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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 178, 30 July 1877, Page 4

The whole secret now of naval power is atdam. Without steam — which means without coal (remarks the London Examiner) these great marine monsters cannot be managed at all, to say nothing of the machinery of their guns most of which again depend upon a team for the supply of the dydraulic power chiefly used. Now, the Power which is richest in coaling stations will, be richest ia the chief appliances of maritime war, other things being equal. But England has depots of her own in every part qf the world, while the other Powers of Europe have every few such depots. Again, the strategic value of our fortified ports, such as Gibraltar, Malta, Aden, Hongkong, the Cape, &c.,. his beeu vastly increased, since we should use them as inexhaustible depots oi[ coal, whence we could; send our vessels of the Devastation type, while ttie other Powers would be dependent op coal . drawn from a distance. Thia applies particularly to Gibraltar, which may now be made to seal up the fleets o( other nations against ingress into the Mediterranean or egress from it—whiqh was impossible when our ships were dependent on wind for sailing - power. Indeed, Mr Lefevre shows that hostile fleets more than once passed the Straits of Gibraltar without our having' the wind, which would atone have enabled ouFifleet to dispute tha passage. ; Finally, our reserves in coal and iron give us the comtnaud of the carrying tride.of the world— -of the, gowerrof, protecting it with swift armed vessels, 1 -; and of the power of interrupting 1 What is not so protected, in a way in which no'other Power of fturdpe "could pretend io compete with us. OF the "report" on the^destfucliori of wild animals and venomous snakes; the : Government of India -has passed the following resolutions— "The netresultiT of|the measure's iti force in the diff'renf provinces towards exterminating wild animals and venomous snakes is that upards of 21,000 persons and 48;000 head of cuttle ware ' deatrotyed during one year by wild aniaiils and venomous ent.kaa; th'<*t 22,357 wild animals and 250, 185 ! venomous aaakes have been killed ; aod that 120,015 ; rupees have been expended ia rewards.