The Washington times., 1901-08-25
FOREIGN TOPICS.

FOREIGN TOPICS.
Attempts of foreigners to write EngIisl
are always laughable-to the English
speaker. The laughter of foreigners is re
served for the grave efforts of the Saxol
to harangue the Gaul in his nativ,
tongue, or to endeavor to do in Rome al
the Romans do. even in the matter o
choice italian. 1t is an Italian, appar
emily, who is responsible for a bold fora!
into English speech. What was essaye,
was an advertisement, in English, of
new route up Vesuvius, and here is tn,
result
The excurtionists who whish to ascemp
Nesuvius by Pompey are begged to address,,
themselves to the well known Office B
Fiorenza' the only whom is authorised by
the gouvernement. The price fors the ex.
cursion is of Is frcs, and they receive, car
riage, horse, guide and free passage
through the new roud, and not q frcs as
the other people ask for.
N. B.-The excurtionists are begged tC
pay no attention to such people whom
presents as agents of Fiorenzas Office or
travelling from Naples to Pompey. Be-
cause the really one are provided of a
white cap with the inscription B Fiorenza
guide of Vesuvius."
Spanish papers in opposition to the pres
ent Ministry do not view with satisfaction
the prospect OF an entente cordiale with
England, which has been under discussion
for some time. These journals strongly
resented certain recent limitations of the
semi official press that a plan was on
foot for a more equitable agreement be-
fyyHan in nd faf 10 "a
one now existing and that what made
such an agreement of particular weight
at this time was not so much the excite
ment growing out of the Gibraltar defence
question as the fact that Portugars cor
dial relations with Great Britain placed
Spain at a great disadvantage. The mat
ter of an Anglo-Spanish entente cordiale
has been led up to very quietly and may
mean nothing after all but a means to re-
store tranquility in regard to England.
but the opposition press sees in such
policy the certain humiliation of Spain.
The impartial, of Madrid. notes a
men toward Spain. 1t says that a grea:
and significant difference exists between
the references of Lord Salisbury and Mr..
Chamberlain to Spain at the time of her
and the manner in which
she has been spoken of in recent debates.
1t considers that the fact that Spain has
shown herself solvent after the enormous
burdens which her disasters placed upon
her and that she is overcoming her in
ternal difficulties proves her vitality.
1t declares that public opinion in England
is becoming convinced that SPANS neu-
lraIity Is more advantageous than Spain's
enm1ty and that the supposition that
Spain is more or less forcibly allied with
France is disappearing, though slowly.
A well-known journalist writes In
Partisan paper the following amusing and
intimate" particulars regarding the
laundry arrangements of the Comedi
Franchise:
"One of our morning contemporaries"
ne says. announced some time ago that
the Coincide Franchise was going to
cease washing the linen of the artistes
employed, as number of abuses had been
discovered. This statement is incorrect
The linen of the 'comediens' and come
liennes' of the Maison de Moliere has al
ways been washed at the expense of the
heatre. This costs only 500 francs or COO
rancs per month. The administration Of
If the Rue Richelieu, in fact. does things
handsomely. Not only does II furnish
heir linen to the men of the troupe and
Undertake the washing of it's this a
want OF confidence in the cleanliness of
he habits of the pensionnaires?-but 1t
lso furnishes the lady artistes with their
'etticoats. shoes. stockings, and false
lair.
The men who earn less than 800 francs
yer month have the right to have their
lothes supplied by the theatre. None of
hose gentlemen has ever abused this gen.
rous regulation by ordering an excessive
lumber OF stylish suits. As the bills,
eyertheless. became too high NJ. Claretie
informed the committee that he would
ave TO take decision in the matter.
he actors at the Coincide Franchise are
much more favored than the actresses in
ther theatres.
Two worthy wives mutually sued each !
Their for what they called libel before the !
aris Correctional Chamber. Plaintiff No. |
being asked to state her case, said 1t |
II came about owing to a parrot. The |
ird had vicious disposition and its |
Mistress (the defendanD egged it on to |
G even worse than 1t was by nature. The |
laintiff could not put her head out of |
ne window without the bird shouting OPP |
robrious epithets at her, and generally |
beling her character. Before deciding |
his case the Judge said he would hear the |
Their, whereupon the second matron |
lated that what she had to complain of |
as her neighbours dog. 1t had been |
iught to bark at her whenever she went |
ut. and so maliciously clever was the |
nimal that at the instigation of its mis- /
'ess it actually threw stones at her win
Ow panes by tossing them up with Ii
avs. By this time the people in cour. :
ere convulsed with laughter, but the
ldge remained serious In commenting !
pom the two cases he pointed out that (
either action had been correctly de- |
ribbed as a suit for libel. Then he rem
cred his decision, which was worthy of |
Solomon. One OF the plaintiffs. he said,
iould have prosecuted the dog, the other
lould have cited the parrot. Both ac-
y ntrfy, h.o ,erlv fncf ha |
lould, therefore, dismiss them both.
The act of union between Sweden and
orway provides that the King shall
end part of the year in Norway. This
ne has usually been limited. A change
this respect is now contemplated. and
is proposed constitutionally to compel
e King to spend the same length of
ne in Norway as in Sweden-say one,
10 or three years at time in each
untry. 1t is believed that this measure.
adopted, will render the monarchy |
ore popular with the Norwegians, who
g longing to see the throne of King
iakon and King Sverne raised again on
e soil of Norway and at the same time
monstrate to the world at large that | :
e two Kingdoms are on footing of per-
It equality within the union.
rhe street railways of Finland are to be !
rnished with material and rolling stock
Russian manufacture in conformity with
e law passed for abolishing the purely
nnish railway lines and making them !
part of the imperial Russian railway
stem The new Neva bridge will cost | ,
TO- 900 rubles (s3, 090 000) and one-seventh f.,
this sum Is to be furnished by Finland. I
Private ,Gonichiro Ono belonged to the
panese engineering corps sent to China
It year. He Is the hero who, risking his ]
n life, blew open the Chang-yang gate.
2 destruction of which led to the fall
Ill h. | {