Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, NOV. 21, 1899

Manawatu Herald, 21 November 1899, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, NOV. 21, 1899

Says a London correspondent : — " What secret profits must be in frozen meat? At Smithfield I came across an instance where the holder of a " stall," merely had sold his goodwill. For what? No less a sum than •£IO,OOO, and then the buyer had probably to pay a rent of £10 a week for his standing. It may Hardly be believed, but it is the nevertheless true. I received the information from the very best authority. Yet we are told that all this is done ou two per cent."

The Messrs Robinson Bros, commenced shearing yesterday morning, but the rain has stopped work for today.

Trooper C. Enderby, writing from Albany to a friend at Hawera, says : — " There are a lot of useless horses on board as well as men. ... On the other hand, there are some real, good fellows, good horsemen, know their drill, and I think they will toe the mark when the business begins. We have just got word that we are going to Durban, so that looks like playing • keeps. 1

On Saturday we again witnessed two parents summoned for the nonattendance of their children at school, losing their time and their cases dismissed by the magistrate owing to the children having, at the time of their absence, being ill. Both parents, Messrs Shadbolt and Faulkner, declared that they had informed Mr Stewart of the fact and he had assured them no action would be taken. In one case, Mr Shadbolt had an exemption certificate signed by the chairman of the committee, which he declared he had sent by the child to school to show Mr Stewart, who returned it spying it was no good. The Magi* trate declared it was good as did also the Truant Inspector. When doctor: differ, parents get summoned, lose their time, and their temper all from want of the exercise of a little common sense.

The Lyddite shell, which is reported to be causing such damage amongst the Boers, is one of the most powerful of all modern explosives, being 8000 times more powerful than dynamite. It is. fused picric acid, and has been given to the world by that mine of chemical wealth, coal tar. The principal ingredient of coal tar is carbolic acid ; this, treated by nitric acid, gives us picric acid, a terribly explosive substance. The powers of picric acid had been known for years, but difficulties of handling prevented its use until the discoverers of lyddite solved the problem by fusing it, and thus increasing its power tenfold. Burnt openly, lyddite vanishes quickly, with a bright flame, but no explosion. It is only when confined and exploded by detonation that its destructive powers are exhibited. Hitherto it has been best known as used in shells fired from howitzers. When the shell is fired and arrives at its destination the lyddite explodes, with an action so violent as to destroy the adjacent objects more thoroughly" and for a larger area round than any other explosive known, weight for weight.

Our cables inform us that Lord Kitchener has started for Khartoum. A recent message from London to the New York Sun stated : — " General Lord Kitchener, after somewhat prolonged and mysterious expedition Jo remote regions of the Soudan, is back again in Khartoum, and is understood to be devising a scheme for capturing the fugitive Khalifa. Lord Kitchener sits by the telegraph wire, and nothing is allowed to get out of the country in the way of news which he does not approve. But information has reached England in private communications from British officers which indicates that affairs are not so well in hand as Lord Kitchener would like. The Khalifa has largely increased his following, and has been able to suppress several small risings of chiefs personally hostile to him. He is certainly getting arms and ammunition via Abyssinia, and the latter fact goes far to explain Kitchener's anxiety. His great desire is to capture the Khalifa and consolidate the Soudan without the assistance of British troops, or even Egyptian troops beyond those now in his command. Despite denials, General Kitchener really had a great deal of incipient mutiny in the two Soudanese regiments in July in the neighbourhood of Omd'irman. The regiments were not new levies, but were composed of men who had helped to smash the Khalifa last year. Their grievances were excessive drilling and undue interference with the number of women officially allowed to be attached to each regiment. Some of the men were shot, and others sentenced to work with chain gangs,

The showers of Leonid meteors were not seen in Great Britain owing to the sky b. - overclouded. They were observe J. >vith great brilliancy at New York, and many were visible'at Vienna and Madrid.

The schooner Whangaroa left the Clarence Kiver for this port on the 6th instant. She brings a cargo of 86,000 feet of ironbark consigned to Mr O'Connor, the contractor for the Wirokino Bridge. On discharging her inward cargo she will load white pine timber trom the Messrs Austin Bros.' for the Melbourne market.

A man named Tristram Alfred Edward Hay don was arrested the other day at Taikorea by Constable Lander for lunacy, and on examination at Palmerston was committed to the asylum.

Tenders for the erection of a fourroomed cottage are called for, which must be in by noon of Friday, Ist December. Further particulars can be seen in the advertisement.

The American Naval Board has made a eulogistic report as to the merits of a new submarine torpedo boat. Commander Holland declares that it is an engine of terrible potency and cannot be detected in the water. He recommends the Construction of fifty boats of the new type for the defence of Long Island, opposite New York city,

Describing the war balloons sent to South Africa the London Times says: — Fifty vats, each containing a ton of materials for making gas for captive balloons, are being despatched with a number of balloons from Aldershot. It has been found that a height of ioo fathoms, at a horizontal distance of 600 fathoms from the enemy, enables the observers to secure the widest expanse of view. The war balloons having taken a stationary position, eight cameras and lenses spread round the balloon at equal distances will enable a complete view of the surrounding country and enemy's camp to be photographed, and subsequently examined. Lines of telegraph can be carried through the air, from the ground, to a balloon several miles distant. The wire can be paid out as fast as the balloon travels, and if a captive balloon should break or soar away communication can be kept up with it for six miles, and the result ot the observations telegraphed to the general commanding.

The ladies of the Methodist Church held a meeting yesterday afternoon and arranged to hold the next quarterly tea on Wednesday, December 6th. Instead of the usual social a proper sitdown tea will be held on this occasion. After the tea there will be a social gathering, and a committee was formed to carry out all the arrangements.

The School Committee are proposing to hold the school concert on Wednesday, the 13th December, being a couple of days before the school breaks up for the Xmas holidays. We understand a very good programme will be provided.

At the Vestry meeting held last night it was decided to call for tenders for painting the Vicarage. The plan for the enlargement of All Saints' Church was approved, but before anything can be done the sanction of the Diooesan authorities will have to be obtained.

To-morrow night the Cotton Planter .Minstrels appsar at the Public Hail, 'nd we hope that a capital house will greet them as the entertainment is a good one.