Abergavenny Chronicle

BABIES AND SPIRITS INTERESTING SIDELIGHTS AT CHURCH CONGRESS. I VANISHING FAMILIES. i At the Church Congress held at Leiccst21 much discussion centred around the topic of spiritualism and its eft-jet upon the morale of the people. "If this kind of after life were true"— that portrayed in the "pitiable revival of necromancy in which many desolate hearts have sought spurious satisfaction" "it would indeed be a melancholy postponement or negation of all we hope and believe about our dead," said Dean Inge. Bishop Welldon said it was too late to dismiss spiritualism as a fraud, and, as I come would urge, nauseous fraud. He thought spiritualism had come to fill a void in Church practice, and because of a cold- ness in their service. The Rev. J. A. V. Magee said "If the Life Beyond is as described in the pitiful com- munications of Raymond, I would prefer my.self to take unfurnished lodgings in Ge- hcnna" I GREAT DECLINE. I The Bishop of Birmingham read a paper dealing with the birth-rate. He said we should clear our minds of the idea that the restriction of birth was a purely selfish ac- tion on the part of parents. The clergy were finding the difficulty of the matter to be very great indeed, and it was a curious thing that whereas the cleri- cal home was in former days the place in which there was a largo number of children, nowadays he believed that the clerz-v came next to the doctors in the smallness of their families The Rev. A. J. Carlvle, Professor of Economics (Oxford), declared that men must live as co-operators and partners in industry.

I WOMEN ATTACKED. I EXTRAORDINARY STORY FROM I EXTRAORDIXARY STORY FROM BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. An astounding story comes from the I Tingewick district of Buckinghamshire, I where it is said there has been an outbreak of attacks upon women. On-e young woman, cycling from Barton Hartshorne to Tingewick, was attacked by a man who came out from the gateway of a field. He struck her with a heavy stick and knocked her down. He then attempted to molest her further, but she screamed and he ran off. Another woman walking in the opposite direction,was suddenly met in the road by a man who opened his arms. She struck him with her umbrella and dared him to molest her further. A third cas-e is that of a girl living at Stratton Mill, who was insulte^l by a man in the same neighbourhood. I

I LEAPS FOR LIFE. I I EXCITING EXITS FROM A BURNING I HOUSE. Some thrilling incidents occurred at a fire which broke out in Belvedere road, Lambeth. At the time eight persons were asleep in the house, and they awoke to find their bed- rooms full of smoke, and the shop and stair- case underneath blazing furiously. They rushed to the windows and neigh- bours brought blankets. A three-weeks-old babv was first thrown down and caught safely by those below, as was also another child a year old. Four adults then jumped in rapid succession in their night attire, and although badly shaken, were saved from serious injury by the outstretched blankets.

I" TO RIGHT THE WORLD. I INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CON- I FERENCE. Most of the members of the British dele- gation to the International Labour Con- ierence, which opens at Washington on Oc- tober 29, have left London. Mr. Stuart Bunning, in a message before his departure, said: "My view is that the good work we do in America will be to clear away a great many misapprehensions and misunderstandings, and, consequently, pave the way for international labour legisla- tion." Statements as to the work of the conference were atso made by Messrs. J. Sexton, M.P., Tom Silaw, C. W Bowerman, A. Olions, and Miss Bondficld, all of which were of a most optimistic character. Some- what natural, too; it's not a bad trip!¡

I LORD ASTOR DEAD. J I RICHEST PEER OF THE REALM. I Viscount Astor, who was 71, died at Brighton, having been an invalid for the past twelve months. Lord Astor, the richest peer. was the son of the American multi-millionaire John Jacob Astor. As William Waldorf Astor he was born in New York in 1848, became a barrister in 1875, and entered the New York State Legislature in 1878. Four years later he went to Italy as United States Minister, remaining there till 1885. He became a naturalised British subject in 1899, was created a baron in 1916, and a viscount in the following year. He married in 1878 Marv Dahlgren, daughter of James W. Paul, of Philadelphia.

I PAY IN THE CIVIL SERVICE. I The National Whitley Council has agreed to the appointment of a special committee to consider the scope and duties of the clerical classes in the Civil Service and make recommendations as to scales of salary and method of recruitment. This committee is to present a report by January :31. A further snecial committee will consider the cost of living and its effect upon the salaries of civil servants. t I

I STAGE ROMANCE. I A host of congratulations on his engage ment to Miss Madge Saunders, the musica" comedy actress, have been received by Mr Leslie Henson, the comedian. The date of the wedding is not yet fixed, but it may take place about Christmas.

Plymouth Corporation is urging the de. velopment of a portion of Devonport Dock- yard for commercial purposes and the build- ing of merchant ships. Rev. Arthur McCarthy, of Dublin, has re- ceived a message! from the Pope congratu- lating him on the attainment of his hun- dredth birthday. A woman who was fined Y,3 for etone- throwing at Brierley Hill, Staffordshire, was alleged to have thrown the missile at men working on the railway during the strike. Plymouth Town Council presented the freedom of the borough to Alderman Thomas Baker, in recognition of his eminent services during the three years he filled the office of mayor.

PETROGRAD. I BOLSHEVIST TROOPS DEMORALISED. NAVAL BOMBARDMENT. I Apparently the unhappy lot of Petro- grad is to be changed tor a more whole- some one. It is said that the Reds" have been routed and that the city is now in the hands of the "White" Russians. What the "Whites" will do with it is too much to attempt to prophesy. Confirmation is given to General Yude- nitch's statement that tho Bolsheviks be- fore his troops are completely demoralised. It seems that the North-West Army met with little resistance at Gat-china, although tha.t place was strongly fortified, and ad- vanced rapidly to Krasnoye Selo and Tsar- koye Selo. Aviators report that there were few bar- ricades on the road, and the trenches and wire entanglements outside the suburbs did not appear very formidable. A Special Correspondent of the "Daily Express," London, repored that. Kronstadt had capitulated after a bombardment of the most intense kind by the British Fleet. The main attack was directed from Kuporia Bay. The fleet had nothing to fear from the heavy batteries at Krasnaia Gorka, ow- ing to the capture of this stronghold. Win- dows in Finnish villages were blown out by the concussion of the all-day bombardment. Krasnoe Selo (on the railway sixteen miles South-West of Petrograd) has been taken by the "White" Russians. As the Express" remarks in its leading article, one wonders what the British Fleet is doing in Russian waters

LORD PORTMAN DEAD. I ONE OF LONDON'S RICHEST LAND- LORDS. The death has occurred of Viscount Port- man, who died at his London residence, 22, Portman-square, W., after a few days' ill- ness. Lord Portman, who was one of the richest grounds landlords in Lbndon, was 00. He succeeded his father, the first Viscount, who was in his 90th year when he died, iu November, 1888. Lord Portman sat as M P. for Shaftes- bury in 1852-7, and for Dorset (Liberal), 1857-85. He followed the eighth Duke of Devonshire in his secession from the Home 'R!e Party. For IS years he was colonel of tho West Somerset Yeomanry. His country seats were Bryanston, near Bland-ford, Doraet, and Wentworth Lodge, Bournemouth.

A WHITEHALL SENSATION. I MAN IN CHAINS CALLS ON THE PRIME I MINISTER. Whitehall was surprised the other day by the appearance in this exclusive thorough- fare ot a strange figure roped in chains. The man thus adorned walked up to 10, Downing-street, and handed in a petition to the Prime Minister asking for work for the demobilised soldiers of Birmingham. He then departed as mysteriously as he came. The man is understood to be a demobil- ised soldier, and to have come from Bir- mingham to Loudon. The chains, which were of various thick- nesses, were wound round his neck, arms, legs and ankles.

BIG DIAMOND ROBBERY. J I MAIL BAG RIPPED OPEN AND GEM? I REMOVED. When the Holt liner Æneas arrived at Liverpool it was found that a packet of dia- monds, worth many thousands of pounds, had been stolen from the mails. The mails were unloaded in the usual way when nine diamonds were seen in the hold. The mail bags were inspected, and one was found to have been ripped open and i packet containing rough diamonds weigh- ing 1,000 carats was missing. The police believe the theft occurred while ;he liner was anchored at Capetown.

LORD CLIFTON DIVORCED. I Lord Clifton of Rathmore, eldest son and heir of the Earl of Dariilev, who in 1912 waa married at St. Margaret's, Westmin- ster, to Miss Daphne Rachel Muiholland, of Worlingham Hall, Beccles, has been divorced by Lady Clifton. She ha.s been granted a decree nisi of divorce, with tha custody of her little son and daughter.

"THOU SHALT NOT." .1 Â young womall toLl th(> \V i 1J(,Hl'C'r: A young womaft told the V, illeader, magistrate she had six points to compiam of with regard to her husband: lie would not let her speak to anvcr.e. He would not let anyone visit the house. lie would not let her take her little boy out. He would not give her any housekeeping money. He threatened her life. He would not let her have her own clothes to wear. The court missionary was asked to act as mediator.

Mrs. Lloyd George inaugurated the Scot- tish dry campaign in Glasgow. Lord Lansdowne has arrived at Lans- downe House for a few days to take medical advice. British steamer Port Chalmers was errone- ously reported to be on fire at sea.

WAR = MAKERS ON TRIAL. STATE TRIBUNAL TO SIT AT BERLIN. WHAT ARE WE DOING ? While the Allies are thinking the Hun is up and doing. It is now reported that General Ludcn- dorff, Count Bernstorff, and Herr von Beth- mann-Hollweg are to bo called into the dock at Berlin to explain their share in the responsibility for the war. After the rejection by the Allies of the German proposal to establish an inter- national tribunal, Germany decided to ap- point a State tribunal herself. According to the V orwaerts" "a great surprise" from tho trial 's expected; it adds that the guilty made history without pity for the millions; now history will pass sen- tence without pity for the individuals.

I THE ASTOR ESTATES. I BREAKING UP THE HEART OF NEW YORK. It is now reported that the Astor family's vast estates in the heart of New York are to be broken up. For more than a century the family have refused all offers, no matter what the price. Mr. Viiiceut Astor has sold the Putnam building for £ 1,000,000, it being later re- sold to the Famous Players-Lasky Corpora- tion at a profit of t250,000. The Henry Astor Trust property, comprising scores of theatres and buildings, will be disposed of shortly. This is the first time that Astor property has been auctioned. pro l)?ert.y has been auctione d

I MALE CHAPERONS. I The following quaint advertisement offers numerous possibilities: "Gentlemen, de- mobilised, of good social standing, is open to act as guide to ladies visiting London. Dancing partner. Parties and entertain- ments organised. There are numerous men, -,vell-bred and of good social position in varying degrees, who are ready to play the part of chaperon in various wav-for a consideration. Such chaperoning covers a multitude of things. It may merely mean acting as guide to a couple of lonely ladies who wish to do a week's sight-seeing in London and who have no man friend to tako them about, or it may mean introducing a whole family into "High Society" and running all their social affairs in London and elsewhere for a lengthy period. The proprietress of a social agency has lately been compelled to start a special list of men who are ready to act as "dancing partners," since the present craze has led to a big demand for men who dance well and who will chaperon ladies to dance clubs and thes dansants. Many mothers whose daugh- ters are "dance mad" are only too glad to pay well for the services of an irreproach- able dance partner and chaperon for them. Undoubtedly it is becoming more and more "not the thing" for women to go a bout without a man escort. Fathers and brothers are increasingly in demand to play the chaperon at evening and daytime festivities, and there is not the remotest doubt that the professional man chaperon has come to stay.

■ ■ — I EAT APPLES. I If you want to look bright and do your work well—eat apples. And bear in mind to include the peel when consuming this most excellent fruit. The seeds of fruits, like the pips of the apple and the pear, the kernel of the plum and cherry-stone, and all 1 nuts, are among the richest of all food materials, while the skins supply the mineral substances, which nre necessary to the nourishment of the blood, without which nobody could live. If the blocd is examined before one com- mences to eat fruit with its skins, and again at the end of three months, the improve- ment is markod by the increase in the red -cells- a-.id the red colouring matter, which are of such vital importance to health and to life. There are numerous foods which we ought not to eat in excess, but of which we do eat too much, that leave something be. hind them in the organs of digestion and elsewhere. Fruit is the natural remedy to employ and not medicine. Its systematic employment at all meals is quickly followed by a healthy change. The skins with the acid which all fruits contain are perfect cleansers, the former acting almost like a broom in sweeping all before it as it passes through the digestive organs.

f ARE YOU SUPERSTITIOUS? I It is a very open question as to whether J man is more superstitious than woman or vice versa. Professc-r Conklin, a well-known mind expert, has just finished a series of inquiries to discover how many were super- stitious and what their pet superstitions were. "Touch wood" is said to bo the most com- mon superstition. Over a third of the people asked admitted that if they didn't touch wood they were unlucky! The next favour- ites, in order, were, lucky dreams, bad luck brought about by the number thirteen, bad luck from opening an umbrella in the house, and belief in fortune telling. Twice as many men as women worried over having thirteen guests at a table, but nearly four times as many women as men believed It bad luck to open an umbrella in the house. Of all the inquiries made among men by Professor Conklin, not one believed it was lucky to sleep with a piece of wedding cake under the pillow, while most women be- lieved in it! Only one person out of every hundred, for instance, had any belief that horseshoes were lucky, and only one man in fifty was superstitious about lighting the third cigarette with the same match.

IT'S A LONG WAY TO- I TIPPERRACHERRA. A strip of iand situated in Assam, about ) 20 miles from South Sylhet, has the tongue- twisting name of Tipperracherra. It is ruled by the natives themselves, and when- ever any of them in the surrounding dis- tricts get into trouble with their sahibs or memsahibs, they make straight for this tract of land until the trouble blows over. More enlightened than their fellow plains- men, the Hill Tipperras are cleaner, and have a better idea of comfort. They build their huts in the bustis (native villages) on piles, to protect them from damp. The natives, who are rather short and sturdily built, think nothing of walking 40 miles to the nearest bazaar and back to do their marketing, carrying fish strung on a stick over their shoulder, and their other purchases in a basket on the head. Their dress is a short drapery, leaving the legs and arms bare, and many dispense with the turban. They are lighter in oolotir than tho ordinary native, and the men wear their black, sleek hair hanging to the shoulders with coloured quills stuck over one ear, somewhat after the manner of the redskin.

To protest against the Home Secretary's reply that he cannot advise any inter- ference in the case of Elsie Smith, recently sentenced to four months' imprisonment for attempting to murder her -baby, the Women's Freedom League are taking the matter up more actively. ::> At Liverpool this year nearly 2,500 case; of non-payment of income tlX have beeii heard, and there are hundreds of cases yel to be dealt with, principally concerning working men. The amounts involved rangt from Xl to about < £ 13

ESCORT GAGGED. -——— SENSATIONAL JOURNEY WITH AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS. THREAT TO BAYONET. A sensational story is told of six Austra- lian military prisoners who, whilst on theit way from Calais to Winchester Prison, bound and gagged their armed escort and escaped from a train. It appears the escape was not discovered until tho train arrived at Winchester, when an officer found the escort handcuffed and gagged and bound with handkerchiefs and puttees. The escort said the men were quite orderly until the train left Basingstoke. It was then dark, and the prisoners pulled down the blinds. The guard believe that one of them unfastened his handcuffs with a key, for he suddenly jumped up and snatched a bayonet from one of the soldiers. He threatened to stab any of the escort who moved or cried out. The other prisoners by this time had unfastened their handcuffs. and all atacked the guard. With the odds so much in their favour they soon over- powered the three, handcuffed their hands behind their backs, and bound and gagged them as stated. The train stopped at Michcldever Station, about eight miles from Winchester, where the six prisoners jumped from the carriage to the line and ran into the tunnel.

GHOST BILLIARDS. I A. TALL STORY THAT WANTS A. LOT OF I POCKETING. In a lecture on "The Soul and its Des. tiny," Sir William Barrett, one of the founders and an ex-president of the Psychi- cal Research Society, told a story of a "spirit's" game of billiards. A Mr. Mackenzie Ashton, he said, ap. peared when 130 miles away to several friends who were sitting specially for psy- chical phenomena. Not only did he appear, but he casually mentioned, by the tipping of a table, that during the day he had played two games oi billiards with his father. He also said he had been out shooting during the day. The people who received these communica- tions wrote and asked him if-this could pos- sibly be true. It was found that every de- tail was exactly correct. Mr. Ashton was lying asleep on the sofa in the billiard roon at the time that he corresponded.

FAMOUS ACTOR DEAD. I Mr. H. B. Irving, actor and scholar, has died at his London, residence in Cumberland- terrace, Regent's Park, in his fiftieth year. The eldest son of the late Sir Henry Irving, Henry Brodribb Irving was edu- cated at Marlborough and Oxford-where he played his first part in the O. U .D.S. He studied for the law, and was caned to the Bar three years after his debut on the London stage in Sir John Hare's production of "School" at the Garrick. He had numer- ous successes both as actor and actor- manager. Mr. Irving married Miss Dorothea Baird (famous as Trilby), and he leaves a daugh- ter and a son, an,oiffcer in the R.A.F., who won the French Military Cross for bringing down a Fokker.

FATHER AT 16. I Four lads, the eldest 17, pleaded guilty at London Guildhall to being concerned in forging and uttering cheques for £25 and 16, was said to be married and a father. Sending one boy to a reformatory and re- manding the other three, Alderman Sir Charles Wakefield commented on the lack oi moral character in boys appearing at the juvenile courts. His experience had proved over and over again the. need for more reli- gious and moral teaching in the schools. Cleverness without character was a curse.

AEROPLANE ON TAXICAB. I An extraordinary landing was made bv Vickers bombing machine on its concluding a trial flight at Farnborough. The pilot was planing down on Farn borough Common, but miscalculated, ant landed his two-engined aeroplane right or top of a passing taxicab with two occu pants. The taxicab was crushed inwards, bu not sufficiently to injure the occupants, ant neither aeroplano nor pilot suffered any in juries.

DECREE FOR A BARONET. I Sir Digby Lawson, Bt., who is at presen' serving as a captain with the Cavalry Divi sion on the Rhine, has been granted E decree nisi in the Divorce Court because 01 his wife's misconduct with a man unknown There was no defence, and Sir Digby'i evidence was taken on commission.

8,000 A DAY. l During the week ending October 15. 57,118 officerj and men were demobilised and discharged from the Army. This is a the rate of more than 8,000 a day. The total number discharged since tht armistice is 146,120 officers and 3,316,901 other ranks.

WHISKY PROFITEERING. I A fine of E200 was imposed at Glasgow on Messrs. Felix Laverty and Co., whisky merchants, Belfast, for selling 650 gallons o whisky to Glasgow publicans at £ /00 more than the controlled price.

STABLE LADS' STRIKE THREAT. I Epsom stable lads have decided to suspend for a week their strike notices, and a p- pointed a deputation to meet the trainers. Failing a settlement, then the lads will come out on strike this week-end. —— k

BILLY WELLS. I At Holborn Stadium, Bombardier Billy Wellg beat Jack Curphy, of Salford, witi a "knock-out in the .second round.

A GREAT WAR ON RATS. I A great rat hunt is being organised at the Military Supply Stores ana barracks at Aldershot. The commanding efficers of units have received orders to throw their whole forces daily for a week against the enemy with a view to his coiuplete exter- mination. Ferrets, dog", poisons, and tiaps are to be used, and guards will be stationed at points to prevent the rats emigrating from one barracks to another.

CHIEF OF INDIAN G.S. ( Lieut.-General Sir C. W. Jacob 'a5 been appointed Chief of the General Staff in India. in succession to Major-General (temp. Lieut.-Gen.) Sir G. M. Kirkpatriok, who vacates the lappointment in. January.

Kingston magistrates have granted the applications of two Esher licensees for per- mission to open their houses from four to six on three afternoons for the convenience of visitors to the Sandowu Park race meet- ing.

I BETTER 'PHONES? NEW EXPENDITURE INVOLVING THREE MILLIONS STERLING. P.M.G. AT BAY. Our telephone system has long been national scandal and a world-wide joke, 50 it is interesting to report that Mr. Illing- worth, Postmaster-General, had an uncom- fortable hour when with a deputation of business men who had assembled to discuss the subject of telephones. Colonel Sir F. Hall, M.P., pointed out the shortcomings of the service, the length of time taken to get an instrument in- stalled, the. unreasonable charge of .£4. made to the man who takes over an in- strument already installed and in working order, the fees charged to the man who acts as agent for several firms, and is treated as though he were three firms instead of one. Capt. H. Newton Knights, M.P., as an illustration of unfairness, said that he knew of a bookmaker with 14 instruments, six of which had been installed since the armis- tice, while other men could get none. I APOLOGIA. Mr. Illingworth's reply was delivered in ah apologetic and hesitating manner, and added very little to official explanations already given in the House of Commons. He showed clearly that the public interest during the war was entirely neglected, while the Army a.nd Government depart- ments had all the resources of the Tost Office poured with lavish hands into their laps: He ventured diffidently to hope that a programme involving the spending of £3,000,000 would be carried out during the next twelve months. If it is carried out there are to, be new lines, new exchanges, better service, and in time a "perfect ssr- vice. I STRONG MAN WANTED. In the view of one writer, the impression made upon the business men was that the sooner the Government puts the public re- sponsibility for telephone management in the hands of a strong, businesslike man with high technical experience and strength to fight the Treasury and other Govern- ment departments, the sooner the telephone scandal will be remedied.

I ARE SPIRITUALISTS SANE? I MAGIC CIRCLE TO INVESTIGATE PHENOMENA. That well-known body of illusionists, "The Magic Circle," is investigating the claims of Spiritualism. They have been told by Dr. Haydn Brown, the London neurolo- gist, that spiritualistic seances arc risky things for the human mind, and that would- be believers attend at their peril. Many medical men support Dr. Brown's theory. One doctor, who secretly attended a spiritualistic demonstration, said he had formed the opinion that the majority of the people present were on the border line of in- sanity. Colonel R. H. Elliot, I.I.S., chairman of a committee of men of a wide range of pro- fessions formed at the Magic Circle to sift spiritualistic phenomena, said: "There is a general idea that because a number of eminent scientists have adopted spiritualism the case is proved. We reject that emphatically. Because a man is an ex- pert in one line there is no reason for sup- posing he is expert in another." I VOICE FROM THE DEAD. I- ? Speaking at Leicester, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle dealt with some criticisms made at the Church Congress. "Dean Inge," he said, "may ill-treat the spiritualist, but he must not murder the King's English. He accuses us of necromancy. He ought to know that necromancy means incantations round a. corpse, and if there is anything which will have nothing to do with a corpse it is spiritualism, because spiritualists look on a dead body as merely matter." Dean Inge accused them of giving spuri- ous consolation. Was it spurious consola- tion for him (Sir Arthur) when lie met his son face to face eleven months after his death? They conversed about a private thing. His voice was as in life. Did they think it waa spurious consolation for him to know that his boy was happy?—for he told him he was happy.

DOWNING DISHES. MOTHERS DESCRIBED AS "FLAPPERS." An amusing strike has occurred at the Post Office Savings Bank, Blythe-road, West Kensington, whore 80 women workers have cisme out on strike. The women were employed as waitresses, kitchen, and scullery maids in connection with tho serving of meals to the large staff. The strikers, who belong to the National Federation of Women Workers, have come out as a protest against the non-reinstate- ment of two shop stewards. A number of the girls are doing "picket" duty. None of the strikers, it is stated, is offici- ally connected with the Post Office, but all are engaged by a club of postal employees. At a meeting a resolution was passed de- manding the immediate reinstatement of the two dismissed shop stewards, and indig- nation was expressed that the strikers had been described as "flappers." "So far from being flappers,' a lot of them are women with sons and daughters," declared one of the women.

FROM GREECE TO SMOKE. NEW CIGARETTE FACTORIES TO BE STARTED IMMEDIATELY. American newspapers just to hand indi- cate increasingly active operations by American manufacturers of tobacco, notably the Tobacco Products Company. The New York "Journal of Commerce" states that a factory is being erected in London, with eix machines ready to be installed capable oi turning out 1,200,000 cigarettes a day. "The Corporation has in stock nearly XSDO,000 worth of Macedonian tobacco," say e the "Journal of Commerce," "of the kind which is used for making the finesl Turkish cigarettes. There is a movement on foot to abandon the description 'Turkish in favour of Grecian,' as the district IV which the tobacco is grown is no longei governed by the Turks." One of the New York officials of the com- pany is quoted as saying: "The plant ir London will be ready, for business very shortly.

CONSTABLE SHOT. COMRADE'S TRANSFUSION OF BLOOD FAILS TO SAVE LIFE. A Dublin constable named Dowling ap- proached a group of three men, one of whom produced a, revolver and fired point blank at him. A boy blew the officer's whistle, and Dowling was taken to hospital, where a*1 unsuccessful attempt was' made to save DoW- ling's life in hospital by the transfusion ot blood, a comrade of the policeman teering for the. operation.

One of the greatest typhus epidemics i history threatens Siberia, says a Tokio 1IlC'' sage quoting an American Red Cross report. The King has approved of the Sea Tran^ port Medal, which was instituted in 19M  a decoration for award to ,,ycantile marine officers for service in ^oop trano- ports during wars, !bein? supere?ed ? ^ar as the present war is concerned, Dy the Mercantile Marine Medal.

A TRICKSTER TRICKED. f BOGUS CONCERT MANAGER GOES TO I PRISON. Basil Reginald Jarvis, the self-styled "entertainer," who has been charged with obtaining various sums of money from de- mobilised officers by false pretences, has been sentenced to five years' penal servitude at the London Sessions. His plan of campaign was to appoint his dupes as managers of seaside concert parties at a salary of JS5 a week. When, however, they arrived at the town where they were to take up their duties, they found no con- cert party, received no pay, and lost the money they had invested. lie told thsm he was the originator of the "Barnstormers' Concert Party" in France.

DIAMOND MYSTERY. I A mysterious robbery is reported to have taken place at the tiat of Prince Felix Yons- soupoft, in Knightsbridge,' London, of a packet of diamonds. According to reports an envelope containing 100 Cape diamonds, said to be valued at £ lb,0t0, was stolen after an entertainment which the Prince gave at his flat. The Prince is a member of the late Russian Royal family, and figured prominently in the Rasputin druma. The remarkable" thing about the disap- pearance of the diamonds is that the Prince denied having sustained any loss, while on the other hand. the police state that it was from the Prince they received th informa- tion. The diamonds, it was said, formed part of the Russian Crown jewels. In an interview the Prince refused to sa y anything, but his courier volunteered the information that the package had been "mislaid," and that the matter was reported simply in order to find it. The Prince would rather let the whole matter drop.