"TIT-BITS" BY CABLE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1562, 4 October 1912, Page 5

"TIT-BITS" BY CABLE.

BELATED ITEMS. PRESS ASSOCIATION ECCENTRICITY. The eccentricities of tko Press Association cable, service, on which the newspapers of New Zealand rely for their tele l graphic news from abroad, are .•ometiiucs worth more than passing attention. Iu common with other papers Tin; Dominion iu Ha issue of September 'ii published the following table message:— Paris, September 24. The newspaper "Excelsior" sliitee that the Kaiser, while on board his yacht, the Hohenzolleni, on entering a Norwegian port, became impatient .at the ship's slowness, and telephoned to the engineers ordering iiicrcuted speed. Herr Nonlhiins, an old Norwegian pilot, who was on the bridge, immediately telephoned to the engineers to disregard the order. The Kaiser angrily ordeicd the pilot to go below. Herr Nordhuns refused to do so, saying, "The ship is under my direction, and not even the Emperor is going to give orders." The Kaiser then quilled the- bridge. Next ilav his Majesty decorated Herr Nuiilhuns. This alleged current hmvs item no# appears to have been circulating in European periodicals of (ho "Tit-Bits" clasu lor months past. The Sydney "Sun". directs attention to the fact that it appeared, for instance, in tlio Sheffield "Weekly Telegraph" of July v>7, 1912just two months before the cable agent discovered it in a Paris journal. It was thiMi sandwiched, in between a story alwut « circus elephant, in l'hiladelphin, whoso bath costs "100 dollurs in soap and oil { and a thrilling item about a young Hungarian in New York who trained mice to bu aeronaub. This page in the Sheffield eekly Telegraph" is n prize page, in which the best "storeyette" receives o guinea And the. Knisor'story cabled to New Zealand, as a solemn fact just made known, did not even get the guinea! ' Here is the talc as the "Weekly lelo graph" told it:— WHEN THE KAISER HAD TO OBEY. Iu a fit of impatience because tlio speed of his yacht was slowed down on entering a certain harbour, (ha German Emperor on one occasion tried to assort his authority, and' ran;; tho bell for "Full snml ahead." To his great surprise, the pilot, uu old Norwegian named Nordhuns, who knoy ihe ilnug.'.'rous character of the channel, placed himself in tho way, and, leaning over the. wheel,, called down the tubo to tho engine-room, "Halfspeed ahead.. Never mind the. bell!" . "What! You dare t<) countermand my orders?" cried tho impetuous monarch, again ringing the bell. "Disregard the bell," calmly repeated Nordhuns through the tube. For a moment tho Kaiser glared at the intrepid pilot, and then, drawing himself up to his full height, said majestically. "Go below, sir, and report yourself under arrest. , ' VLeave the bridge," thundered the Norwegian grimly, us he grasped the wheel inoro firmly, "This ship is in my charge, and I'll have no interference with my orders from Emperor or seaman I" The officers on deck hurried silently off, wishing luck to the sturdy'old j-ea dog, who, knowing thnt he hud the law as well as common-senso on his side, stood nt his post unshaken by threats, unheeding commands, and steered tho Hohenßollcrn safely into port. Tho next day the Emperor came to hie senses and decorated tho pilot—tho king at tho wheel—with ono Grade of tho Order of tlio Black Eaglo, and also appointed him his life pilot in Norwegian waters. The Sheffield "Telegraph," it will l>B noted, did not even risk tho adverb "recently" in telling tho story, but referred to it as having happened "on ouo occasion." To show that this instance of Frew Association eccentricity is not an isolated one," it may bo added that on September 10 tho Association's cable agent awoke t<l tho fact that a tribe of white Eskimos had been discovered by Professor Stcfansfjon in the Arctic regions, north of Canada. This item would have been new on August 13—almost a month previous— when tho London "Times" published na Dno ef the principal features of its day , * news a lengthy account of Professor Stcfnnsson's explorations and discoveries. The Sydney "Suu," dealing with ihe incident in lighter vein, .suggests a number of items as suitable for transmission by the cable agent in London. It will be noted, adds the "Sun," that they are all as fresh and interesting as the story of tho Emperor and tho bluff sailor. The cables follow:— QUEENS AT VARIANCE. WHAT LORD BURLEIGH SAYS. LONDON. September 28. There are no signs of amicable .settle* nu'lit of tho quarrel between Gueen Eliza* both nnd Qm-en Mnry. Lord Burlcigh, I speaking at the Fuddlolon Horse , Show last night, said that tho gravest apprehensions wero to be entertained. ERA OF MAMMOTH SHIPS. ANOTHER NOAH ENTERPRISE. ASSYRlA,'September 28.. The shipbuilding firm of Noah, Shem, aml Co., has decided upnn the construction of a. huge ship, to carry passengers and live stock. It will be of lioavier tonnugo than any vessel previously known. PROSECUTION ABANDONED. EDEN, September 28. A nollo proscqui has been entered in tho caso of the Crown v. Adam, on a charge . of apple-stealing. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. LISBON, Sep. £B.—Arrived: Santa. Maria, bq., Captain Christopher Columbus, from Hispanioln, in tho Indies. CADIZ, Sep. 28.—Tlio Spanish Armada has been posted as missing. COOKTOWN, Sep. .28.—Sailed,, Endeavur, sell., Captain James Cook, for Guam. NO PLACE FOR SHEEP. . NEW HOLLAND A FAILURE. . LONDON, September 28. Mr. Joseph Hanks report* to the Colonial Secretary that tho newly-discovered country of N'cw Holland is quite unlit for pastoral .settlement, and will never carry a single sheep,CANAAN IMMIGRATION ROOM. JEWS ARRIVE FROM ECIYFT. . PISGAir; September 28. A huge influx of Jewish immigrants from Egypt is expected. Tho local Drickmakers' Union is seriously perturbed, as they fear that the labour market in their trade is likely to be glutted. SWIMMERS' STRANGE STORY. EXPERTS CAST A DOUHT. NINEVEH, September 28. Mr. Henry Jonah, a well-known surf' bather, who was reported to tho police as missing three days ago, has now returned home. He tells a remarkable story. Mr. Jonah asserts that he spent (ho three days and three nights in tho interior of a whale. Mr. Harold Raker, an expert surfer, casts doubt on Mr. Jonah's M.ory. (Note.—Possibly the cable is mutilated. There is a well-known hotel called "The' Whalo" in Ninoveh.) GRAND OPERA IN JERICTIO. JOSHUA BRINGS DOWN THE HOUSE. JERICHO, September 28. A magnificent de.but was made here last night by the Joshua Grand Opera Company. At the conclusion of the seventh net Joshua and the chorus brought down tho house with a horn symphony. HEROIC SWIMMER'S END. ' CONSTANTINOPLE, Monday. A hero named Lsander whs drowned to-day while swimming tho Hellespont.