The Oregon scout., July 04, 1885, Image 3

EXII.KS IX SI11EMA.
Their Treatment Said to be Liberal and Hn
inane How They nre Transported.
Tho generally received notions about
the condition of political exiles in Si
beria aro wholly erroneous, if tho
statements of Mr. Enoch Emory are
true. This gentleman is a Russian
ized American who has lived for a
long time at tho moittn of the Amoor
river.
"Don't you find tho vast number of
convicts sent to Siberia a great curse
to its advancement?" ho was recently
asked by a reporter for The San Frail
:itco Chronicle.
'Well, I'll tell you; that is a good
deal like tho wolf 'yarns.' Tho fact
is, that these convicts have really
built up our country, and instead (if
being a curie wo' gladly welcome
mum. iiu-ii iiijui ivius uiuiieiliu iSQ
mucu hko mo oniony ami brutality
with which they aro alleged to bo
treated, both equally absurd a:id sen
sational. The tact is, that with a very
few exceptions, in the oasu of hard
ened and hopeless criminals, no penal
institutions in existence compare with
those in Siberia for liberal and hu
mane treatment, and even tho boasted
model prisons of England and Amer
ica aro cruel and barbarous com
pared to the comfort and easo that
awaits tho exilo iu tho frigid regions
of Siberia. You know there aro two
classes of exiles tho.su who lose their
entire political rights and those who
aro only partialh deprived of their
privileges. Tho latter, after a short
term of confinement, aro usually al
lowed to have their own homes and to
engage in business lor themselves,
subject only to ollicial surveillance,
and generally become happy and fre
quently prosperous. This is almost
always the ease with political exiles.
Take Poles for instance they were
the real cause of tho growth and pros
perity of Irkutsk. When they were
banished in 1S4G they were sent to
that place, but by the leniency of their
treatment they soon beeamo satisfied
and gradually introduced manufac
turing industries and other mercan
tile pursuits, until from a straggling
frontier post Irkutsk became the chief
city and capital of Siberia, with a pop
ulation of nearlv 50,000. In 1874,
when tho l'oies wore pardoned, com
parative few returned home and
many of those camo back after a short
'stay and have since remained in their
tormerly-cniorced home, wliero they
could "do better than in Po
land. Thus it is with other pris
oners, and Siberia to-day has a better,
brighter, and mure civilized class of
residents and liner-looking villages
than the townsof European Russia, tor
in most cases their residents aro made
up ot tho most Intelligent classes,
whose superior minds have revolted at
tho severity of the national govern
ment and from this cause have been
led into political troubles, from which
their duller, plodding brethren have
escaped. And as to that class who aro
kept in close confinement, they have
nothing to do but to "oat, drink and
bo merry," for tho government can
not begiito find wor: for thorn all,
anil so in many cases tho more ener
getic among them actually beg for
some work to keep them occupied."
"How many oll'enders aro auuually
banished to that country?"
-'Well, of course that is a little diffi
cult to tell, though as 1 have been per
mitted very extraordinary liberty in
various prisons and penal institutions,
1 can form a prettv accurate opinion.
1 should say that "probably 20.000 a
year aro transported across tho moun
tains, perhaps one-fourth of this num
ber being women some of these aro
under sentence themselves, or follow
of these exiles return home after their
term of their husbands into exile. Of
course, many banishment lias expired,
so that 1 should judgo as many as
3,000 every year turn their faces to
ward thcoWestern ocean, and it would
bring tears to tho llintiesi hearts to see
their happiness and uncontrollable joy
at being permitted to once more con
sider themselves free. As a rule,
however, those are young people
who have left their sweethearts
or lovers behind and, expect to find
them witli open arms and hearts as
warm as when tho march commenced
to their far-away ieo prisons. Tho
convicts are transported" very comfort
ably.in these das, the old foot marclis
which gives rise to all these stories of
terrible privation and barbarous treat
ment having been entirely discontin
ued, except on the fartherest confines
of eastern Siberia, where there is no
other way to travel, as there arc not
oven wagon roads tliero. At present
those sentenced to banishment aro sent
from various portions of the empire to
a great central pr.son at Moscow, from
which thoy are sent in bands of sever
al hundred at a time by railroad to
Kin Novgord. At this placo they aro
placed on largo barges and towed over
to Perm, whero they aro again trans
ferred to tho cars and sent to Ekater
ineburg, tho terminus of tho railway.
At this point they aro divided up into
smaller bauds and put into wagons
and aro thus carried to Fuisnen, tho
great distributing prison for all Sibe
ria. From tho start, however, thev
aro provided witii warm clothin" and
bedding and good, wliolosoinon food.
so that any physical sulloring is usu
ally tho result of tho prisoner's own
carelessness."
Daniel Webster's Fees.
In view oi tho protracted trial in our
Superior Court last week it is of inter
est to note tho fees which Daniel Webs
ter recieved for his 6orvlces. For
many years ho kept a regular account
of 1ns professional receipts, and for two
of those years tho accounts havo been
published. In tho first of the two,
when ho was about 37 years of ugo, his
receipts, omiting "several smal af
fairs," amounted to $15,181. The
number of items, mostly against dif.
ferent clients, was 129. Tho largest
ciiargo was $2,000. There wore 24
retainers In the years, amounting in
the aggregate to $1,810. Tho largest
was u "retainer in patent cases" of
S15u; but most of the relalners wero
of $100aud $50. The second published
Accounts covered the years 1832-3
when Webster was 50 years old. The
amount of receipts for this year was
$8,212, but out of this is to bo deducted
$992 as "Congressional pay." This
loaves for his professional receipts $7,-
L'L'U. I lie largest loo mis year was
$500. There were only 41 items, and
of these 115 were retainers, amounting
to $2,330. Ono of them was 100 for
"l)r Nott s patent causes." "A very
poor cnrs worK, says cosier,
"Nullification kept nie out of the
Supreme Court all tho last winter."
Worcester (Mass ) Spy.
A Touching Scene.
"Tliero was a pathetic seeno on
train on the western division of tho
Erie, Wednesday, said a conductor
on that train to a bun reporter. "A
woman boarded tho train at Orlean.
She carried in her arms a babv but
few weeks old. It was very cross and
peevish and defied all its nurso's ef
forts to keep it quiet. Its cries were
at times so loud and piercing (hat tho
other passengers could not hide their
annoyance, and after a while audible
expressions of their feelings camo front
all parts of the car. The woman was
patient under the double trial of the
child's troublesoineuess and tho evi
dent knowledge ot the annoyance it
was to her fellow passengers. Sho
talked soothingly to thii-yhild, placed it
iu rll positions, and tried so to arrange
its wrappings as to, in u measure
deaden the sound of its cries. Finally
some ono in tho car, whoso patience
nr.u got tno ueucr oi ins sympathy,
shouted out: 'If that child can't bo
quiet, I hope it may bo removed from
the car at the next station.'
"This unfeeling icinark seemed to
meet with general approval, and the
poor woman's eves filled with tears,
and in attempting to speak, her feel
ings overcame her, and sho pressed
ttio baby to ner and souueu violently
&no soon rccovoreu nerseit' anil re
doubled her efforts to keep tho child
quiet. For a short time she succeeded
somewhat, but presently the cries of
tho baby were as loud and prolonged
as ever. At last a man arose and said
sharply :
".Madame, it would seem to mo that
the mother of an infant should know
how to take at least half care of it.'
The train had now stopped at Sala
manea. At tho remark of tho second
speaker the woman arose iu her seat,
and, facing tho car full of passengers,
said, in a voico trembling: '1 am not
mis poor tiling s niotiier. l never saw
it before yesterday, ami 1 Uclfbvo it
nasn t a living relative, its lamer was
killed on a railroad a week boforo it
was born. Its mother, living in a dis
tant place, hurried to tho scene of her
husband s death, llio child was born
among strangers, and day boforo yes
terday tho mother died, "leaving her
little one witli no one to care for it. I
lived in tho house wliero the mother
died, and volunteered to do what I
could for the poor little thirjg, and to
go with the dyad woman's remains to
lier native place, iter body is on this
train. 1 am sorry the child is so trou
blesome, but isn't it entitled to sumo
little sympathy?'
"The ell'ect of tho woman's words
may bo imagined. There wore few
dry eyes in tho car when sho dropped,
sobbing, into her soat. All selfishness
was lost iu sympathetic thoughts of
the desolate little wamleier, and a
scoro of hands' that a moment beforo
wore almost willing to rise in chastise
ment of tho babe, were now anxious
to extend aid to it and its seif-suorilie-ing
guardian. It was a touch of na
ture that makes tho whole world kin."
Xciv York Sun.
Slid Case.
Tliicquewitto met Funnywag tho
other day and inquired for news of
their mutual friend, lleavythouglit.
"All, poor follow, poor fellow,"
answered runny, "l lear we II never
seo him again.
"What! Is ho dead?" exclamed
Tliicquewitto.
"Not exactly dead, hut 1 wouldn't
want to bo in his place."
"Why, what's tho trouble?"
"Well you see, lloavythought is an
enthusiastic student of biology. Lately
he has been investigating tho subject
of sponges. He was very much ab
sorbed in tho subject; so much, in fact,
that he lost a hundred and live pounds
m two weeks. Yesterday morning ho
seemed mora than usually abstracted,
and immediately after breakfast ou
tored his laboratory. Half an hour
afterward, when Airs. lleavythouglit
looked for him there, ho was hot to bo
seen. A close search failed to discover
his whereabouts. T.iO detectives
wero ballled. It Is now supposed,
however, that in tho excitement of his
investigation ho lost his presence of
mind and was entirely absorbed in
tho subject; and, considering its na
ture, 1 think this is not unlikely to bo
the case."
"Y-e-s."
"Yes; and a couple of biologists
from Johns Hopkins University, be
sides the scientists of our own colleges
and the Smithsonian Institution, havo
thus far failed to squeeze him out.,'
"Well, well!"
"At last accounts a materializing
medium had been sent for, and it is
hoped that for onco in his life ho will
niako hiinsolf useful as well ns orna
mental by disabsorbing our biological
friend. I guess lleavythouglit knows
more about sponges now than ho did.
Well, good-dny, old fellow; I'll see
you lator."
And Funnywag hurried up tho Av
enue like one who shivers in the cold,
cold shailows of a big bad club,
Washington Hatchet.
Tho Party,
atvended a swell
"I
party
last
his
night,
says Dr.
Funnytonic to
friend Stead rimy.
"I didn't know you wero a society
man," answered Stoadyboy.
"Well, as a general thing, I am not.
But, you seo, tho party I attended had
the mumps, and I couldn't well re
fuse. It was a very swell affair, I as
sure you."
When Dr. Funnytonic crawls from
beneath the wreck of matter and crash
of worlds which ensues ho goes away
muttering. "Well, all's swell that
ends swell."
Hut it is to bo observed that he does
not speak up big and strong any moro,
and that he furtively scaus tho laud
scape its one who lives in momentary
expectation of tho downward on
gulohing r ,dop of some bold, black
shadow oi impending doom. Wash
ington UatcIuX.
COAST DKFKXSK-
The llelples? Condition of American Harbors
A Plea for the Use of lorpedo-Ilo.its.
Tho old world nations are restless;
their people many and poor. England
has her hands about full, but Germany
and France aro spoiling for fight.
Hardly daring to tackle each other, a
war of some sort would naturally as
sist either of them in reducing herpop
illation, while, as it has become tho
correct thing for tho vanquished to
pay tho victors for tho thrashing re
ceived, a war of tribute is not among
tho impossibilities. For such a war
any pretext suffices. This may seem
absurd under present conditions, but
it is by no means improbable. The
question of the Panama canal is going
to make a world of trouble one of these
davs, and as at present fitted tho
United States must either keep still or
be thrashed. An extended inquiry
among naval men reveals the fact that
one and all regard the final settle
ment of this question with tliogrcatcst
concern. They feel that tho country
must arm itself, not for tho sake of
lighting, but for tho sake of avoiding
it.
Nor is it alone from tho groat pow
ers that trouble can bo expected. Tho
veriest one-horso South American re
public can make life a burden for the
residents along tho western coast if it
owns a decent boat. How long would
Sail- Francisco stand against some
switt-inoving, hard-striking Huarear
or Esmeralda, lighting upon the city
beforo it knew what had come to hand ?
It is the custom in war to tako from
tho weaker all tho portable articles of
value, ami is not tho ransom of such a
city worthy of tho guarding? Think
of New York and Brooklyn u tutor tho
guns of some foreign licet, the com
mander of which was bent upon tho
creation of an emergency fund for his
country's benefit! What a collection
wfibld have to bo taken up; and who
would be tho givers? Boston, Phila
delphia, Baltimore, and in fact every
city and town from Eastport to the
Rio Grande and from tho Gulf of Cali
fornia to Vancouver's island, aro
equally, if not more imperiled.
"But," says tho uninformed, "wo
have forts. I've seen thoni myself,"
Yes, forts there are, and forts upon
which nothing has been done since tho
Sour long since when they wero called
complete. Tho piles of earth and
stone lining the approaeli of New York
harbor look imposing and ftro nico
places whereat to spend a holiday.
Tho grass is smooth' and green and
tho band plays finely. Plenty of can
non lie about, somo of them largo
enough to hide in; tho only trouble is
that they can't shoot far enough.
Truo when they first wont on guard
tho world had few like them, but that
was long ago and they aro now al
most antiquated enough so, at least,
to fail against those likely to bo sent
against them. If tho enemy's ships
would only como within range it
would bo all right, but not accommo
dating, and, relying upon an ability to
shoot two miles further, would aristo
cratically stay out of range and pul
verize the opposition. I horotoro it is
needful that tho forts along both coast
lines be supplied with oantiou equal to
any yet made, ami that those be pro
tected beyond tho power of penetra
tion yet possessed by any gun, that
tho harbors may bo made inaccessible
from witliout.
All this is good, and calls for care
ful consideration. Tho needs of tho
country, however, aro immediate.
Three years' time will hardly suffice i
to properly arm Now York harbor with
llio world's resources at hand. A good
deal can happen in three years. Ileneo
tho burden of actual present defense
rests wholly upon tho navy, and
navy there is none. In the
event of any misunderstanding
with somo foreign nation, about
all tho officers and men could do
would bo to go out iu tho poor old
ships to do and dio, especially die.
Tho wooden vessels would stnnd about
as much of an assault as do the paper
ports of China. Thirteen monitors are
in fair condition and near at hand,
but their guns could hardly indent tiio
armor of their opponents, wlnlo tho
armament of the latter could make
scrap-iron of tho monitor in short or
der, and then attend solely to bom
bardment.
s stated, tho master of the iron
clad is at hand waiting call, and it is
to tho torpedo that those interested in
immediate coast defense look for aid.
Tho torpedo and tho torpedo-boat
fill all that is lacking for present
needs. Tho massive forts and swift
cruisers, with hotter guns than armor,
iro of tho things to come: but tho
country must havo torpedo-boats now.
Hy torpedo-boats aro meant powerful
little steamers, too small to oiler a tar
get to tho enemies marksmen and
heavily enough armored to resist at
tack. Thoy should be swift and sure.
that no steaming about can shako
them oil, that when once started to
end a war-ship's career their own con
struction ma' oiler no impediments for
the purpose. How can these bo fur
nished? Simply enough. Lot tho gov
ernment go abroad and buy tho best
made by foreign linkers. "Why not
mako them hero? None of our thip-
builders know how. They might suc
ceed iu making hull, and armor, but
fail on tho engines a very important
feature. Tho ship-builders of the
Clyde and their cngine-makors know
just what to do. Hero it is about all
experiment. An engine-builder hero
sets up his machine as u general thing
In ignoranco of its power, does not
know until after trial, and not always
then. Tho Dolphin may not bo a fair
sample, but she is all we have. Thus
proper vessels can bo ootistruotod but
slowly, and expensively at that. Tho
country can hardly allord to run tho
risk of waiting until some of the back
ward American shipwrights finish ex
periments at the people's oxpeuse. A
lleet of torpedo boats could bo had for
tho prico of a single great ironclad.
Stationed along both linos of coast,
In innortaut harbors, thuso could
j readily repel any expedition brought
against them, and all risk cf cities bo
ing destroyed or laid under tribute
ended at once. So there should be no
more waiting. Admitting that de
fenses could be improved in tho event
of sudden attack, though this is about
impossible, prevention is always bettor
than cure. By grudual preparation
tho government would be enablod to
secure its armament at the lowest pos
siblo cost, whereas a sudden demand
brings up prices to tho topmost notch.
In tho matter of case torpedoes, lo bo
buried in harbor channels, (Jen. Now
ton, chief of engineers, lias every point
mapped out and ovory mino located;
only the torpedoes are lacking. The
mines must bo inclosed in eoppo;
cases, costly and of slow procurement
while one company controls all tho
copper output of the land. Had the
chief engineer power to buy gradually
on tho market, a great saving would
bo effected and all risks obviated.
The moral ell'ect of torpedo and
torpedo boats can hardly be overesti
mated. They are disagreeable things
to contend with. Hacked by electric
ty in its manifold applications nothing
can be more formidable. No country
cares to have its ships destroyed and its
sailors massacred wholesale. 1 hero
fore, as tho foreign polieyUPthis coun
try contains little ot aggression, wero
its ports guarded as above it 'ould
stand no possible peril,
To show how deeply tho great pow
ers appreciated tho need of torpedo
boats it may bo stated that England
has built 22 first class and 07 second
class, and is building I first class and
C second class, a total of 1211 France
owns 13 first class and 33 second class,
and is building 3 first cliusand 7 second
class, a total of 70. Germany has built
35, is building 70 more of tho powerful
little steamers, expending in so doing
$l,0u0,()i)0 or ono-tliird of hor annual
naval appropriation, on tlioir construc
tion and equipment, and contemplates
a further lleet of 45 when these aro
ready. hen all aro in tho water
Germany will lead tho world. Russia
lias 1 first class and 117 second-class,
and is building 4 first elsss, a total of
125. Italy possesses 18 first-class, 21
second-class, and i building 14. a
total of 53. Of tho minor powers Hol
land owns 21; Norway and Sweden 15,
Austria 14, and Denmark 9. Tho
United States lias none, unless the
Alarm mayo so counted.
A first class boat of the pattern al
luded to is about 100 foot long, draw
ing from 1J to G feet of water and
capable of steaming 1G knots per
hour when at soa. and of keeping it
up for at least 150 miles, with an
ability to carry enough coal for a
cruise of 1,000 miles. Tier armament,
besides. torpedoes, consists ot a brace
of revolving cannon. Tha quick and
terrible work of these little crafts was
evinced on tho Danube during tho
Turco-Russian war, wlion tho Russians
demolished many vessels, ami later,
during tho present Franco-Chinese
troubles, when several Chinese iron
clads of tho first class wero blown to
atoms, together witli their crows, and
witliout harm to tho destroyer.
ltvooklyn Eagle.
British Battles in Eleven Yenra.
Tho following is a list of British
battles, with the losses thoroat, fought
in the last eleven years, from Anioaful
to the light at Baker's zoreba: At
Anioaful, wliero Sir Gamut Wolseloy
routed tho Ashanteos, our loss was 7
killod and 300 wounded. At Pol war
Ivotal (Afghan war' Gon. Roberts),
our loss was 2 officers and 10 men kill
ed and 2 officers and 71 men wounded.
At Isandlana (Zulu, Col. Durnford),
all our moil wore killed 23 officers,
500 men, and 1,000 natives. At Rorko's
Drift wo lost 17 killed and 10 wound
ed. At Slobano mountain, South
Africa, wo lost 1 1 ollicers and 80 men
killed and wounded. At Ekowo our
loss was trilling, their being scarcely
more than 41 killed and wounded. At
Uluudi we lost 101 killed and wounded.
At Charasiab, iu the second Afghan
war, Gen. Roberts, marching to Cabul.
lost in action 21 killed and 57 wounded.
At Cabul, whero tho lighting continued
throo or four davs and Roberts re
treated to tho Sherpur cantonments,
wo lost 72 killed and 104 wounded.
Gon. Gough, struggling to relieve Sher
pur, lost 5 killed and 33 wounded. At
Ahmed Khol wo lost 17 killed and 121
wounded. At Muiwund. whon Gon.
Burrows was dofoatcd by Ayoob Khan,
wo lost 21 ollicers, 300 English, and
700 natives killod, 15 ollicers and 90
men missing. At Mnzra, whon Gon.
Roberts' defeated Ayoob Khan and
brought tho war to an ond, wo lost 29
killed and 101 wounded. At Laing's
Nok our losses wore 81 killed and
missing and 109 wounded. At Ingogo
wo lost 150 killed and wounded, and
at Majtiba 85 killed, 131 wounded, and
GO prisonors taken. At Tol-ol-Kobir
wo lost 9 ollicers and 45 men killed and
22 ollleora and 320 men wounded. At
Teb 5 ollicers wero killed, 17 wounded,
25 uon-commissioued ollicers and priv
ates killed, and 123 wounded. At
Tainai our loss was 5 ollicers and 8G
men killed. 8 ollicers and 105 men
wounded. At Aboo-Kloa wo lost 9 of
ficers and G5 men killed , 9 ollicers and
85 men wounded. At tho battle of
Gubat wo lost 1'9 killod and GG wound
ed. At Hasheeu our loss was 21 kill
ed and 42 wounded. Iu tho battle of
tho following Sunday we lost 7 ollieor.s
and G3 men killod, G ollicers and 89
men wounded, besides a huge number
of mou belonging to 'tho Indian con
tlngcnt. I'ullMalL Gazette.
It Cured Him.
I would liko to tell you of nn inci
dent of iibsentniindodnoss that cured a
schoolmaster entirely of this often
comical mental dofeet. The bell was
ringing for school, and the master's
wlfo wanted a pail of water and a hod
of coal. To save tlmo, tho mastor
strove to got both the water and tho
coal at the same time. He drew the
water from an old-fashioned well, and,
getting tho hod filled with coal, entered
tho house with his hands full. Ho
walked up to tho sink and placed tho
hod of coal where tho water pail was
usually kept, and, taking tho pail of
water into tho silting room, poured it
Into tho stove. The hissing team
blew open tho stove door, issued from
tho coal chamber and every team in
the stove, scorched 'tho muster, put out
tho lire, ami filled tho house with
steam.
Amid it all issuod tho agonized shout
of the schoolmaster: "Blast my eyes!
I've made another iiilsuko!" He never
made another. In the week that he
was done up in linen bandages und
goose grease his mind as well as his
body was restored to a hoaltby con
dition. Norwicii Uullctin.'
POETS' (JUAVl-S
onictMn2 Concerning the I.nut Itrtt-
ItiK-l'liwc of.llany l'lttiioim I'o-
e( How Krollitml Han llou-
arctl the Two limiior
tuli, St oil ud
Itiirni.
Lord Roseberry, savs tho London
Telegraph, will soon iio in good prac
tice for unveiling effigies of his great
fellow-countryman, Robert Burns. On
Saturday ho" uncovered a life-sized
marble bust representing the peasant
poet of Ayrshire, in Westminster Ab
bey, which ho told his hearers assem
bled before the ceremony-in the
great dining hall of Westminster
school, was the third monument raised
in Burns' honor which lie had unveiled
within t ho last three years. Among
the immortals of literature there never
vet, perhaps, was u man who requires
less recommendation to his udmirers
than the author of "The Cotter's Sat
urday Night" and "Mary in Heaven."
Burns has now been in his grave for
nearly ninety years, and ever since llio
day of his death, on the 21st of duly,
17915; his fame lias been steadily and
constantly growing, it is an old say
ing that no poet ought to expect wide
ami universal recognition of his geni
us until he has been dead at least a
rentury. In tho entertaining and in
structive papers upon "The New As
tronomy," witli which Prof. Langlev
has delighted many readers of recent
numbers of Tho Century Magazine, t ho
writer has recourse to a singular illus
tration in order to givo us some idea
now enormous is tno distance which
separates the earth rrom tho sun. To
say that tliero is an interval of ninety
live millions of miles between them is
to produce no definite impression upon
infinite minds. Prof. Langley, howev
er, assumes that a child of iivo years
has thrust his linger into the llamo of
u lighted candlo, and bids us remark
that a second of tuno will have to
ulapso beforo tho sensation oi heat, or
iu other words, of a burnt linger, is
conveyed up tho child's arm by the
nerves communicating to tho base of
tho brain, which is tho center and
source of all feeling in tho human
body. Imagine, ho continues, that tho
chilli, standing upon tho earth, has an
urin long enough to catch hold of the
sun, and iu that case moro than one
hundred years would bo required bo
foro tho sensation of heat would be ex
perienced by tiio child's body. Sonie
tliing of tho same kind takes place
with rtigard to great poets and their
posthumous fame. Thus, Mr. Howard
Staunton tells us, in his edition of
Shakespeare's work, that his hero had
been dead for nearly a century beforo
the editions of Howe, published iu 1709
and 1714, awakened for the first time a
general appreciation of tho genius of
tho poet of all time, which apprecia
tion was strikingly shown by tho long
Biiceession of distinguished editors
that the eighteenth century produced.
As regards John Milton, wo know that
ho accepted live pounds as an adequate
remuneration for "Paradise Lost," and
that the first collective edition of his
works was not published until ho had
boon for more than a century in his
grave. Whon he died, in 1074, Dean
Sprat emphatically forbade "tho name
of tho regicide Milton to bo engraved
on the walls of Westminster Abboy."
At length, in 1737, a private citizen
was allowed to placo Milton's bust
within those sacred precincts. "Such
is tho cliango in public opinion,"
writes Dr. Gregory to Dr. Johnson,
"that 1 havo seen erected in tho abbey
the bust of the man whoso name was
regarded as a pollution to its walls."
In this respect Burns has fared bet
ter than his mighty predecessors,
Shakespeare and Milton, and simply
because lie was a Scotchman. It was
not of that porfervid race which dwells
to the north of Tweed that Dr. John
son wrote: "Seo nations, slowly wise
and meanly just, To buried merit raiso
tho tardy" bust." Scotland's two
greatest poets aro Sir Walter Scott
and Bums, nor havo their sympathetic
and enthusiastic compatriots been slow
to do both of them honor. Tho latter
died, as wo havo said, in 179G, and in
1815 his gravo m St. Michael's church,
Dumfries, was opened, and, to quota
Prof. Shalrp's words, "men gazed for
a moment with awe on mo mini oi
Burns, seemingly as ontiro as on tho
day whon it was luid in tho grave." A
huge, cumbrous, unsightly mausoleum
had been erected by public subscrip
tion within a whorl distance of tho dead
poet's resting place. Tho structure
was adorned with a far from graceful
figure in marble, representing "tho
Muse of Coila finding tho poet at the
plow and throwing her inspired man
tle over him." A long epitaph in
questionable Latin was added, and the
remains of Robert Burns wero buried
beneath. "Tho mausoleum," adds
Prof. Slniirp, "unsightly though it bo,
has become a placo of pilgrimago
whither crowds of travelers yearly re
sort to gaze on tho resting place of
Scotland's poasnnt poot and thence to
pass to that other consecrated place,
within ruineu urynurgn, wnero ues
dust of a kindred spirit, by his own
Tweed." In addition to these monu-
monts to Burns At Dumfries, and to
Sir Walter at Dryburgh abbey -Scotland
teems with others erected in hon
or of her two most famous sons. Tho
contag'.on of raising statues and busts
of Burns has now extended to England
and also to the continent of North
America. Tho generous pioty of a
Scotchman has placed a beautiful
statuo of the plowman-bard upon tho
Thames embankment a monument
which Lord Roseberv unveiled, as on
Saturday ho uncovorod tho bust in po
ets' corner. Yet it is not a little ro-
markablo that, while tho broader and
more generous spirit of modern times
has permitted Westminster abbey to
recelvo a marble elllgy of the author of
"Death and ur. llombrook ' anil ol
Holy Willie's Prayer," thoro is still
no lack of utirrow-uiiiidod bigots ani
mated by the same sontiments which
made Dean Sprat exclaim Unit "he
would nuvcr permit tho name of John
Milton to stain the walls of u building
ded cated to God." Within the last
two years an appeal was mado by Mr,
liicnnru j.iigcuuiue, in mo name oi mo
committee of tho Byron memorial, to
bo allowed to devote somo small sur
plus funds remaining iu their hands to
thu erection of a mural lablot in West
minster Abbey to tho memory of the
author of "Childe Harold " Down to
tho present time no favor-iule rcsponso
has boen given to Mr. Edgcumbc's
prayer. Tho greatest poet despite
Mr." Matthew Arnold's claim on behalf
of Wordsworth, that England has pro
duced since the death of Pope has but
ono monument In tho city which cava
him birth a monument for which it
was dillicult to find a site until tho
queen devoted a few feet of ground in
Hamilton Gardens to tho purposo of
commemorating tho noblest genius of
her time. It will bo remembered that
her majesty was live years old when
Byron breathed his last at Missolonghi
in 182 1.
"Why is it," asks Dean Stanley,
in his "Memorials of Westminster Ab
bey." "that poets liko Coleridge,
Scott, and Burns are without a monu
ment? If Byron was turned from our
doors, many a one more questionable
than Byron has been admitted. Closo
above tho monument o tho devoted
Granvi lo Sharp is that of the epicurean
St. Evremond. Close beneath the tab
let of tho blameless Wharton lies tho
licentious Congrcve. Tho god-like gift
of genius was recognized the baser
earthly part was left to tho merciful
judgment of its Creator." Tho dean
to whom his successor. Dr. Bradley,
paid on Saturday so touching a tribute
- -would no longer have occasion to
nsk, "Why has not Burns a monument
here?" A time will doubtless como
when some private admirer of Cole
ridge will place his bust by tho sido
not of Wordsworth, who is banished to
tho western end of ;ho nave but of his
congeners in tho poets' corner. It
will not long bo tolerated that no rec
ord of Sir Walter Scott could bo found
in the English Santa Crocc. As regards
Byron, however, there is good reason
to bono that the same ago which has
seen Burns adniittol to Westminster
abbey will remember that tho author
of "Childo Harold" is ono of tho threo
great English poets who was born in
tho metropolis, and that of tho throe,
Milton alono had been deemed worthy
of a place within tho walls of our me
tropolitan abboy, wliiio of Popo and of
Byron, his great admirer, no record is
found, Who will venture to gainsay
Dean Stanley's sentiment that the god
like gift of genius entitles its possessor
to bo recognized within "that great
temple of reconciliation and silence,"
which, if it holds no moro than a,
small portion of England's mightiest
dust, should record at any rate tho
proud chronicle of England's mighti
est names. Lord Byron used to say
that ono thousand years would elapso
beforo these islands produced another
Popo. Bo this as it may. it is certain
that since Byron was born in Holies
street, Cavendish square, in 1788, Lon
don lias given birtli to none other such
as he. When tho bust of Burns is un
veiled in poets' corner by a cainct min
ister, and welcomed by tho dean of
Westminster, surrounded by a host
of sympathizing witnesses, is it not
time for Byron to find a place by his
sido? If such a worshipper of Byron's
genius as Mr. Richard Edgcumbo or
Lord Rosslyn would undcrtako to col
lect subscriptions, as many shillings
would bo forthcoming for Byron aa
for Burns. In tho meanwhile it is sat
isfactory to perceive that tho narrow
minded intolerance which long ren
dered Burns' name hateful to his "un
co'guid" fellow-countrymnn is passing
away. Tiio warmth of Lord Roso
bery's graceful words, followed by the
tributo justly paid to Burns by Dean
Bradley, will bo echoed by millions of
hearts all over tho world. Who can
doubt that Westminster abboy will bo
tho richer for the bust from tiio accom
plished hand of Sir John Stcoll which
has just been placed iu the spot bcil
fitted to receive it poets' cornor?
England's Great Bank.
The total number of employes all
told iu tho bank is about 1,100, and the
salary list, including pensions is about
300,000 por annum, says tho Fort
nightly Itoviovr. There is an excellent
library and reading room in tho bank,
to which tho directors havo liberally
contributed both monoy and books.
There are also a widows' fund and
gunrantco society, a lifo insurance
company, a volunteer company and a
club, or dining room, wlioro clorks can
dino cheaply and well, connected with
tho bank, which owe very much of
their prosperity to tho liberality and
kind consideration of tho directors.
Tho governors and directors of tho
bank divide between them 14,000 pot
annum. Of this tho governors receive
1.000 each and tho diroctors 500
each. Beyond tho status which their
position gives them they dorivo no ben
efit from tlioir ollice, whilo thoy tar
thonisolvos most liberally by their con
tributions toward tho welfare of their
clerks. The governor and deputy gov
ernor remain in ollice for two years
only, and this short tenure of olllco is,
with considorablo reason, thought to
bo detrimental to the elllelont and con
sistent administration of tho functions
of government. Tho great blot of tho
system sooms to bo tho want of contin
uity of policy which is engendered. A
governor, let us say, is an oulightoned
flnancior; for two years his policy is
paramount; but his successor then
comes and perhaps rovorses ovcrythlng
ami the onus of tho change, so far as
the bank customers aro concerned, is
left to bo borno by tho permanent ofll
cers of tho bank, who havo perhaps
never been consulted in the mutter, or
whose opinion bused on tho experience
of niuny yoars, may bo ruthlessly Ig
nored. Tho two years' system un
doubtedly has Its advantages for the
constant introduction of uow blood; it
also strengthens tho governors from
above and below tho chair. Tho di
rectors below tho chair givo the gov
ernor a loyalty and hearty support,
becauso they feel that ono day their
own turn may come, whilo those above
tho chair, haviug passed through tho
ordeal, know the value or their col
leagues' support. But tho result of
this is, nevertheless, the institution of
a sort of ono man power, which Is well
enough when there is a Hubbard.
Hodgson or Crawford In the ohalr, or
if there is a Baring, Hambro, Roths
child or Gosehen to follow, but whieii
may huvo its disadvantages.
An American church, costing $!i$0
000, has just been couieoruted i Dres
den, Germany.