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

THE PORTE AND THE POWERS. he Constantinople correspondent of the Timet saysthatthe current rumours about an agreement between the.Powers concerning the method of dealing with the Turkish question are untrustworthj. No plan has yet been seriously considered, but appeari- ances warrant a belief that on M. de Neli«Joff'a return the Ambassadors will agree upon a line of action. The Ambassadors resolved on addressing to the Porte a Note, which was presented on December 12 demanding the recall of Saadeddin Pasha, the Otto- man speoial envoy, from Crete, within 48 hours.

THE MARRIAGE OF DIVORCED PERSONS. Dr. Tristram, Chancellor of the Cousistorial Court ■of London, has addressed to the Archbishop-Elect of Canterbury a long letter, dealing with a petition by the Rev. William Black, assistant-curate of St. Saviour's, Plmlico, in which it is alleged that Dr. ^Ttistram has offended against the ecclesiastical lawsof England by having granted in August last a licence 'for the marriage of a lady whose previous iraariage.had been dissolved by the Superior Court New York °n the ground of her husband's mis- conduct. Dr. Tristram ako discusses a legal opinion f,ven by Sir E. Clarke, Q.C., and Mr. ThSlnam' aAdsr oover of which the petition was presented.

ins African elephant has been waiting a long time for a sanctuary, and at last it appears he has got one in Somaliland. A tract of land 200 miles long by 40 broad has been reserved for elephants, and no one will be allowed to molest ther8. within its boundaries. Uhose actually withib these limits are cenfined to a •mall area, about 40 square miles, in the Galitnbursi Mountains. Tm report that the Queen Will visit Irelanu next c-r Reived with incredulity by those who may ■know something Of her Majesty's iu- rj.i v*- 11 is even doubtful Mich ft pre- #o«al has ever been mads.

r AN 6to' bRIg, or pbLXcfc. J DRATIL OF SIll ». Y. W, II END IpIBON., The late Sir Edmund Yearnans Walcott Hepde/son, K.C.B., was well known for a period of 17 years at Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police. Luring that period he was a familiar figure to London crowds on all great public occasions, when his hand- some, striking features and the picturesque uniform of his office marked him out as a commanding personality. Sir Edmund, who had pre- v.jou%!y spryed in, the army, was the son of Rear-Admiral George Henderson, and at the ;time of his death he was<r 75JW8, age, having been born in 1821. After passingthroxigb the ordinary .course as a cadet at Woolwich, he entered the Royal Engineers at the age of 18, and 24 years later became a lieutenarit-coloriel in that dis- tinguished corps. He came well equipped for the position of Chief of the Metropolitan Policy m he had already obtained much useful experience m branches of work of a cognate character as Controller of the Convict Department in Western Australia, and subsequently as i:ur- veyor-General of Prisons and Chairman of the Directors of Convict Prisons. But it was no licrbt tafc.k for anyone to succeed a man or suon force of character and rare gifts of organisation as Sir Richard Mayne, who had been Commissioner (iigt in conjunction with Colonel Rowan and afterwards alone—from the time the police of London was remodelled in 1829 until his death at the close of 1868-a period of hard upon 40 years. The Metropolitan Policy had meanwhile increased enormously in numbers and importance. These successors of the old "Charlies," or watchmen, at first a comparatively small body, bad grows ak t% time of the passing, of the Police Improvement Act in 1857 to about 6000 officers of all ranks; but they numbered nearly 9000 when Colonel Henderson, as he then was, took supreme command. At present, acoording to the official report published a month or two back, they constitute a compact army of more than 15,000 men, within a radius of 15 miles of Cbaring-cross. Sir Edmund—who was created a K.C.tf. in 1878, having been made a C.B. just previous to his appointment—showed many of the most admirable qualities of a Chief of Police. He was assiduous and untiring in the discharge of his duties; and though a stern disciplinarian when occasion required, his kindly nature always impelled him to view with leniency any faults of his subordinates that were due to inexperience. In consequence he was extremely popular with the force, whose members always felt sure of justice at his bandit. The best testimony, indeed, to the Commissioner's capacity was the free- dom from friction which marked the greater portion of his rule. Then, as now, occasional outcries were raised con- cerning the police and the public," but in only one instance—the events of the last few days of his tenure at Scotland-yard—was criticism at all widely stirred concerning the acts of the Commissioner of Police. And even in this case there was much to be said on the other side, though Sir Edmund was too proud and Belf-respecting to descend into a public arena in his own vindi- cation. Mr. Childers, the Home Secretary of that time, and the Commissioner have now both passed away, and it is not easy perhaps to weigh with nicety the balance of responsibility. Still, the broad fact remains that not only London, but the whole country, heard with amazement and alarm that on February 8, 1886, a riotous crowd bad paraded Pall-mall, St. Jauies's-street, Piccadilly, and other ad- joining thoroughfares, breaking the windows of club-houses and private residences, wrecking and robbing shops, and causing damage and loss to the estimated value of at least £ 50,000. Where," it was asked, were the police ?" and the Com- missioner had to bear most of the odium. But, as was remarked at the time, a London mob had signalised the advent to power of a great Radical Government by an outbreak which showed their appreciation of a weak Ministry. The rascal- dom and thievery of London not only smashed windows indiscriminately, but looted every variety of shop. The demonstration" in Trafalgar- square, out of which this disgraceful affair sprung, was ostensibly a meeting of the unemployed organised by Messrs. Hyndman, Burns, and Cham- pion, but among the marauding crowd that subse- quently marched through the West-end there was not a single honest, bona fide working man. Why, else, should they have provided themselves before- hand with brickbats and stones, knowing that the wood pavements would furnish them with no suitable im- plements for their purpose? Next day the disturbances were renewed, but on this occasion the police were better prepared. The Trafalgar-square rioters, on learning that a Levee was to be held, marched off, some 500 strong, in the direction of St. James's Palace. Near the Carlton Club, however, they were stopped by the police, and were ultimately driven off. Parliament was not sitting at the time; but Mr. Childers, the Home Secretary, at once appointed a Committee of Inquiry, whose members were the Home Secretary himself, Lord Wolseley, Sir Henry Holland, Mr. C. T. Ritchie, and Lord Edward Cavendish. When Parliament met a few days later, Mr. Childers, interrogated bv Mr. W. H. Smith and other members, made a state- ment. to the effect that on taking over the business of the Home Office on February 8 be had received from the Commissioner and Assistant-Commissioner assurances that they had taken ample pre- cautions for the preservation of the peace, and had decided to employ 560 men in reserve in the neighbourhood of Trafalgar squre, in addition to a double patrol in the equaro itself. He received no information of the riots, he <said, until half-past six in the evening, and Sir Edmund Henderson had explained that he was wait- ing, before informing the Home Office, for a fijll report. A few days later the report of the Committee of Inquiry was made public. It embodied a strong expression of opinion that the administration and organisation of the Metropolitan Police required to be thoroughly investigated. Simultaneously the Chief Commis- sioner placed his resignation in the Home Secretary's hands for the purpose of facilitating the reorgani- sation of the Department," and it was accepted by Mr. Ohilders. Sir Edmund, who was succeeded by Sir uharles Warren, was followed into retirement by the !steetti and respect of the force which he had so long commanded.

L 1 '10_ IT is stated that some anxiety exists at the French War Office at the growing frequency of resignations amongst eavalry officers, and the gradual decline of this branch of the service. It is recognised, in fact, that the cavalry has long since ceased to make any progress, and when compared with that of other nations it is decidedly incapable of fulfilling the duty it would be called upon to perform in time of war. T/IERB are some 50 or more Jewish papers in the United States, and a large proportion of them are edited by rabbis. The non-rabbinical editors now and then have their fling. Here is a specimen from the Hebrew Standard, Our rabbis take no part in politics. Some of them are gold bugs, others silver- bugs, but we fear that the majority of them are humbugs. Longfellow said, I In the world a uian must be either anvil or hammer.' He was wrong, however, ljota of oar reform rabbis are nothing but bellows." • IT is a favourite theory with the fishing and sea- faring people on the north-east of Scotland hl\t in a storm three waves are strong and violent, while the fourth is comparatively weak and lees dangerous. This succession they call a rote of waves." Fisher- men returning from their fishing-ground often prove by experience the truth of their theory, and hang back as they come near the shore to take advantage of the lull that follows, they say, pretty regularly after three big breakers. ONE more report has come across from America to the effect that a flying machine has been constructed and its efficiency proved. This time the inventor is Dr. Benjamin, of San Francisco. The length of the apparatus is lboft. it has canvas wings, but, for the. rest, is made of metal. It ascends and descends easily and steadily. Flights have been made at a speed of more than a mile a minute over the city and suburbs of 'Frisco. No outsiders have yet been allowed to inspect details, but a public exhibition will follow the completion of patents. PuoFESSOR HUBERT ANSON NEWTON, the eminent mathematician, and the oldest professor in Yale University, has died at the age of 66. In co-opera- tion with other observers and astronomers, he demonstrated the fact that once in a period of ctf years the earth encounters a swarm of smail meteoric bodies in the solar system, whose collision with the atmosphere produces those brilliant showers of shooting stars," whioi occurred in the month of November in 1833 and 1866 and will return again in 1899. He predicts the display of 1866, and it took place as be foretold on the night between the Idth and 14th, much to the consternation of the inhabi- tants of Syria.

CI THK^SGOUR&K OF MAN. ele is no cXmate thnt prevents the development of phthisis. It appears wherever man settles and builds eities. All that An be said is that the disease is more frequent and more severe in countries where the temperature is high, and that seasons marked by sudden changes at the beginning of winter and spring are specially suitable for the germ of the disease. France and England pay the largest tribute to tuberculosis. The rate is lower in p especially in the northern parts, but it is still^&itv high in the Rhine provinces. The disease is rare in the northern part of Russia, but is rampant in the large cities, such as St. Petersburg, Moscow, Odessa, and Kazan. ■ In Sweden and Norway it makes but few victims; on the contrary, it is very deadly in Austria^ Hungary and Italy, where it carries off four per 1000 of the inhabitants, as also in Belgium, Switzer- land, and Spain. Algeria, Egypt, Tunis, Madagascar, Reunion, and Mauritius also pay a heavy tribute to phthisis, while in Oceania "the ravages caused by tuberculosis are simply appalling in Tahiti, the Marquesas Islands, and New Caledonia two out of fi»e deaths are due to tuberculosis. The disease is fttpp widely spread in Australia, particularly in the large cities. In the United States its ravages are not great, but, on the other hand, it is very common in Brazil, Paraguay, and tke Argentine Republic. It is gradu- ally exterminating the last Indian tribes to be found in North America. There is, in fflCt, no country where it may not be found. i N

HOW DIAMONDS ARE MADE. The Pharmaceutical Era gives the following graphic description of how Professor Moissau made diamonds recently at a public lecture: The apparatus con- sisted of two blocks of burnt limestone, set one upon the other with an opening on each side for the carbon electrodes, and in the centre, just between the points of the electrodes, a small cavity to hold the crucible. Professor Moissau first sprinkled the cavity with powdered magnesia to prevent the calcium from combining with the carbon. He then put in the crucible, containing some soft iron filings and char- coal. He adjusted the eleotrodee nioely, put on the upper block as a cover, and gave the signal to his assistants to turn on the current. The flames shot out on each side, and there was a sound as of the outting of iron till the indicator reached 2500deg., C. Then the electrodes became red hot-and flying sparks followed the flame. The block of limestone rested on a wooden base, which, however, was not burnt; and, when the sounds had subsided into a hiss. Professor Moissau put on a pair of coloured glasses to protect his eyes, from the heat and from flyiag sparks, and, stepping up to the furnace, removed the cover of the furnace. The dazzling light filled the hall, so that people had to shade their eyes. With a pair of tongs he removed the fragments of the furnace which had fallen, and then lifted out the white crucible, holding it before the audience a moment, and then plunging it into a glass full of water. When it had cooled he broke the crucible and held up an ingot the size of a bullet, within which the diamond crystals would be found."

SHAFTESBURY SCANDAL INQUEST ON PRISONER'S FATHER. An inquest, was held at Grays on Dec. 12 respect- ing the suicide of James Potter, 65 years old, father of Joseph Potter, of Grays, the butcher who was committed for trial on a charge of conspiring to de- Draud the London School Board in connection with meat supplies to the training ship Shaftesbury. Julia Peach, a married daughter of the deceased, who lives at 6, Neville-road, Forest-gate, said she had been living with her father at Grays during the past few weeks. On Monday morning last she went into the wood shed at the rear of the house, and saw her father there in a kneeling position upon a block of wood. She did not think he was dead. Her husband, who had followed, assisted her in carry- ing him into the house. A doctor was sum- moned, but life was extinct when he arrived. When she found her father she did not notice anything unusual. Some hours after her attention was called to a rope which was hanging from a beam or rafter. On the ground she also noticed a piece of line cord. His troubles in connection with the Shaftesbury soandal appeared to have upset him a great deal. Dr. Anthony F. Blake said he noticed a mark on deceased's neck, but it did not arouse his suspicion at the time. Death was due to strangula- tion by hanging. The jury returned a verdict of Suicide whilst temporarily inBane."

9! MR. CRACKANTHORPE'S DISAPPEARANCE. The Paris police are actively engaged in endea- Touring to solve the mystery Qf the disappearance from the French capital of Mr. Hubert Crackan- thorpe, a young English author, but so far as can be learned at the Surety Generate, their efforts have been unavailing. Mr. Crackanthorpe a few days before he was last heard of called on Mr. Grant Allen at the Hotel Cambon, that gentleman being in Paris to gather materials for the first of a series of guides to the great art cities of the world. Although the affair is calcu- lated to cause grave anxiety to the family and friends of the missing man it should not be too hastily assumed that there has been foul play. Mr. Crackenthorpe is the non of the eminent English Q.C. of the same name, and both he and his mother are well-known writers.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD. A Departmental Committee has been appointed to inquire into the sufficiency of-the eler staff and secretariat of the Local Government Board, and into the existing divisions of the work, the salaries of the officers, and the organisation oi the department generally.

THE BISMARCK REVELATIONS, j ATTACK ON THig TKIP}-» ALLIANCE. During the debate in the Lower House of the Austrian Reiehsrath on December 12 on the clause ef the Budget relating to Austria's contributions to the expenditure connected with the common affairs of Austria and Hungary, Herr Vasaty vigorously attacked the Triple Alliance. He declared that it had been formed by Prince Bismarck only from necessity, after his advances to Russia had met with repeated rebuffs. He referred in support of his statements to the recent revelations in Germany. M. Slama, Young Czech, declared that Herr Tasaty's assert ions were not worth noticing. Herr Meager, replying to Herr Vasaty's arg»uieota, saM that Austria's relations with Russia, I which were in no way hostile, but, on the contrary, friendly, were certainly to Austria's advantage, and perhaps also to Russia's. The Triple Alliance was the basis ef Austria's policy, and would probably re- main so for many years. He and those of his party cherished the wish, which they had never concealed, that the alliance might even assume a closer form, and that Germany and Austria might enter into a permanent political league. Herr Stephanowski, the reporter, also spoke in refutation of Herr Yasaty s attacks on the Triple Alliance. lite item under dis-, cussion was then adopted.

WOMAN SHOT .HALE AN HOUR AFTER MARRIAGE. A determined attempt to murder was made at Hastings on the morning of December 13. A man named Playfcard shot a woman named Morris in All Saints' district with a revolver. Five shots were fired, an d one entered the neck, and another the head. Playford immediately gave himself up to the police. A singular circumstance was that the woman, whose maiden name was Bumstead, had been married naif an hour before to one of her lodgers named Morris. Playford bad resided with her for 14 years, and left the house a few weeks ago. The woman lies in a serious condition, but one bullet has been ex- tracted. All the parties are middle-aged.

MR. AND MRS. GLADSTONE are going to the South of France shortly after Christnjas, and will be absent from England until the end of March. They wilt stay ait Biarritz and at Mentone as the guests of Mr. George Armitstoad while at Cannes they will visit lord Rendel at the Chateau deThoranc. SIR RICHARD TEMPWI has been presented by the National Union of Teachera with an illuminated address, expressing the gratitude of the teachers in public elementary schools, in England and Wales for the services rendered to the sau^e-of. education during the time when he was a member ol the Hofcfce of Commons.

GREATER BIlITAIN. Dft. RUTHERFORD HARRIS, whoj recently vacated his sent for Kimberley in the Cfcpe Parliament, has given £1100 for the foundation of six scholarships t. t-nable the children of poor whites" in,Cape Colony to obtain a better class education. Sm CHARLES MITCHELL, Governor of the Strait* Settlements, returned te his official beadquartets at Singapore the other day from his visit to North Borneo. The territory which is being exploited by the British North Borneo Company is now making rapid headway, and the country around Sandarkan and along the Kinabatangan River, is now becoming thickly dotted with plantations, all of which are pay- ing Very well. Slit F'Itl-'DErticK BLAINA a prominent South African colonist, is now in this tountry on a holiday. He is more directly identified with Port Elizabeth, an important commercial centre on the Cape Coast on the way round from Cape Town to Durban. Sir Frederick was knighted seven years ago in recogni- tion of the valuable services which he rendered to the Government of the Cape Colony in promoting the South African Customs Union. WITIT the liberality in the matter of printing which feems to be characteristic of Australian Govern- ments, the Governmentof New South Wales has just I published a most elaborate account of the progress of I the colony in all departments of industrial and social activity. One .cannot expect such a book to be exactly light reading, and it is not. But in spite of an inevitable multitude of figures and of solid fasts, the various writers who have co-operated in this work have on the whole suc- ceeded admirably in making the information they have to impart as attractive as possible. It will of course be most attractive to the inhabitants of New South Wales, for even these so-rapidly ad- vancing persons have not yet got beyond the very human weakness of liking to bear flattering tales of themselves. There are, however, several points in this compilation which will be directly interesting to the Queen's subjects on this side of the globe. For ] example, in view of recent discussions in the House of Commons as to the possibility of carrying over bills from one Session to another, it is instructive to learn that this device for checking obstruction is already in operation in the New South Wales Par- liament. On the Education question New South Wales is ahead of the mother country, at any rate in this sense—that an apparently final solution of the controversy has been arrived at, although it is not the solution towards which we seem to be tending. All public ieducation in the colony is non-sectarian, and no grant ivf public money is made to any denominational school. But though the education is non-sectarian it embraces general moral and religious teaching, and in addition provision is made for separate unofficial religious teaching by voluntary teachers. Turning to the more distinctly statistical side of this volume we find figures of which New South Wales may well be proud. In general shipping and commerce, and in particular industries such as the wool industry, the frozen meat industry, the sugar industry, &c., the progress ruade is, in Mr. Courtney's ¡ classic phrase, prodigious." This rapid, and at the same time steady, growth is all the more interesting to us because New South Wales is almost the only one of our self-governing colonies that has adopted the principles of Free Trade. Even New South Wales had a relapse for some years, but has recently returned to her old faith aad adopted a Free Trade tariff. In doing so the colony has followed the ex- i ample set by Sir Robert Peel, and thrown open her ports to other colonies and countries without waiting to see whether they would extend the like courtesy to her. The Ministers of the colony probably argue, as Sir Robert Peel argued, that Free Trade is good for the countiy adopting it, even if the rest of the world remain Protectionist. The same broad view of the question is hinted at in the account given of the manufacture of the colony. It has often been argued that a Pro- tective tariff may justifiably be imposed in a new colony in order to foster "infant industries." The argument is plausible, but, as the writer of this chapter points out, manufactures cannot be estab- lished with advantage until a sufficiently dense popu- lation has gathered to supply tbe required labour power and the required consuming power. Failing this condition, manufacturing industries can only be established at the expense of those primary industries for which the natural conditions of the oolopy ,are most favourable. In addition to the subjects here mentioned, and numbers of others connected with the material wealth of the colony, there is an interesting chapter on the question of Australasian Federation, explaining what has already been done to secure this ideal and the advantages which are expected to ensue. Altogether, it may safely be said that the editor of this publication has fully succeeded in the task en- trusted to him—namely, to take stock of the results achieved by the colony in every department of public activity. SIR H. H. JOHNSTON, in his recent address at the Cotonial Institate in London, after mentioning that tue total trade of the British Dominions with British Africa or Africa under British control reached at the present time a total of P-40,400,000, concluded as follows All that great rivers and lakes of Africa have been wade known to the world mainly by the explora- tions of British subjects. Englishmen, Irishmen, Scotchmen or Welshmen first discovered and made an actual fact tbe-existenoe and approximate dimensions of Lakes Chad, Victoria Nyanza, Tanganyika, Rukwa, Nyasa, Chilwa, Bangeweolo, Mweru, Mantumba, Lake Leopold, Ngama, lskes Tana, Debu, &e. The name of [Livingstone is indissolubly connected with the mapping of the Zambesi, front its source to its mouth. Other tenglishinen first explored and mapped tbe Orange .River and the-Limpopo, the Ruvuma, the Rufiji, the j? ba, the Webbe, the Gambia, and the Senegal. jSfongA Park is acknowledged by all men to have been the first to place the Niger river accurately on the map. Stanley is the hero of the Congo, whose most important afiluent, the Umbangi, was discovered and mapped by Grenfell, another Englishman. English- men, likewise, were the first to report the existence of, the important River Shari, tbe principal affluent of Lake Chad, while as regards the Nile and its systems, what geographical work done by other Europeans can be compared with the researches of Bruce, Petherick, Baker, Speke, and Grant ? Who were $be first to turn the alfa grass of North Amerisa to the practical use of making paper ? Englishmen. Who first created palm Oil so, a trade product, now being sold annually for millions of pounds? Englishmen—the sneered. at ruffians" of the first lialf of this cen- t ttl0r* *ban anyone else to unconsciously v» .n'S"- hy providing a commerce mor £ lucratrve and «,fl«itelr £ *re honourable. It was Englishmen like Sir John Kirk, Sir Alfred Moloney, and others, who started or developed the trade ia rubber and gums on the East and West Coast of Africa. Englishmen, Qrst of all, have developed the cultivation of cotton, in tbe Zambesi countries and in Egypt, and indigo on the Niger. Who first discovered diamond* and gold P Englishmen. And tbe nitrate which it is hoped may yet add to the exports of Fgyp *t? An Englishman, Mr. Floyer. Who first stimulated the cultivation of the ground nut in the Gambia, which now produces nearly all our finest olive oil, quietly manufactured at Mar- seiiles ? Englishmen. Who introduced the tea plant into Natal, and created what is likely to be a most flourishing trade in tea in that gallant little colony ? flourishing trade in tea in that galant little colony ? Englishmen And last on this list of agricultural | » 4 o were the first coffee-planters in Central instructed fW^tle band of Scotchmen. Who Krr.wlif rst railways m Africa, which g P ity Fgypt 1 from a JittlerexfpaecB on ^fae sou thorn, extremi ty of Africa into a vast empire ? Who encircled the whole Continent with telegraph cables, and conceived the carrying out of the bold project of tra- versing Africa fronj south to north by telegraph wires ? Who put the first steamers on the Niger, on the Zambesi, on the Congo, on the Nile, on the Gambia* bn almost, anrery navigable African rivedll Englishmen. It is in no spirit of boasting that I re- count a" these achievements, but to silence the* "Little EnglanderB" who would take advantage of moments of reflux and depression to endeavour to make us believe that aU onr work in Africa has been for barm and for no profit.

TOE enormous establishment of Herr Krupp, the eapnon king, at Essen, has been deemed worthy of a guide-book all to itself. The book is a volume de lnxt, with numerous heliotypes and illustrations in the tt which is written by Mr. Friedrich Muller, and the work' is published ti, the August Bagel, of Duseeldorf. The Essen fomidriea; leØlplo, 27,155 'persons, whose families amount to persons j The author has given years of observation and study I to tlie oroduction of the book.

MACEO'S STRANGE LIFE. Antonio Maceo. who, in the sourse of the Cuban rebellion, has been killed almost as many times as Oaman Digna, appears to be really dead now. The report of the discovery of his body seems too circum- stantial for there to be much doubt that he has met the same fate that has attended the whole of his family. Antonio, who was one of the mos., picturesque and ablest leaders the struggle in Cuba has produced, was hern in 1845, at the little village of Barajagua. His ftkther, Marcus Maceo, was a man of some means, and owned a large plantation, and also a (Dumber of pack mules, which were let out on hire. These last were under the charge of young Antonio, who made frequent trips to Baraeoa, Guantanamo, Santiago, and even to Holguin. There is no doubt that the Spaniards were exceed- ingly cruel to tbtir slaves, and Antonio witnessed many acts of barbarity during his expeditions. Tbt feeling that emancipation should come to the Cuban j blacks, as it had to the negroes on English territory, grew year by year, until the American war brought matters to a climax. j In 1868, Maceo, returning to his father's house, brought the news that the Cubans had raised the standard of insurrection, and that all who had a trace of black blood in their vsins were joining the rebel forces. For a time the elder Maceo kept his sons—there were 11 of them-in check; but during the temporary absence of the mule members of the family a party of Spanish guerillas swept down on the plantation, burned theafawttdings, outraged the women, and left thww tied FLta gagged amidst the embers of the once prosperous farm. Marcus Maceo hesitated no longer, but, having arranged for the care of the women, led his sons to the headquarters, in the mountains, of the insurgent chief, Maximo Gomez. Gomez was not particularly fmpressed with the raw recruits, and asked them if they could fight. Perhaps," was the answer. Before long they had an opportunity of showing their mettle. About a month later some Spanish troops were leisurely escorting an ammunition train to Guantanamo. Sud- denly, around a bend in the road, near St. Augustin, swept a flying body of horsemen with machetes, the long West Indian knife, gleaming iu the sun. These were the raw recruits. They cut their way into the heart of the Spanish troops with indomitable energv, thirsting to wipe out in Iberian blood eveiy insult, every outrage that had been heaped on their mother and sisters. At the close of the fight, however, the father and two of the sons lay dead on the ground. Through th" long 10 years' war that followed the Maceos were always to the front, and whilst his brothers one by one, except the youngest, Jose, were killed in battle, Antonio seemed to bear a charmed life, though the many wounds he received bore testi- mony to the fact of his bravery. He was a taciturn man, and his manner was gruff, yet he possessed that personal magnetism which is essential fcs the leaders of men. He had not been in the ranks of the in- surgeiits a year before he was promoted to the grade of major, and at the end of the war he had reached the rank of major-general. When several of the Cuban generals laid down arms in 1878, Maceo refused to enter into the com- pact, but was finally forced to sue for peace. Martinez Campos refused to give him the same terms that bad b en granted to the other generals, but at last Maceo escaped, after hiding in the mountains for some time, to Jamaica. He eventually drifted to the States, and was com- pelled to accept a position as ostler at West Point, where during his spare time he studied military sub- jects, especially all matters connected with artillery. He kept up his connection with Cuba, and early in 1894, he, with his brother Jos6, went to Costa Rica, and in February the following year landed in Cuba, and again took up arms against the Spanish. Since then tne rebellion has continued without intermis- sion, in spite of the fact that the Spaniards have poured thousands of soldiers into the island. Jose was killed in May, 1895, and the last of the Maceos, Antonio, has now died for Cuba.

A ROMANTIC CAREER. The Countess Lara was a well-known Italian authoress, and her death, which took place at Rome under sensational circumstances recently, was much lamented. Her poems, novels, newspaper articles, and contributions to magazines, and her stories for young people were widely read and admired. In addi- tion to this, her life had been one continuous romance of the kind so dear to the scandal-loving residents of Rome and Naples. Evelina, or Eva C itterinol was her maiden name. She was born (according to the Daily Graphic) at Marseilles in 1850, her father being an Englishman, and her mother a Russian, of a well known St. Petersburg family. The Cattermols lived at Naples for some time, until she married a son of the Minister of State, Mancini. From him she was separated in 1875. She then lived successively at Florence, Rome, and Naples, where she changed her name and became CounteBS Lara. By this time she had achieved fame as a poet, her first volume of poems having attracted much atten- tion. At this period she became a I nstant contributor to periodical literature. During her career she was the cause of two duels, in each case an admirer being killed on her account. It says much for her beauty and great personal charm that the second of these duels took place when the countess was in her 46th year. A Sicilian poet, who fell in love with her, attempted to commit suicide two years ago, and now tbe Countess Lara herself has met her death at the hands of an assassin, a Neapolitan artist named Giuseppe Pierantoni, who, it is said, was driven to the crime through jealousy.

VEGETARIAN ATHLETES. In the popular mind vegetarianism and athleticism are not usually supposed to go together. But the Vegetarian contains a number of letters sent to that journal in response to the invitation of the captain of the Vegetarian Cycle Club which tell a different story. Here is one testimony 41 1 have been a vegetarian now for nearly 10 years, and certainly feel better and have improved in my riding. Last year, in order te test my stamina, I went through a 12 houre't im trial on the road with- out any pacing, and was fortunate enough to just secure the best 12 hours' club performance on the North Road for the year." Another writes that in all the club races he now finishes fresher, and that his breathing is better, than before he became a vegetarian. But it is not on the road alone that the vegetarian diet shows up well..Alfred Gandy, who abstains from flesh eating entirely, is one of tho fastect swimmers in Birmingham." He eschews alcoholic liquor as well, and he advises all athletes to foUow his example, believing that a plain nourishing diet, fr"f' from stimulants, and well selected, will build up the most perfect, athlete." Concerning a "life vege- tarian of 13, his father writes: I was told by hit sohoolmaster that be was the strongest swimmer in his school, and won the race for boys of his age for that year against, ths pick of the South London schools."

ENTOMBED IN ICE. A skeleton has been found in one of the fissures of the Ademello glacier in the Southern Tyrol, which is thought to be that of an English tourist, of the name of Ruth, who disappeared in 1890. These fissure* cleave glaciers at all W, "^i4 *7 to f/'f in}rr ~Jl afxtrtm. TTben once in, it is hardly possible tv escape without help from above, and the warmth of the body melts the ice .about so that the victim slowly descends by the weight of his own body into the depths of the glacier, and generally starves to death. In some instances, it is said, bodies have been preserved down in these fissures in the ice for j ears.

A GHOST STORY. An extraordinary story, says the Rock, is going the rounds of the Dublin clergy. It is stated that a lady, who is in the habit of attending one ef the cathedrals, has lately seen the figure of a deceased member of the chapter sitting in its place in the choir. To add to the mystery, one of the members of the staff of the cathedral has asserted that a similar appearance of the same person has occurred to her. The story is told by a digwtawy of the city, who himself is re- garded as no mean authority on suoh spiritualistic mysteries.

TUB. great question of beer or no beer at the pauper's Christmas dinner has been again before tho Cardiff Guardians. After a vigorous debate, the part resolution was cast to the winds, and the beer taiumohantlv secured by 33 votes to 28,

MARKET NEWS. MAEK-LANS.—A quiet business has been passing, and prices have had a drooping tendency. The sales of home grown wheat in the leading markets of England and Wales during the first 15 weeks of the season have been 915,442qrs., against 491,901qrs. last season, the average being 28s 7d, against 24s 6d per qr. barley, 2,120,583qrs., against 2,062,244qrs., the average being 26s 8d, against 24s 9d per qr.; and oats, 224,022qrs., against 231,217qrs., at an average of 15s 10d, against 138 lOd per qr. English wheat has changed hands quietly, and though rather steadier, was Is lower on the week. For foreign wheat the demand was inactive, at Is less money. The flour market was dull, and prices w ere 6d easier. Barley was in quiet request, and was weak in value. Oats were purchased very quietly at drooping prices. Maize was tending in buyers' favour, with a limited demand..Beans and peas were quiet, and unaltered. LONDON CHRISTMAS CATTLE MARKET.—There were, as usual, some splendid examples of choice stock, but they occasionally showed that too much effort had been made to put on fat. Not that one can complain of an excessive proportion of this description of stock at market. There were, of course, numerous specimens, but as a rule an evenness of quality and condition was observable, which spoke well fc. the ability of our breeders to supply the article most in demand for con- sumption. Regarded as a whole, the past season has not been unfavourable for the rearing of stock. There has been no scarcity of feed in the pustures, and although the value of other articlasof food may have hardened a little the improvement has not been such as to have had any appreciable effect on expenses. The exhibition of beasts must in every way be classed as a success. The number offered was larger than last year, whilst the general quality was excellent. The total number of beasts was 4060. The show from Scot- land was unusually excellent, embracing 1620 head in splendid condition. Devons were a good show in point of quality and condition, but they only numbered 330 head. Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex contributed some 300, and from the Midland, Home, and Wes- tern Counties there were 1650 head, but there was not such general evenness in their condition as in the Scotch and Devon arrivals. From Ireland 160 head came forward. The show of sheep was not up to the average, either as regards number or quality, a falling off of about 3000 head being noticed in the arrivals compared with last year. Trade by BO means active. Choice beasts were firm, and they realised good prices, 100-stone Scotch being quoted at 58 to 5s 2d 95-stone Devons, 5s; 100-stone Norfolks, 4s 6d to 4s 8d; 100-stone Herefords, 4s 6d; 105-stone runts, 4s 6d 100-stone Lincolns, 4s 4d per 81b. Second qualities met a slow sale, and fat cows and fat bulls also moved off quietly. Shed cows and rough cattle were saleable, but only at irregular prices. As regards sheep, the market was very quiet. The quality was considered disappointing, and that rather hindered business, butchers being at the same time chiefly occupied in the beast market. Sales progressed quietly, and the tendency of prices was rather in favour of buyers. The best 7^-stone to 8-stone Downs made 5s 6d; 10-stone, 5s to 5s 4d 10-stoce half-breds, 5e 2d to 5s 4d and 12-stone- Lincolns, 4s 6d to 4s 8d per 81b. Calres were nominal market. Pigs sold slowly, the best going at 3s to 3s 2d per 81b. One hundred and twenty much cows, £ 15 to £ 23 per head. Coarse and inferior beasts, 2s 6d to 3s 6d second quality ditto, 3e 8d to 4s; prime large oxen, 4s 8d to 5s; ditto Scots, &c., 5s to 5s 2d; coarse and inferior sheep, 3s 2d to 4s; second quality ditto, 4s 2d to 4s lOd prime coarse- woolled ditto, 5s to 51 4d prime Southdown ditto, 6s 4d to 5s 6d; large coarse calves, 2s lOd to 4s; prime small ditto, 4s 6d to 4s 8d large hogs, 2a 6d to 2s lOd neat small porkers, 2s lOd to 3s 2d. SUITHFIELD MEAT.—Large supply of Scotch beef and mutton, but moderate generally. Trade heavy all round, with a tendency to lower rates for middling and inferior descriptions. For primest quality there was more firmness, but little improve- ment in prices. The market was not cleared. Inferior beef, Is 8d to 2s 4d middling ditto, 28 8d to 3s 4d; prime ditto, 3s 4d to 4s Od; Scotch ditto, 3s 8d to 4s Od Scotch short tides, ditto, 4s Od to 4s 4d American, Liverpool- killed, 38 4d to 3s Sd; ditto killed, hindquarters, 3s 6d to 3s 8d; ditto killed, forequartere, 2s 2d to 2s 4d; English veal, 2s 8d to 4s 4d; Dutch ditto, 2s 8d to 48 4d; inferior mutton, 28 Od to 2s 8d midding ditto, 2s 4d to 3s 4d; prime ditto, 3s 8d to 4s 2d; Scotch ditto, 4s Od to 4s 8d; New Zealand ditto, 2s 2d to 2a 4d; Dutch ditto, 3s Od to 3e 8d American ditto, 2s 8d to 38 2d; English lamb, 4s Od to 4s 4d New Zealand ditto, 4d to 28 6d; Dutch ditto, 38 4d to 3s 8d large pork, 2s 8d to 3s Od; and small ditto, 3s Od to Sa 4d per 81b. by the carcase. GAME AND POULTRY. -Snipes, 10s to lie 6d; pigeons, 9s 6d to 10s; French ditto, lis to 12s; quails, 8s to 10s; wild rabbits, 10s 8d to lis 6d; black plovers, 4s to 5s; and golden ditto, 6s 6d to 7s 6d per dozen pheasants, 4s 6d to 6s 6d part- ridges, 48 to 4a 4d old cocks, 2s 6d to 2s 10d and black game, 3s 6d to 4s 4d per brace large hares. 3s 9d to 4s 6d white Scotch ditto, 2s 6d to 3s; woodcocks, 2s 4d to 3s wild ducks, 2s 6d to 3s 3d; large fowls, 3s 3d to 3s 9d; medium ditto, 2a 6d to, 2s 8d and small ditto, Is 6d to Is lOd each. BILLINGSGATE Fisii.-Prices: Wholesale: Soles, Is 2d to Is 6d; slips, Is 2d red mullets, 3s; salmon 3s 6d; cured salmon, 5s 6d per lb. turbot, 9s to lis brill, 7s to 8s halibut, 8s lemon soles, 9s to 10s; plaice, 4s to 5s per stone; mackerel, 30s per 120; whitebait, Is per quart; eprats, 3s per bushel; live cod, 4s to 7s each dead cod, 14s to 20s gurnet, 10s; whitings, 3s 6d to 6s 6d; roker, 12s coalfish, 9s Dutch smelts, 6d to Is 6d per box; English smelts, 6s per 100; fresh haddocks, 10s to lie per trunk live eels, 20s dead eels, 10s to 12s per draft conger eels, 35s; freeh herrings, 22s 6d to 80s salted herrings, 22s 6d to 30s per barrel; crabs, 20s per hamper lobsters, 20s to 50s per score; prawns, 12s per lb. oysters, 2s to 15s per 100; shrimps, 10s to 12s per bushel; winkles, 7s mussels 6s 6d per bag; bloaters, Is 9d to 3s 6d kippers, 2s to 3s per box London-cured haddocks, 4s to 8s per dozen. COVBNT-GARDEN FRLIT AND VEGETABLES.-Adequat.e arrivals continue to come to band, and meet a fair inquiry at fully steady prices. Greenstuffs: Savoys, 3s 6d to 5s 6d; cabbages, 2s 6d to 4s per tally Brussels sprouts, 2s to 2s 6d per half-sieve; beet- roots, Is 9d to 2a per bushel; endive, Is 6d to 2s cauliflowers, Is to 2s 6d; English onions, 4s 6d to 66 per cwt.; celery, 14s to 18s; horseradish, 12s to 16s per dozen bunches; carrots, & to 2s 6d and turnips, 2s 6d to 3s parsley, 1# 6d to 2s Od per dozen bunches; potatoes, 45s to 7o. per ton. Fruit English grapes, Is 9d to 3s; English apples. 3a to 61 per bushel. „ BOROUGH AND SPITALFIKLDS ITOTATO.—Ihere was a good supply of potatoes on sale. The trade was slow at the subjoined prices: Magnum bonume, 40s to 45s; hebrons, 60s to 70s; snow-drops, 60s to 65s; imperators, 60s to 60s; mainerope, 60s to 70s; regents, 408 to 45s; and blacklands, 40e to 45s per ton. WHITECIIAPBL HAT AND STitAw.-Superior picked hay, 88s to 90s good sound hay, 80s to 85s inferior, 60s to 72s; best clover, 90s to 95s; good elover, 85s to 90s; inferior, 60s to 75s; straw, 30s to 38s. ERGUSU WOOI--Very little is doing in this market, and, though prices keep firm, buyers are very scarce. Holders, however, prefer to keep their Stocks rather than accept lower rates, and as the holi- day- -d the end of the year are approaching, the ?resent condition of things is not expected to alter. Fith stocks in fairly easy compass, and no prospeet of renewing them when parted with, sellers decline offers unless about their own prices. Buyers, on the other hand, are fairly supplied, and can afford to keep out of the market, the only transactions which they care to open being for small quantities to supply their actual needs. Spmners find things rather duller, and their customers still less inclined to give out fresh orders unless at lower prices, which, in view of the firmness of wool, cannot be accepted. Prices on the whole vary but little, and are really nominal in the absence of transactions. Skin wools sell fairly well. Downs, 9d to 1Q!d; Kents lod; half-breds, 9d. CAMBRIDGE CATTLB.-This being the Christmas market, there was a fair supply of fat beasts, which realised average good prices. A small show of store asts, and not all cleared. Trade for fat sheep WM not so good as the previous week. Very few store sheep were for sale. A much larger show of fat pigs, which coinmanded a good trade all round as compared with last week. Fairly good prices were given for hay, straw, and roots. Prices Beef, 6s 9d to 9s mutton, 4s to 5s 2d; pork, 58 to 6s. CORK BUTTER. Firsts, 108s per cwt.; seconds, 97s; thirds, 778- fourths, 54s. Kegs: Thirds, 73s.i Mild cured superfine, 112s fine, lOQs; mild, 80s^. choice boxes, wo..