ENGLISH INTELLIGENCE.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 30 November 1901, Page 4

ENGLISH INTELLIGENCE.

Prison Punishment in En£and^ The abolition of has largely in ° ruc . England, State. This 110I 10 " 3 bfi said t 0 be in Jffl in 1895, only 13 now remain, and it is in due course to abolish these as foon as satisfactory substitutes can be found for the hard labor prescribed for prisoners in the first stage. Experience it is said, goes to show that those prisons where the treadwheel has been abolished the necessary deterrence of first stage hard labor is well maintained by the strict separation of prisoners while employed in some onerous task, such as stone-breaking or heavy coal-sack making. Oakum picking is now, as far as possible, limited to prisoners whose sentences are so short that they cannot with advantage or profit be employed at any form of more useful labor. Chinese Gnteness. Mr Wu Ting Fang, amiable humorist and Chinese Minister to the United States, continues to wander about that country and add to tho gaiety of life by the assumed naivete of his bland interrogations. Unlike Li HuDg Chang, Mr Wu has had a European education, and knows the bearing of his questions; yet no smile appears on his cherubic face as he proceeds on his pretended search for information. Introduced to the leader of the New York Legislature, he said, "You are a Piatt man ?" "Yes." "And he is the Eepublicaa boss at New York ?" "Yes." "And do you do everything he ! tells you to do ?" "I certainly do, or I i shouldn't be here.'' "You are, then," said his Excellency, "a slave." Should this wily Oriental be transferred to England, there will be a call for a new edition of Bret Harte.

Development of Photography. Writing on the question whether the great growth of amateur photagraphy in late years has affected the businnss of the professional, Mr Russell, a wellknown English professional, says that the amateur has helped the professional rather than takon away work from i)im. Tho amateur has created a greater general interest in photography, which is all to the good from a professional's point of view. Then the amateur does not often do much at portrait work, so that he interferes very little with the professional in that way. Also, ther are many people who, refusing to be photographed in the ordinary way, will allow some friend the privilege of a snapshot, and so the ice is broken, and the chances of the professional are increased. Respecting colour photography, Mr Russell is very sanguine. It is now being successfully used for portraits and out-of-door work, and it is likely to make photography more popular than ever.

Dogs in the Army. The military authorities are seriously considering the advisability of making use of dogs on active service in connection with the performance of ambulance work. With this end in view they have just called upon Major Hautville hicliardson to furnish an exhaustive report on the result of some experiments with dogs that were recently carried out under his direction in Forfarshire. The occasion in question was that of a sham fight between the Angur Rifles and the Forfar Artillery, when a number of clogs trained by Major Richardson were employed to carry medical comforts to men told off to act as casualties. The dogs are said to have acquitted themselves of their duties in a thoroughly satisfactory manner. Major Richardson conducted some experiments of the same description at the Crystal Palace quite recently. Educating Royalty. When the German Emperor and his consort paid what proved to be their last visit to the late Queen, their sons Prince August Wilhelm and Prince Oscar be. came general favourites with all who* saw or cime in contact with the bright and unaffected little sailor lads. From an interesting account by a lady who has recently seen them at Plon, where they are at school, it appears that by this time their education has become a serious business. Each of the two boys has three companions who share all his lesson?. The actual desk lessons are not very Ion?, aud the whole time between the meals is occupied with riding, gymnastics, swimming and rowing, so there is not an idle moment in tbe whol day,| In the corrse of the present year anew branch of activity was added —a tract of twenty-eight acrea of agrieult ural land —which forms a sort of peninsula near Plon Park, was taicen >for the purpose of giving the lads the opportunity of the practical study of f arming.