A SPIRITED Contest is taking place in Sydney between two ladies, who are by turns airing their views on the platform of the Temperance Hall; the question at issue between them being -whether the lecturers who favor us with learned discourses in a socalled trance state, are inspired by angels or by whisky. Mrs. HardingeBritten goes in heavily for angelic influence, and the tapping of tables; Mrs. Lottie Wilmot for Kinahan's L.L. and the beer tap. When opinions so diametrically opposed to each other are placed before us it is difficult to take a medinm course, and we therefore forbear to express any opinion on the question in dispute until the fair belligerents have fought out their battle to the bitter end. As the challenged party, we conceive that Mrs. Wilmot should be entitled to the choice of weapons, and this lady suggests an open air seance, without chairs, tables, piano, or chairman. She says that " spirits who shrink from the light of day ought to be unsparingly denounced." But, as far as our limited experience goes, spirits always have shrunk from the light of day. Spencer says of one of his spirits :

The morning cock grew loud; And at the sound it shrunk in haste away,

And vanished from our sight."

On the other hand, we have known more than one person strongly under spiritual influence inside a closely packed room, suddenly collapse the moment he came into the open air. The question is, will Mrs. HardingeBritten accept the invitation from her antagonist to meet her in Hyde Park on a day and hour to be named, in order to test the question of inspiration? We should sugest that the seance should be held at cock-crow, but that would be inconvenient, and the fowls in this country get into such a state of muddle about the hour that no reliance can be placed in them. DICK PIPECLAY told us, the other day, that his military instincts had just been outraged by witnessing the

behaviour of an escort party of regular art.llery, who, entrusted with the charge of a naughty gunner, had marched him through the streets, en camarade, joking with him, smoking with him, and otherwise conducting themselves as though he was not their prisoner, nor they his guards. Dick thinks that a bombardier who allows such licence should lose his stripes.

IT is lucky peace has been signed between the Sultan and the Czar. Had the war continued, had Great Britain been drawn into the vortex, and had Sydney been attacked à la W. Hogan, what should we all have done with the gallant volunteers in a state of disorganisation? No doubt the old Norse blood bounds tumultuously in our veins no doubt the bulk of New South Welshmen put faith in the creeds of their ancestry, as expressed in the doggrel:

"Two skinny Frenchmen and one Portugee, One jolly Briton can lick 'em all three." No doubt we shouldn't funk the foebut-yes! but (a but poor France realised at Sedan) pluck and belief in one's destiny goes down before the best organisation, the best drill, the best handling of weapons of war. Now, in organisation, in drill, in handling of the weapons of war, our volunteers are nowhere. With a strong force, on paper, New South Wales is, as regards the means of defence, all behindhand, and 'tis a truth all the world over that

"In the church or at the bar,
On change, at court, where'er you are,

The devil take the hindmost, O!
Ti rol de rol, ti rol de ro!

The devil take the hindmost, O!" When will Messire, the Minister of War of and for the territory of New South Wales, introduce a measure for creating an efficient militia in lieu of the land order corps that shirk their duties with persistent coolness!

WHEN one buys beef, one expects bone in reasonable proportion to the lean and fat. When one plucks a peach one bargains for a stone; and, no one we ever heard of, expected to find a herring all soft roe.

The

Tasmanian jam makers have either to deal with abnormal fruit, or else they place an affecting belief in the longsuffering of human nature; otherwise it is not possible to account for their prodigal use of plum, green gage, and "golden drop" stones, quite out of all natural proportion to the confection sold with them. The other day in a 1lb. tin of "golden drop" jam we counted no less than 35 stones. O, Tasmanian jam-makers, was that a fair thing? Don't you dread lest your sharp practice may result in a falling off of your trade When we ask jam of you, why give us -so many stones? If you persist in this practice, your motto shall be "jamque nos cursu" (right Virgilian), "the fellows with the accursed jam."

So the pale blues were all behindhand! Well, it serves New South Wales right. She sends a second-class eight to do battle for the championship of the waters, and so deserves a second place. 'Tis an accursed folly, either at play or in the more serious concerns of life, to underrate one's antagonists. This is what New South Wales has just done in the affair of the race, and with the result such folly merits?

A return match has been arranged between the muff cricket clubs of Ashfield and Manly Beach, to come off on the Ashfield Ground, on Saturday next, 16th instant. Some tall play is expected. Players will play in mufti as usual. Muffs suffering from the gout, will be allowed to bring runners into the field. Refreshments pro

vided.

CONUNDRUM FOR MEMBERS OF THE HAIRDRESSERS' ASSOCIATION,-Why is the man who shaves me an inferior person to my aunt in Dorsetshire? Because he is only a barber, while my aunt is a Barbara.

THE WAR NEWS. UNDER this heading we trust to have to say no more for many a week. The longed talked of treaty of peace between Russia and Turkey was signed on Sunday last, the former power having with singular moderation in

the hour of her triumph, made substantial concessions to the amour propre of the Porte, as well to the humours of Great Britain. That Russia has so acted does not surprise us. In our issue of the 23rd ultimo, we stated that we did not consider war imminent. In our last issu- we expressed a confidence in Russia's moderation. Both anticipations have happily been realised. Austria is said to be uneasy with reference to the proposed autonomy of Bosnia and Hervegozina, but we do not think that she will venture upon 66 going alone" in order to maintain her special views on that question. Despite Earl Beaconsfield's meddling and muddling policy, the Providence that sits up aloft has kept England out of the troubles of war, and long may she so be preserved!

The war now over was (as it would seem that wars are to be in these days) short, sharp, and bloody. The bravery of the combatants on either side was splendid-heroic. There cannot, however, be a doubt that the best man has won, and that victory in the hands of an enlightened prince like Alexander II., means something infinitely more beneficial to the human race than victory in the hands of such a Power as we all know the Sublime Porte to be. "Si vous grattez un Busse, vous trouverez un Tartar," said Napoleon (after Moscow), and there is truth in the sneer; but it should be remembered that the Tartar element which underlies the Russian, is not altogether an unhealthy one: it is vigorous and teachable. The Tartar element that permeates the Turk is sodden with corruption and hopelessly unteachable. Yes! the best man has won. Though we do not imagine that the jealousies of Europe will allow of the peace just struck being a lasting one, still the hour for the next appeal of the Powers interested in the Eastern question to the cruel arbitrament of the sword has yet once again been adjourned sine die, in all probability adjourned for several years.

FUSILIER.