Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-20
The Peat Bath is the Latest Fad and
a Certain Cure.
IRISH FARMERS ARE PROSPEROUS
Special Features Taught in the
Board Schools.
THE AMERICAN STRAW HAT
Special Correspondence OF The Evening Star.

yesterday in Scotland, which can be re-
garded giving the standpoint Of the
Little Englanders," as they are called, in
reference to the quarrel between Great
Britain and the Transvaal. 1t was a spir-
tied protest against militant lingo senti-
ment that has seized England lately over
the matter, apart from the rights of the
case, and which seems likely to hurry on
war with the South African republic
which would probably result in the COM
plete absorption Of that country by Eng
land.
Mr. Morley carried on the minds of his
hearers last night to the point at which
England would stand when she had broken
her treaty, won her war and settled down
to the humdrum business Of living with
each other from day to day, here and In
South Africa. 1t is point to which the
mind of the war party, unaided. will not
travel The militarists can feel the pro-
spectfve joy of making the Beers feel
keen a pang of modification as they felt
themselves when the Beers won certain
victories in fair fight over small British
forces. They can taste by anticipation the
pleasure Of following from a box at the
theater-so perfect Is modern telegraphy-
the course Of a war in which their own
side could not in the long run lose. They
look forward to the vicarious enjoyment Of
all the sensations Of conquest without the
To give themselves the satisfaction Of
crushing by overwhelming force men who
in their time have fought like men against
the British. to hasten by a few years the
close of the economic tragedy which Is al
most inevitably depriv1ng the Beers sooner
or later Of the control Of their own coun-
try, these unref1ectng followers OF the
passion of the moment would make light
of plaguing. not themselves, but South At
RIGA. with such settled blight of ill-wil
between citizen and citizen as has soured
and soiled the life of Ireland. When the
last thrilling kilograms and graphic de-
scrptive reports from the seat of war have
been read, and their readers have gone off
to obtain piquant sensations at their Eel.
low citizens expense in some other part of
the world, the English and Dutch in South
Africa will then begin a new life corroded
through and through by memories of mu-
tual injuries and humiliations. Such was
the picture in effect that Mr.. Morley drew
of the situation. and all sober-minded En-
glshmen are thinking of his words, though
they are minimized by the lingo papers
There are distinct rights which of neces-
sity England must look after, and when
the Beers appear to want to override but
a settlement can be reached doubtless with
out war. 1t needs patience and diplomacy.
The Scottish Highlands.
Londoners are still holdaying, and this
year Scotland seems to have allured most
of them. The Highlands of Scotland have
since the 10Th become the hub Of Lon
don society. All manner Of gayeties
enlvening the days and evenings of visit
ors at the Scottish castles and shooting
lodges. Highland gatherings and games
regattas, baZaars, industrial exhibitions
Gaelic concerts and Highland balls are in
full swing. The fad this year is to take
peat baths at Strathpeffer Spa, which be-
gins to rival Harrogate with English Wis
itors. Ones peat bath is a luxury not
easily to be forgotten. and its effect on the
complexion should give it favor with the
society danes and damsels. faded with
seasons gayeties, who frequent Strath-
PETER First comes the period of INNER
sion in a bath tub filled with warm, soft
peat. brought from some distant moor, and
pounded and heated and mixed with water
in the subterranean regions A lid. with
an open space for the bather's head, Is
lowered over the occupant Of the bath, and
the soft-voiced Highland girl in attendance
leaves you to the dreamy reflections in
duced by the warmth and fragrance Of the
peat. When the twenty minutes are up
and you have probably evolved Highland
poem or the first chapters of a Highland
romance. the Highland girl returns and
you are set in a corner to have the first
coat of peat sprayed off you by a hose. A
plunge into a warm tub that is ready along
side the peat trough completes the process
and. wrapped in warm towels, you are left
to recline on couch and to continue your
Highland romance, unless pleasant drow-
siness overcomes you. When you have
dressed and spent twenty minutes or so in
the pleasant little cooling room, you return
to your hotel feeling physically and men,
tally giant refreshed. and the compr-
ments on your improved appearance will
make you wish that a peat bath were a
less costly luxury. One dowager who
could afford to indulge in long course of
such baths. had a complexion that was
wonder of the girl visitors at the hotel. Ac-
cording to tradition, the virtues Of the peat
bath were discovered by accident A litter
of little pigs. which wallowed daily in the
peat mud on a hillside We're noticed to
have much more glossy coats than their
fellow-piglets. The example of the pigets
was speedily followed. and the peat bath
became fashionable as cure for skin dis
eases.
The Oceanic's RIVAL
The Oceanic Of the White Star Line.
which starts today on her maiden voyage
across the Atlantic, will not be left long
to maintain her supremacy without a rival
The Cunard Line has given an order to the
Clydebank Shpbuilding Company in Glas-
gov for an Atlantic steamer which shall
be fifteen feet longer than the Oceanic
1t Will be vessel of the most costly de-
seription, and real rival to the Oceanic
Since 1888. when the Umbria and Etruria
were contracted for, it has been the policy
of the Cunard Line to wait till its rivals
on the Atlantic had produced their best
boat, and then to give an order for one
certain to beat it. Thus the Umbria and
Etruria easily beat every other ocean liner
In existence In the years between 1884 and
1SS, when the first place in speed was
taken from them by the then City of Paris
After the Teutonic and Majestic had again
broken the record the Cunard people con-
tracted for the Campania and Lucania
which now hold the record. The new Gu
harder cannot be ready until 1901, and she
Will probably be wonder. This is the first
important order the Clydebank people have
had since the Paris was built.
Washingtonian's Comment
Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur e. Randle of Con-
gress Heights are stopping at the Hotel
Metropole, London. They have confined
their visit entirely to the British Islands
Mr.. Randle was entertained by the Earl
of Kenmare, a member of the house of
lords, and presented to Lady Kenmare and
Lady Castle Ross. The latter is the daugh-
ter of one of the Barring brothers, whose
temporary financial embarrassment caused
panic in America.
He was also received at Hawarden by
Rev. stephen Gladstone. the son Of the
late William e. Gladstone.
Mr.. Randle came over on the Etrurta
ana. getting off at Queenstown, Travelled
overland to London. His trip to town was
very interesting. I called upon him at the
Metropole, and in an interview which he
was good enough to give me he said:
The farmers Of Ireland 1 find in much
more prosperous condition than the farm
n a haN ~t-1