PARIS LETTER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2778, 3 May 1890, Page 5 (Supplement)

PARIS LETTER.

(FBOil OOR OWN COUUESPONIJKNI.) Pabis, February 6, 1890.—Alcohol and gunpowder are the deadly enemies of the African. Th6y are also mortal for the white uiau. Is lunacy on the increase in Paris? Yes. To what ciuse attribute it? To aloohol. From 1872 to ISSB, insanity has augmented in the inetropoli-, by 30 per oent. There is a special infirmary at the Perfeoture of Police, where all lunatics, no matter from what class of society they hail, are brought for oIH-mhl examination, preparatory to admission into public or private asylums. Tho few hiyh life caseß exempted from this formality, do not affect conclusions. In 187'2 there were examined at the infirmary, 1695 meu, and 1389 women; in 1888, the numbers were respectively, 2049 and 449 ; the contrast totals, 3080 and 4149.

The increase has been greater and sadder, between 18SG-88, for tho men, 59 per cent, and for women 41. Contrary to the sreneral belief, madness is greater in spring, than in summer. Mania, 'iielnncholy, and climic delirium, remain stationary, aud are twice more common with woiufii, than with men. The two factors in tho augmentation of madness are, alcohol, aud mental overstrain as expressed in general paralysis. Drink alouo has furnished one-third of all the lunatics at the examination iniirmury. The deplorable fact is revealed, that in this respect woman is treadiug closely on tho heels of man. Where the total was only one-sixth is is now one-fifth. Proportionately, drink madness shows a greater augmentation in the women than men, and the insanity in both sexes is becoming more dangerous for the lives of sane citizens, due to ths adulterations of drink. It is also ale iloliism which most largely contributes to general paralysis,

The country continues to be happy in its comatose attitude towards politics, both home and foreign ; were jt not for the journals and fcho?'professional-' politicians, the subjeot"would drop out of memory. Even' the coming change of ministry excites but a somnolent interest. But all Cabinets from the moment they take office, commence their coming change, hence, why there is so much safoty in tho provisional. As the country and the Chamber does not display any marked desire for the departure of the Tirard Cabinet, tho latter jealous of this indifference, commences to demolish itself—ministerial felo-de-se. Respecting tho Egyptian question, the French do not see that their diplomacy, whether good or bad, brings tho British evacuation not a whit nearer its close than when the European Powers delegated England to act as ward and watch. Frcoch financiers are opposed to tho evacuation, divining the anarchy or complications that would ensue, and so wreck their bonds. The big bankers rule. The Anglo Portuguese conflict is regarded as being played out. The journals here hardly fire a farewell shot at the maHer. In private, impartial observers avow that England, after the Union Jack insult, has let Portugal down easy. No one believes for an instant that had Portugal the area of Africa the Vatican presented her with four centuries ago, that area would remain still as sterile to civilisation four centuries hence if left in her hands. Perhaps tho outcome of the Portuguese political breeze has only resulted in the laughable conduct of the Comte de Paris—bolting to the West Indies, lest his presence might jeopardise his chances of becoming King of France. An anxious eye is being kept on Servia, Montenegro and Greece, while Austrian military residents hero are quietly returning home. French sympathies continue to centre round everything Russian, and, in return, Russia keeps up her supply of travelling grand dukes to Paris. A new school of black and white art.— Maddle. Sautereau is a young_ dressmaker, who broke her liaison with her paramour on account of his infidelities. The latter some days ago, accompanied by two friends—co-artists—paid her a visit, and compelled her to undress, till she had as little attire as Truth. Then they painted her over with ink, to convert her into a Hottentot Venus, and recommended her, on leaving, to take a cab, and demand admission to the statuary room of the Volney Art Show. The young girl complained that she had been blonde, and now remains brown. Tho judge sentenced her persecutors to fifteen days' imprisonment. Any port in a storm. Faustie is an Italian swindler, living in the Rue Tournelles. At six o'clock in the morning a few days ago, the police knocked at his door ; after a good delay the wife of Faustie admitted the lictors, but the bird had flown, and apparently by an open door, communicating with the staircase, down which the police ran, and meeting a man in a cotton night cap, only partly dressed, secured him. In vain ho related be was returning from a—lavatory and on a flat above, inviting thg police to accompany him there, They did so, and in the bed room was his wife, fast astaep in bed, and by her side occupying the place her .husband bad recently left, was hidden Faustie. He found the room door open and quietly entered. It is now becoming tho fashion when a duel is to oome off for some friend of the adversaries to invite them to " honour his grounds," for the event, just somewhat as a friend of the families places his mansion at the disposal of a newlymarried oonple in which to pass their honeymoon. It was thus that Colonel Hollbecque handed over his grounds, on the Belgian frontier, to allow the Marquis de Mor&s, son of the Ducde Vallombrosa, and Deputy Camrnile Dreyfus, editor of the Nation, to exchange six balls, of which two proved sufficient. The quarrel was antisemitic; the Mnrquis belongs to that section of Catholics who seem to consider there is no room in the sunshine for the Israelites, and denounced them at an electoral meeting. M. Dreyfus is an Ebrew Jew, and a right good fellow, very popular with journalists ;he took up the glove. Ex-Minister Lockroy was one of his seconds ; conditions, twenty paces apart, and six. balls to be exchanged till a wound was inflicted. At the first round Dreyfus was hit in the arm and tho duel was over. Lookroy moasured the 20 yards, another second placed the antagonists and made them " rehearse their parts." Next, one of the seconds loaded the pistols in the presence of his three colleagues; then a second of Dreyfus advanced, and with hat off handed the Marquis a pistol, while a second of the latter presented in like manner, a pistol to Dreyfus. The three seconds then fell behind the fourth, the latter advanced a. little, took off his hat, pulled out his watch, and measuring a pause of 40 seconds, gave the command, " Fire." All the seconds remained uncovered, and one made the sign of the cross. Dreyfus slowly raised his arm, fired, and missed; then with his right arm across his chest, the smoking pistol in his hand, he looked into the barrel of the pistol of his antagonist; a flash, a report; "I'm struck," quietly remarked Dreyfus as his pistol fell on the ground. His arm had been shattered, but it checked the ball from passing through his body. "You aro wounded, Monsieur," observed one of the seconds of the Marquis, and the latter with his other second approached, and raising their hats to Dreyfus said, "I have the honour to salute yon, Moncienr," and w,tilted off. No grip of the hand forgiveness, as is usual after a duel, so the quarrel of Jew against Catholic is to continue. The two doctors placed Dreypus on his back, cut away instantly the clothing on the. ■wounded arm, searched for and extracted the ball, baudaged the arm, administered a cordial, and Dreyfus was driven to a friendly shelter in Courtria. It was an important political duel. The Catholics, who suffered heavily by the ltraeh of the Union or Papal Bank—the Bondoux affair—five years ago, have never pardoned the Jews for that catastrophe, though it is now well-known that Rothschild was at the time arranging to avert the smash, when a decision of Gambetta's, never yet explained, ordered the arrest ot the directors, and the Bank became bankrupt.