Barry Herald

LoRD RCSSKLL OF KILLOWKH (when Sir Charles Sussell) WM once examining a witness. The question was about the size of certain hoof-prints left by a horse in sandy soil. How large were the prints. asked the learned counsel. Were they as large as my hand ?* holding up his hand for the witness to Oh, no," said the witness, honestly: it was just an ordinary hoof." Then Sir Charles had to suspend the examination while everybody laughed.

NEWS NOTES. LORD LANSDOWNE'S statement as to Ministerial intentions with regard to the army was eagerly anticipated, for there can be no doubting the fact that the nation is alive to the necessity of very materially strengthening its defensive preparations. A long period of pacific relation- ship with important Powers has served to lull into a relaxation of military vigilance not con- sonant with the vastness of our Imperial inte- rests: and every Briton is anxious now that things should be put permanently right. It is not pleasant to have to face heavy expenditure on armament when the war ideal is abhorrent to you; but we must keep in our minds the truism that the best and sometimes also the cheapest way to conserve peace is to make it plain to all that you are ready for war. VERY great disappointment was manifested in this country last week-end when it became apparent that Sir Redvers Buller's third attempt to relieve the beleaguered garrison of Ladysmith had been checked, and that the general had decided not to press his intended advance against the investing Boers by way of Vaal Krantz. It would seem that the Boers had so strongly fortified the hills north of the Tugela with heavy artillery that had we gone much further we should have been trapped with disastrous consequences. This parlous situation was fortunately discovered by balloon reconnaissance. 4. IT is earnestly hoped that Sir George White will be able to hold out in Ladysmith until the Boers who have held him there are either driven away or retire to other parts of the theatre of ;war. It would be. a thousand pities were White's gallant band lost after holding out so long; and most of us would be glad to find Buller capturing the credit of saving him, for Sir Redvers has tried most nobly and determinately to accomplish the difficult task with which he was entrusted. It is not im- mortals to command success, but he and his army have certainly deserved it. KIMBERLEY is feeling the brunt of siege troubles now more than ever since the war began, food privation being apparent as the JBoer bombardment has grown hotter. No doubt Lord Roberts, in going to the Modder, meant to do his utmost in the direction of getting Cronje out of the way. His strong entrenchment on the Magersfontein hills-which stopped Methuen's march-has given Cronje an advantage that has endured for a long period, and will yet take much wrest- ing from him. Probably a harmonious move- ment on a large scale will be made from the central field of operations and from the western frontier in a very little while; and when Roberts finds himself able to thus utilise his forces to carry the war into the enemy's country and give battle in positions not of Boer choosing matters will put on quite a new aspect. Fighting on the flat in the Orange Free State will be a very different matter indeed from warfare amid mountain fastnesses where the Boers have established themselves. OUR soldiers are thirsting to get the Boers out into the open, and when we menace Bloem- fontein with a forward march in heavy strength there will be a chance of a more equal struggle than has yet been witnessed. The troops at the disposal of the Transvaal and Free State authorities have borne themselves surprisingly well in every way so far; but they have not met anything like a British Army Corps ein fair terms up to now. Joubert and Cronje and all the officers have opened our eyes considerably as to the value of Boer soldiery amid hill and river and checked us most annoyingly time after time when we held them too cheaply. Their turn of surprises is to come, and we can trust Roberts to let them have such surprises as soon as material is fully to hand. IT is matter for deep and lasting regret that we under-estimated the magnitude of our mili- tary task in South Africa at the commencement of the campaign. Probably, as things have gone, we could not have had troops enough there in time to prevent the Boers accomplish- ing a considerable Amount of mischief ere we could reduce them to subjection, but it is a sad, sore matter to reflect on that more than ten thousand of our men have been put out of action in one way or another before we can reckon any tangible advantage gained! Amongst these are many of Britain's best and bravest of every rank, from general down to private, who will never more return home. They will slumber the long death-sleep of the hero, out on the veldt, "for England's sake;" leaving their dear one weeping proud tears that "must have way." And how many of the brave and misguided Boers have been slain also It is a sanguinary struggle indeed, and it is not over yet. There is tbrrible blood-guiltiness attaching to those who occasioned the conflict, whose price is one which Kruger prophesied all too truly will be such as to staggered humanity Whether it was inevitable or not men can scarcely be expected to agree, but that the en d may be soon is the aspiration of every feeling man, woman, and child.

"POISON BY POST" TRIAL. VBRDICT Of QUILTY. In the sensational Molineux poisoning case al New York the jury retired to consider their verdicl at five minutes past three on the afternoon of Satur- day. Mr. Molineux was finally found guilty of causing the death of Mrs. Adams, in December 1698, by sending poison through the post. Mr. Molineux's counsel has decided to appeal against the verdict. This will stay the execution of the sentence pending the decision on appeal. Thus, after a protracted inquiry, enda one of th. most remarkable trials in American criminal annals. As will be remembered, Molineux was charged with causing the death of Mrs. Catherine J. Adams, on December 28, 1898, by sending poison through the post. Mrs. Adams died after swallowing what was believed to be a headache powder, that had been delivered through the mail in a silver match-holder M a Christmas present to Harry Cornish, Physical Director of-the Knickerbocker Athletic Club, and by him administered to Mrs. Adams, with whom he resided. A chemical analysis revealed the fact that the powder contained a deadly combination of cyanide of mercury. The investi- gation which followed resulted in the discovery that Henfy C. Barnet, another prominent member of the .Knickerbocker Athletic Club, who had recently died, had received a similar powder, and that it contained cyanide of mercury also. Roland B. Molinenx was among the witnesses put on the stand at the coroner's inquest, at which the testimony went to shew that Molineux bore enmity towards both Coraiah and Barnet. He was arrested after considerable delay and imprisoned in the Tombs. Three grand juries considered his case, and the third brought in the indictment upon which he was com- mitted to take his trial in the Court of General Sessions. Both sides have fought bitterly ever since Molineux's arrest, and at the beginning of the present trial two weeks were occupied in empanelling the jury-

1 BRITISH SURVEY PARTY ATTACKED. A body of 300 Las has (says a Rangoon message) attacked Bagshawe's survey party, 22 miles from Kunlong Perry, on the Sal ween River. Two of the surveying party were killed, and one was wounded. One La was killed. Assistance has been sent. j

I AtraosT BOHIT and William Mucke, who were charged with assisting in the management of a com- gaming-house, known as the Concordia Club, Houndaditch, in connection with which the proprietor, a man named Richter, had been fined 9100 at the Old Bailey, were, at the London Guild- hall Police-court on Saturday, bound over to be of good behaviour. THB three young Germans who were charged with committing a number of burglaries in the Dulwich ;district and with unlawfully shooting at Acting- Sergeant Harrington were again brought up at the lAmbeth Police-court on Saturday, and remanded for another week. The injured police-officer had not sufficiently recovered to enable him to attend the Court. IN the German Reichstag the Navy Bill was re- ferred on Saturday to the Budget Committee. Herr Bebel, the leader of the Social Dernocnts, spoke of England as the naturally ally of Germany, and said that a qnarrel between the two countries would be the worst thing possible that could overtake Ger- many.

MARGARINE OR BUTTER? SOMB FACTS CONCERNING SFFBSTITPTES. Supposing you asked for a pound of butter, and. shopman said: Oh, don't have butter; have margarine. Ifs just the same thing, or even better, except that the name's different." Would you take his word for it ? And supposing that, not content with your refusal, the shopman still persisted in arguing about it, say- ing "1 understand these things you don't. The substitute is really just the same as the real butter." What would you think in such a case, and what would you do ? You would come to the conclusion that the shop- man must have a very low opinion of your intelli- gence you would go away and buy not only your butter, but anything else which you wanted, else- where. In that way you would show ithat the- man made a mistake in thinking you easy to impose upon. itSome, years ago margarine was packed up very much like real butter, and labelled with names re sembling butter: butterine," and so on. Parliament put a stop to this. You can now distinguish butter iroui margarine by the label. Margarine, honestly sold as such, is a useful article, and ne honest butter- man attempts to sell it as butter. But apply the same idea to some notorious sub- stitutes. Dr. Williams' pink pills for pale people are well known to you. These pills have cured a number of painful, dangerous, and troublesome diseases among your neighbours—diseases such as anaemia, St. Vitus' dance, rheumatism, consumption, paralysis, indigestion. They give new blood to blood- less people, and new strength to weak people. Sup- posing you go to a shop and ask for Dr. Williams' pink pills (you should always be careful to ask for Dr. Williams'); and supposing the shopman offers you something else—a substitute—which he declares to be just as good," or the same thing," and pro- bably cheaper; you will be wise to draw the same conclusion as in the case of the man who tried to sell you margarine for butter. The man who tries to sell you a substitute instead of Dr. Williams', pink pills thinks you simple." He will be persistent; he will keep on talking about it. He may put the two side by side—the genuine pills and the substitute— and say Look, they are exactly alike But. they are not exactly alike. There is no re- sembla.nce between them. Substitutes can never be Dr. Williams' pink pills any more than margarine can be butter. And you can tell the difference by the label, in this case, as in the other. Look for all the seven words of the title on a pink package with the name in red, and do not accept anything that does not bear these words. If the shopman will insist on trying to make you buy a substitute, go away. Have no more to do with him. He will cheat you in other things, besides this, if he finds you so simple as to accept his substitute in this Case. The character of substitutes is shown by everything connected with them. They are often a good deal cheaper than Dr. Williams' pink pills, yet a dishonest shopkeeper is anxious to sell them. Why ? Because however cheap they are, he can still make more profit by selling useless substitutes made of common drugs, than by selling the genuine pills. It is hardly necessary to say more. But another thing also marks the character of the substitute—the sham pink pills that are not Dr. Williams' pink pills. They are got up to trade on other people's reputation —to sell on the reputation of Dr. Williams* pink pills. It is not to be expected that goods got up in that | spirit will be honest goods; and, in point of fact sub- stitutes never cured anyone. Dr. Williams' pink pills have cured more than 27,000 cases. Below is printed one case. If the substitute-mongers could point to such a cure as this, do you not think they would do so ? But they cannot. Substitutes are simply a trick to sell common drugs. It is only the genuine Dr. Williams' pink pills that really cure, and the follow- ing instance is given as one example of the way the pills cure: Mrs. Hodder, wife of a master builder, residing at the Bungalow, Longlands Park-road, Sidcup, Kent, said to a reporter, who took down her words I have been a great sufferer. At times I could do nothing: 1 could not feed myself. I could not stand. I was, as it were, completely paralysed. From a child 1 had been a great sufferer from neuralgia; which in later years developed into what one doctor termed neuralgic gout, and another muscular rheumatism. My doctor felt it was a hopeless case. Then I consulted a specialist, who said he had never seen anyone's nerves in a more dreadful state. I was under his treatment for about ten months, and still suffered. The agony was awful, and I became a perfect skeleton. I could not i eat, nor sleep unless I had a sleeping draught. I was as helpless sometimes as a little babe. Mr. Hodder wished for a long time to try Dr. Williams'pink pills for pale people. I had quite given uphopeaof recovery, and had said, I will try nothing else, for where so many remedies had failed, I thought the pills would be cf no use. My husband procured a box, how- ever, and I soon began to feel better. I could sleep better, and began to enjoy my food. I continued to take the pills. Before I did not get downstairs for months. I could not stand on my feet. My limbs used to be stiff and swollen, and my hands and feet perfectly rigid, and if you had given me £100 I could not have moved them. My recovery is entirely due to Dr. Williams' pink pills. I have no doubt of that, because I have been so different sirce I began to take them. I now take no other (nedicine, and I would not be without them." To avoid the tiresome talk of substituters the best plan is to avoid their shops altogether. Go where you are served cheerfully and respectfully with what you ask for. If there is any difficulty, write direct to Dr. Will iams'Medicine Company, Holborn Via- duct, London, enclosing the price—two shillings and ninepence for one box, or thirteen and nine for six boxes. But if for any reason you must go to a shop where substitutes are sold, take care to ask for Dr. Williams', and see that you get them, with the full name on the label.

THE JELUNGA SCANDAL. HOW TUB WOMEN WEItK UELPBD AT CAPS TOWN. We publish the following extract from a letter from the Rev. Rice Thomas, Chaplain at Wynberg I visited the Jelunga in Cape Town Docks on November 15, with the view of ascertaining the wants of the women and children whom that ship was con- veying from Natal to England. I found some 147 women and 250 children on board, and, in reply to my question how I could best assist them, was told that if they could be provided with a sufficient quan- tity of flannel, they would be able, duriag the voyage, to make it up into warm clothing for themselves and children in time for the cold weather they would experience on leaving Madeira and landing in Eng- land. I accordingly sent down to the ship 1300 yards of flannel, which my wife and two ladies of the North Lancashire Regiment distributed in proper proportion among all the families on board. Besides this, warm stockings were supplied to the 250 chil- dren, and a large proportion of warm clothes, which had been previously collected for the purpose. The women expressed themselves as very grateful for what was done for them, and wished to make an acknow- ledgment of the kindness they had received in Cape Town in the daily papers, but the Jelunga went out into the Bay earlier than was expected, and this was not done. "One woman, a sergeant's widow, came to the stall, and tears were streaming down her face. She was quite unable to speak. Then a woman standing near said softly: she wants something black; 'er 'usband, 'e's killed.' So they gently gave her some- thing black. With regard to this poor soul, I have only to say that I gave her £20, in charge of the captain of the ship, for her immediate use on land- ing in England, and that she had also £2 in hand for "use on board ship, which she had received from the Soldiers' and Sailors' Families Association Fund at Maritzburg. "All the soldiers' families which sailed from Durban in the Jelunga, with the exception of those which came from Ladysmith, were warned a month, before leaving Maritzburg that a sudden move was probable. A large quantity of clothes which had been sent from the Soldiers' and Sailors' Families Association, London, was distributed by the wife of Colonel Knox, R.H.A."

"TUERE IS UNQUESTIONABLY" no bettte* remedy in the whole world for all coughs and throat troubles than KEATING'S LOZENGES—any medical man will assure you of this fact. Relief is speedy simple out sure in action; the most delicate can take them. Sold everywhere in 13tØ. tins. SIBERIA, SO far from being a country of desolation, is as green and fertile a land as Australia. Probably tho Russians themselves have no very definite ideas about the marvellous fertility of this territory, which occupies so large a space on the map of Asia. A gentleman who travelled through the country a few years ago, from the Caspian to Vladivostock by way of Omsk, Tomsk, and Irkutsk, was daeply impressed at every point of the journey with the wonderful agricultural possibilities which are latent everywhere. The soil is of great richness, and the crops, where- ever the country is cultivated, are of almost pheno- menal abundance. For the most part of it has lain idle so long that its productive power is almost illimitable. The forest tracts are luxuriant, and the natural irrigation system magnificent. There is room in Siberia for 20,000,000 colonists, and an abundant living for them all, without drawing upon the equally extensive mineral resources of this waaderful countrx

LONDON UNIVERSITY ELECTION, The contest for the representation in Parliament of the London University came to an end on Satur- day, when the poll, which opened on Tuesday of last week, was finally closed. The voting resulted in the return of Sir Michael Foster, the Conservative can. didate, who had a majority of 408 over the votes re- corded in favour of Dr. Collins, his Liberal opponent, and 6R5 more than those polled by Mr. Busk (Liberal Unionist). The result of the total poll was announced shortly afterwards by one of the Vice Chancellor's assistants as follows Sir Michael Foster (Unionist) 1271 Dr. William Job Collins (Liberal) 863 Mr. Edward Henry Busk (Unionist) 586 The diminution in the number of votes polled Dy Sir Michael Foster compared with those by which Sir John Lubbock was returned at the election in 1886 is due, no doubt, to the efforts made on behalf of Mr. Busk, Chairman of Convocation, whose can- didature was favourably received when the contest commenced. Dr. Collins, polled double the number secured by Mr. Frederic Harrison in 1886. Sir Michael Foster, of Ninewells, Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire, who has thus become successor to Sir John Lubbock (now Lord Avebury) in the repre- sentation of the London University, is the son of Mr. Michael Foster, F.R.C.S., surgeon, of Hunting- don. He was born at Huntingdon on March 8, 1836, and was educated at Huntingdon Grammar School and at University College School, London, matriculating at the London University in 1852, and taking the B.A. degree in 1854, winning the scholarship in classics. He passed the inter- mediate medical examination in 1856, qualified as a member of the Royal College of Surgeons. England, in 1857, and took the M.B. degree the following year, and the M.D. in 1859. From 1860 to 1866 he practised as a surgeon at Huntingdon, when he was appointed Professor of Practical Physiology at University College, also holding the Fullerian Professorship of Physiology 'at the Royal Institution of Great Britain. In 1870 he was elected Fellow of and Praclector at Trinity College, Cam- bridge. He received the honorary degree of M.A., and in 1883 was elected to the Chair of Physiology at Cambridge. He is a D.C.L. Oxon., a D.Sc. Dublin, an honorary LL.D. of Glasgow, a Fellow of the Chemical and Linnsen Societies, of University College, London, of several foreign learned societies, Secretary and Fellow of the Royal Society; and was President of the British Association last year. He received the honour of knighthood in June last. Sir Michael Foster's books on physiology are the stan- dard works on the subject, and include a Text Book of Physiology," which has passed through many editions, and a Primer on the subject in Mac- millan's Series, and in conjunction with Mr. J. N. Langley he has published an Elementary Practical Physiology," See. He is also editor of the Journal oj Physiology, and has been a contributor to Watts' Dictionary of Chemistry" and 'the proceedings of the Royal and other learned Societies. He has been twice married 'first, in 1864, t6 Georgina Gregory, daughter of Mr. Cyril Edmunds, and after her death, which occurred in 1869, secondly, in 1872, to Mar- garet Sarah, daughter of Mr. George Rust, of Hunt- ingdon. He now enters Parliament, as the 91st new member returned to the House of Commons since the last General Election, his return upon this occa- sion making no difference in the balance of political parties.

MR. REDMOND'S MANIFESTO. Mr. J. Redmond has issued a manifesto to the Irish people in regard to the present position of the Irish party. He remarks that disunion had certainly been fraught with evil conseqiiences, but it was equally certain that union might, under certain con- ditions, be made the means of once more rendering the weapon which the Constitution had placed in the hands of Ireland potent for the redress of national grievances, and in winning back the right of national self-government.

WINTER WEATHER. Heavy snowstorms occurred on Saturday over a large portion of our islands, and the weather has been generally very cold. A storm area had arrived on our south-west coasts on Saturday morning, and it subsequently traversed the northern parta of Eng- land. A temporary rise of temperature occurred over. the southern pqrtion of the kingdom, but the frost was severe in Scotland, where during Saturday night the temperature at the coast stations fell to eight degrees, or 24 degrees below the freezing point. A gale has occurred at many places on our coasts, and the grinds were generally strong and boisterous. There was a heavy snowstorm in London on Satur- day evening; and in a few hours the ground was covered to the depth of frown four to. six, inches, Muph inconvenience to traffic and damage to pro- perty has been reported.

MR. COURTNEY AND SIR EDWARD CLARKE. Mr. Courtney, M.P., speaking at Birmingham on Saturday, declared rhat the war was not justified, and 6hat the negotiations with the Transvaal Govern- ment failed through the conduct of the Colonial Office. The first possible means should be taken to re-establish peace. In reply tb the expression of a hope that he would not follow the example of Sir Edward Clarke, and resign the his seat, Mr. Courtney said it would be with the greatest hesi- tation and reluctance that he should consent to forego the opportunity the Constitution had given him of making his views known to his fellow countrymen.

FROM CAPE TOWN TO KHARTOUM. Mr. Grogon, who arrived at Omdurman on Thurs- day of last week with Captain Gage's party from Uganda, is an Englishman, who, in company with Mr. Sharpe, left the Zambesi two years ago. He travelled north, via British Central Africa, Lake Nyassa, the Tanganyika plateau, and Lake Tangan- yika, to Ujiji. Then he proceeded to the north end of the Lake, continuing his journey, by the Rusizi valley and Lake Kivu, through the vocanic district, and down the Rutchuru valley to Lake Albert Edward, where Mr. Sharpe was called home. Mr. Grogan then proceeded, by the Semliki Valley and the west shore of the Albert Nyanza, to Wadelai and thence down the Nile, following the British and Belgian posts. Leaving the Nile at Bar, Mr. Grogan swung inland through the Dinka country in order to avoid the swamps and sudd. He struck the Bahr-el-Zaraf 30 miles from its junction with the Bahr-el-Jebel, and eventually reached the base of Major Peaie's sudd cutting expedition on the Bahr-el-Abiad. He then followed the vast central water trough, or natural line of communication between north and south, firoughout. I

I CAPTURED AND ESCAPED. Corporal Perkins, of the 2nd Devons, recounts how he was captured at Colenso and managed to eflCspe< When taken, there were about 50 of his regiment, with a lot of wounded in a trench. One of the men was suffering from sunstroke, and with the aid of a comrade Perkins carried him out of the trench! { ♦'We had not gone far,"b« continues, "when four ^j0,6 UP and asked «• were going. X replied that we were taking this mdn tjj0 am- bulance. They told me that no man was allowed to leave the trench except ambulance men. I said I could not leave the men that condition so they 'ook away our rifles and told us to get the man in the ambulance and be back again soon, or they would fetch us. I took the man round to the opposite side of the hospital, and having handed him over, made a bolt for it. I kept the hospital between myself and the Boers, and did not forget to quicken my pace. It was a long way back to tamp, but I got tLere, and am ready now for another rub in."

I A MOUNTED officer Knows exactly what he may carry. In his pockets or haversack or slung on a belt he is restricted to a whistle, compass, notebook, water-bottle, clasp-knife, besides sword, pistol, and ammunition. On his horse attached to the saddle are a spare shoe, case with nails, nosebag, picketing ropes and pegs, cloak, mess-tin, field-glass, and in a pair of wallets an emergency ration, tin of vaseline, underlinen (not exceeding 21b.), knife, fork, spoon, comb, tooth-brush, shaving brush, razor, night-cap, field-cap, towel and soap, drinking-cup, map of country, and a box of matches. All these articles must not, with saddle and bridle, exceed 71ilb. in weight. Carried in the regimental transport each mounted officer is restricted to 351b. of baggage, which must be packed in bed-valise, and includes change of clothing and linen, boots and putties, canvas shoes, bucket, lantern and writing portfolio, camp-kettle, two plates, and pepper and salt pots. SOMB curious secrets as to matrimony are seen 'in the following statistics: May and November are the most marrying months. Fewer people are married ia March than in any other month. When bachelors marry widows, the widow is generally the alder; but when widowers marry maids, the maid is usually the younger. SUKNY SLOPE, California, enjoys the distinction of being the largest vineyard in the world. It is situated amid the most beautiful scenery of that favoured land, two miles from San Gabriol. Of a total of 1900 acres, 735 are devoted to grape vine, the remainder being distributed among orange trees lot which there are 12.000), lemon, and olive trees

ADVENTUROUS SCOUT. A Royal Marine of her Majesty's ship Powerful, in the Naval Brigade at Modder River, writes to his mother at Rochdale as follows Our scouts report that the Boers have got their wives with them, and that they hold prayer meetings every night. We saw a piece of work the other day by one of the Colonial scouts, which was the most daring thing I've seen yet. The scout rode right along, parallel to the Boer trenches, at about 800 yards at the gallop, just to draw the Boer fire, and find their position. He swam the river on his horse, and rode right into an ambush of them, but on drawing his sword they'nipped' for their lives. So he kept on for three hours, the Boers sniping at him all the time. You could see dust flying all round his horse, but he lay along his horse's back and never got a scratch."

TREATS AT THE MEDICAL CAMP. The following is taken from an interesting despatch to the Lancet by its special correspondent: If every possible care has been taken of Tommy Atkins his wife and children have not been forgotten during his absence at the front. A few days ago I bad the pleasure of being present at one of Mrs. R. Cham- berlain's pleasant Christmas treats to the young ones in the schoolroom at the medical camp. The tables literally groaned under the weight of good fare for both young and old, and the concert which followed, conducted by such proficient musicians as Mrs. O'Brien, Lieutenant Chalk, and others failed not to interest and amuse all the wounded who were present thereat. Mrs. R. Chamberlain aud her willing workers received such a reception as will long be remembered and will doubtless convince them that their labour and sympathy and love was thoroughly and deservedly appreciated by all present.

AN ALARMING "ALARM." A fire alarm recently invented, says Science Siftivgs, is a combination of the graphophone and telephone. In the use of the talking alarm one of the graphophone machines is placed on each floor of a building and connected with the telephone fire- alarm system. For each machine a record is pre- pared. For instance, the graphophone on the second floor of a building would contain the record, "There is a fire on the second door," &e. This record is then adjusted so that these words are repeated into the telephone by the expanding of a thermostat whenever a lire occurs. In this way the origin of a fire is located immediately and automatically. The alarm also lights the electric lights in the building, sets a red light blazing in front of the building to guide the firemen, and sounds the, alarm into the street through a giant megaphone—so we are told.

FADS IN FLONVERS. The Covent-garden florists are not a little per- plexed over the whims of society in regard to flowers. Lately the rage for chrysanthemum blooms has declined, and this once exceedingly popular flower has not sold as it used to do. The claims of ,the big violet seen distinctly to be in the ascendant. That fine fragrant variety, the Princess of Wales, has carried everything before it, and it looks as if in future seasons the violet is to come out on top. Up to within 10 years ago no giant violet blooms, such as we get to-day, were obtainable at any price. Now it is hardly 81- exaggeration to say that tho petals of the violet are bidding fair to become almost as large as tiiose of the pansy. The effect of this extraordinary increase in the size of violets is evidenced in the great demand which exists in the markets. The dealers in the flower market at Govent-garden state that they have never known such activity in this line before, and that the orders from country buyers have recently been quite pheno- menal.

THE POPE ON BRITISH GRIT. Dr. Riddell, the Bishop of Northampton, was re- ceived the other day by the Pope, who spoke with great interest of the war in South Africa, and said he prayed constantly for the conclusion of hostili- ties. According to the Rome correspondent of the Daily Mail, his Holiness said he deeply regretted th" losses on both sides, but he admired the patriotism of the British and the valour of the soldiers. IT-a learned with satisfaction that the Queen's Roman Catholic subjects had displayed the qualities of patriotism and bravery.

A GERMAN OFFICER ON ARTILLERY, i Herr von Bloch, of Warsaw, in his comprehensive work, recently published, dwelt on the fearful effects produced by modern weapons. The Deutsche Warte asked Major Albrecht, commander of the Boer- Artillery, whether his: experience confirmed Herr von Bloch's assertions (says the Berlin correspondent of the Daily News). In a letter dated Kroonstad. December 17, after the battle of Colenso, Albrecht says the following: What does Bloch say ? A modern shell throws over a thousand pieces ? What rubbish. I wish that Russia would send me sorn" of those shells. What we have here won't even alwayøwbeyuB, but what the English have are bad beyond description. Out of a hundred shells not 19 burst, and even these make more noise than they do damage. The day before yesterday about 25 000 English with over 50guns stood against us 13,000 Boers. I cannot give the accurate numbers, for I am to-day already on my way back to the Modder River, from where I came on the 12th with half of my artillery. But I can well say that we did not lose more than a hundred men, amongst them about three dozfn killed. To about 1000 English shots about 15 men were killed, and 30 or 40 wounded, for the rest was done by rides. Our Boer artillery was by no means so successful as I had anticipated before the war. Certainly, our people shoot splendidly; but there is a great difference between a gun and a rifle. The English must have suffered heavy losses but I know that I, with my artillery, had only a slight share in it, although we fired about 400 shells. 11 I leave it open whether our artillery disabled in all a hundred men. The riflemen dis- abled in 10 minutes 10 times more than our artil- lery did sometimes in 10 hours. Artillery in defence does not seem destined to play a brilliant part, and as regards the attack, its use consists chiefly in in- timidating the enemy, so that the attacking body can advance under its protection. The real decision lies in close fighting. The battles of Magersfontein and Colenso were decided within ten minutes. Within five minutes Buller bad lost 11 guns. He who is least nervous is victorious—of this laIn firmly convinced. Of course, in close fighting many more soldiers are now disabled than formerly, but the massacre is therefore of shorter duration. No body of troops marches straight on, as on the drill ground, against the enemy, and lets itself be simply shot down. Not even the English do this. According to my conviction, war is nowadays not more murderous than formerly."

A BIT OF LOOKING-GLASS. A private in the 2nd Coldstream Guards, writing on January 11 from Wynberg Hospital to his borne in Lincolnshire, gives graphic personal details of the, Modder River battle. He says: "I happened to find a bit of looking-glass. It made a rare bit of fun. As it was passed from com- rade to comrade they Said. Have a last look at your- self, my boy, and bid yourielf good-bye.' The laugh went round. Then Advance and we went at it again."

CLASSIFICATION OF WOUNDED. The casualty lists issued by the War Office usually contain indications of the severity of the wounds received. As the system of classification followed is probable not generally understood, it may be of inte- rest to explain it. "Wounded," says the British Medical Journal, is used as an inclusive term, and it gives no indication of the severity of the injury. It is used only in preliminary statements forwarded home before the medical officers have had time to examine all the wounded and make a classified term. Three classes of wounded are recognised: "Dan- gerous," severe," slight but if a man is dan- gerously wounded and hkely to die it is usual to state that his wound is probably mortal." The actual classification is, of course, made by the medical officer on the spot. It is impossible to at- tempt to specify the nature of the wounds which would fall into these several classes, but it may be said that a simple flesh wound would be entered as slight, a wound implicating bone or joint would be entered as severe, and a wound penetrating the abdomen, chest, and brain would be entered as dangerous.

A DIVIDED HOUSE. In one Devonshire home, at least, the progress of the campaign must naturally be watched with some- what divided feelings. The head of household, a hale old, farmer, has four sons engaged with the armies-two on the side of the British, and two on the side of the Boers. The farmer himself prays for the success of our arms. There is many a house, it is to be feared, in South Africa which is divided j against itself in similar fashion. ]

MRS. FRONTTUE (to minister's wife): Why is your husband always asking for money, money, money r Minister's Wife (wearily): "I presume its because, he never gets any."

EPITOME OF NEWS. j ACT infant weighing 71b. at birth will weigh V-jjlbi, on the 10th day, and lllb. on the 30th. ISMNGTON is the most populous parish in that kingdom, 345,008 people living on its 3109 acres. A HATTERY of artillery consists of six guns. THE average cost of a British soldier is £64 a. year. The Swiss soldier costs about C14 a year. EvKRr German regiment has a chiropodist in i lank J iVI(SESnOF.S of aluminium are being tried 011\ Russian cavalry horses with satisfaction so far. PKINCB CHRISTIAN has recovered from his recent hunting accident, and is now able to take his usual! rid ing exercise. WAKKFJELD CATHEDRAL is to be enlarged at a cost; £ -24,()00, as a memorial to the late Dr. Walsbamj if.o; first Bishop of the diocese. s international congress of medical electrologyi and radiology will take place in Paris from Jluly 27i to August 1. PRESIDENT McIVINLBY has appointed Mr. William! H. Taft, of Cincinnati, a United States Circuit .1 udge^to be Chairman of the new Philippine Commis- sion. ARTIFICIAL incubation of eggs was practised by the ancient Egyptians of the time of the Pharaohs,before that of Aristotle, and even now ovens for the purpose are found in Egjpt. THE express passenger locomotive which Mr. S. W. Johnson, of the Midland Railway, is building! r"r the Paris Exhibition, is to be named Princess of Wales. MR. T. H. WYA-TT has been appointed Chief Civil I Assistant to the Quartermaster General to the! Forces, in the place of Mr. F. Jackson, who has retired on a superannuation allowance. MR. BERNARD DRAPER, of University College,! Oxford, has been appointed confidential assistant to! Mr. G. Fleetwood Wilson, C.B., Assistant Under- Secretary of State for War. MR, CHAMBERLAIN has selected Mr. H. F. Wilson of the, Colonial Office, for temporary employment on; S,r Alfred Milner's staff at Capetown. 11 HER 'MAJESTY has been pleased to appoint Mr. Joseph Walton. Q.C., a Commissioner to go the: Oxford Circuit (Stafford and Birmingham). THE bottom of the Pacific between Hawaii and California is said to be so level that a railway could! he laid for 500 miles without grading anywhere. THE Irish mail-boats receive Pt.95,000 a year! subsi dy. This is only Y.4000 less than is paid.for all the North American mails from Queenstown to New; York. ONE of the late Mr. G. W. Stevens's actions-before his fatal illness was to send a rose grown in his garden at Ladysmith to the one he loved beat-iiis wife, who devoted her life to the late lamented wam correspondent. SKWER gas is harmless, says Dr. L. P. Kttnnicutt in Municipal Engineering. Experiments show that it' does not contain any poisonous gases, and that the ff-w bacteria it does contain come from the outside j air and not from the sewage. IN consequence of the dearness of coal throughout i Europe, the Paris, Lyons, and Mediterranean F,^il- way Company has contracted for 75,000 tons of i American coal for use upon its system. Mn. THOMAS HENRY WYATT has been appointed chief civil assistant to the Quartermaster-General to the Forces in the place of Mr. Frederick Jacison, who has retired on a superannuation allowance; RATS are believed to propagate the plague, and Dr. Apery, of Constantinople, proposes to kill them m ships by carbonic acid gas, which, being heavier than air, would. sink to the bottom of the hold and stifle them. THE French High Court will meet on February 10 to judge M. Marcel Habert, who, after taking refuge abroad, gave himself np too late to be tried with M- Deroulede and the other defendants. SINCE vaccination was made compulsory in Germap. cities, in 1874, only a few cases of small-pox finvii been observed, and most of those occurred ij1 foreigners coming from countries without compul- sory vaccination. LORD ROBERTS is exceedingly fond of music. ",Vibe members of his staff on various occasions have got up iinpromptu concerts to please him, and in one campaign the Genoral was always- serenaded when he retired to rest. ALUMINIUM bronze powders explode as a result of the simple friction produced by admixture with potassium chlorate. In contact with water, enough hydrogen is liberated to account for explosions, of which there have been several lately at factories where these powders are prepared. MR. JUSTICE WILLS has been granted an extended leave of absence in consequence of illness, and it is understood that the learned judge has been adviasd to,. go on a sea" voyage. EXPERTS in baby-farming recommend the use of milk from the same cow, andhence the little daughters of the Czar take their cows with them when they travel. During the visit of the Czar to Germany A palatial cow car with two Holstein cowa was attached to the Imperial train. OWING to the recent advance in the price of mate- rials, it is stated that the present prices of cycles are unremunerative, and an important meeting of cycle makers has been convened to consider the advis- ability of recommending a general rise in the price of machines. MORE cliff-dwellings have been discovered by Mr. G. W. James on the banks of the Shinumo, which runs into the Colorado near Mystic Spring Trail, one of the most wonderful regions of the world. Stone- built ruins also exist in the neighbourhood. THERE are 10,000 miles of railway now in operation or under construction in Africa. According to the Engineer, already 1400 miles of line north-west from Cape Colony and 1100 miles south-west from Cairo are complete, the intermediate distance being about 3000 miles. THE King and Queen of Sweden, it is stated, pro- pose to leave Sweden in the middle of April, pro- ceeding first to England, where the Queen will make a prolonged stay. Subsequently their Majesties will visit the Paris Exhibition. MR. BROWN, one of the best Chinese scholars in this country, has left for China to engage two native teachers for London University, where a Chair of Chinese has been founded by Alderman Harrison, President of the Blackburn Chamber of Commerce. ONE of the curiosities of the Bank of England is to be seen in the printing-room. A man sits at a desk, and every three seconds a machine delivers to him two complete F-5 notes. If he sits there six hours he receives orer £ 70,000, and in 300 days over £ 20,000,000 sterling. GERMAN authority estimates that almost a third of humanity speak the Chinese language, that the Hindu language is spoken by more than 100,000,000, the Russian by 89,000,000, while the German is spoken by 57.000,000 tongues and the Spanish by 48,000,000. GENERAL SIR REDVERS BCLLEB, when a youth, had his choice among all professions. His relatives pressed him to take up politics, as he had a private fortune. I'd rather be a private in the leait of the Queen's regiments than England's Prime Minister," Was his answer. ACCORDING to a Cardiff correspondent, a Welsh firm has just contracted to supply a foreign purchaser with 400,000, tons of steam coal. It would be in- teresting to learn the destination of this remarkable purchase; but that appears to be kept strictly secret. The order has, it seems, created some stir in tlra trade, because large purchases of coal on foreign account are very unusual at this time of the year, when an order for even a fourth of the quantity would be considered an event. AT a gathering of the North-Eastern Railway men st West Hartlepool lately, Mr. WiJson Worsdell laid the company's coal and coke bill this year was ijoing to be 4140;000 more than last year. They who worked the engines and conducted the traffic, burning 401b. of coal per mile, did not think much of that, but when they had to make a contract with the colliery world for a million tons of coal to carry on their business, it was a very serious thing when they had to pay from 2s. 6d. to 3a. 6d. per ton more for it. TaBRK is a pond at Golconda which is fed by the waters from the hot springs. This pond has an area of two or three acres, and the temperature of the water is about 75dog., and in some places where the hot water bubbles up from the bottom the tem- perature is almost up to a boiling point. Recently & discovery has been made that this warm lake is literally anve with carp, some of which are n»or0 khan 1ft. long. All efforts to catch them with a hook and line have failed, and they will not touch the most tempting bait. A few of them have been shot, and, contrary to the general supposition, the fish was hard and palatable. TUII average produce of wheat to the acre in Eng- land is 24 bushels. In Middlesex, owmg principally to the facility of procuring manure from London, the average is 40 bushels to the acre; and it has been known to reach even ^bushels to the acre. For every 12 bushels of wheat, one load, containing 36 bottles or trusses of straw, will be obtained, the weight of which is ll-ulcwt., or 12881b. The average produce of barley to the acre is form 24 to 32 bushels* punll trees are asserted to be a safeguard against many of the prevalent epidemic dinams. It has been found in America that wherever unhealthy dis- tricts have been planted with pine plantations the low fever has left them, and when cholera was raging those districts which were largely planted with conifers were perfectly free from tne epidemic. They are, if possible, more valuable agents against fever and lung complaints than even the eucalyptus, and have the great advantage of growing admirably in our climate.

UNION LINE forthe SOUTH AFRICAN GOlI FIELDS. Sailings from Southampton every SatnrdMU Oils made at Lisbon, Madeira, and Teaerifle. Apply to Uxio.v STEAM SHii-Ca.Ltfl., CiuiuteBd., Soutk&mpt.in,au4 Bonth African House, 94-98, Bishop-agate St. Within, Lond88. T>ILLIARD AND BAQAT £ LLI JL> TABLES. A LAROB STOCK OP NKW ASD SKCOH» HAND TABLES alwayo on hand. WRITB FOB PEICK LlSt* -G. EDW AKliS, 134, KINGSLAND ROAD. LONDON, N.B. 00% ( OIP -AL.1- FALMOUTH as a HEALTH RESORT. ILLUSTRATED GUIDE containing the opinion .i. of SIR EDYV AHD SIEVEKING, M.D., and SriL JOSEPH FATHER, M.D., &c., can be had pest frte of A. SKINNBR, Municipal Buildings, Falmouth. V V X WHElJ Baby had rash, we rubbed in VTNOLIA. When she was a Child, she cried for VINOLIA. When she became Miad, she clung to VINOLIA. When she had children, she gave them VINOLIA, ¡ -1 ■; -1 Viiuikia CrtI), i/lj, 1>0; Ftnolio Powder, lj-, jt&f I Premiur Vinolia Soap, 4d.

As Sir Redvers Buller's name is at the moment on everybody's tongue, the curious in such matter: may be interested to know that the distinguished soldier Can, with as good right as Sir William Harcourt, lay claim to the possession of Plantagenet blood. He is lineally deticended from the greatest of the Flan- tagenets, Edward 1. Lo'ngshanks't youngest daughter,. Lady Elizabeth Plantagent, married Do Bohun Earl of Hereford, their daughter married Hugh de Courteney Earl of Devon. The great-great-great- granddaughter and co-heiress of the Earl and Countess of Devon became the wife of Richard Buller of Shillingham and Tregarrick in Cornwall, from whom Sir Redvers Buller is lineally descended and whose estates (or a portion of them) be now possesses. Furthermore, Sir Redvers has in his veins what, after the royal, is geherally considered the bluest of aristo- cratic blood, his mother having been the sister of the 12th Duke of Norfolk. Tijic women of Britain and of the Transvaal, whose kindred are at deadly strife with each other, are one, says a contemporary, in their mutual sorrows and, harrowing anxieties; but the Boer women are exposed to miseries and dreadful apprehensions peculiarly their own. In the absence of their natural protectors, the haunting horror of an uprising of the blacks has transformed the isolated homesteads of the Transvaal into fortified blockhouses, whose defenders are the housemothers and their children. Nor will these desperate mothers and their, devoted children— numerous, as is the wont in Boez-homes-prove foee. to be despised. The girls are, as-expert as the boys in the use of the rifle. Travellers say that it is no unusual thing to meet them in the open veldts, gun on shoulder, in pursuit of game, and in former troublous days, the mothers have fought beside hus- bands and brothers from behind many a beleagured laager. — MM.

PEN FEELIKC LIVERISH REMEMBER tiiat CARTEL'S LITTLE LIVER PILLS "Touch" the Liver. They absolutely cure Sick Headache, Bilious- ness,. Torpid Liver, Indigestion, Constipation. Mallow Skin. Dizziness, 'Furred Tongue. Small pill, small price, imui dose, purely vegetable, forty in a phial. no.. One ate Night. Is. lid. of all Chemists. Be sure they are CARTER'S. REAUTIFUL TEE] H FOR ALL WHO- USE M daily on the tooth brush a few drops of SOZODONT, the plea.sant.eat dentifrice in the world. Cleanses the teeth, and spaces between them as nothing else will. Sound audi tearly white teeth, rosy lips, and fragrant breath ensured*. Ask for SOZODONT. Us. M.

THE story of tho T-9yaW Boer who firmly be- lieved that the Bible was originally written in Dutch, inspires a correspondent of the Daily News to Narrate an equally amusing instance of Boer density. A Dutch minister, he says was rebuked by an old farmer for expressing doubts as to the reality of a personal devil. Finding the rebuke did not carry conviction with. it, the dogmatic Boer exclaimed, "Why, I can show. you his portrait!" And fetching a very ancient Bible adorned with woodcuts he- pointed to a proseintment of the conventional Evil One with horns and tail. To attend to her Majesty's wardrobe, and toilette there are five maxls, viz., three dressers, and two wardrobe women. The senior dresser, who has beer many years with her Majesty, is specially charged with the task of conveying orders to different trades- people-jewellers, drapers dressmakers, &c.; one drestlcr and one wardrobe woman are in constant attendance on the Queen, taking alternate days When the Court is at Windsor the members of the household in attendance are one lady-in-waiting, twc maids of honour, a lord in waiting and two equerries, one groom-in-waiting, also the keeper ol the privy purse, the private secretary, assistants in both departments, and the master of the house- hold.

COCOA-The National Drink. V EVER ae histonr of the world has Coooa been _I\ much nela in favour as a national diink aa it iaatthe piwjeotday. Yet there are Cocoas ami Cocoa*. jIkssbs. FRY have pained no fewer than 276 GOLD MEDALS and DIPL0MAS, and their Pore Csncen- tr" na COCM-ill t h,, rcsult of *n accumulated experience -hich thia weHkmro at an &dnn. far above aD the rivalrY 9 &mon¡G of powth. h.r. to bettw bo". PURE CONCEHTRA 1£D OOOOA Of wbich Dr. Andrew Wi1ao8, :F.R.8.E.. •• cocoa. s»!i ideal o^perfection.^ J-UST THBEB WORDS are neceBtarr in order to the I^ht O'icoil, vir, frrH v. ED.

ARMY doctors look out for good news even more eagerly than the general in command of the forces for they know that it makes the difference between life and death to many of their patients. Nothing hinders the recovery of the wounded so much a depression of spirits and anxiety. And when thej hear that things are going badly at the front, many of them who are on the turning-point grow worse and die. On the other hand, the news of a great victory will pull a man out of the jaws of death. Thit fact was very noticeable when both British and French wounded were congregated at Antwerp dur- ing the Waterloo campaign. When news of Napoleon's complete defeat reached the hospital the French began to die at about twice the rate of the British troops.