Tr will he remembered that when Mi Shorter gave up the editorship of "The Sketch," because he was not allowed to carry out his wish to raise the tone of the illustrations, he announced a new illu: trated weekly to be called The Sphere.
diately on their part announced another The proprietors of "The Sketch" imme-lustrated weekly to be called "The The public, however, which took to "The als did not show equal favour to "The Spear," and accordingly the following notice appears in The Sketch" of the 2nd ul After this week The Spear" will b corporated with "The Sketch." There are many reasons why this is advisable. The proprietors have fairly tested the public Figh-class weekly paper, and it seems to pulse as to the necessity for an additional
them that the public are exceedingly well supplied by the older and longer-established illustrated journals. They could if they ished show printers' certificates proving that the number printed of The Spear" has een unusually large, in some cases oxceeding 70,000 copies a week; but the fact is that, with a new journal, the number printed conveys no indication as to the number sold. It is this knowledge, no doubt, that has induced most of the leading advertisers, who are thoroughly alive to their own interests, to support in preference the older-established illustrated journals, whose assured position enables them to regulate their output with greater nicety. In the case of these papers, unsold and gratis copies are, of course, of little use medium for advertising. So many of the features of "The Spear" however, have been 80 interesting and novel that the ineorporation of them in The Sketch" must add greatly to the brightness and attractiveness, and consequently to the circulation, of the popular journal. Of the features transferred may be mentioned especially the universal. ily admired Rembrandt Supplements, the ext of which will shortly be given away with "The Sketch." The date of its publication will be announced in this journal.
ACCORDING tos telegram dated London the 2nd ult., the King of Sweden and Norway is sound on the war in South Of Te says am entirely on the British side in this war in South Africa," ssid the king of Sweden and Norway, now ona visit to this country, in an interview with a representative of The Associated Press to-de: "You may make it quite clear that I have no sympathy whatever with the Boors, and Iwill toll you why. I find it difficult to understand either the principles of a rel gion which is apparently a monopoly of the burghers of the two states, or of the pi sent manifestations of a government which to have refused most of the reforms gested by the British and which closed tory. "In my opinion the Eng! ish-speaking negotiations by invading British terri-
races are the exact opposite of the Boers, because they are among the best colonisers of the world when savage and uncivilized territories have to be reclaimed. No greater proof of this could have been given than the splendid outburst of loyalty at home and the heroism in the field which British colony has so unanimously That is the good which has come to Great Britain out of the evil which sny war brings in its train. and that will be her compensation for the many disappointments she has suffered hitherto, Tue "N.Y. Maritime Register" says:
The schooner Hattie E. Smith, of 102 tons, which was built at Edgartown, Mass., in 1869 and intended for Arctic cruising, is now at Brooklyn, N.Y., being fitted out for pleasure cruising purposes. She has been purchased by Mr. Kent, a merchant of Hongkong, who intends to take her out there and cruise with her on the China and Japan coasts and through the South Sea Islands. The Smith is a substantial fore-and-aft rigged schooner, and is being fitted up in a comfortable manner under the supervision of Captain D. W. Pratt. The schooner wilk be under the command of Captain James A. Lord.
Tar "N.Y. Maritime Register" has the following account of the new Cunarder The new twin-scrow steamship Ivernia, of the Cunard Line, which arrived at New York on the 24th of April from Liverpool, one of the largest steamers afloat. The dimensions of the Ivernia are: Length, 600 fect; breadth, 64 feet 6 inches; depth to shelter deck, "49 feet 6 inches; gross tonnage, 13,900 tons, and displacement, 25,000 tons. She will have additional strength and safety, due to four complete steel decks—lower, main, upper and shelter—a steel orlop deck extending from the boiler room forward to the stem, and a bridge deck, 280 fect long, above the shelter deck. In regard to passenger accommodation, the vessel will take 150 first-class, 200 second class and 1,000 third class passengers, the last named being largely apportioned into two, four and six berth state-rooms, with all conveniences. The accommodation for first. class passengers is situated on the bridge and promenade decks amid-ships. The dining
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.