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

fHE FOREIGN SHIPS AT THE REVIEW. The first foreign warship (says the Standard) to take up her berth for the Naval Review at Spithead 1 was the Austrian ironclad Wieir. She is official!/ j described na a coast defence ship, for the Austrian Admiralty is very anxious to represent its fleet, as a purely defensive force, but iu real fact she is a good j deul more, and might be more correct-ly termed a necond-ola^a battle-ship. We have no modern vessel of her type in our navy, as for more than 10 years we h-ive mid down nothing but large ships for tbe Iino of i>;itt'e, though it, ia an open question whelher we have acted altogether wisely in adhering to such large dimensions as tboso of the Royal Sovereign, j Majestic, and Canopus. Opinion is very much i divided on the question both in England and abroad, j The large ship is faster, more seaworthy, and can Bteam a far greater distance, but then with the torpfdo-boat, which can destroy the laigcstand finest • ship in existence, the risk of placing so many eggs in one basket is very great indeed. In spite of her small size, the Wien is very heavily armed and well pro- tected. She has two turrets of 10|in.and8in. armour, one at each end of the ship. In each turret are mounted two S'4in. Krupp guns, which fire a 4701b. shot. In ad- dition to these, she has six 6in. quick-firers, mounted in a redoubt amidships, behind 3jin. armour, and 14 3-pounders. She has a complete belt of steel lQ^in. thick on the water-line, with Skin. steel again above it, so that almost her whole side is mailed. The plating is throughout of Harveyed steel, and that of very fine quality. There is a protective deck 2in. thick. The speed of the ship was 17*6 knots on trial, her displacement is 5500 tons, and she carries 500 tons of coal. She was launched in 1895 at Trieste, and cost, in all, £ 339,000. Altogether, those who see and study her will be inclined to think that she is a model which we should do well to imitate. We have no modern ironclads for work in shallow water, as our Canopus draws 4ft. more than the Wien. The Rossiya was sent to represent Russia at the Review. She carries the flag of Rear-Admiral Skrydlov, whilst on board her were, as a repreeenta- tive of the Imperial Family, the Grand Duke Cyril. She has the.distinction of being the largest cruiser in the world, after the Powerful and Terrible, and is on her way to Vladivostock, where she will strengthen the Pacific Fleet. Her displacement is 12,130, against the Powerful's 14,200; her horse- power only 14,500, against our huge ship's 25.000; and her speed 20 knots, against the Powerful's 22. She is 50ft. shorter and 2ft. 6in. narrower than our ship, but Ehe draws 2ft. less water, which is a great ad- vantage. She has triple screws, whereas the Power- ful has only twin screws. She has the further ad- vantage of a belt of lOin. steel armour protecting seven-tenths of the water-line. In our ship the water- line, is left absolutely unprotected by armour. In the Rossiya is the usual armour-deck, varying from 2in. to 2'7in. in thickness, as against 2lin. and 4in. in the Powerful. The coal supply of the Rossiya is 2500 tons, in tb3 Powerful 3000 tons, so that the British ship has here a considerable advantage. The Rossiya has five against the Powerful's four torpedo- tubes, and she supplements these with a very powerful battery. Putting the guns of the two ships side by tide, they are: Powerful, two 9 2iu.; twelve bin. quick-hrera; I sixteen 12-pdra. twenty-one small. Rossiya, four 8in.; sixteen 6in. quick-firers; six 4*7 quick-firers; thirty-two small. I The weight of metal fired in one round by all the heavy guns of the Rossiya is probably-for exact in- formation on the subject of modern Russian guns is unattainable-about 26001b. or more by all the heavy guns of th's Powerful, 19601b. Right ahead, the Powerful can fire 7801b., the Russian shipabout 5841b.; on tbe broadside, the Powerful brings to bear 13601b., the Rossiya 13191b. The odds in favour of the British ship are, therefore, none too great, and she betrays that weakness of under-armament which we shall have to observe in other British ships when contracted with smaller foreign vessels of their class. I Considering the enormous importance of the gun, and the lesson of history as to the decisive influence of a heavy broadside-for in the American war, when the combatants were approximately equal in quality, the heavier broadside almost uniformly won I —there is some ground for uneasiness in this, a3 is well understood by some of our younger and more progressive officers. The Powerfnl could scarcely venture to encounter the Rossiya J end-on, as the latter has strong armoured bulk- beads to prevent shells raking her, and the Power-I ful has not. On the other hand, all the large guns j of the Powerful are well protected, as they are placed behind 6in. armour, whilst, so far as is known, the Rossiya's guns have only shields. The Rossiya I was only launched in 1896, and her presence at Spit- head only a year later proves that the Russian dock- yards are making great advances in raniditn -ailAir type, 'Dur.'Iarger than the Powerful, is now building at St. Petersburg, and is to be launched next year. This vessel, it is said, is to have a speed of 23 knots. The next ship in interest was also a cruiser, but re- presenta the United States. The Brooklyn is about the same size as the Blake, but is a much more modern and powerful ship. She has a very curious appearance, since her masts are lower than usual, whilst her funnels aro of unprecedented height, rising 100ft. from the furnace floors below. This is an idea of Chief. Engineer Melville's, though it years ago found favour in England, when the funnels of i our cruisers building under the Jfaval Defence Act were increased in height. Within the past few months the funnels of the Powerful and Terrible have also been lengthened—a return, it will bo j observed, to the practice of our ancestors. The Brooklyn is a twin-screw ship, with engines of 18,700 horse-power, which on her trial gave her a speed of 219 knots. Delusive as are. speed tests in England, they are still more delusive in the United States, where the ships are run in very light trim, and rarely or never repeat their trial performance. We cannot, therefore, regard the Brooklyn, despite her paper speed, as being the equal in pace of the Powerful. The Brooklyn has a remarkably heavy battery, and is well armoured; she belongs, indeed, to a class of ship which are designed primarily to destroy hostile cruisers, and, secondarily, if need be, to take their place in the fighting line. She carries eight 8-in. guns in four turrets, disposed lozengewise—one forward, one aft, and one on either beam amidships. Thus six of these large guns can fire ahead, astern, or on either broad- side. The armour on te turrets is from 15in. to. 6sin. thick. There art 12 5-in. quick-firers, firing, a 501b. shell, all beh.rtd 4in. armour, as many. 6-pounders, and eight smaller guns. The quick- firers are scarcely heavy enough for so large a cruiser, and they are of a pattern inferior to ours; bnt the broadside, 17501b. in weight, is very formid- able. On the water-line there is a belt of Sin. steel for about half the Fhip's length, and a very complete system of protection by cofferdams, or small compart- ments filled with cornpith cellulose. This swells when a shot-hole admits the water, and automatically caulks the leak. The cellulose has been well tested, has been proved non-inflammable by ordinary and high- explosive shells, and might well be employed in British ships, since its virtues were demonstrated at the Yalu, where it saved two Japanese cruisers. There is an armour deck 3in. to Gin. thick. The coal carried is 1780 tons when all bunkers are filled, which, will take the ship 2000 knots at 20 knots speed, or 7000 knots at 10 knots speed. She was launched in 1895, displaces 9250 tons, and cost E700,000. The Amiral-Pothuau, representing France, is a. smaller armoured cruiser, one is of 53UU tons dis- placement, or 300 tons smaller than our cruisers of tho Minerva class, of which there will be seven at the Review. Launched in 1895, she has just passed through her trials, accomplishing 19'2 knots on the measured mile, with 10,300 horse-power. She has a complete belt of armour, varying from l'2in. to 2in., and a deck T3in. to 3'4in. thick. He guns are two of 7'4in. calibre, firing a 1651b. shot, at each end of the ship, in electrically-worked turrets of 72in. armour, and ten 5'5in. quick-firers, firing a 661b. gholl, naonnted behind shields. The guns are so arranged that one 7'4in. and four 5'5in. can fire ahead or astern, two 7'4in. and five 5-5in. on the broadside. The weight of her broadside is thus 6601b., as compared with the Minerva's 4351b., and her guns are better protected, to say nothing of her armour on the water-line. An advantage of 25 per cent. in broadside in the past usually gave victory, so that in a combat between the Pothuau and Minerva the result should not be doubtful. The British ship is a knot faster, but has two less torpedo-tubes. Of coal the Minerva carries 1000 tons to the Potbuau's 600, which is a distinct advan- tage to our ship. The muddy grey colour of the Frenchman will be remarked by all; if not beautiful, it has a workmanlike air, and saves the repainting which wou'd be necessary when our ships should j r--= their aervicerbe required in war. The Pothuau has two screws, two funnels, and two military masts. Her defects appear to be her low speed and her thin armour, which is useless against the heavy quick- firers row afloat in all navies. The Korng Wilhelm represents Germany. She is an old ship of some historic interest, since it was her ram that in 1878 sent the unhappy Grosser Eurfiirst to the bottom off Folkestone. She was built., by the Thames Ironworks as far back as 1868, for Turkey, but was sold to Prussia, and at the date of the Franco German War was the most powerful ship in the two nav<es. She was taken in hand in 1896 and thoroughly re-constructed, receiving an armour- deck and an armament of quick-firers, besides new engine*. The result is that she has been made a very formidable cruiser, and she will read as a much-needed lesson. Lying not far from her will be our Alexandra, a far better vessel in construction and design, but atiH carrying about with her the old feeble nmzale- loaders of the middle sixties. The Jvuiiig Wilhelm's battery consists of 20 6in., and IS 20-pounder quick-firers, besides a dozen smaller guns. The armour on the side ranges from 12in. to 6in., and there is a new deck of 2^in. steel plating. The displacement is 9750 tons, and the speed 15 knots. The Konig Wilhelm flies the flag of Prince Henry of Prussia, the Emperor's brother. She bas been sent, as the Emperor asserted, because he had nothing better, though he seems to have forgotten his four fine ironclads of the Brandenburg class, in his desire to read the German anti-naval party a lesson. Italy sent the largest warship in tb6 world, the Lepanto, of 15,400 tons. She is not, strictly speak- ing, a battle-ship, but, like our new Canopus classj something between the bftttle-sbip and cruiser. Sho was launched as far back as 1882, carries four 100- ton guns, with eight 6in. and four 4-7in. quick-fliers, and on trial steamed 18'3 knots. She and heir sister, the Italia, were the first gigantic shipa to be con- structed. The crew of the Lepanto is 714. The new battle-ship Fuji, built at the Thames Iron Works, represented Japan. She is an improved copy of the Centurion, only larger and far more heavily armed, launched in 1896, and completed for sea in the. Spring of this year. On trial she steamed 18k knots with 14,000 horse-power j her displacement is 12,450 tons, or 1700 tons smaller than the Royal Sovereign. She has two barbettes, one forward and the otheraft, each of 14in. Harveyed armour, and each sheltering two wire 46-ton guns. which have also the protection of strong shields. Besides these there are 10 6in. quick-firèrs-four in casemates, behind 6in. armour, and six behind shield* on ck-24 3-pounders, and fivq torpedo-tubes. Tha armour on the water-line ranges from 14iado 18in. in tkickness, and protects about half the sljip's length; above is another belt of 4in,; steel. There are two funnels and two military masts with. tops; the coal carried is 1300 tons. The ship is painted a light blue-grey. Altogether the Fuji must be pronounced a credit to her designer and builder, and a very fin3 and formidable fighting unit. A sister ship is nearly completed at Elswick, and will, with her, proceed to Japan after the Review. The crew is not a full light- I ing one, but suffi-cient to work the ship. The Yjzcaya, a large armoured cruiser, carries the flag of Spain. She is of a somewhat anti- quated type, resembling the British cruisers of the Australia class, which were launched, as far back as 1886. She has an armour belt protect- ing six-sevenths of her water-line, and lOin. to 12in. thick her displacement ia 6900 tons, and her trial speed was 21 knots. Her armament consists of two llin. guns, mounted in two lOkin. 2 turrets, one at each end of the ship, 10 5"5in. quick- firers, and 14 smaller weapons. Her big guna are excessively heavy for a cruiser, as their shell would probably go right through an antagonist of her own kind, without causing much damage, and their heavy weight must make her an indifferent sea boat. Her cost was C600,000, which is very high for a ship of this type and power. Amongst the minor navies, Siam was represented by the Maha-Chakri, a steel cruiser, which also serves as the Royal yacht, and which fired upm; the French when they forced their Way, a: few years ago, up the river to Bankok. She is of 2500 tons dis- placement, and has a speed of 15 knots: She was launched in 1892 on the Clyde. Her armament consists of four 4'7in. quick firers, and ten 6-pounders. Sweden was represented by an ancient cruiser the Freja launched in 1886, and even then an indifferent ship. She is of 2000 tons, fully rigged, and steams only 12 knots. As armament she has two 6in. and six 4'7in. guns. Greece despatched one of her three bmall ironclads-the Psara--armed with three KKJin. and five 6in. guns, in addition to smaller weapons. Portugal sent the antiquated ironclad Vasco da Gama, built in EnoJpr/? ttiultfllfr guhs.f two protected by iron armour 7in. to thiclr, and has re atrd ha, a steel deck. Her displacement is only 2470 torn and her speed 13 knots.

THE QUEEN AS A NTTRSE. When the Duke of Kent, the father of the Queen, was on his deathbed, he charged his wife- to look after the children of his dead servant Hillman, who had won his master's regard by the devotion he exhibited at Gibraltar some years previously, when his regiment was on the verge of mutiny. The PrineeBS Victoria, who took upon herself the duty of fulfilling her father's injunction, soon discovered that her self-appointed task would not be a light one, for Hillman's two children were both dying of a com- plication of diseases. They lingered for some years, the son being the first to die. The Princees then devoted all her care and ckill to the daughter, and the poor little life was pre- 9 served until after the Princess's accession to the throne. Just before death came to Hillman's second child, she drew from under her pillow a packet of letters, and whispering to the clergyman in attend- ance, said: When she left me to be Queen, she promised she would send me a letter every day, and she has kept her word."

TYPEWRITING IN CHINESE. A Presbyterian missionary at Tung Chow, th6 Rev. Mr. Sheffield, has invented a Chinese type- writer which is said to be a very remarkable machine, and is exciting a great deal of comment over there. He made the model himself, but sent the parts to a factory at Hartford, where they were made in metal and put together. It. turns out to be a great success, and will relieve both the foreigners and the native Chinese from the, necessity of using a pamt brush and ■a pot of ilik in conducting their correspondence. As ¡ near as can be understood from the description pub- I' lished in the Chinese papers, the characters, about four thousand in number, are on the edges of wheels about one foot in diameter. It requires twenty or thirty wheels to carry all the letters, and the operator must strike two keys to make an impression. The first key turns the wheel, and the second stops it at the letter wanted, which is brought down upon the paper by an ingenious device. Although the machine is complicated, it shows a remarkable degree of in- genuity and skill, and Dr. Sheffield hopes to make many improvements in the way of simplicity. The difficulty of his task and the wonder of his invention -may be recognised when it is known that there are 18,000 characters in the Chinese language, each one of them representing a distinct word. Th«re are between 4000 and 5000 in common use, which he has selected and placed upon his typewriter. The newspaper vocabulary of China involves fully that number of characters.

QUEEN NATALIE is considered the most beautiful Queen in Europe. Her greatest charm is her. ex- quisitely-shaped neck, which is said to resemble ;that of the Venus of Milo. The art she employs to pro- tect it against the ravages of time is simple enough to be practised by anyone. It is said that every aim- ing she takes a brisk walk in the grounds of her palace, near Belgrade, with a heavy pitcher on* her head. This not only improves the neck, but givei one an erect and graceful carriage. It is not original with the Queen, for it has been a common practice among the women of the poorer classos in her country from the earliest ages THB picture that Raphael Cillin, the famous painter of nudes, contributes to the Salon this year is de- scribed as "his famous nude of the Luxembourg rolled over." When he began posing his nudes out of doors the peasants near his studio at Fontenerose were horrified, and be bad many hairbreadth escapes from flying stones and other missiles. He has now become well known in the little village, where he lives with his mother and sister, and the peasants are very proud to have so great an artist among them. He has, however, erected a high and impervious wall around the garden-that serves him as an owil- air studio. i T

J I NO FAMILY IN PARTICULAR. The Grange was a large rambling old house. And it had need to be so, for the Marriots werfr a nnmeroci family, and at Christmas or in the summer holiday season, when the married sons brought their wtiep, and the married daughters were accompanied by their husbands and children, every room was filled. At such times, Mr.,Marriot appeared to glance round him with mild astonishment that so many children and grandchildren really belonged tohim. For sit generations there had been Marriots at the Grange, eldest son regularly succeeding eldest son. It was the proudest boast of each in his turn that the land had never decreased by one acre; that no mort- gage had been raised upon it; and that none. of the Marriots—man and woman-had ever even remotely brought dishonour on the name. One August the annual gathering was not to be so numerous as usual. The children of one cf the married daughters were ill with scarlet fever; one of the unmarried sons bad gone to sea. So when Ursula Marriot, who had been at school in France by way of finishing her education, wrote for permission to bring a friend home-with her, it was decided that there would be a room to put at the dis- posal of this young lady. A kindly letter of invitation was accordingly written by Mrs. Marriot to Miss Winifred Warre, and enclosed in that which told Ursula that her school-comrade would be made very welcome at the Grange. I am sure you will all be charmed with Winnie," the girl had written. She was right; the Marriot4 were all delighted with their guest as soon as she stepped inside the grand old entrance hall. She was a tall, lovely creature, older certainly by a year or two than Ursula, who was just seventeen. She was dressed in sober brown, with a pink knot of ribbon at the throat; and the rose tint was in her cheek, and the brown eyes matched by 'the coils of her abundant hair. Miss Warre was quite at her ease among all these strangers; she laughed and talked over the rough passage, and over the little incidents of the railway jouruey from Dover. It was impossible to be formal with such a girl as this. She was Winnie even that first evening with the Marriots, "Miss Winnie" with the adiairiug servants, who waited on her assiduously. After a quarter of an hour passed over a merry afterooon tea, the guest was taken to the pretty room prepared for her, and the general verdict given in her absence was not only favourable, but ilattering. Dinner time at the Grange- was always six o clock, summer and winter an unfashionably early hour, but Mr. Marriot liked it. He said it left a plea- santly long evening, during which his sons and daughters read, sang, played duets, or whatever else they saw fit to do, in the large drawing-room. Their parents usually retired to the little drawing-room,'1 which was separated from the other only by velvet curtains of moss green. From tho first evening Winnie Warro became as a queen among the younger party. And sometimes, From tho first evening Winnie Warre became as a queen among the younger party. And sometimes, when by knowing ber better they grew more fond of her, Mr. and Mrs. Marriot would ask her to sit with them for a half hour in the sanctum," as theii children called it. The girl's parents were dead, and she was quite without near relatives, or indeed any relatives at alL She possessed a guardian whom she had only seen twice in her life, and who did not interest himself in her nor care to introduce her to his family. He advised, even after she came of age, that she should make her home as a lady boarder in the foreigq school where' she had been educated from qaite a little child. Louis Marriot, the only grown-up unmarried son, fell deeply in love with this lively-, charming friend of his sister Ursula. = But neither bis father nor his mother liked the idea of such a marriage. They wanted for Louis the, daughter of & thoroughly English home; -some one whose family was well known to-them. "You1 have not engaged youreelf?" said Mrs. Marriot anxiously, when her son made his little confession of love for pretty Winnie Warre. "I have not said a word; nor hinted to her what I feel for her," exclaimed Xionhf. I would not, until I had spoken to you and to my father. But if I may not marry Winnie—and I shall never marry without your consent—I shall go through life as a singly man." And then he asked them not to oppose his going away for awhile; at least, until the girl had' finished her stay at the Grange." Do not notice his departure, or question him," said Mrs. Marriot to the rest of her family. Louis is behaving manfully and honourably, just as I should 'j expect him to do." OP* H Christmas before he came baok And long absence this for ? into a grave and kifou^htFul man. He only referred to Winnie by begging his mother to let that be a sealed subject. "But don't allow it to interfere with Ursula's friendship," he said. Winifred is a very solitary girl. It will be kind of you to k her now and then to the Grange, and at such times I will always go away—unless you and my father change yout 1 minds and tell me you can welcome,- her as my 'I wife." Several months passed by, during which Ursula exchanged several letters with her friend. She generally read Winnie's news aloud, for the benefit of the family, at the breakfast table; the impressioq of every one was that the girl seemed less happy at the French school after that one summer's stay in England. I know now what a home is like," she wwte once, and I envy you, Ursula." As August drew near it was evident that Louif grew restless. He wanted Winnie to be infited tq the Grange even though the invitation would involve his own absence but his parents said they coild not spare him. They begged him, for their sakes, to remain for the family gatherings usual dnrbg thq, holiday months. By this time Mrs. Marriotwould gladly have yielded to Louis' wish; she codd noi bear to see him so unhappy; but Mr. Marritt Was immovable, ) He would not countenance an ungual marriage. One day early in September a telegrapt boy arrived at "the Grange. He brought a tueesagefrom the lady directress of the French school to the affect that Miss Warre was dangerously ill andnotexpeteq to live. But she had so earnestly begged that some one from the Grange would go over to her, that i waq thought better to communicate this wish. If plied with, not an hour must be lost should he friends desire to see her in life. J My poor boy 1" said Mrs. Marriot, reading 'he telegram; and then she handed it to Louis, bo turned white to the lips as he glanced toward lis father. I must go," he Baid. "Certainly. We will go together," said Mr. Mir- riot, turning to a time-table which always had is place among his papers, and began studying it. I one of the girls can pack a portmanteau in ta minutes," he added, "we shall be able to catch tb next boat from Dover." In a quarter of an hour father and son jumpe into the dog-cart which waited to take them to tb station. Three days later, a letter bearing the French post mark Was received at the Grange. It was from Mr Marriot, and only consisted of a few lines. They hac found Winifred extremely ill, he said, but so pleased to see them that he felt quite touched. She ha asked for some one from the Grange because she hac! no other friends. Louis was behaving admirably in his calm self-control. his calm self-control. A second letter told rather more. It seemed that Influenza had made its appearance in the school, and Winnie was not only one of the first but one of its worst victims. She bad, however, got over the attack; but instead of becoming convalescent she grew alarmingly weak, and the doctor spoke frankly of her danger. Some mental trouble was preying on the girl's vitality, he decided, and her state was; critical. When she heard that hope for her W88 very small she seemed rather glad than otherwise, and begged that tome one from the Grange might be summoned by telegram. In this letter Mr. Marriot said that her life was still trembling in the balance. The mere fact of her surviving so long was a slightly hopeful sign, but he could speak with more confidence in a few days. The next letter told that the corner was turned; Winnie would live unless any relapse occurred. We cannot of course leave her until her recovery is quite certain," said Loais's father this time. It seems such a comfort to her to know that we are near." And in a private enclosure to his wife he added, The poor child loves Louis as devotedly as he loyes her. She does not dream I surprised her secret. She. like our brave bov. haa made a brave .¡: i" fight. but there is a language of the eyes which is not to be mistaken." The fourth letter made a profound sensation at the Grange. It begged Mrs. Marriot to have every- thing ifcady to receive Winnie Warre as soon as she was able to travel-it might be in a fortnight's time, or, at longest, three weeks. We cannot leave her in a place of which she seems weary when the doctor declares that change of scene and a little cheerful society will do more now, than medicine," wrote Mr. Marriot. "Communications have passed between the girl's guardian and myself, and as I have assured him that we shall treat her aa one of our own daughters, he willingly consents to her leaving France." t "Can your father have yielded?" said Mrs. Marriot|, in a consultation with some of her children. But no! never on that point of marriage with those we know, those who come of a thoroughly English home; and poor, dear Winnie, in spite of her svyeeji face and charming ways, belongs to no one, as I may say. Yet this is exposing Louis to a severe ordeal. I cannot understand it. However, all will be ex- plained when the travellers arrive." We will soon make her strong at the Grange cried Ursula, and she at once scribbled off a note- to her friend, begging her to get well enough to travel at soon as possible. But it was the last day of February when that party of three reached England. Louis sprang joyfully out of the hired close car- riage which conveyed them from the station to the Grange. How very glad and bright he looked. How changed from the grave, depressed man he had been for more than a year. At the sight of him Mrs. Marriot asked herself again if her husband had yielded; but her knowledge of his character com- pelled her to decide no. It was but a very white and feeble girl, looking like a bundle of shawls, who was helped into the hall and then from the hall to the drawing-room—the little sanctum she remembered so well. Nothing but the brown eyes remained of the once brilliant and lovely Winifred Warre, and yet her face was sweeter. Mrs. Marriot was an accomplished nurse, and the invalid was forced to rest on a couch and take some refreshment before she attempted to go upstairs to the room made ready for her. Then Louis, standing behind her with a certain air of proprietorship which told everything laid his hand on her shoulder. I Father has given in?" cried Ursula. Yes," said Mr. Marriot, with a smile. Triumph over me as you will; I have been convinced of my error, Ursie. Louis has deserved this happy ending to his love-story, and now all we have to do is to get ready for the wedding." „ By dint of care and nursing Winifred got well, but she was a long time about it-so long, that there was no marriage festivity until after midsummer.. "And then the young couple settled down in the west wing of the roomy old Grange, and Winnie became one of the best loved of the numerous daughters-in-law, even though the neighbours always alluded to her as of no particular family."

THE BATTLE OF THE UNIFORM. A curious question has, for some time, exercised the minds of members of several metropolitan vestries -viz., whether the sanitary inspectors should wear a distinctive uniform (says Health News), There are, it appears, some vestrymen who, "dressed in a little brief authority;" consider it part of their duty to lord over the officials, especially those connected with the sanitary department; and they are so imbued with the principles -of bumptious Bumbledon that they attach far more importance to a specially made hat or coat than to any individual qualifications which an official may possess. One of their great fads is that sanitary inspectors should be clad in a kind of uniform: overlooking the fact that these officials arc men of intelligence and education, whose Views on the subject ought, at any rate, to re- ceive due consideration.' To hear some vestrymen talk of inspectors, one's mind is carried back 25 years to the discussion on the Public Health Act, when members 9f the Legislature were to be met with, who argiied that police-con9tables ( would be the persons best' adapted for sanitary to be met with, who argiied that police-con9tables ( would be the persons best' adapted for sanitary inspectors. It was probably from a similar train of thought that the fallacious notion originated that anyone holding such a position could not'efficiently perform the duties unless clothed differently from other people. If it were necessary for the sake of guaranteeing householders against possible persona- tion for disliopt?t fiurpofes, there might be come- thing in the argument in fatout of wearing uniform. but, as a matter of fact, the Public Health Act of 1891 provides that everv Sanitary Authority affixed thereto, for entering or examining premises, and shall produce the same whenever called upon to do so. No one, wa should imagine, with the exception of the sticklers for absurd regulations, would venture to assert that the non-wearing of uniform could possibly impair an official's ability to carry out h:s duties; if such could be proved to be the case, then they ought not to rest content till tbe medical officer of health, the clerk to the board, and every person engaged in the board's business (including the vestrymen themselves) were "tailor-made" fit for their respective functions. But, on the ether band, -it-is easy to find various reasons why the sanitary inspectors should not be put into uniform. SOLVING TIUl PROBLEM. Wearing a distinctive clothing ia an absolute hindrance to such as are engaged in detecting the exposure,of unsound or adulterated food for sale, or in discovering different nuisances which .could be t .quickly abated by the offenders if they knew of .the presence of the inspector; and the same practice would not unfrequently cause unnecessary annoy- ance or inconvenience at private houses, or places of business, or misapprehension and ungrounded fears on the part. of neighbours, of infectious disease at houses where the officials had to make repeated visits, in the execution of their ordinary duties. Seeing, therefore, that the compulsory wearing of uniforms cannot be defended on the score of utility, while it must in many instances be a positive hin- drance and drawback, the sooner the practice is swept away the better.. MoretWèt, Englishmen are unlike Continental nations in this respect; a French- man, a German, or a Belgian would delight in being dressed differently to others around him, but an Englishman, engaged in civilian functions, prefers to go about his work quietly, steadily, and unob- trusively. Wo heard some months ago of aft amus- ing difficulty in which the Vestry of St. George, Southwark, were landed through his uniform ques- tion, on the appointment of a female sanitary in- spector. It was first proposed to appoint a com- mittee to decide the momentous question of what would be the tpcat appropriate garb for "the nwm ofllcial; next, two lady members, of the vestry acT cepted the responsibility of selecting a suitable cos- tume. Later on, the Health Committee recom- mended a tunic; and the matter was fast becoming serious, when the vestry fortunately arrived at the rational conclusion that the best plan would be 4 ci allow the inspector JE5 for the purchase of a suitable dress, leaving its style to her taste and good sense. After this good example set by the St. George's Vestry, it would be unreasonable and unfair for any other sanitary authority Jo insist on deciding what clothes a male sanitary inspector should wear. An occasional grant of £5 would leave the solution of the question to the chief peison interested, and would leave the board more time to attend to public business.

TUB Queen's colours, as is fairly well known, are scarlet and gold. The colour of the Czar's carriaizes, is sage green, picked out with red, black,, and gold. Those of Prince Henry of Battenberg were black and dark green, while the Sultan of Zanzibar goes in for kd vellow- MR. THOMAS Tagg, the well-known proprietor oi Tagg's Island Hotel, East Molesey, died on Sunda, morning after four days' illness, from pneumonia. SATURDAY was speech day at Bugby, when it Wat, announced her Majesty's had exprested her inten- tion to found a prize for histoiy, the winner for the year being J. C. Stobart. TUB Norwegian Government have awarded; a binocular glass to Mr. John Thompson, master of the Canadian barque Sagona, for his services to tht shipwrecked crew of the Norwegian barque Nord lyser. Once a butcher allowed a aog who oeionma to a Sntleman in Bristol to have a piece of meat every y on trust. J When the dog came for his meat, the butcher put a cross on a board with a piece of chalk, so that he should remember how manv oieces he had.

THANKS FOR BRITISH SAILORS. The steamship Arcadia, now at Quebec, will be dis- charged and sent into the Xevis graving dock for ex- amination and repairs. Mr. James Thom has returned from Cape Ray, where he bad been attending the salving of the steamer. He states that, owing to the very great courtesy and kindness of the Commodore, the Hon. Maurice A. Bourke, R.N., of her Majesty's ship Cordelia, in plac- ing at his dispos&l over 100 sailors, who worked most energetically at discharging the cargo, the saving of the steamer can, undoubtedly, to a large extent be placed to their credit. There were on board from her Majesty's ship Buzzard, Captain Bennet, R.N., Lieutenant Horne, B.N., Lieutenant Reade, R.N.R., and 22 sailors; from her Majesty e ship Oordeliaj Lieutenant de Roebeck, R.N., Lieu- tenant Corbett, R.N., and--50 sailors-- from her Majesty's ship Pelican, Captain Horsely, R.N., Sub Lieutenant Roe, R.N., and 30 sailors. Very valuable assistance was also rendered while the steamer was at Port au Beaque, there being on board, in addition to the officers men- tioned, some 20 sailors, who remained on the steamer until she was out of port, and the vessel was piloted from port by the navigating officer of her Majesty a ship Buzzard. The services rendered by the officers and men of these vessels were given gratuitously, the Commodore refusing to accept remuneration of of any kind.

COME HOME TO DIE. Another. death from the Benin expedition is an- nounced, that of Staff Engineer F. D. Hobbs, who contracted a bad attack of fever during the expedi- tion, and returned to England in the s.s, Malacca. There have been a large number of invalids from the West Coast Station during tl:ie, lwt three months, a considerable proportion being due to fever contracted during the expedition, which has considerably increased the list of casualities pub- lished at the immediate close of the operations. Mr. Hobbs was an officer of marked ability, having passed one of the best examinations at the Naval College of recent years. Before proceeding to the Phoebe he was one of; the assistants to the chief engineer of Keybam-yard. His funeral, which was a private one, took place on Monday at Plymouth Cemetery.

SIR ARTHUR SULLIVAN is credited with being one of the best men of business in the musical profession, and it is certain that he commands higher sums for his music than any other British composer. The story goes that be acquired those business propensi- ties very eaily in life. As a child, he had a sweet treble voice, and he was frequently asked to sing before company. One day be refused to oblige unless he was paid for it. Said the greatly amused visitor: But how much do you want for a song, little man ?" "Sixpence," was the prompt raply. "What! Sixpence for only one song?" said the visitor. Well," replied the future knight, "I can't take less than sixpence. But I'll aing you a song and two encores for a shilling." PRINCD CUAHLES OF DENMARK is shortly to receive in appointment in the British Navy. This is Prin- iess Maud's doing, the Whitehall Beview says. The rincess cannot bear to be out of England for any me, and finds the company of her mother and isters indispensable; so it is she has induced her lajesty, with whom she has always been a special ivourite, to think about giving Prince Carl an ap- >intment at home. During August, the young rince will be second in command of the torpedq- at Havbesten, and will join the squadron told off (take Dart in the summer manoeuvres.

THE EXPANSION OF THE EMPIRE. Nothing is more remarkable in the history of the last 60 years (observes the Morning Post) than the territorial expansion of the British Empire. When in 1837 the Queen ascended the throne it was quite true then that the sun never set upon her dominionr8S for 60 years ago the British Empire covered aboft one-mth of the land area of the world. In Europe, Asia, America, and Africa her flag was planted, and in the Antipodes she held a veritable new world in ,away. But it was an Empire very loosely held together. In Canada there were rebellion and disaffec- tion. ^n India, the North and North-West Pro- vinces were independent and hostile. In Africa we held Capetown and a few bits of territpry on the West Coast; but our dominion there was little else than a geographical expression. In the Antipodes New Zealand was not yet ours, and Australasia was 'still in its infancy. Now we have a United Canadi from the Pacific to the Atlantic. In India our Empire is consolidated beyond the passes into Afghanistan. In Africa, our territory can only bp calculated in millions of squdire miles. TIutj, although the progress -in consolidating1 and develop- ing the resources of the Empire is as remarkable as the extension of its borders, it is propose^ in this article only to make a very brief survey, as far as possible in chronological order, of those parts of the world which have come under the British flag since 1837. The first territorial acquisi- tion under Victoria was that of New Zealand in 1840. Two hundred years earlier it had been discot- vered by Tasman. But the first European to land there was Captain Cook, who took nominal possession of it in the name of King George III. It was not, however, till February, 1840, that at an assembly of the chiefs at the Bay of Islands the Treaty of Wai- tangi was signed acknowledging the submission of the chiefs to the Queen, who extended to them her protection and the rights and privileges of British citizens. Thus at the very beginning of her reign 106,250 square miles were added to our Colo- nial Empire'. Two years later, as a result of the Chinese War of 1841, we acquired by conquest the Island of Hong Kong, now one of Our1 most valued possessions. With its magnificent harbour it is not only a station of the utmost importance to the British Fleet in the Far East, but a centre for the Customs trade of all nations. In the same year Natal became a British possession wrested from the Boers 11L- -L iL i? L ■<) 4" f /-»nfrl Dy conquest, tue lirsii lurwoiU IHUICUIOU# tvw the establishment of our claim to be the paramount Power in South Africa from the Cape to the Zambesi. That which was a dream has been realised but by a curious irony of fate the man who realised the dream for us1 has had virtually to stand his trial bepmse his methods were not esteemed by some of his contemporaries to be strictly constitu- tional. India would not be ours to-day if our Empire builders always worked on strictly consti- tional lines. And, indeed, the critics of 1843 were very severe in their denunciation of Sir Charles Napier, who with an army of 2200 men, of. whom less than 50(1 were Europeans, defeated the army of the Amirs of Scinde, nnmbering 40,000, and added another province of 57,000 square miles to our Indian Empire.' The Battle of Meanee was one of the most brilliant ever fought in India, and restored our prestige sadly impaired by the catastrophe of the first Afghan War. Not Clive himself ever gained so apparently desperate, so wonderfully brilliant a Victory. Two years later the Sikhs invaded the territory of the East Indian Company, but it was not until 1848 that at the Battle of Goojerat Sir, Hugh Gough utterly destroyed the Sikh Army and annexed, thto Punjaub to the Empire, adding 104,975 square miles to its territory. The Sikhs were the most fierce and war- like tribe in India. They had fought against us with 'desperate valour. The event proved, however, that those who had been our fiercest foes became our staunchest friends. For it ought not to be forgotten that it was the Sikhs who practically saved India during the Mutiny. The Punjaub, governed by that great ruler Sir John Lawrence, not only remained quiet during the Mutiny, but even contributed to the defenoe of the Empire. Ever since then the Sikhs have "oeen the most valued and trusted of our ndtive- troops in India. A few yeara later, under the Governor-Generalship of Lord Dalhousie, the Provinces of Oudh and British Burma, coveririff 112,548 square miles, were added to our Indian possessions. Thus, within the first 21 years of her reign, there had been added to the Empire close on half a million square miles of territory. Then came the Mutiny, when we had to struggle to the death to'hold what we had gained. The issue was never really doubtfui, however; and in November, 1858, at a Grand Dtirbar held at Ij¡Yffitbeg. ahence Havelock had begun hit heroic Proclamation that the Queen ■ ro Government of India. Twenty years later t. was proclaimed Empress at a Durbar held on the historic ridge" above Delhi. Since then there had", béefti peace- in India, and we have slowly ad- vanced our frontier towards Afghanistan. But no sooner had we fully acquired and consolidated our Empire in India than we began the building of one in Africa, wbioh may yet prove equally great. In ancient maps of Africa the entire South was-labelled terra incognita-, while from the east to the west through Central Africa ran the letters Ethiopia, The map of Africa to-day presents a very different aspect. France looms very large upon it, but much of her territory is a desert waste. Germany clicgi r-close to our sides in the South, but on her West Coast line we hold the one spot, of vantage, Walflsh Bay and her portion on the East Coast is almost surrounded by British- territory. So far the future of Africa lies with the British. Natal, as we have already paid, was wrested by us from the Boers in 1842. In truth the Dutch have little reason to love as.. We took the Cape from them in 1806 and Natal in 1842; we hemmed them in, surrounded them, and finally pro- claimed the South African Republic at an end, and hoisted tho British flag at Pretoria, only to haul it down again by the command of Mr. GUkdstoqe after Majuba Hill. To-day, however, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, if we search for them on the map, look like a little island of white in an ocean of red. It almost seems as if we would yet drive a line straight through Africa from the Cape to the Mediterranean. At present we have pierced from the south to the centre. Baeutoland was ceded to us in 1868, and in 1885 we occu- pied British Becbuanaland and established the Bechuanaland Protectorate, thus adding 500,000 square miles to our territory. An equal extent of territory to be hereafter known as Rhodesia has been quite recently acquired, and a committee appointed to inquire into the working of the British South, Africa Chartered Company. In Central Africa also we have established a Protectorate. On the West Coast Lagos was ceded to us in 1861, and in 1884 the Royal.Niger Company and the; Niger Coast Protectorate by a Declaration of Pro-i tection asserted the authority of the British flag over half a million of square miles of country. Quite recently we have had two successful expedi-, tions to the West Coast, to Ashanti and Benin, proof- enough that what we hold we keep. In East Africa, our sphere of influence and authority extends over 750,000 square miles, under the name of the East, African Company and the Somali Protectorate; while in 1890, by a Declaration of Protection, we added Zanzibar and Pemba to our dependencies. Thus,, since he Queen ascended the Throne, we have ex- tended the Empire in Africa by something like two and a-half million square miles. Figures like these speak for themselves; they mean that whereas in 1837 the British Empire cohered one-sixth, in 1897 it covers one-fourth of the land area of the world.

THE PRINCE OF WALES'S HOSPITAL FUND. Among the contributions received at the offices of the fund on Saturday may be mentioned a donation of V.103 from the proprietor of the Sporting Lije, with another of £48 19s. 6d. subscribed by the readers of "Augur" in that journal. The bon. secretaries wish to renew the expression of their deep obligation to the proprietors and editors of newspapers who have shown so much good will in their notice of the rise and progress of the fund. The other contributions on Saturday incluied: Annual subscriptions: Lady Sutton, E20 Dillon, Harrowing, and Co., £ 10; Seymour Tuely, £ 5 Hon. Alfred Lyttelton, M.P., £ 5 Ian Malcolm, M.P., E5. Bankers' collections: London and County Bank, X27 4s. 6d.; Bjink of England, W est branch, £ 222s.; City Bank, 921 2s.; Messrs. Hoare, 98 4s.; Martin's Bank, El Is. Donations London egg market, Hop Exchange, subscription by 26 firms, ;C 117 12s. collec- tion at Hotel Windsor-J. R. Cleave and Co. (pro- prietors), £ 25; visitors, Ell 12s.: £ 5; anonymous, per City Bank, 921 1894 Club," per A. N. Gerrard, £10 10s.; Lodge of Antiquity, No. 2, £10 10s.; F. W. Baker, £ 10; Arthur W. Lee, per Commercial Bank of Scotland, £ 10; C. O. Andrese, £10; T. Ocock,. £ IO; staff of Kensington Co-opera- tive Storeq, (limited), fsS 7s.,6d.; St. Ceorge's, Cam. berwell, part of offertory on June 20, £ -> 5s-J A. W. Benn, £ 5; Mies C. Jones, £ 5; Baron Emiie^ B. d'Erlanger, a further donation, per Julius Wernher, £ 5 Sir Hi C, J. Bunbury, £ 5. The total receipts, inclusive of sums received by branches and through collections by various journals, are as follows: Annual subscriptions, E20,383 a3s. 3d.; donations, 9123,312 12s. lOd.; commuted subscriptions to be invested, E20,435 7s.

TUB Queen hati made a gracious reply to the per* sonal message of congratulation on her Jubilee which she received from President Kruger. Her Majesty has also despatched a message of warm friendship to the Ameer of Afghanistan in return for his greet- ings. IT is reported from Paris that the mind of the Envoy sent ty the Emperor of Morocco to represent him at the Jubilee has become, unhinged. IN Paris, on Sunday afternuou, a very brilliant garden-party, which was attended by about 6000 guests, was given at the Ely see. by President and Mpdame Faure. A CABIHBT COUNCIL haa been held at Rome to discuss the question of the war indemnity required by the Negus Menelik in connection with the recent Abyssinian campaign. THE steamer City of Rome arrived off Fire Island, New York, on Sunday, with her cargo in flames. TIIB Rev. D. C. Ingram, chairman of the Scottish District of Methodism, died in Rattray Methodist manse, on Saturday. HENRY AHCHER was remanded at Thrapstnn, on Saturday, charged with stealing E135 from the van of a travelling dealer named Rowton. JbEKS, say Moroia," can embalm as successfully at could tbe ancient Egyptians. It; ofteii happens in damp weather that a slug or snail will enter a bee- hive. This is, of course, to the unprotected slug a Case of Euddeir death. The bee? fall upon hitn and sting him to death at once. But what to do with the parcaee becomes a vital question. If left where it is if will breed a regular pestilence. Now comes in the cleverness of the insects. They set to work and cover it with wax, and there you may see it lying embalmed just as the nations of old embalmed their dead. When it is a snail that is the intruder be is, of course, impenetrable to their sting, so they calmly, cement his shell with wax to the bottom of the hive. Im- prisonment for life, with no hope of pardon IT is a curious fact that her Majesty did not at first regard with much confidence what has conduced as much as anything else to the marvellous pros- perity of the country during her reign. The Morning Post of February, 1842; contained the following para- graph "It is worthy of remark that her Majesty never travels" by railway. Prince Albert invariably accompanies the Queen, but patronises the Great Western generally when compelled to come up from Windsor alone. The Prince, however, has been known to say, Net quite so fastnext time, Mr. Con- ductor, if you please: According to the Railway Times, it was in June of the same year that the Queen made her first railway journey. This waa on the Great Western line. The Stockton and Darling- ton Railway was opened in 1825. BISHOP TUCKBB, of Central Africa, who is at pre- sent in England, has been giving his experience of teetotalism. To a representative of the Young Mem be said: I have been a teetotaller for 90 yearn. So far from regretting it, I would commence it sooner if I had the chance again. I find that in Africa not only is a teetotaler better fitted to cope with the climate, but he is better fitted for the great physical exercise which he has to undergo. I have marched some 10,000 miles in Africa, and I have never felt the want of anything like a stimulant. Indeed, I feel sure that if I had not been a teetotaler it, would have been Impossible to undergo the fatigue in- volved in some of the marching." The bishop in hia last pastoral visit covered about a thousand miles, tatirelv on foot.