Weekly Mail

TIDE TABLE. FOB THK WEEK ENDING JANUARY 23, 1835. "5 C e -2 tj -o s i- 1 DiYlwmwm. Si =e „ gH o oqS oti o 1 j 8 =< ( Morning 7 58 7 52 6 52 7 46 3 59 SATURDY y Evening 3 18 88|79 83 9 15 ( Height 31 3 32 8J 30 1 _33 5 24 11 1 Morning 8 30 8 25 7 26 8 20 9 32 SUNDAY .< Evening 8 52 8 41 7 42 8 36 9 48 ( Height 31 1 :• 33 5 30 7 34 2 25 10 rMorning 9 2 8 57 7 58 8 52 10 4 MONDAY. < Evening 9 25 9 13 8 14 9 8 10 20 ( Height 31 7 33 8 30 6 34 5 | 26 1 ( Morning 9 37 9 30 8 32 9 26 10 7 TUESDAY < Evening 9 59 9 46 8 49 9 43 10 53 I Height 31 4 J3 8 30 2 34 3 26 1 i Morning 10 10 10 1 9 6 10 0 11 8 WEDSDY.-? Evening 10 31 10 16 9 23 10 17 IJ. 2i f Height 30 6 33 2 29 8 33 8 25 6 ( Morning 10 44 10 33 9 42 10 36 11 40 THURSDY •< Evening 11 8 10 DO 10 1 10 55 11 57 I Height 29 3 32 4 29 0 33 2 24 7 ( Morning 11 22 11 10 10 21 11 15 FRIDAY. < Evening I 11 49 I LI 30' 10 44 11 38 12 17 I Heie-ht I 27 7 31 1 27 11 32 4 23 1

SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 1885. NOTES OF THE WEEK. <T OCR LONDON AND PROVINCIAL CORRKSPONDF.NTS.) Since that guarded, but yet suggestive, speech of Mr. W. H. Gladstone, M.P., at the Hawarden tenants' dinner, speculation is rife as to the probable date of the Prime M inister's retirement from the active duties of public life. Some think that he will not be allowed by his family to face the wear and tear of another Session of Parliament. But I don't believe this for a moment. With all his faults and failings-and nature has given him a pretty liberal share of both—Mr. Gladstone can be very determined when he likes, and I take it that he would be on this point. He has some heavy arrears of work to get through before thinking of setting his house in order, and I will give him the credit of never having skirked his work, whatever he might have done with his responsibilities. The impression I here, in trustworthy quarters, is that he will see the present Parliament out, and seek in retirement the rest which he must surely long for. The next General Election will, in all probability, have to be fought by the Liberals without the charm of his name,and one of the first things they will be called upon to settle will be the choice of a new leader. Unless I am greatly mistaken this will shipwreck the party. Both Earl Granville and Earl Derby have put themselves out of the running by their recent miserable mismanagement of our Foreign and Colonial affairs. The Marquess of Hartington enjoys the confidence of the Whigs and moderate Liberals, but the Radicals will swear allegiance to no leader but the Dictator of the Caucus, who happens to be as bitterly hated and as thoroughly distrusted by many of his own colleagues as he is by the honourable members opposite. The result will be that when the party comes to name a successor to Mr. Gladstone it will split up into two factions; one will probably fall in under Sir Stafford Northcote's banner, the other will swarm at Joseph's heels. As for the Con- servatives, their strength is to sit atill." What an absurd fuss the Nonconformists are making about the recent admission of Mr. W. S. Caine and Mr. Henry H. Fowler into the Government. Why all this grovelling at the Premier's feet ? A foreigner from an- other planet, if he were to take the trouble to glance over the Dissenting newspapers just now, would quite suppose that the Prime Minister had been used as a special instru- ment to inaugurate the Millennium. More- over, it is not a fact, as the Methodist Times states, that for the first time in our national history Evangelical Nonconformists are in- fluential members of the Government." I wonder what they call John Bright if he is not an Evangelical Nonconformist P And yet he has been in three Liberal Cabinets: from 1-68 to 1870, from 1873 to 1874, and again in 1880-82. Besides this, Mr. H. S.P. Winter- botham was an Under Secretary for the Home Department in 1871. I really wish these hot- headed Dissenters would think a little before they talk so much. Before the end of this week we shall pro- bably hear that the British army under Lord Wolseley has had its first fight with the Mahdi's troops. The English general is push- ing forward his men with a confidence which shows that he does not think the military obstacles to his advance on Khartoum will be very serious. Were it otherwise he would never have risked despatching across the Desert a force which cannot exceed 1,500 men to seize Metemneh on the Nile, where they may be opposed by the whole strength of the Mahdi's army. Indeed, the Mahdi will be ruined if he does not make a deter- mined effort to hold Metemneh, and so pre- vent the English relieving force from opening direct communication with General Gordon. Much admiration is justly expressed for the remarkable feat achieved by General Stewart in marching his first convoy of one thousand men and two thousand camels from Korti to Gakdul, a distance of ninety-six miles, in sixty-four hours. This is at the rate of thirty-six miles a day, and may justly be called very good work indeed. But it is a singular fact that the Indian section of the Afghan Boundary Commission, under Colonel Hidgway, consisting also of just over one thousand soldiers, with a following of between two thousand and three thousand animals, accomplished last November an equally good bit of marching through an unknown country. Colonel Ridgway marched over two hundred miles in eleven days. "This included a remarkable march of thirty-eight miles over a very bad and stony road, during which the followers were carried on camels. The 20th Punjab Infantry, however, composed of Sikhs, proudly refused any such help, and walked every step of the road, without a man falling out. Leaving their camp at 4 a.m., they reached their des- tination at 7 p.m., cheering gaily as they came in, and quite ready to repeat thw march next day if it had been necessary to do so. I do not suppose," adds the Times correspondent with Colonel Ridgway, that this march has ever been equalled, certainly it hajt never been surDaased, in time of peace." England may well be proud of Sepoys who can thus emulate the deeds of her own soldiers. It cannot but strike the imagination of everyone sensible of the imperial great- ness of this country that the two expeditions to Khartoum and Herat should be proceed- ing at the same time. 1 he wide range of England's power could not be shown in a more striking fashion than by the unsur- passed energy with which these expeditions are penetrating Central Asia and Central Africa to establish English authority at places distant many hundreds of miles from the borders of civilised States. The Japanese native village at Hyde Park promises, in its way, to be as popular a place of resort as the llealtheries was, particularly wh'-Ti one takes into consideration the time o( year. On Saturday there was a very large attendance, but it was outdone yesterday, although we had a sharp fall of snow, and London is comparatively empty. I do not wonder at the interest which this novelty has excited, for all the derails are admirably arranged, and there is enough instruction and amusement to occupy more than one day, or a week even. Sir Rutherford Alcock hit the right nail on the head when he laid the credit for the success of Japanese workman- ship to the fact of the infinite pains taken with it. That is the secret of most success in this world, and one that it would well pay the British workman to bear in mind. Mr. W. J. Stillman, a well-known New Yorker, writes to the Pall Mall Gazette to try and make the British public believe that your I countryman, Mr. Capper, of Swansea, was made the victim of a series of practical jokes during his tour through America. Thus, the writer tells us that Broadway, which Mr. Capper found crammed with tramway cars, has not a tramway through the whole length of the business part of the city, two miles and a half, and his waggish friend must have taken him to Canal-street or the foot of East Broadway, where is the terminus of half a dozen tramway lines. Then he must have been taken to Union-square and told that it was Central Park, &c., .xc, Central Park is about three miles long, and Mr. Capper could not be so blind as to consider it half the size of the Green Park. Then his adven- ture in the railway carriage is easy to under- stand. He was annoyed by the opening of the carriage door, and the brakemen who keep the doors also understood him at once, and kept up the game by running back and forth, leaving the door open every time to make him close it. This was certain to be the case if he showed any annoyance." This is all very fine. Mr. Capper, like Sir Lepel Griffin, Charles Dickens, and a few others, is an Englishman who, when he has bought our American cousins at their price and sold them at his own, is not afraid to tell the world what a very sorry bargain he has made. He may be mistaken in a detail or two, but to the fact that his general conclusions are only too well founded the, universal chagrin of the "Yanks" themselves is the best testimony. In the same journal Mr. H. A. Stacke pro- poses a quicker mode of carrying the Ameri- can mail, on a plan suggested by him to the Great Western Railway a few years ago— namely, a short sea service between Wexford and St. David's. This," he goes on to say, would involve the hastening on of the pro- jected line between Waterford and Wexford (in Ireland), and the making of a short branch to St. David's, in Wales. In two hours the express could go from Queenstown to Wex- ford the passage from Wexford to St. David's -under sixty miles-could be done in three hours, and thence to London six hours at the outside. From Queenstown to London under eleven hours Now it takes, counting time lost at Queenstown and at the Mersey, three days frequently." The writer may possibly be taking a little liberty with time in bis calculations as between .t. David's and Lon- don, for six hours in which to do that journey is barely a sufficient allowance. But this mere detail apart, there can be no doubt that an enormous saving would be effected in the directions both of time and money were the route he has sketched to be adopted in super- session of the present roundabout one. In the Red Drugon for January there is a must interesting note anent the nationality of Mr. Howel Thomas, who has been ap- pointed secretary to the Boundaries Com- mission under the Hedistribution of Seats Bill. Mr. ihomas is shown to be a Welsh- man, and the writer states that he was appointed secretary to Sir Hugh Owen (another Welsh- man) upon the appointment of the latter to the permanent secretaryship of the Local Government jioard in succession to Sir Johti Lambert. It may be interesting to note that Sir John Lambert himself owed his appoint- ment to the good offices of Sir Hugh Owen. The post was offered to Sir (then Mr.) Hugh Owen, but he pleaded that he was getting too old for it. He was then asked whether he knew of some suitable man for the office-one requiring great organising ability and power of work. The story is that he replied: The man for the post is Mr. Lambert." "But," his interrogator said, "do you not know that Mr. Lambert is a lloman Catholic ?" Let it be remembered in this connection that Sir Hugh Owen was a Nonconformist, brought up amongst the! Calvinistic Methodists, but ultimately find- ing his home with the Independents. His reply was characteristic of the man. 1 know," he remarked, that Mr. Lambert is a Koman Catholic; but you want work done, and there is no one who can do it so well." But the objection was raised that Mr. Lam- bert had had no experience. Sir Hugh Owen met this with the observation, iNo, but those who look through his reports will see his mar- velious local knowledge, his rare tact, and intense love of work." The appointment was made according to Owen's recommendation, and it is a little singular that the next secre- tary should be Sir Hugh a own son. I regret to be obliged to add that it seems very much as though young Owen were killing himself with hard work. Mr. Howel Thomas, I may observe, was brought to London to Sir Hugh Owen, and was for many years his right hand man. A difficulty arose in conse- quence of Mr. Thomas not being upon the establishment; but after many years he showed by great application to the work of the Local Government Board, and his faculty for the management of details, that his claims could not be overlooked. He owes his present appointment really to his knowledge of the counties of England and to his indomitable perseverance, with all of which he unites a quiet, unassuming, gentle- manly manner which wins upon everybody. He is secretary to the Sir Hugh Owen Testi- monial Fund, is a leading Cymmrodor, and has been on the council of that society from the date of its resuscitation. Some of the Glamorgan bards are very angry these days in reference to adjudications which took place recently at Bonvilston Kisteddfod. Some of the best of them had to knock under to a olass called A wenvddioll," The monarchs of the Welsh Parnassus had to hold the stirrups while mere crots" were mounting the Cambrian Pegasus. The national bards could only win half-crown prizes, while unfledged striplings carried away golden guineas. A bard has forwarded to me the following englyn in re- ference to the turmoil at the result in the Court of Ceridwen:— Daw bagad, mi debygwn—o'r Beirdd man, A'r Beirdd mawr, ar gythlwn', Dan waith, yn cyfarth fel cwn, A siomwydyn Nliresimwn. The English reader may not know it, but the foregoing is writ sarkastic." The Llanworno School Board at its last meeting passed a most sensible resolution, viz., "That any school working after the hours specified in the time table, the bead teacher thereof will be deemed guilty of over- pressure." Whether from this the inference to be drawn is that over-pressure has taken place in the schools of the board without its knowledge I am hardly prepared to say, but I cannot too highly commend the board for its decision to put a stop to the practice if it does prevail in its schools. It may safely be assumed, I think, that over-pressure does prevail to a more or less extent in nearly all Welsh schools. In this case the board has had the honesty tacitly to admit the fact, and takes prompt action to nip the evil in the bud. Other boards, 1 have reason to be- lieve, wink at it. It is, however, to be hoped that, a good example having been once set, other boards having the least suspicion that this baneful practice prevails in their schools will follow suit. A Neath gentleman tells me a very pitiful story of his travels in the wilds of Aberavon the other day. Journeying along Cwmavon- road, he came to most signal grief over a pile of drapery goods placed upon the foot- way. To avoid the possibility of such another accident, he stepped out into the road, and was nearly run over in consequence. On his return along: the same track his luUi was sod* denly whipped off, run over, and squeezed up to hopeless smash by a passing wagon, the primary cause this time being a quilt hung out in the breeze and left dangling within five feet of the ground, to the common danger of everybody's headgear. Glad to have escaped with his life, he does not much mind the loss of his hat; but, having a heart which feels for his fellow creatures, he does hope that the police will just take a hint which may save them the necessity of holding an inquest, and pounoe down upon tradesmen and others whose persistent obstructions are a nuisance and a danger to the public. Referring to the works of art that have for so many years graced the vestibule of the Car- diff Town-hall, and to which I note public attention is drawn by the letter read at the Council meeting yesterday, I would suggest that, first of all, steps should be taken to decide to whom these sculptures really belong. I well know, and can be corroborated if neces- sary, that they were left absolutely in the bands of Mr. Edward Payne by the sculptor, Mr. John Evan Thomas. No doubt the tirst- nanied gentleman would, if called upon, state the conditions, if any, under which these works fell into his custody, if not ownership. Mr. E. Payne is, I believe, most anxious that the works should become the property of the Cor- poration, and it is with this end that 1 have written this note, with the hope that the sub- ject of their final retention will receive the careful and prompt attention it deserves. I The editor of a little Swansea publication, which will, perhaps, be known solely from the fact that I have had in the course of my duty to punish it soundly on a previous occasion, is in a Shaksperian fever, which has apparently developed itself late in life. In an article into which he brings all he knows, or all his shilling quotation-book has taught him, of our great dramatist, with the sorry result that in a dozen haphazard quotations there is scarcely one application to his object, he shows how he misunderstands my quarrel with Mr. Lewis, of Morriston. He says 1 refuse to withdraw the words fanatical knave because the phrase" is found in Shakspeare. I refused to withdraw no such words upon no such grounds. The word used by Shakspeare is fan- tastical, and not fanatical. If he had been a student of Shakspeare earlier in life, perhaps he might have known this for himself; but quotation- books, while useful, are muddling to those who have so little learning as to be thus driven mad. The sooner this fanatical kmwe," if he so likes the phrase, is flouted out of his calling the better. We have met once before, A and this fellow, but like Jacques iu the same understudied play, I do desire we may be better strangers." I am assuming, of course, that the worthy editor, or whoever wrote this article, was not "inspired" by Mr. Lewis.

oun PARIS LETTER. PARIS, JANUARY H. The Royalists intend to formally renounce the principle of right divine, of the rule of many made for one, and adopt the modern doctrine of the election of monarchs by universal suffrage—the sovereign peoplo to vote their sovereign. It is not clear what advantage either the Orleanists or Bonapartists will reap by the change. The French have nor, a particle of respect for a crowned head, and the generation that has come to the front since the departure of Napoleon III. is actually stranger to the very idea of a monarch in any form. Manhood having its vote in France, and the elections being freedom itself, so long as polling becomes plumping for the Republic all Pretenders may remain in their chronic chry- salis stage. The Republicans may, and do, split up into various coteries—the latest new Church has Paul Bert for high priest—but they never slide into any form of monarchy they hedge, if timid Ministerialists, or shade into one or more of the rainbow lines of Radicalism. The secession of Paul Bert and ex-War Minister General Oimpenon re- presents a splij in tha mnjoritv which may have serious consequences on the fortunes of Jules Ferry. The latter is accused of not being an orthodox Gambet-tist; he has too cavalierly interpreted the lattev's political Koran. In a programme speech just delivered at Lyons Paul Bert indulges in lamentations over the financial straits of France as if an Egyptian bondholder on the point of being ruined by England. He chuckles over the cons01:Üi()n that., great as the deficit is under the Hepublic, whitt would it have been had France been under a monarchy ? The Egyptian Question seems to ba approaching the only two blocks on the line to a common-sense solution, and which "corners'' France. The latter, in taking the lead, in a sense and up to a certain measure, on behalf of the other Powers, has her assumed disinterestedness handicapped by a badly-disguisel ambition to regain her grip on Egypt that she in a selfish blunder let go. She clings to every relic of the Dual Control, and wants England to retire at a date fixed to allow Monsieur or Mein Herr to step into her place. There is but little prospect of the English nation accepting these two conditions; and still less that the Powers will back up France in the special axe she has to grind. The real and the great diffi- culty has ever been the vacillation of the English Government and its lamentable want of pluck There must be no more Conferences, at least attended by England. She must, for the sake of her own dignity, cease having her propositions become the shuttlecock of Europe. Let her an- nounce she will make no other proposals, and that she will not quit Egypt, nor allow any Power to thwart her occupation, and the denofiment is effected. The prospect of the immediate relief of Gordon has also weighed powerfully on a solution of the Nile question in a sense favourable to England Not a few counted on the Mahdi—perhaps, desired it—clearing the red costs even out of the Delta- But the most inveterate Anglophobist never accused England of the idiotcy to permanently evacuate Khartoum—the future central trade city of the Soudanese, and the high-road to the Red Sea. In the present race by European Powers for grabbing territory, John Bull does not mean to forego his chances of a blue ribbon, and to give his own interpretation to the wants of his expan- sion policy. It is Polichinelie's secret that both France and Germany are ready to protect the regions that only the insanity of Briton could abandon. It is expected that, once the Mahdi is disposed of, the railway between Berber and Suakitn will be constructed. The new War Minister, General Leual, is dis- playing great energy in sending off reinforcements to China, and a war with the Celestials is expected to be at last formally declared. When the Tonquin take is cleared of pirates, regular or irregular, then France must decide to cross the frontier, or march on a sensitive part of the Chinese Empire. With what results time alone can decide. It is suspected the Chinese will make a powerful guerilla resistance on their own territory. The Chinese Government count largely on the chapter of accidents in the home politics of France, and upon the verdict of the coming general elections. It is difficult to really know the true opinion of the French on the China War nnd the Colonial extensions of the Republic. The Radical journals are dead on such projects, and desire to preserve the whole strength of the country intact for the inevitable struggle to regain Alsace. But the majority which supports M. Kerry, and who must now be considering their latter end, thegpneral elections coming off during the summer, cannot be assumed as acting in oppo- sition to the wishes of their constituents, and hence the logical conclusion, that France is not opposed to the expenditure of men and money to Conquer territory, and all the glory, barren or problematical appertaining thereto. The theatrical or platonic alliance between Germany and France may be regarded as played out. It did not frighten England, and had every prospect of becoming ugly for Germany. The Chancellor's last card was his cool proposal to look in on the Parisians he once stewed in their gravy but as they threatened to cook his goose if he came he prudently changed his intention. Some- way or other the French are coming round, though in a pouting manner, perhaps, that it is better to jog along with perfide Albion with all her faults, rather than become the cat's paw of Bis- marck, certain to abandon them in the hour of peril, and who can never have any other aim than to weaken France and draw off her longings for Alsace. The conflicts between Germany and England as to Colonial annexations are closely followed in France. They are considered to produce only one result—force England to be up and doing. The Chancellor had no difficulty in stating a war be- tween Germany and England was moonshine; he could not attack her, nor could he, with all hia dinJamtic skill, unite the Powers to do that work for him. If the Australian colonies are decided to have their will respected as to what constitutpq their manifest destiny, the Colonial Office nmoOt follow, and German spectacled professors on a voyage of discovery for new Fatherlands. The verdict acquitting Madame Huguesservps 1\1'\ a text for the journals of all shades to preach up their special credos. Madame does not appear so well in opinion after as before her trial. It was alleged that she shot Morin on the impulse of the moment, and stung to the quick by the sending to her friends slanderous postal cards. She had re- solved on the unfortunate man's death for weeks, and the cards were not from him, since, it is said, the same handwriting continues the send- ing still. Parisian jurors, by the requisite legal majority, saw no preme litation in the crime, and concluded Morin wa the author of the card.4. M. Clovis Hugues has received a disagreeable re- minder from a M. Roux, town councillor of Mar- seilles, that they have an affair or honour out- standing, but believes M. Hugues has not the courage necessary to come up to the scratch. The Ballerieh brothers have resigned their situations as police inspectors they attempted t(I kill Jules Vall6-<, the Com iiunist editor-and, in his absence, nearly did so with his secretary, who publicly accused tlwTl1 of conspiring to Ir,lIrder their own mother, to serve the wants of M. Ferry's Government. and to obtain promotion. Opinion is decided that it is time to put down these free shootings in Paris, and to abide bv the Code. Ribot, an artificial flower manufacturer, is unner arrest on the charge of poisoning his wife with colchicine, a substance said not to be unknown to Medea and Locusta. Ribot had for mistress a pretty work-girl, and demanded her hand ten davs after the wife's sudden death. The special feature in the crime is that Ribot, unable to obtain the poison without a doctor's recipe, forged such him- self. The Exhibition Commissioners have succeeded in obtaining the site of the historical Champ de Mars in exchange for another military parade ground. Thus the Exhibition of 1859 will be now a permanent structure, and more efforts devoted to its being exceptionally original and beautiful. The Grand Opera has produced a small work. Tabarin," in two acts; libretto by P. Ferrier, music by E. Pessard, In no way is it new, nor is there a. laugh in the whole of the couple of acts. Tabarin was a famous Greenwich Fair actor, who flourished in the early days of Louis XIII. The story of the opera turns on the actor, who represents a play wherein his wife hides lovers in a hogshead and passes the occupants off as pigs to deceive her husband, who wants to cure them into Dunmow flitches of bacon, but converts the farce into a reality; and when Tabarin explains his grief is real, not professional, the audience applauds only the more vociferously. The music is very scien- tific, but wants melody: it reveals the promise of a good composer. The two best morceaux are a drinking song by Tabarin and the finale of the first act. The interpretation was excellent, and the mounting creditable to the new managers. An innovation consisted in commencing with the opera, and so dispensing with the time-honoured levtr de rideau, which gave late arrivals time to reach their seats. Equally excellent was the plan of bringing out the new work without sound of trumpet. Sardou and Dumas indulge in disgust- ing puffs preliminary" for months before the appearance of their dramas. La France, rather an extensively read journal, does not do much to further Bismarck's great love for the French. It asserts the Boulevards swarm with Germans, who are nearly all thieves and swindlers, and deserving to be punished with the utmost rigour of the law. They do occasionally departfromFrance, leaving anything but sunny memories with numerous creditors. They ought to remain satisfied with having spoiled the Egyptians in 1371, to the tune of five milliards. Qui a bu, boira. A gallant mayor in the neighbourhood of Paris, in order to save the fair sex a few pangs, has ordered medals to be struck, so that when the tax is being paid for scented poodles their name and address will be entered thereon and Toto thus re- turned to his disconsolate mistress, instead of being hanged in the knacker's yard, or being in- cluded with the noyades, to be ultimately converted into animal charcoal and kid gloves. Sarah Bernhardt implores to be let alone. She denies having sent in a plan for the 1889 Inhibi- tion building, or that she intends to seek a divorce in order to wed a Milord Anglais." The various mayors' offices in Paris—there are twenty of them—publish all banns of marriage wi t h the legal" ages of the high contracting parties, so that those who run may read. For the future they are to post up in the same case the "divorces" pronounced. Wonder will this death's head affect the courage of Romeos and Juliets. It is said that the only time Madame Hugues experienced emotion during the trial, was when the mistress of Morin appeared—a most ladylike person in address and appearance, and deeply did in mourning for her lover, who was "to make an honest woman of her." She has vowed to shoot Madame Hugues.

THE CKOWNER'S 'QUEST. rBY ONE OF THE CROWD.] Gentle reader, did you ever attend an inquest? If not, I can only tell you, a.s Old Toper told the magis.rate who informed him that he had never been drunk in his life," Well. then, you've lost many a spree." Trial by Jury, say all the histories, big and little, is the Noblest of British Institutions. Trial by Jury in the abstract, no doubt, is very superior, but coming down to the real and the practical I cannot say that either trial by jury or the juries themselves strike me as being at all wonderful, or fit to make a history of. However, others have dona it, and why should not I ? Having thus made up my mind to become the historian of our local jury. I, for the hundredth time, make tracks toward the room wherein, w.ek by week, these eleven men and a foreman, in their own proper persons, are on exhibition toa wonder- ing world. It is New Year's Eve, and the dreary- drizzle in the muddy streets makes the warm room, with its cheerful fire, appear doubly inviting. I enter. There is a loud smell of paint, not at all in keeping with the dignity which shouid surround the Noblest of British Institutions. I pause, close to the door, so as to take in the scene, and when I essay to go forward to the chair which a good- natured and smiling inspector has placed near the tire for my use, I find that my coat is attached to the door—so much attached that it is only with some effort that I can tear them asunder. At last lam seated. And there, in a circle round the table, are seated just three-fourths of the Nobh-st of British Institutions. I know them well, t 110,;e old familiar faces. For the sum of la. their services are always at the disposal of their country. Two of them, by their livery, should be officials of Some sort or other, either public or private, and the effect of their red collars and coat cuffs is not to be denied. "Wisdom is with the elders," say the sacred Vedas then surely we have in these jurymen of ours very Daniels come to judgment, for, with one exception, they must all have passed the tale of years allotted to man. Two more arrivals, and there is now but one vacant chair, and that is for the foreman. This great man, by virtue of his exalted omce.wil), of course be late. In his absence the eleven good men and true amuse themselves by scratching upon the inky sheets of blotting paper before them such figures, geometrical or other, as their artistic souls suggest. Art, however, is not one of their strong points, and so the sketching is soon finished. Then I-What then ?—Publish it not in Gath, nearly everyman of them solemnly draws from his vegt, pocket a r.eW "screw"—-0 the luxury of inquests!—and forthwith "fills his tooth." A fellow feeling makes us wondtuus kind, says the singer, and sq the illustrious eleven wink kindly upon each other, and enj >y themselves amid a dignified silence. That silence was growing wearisome, when suddenly all the heads perform a steady evolution in the direction of a short, clear complexioned clean-shaved, white shirt-fronted old gentleman, with the twinkle of immortal genius in his eye. He has appropriated half a sheet of the foreman's scrap-paper, and is-0, profoundly interesting fact-writing I Every eye is on him, while a gleam of conscious pride and superiority lights up his withered face. His task is finished; that profound thought of his recorded, and-the paper folded up! Oh !"— (a low, short interjection in chorus)—and the ten heads resume their wonted pose. Stay. Yes. he has passed to the third man on his ieft; the third man fumbles in his pocket, and the other nine men, brightening fast, fumble too. Simul- taneously ten pairs of spectacles flash from their sheaths; as many snuff —no, no, pockethandkerchiefs — appear, and, the dusting over, the whole array of noses are spectacled with almost military precision, and anxious eyes now rest upon the lucky third man. He reads; he wags his head. scratches it, strokes his chin, and then having quite made up his mind, -/ghs appro- vingly at the author, and returns the —M-e. Oh! And again the heads swing round and face each other Our author knows his public, and so Ilflpr letting hunger sharpen the1r appetites awhile, be cOlllmits his precious morsel to their anxious hands. All have read it and all have laughed and nodded assent., when one of the company inquires in a confiden- tial, II wesome tone, "Shall we put it on his pad 1'" There is a pause. It is a risky step but the nods are un;¡nimol1". and I here it li^s! This act done, one old gentleman, with afresh countenance, prepan's to move, But. Our Master of the Cerenvnies, the good-tempered inspector, knows his man, and so has given the quietus to his little fame. Now, then, old gentleman, can't you bide quiet a while? No, I warrant tie's so very dry that old man (This partly to ine partly totheorFender.) Ho lie has TO bear his thirst as best, he Clln, and, to console himself, goes in for an extra chew. Againthere is silence, only to be broken when tile foreman, with Illl a foreman's dignity, enters before his admiring coadjutors. He is a shorl, silvered, oldish man, somewhat sllggeslive of the weli-known half pay captain." He takes th" chair, and eleVen voices in chorus gIve him Il Happy New Year." His response is very dig. nified. Then looks, persistent nods, and lastl) pointing fingers, draw his attention to the folded production of genius, overlooked, of course, by greatness, as self-productions always are. He read" it hut there is no smile, The author Ill0kR hlue. A IJ<Lu"e-lI,nd then—surely we of the listening public "Imll know what it means now! But, no great- ness is mystical, and so asks merely, Shall we j read it to him ?" Agrandjoke! Roarsof laughter! The foreman warms to his task. Better read it. You, J shall have the honour." But J is overcome. His face is a study. I don't know why, but when I had taken him in com- pletely I had got the impression that J could not read. The laughter on his ac- count, too, seemed to favour my conclusion. I am musing on the happy days of that man's boyhood, untroubled by attendance officers and big Board Schools, when there is a great commo- tion. Is the Noblest of British Institutions about to take flight en masse ? I am for an instant in doubt; for, quite regard- less of dignity, regardless even of the chairs and the noise they are making, the whole twelve men are stumbling wildly to their feet. There are grunts relative to cramped joints and rheumatised limbs, and other sounds of a similar nature due to kindred causes. But they are not going to ny they are only rising to greet the "Crowner'' and his attendants. Having bowed their reverence as well as cramped spines will permit, they settle down, and the business begins. But what a change has come over the Noblest of British Institutions! Every man—yes, even the foreman—seems overawed and the look of helpless orphanhood which settled promptly upon every face of them all would have awakened compassion in a far harder heart than mine, The Crowner was so great! had so sharp and swift in voice and manner There was something more than pathos in the eyes of one old man while he whispered to his neighbour as they sat down We shan't read 'm that' Happy New Year' to. night, don't expect." The other shook his head. The business was not long, or very important either. Boots," or some such person, had severed his windpipe in a fit of the iniserables. A very stout, diffident lady deposed to having ascertained that the late lamented was dead by the very simple test of touching his calt'! Had the jury any question to ask ? Not they. The man who ever supposed that jury capable of asking a question-well, must be a "coroner," let us say. No, the jury were all in rapt contempla- tion of the suicidal weapon, with its tale of misery writ in blood upon it. Interestingly melancholy was plainly written upon their faces. Then there was the case of a poor old man, who, over 80, died in bed, being, I suppose, obliged so to do by Mother Nature grown tired of maintaining him longer. Well, he died." That was the testimony of a very deaf, snuff- browned, wrinkled, wild-looking old Irishwoman So the fact was noted and the jury nodded their heads, which was as much as to say All is right. That was the correct thing for the man to do 1" The usual form was then gone through, the moment of deliberation allowed in each of the cases being turned to good account by several of the jurymen, who, in a private and quite mysterious manner renewed the operation of filling their teeth, keepl ing their eyes half on the dread official in a way that suggested" the glance of the usual stage villain. Their arduous duties being done, and the wit- nesses and two or three other curious persons duK- ushered to the door by the master of the cere- monies, the jury, recovering both their spirits and their proper dignity, filed out with an air of importance such as would become a procession of the whole bench of lords justices.

THE OPENING OF THE HIGHEH GRADE SCHOOLS AT CARDIFF. On Tuesday afternoon the Higher Grade School erected at Adamsdown, Cardiff, was informally opened by the members of the School Board. The opemng ceremony which was to have been performed by Mr. Mundella, had been postponed until that gentlemen had recovered frotn the indisposition which prevented his attendance, and, consequently, the proceedings on Tuesday were robbed of thtir interest. At half-past two the members of the School Board, Messrs. Lewis Williams, J. Vori, T. Kees, J. Gunn, Dr. Edwards, and the Revs. V. Saulez, C. J. Thompson, and G. Arthur Jones, the Clerk of the Board (Mr Daniel Kees), the Head Master (Mr. Waugh), Messrs John Dune in, T. H. Stephens, Son ley Johnston. Henry Thomas, W- Sanders, and others met in the boy's' main school- room on the ground floor, an 1 were piloted round Ihe building by the architect, Mr. Edwin Seward, wll" explained the working of the various depart- ments, and p,.inle,1 out. the most illlpolt;11J1 fe>tlur. The party, having expressed their entire satisfaction wil h the work Hnd general arrange- ments, separated without ceremony, it being felt that any proceedings of a formal nature would detract from the in'et est of Mr. Mundella's visit. The schools are perfectly finished, and ready For the commencement of work. As already stated, the Schools will lie "p-n to-day (Wednesday) foi the purpose of enrolling scholars, and on Monday the routine work will be commenced.

SIR J- JONKS JKNKINS, M.P., WITH THE SVVANSKA ODDFKLLOVVS. HIS VIEWS ON THE KXTKNSION OF THH FRANCHISE. Sir J. Jones Jenkl f1S. speaking Rt Rn Oddfellows' banquet at Morriston on Saturday nighT, said it was a mistake for people to fear the placing of power in the hands of the people, as will be done by the Franchise Bill, for they Imd only to look at the condnct of the two working men members of the Commons at present to see thpir moderation on all great, questions, wheth.r affecting the higher or lower classes. Thp truth was, the people" ho expressed these fpars did not know the working classes nor their views on I he great, questions ol I, the day. Referring to the navy, the hon member gave it as his firm conviction that, should a toe ever threaten our shore", Ihe wholfl nation would rise up 10 repel them. And his experience of rile Naval Volunteer force at Swansea had shown him that in six *eeks a IHnrl of voung men, who threw their hearts into the work, could render themselves so efficient as to win the praise of SUcl^an autho- rity as the Prince of Wales when lie came, and of the Duke of Edinburgh, who shortiy afterwards officially inspected the corps.

PRESENTATION TO THE NhW VICAR I OF SWAiNSKA. Cs. •.< .*>.ni h, of Holy Trinity, Nottingham, a leading Evangelical of the town, received on Tues- day a service of plate and a purse of money, and fout other testimonials, on leaving Nottingham on his appointment as vicir of St. Mary's, the chief church of Swansea. The farewell meeting was attended by several thousand persons, and great public interest was manifested in the proceedings. Canon Smith, who was most enthusiastically re- ceived, acknowledged the presents in a feeling address, pointing out that he sought, in accepting the vicarage of Swansea, a wider sphere of labour, and he believed he would be supported in it by their sympathies and prayers.

UNITED KINGDOM ALLIANCE PROPAGANDA. ADDITIONAL AGBNTS FOR SOUTH WALES. We have authority for stating that Mr. Coun- cillor Beavan, of Cardiff, has received the appointment of lecturing and organising agent in South Wales for the United Kingdom Alliance, and will enter upon the duties of the office on the 1st of February next. Mr. Scholfield, it is added, continues his connection with the district, but is detailed for special work in England in con- nection with the new franchise. We are in a position to state that Mr. Beavan's appointment will in no way affect his duties as a member of the Cardiff Town Council, and that he has no intention of resigning the office he has now the honour to occu/iv aa member for Roath Ward.

IjXjU liEAii t I i A i • T »i [• THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH INTERVIEWED. [BY OUR SPKCIAL COM .MISSIONE R.] Dost thou love ite i Then do not squander Time." So says Poor Richard; bur, if 1 might vent ure to improve upon that worthy, I would say, Lis'en tn the words uf wi.;d"1II on the sub- ject. of heaitny living which oor health oiticer is cotititmallv l'asllng-wdl. uiore's the pilY- like bread ufJon the waters" However, like al wiio feel they h;¡, ve a good cause in hand, Dr. Paine is by no means likely to despair, though his lask he hard, and those whom he would lJenetit not always willing to listen to his words. As medical oiffcer ol health in a town like Cardiff for 32 years, and, tllerefore, one of the first health officers appointed under the Government, Dr. Paine's words on all questions affecting the public lIeall hare wor1 hy of every at tent i..n, few men havillg such wide experience, auù very lew, In- deed, being more devoted to that first of the sciences—h^jjieiie, or tit", study of the 1a ws 01 health. Interviewing him in the light of all that has recently transpirej as to the alarming spread 01 epidemics in tiie town, and feeling personally as luu.:11 IItanned as anyone, I asked ilim- "Whntisyour opinion as to titeheattf) of Car- diff, speaking geuerally. Is it what it ought to be? His reply was: "The health of Cardiff taken altogether is quite satisfactory. The average death-rate for towns is fixed at 22 per 1,000, and that is our death-rate. I work upon the returnsof the Registrar-General, but inasmuch as he takes the total increase in the jJopulttion of the town from 1871 to 18ol, viz., 25,834, and cal- culates the increase of population as being at the rate of 2.588 a year, whereas in point of fact our greatest increase was in the latter part of thai decade, his returns are not a true indexof the health of Cardiff. Moreover, the increase in our population is due, not only to the births in the town, but to the fact that we are continually re- ceiving large numbers of immigrants from all parts of the Empire. I base my calculations upon a census of the inhabited houses taken once in two years. The last census so taken gave me 16,063 inhabited houses, and multiplying by 6! we get 100,693; add 7,000 for the floating population and we have 107.393. Adding again 2,500, or half the yearly births, we get 109,893 as the present population of Cardiff. Well, the death-rate for last year, calculated upon this basis, would be rather under 21 per 1,000, or be- low the ordinary average of large towns; whereas, calculated upon the Registrar-General s returns, it would be 24 per 1,000. For many years past it has only been 19 per 1,000." To what, then, is this increase of 2 per 1,000 due?" "It is due to two main causes:—(1) An un- usually high mortality among.infants, due to the prevalence of infantile diarrhoea, and (2) the measles epidemic; and the conditions which have so greatly favoured the spread of these were— (1) July, August, and September were very dry; and (2) the measles epidemic broke out at a most unfavourable time of year—the cold and wet months." In reply to another question as to the excessive mortality resulting from the measles, Dr. Paine gave it as his opinion that few children actually die from measles, but inflammation and bronchitis generally follow the measles. To these the deaths are due, and to these the cold, wet weather is moat conducive. If we had measles in warm, dry weather we should have little or no mortality as the result. The spread of the measles, he went on to observe; was aggravated by a local cause which was pecu- liar. It will be remembered that the measles originated in Grangetown—that is on the south Mde of the town. It then spread to the Docks, keeping, however, to the south of Custom House- street. Reaching on to the Roath district it still kept to the south side of Newport-road. Now, the boundary of the disease ramifications was alsa the boundarv of the clay formation, which was, ol course, cold and wet. Upon my expressing surprise that the geological and epidemic boundaries should so exactly corre- spond, the Doctor added: "Although the mensle* has reached Canton there has been no mortality to speak of in that district. The ordinary percentage of deaths from measles was 2 per cent. In Grangetown the mor- tality was 5 per cent. And taking each death to represent 20 recovered cases, since there were 56 deaths there, we get 1,120 cases of measles, or three cases for each house in the infected districts." Well," I remarked, "this is very high. But. Doctor, did not the measles got a good hold upon Grangetown before you were aware of it?" I had hit upon the point, and the doctor at once in formed me that his great difficulty was in getting information as to the whereabouts of cases of infec- tious disease. It appears there is a strange apathy, even upon the part of professional men, in thi- matter, and the neglect is not infrequently fraught with serious consequences. In Canton," Dr. Paine explained, I pot infor- mation of the measles outbreak almost at the firt* of it, and this had, no doubt, much to do with the fact that so few cases proved fatal there. Let tin figures (of which figures, let me here remark, Dr Paine remembers whole tables as easily as a bo remembers his alphabet.) speak for themselves 111 Grangetown the population amounts to 4,67S, and as already stated we had there 56 dealll. Canton has a population of 18.230. or nearly foui times greater, and Canton got the measles later in the winter, yel the deaths there were only thirteen, 01 about one-fourth the number at Grangetown with Its small population." "At what rate did the epidemic travel?" Well, at very various rates. It appeared t" have started in Grangetown about the 19th ol October last. Thence in a short tun", following the day formation, it reached Penarth; but it dill not reach Cardiff lIIore to tire 11"rtll.rn side till December 4, and it appeared in Roath about December 16. Was there anything peculiar in the spread of measlesi"' "Yes. Measles spreads differently from all other epidemics; measles being transmitted) thr, ugh the air. A person breathes ill the measles, and thus it is that it spreads So rapidly." Taking this fliet into considera- tion, he had pressed it upon the Committee ot School Managers on unday last that it would be well to close the schools for two or three week- because there waS great danger of healthy cIIi. dren going from houses where there Wer8 cases in chool. People treated the measles as such a light affair that recently he found on visiting the infected parts of Grangetown that out of 70 infected houses children from no les<- j than 27 were attending the large schools in the town Well, he had put it to the managers, bui they were unwilling to close the schools, but had decided to set the officers at work, so as to prevent children irom infected houses going to sc II 00 I. Did he agree with that decision? No, lie did not. In his opinion, the loss of, Sfty, three weeks' tuition to the whole of the children in a district was a far less evil, publicly considered, than the lost of, say, 3 per ceul. of all the children inthatrtisttict. What did he think of the present, plan of build ing large schools accommodating 1,200 or 1,300 scholars? Well, he knew very well what were the views of the Education Department on that matter, but for himself he was strongly in tavour of a number of small schools distributed up and down among the /JOpll 1.11 ion, Bowing my heAti to the wis loin of this opinion. I hastened on to the question of drainage and the inevitable sewers In reply to a question unr1..r that head, the Doctor said: "Yes, I have both heard and said a great deal on tile que4ion of sewer-ventilation. That question presents to the student of sanitary science an insurmountnhle difficulty. All the plans hitherto suggested are failures For myself, I am opposed to ventilating flues It" now used altogether. But an inspector from the Government Board of Health, who went over this borough with me during some days a. little while ago, while admitting that we should never be able to successfully cope with the difficulty, gave it as his opinion that we should have twice the number of existing flues, the noxious vapours being thus distributed over a wider area. But in my opinion, though we have diluted these vapours, still we have not even lessened the danger; it is there still." I What," I asked, is your scheme ?" Well, ho said, his plan was to erect high flues, rising four or five feet above the tallest house in the neighbourhood. We should thus have the infectious matter discharged at, say, 40 or 50 feet above the streets, and it would then be I either Carried away by the atmospheric circula- tion, which is tolerably free at that height, or at II. woui • ".J utox.'uised and become harmless instead of hanging for days at a height of About two or three feet from tlie ground as it often does now. Are there any any objections to this plan ? Yes, sentimental ones! John John, Esq., ob- jected to having a i ipe run up against his house because his neighbour's house had not that dis- tinction. John John, Esq could not realise the unpleasantness and danger of having sewer gas filling the air around him, but when a pipe rose to the height of 40 or 50 feet to carry that awav, then the good man's ire was also. In a finishing strain the doctor, who apparently was, like myself, feel- ing that qo much disease and death were not just the pleasantest subjects to spend an hour over, re- marked, 11 After all, it is not so much the question of drainage and all that which the public need take up. These mat ters will be dealt with by the proper persons. It is the question of taking proper steps to prevent the Spread of disease when it breaks out. And the necessity of giving information to myself or the officers employed under me as to the locality of cases, so that we may take proper measures for disinfection and the isolation of cases. In proof of the importance of this, let me say that even the crowded fashion in which the Irish part of our population for the most part, live is not so productive of evil results as want of proper precaution, when once an epidemic begins, for bad as are the sanitary conditions under wldch t.IIey live, still, bl.ing a di.,tinct class, and no infection having been as yet carried among them, there has been no case of measles in the Irish quarters towards the Docks or in Roath." Are more public baths and wash-houses needed ?" Well, yes, all these are conducive to cleanliness, are requisite and necessary but, in despite of all, the diseases will come and the whole gist of the matter is to prevent them spreading when they once appear." This brought our interview to a close.

CARDIFF HEALTH AND PORT SANITARY AUTHORITY. IMPORTANT REPORT FROM THE MEDICAL OFFICER. An important meeting of the Cardiff Health and Port Sanitary Committee was held at the Town- hall on Tuesday. Councillor Bird presided, and there were also present-Councillors D. E. Jones Jacobs, Lougher, M. Morgan, James, and Reynolds. Mr. Govier, the inspector of nuisances, reported as to the number of canal boats which were within the jurisdiction of the Cardiff Port Sanitary Authority under the Canal Boats Act of 1884. The Town-Clerk reported as to the scavenging of Cardiff Bridge, and it was decided to confer with the Chairman of the Quarter Sessions on the matter. Dr. Paine, the medical officer of health, who attended the meeting, submitted the following report To THE CARDIFF URBAN SADTCTARY AUTHORITY. Gentlemen,—In accordance with your instructions I have to submit for your consideration the disposal of the refuse matter at the scavenging depôt, The means adopted at the present time to meet the requirements nitty be divided into two stages. lat. The action taken lo deal with it when it is brought to the station and stacked. 2nd. When the staeks are broken up for the purpose of being sifted, and the residue submitted to the process of combustion. As regards the first stage, the daily average number of loads of refuse collected throughout the district is probably about 80. A plot of ground is selected that gives space for a layer of about L twelve to eighteen inches in depth for each lay's accumulation, and this, before being iprvad, is picked free from rags, bones, earthen- ware, tin ware, with other solid substances that would not undergo decomposition, each day's accumulation being deposited on that of the preceding until the stack reaches the required height. The rags and bmies are sold, while the earthenware, kc" with other solid matter, are used to fill up the excavations that exist hi the surrounding land when these were used for brickworks. t hese stacks consist of ashes, un- Imrnt coal, with some amount of animal and vegetable matter such as comprises the refuse usually collected from houses. If any of these loads contain an undue proportion of animal matter, such as fish, Sto., as would be I. kely to become very offensive during the process of decomposition, care is taken that such should be well covered with ashes and other drv matter as would prevent the noxious gases permeating through the soil. The stacks then remain untouched for a period of eighteen months or two years, when they are broken up for the purpose of being submitted to the second stage. When this is done much of the material composed in the stack has a lark, loamy appearance. Upon taking a sample of this and exposing It for the purpose of desiccation it was found to yield 31 percent, of moisture. This is to be noted in the observations I shall presently make. The matter composing the stacks is then sifted through a sieve worked by an elevator. The ashes and more pul- verised matter that passes through this sieve are mixed with lime for the purpase of making mortar and sold to builders. As regards the residue that is to be burnt, this Is done ily a process of slow combustion, and the moisture I just, alluded to is dlittllstted over containing some decomposing animal matter In solution, and being carried away with the smoke into the surrounding Htmospliere, causing the offei.sive smell that has recently been brought nefore your notice. The atmo-- [>liet ic pollut ion is at all times disagreeable, and under Hxceptionftl I'ireumstances may be prejudicial to the otcblie health. then, as regards the mortar that is made from ashes, ■ o which I have alluded, upon inquiry I ifnd that com- ilaints have sometimes been made that when this mortar is used an offensive smell is temporarily given off, nut tills does not obtain to any great extent These | ieemiugly opposed results are to be explained by the 'HrcumstHiices that the action of limets to arrest the pro- I 1'8, of decorllposition, but when decomposition has been •umpleted salts of lime are formed, and ammonia is gii-r n off for a short time, and causes the mortar to be ffeiisive. I have thus shown that the process here d luiled to ought not to ht" conducted near dwellings, or in any proximity toa public thoroughfare. Although it is no part of my duty to suggest a means "Y which this refus,- matter may be got rid of different from that now adopted, it has occurred to me that as lie land Is closely adjacent to the river barges I might he used to remove the accumulations composing hr sucks, and by means of a steamer might be towed o some convenient spot and deposited in the Bristol Qiiannel. After some discussion it was decided that Mr. .Voozey ascertain the cost of a steam hopper for he purpose of carrying the refuse into the Channel; ilso that the iiietl;eal officer, borough engineer, and he superintendent of t he scavening confer as to 1 the .best course to be taken in this matter. This A as all the business of public interest.

THg HKAI/fll OF CARDIFF. A HIGH DEATH RATE. 1 It is reported that during the week that ended on Saturday list, the 10th of January, there were 95 births recorded as having itappenedwithinthe omits of the borough of Cardiff, 76 being the iverage of the pa-it year. The births relate to 52 .oys and 43 girls. In the same period the deaths ose from 62 to 67, thus passing the weekly average of the past year by 23, and yielding the high rate ,f 360 per 1,000 inhabitants. There were 21 leaths below one, and five again took place at 60 and upwards. Four deaths took place in public institutions, three were inquired into before the coroner and one was due to vio- i-nce Measles continue very fatal, the deaths ising from 16 to 24. that is to say, every third leath in lite borough was due to this disease. Sea. let fever caused 1. diphtheria 1, and whooping ■ou^li 2. In the corresponding week la-st year the HI ths in Cardiff reached 78. and the deaths 44, so hat the annual rate was 24'6. The fatal zymotic lipases were —Scarlet fever, 1; whooping cough, 1; and fever, 2; altoget.h-r yielding a zymotic rate of 2 2, against 15'1 last. week. There were 5.329 births and 3,564 deaths recorded last week in London, Cardiff, and four- teen of the largest Knylish towns. The births -vere ayain much in excess of the average, includ- ing, doiio'less, some arrears of registration. The teat lis show but little variat ion, merely rising from 3,529 to 3,564, which is considerably over the .verage The returns from the larije towns con- linue vetv favourable for a winter quarter. The sixteen principal death rates for the past -eek are thus arranged in order:— Sheiiield 19-6 Oldham. 23 9 Bradford 20$London 2 '0 Leeds 205 Liverpool 27'5 Salford 2 Hull 27 5 Leeds 205 Liverpool 27'5 Bradford 20$London 2 '0 Leeds 205 Liverpool 27'5 Salford 2 Hull 27 5 H*lit*x 2^'3 Newcastle r7'6 Huddersfield. 22'7 Manchester 30 9 ltlackUurii 25 2 Preston 34 8 Birmingham. 23"7 Cardiff 36-0 Huddersifeld. 22'7 Manchester 30 9 Huddersfield. 22'7 Manchester 30 9 ltlackUurii 25 2 Preston 34 8 Birmingham. 23"7 Cardiff 36-0 rer 1.000 inhabitants of each place.

TH v. MKA.sLUS EPIDEMIC AT CARDIFF HOUSE-TO-HOUSE VISIT OF SCHOOL BOARD OFFICERS. As before stated, the work of visiting all the houses in the borough, since the method of classifi- cation according to schools has been adopted, will require at least three weeks to complete. Up to the present the work of the officers has been con- fined to Roath, Splotlands, E.tst Moors, and Cathfus; and the results obtained show that matters are by no means as bad as was at first, anticipated. There is, for instance, no comparison between the epidemic in the Rcath District—much the worst of the four mentioned-and the state of Grangetown a short while ago, though a con- siderable number of recently-recovered children are found In most of the streets. Many of these are about to resume attendance at school. The following is the result of the inquiries made up to Wednesday evening in Roath, Splotlands, East Moors, and Cathays -— Total No. Cases of Zymotic Schools In the of Disease. Districts >isited. children visited. Measles. Sciu-tatinft.&c. Stacey-road Board S ) K £ ;oh-rd. £ 35 » Cathays National ) The work of visiting has not yet been com- pleted in any one district, but the streets believed to be the worst have now been done, so that there will probably be a decrease in the number of cases reported in succeeding days.

IJUPOKTANT TO LAUNDitRMM.—it your trades- man does net sell Packites Paris Blue tend a p«at-car4 to the makers, ISt. Qn<ea Viot*ria-«tre«t, London, aad they will solid Y.11 the mast* at ssmsas wk* Mils it i* yaur Mra.

LATEST N E W S- THIS SOUDAN. MANIFESTO BY THE MAHDI. ["STANDARD" TELKORAM.] V'lKNNA, WKDNI-SDAY NIGHT. The Mahdi has addressed letters to all the slieikM of the tribes in the Hayuda Desert and in thl Egyptian oases, proclaiming as "murads." ot, untrue to the faith, every man or woman whO i shall assist the English by showing the routed Selling provisions, or in any other way. Sucfi apostates, if caught, shall be stoned, and IF they escape, their relatives or friends will suffet. for them. The Manifesto rloses with t.he follow* ing apostrophe:— It is better for you toslaughter your camels and cast them to the Nile crocodiles, or leave them to the birds of prey, than gain money from infidels by selling them to the English. The Politische understands that the chief part of Hassan Fehmi's mission to L()ndnn will he th8 settlement of the question of the Egyptian Tribute, the amount of which is dependent ON the future destiny of the Soudan and the Red Sea harbours of Suakiin, Massowah, and Zeiiah. The London Conference of 1841 stipu- lated that the tribute should be fixed in propof* tion to the territory, which principle was followed in 1866. when it was raised from 80,000 purses to 150,000 for the newly-acquired territories of Suakim and Massowah. Somewhat later it was further raised by 3,000 purses for Zeiiah. Should, therefore, these harbours and the adjacent terri- tories remain in English possession, England must take over part of the present Egyptian Tribute.

THE EARTHQUAKES IN SPAIN. [" STANDARD TELEGRAM.] GRANADA, WEDNESDAY. The King started early this morning for Guevejat and some other ruined villages. The weather wat again terribly bad, and the roads so wretched that when they arrived at a village a league from Gueve- jar the Ministers of War and the Interior and the majority of the suite remained behind, as the road? were no longer practicable even for horses. The King, however, insisted on going on, and, dis- mounting, proceeded on foot, with General Blanco, the Duke of Sexto, Count Marfori, and about a dozen other persons. The path was difficult in the extreme, winding up a steep incline, and slippery from the rains and recent snowstorm. Still, the party pressed steadily on until they reached Guevejar. There the King inspected the ruins and the slowly crumbling landslip which threatens entirely to overwhelm the place. The King was heartily cheered by the villagers on his arrival, and they were much moved by the kindness manifested by the great personal effort which he had made to visit them. In moving about through the ruins the King re- | fused all assistance, but borrowed the stick of the I village mayor to steady his footsteps on the slippery ground. Before leaving the village he, AS usual, caused alms to be distributed to the most < necessitous, F By the time he rejoined the party who had RE § mained behind, the King was soaked with the rain, and splashed from head to foot with mud. Upon his return to Granada this afternoon he visited the barracks and other public buildings. J ["BKOTica'S" TELEGRAMS,) MADRID, WEDNESDAY, t Fresh shocks of earthquake occurred yesterday: at AL Munecar, Torrox, AL Garrob, and Canillas. | Heavy storms still continue in Andalusia. Tha J rivers are swollen, and much snow has fallen io > the central and northern provinces. A It is officially stated that in the province of t Granada alone 695 persons were killed and 1,480 J injured by the recent earthquakes. BERLIN, WJSDNESDAT. The Crown Prince has consented to becono* patron of the Relief Committee formed to collect funds for the sufferers from the earthquake iø Spain. ♦

TERRIBLE COLLIERY EXPLO" 1 • SION IN FRANCE. TWENTY-EIGHT KILLED AND MANt MURE INJURED. CENTRAL NEWS TELEGRAM.) PARIS, THURSDAY AFTERNOON Last night a disastrous and fatal explo- sion occurred at the coal mines of Grison, near Lievin, in the department of the P88 de Calais. A large number of miners were in the pit at the time who were unable, front ,he suddenness of the shock, to make their ESCAPE ind anxiety is felt lest they should H»VFL perished. Twenty-eight bodies have been brought up from the mine, but twenty miners are known to be still buried in the pit, and arduous efforts are being made TO reach them in the hope that some, at loast, roa1 I have survived. So violent was the explosion that j 300 metres' length of galleries fell in. I « ♦ |

NEWS FROM SOUTH AFRICA. [" REUTERS TELEGRAM.J I CAPE TOWN (via Plymouth), DEC. 24, J The movement of troops to the base of opera- J tions continues steadily. Every train is taking » I detachment of one or more regiments allotted J to the expedition. The English volunteerS who have ariived here up till now are encamped on the Orange River. Their J physique and bearing is universally favourably F commented upon. The first troop of irrfguIarS raised in the colony left for the camp on the 22nd, Recruiting is still going on actively throughout the country. The grea'.er portion of the Royal T Scots are now in camp or on the way thither. TW Inniskilling Dragoons leave on Saturday. Th* ^ATNP is being established at Barkly West, and tb* depotatTaungs. A number of Boers are reported to have squatted across the Stellaland border, OPENING OF THK PRUSSIAN DIET j" CENTRAL NEWS" TMLEGRAM] BEKLIN, THURSDAY, The Emperor's Speech in opening the Pru«si*° Diet to-day describes the country's financial con* 1 ilition as satisfactory. Last year's surplus, twenty < million marks, was employed in paying State R»I'" J, way Loans. A similar surplus is expected this EAR- The creation of new sources of revenue is sug" gested. Bills dealing with peMond taxation and railways are promised.

PAINFUL DIVOROtt CASE. t AGGRAVATED MISCONDUCT OF A HUSBAND In the London Divorce Court op Wednesdaj T (before the Right Hon. the President) the case 0; Heaphy v. Heaphy was t ied. This was a suit in which the petitioner, Florenc Heaphy, sought the dissolution of her marriage | with John Heapny for misconduct of a very aggrø.- vated character. Mr. E. Silvester apppared for the petitioner. Mrs. Heaphy is the daughter of a solicitor T and she was married to the respondent, surgeon dentist, in October, 1870. He carried ? on his business in the Bmmpton road, and there the petitioner cohabited with him until early in 1881, and there was one child of the lnarri>lge-ø. girl, born in 1874. A''Out the end of 1879 ayoung woman named Howard frequently visited the re spondent.and the petitioner saw him and HowarO in circumstances which left no doubt in her tnind that improper relations existed bet Ween them. lit 1880 Mrs, Heaphy was at the seaside with her sifter for a short time, and on her return she waS told that Howard had occupied her during her absence, and Heaphy himself INFORM^ her that he had given a watch to ■; young woman. The petitioner had also to J complain of personal violence towards her bá J the respondent, and he proposed that she shou* tress in the same house with her. that if she did so she should tie as well dressed i any woman in Broinpton. Mrs. Heaphy refuse to sign anv such agreement. He also proposed thIJø she should look out for an elderly gentleman. 1 1881 she left him, and went to live with a yOUP" Woman named Katherine Brown. The visited her, and formed an improper intimacy WI« £ Brown, whom he took to live with him in T* Brompton-road. After they separated the spondent wrote letters to the petitioner, her to do something for hersHf, and in ONE { them he enclosed advertisements having refereO., | to matrimony." Evidence was given to that at his house Brown gave birth to one child March, 1882, to another in March, 1883, and TO third in June, 1884. The last child died on T l' 4 day of its birth and the mother died the day ) lowing. During her cohabitation with the reS pO of T dent at his house Brown passed under the | Mrs. Heaphy, and a domestic servant named J'J-T IV Andrews corroborated the petitioner in saying TJ F|I when Mrs. Heaphy went to the respondent's I F for money he kicked her and pushed her J J Counsel offered to prove that the respondent I been paying money for the support of a CHI' | had by Howard but the President said this v | | unnecessary. ft I The Court pronounced a decree nisi, and the pet iiioner the custody of tiM child of the 1 1' i