The Chester Courant and Advertiser for North Wales

FLINT FISHERMEN AND UNSEASONABLE FisH.- At Flint Borough Sessions on Wednesday, Edward Bithell, senior, Edward Bithell, junr., Thos. Bithell, and Alice Bithell were charged by Superintendent J. Simpson, of the Dee Fishery Board, with being in illegal possession of unseasonable salmon during the close season. The Bench considered the case proved against the two younger Bithells, and fined Edward 20s. and costs, and Thomas 10s. and costs. The charges against Edward Bithell, senior, and Alice Bithell were dismissed. CHINA ASSOCIATION MR. YERBURGH AND WAR OFFICE REFORM.—Presiding on Wednes- day night at the annual dinner of the China Association, held in the Metropole, Sir Thomas Sutherland said that there was pro- bably no one present who would not admit that Lord Salisbury was face to face in the Far East with one of the most difficult problems which Great Britain had ever had to encounter. —Mr^Yerburgh, M.P., proposed The Imperial Forces," and, referring to the War Office, said that they must insist upon reform, and see that their Army was put on the best possible footmg to meet all the requirements of their enormous Empire. (Hear, hear.)—Admiral Fremantle, in acknowledging the toast, said he thought the time had come when it was absolutely necessary that they should set their house in order-that their military defences should be put on a sound footing, that they should have an Army fit to do anything and to go anywhere, and, above all, that they should have a Navy which should be absolutely para- mount.—General Sir J. Gordon also responded. CLIO Boys AND THE DUKE'S HOME-COMING.— A feature of Tuesday's proceedings in connec- tion with the Duke's Home-coming was the presence of about fifty smart-looking, well- equipped lads from the Clio Training Ship, of which the late Duke was the principal sup- porter. Our readers will remember many occasions on which his Grace shewed his in- terest in this institution. The boys and officers, under the charge of Captain Langdon, who succeeds Captain Moger in the command of the ship, arrived in Chester at 11.15 a.m., and were met by Mr. J. L. Kemp, a member of the Clio Committee, who was deputed by the Mayor to take charge of them for the day. In con- sequence of the inclement weather, it was decided to abandon the proposed march from the station, and Mr. Gardner, the manager of the Tramways Company, came to the rescue, and placed two cars at the disposal of the com- mittee. The youngsters were most hospitably entertained to dinner by the Mayor at the Golden Lion, in Foregate-street, and afterwards marched to the Town Hall, where they were ranged in front of the central platform, thus forming a Naval guard of honour" to the Duke. After the ceremony in the Market Hall the lads were taken to the Cathedral, through the Rows to the Museum, the Castle, and to the other places of public interest, and then returned to the Golden Lion for tea, delighted with their day's entertainment. Those who were left behind were not forgotten, for by the thought- fulness of Mr. Kemp, gifts were procured from many friends to be sent to the ship in honour of the event of the day. Hampers of fruit were sent by Mrs. Loogueville, Mrs. Hudson, and others. Dainty bags of biscuits and dried fruit were kindly supplied by Messrs. Dutton and Sons, sweets by Mr. Davies, while Messrs. Bolland and Sons sent two large cakes inscribed as follows:—" To the Clie boys in honour of the safe return of his Grace the Duke of West- minster from South Africa. November 6th, 1900." The Mayor's scheme of bringing a de- tachment of lads from this useful institution proved a happy idea.

"THE BEST IN THE WORLD." ELLIS'S LITHIA WATER. I R. ELLIS & SON, Ruthin, N. Wales. Established 1825. LOCAL AGENTS: J. ROWE DUTTON & SONS, Bridge-st.

DIARY OF COMING ENGAGEMENTS. Now. 14-Chester Paxton Show. „ 14-Malpas District Council. 14-Chester Dog and Fanciers' Show. 14-PooLe's War Myriorama at Music Hall. „ 15-Chester Cattle Fair. 15-Lecture at Museum. 17-Tarrin Board of Guardians. „ 19-Mold Petty Sessions. 20-Chester Board of Guardians. „ 20—Waifs' and Strays' Society Concert in Assembly Ronm, Newgate-street.

6 A NATIONAL WEAKNESS. The enthusiastic welcome extended on Satur- day by Southampton and Aldershot to Sir Redvers Buller on his safe return from the war was re-echoed with the utmost cordiality throughout the entire country. It is almost exactly a year since the gallant general left these shores to take in hand one of the most stupendous undertakings in military annals. When success did not immediately attend the British arms, when, on the contrary, we suffered check after check, and reverse following upon reverse, the impatient and fickle portion of the public, who had shortly before exclaimed "Thank God, Buller is going out," forsook their hero, and commenced to criticise his strategy and his tactics. It was not until after the tide of Boer invasion had been turned the stubborn enemy had been driven at enormous cost back from the Tugela, and beleagured Ladysmith had been happily relieved, that the critical man-in-the-street" perceived and acknowledged that General Buller, so far from deserving censure, had merited sympathy in having been set to do an almost impossible task. The fickle public and the fickle Press, to their credit be it said, did not then begrudge their meed of praise to the sorely-tried commander, but endeavoured by their genuine plaudits to atone for a somewhat premature and rash criticism and condemna- tion. All this time, it is but iustice to observe, a considerable proportion of the public and of the Press kept their heads, trusted to the man at the wheel, and declined to become upon quite inadequate data arm-chair critics of a General in the field six or seven thousand miles away More satisfactory still to relate, the soldiers who shared the hardships of that disheartening time round the Tugela never for a moment lost confidence in their trusted leader. Yime and again they were called upon to perform that most distasteful duty to the British soldier, to fall back, but they never wavered in their faith that the same voice would soon order them forward to ultimate victory. That happy con- summation is now a matter of history, so also is the pleasing fact that Sir Redvers Buller, upon whom the heaviest burden of the fighting fell. was all through the campaign supported by officers and men who would have followed him anywhere. J- In his interesting speech at Southampton, in accepting the honour of the freedom of the borough, General Buller drew attention to what he believed to be two new points of view with regard to the war. The first was the imperfect vision of the town-bred British soldier com- pared with that of the veldt-reared Boer, and the second was the enormous advantage possessed by the enemy in their ability to converse with the Kaffirs in their native tongue and thus obtain valuable intelligence regarding the movements of our men. Although Sir Redvers is scarcely correct in assuming that the question of eyesight has not already been emphasised-as a matter of fact it has been pointedly alluded to by Lord Wolseley and others-it is none the less important in its bear- ing upon the question of national defence. It is a staggering fact to be informed by General Buller, after his experience in South Africa, that "practically the vision, the ordinary sight, of our enemy was two miles at least further than the average sight of the Englishmen who were fighting against him. An ordinary Dutchman or Afrikander can see a man coming towards him two miles before the man approaching can detect him. That has been throughout a very severe handicap to our troops. It has caused the loss of many gallant scouts. It has been one of the many reasons why we found a great difficulty in advancing, a greater difficulty perhaps than we were given credit for. The point, it will readily be per- ceived, is one of the first magnitude, for in these days of long-range fire-arms, all other things being equal, the victory must rest with the men whose eyesight is sharpest and longest. Short-sightedness is one of the many penalties we as a nation are paying for civtlisation. The habit of reading printed matter, often of indifferent type, in imperfect light, in railway carriages, in tram- cars and omnibuses cannot but impair the function of the eyes, while there is among large urban communities little or no counter- acting influence in the shape of field sports to train and strengthen the vision. It is a cheer- less lookout for a nation when so many little boys and girls are seen wending their way to school with grandmotherly spectacles on their immature noses. Fortunately, however, it is unnecessary to take too pessimistic a view of the situation; for, although the evil is the result of a too acute civilisation, it is by no means hopeless. Dr. Brudenell Carter, the eminent ophthalmic authority, in a letter to the Times comes to the rescue with an opportune suggestion. He recalls that five years ago he undertook an inquiry at the request of the Education Department, into the state of sight among children in the London elementary schools, and his report was published as a Parliamentary paper. That most interesting document states that a very large number of children were found with subnormal vision, which he attri- buted chiefly, if not entirely, to their lives and surroundings, although not to those of their schools. Vision, he ob- serves, like every other nerve function, must be cultivated for the attainment of a high degree of excellence. The visual power of London children is not culti- vated by their environment. They see the other side of the street in which they live, and the carts and omnibuses of the thoroughfares. They scarcely ever have the visual attention strongly directed to any object which it is diffi- cult to see, or which subtends a visual angle approaching the limits of visibility; and hence their seeing function is never exerted, or, at least, is not habitually exerted to anything like what should be the extent of its powers. With a country child the casp is widely different. He has an expanse of landscape before him, presenting numerous objects under visual angles rendered small by distance. He finds attractions in every hedgerow, flowers, insects, birds, nests, many of them disguised by their resemblance in colour to their sur. roundings, and requiring close scrutiny in order that they may be distinguished. His eyes are exercised beneficially in his daily life, and his vision would probably be found some- what to exceed the very moderate standard of normality, just as that of the town child is apt to fall below it." Dr. Carter in his report pro- ceeds to lay stress upon the desirability of giving a place to excellence of vision among the various physical qualifications which are habitually tested by competition. At the first blush such a contest would appear to be a trifle unfair, on the popular assumption that good eyesight is a gift from the gods, and that the short-sighted individual must after the manner of the fatalist sit down under his infirmity and make no effort at improvement. Dr. Carter's theory is that seeing competitions would tend very powerfully to diffuse a knowledge of what seeing ought to be, and would bring hundreds of eyes under training which they would not otherwise be likely to receive, and by which they could not fail to benefit. Not only would the individual eyesight be improved, but the improvement would be likely to descend to posterity. Rifle clubs may do much towards training the eyesight of the members, but something is evidently required todevelop the seeing faculties of the children in our crowded towns who rarely have an opportunity of using their eyes in the open country. It is not a little discon- certing to reflect that this valuable Parlia- mentary report has been lying unnoticed in a pigeon-hole for some five years, but it is not too much to hope that, now the attention of the country has been pointedly drawn to the subject, it will not again be allowed to drop without some strenuous effort to check this grave national weakness. Here is an oppor- tunity for the Education Department to become the handmaid of the War Office.

CHURCH PROBLEMS. The Diocesan Conference of the past week, held at Altrincham, afforded a gratifying proof of the healthy activity of Church life in this diocese. The building where the meetings took place was crowded, and the interest in the debates was admirably, sustained throughout, as our voluminous report indicates. The dis- cussion on the proposed reform of Convocation was both interesting and instructive. A sharp difference of opinion, as was natural, arose on the suggested qualification for communicants' franchise for the laity, Canon Gore being opposed to this proceeding as disastrous and deplorable," and Lord Crewe urging that it would be to return to the worst days of the old tyranny which disgraced the relations between the Church and State." Lord Hugh Cecil, on the other hand, maintained the necessity of the communicant test, because "it would remind people that the duty of receiving communion was one of the primary duties of the Churchman and the Christian." The soundness of this argument is incontro- vertible, and it was pretty evident from the feeling of the Conference that his lordship had a very large following in this view of the question. Attention was again wisely, and, let us hope, profitably, directed to the ever-present problem of inadequate clerical stipends, in connection with which the Bishop made some outspoken remarks in his charge on the necessity for raising the standard of all-round requirement for entrance into holy orders. With the high rate of the progress of our Empire, it is only too true that the Church is lagging behind in the inducements she can offer to brilliant young men of good family to enter holv orders, and the Bishop was characteris- tically practical when he condemned the cart- before-the-horse piety" which placed ornate adornments in a parish church which was deplorably provided in the matter of pro- fessional incomes for the clergy ministering there. It was not, he said, that he loved the adornments of the material temple less, but that he loved the builder of the spiritual fabric, the parson, infinitely more. The hint will probably not be lost upon the many benevolent people who are prone to beautify .the fabric of the churches and leave the incumbents impoverished for the means to properly carry on the parochial work.

The extract from The Globe" which we publish in another column shews that refuse destructors can now be used in crowded localities effectively and without nuis- ance to their surroundings. We think it would be quite worth while the Health Committee of our Corporation taking the question of a destructor for Cheater into their consideration, bearing in mind that the land to which the city refuse at present is taken, and where it is dealt with, by a burying process must be getting over-stocked with the offensive substances; and, more than this, we should think is approaching dangerously near to the Isolation Hospital. It may be urged that the Corporation own a large tract of land in this neighbourhood, where further tips" can be established; but, even so, the extra distance the refuse would have to be carted would entail a serious additional cost. Whether the present method of dealing with the refuse by rather a partial system of burying is satis- factory and at the same time costs less than treatment by the newest type of destructor should, we think, have the attention of the authorities. The argument, we believe, may be used that the Sealand property was pur- chased for this purpose. Granted this is so, no loss is likely to ensue from a re-sale, or even by keeping it.

There seems to be a chance yet of the fulfilment of the hope of those Tarvin Guardians who desire to get rid of the incubus of their practically empty workhouse. An urgent necessity has arisen in the county for the provision of a home for epileptics, and it was very sensibly suggested by Mr. W. J. Dutton at Saturday's meeting of the Nantwich Board of Guardians that the deserted Tarvin Workhouse might serve the purpose. A joint conference by the unions interested in the subject—and what union is not ?—might be productive of practical result.

THE MATOR THANKS POLICE OFFICIALS.— On Friday, at the termination of the business of the City Police Court, the Mayor (Alderman H. T. Brown) said that as that was the end of the municipal year he desired to thank the officials of the court—the clerk to the magis- trates and his assistants, and the Chief Constable and his staff-whose work had met with the magistrates' ^entire approval. He could not imagine the business of any police court better conducted than at Chester, and the magistrates were very grateful for the help rendered them in the performance of their duties. On his own behalf he sincerely thanked the officials for the assistance given him during his year of office. THE DUKE'S VISIT TO EATON.—On his first visit to Eaton, on Tuesday, his Grace was met by the following heads of the household depart- ment :—Mrs. Cooper, Mrs. Sanders, Mr. Killick (master of works), Mr. Barnes (head gardener), Mr. Chapman (stud groom), Mr. Woodman, Mr. Clark, Mr. Evans, &c. His Grace having heartily shaken hands, Mr. Barnes addressed his Grace on behalf of all present, offering him their sincere and dutiful good wishes on his safe return from South Africa, and assuring him that nowhere had his return given greater satisfaction than among his servants at Eaton. His Grace replied, thanking all for their hearty reception, and expressing his pleasure at being home among them all.

CHESTER CATHEDRAL. I SERVICE LIST FOR WEEK COMMENCING NOV. 17. WEDSBSDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH.-Morning, 8.0: Matins. 10.1b: The Litany; hymn 217. Evening, 4.15: Service, Foster in A; antlem. 11 Blessed be thou (Kent). THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH. Morning, 8.0: Holy Communion. 10.16: Service, Parker in E; antuern, Comfort, 0 Lord (Crotch). liiveuing, 4.16 Service, Parker in E; anthem, to It came even to pasd' (Ouseley). FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH.—Morning, S.U M.itius. 10.16: The Litany; hymn 107. Eveuiniz, 4.15: Service, Wesley in F; anthem, I will arise" (Creyghton). SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17Tii.-Biurniag, 8.0: Matins. 10.15: Service, Stainer in A, authern, •• u give thanks" (JSlvey). Evening, 4.15: Service, Staiuer in A; anthem, In humble faith (Garrett). SUNDAY. NOVEMBER ISTH (Twenty-third Sunday after Trinity).—Morning, 8.0: Litany and kioly Communion. 10.30: Service, Harwood in A flat; introit, hymu J1á; Holy Communion (Harwood in A flat); preacher, the Canon in Besideace. J £ veniag, 3.aù: Service, iiarwoua in A flat; anthem, "Lord, Thou art tiod" (StaLUer) hymn 38. 6.30: Magnificat and Nunc Diinittis to Chums; processional hymn, 280; hymns 211, Ma, 233; preacher, the Bev. W. H. Draper, M A.

The estate of the late Mr. Robert Leonard Jefferies, of the Cottage, Hill Top, Wilmslow, has been proved at 952,075. Mr. H. Beauchamp Yerburgh, brother to the member for Chester, has just issued an interest- ing book on hunting entitled Leaves from a Hunting Diary in Essex." Captain His Serene Highness Prince A. A. F. W. A. G. of Teck, K.C.V.O., 7th Hussars, is gazetted aide-de-camp to Lieut.-Col. and Bt.- Col. (local Brig.-Gen.) B. T. Mahon, D.S.O., 12th Lancers. The Earl and Countesa of Crewe have left Crewe Hall for Dalmeny Park, the Earl of Rosebery's place near Edinburgh, where there is to be a large house party next week, after Lord Rosebery's return from Sandringham. Mr. George Wyndham, accompanied by his private secretary, crossed over to Ireland on Saturday to take up his new duties as Chief Secretary for Ireland. Mr. Wyndham is staying at the Vice-regal Lodge, Phoenix Park, Dublin. Mr. Philip A. Mules, of the Old Parsonage, Gresford, a member of the Lancashire Hussars contingent of the Imperial Yeomanry, has joined the Cape Mounted Police for service in South Africa. The Duke of Westminster left Saighton Towers and travelled to London on Sunday. Countess Grosvenor and Lady Ormonde1 journeyed to London on Monday. His Grace and the Countess will return to Saighton Towers to-day (Wednesday). A marriage will take place in January between Annora Margaret, third daughter of the late Charles Watkin and Lady Annora Williams Wynn, and William Douglas Watson Smyth, of Wadhurst Castle, Sussex, and Edwin's Hall, Essex. We are glad to learn that Mr. John Douglas, architect, of this city, who recently met with a somewhat serious accident at Boughton Cross is making steady progress towards complete recovery. Numerous enquiries have been made regarding the patient's condition, and Mr. Douglas's many friends will rejoice to hear that there is no need for anxiety. The interest of most people in the Belvoir Hunt will centre round Lady Greenall, the bride of the Master. She is well known in Cheshire as an excellent horsewoman and very fond of hunting. With a good seat and the best of hands, and a nerve that knows no shrinking, she should at once take a high place among the lady riders of the shires. Lady Greenall will (remarks the Onlooker ") have one immense advantage. She will be incomparably mouatod. There is but one master of hound3 who mounts himself and his men so well as Sir Gilbert does. In the splendid range of boxes which he built at Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir, there are 65 horses, the like of which it would be hard to fiad in England, and well worthy of the best pajk and one of the best hunting countries in the United Kingdom. Each horse has a spacious box to himself, with electric light and water laid on. HONOUR FOR A CHESTER OARSMAN.—Mr. W. D. Coplestone, of Jesus College, son of Mr. F. Coplestone, of this city, has been selected to row bow in the Trial Eights at Cambridge. Mr. Coplestone rowed bow for The Peregrines at the last Chester Regatta. In rowing circles it is considered no small honour to be picked for the Trial Eights, as the crew to row against Oxford in the boat race is finally selected from men who compete in this trial. Mr. Coplestone, however, weighs only 10at. 51b., and therefore he has little chance of obtaining his blue. CHESHIRE IMPERIAL YEOMANRT.—News has been received in Chester that Lord Roberts has ordered the two Cheshire companies of Imperial Yeomanry to proceed from Upington to Colesberg, in the neighbourhood of which the Boers are causing some trouble. Lord Arthur Grosvenor's Company has been stationed -at Upington for six months, but the other com- pany has not been there so long. The distance to Colesberg is over 500 miles, necessitating a long march across the veldt. Recent letters from the Yeomen have shewn that they were finding their sojourn at Upington irksome, and we have no doubt that they have received their marching orders with pleasure. If the Boer resistance does not collapse it is very probable that the Cheshire men will see some fighting. DEATH OF THOMAS ARNOLD.—Mr. Thomas Arnold, Fellow of the Royal University of Ireland, and the second son of Dr. Arnold, of Rugby, died on Monday. Thomas Arnold in his" Recollections of a Wandering Life" described the years of his boyhood, how he and his brother, after a year at Winchester, went to Rugby, where among their contemporaries were Clough, Theodore Walrond, and Thomas Hughes; how they bad glimpses of their father's friends—Whately and Bunsen at Rugby and Wordsworth and Hartley Coleridge in the beautiful Westmorland valley where Dr. Arnold built the house so widely known as Fox How. In 1842 Thomas Arnold obtained a scholarship at University College, Oxford. His undergraduate career was at the crisis of the Oxford Movement, but it was only some years later that he began to feel the influence of Newman. An eager Liberal idealist, he took a keen interest in the debates of the Decade (the society of which Jowett, Stanley, J. D. Coleridge, and Clough were the leading mem- bers), and meantime read hard, so that in 1845 he was placed in the first class with Goldwin Smith and James Riddell. The deceased, who was a great student of English history and literature, for twenty years took pupils at Oxford, among his holiday pupils being the present Bishop of Chester. Captain and Mrs. Bertie Corbet left London on Wednesday for Marseilles to join Lord and Lady Hopetoun at Colombo, with whom they proceed to Sydney. The Hon. Osbert Lumley, who has been appointed to the command of the 11th Hussars in place of Lord Edmund Talbot, M.P., who has decided after all to continue his political career, is an uncle of the present Duke of Westminster. The engagement is announced of Philip W. Baker Wilbraham, Fellow of All Souls' College, Oxford, only son of Mrs. Baker Wilbraham, of Rode Hall, Cheshire, and grandson of the late General Sir Richard Wilbraham, K.C.B., to Joyce Christabel, younger daughter of the Right Hon. Sir John H. Kennaway, Bart., M.P., of Escot, Devon. THE LATE SIR RICHARD WILBRAHAM.-In the paragraph relating to the will of the late Sir Richard Wilbraham, which we published last week, the name of Mr. Richard Longueville Barker was wrongly given as Baker, and that of Mrs. Annie Mules was given as Miles. Prince Francis of Teck and the Duchess of Teck are returning from South Africa to England by the Tantallon Castle. MAYORAL ANNOUNCEMENT. — The Mayor announces that visiting-cards for the Mayoress or himself may be left at the Town Hall or at Roodee House; also that all communications for him as Mayor should be addressed to the Clerk of Committees, Mr. W. Peers, at the Town Hall. COMPLIMENT TO THE CHESTER POLICE.—* Before the commencement of business at the City Police Court, on Wednesday morning, the Mayor (Aldermau H. T. Brown) said he desired to thank the Chief Constable and his staff for the admirable arrangements made the previous day in connection with the presentation of an address to the Duke of Westminster. Every- thing was admirably carried out, and tended very much to the safety, convenience, and comfort of the public. POOLE'S MTIORAMA. — The wars in South Africa and China have given additional interest to the excellent pictorial and variety entertain- ment which Mr. C. W. Poole commenced on Monday at the Music Hall. The pictures included the "London to Pretoria" series, which vividly pourtray the stirring battles in the Transvaal, and are greatly appre- ciated by the audience. Messrs. Poole have engaged the Music Hall for twelve nights and four matinees. A CHESTER STEAMER ASHORE. — The lifeboat, James Stevens, No. 8, stationed at Ardrossan, Ayrshire, and belonging to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, was launched on Thursday to the assistance of the steamer Emily, of Chester, laden with dynamite, which had grounded off Long Craigs, while a strong south-west gale was blowing, accom- panied by a heavy sea. The master and two of the crew were brought ashore, and the lifeboat made a second trip to the vessel, taking off an engineer and fireman. She stood by and ren- dered assistance while a tug endeavoured to get a line to the vessel, but the attempt had to be abandoned, and the lifeboat then took off five men from the Emily and safely landed them. The service is reported to have been an excellent one. CHESTER FARMERS' CLUB.—A largely attended meeting of the Chester Farmers' Club was held on Saturday afternoon. Mr. G. H. Mullock presided, and was supported by Messrs. R. Parry, H. G. Parry, W. G. Fletcher (Wrexham), T. G. Dutton, P. Allen, G. Beecroft, J. F. Pickering, T. Geffs, W. Dyke, G. Gerrard, L. Dodd, T. L. Okell, M. Kennedy, H. Stretch, Ralph Davies, Arthur P. Smith (secretary), and others. The Secretary reported the refusal by Mr. Barling, on behalf of Lord Llangattock, of JE500 for Hendre Baronet, and after some discussion it was decided to select a deputation to choose a horse for next season. The election was by ballot, and the following were elected:—Messrs. Robert Parry (Borras Hall, Wrexham), P. Allen (Willaston Hall, Chester), and T. J. Dutton (Saltney), with the chairman (Mr. Mullock) ex-officio. Other business followed. FUNDS TOR THE INFIRMARY.—The secretary of the Chester General Infirmary begs to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of the following church collections — Tarporley Church, JE14 4s.; Tarvin Churches, JE7 10.; Hawarden Church, £9 5s. Id.; Christ Church, 9s. lid.; St. Paul's Church, Helsby, jE7 9s. j All Saints' Church, Hoole, £6 63.: Bruera Church, £4 10s. 5d.; Pulford Parish Church, £3 15a. 6d.; St. Ethelwold's School Claapel, Shotton, £2 Bretton Methodist New Connexion Church, JE2 2s.; St. Francis' Church, Grosvenor-street, £2 2s.; Wepre Presbyterian Church, JE1 63.; Z.ion Primitive Methodist Chapel, Queen's Ferry, JE1 5s.; Handbridge Congregational Church, JE1 Is.; St. Ambrose School Chapel, Sandycroft, 12s. 4d.; St. Wini- fred's School Chapel, Ewloe, 5s. 3d.; the secretary also begs to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of the following dona- tions -£2 15s., being the balance of the Grand Jury Luncheon Fund at the recent Chester Assizes, per Mr. H. D. Trelawny, Shotwick- park, Chester; JE1 2s. 3d. from the employes of Messrs. Walkers, Parker and Co., Leadworks, Chester. PROPOSED LIGHT RAILWAYS FOR CREWE.— The Crewe Town Council are about to make application to the Light Railway Commissioners for an order to carry out a scheme of light rail- ways in the borough, which will be worked in connection with the electric light undertakings. The scheme involves eight railways, NQ. 1 of which will connect Coppenhall with the borough through Cemetery-road; No. 2. will go along West-street; No. 3 will pass through Hightown, Victoria-street, Market-street, High- street, and Mill-street; No 4 will run along Earle-atreet, over Hungerford-road, and thence to Crewe Green, another suburban township; No. 5 will -pas8 along Edleston-road and Exchange-street; No. 6 and 7 will cover the length between Crewe Green, the Railway Station, and the Royal Hotel; No. 8. will cover the Victoria-avenue, Wistaston-road, and Oak- street. The proposed gauge is 3ft. 6in., and it is estimated that the power for the traction can be supplied from the present electric plant. The bridge which carries the Chester and Holyhead line over Mill-street will require to be raised, or the road lowered to permit of the passage of double-decker" cars, but if neither of these alternatives be found practicable trailing cars will be adopted over this length of road. THEET AT SEALAND.—Before the Mold justices on Monday, Harriet Egerton, a young woman of somewhat dissipated appearance, was charged in custody with stealing JE4 from the house of Thomas Warburton, farm labourer of Sealand, where she was employed in the capacity of housekeeper. The case for the prosecution was that the accused had been in the service of the prosecutor as housekeeper for five weeks. On returning from work on the afternoon of the previous Tuesday Warburton found the house locked and had to sleep else- where. On the following day he gained admittance through a bedroom window, and upon entering the bedroom he found his keys (which he usually carried in his pocket) dang- ling from the keyhole of a large box. In this box he kept a small wooden box from which he found his harvest money (£4) had been abstracted. Suspicion fell upon the absent housekeeper, who it afterwards transpired had been making purchases and tendering gold in payment. The matter was placed in the hands of P.C. Butler, who on Thursday found the accused concealed in the prosecutor's pigstye. A purse containing Is. 8d. and a stamp were found upon her. When first charged with the theft of the JE4 she replied God knows I never took a panny of his money," but later on a.t the Connah's Quay police station, she said" Yes, I did take it."—The prisoner now pleaded that she committed the theft while under the influence of drink, and she blamed the prosecutor for leaving his keys about.—The accused was sent to prison for 14 days with hard labour. THOUGHTS UPON THINKING.—The Great Boughton Social and Mutual Improvement Society held the first meeting of the new session in the British School, Christleton-road, under the presidency of Mr. Norman Jones. An interesting address was given by Mr. Owen Roberts, barrister-at-law, on "Thoughts upon Thinking." The lecturer treated his subject in an original and lucid manner. Illustrating the value of thought, he alluded to Newton and the discovery of the law of gravitation; Franklin and the discovery of the identity of lightning and electricity Watts and the steam engine; Arkwright and the spinning jenny, and many other instances of the priceless value of concentrated thought. The power of thought was illustrated by the wonderful work of Martin Luther, one man almost against a world. Mr. Roberts reminded his hearers that some of the greatest thinkers rose from obscurity and poverty and achieved deathless fame. As an instance of the power of thought in forcing the will to undertake great tasks and overcome seemingly unsurmountable difficulties, he quoted the case of Sir Walter Scott, who when long past middle age commenced the series of historic novels that made his name famous the world over. The lecturer held that the greatest trouble of the day was want of thought. People were not willing to think for themselves, but were too ready to take the principles of other people ready made. They were, therefore, not in a position to define or defend those principles so well as they would be if they took the trouble to think for themselves. Anything in thlfee days in the way of amusement was tar more attractive to the great mass of the people than matters of instruction, or education, or subjects requiring thought and study. This was the result to a great extent of the frothy and trashy literature of to-day, unfitting its readers and giving them a distaste for true literature. The great need of the day was better education to enable the younger generation to think in the right channels. The highest object in life was the attainment of great thoughts, stimulating to high hopes and aspirations. Upon the motion of Mr. Culm, seconded by Mr. Morris, a hearty vote of thanks was given to Mr. Roberts.