The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-09-14

The French ministry have determined
to drive the washerwomen from the
Seine, and they are likely to have a
much ~livclier time with them than they
had in expelling the French Princes. A
Berlin letter says: 1.-The government
has now determined to get rid of the
Seine washerwomen and of the washing
ships moored along the banks of the
river. There are oyerifty of these huge
.bargcs, which are mado use Of through
Out the year by no less than 49, 900
washerwomcn. The government has
been impe:led to order their removal by
the fear that as all the drinking water at
Paris is drawn from the Seine disease
and bacilli might be ~engendered by the
washing of so much dirty linen therein.
The women, however, are up in arms.
They refer the government to some old
charter of rights and privileges granted
them two centuries ago by King Henri
w., of glorious memory, and threaten
that if the measure is persisted in they
will all march in procession to the minis
tiers armed with the batoir, which they
use for beating the linen. They also de-
clare that they will resist by force any
attempt on the part of the authorities to
board their ships. According to the
latest INTEL gence received from Paris
General Boulanger is comforting with the
minister of marine rs to the possibility of
a combined movement O. the part of the
land and sea forces, while the minister
Of public works has been consulted as to
the possibility Of temporarily diverting
the Seine into another channel and thus
stranding the e.emy's fleet:n
The New York Graphic says that
"nothing is more interesting to those who
live on Staten Island or at one of the lit
tie bayside villages than to watch the in
looming and outgoing steamers and YES
sells on the daily trips up and down the
hay. The first thing that one realizes is
that Great Britain rules the ocean, for
her blood-re flag is found on nearly
ievery ship, from the colossal Atlantic
liner to the moribund and ]eaky fishing
ismack from Canada. Most of the Brit.
iish flags, however, are on iron ships.
The wooden vessels that are to be seen by
the thousands in the bay fly the flags Of
Norway, Germany, Portugal, Spain and
Italy. A good many of them seem too
rotten to cross Lake Michigan, much less
the ocean. Some Norwegian ''ships''
come in that are not 100 feet long. But
when you see an American vessel she is
worth looking at, and is conspicuous
among those Of other nations by reason of
her towering but graceful masts; long,
sharp hull, trim and taut top hamper and
general tidy appearance. Most of tho
isca-going American ships are engaged in
the California trade. Some English ocean
tfamps are seen that might easily be mis-
taken for first class Atlantic liners. Tho
majority of the iron freight steamers ap,
pear to be engaged in the transportation
ioflive cattle, and are easily distinguished
by the rough wooden houses that run the
whole length of the deck. They lie GU
in the bay and the cattle walk aboard
from a lighter alongside, when it would
seem much less troublesome and expen.
''sive for the steamer to go right up to the
dock andtakc the cattle from the cars,
hereby saving n tranship ment."