Welsh Newspapers
Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles
28 articles on this Page
-" NOTES ON NEWS. !
NOTES ON NEWS. There is not such a feelir.g of panic in the air 1LS was the case a few days ago, on the morrow THE NAVAL POSITION. of the statements made in the House of Commons on the Naval Estimates with regard to the strength of our Navy as compared witn that of Germany. People have had time to think and to consider quietly what was certainly an un- pleasant surprise. It is something new for Britons, proud for many years of an over- whelming superiority of fighting shids, to learn that another nation is increasing her naval strength so rapidly as to make it appear that she intends to make it rival ii. not to surpass our own. There was a time—until quite recently, in fact-when the Germans could not com- pare with our own builders in the construction and equipment of warships, but if we are still able to do the necessary work with a little more expedition, the advantage has been decreased to such an extent by acceleration in German building as to make us feel not quite so com- fortable over the matter as we did. Under the circumstances, if we are to maintain the relative superiority which we desire, we shall probably have to draw upon our own resources to the fullest extent, and the provision made in the Naval Estimates for expediting the laying down of four more ships in case of need is a step in that direction. There is a distinct difference between the
[No title]
estimates made by different authorities of the comparative strength of the THE BRITISH RESERVE. two Navies in Dreadnoughts, for that is the point on which the whole case turns. The Prime Minister and the First Lord of the Admiralty state that if the Govern- ment programme is carried out and if that of Germany is also faithfully followed, we shall have in the spring of 1912 twenty Dreadnoughts to Germany's seventeen. Mr. Bitfotir, however, declares that Germany can do better than that, and may if she chooses possess twenty-one of these great ships of war-fey- that time. Then, on the following day, the German minister of Marine states that these estimates are absurd, and that by the spring of 1912 there will be in the German Navy only thirteen Dreadnoughts. It will be seen that there is a good big margin between the last estimate and that of the Government; but the one thing that is cleat, and which certainly disarmed the opposition to the increased estimates which would otherwise have been forthcoming from the economists of the Government party, is that Germany can build ships and get them ready for sea at a much faster rate than we had hitherto thought possible. We may find our greatest consolation in the fact that though Dreadnoughts and Invincibles are the most modern and the most powerful ships, and therefore those on which comparisons are first based, they are not every- thing, and that we have behind them a splendid reserve of ships which give us an immense advantage over other Powers. Even as to the fighting value of Dreadnoughts practical men are not agreed, and there are captains who, as Dr. Macnamara said, would rather take a Lord Nelson into action than a Dreadnought. The Small Holdings Act seems to be some-
[No title]
what slow in coming into operation. From the debate iu the House of Coin- THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE. mons last week, it appears that there have been 23,000 applications for land, and that only 1,000 applicants have yet I had their wants supplied. Halt of the re- 1 maining 22,000 applications have been approved by the County Councils, but there is no imme- diate prospect of the men getting land, and the other half have been rejected. Considering the length of time during which the Act has now been in operation, it cannot be said that any undue haste has been displayed in: providing small holdings for those who desire them. Slow and sure is a very good motto, and it is better that consideration of all the circum- stances, the fitness of the applicant for the land, and of the land for the applicant, to say nothing of the provision of the land itself— which seems to be the chief difficulty-should be conducted with the greatest care and de- liberation, than that requests for land should be granted indiscriminately and small holdings be in the possession of men who are entirely un- fitted for agricultural pursuits. There is some ground for belief, however, that some of the delay is due to the disinclination of some County Councils to put the Act into operation, and steps may be taken to urge them to greater activity. This is the very worst year in which to
[No title]
come to the Exchequer for any additional grant for any purpose." No No MONEY To SPARE. doubt many previous Chan- cellors have expressed the same thought, but one can I well believe that Mr. Lloyd George, faced with a big deficiency and the necessity of providing more money for high purposes of State, is not likely to lend a willing ear to any requests for money. Probably the deputation of delegates from the local education authorities of England aod Wales who waited upon the Premier and the Chancellor of the Exchequer the other day for the purpose of pointing out the inadequacy of Exchequer frants in aid of local expenditure on education ad not much hope of bringing about any improvement. If so, their disappointment was the smaller, and as it was they did get a crumb of hope from the Premier's suggestion that the length of time for repayment of the building grants may possibly be extended. There is a general agreement that education is a national question, and the deputation urged that while the nation is only paying about half the cost it is not doing by any means all that it should do, and that the burden upon the localities is becoming too great to be borne. The answer to this is that while education is a national service it is locally administered, and in order to secure economical and at the same time efficient representation a considerable part of the cost must be borne by local ratepayers. The due proportions are, of course, matters for argu- ment, but Mr. Lloyd George's remark may be taken as a sign that the nation's purse-strings will not be loosened yet awhile. Trade Union delegates, representing 1,400,000
[No title]
workmen, have unanimously approved a resolu- ON LABOUR EXCHANGES. tion in favour of the estab- lishment of Labour Exchanges on a national basis under the control of the Board of Trade. The delegates make the r, proviso that the management boards of the Exchanges shall contain an equal propor- tion of employers and representatives from Trade Unions. Before the resolution was submitted the delegates had heard a report upon the German Labour Exchanges, made by the deputation of the Parliamentary Committee which visited Germany in order to examine into the working of these institutions. It is possible, of course, that exchanges, run exactly on the German lines might not be successful in this country, but it is generally admitted that in Germany they are doing an excellent work. National characteristics may make variations desirable in points of detail, but there can be no doubt that some such organisation of labour is needed here.
[No title]
The income of the Church Army for the year ended September 30, 1908, was £ 224,950, and the expenditure was £ 223,688.
RESISTER'S PROTEST.
RESISTER'S PROTEST. NOT AN "ORDINARY CRIMINAL." A curious discussion took place' at Taunton Petty Sessions on Saturday, when the Rev. J. H. E. Bishop, a Congregational minister, whc was summoned as a Passive Resistor, declined to enter the dock, saying that he was not going to be humiliated as if he were an ordinary criminal. The Magistrates' Clerk: Why should you be allowed to plead from the solicitors' benches when a man summoned for being drunk and dis- orderly has to go into the dock? Mr. Bishop: I protest against being com- pared with a drunk and disorderly man. The Clerk replied that order must be ob- served in the Court, or they might have solici- tors pleading from the bench and reporters sitting in the chairman's seat. Mr. Bishop I can leave the Court. This is not the first time I have received insults from vou. I have in the past borne them quietly, but I am not going to do so any more. The Clerk: Are you addressing me per- sonally? Mr. Bishop Yes. The Clerk: I am not aware of any such in- sults. I only request you to conform to the rules of the Court. Mr. Bishop then resumed his seat, and the case proceeded as though he was absent. After evidence had been given, Mr. Bishop rose and said, "May I ask a question? Will this proce- dure add to my expense?" No notice was taken of the interruption, and the magistrates ultimately made an order for payment forthwith, or in default distress.
[No title]
The Personal Service Association, for work amongst the poor, now numbers, says a report, 550 helpers in forty London districts: It has been decided to place the work on a permanent basis, and to enlarge its scope. Captain Cecil Eardlev-Wilmot has been ap- pointed one of the Prison Commissioners. At County Antrim Assizes Bridget and Sarah Ann Raid, mother and daughter, were charged with the murder of the infant of the latter by throwing it out of a train. to John Toal, coalheaver, fifty, was awarded £ 300 damages at_ Liverpool against Bootle builders for injuries caused by timber falling on him as he was passing a building in course ] of erection.
LAWS OF NAVAL WARFARE.
LAWS OF NAVAL WARFARE. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. The report has been issued of the Inter- inational Naval Conference, which was held in London at the instance of the British Government "to arrive at an agreement as to the generally recognised principles ol international law." Powers who accepted the invitation were Germany, the United States of America, Austria-Hungary, Spain, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, and Russia. Agreement has been reached on nearly all the matters included in the programme. The report states that in the course oj ¡ debate and argument, and by mutual con- I cession, it became possible by degrees tc harmonise differences and to elaborate more detailed rules even as regards matters or which unanimity seemed at first unattain- able. FUNDAMENTAL HARMONY. That such general agreement was reached has been due, says the report, not alone tc the spirit of determined good will and the markedly conciliatory disposition evinced by the delegates' of all the Powers represented, but also, we believe, in no small measure to the fact, already recognised by his Majesty's I Government, that underlying the diversities of practice and theory in relation to the sub- jects under the consideration of the confer- ence, there really subsisted a fundamental harmony of conception which but required careful and sympathetic examination in order to reveal a genuine community of guiding ideas, of needs, and of interests between all States, requiring and capable of being dealt with by uniform and unam- biguous rules. The following are among the findings of the Conference: BLOCKADES. < Must not extend beyond the ports and coasts belonging to or occupied by the enemy, and in order to be binding must be effective-that is, they must be maintained I by a force sufficient really to prevent access to the enemy's coast line. Must be applied impartially to the ships of all nations. To be binding must be declared and noti- fied to neutral Powers and to the local authorities. The blockading forces must not bar access to neutral ports or coasts, and whatever may be the ulterior destination of a vessel or her cargo, she cannot be captured if she is on the way to a non-blockading port. CONTRABAND. Lists of absolute and conditional contra- band have been drawn up, and for the first time a free list has been adopted which will place it beyond the power of belligerents in future to treat as contraband the raw materials of some of the most important of our national industries. Articles that can- not be used for warlike purposes are not to be declared contraband. The right to confiscate is made conditional upon the master of the vessel carrying them being aware at the time of sailing of their contraband character, failing which the goods can only be seized on payment of full compensation. The liability to condemnation of a ship en- gaged in contraband traffic was after pro- longed debate settled by fiiing the propor- tion at one-half of the total cargo. It was decided that the case of a ship containing contraband of less than one-half its cargo would be met by the general adoption of tne British practice, whereby the ship may be condemned in the amount of costs and ex- penses incurred by the captor on account of the proceedings in the prize court. NEUTKAI* SHIPS. A compromise wad arrived at With regard to the highly contentious Subject of the de- struction of neutral prizes. At The Hague, I Russia, supported by Germany, wished to establish a very wide permission of destruc- tion, on the ground that its prohibition would seriously handicap Powers having no naval bases beyond their own coasts. Although then supported by a large majority, Great Britain has now, in order to obtain an agreement, given way to this extent, that prizes may be destroyed in case of excep- tional military necessity. If this cannot be proved, there must be compensation. Other matters dealt with. in the report are Unneutral Service, Transfer to a Neutral Flag, Enemy Character, Convoy, Resistance to Search, and Compensation for Capture.
SKIDDING MOTOR-'BUSES.
SKIDDING MOTOR-'BUSES. The question whether a skidding motor- 'bus is or is not a nuisance was decided in favoir of the omnibus by the Court of Appeal on Saturday. The decision appealed against was the outcome of an action brought by the father of a boy named Parkes, who was Seriously injured by a London General motor-'bus. To avoid killing the child the driver pulled up suddenly, with the result that the vehicle skidded, knocking the boy down. The jury found no negligence, but could not agree on the question of nuisance. On that finding the County-court judge refused to enter 'judgm-cnt for the appellants. Mr. Justice Pickford: If a 'bus is a nuisance because it skids when pulled up suddenly, a horse is a nuisance if it falls on being pulled up suddenly. Mr. Justice Darling: If a motor-'bus is a nuisance it is an indictable offence to put one on the road; just as it would be to let a lion loose.
[No title]
While the Lord Mayor of Dublin's procession was passing through College Green, students of Trinity College bombarded it with oranges. A hand-to-hand fight between the crowd and the students followed, and several persons were hurt. At Messrs. Glendinhihg's Rooms, Argyll- street, the Victoria Cross granted to the repre- ,a sentative of Trooper Baxter for gallantry while engaged with the Buluwayo Field Force in 1896 was sold for .£46. j Mr. J. E. Vedrenne is negotiating for a suitable West-end theatre for Miss Ethel Irving, who will join .his management on the completion of her contract with the Haymarket Theatre. It was stated at a meeting of the Surrey County Council that the Education Committee had successfully started an evening continua- tion school for the caddies employed by the Sunningdale Golf Club. The Cowes authorities have decided to give all possihle facilities to the Aero Club of France for a station at Cowes.
AN ATHLETE IN POLITICS.
AN ATHLETE IN POLITICS. There are a good many members of the House of Commons who have won fame in' various branches of athletics, and Alr. J., E. Raphael, the Liberal candidate for Croydon, is anxious to join them. Mr. Raphael is twenty-seven years of age, and was called to the Bar just over a year ago. If he makes as good a lawyer as he is an athlete he should do pretty well. He was a "Double Blue" at Oxford, representing the University for four years against Cambridge in Rugby football, and for three years in cricket. In his first Inter-'Varsity match at Lord's he scored a century, and in his last he only missed repeating the record by one run. He is a Rugby International, and was captain of Surrey at cricket for a short time. He is a dimmer, too; was President of the University Swimming Club, and played against Cambridge at water-polo.
o: o —• A REMARKABLE MAJORITY.-
o: o —• A REMARKABLE MAJORITY. Sir Douglas Straight, who has been entertained at a complimentary banquet on his retirement from the editorship of the "Pall Mall Gazette," has been barrister, politician, judge, and journalist. As a young man he wrote for a paper called the Glow- ] worm," and the late Mr. Montagu Williams, the ramous barrister, told a story of seeing young Straight soundly cuff two newspaper boys on Waterloo-bridge because they were not shouting loudly enough the name of the paper with which he was connected. Sir Douglas spent thirteen years in India as a judge. Before he went, however, he had enjoyed a few years' experience as a member of Parliament. He had also the excite- ment of a petition against his return, but he won- At the election his opponent was Mr. Coates, and the victor wired to his wife after the declaration of the poll I am in by 38 votes over Coates." The message was delivered as, I am in by 38 over- coats."
KILLED WHILE AT PLAY.
KILLED WHILE AT PLAY. The death, in strange circumstances, of a schoolboy, aged fourteen, Ambrose Ceda Robinson, was the subject of an inquest at West Ham on Monday. He lived with his parents at Leonard-road, Forest-gate. On Sunday afternoon, it was stated, he went upstairs to read. Soon after- wards his mother found him dead, hanging on a cupboard door, with a strip of table- cloth round his neck. The jury returned a verdict that his death was caused by hanging while swinging about.
[No title]
A copy of William Blake's "Songs of Inno- cence and of Experience," published in 1789, was sold for X166 at Sotheby's. In consequence of a collision between a rail- way van and a waggon in East India Dock- road, a crate containing foreign birds was thrown to the ground and broken, and a num- ber of the birds escaped.
,I...11.1,1,,,.IHIIHft NEWS…
I. 11.1,1 IHIIHft NEWS IN BRIEF. .:t Tragedies and Disasters. 1 At Tunbridge Wells on Sunday Cnarler Waghorn died in a cab on his way to the workhouse. Some years ago deceased came into a fortune of 10,000, and, also possessed a large fly proprietor's business. He was in a state of destitution when found by the police. A Blackburn woman named Harrison, who disappeared mysteriously when visiting Morecambe, has been found dead in a pond. Mr. W. T. Frost, a Maidstone florist, has been found dead in a greenhouse. Death was apparently due. to nicotine poisoning. John Reddin, of Lindrop-street, Chelsea, was killed by a motor-car while crossing Knightsbridge. While a train was entering Barrow station, Leicestershire, on Saturday, Mr. Samuel. Mayes, a local resident, fell in front of the engine and was killed. At Burnley on Saturday, during an amateur football match, a player named Wil- liam Turning came into collision with an opponent, and was so seriously injured that he died a few minutes later. The body of John Taylor, aged seventy- two, a widower, of Costa-street, Choumert- road, Peckham, was found in Peckham-rye, pond on Saturday. Herbert Barker, aged 13, a cripple, who,. with his mother and brother, was recently attacked by another brother, died at the Leeds Infirmary, this making the third death in connection with the tragedy. Two fatal accidents to miners caused by falls of roof were reported in the North Stat fordshire coalfields. Accidents. The German vessel Gerhard on Sunday sprang a leak, and sank off St. Catherine's Point. The master and three men were cared for at the Warner. lightship, and sent on to Portsmouth. • A slight fire on Saturday in the basement of premises occupied by Messrs. Arthur Young and Co., warehousemen, Golden-lane, London, was quickly subdued. A huge derrick, which was being worked on the breakwater at the Admiralty harbour, Dover, fell into the sea on Sunday, owing, it is thought, to the spindle breaking. Two men were carried into the water with it, but al boat being at hand they were speedily rescued. Whilst attempting to jump on a moving motor lorry at Wood-green, a carman named Smith, in the employ of Mr. Hales, a con- tractor, fell, and two wheels passed over his body! -The collier1 Eagle, of Yarmouth, was wrecked on the Norfolk coast while on a, passage from Hartlepool. Her crew was landed by the Winterton lifeboat. While hunting with the Duke of Rutland's hounds near Ropsley, Mr. Tom Hutchinson, one of the veterans of the hunt, was thrown violently on his head and rendered un- conscious.. Told in the Courts A verdict of "Suicide while of unsound mind was returned at the inquest on Satur-i day on Robert Bridge, of Grange-road, South Norwood, whose decapitated .body was found on the railway near Woking, At Merthyr County-court Mrs. Williams, of Wrexham, made an unsuccessful claim against Merthyr Town Association Football Club for compensation for the death of her- son, who received fatal injuries in a trial match on August 29. Joseph Bertholli, waiter, of Denbigh- street, Pimlico, was remanded at the Maryle- bpng Police-court on Saturday on charges of theft and of remaining in the United King- dom after an expulsion, Order had been matte against him under the Aliens Act. "I think that when people are too poor to buy fireguards the council should provide them," said a juror on Saturday at a West Ham inquest. Smithfield market porters are frequently injured by carrying heavy loads of meat," Is medical man stated on Saturday at a Hack- ney inquest. Poor was the name of a man summoned at Kingston for the non-payment of rates. It was mentioned in the Law Cburts. that Mr. Graham, a chemist, had a scheme for revolutionising banking, and that he in- tended to carry it out by means of a company whose capital would be £ 500,000. „ "From the way you interrupt rae I might almost be your husband," Judge JJaeon told a. talkative woman at the Bloomsbury County-court. County-court. Sixty-seven keys were found in the pos- session of a man who was remanded at Mary- lebone on a charge of theft. The World of Sport. Major H. L. Fleming, of Edinburgh, won the amateur billiards championship at Brad- ford on Saturday by defeating the holder, Mr. H. Virr, by 499 points in 2,000 up. Major Fleming's best breaks were 172, 59, 96, 67, and 40. 5 Shrubb defeated the Indian ^runner, Simp- son, in a twelve miles match at Toronto ou Saturday. His time was Ih. 6m. 33s. By defeating Aiken in the last heat of the Billiards tournament at Soho square on Saturday, Stevenson tied with Inman for first place in the final placings. Stevenson also won the snooker pool championship. Beating Stol (Holland) and Berthet (If (France) by one lay, the American cyclists MacFarland and Moran won the six days' cycle race in Berlin, covering 6,184 miles. "I agree with those who dislike long races for boys," said Mr. C. B. Fry in distributing prizes on Saturday at St. George's School, Harpenden. "The craze for Marathon raceia is absurd and serves no good purpose." Constable Larner, of the Brighton Police Force, who won for England two walking chalnpionships at the Olympic Games last summer, was presented at Brighton with a. public testimonial, consisting of a cheque for fifty guineas. J The sedate old moat at the Tower of London was transformed into a miniature National Sporting Club, when the Grenadier Guards held boxing contests in it. A roach weighing 31b. 5Joz. has been landed at Teddington by Mr. Croft, of tl-io- Queen's Angling Society. The one mile amateur roller-skating race at Earl's Court was won by J. Harrison, while the professional race was won by A. Bear. M and the Drama. Sir W. S. Gilbert hes written a new fair} opera, and Mr. Edward German is composing; the music. It is hoped the work will ho finished in time for production in tbje autumn. Mr. John Galsworthy's play "Strife," re- cently produced at the Duke of York's Theatre for a series of matinees, was trans- ferred to the Haymarket Theatre on Satur- day night, when it was, enthusiastically re- ceived by a large audience, including the- Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duker and Duchess of Teck. Distinguished as the author of famous "plays with a purpose," M. Brieux was elected to the Frehch Academy, th'e rival candidates including two other well-known, playwrights. "An Englishman's Home" was produced in the United States. The play will also be performed in Berlin, Sweden, Australia, and South Africa at an early date. In view of the termination of Mrs. D'Oyly Carte's season at the Savoy Theatre, the, company and staff of the theatre met in the- Savoy Hotel for a "farewell" supper. Messrs. Howard and Wyndham, Limited, ) and the Robert Arthur Theatres, Limited,, have entered into friendly co-operation whereby the booking arrangements in con- nection with all the theatres of the two com- panies are to be carried out under the super- vision of both companies by Mr. Robert- Arthur.
INTER-VARSITY SPORTS.
INTER-VARSITY SPORTS. A threat of rain and a chilling wind con- spired to sadly diminish the usual attendance at the Inter-University Sports at Queen's Club, won by Oxford by six events to four. The sport was good and the afternoon was rich in sur- prises. Hallowes failed at the mile, and retired after three laps of the three miles. Just was beaten at the tape by Stormonth-Darling in the half-mile, and Murray defeated Bleaden at the long jump. The track was too heavy to allow of any ex- ceptionally fast times; but the outstanding feature of the afternoon was the splendid high jumping of A. C. B. Bellerby, and R. H. Lind- say Watson's performance in throwing the hammer 148ft. lOin., which is a record for these sports. Bellerby, who jumps in the American fashion, cleared 5ft. ll^in. in an exhibition jump after he had well defeated Huxley and Doorly at 5ft. gin. Following was the results — 100 yards, L. C. Hull (Oxford) one mile, P. J. Baker (Cambridge); throwing the hammer, R. Lindsay-Watson (Cambridge); 120 yards, hurdles, G. R. L. Anderson (Oxford); high jump, A. C. B. Bellerby (Cambridge); half- mile, P. Stormonth-Darling (Oxford); quarter- mile, L. C. Hull (Oxford); putting the weight, W. H. Bleaden (Oxford); long jump, M. G. D. Murray (Cambridge); three miles, A. AL. Brown (Oxford).
FIRE AT A SCHOOL.
FIRE AT A SCHOOL. While the masters and boys of Mill Hill School were in the playing fields they were recalled to the school by cries of "Fire An outbreak had been discovered in the dark room of the photographic department, which is under the new school. The masters, boys, school servants, and a de- tachment of soldiers from the Middlesex Regi- ment barracks all helped the Mill Hill, Hendon, and Finchley Fire Brigades, and the fire was soon put out. The dark room and boiler room were com- pletely gutted, half the floor of the big school was burnt, and several of the class-rooms were damaged by water and smoke. The school house and the boys' boarding houses are quite apart from the school, and were, therefore, in no danger.
LIVED WITH BROKEN BACK.
LIVED WITH BROKEN BACK. The death of Charles Wheeler, aged forty-two, a horse-keeper, who succumbed to injuries re- ceived fifteen months ago, was the subject. of an inquiry at Lambeth. On December 10, 1907, Wheeler fell from a loft and his back was broken. For many months he remained in St. Thomas's Hospital, and was then transferred to Lambeth Infirmary. Dr. Smith said that the case was remarkable from a surgical point of view by reason of the complications which ensued from a. fracture of the spine sustained fifteen months ago. The. jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death."
KILLED WITH A BILLHOOK.
KILLED WITH A BILLHOOK. The village of Shutlanger, near Northampton, was startled the other night by cries of "murder." The alarm was found to have come from the cottage of an aged pensioner, William Robinson, who had been attacked by a. burglar, apparently to rob him of his savings. Robinson was in bed when the intruder en- tered, and though eighty years old got up and made a gallant struggle with his assailant, a young man of twenty-six, who with a billhook, for cutting hedges, almost severed the old man's head from his body. The first. person to come on the scene was Robinson's married daughter, Mrs. Inwood, from an adjoining house. As she entered she saw and recognised the murderer, Charles Bass, by the light of a, candle, standing over the dead body of his victim at the bottom of the stairs. Thus disturbed, the assailant rushed for tie door, striking with the billhook at Mrs. Inwood, who narrowly escaped her father's fate. The point of the weapon caught in the wall. Bass was pursued by Robinson's grandson, but escaped through the darkness. Five hours later his body was found on the railway line, mangled by an express train, near Roade Station. Robinson was a widower with eight children and lived alone. At the' inquest on the two bodies it was stated that in one of the murderer's pockets was found a pocket-book in which was scrawled, "I have,, found times bad this is my only hope." The jury returned a verdict of "Wilful mur- der by Charles Bass" with regard to the aged victim, and of "Felo de se in the case of the yvurderer.
LORD BURTON'S WILL.
LORD BURTON'S WILL. The gross value of the estate of the late Lord Burton, chairman of the great brewery com- pany of, Bass, Ratcliff, and Gretton, Limited, is entered in the records of the Principal Pro- bate Registry as of the value of £ 1,000,000 at least, as far as at present can be ascertained." Lord Burton gave the following directions in his will for the disposal of his remains:—"I desire that before my body be placed in the coffin the spine and spinal marrow of the neck shall be completely severed by a competent surgeon, and the heart removed and placed in a separate vessel to be enclosed in the coffin."
SERIOUS GANGWAY ACCIDENT.
SERIOUS GANGWAY ACCIDENT. One man was killed and thirty injured on Saturday by an accident in connection with the battleship Vanguard; one of the new Dreadnought class, which is lying in the Buccleuch Dock at BarrOw. A gangway runs between the ship and the pier, and as the ship stands high out of the water and the pier is low the gangway is on an incline. No sooner had the buzzer for ceasing work sounded at noon than the gangway was crowded with men racing one another to the pay office. A creaking, noise was heard, and without further warning the gangway broke in two, and some thirty or forty men were thrown into the dock. One man, Thomas Brown, was killed either by falling on to a pontoon or througli par of. the gangway falling on him. The men working on H.M.S. Vulcan promptly went to the aid of those in the water. They were got into boats and landed, doctors and ambulance men rendering first aid before the injured were taken to the North Lonsdale Hospital..
jIN THE PUBLIC EYE. :œ
IN THE PUBLIC EYE. œ A DISTINGUISHED MUSICIAN. The collaboration between Sir W. 8. Gilbert and Mr. Edward German in opera should have excellent results. Sir W. S Gilbert is the prince of librettists, and Mr German's music is always delightful. Air. German is "the man from Shropshire," and Was born there just over forty-seven years ago. He must have been born a musician, for even the arduous labour of blowing the organ for his father did not alter his deter- mination to play an instrument himself some day. It was as a violinist that he first be- came known, but the advice of Sir George Macfarren turned him into the paths ol composition. It was at the request of his sister that he wrote for Sir Henry Irving the incidental music to "Henry VIII. which ia so popular. He was a young composer, but Sir Henry generously paid him as much for the work as had been paid to Sullivan and Mackenzie for similar work. 0: |
MEMBER BOB MAYO.
MEMBER BOB MAYO. It is somewhere about thirty-five years since Mr. William O'Brien saw, for the first time, Mr. John Dillon, and he has described him in the following terms: His great height looked all the vaster for his thin and wasted limbs, upon which the languor of death seemed to be fastening." If he is not a particularly lively person, Mr. Dillon is very much alive, and his fame has travelled so far that even the "Mad" Mullah has heard of him and is anxious to grasp him by the hand and assure him of his peaceable intentions. Mr. Dillon, however, has not ac- cepted the invitation as yet. The member for East Mayo is one of the best-known of the Irish members at Westminster, and he led the Nationalist Party for a time, but without much success. Mr. Dillon has many a time emptied the vials of his wrath upon the House of Commons, but though his language is often forcible his manner is just Bad, and very, very weary. Mr. Tim Healy once called him a melancholy humbug." -0:-
A MAN OF PEACE.1•
A MAN OF PEACE. 1 Sir John T. Brunner, M.P., whose ardent desire it is to see an international reduction of arma- ments, is the member for the Northwich Division of Cheshire. His views brought him into conflict the other day with Mr. Maxse. The latter called Sir John a. German, and Sir John retorted by inquiring if Maxse is not a Dutch name. This is not the first time Sir John has been re- proached with being a foreigner, but at least he has some claim to be considered an English- man. He said once: My father was a Swiss, my mother was a Manx- woman, and I was born in Liverpool." The last- mentioned event took m en place in 1842, and young Brunner began his com- mercial life when he was fifteen. In 1873 he, with the distinguished chemist, Ludwig Mond, estab- lished alkali works at Northwich, which became the largest in the world, and brought fortune to Sir John and his partner. Sir John has been a considerable benefactor to the district. —— :0 vV
■M.P. AND MOTORIST.
M.P. AND MOTORIST. One of the chief organisers of the remark- ably successful experiment in motor mobilisa- tion the other day was Mr. Arthur Du Croe, M.P., the member for Hastings, who was elected for the seaside town at a by-election last year. Mr. Du Cros is, of course, a well-known and enthusiastic motorist, and is managing director of the Dunlop Company. In the matter of loco- motion he has always been wanting to travel faster than other people were contented to do. When the cyclists of the country were trundling laboriously on solid tyres he and his brother appeared at cycle races with machines fitted with pneumatic tyres, and had no difficulty in demonstrating their immense superiority. It was to be expected that he should be one of the first to realise the possibility of motor-car de- velopments. Mr. Du Cros has won thirteen amateur cycling championships, and he is also a fine gymnast and boxer, and a good shot. C, —: o:
"; I .A NEW RECORDER.
I A NEW RECORDER. A by-election is'neeessitated in East Denbighshire by the appointment of Mr. E. G. Hemmerde, M.P., art Recorder of Liverpool. Mr. Hemmerde was himself the victor at a by-election, for after being defeated at Shrewsbury at the General Election he stood for his present con- stituencylater in the same year on the appointment of'Mr. S. Moss as a county court judge, and suc- ceeded in getting himself returned by the substan- tial majority of 2,791. It may be that the fact that his seat is considered still quite safe has had some- thing to do. with his ap- pointment to the Re- cordership. The new Re- corder is only thirty-eight years of age. He was called to the Bar in 1897 and is one of the youngest K.C.'s. He was educated at Winchester and Uni- versity College, Oxford, and in his day was an iltblete of considerable distinction. o:
PARLIAMENTARY PARS o
PARLIAMENTARY PARS o THE NAVAL POSITION. Jt VOTE OF CENSURE. The only thing that is interesting the House of Comintus this week is the Naval situation, and it will be unable to settle down to the ordinary routine until the vote of censure which Mr. Balfour is to move on the Naval policy of the Government, has been disposed of. Governments are bound to grant a day for a debate on a motion of this kind, and in reply to Mr. Balfour's query as to when that day might be, the Prime Minister urbanely assured the Leader of the Opposition that the Government are anxious that the motion shall be discussed at the earlest possible moment. One gathered that Mr. Asquith and his colleague^ are positively eager to hear all the nice things which their opponents will say about the Admiralty. So, said Mr. Asquith, as such a vote is, of course, of much more importance than ordi- nary .procedure, suppose we say Thursday? But Mr. Balfour was of opinion that Thurs- day would not do. On that day the second reading of the Consolidated Fund Bill gives opportunity for a discussion at large upon many matters of general interest, and that opportunity could not be sacrificed. T FIRST OF APRIL. Then ensued a sharp passage between the two leaders. Mr. Asquith had assumed that in a matter of national importance like this, with so many and so great issues at stake, it would be desired to have the matter brought on without delay; but, apparently, Mr. I Balfour did not think so? To this taunt Mr. Balfour replied warmly that he did think so, but to take Thursday for the purpose would be most unfair to private members. Where- upon, Mr. Asquith, with every desire to. oblige, offered as an alternative the First of April, contriving to allow the accent to fall in such a manner as to convey the impression that he thought it a singularly appropriate, date. Mr. Balfour became serious. "That," he said, "would be a most appropriate day for discussing, the question if it were only a question of folly. But I fear that what we have to discuss is something more than folly." Eventually Monday next was agreed upon as the day for the' discussion. O AND GERMANY. After this preliminary skirmish the House went into Committee on the Naval Esti- mates, resuming the discussion upon the* vote fixing the number of officers and men. There has been a great deal heard about Dreadnoughts lately. Indeed, the man in: the street has begun to. wonder whether there is 'any other class of vessel in the Navy. Mr. George Wyndham, however, brought the House for a moment to the consideration of, smaller things. He doubts whether we are getting enough small cruisers, and he de- clares that Dreadnoughts are a delusion and a snare unless we have an overwhelming superiority in torpedo-boat destroyers. In the latter particular, he held, we had no marked superiority over Germany, and it was a necessary element in our Naval supre- macy that we should be "prepared for war in the North Sea." OUR PREPONDERANCE. Sir Charles Dilke refused to be alarmed, and deprecated the spirit of panic which is abroad. He seriously believed, he said, that we had a much greater naval preponderance now than we had ever had at any period in our history. There was no extraordinary new discovery which affected us; the grave circumstances which might begin to affect us four, or five years hence were pretty well in view last year. There had really been two panics. There was the Territorial Army panic—the rush to induce everybody to enlist in the Territorial Army three weeks ago- when they heard nothing about the Fleet. The whole question was: Were we safe? It was difficult to see what new element had come into the controversy since last year. At the present moment we had admittedly an absolutely overwhelming predominance. The German Fleet now ready for sea contained no ships capable of .standing for a moment against what was called our older Fleet. THE PREMIER'S SPEECH. 'To some extent Mr. Asquith anticipated in his speech the vote of censure which is to, be moved by Mi\ Balfour. He had hoped, he said, that the discussion of this great ques- tion of national security might" be carried on frota first to last without any infusion of party spirit. In the next place he hoped' that, grave as in one Of its aspects; the situa- tion undoubtedly was, necessary as it seemed to us to make provision for events, fc, for the new state of things which a year ago was not in existence, yet there would be a universal feeling in this country that there was no occasion for anything in the nature of-he would not say of panic—but of alarm or even disquiet. The First Lord and he in that belief took the House and the country into their confidence to a degree which he believed had rarely been paralleled in past days, because they were perfectly certain it was their duty to lay new facts which had cóme to their knowledge before Parliament and the nation, and that in dealing with the changed state of things so created we should rely on the sympathy and the con- sideration and on the co-operation of all sections of opinion in this House and out- side. He was afraid these hopes had not been altogether realised. N CAUSE FOR ALARM. I Mr. Asquith then went on to compare our naval strength with that of our great rival. We are, of course, far nhead of Germany at present in Dreadnoughts, having now four in commission, while Germany has not yet' got one. By the end of the year, when we have seven, Germany may have two. So at pre- sent the Premier sees no cause for alarm and declares that "old women of both sexes" may sleep o' nights, at any rate for. another twelve months. It is, however, 1912 which is the critical year upon which all compari- sons have been based. Putting on one side the question of Dreadnoughts fov a moment, Mr. Asquith informed the House that in that year we shall have a great preponderance over Germany in effective battleships and armoured cruisers. MR. BALFOUR INCONSOLABLE. The Leader of the Opposition deplareo himself not consoled by the Premier's assur- ances. No doubt the older ships are useful; but—they are not Dreadnoughts. He had had some hope that the Government would,' in view of the criticism of their proposals, have modified their programme, but he now saw no indication of anything of the kind. He considered that their policy involved grave national peril, and because of that he had determined to move the vote of censure.