The English people are always afraid that some foreign nation is going to try and invade their country, and imagining there was some deep and dark foreign plot underlying the pigeon-flying, they demanded of the authorities if the German Emperor had obtained permission to fly his birds. When it was found that permission had neither been asked nor accorded, the fear of a plot grew so strong that the matter was finally carried to the House of Commons, and an explanation demanded. The Under Secretary of War stated that the subject was already under consideration. * * * * * A rock covered with curious characters has recently been discovered in Mexico, in the mountains of the Magdalena district, state of Sonora. The characters appeared to resemble the Chinese so closely that a well-educated Chinaman was asked to go to see the rock and give his opinion about it. He had no sooner looked at it than he declared it to be a veritable Chinese inscription. He made a copy of it, and has already translated enough to show that the writing was cut in the stone about two thousand years ago. There are ten lines of characters on the parts of the rock exposed to view. The Chinaman who translated the inscription said it was an account of a Chinese settlement that had once been established in the place where the stone was found. He said that in the history of China there was a record of an expedition which had been sent to that portion of the western coast which is now Mexico. If this is true, the Continent of North America was discovered by the Chinese centuries before the time of Columbus. Evidence is coming to light in various parts of the globe of the tremendous journeys that were undertaken by the Chinese in the early days of civilization. It has lately been discovered that they at one time formed colonies in the islands of the Pacific Ocean. In Australia evidences have also been discovered of Chinese habitation. * * * * * It has been reported that King Menelik of Abyssinia has appointed a Russian General to be the Governor-General of those provinces of Abyssinia which lie in and around the equator. The appointment of a foreigner to such a post shows very distinctly that the Negus is really anxious to shed the light of civilization upon his people. M. de Leontieff, the Russian appointed by King Menelik, has already made two visits to Abyssinia, and is therefore well known to the King. He was at one time the bearer of rich presents from the Czar to the Negus. The position which M. de Leontieff will hold under Menelik is similar to that held by General Gordon in Egypt. Gordon found many opportunities to improve the condition of the people under his authority, and as M. de Leontieff is a very intelligent man, he will undoubtedly do all in his power to help King Menelik to develop his country. G.H. ROSENFELD. THE GREAT ROUND WORLD AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED ON IT. 1144