General News.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3793, 23 February 1881, Page 3

General News.

Colonel Gordon is credited by the North China Herald with bavin g offered this plain language to the Chinese Ministry :—lt is idiotic for China to think she can take the field against Russia. But, if you will fight, then carry ycur Court and Emperor, your archives, and all the rusty and creaking machinery of your central government, far away into the interior of the country ; for when once hostilities are begun on the eastern seaboard, Russia will, in a few weeks, be mistress of Pekin. Only be assured that this means the downfall of your dynasty.

To the Christmas number of the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, Mr W. S. Gilbert contributes an article that is well worthy of perusal by all who take an interest in matters theatrical. The author purports to give an account of a trial by jury, and the argument is as follows:—" An original (but tedious) play has just been damned. The audience is furious. The Manager comes forward and implores them to listen to him. They agree to do so. He suggests that the Author be tried, then and there, by a jury of the audience, for having had his play damned. They agree. A jury is empanneled and a judge is appointed. A gentleman offers to act as counsel for the prosecution. The Prisoner conducts his own case." The idea is worked out with great humor, and the satire is of the most trenchent kind. Mr Gilbert evidently wishes to show that many plays that are set before the public are so mutilated to suit the ideas of the stage-manager and the actors and actresses that it is not always fair to blame the author for shortcomings. The Prisoner's address puts forward a plea on behalf of those English dramatists who do not depend upon foreign works for their plots and dialogue, and argues that original plays should not be judged from the same standpoints as mere adaptations. Mr Gilbert makes the most of his case, and it is plain that he feels keenly the fact that some of his best works have not met with approval, but for all that the audience know best what they like, and although they may be wrong in their judgments, they form the only tribunal the author can appeal to. An unseemly occurrence took place in the Cork theatre. Signor Foli had sung his last song and retired. A peremptory encore was demanded, and Signor came forward and bowed acknowledgments, leaving the theatre immediately after. The people shouted for an encore, and the manager attempted to explain. Mr Herbert Reeves then/, came forward to sing his piece. The audience would not listen to him, and Mr dims Beeves rushed out and catching bis son by the hand, pulled him off the stage. This scene gave rise to great tumult, but the respectable portion of the audience felt he was perfectly justified in his action. Signor \Foli had previously responded to an encore, «o had Mr Reeves and others. The performance came to an abrupt termination.

A Galveston man met a gentleman from northern Texas, and asked how a certain mutual friend was coming on. "He is doing very well," was the reply. " What business is he at ?" "He has got the softest thing in the world of it. He bought a lot of Mexican donkeys at San Antonio for 3dols, apiece, and having taken them up to his racho, he clears 27d01. a head on them." "Do they bring such high prices ?" " No; but he lets the railroad trains run over them, and the company has to pay him 30dols. apiece tor them."

Sir Evelyn Wood, speaking at a banquet at Grocers' Hall recently, said he was aware that certain reforms were necessary in the army. Against one, however, he must protest; and that was the abolition of regimental colours. It was said that valuable lires were sacrificed in endeavouring to save a mere rag, but that rag was the emblem of honour, around which all rallied in the hour of danger. It was the soldier's star and the consecrated emblem of his devotion. It was true that recently in Afghanistan many valuable lives were lost at Maiwaud, and that in one regiment alone 273 fell round colours. Colonel Galbraith, when last seen on his bended knee, still grasped the colours of his corps, and beside him fell many whose names would live for ever in the hearts of all who served in the 66th. The colours were the standards around which fugitives would rally and brave men, and it would be about as wise to take away the regimental colours as ifc would be to abolish the Union Jack in the navy.