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

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT, THE DUKE OF CLARENCE AND AYONDALE. lii the HOUSE OF LORDS, on Juno 23. the Duke of Clarence and Avondale, introduced by the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh, took the oath and subscribed the roll of Parliament on his cfc&tion as a peer, the ceremony being witnessed by a 1,Tge and dis- tinguished assemblage. Lord Ribblesdkle ealtel attention to the slackness of the attendance of peers in the Hons" -on ordinary occa- sions when no great rarty division v:as impending, and suggested that their lordships should consider the expe- diency, by standing order or otherwise, of making a peer's power to vete depend on his having attended in his pi are for a certain number of times in the previous Session. Lord Craftbrook ob jected to a theoretic experiment of that character, and panted out that the object of the noble lord could no,, i)e carried out without legisla- tion. The suggested standing order would be illegal Mrd ccntraty to the ttfctr.s of the Queen's summons sent t"'O peers. Lord Granville thought a bill unnecessary, the matter being one only ei procedure; but Lord Sethorne •doubted whether a peer could be precluded fros; voting sitsply on account of previous absence. The subject then dropped. CONSOLIDATION Or STATCTKS. The Lord Chancellor having answered s. question 'from Lord S'-anhope in regard to the corsctidatioa of statutes, The Hoe rose at 2"» minutes past file (ICr.-THJS TniE. In tht HOUSE ou COMMONS, there 'were over 60 question on the paper, of which ne "fewer than 29 related to Ireland, besides vurasnal -number of sup- plemeetary ones, and it was not until nearly half-past five trciock that the orders of the day were reached. THE I-rcENHING' CLAUSES JI.. I<N I" ON ED. Sfr. W. H. Smith, iu reply to Rfc. Caine, who asked whether it was the iitee."k>n of the Government to per- severe with the licensitser-clauses c!f the Local Taxition 'Bill, announcer) that ij Government had come to the 'conclusion that it v. -practically impossible in the «present state of bnsinese to pass the bill in its -entirety. The firs Ift of th3 hill, which allocated a portion of the e-cw duties for the extinction of licenses having keys carried, so far as England was concerned, the Government; proposed to proceed with the clauses dealing wit& the same point as far as Scotland and Ireland were concerned and with the clauses for the -scspenfion of the issue of new licenses, but the clau^es-cnabling County Councils to pur- chase licensee "tild be abandoned, and the Govern- ment would ask the H()lij to consent to an amendment in order to the fund for the extinction of licensee to be acccmckfted until Parliament deals with the whole licensing question. Replying to a question fcy Sir W. Harcoart with reference to the metropolitan police, he«aid the Superannuation Bill would be tafcan as soon after the Local Te-xation Bill as possible, SR?7IECT C<W?~~TFE ON PROCEDURE. Mr. W. 'I't:. Smith pursuant to notice moved fortht appomtrrrcct of a Stlcct Committee to inquire whether by means 6 an abridged form of procedure, or other- wise, the*consideration of bills which have been partly considered in the Reuse could be facilitated in the next -enstring BesBion of the same Parliament, «nd is the discission whisk followed Mr. Gladstone urged that, •;« -?iew Of tbe'tonciliatory attitude the GOTDmeDt. tbe motion should be accepted but Mr. Tfrhitbread. -while not oppcsing it, protested against the procCaure of the House being alterad simply to meet a temporary difficulty. Mr. J. Lcwtfcer objected to its beirif- assumed that there wasa universal concorrence of epiinon in favour of altering the- rfties of ths House in the way suggested and ,ultin:a.teiy Mc. fmiWB motios: was agreed to without a division. THE OGMJETTEK ON LOCAL TAXATION. Tfee House was iu Committee aLL the rest of 6- evaciog on the L-scal Taxation Bill, and some timavts ccocpied with"C&o consideration of an amentl-ment, mCT-ed by Mr. Kuater, to omit the first subsection of Cleuse2, which expropriates £ 40,000 for the-parpeses e. -police supertQ:auatiou in Scotland. Ofcjecticn was taten by the Scotch members to the amount asked for, oc the ground it was excessive, and especially y complained of the absence of definite information as to the scheme ofcrfolioe superannuation propesed"co be established. la the end, Mr. Ritchie consented to sefer the question to a Select Committee, whereupon Mr. Hunter ;i«' £ d leave to withdraw his ameaclwient, bet this was-objected to by Mr. Storey and Dr. Clark, tmd on a division the subsection w&s carried by "237 to 170. Mr. Ritchie then moved to report progress, fa order to allow, the- amendments necessary to carry out the eew proposals of the Government in cegard tc the 'licensing clauses to be put on the paper wroh a fiep to their consideration on Tuesday, wkoreupon Sir '\V. Harcourfcdeotia-yadthat the Opposition would oontinliB to -zesist the bit& uatil the licensing clauses were altogether withdrawn,-and, after some further discussion, in the ,.course of wbieh the Government were pressed by Mr. Reid, Mr. Wel'ace, and other members, to postpone the further proceedings on the bill until Thursday, Mr. 'Ritchie mowed the closure. This wasicarried-jLy 248 "to 215, after which the motion to report progress was ,agreed to with-sut a division. The remaining orders were dispcsed of, and -the -House.adjoTOeed at 20 minutes to one «'clock.

SURPLUS BOOKS OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. The distrikution of surplus duplicate copiec of books by the British Museum among the puwiic libraries of the United Kingdom seems to be insK- Laustible. Each copy is stamped with what is oalled & •' transfer-stasnp as a permanent reoord of .h a book once the,: property of our great national library feas come into other hands. Of these1 transfer stamps," mere than 41,000 have lately been impressed upon these duplicates, and this enumeration is exclu- sive of a largo, aumber impressed, ueder a specic.^ arrangement ky some of the libraries receiving lhe beoks.

ACCIDENT TO A DUCHESS. La the Duke-and Duchess of Rutland were driv-fcf £ feo-other afterncor, a ball, thrown by a fe&y playiqg; tipcat, struck the duchess with great foroe in the left-eye, causing»ise? much pain and almost stunning her. The sight WêoC not affected, however, and -abe rftopered ina short time.

RESIGNATION OF MR. CAINE. Mr. W. S. Caine, M.P. for Barrow-in-Furneefl, ap- plied cr. Monday for the Chiltern Hundreds, is order to test the feeling o.' kig Conservative and Liberal Unionict constituents- ic regard to his oppositioa to the licensing proposal of the Government. Mr. Caine, in &is election azdress, says he has felt it is duty t; vacate his seat with a view to seeking re- electioa usder the altered circumstances which sue- round the Unionist party in Parliament and in the country. Ke reminds the electors that be was rGo- turned at the last election as an advanced Liberal, practically unpledged. Thosa who voted for him were about equally made up of C^servatives and Liberals, who, like himself, could not accept Mr. Glad- stone's Home Rule Bill. He could not, however, ignore the fact that, in spite, of his explicit statements for perfect freedom of action. support of the prin- ciples he had always professed, many of those who voted for him would Dot have one so unless they had believed be WGwd give a cisre or less consistent support to the preswatGovesnmaat. He now found himself. not only unabie to support the Government, but forced into strong antagonism, engaged in oppo- sition, which if successful could result only in their defeat and destruction. This being so, he wished to give those who returned him to Parliament an oppor- tunity of substituting as their representative any .other man whom they might prefer.

A ROYAL REVIEW. The Queen on Monday reviewed the troops of the Windsor Garrison and the Eton College Volunteers in Windsor Great Park The Royal Horse Guards, the 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards, and tho volun- teers were first inspected by the Prince of Wales, who was accompanied by the Princess, the Duke of Clarence, and other Royal personages. On her Majesty's arrival, with Princess Beatrice and a bril- liant suite, the troops went through a variety of evolutions, and marched past. After the Queen's return to the Cactie the Prince of Wales complimented the troops on their movements, and, with the Princess and party, resumed his journey from Sunningdale to London.

A VERY talkative little girl steed often to annoy her mother by making remarks about visitors that came to the bouse. On one occasion a gentleman was expected whose nose had been accidentally flattened nearly to his face. The mother ca^tioced the child to say nothing about this feature. Imagine her con- sternation when the little one suddenly exeltimed: "Mother, you told me to say nothing$^>0 £ t M- Smith's noag. Why; he hasn't got avpfr

THE DUN MOW FLITCH. REVIVAL OF AN OLD CUSTOM. The Dunmow Flitch Committee are busi!y arrang- ing for the carrying out of the historical festival of the Flitch of Bacon. Already four happy couples have laid claim to the great matrimonial prize, the claimants in every case hailing from beyond Essex, one pair applying from a distance of 200 miles, a fact which shows that the Flitch has something more than local fame. Two gammons of bacon havo bpen offered by residents of the place, and it is thought others will be forthcoming, so that there will be a plurality of prizes. The festival will be held on the August Bank Holiday. Far back in the grim dimness of the Middle Ages wo see a joke arising among the flats of Essex. The subject of the jest was the notable liability of the married state to trivial janglings and difficulties, sufficiently tangible and real to vary what might otherwise be a too smooth surface of affairs. Taking it upon themselves to assume that perfect harmony between married persons for any considerable length of time was a thing of the greatest rarity, they ordered, and made their orcter known, that if any pair could, after a twelvemonth of matrimony, come for. ward and take oath at Duamowtbat, during the whole tim9 they had never had a quarrel-, never regretted their marriage, and, if again open tc an engagement, would make exactly tt they had made, they should be rewarded with a flitch of bacan. Between the time of King John and the ilef-armation-in which upward of threo centuries fled away-there are shown three instef-ces of an application for the flitch by properly qusHfted parties. The first was mado in 1415 by one Kicbard Wright, of Badbury, in the county of olk, a labouring man his claim was allowed, a tfce flitch rendozed to him. The second was made TE 14G7 by one Stephen Samuel, of Aston- Parva, in hx, a husbandman. The third appliea- tion on recsrd catne from. Thomas Le Fuller, of Cogs- ball, in fùcx, before John Tils, prior, in the presence of the convent and ns'glibours. The famous flitch ia referred to -at least twice in English literature. In the Wife -5f Bath's Tale," of Chaucer, appear 1&c lines: « "be bacon was-not for them, I trow, That some men have in Essex, at DUSMJSOW ;a the year 1445, another poet, whose uanjeis5ost fci (posterity, wrote: We find no man now that will enquire The perfect ways unto Dunmow, For they repent them within a year. And may within a week, I trow." Doubtless, the records of many application during tha sixteenthumd seventeenth centuries SPS lost to ,r-% but in 1701 we are apprised of one wbicfe."seems to Ilittve been conducted and acted upon witfs all due •state and ceremony, when William Parsley, and Jane "his wife, answered unhesitatingly to "She following qu-aitit in-r-omtion I You Eyewear by custom of confession, That yo<a no'er made nuptial transgression; | Nor since you were married man^and wifef By household brawls or contentions strife, Or otherwise, in bed or at bocrd, Offended each other in deed or "in word; Or in a twelvemonth's time and a day, Repeated not in any way Or. siisce the church clerk said Aiasen, Wished yourselves unmarriedagaio, Bat continue true and in desire As when you joined hand in holy kluire., The jwwxd of the Court was given ia'fchestftwsr.s 'Ciace to the conditions, witfeout fear, Of ywsrown accord you do freely-swear, A who!? gammon of bacoe you-do receive, And-bsftc it away with love and giod leave; For this is the custom of Duncrsw well-bee* m, Tho' the pleasure be ours, the bacon's your Fifty years later, John Sfcakoshsft, voolcotat-er, of Weathers&old, Essex, woo tfee-prbs. Joba-GiMer and his wife claimed it in 1772, 'bL1; when he^aad his sympathisers arrived at tise Priory they found the gates closed, and went away erttfty-banded. But in 1851 a cocple named Barrels weM, after soc-c demur by the lord of the manor, rewerded for month of mutual affection W -tile famous flitch. In 1885 Mr. Garrison Ainsworth tried to revivxvthe old custom, acd on July 19 of that year Mr.-«ad Mrs. Barlow, -c' Chipping f)Bi;ar, -ond the; Cfcav-alier de Chatelain and his English wife, appeared before & mixed j*.Ty of bachelors spinsters in tbe Town Hall of Dunmow. Tho court, of-wfesch Mr. Ainswoctt: was president, «,djot57ned to fcfce Windmill Field, where the oath was administered in the presence o 7000 people, ac-d the flitches presented to. the deserving quartette. Aaotfasr half-centut7, there- fore, will separate the last oelsferation of this interest- ing old ceremony from the revival which will take place on tfce August Bank Eoliday. Thsre can be, very little-doubt that, just as at Coventryy where the, Lady God;i,a procession, is béid, there -wiK be at)- immense Maembly in the qssarint^nd pretty town of Dunmow ts assist at the res«sc&a&ioa of thk curious old-world -w.:stoin.

THE "THALESiBORBilt Every Gt. year or so, abovt ?is time (says Mr. Phil Robinson, writing in the 'Sunday 'Hints*), the- Northern wbclers in LeviatmaiW; territoriac report. the outlook ae discouraging and ptct-results -as un- satisfactory. They say the fishery has -,gare to the dogs. In tapborjcal sense VAis,may .perhaps pass; but, Kbescl'y, it would peobebiy be- newer the truth to say tbat the whales bavervne to sonw place where they Caa, Lto cafe. Andiifctle wander,foraker all, this perencialfcic-ing and harpaoningand boiling down into oil must fewe become vprf mocotonousp fer these giants of the deep. They bave got L tired oi < £ >eing hunted for tfee of their costtenfec. and bawo.coaae to look upon 1,1 tfco Dundee Fleet sc a bore. Yea". after year, in the c-ost social spirit, tfeey have rbeen accustomed to eregate in certain <spots at last, if whalers' sgr-mblings go for thing, they have given up tho time-honoueed <oaetotn, '/aut" their old acquiiotances, and elected for-a quiet jijem- drum life amoag tiielr own kith and kin in. Lome .ouug, ice-locked bay. iar from the racdckig.arowd of barpooners, wbece they can all ptey among,thcci- vseives without having boats perVtur.Ily ohivyj, them up and down tho. sea. As a rule, huroia beig.^s are not giwm Ifi. feintow.- pUta such matters frosc any other ttian bejr -¡: standpoint, ani tbe odd3 are, therefore, that tbe Dundee whalers ttsvt never looked at -OLe fishery frcai-the whale's sif. of <the Question. T talk er going after the mighty cetaceans, of killiagih--m at great-risk to their craft aodoiuch peril to tWo, And of barrelljag off the oil. They speak of good -seasons and of-kad, make calculationo as to profit aødØ8, and, for -all the world, discuss the industry as ftf no one but:-they were interested in it. It doec not seem to occur to them, .however, that 6he Leviathans have, perhaps, been talking the scatter over, and that the reau of the huge Kcarine conference may have been a resolutioe carried unanimously, that, Itfl.vicg regard to the ic vaiiable loss of life which attended their annua* migrations tc certain places, the taesiLag was resolved never to go to auch unhealthy spots any more, and that, fccting on this decision, tfee whsCe community have changed their haunts, and 00 iaot Zatend to fore- gather with their old acquaintance tbe'E^ndee fisher- men any longer? With the best jctaations in t he world they have got thoroughly weary of the annual chasings, aad their amiability is exhausted. If tbe whalers wii; leave all their offensive apparatus behind in Dundee, And come up north ag friacds, the whales will be very glad to see them, just as before, but otherwise they must really beg to be excused. So they have all gone aWAY and have not left -their address. What they think of the powerful screw-steanaeca that now range in Arctic waters, and what tbeif view is of II lobtailing" and II breaching," of harpoons and harpoon-guns, and all the ether technical ties of the fishery, I cannot with any confidence say; but what the men call trying out" the whales call being boiled down. The hardy mariner terms the strips of blubber blanket pieces," the oil stuff in the head is "case," the fibrous headpiece is "junk," and so forth but the animals themselves have no such synonyms for the different partit of their bodies. Their heads are their heads, and when these are kewn open with hatchets to take out the oily sub- stance contained therein the whales can hardly be expected to look upon the operation simply as a commercial process. It is all very well for the brava men of Dundee to regard these animals simply as so much oil, and to talk of them as forty-barrel "ones, and so forth; but they cannot expect their prey to contemplate themselves simply as containing so much illuminating material, or to take an interest in them- selves solely from the oilman's standpoint. Whalebone has, no doubt, a market value as whale- bone; but tho creature that has it inside its mouth never thinks of it Is o-llcb c or light. So that if the great things have at last come to see that there are radical grounds for not sympathising with the fishers, and that there has been, all along, a very serious misunderstanding as to the relations of whales and whalers, there is not much room for surprise. Spermaceti and whalebone are, no doubt, im- portant enough to those who trade in them but, on the other hand, they are of considerable moment to the Leviathans who carry these com- modities about in their heads and bodies; and if they now turn round and say that they have got tired of being used as lamplighters and corset-stiffeners, and intend for the future to keep themselves moro to themselves, who can quarrel with them ? The Dundee fleet will probably think it selfish, narrow-minded, and mean! but, after all, even a whale has got its rights, and surely one of them is to enjcy its own blubber in peace.

DRUNKENNESS A DISEASE. HOSPITALS FOR INEBRIATES. Why do some men and womns become drunkards, while the majority of their cotapeers, though also non-abstainers, tfo not ? aska Dr. Norman Kerr in Short Qui?. No one starts with the design of graduating in drunkenness, but a minority fail in their efforts at moderatipn. Many of the failures were conspicuous for their talents, their accomplish- ments, their energy, tfeeir unselfishness, and the nobility their aspirations. In their non-alcoholic in- tervals not a few inebriates are men and women of reftnwwsnt and cultero, temperance advocates, and Christian workers. The only possible philosophical and scientific reply ft that some individuals have, from whatever condicions, either a tendency to inebriate excess, or a defective power to control and resistance. Environment, '£'t:<:h as temptations arising out cif social custom or a profusion of places where liquor -can be obtaineS, also contributes to the development xsf the drunken manifestations. A IIOUT OF INTOXICATTQN is no more,ae disease of inebriety Union is an tsct of violence the disease of insanity. I bave voritexed to define ingfcriety as a disease of the nervous system, allied tc insanity, characterised by a very strong impulse to, or crave for intoxication. It is not a dipso (thirst) mania. Many fnebriates are never thirsty unless their "coppers are hot" after a de- bauch, and others bate the liluor whidk they cannot ab/ltrin from. Inebriety is really a,, tipsy mania," or, va I have proposed to designate'it, a torpo narco- mania, a madness for intoxication by alcohol, or opium, or any other intoxicant. This malady may bs constant, periodical, -or accidental. In the acai- .tal form, there is 00 symptom of confirmed disease. The individual nsver transgresses except n some extraordinary,occ"im, such as a wedding, or a funeral, or a ParKament»ry"election. In the ex- lv oitement and JOVFAIRRY OF TNN MOMENT, his spirits are too absoiebed xnd buoyant to allow him to think of bew -muehlbe has taken, and, with. out the slightest idea of tnything of the kiofi, he simply glides, usfeaowingly and quite by accident, into excess, manifest to othsrs at the same time, but not discernible ty himself till next morning. -once bit twice shy, cmd very eften he is never caught a second time. The periodical inebriate, though between whites m sobfrssa judge, is the subject 'Of morbid physical disorder which may recur -either aft stated or irregular intervals. Inebriety is a disease. Let us treat "it as we would any other dis,w)e. Inebriates are labouring-ander this disea-se. Let us treat them as sick pfcrasns. Let us establish 'has. pitala for the treatment of the poorest victims Of this dire apfi "fetal diemsp. Let us enadt measures for the comspxhory recejEtion and detention for cura- tive purposes, of ell inebriates, whatever their worldly ciroamstancoe, "whose will-power has been so broken do*7R by dritak that they are uea'b!e$1«hem- selves.ts-tftr&G'& blQv: for freedom.

I FItANOE'S FUTURE. wmt.¡ í(te8 thdf ris correspondent of tjfee XrfJt 3fercitm;) 'i' to ts the economic future of Prance ? E Tfest ictfcc question- presented to the So peri sc Council of "-Iicnufactures &ad the Chamberc of Commerce by the Government. In the prevailing olwonrity eae pointMrtands out clear, that'tfbe Treaties of Oommereo will n<?t be renewed in February, 1892. Nevertheless,<a noSofcle portion of the Consultative Assemblies remafeo-cttached to the principles wbæi: ba-ve prT.-iLited-sinea 1860. For this have the ««suranceof the Minister of Commerce. Tholargetowce t proclaim themselves in favour of «Howing a -wide 11 field for fcfceir Burpte3 production abroad, which oar only bo ensured toy the absence of artiftcial barriers, j ndè<ooi.tíon.-cww materials. The proportion cf j two miltiards (s0 millions sterling) -ef irsports of raw Hcateri«le«ga)iB8t) 6a millions (24 millions starting) j of >cos?e»ponding «spoits proves this. On the other i band, there' is a- surplus in the production of Manu- i tactcred .goods -ovsr the consumption. For 1700 i, cnillion-sdeo -them -are only 600 BKIHOS purchases. I ,Yftst vrould becotce of us without <oew treaties ? To dmiinkh our errpcrts would be to briag about rnin pe a social crisis," exesimf; the Cbaix- ber cf Toulouse. Epinal, in tho vosgea, pro- tests -egesiast-a'-taj: on foreiga cottax Roobax, wfcioh -,a opposed to new treatiee, is equally m- pttaOic in denouncing impoets on pLr materiak. j £ ven 'is not teo well disposed Rewards these •duties, 'it-GO* far tic heart's deewe 'Sf -the cltsa-Prs- fceeticniats will not -be conceded. Ac to anything ijeyond tbis negatiw)'Conclusion, foreoosta would •. j <Kiiy mislacdi&g. The power of tbe agrajulturists is | wcy -strong in tho.present Chambers, aod this i& enn- I d eiiilrely on behalf of Protection. They.ave apparently quite .wiiiing to deny their fellows tbs pcwalf^e cf -eating m«tton, rather tfaac forego the tax 3fr. ■ £ 'head iOt foreign sheep. During-the reoest do«.rta. of this article of food in rtunce there i wis lacge contraband trade by way of AIgie.-& from T.unie. I^lse declarations wereimued, and j the "eqy --a in Irom Bone to Mcroeilles da7, free. I THE DEBF- SEA MISSION.

The the Mission ts treep Sat, Fishern&en hao been hold in Exeter Hall, And was,, largely attended. The Lcrd Chancellor preoided, and, in openicg tlie (proceedipgo, remarked that he had to plead guilty, like &Zrzat many people iathis.eountry, I to having hitherto known oomparativeiy little of this I mission; feat having now studied its history and | operations tie wac struck .with the succets which had attended so ugan organisation. Though this was •only the eigfcth Anniversary of its existence, it pos- .sessed ten foily-equipped fission vessels, and its .Ic.come had reaobed sometoing like £20,.000 fser ^laum. It was Get .Often, tijfi'. those who were spezk- icg for a society put in the. forefront the fact that ,it,was well provided with funds, nor did he say that thc<unds now supplied were adequate for the pur- pogdc of this mission; fcut suel- a success in so abort time showed that itfl necessities had gone to the •hearts and consciences^ tbe maszes of the people of England. The mission bad <his 'bstrty good wishes. <Appls.sce ) On the motive of the Rev. Canon Fleming, "candod by the Rev. Dr. Sinclair Paterson, a resolu- tioc wtJ: passed recogmtiag the splendid results Achieved during the last eight years. Skipper Taylor,of H.J.1, stated that be had spent ever 25,ysars of his life as ftsfc&rman As. the North Sea, &&d could vouch for the vast amount of good that the mission had done. Skipper Kasriek, also of Hull, thanked the mission supporters for the efficient medical stfift they now possessed. After Skippers Dunworth (Lowestoft), Hack (Grimsby), and Searle (Yarmouth), had briefly spoken, til the Ashermen present sacg, with fine effect, two verses of The Smacksman's Hyasn." On the motion of the Rev. Canon Bell, seconded by the Rev. William Reed, d supported by Mr. Harrison Mudd, of Grimsby, the meeting pledged itself to give increased support to the mission in the future.

LYNCHING AND MURDERS. Serious disturbances have occurred at Living- stone, Texas, and a detachment of troops has been ordered to that town. The disturbance owes its origin to the fact that a negro who was in gaol, charged with the murder of a white man named Morris, was lynched by a body of armed men. The action created great excitement among the negroes, and a band of them, in revenge, killed two men who are alleged to have taken part in the lynching.

GOOD at a pinch: The crab. MAN does not think much about the sublimity of a storm when the knees of his trousers are wet through, and rain trickles down the back of his neck. WHY do the recriminations of married couples Ie- semble the sound of waves on the ibores ?—Because tbe., are murmurs of the tied,

A BIRMINGHAM SHIP CANAL. If Manchester is to have a ship canal, why should not Birmingham have one also, if it is to be had ? asks the Liivrpcv? Mercury. As our readers are aware, such a scheme is on foot, and Birmingham people are at !east as enterprising as the men of Lancashire. The members of the North Stafford- shire Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers have been discussing the subject at a meet- ing held at Stoke-on-Trent, at which it was urged on behalf of the promoters that a canal between Birmingham and Liverpool would pro- Tide a channel for very heavy traffic, at once speedy, ttitect, and economical. Statistics relative to the trade dC Birmingham and the coal and iron districts were quoted to show that the proposed route would be of great utilfty to commercial interests, the per- zmftgo both cf exports and imports by way of Liverpool beicg the largest of any of tbe ports. The promoters are sanguine enough to believe that they Will 'be able to work the canal at one-seventh or one-eighth the cost of a railway, and that it osuld be made to pay at a charge of 6d. per ton for the wtole route, which would be traversed in about 18 hours. Then, too, the Manchester Ship -Cant.l' G<F.'npany and the Weaver Navigation Board have given it their benediction and 'have expressed their "willingness to assist the passage of the bill through Parliament, and to grant -1 fair rates for go^Ss passing along their portion erf the route. The new csnal is to start at Winstard-bridge, on the River Weaver, which is 54ft. 5ia. above the sea level, I %n'd it is to accommodate vessels of 100 tons burthen. 'OtetaSy the railway companies have the prospect of Iftracidable competition before them.

I CONFERENCE ON CANALS. The forthcoming International Conference on [ Canals and Inland Navigation, flitch will open at I "KanChester on the 28th of July. is -attracting con- siderable attention ia commercial and engineering ,circles. The President ot the Board of Trade, Sir Michael Hicks-Beacb, will preside, and Lord Balfour • of Burleigh will be vice-chairman. Representatives of the leading railway and oa,nt.l companies of the kingdom will tak-e as -well as delegates from France, Germany, Belgium, Belland, and other countries. The French representatives will include | M. Ferdinand de Lesaepe, tbe--7e-t&&n engineer. ,j

j A LADY GUARDIAN. Mrs. Ashton Warner, who -was elected as a poor law guardian for Mile-end,' i»&s -issued a valedictory address to her constituents. She'aid given notice of a resolution for bbe appointment of a new matron who had gone tforough « complete course of hospital training, but three days before tho meeting at which the resolution wor Id,haveteen- dizoussed, she received a letter from the Loo&l Government Board. This letter stated tfcst the^-ttention of tfce Board had been called to the fact that her name did not appear on the rate-book, and inquired what was her qualific&tion to act as a guardian. Mrs. Ashton Warner has, therefore, retired from the Board, but expresses a hope that her resolution-will be carried.

STRANGE "SCENE -AT THE HO,Cf,F, C-v COMMONS. Between tea. and,e;men o'clock-on the night of June 20 the terrace. of tibe House of Commons was a scene of unwanted emulation. Two ortjree Nationalist members who have identified themselves with the Tipperary agitation had chartered a barge, which during the dianer iiot,.rv--zi; brought up the river and anchored at a spot within convenient hearing and seeing distance of the House. A screen having been rigged up, a magic lantern was got- into working order, and enlwgementc- ef the famous H shadowing ] photographs, views of Mr. O'Brien and others addres- sing proclaimed weetingz, -and kindred subjects were exhibited for tfee delectation of the hoc. gentlemen | enjoying their after-dinner smoke. Within a few minutes of tbe oanamoneccoent of the entertainment | a large number of members, many of whom were (accompanied by iadies, had gathered on tfca terrace. ILs the slides of tfce magic. lantern were chtnged, an fcieh member stationed on-tiae barge shouted out an explanation of too various pictures, and cow and r ain his colleagues on tke terrace raised an encouraging cheer. It was stated that tho slides had been specially prepared far a series of meetings to toe held in the principal towns of Englaed and -Q.cW&nd, at which it is inted that the -magic • lantern shall form am adjunct-tc the speaking.

A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE, thrilling tale was told at an,irquest at Claytsn- le-Meore on a miner named Bradshaw, who had been buried bg a fall of earth. filereacae party worked at the teumense mas of debris for three hours, en- couraged by the sound Gf the buried man's voice. Only one dan could work at the time, and they were •in constant apprehension of another fail of the roof. At last they saw Bradsbaw with bis head just out of the earth. Re implored them to 00 their utmost to him,-bat another fall occurred, and the deceased, crying-" Good-bye. I'm choking," wac buried eight foot 4oop. Jl"

A CONVICT DESPERADO. right, the non burglar, who is sentenced to penal servitude for life, left Portsea Convict Prison on Friday of last week for Portland. So far the notorious coavict's priaon record has been extsemely bad. On ooa occasion he knocked down a iellow convict in the shoemaker's shop and attempted to cut the prostrate man's throat with a knife, but was interrupted in the nick xif time. Some time after- wards Wright drew the sword of a chief warder IrIUl attacked him with the weapon. For this offence, which would have had a fatal result but for the tact and courage of the warder, the desperado was sen- tenced to three dozen strokes with the cat. The full sentence was carried out, but the scene was a terrible one, Wright struggling, bawling, and blaspheming every time the lash touched his back. Wright has latterly vowed that he will commit suah an offence as shall compel the authorities to band him over to a civil tribunal for trial and thus enable him to air his grievances. He will, therefore, be kept in a soli- tary cell for the present.

JONES lacks tact. The other evening he was calling on a lady whom he knew but slightly, when suddenly be noticed a spider hanging from the ceiling. II Do you know, dear madam, what that busy insect signi- fies ?" Spider at night, sign of delight, quoted the hostess. "No, I don't mean that; it signifies in my opinion that you are so unfortunate as to have very careless servants,"

OUR AUSTRALASIAN COLONIES. I The Egeria court-martial was concluded on the 7th ult, the five sailors unner trial being found guilty of wilfully disobeying orders. Three of them were sentenced to nine months imprisonment, and the other two to six months. The prisoners are being conveyed to England in her Majesty's ship Opal, "hich left Sydney on May 11. Ttie severity of the sentences passed on the petty officers whese cases were recently alluded to has excited much comment in the Colonies, and the Sydney Trades and Labour Council has passe, a motion to the eii'ect that the recent court-martial is an outrage upon the feelings of a democratic people, and that such a system of adjudication is more in keeping within the dominion of a despot than among a free community. It is stated that the Admiralty intend next year to have a complete survey made of the Tasmanian Peninsula. The work will most likely be taken up by her Majesty's surveying ship Part, attached to the Australian station. This vessel has already carried out some preliminary work in connection with the proposed survey. The Dart is at present in the New Hebrides Islands making a complete survey of that group. Th:s important work is expected to occupy tire attention of the officers of the ship the whole of this and part of the next season. A movement has been set on foot for holding an annual military tournament in Melbourne on similar lines to that which is held in the Agricultural Hall, London. Th? actual returns from the vintage in the Albury district generally shew a material falling off in the yield, particularly in the better varieties of wine. The partial failure is attributed to the exceptionally dry weather experienced in January and February. when the vines suffered much for want of moisture. The quality of the wine, however, is much better than ordinary. Great anxiety has been caused by the continued dry weather in South Australia. In places the young wheat has been usable to force its way through the hard surface, and has consequently died, and the farmers cannot proceed with their ploughing and sowing. Considerable losses of 'sheep are reported from various parts of the colony from fever and influenza. caused by the continued dry weather and improper fcod. Influenza has broken out amongst horses in -several places in the north, and some deaths have occurred. The malady is rapidly spreading amongst other animals. A strike of tanners and curriers recently took place at Hindmarsb, South Australia, because the masters would not grant them the eight hours' system unless the beamsmen, who were mostly concerned, took re- duced wages. The strikers have returned to work at eight hours per day, and the question of wages will be settled by a conference between the two parties The men have lost JE2100 by the strike, and have re- ceived support from the trades unions of Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney to the extent of £490. The South Au.-ITalian Register has published a series of special interviews with manufacturers and pro- ducers on the subject of the preparedness of the Colony for inter-colonial free trade. The producers from the soil are without exception favourable to an abolition of border tariffs on the ground that trade, espooially in wines, fruit, grain, and olive oil. would be greatly benefited by the opening up of the markets of the other Colonies. Tanners, bookmakers, furni- turemakers, and carriagemakers are, more or less, averse to any alteration in the fiscal policy, at any rate for several years to come, but represtntatives of nearly all the other manufacturers say that inter- colonial free trade wou!d he welcome. Commodore H. J. D. Munton, of the Holdfast Ray Yacht Club, has been presented with the challenge cup given by Lord Brassey when he was in South Australia in 1887, Mr. Munton's yacht Alfreda having won the trophy for three successive seasons. His Excellency the Governor has promised to provide another trophy. The sub-protector of aborigines in South Australia has recently issued his report on the aborigines in the northern territory. With regard to the alleged ill- treatment of the aboriginals, he states that he generally found thr-m civil, obliging, good-tempered, and lazy, and therefore most unlikely to excite Europeans, who, as a rule, are kind and considerate towards them. He is in favour of the establishment of a home for aborigines for o!d, sick, and iafirm, and also for children, for at times they are nearly starv- ing, as there is little or no food for them. It has been decided by the Government of South Australia to issue a new handbook containing statistics, m aps, and general information about the Colony for distribution in Europe. An attempt to form a settlement at Sunday Island, one of the Serrcadee groups to the north of New Zealand, hm not been a success. A party of settlers, principally from Hawke's Bay, decided to settle on Sunday Island, and went there some four months ago. A skip, which called at the island, has brought back one family and nine men who have given up the task which they undertook. They give a very depressing account of the state of affairs in the island. The leaders of the expedition, on the other hand, assert that the settlers who have returned were scarcely of the right class for the undertaking, and have themselves determined to remain on the island. A deput&tion of flax millers has been informed by the New Zealand Government that Parliament will be asked to vote flo,,000 as a bonus to inventors of any improved prooeas for the manufacture of phormiutn tenax. The work of laying a duplicate cable between Sydney and New Zealand has been successfully com- pleted, andcommunication by means of both cables is now established.

THE FRAUDS ON THE DUKE OF FIFE. Elia Henry Lamb, a newsagent, of Palmerston- road, Waltfeamfitow, was charged on an adjourned summons at Stratford Petty Sessions under the Vagrant Act with obtaining various sums of money from the Duke of Fife by means of false pretences. Mr. St. John Wontner prosecuted Mr. Stevens Lewis defended. On the last occasion the Duke of Fife d-posed that be received various letters from the defendant with reference to the needs of the George Smith of Coalville Band of Love and Sympathy," and believing that the defendant was authorised as agent to Mr. George South, of whose philanthropic work he had a good opinion, his grace forwarded altogether C13 io six months. A further application led to a reference to the Charity Organisation Society, and it being found that, though the defendant was recognised as the official for the VTalthamstow branch of the society, he was not authorisbed to collect money beyond the bounds of his district, these proceedings were taken. Mr. Carthew, of the Charity Organisation Society, now said that in consequence of letters sent to Mr. Samuel Smith, M.P., he first called on the defendant and made inquiries as to a Clara Brown, who had j signed one of the letterf, enclosing a circular from the Pure Literature Society. Defendant said Brown I.was in bed ill, and that he was married, but he de. s clined to say if Brown was or was not. As a result .of inquiries, witness found that last winter defendant did give some teas to children once a week, but there was nothing to show that he had ever taken gipsy or van children to the country. George Costel- 106, a London City missionary, deposed that he knew the defendant by the name of Brown. Mr. Lewis, for the defence, submitted that the de- fendant was authorised to collect subscriptions for his difrtrict, and that though there might be cause for some complaint between his client and Mr. George Smith, there was no case between the defendant and the Duke Fife. The Bench, after consideration, came to theconclusion that the defendant had pro- cared these charitable contributions by false pre- tences, and geatenced the prisoner to two months' imprisonment, with hard labour. They hoped that the prosecution would prove a warning to others, for there was far too much indiscriminate giving of money, and they commended the Charity Organisa- tion Society for their action in this matter.

isHOCKING OCCURRENCE. A shocking occurrence, resulting in the untimely death cf Sergeant Arthur Cecil Noyce, 1st Battalion Durham Light Infantry, took place at Strensall Camp, near York, on Saturday. Deceased, who was about 23 years of age, and a native of Ealing, was engaged in checking the marking of one of the 600-yard tar- gets. A squad of recruits of his own regiment was firing at an adjoining range, and immediately after one of them, named Beecham, had fired, deceased was struck by a bullet, which passed through the left arm, and entered the abdomen, emerging at the opposite side. From the outset his case was hope'ess, and tho end came after four hours passed in great agony. Beecham, who it was supposed had by some unfor- tunate means mistaken the targets, was at once placed under arrest by the military authorities. I .i

INFANT INSURANCE. < The Bishop of Peterborough (remarks the Graphic) 3as devoted his splendid gift of eloquence to many a good cause, but to none better than his present endeavour to diminish the evils resulting from infant life assurance. Judges, doctors, coroners, and num- bers Of authorities are at one in denouncing this comparatively modern practice as an incentive to in- fanticide. The vast majotity of parents who insure their children are, of course, free from the dreadful imputation. All they seek is to make timely provision against funeral expenses, in the event of a child dying. But it is beyond all question that some wretched parents regard their offspring as troublesome encum- brances, of whom it would be a good thing to be rid. And when this unnatural feeling exists, who can doubt that the prospect of receiving a lump sum at a child's death conduces to neglect, bad feeding, and accidents, auch as over-laying ? For a payment of a penny a week, or 2s. 2d. for the first six months, a parent can secure an insurance of £ 2 10s. 6d. About one-third of that sum will suffice to cover the funeral expenses of an infant, leaving a band- some balance for the liquidation of debt or for I dissipation. The Bishop's bill proposes to remedy this evil by enacting that the insurance- money shall not be paid to the parent, but to the undertaker, thus depriving the former of any I interest in the child's death. We greatly fear that no penalties, however drastic, would deter undertakers from arranging secretly with tha parents to share the spoil. A far better method would be, we think, to forbid the insurance of infants, whether in one office or fn several, for a larger sum than would cover the tferage funeral expenses. The present limit— £ 6 in ) the case of children under five years old, and fl0 for those between five and ten years—are far too high not is it easy te understand why there should be such a vast difference between the two classes.