South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Saturday 9 April 1887, page 4


THE CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

The Criminal Sittings of the Supreme Court are now, to use a common com mercial phrase, 'carried out with Bromr-tnes3 and dianatch.' On th«

completion of the last sessions ire drew attention to the fact that a long list of cases had been disposed of in about four working days. Por the sessions which have just been concluded tho number of cases set down for hearing was not so great, and, moreover, two Judges were eDgaged on the concluding: day, whereas on the previous occasion the assistance of a second ma only called in for the settlement of one tedious case relative to Chinese gambling Still it is somewhat remark able to find that the total pro gramme of the April sittings has been run through in the short, space of three days. The fact is satisfactory for two reasons. It indicates for one thing that serious crimes are becoming more rare than they once were; and it indicates also that there Is no desire to ?unheceii Eariiy prolong the proceedings* in reference to thoBe cases' which actually came before the Courts. South Australia fortunately has few eauses celebrcs of any sort, and it very seldom happens that counsel is called upon to expend houra of eloquence in- the desperate attempt to whitewash the character of somebody of the upper circles who has got into trouble. The two most remarkable cases heard during the past sessions had reference to the relations of the whites, with the aboriginals in outlying portions of the colony. Both unfortunately seem to afford suspicion of failure of justice. In the first casa it was proved. that a white man had been found in the River Murray with marks of throttling on his throat, and that a certain blackfellow, known as Bookmark Tommy,. had been heard to boast that he had killed one of the whites. It appears from the evidence that the deceased and. one or two of his friends had mixed freely among the natives at their camp. It was alleged of one of the white men that he wanted to take away a lubra, and of the deceased that he had been conveying wine to a woman in the camp of the blacks. Bookmark Tommy was admittedly drunk when lie uttered the boast which led to his arrest, and as it was the man Burford and not the deceased that had wanted to take the lubra, and had subsequently been injured in a fight; there. was some colour in the supposition that Tommy in vaunting his prowess had only referred in exaggerated language to an encounter with this marauding white fellow. That the deceased was really murdered there appears to be very little doubt. Bookmark Tommy,. it was said, had a corrobboree held in bis honour on account of tho alleged homicide, but when it came, to a question of running the risk of hanging he disowned the exploit. The whole of the evidence was undoubtedly only of a circumstantial character, and it was right that Tommy should get the benefit of the doubt. But it would be satisfactory to see some further develop ments of this case. When a number of white men supply drink to the blacks to make them drunk, so that they may get possession of their women the law should take cognisance not merely of the blind vengeance of the blackfellows, but also of the misconduct of the whites whose nefarious doings have given rise to the disturbance. If the police do not make further enquiries in regard to this case and bring some of the offenders to book, the blacks, who have their own vague ideas of justice, will come to regard the white man's law as being merely the instrument by which he renders safe the perpetration of lawless acts. A charge of assault upon a half-caste girl also resulted in an acquittal. Ridg wsy JNewland was accused under the provisions of the Criminal Law Consolida tion Act, known as tho Act for the pro tection of young girls, of having assaulted a girl said to be between 14 and 15 years of age, on the Port Lincoln Peninsula. The facts of the offence neem to have been clear, but the age of the girl was un certain. How Is it posnible to ascertains tha age of a young waif of a girl who pro bably haa no knowledge herself as to when she was born and who were her parents T The law is plain enough in prescribing that to secure a conviction the prosecution muse prove the girl tc have been under 16 years of age. Yet it seems very hard indeed that because s girl has no one belonging to her who can prove how old she is she should ba eubjected to in jury and insult. A half-caste has scarcely ever .any means of producing a cer tificate of birth. It is to be feared that among a certain class of people in Australia . in j cries to those with black blood in their veins are looked upon as much more venial offences than those which are perpetrated against the ?Hehites. Thifl is. certainly -a. frightf ally

pemrted lifea of morality. If there Is ene clasa of people , whom we are bound to, protect 'with special vigilance it is the blacks who have been displaced by the advance of Battlement in the colony. r Gold and jewellery are a fruitful aourcs of work foi the Criminal Cocrta. Four of tie cases tried during the sessions were connected with thia class of valuables. A versatile Individual named John New comb, musician, teacher, architect, and solicitor, was convicted of ordering jewel lery from Mr. Wendt, under the name and address of ' Charles Hope, solicitor, Bans,' kut as the man had been living for some years under that name, and recently acting as a sort of lawyer, the Judge uas reserved a case as to whether the charge of 'false pretences' is not reaDy inapplicable. The system of retail credit gives rise to some coriou3 y ^lapliw^Jfin *t and case3 of thia sort ire among them. One prisoner, a jewellery pedlar on commission, got into trouble for pawning a watch said to be the property of Mi employers. - The identity of the vatch was doubtful, and tha case ?broke down. In another instance some Jewellery was abstracted through an open window at North Adelaide, and the thief got three years' imprisonment, with a recommendation to a remission of portion of the sentence. The people of Adelaide are certainty very trustful in the matter of leaving their doors and window3 open, and those who stQI possess any valuable collection of jewellery Bhould provide a safe place for it, and keep it there. The jewellers always know better than to offer temptations to amateur burglars. But occasionally they are ' got at' in other ways, as when Mr. Berliner bought a nugget of so-called ' Teetulpa gold,'; and found that it only assayed a little over 10 oz. The prisoner, who had one previous conviction against him, was evidently a knowing one, and had provided a defence for himself. But it was uphill work for Ms counsel trying to prove that a mixture of about equal parts gold and copper was natural Teetulpa gold. Four years' hard labour will be the result of this swindle. If other gold-mining frauds of a more genteel nature always resulted in a 'mna? incarceration there would soon be more confidence in the industry than Is felt at present. Beyond those which nave been mentioned there were no cases presenting unusual features. A youth of 19, who had got into fast company, and stolen bis .em ployers' money was sent to gaol for . two years j a forger . who pleaded necessity- was sentenced to three years, and a man who stole bread and sugar got eight months in prison. This last sentence certainly Beams rather heavy, especially as there, was some ground for his defence of want and starvation; but of course stealing a loaf of bread is larceny, and the Judges must administer the law as they finfl it. Tax Proposed Colosial Eqhet. — The fingn^rai conditions upon which Australia is to be promoted by the Imperial authorities to the dignity of having a fleet of her own . are even more stringent than at first appeared. It is proposed that her contribution to the maintenance of such a fleet, which in the piping times of peace is not to exceed £90,000 per annum, will, when the vessels have to be put upon a war footing, be not £120,000, as before stated, but £153,000. In addition to this the Admiralty insist that Australia shall pay £30,000 a year to the Sinking Fund required to meet the original cost of the fleet. This £30,000, it has been explained by Admiral Fairfax in an interview which our reporter had with hin\ on Thursday night, is only half the total Sinking Fund liability, the other moiety being met by the Imperial Govern ment. It is not at all surprising, considering the terms of the proposed arrangement, that 'Victoria should object to contribute towards the Sinking Fund, and the action of the South Australian delegates in supporting Mr. Deakin will, we believe, be endorsed -by the colonists generally.. It is not merely a matter of paying a, few thousands or a few hundred, pounds per annum, as the 'case may be. The question involved is one of principle, and is of the very highest importance. If the fleet were a colonial fleet in reality— that is to say, if it were put entirely under the control of the Colonial Cabinets— there might be reason, for expecting Australia to pay £30,000 or £40,000 towards a Sinking Fund; but seeing that there is no in tention to place the fleet in that posi tion, it is out of all reason to ex pect that these colonies Bhould subscribe this amount. It is more than question able, indeed, whether Australia will get any benefit from the proposed arrange ment at all commensurate with the annual outlay of £90,000 or £153.000 on maintenance. It Is to be hoped that the delegates will be firm In this matter, and wnl see that for whatever outlay on vessels of war Australia may have to incur she shall have an equivalent in tha ?hape of defence armaments available is time of emergency. Thx Fibe Beigades Dispute. — We print elsewhere a letter from the ten firemen whose resignations have been accepted by the Fire Brigades Board. They Jare not to be congratulated on the wording of the communication, but it Is plain from its tenor that they have not resigned without counting the coat. There can be no doubt as to the strength of their conviction that they are tine victims of injustice. They complain of the intolerance cf the Superin tendent — by which they probably mean a tendency on Ms part to act the martinet; of the Dliberality shown towards thsra in the matter of the pay they receive while in . capacitated by injuries ;? and of the Saper - intendenfs lack of practical knowledge cr ?tea duties. But after all their chief * grievance is that it ia evidently the in ? tention to fill up the vacant position of second. in command from outside. Jfot unnaturally they insist upon holding Mr. JSalter and not the Board responsible for this policy, for had Mr. Salts? chosen to recommend one of the firemen for uro . motion, bis recommendation would doubi ' &» have been, at once adopted. So fa? ' from IJs 'having done this, the terms of the advertisement for a Deputy -S an erin '? tendent . give the distinct impression that it ia not thought desirable by 'him' to promote any of tha members of the brigade. It h not aaid in so many words, bnt intimation h given that a married man Trill ba pre ferred, whereas as a matter cf fact all the firemenare single men. We cannot pretend *o say whether any c! tha ten are capable of filling the vacant post, bat if not, some of them ought to be, and it was evidently an understood thing that the men in the employ of the Board should have tha first chance of promotion. Sy practically ? shutting them out from making applica tion under the advertisement an in justice was undoubtedly dona then, ? 'and their indignation Is not at all to be wondered at Into the other complaints against Mr. Salter we need sot enter. It is obviously absurd for men who have been working harmoniously

under him for many months to all at once stigmatize him as being a mere theorist, as being intolerant, and generally as being unfitted for his position j but there are points In the letter well worthy of inves tigation. It would be an inexcusable weak ness on the part of the Board to allow the firemen to dictate to it ; but, on the other hard, it is incumbent upon it to investigate the allegations made against the Superintendent, and to see how far they are supported. Certain it ia that whoever occupies the position of leader of the brigade should have the unqualified confidence of the Board and of the public ; should be well acquainted practically, ~~ veil as theoretically, with Ma dutioa ; and while a rigid disciplinarian should bo just in his dealings with those under him. It ia essential in a Fire Brigade that the esprit de carps should be pre served, and a Superintendent who cannot maintain it ia not specially qualified for hia duties. We have alway3 believed that Mr. Salter has high qualifications for the position ha holds, but the wholesale resignation of the men under his command upon the grounds stated is calculated to afiake confidence in Mb management, A Tereatesed Bohbabdiekt. — There is some dasger of British men-of-war having to undertake another bombardment. Thia time it ia not Egyptians that are at fault, but these irrepresFsibly turbulent negroes the inhabitants of BaytL The negro Eepublic of that island has been for the pass five years in a state of perpetual revolution. About a year ago General Salomons, the President, who waa almost the only man who could con trol the half-savages who form the 'citi-zens' of the Eepublic, waa assassinated by the rebelaj and apparently affairs have lince been going from bad to worse. England has had a dispute with the Republic as to the occupation of Tortugas or Turtl9 Island, which lies clo3e to the north- weat coaat of the island of San Domingo or Hayti, and en cloBes one of the port3 by which imports are taken to the inhabitants. ~The trade of Hayti 13 divided in about equal proportions between the United States and England, and it is natural that the foreigners should try to provide for the security of one place in the neighbourhood of the island. In 1882-3, whenjthe revolutionary war was at its worst, the soldiers at one port in Hayti had the audacity to fire upon a British man-of-war. As there was no Government on the island and reprisals would have been perfectly aimless, no vio lent measures were taken. But it would appear from our telegrams thi3 morning that the patience of the British Govern ment ia* now nearly exhausted. It is reported that unless the dispute about Torttigaa Island is settled the ports of Hayti will be bombarded by British war vessels. The people of the island have long been accustomed to warfare, and no doubt they wDl make some response to any hostilities directed against them. The policy of bombarding the towns cf a half savage people is, to Eay the least, very question able. Traders 'who go to a place like Hayti know the sort of risks they run, and it 13 impossible for England to enforce order in the island when the people cannot do it for themselves. America would resent an occupation, and nothing less than that would provide for the estab lishment of order. The Easteb Holidays. — To-day being a Government holiday, a few attractions have been provided. In the afternoon a concert will be given at the Blind, Deaf, and Dumb Institution, Brighton, by the blind children, assisted by the Unley, Goodwood and Park side Volunteer Band. The institution, which has recently been enlarged, and the grounds, will be open to the public. A special tram service to Brighton has been arranged for, so that the public will have an oppor tunity of inspecting the building, and at the aame time of assisting the blind children to purchase a piano. A polo match is to be played on the Old Adelaide Racecourse, while lovers of fox-terrier coursing will have some sport provided for them at the Maid and Magpie Hotel. The Norwoods will meet the Adelaides at cricket on the Adelaide Oval. In the evening ' Little Jack Sheppard' will be presented for the first time at the Theatre Royal, and a change of programme i3 an nounced at Garner's. Thi3 morning the men who are to take part in the Easter encampment go into camp. On Easter Monday the Caledonian Spcits will be held on the Adelaide Oval, and as usual they are sure to attract a big crowd. The Onkaparinga Races promise to prove a3 successful as in previous years, and the road to Oakbank is likely to bs lined with vehicles of all descriptions if the weather is fine, while many will doubtless patronise the rail way. The annual picnic in aid of the Catholic Orphanage will also be held on the Kensington Oval on Alonday. The Easteb Excaitpmest.— This morning, at 10 o'clock, the militia force, cavalry, artil lery, and infantry, including the reserve, are expected to muster at the parade-ground for the purpose of proceeding to Belair for a couple of days' encampment, to be followed by field mancsuvrea and a sham fight on Easter Monday. Regulations and orders have been issued for the proper carrying oat of the camp and manoeuvres, and if the weather turns out better than it did when the men started for the camp at Larga last year, the troops will have a pleasant outing well tem pered with discipline. The idea for to-day is that a flying column goes oat to feel for an enemy supposed to have landed on the coast, a camp equipment following under a guard. On reaching the camping-ground they wiil go through the regular routine. His Excellency the Governor will pay a visit to the encamp ment on Sunday, and -will be present at the service which is to be conducted by Bishop genjjipn a.. 3 o'clock, The City Scavenges axd Eirpiovfd.— As announced in Friday's Register the majority of the men employed by Mr. M. R. Fleming, the city scavenging contractor, have been agitating for a strike, but before they intimated their intentions to their employer about thirty of the men were paid off on Thursday. Mr. Fleming had at the beginning of the week between fifty and sixty men working for.him at wages ranging from 33. 6d. to 7s. per day, excepting carters, -who were earning 'lOs. 6d. To fill the places of those discharged the contractor and hia partner (Mr. MacMahon) have engaged other labourers. The new hands were for the most part inexperienced in the work, and where, for instance, eight men formerly did the work twelve or thirteen men are now en gaged. The new hands have been taken oa at reduced wages, but it will be seen that in the end the wagea -will be considerably higher than these given to the old employe's. From July last up to about nine weeks since Mr. 'Fleming paid his best and married men from 63. 6d. to 7s. 6d. a days and he has in some instances paid Ss. per day. Finding that the work could be done in less time withoat overtima he made reductions, but actually the men havo been earning the same wage. Some days they worked more than eight houra and ether days less, bo that the average time did not extend beyond that usually asked for by the working classes. No notice whatever was given to Mr. Fleming of the men's intentions, and Mr. MacMaion happened to hear of the pro ceedings by a Bide wind. From Mr. Fleming we learn that special consideration haa alwaj3 besn observed in the case of married and competent mess who have been paid good Traces. Plenty of labourers are- available to proceed with, the scavenging, Sc., should anymore men become dissatisfied, and tha contractor is therefore in no way alarmed. It haa been also stated that the scavengers have been considerably influenced by the Corporation gangers and labourers. At a meeting held last week some of Mr. Flernins'3 late employes formed themselves into a Corporation Labourers' Association; but the city scavenging contractor's men are not Corporation labourers. Tha Corporation men are engaged by the Corporation, whereas Mr. ~B lemiug engages hia own employes. It may be InterwtiBS to cote boom of the crr

enmstances under which the contract was let. Tenders were called in July last by the City Council for scavenging the city for three years. Mr. Fleming waa the only tenderer. At the time considerable opposition was shown to the city scavenging being let by contract. The City Surveyor estimated the cost of the work: at £16,551* Mr. Fleming's contract price waa £16,110, or £441 under the estimate. For a few concessions, proving of no loss to the citizens in reference to the sweeping of main roads leading to the city, &c, Mr. Fleming offered to give the Corporation £SCO a year, which at £900 for three yeara added to the amount under the Surveyor's estimate, made a saving to the ratepayers of £1,341. For metalling, spread ing, scoring, and consolidating the contract price waa 2a. lljd. per cube yard. Mr. Fleming afterwards suggested that without scoring he would reduce the charge by 8d. per cube yard, and if the metal were de livered from the quarry on to the atreetB instead of at the depots he would make a further reduction of lOd. per yard. The tender waa accepted with Mr, Fleming's suggestions. By that agreement there is a clear saving of la. 6d. per cubs yard. The metal can be obtained at 3d. per yard cheaper if delivered on the street, as the quarrvmen will not have to pas for stacking on the Park LandH depots. By this tha saving on 20,000 yards of metalling without any supervision also comes to a very large amount, and aiace the contract was let blacksmiths, carpenters, painters, gangers, &&, have been dispensed with, making also a considerable saving. Fishesmss's Licences,— In view of the hardships to which fishermen are said to be subject, Mr. Hopkins, M.P., waited on the Collector of Customs on Thursday to ask a remission of the annual licence-fee. The Collector pointed out that it waa within his province to recommend the matter for the consideration of the Treasurer, and having done so he would be prepared to answer Mr. Hopkins on Tuesday morning. The Late Mrs J. L. Young. — The former scholars of the late Mr. John L, Young at the Adelaide Educational Institu-tion as well as many other colonists will have learned with regret of the sudden death of the widow of that much-esteemed gentlemen. Mrs. Young was thoroughly identified with the school which, was carried on for so many years by her husband, and ahe will be re-membered with special affection by those of the scholars who resided during the terms with Mr. and Mrs. Young at their residence, first on North-terrace and afterwards at Park-side. It will be remembered that some years ago Mr. Young died in the Red Sea on the voyage to England, where, after relinquish-ing his profession aa a teacher he had in tended to join his family and to spend some years in his native and much-loved County of Cornwall. Mrs. Young then returned to the colony, and after residing for some time in Kent Town removed to Glenelg, where she has since lived with her family, consist ing of several sons and daughters. She had arranged to spend Eastertime at Stirling West, and went there on Tuesday last. She walked to the village on leaving the train at Mount Lofty Station, and seemed in perfect health all the day. While dressing the next morning, however, fine had a seizure of the heart, and was found dead in her room. Mrs, Young was 57 years of age at the time of her death. The funeral took place in the West- terrace Cemetery on Good Fri-day morning. The service at the grave was conducted by the Rev. C. Manthorpe, of Glenelg. Among those present were Mrs. Young's sons, a number of the old scholars of the Adelaide Educational Institution, in cluding Messrs. F, W, Bullock (who, with Mr. Oliver Young, Mr. J. L. Young's brother and a former teacher of the school, is an executor of the deceased lady's estate), W. Bickford, H. Bickford, P. Auld, H. Noltenius, and Stevens. Mr. Uren, a former master at the school, and Mr. J. V. Smith were also amonest those at the grave. Another Political Association. — A correspondent write3 :— ' On Thursday even ing about sixty gentlemen., who had worked to secure tha return of. Mr. L. Grayson, M.P. to Parliament, met by invitation at the Coffee Palace, North-terrace. Mr. J. Dun can occupied the chair. After congratula tory remarks upon the success which had attended the labours of those present at the election for West Adelaide, and the generally satisfacfcoiy results of the elections throughout the colony, the very faulty condi tion of the electoral roll was commented on, and the necessity urged for some permanent political organization being formed. The following resolution was moved by Mr. W. W. Forwood, and seconded by Mr. J. J. Green: — 'That this committee form itself into an Association for the purpose of taking auch political action as may be considered necessary in the interests of the colony.' This was carried unanimously, and nine of the members were appointed to draft the plat form and rules of the new Association to be submitted to a general meeting after the holidays. Mr. Grayson entertained hi3 visitors for an hour afterwards, when the health of the host, the Secretary of his com mittee, and the Chairman wa3 proposed and suitably responded to.' A Woman Fatally Bu&st.— The death of Mrs, Jeannett Park, of Frederick-street,' Maylands, through burns received on Wed nesday morning last, waa the cause of an official enquiry by the City Coroner on Good Friday afternoon. The injuries, it will be remembered, were received through the un fortunate woman's dress catching fire while she was washing. Dr. Gonjer was the prin cipal witness examined. He stated that he was called as —;on as possible after the acci dent happened, but from the first considered the case hopeless. He had been attending her previous to the accident for fatty degene ration of the heart. She died from the effect of ths burns. The Jury returned .a verdict in accordance with this testimony. Demands ox New South Wales Run holders.— The Evening Ifews says: -'A statement published in Bourke shows that sixty-six runs in the Western District that paid £12,330 rental under the old Land Act now pay for rent and licence £44,457 per annum, Arrears have to be provided for °n no less a sum than £97,742, dr an average of £l,4S0 per holding. This payment has to be provided for by the end of 1S88, It is con sidered that thia demand, if enforced, will smash up many holdings,' Pollution or ths Rives Yaeea.— The question of the pollution of the Yarra was considered at the meeting of the Victorian Rowing Association which wa3 held last evening at Young & Jackson's Hotel, Swans ton-street (says the Argus of April 7). Mr. J. H.' Barrows submitted a motion, which was carried, to the effect that, in view of the increasing foul condition of the Yarra and tha serious detriment it was causing to rowing and to the public health, the Association should adopt active measures to bring- the subject before Parliament and the public generally. Mr. F. Williams suggested that an effort should be made to induce the various Municipal Councils to construct catch ment basins at the mouths of the main drains flowing into the Yarra, for the purpose of catching any filth, garbage, &c, that might be washed down the channels, and by that means prevent it from entering the river. Hs added that if char coal beds were employed Between the basins and tho mouths of the drains, ths drainage would be greatly purified. A general opinion waa expressed that something ought to bs done to lessen the nuisance at once, and a committee waa appointed to devise a scheme by ?which the proposals contained in tho reso lution could be furthered. The Motrsr Moegak West Fbaud. — At a meeting of this Company, recently col lapsed, held on February 24, Mr. Barkis, a shareholder, was the means of exposing the whole swindle to Ms fellow shareholders. Hs Bald :— Tha Directors had taken the trouble to telegraph out to RockKamptoa about the title to the mine, end why did not they tels graph for a report upon what had been stated in the Queensland ' Hanaardf Why did aoS they taka tha trouble to ascertain what had taken place ia tha Parliament House that year with regard to this mine ? He wonld read to them what h&d taken place aa appear ing in an extract from the Queensland ' Hansard,' which the aharoholdera could see for themselvea in London if they would take the trouble to go to the Ageot-GesemPi

9fEeein''vlctbria-Btee€t.r_it waa a report to the House with rcgardtothe Mount Morgan Weet Gold-mining Company, and was dated Friday, October 27, 1885. The gentleman 3peaking waa Mr. Donaldson, and he said this:— 'It ia time that a warning shonld be sent to the old country to warn investors against bogu8 mining Companies. After making due enquiry I can find nothing about the mine, and it will be a sad thing for the 3oloniea if bogus mines are floated in Eng land. Two have lately been floated in England— one called the Elektron and the Dther the Mount Morgan West Mining Com pany. There ia no doubt the Mount Morgan is a valuable mine, but there ia no other valuable mine in the district.' The Premier then spoke on the subject, and then Mr. Patterson said :— 'I had intended to bring this matter forward myself. One of the mines which has been formed has been called the Mount Morgan West. There is no Bnch mine ia existence as the Mount Morgan West The mines west of Mount Morgan have been tested, and have proved an utter failure. Probably some.of these mines may pay at a great depth, but nothing aumcient to justify floating a Company, Forming bogus gold mines would eventually greatly; injure the colony.' Then again, on November 3, 1886, the Premier said :— ' There could not be the least doubt that one of, tho mines lately floated in England was an entirely bogus affair.' — that waa their property. TheatheHon, J. McCronan says— 'I have nothing to eay about Mount Morgan West, but there has been no gold found there; they cannot say at what depth gold could ba foundj and if found whether it would be paying or no.' Mr. Cates likewise spoke strongly in favour of what had been done, and Mr. Donaldson added that any good mining adventure put upon the market waa readily taken up ; one of the mines had been floated in the old country with a large capital, although he ventured to say that in the colonies they woald not have got £5 for it. The BhaTeholdera could judge for themselves whether what he had read was correct or not. (Quite correct.) He, for one, had been grossly deceived by the account given in the prospectus, and the shareholders ought to do at least three things —one was to pass a resolution that the Direc tors should spend no more money until the truth waa ascertained. He found great fault with them for having parted with so large a sum of money in payment from this amount when they knew that there were such com plaints in regard to it. (Shameful.) Another thing they should do was to appoint a committee of the shareholders, say bix or seven, to meet and take the circumstances into consideration. (The Chairman— 'Hear, hear.') If any gentleman would put down half a dozen names he would be pleased to add his own. (Criea of ' Propose your committee first.') Thenhe proposed that a committee of shareholders be formed. One resolution he had intended to propose was ' That this meeting believes that the pro spectus wa3 framed for the purpose of deceit.' (Hear, hear.) Another reeolution was ' That the Directors not having disclosed in this prospectus the material facts within their knowledge, and not having made full and sufficient enquiry into the matter are deserv ing of the censure of this meeting.' Another was 'That an independent body of share holders be formed for the purpose of making an exhaustive enquiry, and that no more money of the shareholders ba spent upon this undertaking until such enquiry has taken place.' (Hear, hear.) Ultimately Mr. Bur kin took the meeting completely out ol the Chairman's hands, and proposed a resolution, which waa almost unanimously adopted, suspending all further expenditure until a committee of enquiry had reported on the Seating of the Company. New Naval Intelligence Depabtment. — The Lords of the Admiralty (says an English exchange) having issued a special memorandum for the guidance of the new Intelligence Department, in which it is pro vided that the department is to be a branch of the Secretary's office, and styled the Naval Intelligence Department. The functions of the Naval Intelligence Department are to be purely advisory, and in no sense adminis trative ; the essence of its work is to be pre paration for war. Under no circumstances will the Director be permitted to recommend designs for warships, ironclad or otherwise, or to attempt to influence in any way the constructive policy of the Admiralty. Amongst the prescribed duties are the col lection and sifting of all records, and to lay before the Board of Admiralty all informa tion likely to be of use in time of war ; to propose and keep plans of mobilization of naval forces, including the Naval Reserves, bo that no possible attack from any quarter upon any part of the Empire shall find a defenceless opening; and to bring to the notice of the Board of Admiralty all points affecting preparations for war. Emigration and Immigration. — The report of the Board of Trade on emigration forl8S6(saysthePa#i!/a#ffasetfe)8hows-that the number of persons who left the United Kingdom for places out of Europe was SoOjSOl, an increase of 65,416 over the pre vious year ; 232,900 of these emigrants were of British and Irish origin, an increase of 25,256 over the previous year, The increase is especially marked among emigrants of foreign origin. The increase in emigrants of British and Irish origin is 12 per cent., the number now reached, however, being 10,000 less than in 1884, and 87,000 short of the very high figure reached in 1883. The immigration returns show tha.t last year the total number arriving was 108.S79, a decrease of 4,670 over the previous year ; and of these 80,018 were immigrants of British and Irish origin, a decrease of 5,450. The excess of emigrants over immigrants was 221,922, the proportion of persons oi British and Irish origin being 152,882. The nationality of the emigrants was— EDglish, 146,301 ; Scotch, 25,323 ; Irish, 61,276. The increase in Irish emigration was about 2 per cent.; while is the c^se of English and Scotch the increase waa nearly one-sixth. More than 70 per cent, of the emigrants went to the United States, Aus tralia coming next. The Socialists in St. Paul's.— Our London correspondent writes on March 5 : — ' Our great metropolitan Cathedral was last Sunday afternoon the scene of very unwonted excitement, which, it is satisfactory to record, did not culminate in any crisis of a loudly irreverent or otherwise sensational character. The London Socialista have recently added what they term a 'Church Parade' to their modes of drawing public attention to themselves; and the under standing that on the first Sunday in Lent the Archdeacon of London should preach a sermon under the dome of St. Paul's, addressed particularly to the poor, nude their leaders resolve upon a march from East, West, North, and South to the Cathedral, with & view, bo it was rumoured, to inter rupting public worship by some counter proceeding of their own. The Cathedral authorities must be credited with doing the best thing possible under the circumstances. Strong bodies of police were in readiness outside the building to act against any disturbance of public order, should such be threatened, but within the consecrated walls the measures taken were to the out ward eye, at least, simply those prompted by the expectation of a vast congregation. The entire area w&3 furnished with seats ; leaflets were printed containing the complete even ing service of the day— prayers, psalms, and hymns— and volunteera were everywhere stationed ready to distribute them to all comers. It waa certain that a large piopor tion of the invading processionists would be more abashed on finding themselves received exactly after the manner of reverent etraugera tfr»Ti by being confronted on their entrance by say amount of pompous paraphernalia manifestly designed to keep them in order. There is always a great attendance at St. Paul's during £he Advent and Lenten special cervices, which last Sunday received segmen tation from the merely curious outsiders at tracted by the expectation of some unusual excitement, and thus the Socialistic band was necessarily distributed - among as overpowering: number of devout, or zi least decorous, persona. During the period of waiting for the ho-jr of service after ths Cathedral waa full, there was some attempi at-Epeechm&kiag, and a few children intro duced by the processionists were trouble' acme— acting, as it was snppoaed, nndia orders from their elders— daring the quiet fii

the general confession 'and other' opening prayers. But the diaperaion of the Socialists over the building proved an effectual check upon any persistent attempt at a- real dis turbance, joined most probably to an unac knowledged and involuntary respect for the place, and for the sincerely pious atcifexde of those about them. The Archdeacon: (Dr. Gifford) preached a good sermon from the text ' The rich and poor meet together ; the Lord ia the maker of them alL' The asser tion that 'under every Government and every code of laws that the wisdom of man had been able to devise there had been and there must be the rich and the poor,' evoked cries of 'No, no,' and there were hisses and some commotion at the mention of ' children of our Heavenly Father1 meeting that day side by dde, while the invitation to come again as often as they would was answered by 'Hear, hear.' At the request of avast crowd unable to enter the Cathedral a service was conducted on the steps outside by Canon Gregory.' Mubdss op ah Offices.— While during the last few daya (writes our London corre spondent on March 6) one colonel baa been tried and sentenced to a period of hard labour for cooking his accounts as paymaster in a barrack town another officer of the same rank .-^olonel Fendall— has fallen a victim -to immorality at Birmingham. This gentleman, who had seen much service ia India -and Egypt, after spending the evening at the theatre in that town, picked up with a woman in whose company he visited various taverns and ultimately proceeded to a house of bad character. Quarrelling was heard in the night, and subsequently he was conveyed in a cab to the hospital, where, in a 'state' of unconsciousness, he died from the effects of a compound fracture at the base of the brain. How did be meet with his death? The woman in whose company he was says that he fell downstairs, and Bhe also states that the man ahe lives with— who is suspected, with other men, of having had a hand in the tragical occurrence — was absent from the house at the time. On the other hand, the gold which the unfortunate man was known to have about him at the time has disap peared, and there only remained in his pockets several shillings, which were blood stained. Moreover, bis body bears marks about it of extreme ill-usage ; and there are, in fact, indications that he was set upon by two or three men. It is impossible to doubt that an atrocious murder has been com mitted, but at present there is no direct evidence against any one. Perhap3, however, the woman may tell what she knows. The moral of this revolting story is trumpet tongued, and as old aa the hills. The Longest Tunsel is the Wobld.— An engineering work that has taken over a century to construct can hardly fail to offer some points of interest ia its history and illustrate the march of event3 during the years of its progress. An instance of this kind is to be found in a tunnel not long since completed, but which was commenced over 100 years ago. This tunnel, or adit, a3 it Bhonld be more strictly termed, is at Scbemnitz, in Hungary. Its construction was agreed upon in 1782, the object being to carry off the water from the Schemnitz Mines to the lowest part of the Gran Valley, The work ia now complete, and .{according to the Bauzeitung 'far- U.ngarny it forma the longest tunnel in the world, being 10'27 miles long, or about 1 mile longer than St. Gothard and 2\ miles longer than Mont Cenis. The height is 9 ft. 10 in. and the breadth .5 ft. 3 in. This tnncel, which has taken so long in making, has cost very nearly a million Bterling, but the money appears to have been well spent; at least the present generation has no reason to grumble, for the saving from being able to do away with water-raising appliances amounts to £15,000 a year. There is one further point, how ever, worth notice, for if we have the advantage of our great-grandfatheca in the matter of mechanical appliances, they certainly were better off in the price of labour.! The original contract for the tunnel, made in 1782, was that it should be completed in thirty years and should coat £7 per yard run. For eleven years the work was done at this price, but the French Revolution enhanced the cost of labour and materials to such an extent that for thirty years little progress was made. For ten years following much pro gress was made, and then the work dropped for twenty years more until the water threat ened to drown the mines out altogether. Finally the tunnel was completed in 1878, the remaining part costing £22 a yard, or more than three times as much as the original contract rate. As iNDO-EuKOPEAy Ca-*al. — In a recent communication to the French Academy of Sciences, M. Emile Eude proposes a canal between India and Europe by way of the Euphrates Valley, the Persian Gulf, and Syria (says the Scientific American), This was in ancient times the great route of commerce, before- the founding and develop ment of Alexandria diverted it on Suez and led to the Suez Canal. The new route is put forward aa a parallel way to that of Suez. His project is a canal with a. double aim — a canal of irrigation and of navigation. In this way he proposes to restore fertility to these wastes. The; plan ia to create a river from Soueidieh to the Persian Gulf, by making the Euphrates flow to the Mediterranean by AleDpo and Antdoch ; from Beles, in deepening the river from Beles to Felondjah (near ancient Babylon) ; in passing from the Euphrates to the Tigris by the canal of Saklavijah ; and lastly, in descend ing the Tigris from Bagdad to Kornab, Basaora, and Fao on the Gulf. The new canal would shorten the going and coming voyage to Bombay by six days. M. Eade does not consider the engineering difficulties of a serious kind) except the stony banks of Afaou-Said and Kerbeleh, which, however, would not resist modern appliances. He estimates the total cost of the works at more than a milliard of francs, and the maximum capital required would be 1,500,000,000 francs. Lime Cartridges. — These cartridges have been found most valuable for work in many kinds of stone, including granite, Portland stone, sandstone, &c, aa well as masonry of stone or brickwork (says the Scientific American). A blook of granite weighing about 4 tons, and embedded on two sides and at the bottom in strong cement, was recently moved easily by two shots. Ia experiments for the Admiralty at Portland three shots of lime cartridges got 30 tons of stone in large merchantable pieces. The cartridges were used with great success for upward of twelve months in the formation of the Copenhagen Tunnel, North London, and they are now in use for removing the sand stone in the excavations of the Mersey Tunnel Railway Company at Liverpool. Liquid Fuel.— It appears, after an experi ment of several months (writes the Scientific American), that ferry boats plying between San Francisco and Oakland which had been fitted up for burning petroleum have now gone back to coal. The economy, as we understand, eo far as the consumption of fuel ia concerned, is eaid to be decidedly in favour of petroleum ; but the trouble in its use came from the intense heat produced, by 'which, or by the peculiar nature of the coai buation, the iron of both the furnaces and boilers began to indicate rapid deteriora tion—hence the return to coaL New Russian Cakal.— The Russian Go vernment has contracted a loan of 25,000,000 roubles with the firm of Hersent & Co., Paris, for the construction of the Perekop Canal in Southern Russia (says an exchange). M. Louis Caisseau, a French engineer of Suez Canal fame, is to be the chief engineer. The canal will establish direct communication between the River Don, the Black Se3, and the Sea of Azov, and will also be the mediam of connecting several South Russian railway lines. It will be of considerable strategical importance, but its commercial significance will be BtOl greater, as ft wOl enable coal to be brought from the rich mines ia the vicinity - oi the River Don to the Black Sea, where their selling price will be lower than that oi TewgHith coals, which at present are the only kind used at Constantinople and the Black Seaports. A sound body and & contented mind are accessary to perfect happiness, If you wish topossssa these, cleanse your blood with AyerVSarssparilla. It ia perfectly safe to toJte, and ia » thoroughly reliable, highly con ctBtnted, and powerful blood purifier, 95,7,S