The Washington times., 1901-07-18
FOREIGN TOPICS.

The announcement from Nieu Ch'xang
III China, that Russia had seized that port
ana had sivec various orders fer its gov
ernment, among others that the different
professions should/be known by wearing
distinctive clothes, is only more evidence
that when the giant of the North deter
mines on move the inception and carry
ing oat are likely to be simultaneous
This spirit came in with Peter the Great
to whom modern Russia and its unbend-
ing policy are due. But he was too great
a man not to recognize the Importance of
seeming trifies, and as a conseque nee
questions of national custom were studied
as earnestly as the Introduction of Euro
pean arts or the laying cut of cities. Thus.
feeling that the old-time garb and the i'm
mense boards worn by the magistrates OF
his Empire were two reactionary and con-
servatire influences he must conquer, he
gave tits dangerous and difficult mat
ter to his Minister, Mentchikof That
functionary assembled the local officials
and told them bluntly it was a ques-
tion of shaving. adopting a different
style of dress. or going to Siberia. Through
the window he also showed them the SOL
diers and sedges in waiting to begin their
exile. They fell on their knees. begged,
prayed and said they would rather lose
their heads than their beloved whiskcrs-
None of these availi'g they went so far
as to suffer themse' 'es to be loaded on
the vehicles that VIE to carry them be-
yond the Ural Mountains. At this point
young official who had just been married
seeing his weeping bride in the surround
ing throng cried: 1T is the will of God"
and went off to subject himself to the
barber and tailor influences of the new
civilization. Others followed his example
and in a few days all Russian officialdom
had shaved and re-robed itself thus OBJ
waiting a danger-the popular veneration
for old custom-Peter had feared might
be fatal to his hope of leading his coun-
try to first place among the nations
of the world.
OF the little countries of Europe, by far
the most interesting and picturesque is
the old feudal mountain State of Andorra.
under the joint sovereignty of the French
Republic and the Spanish Bishop of Urgel.
The only expenses of this quaint relic of
the Middle Ages is the tribute to France
and Spain. Civilization has In vain bat
tered at its doors. 1t contains popula-
ton of 5000 with no library. no piano. no
currency of its own, roads, no written
laws, and 10 standing army.
Recently Krupp gun has been acquired,
but there is little chance of any war.
France. it is true, threatened to encroach
by building a telegraph across the coun-
try without asking permission. But the
natives at once cut the posts down and
the French desisted. Andorra is governed
by Council of Twenty-four. who elect a
President. or Syrdic The President wears
a three-cornered nat, while the members
of the Council are satisfied with two.
Goust, another little buffer State between
France and SPAIN has a population of
only 40 The President is Tax Collector,
Assessor, and Judge. and the most re-
markable characteristic of this little
mountain Republic is that it contains
within its boundaries neither church nor
burial grounds.
The recent occupation of certain points
in the Bahr-el-GhazaI and the establish
ment of posts in that region by an Anglo
Egyptian force were carried out in pur-
suance of policy laid down by the An
glo-Egyptian Government after the fall
of Omdurman. according to which Egypt
resumed aid her former rights in the
Egyptian Soudan. There has been no
question of driving out the Belgians, who
have not occupied a single post in the
Bahr-el-GhaZal, being unable to do so
by reason of the arrangement concluded
between Belgium and France. The Anglo
Egyptian occupation of the posts named
is therefore in no way rupture OF the
convention of 1894
The Sirdar and his staff have arrived
at Cairo from Roseires. on the Blue Nile,
in the record time of seven days. fnclud-
ing stoppages of one and half days.
The Blue Nile region in every direction
shows signs of returning prosperity. The
Nile flood which is just commencing.
promises to be exceptionally good. Ar
rangements are in progress With pow
erful English syndicate for the develop
IS tl,a Ion raftu farr on
the land grant principle.
In the matter of a national language
Switzerland may be sad to be behind
some of the uncivilized peoples of the
earth. The country is polyglot in every
sense of the term; polyglot as regards
herself. for the official language of the
cantons, with the single exception Of
Freiburg Is that of the majority OF the
inhabitants; polyglot as being the stamp
ing ground of every political reformer on
the Continent who may have got into
trouble with his own Government. and
polyglot by reason of the hundreds of
thousands of tourist strangers who enter
annually within her gates" In a meas
ure, the national language may be spoken
by the majority of the inhabitants of the
original cantons. and the mother tongue
OF the majority OF the country.
ing to recent returns there are. roughly
speaking about 100000 who speak Ger
man. 100000 speaking French, and 2C0. 900
Italian. In addition 10 per cent COR about
37,CO of the Inhabitants of the Grisons
canton speak RoumanSch. Kind of de-
based form of the ''Iingua rustica' of the
old Roman Empire. German predominates
immeasurably in the four cantons of
Berne. Zurich, Argua, and st. Gallen;
French is equally paramount in Vaud. Va
Iais, Frbourg. Neufchatel. and Geneva;
while only in Tessin is italian in excess
of both the others, though it claims more
mouths than French in Zurich, Lucerne,
Uri Schwytz. Grisons, Thurgovie, and
several other cantons.
Two infantrymen attended at Marlbor-
ough House recently that King Edward
might inspect the proposed new headdress
for the British army. One of the men
wore tho old helmet. the other the soft
felt hat caught up at three points, which
it is proposed to substitute for the un-
wieldy headpiece already discarded by
the Queens Westminsters. Though this
regiment is the first to adopt the new
headgear, 1t has been closely run by the
First MiCLilesex, which is about to adopt
a rifie-green hat, with neatly folded
puggaree. with the initials of the corps
ON a small scarlet field on the turned-up
side Of the brim, the whole surmounted
with plume of cocks feathers. Other
reforms in the British soldiers headsear
are pending.
According to the industrial census of
1895, Germany had population of 26,S6l,-
Us women. OF this number 1881 per cent
were engaged in some profession or trade,
and about per cent were domestic ser
wants The former class had increased
over 100000 from 1882 to 1895; and at the
latter date 1874 per cent of the entire