Worldwide sympathy will be felt for Sir Thomas Lipton in his failure to win the America Cup. After the brilliant victories of Shamrock IV in the first two encounters, hope ran very high that the cup might at last be brought back across the Atlantic. The result is thus the more disappointing. In the absence of fuller news, one is, perhaps, justified in thinking that it was light winds which gave the Resolute her victory. Something was said after the first race of changing Shamrock's skipper. The rights and wrongs of the case are not known here yet, but as the same skipper won the second race, there would not seem to have been much amiss with him. What seems more probable is this. The America Cup challenger has to be built to cro: the Atlantic under her own sail Obviously she has to be of heavier make than a yacht built for loyal waters—only The challenger, therefore. likes a strong wind and rough sea, the defender calm water and light airs. Apparently the Shamrock got' the conditions she liked in the first two encounters (in the first race the Resolute's throat halyards parted, which points to a big blow) and the Resolute what she wanted on the last three. The history of the race suggests that light airs are common at Sandy Hook at this time of year.
The J: apanese Scandal The ways of Japanese parliamentary procedure are past the foreigner's finding out. On Monday last a telegram from Tokio described how an interpellation had been moved in the Diet by the Kenseikai leader, Mr. Shi-made, acting on behalf of 41 Kenseikai members, charging the Ministers of Agriculture, Finance and. Education with making use of their official knowledge to operate on the Stock Exchange. The interpellation was written and part of the allegation appears to have been that the three Ministers held shares in the names of their sons and wives, that by their official knowledge they foresaw the recent slump and unloaded while prices were still good. It is not a pretty charge, even if there no more than that, and Mr. Shimada was particularly urgent that something move was necessary than a mere denial by the three accused. But not only is that all he has got: to-day we are told that the Government has marshalled its big battalions to vote for Mr. Shimada's punishment. What. then, becomes of the privilege of a Japanese member of Parliament. And still more important what of the purity of Japanese political: life?' We do not for a moment wish to doubt the veracity of the Ministers impugned. But the mere fact that they were thus accused, with all apparent. serionsness of procedure, have thought have' impelled to ask for the fullest' to clear their honour.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.