The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-10-19

POking Fun at tho War Omce-victoria
and Her Imperial Grandson
London, October 26-The English
| newspapers which are fond Of preach
ing unctuous sermons on the subject of
the "lawlessness of Americans" have
food for reflection in two events in
London and it's suburbs this week. The
Honor Oak Golf Club possessed One
Tree Hill for three years. Finding the
property was being wantonly destroyed
or stolen, the club caused the grounds
to be fenced in, thus shutting out the
general public, to the great delight Of
the neighboring residents, whose life
had been made hideous because OF the
congregating there of drunken, dog
fighting roughs from the slums Of
Deptford. Thereupon it was claimed
that the public's rights were being en-
croached upon, and the agitation
against the golfers, assiduously foment-
ed, eliminated on Sunday last
when a mob of about 1000, armed with
clubs and stones, tore down the fence
and demolished everything in sight.
inforced by over 1000 other rioters, the
mob advanced upon the club house,
driving the golfers within Bricks,
stones and logs fled until the club
house was wrecked. When the rioters
were unable to dislodge the determined
members of the club, some of the mob
leaders brought bundles of straw, with
the intention of setting fire to the
nd hnU ov,1vy i%rSl
from carrying out their purpose by the
timely arrival of police reinforce
ments, the few policemen previously on
the scene having been as badly mall
treated as the golf players, one of
whom fell into the hands Of a dozen
roughs who pounded him with sticks
until the unfortunate player was in a
serious condition. A renewal of the
disturbance is expected tomorrow.
DR.. HartSell, American M. E. bishop
of West Africa, in an interview en-
phasizes the increasing dangers OF the
situation in West Africa, owing to the
activity of the French authorities. as
already outlined in cable dispatches to
the Associated Press. The bishop says
that unless the best craftsmanship is
brought to bear upon the African prob
lens, the European wars of the next
century will be fought on that conti-
nent. He suggests as the best solution
should give Germany Walfisch bay and
give France Ashanti, Bathurst and ell
rights in Morocco and Algiers, France
on her part withdrawing all her claims
in Egypt, which England cannot sur
render"
The newspapers are pOking a great
deal of fun at the latest war Office Or
der prescribing the weight and height
of candidates for commissions in the
army. who must not be less than feet
5 inches high and 130 pounds in weight
at the age of 18 years, or feet inches
high and 138 pounds in weight when 21
years old. It is pointed out that under
this rule, neither Lord WOlseley nor
Lord Roberts could have entered the
army, while Napoleon, Nelson, Yelling
ton, Julius Caesar, Alexander the
Great and William of Orange would
have been barred.
The champagne vintage is finished.
Owing to the changeable summer and
wet September necessftating too early
gathering of the grapes, the vintage
will be very medium, both in quality
and quantity.
The reapprOachment between Queen
Victoria and her grand son, Emperor
William, of Germany, is proceeding
apace, and it is now highly probable
that his majesty will pay brief visit
to BalmOral in November, travelling on
his yacht from Kiel to Aberdeen. In
connection with the emperor's yacht,
it is said Queen Victoria is so enam-
CURED of the internal arrangements Of
the Hohenzollern that she has ordered
the plans Of the latter to be adopted
in building the new royal yacht, which
has just been commenced.