Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-10-18

"masut'' is very infiammable and If pro-
jectle should set fire to the tank the dan
ger would be great but 1T is considered
that the advantages outweigh this objec-
ton. Officers from other navies are
watching the experiment with interest.
The trea tment of East Indians in Natal
is exciting hot indignation in India, and
the feeling has been increased by the re-
Gently published report of a native gen.
tleman who has just returned home from
South Africa. Some of the Indian news
papers demand an official inquiry, but
others, including the Pioneer, doubt the
value of one. The Pioneer says; "A de
jure relaxation of disabilities would bene-
fit the natives of India nothing as long
as the whole sentiment of the colonists is
against them. That it should be SO Is a
very unfortunate fact, but circumstances
and interference from the colonial office
will not alter the case The prejudice is
not peculiar to Natal; it Is equally strong
all over South Africa, and also in Austria
liza, where the people object to the pres
ence of Lascars even in ships that touch
at their ports. 1t would appear imme-
diately in the United States If there was
any chance of descent in force from
India upon their shores. Nay, If we were
to eliminate the upper and educated
classes in England and give over the con-
troll of public affairs to the democracy,
probably in equal force. We know what
side labor members such as John Burns
have taken in the Lascar controversy.
The working classes know nothing of an
tique civilizations. To them all men who
are not white men are alike, and only to
be tolerated in the capacity of laborers,
not as competitors. If we were to force
natives of India upon colonials, either in
South Africa or Australia, upon an equal
footing socially and politically, it could
only be done at the point of the bayonet,
which of course is the same thing as say
ing that 1t cannot be done at all. The
Indian government can see that the la
borers whom it sends out under the aegis
of the emigration department obtain
proper treatment from their employers,
but 1t cannot, nor can any government,
guarantee that other Indian residents
will not be hustled out of the tram cars or
meet with rough behavior in the streets.
Ill considered interference, by exasper-
ating the colonists, would only make the
position worse" 1t concludes by advising
East Indians to stay at home.
A little more than two years ago DR..
Forsyth Major, an enthusiastic palaeon-
tologist of high distinction, determined
to undertake scientific mission to Mad
agascar mainly with view to making
a thorough examination of the fauna and
flora, fossil and recent, of at least part
nanzaIa, on the east coast, few months
before the French expedition arrived at
Tamatave, and made his way to Sirabe,
four days journey south of Antanana-
rive, where he remained for some months,
chiefly occupied in eXcavating for fossil
remains in the peaty, marshy deposits of
the district The unsettled state of af-
fairs compelled his return to the capital.
After a short stay ait Antananarivo he
resolved to return to Sirabe to continue
his work and eventually to explore the
country as far south as Fianarantsoa. In
very difficult and trying circumstances
he succeeded in doing some solid scientific
work. In July he resolved to return home
in order to work out the material which
had been obtained, and he arrived in Lon
don a few days ago During the whole
of his stay in Madagascar he scarcely
suffered from fever, Notwithstanding the
prevalence of a deadly epidemic of mala-
ria which completely depopulated the
country around Fianarantsoa His col
lections have been deposited in the Nat
ural History museum. The series of
Aepyornis bones from the excavations
i'm the marshes at Slrabe numbers about
1900 specimens, from which more than
one complete skeleton can be put togeth-
er. and the recent fauna of the island is
represented by extensive series of skins.
A very fine collection of specimens of the
flora of Madagascar has also been made.