Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Saturday 18 November 1899, page 8


The Sydney Morning Herald ———————————————

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER l8, 1899. ———♦———

Colonel Baden Powell, with a force of 65 men,

surprised the Boers in a night attack from Mafe-king. Many of the enemy were bayoneted as they lay asleep. Commandant Botha assorts that he thought the attack was made by 1000 men.

The British force at Estcourt is short of artil-lery. The Boors are nearer Estcourt, and they hope to bo alilo to cut the railway communication further sonlh than thoy have already done.

A. native missionary at Estcourt states that on the 10th instant the Natal volunteers at Lady-smith drew tho onemy into tho open. The regu-lars then oxeonted n flank movement and in-flicted a orushing defeat on tho Boors, who em-ployed 200 Kaffirs to bury their dead.

A British column is marching to the relief of Kimberloy.

" Mr. F. W. Keitz, tho Transvaal Secretary of Stato, has malo an oilicial threat that six British officers, held as prisoners at Pretoria, will be put to death if Nathan Marka, tho Boers' doteotiro, who has been arrested as a Bpy at Ladysmith, should be harmed. Even among the Afrikanders the threat has caused a feeling of horror.

The Atlantio liner Canada, 8000 tons, has been obartored hy the British Government as a trans

Branohos of tho Patriotio Fund have beon formed at Weat Maitland and Bowral.

On Wednesday an armoured train, while re-turning from a reconnaissance from Estcourt

towards Ladysmith, wag wrecked near Ohiovoly by the enemy. Tbo troop» in tho train, two half companies and a few sailors, attacked the Boers, who, with a Maxim gun and two nine-pounders, wero well posted, while the line was being repaired. Tho train sto&med baok to Estoonrt with only a fow of those it took out on the reconnaissance aboard. Fifty British troops are missing, and it is feared that tiley have been takon prisoners.

Major-Genera 1 Sir W. F. Butler, who lately commanded the forces in the Cape, wan not pro sent at tho Bristol celebrations, as ho feared a demonstration of hostility on aeoount of the circumstances which oaused bis removal from tho command in South Afrioa.

A brilliant display of tho Leonid meteors was witnessed from Now York, and many wero visible from Vienna and Madrid.

Tho cricket match, Now South Wales v. Queenaland, was not commenced yesterday, as tho rain rendored play impossible.

A proteBt has beon made by the residents of Mudgee against tho carrying out of the proposed railway from Dubbo to Coonamble

The Select Committee of (ho Legislative Assembly of Viotoria appointed to inquire into what is known as the Jackson coso has exonerated tho Minister for Lands, Mr. Bent.

A deputation asked * tho Minister for WorkB yesterday to dedicate Dawes Point Reservo. Mr. O'sullivan said he was in favour of tbe request, and would do as muoh as the circumstances would

justify.

TheNorthorn troop of tho 1st Australian Horse wont into camp near Soono on Thursday, and were visited yesterday by the Governor.

Tho orews representing Now South Wales, Viotoria, Queensland, and South Australia in the intercolonial eight-oar race, which will bo rowed to-day, have completed their training for the oon test. Much dissatisfaction is expressed by tho Victoria aud Queensland authorities that the Now South WaloB representativos at the Rowing Con forenco had not power to bind their association.

Up to date d4 inohes of rain has fallen in Sydnoy. Tho record is the heaviest for -Bomo

years.

At Bourko yesterday a heavy duslstorm-a " Darling shower "-raged, oompolling tho shops to close.

The Publio Sorvico Board states that it has nearly matured a schema for tho introduction of a system of annual increments, which will prevent tho juuior lottor-carriers and other similar offioials in tho Postal and Telegraph Department re-maining at low salaries for any lengthened period.

During a thunderstorm at Nangus, near Gun-dagai yesterday, a young man named Caigan, who had takon refago in u hollow log, was struck by lightning and was killed instantly.

Tho Rev. Dr. Ross Taylor, of Glasgow, is tho Modorator-oleot of tho Free Churoh of Scot-

land, and tho Rov. Dr. Norman Normau M'Leod, of InvorncBs, is tho Moderator-eleot of tho Established Church of Scotland.

A Russian gunboat is reported to have sailed for' tho Poraiuu Gulf. H.M.S. Renown is shadowing her.

Tho French Chamber of Deputies has passod a voto of confidonco in tho Ministry by a majority

of 12>5 votes.

M. Waldeck Rotissoau, the French Premier, declares that the decision of tho Senato, dedaring its competency to try M. Derouleda and othors on a ohargo of conspiracy, was givon beoaiiBa of attempts to raise an insurrection and effect a coup d'etat.

Yesterday afternoon a man named Cbarlos Montgomery was fonnd dead near Mrs. Mao quurio's Chair with a bullot wound in his head.

A Hungarian Jndgo at Szabo has boen Bentenoed to three years' imprisonment for having placed a prisonor under torturo to induoo him to inako a

confession.

At tho Intercolonial Rowing Conference in Melbourno yesterday a motion adopting the

amateur definition of 1896 for intercolonial races was carried.

Investment securities, whore profits seem assured, hold their prices, and the market is to some extent buttressed against the consequences of dourer money should that becomn a disturbing

factor in tho situation.

In the Import market yestorday one or two lines were subject to spooulative aotivity.

There was an activo Mining market, with a recovery in the prioos of most Western Australian stocks. Broken Hill com panics were firm.

Tho recrudescence of the Imperial idoa in a new and more effective form already begins to give a keynote to the British race-sentiment of the approaching century. This appears to bo the opinion as well as tho dosiro of loaders of political thought in both the great parties in England, but Lord Rosebery and a few others see in it a policy for the future full' of promise for the fortunes of tho Liberal party. The Liborals have by now fully awakened to tho fact that thoy aro a party without a policy, and with-out a cry. Other astuto politicians besides Disraeli realised tho import-ance of this latter factor in influencing the fortunes o£ a party, but the Liborals complain that sinco the Conservatives have adopted ns their own such portions of the old programme as havo not already become accomplished legisla-tive fact3 their political occupation for the moment is gono. It was at such a moment that tho Imperial idea in its present form came to the front, at a time when Groat Britain, isolated as regardod her rela-tions abroad, was ablo to mako that incomparable demonstration of raco-unity and widespread loyalty which astonished tho world at tho Jubilee celebration. Thon was conceived tho idoa that this Im-

perial sentimont and feeling of raoo-unity might be something moro than a more form of words, while aiming at something loss definito but moro practi-cal than the dream of those Im-

perial federationists who talked of an impossible representation of Groator Britain in tho Legislature at "Westminster. Most practical minds in British politics should bo ready to realise by this time that this theory, based

ou an infinitesimal and non

influential sliaro of representation, would be not only useless to self-govorning dependencies like the Commonwealth of Australia or tho Dominion of Canada, but suggestive of possible oonllict with tho idea underlying their constitutional con-ception of self-government. In these colonies, at any rate, the project has been put aside as impracticable.

The Imperial idoa as tho race has now grasped it is largor and broader, if vaguer, and it is thoroughly in harmony with that procoas of organic development by means of which the outlying parts of the Empire have worked out their own destiny without Imperial interference, and yet remainod patriotic and sound at the core as the Imperial oall to arms has just made manifest. The Queen at Bristol the other day correctly and tersely described the situation when she spoke of that relation between Great Britain and her oversea colonies, wherein " n sense of brotherhood, welding the Em-pire together in times of poaco, has lately bean manifested in tho hour of need." Tho sentence expresses the ossenco of . tho Imperial idea in the form in which it is now becoming popularly accepted throughout tho Empire. The oidor theory of federation contemplated a condition of things in which the central authority would take the initiativo and call on the depen-dencies to assist in Imperial defence. In its present form tho Imperial idea takes the shapo of that impulse of loyalty and brotherhood which, without compul-sion or conscription or any Imporial act of authority, sent troops from Australia and Canada to South Africa. The

process of welding has gone on surely and satisfactorily during all those years in which Australians governed them-selves without outside interference. The old policy of the Liberals towards " those troublesomo colonies," shared also by Disraeli, was mistaken in the sense that it

was ready at one time to welcome separa-tion ; but it was unquestionably sound in so far as it tended to leave tho colonies to progress along their own lines of development. That tíiis progress was wholesomo and healthy is shown by tho condition of things to which the Quoon made appreciative reference at Bristol, as well as by the disappointment of foreign nations who had watched the experiment in the hope that the attach-ment to the mother-country would, under strain, begin to show Bigns of weakening. It is now seen that tho Empire was never moro united and moro strong. Tho race-sentiment is found to bo para-mount ovor every other consideration when tho mother-country is at war, and so unquestioning is thi3 impulse of loyalty that wo hoar on ovory side exhortations to suspend criticism and judgment until tho work of British

soldiers in the Hold is done.

Tho Imperial idea is, therefore, nothing moro or loss than the raoe-sentiment. There is no reason why mon of British race, at the antipodes should not be as patriotic and true to tho raco-instinot as those who havo always roinainod at homo. "What do thoy know of Eng-land who only England know ? " Kipling asks in one of his songs of empire, and the suggestion is true oven in a broader sense than the writor intended. It will bo soon that this Imperial idea, based on raoe sentiment, is widely different from that jingoism which has done sp much in the past to debase it. The radical error of the " jingo " was his unroasoning and unintelligent desire to make the race system poise itsolf on its apex, the Crown, instead of rosting securely on its base, which is tho poople's will. Those were tho real " Little

Engländers " who were unable to grasp the largeness of a conception which saw the mother-country and hor great self-governing dependencies as parts of a majestic and world-wido whola. Yet this is what tho growth of ompiro has always meant for our raco. The alternative is the German or French military or oflioial system, in which local Bolf-government in our sense is unknown. To conquer new terri-tory was tho ideal of thosos who do nounced the " Littlo Englanders," whilo

tho truo Importai idea as it is now grasped and understood is as opposed to what Mr. John Morley called the other day " a pirate ompiro " as it is to what tho " Spectator " meant a few months ago whon it rather smartly de-

scribed tho advocates of this swash-

buckler-spirit as tho "jerry-builders of empire." It has often been a cause o£ wonder to Australian public men, and to citizens of Greater Britain generally, that it should take so long to get the modern aspect of the Imperial idea into the minds of English thinkers and politicians.

To travellers who visit Australia from time to time it comos at first as a revela-

tion, and the knowledge! that tho dis-covery lies bofore thom has a great deal to do with the advice usually given by seasoned Australian politicians and others to tho newcomer, to reserve outspoken commont until he knows. The Imperial idea which is now hailed as a now discovery in some quartors has grown up with Australians and been part of their tradition of growth from tho first, and its acceptance now by English statosmon, if only in part, is in itself a sign of bettor understanding between tho colonies and the mother country.

With tho development and increasing

interest of the war in South Africa it was

evident that newspaper war correspon-dents would play au important part, and also that the military authorities would have something to say with regard to their numbers and disposal. Thus wo aro not surprised to hear from an English journal the viows of Sir Redvers Buller on this subject, and to find that ho holds strong opinions of the necessity for extreme caro in permit-ting journalists to accompany a field force on active sorvice. The question arose in connectiou with Lord Kitchener's "recent campaign in (he Soudan, and also with tho American army in the war against Spain, and is bound to como into promi-nence in any largo engagement. The commander of the British troops in tho Transvaal, while taking the fair attitude of recognising that taxpayers are entitled to havo tho principal British, Indian, and oolonial journals represented by responsible correspondents, insists on the ontiro exclusion of foreign corre-spondents and the restriction of tho British representatives to those of the leading papers and of rocognisod afroncios. Lord Kitchener's attitude to

the représentatives of the pross was a rather moro hostile one. A general apparently who wishes to take DO chancos of his plans boing upset, ho at first sought to be freo altogether from tho little band of pressmen with quick observation and facile pens. But his plan of boycott was overruled, and the after result proved the groundlessness of his fears. In July last the American correspon-dents in tho Philippines protested against the rigid censorship exorcised by Major-Gonoral Otis, the military Com-mander-in-chief, over their press mes-sages. They nlloged that ho suppressed the truth contained in their messages rogarding his unsuccessful operations against the forces of tho Filipinos. In consequonco of this thore was a violent patriotic outburst in the United States, and the attitude of the newspapers was fully vindicated.

Tho necessity for caution on the part of war commanders in this matter and the increase of correspondents, with the swift transmission of full and graphic accounts of what is taking place on tho field of battle, remind us of the wonderful changes that have taken place from the state of things that prevailed a generation or two back. This indispensable adjunct of the modorn army did not exist ia established form before the

Crimean war. In 1854-5 journalists were with the British army, and thou began that system of fully and frankly informing the nation of tho development and progress of affairs with which their interests were so vitally bound up. Bussell and his colleagues of tho press fearlessly described the actual condition of the army, and created au immense sensation in England over tho culpablo négligence of those in authority. The policy of conceal-ment received its doatli-blow, and full publicity has since boon insisted, on by the people at largo. From the time of Wil-liam Howard Bussell there has grown up a largo and capable body of war corre-spondents, who have made their names famous both for thoir daring and thoir brilliant ability, and who are conspicuous for the caro with which thoy have acted up to the responsibilities of thoir office.

Tho truth is that it is useless for generals to protest against the presenco of theso representatives of tho people with tho army of the nation, for that is the position that press correspondents may "lightly bo said to occupy. Nor does the history of the last twenty years give any ground for objecting to them or to tho importance they have assumed. Bather do the fact».

point to the excellent work that BriS pressmen havo accomplished, and to X nocesaity of thoir presence if the r,MT,1. most int.matoly concerned are to 1,! placod in possession of prompt informatirm relating to the development of ê,on?s ?

distinguished British ofïïcer, Bnoakinr, "t

the brilliant published accouutTot m fet° battles, confessed that those takin^Zf m the actual engagements had very Rtt!« clear account of what had happened « T give you my word," ho said, " f yan cam»

tomcat the end of the day ¿K3 how lungs had happened, I could not tell you» This or course is only what might be expected. But the able corres pondent who is on the scene notes the

of the different sections of tho army the tact.cs of the enemy, the charge of cavalry, tho effect of artillery uro lh» T Tel- ?n,d rûpulso ftt ditter8>it points all of whioh he quickly forwards in vivid narrative for the benefit of those at home

if vTJ' r^01 . aro Lis danS°" at ?",.1,?ht; ,?n»° » io see and know all that is taking place ho must bo at the front, and must literally face death .That the correspondent thus takes his lifo m his hands wo know from the roll of those who have succumbed in tho oxecu. tion of their duty. But the work of hard ship and danger is cheerfully undertaken and the Eussoll, Forbes, Villiers, Stoevens' and others of their olass command the' admiration of the people thoy repre-sent. In the present war in South Africa there is fine scope for the war correspondent, but his task is full of difficulty, both on account of the uatuto of the country with its great extent, and by reason of tho fact that detaohmenls of tho army aro stationed at places far apart. Telegraph wires have beou out in all directions, and the exact posi tion of an important engagement is often hard to determine. Still wo may roly that oil that onergy and forosight can suggest will bo accomplished. The recent spirited account that appoarod in our oolumns of the battlo of Talana Hill may be accepted as promiso of oqually full and vivid reproductions of future important engagements, and with the prosenco of our Australian soldiers on tho scene a particular interest will bo felt in further communications. That Australia is roprosontod by war correspondents on

tho field o£ battle will bo a source oj great satisfaction to the poople of this continent, who naturally desire to obtain tho fullest particulars of the doings o£ their sons. So firmly established is tho modern institution of tho war correspondent that wo find it' hard now to picture tho timo when ho was not in existence, the period whoa pooplo had to wait many weary months boforo obtain ing any full or authentic nows of ovonts which stirred thera deeply. That time Las gono by for ever. Now, at a distança, we are day by day in possossion of facts that onablo us to actually follow the de-velopments of tho campaign, and to quickly road in detail the stops that led up to an important engagoment, as wall as the particulars of the fight itsolf, with all its talo of heroism and sufferin<*.

The closo of tho .recent English holiday season is referrod to in somo of the Lon-don journals that are just io hand, and the occasion is taken for a fow romarks on the naturo and popularity of this period of recroation. For a week or two thoro was a great efflux of poople from London, and the moors, seaside rosorts, and neighbour-ing Continental pleasure grounds \( ero nil throngod with excursionists, This exodus from tho motropolis is of course only what wo expect to find at this tuto of the yonr, but this season tho mors ment IIÍIB been on a greater scale tim heretofore, and strongth scorns io bo given to the apparently well-founded Mu that the holiday spirit is year hy year getting a firmer hold ou people. Short week-end trips are becoming moto and moro a recognised featuro in tho lives of those who live in citios. Extended trips may in many cases bo beyond their time or their moans, but tho throe days' excur-sion thoy find themselves onsily able to compass, and it is something in which thoy increasingly indulge. It is so easy to got about now from place to place that few aro entirely shut out. Tho busy lawyer, the doctor, the mombor of Parliament, and tho meichant all contrive to throw off the pressure of busiuoss for a short spaco and got nmongst îresh scenes.

A holiday discussion of somo note has boon engaging the attention of our own Parliament, namely, tho coming to an understanding by which certain recognised holidays in tho year shall be celebrated on the Monday succeeding instead of on (he particular day on which they happon to fall. " Tho iden is a sensible one, and on? whick has been else whore ombodied with wholly satis-factory results. The moasuro is de-signed to meet the convenience of a

lnrü-o number of neople. The proposition

is not to increase tho number of holidays, but simply to moko those that are already in existouco moro sorvicoablo to those who uso them. This idea of providing a clear " throe days off " meets with favour in the United States, where it is in force, and also in the neighbouring colony oí South Australia. The present nure« ducer of the bill in our Parliament must

bo given credit for his perseverance, . for on two former occasions Hie measure has boon boforo the House, As regards quantity of holidays wo novo nothing to complain of in Austtnlm, tor the supply is liberal, and in facilities for using them we aro also well provided for.

Our summer excursion soasun is just boanning, and numbers of charming; resorts will soon bo claiming their visitors. Kosciusko and the Snowy Mountains are bound to prove popular, aA older established contres liko the liol

Mountains and tho Jenolan Oaves will draw their hosts of tourists. To many o

those pressod for lime, and seeking to gel away into the country for a few days IS carrying of a measure liko tho F«en Public Holidays Bill is a matter of some

concorn. ,

Perhaps the feature that strikes the observer most in considering tho holley making and tourist propensities oftM world is that leisured ease of mov me

has eivon place to moro hastily

of country traversed and the amount o

sin-ht-soeing performed ave given the Mt consideration Leisure, indeed, threat.» to become one of tho lost arte, «J yet its inherent excellences were now, in neod of clearer recognition than in

the present day. We rush through Europe, wo never saunter. We .«*» a host of sights and impressions,.ntoe few brief days or weeks, and give our

selves mental as well M tAj¿» digestion. Wo seen, to bo becoming constitutionally unable to * orderly progression, but lind ou selves instead more' and mero po o take short rapid flights m mo or

fashion. The fact that uumjen^ people have now more tuno ot*"rT posai than in earlier yea ra downot «m to affect the result. 1»%' ." lue been a progressive tendency to abort» he hours of labour. The case of «J« in the shipbuilding trade men boned ¿ Mr. Henry Lacy in a recent lot or g to

"Horald" is one in point. Ho tous w

i

iliat many of them do not work more than our days in the week, for in that time ¡hey can earn enough to easily keep ?°n5is difficult to say what is tho best way of spending a holiday. Somo find a relaxation and diversion in time spent in cities on the Continent of Europe ; others, donnimr n knapsack, mako for tho open s-reicliin" road, and in sturdy pedestrian exercise "obtain that relief to _ jaded norves and overwrought brain of which they stand sadly in neod. Tho rich eolirudo of a lovoly country spot, with its loafy seclusion, broad fiolds, and running streams, furnishes tJiechoicost retreat for many who in a closer contact «¿tu nature roaliso a liappincss that is near to thoir ideal. Others of more nimrod tompor profer tho buffeting oi the sea, with its bracing winds and broad free expanse, whero the tenor of life is even, and all contact is broken with such land-disturbing forces as news-papers, telephones, and telegrams. All these methods of spending a holi-day are a delight to various sections of people, and all have their distinctive oxcolloncos. Hazhtteonsiderod "¡hat one of the pleasantost things in the world wns going a journey, but ho likod coing by himself. Tho sonl of a journoy, he hold, was liberty, " porfect liberty to think, feol, do just as one pleases," breathing space to muse, and the oppor-tunity to loavo ourselves as much as to get rid of others. At the inn at Llangollen, over a bottle of sherry and a cold chickon, he solaced himself with a volume of the "New Eloise," and the picture ho draws is a pleasant one to contémplate. Robert Jjouis Stovonson once was full of a quaint project to buy a 'barge and drift through the canals of Europo with a small company of artists, the wandorings to finish up at Venice. Tho bargo was bought und christened " The Eleven Thousand Yirgms of Cologne," but farthor the romantic schomo did aot go. The modern holiday jaunt has very little in common with tho ¡deas entertained by Ilazlitt and Stevenson. It is more intense and practical, and above.all much briefer. Thewidoning influence of travel tiannot he overestimated, but to roap the fullest profit our tours need a freedom of tims and a quiet of mind that are necessary if wo wish to absorb tho spirit and teaching of the scones snd people wo visit. As in education we havo need to bo reminded that " in-tellectual training is an end in itsolf, and tot a mero preparation for a trade or profession," so in our journoyings abroad

ive want to catch moro of the spirit of idleness, that "idlonoss full of thought, sad alive to every impression," that M. de Guerin so happily expresses. ———————————————

THE "SYDNEY MAIL" ON CENTRAL DIVISION LEASES -In view of the very important fact that at tho olose of July next thoro will be at tho dis-posal of the Government about 10 million acres of Central Division laud, the " Sydnoy Mail " of neit week will oontatn a spociaíly-propared map ind souio viows illustrating the first of a series of articles by a tvell-knowu authority on tho land question Advance sheet« show that tho eubjeot is liberally treated the views of lessees, (electors, intending purchasers, and taxpayers are nmmarised, and the sanes concludes with sug-gestions winch aro likely to promote settlement beneficial to t io pcoplo as a wholo.

Liri' iv LOVDOV AND TncriEAiiouT -In his weekly chronicle of life in London and thereabout Mr Henry Lucy has some interesting remarks to nuke respecting the Boer ultimatum, the autumn teesion oí tho Imponal Parliament, the rear-rangement of tho Royal coffins in the bunul vaults of St George's Chapel, Windsor, and other

mattera

acsnmux AND Ijrrnnur Tonos -A letter

fiorn our London correspondent, dealing with Australian and Imperial topics, is published in another portion of this is«ue

A. 'WOIIM s LETTKH mon LONDON -lu another portion of this issue is published "A Woman's Letter from London," in wuuh, amongst several [ interefhng nisííim dea't M ith, reference is made

io tho New South Wales Lancers at the military

tournament

Ora Sr PLTLIISBURO LETTER -lu the kttor from St Petersburg our correspondent touches upon the ullmuco between Trance and Russin, the objections of the Turns to be Russnnisod, and the movement m I noland and Amoriea m support of Ile Finnish protest, tho work of tho Russian Sanitary Commission under Princo Oldenburg, tie development of the froren moat trade between Rmsia and 1 ngland, and tho construction of a mt railway through the Caucasian Mountains m wier to tap in a second place tho oil wells of

Biku

BtJ3I\L3 BLKOriL IV.IUJASIKOT -TllO PlOIUlOr ilatea that he is satisfied with the progress mad« m connection with the busine«s before Parlin rnent during last week Lie has not, as yet, had Ins to closely examine the Navigation Bill as it Mt tbo Legislative Council, but Mr Lyne thinks that, on the wholo, the measure, as it stands, is a good one, aud that he will be able to recommend , the Legislativ e Assembly to acoopt it without

imcndment Tho business before the Lower

Home next week will consist in finishing up tho Md dreaming Bill and in introducing, nnd deal in? with tho Public Service Act Amendment ¡Bill lid tho Reappr usomeut Bill The Premier hopoB b bo tibio to mako his financial statement during (be course of tho week-following , but it is too arly as vet for tho dato to bo fixed with any terúiuty

bBaisuTtvt, AssEinuvx - The Legislative Assembly continued to sit aftor our first edition »I yeslorlaj s ' ITorald " had gone to press, lïuraday s mooting bcingcontinuod The Gold and Mineral Dredging Bill was further considered in

tommittco Genoral verbal amendments wero

andora tho bill All important und contentious tliuses wero postponed Ibo othor olnuses having ten passeil progress was reported On the motion for adjournment, Mr Sloith comraonted «pon somo remarks by Colonol Burns with refer-mes to the statements made by members of Par-lament concerning tho returning Lancori The HOMO at ¿ i0 am (Triday) adjourned until loesday novt

THE STATISTICIAN'S DcrirTjirvT -Tho Pro

Bier remy od a lotter from Mr Coghlan yoster tay stating that ho w as thoroughly aatisScd with the tribunal which it had been proposed by the Government should inquire into tho work of his department Iho lotter waa wntton m conso Cuenco of some remarks made by mombers in the «g ilativo Assembly Tho committee of tho Citaot wluoh will investigate mnttcrs «ill bo Mears Seo (Coiomal Secretary), Wiso (Attorney General), and Crick (Postmaster Gonorul) Iho inquiry will probably, commenco on Monday neil, uäMr Lyne (loos not think that it should <tt»py more tb m a couple of days

RITES PAID TO Su rira GI TTEUS -Iho Minister TO Works lins been considering the rate of remu-neration paid lo sloepor goiters Tho matter rapped up in connection with tandora which aro Wog called for for the Koorawatha to Grenfell

ii t "y !mo If wttB rc,Plesonted to tho Mmietei T the amount of wages recoived by tho sleeper getters waa very btnall and tlio suggestion was «M« that the tlopartment ought to fix u fair inn to be p ti 1 for all nlcepors required up to n landard speciilcd, pa} ment being mudo at once «Pon the passing of tho sleopors Mr O Sulli T» yesterday mbiuitted this proposal to tho Hoard of Referente, and the board, after oaroful tOMideration, recommended that this courao «urala bo takeu a ho rate to bo paid to tho mon or °btainini, Ble-opera on tho railway inontioned is » »J hired after full conaidor ition of tho question by tho looal oiheer io thargo of tho work

JUE Mooni iAMênoAn- In eonuootion with mo «ort of tho pcoond grndo ' mon of the un jmploud on the Mooro Park road, weare in

»rrrcd that Mr Creel, superintendent of tho bnbonr Baroau will probably mako a soloi lion of OB first instalment of meu on Monday next and Ino work will bo started on the following day

IUVAT, îirws-Tho Royal Arthur aud tho aarralntla aro duo in port this morning from Melbourne i esterday the cruiser* Wiillnroo and uurarga «ero out for steam trials afterwards eiununB to noorinan Die Pilados, horn simoa, is dailj lookod for to irrivo le iving the «".h at tho islands 1 ho official handing over i "P0T »ni havan to the German flag may Ztr » uxP00tel to tiU place after wbiuh tho PWt 01 Apia, the t euc of the Calliope humoane,

when tho German and American slups were piled np on the beach, and the British colours wero seen flying aboard the Calhopo as BIIU gallantly steamed out hetwoon the reef into tho teoth of the storm, will rarely bo visited by tho ships with tho Whito Ensign Tho Gorman cruiser Kormoran is at present at Apia Japan has just had built at Elswiok a powerful armoured cruisor, tho Id ¿iimo, which was launched on September 19 The principal dimensions of the vcrsol aro as follows

-Length between porp»ndiculars 100ft breadth, f8ft um , depth, Hit draught, 24ft 3iu

disnlacoment, OTOO ton». Tho armament oonsiBts of four Sin bieech loadimígunB, twin-mountod in baibottoi , 11 Gin qmrh dring guns-10 in case-mates-six on the main decl audfourontho upper dock the remaining four beiug on tho upper dook protector! by slnulds 17 121b quiok-firing guns-eight on the sholter deoks, two on the main deck forward, four on the bulwarks, and three in Hi3 military tops tom submerged tor-pedo tubos-two forward and two aft Tho vcBsel has a complete Mater-Uno bolt of Har veyod niokol-steel armour, Tin thick amidships, reduced at tho onds The machinery is of tho twin-serow vortical tnplo-oipansion type, to develop 14,500 i h p , and the epeod guaranteed ia 201 knots, tho boilers being of the Bolloville latest typo She has a banker oapaoity for about

1G00 tons of coal

A VISITOR THOM IIOHABT-Mc J O. Davis, M H A , of Hobart, who is on a visit to Sydney, waited upon the Premier yesterday and 1 ad a ¡renoral chat with him on pohtical and interco-

lonial matters Mr Davis is anxious that an

Australian nile team should bo sent to England during next yoar, and he has promised to supply Mr Lyne with full details of the proposal Tho Premier appears to bo sympathetic, and stated that ho would be glad to rocei.o the information

DR. A. C. NATHAN.—This gentleman has just returned from Boston, via London and Japan, after making a study of dental surgery and medicine. He has been absent from the colony for some time, the years from 1895 to 1897 being devoted to study in the Dental School of the University of California, and afterwards at the Philadelphia College and Hospital of Oral Surgery. He graduated with the degree D. D. S. in 1898, and afterwards visited the Harvard University, receiving therefrom the degree of D.M.D. in dental medicine. On returning to Sydney last Wednesday Dr Nathan received the congratulations of his many friends who wel-

comed him home.

Tire PAOII'IO GADLE ROUTH -Letters received in Sydnoy from I11IS Egeria, MO Honolulu, state that the Egeria has surveyed the route from Vancouver to Tanning Island, and found nn averago depth of 2800 fathoms, or very nearly throe miles Tho temperature at that depth was

31 Tahr

TuDEncoxosis CosanssioN-Tho Royal Com-mission on Tuberculosis and Diseases in Stock eat yestorday, Mr S Smith, president, in the chair Constable Townsond forwurded an approximate statement of tho number of cattle slaughtered at tho West Maitland slaughter yards under his supervision, and it showed that during tho past 12 months the number slaughtered was approxi-mately 3000, ana tho number condemned 50 A number of tho oattlo w ero impeded only Cortain information rogarding the tick pluguo was re-ceived from Queensland, and submitted to the

commission. Mr. Stuart C. Pottio, M.R.O.V.S., who was recalled and oxamincd, testifiod iu refer coco to experiments carried on uuder his super-vision at Hawkesbury Colloge. Every possible précaution, ho eaid, was taken in these experi-ments. Eight oattle wore treated, and only-one reacted. This cow and two others wero killed, and on examination wera found to be disease I. On a former occasion, at a post-mortem examina-tion, ono animal was found tobe almost recovered, Whether this was nooountablo to the action of tuberoulm or toohange of olimato {and pasturage, witness was unablo to state. Tho oommission then

adjourned to interview tho Colonial Soorotary,

Mr. Soo.

THE NEW GUINEA LAND SYNDICATE.-It will bo remembered that the question of what com-pensation should be paid to the New Guinea Land Syndicate was referred, some timo ago, to a conference of the Agents- General in London. The Agents-General wore asked to " report " on the matter. This report, as regards the olaims of tho company, has been rooclvod, and it ¡a to tho effect that the sum of £5000 should bo paid. So far, however, the report has not boon acted upon.

The Premier Bays that yesterday ho received a ' telegram from the Agent-General, -whioh was ' virtually a demand that tho money should bo ! paid immediately. Mr. Lyne, however, in , accordanco with a promise marlo by him, intends I to consult Parliament beforo complying with the 1 request, and he points out that no authority was

given to the Agents-General to come to any '

decision on tho matter. It is tho Intention of the

Premier to lay the wholo of tho papors upon tho , tnblo of tho Legislative Assembly, so that mem-bers oan havo full Information on the matter.

STRATHFIELD RAILWAY STATION.-Considerable alterations are now in progress in connection wilh Strathfield railway station. The work is being done by the Railway Commisisioners at day

labour rates. This course was found to be neces-

sary owing to the fact that the work interfered with tho running of the trains. The work is now being expedited, and it is expected that the whole of the arrangements will be completed by January.

FINAL LAW EXAMINATION.-Tho following can-didates havo passed tho final law examination for Folicitors in all subj'eots :-S. S. Dight, W. P. Kelly. The following havo passed in tho sections given :-Sootion 1 : A. P. Avorn, R. H. Blom field, A. Doory, P. W. Fallon, H. P. Harriott, A. C. Hobbs, 0. B. Jenkins, P. H. Louis, A. V. Milford, N. H. Murray, J. H. Noonan, A. J. H Palmor, E. J, Payne. Sootion 2: R. Cowlishaw, S. E. Cook, H. R. Currie, E. B. Dalton, H. Ellis, H. E. Fulton, L. J. Hardiman, A. 0. Hobbs, T. R. Hogan, H. H. Humphory, H. Ireland, E. J. Payne, G. A. Robinson, A, J. L. Stookwell, A. E. Whatmore.

Soction 3 W H Aokland, S E Cook, W T Dash Seotion i J. V Titzhardinge, G. E

Gaden

SYDNST CHAMBEE op COSQIEBCE COMMEIIOIAL EDUCATION* Som "MR -Ihe time for the oloaing of entries for the examination for junior commercial certificates is drawing near, and nn announcement appears in our advertising columns giving tho date, and notifying that pn?es of £10 10s, £3 3s, and £1 2s will bo awarded to the first, second, and third candidates respectively who pass the obligatory subjects Considerable intorest itttaohca to this first examination, ia in addition to the ..bunco of a pri/o all candidates passing the examination will roceive a certificate, whioh, m view of tho promise of member» to givo holdors of such certificates preference in omplojmi-nt, other things being eqnal, should bo of no little value

QtrEEi.SLAh-D GOLD -The Howard Smith Com-pany's steamer Tynan last night arrived from Queensland ports bringing 599007 of gold, tho rnoduct of Queensland mines

MtTMcrrAr. IILFUSE -Tho disposal of house refuse continues to trouble aldormeu One borough is in such a fix that it has to apply to o neighbouring borough to allow garbage to bo deposited within the nrljrtcont muni-cipality Mr Henry Coles, of Woollahra, has a¿ain written to tho Woollahra Council, pointing out " that tho aroa wlioro the soil eau bo polluted by g irlmge deposits must gradually get less and leas each your at population increases, as more atringont sauiUry laws tro onietod by Ptr liumont, and when nti/ons awaken to the danger lo thoir health arising out of tho practice in vogue of burying Hie refu»o "

büBuiiBAN SiswrriAaL, CONN-LC-IONS -Although tho Witter and Sewerage Board has completed a number of the subsidiary sewers m connection with tho western suburbs sowcrago sóbeme, a number of residents oilher rofuso to

connect or aro dilatory m doing so This causes n deal of nnnocesRarj mid c yira w ork lu connea

tion with the working of tho mimcipal sanitary contracts, and steps bay o been lakcu by two or three of the councils interested to havo Iho com-pulsory clauses onforced 1 he Annnndalo Council recently applied .ut tho application of such, and at the last meeting of tho Leichhardt Council, held on Monday night, a recommendation m tho works oommitteo's fortnightly report to tho effect that tho Wator and Sowcrago Board should bo requested to put in forco tho compulsory clauses of tho Act in tlioso parts of the borough wheio tho sowors havo boen laid for nome timo, was adopted

GLÜH TJAVDS AND MtXMoirAr TAXATION -lu mtiniaipal afiairs the power to assess glebo lands, with parsonages erected thoreon, has for many yetrs boou an uudeoided point At the same time quite a number of sub bulban nnd country looal councils have assessed and levied latee upon tho rcsideneos of olergymeu and other premises that havo not beon considered to bo strictly used for church or benevolent purposos Tho legality of suth step has recently arisen lu connection with St Mark s, Darling Point, within the borough of AVoollahra Tho trustees, aoting upon advice, declinod to pay munioipal rates upon tho residence occupied as tho

rootory-the same being within the glebe hinds connected with tho ohuroh A lengthy disoussion took placo at a recent meeting of the nounoil, when it was deoided to refer the case to tho Municipal Association of New South Wales for an opinion, this latter body, however, declined the task, whoronpon the council's sohutors (MoBirs J A Dowling and Taylor) submitted tho case to Mr Pring for an opinion The opinion was road at tho eotuioil meeting on Monday, and waa to tho effoot that notwithstanding tho parsonage referred to waa divided from the church proporty by a road and waa used for residential purposes only, the samo oamo within the interpretation of benevolent uses under the Church Aots and thoreforo under sub-section 3 of section 137 of the Municipalities Aot, and was in consequence not liablo to assessment for municipal rating

AUSTIIAI ASÍAN ASSOCIATION ron TUB ADVANOE MLNT ol' SCIENCE -As announced elsowhere, the eighth sessiou of the Australasian Association foi tho Advancement of Science will be opened in Melbourne on Tuesdav, January 9 next, and will be continued throughout the following week The Mayor of Melbourne, who has con-sented to act as patron, will officially weloomo the association to the oity In addition to meetings of the seotions, arrangements aro in progress for

various entertainments and for oxoursions to

places of interest The Mayors of Ballarat and Bendigo will give official roceptious toBUoh mem-bers as may vi»it those oities Tho School of Mines and othor placea will bo visited before the party leturnsto Melboarno, whore those interestec

in engineering will bo enabled to see tho various works and stations m and around the metropolis Geologists will bo afforded special facilities to visit the Werribee, Beaumaris, and Sandringham beds, and farther afield trips will bo arranged to the Vic torian Alps, &o

A Suow OP GLADIOLI -In tho n indow of Messrs Anderson and Co , seedsmen, &o , Pitt

street, a very fine collection of gladiolus blooms was on exhibition These included flowers of tho Auroro de Tou, Conquérant, Pr»curflaur, Enohan trosso, Flamboyant, Tormosa, Romeo, and Tigre varieties The exhibition will bo continued this morning, and is well worth seeing

TUB GBAKD COMMONWEALTH TAHÍ -Tho grand Commonwealth Fair, whioh is now being orga-nised at the Town Hall, will be opened by

the Cardinal this aftornoon The straolurea of

which the fair will consist will represent the seven colonies of Australia, and are bein; erected under the personal supervision of the arohitect, Mr Nanglo The dccoratiio. work ia being done by Messrs Renno and Rickotta, Boonie artists at the Criterion Theatre Altogether there will bo 32 stalls, and there will bo qmte an " army " of assistants, numbering 815 It is intended that tho fair shall remain open for about three weeks, and the promoters hope, witbm that period, to collect as tho result of tho fair a sum of £7000 or £8000 which is to be applied in aid of the funds of tho Tempo Refuge, the Manly Orphanago, and eomo other institutions whioh aro conducted hy the Sisters of tho Good Samaritan The fair is

under vite-rogal and othor distinguished patron ago The exhibition haj boon organisod by a com-mittee, of which Sir Win Manning is the ohair man, and Mrs Laidley Mort president of the ladies' committoe Tho honorary secretaries aro tho Kev M A Tlemming and Mr Henry Cr

Quinlan

NLW Sotrnt WALES PATIUOTIO TOND -WO havo to aoknon lodge tho receipt of the following con-tribution -Mr W B Oxcnbould, £2 2s

FOUND SHOT -Shortly after S p m yesterday an unmarried man named Charles Montgomery, 21 years of ago, labourer, lately employed by Mr Daro, of Castlereagh-Btreot, was found lying on the western sido of, and about 200 yards from, Mis Macquarie'« Chair, in an unconscious state, with a wound in the right templo, from whioli blood was oozing Tho attention of some pedestrians had hoon attracted by tho report of a firearm Close to tho man's left sido WOB a six-ohambor revolver loaded in fivo ohamhors and tho remain-

ing chamber contained a discharged oartridgo Constable JI'Quuker conveyed tho man to tho Sydnoy Hospital, where he was admitted by Dr Cargill, but the wounded man died ulmost im-mediately The body waa taken to tho South Morguo Deceased was identified by Mr John Smith, of Norman street, with whom ho had resided for some months

Offers of asBifltai.ee in aid of the New South Walja Patriotic Pund a-e being received from all quarters The brut in tbo shape of an entertainment for Iho benefit of the fund cornea from Parramatta, whore, on Monday next, Mr Wilson Lo Couteur is to give an illustratod lecture, which is to initiato a senea, entitled " Two Hours in Japan " As tho benefit la to bo a joint oue for the patriotic fund and the local park improvement fund, a full bouse is anticipated

A. deputation from tbe suburban municipalities to which tho Tiro Brigades Act, 1884, has boon ex-tended will wai* upon tho Colonial Secretary 'nt noon on Monday on the subject of the amondment

of such Act

Iho Kogarah Council at its last meeting dealt with 44 applications for the position of inspector of nui sauces and ruta collector, the vacancy lifting caused by a reorganisation of the council s offices, with a view to retrenchment, tho salury being fixed at £73 per annum The cdusideiation of tho ppplicationB took place in committoe and upon resuming the Major (Mr W J O'Brien, J P ) reported that the application of Mr Iloctor Wearne, assistant council clerk of Hurstville, had been accepted

Messrs Gordon and Gotch scud un tho attractive Christmas trsuus of the " Illustrated London News " and " Black and White ' Stones by Mr H fa Merriman and Mr Breto Hnrto and othor authors, coloured supplements of much variety and clever-ness, aud innumerable illustrations, make up excel-lent numbers The BBrics of contrnBting pictures of Christo is 1799 mid 189D in tho " Illustrated Nows " aro of distinct froshucss

Tho work entitled " Boars and British," published by Mi E W Colo, bas reached a sale of iOOO m a fortnight

We have received from Mr A C Howlandson, of tho New boutb Wales Bookstall Company, a copy of sorna fino photographs showing the departure of the New bouth Wales contingent for the lransvaal

Mr John blade, ivho holds rank as P D C B in the Ancient Order of roicstors, has completed his fiftieth year of connection with that body, and last ovemng at tho Foresters' Hall, CaBtluroigh-Btreet, be was presented with a puree of sovereigns in com-memoration of tho fact Bro T Henderson occupied the chair, and lu the presence cf a largo number of the brethren the presentation was made by Bro J P

Smith

Ihe Rev B Moorhead Legato concludes his ministry in Huiiter-Baillio Memorial Church, Annaudula, to morrow

The Eev P J Stophen will conduct a memorial service at WoBley Church to morrow evening for tho late Mr S J Holloway, who was for many years connected with the A J 6> Bank, city

The closing meeting of the week of prayer at the \ M.C A will bo held thiB evening An address will bo givou by the Rev W A Southwell Sub-ject " Ihe rinal Test "

The anniversary sorvica of the Bodforn Congre-gational Church will be bold to morrow Ihe tievs Dr BoBeby, H Gaiuford, and N T Cocks, M A (chairman of the Congregational Union), will be ihn respectivo preachers, morning, afternoon, and

evening

A young lady had an unpleasant and unique ex-perience in Pitt street yesterday afternoon. Whilst walking over an iron grating communicating with the telephone tunnel near the Bank of New Zealand her boot heel became so firmly fixed in one of the apertures that she was held a prisoner. She made vain endeavours aided by a lady friend, to release herself. A gentleman who was passing, however, proffered his assistance, and succeeded in freeing the imprisoned boot.

A boy named Trancis Howison, who resides io Crown-street, w ai admitted to Sydnoy Hospital yes-terday afternoon suffering from injuries received through having been knocked down bv a cart Tohn Allen, aged 8, WIIOBO parents rcaide in WatcrJoo stieet, vv as also taken to the hospital, having boon iu]urcd in a similar manner

The Citv Coroner hold an luquirv }cstcrday upon the body of George Murphy, an old man, who was on Thursday found banging to a rope in a house in Prospect-street, burry Hills A finding of suicide waa recorded