Notes and Events.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, 17 November 1891, Page 3

Notes and Events.

Monsignor Strossmanger, tbe wellknown Bishop of Dsakovar, in Croatia, has been making some remarkable confidences to a correspondent of the Egyetertes, of Budapest. He expressed his belief that, in forty or fifty years at the latest, Russia would be a Republic. The Russians, he said, were made for Republican institutions, and these, once implanted in the country, would bring about a union of the Slavs. The Bishop next predicted that a war would break out before long, and that Bornia and Herzegovina would be the cause of it. Finally, Bishop Strossmayer declared that he looked hopefully towards the eventual reconciliation of the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches The preponderance of Italian Cardinals in the Sacred College was, in his opinion, the chief- obstacle in the way to this.

O'Donovan Rossa desiring to visit Englajrf>, but to be protected from arrest Ihere, asked for a special passport from the American Government. This the Government declined, the Department explaining that a com pliance with the request was- impossible, and contented itself with furnishing a passport in the usual form. Rossa thinks he ought to ha protected for polictical acts of every description done during his 20 years banishment from England.

At a Baptist Chapel at Birmingham, England, a Chinaman, Mr Loh-Hou-Sou, of hanghai, who was formerly engaged in the tea trade, was recently baptised by immersion by the Rev P, Stanford, a negro minister. Mr Loh-Hon«Sou still adheres to the Chinese costume, and also wears his plait. In his own country he is considered to be an excellent scholar.

Recently the Pitsburg Ghrmich wrote about a wonderful plant that is growing at the Alleghany Conservatory No one seems to know to what class or family ifc belongs, or anything about it. It is the subject, of much speculation among botanists, and they anxiously await the developement of a bud that is forming. Then, they say, they can place the plant. The botanists have a suspicion that the plant is a tropical one, and Superinfcendanfc Hamilton is treating it on that supposition. The history of the plant, so far as is known, is a unique one. During the summer one of the party of gunners brought down a crane. It was a beantiful specimen, and the taxidermist of the party set to work to mount it. In the bird's craw were found several seeds. With a view to learning if the seeds were killed by the bird eating them, they were placed in water. 'In a few days the seeds sprouted. They were planted in loam and kept in"' a warm room. Edward V, Me' Candles s took charge of it. The plant was an object of interest to Mr Mc'Candless and his botanic friends, and its developement was closely watched. Recently it was transferred to the conservatory. The leaves are long and broad and heavy, not unlike a species of palm.