Evening Express

TO-DAY. HIGH-WATER TO DAY. I Moriun< F.venia;. Hsi?ht, Swansea 1J.22 1^,56 26. 0 Cardiff 3.14 1,53 28. 4 Neirpart 1.56 1.56 27. 9

— — WEATHER FORECAST. ISSVIICID nou XETSOI'.OLOSICAL OFFICI-I-S.,IO P.M. Tie forecast of the weatcier throughout the West af Knsrlaud and Sontb Wales for to-day 'Saturday) is as follows: --S.W. and S. breezes, light; fine and warm its a wkvle but thunderstorms probable locally. Yi!8TER»A.T'S FATTKOAST. | YBST»!R»*T'« WKATHBS. AViiui shiitini<r from E. to IS E. breezes, moderate S. at)(I S.W. I fair, thundery, rainy, uii- I settled, ■A-tieryetwith, Friday Evening.—Barometer, 30.056, rising; maximum therrnomet-er in shade. 79.0: wind. N.W. Amount of sunshine registered by Jordan's recorder for the 24 hours preceding six p.m., 9h. lOmin. Fine and warm, but heat tempered by westerly breezes; sea, quiet.

YESTERDAY'S TEMPERATURE. Temperature as registered at Cwrt-y-Yil, Penarth. for tho twelve bours ending nine o'clock last Tkight:- Mar. Mia. Mena. Friday 90 68 79.0

HUNTING APPOINTMENTS. MR CLAY'S OTTER HOUNDS. Monday. July 23. Pei'per.jwm Station.9.0 a.m. Friday. July 27. Usk Bridge, Usk 10.0 a.m. Fri(a:Jn1. 27. UsJ;: .Bridge, UsJi .10.0 a.m. —————————-„ t

WEEK'S TEMPI'RATURE AND RAINFALL. The following t?:)1e giv the temperature and rainfaJl at Cwrt-y-Vil, ilenar, b, for 24 hours, as rainfaJl at Cwrt-y-Vil, Penarlh, for 24 hours, as read at 9.0 a.m., and entered to the preceding day:— TEMPI-, R AT TT RE. DAT*. RAINFALT, Max.1 Min. {Mean -_I_I__ Saturday 14 74 56 65'0 "00 S'r.dny 15 76 51 65'0 -00 M«uduy 16 73 -55 64-C. -00 Tuesday 17 60 55 (6'5 .CO Wediif-sday 18 80 57 68*5 "10 Thursday 19 90 68 79*0 *00 Friday 20 81 « 72*0 '00

By the Way. The export of frozen pork from New Znaland to England will start shortly. The pigs will range from 601b. to 701b. Tea was cultivated in China 2,700 years before the Christian era, and in that country it was first used as a beverage. A bicycle that in five minutes can be taken apart and packed in a bag 24in. by 16in. has been invented "by an ingenious Frenchman. A pot that cannot boil over has been invented by a Berlin machinist. It has a perforated rim, through which the over- flowing fluid returns to the pot. A Hungarian has discovered a method of spinning wood pulp into yarn, so that it can be woven into a fabric that may be con- verted into various articles of clothing. The Supreme Court of Massachusetts has deeded that a bicycle is a machine and not a carriage, and that bicyclists injured from defects in the public highway cannot recover damages. Mr. Francis Truth, who has had a large following in Boston, U.S.A., as a "Divine Healer," has ignominiously climbed down. He has pleaded guilty to using the post for purposes of fraud, and has been fined 2,500 dollars, nearly £;)00. The pearl fishing industry of Western Australia is of considerable extent, many fine pearls being obtained every year. The average value of each pearl, several thou- sands of which arc obtained annually, is about £1. A man named Board died a few days ago at the village of Trull, Somersetshire. At eight years of age he went to work at a penny a day, and had continued uninter- ruptedly working for seventy years. A clear case of hard wood. One of the Faculty in America has dis- covered that every mourhful of food, to be properly digested, ought to be masticated several hundred times before it is swal- lowed. But few men can afford to take a day's holiday every time they are in need of a dinner. Lord Ripon has taken to butter-making in his old age. His butter is so good that the business prospers greatly, and he has had to open a shop in Ripon and another in Leeds. Lord Ripon, who is in his seventy-third year. now leads a life of retirement at Studley Royal. There are more mysteries in tobacco manufacturing than some of us wot of. Vegetables, water, and sand are already confessed. Now is passed the second read- ing of the Oil in Tobacco Bill to "limit the quantity of oil" in that grateful and com- forting weed. The "Sun" learns in confi- dence that further patient investigation may detect in it the presence of bits of string and chips off the old block. A very sensible edict has gone forth, says the "Daily News," with the approval of the leader of fashion. The "tall hat and frock coat," which Iiave hitherto been the recog- nised costume at Sandown Park on the occasion of a Royal visit, may be dispensed with at the Eclipse Meeting in favour of a straw hat and other costume more suited to the present tropical climate. M. Jean Dupuy, the French Minister of Agriculture, has addressed to the Prefects of the South of France a letter insisting on the necessity of preventing the destruc- tion of swallows in their departments. Not only is the swallow most useful from an agricultural point of view (says M. Dupuy), but also from a hygienic standpoint, for it destroys numbers of varieties of harmful insects. There is no German town in which auti- i British feeling is so strong as in Catholic Munich. The other day a priest, walking along one of the principal streets, noticed some hats exposed in the shop-window of an English hatter. He entered and claimed indignantly: "Take away those hats!" "Why, pray?" inquired the hatter. "They are blasphemous!" replied the priest, seizing one of them and exhibiting the name of Christie to the amazed hatter. A builder in New York State has just put up a block of flats, in which the only arrangements for cooking are supplied by electricity. The kitchen furniture con- sists merely of three round platters, or so- called stoves, an oven, and a broiler, which are merely placed on an ordinary kitchen table. When the cooking is finished, they can be put in a convenient cupboard. Not onlv is space saved, but the room can be utilised for other purposes, and in summer the servants are not overheated. A Chicago physician has invented for himself a house which he claims to be abso- lutely noise proof, that is protected thoroughly against the intrusion of street dins, which persist in spite of the existence of an anti-noise ordinance. He has stuffed all the cracks aoout the doors and windows with strips of rubber, and in order to admit the air has perforated these with zig-zag holes. The sound waves are said to die out by repeated reflections in the crooked passages. Some sixty years ago, six young eccle- siastics, of the Roman Catholic diocese of Roseneau. in Hungary, completed together their theological course in the seminary and were together ordained priests. For sixty years they laboured side by side as priests in the same diocese. On the very self-same day they all celebrated the diamond jubilee of their ordination. United as they had been in life, they were united in death, for within the soace of two months all six have died, at the respective ages of 82, 8-3, 38, 86, fO, and 81. Among the. barristers who go on circuit there is warm sympathy with the recent pronouncement of Justices Wright and Grantham against the practice of keeping in prison persons committed for trial. There is excuse for imprisonment, seeing that magistrates are under a recent Act empowered to take prisoners' personal bail if sureties be unobtainable. Barristers with whom the London correspondent of the '•Birmingham Gazette" has talked on the subject state the blame is due to magistrates' clerks, who are generally famiiy solicitors and conveyancers, unused to criminal practice, and distrustful of prisoners in general. According to the "St. Pan] Press," a clever Boston girl named Trueblood has just made an exhaustive investigation of the mystery why American working girls prefer the hardships of shop or factory lite to the comparative comfort of domestic service. They had regular hours for their work, and when they were through they were through. They were not constantly "bossed" by ignorant mistresses. They had freedom and privacy not enjoyed by domestic servants. "Run your domestic establishment," said Miss Trueblood; "on the same scientific nrinciples that you use in running your shop or office, and you will banish these objections, and 'household treasures' and 'jewels of girls' will not be the rare beings that they are to-day."

ALLEGED FRAUD AND DELUSION. Its Degrees Tinsel Distinctions. Farcical Character of the Show. POPULAR AS PUNCH AND JUDY IS POPULAR. "EVENING EXPRESS" SPECIAL. Oes y byd i'r iaith Gymraeg!" W ales for ever!" "The land of my fathers is dear unto me!" Thus shouted a patriotic Cardiff bard on returning from the Gorsedd function ana feast at Merthyr Tydfil on Thursday- Travelling in the same compai Unent was a Cardiif student who has recently distinguished himself at one of the colleges. "What a grand demonstration! It was the best Gorsedd ever held." said the bard. "Who were there, altogether," asked the B.A. "The elite of Merthyr, the cream of its talent, and the cream of talent in South Wales generally. It is the correet thing to patronise the Gorsedd these days, with such men as Lord Mostyn, Lord Tredegar, Sir John Puleston. and Professor Herkomer in the back- ground." "Was Professor Morris Jones or the ghost of Thomas Stephens, of Merthyr. present?" queried the student. "No, we have no snobs at the Gorsedd, but genuine patriots all; 'Beirdd a cherddorion, emvogion o fri!' Those are the chaps we have at th Gorsedd." "Was there any Welshman of any intellec- tual calibre in evidence any part of the day?" askod t11e 8cb.alar. "Yes. of course, there was Marchant Wil- liams, the learned stipendiary of Merthyr, and he wa« brimful of enthusiasm." "Marchant may have been there. He does not feel very strong, and believes a good laugh improves his health. You say the pick of Welsh talent and scholarship were there? Did the dons of the several Welsh colleges graee the gathering with their presence? Or the Welsh bishops and other dignitaries, or the intermediate teachers of Wales, or the county-court judges?" "But Welsh preachers were there." "No doubt., they were there in. shoals, and a few fourth-rate parsons who do not know their left from the right hand, figuratively speaking, in Welsh history and literature. But the best preachers of Wales were not there—men of mark—but only those who pose as bards. The preachers have monopolised the Gorsedd and Eisteddfod platform of late years. In fact, the arena, which was onoe open and national, has become the battleground of the sects. At any rate, you see" that the Gor- sedd at Merthyr by no means represented Wales at its best in any department. And do you know why?" "I won't condescend to answer such a stupid question," angrily replied the hard. "I'll tell you. Because the Gorsedd is the greatest humbug and farce we have in Wales." "If you said it was the oldest and most venerable institution iu Europe you would be nearer the mark." "How much older is it than Iolo Mor- ganwg?" asked the student. "Do you know there is no reference to it in Welsh literature before the seventeenth century, and that it is from beginning to end a fraud and a delu- sion, having no authority and no claims to anybody's respect. That's what the Gorsedd is, and wise and self-respecting men avoid the tomfoolery that goes on at tie meetings. Its supporters, from the so-called Archdruid down, are mere charlatans, who trade upon public ignorance." Hwfa Mon is the greatest bard in Wales, man. See what the Treasury think of him! They have just contributed £100 towards his t.estimonial. So they have, but for what I have no idea. There are in Wales some deserving men who have grown grey in their country's service who are allowed to starve. What has 'Hwfa' done besides writing a little poetry which nobody reads, and will he forgotten as soon as the old man dies?" Whatever you say disparagingly of the Gorsedd and its supporters, it is the most popular institution in Wales." "So is a Punch and Judy show a most poputor institution, buts its popularity is no proof of intellectual superiority, or great culture, oi usefulness." "But the highest personages in the land, attend the Gorsedd from time to time, and have bardic degrees conferred upon them," boasted the bard. "So do Tom, Dick. and Harry attend the Goraedd, and they, too, have degrees oonferreds upon them by paying a couple of shillings. It is by these you should measure the status oE the Gorsedd, as the strength of a chain is esti- mated by its weakest links." "Ah, but you forget," argued the hard, "that the great scholars of the Continent, of Ger- many and France, patronise the Gorsedd, and look upon it as the suryiva-1 of the oldest insti- tution in the West, and the modern represen- tative of an ancient cult." "A few journalistic nobodies may have attended from time to time, and written of it as a, great institution. Journalists go about the world with their eyes open for 'copy.' Degrees may have been conferred upon them, but that is no proof that those enterprising pressmen are men of naark, nor does their acceptance of Gorsedd degreees set any value whatever upon those tinsel distinctions. Gor- sedd degrees stand on the same level as American D.D.'s and LL.D.'s. No real scholar or divine would condescend to accept a bogus American decree, and no Welsh scholar, or poet of any calibre, is fool enough to accept a degree at the lionds oC 'Hwfa Mon,' who ha.s no degrees to give. My dear sir, listen to me. It is high tima you gave up such a vile supersti- tion as the Gorsedd. Thomas Stephens, of Mer- thyr, and Professor Morris Jones have knocked th. bottom out of it. The Gorsedd and such gewgaws were good enough in the ages of igno. ranee, they are entirely out of harmony with the light and culture of the new age in which we live."

MISSIONS IN CHINA. ONE CONVERT IN FORTY YEARS. Mr. Poulteney Bigelow tells in the "North American Review" a story of Father Palladius, an Archimandrite of the Greek Church, who had charge or the Rus- sian Mission at Peking at the time of Mr. Bigelow's first visit to China. Palladius had been forty years in Peking. One day Mr. Bigelow asked him how many converts he had made. He answered that he thought he had made one. but he did not wish to be taken as stating this positively. When I returned to China, after an interval of twenty-one years, all my inquiries led me to respect the honesty of this Russian. He said, furthermore:—"I have been here forty years, and, perhaps, I have converted one Chinaman. When mis- sionaries tell you that they have done more than that, do not believe them.

STEVENS' FINE BREAD. STEVENS' FINE CAKES. STEVENS' DELICIOUS pASiRY. is I EVENS' FRENCH BREAD, crisp and nutty. Van will call. *7762—1

AN EARL S COURT COURT- SHIP. BROKEN PLEDGES. In the London Sheriff's Court on Friday Miss Adelaide Bart-lett, a young lady of 24, living at 73, Holland-mews, Kensington, sued George Herbert Thomas, manager of a firm of opticians at Lord-street, Liverpool, for breach of promise of marriage. Counsel, in his statement to the court, said the parties first met at Earl's Court in 1895. the plaintiff there managing a stall and the defendant at^nding on behalf of his firm. Thsy became friendly, and walked home to- gether each evening. After a while defendant proposed, and was accepted; and then com- menced a round of loving letter-writing, present g'\ ng, and visiting. The defen- dant took the plaintiff to his home at Paignton on a visit, and everything seemed to run smoothly. On her 21st birthday plain- tiff was given a bracelet, at Easter, 1897, an engagement ring, and on her 22nd birthday a bicycle. More rings followed. Only Strayed. Just before Christmas, 1899, defendant gave a party at Liverpool, and plaintiff was present. Included in the party was defendant's lady music teacher. He seemed to pay her an amount of attention to which plaintiff objected, and a coolness between defendant and plaintiff resulted. They made it up, how- Ever, and the marriage was arranged to take place in the summer of this year. Defendant, though, wrote less frequently, and his letters were cooler. Plaintiff felt this, and wrote asking the defendant if he was iost, stolen, or strayed." Defendant replied, "No," and added in his note that he would never leave her. Soom after, liowevc-r, he wrote a post-card accusing plaintiff of betraying his confidence. She asked Irm for an explanation, but he re- fused, and wrote breaking off the engagement. She wrote to the defendant calling him a "cad." and later on she found she had been supplanted by another young lady. Had to Ha.ve a, Good Cry In one of the 300 letters that the defendant wrote during his four years' engagement he said:— "My own darling Adelaide.—Yours of Mon- day's date to hand. When I got half- way through I had to stop and rnsh to my room and have a- good cry for my heart is fairly broken, and if you persist in what you say there will be another life thrown in the river. And through what, my darling? It w:11 be through true love. (Laughter). I hardly know how to write, for it has taken all the manliness out of me. You know full well, oh darling, that I love you, and you alone with all my life. It matters not to me where you live, and as for my people looking down on you (you that I love alone) that is impos- sible, as I have told you times out of number I am mother's boy, and anything I do can't be wrong. (Laaghter.) With you to live for I can face the world. Then let us be lovers still. You have been as a star to guide mC.-From your ever-loving and broken- hearted GEORGE." To Guiding Star JB200. In another letter he said: — You are my life and shining star, and I look to you every night and morning to guide me aright, and may the day not be far distant when I shall be able to say, For better or worse; for richer or poorer, while life shall last, and then nestle you to my breast." The jury assessed the damages at £2QO.

CONDITIONS AND FIXTURES. SEQUEL TO A KOTEL SALE. An interesting point was raised on Friday at Cardiff, when Mr. L. Gottwaltz sat as arbitrator (with Mr. John Sankey as legal assessor) to decide a, point remitted from the High Court. After the Queen's Hotel was sold, the purchasers (Messrs. Ind, Coope, and Co.) held that the iixtures were part of the freehold, but the debenture holders contended that they were tenants' property, and should be dealt with separately. The court sat for several hours, and then adjourned. Mr. Hurry Cousins repre- sented the debenture holders, and Messrs. Blewiti, Reynold's, and Co. (Birmingham) appeared for the purchasers.

GIRL'S MIRACULOUS ESCAPE. Rome. July 17.—A good deal of interest has centred in the recent erection of a statue to the Blessed Virgin at Macugnaga, overlooking the Lago Maggiore. Here a peasant girl of fifteen, named Bonouri, was cutting grass when she slipped over the edge of the precipice, falling some 150 metres, or nearly 700ft., into the valley below. Some mountaineers who had seen the girl's terrible fall hastened to where she was lying, expecting to find nothing but a battered corpse. To their surprise, however, the girl soon recovered consciousness, and a doctor, summoned in hot haste, pronounced her to be out of danger, although both her legs were fractured, and she was suffering from slight cerebral commotion. At Macugnaga and throughout the neigh- bouring district the girl's escape was re- garded as miraculous—hence the statue.— "Morning Leader."

BALLOON EXPERIMENTS. In a few days the Rev. J. M. Bacon, accom- panied by a distinguished naval officer, will attempt to communicate with a distant town by means of a balloon. The experiment will have two chief ends in view—(1) To transmit to earth "collapsing drum" signals over several miles; (2) To determine how far the diverse winds blowing aloft can be utilised to conduct a balloon sufficiently nearly in the required direction. Before starting, telegrams will be despatched to those towns most likely to lie within view of the balloon, and what- ever towns are approached will he summoned by a cannonade fired below the car, and Morse Codo signalling by the drum at once commenced. Further, throughout the voyage and at all heights, slowly descending bodies will be discharged, labelled with directions to finders, by which the main drifts of the upper currents may subsequently be traced. In brief, the idea is to determine the possi- bility of conveying messages to an isolated Mafeking.

BULLOCK IN A GOLD MINE. At Ballarat a stray bullock fell down the shaft of a gold mine, and, although the drop was upwards of a hundred feet, it was unin- jured but for a few bruises. Terrified aaid maddened, it charged full tilt at the minera when they appeared on the scene. Guns were sent down and the career of the subterranean bollock was ended.

JULIUS CAESAR IN A NEW ROLE. Jnliu; Caesar has turned up as a hairdresser in a little market town in Hampshire. Is he a lineal descendant of the mighty Roman? It is said that he has a very light touoh and "shampoos beautifully."

ANOTHER DIFFERENCE. There 's another difference, beside the un- known quantity, between the Boers and the "Boxers." The former when they go to war take White Flags with them, the latter Black Flags.

PRODIGAL SON'S OVERSIGHT The Bishop of London told a, quaint story on Friday at a meeting in support of the Chil- dren's Country Holiday Fund, held at the Speaker's House, Westminster. His lordship v.*a3 illustrating how the children of the poor reanon from cxperience--early begun and too often sad. A little East-snd girl was being examined upon the question af the Prodigal Son. The tea-cher had got as far as the repen- tance of the yirodigal and his eating of the swine-husks, when she inquired. "What else could he have done?" The child replied, "He could have pawned, bis little girl's boob."

Captain Pearse, landlord of the Centre Hotel, Somerset-pface, Swansea, and well known n shipping circles both in Swansea. and Cardiff, died on Friday rooming from Bright's disease. Captain Pearse was a. native of Exeter. He for many years kept the Borough Arms, Swan- sea; then the Windsor Hotel, Cardiff; subse- quently returning to the Centre. He was brother-in-law to Councillor Gerhold, Cardiff. Almost hia last words were, "I shall join my ehiD next tide."

Memorable Scenes. SPEECH BY SIR ALFRED MILNER. TRIBUTE TO THE COLONIAL FORCES. CAPE TOWN, Friday Afternoon. Not since the time when self-government was granted to the Colony. ha-s the opening of Parliament created such tremendous excite- ment in Cape Town as wao the case to-day. Crowds lined the street for hours and vocife- rously cheered the appearance of Sir Alfred Milner. The Governor's speech gave the utmost satisfaction, except, perhaps, to a cer- tain number of the members of the Afrikan- der Bond, to whom he appealed in a deter- mined tone. At the outset- of his remarks, Sir Alfred Milner said that since the last session of Parliament the Colony had passed through a sea of trouble. The outbreak of hostilities had been followed by an unprovoked invasion of the Colony. The worst feature was that it was participated in by British subjects, and thus the horrors of rebel- lion were added to the war. The Imperial army had been assisted by the Volunteer forces of every self-governing Colony of the Empire. The Governments all over the face of the earth afforded a noble illustration of devotion to the cause of Imperial unity and by the sacrifices of the lives of mamy of their best citiacns had shown a determination to maintain unimpaired the dominions of the Queen. That was a gratifying record of spirit and enthusiasm. The loyal inhabitants of Natal had risen to the occasion, and had sent forward men to the fullest extent possible. The Colony had put into the field 24,000 men- a. figure considerably exceeding the total of all the other Colonies combined. Under the command of that true-hearted Colonist, Colonel Brabant, the division had rendered inestimable service to the Empire in the cause of freedom, driving the invaders out of the Colony, and materially aiding the success of the war. The Governor proceeded to eulogise the heroism and the patient endurance of the garrisons of Kimberley and Mafeking, and also the masterly strategy of the Imperial com- manders in holding cut against such odds. The siege of Mafeking, he remarked, would remain an indelible record in British history. His Excellency spoke in terms of high praise of the conduct of the civil servants in Natal, and especially complimented the railway and tele- graph departments. The conduct of the natives, he said. was a particularly bright spot amidst the gloomy retrospect of their past. The natives had remained loyal, thus indi- cating their satisfaction and approval of the policy which was being pursued towards them. The present indications were that the war was nearly over, but the rebellion being a most serious crime necessitated that those con- cerned should answer for it. Therefore, a Bill was to be introduced endowing with fll11 powers a special court to inflict adequate punishment on the ringleaders provided they could not be brought within the scope of the existing law. A Commis3ion would also be created to deal with the rank and file of rebels. and empowered to iufllct the least posjble punishment, such as disfranchisement and the deprivation of other civil rights. He regretted that the revenue was not equal to that of previous years, but, considering the facts, the shortage was not so serious as was anticipated. In concluding, the Governor said he trusted the deliberations of Parliament would be marked with wisdom and moderation, so that when the present troubles had passed all would be prepared for the great developments which were assuredly waiting united South Africa under the beneficent sway of the Queen. (Cheers.) Dr. Jameson afterwards took his seat for Kimberley. there being no manifestations of any description. The Speaker announced that the Admiralty had agreed to change the name of the cruiser which Cape Colony had presented to the Empire from Africa to Good Hope, a declara- tion which was received with loud cheering. Mr. Merriman gave notice that he would move on Tuesday that the continuance of go- called martial-law after the suppression of local rebellion was contrary to all inhe- rent traditions of British law. and that all proclamations regarding martial-law be re- pealed forthwith. The Honse afterwards adjourned.—Central News. THE ESTIMATE'S'. (CENTRAL NEWS TELEGRAM.) CAPE TOWN, Friday Night. The votes for the year's Estimates were sub- mitted to-night. They amouufc in the gross to £5,446.303, as the Governor foreshadowed in his lucid otatement. The Estimates have been framed with due regard to occnomy. The estimated cost of patrolling and guarding the line of communications in Cape Colony during war is £50,710 There is an increase of £9,571 under the bead of defence, whilst the votes under the head of railways, for Volun- teers, and for the ammunition allowances show an increase The subsidy for carrying the mails to South Africa shows an increase of £21,000.

ENGLISH COAL IN FRANCE. Inquiries made in the North of France during the Ia-st few days account to a grea.t extent for the dea-rnesa of coal in England, and leave no doubt that exceptionally large qnantities of English coal, far in excess of any previons year, are being exported to France. The coal, it is stated, is chiefly of the quality known as navigation. Heavy contracts have been made, extending over a- period of six and twelve months. The shipments have increased by leaps and bounds during the present year. The principal ports in the North of France for this connection with the railway system are Dunkerque and Calais. At the latter port large steam colliers arrive day after day from English ports, chiefly from the Durham dis- tricts. The quantities they bring vary, but in one day recently over 5,000 tons were dis- charged in 24 hours. With railway trucks alongside the principal dock at Calais, the coal is taken to different depots, where it is stated that it is stored. It is remarkable that such immense additional supplies should be imported when the princ pat coal-producing areas in France are in the Pas de Calais, and this native coal is universally used on the railways and for commercial purposes. It is stated that the quantities of steam coal im- ported from England are likely to be increased, rather than diminished, even if higher prices have to be paid. Several steamers are now engaged in regularly run- ning with coal from English ports to Calais. There is a general opinion at Calais that the ultimate destination of the coal is the French Navy.

A FICKLE SAILOR. In the London Sheriff's Court on Friday the case of Lucas v. Cooper, a remitted action for breach of promise of marriage, came on for the assessment of damages. The defendant did not appear. Mr. Vincent Knowles, for the plaintiff, said his client was a spinster, and lived with her parents at Goldhawk-road, Shepherd's Bush. The defendant was second officer on the steam- ship Clan M'Alister. In one letter he said: — I could have clasped you to my heart when you said you would wait. but it was not gentlemanly to do 80. Once more away, and every throb of the engine is taking me further from you. Wc are between Dartmouth and Plymouth—30 near. and yet so far." Despite all his protestations of love, howsver, he gradually cooled down, and then from Port Elizabeth wrote a letter which broke off the engagement. The jury awarded JE60 damages, judgment being entered for that amount, with costs.

THE IBEX RE FLOATED. The Central News Guernsey correspondent telegraphs; The GrellC Western mail steamer Ibex, which was sunk off Guernsey in January ast, was successfully raised on Saturday morn- ing, towed to Guernsey Harbour, and beached. An attempt was made Oil Friday, but failed through a hawser hreaking. A ire;h hawser was placed in position, and advantage was taken of Saturday morning's favourable tide to raise the steamer. Four powerful tugs and two pontoons were used.

KILLED BY SULPHUR FUMES. Two young men, named Crank and Cowley, while engaged on Saturday morning in the sulphur department at some paper pulp works at Barrow, were overcome by the fumes. Crank was brought out dead, and it is feared Cowley will not recover, 1

UTI. JAMESON WITHDRAWS HIS CANDIDATURE. SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT'S NEW OPPONENT, The Press Association states that at a meet- ing of the West Monmouthshire Conservative Association, held at Blaina on Friday night, n letter was read from Dr. Jameson, withdraw- ing his candidature on (he ground that he considered it his patriotic duty to remain for the present in South Africa. It was unani- mously resolved to invite Mr. Iltyd Gardner, of Abergavenny, to ccnte3t the seat against Sir William Harcourt at the next election.

"GENERALS'' IN JAPAN. AN EIGHT HOUR DAY FOR DOMESTICS. There is a terrible wail in the "Japan Mail" about the hardship of domestic ser- vice. "Seldom does it occur to masters and mistresses to think about the deadly monotony of the domestic servant's work," moans the editor. "Day after day the same weary routine, with never a respite nor even a break except the 'Sunday out' at intervals of a year. The system is nowhere harder than in Japan. We can- not conceive any drudgery more unceasing than that of the tei-liouse girl, who goes to bed at one a.m. and get up at six, from year's end to year's end, and enjoys scarcely a moment of undisturbed rest from toil. There is a movement now on foot in the United States to limit the hours of the domestic servant to eight daily. A Mrs. Blaine, of Chicago, has set the example, and she keeps two sets of ser- vants who go on duty turn about."

THE HE,.T IN PARIS. DEATHS FROM SUNSTROKE. Paris, Saturday.—In Paris yesterday the heat in the shade rose to 100 degrees, while in the suburbs 104 degrees were recorded. Several hundred cases of sunstroke are reported. Fifteen of them terminated fatally.— Reuter.

SOUTH AFRICAN HEROES, The "London Gazette" announces that the Queen has been pleased to confer the decora- tion of the Victoria. Cross for conspicuous bravery in South Africa, on Captain Matthew Fontaine Maury Meikle- joh.il, Gordon Highlanders; Second-lieutenant John Norwood, 5th Dra- goon Guards; and Sergeant-major, now Quartermaster and Honorary Lieutenant, William Robertson, Gordon Highlanders. Captain Meiklejohn was recommended for rallying the men after losing their leaders and leading them against the enemy's position, where he fell desperately wounded in four places, at the Battle of Elandslaagte last October. Second-lieutenant Norwood, in face of a heavy fire, galloped back 300 yards, picked up a fallen trooper, and carried him out of fire on his back, at the same time leading his horse with one hand, after a sortie from Lady- smith last October. Sergieon-major Robertson led each succes- sive rush during the final advance on the enemy's position at Elandslaagte last October, exposing himself fearles-sly to the enemy's artillery and rifle fire, leading iiteii to seize the Boer camp. After capturing the main posi- tion, and holding on to the position captured, he fell dangerously wounded in two places. The same issue of the "London Gazette" announces that the Queen has been pleased to approve the grant of the medal for distin- guished conduct in the field, in recognition of their gallant conduct in South Africa, 1899, to Sergeant-drummer George Lawrenoe, Gordon Highlanders; Corporal-piper Kenneth M'Leod, Gordon Highlanders; Lance-corporal Samuel Dryden. Gordon Highlanders; and Trooper A. W. Evans, Natal Mounted Rifles.

I ===========!=== HEAT. When the abide is niaety-two, Whart's a Lunnon bloke ter do? Whart's a Lunnon bloke ter do? 'E cawn't. nort self-respectin', think o' work; 'E 'must treat 'isself with care, An' the lybour whart's 'is share 'E should, if 'ealth's important to him, shirk. Extry sleep can nort be got When it is so bloomin' 'ot, Or sleep's the very thing ter put 'im right. If e's lucky 'e per'aps Gits jest :.wo five-minnit naps Which don't rest 'im an' cormpletely spiles 'is night. Drink is fytal, as we know. An' yer gits sttiil 'otter so, And if yer wise yer spends no time on drink; An' without a little drop Yer appertite goes pop, So dinner ain't a thought yer care ter think. Readin' tires yer, an' pline talk Wud be better by a chalk, But talk's a bit monot'nous, so ter sye, When ev'ry chap yer meet In the worshop or the street Says, 'Ello, Bill, kin yer keep warm ter-dye?" Whart's a Lunnon bloke ter do When 'is thermo's ninety-two. And at yooshal occipytions 'e's a fool? Theer's but one thing left, ter get, Ter a shidey plice, and set. An' shut 'is 'ead an' wite until it's cool. —"Daily Chronicle."

MEDITERRANEAN FLEET. Fume, Friday.—Vice-admiral Sir John Fisher and the officers of the British Squadron yesterday made excursions to Lowrana and Abbazia, together with the principal residents of Fiume, and were entertained at lunch by the Governor. A dinner party, followed by a ball, which wae kept up till ate at night, was given on board the Renown, which was splen- didly illuminated. Cordial toasts were ex- changed at the diinner. The British warships will leave at seven to-morrow morn .ng.- Renter.

A WOMAN'S CYCLING RECORD New York. Saturday Morning.—Mrs. Lind- say, a well-known bicycle rider, has just com- pleted a thousand miles ride by road in 6,118 minutes, which is 685 minutes better than a t ,in previous woman's record. She still continues her ride, and is expected to make further records.—Central News. i -—. man

TO CLUB SECRET A HIES, &o Lists of cycle runs of clubs in the district and items of interest concerning the doings of clubs should be addressed to "Cycling," "Evening Express," Cardiff.

LOCAL CLUB RUNS. CARDIFF CYCLING CLUB. Wednesday, July 25,9.30 ft-in Severix Tunnel Saturday, July 28, 3 p.m., Nantgarw, Caerphilly, and Newport CARDIFF FLEET WING C.C. Wednesday. July 25, 3.15 P.m Sally CARDIFF IVY C.C. Monday, July 23. 8.30 p.m.St. Fagan'a. Monday, July 30. 8.30 P.M Wenvoo. CARDIFF JOCKEY C.C. Sunday, July 22, 10 a.m Dinas Powis Wednesday, July 25. 7 p.m Castell Coch Saturday, July 28, 3 p m St. Bride's Sunday, July 29, 10 a.m.Walnut Tree CARDIFF MINNY-STREET WELSH CONGRE- GATIONAL C.O. Wednesday, July 25, 2 45 p.m Dray then CARDIFF MUSICAL SOCIETY C.C. Wednesday, July 25, 3 p.m Caldicott Castle Saturday, July 28, 3 p.m.Barry Island. ST. MONICA'S (CARDIFF) C.O. Wednesday, July 25. 2.30 p.m Llantrisant Saturday, July 28, 2.30 p.m Layernock. NEWPORT CYCLING CLUB. Thursday, July 26, 3 p.m Abergavenny. Thursday, July 26, 6.30 p.m Chain Bridge. Saturday, July 28, 3 p.m Lighthoiwe. (For rustic sports.) n TUESDAY RUNS:- Tuesday, July 24, 7 p.m Paper chase. Tuesday, July 31. 6 p.m .I. Novelty cycle competition. TREORKY AND DISTRICT C.O. SPECIAL RUNS. July zi to 23, 12 midnight on the 21st, leaving Builth at Z p.m, on the 23rd Builth Weill-

Hope Once More Revived. Reported Safe on July 18 I Cypher Message to America. Washington, Friday.—A great stir wae canned at the State Department this morning, when. Wu Ting Fang put in an unorthodox early appearance. and handed a telegram, which, he slid, conta:ned the reply of the American Minister in Peking to the cypher cablegram forwarded on the 12th imt.. at the request of the Secretary of State. The message was found to be in the Government cypher, and read as follows; — "Peking, July 18—Am in British Lega- tion, under continuous shot and shell from the Chinee- Quick relif only can preveut general lJ13R:nCré'Cangcr." Unless, therefore, the Chiueee have obtained possession of the Legation code books, and have forged this message, there can be no doubt that Mr. Conger was aiive as recently as Wednesday last. Mr. Secretary Hay is satisfied that the dispatch is perfectly genuine. The news that a cablegram had been received from the AffiHican Minister at Peking quickly spread, and caused great sensa- tion.—Central News. Renter's correspondent says that the message is regarded as genuine, inasmuch as forgeries stem, under the circumstances, impossible. Washington, Friday.—The Secretary oi State at Washington received on Friday morning a. dispatch from Mr. Fowler, dated Chefoo, July 9, saying that a Shanghai paper of the 16th said. "All foreigners murdered." Mr. Fowler wired to the Governor demanding the truth. The Governor replied that his courier left Peking on the llth. All were then safe, but the east city had been carried by rebels, with intent to kill. As soon as Mr. Conger's cablegram was translated, it was telegraphed to Mr. M'Kinley, and a Cabinet Council was sum- moned to meet in Mr. Hay's office.—Reuter. Washington, Frida.y—The officials of the State Department think that Mr. Conger, in using the term "Chinese troops in his dis- patch, must have meant rebellious troops. and they do not accept the conclusion arrived a', in London, that the dispatch is an old one which had been intercepted by the Ghin<3e. un tho contrary, t1J.ey consider it a satisfactory reply to Mr. Hay's inquiry. The officials point ont, further, that the bombard- ment. of which Mr. Conger speaks had not, begun. according to all accounts, until th 6th inst., for, although the Legation had been besieged and attacked prior to that date. it was not with artillery. Mr. Long has cabled to Admiral Remey:—"Conger telegraphs that he is under fire at the British Legation at Peking. Use and urge every means possible for his immediate release."

HOW IT WAS RECEIVED. SHANGHAI, Friday Evening. In response tø reveated r(1)resentations made on the llth inst. to Taotai Sheng by Mr. Good- now, the American Consul here, the former to- day handed him a cypher message purporting to be from Mr. Conger, the American Ambas- sador in Peking, and dated the 18th inst. Mr. Goodnow was unable to translate the message, and despatched it to the State Department at Washingon.—Central News. Washington, Saturday.—Mr. Root, Secretary for War, believes that any hope of rescuing the foreigners at Peking rests on the co- operation of the Chinese Government with the United States Mr. Long has arranged to send 4,000 Marines to China. Mr. Root has cabled t) the lieutenant-colonel of the 9th Infantry Regiment at Tientsin to induce the allies, if possible, to make aAl immediat general advance. Mr. Rockh'll sails for China from San Francisco on the 3rd prox.—Reuter.

EVENTS IN PEKING. A FRENCHMAN'S DIARY. Paris, Saturday.—The "Figaro" this morning publishes a diary which was kept at Peking by one of the French interpreter students, M. Saussine, up to June 10. On May 28 he wrote t,hat news wa-a received of the destruction of a Christian village 25 miles from Peking by the "Boxers." The destruction of four rail- way stations followed, and the Ministers then protested to the T8U11lg-li- Yamen, which body professed not to know anything about the matter. On May 30 the Ministers presented an ultimatum to the Chinese Government, which consented to a force of 1iarines coming to Peking to guard the Legations. Sir Claud MacDonald informed the Chinese Government that it was no longer a question of local trouble, but one of life or death for the Chinese Government. In consequence of the continued "Boxer" attacks the Ministers on June 4 determined not to trcat any further with the Chinese Government as representing any control oyer the populace. "We know for a certainty that a brother of Prince Tuan has hidden several hundred 'Boxers' in Peking," the writer states, and adds that the same day the Deputy-Governor of Tientsin declared that he had received orders from the Emperor not to take action against the rebels. On June 9 it was known that the Chinese Government refused any longer to be responsible for the acts of the rebels or to guarantee the safety of foreigners. A meeting of members of the Diplomatic Corps was held, at which it was said the Ministers had been told to leave Peking, but they had refused. Messages were then sent to the Conanhs asking for more troops. An anxious niglit was spent. the mem- bers of the Legation being up and on the watch all night, expecting to be attacked at any moment. The following day, June 10. at seven un., it was known that the telegraph line had been cut, and that the reinforcements asked for could not arrive at the Legations until next day. Meantime Prince Tuan was raised to the Presidency of the l'sung-li-Yamen by the Empress, the foreign Ministers at once refusing to communicate with him. This day 10,000 rebels were said to be in the neighbour- hood of the Legations, and members of the various staff: were worn out with constant watching for the attack thev expected every night.— Dalziel.

HOW RUSSIA WILL REPLY "HALF A MILLION TROOPS NEAR MOSCOW." Speaking of what reprisals Russia will make to the invasion of Siberia, the "Daily Express" correspondent at St. Petersburg says that, in the opinion of one of the Emperor's most confi- dential advisers, Russia's opportunity has come. She already has halt a million of troops mobilised near Moscow. These will be despatched to Eastern Siberia at the maximum rate of 5,000 a day. Xot perhaps the whole of them, but as many as are necessary. They are mostly Cossacks, and, therefore, mostly mounted. The Cossack, you know, is a free- lance. and he will make mincemeat of the Chinamen. We do not consider that the raids in the neighbourhood of the Amur are part of an organised plan conceived by a central authority."

THE ADVANCE ON PEKING Cheioo, Friday.—It will be impossible for the alies to advance on Peking until the 15th of next month. owing to the commencement of the rainy season.—Central News.

SHANGHAI SAFE. A Reuter's message, dated Thursday, eays that, although danger was apprehended, Shanghai is now considered safe. Canton district, is quiet. Christians are being persectted in Shantung. Reports from Niu-Chwang Ind Port Arthur are disquieting.

THEIR FAVOURITE HYMNS. At a dinner party of excursionists at Amble- side on Sunday, composed largely, but by no means exclusively of middle-class Nonconfor- mists from the Midlands, each lady and gentlemen wrote on a card the first line of their favourite hymn. Fourteen, says the "Leeds Mercury," wrote "Lead, kindly Light." six "Abide with Jjne." and others lower num- bers. 26 giving one eacfct