The Washington times., 1901-10-22
FOREIGN TOPICS.

| 'AN'''i SS'AtNl paper Niith itiipNs
closely the sayings and doings Of crowned
heads recently reported that King Leo
pold of Belgium was walking on the Paris
boulevards. Other papers. not less well
| informed, reported his Majesty automo-
billing at Bordeaux on the same day and
| AZ the same hour. The explanation is that
| there is in Paris a publisher whose re
sembiance to the King is SO great that
| OF royalty are deceived Reports say that
! his Majesty enjoys the joke and finds
| the likeness = great convenience. for when
caught Scorching in an automobile along
| the public highway he has only to say,
1t is not /: it is the publisher"
| Russia is entering into competition with
| France and Germany by insttuting a
| postoffice in Jerusalem. French and Ger
| man offices have been established within
| the last two years, though not without
| protest from the Porte. They are allowed
| to remain, however, and Russia appears
to be determined not to take up any sec
| ond-rate position in Palestine. The open
ing ceremony at the new Russian office
attracted good deal of popular attention,
as it was conducted with much of
tcial display and with religious rites. The
Governor of Jerusalem made a protest to
the Russian Consul and reported the facts
to Constantinople.
A response has been made to the COM
plant Of the German students in Ger
man technical colleges that foreigners
were usurping the positions OF the native
students and crowding the lecture rooms
without bringing in any significant profit
to the universities. The chief complaint
was against Russians and Americans.
The Minister of Education has now issued
new regulations for the admission of for
afty eft ONT at Tpphni-
cal College He makes no particular ref
erence to Americans. however. The regu-
lations declare that Russians Will only be
admitted when they can prove that they
have attended a technical college in their
own country or have at least been per
mitted to matriculate at one Other for
eigners will only be admitted when they
can produce a certificate showing that
they have passed some examination
which entities them to enter university
or other institution of similar standing
in their own country.
In the case OF non-Russian foreigners
it is not enough to prove that they have
beer actual students at some foreign
technical college or that they have en-
Joyed a good technical training. They
must produce some certificate of general
education like the diplomas received at
the public schools. There is at all Ger
man universities and colleges u small
class of students who are admitted to
lectures and laboratories as guests
without the right to receive certificates
OF attendance or profci9 Gey or to proceed
10 degree. As regard technical col
leges. 1t has now been dod that in the
department of machine engineering for
eiSners can no longer be admitted as
guests owing to the limited nature Os
the accommodations. In other depart
mthts foreign guests will only be ad-
mitted in exceptional cases.
The manners and customs of the people
of the Caucasus have not changed to a
great extent since the country has been
subdued by Russia. One of the relics of
the good old times to which the Caucas-
ians especially cling is the custom of kid
mapping the women whom they desire to
make their wives
Recently a case of this kind resulted
in a tragic end. A prominent inhabitant
Of the little Caucasian town of Katu-
hagan, named Ismail 0gil Oki tried to
kidnap the sister OF his best friends wife
while his friend was absent from home.
The girl resisted his attempt to carry her
of, aided by her married sister The baf-
fled lover drew his sword and inflicted
dangerous wounds on both the ladies. At
this moment his friend returned and, en-
ragged at finding what had occurred, killed
Ismail on the spot. Then he cut off Is
mails head and carried it round to show
the neighbors what u fearful revenge he |
had taken.
In the same district young nobleman |
desired to marry the daughter of a neigh !
boring landowner, and invited the girl |
with her parents 10 a grand ball given at |
his castle. During the evening he found |
an opportunity of decoying the girl in a |
secluded part of the house, where she |
IN
carriage. The Prince Joined her. and in !
spite of the girls entreaties, started out |
to drive to place where they could be |
married without much delay.
The girls father, on finding that his |
host had disappeared yith his daughter |
gave chase. and being on horseback. over /
took the carriage. He shot the nobleInan /
without ado, and took his daughter home.
The nobleman, however, had won her |
heart during the drive, and the girl was 4
now reluctant to marry the man whom
her father approved but the stern parent |
insisted on the wedding taking place at
once. The bride appeared in the church, |
pale but cool and collected. During the |
ceremony she drew a dagger and stabbed |
the bridegroom to the heart. AfterwaTd 1
she committed suicide.
King Edwards life has been insured for
a large sum. The policy was taken out by
a syndicate of persOns-tradesmen prin-
cipally-who would lose large sums Of
money IL the coronation should not take
place next year. and is only to cover a
period Of twelve months from the present
date
The rate Of insurance is 10 gulneas for
each ElOD, which may seem decidedly
high but then ii must be remembered
that Lloyds. with whom the insurance is
taken, unlike an insurance office. has no !
means Of arriving at the state of health
Jt the personaSss II insures. In these
assurances IT is the age of the person in
5ured rather than any other consideration
which regulates the premium. Thus the
premium for insurance OF the late Queen
Victoria at the time Of the diamond fubi-
ee was Eli per Gl0O for the year
No insurance has ever been taken at
-loyds on the lives Of the Gar and the
Kaiser, but il is understood that the fig
Ire at which the lives of either Of these
.wo potentates could be insured would be
. per 4lrp, the few years seniority which |
he Kaiser possesses being balanced by
he greater security of his life though |
hat is a consideration which Lloyds sell
ION takes into account.
Lord Roseberys speech at Birmingham |
october Is on the Sin of National Self
has elected many com
lendations in the serious weelllies one !
( the most interesting of these is the
ppeal of wnuld-bc patentee for re-
ision of the British patent laws He
eclares that ,he British authorities issue
dozen so-called patents for practically ,
he same invention. and then leave all
he applicants to fight out their rights
4 the courts.
Let our Government" he says, give
= American patent laws. Let us en-
ourage inventors to stay at home. We
eed all the brains We can get hold of: !
4 not America drain away too much OF ! !
ur best.
Tho "OntIook' commenting on the )