4 EDINBURGH NEWS NOTES. [Mat 



The War Outlook. — As we write, the beam which for a week 

 swayed nearly to the equilibrium of peace now kicks decidedly on 

 the war side. Of course this may mean a decided change in the 

 price of timber; anything may be better than the hand-to-mouth 

 rSgime of the market during the last month. It is too soon to 

 discount possible eventualities ; in any case, a blockade of the 

 Baltic would tell materially on wood merchants' supplies. Last 

 year we imported from Eussia 235,339 loads of hewn wood and 

 timber, and 1,100,819 loads of sawn or split wood and timber, 

 respectively valued at £437,438 and £2,353,260. Of course 

 Bismarck's proposed import duties may divert Scandinavian timber 

 from the German to British ports ; and even did Eussian 

 privateers scour the seas, they would seek richer booty than 

 Canadian lumber ships. 



Sir John Lubbock's Motion. — In consequence of the needs of 

 the Eedistribution Bill on the time of the House of Commons, this 

 motion is again postponed till 15th May. Petitions in its favour 

 may yet be organised. 



EDINBURGH NEWS NOTES. 



A MONTH mostly of bleak east winds keeping back vegetation 

 for three weeks beyond its usual spring appearance, has com- 

 pelled your correspondent to study men in public meeting assembled, 

 and there have been abundant opportunities. 



The ancient Convention of Eoyal Burghs, the representative of 

 the defunct Scottish Parliament, at the instigation of the thorough- 

 going Lord Provost of Edinburgh, unanimously resolved to petition 

 the Houses of Legislature now in session to appoint a committee to 

 consider whether, by the establishment of a Forest School or other- 

 wise, woodlands could be rendered more remunerative ; a help 

 this to Sir Jolm Lubbock's motion in the Commons, when the 

 exigencies of the present war crisis allow it to be brought forward. 



Professors of education ought to be able to pass an examination 

 in such repertories of general knowledge as Whittaker's Almanac, ere 

 impugning the proposal of the Treasury authorities to hand over the 

 Edinburgh Botanic Gardens to the care of the University. Dublin 

 and Cambridge Colleges have botanic gardens under their special 

 keeping, though it is quite true that the Glasnevin — Dublin garden 



