THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 1880.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 14 July 1880, Page 2

THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 1880.

The adjourned inquest in connection with tho case of concealment of binh, will be held to-day, when the full fuefs of the case will be elicited. The business of the Houpe of Representatives yesterday was almost barren of general interest. The Minister of Public Worts will deliver his Statement to the House this evening. Among the remarkable men in the United States (says a contemporary), on© is coming to the front of whom presently much more will be heard. His name is Victor Newcomb, and he is rapidly rising to a position not unlike that held gome years ago in England by Hudson, the Railway King. It is believed he will have built ud a fortune of two millionu sterling by the time he enters hia fortieth year. Neweomb's field is the purchase and combination of railway companies. He is now vice-presisident of the Louisville and Nashville roid, at>d Bole owner of the undertaking. He controls, more or less, all the lines betweeu Chicago on the north, aid Gulf of Mexico on the south, and between St- Louis, Memphis, and New Orleans on the west and tbe Atlantic Ocenn. Ha>ing brought his passengers and freight to the seaboard, it is in bis steamers that they are carried to Ni-w York and Cuba , - nnd fiora Charleston southwards to New Orleans, Newcomb controls every port. This enormous property comprises ovpt 5000 miles of railway, and five or six lines of ■teamer3 ; it is worth over £2,400,000, and does a business of 10.000.000d01s per annum. Young Neweomb's father commenced the enterprise, and had largely succeeded, when the Civil War interfered and stopped fur.h er progress. Another effort vrt'B -made ; then the panic of 1874, nnd Mr Newcomb «aw nothing but ruin be'ore him. At tin's juncture young; Newcomb, who had but shorlly before returned from completing his education in Europe, volunteered to soil the bonds of tlie Louisville and Nashville railway in London. He succeeded, returned home to receive his father's dying words, and bofors he was 30 years old he found himself entrusted with an organisation such as no man nt liis a^e had ever before managed. He was bought line after line, to unite his various iron way.-, and is now making tlie busiest preparation* for the future. A controversy arose in the "United States two or three yeira ago on (he expediency of retaining the bayonet as part of the armament of tlie foot soldier and tho sabre as t!io w-jiiiion of the ho'spmen, and tlie American military attaoho at the headquarters of th • Russian commander in«chi''f ia ihe war with Tirkey wus desired to make a ppeci^l study of tbe queftiim. His report was distir.cfcy adverse to tho suggestion to abolish tho bayonet and. subre : citing a number o' instances in which hard to hand fighting t- ok place during the I! us sun ?> dvar.ee, and pointing out that in many battl- a thoro will bo a poiio-1 — a slioii one, it mny be, but nor.c ilio less a very critical ore — in which Hie «\ne bluncln may still be ued with

decisive effect. In consequence, it may bo assumed, of this report the idea of abolishing tha bayonet and sabre was dropped ; but it now appears t^at General Grant is an aflvocate- for doing away with them. From tlie lately published account ofhic journey round the world we learn that the following fire his views on the subject :— " Anything that add 9to the burdens carried r>y the soldier is a weakness io the army. Every ounce be carries should add to its efficiency The bayonet is heavy, and if it were removed the army would be strong. As for tlie bayonet as a weapon, if soldiers como ne.ir enough, to use it they can do ns much good with the club end of their musknia. Tlie Eame is true as to sabres. I would faVi» nwuy the bayonet and give the soldiers pistols intteud of sabres."