The Chester Courant and Advertiser for North Wales

[All Rights Reserved.] A FORGOTTEN REGIMENT. FLINTSHIRE YEOMANRY CAVA I ,RY HISTORICAL RECORD. (CONCLUSION.) (By liKNSON F. M. FREEMAN.) In winter of 1857 Karl Uroevcnor, the Oonunandant-, compiled a. iVlcmoir of the Corp*, which. bosicke contain.ng an account of the eorp»'during it& embodiment, included ciders arid memoranda Uvo carrying on oÍ the routine and ditfoip'.ino of the mrl)s-PaN, Regimental Troop and Squad Returns. Guard and Piquet Repoits, Sick Repots, How Re- port.?, Fonago Allowance, Paymast- s R. gu a tions and Fines of the Corps, Dross Regula- tions, and Ordeis for Parade-, Troop, Squadron and Regimental Dri 1,1--aid much useful information for a Cavalry soldier. Bofotv this valuable little work was published, however, ).j (irosvenor received ordeis through the Lord-Lieutenant of Flintshire from the Home Beorcjt.ary of St-ato (Lord Russell) to disband til i-c gaAlant. little corps, the following letter being rck,k, I v, o, Whitehall. March 3, lo38. IVIy Loid,— Her Majesty's Government, thinking it right to effect every possible reduction iu the public expenditure which may be' found con- sistent with the tranquiiity of the country, and it appearing to them that to a cei'tain extent such 'tP, e duction may be effected in the Voltiiitc-r Cavalry c.f Gvtax Brit a: n, I have her Majesty s command-) to acquaint your lordsnip tJ1.at it has boon, resolved to reduce a portion of that force, and aanongst other corps it is intended to le- Loaesr- from t Itieir present, military engagements lAvo Flintshire Corps, now serving in the county of Flint.. Your lordship will therefore lose no tiniia in whplé1Ínt,ing the commandant and ofbcp-is of the said corps that no allowancr.:s "viil 1;0(' for their maintenance from ami aft* r t-ue 31". inelant. 1 am further commanded by her Majesty to desire that your lordship will assure, the Com- manding Officer, and request him to communi- Til, oato to the offieeis, non-commissioned ofheeis and privates of his coipe, that- her Majesty is deeply eens.ible of the zeal and loya'ty uniformly dit> played by them from the t.im of their first being called into action down to the pteaetit. moment on all occasions when their services have been required. And it is her Majesty s ploasuw*, as a mark of her Royal approbation, that the officers should letain the rank and honour belonging to their i<*ipeetive commis- iio-nlq. With lef-R.nee to the armt and aecoutre- nmts, which are the properly of the public, your lordnhip will give directions to the- lorn- Branding Officer of the above-mentioned corps to colieet them at the usual headquarter* of the corps, under the charge of the Adjutant or Sorgoa-nt-Major, who will receive dierctions from the Board of Ordnance as to tho manner in "which they will hcieafter be dispose<1 of.I have I tho honour to 1. my Lord, your Lordship s obfdiient servant. J. RUSSELL. To her Majesty's Lieu-tenant of tho County of Flint. The Commandant relieves himself at the un- grateful di*?bandmcnt of his corps in the follow- ing letter to Lord John Rutsecil Moteombe House. Shaftesbury, March 10, 1838. My dear Lord — 1 have just received from the Lord-Lieuterumi the order for disbanding the Flinshire Yeomanry Cavalry, which will be forth- with complied with; but. I much regret your decision, which appears to be both unwise and Ungrateful- ungrateful to thore who have been Put to considerable trouble and some little expense in raising and keeping together a body, Which is not, believe me, orgiar:i«sed and kept up without much exertion; and who naturally feel a pride and pleasure in the euecew of their unwise because you are anmhn- ktirig a constitutional force maintained at little Expense and at hand on any emergency. And its abolition is a very doubtful saving, even in the *»mall amount- which it* reached, for when it is again wanted much increased expense must be incurred. The real ueD of the Yeomanry, I admit.. is not generally obvioub in con^equenoe of the good it effects, being occasioned more by its passive existence than by ite active difiplny, an<l the benefit it thus produces is the more valuable inasmuch as prevention \n better than punish- ment. I know not what other corps you intend to disband, but a epirit of zeal in the Yeomanry Service has exieted very generally throughout the country, and has been increased of late years, which rendered that body capable of affording effective assistance in ca«e of need. I think the Flintshire Yeomanry Cavalry con- tributed to maintain the peace and quiet of a county—naturally well-dippo&NI, but thickly inhabited by miners and some maiwifacturere—- by discouraging the assembling of email bodies Who Boon multiply tliemeeJvf* and it thus anticipated disturbance. that might, be excited by designing men. We were formed in times of difficulty, which I may occur again, and (with much pams and trouble) we have efctabhsHied an efficient force as our returns and the reports of our Inspecting Offiecrn will show but added to the discourage- ment that has been received, it is not a force that, can hereafter be assembled and rendered available, even at the increased expense which must be incurred, within less spaoo of time than tt least one or two yearR I aend you the protest upon our abrupt dis- *n«*»:on, and remain, my dear Lord, very faith- fully, your obedient servant. GROSVENOR. To the Lord John Rusisell, Secretary of State for the Home Department. I have but one word further to add, that had there been any opportunity for those conversant with Yeomanry affairs to offer any observation I think I could have proved to demonstration tihat the larger regiments, had reduction been imperative, should have been by preference the subject of reduction, for I am of the opinion that no Yeomanry regiment ehould. in any case. consist of above six or eight troops, and it would have been more expedient to have left the smaller corps scattered over different parte of the country." The oa-ptain of the troape on receipt of the order for disband merit, collected the arm of the troops, and some 48 carbines, 221 pistols, 228 swords, 4 trumpets, and the sword belts and sword knots of the corps were returned to Board of Ordnance. The clothing and saddlery were given over to the men, but standards, holsters, fiouncee, pouches and helth, shoulder scales, manger ohainR, and pistol swivels, being of no great value to them, were returned to headquarters f°r the chance of future need. The standards of the regiment are still at Eaton Hall. The corps during the seven years it had been In exietcnoc had only cost the country E8,591, a-nd a balance of B702 in favour of the public paid into the Bank of England to the ac- Oo\m.t. of the Paymaster-General on July SO. 1838. All the four captains served the whole period the oorps., and the commissioned ranks were all filled up at the disbandment, and for some years there had been no vacancy in the corn- rn'»sion<xl ranks that was not filled, and not. only Were the ranku filled up, but there were few &bseritees from training. Thue ended the Flintshire Yeomanry, a ooin- little corps, which, from its regulations the care bestowed by its commandant, had a^i efficient military bod}7, and credit the county in which it served. During ite existence 384 members, including 18 ^tueere, passed through its ranks, a<= shewn by ei Muster Roll published in the Command- s Memoir of the Corps. In 1887 a Flintsh ire Troop was raised for the enbighshire Hussars Yeomainry at Kelster- n> and on the re-organi»>ation of the Force *901, troops were raieed at Mold, Rhyl and Possibly in the near future it ie ofTV Flinshire may revive a regiment of JPBrr*t*>riaI Horse to carry on the traditions regiment w-hoee story haa just been told. BENSON F. M. FREEMAN. eu f -The information for this history is from the Public Records, a Memoir of the Regiment (1831-18381, published by Lord Groevenor, and kindly lent- by Oa.pta.in Wynn Eyton, the ifles of the "Chester Oourant, and noios supplied by Cel. 0. S. Mainwartng. The history will form part- of Col. LI. E. S. Parry s "Hi^rory of the Denbighshire Hiussars.

THE HISTORY OF THE RACE- COURSE. ANCIENT AND L) 14" 11 N-. By OSBORNE ALD1S, Mi. To be unacquainted with wliat has lakt-n p.ace before* our own time- iK to be ahvaye as a ch;,d for what is human life, unless memory is able to compart:- the events of our own times with thoso of past ag("S '( If this remark is gc-nei.diy true as to life, it- is certainly mosi app.icabie to the history of horio-rac.ng, as a nat.onal rO n. The history of racing covers a span 0: tOol,lIt- less generations. It is probably co eval wi- '.I-t the history of mankind, and w-p-may ocriaiuij tru(, it as far back no 3,000 yeais. ago- The cf thci racs is as inherent, to the horse as the lovo of the hunt to the elopiKUit, and the same spirit of emulation shews itself in the various puri.uii» of mankind, political or professional. Much d" pcndS upon the natural diepevsition and the mode of tiaining. Sidney Smith tells the story that when the bakers son inform: his father that the letter "tt" in the word "crum-pet is "long and the "et" short, he has fonw hope that, his, son may yet bo a bishop at "forty and th.'ii; pcrehancc, win an archbishopric without mtiai (.Kfliculty. But this saving refers pun ;y to the raoo- of human life. For any knowledge we may possess as to racing In its earliest, days, we must look to j Ancient. Gi-eco-. The Greek Olympia i-iitist have offncd the noblest ;pc-ctacle in the world. The sight must Law: been very impressive. The en closed spot clios^n was situate- in the beaut i- ful plain of Elis, l>ouni>"<i by rocky heights en one side, and The river Aipheus, with its trsbu- tari-ess, on the other—in which scene we may in- elude the sacred and beautiful of Altis, in -\vhioh the masteipiecef? of s-ta-tuaiy w-cre tastefully ranged. Moreover, upon this ever memorable 6PO:; the godlike Hereuks had achieved his gnat victory—for here he h&« conquered Augeas. the King of Elis. an<l has himself couseciatetl the goal and instituted the sacred gamc« and raocs, whioh ever after par- took of a sacred character. The myriads who thionged to witness the groat ov;~iit.s would quo.e t.lK«90 odee of Pindar, tlie poet who had I riimclr- tai'.ised in song tiw daring deeds of many a young patrician. So closely was the leligio-us element lnterwoveit with tiiese sa-owd fci?tivai^, should the people enquire as to the cause of the anger of the gods in the event of pestilence or civil discord, it was the unhappy result of inat- tention and proper provision for the sacroci fost ivals. Tho eacred month was opened with grand ceremony. The Staie deputies, clad ;11 their lobes and borne, in State brought- oft>;ings to the shrine of the gods—honoured by the piosence of the Emperor-—the vmht&ry heroes and distinguished s of the day, at- t-rmded with their various suites. The full de- scription must be left to the imagination of the reader, for it would require the pen of a A\ alter Soott or Bulwer Lytton to complete- the. scene. Wc- mn.t lear in mind that the keenest inter- c. t Is ii tli.t, i-ctio of iii,, "or ttK> sons of the highest patricians are entered to take their part Soften at the risk of t.h-ir I. the dave of these Olympian festivals. The excaiJence and what they tormed virtii' of tho youth" was sworn to prove its prowess, if he looked, for popular appioval in after life, politi oal or otherwise. wcil-earned applause of the Olympia has ever been ir:c-nticne<i with his oratorical powers of after yeais, and has often savixl him fiom obloquy in the days of misfor- tune. Here we may notice th v great dift''ixn<^ belweeai the (Jreek and the Roman, for the latter, though not. without certain characteris- tics of courage, never at-tainod the (Jreek idea', the imitation of which U-eanu- almost UIJ- natural. chariot raoo dates from the 23rd Olympiad. Tlii? course, whioh measured t»uK- 1,200 feet long by 400 feot broad, was traversed twelve times. In the centre, towards the further end, times. In the. centre, towards the further end, was the pi-liar or goal, round which the cliariots had to turn. This was the dangerous point, which required all the presence of mind of the drivor, for a device of some sort was suddenly thrown out at this point before the hoises, where-by the eshariot. would be out of the run- ning, not without great risk of life and limb to I the charioteer. Some idea caji be formed of the intense excitement which prevailed whetn we picture to ourselves the result of an entry of forty chariots. Previous to the race the mast solemn oath liad bee ft enforced than, no sort of fraud or guilo would be attempted. The- I race over, the nanio of the successful candi- date, his name, his parentage and country were all duly proclaim.^ and entered in the sacred archives. Then from a table, made of ivory and gold, a branch of palm, which had been gleaned with a golden sickle fiom the kax-red grove, was placed in the hanJc; of the champion of tho day, and on his head was piaced an olive ciown, and lastly, preceded by a pro- an olive ciown, and lastly, preceded by a pro- oession of white-robod priests to the Temple of Zeus, his path was strewn with flowers, ..nd the costly gifts of his friends—the crowd meanwhile, amid shouts of applause, singing appropriate ve-rsca or odes in his lvonou-r. The victor was then duly canonised" in the Gieek Calendar, and poe*» would sing his which exorbitant sums wore often paid—and sculptors would carve his statue. If the army fshouid be his future choice, ho was already assured of a post of honour, and the State, by its most ancient, law, would award the sum, say. of 500 drachnice. The passion for horse-racing in ancient days at Athens attained its supreme height, and is well portrayed in the opening scene of "The Cloudte" by the comic poet. Aristoplnanes. For the easiest impressions of tho chariot race we fin-d the minutest, desoriptions in tiic, 23id bo>k of "The Iliad" of the raccts in honour of Patioaius the translations of which by the late Mr. Glad- stone and the Earl of Derby describe with grcvu, vividness this first and memorable account of the "chariot race." The soene is cnhancod' necessarily, by the supernatural interference of gods and goddess. The horso-raoe was first run at the 33rd Olympiad, and would more nearly represent, the One Thousand' Guineas or the Oaks. The race was called "The Calpe,' and was exclusively for manes. It would at one time have approached the "trot" rather than the "gallop," for it is curious that in this par- ticular race the rider eprain'g off "horseback" when, near the goal and ran in alongside the mare. At a later period the religious element aetiumed the character of a national (-port, but nevertheless in Germany the religious training of youths and a sound knowledge of racing went hand in hand, and were not in any way con- sidered incompatible. If we now turn our attention to "racing" in England, we must acknowledge that the naval disaster of the Spanish Armada firot brought about an improvement in the breed for the turf. Several Spaniah were thrown overboard and gained the ihore on the ccxi.fi,. of Galloway. Their great swiftness attracted attention. In the reign of Jamee 1. the lacecourse now became an "institution, and, although the ground at Newmarket had been in uee. Royalty laid the foundation of lt4s well-known reputa- tion. At the Lincoln races in the year 1607, the King acted as clerk of the couroe, and arranged a clear track, "raled and corded with ropes and hoopee," whereby the horeee that ronned were seen faire." Now for the first time ruc('¡,. were run at Croydon and Enfield. Nevertheief*. the King was doomed to disappointment with h.ii> favourite home, Markham's Arabian," fo>- which an untold eum had been paid. At the same time, the ownership of this splendid animal wa at once a source of great pride and at times of great disappointment to the unhappy monarch. It is possible to have such a poerse&yon. In one sense we are reminded of "The Seiaji Horse." The story is not without its nignifi- oanoo in this respect. Creiue Scius, a Roman citizen, became poesesised of a horse of singular beauty and gained each renown that it wati supposed to be sprung from thoee of Dioniedes, Kin°' of Thrace. Now, Seius wae> killed by Antony and the horse was purchased for a fabulous price by Cornelius Dolabella. He. in his turn, wae conquered by Caeeius, and great was his joy by the ownertdiip of the oelebrated steed. But, when Gassiua was defeated by Antony, he slew himself, and the horee, with an increased reputation came to itfi new pot^esisor. At length, Antony wa:i defeated by Augustus, and alto tJew himself. The possession of this— hitherto—unrivalled animal wa.s considered so tlisastrou.s to ite illustrious owners that the term became pi-o-verbial for misfortune or "ill-luck." With tlie introduction of Chrifcitianiiy we arc not surjiriwcd to find the absence of the religious eieiuent, but it must be a matter of deep regret t.har. in the separation, there should have been any condemnation of a national amuse- ment. For in the horse race, per e, there need no. necessarily exiiit, fccandals. Under the a.-eetic moclc of life, adojited by monkis in inotia-stericb, every attempt viatg made to repress races of any kind, and, indeed, the improvement of the breed of horses. In this erudescent state of mind, it is quite possib'e to see only evil in every popular amusement, and the elote resem- blance between the narrow rnindedness of the "monk" and the "puritan" is in this particular phafIG only too visible. The laity could not be expected to lead the same unnatural lives, despite the severe denunciations against racers of every kind. Not only were the owners of raceliotves "excommunicated." but even those who approved of them by their pretence were denied communion at the altar. Nevertheless many national customs of the Greeks, although shorn almost of all their pristine charm and beauty, have in some way survived with us or have re-appeared in another form. What can be said of any community which prohibited amongst its members harm- less jokes or words which elicited laughter? Hut we have the record of an ordinance of the 2nd Council of Carthage, "Si quis cleric-us aut monaehus vei-bli, joealara risum moventia serat. anathemat.a esto." If any clerk or monk shall use a jocular expression exciting laughter, let him be excommunicated." Nevertheless, na nal customs were to a ^"L' ck't' certain degree retained. Public holidays—the only days of freedom and enjoyment, for the ma« of people, were still closely linked with the public games of old at certain festival seasons. Tints, the Chester Race—the most ancient oil record in EngJand-was first run on Shrove Tuesday in the year 1512. The company of saddlers presented to the drapers a. wooden "ball" embellished with flowers and placed upon the point of a lance. This ceremony was per- formed by the Mayor at tho "Cross of the Rhoodce." but in the year 1540 the "ball" was changed into a silver "bell, to be given to t.he winner to grace withal the horse's neck. The choice of the open space of ground was partly due to its facilities as a raoe-course and partly from the religious connection attached to it. In 1609 the Sheriff of Chester gave three silver Ix-lie, of good value to be run on St. George's Day, the first JiorFo to have the "best" bell, and the money put in by the homes that ran, to be handed to the owner, that if, in modern phrase, a "sweepstake." The bells were returned, as is the custom wit,h challenge cups, at the expira- tion of the twelvemonth. In 1610 the silver bells, which were known as George's bells," gave place to "three cupps," and t.he race was known then as St. George's Race. In the year 1623. one "faire silver cupp" of the value of JE8 was substituted for three "etipps," when John Brereton, Mayor of Chester, altered the course and caused the horses to run five times round the Roodeo. the "bell" to be of the value of JB8 or £ 10 and to be a "free bell to be held for ever" by the winner, t.hat is to say. a presenta- tion and not a challenge prize. In the reign of Charles II. racing at New- market was well established. The King also held races in Hyde Park on a portion of the now fashionable Rotten Row, and gave a silver cup of t.he value of ICOgns. to be run for "instead of lielig", In 1648, the Royalists were wont to meet at Bans!cad, now "Epsom Downs," under pretence of a race, and Pepyo, in his quaint diary, laments his absence from the courtly com pan ie, witness- ing wonderful races of horses and men on foot. Charles 11. introduced the methods as to the course, weights and other conditions, which arc now for the first time noticeable. This King was the first monarch who entered and raji horses in his own name. The good Queen Anne also kept. her own horses and ran them in her own name. In the year 1703 the Co novation \oted four guineas a year, and in 1716 the Town Plate was run oil DoncaMer Moor. About a century later, in 1778, tho St. Leger was instituted. Tho sweepstakes originated with Colonel St. Leger. who resided at Park Hill, near Doncjuster, and the compli- ment was suggested by the Marquis of Rocking- ham, who presided at a dinner at the celebrated "Red Lion." Ilollandaiee was on that occasion the winner. The course is nearly a flat of kite shape, about 13 miles round, ami lias been run by a light weight in 3 minutes and 44 seconds. In 1780 the Derby Stakes were instituted by the Twelfth Earl of Derby, the best and most influential supporter the Turf in modern times could number; and the "Aecot is run on the confines of Windsor Park. close to the Kennels of the Roya I Buckhounds. Tlve.se were estab- lished by the Duke of Cumberland, and were attended by Royalt,v in state. The Go!d Cup was presented in 1807. and has since been regu- larly competed. From 1845 to 1853 it w.v called The Emperor's Cup," as the Emperor of R.ussia offered tho prize for those years. This was discontinued at the time of the Crimean War, when it was again called the Ascot Gold Cup and given from the race fund. The Queen's Vase was given in 1838, the Hunt Cup in 1843, and the long distance for five year old or the Alexandra Plate in 1865. The Oak". so named from the scat at Wood- manstone, in point of date, can claim precedence over the Derbv-the Indies' Plate taking place in 1779. On thirteen occasions the wiimer of the Derby Stakes has won the St. Leger. Amongst these may be mentioned "CliaiiiP-"Oll" in 1800, "Surplice" in 1848, "Flying Dutchman" in 1849, and "Yoltigcur" in 1850, "Blair Atho!" in 1864, "G]¿¡diatcur" in 1865, and "Ormonde" in 1886. Goodwood races were established by the Duke of Richmond in 1802, before which date they were run in Pet worth Park. This race-course, in point of scenery, is the most beautiful. The ra.üe6 take place at the close of the Ixmdon season in July. The Goodwood Gup was first given in 1812. During the Napoleon Wars horse racing naturally fell off, but greatly revived after the year 1815. In the years 1809 and 1814 respec- tively, the Two Thousand Guineas at New- market for three-year-old colts and fillies and One Thousand Guineas for fillies were instituted. the Goodwood Stakes in 1823. t.he Chester and Brighton Stakes in 1824, and the Liverpool Summer Cup in 1828. If fine weatlier had always dominated when the Emperor honoured the racecourse, the fol- lowing couplet, written now nearly 2,000 years ago, and which fir,t brought Virgil into fame and personal acquaintance with Augustus, would never have been written Nocte pluit tota. rcdeunt epectacula mane, Divisum imperium cum Jove Caesar habet." It rains all night, the games return with day. Osesar with Jove thus holds divided sway."

GRESFORD. COLONIAL BIS HOP'S V ISIT. Tb e preacher at the morning and evening services at the Parish Church, on Sunday, was the Right Rev. the Bishop of Nelson, New Zealand, who has recently been on a visit to Gresford.

A bazaar, of which Mrs. Cornwallis West is lady president, is to be held in the grounds of Ruthm Castle. It will beopened on June 11 by the Duchess of Westminster, and on the following day bv the Princess Alexis Dolgorouki. WHITSUNTIDE EXCURSIONS. The Great Western Railway have arranged a series of excursions for Bank Holiday, including cheap fares to London, West of England, Cornish Riviera, Weymouth, the Channel Islands, &c. Particu- lars are advertised in this issue. FATAL MOTOR-CAR ACCIDENT.—At Thames Ditton, on Monday, Dr. Michael II. Taylor, the Mid-Surrey coroner, held an inquiry with reference to the death of Major Arthur Percy Wainwright, R.E., aged 37, who was fatally injured in a motor-car accident in Esher- road, Hersham on the previous Monday. Mr. John Wainwright, residing at Llanrbos, Llanrhos- grange, near Llandudno, identified Major Wainwright as his son. It appeared from the evidence that the Major received his injuries in a collision between his motor-car and a pony and trap, driven by a general dealer named Gardiner. The jury returned a verdict of Acci- dental death," and exonerated Gardiner from all blame. They found that Major Wainwright and Gardiner were on their proper sides.

NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. « MORE AND LAST MIGRANTS. Si nee my last notes—published on the bth— I there have been unusual rushes of migratory birds, and true to their time, or even before it, the latest of our summer birds have appeared. Looking back on th migration period we see that it has been an extraordinary one a few birds early, then a long and unusual delay— species after species arriving days and even weeks later than lIEual-and then, with the bet- ter weather, a hurried rush which brought in the delayed birds and these which arc generally later ali at the same time. In t.he earlier days of May swallows, hotiloC marttng and sand martins were etill arriving in large numbers. Swifts were early. but the bulk of the birds did not arrive until the end of the first week, and cn or about the 16th there was a i second arrival of huge numbers; these long- C', winged seiearning birds were noticed in excep- tionally large crowds in North Wales, and at the cattle time I saw the. living like a swarm of bees above the waters of Budworth Mere. By the way. at the end of the swift's season last year one of my correspondents brought forward a new suggestion about the well-known rapid flight of this bird he thought that he could see that the wings v.c-ro not moved simultaneously, but that the bird paddled itself rapidly through the air, striking with the wings alternately. This idea was supported by a blind bird-lover. who, with marvellously acute hearing, sug- gested that the wing beats of the passing birds mounded double to him he admitted, however, that it was difficult for him to say how mam- birds were passing at the same time, and that he might easily be mistaken. Since the swifts returned I have taken every opportunity of ob- serving them carefully, and though I admit that the rapid wing-movements are not easy to follow, I am quite convinced that generally, at any rate, the wings are moved in exactly the same way a-) those of any other bird. Occa- sionally the swifts roll in flight, as they turn or even when altering their elevation, but even then J cannot see any alternate movement, and I can see the beat t.hc air simultaneously. The turtle dove, like the swift, put in an appearance earlier than usual, at the beginning of the month. It did not however beat its re- cord early arrival, for the bird had once been noticed in Chester before the end of April. The grasshopper warbler and spotted flycatcher, and finally the nightjar, appeared before their usual dates, and now the t'lle. of incoming migrants is complete and all our summer birds are here. THE NIGHTINGALE IN CHESHIRE. Among- the migrants came one unusual visi- tor, a nightingale. It was heArd by a relia-ble observer, one indeed who knows the nightin. gale's song very well, and who has spent years among nightingale^ in the south of England, where he has studied their rich notes from the musician's point. of view. It was, unfortunate- ly, only heard on one day. and though some of my friends and I journeyed to the wood where it had been heard on several occasions, we were not lucky enough to catch even a single note. My impression is that the bird was merely paee- ing, and that it moved to some other wood, per haps only a mile or two away, perhaps in another county. It is not likely that it ven- tured much further north than Cheshire, for, in the west of England, we are at. the extreme limit of the nightingale's range, but there is no reason why it should not be singing now elsewhere in Cheshire, or even in South Lanca- shire or North Wales. This is not by any niceng the. first time that this bird has visited Uti; there was, indeed, one last year within a mile or 00 of the actual spot where this one was heard, and there are quite a number of reliable records of nightingale*; in the neighbourhood of Eaton and Chester. I have once, and once only, listened to the bird myself in the county, and that was one which sang for some time in a wood near Romilev. A few days ago, in Herefordshire, I listened to upwards of a dozen nightingales one evening, and from one spot could hear three singing at the same moment; t,h c-y are as common there as sedge warblers are with us. The mention of sedge warblers reminds me that this species arrived a little before its rela- tive the reed warbler. One rather gloomy day I was walking alongside an extensive reed bed, and was not, at all certain that the reed warb- lena had arrived. In order to test the matter I threw a lump of earth into the reeds; the .answer was prompt, for half a dozen of these pretty little birds lifted up t.heir chattering voices at the same moment. One can usually excite either a sedge or reed warbler to song by throwing a etone into the water or something into the reeds or vegetation near them. The same applies to nightingales; anything thrown into the bushes will set the singers going, for the nightingale, though apparently seldom noticed by most people, is by no means a shy bird, and t'ings vigorously close to busy roads. It is, too, a common error to suppose that the nightingale only sings at night; the other day, though the birds sang later than most of the other evening songsters, I only heard one actu- ally singing after darkness had set in. THE RUNNING OF EELS. Ilere is another matter about which there is popular misapprehension; when do eels run? The whole question of the life history of the eels has been until recently a object, of great controversy the faeis known were that. adult eels left ponds, rivers and canals in autumn in large numbers and travelled towards the sea. They did not return, but in spring elvers or baby eee!e came up in even larger numbers and aecendod rivers, brooks, tiny trickling streams, and every waterway which led them to ponds or lake6 where they wished to find food and lodgings. Eel", were never known to spawn in fresh water; they were never known to spawn in the sea indeed the reproduction of the eel was a mystery. It was discovered, many years ago, that a curious looking little flattened fish, found in the sea, which had been thought to be a distinct species, w-at> really the larval eel. Still no one knew where this little creature had been hatched. Within the last two or threfl years, however, enormous advances have been made in the investigation of the life history of the eel by Scandinavians, and now we know that these strange fish spawn in the deep seas. The actual localities and depths have beeji found and our scientific brethren across the North Sea have taught us much that. we, for centuries, failed to find out. The particular point, at the present moment, is this. Reference to any standard work on fitihes will reveal to us the statement that the eeI.-I now refer to the adult eels—migrate in autumn. Very good, so they do; but do they never migrate at any other time? In one Scandinavian book I found it stated that the eels begin to run in May but that the complete migration does not take place until August or September. Now I cannot find a similar re- mark in any English book, yet a few days ago, after a heavy rain, I saw half a hundredweight of large eels, half a pound to a pound or more in weight., which had been taken in an eel trap, when they were running, at the exit of one of our Cheshire meres. There they were, and the fisherman told me that they uwially run through the summer after a flood, but that most go down in the autumn. A few days later I received news that the eJvers in vast shoals were asoending the Dane, so t-hat we have the two streams passing one another. I wonder if the big eels going down take toll on the little ones coming up. Many fish keenly chase and devour the young of their own species it is a curious law of nature, and one which does not sound very advantageous for the species. A big trout in a de-op hole in some stream is one of the worst foes the young trout liave; he much prefers his own kind to any tempting fly the angler may offer him. BIRDS AND FLOWERS IN NORTH WALES Tliis week I had occasion to pay a somewhat hurried visit to North Wales, but though hur- ried it was a pleasant one. The woodlajid road which runs along t.he Anglesey side of the Menai Straits. always beautiful, was looking its very best. The trees in their fresh greenery are as yet unsullied by dust, and the various shades of the different trees blend in wonder- ful harmony on t.he green slope one tsoee from the' steamer. Beneath these trees the bluebells were still thick, and here and there a clump of sweet-smelling woodruff lent a different en- chantment to the senses. Overhanging the walle was the lovely trailing toadflax, while oa.mpions, stitohworte, primroses, and many other flowers of spiting added their touches, and often patches, of oolour. Here the smart red- start -was perched on the wires, where he al- ways is at one particular spot, and the shiver- ing voioe of the woodwren, the sweet, music of the willow wren or the ceaseless throb of t-he chilfchaff shewed how many leaf warblers were present. The fa.r-off voioe of the cuckoo blended with the coo of the ringdoves, and the rattle of the chaffinch with the mellow pipe of the blackbird and the changeful music of the thrush. Below were the ringed plovers en the tiny shingle beaches, and out beyond, over the swinging tide, the hovering terns watched for their prey. A grey heron floated on broad wings along the trees and the black-headed gulLj beat ceaselessly to and fro. Towatds Penmen tii- blackthorn was pan its best, but the promise of the better blossoms shewed along the hawthorn hedges; indeed, here and there the buds had opened. But it was beyond Penmon that the floral display was finest; there acres and acres were yellow with primroiics, and peeping up between the now rapidly growing bracken were the he--do of many yet UI1{)11oeneJ hyacinths. Tiie wheat- oars flitted, shewing their white lower backs, across this rich botanic garden, the rabbits in dozens scudded before us; the black-headed stoneohat chinked as we approached, the cur- lews bubbled on the mud, and the wild-voiced herring gulls laughed their derision or screamed to one another over the sea. And away out towards Puffin Island were the puffins, guille- I I 4E- mots, i-azorb, g, herring gulls and kittiwakes in countless thousands, some on the ledges, some on the sea, and eome buzzing through the bird-filled air like a swarm of uneasy bees. There are many beautiful places in North Wales, but certain parts of southern Anglesey are hard to beat. T. A. C.

LIVERPOOL ART. + HISTORICAL EXHIBITION. (By our Art Critic.) 1 Tliis long-talkcd-of Exhibition hat at last been got together, and was opened by the Lord Mayor on Saturday. It was originally Mayor on Saturday. It was originally intended that it should have been held last I May, so as to coincide with tjic- "Pageant Exhibition of Liverpool Antiquities" held in I the cam, rooms, but it. wa." found the latter occupied all the available space, so the Art Exhibition was postponed for twelve months. This was disappointing at the time, but it has ) given the committee ample time to hunt up and bring together pictures by Liverpool artists since the beginning of the 18th century, when the first Local Art Society was formed, one year after the foundation of t.hc Royal Academy of Arts. The result has been astonishing. Over twelve hundred pictures- now hang on the walls of the Art Gallery, the work of artists either natives of. or internally connected with Liverpool. In arranging the Exhibition it was found im. possible to hang them in strict, chronological order or even to group the works of each artist, but, broadly speaking, the works of living artists are to be found in the first and ¡ seventh galleries, while the pictures by past artists are hung on the second, third, eighth and ninth galleries. It is soon found that the interest I centres in the past artists and among them, chiefly round that brilliant, group of men who flourished in the middle of the 19th century— W. L. Windue, William Davis, Win. Huggins, Alfred Hunt and R. Tonge. Room No. III. is beautifully hung. As you enter turn to the left, and it will at onoe strike you that the walls of the room form an exquisite picture of themselves, with No. 239, "A Brown Study," as just the fitting centre of the group. The subject of this picture is a gentle little donkey standing by a gate, lost in contempla- tion. This picture, and most of those surround- ing it, is the work of William Huggins, and they have been arranged with a taste and skill not often found in picture galleries. Among the past art;-to, W. L. Windus seems to stand out pre-eminently for fineness and depth of feeling and beauty of workmanship. "The Surgeon's Daughter, No. 293, "Portrait of a Ledy," No. 305. "The Outlaw." No. 303. are fine specimens of the delicacy of his brush. His moot important picture, "Too Late." evidently painted after he had come under the influence of the pre. Raphael ite sclioo), is a powerful work, but the subject is too painful and the pathos too deep. to make it a picture one would care to korp in the memory. Only one of his oil-paintings is wanting, viz., Burd Helen." which the owner declined to lend to the Exhibition. W. Davis makes an admirable second to Windus, if, indeed, he is second. If we had the choice of any one picture in the Exhibition, woe are not, sure but that the elioioe would fall 011 his No. 735, "Harrowing." A wide foreground of brown ploughed land, above it a horizontal belt of white rain-cloud, above which hanfes a belt of white rain-cioud, above which hangs a ooil beneath. In the white cloud a lark is ring- ing. and the boy who is driving his team across the field looks up at the lark with an alert and cheerful air, making altogether a picture of peace and quietness one would like to live with. No. 722, "Trespassers," and o. 286, "The Old Hedge," are two more examples of Davis's strong, true work and loving study of nature. No. 709, An Irish Evict-ion." by R. Tonge. is another wonderful landscape, and at once arrests the attention by the strength and harmony of its colouring. In t.he same room (No. VII.) are numerous specimens of the work of W. I. Bond, ail of them excellent. No. 707, "Carnarvon Castle," No. 720, "Easthan) Wood," No. 714, Antwerp." This last is a small oilpainting measuring 6 by 4 inches, but a perfect gem of colour and delicate workmanship. In- fjiiti room also is Wm. Daniels' great- Picture. No. 881. forming a strong oontrast to the delicate work just men- tioned, but which we believe had a great vogue in its day. Though we have dealt at some length with these artists dead and gone, we must not forget Liverpool's living artists who so worthily follow in their footsteps. To begin with. we have Sir Luke Fildes's great picture. The Doctor," No. 630. and his still more popular picture. "The Village Wedding," No. 77. the bright hues of which light. up the. whole room. Isaac Cooke, with his misty mountains and lonely tarns: George Cockram, with his lovely shores and glowing sunsets; A. E. Brockbank, whose "October," No. 417, quickly arrests atten- tion James T. Watts, with his wonderful beach woods and wide heathery moors; Thomas Huson, his Welsli valleys overflowing with sunlight; D. Woodlock with his old English cottages and brilliant cottage gardens; and last, but not least., Cuthbert Rigby, with two most ckvcrly painted snow scenes. Nos. 359 and 366; all these artists, and a score besides, ably carry forward the st.andard of Liverpool art. We can recall only one jarring note in the whole collection. No. 72. Imogen Approaching the Cave." A more unfortunate conception of the sweet and sensitive Imogen it is impossible to imagine. We owe a deep debt of gratitude to our Art Committee, and to their untiring curator. Mr. Dibdin. for the great care and labour it must have cost them to bring together this magrrifioent collection, which we are sure will place Liverpool on a pedestal never before attained by it in the art world.

FLINTSHIRE WATER DISPUTE.-In the Court of Appeal on Friday, before the Master of the Rolls and Lords Justices Buckley and Kennedy, judgment was given in the appeal of the Earl of Denbigh from an order of Mr. Justice Neville in an action brought against the Earl by John Prys Eyton, Trevor Eyton, and another for an injunction to restrain him from abstracting water from a stream in the parish of Whitford, Flint. The Earl asked the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgment of Mr. Justice Neville, to dis- solve the injunction granted by him, and to dis- miss the action with costs both here and in the court below. It appeared that the plaintiffs were the owners of lead mills and mill ponds in the parish of Whitford, and they claimed to be entitled to the free and uninterrupted enjoyment, without any interference by the Earl of Denbigh with the water supply to the lead works, mills, and mill ponds, along a goit or artificial water course leading thereto from Gwibnant stream, and with the water in the goit and the sluice forming the entrance to the goit from the Gwibnant stream, and an injunction restraining his lordship, his servants, agents, and workmen from interrupting the supply of water, or abstracting water from the goit or watercourse, or in any way interfering with the water supply of the goit or placing fish traps in the goit. Mr. Justice Neville having granted an injunction, the Earl of Denbigh now appealed. The Court of Appeal now, by a majority, allowed the appeal, ana dismissed the action with costs.

HELSBY. MYSTERY OF A PIT.—An inquest was Leid by the oaiooer (Mr. J. C. Bate) ;n the Parish Room, He18by, on Monday, afternoon, touching tho death of Samuel Sanders, 53 years of age, engine shed foreman, residing at Back Crosland- torracc, Heiisby, who was found drowned in a pond at Ai van ley on Saturday afternoon. Mrs. Sanders said her husband had been absent from work since January, owing to ill-hoalt-h and ae,lt:- deafness, owing to which the Great Cen- tral Railway Co. had considered him unfit to resume work. This liad caused him considerable nr*n;ai anxiety and depressaon, but latterly he had appeared in a more ctie.-rftil frame of mind. On Thursday afternoon lie stated his intention of taking his usual walk. She did not 900 hint alive again.—Mrs. Britland. of Commonside. AJ- vank y, stated that about four o'clock on Thurs- day aiternocwi she saw tTeeeasetl go into tiie fic <} a.nd appew, to be aimle.-»ly wandering about. Near by was tlx pond in whioh the body was found.-Ac,t'r g Sei-gt.. Emsley said be dis- covered the body lying face downwards in the pond.—The jury returned a verdict of "Founo drcwnc-d, there being no evidence to shew how (JacMused got into the water."—The foreman of tho jury (Mr. J. T. (Jollier; requested the coroner to convey to Mi's. Sanders and family the sj-mpathy of the jury in their sad bereave- ment,. PARISH CHURCH ENLARGEMENT—A fu.ther meeting was head in tio- National Schoolroom on Friday evening, when the Rev. E. W. Evans presided. It was decided, after some discussion to proceed with the eixlaige- ment if L700 out of the £ 1,200 required could be raised by subscriptions It was also nesoivea that a stalling fund be started, so that every parishioner mig'ht have an opportunity of sub- scribing. Several gentlemen present promised to subscribe certain amounts which brought the total aJroady promised up to about £500 The Vicar cordially thanked all preecrt for attending tiie meeting and particuAarlv tho* gentlemen who had promised their support. DEATH OF MR. S. BALL.-The funeral took place at tne parish church on StttiuxJay of Mr. S. Ball, who died on Thursday at his resi- dence, Hillsboro, Heisby. aftor a prolonged in ness, at the age of 58 years. The deceased, wilt had formerly been in business as a pawnbrokei at. St. Helens, had resided at Helsby for about 12 years, and was highly respected in tie neigh- bourhood. He was for six yeans an active mcrn- ber of the Parish Council, in connection with which he performed useful work. He was a mgular worshipper at. the parish chillch. The servioe was impressively rendered by the Vicar. Among those attending the funeral were mem- b?rs of the Parish Council. There was a large number of floral tributes. He leav-ee a widow to mourn his loss.-At a meeting of the Par- ochial ( >mimittee; OIl Friday, the Chairman (Mr. CoU ien moved a vote of ooodolenoe with Mrs. Ball, and it was carried

LIGHTING-UP TABLE. 4 All cycles and other vehicles III the Chea district must be lighted up as stated in the following table:- P. hi. Wednesday, May 27 9,20 Thursday, May 28 9.1-2 Friday, May 29 9.23 Saturday, May 30 9.24 Sunday, May 31 <).25 Monday. June 1 9.27 Tuesday, J one. 2 9.29

DISTRICT NURSING ASSOCIATION 9, Watib TOWXB STBMT. WEEKLY REPORT. Old cases 59 Removed 1 New cases 13 Deaths 2 Cured 13 On books 53 Relieved 3 Visits 332 Ji. iiAiiibUiM. Lady Super in ten dent. May 23, 1908.

OHESTfiR INFIRMARY. 4 WEEKLY STATE, ENDED SATUBDAY LAST. In-pationtsare admitted on Tuesday Morning at Eleven o'clock. In-patients Discharged. In-patients. Cured 17 j Admitted 22 Relieved 3 j Remain in the HouselOO Unrelieved 0 Irregularity 0 Dead 1 OOT-PATIKNTS. Medical Caseg are seen on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings at 11 o'clock. Surgical Cases are seen on Tuesday mornings at Eleven o'clock. Ophthalmic Cases are seen on Friday mornings ad Eleven o'clock. Dental Cases are seen on Tuesday and Saturday mornings at Ten o'clock. J Out-patients admitted during the week. 101

BIRTHS, MARRIAGES & DEATHS. 4 BIRTHS, MARRIAGES and DEATHS are charged at the rate of 20 words for le. (prepaid). If not prepaid tile charge will be 2s. 6d. The announcednant must be authenticated by the Signature and Addiees of the Sender. BIRTHS. FLETCHER-On the 20th May, at Farndene," Devon- shire Park, Birkenhead, to Mr. and Mrs. John Fletcher (née Rose Salmon, Farndon), a eon. LLOYD—On the 6th May, 1908. at 25, Eaton-road. OHester, the wife of Edward Lloyd, of a son. DEATHS. CHAMBERS—On the lst May, at the Black Lion Hotel, Llanfair, Talhaiarn, near Abergele, Predenck, the deariy-beloved husband of Emma Chambers, late of Liverpool, aged 78 years. DA nES-On the 19th May, aL tbeGrosvenor Arms Hotel, Pulford, Maria, the dearly-beloved wife of Joseph E. Davies, aged 56 years. GREEN-On the 16th May, at the Postoffice, Saltney, Barbara, the beloved wife of the late Joseph Green, aged 78 years. WADlWRIGHT-On the 2 th May, at Thames Ditton, Surrey, the result of a motor accident, Major Arthur Percy Wainwright, R.E., youngest son of John Wain- wright, J. P., of Llanrhos Grange, near Llandudno, and Manchester. WILD-On the 22nd May, at Park-road, West Kirby, John B., youngest son of the late George Wild, of Stockport. WOODY ATT—On the 21st May, at St. John's Vicarage, Over, Cheshire, Rosa Charlotte, the beloved wife of the Rev. Edward Woodyatt, and daughter of the late Captain Berniart Yeoinan, R.N., aged 77 years.

E MO R I Å L S MARBLE, GRANITE, STONE & ALABASTER. CHURCH BRASSES ESTABLISHED 1774. W. HASWELL & SON. KALEYARDS, CHESTER. Estimates a;&.d Designs free en apoli^xiioi. TELEFHONK NO. 161 A.

DENBIGHSHIRE LADY'S DE A TH. -Ne hi- I e>-ii received at Gerwyn Hall, Wrexham th:,t N-irs. Bertie Piercy, wife of Major B. Hf Piet cy, late 12th Lancers, has died suddenly at Hums while en route for Cam fred a, Sardinia, v here the Piercy family have a large estate. The deceased lady, who left Gerwyn Hall only a few days ago in the best of health, was thirty-three years of age. Her sudden death has created a most painful feeling in the Wrexham district. Mrs. Piercy, who was a daughter of the late Mr James Sawrey-Cookson and of Mrs. Sawrev- Oookson, of Broughton Lower, Lancashire, from heart failure, following gastric fever.