The morning call., 1893-12-30

faith is u OF shaken in the general belief
that there are no irreconcilable antagon-
isms between religion and science.
The escape of Chris Evans from prison,
perhaps. does not excite very great sur
prise. The authorities. by lax regulations,
seem TO have assisted him to the best of
their power. What title has man under
sentence OF Imprisonment for life to the
privilege of seeing visitors at discretion,
and of having his meals supplied from
restaurant? Mrs. Evans naturally takes
the same view of the rigors Of law that
Chris Evans himself does. 1t is not in
human nature TO suppress her sympathy.
but it was not impossible 10 render il I'M
availipg to aid his escape. AS TO the
waiter who brought the supper into the
Jail. his facilities TO assist In breaking out
were remarkable. For all that the author
tiles knew, he might have had brace Of
revolvers concealed inside loaf of bread.
but that method was unnecessary. Itwas
a matter of Indifference to the Sheriff and
his deputies, apparently, whether he had
an arsenal of weapons stacked round his
body. Mrs. Evans had also full freedom
in this respect. No convict should be al
lowed to speak to any. person without
guard being present, and 1t would be all the
better If there was wire screen also in
terposed. Evans was known to be as
desperate man as ever was held behind
bars. and the authorities have themselves
to blame that he is free.
Happily fogs on the bay such as pre-
vailed on Tuesday night are not common.
ana San Francisco business men who live
in Oakland or Alameda are not much upset
by a single evenings adventures. The
alo nd hnf
exceedingly dense. inasmuch that the look
out Cd the ferry-boats could see only
few feet ahead. and had to trust altogether
10 luck and the warnings of bells and
horns. AS proper precautioD, the South
ern Pacific only ran the ferry steamers
every hour, and preferred safety to max
ing passages on time. All the trains were
late, some Of them over an hour. The
most obvious danger on the bay comes
from drifting scows. They have scarcely
any Roadway III a fog, and are at the
mercy Of the currents. A foot is raised on
a horn occasionally to give warning, but
the sound is drowned in the greater vol
ume OF steam whistles and sirens. An
inventor who could arrange some dis
tlnctve signals out OF fOghorn blasts would
confer decided boon upon navigators.
The first vessel to make The transit of
the Manchester canal ON the opening day,
1st of January, will be Nova Scotia sail
ing ship. the Sophie Wilhelmina, with d
cargo OF timber. Two steamers from Gal
weston with cotton are also 30 figure in
the procession. The captain of the Will
helmina is to receive a present of $500 for
months delay, and the company under
takes to lower her masts and to pay tow
age and supply ballast. A gold watch is
also to be presented to the captain. Not
withstanding all these joyous prepara-
lions there seems to be gloom ahead for the
enterprise. LiyerpOoPS prosperity is at
stake, and the most powerful railway CON-
panV in the country, the London aud
Northwestern which has capital of hun
dreds of millions of dollars sunk in its
lines, is not likely TO be accommodating
There are rumorS OF the application OF
high tariff charges against Manchester, and
the cost of transit through the canal may
weigh with shippers if Liverpool lowers its
rates. All the cotton region, however Is
interested in sustaining the canal, and
Manchester is very wealthy and enter
prising.
AS wary economist Mr.. Gladstone had
nothing very promising TO say to the depu-
tation of unemployed that has waited
upon him. Such deputation TO a Premier
is rare. II is easy to suggest the construc-
ton of light railroads. The test of the
matter is whether they are wanted. II
not the expenditure would do harm. Mr.
Gladstone might have made some party
capital out of the situation by showing
bow the parish councils bill will enable
small district bodies to carry out improve
men ts of real value out Of taxes, but he
refrained from gliding the Tories on
thwarting such useful legislation. Perhaps
some other Liberal politicians will not be
so modest.
The firing incident at San Domingo
would be very grave matter if the power
responsible were worth powder and shot,
but it is so weak that the mere demand for
reparation will be respected. The United
States is bound to take some action. Even
il some customs regulation was being in
fringed DO warning was given to the crew
attempting to land beyond yolley from
rifles. A semi-bar barous power that per-
mits its soldiers to toy with the lives of
neutrals In that fashion needs some whole
some instruction on International etiquette.
Yesterday was Mr.. Gladstone's birthday.
He enters his eighty-ffth year and is Pre-
mier Of England for the fourth time-an
honor no one else has enjoyed-and is
still hale and hearty. This is testimony
to the possession of a grand physique.
LaIely tUe went around LDdt MT.
Gladstone, not having enough of work, is
engaged in translation of Horace. The
truth is he has an foundation of work, but
he has odds and ends of time, and as usual
he eHdeavOrS 10 occupy himself usefully.
Reading is not now so great pleasure as
it was on account OF failing eyesight, so ne
turns to the pleasures OF memory and is
translating the Odes OF Horace. That is
certainly feat for an old man.
Appreciation Of the fine arts was con-
spicuously attested yesterday in San Fran
cisco when the premium work, pic
turesque California" was offered by THE
CALL to subscribers presenting coupons
Such was the demand that the office on
Market street was besieged early in the
day and the first supplies of the work were
soon exhausted. There Is a taste for views
of places and scenery of the Pacific Coast
which it is gratifying to encourage in this
popular fashion.