The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 1884.

Timaru Herald, Volume XL, Issue 2944, 29 February 1884, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 1884.

The appointment of General Gordon to the supreme control of affairs m the Soudan appears to have come about by a mere accident. When tbo news of the destruction of Hicks Pasha's army by the Mahdi reucbed England, General Gordon was m Syria, but he returned shortly afterwards to England to complete his arrangements for fulfilling: an engagement he bad made with t' c Kiug of Belgium for conducting an important expedition to the Congo under the Belgian flag. On his arrival, he found intense excitement prevailing m London concerning the situation m Egypt. There seems to be no doubt that not only the public, but the Government, were utterly bewildered to know what ought to be done. The whole question, m fact, waß m a state, of profound confusion. General Gordon, however, was entirely absorbed m his own businesii, which was perplexing enough. Having communicated to the Government the nature of his engagement with the King of Belgium, and his intention, to start for the Congo immediately, he found his plans complicated by the refusal of the Horae Guavdsto grant him the necessary leave of absence. This was merely carrying; out some red-tape regulation ; but all General Gordon's efforts failed to influence the decision of the officials. In this trouble, there was but one course open to him. He felt bound m honor to keep his word to the King Df Belgium, who had already made ;xtensive preparations on the strength )f bis undertaking to lead the expedition to the Congo. He, therefore, resigned hie commission m the British army, with all the emoluments md the brilliant prospects attaching to t. Thus, by a stupid pieco of departnental obstinacy, Great Britain came vithin an ace of losing the services of be ablest and most distinguished officer, n some respects, that sho possesses. General Gordon, was actually ou his 'ay to the Congo, when the proprietors I the Pall Mall Gazette sent a ropreentative of tbut paper to him to uolioit rom him an expression of his views n tho Egyptian question. Very an'illingly Genonil Gordon consented, nd the remit was the publication

5n the following day of a most interesting and important document, consisting af verbatim notes of this interview, which lusted two hours. General Gordon condemned m the strongest manner the proposed evacuation of the Soudun. He said it would lie tantamount to condemning all the garrisons, and loyal people m that country to certain death, and that it would probably lead to a revolution m Egypt, and might have even more disastrous consequences. He declared that there was really no difficulty m dealing with the Malidi, pacifying the Soudan, and establishing good government throughout Egypt, if only a bold and comprehensive policy were adopted. He showed himself emphatically a man of action and of large ideas. He recommended that Sir Samuel Baker should be made Governor-General of the Soudan with absolute powers, with, two millions sterling at his disposal, and with bis brother, Baker Pasba, as Commander-in-Chief; that Mr W. E. Forster — the celebrated ce-Secretary of State for Ireland — or some other man of equal standing and similar character, should be placed at the head of civil affairs m Egypt, with Nubar Pasha as chief Minister of the Khedive ; thut Kordofan should be abandoned to the Mahdi ; and that no immediate emancipation of the slaves should be attempted. The immediate result of the publication of this statement of General Gordon's views was a wide and loud demand from the English Press for the employment of Gordon himself m the execution of bis own policy. The Pall Mall Gazette urged this course m the following energetic passage, at the conclusion of a very able article on the Soudan question : — " There is only one thing that we can do. Wo cannot fiend a regiment to Khartoum, but vte can send a man who on more than one occasion has proved himself more valuable m similar circumstances than an entire army. Why not send Chinese Gordon with full powers to Khartoum, to assume absolute control of the territory, to treat with the Mahdi, to relieve the garrisons, and do what can be done to save what can be saved from the wreck of the Soudan ? There i 3 no necessity to speak of the pre-eminent qualifications which he possesses for the work. They are notorious, and are as undisputed as they are indioputable. His engagement on the Congo could surely be postponed. No one can deny the urgent need m the midst of that hideous welter of confusion for the presence of such a man, with a born genius for command, an unexampled capacity m organizing ' ever-victorious armies,' and a perfect knowledge of the Soudan and its people. Why not send him out with carte blanche to do the best that can be done ? He may not be able single-handed to reduce that raging cbaos to order, but the attempt is worth making, and if it m to be made it will have to be made iit once. For before many days General Gordon will have left for the Congo, and the supreme opportunity may have passed by." The fores of public opinion thus created, was more than the Government could resist. Communications were speedily made to General Gordon, m consequence of which the Belgian expedition to the Congo was postponed, with the consent of the King, and General Gordon, presumably reinstated m his rank m the army, set out for Khartoum invested with unlimited powers as Governor-General, and furnished with £50,000 m gold, the first instalment, we suppose, of the £2,000,000 which he hfid estimated as the cost of relieving the garrisons, quelling the rebellion, and regaining the mastery of Upper Egypt. Hia success up to the present time ha 6 fully justified the confidence reposed m him by his country. We are sorry to see that Sir Henry P;irkes has been writing a pack of nonsense m the Nineteenth Ccnlunj, about Federation. When somebody at Home who knows nothing about the colonies, displays his ignorance m print, we only laugh at his blunders. When somebody from the colonies ;uts his emptiness m the English papers, we only admire his impudence. Bat when v man like Sir Henry Parkes, who really does understand colonial affairs, deliberately writes a.n article m a leading magazine, which no colonist can read without feeling ashamed, we cannot but wonder what there is m this Federation question which seems to steal away the brains of every one who take 3 a fancy to it. Sir Henry Parkes' particular nostrum of Federation is that the Australian colonies should henceforward be called the " British States of Australia ;" that a Federal Council, representing the several "States" on some principle which Sir Henry Parkes does not pretend to define, should be established m London ; and finally, that from time to time a fair proportion of wealthy and proini< nent colonists should bo elevated to tbo House of Lords. By these meaas, he contends, the colonies would be more identified with England than they are at present, and the severance of the colonies from the Empire, — which, he Bays, would otherwise probably take place within the next generation — would be prevented. Wbat a set of wretched snobs and fools the British public must (like the colonists to be, when they read such stuff regarding them, written hy a man who has for years been ticknowledged as the foremost among colonial statesmen ! We should say [.ho conclusion the British public would xnno to, is that if the loyalty of the jolonies is only to be secured by sailing them fine namen, flattering them md pampering them by giving their •epreaentatives a eorl; of diplomatic itatiiH m London, and conferring titles >n tbeir vulyaires riclies, the sooner they :ast themselves adrift and go to the levil their own way the better. Bat what astonishes us most of all is :hat it never appears to occur to any )f these magazine writers on Federaion, to enquire whether there ia really i .ny necessity for anything of the sort, « irhether the coloniatß themaetvoH — the 1 icople who are most concernec'l — care a ° iraas farthing about it, or whether it i rould not be better for tho magazine i eaders, for the Empinj, for tho colonies, I or the world at large, if this torrent y . I eternal bosh were Btayod, and the d 'ederation qnestion wore allowed to die h natural death. ( il

New Juiiticks o? the Peach.— A Wei- h lington telegram this morning states that Mr si Alpheus Hayes, of Waimate, and Mr William fi Barker Howell, of Totara Valley, have been a guzctted Juiitiees of the Peace. fi Resident Magis'.cbate's Court, Timabc 3 — At this Court yesturday, before 1. Beswick, n Esq., R.JI., a first offender for being drunk li and disorderly was fined ss. Richard Hughes, a charged with furiois driving m the Main 1 Koad on Sunday, this 10th ult., was fined 10s i and costs. Mr Lyr.ch appeared for the do- I fendnnt. c The Nor'-westi:e. — The nor'-wester of 1 Tuesday night bleir very strongly m the c neighborhood of Gomldino. Fruit trees suf- i ferud considerably, uid forest trees also were t a good deal knocked about. The shower m ( the early morning was also very heavy there. Colonial Defence. — Major Cautley, the t officer who is engaged m inspecting strategic j points m the colony, and advising the Govern- i inent as to defensive operations, was a passenger by the express train from the north yesterday. We are not awaro whether the Government contemplate fortifying Timaru, or whether Major Cautley was morely passing through to some more important military point. The Mackay Cask. — A special sitting of the Resident Magi jtrate's Court was held at Geraldine yesterday, to deal with Iho charges of embezzlement against Joseph Mackay, late a Government insurance agent. A report of the procaedings is given m another column. The charges were not gone into a remand being asked for by accused's counsel. After a discussion lasting about an hour, the Bench granted a remand till tan o'clock on Saturday (to-mori-ow) morning. A good deal of interest was nanifested m the case, and the little Court-room was crowded. The Harvest. — The crops m all directions have ripemjd rapidly during the last week, and m a very short time, if the weather holds good, there ought to be little left standing on the plains. Yesterday stacking was being busily carried on, as well as cutting. This shows that the north-west winds that have blown since, have dried the stooks so thoroughly wettiid by the rain of Saturday and Sunday. Low grounds are still rather soft, however, and this will delay operations m such places. Resident Magistrate's Court, Waimatb. — At this Court yesterday, before J. Manchester, W. J. Steward and G. C. Stacpoole, Esqs., J.P.'e, Hichard Day was summoned by the Police for a breach of the Borough By-law by driving a carriage for hire m the Borough without having a driver's license from the Borough Council. Defendant pleaded guilty, but said ho was ignorant of the law. He was m the employment of James Vining whon driving. A fine of 2s 6d was inflicted. There was only one civil case, which the Clerk informed the Bench had been settled out of Court. Valiant Bihds. — An amusing example of the boldness displayed by birds m the protection of their young was soen by the passengeni on the Winchester-Cteraldine coach one dtvy this summer. A lark was observed behaving strangely, rising into the air and swooping down like a hawk up on some moving object. This was hidden from view by long grass fora time, but presently it reached an open spa.cc and was then seen to be a hare, and its movements suggested that it was really afraid of the little binl's attack. Ic. tho same paddock n year or two ago, a fuU grown dog was seen to turn tail to a swamp hen, which followed the dog with short quick rushes and loud screams, and fairly drove him out of the paddock. It is needless to say the dog went alono into tho field. Singular Equestrian Peat. — An odd incident occurred on Tuesday at the Pareora, whero sundry sorious accidents have recently occurred, owing to the approach to the bridge having been washed away and not repaired. Mr Armitage having had a horse drowned and a buggy destroyed m the morning, Messrs Brown and Burnley got capsized nnd nearly drowned later m the day. They only escaped by a narrow Bqueak, and eventually rescued their buggy and horse. The horse, however, had managed to divest. itself entirely of its harness m its struggles. Hore was a fix — two soak-d, half-drowned travellers with a trap, and a horse, but no harness. Necessity m the mother of resources. They pulled Mr Armitage's dt nd horse out of the river, where it lay lower down, took the harness off it, fixed it up as best they could, put it on their own horse, nnd drove safely home to the Otaio. Perhaps when a momber of the Road Board has been drowned, cr driven to such, shifts as this, steps will be taken for repairing tho approach to the bridge. Tkmpbrascb Meeting at Waimatb. — Tho fortnightly meeting of the Waimate branch of <;he Blue Ribbon Temperance Mission was held od tho 26th instant. Mr Goldsmith presided. There were about 200 persons present. Recitations were well given by Masters 0. and G. Dash and R. Clayton. On being called on, Messrs Thomas Shearer, C. Champiri, Clemo and D. R. Buckingham, addressed the meeting, giving instances of their respective experiences and observations of tho effects of using strong drink and abstaining therefrom, and vigorously advocating the legal suppression of the traffic m intoxicants. Mr D. Hutton m addressing tho meeting dwi'lt upon the advantages offored by the Rechabito Order as a benefit society, and strongly urged its claims upon the audience. Several tomporanco melodies and hymns wore sung by tho mooting, ami at tho request of theChairman several members of the Salvation Army joinocl m singing one of their hymns. At the closo of the meeting a collection was made. Temperance tracfci were distributed, and twonty persons, about half of whom wero adults, signod the plodge. Curious Experiments. — If a wafer be laid on a surface of polished metal, which is then breathed upon, and it", when the moisture of the breuth is evaporated, tho wafer bo shaken off, wo shall find that tho whole polished surface is not as it was before, although our senses can dotect no difference ; for, if wo broatho again upon it, tho surfaco will be moiet everywhere except on tho spot previously sheltered by the wafer, which will now appear us a spectral imago on the surface. Again and ugain wo breathe, and tho moisture evftporates, but still tho spectral wafer reappears. This experiment succeeds after a lapse of many months, if tho metal be carefully put a ride whero its surfaco cannot be dietnrbed. If a sheet of paper, on which a koy has been laid, bo oxposod for some minutes to tho Biinjhino, and then instantaneously J viewed m tho dark, tho key being removed, a fading spectre of tho koy will bo visible. < Paper Pipes. — Pipes for convoying water and gas aro now being made by passing an endless strip of hemp paper, tho width of i which equals tho length of the tube, through a bath of melted asphalto, and thon rolling it tijrhtly and nmoothly on p. coro to give the required diameter. When tho number of layers thus rolled is sufficient to afford the desirod : thickness, tho tube is strongly comprossod, tho outsido sprinkled with fine sand, and the ■ whole cooled m wator. Whon cold, tho core is drawn out and (.ho inside served with a watorproofing composition. In addition to being absolutely tight and smooth, and much nhoaper than iron, thoso pipes, it is claimed, havo great strength ; for, whon tho sides are scarcely throa-flfths of an inch thick, thoy will withstand a prejsuro of more than fifteen atmospheres. It' buried underground they will not bo broken by sottlemont nor when violently shaken or jarrod. Tho miterinl being a bad conductor tho pipos do not readily freeze English Girls. — Tho London Daily Telegraph nays : — English girls havo a hotter chanco of exorcising their muscles now than orer thoy had before, and tho prudont friends of physical education will tako caro to keep a healthy inovoraont from sliding into tho region of fads. Twonty years ago tho buck-bonding pastime of' croquet sufficed to tho needs of match-making mammas and of thoir daughters anxious to disport themsetvos m tho open at a minimum expense of bodily oxertion. Nowadays young women jf tho upjier and middlo classes go m for real oxoreiao. They w&lk, drive, ride, row uid bandy tho ball across tho net all tho flno weather lung, from da.vn to twilight, and itimo of them fish and shoot as woll. On »arm afternoons the upper roachoß of tho rhamcß show girl " fours " pulling together r> good form, and many a young English o.dy goos straight to hounds and i« up til!) tho boat of tho hunt at tho finish. 11l this :s as it; should hhao — a rosult of bmostio entorpriso and pluck — nnd pronbly no bottor result would be effected f the spirts of tho Sold fonaed an item

n the curriculum of fashionable finishing 8 ichools for the daughters of well-to-do r 'amilies. Girls ought to exercise their limbs is well as boys, and may easily do so without }, fuss or unnecessary publicity m that direction. B Ihe Englishman abroad is almost as often as not accompanied by his wife, his sisters,, or f liis daughters, not to mention his "cousins, and his aunts," and that those ladies do not • hesitate to take plenty of pedestrian exercise is attested by the condition of their shoes and boots standing sentinel outside tho bedroom ( door 3 of countless Continental hotels. If Mrs Fonwick Miller, who says that there are " many hardships m the lives of women which girls should have strength developed to encounter," pleads m behalf of the ladies of China or of the United States of America — the latter of whom are credited with using ( the cars whenever they desire to cross a road — • | she might have depended upon our sympathy | and applause. It will seem, howerer, to the j great majority of the public, that her flaccid, bilious, venerated English girls are mere j creatures of the imagination. They are not among those to be found during the autumn at the seaside, walking briskly along the sands after the morning dip, with their long hair ' streaming behind them, like so many ruddy ' mermaids. V The Finest Fibhing-gbound m thb World. — The North Sea or German Ocean is the finest fishing ground m the world. It has been fished for hundreds of years, by the Danes and Norwegians, the French, Netherlanders, and Germans, as well as by the Scotch and English j yet it still abounds m the finest fish, and seems to yield an inexhaustible supply. This vast area is one great flshing.ground, 400 miles m width and of much greater length, every part of it, at some time of the yeai 1 , yielding fish of some description m great abundance. The physical geography of the North Sea is very remarkable m character. Within a line drawn from the extreme north coast of Scotland, to the northern extremity of the peninsula of Jutland and extending to the Straits of Dover, is an immense plateau of sand, mud, clay, gravel, and silt, with no great depth of water on it anywhere, not more than fifty fathoms m the deepest part, until a point, is reached about forty miles from the coast oE Norway, extending along its whole length. At this line the plateau ends by forming a steep cliff. Between this and the rock-bound coast of Norway there is a deep chasm, soundings not having been obtained m 200 fathoms of water. The surface of this vast sea-bed is undulating, and it is on the elevated portions of it, which form the banks or fishing-grounds, that the great business of trawl-fishing is carried on. Not only is the bed of the North Sea a breeding and feeding ground for the finest and most valuable fish brought i-o table, but it also offers facilities for catching it, rarely found over large areas elsewhere ; for over its whole surface the bottom m com paratively free from rocks, broken or foul ground, which would obstruct the fisherman m tho operation of trawling, and the water generally is so shallow that the tackle he uses need not be of inconvenient dimensions. A Remarkable South American Railboas. — There is m South America a remarkable railroad, which was originally intended to connect the Peruvian sea-coast with the headwaters of the Amazon and establish communication with tho rich silver mines of Cerro de Pasca, but only 86J miles have been completed, and the object is still some hundred miles from attainment. The work already accomplished is by far the most difficult, and during the four and a half years it took to build it many thousands of people lost their lives. The difficulties may be imagined when it is known that forty tunnels occur m as many miles, and the highest elevation is Chicla, about 12,220 feet above sea level. The longest tunnel is fiOO feet, and m one place the road zigzags up the mountain for two miles to reach an elevation of 700 feet. In some places the traveller can see three lines of road, one above the other. The bridges, m some cases spanning almost fathomless abysses and m others skirting precipices towering to great heights, are built mostly of iron, one of them being 575 feet long and 252 feet high at its centre. The road is well built, but m some places is unprotected -from land-slides. On the up trip the speed averages about three and a half minutes to the mile, but on coming down the rate is very rapid, and steam is only used on the brakes. The Jobdan Valley Canal — It has jusl. been announced that the Sultan of Turkey has granted permission for the construction of the Jordan Valley canal. The proposal m to make a canal, 25 miles m length, from Haifa, m the Bay of Acre, through the plain of Asdraelon to the Valley of the Kivo? Jordan. This canal is to bo 200 feet -(rido and 40 feet deep. This will bring the Mediterranean into the heart of Palestine. In order that the waters of the Dead Sea may bo made to mingle with those of the Red Sea, it is proposed to cut a canal 20 miles m length from the head of the Gulf of Akabah to the Dead Sea. If these thing 3 wero successfully performed, it is expected that an inland sea about 200 miles long, varying m width from three to ten miles, and deep enough to float vessels of the largest size, would extend from tho Mediterranean to tho Red Sea. Referring to the objections which may be made on the grounds of tho sacred associations of Palestine, a writer says : — " It is possible that the new enterprij-e may bo proved, to tho satisfaction of maDy devout men and women, to be the fulfilment of the prophecy of Ezekiel to the effect thut there is to be a broad sea m the desert, and that ' the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto En-oglaim.' " A Lovely Chaflet.— A late fashion report says: — "Nothing can bo prettier than a ohaplot of hop vines m blossom." A recent medical review says: — "Nothing can boa better renovator of the health than Hop Bitters. They aid m all the operations of naturo ; toning up the stomach, assisting the food to beoomo properly assimilated, and promote healthy action m all tho organs. The dictates of fashion, as well as the laws of health, aliko favor a right application of hops." Road.— (Advt.) MOTHERS Don't Know. — How many children are punished for being uncouth, wilf ll or indifferent to instructions or reward simply beaause they are out of health ! An intelligent lady said of a eh .Id of this kind, " Mother don't know that she should pivo the little ono moderate doses of Hop Bitbors for two or three weeks, and tho child would bo all a paro.it oonld desire." Look for. — (Advt.) SYNOPSIS OF NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. Wm. Collina and Co. — Hold regular wccl;ly market and auction 10-morrow, at their Rooms, at 1 o'clock. R. Turnbull and Son-Soil furniture, clothliif?, produce, &c., to-morrow. K. F. Gray, Te.nuka-Solls wheat and barley tills day. Tcrmika Road Board — Invite tenders for read works. Wm. Storey, Tailor, Tomukii— Business announcement. D. Inwood-Notlce re Wlnchaiter Flour Mills. Lost— Two notices. Wanted— Ono notlco.