The Aberystwith Observer

THE TROUBLE WITH BURMAH. A steamer has come down to Theyetmyo from Mandalay. Those on board report that there was great excitement at King Theebaw's capital owing to the anticipated arrival of the English ultimatum. It is considered impossible for the King to accept the prof- fered terms. The Europeans in Mandalay are threatened, and will probably leave. The steamer came safely past Minhla, which is the only defence on the river below Mandalay. The Daily News correspondent, telegraphing from Calcutta, on Sunday, says: The 11th Native Regi- ment left Bankoora to-day. The Welsh Fusiliers and the 2nd Native Regiment will go to-morrow. The Nerbudda, Booldana, and Liverpool Regiments will leave on Tuesday, and the artillery on Wednesday. The guns were shipped yesterday. Two thousand Coolies from the B: itish expedition will arrive to- morrow from the Punjab. Intelligence received on Tuesday night from Madras states that two batteries of artillery, the 2nd Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment, and the 12th Madras Native Infantry have embarked for Rangoon. A telegram from Madras on WeJnesday night stated that the embarkation of the Burmah ex- peditionary force was completed on Friday.

THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. The annual November elections in the municipal boroughs of England and Wales, to fill the vacancies caused on the Town Councils by the retirement in rotation of one-third of their members, took place on Monday. In many instances there were no contests, and some others where polling did occur the electors were not influenced by party considerations. In the majority of cases, however, the political element entered largely into the contest. The elections in the larger boroughs took place under the extended hours of polling fixed by the Act of 1884, that of last session, which provided for the extension of the poll- ing hours in all municipal boroughs not coming into operation until after the dissolution of the present Parliament. An analysis of the result of the election shows that the Conservatives had the advantage in the returns received in London up to Monday midnight. They were successful at Dover, where all their opponents were defeated; and at Lowestoft, where a Town Council was elected for the first time, 14 Conser- vatives were returned to 10 Liberals. Their principal gain was at Exeter and Tewkesbury, in each of which places they gained four seats. Bootle and Devizes show a gain of three each, while there was a similar gain of two each at Burnley, Dun- stable, Guildford, Hyde, Ipswich, Marlborough, Stalybridge, Thetford, Truro, and Wakefield; while the Conservatives gained one seat each at Ashton- under-Lvne, Burton-on-Trent, Chorley, Crewe, Dor- chester, Durham, Grimsby, Huntingdon, Liverpool, Newport (Isle of Wight), Nottingham, Plymouth, Poole, Portsmouth, Ruthin, Stockport, Stockton-on- Tees, Taunton, Weymouth, and Wigan. The prin- cipal gains of the Liberals were at York and Bury (Lancashire), at each of which places they wrested five seats from their opponents; and at Blackpool, Boston, Chichester, and Leamington, where they claim gains of three seats. They also gained two seats each at Thetford, Huddersfield, Kidderminster, Leeds, Louth, Mosley, South Molton, and Windsor; and one each at Barnstaple, Bristol, Chipping Norton, Derby, Glossop, Godmanchester, Launceston, Lewes, Maidstone, Rotherham, Scarborough, Sheffield, Southport, and Worcester. Owing to the extended hours of polling the results were not declared in several boroughs until a very late hour, and in some they had not been made known up to one o'clock on Tuesday. The returns which reached London after Monday midnight add materially to the Conservative gain. The Conserva- tives have gained four each at Salford and Man- chester, three at Colchester, two at Gloucester, and one each at Birkenhead, Coventry, and Devonport; while the Liberals have gained one at Morpeth; the Conservative gains being thus brought up to 74 and the Liberal gain to 53. At Birmingham, South- ampton, Croydon, Middlesbrough, and Northampton the position of political parties is unchanged. In Manchester, in each of the three new wards created by the extension of the city boundaries two Conserva- tives and one Liberal were returned, and in one other ward a Conservative ousted the retiring Liberal. In Salford the Irish votes went with the Conservatives, and the net result is a gain of four seats to the Con- servatives, two being unopposed.

CANNIBALISM IN N ORTII W ALEs.-Observant and Inquiring Tourist: There does not appear to be much farm work doing about here (" Typical Peasant: No, sir." Observant and Inquiring Tourist! How do the people live-on potatoes and buttermilk, I suppose?" Typical Peasant (brightly) No, sir-on the phisitors."

THE NOTORIOUS ARMSTRONG ABDUCTION CASE. Mr. H. Matthews, Mr. Waddy, and Mr. Horne, Payne having, on the sixth day of the trial, addressed the jury on behalf of the defendants Jacques, Booth, and Mrs. Combe respectively, The defendant Jarrett was next- examined. She gave the &tory of her life, her escape from her evil habits, and how she was forced to return to her former haunts by the defendant Stead, who said, in his inter- view with her, that he would not let her go until she had promised to do what he wished. She alleged that Mrs. Armstrong and the woman Broughton knew her object in taking Eliza, and that both of them received gold from her in payment. The case was then adjourned. At the commencement of the proceedings on the seventh day, a juryman asked the judge how long he thought the trial would last.-His lordship said they might almost as well ask him how long the Kingdom of England would last, or when the Day of Judgment would be. Rebecca Jarrett was then recalled. Cross-examined by the Attorney-General: Her name was Rebecca Jarrett, and she had never been married. Her first acquaintance with Mrs. Broughton was at Claridge's Hotel, but she might, have seen her once or twice before that. She went to Claridge's, she believed, during May, 1883. Previous to going to Claridge's, she had kept a gay house in High-street, Marylebone, No. 23. She did not rent it, but the man she lived with did. His name was Sullivan. That was at the end of 1882 and the beginning of 1883. She bad also kept a gay house at No. 6, The Cliff, Bristol. She had been in hospitals and convalescent homes from the time she left Claridge's to September, 1884. She had been trying to be good. She could not help herself. (Laughter.) The letter dated September, 1883, written to Mrs. Broughton, containing the words, I do not get any toast now," had a slang meaning. By his Lordship: The slang word meant what she I had said it did. The witness here fenced a great deal with the question, and would not give any reply. Ultimately she admitted the word "toast "had an improper meaning. She meant to represent to the I jury that Mrs. Armstrong had let the child go for a manwithout first knowing how much she was to receive. By his Lordship It was quite correct that Mrs. Armstrong consented to let her child go to be used by a man without knowing how much she was to receive. She thought Mrs. Armstrong trusted to her to give her what she thought fit for the girl. His Lordship: You were a stranger to her, and yet she t trusted entirely to you to givo her what yo u thought fit for her daughter ? The witness: She did, sir. His Lordship: Because Mrs. Broughton got the child you were to give her £ 4, and the mother only £ 1 ? The witness: Yes, sir. Cross-examined: And you gave her the L2 without mentioning any amount? I did, sir. In continuation, the witness said the £ 2 was given after the mother had consented to let the child go. She had never mentioned any amount to Mrs. Broughton at any time. She did not tell Mr. Stead that she had bought a girl for £5. She did not know who Lily was. She had read the article in the Pall-mall Gazette, and had a little doubt that the "Lily" was Eliza Armstrong. By his Lordship She recollected the verses in the letter she had received from Eliza, and having read the verses and the article she would tell the jury that she did I not think that Eliza was the same girl. Having read the passages about the visit to Poland-street, the chloroform, and the man in the room, she did not know what to answer, whether it was Lily or Eliza. She did think it now. She had always supposed that the other little girl was the real Lily." She did not tell Mr. Stead that she bad agreed to give Mrs. Broughton £5, X3 paid down and the remaining X2 after her virginity had been certified. She had not agreed with Mrs. Broughton to give har that amount. When she took the child away she did not know she was going to be sent to France. She did not know how Bramwell Booth got the girl. Cross-examined by Mr. Stead: She had told him that she had kept houses at different places, and that it was the usual thing for such houses to procure little girls. The Attorney-General said all this was mere hearsay. Mr. Stead asked the witness, who wept freely, whether she had not been most reluctant to do what he asked her, and she replied in the affir- mative. When she first came up from Winchester she brought a letter from Mr. Bramwell Booth, who bad directed her to do whatever Stead told her. On Whit-Monday she made an inquiry at Lady Lake- grove, and agreed to have two little girls delivered to her, but did not get them. His Lordship: We are not trying whether girls can be bought for the im- moral purposes which you suggest, but whether in regard to this particular girl you took her out of the possession of the parents and against the parents' will. Mr. Stead then continued his cross-examination, and the witness pointed out several mistakes in the Pall- mall Gazette article, and said Mr. Stead had mixed it up somehow. To the best of her belief, Mr. Stead did not know anything about the girl except what she had told him, and said nothing whatever to lead him to believe that Mrs. Armstrong expected her child back again. The Attorney-General: Who made the arrangements about the Poland-street house ? The Witness: I do not know. Mr. Jacques: I did. The Court then adjourned until Monday. On Monday, the eighth day of the trial, Rebecca Jarrett was placed again in the witness- box and cross-examined by the Attorney-General. You told us before that you kept an improper house at 23, High-street, Marylebone, in 1882, or in the beginning of 1883?—I am willing to go through any punishment and to answer anything concerning the case, but I am not going to answer anything that relates to my past life. Mr. Justice Lopes: I think it is a very proper question, and one which you ought to answer. If you do not answer, the jury will draw their own in- ference. (Question repeated.) Witness You forced that lie out of me. Do you adhere to the answer you gave?—I am not going to answer to my past life. If you have not dis- covered where I lived, all you have got to do is to find it out. Mr. Justice Lopes: Shall I take your answer ?— Yes, sir, please. The Attorney-General: Have you ever lived at 23, High-street, Marylebone, during the last ten years ? —I am not going to answer the question, sir. Next in order came Mrs. Josephine Butler, well- known for her rescue work among fallen women, who bad assisted Stead in his investigations, and who created some amount of amused astonishment by boldly declaring that she never gave information to the police, although it was quite another thing, she added, to give it to the law. Professor Stuart, M.P., followed for the defence, and was succeeded by Mr. Stead, who at the suggestion of the judge was examined from his own notes by Mr. H. Matthews. Mr. Stead said I have edited the Pall-mall Gazette since mid summer, 1883. I became in 1871 editor of the Northern Echo, of Darlington. I have constantly written in favour of the amend- ment of the law for the protection of women. In the year 1880, when in some doubt as to whether I should accept the post of assistant editor to Mr. John Morley, 1 was largely prompted to come up to London by reading the letter which Mr. Benjamin Scott, as chairman of the Committee for the Suppres- sion of the Foreign Traffic in English Girls, addressed to the Government of that day, and which was published at that time. I bad long felt called to write some- thing which would enable the great public to realise what prostitution meant; and I felt that that could only be done by one who was in a position to descend into the depths of the social hell. On the 23rd of May Mr. Benjamin Scott came to see me, and I went down with Mr. Scott to the office of the Sal- vation Army to see Mr. Bramwell Booth, who was an intimate personal friend of my own, and with whom I had been in communication upon this sub- ject about a fortnight previously. Mr. Scott pro- mised to give me all the information in the possession of his committee. He promised to help me, and in- formed me that Mrs. Butler had at Winchester a woman who in her time had kept houses of ill-fame. I asked him to get Mrs. Butler to send the woman up, and I set aside the Bank holiday to a study of the subject. On leaving the office of the Salvation Army I went home to Wimbledon and drove over to Putney to see Mr. John Morley, to obtain from him a copy of the Report of the Lords' Committee. On the follow- ing Whit Monday afternoon Rebecca Jarrett arrived from Winchester, with a note of introduction from Mrs. Butler informing me that Rebecca would answer any question that I put to her, suggesting various questions, and suggesting also various points upon which she could give informa- tion. I saw Rebecca. She was very reluctant to speak about her past life. I was very much shocked and pained by what she told me, and the whole story appeared to me too horrible to be credited without verifying it for myself. "Jarrett," I said, "If you have done this in earnest so often in the old days you must do it in make-believe once moie." She seemed much pained at having to recall the part she had played, and I was much impressed with her evident sin- cerity and the heinousness of the offences to which she confessed herself guilty. I said to her, Mrs. Jarrett, you have now told me that you have com- mitted crimes which have led to the ruin of many innocent girls who are now walking the stree s owing to what you have done. It is now in your power to make some reparation, to render such crimes more difficult in the future. You have procured innocent and unsuspecting girls for immoral men in order to put money in your pocket; will you now, in order to make whatever atonement is in your power for these crimes of your past, procure girls for me in order to show beyond any doubt that girls can be procured without difficulty and without danger of detection by any brothel-keeper who knows her business?" She objected. I pressed her. I said, If it is true what you tell me, that,innocent girls are being trapped into brothels and there violated and doomed to a life of shame, it ought not to be difficult for you to go to a brothel-keeper and buy a girl from her." She said that it could be done easily enough, but she had been out of the business for six moaths, and she did not want to go back to her old haunts. I said to her But there ought to be no need for that. If what you tell me is true, and every other brothel-keeper in London will procure innocent girls, virgins, for wealthy customers, it ought not to be im- possible for you, who know the ways of the trade, to go and buy one, two. or three children for me, merely to prove that it can be done." She said it would take time, and having been out of it she might 11 cl find some difficulty in convincing the brothel- keepers to whom she applied that she really meant business. I said, "The time is short "-for I then wished to publish the Maiden Tribute in the fir6t week of June, instead of the first week of July— "and I think you ought to do what you can to make it more difficult for brothel-keepers to ruin innocent girls in future, and thereby save more girls than you have ruined." She said she would think about it, and must first talk to Mrs. Batler. In cross-examination, the witness admitted that he had no authority, except Rebecca Jarrett, for the statements he made in the "Lily" article of July 6, and that he did not now believe her so implicity as he had done. He said the Lily of the article he wrote for tb e Pall-mall Gazette was Eliza Armstrong. What was in the paper was an exact transcript" of what Jarrett told him, although it was not written for nearly four weeks after the conversation, of which no notes were taken. In answer to the Judge, Stead said be did not suggest that the child's father knew that she had been taken away for improper purposes. The case was adjourned. Tuesday was the ninth day of the trial at the Old Bailey arising out of the taking away of the girl Eliza Armstrong from her home on last Derby Day, and the proceedings at the early part of the sitting included the hearing of witnesses for the defendant Stead, or, perhaps, it would be more accurate to say, hearing and seeing of witnesses, for some of them, notably the Archbishop of Canterbury, were not allowed to say much-in fact, in the case of the Primate, nothing- on the ground that what it was sought to elicit had nothing to do with the issue before the jury. But first of all Mr. Stead's cross-examination, which was of a somewhat searching nature, was concluded. Then Mr. Stead called the Archbishop of Canterbury as his first witness. His Grace took up a position beside the judge, and was duly sworn, it having been decided that he should give his evidence from the bench. The Arch- bishop stood up, and Mr. Stead, occupying the dock, proceeded to put his first question about writing to the Primate at the end of May. Before the ques- tion was finished, however, the Attorney-General objected that the proposed evidence was noc admis- sible, as it related to motives, which were not in ques- tion. This led to a long argument between the judge and Mr. Stead, during which the Archbishop of Can- terbury took a seat on the bench. In the end the proposed evidence was rejected, and the Archbishop of Canterbury left the court. Cardinal Manning, whom it was also proposed to call, had written to say that indisposition prevented his attendance. Other witnesses called by Mr. Stead were Lord Dalhousie, who occupied a place on the bench, Mr. Howard Vincent (lately at the head of the Criminal Investigation Department at Scotland yard) Mr. Benjamin Scott (Chamberlain of London), Miss Ellice Hopkins, and Mr. George Russell, M.P. There was some further argument upon the relevancy of evidence as to motive; and Mr. Stead announced that as his lordship had pronounced a ban against this class of evidence he would sacrifice a large number of witnesses he bad proposed to call, amongst whom he mentioned Sir W. Harcourt, Sir R. Cross, Mr. Balfour, Mr. Labouchere, Mr. John Morley, Mr. Stansfeld, the Secretary of the Congre- gational Union, and ex-Inspector Minahan. The defendant Jacques was not tendered by his counsel as a witness. Mr. Bramwell Booth went into the wit- ness-box, and was examined by Mr. Horne Payne and cross-examined by the Attorney General. Madame Combe was afterwards called as a witness, and stated that she had no knowledge of the transaction with the parents. Under the direction of the judge, and with the approval of the Attorney-General, the jury returned a for- mal verdict of Not Guilty in the case of Madame Combe. At the close of the defendant Stead's exa- mination, he was told, in reply to a question, to cross-examine himself. He then said That narra- tive I have handed in is the story of Eliza, written about three weeks after it was told to me by Jarrett. During that time a ministerial crisis had occurred, that increased the strain upon me. During that time I also went among many brothels, and although I am a teetotaller I had in playing a false part to smoke and drink champagne. I told the story of Eliza as nearly as possible as it was told to me by Jarrett, as I remembered it. I had no object in adding any- thing. I did not wish to expose Mrs. Armstrong or Mrs. Broughton, because I had given Jarrett a pledge not to expose her friends. I state in the articles that I was an investigator, not an informer. If I had violated the confidence of the persons I got the information from I would have had to spend six weeks of myiife in the witness-box. I asked Mr. Booth and Mrs. Butler to say nothing to the police that would in any way get Mrs. Armstrong or Mrs. Broughton into trouble. The Foreman of the Jury: Had you any conversa- tion with the child about her parents ?-No; I do not think I did. I asked her-if she had bade her mother good-bye. I think she said her mother was out. Why did you not speak to the child about her parents ?- I thought the parents were drunken. Mr. Justice Lopes: Do you not think it would have been wise to ask her?—Yes; if I had seen before as I see behind it would have been wise. You know the sort of woman Jarrett had been ?— Yes, but I relied on Mrs. Butler's statement that she was a changed woman. The Foreman Juror: Did Eliza appear to be a cheerful and truthful child ?—Yes, I hava said so in the Lily story. Another juror wished to know if the child had been outraged? Mr. Justice Lopes: I think you may assume that the child has in no way been outraged. The evidence is all the other way. Did Mr. Thomas ask to be allowed to question Jarrett at the Mansion House, and was he prevented? —I do not recollect. Mr. Justice Lopes reminded the jury that they were not trying anything about outrage, and they must confine their attention upon the unlawful taking away of the child from those who had the legal custody. After Madam Combe had been discharged, The Judge then said: When I come to sum up the case I may as well say that the questions I shall put to the jury will be these :—Was the child taken out of the possession of the father? but there will be very little doubt as to the answer to that. Then, was it with his consent ? I say nothing about what the evidence on that matter is. I purpose also to ask the jury, did the mother let the child go for the purpose ot service or for an immoral purpose ? and had she any authority from the father to let it so go ? In reply to the Attorney-General and Mr. H. Matthews, His Lordship also intimated that other questions would arise with regard to the different defendants. On Wednesday, the tenth day of the trial, the replies for the defence cccupied the attention of the Court. At the request of Mr. Russell, several letters written by Jarrett, but not hitherto produced, were now put in. In the first, dated from Winchester, and addressed to Mrs. Bramwell Booth, she expressed her disappointment at not having received Eliza Arm- strong from Paris. She did not think," she said, Oraii "fin-l III*. —-r- .|Mi| it was right to keep the child from her. If the army would not let her have Eliza, she would get some money from her friends and go to Paris to fetch her. Her conscience reproached her," sbe added, "for having left the child amongst all those foreigners." I am a mother myself," she also said, and have a rr,other's heart, though I never sold my own child. I love this little one (Eliza) as a mother does." Another letter was to Mr. Booth, also com- plaining about the child not having been sent to her; and in further communications she expressed deep penitence for her past life, and again complained that the child was not sent to her. Mr. Waddy, on behalf of Mr. Bramwell Booth, submitted that the judge should give a decision on the question whether, if there was any taking at all on the part of Mr. Booth, it was a mere constructive taking. Assuming Booth to have known this child was to be taken out of the custody of the father, there was no evidence of that fact. All he knew was that children in stock or on the market could be pur- chased. If he were a party to that, that does make him a party to -what is done by a person who, pro- fessing to do that, does something else. Moreover, he was no party to taking further than an agreement that a child should be purchased. With regard to the question of the actual taking The Judge Does not anyone who counsels, aids, and abets" becomes a principal in this misde- meanour? Mr. Waddy contended that all Mr. Booth know of was a scheme totally different to that which was carried out in the assumptive part. The Judge Was he not a principal in taking this child out of the possession of its lawful custodian? Mr. Waddy Certainly not; and that is the pomt I wish to urge—that there is no evidence of his taking the child out of the care of the father he wa3 only party to purchasing a child, which is a totally different thing. Therefore I contend that this ques- tion of your lordship, Was Bramwell Booth a party to taking the child out of the possession of the father ?" requires some modification in his case. Supposing he were a party to taking the child out of the custody of the father, but for a totally different purpose from that for which she was actually obtained, then I submit that as his purpose was not carried out be was not responsible for what was done. I contend that Booth had reasonable ground for believing that the child was sold for a prostitute, assuming that there is any case against him at all, and that, therefore, he was no party to any abduction from the custody of her father. After hearing the Attorney-General, His Lordship decided that the case must go to the jury. Mr. Russell said that, although he represented Jarrett only, he might ask that it should be put to the jury whether Stead had not reasonable ground for believing that the child was sold with the consent of the father, or, at anyrate, that the mother had authority to part with the girl ? Mr. Russell next replied for his client. He said he would like to tell the jury what questions were in- volved in the present charge. There was no question as to what took place in Poland-street, what took place in Milton-street, or at any subsequent time ex- cept so far as those subsequent proceedings threw light upon the question of unlawfully taking away the child. The question the jury had to consider was what was the view which they, as men of the world, dispassionately, and having for that purpose no sym- pathy with either side, but anxious with scrupulous care to weigh the evidence. What was the view they took of the occurrence that took place on the 2nd and 3rd of June in Charles-street., Marylebone. They had to consider what was the fair result of those occur- rences. They had to consider whether Jarrett frau- dulently pretended to Mrs. Broughton and the child's mother that she wanted the child for honest service and for honest service only. If they took that view of the matter, then Rebecca Jarrett was guilty. If they took the view that Mrs. Broughton and Mrs. Armstione did know and must have known that the child was not going to honest service, but in the ex- pressive language of Jarrett at Paris when she parted with the child, that she was given the child not for service, but for something else, and something worse," then Jarret was not guilty. The learned counsel pro- ceeded'to argue eloquently that his client was innocent of the charges preferred against her. Mr. Stead followed in his own defence with a long speech, claiming the highest motives, and urging that no violation of the law had taken place, to the best of his knowledge, throughout the operations which, at his instigation, and under his directions, had been engaged in. He took the only steps which were suffi- cient to amend the Jaw, to enable the Attorney General to make that law commonly decent. Mr. Jacques interpolated, And now he appears against you." The judge remonstrated with the defendant for his indiscretion, which he apologised for by saying that he could not helo doing what he bad done. If, in the opinion of the jury, Mr. Stead continued, he bad dona wrong, he would cheerfully accept the penalty, but he submitted that be himself and the rest of the defendants were not guilty of the misde- meanours for which they were indicted by the Crown. Mr. Matthews, Q.C., argued that there was no case against his client, the defendant Jacques. The Judge, before adjourning the Court, again commented on attempts that were being made to communicate with the jury on the subject of the case they were trying. He held a packet of letters in his hand which had not been handed to the jury, and he felt sure that all the gentlemen in the box would abstain from reading any such letters if they came into their possession, and not allow themselves to be influenced by any personal communication on the subject of the case. He had letters there directed to the foreman of the jury. The Foreman said he had not received any such letters; while another Juryman said he had left word at home that no letter on the subject should be given to him. The Judge said he had received a pile of corres- pondence, which he cast aside and did not look at. The Court then adjourned.

CO-OPERATIVE FARMING. Speaking recently at Harleston, Northamptonshire, in a discussion on a paper on Co-operate Farming," by the Rev. W. Bury, Earl Spencer said as no one wished to apply the threadbare idea of a cow and three acres universally, so it was with co-operation, whether as regarded farming or land distribution; but he believed that there was an opening by co- operation for men to get a stake in the country that they could not obtain alone. He would like agricul- tural labourers to have more land when they could cultivate it without detriment to their own proper labour; and would also like to see labourers' cows on common pasture. All parishes would not be under co-operation, but there might be farms on which farmers would be disposed to share the profits with labourers. He would like immensely to try the experiment of co-operative farming in one of the neighbouring parishes, but only as an experiment, and with no idea of improving the tenant farmer off the face of the earth. He would be very glad to assist in the experiment, not only by letting land for the pur pose, but, if it were necessary, he would be very bapp.\ indeed to find some of the capital required.

A BOTANICAL CURIOSITY. A singularly beautiful plant, described as a "quaint botanical curiosity," and quite unknown. I believe (writes Miranda," in the Lady's Pictorial), in England, is at present being exhibited at the horti- cultural building in the public park of Philadelphia. The plant, which comes from Panama and blooms once a year, has white flowers which, when fully opened, bear a striking resemblance to a white dove with outstretched wings, poised above an altar. This resemblance has gained for it the name of the Fleur du Saint Esprit." It is said that the plant is regarded with great reverence by the superstitious in some countries, and that supernatural powers for good or evil have even been attributed to it. To have one growing in the house is looked upon by such people as an omen of good luck, and when it is in bloom its possessor is held to be under the direct protection of heaven, while to destroy one, or to have it wither and die, bodes misfortune and trouble to the owner. I hope it will not be long before we have this beautiful flower in our midst; to those interested in the work of church decoration it would be simply invaluable. I

We must not in these days of modern artillery turn out our boys to the battle of life equipped only with the sword and shield of the ancient gladiator. They must have a full modern equipment; and in that equipment knowledge of the physical world in which they are placed, and of the forces by the control of which nature is made to yield her wealth to man must take an important, if not a foremost, place.-Professor Huxley,

fjlisrcllancous fnfcUigcitfCi HOME, FOREIGN, Ar.D COLONIAL. THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES.—Mr. W. J. St. John Hope, the new secretary of the Society of Antiquaries, entered on his duties at Michaelmas. We understand that the library of the society at Burlington Home will be henceforth open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, instead of from 10 till 4; and it, will close on Saturday at 1 instead of 2 p.m.—" Walford's Antiquarian." A QUAINT WEDDING CUSTOM.—It is the custom in Northumberland to place a stool at the church door during the marriage service, over which stool the newly-married couple have to jump. They are allowed, however, to walkout on payment of a forfeit. THE SCOTCH LAKES.—The depths of the lakes in Sootland have been given as follows: Lcch Lomond, maximum depth of f05 fathoms; Loch Ness of 129 fathoms; and Loch Morn, of 180 fathoms. The bottom of this lake is the lowest level in the British Islands. BUSINESS BORES.—A notice to the following effect is posted up outside the office of a large works in Manchester district: Notice The hours of attend- ance in this office are: To canvassers for Church sub" scriptions, 10 to 2; book and insurance agents, 2 to 4; commercial travellers, beggars, and advertising men, all day. We attend to our own business at night." A NEW CONGREGATIONAL COLLEGE.—The "Academy says arrangements have been concluded for the estab- lishment at Oxford of a theological hall in connection with the Congregational body. From the source of its endowment it will be called Mansfield College, and it will have a head, a staff of six lecturers, and a chapel- The first head will be Principal Fairburn, of Airedale College, Bradford. FRENCH 'Bus HORSEs.-The total number of horses owned by the General Omnibus Company of Paris at their various depots is 13,679; of these 9377 are ern" ployed for the omnibus service, 3541 for the tramways, 586 for the omnibus service from the railway stations, and 175 at Versailles. This would be an average vehicle, for the omnibuses, of 15 horses, 15.73 for casfl tramcar, and 14.19 for the service from the railway station. THE pictures from the Paris Salon, bought by the French Government for the State, are being exhibited at the Paris Palais de l'Industrie for three weeks. ITALIAN Coral will be scarce and dear this year. The coral harvest has been very scanty th's season, and the loss will be greatly felt by the Neapolitans, who alone send out 500 vessels and 5000 men to the fishery. A CENTENARIAN donkey has just died at Cromarty, N.B., at least so says a contemporary. This aged beast had been in the family of a Mr. Ross of Cromarty SInce 1779, and its age at that time, when it passed to its late owners, is unknown. A SECTION of the Milky Way has been admirably photographed at the Paris Observatory, showing about 5000 stars, ranging from tho sixth to the fifteen"* magnitudes. To similarly represent the whole of tbe Milky Way 6000 similar sections would be reqmref!' representing 20,000,000 stars down to the fifteen"1 magnitude. ME. BANCROFT, the veteran American historian, Jr energetic a worker as ever, although he has just kept bi 85th birthday. He rises every morning at five o'clock and begins to compose at once, declaring that his beA work is done before breakfast. After a meal at eign he devotes himself from nine to 1.30 to his chief £ The History of the United States," leaving the re8 of the day free for other occupations. IN English language and literature candidates the Cambridge Higher Local Examinations have no* attained a high degree of excellence, according to to last report of the examiners; but in the study of eaW English there is much deficiency. This is certain be the case where there are so few qualified teachcr»* In French and German the attainments of candidat do not improve. Set subjects in Latin and Greek a well prepared by many students.—" Athenseurn." The first English journal ever published in Japan a Japanese has just made its appearance in Y okohaD1eÝ There are several English journals in Japan, but they belong to British subjects, and are written in interest of foreigners, who almost alone buy The Anglo-Japanese Times," however, is public and written by and for the Japanese themselves. brought out by the proprietor of an important ?a newspaper, the Mainichi Shimbun," or Daily ^eV? THREE statues have just been brought to light the cellars underneath the old Courts of Law at Gu hall, where they have been hidden for many years. A formerly stood in front of Guildhall Chapel, an%rj0g life-size representations of King Edward VI. 0 Charles I., and his consort Queen Henrietta Maria. three possess great artistic merit, the figure of ^ues I. in armour being particularly effective. The 8ia jy are only slightly injured, and compare very favoura £ as works of art with those (four in number) from Temple Bar, which now stand close beside in the vacant ground behind the Guildhall. They 81 probably of the date of the fire of London, and deserv^ as they no doubt will receive, safe custody in Corporation Museum at Guildhall.—" Citizen." tbS- THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—Tbe additions >i0.v-a. Zoological Society's Gardens during the past wee elude a vervet monkey, from South Africa, presen by Mr. George E. Crisp; a Malbroack monkey, a West Africa, presented by Mids Ethel O'Donogbu kinkajou, from Demerara, presented by Mr. J Carder; four common squirrels, six common d°rD0 ,,g British, presented by Mr. Thos. Weddle; squirrel, from Ceylon, presented by Miss Maud j two vulpine squirrels, from North America, PreBe j/rfu.- by Captain E. E. Vail; a coypu, from South presented by Mrs. Amelia Appleton; a Robben snake, from South Africa, presented by the Rev. a'pre" R. Fisk, C.M.Z.S., two sly silurus, European, P^. sented by the Marquis of Bath, F.Z.S.; a red lory, Moluccas, and Alexandrine parrakeet, from posited. AN interesting relic of old English justice placed over the Judge's seat in the Admiralty OoU the Royal Courts of Justice—the Anchor wbjcb time immemorial stood in tbe original Admiralty in Doctors'-commons until the Admiralty u1ggO.- Business was transferred to Westminster 'a aB<J Then the anchor was thrown into a lumber-rooin, now it has been disinterred, regilded, and a black velvet ground in a handsome dark fraoie^. f cable is twisted round the anchor, which is feet long. Even now a long silver oar, some centn^j, old, is brought into Court when a judge sits °°e0{e miraltv matters. Formerly the oar was 011 the judge by his Marshal of State, at present it I the Registrar's table. erf BRITISH training ships have long been doing ? jjgsb work amongst our poorer lads, and one of the positions in the service may be claimed by the ett which lies off Grays, Essex, under Captain B°ur,,0yfll R.N. Last year she gent 27 more boys mto -oip' Navy than all the other mercantile training bined. During the year 326 boys were recelniete^ board the Exmouth, while of those who had their course of instruction 95 entered the ,n?tb0 went into the mercantile marine, and 61 army as musicians. Altogether since the began her work in 1876, 2625 boys have been ^e&' on board, being trained in every branch of vice, together with tailoring, cooking, &n Recreation is not forgotten, games and entert#1 being provided, as well as a library, for which o° tions would be very welcome. A VERY early specimen of wood ENGRAV»"K found amongst the Austrian Arch-Duke precious collection of Egyptian 0f already yielded such valuable results. It is a Arabian paper dating from the ninth century, conta^g a woodcut with ornaments and initials. Wood-engp' has always been ascribed to Chinese origin, and a the early Egyptians and Romans stamped brick other articles of clay with wooden stamps, the w°. 2 of proper was not hitherto known before the beginn"^ the fifteenth century, some six hundred j earsjg ft the present discovery. Amongst the papyri,_ '0oQ& fragment of Homer's Odyssey, dating from tbe century. fcis KING LOUIS OF BAVARIA'S debts greatly e^1e*c\eci&0 people, and the Chamber will shortly be asked to' to on the financial situation. It is now S.Ugges to the, require the King to sell his art collections o9liy nation, or to devote two millions of marks a jjto'?* from the public revenue to paying off his ]jiS Probably his Majesty, thoroughly in sulks w jjtjfc subjects, may not come to town at all this wint Jjiff- stay at one of his gorgeous castles in the Tyrol, winter sledges are already being prepared in reS. ^t King Louis loves to dart about the country at n»aIJd these sledges drawn by four horses and posti^fice' driving recklessly over bad roads, and heaps ol ^e of snow till he seriously damages his vehicles. Ie pro* these sledges is a huge affair, in Louis XIV. sty fusely ornamented with gilding, figures, 8D delicate mythological paintings, and upholster 0t blue velvet. A group of genii support a can golden crowns over the Royal head, resembles a gigantic shell supported by Triton little Cupids, seated on the edge, hold golden ejec Now the King wants his sleighs illumined by tn trie light. nagfir AN EXTRAORDINARY CONFESSION.—Agnes ^jrCuw aged 30 years, has beeu charged at the Glasgow a(. gjje Court with child murder. The allegation was had drowned her boy, seventeen months ol<a> ^egxtf Clyde. Adam Hempseed, the prisoner's swe 0f deposed that he and the prisoner went to the » the Clyde, and meeting a man thero told n wished to get rid of the child. Theyvjden^ leaving the child with the urknown man. The A" of the witness created a great sensation in this stage the prisoner pleaded guilty 5. wD, homicide. This was accepted by the penal be the accused was sentenced to ten years pe tude.