Greymouth Evening Star, AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 1901. INTERNATIONAL RIVALRY.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 19 January 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star, AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 1901. INTERNATIONAL RIVALRY.

History teaches us that in ages gone by inter-national and inter-tribal disputes and wars were occasioned through personal quarrels, through desire for gain, for extension of territory, or for revenge. And up to the present time was pretty well owe their origin to one or the other of the causes mentioned, But a struggle of an entirely different character is about to take place, and the Chroniclers [of the Twentieth Century will, we predict, give it a prominent place in their records. It is an industrial competition wc refer to. In the past chivalry and love of power wore the incentives, but year by year wo are leaving on one side such codes, and building up, fostering and encouraging commercial development—the love of riches. The present century will see the aristocracy and nobility occupying a very secondary position, the merchant prices and traders taking front rank. Europe is rapidly becoming “a continent of shop-keepers.’’ Britain, Belgium and Switzerland, have long been “keenly industrial,” Germany has awaken from her slumbers, and though late in starting, has shown that if allowed she will speedily catch up and distance Britain and America. France —hysterical though a section of the people may be —is also of late paying far more attention to commerce, while autocatic Russia is also on the same track. In colonisation Britain in the last century led the way, so also in commerce. For a time she had an almost monopoly. That monopoly is not only at an end, but Germany, America and Japan are even now racing her for commercial supremacy. It is not, wo all perfectly well know,

the oldest firm that always command the trade. New institutions spring up. Those ventures, in order to catch public favor, study public requirements more studiously and cater for such needs more carefully than the older establishments. And in like manner with nations. Britain, secure in her past commercial supremacy, is difficult to arouse to the danger now threatening her. “ Good old firms ” continue to do business in the “ good old way ” of former “ good old times,” and refuse to adopt the modern and more up-to-date method of their German, American and Japanese rivals. As a consequence Britain’s trade remains stationery, while that of her youthful rivals advances and increases with leaps and bounds. Slowly British statesmen are beginning to realise that there is a possibility of trade slipping from their hands. And with that realisation will come action, for though slow to rouse and convince, once roused and convinced the Anglo-Saxon will speedily heat his opponents with their own weapons and methods. Lord Rosebury—the hope of the Liberal party in England—has already drawn attention to the matter and urged reform touching upon a point of much importance when he said our commercial classes required educating scientifically from top to bottom in order that they may fairly compete with the commercial classes of Germany, Japan and America. By our cablegrams today it will be seen that the Hon Mr Chamberlain has also thought it necessary to direct public attention to the matter, and ’tis to he hoped the warnings will be attended to, for notwithstanding all we may talk about supporting British industries and buying British goods—a very patriotic sentiment—the average Britain will buy where he can to best advantage quite irrespective of whetner the article has been manufactured in Britain or Germany; whether made by white or coloured labor. Such is undoubtedly a hard fact. The Briton is patriotic, but when his pocket is touched he is intensely practical, and British manufacturers will realise this ere long if they neglect the warning.

The “amoozin cuss” who writes for the Rcefton Times, has worked himself into a white heat because we had the audacity to give a brief sketch of a photograph of gold shipped by the National Bank at Greymouth the other day and did not say Inaugahua supplied the largest amount. Wo haste to soothe the ruffled soul of our contemporary by stating that 3,300 ounces came from Rcefton. There now ! 'Who says we are “ snuffing out Inaugahua,” as suggested by the Times’ scribe P And as Mr Ferens appears equally wroth about the “ dreadful ” omission, we trust he will recognise that we are truly repentant, and in a contrite spirit will lift our hat when next we meet. Again let us remark for the benefit of the two sorely-troubled souls : “Three thousand, three hundred and sisti/ ounces came from Inaugahua.” The italics will show how deeply we are concerned about the matter, and how great our contrition. If Mr Ferens or the Times will only give us a photograph of the Rcefton gold, we will give it a special notice all to itself. The Borough Council are inviting tenders for the construction of Herbert Street concrete culvert, retaining wall, etc. See advertisement in another column. All accounts owing to Mr A. Dunn, of Ahaura, are requested to bo settled on or before 31st January, otherwise proceedings will be taken without further notice.

There are now over 00 men working at the Mokihinui mine. The district is progressing rapidly. Messrs Moss and Co sold by public auction yesterday the section in Tainui street with small cottage thereon the property of the late Mr. A. Chase for .0118. This is considered a big advance on former value, The Directors of the Kohinoor Gold Dredging Company have received from the contractors for the dredge, Messrs, Luke and Hons, aprogress report, in which it is stated that the main ladder, driving gear, elevator and rcreen. and the principal parts of the machinery are well forward and it is expected that the whole will be completed well within contract time. The Wainui which arrived yesterday from Wellington brought the following dredging materials : —Twenty tons from Chapman, of Sydney (name of Company to whom consigned not yet known) ; ten tons for the Erickson’s Reward and twenty two for Kumara dredges. The Rosamond which arrived same day landed twenty tons for the Pactolus ; twenty tons for the Greenstone Three Mile and five tons for the A.l.

The mine manager at the Big River reports as follows; “ Since last report the rise has been carried up nine feet, making’a total height of 18 foot. The stone was broken for the last eight feet, but seems to be making again to-day. Another old pioneer in the person of Mr Patrick M'Oormick passed away yesterday in the Beef ton Hospital to which he was admitted a few days ago. Deceased was 60 years of ago and lived in the Blackwater district. Andrew Morris, the lad who met with an accident at Granity while out riding on Christmas Day, and has been in the Hospital since then, remained unconscious for 14 days, but has regained consciousness and is recovering rapidly. Herr Plank, the German opera baritone, was some time ago killed by falling down a trap carelessly left open on the stage of the Carlsmhe Opera. The German Courts have just awarded his family £13,700 as compensation, on the ground that his autopsy showed that his professional career might have lasted fifteen years longer. On Tuesday an amusing sight was witnessed in the Picton Harbor. The tug Moss Bose attempted to tow the freezing hulk, Edwin Fox, which is anchored in (lie harbor, into Shakespeare Bay. The wind proved too strong, however, and it was observed that the hulk was gradually towing the Moss Bose towards the mudllat, where she would soon have grounded had not (lie anchor been brought into use. —Express. Mr Potts, former Consul for the Transvaal, has been notified by tbo Portuguese Government that ho must not fly the Transvaal and Free State flags any longer, as the Government docs not recognise these countries. In a list of the number of telephones in use in proportion to every 10,000 inhabitants, Sweden loads the list, having 113; the United S'.atcs has 107; Norway, 97; Switzerland, 93 ; Canada 67 ; New Zealand, 60; Denmark, 46; Germany, 29 ; Great Britain and Ireland, 18; Holland, 16 ; Belgium 14 ; Austria, 9 ; France, 7; Spain, 6; Italy, 4; Russia, 2; Japan, Messrs Nelson and Robertson, of Sydney, have received word from New Britain, under date the 17th inst., that a gale swept along the coast of that island from the N. W. Many small vessels wore driven ashore, and amongst the number of wrecks was the Kingfisher, belonging to the Roman Catholic Mission, which left Sydney some time ago. There was no loss of life.

Since the Haupiri has been put on her new run, says the News by which she arrives at Westport on Sunday, local buyers of fruit have been experiencing some unpleasantri.es. The fruit was landed at Westport on one occasion, and pillaged before the fruiterers could get hold of it. They protested and the fruit on the Haupiri on her last trip was taken to Greymouth, the Union Company officials declining to hold themselves responsible by landing the fruit on the wharves as before. As the Haupiri has been detained since Monday at Greymout h, the fruit will not be worth much on arrival at this port. Another large find of diamonds’ has been made in the rivers of British Guiana. The last find, which was made by, on an average, ten men, working for a period of six weeks, numbered 881 diamonds, valued locally at from £4OO to £SOO. They were found in the Upper Mazzaruni a great tributary of the almost in the centre of the colony, about 190 miles inland direct or about 280 miles’ journey along the rivers. The Bombay Gazette says :—There is not, as far as wo know, a single armoured train in India and yet on the lines of railway along the frontier there should certainly be engines and trucks so constructed that they could be used at once, in case of emergency. At Qubtta more particularly a train should be formed ; on the pew Nowshera-Dargai line this precautionary measure is also needed ; and if the Peshawar Jamrud railway is ever to be used, armoured vehicles are there an absolute necessity.