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A de. patch from Washington sayI: Rev. hr. '1 :lmagc preached trom the following textâ€"Hebrews x, 25, "th lorsaking the asscmminu of ourselves together.” 4 _ - ‘ Startling statements have been made in many 0! the pulpit: and in some 0! the religious newspapers. It 1 is heard over and over again that church attendance in America is in deCadcncc. l deny the statements by presenting some hard has. No one will dispute the fact that there are more churches in America than ever before, one denomination aver- aging two new churches every day of the year. '1‘ he law of demand and supply is inexorable in the Kingdom of God as it is in the world. More churches supplied argues more church privileges demanded. lore banks. more bankers; more fac- tories. more manufacturers; more ships, more importers; more churches, more attendants. You are not to argue adversely be» cause here and there a church is de- pleted. Churches have their day. Sometimes merchandise will entirely occupy a neighborhood and crowd out. the churches and families ordin- urily attendant upon them. Someâ€" times a church parishes through in- terneo-ine strile. But tMe are no incts to overthrow the statement that l have made in regard to the increasing attendance upon. the house of God. Now, I am ready to admit. that there are churches which HA V E BEEN DEPLETED. and it is high time that a sermon be preached for the benefit of young men who are just entering the gospel ministry and for the warning of pros- perous churches as to what are the causes 0! decline In any case. If merchandise crowd out a church, that cannot be helped, but under all other circumstances decadence in church attendance is the fault either 0! the church or the pastor. A 0! the Churtll or we pas EDT. The trouble begins away bfik in the theological seminaries. It is a shame that larger provision is not made for ministers of religion, for the sick and the aged and the in- firm who have worn themselves out in the service of (lod. We have na- val asylums and soldiers’ asylumsi [or men who fought on land and seai for our country when these men have become aged or crippled, and it is a shame that larger provision is not made for the good soldiers of Jesus Christ who have worn themselves out in battling for the Lord. But lack oi provision in that respect makes a tendency to turn our theological seminaries into hos- pitals for sick and aged and infirm ministers. When a man begins to go down, they give him the title of 11D. by way of resuscitation]! that fails, then the tendency is to elect him to a professorate in some theological seminary. There are grand exceptions to this rule. but it is often the case that the profes- sorate in a theological seminary is occupied by some minister of the gospel, who, not being able to preach, is set to teach others HOW TO PREACH. In more cases than one the poorest speaker in the iaculty is the pro- lesser of elocution. We want more wide awake, more able-bodied, able- minded men. more enthusiastic men in our theological seminaries and} in the professorates-vmcn like Addi? son Alexander. who could during the week teach men the theory of preaching and then on Sunday go into the pulpit. and with the thun- der and lightning of Christian elo- quence show them how. What would you think of a faculty of unsuccess- ful erchants to train young mer- ehan s or a faculty of unsuccessful lawyers to train young lawyers? It is often the case that theological seminaries cut. a man and clip him and square him and mold him and bore him and twist him until all the individual is gone out of him .and he is only a poor copy of a man who was elected to a professorate be- cause he could nnt preach. We want less deadWood in the theologiâ€" cal seminaries and more flaming "angels. I declare that a man who cannot preach himself cannot teach others how to preach. -_ y- Young ministers are told they must preach Christ and Him Crucified. Yes but not as an abstraction. Many a minister has preached Christ and Him crucified in such a way that he preached an audience of five hundred down to two hundred, and from two hundred to on hundred, and from one hundred to fifty. and from fifty to twenty. and on down until there was little left SAVE THE SEXTON who was paid to stay there until the service was over and lock up, There {is a great deai o! ca_n_t _about Christ ind Him crucified. It is not Christ and Him crucified as an abstraction, but as an omnipotent sympathy ap- plied to all the want: and woes of our immortal naturcha Christ who will help us in every domestic, social, financial. political, national struggle ,â€"-a Christ for the parlor, a Christ ”101’ the nursery, at Christ for the kit- . a Christ. tor the ham. 3. Christ r the street, 11 Christ for the store, Christ tor the banking house. a st for the factory, a Christ for ssional assembly, a. Christ for trial and every ‘mergency and y pertubation. ' I think that ministerial laziness dun empties the church of auditors. Bearers, who arejntelligent through reading Mspnpers and by active as- uciatiou in business circles will not - m “bath sit and listen to ;:"" ’ M Hooters will not com “*M have in them no. _s ’ _ Woo no'iniomstion. no Will Want Twice As Many As We Have At The PI'esent Time. ministers saunter around from parlor ? to parlor under the name 01 pastor- al visitation and go gadding about through the village or the city on errands of complete nothmgness and ‘wrap their brains around a cigar and smoke them up, and then on Saturday alternoon put a few crude thoughts together and on Sunday morning wonder that the theme of Christ and Him crucified does not bring a large audience, and on Mon- day sit down and write jeremaids for the religious newspapers about the decadence of i CHURCH ATTENDANCE. I People will not go to chur h mere- gly as a matter of duty. '1‘ e will not next Sabbath be a thousand people in any city who will get up in the morning and say: “The Bible says I must go to church. It is my duty to go to church, there- fore I will go to church." The vast multitude of people who go to chur.ch, go to church beâ€" cause they like it, and the multitude of people who stay away from church stay away because they do not like it. I am not speaking about the way the world ought to we must wanna {be ccfitripctal force of the church mightier than the cen- trifugul. I say to the young’ men who are} entering the ministry, we must put on more force, more energy, and in- to our religious services more vivac- ity if we want the people to come. You look into a church court of any denomination of Christians. First, you will find the men of large com- mon sense and earnest look. The education of their minds, the piety of their hearts, the holiness of their lites, qualify them for their work. Then you will find in every church court 0! every denomination a group of men who utterly amaze you with the fact that sucn semi-imbecility wan get any pulpits to preach in! i'l‘hose are the men who give iorlo1n statistics about church decadence. Frogs never croak in running water; be, I _am spealling about the way the World is. Taking things as they_are, ALWA YS IN STAG N ANT. But I can say to all Christian work- ers, to all Sund -school teachers. to all evangelists, to all ministers of the gospel, i! we want our Sun- day-schools and our prayer meetings -00d 0th .1011)sz 01 soqoanqo .mo pun ple'we must freshen up. The simple tact is, the people are tired of the humdrum is the worst of all hum- drum. You say over and ofer again, “Come 'to Jesus,” until the phrase means absolutely nothing. Why do you not tell them a story which will make them come to’ Jesus in five minutes ? It is high time that the church of God stopped writing apologies for the church. Let the men who are; on the outside, who despise religion, write the apologies. 11 any people do not want the church they need not have it. It is a free country. 1! any man does not want the gos- pel he need not have it. It is a gree country. But you go out, 0 people of God, and give the Gospel to the ‘xnillions of America who do not? LWant it! It is high time to stop‘ skirmishing and bring on a general engagemen . I want to live to see the Armageddon. all the armies of heaven and hell in battle array, for I know our Conqueror on the white horse will gain the day. Let the church of God be devoted to nothing else, but go right on to this con- quest. ing to conquer the Ethiopians pro- When Moses and his army were try- fane history says, it was expected that he would go in a roundabout way and come by the banks of the river, as other armies had done. be- cause the straight routp was infested with snakes, and no army and no man had dared go across this ser- pent-infested region. But -‘__-_----râ€"_.‘ â€"--_‘_ MOSES SURPRISED THEM. He sent his men out to gather up Ibises. The ibis is a bird celebrated for serpent slaying, and these ibises were gathered into crates and into baskets, and they were carried at the head of the army of Moses, and, coming up to the serpent-infested re- gion. the crates were opened, and the ibises flew forth, and the way was cleared, and the army of Moses marched right on and came so un- expectedly on the Ethiopians that they flew in wild dismay. 0 church of God, you are not to march in a roundabout way, but to go straight torward, depending upon winged in- fluences to clear the way.‘ Hosts of the living God, march on, march on! Church attendance, large now, is mL- bllul us- going to be larger yet. The sky is brightening in every direction. I am. glad for the boy and girl five years old. I think they may see the millennium. The wheel of epmn Jana seq ssoafioad 1112313;qu one revolution backward. The world moves, the kingdom advances. All nations will yet salute the standards of Prince Immanuel.‘ To ‘Him be V. -. I luvv -.â€"â€"â€"â€"__ -. _ glory in the church throughout all ages! Amen. It was a wife! night on the Dana-'- shiro coast. A furious gale from the northwest was sending the spray dashing oyer the clin’s which gird the “DOV. V. Round the harbor of the small fishing town 0! Portsoy the entire population stood. huddled together. and am grim. stern-lot tsunami. HAPPINESS BOUGHT - - WITH A LIFE. was lamina an excited babble of voices, or was broken by the hysterical wail of an overstrung woman. Above all sounded the wild shrieking of the wind and the thundering roar of the billows as they dashed upon thei ;oute’r harbor wall or upon the Irocks around. The fishing fleet was returning home. On such a night it was im- possible for the smacks to live at sea ; there were but two alternatives â€"to be wrecked upon the rocks, or to ”run the harbor," that is to say, to let the boat run freely before the storm and steer straight in through the harbor mouth. A cool head and a steady hand, with per- haps a little luck. n'ieant safety ; a trifling error of judgment, the mis- calculation of a few feet means almos certain death. It was little wonder that on.such a night mothers, wives, sisters, and brothers strained their anxious eyes to pierce the twilight‘ 'which was closing in upon the toss- |ing sea. "'u ()n the top of the outer wall. close by the harbor mouth, a. girl was crouching. It ivus a. wild spot for anyone to choose. Often the spray dashed over her ; her hands, with which she clung to the outer. edge of ‘the wall, were blue aid numb with cold. The wind had shaken free her hair, and it streamed wildly behind her. Yet the look in her eyes showed that she felt neither the cold nor the wet, nor the wind ; 'her whole soul went forth eagerly. anx- iously, into the darkness. Ovv-CJ, -â€"vvâ€" Two boats had already arrived in safety, and now'a third sail hove in sight. For a few moments the girl’s heart beat madly, but soon she re- cognized that it was not the one she looked for. Still she watched in! with a curious interest as, borne on the crest of a gigantic wave. it came rushing swiftly on. Ere long she could distinguish the aged fisherman. Robert Braymond standing: calm and collected at the wheel. His keen eye was fixed on the harbor mouth, and his hands held the spokes with a grip of iron. On rushed the boat ,with breathless speed. The crowds ion the shore quivered with excite- ment as they saw it dart towards ’the harbor mouth. Then a cheer rang through the air as the wheel was whirled round and the boat swung safely into the haven. Ropes were quickly .flung out and made fast, and ere one could realize it the danger was over. A strange little scene followed. Old Braymond. as he left. the Wheel. paused for a moment, defied his great sou’-wester, and raising his eyes to heaven, muttered a few words of thanks to God. The watching crowd was awed into an impressive silence. which, however, soon gave place to shouts. of welcome and con- gratulation. There were two persons by whom this incident passed unnoticed. The one was the girl on the outer wall, who was already staring out again over the water ; the other was a young fisherman from the boat which had just arrived. As soon as the boat was safely moored he had leapt ashore, and having avoided his relatives and friends, was already making his way round the outer har- bor. In a few minutes he had clam- bered up beside the girl. “Jean," he shouted in her ear. “Jean, what are you doing here ?“ The girl started and looked around "Oh, it’s you. Andrew,” she said, carelessly. “Yes,” he replied, “it’s me. But what on earth are you doing out here on such a. night ? Why, you might. be swept, off at any minute." “Oh, I'm all right," she answered. “I’ve been here for an hour already, and I mean LO stay until the Darc- dcvil comes home." “It’s madness," he shouted back ; “you’re doin’ no good to anyone and doin’ a lot 0’ harm to yourself. Why. you must be drenched to the skin. Look here, Jean," he cried, almost. angrily as the words appeared to Have no effect. “I’ve come out. here to take you back. and vou must. come." “I must. come. must I ?” and even over the roaring of the storm her voice sounded scornfully and indig- nant ; “and pray, Andrew Fair- wcuthcr, what right have you to talk to me like that ?" For a little Andicw was silent. His voice was hoarse and trembling when he spoke again, with his mouth close to her em. “Jean," he said, "it’s a strange, wild place to talk love. but you know I would give all I have in the world to gain the right. of taking care of you ” The earnest. passion in his tone made the girl’s face soften a little, but her reply was firm. “I know that, you love me, Anâ€" drew and I wishâ€"I do wash it wasn’t so. I have told you oftenâ€"far too oftenâ€"that, it can never be." Andrew was silent for a long time. and a look of gloomy despair settled on his face. At last, however, he roused himself. “Anyway, Joan,” he persisted, “I don't. see what good you're doin' out. here. The Daredevil will come in all right. You know your fath- er’s the best. steersmnn it. the town." “Not out ? Then “'30â€"" He stopped short suddenly, staring as though someone had struck him a. blow. Gradually he realized what it meant. v- ”My father ?” said Jean. “My father’s not out try-night". ‘. vvv‘wâ€"v “Yes, AnerW, it is Jim that I'm watching for." There was a long pause : both hearts were too lull to speak, though with far different emotions. An- drew’s frank, weatherfbeaten eoun- v.â€"â€"-_'. “Jean,” he shouted, hoarsely, “is it Jim you’re watching for ?" There was a strange wistfulness. almost an appeal. in the girl's voice as she replied so quietly that An- drew scarcely heard the_ words. vacantly before him- “Joan," he said, at last, “I know Jim's a good aort, md I promise you if he comes home we to-night Jill never bother you again as long if: I live." The tears in the girl's eyes were not all due to the wind and salt water as she replied in a. trembling voice : “Thank you. Andrew. You're e 1006 sort. too. md-andâ€"I'm was had set as .“At. least, you’ll let me watch with you toâ€"night till he comes ?" he asked, trying to speak- cheerfully. though his heart was aching._ __‘ “11 you wish, Andrew," she re- plied, and the two set silent. strain- ing their eyes to pierce the darkness which was every moment becoming deeper. - , A â€"A:‘:-~ For half an hour they sat waiting. and often the hardy fisherman wonâ€" dered ‘how-Jean could endure the wind and the icy spray which ever and anon dashed up. He dared not. however, raise his voice again to protest. ‘ - . “ . ‘ --â€" -‘A_A rOâ€"vâ€"v'wv As he glanced at the girl so close to his side he realized with pain how far she was removed from him. Though he had often been rebuffed he had never until toâ€"night. given up hoping that a love so strong as his would one day be re'wmded. As he looked back on the last few years of his life and remembered how he had always been toiling, toiling, with the single aim of earning enough to give Jean a comfortable home, he felt that there was now IIUHIC, “9 Jun v vvvvvvvvvvv v a. great blank which could never be fined up. At last their vigil was rewarded. Out- of the darkness there suddenly loomed the figure of the ship. On it came with the white foam washing over the deck. and at times hiding it almost from their View It was some minutes before Andrew recog- nized the outlines, and shouted to Jean : “It’s the Daredevil this time." Jean did not answer. Her heart was beating wildly now, and her temples throbbed with anxious ex- citement. As the boat drew near the two, reckless of the danger, rose up to their feet and despite the buffet- ing of the wind, stood watching its approach . ,1 __-J-J W‘â€" r‘ v ‘Vv--. “Jim's at the wheel," shouted Andrew a libtle later. {Jean nodded without speaking. Asthe Daredevil swept on it seem- ed evident that the steersman had her under wonderful control. Jim's quick eye darted from the harbor mouth to the waves at his Slde ; often a quick turn at the wheel to right or left evaded the onslaught of an angry breaker, and kept the boat directed towards the goal. Suddenly, when the boat was only about thirty yards from the harbor mouth, the two figures on the outer wall caught Jim’s eye. He looked at them keenly ; then started vio- lently as he recognized wno they were. For a moment the wheel slip- ped from his hand. and that mo- ment’s distraction spelt ruin. Ere he could recover the Daredevil had pitched, crashing into the harbor wall. "With a. horrified scream Jean rush- ed down the shom steps which __ led to the quay below, Andrew follow- ing'closc at. her heels. As they ran they saw Jim thrown forward by the shock. As he tried to regain his feet the boom swung round, and, striking him on the head, swept him over into the water. “0, Andrew, save him ! save him ! he’s drowning,” cried the girl, her eyes starting in terror and ”her face ashy pale. For a moment, Jlm’s head was vis- ible above .the troubled waters, then he sank beneath the foam. “Save him ! For God’s sake, save him i" cried Jenn again in agony, clutching at. Andrew’s arm. Andrew looked down at the seeth- ing cauldron beneath him and hesi- tated. Then, suddenly gripping Jean by both hands. he shouted in her car. “For your sake. Jenn !" and the next instant he had flung aside the sou’wester and leaned off the quay. As the girl watched she saw An- drew’s head rise again above the surface. He was swimming on his back, and held the unconscious Jim by the shoulders. It was soon evi- dent that the light was to be a hard one. Utterly worn out by twenty-four hours' constant work at sea, and weighed down by his sodden clothes, Andrew could hardly keep Jim's head and his own above water ; Jim, stunned by the blow from the boom, lay a helpless weight in his arms. Yet he struggled on ,desperatcly, and inch by inch won. this way to the quayside. Jean. seeing how matters stood, hastily climbed down the perpendicular lad- der to the water's edge. Andrew heard and redoubled his efforts. In a few minutes he had almost reached the ladder, but his strength was now exhausted. With a last violent. struggle he thrust J im’s body towards the girl. Leaning out as far as she could she caught Jim by the collar of his jersey. Then An- drew’s hold gave way, and with a choking gasp he sank beneath the water “Here, Andrew. here," she called in at high, clear voice. Every Sunday afternoon a young fisherman and his wife stroll arm in arm through the quiet streets of Portsoy. The villagers nudge one another and smile in a kindly fashion as they see them turn up the road to the cemetery which lies at the back of the town. The couple, on entering the cemetery, invariably pause before a certain grave. The girl (for she is little more) stoops to place a wreath of fresh flowers “Help ! Help ! Help !" shriekcd Jean, but the help came too late. She herself was powerless. With one hand she clung to the iron rung of the ladder ; with the other she held fast to Jim’s collar. When help ar- rived Jim was soon lifted up. Warm drinks and a. warm bcd brought him back to life again ; but it was not until the morning that Andrew's body was recovered. 6n 'tho mound. The fisher-man's eye is moist as he turns away, and. clasping the_ _ hung! ghjch. _lies on his Erin he? mutton halt to himself, hall to the girl _by_‘ hi; sidqâ€" "“i’fio'o; old 'Ahdrow, he was a. good cart, and it was for your sake, Jean that he died.” fie}; is 65'; bail-room, he continued. opening the door 01- the nursery. Earthquake waves from a recent. shock in Japan crossed the Pacific in 10 hem and 84 manta, an av- Cute velocity of 221 yard! a second. Oh yes, our home is complete in very respect. said Ir. Proudpa. ENGIRGLED THE EMPIRE. THE ROYAL PARTY HAVE m- VELLED 30,000 MILES. Six Months Have Elapsed Since' the Royal Party Left Ports- ‘ mouth, England. I Six months almost to a day passed when the Ophir cast her anchors in the harbor of Quebec- from that day in March, when she sailed from Portsmouth bearing with her the good wishes of millions of British subjects in her journey round the Empire. It has been a half year fil- led with unique experiences for all on board. Never before has the heir to a throne made a circuit of the globe without once leaving his own flag. Never before, even in the days of the great Empires of Rome and Greece, was a prince in a position to visit the ends of the earth and receive the homage and tokens of affection of millions of free subjects. All pre- pViOUS Royal prog esses sink into in- isignificance beside his journey of the ison of Britain's King, or, as Lord _Rosebery would put it, the son of jthe King of the Britons. It has been a. journey worthy of the great Queen, whose idea it was. Or- iginally planned by Queen Victoria as a mark of her approval of the Confederation of the Australian Col- onies, Her Majesty havmg commis- sioned her grandson to open the first Parliament of the Commonwealth in her name, it was but a step further when King Edward decided that the tour should be one of the whole Em- pire. Thus it has come that Can- adians participate in the testimony of that loyalty to the Sovereign which is the proud beast and privil- ege of ALL BRITISH SUBJECTS. It may not be inappropriate at this time to review the events that have transpired since the Duke and Duch~ 053 left “the tight little island" to visit the outlying portions of the Empire. Sailing from Portsmouth on March' 16, they passed down the British Channel and through the Bay of Bis- Cay to the Mediterranean. There, where Gibraltar guards the entrance to that historic sea, couched like a lion ever on the watch for its foes, they received the first welcome from one of the outposts of the Empire. Next came Malta, Britain's island fortress in the Mediterranean, and there they came in. touch with the first of those mixed populations which live in liberty under the Un- ion Jack. A few days later they were passing through the' Suez Canal which British diplomacy has made free to the world, and then on to Ad- en, the Empire’s outpost at the .mouth of the Red Sea. Ceylon, that island of renown. “where every prospect pleases and only man is vile," gave them a hearty welcome, the native races proving their fidelity to British con- nection in many tangible ways. At Singapore, their next stopping place, the Royal party had a glimpse of how the Chinese are converted into British citizens. And then they pas- scd on to Australia,‘ the obkctive point. of their tour. in the new Commonwealth of the‘ South has now passed into history.- The Duke and the Duchess everywhere received the most loyal of greetings,2 the boasted radicalism of the Aus- tralians seeming only to intensifyi their determination to honor the British Prince, who had come 12,000! miles to assist at the birth of their Confederation. The fact that the first session of the Commonwealth Parliament Was held in Melbourneâ€" pending the selection of a national capitalâ€"naturally made that marvel- lous city of the south the central point of the festivities. It is esti- .mated that close upon a million peo- ple gathered in the capital of the PState of Victoria to share in. the reâ€" ljoicing‘, representatives of all that is the best in Australia gathering in Melbourne. It is not necessary to go into the details of the days given up 1.0 rejoicings; that is now a. matter of history. Owing to the prevalence of the bore down plague in Sydney. N S W it was "9":make out cessary to change the progra111m8.9Noc conten and so their Roy al Ilighnesses travel- tive “38,101 led overland to Brisbane. the capital! semch H of Queensland. Their reception there the bottom was 111.11er by the change of plan. a! DRFDG section of the people 1ese11ting the J ' absence of the navy. The welcome even. in O! was, however, a thoroughly loyal 'l‘r1ton one sounding o Sydney, the “Queen of the South- ern Seas," made up for any short- coming in Brisbane's greetings, and despite the fact that. she held great festivities in January in honor of the birth of the Commonwealth, the capital of New South Wales again manifested how prone she is to en- thusiastic holiday making whenever the opportunity offers. NEW ZEALAND. 3 that land of contrasts and curiosi- ties, both in nature and in politics, added its weed of devotion to the heir apparent. The political evolu-: tion oi the islands of the Southern Seaâ€"startling though it has been to more conservative communitiesâ€"has apparently not lessened by one whit the loyalty of its, people to the Throne and Empire. That had been’ proven on the battlefields oi South} Airica, New Zealand having sent; more soldiers in proportion to popu-_ lation than any other portion oi the. King's dominions, and was empha- sized by the enthusiastic welcome' given to the iuture King and Queen‘ of Britain by the people oi Audi-g land, Wellington. Lyttleton and Dunedin. The demonstration oi loy- alty on the part oi the Maoris, the' natives oi the islands, was an espe; cially attractive ieature oi the visit. Tasmania, the island paradise, Cd": Even more trivial is the work en- ded its welcome when the Royal par- trusted to little gunboats and cruis- ty called at Hobart, and they again: ers of European fleets. Only a few went back to the mainland, visiting weeks ago the “Grenade, " a French in turn Adelaide, the capital of gunboat. was despatched to the lie- South Australia. and Freemantle and diterranean to kill as many por- Perth, in West Australia. After this poises as possible. It seems that farewells were said to the Australian: these creatures have increased oi continent and the 09111! started on late years to such an extent that the the third section oi her journey. luau oi the French fishermen are Mteravisittollwritius.thenritr being reduced to rm by these crea- ish outpost it the Indian Oessn. tuna, -‘ THEIR WELCOME 1 SOUTH AFRICA was still overshadowed by the cloud of war; yet both in Natal and in 'Capo Colony the welcome of their Royal Highnesses was of the most enthusiastic character. At Durban many of the colonists who had done such good service in the campaign in and around Ladysmith, received their rewards, while at Cape Town others of the soldiers of the first South Ai- rican Colony were given their med- als. Perhaps the most striking fea- ture of the Royal reception in South - Africa was the demonstration of loy- ' alty on the part of the blacks; Zulus and Basutos vieing with each other ,to do honor to the grandson of the great white Queen, whose rule had , brought them liberty and love:- where the population. largely 0! French descent. gave their Royal Highnesses a suitable welcome. the Ophir went on to Durban. and there the tour seemed to gather more sig- nificance even than in Australia. 'l‘he Ophir touched at St. Vincent for couling operations, and there said farewell to II.M.S. George and Juno which had escorted them all the way to Australia, and so far around the world. At. St. Vincent the Ophir re- ceived fresh consorts, II.M.S. Diadem and Niobe. After their trip across Canada irom Quebec to Victoria. and back again to Halifax, this truly Imperial tour will be closed by a call at St. John’s Newfoundland. Britain's most on- cient colony, and then for WITH BRITISH WARSHIPS Besides the regular cruising squad- rons of the navy which act as police 'to Britain's foreign possessions in all the oceans of the world, there are always nearly a dozen of H. M. fleet who never do any fighting at all. They carry drag-nets instead of quick-firers, and soundingâ€"lines and .‘thermometers instead of torpedoes. HOW THEY SPEND THEIR SPARE HALF-HOURS. Fight With a. Huge Sea. Elephant at Port Stanley, in the Falk- land Islands . His Majesty’s ship “Flora" an- chored at. Port Stanley, in the Falk- land Islands, one day last. summer. and her commander went. ashore in a boat. As the boat neared the rocks, a. piercing trumpeting was heard, and a huge black monster rose from the foam, dashed at the boat, and splintered it to fragments. Her crew managed to swim ashore. while the unknown beast vented its rage on the bout. The commander immediately or- ganized an expedition, armed with harpoons and 1ifles, to destioy this dange1ous creature. The boats sux- rounded it in a. semi-circle ; it. was harpooncd, and volleys of bullets drove it ashore. There it fought des- perately, and several men were bad- ly injuied by hagments of rock hurled about by the monstar in its death agony. The brute turned out to be a sea-elepha11t,of the hitherto unheard-of length of {city feet. A few weeks later the same vessel itook on board, at the request of the Royal Society. Dr. Fowler, who Iwished to make experiments on the depths at which certain forms of sea life existed. When they were at work 156 miles south-west of Uslmnt, a. Greek steamer have in Sight, and ‘bore down on them. apparently to ,mnke out what they were doing. rNot? content with this, the inquisi- ‘tive vesgel ran right into the “Re- gsearch," and very nearly sent her to .thc bottom. All sorts of curious rumors pour into the hydrogruphic department of .the Admiralty, and ships have to be ' sent to prove or disprove them. One such story was that the Maiden lRocks, near Lorne Harbor, on the [West Coast of Ireland, were so mag- 'netic that the compasses of ships passing near them could not be My ‘lie-t upon. This report was proved ,by the “Gladiator” to be false. 1‘. mungst other odds-and-ends. these vessels reported last. year no less than which were dangerous to navigation, charted 1,167 miles of coast-line, and sounded 10,733 square miles of ' The Italian bnrquc “Belfnnti. " :dlscovered last. year in mid-Atlantic was so water-logged that. it. had to be blown up. It Was most risky 'work landing on its half-submerged hull, over which big waves were H.M.S. “Research" is at work round British coasts, and whenever a new rock or shoal is reported by a merchant vessel, she proceeds to the spot, and sails up and down over it, towing a machine called a “sub- marine sentry," which gives instant warning when it tounhes ground. The “Research" Wasted two whole days last summer in a vain search (or a shoal reported at the entrance of the Channel. Home and Merrie England. DREDGING IS DANGEROUS, even in British waters. H.M.S. "Triton" was at work last year sounding on the East Coast, and the mud below Ipswich was so poisonous that. one of the officersâ€"Lieutenant. Waughâ€"died from its horrible efflu- via. Another long-lived lie concerned a dangerous rocky shoal said to exist in Belle Isle Strait, Newfoundland. It has figured on all charts of, the locality for no less than 140 years. Last year H.118. “Gulnare” dia- proved its existence. Other vessels are at work search- ing the oceans for derelicts, which form an even more terrible danger to shipping than do rocks or reefs. floating as they do in the very high- roads of traffic. When one is found it is always destroyed. 272 ROCKS AND SHOALS Cities are so usually born. not made. that the manufacture of a cap- ital .and seat of Government for the Commonwealth of Australia invite! attention. One of the three hitherto unknown placesâ€"Orange, Yass or Bombalaâ€"in New South Wales in to be turned into the Federal capital. On a site of 100 square miles a model city is to be built and this will. be the national centre of Aus- tralia. How many countries would change their capital- il they could start airesl: with a clear field and no lavor‘.‘ WORLD’S GAPITAL GITIES. To start. with. Manchester in the true geographical and social centre of England. It is central, which Lon- don is not. It. is likewise free from SOHE OF THE! SAID TO BE 1' THE WRONG PLACE. (car of invasion. while a sudden dash across the ninety miles from Franco would strike the Empire at. its hoary The position of Woolwieh. too, is terribly exposed. Manchester. on the other hand is nicely inland. yet with- in hail of Liverpool, while it has now its ship canal. It is the con:- verging point of the arterial railways and {or 85 you can go to any part oi the Kingdom. Emphatically. Lon- don should be at Manchester. Equally ill-placed is St. Peters- burg. It is at the "very edge and end of Russia. As {or the value of its position on the sea. the Neva is iron- en up six months out of the twelve. n “-A --- A.-- V. .It. was a vast. mistake of Peter (.113 Great. to transport his capital from Moscow to the northern mprqg: “0.: 'r â€"-vâ€" wâ€" vâ€" v --vm v' 'v wâ€"v' vâ€"vâ€" cow 1. central. and i the building at railways has in up some made. it “ "Vvvavâ€" more open to attack. The Russian lines are oi a difierent gauge to all others and so would be useless to an invader, while Russia would concen- trate troops upon them. The Musso- vite's dissatisfaction with St. Peters- burg is shown. by his constant glances at Constantinople. and his determination to establish his capi- Eel on {be sunny Bosphorus some day. Paris is almost an ideal capital. only the war with Germany showed its openness to ATTACK AND CAPTURE. Orleans would be better, being on a river like Paris. and rather more in- land and central. It» would be im- possible to suggest a better capital for Germany than Berlin. Neither could Vienna be improved upon (or situation. Rome, too. is good. Its weaknes- is detensive. 0! a: European capi- tals it has been most otten in the hands of an enemy. In its long his- tory Rome has been besieged and captured over thirty times. But for the matter of that, London and St. Pctersburg are the only two capital cities of Europe that have never been occupied by a, toreign toe. A n,__‘|_ bet. that. Cape Town will not be the capital. It is the John 0' Grout: of the land. Bloemfontein or Johnn- ncsburg. both central and handy to the rest oi the country. will be made the seat of Federal Government. v'fifh'é'x; 16¢: (Summo‘l‘lwealth of South Africa comes into being fit is gatedto 'v-v ‘ ln fixing up the United States, the Americans located the head of the Republic inland. and established Washington. There is a great deal to be said for having the capital away from the enthusiasms and wild fancies oi the mob 0! big cities. In France. for instance. Paris is so clamorous in a crisis that the Gov- ernment falls before the sober and solid rest of the country can get a word in. tre of- the British Empire. For her world-domain Alexandria or Cairo is the ideal capital. Situated between East and West. North and South; holding the key to the lock of Asia in the Suez canal; a glorious climate; the magnificent Mediterranean before and all Africa behind down to the Cape, which is the back-door to Asia. Alexandria is the natural capital 0! the world. G‘NXHRM. the old capital. which is within easy reach of Shanghai. A map of the World shows the awk- ward position (“Landau as file cen- ]! ever the Gulf Stream should chill or be diverted, converting Britain in- to an Arctic land. or her coal supply should' give out. Britonl might ac- cept the invitation that Disraeli put into the mouth .0! an Arab sheik. and. taking ship and treasure. trans- ‘Iu â€" --'v Calcutta. again, ls n painfully lob- slded centre of Indian life. The ‘10- gul Emperors arranged things better when they fixed their throne at Delhi. TUE EMPEROR OF CHINA realized the disadvantages of a capi- tal within touch 0! the sea. last year. So much so that he took himself and his court to Suchan in the middle of China, whither the allies dare not follow. It is said that the Power. contemplate requiring the removal of the Chinese Government (rom_ Pekin dom at. Alexandria port the ibolc'nmon bodily to es- tablish the capital of Angloâ€"Saxon- An old lady applied at. an employ- ment office {or a maid. I want a little girl between ten years and tourmen years of age who I. fond of mushroom. Fond oi mushrooms ? repeated the employment. agent. Thu. is some- thing I never inquired about of apâ€" plicants. I don't underctund. Well, I always require it, replied the old lady. I am very fond of mushroom: myself. and there are so many mistalies made. The ideq ”-vvv-Oâ€"vw wâ€". _ v , came to me several years ago, and it. was a dispensation of Providence that it. did, or I would have been killed. I have my maid eat. a por- tion of all mushrooms brought to the house before any are served to years d, of course, think. :inmmng the dances of oat-- (“Womanhulluweanfld heater, for Instance. 1 b0 the Cupital of Eng. A NEW QUALIFICATION.