ENGLISH CLIPPINGS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1725, 26 July 1883, Page 4

ENGLISH CLIPPINGS.

The Suez Canal, which has long been iamiliarly- described as the Ditch through the Desert, is now, it seems, in a fair way of becoming an open and stagnant sewef. The stations on its. ban kn arc drained into its waters. It is never, flushed, there is no tide, and the stench is becoming intolerable. Diarrhcca and sickness prevail on board vessols detained in the Canal, and' as detentions are increasing in number and duration, the matter is becoming serious. M. do Lesseps must bestir himself, or this nuisance will constitute a serions addition to the long array of counts in the indictment against his monopoly, by which English shipowners are preparing to support their demand for a second can&l. The gossip of Washington points to the approaching departure of the " Flower of all China," the young Chin Chi Yung, for Europe, on a diplomatic mission to the Court of St. James, the Celestial Government being just now occupied with the comparative diplomacy of the different countries of the world, by all of which China expects ere long to be proclaimed (sovereign lord and master. Mr Chin, for so the young hero is called by the ladies of Washington, is described as a lady-killer of the first water. '* One of the greatest masters of flirtation I ever met with !" exclaimed a young lady, by whose side he had seated himself at one of the balls at the White House. Mr Chin's complaint that it was the thickness of his soles alone which compelled him to inaction while the rest of the company whisked arround the room, was capped with the observation : " But it is not only the soles of my feet that are fixed, it is the soul and my body that is chained to your side." This speech displays not only his gallantry, btit his knowledge of English, which he lias acquired mostly from the fast young men of New York. Mr Chin, unlike his countrymen in general, refuses to don the European costume, but wears the " full Chinese" in all its glory. He wears jjarjnents of blue and yellow satin gorgeous to behold. He wears the junk shoes of black aatiu, with soles of white felt.three inches thick, and invariably folds his hands beneath his loose-hanging sleeves (always lined with bright-colorud satin) whenever he talks to the ladies. Mr Chin has the brightest and moat intellifent countenance it is possible to see. [is eyes are black, and although almond shaped, very bright and sparkling, and [ when lie smiles he displnys a set of teeth which put those of the American beauties to sliame, and they frequently suggest the idea of bringing over a Chinese dentist to repair the damage caused in their own ratchet's by the climate, according to their own account, but ascribed unjustly to the exaggerated consumption of the sweets and acids in which they indulge. The Ambassador, Mr Chin's uncle is a fat, easy-going Chinaman, seemingly indifferent to all that is going on around him, and yet never losing a single item of the proceedings. His nephew is called upon to interpret the pretty sayings of the ladies, and it is quite delightful to behold the mighty Chang Tsao Ju, reported as grave as a patriarch at tlio Council JJo.ud, shake his fat sides with laughter at the little coaxing speeches and cunning compliments addressed to him, which he knows very well arc put out to interest, as it were, and expected to bung in big profits in the way of ivory fans and jeweled hairpins or cedar wood boxes. — Court Journal

Coronation' Embassies. — To send a Special Ambassador to the coronation of the Czar seems to me an absurdity, for we already ha\oan Ambassador iv Russia who is to receive a special allowance for representing Her Majesty. But to send, as (Special Ambassador, a Royal ])uke on the cheap i& still inoieabsurd. The Duke ot Edmbiugh is to receive Jb"4000 for his expenses. It is almost cruel to him to entrust him with the mission, for either he will appear ridiculous by not spending like other Ambaf'&adoia, or he will have to draw so 1 irgely on his private resources that the allotted £4000 will bo a trifle hardly worth taking. The accounts of the Due de Morny, who represented France at the coionatton of the Lite Czar, have been published. The total expended was £5-k,8'30 Oa U.UI. He took with him nineteen hoiaes and eight carriages. Every day ninety-three persons, ineludservauta, dined at his expense. He gave eight official (linnet & and two large balls. Toe external illutniiutiou of his house cost £392. He paid his washer-woman thiee shillings for washing each of his table-cloths, and Is 2d for washing each of his shirts. It is true that the Due de Motny personally nude a good thing of the Embassy, for, whilst he charged all his expenses to the State, ho took with him a vast quantity of wine, which he intiodueed tree of duty and then sold at a large profit, and he brought back with him numberless hirs, winch lie also sold. The Duke of Edinburgh is not likely to follow this example, and, if he really does the thing well, he will be out of pockatmany thousand pounds. — Truth. Mil Bkadlaugh's Position-.— Mr Bradlauqli does not, it is understood, intend to give the Government or the House of Commons any further trouble on his account just at present. He is now entitled to enter the House and sit below the bar without voting or speuking. He is also poimittod to enjoy othor privileges us a duly elected member. He would, no doubt, iorfeit some of those privileges if he came after the iccent decision into collision with the authorities. Mr Bradlaugh will hold meetings in the country, and from time to time appear in his usual seat in the House. He was after his speech at the bar visited by a large number of Libeial members, and congratulated on the tone of his remarks, and especially on the explicit manner in which he vindicated the Go\ eminent in the matter of his several contests in Noithampton. A curious feature about Mr Bradlaugh's appeaiaucc at the bar was that, after he retired at the end of his speech, it was found impossible to draw back the brass barrier in front of the chair of the Sergeant ut-Arms. The bar is made on the '•telescope principle," and apparently it was put out of gear by Mr Bi.ullaugli, who during the excitement of his speech clutched the barrier and shook it. A number of people were in the hall adjacent to the House, and cheeicd Mr Bradlaugh as he left ; but beyond this there was no symptom of excitement whatever out of doors. The amount which has been paid by Mr Newdegate, M.l',, on account of the legal pioceedings against Mr Bradlaugh exceeds £3000. in addition to the £1300 subscribed &ome time ago to the Newdegate Fund. The Conservative party talk of finding £5000. Ax epidemic of secret societies has set in at Home, among them "the Skeleton Army," which &eems almost to have beeu foraeen by Dickens, so similar is it to the brigade commanded by Mr Simon Tappertit. Its object, says an exchange, is chiefly mischief and the making itself unpleasant to the world at large, aims with which it is possible for juvenile persona of the male sex to sympathise. It is no wonder, therefore, that a contingent of cadets has been formed and attached to this gnerilla force. One of these, aged 13, has been brought before the police for throwing stones, and, imitating the fashion of all modern conspirators, has turned informer. The principles of the Cadet Contingent would seem to be similar to those of Nihilism, but the rules are more precise :- 1. Every member pays a penny a week to the support of the organisation.' 2. Every member pledges himself to break the windows of every empty house. 3. Every boy ■who does not belong <to the Skeleton ' Army is to be stoned by members of the society wherever 'found.

-„ A , oi«A < jJM ia ' about to lie friade before the world xfo^f, Miss yPbrdaworth wrote many M Mr' Wordsworth's pofems. ■ Wordsworth' himself gave her credit for ■ helping him out with th« ;