The chartered troopship Britannic called in here on the 2th August to embark some 120 Victoriin soldiers who hace Elected to return to the scene of operations in South Africa. The troopship takes in, and Melbourne sone SED i. e., they are merely charged Is. r day for mess worley, the passage being thrown in, Asked as to their Teasons for wishing to get to the Front again, they mostly replied inability to wet permanent employment others candidly Explained that they saw good opportuni: ties when previously in the Transvaal, but being unable to obtain their discharges at the Cape, adopted the present method of getting back. The Britannic suffered Little Galas, as the men were mustered and put on board the Defence Department's launch almost as soon as the troopship anchored. The embarkation was soon completed, and within an hour the Britannic was again making her way to the Heads, vid South Channel.
Tram-car stuck up.
he sticking-up of a tram-car on a suburban i line bout a miles from the G.P.O. provided the dailies with a treat they don't Piten get, viz., a sensation for Monday mornin The affair happened about 1 joining's issue, generally the dullest of a.m. on Sunday morning to the last car from the city. Some eight passengers, all more or less sleepy, were on board. Turn ing a corner, the driver noticed two men standing beside the track, while two others walked alone the footpath a few yards behind. Under the impression that the two in front wished to board the car, he pulled up the horses just before reaching them, and eas surprise when oe of his expected passengers jumped up, an in epeers ore forcible than polite, peremptorily ordered him to stop his horses, emphasising his remarks by producing a revolver and threatening in case of resistance to carpet the floor with his (the driver's) brains.
"Your Money or—."
Discretion being the wiser part of valour, the driver complied, and was then have in through the opend door in the midst of the halfsleepy passengers. Meanwhile a second member of the gang had mounted the back platform, and commanded the other dour of the car, and between them the two held all its occupants at their meres No. 3 now made his appearance ats coll for, every gentleman present being invited to "fork out" to the tune of whatever he happened to have about him. The total collection amounted to the somewhat paltry sum of £28, including the river's tin fare box. One gentleman who alone offered any resistance was rather roughly handled, and submitted to a further search resulting in the discovery of the marauders had overlooked or missed on the first round. The gang departed after bestowing an injunetion on the injured party "not to turn their heads for some few minutes," and the driver _proceed-his way to the terminus and reported the occurrence to the manager and police. The former was incredulous until thonon-production of the fare box convinced him. Meanwhile the police were advised and mounted patrols watched all approaches to the city. A careful search of the vicinity was made at daylight, but no clues found, except the missing box lying broken open close to the river bank. A reward of £200 by the Government and an additional £100 by the Tramway Ca. has so far failed to produce any evidence that may lead to the discovery of these up-to-date highwaymen, On. the same night a young man was knocked down by tro footpads in a much-frequented suburb, and robbed of all the cash he happened to have about him. These robberies have become amazingly frequent of lute, taking place within a few yards of some' of the city's busiest streets as well as in suburban thoroughfares, and the outery for additional protection is more pronounced than
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.