The Aberystwith Observer

A SUGGESTION ABOUT CRICKET. The popularity of cricket as a national game is as great as ever, to judge by the number of people who, in spite of the weather, assembled at Lord's on Mon- day to witness the Oxford and Cambridge match (says. the St. James's Gazette). There is, however, a certain sameness in these annual university and public- school matches; and it is a question well worth the consideration of strong-minded women whether it might not be good policy on their part to prove their fitness to compete with the weak-minded sex by taking the bat in their own hands, and displaying their skill and agility by a contest between them- selves or with one of the universities. Cricket was in former days a womanly as well as a manly sport, and women occasionally even played public matches. At Mousley Hurst on the 3rd of August, 1775, according to the Annual Register for that year, a most interesting cricket match was played between six unmarried and the same number of married women. The spinsters were in the end victorious, but the contest was a keen one, and the batting as well as the fielding of the wives was really admirable. One of the married ladies especially distinguished herself, running seven- teen notches to her own bat. There were very heavy bets on the issue, and much money changed hands. A match almost equally interesting is recorded as having taken place at Montpelier Gardens, Wal- worth, on the 9th of August, 1796, between eleven Greenwich Pensioners with one leg against eleven with one arm, for one thousand guineas. The "one- legs after an exciting game beat the one-arms by 103 runs, and at the conclusion of the match the one- legged eleven ran a sweepstakes of 100 yards distance for twenty guineas, and the three first had prizes.

"THE SERVANTS OF THE KING.Shakespeare was counted one of the "meane" or humble folk in 1604, when his full Hamlet was first published. His com- pany is thus noticed by his contemporary, Gilbert Dugdale, when speaking of the honours conferred by James 1. on the English :Not only to the indif- ferent of worth and the worthy of honour [nobles and gentry] did he [the King] freely deale about thiese causes, but to the meane gave grace as taking to him the late Lord Chamberlaines Servants [Burbage, Shakespeare, &c.], now the Kings Acters the Queene taking to her the Earle of Worsters Servants, that are now her Acters; the Prince their Sonne, Henry Prince of Wales, full of hope, tooke to him the Earle of Nottingham his Servants, who are now his Acters so that, of Lords Servants they are now the Servants of the King, Queene, and Prince."

PRODUCTIVENESS OF CALIFORNIA. Mr. Booker, English Consul at San Francisco, quotes a series of interesting paragraphs from an official report on wine production in the State of Cali- fornia (says the Pall Mall Gazette in its "City Notes.") That State has now several important wine-growing regions, and the vintage of 1880 was estimated to yield from 10 to 12 million gallons. An export trade to other parts of the Union, and seemingly also to other countries, has begun, and the day may not be far dis- tant when the United States will compete on equal terms with the wine-producing countries of Europe. Although bothered by the phylloxera, the Cali- fornians do not fear it. They have so much land capable of growing splendid grapes that, before the in- sect, in the event, by no means likely, of its triumph- ing over all attempts to check its ravages, has de- stroyed one vineyard, a new one can be in bearing condition. California is not only becoming a great wine produc- ing country. It is par excellence, the fruit-growing State of the Union. A ready market for its preserved fruits -apricots, peaches, and prunes-is found in London and many hundred tons of its fresh grapes go to the eastern States by rail. The east also takes Cali- fornian oranges. There is no longer any waste of good fruit, and many persons who a few years ago destroyed their orchards rather than see the fruit wasted, find they made a great mistake. And, with all the development in these directions, California does not fall behind in her production of wheat. On the contrary, there also greater care and better results are becoming visible. No attention is as yet paid to rotation cropping, but summer fallowing is more ex- tensively practised, and with improved modes of treating the soil the yield is sometimes prodigious. Consul Booker estimates the total wheat crop of 1880 at 32 million centals, and he says that on some of the lands in the southern part of the State which have only lately come into cultivation the crops of the past three seasons have been very heavy. On one large farm in that beautiful region Los Angeles county there were fields that yielded as much as 55 bushels of wheat per acre. Before results of this kind the outturn of Californian gold mining becomes a thing of very small importance.

A CURIOUS POINT FOR DECISION. In the Probate Court, before the Right Hon. the President and a Special Jury, a cause-" The Society for Improving the Condition of the Labouring Classes v. Saffery"-has been heard, and was a case in which a curious and somewhat novel point arose.-We take the following report from The Times The testator, Mr. Edmund Lambert, was a doctor of medicine, residing at Bath. On the 1st of October, 1866 he made his will, and he died, at an advanced age, on the 20th of July, 1877. Eight first cousins, of whom Caroline Saffery, the defendant, is one, survivs him, and he having named no executors in his will, lwhich was a holograph, administration with the will annexed was granted to that lady. The will sets out large be- quests to a number of public institutions, and in it is this passage To the trustees of the Wellington College, one thousand pounds: to the trustees of the Bishop of London's Fund for building churches, five hundred pounds and the sum of two thousand pounds to the trustees of the Fund for Improving the Dwellings and the Sanitary Condition of the Poor of London." The question to be decided was as to this latter legacy. The defendant admitted the execution of the will, but formally denied that the testator gave the plaintiff society £2,000. The action was taken by direction of the Court of Chancery, and was only contentious in form, the real object being to get the finding of the jury as to the circumstances in which two had been inserted before thousand." It was evident and admitted on both sides that some other word or part of a word had in the first instance been written under "two;" but the alteration was not initialled by either the testator or the attesting witnesses, and there being no public body answering the description in the will represented in this Court when administration was sought for, the administra- tion was granted with a blank instead of two" before the thousand. Afterwards, however, the Court of Chancery found that the plaintiff society was the body indicated by the testator, and accord- ingly that society became plaintiff in this action. It will be apparent that to ascertain the circumstances in which the alteration was made became a matter of great importance, as the bequest must fail if it were made after the will was executed. The case of the plaintiff was that the alteration was made before the execution of the will, and that of the defendant that the plaintiff's contention must be made out by affirmative evidence. Further, as a legal point, counsel for the plaintiff contended that, according to the judicial decisions, an alteration of the kind which had been made in this case was not such a one as came within the rules which invalidated alterations made after the execution of a will, those rules going to alter- ations of intention, and not to mere verbal changes but though raised, this point was not very strongly relied on. Mr. Charles Russell, Q.C., and Mr. Middleton ap- peared for the plaintiff; Mr. Inderwick, Q.C., and Mr. Searle for the defendant. Mr. Samuel M. Phillips, one of the attesting wit nesses to the will, was examined by Mr. Middleton. and identified his signature to the document, but said he did not remember the circumstances attending the making of the will. In reply to Mr. Inderwick, he said he had no recol- lection of his attention being called to any alteration in the will. Mr. William G. Hepburn, solicitor, said he read over the will to the testator in the summer of 1876. On that occasion the testator said he would like to have it rewritten. He had seen it before July, 1876, but did not recollect whether on any occasion he noticed the alteration. Could not speak to the tes- tator's handwriting. He found the will among the testator's papers soon after his death, and the writing appeared to be now in the same condition as it was then. Mr. Esse, clerk in Coutt's bank, where the tes- tator kept his account, said he had no doubt that the word two in the will was in Dr. Lambert's hand- writing. Mr. Chabot, the expert in handwriting, said it appeared to him that there never had been a complete word under the word "two." He could not, how- ever, speak positively on the point. There could be no doubt that there was a "th" under the "two," and he believed the latter word was written with the same ink, and almost at the same instant as the word or part of the word underneath. He was certain the latter could not have been "one" or "four." It might, perhaps, have been ''three." He should not have expected the two inks to blend, as the writing was very fine. Mr. Netherclift. the expert, said he could see" th" under two." He thought it impossible to say when the "two" was written, but it must have been written at some interval after the ink underneath was dry. Otherwise the inks would have blended, and they had not, The President, in summing up the case to the jury, said the rule in respect of alterations in wills was partly by statute and partly by judicial decisions and the general safety required that it should be adhered to. If some alteration appeared on theface of a will, un- accompanied by any note, the presumption was that it had been made after the will was executed, because if it were made before the execution of the will the proper thing was to note it. This could be done in a variety of ways. It might be done by an observation on the margin, or, when several alterations were made they were sometimes enumerated in the attestation clause, but if there was no indication to the contrary, the presumption in law was that an alteration in a will was made after the execution of the document itself. A man might take a pen in his hand after the execution of his will, and make alterations from mere ignorance of what the effect would be in respect of his intentions but he might do so because he had really altered his intentions, and wished to give effect to the change in his mind. The jury would see, therefore, how necessary it was that the rule in such matters should be adhered to. That an altera- tion was made in this will by the insertion of the word two over a word or part of a word, nobody could doubt; and, therefore, the jury would have no diffi- culty in arriving at a conclusion on the question whether an alteration had really been made, and that was the first inquiry. The second question was one on which there was a difficulty. It was what had the alteration been from ? The third and most important question was, had the alteration of the word "two" been made before or after the execution of the will. They had no assistance from any person who was present at the execution ot the will, and they must, therefore, judge from the evidence afforded by the will itself with the assistance given them with respect of that evidence by Mr. Chabot and Mr. Netherclift, who were not agreed as to the time when the altera- tion must have been made. The jury found that they could not ascertain what the alteration had been from, but that the alteration was made, and the word "two" was written before the execution of the will. < The President said he would recall the administra- tion for the purposes of inserting the word "two" instead of the blank left before thousand in the grant of administration. The question of costs to stand over.

SOMETHING IN IHAT. The small-pox epidemic, as everybody knows, is terribly bad in London just now. There is, however, one great consolation for those who are so unfortunate as to catch this frightful disease, viz., that the worse they have it, the more will they be pitted.—Judy.

THE PRESS OF PRETORIA DURING THE SIEGE. A Correspondent of The Times, writing from Keter- maritzburg on May 9th, gives the following interesting de- scription of journalism at Pretoria during the recent siege: A veritable journalistic curiosity is the News of the Camp, published under canvas at Pretoria during the recent siege of 100 days, from December 18, 1880, to March 28, 1881. The 40 numbers, of four pages each, foolscap size, has just appeared in a bound form, em- bellished with 14 photographic illustrations taken by Mr. Gros, of Pretoria, during the siege. When, on the 20th of December last, news of the disaster to the 94th Regiment at Bronkhorst Spruit reached Sir Owen Lanyon, who was even then consider- ing an vltimatum addressed to him by the Boer leaders, he at once caused martial law to be proclaimed, and ordered all civilians to remove from the town to the military camp about a mile distant, where tem- porary fortifications had been erected. Mr. Deecker, the well-known editor of the Transvaal Argus, took a hand-press with him into camp, and with the assist- ance of a Mr. Duval initiated this almost unique ex- periment in the history of journalism by the issue of a single-page number on Christmas Day, under the title of the News of the Camp: a Journal of Fancies, Noti- fications, Gossip, and General Chit-chat. Published in the Military Camp of Her Majesty's forces defend- ing the beleaguered inhabitants of Pretoria." In a preface to the now-completed file, the editors remark upon the difficulties of their novel under taking. "Surely," they say, .Inever was paper printed under such singular auspices—a bungalow for a printing office, with canvas thrown over its un- finished roof, through which the rain freely pene- trated, a gentle waterspout running down the com- positor's back as he stood with a bandolier of Martini- Henri cartridge over his shoulder, his white apron for a uniform, composing-stick in hand, and his rifle lying suggestively near his printing-frame; the editors' quarters, an army bell-tent and a transport wagon, the space between ingeniously roofed in witb a tattered sail stretched on telegraph poles; their work, editing a paper by day and on guard up to the knees in mud at night, or sleeping in a pair of leather breeches, long boots, and jack spurs. The price of each issue was 6d., and in setting forth the value of the journal as an advertising medium, the editors boast with reason that their organ" possesses the largest circulation of any periodical published in the district of Pretoria, having readers and subscribers extending within the radius of fully one mile and a half from the office of publication." The advertisements afford a singular insight into the amenities of civilian life in camp under martial law, for the News acted as an official as well as private medium of communication between individuals and a public of some 5,000 souls, all, to quote the motto of the little journal under notice, Cribbed, Cabined, Confined, Bound in." An early official announcement by Lieutenant Chichester, the garrison adjutant, is calculated to re- joice the heart of Exeter-hall—"Any soldier, volun- teer or civilian found ill-treating or threatening any native, will be immediately arrested and handed over to the Provost-Marshal, and be dealt with accord- ingly, "an awful ambiguity which presumably points to "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Civilians are suggestively reminded in an editorial of January 4, 1881, that they cannot go to town or return to camp without a pass, which can only be obtained if they are not wanted by their wardmaster; that there are only two points of ingress or egress to the camp that they are all of them soldiers without having taken the shilling and that, if they have wives, they have been practically divorced from them for three months. Every precaution appears to have been taken in the general interest to maintain cleanliness in the camp. All occupants of huts and tents are peremptorily ordered by advertisement to turn out of them at 6.30 a.m. and remain out till nine, during which period huts and tents are to be thoroughly swept and garnished, and the bedding, &c.. placed out to air. No civilian is allowed to enter camp after f.30 p.m. at eight, all camp fires must be extinguished, and "Lights out" is the order at nine, "the Provost- Marshal being invariably hinted at as an alternative in the case of infringement of these and all other kindred regulations. For the benefit of those who objected for various reasons to quit town for camp under the gentle pressure of general orders, the follow- ing special order was issued by Colonel Bellairs on January 5:— It appearing that some of the inhabitants of Pre- toria have not given their services for the defence of the place, but still remain in the town, the Deputy- Provost-Marshal is instructed to cause a register in such form as he considers desirable to be kept of all such persons. Accordingly to effect this, all such persons, white and coloured, are required to appear before the Landdrost for the purpose of being regis- tered between the hours of nine and twelve o'clock a.m. to-morrow. Any person neglecting to appear will be arrested, and all will be plaaed under the sur- veillance of the Deputy Provost-Marshal. Inhabi- tants remaining in the town are warned that they do so at their own risk and on their own responsibility; that the town may, under certain contingencies, be shelled or blown up and, further, that any remain- ing in it will not hereafter be received into the camp or otherwise provided for." Any persons attempting to enter or leave the camp after dusk or being abroad after 8 p.m. will, Lieutenant Chichester announces in a standing advertisement, conceived in a. spirit of discip'ine rather than of grammar, "be made prisoners of uniess that they can give a satisfactory account of them- selves." Another standing order runs to the effect that any person not authorized who makes use of the countersign will be severely punished, while "any person when challenged by a sentry who gives the countersign in a loud voice is immediately to be made a prisoner of." It is needless to add that the editorials and intelli- gence department of the News were subjected to rigorous military supervision while the state of siege lasted, and in a number subsequently published the editors complain with some bitterness that the in- telligence which they were permitted to communicate was too highly coloured in the interests of the success of the British arms. The ominous announcement, however, appeared from time to time by order in the advertising columns of this little journal that "any person found spreading false reports about camp will be severely dwelt with." The record of daily life furnished by the News of the Camp is, however, by no means one of universal gloom, despite stringent discipline, disappointed hopes, and occasional severe visitations of wind and weather, which played havoc with the fragile huts and tents. The various sorties, several of them very suc- cessful, brought out the courage of the volunteers in a hopeful light; and, indeed, if the photographs of Mr. Gros are to be relied upon, the Pretoria Rifles, 1,000 strong, were as fine a body of men as one could wish to see. Besides "alarms" there were "excursions," and every day a Government ox-wagon left the camp thrice for trips to the town and back, to enable the good citizens to pay a brief visit to their Lares and Penates left at home, only women and children, how- ever, being allowed to ride. For the benefit of these visitors and others the two banks were opened through- out the siege for one hour daily and for amusement in camp a beleaguered theatre was started, with an amateur troupe while concerts, Christy minstrel performances, and open air military music broke the monotony of camp life, their records in the columns of this miniature journal alternating with the sad an- nouncements of deaths in sorties and from wounds in camp, Facetious paragraphs, relating to well-known indi- viduals, but always conceived in a spirit of good humour, abound, and comic advertisements, such a.s one which announces a quantity of land to be sold cheap in the immediate vicinity of the Boer canlD." There is geat rejoicing, of course, over the few births that take place under canvas, and the pontic mast of the beleaguered ones appears to have been re-id'iy aroused on these and kindred occasions whil-' a column periodically devoted to Camp find'"em outf affords scope for the conception and elucidation of various charades and conundrums. Thus the issue of this little paper progressed-its regular publication sometimes delayed by trifling un- toward accidents its columns generally brimful of pluck and hope, but sometimes tinged sadly with the natural melancholy born of hope deferred, as reiterated anticipations of victory and relief proved fruitless, and chance news indignantly discredited, from Boer sources, told only of British failure and defeat. At last the end came. While the small community was yet sorrowing over the losses sustainen in the un- successful sortie at the Red House Kraal, where Captain Sanctuary and a number of volunteers and Royal Artillery were killed and wounded, a truce- bearer from the enemy brought a file of Boer gazettes, with the news of the Amajuba disaster and of General Colley's death. A day or two later three officers from General Wood's column brought the terms of peace into the sad and expectant ranks of the beleaguered and a week later, amidst music and sa1 's, harmo- nising but ill with the sentiments of the 1 <_ red resi- dents, Sir Evelyn Wood, on April m his »ntrv into the capital of the Transvaal. Four uav* iater in a special number, the News of the Carap takes a sorrow- ful farewell of its readers.

RAILWAY SPEED -The pace of the quickest trains in England is greater by ten miles an h. >ur than that of the quickest trains of any other country. In Great Britain tne average velocity of the ex;*e,s is 50 miles an hour. In i>esgium it never exceeds -it miles an hour etween Paris and Bordeaux it is 39J miles an hour: <).L!1 liussia ana m some parts of Switzerland the rate .s 2. miles an hour.

BUSINESS NOTICES. ESTABLISHED 1826. t THOMAS WHITE, (Son and successor to the late Elizabeth White,) MANUFACTURING LAPIDARY AND JEWELLER, EGYPTIAN HOUSE, TERRACE ROAD, AND YORK HOUSE, MARINE TERRACE, ABERYSTWYTH. A splendid collection of Jewellery of the newest designs, comprising Necklets, Brooches, Ear Rings, &e., always in Stock. RREM AND OTHER RINGS. OLD CHINA IN GREAT VARIETY $&- ANYTHING NOT IN STOCK MADE TO ORDER. DEALER IN SILVER AND ELECTRO PLATE. N.B.-No connection with any other firm in the town the same name. GILDING AND ELECTRO PLATING. Beach Stones and other Pebbles Slico into Slabs, Drilled, and Cut into any Shape or Form. Cabinets, Tables, &c., inlaid. Church Decorations. ALL WORK DONE ON THE PREMISES. FLANNEL! FLANNEL I FLANNEL Fori Real WELSH FLANNEL, WOOLLEN DRESSES, CLOTH, SHAWLS, KNITTING-, YARN STOCKINGS, &c., try the WELSH FLANNEL DEPOT TERRACE ROAD, ABERYSTWYTH. JOHN EDWARDS & Co., Proprietors. All GOODS marked in plain t'igures at last year's prices. Agents for L. ELLIS & Co., Dyers, Bleachers, and Muslin Curtain Finishers: Birkenhead. ° TERMS, CASH. ROBERT" ELLIS, PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMIST, ;'1 TERRACE ROAD, ABERYSTWYTH. HAS REMOVED to the Apothecaries Hall Lately occupied by Mr J. H. Davies which are more convenient and commodious premises. PHILIP WILLIAMS, ,c' PRINTER, 25, BRIDGE STREET, ABERYSTWYTH, BEGS to return his most sincere thanks to the Public generally, for the very liberal support he has re- ceived for so many years as Printer, Bookseller, and Stationer. He further begs to intimate that he W removed from 12 Bridge Street, to the above more commodious and extensive premises, where he will fWmne to earrv on the POINTING BUSINESS as hitherto; and where all orders for Bookwork (English or Welsh), Posters in various sizes, Programmes, Cards, Circulars Billheads, Memorandums, &c., &c., will be promptly executed, and at at reasonable prices. A large number of English and Welsh Books, school Books, Account^ooks^&c. mJitock a|t^^J;leJn^CI^1|-gTREETj ABERYSTWYTH. fThe Cambrian Enamelled Slate Works LLANBADARN ROAD^ABERYSTWYTH. JAMES WILLIAMS & Co., Proprietors. '.0( MANUFACTURERS OF Plain and Ornamental Slate Chimney Pieces, Fenders, Baths, Cisterns, Milk Coolers, Urinals, Lavatories, Mangers, Cattle Troughs, Dairy, Larder, and Wine Cellar Shelves, Window Sills, Door Steps, Hearth Stones, Floorings, Skirtings. And every description of Slate Work. Roofing Slates of all sizes always in Stock. Also Marble and Granite Monuments, &c., &c. RHEIDOL FOUNDRY, MORFA MAWR, ABERYSTWYTH, WILLIAMS AND METCALFE, ENGINEERS, IRON AND BRASS FOUNDERS, MANUFACTURERS OF PUMPING, WINDING, CRUSHING, AND DRESSING MACHINERY FOR MIN&S STEAM ENGINES, BOILERS, INJECTORS, &c., REPAIRED. T. WILLIAMS begs to thank his numerous customers for their support in ihe past, and hopes the new firm will receive a continuance of the same. RELIANCE HOUSE, GREAT DARKGATE STREET (OPPOSITE TME MSAT MARKET) AND 7, PIER STREET, WILLIAM PEOBI N, WORKING LAPIDARY, JEWELLER, AND SILVERSMITH, BEGS to inform th8 Gentry, inhabitants, and Visitors of Aberystwyth that he has now on hand a well- selected Stock of Diamond Rings, Wedding Rings, Signet Rings, and Gem Rings. Bright and coloured Gold Jewellery, in all its branches, made upon the premises. Every article warranted. Also large Stock of Whitby Jet and Bog Oak Ornaments. Old Gold and Silver Purchased. Wholesale and Retail Dealer in New and Second-hand Plate. BUBB & PEAKE, PAINTERS, PLUMBERS, GLAZIERS, GASFITTERS, PAPER HANGERS, AND HOUSE DECORATORS. GLANYMORFA HOUSE, NEWFOUNDLAND ST., ABERYSTWYTH. (NEARLY OPPOSITE THE SWIMMING BATHS.) BATHS AND PERAMBULATORS CONSTANTLY ON SALE OR HIRE. Estimates given for all work in the above branches upon application. H. R. PUGH E, MILLINERY AND DRAPERY ESTABLISHMENT, 2, LITTLE DARK-GATE STREET, ABERYSTWYTH, BEGS to inform the Nobility, Gentry, and Inhabitants, that he has just returned from London and other Markets with a CHOICE SELECTION OF MILLINERY, DRAPERY, & FANCY GOODS R. P. cordially thanks the Nobility, Clergy, Gentry, and Public generally for all past support, and begs to assure them that his unceasing endeavours are to offer his Patrons THE VERY LATEST AND BEST GOODS At the smallest remunerative prices. H. R. P. SOLICITS THE FAVOUR OF AN EARLY CALL. TTTTJ A TT A Tvpo ^ol(i ^edal Paris Exhibition, 1878. -CXXl.Ci.lN b PURE, MILD and MELLOW. DELICIOUS and MOST WHOLESOME. T T, THE CREAM OF OLD IRISH WHISKIES. JL-JfU DR. H ASS ALL says—" Soft and Mellow, Pure, well Matured, and of very Excellent Quality." WHISKY. The Gold Medal Dublin Exhibition, 1865. 29, GREAT TITCHFIELD STREET, LONDON, W. WARNING! When you ask for RECKITT'S PARIS BLUE Ron f"U n <4- -TTATJ O*Af" As bad qualiti es are often substituted; UliaTl yuu gui ID! The genu £ e is used by the Laundresses of _JTHE PRINCESS OFWALES& DUCHESS OF EDINBURGH. Printing of every description executed at the! JOHN I08GAN, Observer Office, 1 North Parade. Estimates furnished.. PRINTER, ■Moderate Charges. j Observer Office, Aberystwyth. Bristol Steam Cabinet Works, Maryleport Street & Bridge Street. LAVERTON AND CO., BRISTOL. ESTABLISHED OVER 40 YEARS. LARGEST MANUFACTURERS IN WEST OF ENGLAND. RENOWNED FOR GOOD QUALITY STYLE, AND CHEAPNESS BEDROOM SUITES, including Wardrobe, beautifully finished. 8 £ Guineas. BEDROOM SUITES including Wardrobe, solid Pitch pine or Ash, 10 and 11 Guineas. BEDROOM SUITES, Yery Strong Glass door Ward robe, 12 Guineas. BEDROOM SUITES, An immense Stock to select from, varying in price from o £ 5 to < £ 100. Large illustrated Catalogue for 12 Stamps. DINING ROOM SUITES, Comprising Couch, 2 Easy Chairs, and 6 Chairs, Spring Stuffed, 10 Guineas. DINING ROOM SUITES, In Russian Tapestry, 12 Guineas. DINING ROOM SUITES, In Velvet or Leather. 14 Guineas.. DINING ROOM SUITES, Very Superior Quality, from X16 to xbo. ,I r. DRAWING ROOM SUITES, Spring stuffed, in cretonne,, elegantly finished, 10 Guineas.. DRAWING ROOM SUITES, Wonderful for the price,. admiration of everyone, 12 to 15. Guineas. DRAWING ROOM SUITES, In Black and Gold, covered in Velvet or Roman Satin. 16, 18, and 29 Guineas. ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE, Containing nearly 1000 Engravings, post free for 12 Stamps. ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE, Containing numerous; Estimates, &c., post free' for 12 Stamps. ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE, Largest and best published post free for 12 Stamps. CARPETS, CARPETS, Best make and Quality. CARPETS, Beautiful in design CARPETS, Lower in price than other Houses. CARPETS, Unequalled in variety and patterns. LAYERTON & Co., BRISTOL, Manufacturers and Designers. 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A WILL CASE. m The cause of Irving v. the Marquis of Harting- ton has been heard in the Probate Court. Mr. Inderwick, Q.C., and Dr. Phillimore were counsel for the plaintiff and the Attorney-General, the Solicitor-General, and Mr. Searle represented the defendant. The testatrix, whose testamentary dispositions formed the subject of this case, Miss Mary Ann Bruce, was the daughter of an indigo planter of India. Having made a fortune he came to this country with the deceased, and lived with her and her sister Sarah at Upper Bedford-place, London. In 1827 he died, leaving Sarah £60,000 and the deceased £ 40,0C0. For a number of years the two sisters lived together, but in 1850 they separated, and the testatrix went to reside at Brighton. They had only out: near relation, Colonel Bruce, the father of the wife of the plaintiff in the suit, !and of him they were stated to be very proud. He was a Waterloo veteran, and had fought with Wellington throughout the Peninsula war. With his daughter the deceased became upon very intimate terms, and had much affection for her two little girls. The testatrix's sister Sarah was desirous of leaving the bulk of her property f( r the purpose of founding an institution at Calcutta for the care and education of half-caste female orphan children, and she had been in communication with the India Office for that purpose. She persuaded her sister to follow her example, and accordingly, on March 8,1873, they executed a joint will, by which, with the exception of a few small legacies, they dedicated their joint fortune for this object. Some time afterwards, it was stated that the testatrix became dissatisfied with what she had done, and on Oct. 3, 1874, she executed the will which was now propounded by the plaintiff, who is a gentleman of position in the Foreign Office, it leaving to his wife the bulk of the property. Miss Sarah Bruce having died, her pro- perty has fallen in. The Marquis of Hartington, in his official capacity of Secretary of State for India, opposed probate of the later will, alleging that it was not duly executed; that the deceased was not of sound mind and that she-did not know and approve of the contents. He claimed to be entitled as legatee in trust to probate of the will executed in March, 1873, A number of witnesses were called in support of the plaintiff's case, after which a consultation took place between the parties, and a compromise was effected, by which the will of October, 1874, was pro- nounced for. It was further arranged that the plaintiff should receive £ 20,000, and that a like sum should go to the defendant in trust, for the purpose of founding the charitable institution at Calcutta, as provided by the earlier will.

A strong feeling also exists in America against the Chinese immigration, and some months ago the following arguments, amongst others, were urged by the Governor of Benver (Colorado) Our civilization has been constructed upon the basis of the home-circle, the schoolhouse, and the church. The American labourer has been taught to love and cherish his wife, to educate his children, to supply them with all possible comforts, and to fit them to fill any honourable position which they may be able by honesty and industry to reach. The wages heretofore paid in this country have enabled the labouring classes to live in comfort and to contribute to some extent to the support of the schoolhouse and the church. Hence we see that the American and Chinese labourer meet upon an entirely different basis. If it costs an American labourer 3 dollars a day to support his family and to educate his children, and he receives that sum for his wages, a Chinaman having no family to support and bearing none of the burdens of society or social life can afford to do the same work for 1 dol. per day and still have a large part of his wages. The American labourer, to compete with him, must consent to a reduction of wages to that figure. The effect is immediately felt in his household. The food for himself and family is necessarily cheapened, their clothing is less respectable, the children must be taken from school and church, and the family is in every respect disgraced. There can be no fair com- petition between American labour, based upon the family relation, the home circle, and the duties of citizenship on the one hand, and Chinese labour on the other hand, which ignores these relations and rests upon a system of vice.