New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-06
MAGAZINE NOTES.
INTERESTING PARAGRAPHS FROM THE
JANUARY NUMBERS

JANUARY NUMBERS.
In Mrs. Julia Ward Howe's "reminiscences in
the current Atlantic" there some pleasant
glimpses OF Washington Irving. whom as a very
young lady. she sometimes saw in this city. She
was present on the occasion Of the public din
ner given TO Charles Dickens-a dinner at which
Mr.. Irving presided. He was expected to make
the speech of welcome. and the girl heard people
who were sitting near whispering: He'll break
down--he always does" Mr.. Irving. she ADDS
rose and uttered a sentence or two. HIS frends
interrupted him by applause. which was intend
ed to encourage him. but which entirely over
threw his sef-possesson. He hestated STAN
mered and sat down. saying I cannot 60 on. IL
was an embarrassing and painful moment
The young lady sometimes met Mr.. Irving at
the house OF Mr.. John Jacob Aston where he
was silent in general company. and usually fell
asleep at the dinner table. This occurrence was
indeed so common with him that the other
quests noticed 1t only with smile. After nap
Of some ten minutes he would open his eyes and
take part in the conversation. apparently I'M
conscious Of having been asleep
NJ Ferdinand Brunetere's lecture on Art and
Morality" recently given in Paris. appears In
an English translation in THE Living Age" 1t
is a keenly critical and logical protest against
the decadent doctrine OF Art for Arts sake.
That art, he declares. which has only Itself for
an object, the art which does not care for the
quality Of the characters It expresses. whlch
does not take account Of the impressions which
IT Is carable Of making on the senses or OF ex-
citing in the mind that art. however great the
artist. do not say is inferior Chat IS another
. question: but I say that 1t necessarily tends 70
immortality" He cites the French art and lit
tbo ~ Of oh century
striking testimony 10 the truth OF his conten-
ton that when art is left TO itself and seeks It's
rr,nciple only in itself-poetry. music or paint
,ns-it degenerates into a mass OF articles to
stir I'D sensuality. Then no one asks OF II any
thing more; II itself no longer thinks OF any
thing but of pleasing. and Of pleasing at any
price. by every means; and It literally changes
from a leader or from guide into kind OF 60
between"
CAPTAIN sigsbee's personal narrative Of the
Maine fills some very entertaining pages OF The
Century" He notes that the failure Of the diver
20 bring up from the captains room the maya
zine and sheroom keys gave him more OF
shock than the explosion itself. A missing key
might have meant that magazine had been
entered against Captain Sgsbee's knowledge. or
that some diver had been down at night and Sc
cured the key.
7, vas n case OF treachery on board or or
an invitation TO war Lieutenant Commander
wainwright questioned the diver very closeiy'
and concluded that he had gropeo ABOUT lne
head Of my bunk instead OF the root; so ne was
cent down again. with repeated Instructions ana
descriptions. This time he brought up the Keys
which were in their bags. II appears that the
mattress Of the bunk had been carried upward
by its buoyancy and had lifted the pass OH the
hooks They were found just on top or the mat
tress. Immediately above the hooks on wh1 men
Tba nay, II also
ordnance officer. found that the Key OF every
magazine and shellroom including all spare
keys had been recovered My rele1 was very
great
In summing I'D the case Of the Maine Captain
eigsbee points out that while officials treated
her with outward courtesy when she arrived at
Havana she was made 10 feel that she was un-
welcome
sh. WAS taken TO a special mooring buoy-a
buoy that according 10 the testimony gIvem , uv-
fore the United States Naval Court or lnquli! =,
was anparently reserved for some purpose not
known She was taken to this buoy by an oi =,
ficiai Spanish pilot, and she was eowi up tpd az
that buoy by explosion from the outs'ue.
Therefore there must have been a mine uliueI
the Names berth when she entered the haroo,'
or a mine must have been planted at ne' ,Setrn
after her arrival. In either case, the Maine
should have been protected by the Spanish GOV
eminent She not Informed or me eA n
istence Of mine at her BERN or nr tor
Iedoes. In her attitude OF initial and reiterated
friendship. she was poweTless 10 ., assmme a
due sense of responsibility on the part OF lhe me
Spanish authorities Yet It has not appeared
That they took any measures to guard hei.
Mining plants for harbor defence and their
Al electrical connections are always under the
y express control OF governments. and IN chaige s
@. a few people who alone nave the seer. ".
yosition and control. Therefore responsibility
for accident or worse. Is centralized ana spe-
oihc. Al Havana the regulations We're seve, g
lin Of explosives
narties The Government controlled the I'M
portation and sale OF explosives win great reoi
i was seemingly impracticaole 10 OBTAIN an an
large amount Of explosives, except through tle
acnuiescence Of some official. A knowledge OF
she secret operation OF large mines as agaihs'
due official vigilance was not likely TO De pos
resaed al Havana by private parties acting
alone After the explosion the spanish authol !.
ties endeavored TO control access TO me NAM ne
and to prevent an Independent invesugatlon py
nc United states Although they demanded an
Investigation of the interior OF the Maine io'
themselves they objected to an exterior IN
vestigation by the United States Inc Spahisl
~Covornment in Cuba had allowed rioters to e
unpunished The Spanish Investigation was
superficial and it's findings were preJuoseu oS
odiciaIs After the explosion there was not
free-handed demonstration that no mines ma a,
existed in the harbor OF Havana at the Maine
berth AT the time Of the explosion genera
tsciaration bv General Weyler that there were
no mines planted during his administrator wa
not acceptable 10 the people or the chted STATE
the war developed the fact that the spaniaru'
tsd rrlnes in large number in Cuba II was
known in the United States that there were
mines planted or implanted. at Havana
7, We NAV believe Mr.. sidney Whitman. writ
a.. IN "Herner" the Sultan Is remarkable
WAN. with truly phenomenal powers OF Work
Mr. Whitman has known him to be at work a
o'clock IN the morning. and keep whole
STAFF OF secretaries going at that hour wh'
had slept overnight on couches In the rooh'
in the palace they hsbitually work In There
ia one characteristic Of His Majesty" said NUM-
Pacha. the Grand Master Of Ceremonies "whicf
CONVEYS a constant lesson TO us all: 1t Is MI
extraordinary self-control-his impassive calm