THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1894.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9983, 27 February 1894, Page 2

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1894.

Is the "Fortnightly Review for January may bo found a striking article entitled "The Triple Alliance in Danger: A Warning to England," by Mr E. B. Lasts', whose trenchant attacks upon Russian methods of government have attracted periodical attention, though the name under which he writes is understood to be a pseudonym. The article is pessimistic enough from an English point of view, but pessimism is not always necessarily false, and a careless optimism has too often been the curse of England's foreign policy. Mr Laxkt starts from the premiss that " the European hegemony " — i.e.; the preponderant influence—" has definitively passed from the Triple Alliance to Prance and Russia, and the League of Peace has suffered a severe shock which, unless it receive an infusion of new vigour from without, bids fair to put a speedy end to its existence." Italy is helpless, with exhausted resources, injured credit, disorganised army and navy, and in danger of national bankruptcy. We cannot detail the facts which Mr Lasts' advances in justification of this assertion : suffice it to say that some of them are startling. The value of Italy's friendship to Germany and Austria is trifling, and she is reported to be willing to withdraw from the Alliance. Austria is going in for electoral reform —a step towards that universal suffrage which, according to Mr Lasts1, inevitably means the dissolution of the Triple Alliance, of which the only unswerving supporters are the Emperor and the Hungarian people.' Germany's financial affairs are in a bad way, and her " domestic concerns are numerous and serious enough to absorb all the energies of her present rulers." In short, the hegemony of Europe has passed to France and Russia. As a result of this phenomenon, England, according to the monitor of the " Fortnightly," stands in danger of being sacrificed. She is regarded by the three Powers of the Alliance with feelings far from friendly. They have no motive for gratitude. "The Triple Alliance has excellent grounds for sacrificing British interests to the voracious appetites of France and Russia; and France and Russia possess the strongest motives for accepting the offering with provisional gratitude. None of the parties lose, all of them gain something, and peace is preserved by the transaction." It is the policy which Bismarck has been urging in his journalistic capacity this long time. The blessings of peace, says the ex-Chancellor, will be cheap at t7ie price of the colonial interests of a nation " who rejects our advances and proudly undertakes to hold her own alone against the world." Mr Laxix has " high authority" for affirming that this scheme of a European coalition against Great Britain is no mere journalistic dream, but is engaging the attention of statesmen " with whom conception and execution are removed from each other only by the space of time needed for the selection of ways and means." In consequence of this state of matters, England must make an immediate bid for the friendship of the Triple Alliance. Russia is England's one formidable enemy, and the; goal of Russia's ambition is India,. According to Mr Lasix —and ho adduces some suggestive facts —it is an utter mistake to suppose that Russia is thinking more about Europe than about India, and England can do nothing against her alone. Let England capture or sink every Russian ship in the Black Sea and the Baltic ; let her burn Riga, bombard Odessa, ruin Reval, raze Nicolaieft, wipe out Vladivostok, and annex Sakhalien—" what would it all avail us ? Absolutely nothing. Russia would shake off the effects of these reverses as a duck shakes water-drops from its back 'and go on its way blithely aa before " —the main fact being that the final issue must be settled by the respective strength of the land fortes of Russia and England, Mr Lanin believes that an immediate adherence to the Triple Allianco would save England from the present danger and reanimate the Alliance itself. He holds that a bargain could be made after the following fashion: England would strengthen her navy, would undertake, in case of hostilities, tq protect the coast of Italy, to command the Black Sea, blockade Odessa, and, _if Turkey were fighting in alliance with Russia, provisionally occupy Constantinople. She might also give Italy a helping hand in the matter of finance. In return "we should receive, in addition to the negative advantage represented by the diminution of the number of our enemies from five or four to two, the energetic support of our allies in all diplomatic disputes between us and France or Russia, and after a successful campaign, such solid guarantees against future aggression as the dismemberment of Russia would afford, and therefore time and scope for the

development of the Empire." It seems a large order, but Mr Lanix develops his argument with much earnestness and wealth of illustration, and we can at least recommend our readers to study for themselves a most interesting and suggestive article. For we have attempted to give little more than a skeleton of this "Warning to England." s

Dr Stuabt lias a happy knack of saying the right thing, and the letter from him which was read at the meeting of the Technical Classes Association on Priday night was no exception to the rule. Referring to the educational institutions of Dunedin, the reverend doctor wrote: " The Technical Association has in its

ilace an importance equal to any of hem. It is fortunate in its directory,

the ability of its staff, and the wisdom with, which it prosecutes its noble aims.'-'

We have no hesitation in heartily confirming this verdict, and in congratulating the association upon the steady progress which it is able to show year by year. The annual report, which has been published in our columns, shows that last year's record was a thoroughly satisfactory one. Not only did 390 students avail themselves of- the advantages afforded by the association, but the number and value of those advantages were materially increased. First and foremost, the committee succeeded in obtaining a suitable domicile for the classes, thus removing a drawback which had hampered the work of the association from the inception. Then valuable and much needed plant was purchased, including apparatus for the chemical, physical, and engineering classes, and a large number of typewriters. The coming session will show a further increase of usefulness, as during the recess an excellent workshop for wood and metal turning has been erected, and arrangements have been made for the formation of a class for carpenters' apprentices, in which these youths will be grounded in the technique of their trade. At the meeting on Friday night Sir N. y. A. "Waives noted the unfortunate fact that apprentices nowadays do not get the same amount of attention and the same opportunities of learning a complete trade that existed in days gone by; and thero can be no doubt, as the Hon. "W. D. Stewaet observed, that the "specialisation of function," which characterises the present age, tends to produce tradesmen possessing, not a general knowledge of a business, but only a knowledge of a particular branch. It may be possible for the Technical Classes Association to do an important work in counteracting this tendency to half knowledge. We cordially join tho committee's expression of hope that " employers will co-operate with the association in securing tho attendance of their apprentices at these classes, which are designed to meet a recognised want in the training of our young artisans and mechanics." Mr Wales suggests that masters are not wholly blameless in regard to the present condition of apprentices, and certainly the least they can do is to give their young employees every facility and encouragement in regard to the opportunities offered by the technical classes. Wo are glad to note that the financial condition of the association is thoroughly satisfactory, and that there is a handsome balance of .£217, despite the heavy expenditure incurred during the past year. Mr Buet, the energetic president of the association, intimated that further fitting up of the metal workshop would be taken in hand, and the next project is to be tho acquisition of an engineering workshop. It will thus be seen that friends of the work must not relax their efforts or discontinue their financial support in tho idea that all things necessary have been accomplished. The association is determined, says Mr EraiT, not to get into debt, and a continuance of public support is a vital condition of continued usefulness. Certainly, it would be difficult to find a more worthy object of public interest and munificence.

MrPaulin forwarded us the following forecast last night:—"Strong S.W. winds and cold some rain showers, and barometer rising."

The Department of Agriculture has issued a circular to inspectors of stock intimating that hides from Australia are to be admitted to the colony without restrictions till further notice— a subject we dealt with in our leadiDg columns on Saturday.

Mr Murray, the Victorian geologist, with Mr Gordon (inspector of mines) and Mr M'Eay (assistant geologist), arrived from tho north last night. They will leave for Lawrence this afternoon, accompanied by Mr W. Fraser, M.H.R. It is at present proposed that tho Island Block workings will be visited tomorrow, and that the party will then proceed to Roxburgh. On tho following day they will proceed to Cromwell, whence they will visit Bannockburn and Bendigo. They will proceed on Sunday to the Arrow, via Cardrona; on this day week they will visit Macetown ; and on the 7th prox. they will go to Skippers, spending a day there, and returning to Qucenstowjn on Friday week.

Mr R. Wilson, J.P., presided at the Police Court yesterday, when a first offender was convicted of drunkenness and discharged. Subsequently the^Bench was occupied by E. H. Carew, R.M., when an order was made by conBent against Henry Johnson for tho payment of £2 per month towards tho support of his wife, Margaret Johnson, and £3 per month towards the support of his three children. Mr J. F. M. Fraser appeared for the applicant.

The local representative of the dairy branch of the Department of Agriculture has instituted proceedings against several exporters of produce for alleged infractions of the branding provisions of "The Dairy Industry Act 1892.'' The cases will be heard on Thursday next.

A Japanese " Jaek-the-Ripper" has been brought to justice. His name is Kobayashi Mitauya. At his trial it was stated that he went to Mayebashi about the middle of last year, took up his abode in a cheap lodginghouse, and prowled about the streets, sometimes as a shampooer, sometimes as an itinerant priest, and sometimes again as a deaf-mute beggar. In these disguises he became acquainted with the interiors of several houses, into which he broke at night. Not consent with mere thieviDg, he began to "strangle women in lonely places, and mutilato them. The cases proved against him were three; but the murdered women found about the sceno of his operations were greatly in oxcess of this number, and led the authorities to the belief that Kobayashi had accomplices. He has been executed.

In an interesting account of the late Lord Crewe, the World says that while at Eton, nearly 70 years ago, his norvons system received a terrible shock when he was still a minor, by his tutor committing suicide in his presence while on a Continental tour, from which he never entirely recovered, and to which much of his subsequent eccentricity was attributed. He was accustomed to wear clothes of a peculiar old-fashioned cut and colour, and generally went everywhere with three orchids carelessly arranged in the same number of buttonholes. His orchid-houses and vineries were among the finest in England, but he used to distribute almost the whole of the contents of the latter among the poor clergy of the neighbourhood. His income was over £35,000 a year, and his private charities enormous. When Crewe Hall was burning some years ago, Lord Crewe ordered a table to be placed on the lawn, and, calling for ink and a telegraph form, wrote the following message to Mr Street, R.A.:—"Dear Street,—Crewo is burning. Come and build it up again."

Religious, charitable, and educational institutions in Great Britain benefit to the extent of more than £1,400,000 under the wills of persons deceased during 1893. Last year such bequests amounted to £800,000 only, iv 1890 about £1,200,000, and about a million in each of the three previous years. The largest charitable bequests are £300,000 by Baroness Forester for a cottage hospital and a seaside convalescent home; £226,000 by Rev. James Spurrell, Brighton, to the Church Missionary Society and other Anglican institutions and hospitals at London and Brighton, and about £12,500 to the London City Mission; £150,000 by Mr Henry Spicer, of Brighton and London, left between six hospitals. Mr John Horuiman, tea merchant, left £89,000, and Sir William M'Kinnon £60,000, in charitable bequests. The largest personalties were Sir Andrew Barclay Walker's £2,874,100, made out of brewing; the Earl of Derby's £1,802,200 ; and the £742,800 left by another grower, Mr Richard Vaughan, of Bath,

The Howe-Spong Dramatic Company gave another performance of the drama " The Grip of Iron" at tho Princess Theatre last night. There was a'good attendance. The piece was gone through in an entirely satisfactory manner, and the acting of the principals was fully up to the high standard previously exhibited by them during the season. The staging of the piece also deserves a word of praise. The production of the play as a Whole met with due recognition at the hands of the audience. " l^he Grip of Iron " will be staged again this evening for the last time. On Wednesday "Stolen Kisses" will be staged. On Friday, under the patronage of the Shakespeare Club, "As You Like It," in which Miss Spong ia said to be at her best, will be produced. There was a good attendance at the circus last evening, when the programme presented on Saturday night was again gone through. The various tricks and feats wers thoroughly appreciated, and the efforts of the performers were liberally applauded. The season will be brought to a close this evening, when a well-deserved benefit will be tendered to Mr Hayes. An entire change of programme will be made for the occasion. Amongst the numerous offers of assistance which were received for Miss Rose Blaney's benefit concert was one from Mr E. Jones, tho leading baritone of Timaru, who comes to represent the amateurs of that toWD, all of whom are anxious to see the concert a success. The secretary, Mr W. Manson, reports that there is a great run on the tickets, and a crowded house may be looked for. ♦ The annual meeting of the Eeaervea Conservation Society will be held to-morrow afternoon ia the Town Hall. Mdlle. de Salamos has resumed teaching French and German. Messra Eaam and Arthur will sell, ftt Auckland, on the 20th March, the Waikato Coal Company a mine, plant, machinery, &c. ; also, 11,691 acres of land in 14 lots. ~ Messrs Strouach Brothers and Morns will sell, at Mataura, on the Bth March, sheep from various estates. The Mutual Agency Company will sell, at Palmerston, on Tuesday, 6th prox., over 78 acres on the Horse Range, part of which is gold-bearing. The Education Board's Training College will be reopened on Thursday. . , The annual meeting of the Outram Societies Hall Company will be held on Saturday next. Mr Peter M'Naught will give a second lecture to-morrow evening in the Choral Hall on the " New Australia Co-operative Settlement Association." Consult Peter Dick, the most reliable Watchmaker, Moray place, Dunedin (opposite Coffee Palace). Watches cleaned, 63; mainsprings, 4s 6d.-[ADVT.] G. and T. Youno, S3 Princes street, are now selling Taylor's first quality Bowling Green Bowls at 19s; extra quality, 22s 6d a pair. G. and T. Young havo an efficient staff of watchmakers and jewellers. Repairs a specialty; moderate prices. Advt.] Messrs A. and J. M'FiIiLANE beg to call attention to their advertisement over the leader. Any orders entrusted to them will receivo tho best attention.-r[ADVT.] John Hislop, AVatchmaker and Jeweller, 74 ' Princes Btreet. The oldest established house in town. Repairs of all kinds. Good assortment Watches, Clocks, and Jewellery. Spectacles to suit all sights.—[Advi.] " In cheat affections yoiir sodawater, when combined with milk, contains more nutriment than beef tea." — Dunedin Practitioner to Messrß Thomson and Co.—[Advt.] llowden and Walton will soil by auction on Friday, March 2, at 2.30 p.m., for the executors of the late A. C. Strode, a valuable freehold section in George street, Dunedin, held under lease, returning £238 5a per annum; also a valuable freehold section in Cumberland street, Dunedin, nearly opposite M'Leod's soap factory, on behalf of the same vendors.—[Advt.J