The Washington times., 1901-08-11

tnan those who frequent them are aware
| that there is a mosque where Mohamme-
dan services are held in London, as well
as a chapel where the followers OF the
| creed OF Zoroaster can worship. Thus the
Moslem and the Parsee are as much at
home in the worlds metropolis at the
dawn of the twentieth century as they
would be in their native lands; for when
they are in their respective places of wor-
snip each can for the time forget that he
Is In a foreign country, and be, for the
time being, transported back to Asia. A
prief 100 years ago and religious liberation
would probab bly, never have allowed Mo-
hammedanism literally to build its temple
in London.
The last of the long series of trials
which have been taking place on the Brit
ish second class cruisers Hyacinth and
Minerva, for the purpose of settling the
vexed question to whether the Belle
Vile water tube was the best type of boil
er for use in the royal navy was COM
pleted Saturday evening by the arrival
of the two ships at Spithead.
The result has certainly not been a vic
tory for the Bellevilles. for both on the
journey out to Gibraltar, as well as on
the run back home, the Minerva. with her
cylindricals, has given better results. So
FAR as the Minerva was concerned, her
boilers gave not the least trouble. the
only delay being caused by a slight over
heating of the bearings in the machinery.
which was soon remedied Her officers
are well satisfied with the result of the
trial. The Hyacinth's boilers gave some
anxiety, which eliminated in unfortu-
nate accident as the vessel was proceed
ing up the English Channel One of the
boiler tubes blew out and a stoker was
so severely burned by the flames which
were forced from the furnace that
Sunday morning he was removed to the
Royal Naval Hospital at f;aslar.
Reports from various sources agree as
to-the increase of brigandage in the
Macedonian vilayets of late. and espe-
cially in that of Adrianople. where Bui-
garian bands appear to be giving the
Turkish authorities much trouble
Such a band. nine men strong. kid
mapped Nnri Bey, son of the owner of
dairy farm in che neighborhood of
Adrianople, In lie 18th inst The gen.
darmes pursued, and, resistance was
offered they We're REINFORCED by bat
TALON of infantry and squadron of cav
airy, and this force was successful in
surrounding the robbers, of whom six
We're killed and three captured; but Nuri
Bey himself and several Turkish soldiers
were also killed in the encounter.
The good equipment in clothes and
weapons of the brigands led the Turkish
authorities to suspect that this was rot
an ordinary robber band. but one organ A.
lied by the Macedonian committee, and
that its object had been to seize Marshal
Arif Pacha. the Vail of Adrian9ple. who
had been shortly before staying at the
dairy farm. it Is supposed to be the same
band which. few days ago, carried off
Theodor Michaloglu at Kirkk;lsse and de-
manded a ransom of 1000 Turkish pounds
for his release.
The paternai Government of Norway
has fund of money amounting to about
500 600. which is loaned to farmers
through the municipal officials to assist
them in buying land. Such a proposition
was advanced by the Populists of Kansas
some years ago and did not meet with
any favor. but generally with ridicuIe.
In Norway, however, 1t IS actually in
practice. and small sums are loaned to
Industrious people at per cent interest
for term of twenty-five years to enable |
them to acquire farms and improve not |
only themselves but the State. These |
loans are often made to young people !
just married and starting in life upon
the recommendation of the council and |
other officials of the municipality. Dur |
ing the first five years no installments are |
required, but per cent of the loan in adj |
dition to the per cent interest must be |
paid annually thereafter.
-
The condition of affairs in the Balkans |
and the possibility of their affecting the |
relations of the dual monarchy and Rus
of the Austro-Hungarian press at the |
present moment.
Nearly all the leading newspapers deal |
with different aspects of this question.
The Poster Lloyd dwells upon the polit-
ical significance of the Grand Duke Alex
ander Mikhailovitch's visit to Constantine
pie and the Importance attached to 1t by
the Russian press. 1t observes that ac-
cording to that Interpretation the Grand
Duke s-tour marks the latest development
Of Russian policy. The intrigues of Kaui-
bars, Hitrovo and Ignatieff having proved /
frutiess it now remains for the members
of the imperial family to show how Rus
sian interests must be promoted.
A Vienna journal considers that the mo-
tive of the Grand Dukes arrogant visit"
to Constantinople, after calling at Bulgar-
ian and Roumanian ports. was to bring
dependence upon Russia. The object of |
Russian diplomacy is to reduce Abdul |
Hamid to "a position similar to that |
which the rulers of Persia, Bokhara, and
~ engaged at Constantinople in securing
In good time the inheritance of the Sick
Man.
The 'Neue F'reie Presse'' calls attention
TO the displeasure excited In Russia by the
between Roumania and
Greece, and protests against intrigues in
tended to promote Pan-Slavist influence
at Bucharest. 1t apparently attaches a
political significance to the approaching
visit of the two sons of the Servian pre-
tender. Prince Pete. Karageorgevitch. to
the Italian royal pan, wondering whether
II will cause as much satisfaction at Bel
grade il is calculated to do in the Kara
seorgevitch family.
King Edward, like all royal personages,
and. above all. like all European sover-
1igns. has remarkable collection Of
walking sticks but we may be sure that
1one, however intrinsically valuable, will
N future be more priced by him than the
original gift from Sir George Dibbs.
which is now being brought from Sydney
by Lord Jersey Sir George, a notable
New South Wales statesman, occupies his
eisure hours in carving and turning. and |
he Kings new walking stick was fash
Oned by his own hands from a fine piece |
If the rare and iron-hard Ringgidgi wood. |
he only ornamentation. save the natural
grain OF the wood, is Il plain gold band. |
m which are deeply engraved the words: |
The King, God bless him" Apropns of |
he Kings collection of walking sticks.
he sovereign sets good example in this
natter as In many others; the cane usu-
Ally carried by him is studiously simple |
md devoid of any elaborate ornamental
ion. He is, however. fond of giving
walking sticks to his friends. and these
oval gifts are invariably far more costly
han anything ever used by himself
South Africa is a country of immense
distances, and it is interesting. for the
purpose of realizing its area, to recall the
great extent of the railway systems In
he Cape Colony the open mileage of the
ape Government railways is about 2OcO
niles. with $50 miles under construction, |
and $50 miles of privately owned lines
n Natal there are upward of 900 miles
pen, and short extensions. totaling 80