Thb Nbw Govbbhob ov Fiji. — The " New Zealand Herald" has been eemi offieially informed that Mr Dcs Yceux, so far as Fiji is concerned, will be entirely inde pendent of Sir Arthur Gordon, and will only be responsible to the Imperial Government, his commission being that of Governor and Commander-in-chief. But as concerns Poly nesia, a new office—Assistant High Commis sioner—has been created, whioh will be held by Mr Dee Yceux. All other Commissioners will be subordinate to him, but he will not be independent of Sir Arthur Gordon, the High Commissioner, through whose hands all im portant despatches will pase. Still Mr Dcs Vcbux will praotio»lly fulfil the duties of the office, and it is probable that ultimate appeal will be made to Sir Arthur on very important matters only. Nbw; Ambsigaw Looomotivb. —An engine is now in prooees of construction which, it is thought (says "Design and Work"), will eclipse for speed anything yet built. It will look like an ordinary engine turned upside down. The machinery will be on the top of the boiler instead of under it, as usual, and the boiler will hang very low on the wheel*. There will be two pairs of driving wheel, but instead of having them follow each, other, one pair will be on the top of the other. The real driving wheels will be the upper pair, and they will turn in the opposite direction from that in which the engine is going. They will rest upon the rims of the other pair, which will in turn rest on the track. The revolution of the upper pair, by friction, is expected to drive the lower pair, the tires of the latter serving as tracks for the upper ones. It is thought that a good deal greater speed can be got out of the machinery by this con struction, and it is expected by the inventor that it will be the fastest locomotive ever made. Practical workmen, however, think it won't go at all. It will look very funny as it is running through the country, with the upper pair of driving-wheels, five* feet in diameter, revolving up in the air in the wrong direction at a tremendous speed, and the ec centrics, rooking-bars, link-motion, and pistons on the top of the boiler.
