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The Brussels Post, 1891-11-6, Page 7i Nov. G, 1891 THE BRUSSELS POST. HISTORY OP PEIVIANrot. The son or n mintier Bu8tehcs the, /are or ps wounder. 11Y JAh1 IS Luny, renews lately cabled from Dublin that J atom Stephens hndgonu book there to upend the moment of his life lo of groat smi Limon• tat fito•ost to Irishman everywhere if not of 11111011 metaled Importance to their national cause, When the news was drat an. Minced 111 was believed the homeconilig might be an event of oonoide able impor- tance. Stophees openly gave a certain do. gree of support to Charles Stewart Parnell the great " Homo Rule " loader. There woe reason bo think that he intended to wield a considerable 800r011 Influence in hie behalf among the revolutionary societies of the oonntey. Mr. Parnell's untoward death destroys thin alliance, Throwing the undi- vided control of the Parliamentary party into the bonds of the 11eCarthyites, with whorl Stephous can have no possible sym• tachy, the tragic event may render Step• hens' appearance in Dublin of no political importance whatever. 1t 111 like a resurrection from the tomb to see Stephens figuring in the newspapers again, A quarter of a coutury ago the head centro of rho Fenian organization filled as much space in the netvspapero and the public eye as Boulanger did to his palmiest day. England was ofruid of him. Atnor'ioa regarded him with roapou1ful expectanay, Irishmen worshiped him as "the man of destiny." That is what he mod to (all hhn• self in his high flown talk with kis followers, He more than half believed it too. Ho was and doubtless is still hie own most ardent admirer, His faculty for aolf deception in boundless. 13u11 he has hardly been heard of now in twenty years monde brief public appear- ances have not done him much good. He tried a little newspaper writing and trade a failure of it. In Irelaud and this country a considerable fund was raised by °entribu- tion some five or six years ago and an an- nuity was bought for him. This is what he lives on. Students of Irish history agree that the country owes him this nmeh. He was the founder of Fonianism, and Fenian- isln, properly so-called, has beeu the most progressme force that Ireland has known this century. All the political advantages of the teat twenty-five years are historically traceable to it. This is a truth which the English magazines have constantly admitt• od, and in his recent speeches Mr. Parnell repeatedly paid tribute to the " Alen of '05," that is to Stephens aid his associ- ates. It was under Stephens' leadership that Foninniam gained its greatest power and taught its best doctrine. Other men did groat things and suffered much fee the cause. The misfortune of Stephens' career is thmbho suffered nothing, ho dodged thatpart of the business. He lett Itis own purposes 00- acconlpliahed and his professed ideals un- realized. But the lam remoine that he built up a vast power, a power which ter- rorized the British gove'mneut for years, which is, in a sense, the power behind all the olbsequeut parliamentary movements, a power which won great concessions and which will, doubtless, bring greater in coning yeas, and therefore it may be said that with all his faults and shortcomings he by 110 means clese•vcs ill of his country. It is hard for one who knows Stephens' career intimately to make up his mind whether to condemn him, to laugh at him or to admire him. His return to Ireland until Mr. Parnell's death overshadowed it, was the subject of mach s eoulation among Irishmen here, for as yet the insula facts have not reached this side of the Atlantic. There is mach reason to think he proposed to give 0 nortoin degree of support to .\Ir. Parnell, There is on organization in Dublin known as the Young Ireland society, in which John O'Leary in L110 moving smelt. I treed not tell Irishmen who he is, but for the benefit of American readers, I may say that he was one of the Fenian leaders of the original conspiracy. He was the editor of the revolutionary organ the Irish People, which was suppressed in 1865, and he served five years imprison• ment and was an exile fourteen. Abhorring assassination, the nae of dynamite and all other methods unwarranted by the laws of civilized war, ho still believes that total separation from England, by absolute India penleuoe, is the only euro for Ireland's ills and he thinks it is right and good that sooner or later the people should revolt and fight for this end. Meanwhile he and his society are willing that every possible gain should be trade by parliamentary agitation. He for years gave Mr. Parnell a limited degree of support. Aster Mr. Parnell's split with Devitt and the MoUarthyites O'Leary be- came ono of his most ardent supporters. Now Stephens' position is about the samo as O'Loary'e. On his arrival in Dublin a few clays ago he was interviewed by a re- porter. Ho said his former views in regard to Ireland's claim to separate nationality and oho duty of achieving independence by fightiug for it, remained unchanged. He reongnized , however, that the majority of the people were desirous of getting all they e0ald by constitutional agltotion. He wan willirg tonin them all be could without compromising his opinions, He is quoted as saying 1 ' There is no reason why I hon 1(1 pursito adog in the manger policy. I admit thatsomo local benefits have resulted from time recant agitation. " Now alt this looked significant and the general expectation was that Stephens 180111doin wlbh Leary in giving a sort of parallel sl n�nOrb to Mr. Parnell's 501100. The fact that United Ireland, which was ]418. Pitmen organ, made a special edition to ohroniele the arrival of Stephens pointed in the 50010 direction. Assuredly the people ' easing Whom he has fallen aro making notch of him, for a movement Was promptly set on foot to raise £500 to buy a house for him iu Dublin. Further utterances of his pointed in the sante direction. He said for pnb'ieatiOn 'that the split between Mt'. Parnell and the Gladstonians made it imperative to :weer - MTh the amount of home rale a British paliamoub would concede to Ireland and what sacrifice of the " National idea" should be made in return. IIe added the soma• what vague declaration that he was going to take an active part with tongue and pen in the movement for tho release of all Irish political prisoners. But if Stephens has gone baok, to Dublin to take an active part in polities, it strange that the government admits him. There ie an indictment for high treason against him , in Dublin, and there is nothing to prevent This immediate arrest, One could under - Mand the govot'nment permitting a broken omen to return home to the ; but Stephens, though clone on seventy years old, fo not a hrolton man, and apparently has urination of dying, 'There was aohanuo that 110 might have turned nab a very valuable ally in Mr. 1'arna% His infliene° might almost have :milked to tern the tido that had boon run- ning against the '" tnerowned king," I rho not supper) he has mach of his old power as lis might, 11,1111)1(110 done. But his ago and spooehes, though in the main he kept in o In the Now York oustrun 110118e a14 1101•(• the imlolenoo that has grown on hint with serf of dignified retirement. released. yam%pal, anything of that sort out of the in MI the Irish People was started as an question. lies the Irish penal° are imag- inative and oytnpathetie. This 1110110 enmieg of the old ravututinned, hon a picturesque aspect which must appeal to them fervidly, 11 he aired Ina general way the old 1 a biWwt of a light On Lhe green hillsides 111111 sarin. wi(hed in some pin0tioel teppetls on boleti f of Mr. Parnell 05 the immediate" anus in the gap," I feel very certain he would heats rallied an army of recruits equally among the veterans of his own days and the youths of the rising generation. Stephens, career las been a remarkable ono, A little more moral 0008055 and theca Is no telling where it wonld have led to. But Ito looked 111)011 quality and 00 a result he has survived Ills usefulneee—unless it is to have a late renewal now—for a acme of years and has lived to see himself drop into the historic past tense and, bo dealt with by his critics in a very pitiless way, lie start. ed life with no advantage whatever. He displayed marvelous Towers of organization and propagandism, its machine construct- ed, he lacked the courage either to set it in operation or to share the penalties of its ool. lapse. In this lettere all the greatness of hie work has been swallowed up. Stephens started in life as a clerk in the office In Tipperary of Dorgan, the railway contractor who built most of the roads in the south of troland. He took to the "hill- side" in '48 and in a skirmish at Killouatll showed great personal bravery and some qualities of leadership, He was wounded and in oompany with Cob Michael Doheny, whorl the older members of the New York bar and the New York National Guard well remember, he was a fugitive for several wee•,cs, lurking in bogs and woods until an English lady, Mrs. Washington Downing, aided hint to escape to the continent. It is said he traveled with her, disguised as her maid. Beaching Paris, he spent months there in great poverty. John O'Mahony, so long prominent in America as the American Head of Feniaulsm, was also a refugee More. O'Mahony got money from home and mama to America, but Stephens picked up French very fust and began to make money by gip. ing English lessons. His knowledge of French became in time extraordinary. There aro few bolter French scholars living to -day. It is only necessary to say that he made a living by translating English books into French to show what a mastery of the language he must have acquired. Among the books he translated were several of Dickens' novels, then in course of publication, old I have heard " Nicholas Nteklehy " specified as one of hie 81100050es. Besides the Wrench language he acquired a love of fine cookery in Paris. He was—I suppose is—very vain of this, as well as of everything else about himself, his silky beard, his soft white hands, his shapely foot. He made touching allusions to his epicurean expertness the very last time I saw him. It was iu 1879. He was on his last visit to New York and was very poor, I am sorry to say. He was stop. ping ,n a shabby lodging opposite St. Murk's church. He had been very sick for several weeks and had not boen ontof doors yet when I called. He was up, however, and was at dinuer. He was a harming, as usual, in his talk—talked Ireland, France and literature. Parenthetically, and with- out the least reference to what went before or after, he pinked up from the dish before him a kidney, which I must say looped as if it were made of gutta purcha, and exclaimed : " Is not this a nice thing to give a man to oat --and a man who knows whatgood 5(015' ing is ?" A good deal of his career in Paris was to - mantle enough. A countess --Polish, I be• liove—figured in it. But in 18851uoreturnod to Ireland, and thee he soon was in receipt of a very confortable income through teach. ing French. In 1850 he tool my father, Thomas Clarke Lathy, who had also been out to fight in 1848, became acquainted and they two were the original Fenimts. The movement was started on St. Pat- rick's clay, 1858. My father, at Stephens' request, drafted a form of test or obligation He swore tit Stephens and Stephens swore him in. Later, the sane day, one or two sympathizers were taken in, and from that time the organization grew steadily. It was not called the Fenian organization at the time, the name originated, I think, in Atm erica ; and only became ccrreat in Ireland after the arrests in 1805. The organization was the same throughout, however, with the same structure and the sane leaders. Stephens had had some encouragement and about £90 in osah from O'Mahony, Doheny and others in New York before snaking his start, but finding that the promised support was slow he visited this country towards the close of 1858, and, finding no definite or- ganization hero, created ono, thus becoming the founder of Antorioau as well as Irish Feuionism. The plan and purpose of rho Fenian ion. spiraoy was to organize cul arin the patri- otic element of the Irish people to revolt against English rule and win the indopend• once of the country in fair fight. It is im- possible to insist too much that dynamiting. —or any equivalent system for dynamite was then not invented—aseassinatiou or any other outrageous method was utterly foreign to the plan and utterly repugnant to every prominent man in it, Tho later partial adoption of such moans has boon It soothe of grief to Stephens and ()Very one of those who were nearly associated with him, except, of course, O'Donovan Rosea. Even ,T1dgo Keogh, who assuredly never esteem' an Irish revolution act, did the Fontana the justice of expressly Ituc(uitting them of any design not within the scope of fair war. Since 1 657 to he twtna visited Anmrira. n ga0 0' l ,t tl, n opinion with 11111 tallies' and In 1870, ellen the 1 , cion (Allen made a Q Jails: ' at its head. O'1)5110van Rnfl0f4 1100 sensation by their arrival here, It( tried t0 heathen, manages', and Dennis 1 /owl: g 1'1111• laka ail vantage of the "b00111" they created l'slhy, now one of the leading physiebu,s of Newark, N,J„ and the owner of Che finest collontian of books on Irish snbjeoti in America, Iva) sub editor•. Mulcahy and his father had cion( math tospreadthe)rvanlz• in Irish ntatter5. 1i„ met with very 8031E toleration, ills s„onnd visit about 1 478 to '70, was equally n fnittue. He has generally lived in Perin slime 1507, but for a short time was ohtiged to take up his quarters i1 anon 10 11110 5(111111 of Ireland, R0ssa, too, Brussels, it was during the " Inr'inclble" bad done inneh recruiting, and had visited sxoi Lenient, Itis needles') to nay he had 1111 Amwrlsa—as had O'Leary, my father and more to do with it than the " mat In the others—as a Fenian emissary. After the moon," but the French government was 111611 People Was started, the organzatnu flourished and grew very rapidly. About 550,000 was received from America and spent on amts and in organizing, Numerous ex- officer's of both the union and confederate armies were sett over to Ireland. It wag said, when the crash ()1010, that the police looked at every man's foot In the street to see if ho wore squaro-tood hoots,. Stephens announced that the year of action was at hand. But he did not seem ready to go on, all the sane. Sono of the strangers became restive because Stephens gnat. them nothing to do, One, Cane, 1r. F. Millen, an oliiaarof artillery in rho Mexican army, in particular objected. He had some over le fight, or at least to drill 111ei1, and he wanted an oppor. sudsy. Stephens tried to soothe hint with the screamingly funny proposition that he should prepare plans and specifications for an army corps, horse, foot old artillery, service train and 011 the other paraphernalia of war. Here was the visionary side of the man. Ho had created a huge force and all ho could think of was toy projects, dreams of maguificonce an unreal as palaces of cards. I cannot recall Stephens' appearance at this time without smiling. He went about in an atmosphere of mystery and a great cloak in which ho mu8led up his beloved beard and the lower part of his Lace. A great slouched hat came down to meet it. lie was a living invitation to police atten• tion. His air of secrecy woe abeolutely ag- gressive. When I think of it I always find myself humming rho chorus in "Madame Argot's Dau iter:" When ,nn 1055pire 11o,nre men, that, You wear a long black coat And a big slouch hat, Well, the crash cane in September, 1805, It was largely caused by a man whom Stop - hens picked out for a confidential agent, Pierce Nagle, the informer. This wretch. had been betraying the conspiracy to the castle for eighteen months. One fine night (Sept. 1e) the Irish People was suppressed ; my father, O'Leary, Rosso, and a host of others were arrested. Stephens escaped until Nov, 11, when with Kickham, Edward Duffy, who succeeded him in immodtate control of the Irian organization, and one or two others, he wascaptured atFairfieldhouse, a handsome villa at Sandymount, neap Dublin, which luehadtaken in the character of Mr. Harbert, a gentleman of independent means. Mrs. Stephens, still almost a bride, bad been identified by a detective while shopping in Dublin and tracked to her hus- band's hiding plate. In his house was found a mass of criminating documents (all the Feeder's, my father included, had a ruinous habit of saving dangerous papers), lists of the American officers and a letter to the Clonmol Ba announcing the approach of "tbe year of motion." This document was read in a police court, and when the clerk came to the phrase, Stephens coolly remark- ed. "So it may be." 11,1010110 to onnofllato England at that time and 54 poor Stephens was expelled from France 05 0 dangerous conspirator. Perhaps, in reality Staplers s failure van an advantage to the country. I believe the chances of a sueeossful revolt, England being at peace abroad, wore infinitesimal, I fear an unsuccessful fight wonld only have riveted the fottere of oppresalen more bit- terly upon the people. On the other hand, the vague undefined pori a of Feniaulsm has remained eves since a threat of English statesmen, It armload the spirit of the people, taught thele organization and freed them from religions (10310111011 in political matters. It paved the way to everything that has since developed in Irish history. Therefore, perhaps, the very failure of its 0100 plans mad( 11 the more advantagnols to the people. The history of Fentallien will have to be written in yours to mime, when its results have fully developed them- selves. Unfortunately, the final verdict cannot much affect the individual standing of James Stephens, IIia success and his failure, his power and his weakness are written in plain characters in the story of his career, Even now, bitter feelings. have been assuaged enough by time to allow of justice being done to kis sincere love of Ireland, and his disinterestedness so far as advantages not involved in Lha liberation of the 0000107 were concerned. Jett118 Luna. On the night of Friday, Nov. 24, John J. Breslin, who died four years ago in New York, and another prison employe, Byrne, tuilonked the door of Stephens' colt in Rich- mond ]iridowell prison. Ladders were ready to got him over the walls, and a company of mon, armed to the teeth, were waiting far him outside under command of that John Devoy whose name is almost daily in the uewapaper as a leader in the Irish movements of today. " Shall we bring the rest, too ?" asked Breslin, alluding to my father, O'Leary and others in the adjoining cells. " Oh, no, never mind," whispered Steph- ens. "It will embarrass us, and I will have them out in a week anyway." I hove been told that Stephens was very nervous on this occasion. It certainly was not from physical cowardice. Ilia record in 1848 puts that out of the question. He was taken to the house of ono Boland, a poor weaver, where he stayed some weeks. Then he went to the house of Miss Butler, wino trade her living by dressmaking and letting lodgings. The government offered £2,000 ($10,000) for information that would lead to his capture; but no bribe could reach the integrity of his devoted follow- ers. ' Stolphens originally bargained with his American allies to enroll 10,000 men in Ire. land. When the government assailed the conspiracy in 1805 itis esti acted that there were at least, 50,000'sworn Foliane in Ire- land and as many more Irish colonies in England earl Scotland. In its strongest period the American body certainly embrac- ed 100,000 and perhaps 150,e00 men. One of the most formidable foabuwosof Ye- nianism was the hold it had on the British army. In almost ovory regiment stationed in Ireland there were Fenian adheronts ready to hamper the government forces in the hone of insurrection. One of them, John Boyle O'Reilly, showed in his Amer- ican career the sort of material that teas en- listed in the Tenial' oaueo. .ilbe organization of the ooaspirIOy was complicated, and in Stephens' eharaoteristio style, more like a conspiracy of romance than reality. Ho had throe immediate lieuten- ants, my father, John O'Leary, of whom 1 have already 5pok60, and Charles Janes Kiolthum, a man who though half blind and stone deaf possessed remarkable exeo11tive abilities and rare literary talent. Thep there wore a number of district offioers cal- led As. and below thorn wore Bs, Tho 13s. commaudod groups of the rails and filo, Etch 13 was supposed to know the A above Matadi nobody else. This woe tb diminish the danger from inhumes, but of course ft (lid not work, The promise of prograndasm 1(1 ()Neither loft ajar a quarter era century soon made every loading mal known prise, of ,]lune=s. If he were a ghost of what he Ovally to ev0ty member of the organization, was do Out early 'dtls there 15 00 tolling what Even Stophons had to visit circles and make Gray Gowns for Autumn. You must have a gray gown. There is no other Bourse open to you if you oxpnt to be in the procession this Fall. Not only must you have a gray gov'n, but you must bo a symphony in gray. Shoos, gloves, ties, parasol, all must match, and this gorgeous array will cost you from 54 up to 540, accord. ing to the taste, time and ingenuity you can give to it. This is fashion's edict nod it behooves you to look about, A very good quality of tweed can be ob- tained for a small 51m, and if you are at all a homedressmaker, a verygood outing dress, with loose blazer -shaped waist and plain skirt can be fashioned—all for the sum of 54. Silk shirts aro to he worn with this. But if you do not care to go to the expense of buying silk shirts a very good substitute can be found by using silk shirt fronts. These comp ready trade in stores in all colorsat the cost of 51.50 each. They aro easily made at home, however, and by buy- ing uying one sllk shirt front to serve as a pattern for the others, any woman with a spark of ingennity can make a very good and pleasing variety for use this Fall, The pale, poetic gray, which was fashion. able in the Spring, will reign supreme in September and October. But the August gray differs from the June gray in that it is more poetic and more idealized, so to speak. There is a shimmer and sheen and a shine about it which chid not appear in the Spring grays, The Spring grays wore made of broadcloth, ladies' cloth, cashmere or some other like material, which will also be used next month, but the August grays are of the finest, liggint silk. They seem scarcely more than a lilts, so sheer are they and so grace- ful. Gray and white -striped China silk is ex• tremely pretty for these light gray suits, because a dress made of it requires no trim- ming 1111 all, and the white renders it less trying to the complexion than the plain gray. A very lovely suit of gray and white with it little gray and white toque, appear- ed a few clays ago. The wearer of this carried a little silver and gray shopping bag. She also had a white parasol with a silver handle, andfrom her bolt there hung at least a dozon of those little silver things which are the delight of every 1poma11 who can afford to buy them. Bonnetstoo, nntsb bo gray. The favorite form for little Fresh bonnets lathe eapote-galotte. Galatea is a term em- ployed by the French, which, upon being in- terpreted into our language, would mean " flat as a pancake." Only it sounds pretty to say " palette." The oapote•galotte is therefore simply a flat little eopote. The one which seems to be in highest favor just now is made of largo gray beads threaded on wire. Tho wire is twisted around to form little circles. There aro enough of these circles to entirely cover the top of the head. Of course only the top is covered, because the Ja oto is very flat and nothing in the way ofeverso gentle a curve is allowed. On top of the whole thing there is a bsnelt of natural roses, preferablypiuk ones, beaus, pinkanclgray is sucha Fronahy combination, Tiny gray velvet strings aro brought down and knotted loosely far below the Chiu. After many weeks a logger was procured and after a stormy voyage ho was landed near Glasgow, Sdottand. Ho walked coolly into the city, took a train for Loudon and in twentyfour hours was safe at 011C of the fashionable Parisian hotels. Hero he became a sort of lion. He assumed the title of cen- tral organizer of the Irish republic. Lead- ing Frenchmen, particularly of the radical type, mads a hero of hien. Ile inducted Gen. Clnsorot, afterwards identified with the commute, to go bo Ireland to cnonnond an army corps in the rebellion. Clnserot wits promptly. arrested. Tho same fate befell Cul. ltoremla, a Belgian, whole be mho sent over. The jails were full of Americans, land the Meads of the home conspiracy, litre my father, O'Leary, Rosso, and Muletehy, were enduring the first months of their long nevi - bode in English prisons. Everyone waited far Stephens signal to make to 1865, " the year of 11011011,' bob it never wane. Stephens cane to America in the summer, Here he was a lion for a little while, too. Ab a meeting towards the °lose of the year in Jones' Wood—a groat picnic park of the ]hast, river—he reiterated witlt a solemn oath the declaration that this year was the year, Ho was going home to unfurl the flag of revolution, He actually bought a ticket for Europe, His follower's 19010 at tate pior to sae him off. He remelted the pier too late, The steamer had sailed away. Ho explained that Ito had accidentally burned his ticket, and the time lost in proouring another ono had lost Min the vessel. :Then Inc dropped clear out of sight. Ile hid in Brooklyn for awhile, deified over to Paris again, and has never been able to lift his tread in Irish politics since. In tho early part of 1867, a couple of abortive attempts at insurrection did take pins in Ireland, in ono of which 11110 late Gen, Thomas Frateis Bourke first came into promineeco, but their only abet was the lamentable one of filling the pale of Ireland and England with still more poiiti- cal pr]sonera Among the odd aneodetes aneronb about Stephens is one whi0h Illustrates his Mardi. nate vanity, whom bo reached Paris after his escape ho ileal several phobOgraphs taken, Molding one with the conspirator's cloak. Ifo had several thousand copies of these printed end when ho mane to America ho brought then with )rim. Ile told every body ho proposed to soil then to rai50 a re- volutionary fttst(l, They worn hold for dnby TIIE DEFENCES OF HALIFAX. Tested ny 55,il len War 14,1105. HALIFAX, Nov, --In response to special fest rout ions (runt the Imperial war 11111111081. flus, Admiral err George Watson and (Jen, Sir John hose arranged an attack upon Halifax by the (ear vessels Buzzard and Tourmaline for the purpose of leslitlg the guns et the furls, and to ascertain the value of the various search lights established at points along the harbor. The first attack was made yesterday afternoon. The vessels were greeted with a tremendous cannoeocle, and would have fallen easy viottms to the forte had the attauk been 1real one. At 8.30 ('flack Monday night a second attack was made. It was very dark, with rain falling whish greatly favoured the war yes. eels. A number of sailors attempted a land. ing below York redoubt fort, but were soon spotted by the powerful search light there and repulsed, Soon after the vessels with all lights out attempted to steal up the harbor on the eastern side. The light from the big fort 06:Month's island deteeted them and soon four forts opened out simultaneous• ly on the enemy and figuratively swept them out of the water. •�.-.. wa®,a--8111...•( Gambling in Grain, Two men who have long been famous for the size of their transactions at produce ex• changes as well as for the itnnlense risks they dared to rum have lately been ne011 talked about -13.1'. Hutchinson because of his article about speculation in wheat which ap- pears in the .Nortk American. /t¢ri,ie for October, and 5, V. White, whose recent flat failure in a corn deal astonished the financial world, lir. Hntohinson theistic that, in the face of all criticism, the business of speculat- ing in grain is not only legitimate but that it fel a real benefit to the community in regulating the market, now for the good of the producer and now for the advantage of the consumer. The experience of Mr. Hutchinson is, that, in his day, he has bought and sold more bushels of wheat than could he counted without ever having owned a single bushel and that as the result of it all, if accounts are true, he has put by far the hest part of his life be. hind hint, and he is poor. Until afortnight ago, Air. White was rated worth millions made in speculation, Ho is shrewd, he was supposed to have remarkably clear vision regarding the opeeulativs market. Mr. White concluded that there was money for him in margins on corn. He thought he could figure out the supply obtainable be- fore the beginning of Ootoher. The crop of 1890 was something like five hunched mil- lion bushels short, the quantity in sight was not largo, and Mr. White reasoned thatthe price could rapidly be crowded up. There are fine million farmers in North America, and Mr. White has discovered they wore holding more earn which they could throw into the market on call than behad fancied. The upshot of it is that Mr. White dropped the millions he had saved after years of betting whether grain would rise or fall in price. It is impossible to feel much sympathy with these men who make big speculative ventures and blow themselves in—the Hutchinaons, the Ralstons, the Iieenes, the Whites. There are thousands of them, they maintain costly offices, their dealings amount to millions daily, but from year's end to year's end they do not add one cent to rho wealth of the land, they produce absolutely nothing, they simply gamble on what may be the price one month, two months or a year hence of that which others have toiled to produce. They aro not even a useful agency in the distribution of wealth. Tbey sell what they have never bought, they ibu)' chances. When they lose, some- body else has the money they had o• expect- ed to have, and the supply 0f staples is not ehanged a pint or a pound. They hardly merit much sympathy when they guess it wrong and go down. The Suez Canal in Time of War, Some excitement and a very narked sen. lotion has poen caused in England by the startling report made by Lord Charles Beresford, who lately spent considerable time in a careful inspection of the Suez Canal. His report says that in time of war the canal could easily be rendered useless, and goes so far as to supplement this by saying it will not only be useless mit a dan- gerous element if counted upon as one of England's r'000nraes. Lord Charles shows that at one point on the canal, where the banks are rocky, o, small quantity of dyna- mite would blow the mass of reek into the channel and make it impassable. Ho points out that this might be done at a critical mo. meat, and in such a way that the British troop ships would find themselves caught and unable to get int at either end. For this reason Lord Beresford holds that the Cape route to India must be regarded as the real line of ¢o,mmonioation in the event of European war. Sonowhot in connection with this subject, and suggestive in its way, the feet is commented) upon that the British regimout roturuttlg to 15noland from China next month is to make the trip eastward by way of Canada. This will be rho first prac- tical test of the empire's military highway eastward across America, and tho result is looked for with much interest, Lord Salis- bury 0vi1rntly considers the report ou the um, Canal to be worthy of oonsideration for he has staled that he regards the C. P. It, rout( to be of inestimable value in ease of trouble in Radia. Stories of Doctors, Shocking End of A Gold Miner. An inquest was held of Monclaj on the body of a man (nand on Sunday on the rail• way near Beerforris IIinemilos from Ply mouth when a elr1one story was told. The only witness whose evidence was of valve as regents identification was Polioe•eonstabte Bradfield, of the Devonport force, who mot the deceased, and being able to 0otveree n little in the Kaffir language they hale, chat, The deceased gave the name of ,lames Had. don, a native of Scotland nut said that be had poen a gold mine' in Cape Colony, and returned in the es, Soot to 1'ly mouth. Tho 10itues0heal been in formed that. (I0,00) hail boon stolen from Haddon, but the deceased stated that he did not bring much money ashore, having loft his luggage on lead the vessel. He had been drinking heavily, and, although carefully shown the way which he said he wetted to go, ie persisted in going in the wrong ditootion, The medical ovidouou shoved then injuries warn of a frightful character. Tho skull was Erato Brod, the bone penetrating rho brain some inoles, both legs and 01.1118 were smashed, and the lower part of the back was broken. The in•mies wet© tach as world be oaat5ed by �being 111(0(11 down Ilya train. A verdict of found dead 18105 returned. Animals That are Biaolc. It was during the reoitabinu of the infant class and the teacher asked nutnerons mica - Mona of a purely infantile y nature. One of the interrogatives was. " Can yen name for ale some m11111518 that are black ?' Every meutboe of the class mated his hand and boa's, batialos, blacklegs, h'aolc hnrsosoto., wmro fanned before tho gneict on mune to little Jimmy at the fool, of 111: class. " And nov,,Ihmmy can you fano 1110 m black Im1i- mal7" said the teacher sweetly, ' Yam, nigga(0, was tho prompt reply, LATEST FROM EUROPE Interesting Naval Experiment—The Euro— pean Situation 7'110 most exalting experiment everwitnes- sed at Portsmouth was made the outer day under the auspices of rho Admiraltyoifleiela. Naval and military experts have long beet. at work designing a boom that would be proof against the rushes of torpedo boots, and which could be rolled upon to protect rivers and narrow•mouthed harbors It was believed that 0u0ltaprotection had beeu devised, and the invention was tested to- day. It consisted of a boon) thleklyetadded on its surface with formidable steel spikes, together with a seven-inch steal hawser, stretched taut overhead as a balk. Torpedo Lieut, Stnrdeo, who had disap_ proved of the plan, offered to prove the correctness of his assertion that the device would not afford rho protection desired, Ha guaranteed that he would either jump or force the boom. A swift torpedo boat was loaned the Lieutenant for the experiment. Upon this ho built a massive arohed super- structure extending from bow to stern, in- tended to raise and support the overhanging hawser. Four seamen volunteered to accompany him. The lives of all ooncerned wore specially insured for the benefit of their families by orders of the Admiralty, whose experts believed that the attempt meant al- most certain death. The boom having been adjusted across thee mouth of the harbor, tine torpedo boat. started a toile away from the boom and a. higlt rate of speed was attained as the ob- struction was neared. At the lastmoment the Lieutenant and bis eau rushed below and fastened clown the hatches. An instant latertho boat, running at a mooed of nineteen knots, struck the boom. The concussion was terrific, and ell the occupants of the Graft were thrown so violently against the sides of the boat that they were painfully bruised, It seemed for a second as though the ex- pectations of I1ieut. Sturdee would be real- ized, awl the boat force its way through the, boom. She jumped nearly clear, but before. she got through the hawser oanght her and pressed her against the big spikes of the boom, which held her like a vise, and tore her bottom badly. The boat at once began, to make water. The seamen worked at her some tine before she could be got free„ Then they otarted for the beach, but the boat foundered before reaching it, the crew being taken off by boats from shore. There was much excitement among the spootators,. and though Lieut. Sturdee's views had bean disproved, his bravery and that of his com- panions was highly praised. The Admir- alty officials are greatly pleased with the proof of the efficiency of the boom. In the presence of the grave menaces of starvation, civil war, and regicide which blacken the Russian horizon, it is felt to be useless to multiply speculations upon the general European situation. For years it has been a commonplace of international politics that Russia hold the key to this sit- uation. This is true now to a new and startling sense. The magnitude of the do- mestic evils which are ready to descend upon her fairly awes outside Europe. No one knows what is coming. Bub it strains credulity to imagine Russia plunging into war with this terrible intestinal malady rotting her vitals. More likely armed Eu- rope will stand still to watch these tragic developments burn themselves out, It may 100 that some later stage of Russia's home horrors will set Europe rocking in the eon- vulsious of war, as died the French Revolt) tion, but it passes the power of diplo- matic foresight to discern, much less pro- vide against, these posoibilities. Origin of Familiar Phrases, The term windfall, in the sense of good luck, dates from a remote time, when it was a criminal offence to out timber in the forests. Only such could be gathered as the wind had blown down ; henoea heavy wind- storm was hailed by the peasants as so much good luck, and from this comes the modern application of the expression. Several ex- planations are given of the origin of " by hook or by crook." One writer tolls us that two lawyers, always in opposition to each other, were called respectively Hook and Crook, and be the case what it would, every suitor was sure to have one or the other on ilia side. The author of " Familiar Words and'Pbrases' says that it probably means " foully like a thief, or holily like a, bishop," the hook being used by burglars, the crook being the bishop's crozier. According to an old legend, the numerous families of Hook and Crook formerly did the ferry business for the whole of the British motropolis. On whatever boat crossed the Thames, you were sure to rido with Hook or Crook. Tbo menu originated in Germany. At a state dinner a certain elector had a long paper be- fore him to which be referred every time before he nrdered a dish. A friend who sat near him asked what he was reading. The elector silently handed the paper to his in- terrogator. It contained a list of the victoria prepared for the occasion, which the elector had ordered the cook to write for film. The idea of having such a list so pleased rho illustrious assembly that they introduced it emelt into his own household, and since that time the fashion of having a meats has spread all over the civilized world. An eccentric physician of the old echos once ordered a sick mat to dine early, drink no more beer, and discoutinuo the nae of snuff. After a while the patient returned complaining that he Was not getting well, " You still tale stuff," said the clooter, in- stantly deteatieg that his directions wore not wholly obeyed—ani the ratan was forced to admit the fact. " Then go off un1 die,' +aid the doctor, It was a good prescription The manwout away, obeyed previous orders, and lived to be nhiety. An 111dinburgit phyeiclan know how to reprove illiberality in his patients, On one 0oeasiot he received from a rich laird a check for services that, be eegartlod as deserving of much higher remeneation, On leaving the ,hods( Doc- tor 13011 mot the butler, and giving him the check said, " You has o had is good deal of trouble opouing the door for mo ; thorn is a trifle for you," 1'ho astonished butler took the cltook to his master, who, nndorstandmg Lite (tint, sent the surgeon a check for three times tho amount. " Wall, sir," demanded the presiding member of 11,6 navy board to a young applicant, " what do you know of the science of your profession? Don't keep the boatel waiting, sir, Suppos]lig a man was brought to you (luring action with his amts 0.1 logs shot off, what would you clo? Rake 1taste." " 11y ,love, sir," responded the vexing surgeon, " I'd pitch him over, bead, and go to some ora to whom 1 could he of more service.' The Rosewood board laughed and tits applicant received his oer- tifioate. Blind people cannot be carpenters, because they novo' 5510. Where All the Land Belongs to the State, In China all the laud belongs to the State ; and a trifling sun per acre, never altered through long centuries, is paid for it by the occupier as rent. The soil in China is so rich that the holdings aro gener- ally very smell, and it has been estimated that a square mild is capable of supporting 0,840por8ons. In this country, nominally, owners of land hold it of the Crown. Al. though, however, as admitted by Lord Bramwell in letters to 0,0 Times, this is technically true, yet it ie. most misleading as miters of a fee•aimple estate in land in this country have for all practical purposes an absolute ownership in the land they hold. If an owner dies intestate without heirs his land reverts to the Crown, though the owner had the power of disposal had ho so wished. Under similar oiremistaucos a man's580011al property 05 wall as his land, if ho dins intestate with no next-of-kin, goes to the Crown. It has not boon known until now how' thug 1"renoh explorer, Pall Crampal, met his death in central Africa, Some survivors of his party 50y he was lcilled treacherously in aaboah. Whilo in a village ho asked for water. The natives took hint to a well and when ho drew near it other notated jumped from the bash, otabbed hint in the tack, and 1111(,1 throw his body into the will The tmvivors on their retreat to Breeze- tillo, were reduced to such extremities that. they were forced to eat tho leaves of trees,