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Cliii LONDON CORRESPONDENT.…

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Cliii LONDON CORRESPONDENT. The near approach of Christmas does not find London in the reoorl accustomed to F, associated with what by all custom and tradi- tion is the festive season." It is a poor heart that never rejoices, but a poorer that cannot sympathise with others' sorrows, and sorrow is proving a heavy burden to many just now. A war is like no ordinary casualty, for while, in the case of a great wreck or a disastrous railway accident, we very soon know the full extent of the fatal list, it is not the same with a series of battles, for those who escape the earler may fall in the later, and the anxiety of those who have friends or relatives at the front never ceases from the moment hostilities commence until their close. That is a consideration plainly to be noted in London at this moment, and it does not need one even to to the melancholy waiting-room at the War OfÚce, in Pall-Mall, where the list of casualties is earlist posted, to perceive this. It is having a marked effect upon social Catherines and the attendance at the various places of amusement: and before the winter is over, it is likely to have more. The seriousness of the struggle, in fact, is being recognised upon all hands and it is that which ronrlersthe quiet determination of the populace the more noteworthy and noticeable. Naturally, the War Office is being inundated with suggestions just now us to how best to conduct the military operations of the future because of those of the present; and it is equally a matter of course that many of these are impracticable and some impossible. But t is understood in quarters likely, upon such point, to be well informed that the authorities in Pall Mall have under con- sideration the question of an alteration in the working or field dress of both officers and men, as far as our infantry is con- cerned. in order to avoid their being made a distinct mark for the enemy's fire. Xot only, however, is a distinctive head-dress doomed, 'out the officers' sword i^ threatened to be relegated—at least, up.'n the field of battle—to the limh, of forgotten things, for it is now con- demned. as not hein!2: merely inconvenient to carry and much in the way, but as singling out its bearer as a target for tlv bullets of the foe. Even those who condemn the further carryin of this weapon on the field are not agreed, however, as to what is to be put in its place, ome recommending a long range carbine, and others a revolver: and probably, in the end, the latter will he adopted, not only for the commissioned officers but for the sergeants, to whom tho rifle is now little better than, ai hindrance. The statue of the great naturalist Owen, which at present stands in the splendid Natural History Museum at South Kensington, is soon to have a worthy companion, for that of the late Professor Huxley is now finished, and it will very shortly be moved from the studio of Mr. Onslow Ford, the sculptor, to its intended permanent home. It is understood that the unveling of this memorial statue, which will probably take place early in the New Year, will be made the occasion for a great assembly of scientific men. gathered not only from all parts of the United Kingdom, but from abroad: while an even more perma- nent result will be obtained from the movement., for the Memorial Committee has received over £:;jnO in subscriptions, and it has been decided that the balance, after paying for the status, shall be placed at the disposal of the Royal College of Science for the foundation of a scholarship or exhibition. This is an idea which would certainly have appealed to Huxley himself, who was always most desirous to assist the assiduous aspirant after special knowledge. Not only every dweller in London, but every visitor to town, must be interested in the efficiency of the metropolitan police, and the annual report of the Commissioner concerning it is always good reading. Most Londoners themselves have scarcely a nation as to what is done by their police or what strength of con- stabulary is necessary to do it. The force con- sists of as many as sixteen thousand men, and these have to keep watch and ward over an area which is not much less than 700 square miles,and which includes a rateable value of nearly: 41 millions of money. It is good to know that never before was the proportion to population of crimes against property been so low as recently, und, fcr the last half-dozen years, there have been a little under three per thousand but, while crime diminishes, the same cannot be said of carelessness for, during 1898, 17,000 umbrellas were left behind in public car- riages, in addition to 3000 purses, while the total of such leavings was no less than 38,201, a I total which should awaken some at least of us ) to the necessity for greater care. Some of the problems involved in the London Government Act, which comes into force on November 1 of next year, are of curious interest to many who are not householders and ratepayers in the metro- polis, and they will prove hard nuts for the Privy Council to crack. One such is as to whether Kensington Palace, specially memor- able for us as the birthplace of the Queen, should be brought within the new borough of Kensington or the city of Westminster. It is admitted that, although it is called Kensington Palace, its area has always formed part of Westminster, but it is contended that the name, with its popular associations, should carry weight- in the final decision. Something of the same kind of sentiment is involved in the question of whether one of the newly-made boroughs shall be called Newington or West Southwark, and a strong contention has locally been put forward-in support of both. There has been too little attention paid in the past, as most lovers of history would agree, to local sentiment in London; but the growth of it promises to prove somewhat embarassing just now. A question that is somewhat troubling cer- tain of the metropolitan magistrates just now b one that has its concern for a considerable class of hard-working people throughout the country, and that is as to whether hair-cutting is a trade. The point has been raised within the last few days under the well-known Act of Charles II. which forbids any to exercise their ferade on a Sunday and the particular stipen- diary before whom the matter was brought raised the difficulty ft once that hair-cutting was not a trade. His theory was that a hair dresser simply sold his labour, and that to constitute a trade, there must be a traffic'in goods. If, therefore, a hair dresser sold a news- paper or a bottle of pomade, he would be a trader; if he simply cut hair or executed a shave, he would be a labourer. The point admittedly is a fine one, but it may be imagined that, even at the risk of coming within the meshes of the wida net thrown by the Act of Charles II., the average hair- dresser would rather be considered a tradesman than a labourer. When he has risen to the point of calling himself a coiffeur, he would probably claim to be dubbed one of a profes- aioz4 but, perhaps, to be strictly accurate, a BaSwbflesser had best be described not as a tradesman, a labourer, or a professional man, but as a member of a calling, which is at once both useful and honourable. Cattle-show week" has been once more upon us in London; and no one who has been in the neighbourhood of the Agricultural Hall at Islington within the past few days could Uly more mistake the fact than the accustomed passer through the Strand can err as to the time when the May meetings are in progress. This year's was the one-hundred and first Show which the Smithfield Club has held- since its formation at the very close of last century; and, although the entr<5s were not as large in numbers as they have been for the last few years, they were sufficiently numerous to furnish the material for a very interesting exhibition. One of the features added in more recent years continues to rery popular, and that is the show of poultry, accompanied by lectures upon the proper methods of preparing birds for the table, and for trussing fowls for roasting and boiling; and this is a matter in which not only agriculturists, but housewives have much con- own. R.

t NEWS NOTES.

THE DRUCE CASE.

A PROPERTY CASE.

BREWERY BURNED DOWN.

DAVID COLQUHOUN'S COOL REQUEST.

— ! CROWDED TO DEATH.

A MAN OF MARKS.

8c ,k It I", AT SMITH FIELD.

OVERCROWDING OF FOREIGN ,…

LATEST IN "FLYING MACHINES."

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A STORY OF LORD METHUEN.

NEW TROPHIES FOR DOGS,

..-TELEPHONES ON RAILWAY ;…

A GRAPHIC LETTER FROM " TOMMY…

THE END OF THE CENTURY;,,'I

DEATH OF THE EMPRESS EUGENIE'S…

THE COMING OF MAN.

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THE FIGHTING AT DUNDEE.

MISSION OF THE AFRIKANDER…

OBSTACLES TO ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

PROPOSED ALUMINIUM COINAGE.

BOER GOVERNMENT AND BRITISH…

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ILODGER SHOOTS HIS LANDLADY…

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-TRIPLE TITAGEDY. <

VIOLENCE IN COURT.

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LEGISLATION AGAINST CORSETS.