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

THE DUCHESS'S STOLEN GEMS. two ARRESTS AND RECOVERY OF SOME OF THE JEWELS. On Monday morning Detective-Inspectors Dinnie, Proest, and Dew, of Scotland-yard, proceeded to a house at Fulham, and there arrested a man named Henry Williams alias Harry and Valet, on the charge of stealing the Duchess of Sutherland's jewels, which disappeared so mysteriously a short time ago. Some of the stolen property, of considerable value, was found in Williams's possession. The officers named have been on his track for weeks, and considerable importance is attached to the arrest. Another mai. is being detained on the charge of being concerned with Williams, but his name has not yet transpired.

I MR. HOOLEY'S GIFT TO THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY. The Official Receiver in Bankruptcy, Mr. Brougham, has jeceiyed a communication from the committee of the Carlton Club offering to return the £ 10,0",)0 which the Conservative party fund received as the result of the election of Mr. E. T. Hooiey as a member of the club.

PROSPERITY ON THE WEAR. A Sunderland correspondent reports that the pre- sent year has already proved to be a record one in the history of Wear shipbuilding. During the last 11 months the total tonnage exceeds thrt of any pre- vious year. Altogether 74 vessels—aggregating 238,281 tons-have been launched, and yet one month's output remains to be added to the total.

THE WORKING MAN'S BEER. Lord RnSsfll of Killowen, at the opening of a Roman Catholic club in Westmins(er-br;dge*road, in London, on Saturday, by the Duke of Norfolk, said .that all sensible people must recognise the truth of the statement that the British workman'liked his beer, and that it w<is n^^essar^ to put eottiethmg- which Was helpful afldjhealtjbFjn competition *i*U' the public-house. He claimed, therefore, that the new club in which beer woi^d be provided-to? members in moderation could* not, be regarded as an impediment, in the path of temperance progress, but as a help to it.

Tin: progress which hj.s been mudo>wjtli tho com- pli'lirin of the Tate. Gallery has been MO rapid that ali'i<J.y the cLtteMt,which soifie 9ft.be nowr^otus can be occupied is well within sight-. Not, more rlxin sis or «ov;>a months will elapse before the additions are at the disposal of tlie trustees,and certain re-arran^o- msrJs of the collection will then be made. About,t he jarne time the remodclliug of Hertford House will bo completed, and the Wallace ljcLtJrea, wjll be available for puliic inspection. Considerable changes have been found neces3.srv in the interiorof the lu>us«. Just these have had the offett of largely increasing the wall spacfe available for displaying ibo yailoi:^ works of art.. 1."

OCR toy DON CORRESPONDENT. The Christmas Day of 1898 will become historic, because it will be associated with the postage. This, it is to be remembered, is the outcome of the imperial conference on postal rates, which was held in London last July, and by which a letter rate of one penny is, on and I from Christmas Day, to come into force between the Mother Country, India, and various impor- tant colonies. There is a belief in influential quarters having special connection with our colonies that this cheapening of postal facilities cannot fail to strengthen the bonds which unite the different portions of the Empire; and the hope, therefore, is expressed that such difficul- ties as may still exist to prevent the universal adoption of such a rate between all parts of the Empire may soon be removed. Present appear- ances indicate that there will be something like a rush both at home and in the, colonies affected on Christmas Day to celebrate the auspicious occasion by posting a message to friends; and no happier, date could have been fixed for the, inauguration, of the- experiment than that which is always associated with peace on earth, goodwill towards men. At St. Martin's-le-Grand the chiefs of the General Post Office are making full arrangements for a heavy demand upon their resources, and they are not at all likely to be disappointed. One of the most interesting—and what in the long run may prove one of the most profitable -euggestioiis that has been made for the effec- tive use of the Imperial Institute, is now being very seriously considered by influential per- sonages in the metropolis. It is proposed that the new Teaching University for London, which is now within measurable distance of being set up, should find a local habitation in the build- ings of the Imperial Institute, whtre, as is being pointed out, we have a fine building on a noble site, adjoining the National Museum of Science and Art, with four acres of vacaift land to provide accommodation for any reasonable extension. It is further urged that, while the Imperial Institute is housed beyond its needs, if not also beyond its means, the University is still on paper, and requires, above all things, a building which shall be a baso for its operations. Is it possible, it is, thereforo, being asked, that terms can be arranged between the two bodies which shall be for the benefit of both without compromising either ? The question, of course, is a large one, and; its solution would; involve the unravelling of some difficult knots; "brit' as -everyone is agreed that it is a thousand pities that ,the Imperial Institute has not hitherto been put to more effective use, all will hope that a period of full usefulness will how be secured. A very striking rumour, which, first, reached London from the other side of the Atlantic some six weeks ago, has now come to hand again, and in a more definite form. It is stated that a com- mittee of Freemasons of Virginia has visited President McKinley with a view of securing his co-operation in the celebration of the centenary next year of George Washington's death. Some of the number told the President that they were not without hope that the Prince of Wales might be induced to attend; and it is reported that Mr. McKinley, with evident pleasure, re- plied r, We should be glad to have him with lis. We should entertain his Royal Highness at the White House, as on the occasion of his previous visit to America." That was paid, it may be remembered, in 1860, when the PrinGe was nineteen, and- just a year before the out-' break of the Civil War, and the invitation to the White House was given by President Buchanan. When it had been settled that the Heir- Apparent should go to Canada, that President wrote to the Queen offering him a cordial wel- come to Washington, and this her Majesty. accepted from her" good friend," a a she torrned Mr. Buchanan in her reply, 11 the-chief magis- trate of a great and friendly Sta.te and kin- dred nation." But it now appears to be thought improbable that the Prince of Wales would undertake so long a journey, though it might 00 possible to arrange an American visit for the Dube of York. Those who have visited. the Guildhall Museum, in the heart of the City of London, will have seen with some surprise the remains of elephants, rhinoceros, and other fearful wild-fowl which have been found under our feet in the capital. But a more singular dis- covery is reported from the United States, rhere camels have recently been seen; one such animal, which was running wild in a Colorado desert, having been run over and killed by a train. It is thought that this was probably one of a number imported into the United States, in accordance with an Act of Congress in 1853, appropriating a certain sum for their purchase, to be used in traversing the deserts to and from California shortly after the "old rush" thither, when horses and oxen were dying all along the way. The experiment did not, however, succeed, the rapid construction of the railway putting a stop to their employment, and the camels were probably allowed to go wild when no longer required; but, until this specimen was killed, it was not thought that any had survived. Breeders of horses will be specially concerned with the detailed terms of the new order of the Board of Agriculture affecting the exportation of those animals. It is laid down to be unlaw- ful to convey in a vessel from any British port a horse which, owing to age, infirmity, illness, injury, fatigue, or other reason cannot be so conveyed without cruelty during the intended passage and on landing. As to the to horses which can be carried, precise regulations are given for the fittings, ventilation, light, and passage ways of the vessels, and for the food and water for and attendance upon the animals and it is provided that the horses shall be properly secured and seen after, with penalties for omission upon all concerned. The order will come into operation on New Year's Day; and there seems little doubt that, if efficiently carried out, it will prevent much suffering to horses, which was as often caused by want of thought as by want of heart. A cascade of breadcrumbs is a curious idea, and to hear of it being in operation within the Palace of Westminster is calculated to some- what surprise. But the description has been fittingly given to a device which, under the direction of the First Commissioner of Works, Professor A. H. Church, is likely to put into operation next year. The task has been assigned to him of cleansing the splendid frescoes which adorn the walls, for on the surface of some of them are. dark patches, which he believes to be a fungoid growth, and which he wishes to remove. To that end he has invented an apparatus which will produce, by means of a manual air-compresser, a powerful air-jet charged with breadcrumbs, which will be distributed over the surface of the picture. The device has already had something in the nature of a trial, but the experiment revealed possibility of an improvement;" in the mechan- ism, and that is now being effected. Professor Church will continue his efforts in the Royal Gallery, where the great "Maclise- pictures of Wellington and.Nelson are placed; and he will then cleanse the whole of the frescoes in the House of Lords and the glazed paintftigg in i the corridors connecting the two Houses,, which have been admired by so many thousands oi visitors to Westminster. Rowing at the two great Universities con- tinues to-^o a, popular pastime, and it is ,inte-. resting to from Cambridge that the-Trial Eights crelwis, have, ,developed marked i improve- ment, so marked, in fact, that they are said to compare favourably with any of those for the last decade. At both Oxford and Cambridge, however, the recent weather has militated 9 I igainst the practice, "for drizzBng rains and 1 g thick mists are not conducive to good work in the boats, and it needs plenty of pluck to over- come the difficulties these set in the way of effective rowing. The Cambridge men have this week transferred their practice from the Cam I to the Ouse and how decidedly full a stream is the former may be gathered from the fact that a contemporary chronicler describes the latter as possessing "more lively waters," though Cowper's characterisation of it as the slow-winding Ouse" has become classical. Much will necessarily happen between this and next spring to affect the chances of the two rivals in the great annual struggle on the Thames but, for the sake of the race itself, and in recogni- tion of persistent courage, there would be a widespread wish for Cambridge to win. R.

V NEWS NOTES. THE ferment in France between Dreyfusards and anti-Dreyfusards continues, though for the moment the public eye is a little withdrawn from the prisoner of the Devil's Island, and j fixed upon Picquart and his court-martial. Picquart, it is recognised, would be likely to be j about the most important witness against the official Army combination, whose interest it is to establish te guilt of Dreyfus,. and the mili- tary trial of Picquart before the Court of Cassation has dealt with Dreyfus can scarely conduce to the satisfactory clearing up of the whole lamentable affair. It will be a surprising matter if something serious does not come out of this long-lasting antagonism between the Army and the Civil authority in France; for an ugly stir in popular opinion is not .unnatur- ally manifest. THE German Emperor and Empress have re- turned home from their travels in the East, and 'I no doubt they will be glad to have got there; while thav big-wigs amongst whom their I Majesties have moved abroad will also, we sus- pect, secretly be far from grieved at having been able to speed the parting guests. The tour has cost, we hear, a ptetty penny. I REPORT says once again that the Khalifa has met with defeat ait the hands of the Soudanese J tribesmen, and has fled towards El Obeid. We are justified in thinking that Anglo-Egyptian persistence h.jas smashed the dervish power in the desert) but the vitality of its successive chiefs is certainly most remarkable. AT the time of writing.the young Emperor of China is-only-dying, though awhile ago he was' given as dead by the intelligence disseminators of the Celestial Empire. It would be difficult to induce any sane mortal of a much humbler status to change places with' this ill-starred wearer of a crown-you cannot call him a ruler. The imperious Dowager Empress has him entirely at her mercy-cat and mouse fashion and his successor is already selected. I TROUBLE threatens again along the Indiani frontier, for the mad Mullah has crossed the Swat river, and is spreading discontent among the natives. Fighting has already occurred, and the commander of our Malakand force is preparing to prosecute extensive counteract- ing operations. Lord Curzon of Kedleston may find himself confronted with a rather extensive and difficult problem immediately upon the Coihmeftcement of his Viceregal duties. NOVEMBER had its full complement of stormy weather, and a great deal of havoc had to be chronicled up and down the country and along the coast, as the resultant. Heavy losses, of life and property were incident to the*; :tale of the gales. It is remark- able. that! the tremendous snowfall which spread over the Midlands and the North spared a great portion of the South and the Home Counties. THE dreadful Mohegan disaster on the Manacle Rocks is ascribed by the wreck in- auirers to tho unaccountable steering of the oomed ship along a wrong course after the passing of the Eddystone; while the great loss of life which accrued is properly attributed to the extinction of all the lights on ¡' board. This should- prevent sole re- liance upon electricity as an illuminant on shipboard. Supplementary lighting—of course on a minor scale—should be adopted as a precautionary measure on all occasions. And might be done by some means to warn navigators out of the way of those fearful Manacles! No question of cost or surmountable difficulty should be permitted to have any consideration. The Inquiry Court had special warrant for their commendation of the courage of the crew of the Mohegan and of the lifeboatmen, but British tars and those who man the lifeboats around our storm-swept shores have a well-established fame for heroism when danger is direst, and we should be sur- prised indeed were they to fail at duty's call, Our island home must never in any way forget those in peril on the sea of which it is so proud. THE Lord Chief Justice's plea for the foster- ing of well-managed working men's clubs, where wholesome entertainment should always be obtainable, as a counter-attraction to that ever-expanding institution of our land, the public-house, deserves the serious attention of all desirers of the spread of temperance. The improvement of. -sordid surroundings and ¡ the provision of helpful and healthy recreative I influences, bodily and mental, are the best opponents of the dissipation and all its evil train which tempt our toilers. All thinking and right-minded men, teetotallers or, otherwise, 1 can go thus far in agreement, however widely 11 y they may in other matters differ.

TYRANNICAL AND CRUEL." I Mr., Justice Barnes, in the Divorce Court on Saturday, granted Mr3. Emma Kate Gardner a decree nisi for a divorce with costs on the ground of the misconduct and cruelty of her husband, Ernest Gardner. The respondent had been co-respondent in the divorce suit of Blott v. Blott and Gardner," I tried last June, in which the petitioner succeeded, and which led to the institution of the present proceed- ings. Mrs. Gardner was married to the respondent fct St. Matthew's Church, Brixton, in September, 1890. The evidence showed that shortly afterwards he became tyrannical and cruel, one of his proceedings I while the parties were residing at Weybridge being to flick his wife on the bare shoulders while she } was dressing, and to pinch her until heleft bruises on her arm.

SIR WILLIAM WELBY-GREGOKY DEAD. We regret to announce the death of Sir William Earle Welby-Gregory, fourth baronet, which occurred Ilt Denton Manor, near Grantham, on Saturday afternoon. Born in 1829, the deceased baronet was a' and Christ Church, Oxford. In iob3 he married Victoria Alexandrina Maria Louisa iornlerly a Maid of Honour to her Majesty— only daughter of the late Hon. Charles James Stuart-Wortley, M.P. In 1875 he succeeded o the title, assuming in the following year, I .ike his father, the surname and arms of Gregory. 31t William represented Grantham in the Conserva- ;ive interest from 1857 to 1868, his three predecessors n the baronetcy having respectively sat'for the same :onstituency. From 1868 to 1884 he represented South Lincolnshire. Sir William is succeeded by his )nly son, Mr. Charles Glynne Earle Welby, who married in 1887 Maria Louisa Helen, eldest daughter )f the late Lord Augustus Hervey, M.P. Since 1895 le has been private secretary to the Marquis of j Lansdowne at the War Office. J

A STORY OF THE MOOR. A reporter on the staff of the Sheffield WeeJcly Independent, during a pleasant afternoon spent on the beautiful moorlands between Sheffield and Ashopton, heard a remarkable story from Mrs. Blackwell. wife of a gamekeeper at Moscar Rise. Mrs. Blackwell, who looked plump and healthy, narrated her own experiences. Two years ago her health failed, probably through overwork, and her condition soon became serious. Her symptoms were loss of appetite, loss of flesh, nervousness, chronic indigestion, and paleness. She was so weak that she could not perform her domestic duties, slept little, and what sleep she got did not refresh her. It was considered that she was slowly dying. Proceeding to describe her recovery, Mrs. Black- well spoke as follows Several months- ago a pam- phlet was left at my house describing numerous oureA by Dr. Williams' Pink. Pills for Pale People. I noticed that many of those cured had suffered from symptoms very similar to my own. This gave me hope, and I have a very vivid recollection of taking the first of these pills. A task of work needed doing very urgently, and I remarked to my little girl that I felt quite unable even to start upon it. At dinner time I took two of Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People, and they produced a most remarkable effect. Liter in the after- noon I felt quite a new woman. I began the task which was await- ing'me, did it with ease, and felt fit for any amount of work. From that time 1 ree overed healt hand a n i r i t a rapidly. Although I have only taken three boxes ot the pills, 1 am as well as ever I was in my life, and have gained so much flesh that I weigh one stone 'I heavier to-day than I ever did before. The case of Mrs. Blackwell is but one of thousands I in which the usefulness of Dr. Williams' Pink Pin" has been made known to the public; the news of their great cures constantly being reported in the papers. They are famous among the highest and I the lowest in the land for the cure of anajmia, palpitation of the heart, indigestion, eczema, general muscular weakness, rheumatism, sciatica, chronic ierysipelas, and to restore pale and sallow complexions to the glow of health. They are also a splendid nerve and spinal tonic, and thus have cured many cases of paralysis, loconiotor ataxy, neuralgia, St. Vitus' dance, and nervous headache. They are now obtainable of all chemists, and from Dr. Williams' Medicine Company, Holborn-viaduot, London, at 2s. 9d. a box, or six for 13sr. 9cfc; but? are genuine only with full' name, Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People. Pink pills sold loose or from glass jars cannot be Dr. Williams', and won't cure you substitutes never Cuied anyone!

COMPULSORY" SHOP CLTTF" A correspondent to the Times writes: "Tiia grievance complained of by various classes of work- men regarding compulsory membership of pension or I provident clubs as a condition of Service has in the past few weeks been brought under the notice of the Home Office. As a result the Home Secretary has assented to the appointment of a departmental com- mittee to investigate the grievance, This committee, which consiste of Mr. Jesse Collings, M.P., Mr. Cozens-Hardy, Q.C., M.P.r and Mr. Brabrook, Registrar of Friendly Societies, held their first sttting last week, and propose to meet once or twice a w..ek until the inquiry is completed. It is understood that the Home Office are anxious that the inquiry should terminate before the commencement of the ensuing session."

AN IDYLLIC KINGDOM. It will come as a Surprise to many to hear that there is still in existence in Austria one of thost: petty Princedoms which have so much of the tragic- comic element about them. A reminder of the fact has just been supplied by the announcement that the festivities in honour of the 40th anniversary of the Accession of the reigning Prince of Liechtensteip have been put off owing to the universal niourn- ing. The 10,000 faithful subjects of this wealthy potentate bad maclo- extensive preparations for celebra- ting the event in that idyllic spot known as the Liechten- stein Principality, which lies between Switzerland and Vorarlberg, and is fed by the waters of the Rhino. Prince LiechtensteinhAI been, throiighout his life the consistent promoter of art and science, and a veri- table father to hia-peopb. Tha Liechtensteinite3 I flourish, and are contented; They have only nominal taxes to pay. Officialdom has been reduced almost to. the vanishing point, and militarism is unknown. Prince and subjects are -free from the financial terrors of a National Debt, and whatever debts may be incurred are defrayed out of th# pockets of the generous monarch. Quarrelling and drunkenness are as good as unknown in this ideal land, and the magistrate is simultaneously arbitrator and peace* maker.

STUDENT "BLACKLEGS." For some tiine"*past "there has been a big strike going on at the large spear factories at Syedala, in,^i0 province of Stone, South Sweden.. For some reason! or other, writes a Stockholm cor- j respondent under date November 12, a number of students at the University of Lund, a town situated not far from Svedala, who bad, watching the strike with very great interest, went to the place and offered voluntarily toworkiri place of the men. This offer was accepted, and the students have now for some days been drudging in the fields, to the great disgust of the men who are on strike, Among these temporary workers is ayoungfeottrit; When the hard work on the sugarfields was no longer sweet to the energetic students, some of them, returned to Liind. Thèfe.tfJ'cywere met'at'the station by a large crowd of infùritited'Wbrkm¡in;ho greeted them with hisses and bad language. As they passed through the streets prbtecd by police they were assailed by the mob with stones, and the burgo- master was struck. Another batch of Students left Lund the'following day to replace their comrades. day to replace their comrades.

TOBACCO AND THE HEART. A doctor gives the following details as to the effects of tobacco-smoking, which appear in the' New Orleans TiTties-Democrat: The talk one hears of nicotine saturating the systems of smokers is absurd. Nicotifie is a deadly poison," and it would take very little of it to kill a man. The truth' is that very little is absorbed; even by the most conJ firmed smokers. Now and then you read of men who die from excessive tobacco-smoking, and are found on autopsy to be literally reeking with nico- tine. Thi3 is all rubbish. Nothing of the kind ever ( happened. Again, it is a favourable experiment v blow smoke through a handkerchief, and the stain that it produced is popularly suppos'ed' tp be made by nicotine. It is really oil of tobacco; <vhich' is of quite a different colonr. The chief hartii done by smoking is the stimulus which it gives to the heart: That is particularly true of cigarette smoking, where "inhaling" is nearly always practised. "Each time the smoke is inhaled it acts as alight spur to the heart, and, needless to say, there is Siire'to' 'bfe a'Vtj" action. If the smoker is iri good general hfe&Hh'he' will probably never "feel if," but'if he is not there wtlh be periods of profound depression. These are the ine- cold facts about smoking—none other are genpme. i' .I Vr.i 'If. }..

"THERE IS UNQCBSTIOWABLY "BO betber-refwedyin the whole world for all coughs and throat troubles than KEATING'S LOZENGES—any medical man will assure you of this fact. Relief is Speedy; simp^ but sure inaction; the most delicate can take them. Sold everywhere in 13 £ d. tins. SAMORV, the fallen West African potentate just captured by the French, has had a, most, picturesque career. He began life as a slave, and rose to the career. He began life as a slave, and rose to the dignity of hawking nuts. His real chance came when he was captured in a raiding expedition by the Moslem Sultan of Senancoro. He was drafted into the army, and made a fine soldier, and as, Jae rOBe in grade his views expanded, until finally he ran away to set up as a potentate on his own account. His- native town was the object of his first raid. From that time his power grew almost without hindrance until he began to knock his head against the French sharpshooters. 0

'.10.'61 HEROES OF THE SEA. TlIIULLIJte EXPERIENCES. Mr. E. N. Wood, Deputy Coroner, held an inquiry on Saturday night at the Rotherhithe Coroner's Court, into the circumstances attending the death of an Austrian seaman, known only by the Christian name of Antonio, aged about 40 years, who was a member of the crew of the steamship Fitz James, which was wrecked off Beachy Head on Thursday morning of last week during the prevalence of the great gale. Deceased died from the effects of the terrible sufferings he underwent through being exposed on the keel of an upturned boat in mid-Channel for over 10 hours. Mr. T. S. Mills, solicitor, represented the owners of the Fitz James, an official was in attendance from the Austrian Con- sulate, and a nephew of the captain of the Fitz James, who went down with his ship and was drowned, with eight members of the crew, watched the case on behalf of the relatives of the deceased officer. Christopher Kootoa, a Greek, said he was one of the crew of the Fitz James, which left Rotherhithe on Tuesday, November 22, with a full general cargo for Swansea. All went well until eight o'clock on the Wednesday night, when a gale sprang up iri the Channel, and orders were given for all hands to stand by in readiness for emergency. All the hatehes were tightly battened down with three tarpaulins each, but about ten o'clock the'wind was so strong that it ripped of those of No. 2 hatch, and before others could be secured the hatches were washed away and the heavy seas poured over the deck and into the hold from either side. Everything possible was done to cover up the hold, and when it was seen that the vessel must go down orders were given to get out a lifeboat. This was swung out, but before it could be launched, it was smashed to pieces, and the cook-steward was washed overboard and drowned, witness just managing to avoid a similar fate by clutching a rope. Orders were then given to get out the starboard lifeboat, but before this could be got clear the ship was found to be sink- ing. Seven of the crew at once left the lifeboat and ran to a smaller boat astern, which they got into, but before they could get clear of the vessel she sank taking the boat and men down with her. The cap- tain had remained at the wheel by himself, and witness and a fireman who had remained on 'board went down with the ship. When witness came to the surface he swam about and eventually came across one of the lifeboats in the pitch dark, which he clambered into. The boat was broken, but it floated, and he remained in it without food or other clothing than that which he had on until he was rescued by the steamer Olive at eleven o'clock on Thursday morning. Deceased got into the boat with the other men, and witness did not see him again -until he was picked up by the Olive. James Cornelius Holmes, captain of the steamship Olive, gave evidence as to rescuing the last witness. Witness could not remember ever before having ex- perienced such a terrific gale in the Channel, After rescuing the last witness the ship was put on her course again, b')t directly afterwards he observed two other men clinging to the keel of an upturned boat. Wit- ness again hove to, and a rope was thrown to the men, but they failed to clutch it. Witness manoeuvred the vessel and got her Vack to the boat. Another rope was thrown to the deceased, who caught it, but he was too exhausted to make it fast to himself. With that one of witnesses's crew, a seam&n named Richard Green, made a line fast around 'him&elf, and with another jumped into the sea and swam to the de- ceased. He fiied the rope around deceased's body, and he and Green were dragged to tlie ship. The Coroner It was a most heroic act to jump into the sea in the height of such a storm, and the man deserves the greatest credit. It was a most noble act. Continuing, witness said that by this time the shtp had got away from the boat ialad was again put back. A rope was thrown to the other man on the boat, which he clutched, and he, too, was hauled on board. The men were f^t once stripped, and every- thing possible was done"for them, but deceased did not rally. 31 The coroner reqaarkad on the ^stressing circum- stances of the casei and ijip*ssod- Mt adiiiirtitiolt of the noble action of the man Green, the captaiii, and the crew of the Olive. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence, and added the following rider: "We wish to express our appreciation and admira- tion of the noble efforts of the captain, officers, and crew of the Olive, and especially of the man Green, in saving and aiding the smviyoM of the unfortunate crew." The Coroner,: I quite en,d0.rse:that.i r < Mr. Mills: And I, too-, air, OUbellolf of the owners of the Fitz J amelt. ,.v ,1. Ct" ¡f_

LIFEBOATMEN ON STRIKE. FlarsfcorQugjh jfishernaen :j. in revolt against* tfcp local secretary and committee, of the National Lifeboat Institution. At a public meeting oA Friday evening of last'Week they Called for the resig' nation of the officers, And declared they would refuse to man the lifeboat unless the secretary and committee resigned. --They.tlso refused boiappomt a deputation to visit the. lifeboat stations for the purpose of selecting a new boat, as reconimehded f>y the Board of Trade, following an inquiry into the wreck of the Bordeaux in November last. The men alleged they had been wrongfully vilified and branded as cowards for refusing to go to the rescue of a-crew when it was impossible for any boat to live in the sea. It is feared were a wreck to ocour the lifeboat at Flam borough would not be manned by fishermen.

WHER}f BICYCLES ARE TAXED. In his customary report to Mr. Chamberlaiii, Sir Charles Brtice, Governor of the Mauritius and Itodpigues, shows how the bicycle is dealt with in those interesting island groups of the Indian Ocean. He says: Tho bicycle, which, as I reported in the Blue* Book Report on Barbados in 1S96, had asserted itself in the West Indies, has now increased to taxable proportions in this Eastern Colony, and a license varying from Rs25 to Rs50 was imposed on dealers in'bicycles." The rupee being nominally worth 2s. in the islands, the tax is, therefore, from £2 10s. to £5.

„ J 1 Un i-i. I i; CHILDREN'S SUICIDES. According to statistics published in Berlin it would seem that suicide among children in Phlssig). is alArifi- ingly prevalent. In the 1Q ygars., between 1887 and 1897,407 schodl children under 15 years of age com- mitted suicide 331 being boys and:76 gii'ls. Whether, or not: the stripgj^nt, sahoQj.^yst^m,, thtf, jieces,sity- o constant application,. ar;d ap iiliuftst,complete ^senoe of outdoor exercise has anything to do wi h this is not stated.

■j' ■■ .1 1 :;¡, ior. .t ANOTHER- satisfactory Egyptianf Jhxjget! The receipts for the past. year show an increase of £EI60,OOO, and the land tax, has been provisionally further reduced £ K2l6.000. The net deficit on the civil administration of the Soudan is placed at £ E120,000. It ia rumoured in Omdurman that the Khalifa's forceslia^'feeen ch-feated, with-great loss, near Sherkela. 3 The formal announcement of the appointment of Prince George as High Commissioner of Crete was made to the ir" of..Qreeqd.on Saturday at'Athens by the British, ironelk, Italian, and Russian Ministers. Ilotli.tJie 'Kiry* jvnd the J^pnce expressed pn their deep gratit'ide, to the Powers.

-4 UNION tTXE fortk SOUTH AFRICA* GOLD FIELDS. Stiiliugafrom (Southampton evory Saturday. Calls made at Madeiraaud Tenerife. AppS.v to tiia UNiot STBAM SHIP CO., Ltd., Canute R.1., Sont'MUIIH-'ON, and South Afri>anH>.nse,&l to 98, Bishopwaate St. Within, Londoa. BILL,IAXTD AND BA(.+A'P TABLES, A LAlHH: STOCK' OK NKW AM* sncnXD- HAM) TAHIjliS always on linmt. WRITE ¡'-OR L.iSri'Mm -U. KUWAlSDS, 134, KINGSLAND KOAD, LOXUQN, VK. THE WasW Krttiwn THERAP80N. emi•loved in the Continental by Kicord Ucstaii, Jiiivert, Veipoati, a,H-1 others, auricvsaes e\"ert-hinl{ liHUarttfemployed for impurity of the. bl d, rpots, blotches, pains and swellings of be joints, kiducv, Madder, and urinary diseases, 3tticture, IIIH harfes, piles, travel, pains In the back, rheumaticni. trout, exhaustion, sleeplessness nervous and physical debility, &c. Tli; rapTon is pro- 1 arert in tiit-t,-e different forms, Nos. 1,2, and 3. according to diseases for whkh Intended. Full particulars send stamp</ addressed envelope for pamphlet to Mr..It. Jonxoojf, 43..HJ ford square, Lond^a I PÜ RTAtlLE I RUN BUILDINGS |\ OF EVERY DESCRIPTION. f Churches, Temporary Ho»> /j»*\ a pitals, Bungralow8( Work- /i:"V,' > shops, &C. &c., pacl-'ed on 11 <.il, "siil KM safSf or erected, in any part ot the Kin?- I tEJ 152lom. Also Greenhouses, Samiuer- "I louses, Poultry-house4c. Lists, Flans, and Bsrimates fras. "i755, Old Kent Road, Xronaon, SJE. TO on™ HE CURED INSTANTLY BY Prevents Decay, Saves Bill i En S E~^vs;rNi2ho Neuralgic Headaches and all Nerve Pains removed by BUNTER'S IS §| M § §■ KKRVINE. Ail Chemists, xs. i*Ad. Bw*»gg W BEggM VINOLIA: SOAP (for the Complexion), {on!y^ti Tablet. CREAM (Itching, Burning Face Spots), 1/li- POWDER (Redness, Roughness, Sweating, &c.), 1 fmfl QUACK REMEDY H BUT A VERY OLD AND If @ jg W& 0 |P Jik f | WELL TrJEDMEDjONE g W «V Skhtf k 1 Xh PEN NYRQYAL & STEEL L §L iBK PILLS [ I I Btrncfions andreliereall W » Jl A Distressing Symptom*. W y\ 1 | Boxes, 1/1 j and 3/9, of all W | Uw" 'row i.k & CO. iManufact urers, Bryd'-Ti Street, v

THE STRENGTH OF THE ARMY. The annual return of the British^^Lrmy for th« year 1897 was issued on Saturday, f^iji the War Office. It is stated that the average strength of the Regular Array for the year was "219,283 of all arms, the average at home being 102,155, and in India 74,222, the remainder being dispoeed of in Sgypt, and the Colonies. On 'January 1 of the present' year the total number of all ranks had Hsen to 221,003, on January 1, 1897, tjhe number wzts 220,869, a,nd both in 1896 and 1895 t he total*, exceeded 222,000.. The total number enrolled m the Army Reserve, Militia, Xeomanry, and Volunteers v.ere 438,640,.which is 4U.391 under the number required for the full establishment. The Army Reserve at the end of the year numbered 81,515. Of the home force there were 32,693 troops stationed in Ireland last year, against 3818 in Scot bind. The number of -horses and mules in the service is returned at 27,920.

1 fr- PKRTER'S UTTLE UV £ R PH-LS. ww Fottjjla• I Purely Y«g«tabta. Onn Tonid Urw, Me; Callow OcnapMittyi, and Sick ihBitesbM promptly: Core them 10 at to HAf tared, •bnoista, U. lit B E A:U I for 1*1 M bru*b » 4tw tir j»« of V th« plMMLnlest luMUris* world Cleanses the tooth an<1 space* between thein a-auothiug old will. SoutuliiRiiKjilrlj wluM teeth, riwy lips!.and Iragradrt" bre&di ertSbrci ■! Ask far SOijoDONT. 2s. M. LORD CIIABLES BEBESFORD, who would be' liarfl to beat for popularity in the Navy, had a favourite hobby as a boy, which was in a way prophetic of his future calting. This hobby or pastime was that of modelling boats, and he was exceedingly skilful in this direction. These boats he would give as birth- day presenti to those people for whom he had fflme special affection?" Qtnte A "number of them are in existence. I would give-anything to get one of them back." he remarked 01l day, as a reminiscence of my schoolboy d I-Aiffered- one old friend £ 50 for a little model, which certainly was not worth 5. But neither he nor any • of those who possess them will part with them. So after all T must console my- self with the thought that my little boats are regarded by those who have them with a certain, amount of affection." —w^— COCOA—The National Drink. "VT EVER in the history of the world has Cotoa been JLl so much hold in favour ;ts a national drink as it is at the present (lay. Yet the*e are Coeo;if! ant? Cocoas. .Mrcssus.'FRY have gained no fewerthan 273GOIJD ME DALS .and'DIPLOMAS, and tlxir V Con cell- tratefl Cocoa is the resultof an ac' i»m'ilu.t(fd experience of 170 Years, a fact which places this well knt^m Flitn- a' an a'vantage far above all s' SSr There ia no betfyr beoerqg* tian !Ç2d: Ofwbfchl&A'ndr^ ide4 o JTT8T TER £ E WORDS are necessary in orcle:- to -rottac l iglitCocOa, viz., Pnv_=< CONCgTjT A'TEO. •'HAVE I done anything to offend you, darling he asked, brokenly. To-day you passed trie trhú\¡t' bowing, and now you sit there with auch .an air of hauteur and pride tha £ "George," interrupted the girl with an unbending afr, but in her voire a cadence sweeter than music in the night, I hare a BtiTiiERB is a perfectly organised syndicate, in Paris which busies iuielf in recruiting from .every p^ci^of France, and especially from the poorer quarters of the capitol) beggars of both sexes, who are sent to where mendicants are s. poseci Jiot to be numerous. The-beggara thua en- ¡rQ)led receive- a good Mm of money when they leave France, pay their passage over themselves, and in 'this way deceive the authorities in New York. Many French beggars are told to dress up as deserters from the Belgian army. No one knows why this peculiar order is given. The beggars have, to give day to the syndicate in retiirh for their' outfit.' Mi m t <M

SOME BIG CHEQUES. In the Court of Appeal, on Monday, Mr. Montague Lush applied for leave to appeal from a decision of Mr. Justice Grantham in the case of Derry v. Millais. Counsel said that Mrs. Derry claimed against the executors of the late Sir Everett Millais for moneys paid at the request of the deceased, and also for bed and lodging. The Master in Chambers thought it was a proper case to refer to an official receiver, and made that order, but Mr. Justice Grantham reversed that decision, and ordered the case to be tried, before a jury. It in- volved the going into Voluminous accounts and tracing cheques, and he asked for, leave to appeal from the decision of Mr. Justice Granthbm. Lord Justice Rigby: You asked the learned judge for leave, and he refused? Afr. M. Lush: Yes* I am bound to say that your lordships will not have the slightest doubt, when you see the documents, as to the reason the plaintiff is anxious to ha-,e the case tried in court. The transactions were net of a reput- able character, as far as the late baronet is concerned. During the time deceased was living with his wife a largo number of cheques were received by Mrs Derry. That was during May and June, 1897. The amounts were large, several of the cheques being for over £100, and one cheque for over £ 2000. The application was granted.

OLD-AGE PENSIONS. MR. BALFOUR. HIS ELECTION PLEDGES. Mr. A. J. Balfour, M.P., has addressed the follow- ing letter to a correspondent at Sunderland: 10, Downing-street, Whitehall, S.W. Nov. 28. "Dear Sir,—You ask in your letter of the 25th inst. for some information as to the policy I advocated and the pledges I gave during the election campaign of 1895 on the subject of making better provision for the aged poor." Mr. Balfour tfyen gives the 'relevant paragraph from his electior. address, in which tm. said: "The amelioration of the lot of the aged poor, Itc., are some .of the subjects on which the labour of a Unionist Government and of the Unionist party may well be expended." In addition to this, Mr. Balfour goes on to say, "The only passage on which I can lay my hands relating to the aged poor in any speech I delivered to my con- stituents is the following (see Times and Manchester Courier, of July 11, 1895.) But before,I finish this account of. some of the items in our positive ,pro- gramme; ought 1 not to say something about the pro- vision for the aged poor? That there is an evil here which requires to be dealt with no. man can doubt. You have only to look at the statistics of the proportion of persons over 65 who are com- pelled to seek poor relief in order to see that, if it be possible, we ought to do something" to amelio- rate their lot; and to soften the last days of those who, in the time of their strength and of their pro- sperity, did good work for their families and for society. Now, I have never,.disguised from myself that the question is surrounded with difficulties, but in regard to those difficulties I will say this much, that, though it is possibly beyOnd the power of the State to insure thlt in every case of a poor person surviving the age of 65 there shall be a pension pro- vided other than that already secured out of the rates by the poor law system, nevertheless, I cannot admit that by the aid of the friendly societies and possibly by an alteration of the existing system of poor-law classification, it may be possible—it must be possible-to prevent those who have led an honourable and abstemious life,, worthy of a citizen of this country, from being in their old age classed with those who have been worthless waifs and strays, the waste products of the useless members of the society to which they belong." Continuing his letter, Mr. Balfour says "Bytli these enunciption-s of policy were made subsequent to, the issue of the card referred to in your letter. This card was not a polling card," and was not, as Mr. Asquith seems to suppose, issued on the morning of the election. On the contrary, it was circulated without my know- ledge or consent before my arrival on the scene of action, and if any false impression was created by it (which may be doubted), my authentic utterances, already quoted, were sufficient, so far as my consti- tuents were concerned,, entirely to dispel it. Sofar as the general public were concerned, there could of course be no false impression to dispel. My addresses and speeches, published as they were in all the leading newspapers, were not merely the legiti- • mate. hut the only sourcfe, from which my knowledge of my opinions could be derived. It-Was-not until it occurred to some ingenious gentleman (the Home Rule candidate, J understand, for a Welsh con- stitnency) to describe the card as my election address that any donbt can have arisen as to my attitude in 1895 in the question pf better provision for Ihe.aged poo remain.&c., ARTHUR JAMES BALFouit. Alfred A. Pqker-, -Egq. ..lo.

Ala; GEORGE A. IIENTY presided on Saturday even- ing: over the annual dinner of the SavJige Club in London. At midnight Lord Kitchener joined the company at the club house. He was expected to hsvo been the principal guest at the earlier proceedings, but was prevented from attending by the receipt- of an invitation to dine with the Duke of Cambridge. A SEVERE gale raged along the coast of the Gulf of Lyons on Sunday, doing much damage at Genoa, Cannes, and other places. Railway traffic is inter- rupted. "TbE cost of keepmg the whole of Europe on a military and naval footing works out at consider- ably oyer 212 millions sterling. The Navy and Army "of Russia costs at present over 51^ millions annually Gre&t Britain without Colonies or dependencies; 3F\V ^millions; France 37 millions, and Germany 2u,} millions. The revenue of Russia is 179 millions, "France 137 £ millions, Great Britain 103 millions, and Germany 64| millions, with populations of 121 -France 1371 millions, Great Britain 103 millions, and Germany 64î millions, with populations of 121 millions, 39| mi'lions, 38 millions, and 39 £ millions respectively.