LATE MAIL NEWS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 9544, 11 November 1892, Page 2

LATE MAIL NEWS.

Sir Uexuy Brougham Loch, in a letter to The Times of Sept. 27th, traversed the statement of the biographers of Sir George Grey that the diversion to India of the force on its way to China, at the timo of the Mutiny in 1857, was due to Sir George, then Governor of the Capo Colony. Sir Henry Loch gives a detailed account o£ the movement of Lord Elgin's special mission in tlmt year— and as tho present Governor of tho Capo Colony was n member of that mission, he wn? in a position to know -which leaves no doubt that not Sir Georgo Grey, but Lord Elgin, was ro pons.blu for the aot which " probably saved ladia," to quote Lord Malmesbuiy. Lord Elgin at llong Kong recei-od despatches of un alarming character from Lord Canning, and iiiimediately started with troops for Calcutta, where ho " transferred the whole of the China Expeditionary Force to thojßovornincnt of India" Without desiring to detract from the merits due to any action taken by Sir George Grey, his successor at Capo Town is properly "auxious to give credit whore credit is due.

Tho Ljcenm Theatre was re-Opened on Sept. 24 with "The Hells" Mr.- Irving made the customary impression qh Matthius. At the conch'siou of tho play Mr. Irving announced that Miss Ellen Terry would re appear in " Henry tho Eighth,"' and that ho hoped to produce " King Lear" in four or livo weeks time. They have male chambermaids in some of the Cairo hotels, so a contemporary avers. A newly married lady visitor on ringing for the chambermaid was surprised at a well dressed Frenchman, with tho air of a rclited and educated gentleman, presenticg himself in"licr room. Supposing him to be the propi ietor, hlio suit!. '' I wish to see tho chambermaid;" to which he replied in li'ib bust English, '' Madame, sheam I.'"

In Franco every regiment has its library, the charge of which U entrusted to some old non-com , often hlronger in drill than in litcialure. Thus, the other d.iy, a lieutenant sent his bervant for the ninth volume of LuroutWs Dictionary (letleirt H, I, J, X). The tcrvant soon returned with the liist volume. "That is not what I asko i for, ' siiid the ellicer. " Thufs so, sit," replied the servant, " but tho sergeant sa^s ho can't give cut tho ninth volume bofore the iKst eigWt. When you have dono with this lio'll let you have t c others in older."