Tue loss of the Bokhara occupies a large 1 the home papers brought by the Fairly full particulars were telegraphed home from Hongkong, but these telegrams evidently gave the' impression that her loss was directly duo to the drown-1g-out of her fires, whereas she was already doomed when this happened, for it s-ems certain thut the three big wave:
effected this struck her when slue was assing over the reef some miles to the north of Sand Island. The comments on her loss are not all informed by accurate knowledge. The Gruphic says: 'The vessel could steam fourteen knots an hour, an exceptional speed for a cargo-boat. The truth is that the fastest and strongest steamer that floats would be in immi danger if caught by a cyclone in the Straits of Formosa." The St. James's has x paragraph which, if it were true, should very much raise the rates of insurance on coasting steamers The course from Shanghai to Hongkong, in the navigation of which the Bokhara has been lost, is one of the most dangerous in that part of the world, If abounds with rocks and Islands, which are inadequately lighted. The coast i rough ani inhospitable, with powerful currents, and near to the island upon which the Bokhara lies wrecked there is a well-known jungle, swarming with tigers and other wild beasts. At this season of the year the China seas are visited by typhoons, and one occurring in the particular region where the Bokhara has been wrecked sip in certain jeopardy. Large numbers of coasting steamers are lost yearly. The Chinese junks go down in scores—incidents common to. the coast, and attracting little more than notice, The Peninsular and Oriental commanders during the run dowa or up the coast, pass the night invariably on deck, even i the finest weather, so critical is the navigation and so strong are the currents. Another element of danger to a shipwrecked crew is in the piracy which still exists in Southern China.
The London and China Express says There is, on the information at present before us, no reason to blame any one for the castastrophe; it seems to have come from forces too strong to be battled with. The calamity that the Bolhara could not battle with the to have been due solely to the fact waves, and was too close in shore to drift long- without striking. The engine power whioh enabled Captain Kane to so brilliantly bring the Calliope out of Samoa harbour, and by the possession of which he was enabled to save his vessel and crew, was wanting when the critical time came on the Bokhara, by reason of her fires being extinguished, The Daily Graphic (of 20th October) has a-picture of the Bokhwa inthe typhoon caderes, and mentions that her loss "'ex-amplifies the proverb about the pitcher and the well."
The other topics of the week were the Cirencester Election, of which the Unionist journals write with much satisfaction; but it seems to have been the constantly. recurring case of constituency preferring local candidate to a stranger, There has been a great deal of discussion about the decision of the London County Council to undertake itself the building ai the artisans' dwellings in connection with the Blackwall Tunnel scheme; and the Daily Telegraph says: "If the School Board of London had gone in for erecting the schools themselves, there is every ranson to suppose that in the result better. buildings would have arisen than were considered good enough by the contractors; at all events, it would hardly have been possible to pro: duce edifices worse than some of them." The Times and some of the other Unionist papers are very determined that' we ought not to evacuate Uganda, but it is generally allowed that the expense of retaining it will be considerable, and the resulting benefits very doubtful. Mr, Beach, alias Major Heuti Lo Caron, ing publisod his ""Pwonty-five Years in the Secret Service The Recullectious of a Spy as to which the Overland Mail says The Times, by the way, has never forgiven the Irish Nationalists the terrible lesson they ye it on the dangers of Doppingism, ani loses no opportunity, of letting fly at them, Major Lo Caron" the spy, has ist publish: ed his reminiscences, which' one would think that even strongly-prejudiced Unionists would deem it wise to season with many grama of salt, for it is manifestly impossible to decide when a man who confesses to an occupation involving lies and deceptions extending over a score of years la speaking candidly or exer. cising his profession, review of the Major's book in the Times is as respectful to that gallant person's statements as if they were all to be taken as gospel truth, Possibly they are. But the Times exhausts the energy of language on the Into associates and paymasters of the Parliamentary party which has converted the Gladstonians to Home Rule," og witness the followi "From first to last his references to. the patriots are penetrated with the most supreme contempt a contempt. which is all the more seathing because it is free from every breath of passion. Major Lo Caron. studied the whole genus as a naturalist studies some order of venomous reptiles, He secks out the creature in its lurking-places, investigates i's noisome ways, watches its foul habits, notes the garbage on which it battens, the hapless prey which it fascinates and devours, the Hie classifica it as dangerous, and he shows ison it secretes, and the slime it exudes, us how it may be scotched and killed. But he bears no' personal malice against his enemies. They acted according to. their noxious kind, He baffled and beat them and forced them to crawl out and, show themselves in the light of day. He is proud of his success, and points out the large, and more deadly specimens in his collection with the quiet satisfaction of a connoisseur, but towards the very worst of the class his attitude is almost purely scientific. He acknowledges his loathing for them and his desire to restrict. their ravages, but he shows no trace of any Enows tobe thirsting for his blood." uvate grudge against the men whom he As an exercise in vituperation this is not bad in its way, but the Times will not win over many of the more moderate Liberals tothe Unionist side by language of this violence and animosity.
The Times itself allows that Mr. Asquith's speech to the deputation. that. came tu: him to ask him to withdraw the police regulning public meetings in'Frafalgar remarkable for its practical tone and its freedom from sentimental twaddle; but it entirely objects' to the County Council having control of thie police in London, as long a8 Lon ion is the at of government, and contains the Houscg of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.