TOPICS OF THE DAY. (From Our Special Correspondonct.) London, December 29th, 1888.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 345, 23 February 1889, Page 3

TOPICS OF THE DAY. (From Our Special Correspondonct. ) London, December 29 th, 1888.

THE EXODUS TO THE SOUTH. Most of the afore- mentioned legislators have already started for the "Sunny South," or still sultrier, if nob sunnier Ea n t. Mr W. H. Smith and Sir Charles Russell (strange conjunction) left before the close of the session for Monte Carlo. When 1 saw the simultaneous announcement of their departure the other day for this destination I could not help wondering whether the private relations of these two politicians were of a more friendly nature than their political. If not, their sojourn at the Riviera Enje.ru en Paradifi will be anything but pleasant, as, owing to its very diminutive size, I can testify from personal experience that it is about the worst place possible lor avoiding people one doesn't particularly care about. The Grand Old Man ha 9 gone to Naples, where he was enthusiastically received by the Rector of the University, and about a thousand students, who escorted his carriage through thestreets, cheering vigorously. He is staying at the Villa Racoabella at Posilippo with Mr Stuart Rendel, M.1 J , who, since Lord Wolverton's death, has assumed the role of head-nurse and general care-taker to the d.O.M. But society has gone yet further afield this winter; .the Duke of Montrose with a distinguished party having gone to India and Burmah on a tiger-shooting and elephant hunting expedition, while Sir Algernon and Lady Boithwick, the Countess of Strathmore and her two daughters, together with many others, have gone to Egypt. Thelalter country, indeed, seems to be rapidly ousting the Rivieia and Italy from popular favour as the fashionable winter health resort, and people talk nowadays of " doing the Nile " for a thousand miles or so, cither in one of Messrs Cook's well-appointed steameis or in a private dahabbab, as complacently as one used to speak of running down to Cannes or Mentone.

THE SUAKIM EXPEDITION. Little need be added to the copious cablegrams you have already received about the successful laising ol the siege of Suakim. The arrangements ol Sir F. Greenfell, "Sirdar" or Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian army, were perfect, and they were ably carried out by the brave men, British, Egyptian, and Soudanese, under his command. The whole engagement only lasted half-an-hour. The honours of the day remained with the 9th and 11th (Black) Battalion of the Egyptian army, who led the attack, and the 20th Hu&sars, who completed t lie rout of the enemy. The Scottish Bordeiers and Welsh Regiment, who formed the leserve, weie not called into action, but the men of the Naval Brigade and the Egyptian Artillery did yeoman's service by their steady and effective hre before and during the action. The gallant rush of the Black Battalions, who each captured one of the enemy's guns, should go far to remove the sting of the insult to the people of India suffered to be implied in Lord Salisbury's ill-judged remark about " black men," even if the teim were applicable to the Hindoos, while it&houldalso increasethe confidence of the native races of Atnca in resisting their immemorial taskmasters, the slave hunting Arabs, who form the main body of the JYl a hdi's following. Thissame9th Soudanese Battalion of the Egyptian army was brigaded with the Queen's Own Cameron Highlandeis in the Nile expedition ; and the Scotchmen presented their dusky comrades-in-arms with colours on leaving Egypt as a token of their appreciation of their gallantry and efficiency. At tertbecongratulatory messages of the Queen and the Khedive, whupleased the gallant blacks most Mas a telet gram from their foimer friends now quartered in Edinbmgh Castle, congratulating them on their splendid victory. The public satisfaction at the magnificent chaige of the 20th Hussars has been saddened by the reflection that the three or four bra\e fellows who were killed might have been saved, bad it not been for their swords, bieaking off short at the hilt in the heat of the engagement. A searching inquiry into this new instance of army, contractors' carelessness or cupidity is now being held. It is needless to say that the swoids were of German, and not of English manufacture. The " baily Telegraph" was, as usual, to the fore in the matter of enterprise, and its second edition containing an account of the victory was being bawled about Fleetstreet while the English cavahy was still pursuing the flying dervishes over the' desert. Indeedi the triumph of modern enterprise and science "was never" more clearly shown than in the extraoidinary speed with which the details of this tightwere flashed all over the world, plinted, and put in circulation. Ot course, the difference in time had a good deal to do with it. Mr Stanhope mentioned in the House of Commons that General Gren fell's teleguun giving an account of the victory reached the War Office actually before the action itself had taken place, i.e., of com>e allowing for the difference of time. The telegiain was dated "Suakim 8.25 a.m.," and ir reached the War Office about 7.30.

STANLEY SAFE. The fact of these two gallant men, Stanley and'-Emin Pasha, was supposed to hang on our action before SuaUmi, and the sentimentalists of the House wished all operations to be delayed indefinitely till their exact po&ition could be ascertained. This was of course impossible, and it is just as well that the cry of the sentimentalists was in vain. Osman Digna's letter to General Grenfell seems to have been only a vulgar hoax intended to para'y>«e our action. Since the battle two later telegrams have arrived from Zanzibar, one stating that Stanley had returned to the Arnwimi after visiting and relieving Emm Pasha ; and the other from the Eastern Telegraph Company's post at Si. Thomas, near the mouth of the Congo, saying that Stanley and Emm were both well and had at rived at Zambuza on the Congo. There is a alight disparity between the two telegrams, but this may be accounted for by the different dates to which they no doubt refer. Anyhow, they are more trustworthy than "Osman of the Beard's" letter; and coming from such widely different sources, on the West and East coasts respectively, they give good grounds for hope that the obstinate belief of Sir Francis de Win ton and the other members of the Emm Pasha Relief Expedition Committee in the safety and ultimate triumph of Stanley over all obstacles, was well founded. Captain Troup, who with four other of his white companions was left behind by Stanley on the Arnwimi to collect supplies and bring up a reserve column, has just published an account of their last Christmas in Central Africa, which possesses a mournful interest owing to the subsequent sad death of two of his companions, Major Barttelot, the leader of the reserve column, who was murdered by one of his mutinous followers, and Mr Jame&on, who died of fever.

THE PANAMA COLLAPSE. Great political capital is being made by Boulanger out of the refusal oi the French Chamber to avert by Government interfer-

ence the inevitable bankruptcy of the Panama Canal Company. Once more he poses as a Saviour of Society, expressing unlimited confidence in the possibility ot finishing the canal and giving broad hints to 11 the million of the most deserving, thrifty and poorest Frenchmen " whom he says the action of the Legislature has ruined, of what he would do for them if he were in power ; at the same time he hints, in order to save himself from awkwai'd promises, should he succeed, that the Americans might confiscate the canal, if completed. It seems to me that if this gigantic sink of money and men's lives is ever to be completed, the Yankees should step in now, make an arrangement with the original shareholders, which they could do cheaply, and furnish it on their own account in place of their rival Nicaraguan scheme. Perhaps the most extraordinary feature of the whole affair is the unlimited confidence that Frenchmen generally, and the shareholders in particular, continue to show in le Grand Francais who has brought all this ruin upon them. It would be utterly dncomprehonsihle, did we not possess a Grand Old Man of our own, and see the blind and unreasoning devotion that he inspires when he commits himself and others to schemes that some may think equally visionary, and even more disastrous in their results.

THE DISARMAMENT OF THE HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY. The history of the quarrel that has led to the — at least— temporary break-up of this fine body of men (which is the oldest military force in England and perhaps in the world, its history dating from the 16th century ; and which possesses in itself all three arms of the regular army — horse, foot, and artillery) is still involved, in mystery. The fact remains that the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Portland, and Lieuten-ant-Colonel Borton have respectively resigned the posts of Captain-General and Colonel, Lieutenant - Colonel, and Ad > jutant ; and that the heavy guns, riiies, and bayonets which were Government property, have been removed from the Armoury. The resigned officers accused the corps of insubordination and want of discipline, whilst the Court of Assistants (again elected by the men) accused the officers of non-attendance at parades and drilte, and general neglect of the interests nnd disregard of the old established privileges of the corps. An inquiry is being held, and the probable result will be, as H.R.H. recommends, that the corps, which has hitherto occupied a unique position, will be deprived to a certain extent of its exceptional position and privileges and placed under the Volunteer Act. This is better, anyhow, than the abolition of a fine body of men with such an ancient and honourable history, representing,as they do. the London Trained Bands, which did such good service during the Civil War and at other crises in the national hi&tory.

CHRISTMAS SHOWS. Perhaps the most interesting of the Chiistmas shows has been "Truth's" exhibition of toys for the poor hospital children in the Portman Rooms, Baker-street. They formed a perfect Paradis dcs enfants, too complex and beautiful to describe, but some 20,000 young hearts will be gladdened this Chrifetmas by "Truth's" timely care and the generosity o f jfc s subscribers. Whiteley is also to the fore with an elaborate Christmas bazaar, but it is not so good as erstwhile, nor, if rumour speak true, is Mr Whiteley so prosperous, his fair patrons rather affecting the rival establishment in High-street, Kensington, of which Mr John Barber, the defeated candidate at Maidhtone, is the head. Olympia, the scene of the late Irish Exhibition, is also turned into a gigantic ba/aar with entertainments of all sorts in the afternoon, from old English masques to the Baldwin Monkey, who descouds from the ceiling with a parachute in his paws, and conceits, sacred and secular, in the evening. The pantomimes are yearly fading in importance. Their place, however, i& taken by the gorgeous ballets and scenic effects supplied by such houses as, the Alhambra and Empire The new ballpfc " Lene," at the toimer, is wonderfully pretty and effective.

THE THEATRES. The chief event in the theatrical wot Id recently has been the opening ©f the new Lyric Theatre, in Shaftesbury Avenue, by Mr Leslie, with the ever-popular " Doio-' thy," transferred from the Prince of Wales's. The theatre is most tastefully "and elaborately got up ; and some idea' of the competition among theatrical managers and their eagerness to secure the patronage of 'the^pu-blic 'rogy be derived from the fact 'that besides elaborate foyers, smoking, lounge and refreshment rooms in the new theatre, Mr Le&lie has actually provided a bath-room and dressing, room for gentlemen ! The chief future event of interest is the coming revival of "Macbeth" at the Lyceum. jVlr Irving ha&, I hear, treated the text somewhat mercilessly, but in each case not without authority. The first folio of this play is notoriously corrupt, and he has cut out all doubtful passages and generally adapted the play for modern s>tage requirements. We all wish luck to his new venture.

THE LATEST MURDER. People are asking if "Jack the Ripper " lias adopted a, new method. On Thui&day last, in Clarkes yard, Higb-fetreefc, Poplar, the body of an unfortunate, Rose Mylett by name, wa a found. This time, however, there was no mutilation, the woman having been strangled by a cord apparently being thrown i - ound her neck and twisted tight by someone standing just behind her. This is the method of the Indian Thugs, and is not only effective, but if deftly done, prevents the victim screaming as effectually as cutting the throat. The police are once more baflled. The unhappy victim, though murdered in Poplar, lived in a lodginghouse in Spitalfields, next door to the one where the last victim of the Whitechapel murderer lodged.

THE CLASSIC RACES OF 1889. Since the utter collapse of Friar's Balsam in the great llomley Mile Race last May, backers have been chary of fancying any particular " crack " till they saw how they had progressed during the winter. The best of the fillies at present is Antibes, and with luck she ought to win the One Thousand Guineas and Oaks. The three best colts are Donovan, Chitabol, ana Laureate. The last is not entered for eilher the Two Thousand Guineas or Prince of Wales stakes (of 12,000 sovereigns, the richest stake ever yet run for) ; and as' Ohitabol's soundness is doubtful, Donovan is my selection for these two races. His Grace of Portland may repeat his Ayishiie victory of last year with Donovan in the 1 Derby also ; but the Ducal colt will have a formidable opponent in Laureate, who ought also to win the Newmarket stake?.

It was a whim of the German Emperor, Wilhelm 1., that none of his servants should wear moustaches. His grundsou has issued an edict to the same effect.