An interesting article on the domestic relations of the Mohammedans, by George S Batcheller, Associate, Justice of the International Court of Appeals (Mixed Courts) o Egypt, is published in the August "North American Review." Marriage, we are told, it almost universal among the Mohammedans There are no "old maids," and very rarely "cocottes," in the ordinary acceptance of the term This latter class is recruited from divorcées, widows without children or other family ties As a rale, no young man is considered fitted for business, or entitled to the confidence of the community, until he is engaged or married Not infrequently, quite young children are 'engaged" by their parents or guardians, and it is seldom that these early obligations fail of fulfilment in more mature years. A young man may marry at the age of fifteen and a girl at twelve. These pre-arranged marriages are very common, and it is seldom that the husband looks at the unveiled face of his bride until after the formalities are accomplished. Still, the law allows him to see the face and hands of his intended once before marriage. There are, doubtless, dis appointments at the first interview, though those are usually family secrets; and the bride groom is supposed to philosophically observe that "beauty is only skin deep," and the bride, no doubt, possesses all the other qualities that go to the creation of the happy fireside. Then he may console himself with the knowledge that he may make three other trials in order to fill up his cup of domestic bliss, and the door of divorce is always open through which he may retire without serious opposition.

The personal statutes of the Mohammedan set forth in minute detail the rules pertaining to marriage and divorce, and prescribe the duties and obligations of both parties during the marital relations.

Article I. provides that all women free of conjugal ties, and widows or divorcées, after the legal "retreat," may be demanded in marriage ; but a candidate for the fair hand can only express a desire of marriage to a divorcée or widow after the expiration of one year. The marriage contract is purely a civil obligation, and may be proposed by either sex, or by the parents or guardians of either. Two witnesses are required, who must be of full age and of the masculine sex, but one man and two women may be accepted as witnesses. The marriage may also be contracted in writing if the parties are not present, and the writing is read aloud in the presence of the necessary witnesses.

Like most Baropean countries, the question of dowry or "dot" forms an essential part of the marriage contract. In Mohammedan lands the husband only is obliged to provide a dowry for his bride, which varies in amount according to their respective pecuniary situations. In the absence of a fixed sum, this is regulated by the custom of the province in which the marriage takes place. This dowry is paid directly to the bride in whole or in part, and in case of non payment she may maintain an action against her husband for its recovery.

The trousseau of the bride, whether provided by the parents or from her own separate estate which may consist of her personal wardrobe and the furniture of the household-is the inviolate property of the wife The husband can make no claim on any part of it; he may not oblige her to place the furniture which belongs to her at his disposal, nor at the disposal of his guests, and, should be used the same or take possession of any part of the trousseau, the wife may pursue him in the courts in restitution or in payment of the value in case of its loss or deterioration. The intervention of a magistrate or religious authority is not essential; but if the marriage is contracted without the above conditions it may be annulled by a magistrate on the application of either party.

There are several prohibitions to marriage which apply to near relations and to questions of religious belief. Mohammedans may marry Christians and Jews, but no one may marry & woman who has not a "celestial religion" "Idolaters, sun worshippers, adorers of the stars," and, in fact, all whose religious belief is not founded upon some "sacred book" are eternally forbidden to | Mussulmans

The Mohammedan law authorises the legitimate marriage of tour wives, nor can that number be exceeded, unless, of course, to replace one divorced or deceased.

Polygamy among the Mohammedans is regarded as a moral institution. They do not pretend, like the Mormons, that it is based upon divine or religious authority, although they cite abundant precedent as revealed by the sacred books of religions, including, of course, the "Testament" of the Hebrews. There are legal restrictions pertaining to this feature | of the domestic relation. No man may have a | plurality of wives unless he is able to maintain them according to their rank or social position. If they desire, each wife must be provided with a separate residence, and is not required to maintain social relations with, or even to make the acquaintanve of, the others. Should her husband fail to furnish wardrobe, support and servants suited to her estate, or should he neglect her personally, she may cite him before the Cadi, who will require him to manifest perfect impartiality, and to fulfil all his marital duties. The children all stand upon the same footing; and, in fact, children ``born in a household," whether the mothers be wives or "servants," are legitimate heirs of the father, and in inheritance share with their brothers and sisters of the "regular"| household. It is an interesting fact that there are scarcely any bastards in the Mohammedan world-it is not a disgrace to be born of a slave in a Mussalman's household. The father of the present Khedive, Tewfik Pasha, was the son of a slave ; his father, Ismail Pasha, only married her after he had obtained from the Sultan a fireman, fixing the inheritance to the Khedivial in his oldest son.

Several of the princes of the Khedival household are likewise sons of other than the four wives of Ismail, and their princely rank, or social status is never questioned. Polygamy is rapidly decreasing in Egypt. The Khedive Tewfik, father of the present Khedive, had only one wife, a beautiful and accomplished woman, still living. The present Khedive has only one wife. It is the fashion," now for all high personages to follow the "European plan," and one rarely hears of the existence of polygamy among the higher classes.

The marriage being consummated, the domestic relation is so minutely traced by law that there can possibly be no misunderstanding as to the respective duties of man and wife,

Quoting almost literally from the "Personal Statue," it may be said that the husband is obliged to treat his wife with kindness, to dwell in affectionate relations with ber, to provide for her support, her clothing, and her lodging. When there are several wives the husband is obliged to treat each one with equality, especially in regard to their entertainment, the distribution of his attention and company. He is obliged to visit alternately the habitation of each of his wives, for a day or several days, as he may distribute his time. The equality of this "frequentation" is obligatory, either by day or night, according to his other occupations, He may not give one wife an advantage to the prejudice of her associate spouse, nor remain in her presence longer than the allowed time, without the consent of the other wives. In case of sickness, however, he may visit the invalid beyond the prescribed time until her recovery. When the disease is very serious one wife may renounce her special rights in favour of another, but she may reclaim them at any time. In case of travelling from home the husband may select one or more wives to accompany him; if he selects but one, it is better that it be by lot, but on his return he is obliged to equalise his attentions with those who have remained at home.

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THE TABLETS OF KARA EYUK.

An interesting article from the pen of Mr. St. Chad Boscawen on the tablets of Kara Eyuk. appear in the `Globe". Asia Minor has long been a field presenting attractions for the archæologist and explorer. The mixed character of the population, the varied character of the remains of ancient art, and the rich store of mythological and religious legends of the pre-Hellenic inhabitants, all demanded investigation. The patient research of Sir W. Ramsay shows how much of this pre-Hellenic folk-lore still remains. A series of important discoveries have been made during recent years which serve to connect one of these ancient civilisations with the great cultures of the Tigris-Euphrates Valley. From time to time travellers in Asia Minor obtained small clay tablets written in the cuneiform character. Some of these are in the British Museum, and have been copied by Dr. Pinches. Others are in the Louvre, but the best collection is that of M. Golénischief, in St. Petersburg. It was soon ascertained that the district from which these tablets were obtained was that of which Kaisariyeh was the centre, and corresponded to the ancient province of Cappadocia. In this district were the two great Hittite sacred cities or temples of Boghaz Keni and Eyuk. The French expedition under M. Chantre was able, however, to elucidate still further the source of these tablets, for excavating in a mound called Kara Eyuk or "Black Eyuk," the explorer came upon the remains of a town and temple which had been destroyed by fire, and the ashes gave to the ruin its name. Here numbers of tablets were found, and this was evidently the centre from which they had been spread over the surrounding country. The ruins showed a building totally different from the other Hittite remains. The chief buildings were of brick, and had been built on a mound, the whole presenting a marked resemblance to the ruins of Assyria and Babylonia. The tablets, on being examined, explained the reason for this simi

larity.

Professor Sayce, in the current number of the "Contemporary Review," describes and gives tentative translations of several of these documents; but until further material is Forthcoming some of the rather startling elements of civilisation he describes must be received with caution. The tablets were in almost all cases commercial documents or letters, and some of the Chantre tablets are tax or tribute lists. The script of the documents and the proper names show that they are the records of a trading colony from Assyria settled in Cappadocia in about the twentieth century before our era. The language of the tablets is Assyrian ; but several of the tablets contain foreign words, probably Hittite. These tablets show a highly developed trading community-perhaps from the autonomous position they appear to have held a kind of primitive "Chartered Company'' — who worked the mineral wealth of Cappadocia -- gold, mostly alluvial, silver, sopper, lead, timber; also they dealt at a later time in horses, mules, wool, and goathair. They imported in return textile goods -many of the tablets contain lists of cloth and garments. These tablets are of great importance ; for one reason, they show most clearly the antiquity of the Hittite civilisation-the curious people whose monuments, inscribed with strange hieroglyphic signs, are found from Carchemish, on the Euphrates, to Karabel, on the shores of the Ægean. This civilisation must be older, then, than B.C. 1900. These people were traders, and especially worked the silver mines of the Taurus and Asia Minor, near to which their inscriptions are almost invariably found. These people, too, were those who opened up the great trade roads which ran from the Euphrates, through the passes of the Taurus the Cilician gates, to the Ægean. These roads, being open, rendered it easy for the Assyrian colonists to extend their trade over Asia Minor; but these tablets reveal another most interesting feature-the existence of a regular postal service. That a service existed in Babylonia at this time, as shown by the royal and private correspondence of the period, there is every reason to suppose, but here there is distinct proof. Lists of these letter carriers are found; and in one letter the writer says: "When the postman has received his orders do not detain him." In another letter there is an interesting reference to the roads; the writer says to the postman : "You must know the roads from carrying so many letters."

This is certainly the earliest reference to a regular postal service. We know that one was in existence between Western Asia and Egypt during the eighteenth dynasty, about B.C.1400; also in Babylon during the Late Empire and under the Perzians, It was fully developed in Egypt under the Ptolemies, as shown by the recent discovery at Oxyrhynchus of a set of postal registers. The details as to the administration of this colony are extremely interesting, because they show a wonderful independence. The chief official was the Limmu, or "eponymous archon," in whose year of office all documents were dated; there was a governor, & chief judge. Soldiers were mentioned, but they appear to have been in a company's service. There were commercial travellers as in Babylonia, and probably the code of Khammorabi ruled the affairs of trade. The medium of commerce was of two kinds. "Sealed money" was no doubt the forerunner of coinage, and it must be remembered that the Lydians were the first to use coins. The other is called "horned silver," evidently the small silver coins represented on the monuments as thetribute of Syria. The existence of this Assyrian colony in Cappadocia shows ns how it was that Babylonian legends passed in to Asia Minor and thence to Greece ; the legends of Gilgames becoming those of Herakles, and i those of Ishtar and Tammuz becoming attached to Kybele and Atys. The discovery is of the utmost importance 'as linking. Greek and Oriental culture, and we hope it will be followed up.

YACHTS AND THEIR OWNERS. The following review of the most recent publication relating to the yachting world, which we extract from the "Globe" will interest many of our readers :

"British Yachts and Yachtsmen '' (The Yachtsman Publishing Co.) is a handsome volume, bound in royal blue, divided into sections, and produced under skilled editorship. Its purpose is to provide a summary of yachting history, and biographical notes on the owners of steam or sailing craft built for cruising or racing purposes. When we call ourselves a nation of sailors and refer complacently to our mastery of the reas, our mind's vision is apt to be filled by battleships and ocean liners. We forget what as a people we owe to our "pleasure" craft. Since the days when hardy Richard. Ferris set sail on his "Dangerous and Memorable Adventure" in his new green, much beflagged wherry, and actually made his devious course from London "by sea to the city of Bristow," there have not locked men to emulate his feat, though he owned it to have been "rashly determined." England was still drinking deep her joy of the Armada victory; the Sea Doga of Devon were firing her youth with love of ocean and desire of glory ; and the Dutch across the seas were | busy in their inland waters preparing the lessons her neighbour was ready to learn. Seventy years later, King Charles became the owner of Dutch-built "Mary" -- first of His Majesty's expensive little fleet

It is a far cry from the "Mary" to "Britannia," "Meteor," or "Valkyrie"; and the story of "pleasure-sailing" in the years between is freshly told in the splendid volume before us. The organisation of yachting as a sport owes its origin to the ardent sons of Father Thames, who built and owned the "Cumberland Fleet'' -80 called after its princely patron-which afterwards became the Royal Thames Yacht Club, and was sailing matches as early as 1780. Men of the South took note, and in 1815 I formed the Yacht Club at Cowes. Men of the West were astir at Plymouth ; Ireland was not behind ; and Scotland, on the Clyde, was working for her future victories. At first, the matches were local ; but gradually the true sporting spirit of camaraderie made itself felt, and events at all yachting centres were thrown open to yachtsmen from all others. The Cowes membership became the "Royal Yacht Squad

ron," from which emerged the "Royal Yacht|ing Association," the legislative and referential

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body who have striven to maintain and improve the sport by changes and developments that have met with varying success.

Mechanical science was not idle among yachtbuilders in the "wonderful century"; and we have a section of this encyclopædie work given to the application of steam as the propelling agency. For pleasure tours, the moderate sized steam-driven oraft has obvious advantages; and the sense of security which its labouring machinery, responsive to the will of man and unhindered by the forces of nature, gives to the timid, induces a multiplication of luxurious devices in furniture and fittings. An | attractive item in the book's contents recounts the early history of yachting in Scotland. We read of the famous Clyde builders ; of Fife of Fairlie, and of many a worthy who loved the sport and worked for its honour and progress. Some capital stories are told of northern yachtsmen in the old days. It was at one of the northern meetings that the pawky. "Admiral of the Fleet," finding his vessel aground, startled beholders with the signalled command, "All yachts to sail around the Commodore"!.

We must leave our readers to acquaint themselves further with the contents of this exhilarating book - which we would fain see divided into two volumes. The large quarto size gives every advantage to the illustrations, of which some fifty are in photogravure, re presenting famong yachts of all rigs, racing events, club houses, and a large number of the yachtsmen (including the King, the Kaiser, and King Alfonso), whose biographies, given in the latter part of the work, form & conve-, nient yachting "Who's Who."

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