If There are some who argue from this that international contests should be avoided lest they should generate international ill-feeling. That is all nonsense. America and England are to be united, we must not be too squeamish about such evidences of temper as are inevitable when differences of opinion manifest themselves. You cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs. Neither can you bring two nations together nor two individuals together without multiplying points of friction, which, when nations or individuals are very headstrong and self-opinionated, will often culminate in much bad language. But unless people do come together and pared with the Americans, in the athletic sports. It is true that the heat was terrible, but the Americans broke their own records as well as ours, and there is no doubt that we were fairly whipped. No one can reasonably deny that we are taking our licking like gentlemen. It is one of the disadvantages of making sport the ground of meetings of nations, that sport has an immense attraction for the scum of both nations, and the riffraff of the saloon and the slum cannot be expected to behave with the nice courtesy which should prevail around the lists in which an international tournament takes place. Still, even the sportsmen of both nations will learn take the risk of friction, they will always remain apart. So far from deprecating the international contests because they afford an opportunity for displaying the seamy side of national character, that is a bagatelle compared with the importance of accustoming the two nations to take a keen interest in friendly contests. As another British yachtsman has entered" his yacht for next year's race, there is no harm done, and whether we win the cup or lose it, we can rely upon our people bearing themselves. in seemly fashion. in time to be civil, and that will be a great gain. I sometimes think there is more hope, from this point of view, of the conversion of prize-fighters than of editors. The Science. The British Association met this year at Parliament of Ipswich. Sir Douglas Galton, the President, delivered the inaugural address, which called for little remark. The meeting, on the whole, was somewhat commonplace, but it was relieved by one or two papers of somewhat sensational interest. One, which was followed by an interesting discussion, described the cannibals of West Africa from a somewhat sympathetic point of view. There is one tribe that habitually eats all its old people as soon as they show any signs of decrepitude-a primitive method of settling the problem which we are fumbling over in our Old Age Pensions, and it also consumes all the bodies of enemies who are slain on the field of battle. The results, from a physical point of view, are declared to be so admirable, that it would seem as if the cosmic forces which lead to the survival of the fittest would tell in favour of the cannibals of that tribe. This, however, is only seeming, for cannibalism has a fatal disintegrating tendency. Union is the secret of Progress, and the experience of mankind shows that your brother never quite trusts you when he has at the back of his mind the thought that you are wondering whether he would taste better roast or boiled. The other paper was that by Mr. Flinders Petrie, in which he deprecated the excessive zeal shown by some civilised people in thrusting their opinions down the throats of every race with whom they come in Mr. Petrie's paper led to quite a demonstration against clothes. It would really seem as if we were at last beginning to learn that morality and civilisation cannot be exactly measured by the amount of dry goods we can hang round the human person. contact. A Japanese through the newspapers in vain for a single utterance tion to have disappeared into space. H. E. Li: Formosa is very malarious. You lost many lives there before. Most of the Formosans smoke opium in order to counteract the effects of malaria. H. E. Ito: When we take Formosa we shall forbid opiumsmoking. H. E. Li: It is an old habit with the Formosans. H. E. Ito: Yet Formosa was populated before opium was produced. We have kept opium out of Japanese ports by the most stringent prohibitions, and have consequently no opiumsmokers. H. E. Li: I admire that. H. E. Ito: I discussed the question of the prohibition of opium with Minister Yen, and he heartily agreed with me. H. E. Li: Great Britain insists on bringing opium into our ports. We have increased the duties, but what more can we do? H. E. Ito: The duty is much too low. Treble the amount would be none too much. H. E. Li: We have spoken of it frequently, but Great Britain will not consent. H. E. Ito: Opium-smokers are all indolent; you cannot make good soldiers of them. H. E. Li: Great Britain has forced opium on us, and we cannot stop it. H. E. Ito: If you devised methods to stop the consumption it would soon cease to be imported. If China were to act on the Japanese hint it would be awkward for India. The anti-opium people, who the only speeches of any note were made by the The One Of course, at present all seems peace, Hope of the but you only need to pierce beneath the Liberals. surface to find how rancorous and bitter is the feeling on the part of the Tory rank-and-file against Mr. Chamberlain and "the Birmingham gang," Mr. Chamberlain has certainly taken care of his own, and the appointment of Mr. Findlay as Solicitor-General was almost the last straw which broke the back of the Tory camel. For the moment, however, the word has been passed that even a majority of 150 does not justify open sedition; but there are many slighted politicians At the meeting of the Trades Union Congress, at Cardiff, it was definitely decided to make that body more strictly representative than it has been hitherto, At all previous Congresses, many of the Unions were represented twice over-first, by their delegates, and then by the delegates of the local trade councils, of which they form a part. It has been decided that henceforth the trade councils are not to be entitled to direct representation, and it was further determined that no man, who was not working at his own trade, should be eligible as delegate. Mr. Burns, among others, will no longer figure in the Trades Union Congress. John Burns is in Parliament, but as for the others who failed to secure their election to Parliament, they are left out in the cold, and are wandering around in a somewhat disconsolate fashion. The proceedings of the Congress do not call for much remark, and it is to be feared that, although the new regulations are logical, they may have the effect of diminishing the popular interest in that Parliament of Labour. The meeting at Cardiff was attended by Mr. Gompers, who was representing the American Unionists. Mr. Keir Hardie was not present, as he was at the time engaged on tour in America. He spoke several times at Chicago, where the Trade and Labour Congress, after his departure, passed what was in effect a resolution of censure, although Mr. Hardie had been very careful to avoid saying anything uncomplimentary to Chicago and its citizens. the Irish electorate is not so great as might be imagined from his pertinacity, his assurance, and his activity in the House of Commons. It is a thousand pities, when nothing divides the Irish parties except personal questions, they should not agree to act together in opposition. Sweet are the uses of adversity, and a couple of years of Tory government will probably do more to unite the Trish ranks than the eloquence of all the Liberals. Mr. Price The Archbishop of Canterbury has sumHughes' false moned a private conference of the friends start.. of denominational education, in order to concert for common action in the assault that is to be delivered on the Treasury. It was unfortunate that, while the denominationalists are rallying their forces, Mr. Price Hughes should have deemed it expedient to throw a bone of contention into the opposing camp. Speaking at Grindelwald, Mr. Hughes put forward the astonishing suggestion that the Church party should merge all their schools in a national School Boards, and that, in return for this sursystem, managed, it is to be presumed, by the render on their part, the Nonconformists should assent to the Apostles' Creed being taught in all A more fatuous proposal public elementary schools. was seldom launched with such an air of confident simplicity by a clever man. To begin with, there is not the slightest intention on the part of the Church party to surrender their schools, and, even if there had been, their opponents would never consent to what would be equivalent to the State establishment and endowment of the Apostles' Creed. The only effect of airing such an extraordinary proposal was to create a sore feeling in the Liberal camp, and to encourage the denominationalists in their demands on the public treasury. EVENTS OF THE MONTH. Sept. 1. Parcel Pest Convention between France and Great Britain gazette. Memorial Church of the Emperor William E. consecrated in Berlin. 2. Trade Union Congress opened at Cardiff. Anniversary of Sedan commemorated in Ger many. Conference of the Institute of Journalists opened. 3. The Shahzada left London for the Continent Serious riot between Hindus and Mohamme lans at Dhulia. 4. Sir Arthur Havelock appointed Governor of Madras. Committee appointed to supervise the constru- Tasmanian Legislative Council rejected the Quinquennial International Metric Congress 6. Khama, the Bechuanaland Chief, arrive i t Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress left London for United States Government decided to make an 7. Trades Union Congress closed. Antwerp Communal Comcil petitioned the King to withhold the Royal Assent from the new Education Bill until after the Electious. Defender beat Valkyrie 111. in the first race for the America Cup. 9. Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Coburg betrothed Sir West Ridgeway appointed Governor of Annual Roman Catholic Conference opened at St. Mary's Canal, the new Canadian water-way 10. Annual Conference of the Library Association. The second race for the America Cup was awarded to the Defender on a foul, although Valkyrie III. beat Defender on her time allowance. 11. Annual Meeting of the British Association opened. The Bechuana Chiefs received by Mr. Chamberlain at the Colonial Office. MR. JOHN JENKINS, President of the Trades Union Congress. (Photograph by London Studio, Cardiff.) SIR FRANK LASCELLES, 11. Sir Frank Lascelles appointed British Ambassa- Mr. Stoddart's Australian" team defeated the 12. Sir W. O'Connor appointed British Ambassador South African Government appointed a Com- Lord Dunraven gave the third race for the 13. Knighthoods conferred on Mr. R. B. Finlay, 14. Election riots between Parnellite and Anti- International Press Congress opened at Bor- Count Badeni was instructed by the Austrian 16. Fatal fire broke out on board the London and Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress returned to Envoys sent by Gungunhana to Cape Town Consular Commission of Inquiry at Ku-cheng Legislative Assembly, at Sydney, passe! the Sir James Stansfeld presented with the Hono- 18. Pamir Delimitation Commission completed its Spanish forces in Cuba gained a victory over Seven Chinese leaders concerned in the Ku-cheng 19. Netherland Company's Atlantic liner Edam run Dutch Budget Statement submitted. 20. Denouncement of Treaty (1854) between Great Celebration of the Anniversary of the entry of Austrian Emperor pardoned Hungarian, Rot- 21. Moorish Government officially recognised, the Lieut. Peary, the Arctic explorer, arrived at International Athletic Contest at New York 23. H.M.S. Minerva launched at Chatham. French troops gained victories over the Hova forces on the road to Antananarivo. London Missionary Society continued its Centenary Convention. 24. Col. Gerard Smith appointed Governor of Western Australia, and Sir H. H. Murray Governor of Newfoundland. Placards denouncing foreigners and Christians posted up throughout the Province of Chekiang. Irish-American "Physical Force" Convention at Chicago opened. French Council of Ministers discussed the campaign against the Hovas. 25. Conference of the Irish Agricultural Organiza- Annual Meeting of the Highland Land League Landslip in the Province of Yemen, Arabia: 26. Chitral Campaign brought to a final conclusion; Legislative Council, at Sydney, shelved the News to hand of the death of Magato, the 27. Centenary Convention of the London Missionary THE LATE MR. JOHN WHITE, Of the firm of W. H. Smith and Son. (Photograph by Burt Sharp, Brighton.) |