GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 146, 18 February 1876, Page 9

GENERAL NEWS .

The ' San Francisco Chronicle ' says : " A ball in Marysville was attended by an average of about ten men to one woman ; but the women seem to have made up in vivacity what they lacked in numbers. Miss Lotta Sohnman, attired in a blue silken train, ala pull-back, six-button kids, and a lace overdress, was the prettiest and sprightliest. She had a quarrel with her escort late in the evening, and in her dashing way, said : ' Just look a'here ! I ain't no slouch ; I'm a lady, I am, and know how to behave like one.' Then she drew a revolver from a pocket among the folds of her dress at her hip, and shot the beau, so that he is likely to die." " Conservator " writes to the ' London Times ' :—": — " For nearly six hundred years the full-sized effigy of Sir Robert de Septvans, a crusader — one of the most famous brasses in England — had remained undisturbed in the chancel of Chartham Church, Kent. Hard by were the effigies of two priests, who were rectors of the parish, and died in 1454 and 1308. Can it be believed that on the authority of the rector these interesting monuments have been removed to make way for a modern encaustic tile pavement? I appeal, sir, to you, in the hope that at last some practical steps may be taken to protect monuments of historical interest from Vandalism which is none the less destructive because it may have been done with the plausible motive of • improving a church.'"

THk Kouian correspondent of the 'London Times' says: — "Although the Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva (which is the titular church of Cardinal McCloskeyi has no claim to high antiquity, such as that dedicated to the sainted grand-daughter of Caractficus, from which Cardinal Wiseman took his title; that of St. Peter on the Golden Mount, possessed by Cardinal Cullen ; or as the Basilica founded by the first Gregory, of which Cardinal Manning is now patron, yet it exceeds any of these in grandeur and ecck's-iustie.il character, according to our English ideas."

A pii cc of wholesome intelligence leaches us from France. A Lyons journal, having repeated the very old story that the Pope in his youth was a Freemason, is prosecuted for false news. It seeius a pity that the same course cannot be taken with those prints, which so often tell the same story here. — ' Universe.'

Exgli&h commerce lias now-a-days to contend against some very formidable rivals. That it continues to do so successfully seems to lie far from the fact. If we are to believe the ' Warehouseman and Drapers' Journal,' Maiiihester is importing calicoes and long-cloths of American manufacture, and it is said that one of the largest Louses in the City of London has Veen for some time past importing calicoes from Belgium. Calicoes irom America, and cotton from the Continent of Europe — two branches of industry of which England used to have a monopoly ! How is this? Are the United States, which we lost through our own misgovernment, to out-do r.s in everything ?

Thi. ' New York Herald ' says: — " The girl who was murdered and chopped up in London the other clay was Hirriet Lane, and the man -who murdered and chopped her was nimed Wainwright. It will be remembered that in the battle of Gal veston Harbour, during the Lite war, the cutter Harriet Lane was in charge of Commodore Wainwriglit, who was wounded and afterwards ruthlessly murdered on her deck."

The Pope, at a reception given to some pilgrims from France, recently, said: — "I admire the renovation of France. God h. s willed to recompense her piety. Who is ignorant that she has lately been sheeted to severe trials? I will not repeat the history ot jot r misfortunes. E^ eryoiie was moved at your situation, God has heard your prayers and rewarded your piety. In fact, commerce is flourishing in France, the harvests are good, money circulates abundantly, while it is disappearing elsewhere, and especially in Italy."

J as- per THOMrsoN, of Texas, who had been a captive among the Coinunches for thirteen years, finding himself recently left in the camp with but one guard, cut the Indian's throat and escaperl. He had forgotten the English language, and was compelled to communic:te with his friends, whom he fortunately reached, by signs.

Professor Jenny has come out of the West and reports, after a prospe< ting tour lasting five months, that gold in paying quantities it to be found in the Black Hills, and that General Sheridan's report upon the mineral and agricultural inducements to take possession of the country is substantially correct. This report will cause a new impatience to arise in the breast of the hardy frontiersmar, and the military authorities will find it more difficult to meet and turn back all the eager emigrants. But the negotiations for the purchase of the territory from the Indians who hold it by treaty-title having proved ineffectual, the Government is still bound to protect the legal owners in their wish to occupy the hills exclusively.

Arizona tells of a man who, under pretence of showing travelf lers rich mines, takes them to the mountains, where he kills and robs theni. He is said to have made away with eight during the last year, and the governor has offered a reward of 500dols. for his capture. The oldest and the youngest republics in the world are in happy accord. San Marino, in Italy, whose unwritten Constitution has lasted for nearly fifteen hundred years, has assumed political relations with France, which became a republic in September 1870, after the disastrous defeat at Sedan. It is a proof of the interest taken by the people of England in the royal yacht disaster, that the Mistletoe, sunk on that occasion, has bten broken up into small pieces for sale "to those desirous of possessing a memento" of the collision. A communication from St. Agnes (Savoy) gives a curious account of a novel kind of bull-fight. The district in question has for some time past been infested by bears, which have already devoured about forty sheep. A few days ago four bullß were turned out to pasture, and while they were quietly grazing one of them was suddenly attacked by one of the wild animals. The troop took

to flight, and the one assailed succeeded, after a while, in rejoin in ff his comrades, but with his ears bleeding and other parts scoi c< *» The others then turned round and faced the enemy, and after a short combat bruin got gored in the side, and had to go limpin<* o^* Since then the bears have not again made their appearance. A Russian village is a different community from ours. It is governed by a magistrate, a sort of mayor, who is responsible to tho Government for the taxes, the loans on the land, and the conscripts for the army. Each village was compelled to buy or to lease the full allotment ; and if the proprietor insisted on their buying, then he was compelled to sell cheaper; or the village might decline either to buy or lease, and insist on their homestead rights, and a fourth of the allotment, free. It is easily seen that this* was a plan by which the people were absolutely " rooted in the soil." The child in his cradle had his allotment, and his father held it and worked it until his .ion was of ape. One class of proprietors suffered terribly by the new laws — viz., the absentees. The nobles who preferred Moscow, and St. Petersburgh, and Paris to their own estates soon found that they were being ruined (and a good job, too). In previous times they had their lands tilled for them, and the fruits sent after them as their share. Now, the land cultivated by hired laborers does not pay the absentees, while the land cultivated by the peasants for themselves yields profitable crops and smiling plenty. Mr. Barclay dwells upon the injustice with which our landlords have contrived to obliterate the unquestionable rights of the tiller of the soil to the exclusive enjoyment of the produce thereof. And I must Jnote how like those Russian land laws are to the laws °of Moses delivered, by order of God, to the Jewish people.

A short time nsro the Franco-American Union was org raized at Paris, its object being the preparation of a suitable memorial of the part France pliyed in the Kevolution. The project Las met with fax or on all sides, and subscriptions are now being secured for the erection of the proposed monument. The latter is to be erected on Bedloe's Islind in New York harbor, and will represent "Liberty enlightening the World." A novel feature will be an aureole of light which is to stream from the head and designed to illuminate the harbor at night. Both nations will have a part in its erection, the United Stites contributing the pedestal, and France the statue. When completed it will Le iwo hundred feet high, and will take rank with the most imposing structures of the kind in the world. — •Irisl. World.'

We give the following as a specimen of the peculiar annoyances to which settlers in South Africa are exposed : " A troop of baboons played the very mischief with several ostrich nests belonging to Messrs. G miner and Fox^roft. They chased the birds all over the camp, and rolled the eggs in all directions, causing great loss to the owners. Many of the rascals paid dearly for their games, a dozen of them were made to bite the dust. The rest, like sensible fellows, left." — ' Somerset Courant.'

An exchange says: "Laborers from Polynesia, South Pacific Ocean, are to be introduced into Germany, and at the sitting of the Federal Council at Berlin, a bill had been presented with the object of making arrangements for the conveyance and providing them with occupation on their arrival."

Eich deposits of gold are found at Toshibetsu, Japan, but the mines are being worked after the most primitive fashion by the natives.

Only a few months ago (writes the Forties ' Times '), Dr Horatio Costerton received the appointment of surgeon to the Forbes Dist ict H spital. Independently of the assured moon c from t< at s-ource, there was a larg>- private practice waiting lo be nppropnuleil by any competent steady, professional man — a practice that would yield from £1000 to £2000 per year. After holding the post of hospital surgeon for i few weeks. Dr. Costerton forfe ted (he ppointment, and moved to Condobolin, where he only remained a short time, and, becoming ill, a"nin entered the hospitnl as a puup< r patient. A week «go he died and got buried, away from his friends and home, find with not a soul in attendance to gixe even the semb'ance of mourning or regret at the termination of a wasted and ruined life.

The Sydney ' Freeman's Jo.. r al ' says : — We have been shown an inkstand of beautiful design aid workmanthip, wl ich Mr Hollingdale, jeweller, of King-street, Las recently forwarded to his Holiness the Pope. The trunk of an oak-irce forms the ink-bottle. On the lid (which works on a pivot) is s squirrel in the act of eating. Behind tie ink-bottle is a branch which hold an acorn (the emu egg). The b ttom part of it is of fretted silver, to represent rhe acorn naturally. Underneath a acorn and around the tnnk of the tret* are oak -leaves, the whole mounted on a atand of mjall wood ; and on the stand ia a nilver plate wittF*he following inscription :—": — " Pio IX. Pont. opt. Max. Eduardus J. Hollingdale, huinilime offert. Anno Dili. 1876, Sidneiense, Australia."