THE HERALD OF PEACE. LONDON, 1ST AUGUST, 1889.

HE RECENT PEACE CON

GRESSES AT PARIS.

IT was, for

years,

the earnest

wish of the late Mr. Henry Richard, M.P., that a series of Peace Congresses, composed of the Parliamentary representatives of the principal nations of Christendom, should be held in some of the European capitals, in succession. With this view before him, he entered into a correspondence with certain influential members of the various European and American Legislatures, in order to elicit their opinions and counsel as to the best mode of procedure. He received encouragement from these, but was prevented by untoward political events from seeing his desires realised. But the efforts made by him, in this direction, have borne fruit since his decease, and through the energetic labours of Mr. Richard's honoured friend and colleague, M. Frederick Passy in France, of Mr. Cremer in England, and of other gentlemen on both sides of the Atlantic, a Parliamentary Peace Congress was successfully convened in Paris a month ago, immediately after the General Congress of the Friends of

Peace.

The number of Members of the several Legislatures who attended on the occasion exceeded one hundred, including about thirty from the English Parliament. Amongst these were some of the leading supporters of the Peace Society, such as Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Bart., Mr. Alfred Illingworth, Mr. Henry Fell Pease, and Mr. Henry J. Wilson. There were also present Mr. Philip Stanhope, Mr. Walter James, Mr. William R. Cremer, Mr. Thomas Burt, and others. Senator Jules Simon, M. Passy, and M. Galliard were prominent amongst the French members. The nations represented were Great Britain and Ireland, France, the United States (by Mr. Sherman and Mr. Whiting), Italy (by the Marquis Alfieri and others), Denmark (by M. Bajer), Spain (by M. de Marcoartu), Belgium (by M. Anspach).

A particularly interesting feature of this Congress was the presence of four Irish Members of Parliament. Hitherto, especially in America, Irish politicians have usually held themselves aloof from cooperation with peace and arbitration efforts. In the United States, indeed, some of them have actively opposed the movement and have organised obstruction to the efforts of those who, on both sides of the Atlantic, desire to see the bonds of amity between Great Britain and Ireland drawn closer and closer. Hence the presence of the Irish Members at the Paris Congress may be accepted as an indication that the Nationalist Party are beginning to appreciate the advantages of International Arbitration, and to recognise the sincerity and good motives of its advocates.

It could be desired, however, that the great German Empire had not been so conspicuously absent from the

Congress, so far as direct representation was concerned. It is a sadly ominous circumstance that hitherto the Germans have been so very timid in regard to any active participation in the Peace movement. If, occasionally, some English partisan of the cause succeeds in gathering a few hearers around him in Berlin, he finds that they are so much in dread of the all-pervading military authority that even their courteous reception of the visitor is expressed almost in whispers and as with "bated breath."

But the French are bolder, and they took a prominent position in the leadership of both of the recent Congresses. The three venerable pioneers of peace, M. Passy, M. Franck, and M. Lemonnier, showed to great advantage amongst their fellow-countrymen and their visitors.

America was but feebly represented in the Parlia mentary Congress, but at the General Congress, a few days previously, the Transatlantic delegates were amongst the most active and earnest participants in the proceedings. Mr. R. B. Howard, Mr. John B. Wood, and Miss Belva Lockwood expressed in the most emphatic manner their wishes for a still closer union between the United States, France, and Great Britain, to be secured by means of special Treaties of Arbitration.

This, indeed, it was the great object of both Congresses to promote and subserve. The resolutions adopted and the main outcome of the two gatherings tended to this chief practical end-the demand for Treaties with that definite object. The conditions under which an International Code and Court of Arbitration may be eventually established, presented problems too complex and vague to be successfully grappled with by large Congresses, at least in the But it was otherpresent stage of opinion on the subject. wise in reference to the Treaties. Here the matter under discussion is narrowed in, as to one practical point. And further, there is an increasing agreement of opinion in regard to it, amongst people and statesmen on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Paris Congresses have given a distinct impetus to this movement and object. And in so far as popular enthusiasm is a most material element for the success of

legislative measures, the interest awakened by the General Congress, in this matter, was perhaps as valuable a contribution to the desired end, as the deliberations of the Parliamentary Congress a few days later. In particular, Mr. Evans Darby, Mr. R. B. Howard, and M. Passy, as representing the three elder Peace Societies of Europe and America, were able to bring to the discussions the resources of information and counsel collected by those experienced organisations during a long term of years and by means of widely-extended correspondence and conference. And as to the element of enthusiasm, not the least contribution consisted in the fervour of the Italian representatives, who came fresh from the rigorous and hopeful Peace agitation which has lately been awakened in the cities of their own country.

Altogether, the recent Congresses were occasions of deep interest to those who were privileged to take part in them. They have cemented pleasant friendships and afresh stimulated many workers in the great work of International Peace and Arbitration.

MR. RICHARD GILL.

JUST as the HERALD is going to press, the sad intelligence is received of the death of Mr. Richard Gill, a member of the Executive Committee of the Peace Society. He was thrown out of a carriole, in Norway, and died almost immediately. He was a son of our esteemed friend, Mr. John Gill, of Penryn.

PEACE SOIRÉE IN LONDON.

ON Tuesday, July 9th, Mr. Walter Hazell, the Treasurer of the Peace Society, kindly threw open his residence, in Russell Square, for the reception of the American and other friends of Peace, who happened at that time tɔ be in London, and some of whom had just returned from the Paris Peace Congresses. The guests were entertained to tea and supper by Mr. and Mrs. Hazell, and spent a very pleasant evening. Amongst the company present were Mr. R. B. Howard, the Secretary of the American Peace Society, Rev. Edward C. Hood and Mrs. Hood, of Massachusetts, Mr. E. Gillman, of Boston, Mr. J. Carvell Williams (late M.P.), Mr. Wm. Evaus Darby (Secretary of the Peace Society), Rev. F. B. Meyer, Rev. J. P. Gledstone, Mrs. and Miss Gledstone, Mr. Hazell, jun., Miss Hazell, Miss Peckover, Miss Phillips (of Tottenham), Mrs. Lucas (sister of the late John Bright, M.P.), Mr. Alfred W. Bennett, M.A., and Mrs. Bennett, Mr. Frederick G. Cash, Mr. William Holmes, Mr. Felix Moscheles and Mrs. Moscheles, Mr. William Tallack (Secretary of the Howard Association), Mr. Howard Evans and Mrs. Evans, Mrs. Southey, Miss Peppercorn, Miss Braithwaite, Mr. George Gillett, Mr. Henry Catford, Mr. James Henderson, Mr. Gill, and others.

Several of the party, and in particular Mr. Hazell, Mr. R. B. Howard, Mr. W. E. Darby, Miss Peckover, and Mr. Howard Evans, made some interesting observations respecting the recent Congresses in Paris, and on the impressions which they had severally received on those occasions. The evening was, however, chiefly devoted to conversation, and was felt to be a very enjoyable réunion.

NICARAGUA AND ARBITRATION.

MESSRS. GIBSON BROTHERS, Washington, U.S.A., have issued three pamphlets, descriptive of the proceedings taken in connection with the dispute between the two Republics of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, which was referred for decision to the Arbitration of the late President of the United States, Mr. Grover Cleveland.

NEW PEACE PAMPHLETS.

COPIES of the interesting pamphlet of sixteen pages, entitled "Historical Outline of the Modern Peace Movement," recently prepared for the Paris Congresses, by Mr. Wm. Evans Darby, may be had on application to the Peace Society, 47, New Broad Street, London, E.C., at 3s. 6d. per 100.

No other account of the various English and Foreign Peace Associations has ever appeared in so briefly comprehensive a form. It is well adapted for general distribution.

A similar Paper, also by Mr. Darby, on "The Peace Party, its Principles and Objects," may be had at the Office, at 1s. 6d. per 100.

The French Editions of these two publications are already out of print.

TO AMERICAN READERS OF THE "HERALD." By an arrangement on the part of the American Peace Society, thepresent number of the HERALD is sent to many subscribers to the (Boston) Advocate of Peace. They will thus receive an early and full report of the Paris meetings, prepared jointly by the American and English secretaries. The next Advocate of Peace will be issued in September, on the return of its Editor from Europe.

24. Public lecture on " Arbitration" in Pitt Street Congregational Church. Sir Henry Parkes, G.C.M.G. (Premier of New South Wales), presiding. Influential and representative audience.

26. Large Conference, in Y.M.C.A. Hall, of Ministers of Religion and Ladies, on "Peace." Resolution passed that a motion in favour of Arbitration be brought before the Legislature under the charge of Alfred Allen, M.L.A., who was present.

28. Address to Christians in Wesleyan Church, William Street. The minister and others joined the L.P.A. May 1. Woollarah. Lecture on "Russo-Turkish War" in Congregational Church.

2. Address in Protestant Hall, to a large meeting of ladies, on "What Women can do to promote Peace."

5. Sunday morning. Peace address in Newtown Congregational Church.

Evening, ditto, in Dr. Steele's Presbyterian Church,
Phillip Street, City.

6. Second Public Lecture in Town Hall. The Hon. Bruce Smith, Minister of the Crown, in the chair. Crowded and deeply interested audience.

7.

8.

Addresses by Mrs. Jones and self, in Y.M.C.A. Hall. to Ladies' Committee of the L.P.A.

Sailed for Brisbane, Queensland.

Brisbane, Queensland.

14. Conference with about 50 Ministers and other gentlemen in "Courier Hall." A local P.A. started. Four Ministers and several others joined. 16. Addresses by Mrs. Jones and self to the Women's Christian Temperance Union in Temperance Hall. Twenty-four ladies joined L.P.A. The W.C.T.U. formed a 66 Peace" Department of their Union. 17. Lecture on "International Arbitration," to a large and appreciative audience, in " Courier Hall," Sir S. Griffith, G.C.M.G. (late Premier), presiding. 19. Crowded audience (960), in same Hall, on Sunday evening. Address on The Christian Aspects of the Peace Question."

66

20. Sailed from Brisbane for Hong Kong.

To the Editor of the Herald of Peace.

DEAR SIR, Herewith I send you the continuation of my labours in the Peace Cause in Australasia. The bare enumeration can convey no idea of the interest which has been aroused in the public mind, the Press throughout the Colonies having given the lectures a wide circulation.

On taking final leave of Australasia, perhaps the following reflections may not be inappropriate :—

1.-That, in connection with our visit, numbers of thinking persons have been led to reflect seriously on the incompatibility of War with the religion of Christ, many hundreds having joined Local Peace Associations.

2.-Yet larger numbers have accepted the principle of Arbitration as a substitute for War in adjusting International differences.

3.- Prospective gain to the cause has been effected by securing utterances, in favour of Arbitration from eminent public men, e.g., Sir Wm- Jervois, Sir George Grey, Sir Wm. Fox,

and others, in New Zealand; Sir R. Hamilton, P. O. Fysh (Premier), in Tasmania; Sir H. Parkes, Sir S. Griffith, Hon. B. Smith, and others, in Australia. The Press, in the main, also supporting the views.

4. That the favourable impressions produced have left an open door for future advocacy of Peace principles, and for the distribution of Peace literature. The movement now on foot, by English friends, to circulate "Dymond's Essay on War" throughout the Colonies, is opportune and full of promise.

My wife and self are now on our journey to Hong Kong. Should there be any opening for bringing the question of International Harmony and Concord before influential individuals in China or Japan, we shall gladly avail ourselves of such openings. Meanwhile I am, with sincere regard,

Yours truly,

WAR HORRORS.-JULY, 1889.

WM. JONES.

HORRIBLE, most horrible, is the picture that is painted for us by the telegram from Cairo on July 5th. Among the hills skirting the Nile below Wady Halfa is the broken remnant of a dervish force which, 3,500 strong, had hurled itself with unavailing valour upon our outposts. Five hundred of them had fallen in the fight, five hundred more were taken prisoners, the rest, raging with thirst, are penned up in the hills, under the blaze of an African sun. The river banks are patrolled by our infantry, while our cavalry and the camel corps watch their flanks. From time to time they make maddened plunges towards the water, only to be shot down and driven back to die, tortured to death by thirst. "Many of the dervishes are lying dead in the desert, having perished of thirst." Those that come in are nearly dead with exhaustion and thirst. What a grim picture of the realities of war is supplied by this brief telegram!

Like a Nubian lion wounded and dying, the desert dervishes at this moment lie perishing within the steel-girt fire-flaming cordon of our troops. One after another, unconquered even by the torturing thirst, falls, is probably falling at this moment, when these lines are being read. Far below in the valley winds the silver thread of life-giving water. Between it and the men who are dying for thirst, stand our troops as gaolers, "in excellent condition and good spirits," who inflict instant death upon all who approach the river. It is as if we were watching the dying agonies of a wild beast caught in a steel trap. Yet those who are dying there, beneath the pitiless tortures of thirst and the sun, are fellow-men, brave, devoted, and patriotic, filled with a passionate faith in their religion, and eager to lay down their lives in the defence of their country. It is war, men say lightly, and pass it by. It is this habit of ours which leads men, otherwise amiable and philanthropic, to see nothing objectionable in the truculent and__sanguinary ravings of "Transatlantic in the Irish World. Dynamitards mutter, all is fair in war, and it must be admitted that all the dynamite yet exploded in revolutionary warfare has produced less human agony than that which we are inflicting to day on the dervishes at Wady Halfa in the ordinary course of our defensive operations. Do not let us forget, moreover, that when we were the attacking party, Arabi refused to cut the Sweetwater Canal, which alone made Tel-el-Kebir possible, because it was contrary to true religion to deprive even an enemy of water.-Pall Mall Gazette.

AUSTRALIA.

AN Australian correspondent of the Daily News alludes to a growing Colonial desire for absolute independence. He adds: -Young Australia asks: "What want we of the cumbrous armour of Goliath round our free limbs? We have no quarrel with any State; and as for defence, we need no outside help to protect our hearths and homes. Any wilful aggressor must lay his account with a united people, and would have to get at those hearths and homes only over our prostrate corpses."

DR. THEODORE DWIGHT WOOLSEY. REV. THEODORE DWIGHT WOOLSEY, D.D., LL.D., the tenth President of Yale College and one of the most distinguished scholars and publicists to whom the United States has given birth, died on July 1st, at his home in New Haven, Conn., aged 88.

He was an instructor of the students of Yale for nearly fifty years, and for twenty-seven its President. On questions of International Law Dr. Woolsey was regarded as a publicist of weight and authority. His "Introduction to the Study of International Law" has taken its merited place as a thorough text book for schools and colleges.

President Woolsey was one of the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, and was afterward the Chairman of the American division of the Committee for the revision of the New Testament. He was a Vice-President of the American Peace Society and deeply interested in its work. One of the acts of his last weeks was the sending of a contribution to its treasury.

SIX MILES OF IRONCLADS.

AT the Naval Review at Spithead there are to be six miles of ironclads and cruisers, arranged in three lines, headed by the Anson (flagship), the Northumberland, and the Belleisle.

AFTER WATERLOO.

AT Genappe there was an effort to rally, to form in line, and make a stand. Lobau rallied three hundred men. They barricaded the entrance to the village, but at the first volley of Prussian grape all resumed their flight, and Lobau was taken prisoner. The Prussians rushed into Genappe, furious, no doubt, at having such little share in the victory. The pursuit was monstrous. Blucher ordered "No quarter!" Roguet had set this melancholy example by threatening with death any French grenadier who should bring him a Prussian prisoner. Blucher outdid Roguet. Duhesme, the general of the Young Guard, caught at the door of an inn at Genappe, gave up his sword to a hussar, who took the sword and killed the prisoner. Victory was consummated by assassinating the vanquished. The desperate rout passed through Genappe, through Quatre Bras, through Frasnes, through Gosselies, through Charleroi, through Thain, and only stopped on the frontier. Alas! who was now flying thus? The Grand Army. At nightfall, in a field by Genappe, Bernard and Bertrand seized by a flap of his great-coat and stopped a haggard, thoughtful, gloomy man, who, drawn thus far by the current of the rout, had dismounted, slipped his horses bridle under his arm, and, with vacant eye, was returning alone towards Waterloo. It was Napoleon, endeavouring once more to advance-mighty somnambulist of a shattered dream.-The World of Adventure.

DELAGOA BAY ARBITRATION.

THE English Government has proposed, and the Portuguese Government has accepted, a reference of a dispute about the Delagoa railway to Arbitration. Arbitration is a way out of what might have been a very awkward difficulty. Lord Salisbury has, however, declared very emphatically that he considers the action of Portugal to have been high-handed and unjust.

THE "SCOTTISH LEADER."

THE Scottish Leader, Edinburgh, recently published some able articles against the Naval Panic. In one of these the writer remarks of the panic mongers :

"They pile burdens which they do not bear, foundering the 'weary Titan' who besottedly lets them load and guide him. This much holds good even on the assumption that our panics and our expenditure arise out of honest, but mistaken, patriotism. But business men and working men cannot conceivably miss seeing, if they will but look, that this is not so. Our panics are promoted by classes who profit by them; our expenditure is always being swelled by men who live on it."

THE LONDON CONGREGATIONAL BOARD. Ar a recent meeting of this Board, the Rev. Percy Strutt in the chair, the following resolution was moved by the Rev. J. P. GLEDSTONE, seconded by W. EVANS DARBY, Esq., and unanimously adopted :

"That this Board deeply deplores the great extent to which militarism prevails in the kingdom, the suspicion and distrust with which the nations of Europe regard each other, and the oft-recurring wars waged by England upon feeble and uncivilised nations, and the enormous loss of blood and treasure inflicted upon the people for military objects. Believing that the Church of Christ has the power greatly to influence both rulers and nations to pursue a policy of peace, this Board ventures to express the earnest and prayerful wish that the Congregational Churches may strive more earnestly and more distinctly than ever, to induce them to abandon all measures and conduct calculated to provoke hostility, and, instead, to strive after the things which make for peace.

"It affirms its belief that a large reduction of our fighting forces and the establishment of International courts of Arbitration would be attended with the happiest results, and trusts that all followers of the Prince of Peace will use their utmost endeavours to bring these things to pass."

KILMARNOCK.

A PUBLIC meeting, in promotion of Peace and Arbitration, was lately held at Kilmarnock, Provost McLelland in the chair. Interesting addresses were delivered by the Rev. R. J. Drummond, Mr. Carnie, J.P., Mr. James Deans, and others.

ULVERSTONE.

RECENTLY Mr. Tom Kendall read a very instructive paper here on the "Consequences of War," which was well received. The expenditure, sacrifice of life, and the great sufferings and miseries, direct and indirect, consequent on war, were depicted. Messrs. Briggs, Falshaw, Crosthwaite, and Swainson spoke in terms of appreciation of the paper.

THE "FRIENDS" AND PEACE.

THE recent annual gathering of the Society of Friends (Quakers) of Great Britain, held in London, in May, adopted the following Declaration :

"The great subject of peace has been felt by us to be of supreme importance, the present military system forming a most fearful obstacle to the well-being of nations and the spread of the Gospel in the world.

"We would urge on our Friends to be faithful to the principle so long held by our Society-that war, in all its forms, and under all circumstances, is essentially opposed to the teaching of Christ. No less unchristian, as we have been reminded, are the enormous preparations which are made in contemplation of War, and which so greatly increase the probability of its occurrence. In view of these considerations,

we are rejoiced to hear of the efforts which are being made to promote united action amongst Christians of various denominations in favour of a simultaneous disarmament by the nations of Europe. The recent Conference for this purpose, held at the residence of Canon Westcott, was an important movement in this direction. We are thankful to know that so large a number of copies of Jonathan Dymond's Essay on War' has been circulated amongst influential persons connected with other Christian bodies.

"This meeting trusts that our Friends in their various localities will renew their efforts in the holy cause of Peace on earth and goodwill toward men; and especially that they will use their influence with the members of other Christian Churches by conversation and otherwise in favour of it, endeavouring to lay before them the fundamental principle on which our views rest, and inviting them to join in active efforts in opposition to the War system and spirit. May our Friends also be found much in prayer for the coming of the day when nation shall not lift up sword against nation, and when they shall learn war no more."

WOMEN AND PEACE.

ONE of the most important subsections of the Paris “Congrès International des Euvres et Institutions Féminins" deals with the question of Arbitration and Peace, and Madame de Morsier has just addressed an interesting letter to "Le Désarmament," showing why the matter is one in which her sex should be particularly concerned. It is only, she argues, under pacific conditions that ideas and organisations of value to the progress of humanity can possibly develop themselves, and only under these can woman contribute to the general welfare. The aim of the Congress is to show the vast influence possessed, and wrought by women, whether in philanthropy, education, art, or letters. These forces are in themselves pacific, and as they are fostered so must the cause of humanitarianism spread. women," she says, "appeal to their several Governments, no longer to send men into the fields of bloodshed, and then, when our help is wanted in the name of peace and progress upon the fields of social energy, shall we not be ready to give it?”— Echo.

NEWFOUNDLAND AND ARBITRATION.

Let

SIR G. CAMPBELL, in Parliament, on July 15th, asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if there was still outstanding an old chronic quarrel with the French about rights on the coast of Newfoundland; and whether, looking to the character of the case, her Majesty's Government had proposed to refer the whole matter to Arbitration; or, if not, whether they would now do so.

Sir J. FERGUSSON.-The dispute in question relates to the interpretation to be placed on Article 13 of the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713, and on the arrangements made at Versailles in 1783. A summary of it is given in Lord Derby's despatch of June 12th, 1884, to the Governor of Newfoundland, which was laid before Parliament in January, 1886, together with an arrangement signed at Paris, in April of that year, for the settlement of the several points at issue. That arrangement has unfortunately not taken effect, as the Legislature of Newfoundland refused their consent to it, and questions continue to arise from time to time as to the interpretation of the Treaties. Whether those questions, or any portion of them, can with advantage be referred to Arbitration, is a matter which requires careful consideration, and on which Her Majesty's Government cannot undertake at present to express an opinion. As I have before said, difficulties arising out of the respective claims of the two countries have hitherto been prevented from becoming acute, by the conciliatory action of the Governments and of their officers.

Sir G. CAMPBELL asked whether, in view of the fact that the Government had been considering this question for a century and a half (laughter), the right hon. gentleman could throw out any hope that a conclusion would be arrived at, to settle the matter by arbitration.

Sir J. FERGUSSON.-That shows the advantage of not being in a hurry, as no serious trouble has yet occurred.

HOW FRENCH SOLDIERS ARE PUNISHED.

IN this year of the Exhibition, it may interest our readers to know the punishments inflicted for insubordination in the French Army.

As everyone knows, the French soldier has no choice in the matter; he is bound to serve his time whether he likes it or not, and consequently the ranks are filled with a very mixed lot-townsmen, countrymen, the well-to-do, and the abjectly poor. Many of the recruits have not the slightest taste for soldiering, and these have a miserable time of it, and suffer a martyrdom if they offend the non-commissioned officer set over them.

When a man gets into trouble over some minor offence, he is told off to clean up the barracks and the court-yards three times a day; immediately the men are turned out in the morning, and after the morning and evening rations of soup. In addition to this he is frequently forbidden to leave the barracks after supper. Next in degree comes the guard-room. Not only has

the soldier to do "Mary Ann" as before, but he also has to sleep on the boards in the guard-room, with nothing but a blanket and a rug. The fourth punishment for minor offences consists of imprisonment. The man is confined to prison day and night, only being allowed out to go through a series of most difficult and fatiguing exercises for three hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon. As before, he has to sleep on the boards, but this time with only one blanket. Lastly come the cells, in which the soldier suffers solitary imprisonment day and night for the whole of his term. He is hardly allowed out of his cell at all, and is only given one small meal of meat each day. He has to get what sleep he can, with the aid of one diminutive rug.

These comprise the minor, or, as the French call them, the "barrack" punishments. For old and hardened offenders a much more severe course is adopted. They are dismissed from their regiments and sent to one of the Disciplinary Corps in Algeria, or are attached to one of the regiments serving in Algeria, according to the nature of the offence. When a man has been condemned by a court-martial he is sent to work out his sentence in one of the military prisons. Here he has a very heavy task set him every day, and on the due completion of his work depends his obtaining his meal of soup at night. If his work remains unfinished he has to sup on bread and water. Twice a week, if his conduct is satisfactory, he gets a ration of meat.

Occasionally it happens that a refractory prisoner absolutely refuses to do any work, but instead of merely putting him upon bread and water and waiting until such time as it may please him to do his work, the French have adopted a very ingenious plan for insuring that the prisoner does a certain amount of hard labour. The recalcitrant is sent to one of the Forts Barreaux, where he is placed in a cell into which a stream of water is always running. The place, in fact, is something like a well, furnished with a pump, which affords the only means of keeping the water down. The refractory prisoner is placed in one of these cells, and unless he sets to work at once, the water rises higher and higher, until he has no choice but to work the pump or drown. In this way he has to spend the number of days inflicted on him, wet through, and pumping away for dear life. If he pauses to rest his arms, the pitiless water at once begins to gain on him, and he has to redouble his efforts to keep the water below the level of his chin. As many as ninety days of this horrible punishment can be inflicted.

When a soldier has been condemned, by a court-martial, to more than two years' imprisonment he is confined in one of the special military prisons, such as Clairvaux. In Africa, all the convict prisons are under the management of the military authorities, for though Algeria is euphemistically known as a colony, it is in reality quite as much a military settlement as Gibraltar.

Of course, in an army raised by Conscription, dismissal with disgrace from the ranks would have small terror for the unwilling recruit who has been torn from his fields to follow the drum, and who has frequently been known to sacrifice a finger in the hope of avoiding the dreaded service. Therefore it is that punishments are more severe, and that mutiny and insubordination are made exceedingly uncomfortable to the hard bargains of the Third Republic.-Tit-Bits.

BRITISH LOCAL DEBTS.

WHILE Successive Chancellors of the Exchequer have succeeded in reducing our national indebtedness, our municipal governors have been piling up a vast debt. The latest statistics published by the Government in reference to local authorities relate to the year 1887, and from these it appears that the amount of local indebtedness has reached close upon £200,000,000. The following passages show how serious this burden is becoming, absolutely and relatively :

A comparison of the financial condition of the country in the years 1875, 1881, and 1886, so far as it appertains to local debt, brings out these results: the debt per head in 1875 was £3 18s. 3d.; in 1881, £5 12s. 2d; and in 1886, £6 10s 3d. This

shows an increase of debt per head in 1881 over 1875, of 43 per cent.; in 1886 over 1875, of 66 per cent.; and in 1886 over 1881, of 16 per cent.

The local debt is increasing at a greater ratio than the increase of population, but the rateable value of property, which is the ultimate security for this debt, in the five years 1882 to 1886, has considerably diminished. This, no doubt, is due principally to the reduction in the letting value of agricultural land, but there are not wanting signs to show that property, even in towns, is diminishing in value. But whatever may be the various causes which have contributed to this end, the fact is significant, and its significance must not be ignored by those who are entrusted with the power of controlling this section of the financial burdens of the country.

MR. EDMUND STURGE.

THIS valued friend of the Peace cause, in conjunction with some of his friends at Charlbury, Oxfordshire, recently addressed the following letter to his Parliamentary representative. We hope many of our readers throughout the kingdom will follow this good example.

"TO SIR BERNARD SAMUELSON, BART., M.P. "SIR,-The undersigned, who are your constituents in the North Division of the county of Oxford, having reason to believe that Her Majesty's Government are about to sanction a large addition to the naval and military expenditure, would respectfully ask you to withhold your support from such

measure.

They cannot but view it as one committing England to the same insine rivalry in their stupendous preparations for war which are now exhausting the life of the great Continental nations by an oppressive and crushing taxation, while at the same time they operate as provocation to war.

"The great increase in the Local and Municipal Taxation in England which is now taking place (more than trebled in this parish, during the past five years) is becomes pecially oppressive, amid the depression prevailing in these agricultural districts.

"We would, therefore, ask you to urge upon Her Majesty's Government, and to support these views in Parliament, that by a conciliatory policy abroad, and by the avoidance of entangling engagements with other Powers, they will render such expenditure needless, and will the better secure the honour and the interests of the British nation. "Charlbury, 1889."

NEW FRENCH PEACE JOURNAL.

A NEW journal has just been started in France, with a view to combating the Militarism of the Continent. It is called Le Désarmement, and is edited by the Abbé Paris.

THE NATIONAL DEBT, 1889.

STEADY progress is being made in the reduction of the National Debt. It is now lower than in any year since 1811, when the charge was nearly the same as it now. The burden upon the country must have been at that date tremendous. After the battle of Waterloo, in 1815, the debt had risen to more than £900,000,000, and the annual charge to £32,645,000. As the population of the United Kingdom was only a little over nineteen millions, the amount of the debt per head was £47, and the annual charge was nearly 34s. per head. The following shows the position of the debt (funded and unfunded) for the five years ending March 31, 1888:

1884 ... 1885

...

1886 1887 1888

£746,423,964

The great decrease in the debt in 1887-88 is mainly due to the transference of the Local Loans Stock, amounting to £26,558,959, which really formed no part of the National Debt,