ANGLO-COLONIAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 11278, 27 May 1891, Page 2

ANGLO-COLONIAL.

Max q'Rell, the versatile Frechmaj. whose lively lectures upon "John Bull, and His Island" hive secured him widespread popularity in England, America, and the Continent, is . disposed to extend his -wanderings to the Antipodes, and has just signed an agreement to lecture throughout Australasia next year in the autumn. MrK. S. Syrathe will "run" him, and no better agent could have been secured. In a few years time it is predicted that the voyage across the Atlantic- will only occupy five days. By that time the voyage to Australia will he brought down to a little over 20 daysj I suppose. The Messageries steamer Polynesien -has shown with what wonderful speed the passage can even no.w be made. She made the homeward passage on her last voyage at an average speed of 15.20 knots. The death of Mr. Archibald BryceDougJas, the managing director of the Naval Construction and Armaments Company at Barrow, at the early age of ■ 52, is much deplored. In hir. the colonies have lost a warm and energetic friend He was at the bottom of the scheme for oxtendngfrom Vancouver to' Australia the splendid mail service which the Canadian Government and the Canadian Pacific Eailway Company {are doing their utmost to establish. A good many years ago Mr Bryce-Douglas spent some time in|New Zealand. Later on he became chief engineer to the Messrs John Elder and Company, and in 1889 Lord Hartington secured his services for the great Barrow Company. The Royal Geographical Society has conferred upon Sir James Hector, M.D.F. R.S., director of the goological survey of New Zealand, the high honour of the Founder's medal of the Society. The largest and fastest steamer yet built for the Australian trade was launched on Saturday ax Govan. She is a splendid steel twin-screw steamer named the Ophir, 6700, built for the OriontCompany. Her dimensions are length 482 feet.breodth 53 feet.and depth 37 feeb. Her two sets of triple expansion onginos will propel her at the rate of 18 knots an hour. The Argentine Republic may yet become a dangerous competitor in t'ho flax industry. About 5 per per cent of the total land under cultivation in that country is put down in flax. The total crop is about 100,000 tons. The crop is not a favourite one, though it pays well. It is believed to very rapidly exhaust the land. In regard to soil and climate flax seed culture is conducted under conditions to those of wheat. The preparation of tho fibre appears to receive less attontion than the production of linsoeo for foreign consumption.