The Southland Times. THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1864.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 10, 23 June 1864, Page 2

The Southland Times. THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1864.

Eveet one is of opinion that the Provincial ! Council ought to be called together ; every . one feels that it is absolutely necessary that |it should be ; that every motive of policy, | justice, and honesty, Bhould induce, the Superintendent to summon it at this most critical juncture of our affairs ; and yet no one is by any means certain that it will be summoned. Why is this ? His Honor has gained a reputation for dogged obstinacy, and we must do him the justice to say,, that he has honestly earned it. No deputation which has ever had the pleasure of waiting on him, will do him the injustice to state that he ever condescended to argue with them, or received advice, had they the presumption to offer it ; he has from first to last; pursued his career with characteristic stubbornness. He has been taught , to believe that he is " our natural chief," " the chosen of the people, &c," and he has acted accordingly. The autocratic " It would appear,'' marks all his replies to memorials, as well as his addresses to the Council. In his memoraudum for the Executive on the remonstrance of the nine members of Council as to the relative position of Superintendent and Executive, he states — ■" It would appear that such an opinion is erroneous." In liia reply to the Committee of the | Southland Prospecting Association, "it i would appear " is again used to convey, as usual, insult. At present there is only one member in the Executive, and in that gentleman's firmness to resist His Honor's will we have no confidence. Mr. Tablton's political career has not impressed us with any other feeling than I that'^ we find in him one singularly | tenacious of office. We should be sorry to entrust to him singly, at this particular moment, the task of combatting His Honor. Had Dr. Menzies shown any ; particular capacity for the administration of public affairs, it would not be a matter i of so much moment whether the interests of the people were properly represented in his councils ; unfortunately, he has most markedly displayed the reverse. The General Government has evidently lost confidence in him, for while impressing bur land revenue as security for the advances to be made, it has not entrusted him with the disbursement of them. The amount granted is sufficient to open the Northern Bailway as far aa Winton, and thus enable Invercargill to have one outlet during this winter ; allow us some chance of obtaining a sufficient customs' revenue to pay our staff of officials ; in fact, would be the turning point of the present crisis. Small as is the voice of the Superintendent in the direction of the uses to which these monthly advances are to be put, he has, we fear, just sufficient power to render them abortive of their intention and practical benefit in our present straits. We understand that, by considerably twisting the wording of the agreement entered into between His Honor and the General Government, as regards these advances, they might possibly be used to liquidate past liabilities, arid that there is a probability of their being so used to pay some ; — those to be included in the fortunate number to be fixed by the Superintendent and .the Provincial Treasurer,' or rather by His Honor alone. Now the spirit of the agreement, we would imagine, is clear enough. The advances made are for the specific purpose of continuing the Northern railway works. The liquidation of past, liabilities, we are firmly convinced, was not intended. It was impossible for the General Government to know what they were in the first nlace; for we do not believe either the Provincial Treasurer, His Honor, or any one else knows what they are. if any past liabilities are to be paid all ought to be, when it is not improbable that the whole of the £45,000 would be swallowed up, and we^ should be in as bad a position as we were before His Honor went to Auckland. His mission would prove worse than useless, for we not only would receive no benefit, but^having our Land Revenue impressed, we should' he at a dead lock. Thus the intention for which the Superintendent visited Aueklandwould befrustrated ; and the desire of the General Government to assist us out of rout: difficulties nullified. The £45,000 is barely sufficient' to accomplish the object intended : If any of it is diverted from its legitimate purpose the trade of Inyercargill, and pro-, spects of the Province generally will receive a blow "which it will take years to recover from. The Superintendent may be an " honorable man-". " a high-minded gentleman." We; have merely to- deal with him in his public capacity. His past career has- inspired us with noj confidence for the future ; if he will not summon the representatives of the people, it is the duty of some of those representatives to

call a meeting, and bring the force ofpubUb opinion to bear on'His^Honor..,-'^ lln the meanvfhile, > we" trust that the Sub-Treasurer, by his firmness in refusing compliance-wiih any suggestions tcf divert from its avowed purpose the v -:mdneyß' entrusted to, him Jzq disbjarse, , will , i; protect the public rights in their present defenceless condition. '„',, < .

As we have before stated, the discovery of the Otago goldfields introduced a new and entirely, unanticipated element into the system of government brought into Operation iinder the Constitution :- ; Act . - A few months 'suffiqed to introduce a popui lation into the : Middle Island through, the Province of Qtago, such t as would, in the ord.i|nary ! course l of. colonization, havejfca&en years to accoinplisli. j residents, those settled on. the: soil; left.: their ordinary occupations and flocked i;o the goldfields to compete with the new comers in the search for the precious, metal. The plough;share was /tjurneid into the' pickaxe— ; the spade was diverted from . its more homely though staple use. All joined in the wild Tace for wealth. - The moral as "well-as-physical wants of this sudden increase in j population required immediate" and ener-.i getic attention — necessitated a large expenditure on the part of the Government. Boads had to be at once constructed to keep" the digger supplied with food. A large staff of police, with all the paraphernalia of officials, to protect his property and maintain order. No time was allowed-to devisethe best and most economical means of supplying this sudden demand.- It; became necessary to construct and keep open roads at any cost, to meet the exigencies of the moment. Expense could not be considered. If the ordinary revenue w£s totally inadequate to meet the demands on it, it became imperatively necessary to borrow — not merely a small sum to be paid off at a short period, but largely, and at long dates. Thus we find the Superintendent of Otago writing to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, on the 6th November, 1862, informing him tliat he was about to introduce a Bill, at the next session of the Provincial Council, to raise a loan for £500,000, as follows : — "As the goldfields of this Province appear to be extending across the centre of the country, making it. imperatively necessary that several lines of roads should be formed from the sea-coast to the interior, thus involving a large immediate outlay ; and as, moreover, from time to time a large number of miners of an inferior class have temporarily to be employed on the public roads, I have the honor to inform you that it is my intention, during the coming session of the Provincial Council, to introduce a bill for the purpose of negotiating a loan for obtaining the sum of £500,000, on the security of the land revenue of the Province." * * * * m "As the demands on the resources of this Province are not surpassed by those on any other Province, the Provincial Q-overment expect, and with reason, that the greatest latitude will be given it, consistently with. Imperial instructions." To this letter is appended a memorandum of" the borrowing powers of the. Provincial Government ; in other- words, -the- loans which had Been already authorised under various ■ Ordinances, amounting in the aggregate to £185,000.— The. loan for £500,000 was to extend over fifty years. The General Government seem to have been at first rather staggered at the magnitude of the demand. •_'.._. The Colonial Secretary, in his despatch of 6th December, Mß62, acknowledging receipt of. the above, quotes from the despatch of the Secretary of State to the Governor, of 15th September, 1857, in ! which Mr. Laßouchebe writes — " I have, therefore, to instruct you, in exercise of I the powers vested in you by the Conatii tution Act, to require that all Bills of Provincial Legislatures for the purpose of raising moneys by loan shall .fee reserved.; for your assent ; not to give such assent' in any ease, unless either the amount is inconsiderable, and the purpose temporary, or the exigency appears to you so great as to render departure from this rule essential for tho public convenience ; and if ever loans to any serious amount should appear to be required by a Province, to require that the Legislature should present to you resolutions to that effect, in order that you may confer with Her Majesty's Government previously to the introduction of any bill for the purpose." He then continues — " There can, however, be little doubt that the Home Government at that time never contemplated the raising of loans so large as that proposed by your Honor, and did not mean even, that their qualifications., with respect to cases of emergency, should be construed so as to allow of such loan's. His Excellency's advisers, nevertheless, in consideration of the necessity of enabling your Honor to make some provision for the crowds of diggers constantly swarming into Otago from Melbourne, by continually opening up auriferous districts for tbfeir occupation, and at the same time affording employ-, ment on road-making for the .numbers that may probably be unsuccessful as .diggers, and. in consideration of the fearful results that might follow in such cases, should there be no employment for them, will recommend His Excellency to give his assent to the proposed Bill." In his letter of ,12th January, 1863, the Superintendent of Otago, in forwarding "The Otago Loan $ill, 1862," for the half million, urges its immediate assent in* the following words :— *' ;I need not poinjt out the urgent necessity of this Bill being assented to,: as demands of the: Provincial | Treasury 'are of '•>'» very urgent character., I Should any ißliglit^inibimality occur, it; may_be remediejljri an Amendment Bill.!'' In reply to this the Colonial Secretary, in his despatch of the 18th February, 1863, conveys His ■ Exdellency's assent to the Ordinance, and thus:^the new- era is in- , augurated ; the changed circumstances, hot -only of the Province of Otago, but? of its neighbors/ affected by 1 the same ~in--j fluences, a course of action entirely new^orie not even contemplated, j As Mr. Domett says, " There can be little

doubt that the Home Government did pot ~ mean even that their qualifications With f respect to casefKof emergency bhould^b*^^ * construed solas' to allow of^such loans^T'' It is, however^" granted/ Even tße'siajSulatjpns as to the shape "in which such loans shpjild be^requektedyrr-" that the Legislature should present J:o you resolutions to that effect, in order that you may .confer with Her Majesty's Government previously to the introduction of any Bill for the purpose," — are broken through, the plea of necessity is admitted. It may be stated, and -with truth, that the Domett Ministry was a, weak one, and /granted loans to the Provinces in .all directions; yet, wjiat^was to, be done? , There was nodoubt as to the urgency of ''the'necessity. To have sent" home resolutions relar ;tive toithetpropjoseii ißiU^ocrthejJißsent of the Imperial Grovernment-w.ould; tay e rendered futile its object, r.r^hat was to be done had ta; be :done;atjonce,'.to:be of r any .use.. Entirely new , cffcumstancea required new treatment ; ;' and now" the -necessity of a strong Central (government for' the Middle" Island .becomes^evident. A _ jGJ-ovenrment' which,^^ sjMictipnii^^ ibhe loan for the benefit > of _the wholeVwoSld have taken care • that lCwas bo, expended, and lipt for the exclusi^ beriefit^of* a part.* /:£ong before. l^ exniredf Provrucialißm wiU J^ye died" its death, /atod^every part of the Middlfe lsland Will have tP furiiish its quota; towarcfethe ' liquidation bffthis^lban^ W^w y^ether^ by its expenditure, any, benefit to be receiveil lias been"; divided^; ; The preamble* oft^the^*Qtago Loan Ordinance,'- ■•■iß62^' r -for.;i the:- halfmiUipn states:^" Whereas the discoveries of goidfieids'innianypartsiof the. interior of ) the Province pfTOtago, and the, consequent influx of a- large population, have . rendered immediately < necessar.y£.the,; formation of rpa/lß,^t^e,,imprpvement pf inland navigation^ the r erection o£ public buildings, and |he"undersakmg of other works essential toother^well-being pf the community ; , and whJereas expedient to. raise a loan of five s ;hu : ndr©d>thbußand pounds for the, aforesaiji piirpc«es," &c. In dther words, the Otago had reached the. frontaere .''"of^ theTrovince, and it became necessary at ;all Hazards — at any expense-^to ' divert""the^^benefits .to bet derived from: Btich pbpu- : lation. to- the .capital of- the -Province — Dunedin. -No matter i£ a neighboring Province was the— natural outlet to any of the goldfields.in the interior;; if nature I and distance had combined to make it so, I all the more need to borrow money to t endeavor to supplant natiire by arty" more particularly when it was considered that [ ultimately its neighbors would have to pay their share towards this throat-cutting policy, as far as they were concerned. Meanwhile, Dunedin, by .this^ expenditure, borrowed at the expense bf other^s, waa , attaining to suchji position, as when the ! abolition of Provincialism was 'accom- ! plashed, would sustain her in" claiming tobe tho seat\of Q-overhment" for the Middle Island. Nor can we wonder at this action on the par| oftl^ieG-ovesrifflient'ofOtago : it is the sysbem of government which is to blarner 'The -population - and^intGresta of Bupeditt forced the local Government to strain every nerve to aggrandize it. Any Government which had adopted a contrary policy would not have held its ground for a day. : " ' Had a strong Central Government, with its seat at Canterbury, existed at the time, we are inclined to the be,lief that the expenditure would have been differently—and more advantageously f6r5 T the Colony at large — ; apportioned. "When a new goldfield was discovered, its object being to administer the revenues for the benefit of the whole Colony, not any particular part, it would have ascertained the nearest outlet, and opened it up. )It wouldhave studied the public^ not private interest. We, should' not then have,' seen theescorfc jto the Wakatipu Lake Diggings brought within thirty „ ..miles,, of ; va. ... seaport, .to be 1 whisked ott ; anptKer.bunared, merely to benefit oiie '/"city. .. No part of the half million would have Been expended in combating nature, by trying to construct a road from the'Dunstan to QueenstoVyn, Q\g?'almost^insurmountable cLifiiculties and aVgreat cost, while there was a dead level from- the foot of the Lake to the'Bliiff, over "which a cheap line" of railway : could "be constructed for a less amount, , which would have been a reproductive work,* and beneficial to the -whple^ CplPny. We should not have seen two' Governments expending money : oh " two 'roads running parallel to one another in th© same Province, simply because 6 tago,-. on crossing the Mataura into Southland, chose to do so a little higher- up the river, - and thus rendered necessary the- formation of a road not a mile distant from, . our own. All this is very well for the.present, while money is borrowed at -long, dates;, but posterity will curse the Provincial system of government, . and npt; Tvithout pause. , The evil npght have been remedied earlier, could 4he .circumstanceavhaye-.been.fore-seen. '*As it is, the sooner an takes place. the better, ' "We ' l have taken the instance of Qta'gb^merely bep^iise there, the. new order upfv things was initiated, and/in that rP/rpvince have the evils which we have adverted to, received their largest^dejeloginenfv : { &: ;

It -will be observed, on a reference to our advertising columns, that a meeting of -the Invercarglll [ Eifle Volunteer Corps -irill be held in the Princa of Wales Hofcol, on the ovoning of Monday first. , We are glad to observe Signs of animation once ! more in this matter, and feel pleasure in learning that no obstacle ■ now stands in ihe way of their becoming an efficient and useful company but ■ neglect and inattention on their own part. Tho services of the company have been dulj accepted at head quarters, and His Honor the Superintendent has brought from "Auckland, the welcome intelligence that the necessary;,, arms, &c---'coutrements, and ammunition, will bo -forwarded by the first opportunity. Up to this time there has been a luke-warm&esa manifested by our volunteers, which boded ill for the prosperity of the movement ; but we hope" that & deeper interest may be taken in the subject, now that there can be no further excuse for delay in the regular formation and drilling of the company.

■Tnere will be' ppvperformances at the Theatre Royal until the i eyening ojt Saturday fiwt^fipm which, date the entire management of.the business will be taken by Mr: Pu'ette^ovr, th© proprofonr of the building, into his own hands. JWe .'.-trust ' that' his -efforts in catering for the" amusement . of the public, will meet with better support .at their hands than did the late management. Howf ever, his i position is advantageous to him in this light, *.«., that he haiKadbpportunity of observing ' where improvements can be , introduced, : and where defects might be struck out, which interfered with the general character of the.performances, ; and of the Iwuse itself. ' Woh^e no; hesitation in ' . eaying, that this comfortable and pleasant little theatre Trill, in good haiids,' prove a lucrative ■peculation; and are sorry "that this big-- nos been the case with thelate. lessees. • "\ A very influential meeting of gentlemen iriterestsd in the manufacture of the New Zealand flax (phormium Ututifxako an article of coxa- . inerce, was held on the afternoon of Tuesday last, in the Southland Club." The following parties were amongst those present, yix;, W. H. Calder, ■ Esq.". M.P*<X; James . Harvey, Esq.; M.P.C.; Messrs. W. H. Bia£tbn, O.\SJ W. Dalrymple, Henderson, S. Beavenj H. ~ MUler, 'Bkcklock, Taylor, Dr. Gfcigor, "Ac. The object of the meet- " ing. was tiie formation of \ a company for- 'the .. manufacture of the plant; but it was" resolved, nfter considerable, discussion, that it be advisable, in the meantime, to . advertise for .'. «amplea of. prepared flax, in. order that the beat plan might be adopted, and that tlie superiority of the various jjrocesses should be fairly tested by a competitive triaL Several gentlemen were then appointed to . call and v examine J into the systems, pursued by .those parties who. | ; Tiad produced samples, and Mr. Dabymple was appointed treasurer ' '' and secretary .to the , com"mittee. We ar&glad to find that this important ■abject is now being handled in real earnest, and Hope that ere .long : tlie manufacture pi flax in the Province of Southland will be firmly established, and in every way flourishing. That this .•will be the case there is small reason to doubt, as, froiri a communication which was read from ' Messrs. CloughandCb., of Melbourne, it appears that the wholesale tome price of the flax submitted to them would be between £30 aiui £40 per toril\ Looking, therefore, to the case with which the raw material can be procured, and the compa«tiveiysmaliil expense at which it can be converted mto dressed .fibre, there is scarcely -room to doubt that a company prdperly organised, and ita affaira efficiently managed, could 1 fail to reap first-rate profits out of the manufacture of I . our native flax. .••.... ' A meeting of the committee of the Benevolent Institute was held on Tuesday evening, in the Go- ! vornment offices, at which the following parties ' were present, viz.,— The Rev. Messrs. Shaw, ! Stobo, Tanner, Bethune and Searle; Messrs. Heale', Tarlton, Drs. Grigor and Murray ; and Messrs. M'Culloch, Mueller, Irvine, Bonar, 1 Bright," and Harnett ' Mr. Heale pre- j ' sided on the occasion. Dr. Murray, the '' honorary secretary, reported that seven applications, had been sent in during the week for relief. The visiting members of the committee . reported as to how these cases deajt.w#h, and their action was approved of. These cases, along'with any others which might arise, during the following week, would fall to . colne under the notice, of .the visiting, members for . . that week. The honorary treasurer reported that up to this time- the funds amounted to the sum of £65 95.. An offer was made by the Garrick Club for a dramatic performance in aid of the Institution, and accepted with thanks. After some further :'•■ business -of 'a minor character was transacted, the meeting terminated. The funoraLof Mr. A. Usher, late leader of the orchestra at the Theatro Royal, took place yesterday, from his place of abode, Colyer's Hotel, Dee-street. Most of : the members of the theatrical company were present in one of Cobb and Co/s four-horse coaches. A considerable number of the inhabitants lined the streets at the time, and it was evident, from the sympathy displayed, that the deceased was. highly esteemed by •:large circle of friends. ' Another important discovery of coal has been made in the Province of Nelson. The Examiner of 9th inst. thus refers to it :—" We purposely abstained from giving prominence in our last issue* to a rumor, which had obtained currency in town, to the effect that a seam of coal, five feet iix inches thick, had been discovered at Pakawau. Since then, however, news of a reliable character has reached us from the Pakawau, which sets the question at rest. - A seam of coal of the thickness indicated has been discovered there, and we heartily congratulate Mr. Weisenhavern upon the felicitous results of his arduous labors during so ■ many months, past. We understand there is every reason to believe that the coal just dis- ' covered is of a similar description to that found at the Grey and the Buller, and that still. thicker Beams will be found at a greater depth. In fact, .Dr. Hochstetter'j opinion in this regard has been expressed in the most unequivocal terms. Our readers will learn from our Council report, that the Legislature, on Tuesday evening, gave its sanction to the offer of a bonus of £2,000, for the • discovery of a seam of coal between Cape Farewell •nd this city, provided that the 5,000 tons of coal, which quantity is deemed requisite to guarantee the permanency of the coalfield, shall be brought into the market for sale, within two years from the present date. We would express our sanguine anticipation that the present discovery will enable the proprietors of the Pakawau coalfield to satisfy the requirements laid down by the Council, and thereby confer a benefit upon the Province generally, which it is difficult at this moment to estimate." The Nelson Examiner thus notices a melancholy ease of drowning in the Wairau' River : — " In the early part of last week, a party of three men arrived at Jeffries' Accommodation House, on their way down the Wairau, but the horse which should have been on the spot to con- . . vey foot- travellers over the river was absent, and the men had therefore to cross the river on foot, and, in making this attempt, one of, the poor fellows lost his footing, and was drowned. We have not heard the name ; of the man, but he was from Canterbury, whore he has left a wife and " family. For the purpose of • assisting foottravellerg to cross, the Wairau,. a free license and valuable sheep-run are given to the occupier of the accommodation Chouse :'in Question ; ;but it seems these are ■ insufficient to secure for travellers "the attention 'they stand in '.need,' [of. We hope the Marlborough Government . wil

institute an inquiry into the cause of this accident, and, if ''ttib'.'facts "We as they have been told to us, a new tenant for the house should at once be found." ■'"'".. ' ■.."'- /'"";'.'" ■"■■-X"--. - . The diggers on the . Wakamarina ißiver appear to be quite a pattern lot bf\menl ■ i The L correr epondent of the Nelson Examiner thus alludes to ;.them;in his lotter to that journal ;:-r-'\ l; have been up the river as far as Wilson's claim, to attend the Catholic service' at that place. 1 think it- was the most singular sight . I have witnessed among the many curious scenes , which these regions .present. -Father Tresallet' read the.s ervice in* an audible voice, and concluded with a brief address peculiarly well suited to the class of men who were kneeling . before him. There;. were thirty men present, the servi& taking place, in a- largo tent; and certainly this quiet devotion and' Tevereh'tial behaviour of the small congregation was never equalled in the most glorious pile of the old world. I cannot determine what 1 there is in the Roman Catholic Faith, which,: has such a hold upon the minds of its votaries, as to make rough diggers, living in the midst »ef- a fortune-hunting crowd, without any evidences of their religion, come • quietly and devotedly' at the call of an unknown priest, and go through the ordinances of their Church with the greatest care and regularity, among tents and trees and the ordinary implements of their daily toil. I hope that Father _Tresallet, or stfme other missionary, will 6oon come again on a similar mission, and will aran'ge'for the service to take place at Deep Creek, or some other spot where ft large congregation can be secured." ' ■ The following reference to Panama, with which, it may reasonably be expected, jfche Islands of New Zealand will- ere- long' be more intimately connected, will not be without interest: — "Panama was at one time considered 'one of 'the most important townft of commerce in the whole world.' It was called by- the Spaniards ' the noble and very loyal city of Panama.' It was made the head of a bishopric in 1521. It had convents for the orders of San Francisco, Santo Domingo, La Merced, and the barefooted Augustins, and a Jesuit college and seminary ; also a" university, founded by the Bishop Don Francisco Xavier de lusain.l7sl; an hospital, of San Juan de Dioe, and a nunnery of Neustra Senora de la Concepcion. All these institutions and establishments have been closed or destroyed for many years. There is some prospect of the ancient splendor of Panama reviving. It is in contemplation to make it the capital of New Granada. There are now twenty-one steam-packets a month which arrive at or depart from the port of Panama." From Indian and Ceylon journals we find that the important enterprise of connecting England with India by telegraph is rapidly approaching completion. Taken in connection with our own situation, doubtless everyone will perceive the vast benefit which will naturally accrue to Australia and New Zealand from the great diminution of time in procuring our European intelligence. It appears that at; Colombo (Ceylon) advices are expected to reach that place a week old. If, therefore, a regular line of communication could be organised from Sydney or Melbourne to Colombo by steamships (or, perhaps, in time by the electric chain itself), the 1 inhabitants of this . side of the globe will not be so far behind in the world's history as they are at present. The Colombo Observer says : — " From the intelligence which reached us by the last Bombay mail, we are glad to observe that the great design of binding England and her Eastern Empire together by the electric chain was almost completed. On the 12th of this month (April), Colonel Stewart left Bussorah in a river steamer for Bagdad (the intervening space being the only break), to convey a congratulatory message from the Indian Government to the Secretary of State in England. We may, at any hour, expect to see the reply with news from England less than a week old." On the same subject, the following extract from the Bombay Gazette will be read with interest : — " The hind lines now completed, or in course of completion, for bringing India into telegraphic communication with England, may be thus briefly described. From Constantinople to Damascus, and thence across the Great Syrian Desert, the line follows the Great Caravan route to llohsul and Bagdad. Southward from Bagdad the line is now being carried to Busra, at the head of the Persian Gulf. Northward from the City of the Caliphs, another line is in course of extension to the common Turkish and Persian frontier, and thence, to Teheran, under British supervision. At Teheran a telegraph depot has been established, and Persian youths are receiving instructions from our officers in the use of Morse's signalling instruments. The Persian signallers (who show considerable aptitude) will be employed exclusively in the transmission of messages for the Persian Government. From Teheran, the wires will be taken to Bushire, vid Sbiraz. The submarine cables will thus be \initcd at three points with the cereal telegraph, viz., at Guadur, Bushire, and Busra. The only hiatus existing to the complete establishment of telegraphic communication by land from Calcutta to Constantinople consists of the line of coast between Guadur and Bushire. No serious physical obstacles exist to the establishment of a land line between these two points. The difficulties which beset the work are purely political, arising out of the claims of Persia to the sovereignty over the chiefs who hold this sea-board."