The Cardiff Times

J :at í{dy Holland, who has been very seriously ill iK«„ftaP:es» is pronounced out of danger, and may '1 5,i a f jir wv towards recovery*

[Au. RIGHTS RESERVED—COPYRIGHT,J PRISON" LIFE BY A TICKET-OF-LEAVE MAN. II. THE QUEEN'S 'Bass" AND ITS OCCUPANTS DELIVERY OF PRISONERS — "THE STKKL THE TENCH" — PRISON DISCIPLINE I lIE WARDERS—"CAPTION SHEETS." When the magistrate took his seat upon tie bench some of the prisoners were set fre-i at O¡¡C. aud others were taken to the cells to removal to the various prisons. At last iny^ui came. I was placed at the bar, and the pro«ecu- tion having made a preliminary statement, in- wiving oiio pieseuuc ui » magistrate remanded me for a week. I was ta out of court and placed in a cell at the fear o building to await the arrival of the" Queen f which was tc convey me to the Huuheir Detention, and the other 0 *-„i. several olaces of confinement. IhecJ 1 I was "no v placed contained severa! J»r..oner, besides myself. It wa^the sane size • es;mi;a at the police-station, in fact, about of that in which I had passed the except in being, if possible, more dirtv. The stench from the accumu ated hU was liorrible in the extreme.. About fo ir o oloc-v the "Queen's 'Bus," duly arrived eaci> wag called by name and dest.na 10i n./r^eis in just as a railway carrier calls o*er, ],:iX his charge, and being ensconced m n the doors of which were locked al?;| n' (;011. prisoner was safely secured. 1 he ductor took his seat on tiie little cro. the door, the gates were opened, and t t e yells and screeches of a dea^ cro. d, van was tiriveu out: of the couifc y&rt. • w j'ck ,1 crow. such as—" Oheer up, Bill or J.ck, and could see by a side glan;e-for only a moment through a crack in the door ot my box an. 1 so through the bars of the "'Bus" door the pintul glances, and the faces streaming with tears ot a number of women and girls in the crowd, with a cries of "God bk'83 you!" more of "God help yon, po Dr fellows and we weie quickly jolting through London streets to London prisons. llemanded for seven days to allow time for the prosecution to get up the charge against me, I was to at the expira- tion of that period again hustled into the prison van. Jolted up and down from one side to the other in a comt artmeut in which I merely made a pretence of sitting by stooping and compressing my body into the shape of the letter S, I natundly thought of the tale of Chinese criminals who condemned to be immured in a cage in which they are prevented from any movement, and can neither sit. st md, nor kneel. By craning my head on one side, until my ear rested on my shoul- der, I found that I coula look through tiie small apertures of the make-believe" ventilator in the top of the prison van, and so recognise several of the street and roads along which I was being conveyed. The first h dt took placa outside the gate of Tothili Fields Female Prison, aud peering through a slit in the little door of the compartment in which I was cribbed- cauiltcd, aud confined,"I could see the police- man who had been seated inside the van take a large book out of the wooden wallet which formed the inside lining of the prison van door I heard ponderous doors slowly open, a rough voice ask. "How many ?" aud the reuly, in au equally rough voice," Why, two, to be sure; how many more do you want ?" In a few minutes the opposite compartment to the one I occupied was unbarred, and unlocked, and a young girl, apparently about ten years of age, the tears streaming down her wan face, which was almost ai white as her spotjess, neat little apron; and without other covering to her head than the minute piece of blond lace, which is the well know.i badge of a domestic servant, edged her way out of the compartment the policeman squeezing himself behind the little door to allow her to pass. A voice from another compartment whispered, "How to which question I' the girl replied, "Three months and I did not take ic. Oh, my poor mother and father! What shall I do?" A voice from the door of the van shouted, then, how much longer?" A p}¡llntlve "Yes, sir," was the reply, and the child stepped from the van to enter the gloomy portals. Again another little door was unlocked and unbarred, again the policeman stepped behind t-ie door, an "Now then, mother, look alive! wa3 to a decrepit old woman, black, ragged, bler. eyed, aud shoeless. A stumble, a scream, the sound as of a bundle of rags falling to the ground, a voice, kindly of tone, "Pick yourself uP;, mother cheer up it won't last longer than hte, from one of the compartments; a rough voce outside the van, "Damme what do yer mean by that? That's a new way to come down, am c it ?" A faltering voice, "I beg your pardon, sir, butyouseel'm blind," and the van door was banged to, t!.e large book flung into the \v;uiet^ the rough voice outside shouted "Get on, bteel, and the jolting recommenced, We were again rapidly driven through the streets, some narrow, some broad, along roads, paved and unpaved, until I recognised through my ventilator that we were traversiug streets in the vicinity of Coldbath Fields Prison, the house of correction for the county, and named by the police and criminals "The Steel." Here seven men alighted. Again the door of the van was banged to again the large book was flung into the wallet; the ponderous gates were opened; and the words "the Tench" were shouted; and the joltings recommenced. The polioeman inside the van resumed his unpleasant seat, and we were en route to the House of Detention. This prison is a very old one, and was at one time a prison for disorderly apprentices, called Clerkenivell Bridewell," then "The Clerkenwell Prison," next "The Female Prison," and afterwards created a House of Detention for prisoners awaiting trial at the Middlesex Sessiong, prisoners under <> remand at the police courts, prisoners in default of bail, deserters, soldiers, sailors, etc. It is known amongst the police and criminals under the name of "The Tench," and is the prison where the attempt was made to blow down with gunpowder tho outer wall to facilitate the escape of a Fenian prisoner, for which attempt n. mau lamed Barrett was hung outside Newgate Prison. I resumed my position at the ventilator, and could perceive that we were rapidly approaching our de stination. After a few minutes of furious driving, joltings, and turns, a halt was made. A deep-sounding bell was heard heavy creaking gates were opened the prison van was backed up to what I soon perceived was a black, frowning- looking stone doorway, guarded by several prison warders, and with bright, thick, iron-barred gates. The van door was quickly unlocked, as also was my compartment. I was ordered to "come out." I hastily obeyed the order, alighted, and, had it not been for the outstretched arm of the police- man, who was holding the van door open, I should have inevitably fallen on my head. This stumble was owing to the unreasonable distance between the van step and the ground, and the cramped position which I had for so long a time been obliged to assume during the weary ride. I was directed through the gloomy doorway and the thick, iron-barred, bright gates, into a long, dimly-lighted, wide entrance hall, protected at both ends by very thick, bright, iron bais, seem. ingly built into the roof, walls, and stone flooring, and having small wickets at each end. In the hall were several heavily barred windows, and opposite the windows several doors, over which was painted in black letters the words, "Office," "Chief Warder," "Solicitors." "Visitors," Prisoners." The hall was about 15 yards in length by four yards width, and about the same in height, the roof being of arched brickwork, all being like the stone pavement, faultlessly whitened. A long piece of cocoanut matting, about a yard and a half wide, extended the whole length, from gate to gate. Unnecessarily large cocoanut fibre door mats were placed before every door, and from their size and number I rightly judged them to be of prison manufacture. I was allowed to advance to about the centre of the hall, and by the time I had thus far proceeded four other dctenues" had alighted from the van, and followed my lead. Another prison van now entered the yard, from which quickly descended five men and three women. The men closed up to where I y as standing. The women were all pitifully crying. Two were young girls, from 13 to 16 years of age, and respectable in appearance. They were hurried by one of the warders present to the upper end of the hall, and there ordered to stand in line just above where I was stationed, and near to the innermost gate, the warder taking his post facing the women. The men were now ordered to "halt and face about;" next, "take your distance," whereupon each prisoner stood at arm's-length apart. All the wardera now stood at ease" in lire fronting the prisoners, presenting a very singular contrast to the fase-to-face line of prisoners. The warders were clad in blue frock coats, buttoning close up to the throat, with white metal buttons on each side of the standing coat collar was the portcullis" (the cognisance of the county), also in white metal; a broad, well- polished black leathern belt, with white metal clasps as fasteners, also bearing the "portcullis," and on the left side of the belt was a most signi. ficant-looking Colt's revolver in well-polished case. On the right side of the belt was a small black leather pouch, from which depended a bright steel curb-chain—this chain was fastened to the belt at the centre of the back—to this chain was attached the key, or "screw," as it is termed by all otficen and prisoners, by means of which, when on duty, the officers open the cell doors nnd" gates, and so pass from one part of the prison to another. On their heads each officer wore a small round blue cloth cap with neat leather peak (these caps were the model of the kepi, as worn by the French army), having above the peak in front of the cap the in. evitable U portcullis" by way of ornament. The contrast between these stalwart, red-faced, v ell- fed, warmly-clad, smart, keen-eyed warders and the pale-faced, half-starved, half-clad (one man was shoeless), shivering, and hunted-looking prisoners was most painful in the extreme. The prisoner on my right whispered to me, "They look as if they could eat us," and so they did. After a few minutesVinterval, and the keenest scrutiny of the prisoners by the warders in strict silence, one of the side doors in the hall was opened. A short, stout, beetle-browed, dark man, having scanty, short, straight, black hair, and clad in a blue uniform, plentifully ornamented with black buttons, lookingas if he had justbeencloselyshaved, and having his peculiarly dirty hands clasped behind his back after the accepted orthodox style of the great Napoleon, slowly emerged into the hall. He was accompanied by a tall, stout, smiling official, also clad in blue uniform, but not having the same profusion of silk braid on his person as the shorter personage. On the entrance of these officials, a sternly-spoken, attention, eyes to the front, and silence," was addressed to the prisoners. and with a curiously stiff roll the chief warde? and the principal warder on duty advanced between the ranks of warders and prisoners. The warders sainted after the military fashion, but this power. ful officer appeared to have too much contempt for his snbordinateofficers to do more in the way of acknowledgment of their salute than carl his upper lip in a most disdainful manner. The chief warder, with a peculiar smirk on his face, (closely eyed each prisoner, and when he had roiled opposite the female prisoners, he exolaimed, apparently to aU the prisoners, II Mind, strict silence is observed here," He then appeared to crive some order to the principal warder who attended him, aud one of the warders was summoned and ordered to take the females over. Ihe principal warder then imloi-kjd the wicket gate, and the officer having charge of the females ordered them to "turn about, quick march." The females were marched through the unlocked gate, across a vestibule, through another bright heavy iron gate, then through a small strongly-bolted iron door. to what appeared to be a gravel pathway, and so out of my Sigut. Ihe first gate after tue passage of the warder and females was locked, and the chief and his attending principal warder having disappeared through the doorway from which they had originally made their apparane, awarder walked down the rank of prisoners, saying to each. "Have voa any prohibited articles upon you?" (They had all been strictly searched at the several police-stations and every article tak-ii from them, some to be detained by the police, and the remain- der handed to the prison officials by the policeman conductor of the Queen's lu.") Auy money, watches, I mgs, pins, needles, knives, scissors (the officer pronounced this as if spelled "siihors"), snu, tobacco, spirits, or jewellery of any kind, stii'is, brooches, lockets, ear:ings, false teeth, or elate or lead pencils. Because now is the time to give them up, and you'll bo severely punished if they are found upon you after. You e n take writing paper into the prison with you, if you liavo any, but no other articles, and the articles you give up will be returned to you when you go." To this invitation only two responses other than, Np, sir," were made one •niiii g ive up a newspaper, which had been given to hi.11 whilst in the room at the police-court, gave up a door key (which his mother had given him to open the door where himself and parent lived, the mother being quite satisfied that the poor boy" would not be sent to [ lison for bowling his hoop in the street, much more remanded for a week). But to my certain knowledge several had tobacco secreted in the lining of either coaf, jacket, trouser", or waist- coat. One m in had a blacklead pencil secreted in nis hair, behind his ear, which he took out of iho prison on his discharge at the end of a montu, The names of each individual were next called out from the magistrate's sheets (these sheets are of foolscap siz?, partly priuto I, aud used under every circumstance in connection with the career of a criminal). Prom the day of arrest until the day of release,every circumstance that can be ob- tained is duly entered, the warrant, the examina- tion, the trial, the health, description of person, all marks upon any part of the body, conduct, friends, or p ireuts, work; in face, as minute a history as is possible is entered upon these sheets, which are ultimately bound together iti carefully preferred. Extracts ;l sheets are made, which form the j, liegister." I used often to have many t'f uf* £ of these "caption sheets" through my >» (origiuals not copies)—and when j been moniou3 welcoming of the new »lllva 'V ease" concluded, we were ordered to s an iolJg The man next to me whispered, i n J j time getting the baths ready; we A out of our suppers in our ce. d between general buzz of whispering t o the prisoners, the warders Passa. ° eV thought with those of the prisoner w!;omd^3at;i|itScd they recognised. One m?D admittance, that this was ihe fortieth tui ecj a ai0p ou Tais time was because ne had ^'PP^knoV' the kisser, not enou.n to Ay. ■.„ ("Slop" is slang haii.an. means the mouth.) -A-ftei t> o tiie warders hour iu this not ateaf' P' as side us ourselves seemingly being tired, an I as MU •' th" :i i°d'ued "s as none of tiie P,lb° v funny "yarns, entertain tY^b" took place between the [»rest?ijfcl/ **■ in the warder-■—who !i«iu warders, which resulted 1. the Tiara b-teJ invited the g0 and see w.iat is to articles'—sayin3, f,, f ;(•'< ,L0 use stopping here -11 rajM. A d ti erm[wi ■>«• °f "» dS "p" S ops'ieii th. door, S.T. U.5'Trt ana saiu 11 ,^he w.mler replied, I wa, re»d?, n^ jo you suppose l'>» to know? Go tlowa at once, sir." The prisoner, „U indulged ra a grin at this" blow up," one prisoner saying, alius thought as how swearin' was a rate prohioited harticle in a jug (prison), but it don & seem line it 'ere any 'ow, he's got some, s'i:elp :ne never. The chief, alarmed, perhaps, at the unusual buzzing sound, opened his room door, and rolling out with arms clasped after the Napoleonic style, looked rather fiercely at the warders, and enquired, How is it they a e not in their celts yet?" The Principal Warder, with a deprecatoiy smile, replied, has gone to get the barthes and rations ready, sir. Wre shall clear them away in a few minutes, sir." Thereupon the Cbief observing. W ell, don't go to sleep over it, as perhaps they are cold," rolie I away to his room, and the Principal Warder, noticing one man standing with his hands folded behind his back nd appearing to be shaking in every limb with the cold, shouted to him, "Stand steady, sir," and—looking every terrible prison punishment at tho man—returned to his room. The warder, who had been ordered to "go Mid see," now returned, having been absent nearly 20 minutes (the bath place is in communication with the "cook house" at this prison). His mouth was full of some kind of food, widen he appeared to be munching as fast as he could, and, splutter- ing out as well as his full mouth would permit, he said, "AH right, send 'em on," [To be continued.)

THE GOVERNMENT COMMISSIONER'S MSPOIiT, ENQUIRY BEFORE THE CARDIFF STIPENDIARY. In the House of Commons on Thursday night, Mr Macdonald asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Commissioner sent by the Government to watch over the interest of the State at the Coroner's inquest into the cause of death of those who lost their lives in the Peny- graig Explosion haa yet made his report whether the Government contemplates taking action against the proprietors or manager of the mine, and if he would cause the report to be laid on the table of the House. Sir W. HARCOURT,in reply,said: The report has been received, and this, with the evidence, has been placed in the printer's hands, for the purpose being laid before Parliament. I have directed an inquiry to be held under the provisions of the 32nd section of the Coal Mines Regulation Act for determining whether the manager shall be deprived of his certificate. The enquiry will take place before the stipendiary magistrate at Cardiff.

MEETING OF THE GENERAL RELIEF COMMITTEE. At the meeting of the above body on Monday afternoon, held under the presidency of Mr Wil- liam Roberts, of the Golden Age (Mr Gwilym Williams being unable to attend), the secretaries produced their statistical accounts. These shewed that the local committee had received £4,337 lis 5Jd. From Cardiff £150 had been received Merthyr, £162; Bristol, £212. Mr Gethin, the landowner, contributed (as before stated in the South Wales Daily News) £200, and these sums made (with the Lord Mayor's Fund) a grand total of receipts of £5,619 13s5d. According to an intimation given by Dr. Lewis, of Penarth and Oxford, the whole of the Lord Mayor's Fund almost had accumulated during the first two weeks of its initiation. Dr. Lewis added that the reluctance of the colliers to endorse the Permanent Relief Fund principle largely accounted for the slowness of tne public to come still further to the rescue The advisability of making another appeal to the public on behalf of the bereaved was mooted but as all persons of influence and means had been written to. it was not deemed necessary to do more. It was, however, hoped that there would be a fresh accession of substantial aid, and that at once. It was not believed that the surplus of the other funds would be allowed to be used for the Penygraig people, although in 1 erndale alone the sum came to £10,000.

THE PROJECTED PIER AT PiSNAUTH. In the Provisional Orders of the Board of Trade there appears the following application with reference to the projected pier at Penarth ;— "1. To construct a pier commencing on, and 230 feet south of the northern end of the esplan. ade, and GO feet from the northern end of a block of houses known as Balcony Villas, and extending seawards in au easterly direction for about G40 feet, together with the necessary approach roads. "2. To levy rates. "3. To make bye-laws. The estimated cost of the proposed works is £10,000. The Draft Order provides that an annual account shall be sent to the Board of Trade, who are empowered to reduce the rates. Objections to the application have been reo ceived from the Penarth Harbour, Dock, and Rail- way Company and their lessees, the Tatf Vale Railway Company. The objections are to the effect that the proposed pier will obstruct the approach to. and interfere with the anchorage ground near,Penarth Harbour. The case is under consideration by the Board of Trade. Ti e pro- moter of the scheme is Mr H. H. Snslgrove.

PENARTH L0CAhli0A;iD. The monthly meeting of the Penarth Local Board u as held at the offices of the Board at Penarth on Monday evening. There were pre- seut Mr J. S. Corbett (who presided), Messrs T. R. Thompsou, J. P. Thompson, G. F. Adams, R. H. Strong, H. A, Jones, n, Forrest, and J, Richards, with the officers, Mr Corbett (clerk), Mr Harris (surveyor), and Mr Llewellyn (collector.) The latter reported that all the arrears of the highway rato had been recovered. Of the general district rate £401113 6d remained to be collected at the last meeting of the board, and of this £257 been since paid over to the treasurer. Plans were produced of private improvement roads in Ludlow-street, and the continuation of that street to Kymin-terrace, Church-street, Rec- tory-lane, &c, in the discussion, of which it ape peared that the board were not in a position to pay for the proposed works at once. Ultimately Mr T. R. Thompson proposed, and Mr Strong seconded, a motion to tha effect that tenders be advertised for, the work proceeded with, and payment made in four months after the completion of the works.—It was resolved to give the contract for scavenging to Mr David Morgan, the old contractor, at £ 2 per week.—The contract for repairing the roads in the parishes of Cogan and Penarth was entrusted to Mr Job Trask, who tendered his services for £10 for the year.—A committee was appointed to settle a tariff for pleasure boats plying from the beach.—There was no further business before the board.

Fencing lessons have become popular with young vomen In New York v '•' "<a='

1 CHATS WITH CHILDREN, [Br PAUL DOYTHOKNE.) Hasn't it been cold again? 1 wonder when the sweet spring time is coming, aud when the flowers will appear in the hedges, and the birds on the boughs. It made me feel quite sad Wllon I rea 1 I tiiese verses about spring the other day :— I ftln I am coming! Hark the little bee is huiutniiur; S;e, t'le :ark Í3 soarirg high In the blue and sanny skv. An 1 tha gnats oil the uiiig. Wheeling round iu airyrinj. Look around thee—loek around, .Mowers in all the fields abound; Every unn n x stream is bright* All tlio orchard trees are whita, And cash small and waving shoot Promises sweet (lon ers aail fruit.. The hdy who wrote that was c died Mary" Howitt. I intend to tell you something about her some day, because she urote ever so many nice things for children, and all li tie folks ought to be grateful because such a goou womau lived. PAYING FORFEITS. Of course, duung these long, dreary winter months you have often played at games in which yo i had forfeits to pay. Now I w ill tell you of some really funny penalties wnich it will puzz e the cleverest of you to remember. Wha, should you think if, when your forfeit had to be redeemed, you had to repeat a verse idee tins 'Pii yc was a man whose name was Cob. 1I had a wife whose nazno was Mob, 'Ho i'ad a do^ whoso nama was B >b, She had a cat whose name was Ciiiltyru. i Ji ib," says Cob, c, Chittyrob," says Moo, Mob's cat was Cinttyrob CJb, iijb, Mob, and Cuittyrob There if you can learn that by heart, and say it #df oa'ick without making a mistake, you are very clever indeed. However, I know something iwrder stili though it is very short. Here it is P ilv e ""d Borachio Mustaehio Whigkcrfusticus, i iiJrt aot" Brave Bombardino of B-.v<;da helped Abomilique Bluebeard Bashaw of Babel ilaudeb to bent ilown a Bumble B ;e at BaUora. li' ivin" to repeat that is » capital penalty, 1811 t it • but then how would this be I Oliver Osfilvie og-led an olive and oyster, Did Oliver ugilvio ogle an olive and oyster? Jf I Oliver Ogilvie ogled an olive and oyster, \,here's the"olive and oystar Oliver 06111'10 _?;1cd? If you can manage those three you v. id very likJy be able to say this one, which is the fun- niest of all i "DO she went into the garden to cat a cabbage leaf to make all appie pie. A great she bear coming up thfl hill poked her head iuto the bar- ber's shop. What! no soap ? So he died, and she very imprudently married the barber; and there were present at the funeral the Picaniunies and the Joblillies, and the C-anilillies, and the Grand Panjandrum himself, with the little round button at the top, and they fell to playing catch as catch can, till the gunpowder ran out at the heels of their boots?' WISE GEESE. You wouldn't think a goose could be wise, should yon. They seem to be about the foolishest things in the world yet Daddy Chatters has been talking to me about some geese that were very wise indeed. He says that a Hock of geese once saved a city from destruction, and that a great Roman philosopher had a goose that stayed with him night aud day. So there may be some good in a goose, after all. I am sure they are very good to eat. THE BAT. Tiie Professor has been talking to me a great The Professor has been talking to me a great deal about natural history lately and the other night he solemnly repeated this poem, which I thought I would print for you to read :— Don't you think, litlle friend, it would very odd look If you went to sleep hanging up by a hook ? And the plan. I presume, more unpleasant you'd think If yuu ImlJg" up for months without victuals or ùrÏak. Xoxy, then: b an animal you may have seen When you ill olJ ca3tlc.. or churches have been Which passes the winter exactiy like that; '1'isa quite common creature—its name is'a bat. These hooks which I speak of are very odd tilings They're the claws of the leg sticking out near the'svin^s; And the bats fold their winss closely over their breast And hang by their hooks when they're going to rest. OH DZAlt ME Another thing that the Professor was taking about was the toad. That is what made me exclaim, 011 dear me I" Toads are dreadful things to looic at, arn't they? I used to believe, and I daresay some of you believe now, that the could spit poison at people and kill them. Tha Professor says that is all nonsense, because toads are quite harmless. It used to bo believe i by lots of people that these ugly little things had a jewel in their heads. When you grow old enough to read fcjhakspe ire's uorks you will find that our great poet speaks of this; for he the tùvJ, tqly and veuemous, has still a precious jewel in his head." The Professor 8ays that h nil nonsense, too. All that is worth knowing about the toad, he tells me, is that it cannot hop as the frog doe., that it has 110 tail and no teeth, and that it captures its food with a long wiry tongue which it usually keeps doubled up in its month. The point of the tongue is covered with sticky matter like glue. When it sees an insect, the toad iixes its bright eyes upon it, creeps forward, i-nd when near enough darts out its tongue, and as quickly return* it to its month with the in- sect fixed to the point. If in its rambles it has the good luck to come across a a ants' nest, its tongue darts right and left, and the ants vanish so quickly that you wonder where they are gone. The motion of the tongue is so rapid that you can scarcely follow it. The toa 1 feeds on ali sorts of flies, ants, beetles, aud even snails; and it alwaya swallows it prey alive. Like the frog, the toad sleeps during the months in holes in the ground, or other warm places. In the summer it frequents pjols and streams. Iu the day time it hides itself in shady places, and comes ont to feed at night, or after warm rain. There, that is a bit of natural history for yon; and wi en you see a toad again you can think it over. It will be news for some of you, perhaps, to hear that there is no reason why you should get frightened and run away. RIDDLE-MA-REE. A little girl that I kuow has just been asking me some guessing stúries" as she calli thlII. This was the first Wiiat is the difference bet een a jailer and a je eHer ?" I gave it up at once, because I am the stupidest old fellow you ever saw at guessing riddles. However, this was the answer :—"Because one watches cells and the other sells watches." That's not a bad one, is it ? This is anotiier that the little girl asked me :— Why do a king und a book resemble each other ?" I had to give that up too, and then I was told that it was because they both had pages." See how puzzlingly clever some of you little folks are THE FAIBY AND HER FRIENDS. Daddy Chirrups says I am very dull this week, and insists that I should tell a good story. I told liim to tell a s.ory himself, so he did, and this was it;— One fine summer's day, a lovely but giddy Fairy went sporting about from one flower to another in a beautiful garden, as gay as any morn- ing lark. She first flew to the Rose, and said— Rose, if the sun were clouded, and a storm were to come on, would you shelter and love me still ?" Do you doubt me ?" said the Rose, reddening up with anger. "Lily," said the Fairy to another, "if the sun were clouded, and a storm were to come on, would you shelter and love me still ?" Oh do you think I could ever change ?" said the Lily, and she grew pale with sorrow as she spoke. "Tulip," said the Fairy, "if the sun were clouded, and a storm were to come on, would you shelter and love me still ?" How can you ask such a question ?" said the Tulip, making a gentlemanly bow you are the very first lady that ever doubted my constancy." So the Fairy sported on, joyful to think of her kind and blooming friends. She revelled away for a time, and then she thought of the pale blue Violet, that was almost covered with green leaves; and, though it was an old companion, she might have forgotton it, had it not been for the sweet scent that came up from the modest flower. Oh! Violet," said the Fairy, if the sun were clouded, and a storm were to come on. would you shelter and love me still?" The Violet made answer, "Yoa havekuowu me long, sweet Fairy and in the first spring time when there were few flowers, you used to find shelter from the cold blast under my leaves; now you have almost forgotten me but let that pass. Try my truth if ever you should meet with mis. fortune—but 1 say nothing." The Fairy made no answer, clapped her silvery wings, and flitted away singing on a sunbeam. But she was hardly gone, when a great black cloud covered the sky, and the rain fell splashing down like hail. Isow, Rose," says she, "the rain is come, so shelter me from the storm, and love me still." "lean hardly shelter my own buds," savs the Rose, "but the Lily has a deep cup; ask "her to take you in." Well, the poor little Fairy got to the Lily, and said, Oh! Lily, the storm is come, so give me shelter, and love me still." "I am sorry," says the Lily, "but if I were to open my cup, the rain would beat in, and my seed would be all spoiled. Go to the Tulip, he has long broad leaves, you see." Ihe 1<airy was do \n-hearted enough at this, but off she went to the Tulip, She did not find linn looking so bright as he did in the morning, but she waved her little wand, and said, Tulip, the ruin and the storm are come, and I am very weary, but you will shelter me, and love me still." Begone says the Tulip lie off says he. A pretty condition I should be in if I let every wandering vagabond into my cup. Begone! I say." By this time the little Fairy was very tired, aud her wings huug dripping at her back, quite wet-but there was no fQf t; so, leaning on her silver wand, she limped on to modest Viokt; aud the darling little flower, with .its deep Tjlue eye, saw her coming, and without epakillg a. word, opened her thick green leaves and took the wanderer to her bosom, dried her wings, breathed perfumes over her, and sheltered her till the storm was gone. Then spoke the humble Violet, and said, "Fairy Queen, learn from thy misfortunes that the humble and faithful love of one sincere friend is better than all the empty compliments of the giddy world." The fairy felt the reproof, and knew it to be true, and ever after built her bower under the wide-spreading leaves of the faithful Violet. r—^————•

THE PENARTH, SULLY. AND BARRY RAILWAY BILL. HOUSE OF LORDS, Tuesday.— The opposition to the Penarth, Sully, aud Barry Railway Bill was to-day withdrawn.

One of the heroes of Rorke's Drift named Cassidy has been sentenced to a month's imprison* ment for larceny at Brighton. Hoode Farm, a few miles from Canterbury, the private property of the Archbishop, was destroyed by fire on Monday night. The report of an intended marriage between Mr Herbert Gladstone, i\iI,P.. and a daughter of'Lady Huntingtower is contradicted. The opening of M. Hyacinthe Loyson's new church in the Rue d'Arras on Sunday afternoon attracted a considerable attendance of ueople.

THE CENSUS FOR 1881. ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CARDIFF DISTRICT. The registrar for the Cardiff district, Mr R. R. Watkins, has just c omplete his arrangemJ>u;3 y'1' taking the census of ids district, which Caira, Canton, Cardiff (All Saints, St. John's, anu St. Mary's), Cogan, (Jabalva, Lavernock, Leek- with, Llandaff, Llandough, Michelstone-le-pit, Penarth, lladyr, lloath, Rumuey, St. Pagan's, and St. Mellon' This is the third time Mr Walkins has had to discharge this duty. In 1871 the whole country w.,s divided into enumerators' districts, and the Registrar-General advises that tle,o dis- tricts should be, if possible, adhered to, t),,It Cardiff is all exceptional town as regards the i;1- crease of its population, and in 1871 the machinery of lSGl hat to be remodelled and enlarged now the whole district has to be agaiu revised and entirely rearranged. The popula- tion.of Cardiff has considerably increased since 1671, and-JYJr NYatkins calculates that there are nearly 1C0,00L) residents in his district. The census this tfme is to be taken on a more compre- hensive seile tiiztn foriiierly. The whole country is divided into counties, boroughs (both Parlia- mentary and municipal), parishes, ecclesiastic d districts, and wards. The number of houses in each of these divisions has to ba given, those uu. inhabited, or in coarse of erection. Woik,4, ware- houses, shops, public buildings, are all to be speci- fied, and with respect to dwelling-houses, the nuin- ber of persons, age, sex, occupation, where born, married or single, who are aliie in the house at midnight on the night of Sunday, tha 8th Apii), are to be recorded, aud these returns are atter. wards to be so arranged that the population, num- ber of houses of each borough (both Parliamentary and municipal), each parid). each ward, or each ecclesiastical district, whether such ecclesiastical district, ward, &c., form a parish or not, can be ascertained. To carry out t esa instruc- tions of the Registrar-General, the Cardiff district is separated int.s divisions, each to embrace from 200 to 30) house.?, no division being so large but that an enumerator" (in some cases be is allowed an assistant) can visit every house within it during the day. And this is one of the chief points for the registrar to consider. Every schedule distributed must be agaiu in the hands of the enumerators, properly filled up, oil Monday. The registrar of the district is responsible for ttie returtis, but in seaport towns the officers of Her Majesty's Customs have to assist him by ascer- taining the number of sailors on board the vessels at anchor within the port, and it will therefore be necessary for every ship in the docks and those at anchor in the roads, unless they belong to the Royal Navy, to be visited on Saturday," the 2nd April, the usual scheduler left uith the capbin, and these again wili be collected ou Monday, 4tli April. The Collector of Customs has a'so to re- gister the vessels and take the census of the crew on rrivin from ny foreign part during t'.e month of April, provided the ship has not anchored at any Jinglish port previously during that month. These returns will be added to the registrar's re- turns in time for publication in the census of the whole kingdom. In the case of barges on the canals, the census of those on board has to be taken by the enumerator in the salue maimer as fixed residents, and in the same way g psies, or itinerant 'Hucksters, leading a wandering life, and residing in vans or tents, oa heaths, commons, or waste land, have all to be carefullyincluded iu the returns. The keeper of every lodging-house will be supplied with a schedule on which to insert the name, age, sex, and profession of every per- son sleeping iu his house and alive at midnight on the night of the 3rd of April. Every keeper of an hotel or public-house has to do tiie same. The master of the workhouse has to return similar particulars respecting all the regular inmates of that place, and also those in the casual wards. At the barracks the quarter- master has to make tiie return if there are more than 200 soldiers in them. The governors of gaols, the superintendents of sailors' homes, hospitals, infirmaries, industrial schools, and public institu- tions of all kinds, where any persons sleep on the premises, have to do the same, and these returns are sent to the registrar. THe object is to record the population of the whole kingdom at midnight, and the schedule to be filled up by each head of the family' should contain the name of every person, and also the record of a birth before mid- night in the event of no name having been given to the infant. The name of anyone dying before midnight must be excluded from the return. In the case of parties being lodgers in a house only one schedule will be left with the occupier, but where distinct families occupy separate apart- ments in a house, one schedule will be left for each family, and this will be in English or Welsh, as may be desired. In order to L),ive parties time to read and comprehend the printed instructions on the schedule, which are very explicit, they will be left at eacii house during the week ending on the 2nd of April, but all of them will be collected oil the Monday following. Mr Watkins has takeu considerable trouble in prepar- ing the work for the enumerators and in facilitat- ing the arrangements for calculating the popula- tion, number of houses, &c., within his district, under the several heads required by the Registrar- General. On the last occasion his returns were compiled, arranged, transmitted, and published long before those of many other registrars in the country,and although the population has increased, this will probably be the case for the census of 1881. He has now obtained large plans of Car- diff divided into wards, parishes, ecclesiastical districts, etc. This has been sub-divided into enu- merators' districts, and a plan of every division, with the houses, courts, and streets named upon it is prepared for each enumerator, who is furnished with a description of his district, who, if au entire stranger to the town, could not fail to recognise every houe at which he had to all. <> On the last occasion 37 enumerators were employed for the Cardiff district. This was a large increase oa the number engaged for the census of 1871, but on the present occasion 58 enumerators are engaged. By the preparation of these plans, the registrar is enabled to ascertain where the great increase in the population has taken place. These are Roath, Canton, and Oat hays. In 1871 only three enumerators were required for Roath, now 12 are engaged. At the last census only two enumerators were required la, for Canton, no v eight The number of enumer- ators for the parish of St, John is also greatly in excess of the number tor 1871, while the number for the parish of St. Mary remains nearly the same.

CARDIFF BOARD OF GUARDIANS. THE VACCINATION DISTRICTS. THE ATTENDANCE OF GUARDIANS. The weekly meeting of the Cardiff Board of Guardians was held on Saturday, Mr C.W. David in tiie chair. It was reported that there had been during the week 17 admissions, 23 discharges, 2 deaths, leaving 423 in the house, an increase of 11 on the corresponding week of last year. Vagrants re- lieved, 31; corresponding week, 31. The Superintendent of the Ely Schools reported that there had been during the week 3 admissions, 1 discharge, leaving 225 in the institution, a de- crease of 27 on the corresponding week of last year. The out-door relief returns showed that there had been a decrease in the number of persons to whom relief was granted of 203, and in the total amount a decrease of B25 14s 2d, two-thirds of which was in the No. 1 district. The Clerk intimated that he had received a letter from Mr Bird, trustee of the Guildford- street Chapel, giving notice that the chapel authorities desired to discontinue granting the -use of a room there as a pay-station, and the guardians thereupon directed the relieving officer to look out for a suitable room for the purpose. The Clerk mentioned that he was given to understand that the board could secure the first house in Frederick-stieet. for a dispensary, for a rent of £30 per annum. Dr. PAINE said the locality was a most desirable one. Mr T. W, JACOBS, who had visited the house and inspected the accommodation afforded, recom- mended the guardians to take it at once. This was agreed to, subject to the Local Govern- ment Board's order, it being stated that the public dispenser would live there. Tiie CHAIRMAN said it had occurred to him that it would be more beneficial to the poor, aud more economical to the board, if, instead of giving orders for beef for beef tea, orders were given for beef tea itself—that beef tea to be made at the workhouse. Dr PAINE was of opinion that this arrangement, if it couid be carried out without interfering with the house arrangements, was a very desirable one. On the suggestion of the Chairman, the subject was referred to the visiting committee. The Clerk mentioned that, owing to the pauper, Eliza Livey, leaving with her family, the order of removal to the Porteea Union had to be aban- doned, as she ceased to be chargeable to this union. The place of settlement had, he believed, been fo.iiid to be in the Portsea Union. As the guardians would remember, the Portsea Board opposed the order for removal, and an action was consequently entered, which of course had to be abandoned. The bill of costs sent in amounted to £ 61 5s 7d. He attended before the clerk of the peace, and Lad the bill taxed, and after taxation (and taking into account the expenditure thereby- involved) the bill came to X34. This board had, he believed, a good ground for the action, and the order was quite unimpeachable, but the removal of the pauper rendered the abandonment of the order absolutely necessary. The CHAIRMAN said there was no alterative but to pay the sum mentioned by -M»- Stephenson, the clerk, The Visiting Committee's report contained, among others, the following recommendation:— That Mr Burten's (contractor) tender for restor- ing the broken Main waring cisterns, using existing fittings, at 14a each, be accepted.—That the architects be requested to report on the cost of providing galvanised iron tanks to hold 2,000 gallons, with wrought iron girders and masonry required for fixing, anl all necessary fittings.— That the nurses' room at tha Refuge be used as a place for instructing boys with sore eyes who cannot be removed to Ely School.—The Com- mittee having considered the particulars furnished by the Registrar of Bath Hospital as to the 25 poor patients received there from places in this Uuion during the past five years, strongly recom. mend the guardians to continue their auntial sub- scription of £ 5.—The committee recommend that periodical reports be obtained as to the condition and circumstances of the paupers relieved ou account of this Union by olxer Unions, to be made by the relieving-ofiicers of the Union where those paupers reside," This report was, on the motion of the CHAIRMAN, seconded by Dr. PAINE, adopted. The follow, ing report from the Vaccination Com- mittee was next considered The returns of the vaccination officers for the year 1879, and the half- year ended June, 1880, were laid before the coon. mittee. Mr Watkins, the vaccination officer, was directed to lay before the Board of Guardiaus the names of the 36 defaulters shewn by the return of 1879, and to take their instructions as to summon- ing the parents. Mr Watkins was directed to adhere more strictly to the instructions of the Local Government Board, more particularly as to the punctual issue of the prescribed notices in case3 where parents have neglected to have their children vaccinated within the required time.* The committee, having considered the questiea erred to them by the board as to whether any, and if any, what changes I are required to be made in the vaccination arrangements of tho union consequeut on the | proposed alterations of medical districts, recom- lUeud That it is expedient to ii;al,-e the vaccination districts correspond, a=s far as piac- tic-able, with the Poor-iaw medical districts, aud to appoint the medical officers public vaccinators that the iicNV Penanh m- die d district be a vaccin- ation district that the new Peatyrch medical Is u* be a vaccination district thlit the Roath and jyolotiauds mtldical districts be separate vaccia,,Lt) Ilistricts that Graiigeto.vn be a ided to the old town vaccination district—Mr T. G. Horder, public vaccinator that a scheme setting forth the alterations as above proposed be submitted to the LO0'1.1 Oovernment Board." -Tj.e return Mr Wat:N:ls \as, directed to make not containing the alleged why the 36 children mentioned in the lv;»>ort had not been vaccinated,mstruoiiu.as ueregl»v',a tnat such snould be filled in. # n The report was adopted, on tiie m^ I0U ot •L,r« -TAINS. e i\ir PLAIN complained of the scant attCTs^ance of guardiaus at the eekly meetings, a fow ni^ bers of the Bjard being left to do tiie work of all. j In St Mary's parish there were seven guardiaus, but very few of them turned up at the llleetíllW. He expresecl a hope that the ratepayers would, upon the occa-ion of the election, return such guardians as would attend, without reference either to their politics or their religion. lie pro- posed that the number of attendances of each guardian should be ascertained and seat to the newspapers for insertien. Mr T. VV". dACO-BS seconded the motbn, for he believed the ratepayers ought to know how they were represented at this board. MrMMyehurch, for instance, had uot attended r single meeting. Mr Stephens had only attended three public mEeL- ings, and, he (Mr Jacobs) thought, not a single committee meeting. Mr Morgan Morgan again, had only attended fi ve times. '1 he CHAIRMAN suggested that a return similar to that issued by the Corporation should be ol). tained. Dr. PAINE reminded the board that in the case of hlIldt au t the chairman, they being ex- officio members of every committee, the disparity between their total attendances and the oossible total would no doubt be very great, the reason for which ought to be pointed out. The Rev. YIN-CENT SACLEZ said he thought the reason for the bad attendance was to be sought for in the day of meeting, which was, he thought, an inconvenient one for business men. After some discassiou, it was agreed that the return, as requested, should bo prepared and priiite i. There II as no other business of public interest.

THE WELSH JN LONDON. [FEOM OUR WELSH GO K RES POND 3NT. ] On Wednesday evening i\lr ,1. H. l'u1eston, M.P., presided over the annual meeting of the Welsh Congregationalists, at Fetter-lanc Chapel. Iu his opening address the Chairmau insisted that the perpetuation of the Welsh language should be the aim of every true-hearted Welshman. Quoting a remark made by the late Sheridan Knowies at the fh-st meeting of the Cambrian Literary Society (when that distinguished statesman Sir George Cornevvall Lewis presided), to the effect that as many languages as a man knows so many times is he a man." Mr Puleston pointed out that the cluallinguistic knowledge of the Welsh people could not in any way be a barrier to their pro- gress. For instance, the Welsh in America, of whom lie had much experience, were held in as much esteem and were as successful citizens as any class in the great Republic of the West. In con- clusion he referred t., the great loss that Welsh London would sustain in the removal of the Rev. R. Williams (Hwfa Mou), who in a few months leaves the metropolis to undertake pastoral charges in Anglesey. The delay in providing higher education in Wales formed the principal subject of addresses given by the Revs, Jenkin Jones and R. L. Thomas, and the enthusiasm with which the audience endorsed the protests made by these gentlemen proved ho v deeply they felt the tardiness of the Government in interfering. Other addresses were delivered by the Revs. J, Jones (Episcopalian), J. Evans (Wesley-iii), J. Rowlands, and Hwfa lolon and a number of sun;;s were given, Itowevei-, were more notable for ambitious effort than artistic realisa- tion-Niiss Annie Williams, Miss Rees, and Miss S. Roberts may be named as exceptions. A vote of thanks to the chairman brought the meeting to a cloae. A committee met on Thursday to consider the best means of testifying the respect and honour which Hwfa Mon is held in amongst the Welsii in Loudon. The dt. David's Day Concert at St. James's Hall is expected to add about £ 30 to the Peny- graig Explosion Fund. Mr Brinley Richards left London on Tuesday to commence his duties in the provinces as official travelling examiner on behalf of the Royal Academy of Music. The applicants for examina- tion are so numerous, nearly 1,000, I believe, in all, that three examiners have been appointed to assist Mr Richards. These are Messrs Walter M.tcfarren, Arthur O'Leary, and Walter Daven- port, and they will undertake the examinations in the towns of the North and East of England, as well as ill Jersey and Guernsey. Mr B. Richards takes the principal towns in the midland counties, as well as North and South Wales. He hopes to arrive at Cardiff, after visiting Bath and Bristol, &c.. about the end of April. The many friends of the composer of "God bless the Pnnce of Wales" will be glad to learn that a grand complimentary concert is to be given to him ..t the St. James's Hall on the 21st May. The Right Hon. GeorgeOsborni Morgan, M.P., Judge-Advocate-General, has conseuted to become one ot the vice-presidents of the National Eistedd- fod Association. Llew Llwyfo, well known in connection with Welsh eisteddfodau and Welsh journalism, has for some time been a patient at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. He is suffering from facial paralysis, but is making some progress towards recovery. The poet's finances not being in a nourishing con- dition, while the expenses entailed are Decessavily great, any assistance by friends and well wishers will be welcomed. In connection with the North Wales Scholar- ship Association, an offer of a yearly subscription of £ 30 has been received from Mr John Roberts, M.P. The object of the association is to provide scholarships at grammar schools for successful pupils in elementary schools. At a meeting of the governors of the Welsh Charity Schools, Mr T. M. Williams, B. A,, was appointed on the house committee for the ensuing year, and Mr Jenkins, Mayor of Swansea, and Mr Pry ce Jones, of Newto it-u, were added to the committee who have in hand the consideration of a scheme for the reconstruction of the schools. This scheme, of which I gave a resume some months ago, is now delayed being carried into effect until the report of the Departmental Committee into Higher Education in Wales has been issued. A strong feeling exists among the governors that the schools at Ashford should be thrown open for the education of Welsh orphan girls of the middle classes, and failing these that other deserving applicants be admitted. The scheme has thus an afiinity with that of the Howell Schools at Llan- daff and elsewhere. A liberal extension of the constitution of the Welsh Charity Schools, if it can ba effected compatible with the wishes of the founders, must have a beneficial result as far as the fortunes of the schools are concerned. At a meeting of the council of the Cymmrodorion Society,Mr W. Cadwalader Davies, Bangor, and Mr W. Davies (Mynorydd) were iiimef as secre- taries of the sectional meetings to be held in con- nection with the National Eisteddfod of Merthyr. Dr. Isambard Owen and Mr Hugh Owen and other gentlemen will undertake committee duties. A committee, including the Rev. J. Davies. M.A.. Dr. Isambard Owen, M.A., M: Howel Lloyd, Mr Ignatius Williams (North Wales Circuit), Mr David Lewis (South Wales Circuit), Mr Hancock, &c., was appointed to take into c consideration the practicability of forming a Welsii Dialect and Folk Lore Society. A suggestion in this direction, it will be remembered, was recently made by Mr H. Sweet before the PhilologIcll Society. Mr Wirt Sikes, of Cardiff, the Revs. D. Jones Davies, Mr David Lewis, and Prefeior-Ilhys will read papers before the society during the present session, and the Cyr,imrodor will contain an article by the latter on "Carnarvonshire Folk Lore." The conversazione has been fixed for the 2Sth ApriU

THE IIOjIE SECRETAHY AND THE HHONDDA COLLIEUY. -r PR0r03ED OFFICIAL REFORM. Sir W. V. Harcourt, Secretary of State for the Home Department, has written to the executive of the Rhon Ida Collier acknowledging the receipt of their resolution with respect to the advisability of increasing the number of mines' inspectors in South Wales and Monmouthshire. The right lion, gentleman states that these matters shall have all due attention when a convenient opportunity arises.

LIBERALISM IN I'llili llnOSDDA. At the close of Mr Howes' lecture upon Glad- stone and Disraeli," at Portb, on Wednesday night (Mr J. Griffiths presiding), Mr Idris V. lliiams proposed, and the Rev. George Thomas seconded, a resolution to the following effect :—" That this meeting, considering iti.ipQl.tant legislation which is to be brougtiLioryyard Py tne present ftdm»niatraiion, which will require all the support the constituency can render the Government, recognises the necessity for more active work. We therefore pledge ourselves to strengthen in every district the Liberal organization which has been established in the Rhondda Valley." Tiie assembly unanimously endorsed the resolution.

CURIOUS BREACH OF PROMISE CASE. J' pro' A remarkable breach of promise case was called in the Edinburgh Court of Session on Wednesday. The pursuer, Agnes Vogr, twenty years of age, resided in Glasgow, where the defender, ratrick Leeson, is a wealthy spirit dealer. Both are Roman Catholics. The defender was introduced to the pursuer by the Rev, Mr M'Couville, with a view to paying his addresses to her. The parties were formally betrothed and the wedding day fixed. A rupture, however, occurred through the defender's refusal to taice a separate house for his sister. After this the Rev. Dr. Munro, another priest, called upon the pursuer, and said the defender was mad, and advised her to take no pro- ceedings against him. To this she agreed, but the week after the defender wi-a married to the sister of a former colleague of Dr. Munro, The pursuer then raised au action for E2,000 damages. The case, which was expected to thro x some liaht on the clerical doings Íll the Roman Catholic Church, was settled by arrangement, the pursuer receiving 2-120 and expenses.

The Canadian ladies are striving to get 100,000 signatures to their address to be presenied to Queen Victoria on her birthday, and attesting I their continued loyalty. The revised version of the New Testament, to appear about the middle of May, will be published iu five sizes, tha prices being respectively 12a fxL 8a, 4s 6d, 2a Gd. and U.

TOWN IMPROVEMENTS AT NEWPORT. IMPORTANT MEETING OF RATE- I PAYERS. THE VIEWS OF THE TOWN COUNCIL. Strong evidences have not been wanting in Newport for some time past that the much vexed question as to the formation of a new street between the centre of the town and Dock-street would result ia a struggle between the advocates of the fchome and those opposed to it. In com. pli jnee with a memorial, the Mayor convened a public meeting of the ratepayers, which was held at the Albert Hall, on Thursday evening. Between 2,00) and 3,000 of the inhabitants were present, and great interest was ma- nifested in the subject under considera- tion throughout. The haU commenced to fill at half-past seven o'clock, and by the time that the Mayor took the chair, half-an-hour later, it was crn Ided from end to end. The Mayor was received with applause as he ap;-eared upon the platform, where lie was suppoited by a large and (.'influential body of the ratepayers. T MAYOR, who was received with loud cheers, Ba;j o ^'w'" outset.of. his remarks that he had re- ceived* Uv"* .l'e<lui8!t-ions upon the subject of the nonosed new °,ne 6'orued by about 70 per- sons iu opposition*W construct1 m of the street, anoth-r signed by abo; zu favour of the construction of the AJ. the outsJet he asked them to dismiss 'Jeu mmds the placards which had been a j letters that had bejn written, some oi **i er the influence of excitemeat, for he assu. pre.seut that none of the gentlemen who" written these placards or written the33 letters til"1, had the proper sources of information. Therefore, he aske 1 them to give an unbiassed consideration to the q uestioll-uabilse I either from a sectional or a political point of view. (Hear, hear.) First of all, as to the character of the meeting. Strictly speaking, it had rothiag of legal power, for some- where about November, 18-5, a resolution was passed at a ratepayers' meeting authorising the Town Council to proceed with the Improvement Act, aud also with the construction of the new street, so that the Town liouncil were already armed with all necessary legal powers. But still if a resolution .,as passed at this meeting by a very considerable majority re-approving of that deci- sion or disapproving of the same, it would be receive I with that deference by the Town Council to which the decision of the ratepayers was fairly entitled. (Hear, hear.) Referring to the past history and the present position of this question, he reminded the meeting that the Parliamentary Committee that had to do with the inception of the Improvement Act recommended to the Town Council and also to the meeting of ratepayers two provisiou" -first of all, be partial widening of High-street; and secondly, the construction of a new street between Newport liridge in the direc- tion of Dock-street. The ratepayers did not accept the widening of High-street, but they accepted the other—the construction of the new street. hey ought to bear in mind that these schemes were not recommended bp tin Parliamentary Com- mittee as rival schemes, but as schemes that would meet the wauta of Newport for tae next 25 years, as far as increased traffic was concerned. First of all, the Mayor proceeded, he wished to draw attention to the cost of the new street, and then as to the advantage that would accrue, showing, at the same time, that these advantages were sufficient to justify the expenditure. What, he asked, would be the irobable cost of tile new street ? Now he was the chairman of the Parlia- mentary Committee. That committee had held a great many meetings upon this subject, and lie was armed with full powers by the Parliamentary Committee to represent to this meetiug the opinions of the l'arliamentaty Committee after mature del beralion. (Hear, hear.) As to the coat of the street ? The surveyor had made an estimate, and his estimate Lad been checked by the Parliamentary Committee and in that e-timate there were two or three things which ought to be considered. First of all what would it cost to purchase the site? and secondly, what woul I it cost to construct the street, and then again as to what they would be able 10 ^ain by purchasing certain sites, and the benelit that would result by afterwards re-selling them ? It was not generally understood, that the Town Council had considerable lines of deviation in connection with the Improvement Act and that they were armed with powers to purchase these sites as frehold", to hold them in their hands for a certain time, and when they thought proper to resell them. In connection with that he thought that considerable profit would accrue, benefits which v. ould go to the reduction or lessening of the cost of the street. According to the estimate of the surveyor, the maximum cost of the street would be £ 40,000. That was the nett cost of the street. It that was constructed, the immediate consequence would be that that very valuable property, the Friars' Fields, would be immediately put iuto the market; they might put it into the auction mart, or lay it out in building laud, That would, according to the esti- mate of the surveyor, bring them in a gross sum of £ 10,000. Deducting that sum from the £ 10,000, which they w ere fairly entitled to do, the cost of the street would amount to £ 30,000. Under the Improvement Act the council had power to b,)rrow money for a period of 6u years. But they found it difficult to get money for that period. Persons would not lend money for more thau 50 years. Taking that ierio 1 as a criterion, and repaying the sum of at five percent, tiat would mean £1,500 a year out of the rates of the town. Ivo;v, in Newport a rate of Id in the £ produced £ 500,so t:¡at £1,500 a year would be equal to a charge of 3d in £ As the re- sult of the construction of the new street, they would have large warehouses built there, aad the opiuion of the Parliamentary Committee was that there would be a large increase in the rateable value in connection with the construction of the new street. Tiiat was prospective value, of course; but he was certain that it would amount to a very considerable figure. Theu there was another consideration. Tne rateable value of Newport was continually increasing. Takiug the General District rate as a basis for calculation, in the year 1861 a rate of Id in the £ produced £ 307. No v a rate of Id in the £ produced £ 500— an increase in 20 years of 70 per cent. Adopting the siime ratio of increase in the year 1901, a rate of Id in the £ would produce the sum of £ 350. He affirmed, in answer to objections which might be made, that the rates would not increase at the same rate as the rateable value of the property. Tne Town Council had recently borrowed the sum of £ 14,000 to pay the expenses in connection with the Improvement Act —the purchase of the cemetery tnd the expenses connected with the construction of the new entrance, as it was callsd. That loan cost the town £700 a year out of the rates, and that had been paid ithout increasing the general district rate by Id in the 2. Consequently, da- ducting the amount spent upon this ground, he was justified in saying that, taking into account the increased rateable value of the town, the cost of the construction of the new street would not amount to more than 2d in the C. Bat. again, six years hence they would have finished with the drainage loan. That cost now 900 a year. In 10 years the payment in connection with the Friars' Field would fall in, and that now amounted to k500 a year. So that in 10 years the ratepayers would have £1,40J a year at their com- mand, and that would meet t,;e expense of the construction then of the new street. As far as their immediate expenses were concerned, these would not amount to more than d in the £ for 10 years. Dealing with the advantages which would accrue to the town from the construction of the new street, he said it would relieve the very heavy traffic now passing through High-street, and there was a very heavy traffic between the river wharf and the Dock-street Station, which would be able to go down the new street, in the direction of Dock-street, to the lower parts of the town. With reference to statements which had been made as to the widening of High-street, the Parliamentary Committee thought the expense of making that street 15 feet wide all the way would be simply colossal, as to do so they would have to destroy business premises and destroy the sitei. He explained that by the construction of the new street there would be increased tramway conveniences, and urged that now was the proper time set about the the work, Lord Tredegar being an assenting party, aud the town having already gone to the expense of £ 6,000 to get the Improvement Act. If they left the con- struction of the ne-v stiect for 10 or 15 years it would double thsexpense.Hispriuciple was the great- est good for the greatest number, at the cheapest rate and carrying out that principle, he a vocaled the adoption of the propos';l to make the new street. He assured them they must give facilities for trade before trade came, instancing the benefits which had resulted from the enter- prise of the Alexandra Dock Co. as a proJÍ of his assertion. And in conclusion he mentioned what had been done in Cardiff, -.t here £ 130,000 had been spent in the construction and improvement of the streets, and where it was intended to spend £ 20,000 more while the rateable value of Cardiff was not much more than twice as much as New- port. At the present moment the ratepayers of Cardiff were paying G 1 per £ in order to P.IY the expense of reconstructing tiie old streets; aud con- structing new oues. (Applause.) Mr J. S. STONE then rose to speak, and was also received with cheers. He said lie felt sure the meeting must have htard the statement of the Mayor ivitit satisfaction, an.1 they must feel that he had exploded that bombshell wbicli had been hanging over them for some time in the shape of tire tUmoiU- That the town was about to be plunged into ruin through the construction of this street. (Hear, hear.) He believed that this was a project which, now that it _wa3 placed in a proper light TjeFofe inem, wonici commend itself to the working classes as well as to the well-to-do ratepayers, aud he asked them, in the face of the improvements which were being made in the neighbouring town of Cardiff, and the necessity for improved facilities of traffic with the centre of the town, through the construction of a central xaihvay station, the inhabitants would adopt so suicidal a policy as to continue to oppose all improvement which would help them to keep pace with the times ? (Loud cries of "No, no.") He believed, in fact, that the street Ulight be made a profit to the town urthe course of time, and he did not see why that extensive property of the Corporation known as Friars' Fields should not be utilised for the purpose of carrying out the project, or why it should lie idle auy longer. (Hear. bear.) He had taken an interest in the progress of the town for the last 30 years. (Ap- plause.) And he did not mean to sup- port any scheme which he did not think .vuulA tend to its benefit, but he believed that this project was a necessity, and he therefore had much pleasure in moving the adoption of the following resolution:—"That this meeting is convinced that, in the interest of the ratepayers of this borough, it is highly im. portant that the proposed new street should be constructed, ullll it earnestly requested the Toivu Council to exercise the Parliamentary powers obtained for that purpose by the Improvement Act, 1876." (Loud applause.) Air MOSES WHEELEU, in seconding the motion. stated that lie had made a calculation which showed that the new street would give a frontage of 800 yards on each side, which would allow of the building of 140 separate premises, which would produce an increase of something like £1,400 a year to the rateable value of the town, and this, together with the interest on the money which might be obtained from the sale of I'tiara' Fields. would nearly, if not quite, cover the outl iy upon the new street. He maintaiued that it would iu the end prove a boon to the town, by the circula- tion of money upon the works and in other ways,a High-street improvement had done, and to shoAr that the Corporation were justified iu entering upon the scheme, and had .studied economy, he reminded the meeting that the borough rate had fallen from 5s 2d in 1872 to 4s 8d last year, a decrease of 6d in seven years. (Applause, aud Question.") Mr A- J. STEVENS, who was received with cheers, mingled with hisses, rose to propose the following amendment 1'hat this meetiug is ot opinion that in the present state of the towu and having regard to the recent widening of High- street, it is desiiable that the construction of the proposed new street be postponed until there shall appear to be a pressing necessity for it." (Cheers hisses, and great confusion.) The MA YOB then restored order by requesting the meeting to give both sides a fair heariij", 0> Mr STEYMXS proceeded to correct a misappre- hension as to the purport of the memorial alluded to, signed by 60 or 70 persons, which, he said, was not a protest against the formation of the street, but a.request to hold a public meeting that the question might be fully discussed. (Hear, hear.) He then argued that the question was not one of cost, but. of necessity, and he maintained that -his was not a work of necessity iu any setue. aud that it would not give a con- venient approach to the central railway station. He then maintained that the premises which might be erected along the new street could not bo turned to good account, because they would not be in a suitable position to be used as ware- houses or as shops. He did ..ot consider there was auy necessity for a tramway ou this route, and a for cattle, he thought they could just as well con- fc'nue to go the. same way as they did now. In usiou, he quite agreed that there was a neces- sity /or v*>xPenditure of money upon improve.uents in Newpii ^>a'; ^le l'eld that it was highly unde- sirable to!Wntl «P?»this project. (Cheers and counter de^^08"1.;1'10118') Mr R. LAYBOIT^ -sec? the motion, out was received with 1Ul.b disfavour and continual calls of "Sit do AD resJ'1*'1"1 great confusion. The MAYOU again apoea>d the meting to listen to the arguments on botu* sides. Mr LAYBOUHNK then continued," amid frequent interruptions, to oppose the and suggest it would be much better for the C-or^'°r^' tion to set about making a better approach Alexandra Dock thau to spend the ratepayei?^1 I money upon this new street. (Applause and oh and uproar.) The MAYOR then invited any ratepayer ia the body of the meeting to speak to the subject, and there being 10 ,ù cries of Tommy Hawkins aud Veun," two elderly ratepayers made their appear- ance upou the platform, amid great lauhter, and expressed some very decided views as to the pro- ject. A ratepayer named Roberts followed, amid great uproar, and then Mr Christophers urged that no necessity had been shown for the formation of the street. Among the remaiuing speakers was Colonel LYNE, who strongly advocated the scheme, and said the opposition to it was but a repetition of the old cry raised by a certain party of the in- habitants whenever a town improvement had been proposed during the last 30 years. He was very much mistaken as to the good sense of the New- port people if they did uot adopt the scheme. (Great cheerinsr.) Upon a show of hands the MAYOR declared the original motion carried by an overwhelming majority, the announcement being received witu enthusiastic cheering.

FltAUD BY A SAILOR AT NEWPORT. THE FALSE DISCHARGE-NOTE SYSTEM. At the Newport borough police-court, on Mon- day, a seauinn, giving his name as Thomas Johns, and stating tuat he was a native of Nova Scotia, was charged, under the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act, with unlawfully making use of a seaman's certificate which did not belong to him for the purpose of obtaining a berth on board ship. Mr it. P. Williams, solicitor, appeared on behalf of the Board of Iiv;de, who instituted the proceed- ings, and contended that the prisoner had wilfully infringed the Act, v.hich provides that, "Every, one who makes use of any certificate which does not belong to him shall be guilty of a misde- meanour, and that he had thus rendered himself liable to six months' imprisonment. The facts of the case for the prosecution were as follows -—The prisoner presented himself at the Shippin-* Office on Saturday with the object of getting a berth on board the sailing vessel (Jauibrav, and produced to an officer of the Mercantile Marine (Mr J. Cradd) a discharge note in the name of Young, which he represented to be his own, sho ing a discharge • ith a good character from the ship Atrato, at the Mercantile Marine Office-, Dublin, in 1874. He was asked if he had any subsequent discharge note, but he stated that he had not, and that he had since been in the coasting trade. When questioned on giving his name to be entered in the articles of the ship he now proposed to join, he gave it as Thomas Johns. He could not, however, ) give the name of the c,ptaiu of the vessel referred to in this discharge note, and when asked where he shipped on board the Atrato, he said Glasgow, instead of Town, as entered in the note, and when questioned as to where lie was discharged from the Atrato, stated Hull, inste td of Dublin, which was the discharge upon the note, Upon this he was given into custody. Mr Williams pointed out that the Board of Trade was bound to make an exalUlJle of such offenders, because there were, unfortunately, too many such frauds going OB. There was reason to believe that this certifi- cate was supplied to the prisoner in Newport, and it as well kuo wri (hut stock certificates were kept, seaxen oein.{ co: "1.11 'l.r sent to shippÍ1¡g offices with certificates whie.i did not belong tJ them. Wiieu once the articles were signed they could laugh at any dispute about them, because it was then too late to take action agaiust them under the Merchant Shipping Act, The prisoner made an ingenious defence, alleging that his own discharge from a vessel called the Annie, at Newcastle, had been abstracted from his pocket without his knowledge, and replaced by this one. He stated that this being 80 he pulled this certificate out of hie pocket at the shipping office, believing it to be his own, and went on to appeal to the bench whether it was likeiv that he, being able to read and write, should give a name and make a state- ment contrary to what appeared on the certificate, if he wilfully presented a false one. When ques- tioned by the court as to his more recent dis- charge notes, prisoner said be had three, but had left them with his effects on board a ship which had just sailed. The Magistrates' Clerk re- marked that for the offence wjth which he was charged he was liable to a penalty of £100 or six months' imprisonment. The bench considered the case provec", and ordered the prisoner to pay a fine of 40s including costs, or ia default one month's imprisonment.

REMARKABLE CASE OF SUICIDE AT MERTHYR. On Tuesday evening, at the Six Bells public. house, Penrheolgerrig, the deputy coroner, Mr Thomas Williams, held an inquiry touching the death of a collier named William Morgan, aged 49, whose death took place on Sunday evening, owing to self-inflicted injuries by deceased stab- bing himself in the bowels, and then cutting up a portion of the entrails into four pieces. The wife of deceased stated that they lived at No. 150, .Penrheolgerrig. Her husband was unable to work, as he was suffering from depression of spirits aud heart disease. On Sunday morning she discovered him lying on the side of the bed, surrounded with blood, and with his bowels pro- truding. Deceased said he had inflicted the injuries npon himself.—Rees Morgan, the son, in giving corroborative evidence, said that on asking hia father "How did you do this?" he replied "Don't vex anything I don't; I shall die easy now." He afterwards found a clasp knife, shut, with blood upon it.—Mr J. W. James, surgeon, of Merthyr, deposed that he had been treating the deceased for the last four months, first for injuties to the knee in November, 1880. In January last lIe was out in the snowstorm, since which his heart became affected. He continued to suffer from heart disease aud general depression, and was mther weak-minded since January. Saw deceased last Sunday morning about nine o'clock. His bowels were then cut crosswavs, and a large portion of the bowels protruded. He had torn out about 10 feet of the entrails, and had cut them in four pieces. Deceased told him that he had cut hiaiself with a packet knife, and that he had closed and thrown tiie knife away. He was conscious until the time of his death. The jmy returned as their verdict That the deceased com- mitted suicide by cutticg open his abdomen and severing the intestines whilst in a state of tem- porary insanity."

A CHILI) BURNT TO DEATH AT MOUNTAIN ASH. A child named Susannah Harris, aged four years and five months, daughter of' John Harris, boiler maker, 24, Heury-street, Mountain Ash, died on the 6th inst. from the effect of burns which happened on the 5th February last. It appears the mother had left the deceased with a younger sister, two years old, in the kitchen, while she went to the back. Iu two or three minutes the child ran out after her enveloped in flames, saying that her little sister had put a stick ia the fire and set it to i er pinafore. Tne mother at once extinguished the flames, and sent for a doctor, who fouud the poor child to be severely burnt auGufc the loWer parts" of iue uuuy," am* rom which effect she died.

THE RECTOR AND HIS NEW CURATE. SCENE IN A CHURCH. A singular scene occurred on Sunday in Llan- degfan Church, which is attached to the living of Beaumaris. Complaints of neglect of duty against the rector being addressed to the Bishop of Ban- gor, his Worship, after a commission of inquiry, himself licensed a curate for Llaudegfan. That gentleman, accompanied by the bishop's secre- tary, attended morning service, but the rector refused to allo-v bis officiating, and from the communion rails protested strongly against the bishop's procedure, stating that he was in charge of the parish, and would not permit the intrusion. He subsequently had locked the church door and gates. The churchwardens broke the locks, and the bishop's curate officiated a.t the afternoon service.

THE PROPOSEFROYAL VISIT TO SWANSEA. OFFICIAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE INVITATION. While on a recent visit to London in connection with public business, the Mayor of Swansea (Alderman Jenkins) was summoned to Marl. borough House, where he had au interview with the private secretary to the Prince of Wales. The Mayor was then officially iufonned that His Royal Highness would accept the joiut invitation of the Swansea Town Council and the Swansea Harbour Trust to open the new dock in October nexU

[SPECIAL REPORTS FROM OULl TRADE CORREll- AND EXCLUSIVE SOTJLLOEO,] CARDIFF TRADE REPORT. 1 ISPKCIAL EEPOUT EY OVU OWN C01UTESP0NL)EJKT.|I CARDHT, Thursday Night.—The weather dnniag the week has been unfavourable to the movement of shipping and the trade of this port f;enera!lyu Most shippers have, however, continued busy, anv although the clearances sho v a falling off ot sume 33,000 tons as compared with those of last week, it is probable that the coal actually tipped ;s not much below the average quantity. The Custom- house clearances of any week, considered by themselves, do not form a satisfactory index to the activity or otherwise of the coal export trade. At one time the clearance of vessels a not fully ladeu is effected in anticioatioa of a favourable opportunity of leaving the port. and at another, on account of bad weather or other cir- cunistances, the Custom-house clearance of vessels which !i ve completed their cargoes is deferred for a few u.i, s. At present prices have undergone no alteration, an i for first class coals the reodit. vances are firmly maintained. In be freight market there is a good demand for -tonuage in most directions, and a fair amount of chartering has been effected during the week, although, taken altogether, the supply of steam ana sailing tonnage seeking employment I may be said not to be quite equal to the demaud. Any change in French freights is ia the direction oflmore activity, but the improvement is very slight. Tnere is not muoh alteration in coal rates to Spanish ports, although this branch of our trade lias lately been more brisk. Ore freights from tne Mediterranean ports are still lo. b it fair rutea are obtainable from Bilbao. A rather improved tone is perceptible in coal business out to Italian' ports. Some uf the leading depots of the Medi- terranean appear to be well stocked at the :o:nent, aud the rates quoted for these are weaker. Tnere is also but little demand for tonnage just now for the higher Mediterranean and Black Sea par,&i- Homeward business from the Black Sea cominuo-.p to offer little profit to shipowners. Bal- tic coal freights are firm. Good rates are quoted outwards to the East Indies, but the I homeward rates thence are weaker. There has been no important alteration of coal freights to the West Indies, which keep pretty firm, at recent quotations. The business homeward from West Indies is still obtainable. Goud rates aj-j^JpifeCed for tonnage out to Braziliau and Kiver Plate* port&. There is little or nothing doing in 'jVansai^n tic .steam chartering for coals, although there is j^me \nquiry for boats for Cape Verds. There is a satisfactory enquiry for sieam tonnage for iron to the L/niteu States, at good rates, which keen firm. No alteration' 18 leported in homeward busiuess from the StaiSbV i o- Q- Exports for the week tons patent fuel, 5,155 tons; tons; coke, 123 tons. Owing to the boisterous \veatii6f *r8 arrivals of fresh tonnage at this port dai~lu" week have been much less than usual. Imports during the week :—Iron ore, 3,493 from Spain, and 788 ton, from other sources/ pitwood, 1,890 tons.

SWANSEA TRADE REPORT. [SPECIAL REPORT KROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) SWANSKA, Thursday Night.—Tiie past week has been uneventful as far as the coal trade is con- cerned, the quantities shipped are still rather below the usual average for this period of the year, the clearances for ports beyond Europe beiug remarkably few. Patent fuel seems to have fallen off somewhat, but next week's clearances will probably restore the average, there being several vessels on stem. There is nothing new with regard to freights, last week's quotations being generally unaltered, and comp itatn-ely- little business done. 1 be shipments foreign are classified as follow :— France, 7,3,2 tons coals, 1,810 tons fuel, and 110 tons tin-plates Spain, 331 tons coals, 138 ton* fuel Portugal, 1,733 tons coals Madeira, 3GO tons Italy, 213 tons Ancoua, 465 tons Cape Town. 550 tons Teneriffe, 361 tons Phiilipvjlle 183 tons tue!. Imports.—T.ie arrivals in cargo have been numerous, some heavy consignments of ore having come to hand. <:> The quantity of iron ore entered in at the South Dock has been heavier than in any one week for a long time past, and the discharging facilities ot the port have been well tried. The totals are :— 3,244 tens iron ore from Bilbao, 1,300 tons iron ore from Boaa, 1.,341 tons mixed ore from La Calle, 417 tons mixed ore from t Ubes, 312 tons mixed ore from Hueha. 580 tons sulphur ore from Pomaron, 800 tons zinc ores from Genoa, 240 toua sulphur ores from Grirgente, 477 tons copper ores from Tucacas, 490 tons copper ores from Port Nolloth, and 1.005 tons j -it ood from Frances Coastwise the arrivals are below the average. The unsatisfactory state of the tin-plate trade if beginning to tell on some of the smaller works. A circular has been issued annouueiug the suspension of the Midland Tinplate Company (Messrs 1). Giasbrook and Co.), and several other works art. preparing to close until times improve.

CARDIFF COUNTY COU HT. THURSDAY. (Before his Honour Judge HEUBERT.) JUDGMENT. "His Honour gave judgment in the case of Mack v. Messrs Bland aud Co., timber merchauts, Car. diff. Mr Vachell appeared for plaintiff, and Mr Vaughan, of Newport, for defendants. The case was heard at the last court, and on which his Honour reserved judgment till to-day. Plaintiff is the owner of the ship Louise Scheller, of Bos- tock. A charter party between defendants and Messrs Andersou and Co., timber dealers, of Arch- angel, as entered into in July last to load the Louise Scheller with a complete cargo of timuer,of mill sawn deal and battens, for which a freight of jE3 per ton was to be paid, but according to charter party, deal ends, to fill up the c trgo, were only to be paid for at the rate of £:2 per ton. According to the charter party, which waa a printed one, it specified that the deal ends, on which only two-thirds freight should be paid, should not exceed eight feet in length, but the defendants ruled out these words and substituted 11 feet. Messrs Anderson wrote back desiring that the words eight feet should be re-inserted. To this defendants objected, and the words were allowed to remain on the understanding that whatever was broken timber up to 11 feet should only be charged for at the reduced freight. Tile ship took in her cargo, and ou arriving at Cardiff a large proportion of this timber waa found to measure between 10 and 11 feet. Plain- tiff contended that the custom of the port at Archangel was to regard all timber under the head of deal ends which did not exceed 8 feet on the other hand, a number of witnesses were called, who held that the term included deal ends up to 11 feet, his Honour held that Messrs Anderson or plaintiff, under the charter party, should have instructed the captain not to have taken on board any timber to be charged for at the reduced fieight ot greater length than 8 feet. This, how- ever, was not done, aud he noiv held that plaintiff had not made out his case, aud gave judgment for defendant with costs. THE CLAIM UPON AN ADVANCE NOT?. His Honour referred to the case of Barnett v. Jenkins, a case that was heard at the last court, when he expressed an opinion that the holder of an advanced note—in the event of seamen deserting from a vessel during the voyage, and so precluding him from recovery the wages due to him—could not, on the same ground, recover from the agent of the vessel the value of the advance note. Since the last court he had reviewed a judgment given by him 20 years ago, at Cardiff, and he then held that a man who waa on board the vessel and earning wages at the end of the three days after the vessel sailed was enti. tied to recover or receive the amount of his ad* vance note. This would not have msde any (iffre2n the case of the last court, in >yhicn Mr Downing UppeaTfed for dofeua&ut, because two day a after the sailing of the vessel, the sailor refused duty. and was placed under confinement. He was not therefore earning wages, and the endorsee of tin note could not recover. He, however, desired to correct the statement that he had lU<Iode that the endorsee of the note could not recover if the man deserted during the voyage. His former judgment had been carefully Considered, and he had no doubt that his judgment theu was the correct one, and that the holder of the note, if the luan was earning wages at the expiration of three days from the sailing of the vessel, could recover the value of the advance note. THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY.— His Honour mentioned that at the Newport County Court, on Wednesday, an action was brought by Mr Brown against the Great Western Railway tor over charge. By the reports in the newsiwspers it appears that be reserved judgment. He did reserve judgment for about two hours to enable him to consult one or two Acts of Parlia* ment, but later in the day gave judgment in favour of the railway company. He thought M would be satisfactory to all parties that his deci- sion on the case should be made known.

The Bradford Town Council have resolved to purchase 61 acres of laud at Bowling for £ 17,2S(X The land is intended for a new cemetery. From information just published in St. Peters burg it appears that during the last ten years Russia has expended 12 inillious of roubles 08 shipbuilding. The extra expense incurred for the maintenanot of the increased police faco", in the Pettf Sessional division during the late colliers' strikl amounts to £415.

Slhemoat certain, most brilliant, and most useful triumphs open to him, The financial prospects, brightening from the tvery day Mr Gladstone took the helm, have been ^overclouded by the cost of the wars that followed Sin the train of our late "spirited foreign policy. But at worst the position dealt with after Mr 'Gladstone's bold and skilful fashion makes possi- ble a striking Budget. What is the main stroke on which the Premier relies is a question too 'early to speculate on. It is, however, certain that lie is pledged to deal with the Income-tax, and ffurther to expand the policy of international free itrade, which, like the quality of mercy, is twice blessed. I believe lie would not die happy if he [left the Income-tax existent in a time of peace. 'Sometime ago I had occasion to make a close study of the records ot ttie iremieis life, ad read through tome furlongs lof his speeches, I was stiuck at the time with the frequency with which there cropped jup evidence of intention to abolish the Income Tax. We all this was the maiu prop pi the programme ut forward in the address to the electors of Greenwich on eye of the disso- lution ill 1$74, A life-long dream of this specific kind is not Iibly to fade just at a time when its realization misfit be made possible. Humour having settled that Mr Gladstone is to retire from the Chancellorship has not hesi- tated to fill up the vacancy* Mr Childers, it is an id, will go the Treasury front the War Office. Lord Hartington will move to tLe Y< ar Office, and Lord Derby will answer for India. These two last-named appointments would be admirable. Lord Hartington would be good wherever he went, and Lord Derby would have the confidence of the country in assuming the direction of affairs in Iudi.-i. But the guess about Mr Childers is rather a wooden one. Supposing ■the initial change speculated upon were to take place to-morrow, J r Childers is the only man immediately available for the ChancelJoiship. "But the necessity of nominating a successor here suggests nn additional reason why Mr Gladstone s retirement from the Exchequer, if contemplated, should at least be delayed. His natural successor, and a man in every way abler than Sir Childers, is at the moment engaged elsewhere. Air Goschen is, next to Mr Gladstone, the ablest fiuancier in English politics. It is well know n that he is fretting in the honour- Able banishment to the Bospliorus to which in ;the interests of his party lie submitted. He wants to be back to take his part in the invigorating oetruggle of the British Parliament. But he tannot leave his work at the present critical stage. In a few months, perhaps in a few weeks, jthe Turco-Grec-ian difficulty will be settled one way or another, he will be at liberty to come laack. It is true there remains now as last April the difficulty about the assimilation of the borough :J1,d county franchise. Mr Goschen, otherwise an earnest Liberal, •does not approve of this measure. But if he is to stop out of the Ministry till opportunity is found for taking up this question, he may grow grey. For the present, at least, Ireland is more 'than enough to occupy the attention of the House of Commons, and comparatively unimportant ■things, interesting merely to England, Scotland, and Wales, are indefinitely postponed. To-night, as yesterday afternoon, legislation has .proceeded much on the principles which guide exhibitions in the Agricultural Hall. Forhour3 'at a stretch members have hem racing through the division lobbies disposing, one after the other, •of the menuments with which the iu- lenuHy of Irish members has crowded the Ipaper. In the n.cst favourable circumstances ;it is impossible for a division to be taken under a quarter of an hour. There is the putting of the ,question, the Speaker's decision, the challenge by the minority, the interval during which bells ring through all the passages summoning absent mem- ibers to the division, the putting of the Question a second time, the clearing of ti e House and the passages through the lobby, All these prelimin- aries take time, when the House is fairly divided. But when, as in these deliberately ob- structive divisions, between three and four hundred go into one lobby, and only 20 or 30 into the other, it is obvious that the process is much more prolonged than it would be if the members ;were more even divided, and so used both lobbies. When the phase of II obstruction" first de- veloped itself, the whips had a pretty plan for efeatiug it. They proposed to have a working majority of 50 able-bodied men prepared to make tthe torr of the lobbies as often as necessary, at a ttninimum pace of four miles an hour. This, if carried out, would have been an effective com- mittee strategy, but the BuS Book proved an insuperable difficulty. The Buff Book is an un- pretentious volume published every year. and ■containing a record of the divisions iu which each individual member has taken part. To lion, members whom nature has forbidden higher political hopes, the ambition of figuring ifcigh up in the list of the Buff Book is a powerful Incentive. If they can do nothing else for their country, they enn vote often. The lamented Admiral is cheered in his enforced l'etirement from political life by the recollection that year after year he stood second or third in J the list of honour. Mr Bowring, who once represented Exeter, won his principal political distinction iu the same way. Obviously, to depute any 50 men to the duty of constantly dividing in it. urgency" divisions would be to deprive many honest men of a fair share in the honours of the Ðuff Book. This was made so clear to the Whips that fthey promptly abandoned their plan as impractic- able, and now members troop by the hundred into he division lobby, practically playing the game of (-the Obstructionists, but totting up a glorious Record tor the Buff Book. r The arrests hitherto made under the Protection Act have been watched with an unsatisfied feeling of expectation. There must be a beginning some- where, and Mr Forster has begun with the village tyrants." But people are asking whether the means to stop there. These men whose names jftre first made known to the public when they Appear in the lists of warrants issued are the tools viith which certain better known people have worked. Are the authorities going to remain con- tent with putting the tools outof the way, and leaving the hands unrestrained and un punished ? Quite apart Jrorn any question of abstract justice this would the a most disastrous policy. If Mr Parnell and (Mr Dillou are not arrested, the only explanation (that will suggest itself to the people of Ireland (whoro the new Act is chiefly designed to in. fluence) will be that the executive dare not grapple (With men so powerful and important as these. As ■far as matters have yet progressed under the new Act, it is impossible to deny that they call to mind the most time-honoured scene in panto- mimes. It is the old story of the policeman gallantly dashing at and carrying off the errant Ismail boy, whilst he leaves the plotters of mis- chief at large, 15- I have frequently spoken in this column of one •of the great social questions of the day—to wit, jthe visit of the burglar. I return to the subject [with fresh and closer interest, having myself Shared in the series of early morning calls now in Iprogress in every respectable street in the metropo- lis, My burglar entered by a window at the back of the house, recklessly left unguarded, because it fwaa thought too small to be entered without greatly inconveniencing the visitor. This expec- tation proved groundless. Perhaps Bill Sykes jfcad brought Oliver Twist with him; but by Whatever means, access was obtained through this porthole. The door giving entrance from the fearden II as then opened, and the gentlemen had Sail the house before them where to choose. They those the dining-room, and made a c. reful selec- tion of portable property suitable to their occupa- tion. Literature they despised, though they prised open the bookcases. But they cleared the plate basket. I gredly fear they left with some feeling of inhospitable treatment, as their depar- ture appears to have been hurried. They had much care packed up a cruet-stand, deli- cately wrapping the bottles in scraps taken from a lady'.s work basket. The whole were packed in a Qlan leather bag borrowed out of the hall, and left pehind them. They must have heard a mouse in the wainscoting, or the rattle ot the ventilator, for of course uo policemen would be so rude as to Interfere with their vocation, and your burglar is an arrant coward, frightened at the creaking of his own boots, A good deal of delicate discrimination was displayed by my burglar. From a shelf by the kitchen stairs he selected all my spring-side boots, leaving the Jaced-up ones. I have, myself, frequently thought giving up even the occasional wear of laced hoots, which entail much labour in putting on. I :am glad to hnd my view confirmed by so emiuent authority. He also tookt-vo overcoats from J^he hall, ou one of which I rather prided myself. •Here again, his fastidious ta-de came into [Play. In the pockets were two pairs of gloves, j^ue kid and the other of knitted wool, much in jVogue just now for wear over kid. My burglar j*ept the kid gloves, but the common woolleu things he cast out on the floor. I almost blushed I picked them up this morning. How he finust have despised me when he came upon this vidence of my coarseness! t The police have been here this morning looking Unmistakably wise, and delightfully active in of foolpriuts ou the grass lawn. They T»ve found a good many, and I suppose all is now Poht. I may mention that this is the third time Ii seven years that I have had visitors of this Once before they took an overcoat from hall. It was on a Saturday night. In church j*he next morning the second lesson was from 'atthew V„ and with mingled feelings I heard I >e clergyman rea l, "If any man take away thy let him have thy cloak also."