The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28
Evidently Preparing for Strug-
 gle With Great Britain
MASCAGNI IN TROUBLE
Famous Composer in Another Pickle. Proceeds of Concert Seized-cu- rlous Theory Regarding Hans,
 the Thinking Horse.
BY MALCOLM CLARKE.

special Cable to The Age-Herald from the
 hearst News Service. Copyright, 1907,
 by w. R. Hearst.
 Berlin, April 27.-Foreseeing evidently
 that a war with Great Britain must
 come sooner or later, the German gov ernment is doing everything to strength
 en her coast defenses, and work on the naval vessels now under construction is being hurried as much as possible with out arousing too much sensation.
 A first-class torpedo station Is being constructed at Emden, the German port nearest the English coast; and on top or this news, which was largely com mented upon in the English press, comes the report that the rock island of Heligo- land, hitherto principally known as bathing and health resort, Is to be made into a sort of German Gibraltar.
 The German government has purchased the whole island, which was already German territory, and plans are ready of immense Notifications which will make it practically impregnable, and afford a naval base of the highest importance
 Thers Is every reason to believe that the English, who owned the island until 1890, are more than sorry they ever part ed with it.
 The government plans of fortifying Heligoland have been kept deep secret anu even at the present time the au- thorities are endeavoring to give it the appearance that the Island has been bought by Carl Hagenbeck, the famous animal trainer, who 1t is said, intends to construct an immense aquarium there, but it Is ten to tne that the aquarium will turn out to be a naval drydock. 
 The news comes from Vienna that Pie tro Mascaghi, the famous Italian com- poser, who had such painful experiences in America not long ago, is in trouble again. The authorities have seized the proceeds of a concert at which he con ducted to satisfy the claim of Frau Josa Will, who says the maestro owes her an inoemnity of $5000.
 Mascagni when he was last In the Austrian capital four years ago, stated | that he would pay $S000 for a suitable | libertto for a new opera. Frau Will showed him a libretto entitled Irene al | Spillenbergha," with which the composer | wus very pleased and promised to have 1t translated and compose the music
 Mascagni took the manuscript to Italy l with him, leaving Frau Will without I copy. Since then she has been unable l to get any word from him about the | opera. and until he came to vienna coulu 1 not even find his whereabouts. l Now that he came within her reach, l the lady sought legal aid and sued him 1 for SSO00 damages. Until this Is paid her lawyers have 8 claim on the proceeds 1 of the concert
 A curious theory is put forward by Prof. Oscar Pfungst regarding the think | ing horse" Hans, which astonished the
 Berliners when 1t was exhibited some 1 time ago.
 1 Professor Pfungst, who is an eminent | psychologist, gives an explanation of
 Hans calculating powers, which denies that the horse arrived at correct results | by actual independent mental process, | but gives the animal credit for unusual i intelligence for an equine. 1 In the course of his experiments with | Hans, the professor found that the horse l got his answers from the questioner him l self and that 1t was not even necessary 1 to speak the questions as long as he | kept the answer steadily in his own 1 mind.
 l L1ews were indeed given to Hans by in- | voluntary movements made by the ques- 1 toner when thinking intently on the an
 swer expected from the horse.
 "In order to succeed" says Professor
 Pfungst, 'It did not merely suffice to