The Star. FRIDAY, NOV. 29, 1895. To-Day

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5426, 29 November 1895, Page 2

The Star. FRIDAY, NOV. 29, 1895. To-Day

_ ♦ "Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast," we have all been taught, but apparently it has not the slightest effect in allaying angry passions; and it aeeme unfortunately to be the case that many of those who devote themselves to this arb cannot help being " pernioketty." The meeting that was held last night in connection with the projected musical festival constitutes an unhappy illustration. The trouble all arises out of professional jealousy, accentuated by the mistaken method of putting the proposal into shape. It is perfectly clear that if there is to be a 'festival at all worthy of the musical refute of Christchurch, the societies must not only amalgamate for the purpose, but work in perfect accord ; and if that cannot be effected the sooner the undertaking is abandoned the better. We suppose that there ib not much use in offering suggestions, but very many people, we think, will be disposed to agree with us that there is a simple and very obvious solution of the difficulty. Let the matter be approached purely from the' musical standpoint, and it will be conceded that one of the two professional men most in evidence shines best in instrumental work, whilst the f orte.of the other is vocal training. If by any possibility it could be arranged that Mr Wallace Bhould train and lead the orchestra, and that Mr Wells should have charge of all the vocal work and act as conductor, signal success would be practically assured. From the mail files we note that a somewhat remarkable development came about in connection with the great silver robbery in London, particulars of which have appeared in this column. A man named Bailey was arrested, some of the stolen ingots having been found in his possession, and was committed for trial. Later on, the police authorities got a hint that if search were to be made in the Clerkenwell factory of the Messrs Elkington, a curious discovery might be made. Now the Elkingtons stand preemirient as silversmiths, and they are men of high repute. Moreover, the hint in- question was given to the police by the head of the firm. A search party went to the factory, and closely questioned Sarti, the manager. He professed to know nothing about an ingot of silver, but by-and-by e the acid baths were probed, and from one of them was hauled out an ingot, partly eaten away by the acid, but with the brand yet visible upon it. It was unmistakably one of those that had been stolen, and the presumption is that Sarti was in collusion with the thieves, aad that his purpose was to dissolve the silver and recover it in a new form. A little more delay, and identification would have been impossible ; but the discovery was made in the very nick of time, and Sarti will join Bailey in the dock. - The terribly stormy weather that was experienced in Great Britain at the beginning of October was the cause of many disasters and of mnch load of life. Wrecks were numerous about the coast, and there were some splendid examples of heroism in the endeavours to save ill-fated mariners. One of the incidents that has been placed on. record seems to stand, out with more than ordinary vividness. It waa at Ilfracombe, on the Devon coast, and just within the channel that leads to Bristol city, that in the early morning ankiou.B watchers discovered a man on some rugged rooks at the base of a cliff which is a hundred and fifty feet high. The rescue party that was immediately formed included men of the coastguard and of the police, and a Dr Taller. It was the doctor who demanded the more hazardous work, and in time he made hb way down a rope, at the imminent:., risk of his life, and got on to the rocks. There he administered restoratives to the castaway, who, however, proved to be bo enfeebled from the result of. hours of exposure that he could not possibly cooperate with his rescuers, and the attempt to get him up the cliff had to be abandoned after three hours of tremendous toil. >Then tJ word was sent to the lifeboat crew, and after long battling, against the storm the rocks were reached from seaward. "The man was placed on board, and taken to Hfr&combe, but five minutes before the boat entered the harbour, amid the ringing cheers of a large crowd onshore, the poor castaway died. He had previously informed his rescuers that at one o'clock his j vessel, a schooner from Penzanoe, foundered 1 off Bull Point with five hands. He put on ' a lifebelt and was washed on to the Lee Bay rocks. He did not state th 6 name of his vessel, merely saying that he was j captain." Still, the rescuers had done their duty nobly, as Englishmen almost invariably do in such circumstances. i