Abergavenny Chronicle

ALLEGED BABY FARM. I MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE AGAINST LEYTONSTONE COUPLE. An extraordinary story was told at Strat- ford when Henry Melville Hatchard (52), a clerk, and his wife, Beatrice Hatchard (-47;, :werc remanded on a. charge of being con- cerned together in the manslaughter of a female child named Perry (Christian name unknown), aged about :3 months, by wil- fully withholding food from it." It is alleged that the Hatchards had car. ried on baby farming on' an extensive scale in a house at Carlton-road, Levtonstone. When the police and an inspector of the S. P.C. C. inspected the premises they found that altogether 19 persons lived there, including 17 children. Detective-inspector Pride described the visit to the house. It contained six rooms, he said, and all of them were terribly filthy." He saw the man and woman at the police station, and told them of the charge, add- ing that he was given to understand they had ten nurse children at the house in Carl- ton-road. He then cautioned them, and Mrs. Hatchard said: My husband does not knew anything about it. It is nothing to do with him. I got the children on my own." Hatchard said: I did not know they were there. I have spoken to her several times and told her to stop it, but she wouldn't, and it was no use speaking to her."

HIGHER ARMY PAY. I Regarding the increase cf pay for all Army ranks, it is reported that under the new scale the bonus system will he dropped, but the pay increased to more than compen- sate. The scale to be submitted to the Treasury for approval is expected to he:— Per annum: second. lieutenant, lieutenant, £ 440; captain, £ 640; major, £8GD; lieutenant-colonel, £1,000. Per day: private (according to proficiency) 2s. 9d. to 4s. ser-eant, 8s. 6d.; regimental eergeant-major, 14s.

TRAGEDY AT SCHOOL OUTING. I A motor van, driven by a builder named Harbrow, of New Eltham, passed a party of children resting on a green at such a speed that when Gladys Evelyn Fielder ran into the road it ran over and killed her. At the inquest, held afejjyVoolwich, it was stated that the girl was one of a party ,of children out for a Sunday-school treat.

THE COAL CRISIS. Unfortunately there is no sign of progress in the coal dispute in Yorkshire. Meetings held to explain the action of the men's leaders in recent negotiations, states Mr. Herbert Smith, the miners' president, have all been well attended and all have passed resolutions again supporting the coun- cil's decision not to accept the Government's formula, on the Sankev piecework prices.

t NO PEACE ODE. There was quite a humorous interlude in the House of Commons when Mr. Bottomley asked whether the Poet Laureate (Dr. Robert Bridges) had up to the present written any Peace Ode, or ;y other poem commemorative of Britain's part in the war. Mr. Bonar Law, who had to reply to this delicate question, said that, so far as he knew, the answer was in the negative. Mr. Bottomley further asked whether Mr. Bonar Law was aware that part of the re- muneration of the Poet Laureate consisted in a certain cash payment in lieu of a sup- ply of canary '.vine; and had the Govern- ment considered the desirability of paying th^t part of the salary in kind on the off- chance of his getting inspiration. (Laugh- ter.) Mr. Bonar Law replied that before adopt- ing the suggestion he wou.d have to ask the Chancellor hich would cost the country tho most. (Laughter.)

THAMES DROWNING FATALITY. A boatload of men from the Norwegian steamer )Lena capsized in the Thames, off Northfleet, all the occupants bein" u thrown into the water. Five of them were drowned. Two of the victims, Samuel Ramsev, a labourer, and Maurice Mayes, belonged to Northfleet, and the other three were mem- bers of the crew.

The Lzw Courts- are on holiday till Octo- ber 13. Who talks of law's delays? Grimstv herring fishing, suspended dur- ing the war, has waited again. Xewport (Mon.) Education Committee re- fuses to reinstate "conchy" teachers. Mr. Cecil Harmsworth sfakd in the Com- mons that the system of the vise ot pur- ports had been simplified.

THE PRINCES ON 'CHANGE. I The Prince of Wales and Prince Arthur fca-d a right royal welcome when they visited the Stock Exchange. Bartholomew-lane was crowded from mid- day, whilst Cabel-court was eo full that when the Princes arrived they had to push their way through. Inside the hall, which was specially deco- rated for the occasion, the members greeted the Royal arrivals with great bursts of cheering. The whole assembly joined in singing thei National Anthem, which was taken up by the crowd outside. Cheers were then given for the King. after which the members sang "God Bless the Prince of Wales." At the canclusion of the speeches, every- body joined in singing "For they are jollv good fellows." The visitors lunched with the Committee of the Exchange.

NEW BREAD AGAIN. I The Food Controller has revoked certain clauses of the Bread Order (1918). which will enable the sale of new bread to be resumed. and removes the restriction on the shape of loav-es and the use of certa in ingredients such as fruit, eggs, fat and sugar. The sale of bread otherwise than by weight is still forbidden, and the weight of the loaf must be lib. or an even number of pounds, and that of the- roll not more than 2oz. The regulations requiring the keeping of records by manufacturers of bread also remain in force. The Jam and Syrup (Registration of Dealers) Order, 1918, has also been revoked. Any person may now sell jam or syrup by retail without obtaining a certificate of registration. The maximum retail prices for jam or syrup must still be observed.

THE HOUSING PROBLEM.. I I Reeeiving three deputations at Bucking- ham Palace—from the L.C.C., Presbyterian ministers, and Protestant Dissenting minis- ters-the King said to the L.C.C. deputa- tion :— earnest desire is that nothing will be left undone to meet the housing needs of the moment. "Great are the needs and great the oppor- tunity. I am convinced also that nothing is more essential to national prosperity and happiness than education. "A true education would embrace the physical, mental, and spiritual potentialities of the ration, and would transform our national life in a generation. I appeal to I you, and through you to all education authorities, to keep this great ideal con- tinually in view."

I INDIGNANT WOMAN DOCTOR. I For assaulting a man lodging in the same house. Dr. M. Harcourt, a woman, of Haverstock-hill, N., was at Marylebone fined e2 aiid £ 2 2s. costs. Dr. Harcourt was assisted out of court protesting that it was "an outrage."

I DOG BITES ITS "SHADOWER." A constable at Windlesham, Surrey, see. ing an Irish terrier without a muzzfe; fol- !oi'eù the animal to the home of its owner. The dog on reaching the front gate, turned round and bit the policeman on the teg Mr. Edward Burnell, the owner, expressed regret, but at the local police-court was tinee] 19s. 6d. for allowing the dog to Le at large without a muzzle.

An escalator will do the work of four lit't«, says Mr. Pick, commercial manager, of the London Electric rail ways. Thomas Foster, sentenced to death for the minder of his wife at Bethmil Green en June 11, ha-s been executed at I'entonvillc.

I PRINCE LEAVES FOR CANADA. The Prince of Wales commenced his tour to Canada, when he left British shores on Tuesday on H.M.S. Renown. This cruiser is the latest thing in war- ships of her class, and it has meant plenty of work on board to fit her up suitably for the voyage. Enamelled light grey, she looks like a huge ship of silver when the sun shines on her, and on board, where the Prince's suite will be accommodated, the arrangements resemble those of a com- modious Atlantic liner. A large dining- • room, stretching the width of the vecl, will seat 30. and by its side is a day cabin of similar size. On the superstructure a spacious prom e- n;1de has been arranged, and the steel decks will be covered with coconut matting.

OUR MISSING SOLDIERS. The military mission in Berlin have re- ported that there are very few cases of men who were prisoners in Germany and whose names were not known to the War Office. ^o such men have been found alive. In order that no stone may he left un- turned, a complete list of the missing is now being sent to Berlin for comparison with the German records, but it is feared that thi6 will lead to very little, if any, result. As to Austria, Bulgaria, and Turkey, it is feared there is no possibility of there being any untraced prisoners still alive.

I A QUARTER OF A MILLION SWINDLE. A well-known bank at Gothenburg has been swindled out of about four million crowns ( £ 250,000), says a Renter message. A Swedish woman is alleged to have ob- tained the money by means of false cheques drawn on another bank. The, bank states that the loss will not in any way affect its oosition.

I LIVE BOMB AS PLAYTHING. George Briscoe, a Liverpool boy, was killed by the explosion of a bomb which he had found in the Tournament Hall. The jury recommended at the inquest that such explosives should be kept under lock and key.

f DEATH OF A LADY M.F.H. The death is announced at Thorpe Hall, Tamworth, of Miss Margaret Ethel Inge, aged 26, who, with her mother, was joint "Master" of the Atherstone Hunt.

For robbing churches Bernard Wilson, 26, described as an actor, was at Rochester Sessions sentenced to three years' penal ser- vitude. He had committed robberies all over England. Proposed new minimum wage scales for the corset industry are SId. an hour for women over 17 and Is. lid. for men over 21; pieoe-work basis time rates, 9d. an iiour for women and Is. 3td. for men.

I MAD STRIKING. I I POLICE VIOLATE THE OATH RASH ACT LEADS TO BLOODSHED. ORGY OF RIOTING AND, LOOTING AT I LIVERPOOL. The great wave of industrial unrest which is sweeping o'er the' country b causing the greatest loss, misery, and suffering. Following the police strike, which opened last week-end, the country suffered by great disturbances in Liverpool and Birkenhead, where rioting and looting of a most dis- graceful character took place. On Monday a "snap" strike of firemen and enginemen at Nine Elms on the London and South- western Railway Company, created the greatest inconvenience, the Lakers still seem to be intractable (t,hough this labour difli- culty will not, it is thought, prove very serious, especially in London), and the miners of Yorkshire continue to listen to their truculent leaders, instead of to com- mon sense. 1- ,s e n s e I I THE START. I In regard to the police strike a mass meet- ing had been held at Stepney Central Hall. The proceedings were private, but a state- ment was afterwards made by tho chairman of the Police Union, Mr. James Marston, to the effect that the Police and Prison Officers' Union had declared for a with- drawal of service. It would, he said, become a national movement in a very short time unless the Government listened to their repeated re- quest for consideration. I "UNJUST LEGISLATION." I They were determined that the Police Bin as far as it affected the Police Federation could not be accepted by any member cf the service belonging to the union, and they demanded the withdrawal of such unjust legislation without further delay. The union maintain that the Government are endeavouring seriously to harass the trade union movement, and they protest against the attacks which they allege are being made on the Police and Prison Officers' Union. Especially do they object to the Govern- ment scheme of representation for the whole of the police forces of the country, whereby it is stated every policeman will be called on to withdraw from his union with the alter- native of dismissal from the service. I MINIMUM 70s. PER WEEK. I It is to be remembered that on May 30 ) Sir Nevil Macready, the Chief Commis- sioner, issued an order in which it was stated that: "It is to be distinctly understood by all ranks that any officer or man, of whatever rank, who fails to report in the ordinary course of duty or when called upon will be forthwith dismissed from the Force. "The Commissioner will be unable to accept excuses that men are unable to parade or carry on their work owing to intimidation. "Officers and men will, if necessary, de- fend themselves by all means if interfered with in the execution of their duty." The police minimum of pay for the Metro- politan Police is S3 10s. a week. I "IT IS FINISHED." I I The number of police who proved untrue I to their trust was comparatively small, and on Saturday Sir Nevil Macready, the Chief Commissioner, issued a manifesto in which he said, speaking of the strike. "I think it is finished." Happily this rash act cf a cer- tain section of the police force has numeri- cally ended in a fiasco. Later, in an inter- view, he observed that: "Everything is quite satisfactory; there is peace in all the districts, and all the loyal men are pleased. "For good reasons I have decided to recall all men who are on leave. This will give me several hundred additional men, and is only fair to their comrades who are on duty. NO RE-INSTATEMENT. "There may be some extremists, who for the moment are lying low under the plea of leave, and it w-ill be better now that all men shall have an opportunity to declare themselves. We must know where we stand. When these extremists return J shall be quite prepared to learn that a good many will refuse duty, so the strike figures will probably go up a bit. It doesn't matter. "Twelve of the strikers have written to me asking to be reinstated. In no case will a man who has refused duty be reinstated, and that is the end cf the matter." AT LIVERPOOL. Meanwhile things had gone very badly at Liverpool, where looting and rioting of a most disgraceful character was indulged in. Battleships were ordered to proceed to the Mersey, and troops with bayonets fixed, together with tanks, took up' positions in the streets. Needless to say the rioting and .looting by the hooligans, as a result of the police strike, soon led to bloodshed. A man named Thomas Howlett, of 31, Skirven- street, has died in hospital from a gunshot wound in the thigh. This occurred in an attack made on a bottling stores in Love- lane, and the wild scenes that followed led to troops being rushed up by motor. Two lorries were filled with prisoners, but as they drove aw-ay the mob menaced the soldiers in charge. A cordon of troops drawn across the street fired five volleys over the heads of the crowd. One man tried to rescue some of the prisoners, and was only prevented by a thrust from a soldier's bayonet. As the motor lorries drew away two shots rang out, and Howlett, who was in the crowd, dropped to the ground. A DRUNKEN ORGY. Intoxicating liquor was also obtaiufid by the mob from another bottling stores,"and a drunken orgy followed. One man got away with two oases of beer on a handcart. On the arrival of the troops there was a fight, and many arrests were made. Hundreds of prisoners were being taken to the police stations, and the entrances to the Central Bridewell were protected by two cor- dons of armed troops. The damage and loss, so far as can be ascertained, amounts to nearly a quarter of a million pounds sterling. The Riot Act was read many times, and further trouble was threatened by a general strike of all indus- trial workers. THE R AILW AY MEN. The "snap strike at Nine Elms, on the London and South Western Railway, was of a lightning character, and is generally dis- owned not only by the men's union, the Associated Society of Locomotive Enginemen and Firemen, but by most workers. The strike, which was called in sympathy with the discredited Police Union, was des- cribed by one railwayman as "the maddest on record." The chief sufferers were those London workers who had but the one day's holiday (Monday) and with their families went to Waterloo Station with tho object of spending a happy day in the country or on the river. Unhappily, the children's hopes of an open- air pleasure with "diddy" ended in tears.

I THE JUDGE KNEW. I A West-End fashionable milliner stated I inithe City of London Court that she marked hats" 39s. lld. and this was scratched out and "27s. lid." substituted. "This is usual at sales," she added frankly. Sir John Paget, K.C. (deputy judge): J have noticed that. < —————

Awards to policemen injured in Sinn Fein riots made at Cork Assizes were:—Head Constable Clarke, £ 2,500; Constable Hayes, £ 385; and Head Constable Brown, « £ 150. The 1921$how of the Royal Agricultural Society will be held at Derby. Telegrams from Belgrade, via Paris, re- port that the Serbian Cabinet has resigned. "The only time I am safe from niy wife's nagging is when I am fcjje worse for drink," said a man summoned at King's Lynn for attacking his wife. Sir Henry Drayton will be the new Canadian Finance Minister. He is leaving the chairmanship of the Board of Railway Commissioners, on which he has served with distinction for many years.

INDIANS IN LONDON. PICTURESQUE PROCESSION IN BRILLIANT WEATHER. KING-EMPEROR'S WELCOME On Saturday those of the Indian troops who were unable to get to England in time for the Victory procession on Peace Day marched through London and were in- spected by the King-Emperor in the grounds of Buckingham p Palace. The contingent of 1,800, preceded by a British detachment, was commanded by Brig.-General E. W. Costello, V.C., aIfld in the group of generals were General Sir F. Campbell, Licut.-General Sir H. B. Cox, Lieut.-General Sir R. G. Egerton, Lieut.- General Sir C. W. Jacob, => and two Rut heroes, Major-Generals Sir C. Mellis, V.C., and Sir Walter Delamain. The procession left Waterloo at 1.45 p.m., reaching the Palace at 2.30 p.m., via York- road, Westminster Bridge-road, Westminster Bridge, Whitehall, Admiralty Arch, and the Mall. After inspection and tea the troops re- turned, by the Grosvenor-gardens gate, to Waterloo, where they entrained for Hamp- ton Ccurt.

HUMOURS OF LUTON RIOTS. Many people have been committed fcr trial on char,ges arising out of the recent disturbances at Luton, and some fined. One man was stated to have made a col. lection among the crowd for "soldiers' children. Inspector Hunt, who was invited to take the money out of the hat. said the man gave a few coppers away, and put the rest in his pocket. Another man, fined .£5 and costs for steal- ing boots, told the police he took two boots, but found they were odd ones. He went back and changed them.

POLICE SERGEANT SHOT. While returning to his home in Mill. mount-avenue, Drumcondra, Dublin, Detec- tive-sergeant Patrick Smith, of the Dublin Metropolitan Police, was seriously wounded. A number of men fired after him with re- volvers, wounding him in five places. Three wounds are in the hip and thigh, and two are in the back. The sergeant was taken- to the Mater Hospital, where his condition is described i"S very serious. No arrests have .N o arrests hkvo yet been made.

MEDALS FOR MERCHANT SEAMEN The British War Medal for the Forces, announces the Board cf Trade, will also be granted to officers and men of the British, Dominion, Colonial, and Indian Mercantile Marine. In the United Kingdom those who served at sea for not less than six months durinc the war will be entitled to the medal. Those who, in addition, served on at least one t'oyage through a "danger zone" will receive the Mercantile Marine War Medal.

"Getting a passport is rather like under- going an operation," said Sir John Rees when the Government were pressed to simplify the passport procedure. The clearing offices for the settlement, of business debts between this country and .til;l i h e, d as early -? s Germany are to be established as early as possible, said Sir Auckland Geddes.

I KENSINGTON'S SORRY PLIGHT. I Fashionable Kensington has had to wrestle with its own phase of the strike epidemic, GOO borough employees having been on strike. The gutters of well-paved streets, for- merly spick and span, are now clogged with refuse. For a week past no men have calied to empty the dustbins. The council has agreed to the demand for a 47-hour week, and an extra week's holiday with full pay, but refuse a further claim of back pay, and warn the strikers that if they do not return by -August 6 they will lose their jobs and superannuation allowances.

I SQUINTING. I Why do girls squint more than boys? In his county medical report, Dr. Hamer points out that the higher percentage of girls with defective vision as compared with boys remains most marked. It had been found that squint was twice as common in girls as in boys, and was more common older children.

I NO WOMEN, NO FLOWERS. 1 "I do not wish any women to be present at my funeral and no flowers," is a state- ment in the will of Eva Countess of Har- rington who has left estate valued at £ 36,860!

Telegrams for places in occupied (jermany must be written in English, French, or Italian, and those for Bulgaria, Rumania, and Turkey must until further notice be in English or French. The King and Queen of Belgium are ex- pected to arrive at Washington late in er) tember or early in October. While in inet.n they will be the guests of President and Mrs. Wilson at White House.

FOCtI A FREEMAN;' FAMOUS GENERALISSIMO MADE A FIELD-MARSHAL. SWORD OF HONOUR. When Marshal Foch came to London to receive the Freedom of the City he also visited Buckingham Palace, where the King conferred upon him the honorary jank of Field-Marshal in the British Army, and handed him a baton.. At the Guildhall, where the famous sol- dier also received a sword of honour, the Marshal said that "the British Army would have gone through to the Rhine if the Armistice had not been signed." During his drive through the streets to meet the Lord Mayor, Marshal Foch received quite an ovation, and, when rising to make his speech, the enthusiasm knew no bounds. The organisation and mechanism of the British Armies was simply superb, and it was truly surprising the way in which t1e I workers of Britain had worked for the sup- ply of shells for the fighting men, said Marshal Foch. Continuing, he said:— Long before the war I was able to appre- ciate the trend of ideas animating the British Army through my relations with Lord Roberts, the far-seeing and ever-wake- ful patriot, with Lord French, the gallant and tenacious soldier of Ypres, with Sir Douglas Haig, and with Sir Henry Wilson. Moreover, if since March 26, 1918, I was able to act with complete confidence and without reserve in our common cause, it was because I was fully aware of the moral value and the tee ?.i..I training of the British Army and also of the splendid effort made by Great Britain to maintain the strength of her military forces. What could I not say about the devotion of women of all ages? Dealing with later day events, Marshal Foch referred to the telegram he sent to Sir Douglas Haig on November 9, 1918. This read:- The disorganised enemy, owing to cur repeated attacks, is giving way along the whole front. It is essential to maintain and accelerate our operations. I call on the energy and the initiative of the Com- manders-in-Chief and their armies in order to render decisive the results obtained. My collaborators, added the Marshal, too, are called Rawlinson, Byng, Horne, Bird- wood, Plumer, Lawrence, and many others. Let me pay a tribute to these chiefs and to their indefatigable troops, whether the British, Canadian, Australian, or from New Zealand. THE GLORIOUS DEAD. In conclusion, Marshal Foch -aid: Above all, let us salute the glorious dead who sleep in the earth of France. Faithfully, piously, jealously, we shall guard them and keep their memory alive, because to us they are a testimony and a pledge. They fell in a foreign land-a distant one for many of them—and they affirmed that the people beyond the seas came to fight side by side with men of the Con- tinent, and to join in the defence of liberty and civilisation. If our sons in the generations to come should ever forget this the dead will rise to recall to them this common duty. Marshal Foch said that the British troops fought with a dash and bravery that could never be surpassed. They never stopped smashing the Ger- man war machine, and would have gone through to the Meuse or the Rhine if the armistice had not brought them into a halt. (Loud cheers.) Leaving the Guildhall, Foch turned to the Lord Mayor, his face wreathed in smiles. "Mon Dieii, c'est magnifique" (" Heavens, this is magnificent !") he said. A luncheon wa3 given at the Mansion House in honour of Foch and his staff at the conclusion of the Guildhall ceremony.

RAILYVAY CLERKS. At a mass meeting of Great Northern railway clerks, held at King's Cross, a reso- lution was carried expressing very strong dissatisfaction at the protracted nature of the negotiations upon the national pro- gram of the Railway Clerks' Association, which was submitted to the Railway Execu- tive Committee in January last, and par- ticularly at the absence of any tangible re- sult for the clerks. The resolution also called upon the execu- tive committee qf the association to conveno a special conference immediately to deal with the situation, and to take drastic action if necessary.

S700 ARMY DRAFTS THEFT. After a four days' trial at the Old Bailey, Cecil Hall, 35, accountant, was found guilty of stealing from the Army Pay Office at Dover 50 demobilisation drafts, value £ 700, and he was sentenced to 22 months' hard labour. He was also ordered to pay £ 100 towards the cost of the trial. Several con- victions against Hall in London and the pro^incas- were proved. Mr. H. F. Dickens, the Common Sergeant, said Hall had aggravated his offence by committing the most deliberate perjury.

IMPUDENT TAXI DRIVER. When a Hammersmith taxi driver, who refused to drive a lady from Maida Vale to Brondesbury was fined £2 with > £ 1 costs at Marylebone, the magistrate remarked that he wished more people would take proceed- ings in such cases. "It was a clear case of impudent refusal to take a fare," he said. The lady said that when she asked the driver-Ernest Gibbons, of Paddenswick- road, Hammersmith—to take her he replied, I h ,? -k l znost i,,nille- "It isn't good enough." Almost imme- diately, however, he drove off with another fare.

LIGHT WHICH CAN BE HEARD. A number of interesting and important demonstrations were given at the British Scientific Products Exhibition, Central Hall, Westmit' -.r. Dr. F.)arnier d' Albe demonstrated audible light. which is a development of ttio principle of the optophone, an instrument for enabling blind people to read ordinary print. Major H. W. Buddicom exhibited 1, a selenium apparatus which automatically controls the course of a vessel.

ONE MINUTE'S NOTICE. When a young hairdresser sued his master for wages at Westminster County Court he said he was asked to sign a document de- claring "I hereby agree to be discharged at a minute's notice." The Judge: Of course you refused? Plaintiff: Yes. The employer said-it was common for such notices to be signed in West End hair- i'dre:sefs' shops. The plaintiff was awarded 3A.

OLD FATHER THAMES. GREAT WAR SERVICE PAGEANT. TRIBUTE TO THE MERCANTILE MARINE. A fine tribute was paid to the war service of the mercantile marine when enormous crowds witnessed the King in his ancient barge of white and scarlet and gold lead the Thames Peace Procession. This was officially described as a Sea Ser- vices Commemoration, and its purpose was to bring back to the mind the gallant and vital work done for us by our sailors in the war. It was not confined to the Royal Navy, but rather brought it into more intimate touch with the men of the Mercantile Marine who were so closely associated with them in the fighting-the men who manned the drifters, the mine-sweepers, and the motor-launches, the" pilots and the lifeboat-men, the firemen and the engineers, the fishermen, the wire- flelss telegraphists, the W rens," and the Deep Sea missioners. I THE WATER PAGEANT. The procession was from Custom House Quay to Cadogan Pier, Chelsea, and the King and the Queen, accompanied by the Prince of Wales, Prince Albert, Prince Henry, Princess Mary, Queen Alexandra, Princess Victoria and the Duke of Con- naught, arrived at the departure landing- stage, immediately embarking on the his- toric State barge. The crew consisted of eight watermen, wearing short pleated coats of Royal crim- son, knee breeches, and black jockey caps, the stroke being the famous oarsman, Ernest Barry. Following the Royal barge was the Ad- miralty steam pinnace containing Admiral Beatty and Admiral Wemyss, who received a great ovation. The Lord Mayor, as Ad- miral of the Port of London, was accom- panied in his barge by the officials of the City Corporation. lAe Royal Naval Unit, consisting of twelve cutters, made a fine show, and the men who rowed them in perfect time were loudly cheered. The mercantile trade unions, the fisher- men, W.R.N.S., Sea Scouts and naval cadets were all represented, and received a share of the spectators' applause. The seventy lifeboats flying the colours of the British steamship companies were given a picturesque touch of colour by the Lascar crews of two of them, dressed in white and red. A hint of pathos wa? made by the inclusion of one of. the boats of Captain Fryatt's ship, the Brussels. When the Royal barge arrived H Chel- sea the King took the salutes of the units as they passed the Royal Pavilion.

I BETTER BEER. According to an Order of the Ministry of Food which came into force on the 1st inst., whilst there is no reduction in price, the quality of beer will be better. Under the new Order draught beer is ob- tainable at from 2d. to 8d. a pint, according to the gravity, which has been raised four degrees above the figures laid down in the previous Order. This means that the working man should be able to get for 5d. a pint of beer almost equal in gravity to that which formerly cost him 6d. He should be able to purchase bear at 2d. a, pint, but though there may be some ad. beer in agricultural districts, the lowest price in London is likely to be 4d. A leading authority says that the Chan- cellor of the Exchequer expected to receive £ 70,000,(XX) a year from the brewers. Since the last Budget, however, the barrelage has been increased from 20 to 26 millions, and in consequence the Chancellor is receiving £ 91,000,000, a fact which he has never dis- closed. In view of the increased barrelage he contemplated an additional tax of 10s. a barrel, but in face of protests this was aban- doned, and now the public gets the benefit of the increased quality.

I G. W.R.'s NEW G.M. In succession to the late Mr. Frank Potter the directors of the Great Western Railway Company have appointed Mr. Charles Aldington. C.B.E., as general manager. Mr. Aldington was born at Tamworth 56 years ago, joined the G.W.R. as a junior clerk at the age of 17, and rose rapidly, holding the position of superintendent of the line for nine years. In 1900 he under- took a mission to America on electric trac- tion, on behalf of the Central London Rail- way.

I BREAD AS USUAL. After a long conference at the Ministry of Lftbour representatives of the Master Bakers and the Operatives reached conclusioii.- which will lead to a general resumption of work. The effect of the strike, therefore, was scarcely noticed by .the general public, and a good supply of bre4d was assured. Auto- matically the men "downed tools," as arranged, on Saturday, but owing to the conclusions arrived at they resumed work on Tuesday.

I A POETIC DAMN." The "Evening News has sought an inter. view with the Poet Laureate, who discussed all too briefly the question and answer in* the House of Commons concerning his emolu- ments. "I have not seen the report; I have heard about it," said Dr. Bridges. "Any comment to make? "No; I don't care a damn," was the prompt reply.

The Ladies' Lyceum Club, Ltd., Picca- dilly, was summoned for non-payment of £ 638 rates, and an order for payment was made. Sir Oswald Stoll hu sent a cheque for E4,000, proceeds of the Coliseum command performance, to the Variety Artists' Bene- volent Fund. The Government has decided to place a statue of Mr. Joseph Chamberlain within the Parliamentary precincts. The exact site has not yet been chosen.

I THE HOLIDAY EXODUS REVIVAL OF YACHT RACING AT COWES. 2,000 SLEEP ON BRIGHTON BEACH. In spite of strikes and rumours of strikes the great British crowd displayed its usuaf philosophy and enjoyed itself to its heart's content on Bank Holiday. Never were there such crushes, never were there such parties, and never were there such trips as in this vear of grace and vic- tory 19W! In London, Hampstead Heath was not shorn of its glory, although the river was such a counter-attraction. In the early afternoon the authentic inspiration of the old-time Bank Holiday was lacking, but later hours and later crowds brought speed and zest and a cheerful noise. Many thousands of people visited the various "show" places of London. Follow- ing are some of the figures:— Hampton Court Palace 16,879 The Maze 6,000 Natural History Museum 3,872 Victoria and Albert Museum 4,549 COWES WEEK OPENS. Indicative of the exodus to seaside re-, Borts it has only to be mentioned that more than 2,000 people at Brighton, unable to find rooms, slept on tne beach under boats, in bathing machines, and on covered seats. Three hundred were on the shingle underneath the Palace Pier. After five years' cessation yachting once again stood out prominently at Cowes, where "Cowes Week" was revived on Mon- day on a miniature scale. Although ar- rangements were hurriedly made, a great many visitors and a fair number of yachts arrived. The racing, which was restricted to three days, opened under the auspices of the Royal London Yacht Chib in grand weather. The principal events were tor yachts of the cruiser type, for which satisfactory en- tries had been received. Lady Ormonde, wife of the Commodore, presented a cup for the big "cru isers" event, to be run un- der the flag of the Royal Yacht Squadron. HOLIDAY ACCIDENTS. Unfortunately, but as usual, aocidents marred the enjoyment of Bank Holiday. At Shanklin a man and a woman went out in a small boat and were later seen by holiday-makers to be changing seats, when the boat capsized and they were thrown into the water. After struggling- to keep themselves afloat they disappeared. I A woman was killed through the over- turning of a Kingswood and Camberwell f nuiibus on a bank at Burgh Heath, near Epsom. A party of excursionists going from Spalding to Skegness by motor-lorry had an accident soon after starting. The seats consisted of forms roped together, and when rounding a corner the rope snapped, one of the forms falling off with its four occupants. One woman fell under a wheel, which crushed her leg and smashed her foot. A young woman in charge of a rifle range at l'orthcawl was handing a loaded rifle to a man when the gun went off and wounded her. As the Thames pageant was starting a man named Cannon fell from the first-floor window of a house in Fish-street Hill, City, fracturing his thigh and injuring his head. I HOLIDAY BREVITIES. Wrexham.—Packed with holiday-makers, many with the purpose of attending the Welsh National Eisteddfod at Coriven. Southend.—Thousands slept on the beach and cliffs. The holiday influx exceeded I 120,000. Southsea.—Great influx of visitors. Sea flights are a feature of the holiday enjoy- ments. j Margate.—Crowded to overflowing. Apart- I ments were unobtainable, many people sleeping outdoors. Supplies ample. Folkestone.—A pre-war scene of delight. Crowded everywhere. Weston..super-Mare.-Trains between Bris- tol and Weston-super-Mare ran in tripli- cate. Many people slept in the promenade shelters, while others had to be content with a bed on the sands. Ramsgate.—Crowds had to sleep in deck- chairs and shelters on the sea front. Parties were taken for tours round the air-raid dug-outs by police guides. Hendon Aerodrome.—The crowds here were thrilled by Professor Newall, who de- scended from a height of 1,000ft. by means of two parachutes, releasing himself from the first half-way down, and completing the descent on the second. Scarborough.—Strikes did not affect the holiday spirit of the army of merrymakers. Motor-cobles, some of which have been herring fishing-boats, are proving im- mensely popular. Lakeland.—Drizzling rain' was unable to quench the exuberance of holiday-makers' spirits. West Cumberland miners and iron- workers flocked in thousands by train and road to the lakes. Ealing.—Over 35,000 tickets were sold for the fete held at Ealing to augment funds for the Ealing War Memorial..2300 was realised by the sale of ice cream alone.

I NATIONAL ROLL OF HONOUR. Collecting branches are being opened in the large centres of the United Kingdom and the Colonies to help in the work of preparing "The National Roll of the Great War," which is being compiled with the object of providing a permanent register of the names and brief biographies of every- 3no who, in various capacities, fought or worked for the Empire during the war.

I DEATH OF PAYMASTER-GENERAL. Sir Joseph Compton-Rickett, M.P. for Pontefract and Paymaster-General since December, 1916, died at Bournemouth in his 73rd year. He was connected as chairman with ruany companies in the coal and roller flour milling trades, and married when he was 21. Sir Joseph had four sons and four daughters. His death involves a by-election at Pontefract.

THE CENTRE PARTY. -1 I COALITIONISTS UNPOPULAR t THROUCIH "COUPON" SYSTEM. I A DUAL LEADERSHIP. I What may be termed a manifesto of the new Centre Party has been issued by Major Oscar Guest (chairman of the "New Members' Coalition Group. "). In inviting those who approve to join, he Bays:— The movement expresses a desire among new members, who are not tied by years of association with the old political shibboleths and who feel that the urgency of the tim-es demand political union, to promote the spirit of unity in the Coalition, and, finally, to help by every means in their power the evolution of a united party under their present Coali- tion leaders in the interest of the common weal. They feel that the present Coalition party with its system of coupons is not popu- lar throughout the country, and are led to believe from the support they have received both from within and without the House that some evolution on these lines of a really national, and at the same time democratic party, would be generally approved. 1- THE PREMIER'S CHANCE. f With this object in view they have ap- proached the Prime Minister and the Leader of the House in the hope that they will seriously consider a political development of, this nature which should enable politicians to view the old controversies of Free Trade v. Protection, Home Rule, Church Reform and conditions of labour from a post-war standard, as opposed to that of pre-war party creeds. "I would suggest that it is essential to oppose a combined front to all those sections of political thought who are desirous of ob- taining the ends they have in view by un- constitutional means, whic;h history has proved to be the downfall of Government in any state which has yielded to this form of pressure. "It is our belief as Liberal and Conser; tive and Labour Coalitionists that should t-iio Prime Minister galvanise these several in- terests into a great nationally democratic party under a naine of his own choosing, he would find the instrument ready to his hand to guide the country through the dangevou* years of resettlement and reconstruction which lie ahead."