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

"A BOULOGNE correspondent states that one of the < sisters at the Ursuline Convent at Boulogne will in- "a month or two attain her 100th birthday. It is years since she took the vows, and Bince then frhe ii-il not left the convent. lister Butor, the lady in quos- '♦•ion. belongs to the viliacc of Hermelinijbeu.

THE "TYPICAL BRITISHER" ABROARD. Most people will be surprised to hear that when the average Briton leaves these shores for foreign parts he Immediately drops his h's," uses them where ,he;ar' altogether unnece ssary, and speaks with thut intonation which custom' and the comic papers have long since, led u's to inseparably associate with taafherdom. Ohehas to go abroad 'to learn the news of course, and all Ehgland Oiight t.0' feel deeply indebted to the Boston C/tobc for the fttllowfng sketch of a typical Britisher :c "'I'm afwaid I nevah shall compwehend the language of this country, aw," he said, as Lie appl «-d a match to his meerschaum pipe, addressing his remarks to a than who sat next him in the sniukfng- car.. i You are from England, I suppose," was the reply of the man to whom the remark had" been addressed. Howevah did you guess it asked the traveller, in great surprise. "Can't say that I guessed it, stranger. It must have come as an inspiration," "Twuly wemarkable," ejaculated the Britislier. "But you Amewicans are such clevah people, aw, doncher think so?" Undoubtedly," replied the native, atíhe surveyed the noisy plaids of the visitor's clothing, noted his fore-and-aft hat, and scrutinised his monocle. "But th'e language is so diffawent fworn what I 'ave been used to in deah hold Hengland, doncher- know." That's odd," replied the American. I thought ,they spoke English in England, like they do in America." quite diffawent, I assuah you.. For example, I awsked a man a question this mawnmg—I fawggt what it was, but just a simple question-and he weplied, What's heatin' you ?' That was a wemark- able ansah, and vewy iwwelevant, for nothing was heatin' me, as I took pains to assahtain. What did he mean ?" I am afraid that he intended to convey to you his belief that yr-ur question was one which you had no authority to ask." Deah me, does one have to, hobtain permission fwom the hawthawrities to awsk a question ?" IIOh, no, but he thought yoft impertinent." Me-hiiiipertinent, Sir!" No offence meant, I assure yon. I did not say that I thought yoq were, impertinent. 1 merely interpret the maq's reply as indicating that such was his idea." I see," said the Englishman, satisfied with this explanation. Then there was another expression I've 'eard several times since I landed, although it has not yet been addressed to me, done her know." What expression was that ?" 1\ Only awf an hour ago, in this vewy train, I heard one man tell anuthah that he was talking through his 'at. I regawded that as a vewy singular thing to do, and I turned wound to see how it was done, but the man was not talking through his 'at. Indeed, at that vewy moment his 'at was in the wack ovah his 'ead, and he- "ad on a close-fitting skull cap. I must say I was vastly mistifled by the expwession. What could the man'ave meant?" That was a figure of speech. The man who told the other that he was talking through his hat merely expressed a disbelief in the statement he had made or the story be had told." "That was it, was it ? A few minutes aftaw that one of them told the hother that he had wheels in 'is 'ead. I suppose that must have been a figah of speech, too, as you call these expwessions." Yes, that is another of them. It sign i'fies !a jocular expression of opinion that the skull is not filled with brains, but with buzzing apparatus wbfitjh produces noise without sense. In other words, that the speaker is a little daft or is talking about somie- thing about which he is ignorant." "I see," said the Britisher, "and I am deeptly gwateful for your explanations, I shall wite them down in my notebook, and when I return to Lunnon I shall write a lettew to the Times, suggesting that in the next edition of the Tourists' Guide to the United States' there be placed a glossary of the more common words and phrases of the Amewican language, togethaw with their equivalents in Hen- glish. Ta, ta! hold fellah!" ,c..

TEN MONTHS ON A DESERT i ISLAND. A repatter has had an interview with L, arstonnesseil, one of 13 survivors of the wreck of the-Scandinavian barque Scladon, a wood sailing vessel of 1002 tods, which was lost on a voyage to Honolulu in 1896. The barque sailed from the Thames in August 1895, in ballast 'for Suhdswall, North Sweden, where she loaded with timber and sailed for Algoa Bay. In October, 1895, she left for New South.Walesa whete she loaded with coal and started once more on her voyage to Honolulu. This port, however, they never reached. When within a comparatively short dis- tance of it the Seladon one night struck on some dow rocks and went to pieces. IN OPFff- BOATS. The crew, 16 in number, Scrambled into two open boats, and the captain, with the aid of a compass and ehartj which were the only navigation -instruments he was able to secure from the wreck, made an effort to reach the nearest island. On the second day, how- ever, they found that they bad lost their bearings, and nothing was left them but to drift on in the hope of being picked up by a passing ship. The only provi- sions they bad been able to save were abqqt 401b. or 501b. of bread, a small keg of water containipg about five gallons, three or four small tins of pre- .strves, and five boxes of; meat, \veighing about 21b. each, and these scanty provisions were most carefully apportioned each day by the heads of each boat. The two craft were tied together by a rope, and on each boat they were able to rig up a sail. They restricted themselves to two meals each day, and the climate and their scanty food, soon; began to tell on their health. By day the sun poured down with relent- less intensity, and at night it grew bitterly cold. As their only clothing consisted of trousers and shirt, their sufferings were very great. AMONG FKIANDLY uATIVBS;' As the days wore on and a week bad passed with- out anything being seen beyond the waste of waters and a few birds here and there, they gradually lessened each man's daily ration, but despite this care, on the 23rd day their food was all gone. The last meal of each man consisted of a tiny piece of bread. They were then six days entirely without food, when at last they sighted a small island called Sophia. Here they effected a landing, and found 10 natives on the island. Happily these showed them- selves of a friendly nature, for the survivors were too weak to walk and could only crawl on the beach and lie down exhausted. The natives tended them and gave them a temporary home. During the whole of their 29 days' cruise they«. had nob sighted a single tttnl, but had several exciting incidents. One day one of the boats-capsized, the men were thrown into the water, but all managed ta scramble back into the boat again except the third officer, who Was drowned. A VESSEL AT LAST. On the 24th day Capt. Jamer, who had been in ill- health previously, succumbed to the privations. They noticed that day after day for a considerable portion of the journey they were followed by 1\ hngo Shark which now and then gnawed the keel of the boat They tried to kill it with a knife, fixed on to the end of a pole, but did not succeed in doing so, and at last it, disappeared. Soon after their arrival on the island their number was again lessened. The, car- penter, who was an old man, was unable to rally from the exhaustion and died. For 10 months and 10 days they waited in vain for a ship to come in B,gh^ take them off the island. They had selected be highest tree in the island and had fixed a flag at the top to attract attention, and at last a small steamer belonging to Fiji passed within sight. As soon as they saw it the remaining snrvivors went out in boats to attract the attention of the steamer, but were not able to do so until they had sailed several miles. At last, however, they were picked up and taken to Fiji. Here they did not have long to wait for a Norwegian vessel which took them to Sidney, whence tho Orotava brought them to Plymouth.

TUB richest baby in the world is the GI'and Duchess Olga, daughter of the Czar and Czaruia of Russia, and worth in her own right more money than that of the Yanderbilts and Astors together. This baby Princess was born November 3, 1895. Lit tle Duchess Oiga is a great-grandchild of Queen Victoria, and is a bright youngster. IN Johannesburg the total length of roads and streets is 126,116 English miles, being an increase of 46,785 miles on the previous year. This is pretty well for a towa which existed in little more than the I name 20 vears ago. j

MARKEr NEWS. I » LosnON MBTROPOMTAJI 'CArvLz. The- supply of beasts has been less than usual, ^but has been suffi- cient. The demand throughout; w<a& inactive, an^ the tendency of prices was in favour.of buyers. Fajt bulls and fat butchering cows sold at about late rate, but rough cattle were neglected.: The best Scotch made 4s 6d; Hereford's, 4s 4d- and occaeionally 48 6d; runts, 4s 2d; Lincolns, 3s lOd to 4s; Irish, 3s lOd to 4a; and fat cows, 8s 4d to Ss 6d per 81b. The supply of sheep was only moderate. The log interfered with the trade, and the market throughout was dull and heavy for all graded. English shefcp made less money, but Irish were fairly steady.' The best" 7^ to 8-stone Downs made 5s 4(1 to 5s 6d; 10-stone, 5s 2d 10-8tone half-breds, 488jl td5s; 10-stone Irish, 4s lOd; 12-stone Lincoln." 4s 8d to 4s lOd; and 10-stone Down "ewes, 4s tp 4s 2d per 81b. Calves were a nominal market. Pigs were very dull, top price 4s 6d per 81b. Engli^i milch cows, E15 to E22 per head. Coarse and inferior beasts, 2s 4d to 3s second quality ditto, 3s 2d to 3s lOd; prime large oteq, 4s Od to 4s 4d; ditto Scots, &c., 4s 4d tp 4s 6d; coarse and inferior sheep, 3s 4d to 4s Od:; second quality ditto, 4s 2d to 4s lOd; prime coarsd- woolled ditto, 5s Od to 5s 4d; prime Southdown ditto, 5s 4d to 5s 6d; large coarse calves, 3s 5M to 4s 6d: prime small ditto, 4w 6d to 5s; large hogs,, 38 Od to 3s 6d; neat small porkers, 4s to 4s 6d per €lb. to sink the offal. SIUTHFIELD MEAT.—The supply was good. Thie trade was bad at the following rates: Beef car- cases, 3s 4d to 3s 8d; hindquarters, 4s Od to 4s 4d; roasting?, 4s JOd to 6s 2d; sheep, eW, 38 to 88 4d wether, 4s 2d to 4s 15d; hind-quftrters; >we, 4s to 4s 4d; hindquarters, wether, 5e 2d to 5s 6; veal, 3s 8d to 4s 4d pork, large, 3# 8d to 4s; and small, 4s 2d to 4s 6d per 81b. GAME AND POULTRY.—Young grouse, 5s to 5s 6d; old ditto, 3s 6d to 4s; and black game, 3s 6d to 4s 6d per brace; large hares, 3s 6d to 4s; white Scotch ditto, 2s to 2s 4d: woodcocks, 3s to 3s 6d cock capei- cailzie, 4s 6d to 4s 9d; hen ditto, 2s 6d to 2s lOd wild ducks, ls^d to 2s 4d; pintails, Is 6d to Is 8d quails, Is to Is 6d; geese, 4s to 5s; small turkeys, 3s 6d to 4s 6d; large fat capons, 4s to 4s 4d; medium ditto, 3s 6d to 3s 9d; large fowls, 2s 6d to 28 lOd; small ditto; Is 6d to Is 6d; large ducks, 2s 6d to 28 lOd; and chickens, Is 3d to,le bd each. BILLINGSGATE Fran.-Good supply, fair demand. Prices: Turbot, 5s to 7a; brill, 5s lemon soles, 6s; halibilt, 6s plaice, 2s 6d to 3s 6d per stone frozen Scotch salmon, 2s; Canadian frozen salmon, 10d; I soles, lOd to Is Id red mullets, Is 3d; John Dorye, ye, 2d per lb.; gurnet, 8a cod, 14s; hake, 12s; shte 10s; roker, 8s; whiting, 4s to 5s sea bream, 5s • sprats, 7s fresh herrings, 8s to 9s per box; mackerel, 15s per 60; English fmelts, 8s per 100; Dutch, Is to 2s per basket; fresh haddocks, 6s to 7s per trunk; loose ditto, 12s per turn; live eels, 19s; dead eeh, 14s per draft; conger eel, 35s; English salted her- rings, 12s to 14s per barrel; lobsters, 20a to 40s; crawfish, 308 per score; crabs, 12s per hamper pystere, 3e to 15s per 100; winkles, 7s; whelks, 48; shrimps, l08 per bushel; mussels, 4s 6d to 6s per bag.; bloaters, 2s to 3s; kippers, 2s to 31 per bot. London cured haddocks, 38 to 6s per dozen. I BOROUGH AND SPITALFIEX.DS POTATO.—There was a moderate supply of potatoes on sale. The trade was quiet but steady, at the following quotations: Hebrons, 80s to 100s snowdrops, 75s to 85s; main crops, 70s to 75s; Regents, 70s to 75s per ton. SEED TRADE;-Cloverseeds are slow in demand, but steady in value. Winter tares have fallen to a safe i speculative level. Bye is dull. Holders ask full rates for peas and haricots. Canaryseeds continue a disappointing trade. Hempseed without alteration, Linseed steady. New scarlet runners offer on tempt- ing terms. Mustard and rape seed strong. COVBNT-GABDBN.—Fkuit AND VEGETABLES.—Grapes, Is 6d to 2s; apples, 4s to 10s per bushel; pears, 3s to 7s per bushel; pea ches, 2s to 8s per dozen; tomatoes, 3d to 5d per Id. walntrts, 3s 6d to 5s per half-sieve; filberts, 3s to 4s 6d per 121b.; lettuces, Is 6d to 2B endive, Is 3d to Is 9d; artichokes, 2s' to 2s 6d; cucumbers, Is 6d to 3s per dozen cabbages, 2s 6d to 5s; savoys, 3s; cauliflowers, 2s 6d to 3s 6d; beetroots, 2s 6d per tally; Brussels sprouts, Is 3d to Is 6d per half-sieve; carrots, 2s to 2s 6d per bag; turnips, 2s 3d parsley, 2s 6d; leeks, 2s 6d per dozen bunches; spinach, Is to Is 3d scarlet beans, 2B Eer bushel; French be&D«, 3a to 4a jjer bag; Orseradisb, Is to Is' 3d per' bundle; celery, &a per dozen bundles onions, 3s 9d to 4s 6d per cWt. Potatoes Kent Hebrons, 70s to 75s Bedford, 70s; Snowdrops, 90s; Bruce, 70s; Saxons, 70s main- crops, 80s to 90s; Puritans, 90s to 100s Regents, 7,5a to 80s per ton. Borough Potatoes, 60s to 80s per ton; cabbages. Is 6d to 4s 6d catiliflowers, 4s to,7s per tally sprouts, Is 3d to Is 9d per half-sieve carrots, 2s to 2s 6d per cwt.; beietroots, 2s to 3-e ttirnips, 2a to 2a 6d mint, 2s to 2s 63; parsley, lalto Is 9d per dozen bunches; parsnips, 9d to 18 ner score; horaeradish, Is 3d to Is 6d per bundle; celery; 7s' to is per dozen bundles; cucum- bers, Is 6d to '8s; artichokes, 2s to 2s 6d per dozein • tbmatoes, 3d to 4d pears, 2s 6d to 6s per flat; aDDles' 2a 6d to 7s 6d per bushel. WIHTECHAPBL HAY^AND STKAW.—Best clover, 70s to 97s; inferior ditto, 60s to 70s; best hay, 60s to 86s inferior ditto, 45s to 50s; mixture and sainfoin, 50s to 88s; straw, 308 to 39s per load. CAMBRIDGE CATTLE.—A large show of fat beasts, trade being a little better. A large number of str cattle, trade rather slow. A fair trade for fat sbep, at a little more money. A few lots of store sheep, and nearly all cleared. A short supply of fat pigs; trade brisk, at more money. A fair supply of hay, straw, and roots; prices about as last week. Beier, ], 6s to-1s 3d mutton, 4s 9d to 58 6d pork, 5a 9dj to 7s. 3d. READING CATTLE.—Best beef fetched 4s to 4s 4d and secondary, 3s 4d to 3s 8d. Prime mutton realised 5s 2d to 5s 6d and inferior sorts, 4s to 4s 8r). Veal sold at 5a to 5s 8d for best sorts, and 4s to 4s 8d for secondary. CORK BDTTBR.—Primest, 81s per cwt.; prime, 76s; firsts, 81s; seconds, 76s thirds, 65s; fourths, 50s. Mild-cured: Choicest, 93s; choice, 80s; superfijne, Q0» fine, 80s; mild, 71s. Choicest boxes, 9ls. J GRIM8BY-FISH.—Supply and demand good. Brills, 5d to 6d per lb.; cod, live, 3s to 6s dead, 2s to 5s each; salt, 10s per cwt.; coalfish, 15s to 30s per score; codlings, 118 to 14s per box; tfabs, 4s catfish, 15s to 30s per score; gurnets, 3# •%) 6s per box; halibut, live, 6s to 7s; dead, 5s to 6s per stone; had- docks, 28s to 34s per kit; round, 7s to 13s per box finnan, 3s to 3s 6d per stone hake, 2s to 6s each latchets, 8s to lis per box ling, live, 2s to 4s dead, Is 6d to 38 each; lobsters, I Der lb.; mackerel, 2s 6d to 3s per score; American oysters, 4s 6d; Dutch, 8s; English, 7s; HeligolAd, 6s 6d per 100; plaice, 2s 3d to 3s 6d per stomf; soles, Is Id to Is 4d per :1b.; lemon, 6s to 7s per stone; skate, live, 3s to 6a; dead, 2s to 4s each whitings, dead, 2s to 3s 6d per score whelks, 3s 6d per wash; ice, la 6 'I' per cwt.

THE TORTURE OF MR. LANDOR. The Indian North-West Provinces Government have furnished report to the Foreign Office re- have furnished a report to the Foreign Office: re- garding Mr. H. S. Landor's ill-treatment by Thi- betans. When he had been two months in the country he was arrested, and carried off some marches inland, and was made to ride a spiked t saddle, which inflicted severe wtiunds on his Brtine. Handcuffs and heavy chains cut into his flesh. The Thit.)etans tried to intimidate him while tied to a log by passing a sword near his neck, and placing a loaded I rifle on his face and firing it. A red-hot iron Was brandished close to his eyes. Mr. Landor was rescued by the good offices of the Peshkar of Garbyang, and eventually was permitted to return to British terri- tory. Mr. Wilson, surgeon, went out to meet him, and dressed bis wounds,

——— ,11".)1 f- Tim Lord Mayor of London on Monday afternoon nnveiled a drinking fountain erected in the wall of Drury Lane Theatre as a memorial of the late Sir Augustus Harris, and in doing so expressed his pleasure at taking part in a ceremony which was intended to perpetuate the name and tradition of a man who for many years catered in a most artistic manner for the amusement of the British Dublic. TJlE young Duke of Romburghe, who recently attained his majority, is one of the cleverest of our young peers and if his present promise ripens into achievement,, his career is likely toLord Rnsebery or Lord Lansdowne. Whilst the present duke celebrates his majority in the year of our Queen's Diamond Jubilee, his grandfather s majority was reached in the year of her accession, and was lignalled by the grant of an earldom, he rst peerage conferred by the Queen. The duke is rich in land and titles. He owns 60,000 acres and the stately castle of Floors and possessos every title from baronet to duke.

[ PARISH COUNCILS. A correspondent of the Morning Post, who signs hinuelf "The Chairman of a Parish Council," bitterly arraigns what he alleges to be the futility and costliness of Parish Councils. As an indictment of.. thete institution* generally, his letter is both ex. travagant and unfair, but it ikt -worthy- jjf. reproduc- tion as illustrating the unsatisfactory working, of the Parish Council system in some of the smaller parishes. Of course, thetrue moral to be drawn from (•the facts he sets forth- is not, as he concludes, that Parish Councils are "absurd institutions," but that greater powers and a more extended sphere of work are required to fully develop their utility. Was there ever," he writes, a more absurd institution than the Parish Council? Let-ale relate my ex- perience of one in a country village. The only thing that has been done during the past year by the Parish Council has been to repair two stiles at a-cost of £ 1 6a„ which, could have been done formerly by the Vestry at less expense; but because this was done by a Parish Council the ex- pense was more than doubled, The Returning Officer gets £1, though the election was not con- tested, and he was not present; and the charges for stamps and statements make a total of El 7s. Id.—more than the cost of the re- psirs—for this important account must., for- sooth, be examined by the district auditor who comes annually from a distance for that purpose, and who requires it to be stamped with a 5s. stamp, and to be written out first in a receipt and payment book, and then again in a duplicate on a form of "financial statement," with an amazing number of cdlumns, in which our tremendous total of E2 139. 1 d. appears no less than 12 times in each of the two fopiev. On sending the form of financial stateuient" whieth *e wefe ordered tc purchase last year it was returned, and we w-eve informaed that the form is obsolete," and we had. tq. purchase another; and the only difference which I can see between the two is that one has a cover and the other not. If we had had a contested election, as we bad the first year, the expense of the election would hav been' over £ 10, and some of my neighbours who hav« a contested election every year are so disgusted with the fuss and the bad blood which it stirs up that they are resolving to- have nothing more to do with the Parish Council. Then there is only one day in the ,ear on which this wonderful Council can be elected, and it is ordered to meeh four times a year, whether there is any business to transact or not. Last year at two of the meetings of our Council all that was done was to sign a receipt for the payment of the Return- ing Officer and the purchase of stamps, and at a third meeting there was no business at all. Was there ever a more ridiculous exhibition of fusa and 'red tape' about nothing ¡'f, Sif-The í Chairman of a Parish Council,' who wrote to denounce the institution with which he is connected, arrived at a wide, conclusion from very narrow premises. There are more than 6300 Parish Councils in England, and, because one particular Council (which may possibly work under an unsym- pathetic chairman) has done little, he concludes that all Parish Council are useless. The experience of many Chairmen of Councils will certainly refute tbi. view. To set one crae against another, may I quote my own experience ? The Council over which I have the honour to preside, meets about ten times in the year, and its sittings last from two to three hours. It is the lighting authority for the parish, and has largely increased the supply of lamps since it came into existence. It is the representative of the Dis- trict Council in sanitary matters, and much of its time is occupied in the difficult work of meeting the sanitary requirements of a growing neighbourhood. It has been endowed by the lords of two manors with the management of an important piece of common land; it has saved one or. two footpaths, and repaired and improved others; and it has obtained from the Charity Commissioners a scheme for the adminis- tration of local charities which were being wasted. Above all, it is the mouthpiece of the parish on all subjects affecting its interests, and the means wbereby grievances (real or supposed) are at once ventilated and action promptly taken. All classes are represented upon it, and an unfriendly feel- ing, as between certain sections of the commn- Jnity, wb|oh upon some questions was growing tip before the' creation' of the CoUnoii, baa dis- appeared. To complete the story, the Council pays its way^ipon a rate varying from £ d. to Id.- appeared. To complete the story, the Council pays its way^ipon a rate varying from £ d. to Id.- in the pound for a year. To return for a foment to your correspondent's Council,. I am not sure that even that body has been so useless as he represents. The repair of the stttes is a strong indication of the interest of the parish in I its footpaths, ".and it is something to have a body which can give expression to this interest. Your. l correspondent says the Vestry could have done the work at less cost and with less fuss. I am not aware out of what funds a Vestry could have paid for such repairs. But, even if they were able to do so, would they, as a matter of fact, have dreamed in recent I years of interfering in such a matter? The Parish Council has given the inhabitants, of a. rural parish a power of collective expression and action which they did not in practice previously possess. Such a power is of value, even though here and there a power is of value, even though here and there little use May be made of' it. am, Sir, yours obediently, ANOTHER CHAIRMAN OF A PARISH COUNCIL." "gijv I hope you will allow me to support the opinion expressed by The Chairman of a Parish Copncil' as to the absurdity of the institution as it at present stands. I have the misfortune to have been co-opted as Chain; jn from outside by the Councils of two parishes, 40 miles apart, in different counties. The experience in each has been exactly parallel to that of yeur correspondent. In one case, at the first meeting after the election for 1897, I was requested to go to the Local Govern- ment Board and see if I could arrange for the abolition of that Council. But the population of a bo the parish is just over the limit. That being so, in that parish, as well as in the other, which is a very large parish, I have been requested not to sum- mon a meeting unless there is something to do. But, unfortunately, even with nothing to do we have to pay the clerk his salary and the auditor his fee, 4c. The trouble and expenditure are useless. The parish- ioners think it a farce, and dislike the cont naturally. ioners think it a farce, and dislike the cont naturally. Why not make it permissive in such a manner that if- a parish wishes to have a Council no one should be able to prevent it, and if a parish wishes to dispense with it no difficulty should stand in the way ?— Yours, &c., CHAIRMAN OF Two PARISH COUNCILS." "Sir,—I fear that the one thing which, according to yonr correspondent, 'A Chairman of a Parish Council,' has been done by his Council is of doubt.ful legality. A Parish Council may repair public foot- paths, not being roadside paths; but stiles, gates, and fences generally are the landowner's concern, and I wonder that the auditor did not disallow the ex- penditure upon a stile. But because that particular Parish Council finds nothing to do, and i! a Chairman, apparently, takes no trouble to keep it up to the mark or ) nuggest agenda, why should the whole system be con- demned ? The principle of local self-goternment in parochial matters is, I believe, a true one. Its value, perhaps, is not yet fully appreciated nor snfficient use ( p made of it. But this will come in time; and mean- ) while it is surely the duty of educated men, such as your correspondent, who are called on to beur ia part j in its administration, not to throw cold water upon it, but, to do their best to make it efficient. If the. Chairman of a village. Council folds his hands and waits for others to move, very likely j nothing will be done. But are there no abuses in his parish of unhealthy drainage, houses over- J crowded, or unfit for habitation, deficient light, or miry ways ? A Parish Council may be a useful lever rorstirting up local Sanitary Authorities or owners of property to remedy defects that no individual likes to attack, and it may go on pressing those who are responsible till it makes the place hea.Uhier, sweeter"and pleasanter. And .f Par.sh Couneiis had existed years ago, many a right of way illegally closed would still be open. Before condemning the thing to hopelessly, your correspondent should try to make ■omething of it.—I am, Sir, yours faithfully, ] "AN EX-CHAIRMAN OF A PARISH COUNCIL." ?

¡ IT is a fixed belief among the Russian peasantry that throwing the dead body of a drunkard into the river is a sure oure for lack of rain. A case exhibi- ting this gross superstition was recently brought before the Criminal Sessions Court at Samara. Six peasants were tried and sentenced to varying terma of imprisonment for deliberately disinterring the body of a woman who had died of intoxication, and floating it down the Volga, all a means of causing rain.

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WIIY KLONDYKE? Wn are irndonMedly, remarks a contemporary, a quctx uted people. It ie only necessary to start U :e idea t bat gold may be had in large quanti- tie, IIndwoDonly after parsing through- the most terriMe privations and hards-hips, and away go JSritish t-xplorers in crowds, daring every danger, and feeing no calamity. On the other hand, if gold is to be found without any serious outlay, ftnd certainly without danger or difficulty, there r. it alio-.vi'd to lie. The exploitation is lacking that cp:tco of r pk which appeals so strongly to our insular prejudices. At any rattn, this is most decidedly the case with regard to the enormous gokilielda c)f Western Ontarjo, without doubt the largest, gold-producing area in the world. One may start from London, croea the ocean in a mag- niticent. liner, and run the rest of the distar-ce to Wea-ern Ontario on- the splendidly appointed Canadian Pacific Railway. and get out at a station actually on the goldfieldfr within 10 days. Yet adventzirous epiriis will risk everything to rcach tho inhospitable regions of Klondyke, while the golden sands of Western Ontario lie at their feet. British capitalists have, just woke up to (be fact that the? have for years past been neglect jug this groat auriferous area, and now we have several Eng- iisb cotnpanips shoveling up the precious metal in vast quani ities at a highly-remunerative rate. The ftlikxdo Company is held up .as an example, and Btater] »o bo at present earning profit, at something Cent- per aQnum- The Gold Explorers of Caaada hold some 3000 acres direct from the British Crown, and on9of their properties, the Edna, has been regularly turning out 4oz. of gold to the ton, » proportion that would astonish the minersDf" the Rand. Another English company, Ontario, Limited, with only 111 acres, has absolutely. a dozen lodes riinninf through the property, with an estimated gross return of two and "-half millions sterling. The whole of this are* is under the Sovereignty of lingland, tind jet we have only just begun to discover <that. in one of ow own Colonies—and-easily accessible t.e h:ne tin!old wealth which can put the returns of South AJÚca and California altogether :n tl-t) shade,

) THE BAZIN BOAT. Sir Edward J. Reed has made a favourable report to the Sociote d'Etudes ec d'Exploitation des Navires Rouleurs Razin on the experimental roller boat which M. Bazin has built, of which an interesting summary is given in the Daily Graphic. In the case of the Experimental Bazin Rouleur," Sir Edward says, it was originally intended to give her, as I understand, but 400 I.H.P.; while as a matter of fact (for reasons which I need not here consider) not more than 350 I.H.P. was applied to both the screw machinery and the ronleurs jointly. So that in this vessel of 274 tons displacement we had only about one-seven- teenth of the steam power requisite to drive a boat of similar size at thirty knots, and one-twelfth of that requisite to drive her at twenty-seven knots. I need hardly say, therefore, that nothing but a very low speed indeed could be anticipated in the vessel at Havre, even taking the most sanguine view possible of the merits of the Bazin system, owing first to her emalluess, and secondly to her very low tteam power. There are othar reasons why so small a vessel is very tjnfavourable to the application of the Bazin system 1\8 compared with a large vessel. So small a vessel is a s-i allow vessel, and no proper immersion can under ordinary conditions be given to the screw propeller a screw propeller works at a very -great ineconomic disadvantage when working so near th& ijurface. These preliminaries understood, I attended the trial at Havre with no expectation of anything beyond a very low speed indeed being attained, and I must say I was much surprised to find that even seven knots was attained under the eircnmstances, irore especially when I observed what, indeed, was very obvious, namely, the very manifest effects of the two causes just, mentioned in the last paragraph. The commotion ua-d conflict of the water due to the near- ness of tbe rouleurs was very evident, and not only was itself injurious to speed, but added most seri- ously to the disadvantage under which the screws. owing to its smalljimmersion, was necessarily working There can be no doubt whatever that the ex- periments conclusively demonstrated that the Bazin Kouleurs furnish an effectual means of greatly reduc- ing the friction which a floating body enoounte/s in its advance through the sea, and friction is certainly one of the most serious of elements which compose the resistances encountered. It does not of course, remove or evade all friction, for all the ascending and descending parts must of course en- counter some friction even in still water; as must also those immersed parts of the rouleur which arc not retreating, so to speak, or moving sternwards with precisely the same velocity as the ship advances but as regards these latter, it must bo remembered that all are moving sternward at some velocity, and theiefore all are avoiding to some extent, the resis- tance due to friction. It has been conclusively fctiown, I think, that on this question, of reduced friction, and consequent increase of speed, or de- crease of power, M. Bazin's views have been in a general sense fully established. They have not bad a quantitative value assigned to them is equality cer- tain, for the Havre vessel is unfortunately circuno- tanced as to screw propulsion, &c. She may 88 groatly improved."

MRS. STEVENSON, the widow of o"rt Louis Stevenson, has arrived at San France, and will reside in future in the United States.

A DOOMED COUKT-HOUSE. The old Sessions House and prison in Weflclose- square, "within the Liberties of the Tower of London," is about to be pulled down. The carved oak, the panelled wares, the hammered iron-work, and above all the wood upon which is cut and scratched the names of its one-time captives, will be scattered to the four quarters of the bric-a-brac world-to Whiteehapel and Wardour-street., to Great Portland-street and the Old Kent-road. Since the jurisdiction of the magistrates for the Tower Liberties was terminated by an Order in Council three 5 ears ago, the old Sessions House has been a mere appanage of the tavern that was once but a part of the court-house buildings; while the prison of two rooms has been used by the potman at a pigeon-house. PriFoners were formerly conducted through the bar to durance vile, and were permitted to lessen the regrets of their brief journey by par- taking of a gallon of beer to pav their footing." The magistrates of the Liberty bad once the power of life and death but their privileges were whittled away piecemeal until they were empowered to deal only with licensing matters and the tegulation of weights aqd measures. In fact, towards the termina- tion of their existence as an official body, they are said to have done little at their sessions except to formally adjourn to the next sessions. The memories of the old Sessions House am numerous if not quite distinguished. The Duke of Wellington is said to have dined occasionally with the magistrates in the room above the court-house ind Burke, the murderer, is said to have carved his name upon the prison walls. The official records of the court afford curious and entertaining reading, as they are to be found in a folio commonplace book kept by succeeding clerks. Indictments are recorded for such obsolete offences as being a common scold, selling articles not stamped according to law, pitching at a bob," disinterring bodies from graveyards, Sabbath breaking, and damnmg the King"—a mild form of treason. On June 4, 1783, it was ordered that Henry Bennett, who hath this day been tried and found guilty of petty larceny and stealing six ounces of sewmg silk, value at 10d., the goods and chattels of James Ropor. for the said offence be transported to Africa for the term of seven years." The justices of the Liberty, it may be gatberid from this sentence, did not err much on the side of leniency; and whippings were frequently administered under their orders, one Thomas Spence having been whipped round Wellclose-squars for stealing a pewter pot. The glories of the Sessions House have long since departed, along with the long train of official person- ages-Lord-lieutenant and custos rotulorum, chief bailiff, high constable, clerk; treasurer, steward of the court leet and court of record, coroner, goal and court-house keeper, and crier-connected with it. Now the building itself comes down, to make room, perchance, for common lodging-bouses of the modem palatial type perchance for piles of warehouses. (Smaller and more retiring than its compeers, it must follow the Fleet, the MarshalRea, and the King's Bench into the limbo of the past., with one among other differences; it never seems to have attracted the attention of Dickens, who might appropriately have consigned that distinguished resident within its former precincts, Daniel Quilp, to its wooden walls, had he not been reserved for a more tragic fate in a Thames fog.

Al R. CLEVELAND'S'HEIR. Mr. Cleveland, former President of the United States, has received innumerable messages congratu- latirig him on the birth of a son at l'rmcetown on Thursday. The chief among them was the following cable from the Queen: Felicitations of this d>\y of your happiness. May your heir bring you joy.— VICTORIA. The small boy will be named Grover Cleveland.

A STECIAL COMMISSION has been appointed in Con- stantinople to examine the tenders of foreign con- tractors in connection with the proposed reconstruc- tion of the Turkish fleet. THE Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Patrick, in Melbourne, which has been in course of construction for some years, was opened on Sunday with great oorap, A message was read from the Pope. THERE IS a prejudice in Gsrmany against English bicycles, owing to a false notion that they are only suitable for parks, gardens, and well-kept, roads. As German manufacturers are straining every cofvo to e'1 c keep pace with the constantly increasing demand, they do not seek to disabuse the popular mind of the error. There are a few knowing people in Germany who have a for English machines not- withstanding, and English makers would be we a vised if they endeavoured to make it know-n generally in the Fatherland that we do travel outside our oarks on the home-made article. «JONSIDEHIN6 the magnitude of cross-Cliinnel traffic, one would think that the number of Britons to be found resident in Continental sountries would be very high. But that is not so. According to the latest census returns of the variotts foreign nations, Britons" abroad" scarcely equal ihe population of a fair-sized town. France holds the hrge"t number, Uit they are only 40,000-a drsp in tbe ocean of its own 38,000,000. Germany has the nest l^cs^ pr0. portion, nearly 16,000. Hus.ua follows with about i2,09°. In Italy there are between 7000 and 8000 ?nd y 300°- A»stria and Greece Z n N Ia Holland there are only 1400, in Norway 700; &nd in Sweden 600. In China there is the considerable English population of 4000, and in Japan just half that number. The United States census givoa the enormous number of 3,122,000 Bfitish-born, bwt q| th^se somewhat over half haiV irom Ireland*