OCCASIONAL NOTE

Spain has proved such a disappointment throughout the war that the natural tendency of outsiders will be to shrug their shoulders over Reuter’s message announcing that what may be called the quarterly crisis has arisen in her affairs. Spain under successive Governments has truckled to Germany throughout the struggle with far less excuse than Holland or even Sweden, and now that her favourite has lost she must take the consequences which, unpalatable as they may appear, will even so be a good deal less unpleasant for her than if her favourite had won. The latest development is that the Catalan representatives have withdrawn in a body from the Chamber in Madrid, and have repaired to their provincial headquarters at Barcelona. This, we are told, means a revolt on the part of the Catalans, who have long desired to separate themselves from the rest of Spain. If such a revolt took place in any ordinary country it would suggest the imminent possibility of revolution and national disruption, but in the case of Spain, which is totally unlike every other country, the utmost that is feared at present is a ministerial crisis. Considering that Spanish Governments exist in a chronic state of crisis this seems a somewhat lame corollary, and it may well be that consequences will be a good deal more far reaching than the mere overthrow of the Ministry.

CHINESE STEAMER ABLAZE

The steamer Cheyuen, owned by the Chinese Merchants’ Steam Navigation Co., was badly damaged by fire on Monday evening while lying in Rangoon river. She had on board 7,000 bags of bran and peas, and rope and other stores valued at about Rs 20,000. The steamer, which is valued at ten lakhs, was insured in Shanghai. The local agents, Chip Seng & Co., were unable to assign any cause for the fire. Efforts were made by the Port Commissioners and the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company’s launches to suppress the fire without avail. The captain and crew remained on board till the last possible moment. A loud explosion occurred about 11 P.M. four hours after the fire was observed, and after the Cheyuen had been towed out of the channel the flames and sparks were visible from a long distance.

BOMBAY CHEATING CASE

At the Esplanade Police Court today before Mr. A.H.S. Aston, Chief Presidency Magistrate, Sub-Inspector Condon, of the G.I.P. Railway Police, charged A. Wilson, a European, with personating a Royal Indian Marine Officer and with cheating with the help of a forged receipt in respect of a trunk containing property worth Rs 2,100, belonging to Mr. W.B. Roe. He also charged J. Gray with abetment. It was alleged that the two accused went to the Victoria Terminus on June 20 and that the first accused, who was dressed in the uniform of an officer of the Indian Marine, signed a railway receipt in the name of Mr. W.B. Roe and took away his trunk. The first accused pleaded guilty. The second pleaded not guilty and said that he went to the station with the first accused and he had no reason to suspect that the latter was not Mr. W.B. Roe. The first accused, who had several previous convictions against him, was sentenced to two years’ rigorous imprisonment. The second accused was given the benefit of doubt and discharged.

MUTINY ON HENDERSON LINE STEAMER

A case of mutiny on the high seas on board the Henderson line steamer Tenasserim, which arrived a couple of days ago, has been before the Police Court, the master charging a serang and a lascar with refusing to obey orders and assault. The Captain said, in the Mediterranean, the serang refused orders twice, and the lascar assaulted the Captain on the serang telling him to do so. The lascar was searched and a knife was taken from him and he was handcuffed. The serang then piped his crew, who assembled on the main deck with sticks and attempted to rush the bridge, but the gunners kept them off with their rifles. Later on the serang obeyed orders and the lascar was released. Since then the serang had been insolent, though carrying out his duties. After cross-examination and hearing the accused’s statements the Magistrate sentenced the serang to twelve weeks’ rigorous imprisonment, and ordered the lascar to be released at the end of the day, as he had a good character and the captain did not press the charge.

CONSERVING RICE STOCKS

In view of the necessity of conserving rice stocks in India and Burma for use in India and the United Kingdom it has been decided not to grant licenses, until further notice, for shipment of rice on private account from India to outside places other than Ceylon, the Straits Settlements, East and South Africa, Persian Gulf ports, Egypt and other similar localities where there is a considerable Indian population which has in past years been dependent on the Indian empire for its rice supply.