One of the most curious features about this year's national festival was the disappointment of the militant political groups at the absence of an opportunity to break one another's heads. The amiable Nationalists and Anti-semites, on the one hand, and the equally amiable Socialists, Radicals, Revolutionaries, Auarchists and other Supporters of the present Government on the other hand, were spoiling for a fight, or say they were, but neither side would begin on a really respectable scale. The Nationalists, according to one of their organs, "remained calm, thereby showing that they realise the strength of the party they represent and the necessity of resisting provocation" while the Socialist papers assert that the Nationalists were held in cheek by " the imposing manifestation of republican strength opposed to them." The peaceable clement is profoundly thankful that the day has passed off without one of those colossal rows which keep money-spending visitors away from the gay city. In spite of his predatory _proclivities, the Paris tradesman, who forms the backbone of the said peaceful element, is to be pitied in times like these. He is in the position of a gardener whose choicest flowers have been destroyed by a couple of pugnacious dogs. He has all the loss and none of the fun.
4 HUMANE aTIsstox The Rev. F. Lawrence, vicar of Wes-tow, near York, is now in om-barking upon a mission with which every right-feeling person will sympa. this. Mr. Lawrence is the delegate of the Society for the Promotion of Kindness to Animals, of which body he is the founder and treasurer, and his object is to induce the various European governments to consent to the extension of the Geneva Convention to wounded horses on the battlefield, or, in other words, to provide means for doing away, as far as possible, with the terrible sufferings endured by these unfortunate victims of the noble art of war. Mr. Julian Ralph and other correspondents have drawn harrowing pictures of the poor horses, lying bleeding and helpless, condemned to hours and days of torture until death put an end to their sufferings. Mr. Lawrence, with whom I had a chat yesterday, dees not for one moment suggest that the British soldiers do not do all that is possible for wounded horses, but as ho says, the soldier has in many cases no time to put his steed out of its misery, or cannot afford to use a cartridge for the purpose. Mr. Lawrence argues that the difficulty could be met by creating a special branch of the Red Cross organise tion whose duty it would be to attend exclusively to horses, by dispatching as quickly and painlessly as possible all those which are unit for further service, and by bandaging and bringing back to the base such animals as are only slightly injured. The value of the horses thus rescued would he thinks, fully counterbalance the cost of the new organisation. The British Government has already been approached on the matter and has given a favourable answer, but, in view of the international character of the Genera Convention, nothing can be done until the various governments have approved of the idea, and Mr. Lawrence has now set out on a tour through the Continent with a view to securing that approval. Full of energy, in spite of his sixty years, he has already preached twice in' Paris on behalf of the cause, and is now opening negotiations with a view to obtaining an interview with President Loubet. He will then go fo Brussels to seo King Leopold, who has already promised him an audience; and he expresses his determination to "stick" to the Czar and the Emperor William until he obtains their powerful support for the cause he has so much at heart. The Hague, stockholm and Copenhagen are also. on his programme. "Mr. Lawrence should certainly succeed here, because he is the apostle of one of those generous ideas whick have always commended themselves to France.
20th July.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.