The Aberdare Times

A WBLL-KNOWN dentist tried hard to collect a bill, and after many ineffectual efforts said to the debtor "I do not intend to send you any more bills, and I don't intend to sue you but there is one thing 1 want to tell you. Kvery time you cut off a piece of beefsteak and pass it to your wife, I want you to remember that she is not chewing that beef with her teeth, nor with your t?eth, but with my teeth." In two I or three days he received a cheque. The motion of those doubly false U-eth in his wife's mouth was too much for the husband.

LONDON CORRESPONDENCE. We do not identity ourselves without Oeneepondenft opinions. Fe.1: many years it has been the invariable custom to celebrate the Queen's birthday on the Saturday most nearly subsequent to the event, but this year, though a Saturday and May 24 are coincident, not only has this bees broken through, but the oliiuial celebration has taken place en the Wednesday before the actual date. The reason for this is the simultaneous occurrence of Whitsuntide. As high personages require a holiday at this season just as much as those who work for their living, it was thought that it would be very hard upon them to entail their presercd in London on the Saturday imme- diately preceding Whitsuntide, in order that they might be at the official dinners and receptions always given in honour of the birth- day. The Queen, although a decided believer in the wisdom of adhering to precedent, yielded to this consideration, and accordingly Wed- nesday saw the celebration. In all the naval and military centres of the Empire, this was accompanied by the usual displays, while in London not only did the regular dinners take place, but many of the principal clubs and houses of business in the West-end were brilliantly illuminated for the occasion. The metropolis always puts on its gayest aspect when illumina- tions are called into being for any season of enjoyment; and although there is some amount of horseplay to mar the enjoyment of the quieter folk among the crowd who go forth to see the sight, the general good temper is as a rule very well maintained. The Queen herself will be in her Scottish home at Balmoral on the occasion of her actual, rather than her official, birthday, and one conse- quence of this to the immediate concern of a large number of her people is that on and after Whit-Monday the State Apartments of Windsor Castle will be open to the public. These are always a great centre of attraction during the summer, when the Court is customarily absent, and a pleasanter day's outing than is furnished by a run down from the capital to Windsor, and there to spend the hours in examining that vast congeries of buildings which form at once a palace and a fortress can scarcely be devised. It appeals not only to the lover of the picturesque but to the student of history and the admirer of the antique. A more noble situation for the central home of England's Sovereign could scarce be imagined. The Great Castle, which by accretions of ages has spread so wide, is a frequent subject for the pencil of the artist; and even any who may not be imaginative can scarcely gaze from ita lofty towers over the beautiful valley of the Thames which stretches at his feet without some trace of emotion. A visit to the Tower of London, a walk through Westminster Abbey, and a journey to Windsor Castle should form a portion of the education of every boy for whom it can be afforded, for not even the most brilliant of our chroniclers could so interest him in the history of his native land as an inspection of these venerable piles. It is not unfitting that the corporate autho- rities of the City of London should have cele- brated with much pomp and circumstance the Jubilee of the Penny Post, seeing that the General Post Office at St. Martin's-le-Grand ia within their boundaries. The Prince of Wales assisted by his presence to lend eclat to an occasion on which the Post- master-General and the Lord Mayor were prominent figures, and the great advantages that have accrued from the adoption of Sir Rowland Hill's suggestions were fully described. If the celebration simply signified that our postal system was being crystallised, and that no further development, in the way either of cheapness or efficiency was to be looked for, there would not be much reason to rejoice over it; but this very year promises to see the ratification of an arrangement by which the rates of postage to our colonies will be made both cheaper and uniform; and thus will be removed an anomaly which has existed too long. There should be no danger in this country of free criticism of the Post Office standing still; but, naturally, those of its chiefs who have done so well in the past are not always disposed to believe that it is possible for them to do even better in the future. One development of the postal movement which Sir Rowland Hill could certainly not have foreseen was embodied in what is called a Philatelic Exhibition, which was opened in London this week. Those who look upon stamp- collecting as simply a pastime for schoolboys would be astonished to see the number and yariety of specimens here shown. From all parts of the world collectors have united in contributing the various stamps that have been issued during the past half century, and the result is striking. Some of these specimens are of extreme rarity and cost, and no one but an enthusiast can rightly appreciate their beauties or their worth. One curious story of how much even an English stamp of to-day may be sold for is now in circula- tion. It is related that a London broker, when he has to send a postal parcel to Holland which would cost about seventeen shillings to forward, always affixes a one-pound stamp, that denomina- tion being so rare that Dutch "philatelists" readily pay nine shillings for a used specimen. Those who do not collect may smile at the ex- penditure, but every hobby has to be paid for by those who indulge in it, and stamp-collecting is a harmless hobby after all. There seems some chance at last that a railway will be secured running straight through London from east to west. It would need a statistician of unusual care and excellent memory to say off-hand how many schemes to this end have laid before Parliament and the public during tae last quarter of a century, but in one fashion or another they have all broken down. Even the present plan is not yet out of the wood, for not only has it to run the gauntlet of a Select Com- mittee of the House of Lords, but when it receives the Royal assent it will be under cer- tain onerous conditions imposed by the House of Commons in order to guard the interests of intending investors and the public generally. One of these limits the amount of capital to be raised, while another forbids the issue of any prospectus until the now nearly com- pleted City and Southwark Railway, which is constructed upon the same principles as are now proposed, shall have been in working for a specified time. Operations upon the latter are steadily going on the various stations on the line of route are rearing their heads above ground, and by the end of the year Londoners should be in possession of actual experience of electric travelling. At a time when telephonic communication is being rapidly extended, a decision just given by the United States Law Courts is of much significance to business men, seeing that the principle upon which it is based looks very like what the English law on the subject would be if the question were tried. It appears that a dis- pute having arisen as to a contract concluded by telephone, the Court held that while a telephonic contract was as binding as any other, the same rules of evidence applied, and that unless there were corroboration of its material points, it would fall through. The moral has been drawn that it would be well to avoid makiDg contracts through the telephone alone, and the same obviouslyapplies to all merely oral communications, though with the telephone there is an element of added danger owing to the confused noises that often travel along the lines. It may be added concerning a somewhat cognate subject that an American inventor has suggested the use of the phono- graph as a cash register, as every sum a cashier receives might be called in the phonograph, and there recorded as a check on the accounts. Of course, as long as cheats exist—and they may be expected to exist as long as the world itself— means will be found to evade even the most subtle and ingenious provisions against fraud; but this suggestion as to the phonograph appears feasible, and its adoption might do something to prevent the more easily-adopted forms of com- mercial fraud. One infallible sign of rapidly-approaching summer is when the head-line Yachting begins to appear in the newspapers, and, indeed, the first regatta of the season has already taken plaoe in the Solent. The yachts have all been brought out from their winter quarters, thecrews who man them are once more ready for races and journeys, and Southampton and Cowes in the south, Oban in the north, and other famous yachting centres are again beginning to be gay with the spick-and-span yachts with their white sails and dainty ap- pliances. Yachting, from its very nature, must always be a rich man's pastime, for the cost of a single well-appointed boat, with the necessary crew, is something enormous but in a sense it can be enjoyed by those on shore, who contri- bute not a penny to the expense, for it wonder- fully brightens the aspect of the waters, and the regattas to which it gives occasion are among the pleasantest memories of many a trip at the seaside. Of late years there has been an increase in the number of steam yachts, and fOr voyaging purposes these are certainly to be Preferred, but there can be no question as to the superior picturesqueness of those which depend upon sails alone as a means of propulsion. A. F. R. i

THE BITER BIT. In connection with the work of the coal officers recently appointed by the London County Council, an incident has occurred which is well worthy of publication. One of the coal officers stopped a man with a cart full of sacks of coal and demanded to bo allowed to weigh them. Presumably the sacks were full-sized ones, and no doubt were intended to be sold as such, containing 2241bs. each. The carman, knowing of course that the officer would detect the imposition, remarked, Oh, these sacks only bold a hundredweight and a half," and added, when he saw the officer looking steadily at him, "I give 15 to the ton." Oh, you give 15 to the ton, do you ?" replied the coal officer; "then I will come with you and see that you do." The coal dealer was nonplussed, and the two went together to the place where the man had to deliver a ton. The officer remained while the 15 sacks were shot into th > cellar of the purchaser, much to the satisfaction of that person, a lady, who thus received probably about four hundred- weight of coal above the ton for which she paid, for the sacks contained each something over one and a half hundredweight. Under the circumstances the coal officer was unable to summon the man for short weight, bat he was summoned and fined for failing to produce a way-bill. It appears that there are only ) three sizes of sacks recognised in the coal trade, viz., those made to contain two hundredweight, one hundredweight, and half a hundredweight. The sacks which hold one and a half hundredweight or a little over are generally used by dishonest itinerant coal dealers, who sell them as containing two hundred- weight.

EGG-EATING COMPETITION. The latest development of the competition mania was a great egg-eating match which took place recently in the United States. The challenge originated with Edward Manning, who modestly describes himself as the Champion Egg-Eater of the World, a position to which his brilliant performances certainly entitle him. To devour 100 eggs in some- thing under two minutes is a mere bagatelle to Edward, whose capacity for digesting albumen would seem to be little short of miraculous. The match took place in Clarendon Hall, New York, and attracted a large audience, the betting fraternity attending in considerable numbers. The cham- pion, surrounded by boxes of his favourite edible, awaited the arrival of his opponent, a Buffalo man, who was credited by his friends with amazing powers in the egg-eating line. But this worthy failed to put in an appearance, and the champion, who was evidently in fine form, appealed to the audience to find a substitute, gallantly offering to eat two eggs for every one consumed by anybody else in the hall. A young man responded to this challenge, but broke down miserably after eating a paltry dozen, proving beyond doubt that hunger rather than ambition had prompted the effort. No other competitor making his appearance, the champion brought this edifying exhibition to a close by devouring 30 eggs in 24 seconds.

STATE SOCIALISM. State Socialism is making so much advance in France that the Paris correspondent of the Times views it with some alarm. He avers that unless the Senate stops the way a master is to become liable to three months'imprisonment for dismissing a man on account of his belonging to a Trade Union. M. Con- stans, Minister of the Interior, urges the glass- blowers to take back the two ringleaders whose dis- missal was the signal for a strike. They reply that one of these men had for two years been tyrannising alike over themselves and the men, and that they could not stand his dictation any longer. The Paris and Lyons Railway Company is attacked in the Chamber for dismissing an official who was a candidate for the Municipal Council con- trary to his promise and to its rules. M. Yves Guyot, Minister of Public Works, promises that such a thing shall not occur again, and he will doubtless press the company to take the man back. Lastly, M. Constans is framing a bill for subsidising provident societies which give retiring pensions to aged workmen. All this, concludes the correspondent, happens in two days.

A YOUTHFUL FAMILY. At the last meeting of the Holbom Guardians, the clerk reported that there were chargeable to the guardians a wife, aged 1 oh years; a husband, aged 17 years and their baby, aged eight months. Mr. Howes thought the Registrar-General should be asked to put a stop as far as possible to such early mar- riages. The young couple were married by the superintendent-registrar of the distriet. The girl brought a letter, purporting to come from her father, consenting to the marriage, but this letter was found to be a forgery. He considered that in such cases it should be an order of the Registrar-General to require an officer to make inquiries, and he moved that the guardians notify the Registrar-General to that effect. Mr. Straight seconded this, and it was agreed to.

EDUCATION AND MARRIAGE. Some statistics published in America seem to show that women colleges of the Girton and Newnham types do exercise a restraining influence upon matri- mony but a writer in the New York Nation, who has bestowed a careful study upon the figures, points out that this is simply due to the circumstance that the sweet girl graduates of these mostly novel institutions have as yet enjoyed only a comparatively short average period of post-graduate life. It is obviously fair that a reasonable time should be allowed them. Taking all things into consideration it appears that there is ground for the contention that going to college even promotes marriagaa.

A MICROSCOPIC CENTENARY. No product of human ingenuity has, assuredly, done more for the advancement of science than the microscope. It is, therefore, in the opinion of the Antwerp folk, meet that the 300th anniversary of the invention of the compound microscope by Hans and Zacharias Janssen, of Middelburg, should be celebrated by an international exhibition of microscopical science in all branches, to be held in their city. The year 1590 is the date now generally received as that of the Janssens' great invention, but owing to finan- cial reasons it has been determined to postpone the exhibition till next year. The Municipality of Antwerp have promised 50,000fr. towards the scheme.

A DYNAMITE EXPLOSION. Distressing particulars have arrived about the terrible explosion that happened in the dynamite fac- tory at Avigliana. rust as the workmen had re- turned to their work tho laboratory took fire. In a moment it spread through the whole factory, and caused the explosion of a large deposit of an explo- sive compound. Over 300 workmen were occupied in the factory, and of these 19 have been killed and over 80 badly wounded. This (sayw the Rome correspondent of the Daily Sews) is the fourth explosion which has taken place since the factory was founded ia 1873.

RoBSON Joblotte has made an assignment, I hear. Are the liabilities large ?" Coupon (a sufferer of the failure): H'm I should say that Joblotte's lie- abilities were something colossal." FALSE ALARM.—Wife (time, midnight) Hark, dear. I hear the rustling of silk and the olank of chains." Husband: "You do? Horrors! Then the reports are true. I was told the bouse was haunted." Wife (much relieved) Ob, is that all ? I was afraid Fido bad broken loose and was tearing my new ball dress." A YOGSG lady who was recently married had a great habit of saying, when anything went wrong I shall know better next time." Just at the last she was much bothered over some arrangements about her marriage, and in all seriousness and earnestness exclaimed Well, you may be sure that I shall know better than to have all this confusion the next time." The groom-elect was the only one who failed to see the point of the joke. LADY (to applicant for position as domestic): My joodness! This reference is signed by Mrs. Upton." Applicant: Yes, mum, she signed it herself, mum, after I'd been there a week, mum." "But Mrs. Upton has been dead for five years." Is that so ? ^ell! well! It's one place atter another I've been gettin' on that char-ac-ter for seven years an' never heard before Aat the poor leddy was dead. Heaven rest her soul AN Irish labourer going home tipsy on Saturday night took to the railway as a short cut for home. An engine coming up caught Paddy on the shoulder and sent him flying down the embankment, more frightened than hurt. Tne engine-driver, thinking that a serious accident had happened, stopped the train and ran to Pat's assistance; who, seeing him coming up, and thinking he was to be apprehended bawled out: Ocb, lave me alone, now, will yees ? (f I have broken yer ould engine I'm quite wUin to pay the damage.1

STANLEY AND THE QUAKERS. Mr. Stanley has addressed the following letter to Mr. A. E. Pease, M.P.: Sir,—You have just cause to complain of your name being quoted in connection with the utterly wrongful and unjust accusations against the Imperial British East Africa Company. 1 had written your name in my manuscript as the author of these accusations, but on going to the Guildhall I was told that it was another member, and lest I might make an error I confined myself in my address to stating that a member of Parliament had risen in the House of Commons.' After conclud- ing my address, a reporter begged for the manuscript, and I banded it to him, quite forgetting that your name still stood on it, which I deeply regret. But my charge against Quakerism still remains, not for any particular principle of the sect, but against the average principles which induce their professors to seize upon the skirts of the nation when- ever it begins to reuse to action, for just defiance or worthy enterprise. Wanton war and wilful oppression are to be avoided, but no peace such as that of Menahem is needed yet awhile for Great Britain, and as I believe such would be the peace sought by Quakerism in any trouble between this and any other country on the Con- tinent, such principles should be condemned. If you are ot the Pease family of Darlington you will remem- ber my experience with them in 1878. With the same readiness that they listened to the absurd charges against me as promulgated by a well-known Socialist, you undertook to ask questions in the House of Commons lately respecting some supposed increase of the slave trade because of the enlistment of labourers for the Congo railway, and whether the survivors of the slaves with which the Stanley ex- pedition was manned had been handed to their owners and returned into slavery at Zanzibar. My advice to you is that you should travel, thatyou might be better prepared to know what questions to ask, or that you should take the trouble to find out the truth ol the rumours which seem to send one of your im- pulsive temperament to ask absurd questions, and which seem to thinly veil your antagonism to every legitimate enterprise abroad. There are three utterly unwarranted assertions in your question relating to the Stanley expedition—namely, 1 which were origi- nally hired from Arab owners,' 1 which bad been handed to their owners,' and which had been re- turned to slavery at Zanzibar and in your question relating to shipments of labourers from Zanzibar you cause men to infer that King Leopold's enterprise stimulates the slave trade. One of your champions has asked me indig- nantly whether I would take your knife handles away. Well, if there were no market for slaves there would be no slave-trade at least, so you have told us. And I say that if there was no market for ivory there would be no ivory-raiders, and he who buys ivory nowadays buys an article which has been obtained by murder, theft, and rapine.—I am, sir, yours obediently, "HENRY M. STANLEY." Mr. Henry M. Stanley, in an article which will appear in a June magazine, says: Constrained at the darkest hour humbly to confess that without God's help I was helpless, I vowed a vow in the forest solitudes that I would confe s His aid before men. Silence, as of death, was round about me; it was midnight; I was weakened by illness, prostrated by fatigue, and wan with anxiety for my white and black companions,whosefate was a mystery. In this physical and mental distress I besought God to give me back my people. Nine hours later we were exulting with a rapturous joy. In full view of all was the crimson flag, with the crescent, and beneath its waving folds was the long-lost rear column." The picture of Ruwenzori—(identified by the explorer with the Mountains of the Moon)—which will appear in the magazine article referred to, was drawn from Stan- ley's own sketch made at the time of the discovery.

CONSUMPTION CURABLE The Lancet published an interesting account during last autumn of a new method of treating con- sumptive patients discovered by Dr. Weigert, of New York. Encouraged by recent discoveries of the French savants as to the causes of this terrible disease, and by their successful experiments in the direction of stopping contagion by the total destruction of the bacillus, or microscopic living organisms, found to exist in the sputa of sufferers from pulmonary diseases, Dr. Weigert began to ponder whether the application of the same degree of heat by which the Paris doctors rendered the expectorated germ in- nocuous might not also destroy the cause of the disease within the injured lung of a living being. So far, his experiments have been perfectly successful. By an ingenious contrivance he enables the sufferer to inhale air heated to a temperature fatal to the life of the germ preying on their lungs, which then rapidly heal, weight is gained, the patient ceases to cough, and the disease by which 75,000 died in France alone last year is arrested. The Figaro gives a favourable report of the new treatment in a recent number, appending to its article a list of important meuical names who have adopted Dr. Weigert's inhaler, now being used in the Paris and Marseilles hospitals. It may interest the benevolent to know that an association has been formed in Paris, of which tho well-known Dr. Leon Petit is general secretary, for the erection and support of certain hospitals for the treatment of consumptive children on this new and approved system of inhalation. An anonymous friend ball givea the society a large tract of land in a healthy situation near Paris, where a large building may ultimately be erected for the reception of boy patients. Some existing bou^s hav^ meantime been arranged for the reception of a few of the numerous applicants for admission whose parents—persons of the poorest class-are so eager to get this new and hopfful treat- ment for their little ones. Anyone desiring to know more of the treatment, or to subscribe towards the three free institutions now set on foot for its applica- tion to the little suffering children of Paris, can obtain information from M. Ie Doctor Loon Petit, secretariat, L'CEuvre des Enfantes Tuberculeux, 73, Faubourg- Saint-Honore, Paris.

DELAGOA BAY. The starting point of the notorious Delagoa Bay Railway, Lorenzo Marques, is not a lively spot, accord- ing to a recent visitor. Entering the port is some- what awkward, as the Portuguese authorities have not troubled themselves to replace the light-ship and buoys which formerly marked the innumerable shoals, but were recently carried away by heavy gales. Lorenzo Marques looks picturesque from the harbour, being surrounded by wooded cliffs and hills, with the red sandstone peeping through the foliage, but it lies low, and the neighbouring swamps and lagoons render the climate feverish and unhealthy. The landing-stage is a dirty little wooden pier, only accessible at high water, and the new stone pier, being constructed by tho Government, progresses very slowly. The Customs and Government offices are close by, with an iron shed for railway-stores, and half-a-mile inland is the railway-station. The town consists of some five streets of one- storeyed houses, about a quarter of a mile long, some of the houses being red brick, but the majority wooden, with corrugated iron roofs. A tiny fort is built on the Shiro, and on a neighbouring hill are the Catholic Church and the magazine—an Oriental building with minarets. Europeans find provisions and living in general very expensive, while trade languishes, for the Portuguese officials are lazy and apathetic, and take no trouble to open up commerce with the interior. They only rouse themselves to show antipathy to the English traders.

WANTON SLAUGHTER. The wanton slaughter of the American bison has now well-nigh completed its work, and the great Northern and Southern herds—the former of which was estimated even as late as 1871, as comprising not less than 3,000,000—have dwindled down to something under 1100. These, moreover, include a band of about 300, which are fortunate enough to have found their way within the protected boundary of the Yellowstone National Park. Mr. Hornday, in his official report, tells us that the bison originally ranged over about one- third of the entire American continent. There was a time when it would have been as easy to estimate the number of leaves in a forest as to calcu- late the number of these wild creatures; but the com- pletion in 1871 of the Kansas branch of the Union Pacific Railway, which ran right through the head- quarters of the Southern herd, sealed their fate. Some 50,000 are known to have been slain since then for their tongues alone and so wasteful was the system of the hunters that it is calculated that every hide sent to the market represented four beasts slain. By the end of 1875 the great Southern herd had vanished, and five years later bison-hunting as a business had ceased to exist.

KISSING STANLEY. The London correspondent of the Manchester Guardian gives this unreported incident of the recent Stanley reception at the London Guildhall: Mr. Stanley was conducted from the Guildhall in great state, the mace-bearer preceding him. He was ac- companied by the Lord Mayor, followed by a proces- sion of City officials, and as he passed through the ball the band played See the conquering hero comes." There was, however, a considerable deiay at the door under the canopy before his carriage could be got. One of the guests, with quite unneces- sary effusiveness, not only insisted on button-holing and congratulating him over and over again, but ended by putting his arm round his neck and kiss- ing him, much to Mr. Stanley's surprise and to the annoyance of the bystanders. Mr. Stanley, how- ever, took the incident with great good temper, and was but little disconcerted.

AYE ST HAM MURDER. THE MISSING KEYS FOUND. The missing keys of the house, 126, Portway, West Ham, in a cupboard in which the dead body of Amelia Jeffs was found some months ago, have come to light under circumstances so extraordinary that there is apparently little doubt that the whereabouts of the murderer have been narrowed down to very small hmlts; in fact, the finder of the mysterious keys bas expressed the belief that it was the mur- derer or a confederate who prompted their dis- covery. The discovery was made under the following singular circumstances: The house, 126, Portway, was taken on lease for three years on the 5th inst. by a Mr. Bitten and a Mr. Hewitt, both officers under the London County Council. The house was specially redecorated for them by Mr. Roberts, jun., the agent, who still resides a few doors off, and he took possession on the day mentioned. A few days ago Mr. Bitten's servant was very frightened during the night by strange footsteps about the landing, and, in consequence, her sleeping apartment, which adjoined the attic in which Amelia Jeffs was found, was transferred to the bottom of the house. Xothing further unusual oc- curred until between one and two o'clock on Friday morning of last week. At that hour a noise was heard near the attic window by Mrs. Hewitt, who awakened her husband. Simultaneously Mr. Bitten was aroused by his wife and heard a crash. The noise, Mr. Bitten states, emanated from the attic window, but when search was made no one was to bo seen. but it was evident that someone had been in the house, for they were heard walking about; and, furthermore, the attic window had been forced open. Mrs. Hewitt declares that she heard footsteps on the stairs, but nothing within the house had been dis- turbed, and this fact, coupled with other circum- stances, drew forth the conclusion that some motive other than that of robbery actuated the nocturnal visit. During the afternoon the circumstance was mentioned to a Mr. McGill, who called to see Mr. Bitten, and together they went over the house with Mr. Hewitt. Mr. McGill noticed a trap-door in the ceiling of the attic, which had hitherto escaped obser- vation. It could not be reached without a ladder, but a bench was provided, and the interior of the dark chamber was explored by the gentle- men, who ascended with a light. The distance from the floor to the ceiling is about 10 feet, and the trap gives ingress to a compartment beneath the rafters, and in which the cistern is kept, and does not communicate with the outside roof. Nothing was found in the chamber but Mr. Bitten noticed several bricks had been removed from the wall which parted the adjoining house, 125, and through the aperture the garret ef 125 could be seen. Minute attention was paid to this hole by Mr. Bitten, who brushed some shavings ofl the surface of the bricks, which had been forced between the bottom layer two bricks in width. A piece of brown cardboard pro- truded from the crevice, and on taking this out the two keys were found to be attached by means of a piece of twisted string. The cardboard which formed the label to the key was about three inches long by one in width, and was comparatively new, as was also the string. The cardboard had been roughly torn from the side of a box, and on one side was inscribed faintly in pencil, No. 126," and on the other a W," with another word partially ob- literated, apparently by a damp finger. One key is large and fits the lock of the room-door adjoining the attic in which the body was found. It is yet bright from rough contact with a file, but in places there are marks of what appears to be rust. It unlocks the door of the room indicated, which was forcibly opened by the police on the day the body was found, but previously bad been unenterable. The Btreet-door key was in a similar state, but unfortu- nately it could not be fitted for test, as the original lock had been removed. A search was then made for any other articles that might have been hidden, but it was with difficulty Mr. McGill could get his fingers between the bricks without displacing them, which it was thought not advisable to do in the absence of the police. He, however, recovered a piece of putty which may have been intended to cover the crevice, but having fallen iato the crevice the shaving was substituted. It is apparent that the keys from their condition could not have been in their present position but a short while. The putty furthermore proves this, for it is quite soft and new. An apparently insignificant but probably an important discovery was made next. It was a strip of rasr about 18 inches long, and half an inch wide, and had the appearance of having become twisted by wear on a portion of the body. It had originally Bvidently been torn from a large piece of light blue material, probably a garment. The last thing found, which proves that some individual must have ascended the loft purposely to eecrete the keys, was a common lucifer match. It 'lad been lighted, and was picked from the rafters by Mr. Hewitt. The entrance effected early on the Friday morning could have been carried out only from the adjoining empty house—125—the kitchen windows of which were unfastened. In view of the noises heard a few nights ago by the servant, and the entry effected on the Friday morn- ing, Mr. Bitten has come to the conclusion that the supposed housebreaker was no other than the mur- derer, or a confederate, who is anxious to recover the keys since the house has been let, 1"st they should be faund, and supply the only missing link in the chain of evidence. Mr. Bitten also offers au explanation regarding the locking of the room adjoining the attic in which the body was found. It wili be remembered that Mr. Roberts's son swore before the coroner's jury that the body was not in the position in which it was found on the morning of the discovery, at which time the keys were lost Mr, Kitten thinks it probable that until that time the remains had been in the locked room, and were transferred on the morn- ing of their discovery, and the door leit locked. The Central News Agency states: "On Saturday afternoon our representative visited West Ham for the purpose of making inquiries as to the reported discovery of the missing keys. The house in the Portway was somewhat difficult to find, as the num- bers have been changed since the discovery of the girl's body, and what was once so well known as No. 126 now bears that number no longer. Mr. Bitten, the present occupier, in answer to inquiries, after relating the story as to the discovery of the keys as already described, said they were two in number, neither of them having the appearance of a street-door key. When Mr. Roberts, who, it will be remembered, was a witness at the inquest, and is the builder and agent of the houses, heard of the occurrence, he sent, so Mr. Bitten states, a message across to say that he could easily clear up the mystery. Later on he put in an appearance, accompanied by a painter named Warren, who is, or has been, in his employ- ment. Warren stated that the keys which have just been discovered had been placed there by him a few weeks ago when he had finished repapering the house. Asked by Mr. Bitten to describe the keys, he admitted his inability to do so; he was not sure how many there were on the bunch; shown the keys, he was unable to identify them. He stated, as bis reason for concealing the keys there, that he had just finished his work and locked the wall-paper that was left over in one of the rooms he looked round for some place to hide the keys, and finally decided to place them where they were found in the hole in the wall of the chamber where the scaffold-pole had rested. He had procured a ladder for this purpose and afterwards carried the ladder out to the yard. This was the story told by Mr. Bitten to the Central News representative, who, immediately upon leaving the house, proceeded to see Mr. Warren, the painter. The latter declared that he had only had occasion to use the key of the strong room once; that was when he locked the door, his work being done, therefore he could not bo expected to identify the keys. Asked why he had chosen so unusual a hiding-place for them, he stated that the workmen had been em- ployed in mendiag the cistern which supplies the bath, and had left the trap-door off. There was also a ladder bandy, and so he had gone up and hidden them in the puddle-hole. Asked to explain how it was that when the new tenants moved in these keys had to be replaced, Mr. Warren said that he bad told his brother, who works with him, where the keys were he in tura had told Roberts's boy, and the latter, either through neglect or misunder- standing, had not explained to the agent where the keys were stowed. Mr. Warren has no doubt that the keys found are the keys which he hid, and were in use until a few weeks the street-door key was not with them. One of the keys discovered, it should be mentioned, opens the door of the room ad- joining the attic where Amelia Jeffs's body was found. This room was locked at the time of the dis- covery, and had to be entered forcibly."

NOVEL SWIM IN THE THAMES. Shortly before two < 'clock on Saturday Davis Dalton, an American, started to swim from Putney to London-bridge, under circumstances of a somewhat novel character. Dalton, who is a well-built man, 5ft. Sin. in height, states that his mother was an Italian and his father a Prussian, but ho was born in New York in 1852, and is consequently in his 38th year In the course of his career he had been in the sea for 17 hours, and had bf-en successful in saving 20 lives. The style be adopts is that of back swimming, which he describes as the easiest and far more successful in rescuing persons from drown- ing. On Saturday, 08 starting, he was dressed in an ordinary rowing suit, thj texture of which was white flannelette with narrow blue stripes, a pair of ordinary goloshes, and, as a cro wn- ing accompaniment, a high silk bat. The wind was blowing rather freshly from the south-west, and the tide at the time of starting on the ebb. He had some difficulty in shaping his course and still more in keep- ing the hat on his head. The hat was discarded off Battersea. At Old liattersea-bridge he was still swim- ming strongly, and for the first time swam the breast stroke for about 50 yards. The tide at this point was running very strongly. Old Chelsea church was reached by 10 minutes past three. A few minutes later he left the water, the cold beginning to tell, at Paul's Pier Ho had swum a distance of nearly five miles in one hour ann 17 minutes.

DID anybody ever buy a new hat without feeling that he had got the wrong shape ? LAIJY: You have not been out to service yet, therefore you have no character." Applicant:" No, mum; but I've got three School Board certificuts." Lady Ah, well, that is something. Are they for honesty, cleanliness, or ——?" Applicant: "No, please, mum—for literal>or, jograffy, and ireo.aod drorinV'

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT, I SOCIALISTIC LEGISLATION. In the HOUSE OF LORDS, on May 19, Lord Wemysa called attention to the Socialistic legislation of the last two Sessions, and, in commenting on various measures, pointed out theitjinjurious influence on industry and commerce, and the tendency to require State action to take the place of individual eSort. Lord Salisbury said the noble lord's speech was an extraordinary mixture and medley of dilierent kinds of subjects drawn from every source. No one could deny the existence of great evils such as had been described by the German Emperor in the circular calling the Labour Conference. How far the evils could be battled with it was im- possible to say, but we wtre bound to do so to the best of our ability. We had arrived at an era when the action of great industrial causes, coupled with the increase of the population and other social and economic influences, had produced great centres of misery. It was our duty to do all we could to find a remedy, and, even if we were called Socialists, we should be reconciled to this, knowing that we were striking out no new path of our own, but following the traditions of English legislation. UKRMANY AND KNOLAND IN AFRICA. In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, 3ir J. Fergusson in- formed Mr. M. Ferguson that the British and German spheres of influence in Africa had not been geogra- phically demarcated. THE BUDGET BILL IN COMMITTEE. In Committee on the Budget (Customs and Inland Revenue Bim, Mr. Healy moved an amendment, post- poning the levying of the new spirit duty in Ireland until after the passing of the Local Government Act for that country. After three hours' discussion, Mr. Goschen moved the ,.losure, and Mr. Healy's amend- ment was rejected by 211 to 148. Several minor amendments having been negatived, Dr. Cameron moved the omission of the 4th Clause, on the ground that the increased spirit duty, unaccom- panied by an increase in the beer duty, would be a great injustice to Scotland. The clause was also opposed by the Irish members, and on a division, waa ultimately carried by 2-10 to 169. The House sat till a late hour.

THE GORDON STATUE AT CHATHAM. The inhabitants of Chatham, together with those of Rochester and Stroud, and all the neighbouring country side, assembled in great numbers on Monday to give a hearty welcome to the Prince of Wales, on his arrival in the former town to unveil the splendid statue of the late General Gordon, which has been erected in the square of the Brompton Barracks, oppo- site the Royal Engineers' Institute. The statue in question will be familiar to all those who have visited the sculpture room of the present Royal Academy Exhibition, where a full model of it is to be seen. It is executed by Mr. Onslow Ford, A.R.A., and gives a life-size representation of the chief victim of Khartoum, seated, clothed in the uniform of an Egyptian General (which he wore as Governor- General of the Soudan) on a riding camel. The Prince of Wales, who arrived in Chatham about one o'clock, was received by guards of honour provided by the Royal Engineers. His party included the Duke of Cambridge, Mr. E. Stanhope, Lord Wolseley, Earl Brownlow, General R. Grant, General Sir D. Probyn, Major-General Sir C. Teesdale, Mr. W. Brodrick, M.P., Sir John Gorst, M.P. for the borough, and. others. The Royal guest and his suite were then driven through the streets, which were filled in all directions with enthusiastic crowds, to the barracks, a distance of a mile and a half. The whole route was alive with colour, for the men of Chatham were evidently determined to show theirappreciation of the armed services of the country, to which their town owes so much of its prosperity. The consequence was such a display of bunting, Venetian masts, triumphal arches, and naval and military trophies, as probably no other town of similar character could produce. Arrived in the square, the Prince was at once conducted to a dais, where in the presence of hundreds of officers, ladies and civilians, besides some thousands of the Royal Engineer corps, both regular and volun- teers, Sir Lothian Nicholson, Inspector-General of Fortifications and Engineers, read a short address, explaining the origin of the idea of putting up the present memorial by subscription amongst the engineering corps as a mark of respect to a late dis- tinguished comrade. The Prince of Wales, who was loudly cheered, in reply said: Sir Lothian Nicholson, Ladies and Gentlemen,—It is to me a matter of sincere gratifica- tion to have been enabled to accept your invita- tion to unveil this statue to the memory of the brave General Gordon—erected not only te his memory by his old comrades, but also by the Royal Artillery and the Volunteer Engineer Corps. The name of Charles George Gordon is one not likely ever to be forgotten—it is one not only for military men—his own comrades—but it is one which will be honoured and esteemed for ever by all Englishmen. It seems almost superfluous in me to say anything in allusion to him, because his acts are so well known but I cannot help reminding you of his distinguished services in the Crimea and in China, where he was present at the taking of the Canton Forts, and how he ultimately became commander of what was called the Ever Victorious Army, in which he again distinguished himself so greatly. We know that Oeneral Gordon distinguished himself in India and in Africa, where he was eventually Governor of the Equatorial Province, and did so much to put down the slave trade. Afterwards he became Governor-General of the Soudan. But sad circum- stances intervened, and the army sent out to his relief arrived too late and one of England's noblest soldiers fell a victim to the discharge ef his duty. I can only repeat to you how gratified 1 am to be here to-day to have the proud privilege of unveiling this statue, which I am satisfied will be looked upon for generations to come with the honour and respect due to General Gordon's name. (Cheers.) His Royal Highness then unveiled the statute amid loud applause. General Nicholson then escorted to the dais the sister of the late General, Miss Gordon, with whom the Prince conversed for several minutes. The troops present subsequently marched past the Royal party, and the business of the day terminated.

THE MARKETS. MARK-LANE. Business was quiet, and the level of prices was much about the same. The sales of home-grown wheat in the leading markets of England and Wales during the first 37 weeks of the season were 2,722,422 qrs.. against 1,946,770 qrs. last season, at an average of 30s Od, against 31s Id per qr. barley, 3,236,787 qrs., against 2,241,368 qrs., average of 31s Id, against 27s Od and oats, 497,432 qrs., against 235,545 qrs., the average being 18s against 17s perqr. English wheat was in quiet request at late rates, with a weak tendency. For foreign wheat there was a moderate demand, prices remaining about the same. In flour not much has been done, but the market was firm. Barley was purchased to a moderate extent. Malting produce was firm. Grinding steady. Oats were in- quired for to a moderate extent, and were firm in value, being about 3d dearer on the week. Maize was steady and quite as dear. Beans, peas, and lentils were quiet, but firm and unchanged. METROPOLITAN CATTLE. The cattle trade has been wanting in animation. Business throughout has dragged. In the case of beasts there was a fair supply, and in addition about 6000 head were reported at Deptford. The demand was restricted, and the advantage was with the buyer; the extreme price for the best Scots did not exceed 4s 8d per 81b., and many good useful animals went at a lower figure. As regards foreign beasts, there was a moderate number, and with a quiet demand prices were weak. The sheep pens were moderately well filled, and the trade was quiet. Prices were hardly so good as a week ago. The best small 9st Downs reached 5s lOd lOst half bred, 5s 6d list, 5s 4d. Lambs were steady, at 7s to 7s lOd per 81b. Calves and pigs were quiet. Coarse and inferior beasts, 2s 4d to 3s Od; second quality ditto, 3s Od to 4s Od prime large oxen, 4s 2d to 4s 1d ditto Scots, &c., 4s 6d to 4s 8d coarse and inferior sheep, 4s 2d to 5s Od; second quality ditto, 5s Od to 5s 4d prime coarse-woolled ditto, 5s 4d to 5s 6d prime Southdown ditto, 5s fid to 5s lOd; lambs, In to 7s lOd large coarse calves, 3s lOd to 4s lOd; prime small ditto, 5s fid to 6s 2d large hogs, 2s Id to 3s 4d neat small porkers, 3s 6d to 4s Od per 81b. to link the offal. METROPOLITAN MEAT. Large supply, and the demand extremely small. Trade was exceptionally bad for every class of meat, but perhaps the depression was felt most in the beef trade. Quotations were almost nominal. Latest prices Inferior beef, Is 8d to 2s 4d middling ditto, 2s lOd to 3s 2d; prime ditto, 3s 6d to 4s Od; Scotch ditto, 3s 8d to 4s 2d American, Deptford killed, 2s 6d to 3s ditto, killed, hindquarters, 2s 4d to 3s 4d ditto, ditto, forequarters, Is Od to Is 6d; English peal, 4s 8d to 5s 4d Dutch ditto, 4s Od to 5s 4d inferior mutton, 2s 4d to 3s 4d: middling ditto, 3s 8d to 4s 4d; prime ditto. 4s 8d to 5s 2d; Scotch iitto. 5s 2d to 5s 6d; New Zealand ditto, 2s 8d to 3s large pork, 2s 8d to 3s Od and small ditto, 3s 4d to 4s per 81b. by the carcase. FISH. Fair supply slow demand. Prices: Wholesale Salmon, Is 8d per lb. cod, 2s to 3s each brill, 5s to 68 per stone: turbot, 8s per stone soles, 80s to 90s per oox; plaice, 15s to 18s per box fresh haddocks, lOe to 12s per box whiting. 5s per box; mackerel, 10s to 12s per pad; live eels, 20s per draft dead eels, 168 per draft; red mullets, 5s per dozen lobsters, 25s to 35s per score crabs, 25s per pad oysters, 2s to 158 per 100: smoked haddocks, Is 6d to 6s per dozen; prawns, 5s per lb. Retail: Salmon, Is lOd to 2s 2d per lb. soles, lOd to Is per lb. turbot, lOd to Is per lb. brill, 9d per lb. plaice, 5d per lb.; cod, 4d to 5d per lb.: fresh haddocks, 4d per Ib. live eels, Is 2d per lb. dead eels, fd to lOd per lb. mackerel, 3d to 6d each whiting, 2d to 1d each red mullets, Bd each lobsters, 6d to 2s 6d each crabs, 8d to 2s 6d each smoked haddocks, 2d to Is each oysters, 4d to 2s 6d per dozen prawns, Is 6d per dozen. POTATO. There was a good supply of potatoes en sale. The trade was steady, at the annexed rates: Magnum bouunis, 408 to 100s regents, 40s to 80s aud Hebron*, 308 to 80s per ton new Jersey kidneys, 20s to 22s and Lisbon round, 12s to 14s per cwt.

I'M sorry to hear, Mrs. Young," said the clergy- man, that you were present last night at a Plymouth Brethren's tea-meeting. I have often told you that these doctriHes are highly erroneous." Mrs. Young; Well, sir, their doctrines may be, but their cake with sultana raisins is excellent."

KING CHARLES'S HEAD. If Mr. Dick, the good-humoured but crazy gentle- man in David Copperfidd," were (the Graphic says) among us in the flesh, he would be gratified to find that his favourite hero, Charles I., was receiving so much attention. A dozen or more letters have recently appeared in the Times—headed by one from Mr. Reginald Palgrave, who has just published a book about Oliver Cromwell-discussing a very momentous question. The question is this: Did the Martyr King kneel at the block, preserving otherwise an upright position; or did he stretch himself at full length upon the scaffold to receive the headsman's blow ? Mr. Palgrave adopts the latter view, which is, on the whole, sup- ported by evidence supplied by other correspondents. We have neither the requisite knowledge nor the desire to give an opinion one way or other. What strikes us as noteworthy is that a point which is intrinsically of such microscopic interest should attract so much curiosity, not merely on the part of the con- tributors to this correspondence, but also from those who read the letters. The phenomenon may perhaps be thus explained. The public appetite nowadays is satiated and jaded by enormous doses of certain kinds of information. What a lot we have heard lately, for example, about Mr. Stanley and the Equatorial I oreac! But this is cheerful reading by the side of the eternal Irish squabbles, or the Tithes Bill, or the Compensation to Publicans! And, like Mr. Dick, who varigated the monotony of his daily life with Betsy Trotwood by inserting into his memorial some- thing about King Charles's Head, so to the bored public Mr. Palgrave's letter came as a blessed relief, and though the actual point at issue was tri vial, it led them to dwell on the subject generally, which is not trivial. And here a word to our artists. Why not follow the example of Mr. Crofts and Mr. Gow, and give us more historical pictures ? There are thousands of excellent subjects awaiting their brushes, even if they go back no earlier than 1688. It would be a refreshing change after the worn-out ideas which are displayed year after year in such multitudes on our gallery-walls.

TOBACCO AND LONG LIFE. How much may a man smoke and yet live up to or beyond the Psalmist's limit ? In an obituary notice of the late lamented Tom Wallace" which appeared the other day in a contemporary, it was stated that during the last 40 years of his life (be was born in 1818) he never smoked fewer than 10 cigars a day; thus beating, it was claimed, the record of Thurlow Weed, whose total consumption of his namesakes the other weeds had been esti- mated at 80,000. These be large figures, but they are not unprecedented, and we fancy that Mr. Wallace must take second place to a mighty smoker still happily among us. Mr. Henry Russell—who smokes steadily from "morn to noon, from noon to dewy eve," and on into the sma' wee hours- seldom, for many years, has disposed ot less than 15 to 20 cigars a day. Cigar smoking, it seems, is a habit which grows with years, rather than decreases, through Mr. Brander Matthews, with poetic license, has advanced the theory that youth indulges in cigars and champagne, maturity finds its solace in cigarettes and bordeaux, but that when hoar wisdom comes to a man— When age and his own lucky star To him perfected wisdom show, The schooner glides across the bar, And beer for him shall freely flow. A pipe with genial warmth shall glow, To which he turns in direst need, To seek in smoke surcease of woe A slave is each man to the weed.

A FRENCH MURDERESS. A most revolting case is being heard by the judges of the Department of Herault, in France. Theaccused persons are a woman named Enjalbert, her paramour Gély, a farmer who is 67 years of age, and the female prisoner's son, a boy of 17. Madame Enjalbert, aided by her son, murdered her husband in a most inhuman manner, almost before the eyes of his lifctle daughter. The deed was done, says a Paris correspondent, at the instigation of Gely, who wanted the woman to go and live with him altogether, promising to support her and her family. The woman purchased a revolver and armed her son with a club, which e-he observed cynically was big enough to "cave in" a donkey with. Enjalbert was then decoyed out of his house at an early hour in the morning, baving been asked to accompany his wife and son to the market at Gabian, near Montpellier. As the trio were crossing a bridge Mdme. Enjalbert asked her husband to fasten her shoe, and, as he was bending down for that purpose, shetdischarged three shots from her revolver into the nape of his neck. The victim fell, and while on the ground his wife fired three additional shots at him, while his son battered in his face and skull with the club. Not satisfied with this, the woman pulled a knife out of her pocket, and hacked and mutilated her husband's body in an indescribable manner. The body was then thrown into a ditch, where it was found next day. The woman was arrested, and admitted the crime, but wanted to exonerate her son, who, however, also confessed to participation in the deed.

"THE MAN IN THE MOON." About the middle of this century, when the public conscience became so far quickened in regard to electoral corruption that it was found desirable to throw a decent veil of secrecy over transactions of that character, a remarkable personage began to figure in the trial of election petitions. Again and again the agency of the briber or bribers could be carried no farther than a mysterous stranger whose identity could not be established, and who was only known as The Man in the Moon." At last, during the hearing of the Wakefield election patition,in 1859,he was run to earth. A draper of the town, named Moore, admitted that he had engaged u Too Man in the Moon," and when asked to give his name, offered to produce him. Accordingly, about five minutes later, The Man in the Moon came in, and in the course of examination said his name wy Whitehead, and that he was an upholsterer, of Bradford, and had always been in the habit of taking part in elec- tioneering affairs. He had no startling revelations to make, however, his r- ie being simply that of the missing link."

PHOTOGRAPHING RIFLE BULLETS. Rifle bullets are now photographed in their course by means of the electric spark. The bullet is caused to traverse a dark room in which is placed the camera. As it passes the front ot the camera the bullet is made to interrupt an electric current, or break contact, as it is called, producing a spark which lights it up for a moment, and en- ables the picture to be taken. The wave of condensation in the air before the bullet and the rarefaction behind it are plainly visible in the photograph, and it is by studying these that the expert is enabled to judge which form of ball will receive the minimum resistance from the atmosphere. The bullet of the new repeating rifle, a compound soldered one, is said to give excellent results, the soldering on of the core giving it an advantage over the old solid leaden bullet in the matter of rotation. This kind of bullet, too, does not strip in the bore or break upon impact, thus inflicting a more deadly wound.

EPITOME OF NEWS. On the arrival of the northern express in Dublin on Saturday night, a ticket collector, on entering a first- class compartment, found a gentleman seated in the corner quite dead, with a revolver in his right hand. The gentleman was found to be Mr. W. W. Pinkerton, a partner in several mercantile and shipping firms in Belfast. He was about 23 years of age. He had shot himself through the mouth. Several papers found on the body, evidently written by the deceased, announced his determination to commit suicide, and making various requests as regards the inquest and the disposal of the body. The train left Belfast at five o'clock, and arrived at Amiens-street Station at 9.40. Mr. Pinkerton was last seen alive at Drogheda. Though several persons were in an adjoining compartment none heard the report of the revolver. The body was con- veyed by the Dublin police to the morgue, where an inquest was subsequently held. Information was sent to the deceased's father at Oak Lodge, Cavefield-road, Belfast. A large meeting of railway workers was on Saturday held at Hengler's Circus, Liverpool, under the auspices of the General Railway Workers' Union. Mr. A. Pilling, Mayor of Southport, presided, and in address- ing the men advised them to be united, and everything reasonable would be granted them. They would have the support of public opinion. Speeches were made by a number of prominent trades unionists, who advised the men to boycott any who did not support the union. It was also urged that they could bring the railway companies to their senses by diverting traffic. A reso- lution was passed urging railway managers and directors to take immediate steps to lessen the hours and increase the pay of the workmen. Shortly before two on Saturday morning, the whole of the compositors engaged on the Scottish, Leader were dismissed by the manager. The staff had intimated that, in the event of any matter being brought into the office which had been set up in a non-unionist office, they would lay down their sticks before three o'clock. The manager announced that such matter would be brought in, and ordered the staff to leave the office, a request to which the men readily assented. Mr. Richard Rice, brother of the Crown Prosecutor for the East Riding of the county Cork, and Thomas Kent, were arrested on Saturday morning at Fermoy on a Crimes Act warrant charging them with having used intimidation towards John Murphy, an emer- gency man, at Towermore-on-Wear. The accused were brought before Colonel Langborne, stipendiary magis- trate, and remanded, bail being refused. A painful sensation has been caused at Reading by the mysterious disappearance of Mr. John Kent, who for many years has been head master of the Kendrick Public School in that town. He left home with his two young motherless children, stating that he was going to Margate for a little change, but he has not since been heard of there or elsewhere. At the annual meeting of the Northern Counties Weavers' Association at Burnley, on Saturday, repre- senting 200,000 looms and 70,000 factory operatives, the delay in the adoption of a uniform wage list was severely commented upon, and it was resolved to give the employers of the weaving centres 14 days longer to consider the matter A lady, while walking along the North Pier at West Hartlepool, on Saturday afternoon, was blown into the eea and drowned. The deceased, whose name is not known, is believed to have been a visitor. The body, the linen on which is marked M. Wade," was recovered and removed to the infirmary. A fire occurred at Plymouth on Saturday night, resulting in the entire destruction of Mr. Yeo's stables. Twenty-two horses were burned in the flames, for one of which 200 guineas had been refused the day pre- vious. Two soldiers were found dead in a boat at sea off Aberdeen on Sunday afternoon. They were locked in each other's arms, and were lying face downwards in the boat, which was full of water. Thirteen marine firemen out of 25, who had been summoned for refusing to obey the lawful orders of Captain T. C. Dutton, master of the mail steamer Aurania, appeared at the Liverpool Police-court, on Saturday, to answer the summonses. Mr. N. Hill, who appeared to prosecute, stated that these men had re- fused to go to sea because there was a non-Unionist named Lockyer on board, a man who had been with them on the previous voyage. The other men who had been summoned had agreed to go te work, and were on board, and substitutes had to be provided for the 13 defendants. Mr. Rallies said the men were very foolish, and some of the men said they were ready to go back. Captain Dutton said he would rather not take the men b^ck, and that substitutes had been en- gaged. One of the men said that the first man who got up the disturbance was the earliest to go back to work. Another of the defendants stated that if they went across iu any other company's boats they would be asked to show a clean Union book. Mr. Rallies in- flicted a tine of 10s. and costs on each man, and they were all taken down to the Bridewell, one of them stating that they had not signed off yet. A murder was committed on Saturday night at Mitcham. One of three small houses, known as Sim- monds'-cottages, was occupied by George Bowling, a labourer, who has not of late been in regular employ- ment, and who has lived for some time with a woman calling herself Eliza Beadle but she is supposed to be the wife of a labourer named Nightingale. Late on Saturday a relative of the woman went to the cottage where she lived, and found her lying on the bed, quite dead, with terrible wounds on her head. Inspector R. Butters and Sergeant Loftus, W Division, shortly afterwards arrived, accompanied by Dr. Love, the divi- sional surgeon. The last-named gentleman came to the conclusion that the fatal injuries had been inflicted with a hammer which was found in the room. To all appearances, the unfortunate victim was instantaneously killed by the first blow, which must have been deli- vered with great force, the frontal bone being driven in. Shortly before eight o'clock the constables men- tioned succeeded in arresting Bowling at Upper Mitcham, and it is said that upon being charged with the crime he made no reply. During a dispute on Saturday night in the camp of the Londonderry Artillery Militia at Londonderry, between two men of the brigade, Gunner Bernard Bradley was stabbed in the side with a sword bayonet. The weapon penetrated to the lung, and his depositions were taken by a magistrate. His alleged assailant, Gunner Thomas Donagh, was arrested, brought before the magistrates, and remanded. King's College, London, has just received the means of organising two new departments. The widow of Sir William Siemens, in fulfilment of the intentions of her husband, has given £6000 for the establishment of an electrical laboratory, of which Dr. John Hopkmson will be the new professor, and Mr. Bannister Fletcher, master of the Carpenters' Company, has subscribed liberally towards the foundation of an architectural museum. The Local Government Board are investigating the working of the Agricultural Labourers Act in the Irish Poor Law Unions. They have found serious fault with the administration of the Act in Limerick Union, and refuse to advance any more money until the abuses complained of are rectified. M. de Nelidoff has presented to the Porte a Note, demanding that the arrears of the Russian war in- demnity shall be paid out of the proceeds of the recently contracted loan. The Swiss Federal Council, in compliance with a petition, has asked the Cantonal Government of Geneva to conform to the prescriptions of the Federal Constitution, which forbid the existence of any gambling houses in Geneva. On account of certain defensive works which are being constructed, the Swiss Federal Council has for- bidden all visits to the fortifications of the St. Gothard Tunnel. I The Duke of Abercorn presided on Saturday evening at the house dinner of the National Conservative Club in London, and expressed the hope that before loag it might be possible to change the present proprietary position of the club, to effect which a sum of JE100,000 would be required, JE20,000 of this having already been guaranteed. Sir H. James, M.P., presided on Saturday at a meet- ing, held in Westminster, at which it was resolved to establish in South London a mission in connection with Cheltenham College, with Nunhead as the centre of operations. The French Exhibition at Earl's-court, London, was opened on Saturday by the Lord Mayor, with a very brief ceremony. The Exhibition is divided into 12 sections, all of which promise when completed to be very interesting. After the departure of the Civic party, a large number of visitors entered the building, and the grounds were thronged during the evening. There are at the present time no less than 1100 invalids at Netley Hospital, a much larger number than usual, the accommodation being taxed to the utmost extent. It is stated that a great many cases are the results of the recent influenza epidemic, which had a serious effect on many of the soldiers serving abroad. The man named Eastwell, who shot and killed his aunt in a fit of drunkenness on tha night of the 8th inst., was again brought before the magistrate at Lambeth Police-court on Saturday. The police stated I that repeatedly after the man was apprehended he asked, "What have I done ?" He was suffering from delirium tremens, and although much better had not I yet quite recovered. He was committed for trial. Mr. Justice Stirling on Saturday heard a petition, presented by Mr. Bolton, for the compulsory winding- up of the International Cable Company (Limited). His contention was that the capital of the company was gone, and that its concession from the Portuguese Government to lay a cable to America had lapsed. His lordship thought it was probable the concession might be renewed, and ordered the petition to stand over until July. A man named Solomons was convicted at the London County Sessions of larceny, in having induced a person to give certain sums for purses in which he appeared to drop silver coins, which, however, were not found in the purses. It was contended on Saturday, before the Court for the Consideration of Crown Cases Reserved, that the accused should have been indicted for obtaining money by falqe pretences, instead of larceny by a trick, and their lordships quashed the con- viction. Two women, believed to be mother and daughter, were, at Marlborough-street Police-court on Saturday, charged with shoplifting at the West-end of London. In consequence of pawnbrokers having given up to them some valuable se Iskin jackets which were offered in pledge by the younger prisoner, the police were put upon the watch, and on Friday saw her with the elder prisoner outside an omnibus in Shoreditch. Thewomen were followed to Walworth, where they were taken into custody, and on searching the dwelling of the elder prisoner the officers discovered a large quantity of wearing apparel and other property, which they sup- posed to be the proceeds of shoplifting. The prisoners were remanded. The Prince and Princess of Wales and their daughters went to Chatham Dockyard, on Saturday, to visit H.M.S. Thrush, of which Prince George has been ap- pointed Lieutenant Commander. The Duke of Edinburgh and the Elder Brethren of the Trinity House were on Saturday evening enter- tained at the London Mansion House at dinner, over which the Lord Mayor presided. Lord G. Hamilton, speaking to the toast of the navy, expressed his grati- fication at finding naval officers among the most efficient members of the governing body of the Trinity House. The Duke of Edinburgh, replying to the toast of his health, said it was hoped that through the revival ot trade funds would soon be available for the carrying" out of various important works which the Trinity House had in contemplation. The German Emperor has made another remarkable speech, which he addressed to the notables of the Pro- vince of Prussia. He commented upon the loyalty ot the Province to his House, and added that it was his duty to preserve peace, which was especially important for the agricultural population. Those who ventured to break the peace would receive a lesson which they would not forget for a hundred years. The King and Queen of Italy on Sunday evening pre- sented the chief prizes to the successful marksmen at the termination of the grand shooting contest. The first prize, a gold medal given by the Minister of the Interior, and a massive silver coffee service given by the King, was won by a Genoese named Ce'esia; the second and third prizes were also won by I tn' ans the fourth by a Swiss, and the fifth by a Frenchman. Every Frenchman wore a marguerite at the ctton-ho^le* Signer Celesia, as the winner of the first prize, a-so carried off the Sevres vase given by M. Constans. t A Paris official newspaper confirms the statement that France had undertaken to supply Russia with a new rifle for her army. Baron Mohrenheim, the Russian Ambassador, has made large contracts witn the arms manufacturers of St. Etienne, who undertake to tarn out 2000 per day, and made a first delivery o* 1,000.000 stand of arms, with the proper complement of smokeless powder cartridges, on October 1. General Boulanger has written a letter to the Vice- President of the Republican National Committee, in which he states that, believing it would be useless to disturb the country with barren agitations," he thinks it desirable that the committee over which he has pre- sided should be dissolved. Prince Bismarck, a Berlin correspondent saYs. intends to visit England, with his wife, about the middle of June, but will principally spend his timewltb his English friends at their country seats. The Prince, in an interview with a French journalist, has declare" that Germany will never attack France, nor provoke France to attack her; but all the more would the Germans fight with indomitable resolution te defen" the Fatherland. Germans regarded the integrity 0 France, like that of Austria, as a European necessity. The Rev. Dr. Gotch, who, as a Hebrew scholar arnong the Baptist denomination, was a member of the Old Testament Revision Committee, died at his residence at Clifton, Bristol, on Saturday, at the age of 82 years. He was Honorary President of the Bristol Bapti»* College, from the active work of the Presidency °} which he retired in 1882, after being connected with as student, resident tutor, and president. He **7 born at Kettering in 1807, and took his degree » Trinity College, Dublin. He was an ex-president of tn Baptist Union. The appointment of Commander-in-Chief at tbe Nore, which is worth about JE2900 per annum and an official residence, will shortly fall vacant by the PfP* motion of Vice-Admiral Thomas Bridgeman LetD" bridge to the rank of Admiral.

AN inch o' a miss is as gude as a span. Mas. MUMULE I wonder how people got the Idea that porous plasters would be beneficial ?" Mumble: From the fact that they are hole-some- A SUBURBAN paper, in giving the details of a recep^ tion, says Mrs. Chalker, the wife of our enterpr inj; milk nurvevor, was becomingly attired in silk."