The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-11-06
FOREIGN ITEMS.


mand of our channel fleet signulled for all Off
GERS who could speak French to come OH hoard
the flagship nnd accompany the pilots 10 the
French vessels, only one officer ont Of the
entire fleet came forward in answer 10 the
summons
. "A curious scene was witnessed tho other
day ut ST. Petersburg, in Russia. The First
Regiment of the Imperial IIorse-g,ilrds was
drawn up in line, when young officer, dress
cd In full! regmcntals, was led up to The colo
mel Of the regiment, who struck him in the
face, took his sword from him, ordered him to
kneel down, broke his sword over his head,
told two other officers to tear Off his uniform,
and then had hin clad in tlfc coarse uniform
Of q private of the line. The officer thus de-
graded had stolen money from one of his COM
rades, and committed q number OF forgcrles.
English travellers bound for Russia are
warned by the home Journals not by any inat-
vcrtencc to wrap their hair brushes In n copy
of the Times or OF Punch. A decree lately is-
sued orders customhouse officers throughout
the empire to arrest any tourist In whose cc-
fects they discover written or printed paper,
and send him to the nearest town for trial. IT.
he-is convicted Of attempting to Introduce for
hidden printed matter he is liable to fifteen
years in Siberia; if lie has carried in his port
manteau an attack on the Emperor, the ukasc
declares that he shall be executed. The usage
has hitherto been less severe, all suspected
papers being ut once destroyed, while the
traveller w0s allowed to proceed on his
journey.
-Bcacons and buoys, stationed Mt sea, but
illuminated With electric light, produced 10y
means OF galvanlc batteries ashore, have re-
Gently been cxpcrmented With In Great Brl-
tain. submarine cable, fully half u mile in
length, was laid between the cast brcakwatcr
Of Granton hnrbor, Scotland, and the chain
pier at Qnothcr point. The operator occupied
station near the centre Of the brcakwatcr,
and the light was shown Mt the point of the
pier In front of an ordinary lighthouse rcfcc-
tor, producing q most brilliant FASH The
flashes were emitted with great rapldlty, and
it Is asserted that though as many as 600 can
be transmitted in minute, the machines can
be regulated so as to send one every second,
or at any other desired interval.
The cafes in st. Marks square, Venice,
where Eugcnic took llcr cnracoa, are never
shut up. There arc no locks to the doors-7io
shutters to the windows Some of them have
been open.since the days Of tile First Napo-
leon, having been closed only twice In all that
time-oDce in ls4s, and second time in 1850,
when they were cleared out by the police.
These cafes are the centres OF Venetian life.
They arc the drawing-rooms OF tho gentry and
aristocracy-the parlors and club-rooms OF the
people. People receive visits and transact
business at the cafes rs If they were Mt home
Ladies and schoolgirls go there. Whole fami-
lies sit down to coffee, and turn the piazza
into drawing-room, the band playing there
at certain hours, and the whole beau monde OF
Venice passing through.
There was lately strike by tho Journcymen
butchers Of Stettin, Prussia, with singular
aim. The masters have from time to time
immemorial assumed the privilege Of address
ing their workmcn as 'thou" and "thee,"-a
familiarity which made them very uneasy and
dissatisfied. Therefore, although their wages
and their hours of labor were entirely satIs-
factory, they struck for the privilege Of being
addressed as syou." The master butchers on
hearing the complaint told the workmcn that
they thought the practice Of giving and rccciv-
ing presents on New Years day was far more
likely to lower the workmcn's feeling OF self
respect than being addressed as ''thou." A
compromise WAS therefore effected, and the
workmen will be called "you" at the expense
OF the loss Of their annual presents.
Robinson Crusoes IsInnd-Juan Fcrnan-
dez-was lately coded to a German coloniza-
tion society, under the guidance of Whernan,
a Saxon engineer, who served in the United
States army during the civil war, and was sub
sequently employed upon the Ccropasco rail-
way II: South America. He and his society,
about sixty or seventy individuals, have taken
possession Of the island, which is described rs
being most fertile and lovely spot. They
found there countless herds OF goats, some
thirty half-wild horses, and sixty donkcys, the
latter animals proving 10 bo exceedingly shy.
They brought with them cows and other cattle
swine, numerous fowls, and all the various
kind of agricultural implements, with boats
and fishing apparatus, to engage in different
pursuits and occupations. Tic grotto, made
famous as Robinson's abode, situated in a
spacious valley, covered with largo fields of
wild turnips-a desirable food for swine-has
been assigned to the Chillan to whom tho care
of that stock has been intrustcd, and he ard
his protcgcs are doing very well in their new
quarters. Juan Fernandez Ia one OF the sta
tions where whaling vessels take in water and
wood.
M. Salnte Bcuvc, the most accomplished
critic and the most delightful and instructive
talkcr upon literature Of this generation, Sic
cumbcd TO q disease of several years stand
Ing after three days OF illness. constitution
Impaired by the license OF his Younger days
was unable to repair the damages If tho knife
IN severe. surgical operation, and allcr The
second had been performed 1t became evident
that lie must die. Two years ut most were as
signed his life.. IIc was conscious his iays
were numbered. He appeared 10 consider
death, thcnccforward, hIs inscparablo compan-
ION, with composure. lie devoted lirc's real
nant TO set his house In order. lie made his
Will. He gavc directions about his funeral
He prepared last editions of his published
works for the printer lie arranged his M
pers for the fire Or the press. lie pressed for
ward work on Proudhon, which he left nm
finished; for while laboring upon It n third opc-