The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-12-23
Foreign Notes.
however.

English papers say that "a Dumfrieshire
farmer has come into the residue of the fortune
of the late A. t. Stewart, - and that the windfal
is estimated at Ell, 900, 900.
London, December "A correspondent al
Constantinople saws The Sultan did not attend
the mosque on Friday, and it has seen TRANSFERRED
that an attempt to assassinata him was contem-
plated. The Sultan is completely terror stricken,
and hardly dares to show himself outside of the
harem.
Typhoid fever in Paris seems to bear a pretty
constant relation to the sanitary conditions OF
the dwelling occupied by the afflicted.
The Times, in a leading article, commenting
on the speech of Davitt of Navan, says it is in
consistent with n sane Government to allow
fanatics, however sincere, to bradish torches in
a powder magazine.
Arab Pdsha writes that he would prefer to
live in Damascus, or, if that is impossible, in
London. He expresses contentment with his
lot because he knows his misfortune has been
the means for securing for the country he loves
the liberty and prosperity it deserves. He feels
confident that when England carries out her
good works she will permit him to return. She
will soon learn that he was no rebel when he set
himself at the head of a people who wanted
nothing but justice. He thanks England for
interposing in his behalf.
Washington, December bingham, in the
report to the House urging the reduction of letter
postage to two cents. give statistics as far back as
1892, when the rate for carrying letters were six
cents for a distance of thirty miles, and twenty
five cents for 456 miles. Also O careful estimate
based on the history of the reduction in the past,
which s~ustains the theory of the report that the
stimulus to letter writing which would naturally
be caused by the reduction would greatly lessen
the estimated loss the first year, and the report
assumes it could be offset by a fair allowance for
carrying the mail matter of the Government. 1t
is also estimated that should the reduction not
take effect until January l, 1884, as provided in
the amended Anderson bill, the surplus of the
H-AI IL II -
the last half, and there would be ample time to
exhaust or call in the printed supply of Govern
ment stamped three-cent envelopes. The surplus
of the Post Office Department in 1882 will be
fully doubled, it is believed, in 1883. 1t is sug-
gested, when the loss experienced by this reduce
ton shall be fully made up, and where there shall
again be q surplus, a reduction of postage on
drop letters should be made.
1t is understood that Secretary Lincoln will
recommend a slight increase in the army, but
Congress Is not likely to appreciate his argu-
ments. No more Indian wars are anticipated.
The settlement of most of the western country
by whites has progressed far enough to render
an enuete on the part of the Indians powerless
for harm without the resistance of q strong
military force. The strength of the savages ap-
pear to be thoroughly over-sloughed, and with
the exception of a lite marauding along the
Mexican border, no further trouble is expected.
The reasons for an increase in the army are
disciplinary entirely. The army is not large
CDOuSh " CIV AHC LHC OdOAoAN PAoSNACO
in handling troops. The Secretary, also, is
likely to recommend that the pay of the soldiers
be raised from S13 to $40 per month, the old
figure. The policy of the Secretary will be to
consolidate the different commands as near as
possible, and abandon all the little posts, in
order to get soldiers enough together to make a
respectable showing. 1t is said the Secretary
will dwell at some length upon the subject of de-
s%ertion. Last year l6 per cent. of the enlisted
men deserted. and to fill their places it cost the
department S37O, 900. A large number of men
are constantly e~nlisting from the East, who
simply desire transportation to some far western
territory, with the intention of deserving as soon
as they get there, which they proceed to do upon
arrival at their destination. Comparatively few
of them can ever be arrested and brought back.
This is one of the most troublesome questions to
be met by the War Department, and the~ecre-
tary will, it is believed as q remedial measure,
ask Congress for a slight of increase pay.
The Khedive has been informed that the
English Government recommended General Sir
Evelyn Wood for the command of the new
Egyptian army.