DE OMNIBUS REBUS.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 548, 21 March 1876, Page 4

DE OMNIBUS REBUS.

The famous stone memorial pillar of the Moabitish King Mcesa, discovered some time since, has been placed in the Jewish section of the Louvre. The administration purchased several fragments of this valuable monument, which were in the possession of M. Clermont Gannean. Some other pieces belonging to the English Palestine Exploration Society were presented, and- thus completed the surface. The Havas agency has published an account of a tragedy on board the Rhin, bound with convicts for New Caledonia, It occurred on the 9th November. An attempt at escape was made by some convicts from the lower gun deck. The ringleader, Leroy, was arrested, and, exasperated by the failure of the attempt, turned his rage against one companion who he thought had betrayed him, but instead of attacking the right man, he murdered his friend and accomplice by cutting his throat with a razor which he had managed to conceal. From a letter which has been placed in our hands, says the Southland Daily News, and of which the writer is Mr W. M. Sanguily, one of the survivors from the wreck of the General Grant, we learn that another attempt is about to be made to search the sunken vessel, and see if the gold shipped in her can be found. Many of our readers will recollect that this unfortunate ship, several Sears' ago, on her way from Melbourne to ondon, got out of her course, and when off one of the Auckland Islands, was drawn in by a strong current, and wrecked, many of the passengers and crew being drowned. The long-talked of scheme for the peopling of the healthier parts of the Indian hill districts by forming European settlements of discharged soldiers and other persons not above laboring with their hands is at last to be realised, at least in the form of an experiment, The Pioneer states that Sir Richard Temple has commissioned the magistrate of Darjeeling, accompanied by a gentleman familiar with European farming, to seek a suitable site in the district for the first of these proposed plantations. As an inducement to the settlers, the Government of Bengal will double private contributions, and will give the colonists the means of subsistence until their first crops are raised. The holdings are to be of ten acres each, and at first only a leasehold, so that forfeiture may easily overtake the absentee. The settlement is to be at least 5000 feet above the sea level, so as to allow of Europeans labouring freely in the open air. There will be a responsible Government manager, but his interference with individuals is to be reduced to a minimum. Total abstinence is to be recommended as far as possible, though not made absolute ; and, if the plan succeeds, a volunteer corps will be maintained among the settlers with Government aid. The question of the disposal of wandering Europeans in India has become so important, that it is not surprising that the press calls for a thorough working of the experiment as the only fair solution yet offered of a very real and increasing difficulty entailed by our rule. The latest result of the practical working of the new Swiss Constitution is to show that, unconsciously apparently, the central Legislature, in framing it, has abolished the hitherto undisputed right of individual cantons to dispense with a strictly proportional representation in their own local governments. The Ticino, for instance, is at present ruled by a Grand Council, elected by thirty-one districts, formed as arbitrarily as our boroughs, and each returning three deputies without regard to population. A lawyer of Locarno, however, raised the question whether this state cf things could exist under a Constitution which assures to “all Swiss equal . political rights under the republican form, without preference of locality,” since the inhabitants of the less populous districts of the Ticino retain, on the whole, a majority of the Grand Council. His appeal went to Berne ; and the Lower House, before separating a few days since, almost unanimously decided in his favour, and directed that the Ticino law of electitm must be held null and void until modified to meet the full requirements of the new Constitution. The Council of States had not time to get the question before it previous to adjournment, and hence it stands over till the next session. But it was well understood that the majority of its members were of the same opinion as that of the other House, and that the latter will be supported in its decision. The Daily Times of Saturday says:—” The grand gala programme provided in honor of St Patrick at Wilson’s Palace Circus last evening was proceeding very satisfactorily till shortly before 10 o’clock, when Airec was unable to finish his performance owing to the stormy weather. Immediately after he reached terra firma, a terrific blast of wind started the uprights which supported the tent on the inside and produced a great crash of woodwork. The tent was then completely at the mercy of the weather. This unfortunate mishap was almost instantaneously followed by an unearthly howl from the audience, which was a pretty numerous one. Their consternation, however, was quite unnecessary, as no accident under the circumstances could have ensued unless through a panic in overcrowding the places of egress. Happily the entrances into the circus were numerous, and if they had been otherwise, the consequences would probably have been serious. Mr Wilson, the proprietor of the circus, displayed excellent tact, and was fully equal to the occasion. He quickly allayed the fears of the excited hundreds who were scrambling over each other in their attempts to get out of the wreck. Immediately after seeing the people free from danger, Mr Wilson proceeded to look after his horses in the smaller tent, which was also completely blown to pieces, thereby leaving the male and female performers in their thin dresses, and in the dark, to procure their warmer clothing as best they could. The scene may be better imagined than desciibed. In the confusion, we were unable to ascertain the extent of Mr Wilson’s loss, but it must be something considerable, as he all probability, have to purchase a new tent. This occurrence will, doubtless, be deeply regretted, as Mr Wilson had generously arranged to give an entertainment this afternoon for the benefit of the Benevolent Institution, which was to receive the gross proceeds, However, we trust that the weather will speedily change to fine, so that Mr Wilson’s energy may overcome the difficulties and enable him to give his advertised farewell performance to-day. We have been informed that Mr Wilson is determined to give the performance in aid of (be Benevolent Institution,

The Royal Engineer Journal publishes extracts from a letter of Lieutenant Alliott, 10th Regiment, who was present at the unsuccessful attack on a Malay stockade in which Captain Innes lost his life, giving a very different version of the affair from that sent to the Times by its Malacca correspondent, In the latter our party was represented as approaching the enemy along a single narrow path in Indian file, led by Captain Innes, who was shot dead in a sort of surprise, the natural consequence of this temerity, on arriving unexpectedly before a concealed stockade. Lieutenant Alliott writes“ A fire broke out from the enemy, which we returned by a furious fire from our native allies, useless and ineffectual, as no Malaya could be seen, We succeeded in stopping them gradually advanced until we discovered where the stockade was situated; fired several rockets at it, but with no visible effect ; consulted with Captain Innes ; agreed to advance on the stockade ; did so, taking advantage of all cover ; got within a few yards of stockade, kept up a heavy fire into it. Poor Captain Innes was shot dead at this time ; carried him to the boats ; . , . wounded myself about a minute after.” It will be observed that the picture of the attack here presented shows that no ordinary precaution was neglected. It will be observed also that the officers of the 10th were not under Captain Innes’s actual command, but speak of themselves as consulting with him. This is explained by another part of the same letter, and by one from Colonel Anson, the Lieu-tenant-Governor of Penang, both of which state that it was the latter official (who first heard of Mr Birch’s death), and not Sir William Jervois, that dispatched Captain Innes to take the place of the murdered man, and act. not as military commander, but civil head of affairs at Perak, Finally, Lieutenant Alliott expressly contradicts those reports which had been already telegraphed to Malacca to the effect that Captain Innes had superseded the officers of the 10th in their proper duty ; “ an impression (he says) which evoked a feeling of jealousy, finding unworthy vent in the press.”