Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-11-21
Our New York Letter.
A SINGULAR CoINCIDENCE-Aw WAR OF THE PILOTS
PURE L1TERATURE-PoLITICAL ECONOMISTS
THE END OF THE WORLD

PURE Neutrality-suspicious. ECONOMISTS
THE END OF THE WORLD.
New YoRK, Nov. 18th, 1879.
The arrival of the first number of new
mystical and very learned MAGAZINE from
India, the Theosophst, edited in Bombay by
the famous Russian lady, Madame Blavatsky
suggests the number of people of intelligence
who, in spite of outspoken public sentiment
secretly believe in various queer manifesto
tons of communion with denizens of other
worlds which scientists cannot explain Some
remarkable condolences occasionally occur
that would stagger the incredulity of the most
confirmed sceptic. For instance, in the case
OF the disastrous collision between British
ship and the steamer Champion, bound for
Charleston, and only few hours out of New
York, one of the victims was bright young
bridegroom, who had Just been promoted to
second engineer after q short but meritorious
service, ranging upward from the very lowest
grade, and got married on the strength of it,
His young wife woke up screaming on the
very night and hour of the catastrophe
when the vessels were far out on the ocean,
and sobbingy told the alarmed occupants of
the house of frightful dream that had OPP
pressed her, and how her husband had been
lost. She described the incidents of wreck
and ruin with absolute accuracy, every detail
agreeing in every particular with the account
rendered by the survivors on their arrival,
many hours afterward within the Delaware
breakwater.
The pilot boats of New York and New Jer-
sey have long been the pride of our ports
and the admiration of mariners from all over
the world. On their model was built the
famous yacht America which so thoroughly
trounced the pleasure squadrons of England
IN 1871. They are so staunch that no trans
atlantic steamer affords so safe resting place
in the severest weather, and their hardy crews
have and deserve the highest reputation for
skill and courage. Alas there is war among
those careful guides of the trackless waters
Some innovators have actually flown in the
face of all precedent, and discarding their
time -honored schooner have built steamer.
putting boiler box is to compete for fees
with the pretty gull-winged beauties which so
saucily await the incoming ships hundreds of
miles off shore, and fury reigns in the
erhood. There is likely to be quite a warm
legal scrimmage on the question.
Loud and just are the complaints that arise
from the sensible public against the nauseous
flood of vicious juvenile periodical literature
which within the last year or two has risen
so high as to seriously threaten the moral and
material welfare of young America. 1t is
therefore hearty welcome that awaits the
beautiful new weekly, "Harpers Young Peo-
pie" the publication of which has Just been
commenced by that all embracing and all pow
erful publishing house on Franklin Square
The new weekly is brimful of matter to fasci-
nate the young-and, for the matter of that,
the grown up people too-sparking with
spirit, adventure and fun, just the thing for
winter evenings, and suggestive of hundred
safety-valves for youthful energy and ingenu-
ity, while, as is inevitable with anything COM
ing from this house, pure and devoid of
anything calculated to excite an unworthy
emotion. The artistic features are simply
beautiful, and altogether the new paper is
quite literary event.
The Atlantic Monthly and the American
Exporter are at loggerheads on the question
of the good-or the reverse-that exporting
the surPlu5 of productions ,loos u THO
country. Whether it does good or not, there
is no question but that export is advancing
with seven-league boots in gigantic strides,
and American goods of all kinds are begin
ming to be known all over the world and
where introduced are inquired for. Perhaps
a rush of business outside may put up the
price of flour and everything else at home,
but if it gives every idle person employment
and puts the means of buying the necessaries
and even comforts of life into the hands of
the poorest, there is evidently some compen-
sation. ''The quarrel as Sir Lucius O'Trig-
ger was accustomed to observe, lis very
pretty one as it stands" The Boston publ
cation needs no word of praise from me, and
the New York paper is evidently quite a
match for it on this issue. The subject is
certai My interesting to every man who plows
a rood of land or puts in an honest days work
in any occupation, and accordingly make no
apology for mentioning this particular literary
squabble among political economists.
One of those subjects on which the honest
workingman and prison contractors are likely
to be ever divided is that of convict labor
An influential convention of the State Prison
Labor Commissioners of Massachusetts, Con
necticut and New Jersey has been in session
here for some days, examining witnesses.
The upshot of this conference is awaited with
interest.
Scientific and other persons have been
looking out for the tail of a collapsed comet
which it was supposed we would pass through,
enjoying free a display of fireworks of the
most superb character but the event hasn't
come off yet. Religious persons of certain
turn of mind have been looking for the end
of the world which we were told was to occur
on the 18th. That little affair didn't come off
either. 1t is quite evident that scientific per-