Flintshire Observer Mining Journal and General Advertiser for the Counties of Flint Denbigh

A WELL-KNOWN TRADE MARK UPHELD. The illegality of certain colourable imitations of the well-known trade mark Carter's Little Liver Pills has just been finally declared by a perpetual injunc- tion of the Court of Chancery, granted by Mr. Justice Stirling, January 31. The defendant bad used the titles "Little Liver Pills" and "Coated Little Liver Pills," and the injunction restrained him from the use of these, and of any other title colour- ably resembling the words Little Liver Pills," the sole right in which was claimed by the Carter Medicine Company, proprietors of Carter's Little Liver Pills, at whose suit the injunction was issued. It is understood that the Carter Medicine Com- pany is initiating a vigorous campaign against all in- fringers of their rights in this title, at Common Law and otherwise, and notices warning medicine-vendors and others have already been issued. Private infor- mation, to be treated confidentially, is being invited in regard to the matter by Mr. C. Urquhart Fisher, of 45, Holbom-viaduct, London, E.C., solicitor to the plaintiffs, the Carter Medicine Company, with a view to proceedings.

ADMIRALTY AND DOCKYARD PAY. The Admiralty have sanctioned the following im- proved scales of salaries to the Engineering and Con- structive Staff at the London establishment and at the dockyards, and these increased rates of salaries will come into force on April 1, 1896 AT TUB ADMIKALTY. Director of Naval Construction's Staff. Year. The Senior Chief Constructor £1000 to E1150 Two Chief Constructors 850 to 1000 Director of Dockyards' Staff. Chief Constructor £ 1000 to £ 1150 Engineer Assistant 800 to 950 Engineer in Chief's Staff. Chief Engineer and Inspector of Machinery £ 1000 to £ 1150 Engineer Inspector for Gun Mount- ings 620 to 770 AT TilE DOCKYARDS. The Chief Constructors. At Portsmouth, Chatham, and Devon- port E700 to ES50 At Sheerness and Pembroke 600 to 750 At Malta 650 to 800 At Hong-Kong 600 to 750 The Chief Engineers. At Portsmouth, Chatham, and Devon- port t. jMOOto £ 750 At Malta 550 to 700 At Hong-Kong 500 to 650 These officers have also Government residences.

TROOPS FROM ASHANTEE. A JYlNG MESSAGE FROM TIIE LATE PRINCE HENEY. The R.M.S. Benin arrived in the Mersey on Sun- day afternoon from West Africa, having amongst her passengers six officers and nine non-commissioned officers of the Ashantee Expedition. Several of the men were ill on embarking at Cape Coast, one of whom, Edward Batchelor, died three days after- wards. Canon Taylor Smith, who was also a pas- senger, and is stationed at Sierra Leone, was chaplain to the force during the expedition, and went to the Gold Coast with the troops. The reverend gentleman was with the late Prince Henry of Battenberg during his Royal Highness's illness ou the coast. It is said that Canon Smith has come especially to England tc convey to Princess Beatrice a dying message from the Prince. Captain Bernard brings home some remark- able relics from Ashantee, some of them having been obtained in the King's palace. The gallant officer found in the palace two envelopes with the words "On His Majesty's service." To judge from the condition of the envelopes, it seemed as if they had been a very long time in the palace. Captain Bernard believed them to belong to a former British expedition, most likely when Governor. McLean administered the place in the time of George IV. Governor McLean was killed and eaten by the Ashantees, and his skull was said to be used as a drinking cup at Ashantee cere- monies. Several war drums were also brought home bv Captain Bernard, one of them being covered with human okin. He has also with him a sacrificial stool, which is stained with human blood.

THE CUBA QUESTION. Senor Canovas del Castillo, the Spanish Premier, in a message to the New lork World, says he has taken no official notice of the action of the United States Congress, and has not sounded the European Powers with regard to their support in any form. He has endeavoured to enforce respect for the American Legation and Consulates, and will imprison the authors of disturbances. After a recognition of the Cuban rebels as belligerents, it would be impossible to accept the good offices of President Cleveland. The effect of Senor Canovas's statement has been striking, and Senators are declaring that they think enough has been done by Congress, and that the matter may now be left to the President. Anti-American demonstra- tions continue to take place in Spanish towns. General Weyler has made a speech in Havana, in which he said the insults directed against him by American Senators were proofs that he was serving his country well.

THE VENEZUELAN QUESTION. The agent of the Venezuelan Government ana their counsel before the American Commissioners has published a rejoinder to the British case, prepared with reference to a summary of the Blue-book whief was cabled to New York some days ago. The pitt and substance of American comments on the Bliuj- book may be epitomised in a sentence: "If Great Britain has so good a case, why not arbitrate ?" On the whole, there is ground for confidence that the statement will exercise a wholesome effect on American public opinion, but it has confirmed the general desire for arbitration. The Times corre- spondent repeats that a plan of a joint commission which he communicated three weeks ago was the plan of the Washington Government, which was ready to accept it, or to propose it officially en receiv- ing assurances that it would be accepted.

THE EXPANSION OF TRADE. The Board of Trade Returns, issued on Saturday, show that the imports for the month ended February amounted to 935,476, "06 against E2,8,134,489 for the corresponding month last year, being an increase of £7,342,247. The im- ports for the two months ended February were E73,950,592, against f-64,877,970 for the corre- sponding period last year, showing an increase of £ 9,072,622. The exports for February amounted to Z19,683,456, compared with E 15,913,095 in February last year, showing an increase of £ 3/710,361. The exports for the two months ended February were £ 40.810,624, against £ 34,197,331 in the corre- sponding period last year, being an increase of £ 6,613,293.

DUBLIN is to be illuminated by incandescent lamps. One street has already been lighted with them by way of experiment. j THE Emperor William has ordered a magnificent celebration of the bi-centenary of the founding of the Berlin Academy of Arts, to take place in May. Tuic Viennese, when they go outside German, would do well to confine themselves to French-at any rate to avoid English- The following advert.se- uuy ru-i Vienna, might almost as well ment of Yeo.» and^ OfiL cjpW: -lb. have been written m a 1 lfBspread about whole the Exposition will present it es^bliabment> We have territorial com p ex o urrence for the best modern convoked an urtutiea r £ here is for the further Italian Opera m one of strangers, the verv conimo'iitv of visitors a social,;Ut cea.ro of lue intelligent 4

NEWS NOTES. THE hedgerows and many shrubs and trees ire beginning to open out their greenery and Lhe phenomenally mild winter we have had ippears to be passing pleasantly into a remark- ibly early spring. The rain of the past few lays has been welcome, although it may have liudered farm work a little. Stock-keepers ire having very good fortuno with their ewes. 1'he yield of lambs is good, and Hocks are very wealthy. In the markets the downward ten- lency of prices has been stayed, partly owing to cheap money' abd activity in trade and com- merce. The open season has made all kinds of ^reen vegetables very cheap. The English I growers are this spring, as regards many kinds )f produce, likely to be on an equality with eir foreign competitors. 8m ALFRED C. LYALL (late Governor of the fsorth-AVest Provinces of India) delivered an interesting lecture on Conquest and Com- merce in London. He pointed out that in :he 17th and 18th centuries commercial struggles frequently terminated in the strongei party taking land in order to render their trade safe. Half of our wars in the 18th century irose out of disputes over trade, and it was not difficult to perceive that, viewed histori- cally, commerce was not that peaceful pursuit A'hich it was usually imagined to be. For a people situated as we were foreign trade was a necessity,because our home markets soon became overstocked. But it might be asked, Why ould wo not keep to commerce and drop con- quest ? He wished we could, but somehow it teemed very difficult to do so. Fifty years ago ihere were several politicians who]said we could trade with India just as well if we had not conquered it, and they said it did not matter ibout that country belonging to us. He wished that had been true. It would have been the best thing to do; but all history was against that theory, and subsequent events had contra- dicted it. The reason was that wealthy Asiatic kingdoms were too weak to stand by themselves and keep their markets open to commerce. England had obtained large terri- tories by colonisation, which was another form af conquest, but this could not go on much [onger. No doubt there was still ample room in America and our colonies for more emi- grants, but what he meant was that hardly any land now remained in the temperate zone that could be taken over by any European country as we took over America and Australia. In these circumstances, we should have to fall back more and more on commere alone. The recent extension of our territory at the Cape was due to commercial enterprise, backed up by great capitalists in London, and, whatever might be the faults of Mr. Cecil Rhodes, he had pegged out the lines of a great dominion for England in South Africa. Oun "first line of defence is a phrase often -made use of by Britishers in relation to the aavy, and with regard to its aptitude a little jontroversy has arisen in the columns of the Daily Graphic. Thereanent, Capt. Walter H. James (late R.E.) a well-known authority on jlie art of war, writing to our contemporary contends that there is nothing misleading in the expression. It is, he holds, a convenient form for defining the duties of this branch of our defensive forces. The mistake lies with those who misunderstand what the definition is, and who talk of it as if the form of words were used to express a geometrical line, that is to say, length with- out breadth. Neither on land nor on sea is this true of any line of defence. The navy would be the first to come in contact with the enemy. Its manoeuvring area is the whole sea, more especially the enemy's coast. Within the area thus available the navy should be able to freely manoeuvre, and everyone who uses the expression first line of defence' postulates this fact. No reasonable being proposes that we should rival the enormous military arma- ments of the Continent, but that is no reasonN why our present forces should not be increased." Now that the Venezuelan Blue-book is out, a careful examination thereof shows that it con- tains overwhelming proof of the righteousness and moderation of the English claims. American pre-occupations with Spain over the Cuban difficulties will prevent the same attention being paid to the British case as would have happened if its presentation had happened in December instead of March. Although this delay has been severely condemned, it has not been without its advantages. American opinion is more likely to take a dispassionate view of the facts now that the heat wave of Jingo feeling has subsided, while the prospects of disagreement between the two peoples are sensibly diminished by the frank explanations that have occurred on both sides. THE elementary schooling bill of the nation is a big and growing entity. We find from figures lately published that the total debt ol about 2500 School Boards in England and Wales amounted a year ago to close upon £ 28,000,000, and the amount has been in- creasing of late years in a surprising manner. The new loans in 1888 amounted to 9779,558; two years later 21,000,000 represented the new debt incurred; while in 1894 loans were con- tracted exceeding £ 2,600,000. The annual in- terest upon this indebtedness, together with repayments of instalments of principal, now amounts to over a million and a quarter, or a rate averaging about 3d. in the pound on the districts concerned. A LITTLE while ago the Prince of Wales had rather an exciting adventure, though the matter escaped newspaper notice at the time. While tricycling with Sir Francis Knollys at Sandringham, his Royal Highness pulled rather heavily upon his handlebar, with the result that the machine capsized backwards, throwing him heavily to the ground, where he narrowly escaped being run over by Sir Francis, who was following closely behind. At first the Prince expressed hia belief that the machine capsized without any contributory action on his part, but a cyclist who was consulted ventured to suggest tha\ his Royal Highness, by sitting too far back and putting too much weight into the pull upon the handlebars whilst travelling uphill, was responsible to some degree for the accident. The Prince of Wales smilingly confessed to a weight between thirteen and fourteen stone, and he sometimes found that his wheels ploughed somewhat heavily on the sandy roads over which he was in the habit of riding.

SUICIDE FROM LONDON BRIDGE. On Sunday afternoon an exciting scene was witnessed on London Bridge. A woman, who had been noticed sitting on one of the seats for some hours, suddenly mounted the parapet, and crying, Prevent me if you can I'll do it while I've got the chance," jumped into the water, striking one of the buttresses on the way. Efforts were made to rescue her, but she had not been in the water a minute when she sank. The body has not been recovered. The woman is described as being about 5ft. 2in. in height, 35 years of age, fair, wearing a black straw hat, light fawn jacket and black skirt.

THB Mikado is the religions head of the Japanese as well as their ruler. His place is hereditary, and it has been filled by members of his family for more than 2500 years. His is comparatively the moat ancient lineage known. The Mikado is the 122tid of the line. The founder of it, whose hope of posterity in his wildest dreams could not have equalled the result, WH contemporary with Nebuchadnezzar, 660 B.C. Of the seven great religions enumerated by Max Miiller as possessing Bibles. the Mikado's family is older than fire.

I. THE WONDER OF THE PLACE. 1 A remarkable piece of news was brought in last week by the reporter of a local paper from Black- heath, a suburb of London. He had been deputed to interview a Mrs. Bonnick, 5, Couthurst-road: Charlton-road, Blackheath, London, S.E. Mrs. i Bonaick showed him her baby, A STOUT, HEALTHY LITTLE GIRL, under three years of age, with a sunny smile brighten- ing the whole of her fea- tures. "Ah, but you should have seen her this time last year," said the mother, "you would not have thought she would have lived a day," and then the told me the following story Her name is Grace Ethel Bonnick. She was born on the 26th May, 1893. Till last winter she was a bright, healthy child. She was then taken ill with influenza, followed by pleurisy and pnenmonia. The doctor ordered beef-tea, chemical food, and cod liver oil, but she was too weak to take them. She wasted to a mere shadow, and about the end of May dropsy set in. The doctor gave up all hope, and only called occasionally to see her. I had, mypelf, lost hope, when one day last June I read in a small book about Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People, how a child on the verge of death had been completely cured by the "lie of the Pills, and as a last resource I deter- to try them. I gave her the third part of a pi jsolved in water, three times a day, and the ■*ory first night ■*ory first night BUS SLEPT BETTER than she had done for weeks. She used scarcely to Bleep at all. On the second and third nights she still slept t* ter and Wzch more pwottuiy. OI the third day her appetite commenced to im- prove, and she asked for food. At the end of a fort- night she was able to sit up in her chair. She took two boxes altogether in two months, and at the end of that time was as well as she had ever been. She had been running about long before that." Has she had any relapse since then ?" JC No, nor any ailment of any kind. The people of the neighbourhood thought she could not last many days, and now they think she is a perfect wonder. She is simply the idol of the street, and all the neigh- bours spoil her." Being pressed by me as to whether there might not be some other cause for the child's remarkable I recovery, th& mother continued 4 "No, nothing else would persuade me that it was anything but Dr. Williams' Pills," and then she pro- ceeded to give the following logical reasoning for her belief: I had given her nothing for a fortnight before starting with them, and seeing that the doctor had given up all hope, and knowing myself how ill she was, I do not see how so great a change could have come about of itself." You must feel rather thankful that that book was left at your door," I said on leaving. "Oh, yes," replied Mrs. Bonnick, I can never be too grateful. We ALL THOUGHT SHB WAS DTINO, ojt she is quite cured now." Dr. Williams' Pink Pills are praised amongst the highest and lowest in the land, as a strengthening and tonic medicine, whether for men, women, or children. They, are not like other rowliciue, nor can they be imitated, as is sometimes dishonestly pretended take care that the v-sekage bears tho full name, Dr. Williams'Pink Pills for Pale People, and in case of doubt send direct to Dr. Williams' Medicine Company, Holborn-viaduct, ondon, E.C., as the Pills can be had post-free at za. 9d., or six boxes for 13s. 9d. They have cured numerous cases of influenza, anosmia, palpitations? k>isnd the disoiders which arise from impoverished blood, such as muscular weakness, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, pains in the back, nervous head- ache, early decay, all forms of female weakness. bvsteria, paralysis, locomotor ataxy, rheumatism, and sciatica.

REFORMATION BY KINDNESS. Some penologists assert that the task is vain to reform hardened criminals otherwise than by punish- ment. That this theory is delusive is shown by the following extract from the "Autobiography and Journals of Admiral Lord Clarence Paget There was a Marine of the name of Dudley in this ship, a man of incorrigibly bad character. He had been brought before me many times, and I had at last resolved to flog him; but during his examination I found that he had a sort of fixed idea in his head that every man's hand was against him," and that he was doomed to the fore-yard." I remem- bered once before to have reclaimed a hardened character by kindness and I thought I would try this man, and, accordingly, I freely forgave him, and desired the officers and non-commissioned officers to treat him as if he had never been an offender before. 1 heard no more ot him-for this had occurred many weeks before we were off Cronstadt-until one day the surgeon came to me and said that Dudley, during this frightful epidemic, was his right-hand man that he attended night and day on the poor dying patients, a that he feared the man might succumb himself from over-exertion. I was so touched at this noble reform from past errors that I resolved to have him up next day on deck and thank him publicly. Alas! when the doctor brought me the sick report next morning, his name figured on the list of those who had 1!1 dipd during the night. Peace to his memory, poor fellow I

IVORY AND ITS SUBSTITUTE. Though celluloid is now largely used as a substi- tute for ivory, the traffic in elephants' tusks is still very considerable. Last year 673,000 kilogrammes of ivory were offered for sale on the three principal markets—Antwerp, London, and Liverpool. The most important of these is Antwerp, where 272,000 kilos, were offered, London following with 267,000 kilos. The quantity of ivory exported from the Congo Free State in the year amounted to 340,000 kilos. East A" ica supplied 93,000 kilos., the Cape 1000, the Lower Niger and the Benond 35,000, and Gaboon and the Cameroons sent 37,000 kilos. The annual consumption of ivory frem 1889 to 1893 was 188,000 kilos, in England; 116,000 in America, 113,000 in Germany, 90,000 in France, 121,000 in India, 130,000 in China, and 6000 kilos, in other countries —altogether a total consumption of 467,000 kilo- grammes..

MR. W. H. WHEELER, who has beoa informing the civil engineers of how much or how little we have to fear that our harbours will be silted up by the drift •lting the coast, is one of the first authorities in dredging matters in the kingdom. For 30 years he has been engineer to the Boston Harbour Commis- sioners, and in that capacity not only constructed the Boston Dock, which admits steamships of 3000 tons, but is now engaged in deepening the river by another two feet. Mr. Wheeler has written a book on the Fens of Lincolnshire, which he has done as much as any man to reclaim, and he is frequently consulted by public bodies all over the country when it is de- sired to dredge a river, construct a tidal harbour, or protect a coast-line from erosion. GEORGE W. FEENEY, one of the oldest engine- drivers in the service of the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore Railroad, who has just died, was the engine-driver of the locomotive that drew Abraham Lincoln to Washington for his inauguration in March, 1861. When President Garfield was shot in the rail- road station in Washington, Feeney was assigned to run the train from Philadelphia that bore Mrs. Gar- field fromElberon, N.J., to Washington. He received orders to open the valve wide, and, haviog a clear ttack before him, he carried the train through to the capital, a distance of 138 miles, in 135 minutes, breaking all previous reoords for fast railroad time in that country. It is said that during the awful strain of that run he never turned his head, nor exchanged i sue word with his fireman. I

BARATIERI AND MENJLI K. General Baratieri, who threw his last dice in Abjs- sinia and lost, with such tragic results to his army and the utter destruction of his reputation, is a man in the prime of life, a son of a district judge in the Tyrol. He was educated by the Franciscans at Arco, and at the age of 18 joined Garibaldi as a volunteer in the Thousand of Marsala. Obtaining a captaincy in the Italian army, he fought with distinction at Custozza, where he was wounded. After the signing of the peace with Austria he became a pioneer in the Soudan, joining an Italian exploring party which made Khartoum its base. On his return he was made editor of the Rivista Militate in Rome, and afterwards served ail military attache in Berlin and in Vienna. When General Gandolfi was sent, to the Red Sea coast he took Baratieri with him, for Baratieri was one of the few Italian officers who knew Africa. Under General Gandolfi, Baratieri distin- guished himself in operations against the Abyssinians, the Somalis, and the dervish tribes, and, on Gandolfi's retirement, was made Governor and Commander-in- Chief of the Italian colony. His fall seems now com- plete, for the Italian papers are already suggesting that he ought to be shot. The European defeated by the barbarian is a pathetic figure; but there is a picturesqueness about tbe victorious barbarian which appeals to the imagi- nation. Menelik II. of Abyssinia is certainly no mean foe. He claims to be descended in the direct line from the Menelik I., Emperor of Ethiopia, and son of King Solomon by the Queen of Sheba. He succeeded to the throne in 1889, on the death of Job a II., and concluded in that ypar the treaty with Italy which placed his kingdom under Italian protectorate. He has quarrelled with the Italians over the text of that treaty. He seems to be a statesman of great power of will, for he has consolidated the semi-inde- pendent vice royalties into one homogeneous and power- ful people. So far from disdaining European ideas, he has cultivated telfltktfte with,foreign Powers, notably with Russia on religious questions, and it is said that there are Russian officers serving in his army who will know how to make excellent use of the GO (runs captured from the Italians. 3 He is married to a beautiful and courageous lady- Queen Taitou, the Light of Ethiopia." The Daih, Graphic describee her as a very warlike lady, who is said to have desired to lead her body-guard in person to the assault of Makalle the other day. Travellers who have seen her speak in favourable terms of her personal appearance and intelligence. A native of Semien, she is a member of one of tba noblest familiet in Ethiopia. Menelik fell in love with her, and has ever since his marriage been her most devoted slave, Every State question is referred to her by the King, and on more than one occasion she has herself written important State documents. She is enor- mously wealthy, and has acquired largo estates as a provision for a rainy day. Since Makonnen brought specimens of European sparkling wines from Rome she has developed a decided taste for champagne. She dresses in Ethiopian costume, but with much ele- gance and taste.

AN ESCAPED PRISONER SHOT DEAD. An exciting affair took place at uellefont, Virginia, on Saturday. A prisoner named Ettingor escaped from custody and barricaded himself in his house, killing the sheriff who attempted to force the door, and afterwards severing the head from the body. Ettinger kept up a continuous fire from an upper window upon a crowd which besieged the house, wounding several persons. Finally tho,house was set on fire. Ettinger then took refuge in the cellar, and when the flames reached it, passed out his wife and children. At length he was forced to come out, and was at once shot dead,

=- QUEEN AMU LIB of Portugal, to the great delight of the King and her Court, has discontinued experi- menting on them medically in order to thoroughly study the Rontgen light, and now, remarks the St. Jame,.s Budget, her Majesty spends her time in photo- graphing King Carlos and their attendants in order to discover what their skeletons are like. LUNACY has seriously increased in Hampshire. The county asylum at Knowle, near Fareham, has room only for 983 patients, and at the present moment ihare are 1072 persons under treatment, notwith- standing the fact that a block for idiot children, now taking 15 patients, and in addition giving sleeping room for 30 chronic female patients, who had for the last two years been sleeping in the medical officer's house, has been opened. IT appears to have generally escaped notice that the systepa of semaphore signalling, as practised in the navy, has now been introduced into the army in addition to the Morse system. Though the Morse system is probably the best for all-round work, thg semaphore has its advantages, and from what we hear the men appear to pick it up very quickly. With the development of the cycle and the field telegraph, we expect that signalling in general and flag-wagging in particular will gradually be given a back seat. A LAWSUIT concerning an estate that was worth some 20,000dol. when it got into the Law Courts 25 years ago, was settled last week in Los Angeles, Cali- fornia. The estate was left by Encarnacion I'uelna, in 1870. There was nobody to claim the 42 cents that remained when the public administrator offered it in the Superior Court last week, and the judge made an order that it be paid into tha county treasury. "So numerous are fishermen now," writes the Marquis of Granby in an article on Dry Fly Fishing, that the fortunate owner of any river that' carries trout has a valuable financial asset in his possesion, especially if it be within easy reach of London or any populous centre. For good water within an hour's rail of any large town Eloo to E200 a year is easily obtainable for even a shot t stretch of fishilw."

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A HABD-WORKING CANOlq. Canon Hopkins, who goes-by the selection of the CroWn—from the shoemaking town of Oundle irt Northamptonshire to the living of St. Olave in tl Q Isle of Mart, has long been a personage in thedrocese of Peterborough. A recondite man, he is a power in the Chapter House, and his words have seldom been without their influence in the Synod. It is 37 years since he was ordained priest, his ordinate taking place in Peterborough Cathedral. How. ever, he laboured in Leicestershire and Shropshire before he returned to his old diocese, and then shortly after his return he was made, to his great latisfaction, domestic chaplain to the bishop (then Dr. Davys). It was at this period that the canon secured that knowledge which made him so great an authority on the cathedral and its environs. He held two Northamptonshire livings before he went to Oundle (this was in 1871), but it is to Oundle that he has given the real energy of his work-loving life Every inhabitant knows him, and he has rather a liking for the sharp political and religious jonstj in which he has been somewhat compelled to take part by his hard-headed parishioners. The canon was a scholar of St. Catherine College. Cambridge.

INDECENT EVIDENCE. The Indecent Evidence (Publication) Bill, intro- duced into the House of Lords by the Lord Chan- cellor, provides that—" Where a judge of the High Court is of opinion that any evidence given at any trial before that judge is of such an indecent cha- racter that the publication thereof is likely to be prejudicial to public morality, the iudge may order that such of the evidence as is specified in the order shall not be published, and any person who publishes, or is a party to the publishing of such evidence in any newspaper, periodical, book, or any other public manner, in contravention of such order, shall be guilty of contempt of Court and punishable accord- ingl7"

WORK AND PAY. Changes in rates of pay and hours of work during 1895, recorded in officialfignres just published, show that, taken altogether, the year was one that carried with it decided reductions in wages. Roundly, where one person received an increase there were 10 who underwent reductions. As far as changes in ho-irs of labour are concerned, the decrease in length of day is much more common than the increase. During the 12 months 1063 persons bad their working time lengthened, and 18,840 had it shortened. The increases are largely accounted for by resumptions of a former standard after a trial of shorter hours had proved unsatisfactory.

TUB wants of the average smoker of average means in this country are now supplied for the most part by the Continent of Europe, which sends over some- thing like 80,000,000 cigars every year. THE work of laying out the Government new mili- tary range at Mitchelstown is at a standstill owing to the labourers having struck work for a weekly wage of 18s. The men were receiving 14s. per week.

BARTER'S LITTLE ] w LIVER PILLS. A E ITTLE IVER FIL Small Wit ■ Small Dos*. Small Pries. Forty in a vial. Purely Vegetabls. Cure Torpid Liver, Bile, ■allow Complexion, anil Sick He&iiachea promptly: and care them so as to tar curcU. Cbtnista, If-1 ft* BEAUTIFUL TEETH for all who one daily on th* WOtfc bruah a few drops ot SOZODONT Ua8 plsasanteit dantUrle* la tM world. Cleanses the teeth and spaces between them as nothing else will. Sound and pearly whita teeth, rosy lips, and fragrant breath ensured. Ask for SOZODONT. 3a.

CREATION OF PEERS. The creation of a peer is now effected by letten patent, addressed to the new lord of Parliament, which are accompanied by a writ of summons to the House of Lords. Sir William Anson gives the follow- ing account of the proper steps to be taken The Prime Minister informs the Home Secretary of the intention of the Crown. The Home Office thereupon instructs the Crown Office in Chancery to prepare a warrant for the sign-manual. This warrant, when pre- pared, is submitted by the Home Secretary to the Queen, and, having been countersigned by hi-, it M ceturned to the Crown Office for the preparation of the letters patent and the affixing thereto of the Great 3eal, and the letters patent and writ are then sent to the newly-created peer. On the introduction to the House, the new peer presents his patent to the Lord Chancellor, and this and also his writ of summons are read and entered upon the journals of the House. rhey form the matter of records," in which, as the Lords resolved in 1680, the title to a peerage must originate.

RECRUITING FOR THE CAVALRY. The standard of height and chest measurement of line cavalry recruits has been altered as follows" Heavy cavalry (Royal Dragoons and Scots Greys), nnder 20 years of age, 5ft. 7in. to 5ft. 9in.; over 20, 5ft. 9in. to 5ft. lOin. Medium cavalry (Dragoon Guards, luniskilling Dragoons, and Lancers), under 20, 5ft. 6in. to 5f. Sin.; over 20, 5ft. Sin. to 5ft. 9in. Light cavalry (Hussars), under 20, 5ft. 5in. to 5ft. 7in.: over 20, 5ft. 7in. to 5ft. 8in. The chest measurement is to bo 34in. in all cases, except of recruits of 5ft. lOin, In.the heavy regiments, who must measure 35in.

Slit MICHAEL HICKS-BBACII says that local taxation requires revision in towns as well as in the country, but that, owing to the present condition of agricul- ture, attention must first be given to the latter part of the question. THE most perfect collection of fleas in the WORLDF I* possessed by Mr. Saunders, a famous English entomo- logist, who has been many years ooflectjng every known specimen.. THE Empress Frederick possesses a cornelian to which she attaches great value, the gift of an oio lady, a centenarian, who lived near Windsor, and I whom, as Princess JJoyal, she used to visit Ten often.

ILEAB

SOME QUAINT OBSERVANCES. Off the eve of the annual inemorial day for the 4nad every Japanese family sends^ a delegate to the |l>mbs and invites the spirits of the dead to come koine with him. The delegate delivers the oral message with profound respect and formality, bowing low to the ground before the ancestral tombstones. Then ho turns about and asks the invisible spirit to get on his back, secures him with both hands behind and gravely walks homeward. At borne a bed of sand taken from the seashore is piled in the vard and a fire is built of flax stems. Thi is called the recep- tion fire." The spirits are requested to alight carefully at this high. home altar, so as not to bruise themselves. In January each house has a sacred closet wherein are enshrined images, ances- tral tablets, charms and amulets. Cakes, oranges, flowers and incense are offered here, and before it members of the family commemorate the days of their ancestors' death. This elevated place is called the'" Buddha's Shelf." Besfdes the eloset the tops of cabinets, cupboards and similar furniture are turned into depositories for shinto relies and paper gods. These "god-shelves," too, are carefully served with offerings of salt fish and sake, and are lighted in the evening. In the temple the birthday of the great common teacher, Shaka (Gautama), is observed. This anniversary falls on April 8, and its observance is simple and quiet, except for the distribution of ubuyn. In the east, when a child is born, the midwife immediately plunges it into a tub of warm water. This water is called ubuyn or first bath. On April 8 in every temple a bronze baBin is placed before the altar, and in the cent,re.,of the basin stands a bronze image of the infant Sb,aka. ThIs symbol relates to a marvellous account of Shaka s rising upright in the bathtub and telling his astonished parents whence he came, pointing to heaven, and what his mission on earth was. His exact words are recorded in the Buddhist scriptures. This bronze vessel is filled with a decoction of a certain dried herb, whose taste resembles, licorice. The wor- shipper pours the liquid over the idol with a small dipper and then sips a little of it, mumbling some devotional words. Children run to the temple in the early morning, carrying bottles for the sweet" tea, or ubuyn. In the temple kitchen the cook has boiled gallons and gallons of it, and from the dawn „ that functionary is prepared for the hubbub of dis- pensing it to the throng. 'As this holiday comes In the sarlle season as does Easter the floral flecorat.ons of the temples are beautiful. The imago and the bronze roof above the basin are artistically covered over with a quantity of a native flower, whjch the botanist may classify under the genus trifolium. These flowers colour the fields pink in the spring.