The New York Herald Newspaper, December 10, 1875, Page 5

NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1875.—TKIPLE SHBET, STANLEY. German Opinion of the American Exploration in Africa. What Is Said in Dr. Petermann’s *Ge- ographical Communication.” The Work Which Has Been Accomplished— What Remains To Be Done. COLQNEL GRANT’S OPINIONS. {Translated from Dr, Petermann’s “Geographical Com- munication. ’’) Vienwa, Nov. 22, 1875, ‘The year 1875, which has brought us so many bitter disappointments in West African expeditions, recom- penses us by great success in Equatorial Africa We can scarcely call this success unexpected, for Mr. Stan- Jey had already proved, on the occasion of his journey in search of Livingstone, that he combined unbending resolution with great skill, and that he understood how to carry out a great plan of exploration in spite of all hindrance, As then, Stanley 1s supported with suff. cient supplies and moncy; and his past experiences led us to anticipate even more favorable results than be- fore, It created just astonishment when James Gordon Bennett sent a correspondent of his paper, the New Yor Heratp, at a cost of thousands of dollars, to search for Livingstone in the interior of Africa, “My father,’ said he to Stanley, “has mado the New York Heratp a great newspaper, and I hopo to make it still greater, I will publish all the news that can interest the whole world, however much it may cost,”” One could foresee that if the plan for find- ing the long-lost Livingtone should prove successful, it would cause the greatest excitement, and would give the New York Heratp much honor, Mr, Ben- nett’s efforts were, therefore, said, at first, to be noth- ing more than speculative ones, but when Stanley was sent out last year, for the second time, at the cost of the New York HeRatp and of the London Daily Telegraph, accompanied by a number of European servants, well supplied with wares, arms, astronomical and other scientific instru- ments, the use of which he bad learned and practised, and especially with a large and portable yacht, capable of being taken to pieces, for the purpose of sailing on and exploring the Central African lakes, and to com- plete the explorations of Livingstone, it was shown shat the ENTERPRISE OF THE NEW YORK HERALD was not based on a mere clamor after effect or a grasp- ing at sensation, but that it had conceived the mission of @ great newspaper in a magnificent and hitherto | unheard of spirit, and was ¢ndeavoring to make its reportorial system one of exploration; and certainly that new system could not have been commenced in a more auspicious manner; and through Stanley Mr. Bennett had achieved a second and more important success than the brilliant one which at first made bim famous, r STANLEY'S GRAND EFFORT. The writer then goes on to describe Stanley’s journey until he reached the Victoria Niyanza, and says:— “After @ march of 103 days he stood, on the 27th of February, 1875, on the shores of the lake which Cap- tain Speke discovered in July, 1858, and declared to be the principal lake source of the Nile.” Speke endeav ered, ina second journey with Grant (1859-1863), to Prove the connection of this lake with the Nile, but in this be was not completely succss- ful, and his report, therefore, found just as many opponents as adherents, His old companion in explo- ration, Captain Richard Burton, became particularly hostile to him, and endeavored to show that the dis- covery of the Victoria Lake was a matter of no im-' portance, to putin its place ® grcup of smaller lakes, and also sought to show that the Tanganyika was the principal lake source of the Nile. SUPPORTED BY THK DIFFERENCES Jn the altitudes which Speke had found at the southern and northern shores of the lake, and by the representa- tion that there were a number of effluents on the northern side of the lake on Speke’s map, Burton’s views found acceptance in many quarters, and the ser- vices of Speke and Grant were almost forgotten, al- though Baker, in 1864, corroborated and confirmed a number of their assertions in regard to the outlet of the Victoria Niyanza, Indeed, in recent years, the Tepresentations of 4 GROUP OF LAKES on the place of the great Victoria Lake became con- stantly more frequent on the charts, and their right to ‘De placed there appeared to have beon corroborated in 1874 by Colonel Long, who from the north shore of the lake could only perceive the lake extending southward @ short distance. IT WAS RESERVED FOR STANLEY to prove the truth of Speke’s views in two great points, Evidently gilted with an appreciation of geographical science, he induced Livingstone, in 1871, to explore with him #he northern end of the Tanganyika, and he found, instead of the outlet which had been supposed Ly Burton and many others, a compact basin, with un- impertant mountain streams feeding it, just as Speke | had narrated. In 1874 Lieutenant Cameron discovered that the Tanganyika had its outlet on the western side, sending its waters to the Luulaba Congo, and therefore oud not belong to the system of the Nile, THE SKCOND POINT, ‘the unity of the Victoria Niyanza, has now been made © certainty by Stanley’s voyage roand the entire lake | ‘tm the months of March and May of the present year, is map, as published in the New York Herauo, and tne chart shows a well outlined shore, with numerous groups of adjacent islands, while Speke could only show mostly undefined ontlines; but both agree in the great fact, especially when we compare the modification of Speke’s chart, necessitated by Wakefield’s inquiries {especially the separation of Baringo Lake from the Victoria Niyanza), with Stanley’ THE DETAILS, where Speke himself saw the shore, agree in a satis- factory manner. Thus we see, after the lapse of adozen years, the discoverer of the lake vindicated, his de- ‘scriptions verified and his fame purified from all sus- Picious of having given us pictures of bis own funtasy, amstead of the truth, Unfortunately be was not per titted to live to experience this satisfaction, but it is nevertheless @ matter at which to rejoice that bis com- Panion now sees verified and ucknowledged that which they achieved together through long years of labor and | Suflering; and every one will deeply sympathize with ‘she words which Grant wrote to the author of these Aines:—‘This is a giorious verification for me, after so many, like Burton, and even the great Livingstone, ‘ave refused to.receive our accounts, They cut up the jake into a number, and called them lagoons; Dut T have never deviated from the truth, and thank God that I live to see my dear, true friend Speke vindicated by Mr. Stanley in his geography of that in- leresting equatorial region. sober, moderate report of what he saw or heard. Ex. aggeration was not in his nature; facts were his motto.” TAR MOST SOUTHERN and at the same time the most important feeder of the luke was found by Stanley to be the Shimeoyu, which 4s sald to rise in 5 degrees south arfd 36 degrees east, in the Jand of Urim), and atter a course of 350 miles fows into the lake eastward of Speke’s Jordan. Whether this Shimeeyu may be considered as the true source of the Nile depends on two further problems which have yet to be decided by Stanley. NOT SATISYIED ‘with the exploration of the Victoria Niyanza, the young American is about to proceed to the Albert Niyanza or Mwutan to explore that lake in the Lady Alice, On tho one hand, he is to examine if this lake receives tributaries which may claim precedence over the Vic toria Nile or Somerset River; that is, whether it may havo a greator right to be looked upon as the principay feoder of the Nile, On the other hand, he mast defini- lively decide the connection of the Mwutan grith the Nile. Speke had accepted this connection from the communications of natives and traders. Baker has, Jater, malle this vofy probable, though it is not yet en- rely without doubt, nor will it be until a traveller ail bave seen with his own eyes the outlet of the Speke always gave a | Inke and followed tt to the known portion of the White Nile, LIKE SPRKE, 80 BAKER LEARNED PROM the natives, especially from King Kamrasi, of Unyoro, that the Somerset River, immediately after entering the Mwutan, leaves it again and continued its course as a navigable river, between the lands Koschi and Madi, From Magungo (2 deg, 16 min. north), the point where the Somerset enters the Mwutan, Baker saw towards the north, at a distance of eighteen miles, the place where the river left the lake—the lands Madi on the east and Koschi on the west, as well a3 4 mountain ridge accompanying the river on its lett side. He could not proceed down the river because his followers feared the hostile Madi, and it appeared more important to follow that part of the Somerset River from its mouth up north to Karmua Falls, which Speke had not seen, So perfectly convinced was Baker that the Nile issued from the Mwutan that he considered it superfluous to verify this assumption. When, later, on his return Journey, he came to the Nile near Ibrahimija, in the Jand of the Madi (3 dog. 34 mim. N.), he ascended an elevation and saw the course of the river for about twenty miles back, and here again lay in the east the land of the Madi, inthe west Koschi and the chain of hills bounding the valley of the river in the west, Ma- gungo and Ibrahimija Nie about ninety English miles apart, From these two points Baker saw about thirty- eight miles, There is, therefore, A GAP OF ABOUT FIFTY MILES, and if Baker really saw the outlet of the Mwutan its identity with the Nile is. as good as proved, But there is just a possibility that he may have been mistaken, and that the assertions of the natives are incorrect, With the same confidence he bad asserted, on the basis of what he was told by the natives, the connection of the Tanganyika with the Mwutah, which is now decided to be erroneous, WHAT THE ANCIENT SAVANS THOUGHT. Apart from the earlier views of Peney, De Bono and others thut the Nile arose from numerous small tribu- taries, and not issuing from a lake, Speke was struck with the , fact that the Nile in Madi was of much less volume than Somerset River, Ho culled it a “Highland stream,” and his drawing gives avery small opinion of the volume of water in the young Nile, and contrasts remarkably with the assertion of Colonel Long that the Somerset was navigable for the Great Eastern; therefore, for the greatest ship of the world, £. Marno in one of his latest letters also says that the size of the Bahr Djebel (the Nile that passes Gondokoro) does not lead to the conclusion that it is the outlet of such a magnificent lake. Traders told him that the Mwutan lost itself at the northern end in swamps, and many traders assert that the outlet which Baker supposed he had seen is only a creek or bay, like Murchison Creek on the northern shore of the Victoria Niyanza, In short, there yet remain DOUBTS WHICH MUST BE CLEARED UP before the Nile problem can be definitely decided. It is always possible that the Mwutan has its outlet in tho south or west, perhaps leading to the Lualaba; that possibly the Victoria Niyanza and the Albert Niyanza, at present considered to be the lake sources of the Nile, in truth, like the Tanganyika, Bangweolo, Moero, &c., belong to the Congo system, and that the Nile springs, not from lakes, but from many small tribu- taries which in part could come from te mountains to the West of the Mwutan, A SURVEY of the course of the Nile upward from Tbrahimija—an examination as to whether it really comes from the Mwutan—is now the most pressing necessity for the geography of the Nile, the key to the Bolving of the ancient problem; and it is to be regretted that Colonel Gordon has not long since undertaken this examination from his garrison at Ibrahimija, Twice have bis mes sengers, with small escort, reacned King Mtesa’s, ‘on the northern shore of the Victoria Niyanza; and it would be very easy for him to senda small exploring expedition up the Nile to the Mwutan, The hind- rance, hitherto, has been the steamer built for the navigation of the Mwutan, which lay at Lado, and could not be transported beyond the cataracts; but it would be an easy thing to examine first of all whether a steamer put together above the cataracts could really succeed in reaching the Mwutan, According to the latest information, in August, COLONEL GORDON had arrived with the steamer at Ibrahimija, and he will in all probability strive with Stanley to bring the Nile problem to a solution. We can therefore entertain the hope of seeing in our days the elucidation of the most celebrated of all geographical problems—one which en- gaged tho attention of Herodotus, Cwsar and Nero—the problem of the true sources of the Nile, EXPLORING THE SAHARA. FROM PARIS TO THE DESERT IN THE INTER- ESTS OF COMMERCE—OPENING UP COMMUNI- CATIONS WITH THE SQUDAN—M. LARGEAU'S EXPEDITION GETTING READY TO sTART— SCENES IN ALGERIA, Constantine, Algeria, Nov. 8, 1875. After a fortnight spent in visiting and in excursions of various kinds in this neighborhood we are at last about to start for Ghadamés, Now all the difficulties that stood in the way of our departure have been sur- mounted and all our preparations are completed, M. Largeau only arrived here last Thursday, after having travelled over the whole of the three provinces of Algeria, securing final adhesions to his project and receiving the most sincere assurances of interest in the grand object of the enterprise, At Algiers General Chanzy, Governor General of Algeria, received the explorer in the best possible manner, and with the most praiseworthy promptitude placed at his disposal and ours ail the means of transport which would be necessary to us from our departure from Constantine, which is our grand rendezvous, as far as Tonggourt, such as wagons for our baggage and horses, mules and camels for ourselves. The Governor General, fur from following the errors of his predecessor, seems to be endeavoring to inaugurate a new era of commercial prosperity for our great colony, His administration is popular even with the colonists, and it is known that in Algeria, and, above all, in this republican province of Constantine, where chance has thrown me into con- tact with many people, the civilian clement is not always in accord with the military, especially when the latter is represented by the too famous Bureau Arabe. This is a good commencement in the work of trans- formation. I give it publicity all the more cheerfully from the fact that I did not expect to be able to find it during my hasty passage across the Algerian territory. Here ideas of liberalism and of progress are spreading, and seem to have attained a fuller development thap in the mother country. Let us hopo that in the near future the Republic will succeed. in making a new France of our finest colony. To return to-our departure, A certain number of merchants of Algeria seemed to have made up their minds to accompany us, but at the last moment all of them turned back with their merchandise, What mo- tive can have restrained them—tear of thirst or of the Touaregs, the simoom or the sand? Well, no matte we shall go alone, We shall be able to get along with- out these traders, and we shall be able to furnish our- selves, thanks to the help received from the Chambers of Commerce of Oran and Constantine, not forgetting the Council General and the Municipal Council of the latter city, which also voted subsidies, 1 must also add La Rochelle, the only French city that thought proper to assist the enterprise by voting asum of money, As for Marseilles, the city most interested in the success of the expedition by reason of its commercial and mari- time relations with Algeria, not alene did it vote nothing itself, but 1ts Chamber of Commerce prevented that of Nantes from interesting itself in the unaer- taking, giving as a reason that these expeditions were not serious ones, It ts but truth to add that Marseilles has never encouraged a single exploration. THE HND THAT MR. LARGEAU HAS IN VIEW, notwithstanding this, deserves encouragement. Ho formed connections last year at Ghadamds. He prom- ised to take thore this year a certain number of his countrymen, and he has every reagon to believe that, in view of these new peaceful operations, he will succeed in bringing to Constantine, or, failing that, to Biskra, a | caravan of Ghadamésians, If this result should be achieved a very great advance will have been made in the solution of the problem, which is of such great tm. portance to the cotnmercial development of Algeria, of bringing about an exchange of our products with those of the Soudan. We shall be able to make the Ghada- mésians understand that it is not at all the spirit of conquest that animates us, but the want of reciprocal exchange, in Which their mterests, as well as ours, aro concerned. : Constantine, Tonggourt, Ghadamés, Rhat and Agadez are the halting places which lead to the bunks of the ‘Niger, to Lake Tchad and to the Soudan, those myster!- ous regions abounding in ivory. Capable of producing all goes to make up thi riches of India, from the Himalayas to the fortune favored isle o1 Ceylon, the Soudan and Equatorial Africa are on all sides inaccessible to Europeans, who, however, are making great efforts to penetrate them. On the east, on the south and on the west there are immense distances to be travel.ed over, there are warlike pations and a murderous climate; impassable regious bar our passage. The desert alone presents us an open door, and, notwithstanding its eight hundred Jeagues, the Sabara offers greater rapidity and security for commercial relations. Difficult as is the passage of the desert the route is forbidden us by the tribes that inhabit it—brigands of Fezzan on the east, Moors on the west and Touaregs in the centre, in the heart of the Hoggar. Less fanatical than the others, and animated by nobler sentiments, the latter are more capable of understanding the bene- fits of civilization. 1t 1s for us, then, to make them the intermediaries for commuuication between the Soudan and ann. When they once know us they will no longer look upon us as conquerors but as benefactors, With regard to the distance that we have to cross be- tween Tonggourt and Ghadamés, the news we bave re- ceived up to the present touching the political condition of thut portion of the Sahara which we must traverse 18 of the most reassuring nature, aad everything tends to encourage the hope that our expedition will be a success. The fatigucs and the privations will be great, bat all danger seems to be removed. Official protection will follow us to the farthess limit of French ¢erritory— the localities overrun by the nomad Chaambas and the Souafas. We shall find our guides and our camel drivers at Tonggourt—the same who accompanied M, Largeau ‘on bis lirst expedition, and who, having their families in the oases of the Sout, will find it to their interest to conduct us buck to their homes, and, theretore, to our own territory. I forgot to say that during the last week we have got two new and excellent travelling companions, MM. Louis and Octave Say. M. Louis Sayis an ensign in the navy, and has obtaingd leave of absence on half pay for a year for the purpose of accompanying M. Largeau. He will give him the benefit of his professional know- ledge in determining the latitude and longitude of the principal points of the first stage of our journey, and will prepare the ground for the succeeding ones;' that ty to Bay, THE EXPLORATION OF THE HOGGAR, which he will undertake along with M, Largeau on our return from Ghadamés, M, Octave Say, who is only twenty years old, has just tinished his term of one year as a volunteer in the army, and wishes to accompany his brother on his first journey. I may be permitted here to make a reflection with regard to the conduct of these two young men. Under the Empire the youth of France came to Africa to win their epaulets and help to found “the Arab Kingdom.” To-day they come here to sustain honest work and develop our commer- cial relations. It is consoling to see the nephews of a republican Minister take part im this movement, voluntarily preterring the fatigues of the desert to the sinecures of the Mimstry, As I am here in Africa let me recall the exploration of the Ogaway in Gabon, an enterprise quite recently anderwken by M. De Brazza, a colleague and friend of M. Louis Say. It is to be hoped that success will reward the attempt of these two young officers, and that one more will be added to the many obligations we are under to our naval service. I had never seen M. Largeau before his arrival here. As I had been told in Paris, | found him a man of e ergy and tenacity of purpose, as learned as he is modest, and of unquestionable courage. His first jour- ney to Ghadameés, undertaken immediately after the formidable insurrection of 1872, was beset with dan- ger of the gravest kind, At Constantine it was believed he would never be seen there again, especially as he ventured into the basin of the Igharghar just at the time when the two explorers, our countrymen, MM, Dournaux-Duperré and Joubert, were assassinated. Like René-Caillé, in 1828, M. Largeau made his first jovrney “en miserable,” and almost without support, His sufferings were terrible, In ascending the dried up bed of the Igharghar his last pair-of shoes were torn to fragments by the sharp stones left by the stream, but he continued his journey so as not to be in want of water, dismounting from his’ camel the better to con- tinue his observations, and marching barefooted. Mr. Largeau possesses the most profound knowledge of the history and customs of the populations of the desert. ee peaks Arabic with ease, be pes made some remarkable translaons oetry from that lan- guage, iii a Word: ar is bee orer of ths same stamp as those who before him haye unyeiled the mysteries of Central Africa, I have already made you acquainted with my fifth and last travelling companion, M, Faucheux, who ac- companies us more as an amateur than as a trader, though he has had the good sense to bring with hun a@ pretty large pack. It 18 needless to say that the best feelings of fraternity prevail among us, and that we shall be able to mutually sustain and help each other in the trials that we nay Daye to bear, J have now become suiliclently acquainted with THE TOWN OF CONSTANTIN. to be able to leave it without regret. A fortni passed on this rock is more than enough to make one familiar with all its byways. I say the byways, because outside of the French quarter, which cuts the town in two, from the gate of El Kautara to the Vallée gate, the Arab quarters, which are far more important than ours, are formed entirely of crooked, tortuons, narrow, almost impassable lanes, open overhead or vaulted, which make the antique Cirta the most inextricable Jabyrinth that one can well im- agine. In these quarters during the whole day anda portion of the night there reigns the most extraor- dipary animation, and of a character which is strictly jJocal, But what misery is visible among the Arabs! Numbers of them march around even in the winter— which is cold here—dirty and ragged, with bare feet, covered with mud. I have already been able to study several types, from the Arab, with calm and conteni- plative countenance, to the proud Kabyle, who 1s less superstitious and whose face—less handsome and less fine—reflects greater intelligence, With the later the eye is lively and the face speaks; it is a race that we shall assimilate, In the Moorish cafés 1 have jostled negroes from the Soudan, aud in stray- ing through the narrow lanes my curiosity, sometimes imprudent and always indiscreet, led me to catch glimpse of Moorish ladies, who veiled themselves im mediavely on seeing me, I have also assisted at the feast of the Ramadan, which lasts three days, during which the Mussulmans give themselves up to the most complete orgic, the signal for which had been given at dawn on the day on which the fast ended by a salvo of thirty preces of artillery fred from the Kus- bah, Ihave heard the marabouts explain the Koran and interested myself im the mimicry of the Arab story teller, around whonris always grouped an at- tentive and numerous audience. The story teller takes the place of the book. Later on the latter will kill the former. In the meantime story telling is carried on everywhere and incessantly, particularly in Africa, where legends prevail to a greater extent, perbaps, than anywhere else, 1 shall say nothing of the famous ravine here, which is too well known to need any description from me, nor of the rivulet called the Rummil which tlows at the bot- tom of it and is crossed by leaping from rock to rock, between the base of the formidabie precipice which ig capped by the Kusbah and the rocky heights of Siai M’sid. Ii was here that the Arabs used to throw down adulterous women, precipitating them from a height of 500 feet. ‘At this point I-leave off my correspondence for tho present. ‘I'wo wagons from the train have come to take r baggage and bring it as tar as Biskra. In another boar we shall be en roufe to Batna, where we sball ar- rive to-morrow mornng. Under my window two mag- nificent regiments, the Third Zouaves and the Third ‘Native Tirailleurs, are defiling. The bugles sound * Casquette,”” for to this day itis by the well known ri train, “Lu Casquette au Pére Bugeaud,” that the bugler surs all hearts, announcing in remote posts to the soldiers and colonists the arrival 6f the welcome courier who brings soavenirs of home aud the latest news from native land. DANISH WEST INDIES. A GERMAN NAVAL DEMONSTRATION OFF ST. THOMAS—IMPERIALIST EYFORT FOR A TER- RITORIAL EXCHANGE—COMPLAINT OF A BRIT- ISH SHIPMASTER AGAINST A MAN-OF-WAR. Sr. Tuomas, Nov. 80, 1875. The rumor is current here that the German govern- ment is trying to get a foothold in this place, and that the next: step will be the cession of St. Thomas to the Germans in exchange for Schleswig, NAVAL MOVEMENTS, ‘The German man-of-war Victoria arrived on the 29th inst. to relieve the Augusta, The latter leaves for Eue rope to-day, The presence of the man-of-war has given color to the above rumor, COMPLAINT OF A BRITISH SHIPMASTER. To THe Epitor or Tax St, Tomas Times :— 1 wish to call your attention to the unheard-of pro- ceeding commitied on board my vessel by order of Commander Freiherr Von de Goltz, of the-German war corvette Augusta The circumstances are ag follows : My vessel entered this harbor on the morning of the 17th inst, and, owing to the fact of the wind being northerly, could not fetch the usual anchorage of seck- ing vessels (as well as that of men-ofwar not coaling) in the eastern part of the harbor, and was obliged to anchor near one of the buoys of the German Company, and a short distance ahead of the Augusta, The next morning, ip attempting to warp to windward, my lines parted and I was forced to anchor. Betore that held, however, my vessel ranged alongside, not into, but parailel with, the Augusta, the stern of my Vessel being about opposite the foremast of the German vessel. My mate requested the officer on her for castle to pay out ten fathoms of chain, so that when we recommenced warping the vessels would not come in contact. This reasonable request the officer declined to accede to, and shortly after my vessel swung along- side the man-of-war, doing no damage whatever, Immediate!y on the vessels coming together a lot of sailors came on board my vessel with axes and at- tempted to cut away my mizzen rigging. This, how- ever, Was not easily accomplished, as the same was of wire; but they cut away topmast ‘and topgallant back- stay lanyards and broke in part of my fly rail, and on my mate remonstrating with them the officer in charge of the men replied that they would cut up the whole vessel. My mate immediately sent word of the occurrence to me, and I went off to my vessel, and seeing the Harbor Master in the vicinity I requested him to examine the injuries to my veseel, which he did, and I hold bis certificate of such dainage. Presuming, of course, that the commander of the Augusta was not on board his vessel, or, ifthere, was unconscious of the unwarrantable act committed, | repaired on board that vessel for an explanation, Much to my surprise, I found not only had the commander been on board, but that he had personally ordered his men to cut my rigging. He admitted that no injury whatever bad been done to his vessel, but justified his action under the idie plea that damage might have been done, and upon boing expostulated with for his unheard of and unwar- rantable course, replied that he was quite right in what he did, and would do precisely the same under similar cireumstances. He then told me that he would Rot disc the matter further with me. If J had any complaint 1 should make the same to my Consul I informed him that I no de- sire to do this, but preferred to treat with him directly. He again declined further diseus- sion, and seeing no Eeeest whatever of obtaining any satisfaction I left his vessel with the lowest possible ae of politeness and sense of right and justice as iilustrated by the conduct of the commander of the Augusta. After a long experience as a master | safely assert that any other man-of-war would have gladly rendered me assistance instead of going me a needless «1 unjustifiable injury. My vessel being chartered, 1 am obliged to proceed to sea, and am therefore unable to prosecute my claim for the damages, to which I am justly entitled, but I take this method of placing the facts of the case before the public, who will decide if the conduct of Commander Von der Goltz was such as befitted an officer and a gentleman. Should occasion require, 1 can produce ample testi- mony that I have not in the least exaggerated the above statement of the case, and, thanking you for your courtesy, Iam, sir, your obedient servant, A. B. FORD, Master British burk Palestina, EUROPEAN SPORTING NOTES. ‘The Sportsman, in an article reviewing the fortunes of the English turf during the past year, says:—“The aristocratic clement is well to the fore in the list of winning owners, Lord Falmouth—who never bets— having an account at Old Burlington street for £21,052 won in stakes alone this season. The leading patron of Heath House was at the top of the tree last year, when he had for his attendants Mr, Launde, M. Le- fevre, Mr. Cartwright and Mr. Vyner, Lord Falmouth bemg then credited with £16,755, Prince Batthyany comes second this season with £9,755 and Count La- grange is third with £0,515, Mr, Bowes, Mr. Savile and Mr, H. F, ©. Vyner have each won more than £6,000. Although not the sire of the winner of the Two Thousand, Derby or Oaks, Blair Athol is the lead- ing stallion, his stock having won more than £17,000. His biggest mark was, of course, made with Craigmillar in the St, Leger, and it should be mentioned that a good many of his produce are out of the country. ‘The defunct Lord Clifden is a capital second, with more than £15,000 to the credit of his offspring, while Parmesan and’ Macaroni each run into five figures, Vedette having had httle else than Galopin to help ‘him along, The Derby hero is not at the head of the winning iossen, that distinction be- longing to Spinaway, whose winnings amount to very little short of £9,000, while Galopin is noxt wit £7,580, this including the money he won in his match with Lowlander, who has been matched@ give Thun- der ten pounds over the Rowley Mile at tf®Newmarket Craven meeting, the stake for the engagement being £1,000 side. ‘The value of the stakes won by Farnese Amounts to more than Craigmillar’s total, Cambullo 1 fifth in the list, with £4,550 to his share, and Petrarch’s Middle Park Plate was ‘worth £3,404, or exactly £1,004 more than the Cambridgeshire, taken by bis stable companion, Sutton, ‘The Municipal Counsil of Paris has renewed its vote of 60,0001. toward the GrandjPrix, M. Custagnary, who proposed the grant, stated that ‘horse racing under the Republic had become a pure, wholesome and in- vigorating exercise, and invaluable to the country for the encouragement and improvement of the breed of horses.” The two celebrated racehorses Lowlander and Thunder have been matched to run over the Rowley mile, on Wednesday at the next Newmarket Cray: meoting, next April, on the following terms:—Mr. H. Bird’s chestnut horse Lowlander, 123 |bs., against Mr, Vyner’s bay horse Thunder, 115 1bs., both then six years old, over the Rowley mile for £1,000, £100 forfeit, The Master of the Horse gives notice that alter this ear, With a view to encourage a greater number and a igher class of horses running for Her Majesty's plates, the number of plates will be reduced and their value doubled. Until further notice they will be given as follows: Newmarket (every York (every year)....£200 YORE). eee eevee 23£300 x ALTERNATE YEARS, Newcastle and Car- Weytiouth and Plym- 2 Visle.....06000 +00. - £200 outh + £21 Manchester and Liv- Winchester and Salis- erpool....... +. 200 DUTY... eerrense 2 200 Hampton and Egham! Ipswich and Chelms- Chester and Shrews- Lichfleld and War. WICK. ....005 Nottingham an 200 CCBLET. + v0 200 Lincoln and Don Lewes and” Ganter- BEE Cs aedcde Seente)/ 200 DUTY. eee 200 Northampton “and Huntingdon,....... 200 Richmond, £200 every other year. The places first mentioned in the columns will have the plates in 1876. Richmond will commence in 1877, No plate to be given ata meeting not held annually and otherwise supported by public money. No geldings to be allowed to run, and no plate to be confined to mares, BRADFORD, Master of the Horse, David Stanton, the 100-mile bicycle champion, has backed himself for £50 against the well-known trot- ting cob Lady Flora and another, for fitty miles, to come off at Lilliebridge on the 18th inst, ‘The articles stipulate that the backer of the horses may run one horse at a time as often ashe likes. The bicyclist will run on & regular bicycle track, but the horses will trot on the trotting track, which is separated all the way by a rail, 80 as not to interfere with each other. Advices from Newmarket state that the American horses have been restricted to walking exercise since their arrival there, but are looking healthy and well. The Mentmore stud has lost one of its stars in Han- nah, the winner of the One Thousand Guineas, Oaks d’ St, Leger in 1871. She was found lying in her stall on the morning of November 24 evidently suffer- ing great pain, and died on tho same day after giving birth to twin fouls, Hannah was o daughter of King Tom, dam Mentmore Lass, HANDBALL MATCHES. THE STATE CHAMPIONS CONTINUE WORK—EX- CITING GAMES IN BROOKLYN. In continuance of the handball games which have been originated because of the presence here of a large number of the representatives of the game in the several States and Canadian provinces, there were two excel- lont matches played yesterday at Champton Casey’s court, corner of Hoytand Douglass streets, Brooklyn, and, singularly enough, that in which the United States champion was engaged was the least interesting. THE FIRST GAME was between James Mack and M. Belford, who have been playing against each other since their childhood. In the last match, reported in the wHxnaup, Mack was the winner, and in the presence of so many distinguished men Belford felt uncomfortable; hence the match of yesterday, which began at ten'A. M. Belford won the toss tor mning and scored 6 points. Sharp play followed, during which Mack scored 4 and retired, Belford then went inand, afer skilful play, scored 7. Mack fol- lowed, with really splendid play, scoring 8 before going down,’ The marker now called 12 up, or equal. Belford then added 2 to his score, and Mack’6 to his, and 18 to 14 was the call, Belford then made auotier 2, when Mack, by exceedingly sharp play, marked him out and finished the game; the score stunting 21 to 16, SECOND GAME, Mack following his hand for the aecond game went out on an 0, while Beltord, gomg in close to the front wall and serving severely, made 8 points, Mack fol- lowed with 8, and Belford coming in added. 6 points to his score, and the marker called 14 to 5. Mack then scored 2, when Belford, by avery pretty right-handed stroke, Sent the ball to’ the lower brick, forcing his opponent to retire. Belford following with 5, Mack then serving severely scored 8 points, and the ‘marker called 19 to 10, Belford followed, putting, Mack out without a count, and finished the game by making 2, leaving the score 21 to 10, THIRD GAME, Belford, elated by his success, played finely and scored 6 points before retiring, going only after Mack, ina very pretty left-hander, lorced the ball into the “bull’s oye,” or lower lelt hand corner. Mack then worked up 8 additional points, with hard play, and Bel- ford following equally well made 7 points. Mack followed with a score of 6, which surprised even his friends, and Belford adding 3 tornis score made the count stand 16 to 14. Mack then made 3 pointa, and was followed by Belford, who scored 5 and the game— count standing 21 to 17. POURTH GAME. The fourth game was simply a repetition of the third, one exception that Mack scored only 13, instead of 17. VIFTH GAME. The fifth game was a very brief contest, tho marxer calling “‘all up,” or equal, at 6; the same again at 12, and again at 17, which’ greutly increased the excitd- ment, Belford then played with au 0 as the result, and Mack followed, adding 4 to his 17, andclosing the game, which stood 21 to 17. : LAST GAME. The sixth and last game of the match was declared to have been a reuily brilliant contest, the players stand- ing equal at 14. elford’s superior strength now told against bis opponent, and he finished the game, the core standing 21 to 14, The total score on all the Belford, 117. A VELOCIPEDE RACE. Articles of agreement were yesterday signed for a velooipede race between A. P. Messenger and W. E, Harding for $250 a side. The race will take place at the American Institute building, on Friday, December 17, commencing at eleven P. M., and continuing twenty- six hours. One hundred dollars of the stake money has already been deposited, and the balance will be os inthe hands of F, J. Englebardt on the 16th si AN games was—Mack, 96; ABSCONDING BANKRUPT. John Archdeacon, former owner and proprietor of | Archdeacon’s Hotel, at Bloomdeld, N. J., was, on Wednesday evening, arrested in Paterson by a United States deputy marshal for contempt of court, upon a bench warrant issued out of the United States District Court. About the 1st of last July Mr. Archdeacon sud denly left Bloomticld for paris unknown, leaving be- hind unsettled debts to the amount of about $15,000. In that month he was adjudged a bankrupt upon the Petition of his creditors, and un order issued and served upon him for examination egncerning bis property. This order he refused to ofey, and decamped, not re+ Bosske, the State of New Jersey until last Saturday, Hence his arrest 200 + VON ARNIM AND BISMARCK. The Ex-Minister’s Pamphlet | “Pro Nihilo.” A Great Excitement Produced in Berlin | by Its Publication. “Causes and History of the Arnim Process.” Loxpoy, Nov. 24, 1875. Once more Count Arnim comes to the surface, De- feated in the courts, condemned again and again to im- pristument, he takes the only course lett him in the endeavor to re-establish his case before the world; he publishes or causes to be published, which amounts to the same thing, a pamphlet giving his version of bia quarrel with Prince Bismarck and cats it ‘Pro Nihilo! ‘The Causes and History of the Arnim Process.” It is a volume of about 150 pages, and is only about the half of what is eventually to bo given to the world, THE COUNTS RESIDENOR AND UTTERANCES, Count Arnim 4s at present residing at Vevey, Switzer- Jand, and the pamphlet is publisbed at Zurich. With its publication Count Arnim made himself “impossible,” as they say in Berlin, once and forever. For though he has succeeded in terribly annoying the great Chan- cellor, yet he shows us the man who was generally supposed to be made entirely of “blood and tron” in | quite a different character from what his admirers have generally painted him. PRINCE BISMARCK appears in the correspondence pubhshed in this pam- phlot as a man subject to all the vanities and fears that characterize weaker, ordinary mortals, fearfully jeal- cus of his rival, whom he 1s determined to annoy and bully until he makes him submit, THE PAMPHLET, The best account yet published here of the pamphlet appears in the Standard, whose Berlin correspondent is timate with the Arnimists and who has hada copy of the brochure for perusal, He says:— At this moment the book is not to be had for love or money in all Berlin, The publication was not an- nounced in the usual way, and a few copies only were sent through the oat by way of an experiment to test the powers of endurance possessed by the police, aud these few copies were at once snapped up by the rela- tives and intimate friends of the Count himself, Since then the demand has been enormous, and the hands of the booksellers ache with the toil of transcribing orders for the next batch. The preface opens with an attempt to rebut, by anticipation, the charge of - indiscretion or want — of autriotism in giving to the world details which had itherto been kept in the background, but the under- standing of which is, in the opinion of the writer, necessary to the formation ofa clear and unbiassed judgment upon the merits of the case, The publica- tion had, indeed, we are, assured, been postponed for some time, in d@terence to the injudicious recommenda- tions of certain friends, who thought that the step might not only be attended with disagreeable conse. quences to the Count himself, but be prejudicial even to the public weal. ‘The case, it was urged, was not yet over, and any act of imprudence on the part of Arnim himself or of his friends might influence the decision of the Supreme Court of Justice, whose judgment was still pending. On the other hand, it was argued that in view of what may be termed the present split, or what is very near to a split, between Prince Bismarck and his new friends of the national liberal party, together with undoubted signs of a leaning on the part of the former to his old friends, the conservatives, the appearance of this book might be singularly ill-timed, and, in fact, nip this con- version in the bud. To the first of these objections it is replied that the sentence of the Supreme Court, being of a purely technical character, could not in any de- gree be influenced by any act, even if imprudent and ill-advised, which might be committed by Arnim or by his friends in the meantime, and that, besides, in all probability the sentence of the Court would be known and the question so far set at rest be- fore the appearance of this volume, as in fact it 1s. With regard to PRINCE BISMARCK’S SUPPOSED CHANGE OF POLICY and return to the conservative camp the writer of “Pro Nihilo” proceeds to say such an event is far from be- ing improbable. Many quite recent facts have been ad- duced in its tavor, Amobg other things we learn that in aconversation with certain leading conservatives the Prince expressed himself in very significant tert the reverse of complimentary, with regard to the ral Deputy Lasker, and it is further- more affirmed that the recent onslaught made upon that gentleman by Princo Purbus and his friends, through the mediuin of the press, was at the instigation of the Chancellor himself; who is reported, moreover, vo have in a private conversation lately condemned own Church policy as an act of folly (eine thorheit.) But admitting the probability of such a conversion on the Prince's part, Count Arnimn’s spokesman argues that the time is gone by when such an alliance could have been desirable or even possible. Having lost all for which {t contended in bygone times the conservative party, or what remains of it, has only ofe task left for it to decomplish, only one object toward which its ef- forts can henceforth be airected—to wit, political free- dom; and to expect to attain this end with the help of a Bismarck would be sheer madness. ‘ The reasons, on the other hand, which militate tn favor of the publication are many and various, In the first place, it is contended, such publication is an act of justice to Arnim himself, whose case has never been fairly stated before the public, all that portion of the documentary evidence which told in favor of the accused having been sedulously kept in the background, while all that was calculated to damage his cause was paraded before the world with drum and trumpet Inde- pendently of this general argument, it may be added that nothing is published here which’ the prosecution was not ready at the trial to make known to the whole world, For it will be remembered that the Court alone, alter a private consultation, decided which document —_ should be and which withheld from publicity, If ia this case there is adeparture from sound diplomatic tradi- tions the responsibility must rest with those who eet | the example of breaking those traditions asa means of attack, and not with those who follow the’ example simply as a measure of self-detence. Lcannot hope to condense within the brief space at my | command the contents of a book of 175 pages, in which, | besides a quantity of new matter, all the old scandals connected With this affair are raked up anew and set betore Ube reader in a form which has at least a certain pungent raciness to recommend it. I must limit my- 5 sell, therefore, to a few extracts, which will suffice to give a general idea of the work, ‘and which have, at all | | events, the merit of novelty. COUNT ARNIM AND THE EMPEROR. ‘The following is the account given of Count Arnim’s interview with the Emperor in September, 187% Ho dates from July, 1872, the first symptoms of a misun- derstanding between himself and the Prince Chaucel- lor:— ‘The months of July, August and September, 1873, wore assed by Count Arnim, pow greatly euicebled in bealth, at Binisbad, Ragas and St Morits. Daring this time, also, the Ambassador received several communications from the Lin- perial Chancellor, all containing abundant evidence of the passionate hostility which the latter had now conceived against him. From other quarters he heard that be was not ie only person for whom this hatred was an utter mystery. “Phe motive of Bismarck’s hatred aganist you is unknown tome, Things are goiug on in Berlin which [ fail altogether to understand.” Toward the end of August Count Arnim came to Berlin, and on the morning of the Ist of September was received by His Majesty. ‘The Ambassador asked his im- | perial master whether he desired his (Arnim’s) recall trom | Paris nnd retirement from public service. His Majesty re- | plied in the nexative, adding that he had nareason to wish | For'any such thing. He shen went on to say thas the matter of the alleged delay in. the conclusion of the Convention of the 15th of March, 1873 (regarding the quicker payment of the war ‘indemnity and thd French soll), had | recall of the troops in occupation of th nothing remained | been satisfactorily cleared up, and th except the grudge felt against him by Prince Bismar THis, Majesty was the less able to understand this, as he lim- self was tncapable of bearing a grudge against anybody. But spitefulnoss was, in thet, Prince Bisranrck’s prevailing characteristic, and it was sad to be obliged to say $0 of a man to whom ‘we were all so deeply indebted. ‘This temper had already compelled the Emperor to part from many faith- ful servants, among whom were Gols, Thile, Savicny, Use- dom, Werther, &c. “And now itis your turn,” the Emperor added (Jetzt sind Sie an der Rethe). Count Atnim replied, to His Majesty that he, the Emperor's, and uot Prince Bis- marck's sorvant, deetned it his duty’ to see the Imperial Chancellor and'to labor once more to convince him how groundless were the assnmptions upon which he, probably through false information, had grounded his feeling of | hatred. His Majesty agreed to this. ARNIM CALLS ON PRINCE BISMARCK. ‘There can be no doubt that this barbed shaft will do | its work to some extent, although we may not hear of | the sequel for some Lime to come. Then come the par- ticulars of the interview between the two men, once | such fast friends, now divided forever by an impassable galf:— At two o'clock in the afternoon of the same day Count Arnim called on Prince Bisiaarek. | “The Ambassador was at that time in such a state of suffer- ing, and his nervous system had received such @ shock, that ome minutes passed before he could utter » wor ‘hoxe who aro familiar wit disorder with which Count Arnim was highest degree t the patient, it great; The wngue, as is wi f its effects to speak, koow that o | cited, ono Mrs eaves to the palate <'irinee Bismarck, who could not fail to observe Count fui condition, did nothing whatever to re. A we ieve it. s vere Tamant d’aise do. te trouver en si bonne santé” (the writer dearly loves to air his French, in season and out of | kenson), the Prince opened the conversation in an irritating tone of haughty condescension and wholly unwarranted by the circumsiances, ‘On Count Arnim’s request to be informed of the real mo- ich he, the Lmperial bjected him, the Prince replied with a flood of reproaches which he had already prepared limaell to deliver, as was evident from ight of the ducuments which lay piled upon the table bet him, *“f au,” suid the Prince, “the persecuted one. Those eight months, this twelvemonth you have injured my health ‘and robbed me of my rest. You conspire with the Lanprese, and will'never rest until you can sit bere at this tal iS; and convince yourselt that this, too, is nothing after ali (dave ea due nichts ist), 1 have known you from your youth upward. Years ago you said that every man set ii authority over you was your natural enemy. am I just now, delayed the settlement of mvention of the bth | past week, and on the 16th of each Yon have connections at Court which have hitherte prevente ed me from recalling you from your post.” ‘To all this the Prince added certain peculiar expressions, say the leew, quite unnecessary. whether real or feigned, made iis speech incoherent. He confounded the order of events, referring tw of frou the documents, without, Lo the assertion. He laid particular stress on the fact, thet in, November, 1872, Count Arnim had expressed to Count Eulenberg the desire to be admitted to a svat iu the House of Lords. ‘This was for Prince Heemarck « sure symptow of an insa- ‘spptied for « long furlough and re- “You then,” he added, mained here without leave for no other purpose to in- trigue against me in Court circles while 1 wae ta. Varain, that | was jled to call upon you officially to re- turn to Auld riter, “is false.” Tite above incident is graphically told, but whether it be or be not an objective and thoroughly trastworthy account of what took place on the occasion is @ matter known to two men only, aud perhaps not even to them, for it is presumable (hat they were both im euch a state of overwrought excitement 48 to pay but little attention to what they said There seems to be no doubt that Count Arnim conceived himself born for higher things than to be continually executing the orders received from others, and that he really did at one time conceive the aesign of leaping into’ the Chancellor’s seat, The writer of “Pro Niuilo” admits that certain acts of imprudence were committed with reference to this matter. In well informed Berlin circles Arnim was “imprudently” spoken of as the suc- cessor of the sick statesman, And Arnim himself was “imprudent” enough to lay a printed paragraph to this effect before bis subordinate, Herr Von Hol- Stein, who, as came out at tho trial, was a “chiel takin’ notes’ at the German Embassy in Paris for the benefit of the Foreign Office in Berlin, As an answer to the charge of having wittingly thrown obstacles in tbe way of the conclusion of the Evacuation Treaty, in order to bring about ¢! M. Thiers, the writer of “Pro Nibilo” quotes a letter writen to Arnim by the French statesman on the 16th of May, 1873—that is to say, on the day following the conclusion of the treaty. Here are M. Thiers’ own words :— Suxpay, 16th March, 1873. My Dear Count Arxrw—I wished to write to you yester= day evening, but untortunntely had neither time nor perength onolgh to do so; To-day I should be ungrateful, as, Tam uot and aver shall be, if 1 did not hasten to thank You for the services rendered to myself, and, what is better Mull, to France duriug the long negotiations just bronght to S close. You know thnt wo have had nothing todo with the jncident by which Berlin became the place of signature. But the place is of moment, and you are none the lest in our eyes one of those who, by your high wisdom, most materially contributed to a result which will bring the frightful war of 1870 to an end. Believe me, with the highest esteem, yours most cordially, THieRs. M. ae Rémusat also wrote to him from Paris, ex- Pressing the pleasure which it gave him to think that Arnim, “through his just itiuence,” nad borne bis part in bringing about ‘this happy result.”? So far the correspondent of the Standard. The same correspondent telegraplis later to bis jour- nal thus:— Legal proceedings of various kinds seem to be bang- ing over Count Arnim’s head in connection with the * Zurich pamphlet. A prosecution is certain for am offence against the Emperor and Empress, The ques- tion is also mooted whother the publication of papers which, for State reasons, were not read at the trial does not, by peragranl 82 of the Penal Code, iavolve a charge of high treason punishablo with two'years’ im- prisonment. Opinion is divided as to the expediency of acting forthwith or waiting. The second part of tho pamphlet will probably also entail proceedings by the Foreign Oflice for infraction of discipline. ‘The result may be for Count Arnim a forfeiture of all titles and distinctions except nobility. It is denied that the Count bas written a document declaring his intention to return to Germany and undergo sentence. It is said that Prince Bismarck was apprised some time ago of Count Arnim’s intention of rushing anew into print, The correspondent of the Times telegraphs to the same effect as follows:— Count Arnim, who is, November 12, still at Vevay, has asked the ‘Berlin Criminal Court to permit him to remain @ little longer aoroad before undergoing the nine months? imprisoument incurred in consequence of his appropriation of oficial documents. ‘The petition is accompanied by medical certificates testifying to the Count’s impaired state of health, Before receiving an answer from the Court, the Count, or somebody in con- nection wita the Couat; has published an anonymous brochure in Switzerland, containing, together with an account of his recent squabbles, a number of these documents which the Berlin courts would not allow to be rend in the late trial The contents of this brochure may be tmagined from the fact that the Berlin Criminal Court, atthe instance of the Pub-, lic Prosecutor, has ordered the author to be arraigned for insulting His Majesty the Emperor and for libelling and calumniating Prince Bismarck and the Foreign Oftice—misdemeanors visited by many years’ Imprison- ment under the German law. The impression pro- duced by this latest pamphlet is one of pity. Even the antl-Bismarckian papers give up the Count as a lost man, It is generally regretted that the prosecution of the libel left the Crimi- nal Court no alternative but to move for its prohibition by the administrative authorities. The journals which had just begun giving extracts, care- fully pruned of the more offensive passages, are thus precluded from circulating matter prejudicial to no one more than the Count. BISMARCK’S LAST DESPATCH TO ARNIM. I forward the last despatch from Prince Bismarck to Count Arnim, It is dated June 19, 1873:— Your Excellency, in your report to the Emperor dated the 8th June, expresses the opinion that, tor us, the best govern- ment in France would be that which would have to expend the greater part of its strength in combating it mies Already, in your communication of th Your Excellency had veered toward that vie see that you reco, withiont success. form to the way in which y ari ight months, therefore, yon have induced his Majesty to entertain opposite ideas; thus, if not produced, at least facilitated the recent change of jovern- ment which is not advantageous for us, ¢ven by your own ade mission, in this sense, that you paralysed my efforts to main- tain M. Thiers. You have ‘induced the Emperor to adopt your opinion that the development of events in France, un- Ger the direction of M. Thiers, might have become dangerous for the monarchical principle in Enrope. His Majesty did not consider that support to be given by as to the govern- mentof M. Thiers was so indispensable as I thonght for the above mentioned reasons of your despatch of the Sth June. ‘The Emperor would not perniit me to give you for instruc tions to emplos ull the weight of our influence to sustain M. Thiers; that is what has,in great part, rendered his over: throw so ped The tone of your reports has been, during eight months, in opposition to the tendency defended by me with His Majesty. In thus preventing me from efficacionsly support~ ing M. Thiers, you pinced me ander the necessity, as respon- sible adviser of the Emperor, to indorse a political fault which, on account of the incessant efforts I made in a cor trary sense, was not mine. Your action on His Majesty mind exceeds the attributions of an ambassador ; It assuties & Ministerial character; 1t has entered upon a rivalry with the legitimate influence of tho Minister; is becomes dangec- ous for the State. Your #xcellency disposes of leisure and means to defend, Fish the Emperor, by writing and orally, a policy different from tliat of the responsible Minister, fam exhausted by serious labors, crowned with success, and I can no longer, veyond regular affuira, straggle in His, Majesty's Cabinet Aeninst ana dor hostile to my views. I conclude from your latest despatches that Your Excellency will also have comprehended the difficulties which arise from that sinte of things for the Emperor's service, and you will agreo with the reasons, which induced the proposition 1 ina His Majosty for the re-establishment of unity and discipline in the Department of Foreign Adairs. Accept. &c., BISMARCK., LIGHT WANTED FROM WESTERN UNION. New York, Dee. 4, 1875, To Tae Epitor or tHe Herao:— 1 notice that the President of the Western Union Telegraph Company has just issued, in pamphlet form, his annual report to the stockholders, made at their meeting October 13, 1875, but upon carefully looking ‘ over it I find that a great many items of interest have been entirely omitted, items, too, that one would nat- urally suppose that stockholders were entitled to know, For instance, there is not one word said about the amount of cash the company bad on hand at the date of the report. It is true they state that the company’s carnings for the past year were $8,229, 159 83. Of which they paid tor dends and intorest....... $3,126,038 18 And for contribution to sinking fund............ 80,000 00— 3,156,688 18 Leaving a balance of. $72,471 65 which, I presume, represents their cash ou hand, al- though nothing is Said about {t inthe report, Bat I read in the HekaLD this morning, now five months later tham the date of the report, that the company has a floating debt, which 1s causing some discussion ainong the directors, somo of them desiring dividends to be withheld until this floating debt is paid off, while others are inclined to trust to luck and future earnings and go on paying dividends, im. Now, tho question of interest to the stockholders is, How much is this floating debt? Had the President's report been as full and explicit as {t should have been the answer to the question would have been belore us. But now we want light on tt Why does not the company cancel the 72,859 shares of its stock that it now hold’, and thereby ‘relieve in- terested parties from the fear shat some day it may be thrown on the market for sale, and juside parties, with this knowledge 1a their possession, be enabled to make largo sales of the stock, very much to tho detriment of the actual ‘stock! In this connection cannot you ase the influence of your paper co insist upon all the railroads and other corporations complying with the ton of the Stock Exchange, and forwarding periodically to the Secretary of that institution for a jon a statement of their earnings and expenses . If we could have once a week a statement from cach company of the gross amount of their earnings for the month a corrected statement of their sane and the amount of their total expenses for the month, pi ‘ly veritied by one of their officers, stockholders and investors would baye certain data which would enable them to form some opinion of the value of tie securities they were buying and loaning money upon, and the chances id be very materially lessened of their waking op some morning, when the true condition of the corporationa has been made public, and finding their securities almost worthless at the Stock Exchange, as has been the case a number of times during the past few years, May L ask you through valuable paper to urge the New York Stock Exchango to insist that all cor- porations whose shares are dewit {n at the Exchange make these reports, and in caso they decline to do so ke them from the lists? 5 of the utmost linportance that this be done, not ly to the members of the Stk@k Exchange, but to every bank, trust company, capitalist and iender of Money, and when it is do business of the Ex- change wili be from two to times greater than itis ‘order to overthrow ‘Thi thie nolitionl blunder, You e accused me to the Emperor. , a 4 and incomoarably safer, present an iy KHOLDER