Weekly Mail

PICTURE PUZZLE SOLUTIONS. ,920,000 TO BE WON BY COM< PETITORS. SUGGESTED BY AN OXFORD HA. T.A.T. 1, Oh! ?2? Spoke; ?, Not; 4, What: 5, Worl<! 6. Be. SHEFFIELD WEEKLY NEWS. 23 Stack; 24, Bristol; 25, Warton; 26, Bla.k.; 27, Worcester: 28, Bewick. COMIC LIFE 1. Kale- 2, Blakf; 3, Able; 4, Bleak; 5, Lttkt; <.Lea;7,Leak;8,Bale. ,?,. ??j 1 Nod- 2. Don; 3. Corns; 4, Orb; 5, Cod; 6, Cod; 7, Cordon; 8, Rod. COMIC HOME JOURNAL 28. Peel; 29, Assegai; 30, Swan; 31, Wood; 32. Knox; 33, Webb. 34, Bell; 35. Fielder; 36, Aborigine; S!. Cloister; 38, Kitchener; 39, Sandys. COMIC CUTS 71, Monks; 72, Barwell; 73, Stocks j74. SwtB: 75, BriercliS'e: 76, McLeod; 77, White; 7t, Mercer: 79.MilIs; 80. King. ?.?? 81. Hawkes; 82, West; 83. Mason: 84, Cotton; 85. Prescott; 86, Barry; 87. Beere; 88, Wilkin- son; 89, Drake; 90, Lambdon. BOYS' REALM. 1. Commander-in-Chief; 2, India; 3, W&ter* loo- 4, Seventy; 5. South African War; 6, India. 1859; 7, 8, 10, Australian; 9, 11, 12, British. 13. Blackburn Rogers: 14. Corinthians; l? Southampton; 16, Shemeld United; 17, 014 Carthusians; 18, Aston Villa.. WOMAN'S UFE. Number of Circles: 13; Well-known British Birds: Kite, Sparrow, Lark; Kinds o< Stitches: 1. Chain; 2, Cross; 3, Arrow; 4, Rope: 5, Back. Jumbled Names.—William. Fred, Tom, Ja<ot. Article used by Miners.—Safety lamp. NUGGETS. 1, Royal Horse Guards-the Blues; 2. Dukt of Oonnaught's Light Infantry; 3, Prince Albert's Own-Eleventh Hussars: 4, Twenty. first Empress of India's Lancers; 5. First Tower Hamlets Volunteer Rifle Brigade; 6. S?aforth Highlanders—Ross-shire BuCs; 7, King's Own Scottish Borderers; 8, Sherwood Rangers—Nottinghamshire Yeomanry. PEARSON'S WEEKLY 37. Dingy; 38, Mesh; 39, Policy; 40, Noble; 41. Expand; 42, Type; 45. Wooden; 44, Chaow; 45, Refrain; 46, Shock; 47, Warrior; 48, High- way. 49, Dodo; 50, Excise; 51. Rural; 52, Tapioca.; 53, Slide; 54. Welkin; 55, Flange: 56, Ogre; 57. Ablaze; 58, Gunners; 59, Calf; 60. Progress. More than six editions of Nutta?l't) Dictionary ha-ye been published between 1901 and 1903. With the exception of first and last, the others are very rare. Lanquet appea.rB in one of the 1901 editions. BOYS'LEADER 85, Glasgow; 86, Hobart; 88, 48.9 miles per hour; 90, Sir James Thomas Ritchie; 91, J522 18a. 4d.; 92. Nile. Niger. Zambesi. Congo, OTaiige; 93. (a) 1087, (b) 1840. (c) 1381, (d) 1588; 95, Westminster Clock Tower. SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 201. RockcliSe; 202. Mclntyre; 203. Thacke- ray; 204. Danion; 205. Payne; 206. Oakland; 207. Dorke; 208, Sutton; 209, Fog; 210, Scotson. 211. Glamorgan; 212. Woolwich; 213, Key. worth: 214, Stourbridge; 215. Kingswood; 2H Whyley; 217, Boots; 218, Padiham: 219, Scott; 220. Notton. T!T-B!TS. Jumbled Towns: 1, Huntingdon; 2, Liver- pool: 3, Plymouth; 4, Oa-mbridge; 5, York; 6. Chester. Pictorial Additions: 1, Pain. Paint; 2. Pin, Pint; 3. Bat, Bath; 4, Pea, Pear: 5, Boa, Boat. Four School Subjects: 1. French; 2, Singing; 3, Drawing; 4, Chemistry. Jumbled Names: 1, Vivian; 2. Winifred, 3? Joseph; 4, Sophia; 5, Phyllis; 6, Archiba-ld. Illustrated Verbs: To run, to ny, to feel, to hand, to end, to be. Nursery Rhyme: Ma.ry had a little Iamb. Letters of Distinction: 1, Victoria CrotM; 2, Doctor of Laws; 3, Memb&r of Parlia,ment; 4, Bachelor of, Arte; 5, Doctor of Divinityt 6, Master of Arts. Breakfast in Pictures: Breast, Butter. Pew- ridge, Ha.m, Ha-ddock, Eggs. WEEKLY TELEGRAPH F.—l. Kingdom; 2. Drumstick; 3, AtfoeMy: 4, Rainbow; 5, Reindeer; 6, Fertile; 7, Entry; 8. Shamrock. A.—17, Horsemanship; 18. Safety La.mp; M, Nightmare; 20, On'scouring; 21, Footstep; & Vaccinate; 23. Alligator; 24, Egotist. G.—l. Brandy; 2, Phantom; 3. Squeeze. Nightmare; 20, On'scouring; 21, Footstep; & Vaccinate; 23, Alligator; 24, Egotist. G.—l. Brandy; 2, Phantom; 3. Squeeze. 4. Ailment; 5, Beauty Spot; 6, Donkey; Y, Ruby; 8, Starch. H.—l. Unkind; 2, Antelope; B Hogøhe84t;1 4. Turtle Dove; 5, Dingy; 6, Erratic: if. Stimn; 8. Awkward. H.—l. Unkind; 2, Antelope; B HiogebetMh? 4. Turtle Dove; 5, Dingy; 6, Erratic: ? Stimn; 8. Awkward. I.—l. Relax: 2. Rowlocks; 3, Le<'aJiz?; 4, Awning; 5, Pirate; 6, Lark; 7, TMek; ? Ignore. WEEKLY BUDGET. I l.—TRme a-nd tide wait for no man. 2.—A cat in pattens catches no mice. 3.—Take time by the forelock. 4.—Money makes the mare to go. 5.—There &re none so blind as thoee wtt) will not see. 6.—When t<be wine is in, the wit is oat. 7.—All is fair in love and war. 8.—Cut your coat according to your o!ett.

A STIRRING SEA STORY. BRAVE RESCUES EFFECTED BY A CARDIFF SHIP. A stirring tale of the sea. is told by Captain Lewis, a Liverpool man, of the steamer Venedotian, of Cardiff, which arrived in Bristol on Saturday after a. most eventful voyage. About midnight on the 15th ipst., when eight miles west of Cape Vijia-noe, and with the might about as rough a<9 it possibly could be, he wa43 about to go below when he noticed signals of distraas. A tremendous gale was blowing, but he pat about and made for the distressed vesBsL She proved to be the Diligent, of Sunderlamd. bound from Rotterdam to Huelva, with a ca<rgo of ore. The crew implored to be taken off, but the Diligent'e boats, when lowered for that purpose, were all smashed to atoma. At daybreak it was seen that the Diligent had drifted perilously near the rocks. and as the gale continued enorta were made to tow her back, but hawser after hawser parted in the attempt. By clever seamanship Cap- tain Lewis managed to get his ship close to the stem of the Diligent, the chief omoef being meanwhile in charge of the lifeboat. and, thanks to his skilful handling ot the small craft, eight men were rescued. Toe lifeboat was returning to take oB' the remainder when a huge wave swamped her, and her brave crew were in imminent peril of being lost. The chief omcer, who could not swim, was pulled out just in time by the chiet engineer—P. Fishburn, of Cardiff—and tht other men were safely got on board greatly exhausted, one being laid up for three daye as a result of his nght for life in the heavy sea. A second lifeboat was got out, and the second omcer—Tom Davies, of LlamdaC— volunteered to take charge of her. A Ctew. including three Arab Bremen, was eoon made up, and once more an effort was made te effect the work of rescue. But the boat ha< not proceeded far when one of the Arab Hit- men was washed out into the sea. His two comrades, without a. moment's hesitation, sprang after him, and but for their heroie deed he would assuredly have perished. Sup- porting him they succeeded in reaching the lifeboat that had been swamped, and later on all three were picked up. The work of taking the remainder of the Diligent's crew off was performed in safety, and at elevem o'clock, four hours after the nrst attempt to get a hawser aboard, every man had bom saved.

MONMOUTHSHIRE ASSIZE& The Monmouthshire Winter Aseizea weM opened before Mr. Justice Ridley a.t the Shim haJl. Monmonth, on Sa.turda,y. His lordship was accomfpanied on the bench by the Hich Sheriff (Mr. E. P. Martin), the Sherin chaplain (the Rev. LI. Williams, rector o< Dowlais), and the Mayor of Monmonth (Oomt- cillor G. R. Edwards). David Roberts (33), labourer, waa indicted for violently assaulting Rebecca. Bevaa. widow, 60 years of age, at Cwmyoy, on March 1, 1903. Prisoner was found guilty, and Mtt* fenced to twetve mocths' hard labour. Hymen R<wenthaa (26), watchmaker, wMt indicted for unlawfully assaulting Mahet Robbma. aged ten years, at Abertillery, oa January 10. Me. Comer prosecuted, and Xf. Dunn defended. The case disclosed Tery revolting features. Prisoner was foand guilty, and the Judge passed a sentence of seven years' penal servitude. Tom Paynter (19), labourer, was ecanteted of attempting an offence against Annie Harvey, aged six years, and was M'ntanced to eighteen mon'tJis' imipriBommont, withhtMi labour. This concluded the criminal bnsuMOt. the judge attended St. Mary's Parish C&za-A it state on Sunday.

CATARRH AND CONSUMPTION. The possibility of Catarrh extending to <ht lungs is described in the last issue of Ow "Review of Ear, Nose, and Thro&t DiaeaaBe." Anyone interested in the subject can obtaht a free copy of this Medical Jonnml IW addressing, The Editor, 10, MarMe AMt. OJJ" .T lb

? CALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] THE WBMAH 0)) ?HE BEREUCI: BEING THE STRANGE LOVE STORY OF JOHN BRAMWELL. BY GUY BOOTHBY (AUTHOR OF "DR. NIKOLA." "MY INDIAN QUEEN, Ac., Ac.) CHAPTER IX. — Adding Armitage "good-bye" at the tra.nœ to hia hotel, and having thanked a-gain for the generous offer of his help, tetUrned to my own caravanserai. When I Ved there I -went straight to my room locked myself in; then, placing on the. th ?? packet I had brought with me from ? 'hip, l cat the etrings and opened it. knives I wrapped up in several pieces of Paper, which I sealed and wrote my upon, after which I wrapped up the and took both downstairs with me. Packet containing the knives I took to Manager's omce, with the request that ? ?ould place it in'the safe. Than, taking the other, I proceeded into the Strand, a.lled a, cab, and drove to a shop I had seen t}¡at doming, on windows of which it tated that a. dark room waa provided I.Ot ateurs on payment of a moderate fee. t Pald the amount in question, and waa con- '1 "oted to the room. Then, with what feel. t'11c8 you may imagine, I broke the seals, t. the key which bad been fastened to ? handle, and opened the case. With the ""Boat care I commenced my grizzly task, oing one plate at a time and watching the development with anxious eyes. To x: horror, the nrst waa a complete failure. dy nervousness I must have under- it. The second was somewhat better, hy no means as good as I could wish. next waa an improvement, and, to my dfJJ: the remaining three were all that I could te. Not being able, of course, to leave Ot to dry upon the premises, I waa corn- ed to resort to artincia.1 means, which tated a, long wait in that stuffy hole, :h waa but little bigger than a cupboard. 11 to laat, however, after an imprisonment that lasted upwards of two hours, being ed that they were in a. condition to be 9>0 ken away, I placed them in the box I had tllght in the shop for that purpose, closed h oa.tn.era, and released myself from what ? been in every sense of the word a durance On my way through the shop I pur- ged the requisites for toning and printing, *Hch I ordered to be sent to my hotel with- fa.n that afternoon. The camera I took th BM to my room, but the plates. which carefully wrapped up, sealed, and marked with my name, went into t'be safe with the knives. This done, I deter. tlQ l'tled to try and forget the matter until c morrow. I had had enough of it for one ?y. ext morning proved to be nne, and imme- after breakfast I once more bothered 0;. Patient c!erk to open the safe, and. obtained both packets, I made up my "< to retire to my room and to satiafy yaelf as to the result of my labours. The h three negatives I had utterly destroyed t? "?hing the nim oS the glass. Of each of ?tonj ??*? I printed a dozen copies. The ."?S and washing I postponed until I should ."? to rest that night. ?? descending to the hall I found a. letter oressed to me in the small tremulous &on? ? ? °? school. As I had not &a.tb ?male correspondent in England, I "aered that it was from Mrs. Jackson, and th 18 Proved to be the care. She wrote to to-7 °? ?o'' the money I had sent her, and a?nt ? °? that her charge seemed to have idel?? ? down. Much to the old lady's 't?tf ? ? seemed to have taken a fancy 'Dtt?? f ?? ?'' daughter amd to derive Measure from their soci?y. went? ?????? to r??uade her," she woK °?? ?? ?*- ? ?? °?dl? Sough?? ???? ?? ?- h&vobeeu unsuoces? ?t ? ? ? ?? -? ehe is incapable of?nv ?'?. ?? ? ? though her bodily strength ???? &ould be desired. She hasM??? ? ??'' ???hT??- ????? tEJS' ?? ? ??ory is capable of ?-cording tmpretsiona of recent date, but of ??mg conne?ed with the tragedy which so V?y cost her her life. Perhaps we should ?-thankful for this." _'l'he old lady concluded by sa-yine th&t thev ??ted eoon to see me. AJ1 things con- ,'?ted, the report was as satisfactory aa ??d be expected in so short a time. The t'?Qre I derived from the fact that she had bered my name and had spoken of me j?-? exquisite. I suppose that men will do ?h?* ?hinga when they are in love, but I know I read that portion of the letter over ? "??r again. Before I put it away I made ?°?taJ reeotution that I would go down ? ?11 on the following afternoon. There ?? nothing to prevent it, so I patted myself ? tf b?ck, and told myself that I deserved ? di??' ?? ?? entitled to ta-ke one. Before to ?'?' however, I 'had an important matter t°? to, amd that was to place the negatives ?? the ba.Ia.n<)& of the photographa I had ??* to a place of safety, where they wowld %f"?D for a length of time. It waa within ?? bounds of possibility that the hotel clerk out a package might make a mis- ?.*? a.im g?e mine. I determined to take ?? to my bank, and have them placed in ?-'?ty there. The knives I kept with me. as '?hed to examine them more closely. tt? ??u? the bank, which was in Lombard- ?D ?' ? drove to Armitage's hotel, for I was )*?s to phow him the pictures and have a ?t"? talk with him prior to going down to Pton Court. I inquired for him in the M"' and was informed that he was in his ?'.?S'-room, for the hall porter had seen ?L? so up tha grand staircase half an hour *ore. ?? il call a. man to show you up, eir," he t llut I told him that he need not worry, as t a?? ?°? ?? ??y ? ?he room by this time. ?"?ordingly got into the lift and was carried "to the third noor (Armitage'a). l!i8 bedroom and sitting-room were at the ?? o< the corridor, and looked out over the ?oankment. On the heavy pile carpet of ? Passage my feet made no sound. I ??cked upon the door, and, hearing some t.??lation from Armitage, took it to be ?,°?e in," so I entered. As I did so I heard <o? ??' "?o° cursed fool! Before you've Ine you will ruin everything." t 'Was easy to see that he was in a towering )?? about something. His usually hand- ?'? face was black with passion. If human es can dart sparks, his were certainly doing ? M that moment. Cringing before him t;e as miserable a little Jew aa ever dis- ? ??d a Synagogue. He was metaphorically ?hing his hands and staring up a.t his ?? companion, as if he expected every b. °ntent to receive a Now. Never have I wit- anything more despicable. 'n Ary dear fellow, I did not know you were taged," I began. "I'll come back in a UoQ.rter of an hour. I am sorry I interrupted 11." o, no; don't go," he said heartily, his It ole manner changing, as if by magic. "I ?'? Snished my business, and was only ?-?Qietering what schoolboys call *a jolly ?-d wigging. Then, turning to the Jew. '8 8a.id angrily, but by no means so fiercely () he had previously spoken, "Be on' about ?'? business, and don't you ever try to ? y any tricks like that with me again, or )oo:iIl Bnd that it will be the worse far miserable little wretch slunk out of f ?oom like a whipped cur, leaving Armi- ?°? and I alone together. He held out his ? to me. ?* am awfully eorry that you should h?ve ?a. ? ? such a rage," he began. "But that t?* would exasperate a saint. I put him on ? "Uy some things to be sent out to one of 0' Nations, and now I nnd that he has not the ?° swindling me, but also swindling ? ? ?aaa from whom he was to purchase them. ?'?'Bpened to hear of it in a roundabout ?" aad I don't think he will forget in a tM.?y the talking to he ha.a ea.rned for him- ? ? °? duplicity. But don't let us talk b °ttt that. Tell me a<bout youpeelf. You !4!I Otade no progress, f suppose, since I left yesterday?" have developed the negatives, and I sup- ??that may be coanted aa some sort of pro- ??' It was fifing work, but the result is satisfactory." I took one of the 1 from my pocket-book and handed it M He studied it carefully for upwards .?.?iDute. ?j?''ell/' ti? g?? ?f ?f "? (;?? only say ? .*t ia about the nastiest picture I ever ?" m my life. But I am afraid it is no.t ? ? ? afford any sort of clue. With such ??P?ession of agony upon the face the t? °?s will most certainly be unrecog- .?Me. What do you think yourself?" ?-? not quite so sure of it myse!f," I "I think I can form, having seen ? Otac, a.nd having his portrait to refresh tMi Memory, a very good idea. of what the .? waa like." fortunate," Armitage continued. I t4e o.nly we could get hold of some clue as to I Entity of the vessel, but you say that !'y trace haa been removed?" «My oa* I Mplted, "Jac]faon. the ohler I mate, and I spent a. large nart of onr time searching her, but could find nothing." "Which only confirms my theory that it was not a case of mutiny. If ever you do &nd him, you will discover that I am right." "I have told you repeatedly," I said, almost angrily, "that I have ma<do up my mind to bring the villains to justice, if it is possible for a human being to do it." "I admire your determination," he answered, "and, as I have already said, on my side, I will render you any assistance in my power. It will be hard if between us we cannot hit upon some plan of running the dogs to earth. Where is the vessel now?" "At Plymouth, I suppose," was my reply. "But I will find out this afternoon." He lit a cigarette, and then asked me how I proposed to 6nd out, seeing that I did not know her name, and I had quarrelled with the Hullket nrm. I then told him of my intended visit to Hampton Court that afternoon. It was almost certain that Mrs. Jackson would have heard from her eon,, who would tell her cf his movements. "And you will see the charming young lady, whose rescuer you were?" he said, looking at me out of half-closed eyes and blowing a- I cloud of amoke through his nose. "That is one of my reasons. for going," I I remarked. "I am anxious to see what this little rest has done for her." I "I hope at some future time you will permit me the honour of making her acquaintance." "Doubtless, you will see her before very long. I have several things to do. and I want I to catch the half-past two train down." j I did catch the train, and an hour later was standing before the nre in the pretty littio drawing-room of Acacia Villa, awaiting the coming of my hostess. Presently she entered the room, leaning upon her stick. She greeted me warmly and begged me to draw a chair up to the nre, as the afternoon was cold. "Alexandra will be here in a few moments," she aaid. "Short though the time has been, I think you will see a little change in her." I She had hardly said this before the door opened, and the girl herself entered the room. I cou'd scarcely suppress an exclamation of I surprise as I looked at her. You must remem- ber that, so far, I had not seen her well dressed. Now she was attired in a costume o some dark grey material, which showed off her shapely ngure to 'perfection. Nothing couJLd have suited her better. She knew me "It was the man I had seen in Armitage's room that morning." I at once, and gave me her little hand with charming grace. Though she wajs still far from being herself, it seemed to me thac there really was an improvement. There was etill the melancholy, absorbed look in her eyes, but it was not so marked as it had been when we left the ship. She became more animated when I inquired how she liked Hampton Court. She had seen all there was to be seen, and declared that phe would never tire of visiting the Palace. I told her that I must get her to show me over it, whereupon kindly Mrs. Jackson suggested that we should go that afternoon. "You will have plenty of time to walk through the Galleries before it grows dark. Run away and put on your things, my dear." She did as she'was bid, and in about five minutes returned dressed for walking. While she had been absent I had learned from Mrs. Jackeon that her eon was still in charge of the ship at Plymouth, and that he did not know when he should be able to leave her. "Now be off with you," she said, "and don't let me see either of you until half-past four, when we will take tea." You may guess for yourself how much I enjoyed the walk and the stroll through those quaint old rooms. I was surprised to find how much my companion knew about the pictures. We were passing through one of the stately rooms which overlooks the gardens and the Long Water, when she led me to one of the pictures and stood gazing at it, as if she could not take her <yes ofF it. Personally, not being a connoisseur of such matters, I could not see much in it, but it seemed to exercise a strange fascination over her. "Oh, what would Canti say, could he see it?" I heard her murmur. Scarcely thinking what I was saying, and speaking in a casual tone, I inquired who Canti might be. "He was my master in Florence—Bartho- lomeo Canti." She spoke without looking round, and then resumed her contemplation of the picture. Then the magnitude of the discovery I had made burst in upon me, and I felt as if I could have ehouted for joy. Quite by chance I had stumbled on one little clue. If CanM were in the land of the living I would find him out, and see what he could tell me about her. I tried to question her further about him, but her memory had gone again, and my oNorta were of no avail. Having exhausted the Galleries, inspected the Courtyard, and strolled through the Gardens, we found it was time to return to Acacia Villa.. We were passing through the Fountain Courtyard, which was now almost dark in the Cloisters, when a curious thing happened. Standing ih one of the doorways was a ma,n, and I was prepared to swear that he was no other than the miserable little individual whom I had heard Armitage rating so thoroughly that morning. The glimpse I caught of him was euch a momentary one that I had passed the door before I properly realised the fact. Then I stepped back and looked in. There was no one there, however. I took the liberty of stepping inside and looking about me, but all I could see was an old chest and some ancient stairs, which turned abruptly to the right after a few steps. The floor was of stone, and the staira were uncarpeted; one would, there- fore, have thought that it would have been impossible for the fellow to have got away without making a noise, particularly as I had not walked more than a yard. I rejoined my companion, feeling more mystined than I can say. I was as certain that I had seen him aA I could well be of anything, yet the facts of the case seemed to be against me. I am afraid our conversation flagged on the home- ward journey. My companion was not talkative at the best of times, while I had enough on my mind to afford me food for reSection. Was it only chance that had brought the fellow down to Hampton Court? Had he business with the residents of that portion of the Palace? Or, lastly, was he following me? The last thought rather dis- quieted me. For the time being, however. I dismissed it from my mind, and devoted my- self to the task of amusing the ladies. As before, I was easily persuaded to remain to dinner, When Mrs. Jackson and I were alone together I intuited whether ahj9 h&d madq any progress in inducing Miss Alexandra to take up some hobby. "If yoa mean by that needlework, I am sorry to say I have not," was her reply. "Bat she has a hobby, in which she is eingularly proncient. Eea.lly, Mr. Bramwell, she paints most beautifully. I am sure she would make a name for herself in the world of Art." "Has she ever told you where she studied?" I asked. "No. She always declares that ehe cannot remember. But I have an idea it must have been abroad. She is now engaged copying a. picture in the Palace Gallery, and you must make her show it to you." "I will certainly ask her to do so," I re- joined, and when she came downstairs I made my request to her. Obedient aa usual, she left the room, to return in a few moments with a. canvas in her hand. Though the picture was in a quite unfinished state, I recognised it as a. copy of that before which she had stood so long that afternoon. Little though I know of such things, I could tell that her talent was of no mean order. I handed iS back, and thanked her for showing it to me. Our dinner that evening was a more cheerful one than on the previous occasion. Miss Janet was in excel- lent spirits, while I did my best to second her efforts. Now and again the old lady told anecdotes of her youth. Miss Alexandra, how- ever, though she appeared to be listening, scarcely uttered a word, save when spoken to. When we returned to the dra-wing-room Miss Janet played and sang to us, and at half-past nine I rose to say "Good night." "I hope we shall see you again very aoon," said my hostess. "You know that you will always be welcome." "I am afraid not for a week or two," I answered, and then added, watching Miss Alexandra's face as I spoke, "I am thinking of leaving to-morrow for Florence." My remark seemed to have no efpect upon her. Her expression was as impassive as if she had never heard the name. "Surely, this is rather a sudden resolution, is it not, Mr. Bramwell?" asked Mrs. Jackson. "I am rather prone to act on impulse," 1 remarked. "Florence is a city I have always longed to visit, and, as I have some rather particular business, to tr&nsaet there, and may have a lot to do later on, I thought I wculd take advantage of the opportanity and go now." They wished me a, pleasant journey, and. having promised to let them know my address when I reached my deeination, I bade them "Good ttight" and made my way into the hall. Miss Janet followed me, and while I waa putting on my great coat opened the doer for me. As I was about to pass out she took an envelope from her pocket and held it out to me. "This is a little present for you, Mr. Bram- well," she said. "I hope you will like it, but don't look at it until you get into the tra,in." I thanked her, and promised that I would not. It was a wild, wet night, and. for this reason. I lost no time in reaching the ra-ilway station. Having selected a smoking carriage, I lit a cigar, and then taking the envelope from my po.cket opened it with some curiosity. It was a photograph of Miss Alexandra, and an ex. cellent likeness. She could not have given me anything that I could value more. Wondering whether I could obtain a paper. I leant out of the window in search of a new<<- boy. At the sarnie moment a man, who from Ms appearance should have been soaked ta the skin, passed the carriage. He looked up and saw me, gave a start of astonishment. and passed quickly on to a compartment further up the train. I had not been mistaken, after all. It was the man I had seen in Armitage'a room that morning' (To be continned.)

THE FASHODA INCIDENT. PUBLICATION OF MORE SECRET HISTORY. The Paris "Figaro" on Monday gave full detaHa relating to the conditions in which Russia, offered France her support at the time of the Fashoda incident. The step taken by Count Muravieff by order of the Czar in solemnly \prom!sing the French Government the military co-operation of Russia, occurred on October 18, 1898. It came after a period of negotiations which had begun on September lat. On the latter date M. Delcasse had sent to the French Amba-ssador at St. Petersburg the following telegrajn:— Paris, September 1, 1898.-At the present moment, when the Anglo-Egyptian gun- bo&ta are advancing on Khartoum, we ought not to lose sight of the grave con- sequences that may result in the near future from what is passing on the Upper Nile. I should be obliged if you would call the attention of Count Muravieif to the poeaible eventualities, and let me know what view the ImperiaJ Minister of Foreign Anairs takes of them. This dispatch gave rise to the exchange of explanations which terminated on September 12 by ttn sending of the following telegram, which the "Figaro" Bays is reproduced textuaJIy. M. Tontain, French Charge d'Affaires to M. Delcasse, Minister of Foreign Affairs.— St. Petersburg, February 12.—I communi- cated to the Minister of Foreign ASaira your statement regarding the events on the Upper Nile. Count Muravten' asked me to give you a fresh assurance that in every- thing relating to Egypt the Imperial Government was resolved to go hand-in- hand. with you and to adapt its attitude to that of the French Government. The "Figaro" remarks that the expression "fresh assurance" implies that this assurance had already been given at least once- probably, after the despa-tch of M. Delcaase's telegram of September 1. At that time, con- tinues the "Figaro," it was not yet known that Great Britain would make the occupa- tion of Fashoda a oaeus belli. It hoped I that she would, in return for the evacuation of Fashoda, make a territorial concession to France, aa, for example, the Bahr el Ghazel, which Ba-ron Do Oourcel would dema/nd from Lord Salisbury. What, there. fore. France asked for on December 1 was diplomatic support, but when, thirty-four days later. Count Muravieif called upon M. Felix Fa-ure, the situation had changed. 'France had decided to abandon Fashodø., but she had not made a formal declaration of her intention, and did not do so until November 4, when Bafon De Courcel conveyed the decision to Lord Salisbury. Before pub- lishing his decision M. Deloasse had wished to wait for the arrival of Captain Baratier, who was sent by Major Marchand, a.nd did not land at Marseilles till October 26. It wa-s eighteen days before M. Delcasse announced his decision that Count Mura.vi6.8f declared that "if you will fight we wtll nght."— Router.

LADDERS.—Ladders ior Buildera, Painters, Plasterers, Private Use, &c., a'll sizea at Oottrall'a old-established Maonfactory, Ba.rr- stM'e? Bastoi, ? %B38

LABOUR DEBATE IN THE COMMONS. MR. KEIR BARBIE'S DRASTIC PROPOSALS. In the House of Commons on Friday, Mr. KEIB HABDIE (B., Mertbyr) moved the following And, further, we desire humbly to expreea oar regret tha-t, in view of the distress aj*ising from lack of employment, your Majesty's advisers have not seen fit to recommend the creation of a. Department and Minister of labour, folly empowered, inter alia.. to deal effectively, acting in con- junction with local administrative authori- ties, with such lack of employment, mainly by the execution of necessary public works, afforestation,, and, further, by encouraging an increase in the numbers of those employed in agricultural pursuits. In taking the figures supplied by the La-boar Department of the Board of Trade, he said. he found that in 1903 the total percentage of the unemployed for all Trades Unions was 5.1 per cent. It might be that in one or two cases, such aa the Bast End of London and certain parts of Leeds, the immigrant foreigner competed successfully with the British workman, but that had no bearing whatever upon the question. The real trouble was the ehortage in trade. He was told that it was free imports which were responsible for depression in trade. On the face of it there was a strong case for that statement, and he confessed that he regarded with considerable appreciation the fact that the ex-Colonial Secretary should have raised this question in such a promi- nent way. But the remedy propounded-and he said it with all respect-would, in his opinion, add to the trouble of which they complained. If they took the condition of labour in those countries where there was Protection-such as Germany and America- they found that in the former country last year the number of unfmp'oyed was 11 per cent., while in parts of America, like the State of New York the figure was as high as 17 per cent., as against our own 4.4 per cent. Protection in this country would not increase the available amount of employment, but very largely decrease it, and make life very hard for the toilers of the land. But, whilst saying that. he was not to be he)d to accept the point of view of those who said that Free Trade had solved our social problem. So long aa we were able to sa.y that one-third of our population were living either in poverty or on the edge of it we could not call the condition of the workers satisfactory. Free Trade offered no remedy for that. Our municipal authorities should be free to carry out improvements and employ labour. The Trades Unions had paid out benefits to unfortunate fellows to the extent of thirteen. and-arhalf millions in a period of ten ye&rs. Surely, with that example before it, the State should not hesitate to do ita duty. The hon. member referred to the recommendations of the conference held at the Guildhall last yea.r, urging Parliament to deal with the question of the unemployed and to appoint a Minister of Labour, with a seat in the Cabinet, and with a special department to deal with the recurring periods of distress and depression. If all the London parishes were to join they might purchase near to London smmcient land to set the unemployed of the Metropolis at work. He advocated the adoption of the same principle throughout the country. He submitted that the question of the unem- ployed could only be effectively dealt with by turning upon the land of England a very much larger proportion of the population. Every other country in Europe was devoting increasing attention and increasing expendi- ture to the proper training of those who had to cultivate the soil. AKorestation was deserv- ing of attention seeing that the total imports of wood were now just under JS20,09i),000 a year. Germany employed 400,000 of its popu- lation in its woods and forests, and in Great Britain it was no exaggeration to say that 150,000'men could within the next ten years be put to permanent and prontable work were some idea of that kind carried out. If it were proposed to create a new Minister whose duties were to be divided between commerce and labour, he would oppose the proposal. He would relieve the Boajd of Trade of part of ita present duties connected with labour. The Labour Department of the Board of Trade performed their duties with consum. mate skill and great conscientiousness, but an interest so important and so varied as that of labour should not be confined to a mere comer of the Board of Trade. The new Minister should take over the duties of the Home Omco in connection with factory and mines inspection. One department should be com&ned to the finding of employment for those without it. It would possibly be neces- sary to establish bureaus all over the oountny where men out of employment could inscribe their names. The new Minister would also seek for and suggest schemes of reclamation, of and of great public works which could be undertaken, especially during periods of depression, under State auspices, and financed either by the local authorities or the State. Mr. W. CBOOKS <B., Woolwich} seconded the amendment. He supported the proposal for creating labour colonies. He admitted that the loafer or the man who was "bom tired" constituted a standing dimculty. Colonel LOCEWOOD (U\ Es&ex. Epping) did not believe that the waste land of England could be pronta.bly employed iu afforestation. Moreover, that was a project which would give little employment. Mr. S. BUJXTON (R., Poplar said tha,t the position of Trades Unions, which had hitherto given great help to their out-of-work members, was so threatened by recent decisions in the law courts as almost to exclude all possibility of further aid. Mr. L. SINCLAIR (U., Essex, Bomford) could not help thinking that the Trades Unions were responsible, by reason of the hard-and- fast rules they laid down, for some of the recurring winter lack of employment. Mr. MUNBO FEBGUSON (B., Leith Burghs) believed that there were ten million acres of land in this country which could be culti- vated under timber and would produce .61 per acre. Mr. HERBERT LEWIS (R. FoUnt Boroughs) pointed out that afforestation gave employ- ment at the time when it was most needed. Mr. LONG, replying on the debate, said tTiat if the amendment had aimply stated that there was a dimculty in connection with the unemployed and that it was most desir- able to deal with it, then he thought that no one would have opposed it but for the ques- tion of confidence in the Government which, by Constitutional practice, WM involved; but when the amendment went further, and pro- posed the establishment of a Department of Labour as an enpctus.1 remedy the Govern- ment could not accept it, because they did not believe that more than the strengthening of an existing department was required. As to the proposal that employment should be created by the execution of public works, to bo paid for out of ImpeTi.).! or local taxa<- tion, what he asked, would be done when the pea"iod of depression ended. Would the works be stopped until there was a.gam la.ck of em- ployment? What would happen to the Works in the meantime? He ventured to aay that it waa not a practical suggestion, though put forward in a perfect good faith by those who made it. Them. with regard to afForesta-tion, he was bacmd to say that the Government was being asked to embark upon an undertaking of a kind which hitherto the State had always left to private enterprise. Even asBTiming tihat it was for the advantage of the nation to have these great forests established out of national funds, did anybody believe that such a scheme would solve the unemployed pro- Mem? Mr. A8QUITH very much sympathised with the object which Mr. Keir Hardie had in view. Everybody who had had experience of the public departments which had to deal with industrial questions would agree that the present system was seriously defective, in the duplication of functioma and the con- flict of jurisdiction. It ?s a most unbusi- nesslike system, resulting in la<:k of economy, simplicity, a-nd, uniformity in administration. He was greatly in favour of giving to the local authorities more elastic powers of experiment. He hoped that the Local Government Board would, whenever possible, favour co-operative and combined action on the part of the local authorities. The Hoaee divided, and there voted:— For the amendment 151 Against .—— 231 Government Tnajo-rity eo THE ADDRESS AGREED TO. Mr. AKEES-DOUGLAS moved that the ques- tion be now put. Mr. SWIFT MACNEILL (N., Donegal, S.) asked the Spesuker whether there was any precedent for putting the closure when there remained 24 nnc<maidered amendments to the Address on the order paper. (Oppo&ition cheera.) The Speaker replied that he h<ul Act counted the number of amendments, but there were plenty/of precedents for putting the closure. The closure was carried by 232 to 139. The Address was then agreed to.

LONDON WELSH FESTIVAL. London Welsh folks are jtMt now busily preparing for their annual St. David's Eve Feetival in St. Pa-ul's Ca.thedral. For the nrst time in ita history the singers will join forces with the band of the Grenadier Guards —whose conductor. Lieutenant A. Williams, is a Welshman. The imiova.tion was not accepted without alrm on the part of some of the promoters, who contended that the distinctive, character of Welsh music would not be benefited by such an adventitious associate as a modem military band. How- ever, the innovation was tentatively agread upon, the result being that the biMid will this year be the special feature of the festival instead of a couple of solos by Mr. Ben Davies, who haa for yea?s Msdsted, bein? duly j atTt&yed in. ar mbfta,surDUM

LATE MARQUESS OF BUTE'S WILL. e LITIGATION COMMENCED IN SCOTLAND. In the Court of Session at Edinburgh on Saturday Lord Eyilachy closed the pleadinga in an action brought by the trustees Of the late Marquess of Bute for the judicial deter- mination of questions which have arisen in the administration of the estate. The marquess, who died on October 9, 1900, bequeathed to such trustees as might be named for the purpose by the Right Rev. George J. Smith, Roman Catholic Bishop of Argyll, whom failing by his successor in that omce for the time, a. sum of .ElO.OOO, the income to be applied by them for the upkeep of a daily Roman Catholic cathedral service at Oban. any surplus of income to be applied in such way as the trustees should think best towards educating any of the choristers at any of the Scottish universities. The marquess also left JB20.000 for the erection of a, Roman Catholic church at Oban, and .620,000 for the erection of a Roman Catholic church or monastery at Whithorn. He directed that not more than .E10.000 should be expended on these erections in any one year. It was provided that each of the churches should be free and open, and that the whole of what is ca-llel "the Divine OSice" should be said or sung there every day, and that other daily or occasional services should be conducted as directed by the rubrics. Any balance of the .E2C.OOO unexpended in the erection reverts to residue. Arrangements are being made for the transference to trustees of the .E10.000. Dimculties, however, have arisen with regard to the constitution of the trust to which it was contemplated by the testator that the churches at Oban and Whithorn should be trans- ferred. The trustees had been unable to obtain any assurance that the directions of the testator with regard to the consecration of the buildings and the conducting of ser. vices which should include the whole of the Divine ORice would be given effect to, and it further appeared that if the churches were erected there would be no funds available for the maintenance of the buildings. In these circumstances the trustees have been advised that they are not in the meantime entitled to proceed with the buildings. They are, however, prepared, with the approval of the oourt, to hold the money until the income of the fund has sumciently accumulated to form an endowment fund for the maintenance of the fabrics or otherwise t</ submit the I scheme, modifying in certain respects the intentions of five testator so as to give eSe&t aa nearly as possible to his intentions. Bishop Smith concurs with the proposal of the trustees so far aa the JE30.000 destined for the erection of a church at Oban is con- cerned. Dr. Turner, Bishop of Galloway, has lodged a. claim for the ;E23,000 which the marquess bequeathpr for the erection of a church or monastery at Whithorn. Ho submits that under a will a- good and eS'ectual bequest has been made in favour of tJio diocese which he represents, and that the bequest has not lapsed by reason of inextri- cability or amy other cause. While appreciat- ing the motive of the trustees. and realis- ing the dimcultiea which they foresee as to maintenance of the buildings, to hold the fund until sumcient interest shall have accrued to form a, fund. Bishop Turner submits that such a course is not desirable. It was the evident desire of the testator that his wishes if not given enect to during his life should be carried out as far aa possible after his death. The proposal would involve a delay of twelve to fifteen years, and at the end of that time many of the dimcultiea now present would still subsist, and might fall to be adjusted by persons not so familiar with the late marquess's intention and wishes. It is suggested that the testamentary trustees should be ranked and preferred to the .E20,000 on condition that they expend .E10.000 Upon the erection of a. monastery at Whit- horn, and that upon the completion of the monastery they make over the remaining .E10.000 to the new trustees to be appointed in accordance with the terms of the will. Alternatively he suggest? that the testa- men ta-ry trustees be ranked and preferred to the .820,000 applicable to Whithorn. the bequest to be dealt with under any other scheme to bo approved by the court. The present I Marquess of Bute, as residuary legatee. claims the whole funds. He maintains that the trustees have no cower to accumulate the income in order to form an endowment fund, the testator having expressly provided tha.t any sums unexpended on buildings should revert to residue. He further maintains that, the beneficiaries under the deed having declined to acc&pt the ttums on the conditions on which they were bequeathed, the bequests have lapsed and faJl to be dealt with as part o'f the residue of the estate I The case was sent to the Procedure Roll, where it will be discussed.

DEPLORABLE NEGLECT. NEWPORT MOTHER SENT TO GAOL FOR TWO MONTHS. A six o'clock in the morning drinker, when it is a woman, must bo an unenviable creature. This was what waa said about Mary Miles, of 6, Rudry-street, Newport, who. with her husband, Wm. Miles, was before the Newport magistrates on Monday on a. sum- mons, issued a.t the instance of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Chil- dren. charged with culpably neglecting their four children. The woman said she would take all the blame, as her husband had nothing to do with it. The husband took the same attitude. a.nd said he went out to his work at the docks early in the morning and did not return till late at night. Mr. Lyndon Moore appeared in support of tJie summons. The house was described as reeking with stench, bare, and some parts windowless. Mrs. Miles admitted having pawned all the bed clothes. When Superintendent Brooks visited the house she was sitting on an up- turned pail in front of a Bre. There waa no chair or stool in the room. the only furni- ture being a taM& and an old settle Inspector Sparkes, the omcer of the prose- cuting society, said he had warned the woman on more than one occasion. Police-constable Bailey spoke to the woman getting drink a.t six and eight o'clock in the morning. Details of the condition of three of the children were given by Dr. Bassett, who visited the house on Februa-ry 15. Mary Ann Miles, aged fourteen, was in a very dirty condition, her skin being between the colour of a. Creole and a negreas; Nellie, aged seven, I was very scantily clothed, had no boots or shoes, her head was practically alive with vermin, and waa full of sores. She waa pallid and generally in a very delicate con- dition. Honora. a younger child, had just returned home from the hospital, where she had been treated for burns, and was in fairly good condition. The husband said he gave his wife practi- cally all his wages, which nuctuated between -almost nothing and a couple of pounds per week. Superintendent Brooks said the woman was the subject of the Crst prosecution (fourteen years ago) under the Act at Newport. She was then charged with assaulting her boy Michael. The boy was four years old then. He was now eighteen, and brought his mother home 12a. a week. I The Bench having retired to consider the case, the Mayor, in the result, said the magis- trates considered it a case of grosa neglect, and altogether very deplorable. The husband was not altogether free from blame, and he would be nned 20a. To keep children who had to go to school in such a condition as had been described was a public nuisance, aa the infection waa likely to run through the school. The woman was sent to prison for two months, and the police and omcera of the society were commended for bringing the caae forward.

ALIENS IN COAL MINES. GOVERNMENT DECLINE TO TAKE ACTION. In reply to a Parliamentary question by Mr. Markham, Mr. Akera-DougIas says: The matter of the employment of foreigners in British coal mines has engaged the attention of the Home Omce for some years. Careful inquiry has been made from time to time by the mines inspectors for Scotland, where the bulk of the foreigners are employed—some 1,200 out of a total for the whole country of less than 2,000—and there is no evidence to show that these men are a cause of danger to the other miners employed in the same mines. Adequate steps are taken at the mines where they are employed to instruct them in their duties. The matter will con- tinue to be watched by the inspectors; but on the information before me I am not pre- pared to take steps to prevent these aliens working in British coal mines. The employ- ment of foreigners ia connned to a few of the inspection districts, and the numbers employed are, approximately, as follow:—In the two Scottish districts. 1,600 Poles and a few Germans; in the English districts, some 90 Italians and 70 Poles, Germane, and men of other nationalities. A special return appears, in the circumstances, to be unnecessary.

IMPRISONMENT FOR BRIBERY. At Lincoln Assizes on Monday Thomas Mel- vin, Bsh salesman, Grimaby, was convicted of bribery at the municipal election on Septem- ber 2 last. Mr. Justice Bucknill said it would be a farce to impose a Sne, and the only way to prevent bribery was to let people know that the inside of a prison awaited thorn. N3 passed sentence of one month's imprisonment in the second division. Two other persons ¡were o11.a.rpd, but a. noUe proeequi waa I

DUKE DEFINES HIS POSITION. MYSTIFIED BY GOVERNMENT DECLARATIONS, In the House of Lords on Friday, The adjourned debate on the motion of the Earl of Crewe, that no duty on imports should be imposed, modified, or removed without the forma,! consent of Parliament, and on the amendment of the Marque<ss of Salisbury that the House was not prepared to lay down rules for the guidance of future Parliaments as to the exact nature in which control of the nscal arrangements of the country should be exercised, was continued. The Duke of DEVONSHIRE said that n<= wished to explain the reasons, not so much why I thought it necessary ultimately to resign my oCice, as why that resignation was for a considerable period delayed. Both the action and the language of the Prime Minis- ter and some of our colleagues since the nrst opening of this nscal question had been to me a cause of great anxiety and doubt. I felt myself obliged to dis- sent from much that was contained in the pamphlet issued by the Prime Minister and the memorandum circulated at the same time to his colleagues. I felt that, what- ever m'sht be the nature of the declarations which the Prime Minister might think it necessary to make at &hemeld. it would be impossible for us to continue to be members of a Cabinet in which the Colonial Secretary would be free to advocate certain principles. It is quite true that at the Cabinet meeting some mention was made of the possibility of Mr. Chamberlain's resignation. I had a con- versation with the Prime Minister. He spoke of the possibility of Mr. Chamberlain resign- ing, but not in such a way as to lead me to I understand that a distinct tender of resig- nation had been made. still less that it was likely to be accepted. It was some days later that I learned that Mr. Chamberlain's resig- nation had been tendered and accepted. This communication appeared to me to make a great difference in my position. I was not clear as to the scope of the declaration which the Prime Minister intended to make at an early date at Shemeld, but I understood it would be on the Iin<!e of the pamphlet he had issued. From passages in that pamphlet I think I was justined .in the statement I made in my letter of resignation that I hoped to find a dennite statement of adhe- sion to the principles of Free Trade and an equally dennite repudiation of the principles of Protection. (Sympathetic Opposition cheers.) At that time I thought it was possible that my continued presence in the Cabinet might have the effect in some degree of restraining that body from any very wide departure from tho principles of Free Trade. My position was an exceedingly dimcult one, but from the moment when I was definitely assured of the resignation of the Colonial Secretary those dimcultiea were mainly of a personal and not of a public character. I decided that under the new circumstances it was my duty to remain a member of the Cabinet, and exer- cise what innueuce I might possess in endeavouring to guide and restrain the action of the Cabinet. I did not then fully grasp the significance of the terms in which the Colonial Secretary's resignation had been accepted. After subsequently perusing that letter, however, I felt it would be impossible for me, when Parliament assembled to stand up at this table, or on a public platform and to support the Government's fiscal policy, being, as I am, and as I always hope to remain, a Free Trader. (Loud Opposition cheers.) The noble duke then addressed him- self to the motion before the House. In the Premier's speech at Sheffield he found a dennite declaration that he intended to reverse the fiscal policy of the last two gene- rations, seeming to imply it was his intention to revert to Protection. (Hear, hear.) They had been assured that that was not the intention of the Government-the present intention of the Government. Therefore, they had to fall back upon "freedom of negotia- tion." That was not so much a declaration of policy as the expression of a senti- ment, and until it was reduced to concrete proposals the country had not got the lead promised. (Cheers.) As to negotiations, the Government, in his opinion, had always been free to enter into negotiation. (Opposition cheers.) Coming to retaliation, the noble duke said he supposed that Lord ISelbome on Thursday was under the impression that he was defending the prin- ciple of retaliation. In his opinion almost the whole of that speech might just as well have been made in defence of a policy of Protection. (Opposition cheers.) The Prime Minister, in a somewhat ominous sentence of his pamphlet, said the only alternative was to do to foreign nations what they always did to each other. If, as that sentence appeared to indicate, we were to model our future fiscal policy on what foreign nations did to each other, he could not see what other system we could anticipate than Protection all round. (Opposition cheera.) The competition to which we were exposed —known as "dumping"—which was the export by America' and Germany at a price below the cost of manufacture of a portion of their over-production—must, in its nature, be of a temporary character. But, in order to relieve oa from that temporary inconvenience, we were to have a permanent protective duty. (Opposition cheers.) How would our power to compete in neutral markets be increased by this? It the Americans and Germans wanted to "dump" they would "dump" somewhere. If they could not "dump" here they would "dump" in the neutral markets, where we compete with them. (Opposition cheers.) Thus a. tariff would permanently raise the price of our products to our own customers. Who were our customers? There were thousands of different classes of manufacturers who converted iron into hundreds and thousands of articles of general utility. If the price of their material was raised to them, they also must be protected. The price of the articles which they produced would also be raised, their consumption necessarily reduced, and the effect of that proposal would bo that production would be diminished and that a far larger number of workmen in those sub- sidiary industries than were employed in the ironmasters' works, would have their employ- ment so much reduced. (Opposition cheers.) Some of the Ministers appeared to think that these questions were of minor importance as compared with the mainten- ance of the Unionist party for the purpose of resisting any revival of Home Rule. of maintaining the principles of the Education Act, s.nd, for all he knew, many others. He was unable to hold that view as he believed there was no question likely to occupy the early attention of Parliament which com- pared in importance with the principles on which our fiscal policy should be carried out. He had never advised anyone to vote against candidates who were pledged to a policy of negotiation or retaliation, partly because he did not know what that policy meant—(laughter)—but he did advise every man who professed to hold Free Trade opinions not to support candidates who sup- ported Protection, in whatever shape, even if he professed to be a supporter of the Unionist Government. (Opposition cheers.) The LORD CHANCELLOR thought the noble lord had failed to distinguish between the omcial programme of the Government and the individual opinions of the members of the Government. The noble duke seemed to think that anyone who expressed an opinion must necessarily challenge all his colleagues, whether they agreed or disagreed with him. They were not discussing the ques- tion of Protection and Five Trade. It had been stated by Mr. Balfour that it was not neces- sary in order to carry out the Government policy to take either the part of Free Trade or Protection. (Ministerial cheers ajid Oppo- sition laughter.) Lord JAMES of HEREFORD warmly chal- longed the statement that the country was prosperous in the old Protectionist days, and quoted from a speech of Mr. Chamberlain showing that before the repeal of the Corn Laws agriculturists were on the verge of starvation. The Marquess of LANSDOWNE said that Vie policy of Mr. Chamberlain was not the policy of the Government. The endeavour of the Govern- ment critics wa<s to chow that the policy of the Government waa nothing at all unless it was Protection. That was inaccurate. The Government claimed that they were not Pro- tectionists, but Free Traders. They main- tained that their interpretation of Free Trade was as true an thterpretation as that of the Opposition. The Government held that there coo.ld be Free Trade only when the course of commerœ was allowed to flow freely along its natural channels, and when both the country that received and the country that gave wero aJIowed to reap the full advantage of the natural conditions. European Powers were contemplating a. atill further addition to their hostile tariffs. The most-fa,voured-nation treatment had ceaaed to bo a protection against hoatHe tariffs. Having leamt from experience that in such cases mere expostulation and remonstrance were not enoagh, the Government desired to obtain authority to nse argument of another kind. We drew 400 millions of imports from other countries, and we had a hand with an abundance of trumps. (Ministerial cheers.) The Government would make no premature and indiscreet disclosures as to the manner in which this policy of reta,luhtion might be applied. The Government had no intention of taxing raw material, and their policy did not include the taxation of food. The policy of the Government was self-contaaned. ajid instead of leading to Birmingham it led in the opposite direction. Their lordships then divMed, when there voted:— For Lord Orewe's motion 47 I Against 98 Government majority 51 Lord Salisbmry's amendment was then pat I as a sabstanti-ve motion and agreed to with- out a division. I