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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIV, Issue 52, 22 April 1887, Page 18

Cardinal Masotti has been appointed by the Pope to be Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Bishops and Regulars in place of Cardinal Fernen, deceased. The new consultors to the same august body are Father Cardella, Jesuit ; Father Cammilleri, Augustiman : Abbe Smeulders, Cistercian ; and Father Lepidi, Dominican. During the civil marriage, at the Capitol last month, of the nephew of Cardinal Jacobini and Mdlle. Abbiandi, the Government official suddenly went mad, and threw ink, books, and all missiles within reach at the heads of the young couple, who happily escaped unhurt, though the bride nearly fainted with fright. The Figaro publishes the following : " Grand reconciliation between France and the Vatican. The French representative at the Vatican has given an assurance of the immediate cessation of all religious persecution in France, and has offered the Pope on behalf of President Grevy a magnificent Sevies vase, and a gold pen to Mgr Galemberti. Mgr. Moceni also received the grand cordon of the Legion d'Honneur." B Here is something interesting to the Celtic Societies, from the Pilots special corespondent in Reme.— " At an audience given February 1, by His Holiness to the Bishops of St. Brieuc France, the latter made an offering which was particularly agreeable to the Holy Father. This consisted of a magnificent collection of the Encyclicals of the Pontiff, with a translation into the ancient Celtic language. A large number of people in the Diocese of St. Brieuc ■till speak the ancient Celtic language." The Senate has made a move in the right direction in providing that the first additions to our navy shall consist of swift cruisers, of which ten are to bs built capable of making twenty knots an hoar. Senator Hale's Bill provides for the further needs of coast defences, torpedo service, light draught boats for interior waterways and canals, etc ; but our main reliance in case of war will be upon a fleet of swift commerce-destroyers. England, for that is the only power with which we are likely to have trouble, is at once among the strongest and the weakest of nations on the sea. Her powerful navy, formidable to attack, would be almost impotent to protect her widespread commerce, lhe latter is her vulnerable point. American cruisers would make as short work of it as English buccaneers used to make of Spanish galleons two hundred years sgo. England " wants the earth " as Spain did. She will fall, as Spain did, by the very weight of her wealth. The spoiler of the East Indies will be delivered over to other spoilers, as the conqueror of the Western Continent was America does not covet the plunder, but if war should come, England's weak point shall not be overlooked. It is not in the heel but in the pocket of our friend John, — Pilot.