Parisian Notes.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XV, Issue 23, 30 September 1887, Page 27

Parisian Notes.

The noise of the hour has also been concerned with the incessant General Boulanger. M. Jules Ferry, speaking the other day at Bpinal, alluded to the General as a " Samt-Arnaud de cafi concert." St. Arnaud, it will be remembered, was the military tool employed by the late Emperor in bringing about the famous coup d'itat, and M. Ferry, therefore, meant that the General, in relation to the invitation alleged to hare been given him to re-establish the monarchy, mUht be looked upon as posing, on a low theatrical stage, as a similar tool. The insult was gross, and the degree of truth—particularly as to the dramatic aspects of the General —contained in it was suficient to make it stinging. The result, therefore, was a challenge, which M. Ferry accepted. M Ferry, nevertheless, evidently desired to fight go that he might have a chance of living to fight another day, for bis seconds decided that the conditions of the duel were quite unreasonable and such as to warrant their man from withdrawing. And, in truth, the conditions proposed were sufficiently Banguinary. The nature of the pistols and their loading, the distance, the repetition of the shots, each in itself was enough to stagger ths stoutest-hearted civilian, and make him cry quits if possible. Opinion, it need not be Baid, is divided. Some blame the pusillanimity of M. Jules Ferry and some the blood-tbirstiness of General Boulanger. But some also profess a regret that an event did not come oM which might perhaps have delivered the country from a soldier who seems a constant source of danger to its peace, and a statesman who was accountable for the misfortunes of Tonkin. The anarchists have again been giving signs of life and vigour. The Badicals, a few days a^o, had convened a meeting at the Cirque d' Hiver to protest against the delay in the metropolitan railway. But their more advanced brethren attended in considerable numbers and speedily converted protestation into a free fight. Some premonitory symptoms of disturbance were followed up by a complete outbreak on one of the speaker's addressing the meeting as " Messieurs " rather than as " Citoyens." Finally a rush was made for the platform and several unfortunates were very roughly used. The police at length interfered and dispersed the rioters. The death of M. KatkofE, tbe well-known Rußsian journalist has brought out many expressions of regret here. The League of Patriots sends M. Deroulede as a delegate to attend bis funeral. Still, though M. Katkoff was a patriotic Russian, his patriotism touk a different form from that which one might expect to evoke the sympathies of French Republicans. He was devoted, indeed, to the promotion of Russian nationalism, but it was a nationalism that must centre in the despotism of the Czir, and he was a thorough reactionary. But it was probably his resistance to Germany that gained popularity for him in France, and, besides, Fiench sentimeat does not find it difficult to idealise. Representatives of the Press, however, might legitimately feel some genuine admiration for a journalist who in a great degree made bis profession independent even in Russia. The statistics of crime just published for 1885 show a melancholy record. —The figures for homicide, including murier, are 2,900 ; those for suicide 9,702, as against 5,804 iti 1876. And the Minister considers the figures probably insufficient, as be believes that many case=? of suicide are concealed as thoße of natural death. Tbe reconvicted prisoners in 1885 were 80,634, those for 1876 being 68,490. Cases of accidental death arising from drunkenness had also increased, The lunatics in asylum? were in 1878 44,005, and in 1815 50,118. In connection with the Prauzini trial, an infamous attempt to levy black mail has been brought to light by a lady who deserves the gratitude of the public for her courage. Certain newspaper correspondents, it seems, threaiened this lady that, if bhe did not compound to their satisfaction, they would accuse her in the Press of discreditable relations with the murderer, But, confident in her complete r> innocence, and indignant at being singled out for the victim of such , baseness, bhe very sensibly placed the matter at once in the hands of tbe police. It ib mortifying to find that the ruffians had so worded their letters that tbe law cannot take hold of them There is, nevertheless, some excuse for these fellows in the example of Tecent publications made by the Londou Times with complete impunity. These may well form a precedent, and an encouragement fur any journalistic cut-throat. The death of the Italian Minister DepretiP, which has just occurred, is considered likely to affect the relations of France and Italy, ag the deceased statesman was favourable to the French alliance. It is believed that Ue policy of his successor will, on the contraiy, favour that with Germany and England. And this seems all the more likely, since the passive support at least of Eugland is very desirable if not necessary in furthering the campaign which Italy has resolved to renew in Abyssinia. She is, besides, accredited with ambitious views on lunis aud nearer home, on Savoy. The Univers ridicules the Conservatives for the concession made by them in the matter of the judicial rents, out of fear of the Liberal Unionists. This thoroughly independent aud Catholic paper ia fully in sympathy with the liish people and their cause.

Skinny Men-.—'' Well-,' Hi-alth Renewer " restores health and vigour ; cuies dyspypsia. At cbem.s-3 ned d'UggMs. Kempthorm , Prosser and Co., agents, Dunedin.