New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-08

infatuated with cycling that they think OF nothing
else. and rush of their wheels and neglect their
lessons whenever they get chance"
Mile. Emma Calve having successfully completed
her cure at Carlsbad. and duly performed her
pilgrimage 20 Saruth. returned TO Paris on
saturday. and leaves to-day for Dieppe to consult
with 4iassenet about the coming creation OF Sapho
After few days at Deppe. Mile. Cave Will pro-
coed TO her farm at Aveyron to study her new role
from which so much Is expected. NJ. Massenet Will
before long visit the United States. Since La
Navarraise," which produced at the Opera
Comique two years ago. Massenet has not given
10 the public any work. He has not, however,
been idle. for he has completed meanwhile nc less
than three operas-"Sapho.'' "Cendrillon' and
"Griselidis." each Of which will in turn be pro-
duced at the Opera Comque where the rehearsals
Of "Sapho" already far advanced. NJ. Cain,
the librettst Of "Sapho," has, by the way. intro
duced chorus OF bicycle girls. The date OF
"Sapho'' is pretty we'll fixed by the context and
the action took place some years before pneumatic
tires, cycling boomers divided skirts were in
vogue.
The French field artillery has been pronounced
by military critics 10 be the most effective in
Europe. and the manoeuvres which have been
taking place during the last three days at the
Camp of Chalons-sur- Marne constitute an innova-
ton exciting the keenest interest in military circles
of every country. On Saturday no fewer than
sixty-one field batteries. under the direction OF
General Nismes. the Chief OF Artillery of the
French Army, opened fire-not with blank cart
ridges. but with loaded shell and shrapne just as
In actual warfare-upon opposing army with
its defences and earthworks. all ingeniously repre-
sented by wooden and shifting frames,
something after the fashion Of scenery at theatre
FIGHTING AN ARMY OF DUMMIES.
The high Plateau OF Perches. where the Emperor
OF Russia reviewed the army last October, was
artihcally fortified and defended" ny an army
corps consisting Of these wooden frames represent
H,,. hot tories he
sions made to the measured scale, and the
sizes OF the men. horses and guns Were accurately
reproduced. At few hundred yards distant 1t
looked exactly rs If real army occupied the
plateau. At o'clock in the morning the attack
ing army consisting of sixty-one batteries of field
artillery with their supports skeletonized by
couple Of brgades Of infantry and cavalry. so a.
to represent an entire army corps advanced 10 at
tack the enemy's position. Each battery opened
a terrific fire and Selling the proper moment. woulh
gallop forward and come into action front again
under cover Of ridge or unduaton of the
ground-the space thus gained varying from Two
hundred thousand yards The earth was liter
ally ploughed into burrows by this tremendous
storm Of shell The wooden screens representing the
enemy's troops were ingenously contrived so as 10
fall when hit. In this way the effect OF the
artillery fire could be accurately determined. After
a thousand shells had been discharged some OF the
"enemys" wooden soldiers burst into blaze OF
flame. Cease firing SOUNDED, ana brigade
Of infantry and two companies Of engineers were
dispatched at double quick to put out the fire This
was accomplished in about half an hour The I'M
promptu fremen then withdrew, and offensive
operations were resumed
II was now the turn OF the infantry. Two brig
ades-depoyed 10 represent the infantry
force of an army corps-advanced 10 the assault
the artillery this time remaining In position ana
firing blank cartridges TO support the infantry at
tack The active little red-legged nesmen ran
I'd With raDdity.
now and then when cover presented Itself and frinS
a dozen rounds Each man had been suppled WIN
a hundred blank cartridges for the purpose Al
signal from the umpire-gven when the enemys
position seemed TO him TO be sufficiently shake
the two brigades dashed forward with fixed bayo-
nets and with loud yells captured the defences.
General Billot, Minister Of War. accompanied by
eleven generals and numerous staff. was present
at these new experiments, which are most
spirited and lfelike INIT lton of real fighting Aril-
lery officers watched closely every movement ana
incident with chronometers and range-fnders IN
hand The Minister of War warmly congratulated
General Nsmes Chief of Artillery OF the Army
for this new departure in artillery manoeuvres IL
was noted that in spite of the tremendous rapidly
Of both artillery and infantry fire. and the enor-
nous number Of projectes and balls discharged.
the smokeless powder was most effectve-no clouds
of smoke were anywhere visible-merely slight
haze or vapor collected now and then. but this
never was thick enough TO obstruct the view.
Although
time Of the year when bankers and brokers are
taking wing for the seaside and mountains and
other summer resorts. there has nevertheless been
considerable excitement caused by the fall in the
price Of silver and this. too at the very moment
selected by the French Government 10 coin several
million more trade dollars for Cochin China, where
this coin forms the monetary unit OF the colony.
In Paris it is felt that China Will not only
decline 20 take any more silver from Europe bur
that she would gladly get rid OF what she mas al
an actual loss India is also refusing, silver at
a
of view is not promising
POLITICAL SYMPATHY IN INVESTMENT.
AS an instance of the effect of French political
sympathy it should be noted that the Russian
per cent bonds have now been pushed up to
small fraction less than IS francs s4s5 Is the exact
ouotaton) while per cent Russian railway obli-
cations bearing the guarantee Of the Russian Gov
eminent which puts them on the same roofing az
Russian Government bonds. are quoted al about
par on the Berlin and Amsterdam markets In
other words the average French investor prefers 10
nav more for Russian Government bond issued
in Paris than to purchase praetlcaaiy the SAM
security at cheaper price o al hring him in nearly
mr. cent more income. OF course. this applies I"
The same class in fact that went into the Panama
Canal scheme so largely. An enormous amour! VI 1
now locked up in Russia II has been calculated
that the total amount Of French money invested
united amounts Of the German war indemnity and
the sums sunk in the Panama oana. Wiener Ter, OF o.
not this Is an overestimate Is difficult 10 say but IL
is certain that any unexpected fall in Russian
bonds whether arising from failure OF the wheat
crop or from any other cause, would De sever
blow to the thrifty French tradesmen ana s pa
CAPITALISTS whose enthusiasm for the tranco-ftus
sian Alliance continues to be as strong ana active
-, a.
Marquis Ito japanese Minister OF Foreign Al
fairs arrived in Paris on Sunday afternoon. ah1
is actively engaged IN presenting to TIE rIenfh
and other European governments Japan pre- lei III
the Hawaiian difficulty. The Duo de Mdnhas, spur
ish Ambassador in Paris, returned Yesterday from
San Sebastian where he had arranged TO pas ,ne
summer. In order TO meet Marquis Ito Inc TWO
diplomatists have already had long private con-
versatlons but what said Is OF course mercy
a matter of conjecture Both Marquis Ito ana the
Due de Mandas remain absolutely refractory 20
all attempts AT newspaper interviews II shouI1
be noted however. that Marquis Ito has succeeded
| in making most favorable impressions win every
whom he has and French opinion IN ~