MISCELLANEOUS.

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 390, 12 November 1874, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

A discussion lias arisen in England about the proper title of Queen Victoria, and the Pall Mall Gazette, in alluding to the subj ect, says : — Dr Beke asks of the Times whether " Queen of the Britains" is not the Queen's legal title. It certainly is the title on the coin, " Britanniarum Eegina." But is the coin to he set against Acts of Parliament and proclamations which describe her Majesty as Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1 The Britanniarum Regina" must be taken as a Latin abbreviation of a title rather too long and too awkward for numismatic uae. As to the phrase itself, "British Islands" is from Aristotle downward, the very oldest description in all languages of the two islands of Great Britain and Irekind; but it may be doubted whether they ever were in any language spoken of as " The Britains." At any time since the Armorican migration " the Britains" would have meant the insular and the continental "Britannia," the island of Great Britain, and that part of Gaul called "Britannia," "Brittany," or "Bretagne." It is in opposition to this last " Britannia Minor," that we speak of our own island as " Great Britain," " Britannia Major." It may, perhaps, be better not to g© too minutely into the subject, as " Britanniarum Regina" does, in the literal and grammatical sense, amount to a claim of sovereignty over part of the territory of the French Republic, though doubtless nothing was further from the thought of those who, in bringing in the title of " Britanniarura Rex r " gave up the name of " Francise Rex." There is a difficulty of the same kind at the other end of Europe' The Czar calls himself "Emperor of all the Russias. Yet it is certain that one, at least, of the Russias, the old Red Russia, forms no part of the Russian dominions. It forms, indeed, the more northern part of the modern kingdom of Gallicia and Lodomeria — elegant Latin forms of the original Russian names — now held by the common sovereign of Hungary and Austria." A tricolor flag on the summit of Metz Cathedral, which has been a constant eyesore to the Germans, has just been removed, a reward of 100 thalers having been offered for the feat; which was attended with considerable danger. After gaining the top of the Gothic tower, two balls had to be scaled toreach the flagstaff, A native of Brandenburg, accustomed to perilous enterprises, undertook the task, providing himself with two planks for scaling the balls. On surmounting the first he staggered, and everybody expected him to fall, but he reached the flagstaff, lowered the emblem of French rule, and substituted a German flag of black, white, and red. In four hours he was again at the bottom, and was cheered by the Germans, while a troop of soldiers, who had witnessed the operation, returned to their quarters. We understand that a new suggestion has been made by Captain Webb, R.N., showing how seamen's ordinary duck trousers may easily be converted into lifeboys in cases of emergency. The manner in which Captain Webbs suggestion is to be carried out would appear to be as follows :—: — First securely fasten the bottoms of the trousers, each leg separately, with a piece of twine or ropeyarn ; then wet them in either a bucket of water or over the side of the vessel, and wave them sharply round so as to inflate the legs, and when inflated, quickly grasp the top and secure it with another piece of twine or ropeyarn. The inflated trousers, will then form a life-buoy, which Captain Webb has found by experiment to be capable of keeping a man afloat for a considerable time. — Nautical Magazine. The Hon. Saul Samuel, Postmaster-General of New South Wales, did a very handsome thing in ' Sydney at the commencement of last month. He opened the magnificent post office in that city at his own personal expense, and invited two thousand people to the affair, which included a conversazione, an art exhibition, and a ball. The particulars of this brilliant affair occupied several columns of small type in the S. M. Herald. The entertainment was provided at the expense of Mr Samuel, and although it was to some extent a public celebration of an important event, it was, so far as the Government was concerned, a private affair throughout, the members of the Government, like the rest of the party, being there as the guests of the PostmasterGeneral.