any bridge, and "the wings of the nose are very forge. The dwarfs also have a very long upper lip, which is scarcely,; if at all, erected. In many other points they exhibit ape-like features, but their intelligence is, as a rule, well developed, and though hideously ugly and often very ape-like in appearance. they are usually of a winning and cheerful disposition, while their dances, are so frolicsome and gay and full of pretty movements as to distinguish them markedly in that respect from tho average negro. WONDERS OF THE BLIND, j A. __ '■ " > ! ‘"Wonders of the Blind-and Dumb” is one cf the most asking articles in the “Temple Magazine.” It seems almost incredible that those afflicted with the loss of eyesight should be able not only to move, from place to place without assistance; "but to participate in ,auch sports "as" roller-skating, crioket, gym-

driving, towork 'withtop!./with ‘skill* and accuracy)' ! and: td operate'.the typewriter-with so much precision tnaf it is-imifossiblo tp tell their work from; that of-’ a person blessed with sight except from the-fact that the latter’s isiirequentlytdess rect. Bnt all. these things are not .only, possible, bufe are happening every day. Mr. J. A. Rammerton, the writer of the article, says :—. ‘Tn all branches ’of -physical culture the blind’ are now as fortunate as lit© rest of ns, and nothing can-be more, iru tcresting or gratifying than a visit to.a playground in any largo - institution; for the* blind, where’wd shall find the young people engaged in all: sorts qL recreations, vaulting,•• cricket,, running, , skip-ping-ropes, or playing at ‘fire brigades’: with the aid of a huge wooden engine. In the •gymnasiiun we shall' find the youths and; young men* going through every, athletic exercise knowntous, with tho exception of the trapeze.' In th© svimming bath theyhave , been, taught to dive us fearlessly as iL possessing sight, and even iu thp streets, we may sec companies' of them pedalling merrily along oh iv “multi-cycl©,-- tinder the lead'of a seeing companion.” ' There are, however, more marvellous achievements of the blind on record than these.

‘‘Dr F. J. Campbell, •Who/dias beeh blind since he v/as . three, .years .old,( in order toiprd’ve ■ that.the blind,;are--cap/ able of almost incredible, performances, has himself ascended to the.top pf. Mont Blanc. Another remarkable blind man of the present day is M. Vidal, the French 'sculptor, wjio. has produced many beautiful;,-(pieces/ ri, : - statutory chiefly illustrative of animal- life, which the blind artist con only study through his lingers. M. Vidal in the pursuit of his art has ' even ‘ entered a 'lloh’s cage in order: to receive ahr-impression of tht animal's form by feeling with his -.fingers. It was in. this’novel "way ■ ’that- he made his study* for one of -his'‘masterpieces, the “Lion roaring ”-a. sculpture so- vigor, ous iu outline, and-so suggestive of the finest qualities of- the king of the’forqst that one caitKcareo’-believe it was chiselled by. a. man. who .could not see Ids work.”,. • ... ... •

A SURGICAL MARVEL.'/ - The “Temps” has received details from a Strassburg correspondent of the complete’ablation’of the'-Stouiabh of a>.woman aged .38, and-'h©W no less-Complete recovery- The operation was performed by Dr Boeckel, surgeon .of tho,Civil Hospital’ of .Strasshurg,; r The. woman .operated upon had a.caricfer,in the.stomach. It grew out of an ulcer of long standing. All the other organs,were healthy, .The wound caused by tiro scalpel, healed without suppuration or ulterior.,'fistula, and in 23 Ray s',the parientf’jvus,'‘dismissed as cured. .Hof .digestion.has not,suffered, but .it, is. hot saiq^what.‘.she (digests. r Without ..p ■ stomach the : digeft. tion of meat is impossible,;. This'ls.Jhe first tJmc a cancer in'the stoinach has been wared by. the complete ablation' of that organ. ’ '•-'"••■.'-‘A 'N';': 1 -’:’ ,”'*f A REMARKABLE •;SACRIFICE. , Twice 'condemned to death for a crime he did not commit, David’ Rutter.has; recently -been J released r.from .'prison ;aiter serving a tcrnqof 27’. years.(says.an English .exchange)'. * . It was.in Ha?3 7 ' that lie’stood in’the clock at. ipswlph. - . ether man, charged with the inur'dei' of a gamekeeper oh the)estate of,the. Maharajah Duleep Singh. ' ' TJi© whole burden of the guilt was assumed! by Rutter, who exonerated his companion from blame, and, orc his own confession,‘ was condemned to’death. Many, however, believed in his innocence, and on-the plea of a deformity in the neck,' which" would hVake'iifffiging a (horrible torture, a respite was obtained. ' ' --: - • • ■ Medical examination failed-'to.confirm the theory, .mid he-.was again.ordered for execution. Petitions still poured ip, however,, and’ at.-last, ..jhla-.senteiipQv was commuted to penal, servitude.fptjlife. ■ Now, on his roleaso, an old*.man;:..he tells- a sensational story-- ■ It was the ■ other ’man -who shot the gamekeeper, battered' his head in, ’ pud throw him. into a- pond., .- , ~ But there was a woman , whose heart would' have been - broken,, and (whose children would liave been left fatherless, while Rutter was. alone in the >worl(l.: So he took the whole- guilt upon him. self, and has just (crept out from'.’/.bell oath the burden of it—endured foiy27 years. / 'v;;,///)'/”' (G ';.*/*•£*•/ ONLY LAUGHED. ' At the Birmingham Assizes, , Sarah Gockran, Kingsbury, ■■’ 'Tamworth;,: '•’was awarded 1 £SO damages for breach’ of. pro-' mise. The defendant, was Qoorge. Wilkman, a barman and football player.. The wedding was- fixed and :on the day,' the guests, the bridesmainds, and the best man turned Up, ’ and the wedding (feast had been prepared, but; the bridegroom did not put m an appearahos; -He ar- ■ rived on *be following day; and :coolly asked plaintiff how. she was getting on, and when she asked for 1 an explanation of Ins conduct-he burst out laughing. CONSUMPTION OF TEA AND COF- . FEE.

The British Board of Trade has issued an interesting paper on. the subject of tea and coffee—-how they-are. ptoduced and how consumed. lb'appears that the price of the bulk of the tea grown is nowadays, fixed by the inhabitants of Great Britain. They consume no less than 61b of it a head in-the course of the year. In France a trifle over a tenth of a pound suffices ,for, the needs of the ordinary, citizen. In Australia, where alone the record of , the Iconicstaying; Englishman is ■ equalled,.. the amount consumed is Tllb for every head of the population; The tea, which - is used in Groat Britain is for the most part grown in India or Ceylon. _ China is still the largest exporter of this .kind of merchandise, though the amount sent out of the country continues. to decrease. Chinese tea goes for the most part to Russia and the .United- States, j.nd there are those who will, hold that this fact is very much .to,the. credit of. these countries. It is much to be fear-*: ed that the British are developing a genuine preference for .the’ teas which are' cheap. At any rate the. declared value of tea at.the time of.landing in. 1899 was SJd. per lb ; in 1886 - the cor-responding-figure was Hid. Competi-, tion between ' traders may -in-iiart-ac-. count for the fall" but one is-bound to think that it is-largely due to the fact that most people do not like the best; of everything—nor. indeed, of . .anything. The price of ooffiee is-fixed almost entire]v by. the people; of ..the United. States. 'They drink it largely, and- theyr, absorb practically .the'ivhole of the produce- of the countries where it is grown most effectively.- The British indulge blit' mildly in this beverage, and they, chiefly get it from -those regions in'which the best coffee cannot' be produced'. ;After all," they are wise .in Their,generation They will see it* iji'th© vafifrtßßjonffy'pf oases* 1

only, in: ; the; fpMUj-pf, of coffee; .ground av&hf i\ill not. know that it x -fel>sAgitj£er_Eefore| dr plter; it 'hflsjfeeejfejlayijtt in rthej pjvtl Why. should do pay big prices fqr;'a copnhgdjiyvtijeyj'do not! understand P Coffee’ is "coffee; and tea is tea, and when - they. have been taken there.is siirelyhot a fword/to ( be said. xi, h'-r'. 1

NAPOLEON A -MAH AN. ■ la Lord, Rosebery's, jawresting.;,work ii© cites the) following utterance pf/Napi oleou at, St, tHplfe.na—“jWe Mohammed! ans.” Now, there was .lately published the diary of ap, officer , who accompanied Napoleon!s expedition . tp , Egypt.which explains this extraordinary 'speech,’ and shows, that the Emperor, 'when First Consul, not only on that campaign caie,fully studied the'Koran,, hut affected ftp adopt the doctrine and practice, of Oklamism. The 'writer in question, a captain of infantry named Vertrayj died,ih 180 S, and. hisrdiary, by-permission.,.’of a grandson, : was published in 1883., “L 1 Armee Francaise ea pentier.) In one_o£_£h© numerous ’proclamations; issued to the .native .population of Cairo, no fear 1 for; yout -familipsf your "homes, your property, lekst ofhH’fdPthe' teßjriop of the Prophet; which-T love/’-’, A sett ohd proclamation, issued’-to- .tHe’TJlQmas or priests, ran as f6lloivfe-y- I, Mai;d it known-to ‘ the -people r th J Bt'- , ffc>hi'' tho'-’he-ginnihd of the whrld' it 'Was ’written that I should-destroy -the - eiifemies cit' Ishrmism and"- hnyo';:‘-the ir pfhmfixfes'-' pulled down.”- 5 -" 'a,:!!" . Whilst with quoting thq' : ingt}iofiJioiks; , .to/^l§mp : ,sqt"ricqsin .the mosques fii Afahj dress*,pqq pt-his,-'gen-erals .openly - ej^hfaced;’ jilpiniijn. /Ilii# was Menpu, wHp tolthVjEgyptian> coqimand after,ihp,assassination, of Kliber. Wiflii much rsqlemnity w bq- formally abjured, : ,Chr ijj tianitylatßosetta, taking the. name of Godi. rlmmedlatelyafterward^. p he took for his legitimate, wife-an Arab..woman whom before’ riot, ; 'eveh Like his. ’chief Ateno'u‘whs-addipfced’'to proclamations; ’ which,/he , .took , care-i'to sign Abdallah . Jacques'j'Mehojnft IThe little book, from’-TfliiaH:'.,these.'facts,, are cited is a ■mere |ourhal ; -.th’e t everyday jottings ’ of a young .- soldier'; o'n 0 sighib into! thet true .character parto’ is reniafkaljle,'.” 5 ' ” '

A PARIS SENSATION! A romantic ■ affair.,(says 'a;; Paris; opr--respondent) has oociw'red in lA.veiiup>:do la .Grande* Armee. .TAjcount, aged - 61,; .lives - there with his young jwife.',..,Ohe’ Sunday night rocentlyAtho,-!-Count-re-turned home. unexpeqtodly ahdiiheard. a ! largo, .flower rpot-.fall i outside the - bedroom, window.*,,' Ho - has-. tened to investigate Y the and discovered a man trying, to .-escape. , :-.Tlie Count took the man a burglar . and had him arrested ahd-oonyoycd'.tp'the police station .when? he was.recognised as-a.great personal,lrieufi'qf utet-Count-< ess. It is undoretood’that ;divoi - ce'proceedings will foliOW. r -, ' CRIMES .OH JEALOUSY.. Crimes caused by jealousy seem to bo* 0110 the in -France, j - Nearly every day there' are 7 causes of vitriol' throwing, - shooting* or stabbing. On. Thursday morniugj a.-young .w.oman-fired, in a most detez;mi-ni&)hunrier’Jat* a-clerk who had left her"for another damsel. _ .The tragedy., toojn,place.in„.the district' of La Chapelld, man ;^as ( ,'car-; tied to tliedibspitali ■^ibb^'Ho v di^ , i'‘'Two' revolver*, bullptb * hadV'ehterechiins' head over the dQhly'ithe otheTAdiayf another, woman lifp Y a lover who had jilteS' her; .by'^ht,p>vx.ng"vitriol in his face. -. She, wens oh tier .knees:: before her victim in thft office, pf thp Judge ;dn.d"asjtpd,’,, l his forgiveness,*’ but it' was ;sWnily',rsjected,.V',ln another instance j - a to" suppress^ - 7,tiert'rhii’erf', ‘Eugene Lefovre,'. bocauseV'hbAAnvished' Vto leave' her. I 'V, Lefevre '''resolved *t-fco suppress the woman hersfelf;' so 1 ' he'. shot tier and then dragged" her .body'.to'a railway line near' a counf^tta’tionr The’ body was duly’ -run' nir train, but ■ 7 l^feVTO ! s;‘CTimqt^jis - ,t ‘fc<»vA orodV and h.cv has . been?.condemned' to penal servitude for'lrfp. '.‘■'A finil c;?-o mo ijitr b’usa frhfj ■; ■- • AN AUNT'S CRIME; L-t-o •

s . il dsi w ‘ »-Jfi) r o?£i{«:i. •- ‘ ’A - shocking) tragedy .has; occunrfed at West ; Brojnwich f in' .copnectionr .with which the police have young married woman r named: cusod, called on her'-Sjater-thncli.-vyita! seen to leave carrying, ajbloed-staincfd -knife:' Her sister’s baby was : afterWords;. fpund with, its throat- cut,- and - died -'the s;ame day.,; A’ccused, in- reply,.toj the. charge, said—-“ That; is , the - knife ,-I -did-: it I did it because my brother-in-Jay -was a scamp to.xny sister.”-.lt P aeems that* on the'night before tHb‘murder, accused; had -been seen by/twormedical-nien,;- who came to the- conblutibu’ she “wits insane, and steps. wore!.'being taken iforihoi'.'fromoval to an She. had 'prefibiisly tried to baptise the. child in a bucket of water. ’ -' ' ’’ ! -

■AMEßlCAN TRADE; , Mr McKinley-lias, transmitted; to-Con? gross a. companying the; annual publication. - entitled “Tlie.Commercial Relation United States with,Foreign:. Countries.” The Presidentytakes;advantagd of.-the opportunity to express.commendation of the Consular, reports. Mr Hay in his communication' says The .practical character of .the' commercial- information obtained by. our Consuls, and the .celerity .with, .whicb. it. is given :to the ,public continue ’ to ■ excite emulation, of- .foreign Governments, and,in .the-past .year stops have been taken by' Great' Britain, and Germany ■ to: engraft' these ■'features in their Consular systems. The" general conclusion to bo drawn ■ from a. survey of the conditions 'of foreign countries as described in the’ : reports - is * that • the United States ; is approaching oven more swiftly than, has been expected -the position'of eminence in the. world's, markets, due to the superior quality and-greater cheapness of many -of its fines of manufactures, which" must work great' ecoJ nomio l changes, 1 and-may result in shifting'the centto not only -qf industrial, but , also of-' commercial- .'activity : and money power to our markets. ■ ' ■ POISONING : SWKMHEART. -. .At the. Read ihg ’Borough Police. Court,’ James' "Phelan; of 'rid ’ fixed 'residence J was charged on- Mis' own'confession with j causing 'the; death: Of ; Mary ' Curly, at ; Kinnitty, King's- County ;rr Irpland. by, poisoning hoi*.with arsenic', in .May, 1885. ■ Superiritendant jGentle- 1 then • read,, the, following it ateraent;- iaadd - \>y Hhc prisJ ‘‘t' liiW’it ofj

abode, ; but am a.’uative. of Kiniiitty, King’s (Diunty, Ireland, where till April, 1887, I resided witli-lmy-paronts, John %a jcpmpauy Viflv.-a yoiuig^girl.npmgdAuiry . ( CurX.yr, j who" Also! lived-'in HhC t amg, .foa d,', wit U iliei- mq^aqrV her for "several' years. laud begah ‘ ha yihg intercourse, withf herlatfceftpaft J ‘bh&M-, ehh^gams I’^ubli^fiSuFel 1 • ' d«j«ai ’ bottits 'of r wSich : I thH? t5 L her ;lioUsCI 'vT visittcl rfi’eroterj^day^anffshfe 1 gbuePallV time'll rVu^Cira^lTr^eidc^iH ’catty f lic aWehic .irt eiiveßip e. ] lit iSr ftbpitehnag irtiftt jtkt aftey 'poiimhg the yihe bottle, -J %rbk. my, . S Jpff£ not life. me/ !K s ajit tlenx'fa cli |imea r nf severe ahff f f oTtpiif/ed: r sK?m dio|sc-fi'%rel# &> BWn',«Shd c tWd.||v friends in Kinnitty I was going buy some- clotbes."' J jimilglit Ihat-tho ieifeSctSe E f abon^f-b?§e^ 'sk y s I^rS:uPn2d ’WKf3nft«f « amffe-w. 8 ip# T^asj 1 Tnry i^/gfu- I feftVeffDFAKftaMl wm. .y"'^fK^BS f Jfe I Ctbßnuie, ■ the J pptpnbiiwif' An s?i--.quir- "df "ns %r tliof'-feMse' .-df °aS(J 'asked; n'bplh'W’ Fkifid F'did.ldSa fed'^yn ?, her^lhh o ■r wSg-S. !ss hhi%’ l t ß fiad Kdhhfemfe ffii & Bfeise%F %oiaiSg. T Wd 'lflfrtiga; si Mag T fesr£* r fi& »<5Pn A :ddg;mh'' sthtdißla ■ AmWwM'i&Mibt’ffmvom m '&' t eV^y,£in{M' f flahoeisi7y D 3u¥irtg 0m s lSs'c &y %hihtl "■TliN'mateln ¥&- ’ ij 'Gentt*.t v Pf , r6ohdr ,itbs MriffalidbiT. o '-’ J’T' -:nT.oi vCrrormr Fainsqatoo y.BVrlrnr r*?tl iaiG. A .p-Uhqyi bsa-airotartqto vA hf> >-‘<h ni eleiKO .nrr’ft.a lo noilib-ioo TfeJ 'sa'au.rq -iloitl icett odi. d'* lir’.Cho tjbj^dofi^DivtA ! r ticbtGotelt c lsSnjes K 3d u heiof'fe hllrfvtlie •Pevt^'%adrßsw.fdt''u# ; of miitfiagc';’ 1 It^hppeared"¥Eat*/Bie!rP.etitioner married a widow namedtTlard-

man in July, 1882 J her former husband 'having Id jqtbJoay tflultel f in g vOttai nohibaLi Eliza! EhirtUit Hitrdrftgiii ,dh* respondent sinwthh pvetvbtAicake .ti-slAft’er tlieitsnasiia’gewin ipeM<4*jer lived ■.tdgethbE untilo Mrs Mills died.: tißoueitCjniarriediiiitheJintepdhiukht'etirta.t Leytohktonb£C}Mukdr,OifiJdi hiߣa!tortn<Mns thabmfiithbr heaintoJns fhtSer; §&3«oWibr, who weregpiioseiat'Sit th'e;we3!<Rng,-liacl 'the; si ightest?£idSa I bhq rehiwat 3 i uaythi )ig igporbnco. JEi»;L<iidshi|KJsiold 4*bat?.whs singular,- becnusoeaisrife’ao.'daugfi I l ipresslyustatedi intthe tables. 3n, the,Prayer EooV.'jElDcl'Cißiatdly ed.'a bxfi f ■ oipa/. oril G3ST. blJ;>BGp,.t-,oa: is;'£»>tKs>' Lvi- otJSL rd'd'*'>: iriob'tfe nhbI*bV;i • J*. r v p AV*tr »>'rj v> "33Vf‘T5' , OzE When "Mr“ Clement ’ Bcott ‘lectured* to Uip, ‘‘Q,R.” c ,Ol nb, pb Copse d .ft-h a PJ?Ht t une,m ake' k sp/rit bihiapl y n ,•>■? id p’« . ree'enit' r einafks. JETq ,denp]mped;:'t!io pR t bpihfij'.tint 'falliblb,!s-raivl‘:^hbu^,.'ioci’&ntaUj';irefer- ■ ripg 3 iQ rriDaejat^sppeqheg..,'by, 'Sir- -John .^^p,..an^i->^i• J , George AFekandqpy ;rc.sbrvecr.'.inostj.offrhis. thuoiaerbolts .for .’Mr Tree. .' t V t .j: .-O ' Ho-said* that -iii hiA rbednß remark* ilr Tree': had 1 -IhsUlted'-overyiiody ■' cbnC6rned-,' i'and, : denied "fluCt' either 'that wri t’drCbr-' he: :{str">Soobt) 'himself ■ coikld rightly 'be' ';termed"' , '-'“an eiiehiy' of'the J stagle’. u is';,ftcC‘ n:; err. e'oti asn It! ;: ‘ Mr rScptt ,! nnfeWepapbr tffitibs, ■wihb oh'-firsti nights hnve"tjt>"toiI r ih their fing-, ■■'chimpagueA twit'H" ;> fri*endst’ J ' - A ' r }'' 'A r J,, r . : * Incidentally,' Mr 7 '" Scott* righteous'-indignatfbn' at ithe'efihjbct’ 'inotiv'osof. 1 The ■ jGay C’Lr hd/Qhex’^: ahd"EMr and ■ Mrs D*aventiy; 7 * 'ahd expi’tesqed'hi* ‘hope r tthat? "£He : ' drama ! <>f” 'l^.©'” fiiliire wonldl' ,r ba’ 'nfiouid-ed 'enetljib r;r pAtfern’! of Otphkin''Wai’shair'S 1 ‘ , The'Second ih Obm!fph.fv^tgI A *rd ;^fro^;._;* V-.S C'/r >1 -- a : y ALL" ABOUT CXS.d r; -v Tlmt n -bookrm'aybe- J ail pta.kndiyet he: mbefesting is .proved *by ■ the'j' "Ga» AVerid 'Yeair-'Bcnk,’-’which' hab, just been issued;'fonlSOl;-: Ic»t r " f iifi ■‘‘'A ■ ' Eor instance,’at, tellsrnis;'thatthe sium*ber of '’gasworkk id-the TTnitbd' Kingdom ds 1614,' bf whicliiflSoSl afedin.Elnglhhd, 25S' iii iSootlanldpfand ilOSoini'UrelandL nr- Tlte’anuual output jofhgis'in Ettglnh'd ii 138!89!),107;000 .cubic ffcct,- .in'Scotland 13,317,933,000, arftbsin Ireland- 44;148,229,000 cubic-feet* making a total of 156.665,269,000 cub/e.tpet-.,- o: -" Iftthe -wTiole 7 quantity, were 1 'coal■ 'ga* it ■wtnild 1 represent .about-li>,500y00(l - ton» of-cdal,. but as the: latest Parliamentary returns ; to"'gasworks' showman annual.malce r of.lo,ooo,ooo,ooo cubit.feet of carburetted water. 1 gas,;in; the manu;!wWoEt.boke;‘»i]i;’JirLdi/steam are used; the fp'uantityi bf coal -carbbn- < .isedvmay baotakHn’isbrabo-nti 14:600,000 .tocos* 1 ;or. about .onc^fifteenth. of < the -total .amraal. cpal_.aatpnt.pf tfab'.oountry..^ • • The total' numbbr,;of :; gas', > ponsnmer« ujf diirihg thb yeb.f ; frpn£ 3*610,912‘t0'~3,879,439f 1 Ih ; this connection it ■ is note the 'rbmarkablfe-in- . preas© "in thel adoption- of the 1 penny-in- ■ thbr'slot ■meter, -for' i; whilfe fho-iitimber 1 of . ordinary conSirmers" has- gone -np only 3- per cpnt-s.tho ipcrbase’'in slo't'csnistim.ers> -has-, been almost “20 -per !oent.-Afro m * 030,000- t0 1 ''785,264.',- '’TJhe-'nuiuber of booking''-feObves in £ is given 'ah 837*323. : As regards street lighting* it'-if’shown that fully 15 per cent, of the puhlie -, lamps' ixC the; ciountxyahßinovc fitted with incandescent. bttmefs.,;i;. v.-vt .w:; 'i Mitt i-s nt-T m ?s^7wfT ! ~ ra l^ 1 \t. i