MISCELLANEOUS.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1551, 22 May 1885, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

.» !_ The Nationalists in Ireland are jubilant over the downfall of M. Perry, the French Premier. They exalt over it in there newspapers, and describe it as a just punishment ft the Premier for his avbitary act in expelling the , Fenians from France. They say that Stephens, Dans, and Levoy wtrt as peaceable and law-abiding residents as any men in Paris, and their banisnment was a piece •£ mean obsequiousness to England. Per contra, toe Eag'ish , Press points to the miserably small «uu» subscribed for tbe relief of James Stephens a* a proof that Feniamsut is dead. Tbe Nationalists strength is, however, grswning throughout Ireland. In the coarse, of the debate on the Address in Reply to his Excellency's speech on the opening of tbe New Booth Wales Parliament, tbe H<w. W^ A. Brodribb gave the following interesting statistics (he was speak in* in favor of the action of the Government in the despatching of the Soudan contingent, and rebutting the argument: — "They little, think what these Australian colonies have cost and are costing Old England. Her squadron at this moment in these seal casts £100,000 per annnm. The squadron is composed of tbe following vessels : — Nelson — Twelve guns, doable Screw, iron armonr plated ship, 7930 teas, 6640-borse power: complement of men, 556 ; cost of maintenance, £35, 000 per annum ; cost of ship itself aid engines, £341,482. Diamond— Twelve gnn, screw corvette, 1970 tons, 2140-----borse power; <Jost of maintenance, £20,000 per annum ; complement of men, 233 ; cost of ship itself and engines, £48,770. Espiegle — Six gam. composite screw sloop, 1180 tons, . 1140 horse power ; complement of ■ten, 141; cost of ship and engines, £58,700. Miranda— Six gniu, composite screw sloop, 1130 tons. 1020-----horse power ; complement of men, 139; cost of maintenance, £12,000. Dart — Two guns, composite screw yacht, 470 tens, 200- horsepower; complement of men* 54 ; cost maintenance. £4500 per anuuin. Raven— Fonr guns, screw composite gunboat, 465 tor>s, 860 horse power ; complement of men, 60 ; cost of maiuteoa^ce, £4500. Swinger — Four guns, screw composite gnn boat, 430 toon. 520-----horse power; complement of men, 60; cost of maintenance, £4500. Lark — Surveying seiiooasr, Baiting »«wol ; &» men ; cost of maintenance, £2,500. Harrier — Sailing schooner, 152 tons; 28 men ; cost of maintenance, Jft.'HX). Undine — failing scbobner, 267 tons ; 34 men ; cost of maintenance, £2?0O. | Tetal nnmber of sen, 1340; original eest of three ships, £438,952 ; annual cost of ten vessels of war, £100,(00. With these figures before us, arew« not bound in. honor to assist the Mether Country in her hour ©f trial ? The population in these Australasian colonies numbers over " 3,000,000, besides containing an aiea of 8,075, 030 square miles, or a total in area- of 1,635,768,652 acres, as follows -.—New Sooth Wales, 309,175 square miles ; 1,000,000 population. Victoria, 87. 884 square miles ; 1,000,000 population. Queensland 66,224 squareiuilbs, 300,000 population. South Australia, 903,425 square miles ; 300, 000 population. Western Australia, 975,920 square miles ; 50,000 population. Tasaiania, 26,375 square miles ; 120,000 population. New Zealand, 104,627 sqnare miles; 600,000 population. Tatal 3,675,030 square miles; 3,420,000 population. Tbe Mother Country has handed over to ns without any charge this magnificent estate, with responsible government, to do as we like with this valuable property. Srtwly. under all these circumstances, we are bound in heoor to assist Old England out ef her troubles. Suppose it should cost' one million of money, we have only to sell 1,000.000 acres of what we call the wastelands of the Crew* — in reality her ewn property." A London paper gives the following Account of a sensational show : — At tha Cirqueries, on January 17th, and before a crowded audience, in which there did not seem room for a single shadow, much less another spectator, Mr Holland introduced to tbe public one of the most astounding etaiue sensations ever seen in the arena, nit was a tight rope performance at sn altitude of fully twwnty feet from tbe °ronnd, in wbieh a clever cbesnnt horse named Blondia walked backwards and forwards aoross a thin ropeline the full diameter of the ring. Apart from the excitement of seeing tie horse enjoy himself so to speak with a gentle promenade in mid-air, it is a pretty study fcr- notice with what deliberate cavtion be puts hit hoofs down — lowering it at first with a gentle descending motion until sore of hs ground, Blondin firmly sets it on the rope. The four-footed artist reaches his airy eiprciae ground by means ef a flight of stairs. Signor Corrandina is an Italian horse-tamer of considerable repute, and his belief in the intelligence and docility of the horse evidently exceeds that of his eeotempc^aries, seeing that be has taught Blondin what has always been left to the domain of man. Tlio Ru3.Hi.in p-ip<T, the " St. Peters!vir » G wit*." »'#v-* the diminution o. R'.issuu tradr with England, wttiß

tte imports of English goodsinte Russia show little or no falling off. it says that in 1883 there was imported * from Russia into England the following articles:— Wheat, flax, hemp, tallow, and wood, to the value of nearly £18. , 000,000 sterling, while in 1884 the amount had -decreased to 8,000,000, or a reduction «f 40 per cent. With regard to English production, more than 5.000,000 pounds worth had been imported iuto Russia in 1883, and in the following year the totals showed a decrease of only one third per cent. The conclusion to which the " St. Petersburgh Gazette " comes is that Russia's protective duties have failed to check the importation ef English goeds into the empire. , Onr London correspondent writing; on March 27 reported that " the Committee of the French Chamber of Deputies elected to examine the Recidivist* Bill, as sent down .from Senate, heard on the 25th inst. the -explanation of M. Waldeck Roasseau, the Minister of the Interior, on the three points they had reserved in former sittings. These three points \ related to the penal settlements to j which the recidivistes are to he sent, to compulsory labour for the rele gated, and to their liberation after six months' residence The Minister explained that the recidivistes sentenced to transporfcatien or relegation will first of all be confined to prison in France. During their confinement an inqniry will be made into their past life and aptitude. They will then be divided into three classes. The first class will comprise those who, being sentenced to a short term of imprisonment, know a trade that may be useful in the Colonies, and they will be sent to the Colonies that may apply for them. Their position as convicts will not be divulged. The second class will comprise those who have no trade. They will be formed into squads, and employed in Guiana and New Caledonia on public works for the account of the State. The third class will comprise those •who, after having belonged to the second, shall have acquired personal resources of their own, or shall have contracted engagements with private individuals. They will be released from the organisation by squads, and *llowed*to labour on their own account. After hearing the Minister's statement the Committee adopted the bill as passed by the Senate, and elected M. Oerville Reaehe, reporter. He reads his report to-day (March 27). and will lay it on the table to morrow. The Chamber will vote upon it immediately after the Easter recess." Lord Dudley, whose death was announced in our cablegrams on Saturday, was knewn for many rears as Lord Ward, the titl* which he inherited. In 1860 he was created an earl by the title of Earl of Dudley. His iorehkip, who was ene of the - wealthiest peers in England, owning a large amount of mining and landed property, married a daughter of Thomas Moncrieff, one of a family famous for their beauty. She is a sister of the Duchess of Athol and of Lady Mordaunt, whose divorce case created great excitement a number of years ago. The heir te the title and estates is the eldest son of the late peer, Visceunt Ednam, bom in 1867. Lord Dudley was Horn in 1817. Thus writes a London correspondent: — The career of the Chairman of the Peninsular and Oriental Company, just now crowned by an extraordinary demonstration of confidence and esteem on the part of the shareholders, is of the old fashion turn-again-Wittington type. Mr Sutherland, as he is proud to tell, entered the company's service at the lowest rung on the ladder. He began as office boy, a position from which h«» was speedily raised to a clerkship. His next step was to have committed to his charge the company's interest at the central station at Hong Kong. Here he found scope for his remarkable talents, and at the end of a few years was recalled to London, and shortly afterward? obtained a seat on the board. Then he was made joint' managing director with Mr. Bayley, and about three years ago was elected by acclamation chairman. All this has been accomplished by sheer merit, unassisted by personal influence of the remotest kind. The gift to him of the shares in the Suez Canal, purchased to qualify him as a member of the board of directors, is a handsome one, creditable to shareholders, and honorabfe to him. But in money value it does not approach a tithe of what he has done for the substantial interests of the Peninsular and Oriental Company. The Prince of . Wales has given Lord Carrington a definite promise that, if n© unforseen circumstances intervene, he will pay a short unofficial visit to the Australian . colonies during his friend's vice-royalty in New South Wales. The desirability of this, visit has, as you colonies are no doubt aware, been press on His Royal ' Holiness for some years past; indeed, at one time it was well nigh fixed. The difficulties of expense and time, and the formidable nature of a Royal progress throughout Australia similar to the Prince's Indian tour, caused the idea to be finally abandoned. It is now thought that there are no obstacles in the way of visiting an intimate friend like Lord Carrington ■a en, i-incog. , and seeing the colonies as his guest. The pe<sle would, of course, have ample opportunities of welcoming the Heir Apparent, but there would be no necessity for display. The principal doubt seems to be whether the Queen will give her consent to such a programme. Prince Albert Victor has had a good deal to do with -exciting his father's interest in an Australian tour. ' As he was mnch struck with all he «aw on his visit to the Antipodes, and talks incessantly on be aabject. At tbe Colonial lusti.Uyo

the other evening he voluntarily asked to be introduced to all the colonial magnates on the platform.