THE INDIAN WHEAT TRADE. (From the Times.)

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1861, 10 June 1884, Page 4

THE INDIAN WHEAT TRADE. (From th e Times.)

A corkespoxdence between the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, the Secretary of State for India, the Bombay Chamber of Commerce, and the Directors of the Gieat Indian Peninsula Railway Company, lias ju&t been issued on the subject of the rates charged by Indian railways for the conveyance of wheat and seeds. In a letter addressed to the Sccretiry of State for India the Directors of the Great India Peninsula Railway defend the current lates for the conveyance of wheat to Bombay, arguing that India is incapable of supplying any confaiileiable proportion of the wants of Kuiope, tl.at the condition of Indian wheat is inferior, and that there is ■so iniuh margin between the price of whc.it in the inland maikets, and tho pi ice at the piincipal stations, and also between that price and the \alnc in London, that any slight decrease in the railw.iy rates would make no appreciable dirieience in the cobt or tend to increase the quantity brought to the railway company. In a long and elaborate reply every point of the railway company's contention is denied by the Bombay Chamber of Commerce, and it is reaffirmed that with pi operand reasonable facilities the Indian wheat trade would assume far larger proportions than at piesent. As to the suggestion that in wheat India cannot compete with Ameiica, because of the facilities afforded by the latter country for the transportation of the article by rail and watei carriage, the Bombay Chamber refer to the history of the tiade since the railways were opened in India to prove that India te as much a wheat exporting country as America, and that the great strides made in the tiade during the last few years are to a great extent, if __ not entirely, due to railway extentions. The present total yield of wheat in India is about GV million tons, of which about one million tons are available for export. If to this present yield a further G\ million tons be added as the quantity the country is capable of producing, and which would with increased railway facilities before long be produced, theio would be a total yield of 13 million tons. As to the proportion of thn yield available for expoit.it is a well-known fact that the consumption of wheat in India is not large, the bulk of the inhabitants subsisting on cheaper staples. The Bombay Chamber believes that a veiy huge piopoition of the total yield would be expoited, and that the requirements of England could before long be mote than supplied by India alone, if the pioducing distiicts weie opened out and cheap communiotion between them and the coast established.

Tiik electiio light is now used in four chutclicb in Monheal. Mr Kvlkyn Jkkkold, son of Blanchard Jcirohl, the grandson of Douglas Jprrold, has been appointed editor of Lloyd's News, making the third generation of Jcrrolds who have edited the journal. Two Hundukd Milks vn Hour. —The Biitish Trade Journal says :— " A working model of Danchell's electric railway is on view at Union Court-chambers, Old Broad-street, This railway eystem is designed in the meantime for the carriage only of letters, parcels, and light freight at a high rate of speed, but capable, if the iinentot's hopes are not too sanguine, of being adapted some day to passenger traffic. The tram runs on one rail, and is pi evented from falling off by its connection with another rail overhead, whiuh also conveys the electric current to the motor. The conbti notion is deigned with the view of reducing friction to a minimum. The extiaordinaiy speed of 130 to 200 miles an hour is aimed at by the inventor. In these oil eu instance^, the desire to fully tct the working of the sjstem as a pout and paice! mi! way before adapting it to passenger m?i vice will be fully appieciated by all class of tra\ filers, nervous or otlieiwisc. We may, however, look forum d 'onic day to coming in the morning . to busnic-s in the city fiom the wilds of Wales, or from a snug villa on the borders of .\ Highland hki\ To lunch nt iM.uiuhe&tei, dine at Newcastle on- Tyne, the.itie in town in tho evening, and home to a quiet country lesi'lence in Cornwall, will in the happy days to come be nothng out of the common." Tiik Biacic Kirn; and the White lAvsiiv.— When Gordon Pasha was taken pii&oner by the Abyssiniana he completed checkmated King John. Tho King lecened the prisoner sitting on his throne, or whatever piece of furniture did duty for that exilfced seat, .1 chair being placed for the prisoner considerably lower than the scat on which the King sat. The first thing Pasha did was to sei/.e this chair, placed it alongside his Majesty, and sntdown on it : the nevt to inform him that he met him as an eqi al and would only treat him a<? such. This somew hat disconcerted his sable Majesty, but on recovering himself he said, " Do you know Gordon Pasha, that I could kill yon on the spot if I liked?'' "I am peifectly awaie of it your Majesty."' said the l\isha. "Do so at once if it is your royal pleasure. I am ready." This disconcerted the King still more, and he exclaimed, " What ! toady to be killed ?" " Certainly," replied the Pabha ; I am always ready to die, and so tar fiom fearing your putting mo to death you wo'ild confer a favour a of me by so doing, for yould be doing for me that which I am precluded by my religious scruples for doing for myself ; you would lelieve me from all tha tumbles and misfoi tunes which the futmc may have in store for me." This completely staggered King John, who gasped out in despair, " What my power has no tenors for you ?"' ''None whatevei," %vas the Pasha's loconic re- J ply. His Majesty, it is needless to add, instantly collapsed. — Life of Gordon Pasha. MfcAN'IXG OF THK WORD " AGNOSTIC." . — Professor Huxley, in the Agnostic Annual for 18S4 says: "Some twenty yeais ago I invented the word ' Agnostic ' to denote people who, like myself, confess themselves to be hopelessly ignorant concerning a variety of matters about which metaphysicians and theologians dogmatize with the utmost confidence. Thus it will be seen that I have a sort of patent right in 'Agnostic' (it is my trade mark) ; and lam entitled to cay that I can state authentically what was oiiginally meant by Agnosticism. What other people may understand by it by this time Ido not know. If a General Council of the Church Agnostic were held, very likely I should be condemned as a heretic. But I speak only for myself in endeavouring to answer these questions. Agnosticism is of the essence of science, whether ancient or modern. It simply means that a man shall not say he knows or believes that w hich he has no scientific grounds for professing to know or believe. [ have no doubt that scientific criticism will prove destructive to the forms of supernaturalism which enter into the constitution of existing religions. On trial of any so-called miracle, the verdiofc of science is ' Not proven.' The theological 'gnosis' would ] have us believe that the world is a cobjurot's house; tho anti-theological ' gnosis ' talks as if it were *a • dirt-pie,' made by the two blind children, Law and Force. Agnosticism simply says vre know nothing of what may be beyond phenomena." Rats and Mice.— lf you wish to d«« stroy them get a packet of Hill's Magic Vermin Killkr in packets, (id, Od, and Is, to be obtained of all storekeepers, or from T. B. Hill by enclosing an exh a stamp. Life in the Bush— Then and Now. — ! It is generally supposed tljat in $ho bush we have 1 j to put up with many discomforts 'and privations I in the shape of food. Formerly it was so, but ! now, thanks to t. R. HtLf., who has himself 1 dwejt in tho hush, if food doe* consist -chiefly! of tinned meats his Colonial Saucb gives] to, them a most delectable flavour, making_them as well ! of the plainest food most enjoyable, and imtead at hard biscuits and indigestible damper his Jm-, provjsd Colonial Baking mikes the very best bread, scones,' calces, and pastry far superior and more •wholesome than yeast 'or leaven, Sold by all storekeepers who can oh* t\m it teem ajty, »etchi,nt in, A,u<ikfead;_ v '