Weekly Mail

CHAPTER II. THE CONVICT'S GHOST. 18tt llst{ stood viewing the moonlighted pic- iljg aacB°metimes—I must confess it—think- "*W*te beantiful young, unknown girl I for fÙtn-Iost to life, to love, to the world Bleats?1" 3,6 bating deep down under that bony surface out yonder, I was 'too]j^ b. a long-sustained scream, which I can a ran to the break of the poop. fciela comhre it to nothing better than a tic ()I t 'ry at night of the jackall on the hfeaP(j .r' th. Riyer Hooghly, as oft I have while lying in that sobbing, "W}» hailed the sentry. «jt«at was hat cry?" fbm one of the women in the >^6 Rt ir," answered the marine, who S^aed it the hatchway. 16 spoken when the cry -was 36 though it proceeded from a ift sIn In disttss rather than in terror, or or Partly unconscious rather than j awake. Hate*' lat,ch anr' looked down. After e' during which I heard some talking hatrk' a female came and stood under the I Sa.i^nd 'ookec up. "Who's hat?" 8he ior." says she. ^^e maron who had charge of the "Wh "A D0ise wa^that?" says I. belowhas seen the ghost of the we buriei this morning." *•§0 l made her ^ry out?" •a.^ it e 8ir- She cried out when she ribe coinirig. Andihe cried out again when "If tK wiere she lies." Moq>. all—well, good night, Mrs. Cham- °Q the S3ys ahalf laugh, and I went ca,tain. he, "whit i6 it?" "w °6t, sir," I anarered. Th °6^ &bost?" ■"Vrif you buried ,his morning, sir." ^a^hway?^S done' ^hat drew you to the the inciden. as you have it. •*ea took a lefeurely look round the binn ?5^at the weather, walked to the ftftep ^^tand to inspect the compass, and lis b another short sur)ey of his ship, with upon the hooc of the companion- al?aPPeared. ,*« a, lrae Passed. I walled the deck, lonely, alwaye is at sea,lost in thought, but +h' e ^eed to tbe ;bost. But if I did ^ften of the ghost, ny thoughts would arnkle to the girl, for I was young, •«WVa»d a sailor. I had been greatly the JJ. y ber beauty, whichhad impressed me because it had asserted itself in ^^Sle^t rags and misery of clothing and Myself el! ^a.ir. Thinking jf her, I said to "ttoi'ri e^1<3 ^vec''an<^ a or a ,in O- or a Gainsborough had painted her 8urnPtuous, flowing ittire the artist 'aH ijjj 6 known how to clcthe her in, what She ^m°nal canvas she would have made! the he* have shone for evei, a fixed star in As j tTen °f stars of English Beauty." the ahi thought a man in '.he forepart of JUaljijj ?truck the bell twice, and then once, '^■fter it three bells—that w, half-an-honr Bea> anrf6 The peace was so jreat upon the t° the i8° deep was the slunvl)er of the sails t^a.t th er' regular breathing of the wind, ^erat„.e ^^allic notes of the bell were rever- from on high, and fell out of the ,°f Pallid canvas in short, bat very astly ecboes. I heard just then the ?0t D, stationed at the main hatchway cry ^iled y and sharply, as though he 'Din „ '°n <?ee it, sir?" he called out thn ^hat?" I answered, going to the head I ae^De white parsed between the barri- lhe bulwark, and when I called it Grilleover the side," replied the ,8r«at a' a voice whose tremors indicated I °r tation and dieordor of spirits. the Lthe second time in that watch I passed I "Tho^j^fitade, and went to the main hatch. Of th a4 I have said. the sails plunged most 0eei in shadow, the brightness of the I upon the sentinel, whose mnsket tlan^^ in his hands, whose buttons frostily on his overcoat, and whose face lay "Wh in" Pa^inat aie yon saying about something along and going over the side?" "If9 as true, sir, as I stand here," he s e^t, a6^- eyes looked large in the moon- ^iE voice 6hook. "I couldn't believe g-S5; always laughed at such things, th* aman- and as true as that there 6 bftif m0011' a fl?ure that might ">Cneha-d out of a cloud, the figure of sj ''It ltan in wiite, slided along there." '"th?8 some deception of moonshine," said ^^tch S^'p seines a bit; so do the shadows >*tch them! Keeping 6entry in the middle 18 drowsy work. 'Tis all right, my "t' rj^w°uid tetve seen her yotirself if you I 11 ^°okin?, sir," he exclaimed. » t-o .he poop, but confess that I h h^t the emperature of the air had y sevei-a degrees since I left that ^he deck In short, I felt cold and an<^ gaw(i along the dusky, moon- ]It tgth df ship very nervously, and At fo the side and peered over. 41i "lir o'clock tie mate arrived on deck to ''iHg. ^e- I told him what had passed. 1 Bayfi 146 'Ti<1 very fit that a to a marine. Ghosts were for nu-rines." And so saying he v^the subject by inquiring how the been, abeerving the lay of the I 0tth' directioi of the winds, and so 'd ^as said afout the ghost the next ^fepre,,e,ast in my iearing. Captain Sever 1 once ^okingly. I had a short ^vi,, 'th the matron about it. She was *I>0ft lhe captain'8.cabin after making her. ^UiaJ I stopped and asked her who the «J'0ne that had esen the ghost. Y^t Matthews," sle answered, whipping name, .hough, as a rule, the I ^tly Prisoners were carefully and dis- C £ ncealed nnde* numbers. v ''She 8 said more about it?" I asked. »Ke«lf\<uVS it was the figure of the very girl vH ''hat came out of the place where she v*r- a&fj Pa6sed wheie she lay, looking at hiding up the steps through the I it^e^' ^he shrieled when 6he saw it ? and shrieked a?ain as it passed with "DOn her." Others see it?" Sir; but there's lot one but swears by "Ph at the batch did not see the £ 8^ when it energed," said I, "but e°me time afterwards moving in a Way betwixt the barricade and the .^bo, ,atHl when he spoke to it it vanished h 'tt Jrd-" strange," said she, looking a little e°niewhat awestruck. "I hopa this tjy^ta signify misfortune to the ship. ^?ble ..never appear but on errands of ? th t^U n^n,left me, looking very thoughtful. w'»e c'8ht the first watch from eight to round to my hands. It was dark the moon, and the stars were so Hot k ^'e hurry of the »cud that you the their light. The windward glares 'ng heads of seas were frequent, the *?6d a colour of storm into the aspect Nevertheless, the breeze was HJ)*"6 'i 1X11(1 the eiip's progress quiet. We ''lea8 of the fleet, whose wan lihan/0 Scarce visible where they hovered fl0ltlS on t'K throb of the sea. the nV6 hells, however, it came on to to Ca..n\" nd, although we could have borne to th were under, I thought proper Si'h* f^r! fore an<5 niizzen topgallant sails 8hi 8> *h^>, we misht not outsail the <>„? 9,fid 'was invariably the hindermost fle^6 CauS1 of much swearing through- ?e t- ■ heard the sailors singing out Hij '> aud forward and the sail flapping toriw 1118 hands lay aft to clew up the Ati s&ra.n~a"ant sai'> whilst two young sea- ^it v. lnt° the shrouds to roll it up. ttL an^ ^^il aft, but forward happened a ^°re-rj .Acuity. Two men had ascended ^h<J'a^iQe'gn!ner furl the top-gallant sail, fy]1 aij aP weather-side, one the lee-side; ^tf1* to °noe, instead of mounting, the sh V'ln^ward, on climbing over the W, °f the ?U('6 till his head was above the **td ari^D' came down as rapidly as his bya could manoeuvre his descent, *».?« Qjan .ht or two afterwards was copied "-t are he lee rigging. S^°ft wi.i 11 laying down for?" I roared, tt/here's a yf>' and furl that sail!" ?h to^bl,in in the fore-top, and d *eathWor-^ w'ith her," yelled the fellow t rail er"side, who, as he spoke, reach- 59,t^? °n to the deck" tOBZlr* ^our or five seamen were ft ^der^ mu standing by waiting for q( y^- The lay of the yards gave ue wfaiok. though oloud-«weDt*. yet suffused the darkness with a faint radiance that might have been helped by the flashes of the foaming water, and I could see about me with something of distinctness. I cried out to the men who had come from aloft: "What do you mean by leaving that sail unfurled, beating its heart out up there?" "There's a goblin in the foretop," answered the fellow who had come down on the weather- side in a sturdy, determined voice. "Blest if I'm going to work aloft alongside of ghosts!" "Did you see anything like a goblin, as this man calls it?" said I to the other fellow who had come down. "Why," he answered, "I seod something white a-moving." "Where?" "On the weather-side of the top." "There's nothing in that fore-top," says I. "Nothing to sca.re you, who are men, at least. Two of you jump aloft and furl that sa.il." I spoke with temper and determination. The group of fools hung in the wind staring up at the top, just as in a street if you point at the sky, though there be nothing there, you will speedily collect a crowd, whom you- shall leave staring if you are pleasied to sneali off; then one says, "It must be done," and with a defiant roll of his body, as though heading a boarding party, he sprang into the rigging, and was presently followed by another. They were watched speechlessly by us below. They gained the top, and continued their ascent, but I observed that they mounted the top- gallant rigging very warily and nervously, as though they peered about them, and were ready to hurry down in an instant. They saw no ghost, however, and so got upcrn the yard and furled the sail. I kept forward whilst the sail was being stowed, and listened to the men's talk. "Think I don't know the difference 'tween a goblin and a shadder!" said the man who had seen the ghost. "I tell yer it was the shape of a woman; she seemed to be coated with a kind of veil, white as spray, and when she caught sight of my head she floated up to the to'gallan' stay, and was sinking down it over- board when I last saw her." Though openly I shoud have ridiculed their fears, secretly, I must confess, I was in sym- pathy with the alarm their opinions aroused. Three people had now beheld the same ghost, and this concurrence of testimony weighed strongly with me as I made my way aft, after seeing all right forward. I found Captain Sever on the poop. He listened to me, and spoke seriously. "No, no," says he, "there's no ghost. There never was such a thing. That which is once expended returns no more in its own shape. It is a visible law of nature, and so elemen- tary as to be below discussion. But if the crew have got hold of the notion that the yards and masts of this ship are haunted, what's to happen if a sudden squall should take us and they refuse to go aloft and shorten sail? But I'll see to it in the morn- ing." This he did, and worked the business very "Of course, it's land. I see houses, and light, and cliffs." effectively, not by summoning the men aft and haranguing them, as another might, but by sending the mate forward to talk to them. The mate believed devoutly in God and the devil, but outside these mysteries he had no ideas. He found in the boatswain a man after his own heart. This old tarpaulin had so little reverence that it was declared of him he was one of the four sailors who were found after midnight making merry in a vault on strong beer, bread and cheese, and tobacco, with a coffin for a, table, upon which was set a rushlight. The drunken miscreants had opened some of the coflin lids. and forced bread and cheese into the mouths of the dead, and one of them was so drunk that when they were induced to quit the vault he fell into the mud and was suffocated, and was carried by his mates (our boatswain being one of them) back to the vault to lie with the other "gem-men." I was not present at the discussion between the mate and the boatswain, on one side, and the sailors, on the other. It happened when I was off duty; but I understood that, neither the mate nor the boatswain shrank from enforcing his opinion with a handspik?, so that the argument grew somewhat raw- headed before it was ended, and more than one disputant carried a black eye or a bruised nose in triumphant proof that he had asserted his opinion. The business ended in the sailors consenting to agree that there was no ghost in the ship, providing a gill of rum apiece was served out to them, a demand which the mate undertook to satisfy at his own expense if the captain refused; but the captain did not refuse, and in the first dog-watch that evening the ship's company drowned the ghost in a can of strong liquor. I Yet I need not tell you, who are probably acquainted with the character of sailors, that, in spite of much blustering and "darnmee," and turning of quids, and a general I demeanour of "Who's afraid?" the men, for many nights following the incident I have related, went aloft with extreme circumspec- tion; no man ever proved himself in a hurry to show the road. However, sail was made and taken in as need arose, the ship's business carried on, and so in this way all went well. Our progress had been very slow; how slow you shall judge when I tell you that we did not arrive in Table Bay until the 13th of October. You will remember that we sailed from the Mother Bank at daybreak on the 13th of May. But what I am about to record happened long before our arrival at Table Bay. We were south of the equator, the parallel about nine degrees. It was a quiet, moonless evening, and a warm breeze was gushing steadily out of the south-east. We moved onwards with our yards braced well forward. everything set, and all the shipc floating upon the cea like so many icebergs in the starlight. It waa one bell, half-past eight. All the females, as you may suppose, were below and turned in. The Sirius was on our lee-bow. Thus sailed the ship, freighted with sin and sorrow, softly and quietly to the music of I broken waters and to the murmur of the wind in the rigging, like the freshening of the breeze in summer trees, when I heard a loud I exclamation leave Captain Sever s lips, and, hailing me by name, he cries out: "Good God! Can it be a delusion? Do you see that land on the lee-bow there 'twixt the Sirius and ourseivee?" Now, I well knew that v,e were many leases from the nearest land. All the ships were in accord; we trimmed eail and navigated as one. Why should our ship then be, of ail the fl,t,et, alone out in her reckoning? Therefore, I discredited the evidenco of my eyes. when, looking, as Captain Sever did, I beheld on the horizon between the Sirius and our ship a I vision of white land, pale cliffs amid which ould be discerned an appearance of houses, he lights of a town or village, and a ruddy ;low as of a house on fire. The maXe, hearing the captain sing out, rats his pipe into his pocket, and steps on to he poop. "What land's that?" cries the captain, vhose figure was all awork with the excite- nent and a,mazement he was under. The mate took a steady look, and then ex- 'laimed: "Well, I'm figged!" a saying stead- fast in his mouth when he was under any surprise, though it' to be questioned whether le could have explained what he meant by 'figged," unle&s it had some cabalistic refe- rence to the state of Adam after the Fall. "It looks like a cloud with prick-holes in it tor the stars to shine through," says I. "But don't you see the white cliffs, the light )f a town, and the blaze of a haystack, or a jhurch on fire, or something of that sort," sries the captain. "Whatever that country may be," says the mate, "we're sailing into it. Don't the ships ibead there see it? Aren't they keeping any [ook-out aboard of those ships? We shall be ishore one on top of another!" The captain had taken the spy-glass out of its bracket in the companion-way, and, after pointing the telescope at the astonishing apparition of land, he cried out in renewed ecstasy of amazement: "Of course, it's land! I see houses, and lights, and cliffs. What more goes to the making of land, unless it be men who are not to be descried all that distance? Why ion't the other ships see it? Why are we all standing right into it? Jump for a port-fire, Mr. la Touche!" He also sang out to the man at the wheel to put his helm up and let the ship go off. which would carry us under the stern of the Com- modore. I ran for a port-fire, and held the signal, hissing like a mountain stream, over the rail. The ship turned blue in the light, and Buttered and quivered to her topmost heights, like flames of spirits of wine, and when the port-fire was burnt out the night, despite its burden of stars, fell down black as ink upon the vision, and hung so for some minutes. After a minute or two the signal was answered aboard t4te Commodore by the burn- ing of a port-fire, and a voice feebly shouted through the wind, hailing us, but the ships were too fa.r rpart to allow of speech. When we had shifted our helm, whilst we were increasing our pace by making a fair wind of the breeze, and when our sight had recovered its use after being dazzled by the glare of the port-fire, I looked for the land, the lights, and the burning house, and, lo! the apparition had vanished! I rubbed my eyes and stared again. I could not err in the bearings of the vision. I looked for it in the right place, and I say it was gone! I called to the captain, "The land has die- appeared, sir." He looked and answered, "Why, so it has!" And again the mate cried out, staring, "Well, I'm figged!" "How truly extraordinary!" said the cap- tain, coming close to me and breathing deep. "In all my sea-going experiences never did I hear of, or meet with, the like of this traverse. It must have been a sea-mirage, and our shift of helm has dissolved it." Our increased pace had now brought us on to the lee-quarter of the Sirius; we luffed, and, being within speaking distance, were hailed. "Ho, the Lady Penrhyn, ahoy!" sang out a strong voice, but not the Commodore's. "Why did you burn your signal?" "We saw an apparition of land," cried back Captain Sever; "white cliffs, lights, and a burning house. It was right ahead. Three of us saw it. Was it not visible to you?' "No, no," was the reply gruffly bawled, as though the speaker thought we were joking or drunk. "There is no land hereabouts. Is that Captain Sever I'm talking to?" "Ay, ay," answers Captain Sever. "Why, then, sir," shoufed the other, "it must surely be known to you that we aie leagues from the nearest coast!" "Oh, yes, that's right," answers Captain Sever with some heat. "But three of us saw an apparition which we took to be a coast, with the lights of a village, and, as the ships were making direct for it, I thought it proper to communicate with you." "Well, there's no land hereabouts," was the answer delivered in a surly voice, "and so you had better shake the wind out of your canvas and resume your former position." It turned out that none of the other ships had seen the visionary land, and why it should have appeared to us three men only of [1.11 the company of souls then afloat in that circle of sea I do not understand, and never shall find out. Captain Sever was secretly mortified by the Siriue's reception of his report, but was willing to hold his tongue, pal ticularly when he heard that nobody but us three had seen the coa.st. The mariner was never held up as an example for sobriety. Many masters of ships in those times drank hard; nothing was made of a skipper falling dead-drunk into the half-deck when the ship was in an uproar with cries of "Breakers ahead!" But thoFe who affirm that we who saw the land were in liquor at the time lie. I had not drunk so much as a pannikin of water since the dinner hour, and I will swear that Captain Sever and the mate were as sober as I was. As we slowly made our way over the sea a sail upon the horizon grew in outline, and our spying glass enabled us to distinguish that she was a three-masted schooner, that her canvas was uncommonly white, almost dazzling, and that she was heading about north-east, as if to intercept us. When she was within a mile of our ship, the time being then four o'clock in the afternoon, she hove to and hoisted the American flag inverted, as a signal of distress. Captain Sever cal!ed to knoy what was wrong with the schooner. The man who stood nea.r the tiller answered that he was short of fresh water, and would be eternally grateful if we could supply him with enough to enable him to hold out until he could fetch the coast of New Holland, where he hoped to find what he wanted. Thirst is terrible, whether in the desert, on the sterile savage coast, or on the ocean. No appeal ever proves more irresistible to the humane sailor than the cry for water. On receiving the American master's report, Cap- tain Sever sa,ng out to him to send a boat. The other replied that his men were so enfeebled that they could scarcely crawl aloft. On learning this, and to save further parleying, Captain Server ordered the main topsail to be laid back, and directed me to break out a cask of water. As we had filled up with freah water at our last port, and were now within a few days' sail of our destination, we might justly reckon that we had plenty to last and to spare. The jolly boat was then got over, and a cask of water carefully hoisted and lowered into her. The captain told me to take charge, bidding roe bear a hand, or he would lose sight of his consorts. Pour men got into the boat, and I was pulled away for the American over a long, deep-drawn swell, whose surface ran merrily with the ripples of tho breeze. I (To be continued.1

A ROMAN CATHOLIC GRIEVANCE. THE LORDS AND THE ROYAL DECLARATION. U' In the House of Lords on Friday, The Duke of NORFOLK urged the House to pass the following resolution with regard to the oath taken by the King on Accession :— That wfreras, under the Bill of Rights and the Act of Settlement, the Sovereign is required to join in communion with the Church of England as by law established, and ample securities are provided to ensure the Protestancfsuccession to the Crown, and whereas, in addition to these securities, the Sovereign is required immediately after accession to make a declaration against traaisubtantiation which is deeply and needlessly offensive to many millions of loyal subjects of his Majesty, this House is of opinion that the declaration aforesaid ought to be amended so as not to include the condemnation or repudiation of specific doctrines which form part of the oon- scientious beliefs of any of his Majesty's subjects. The Earl of JERSEY, while earnestly assur- ing the Duke of Norfolk and all Roman Catho- lics of a sincere respect for their religious beliefs, felt bound to move the following amendment to the Duke's motion: — This House, whilst desirous that no expression unnecessarily offensive to any of his subjects should be required of the Sovereign on his accession to the Throne. is of opinion that nothing should be done to weaken the security of the Protestant succession. The Archbishop of CANTERBURY said the declaration aimed at securing that our ruler should not be hampered in the discharge of his duties by owing allegiance to any external Power, and that he should not be able to throw the weight of his incomparable authority towards any change of the national faith. (Hear, hear.) There was need of a declaration of some sort, but that declaration should be so drawn as to give the absolute minimum of pa.in or disquiet to any citizen in a country which held amongst its proudest boasts that of maintaining absolute religious liberty. (Loud cheers.) It should be pointed out that this was the Coronation oath. and that there was no legal compulsion on the Sovereign to have a Coronation at all. There- fore, they could not say that what took place in the Coronation Service was in itself suffi- cient to secure the Protestant succession. (Hear, hear.) After further debate, The Marquess of LANSDOWNE admitted the existence of a widespread and earnest desire in all parts of the House that this question should be settled in a reasonable manner. It was undesirable that this grievance should remain rankling in the minds of the Roman Catholic subjects of the King. He did not believe that any Govern- ment would be able to effect a settlement of this question unless the leaders of public opinion on both sides arrived at a basis of settlement. It was not for the Government to suggest terms, still less to dictate them. He welcomed the attitude of the Duke of Nor- folk in offering to accept a declaration that would effectually maintain the Protestant succession, but the noble duke regarded the repudiation of any specific doctrine as an insurmountable objection. Without such a repudiation the declaration would be little more than a feeble echo of the Coronation oath, and, therefore, he and the other members of the Government preferred to vote for the amendment of the Earl of Jersey. The Bishop of BRISTOL could not forget that members of the Chnrch of England from the Sovereign downwards were regarded by the Roman Catholic Church as excommuni- eants, and that the orders of the Church of England were invalid. Hifi soul revolted against this terrible statement, which was as a.r hard nnd insulting to him as anything com- plained of in the Roval declaration. If he saw any signs of sensitiveness on the part of Boman Catholics to the feelings on these points of members of the Church of England, he would be inclined to remove the words complained of. The Duke of NORFOLK'S motion was then negatived without a division, and the amend- ment of the Earl of Jersey adopted. Lord STANMORE moved to add to the Earl of Jersey's resolution, "A.nd that a Select Committee be appointed to consider whether any unnecessarily offensive words may not be expunged from the King's declaration without incurring such danger." The Marquess of LANSDOWNE said that if conclusive evidence of a rapproachment within the knowledge of the Govern- ment they would be prepared to agree, but in the absence of such evidence they felt bound to oppose the motion. On a division the previous question was carried by 103 votes to 36.

LIBERAL UNIONIST SPLIT. FORMATION OF A FREE TRADE CLUB. The Hon. A. D. Elliot, M.P., has become chairman of the organising committee of the new Unionist Free Trade Club. Other members of the committee are tha Earl of Lichfield. Sir F. Pollock, Sir J. Mackay, Major Darwin, Colonel Duke, Messrs. S. H. Leonard, H. Russell, and J. St. Loe Strachey, with Sir Cameron Gull as hon. secretary. The following circular has been sent to the members of the Liberal Union Club by the Hon. A. D. Elliot and Sir Cameron Gull: — In the light of recent events we feel no confidence that the energies and resources of the Liberal Union Club will act be utilised by the new Liberal Unionist Council to promote the fiscal policy of the Tariff Reform League. We have in vain attempted to procure from the club an avowal of neutrality upon the fiscal ques- tion, a subject entirely distinct from the object for which it y as founded. 'The presi- dent of the club, the Duke of Devonshire, has been from the date of its foundation president also of the Liberal Unionist Association, which in a great measure owed its creation and its usefulness to him. The new Liberal Unionist Council is to take the place of the old Liberal Unionist Association. The leadership of Mr. Chamber- lain is to be substituted for that of the Duke of Devonshire, and the new council is expressly empowered to give authoritative expression to the policy of the Liberal Unionist party upon current affairs. In these circumstances, we have declined to support the new council. A majority of a special general meeting of the club having decided, in spite of our protest, to accept the new ,n council, we have felt obliged, whilst strenuously asserting our allegiance to the principles of Liberal Unionism, to resign our membership of the Liberal Union Club. Our efforts will be in future to maintain the Par- liamentary union of Great Britain and to uphold the system of Free Trade. To this end political organisation is essential. A Unionist Free Trade Club has been founded. open to all Free Traders who are determined to uphold the Parliamentary union of the three kingdoms, and an organising committee has been appointed to make the requisite arrangements. We earnestly hope that you will jgin this club. and thus show your approval of the efforts we are making. All communications should be addressed to Sir Cameron Gull, Bart., 10, Hyde Park-gardens, W."

SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT. TO BE HONOURED BY THE LIBERAL PARTY. A committee representative of the leading Liberals has been formed, with Lord Carring- ton as chairman, for the purpose of placing' on record the gratitude of the Liberal party to Sir William Harcourt for his services to Liberalism and to the nation. With Sir William's approval, it has been decided to have two portraits of him painted by Mr. A. S. Cope, A.R.A., one for presentation to the Harcourt family and the other for the National Liberal Club. It is further proposed to devote any surplus of the amount sub- scribed to some permanent object in connec- tion with the Liberal party.

YEAR AFTER YEAR. Who has not read the remarkable lettm", from working men and vcrmen which, day after day, and year after year, are being published in this and thousands oi other newspapers throughout the United Kingdom respecting the undoubted mente of Dr. Tibbies' Vi-Oc-coa as a JTood Beverage? "Yes," you say, I have read all about it. but I have not tried it." Then take our advice, and do so at once. Vi-COcoa is not an ordinary cocoa. It is not sickly and in- sipid like many of the foreign cocoas, but a pleasant beverage, and a food and tonic in the bargain There is no cheater or better article on the market. It is sold by all grocers and stores, in 6d. packets and Qd. and Is- 6d. tins; or you can try it absolutely free by writing (a post-card will do) to Vi-Oocoa (Limited), 60, Bunhill-row, London, E.C., for a dainty sample tin. IA

EARTHQUAKE IN DERBYSHIRE. A slight shock of earthquake was felt in Derbyshire on Sunday afternoon, the exact time of the disturbance being generally agreed upon as 3.21. It was preceded by a low rumble, as of distant thunder, and many persons were remarking that a storm was brewing, when the noise ended in a heavy shock, which shook houses and public buildings. An earthquake shock. lasting four seconds, was felt at Sandbach at a quarter past three on Sunday afternoon. Other telegrams state that the shock tra- velled from west to east, and was felt in Sheffield, Matlock, acd the Pofctery diatrict.

PICTURE PUZZLE SOLUTIONS. PRIZES WORTH THOUSANDS TO BE WON. SUGGESTED BY AN OXFORD M-A. CHRISTIAN HERALD Chapter VI.—And Moses feared and sail, "Surely this thing is known. When Ptoaraoh lizard this, he tried to slayMoaes. but Moses fled from him to the tariff land of Midian and sat down by a well. The priest of this place had seven daughters, and they came to the well to draw water for their father* flock. CASSELL'S SATURDAY 49 I must have a word with Harold before I go 51, The burglar might be at the "Three Fiddlers" 54, Ive got a bit of news for you." FOCUS 19, Velox; 20, Gamage's famous outfit; Ii, Ringrose; 22, Enlargements with greatly f- duced prices; 23. Seed pla-tes; 24, Baroet. HANDY LIBRARY 55 Columbine; 56, Lupine; 57, Potato; 68, Reed; 59, Prickly Pear; 60, Pennyroyal. HORNER'S WEEKLY. Chapter V.—Since I have been at the famous old town of St. Andrews, I have not had a dull moment. The ruling passion hetre seems to be golf, and the links often teem with players. Just beyond the golf club- house is the martyrs' memorial, which com- memorartee the burning of George Wishart and three others for their religious convMc tions I have visited the Abbey rums and the castle. In the latter is a dungeon shaped like a bottle. I am now starting for Aberdeen and Ijerwick. NEW COMPETITION. What's wrong: 1. Lion witli tiger's tall; 2, Horse with cow's head; 3, Drakes neck too long; 4, Turkey's legs too long. HOME CIRCLE Chapter I.-A beautiful violet-eyed maiden sat gazing sorrowfully over the sea. S-he was all alone, and the book on the sa-nda at her feet lay unheeded. A man was draw- ing near, but the sands deadened his foot- steps. Catching sight of the girl, he paused and staggered back, his hand on his T heart. Chapter II.—The maiden slowly turned her face, then shrank away, her hands over her head. The next second she sprang to her feet and ran over the sands terror-stricken, as if she had seen a ghost. But this was no ghost that confronted her. The man w88 Brnopt Bertram, her sailor lover, whom she had thought dead. Chapter III.—With swift footsteps the sailor followed the flying girl. His arms went about her. and his pleasing voice was as music in her ears. "Mabel, Mabel," he cried. "Do you not know me? I am Ernest, your ship-wrecked sweetheart." HOME NOTES. 217, Pyrdung; 218, Tractrix; 219, Nereid; 220, Genipap; 221, loxodro-mic; 222, Ga&tr iron- 223. M-eftaplasm; 224, Biramous; 225, Clypeaster; 226, Noumenon; 227, Whitewash; 228, Acervate. NUGGETS NEW COMPETITION. Captain Whiting adored the handsome Ada Houston, but the lady had a fancy for the son of a marquees. His lordship, however. wa.s bewitched by dazzling Camilla Shott. "MLsery!" said the fair Ada; "I am spurned. Why should I pine far him? The soldier has money; it will heal a broken heart; let me annex the guardsman." Her parent con- senting, the end was happinesB. PEARSON'S WEEKLY 265, Garrya; 266, Bipartile; 257, Fedelini; 268, Seraphic; 269, Spa those; 270, Douani&r; 271. Kiefekil; 272. Unicameral; 273, Cockle- oast; 274, Nonillion; 275, Burggrave; 276, Rakshasci. 277 Duumvir; 273, Peirastic; 279, Fanfaron; 280. Merc able; 281, Tinamou; 282, Equiseta: 283. Oorocore; 284, Apheresis: 285, Stegano- pods; 286. Harengiform; 287, Querquedule; 288. L-itbolabe. RACEHORSE 1, Carnage; 2, Cold Douche; 3. Buttons; 4, Chaser; 5. Exchange or Cool Assurance; 6, Ooolfune; 7, Curiosity; 8, Chilly Stream or Faint Heart. SMITH'S WEEKLY Chapter II.—As the bridge was up, we came back through the Blackwall Tunnel, return- ing to our hotel on the top of an omnibus. In the evening we walked to Trafalgar-square, then on to St. James's Park by way of Spring Gardens. The park was looking its best. The following morning we started out early to go to Hampton Court Palace. When we arrived at Waterloo, we heard that three trucks had run off the line, and that the line would not be in working order for a few hours, so we decided to go by Tube to Shep- herd's Bush and then on by electric car. Of course, this was a longer route than by train, but it gave us an excellent idea of the scenery in the south-west of London. SUNDAY COMPANION. Ohapter III.—I was compelled to go with the officer to the police-station, as I had no way of proving, on the spot, my identity, but when the inspector saw me he laughed loudly, because he at once knew me. He had for- merly lived in Manchester. and had belonged to my church there. The mistake amused a,ll three of us, and. after apologies for my detention, I started out on my journey once again. SPARE MOMENTS 151. Pseudonym; 152, Collaborator; 153, Daybreak; 154. Trickling; 155. Bewildering: 156. Quaternary; 157, Apostrophise; 158, Dep.mcLation; 159, Unthreadem; 160, Bifur- cated. SUNDAY CIRCLE. 43. When our heads are bowed with woo; 44. Alone we cross the river; 45, Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin; 46, Rescue the perishing, care for the dying; 47, The radiant morn hath passed away." TIT-BITS. 1, Seaford; 2, Newport; 3, Bognor; 4, San- down; 5. Hastings; 6, Clacton; 7. Ramsgate; 8. Yarmouth; 9. Westward Ho; 10, Sandgaite; 11, Lynton; 12, Walmer; 13. Ryde: 14, Cowes; 15. Herne Bay; 16, Exmouth; 17, Ramsey; 11. Hornsea. WEEKLY TELEGRAPH Z—67, Ruin; 68. Rabbi; 69, Dormouse; 70, Ardent; 71, Finesse; 72, Zealous; 73, Mid- shipman; 74, Turnstile; 75, Earnest; 76, Awful; 77, Rocky; 78, Inkstand. WOMAN'S LIfE. 19, Deal; 20, Southend; 21. Broadstain; S, I Mincfhead; 23, VentnoT; 24. Southsea; Dover; 26. Blackpool; 27, Worthing; 28, Wflff- moufch; 29, Swansea; 30, Maxgate.

THE ANGLESEY JEWELS. £170,000 WORTH FOR THE CREDITORS. The value of the jewellery found at Anglesey Castle is now put at £ 40,000. On his own accord, the marquess, it is stated, sent over from Paris jewellery which has been valued at from £ 60,000 to £ 100,000. At Beaudesert, the Staffordshire seat of the Anglesey family, the gems found are estimated at £ 50,000, so that in round figures the value of the jewellery which will go to pay off the creditors 18 £ 170,000. None of thg jewellery was hidden.

I A course of Gwilym Evans' Quin n<? Bitters at this I season of tho year is invaluable, for it strengthens the system to withstand the various climatic chmyes tiiat I will, no doubt, be cxper'enctxl, as usuai, timing 'he next six r.ioithg Sold everywhere in bottles 2s. 9d. and 4s. 6d. each. Eefuse substitutes. wl7S6

HOW THE POOR LIVE. SHOCKING STORY OF A CARDIFF HOME. At Cardiff Police-court on Friday (before Messrs. T. H. Stephens and Joseph Howard) John Reardon, Tyndall-street, was summoned by Inspector Edward Johnson (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Chil- dren) for neglecting hie children in such a way as to be likely to cause them unneces- sary suffering. Mr. D. W. Evans {Messrs. George David and Evans) conducted the prosecution on behalf of the society. Defendant (Mr. Evans said) was a labourer, living at 27, Tyndall-street, and the children he wae charged with neglect- ing were Mary (fourteen), Daniel (ten), Nicholas (five), and Ellen (three). The neglect was alleged to have covered the period from December 24 to June 21. On December 24 Inspector Johnson had occasion to call at the house and warn defendant about his neglect, and the answer he gave was— I can get no good out of the children. They have run away and left me, and I wash my hands of them. I don't care a what becomes of them. You can send me to prison or put me in irons. I don't care a —— what becomes of me. Mr. Evans proceeded to give a detailed history of the case. Inspector Johnson spoke to the series of visits he had paid to the house and the absence of improvement, in spite of warnings. Defendant said on one occasion that the chil- dren were no worse than others in the street, and he did his best for them. The house was in a dirty state, and so were the children, besides being ill-clad and verminous. Inspector Burke (one of the school atten- dance officers) corroborated. Dr. J. D. Williams visited the place on June 21. The living room (he said) was approached by way of some dark stone steps, and was practically an underground cellar, con- taining, among other things, a bench, a seaman's chest, and a table and chair, but there was no fire and no food. Defendant said that the children had nothing to eat. and he had nothing to give them. The cellar was dirty. The bedroom was absolutely the dirtiest room he had ever seen, and the smell was such that one had to rush and open the window for fresh air. The walls were very dirty and smeared with verminous blood- marks. A flock bed on the floor was extremely dirty and very badly verminous, was stained and smelt terribly, and the pillow was the same. In describing the state of the children the doctor said that Daniel's condition was the worst. Mr. Howard: Don't you think it was your duty to have reported the case to the health committee? Dr. Williams: I don't think so, sir. It was not in my district or I should ha-ve done so. Mr. D. W. Evans: Dr. Walford and the sani- tary inspectors ought to be here to hear all this. Chief-detective-inspector Rankin said that he knew defendant as a dock labourer. The house was intensely filthy, and swarmed with vermin. The children had been removed to the workhouse. Inspector Johnson (re-called) said: It is defendant's bedroom. I have seen one of the children sleeping there. (Sensation in court.) "Yes," said the doctor, "the children have certainly been caused unnecessary suffering. How anyone could live in that bedroom and not get ill I don't know. Mr. Stephens said the bench had decided to adjourn the case for two months, with a view of giving defendant another chance of putting his house in order and looking after the chil- dren. At the same time, the conduct of the officers in the case had been very creditable. Mr. Evans: The children are in the work. house. I hope you will be humane enough to let them remain there. Mr. Stephens:' I don't know that we can do that. The case is adjourned for two months. Mr. Evans: But the children won't be taken back there now? Mr. Howard: No, by no means. The father wanted to remove the children at once, but it was explained to him that he must flrst provide a suitable home.

THE WELSH UNIVERSITY, The following correspondence has passed between Sir Isambard Owen, Senior Iteputy- Chancelior of the Welsh University, and Lord Knollys: — Prifysgol Oymra—University of Wales. 40, Curzon-street, W., June 23, 1904. Dear Lord Knollys,—On the part of the University of Wales, may I beg to offer the humble and loyal felicitations of its members to his Majesty the King, Protec- tor of the University, on the auspicious occasion of his birthday? That he may long be spared to rule over this realm is our earnest prayer. Believe me, faithfully yours, ISAMBAED OWEN, Senior Deputy-Chancellor. Buckingham Palace, July 1, 1934. Dear Sir Isambard,—The King returned from Kiel to-day, when I submitted your letter to him. His Majesty commands me to request you to thank the members of the University of Wales for their loyal con- gratulations and good wishes on the occa- sion of his birthday, and to express his hope that the university continues to prosper. Yours very truly, KNOLLYS. Prifysgol Cymru-University of Wales. 40, Curzon-street, W., July 1, 1904. Dear Lord Knoliys,—I am much obliged for your letter of to-day containing the gracious message of the King to the mem- bers of the university, which I shall have the distinguished honour to convey to them. May I so far anticipate their wishes as to beg you again to express our grateful thanks to his Majesty for his continued interest in the welfare of the nniversity? I am deeply gratified to be able to assure his Majesty that the univer- sity goes on steadily increasing in numbers and prosperity. Very truly yours, ISAMBARD OWEN.

THE CASE OF MRS. MAYBRICK HOME OFFICE ATTITUDE. I Notwithstanding rumours to the contrary, there is no intention at present on the part i of tho Home Office authorities of granting Mrs. Maybrick a free pardon on her release at the end of the present month. At the expira- tion of fifteen years of the allotted sentence of twenty- years (the remaining five having b&en remitted on account of her good conduct whilst in prison) Mrs. Maybrick will simply be released on ticket-of-leave, like any ordi- nary prisoner who has received a life sen- tence. The Baroness de Koquee, the mother of the unfortunate woman, who is at present residing at Roueu, will come to England to meet hor daughter on her release, and it is understood that Mr. Ilayden, Mrs. Maybrick's American lawyer, is now in London with the same object in view.

DEATH OF MR. G. F. WATTS, R.A. Mr. G. F. Watts. R.A., passed peacefully away at his London residence on Friday afternoon, after a fortnight's illness. The veteran artist was attacked rather suddenly with bronchitis. and his strength decreased day by day.. The deceased was born in London in 1817, and first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1837. Ho presented to the nation the greater part of his life's work, now called the Watts Collection in the National Gallery of British Art, and some forty or more portraits of dis- tinguished men of his time, many of which are already in the National Portrait Gallery. He received the distinction of the Order of Merit on its institution by the King. At Westminster-hall, in 1843. his cartoon of "Caractacus led in triumph through the streets of Rome obtained one of the three highest class prizes of £300. Hia two colossal oil-picturee, "Echo" and Alfred inciting the Saxons to prevent the landing of the Danes," which secured for him one of the three highest class prizes of SWO. were. in 1847 purchased by the Commissioners. Mr. Watts exhibited his "Paolo and Franoesca" and Orlando pursuing the i-ata Morgana," 0 1011 fit the British Institution in 1843. For the Houses of Parliament Mr Watt;; executed one of the frescoes in the Poets Hall. His principal later productions have been por- traits and ideal or mythological subjects, such as the well-known Love and Death," Endymion," Orpheus and Eurydioe," Daphne," and Hope. The remains of the late Mr. G. F. Watts, R.A.. were on Monday cremated at Brookwood, after which the ashes were placed in an urn and taken to Compton (Guildford) for inter- ment.

I SOCIALISM IN WARSAW. About 1,000 Socialists marched in procession through the streets cf Warsaw carrying red flags with the inscription "War against war on one cide, and Down with C/arism on the other. Much to the astonish- ment of tho passers-by, the policemen and door-porters in the streets through which the procession marched not only made no attempt I to stop it, but moved out of its way, and some I of them ever took off their caps, whereas on former occasions they have been very active in preventing such demonstrations. Some of the shop-keepers put up their shutters, but no excesses were committed by the workmen who formed tho procession, and they at onoe dis- persed when called upon to do so by a small detachment of gendarmerie, who, as usual, arrested some innocent onlookers.

BISHOP EDWARDS' BILL. SECOND READING PASSED IN THE LOBDS. In the House of Lords on Monday, The Bishop of ST. ASAPH moved the second reading of the Education (Transferred Schools) Bill. The purpose of this measure is to enable local education authorities to make better arrangements with reference to the transfer of public elementary schools, and also to provide that religious teaching which is not distinctive of any particular denomination shall be given in the trans- ferred schools during certain specified school hours, and, further, that facilities should be afforded for the giving of denominational religious instruction to the children of such parents as might desire it during school hours, but not at the cost of the local edu- c.ation authority. The Bill also provided that the governing body of any association of voluntary schools should make arrange- ment for the transfer of schools if authorised to do so by the managers, and that any sum paid in pursuance of such arrangement should be applied for such purposes as the managers determined subject to the consent of the Board of Education. The Bishop explained that the Bill was the natural sequence to the principle of the Education Act of two years ago. It proposed to give to the local education authorities created by that Act that fuller and freer power of negotiation which in some cases local experience had already shown to be necessary. The solution of the religious difficulty was found in claiming for the parent the right to decide the character of the religious instruction imparted to his child. The critics of the Bill had not dis- puted the soundness of either of those prin- ciples. But difficulties arose when they came to the application of those principles. HOW VOLUNTARY SCHOOLS SUFFER. The Act of 1902 had. beyond all question, weakened the denominational character of the voluntary schools. The managers of these schools already realised that their powers of management were severely circum- scribed. and that those powers, where the local education authorities were friendly, could be legally reduced to humiliating dimensions, but while the powers of management had well nigh gone, the financial responsibilities had been in one direction seriously increased. How. for example, were the voluntary schools in districts which now, for the first time, knew the fe-oling of a school rate, going to meet by voluntary effort, what was reasonable for structural improvements? The dread of a school board rate, occasionally, he believed, added some names to subscription lists. That, he was sure, would occur no longer in large towns. The position of the voluntary schools wa-a in peril of being lowered by the estab- lishment of higher standard schools. In Wales there was an added trouble. The Act of 1902 euphemistically described the volun- tary schools as non-provided. It might be a shortcoming of a by-lingual people that in the Principality that description had been interpreted to mean that the voluntary schools were to be non-provided with the means of maintenance. It was true that the Act of 1902 had left to the voluntary schools a rem- nant of their old privilege. Unfortunately, that remnant had supplied others with their main grievance. CLAIM TO FINANCIAL CONTROL. No one, he could believe, questioned the greatness of the services rendered by the Church of England to popular education. The Church of England did not wait to educate the working man until he was enfranchised. The Church long ago entered npon this work. The State had recently been moved to undertake this task. But. great as were the claims of the voluntary schools, he frankly admitted that when he found that before 1870 public funds contri- buted only 37 per cent. of the total cost of maintenance, and that now they would con- tribute 90 per cent., justice demanded that control should go to the paymaster. In this controversy the representatives of the volun- tary schools were the champions of religious education, and their opponents the cham- pions of public control. Those claims were not irreconcilable. Even in Wales the local authorities were not, as a body, opposed to the giving of religious instruction. He sub- mitted, then, that it would be the truest wisdom, as the friends of religious education, to barter the small remnant of privilege still left to them for an arrangement which would secure religious instruction in all elementary schools. This Bill would make such an arrangement locally easy and legally binding. In any arrangement con- templated two questions must be fully faced -inside facilities and the abolition of tests. BOARD SCHOOL RELIGION. He thought it would be generally admitted that the vaet majority of the people of this country considered that religions instruc- tion was an essential part of education. The board schools met the difficulty in a some- what negative fashion. "You must take the syllabus we offer or nothing." There must be some fear in the logic of tuose who desired to free religion from all State patronage and control, and at the same time now asked the State to endow and control this school board religion in all the elementary schools of the country. This attempt to formulate a reli- gious instruction so vague and varied, and must be nameless, was not satisfactory. Might we not get clear away from the wrangle about "denominational" and undenomina- tional" if we substituted for these gaunt and: irritating epithets the word "parental"? Commousense and common justice demanded the right of the parent to have his child taught his own faith in no delusive or prose- lytising spirit. Religious instruction must b* given within school hours. It was held ..hat the school board religion should be taught at the public expense; Church- men. however, only asked that they might be allowed to teach their own children at their own cost. He desired to quote a solution of the religious difficulty which was put forth some time ago in the form of an Education Bill. That Bill made these proposals:—All children will be bound to attend religious instruction. Every denomi- nation will be able to obtain the religious instruction they desire for the children. Such instruction will be imparted by the ministers themselves or by such other persons as may be appointed by them. Those provisions were taken from an Education Bill drafted by the late Mr. Thomas Gee, a minister and leader of Welsh Nonconformity. He (his lordship) could not bring himself to believe that an arrange- ment that commended itself to Mr. Gee would be repudiated by the political representatives of Nonconformity to-day. GOVERNMENT'S NON-COMMITTAL ATTITUDE. Lord LONDONDERRY said that there was one essential feature of the Bill which, if he might use the term. he would call the bargaining between the voluntary school managers and the local authorities. If there was to be a fair bargain each party must start on equal terms. Until the Defaulting Authorities Bill became law the voluntary school managers would not be in an equal position with the local authorities. It was an element of reciprocity, that there should be facilities for denominational instruction in all the schools alike. He held that the teachers who imparted religious instruction should earnestly believe in it. The Bill could not be considered as a Government measure. It was a measure of which the Government as a whole could neither approve nor dis- approve. At the same time. he wished to say, on his own behalf, that the right rev. prelate had his sincere sympathy in regard to this Bill. He would ask him not to press it to a division, but if it went to a division he would certainly go into the lobby in support of the Bill. Lord TWEEDMOUTH said the noble marquess had announced in the most frank manner that the Government had no settled convictions in the matter of the Bill. (Laugh- ter.) He (the speaker) thought the Bill con- tained a basis for some arrangement in the future. The Opposition certainly did not offer opposition to the second reading. But the Bill was not comprehensive enough,'and there were the questions of teachers' tests and the management of the schools. The Archbishop of CANTERBURY said that a Bill such as this was not likely, in view of the criticism it would receive, to be carried through both Houses in the present condition of affairs. He welcomed the word« of Lord Tweedmouth as to the possibility of a compromise; he dissented, however, from the view that religious teaching should be given out of school hours. He believed that at the bottom of their hearts they were all agreed as to the desirability of religious instruction. It would be unjust to the Church of England that schools which they had erected at a cost of about £20,000,000 should be handed over to the nation with- out their continuing to have the benefit of religious instruction. BISHOP OF REREFORD-A WASTE OF TIME The Bishop of HEREFORD said he did not think the Bill would have any chance of doing what the proposer desired to attain, and what he himself desired-the establishment of edu- cational peace in the land. Therefore, he thought they were, to some extent, wasting time in discussing it. The ma-tter would have to be dealt with by the people in the con- stituencies. The Earl of SELBORNE said he thought what had passed was notable. For the first time the Opposition had offered indications ,b, that they regarded the Bill as a possible basis on which they were willing to argue. They had heard a great deal of the Non- conformist conscience, but noble lords on the other side of the House must give Church- men credit for an equal depth of feeling on tliii subject. They could not have a national sentiment on this matter if they left out half of the nation. (Government cheers.) He should support the second reading. The Bill was then read a second time without a division, and the House roøe.

= i*' U SIR H. M. STANLEY'S WILL. AN ESTATE OF THE GROSS VALUB OF £ 145,000. The will, dated November 29, 1899, of Sir Henry Morton Stanley, G.C.B., of 2, Kichmond- terrace, Whitehall, and Furze Hill. Pirbright, who died on May 10, has been proved by Mr. Charles Coombe Tennant, of Oadoxton Lodge, Cadoxton, Neath, and Mr. Robert Bright Mar- ston. of St Dunstan's House, Fetter-lane, the value of the estate amounting to £ 145,865 10s. 8d., including personalty of the net value of £132,961 12s. 4d. The testator bequeaths £ 500 to Arthur Jermyn Mounterey Jephson, his companion in the Emin Relief Expedition; X500 to James William Jones, as a token of affectionate interest; JESOO to William Hoff- man, a sous-lieutenant in the Congo State Service; and JS250 each to his executors. He gives his furniture, plate, medals, books, copyrights, live and dead stock, vinee, Ac., to his wife, and the use and enjoyment or the receipt of the rente and profits of the Furze Hill Estate and all his real property in Surrey. During tne life of Lady Stanley an annuity of JB150 is to be held in trust for his adopted eon, Denzil Morton Stanley, and an additional JM50 per annum should she again marry. Subject thereto, he leaves all hie property in trust to pay the income thereof to his wife, and on her deceatib one moiety is to go to his adopted son, and the other moiety as Lady Stanley, being his widow, shall appoint, and in default of appointment to the said Denzil Morton Stanley.

A WELSHMAN'S ESTATES. CLAIM FOR £ 450,000 DAMAGES. Mr. I-awson Walton on Friday made BT application to Mr. Justice Phillimore in Lon- don to fix an early date for the trial of the action brought by Mr. Joshua Jones, who claims E450,000 damaees in respect of his New Zealand estates. His lordship fixed July 25, subject to a judge being available. Mr. Jones is a Narberth man, has lived in Mer&kys, Mid has relatives in CArdiX.