334 [December, 1902.] 
IMPERIAL INSTITUTE JOURNAL. 
• Vol. VIII. No. 96. 
26th : A Royal Commission was appointed to enquire into 
the superannuation system in the Civil Service. Mr. Ritchie 
was the principal guest at the dinner of the Croydon Chamber 
of Commerce. The Duke of Cambridge presided at a meeting 
in connection with the International Fire Exhibition to be held 
next year at Earl’s Court. Death of the Roman Catholic Arch- 
bishop of Tuam. Death of Sir W. Acland Lethbridge. 
27th : The King of Portugal returned to London. Lord 
Reay was elected first President of the British Academy. The 
Thanksgiving-day Dinner of the American Society was held in 
London. 
28th : The King of Portugal inspected the Oxfordshire 
Light Infantry. Sir H. Campbell Bannerman was the principal 
guest at the Cobden Club dinner. Mr. J. B. Bury was appointed 
Regius Professor of history at Cambridge University. Death of 
Dr. Joseph Parker. 
29th : The Duke and Duchess of Connaught left London 
for Egypt and India. 
COLONIES. 
Australia. — 7th : The Government sent congratulations 
to the Colonial Office on the completion of the Pacific cable. — 
21st : Lord Tennyson was appointed Governor-General of the 
Commonwealth for one year. — 22nd : Negotiations were made 
with the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company for a general 
agreement, fixing rates and displacing the separate agreements 
with the several States. The title of Lord Mayor was conferred 
on the Mayors of Sydney and Melbourne. — 24th : Sir E. Barton 
announced that a Defence Bill would be introduced during the 
next Parliamentary Session. — 26th : Measures were taken to cope 
with the effects of the drought. 
New Zealand. — 12th: The Premier unveiled a cairn at 
Wellington to the memory of the late Sir John Mackenzie. — 
21st : The Rev. M. R, Neligan was nominated Bishop of 
Auckland. — 25th : The general election resulted in a majority 
for the Government : the Ministers were all re-elected. 
Canada. — 3rd: A branch of the Navy League was con- 
stituted at Montreal, — 4th: The British Columbia sealing 
season was the smallest on record. — 18th : Sir Henry Strong 
resigned the Chief Justiceship of the Supreme Court, and was 
succeeded by Sir H. Taschereau. — 21st : Mr. Dunsmuir retired 
from the Premiership of British Columbia in favour of Colonel 
Prior, Minister of Mines. — 24th : A branch of the Navy League 
was formed at Ottawa. 
Cape Colony. — xst : The House of Assembly voted ,£20,000 
towards the erection in London of a national memorial to Queen 
Victoria. — 3rd : Sir G. Sprigg’s motion for the re-organisation 
of the Cape Colonial forces was defeated in the House of 
Assembly. — 13th : The third reading of the Immigration Bill 
was passed. — 14th : The South African League was re-organised. 
The House of Assembly adjourned for the session. — 24th : The 
manifesto of the Progressives was well received in Cape Town. 
Jamaica. — 4th : The Legislative Council voted ,£20,000 to 
make advances to sugar estates. 
Natal. — 2nd: The Durban floating dock went ashore in 
Mossel Bay, on its way from the Tyne. — 13th : Parliament was 
opened ; the Governor announced the consideration of important 
railway questions. — 17th : The Government was defeated on the 
question of the appointment of a Speaker in the room of Sir 
J. Hulett.' — 19th : Parliament was dissolved, 
Orange River Colony. — 19th : Martial law was repealed ; 
the railway extensions were pushed on. — 26th : Lord Milner 
visited Frankfort and Vrede. 
St. Helena. — 21st: Lieut. -Colonel H. L. Gallwey was 
appointed Governor in succession to the late Mr. K. A. Stern- 
dale. 
Somaliland. — 5th : The offer of a Boer contingent for 
service in Somaliland was declined. Colonel Swayne left for 
England, owing to ill-health. — nth : A flying column under 
Colonel Cobbe left Berbera. — 17th : The column under General 
Manning and Colonel Cobbe arrived at Garrero. — -19th : Boliotle 
was relieved and reinforced by General Manning. The flying 
column returned to Garrero. 
Transvaal. — 4th: The rent proclamation issued by Mr. 
Kruger at Johannesburg during the war was declared to be 
invalid. — 8th: The Chamber of "Mines at Johannesburg agreed 
to a higher rate of wages for natives. — 12th : The forts at 
Pretoria were dismantled. — 20th : Martial law was rescinded. 
Fifty thousand Boers were repatriated. — 22nd : An ordinance was 
issued establishing a Land Department.' — 24th : Lord Milner left 
Johannesburg for a three- weeks' tour in the Orange River Colony. 
— 27th : The Government announced that the Dutch language 
would be taught in schools. 
INDIA. 
6th : The number of persons in receipt of famine relief was 
reduced to 79,000. An expedition against the Kabeel-khel 
Waziris was ordered. — 7th : The Viceroy concluded his tour in 
Central India, and commenced another in Rajputana.- — 13th : 
The number ou famine relief was only 58,000. — 17th : Four 
small flying columns were despatched to punish the Waziris. — 
22nd: The funeral of Sir John Woodburn, late Lieutenant- 
Governor of Bengal, took place at Calcutta. — 28th : Lord 
Kitchener arrived at Bombay. At a state banquet at Jaipur the 
Maharajah expressed strong approval of the forthcoming Delhi 
Durbar. 
FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
Argentine Republic. — 22nd : A general strike began at 
Buenos Ayres, and serious disturbances took place. — 24th : In 
consequence of labour troubles, a state of siege was declared in 
Buenos Ayres and Santa FC 
Austria-Hungary. — 2nd : Count Apponyi, President of 
the Hungarian Reichstag, issued a manifesto strongly con- 
demning the nationality agitation in Hungary. — 5th : The 
Provincial Diet of Lower Austria elections resulted in favour of 
the clericals.— 24th : The Emperor’s health improved. 
Belgium. — 12th : It was announced that the Count of 
Flanders had resigned all claims to the throne. — 13th : The 
Chamber met and elected M. Schollaert as President. — 15th : 
An anarchist attempted to shoot the King in Brussels. — 17th : 
Mr. Keir Hardie, M. P., was arrested in Brussels. 
Brazil. — 7th : A new Cabinet was formed by Senhor Alves. 
— 10th : The Bolivians were defeated in the Acre territory. — • 
15th : Senhor Alves assumed the Presidency and issued a 
manifesto. 
Bulgaria. — 14th : The Cabinet resigned on account of 
personal differences. — 17th : The Ministry was reconstructed 
with Dr. Daneff as Premier and Minister for Foreign Affairs. 
Chili. — 15th: The Ministry resigned. — 19th: A new 
Cabinet was formed with Senor Fernandez Albano as Minister 
of the Interior. 
China.— 1st : The officials responsible for the murder of 
two English missionaries at Hu-nan were punished. — 5th : The 
Dowager Empress decided to construct a branch railway from 
the Peking-Han-Kau line to the Western Tombs. — 17th : Fre- 
quent acts of piracy were reported between Hong Kong and 
Canton.— 20th : Sir E. Satow left Peking on six months’ leave. 
—22nd : The evacuation of Shanghai commenced with the 
departure of the Japanese contingent. — 24th : It was announced 
that Japan reserved the right to send troops again to Shanghai, 
should any other Power do so. — 28th : The British troops 
received orders to evacuate Shanghai. 
Colombia. — 22nd : The civil war was ended. General 
Herrera agreed to terms of peace. 
Egypt . — 1st : Lord Kitchener and Sir R. Wingate visited 
the Assouan reservoir works. — 4th: Lord Kitchener arrived at 
Khartoum. — 8th : Lord Kitchener opened the Gordon College 
at Khartoum. — 15th : The Khedive opened the new Museum of 
Antiquities at Cairo. 
France. — 4th: A duel was fought between M. Gdrault 
Richard, a Socialist, and the Marquis de Dion, a Nationalist 
Deputy, 150 spectators being present. — 7th : The Pas de Calais 
coal strike continued. — 10th : M. Pelletan issued the Navy 
Estimates, amounting 10306,000,000 fr. — nth: The Miners’ 
National Committee called for a general strike.' — 15th : The 
miners’ strike was ended, 
Germany. — 2nd : Count von Bernstorff became First 
Secretary of the German Embassy in London in the room of 
Baron von Eckhardstein. A school of Art was opened at 
Charlottenburg by the German Emperor and Empress. — 4th: 
The trust system was condemned in the Reichstag. — 6tli : The 
German Emperor left Kiel for. England. — 7th : Dr. Fischer was 
elected Archbishop of Cologne, — 22nd : Death of Herr Friedrich 
Krupp, of Essen. — 26th : The Emperor William was present at 
the funeral of Herr Krupp, at Essen. — 27th : The German 
Emperor received the retiring American Ambassador, Mr, A. 
White, at the Royal Castle. 
Holland. — 7th : The ex- President of the Transvaal, 
Mr. Schalk Burger, arrived at the Hague. 
Italy. — 9th : Baron Sonnino stated that the condition of 
the southern provinces was deplorable. — 19th : The Queen was 
delivered. 
Morocco. — 4th : Omar Zarahun^, the pretender, was de- 
feated by the Sultan’s troops. — 13th : The Bonadir Kabyles 
caused disturbances near Tetuan. 
Portuguese East Africa. — 5th : M. Albert, general mana- 
ger to the Delagoa Railways, was appointed railway adviser to 
the Central South African Railways at Lorenzo Marques. 
Russia. — 10th : M. Pobiedonostzeff tendered his resignation. 
— 18th : Count Benekendorff was appointed ambassador at the 
Court of St. James’s. — 19th : A great fire occurred in the petro- 
leum reservoirs near Odessa. 
Servia. — 18th: The Government resigned. — 20th: A new 
Cabinet was formed, with General Zinzar Markovitch as Premier 
without portfolio, and General Pavlovitch as Minister of War. 
Siam. — 25th : It was reported that the rebels in the north 
of Siam had been dispersed, and that the country was settling 
down. — 27th : The Siamese mint was closed to the free coinage 
of silver with a view to the establishment of a gold standard." 
Spain. — 10th : A Ministerial crisis occurred. — 14th : A new 
Cabinet was formed by Senor Sagasta, with the Duke of 
Almodovar as Minister for Foreign Affairs. — 21st : The Chamber 
rejected a vote of censure on the Government by 161 votes to 
118. 
Turkey. — 10th : Death of Costaki Penthopoulos Pasha, 
Ambassador in London.— 26th : The disturbances in Macedonia 
continued. 
United States.— 4th: A fatal explosion of fireworks 
occurred in New York. — 5th: Mr. Odell, Republican, was 
elected Governor of New York State.— 7th : The Reciprocity 
Treaty with Newfoundland was signed. — nth : The new building 
of the New York Chamber of Commerce was dedicated by 
President Roosevelt. — 14th : A farewell dinner was given at New 
York to M. Cambon, the retiring French Ambassador. — 26th : 
The negotiations with Colombia regarding the Panama Canal 
were at a deadlock. President Roosevelt received the members 
of Mr. Mosely's Labour Commission. — 28th: The Press urged 
the Government to drop the Panama Canal and proceed with 
the Nicaragua project. 
Venezuela. — bth : General Matos was reported to be near 
Cua with a strong force.— 14th : The proclamation of blockade 
was held to be non-effective by the British Government. — 24th : 
It was announced that the United States would not protect 
Venezuela or any other South American Republic in evading its 
obligations, and would remain absolutely neutral. — 27th : Three 
German cruisers were ordered for service in Venezuelan waters. 

A Portable Windmill. — Instead of using animal power 
in driving the various machines which are used on a farm, a 
western inventor, Mr. Amos Wallace, has conceived the idea 
of making the wind do his farm work for him. Stationary 
windmills are common enough, but a portable windmill is 
surely a novelty that merits more than passing notice. The 
contrivance is mounted on a low four-wheeled wagon which 
can be readily hauled to and from the field. On this wagon 
a stout framework is erected at each end. The upright frame- 
works are provided with bearings to receive the shafts of 
wind-wheels. The frameworks are stiffened and are securely 
supported by a system of braces. Each wind-wheel shaft 
carries a sprocket, connected by a chain with a small sprocket, 
journalled in a standard, which is carried in the centre of the 
wagon. The central sprocket shaft is fitted with a pulley which 
receives a driving belt. The belt can be slipped over the pulley 
of any farm machine which is intended to be driven.- — 
Scientific American. 
Artificial Marble in Denmark. — The lack of marble in 
Denmark has led to many attempts to produce a substitute 
which would equal in decorative effect the natural product and 
would not exceed it in cost. Some success has been achieved in 
the manufacture of this article in Sweden, but the thin slabs 
would not keep their shape, inclining to bend and warp. The 
veins were stiff and angular, and the soft transitions of colour 
which make variegated marble a tiling of beauty were wanting. 
A significant advance has been made in this industry by a 
Danish master-builder, who is producing a stone of such delicate 
transition of tints and play of colour, that it is impossible to 
distinguish it from the natural product ; while as to cost of 
manufacture, it can compete with all other artificial marbles. 
The imitation of the more expensive species does not exceed in 
cost that of the cheaper ones. The inconvenience hitherto met 
with, that the mass had to be greased to prevent adhesion 
(thereby destroying the crystalline surface characteristic of the 
genuine article), has been overcome. The process of manufacture 
is simple and easily learned, and the cost of the outfit does not 
exceed $175. The article can be produced in any form desired — 
columns, plain or fluted, and capitals, — as readily as flat slabs. 
It is claimed that even pictures may be made of this material. 
It seems to have the durability of genuine marble, but its cost 
is only about one-tenth as much. At the present stage of the 
development of the industry, the maker is able to produce a 
slab about half-an-inch thick at a cost of 14 cents (7d.) per 
square foot. — Scientific American. 
FORTHCOMING EVENTS. 
UNITED KINGDOM. 
Birmingham. — The Agricultural Show opens on the 
1st December (four days). — On the 13th inst. , Mr. R. W. 
Hanbury, M. P., will attend the Annual Dinner of the 
Birmingham Chamber of Commerce.— On the 16th, Lady 
Cadogan will open the Irish Industries Association 
Annual Sale in the Birmingham Town Hall. 
London. — On the 3rd inst, the Mansion-house Com- 
mittee on the Port of London will meet. On the same date 
Lord Windsor will dine with the committee of the Imperial 
South African Association.— On the 8th inst. Dr. Sven 
Hedin will lecture at the Royal Geographical Society on 
“Three Years’ Exploration in Central Asia." — On the 
12th inst. the London Chamber of Commerce Dinner will 
be held. 
FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
Belgium. — The Art Exhibition to be held in Brussels 
in 1903 will probably be opened at the beginning of September. 
Brazil. — The Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial 
Society of Sao Paulo has decided to establish in that town a Per- 
manent Exhibition of Agricultural Machinery and 
Implements, to include also motors and other apparatus for 
which alcohol is employed as the motive power. Brazil already 
produces alarge quantity of alcohol, and is able to produce a still 
larger amount at a very cheap rate, whilst she does not rank as 
a producer of coal and oil. Motors and other apparatus 
utilizing this product should thus be assured of a great develop- 
ment in that country, more especially in the State of Sao Paulo, 
the richest and most important State of Brazil. 
Greece. — A Royal International Exhibition, under 
the patronage of the Princess Royal of Greece, and assisted by 
the Greek Government, will be opened on April 3, 1903, at 
Athens. The exhibition, which will last for six months, will 
comprise the products of commerce and industry, hygiene, and 
alimentation, the fine arts and sciences, and education. 
4 - 
NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. 
NAVAL. 
The Bedford , cruiser, completing for sea at Devonport, is 
to be ready for commissioning by April 1 next. 
During the refit of the Barjlcur , battleship, at Devonport, 
her armament of ten 47 in. quick-firing guns is to be replaced 
by ten 6 in. breech-loaders. 
The Hood, battleship, which recently returned to Devonport 
from the Mediterranean Station, is to payoff on December 5 
into D Division of the Dockyard Reserve. 
The Odin , sloop, is ordered to be commissioned at Sheer- 
ness Dockyard on January 8 for service on the Cape of Good 
Hope and West Coast of Africa Station. 
The Flora , cruiser, has been commissioned at Devonport 
with a crew of 3x8 officers and men, to relieve the P/uston , 
cruiser, Captain E. J. Fleet, on the Pacific Station. 
The Hawke , cruiser, is ordered to be commissioned at 
Chatham Dockyard on January 13 to convey relief crews to the 
Mediterranean for the Pyramus, cruiser, the Speedy, torpedo- 
gunboat, the Dryad, torpedo-gunboat, and the Imogene, special 
service vessel, which are to be commissioned for another term 
of service in the Mediterranean. 
Experiments with oil fuel are to be made with the boilers 
of the Bedford , cruiser, at Devonport. The eight forward 
boilers will be fitted with apparatus for the use of liquid fuel, 
but these fittings will be so adjusted that they can be removed 
if the experiment is not successful. The Arrogant, cruiser, at 
Devonport, is also to be fitted with apparatus for similar 
experiments. 
The Falcon, torpedo-boat-destroyer, was commissioned at 
Devonport on the 22nd ult, to take the place of theS/Sa*, Lieut, 
and Commander R. M. Haynes, in the Instructional Flotilla. The 
Skate has developed rather serious defects since the beginning 
of the cruise ten days ago, and when off the Lizard last week 
shipped a heavy sea, which swept the upper deck and partially 
carried away the fore-bridge and twisted and strained other 
fittings. 
The new first-class battleship Venerable, built at a cost 
exceeding ^i, 100,000, was commissioned at Chatham, on the 
12th ult, by Captain George E. Patey, for service as the flag- 
ship of Rear-Admiral Reginald N. Custance, C.M.G., the 
newly appointed second in command of the Mediterranean 
Fleet. The Venerable is a battleship of 15,000 tons displace- 
ment, and is sister ship to the Bulwark, the flagship of Admiral 
Sir Compton E. Domvile, Commander-in-Chief of the Mediter- 
ranean Station, 
Orders were issued at Portsmouth on the 3rd ult. for the 
Drake, armoured cruiser, to be commissioned about the first 
week in January with a complement of 868 officers and men for 
service with the Cruiser Squadron, to relieve the Juno, cruiser, 
Captain D. Beatty, D.S.O. The Drake will be commissioned 
with the crew of the Juno on the day following that on which 
the latter vessel pays off into the Reserve, and such additions to 
the complement of the Drake as may be necessary will be drawn 
from the naval depot. 
The Merlin, sloop, completed her 30 hours' coal-consump- 
tion trial at 3*i4ths her maximum power, on the 4th ult., as 
follows: — Draught of water — forward, 10 ft. 11^ in. ; aft, 11 ft. 
6 ins. ; pressure of steam at boilers, 186 lb. ; ditto at engine, 
175 lb. ; vacuum — starboard, 27 u ins. ; port, 277 ins. ; revolu- 
tions— starboard, xi9‘5 per minute ; port, ii 8 - 9; mean pressure 
in cylinders— starboard, high, 35’4; intermediate, i 6'5 ; low, 
4-8; port, high, 38-3; intermediate, 13-3; low. 5-4; aggregate 
i.h.p., starboard and port, 329; coal consumption, i - 8x lb. per 
i.h.p. per hour; speed, 8 '8 knots. The Merlin is fitted with 
engines of a maximum of 1,400 i.h.p., made in Sheerness 
Dockyard ; her water-tube boilers are of the Belleville type, and 
were made in Devonport Dockyard. 
The Admiralty has called for tenders for a first-class 
armoured cruiser of 13,000 tons. The cruiser will be a sister 
ship to one to be built at Pembroke Dock, and will represent 
an entirely new type, being a central battleship with all her big 
guns placed within a citadel instead of each within a casemate, 
as in recent cruisers. A great increase is to be made in the 
gun power, several 9^2 in. weapons being fitted. Something 
will be lost in speed, the rate anticipated being twenty-two 
knots, which will necessitate machinery of between 23,000 and 
24,000 indicated horse-power. Although previous cruisers 
placed steamed twenty-three knots, these latest vessels will be 
able to take their places against the new type of high-speed 
battleships with only 10-in. guns. 
The 19 torpedo-boat-destroyers now building are to be fitted 
with small tube water-tube boilers of the following types : — 
Five boats building at the yard of Messrs. Palmer, Jarrow-on- 
Tyne — the Exe, ’ Fitrick, Erne, Ckerwell, and Dee — with Reed 
boilers. Four boats building at the yard of Messrs. Jarrow, 
Poplar — the Ribble, Usk, Teviot, and Welland — with Yarrow 
boilers. Four boats building at the yard of Messrs. Laird, 
