A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Signor ULVI, the inventor
of "F" rays. He is said to have eloped from Florence with an Admiral's
daughter. This was not discovered until Signor ULVI had got well away,
and his claim to be able to cause explosions at a distance would now
seem to be established.
***
General HUERTA is said to have taken with him on his flight securities
to the amount of L1,200,000. Even so it is typical of the grasping
nature of the man that he complained of having to leave Mexico City
behind.
***
A storm of indignation has been raised in Berlin by an order
(instigated, it is said, in a very high quarter) that all _cafes_ must
close at 2 A.M. A petition is being circulated which points out that
this order will kill Berlin's tourist traffic, "as the night life of
the city is the only attraction for visitors." This implication that a
certain exalted personage is not among the local attractions seems to
us to amount almost to _lese-majeste_.
***
When Lieutenant PORTE's water-plane, "The America," refused to rise,
he should have tried changing its name to "The South America."
***
The Buckinghamshire Territorials, under their new commandant, Colonel
WETHERED, are going in for chorus-singing practice. This is a good
idea. Sung badly enough, these choruses should prove a valuable weapon
against a musical foe, such as the Germans.
***
Owing to an outbreak of mumps at Harrow School the summer term has
had to close some days earlier than usual. It is characteristic of
the generous nature of the Harrow boys that, in spite of this annoying
interruption of their studies, there has been very little open
expression of resentment against those who introduced the ailment.
***
Coventry's annual Lady Godiva procession took place last week, and was
a success. It is feared, however, that with the advance of fashion
the principal character--who on this occasion was attired in pink
fleshings draped with white chiffon--will be voted overdressed and so
fail to attract.
***
"To be well booted," says _The Times_, "is to feel well dressed, at
the top of one's power and joy." A small boy, however, who was well
booted by a larger boy the other day admits that he received a
good dressing, but holds that, apart from this, _The Times_ was
misinformed.
***
The announcement that in the course of excavations on the site of the
old General Post Office in St. Martin's-le-Grand, some old Roman tile
stamps have been discovered, has caused, we hear, a profound sensation
in philatelic circles.
***
Exceptionally rough weather is reported from the Bay of Biscay, and
it is said that on a certain passenger vessel even the valet of a
well-known nobleman was ill, _although he was an old retainer._
***
"Fishing with rod and line from a boat in the Downs at Deal," says
_The Daily Mail_, "Lord HERSCHELL and a friend caught 600 fish on
Sunday. The fish, mostly pouting, were hauled in three and four at a
time." We suspect they were pouting to show their annoyance at having
their Sabbath rest disturbed.
***
It is proposed in an L.C.C. report that barges should be used as
open-air schools on the river. Schools of language, presumably.
***
We are asked to deny that the fire which broke out at the bookstall
at the Hampstead station of the North London Railway last week was
produced spontaneously by a copy of one of MISS VICTORIA CROSS's
novels.
* * * * *
[Illustration: _Bather._ "I SAY! I SAY! THE CURRENT IS FRIGHTFULLY
STRONG; I'M BEING CARRIED OUT."
_Bathing Attendant._ "ALL RIGHT, SIR, ALL RIGHT! I'VE GOT ME EYE ON
YER!"]
* * * * *