The Aberdare Times

GARDENING FOR THE WEEK. DIANTHTJSES AND PHLOX DRUMMONDS.—These are of rather slow growth, and should therefore be sown earlier than the majority of summer flowering annuals. i Ihey are amongst the most serviceable and attractive r border plants that can be grown, the last named a!sr being well adapted for filling beds. Sow the seed ia pars. p'ac:Dg these on :a. hotbed till it germinates, and eventually prick oft the seedlings into large pans or boxes. All may be hardened and finally planted out by the middle of May. ANTIRRHINUMS AND PESSTEMOKS.—Seedlings oi these raised early an i given fair play will flower freely late in the summer. tow on the surface of pans of fine soil, and cover very lightly or not at all, the seed being merely pressed into previously moistened soil. flace in heat, give the seedlings plenty of light, and eventually prick them out thinly in boxes of light soil. They ought to be kept under glass till of good size, and be planted out on fairly rich ground late in May. AQTTILKGIAS.—A packet of seed obtained from a trustworthy source includes many very beautiful varieties, forming, when grouped together, a very attractive feature in a flower garden during May and June. The seed of any varieties is sown now ia gentle heat, and the plants grown without experi- encing a severe check, some of the strongest of them will flower this season, and the rest develop into fine plants for flowering next year. The seedlings should first be pricked out rather thickly in 5-inch pots or pans, and returned to a warm frame, being subse- quently given mere room in boxes, or else potted off singly into 3-inch pots, in either case being eventually hardened and planted on a warm border. Any good loamy compost suits them, and in the open they delight in a fairly rich and free working soil. CLEMATISES.—Not half enough of this class of hardy climbers are grown. They are particularly well adapted for covering archways, pillars, and the fronts of houses, and when in good flowering condition, which they soon are, are very gorgeous and attrac- tive. The selection of varieties suitable for keeping up a long succession of bloom may be left to the nurserymen, and, seeing that all are kept in pots, it is not yet too late to order and plant. Any moderately light loamy soil will grow them, an addition of peat, leaf soil, or even well-decayed manure not being wasted in their culture. When received turn them out of the pots, carefully loosen some of the roots, and plant rather firmly. During the first summer erpecially they ought to be examined at the roots occasionally and given water before they become very dry. Well-established plants will be benefited by annual mulchings of manure; but aa this would be conspicuous, first remove some of the surface soil and return it to the top of the manure. PRUNING CLEMATISES.—It is very unwise to neglect pruning these. If left to themselves thicket* of worthless growth soon form, and the plants instead of being ornamental are the opposite. The Florida type, which includes Duchess of Edinburgh, Lucie Lemoine, and Countess of Lovelace, and the Patens type, to which Lady Londesborough, Mjss Bateman, Albert Victor, Fair Rosamond, Lord Londesborough, and Standishi belong, are the first to give a display, the flowers in these cases being produced on the young ripened growth formed last summer. This, therefore, should only be thinned out where crowded, lightly shortened, the dead wood also being cut out, and then be trained in whatever direction desired. The most popular type is Jackmanni, in this being included Magnifies, Flammula, Alexandria, Rubella, Star of India, Gipsy Queen. Jackmanni alba, and ton- bridgensis. These will produce flowers on the young growth formed this season, and the ripened growths on these ought therefore to be freely shortened now to near where they started from, and the strong young shoots resulting may be trained to where the bloom will be most effective. Balconies, archways, and walls clothed with these Clematises are very attractive, and a mass of bloom over a window is most striking. OTHER CLIMBERS.—Climbers and pillar plants of Passion Flowers, Wistarias, Loniceras, common Honey- suckle, and those of somewhat similar habit, ought now to be rather closely pruned, otherwise much of their beauty is marred. Jasminum nudiflorum and Forsythia viridissima should be cut back after they have ceased flowering, and all straggling growths should be removed from deciduous Magnolias, Pyra- canthas, Pyruses, Virginian Creepers, and Ivies, the main branches and leaders being properly secured to the walls and trellises at the same time. Chimonan- thus fragrans and the common white Jessamine ought to have all lateral growth cut back to near the main branches. The former will produce flowers next winter on the spray formed this summer, while the young growth of the Jasmine will flower freely during the summer. PARSNIPS.—We have sown parsnips in January, February, and March, and of all the last named were the most satisfactory. The first have sometimes been ready for early shows, but they generally met with many drawbacks, and it is only now we sow our main crop for general use. They grow fast and gain maturity before the end of the season; indeed, we attribute the half-decayed condition of many parsnips in winter to too early sowing, as they. like other vegetables, begin to decay when matured before their time. The Student is not so large as some, but its quality is good. If long manure is dug into the soil immediately before sowing it will cause the majority of the roots to fork and be deformed. They are best en ground that was heavily manured for some other crop last year, and where none is required this time. Artificial manure is also beneficial, as not offering any obstruction to the roots penetrating. The soil should be from 18 inches to two feet deep, and well stirred, but firm. The seed should be sown in drills two inches deep and 18 inches apart. Ultimately the plants must be thinned to one foot asunder, and if we were sowing a large piece to economise seed we would only drop in a few every foot. Where the soil is so shallow as to prevent the long ones gaining a proper form, the turnip-rooted variety should be sown, and one foot from lOw to row and nine inches between the plants will suffice for this useful little sort. PLANTING OUT CAULIFLOWERS.—Where plants have been wintered in frames or under handlights many oi them ";11 now be exposed and hardy, and in favour- able districts they may be planted in the open. As t<< secure early heads has been the object of all the care that has been taken with them, they should now be placed out on a warm sheltered spot. Each one must be lifted with a ball of soil attached to the roots and be planted without breaking. We cannot endure to see those who plant anything in this condition scratch a little hole and push the roots down in such a way as to press away all the soil adhering to them. Avoid this always, and make a hole that will readily admit them entire. They will grow all the faster after- wards, and head sooner by being careful; but these Cauliflowers will not produce such huge heads as the later ones grown entirely in the open, and if they are planted at a distance of 18 inches apart each way they will not become too much crowded. To secure a suocesson do not transplant them all. but thin them and allow a few to remain undisturbed, when they will head from a week to a fortnight earlier than those that are moved. PLANTING OUT PEAS.—As hinted a fortnight ago, these may new be taken in band. There are various ways of raising them, such as in small pots, in turves, &c., but in all cases the planting out has to be done in much the same way, care being taken that they are not severely checked. Form some trenches one foot wide and eight inches deep, fork some good manure into these, then try and find some old dry soil in the sheds, and place a quantity of it into each trench. Plant immediately in this, push the dry soil well up to the plants, adding some of the surround- ing soil afterwards, then draw a ridge up on each side of the row and apply some twigs to them, on both sides at once. These will soon help to hold them up, but in the meantime they will afford much shelter, and it is this they always require at first. When twigs cannot be obtained boards about ten inches wide may be used, and these may be kept standing on edge on each side of the rows by the support of stakes pushed in on each side of the boards. FORCING.—We are still far from securing a supply of spring vegetables from the open, and forcing must be followed up. Rhubarb and Seakale are now in- duced to grow freely with the aid of a little fermenting material placed ewer the pots, and the former will soon be plentiful in the open. Those who have been reserving their Asparagus roots to force them when the time came that they could do so with best results should place them in a gentle heat at once. At mid- winter they require to be forced in a well heated pit, but now a slight hotbed will produce nlenty of heads. French Beans sown in January are now bearing, but the crop is not" so heavy as it promises to be in the succession, which should receive plenty of liquid manure at the roots, and be kept in the light. From aow onwards we regard French Beans as profitable, and a good sowing can be made every fortnight, as towards the middle or end of April they may be fruited in cool places, and it will be a longtime before any can be secured in the open air. Wood's Early Frame Radish is ready in the hotbed, and seed may be sown in another light or two to precede the open air Radishes.. RIDGE CUCUMBERS AND VEGETABLE MARROWS.—Sow seed of both these. A dozen plants or so of each are generally sufficient for ordinary-sized gardens, and it is better to grow a few plants well than many indif. ferently. Half fill the desired number of 3-inch pots with a mixture of loam and leaf soil, put one seed into each. with a little more soil on the top, press it down and place in a temperature of 65 deg. or 70 deg. Do not supply water until the young plants appear, and keep them growing afterwards in a gentle heat. If kept dwarf and robust they may remain in the seed pots until planted out. Later crops may be ailed in the open. BMCCOU AND BRUSSELS SPROUTS.—Owing to the flreft and snow there have been some blanks in the (apply of Broccoli, but the Brussels Sprouts have 1tt8D uninjured. We have been gathering them clean from souse quartets to get the old plants cleared off the ground, but where they still remain on pieces are wasted for cropping soon they should be lifted with a good ball of soil attached to the roots, and belalel in any corner. If not allowed to become dry they will remain useful for another month. The same-remarks apply to Broccoli. We try not to shift our latest plapts, but all to head in April may be movwd, and if carefully done they will answer as well as if they had been undisturbed Clearing of ground of these late ero.. is often tgMat assiftaoce iq, getting In others In **it Wins ■ \lMir till cf Kertizuliure.

LORD HARSJNGTON ON THE LIBERAL UNIONIST SITUATION. I The Marquis of Hartington, speaking at a meeting I at Westminster of representatives from various Liberal Unionist Associations of the United Kingdom. MKI Although I trust that the future proceedings of Uie, Organising Onnc 1 of the Liberd Unionist Associations wili be rather devoted to the transaction of business than listening to speeches, I have been asked to make a few observations on the occasion of our first meeting. The electoral success which we have in view can only be attained by attention to three points and in three directions. First, it is neces- sary that the closest attention should be paid in every constituency to the condition of the electoral register. Under the preoet.t registration laws it is perfectly possible that, without constant and unremitting attention, many of the friends who share our political views may never have found themselves placed on the register, or having been on the roll may find their names removed. The next point Is the activity and the persistency with which electors who are on the register ought to be approached and their attention directed to the necessity of main. taining the principles which we are advocating. We know very well that in every class of society there are a large number of persons who do not profess to give much consideration to political affairs, and who make it no secret whatever that they rather avoid such matters, and it would be no subject for sur- prise if amongst the masses who have lately been enfranchised that state of political apathy and in- difference existed even to a greater extent than amongst those who have longer possessed the fran- chise. The third direction in which it appears to me that organisation is required is in the selection of the best and most eligible candidates. What we are endeavouring to do to-day is n"t to begin the organi- sation of the Liberal Unionist party, but simply to take a. new step in its development. We have, first, the Liberal Unionist Association, whose head- quarters are in London, and whose business is to raise and expend a very considerable sum of money in the dissemination of political information, and, by means of its organising agents, cover the whole of the country with branch associations of the most perfect type, thus forming a Liberal Unionist association in every constituency, and having com- mittees or branch associations in every polling dis- trict. There is, next, a similar society, which bears the title of the National Radical Unionist Association. That association has its headquarters at Birmingham. Its sphere of work is more directly connected with the Midland counties, and it has sought to place it- self in relation to that section of the Unionist party which holds advanced Liberal opinions. The third portion of the Liberal Unionist machinery to which I wish to refer is the Liberal Union Club. That is a body which has been formed upon the model of the Eighty Club, with which doubtless you are all acquainted, and from which a short time ago we found it necessary to secede. The objectofthat club is to pro- vide speakers and lecturers for all parts of the country, to provide canvassers for elections, and to invoke the sympathy and active co-operation of the younger members of our party who wish to do work in the cause of the Union. The fourth portion of our machinery is the Woman's National Liberal Unionist Association, which has been formed for the purpose of creating an interest in our cause, amongst the women of Great Britain generally, of enabling such of them as feel qualified to take part inactive political' life to do so, and also to help that much larger class who do not care to appear on public platforms or par- ticipate in political meetings to exercise that influence in the social and domestic sphere which they can wield with so much effect and benefit. All that we are attempting to-day by the institution of this council is is to bring the parts into closer co-operation and more harmonious action—in fact, as Lord Card- well used to say about our defensive forces, to blend them all into one harmonious whole." Those who most loudly proclaim that the Liberal Unionist party is extinct in the country show, by the manner in which they think it necessary to attack us and our policy, that they really in their hearts believe that, 10 far from being extinct, we are a very real and very formidable power, with which they must count. I do not attach great importance to a minute examina- tion of the results of by-elections, but let me give you a few simple figures relating to those which have taken place since Jan. 1 of last year to the first month in this, in Scotland, Wales, and England, and which have given so much comfort to our opponents. I find that 21 elections have taken place in these countries since the date I have mentioned. The election at. Merthyr Tydfil need not be taken into account, because there the contest was between two Home Rulers, and therefore does not effect the cal- culation. In the remaining 20 places the Unionist poll in 1888 to the present year has been greater than the Conservative poll in 1885 in 14 out of 20 elections, and it has only been less in six seats. On the othf-r hand, the Home Rule poll in 1888-9 has been greater than the Liberal poll in 1885 in only seven seats, and it has been less in 13. Now when you consider that since the general election of 1885 the Irish vote in the constituencies has been bodily transferred from the Conservative side to the Liberals, you can see that these results can only have been effected by the existence of a very strong and very powerful Liberal Unionist party, which has not only counter- acted, but more than counteracted the transfer from one side to the other of the Irish vote. It is possible that the Unionist majority of 1886 may not upon another occasion he maintained, but according to their own confession our opponents acknowledge that in order to obtain success they must revert to the position of 1885, and the figures I have given you show conclusive that, even as we stand at present, there is no possibility whatever of any such reversion taking place, and that they will fall short of going back to the position existing in the year mentioned. I am not going to detain you with other figures, but would like to refer for a moment to the actual Liberal Unionist disasters which took place in the past year, There were three in number—West Edinburgh, the Ayr boroughs, and the Govan division of Lanarkshire. In the first two an additional 100 votes would have turned the poll and secured to us the seats. I ask those who are present whether in defeats of that character there is any ground whatever for depres- sion or despondency. Of late years the conduct of ty-contests has been reduced to something like a science, and resembles nothing that can possibly take place at a general election. The whole force of the organised Home Rule party in Great Britain is now turned on whenever a vacancy takes place. The constituency is flooded with canvassers, speakers, lecturers, and election influence of every description. The most experienced electioneering ability is brought to bear upon the management of the contest, and an amount of activity is brought into play which is un- attainable at a general election, when each con- stituency is busy with its own affairs. What we have to learn is simply to take a leaf out of our opponents' book. The secret of electoral success is contained in one word — work. Work at the register; work in distribution of political informa- tion and, above all, work in organisation down to the very minutest detail of electioneering agency. In work of this description only is success to be looked for.

A NEW BROOM. The Kansas City Journal publishes a description of a present soon to be forwarded to Mrl, Benjamin Har- rison, which is once useful, ornamental, and unique. Humboldt is in the centre of a broom-corn region, and rejoices in a broom manufactory under Republican administration. And the present intended for Mrs Harrison is doubtless the most remarkable broom oi which the genius of a broom manufacturer ha& ever conceived. From tbe shoulder of the broom, at in. tervals to the top of the handle, straw and silver wire are interwqyeu so as to represent the following beautiful designs-braised maple leaves, raised crown, raised diamonds and maple leaves, matted, diamonds, and raised leaves, matted spears, double-matted crown, hand? plate of silver with the name of Mrs. Benjamin garrison en. graved thereon, and surrounded by handsome scroll work, executed by C. B. Crit/er, pyramid and half maple leaves and matted diamonds, matted crosses, matted diamonds and maple leaves, four Sags. hand- somely painted in red, white, and blue colours by Mrs. Joseph Bradley., between the flags are matted diamonds, raised pyramids, silk fringe there is a silver cap on the end of the handle with the name of the maker, E. IngerSoll, engraved thereon; red, white, and blue silk velvet is interwoven the entire length of the handle; silk fringe covers the shoulders of the broom, and on the aide of the brush is a bow of blue satin ribbon.

HEALTHY WORK. Owing to the dust arising from type metal, and the tendency of compositors to lean over the case while at worki it has been frequently asserted that the printing business is not conducive to long life. This js a. mistake. There is scarcely any indoor occupa- tion, when care as to eating and drinking is observed, whjfth » healthier than that of printing. During the yellow fever periods in the Southern States they were singularly exempt, and this has aho been the case in the gholqra epidemics which have recently occurred in various States in South America. Recently the cholera prevailed in Chili, causing great mortality among the people, yet out of 100 members of the Typographical Union of Valparaiso, not one member had been attacked. In the visitation of yellow fever in the fifties in Alabama and New Orleans the printers were the last to leave their post of duty.

DROWNING SORROW IN GREEK. Since the death of her son, th^ Crown Prince of Ausbria-Hungary, the Empress Elizabeth has been living in retirement, mostly at the Castle of Ofen, Her Majesty, whose strength of mind is well knowQ, is seeking to drown her sorrow in the study of Greek, for which purposo she brought a young Hellene with her from Corfu. The Empress is making great pro. gress, they say. She is 52, and, therefore, has a better chance of time on her side than Cato, who must have been 20 years her senior before he seriously begun the study of €rreek, as it wacs in his llay.

BSCAUSZ a man is "greatly tickled," it is no T LGN that be if pleased. For instance, take the ease (l a man who ia greater tickled by a. ay alighting CD bi- BOM L

EPITOME OF NEWS. I A Cabinet Council was held on Saturday at the Foreign Office. The Ministers present were the Mar- quis ot Salisbury, the Right Hon. A. Balfour, Earl Cadogan, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Viscount Cranhrook, Viscount Cross, Lord George Hamilton, Sir M. Hicks-Beach, Lord Knutsford, Right Hon. H. Matthews, Right Hon. C. T. Ritchie, Right lion. W. H. Smith, and the Right Hon. E. Stanhope. The ceremony of confirming the election of Dr. A. G. Edwards to the Bishopric of St. Asaph took place on Saturday at St. Mary-Ie-Bow, Cheapside, London. The Bishop Elect arrived shortly before twelve, and was met in the vestry by the Vicar-General (Sir James Parker Deane, Q.C.) and Sir John Hassard, Principal Registrar of the Province of Canterbury. Dr. Tristram, Q.C., attended as Advocate for the Bishop Elect, and Mr. W. P. Moore as Proctor for the Deaa and Chapter of St. Asaph. The Gold Medal of the Balloon Society has been awarded to Mr. Percival Spencer, the first aeronaut who descended in India from a balloon by the aid of a parachute. He came (town in the Baraset District. The funeral of Mr. Samuel Carter Hall took place at Addlestone on Saturday. The Burial Service was read by the Rev. E. Sharp, incumbent of St. Paul's. The mourners included the Rev. R. Carter Hall (brother oi the deceased), Mr. Stanfield, Mr. and Mrs. Catter- son Smith, Mr. T. Bowden Green, and Mr. and Mrs. Rochat. An Order of Council was passed on Saturday pro- hibiting the landing of animals from Germany, on account of foot-and-mouth disease. The command of the 24th Regimental District will, it is understood, be conferred on Colonel G. Paton. The further hearing of the dispute between Lord Grimthorpe and Mr. H. H. Gibbs, as to who has the right to restore the Lady Chapel and ante-Chapel of St. Albans Abbey, has been indefinitely postponed, and, as various technicalities have been arranged, the Vicar-General, or his deputy, will next proceed to decide on the merits of the c<se. A singular story was told in the Wandsworth Police- court on Saturday by Mr. Charles Williams, a tailor in Bavile-row, who recently became the proprietor of a horse depository in Wandsworth. He gave a receipt to a man named Cooper for a horse, c"rt. and harness, and stated to the magistrate that he did that in order to prevent the things being seized by a broker, but without getting any money. Now Cooper and another man'w&Te charged with stealing the horse, &c. Mr. Plowden said there was no proof of a felonious inten- tion on the part of the prisoners, whom he discharged. King Milan returned to Belgrade on Saturday night, and at once received the Ministers and the Regents. The Board of the Comptoir d'Escompte, in Paris, have published a communication to the shareholders reviewing recent events, and stating that the pro- prietary could not be called together, as tbe articles of association required a month's notice of a meeting to be given. The object of Count Herbert Bismarck's visit to England is, a Berlin correspondent states, to arrive at I D understanding on pending Colonial questions. He will also discuss the arrangements for the Emperor William's visit to this country. An amicable understanding between China andCorea has resulted from the interviews between Li Hung Chang and Mr. Denny. A fire broke out the other evening at some cement works at Narthfleet, and three or four large ware- houses and their contents have been destroyed. The Russian Minister of Finance announces that the entire outstanding amount of Five per Cent. Consoli- dated Railway Loan of 1871 (in all £ 11,669,300) will be paid off on July 1st, 1889. The Brazilian Legation is informed that the sanitary condition of Rio de Janeiro shows a marked improve- ment, in consequence of an abundant fall of rain. The wet weather is likely to continue. In reply to the claims of a German company to the Sultanate of Oppia, it is declared in Rome that the Italian protectorate was sought and given in a legiti- mate manner. The Hungarian Premier will reconstitute his Ministry after the passing of the Army Bill. The present. Minister of the Interior will retire, and M. Tisza will take over the duties of that department. Two other Ministers will also leave the Cabinet. In the Italian Chamber, Signer Cavalotti, of the Extreme Left, has accnsed Lieutenant-General Cor- vetto, Under-Secretary of War, of not stating the truth, and the latter has consequently challenged Signor Cavalotti to a duel. The British Archaeological Association has sele.ted the Earl of Winchilsea and Nottingham as president of the congress to be held at Lincoln during this year —namely, from Monday, July 29, until Saturday, Aug. 3 next. A meeting of the Lancashire and Cheshire coal- owners at Manchester confirmed a resolution passed by coal.owners in London, generally approving of the prin- ciples of the proposed coal syndicate In view of the proposed union of the papermakers, a Dumber of newspaper proprietors are considering a pro- posal to erentand equip two or three paper mills, to be worked on the co-operative principle. Conferences are to be held soon in London. Lancashire, and the Mid- lands to discuss the question. A St. Petersburg telegram states that the Special Commission now holding an inquiry into the Borki disaster has had ample materials put before it for the explanation of the catastrophe, and that the Commis- sion cannot terminate its labours before the spring. A verdict of "Death from misadventure" was re- turned by the coroner's jury at the offices of the Hendon Local Board of Health respeotlng the deatb of Charles Hoople, aged 15, son of a carpenter, who died from a gunsbot wound. Mr.Gainsford Bruce, Q.C.. M.P., presided ovprameet- ing at the Holborn Town Hall, convened by the Income Tax and House Duty Association, at which Mr. George White delivered a lecture upon the subject of income tax, dealing with the inequalities of its incidence, and with the various remedies which have been suggested for them. The Irish Master of the Rolls has dismissed an application made on behalf of Sir William Thompson, F.R.S., for an attachment against Mr. Moore, nautical instrument maker, of Dublin and Belfast, for an alleged violation of an injunction order restraining him from infringing certain improvements in mariners' compasses patented by Sir William. Mr. T. W. Russell, M.P., is said to be promoting a movement for assisting tenant farmers from Ulster and from Scotland to take evicted farms on t be Plan of Campaign estates. It is probable that a company will be formed for the purpose of currying out the idea. Re- port states that the whole of the evicted farms on the Massareene estate have now been taken, principally by tenants from Ulster. Mr. J. F. Bell. late master of the steamship Nereid, surrendered to his bail at the Dover Police-court on a charge of the manslaughter of John Stephens, in con- nection with a collision that occurred between the Nereid and the sailing ship Killochan, when 23 of the latter's crew were drowned. The magistrates decided that they could not commit the defendant for man- slaughter, and dismissed the charge. The movement for a generar advance of miners' wages is much more extensive than was anticipated. The Durham miners, who stood aloof from the advance movement in October last, are prepared to demand 20 per cent. Scotland unanimously approves of the move- ment, while the South Wales miners have settled a 12A per cent, rise this week. Most of the miners' lodges in South and West Yorkshire have resolved in favourof an advance. Three hundred and seventy men were on Saturday discharged from Devon port Dockyard. They belonged to the Chief Constructor's and Engineer's Department. This week there will be some further discharges, bring- ing the total number to 390. The Mayor of Devonport has been requisitioned to call a public meeting on the subject. A painful impression was created in BoveyTracey Church, Devon, on Sunday evening by the sudden death of Mrs. Dymond, aged 60, just at the commence- ment of the service. Great consternation was caused, and the congregation immediately dispersed, the service being II.bandoned. A circular by the directors of the Provincial Bank, Dublin, to the shareholders, states the total loss in- curred by the recent frauds amounts to £23,600. To meet this they purpose taking £20,600 from the reserve fund, which, with JE3000. the amount of the guarantee fund, will cover the defalcations, and thus leave the earnings of the bank intact. Edwin Roberts was charged, at Chester, on Satur- day, with stealing 36 feet of copper wire, the property of Messrs. Hall, proprietors of the great Stanney Powder Magazine. Sergeant Wilkinson met prisoner on the highway with a coil of copper wire in his posses- sion, which the sergeant subsequently ascertained was part of the lightning conductor at the powder magazine. It was stated that the penalty for using the magazine without the protection of a lightning conductor was £10. There was, however, no powder in the magazine. A good character was given to the prisoner, and he was therefore fined only jEl and costs. Sheffield has lost £10,000 under singular cicnmstances. The Government have usually paid to the Corporation about £20,000 per year toward the Borough Fund. as contributions towards the police. No provisions had been made for confirming this grant beyond September last, and as the new arrangements for the payments towards the local burdens by the County Council do not commence until the 25th of March, this entails a loss of f 10,000 to the town, and a deficit of £6000 in the Borough Funds, instead of a balance of several thousand pounds, as was contemplated. The poor rate will, therefore, have to be increased 4d. in the pound. Early on Saturday morning it was discovered that the extensive cycle works of Messrs. Humber and Co., at Beeston, near Nottingham, had been entered during the night, and the office ransacked. Two mastiff dogs, which were kennelled in the yard, were found poisoned, and the thieves had secured as their principal prize a sum of JE400 in cash. Telegraphing ou Sunday night, a correspondent says that the robbery appears to have been carefully planned and carried out by persons well acquainted with the place. Access to the buildirg must have been secured by the use of duplicate keys, as neither doors nor windows had been forced. The thieves were evidently skilled mechanics. They first bored a hole three-quarters of .an inch wide in the solid steel of the safe door, "threaded" it to receive a screw, and then using a powerful elamp wrenched off the front portion of the door. In the stomachs of the two watch dogs pieces of liver f^fctaiping strychnine have been found. The police profess to have a clue, but up to the present no arrests have been made.

AN ill-natured nan being seen to blush, it was asked what the < Auso was. Oh said a witty lady, "the cross old creature happened to smile, and feels ashamed of it." BAD luck to 'em exclaimed Patrick, extricating himself from the general assortment of pickaxes, wheelbarrows and coals with which the explosion cf hit; lamp had associated him. Bad luck to 'em for cadin' that a «safety-lamp.' When I did but pry open that same for a whiff at the pipe, didn't it fly into tin thousand pieces and knock me down without as much as sayin' Look out for yourself, Pat ?' That's the way they chatt the poor labourin' man, bad 'cess

LONDON CORRESPONDENCE. (WedMID tt right to itate that we do not at all times identify ttmlTN with our Correspondent'* opinion*,] I The King is dead Long live the King Such, practically is the cry just now in all parts ¡ of the country immediately aflected by the Local Government Aot, for on the 1st of April the County Councils elected in January pass from the provisional into the permanent stage, and the old-established authority of Quarter Sessions as a ruling and taxing power disappears. In the metropolis, indeed, the change has come a fortnight earlier than anyone expected or the Act directly contemplated, for, owing to what everybody, without distinction of party, con- sidered an abuse of authority on the part of the Metropolitan Board of Works, the Local Government Board put an end to its ex- istence with marked suddenness, and the London County Council at once reigned in its room. It is impossible for even the most care- less observer, provided he knows the facts, to regard the extinction of the older body without some feeling of regret. In its day, and when the first flush of youth had not given place to an inglorious age, the Metropolitan Board of Works did service to London which will remain not merely as a memory but as a monument as long as the English capital shall have existence as a city. If any should think this praise exaggerated, let them look at the Thames Embankment or let them consider for a moment the system of main drainage. A body which had these two great achievements to its credit ought to have known how, at least, to die with dignity. It did not so know, and it has passed away unregretted but not unforgotten. Blue-books and Parliamentary papers are traditionally believed to be dry reading," but the prejudice is often an unfounded one, and no person who has glanced at the reports issued to the Legislature by the Royal Historical Manu- scripts Commission would for a moment con- sider the aspersion to be true. Popular interest in this series of Parliamentary papers is cer- tainly not likely to be lessened by the latest which has been published, and which con- tains a synopsis of the historical manu- scripts in the possession of the Duke of Rutland at Belvoir Castle. It is related that many of the most important and interesting of these were discovered in a stable- loft, while others were huddled away in an old and forgotten room, where the rats had made a feast of them, which destroyed some of the utmost significance. It is good to know that the discovery was made in time to prevent the rats from eating them all, but the chief interest of the incident, apart from the possession of the documents themselves, lies in the hint it gives to the possessors of other old castles and houses to search for any documents that may have been scattered in disused rooms, so that they may be collected and made secure before it is too late. All antiqaaries know that a vast quantity of interesting matter lies concealed and rotting in various parts of the country, and that it is yearly receiving more and more damage which is irreparable. The Historical Manuscripts Commission is doing excellent service, not only in putting a stop to much of this process of decay, but in stimulating a search for old documents; and that its reports will long continue to be issued, and be always as interesting as those which we have had, will be the wish of every antiquary. An important step is just now being taken in connection with the arrangement of the col- lections at the South Kensington Museum, which is significant not only as affecting that institution, but as an indication of what may be found to be the right thing to do with others of the same kind. A committee of experts, specially delegated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and others having authority over the Museum, has been examining the collections with a view to see- ing whether every portion of them is really worth house room. It has been found, as might have been imagined that much has been admitted in process of time which, critically considered, is not worthy of the place it fills; and all such will be excised in order that room may be made for more interesting and important material. It is a pity that the same process of "weeding out cannot be applied to all such institutions; for no person, even moderately critical, can go through our museums and picture galleries without feeling that weakness, or bad taste, or lack of a due sense of proportion is account- able for the presence within them of much that would better be away. One can quite understand the desire of those concerned to have a full museum, but a good museum is even more to be desired, and this latter has not always been secured in the endeavours to make a large display. It is early in the year for the heading The Weather and the Crops" to be used in the newspapers, but just now is arriving the season of spring sowing, and this is stated by those who may be presumed to know to be likely this year to be a slow and anxious one, and one in respect of which the fortunes of farmers in different parts of the country will vary greatly. Some may imagine that we in London have no concern with such a subject, but, setting aside even the fact that very many of us have relations and friends inti- mately connected with the business of farming, there is the consideration that the success or otherwise of the agricultural industry is one that so seriously affects trade generally, that even those who could not tell a hoe from a harrow or a rake from a reaping machine, are bound to be interested in such a matter. It is, therefore, a matter to be watched cutside Mark-lane that wheat and other winter crops should now be reported to be looking well again, and all of us will hope that encouraging signs will continue to be seen throughout the spring and summer, and will eventuate in a good harvest. Farmers are still by far too important a part of the body politic to be treated as a factor that can be ignored; and it is only the unthinking who would consider that the con- dition of agriculture is a matter that can be lightly treated by any portion of the business world. One more extension of open space has been added to the area of such which London pos- sesses, and great is the rejoicing among those who know how excellent a thing such an exten- Non is for the health and happiness of the people of this ever-growing city. This time it is Hampstead Heath which is being enlarged, 261 acres of land, including the well-known Parliament-hill, having been added within the past few days to the 220 acres the Heath already boasted. The newly-acquired land has been paid for partly by contributions of public bodies and partly by privateaubNcnptions, and what a vast amount was neoessary for the purpose will be seen when it is mentioned that the cost was over £ S00,000. Of this, the rate- Syers of all London will furnish £ 151,000, and ose of Hampstead, at St. Pancras, at Maryle- bone, the parishes most immediately affected, £55,000, while £óO,OOO will come from the City parochial charities, and £46,000 has been raised by private subscription. It is fortunate that at this time of day it is not necessary to argue the advantage of such a city as London possessing large tracts of open space, or any sum of the dimensions just given would have sufficed to frighten folk away from touching it. The expe- rience already gained, however, haa been so enoouragiDg, that even £300,000 is not con- sidered too much to pay for such an extension as that now made of Hampstead Heath. In another day or two an important addition will be made to the resources of the chief tele- graph department at St. Martin's-le-Grand by the acquisition on the part of the English government of the French and Belgian cables of the Submarine Telegraph Company. This is an extension of enterprise which can scarcely fail to have important results, for not only will London be placed in more easy and cer- tain touch with the Continent, but Liver- pool, for instance, will be given the ad- vantage of direct telegraphic communication -with Havre and Hamburg. There never was a period in the history of the world when the pro- Terbial saying, Time is money," was as literally accurate as to-day and now, when commercial transactions are so largely conducted by tele- graph, the saving of a few minutes here or a few minutes there when communicating, for instance, between London and Paris, or Liverpool and Hamburg, may prove of the utmost importance to the due effecting of mercantile affairs. The English Government, it is understood, is making arrange- ments not only to overhaul the existing cables and put them in good working order, but to have laid during the coming summer a new cable of four wires to France. Thus telegraphic com- munication between ourselves and our neighbours across the Straits of Dover will be put upon an improved footing, and yet another step will be taken towards that closer union between the two countries for which all lovers of peace are always looking. At this time of year one is apt to hear frequent complaints among his acquaintances regarding the incidence of the income t?tX for it is just now that the collectors irl& moit active in anticipation of the close ot'tbe finaucial :year. Sciae of these complaints are ù eld as theim- "t itself, and they are bkaiy to be :«ceatod as long as the tax is levied; and how long that will be no one now dares prophesy. That the tax is inquisitorial, and that it is improperly levied, are causes of grumbling to many but these are general complaints, and it is really only particular ones with which the authorities are empowered to deal. One of these particular complaints, however, touches a matter which is fairly within the reach of the officials to cope with. It is asserted that the mode of hearing appeals is at once dilatory and unsatis- factory, that no properly business-like arrange- ments are made for the process, and that the statements of the appellant as to the private details of his own trade can be overheard by other persons than those who are bound to secrecy. This is a good sweeping complaint, but it may be believed that it applies only to a limited area. All income-tax assessors are not inquisitorial, neither are all income-tax commis- sioners incompetent; but the very fact that some of them may be proved to be so is an argu- ment in favour of very closely watching the process. Under no circumstances would the impost ever be likely to become popular, but that is no reason why any chance should be offered of its being rendered detested. A. F. R.

THE CHICAGO ELOPEMENT. The American newspapers give further details ot the elopement of Chief Justice Fuller's daughter. The elopement took place shortly before the Fuller family went to Washington, and it was rumoured, under the heaviest pledge of secrecy, that the elopement and secret marriage had taken place in Milwaukee. The ceremony was performed in August, at least, so Mr. Aubrey told a couple of his frienrs, but when ques- tioned by others he denied it point-blank. Miss Fuller kept the secret close, and did not refer to such a marriage. She declared, however, that she would marry Aubrey, and seemed to have but little fear of the objections of her mother. By the friends of the family it was thought that once occupied with the duties of Washington social life she would forget her Western love, and that that would be the end of the affair. She evidently dial not care much for the society of high official lile, for on New Year's Day she packed her trunks and went to Chicago for a visit. Last Sunday Miss Fuller announced that she intended to return to Washington. She told the family with whom she was staying in Chicago that she would spend the after- noon with a friend who lives on the north side, and that she expected to return to supper, but instead of going to her friends, Pauline met Aubrey at Gunther's candy store and was driven by him to the Milwaukee and St. Paul's Depot, where the afternoon train was taken for Milwaukee. They were married by a Justice of the Peace, who seemed to have been sleepy when he performed the ceremony, for he asked no questions, although he said that upon seeing the name of Melville W. Fuller on the certificate he had intended, in fun, to ask if any relationship existed between the bride and the Chief Justice, in order to appreciate the honour of officiating at the marriage of so important a young woman, and satisfaction fairly beamed upon his face. Mr. Aubrey is a solid-looking, handsome, and dignified man, with a smooth face and blue eyes. He was somewhat nervous the other evening when a reporter found him at the Kirby House shortly after his romantic marriage. "Yes, my name is Aubrey, and I am the man who has just married," said he, in response to a question, Did you run away to get married ?" Well, I don't know what you would call it; It would naturally seem as though people would get married at home if everything there was agreeable, but there were some slight objections. Her father has not offered any objections for nearly a year, but Mrs. Fuller never liked me, for she wanted her daughter to marry some one higher in the social scale. I am not a pauper by any means. I had a cage prepared for my bird before I caught her. When we get back to Chicago we will give a reception to our friends, and if there are any of them who do not approve of the style of our marriage, they need not accept our hospitality. The newi of the elopement created intense excite- ment in Chicago society. The father of the bride- groom said:—" I had no idea that the young people were going to run away. I believe it is a case of true love. My son has a good salary in my office, and, besides, he is engaged with me in several outside speculations that are paying nicely. It is only a few days ago that he was appointed secretary of a soap manufacturing establishment at Stock Yards; besides, I am in a condition to look after his financial needs, even if he were not engaged in business. We ask no favours. This is our affair. I have replied to telegram which my son sent me by wiring him the Scotch ver- dict of I Not guilty,' but don't do it again." Mrs. Fuller, who consented to see the correspondent of an American newspaper, said: We have heard nothing from our daughter, and I am at an utter loss to understand it all. It is true, I believe but we cannot understand why she should have acted so. There was no occasion for elopement, as we would not have opposed her marrying the gentleman if she had told us she wanted to marry him. Certainly, we will receive her and her husband. If they come to us they will be made welcome, as we know of no reason why we should not receive our daughter's husband if he is an estimable young man. There was no excuse in the world for the elopement, and we can only look upon it as a foolish freak of a romantic girl." Miss Maud Fuller said: Yes, I know Mr. Aubrey, and I know he used to admire Paulina, but he was only an acquaintance of the family's." "How old is your sister Paulina ?" II I can't remember how old she is," answered Miss Maud, wrinkling her forehead. There are seven of UI, you know. Mildred, she is away at school, and she is next to Paulina. Then there's one in Europe, that's Minnie. Paulina is second from the youngest, but I can't remember how old she is." Little Miss Fuller that was is about as unconven- tional a damsel as ever tripped over Washington asphalt. She appears a child, but is mentally pre- cocious, and delightfully Western in her frankness of speech. When she escorted a party of young men, to present them to her mother at a reception last winter, Miss Fuller, after enumerating the names of several exclaimed, Oh! well, mamma, I don't remember any more. These men are my friends, and they know you are my mother, and that is enough."

SURPRISING THE BEAUTIES. The echoes of the Nice Beauty Show are as amus- ing as the details of the fiasco itself. The prizes were not distributed until after considerable delay, and there was a noisy scene when the judges decided to give the first to an American widow. Who is she ? Where is she ? Have not seen her." She is too ugly," and the like came from the friends of the professional beauties. The gracious act of Mrs. Pierce, who left the Casino immediately after handing the amount of her prize over for the benefit of the poor, did not soften their anger. As a matter of fact the committee practically set aside the merits of the professional beauties in awarding the first prize. When they found out that they had been trapped by a beauty show manager they determined to bestow it upon some femme Ju monde in the audience. In Mrs. Pierce they found a handsome and worthy recipient. The second prize was given to the particular friend of a member of the committee; the third to the competitor who was undoubtedly the prettiest girl in the show. There is little wonder, then, that respectable peop'e and fashionable folk who gave their patronage are perfectly disgusted with the whole affair. The ball broke up almost immediately after the prizes had been awarded, most of the professional beauties going off to supper with their particular friends. The showman who managed the affair is disconsolate, for this failure of the affair as a beauty exhibition is not the worst for him. The receipts were good. but he does not yet touch them. It seems that this gentleman was formerly manager for Mme. Theo, the Parisian singer, and that he owed her money. Mme. Theo had been a keen spectator at the Beauty Show, and when the proceedings were fairly on the way, she sent a bailiff to the box office, who took possession of all the evening's receipts She says she intends to retain them until her claims are met. Of course only a proportion of the receipts belong to the manager of the show.

LORD AND LADY DONEGALL. A DISGRACEFUL DIVORCE COURT CASE. Mary Ann Williams Chichester, who at the time of the presentation of the petition bore the courtesy title of the Countess of Belfast, but is now Marchioness of Donegall, petitioned in the Divorce Court the other day, before Justice Butt, for a judicial separation from her husband, George Augustus Chichester, now Marquis of Donegall, because of his desertion and misconduct. The re- I spondent denied the charges, and alleged as counter- charges against the petitioner that she had separated herself from him, and committed herself with four persons whose names he gave in his answer, and on these counter-charges he asked for a dissolution of the marriage. Mr. Bayford, Q.C., and Mr. Blackwell appeared for the petitioner; Mr. Sylvester for the respondent. This was a case of mutual recriminations rather than of substantial denials. The respondent and the petitioner, whose maiden name was Cobb, were married on the 31st of August, 1865, at St. Nicholas, Brighton. After the marriage they were generally known as Captain and Mrs. Chichester at the various places at which they lived up to about October, 1872, since which they had not cohabited. In 1887 the re- spondent filed a petition for the dissolution of the marriage, but that petition having been on the files of the Court for some time it was ultimately abandoned. The marchioness in her evidence stated that very shortly after her marriage she had reason to complain of her husband's" relations with other women. She and he had previous quarrels on the subject, and he struck her. Before she left his house in 1872 they had for some time ceased to occupy the same apartments. In her direct exami- nation the lady was asked no question about the mis- conduct charged against her, and she volunteered no statement on the subject. In cross-examination, she positively denied that she was a drunkard, or had been drunk on many occasions, or had been on one occa- sion carried in a hopeless state of drunkenness from the Charing-cross Station to the Charing-cross Hos- pital. Asked about various houses in which she was alleged to have lived since she left her husband, she admitted residence in some of them, but as to others she said she did not remember whether she had lived in them. Having been handed newspaper reports of two charges brought against her atthe Marlborough- street Police-court, she admitted that there had been proceedings there against her in re- spect of a declaration she had made about a diamond ring and of a leg of mutton which she was alleged to have obtained by false pretences but she could not say one way or the other whether she bad been committed for trial on the former charge, and bound over to come up for judgment if called upon so to do on the latter. Evidence was given to show that some four or five years ago the respondent, as Captain Chichester, lived with a lady other than the petitioner in Warwick-street, Pimlico, the lady being known as Mrs. Wright" and Madame Chichester," and that| when she died the respondent cried or otherwise manifested much grief at her death. For the respondent evidence was given to prove misconduct by the Marchioness with four persons, one of them being a groom and an old woman, now an inmate of a workhouse, but for some time in Lady Donegall's service after her ladyship left her husband, not only gave evidence of the misconduct, but of the drunken habits of the petitioner, who, she said, used to fall down the kitchen stairs when in a state of in- toxication. More than one witness testified to the petitioner and a man named Boyer occupying lodg- ings as man and wife. To one of these witnesses the question was put- Who paid the rent ?" The reply was, No one.' On this the learned judge inquired for how long a time Boyer and the marchioness occu- pied the lodgings, and the answer was Three months." Additional evidence having been given as to her drinking habits, Lord Donegall was examinei, and identified as in his wife's handwriting copy-letters found by him in her desk at lodgings occupied by her. He also identified answers to some of those letters as having been found by him in the same desk. These com- munications were dated in 1885 and 1886, and certain of them read in evidence had reference to requests by her lor assistance from a gentleman of whom she spoke in letters as having had relations with hor. The respondent, in continuation of his evidence, stated that before his wife left him she was always drunk, and he had received anonymous letters about her con- duct. It was untrue that he had struck her he never had done so. Mr. Bayford at this stage of tin proceedings said be had received a communication from his client placing herself unreservedly in his hands. He could not put her in the box to deny the misconduct, and therefore he did not see the use of the trial proceeding further. In a discussion which followed counsel for the re- spondent asked that a decree nisi of dissolution might be made on the counter-claim of his client; but it was found that though one of the four persons with whom the petitioner was alleged to have committed misconduct was still alive, the three others were admittedly dead. On this, Mr. Justice Butt decided that, as the survivor had not been made a co-respondent, the question of pro- nouncing a decree on the respondent's counter-claim could not be even considered. He dismissed the wife's petition on the evidence given in the case, and he dis- missed the husband's counter-claim as wholly irregular. If Lord Donegall wished to sue for a divorce, he must do so by a petition in which some one was made co-respondent. The wife would have her costs in the present suit.

ABOUT TRUSTS. The Trust mania is not (observes a writer in the London Echo) dead yet. The idea of securing a monopoly in the supply of an article of general use is a taking one, and visions of immense profits at once rise up when anything like a feasible proposal is propounded. Schemes of this nature are not, how- ever, easy to carry out. The influences which they have to contend against are very powerful. It is well that it is so, because the cupidity of mankind is great. A Coal Trust, with a capital of jE 100,000,000, is talked about, and negotiations of a more or less definite character are on foot. I am of opinion that consumers need not seriously fear the proposed com- bination. It is too big an undertaking, and the con- ditions of the various coal producing districts are too varied to render united working possible. There is also talk of a great paper trust. COAL OWNERS BEWARE Promoters of trusts and syndicares must be care- ful. The people of this country will not allow their coal supplies to be trifled with. Already there is a strong feeling that our mining legislation is not on the proper footing. In most countries the minerals belong to the State, and not to the landlord under whose soil they lie. There is a growing conv:ction that the levying of royalties by private owners should be put an end to. Any attempt to concentrate the supply of coal in the hands of one body with a view to manipulating the price in the interest of those who are engaged in the trade will prompt the public to inquiry more closely than they have hitherto done whether it is desirable that minerals, which are else- where regarded as national property, should be worked solely for the profit of comparatively few in- dividuals. If coal owners do not mind they will precipitate the discussion of problems which, once they are opened, are not likely to be settled in the manner they would prefer. THE COPPER COLLAPSE. The failure of the Copper Speculation ought to be a warning to those who think that the way to fortune is to be found by cornering markets and securing monopolies. Seldom has a more powerful syndicate been formed than was that wh-ch M. Secretan got together, and the amount of additional capital behind it was very large. It held the field for a year and a-half, but it has come to grief, and the results of the smash are likely to be very disastrous. Business both here and in Paris is suffering very considerably from the shock which has been given to credit by the dif- ficulties in which the Comptoir d'Escompte has been plunged. If the copper syndicate could not succeed very few such movements can. Coal would be in- finitely more difficult to manipulate than copper, and a serious attempt to 11 boss the coal market of Great Britain would almost inevitably end in a grave financial disaster. AN IMPORTANT DECISION. The case of Glaiser v. Rolls, in which Mr. Justice Kekewich delivered judgment last week, should be noted by those who are contemplating turning their businesses into limited liability companies. Even if they get agents to act for th"tn. they will be held responsible if misleading statements are put forward in the prospectus. In this case a company called the Universal Contract Corporation undertook to pur- chase RcIVs business and float it as a company, but as their contract with Rolls wfs oily to hold good in case they tvere successful ir ffxtinc the concern, the judge held that it was merely tbe machinery for the employment of the company to act as agents for Rolls. Rolls did not see the prospectus in the form in which it was issued, before it was issued, but as all the information concerning the business was obtained tr >m him, and be took no steps to correct or repuc att 'ha statements that were made, when ho did 6"e them, he was held to be re- sponsible for th- m, ani 'ud.^mtr.t was given agaiBst him for the damage thai, Isa." resulted to the plaintiff in taking shares in the rrmpany on the strength of the statement that prior to the formation of tre com- pany the business had returned a profit of 17 per cent, on the capital employed, when ;n reality it had made no such pront. The decision is just'»e and commonsensc, and will tend to make promoters of companies more careful as to what they allow to bo said with a. vinw to inducing the public to take up shares in their undertakings.

How would you measure your lover's sincerity ?— By his sighs. THE MEANING OF ir.—Years ago one of the masters in the High School of Edinburgh had the reputation of punishing unmercifully the boys whose parente were comparatively poor, and being at the same time very lenient towards the sons of the richer classes. One day, after severely thrashing one cf the Ln- fortunates, be wound up with the exclamation, Ncx-, air, you're a stupid fellow. I don't suppose you even know the Latin motto of this school." Yes, lir, I do." "Well, what is it ?" "3is? Dominus Trutfra" NOW, give the English of tbat." « Unless vew III a laird's eon ycu needna come here-

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT, THE COLONIAL CONFERENCE. In the HOUSE OF LORDS on March 25, Lord Stratheden and Campbell moved a resolution declaring that in the opinion of the House the Colonial Confer- ence of 1887 had led to good results, and ought, to be the basis of further measures tending to Imperial secu- rity. Lord Knutsford, while admitting the sltccess of the late Conference, did not think that its early repeti. tion was desirable. Any proposals in the direction indicated by the noble lord, in ordtr to be attended with success, must come in the fir-t lUKt.auoe from our great self-governing Colonies. The motion was nega- tived without a division. BILLS ADVANCED. The Lunacy A 3ts Amendment Bill passed through Committee, and the Arbitration Bill and the Commis- sioners for Oaths Bill was read a second time. LAKE NYASSA. After some conversation with respect to the condi- tion of affairs at Lake Nyassa, their lordships adjourned at a quarter past six o'clock. n.M.S. SULTAN. In the HousE OF COMMONS Lord n. Hamilton stated, in answer to Sir J. Colomb, that the latest telegrami from the Commander in-Ohi^f of the Mediterranean spoke very discouragingly of tlie prospect of raising her Majesty's ship Suitan. COAL AND WIXE DUES. Mr. W. n. Smith informed Sir J. Pease that the Government adhered to the view they had previously expressed that the question of the renewal of the London Coal and Wine Dues was a question primarily for the decision of the metropolis itself. They would not, therefore, take any steps for the renewal of the Act continuing the dues. THE VOTE ON ACCOUNT.—SIR RICHARD WEBSTER AND THE SPECIAL COMMISSION. On the report of Supply (vote on account), Sir C. Russell, adverting to the assertion made by the Attorney-General on Friday night of last week that five days before Richard Pigott was called as a witness before the Parnell Commission he had handed to the counsel for Mr. Parnell Pigott's letters iutimatine that his evidence would be discredited if he were suHiected to cross-examination, read a correspondence which had passed between the At.torney-G* neral and himself on the subject, and in which he declared that tbF- two dis- crediting letters came upon his colleagues and hiinself after Pigott's disappearance as a complete revelation. Whilst complaining of the Attorney Oenrrnl's conduct of the case as unfair to the defendants in the case, he drew a broad distinction between snch a complaint and an imputation of dishonourable conduct. The Attorney-General, after expressing his belief that the hon. and learned gentleman. had he been pre- sent during the debate, would have shared his feeling of indignation at the imputations made upon his honour by SirWilliam Harcourt, declared that he bad answered every one of the right hon. gentleman's charges. If he had made any mistake at all it was upon an almost immaterial point. He admitted that he was wrong in saying that the letters had been put into Sir Charles Russell's hand& five davs before Pigott was called. Printed copies of the letters were prepared to be put in on the Friday before Pigott's examina- tion, and his recollection, confirmed by that of Mr. Soames, was that when the Court re-assembled on the Tuesday he handed the bundle of correspond- ence to Sir Charles Russell. Moreover, it was at the hon. and learned gentleman's request that the reading of Mr. Soames's letter of Novpniber 15. which disclosed the earlier of Pigott's two leHers. was post- poned until Pigott was in the box. For The charge made against him by Sir W. Harcoort of having de- liberately kept back there letters there was not a shadow of foundation and it was on'y upon this minor point that the right hon. gentleman had been able to discover the slightest flaw in his armour. Mr. Asquith declared that neither Sir Charles Russell nor himself had had the smallest, notion that there was in existence a letter from Pigott, in which he announced that his testimony would be discredited by cross-exa- mination until after Pigott's disappearance. Sir W. Harcourt contended that, his charge, that the Attorney-General had kept alive the most odious of the charges against Mr. Parnell for two months and a half after he knew that the man upon whose testi- mony they rested was a discredited witness remained unanswered. The common sense of the country would not be deceived by the cobwebs of miserable profes- sional etiquette which the Attornev-General had spnn, and would see that a gross and deliberate act of cruelty and injustice had been perpetrated by the hon. and learned gentleman against a political opponent. The Solicitor-General retorted that there was not much "miserable etiquette" about the right hon. gentleman, whether professional or otherwise. He warmly protested against the accusation of dishonour- able conduct made against the Attorney-General, whose action in the case he defended. The discussion was continued by Mr. Labouchere, Mr. Whitbre^d, Mr. C. Hall. Mr. J. Morley, Mr. Brad- laugh, and Atr. W. Redmond. and ultimately it was di- verted to Irish questions. Mr. W. H. Smith there- upon moved the closure, which was carried by 142 against 75. the report of Supply being then agreed to by 143 against 76. THE NAVY SCHEME. The House subsequently went into Committee upon the First Lord of the Admiralty's resolutions for strengthening the navy, and Mr. Cremer moved an amendment declaring the increase of expenditure pro- posed by the Government to be inexpedient, and advo- cating general disarmament. The Chancellor of the Exchequer maintained that the increased armaments of other countries, and the vast interests which we had at stake, rendered it absolutely necessary to place our navy in a condition to defend our shores and commerce against any hostile Power. Mr. Caleb Wright and Sir E. J. Reed spoke at considerable length in opposition to the naval programme of the Admiralty, and, on the motion of Lord Charles Beresford, progress was re- ported. The Army (Annual) Bill was read a second time, and the House adjourned at half-past twelve o'clock.

THE MARKETS. MARK LANE. At Mark-lane there was nothing much doing, and the markets were Dot strong. The sales of home- grown wheat in the leading markets of England and Wales during the first SO weeks of the season were 1,612,327 qrs.. against 1,8(30,771 qrs. last season, at an average of 31a 6d against PO, 2d per qr. barley, 2,143,802 qrs. against 2,213,513 qrs., the average being 27s 6d against 29s 3d per qr.; and oats, 214,952 qrs., against 220,535 qrs., at an average of 16s 10d against 15a 7d per qr. English wheat met a slow sale, and was about 6d lower on the week. Foreign wheat was dealt in quietly at rather less money. The flour market was inactive, at previous currencies. In barfcy transactions were not important. Fine malting produce was steady at late rates. Grinding sold slowly at weak rates. Oats were dull and weak. In maize business was limited at barely late prices. Egjp ian beans and peas were unaltered. Morocco beans 6d cheaper. METROPOLITAN CATTLE. The cattle trade has been quiet. Supplies were not large, but with an inanimate demand buyers had the advantage, though quotations were, as a rule, much about the same as last week. Beasts came sparingly to hand from our own grazing districts nevertheless, the market was wanting in activity. Buyers operated cautiously, at about the rates previously current. The best Scots and crosses sold at 4s 6d to 4s 8d per Sib. Foreign beasts were in short supply and slow request, prices remaining about the same. Sheep were in moderate supply. There was a slow trade. The best kinds were fairly steady, but other sorts were rather irregular. Choice small Downs made 6s 2d to 6s 4d per sib. Lambs were quoted at 7s to 8s per Mb. Calves were quiet, on former terms. Pigs sold slowly. Prices were as follow Coarse and inft-rior beasts, 2s 4d to 3s Od second quality ditto, 3s to 4s Od prime large oxen, 4s 2d to 4s 4d ditto Scots, &c., 4s 6d to 4s 8d coarse and inferior sheep, 2* 4d to 3s 4d second quality ditto, 3s 6d to 58 Od prime coarse woolled ditto, 5s 8d to 6s Od prime Southdown ditto, 6s Od to 6s 4d; large coarse calves, 4s 2d to 5s Od prime small ditto. 5s Od to Gs Od large bogs, 2s 6d to 3s 6d neat small porkers. 3s ::<d to 4s 4d lambs, 7s to Bs per 81b. to sink the offal. METROPOLITAN MEAT. Trade was very bad, and almost at a standstill. Quotations were almost nominal, a large quantity being left unsold. American Liverpool-killed beef ex- ceptionally realised 3s 7d. The following were the quotations Inferior beef, 2s to 2s 8d middling ditto. 3s to 3s 6d; prime ditto, 3s fid to 4s Scotch ditto, 3s 8d to 4s American, Liverpool-killed, 3s 2d 10 3s 6d; ditto killed, hind-quarters, 2s lOd to 3s 4d ditto killed, forequarters, 2s 2d to 2s 4d English veal, 5s to 5s 4d Dutch ditto. 4s to 5s 4d inferior mutton, 28 4d to 3s 4d middling ditto, 3s 8d to 4s 8d prime ditto, 5s to 5s 4d Scotch ditto, 5s to 5s 4d New Zea- land ditto, 2s 7d to 2s 8d large pork, 3s to 3s 6d and small ditto, 3s 8d to 4s 2d per 81b. by the carcase. FISH. Fair supply and demand. Prices Wholesale Tur- bot, 8s to 10s per stone cod, 2s to 4s each brill, 5s to 6s per stone 8oles, £6 per box plaice, 14s to 20s per box fresh haddocks, 8s per box whiting, 6s per box live eels, 22s per draft; dead eels, 16s per draft; red mullets, 8s per dozen smelts, 2s per basket; lobsters, 30s to 40s per score crabs, 15s per pad oysters, .8 to 14s per 100; dried haddocks. Is 6d to 6s per dozen bloaters, 2s to 3s per box kippers, 2s to .0S per box. Retail: Salmon, 2s 3d per lb brill, Pd per Ib; turbot, Is per lb. soles, Is to Is 8d per lb. cod. 4d to 6dperlb.; plaice, 4d and 5d per lb.; rresh haddocks, 3d per lb. live eels, Is 3d per lb. dead eels. Is per lb. red mullets, 8d to Is 3d each; whiting, 2d to 4d each lobsters, Is to 3s each crabs, 6d to 2s 6d each dried haddocks, 2d to Is each bloaters, 9d per dozen kippers, 9d to Is per dozen pairs smelts, 6d and 9d per dozen oysters, 4d to 2s 6d per dozen whitebait, Is per pint. POTATO. There was a moderate supply of potatoes on sale. The trade was dull, at the annexed prices Magnum bonums, 60s to 115s; regents, 60s to 120s; Hebrons, 60s to 100s and champions, 50s to 90s per ton.

IT is difficult to know at, what moment love begins; it is less difficult to Know it bM begun.- Longjdlow. LOVE is strong as death. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it; if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.—Solomon. A WOMAN in a single state may be happy and may be miserable; but most happy, most miserable—these are epithets which belong to a wife.—< olena-jc. OF all the actions of a man's life, his marriage does least concern other peop'e; yet of all act one of our life, it is most medàleQ with by other people. —Selden. „ THE man who marries for money baa one advan- tage over those who many for other he can what he ?#ts.