General News.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4476, 10 May 1883, Page 2

General News.

The organ of the Russian general staff, the Russki In valide, describing the Egyptian war in its military summary for 1882, says :—" The first thing that strikes one is the immense transport power possessed by. England," and it adds that the infantry " showed at Tel ekKebir that it stilt preserved the spirit of the good old times, and that, in spite of the breechloader, the bayonet is still the most decisive weapon of war."

It is slated that the French police have issued orders for the seizure of all copies of Marshal Bazaine's new book on the war of 1870 which may find their iray into France. a From official statistics recently pub" lished of suicides' in France, it appears, between the years 1876 and 1880, that 198 boys and 43 girls below 15 years of age destroyed themselves. Of these 209 were over 12 years of age; 21 between the ages of 12 and 10; four were 10 years old; six were below 9; the youngest being only 7. Philadelphia has been greatly excited over the capture of a band of grave robbers, who were caught with six bodies, intended for the Medical College, in their possession. An investigation shows that these ghouls bad almost cleared one of the cemeteries of its occupants. The recovered corpses have been identified. This capture was planned by some newspaper reporters attached to the Philadelphia Press, who carried it out successfully, as amateur detectives.

M. de. Lesseps, it is understood, has gone to Tunis in connexion with M. Eondaire's scheme for creating an inland sea in the North of Africa. According to the Voltaire, the " Great Frenchman" is convinced of the possibility of carrying out the work which he undertook to support when M. Eoudaire failed to obtain the assistance of the Government. For the past two months the promoter of the scheme, sent out by a small society, of which M. de Lesseps is the heart and soul, has been taking soundings in the Chotts. which he declares to be at a level of some 12 or 13 metres below that of the sea, and therefore well suited to the work of canali* sation, which is to admit the waters of the Mediterranean into the interior of the African continent. The soundings taken by M. Eoudaire will be tested, and if they prove correct, to useJM. de Lessep's own words, " the thing will be done." This is what occurred at Plymouth, England, after a speech from General Booth, of the Salvation Army:—"A rough-looking, bulky man stepped forward in a dilapidated jersey and trousers to correspond, and related the blessings he had experienced as a result of his conversion. Suddenly, before the audience, the man loosened two or three strings, kicked off the jersey and trousers, and stood confessed in the smart uniform of the army—trim, orderly, and respectable. This circus trick had a wonderful effect upon the audience. There was at first a murmur of surprise, and then a chorus of • Hallelujahs' from all parts of the meeting."