MAIL NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 580, 26 November 1902, Page 2

MAIL NEWS.

(Per R..M.S. Sonoma at Auckland. ) San Francisco, Nov. lb A despatch from New York, dated November lib, says -Lor the first time iu tile history of Atlantic navigation, a passenger liner has crossed I lie ocean with oil for fuel under one of her boilers. The Red Star steamship Kensington, (.’apt. .1. li. 11 ill, accomplished this feat. The Kensington sailed from Antwerp on October 21. and arrived at her pier Ibis evening, bringing one hundred and thirty cabin and more Ilian umi steerage passengers, Chief Engineer Serie reported lo the supervising engineer, John Carnegie, of the International Navigation Company, that crude kerosene had been burned continuously instead of coal under a single-end boiler of the ship. The experiment was apparently a success. “ Whether the oil lias aitected the boiler or tubes we cannot tell,” said Mr Carnegie to-night, “ as we have not made an inspection.''

,ST. LOURS EXPOSITION. (Per R.M.S. Sonoma at- Auckland.) San Francisco, Nov. lb Much gratification is fell because of the interest of the British in the St. Louis Exposition. King Edward has requested Sir Thomas Upton to name a special commission to visit St. Louis, and the Government has undertaken to create public interest throughout the United Kingdom m this great Lair. It is felt that this will he followed in other European countries. The plans for what is called the “Louisiana Purchase Exposition ” arc on a magnificent scale, and energy j

STRANGE PROBLEM, (Per JLM.S. Sonoma at Auckland.) Sail Francisco, Nov. li, North-western Canada lias a curious problem to solve, A few years ago several thousand Russians of the Doukhobors sect settled in the district. They were exiles from their native land, because of their religious persuasion, and very much sympathy was felt for them in their new home. They took up large tracts of land, and for a lime appeared industrious, after the fashion of their lellow-cxilcs, the Russian Memiuiiit.cs, in North Dakota. They refused, however, to pay for their lands, and resenting taxation, wished to form some system of government adapted Lo their own theories. They would nut conform to tiie regulations in regard to statistics of births and deaths, and they would not comply with tire marriage laws. Their fanaticism appeared'to grow, ami they refused to wear any other than cotton clothing, and would not cat meat or use animals for work on their farms.

Women in harness filled the fields, hut finally all work was abandoned, and the strange and apparently mad people started on an aimless pilgrimage. They carried their sick and little children on stretchers, hut provided hub; food for their journey mgs. They declared they were going to find Jesus, a :ul liecame quite violent when offered loud, shelter, or oilier assistance or comfort.

Cither inhabitants of the country were at first deeply sympathetic, and attempted to care for the wanderers, who had deserted their own comfurtfortabie homes, it was at. first presumed because they were povertystricken. This was not the real reason of the pilgrimage, and though many of the Russians were emaciated from luek-of food or comfort, none ol them will accept, the provisions and help offered hy their neighbors. The weather is intensely cold, and some of the delicate among the fanatics have already perished of the hardships and exposure oi the march. The case is a pitiful and difficult one, and no solution has yet offered itself,