The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1898. THE WAR CLOUD.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9386, 12 March 1898, Page 2

The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1898. THE WAR CLOUD.

Tn& .persistence with, which Itussia is pushing herself into China and the evident intention of France to extend her possessions in Africa are causing the British Government and people considerable anxiety. Russia evidently means, if al'owcd, to permanently occupy Port Arthur, and connect it with a railway through Manchuria to Vladivostok. Sho is also making other olaiin3 to exclusive harhour rights jn Chind; jvJUchj Britain jjariilol; i)\oif io go undis- ' putp'fl. Ijor'd Salisbury has stated that trie British^ Government lias no intention of letting Russia or any other nation deprive her of any of her rights in China or elsewhere, and the War Office and Admiralty are both busy strengthening the army and navj in view of war suddenly" breaking out. It is not Bussia's policy to go to war with Britain ; her practice is to encroach as far as she possibly can on that nation's rights, and then climb down as much or as little as will stave oft hostilities Beta!} day slie ( will exhaust .ilie /forbearance of the British Government, and find herself forced to fight, perhaps against her will, as when she brought about the Crimean war, and had to sue for peace after a long and stubborn resistance, during which her ports were closed and her eonimeree para'lysedi , To ofir mind the greatest danger of war just now is the action of tho French in Africa, where of late there have been attempts on the part of those in charge of tho Frenoh ex* peditionary foroos to eneroaeh. oil British territory, notwithstanding the fact that a,delimi'tatioa %6mmis. sion is a'csally dealing with the question of boundaries at tho present time. French impetuousness is a very inflammable article, and requires very little friotion to bring it to red heat. The Russian tempor is of an exactly different oharaoter,belng very slow to fire up, but very persistent in attempts upon the rights of others. It would be a vety dire disaster were Britain to be drawn into a quarrel witb. both these Powers at the present juncture over tho questions now causing so much uneasiness. But it is certain that, oven were so undesirable an event to tako place, she would make a good fight of it, and receive a lot of assistance from the rest of the world, as it is noarly certain the otltor Great Powers would not stand idly by and see her tin fairly matched in so momentous a struggle, for it must bo borne in mind that they look upon her as the arbiter of nations and the safeguard of international rights^ It is to their best interests to keep Britain in the premier position she has so long occupied among nations, as were she deposed therefrom, Russia would become dangerously pdwerful, and push herself On to her weaker neighbours until the rest of the world . would turn on her, and bring lip? td her knees once more, as ft Supplicant for peace. la the meantime she is causing a vast amount of money to be spent on war-like preparations that otherwise would be devoted to more remunerative purposes.

A trial was made yesterday at Wellington of the drainage works maolijnery, which worked without a Mtoh. In all between 60 and 70 miles of pipes have been laid* The Socialists have succeeded in carrying a resolution in the French Chamber of Deputies enormously increasing the taxation of large retail establishments. Mr A. Atkins, architect of Wanganui, was in Bulls recently, inspecting tliß late site of the Rangitikei Hotel, with a View to preparing plans for a hew building. Miss May Yates, of food reform fame, who lectured throughout New Zealand a few years ago, is appearing in Great Britain in a pictorial monologue entitled " Picturesque New Zealand. During last month the revenue on the Wellington-Napier-New Plymouth section of railway amounted to £33,419, as against £29,163 17s Od for the corresponding month lost year. For the shooting season, the U.F.C.4.., Wanganni, have just landed, ex Rakaia, direct from the manufacturers, Messrs Ely Bros., a large assortment of blue, green, and brown central fire cartridges* In anticipation of the projected Visit of the Emperor and Empress of Germany to Jerusalem, tho authorities there have renovated the roads and improved the water supply. Couldn't they be induced to come to Wanganui. The SamoanGovernmentis now without funds to pay its King and native officials, except from taxes and duties paid by the white population, and it is thought in Samoa that this state Of things may bring about a crisis. Two or tin cc of tho largest suppliers of milk in Wellington, who recently erected expensive pasteurising appliances, have found great difficulty in inducing their customers to take the pasteurised fluid. Mr Len. Dodson, a late member of the Blenheim brewery of that name, and Mr Frank Redwood, who has also been engaged in a brewery business in tho North Island, have arranged to leave for Klondyke. Mr and Mrs Charles Batt have taken over the refreshment rooms in Ridgwaystreet (opposite the theatre) and are now prepared to supply an appetising luncheon from noon till 2 p.m., and tea from 5 till 7 p.m., whilst a cup of tea, coffee, cocoa, etc., may be obtained at intermediate hours. Several alterations will shortly be made to the interior of the premises with the view of affording increased accommodation to visitors. At a meeting of the Women's Christian Temperance Union at Auckland, the following resolution was carried unanimously: Thismeotingdeeply sympathises with Miss Ethel M. T. Baker at the the result of the late action, and the uncalled for remarks by Judge Conolly ac to the veracity of her evidence. It also expresses its appreciation of her selfsacrificing and Christian conduct in the cause of suffering humanity. At the ordinary monthly meeting of the Fire Brigade last evening, Captain Powell presiding, Messrs Leatherlands and Evett were elected members. It was resolved to entertain, on Friday evening next, the members of the team who represented the Brigade at the New Zealand Fire Brigades' Demonstration in Auckland. It was also decided to present them with the trophies they won at Auckland, and to prooure two other trophies of equal value, so that each member of the team might have one. A wet practice was indulged in after the meeting, the Metropolitan and Rutland Hotels and the Bank of New Zealand being operated on. The members of the team who visited Auokland were heartly congratulated by Captain Powell and Liautenant Battle on the excellent manner lin which they had upheld the reputation of the Brigade.

Mr Justice Cohon has granted tlje stay of prooeodlngs Ifl a ease in which tlie ReVi James Glarlie W&imS *s<!d damages f fbm the BHi« iTUstJue of New Sdittfi Wales, IQr" Having niade an order contrary to law, She Martinl-Hetiry rises', JnXßc Vfl^ck fn| Nailer, Volunteers ftrb supplied, wm'cli havSjiow had a fair opportunity of being tested, o re voted very inferior weapons and 'all to pieces.' A waggoner lately passed through the Mount Bonger district, Otago, with aload consisting of five tons of dynamite, on which he sat, and at the back a barrel of phosphorus 1 The steamer Capo Otway, from Sydney, with ft, large ; nn.miiEr>d* jhiners for Klond,y£c, qrrived at Auckland yesterday and sajte • this afternoon. Five stowaways wro handed over to the custody of the police, and eight more, it ia said, will be got in the morning. At a meeting of the Wanganui Auxiliary of the British and Foreign Bible Society yesterday at tho office of Mr John Stevenson, manager of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Coy., the Rev. Mr Ryburn, M.A., was elected secretary, and it was decided to hold a publio meeting early in May. Mr W. Seoling has Blurted an industry iv Wanj}amtf tßitt eliould meet with prac-H'i-'w support,- especially now the autumn months are at hand. It is in the form of a handy bundle of fire kindlers, about sin in diameter by Gin in length, the price being 5s per 100 bundles, or three for 2d. Mr Seeling may be communicated with at his residence, St Hill Street. Arrangements are all complete for the N.Z. Rifle Association meeting which opens at Oamaru on Monday. The range is in good order. Major Headland, of Oamaru, will be in charge of the camp. The extreme north of the colony is very poorly represented, there being only a couple of competitors. At the Police Commission at Wellington yesterday it was stated that a constable who batt tell rflpTimaiidod lor bad behaviour, pVaisted, and was finally dismissed. He and his friends so importuned the Government that the man, despite his bad conduct, eventually got £60 compensation. In the case of Heinrich Pohlen, charged with shooting Patrick Corcoran, at Pironga, the jury at Auckland yesterday returned a verdict of " Not Guilty " on the ground of insanity. JustjceiCpnnolly committed thg prisoner to the Asylum during the pleasure of the Colonial Secrotary. No new facts were elicited as to the case, beyond those already published. The German Emperor gave the Emprosa on the occasion of her last birthday a beautiful bracelet, consisting of minatures of himself and his seven children, sot in diamonds, i» ,fhe hMdis the l'rl^cbsa BuiscjUu, nira under her as a r)js!)dttiH tlip Kaiser in a heart-shaped setting. The minatures were painter! ' oy a Wiesbaden aitist, ili Sevliei 1 , a well-known engineer, has laid before tho Governments of Spain and Morocco a project for the construction of a tunnel under the Straits of Gibraltar. Tho exeoutlon of thin plan world have immense oaonomie consequences) so that Its Mia will be followed with interest. M. Berlter Is tlio inventor of i. iibw method of Bubterrfttidttu boring. A shipment of machinery for Mr T. Mitchell's freezing plant arrived from Wellington by the Huia yesterday, having been landed at tho Empiro City by the Warrimoo, from Vancouver, Another Bhipr.ient is expected early next weoK. Mr Mitchell expects to have tho freezing works at Aramoho ready in about a month's ttme> A notification is In courso of signature by property holders surrounding ttie Wanganui and Wangaeha lakes, notifying that any person shooting, or trespassing foi* tho purpose of Bhodtilig itiiy ddsciiption of bird ov nniirial> will be prosecuted as tile lftw directs. Tho ranger for the Wellington province (Mr John Walker) has been instructed accordingly, also toprosocute any person shooting on Sundays, the Acchinatisatioh Society boing determined to maßoan example of offenders. At the Harbour Board meeting yegtorday, Mr John Stevenson pointed oul that, taken on the bnjsts of thi} cost of last dredging, it wtiuld require £80(50 to do the flats. The fdreman had intimated that \)O6 working days were requisite to complete the ohannel right through the Sots, but as the men woalo^Ub unablfc to wqrk, owing^ t'6 I'onph Wfiatner, for a considorable i>ertoa of the year, it would probably take four or five years to do the work. At the Eltham sports on Thursday) W. Burr won the 100 Yards in 10 £-sth sec, B. Kmcht being E6cs'nd. The latter won the P2O Yards flat and the 220 Yards Hurdles, Burr running second in both events. The Two Mile Walk was carried off by Kerr, Burr and Loveridge tied lot the High Jump, and O. RandrU}) won tlie three oycling jractysi Tfie tlalf-mile fell to Howrit, Mulh'ns being second, and Bafter third. Mullins got home in the Mile after a great struggle with Miln and Howe in 4min 37seo. The 440 Yards was won by Howell, with Knight second, and Burr third. Knight secured the points' prize, Burr being second. The Sydney agents fOr Wolfe's Schnapps offered a tlri'ie of £56 to tho one who would gdfes beforehand tho actual result of Ule final test match between Stoddat's team and Auatalia. There were 33,000 coupins sent in due form, of which 17,084 selected the Australians to win and 16,216 the Englishmen. It might have been supposed that the precise result (a win for Australia by six wiokots and two runs) would be hard to pick, but, as a matter of fact 354 hit upon it. Conße quently each will have to content himself with a dividend of a fraction, under 2s lOd. Ono Wellingtonian and one Dunediu girl were among the successful tipsters, At the public abattoir at Oastlfeclin* yesterday a, flue, healthy-looking bullock after being slaughtered was found to be in a shockingly diseased state, and again this morning anOthir bullock was cdndemned in an ednally bad condition. The Mayor and dtlWs who were present and saw the animals in question suggest that those who hold that the publio abattoir inspection is unnecessary should make a point of visiting the abattoir before Monday, as the condemned animals will be kept on view for the purpose of demonstrating the dreadful condition it is possible for animals to get in. The thought that such meat, but for the abattoir iuppectiou, would probably find its way into -the homes of the residents of Wanganui for consumption is dreadful to contemplate. Making a raid on a Melbourne betting man's premises seems to he a matter requiring considerable strategical skill on thfi part of the attacking force, judging from the following paragraph in an Australian newspaper:— Tho Detectives made a raid on Wren's tote shop during the afternoon. The premises were stoutly fortified, and the detectives had to beat down two heavily-built doors before they could effeot an entrance. They then fonud the plac9 deserted. There was a crowd outside watching the operations, and they groaned and cheered the officers while the lai ter were breaking their way in. Trap-doors lead from the premises into neighboring yards, and a look-out is always kept on the top of the building. The police retain possession of the premises. When Zola published his letter to President Faurein reference to the "Dreyfus case, ' Le Join- came out with headlines running across the whole six columns of its front page, announcing — ' Zola struck by mental aberration I Medical Consultation.' The same paper declared, with regard to Joseph Reinach, one of the Dreyfus champions, that his ancestor made his fortune by buying from German officors, on their return from the war l stocks and shares which they had stolen from French houses. Another journal denounced Zola in big hesdliness as ' Zola the shameful! Flower of Pus!' and a writer described him as ' A German spy, a traitor, a coward, a monster,' the article ending with the cry, ' Zola to the Gallows. 1 After this (remarks a contemporary) it is perhaps only natural that M. Zola, with his passion for truth and justice, should he sent to prison, while the Panama and Southern Railway miscreants ocoupy the high places in the Legislature.

Mr James E. Ferrell, of Burnt House W. Ya., has discarded all other diarrhoea medicines and now handles only Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera and Diarrhoea Remedy. Ho has used it in his family and sold it to his customers for years, and has no hesitation in saying that it is the best remedy for colic and diarrhoea he has ever known. It not only gives relief, but effects a permanent cure. It is also pleasant and safe to take, making it an ideal remedy for bowel complaints. For sale by R. M. Gatenby, Chemist.

tlie helt direct steadier td lbad hSve Mr the, Hdme markets is, the, Hawke's Bay, which Is expected Oii Tuesday: Mr JPnlton, d.^.wDdfiastieeiinl'p^tiiltod by ,tliesorcmgh'qeuiic4 td undeitake the supervision of the proposed improvements in the walor supply of the town, is at present in Wanganui in oonnectiou with the work. The up-river excursion and picnic iv connection with the Aramoho Boating Club takes place to-morrow, the Manuwai leaving Bett's wharf at 10 a.m., stopping at Aramoho en route. The fares are — adults 2s, children Is. f [Archibald Cargill, accountant at tho ational Insurance Co., and well known in cricket circles, was charged at the Dunedin Police Court yesterday with the embezzlement of £2 belonging to the company. He was remanded for a week. At the Magistrate's Court this morning, before Mr H. W. Northcroit, S.M., a first offender for drunkenness was convicted and discharged. A man named John Anderson, alias Ryan, was sentenced to 14 days' hard labour for stealing two shirts oft the clothes-line at the rear of the Ohineae laundry, Market S^uai^. ,ThO Oarilarii (iarrisdu iland proceed to 'Melbourne 1 by the Tarawera on tho 28th inst. to tako part in the bands contest tbero. Tho Hon. George Jonea has again assumed tho conductorship, and will wield the baton. It will be the strongest band that Oamaru has yet produced, and the members are sanguine of giving an excellent account of themselves. The Borough Council's newly-appointed abattoir and dairy inspector, Mr H. L. Marsack, V.S., arrived from Auckland yesterday, and was accompanied to Castlecliff by the Mayor (Mr A Hatrick), Cr Parsons, and Mr B. Hibbard, secretary of the Freezing Company. Mr Marsack was on his arrival handed all documents and papsrs confirming the Council's, dp> pojntmmit ttndJllß EfguWiWns for guidaniio in carrying ont lys duties. Giving evidence before ike Pdlice' Commission at Wellington on Thursday, ChieiDetective Campbell said that hitherto it had never been regarded as part of a deteotive officer's duty to take no'ice of breaches of the Licensing Act. He understood, however, that the new Commissioner had given instructions that, although he did not regard it as the primary duty of detectives to watch publichouses he would regard it as a dereliction of duty should any of the officers fail to report such cases. By the lonic, just arrived, Messrs J. Paul and Co. have received a large consignment of all classes of goods for the show-room .including hatß,bonnets, flowers, feuthers, androillluPity trimniir-J^ o'fSvery description, All suitable for tho ensuing winter seasoi. A display on a large scale will be made shortly. In the -; alio ; me , all who 1(J m Wftn i 0 { B6ai jonaMe goods in fiVel'y department cannot do better than inspect Messrs Paul and Co.'s recent importations. " What was the most striking thing you saw in India ?" was asked of a lady Juot returned from a tour round the world. " Buttsr," she replied. "It aecms strange but it is a fast that in India butter niade frdm tlib tlilli milk of Hid native cow is blue, instead of yellow. When I came across this azure substance I vowed I would not touch it ; hut nui msitv Getting the upper hand I tried 1 It« butter and, to my surprise, found it delicious." Death has again claimed one of our oldost and best-respeoted residents, in the person of Mr O. Silcock, who passed away at 0 o'clock this morning. Mr- Silcock Was a native of Norfolk, aiid dime toNew Zealand in 1852, lauding at Now Plymouth) where he settled on some land in the Tarannki district. Later On lio wcnH into the ironmongery business in Now Plymouth, whioh he subsequently disposed of to Mcfesrs Brown and Dutltle. During his residence in Tarallalti tho deceased served in the 1 loctil mountfad corps during the hfttive disturbances, and took part in most of the engagements in tliat locality. Aboiit 20 years ago he came td Wnngitmii as accountant to Mr Jphn Dilthie, from Vihicli position he retired some years ago, since which he led a retired life in Durietown, whe'ro he was the first to build a residence. Pureonally, Mr Silcock was greatly and do&erVediy festeerhed by all who knew lllrn, as he was n man of sterling worth. He leaves a widow, two sons, and a married daughter (Mrs W. Davis), to whom we offer our siucoresfc sympathy and condolence in thelrbereavement. The

funeral will leave the residenoe of the deceased at Durietown at 2.30 p.m. on Monday.