NOTES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1540, 23 April 1887, Page 3

NOTES.

The J übilee Minstrels have " been and gone " and that they have "done it," if by that term is to be understood "achieved success" is undeniable. For m the first place they unquestion-ably-succeeded m pleasing the public ear, and m the second they also succeeded m singing a very considerable sum of money out of the public pocket We should imagine, indeed, that the Fisk troupe is about the most paying spec that has ever been run m these colonies, for, if rumor be true, the impresario, Mr Loudin, has already netted some and seems to be m a fair way of raking m a good many thousands more. 'For two nights m Ashburton the takings are said to have been over jQzoo, which wonld leave a profit balance of a clear The fact is the company is a perfect gold mine, obtaining the public sovereigns m exchange for its notes with a facility which would be a simple godsend to the Hon the Colonial Treasurer. However, it is to be said for them that they give an entertainment not only altogether unique, but weir worth the money. But the financial results of the Fisk Company are as nothing compared with the enormous hauls made by some of the leading operatic singers of the day. As for example the phonomenal sums paid to Adelina Patti. A calculation of Madame Palti's performances at the Eden Concerts, during her last visit to Paris, brought out, says the correspondent of an exchange, the result that her individual receipts averaged about 34 francs 20 cents per note sung. Madame Patti received 15,000 francs per concert — £600 ; and at each of the three concerts she sang three pieces. The terms were presumably agreed to on the basis of 5000 francs per morceau song. Thus the price of each note m the " Aye Maria " would come out at 42 francs 10 cents ; the price of each note m the " Mignon" at 38 francs; and m the' last item, Madame de Rothschild's music to Victor Hugo's words, at 24 francs.

Some two years ago — the period of the I last Russian scare — the na/ne of Gen Komaroff was constantly before the public as that of the author of the bold move towards pushing Russian conquest farther eastward, which was represented by his sudden attack upon Penj-deh. That the possession of Herat was the object ultimately aimed at admits of no doubt, and although it was diplomatically represented at the titre that he acted without authority, there is not the smallest question that his action had the secret approval all along of the Government of the Czar. Indeed he was presented with a jewelled sword, and made much of m the most open manner. Now that his name is again to be found m our cablegrams, at the moment of the outbreak of a rising m Afghanistan, it is not without, reason that it is more than suspected that he is about to seize the opportunity to push on the Russian advance. On this point a Wellingtion contemporary (the " Post ") observes : — " There are some birds whose appearance denotes the advent of a storm. There are some men who may similarly be regarded as the heralds of political disturbance. Of these is LieutenantGeneral Komaroff. He has never hesitated to avow his desire to establish Russian power at Herat, and his reappearance now en the scene, advancing his troops towards the Zulfikar Pass, accumulating stores there, and telegraphing for reinforcements, is most ominous, and betrays an intention of utterly disregarding the delimitation of' the frontier recently agreed on between England and Russia, and an early advance on Herat. General Komaroff is not the man to indulge m unmeaning demonstrations. If it be true that he is advancing towards the Zulfikar Pass we. may be pretty sure he means business, and will speedily complete his preparations and cross the frontier. His views are likely to command much more sympathy from General Ignatieff, who now directs the foreign affairs of Russia, than they received from M. de Giers."

Although for some time past the commercial and agricultural depression has brought to the Australasian colonies a time of adversity and has checked their career of progress, and although there are desponding politicians who prophesy that they are played out, it is pleasant to see that there are others who take a more hopeful and more sensible view of affairs, and who recognise that the ebb is only a transistory experience, and that the flow of prosperity add progress must inevitably come m its turn. Already there are indications that the tide has turned, and it may be that, profiting by the lessons of adversity, our advance will be all the firmer and surer for the temporary check we have sustained. Of the ultimate future of the great,offshoots of the Mother-land, whether m the Pacific,- m North America, or m Southern Africa, there can be no question whatever. Writing of that future an Auckland paper (the " Herald ") says t— " The day is not far off when the Canadian Dominion will be a great Power like the United States. The Transcontinental Railway gives it an immense step forward both m political influence and material progress. It establishes a new and facile highway between the British Empire m Europe and m Asia, and it is about to produce a connecting link between the British Colonies m the North and South Pacific. Then it opens the vast and not long since desolate interior. Large towns like that of Winnipeg are rising up where a few years ago there were only the stations of the fur traders. British North America is revolutionised at all points. A terminus for a line of steamers has been talked of even on the shores of Hudson's Bay j and not only over Manitoba, but m the bleaker north-west territories fields of waving corn and herds of catile are fast spreading. Then if we turn to Australia we observe the introduction of what will prove a new power and wonder worker on that Continent. litigation must produce as great changes there, and render far more permanent service than all the gold discoveries did or could do. It will bestow fertility on the thin and arid soil of that continent. It will call up tillage and multiply rural population, which is now only possible m very exceptional districts, and which is the prime want of the Australian colonjes. The system of irrigation which has been taken m hand by the

j Victorian Government* Uiose of South Australia and New South Wales are also artanging to caary out. And what about New Zealand ? What a spur to ourenterprise will be received — what a capping of >;u: maritime and other natural opportunities — when a sea gate at Panama puts us m the gangway of what will be one of the world's main tides of commerce ! On the sandbanks of Venice, and beside the shoals and swamps of Holland, peoples started into maritime greatness without any of the grand advantages here possessed, except the energy which we also inherit. Yes, the British colonies have fine destinies m prospect, though it is still comparatively the day of small things."