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

FILTERING RIVER WATER. Engineering says that the problem of converting muddy river water into a clear fluid suitable for feeding boilers, and for many manufacturing opera- tions, is one that constantly meets the engineer, and which will continue to do so with increasing frequency in the future, as the available sources of pure water grow fewer and the demand becomes greater. Many trades have already been driven far afield in search of unpolluted streams, and paper and bleach works may be found dotted in all manner of unlikely places, whose sole recommendation is the presence of a clean brook. If ordinary river water could have been purified it is certain that manufacturers would not have undergone the expense and difficulty of carry- ing their trades to remote districts, and the fact that they have done so is positive proof that at the time they commenced operations there was no process extant for the purpose. Not but that there have been schemes in plenty which promised everything that could be wished, and which, when exhibited on a small scale in the hands of their in- ventors, had all the semblance of success. If a mass of filtering material lie so close that the velocity of the current passing through it be reduced until it can no longer hold the suspended matter, then it follows that it will also be too close to allow of a reverse current with a flushing action. If the pressure of the water be increased, it may force a passage for itself through one part of the material, but all the rest will lie useless and filthy, until the whole of it be taken out by hand and be subjected to a thorough cleansing, after which the apparatus has another short period of usefulness to be again silted up and in need of renewal. This difficulty has in the past been fatal to all manufacturing filters, and it may be said that they have had no practical existence on any scale worth mentioning. I

ADMIRAL HEWITT'S MISSION TO ABYSSINIA. The Special Correspondent of the Daily News, in a telegram dated Ras Aloola's Camp, April 13 (via Souakim, April 20), says Admiral Hewett, with Captain Speedy, Mason Bey and his suite, after ascending the Miensie Pass, arrived at Ras Aloola's camp to-day. Fifteen hun- dred horsemen met us at. the top of the mountain, and escorted the Admiral to Aloola, who was encamped on a plateau near the village of Asmara, and surrounded by two thousand infantry, the great drums sounding, How do you do ? and a most cor- dial reception being given. Tho natives say that no other mission has been received with so much honour. We rest here one day to deliver presents to the chiefs, and leave for Adowa on the following morning. A telegram dated Souakim, Sunday, says The steamer Mansourah, which has just arrived, brings news that Admiral Hewett is on his way to Adowa to meet King John. The roads are perfectly safe.

CANADIAN FINANCES. The Dominion House of Commons has passed the Supply Bill regulating the expenditure for the ensuing financial year. The total sum provided for is 30,500,000 dollars, to which must be added the in- creased subsidies to the provinces, including the interest on the extension of the Canadian Pacific Railway to Quebec; on the Railway Subsidy expendi- ture, and an expenditure on capital account for the construction of the Intercolonial Railway and harbours, and the dry dock for British Columbia, making the total estimated expenditure for the fiscal vear beginning in July next 31,100,000 dols., or 500,000 dols. less than for the current year. This estimate does not include the loan to the Canadian Pacific Railway, on which Government will receive 5 per cent, interest. The estimated surplus for the coming financial year is 2,000,000 dols., notwithstand- ing the decrease of 2,250,000 dols. in the taxation during the last two years.

ARRIVAL OF tROOPS FROM EGYPT. The Jumna from Egypt arrived at Portsmouth on Monday. She had on board the loth Hussars, the Royal Irish Fusiliers, the York and Lancaster Regi- ment, a battery of artillery, 130 marines, and a number of wounded officers, including Lieuts. Littledale. Gardon, Cross, and Surgeon Prendegast. The total number of troops on board was 1400. One marine died on the voyage home. The Jumna wss first greeted by the training-ship steam-tug. which brought on board to Spithead Sir Alexander Wood, Lord Cheshain, Lord and Lady Wenlock, the Hon. and Rev. Algernon Lawley, Colonel lion. Caryl and Mrs. Molyneux, Viscount Yalentia, Lord Ralph Kerr, Lady Anne Kerr. Major the Hon. James Napier, Mr. Bateson Harvey, Mr. Hughes Onslow, and the Hon. C. Byng. The troops received a great ovation upon entering Portsmouth. The Hussars band played u God bless the Prince of Wales." the 89th, Home. Sweet Home," and; Rule Britannia." The jetty was crowded with persons desirous of participating in the welcome, among those present being Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar and staff, and many officers of the garrison. The Royal Irish Fusiliers disembarked in the afternoon, and were played to barracks by the whole of the bands in garrison. Most of the men were much sunburnt, and bore evidences of the cam- paign. A number of the men who were too ill to undertake the voyage have been left in Egypt. The artillery are to be stationed at Woolwich, the hussars at Shorncliffe, and the York and Lancashire Regiment at Aldershot. Thousands of persons assembled along the route and cheered the troops lustily as they marched past. The Prince of Wales telegraphed from Sandringhalll to the 10th Hussars, congratulating the officers, non-commissioned officers, and men upon their safe return, and added that his only regret was that he was unable to offer them his greet- ings in person.

',t) CROP PROSPECTS. The Marl-Lane Express publishes a number of reports on the appearance of the wheat and other autumn-sown crops and the progress of spring sowing. These reports fully confirm the favourable impression as to the wheat crop generally current. Indeed, their uniformity in this respect, seeing that they represent most of the English counties and a few districts of Scotland, is very remarkable. Only one report —that for Somersetshire—complains of a de- fective plant of wheat; all the rest declare it to be thick. There is a general agreement, too, to the effect that up to a fortnight ago the crop was strong and healthy: but in most counties, and espe- cially in heavy-land districts, the north-east wind which has blown so persistently lately has caused loss of colour. Thus in counties as distant as Staffordshire and Dorset, Essex and Shropshire, it is said that the crop is turning yellow. In Scotland, Northumberland, and Yorkshire, no mention is made of this change, and it is not anywhere regarded as a very serious matter at present, the plant being so strong that a few days of warmth and sunshine would quickly restore the healthy appearance of the crop. Another feature in the reports worthy of notice is the general agreement as to the wheats not being at all too forward for the time of year, as they were said to be during the winter. The ex- planation probably is that although the season, till quite recently, has been unusually mild, it has not been forcing. There has been very little rain, and slight frosts now and then have checked abnormal growth. Over-thickness in plant is noticed by some observers, but this is a good fault, and in many cases it has been remedied by harrowing. If we should be y favoured with drv weather for the next two months, thickness of plant will be an advantage. In a few instances loss of plant through slug or wireworm is mentioned, and in others rust is said to prevail; but these attacks appear to be exceptional at present. It is pointed out by our contemporary that the rust which affects wheat early in the spring is not the rust which is the second stage of mildew, the most dan- gerous parasite to which the wheat plant is subject. On the whole it is evident that the prospects of the wheat crop are very satisfactory. Of course no trustworthy prediction as to yield can be made so early in the season, as everything depends upon the character of the weather up to and during harvest, and upon the absence or prevalence of animal and vegetable parasites but a good start counts for a great deal, and it is seldom that the prospects of the crop are so favourable in all parts of the country as they are this season. The same. remark applies to every wheat-growing country in the world, as far as present information guides us to a conclusion. This fact accounts for the persistent drop of prices that has been going on ever since harvest, in spite of a falling-off in importations caused by the short American crop and the attempts of American specu- lators to corner wheat and flour. The general agreement of the reports as to the appearance of the wheat crop is equally to be observed in the remarks upon the flourishing condition of other autumn-grown crops. Spring-sown peas and beans are also said to be almost everywhere well planted and healthv. When we come to the remarks upon barley and oats, on the other hand, we find some variation. Nearly all the observers mention the unusual amount of labour that has been necessar- in order to make up as far as possible for the want of frosts during the winter. That want can never be fully made up for on clay soils, as a hard frost will do more to disintegrate the stubborn soil than twenty harrowings. It is not surprising, therefore, to learn that a great deal of barley has been drilled in fields very roughly prepared for its reception. Generally. however, by dint of extra cultivation, a tolerably good tilth appears to have been made. Early-sown barley and oats have both planted well, and were look- ing healthy till the recent cold winds gave them a pinched appearance. What is needed now is warm weather, with occasional showers. A wet or a cold spring, and, still worse, wet and cold together, would leave us with a very poor pros- pect of a good barley crop The rain which came at the beginning of the present month did a great deal to facilitate the conclusion of the barley-sowing, and it enabled farmers to break their clods on their fields, and to sow clovers with a good prospect of a plant, which was previously lacking. NN-e ate now at a critical period of the agricultural year; and a speedv change to warmer weather is anxioaely longed for all over the country. Every day's prolonganon of the bitter north-easter is a catastrophe.

PROFITS AND POPULARITY OF A WATER COMPANY. The City l'ress says On page 5(\ of the third volume of Dryden's works, now in course of publica- tion, we find an allusion to New River, dearer by sixpence the pound than ever God Almighty made )t. The expression occurs in the comedy of "Sir Martin Mar-all," at the first night of which Pepys was present on August 16, 1667. It was then just fifty-four years since the water from Amwell, in Hertfordshire, twenty miles from London, was with much ceremony admitted into the reservoir at Islington. The enthu- siasm at Sir Hugh Myddleton's great achievement, for to him belonged, the sole honour of conceiving and executing the project, was immense. On Michaelmas Day (1613, as we read in an old guide to London, dated 1761), Sir Thomas Myddleton, brother of the great Sir Hugh, was elected Lord Mayor for the ensuing year, who accompanying Sir John Swinerton, then Lord Mayor, attended by many of the aldermen, the Recorder, and other gentlemen, repaired to the bason, now (1761) called New River Head, when about sixty labourers, handsomely dressed, and wearing green -caps, carrying spades, shovels, and pickaxes, marched, preceded by drums and trumpets, twice round the bason, when, stopping before the Lord MaJor, alder- men, and other gentlemen, who were seated upon an eminence, one of the labourers addressed himself to them in a long copy of verses, which being ended, the sluices were opened, and the stream ran plentifully into the reservoir, under the sound of drums and trum- pet, the discharge of several pieces of ordnance, and the loud aceliiiiat ioiirz of t he people. We are further told that the project, though it ruined its first promoter, turned out to be of unspeakable benefit to the City, put- ting a speedy stop to a great number of dreadful fires ancl conducing to the health of the citizens by the cleanliness it has brought among us." Yet so little were its advantages understood, that for above thirty years there were not divided above jM odd money to each of the £ 100 shares, which are /2 in number. Thus began the oldest of I, lie gre-il companies, profitless to its promoters but popular with the public. In about half-a-century it had become profitable but unpopular, as Dryden's grumble indicates. At the end of the last century Pennant tells us that shares for which £100 had originally been given were selling at £9000 and £ 10,000 a piece, and the value of the shares seems to have constantly risen in inverse ratio -to the popularity of the company.

THE FOREIGN MEAT SUPPLY. "In an article on The Agricultural Outlook," the Daily Telegraph says: Agitation on the Government Cattle Diseases Bill has not been sustained during the Easter Parliamen- tary recess with so much vigour as m;gh1 reasonably .have been expected, but it will be sure to revive as the period approaches when the House of Commons will have to deal with it in committee. No doubt it has been remarked that working men of the trades Ullionsarc not well agreed on the point whether the interests of consumers are to be farthered most by a rigid exclusion of all live animals from foreign countries affected by foot-and-mouth disease, 'with the object of shielding our homo flocks and herds from further contagion, or whether the theory expounded by Mr. Forster, Mr. Arthur Arnold, and those who agree with them is the correct one, that to carry out this policy would have the effect of producing a considerable rise in the price of meat. There was a. large meeting of trade unionists at Chelsea on Satur- •xla-v week, in support of the Lords' amendments to the Government bill, at which it was admitted that the various trade societies of the metropolis are divided on the question. Similar arguments appear to have been adduced, as Mr. Duckham, Mr. 'Chaplin, and other agriculturists have employed, to the effect that only a small percentage of the total meat, consumed in the United Kingdom is derived fi-, iii those foreign countries which, being aiTrc'cd by the contagion, would be prevented, if the Lords' amendments were substan- tinted, from sending live animals to this country. On the other hand, there are other representatives of the working classes who maintain the view that, however small the increment of meat coming from those countries may be, it is so necessary to fill up the measure of supply that the loss of it would not only be sensibly felt, but be sufficient to render beef and mutton scarce and dear. The worst part of the matter appears to be that both parties argue from uncertain data and evidence which at the most can only be deemed probable. A toler- ably accurate guess may no doubt be made as to what is about the total consumption of meat per head of the inhabitants of the United Kingdom, and as the Board of Trade Returns declare what the imports of live animals and dead meat from foreign countries actually are the state- inents Mr. Duckham has made can'be substantiated, at least, to the extent of showing that thev cannot bs very far from wrong. At all events, those who have been agitating on the other side have not thought proper to deny the substantial correctness of the figures laid before Lord Carlingforcl when the depu- tation of British agriculturists waited on him the other day. However, it would be much more satisfactory if it could be proved by statistics gathered at home what the annual production of beef, mutton, and pork in Great Britain and Ireland actually amounts to, as theie would then be no occasion to deal in guess-work or have the slightest reason to doubt. Not that even this would materially affect the point at issue, inasmuch as those who contend for the Lords' amendments to be ex- punged from the Cattle Diseases Bill admit the large- ttess of the home supply of meat, and the obligation of consumers to feel interest in its promotion. What they contend for appears to be that the entire bulk is so very limited that consumers cannot afford to lose the slightest portion, and they are seriously afraid that if the importation of foreign live animals be considerably curtailed the deficiency will not be fully made up bv an increase in the foreign dead meat Supply. On the latter point there is a great deal of fresh evidence derivable from the important statistics calcu- lated to assure them. Australasian frozen mutton cargoes have increased so rapidly during the past twelve months, and there are such vast resources at the Antipodes to feed the trade and expand it to enormous proportions, that English flockmasters are beginning very generally to entertain the conviction that the palmy days of dear mutton are gone for ever. This commodity in the Australian colonies a?d New Zealand has been regarded as little e se than a waste product until the frozen ineat shipments to England were organised. In e abundance of gnme. wild fowl, and more dainty colonists never Avero accustomed lo utilise ny other p°rtion °f (he sheep except the leg them- fn Vfi' wliole of the remainder being boiled down Hn ,1° Sa'fe the fat. To be sure, there was the e meat enterprise, which for a brief period made bw^fl .cons'ders,ble demands on Australian mutton to to ensure satisfactory sale owing no doubt, by the over- to ».,„■« preservation, not appear to on the contrary, do original character of10,]1'0 "™ch^ judges have pronouneed° ,M°St nnl?artlal as to its high quality Iei7 satlsfactolT opinions likely to ensure its fw ere is one feature very public—the joints are smnlV1 es ^le British portion of fat, to lean than a wrpf i a ,lnuch *ess P1'0- produced mutton. Australian fin °f 0U1* home- sells retail at the Metropolitan LwT/'T USLlally following prices:. Leg*, fro,* 7" at the shoulders and loins, from 6d. to '\ei breasts, from 4.]d. to 5d. per lb. ProbabWinnH parts of the metropolis and elsewhere these m-in are very much exceeded owing to middlemen stcpiimt in and absorbing for themselves most of the profits and selling tlie commodity almost as dear as English nieat, »

How HE WAS SwoKN. -The witness had served in one of the Indiana regiments, and had come home from the wars with both arms shot Off- He lost one. ^•rni at Fort Donnelson, and the othei at Lookout Mountain. When he came forward to testily the clerk commenced to administer the oath. You solemnly swear Stop stop!" interrupted the judge (new installed), with overpowering chgmty; the witness will hold up his right hand when he is sworn." « Your honour," replied the clerk, meekly, the man has no right hand." Then let him hold up his left hand." If your honour will remember, the witness has no left hand, either. lie had the Misfortune to lose them both in battle." Perhaps the j/erk thought by this last bit of information to bring roV ^e ^own from his height of displeasure; but he reckoned without his host. "Then tell him to hold P 118 right leg. A witness cannot be sworn in this .out holding vp something Silence all of you. This court knows the law, and will maintain it.' 6 witness was sworn on one leg.

Romaxce and Reality.—Many romantic stories are related of marriages resulting from correspondence between strangers. Here is a story of a pair who, after exchanging letters, met by appointment: The surprise with which she discovered that he, instead of being twenty-seven, tall, dark, and aristocratic, was forty-six, stumpy, red-headed, fat, and bow-legged, was onlv equalled by the rapturous amazement with which he discovered that she, instead of being willowy of figure, just eighteen, with warm golden hair, an opalescent complexion, and blue eyes like I limpid lakes, was six feet one, if she was an inch, fifty-two if she was a day, weighing three and twenty stone if she did an ounce, and with no warm yellow or any other hair of her own.' Foktune Tellin-c:.—At Leicester, on Saturday Eliza Dabell, hawker, of Popham-street, Nottingham, was charged with pretending to tell fortunes to lmP5>se upon and deceive certain of her Majesty's subjects. The prisoner visited gentlemen's houses, ucot\ the servants to part with clothing and °n -i Pretence that she would consult the j. j v*5.an tell them their fortunes, the mediums to two 1nognths'^pri1s1onmentrdS" SentenCed brought by Miss Fortescue "against Garmoyle for breach of promise of marriage is Nn printed list of actions setdoj^ the Easter sittings. It is about the 120th special jury case in the list, but it is very probable that it 'will not be reached until the Trinity sittings in June next. Mr. Charles Russell, Q.C., M.P., who has been retained as leading counsel for the plaintiff, was also offered a retainer on behalf of the defendant., but had to decline it, as he had already accepted the retainer of the, former. v 1

MR. PARNELL AND HIS RENTS. An action raised by Mr. Parnell against Mrs. West for rent due was tried in Dublin on Saturday. It was to recover Elc)s, three years' rent of the lands of Mount Avon, co. Wicklow. The defendant was sued as executrix of the late Mr. Charles Matthew West, who held under lease in the ordinary way, dated Aug. 18, 1880, for thirty-one years. The defendant denied, first, that the lease had been made; and, secondly, that if the lease was made it was assigned to a Mr. Dalton, with the consent and knowledge of the plaintiff, who, she alleged, in an interview with her late husband, had agreed to look for the rent to Dalton, and not to Mr. West. Dr. Houston, Q.C., and Mr. Lynch appeared for the plaintiff; and Mr. Monroe, Q.C., and Mr. Robert- son for the defendant. After the opening statement of Mr. Houston, Mr. Monroe, for the defence, said the lease in question had been drawn up in lieu and barof all claims for compensation, past and future, and also in lieu of all claims for disturbance. It had, he alleged, been transferred to Mr. Dalton with the knowledge of Mr. Parnell. The interest on money lent by Mr. West to Mr. Parnell on mortgage was duly paid up to the time that Mr. West ceased to be the occupier, but he had never sought to make Mr. West responsible for the rent of a farm which lie was not enjoying, and which Mr. Parnell knew very well Mr. Dalton was enjoying, and which Mr. Dalton enjoyed down to the time of the action. In the course of an interview with Mr. Parnell in Kilmain- ham, 1881, Mr. West asked for the' money then due or interest on the mortgage. Mr. Parnell said it was not convenient to pay what was due on the mortgage, and he also told Mr. West that there was no necessity for proceeding against Mr. Dalton for the rent—that for obvious reasons he (Mr. Parnell) was not in a position to sue at that time either for rent or to take proceedings for ejectment for non-payment of rent. It would have looked awkward to sue for rent when others were not paying. However, that was the reason assigned at the time by Mr. Parnell, who said to Mr. West-: You are perfectly safe at all events. I will never look to you for the rent. I am perfectly satisfied to look to Mr. Dalton." Mr. Parnell was then sworn and examined by Mr. Robertson. He said Mr. West was for some time tenant of Mount Avon. He paid his rent regularly. Were you aware that he executed a deed of assign- ment to Mr. Dalton? I am not aware that that was the reason why Mr. West did not pay his rent. Were you aware that the deed of assignment w&s executed ?-I was aware that he assigned his interest. Did he not tell you that he was about to assign his interest before he did so ?- Yes; in fact lie asked me to renew the lease of Mount Avon, which lie had for his own life and the life of Mrs. West. He asked me to renew the lease in order that he might make an advantageous sale of his interest—advantageous to himself. Up to the interview with Mr. West there was no payment by Mr. West. Was there any application to him for payment?— Except an indirect application—I don't know whether you will call it an indirect application—but I will explain how the matter arose. In October, 1881, Mr. West applied to me—I think it was on Oct. 15-for payment of the interest on the mortgage which was clue to him, and I was unable to pay him the whole of it. I was able to pay him out a small portion of the interest, and I said to him that the rent of Mount Avon ought to go against the interest. He demurred to this, and said that lie had been informed by his legal adviser that in consequence of the transfer by him of his interest in the lease to Dalton, he was no longer liable for the rent of Mount Avon. I told him that I did not see how this could be. I made him a small payment on account of the interest. Did you not afterwards pay him the whole of the interest ? I did, under threat of legal proceedings. In further examination Mr. Parnell said when Mr. West called upon him in Kilmainham, in 1881, he might have referred to the question of the rent, but certainly not in the nature of a complaint that Dalton was not paying rent. Did you not then tell Mr. West that you would not look to him for the rent ? I did not. I never, directly or indirectly, gave Mr. West to understand that I would not look to him for the rent. Mr. Monroe: My lord, we cannot proceed further with the case. Mr. Justice Murphy This is a residential holding. Mr. Parnell: It is a residential holding—a villa holding. I never looked upon it as an agricultural holding. I considered that I was making a present of £1000 to Mr. West in giving him the new lease. Mr. Justice Murphy: Did he get S1000 ? Mr. Parnell: No I believe he did not get so much. Mr. Monroe He got S350. He left £ 1000 worth of improvements in the place. The jury then found a verdict for the plaintiff, with costs. _4

GARDEN CROPS OF 1881, From reports in the Gardeners' Magazine we learn that there is at present a fair promise of heavy crops of all the more important subjects of garden cultiva- tion. Although the winter was unusually mild vegeta- tion is at the present but little forwarder than the average,, a fortunate circumstance, seeing that the weathercock persists in pointing easterly. There was a good seed time, and seeds are growing well; and there was an equally good time for planting potatoes and other roots, the ground being dry throughout the whole month of March in fact, for fully two months the ground has been in capital condition for work. In the southern districts wall trees and pears and plums and cherries have flowered in the most profuse manner and have set heavy crops. In exposed places the callow fruit is being thinned by night frosts, aided by dull days, but generally speaking the leaves are thick enough to provide a good natural shelter, and thus far it cannot be said that any serious harm has been done. No one desires to see apple bloom while the present cold continues, but apple bloom is near at hand, and in the warmer spots near London, apple trees are perfect bouquets of pink- tinted gauzy flowers, showing the intention of the trees to repeat the phenomenal crop of 1863, if only the weather will allow it. Apricot trees are plenti- fully dotted with fruit, even in the less favourable localities. For some four weeks from the present time, it will be as foolish to count the fruits on the peach or plum trees as to count the chickens that are still in the shell. When May 20 is past, counting may begin, but even then we may expect an occasional slip between the fruit and the lip.

A "Bowery boy being tried for assault and battery in New York when asked by the judge if he had any- thing to say by way of defence, replied, Well, your honour, I "saw but little of the fight, as I was under- neath most of the time."

THE LAWS OF CRICKET. In London, on Monday, a fully-attended meeting of the Marylebone Cricket Club was held at Lord's- ground, the chair being taken by Lord Winterton, the president pro. tern., when the revised code of laws was discussed and agreed to. The Chairman, after an allusion to the death of the late president, the Hon. Robert Grimston, and to the loss the club had sustained thereby, submitted the business of the day to the meetinsr, and observed that in drawing up an amended code of cricket laws the committee were merely endeavouring to make legal the unwritten laws under which modern cricket was played. A resolution amending law 5, as follows," That the bat shall not exceed 3in, in the widest part," instead Of 4 £ in., stood in the name of Mr. C. E. Boyle. That gentleman, however, telegraphed that he was unable to attend, and intimated that lie wished to drop the proposal. This was accordingly done, and the legal width of the bat stands at 41-m. Mr. 1. D. Walker brought forward the first amend- ment to the committee's revised rules, to the effect that substition should not be allowed under any cir- cumstances, except where a player becomes incapaci- tated by illness or accident during a match. The present permissive rule, he said, was abused in all kinds of matches, and it often happened, unfairly to the opposing eleven, that a substitute was sent out to field who was superior to the absentee. The amendment (to Rule 37) was seconded by Mr. Clarke, but was lost on a vote by 28 against 26. Lord Harris then proposed his amendment to Rule 48, which stood as follows The umpire shall take especial care to call no ball' instantly upon de- lisery of the ball, if that delivery be not strictly fair and in accordance with the laws; wide balls as soon s e ball shall have passed the striker." For this ri^V\L°rd Harris proposed to substitute the two fol- 1- H the umpire at the bowler's end W. >' £ satisfied of the absolute fairness of the delivery of ball, he shall call 'no ball.' 2. The umpire shall take especial care to call no ball' instantly upon delivery, wide ball' as soon as it shall pass the striker." The mover said that during the last few years it was well known that infringen ents of the law now under attention had become common in the cricketing world. He did not hesitate to assert that during the past six years there had been a marked in- crease of unfair actions on the part of bowlers, and also actions which, perhaps, might not generally be described as absolutely unfair, and which, if they were disposed to leniency, they might allow to pass by un- checked but it could not but be to the advantage of cricket in general, and to the great benefit of young aspirants, if the club decided to disallow these mal- practices. To strengthen his propositions he had obtained an expression of feeling from the principal county clubs in favour of his views. He had addressed a circular to the county clubs, and some of these had acted upon it with effect, and it would now be seen that committees had become particular about the style of the professional bowlers whom they employed. Objection to his interference had been heard from one or two quarters, but he had not sought to coerce county clubs or to enforce as a law his private views. Furthermore, the M.C.C., which ho had often declared to be the Parliament of cricket, had taken even a more stringent step, for the umpires employed by the club had been called before the committee and told that they must un- hesitatingly adhere to their duties as prescribed in the law, the intention being that they should not be lax or lenient. That warning was administered some time ago, and he (the speaker) ventured to say no good result had followed. As to amateur umpires, he believed they would never prove successful in first- elass matches. It was impossible for them to possess sufficient experience. Even were he to procure the support of the meeting on this occasion, he feared the amendment would not be efficacious, for the reason that umpires did not possess the courage of their opinions but if the amendment became law it would stand as a record that the M.C.C. recognised the fact that umpires had failed to do their duty. Mr. Denison seconded the amendments, and agreed with the mover that even the proposed alteration would be unlikely to put a stop to throwing. That obnoxious practice could be prevented by umpires, as had been shown by matches in Australia. Mr. C. Marsham objected to the amendments because they still left room for doubting on the part of umpires. There was no difficulty in distinguishing a thlZJW or a jerk from fair bowling but bowlers did not, Îhe thought, generally bowl unfairly. The amend- ment was ostensibly meant to meet the case of those who did not bowl fairly. The Chairman, speaking on behalf of the com- mittee, said they had always been anxious to put. down all unfair action, but they felt, when revising the code, that no words could be more precise or more forcible than those contained in the present law 10. If that rule had not been carried out, then umpires were to blame. The Chairman then put the amendments of Lord Harris, which were carried, 41 voting for and only 11 against them. Mr. Walker now brought forward his motion to substitute for the existing law 2 of the two new laws relating to one-day matches the follow ing The match, when not played out, shall be decided by the first innings." There was a general agreement in favour of the passing of this amendment, which, it was pointed out, really only applied to the M.C.C. matches, for it was general throughout the country to decide one-day matches on the first innings when they were not played out. A discussion, however, arose as to the expediency or otherwise of bringing up this question, considering that owing to a technical irregularity in the form in which the amendment was placed on the paper and advertised, the second section of this second rule (relating to the permission in one day matches to bowl five or six balls in an over) would be involved. Mr. Walker's proposal, however, received the support of thirty-six gentlemen present, and as only a few held up their hands against it, it was carried. A second general meeting of the M.C.C. is to be held in a month's time, when the formal permission of the club will be given to five or six balls being bowled per over in one-day matches. This was felt to be merely a technicality; and no doubt, pending the next meeting, one-day matches will be conducted in the same manner as heretofore. The amendments having thus been disposed of, the chairman put to the meeting the entire new code as revised and amended, and it was approved of unani- mously. The chairman said he desired to thank numerous cricketers who had forwarded valuable suggestions to the sub-committee touching the re- arrangement of the laws. The meeting then terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman and the revision committee.

THE DISHORNING OF CATTLE. In Dublin on Monday in the Exchequer Divi- sion Baron Dowse and Mr. Justice Andrews delivered judgment, holding that dishorning cattle was cruelty within the meaning of Sec- tion 2 of 12 and 13 Vic., c. 92. The point arose on a case stated from Drumconrath Petty Sessions, county Meath, at the instance of Mr. Thomas Brady, as honorary secretary to the Society for the Preven- tion of Cruelty to Animals. The respondent, Mr. T. McArdle, of Greenan, in that county, had been sum- moned at the suit of the society for having, on Feb. 25 last, caused the horns of certain cattle to be cut off, thereby cruelly torturing them. It appeared from the evidence that the horns of 34 head of cattle were sawn off close to the bone, leaving holes in the heads, and the animals were covered with blood and restless, though some were feeding. For the defence the evidence was that the horns had to be cut off where cattle were fed in a yard, to prevent them tearing each other. The dishorning also saved trouble in minding the cattle. Baron Dowse, in giving judgment, said in his opinion the act in question of dishorning cattle came within the statute. It was said the dishorning was done for the purpose of convenience. For the convenience of whom ? For the convenience of a man who fed them in a narrow yard where they had not sufficient room. It could not be said to be done for the use of man, but for the use of particular people, and for contingent profits, because it was said there were some markets where they preferred animals without horns. But if there were some markets where they preferred animals without eyes, would that be justification for taking the eyes out of the animals? If the practice was justifiable in Meath, it must be also in Cork and Donegal. In his opinion there was a limitation to the treatment of cattle, and that was this, that the abuse or illtreatment must not be unreasonable and unnecessary. Nobody could contend that a Meath grazier was a better judge than Divine Providence 1 as to bow cattle should be born in to the world. No costa were given, this being the first case of the kind.

THE END OF THE FRENCH MINERS STRIKE. A correspondent writes to the Ti,ncs: The triumph of the Anzin Mining Company, after a strike lasting fifty-eight days, will prove so costly a victory that both parties may well be congratulated on the cessation of the struggle. The company had more coal than it could easily dispose of, and was anxious to prevent the miners from forming a trades union. The leaders in this movement were therefore discharged and a strike provoked, in which it was anticipated about a third or half the men would participate. Instead of this, nearly all the men left off work, so that, instead of merely limiting the output, it has been almost entirely stopped, and the company was compelled to import coal from Belgium to meet its contracts. Further, the mines are considerably damaged by this long neglect, and already one accident lias happened resulting in the loss of a life. The ordinary output of the company is estimated at 5000 tons a day, and valued at 9s. to 10s. a ton, Considering that during the fifty-eight days' strike scarcely more than 50,000 tons can llaY2 been extracted by the few miners who did not join the strike, the loss of the company may be put down at about £ "'108,OOO, with- out reckoning the injury to the mines, and the extra cost of importing coals from Belgium. On the other hand, there were, including the families of the miners' some 32,000 persons deprived of their means of sub- sistence. Even by limiting the food supply to lib. of bread for each person, this gives an expenditure of per day, or a total of i'13,580 for the first 55 days of the strike. Accounts for the last three days are not yet published. During the 55 days the strike fund only amounted to £ 2,800. which is equivalent to but 100 grammes or three-and-a-half ounces of bread per head per day. It is difficult to realize the amount of suffering these figures represent: tiid. all things considered, it must be admitted the miners have shown the greatest powers of endurance. Many long months of patient work must be accomplished before all the debts incurred will be paid off; but the company, on its side, will have- also a heavy reckoning with its shareholders." 0

A few years ago there was a man in Brooklyn whd had six or seven very corpulent daughters. When asked how many children he had, his answer was generally something of this kind I have thyee boys, and about thirteen hundredweight of girl?" 1

ARC^^OLOGICAL DISCOVERY m UPPER EGYPT. At Ekhmeem large provincial town of Upper' Egypt, situate alx-»*b half way between Assiout and Thebes, Professor JJ'ispero, re-iuraing from his annual trip of inspection up the Nile. has just found a hitherto undiscovered ard unplundered necropolis of immense extent. As far" ay has been yet ascertained; the necropolis dates from Ptolemaic period but as the work of exploration proceeds it will probably be found that it; contains more aaicient quarters. The riches of this new burial field would meanwhile seem to be almost inexhaustible. Five gr sat tomb. or catacombs already opened have yielded 120 mummies, and within the short space of three hours Professor Mas- pero verified the sites of over 100 more similar cata- combs, all absolutely intact. The necropolis of Ekhmeem. at. a rough estim;e, cannot contain fewer than five or six thousand embalmed dead. Of these perhaps not more than 20 per cent will turn out to be of archaeological or historical value but the har- vest of papyri, jewels, and other funeral treasures cannot fail in any case to be of unprecedented extent. Ekhmeen is the ancient Khemnis—the Panopolis of the Greeks. Its architectural remains are in-- significant., The Ti*it*.

FRAUDS UPON UNDERTAKERS. In London on Monday, at the Central Criiiiiiial- Court, James Morris, 34, traveller, pleaded guilty to uttering two forged cheques for £ 20 each, knowing- ihem to be forged. Mr. Poland and Mr. Montagu Williaiiis appeared for the prosecution on the part of the public prose- cutor. The case, Mr. Poland said, was a peculiar one. The prisoner and another man had been in the habit of going to various undertakers and obtaining money on fictitious cheques. On the 7th of November the prisoner and his confederate went to the shop of Mr. Johnson, an undertaker at Woolwich, and told him that their brother was dead. They made a bar- gain with him. and it was arranged that the cost of the funeral should be £ 15. They gave the deceased's name as Alfred Godson, aged 26, and the prisoner said his uncle was going to pay for the funeral. He produced a cheque upon Messrs. Ilill and Son, of Smitlifield, for £ 20, and said that perhaps Mr. Johnson would be kind enough to take his £ 15 out of it and give them the £ 5 change, at the same time asking him for a receipt. The undertaker, not suspecting a fraud cashed the cheque and gave them the £5 change. When, however, the cheque was paid info the prose- cutor's bank it was returned marked no account," The undertaker in the meantime had sent someone to the place indicated to measure the alleged deceased, but discovered that no one was dead, there. The pri- soner on tli-, same day went with his companion to another undertaker and passed a similar cheque, obtaining the change by a similar trick. As they were leaving the house it came on to rain, and the prisoner asked the undertaker to lend him his umbrella, saying that he could have it again when he came to measure the deceased. The undertaker lent him his umbrella, but subsequently found that there was no corpse to measure. The police had made enquiries, and had found that from London to Chester similar cheques had been passed in the-same manner at undertakers' shops the tradesmen being completely deceived. It had also been ascertained that the pri- soner had been previously convicted for uttering counterfeit coin. The prisoner handed in a written statement in mitigation of sentence, urging that he had been made a dupe of. The Recorder sentenced him to eighteen months' hard labour.

THE HOP PLANT AND ITS ENEMIES. A very important letter has been issued by Miss Eleanor A. Ormerod, consulting entomologist of the Royal Agricultural Society, in which she draws at- tention to the fact of hop lice being now beginning to appear, and that they are being deposited alive by wingless females. Specimens of these have been sent from Barming and Wateringbury. where they were first found on'shoots of hops which had not yet been I- dressed," and information has been sent her of the appearance of lice, or lice and wingless females, on other grounds near Maidstone and Sevenoaks. This point is very important, as it shows attack is beginning by means of the females sheltered in the hill, or in some part of the plant below ground. These were found with the small young lice around them, which they were depositing alive. This is the point which infor- mation has been so much wanted on. Now we know that wherever attack may come from by-and-by (and it is likely to come, borne on ths wing from damson and plum) that at present it is steadily coming up day by day on foot out of the hop hills, aud now is the time to cheek it thoroughly. Miss Ormerod suggests working on the fact that the female creeps up from below; consequently, if any dressing can be applied which will poison her without injuring the plant, or anything can be thrown through which she will not creep up, we should meet the difficulty. Miss Ormerod is herself experimenting a thick coat of spent gaa-lime, well down amongst the base of the shoots, and round them. and. if no harm shows, purposes to give another hand-sprinkling in about two davs. There is not enough to hurt even the surface rootage, and the rapid growth of the shoots carries them quick through it, and in this nearly spent condition it is believed to be very prejudicial to the aphis. Lime. paraffin diluted with water, and applied in ashes (or, for experiment, sawdust), might all prevent the female coming up. But these are practical points which hop growers can best judge of. But it is of vital importance to the coming crop to consider how to destroy the coming attack while still it is in eiiibryo-- wbilst it is creeping up on foot from the hills- whereas very shortly it will be spreading on the wing. Miss Ormerod suggests that hop growers should themselves experiment by dressing hills with- out waiting for shoots or lice to appear. The result, she savs, would probably give most important infor- mation. Even should a few plants be destroyed in the experiment, the information obtained would afford more than compensating gain.

CANADIAN NEWS. The early approach of spring throughout the Canadian North-West has given an impetus to the influx of immigrants by way of the United States, the Canadian lake route not being open for traffic so early in the year. During one week. though, already very early in the season, as many as 200 intending settlers entered Manitoba from the United States, including a party of young farmers from Pennsylvania, who intend to settle in Western Canada. These report that agricultural pursuits in their native State are proving a failure, and predict a large emigration from both Pennsylvania and Maine to the Canadian orth-" est. The demand for farm labourers is reported to be very large in Ontario as well as the North-West. Satisfaction is expressed throughout the Dominion at the result of a recent debate in the Canadian House of Commons on the prohibition question. A resolution in favour of the enactment of a prohibitory law was the subject of discussion. On a division, one- third of the members declared their belief that public opinion was already ripe for such a measure, and their willingness that the traffic should be at once swept out of existence; while 122 members m a House of 162 affirmed the principle of total pro 1 1 tion. and expressed their readiness to enac a aw as iv • • u «rwiire its successful soon as public opinion would ensure 01 Tbework of further t«l»S th«. ?P" MbL o? the tract of tod lung T ,1 r r„n„ 'Ais Canadian J\ortn-West, on each side of the' Canadian Pacific Railway is now eacu siu i on. Late last season ten test toS wTrfeSded, from thirty to forty ,„iles innrt. alonff the whole distance over 440 miles and alT average of more than twenty-five acres was broken on well farm, care having been taken to select sites composed of lands representing the fair ave- rage quality of the whole traet. The land en the first eight farms was found to be excellent for general farming," varying from a clay to a sandy loam of from five inches to twelve inches in depth, with a sandy clay subst-il; while the laLds at the west end of the- tract is a, rich dark loa?-n eight inches to fourteen inches tteep, wi.th a sandy ("ay subsoil. Each of these test farms is now beil- placed under cultivation by the Canadian Pacifu- Railway Company. A spring crop, of wheat, oats,, bariev, and peas will be sown, th{\t the test may be a thorough one.

| u Don't sit so far away irom me, Henry dw," she said to her lover, while they were steaming up the Hudson river with the excursion; don't sit so far away and turn your back to me in that way; people will think we're married,"