MISCELLANEOUS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7075, 22 February 1893, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

The beer-taps of a publichouse in Sydney which not long ago changed hands, were sworn by a competent mail not to have been cleaned for at least two years. Tho iS'i’ii Oiechesiva , one of tho oldest, papers in Russia, points out that the most vita) question affecting Russia, viz., that of the Dardanelles, can be most, speedily and effectually settled on tbo frontiers of India, where Russia has only England to meet. It goes on to observe that the present moment is the most opportune for the cultivation of i riendly relations with Abdur Rahman, and for inflicting on England a severe blow in Central Asia. The above article appears to have been inspired by the National Zeitung, which advises Russia not to trouble about the Dardanelles, but to reach the ocean by way of Persia, which neither Austria nor Germany ■ would oppose. A sergeant of police saw a light in a secluded house in Edgwura Road late one nighfc o and found ifc had been broken into. Proceeding down the passage, he went into the kitchen, where a singular sight met his view. The fire was alight, and a frying pan stood on the hob On tbo table were tho relies of a fried rasher of ham and half a bottle of sherry. Lying about the floor wore a number of bundles of silver plate, etc., ready tied up for immediate removal. The air was heavy with the aroma of fried ham. Searching round, the constable found in the adjacent coal-hole a beaming burglar, who out out hia hands cheerfully for tho handcuffs, “I am glad, guvnor, you didn't come arf an hour earlier,” quoth be, “ cos you’d ha’ spoilt a rattlin’ good supper.” i Tho folowing is an extract from a letter of a recent visitor to the Panama canal ”Wo went on shore at Colon and’for a long drive. We saw evidences of the greatest disgrace of the century in the engineering lino. Miles of J trucks falling to pieces, fl >wers and ferns all growing over them. Then wo walked into the engine sheds, where there were about 50 engines eaten up with rust. I picked up some ferns which had flourished on one of them. In the canal there were about fifty dredgers and steamers, besides launches and boats, all going to rack and ruin. Half the town uninhabited, as three-fourths of the town consisted of engineers’ houses. MLesaeps'ran.p.ut a strip of land into the sea in order to fauild his house on it. This alone cost a largb fortune. It now looked wretched, as does that of his son (who never came to Colon), which is in the same condition. Both are approached by an avenue of palms. The whole place is the most miserable God-for-saken hole you can imagine. That one drive was quite sufficient.”