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diff --git a/75329-h/75329-h.htm b/75329-h/75329-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1ac8033 --- /dev/null +++ b/75329-h/75329-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2564 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + Chambers’s Journal, October 30, 1886 | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +.smalltext { + font-size: 75%; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} +hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} +@media print { hr.chap {display: none; visibility: hidden;} } +hr.full {width: 95%; margin-left: 2.5%; margin-right: 2.5%;} + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} +h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; +} /* page numbers */ + + + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 1.5em; + text-indent: -1.5em; +} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.allsmcap {font-variant: small-caps; text-transform: lowercase;} + + +/* Images */ + +img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; +} +img.w100 {width: 100%;} + + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +.header {text-align: center; margin-top: 0;} +.header p {text-align: center; text-indent: 0;} +.header .floatl {float: left;} +.header .floatr {float: right;} +.header .floatc {padding-top: .5em;} + +.x-ebookmaker .header {text-align: center; margin-top: 0;} +.x-ebookmaker .header p {text-align: center; text-indent: 0;} +.x-ebookmaker .header .floatl {float: left;} +.x-ebookmaker .header .floatr {float: right;} +.x-ebookmaker .header .floatc {padding-top: .5em;} + + + + +/* Poetry */ +/* uncomment the next line for centered poetry */ +.poetry-container {display: flex; justify-content: center;} +.poetry-container {text-align: center;} +.poetry {text-align: left; margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 5%;} +.poetry .stanza {margin: 1em auto;} +.poetry .verse {text-indent: -3em; padding-left: 3em;} +.poetry .attrib {text-align: right;} + + +/* Poetry indents */ +.poetry .indent0 {text-indent: -3.0em;} +.poetry .indent2 {text-indent: -2.0em;} + + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75329 ***</div> +<h1>CHAMBERS’S JOURNAL<br> +OF<br> +POPULAR<br> +LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART.</h1> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class="nobreak">CONTENTS</h2> +</div> + +<p class="center"> + +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> +<a href="#THE_MATTERHORN">THE MATTERHORN, AND ITS VICTIMS.</a><br> +<a href="#BY_ORDER_OF_THE_LEAGUE">BY ORDER OF THE LEAGUE.</a><br> +<a href="#PITMEN_PAST_AND_PRESENT">PITMEN, PAST AND PRESENT.</a><br> +<a href="#GEORGE_HANNAYS_LOVE_AFFAIR">GEORGE HANNAY’S LOVE AFFAIR.</a><br> +<a href="#THE_MONTH_SCIENCE_AND_ARTS">THE MONTH: SCIENCE AND ARTS.</a><br> +<a href="#OCCASIONAL_NOTES">OCCASIONAL NOTES.</a><br> +<a href="#IF_THIS_WERE_SO">IF THIS WERE SO.</a><br> +</p> +<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> + + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_689">{689}</span></p> + +<hr class="full"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="figcenter" id="header" style="max-width: 37.5em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/header.jpg" alt="Chambers’s Journal of Popular Literature, Science, +and Art. Fifth Series. Established by William and Robert Chambers, 1832. Conducted by R. Chambers (Secundus)."> +</div> + +<hr class="full"> +<div class="center"> +<div class="header"> +<p class="floatl"><span class="smcap">No. 148.—Vol. III.</span></p> +<p class="floatr"><span class="smcap">Price</span> 1½<em>d.</em></p> +<p class="floatc">SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1886.</p> +</div></div></div> + +<hr class="full"> + + +<div class="chapter"><h2 class="nobreak" id="THE_MATTERHORN">THE MATTERHORN, +AND ITS VICTIMS.</h2></div> + + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> Matterhorn, or Mont Cervin, a peak of +the Pennine Alps, fourteen thousand seven hundred +and eighty feet high, is unique amongst +the mountains of the Alps, for elsewhere throughout +their length and breadth there is no single +peak that approaches to it in massive grandeur +of shape. Standing alone, apart from the neighbouring +peaks, holding itself proudly aloof, as +it were, from the common herd, it is truly a +monarch among mountains. To look upon it +is to realise at once the feeling of awe and +reverence with which, even to this day, the +peasants of the valley regard it—a feeling which +in former years had perhaps more to do with +its reputed inaccessibility than anything else; +whilst other peaks whose ascent is now thought +to be more difficult, were falling one by one +before the early pioneers of the Alpine Club. +In that time—with very few exceptions—even +the boldest hunters of Zermatt and the Val +Tournanche shrank from attempting the ascent, +for time-honoured legends said that the Matterhorn +was haunted, that evil spirits made it their +trysting-place; and when the storm raged high, +and the lightning played about its crags, danced +and shrieked around it in unholy glee. Then, +too, the Matterhorn has a history of its own, +such as no other mountain save Mont Blanc +possesses.</p> + +<p>Every one who has read Mr Whymper’s +<i>Scrambles amongst the Alps</i>—a book which has +probably done more to stimulate the love of +climbing than any written before or since—knows +how he alone—when other mountaineers tried +and failed, coming back always with the same +tale, that the summit was inaccessible—persisted +that it could be reached; and how, though +driven back many and many a time, he refused +to accept defeat, till at length, after an expenditure +of time and money which some would +deem completely thrown away in such a cause, +his indomitable perseverance met with its due +reward. As Mr Whymper’s adventures in connection +with the ascent of the Matterhorn have +been already related in this <i>Journal</i> under the +title ‘Ascent of the Matterhorn,’ January 10, 1880, +we need only refer to them here in so far as +is necessary for the sequence of the narrative.</p> + +<p>There were several attempts made to ascend the +Matterhorn previous to 1858; but the first known +were those of the four Val Tournanche guides—Jean +Antoine Carrel, J. J. Carrel, Victor Carrel, +Gabriel Maquignaz, with the Abbé Gorret, in that +and in the following year. These attempts were +all made on the Italian side, from Breuil; and +it does not appear that at any time a greater +height than twelve thousand six hundred and +fifty feet was attained. Very little definite information, +however, has ever been obtainable on the +subject.</p> + +<p>The next attempt of which we have record +was a remarkable one, for it was made by three +brothers, the Messrs Parker of Liverpool, <i>and +without guides</i>. The attempt was made in 1860 +from Zermatt, and these daring climbers attacked +the eastern face, looked upon at that time as +quite beyond the powers of any human being to +climb. They succeeded in ascending to a height of +some twelve thousand feet, and were then driven +back by bad weather. In the same year, another +attempt was made from Breuil by Professor +Tyndall and Mr Vaughan Hawkins, with the +guides J. J. Carrel and Bennen; but they did +not make much advance upon what had been +done during the attempts of the Val Tournanche +guides; and it is doubtful if a greater height +than thirteen thousand feet was reached.</p> + +<p>In 1861, the Messrs Parker tried again, but +did not succeed in getting much higher than +they did in the previous year; while on the +Italian side, the two Carrels, J. A. and J. J., +made another attempt, which was unsuccessful.</p> + +<p>Then began the attempts of Mr Whymper, +and from that moment until the last successful +expedition, with two exceptions, his name was +associated with all the attempts that were made +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_690">{690}</span>upon the mountain. The two exceptions were +those of Mr T. S. Kennedy and of Professor +Tyndall in 1862. The first was unique, as having +been made in the winter—on the 7th of January. +Mr Kennedy seems to have thought that the +ascent might prove practicable in winter, if not +in summer; but his experience was a severe +one. A fierce wind, bitter cold, and a superabundance +of snow, prevented his getting very +far; and, like all the rest, he returned completely +discomfited. The attempt of Professor +Tyndall on the Italian side, in July of that year, +was perhaps the nearest to success of any that +had yet been made. He had two celebrated +Swiss guides with him, Bennen and Walter; +and he also took, but only as porters, three Val +Tournanche men, of whom J. A. Carrel was +one. This expedition was only stopped when +within eight hundred feet of the top. Professor +Tyndall came back so deeply impressed with the +difficulties surrounding the ascent, that he made +no effort to renew his attempt. In fact, he does +not appear to have gone on the mountain again +till he ascended it in 1868, three years after +the first ascent had been made. Professor +Tyndall’s want of success appears in great +measure to have been due to the jealousy existing +between the guides of the two rival nationalities, +Swiss and Italian.</p> + +<p>The first attempt by Mr Whymper was made +from Breuil on the 29th of August 1861, the same +day as the attempt by the two Carrels. Mr +Whymper was accompanied by an Oberland +guide, who proved a somewhat inefficient companion; +and they failed to get higher than the +‘Chimney,’ twelve thousand six hundred and +fifty feet above the sea-level. He made other +five attempts in 1862, one in 1863, and two in +1865. In the ninth and last, he was successful.</p> + +<p>In Mr Whymper’s ninth and successful attempt +the united party consisted of Lord Francis +Douglas, Mr Hudson, Mr Hadow—a friend of +Mr Hudson’s—and the guides Michel Croz and +the two Taugwalders, father and son. They +started from Zermatt on July 13, 1865, and +camped out above the Hörnli ridge. The weather +was fine and with everything in their favour, +next day, they climbed with ease the apparently +inaccessible precipices, and reached the actual +summit at 1.40 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span></p> + +<p>In the account of the expedition which Mr +Whymper has given to the world, he graphically +describes the wild delight which they all felt +at a success so much beyond their hopes, and +how for a full hour they sat drinking-in the +sweets of victory before preparing to descend. +It is almost needless to re-tell a story which we +have previously related, and which is so well +known as the terrible tragedy which took place +during the descent—how Mr Hadow slipped, +struck Croz from his steps, and dragged down +Mr Hudson and Lord Francis Douglas; how +the rope snapped midway between Lord Francis +Douglas and old Taugwalder; and how Mr +Whymper and the two Taugwalders watched, +horrified, whilst their unfortunate companions +slid rapidly downwards, spreading out their hands +in a vain endeavour to save themselves, till they +finally disappeared over the edge of the precipice, +falling a distance of four thousand feet on to the +glacier below! The bodies of Messrs Hudson, +Hadow, and Croz were subsequently recovered, +and now lie buried in the graveyard of the +Zermatt village church; but of Lord Francis +Douglas, nothing could be seen. Beyond a boot, +a pair of gloves, and the torn and bloodstained +sleeve of a coat, no trace of him has ever since +been found. What became of his body is to +this day a mystery.</p> + +<p>It is strange how the memory of this the most +dramatic—if it may be so termed—of all the +accidents which have ever happened in the +Alps is still indelibly impressed on the minds +of climbers, guides, and amateurs alike. It is +the commonest thing to hear it discussed, and +the theories put forward as to the cause of the +rope giving way where it did are various and +ingenious. Unfortunately for the reputation +of old Taugwalder, the report of the official +investigation held by the local authorities after +the accident has never to this day been made +public. As a consequence, old Taugwalder has +suffered irretrievably from a report mischievously +circulated by his fellow-villagers to the effect, +that at the moment of the slip, he sacrificed +his companions to save himself, by severing the +rope! And in spite of Mr Whymper’s assertions +that the thing was impossible, there are some +who still persist in maintaining that he cut it. +The suspicion under which he laboured so +preyed upon his spirits that he quitted the scene, +and for many years never returned to his native +village. The younger Taugwalder became one of +the leading guides of the valley.</p> + +<p>Thrice again has the Matterhorn been the scene +of death in a terrible form. In 1879, the mountain +claimed two more victims. In the one case, +an American, Dr Moseley, disregarding the most +ordinary precautions, slipped and perished horribly, +falling a height of some two thousand +feet, on to some rocks a little way down the +Furggen Glacier. Dr Moseley, accompanied by +Mr Craven and the well-known Oberland guides, +Christian Inäbnit and Peter Rubi, left Zermatt +on the night of August 13, with the intention +of making a one-day ascent of the Matterhorn. +Both gentlemen were members of the +Alpine Club, and mountaineers of considerable +experience. The summit was reached successfully +at nine o’clock on the morning of the +14th; and after a short halt, the descent was +commenced. Dr Moseley, who was a skilful rock-climber, +and possessed of great confidence in his +own climbing powers, soon after passing the most +difficult bit of the mountain, complained that +the rope was a considerable hindrance; and notwithstanding +the remonstrances of Mr Craven +and the guides, insisted on detaching himself +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_691">{691}</span>from the other members of the party. At some +little distance from the old hut, the party +had to cross a projecting ledge of smooth rock. +Rubi crossed first, and planted his axe so as +to give Dr Moseley a firm foothold; but Dr +Moseley, declining the proffered assistance, placed +his hand upon the rock and endeavoured to +vault over it. In an instant, his foot slipped, +his axe flew out of his hand, and he fell on +to some snow beneath, down which he commenced +to slide on his back. The snow was +frozen, and he dropped on to some rocks below. +With a desperate effort, he turned himself round +and tried to grasp the rocks with his hands; +but the impetus attained was too great, and he +fell from rock to rock till lost to his companions’ +sight. The body was subsequently recovered; +and from the terrible nature of the fall, death +must have ensued long before the bottom was +reached.</p> + +<p>Here was a case of a valuable life absolutely +thrown away, for, had Dr Moseley remained +on the rope, the accident would never have +happened. It was the same over-confidence that +cost the life of the Rev. J. M. Elliott on the +Schreckhorn, and it is to be feared will cost +the lives of others yet, if the warning conveyed +by the fall of these two accomplished mountaineers +continues to be disregarded. There was +another circumstance, too, which had a bearing +on the accident, and which is an additional +proof of a want of carefulness on the part of +the unfortunate man—his boots were found, +on examination, to be almost entirely devoid +of nails, and were, therefore, practically useless +for mountaineering purposes.</p> + +<p>In the other case, a death occurred under circumstances +which are happily without a parallel +in the annals of mountaineering. Two members +of the Basle section of the Swiss Alpine Club—a +body in no way connected with our own Alpine +Club—engaged three guides—J. M. Lochmatter +and Joseph Brantschen, both of St Nicolas, and +P. Beytrison of Evolena—to take them over the +Matterhorn from Breuil to Zermatt. They left +the first-named place on the morning of August +12, and in the afternoon reached the hut which +the Italian Alpine Club have built at an elevation +of some thirteen thousand feet, amidst the +wildest crags of the Matterhorn, intending to +sleep there, and cross the mountain to Zermatt +in the course of the following day. During the +night, the guide Brantschen was taken ill, and +by morning had become so weak as to be quite +unable to move. Now, under these circumstances, +it might have been supposed that Brantschen +would have been the first consideration; but +the two Swiss gentlemen thought otherwise. +Instead of at once abandoning the expedition, +and sending down for help to Breuil, after a brief +consultation they announced to Lochmatter their +intention of proceeding to Zermatt, and ordered +him and Beytrison to get ready to start. They +were conscious of the fact that Brantschen +had become dangerously ill, and appear to have +demurred at first, but weakly gave in on their +employers insisting. A blanket was thrown over +the sick man, a little food placed beside him, +and then the party filed out of the hut, and the +door was shut. It is possible that in their leaving +Brantschen they were scarcely alive to the consequences +of their act; it is to be hoped, at all +events, that they were not; but from the moment +that the hut was left, they deliberately condemned +the sick man to at least thirty-six hours +of absolute solitude. In fact, by the adoption +of this course, the nearest succour—at the pace +of the party—was nineteen and a half hours off, +whereas Breuil would have been only eight. +They crossed the mountain safely, but being +bad walkers, did not reach Zermatt till half-past +one the following morning. They then +caused a relief party of guides to be sent out; +but it was too late. On reaching the hut, the +unfortunate man was found to be dead. The +conduct of his employers did not escape criticism +both at home and abroad.</p> + +<p>There have been accidents on the Matterhorn +since 1879; but although in more than one +instance there has been a narrow escape, only +once has any further life been sacrificed.</p> + +<p>Within a few days of the first ascent of the +Matterhorn, on July 18, 1865, J. A. Carrel and +Bich succeeded in reaching the summit from the +Italian side, by a feat of rock-climbing scarcely +equalled for daring in the annals of mountaineering. +Since then, ascents of the Matterhorn have +multiplied year by year; but for every one ascent +by the Italian route, there must be twenty at least +by the Zermatt. In fact, the former route is +scarcely adapted for any but good mountaineers. +The Matterhorn has also been climbed from the +Zmutt side; but this route has never become +popular. The first traveller to ascend the Matterhorn +from Breuil was Mr F. Craufurd Grove, +the present President of the Alpine Club; and +of other remarkable ascents may be mentioned +those of Miss Walker, accompanied by her brother +and Mr Gardiner—Miss Walker being the first +lady to climb the Matterhorn—of the Misses +Pigeon, who were weather-bound for three days +in the hut on the Italian side; and in descending +to Zermatt, after crossing the summit, were benighted, +and had to remain on the open mountain-side +till daybreak; of Messrs Cawood, Colgrove, +and Cust, who made the ascent from Zermatt +without guides; of the ill-fated expeditions in +which the lives of Dr Moseley, the guide +Brantschen, and Mr Borckhardt were lost; and +of Mr Mummery and the late Mr Penhall, who +each discovered a new route from the Zmutt +side.</p> + +<p>The Matterhorn has likewise been ascended in +the winter; as the writer can assert from experience, +having accomplished the feat—such as it was—in +the days when it had not become the everyday +affair that it is now. With two guides, one +of whom was the well-known Joseph Imboden of +St Nicolas, I arrived at Zermatt one fine afternoon +in August, resolved upon a one-day ascent +of the Matterhorn. A start was to be made at +midnight; and soon after that hour, we were +picking our way over the stones which paved +the deserted village street in the darkness of a +moonless night. Leaving the village behind us, +we commenced to ascend through the meadows +beyond the village, Imboden leading, and never +for a moment pausing, although, in that uncertain +light, it was difficult to distinguish a track of +any kind. We reached the barren Hörnli Ridge, +and as we commenced to traverse it, the sky +grew lighter with the dawn of day. We were +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_692">{692}</span>close to the foot of the Matterhorn now, and it +loomed upon us, towering high into the sky, and +seeming to my eyes one mighty series of precipices +from base to summit. There was a solemn +grandeur about the scene which seemed even to +have its influence upon my companion, for not +a word was spoken as we strode on towards the +mountain. But when once we were upon the +rock itself, I found that the difficulties which I +had pictured to myself as likely to arise had +little existence in fact; the series of precipices +resolved themselves into a rocky surface, much +broken, and yielding capital hand and foot hold +everywhere. The incline, too, was very much +less steep than it had appeared at a distance. +No difficulty indeed presented itself; and climbing +upwards rapidly, in two hours from the Hörnli +we were at the hut which in those days was +generally made use of for passing the night +previous to an ascent. This hut is built beneath +the shelter of an overhanging cliff, on a narrow +rock platform, and its position does not give one +an idea of security. It is cramped, and when +I saw it, was very dirty, and indeed looked +altogether so uninviting, that I congratulated +myself on having avoided a night in it. We +found the stove useful, though, for cooking our +breakfast. This hut has now been superseded +by a larger building, erected lower down the +mountain. We finished our breakfast, and set +out once more.</p> + +<p>Hitherto, the work had been quite easy; but +now came something stiffer, our first experience +being on an ice-slope at an angle of perhaps +forty-five degrees, overhanging the route by which +we had ascended, and by which, had any false +step been made, we should have returned somewhat +hastily. A party that had gone up the +day before spared us any step-cutting, for they +had done their work so satisfactorily that quite +a staircase remained for our use. We reached +the top of the slope in safety; a knife-edge +of snow led us to the right, and almost immediately +we found ourselves upon the most difficult +bit of the mountain, the northern face. Rounding +the edge of the mountain, you look down, +and below you, the face of the cliff falls away +steeply, till it terminates in a drop of three +thousand feet or more. Above, rises perpendicularly +almost a succession of knobs of rock, overlapping +one another, and more or less coated +with snow and ice. The position may be rendered +exciting enough to please any one by the +addition of one or two incompetent individuals +to the party.</p> + +<p>Our progress was slow but steady. Imboden +would scan the face of the cliff, climb up a few +feet, and when firmly fixed, call to me to follow, +the operation then being repeated with the second +guide. We sighted the summit at fifteen minutes +past eight; and in less than two hours after +leaving the hut we were on the highest point. +The summit varies much, differing in shape +with each successive season; and when we were +there, it was a ridge of snow, narrow in places, +broader in others, though nowhere was it possible +to walk three abreast. We had a glorious view; +but in this respect the Matterhorn is perhaps +inferior to some of its neighbours, notably to +Monte Rosa and the Dom.</p> + +<p>During the descent, Imboden exercised even +greater care, and we reached the hut again safely. +From there, we made our way leisurely down +to Zermatt, where we arrived soon after three +o’clock in the afternoon, after an unusually quick +ascent, thanks to the splendid weather and the +easy state of the northern face, which, while it +cost us only two hours, has sometimes given a +party seven hours or more of hard work. On +the way down, Imboden pointed out to me two +blanched fragments of rope trailing from the rocks +far up on the northern face. They were left +there by Mr Whymper after the accident, and +marked the spot close by where it occurred. +There they remained as cherished relics till last +year, when a traveller sent his guide to cut them +down and bring them away. It is sad to think +that it was an Englishman who was guilty of +this wanton act.</p> + +<p>As far as the actual ascent of the Matterhorn +goes, it is far from being the formidable affair +which it was once considered to be; but at the +same time it is certainly not an expedition to +be recommended to every one. It is not that the +ascent is dangerous in itself, though some may +have their own opinion about that, but it cannot +be too strongly insisted on that, under certain +conditions, it ought not to be attempted. Every +experienced climber knows how weather can +affect a mountain, and how ascents which, under +ordinary conditions, are easy enough, are apt after +bad weather to become difficult—sometimes impossible; +and for a party of novices, with possibly +guides not of the best class, to attempt the +Matterhorn in a bad state is to run a risk such +as no one in the pursuit of pleasure is justified +in running.</p> + +<p>The latest accident upon the Matterhorn, up to +date of writing, has perhaps more than any other +Alpine accident illustrated the folly of attempting +great mountains without a proper mountaineering +training beforehand. On the morning of +the 17th of August, at three <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>, a party, consisting +of Messrs F. C. Borckhardt and T. Davies, with +Zermatt guides, Peter Aufdemblatten and Fridolin +Kronig, left the lower Matterhorn hut, and in +fine weather reached the summit about nine <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> +Soon after leaving it, the weather, with one of +those sudden changes which must always more +or less constitute a danger in Alpine climbing, +became very bad, and it began to snow. The +progress of the party was very slow, for neither +of the two gentlemen seems to have been a good +walker, and both were exhausted; and by seven +o’clock that same evening they had only reached +the spot near where Dr Moseley made his fatal +slip. Here they halted. It continued to snow +all that night and till past noon on the following +day, by which time travellers and guides were +reduced to a pitiable condition. And now comes +the saddest part of the story. Of the party, +Mr Borckhardt was by this time the most +helpless, and as such, ought to have received +the greatest consideration; but the guides persuaded +Mr Davies that the only chance of saving +their own lives was to leave their helpless +companion, and make a push to the nearest +point whence help could be obtained. At that +moment, it so happened that a rescue party +was on its way from Zermatt, and they met it +about half-way down to the hut. On hearing +of the abandonment of Mr Borckhardt on the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_693">{693}</span>open mountain-side, the relief party pushed on +to his aid with all haste; but it was of no avail; +they only arrived to find that the unfortunate +gentleman was past all human help.</p> + + + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"><div class="chapter"><h2 class="nobreak x-ebookmaker-important" id="BY_ORDER_OF_THE_LEAGUE">BY ORDER OF THE LEAGUE.</h2></div> + + +<h3>CHAPTER X.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">Besides</span> the consolation of recovering the precious +insignia, the spice of romance in the affair appealed +to Le Gautier’s natural sentiment. He might, it +may be thought, have had something similar +made; but it must be remembered that he had no +fac-simile in his possession; and he knew, or +suspected, that the coin bore private marks +known only to the Supreme Three. At all +hazards, therefore, the device must be recovered, +and perhaps a little pleasant pastime enjoyed +in addition.</p> + +<p>After long cogitation, Le Gautier decided to +keep the appointment, and, in accordance with +this determination, walked to Charing Cross the +following night. He loitered along the broad +stone platform for some time till the clock struck +nine, idly speculating upon the people hurrying +to and fro, and turning over the books and +papers on the bookstall. At a few minutes after +the hour he looked up at the clock, and then +down again, and his heart beat a shade more +quickly, for there, standing by the swinging +door leading to the first-class waiting-room, was +a long cloaked figure, closely veiled. Walking +carelessly in the direction, and approaching, he +looked at his watch as he muttered: ‘Past nine—no +sign of the Eastern Eagle.’</p> + +<p>By way of answer, the mysterious stranger +raised her hand to the clasp of her cloak, and +there, in the centre of the fastening, was a gold +moidore.</p> + +<p>Le Gautier’s eyes glistened as he noticed this. +‘You wish to see me?’ he said at length. ‘I +must thank you for’——</p> + +<p>‘If your name is Le Gautier,’ she interrupted, +‘I do want to say a few words to you.—Am +I right, sir?’</p> + +<p>Le Gautier bowed, thinking that, if the face +matched the voice and figure, he had a treasure +here.</p> + +<p>‘This is no place to discuss this matter. If +you can suggest any place where we can hold +a few minutes’ conversation, I shall be obliged.’</p> + +<p>Le Gautier mused a moment; he had a good +knowledge of London, but hesitated to take a +lady to any place so late. The only suggestion +he could make was the Embankment; and apparently +this suited his companion, for, bowing +her head, she took the proffered arm, walked +out from the station, down Villiers Street, and +so on to the waterside. Le Gautier noticed how +the fingers on his arm trembled, attributing this +to natural timidity, never dreaming that the +emotion might be a warmer one. He began to +feel at home now, and his tongue ran on accordingly. +‘Ah! how good of you,’ he exclaimed, +pressing the arm lying in his own tenderly—‘how +angelic of you to come to my aid! Tell me +how you knew I was so rash, so impetuous?’</p> + +<p>‘Men who carry their lives in their hands +always are,’ Isodore replied. ‘The story does +not need much telling. I was in the Kursaal +at the time, and had my eyes on you. I saw +you detach the insignia from your watchchain; +I saw you hand it to a woman to stake; in +short, I can put my hand upon it now.’</p> + +<p>‘My protector, my guardian angel!’ Le Gautier +cried rapturously; and then, with a sudden +prosaic touch, added: ‘Have you got it with +you?’</p> + +<p>Isodore hesitated. If he could only have seen +the smile behind the thick dark veil which hid +the features so tantalisingly!</p> + +<p>‘I have not your insignia with me,’ she said; +‘that I must give you at some future time, not +now. Though I am alarmed for you, I cannot +but admire your reckless audacity.’</p> + +<p>‘I thought perhaps you might,’ Le Gautier +observed in a disappointed tone, and glancing +at the clasp of his companion’s cloak.</p> + +<p>‘That is mine,’ she explained, noting his eager +look. ‘I do not part with it so recklessly as +you. I, too, am one of you, as you see. Ah, +Monsieur le Gautier, how truly fortunate your +treasure fell into a woman’s hands!’</p> + +<p>‘Indeed, yes,’ he replied gravely, a little +puzzled, nevertheless, by the half-serious, half-mocking +tone of these last words. ‘And how +grateful I am! Pardon me if, in my anxiety, +I ask when I may have it?’</p> + +<p>‘It may be some days yet. It is not in my +hands; but be assured that you shall have it. +I always keep my promises—in love or war, +gratitude or revenge, I never forget.—And now +I must leave you.’</p> + +<p>‘But you will at least tell me the name of my +benefactor, and when I shall have the great +felicity of seeing her again.’</p> + +<p>‘If I disclose myself to you, my secret must +be respected. Some time, when I know you +better, I will tell you more. I live in Ventnor +Street, Fitzroy Square. You may come and see +me any night at ten. You must inquire for +Marie St Jean.’</p> + +<p>‘I will come,’ Le Gautier exclaimed, kissing +the proffered hand gallantly. ‘Nothing save the +sternest duty shall keep me from Fitzroy Square.’</p> + +<p>‘And you will respect my secret? I, too, am +on the business of the League. You will guard +my secret?’</p> + +<p>‘On my life!’ was the fervid response.—‘Goodnight, +and <i>au revoir</i>.’</p> + +<p>‘On his life,’ Isodore murmured as she walked +rapidly away in the direction of the Temple +Gardens.</p> + +<p>It was a beautiful night, the moon hanging +behind Westminster, and throwing a glowing +track along the swift rushing river, dancing like +molten silver as it turned and switched under +the arches of Waterloo. It was getting quiet +now, save for the echoing footfall from a few +hurrying feet or the shout of voices from the +Surrey shore. Soft and subdued came the hoarse +murmurs of the distant Strand; but Isodore +heeded them not. In imagination, she was +standing under the shadow of the grape-vines, +the sunny Tiber down at her feet, and a man was +at her side. And now the grapes were thorns, +the winding Tiber the sullen Thames, and the +hero standing by her side, a hero no longer, but +a man to be despised—and worse. As she walked +along, busy among the faded rose-leaves of the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_694">{694}</span>past, a hand was laid upon her arm, and Valerie +stood before her.</p> + +<p>‘I thought you were going to walk over me,’ +she said. ‘I knew you would return this way, +and came to meet you.—Have you seen him?’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, I have seen him; and what I have heard, +does not alter my feelings. He is cold and vain, +callous and unfeeling as ever. And to think I +once loved that man, and trusted him! The +poor fool thinks he has made another conquest, +another captive to his bow and spear. Under +cover of my veil, I have been studying his features. +It is well he thinks so; it will help me +to my revenge.—Valerie, he is going to call upon +me to-morrow night at ten o’clock.’</p> + +<p>‘But consider what a rash thing you are doing. +Besides, how is this going to benefit you or injure +him? He will boast of it; he will talk of it +to his friends, and injure you.’</p> + +<p>‘Not while I have this,’ Isodore cried triumphantly, +touching the clasp of her cloak.—‘Do +not you see how he is within my power? Besides, +he can give me some information of the utmost +value. They hold a Council to-morrow night; +the business is pressing, and a special envoy is +to go to Rome. The undertaking will be one +of extreme danger. They will draw lots, but +the choice will fall upon Frederick Maxwell.’</p> + +<p>‘How do you know this?’ Valerie asked. ‘I +do not understand your mission; but it seems +to me that where every man has a stake at issue, +it is his own interest to see the matter conducted +fairly.’</p> + +<p>‘You may think so; but perhaps you will +think differently when I tell you that Le Gautier +is, for the evening, President of the Council. It +does not need a vast amount of discrimination +to see how the end will be. Le Gautier is determined +to marry this Enid Charteris; and much +as she despises him, he will gain his end if he +is not crossed.’</p> + +<p>‘But what are you going to do?’ Valerie asked, +horrified at the infamous plot. ‘You will not +allow an innocent man to go to his death like +this?’</p> + +<p>‘I shall not, as you say, allow a good man to +be done to death,’ Isodore replied with the calmness +of perfect conviction. ‘The pear is not yet +ripe. Le Gautier is not sufficiently hoist with his +own petard. This Maxwell will go to Rome; but +he will never execute the commission allotted +to him; I shall take care of that.—And now, +mind you are out of the way, when Le Gautier +comes to-morrow night.’</p> + +<p>Valerie silently shivered as she turned over +the dark plot in her mind. ‘Suppose you fail, +Isodore,’ she suggested—‘fail from over-confidence? +You speak of the matter as already +accomplished, as if you had only to say a thing +and it is done. One would think, to hear you, +that Frederick Maxwell’s safety, my husband’s +life even, was yours.’</p> + +<p>‘Yes,’ she answered calmly; ‘his life is mine. +I hold it in the hollow of my hand.’</p> + + +<h3>CHAPTER XI.</h3> + +<p>In one of those quiet by-thoroughfares between +Gray’s Inn Road and Holborn stands a hairdresser’s +shop. It is a good enough house above +stairs, with capacious rooms over the shop; +below, it has its plate-glass windows and the +pole typical of the tonsorial talent within; a +window decorated with pale waxen beauties, +rejoicing in wigs of great luxuriance and splendour +of colour; brushes of every shape and design; +and cosmétiques from all nations, dubbed with +high-sounding names, and warranted to make +the baldest scalp resemble the aforesaid beauties, +after one or more applications. But the polite +proprietor of ‘The Cosmopolitan Toilette Club’ +had something besides hair-cutting to depend +upon, for Pierre Ferry’s house was the London +headquarters of the League.</p> + +<p>As he stood behind a customer’s chair in the +‘saloon’ snipping and chatting as barbers, especially +if they be foreigners, always will, his restless +little black eyes twinkled strangely. Had the +customer been a man of observation, he would +have noticed one man after another drop in, +making a sign to the tonsorial artist, and then +passing into an inner room. Salvarini entered +presently, accompanied by Frederick Maxwell, +both making some sign and passing on. Pierre +Ferry looked at the newcomer keenly; but a +glance of intelligence satisfied his scruples, and +he resumed his occupation. Time went on until +Le Gautier arrived, listless and cool, as was +his wont, and in his turn passed in, turning to +the barber as he shut the door behind him. +‘This room is full,’ he said; ‘we want no more.’</p> + +<p>Ferry bowed gravely, and turning the key +in the lock, put the former in his pocket. That +was the signal of the assembly being complete. +He wished his customer good-night, then closing +the door, seated himself, to be on the alert in +case of any threatened danger.</p> + +<p>As each of the conspirators passed through the +shop, they ascended a dark winding staircase +into the room above; and at the end of the +apartment, a window opened upon another light +staircase, for flight in case of danger, and which +led into a courtyard, and thence into a back +street. The windows looking upon Gray’s Inn +Road were carefully barred, and the curtains +drawn so as to exclude any single ray of light, +and talking quietly together were a few grave-looking +men, foreigners mostly. Maxwell surveyed +the plain-looking apartment, almost bare +of furniture, with the exception of a long table +covered with green cloth, an inkstand and paper, +together with a pack of playing-cards. The +artist’s scrutiny and speculations were cut short +by the entrance of Le Gautier.</p> + +<p>To an actor of his stamp, the change of manner +from a light-hearted man of the world to a desperate +conspirator was easy enough. He had laid +aside his air of levity, and appeared now President +of the Council to the life—grave, stern, with +a touch of hauteur in his gait, his voice deliberate, +and his whole manner speaking of earnest +determination of purpose. Maxwell could not +but admire the man now, and gave him credit +at least for sincerity in this thing.</p> + +<p>‘Gentlemen,’ he said, in deep sonorous tones, +‘we will commence business, if you please. I +shall not detain you long to-night, for I have +business of grave importance myself. Will you +take your seats?’</p> + +<p>The men gathered round the table, drawing +up their chairs, Le Gautier at the head, and +every eye turned upon him with rapt attention. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_695">{695}</span>From an inside pocket he produced a packet +of papers and laid them before him. ‘Brothers,’ +he asked, ‘what is our first duty to the League?’</p> + +<p>‘The removal of tyrants!’ came from every +throat there in a kind of deep chorus. ‘And +death to traitors!’ added one, low down the +board.</p> + +<p>‘You are right, my friend,’ Le Gautier continued. +‘That is a duty to which none can +yield. I hold evidence in my hand that we +have a traitor amongst us—not in the room, I +mean, but in our camp. Does any Brother here +know Visci, the Deputy at Rome?’</p> + +<p>The assembly looked one to the other, though +without speaking; and Maxwell noted the deathly +pallor upon Salvarini’s face, wondering what +brought it there. The President repeated the +question, and looked round again, as if waiting +for some one to speak.</p> + +<p>‘Yes, I know him. He was my friend,’ Salvarini +observed in melancholy tones. ‘Let us +hear what his fault is.’</p> + +<p>‘He is a traitor to the Order,’ Le Gautier +continued; ‘and as such, he must die. His crime +is a heavy one,’ he went on, looking keenly +at Maxwell: ‘he has refused to obey a mandate +of the Three.’</p> + +<p>‘Death!’ shouted the voices in chorus again—‘death +to the traitor!’</p> + +<p>‘That is your verdict, then?’ the President +asked, a great shout of ‘Ay’ going up in reply.—‘It +is proper for you to see his refusal; we +must be stern in spite of our justice. See for +yourselves.’ Saying these words, he passed the +papers down the table from hand to hand, +Maxwell reading them in his turn, though the +whole thing was a puzzle to him. He could +only see that the assembly were in deadly earnest +concerning something he did not understand. +He was destined to have a rude awakening ere +long. The papers were passed on until they +reached the President’s hands again. With great +care he burnt them at one of the candles, crushing +the charred ashes with his fingers.</p> + +<p>‘You are all agreed,’ he asked. ‘What is +your verdict to be?’ And like a solemn echo +came the one word, ‘Death!’ Salvarini alone +was silent, and as Le Gautier took up the +cards before him, his deathly pallor seemed to +increase.</p> + +<p>‘It is well—it is just,’ Le Gautier said sternly, +as he poured the cards like water from one +hand to the other. ‘My friends, we will draw +lots. In virtue of my office as President, I am +exempt; but I will not stand out in the hour +of danger; I will take my chance with you.’</p> + +<p>A murmur of applause followed this sentiment, +and the cards were passed round by each, after +being carefully examined and duly shuffled. +Maxwell shuffled the cards in his hands, quite +unconscious of what they might mean to him, +and passed them to Salvarini.</p> + +<p>‘No,’ he said despondingly; ‘there is fate in +such things as these. If the lot falls to me, +I bow my head. There is a higher Hand than +man’s guiding such destinies as ours; I will +not touch them.’ Saying these words with an +air of extremely deep melancholy, he pushed +the cards in Le Gautier’s direction. The latter +turned back his cuffs, laid the cards on the +palm of one hand, and looked at the assembly.</p> + +<p>‘I will deal them round, and the first particular +card that falls to a certain individual +shall decide,’ he said. ‘Choose a card.’</p> + +<p>‘The dagger strikes to the heart,’ came a foreign +voice from the end of the table; ‘what better +can we have than the ace of hearts?’ He stopped, +and a murmur of assent ran round the room.</p> + +<p>It was a thrilling moment. Every face was bent +forward eagerly as the President stood up to deal +the cards. He placed one before himself, a harmless +one, and then, with unerring dexterity, threw +one before every man there. Each face was a +study of rapt attention, for any one might mean +a life, and low hoarse murmurs ran round as one +card after another was turned up and proved to +be harmless. One round was finished, containing, +curiously enough, six hearts, and yet the fatal ace +had not appeared. Each anxious face would light +up for a moment as the owner’s card was turned +up, and then be fixed with sickening anxiety +on his neighbour’s. At the end of the second +round the ace was still absent. The excitement +now was almost painful; not a word was spoken, +and only the deep breathing gave evidence of the +inward emotion. Slowly, one by one, the cards +dwindled away in the dealer’s hands till only +seven were left. It was a sight never to be +forgotten even with one chance for each; and +when the first of the seven was dealt, a simple +two, every envying eye was bent upon the fortunate +one as he laughed unsteadily, wiped his +face, and hastily filled and swallowed a glass of +water. Six, five, four; the last to the President, +and there only remained three cards now—one +for Salvarini, one for Maxwell, and one for the +suggester of the emblem card. The Frenchman’s +card was placed upon the table; he turned it +up with a shrug which was not altogether affected, +and then came Salvarini’s turn. The whole room +had gathered round the twain, Maxwell calm and +collected, Salvarini white and almost fainting. +He had to steady one hand with the other, like +a man afflicted with paralysis, as he turned over +his card. For a moment he leaned back in his +chair, the revulsion of feeling almost overpowering +him. His card was the seven of clubs.</p> + +<p>With a long sweeping throw, the President +tossed the last card in Maxwell’s direction. No +need to look at it. There it lay—the fatal ace +of hearts!</p> + +<p>They were amazed at the luckless man’s utter +coolness, as he sat there playing with the card, +little understanding as yet his danger; and then, +one by one shaking his hand solemnly, they +passed out. Maxwell was inclined to make light +of this dramatic display, ascribing it to a foreigner’s +love of the mysterious. He did not +understand it to mean a last farewell between +Brothers. They had all gone by that time with +the exception of Le Gautier and Salvarini, the +latter looking at the doomed man sadly, the +Frenchman with an evil glitter and a look of +subdued triumph in his eyes.</p> + +<p>‘Highly dramatic, at anyrate,’ Maxwell observed, +turning to Le Gautier, ‘and vastly entertaining. +They seemed to be extremely sorry for +me.’</p> + +<p>‘Well, you take the matter coolly enough,’ the +Frenchman smiled. ‘Any one would think you +were used to this sort of thing.’</p> + +<p>‘I should like to have caught some of those +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_696">{696}</span>expressions,’ Maxwell replied. ‘They would +make a man’s fortune if he could get them on +canvas. What do you think of an Academy +picture entitled “The Conspirators?”—And now, +will you be good enough to explain this little +farce to me?’</p> + +<p>His cool, contemptuous tones knocked Le +Gautier off his balance for a moment, but he +quickly recovered his habitual cynicism. ‘There +will be a pendant to that picture, called “The +Vengeance;” or, if you like it better, “The +Assassination,”’ he replied with a sneer. ‘Surely +you do not think I dealt these cards for amusement? +No, my friend; a life was at stake there, +perhaps two.’</p> + +<p>‘A life at stake? Do you mean that I am to +play the part of murderer to a man unknown to +me—an innocent man?’</p> + +<p>‘Murder is not a pleasant word,’ Le Gautier +replied coldly. ‘We prefer the expression +“remove,” as being more elegant, and not so +calculated to shock the nerves of novices—like +yourself. Your perspicacity does you credit, sir. +Your arm is the one chosen to strike Visci down.’</p> + +<p>‘Gracious powers!’ Maxwell exclaimed, falling +back into his chair faint and dizzy. ‘I stain my +hand with an unoffending man’s blood? Never! +I would die first. I never dreamt—I never +thought—— Salvarini, I did not think you +would lead me into this!’</p> + +<p>‘I warned you,’ the Italian said mournfully. +‘As far as I dared, I told you what the consequences +would be.’</p> + +<p>‘If you had told me you were a gang of callous, +bloodthirsty murderers, I should not have joined +you. I, like every Englishman, am the friend +of liberty as much as you, but no cowardly dagger-thrust +for me. Do your worst, and come what +may, I defy you!’</p> + +<p>‘A truce to these histrionics,’ Le Gautier exclaimed +fiercely; ‘or we shall hold a Council, +and serve you the same. There are your orders. +I am your superior. Take them, and obey. +Refuse, and’—— He stopped, folding his arms, +and looked Maxwell full in the face for a moment; +then turning abruptly upon his heel, +quitted the room without another word.</p> + +<p>Maxwell and his friend confronted each other. +‘And who is this Visci I am to murder?’ the +artist demanded bitterly.</p> + +<p>Salvarini bowed his head lower and lower till +his face almost rested upon his breast. ‘You +know him,’ he said. ‘He was a good friend of +mine once, and his crime is the one you are +contemplating now—disobedience to orders. Is +it possible you have not guessed the doomed man +to be Carlo Visci?’</p> + +<p>‘Carlo Visci—my friend, my more than brother? +I must be mad, mad or dreaming. Lay foul +hands upon the best friend man ever had—the +noble-hearted fellow whose purse was mine, who +taught me all I know, who saved my life; and +I to stab him in the dark because, perchance, he +refuses to serve a companion the same! Never! +May my right hand rot off, before I injure a +hair of Carlo Visci’s head!’</p> + +<p>‘Then you will die yourself,’ Salvarini put in +sadly.</p> + +<p>‘Then I shall die—death comes only once,’ +Maxwell exclaimed proudly, throwing back his +head. ‘No sin like that shall stain my soul!’</p> + +<p>For a moment the two men were silent.</p> + +<p>Salvarini broke the silence. ‘Listen, Maxwell,’ +he said. ‘I am in a measure to blame for this, +and I will do what I can to serve you. You +must go to Rome, as if you intended to fulfil +your task, and wait there till you hear from me. +I am running great risks in helping you so, and +you must rely on me. One thing is in your +favour: time is no particular object. Will you +go so far, for your sake and mine?’</p> + +<p>‘Anything, anywhere!’ burst out the Englishman +passionately.</p> + +<p class="center">(<i>To be continued.</i>)</p> + + + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"><div class="chapter"><h2 class="nobreak" id="PITMEN_PAST_AND_PRESENT">PITMEN, PAST AND PRESENT.</h2></div> + + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> coal-trade of Scotland dates from the early +part of the thirteenth century. In its earliest +stages it embraced only the shallowest seams, +and those without water, or any other difficulty +requiring machinery to overcome. The digging +of coal, therefore, is one of our oldest industries; +and it may be interesting to look at some phases +of the work from the miner’s point of view. +Taking this stand-point, we will see that the +improvement in the miner’s condition—physical, +intellectual, moral and spiritual—is almost inconceivable. +When machinery became necessary for +pumping water from coal-pits—about the beginning +of the seventeenth century—there appears +to have been a demand for workmen greater +than the supply, and power was granted to +colliery owners ‘to apprehend all vagabonds and +sturdy beggars’ and set them to work. This +shows that the life of a miner was not at all +an attractive one; and this is not to be wondered +at, as will be seen from some of the allusions +made in this article as we proceed. The one +fact, that colliers were, for two centuries after +the date referred to—that is, till near the end +of the eighteenth century—bought and sold with +the collieries in which they wrought, is sufficient +to stamp mining as a most undesirable kind of +employment, even in those early and more or +less barbarous times. One can easily understand, +from this instance of hardship, how it became +necessary to keep up the supply of miners from +the criminal classes. An analogous case still +presents itself in Russia, where one of the most +hopeless sentences that can be passed on political +and other offenders is banishment to the Siberian +mines.</p> + +<p>Some time after the repeal (about 1790) of +the laws enslaving miners, there would appear +to have been experienced a similar difficulty +to recruit the ranks of pit-workers, and one of +the means adopted to procure workmen was only +a few degrees less objectionable than slavery +itself. This was what was termed the ‘Bond’ +system. A man, more especially when he had +a family, some of them coming to be helpful +at his calling, had the bait held out to him of +a bounty if he signed the bond. By this bond +he obliged himself to continue in the employment +of his master for a fixed period, varying +from one year to four years. In return for this, +he received the immediate payment of a bounty, +variable in amount in proportion to the period +engaged for, and also regulated by the value of +the man’s services. As much as five pounds +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_697">{697}</span>might be given. Should the bond be faithfully +carried out by the workman, the master had +no claim upon the money; but should the engagement +be brought prematurely to an end, +he often retained the power to claim the amount +as a debt, besides having the right to sue the +workman for desertion of service. Of course, +the bounty formed a payment over and above +the ordinary wages.</p> + +<p>At the period referred to, it was the practice +amongst many classes of workmen in Scotland +to leave their usual avocations during the +summer months, and fee themselves to farmers in +the times known familiarly as ‘hay and hairst.’ +From this custom, it was often a serious matter +for a coalmaster to find that his workmen had +deserted him. The ‘bond’ system was intended +partly to counteract this practice, as well as +to meet the prevailing unpopularity of the work. +The system was a thoroughly bad one for the +workmen, as it practically lengthened the period +of actual slavery, though nominally that had disappeared. +The inducement to sign the bond +was very much the same as it now is to join the +militia—the bounty-money gave the prospect of +a ‘spree’ in both cases, and in this way the system +operated badly.</p> + +<p>We may well be astonished at the statement, +that in the memory of men still living it was +the regular thing for miners in some districts to +go to and from the pits with bare feet. The wages +were small and the hours long. We have heard +it said by a miner that the grandfather of a companion +a little older than himself wrought in the +mines for twopence a day, he at the time being +man grown. This case would take us back to +about the close of the last century, when miners +were employed compulsorily under an Act of +Parliament. In any case it is an extreme instance +of the small wages earned for a long time by +miners. In regard to the hours of employment, +even till a period well advanced in the present +century, the usual time to begin work was four +<span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>; whilst the hour for allowing the men to +quit the mine was six o’clock at night—a length +of day’s work that left little time even for sleep. +No wonder that such a joke should be in circulation +that miners’ children in those days did not +know their fathers, as the children were asleep all +the time the father was at home.</p> + +<p>Not only had miners in times past hard work +with long hours and small wages, but even the +scanty earnings were settled up only at long intervals, +and on this fact hangs a series of abuses +that required a long and determined struggle to +remove. Monthly pays were considered frequent; +and it could hardly be expected that mining +human nature could endure for a month even at +a time without some temporary means being +provided. Out of this arose some of the most +indefensible hardships suffered by the miner. +‘Truck’ and ‘Poundage’ in all their various forms +were the foul growths from the system of long +delayed pays. The truck system had many developments. +Let us begin with one of its earliest—namely, +‘lines.’ A workman wants an advance, +and goes to the pay office for that purpose; but +instead of getting hard cash, he receives a line +to the following effect: ‘Please give bearer goods +to the value of ____________.’ This line +was addressed to a person owning a general +provision and dry-goods store, who had entered +into an arrangement to honour these lines; and +when they were brought to the colliery proprietor +at stated intervals, the shopkeeper received payment +of their amount, less an agreed upon commission, +varying from five to ten per cent. But, +supposing the storekeeper did not keep some +of the goods required by the workman for his +family or personal use, the workman could obtain +a part of the sum marked on the line in money, +less a discount of usually one penny per shilling. +As time went on, however, another development +of the truck system took place, and on the +whole it was a little better than that described. +The mine-owner provided a store, managed under +his own charge, in which was sold everything +from the proverbial ‘needle to an anchor.’ One +of the sore points in the management of many +of these works-stores was that the men were +terrorised into buying all their goods there, and +there alone. Indeed, where advances were given +under the line-system, the poor miner had usually +to spend nearly all his money in the master’s +stores. Even in the comparatively rare instances +where workmen waited until the end of the pay +without accepting advances, some of the colliery +proprietors used a sort of tyrannical power over +the men to force them to buy from the works-store, +and that alone. Under the line-system, +barter pure and simple obtained full play. And +yet since the passing in 1831 of what is popularly +known as the Truck Act, this barbarous method +of payment was fully provided against, though +the criminality of unscrupulous masters was not +brought home to them until the Truck Commission +sat in 1870. This Commission fully investigated +the wholesale evasion of the law of +1831, and brought such a flood of light on the +disgraceful proceedings of many masters, as to +at once bring to an end the hateful truck or +tally system. It forms a curious comment on +the manner of administering our laws, that the +Truck Act of 1831 only became operative in 1870, +after a most exhaustive inquiry.</p> + +<p>Whilst ‘truck’ was an attempt on the part +of some masters to pay wages in kind and not +in sterling money, what is known as ‘poundage’ +was a different system of making a large profit +off the poverty of the workmen—a system, unfortunately, +which is not altogether dead yet. +Under the system of poundage, the monthly or +larger pays were continued—short pays would +have been its death—but the privilege was +granted to employees of receiving advances in +cash during the currency of the pay. But this +was done, let it be noted, for a ‘consideration,’ +that consideration being the grand and simple +system of five per cent.—a shilling a pound. +This is how the calculation would work out: +In a four-weekly pay, let us presume that there +are only three advances made—if there were +more it would not alter the principle at work—one +made each week for three weeks, and each +advance amounting to one pound. The first +advance is twenty shillings for three weeks, the +second for two weeks, and the third for one +week—the whole advances during the currency +of the pay amounting to three pounds, and costing +the workman three shillings. This looks a +very simple charge—five per cent.; but when +we look at it in the light of being interest on +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_698">{698}</span>lent money, we find the first pound has cost +83⅔ per cent. per annum; the second, 130, and +the third, 260 per cent. per annum—or an +average of nearly 160 per cent. per annum on +the whole. It must be remembered too that +this was the rate of interest charged, not for an +unsecured debt, but rather for wages actually +earned by the employee, though settlement was +deferred for a month through the system of long +pays. The writer has known a firm derive +from this one source of income as much as a +thousand pounds a year up to the time a more +enlightened policy was adopted.</p> + +<p>Another system from which unscrupulous +employers derived some income, more trifling +in amount than the annoyance and irritation it +produced, was that known as ‘Fines.’ In remote +collieries, fines were of regular occurrence under +one pretext or another. It is quite likely that +the system was a survival of feudal jurisdiction +exercised by the superior all over the country, +and finally put an end to, as it was supposed, +by Act of Parliament passed in 1747. Instead +of the workman being brought before a magistrate +for an alleged offence, a court-martial was +held upon him by the employer or manager, +and a fine was usually exacted. It mattered +not whether the offence related to the man’s +employment or to his conduct with his neighbours, +whether it had a criminal or only a +civil origin—the court-martial was held, and +the result invariably the same—a fine. The +curious thing was that these fines were taken +as a matter of course, the decisions being usually +respected after a little necessary grumbling. The +amount of money gained annually from these fines +was not large, so that their justification must +have been that this was the only available +method of keeping law and order. In this view, +‘fines’ may have suited an earlier state of civilisation; +but the system is too rough and ready +to be consonant with modern ideas of justice. +The miner has suffered under slavery, and its +twin-brother the bond system; but he has seen +these totally disappear, not, however, very many +years before slavery was abolished amongst the +aborigines of our colonies. Truck or the tally +system has also become a thing of the past, +though we have seen how hard it was to kill. +Fines likewise have given place to the ordinary +operation of the law; and the exaction of poundage +is now only made by a small residuum of coal-masters, +on whom the action of public opinion +is slow and uncertain; but the system is doomed, +and must, sooner or later, follow the other abuses +we have enumerated.</p> + +<p>We will now look for a short time at a different +phase of the subject, ‘Pitmen, Past and Present;’ +and in this no less than in the past, already +treated, it will be found that there is a strong +contrast between the past and the present in the +miner’s condition. Take as an example the +ventilation of mines. The benefits brought about +in the miner’s health by the greater quantities +of fresh air now forced into the pits are almost +incalculable. A ‘wheezing’ miner of thirty is +now a very rare phenomenon; indeed, apart from +the inevitable danger from accidents—and that +is even greatly lessened—the miner has now +nearly as good a chance of long life as any other +class of workmen. At a period within the +memory of not very old colliers still living, the +pit was merely a hole in the ground, having no +separate upcast and downcast division, so essential +to proper ventilation. In short, there was +absolutely no attempt at the artificial ventilation +of the mines. The only agent at work was the +wind on the surface, and this was as often as not +adverse to the pitman. In the heat of summer, +the mine became quite unworkable from the +rarefied and polluted nature of the air. From +the operation of various causes, this state of things +has been altered to the great benefit of the miner. +An air-tight mid-wall is now made in each pit: +the one side of the shaft being used for drawing +out—by fans or otherwise—the foul air; and the +other for the introduction into the mine of a +current of fresh air, which finds its way through +all the workings until it reaches the upcast shaft, +and there obtains an outlet. In addition to this, +every shaft has now a communication pit, either +expressly made for that purpose, or advantage +may be taken of some old pit for giving pitmen +a certain means of exit and entrance in the event +of a shaft being blocked up through accident.</p> + +<p>The year of the famous battle of Waterloo is +one that should ever be remembered gratefully by +miners. It was then that Humphry Davy perfected +his safety-lamp, that has done so much for +mankind. How much it has done to prevent +accidents no one can say. Being a preventive, all +we can claim is that it must have rendered the +annals of mining comparatively free of the records +of accidents, and given a degree of comfort and +safety in the fieriest mines that otherwise would +be impossible, besides making available for public +use a vast amount of coal that without it would +be unworkable.</p> + +<p>In regard to the age of those engaged in mines, +thirty, forty, or fifty years ago it was the rule +rather than the exception to send boys to work at +eight or nine years of age. The Mines Act of +1872 wholly prohibits the employment below +ground of women or girls of any age, and fixes for +boys the minimum age at twelve for a full day’s +employment, and that only when a certain educational +standard has been reached. Curiously +enough, however, a boy <i>above</i> ground cannot be +engaged full time until he is thirteen years old. +Surely it is one of the unintentional anomalies of +the Mines Act that in the open air boys are precluded +from working till they are a year older +than they may be at work underground. A +warning note may be sounded in regard to the +age at which boys are engaged. We know that +many are employed in mines at the minimum +age of twelve, irrespective of their educational +standard. If the Education Act and the Mines +Act are here at variance, or if there is the want +of a public prosecutor to see them enforced, the +wants should be without waste of time supplied, +and not cause beneficial clauses to be inoperative.</p> + +<p>Respecting the education of miners’ children, +the Education Acts have been highly advantageous +in giving compulsory powers to School +Boards and managers; but even before their +introduction, this class of children had many +comparative benefits in a much less degree enjoyed +by others. The works-schools have always been a +feature in Scotch mining centres. We have not +seen any pointed allusion to the fact that these +schools, long before the introduction of Education +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_699">{699}</span>Acts, solved the problem of free education in a +way satisfactory to all concerned. Happily, in +many places these schools are still left under the +old management, though nominally connected with +School Boards. Under the works-school system, +all the workers, whether married or single, agreed +to pay a weekly sum, say, of twopence. This +insured the education of the workman’s family, +however large it might be. The unmarried suffered +by this voluntary sacrifice on their part, but +they did so at a time of life when they were least +burdened; but the struggling married man reaped +the full benefit when he most needed assistance. +In the case of a workman with four children of +school-age at one time, the almost nominal cost of +a halfpenny per week paid for each child’s education. +Small though this sum is, we have known +schools self-supporting under the system for years, +with no other aid than the government grant +earned at the annual inspection, besides being +able to supply night-school education in the +winter months to the elderly youths of the +place.</p> + +<p>Besides a school, it is one of the evidences of +the improved state of mining communities that +they usually have all the adjuncts of civilisation +amongst them. There is the church, where +the rich and the poor meet together, and in +this connection it may be said that miners are +as a class either very zealous religionists, or they +go to the other extreme, and care for none of +these things. The clergy of our day is largely +recruited from mining villages; whilst the list +of miners who have become home missionaries +is a long one. Then there is the Temperance +Society, either a Good Templars’ Lodge, or an +offshoot from some of the other anti-alcohol +societies; there is the Library of well-selected +books, which are much read. There is the +Savings-bank; the Reading-room, with a full +supply of daily newspapers and other periodical +literature; the String and Reed Bands; the +Bowling Green, Football and Quoiting Field—the +amusements of the miners of our day being +all on a higher level than those of forty years +ago, when cock-fighting and dog-fighting monopolised +attention. Nor can we omit to mention +that Sick and Funeral and other benevolent +Societies are marked associations in every colliery +village worthy of the name. Miners are indeed +remarkably considerate to each other, when any +special emergency occurs to call forth their active +sympathy, being ever ready to subscribe for a +brother-worker who has been unfortunate beyond +the common lot.</p> + +<p>The prospect of the temporary nature of a +mining village at the best, forms a strong temptation +for nothing but necessary house accommodation, +and that of the barest kind, being +provided for workmen. The mining proprietor +takes a lease of a mineral field, in the middle +of a moor it may be, where no houses exist, and +where everything has to be erected and provided. +Accommodation for the workpeople has to be +erected whether the field proves successful or +not; and when the field is exhausted, he is in +the power of the landlord whether he must +remove the buildings and restore the ground, or +leave them as they are. In either of these cases, +the mineral lessee receives no compensation for +his outlay, usually of many thousands of pounds. +Hence, as we have stated, there is much temptation +for the colliery lessee to erect flimsy houses +in keeping with the possible shortness of their +use. But colliery owners often rise superior to +this evident temptation, and in spite of the +possible unremunerative nature of the mineral +field, excellent houses, with copious water-supply, +are provided. Where this is done, naturally a +better class of workers settle down; and when +there is a fairly good prospect before the lessee, +it is doubtless nothing but justice to himself and +his workmen to afford the men every comfort.</p> + +<p>It is not too much to say that in the best +collieries, the interests of the workmen are cared +for in the most enlightened manner. Situated +as are many colliery villages, beyond the oversight +of regularly constituted municipalities, the +whole onus of sanitary and other regulations falls +upon the master, and he does not shirk his duty +in such cases. Means of social enjoyment are +provided—the physical, intellectual, moral, and +spiritual well-being of the populace are cared +for, and the colliers of to-day are in consequence +an intelligent and respectable class of +men. Crime is proportionately small amongst +mining villages, and those who best know the +miner are aware that he is possessed of much +kindness of heart, and that in the prosecution +of his dangerous calling he often exhibits true +heroism.</p> + + + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"><div class="chapter"><h2 class="nobreak" id="GEORGE_HANNAYS_LOVE_AFFAIR">GEORGE HANNAY’S LOVE AFFAIR.</h2></div> + + +<h3>CHAPTER V.—THE EDITOR’S SANCTUM—A +DISCLOSURE.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">Alfred Roberton</span> felt the smart of Nan’s summary +dismissal more than he could have expected, +or even than he owned to himself. His +vanity was sorely hurt, and he lost a good deal +of that audacious <i>insouciance</i> in his manner +towards the opposite sex for which he had been +before remarkable. He sent back Nan’s letters +honourably enough, and set himself to forget +her, as she had him. In order to effect this, +he determined to supplant the old love by a +new; and commenced paying marked attentions +to Miss Curtiss, the twenty-thousand-pound +young lady. His suit prospered, and the fair +one capitulated; but the terms of the surrender +were to be fixed by her friends. They made +objections to the smallness and uncertainty +of his income. On the other hand, Alfred’s +solicitor found the young lady’s properties were +so heavily mortgaged as only to leave a very +small margin of income; and the result was +the negotiations were broken off. Then, somehow +or another, his society was no longer so +eagerly sought after. A young violinist had +taken the place he formerly held in Mrs Judson’s +social circle, and when that gentleman was present, +Alfred was cast entirely in the shade. But there +was worse than that: he could no longer find a +market for the remainder of his manuscripts. +The publishers and editors who had patronised +him before were desirous of seeing what course +the <i>Olympic</i> took with regard to him. It was +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_700">{700}</span>very singular, they thought, that there never +was any second article from his pen inserted in +it. Some ill-speaking folks even went the length +of hinting that he wasn’t ‘Ariel’ at all; that +the claim he made to that <i>nom de plume</i> was a +mere ruse to get into society, and get some of +his trashy manuscripts palmed off on unsuspicious +editors and publishers.</p> + +<p>He felt these things very grievous to bear: +the only hope that buoyed him up was, that +when the editor of the <i>Olympic</i> returned to town, +all would be put right. He would go straight +to him and say: ‘I am Ariel! and here is a +much superior sketch to the one I first sent you. +Insert it, and I will not haggle with you about +the amount of the honorarium, for I know you +are a generous paymaster.’ Then all would again +be well; he would resume his proper place in +society, and his writings would be as eagerly +sought after as ever.</p> + +<p>It was towards the end of March when Mr +Hannay returned from his prolonged continental +tour. Allowing him a day or two to get settled +down, one blowy, blustering forenoon, Alfred +sallied forth to call on him. He sent in his +card, and in a few minutes was in the editor’s +sanctum.</p> + +<p>‘Pray, be seated, sir,’ said Mr Hannay politely. +‘I—I do not remember your name, Mr Roberton.’</p> + +<p>‘Ah, I daresay not,’ he replied, smiling. +‘You’ll know me better by my <i>nom de plume</i>. +I am Ariel!’</p> + +<p>Alfred was gratified to see the slight start +which followed this important announcement, +and he likewise became conscious that he was +being inventoried by a pair of keen black eyes. +He put a favourable interpretation on these +indications of interest.</p> + +<p>‘And what then, Mr Ariel, can I have the +pleasure of doing for you?’ said Mr Hannay +after a brief pause.</p> + +<p>‘Well, sir, I have an excellent little paper +here,’ Alfred replied, producing a manuscript +from his coat-pocket. ‘It is entitled “A Week’s +Yachting on the Rhine.” It is very carefully +written; and I can vouch for its accuracy in +details, as it is extended from notes I made +when yachting there with a friend.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, very well, sir,’ said the editor, laying +the paper aside. ‘I’ll take a look at it. But +I can hold out hardly the least hope of being +able to accept it. We are literally deluged with +that sort of matter, and can’t find room for one +in fifty of the manuscripts that are sent us.—At +anyrate,’ he added, laughing, ‘it would require +to be a little better than your “Ramble in Kirkcudbright.”’</p> + +<p>What could all this mean? thought the bewildered +Alfred. Was the editor making a fool +of him? At the very suggestion, he flushed red, +and it was with an effort he was able to stammer +forth: ‘And pray, sir, if the article was so worthless, +why did you accept it? And why did you +send me so handsome an honorarium?’</p> + +<p>The editor looked both surprised and puzzled. +Instead of replying to the question, he asked +one: ‘Are you the gentleman who is engaged +to be married to Miss Anne Porteous?’</p> + +<p>‘No!—Yes! That is to say, I was engaged, +but am not so now.’</p> + +<p>‘Indeed! And how is that?’ said the editor, +with an air of interest.</p> + +<p>‘Well, you see,’ said Alfred, who had now +regained his self-possession, ‘my friends advised +me to break off the connection. You know, +between ourselves, it wouldn’t do for a literary +man of any standing to marry a common innkeeper’s +daughter; although I must say the girl +herself was well enough, and might have passed +muster after a little training.’</p> + +<p>The editor’s eyes became blacker, keener, and +sharper—they seemed almost to flash fire as he +said; ‘You would know what she was, I suppose, +when you sought her love.—Yes? Then what +right had you to avail yourself of that as an +excuse for casting her off? It’s about the most +unmanly thing I ever’——</p> + +<p>‘Hold, hold!’ cried Alfred, who saw he had +gone on the wrong tack for conciliating the +editor’s favour. ‘You misunderstand the matter. +My friends wanted me to break off the marriage; +but I never proposed such a thing to the young +lady. I meant to marry her in two or three +years honourably. But she wrote to me; and I +went down to see her—and we had a quarrel, +and she broke off the engagement herself—upon +my honour, she did!’</p> + +<p>The editor’s features relaxed their tension; +there was almost the suggestion of a smile +lurking in the corners of his mouth. ‘Well, +Mr Roberton, I am glad you have cleared your +character so well.—You are anxious to know +why I accepted your first paper. This, I think, +will explain it,’ he added, unlocking a private +drawer and handing him a manuscript.</p> + +<p>Alfred looked at it with a stupefied air. Here +were a dozen sheets of foolscap covered with +Nan’s neat lady-like writing, and signed Ariel; +reply to be addressed, Ariel, Glenluce post-office.—To +lie till called for.</p> + +<p>He felt as if he were listening to a voice in a +dream, as the editor went on to say: ‘You see, +sir, I heard that Nan was going to be married +to a young student she had met in Brussels. +Now, students, as a rule, are not over-burdened +with ready cash; and when I got the manuscript +in her handwriting, I readily came to +the conclusion that it was a production of her +lover’s, and that she had copied it out in her +own handwriting, thinking that, for old acquaintance’ +sake, I would stretch a point, and give it +admission to our pages, and pay handsomely +for it. This I did; for I thought that, as her +father would be certain to be opposed to the +match, a little ready cash would be useful to +her and her lover in taking up house. In fact, +I may say I sent the little sum as a marriage +present! But I cannot understand how you are +not aware of all this.’</p> + +<p>The whole truth was now made plain to the +unfortunate lover. He remembered now her +snatching the letter from his hand and running +up-stairs with it. He remembered now her red +and sleepy-looking eyes the next morning. He +knew now the cause—the devoted girl had sat +up all night copying his manuscript, so that it +might have the better chance of acceptance! +How carefully she had kept the knowledge to +herself of the great service she had done him, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_701">{701}</span>and that in spite of his foolish gasconading talk! +To her and her alone he owed his little brief +season of popularity and success: and that popularity +and success was the cause of his looking +down on her! Oh, what a blinded fool he had +been—blinded by his own selfish vanity!</p> + +<p>He mumbled a few words of explanation to +the editor, and left the office a sadder and, it +is to be hoped, a wiser man. He thought of +flying to Nan, throwing himself at her feet, and +entreating her forgiveness and love. But remembering +the proud white face, the outstretched +arm pointing to the door, and the clear emphatic +‘Go!’ twice repeated, he shook his head sadly, +and muttered, ‘Too late—too late.’ It may be +said here that he gave up literature for good and +all, obtained a situation as a surgeon in an emigrant +ship, fell in love with a lady-patient during +the voyage, married her on their arrival at +Sydney, and starting the practice of his profession, +settled down there.</p> + +<p>As for the editor of the <i>Olympic</i>, he went +down as usual the following September to Lochenbreck, +repeated a question he had asked before, +and got a different reply. Nan is now his wife.</p> + + + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"><div class="chapter"><h2 class="nobreak" id="THE_MONTH_SCIENCE_AND_ARTS">THE MONTH:<br> +<span class="smalltext">SCIENCE AND ARTS.</span></h2></div> + + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> late meeting of the British Association at +Birmingham has proved a success with regard +both to the attendance of members and to the +importance of the various papers read in the +several sections. Next year the Association will +meet at Manchester, and the year after at Bath. +The suggestion from Sydney, that the Association +should in 1888 visit New South Wales and hold +its meeting there in the January of that year, +cannot, on account of many difficulties which +are foreseen, be accepted in its entirety. But +it is intended that about fifty members shall +form a representative delegation to our Australian +colony, their expenses being liberally defrayed +by the government of New South Wales. It is +very pleasing to record this little sign of the good-fellowship +which exists between far-off Australia +and the mother-country.</p> + +<p>We expressed a hope some months ago that +an institution of a permanent nature might grow +out of the splendid Indian and Colonial Exhibition +at South Kensington, which in a few days +will close its prosperous career. It has now +been proposed by the Prince of Wales that the +Jubilee of Queen Victoria’s reign shall be commemorated +by an Institute which should represent +the Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce of +Her Majesty’s Colonial and Indian Empire, and +which should be at once a Museum, an Exhibition, +and the proper locality for the discussion +of Colonial and Indian subjects.</p> + +<p>Very little is heard now of tempered or toughened +glass for domestic purposes, although, a +year or two back, such glass was much advertised +and its praises constantly sung. We understand +that the reason why it has at present disappeared +from public notice is that its efficiency +does not last. When fresh from the factory, it +can be dropped from a height on to the floor +and knocked about with impunity. But some +gradual and not understood change occurs in its +constitution, for after a short time it will fly +to pieces without any apparent cause. It is said, +too, that unscrupulous traders who have a stock +of the faulty material are selling it as ordinary +glass. Those, therefore, who experience unaccountable +breakages, will know to what cause +to attribute them. A really unbreakable glass +would be such a boon, that it is to be hoped +that further experiment will soon show how it +can be manufactured.</p> + +<p>From some recent experiments in New York, +it would seem that the danger of using dynamite +as a charge for explosive projectiles has been +obviated. The weapon used was a four and a +half inch rifled gun, with a charge of three and +a quarter pounds of gunpowder, the experimental +shells holding each more than one pound of +dynamite. To avoid any risk from concussion, +and premature explosion of the shell in the bore +of the gun, the cartridge and shell were separated +by wads made of asbestos. Twenty-seven shells +were fired with such safety to the gunners, that +the extraordinary precautions observed during the +first rounds were ignored during the later ones.</p> + +<p>The boat which the other day twice crossed +the Channel between Dover and Calais affords an +example of the rapid progress which has lately +been made in the science of electricity. This +little craft, which is only thirty-seven feet in +length, glided over the water with no visible +means of propulsion. The voyage was an experimental +one, and was designed to show that this +plan of electrical propulsion was as practicable +on the sea as before it had been proved to be on +inland waters. Such a boat could, say her promoters, +be carried hanging to the davits of a +ship, and be ready for immediate use. The +required electrical current is derived from accumulators, +or secondary batteries, stored and acting +as ballast beneath the deck floor of the little +vessel. These require to be charged by a dynamo +machine at intervals, and such a charge this +Channel trip amply proves will suffice for a run +of between forty and fifty miles. Supposing that +the system were adopted for torpedo vessels, it is +obvious that this amount of storage capacity would +be far more than sufficient for ordinary needs.</p> + +<p>Another vessel which obtains its motive-power +from a very different source, but which must also +be looked upon as an experimental boat, has been +invented and built by Messrs Secor of Brooklyn. +Unlike the electric boat, it possesses no screw +propeller or other moving parts. But it is furnished +on each side with open ports below the +water-level, which are in communication with an +‘exploding chamber.’ This chamber is constructed +of steel, and is capable of sustaining an enormous +internal pressure. It is filled with charges of +petroleum vapour and air under pressure, and +this explosive mixture is ignited by electricity. +It will therefore be seen that the propelling apparatus +of this boat may be compared to a gas-engine; +but the explosions, which occur several +times in a minute, instead of forcing forward a +piston to act upon a fly-wheel, impinge upon the +water at the stern of the vessel, and so push the +boat forward. Should this method of driving a +vessel through the water prove efficient, it will +certainly be economical, for little more than half +a barrel of petroleum will suffice for a twenty-four +hours’ run.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_702">{702}</span></p> +<p>Another invention from Brooklyn is of far +greater importance than the one just recorded, for +it is of a life-saving character, and is designed +to prevent those collisions at sea which seem to +be so greatly on the increase. It consists of a +marine brake, and is the contrivance of Mr John +M‘Adams. The experimental vessel, <i>The Florence</i>, +which is fitted with the brake, has been reported +upon officially, and the behaviour of the apparatus +is highly commended. The brake consists of two +wings made of steel, one on each side of the +vessel and below water-level. These have the +appearance of flat boards about eight feet square, +hinged to the stern-post, and which when not in +action fold forwards, secured by hidden chains, +close to and touching the vessel’s sides. In case +of danger of collision, the touch of a button by the +captain on the bridge will loosen these chains, and +cause some springs to act upon the wings, so that +they fly out at right angles to the sides of the +ship. In this position they are held by the now +lengthened chains, and form an obstacle to the +water, which checks the motion of the vessel +immediately, even if the engines continue to work. +If the engines are stopped at the moment the +brake is put into action, the ship is brought to +a standstill in twenty-two seconds. If, again, the +engine be stopped and reversed at the moment of +working the brake, the vessel commences to go +astern in the remarkably short space of twelve +seconds. It will be seen from these results that +the invention gives every promise of being of +great use. Besides being efficient, it is simple in +character, and, from its nature, cannot be a very +expensive additional fitting to a ship.</p> + +<p>The lamentable accident at the Crarae Quarries, +by which seven persons lost their lives, is happily +a most unusual one, although in character it +is closely allied with those fatalities from ‘choke-damp’ +by which so many poor colliers have +been killed. The explosion of gas underground, +or of gunpowder above ground, leads to the +evolution of a quantity of carbonic acid gas, or, +to call it by its proper name, carbon dioxide, +the principal product of combustion in either +case. In the workings of a mine, this gas fills +every available space, and has no outlet. In the +quarry, on the occasion referred to, much the +same condition of affairs existed, for there was +no wind to carry off the deadly vapour, and +its natural heaviness made it cling to the place +of its creation. The surviving relatives of the +victims of this accident have our heartfelt sympathy. +They will be comforted by knowing +that death under such conditions is supposed to +be painless. It is a sending to sleep, but a sleep, +unfortunately, from which there is no awakening +in this world.</p> + +<p>The little town of East Moulsey is now lighted, +so far as its public lamps are concerned, by +paraffin instead of gas, as heretofore. The reason +of this apparent retrogression is found in the +excessive demands of the Gas Company, who +required the local board to pay at the rate of +four guineas per annum for each lamp. This the +local board refused to do, and provided the +district under their care with paraffin lamps. +They are rewarded for their pluck by finding +that the cost of the oil-lamps is but one half of +the charge demanded by the Gas Company, and +by hearing the generally expressed opinion of +the people that the place had never before been +so well lighted.</p> + +<p>The recent earthquakes, which have caused +such fearful havoc and loss of life both in +Southern Europe and in America, remind us +that our knowledge of the causes of such terrible +phenomena is very meagre, and that science has +not yet discovered any means by which their +occurrence may be predicted. But, in spite of +these admitted facts, there are not wanting on +occasions of earthquake self-styled prophets, who +will boldly declare what the morrow will bring +forth. Such mischievous charlatans do much +harm, for they terrify the ignorant at a time +when men’s nerves have been already unstrung +by recent calamities. In the year 1750, when +London felt a sharp earthquake shock, a prophet +announced the immediate coming of the judgment +day. Another predicted a terrible earthquake +for a certain night, with the result that +the people encamped in thousands in Hyde Park. +Coming nearer to present times, we may note +the destructive earthquake in 1881 in the island +of Ischia. Here, again, there was a prophecy +that there would not be another visitation of the +kind for eighty years. But only two years after +this the beautiful island was shaken to its foundations, +and many lives were lost. During the +late disaster at Charleston, a prediction was made +that upon the 29th of September a fearful catastrophe +was to take place. The originator of +this mischievous statement should be severely +punished.</p> + +<p>We have lately received from Messrs Burton +Brothers of Dunedin, New Zealand, a set of most +interesting photographs, taken in the neighbourhood +of Tarawera and Rotomahana, immediately +after the late volcanic eruption. Were we not +aware of the terrible facts, we should suppose +that these were winter scenes, for the trees +are stripped of their foliage, and everything is +covered with a white ash, which in the photographs +looks likes snow. The ruins of M‘Rae’s +hotel at Wairoa, of which there are front and +back views, exhibit such a mass of broken +masonry and twisted iron-work, that one can +hardly believe that the place has not been +bombarded.</p> + +<p>We are glad to learn, from the <i>New Zealand +Herald</i>, that the layer of ashes which covers so +many miles of the country, will not, as was +at first feared, choke and kill every blade of +grass, but will probably in time act as a valuable +fertilising agent. Already the grass is in +many places growing up through the dust; but +the ash has been submitted to experiment, and +is found to be really nourishing to plants grown +in it. Mr Pond, a resident analytical chemist, +obtained several samples of the volcanic dust, +and sowed in it grass and clover seeds, and kept +them moistened with distilled water. In each case, +we are told, the seedling plants have come up +well and are growing vigorously; it is therefore +hoped that those districts which have +received only a light covering of this dreaded +dust will find that the visitation will in the +end prove beneficial to their crops.</p> + +<p>As we stated last month, the armour-plated +ship <i>Resistance</i> has lately formed a target for +various experiments with different types of guns. +The unfortunate old ship is now being subjected +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_703">{703}</span>to attacks by torpedoes, the object being to +determine the nearness at which one of those +submarine mines can be exploded without injury +to a vessel when protected by wire-netting. It +is proved that if the defensive netting is supported +on booms thirty feet from the ship, it +forms a good protection from torpedoes, and that +though a torpedo should explode on touching +the netting, as it will do if fitted with the new +form of pistol trigger, which is very sensitive, +the explosion will do no great harm. The distance +of the netting from the ship will be gradually +reduced until the <i>Resistance</i> can resist no +longer, and must be destroyed.</p> + +<p>A strange sight was lately witnessed at Salzburg, +in the shape of a vast procession of butterflies, +which passed over the city in a south-westerly +direction. They seemed to fly in groups, +and while preserving one line of direction in +flight, the groups revolved round that line. This +aërial insect army must have numbered millions +of individual butterflies. From those which +fell to the ground, it was seen that they were +of the kind known as willow-spinners.</p> + +<p>Photographic tourists—and their name now is +legion—will all admit that their greatest drawback +is represented by the weight of the glass +plates which they must carry from place to place +in addition to their other apparatus. This difficulty +has just been obviated by the introduction +of a material as a support for the photographic +image which is as light as paper, so that in the +compass of an ordinary two-shilling railway novel, +the tourist can carry with him the sensitised +material for a couple of hundred pictures. This +material is known as Woodbury tissue, and was +the last invention of the late eminent experimenter +who gave his name to the beautiful +Woodburytype process of photography. His successors +have brought the tissue to marketable +perfection, and produce a material as translucent +as glass and one-twentieth part of its weight. +The tissue is used in a singularly ingenious form +of dark slide or double back, which can be +readily adjusted to existing forms of cameras.</p> + +<p>In the <i>Camera</i> magazine, a very curious +phenomenon in connection with photography is +recorded by the person who observed it. He +took a portrait of a child apparently in full +health and with a clear skin. The negative +picture showed the face to be thickly covered +with an eruption. Three days afterwards, the +child was covered with spots due to prickly heat. +‘The camera had seen and photographed the +eruption three days before it was visible to the +eye.’ Another case of a somewhat similar kind +is also recorded where a child showed spots on +his portrait which were invisible on his face a +fortnight previous to an attack of smallpox. It +is suggested that these cases might point to a +new method of medical diagnosis.</p> + +<p>The Severn tunnel, one of the greatest engineering +undertakings of modern times, is at last +finished, and will be shortly open for passenger +traffic, as it has been some weeks for the conveyance +of goods. The total cost of this great work +is estimated at two millions sterling. The cost +has been greatly augmented by the unlooked-for +difficulties which have cropped up during the +progress of the works. Commencing in 1873, the +contractor had made steady progress for the +following six years, when a land spring was +accidentally tapped, and the partially constructed +tunnel was flooded. Again, in 1881 the seawater +found out a weak place on the Gloucestershire +side of the works, and poured in in +torrents. Once more, in 1883 the old land +spring again filled the works with water, which +had to be pumped out; and finally, about the +same time, a tidal wave brought about a great +amount of destruction to the works; so we may +look upon the completed tunnel not only as a +great monument of engineering skill, but as an +example of unusual difficulties well grappled +with, and finally overcome.</p> + + + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"><div class="chapter"><h2 class="nobreak" id="OCCASIONAL_NOTES">OCCASIONAL NOTES.</h2></div> + + +<h3>PHARAOH’S HOUSE.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">It</span> is but a month or two ago that people of +an archæological turn of mind were delighted +with the tidings sent home by the Egypt Exploration +Fund of the discovery of Pharaoh’s House +in Tahpanhes. An account of the wonderful +old ruin and its reliques of a past civilisation +has been already given; but it may interest many +to know that a number of antiquities have been +collected and sent home, and have recently +been on view at the Archæological Institute at +Oxford Mansion. It will be remembered that +the ruins were as much those of a military +fortress as of a royal residence, and the objects +recovered are almost entirely those which would +be likely to be found in either of two such +places.</p> + +<p>The first things of interest are the foundation +deposits, from under the four corners of the +castle, which consist of small vessels, little tablets +engraved with the name and titles of the +royal founder, Psammetichus I., specimens of ore, +&c. The chief articles of jewelry are earrings, +rings, amulets, and engraved stones bearing traces +of Greek workmanship, having been probably +manufactured by Greek jewellers in the town +of Tahpanhes, or Daphnæ. Numbers of small +weights have been turned up while digging among +the ruins, which it is thought were for weighing +the gold and precious stones previous to purchase.</p> + +<p>Rome, too, has left her mark among the charred +remains of this ancient stronghold, and some +rings with names inscribed upon them, and ten +gems of good Roman work, prove an intercourse +with that nation. There is a little silver shrine +case in which is a beautiful statuette of the +Egyptian war-god, Mentu. Possibly, it may +have once been a talisman belonging to Pharaoh +Hophra. A silver ram’s head and gold handle +complete the list of the most important specimens +of jewelry.</p> + +<p>Among the domestic treasures are a long knife, +fourteen inches long and quite flat; this comes +from Pharaoh’s kitchen; so also do the small +frying-pans, and some bowls, bottles, dishes, +plates and cups, all of which date from <span class="allsmcap">B.C.</span> 550, +and were probably used daily by the royal household. +An old brasier and some ring-stands have +also been brought home. From the butler’s +pantry come amphoræ stoppers, stamped with +the cartouches of Psammetichus I., Necho, Psammetichus +II., and Aahmes. These were clay +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_704">{704}</span>stoppers, sealed by the inspector, and then plastered +over and stamped with the royal oval. +Ten specimens of these Mr Petrie has sent home. +Arrow-heads, a sword-handle and part of the +blade, a horse’s bit of twisted pattern, some spikes +from the top of a Sardinian mercenary’s helmet, +knives and lances, and some fragments of scale-armour, +show that the old castle had once been +a military stronghold.</p> + +<p>This is but an outline, showing the kind of +specimens found among the ruins of El Kasr +el Bint el Yahudî (the Castle of the Jew’s +Daughter), and serve to add to the innumerable +proofs—if proof were needed—of the advanced +civilisation of the ancient Egyptians. It is +believed that those antiquities will eventually +be divided between the Museum at Boulak +(Cairo), the British Museum, the Museum of +Fine Arts at Boston, U.S., and several of the +provincial museums of Great Britain.</p> + + +<h3>THE EMIGRANTS’ INFORMATION OFFICE.</h3> + +<p>It is satisfactory to know that government has +at last opened an office for the dissemination of +authentic information to intending emigrants. +The emigration schemes before the country are +legion; but those who apply here will be safe +to receive information as to the British colony +to which they propose to emigrate, which does +not spring from any interested motive. At the +same time it is always safe for intending settlers +to supplement any knowledge received in this +way by authoritative handbooks, books of travel, +and the experiences of former settlers. Now that +there is a prospect of the Indian and Colonial +Exhibition becoming a permanent institution in +our midst, we will be kept pretty well informed +as to the position and prospects of our different +colonies. The premises of the Emigrants’ Information +Office are at 31 Broadway, Westminster, +London, S.W. The office will be open every +day from twelve noon to eight <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>, except on +Wednesdays, when it will be open from ten <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> +to one <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> The circulars issued by the office +will be sent to the secretaries of any societies +or institutions who will send in their addresses +to the chief clerk.</p> + + +<h3>INCREASED CONSUMPTION OF BRITISH-COLONIAL +TEAS.</h3> + +<p>In a paper read by Mr L. J. Shand of the Ceylon +Court at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition, the +present position of the Indian tea-trade was +reviewed. British-colonial teas, which in 1865 +formed but three per cent. of the total quantity +consumed in the United Kingdom, amounted +to sixteen per cent. in 1875, and to thirty-three +per cent. in 1885. India had two hundred and +fifty thousand acres under tea-cultivation, and +produced seventy million pounds of tea; the +capital invested in the industry was sixteen +million pounds; and a quarter of a million of +Her Majesty’s subjects, who indirectly contributed +to the income tax of Great Britain, were engaged +in it. The tea-plant was introduced to Ceylon +from China about the year 1842; but it was not +till coffee was stricken by disease that attention +was generally directed to the cultivation of tea +in Ceylon. In 1873, a small parcel of twenty-three +pounds of tea was exported from Ceylon; +this year, nine million pounds would be exported, +and, estimating the acreage now planted with +tea, the exports in 1890 would be forty million +pounds. Proceeding to consider why British +people should drink British-colonial teas, Mr +Shand said that these teas came into the London +market pure; there was no recorded evidence of +adulteration having been discovered. The adulteration +of China tea, on the other hand, had been +the subject of several volumes and of special legislation. +The purity of Indian and Ceylon teas +made them more sensitive than the ordinary +China mixture. It was not necessary to put +such large quantities into the teapot, but it was +all the more necessary that the water should be +boiling and that the tea should not be allowed +to stand too long. Disappointment should not +be felt because the liquor was not black; that was +in consequence of the tea being quite pure and +unmixed with blacklead or indigo. If Indian +and Ceylon teas were fairly tried and carefully +treated, they would be found more economical +than China teas.</p> + + + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"><div class="chapter"><h2 class="nobreak" id="IF_THIS_WERE_SO">IF THIS WERE SO.</h2></div> + + +<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"> +<div class="stanza"><div class="verse indent0"><span class="smcap">O Love</span>, if I could see you standing here,</div> +<div class="verse indent2">I, to whom the memory of a scene—</div> +<div class="verse indent0">This lane, tree-shadowed, with the summer’s light</div> +<div class="verse indent2">Falling in golden showers, the boughs between,</div> +<div class="verse indent0">Upon your upturned face—shines out as clear,</div> +<div class="verse indent0">Against the background dark of many a year,</div> +<div class="verse indent0">As yonder solitary starlet bright</div> +<div class="verse indent0">Gleams on the storm-clad bosom of the night.</div></div> + +<div class="stanza"><div class="verse indent0">If this were so—if you should come to me</div> +<div class="verse indent2">With your calm, angel face, framed in with gold,</div> +<div class="verse indent0">And lay your hand in mine as long ago</div> +<div class="verse indent2">You laid it coldly, would the love untold</div> +<div class="verse indent0">Hidden within my heart, set my lips free</div> +<div class="verse indent0">To speak of it and know the certainty</div> +<div class="verse indent0">Of love crowned or rejected—yes or no?</div> +<div class="verse indent0">O Love, I could not speak if this were so.</div></div> + +<div class="stanza"><div class="verse indent0">But if you came to meet me in the lane</div> +<div class="verse indent2">With footsteps swifter than you used of yore—</div> +<div class="verse indent0">And if your eyes grew brighter, dear, as though</div> +<div class="verse indent2">They gladdened at my coming back once more—</div> +<div class="verse indent0">If, when I held your little hand again,</div> +<div class="verse indent0">Your calmness grew less still, then not in vain</div> +<div class="verse indent0">My heart would strive to speak, for it would know</div> +<div class="verse indent0">What words to utter, Love, if this were so!</div> + +<div class="attrib"><span class="smcap">Kate Mellersh.</span></div></div> +</div></div> + +<hr class="full"> + +<p>The Conductor of <span class="smcap">Chambers’s Journal</span> begs to direct +the attention of <span class="smcap">Contributors</span> to the following notice:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p><i>1st.</i> All communications should be addressed to the +‘Editor, 339 High Street, Edinburgh.’</p> + +<p><i>2d.</i> For its return in case of ineligibility, postage-stamps +should accompany every manuscript.</p> + +<p><i>3d.</i> To secure their safe return if ineligible, <span class="smcap">All Manuscripts</span>, +whether accompanied by a letter of advice or +otherwise, <i>should have the writer’s Name and Address +written upon them</i> <span class="allsmcap">IN FULL</span>.</p> + +<p><i>4th.</i> Offerings of Verse should invariably be accompanied +by a stamped and directed envelope.</p> +</div> + +<p><i>If the above rules are complied with, the Editor will +do his best to insure the safe return of ineligible papers.</i></p> + +<hr class="full"> + +<p class="center">Printed and Published by <span class="smcap">W. & R. Chambers</span>, 47 Paternoster +Row, <span class="smcap">London</span>, and 339 High Street, <span class="smcap">Edinburgh</span>.</p> + +<hr class="full"> + +<p class="center"><i>All rights reserved.</i></p> + +<hr class="full"> + +<p>[Transcriber’s note—the following changes have been made to this text.</p> + +<p>Page 693: Villiars to Villiers—“down Villiers Street”.]</p> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75329 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + |