Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-12-23
THE TALK OF EUROPE.
Brief Reflections Upon Events of Curren
Interest Across the Ocean.

Interest Across the ocean,
Contrary to all expectation, the Amer
lean tourist season in Europe has been
the worst in many years. 1t had been
anticipated that the jubilees Of Queen
Victoria and of King Oscar would at
tract large numbers of transatlantic Wis
itors, but the shipping returns show
decline of no less than so per cent IN
first and second class passenger traffic
below the figures of the season of 1896,
which demonstrated that over $4,000
American tourists had been disembarked
at English ports alone, without taking
into account those who landed at con-
tinental ports. Assuming that American
tourists carry abroad an average Of at
least 81, 900 each, it is manifest that
the falling off in the transatlantic pas
senger traffic during the summer must
have resulted in great benefit to the
United States, as the money remained
in the country instead of going abroad.
Baron Won Schaeffer, the new govern
or general of Crete nominated by the
great powers, whose appointment has
been sanctioned by the sultan, is ma
tive of Luxembourg, was trained as
lawyer and has served first of all in the
Turkish and then in the Egyptian ar
my, being attached to the headquarters
staff of Lord Wolseley during the lat
ter's last Nile campaign, with the rank
of colonel. For several years he was at
the head Of the department Of public
safety and Of the suppression of the slave
trade in Egypt, where he distinguished
himself by his independence Of charac-
ter and his courage in arresting some Of
the leading men of the country for pur-
chasing slaves from traders. He has in
herited large fortune from his mother
and is married to an Armenian princess
of the illustrious and formerly sover-
eign house of Dadian, through whom
he is related to several Of the principal
houses Of the aristocracy at st. Peters
burg, as we'll as to some of the most in
fuential personages In the encourage of
the sultan Few Europeans possess a
more profound knowledge of oriental
manner, life and language than this
gallant officer, who for three years has
been living upon his estate in Luxem-
burg.
One of the results of the establish.
ment of the new terminus Of the Or.
leans railroad on the site now occupied
by the ruins of the palace of the Cour
des Complies, which was destroyed by
the commune incendiaries in 1871, will
be the dispersal Of all those old book
stalls along the adjoining quays which
for nearly 200 years past have consti-
tuted one Of the most picturesque and
characteristic features Of Partisan life.
Nearly every savant Of the present CEN
tury has found delightful recreation
among these treasured volumes, fore
most among them having been Mr..
Gladstone, Dom Pedro Of Brazil, Mas
sau Senior, Thackeray, Bulwer Lytton
and in the last century Benjamin Frank
lin, Rousseau and Vcltaire. The disap-
pearance of the bookstalls will be wide
ly regretted.
M. Osiris, the we'll known French
philanthropist, has shown his interest
in the Parisian exhibition Of 1900 in a
tangible way. He has just deposited at
the Bank of France a sum Of $40, 900,
which he has placed at the disposal Of
the Partisan press syndicate to reward
the exhibitor Of the most meritorious
work in the exhibition from an artistic
industrial Or humanitarian point OF
view. M. Osiris prize will be worth
competing for, and two purposes are
served by his giving it: He provides
what will no doubt be an interesting
feature Of the exhibition, and at the
same time promotes objects in which he
himself is greatly interested.
simultaneously with the starting Of
Me railroad at Bulawayo comes the
news Of the discovery Of coal in large
quantities in the immediate neighbor-
hood of the place, the prospectors hav.
ing been able to ascertain that the coal
fields in question cover an immense
area, extending indeed to the Zambezi
river. 1t is this discovery, destined to
play so great role in the commercial
and industrial development in the south
ern portion of the dark continent, that
has led Cecil Rhodes to decide to con-
tinue the railroad without delay to the
Zambezi river, which will then be in
uninterrupted railroad communication
with the Cape. Apart from it's CONNER
cial Importance, the finding of coalfields
in Zambezi will doubtless afford scien-
tifc information Of great interest.
Africa, OF, rather, it's southern half is
declared by geologists to be the Oldest
continent of the world and the portion
of the globe which has been the longest
above water. The finding Of coal there
fore gives promise Of the discovery Of
fossil and other relics, geological and
botanical, entirely new to the scientific
world. New York Tribune.
Hand In Hand From the Cradle.