According to private advices from Tash-kend, the attitude of the Chinese troops the Pamire is causing increased jetty to the Russian authorities. The force, which has twenty fieldpieces, ly engaged in repairing ex occupying Fort Goultcha, in the Allai Mountains.
The N. ¥. Muvitine Register draws attention to a somewhat remarkable clause law passed by Congress xnd signed by President Harrison on the 13th of February, which is to come into force on the Ist of July, and of which marine insurance companies will no doubt take note. After prohibiting the 1 in any. bill-of-lading of any. p excluding the owner of a vessel from liability for negligence, the act contains the following clause S Thatifthe owner of any vessel trot porting merchandise or property to or from any port in the U States of America shall exercise due diligence to make the said vessel in all respects seaworthy and properly manned, equipped, "ud supplied, neither the vessel, her owner or owners, agent, or charterers shall become or be held responsible for damage or loss resulting from faults or errors in the manage the vessel, her owner or 0 torers, agent, or master be held liable for losses arising from dangers of the sea or other navigable waters, act of God, or public enemies, or the inherent defect, ice of the thing carried, or from insnfiiciency of package, or seizure under legal pi or for loss resulting from any act of omission of the shipper or owner of the go agent or repre-oF from or attempting to property at sea, or from any deviation in rendering such service.
The Kegister says: "Let us see some of the possible results of this language "CA. ship-owner may say:—' My ship, while ut sea, and being properly equipped, manned and navigated, is sunk in a thick fog by a steamship going twenty miles an ho n dark night, by a vessel with no lights up, or, in broad daylight, by a vessel whose master and crew are all drunk Up to the first of July next I can recover my Ives from the offending ship, or the owner, or the master. But after the first of July, when I present my bill, the ow of the ship which ran me down says: When my vessel went to sea, I exercised due diligence to make her seaworthy and I manned, equipped and supplied her properly, and therefore, I am not liable for your loss, nce is my: vessel; agent charterer.' And under the above provision of the act what answer have 1, and to whom om look to reimburse me for the lo which was not caused by my fault or my empl-yees? I can only look to the master, whose liability is not taken away by this statute. But how many ship-masters are of sufficient responsibility to pay any damages? Or, again, Iam-a shipper of cargo und the ship delivers my exrgo ruined by neglect on the voyage, or, by gross mis management, runs the vessel ashore, and does not deliver it xt all, or worse still, by the actual barratry of the master or crew, my cargo is stolen and appropriated by them. Have Tony recourse if the owner makes the same answer as above when I triking enough, but what more that " subsequent clause of the act provides that it la not ty be held to modify or repeal the sections of the Revised Statutes which contain the provisions limiting the liability of owners to the value of the vessel, and the Register concludes The act, therefore, would seem to declare that a' ship-owner under certain circumstances, shall not be halle at all for damages resulting from negligence, except that he shall be liable to the extent of the value of his ship. Truly the acts of our legislatures are at times wonderful, "If the courts ce this act as ite pla probable that they must, what more radical change can be imagined in the established law of the sex? Wo wait with interest to see the practical workings ut this most astonishing statute,"
Local authorities all over the United Kingdom are rapidly adopting electric lighting." The largest Municipal establishments 4 present, are at Bralford, Manchester, Huddersfield, Dublin, Hull, Nottingham, Portsmouth, Dundee. Brighton, etc., etc, The success of the St. Pancras installation in supply light both publicly and privately at: well-known, the vestry there being able to
considerably less than the previous cnst of gas. One of the latest converts to the system of the public owning its electric light plant is the vestry of St. Mary, Islington, the most populous parish in London. We read in the electrical Review of the lst of April:—A most exhaustive report has been circulated by: the Special Electric Lighting Committee which wre appointed by the Veatry of St. Mary, Islingtun, to investigate into the various systems, to report upon into the parish, and electricity.
reviewing (he his of the ques:
the generating tions visited by of the committee are described, a of leal authorities is considered, and the comparative cost of gas and elect tricity is dwelt upon. The conclusions arrived at by the committee are, that the supply of electricity can be undertak rasstired commercial ancient, anid that as the provisional order in ratified by Ps ment it la expedient, in the interest of the parishioners, that the vestry should take the necessary stops to carry such order into effect. It is recommended that, as it would be undesirable to have more than one central station in the parish, steps should be taken at once to secure a site central as possible. The high tension alverating transformer system is, in the opi of the committee, best adapted for pri lighting, and the high tension conti current is most suitable for are lighting in the public streets, A station should be erected ut a capacity of 20,000 lights of 8 C.P., and 80 are lamps for streets, The committee ack to be authorised to obtain plans, specifications, and tenders fur the work, and to select an electrical engineer to prepare such plans. A loan of £60,000 should be obtained for the purchase of site, erection of building. and the provision of the necessary plant and mains,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.