April i, 1892.I 
THE TRDP 1 CW. TOfWtSEOT-TORIST. 
731 
us as we write, on which a recent visitor has 
written the names of eleven Scotch Presbyterian 
Miesionaries opposite the various islands, from 
Efato, northwards to Santo, on which they are 
labouring. Towards the end of last year, at the 
instance of Mr. Munro, the Viotorian Premier, a 
list of “civilized” residents on the islands was 
compiled by the Mission authorities. The result 
was thus stated : — 
There ate 103 French rceidt nks at present on the 
islands, and 2 who are ehsebt just now; and there 
are 111 British reeidente at prctont on the islands, 
and 31 who are absent just now, meat ot these who 
ate absent being cbiluteii at siliool in other lands. 
There are about 7 Soandinaviana, S Butch, 3 Portuguese, 
2 Americana and 1 Spanish. Besibea those residing uu 
the islands, there are on board the schooner •• Friend- 
ship” 0 British, on board tlie '* Oroydon ” 12 British, 
uiid on board H. M. IS, “Bait” 59 British. 8ir John 
Thurston has not made spncial inquires, but, so far 
as ho can gather, the European or white population 
of the New Henridea is sppiosimately as follows : — 
British — men, 67; women, 20; children,! 28. French — 
men, 50; women 6 ; children, 6. Other nationalities, 
8. This return includes missionaries of all nationalities 
and their families. No information as to the com- 
parative areas of laud claimed by foroiguera resident 
in the group is forthcoming. 
Lord Charles Scott, in his letter to the Premier, 
draws attention to “ tho fact that from May to 
November there are two of H. M. ships constantly 
cruising round the islands, visiting missionary and 
trading stations. Last year and this year a surveying 
ship has also been at work examining and charting 
the New Hebrides. Tho French have only one maai- 
of-war cruising among tho islands.’' His Excellency 
intimates his willingness to adopt Mr, Miuiro’s sug- 
gestion that the officers of the ships visiting tho Now 
Hebrides should report upon the progress, condition, 
and prospeotB of settlement. 
'The names of the Missionaries, as marked by Mr. 
Atkinson on the chart, are Mr. Laurie, Br. 
Gunn, Mr. Grey, Mr. RobeitEoii, Mr, Mackenzie, 
Mr. Macdonald, Mr. Nicholson, Mr. Fraser, Mr, 
Small, Mr. Annand, Mr. A. H. Macdonald. It 
will bo seen that the Aurtralian authorities take 
a deep intrest in the New Hebrides, — their settle- 
ment and progress. Indeed seme of the leading 
men in Victoria and New South Wales are banded 
iu a Syndicate or Company for tho cultivation of 
land in these islands, and they lately employed 
a Ceylon planter on a visit to Australis, Mr. C, F. 
Atkinson, brother-in-law of Captain Bayley to visit 
and report on the islands and their resources. We 
havo airaiiged with Mr. Atkinson for the pub- 
lication of his journal and report, assured that 
tho contents will be interesting to our readers, 
although wo may say that we do not think the 
New Hebrides are likely for a long time to oomo to 
compete with Ceylon in the production of tea and 
cacao, whatever may be the case in regard to the 
produce of the oooouut palm. Speoial interest was 
added to Mr. Atkiuson's visit by the fact that 
Professor Brummond was one of his fellow- 
travellers and bad a very narrow escape from 
destruotion when near the crater of one of the 
greatest active voloanoes in the world, which is at 
work on an island of tho group. A large mass 
cf rod hot stone, ejected from the crater, fell on 
the spot where the great theological writer had been 
sitting just previously, and at which — (oh *' lame 
and impotent oonclusion 1 ”) the Professor coolly lit 
his cigar. Mr. Atkinson's descriptions of the 
natives, savages and Christen converts, their man- 
ners and habits ; of scenery, soil and productions, 
and of hia inlercoureo with the missionaries, are 
graphic and. interesting. He has a high opinion 
of the capabilities of the soil. Of the resoutoea 
of the French colony of Hew Caledonia he writes 
in sanguine terms. Theta floffee is grown to tk 
considerable extent, and as it is entirely unaffected 
by disease; be advised planters in the Now Hebrides 
to obtain seed thence and to destroy some which 
they had obtained from Ceylon. 
At present* French and British inffuenoe are 
about on a par in the interesting group of Pacifio 
islands known as the New Hobrides ; but with 
equal advantages extended to each and protection 
as well ae punishment extended to British settlers 
by their own Government, we expect that in tha 
future the British will go ahead iu numbers, 
wealth and influeuao until the islands become 
what their prototypes are— British possessions. 
That the people, the larger portion ot whom ato 
Christians, tho oonverls of British Missionaries, 
earnestly desire annexation, sod the rule acd pro- 
teotion of the British, there can be no doubt. In 
any oase, we may rely on it that Britain, looking 
at the strong feeling which exists amongst the 
British Colonists of Australia, is nut likely to allow 
the French to possess ,the New Hebrides as well 
as New Caledonia in the West Paoiflo, so adding 
another to the alienated natural heritages of the 
future great Australian people, which they will 
demand back from foregin poasessots, aud wbiob 
will probably be quietly yielded up, backed as the 
demand will be by one of the most powerful natives 
of the world : the Imperial or Bepubliuan navy of 
Australasia 1 
CELLULOID. 
Celluloid, the compoeitiou of which was long kept 
secret, has for some years been largely employed for 
imitating articles made of horn, shell, ivory, and even 
marble. It has the immense advantage that it can be 
welded, melted, moulded, and shaped witliout difficulty, 
and it is, fur this reason, cow largely employed tor the 
manufsoturo of walking-stick handles, umbrella baudlee, 
piano keye, &o. 
The eo-oalled Amurioau linen ie only a layer ot cellu- 
loid on a thin atrip of cardboard or canvas. It has also 
been used for making rulers, set squares, and other 
similar instruments of precision, lor it has been 
shown that the expansion of this substance is 
much more tegular and uuifotni than that of wood, 
and that errors previously uuavoidablo, can bo elimi- 
nated by its use. 
This industrial product, now iudisponeabie for a num- 
ber of articles of every day use, is simply made up of 
nitrooellnlose, camphor, and water. It was invented, 
in 1809, by two Americans, the brothtrs Hjatt, who 
soon eudeavoured to bring their inveiitiuii into 
general use by establishing works in the iStatu of 
New jersey, in n small locality known as Now 
Arob, which owes its increase and prosperity to this 
industry. 
In 1876 the brothers Hyatt introduced their industry 
into France, and established a similar mauufactury at 
Stains, ueni 8t. Bcnie. Franco now has two large 
works where oolluloid is made, together with a number 
of others of lees importance, and the product turned 
out by these is ooueidered tho host in the market, 
Germany also possesses two largo factories, the chief of 
which is that of Magnus, at Berlin, while the largest in 
the world is at London. 
Mr. Be La Hoyne describes the compoeitiou, manu- 
facture, and properties of celluloid in the following man- 
ner, iu the Hattie de C/iemie Induetrielle : — 
“ Celluloid is not obtained by a singlo operation, A 
very thick collodion is first made, in which the ether 
is replaced by camphor, anil which, therafoto, contains 
proxyline or nitrocolluloao, camphor, and alcohol, some- 
times, and this is the melhou adopted in Germany ; 
ether is also added. TTiis oellodion la brought to the 
oouaistonoy of a paste, slightly heated aud rolled ; tho 
heat, whiob ia gradually inoroatod, removes the volatile 
solvents, and the proxyline and oampbor combine in a 
more intimate manner to piodiioe a botny transparent 
gabgtan69«"'<'irnt'«n(i0Ai 
