Weekly Mail

To THE GREAT *fc^^AILWAT. ^°°L^Tnxr °F LINE BETWEEN UiT AND LYDNEY SWE.fT 4>iierah] AWAY. ?^ti0!? betwepJ>0r^on of the Great Western 8ft* Rtt,„ ™ oolaston and Lydney vi(1. a*?11' al0n!Plaway by the high tide in /a.les the SPw5. side of which the line is Glou 1Ce between London and South th thpCfSter' lvas. consequently, sus- 8evern La'na diverted through Bristol ai. °n hot nnel- Short special trains 2,0 Lydney and Gloucester, inc °°iaston and South Wales, as tt, n^enience to passengers was ck as possible.

w SC^Es AT CARDIFF. °^01, u* SEA WALL WASHED c%&h «»* ^OWN. Si on Sunday morning, ^diff^ed B effects of a strong south-west .^e of Accord0113 floods in several parts of at. o ^ieh««ns to tables, the tide was V s in am J'ear- High water was thR Nf »'' 'with a height cc 39ft. 4in. »v^VePSfe f have causc anxiety, 5°a.cts ^ct dr0tr°rce of ^e Yiolent south-west e tie water back into Cardiff state of affairs that at one t *cta jt ? lead to great destruction of t°k Hat /S a^-mf>sfc a wonder that the (jflt Th worse than what actually taff, f0 a couajj sffecte of the pressure were « ■»a+ distance up the River ttnlIs.1erls of the river were swollen j v' Not extent that the banks were Catv a were the Sophia Gardens ■fc 6 ^ieli^l-rn water ran from the Taff v aisff1" ^a«tlo and a considerable area of ih» j i» eroutLds on the opposite side ater- Several of the house- side s* it iT?'^roa'd found that the water a.nrt" a<? cellars, and in a lot Sard rrT °°t or two deep. At Eiver- tho n8 Siif^ >a^Ver overflowed its banks, tha eve5t 7 c ^a-shed, whilst cellars and re- m°H u^iderably. In this district ^Sctie<i j0 ^ioigi to tlle loss of a dog* for *» 3 Ma/> jj- chained up, and was h?fl tQr»,6, °f ta'« ■ as it could not get away ?i?.ces ♦ into y" The Cardiff Arms Park *Uy to th llto a lake, snbmergred in some h depth, of four or five feet. The ?Hfj ^OtirV, °? flooded were in the immediate &fn' ^Qd of football pavilion, at one H LJust Pavili°n at the cricket tli A p00r sileep lost its life here. several grazing in the field, and Vt^e • their way to the higher ground 6 to^ Pav^i°n- ^ut one of them was ti5et 1uit« clear, and was so badly 4nd r i1> died tile day. In Salt- tl)e ^angetown several houses suffered 'oort el<Js K,?'atfr "coming up through," and "V** dnrit (on tlle Penarth side) were m?rnir1^. the result of the **i]J, rhines and ditches, whilst Stat,:r0ad (beyond the Grangetown ^AV\r WaS waeIied over" Sav^H TRAINING SHIP FLOATED. 011 dLnear Iti,f1J^ustrial Sch°o1 Ship, in the «V* land fn tlmber pond, which has been ior 6ome years, was floated once t^'Jlin?aiaT^T0WN SUBMEEGED. >,8°me w the it was found V>?ear thB^" cottages of one storey, as th%h^y Biver, in the district NVa»ger ^f0n3 Wkarf, were in 'the dooro ratcr came u» Pretty p^tell ^ht fit' +an* ,m one case the babi- ont ^L 0 llke tlleir ^00ds < Jn the 0f the r5iwa Svhem first to the iliRlier °*jj .^fonmig v ay Hne' and then elsewhere. N'J°r install enns the Taff in Grange- ^i'e £ ^arence ro'nif front of Corporation- Hilgt plentv Until the tide receded, and mud about, »'» dl ta cor,to houses it was found that > S; buftv ed the dement a foot or ^til nce Was by Percolation. \ear K> "as r"^6 lfc found hxt ♦N » Gntion^ more serious than the > W4I1<1 Avon^o! ces indica,ted. Clarence- ^»^Ves- aiS •+e"r°ad were washed ever by a soo'l Job that the J*ter ^e 8hore«' time ago raised ihe b?nk 9.8, 0TU a^, ^-ls Part. Of course, the a^r in +, the tide, bnt a vast area M,Sea*eed day. found to be strewn (j, 3 of wood, and innumerable g experiences bound the W0rst pIEE-HEAD. ^ai°°d lv^amage was done in the neigh- ^enart^ between the Glamorganshire & fa*°attothA Tirra £ e' Windsor-esplanade, and bact Pier-head on the one hand, and this „ra3 Stuart-street and Bute-street. a»e houa a ere are nearly twenty streets, fleeted CT) m 8111 of these were more or ltWeen Beven and ei £ ht o'clock who were out and about noticed anH3 "ning extremely high out in t aa eight o'clock was nearer the 8 a height that beat the record of ji. wn .for at least ten or a dozen Windsor esplanade row was, 6 .ra103t critical place, for the wind ^ith i+Fl on' taking waves and the riSht over the houses. At eight Wat«r had climbed the high em- •o v.°B of attained a level almost up to that 6 Sea wa'i- In fact, it had become ^to ^eiy wave that broke sent a com- 6 sti> a* Btream over the top of the wall esn«w Tilis in itself was suf&ciently to ^la, y as there was still quite half MS a ^itig t n before the high tide was reached SkA- thp tables. But suddenly, about nH]j, that t)fe Was a Peculiar roar, and it was Nv- a te» f 8ea wa.U had given way. At first fell over, but the sea came luit tremendous farce, and in a few fS^>e of the raa80nry were swept ) °Itthe rrenfc came surging and rushing of it eap' carrying everything in v''tirt Qot a very short space of %t .^r-esni °nly was the roadway in ^t>a ^e s(. anade 4ft. or 5ft. under water, ^4 i ^ad ms^ed around Penarth- Oq t, ai°ng the canal side for some dis- ^lo. °"n T),6j0ne ^and, along Bute-esplanade, °f L^orQ^y ey-street and all the streets run- wel1 as through a good part v^h and Tite houses were flooded in first floors, stables were ^ay aQd shop stores were invaded, ^rt tatj the corner of Louisa-street Mr. .ft. Q. 111 e stables, and here between 2ft. a 8a .Water were found. The horses attft jSfcate f°r a short time, especially *ater ^ts did not know how much stopnJtas °oming in, even after the flow fl°atin • Corn bins and other articles rtSiti0n'. aoout, and until the tide eb't>ed IN of oked very bad. In the houses ^at?r found varied according to c0nta. d«vices. Some had cellars, and 112L, Illed large quantities of water %>. Sllfferp!j>0rs ^evel with the pavement, and r d very severely; in other cases the it, Itg 1Sed a step or two, and here th? a^auied a slight natural advantage. Wa °Un^ water, mud, Ac., that Sht ain8 serious, and great h avoc was t In tinest tke carpets, mats, and furni- streets nearer the shore— lll6 a^dsop t,' for instance, lying behind °Ht h Esplanade—the furniture was float- th« °?rnstairs. To catalogue the full a foT-n.- S€f and damage would be to *tejjt "^dable list, but as an instance of *W*ater which the houses were invaded by fiia», e may tell the case of one person, 0 was floated off its legs, when it k. naturally fell over (on account of the top weight), and was smashed. Perhaps the worse off were those who had coal and other stores down in the cellars. A few—notably one or two pilot and tugboat men, who were out early —were 'cute enough to take measures to meet an emergency, and some of them went so far as to move a stock of coal upstairs, but the majo- rity of those in the class referred to were put to great straits, and had to go a-borrowing coal and wood, besides other thing?, so that a great many Sunday dinners were spoilt. The force of the water that came through the gap in the sea wall may be gauged by the fact that large blocks of the wall were rolled away from their proper places to a distance of quite nine feet, whilst the smaller pieces were washed into the middle of the road. The pathways and roads were, as may be imagined, roughly washed and torn up. Naturally, the people were greatly alarmed, especially in the morning, when the storm was raging and the water still coming in. When the morning went out, however, and it was found that low tide meant drained streets and floors, they set to work taking precautionary measures. The tables showed that an equally high tide might be expected in the evening, and the amount of damage done would depend upon the wind. Consequently, there was a run on boards, putty, clay, &c. The door- ways and windows were barricaded, boards being fixed in, and all joints plastered over with clay or putty. Some of these operations were carried quite 6ft. high, whilst even away in Evelyn-street and Adelaide-street (off Stuart- street) the people (acting under the influence of their morning's experiences) deemed a board- ing and plastering quite a foot high at their doorways necessary for their safety. Amongst other effects of the floods we learn that the sanatorium grounds were practically an island approachable only by the roads made by the corporation. At the pierhead the effects of the high tide were noticeable in many ways. Not only was the water abnor- mally high, but several boats were floated right up to what is ordinarily the dry land. The scenes of these occurrences were visited by a large number of people during the day. Nothing was done during the day to repair the part of the sea wall that had been swept away. PENARTH SUB-WAY FLOODED. The water burst over Ferry-road to the depth of 18in., and, amongst other things, flooded the new subway which is being erected in order to connect the Penarth Dock with Cardiff. The pumping engines were set to work at full pres- sure, and it was expected that the water would have been pumped out by midnight. AN ISOLATED HOUSE. The house occupied by ex-Councillor John- ston at Ely Wharf was practically surrounded by water, and the only means of communica- tion with the world outside was by boat and a line of railway which ran to the temporary "island." The Ferry-road — the ordinary approach to the house—was flooded to the ex- tent of a foot and a half, and a lot of loose material was washed away, whilst the occu- pants of the house experienced no little incon- venience. UNUSUAL SPECTACLE AT PENARTH. The esplanade at Penarth on Saturday even- ing presented a most unusual spectacle. A stormy gale sprang up during the afternoon, and by half-past seven the water was washing over the sea wall and flowing over on to the roadway. Old residents in Penarth say the tide on Saturday night was the highest for a period of over twenty years. ACCIDENT TO A CARDIFF EXPRESS. Owing to a breakdown at Severn Tunnel Junc- tion, the 9.53 express from Cardiff to London on Monday morning was. considerably delayed. The friends of passengers at Paddingion were assured that no serious accident had happened, and that the defect, whatever it was, had been remedied. The train was 97 minutes late. SCENE ON SUNDAY EVENING. In the evening an extraordinary scene was witnessed at the Windsor-esplanade and Ten- arth-terrace. A crowd of several thousand people congregated in the vicinity of the breach, in the expectation that the tide would once again burst through and flood the road- ways. The tide, however, which reached its height at 8.50, was at least 4ft. lower than in the morning, and did not come up to the level of the road. Consequently, there was no further flooding, and pedestrians suffered no inconvenience. The wind had entirely dropped. In Cathedral-road on Sunday night one of our reporters found that several of the base-1 ments were flooded, in some cases to a depth of 4ft. or 5ft. The water from the River Taff, overflowing the Sophia Gardens, rushed into the basements in a volume about eight o'clock in the morning, and after the flood had gone down the water percolated through the soil. In some of the houses pumps were kept going all day, and many families had to go without their dinners on account of the cooking ranges being in the basements, and, of course, ren- dered nseless by the inflow of water. A con- siderable amount of damage was done.

FLOODS AT NEWPORT. SERIOUS DAMAGE DONE. MAN DROWNED TRYING TO SAVE HIS PIGS. The Eiver Usk, which had been already swollen with a good deal of fresh water, caused by the heavy rain, overflowed its banks on Sunday morning, and a lot of serious damage was done at New- port and in the neighbourhood of that town. All the low-lying lands were deeply inundated. In the new district of Corporation-road, where great extensions have recently taken place, owing to the opening up of the new under- takings of Messrs. Morris and Griffin's chemical works and Messrs. Lysaght's ironworks, very serious loss has been occasioned. The flood came in about 8.3Q upon the residents with a rush, and caused great havoc. In Vivian-road the houses were flooded to a depth of about 2ft., and people had to shift their furniture as quickly as possible. For the most part the water came in from the packs of the houses, and the brick walls divid- ing the gardens were swept away. Lower down Corporation-road, at Gaskell-street and Fort- skewett-street, the water was still deeper. One man in Gaskell-street, who went out to try to rescue his fowls—six of which were drowned—states that he found himself standing in 3ft. 4in. of water, and the brick walls, standing 4ft. 6in. high, between the gardens all went down like a pack of cards with the force of the inrush of water. Men were working at Lysaght's works turning the rolls in readiness for mork on Monday morning, when the flood came sud- denly upon them, and they had to run as fast as they could through more than 2ft. of water to escape. It put the fire out of the furnaces, and some of the men were three hours before they reached their homes, a quarter of a mile away. The men themselves—most of them come from Staffordshire, to whom the situation was alarming as well as romantic—took a very serious view of the matter, and were afraid that the works would not be able to go on for a week. This would have thrown about 400 hands out of employment; but one of the managers subsequently stated that they would get things into normal condition by Monday evening. A good deal of inconvenience and damage was also done at Messrs. Morris and Griffin's chemical works The whole of Corporation- road .from about the middle down to the southern end resembled in the early morning an inland sea, and after the greater part of the flood had subsided there was a hollow under the railway bridge which was still covered to a depth of about two feet, making the roadway quite impassable except upon rafts. A heavy brick wall at the premises built for a hotel at the corner of Gaskell- street was washed down and thrown against the front of the house. The land lying further east and south was under water all day, and a good deal of live stock is reported to have been drowned. The floods were almost as serious at Malpas- road, where there are low-lying places close to the opposite bank of the river. The marshes were under water to a good depth, and the houses on the lower levels were inundated. The older of the graving docks of the Union Dry Dock Company at Liswerry was covered to a depth of two feet. DROWNED WHILE TRYING TO RESCUE HIS PIGS. A sad affair happened at the Alexandra Dock allotments during the flood. A man namad Richard Adams, a labourer, aged 36, of 8, David-street, went out to save his pigs, and was carried away and drowned. The body was recovered later on and taken home. A great many pigs are to be seen floating about the allotment grounds. ANOTHER DROWNING CASE. Another man is reported to have been drowned in the river about midnight, but this can hardly be said to arise from the flood. The steward of the steamship Bala. heard cries near his vessel, lying at the Patent Fuel Yard. He saw a man struggling in the water, and threw a line out to him, but the man was unable to catch it, and sank three times before he was finally lost to sight and hearing. He seemed from his voice to be a foreigner. TROW SWEPT FROM HER MOORINGS. The trow Flower of the Severn was swept away from her moorings in the Eiver Usk on Sunday morning, and carried up the river. She collided with the Great Western Eailway bridge, having her masts broken off and her side stove in. LOW-LYING PLACES AGAIN SWAMPED ON SUNDAY. The flood at Newport was not nearly so great on Sunday night as it had been in the morn- ing, though some of the low-lying places were again swamped, and the water still stood several feet deep in many places off Corpora- tion-road, and as rain began to fall late in the evening the only prospect of getting it out seemed to be by pumping. Enormous incon- venience and some loss were occasioned near the Marshes and on Caerleon-road.

D'ÁUAGÐ IN SWANSEA DISTRICT. RAILWAY UNDERMINED AT SWANSEA. The high tides at Swansea on Sunday and Monday did considerable damage along Swan- sea Bay. The London and North Western Rail- way, as is known, skirts the bay, and is pro- tected from the water by a sea wall along the sands. Part of the wall near Vivian's Stream was considerably damaged by the force of the tide on Sunday, and necessitated the immediate despatch of gangs of men to remedy the mischief, the railway being under- mined. Happily, the line itself is intact every- where. The seawall near the South Dock also suffered. At Blackpiil the water came up into the roadways and flooded the houses as it has not done for many years. Many houses have been flooded at Swansea, as usual, by the stop- page of the drainage outflow at high tide. ABERTHAW SEA WALL DAMAGED. Great damage has been occasioned to the sea wall at the Leys, Aberthaw, which was constructed a year ago. There are up- wards of 100 acres of land submerged in the district. EHONDDA AND SWANSEA BAY RAILWAY. The officials of the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway give notice of the temporary sus- pension of traffic on the Neath branch in con- sequence of damage by floods. Traffic on the main line, however, will be conveyed as usual.

NEATH RIVER, OVERFLOWS. TOWER OF NEATH CASTLE BLOWN DOWN. Several houses in the neighbourhood of the Neath River and the Tennant Canal were flooded on Sunday, and the occupants had to go one story higher. The cause was an over- flow of the Neath River, due to the spring tides. A great quantity of timber from the various yards in the vicinity was taken up stream by the tide. The stem of a vessel at the Corporation Quay was on a level with the pier, and precautions had to be taken to pre- vent her being blown right over. On Sunday morning a large portion of the tower of the old Neath Castle, reoently pre- sented to the town by Alderman J. H. Row- land, J.P., was blown down. The debris covered the whole of Gold-street, and some of the houses opposite the castle just escaped demoli- tion.

LLANELLI SEA WALL BROKEN. MILES OF FIELDS AND RAILWAY SUBMERGED. An incursion of the high spring tide, accom- panied by a south-westerly gal'3, was expe- rienced at Llanelly on Saturday night, when, between seven and eight o'clock, the sea washed over the uea wall protecting the Great Western Railway about a mile below the station. Trains on the up and down lines were blocked and kept waiting for fully an hour, until at length the tide receded, leaving the wall and I metals intact. Mischief was, however, done by Sunday morning's tide, and the biggest suf- ferers in this respect will, doubtless, be the Great Western Railway Company. About 6.15 a furious wind was blowing, and it was just at this time that the sea embankment broke in two distinct places, and the water rushed through the gaps with terrific fury. In a very short time the field's, farms, and railway for miles was under water, and in some places the depth was fully ten feet, if not more. Two miles of the line on either side of Llandilo Junction signal-box, near Llanelly, was submerged by a foot of water, and the signal-box was sur- rounded. Considerable damage was done to the ballast, the permanent way being torn up and sleepers lying about in all directions, while the signalling apparatus also suffered. Both lines were blocked for several hours, but at 12.30 midday a single line was opened, and the delayed down train was enabled to proceed to Hanelly. where the up train was also wait- ing for a clear line. The houses in Pembrey-road and Forge were inundated, and families had to breakfast in their bedrooms. Emma-street, near the station, was also flooded. NARROW ESCAPE OF A FARMER. While Mr. Davies, Machynis Farm, Llanelly, was in one of his fields looking for the cattle the tide rushed in and immediately surrounded him. Fortunately, there was a raised patch a short distance away, and here he stood for a considerable time, until he was rescued from his perilous position. TRAINS BLOCKED AND LINE DAMAGED AT LLANGENNECH. The Great Western branch railway between Llanelly and Pontardulais was also badly damaged in the same way as the one at Llarelly, tons of ballast being carried away. A portion of the boundary wall of the Llan- gennech Tinworks was knocked down by the sea, which had washed over the line, and the wcrks were inundated. The branch train between Pontardulais and Llanelly due at Llanelly at 5.45 had not arrived on Sunday night, probably in con- sequence of damage at Llangennech. NARROW ESCAPES OF FAMILIES. Considerable damage was again done near Llanelly by Monday morning's tide. Besides washing away all the repairs on the railway at Llangennech, the local tinworks and houses were flooded by 6ft. of water. The Llwyn- hendy Collieries, reported flooded on Sunday, escaped, but the Great Western branch railway has been badly torn up, and the metals were on Monday suspended like a switchback. All traffic is still blocked, passengers and mails being conveyed to Llanelly and West Wales by the London and North Western Railway via Gowerton. Between Pembrey and Kidwelly the sea wall was broken down on Sunday night, and miles of Towyn, Penybedd, and Morfa Farms were flooded, and the families had many narrow escapes. At Llanelly the fami- lies isolated in the flooded district were fed through bedroom windows. The damage to the Burry Port old harbour is estimated at £4,000, while the loss to the Great Western Railway Company, who have suffered all along the line, must amount to thousands more Several thrilling incidents of rescue are re- ported, but no deaths from drowning are known.

DAMAGE AT1 PORTHCAWL, PORTION OF THE ESPLANADE WASHED AWAY. The damage done at Porthcawl was very considerable. Over ninety yards of the esplanade wall was washed away. This wall was also damaged about two years ago. The pitching built by the district council was also broken through. The sandbanks to the east- ward of Porthcawl were demolished for a very long distance; thousands upon thousands of tons were moved. The waves rolled over the breakwater in tremendous volumes, and from 40ft. to 50ft. high. The sea overflowed the banks of the Swansea Bay Railway near Baglan, and traffic was sus- pended there. ESPLANADE AGAIN SWEPT AT POETHCAWL. High tides continued to work havoc at Porth- cawl on Monday morning, and the esplanade was washed out for a length of about 150 yards. The golf road suffered badly, the pitch- ing being destroyed. The loss to Mr. Brogden will amount to at least £300 to £400,

SEVERN IN FLOOÐ. TRAFFIC INTERFERED WITH. The tide was again very high in the Severn on Monday morning. About ten o'clock the water washed across the South Wales main line, which was submerged till after middle day, but the depth of flood upon the per- manent way did not exceed 3ft. against 5ft. the previous morning. For three hours traffic was suspended. The through passenger traffic. South Wales to London, remained diverted through the Severn Tunnel, passengers chang- ing at Severn Tunnel Junction; London passen- gers for South Wales changed at Swindon, and got round by the same route. The local pas- senger traffic, after the first train each way had passed through, was closed to nearly one o'clock, but subsequently some trains were got through upon the down line. which, though damaged slightly, was workable. The effect of the water upon the up line was very remark- able; quite a mile of permanent way was shifted bodily. By an oversight, a flock of sheep belonging to Mr. J. W. Smith, of Lydney, butcher, were left on the flood lands, and 40 were drowned. Mr. George Wintour, butcher, Lydney, whose stock, also in the same neighbourhood, was receiving his personal attention on Sunday morning, was hemmed in by the flood. Fortunately, he was on rather high gfround, and he remained a prisoner for several hours.

PIER WASHED AT BURRY PORT. At Burry port waves washed over the pier, carrying away the railway, the sleepers being hurled over the quay. At the old harbour damage to the extent of £1,500 has been done. EMBANKMENT BROKEN AT KIDWELLY. On Sunday morning the high tide caused much damage at Kidwelly. The river embank- ment was broken in several places and- the adjoining lands flooded. LOCAL RAILWAYS DAMAGED. The railway between Kilgerran and Cardigan was in a flooded state on Sunday, and traffic was suspended in consequence. The railway officials hope to have the line open to-day (Mon- 1 day) about noon. The Llandovery branch was damaged in several places. SERIOUS FLOODING AT BRITON FERRY. At Briton Ferry the tide rose over the dock embankment, rushing through the Cross Keys Hotel and flooding a large number of cottages in the lower parts of the town. The subways of the Great Western Eailway were submerged and the pits of some of the steelworks filled. The tide is supposed to be the highest for the last fifty years. INUNDATIONS AT KIDWELLY. On Monday morning the tidal water was again driven up by the wind at Kidwelly. and Bridge-street and Station-road were rendered impassable. The embankment confining the river is broken at a great many places, and the lands and gardens in the lower parts of the town are inundated. At Morfa Farm Mr. J. Howells suffered very great damage, the water there being from six to eight feet high. BOATS IN THE STREET AT CARDIGAN. For the first time for nearly 30 years the water swept over the Pontycleifon Embankment at Cardigan, swamping the meadows and the Priory lawn. St. Mary-street was also flooded, the water being 6in. deep in some of the houses, while in Gloucester-row, Mwldau, &c., the fur- niture was floating. On Monday morning the flood was little inferior in depth to that of Sun- day morning, and boats were afloat in front of the Angel Hotel in St. Mary-street. In Pwll- cae the tenements were deeply flooded, and on Monday Mr. Morgan Richardson, mayor of the town, gave the poorer inmates coal to dry their tenements. Daniage was, done to the permanent way of the Great Western Eailway close to Cardigan Station. The statement made by a contemporary on Monday as to trains not being able to pass Cilgerran on Saturday night is a pure fiction, more especially as to transit from Cilgerran to Cardigan by conveyances. LOWER PART OF HAVERFORDWEST SUBMERGED. The spring tides reached enormous heights at Haverfordwest on Sunday and Monday, and flooded the whole'of the lower part of the town in the neighbourhood of the Bridgend-sqttara and Cartlett. The Jubilee Gardens were also covered, and while the tides were up boats were in requisition. THE CONWAY VALLEY FLOODED. On Monday the beautiful Vale of Conway was for miles one mass of water, while the North Western Railway between Talycafn and Llanwrst was submerged and traffic suspended. GREAT FLOODS IN NORTH WALES. During the past few days tremendous tidal waves have inundated the North Wales coast and flooded the countryside to an extraordinary extent. The high tides were accompanied by heavy south-westerly gales, the result being that at various points along the coast the artificial and natural embankments gave way, and the sea rushing through the gaps covered thousands of acres, surrounded houses, drowned cattle and game, and created great havoc.

SERIOUS DISASTERS AT SEA. WRECK IN THE BRISTOL CHANNEL- During the gale on Sunday the steamer Netham was driven ashore at the mouth of the Usk at Goldcliffe, near Newport, and. appa- rently, is a total wreck. Three bodies, supposed to be those of members of the crew of the vessel, have been sighted on the mud on the eastern side of the river, and boats have been despatched from the West Lighthouse to recover them. Very little is known of the barge or her crew at Newport, as the captain did his own brokering and had no agents. The Netham is believed to be the boat which grounded six weeks ago in the Usk. She is of 100 tons burthen. INQUEST. Mr. M. Roberts-Jones, the district coroner for South Monmouthshire, held an inquest at tho National Schoolroom, Nash, near New- port, on Wednesday toucfring: the death of the three men. John Harris (captain), James Williams (mate), and John Pickford (seaman), whose bodies had been washed up on the beach from the wreck of the steam barge Netham, of Bristol, on Sunday. The bodies, which were much mutilated, were taken by the police out of the mud a long distance down the beach, near the spot where the young girl parachutist, who made her first and fatal ascent from tire Cardiff Exhibition grounds a few years ago, met her death; and the corpses were laid out in the same way as her body in the belfry of Nash Parish Church. Superintendent Parry, the harbour master (Captain Pugsley), and the clerk to the New- port Harbour Commissioners (Mr. A. J. Phillips) were present.—After hearing the evidence, the jury returned a verdict that the men met with an accidental death on Saturday evening, and the Coroner stated that he thought the police were entitled to great praise for the bravery they had shown in going out to the wreck and securing the bodies, an expression which met with a sympathetic "Hear, hear," from the jury. A TERRIBLE ATLANTIC VOYAGE. The American liner Russia, which arrived at Liverpool on Monday, reports terrible weather in the Atlantic. She was hove to for over 40 hours, and the passengers were kept below. Her appearance in dock shows the ordeal through which she has come, her port rail being carried away, together with a, consider- able quantity of gearing. The decks were fre- quently washed by huge>seas. Captain Schmidt, who had his hand bandaged, reports that during a tremendous south-westerly gale, which developed into a hurricane in mid-ocean, a great wave broke over the vessel, and damaged the bridge. He was knocked against the tele- graph apparatus and injured. A young sea. n-an, named Herbert Garrison, who was for- merly on board the Liverpool training ghip Indefatigable, was washed overboard and drowned, no effort to save him being possible. Others of the crew were also knocked about and injured. CARDIFF-LADEN BARQUE DISABLED. The Norwegian barque Boneta, 572 tons, coal- laden from Cardiff, has been obliged to seek refuge in Baltimore Harbour, County Cork, where she now rides at anchor in a disabled condition, suffering from the effects of the terrific gales which she experienced since leav- ing Cardiff on January 22, and her voyage from that port to Bahia, River Plate, with close on 1,000 tons of coal, has been unavoid- ably abandoned owing to stress of weather and damages sustained en route by the vessel. WRECK OFF WEYMOUTH. A Lloyd's telegram f aysThe steamer Stuart. of Liverpool, from London, in ballast, parted anchor at Portland during the gale oh Monday evening, and drifted through the roads, con- siderably damaging the barges Ionic, of Lon- don; Aquila, of Goole; Pioneer, of Montrose; Ethel Edith, of Ipswich, and the steamer Hamp- shire. The Stuart afterwards drifted on the new breakwater, where she remained some time, then floated over, and is now ashore on the t'ocks at Preston, near Weymouth. The crew were saved. SCHOONER SUNK WITH ALL HANDS. A Ryde (Isle of Wight) telegram saya that it is reported that a large steamer, now off Stokes Bay. ran down a schooner on Monday night off St. Catherine's Point, the schooner sinking with all hands. COLLISION IN THE CHANNEL. The Norwegian sailing ship Milanda, from Hamburg to Pensacola, now lying off Ports- mouth, reports that when in the Channel, 30 miles from St. Catherine's, she collided with the Norwegian barque Moland, whose cap- tain and two of the crew she picked up, and has since landed. Nothing, however, is known as to the fate of the Moland and the remainder of the crew. When last seen a steam trawler was endeavouring to approach her. A DESERTED BAEQUE. At Ventnor on Tuesday morning the barque Moland was seen drifting helplessly- towards the shore. The lifeboat was immediately launched, but on reaching the ship the crew were missing, having apparently abandoned her. It is believed they had been taken off by a passing vessel. The barqne stranded near Brook and quickly broke uP, LIVERPOOL STEAMER FOUNDERS. Information has been received in Liverpool of the foundering o.f the steamer Roch Chan- nel, eighteen miles\ off the North Foreland, during a heavy south-westerly gale. The vessel left Hull on Saturday for Dublin with a cargo of barley. The crew were rescued by the steamer Falcon, bound for London, which was passing at the time. The Roch Channel was only built last year at Workington, and was of Lloyd's highest class. She was owned by Messrs. John Edwards and Co., Liverpool. MYSTERY IN THE CHANNEL. A Lloyd's St. Alban's Head (Dorset) telegram reports that a steamer, with a large saloon well lighted, was observed coming down Chan- nel from two to 2.30 on Tuesday morning, when a heavy squall of hurricane force passed over her. The lights were then obscured, but were again seen for five minutes, when they suddenly disappeared. No signal of distress of any kind was displayed, and, as a fear was entertained that the vessel might have foundered, the coasts guard thoroughly examined the coast at day- light, but found nothing indicating such a serious mishap. DISABLED LINER OFF USHANT. A Brest telegram on Tuesday says:—The maritime authorities have received a report from Raz de Seine, Ushant, that a liner show- ing distress signals and, apparently, with machinery disabled vas sighted driving past there on Monday before the gale. The state of the sea was so bad, however, that it was impossible to send any assistance to the vessel. DAMAGED STEAMER RETURNS TO CARDIFF. The Italian steamer Caffaro C., of Genoa, was towed into Cardiff Docks on Tuesday morning by the steam-tug John Lawrence, badly damaged. She left Cardiff on Friday night laden with coal. and bound for Civita Vecchia. All went well till Sunday, when, off the Longships, fearful weather was encountered. One tre- mendous sea struck her amidships, catching four of the crew—the second mate, the carpen- ter, an A.B., and a fireman-in the alley. The three first-mentioned were terribly knocked about, and the fireman was killed. Great damage was done to the vessel 'also, for the waves carried away part of the bridge, steering gear, and a portion of the bulwarks, besides doing other considerable damage on deck. On arrival in the Roath Basin the three injured men were at once placed on ambulances and conveyed to the Hamadryad Hospital Ship. Here it was discovered that Filippo Pelarano (second mate) had sustained a severe fracture of the leg; Francesco Borzoni (carpenter) was suffer- ing from a fracture of the shoulder; and that Luigi Tosi had sustained injuries to the legs. The name of the fireman who was killed was Francesco Vellano. FISHERMEN INJURED. Three fishermen were landed at Hull from the North Sea on Tuesday with broken legs. Skipper Woodgate and Boatswain Ablett, of the steam trawler Egypt, were on deck, when a huge wave descended on the vessel. They were thrown so violently that each sustained a fractured leg The third man injured was Boatswain Cocks, of the trawler Scorpion, who was also thrown by a sea, and rendered unfit for service. The steel lighter Montagu, of Middlesborough, foundered off Cromer during Saturday night, her crew of five hands being drowned. She was being towed by the tug Emperor from the Tyne to Lowestoft with 600 tons of coal on board. At half-past one on Sunday morning the crew of the Emperor heard loud cries from the lighter, and at once proceeded alongside her, when the Montagu went immediately down, stern first. The steam collier Arno, of Sunderland, bound for Portsmouth with coal, grounded near the Nab lightship, at the eastern end of the Isle of Wight, at midnight on Saturday, and became a total wreck. The crew put off in boats, but a gale was blowing at the time. and two of the three boats are missing with thirteen men. The captain and three of the men succeeded in reaching Southsea in an exhausted condi- tion, their boat smashing up as they reached the shore. One man sustained a broken leg, and now lies in hospital.

DISCISSION AT CARDIFF CORPORATION. THE QUESTION OF .RESPON- SiBILITl. At the meeting of the Cardiff Town Council on Monday Mr. John Jenkins called attention to the damage doiie by Sun- day's floods to houses and their con- tents at the Docks, and declared that after so many years' warning it was a shame that something had not been done to prevent those things. Some years ago they raised the em- bankment at Grangetown. He wanted to know whether the corporation or Lord Bute was responsible. The responsibility must be placed on the shoulders of someone. The Lord only knew what would happen as a consequence of the water coming in under the houses. If Lord Bute was responsible they should take pro- ceedings against him. The Town-clerk said he wanted to know to whom the sea wall belonged. If neglect could be proved against the owner, he would be responsible. As to the flooding of the Cardiff Arms Park and Cathedral-road, that would bo "the act of God," and no one would be responsible. Mr. J. Jenkins: Then we need no sewers or anything. We may put up with "the act or God" in all ways. Why were no stepe taken yesterday to prevent a recurrence of the flood- ing last night and this morning? Why were not bulkheads placed in the breach on the sea wall? The Borough Engineer said that they could have done nothing to stop it. In addition to the breach in the sea wall, there was 100 yards along which the water washed in, and they could do nothing to prevent it. The district was flooded on Saturday night, and there was no breach in the wall then. Mr. Jenkins repented his question as to bulk- heads, and was proceeding to argue the matter when Mr. Veall ask»d whether that was question and answer. The Deputy-Mayor said that the matter would receive the immediate attention of the floods committee,

Ða- TROUBLES OF COLLIERS. inPPEIR BEONDDA AND ITS COUNTY-COURT. At Ystrad County-court on Tuesday a deputa- tion from the Rhondda Grocers' Association waited upon his Honcur Judge Gwilym Wil- liams to ask for further county-court facilities for the Upper Rhondda. Mr. Evan Cule, who headed the deputation, said that the existing arrangements were very inconvenient for Upper Rhondda tradesmen, as they had to go* to Pontypridd and frequently wait several hours before their business could be transacted. He had himself been obliged to wait several hours and even then leave before his cases wer-j called. The deputation asked his Honour to take the necessary steps to have a day for entering claims and also for other county-court business. The population of the district in the Uppsr Rhondda was sufficient for another day at Pentre. His Honour said that he was quite in sym- pathy with the idea, and would do everything in his power to have an extra day granted. But there was considerable trouble in getting the Treasury to incur extra expense. TX-i deputation added that the results of the recent strike would lead to a large increase in county-court work. His Honour expressed the opinion that the Grocers' Association should combine to put a termination to the long credit system prevalent in the district. If they would promote a peti- tion to the Treasury he would forward it to the proper quarter. He also said that it seemed to him that a large number of travelling drapers were going about inducing the women to buy "fal-de-lals" and useless goods, which the poor colliers had to pay for when they really could not afford to do so. The deputation thanked his Honour and withdrew.

BIRTH RATE DECLINING IN ENGLAND, It appears that the birth-rate in England last year was the lowest on record. A London "Evening News" reprasentative has had a talk on the matter with one of the heads of the Statistical Department at Somerset House, and has secured some highly significant figures. "We have no theories here," said the statis- tician. "We give you the facts, which you may explain a way as you please. And the fact is simply this—that there were fewer children born in England last year in propor- tion to the population than in any other year on record. Those who have paid any atten- tion to these things have noticed for many years past that our birth-rate has been gradually declining. It has fallen almost every year since 1880, and is now lower than it was fifty years ago. If our birth-rate had been the same as in 1847, we should have had 50,000 more births to register last year. Since 1877 our births have gone down 7 per 1,000. and in 1894 there were 24.000 fewer births than in 1893, and 16,500 fewer than ten years before. That was the lowest year we had any record of here. But we have dropped lower still this time. In 1894 the rate was 29.6 per 1.000; now it is 29.4. The marriage-rate iS falling, ana is lower than it was forty years ago, but the decrease does not account for such a large reduction in births. Then the marriage age is rising, and many women, now able to earn a comfortable living themselves, prefer not to get married at all. And thus births have now dropped 3 per 1,000, according to the 5 yearly average from 1838 to 1896. Italy and Hungary beat us easily- No other large country but France, Switzerland, Belgium, and Ireland has such a low birth-rate as England, according to our international returns, and Germany's lowest rate for twenty-five years was higher than our highest! The latest figures for Germany show that their population is growing at the rate of 7 per 1,000 faster than ours." It is consoling to know (adds the "Evening News") that, while marriages and births are becoming fewer every year, the death-rate is decreasing in even greater pro- portion.

LONDON WELSH GATHESINO. At the National Liberal Club, Whitehall, on Saturday eveniqg, a farewell dinner was given to Mr. Tamplin, of the "Star," on his leaving for the "Cambrian" Office, Swansea. Mr. Llewellyn Williams, barrister, presided, and among the company present were Messrs. D. Brynmor Jones, M.P., Howell Idris, L.C.C., H. J. Williams, L.C.C., J. H. Davies, M.A., David Edwards ("Daily News"), E. Vincent Evans, Artemus Jones ("Daily Telegraph"), T. J. Evans ("Celt"), Timothy Davies, and Evan Griffiths—In proposing "Our Guest," the Chairman paid a high tribute to Mr. Tamplin. who had been his colleague on the "Sooth Wales Post" and the London "Star.—Mr. Tamplin suitably responded, and thanked the oompany for their good wishes.—Mr. Evan Griffiths proposed the toast of "The House of Commons," and Mr. Brynmor Jones humorously replied.—Mr. Idris, in proposing "The Press," said that his knowledge of that body was extensive, inasmuch as he had once been a can- didate for Parliamentary honours, and "had since had several companies to float. His exoo- rience, therefore, was very interesting.— Repiigg were made by Messrs. David Edwards, Vincent Evans, and Artemus Jones.—Other toasts were "Success to the 'Cambrian and "The Chair- man. "—A musical programme was ably pro- vided by Mr. Madoc Davies and Mr. David Jones.

EPPS'S COCOA.—GRATE! UL and COM. FORTING.—" By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful appli- cation of the fine properties of well-selected COCOA, Mr. Eppe has provided for our break. fast and supper a delicately flavoured beverage which may save us many heavy doctors' bills. It is by the judicions use of such articles of diet that a constitution may be gradually built up until strong enough to resist every tendency to disease. We may escape manv a fatal shaft bv keeping ourselves well fortified with pure blood and a properly nourished frame."—" Civil Service Gazette."—Made simply with boiling water or milk.—Sold only in packets and pound tins, by Grocers, labelled—" JAMES EPPS and CO., Ltd., Homoeopathic Chemists, London." DELICIOUS. WHOLESOME. REFRESHING DELICIOUS JELLIES. Don't buy a jelly simply because it is cheap. Don't buy it because your chil- dren like sweet things. Don't buy it because your neighbour does. If you wani a jelly because it is wholesome, nourishing, and digestible, then buy Chivers' Golo Medai Jellies. You want a delicious and delicate flavor r Very well, then, buy Chivers' Jellies, because they are flavored wtth Tips fruit juices, prepared from fresh fruit. FIELD AND FACTORY. The Twenty-fifth Anniversary. COMMENTS OF THE PRESS. A large company of gentlemen journeyed from Liverpool-street to Cambridge 12 July last as the guests of Messrs. S. Chivers and Sons, of Jam and Jelly fame, who invited them to visit their fields and factory, in commemoration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the celebrated firm. Fine weather favoured the trip, and the outing will be memorable among journalutio journeyings—and junketings. STRAWBERRIES AD LIB. A little while and the guests were let loose into a strawberry field, with injunctions to pick and choose, till the field suggested the ravages of locusts. When the surfeited raiders tore themselves ruefully away finger-tips were pink with the juicy fruit, like the hands of workers in Turkey-red. LUNCH AND SENTIMENT. In a new wing of the factory lunch was served, and continued success pledged unre- servedly to the firm of Chivers. The senior partner, /n a few unostentatious segments, narrated the history of the linn's phenomenal prosperity as makers of preserves for the million. From the smallest beginning the firm had come to employ 800 hands. Other speakers testified in glowing terms to the boon conferred upon the district by tna great jam factory, which had practically built up one of the happiest villages in Merry Eng- land- A glance at Histon proved the truth of this. INSIDE THE FACTORY. Those of us who hitherto felt squeamish about factory-made preserves will have no such scruoles in future. Everything inside the factory was scrupulously neat and clean—and this verdict includes the pretty girls. The wood tables were scrubbed to spotless white- ness, and the airiness and sweetness of the place were remarkable. A miniature railway system and aqueous canals facilitated the moving about of the trucks of jams and jellies. It was a triumph in ingenuity and sanitation.—The "Sun," 13 July. 1898. THE CHRISTIAN WORLD. "The factory, which we inspected at a comfortable interval after luncheon, cannot be adequately described except by an expert. But an unskilled observer could not help noticing the "brightness, cleanness, and airiness of the buildings, and the healthy and contented look of the workers." THE RURAL WORLD. "We saw at Histon a first-class factory, fitted up with all modern requirements for turning out a first-class article. The employees, the machinery, and the utensils were the pink of cleanliness. In the factory everybody was clean and busy. whilst in the strawberry fields were hundreds of busy workers from the villages around, which alone gives a good idea of the activity prevailing at this highly important country centre." FARM, FIELD, AND FIRESIDE. "It must be said that the materials employed were of first-class and exceptional quality; the strawberries, for instance, being the principal crop at the moment under treatment, being really equal to d?s?ert fruit. Cleanliness was a striking feature. The girls and womep, too. in the factory were tidy and clean, and. with the airy and sweet surroundings which modern and large builiings provide, there was everything to induce confidence in the excel- lence of the Jams and Jellies turned out from here." EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES. 'What impressed visitors most were the scrupulous and even delicate cleanliness of every operation, the great pains taken to ensure absolute purity in Jams and Jellies, and the amicable relations that evidently exist between employers and employed." FLAVORED WITH RIPE FRUIT JUICES. A FREE SAMPLE WILL be SENT on RECEIPT of a LETTER or POSTCARD, addressed S. CHIVERS & SONS' FRUIT FARM JAM FACTORY, HISTON, CAMBRIDGE. PLEASE MENTION THE CARDIFF "WEEKLY MAIL." ° L1984

NEiWPOKIT TOWN COUNCIL. MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Newport Town Council was held at the Town-hall on Tuesday, the deputy-mayor (Alderman M. Mordey) pre- siding. in the absence of the mayor (Councillor T. H. Howell), who was indisposed. On the recommendation of the watch com- mittee, two new sergeants were appointed, viz., Police-constables David Thomas (36) and Frank Wheeler (34). A good deal of discussion took place with reference to the town-hall extension, initiated by Mr. J. H. Williams on a motion to defeat the recommendation of the works committee to appoint a temporary assistant in the borough engineer's office to prepare plans for the exten- sion. It was pointed out that the Local Govern- ment Board, on being asked for leave to borrow the money, had insisted upon the premises being built upon.—In reply to this, Mr. Little provoked a good deal of mirth in stating that the older members of the council, and especially the chairman of the works com- mittee (Alderman Moses), ought to have known the ways of the Local Government Board by this time, and so have foreseen the step which would have been forced upon the council.—The application for the assistant was agreed to. Mr. Parfitt raised the question of the im- provement of Tunnel-terrace, and remarked that, as the Great Western Railway Company was reported to be about to spend about a quarter of a million of money in the district, they should be encouraged to make arrange- ments to join in the improvement of the pro- perty near their lines.—Alderman Moses said the works committee had information that the Great Western Railway Oompany intended to make arrangements for a new tunnel so as not to touch Tunnel-terrace itself. The company, it is stated, intends to build a new tunnel on the north-west side of the existing tunnel, just outside Newport Station, on the up side. Mr. Parfitt then raised the question of Sun- day's floods, which led to a considerable dis- cussion. He asked if the works and general purposes committee was not responsible for the maintenance of the river banks. In some streets, low down Corporation-road, at half-past ten on Sunday morning, there was 4ft. 6in. of water, and many people had their furniture floating about, their food destroyed, and their little stock of groceries that they had laid in for the week all carried away. Some people spoke of the flood as an act of God, but what had happened once already should have been prevented happening last Sunday. A flood of the same kind occurred two years ago, and the bank of the river should have'been raised 18in. It was a very serious matter for the east side of the river, where they all hoped there wou.d be a great extension. There was a depth of water of 7ft. 6in. in Messrs. Lysaght's, and thousands of pounds' worth of damage was done. He did not know whether the blame rested with the commissioners of sewers. Alderman Moses (chairman of the works com- mittee) said it was a matter for the commis- sioners of sewers. No doubt the tide over- flowed the sea-walls and caused a great deal of damage. He promised that the works com- mittee should give the matter its careful atten- tion, so that, if possible, better arrangements should be made for the future. Mr. J. H. Williams said he had been informed by Mr. Fuller, the managing director of Messrs. Morris and Griffin's chemical works, that he (Mr. Fuller) absolutely blamed the cor- poration. Alderman Moses: That cannot be so. Mr. Williams: Oh, there is something in what I have to say. Mr. Fuller tells me that there is a breach in the footpath from the Great Western Wharf going to the back of the chemical works. Alderman Moses: That is the sea wall. Mr. Williams: That is what I should call a sheep walk. Following the path about 60 yards to the back of the chemical works there was a breach, and that was the only place where the sea came in. The chemical works lost about E800 or JE900 worth of material. It was a serious matter to the builders on Corpo- ration-road, and it was a serious thing for the whole district, because if people came to find out that it was not safe to live in Corporation- road they would certainly not go there. Alderman Mordey said he sat next to Mr. Fuller at dinner the previous evening, and he never said a word blaming the corporation. Mr. Liscombe referred to the floods on Ma:pas-road, anhd said the time had arrived when the matter should be dealt with. The overflow of the Malpas Brook did most serious damage. Furniture was floating about, the seats in a place of worship were afloat, and people could not get to All Saints' Church. Alderman Moses could not admit that the works committee should be held responsible for the flood in any way, because he regarded it as an act of God. The committee had done its best in the past to induce people to see before they built houses that their foundations were on high ground. If they would persist in building their houses on these low places they must expect to suffer. Mr. Clifford Phillips said Corporation-road and Malpas-road had not suffered more seriously than East Usk-road, and he sug- gested that a wall should be erected at the end of East Usk-road to keep the river out. The Borough Engineer said it was a mistake to suppose that the tidal water came up through the sewers because the pressure of the tide kept the valve flaps closed, but it was when the heavy rain came on the sewers were filled up- the outlet valves being closed-and the water came up through the drains. The tide on Sun- day morning was the highest of which there had been any record. Without the breach in the sea wall, to which Mr. Williams alluded, existed, the flood would still have occurred. The water came over just outside the borough, but the flood came into the borough streets. Mr. Parfitt said it was hardly right to tell Messrs. Lysaght and others who had been induced to settle in the district that it was their own fault that they were flooded out. Mr. Canning urged that the works committee should thoroughly investigate the matter, and report upon it and upon the powers that the corporation could exercise over other authorities to prevent floods. Alderman Jones said he did not know any- thing about the theological question which had been raised that day, but he urged that the works committee should consider the question brought up by the sanitary committee a few years ago of raising the floors of the houses in low-lying districts. The matter then dropped. The council voted an increase of £100 per annum in the town-clerk's salary, raising it from JS700 to dEMO, by a very large majority, after defeating two amendments to defer the matter. On the minutes of the waterworks committee being brought up for adoption by Alderman Lyne, Mr. Wilkinson again protested against the large amount of money being spent on the Wentwood scheme, and asked the chairman of the committee if he would tell him what the scheme in the end was going to cost, and when it was going to be finished. Alderman Lyne said that would be as diffi- cult as putting brains into Councillor Wilkin- son's head. (Laughter.) The Town-clerk said the mayor desired to get the opinion of the council whether he should call a public meeting on the subject of the Czar's rescript. He (the town-clerk) wished to point out that at Cardiff the meeting was miserably attended, and was really a fiasco. A Member: Who asks for this meeting? The Town-clerk: There is a request from a. central committee in London and also from the Women's Liberal Federation in Newport. Alderman Bear proposed that the meeting be held. He had intended calling such a meeting last year during his mayoralty and had oeen assured of the sympathy of Lord Tre- degar, but the date proposed would not suit his lordship's engagements, xhe borough member also promised to come down, but just then the Fashoda incident arose, which clashed with the movement. Mr. W. A. Baker seconded. Alderman T. Jones said he would not be present, but he should like at such a meeting that a resolution would be passed asking the Czar to allow a little agitation'amoagst his own people. Mr. Abrahamson said the whole thing would, end in a farce. Mr. Hornby asked what the meeting could do. The Government had expressed its sympathy with the object, and had promised to send representatives to the conference, and the only thing now wanting was to fix the place of the Conference. What, therefore, could the meeting do? The proposal to call the meeting was carried. A proposal by Mr. Gower, seconded by Mr. Dunn, to send two pilots to the harbour board as representatives of the corporation was car- ried by thirteen votes to eight.

MILITIA RETURNS FOR 1898. The Militia Rerturns for last year, issued on Monday, state that the enrolled strength waa 113,439, and the number at training 98,042, the former figures showing a decrease of 1,149 from those of 1897, and the latter of 1.432. Of the 15,397 absent from training (an increase of 283) 7,240 had leave (increase 57). and 8,157 had not (increase 226). The 1898 establishment was fixed at 132,493, or 1,009 less than that of 1897, and the number of men wanting to complete establish- ment last year was 19,054, or 140 more than were wanting for the higher establishment of lfcto/. In England and Wales there were last year 73,659 enrolled Mi itia, decrease 1,100; in Scotland, 13,684, decrease 443; and in Ire- land, 26,096, increase 394. Taken by arms the numbers of officers and men on the rolls in 1898 were: -Artillery, 16,886, decrease 113; Engi- neers, 2,098, increase 74; Infantry, 94,114. decrease 1,059; and Medical Staff Corps, 341, decrease 51. The 31,005 men of the Militia Reserve effective at last year's inspections, and included in the above reckonings, were 44 fewer than at the 1897 inspections, but the 5,970 enrolled in the Militia Reserve in 1898 are 598 more than in the previous year.

LADDERS..—Ladders for Builders, Painters, Plasterers, Farmers, Private Use, Ac., all sizes at Cottrell's old-established Manufactory, Barr's-street, Bristol. 43987