Morning journal and courier., 1885-05-09
MAX O'RELL'S LETTER.

MIRA U HELL , LEI IEh. England's Best Bulwark Against the Russfans-The LIberals-Gossip-Mr. Wardell-Lady Lonsdale-Blunders- France and Tonquin-LiIerary Plra- cy-EconOmical Frenchmen. Especial Correspondence of the JOURNAL CouR- TER. All Rights Reservedl LONDON, April 25, 1885. To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER: The wisest advisers England has say that, if Russia is bent pushing forward in Cen tral Asia and even seizing Herat the best thing England can do is to offer no opposi- ton, but to strengthen the Indian frontier and wait, for woe to the power who has to cross Afghanistan to go and meet the other. The best bulwark that British India has against the encroachments of Russia was given her by nature in the shape of that un- tameable Afghan race, who will allow neither friend nor foe to pass through their land This advice is without doubt the best that could be followed. The Conservatives, however, must smile to see this policy advo cated by the Liberals, who made such high ! fun of. Lord Beacons6eld when he submit
 ted to Parliament the very same policy, in ! cluding the project of his now famous "Sci- entifc frontier It reminds one of the Cyprus affair. When
 Lord Beaconsfeld deftly snatehed the Island
 of Cyprus from the Turk, and, presenting it ' to John Bull, asked him to admire the fine catch, Johns Liberal sons turned up their
 noses and vowed the place not fit to | send British soldiers to, and not even flies could stand the climate. No sooner were | the Tories out of office than the yachts of | the leading Liberals might have been seen ! sailing toward Cyprus, which, it would seem, | simple change of ministry had changed in | to health resort.
 All those Londoners who are of a peace l ful turn of mind ought to be consoled for | the absence of royalty by the thought that | the Prince and Princess of Wales are dancing | hard in Ireland to try and dance little 1oy atty into the hearts of the Irish, while the Queen has been employing her spare | moments in writing to Emperor William to get him to talk his young, cousin of Russia ! into more peaceful mood.
 It is stated that the Grand Duke of Hesse
 has succeeded in getting rid of Madame de Kalomine, and is about to be engaged to the Princess Hilda of Anhalt- -Dessau a lady pos sessed of considerable fortune, and clever and accomplished woman. Let us hope, for ] his sake and that of his Wife, that this time his choice will meet the approval of his royal mother-in-law.
 MT. Wardell, the husband of Miss Ellen Terry, died at the beginning of the week. He was a university man, of good attain | ments, and was great favorite with all who | knew him, and especially with the members | of the London stage. He adopted the theat l rical profession on leaving the university and l was fairly good actor, playing under the nom de guerre of Charles Kelley. He came | under the witching influence of Ellen Terry and married her. His death leaves his fas cinating widow once more free.
 Money is at discount in Liverpool, if one l may judge from the following sentences ! which were passed by the Recorder of Liver Eugene Quinn, for stealing from her employ CT 9S62, eight months imprisonment; (2) Bridget Thompson, for stealing a pair of | booJs, twelve months Imprisonment; (9 Sam | uel Purcell, for stealing fowl twelve ! months imprisonment.
 It is announced in Paris that the beautiful Lady Lonsdale is about to marry Lord de Grey, the son of the Marquis of Ripon, late viceroy of India. Lady Lonsdale is quite | favorite in Parisian society, where her beauty l made great sensation. Many of the lady's male admirers will doubtless envy Lord de | Grey, who is one of the best shots in exist ance, his lack in bringing down such a prize.
 In talking of new and pretty things just brought out for the adornmept of novelty ! loving womankind, the Daily News ventures | the following bit of information: ''The French have a curious expression for con- | veying the idea of going out without any mantle or cape upon the shoulders-Elle sor | taft dans sa taille (she went out in her fig ! ure.C' Curious expression, indeed, if such ! II TD..k n ! they are never tired of representing French ! ones for not being able to make correct l English quotation, may occasionally be found l making amusing blunders themselves The 1 French say: Sortir en taille, en habit noir, l en cravate blanche, en cheveux (bareheaded) etc. These expressions, used without any
 article, are adver5ial, and draw the atten- l ton to certain part of the dress the 1 body more than the rest After giving out l that the French say, ''Women go out in their | figures, the ingenious writer adds: "To the | ordinary mind it would appear impossible 1 for her to go out without it." Here again, I am afraid, he is under delusion.
 l At public dinner M. Ferdinand de Les | seps said the other evening that the area of Russia is about equal to that of the moon. s'With this difference interrupted Lord I Lyons, British ambassador in Paris ''that | the moon does not increase in size, whereas | Russia constantly does.' This remark was most appropriate in the mouth of John Bull,
 who always bears the tenth commandment in
 l mind, as he looked at the map of the world, Il was it not?
 l A deaf judge has invented an original plan
 | for making witnesses and counsel speak at
 the top of their voices, without admitting
 l his infirmity. He glances at the jury with
 I knowing air." says Truth, and tells the
 speaker that the gentlemen of the jury want
 to hear no less than himself. This judge is
 better than the one who ordered silence in 8
 ! ofi n of
 l request that he had already judged several
 cases without hearing them
 The din of war is to cease in Tonquin.
 The French government wish to go before
 the constituencies, in a few months, without
 blood on their hands, if they can manage it.
 l France will remain mistress of Tonquln, but
 this is no great matter for congratulatlon, Ii
 one may judge by the official report upon the
 resources of the country. According to that
 depressing document, ''Sontay, the capital,
 has not more than 4, 900 inhabitants at the | outside Commerce there is none. Most of
 | the roads are in bad condition, and almost
 1 impracticable during the rainy season. None | of the mountainous districts that separates
 | the basin of the Red river from those of it's
 | two tributaries has yet been seriously ex-
 plored. The region is little known to the | Annamites who are afraid of its fever breed l ing climate.n This will be pitiful news for l the English and the Germans, who were | waiting until the country was made safe by
 French troops to settle there and begin com mercial operations.
 Before Tunis was annexed by the French, 1 a good deal of business was done there by the French manufacturers through Algerian agents But, as soon as the country was made safe fer foreigners by the French, a
 number of Englishmen and Germans arrived on the scene, and, being on the spot, have 1 busted from the field the poor French man | ufacturer whose new bitter outcry is: A bas les colonies It is true that it does seem
 rather hard to be elbowed out of the dance,
 when you have paid the piper.
 spoke to you, about month ago, of the
 thrilling drama that had just been put on the
 stage of the Gymnase Theater in Paris. It was taken by N. Jules Claretie from his ! novel Prince Zilah; but while he was drama l tizing his story, certain MT. Ernest War l ren was at work on the novel, too, 1t appears. Having succeeded in producing by these | means another new English play, he writes ! M Claretie and tells him that the piece is