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

MARKET NEWS. MABK-LANE.—Business has been quiet, and the tendency to buy hardly so good. The sales of home- grown wheat in the leading markets of England and Wales during the 45 weeks of the season have been 2,319,565qrs., against 1,406,842qrs. last season, the average being 28s 5d against 25s per qr. barley, 3,196,324qrs., against 3,353,930qrs., at an average of 24s against 23s per qr.; and oats, 528,134qrs., against 633,224qrs., the average being 16s 7d, against 14s Od per qr. English wheat was 6d dearer, with a quiet trade. For foreign wheat there was a fair demand at 6d more money. The flour market was steady, and 6d dearer. Barley was firm at full prices. In oats a moderate business was passing at 3d more money. Maize was firm on former terms. Beans and peas were about the sanie with very little doing. LONDON METROPOLITAN CATTLa.-Supply of beasts larger than usual, but demand was poor, a weak ten- dency prevailing, and where sales were forced 2d per 81b. less money bad to be accepted even for the choicest qualities, while in medium descriptions the weakness was still more pronounced. A great many really good beasts did not make more than 6d per lb. The best Herefords went 4s 8d to 4s lOd; runts, 4s 8d to 4s 9d; Lincolns, 4s to 4s 4d; Irish, 4s to 4s 4d; and fat cows, 3s lOd to 4a per 81b. There was a fair show of sheep, both in respect to number and quality. Trade was quiet, but late rates were maintained. The best n to 8- stcne Downs made 5s lOd 9-stone, 5s 8d; 10-stone, 58 6d 10-stone half-breds, 5s 4d to 5s 6d; 12-stone Lincolns, 4s lOd to 5s; and 10-stone ewes, 4s 2d to 4s 4d per 81b. Lambs were steady 5-stone Downs, 6s 8d to 7s per 81b. Calves were a nominal market. English milch cows realised £16 to JE21 per head. Prices Coarse and inferior beasts, 2s 4d to 8s 6d; second quality ditto, 3s 8d to 4s 2d; prime large oxen, 4a 4d to 48 6d; ditto Scotch, Ac., 4s 8d to 4s lOd; coarse and inferior sheep, 3. 8d to 4s 4d; second quality ditto, 4s 6d to 5s 2d; prime coarse- woolled ditto, 5s 4d to 5s 6d prime Southdown ditto, 5s 8d to 5s lOd; lambs, 5s 4d to 7s large coarse calves, 3s 2d to 4s 2d; prime small ditto, 4s 4d to 4s lOd per 81b. to sink the offal. SMITHFIELD MFAT.-The supply was only mode- rate. Owing to the watmer weather during the past few days buyers were very cautious, consequently the trade was very slow, at the subjoined quotations: Beef carcases, 3s 6d to 3s lOd hind quarters, 4s to 4s 4d roastings, 5s to 5s 4d; sheep, ewes, 3s Od to 38 4d wethers, 4s 8d to 5s; hind quarters wether, 5s 6d to 5s lOd; hind-quarters ewe, 4s 4d to 4s 8d; veal, Sa to 4s; pork, large, 3s Od to 3s 6d; and small, 3s 6d to 4s per 81b. GAME AND POULTRY.—Leverets, 2s 6d to 3s; fat quails, Is to Is 4d; turkey poults, 3s 9d to 4s 3d; foslings, 4s to 5s; Aylesbury ducks, 3s to 3s 9d rish ditto, 2s 6d to 2s 8d Russian ditto, Is 6d to Is 9d large Surrey fowls, 3s 6d to 3s IOd. Sussex ditto, 28 9d to 3s; Essex ditto, 2s 6d to 2s 8d; Irish ditto, 2s 3d to 2s 4d; Boston ditto, Is 9d to 2s 6d; Welsh ditto, Is 8d to 2s; Russian ditto, Is 4d to Is 9d and large tame rabbits, Is 6d to Is 8d each ducklings, 41 to 5s; and spring chickens, 3s to 3s 9d per couple. BILLINGSGATE Fian.-Good supply, consisting of 300 tons by land, and 244 tons by water. Good demand. Prices: Wholesale: Scotch salmon, Is Id to Is 3d grilse, lid to Is Id soles, Is 2d to Is 4d; slips, Is; red mullets, Is 9d to 2s; Dorys, 6d per lb.; turbot, 5s to 8s brill, 5s; halibut, 5s to 6s plaice, 4s 6d to 5s lemon soles, 5s to 6s per stone; mackerel, 15s per 60; live cod, 14s to 18s whiting, 4s to 5s; hake, 12s; gurnet, 9s; catfish, 6s; coal- fish, 5s roker, 8s to 10s per box; fresh haddocks, 6s to 8s per trunk; ditto, 12s per turn live eels, 20s; dead eels, 13s per draft; English salted her- rings, 15s to 25s; conger eels, 25s per barrel; crabs, 12s per hamper; lobsters, 15s to 35s; crawfish, 30a per score Dutch smelts, 2s per basket; whitebait, Is per quart; oysters, 2s to 6s per 100; shrimps, 10s to 12s; winkles, 4s to 9s whelks, 4s to 7s per bushel; mussels, 3s to 7s per bag; bloaters, 38 6d; kippers, 2s to 2s 6d per box; dried haddocks, 4s to 8s per dozen. BOROUGH AND SPITALTIELDS POTATO.—Good supply of potatoes, but trade was slow at the following prices: Old, 30s to 60s per ton. New Essex kidneys, 7s to 7s 6d; Jersey ditto, 7s to 7s 6d ditto flukes, 78 to 7s 6d Cherbourg kidneys, 51 to 5s 6d; ditto rounds, 4s to 4s 6d per cwt. SUID TRADE.—Mustard and rape seed continue slow. Canary and hemp seed unchanged. Some fino American white sunflower seed for feeding purposes im offering at tempting rates. Wisconsin peas are considerably dearer. Haricots unaltered. Linseed steady. READING CATTLE.-There was a good show of beasts, and business proceeded slowly at 4s 4d to 4s 8d per stone for prime animals, and 3s 8d to 4s for coarser descriptions. There were a large number of sheep penned, and the prices realised ranged from 5s 6d to 5s lOd per stone for small prime sheep, and 4s 6d to 5s 2d for heavier kinds. Lambs sold at be 8d to 7s, and calves 3s 6d to 4s 4d per stone. CORK BUTTER.—Primest, 75s per cwt.; prime, 72s; firsts, 74s; seconds, 72s thirds, 70s; fourths, Cos. Mild-cured: Choicest, 76a; choice, 72s; superfine, 76s; fine, 72s; mild, 71s. Choicest boxes, 78s. Kegs: Fine mild, 70s. GRIMSBT Fisn. Supply and demand good. Brills, 8d to lOd per lb.; cod, live, 2s to 5s dead, Is 6d to 4s each; salt, 8s per cwt.; codlings, 8s to 12s per box; crabs, 4s to 4s 6d per score gurnets, 5s to 7B 6d per box halibut, live, be to 0s; dead, 4s to 4s 9d per stone; haddocks, 40s to 4Ss per kit; round, 10s to 16s per box; live, 10s to 14 per score finnan, 3s to 3s 6d per score; hake, 2s to 4s each latchets 7s to 10s per box; ling, live, 2i4 to 4s; dead, Is to 3s each; lobsters, Is 2d to Is 4d per lb. American oysters, 4s 6d perlOO; plaice, 3s 6d to 5s 3d per stone; soles, Is 4d to Is 6d per lb.; lemon, 6s to 7s per stone; salmon, Is to Is 4d; grilse, Is to Is 3d per lb.; skate, live, 2s 6d to 4s 6d dead, Is 6d to 3s each; whitings, live, 6s per score; dead, 4s to 5s per stone; whelks, 3s per wash ice, Is 6d per cwt.

LIGHT railways in Belgium, where they are known as vicinal or parish lines, bear a proportion of about 38 per cent. to the standard gauge railway mileage of the country. There are now 1086 miles in operation, comprised in 86 branches, and, although a loss is shown on the whole working since the commence- ment, this is being gradually cleared off; the debit now stands at a little over £3000. The mean divi- dend percentage paid since 1^90 has been steadily in- creasing from 2-65 to 2 75, 2'76, 2-8, 2-9, and 2'98 to 3'08 last year, when the receipts amounted to over £ 260,000. A TIME register and check for recording the moment at which a workman arrives and departs was shown at the recent exhibition at Bingley Hall, Bir- mingham. It has 100 buttons, ranged in two circles on a dial, and numbered consecutively to correspond with as many employes. Instead of lifting checks or keys, a workman presses his button and thus prints, on a travelling ribbon, the hour and minute when the action takes place. It takes but two minutes for 100 men to register an entrance or exit by the gate of the works. ,i AN experiment in work against time W" recently make- at Selkirk, where the wool growing on the backs of a couple of sheep was converted into a measured suit of clothes within eight hours of app_y g snip of the shears to the fleece. The wool was scoured, dyed, carded and spun at one, ^tabl.shment in 2 hours 20minutes; the warping, wefting, milling, experiment, made 60 years ago, when only L„nj imnies »nd l°oms were m resulted in the IZpiS of jacket and vest in 16 hours. IN Paris the want of cheap legal advice for the poor has been met by the establishment of a Free Law Department at the Palii3 de Justice, which has now been in operation for about two years, and has, if we may judge from the re- cently published statistics, done much useful work. It appears that the department has several branches, over each of which a barrister of some years' standing real pides, assisted by two younger advocates. Last year nearly 2000 persons came for advice or infor- mation, and a number of cases of a difficult character were satisfactorily settled. The scheme II surall worthy of being adopted in this country, where I perplexities are even more bewildering

r' has just retired from the office He sava fuUs.tice °f Samoa, has arrived in Sydney. Samoa everw^k-at ttl6 time °f bis departure from between the PeacefuL though the old feuds Tamesese, had notbe^elfin Ti ^etoa and Of men-of-war, how^erS^ t P?™ Jhe Triple Protectorate bfe^tdBC-f1T-e hostilities. id the United States hasten a &LESTIOC^HYI71 > »ndha?FabI Th."EZT" "">»*> proceeded with. The European population had, nowever, decreased, owing to the fall in the price of !THK annual report of the Master of the Mint '■hows that last year the gold coinage was of the value of £ 4.308,860; silver, £ 1,235,161arid bronze, E122,860, the number of pieces struck being no fewer than 95,837,815, an increase of 23,228,100 over the previous year, and representing an inoreased value .of £1,519,603. t

GREATER BRITAIN. Tui following extract from a private latter con- Mrnicg the recent Calcutta earthquake has been sent f to the Globe for publication "I was going to the G.'< place when, on getting outof the t icetwharry, lfound the earth shaking under me the sensation was pecu- liar and novel. On walking down the little lane leading to G.'s house I fouud the shaking increased, and on reaching their gate I found them all in the garden. All the folks in the street were running out, and the confusion became still greater; this all happened by the time I realised that an earthquake had really taken place. When 1 looked round at the various houses I saw that most of them had pieces broken off the parapets, and that lo!ig cracks were grinning in their sides. The spire of the cathe- dral, which is quite near, was also, I found, shorn of about 30ft. of its length. G.'s house, and also the one I am living in, are not hurt, but almost every other building near is more or less damaged. One house in Russel-street, No. 9, a large three-storeyed place, is totally ruined, the.joof having fallen in, and smashed up the lower floors. Many more are almost, but not quite, ruined. One house here, io Harring- ton-street, is also practically a wreck, the top storey is a total ruin, and cracks run from the roof to the foundations. Most of the churches in the towns suf- fered severely, while a few escaped without so much as a crack. Many people rushed out of their houses into the road or the garden, and on turning round saw the house visibly swaying before their eyes. The Town Hall, which had just been repaired, was damaged very badly, and the High Court has been closed for two days, as it is impossible to hold the sittings of the court until the place is repaired. The amount of damage done is, of course, almost incalcul- able, and the builders and contractors will very rapidly become millionaires I Already the wages for bricklayers (natives, of course, there being no Euro- pean bricklayers here) have gone up in the countrv from eight annas to one rupee per day, and in Cal- cutta from one rupee to one rupee eight annas per day. The shock lasted for close upon five minutes, and resembled the motion of the sea more than any- thing else I can think of; it was not the ordinary tremor of an earthquake, but a wavelike motion, a swaying of the earth to and fro. However, only about three or four people were killed in the city, so we ought to be thankful, I suppose. Every bcuse you pass has great cracks or fissures in it, that look any- thing but reassuring. Another minute and Calcutta would have been in the condition of LisbonTifter the earthquake of 1755." MR. S. DIGBY sends us, at the request of the editor of the Indian Daily News, a copy of that journal, dated Monday, June 14, two days after the earth- quake which did so much damage in Calcutta and elsewhere. "This number," Mr. Digby says, "I think you will agree with me, is a curiosity in journalism. The office of the Indian Daily News in Calcutta was seriously damaged by the earthquake, and it was with the utmost difficulty that the paper, even in a greatly reduced form, could be brought out the following morning. The editor writes At a late hour on Sunday night we were compelled to stop all work and seek another press in order to bring out even a four-page paper, as our premises were condemned by a surveyor aa totally unfit for habita- tion the rain added to our difficulties, which were already sufficiently great. When the formes were going to press one o f them accidentally broke, hence the absence of the third page.' He says that every effort is being made to secure a new habitation, and until this has been done he craves the indulgence of his readers. We write,' he remarks,' with a scorch- ing snn blazing on our desk and in momentary fear of a few hundred tons of masonry crashing in on us- As the Times of India observes, I never, surely, were, articles penned in such a trying position. The ex- periences of the most venturesome war correspondent pale into insignificance beside this incident. The wonder, indeed, is that a paper could be produced at all in the circumstances. The copy before us cer- tainly shows signs of having been got out under un- usual conditions, its blank page giving the inside sheets a very curious appearance, but it contains vivid and pretty full accounts of the damage wrought by the earthquake, and, what is more strange, a good deal of ordinary news as well. The staff of the Indian Daily News have had an experience which is,! we should imagine, unique not only, as they say, in. the annals of Indian journalism," but in the annals off journalisin all the world over THERE is no known antidote for the bite of the tiger-snake of Australia. Persons bitten die almost instantly, and the Government has a standing offer. of £1000 for anyone who will discover a remedy., Some few years ago a man actually discovered an effi- cacious antidote. To prove its value, he allowed himself to be bitten repeatedly by snakes in full pos- session of the power to kill. One day he gave an j exhibition before some Government officials, but,, being under the influence of liquor, he did not recol-, lect what he had done with his antidote, and he died, shortly after the snake-bite, his secret perishing with I him. As extraordinary- case of attempted escape from, Parramatta Goal is reported. An iron tank con-' taining broken food was being driven out of the gaol, when the turnkey noticed a slight movement of the lid. He ordered the cart to stop, and on opening the lid of the tank a prisoner was found inside almost covered with bread and other refuse. When the warders got him out he was half suffocated. Had he remained quiet another half-second he would have been outside the walls of the gaol. FOR the last five years there has been an average, yearly increase of 142 in the number of insane persons in New South Wales. The Inspector- General of the insane attributes this increase to the general commercial depression, which has brought to many altered circumstances, trouble, and stress, which have served to break down in mind those who were neurotic and unstable, and least able to fight the battle of life under adverse conditions. IK a paper on the meat industry recently read before the Conference of Australian Chambers of Commerce it was stated that the approximate freezing capacity of the refrigerating depots of Australia was equal to 10,000,000 sheep, or an equiva- lent number of cattle. It might be assumed that at no distant future the export would reach 1,000,000 cattle and 10,000,000 sheep per year, of the approxi- mate value of £ 5,000,000. THE Victorian defence authorities have informed the Admiralty that the warship Nelson is no longer of any service for defence purposes. The vessel is to be dismantled. A CYCLIST named Murif has succeeded in riding across the Continent of Australia from south to north. Starting from Glenelg on March 10 he arrived at Port Darwin on May 22, the journey having occupied him two months and 11 days. He was occa- sionally short of food, but otherwise suffered no serious discomfort. The long, wiry grass, full of seed, somewhat retarded his movements, and the occasional stretches of stony and sandy country made travelling heavy and difficult. He had no trouble with the blacks, who, for the most,part, seemed afraid of his bicycle, and 4diopersed on its appearance. A TELEPHONE service has been installed at Cool- gardie, and is being largely used. It is proposed to extend the line to Kalgoorlie, Kanowna, and other centres, and eventually to Perth and Fremantle. AT the last. General Election. in New Zealand 76'44 per cent. of the women on the rolls voted, while the proportion of men was 75'90. The return appears to show that many women have tired of the privilege, 85'18 per cent. having voted in 1893 when the franchise was first conferred on women. THE wool production of New Zealand last year amounted to 132,299,0071b., as against 132,632,9011b. for the previous year. Of last year's amount 3,989.9341b. were bought for local consumption, the remainder being exported. AN interestiJlg sporting appeal from New Zealand will come before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council next session. The New Zealand Appeal Court has given a decision excluding bookmakers from the Auckland racecourse, and the Bookmakers' Association of New Zealand has decided to carry the case to the Privy Couucil.

J PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL. RESTORATION COMPLETE. The restoration of the north-west gable of Peter- borough Cathedral is complete, and trie cross which terminates the gable has been replaced. The Dean, Canon Clayton, and Miss Alderson, niece of Lady Salisbury, assisted in lajing the bed of Portland cement. Very few new stones have bad to be intro- duced; indeed, only two new ones in the outside order of the great arch, and with the exception of two small patches, the large string course has been replaced intact. Every stone has been put back into us original position, having been carefully numbered fe&CSJliPg taken d«wn. l

99-BRITISII, CENTRAL AFRICA.10 Sir H. H. Johnston has utilised his present leave of absence from the province he administers in preparing for publication a descriptive and historical account of it. The result is a handsome (though, as regards weight, somewhat heavy) volume, entitled "British Central Africa, an Attempt to give some Account of a Porticn of the Territories under British Influence North of the Zambezi"—" a portion only, because Sir H. H. Johnston here confines himself to that Eastern part of British Central Africa which has come more or less within bis personal experience- that is to say, it is confined principally to the regions bordering on Lakes TaDganvika and Nvasa and the River Shire. Our author's treatment of his subject is, to begin with, admirably thorough. In his opening chapter he essays to make us see, through the means of a series of vigorous word-pictures as well as of excellent reproductions of photographic views, what the country looks like. Next he enters upon a full de- scription of the f hysical geography of the country, which in turn leads up to a lucid narrative of its de- velopment prior to 1884. Then comes the story of the foundation of the protectorate, of which pars magna fuit" and this will be found especially useful by the general reader, usually not too clear as to tbe pro- general reader, usually not too clear as to the pro- cesses by which our African Empire has been built up. From this Sir H. H. Johnston proceeds to deal with the question of the slave trade. On this his pronouncement is straightforward and clear We have never recognised it, but where slavery existed without its being forced on our notice through an attempt to carry on the slave trade, or through unkindness, to the slaves, we have not actually inter- I fered to abolish tbe status. But if ever a slave has run away from a district not administered by us to a more settled portion of the Protectorate, we bare always refused to surrender him. If the slave was a female and it could be shown that she was a wife or concubine of the man who owned her or that he had inflicted no unkindness, she was usually given back upon a promise of immunity from punishment. When I' a district from various causes has come under our immediate administration we have always informed the slaves that they were free to go and do what they I pleased as long as they did not break the law. But it has rarely happened that the slaves of a chief who were well treated have chosen to quit their masters therefore, being free to do as they liked, if they chose I, to remain and work as slaves nobody interfered to prevent their doing so. The slave trade-still more slave-raiding-bas always been punished, and it may be safely stated that such a thing does not now exist in the Protectorate, though it is still carried on in such districts as are not wholly under the control of the British South Africa Company." The next chapter deals with the European settlers in sphere of influence." Concerning the commercial aspect of the case, the writer observes "For the trader and the planter I think it may be said that the country offers sufficiently sure and rapid profits for their enterprise to compensate the risk run in the matter of health. The various trading companies in the country appear to be doing well with an ever-extending business, and to be constantly increasing the number of their establishments. Even traders in a small way, if they have energy and astuteness, may reap considerable earnings with rela- tively -small outlay. One man, for instance went up to Kotakota on Lake Nyasa with a few hundreds of pounds at his disposal, bought a large number of cattle at a very low price in the Marimba district and purchased all the ivory the Arabs at Kotakota had to dispose of, and on his total transaction made a clear profit of £ 2000 by selling the cattle and ivory at Blantyre." Elsewhere in this chapter Sir H. H. JoLipston permits himself to indulge iq a little thoughtful and suggestive prophecy.. He says frankly:— "I am convinced that this eastern portion of British Central Africa will never he a white man's country in the sense that all Africa south of the Zambezi, and all Africa north of the Sahara will eventually become-count rite where the white race is dominant and native to the soil. Between the lati- tudes of the Zambezi and the Blue Nile, Africa must in the first instance be governed in the interests of the black man, and the black man will there be the race predominant in numbers, if net in influence. The future of Tropical Africa is to be another India not another Australia. The white man cannot per- manently oolonlse Central Africa he can only settle on a few favoured tracts, as he would do in the North of India. Yet Central Africa possesses boundless re- sources in the way of commerce, as it is extremely it rich in the natural products-animal, vegetable, and mineral. These it will pay the European to develop and should equally profit the black man to produce. Untaught by the European be was living like an animal, miserably poor in the midst of boundless wealth. Taught by the European he will be able to develop this wealth and bring it to the market, and the Europeen on the other,hand will be enriched by this enterprise." Many English people will be glad to read our authors testimony to the good work done in the province by English missionaries. Who, he asks, can say that their labours have been otherwise than successful ? Is it of no account, do you think. is it productive of no good effect in the present state of Africa, that certain of Qur- fellow-countrymen—or women—pos- sessed of at least an elementary education, and im- peiled by no greed of gain or unworthy motive- should voluntarily locate themselves in the wild parts of this undeveloped quarter of the globe, and, by the very fact that they live in a European manner, in a house of European style, surrounded by European implements, products, and adornments, should open the eyes of the brutish savages to the existence of a higher state of culture, and prepare them for the approach of civilisation ? I am sure my readers will, agree with, me that it is as the preparer of the white man's advent, as the mediator between the barbarian native and the invading race of rulers, colonists, or traders, that the missionary earns his chief right to our consideration and support. He constitutes him- self informally the tribune of the weaker race, and though he may sometimes be open to the charge of indiscretion, exaggeration, and partiality in his sup- port of his dusky-skinned clients' claims, yet without doubt he has rendered real services to humanity in drawing extra-colonial attention to many a cruel abuse of power, and by checking the ruthless pro- ceedings of the anscrupulous pioneers of the white invasion." After this, Sir H. H. Johston deals successively, with the botany and zoology of the district, with the:, natives, and with the native dialects. These chapters will have special interest and value for thn savants, for they are the fruit of exceptional and accurate knowledge. To that on languages the writer appends some very acceptable Vocabularies. An elaborate index crowns the work, which might fairly be des- cribed as a pictorial and picturesque cyclopaedia on the topic it handles. Freely and beautifully illus- trated by drawings and photographs, end charmingly printed on fine paper, -it.is a volume emipently creditable to its producers, and especially creditable to the learning and enthusiasm of the author.

THIS ORIGINAL JOHN BULL. Who was John Bull ? A writer in Temple Bar,, says he Was a great contrast, with his thin, melan- j choly Tace, to the Well-fed and Well-to-do farmer cf I Punch's cartoontf. The career of the real John Bull, who was a 11 Dootor of Musique," was one of extra- ordinary brilliancy, but it had strange breaks and changes in its course.^ John Bull was a Somerset- shire lad, and be received his early lessons in music at the Chapel Royal. At 20 years of ape be was organist at Hereford Cathedral, and in 1585 he was recalled to London to succeed his good master, Blitheman, as the Chapel Royal organist. He died in 1628.

"HAVEl you seen the airship, Jack ?" Well—I think courtship would come in under that head, wouldn't it?" IT is remarkable now precise is the information at the disposal of some people as to the exact cost of other people's jewels. For instance, a ladies' paper tells us that the pearls which Lady de Grey has been wearing lately cost just 500 a piece. TELEGRAMS from Brazil onfirin the reported reverse to the Government troops attacking the stronghold of the fanatics at Canudos. They further state that another attempt will be made to storm the position in the course of the next few days. THE Uruguay insurgents are reported to have been seen near the Rio Negro in the district of Cerro Largo. The negotiations for peace with the revolu- tionary leaders have apparently failed. LORD SALISBURY has fixed November 16 and 17 for the holding in London of the conference of the National Union of Conservative and Constitutional Association;

THE WORLD'S OLDEST CITIES. London as a place of habitation we rightly regard as being of great antiquity, but in this respect it is a babe in swaddling olothes when compared with some of the cities of the world. It is over 1950 years since Caesar's legions visited London and Paris and brought them under the world-wide dominion of Rome. But at that time they were nothing more than little collections of mud huts inhabited by rude and uncivilised Britons and Gauls. The city of Marseilles has been in existence 2497 years. It was founded by a colony of Greeks when Rome, the future conqueror of both it and Greece, was nothing but a tiny village. Rome is about 2650 years old. Of all the cities that were in existence when it began, and still retain their places on the maps, Rome is the most flourishing and best preserved. It has gone through so many wars, sieges and captures without being destroyed that it is called The Eternal City." But Rome is by no means the oldest city on the globe, or even in Europe. Athens, the capital of Greece, is about 3453 years old-older than any other European city. Tangier, in Morocco, is probably over 2700 years of age. Several Asiatic towns are credited with con- tinuous existences covering longer periods tlmi those of Europe or any other part of the w3rld. Pekin, the capital of China, is said to be about 3000 years old, or more; Jerusalem which was a Jebusite city in the days of Abrahath, is 3900 years old at least. But there is one other city, and pro- bablyonly one, that surpasses even Jerusalem in anti- quity. This is Datnasccs, once famous fcri^8 facture of silks, jewellery, and arms. A Damascus blade was prized as superior to all others. They are no longer made, the method by which the armourers of Damascus tempered the steel being one of the l.st arts. The exact date of the founding of Damascus is not known, but it is said to have been begun by a great-grandson of Noah. It is probably 4200 years old, at any rate, and the oldest city in the world.

MRS. JOSKJNS This boos on natural history saya that seals sometimes shed tears just like men." Jorkins: Yes; just like men who have to pay for sealskin jackets." HODGK went to a dance. It was his first one, and he enjoyed it immensely. I liked it all," he after- wards said, but the floor was so slippery I couldn't digmy Bhoe-nails in a bit." HE Do you think your father would offer me personal violence if I were to ask him for you ?" She: No; but I think he will if you don't pretty soon." BUT Helen certainly was a great girl," persisted Hector. Agamemnon sneered. "By Troy weight, possibly," he retorted, not without a suggestion of acrimony ,.— „_

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I I WILLS AND BEQUESTS. The will, which bears date March 16, 1894, with a r codicil of September U, lèlj, of Mr. Walter Barton V""Stia 1, of Woodhey. Spital, Chester, and of Liver- pool, general broker, who died on March 29 Jast, ti7 years, leaving personal estate valued at £ lo2,301 i5s. bd., has been proved by his son, \Viiiiaui Frederick Wignall, of 11, liumford-street, :Lirerpoo), cotton broker; his son-in-law, the lier. Ei nest Campbell Lowndes, of Chester; and Edward Wignall, of Uharieslje, Ormskirk to each of wbotn the testator bequeathed £100, and to his wife Mrs. Sarah Turner Wignall £1000, his jewellery, plate, pictures, and furniture and indoor and outdoor effects, not comprised in her marriage settlements, which he confirmed. Mr. Wignall bequeathed to his daughters, Constance Mury Campbell Lowndes, Katherine Wrigley, and Florence Midwood, L:100 a year each during the widowhood of Mrs. Wignall, and, in the event of the marriage of his daughter Maud, she is also to receive £ 200 a year during the widowhood of Mrs. Wignall. The testator's residuary estate w then to be in trust to pay the income thereof to Mrs. Wignall during her widowhood, -and, subject to her interest, the residuary estate is to be in trust in equal shares for all his 'children. The trustees may allow his capital, but not exceeding £ 10,000, to remain as a loan to his partners at the rate of interest provided for in their articles ot partnership. The will, which bears date July 22, 1895, of Mr. George William Deakm, of ii.'uwith-, Grange-over- Sands, Lancashire, who died OIl April U ims been proved by his widow Mis. Maud Mary Liickiu- f?!11 -^fak'u, his brother Eouxtd Deakm, ol Moi-tsiev, Cheadle, the Jiev. George Vi.i.ys GaskeJl, of Grange, and Samuel Cloodwin, of OukH«;d, VVorsley. The tes- tator bequeaths to his wile £ £ >00„ his consumable stores, the use and enjoyment during her widowhood of Blawith, and the fumitwrfrand ciiects- there, a .d the income during her widowhood of his residuary estate. Subject to Airs. ileitkin's interest during her widowhood, the U;avvith estate and the 'effects there are to be in trust for the testator's eon George Yyvyan Deakin during his life, 'with power of appointment to him ot the trust estate in favour of his issue, or in default of issue upon like trusts for the testator's son, Oedrie Guy Deakin and 'his issue, and upon like ttu, to for the testator's other sons successively. The residuary estate is to be held upon trust as to one moiety tor the testator's son 'George Vyvyan Deakin and his issue, or in default of 'issue for his son Cedric Guy Deakin and his issue, and the other moiety of the residuary estate is to be 'in trust in equal shares for all the testator's children other than such one as may succeed to the Blawith estate and the first-named muioty of the residuary estate. The person emu led to poss^.>i.,u of the Blawith estate is to bear the name of Deakin. 'The late Mr. Deakin bequeathed a policy of insurance for £ 10,0u0 with the New York Mutual LilV Assur- lance Company, held upon terms that the testator's 'representatives may require the Company to retain the capital sum of the policy and the bonus accumu- lations and to pay interest thereon at tiae rate of five per cent. for 20 years in trust that the executors may, with the consent of Mrs. Deakin, adopt these terms and require the Assurance Company to retain the policy for such period not exceeding 20 years as 'the executors, with the concurrence of Mrs. Deakin, may think expedient, and to pay tLe interest M the rate of five per cent. to her. Mr. G. W. Deakin's personal estate has been valued at £ 14,19414s. Mr. William Robert Baker, of Bayfordbury, Herts, J.P., who died on the 20th of November last, was born in 1810, and was High Sheriff for his county in 1836, during the reign of Willian IV. His will bears datq July 29,. 1890, and probate thereof has been granted to his son Mr. William Clinton Baker, of Bayfordbury, power being reserved to grant probate also to Mr. Francis Theophilus Hastings. Mr. Baker bequeathed his plate, pictures, sculptures, household furniture and effects, to his said eon Mr. William Clinton Baker, expressing the wish, but not thereby imposing a trust, that such of the effects as remain at his son's death may devolve as heirlooms. He left all his real and leasehold estate and the residue of his personal estate to his said son, but there is a provision in the will that if Mrs. Baker should not elect to make Bayfordbury her place of residence an annuity of Z100 sLould be paid to her. The late Mr. Baker's personal estate has been valued at £ 7222 3s. lid, gross and E4210 17s. lid. net.

WORKERS in compressed air in New York have re* cmtly formed a trade union. Their articles provide for an eight-hour day at easiest pressures and depths, diminishing gradually to three hours when the severest conditions are reached. Wages are to be fixed at lis. a day for six hours' work at depths between 55ft. and 70ft.; 12s. for four hours' work between 70ft. and 80ft.; 13s. for two hours' work between 80ft. and 90ft.; and 14s. for 80 minutes' work between 90ft. and 100ft. Overtime is to be paid for at double these rates. MR. HERBERT JOYCE has survived only one year i nis retirement from the public service. His official life in the Post Office had extended to 46 years, and his pension, which he enjoyed so short a time, was E960 a year. Mr. Joyce had beeu roponslble for manv years for the compilation of those annual os Office reports which contained such interesting ing as to the vicissitudes of letters, and thei r g of the public. During the last few yea public work the reports had been important piquascv, as Mr. Joyoewas engage f historical the fulfilment of this task j Mr. njaoyce*s retirement was postpone* two years beyond the retiring limit of bo.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE ON FIRE. EXCITING SCENE. During her Majesty's State Ball at Buckingham Palace on Thursday evening of last week a fire broke out, causing considerable alarm and excitment. The outbreak, it appears, occurred on the second floor of the Palace shortly before ten o'clock through a cur- tain catching alight. At the time of the outbreak a constant stream of carriages were entering the Palace, but were stopped by the police. The Westminster Brigade were fir6t on the scene,, being quickly followed by Chelsea and other brigades nearest the Palace. The firemen immediately got to work and eventually got the fire under. Naturally great excitement prevailed, and an enormous crowd watched the efforts of the firemen w"h great interest. The official stop call was given at ten minutes to eleven, but most of the engines remained on the spot. At eleven o'clock the engine* left the Palace yard, everything being reported safo. The people then gradually dispersed. Another account says: Buckingham Palace was the scene of a fire shortly before ten o'clock on Thursday night of last week, but the outbreak was fortunately soon overcome. A front room on the third floor, which was one of a suite of rooms occupied by the Prince and Princess Aribert de Anhalt, was the scene of the mishap. A candle was left burning on the dressing table, and the windows were left open. The stiffish breeze which sprung up in the course of the evening blew the curtains on to the candle, and there was an instantaneous flare. For a few momenta the outbreak threw a brilliant light out upon the public thoroughfares beneath, and the alarm was instantly raised. Directly afterwards there was a scene of remarkable excitement and activity. While buckets of water were hastily requisitioned, a mounted messenger galloped with the news that a fire was raging at Buckingham Palace, to the fire station in Francis-street, "V ictoria-street, and this was the signal for five steam engines and several minor appliances to be instantly ordered to the scene. When the firemen arrived they found that the room waa becoming completety involved, and they at once got one of their wonderfully useful hand-pumps into operation, with the result that in ten minutes the fire was completely overcome.

SEVERE FIGHTING IN BENIN. LIECTESAKT FITZGELIALD KILLED. A patrol of the Royal Niger Company's constabu- lary, under the command of Lieutenants J. W Carroll and W. Fitzgerald, while traversing the Lagoff country south of Kabba succeeded in ascertaining the whereabouts of the fugitive King of Benin. Thr- constabulary on June 11 attacked and captured the town in which he bad taken refuge. The King escaped, and fled through Shoeba to Badan, but Lieutenant Carroll's patrol succeeded in coming up with him, and defeated his force, although 500 strong, and armed with rifles. The King, however, again got away, and this time retreated into the Protectorate territory. Lieutenant Carroll, return- ing, attacked in force, and drove the enemy off with heavy loss. Two of the constabulary were killed, and Lieutenant Fitzgerald, who received several serious wounds during the fighting, died on June 19, at Afuge.