ITEMS BY THE MAIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5658, 19 May 1879, Page 3

ITEMS BY THE MAIL.

(From the Spectator.)

The catastrophe at Szegedin appears to have been complete. The waters have not retired, the foundations of the houses have been loosened by the . saturation of the marsh, and of 9700 houses and cottages, only 261 are left standing, a destruction which iu its completeness is almost without a parallel. More than 60,000 people are homeless, and though the most contradictory statements are put forward as to the loss of life, the estimate of 4000 is probably within the truth, hundreds perishing from cold and exposure, rather than by drowning. The Hungarian Ministry intend to drain off the water, and talk of surrounding the town with a circular dyke, a wretchedly clumsy expedient, which, as the river-floor rises, will fail, as shown by the immense experience of Lombardy and Bengal. What is wanted is an artificial channel to tap the river when it is too full, and relieve the pressure, which else will defeat any earthen dyke. There are two accounts of the behavior of the people, who are accused of robbery and incendiarism ; but the Prime Minister distinctly informed Parliament that it had been admirable, and all accounts testify to the resolution to rebuild at once.

Lord Elphinstone, in replying on Monday night to a question as to the explosion on board the Thunderer, gave a most lucid account of the circumstances under which it is believed that the gun burst from a double charge. Those who put in the second shell and second charge were not aware that the first was still in the gun, owing to a defect in the “ tell-tale,” which alone discloses to those who are ramming down a charge, how far the ramrod, which consists of a double tube, like the double tube of a telescope, has passed down the barrel. Wo observe, however, that Sir W. Palliser, a great authority on these matters, still believes that the committee of investigation are mistaken as to the real cause: of the explosion. A course of experiments just made, he says, convinces him that “the effect of. firing a charge of powder and an iron projectile with a second charge of powder and a second iron projectile in front of it, is precisely the same as would be caused by firing the same amount of powder .in one charge, and placing the two projectiles in front of it.” “ I have also ascertained,” he says, “ that a nail lying in a barrel in front of the shot would burst a gun fired with onethird of the amount of powder which a gun would resist, if loaded as the Thunderer’s gun was reported to have been loaded.” Sir W. Palliser is sure that the explosion was caused by “a jamb,” and not by double-loading. And we trust that his view of the case will be carefully considered, when the further investigation which has been ordered takes place. Few authorities on this subject have so much presumption in their favor as he. The present Canadian Government seems bent upon a protective policy, and Mr. Bright put a question on Thursday to Sir Michael Beach, which was intended to elicit whether the British Government would or would not use its authority to discourage that- policy. Sir Michael Beach’s reply was very sensible. The Canadian Government knows very well how much her Majesty’s Government regret this Protective policy of theirs, but that knowledge is not at all likely to affect a policy deliberately resolved on. And for the rest, our Government consider that, except so far as treaty rights are involved, the Canadian Government. must be the judge of its own fiscal policy. As we have elsewhere argued, this is really .nothing but'a corollary of conceding self-government. If Canada thinks it wise to protect Nova Scotian coal, and to put a differential duty on tea imported through the United States, though that policy is very unwise, it is no concern of ours. We have already elected to let Canada go astray, if she must, and discern that she has gone astray, if she can. We are too apt to grant a privilege, and then be offended because it is not used as we should wish.