Weekly Mail

LONDON LETTER. 4 A COLUMN OF INTEREST TO ALL OUR READERS. LONDON, Thursday. The Dowager-Empress of Russia, who is shortly coming to London on a private visit to her sister Queen Alexandra, is a much less conspicuous figure on the tragic stage of Russian politics than she was a few years ago. For a considerable time after the accession of her son to the Throne the Dowager-Empress exercised considerable power at the Russian Court and seriously influenced the course of political events. The pliable character of the Czar and the domesticated habits of his Consort rendered it easy for the Dowager-Empress, with her knowledge of affairs and her old habit of power, to play a part outside the fixed rules. It is very doubtful whether she was concerned in all the Court and political intrigues attributed to her, but there is no doubt that her daughter-in-law, the Czaritza, was placed at some disadvantage, while the Czar himself was popularly believed to be unduly under the petticoat influ- ence of his mother. The political crisis through which Russia has been passing, with its many incidental tragedies, has had a subduing influence on the Dowager- Empress, who takes less and less interest in State affairs, and, like other members of the Russian Imperial Family, shows more and more inclination for the conso- lavows of religion. The affection between her Imperial Maj^y and Queen Alex- andra is of the tenderest kind. A VETERAN BARONET. It seems .to be unknown that Sir Charles Strickland, Bart., who has just celebrated his ninetieth birthday, is the last survivor 0& the famous characters which the late Tom Hughes immortalised in his great book, Tom Browne's Schooldays." The old Yorkshire baronet is none other than the original of Martin the Madman," whose scientific exploits caused so much excitement at Rugby, and whose naturalistic leanirigs occasioned so much trouble and incon- venience. Who does not remember the gyeat bird-nesting exploit with little Arthur Stanley, afterwards Dean Stanley, Martin's study full of hedgehogs and rats, and his horror when the headmaster caught him in the midst of some of his far from pleasant experiments. School in those days is represented to have been far from healthy, but Sir Charles seems to have survived all its hardships, and is still going strong. He is one of the oldest members of Lord Middleton's hunt. LORD DURHAM'S POLITICS. Lord Durham, the new Knight of the Garter, is a somewhat erratic politician. At present he is supposed to be a Liberal, but it is pretty certain that if Home Rule again became a 'question of practical politics he would re-emerge as a Unionist. There were other Liberal peers who would have liked the vacant Garter, and, no doubt, eome of them are wondering why Lord Durham should have been selected to receive the coveted honour. There is an extraordinary physical resemblance between Lord Dur- ham and his twin brother, Mr. Frederick Lambton, who sits as a Liberal Unionist for one of the divisions of Durham, and who is a conspicuous member of the Unionist Free Trade group in the House of Commons. It is not easy to tell one from the other, and when they are together the effect is startling. Mr. Frederick Lambton is a more stable poli- tician than his brother, but he has some of the family impulsiveness, and when Mr. John Redmond alluded in Tuesday night's debate to the conferring of Home Rule on Canada by the great Lord Durham, his grandfather, Mr. Lambton was very eager to correct his historical perspective for him. He wanted to speak imme- diately after Mr. Redmond, but the order of the debate had been settled, and the Speaker called upon another member. Lord Durham is exceedingly popular in the North of England, especially with the miners, who regard him as a first-class sportsman. Not long ago he made the Peers laugh by telling them how some of his miners went on strike against him, and then, when they got the worst of it, calmly came to him and asked him to head a subscription list for their relief. "You cannot help liking men of that sort," was his genial comment, and the Peers laughed again. TIRBD OF EMPTY GALLERIES. Parliamentary orators in the House of Commons are still playing to empty galleries. Until the little Government Bill is passed which imposes penalties on brawlers within the Palace of Westmin- ster the public of both sexes will continue to be excluded, and the words of speakers, however eloquent, will have only a forlorn echo in the closed galleries where formerly admiring constituents listened to the endless flow. Members have become so accustomed to the empty space upstairs that it no longer oppresses them, but they still have a rather uneasy feeling in moments of Parliamentary excitement when they look up and, instead of the alert and responsive faces of visitors from the country, see only the stale and stolid countenances of a handful of Parliamentary attendants whose occupation is gone. This is rather disconcerting, and on the whole legisla- tors will be glad to see the public back again, especially as their re-admission will not involve the same personal trouble to "our member" as formerly. As for those Parliamentary officials who have had nothing to do during the period of exclu- sion, they will welcome a return to the old condition of things. At the best their duties must be monotonous, but when condemned to complete inaction they are pathetic objects indeed. BISHOPS AND LICENSING. Although the Archbishop of Canter- bury is still undecided as to whether to introduce a Licensing Bill in the Lords, it is not improbable that a Licensing Bill will be introduced before the session is over. In the event of the Primate being unable to take up the task, another pre- late who has made a special study of the subject will then feel called upon to take the initiative. In this instance the Bill will be a comparatively short one. It will embody the main clauses of the Government measure, or, at any rate, those upon which there is general agree- ment- SIR JOHN FISHER'S TERM OF OFFICE. It is rumoured that Sir John Fisher's term at the Admiralty, which expires this year, is to be extended. It is well known that "an exalted personage is in favour of this course being adopted, and that the Lords of the Admiralty are anxious to have Sir John's services con- tinued. The fact that Sir John is going into residence at the Admiralty may be regarded as some confirmation of this report. He at present resides at Queen Anne's Gate, where Mr. Haldane and Sir Edward Grey also have houses. Sir John's wonderful powers of organisation and initiative show no signs of > diminu- tion, and it would be foolish, not to say criminal, if he were allowed to retire at this moment. EMPLOYERS AND RECRUITING. In encouraging employers to bring pressure to bear on their clerks and workpeople to join the Territorial Army. the War Minister is defying Radical and Labour prejudices in a way that seems likely to have some interesting develop- ments. Mr. Haldane is being called a conseriptionist in disguise, and unless he recants the very frank statement which he made in the House of Commons this week there will be trouble. His critics denounce the incursion of employers into the field of recruiting as tyranny, and they say that the time has come to take some active measures to make it clear that this sort of thing will not be tolerated from a Liberal Minister and a Liberal Government. Another movement, sullenly regarded by the same class of politicians is the appearance of society ladies as public advocates of a strong Army and Navy. The Radicals of the type described fear social influence more than anything. The whole terideney of things, they grumbi", is to stimulate in the youth of the nation the spirit which it has been the historic mission of Radicalism to discourage, and Mr. Hal- dane is censured as the arch-apostle of mischief. It is re-called that Mr. Hal- dane was on the platform at the great meeting in the Albert-hall on the eve of the ^last general election when Sir H. Campbell-Ban nerman made his famous declaration against armaments. Minis- ters are accused of violating the pledges then solemnly given, and Parliamentary ¡ reprisals are threatened. h >

ME-. LEOLIN FORESTIER WALKER, I Who was on Wednesday adopted Conservative candidate for South Monmouthshire. [Photo, Elliott and Fry, London.

"PULLED UP THE BLIND." + NEWPOKT RESIDENT AND HIS WIFE. 4e made when William Whittinsrton. of Commer- cial-street, Newport (Man.), was summoned by his wife, Alice, of Burnthwaite-raad, Ful- ham. who sousrht a separation on the ground of desertion. Mr. Henri Pierron, for the wife, said the parties were married in 1392, when defendant was an inspector in the Metropolitan Police, He was later reduced to a sergeant, and finally, on account of ill-health, had to leave the force on a pension of 18s. 2d. per week. The parties lived together until April 15 last, at which date he gc;t work as a conductor I with Hale's tours, necessitating his travel- ling in the country. He used to send her affectionate letters and an allowance of 15s. a week. As one or two of hie letters were 0001." she wrote for an explanation, and- he replied: .You ask aie what makes me oool. Well, you can answer your own questions be«t. All I can say is that under no circumstances t shall I live with you again. I He ceased to write or send her money, and, although he recently came to London, he dj.d not come to see her. 'Defendant eaid hfe was prepared to prove that his wife had been cuilty of misoonduct, and called Mrs. Grace Thomas, of Henrietta- madf South Tottenham. She had rooms in a house in Lillje-road when Mrs. Whittington lived there, and her husband stayed a month. After he went away a man na-med Barrow used to visit Mrs. Whittington, mostly at nijfht, and sometimes coming in at one a.m. Mra, Whitting'ton used to pull up the. blind, and he would pass the house, whistle, and I then she would come down and admit him. I On one occasion he came at two a.m. and left at four a.m. Mr. Lane (the magistrate): Did yiou remon- strate with her? I>id you think it a proper thing that you should allow these things to strate with her? D!d you think it a proper thing that you should allow thege things to go on(under your eyes?—Witness: Well, I did not think it had anything to do with me. I only had rooms in the same house. I told her that if it wtmt on I ghould try to find i her husband's address and write to him. Jessie Sharp, single, of Halford-road, Ful- ham, who had known the parties for somv years, said that when the husband was away she had left the house as late as midnight, and had left Barrow there. She had seen Barrow and Mrs. Whittington. kissing," and she had seen her kiss a man called Dick." The hearing was adjourned.

NEARLY FIFTY YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE. BARRY OFFICER'S LONG CAREER IN SHIPPING. The retirement from active duty of Mr. W. Stenner. shipping- agent to the Marin^Sooiety and the Warspite Beys' Home, will take place at the close of the present month. Mr. Stenner has experienced a long and interesting ship- MR. W. STENNER. I ping career, having seen a great deal of I public service in Barry and Cardiff. He com- menced in 1861 as an extra officer in the Customs House at Cardiff, and was appointed as Board of Trade offioer in the mercantile marine in September, 1866, for the suppres- sion of "crimping" and the prosecution of seamen for desertion or failure to join. This was about 42 years ago, when steamships were then in their infancy, and sailing ships were the ocean greyhounds." He was pensioned off by the Board of Trade in June, 1882, owing to ill-health, but tho following year he was appointed shipping agent for the Marine Society, and from April, 18o3, until February, 1909. he has shipped over 4,000 boys. Also in the Royal Fleet Reserve test of 1904-5 Mr. Stenner achieved great success, shipping 242 men from Barry alone. He has, there- fore, seen nearly 50 years' public service, and is now retiring owing, in a great measure, to ill-health

GRAPHOPHONE RECORDS. THE (LATEST IN DISCS. A violin solo by Mr. A. Stroud Haxton, with piano accompaniment, entitled Souvenir," i easily takes first plaoe for beauty amongst the March issue of the Columbia records. Mr. Haxton is well known as an admirable violin record-maker, and this one proves to be no exoeption to his standard. The piece is of the nature of a romance of particularly melodic construction, and the splendidly true intonation and not less admirable phrasing will, undoubtedly, make a strong appeal to connpisseurs and others alike. The song, "Melisande in the Wood," is well known at ballad concerts, and Mr. Charles Copland has made an excellent record of it. The words of the song are good and of a mystical tenour that commands atten- tion and admiration. The Garden of Allah," sung by Mr. Harry Thornton, possesses a distinctively Eastern I colour as indicated by the title, cleverly pour- trayed by the composer. Mr. Thornton's voice rings out in splendid fashion. I These three songs are valuable additions I to the sentimental portion of one's disc library. As regards the lighter numbers of I the new issue, we shall have something to say next week.

THE ABOVE RECORDS And all other Records and Machines in Columbia, Pat he, tf>deon. Jumbo, Zonophoiie and Edison catalogues, can be obtained from CHAS. KINSHOTT, 96, ST. MARY-ST., Cardiff DALE, FORTY & CO., PIANO and ORGAN MERCHANTS, CARDIFF SPECIAL AGENTS FOE GRAiiuPHONEs' RECORDS, and ALL ACCESSARIES. CATALOGUES FREE. I; EIJAlftS, Talking Machines, any make, Carefully Overhauled and A 1 jus ted. Sound Boxes, Re- producers, Recorders a Speciality. All Repairs done on the premises. Expert Repairer. Work done for the Trade.—Spiller's Phono Exchange, 16, Queen-street Arcade, Cardiff.

FELL THROUGH THE ICE. GALLANT ATTEMPT TO SAVE TWO MEN. The reservoir adjacent to the Welsh Harp, Hendon, was on Monday afternoon the scene of a double ice fatality. me victims were Harry Williams, about twenty years old, a bandsman of the 4th Royal Fusiliers, who has been on six weeks' furlough from Millingar, and Herbert Browning, about nineteen years of 1 age, grocer's assistant, of Cricklewood. They had crossed the ice which covered the reservoir in safety, and were returning when Browning suddenly fell through. His companion, on turning round to ascertain what had happened, was instantly sub- merged. On an alarm being given a gallant attempt was made to reach the drowning pair. A la,d named Carter, with a cord round his body, proceeded on to the ice towards the spot, but the ico gave way, and, although he attempted to throw a pole across, it fell short. Carter himself became immersed, and was with some difficulty pulled back by the rope to a place of safety. Another attempt was made to save the men by a civilian with a life-belt, but the ice again gave way, and he was with diffi- culty brought off. Aftfer a time boats were requisitioned, and with the aid of grappling irons the bodies of the two victims were recovered. In the case of 'Williams life was extinct, but there was a slight appearance of ani- mation still left in Browning's body. mation still left in Browning's body. However, he shortly afterwards succumbed. The two men were out for a day's holiday.

MR. SOLOMON ANDREWS. FULL TEXT OF THE WILL. Mr. Solomon Andrews, of Newport-road, Cardiff, of Pwllheli, Carnarvon, North Wales, and of London, omnibus proprietor and owner of omnibus lines in Cardiff district, in London, in Manchester, in Plymouth, and in Portsmouth, formerly in business as a baker aild confectioner, afterwards a cab proprietor, draper and undertaker, restau- rant proprietor, and colliery owner, formerly a member of the Cardiff Town Council, a director of the Star Omnibus Company, Lou- don, Limited, who died on the 9th of Novem- ber last, aged 73 years, a native of Trow- bridge, Wilts, left estate of the gross value of £184,874 lis. 5d., of which the net perso- nalty has been sworn at £69,012 13s. lOd. His will bears date of the 7th of Septem- ber, 1906. There are two codicils, dated respectively the 13th of February, 1907, and the 16th of March, 1907, and probate thereof has been granted to his son, Mr. Francis Emile Andrews, merchant, of Normandie, Newport- road, Cardiff, and Mr. Henry George Lloyd, solicitor, of Newport, Mon. The testator left £ 100 per annum to Mr. Henry George Lloyd for the execu- torship. He left the roll granting the freedom of Pwllheli, Carnarvon, and the caeket containing the same to his son, Francis Emile Andrews'; £100, his con- sumiable stores, and wearing a/pparel to his wife, Mrs. Mary Jane Andrews; his house- hold and perscnal effects to his wife during widowhood, with remainder to his children in equal shares, and all other his personal estate, except leaseholds having more than 21 years to run, to his son, Francis Emile Andrews. He left all his real and copyhold estate and leasehold having longer than 2l years to run (except his estates at Pwllheli and Barmouth) upon trust, from the income thereof to pay to his wife a life annuity of JB700, to each of his five daughters an annuity of JE100 for three years and thereafter annuities of £25a, and to each of his two sons an annuity for ten years of £ 200 and thereafter of £250, and on the decease of each daughter to raise a sum of £1.000 as a portion for her children, if any, and to accumulate the balance of the income to pay off mortgages on the property. And, subject to these trusts, the said property as to two- thirds upon trust for his son Francis Emile Andrews and his issue, and one-third upon trust for his son Solomon Sidney Andrews and his issue. He left his estates at Pwllheli and Bar- mouth upon trust as to one-half to his son Franois Emile and his isuse, and one-half upon trust for his son Solomon Sidney Andrews and his issue. His trustees have power, with the consent of any of the legatees interested therein, to sell any of his property, except that in Barmouth.

THE REAL MRS. WATERS. REMARKABLE STORY AT CARDIFF Remarkable allegations were made in a summons for maintenance at Cardiff Police- court on Thursday. Mr. Harold Lloyd, who appeared for the wife, Mre. Mary Jane Waters, said he had only just been instructed by his friend, Mr. Morgan R-oos, and so lie asked for an adjournment. Tho summons was issued in April. 1907, but tho husband. Stephen Waters, had .only just been discovered. It would simply be wasting time if he attempted to go on. Mr. George David, for the husband, said the Prosecution was hopeless, because the woman was coaricted in 1907 as an unfor- tunate, and there were severa-1 convictions against her. In turn he (Mr. David) had a bundle of briefs to show that the wife had unsuccessfully proceeded against the hus- band, with one exception, wheun he was convicted for breaking into the house where she lived with another man Mr. Lloyd urged that the last conviction against Mrs. Waters was in 1906, after which the husband had condomed the offence. The husband (he added) left Cardiff suddenly and became a licensee/at Chepstow. Whilst there he was summoned by a woman with whom he had been living, and the rightful Mrs. Waters appeared in court and created a scene. The husband then swore that Mrs. Waters was not his wife The Saivation Army, to their credit, had taken Mrs. Waters in hand and completely reformed her. After the last conviction the husband had con- doned her conduct. Mr. David persisted that the wife could not succeed, and that it was hard to draw tho husband- down from Reading again. Mr. Milner Jones said he would adjourn the case until next Thursday, and, if Mr. Lloyd found he had no case in the mean- time, he could communicate with the defence. This was agreed upon.

BULLION 'BUS BREAKDOWN. Whilst conveyrng a consignment of specie from the National Provincial Bank, St. Mary-street, to the Docks branch office an Thursday the wheel of the 'bus, which was drawn by two horses, came off in Bute-street, stopping the tram traffic. Mr. Mcdhurst, the chief cashier, who was in charge, in th4 most cool^manner com- mandeered a passing trolly. The bullion -was soon removed from the disabled 'bus to the trolly, and conveyed safely to its destination. A orowd of between 200 and 300 people soon collected, and it was noticed that Mr. Mcd- hurst was armed with a revolver. After some little delay, the bus was got off the tram- way track, and through communication was resumed.

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL. + CHATTY ITEMS ABOUT MEN AND MATrrERS.. New Knight of the Carter. The King has been pleased to approve the appointment of the Earl of Durham to be a Knight of the Garter, in place of the late Earl of Leicester, K.G. New Peer's Title. The "Pall Mall Gazette" understands that the Right Hon. Thomas Shaw. late Lord Advocate, has assumed the title of Baron Shaw of Dunfermline on his appointment as a Lord of Appeal in succession to the late Lord Robertson. P Donna's :£400 per Week. Madame Albani will appear at all the per- formances at Barrasford's Hippodrome, Sheffield, next week. The great prime. dontna is touring the country, having been engaged at £400 per week to sing at some of the most popular halls. Royal V<sit to the West. The visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales to Devon and Cornwall will probably take place in June. The visit of their Royal Highnesses is largely with a view of meeting some of the Duchy of Cornwall tenantry and becoming more fully acquainted with the Duchy property. C Councillor's Silver Weddtns. Councillor Joseph Stanfield, J.P., and Mrs. Stanfield, of Cardiff, entertained a number of friends at the Royal Hotel on Tuesday evening in celebration of their silver wed- ding. ihe gathering was a most enjoyable one, and the popular host and hostess were the recipients of many hearty congratula- tions. Royal Donations for Nurses. At the annual meeting on Wednesday of the East Cowes and Whippingham District Nursing Association, which was established two years ago, it was announced that the King had subscribed five guineas and Prin- cess Henry of Battenberg £5 towards ts funds. Nearly 2,500 nurses' visits were paid last year. The Earl of Dunraven. Lord Dunraven has %otd his town house, 10, Oonnaught-place, to Lady Battereea, and has already vacated it to enable the work of repair and re-deooration to begin. Mean- while Lord Dunraven has taken a furnished flat. He goes to Pau on Monday next, and on his return will buy a new residence in the Park-lane district. Mrs. Brown Potter to Retire. Mrs. Brown Potter, says a telegram from New York, has entirely broken down in health, and intends to give up both the ^tage and the music-hall. For the latter the famous actress never had any liking. She will return to her daughter, Mrs. Stillman. her relations with Mrs. Stillman, sen., being of the friendliest. Lord Llang-attock. Lord Llangattock has just attained his 72nd birthday. His lordship's residence at The Hendre is one of the loveliest places in Wales, and the Prince and Princess of Wales have been guests there. It possesses a fine library panelled with red and white cedar, .and in this room many almost priceless curiosities, such as Nelson's relics, Milton's chair, and tir Walter Scott's walking-stick, are to be seen. Lord Grenfell's Nephew. In the private chapel of the Royal Hospital, Dublin, on Tuesday Mr. Arthur Morton Gren- fell, son of the late Mr. Pascoe Grenfell, and nephew of Field-marshal Lord Grenfell, late Commander of the Forces in Ireland, was married to Mi<?s Hilda Margaret Lyttelton, second daughter of General Sir Neville Lyttelton, the present Commander of the Forces in Ireland, and the Hon. Lady Lyttelton. The Kaiser's Cruise. It is stated in Berlin that the Kaiser's yacht Hohenzollern is being prepared for a trip in the Mediterranean which will pro- bably take place early in March. The Kaiser will sail from Kiel for the coast of Spain, where he will meet King Alphonso. There is also a persistent rumour that an interview will take place somewhere on the Riviera. with President Fallieres, but this is hardly credited, even though Germany's relations with France have so greatly improved. Lord Brooke Engaged. A marriage has been arranged between Lord Brooke, heir to the Earldom of Warwick, and Miss Eden, daughter of Sir Williajn and Lady Eden. Miss Eden, who is 22 years of age, is one of the most beautiful young women in London society. Her father is the holder of two baronetcies, being the seventh baronet of West Auckland, created in 1672, and the fifth of Maryland, United States of America, created in 1776. Lord Brooke is in his twenty-eighth year. King May Visit Messina. Although -no official intimation has been made, it is understood that the King and Queen will visit Malta during April. It.:3 expected that their Majesties will first visit Messina and Reggio, afterwards going to Malta for a four days' stay. The most bril- liant of all entertainments daring the car- rival at Malta was the fancy dress ball givei at the Duke of Cannaught's Palace. Owing, however, to the Duke's unavoidable absence Geierai Sir Henry and Lady Grant received the guests, who numbered 1,500. M.P.'s Birthdays. Two members of the House of Commons cele- brated their birthday on Wednesday—Mr. Alexander Ure, the new Lord Advocate, is 56, and Mr. J. G. Talbot. one of the representa- tives of Oxford University, 74. Mr. Ure has for many years been a leading light of the Scottish Bar, and Mr. Talbot has been in the House since 1868. his first constituency being West Kent. It may be news to many readers to learn that Mr. Talbot was Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade in Lord Beaconsfield's last Government. Princess at a Hospital. The Princess of Wales on Monday after- noon opened the new children's ward of the Great Northern Hospital at Islington. At her Royal Highness's special request, and in view of the great distress arising through unemployment, no money was spent on decorations, but the streets were crowded. Before the Princess formally declared the ward open she received from a number of little children contributions collected is aid of the fund. Her Royal Highness inspected the hospital, chatting with some of the natients, before her departure. Welsh M.P. as Lord-Lieutenant. An announcement which will greatly interest the House of Commons and London Welsh social circles is expected to be officially made in the course, of a few days. Mr. Arthur Osmond Williams, the popular member for Merioneth since 1900, and tor three years chairman of the Merionethshire County Council, is lord-lieutenant desig- nate for his old county. The other aspirant for the vacant lord-lieutenancy was Lord Harlech, but the obvious claims of Mr. Osmond Williams have prevailed, and Wales will be delighted with the choice which the Prime Minister is understood to have made. D of a Musical Reception. Sir Edward Russell in his weekly column in the Liverpool ".Post" says:—"For sheer dulness a political reception can be surpassed by a musical one Nothing more lifeless could be devised than the party given to meet the Finnish composer Sibelius on Tues- day. He is tall, nice-looking, prematurely bald, and, apart from that, bears a remark- able resemblance to Mr. Sandow. He appeared to have quite a boyish enjoyment in the cordiality of the crowd who pressed around him. Amongst those to be seen were Countess Nalda Gleichen, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wood, Mrs. Clara Novello Davies, and Mr. Kaliech. D Estate For Sale. It is understood at Peterborough that th? Crown will buy the Duke of Bedford's Thornoy Estate, but that the price is not yet decided upon. The Woods and Forests Department, it is said, is offering £650,000, while the duke's advisers are holding out for £750.000. The Thorney Estate consists of 19,000 acres of good Fen land between ^Peterborough and Wisbech. There is only one public-house on the e&tate. The drainage system, complete and adequate, IS said to be so complicated as to offer difficulties to the cutting up of the estate; but the difficulties are not insur- mountable- If the estate is not bought by the Crown it will be sold in separate lots. T Dowager Lady Bute. The Dowager Lady Bute, who was receiving birthday congratulations on Sunday from a large circle of relatives, wa3 born at Dorlin, the wildly romantic place among the Argyll- shire hills which her father, the first Lord Howard of Gloseop, had bought some years before from his brother-in-law, Mr. James Hope-Scott. Lord Howard's three eldest daughters all married Scottish peers of ancient lineage, and his eldest c.iughter's wedding with the millionaire Marquees of Bute in 1872 was a notable ceremony, attract- ing as much attention as Royal nuptials. Since her widowhood Lady Bute has estab- lished her home on the green isle of Gum. brae, in a pretty house formerly owned by Lord Glasgow. It is within an easy distance of Bute, now the home of her eldest son and her grandchildren, to whom she is devoted. Q and Ambassadress. The departure of the late Turkish Minister .at the Court of St. James's, Rifaat Pasha, was witnessed by the whole of the Embassy staff, who assembled at Victoria Station to give him a hearty send-off. Mr. Arthur Walsh represented the King, and remained on the platform in conversation with Rifaat Pasha until the last monient. Madame Rifaat will take leave of London to-day to join her husband at Constan- tinople. She gave a farewell lunoheon at the Embassy in Portland-place on Monday. Pre- viously Madame Rifaat had a private audienco of the Queen, who embraced her affectionately, and offered warm congratu- lations on the high position to which her hus- band had been appointed in Turkey. Her Majesty gave the departing Ambassadress an autographed photograph as a souvenir, and uked Madame Rifaat for her picture. ¡

WEEK BY WEEK. ♦ LIGHTER SIDE OF CURRENT EVENTS. It costs over .65.030 a year to keep Roath Park and the lake in nice and attractive order. Holyhead Pier contains 7,COO,O:-o tons of granite. Plymouth Breakwater has 3,800,000 tons only. Dr. Frederick Cowen has again been appointed conductor of the Cardiff Musical Festival. Festival week is due in 1910. A few days ago a gentleman was shooting near the Heath when he was astonished to come across the carcase of a dead monkey. Lord Dunraven and Mr. Brace will be the guests of the evening" at the annual banquet of the Bridgend Parliamentary Debating Society on March 3. An interesting statement was made at Pwllheli Licensing Sessions the other day, viz., that there are fourteen parishes in the division without a shigle licensed house. Individual Communion cups are gradually beint; generally adopted in the Noncon- formist Churches. One of the latest churches to adopt them is Bethania Congregational Church, Merthyr Vale. Deep gloom has fallen on some Llanishenitee. The county council is putting into force the provision^ of the Dogs Act. Unfortunately, there is nothing in the measure about barking and howling. A gentleman who had occasion to return from Rumney on Sunday at about ten p.m. says: "At Cardiff we have the hunger- marchers in the west, and the thirsty- marchers in the east." Mr. G. P. Hawtrey, M.A., the master of the pageant, has long felt a keen interest in this district. He is n close connection cf the Watsons of Llandaff, General Watson and the late Mr. Joaas Watson being his first cousins. It is. after all, in the fitness of things that the Celtic fringe should be the first to foci the direct benefit of Mr. Lloyd George's Patents Act. The first factory under the Act that has actually got to work ia erected near Penzance. It may not be generally known that there is a Welsh Calvinistic Church at Oldham. The pastorate has just been accepted by the Rev. Emyr Davies, of Bala College, the "crowned bard" of the 1908 National Eisteddfod. It is, perhaps, as well that Wales is never plagued by locusts. The swarm that visited Las Palmas in 1908 has just been investigated on the basis of fifteen locusts weighing an ounce, and it is found that the flight con- sisted of 107 million locusts, its total weight being 200 tons. Talking of hens, an Abersychan reader writes of an incident which he witnessed a few days ago. He saw a hen laying on a blacksmith's hearth with the blast full on. There was no Cre, of course; the hearth is used for air-hfsrdening steel. The hen appeared to be Y0:"y comfortable. Mr. Percy Morton, the newly-appointed headmaster of the Brecon County School for Boys, has been a foster-father to several well-known Welsh international footballers. In his boarding-house at Christ College he had at one time in his charge A. F. Harding, "Teddy" Morgan, and W. M. Llewellyn. An interesting discussion is going on in a literary paper about Bishop Barlow, of St. David's, who died ih 1569. The point is: Was tins prelate at any time Bishop of St. Asaph? The great historian Gairdner says he was; but there are those who deny it, and declare that a mistake has been made. Cardiganshire watering-places are com-- bining j n a scheme to advertise themselves at the Imperial International Exhibition. The scheme will take the form of a pano- rama, but it is hoped to include a cine- matograph re-production of a squabble at Aberystwyth Council. Considering its size and population, Lampeter is unique in some respects. It has fourteen ordained clergymen of the Church of England, its churchyard is the second best for neatness and cleanliness in the Diocese of St. David's, it has the only lady M.F.H. in the Principality, and a lady president of the town Rugby team. Who shall say that Cardigan is not literary? A few days ago a friend of an invalid at that place kindly sent him a big lot of books and periodicals to while away the time. rhe load was taken in a donkey-cart, and the driver called in somewhere" en route. When he re-joined his vehicle he found, to his horror, that every book and periodical had disappeared! A Welshman, the Rev. Daniel Evans, D.D., has been appointed principal of Andover Uni- versity, Cambridge, Mass. Born at Aberaman forty years ago, Mr. Evans emigrated to the States with his eider brother, the Rev. J. Gwawrfryn Evans, and he held some of th6 most important pastorates prior to accept- ing the principalship of the Cambridge semi- nary. Although the Welsh national theatre may yet be in the clouds, dramatic sentiment is growing all the same. There are Welsh towns to-day—Lianelly is one of them— possessing excellent theatres which a quarter of a, century ago had nothing more preten- tious than the wooden erections of Warren, Noakes, and Johnson. Capital acting there was sometimes, despite the surroundings and the smoke-laden atmosphere. People who have not yet helped the Cardiff College Fund would do well to reflect how nobly Bristol folk are backing up their university. Bristol University Fund now stands at £ 200,OCO, in addition to the build- ings, the estimated value o' which is £55,();1), To this splendid sum Mr. H. O. Wills has contributed £100,000, and the next largest amount is £35,000; but much smaller sub- scribers have come forward in droves. Mr. Arthur Hee writesHeaders who live a good distance from the glare of towns apd works should look out these clear evenings for the Zodiacal Light. As toon as it is dark, above the place where the sun disappeared, rises a tall distinct body of light of conical shape. To my eye it is brighter than the Milky Way and warmer in tint. In the tropics it is a very conspicuous object. The Zodiacal Light is believed to be a meteoric appendage of the sun. A Welsh cyclist near Penybont has juat had a curious experience with a hen. His machine went over the hen, and the ridor was thro'.vn o"cr the handle %ar. He picked himself up, feeling shaken, and was about to enter the house of the owner to report the fact that he had killed the hen, when the latter walked away, apparently unhurt. In the meantime, as a memento, she laid a. soft egg on the spot where she had bean run over. Our correspondent does not say whether the cyclist made off with it. When the late Alderman Mildon came to Cardiff as a youth he did not know a word of Welsh. For the greater part of his life it was his favourite language. He was a pro- minent man with the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists, and ill these circles his speeches and conversations were all in his adopted tongue. Mr. Mildon, indeed, was always regarded as a typical Cymro, and it will probably surprise many people to know that he grew to manhood in ignorance of thf language of which he was afterwards such a master. Miss Laura Evans. the iamous London Welsh soprano, who acquitted herself so triumphantly in the production of Enid" some time ago, and who is due in an important performance at Cardiff early in March, is sometimes confused with Miss Edith Evans, another distinguished vocalist, who is billed to appear at the National Eisteddfod concert to be given at the Queen's-hall, also in March. Consequently, Miss Laura Evans proposes to change her professional name by adding that of her husband, so that shortly she will be known as Madame Laura Evans- Williams. Mr. Tom Bryniog Jones, whose debut as a London Welsh singer treated such a favourable impression at the Wood Green Welsh Methodists' concert in Holloway the other evening, is one of the latest arrivals at the Royal Academy, and one for whom a brilliant future is prophesied ft.7 tnose interested in his training. He is now studying under Pro- fessor lies (who is the master under whom Miss Laura Evans has been studying), and, in the opinion of this eminent musician, no singer h=;s appeared with such a wonderful range of voice as Mr. Tom B. Jones possesses since Mr. Andrew Black. An exhibition of paintings, drawings, and sculpture is now open at the New Gallery, in London. It is the annual exhibition of fair women," arranged under the auspices of the International Society of Sculptors, Painters, and Gravers, and each exhibit (with a few exceptions) contains the portrait of a lady or a girl. Miss Gwendolen Williams is th^ only Welsh artist included this year, and her contribution is a couple of small pieces of statuary in brouze-" The Daisy and The Wasp each conspicuous for daintiness. Mr. Alfred Gilbert has several works in bronze, and. by permission of the Royal College of Surgeons, is able to include his fine bust of Sir Richard Owen. One of the leading operatic singers of America is a Welshman named Harry Davies, who is idoliced throughout the States. His correct name is William H. Harris, and he is a brotv~r of the Rev. Charles Harris, Baptist minister, of Bassaleg. He was horn in Aberdare, and was the son of William Harris, Risca. VVVhen a mere child he was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Davies, of Aberdare, and emigrated to the States with them. At one time he resided at Treherbert. and sang under "Griff o'r Crown" (Caradog) and Mr. M. O. Jones. He has now a repertoire of 92 operas, but in all of them, he says, there is not one song which has the soul he finds in "Ar Hyd 7 Nos." I

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^'cckljr sMail. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1909. 77 e" WEEKLY MAIL is puhlishei cn Fridays and Saturdays, and can ht oltained from your local newsagent. If you find any difficulty in obtaining the paper, please communicate witk tie Manager, Weekly Mail Offices, Cardiff". Hit Witlzty Mail" will be sent ')7 rest on payment of a subscription in advance on the following ternu;- 8, rl. One Quarter 18 Half Year S 3 One Year.. 6 I)

A GREAT ARMY REFORM. -I Nearly two years have passed since the Imperial Conference accepted the/need of an Imperial General Staff to co-ordinate and direct t,he military forces of the Empire as a whole. It has taken a long time to make a progressive move beyond that declaration, but General Sir W. G Nicholson, the Chief of t-he General Staff, has at last issued an important memo- randum, in which he sets out the prin- ciples and the me-thods which should guide us in the creation of such a staff. The memorandum follows the lines which military experts have mapped out, and the methods proposed will probably receive general acceptance. Great Britain first discovered the necessity of a General Staff during the South African war, and when that was over we had to create one out of such specialised material as could be found—splendid material in its way, but not trained or fashioned in the mould Off a General Staff, and an effi- cient General Staff can only be built up by years of patient education. Difficult as was the creation of this localised General Staff, it was simplicity compared with the task that the Army Council must now complete on the lines mapped out by Sir William Nicholson. Briefly, his plan is that there shall be one central body of the General Staff in London. Then, in the United Kingdom, in each of the Regular garrisons abroad, in tfhe self- governing Colonies, and in India there will be sections, each with a chief at its head, and dealing with questions con- nected with local defence and the train- ing of troops. Touch will be kept between the local and central bodies by a general interchange of officers, and in this way we may hope to obtain an Imperial General Staff composed of the b -"t soldiers in the Empire, trained in one school of military thought, and dis- seminating the resultoS of their special train)fig throughout the units to which, for ordinary service, they will return. It is easier to sketch out the plan than to create the Staff. At the very outset we are met with the difficulty that only in Great Britain—at Camberley—and only in India—at Quet.ta-is there a Staff College. There is none in any of the self- governing Colonies, and the difficulty, therefore, is to find efficient instructors. Camberley has been nominated, wisely in our opinion, as the basis of the Staff the model war school so to speak. In order to make a start, Colonial officers must come there to be trained in order to give training themselves in the Colonies. But this must involve many years, and, having regard to the supreme importance of commencing to build up the Imperial General Staff without further delay, it is to be hoped that the self-governing Colonies will consent for a time to the whole of the' instructors being drawn from Camberley or from that brilliant company of men who have passed through the Indian Staff College. Only in this way can a direct start be made in the practical solution of a complex problem which will take many years to even approach perfection. For the difficulties wiil be by no means surmounted when instructors are plenti- ful and the interchange of officers between Great Britain, the Colonies, and India is merrily in operation. Complete local control of the forces in the Colonies is, of course, a condition which cannot be changed. Everywhere in the Colonies the urgency of national and Imperial defence is realised, but there must inevitably be different systems and conflicting views, and the question of finance will vary from country to country, perhaps from prodigal generosity to absolute parsi- mony. These are conditions which the Imperial General Staff must cope with and live with, aiming at producing an Imperial Army organised on the same general principles, ready to concentrate in any part of the world as easily as though its far-separated units were only companies in a battalion of infantry, and working according to a clear, well-defined strategical scheme evolved by the brain. The brain of the modern Army, as Sir William Nicholson says, is the General Staff. It is essential for the efficiency of Imperial defence.

» AFFAIRS IN THE COAL TRADE. Lord St. Aldwyn's vote in favour of a reduction of 5 per cent. in the South Wales miners' wage-rate comes as no surprise to those who have followed the recent movements in the coal trade. As recent movements in the coal trade. As his lordship explained, the selling price was not the factor that prompted him to decide for a reduction. Had the coal- owners relied solely upon that, he could not have granted the reduction. But the general state of the trade and the outlook were factors which he could not ignore, and in the iron limits of the discretion allowed him, to vote for the reduction applied for or for no reduction at all, his lordship decided in favour of the former. If it were possible for him to concede a smaller reduction, he might have done so, but, on the other hand, Lord St. Aldwvn has always shown a dis- position against granting a reduction unless it were justified up to the hilt.! In deciding to submit their case to the independent chairman the workmen's representatives were, no doubt, guided; by strong reasons, but they would have done wiser had they offered to accept a conciliatory reduction of from 2tV to per cent. At Monday's meet-i ing of the board the coalowners raised i a question of momentous interest and importance which has in it all the makings of a crisis, and which will need to be carefully handled. Briefly, they contend, under legal advice, that the Eight Hours Act of last session over- rides the contract between the coalowners and the workmen. The Eight Hours Act comes into operation on July 1. and it will profoundly affect the hours of '.vr>rk- will profoundly affect the hours of work- ing in the mines. The Conciliation Board agreement in the ordinary course would" terminate at the end of the year, but the coalowners contend that the Act will automatically terminate it, since it the coalowners contend that the Act will automatically terminate it, since it interferes with existing contracts. The iii-n affected are those working on a day wage.