A TRANSVAAL OFFICIAL.
[TO THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR.") Sra,—In a review of Mr. Wilson's book, "A Transvaal Official," in the Spectator of February 1st, reference is made to "the extraordinary secret telegraphy ' by which in South and in North Africa natives seem to ascertain events before news could come by any ordinary channel." A friend writing from Calcutta on October 9th, 1901, says "We have to-day received the news of the Ameer's death ; it seems to have come—partly, at all events—vid the bazaars, who, as usual, have had the intimation well in advance of the Europeans. The dissemination of news via the bazaars is one of the well-known mysteries of the East ; and although it is not unintelligible that the occurrence of such an event as the Ameer's death should travel faster in this way than along the telegraph wires, there are other cases which baffie all hypo- thesis. The other day, for instance, when the ' Roumania' was wrecked on The Brothers,' the agents of the line did not receive the intimation till Monday, whereas on the preceding Saturday some of the prominent piece-goods dealers, who were keenly interested from a business point of view in the 'Roumania's' cargo, said that a big steamer carrying piece- goods had been wrecked in the Red Sea! "
I should much like to know whether any serious attempt has been.made to solve the mystery, which apparently is found in both Africa and India.—I am, Sir, &c.,
9 Downfield Road, Clifton. MARION TANNER.
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