Evening Express

NEWPORT'S G.O.M. I With the death of Alderman Henry John Davis passes away one of the figures whom we had learned to associate inseparably with Newport. He had watched the town growing up around him he had lived a strenuous life, had played his part on the side of law and order in stirring Chartist days, and had given his best services to the town of his adoption. His record of sixty years on the Newport Town Council is equalled by few, if any. During that long period he has three times occupied the mayoral chair, and it was the great charm and dignity with which he was accustomed to :fill this office, and the respect in which he was universally held, which prompted his selection for the honour during Corona- tion year. Unusually heavy though the duties of that year were, Alderman Henry John Davis performed them with won- derful vitality. His mayoralty will be memorable for another incident, too-an incident in the council chamber touched by a little human nature, and lit up alto- gether by the alderman's great hearted- ness. It was his boast that, although he had been a solicitor for over sixty years, he had never taken a case of personal dis- pute into court; and it touched him to the quick that the close of his mayoralty should be clouded by disputes between the members of the body which he presided over. The settlement of that dispute is historic. The bitter words it engendered may be forgotten at the bidding of the alderman: but the alderman will never be forgotten by those who have known! bim: a bright, keen, careful public man and a scrupulously zealous agent for the Tredegar family.

More than once attention has been called in these columns to the burden, which falls upon the Cardiff rates for the support of foreign lunatics. The figures which were published on Saturday are a revelation. Nearly five thousand desti- tute aliens derive their living from the poor rate, and, with the exception of Lon- don, Cardiff supports more alien lunatics than any other town in the country. Un- fortunately, it is not possible to make the countries from which these people come chargeable for their maintenance under the Poor-law, which would avoid a great deal of unpleasantness, and which would, after all, be only fair. In considering any legislation on the subject of alien im- migration it is not right to look only on the black side, at the destitute and the insane. We must rember as a palliation of the evils complained of that many aliens have brought over to this country a useful trade, and made it prosperous. "Fools build and wise men buy," is a well-known proverb; but the Oswestry medical officer has improved upon it. He says, Having built a house it is wise to let it to one's enemy for the first year, to let it to a friend for the second year, and to live in it oneself the third year." Whether this is loving one's neighbour as oneself may be doubted, but it certainly contains a considerable spice of worldly wisdom.

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS Notwithstanding th* pressure of Føøticll Now mni Notes, no Advertisement* ordtrtd for insertion in the EVENING EXPRESS on Saturdays are omitted from the Football Editions

BAROMETRICAL INDICATIONS I The following am the readings since flTa o'clock last I •wing, aa given by the barometer in the vestibule of W 11 Bvaoisf Faprow," St. jfery-street, Cardiff, which I la 3311. abov" mean sea level:,

Mainly About Peopie I The marriage of Miss Samuel, elder daughter of the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayo- ress, to-morrow (Tuesday) will be a very inte- resting and pretty ceremony. A Jewish wed- ding, whether celebrated in the home or in the synagogue, is at all times a most pictu- resque ceremony, and Miss Samuel's nuptials at the Mansion House will go to prove this. The sacred rites are conducted under a large canopy chupah) of crimson velvet, gold-em- broidered, or of heavy white satin; this canopy is kept in position by four poles, which are frequently upheld by young men. relatives and friends of the contracting parties. Dr. Adler, the Chief Rabbi, will perform the ceremony, assisted by other clergymen; and a picked choir from the synagogue choirs will be introduced for the service, a portion of which takes place before the bride makes her entry on her father's arm, followed by her bridemaids. The parents of both bride and bridegroom have also a place under the canopy, and the beautiful rites terminate with the symbolic ceremony of the treading underfoot and smashing to atoms of a wine- glass by the bridegroom. Miss Samuel's wed- ding will be the first Jewish wedding ceremony solemnised in the Mansion House. Mr. Walter Wellman, whose remarkable statements concerning Irish Home Rule have created some sensation, is best known in this country for his work as an Arctic explorer, especially in connection with his expedition to Franz Josef Land in 1897-99, where it was hoped that some trace of Andre, the missing polar balloonist, might be found. Mr. Wellman, who is 44 years of age, displayed a love for journalism at an ea-rly age, and at fourteen had established a weekly newspaper. He claims, among other things, to have dis- covered the spot where Columbus landed at Watling Island, Bahamas. Both as jour- nalist and explorer he is considered a. sound, reliable man, but the Home Rule story appears likely to prove the greatest frost he ever struck. King Christian IX. of Denmark celebrates his 85th birthday on Wednesday next. As the father of Queen Alexandra, he is naturally a figure of peculiar interest among European Sovereigns in the eyes of English people. With his great height, tall, upright form, simple integrity of character, and robust kindliness, King Christian stands out a man among men. The devotion he has always inspired in his family has become quite proverbial, and it has been said that one of the attractions of Sand- ringham for Queen Alexandra is that there is nothing but the sea between the Norfolk coast and her beloved first home. In the everyday life of King Christian but little State is observed, and the habits of the Court of Denmark are characterised by extreme simplicity. The King rises early, takes a great deal of exercise, both on foot and on horseback—(by the way, his son-in-law, King Edward, has never been able to persuade him to enter a motor-car)—transacts the business of State, dines early, sups lightly, and usually retires to rest before eleven o'clock. The devotion of King Christian to our Queen is well known. and is reciprocated by her Majesty. Besides his title of King of Denmark the Danish Sovereign is picturesquely designated as King of the Wenda and the Goths." No actress has ever had more jokes made at her expense than the divine Sarah had in her younger days, when she had a very atten- uated form. Once Damas the younger was shown a picture of the great actress painted by M. Clarin. In the picture a. dog was lying at Madame Bernhardt's feet. "Ah, I see," said M. Dumas, "a picture of a dog and a bone." On another occasion a Parisian paper told a. story of how Mme. Bernhardt was attacked by robbers, but escaped by hiding herself behind her parasol. Once the actress was rehearsing a piece at a Paris theatre when she was suddenly called off the stage to see a friend. The manager, turning round quickly and not seeing Madame Bern- hardt, looked thoughtfully at the floor of the stage for a few seconds. and then said sadly, "Ah, poor mademoiselle, she must have slipped through the boards!" Queen Carola of Saxony, who is now visit- ing Paris incognito, is a very interesting personality, inasmuch as she is not only Queen of Saxony, but also the rightful Queen of Sweden. She was born in 1833, and is the only daughter of Gustave Prince of Wasa, the last of the royal house of Wasa, the most famous member of which was the great war- rior King Gustavua Adolphus of Sweden. Moreover, Queen Carola nearly became Empress of the French. Her grandmother, Stephanie de Beanharnais. was the adopted daughter of Napoleon I., and soon after Napoleon III. became Emperor it was known that he was anxious to marry the Princess. This match, however, would not have suited Russia, so the Princess was rather hurriedly married to the Crown Prince of Saxony in 1853. Queen Carola never had any children, and she is consequently the last of the old line of Swedish sovereigns. A good deal of misconception prevails in this country on the question of morganatic marriage, and one hears a phraae constantly applied to certain unconcealed unions mensa et thoro that have occurred in our Royal family, am, e.g., between King Wiliam IV. and Mrs. Jordan, and between the present Duke of Cambridge and the mother of the Fitz- Georges. As a matter of fact (says "To-Day ), there is no such thing in English law as a morganatic marriage, which is a purely Ger- man institution. The hindrance to the free marriage of our Royalties lies in the Royal Marriage Act of 1772, which was passed on account of the recklessness with which George III:ø brothers were entering into the matri- monial state, and provides that no descen- dant of George II. (other than the issues of Princesses who may have married into foreign families) shall, before the age of 25, be capable of contracting marriage without the consent of the reigning Sovereign, signified under the Great Seal and declared in Council. Any marriages contracted without such con- sent are null and void, and all persons solemnising and assisting at them render themselves liable to the pains and penalties of the Statute of Provision and Praemunire. Royalties above 25 may give twelve months' notice of their intended marriage to the Privy Council, and, failing the expressed disappro- bation of both Houses of Parliament during that period, the marriage may lawfully take place. Another misconception is that a mor- ganatic union is only a recognised liaison, terminable at the caprice of the Royalty, whereas it has all the fotce of wedlock, save that neither the wife nor the children take the rank of the husband and father. Dr. Mary Chandley Lovell, an American woman, has qualified in both law and medicine. The "Daily Dispatch" reports that she was a doctor first, and subsequently quali- tied aa a lawyer. The Grand Duke of Tuscany will very shortly go to Lindan to see his daughter, the ex-Crown Princess of Saxony, and the result will be a family reconciliation. The Princess will live a retired life for a time, and when the scandal has blown over she will be par- doned and restored to her titles and rank as an Arcr duchess. Mr. Gustave Franklin Swift, president of the packing firm of Swift and Co., which is known in every part of the world, who has just died suddenly in Chicago, of hemor- rhage, resulting from an operation per- formed on March 22, was 64 years of age. Beginning his career as a. butcher, Mr. Swift has left a. fortune estimated at from 7,000,000 dollars to 10,000,000 dollars. In 1877 he devised a plan for carrying meat by refrigerator car. He and his scheme were laughed at, and it was a long time before he could persuade the railroadlt to help him. He did a small pack- ing business at first, but from that little beginning his concern developed into a cor- poration with distributing offices in every important thwn of the United States, and with rept-esentatives in nearly 50 cities in Great Britain and the lea.din.g oraxmtereial oantrM of Karonsu. Asia, and A f--ica

THE LONDON PRESSI Examples of Their Views To-day. BRIEF EXTRACTS FROM LEADING ARTICLES. Chairmanship of Conciliation Board In declining to accept the duty of an "inde- pendent chairman"—practically, an arbitral- tor-in connection with the South Wales Con- ciliation Board, Sir Francis Hopwood says that the decision of the department is that it would not be compatible with the best inte- rests of administration that ite highest per- manent offi-cial should occupy a position in which he may be called upon to decide the question of a. general rise or fall of wages. This is, in our judgment, a sound principle, a.nd one which should not be lost sight of in other spheres of policy.—"Times." Macedonia If it were not for the suspicions which the powers mutually entertain of each other's good faith, suspicions freely fomented in Berlin, Macedonia might be free in a month.— "Morning Leader." Penrhyn Dispute As no means exist to compel either side to give way, the only course open is to leave them alone.—"Daily Graphic." Ireland and Home Rule The Nationalist members many years ago adopted as their battle-cry the phrase, "Ireland a Nation," and have never receded from the extreme position which Mr. Parnell deliberately occupied when he declared that he would not rest until the last link had been severed which bound Ireland to England.— "Daily Mail." Cancer Cancer remains still an unsolved mystery, a terrible, baffling fact which amply justifies the King's memorable saying that to the dis- coverer of a way to grapple with it a statue should be erected in all the capitals of the world.—"Daily Express." The Clerical Trust The Clerical Trust, powerful in its palaces and in the House of Lords, has waited its time. It now has its hands on the schools of London, and hopes soon to enter upon that halcyon time when the London voluntary schools, like those in the country, will be sup- ported by a compulsory rate on the citizens of London.—" Daily News." The Licensing Trade We have no sympathy for the plea that there is no call for the reduction of the number of licensed houses, and the argument that the prevalence of drunkenness has no relation to the number of public-houses oeerao to us nothing better than the last resort of a class interest which is naturally reluctant to be sacrificed for the good of the community.— Daily Chronicle." Recruits for the Army I The increasing difficulty of obtaining sturdy recruits for the Army is one of the many signs that we must do all we can to place our working class girls and boys more closely in touch with natural conditions of existence.— "Standard."

LOSS OF THE CAMBRIAN PRINCE Finding of the Board of Trade I Inquiry. A Board of Trade inquiry into the loss of the Liverpool sailing ship, Cambrian Prince, off Whit-by on the 27tk of February last, was concluded at Liverpool on Saturday. The vessel, which was on a, voyage from Coquimbo to Middlesbrough, had a crew of twenty hands, and carried a cargo of about 2,000 tons of manganese. When off Flamborough Head terrible weather was experienced, and for eight days the Cambrian Prince was beating about in the North Sea. in a. hurricane unable to make her destination. On the morning of the 27th of February, when off Whitby, she was struck by a. tremendoUH sea, and heeling over foundered almost immediately. Nineteen of the crew perished, the only survivor being the carpenter, who succeeded in scrambling into the ship's lifeboat. The court found that the Cambrian Prince was in good and sea- worthy condition when she left Coquimbo, that she was not overladen, and tha-t her cargo was properly stowed and secured from shifting. They were, however, of opinion that the cargo was not properly distributed. In the absence of direct evidence the court could only offer two suggegt-ions as to the loss of the veasel-either that when she heeled over the cargo shifted, or that, owing to the dis- tribution of the cargo, 800 tone of which were on the 'tween decks, the centre of gravity was so high that when the vessel heeled suddenly over she did so to such an extent as to be un- able to right herself. The court was of opinion that the latter was the more probable solution. The loss of life, they found, was due to the sudden foundering of the vessel.

HONG KONG DOCK EXTENSION I Hong Kong, Monday.-A committee which has been formed here is petitioning the home Government to appoint a Royal Commission of Inquiry to consider the question of extend- ing the docks.-Renter. I

STRIKE OF RAILWAYMEN I The Hague, Monday.—The Committee of Defence issued a manifesto this morning pro- claiming a general strike of the railway men. The railway stations are being guarded by troopg.-Reuter.

A NEW NORTHUMBERLAND COAL PIT I A new shaft is about to be sunk in connec- nection with the Ashington Collieries, Northumberland, already the largest in-the world. The pit will be at the fishing village of Gresswell, and will, it is expected, open a great virgin coalfield. Plans are being pre- pared for 800 miners' houses at New Hirst and Seaton Hirst, five miles distant, the men being conveyed to and from their work in colliery trains.

ICEBERGS IN THE ATLANTIC I The steamship Etraria," of the Cunard Line, from New York, reports -having sighted an iceberg on the 41st ult. in lat. 40.56 long. 50.45. On the following day she sighted another ice- berg, which the steamer reports aa dangerous to navigation.

MOTORING. I I THE GORDON-BENNETT COURSE. The course in Ireland over whick the Gordon-Bennett Cup will be contested in July has been officially measured, and the exact length found to be 368 milee 766 yards. The sur- face is already being got into order, and when this is completed the course will compare favourably with that of last year. Although on some portions of the rotlto the road turns a good deal, there are some fine straight pieces with no corners for fifteen miles. Leav- ing oot all short stretches of a, mile and under, there would appear to be 221 miles of straight road.

CARDIFF'S NEW MORTUARY I To-day, at a meeting of the Cardiff County Council, the mayor (Alderman E. Thomas, "Cochfarf") presiding, Mr. O. S. Williams asked if the new mortuary, now in course of construction, would be completed before the summer months came in, as during that period the present mortuary in Bute-road was very unpleasant.—Mr. Hughes replied that the work would be hastened aa soon a-a arrangements had boen completed.

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[Late GEN. MACDONALDI I m Suicide dueto Attempted Blackmail. GREAT PILGRIMAGE TO THE HERO'S GRAVE. Intelligence reaches Dingwall that the I American financier's movement for defending i Sir Hector Macdonald's name is making splendid progress. Apparently, Sir Hectorwaa unpopular in Colombo society, being too brusque, and hating humbug. Friction resulted, and professional native blackmailers took advantage of this, and, as is the custom in such circumstances, raised a scandal, as was done against a frontier officer at Quetta recently. Scandals for blackmail are common in India, and to prove innocence involves the expenditure of much money, and it is now known definitely that Sir Hector was without sufficient funds. Yesterday an extraordinary pilgrimage took place to General Macdonald's grave at the Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh. All day long enormous crowds were in front of the main entrance of the cemetery. The other entrances were closed, and a body of police regulated the traffic past the burying spot. The line of people from twelve o'clock to four extended constantly over a mile from the cemetery gate, and it took more than three hours from taking up position until passing the dead general's tomb. Many flowers were left. A Report Denied A telegram from Colombo says:—An official communication to the press states that the rumours of difference of opinion between Sir Hector Macdonald and Sir West Ridgeway are absolutely without foundation. Both socially and officially their relations were invariably friendly, and this had been the case without the slightest interruption. General Mac- donald, indeed, wrote to Sir West Ridgeway on his way home: Your Excellency's uniform kindness to me since I arrived in the Colony can never be effaced, and your manner of advising me now is proof of your continued kindness."

THE SHAMROCKS. Preparingfor the First Test Race Shamrock III. arrived at Weymouth shortly after ten o'clock this morning in tow of the Erin, which had Sir, Thomas Lipton on board. Shamrock I. reached Weymouth during the night. The Central News Weymouth correspondent te-lographs: -Shamrock I. reached Portland Roads during the night, and was followed at eleven o'clock this morning by the new chal- lenger, which was in tow of Sir Thomas Lipton's steam yacht Erin. Work was at once commenced on the preparations for the first test race to-morrow.

BRECON AND MERTHYR I RAILWAY. Additional Train Facilities to I Newport. The Newport Chamber of Commerce is. to be congratulated upon the success of its appeal to the directors of the Brecon and Merthyr Railway to improve the traiti service for marketing purposes between Newport and Rhymney on Saturdays. It will be remem- bered that at the last meeting of the chamber the president, Mr. F. P. Robjent, reported that he had taken a largely-signed petition to the company's offices in Loncon, and had gone into the matter exhaustively with the secre- tary to the company. Mr. Robjent has received the following letter, which explains itself: "Brecon and Merthyr Railway, London, 2nd April. Dear Sir,—With reference to the petition in regard to the train service which you left with me on the 6th ult., my directors had the matter before them yesterday, and decided. by way of experiment, to again run the 9.35 p.m. train on Saturdays between Newport and Rhymney, to commence on the let of May, and they trust the chamber will take steps to acquaint the signatories of this fact. The directors will further consider the exten- sion asked for in connection with the 3.15 p.m. train ex Rhymney to Pengam, and as to the arrangements for market passengers, would point out th&jt the facilities afforded, both in regard to number of trains and cheap fares, oompare favourably with any other railway in the district.—Yours faithfully. HERBERT R. PRICE (Secretary)." I

I THREATENING PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT I New York, Motiday.—Mr. B. P. Brown, of Redlands, California,, who was arrested just previous to Mr. M'Kinley's last visit to Cali- fornia for threatening the President, has now been arrested for making threats against President Roosevelt. At Sioux Falls yeeter- day the committee appointed to arrange the details of the President's reception and enter- tainment made a curious mistake. In the belief that the President was a Lutheran, he was taken to service in the German Church. The mistake was discovered in the afternoon, and to remedy it it was arranged that the President should attend service, at the Re- formed Church in the evening. Usually, Mr. Roosevelt only attends service once on Sun- days.—Central News.

DISORDERLY HOUSE AT CARDIFF At Cardiff Police-court to-day (before Messrs. T. Andrews, F. H. Jotham, and James Hur- man), Annie Howells, 28, a. woman with an infant in arms, was charged with assisting in the management of a. disorderly-house at No. 1, Gulliver's-court, Millicent-street, on April 4.—Accused admitted the offence, and a record of 21 previous convictions was brought up against her.—Superintendent Hayward said he had repeatedly cautioned prisoner, who continued to carry on the house in spite of his warnings.—She was committed for two months.

THE PENRHYN QUARRY DISPUTE Mr. ,Burt. M.P., in his monthly circular to the Northumberland Miners' Association, referring to the Penrhyn Quarry dispute, states that from what he knew of the Presi- dent of the Board of Trade he would gladly take any stops he thought would be likely to bring about peace and harmony. But Mr. Burt understands that Lord Penrhyn would accept no overtures from him or from the department over which he presided. That, however (the circular says), did not afford suffi- cient ground for inaction. In these great industrial conflicts the unreasonable party, whether employers or workmen, should have their unreasonableness expxosed to the world, and should have the full pressure of public opinion brought to bear upon them.

I DIVORCE COURT REGISTRAR DEAD Mr. Registrar Hannen, one of the registrar's of the Divorce Court, and a son of the late Lord Hannen, died yesterday.

OFFICERISSERVANT SHOOTS HIMSELF The lifeless body of James Risborough, an officer's servant, was found yesterday after- noon in the kitchen at the barracks of the Rifle Brigade, Chatham. Deceased had appa- rently shot himself with a revolver, the bullet from which passed through his head. Ris- borouglj bad served in the South African cam- paign.

CROYDON SMALL-POX EPIDEMIC I Another case of small-pox at the Croydon Workhouse Infirmary was reported yesterday. There has been one-death. All the patients I have been removed to the Croydon and Wim- bledon Small-pox Hospital at Cheam. It ia feared that the two former inmates of the I infirmary who have been in contact with the i first case have not yet been traced.

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LOVER AND LEGACY. ————— ———. Lady Loses a Large Sum of Money. SINGULAR STORY TOLD TO A LONDON MAGISTRATE Under the will of her grandfather, Miss Isabel Sarah Craig inherited about 13DO, having come of age. At this time she was living at a house in Rawlings-street, Chelsea, occupied by the parents of Thomas Henry Keys, a young carpenter. Keys knew the legacy was coming, and was engaged to be married to Miss Craig. Just before Christmas he went with her, she says, to her solicitor's, where she received 9301 in settlement of her claim. Keys took the money, she states, and promised to take care of it till they were mar- ried. They went. to the London and Provincial cial Bank, where he deposited it in his own name, telling the manager that he was en- gaged to be married to the lady. A little later she asked him for money to meet require- ments, and at last he transferred LLDO to her. After being away for a time he took her to a solicitor's to get what' he described as an "annulment of marriage." A document was there prepared, and they both signed it. She understood it to be a release by her of his engagement to marry her, the consideration being that he gave her L50. He handed her L5 in cash, but she believed this to have been part of her own money. As soon as they were outside the solicitor's office, he demanded the return of the money, saying he would keep it I for her until she got home. When they reached home he refused to give her more than X20, and she was unable to recover any further money from him. Keys was charged at Westminster Police-court on Saturday, on a warrant, with converting to his own use JB161 of Miss Craig's money. She stated that she waa willing to allow him no for certain payments he had made on her behalf. Detective-sergeant Williams told the magistrate about his arrest of the prisoner. On him was a note for 483 dollars-on the Bank of Montreal, payable at Winnipeg, and 121108. in gold, together with a third-class passenger ticket by the Beaver line for St. John, New Brunswick, and thence by rail to Winnipeg. The sergeant added that prisoner had had several addresses of late, his last being King a- cross. Answering the solicitor for the defence, the sergeant said that he found an agreement in prisoners' box at his lodgings. This was dated last December. Mr. Sheil looked at the document, but it was not read. Prosecutrix had signed it, and it was understood to be a gift of the money.—Accused was remanded in custody.

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION. I Grants Earned by Cardiff Schools I A Blue Book giving particulars of attendance of children in elementary schools through- out the country has been issued by the Board of Education. The following tables, giving the denomination of the schools, average attendance, and grants in Cardiff and New- port, will prove inte-resting:- CARDIFF COUNTY BOROUGH. I Average School. Attendance. Grant. £ Adamsdown Bd. set 965 Albany-road. Bd. 1,529 1,724 Bute Docks, St. Cuthbert's.. E. 125 134 Bute Town N. 329 347 Canton N. 420 423 Canton, St. Mary's R. 293 286 Cathays N. 302 280 Court-road. Bd. 1,059 1,160 Crwys-road Bd. 1,168 1,272 David-street R. — — Eleanor-street Bd. 426 463 Gladstone Bd. 1,211 1.352 Grangetown Bd. 1.649 1,746 Grangetown' N. 273 275 Grangetown, St. Patrick's.. R. 471 476 Higher Grade Bd 609 785 Lansdownc-road 1,029 1,103 Marlborough-road Bd. 565 649 Moorland-road. Bd. 1,572 1,664 Radnor-road Bd. 1,446 1,587 Roath, Crofts-street, Infants N. 218 185 Boath, Metal-street Ch. 651 664 Roath Park Bd. 1.0E3 1,147 St. Alban's Mixed & Infants. R. 299 295 St. David's R. 707 763 St. John's N. 302 314 St. Marly's N. 237 242 St. Mary's, North Church- street, Mission. N. 131 124 St. Monica's N. 313 311 St. Peter's. R. 592 624 Se.vern-road Bd. 1,658 1,829 South Church-street Bd. 308 332 Splotlands Bd. 1,650 1,751 Stacey-road Bd. 1,131 1,243 Temperancetown N. 110 104 Tredegarville N. 551 571 Tyndall-street R- •• 267 234 -Virgil-street Bd. 634 691 Wood-street. Bd. 934 1,048 NEWPORT COUNTY BOROUGH. • Average School. Attendance. Grant. £ Alexandra Bd. 790 817 Barnard Town Bd. 637.. 686 Bott-street. Bd. 925 993 Central. Bd. 243 258 Clytha Bd. •• 83.. 33 CKndau Bd. — Durham-road Bd- •• 864 913 Eveswell Bd. 848 895 Holy Cross S- 293 303 Lliswerry Bd. 270 276 Maindee Bd. 1,113 1,271 Maindee, St. Joseph's B* •• 208 211 Newport f. •• Pillgwenlly, St. Michael's. R. 608 626 St. M.ry,s H- ? 431 ::[¡:s' :d. :;î Shaftesbury-street Bd 1,441 1,517 Spring-gardens. Bd* •• 628 651 St-w-hill Bd. 790 847 Tredegar Wharf 510 497

I MARRIAGE OF SIR GORDON I MACGREGOR. Sir Gordon MacGregor was married on Sun- day to Miss Alice Gulliver, the lady who arranged for his removal from West Ham Workhouse. Since he left the workhouse the baron-et has been atayihg at a Clifton board- ing-house. The wedding took place at the registry-office attached to the Barton Registry Workhouse at Southmead, near Bristol, in the presence of a few ofilcials- The ceremony was a. brief one. Sir Gordon first said in distinct tones, "I, William Gordon Macgregor, know of no just cause or impedi- ment why I should not be joined with Alice Gulliver in matrimony"—or words to that eifect-and the bride repeated the same for- mula in low but distinct tones, of course trans- posing the names. Then Sir Gordon said, "I call upon you all to witness that I, William Gordon Macgregor, take this woman, Alice Gulliver, to be my wife" or words to that effect, and Miss Gulliver again went through a simi- lar formula. The baronet then placed the ring on the lady's finger, and, kissing her hand, said in affectionate tones, "My beloved wife." The ceremony of signing the register wae quickly disposed of. and then Sir Gordon introduced to his frienda "Lady Macgregor." The lady was immediately overwhelmed with congratulations, but Sir Gordon refused to receive congratulations himself till he had saluted his wife. This done, he heartily shook hands with his friends, all of whom congratu- lated him, and wished him and his bride long life and all possible happiness. L

FiRt: AT TREDEGAR I The lamp-roo i at the Ty Triet Colliery, Tredegar, the property of the Tredegar Com- pany, was destroyed by fire on Sunday after- noon, together with nearly the whole of the safety lampe and electrical machines by which they are lighted. Nothing is known as to the caarse of the fire. Casks of oil were stored in one portion of the building, but they were removed before they were reached by the fla-mes. The lamp-room is situated between two large engine-houses, and one of them was in great danger, but the efforts of a nnmber of men prevented the flames reaching it. Mr. A. S.. Tallis (general manager) was imme- diately in attendance and worked energeti- cally. He was ably assisted by Mr. E. H. Mitton (assistant general manager), Mr. G. E. Golding (overman), and others. It is antici- ixated that sufficient lamps will he procured from other collieries to prevent a stoppage.

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I VAN THIEVES. t Recovery of Stolen Property. DARING GANG CAPTURED AND SENTENCED. At the Central Criminal-court on Saturday, before the Common-sergeant, Frank Day (57), fishmonger; Frederick Taylor (25), tailor; Robert Woolbright (59), fitter, and John Jaegar (59), bootmaker, were indicted for stealing and receiving a horse, a van, a set of harness, and a quantity of leather, the property of Samuel Barrow and others. There were other charges of stealing morocco skins and other articles, the property of Mory and Co. The robbery was of a daring and impu- dent character. On December 18 a carman, named Lewis, was driving a van loaded with skins, accompanied by a van guard, in the city. Day called upon the driver to stop, and, addressing him, said, "I want to speak to you." The carman got down, when Day said "I want to know something about these goods; there's something wrong; just run and send off this telegram," at the time handing some money. The carman, thrown completely off his guard, took the telegram, and left the van in charge of the van guard. The carman's back having been turned, Day said to the van guard, "Here, boy, run after him I have not given him enough money for the telegram. He wanta another half-penny." He gave the boy a half-penny, and he went after the carman. When they returned the horse and van and contents, valued at 4450, had vanished. Information of the loss was given to the police, who subsequently traced the man to a stable ta.ken by Woolbright in the Annete-road, Holloway. The leather, it was alleged, a few days later was taken to Jaeger, a boot repairer. Duke-street, White- chapel. The police succeeded in arresting the prisoners and recovering the property stolen. The jury found all the prisoners guilty. In a, second case Arthur Renvoize, 30, dealer, was indicted for feloniously receiving a number of meat jacks, the property of the London and North-Western Railway Company, well knowing them to have been stolen. On February 5, a horse and van, with its con- tents, value jE565, were stolen by Day under precisely similar circumstances, in the Cam- bridge Heath-road. The police, in the course of their inquiries, heard that Renvoize had been offering for sale samples of leather which belonged to Messrs. Barlow Brothers, Western-street, Bermondsey, and on visiting his premises in Whitecrose-street, St. Luke's, though they failed to find any leather they .found several meat jacks stolen in transit, and a quantity of mock bucq sqins, stolen from Messrs. Cairns, Charing Cross-road.-The jury found the prisoner guilty.-Warder Knipe, of Pentonville Gaol, proved previous convictions against Day and Renvoize, and they were each sentenced to five years' penal servitude; Taylor and Woolbright to four years' penal servitude, and Jaeger to twelve months' hard labour.

CARDIFF 1 RAMWAYS. I A Record Sunday's Traffic I In moving the adoption of the tramway committee's report at a meeting of the Car- diff County Council held to-day, Mr. Courtis said that with reference to tramway receipts, which were materially increasing, yesterday (Sunday) was a record, so far as Sunday was concerned. As they knew, it was a. busy day, and the receipts totalled X156 6s. 3d., being about 50 per cent. increase on the usual Sun- day receipts.—Mr. Jenkins: How many extra trams were running as compared with other Sundays?—Mr. Courtis: There were twenty additional cars. but our receipts would have been greater than what they are had not the omnibuses been running. He thought it rather unfair that those vehicles should run I over routes which the Cardiff Corporation had made provision for.

CARDIFF'S NEW PUBLIC BUILDINGS I At a meeting of the Town-hall committee of the Cardiff Corporation this morning, Alder- man Carey presiding, Messrs. Lancaster, Stewart, and Richards, architects of the new public buildings at Cathays Park, reported having made a careful inspection of the heat- ing appartus at De Keysey'a Royal Hotel, Blacniriars, where the atmospheric steam- Keating system was installed at the beginning of the year 1900, and found that it was work. ing most satisfactorily, and was, according to the figures supplied, effecting a very great saving in all directions. When the heating and hot-water service was worked by live steam the annual coal consumption averaged 1,566 tons, whereas under the vacuum system, although 600 square feet of heating surface in new radiators waa added, the coal consump- tion fell to 977 tons. Other large places were also visited, where the system was found to be working &ttisfactorily.-In.ac,ordance with instructions, the architects and electrical engineer, Mr. A. Ellis, reported having most carefully considered the tenders and specifi- cations for the supply of electric wiring and telephones for the new Town-hall and law oonrts. They estimated the contract sum to be £ 6,968.—It was, after a brief discussion, decided to adopt this subject to as many reductions as possible being made.

RAILING OF THE TAFF EMBANKMENT, At a meeting of the County Council of Car- diff, held to-day, the mayor (Alderman E. Thomas, "Cochfarf") presiding, Mr. Jenkins asked when the public works committee was going to take steps to have the River Taff embankment railed, as at present it was very dangerous to pedestrians.—ilderman Rams- dale, as chairman of the committee, replied that the work would be effected when the ground landlords, who were responsible, took the matter in hand.

I CONSTITUTIONAL CLUB AT FOCHRIW I On Saturday last the formal opening of a Constitutional club took place at Fochriw, in the Rhymney Valleys. For some months past the local Conservatives have been organising I themselves with the view to providing some means whereby they can as a party locally gather together for social amusement and instruction, and they eventually succeeded in securing the premises in Brook-street, which have undergone considerable alterations. They are in every way adapted for the present requirements of the institution.

CHARGE OF STEALING A SOVEREIGN. I Ellen O'Brien, 30, was brought up in custody at Cardiff Police-court to-day charged with stealing a sovereign. the property of Thomas Le Blanc. from the counter at No. 2a, Adam- street, on April 3. Prosecutor is a seaman. On Friday night, at half-past eleven, he met prisoner in Adam-street, and she aaked him to buy her a few chipped potatoes. With that object they both went to the shop, and were supplied with the "chips." Le Blanc put on the counter a sovereign in payment, and on looking round he missed the sovereign, and saw prisoner outside. He did not actually see her take the coin. He gave to the police information which led to the woman's arre-t. —A barman at the Royal George said that at 6.30 on Saturday morning prisoner tendered him a sovereign for change.—Arrested and charged by Police-constable Higginson, she said. "What's given me is my own."—She was sent to the quarter sessions for trial.

THEATRE DESTROYED BY FIRE I Lille. Monday.—The Grand Theatre here I was completely destroyed last night by Are, I which broke out after the evening perform- I ance. There was no loss of life.

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A TALE OF HORROR. Mysterious Murders in a Hotel. AN OLD SERVANT'S GRUESOME STORY. The Brussels correspondent of the "Globe" writes:—A woman, coming from ranee for the purpose, has just revealed a tale of mys- terious horror to the police authorities of Brussels. Thirteen years ago, she says, she was engaged as a servant in a hotel in one of the Walloon towns, in which, besides the hotel proprietor and his wife, there lived the wife's mother and brother, the brother being an officer in the garrison of the town. The woman says that shortly after taking up her quarters there: "One night I heard the sound of a fight in the room next to mine. Almost at the same instant I heard a cry of pain, followed by the noise of death rattles, as if someone was being murdered. Frightened, I closed and double-locked my dbor, and, hold- ing my breath, I listened. At the end of some minutes it seemed to me that a human body was dragged along the corridor and carried into the garden. The night passed without any other incident, but the next morning, on going into the garden, I found that a hole, dug in the shape of a grave, which I had I noticed the evening before, had been filled up. The next day the friends of a veterinary sur- geon, a well-known and wealthy man, came to look for him at the hotel, but all knowledge of him, and the fact that he had been there the night before, was denied by the hotel people." This night of mysterious events was quickly followed by another. The servant's declara- tion goes on:—"Four nights later the same scene repeated itself—noise of fighting, cries of pain, sound of a body falling; nothing was wanting. This time the victim was a travel- ler whose name I did not know. At the moment the body was taken out of the room to be carried into the garden, I heard the landlady say to her husband, Ernest, ra-ise it uip well; do not- make too much noise.' After a night of fearful agony I went at day. break to the garden to see if another grave had not been dug. To my great surprise, I found the landlady soliloquising before a little cabin constructed of planks in a comer of the garden. Without attracting her atten- tion, I crept near enough to her to hear her say, 'I get your goods when I take your life.' At that moment she saw me, and seemed frightened, and on my going near the cabin she shoved me back brutally, and forbid me to ever enter it on any pretext whatever. Indig- nant at all I saw, 'I gave up my apron,' and said I would not stay in that infamous house another moment. I went out at once to look for a carrier to take my trunk, and returned without delay. The hotel-keeper and his wife and her mother were lying in wait for me, and threw themselves on me as I came in, and tried to strangle me with a band. They had it already around my throat, when the officer's orderly came in suddenly, and, see- ing they were trying to kill me, rushed up and rescued me." This is the woman's story. It is a tale of horror, which, if true, may lead to the revelation of many black crimes, for she was only one month in the inn, and during that time she says two murdere took plaoe there. The key to many mysterious dis- appearances may be found in her tale. The police have already moved in the matter. A commission has started for the place indicated to make inquiries on the spot, and search, if necessary, in the garden of the inn.

TRANSPORT STRIKE IN AMSTERDAM Amsterdam, Monday.—At a. secret meeting of the Committee of Defence at midnight, a gene- ral strike of all workmen engaged in trans- port, including railways, was proclaimed. The strike will begin immediately. All rail- way lines and quays are guarded by troops. A workman, who was not aware a strike had been proclaimed, was walking along the line, and as he did not reply to the challenge of a sentry, the latter fired with his revolver, and I wounded him. The meeting lasted Until four o' clock.—Reut er. The president of the Committee of Defence in an interview confirmed the statement that a general strike had been proclaimed for railways and other land transport, over the whole country, and for transport by water in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Dord- recht, and Zaandam, where transport by water plays an important part. He also declared that the strike had been proclaimed as a protest against the anti- strike laws, and also because the railwaymen wanted an increase of wages. The staff of the shipping companies running vessels to 'Lon- don and Hull have ceased work in sympathy with the strikers. Only one train, and that under military protection, has left the stations here this morning.

ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF CARDIFF I Mr. C. H. Bird, at a meeting of the Cardiff Town Council this morning, taid he noticed by the estimate for electric lighting from Maich 31, 1903, to March, 1904, an increase of a.bcnt £ 2,000. It would be admitted tha.t they bad a very much superior light in the centre of the town, but the extra, cost he considered enormous. They were now thinking also of branching out into other parts of the town, a,nd he maintained tjpat the way they were doing so at present was vorv prfraraMnf I He moved, as an amendment, that, so far as the electric lighting of Mount Stuart-square was concerned, it be referred back to the electrical lighting committee for further con- sideration, and a report thereon from the engineer.—A discussion ensued, it being con- tended by several members that that was a very important section of the town, and should be as well lighted as possible.—On a vote being taken, the axaendment was lost, and the resolution to light Mount Stuart- square by electricity carried. Dr. Smith asked when steps were to be taken for the lighting of the prin- cipal streets of Grangetown by elec- tricity.—Alderman Oarey replied that the electric light committee had their hands full just now, and assured Dr. Smith that Orange- town would not be neglected.

= A LIBERAL UNIONIST SECEDER Mr. J. W. Wilson, M.P., has published the letter which he wrote to the treasurer of the North Worcestershire Liberal Unionist Asso-j elation explaining his reasons for seceding from the party. He says :1 feel it is due to you to let you know that I have come to the con;ituion that I shall not be able to stand at the next general election as a sup- porter of the present Government. I have been finding it more and more difficult the last year or so, and now these enormous eati- mates, especially those for the normal Army expenditure, increase the dissatisfaction which I felt with the Education Act and the corn-tax last session. I want to avoid spring- ing any sudden change upon the party at an election time."

LOHD ROBERTS AT WREXHAM To-day Lord Roberts visited Wrexham, the headquarters of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. The Commander-in-Chief was met on arrival at Wrexham by Colonel Cornwallis West, Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire, Colonel Main- waring, commanding the 23rd Regimental Dis- trict, Colonel Wynne Edwards, commanding the 1st Volunteer Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, and the Mayor of Wrexham. The latter presented Lord Roberts with an address. Subsequently his lordship inspected the bar- racks, and also opened a new Volunteer drill- hall.

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ALD, HENRY J. DAVIS DiesSuddenly on Sunday Afternoon. THE DECEASED'S LENGTHY MUNICIPAL CAREER. There passed peacefully away yesterday afternoon at Newport, in the person of Alder- man Henry John Davis, a figure which had aptly been called the grand old municipal patriarch. His career extended back for 65 years in the public, commercial, muni- cipal, and social life of the town, and had touched almost every phase of its history, civil and ecclesiastical. He has closed his eyes in his ninetieth year, and has left an example of fidelity, of uprightness, of gene- rosity, and of unflagging zeal which ought to be, and probably will be, kept alive and held up to succeeding generations as a pat- tern and an inspiration. On Sunday morning, accompanied by his son, Mr. John Davis, the worthy and vener- able alderman drove from his residence, Tivoli, Stow-hill, to Bassaleg, and there attended service at the parish church. Whilst walking through the churchyard after service to his carriage he took his son's arm, and, remarking that he was a little "puffed," held on for support. Directly afterwards, how- ever, he swooned and fell, and had to be helped to his brougham by a number of bystanders. He was at once driven home. It was seen.that he was in a helpless and uncon- scious condition, and four medical gentlemen were called in. Mr. Davis did not speak again, and died about four o'clock in the afternoon, apparently from heart failure. He attained hie eighty-ninth birthday on the 7th of December last. He had twice been a widower, and of his family only two children survive him, viz., a son and a daughter, Mr. John Davis, who lived at home with his father in the quite household at Tivoli. on Stow-hill, and Mrs. Henry Justice, of Wynffordd Grange. Winterbourne Down, near Bristol. No arrangements for the funeral have as yet been made, nor has the sad occurrence yet been communicated by the family to Lord Tredegar, to whom the loss of so faithful, so respected, and so old an agent and friend will, undoubtedly, be a great shock. The mournful tidings were announced to the public at Newport by the hoisting at half- mast of the flag at the Town-hall. At St. Woolos Parish .Church, where Mr. Davis had been one of the churchwardens for a great many years, the viQar (the Rev. Ben- jamin Lloyd) at the Sunday evening service, without mentioning the deceased gentleman by name, said that congregation would, he felt sure, be very deeply grieved to learn of the sudden death of. probably, the oldest parishioner. A funeral hymn was sung, and at the close of the service the organist played the "Dead March" from "Saul." Biographical Memoir. The late Alderman Henry John Davis was for sixty years a member of the Newport Cor- poration. and was thrice elected mayor. His father and grandfather were agents to the Marquess of Bath for a period of seventy years. The deceased gentleman was the son of John Davis, and was born at Horningham, close to Longleet, on December 7, 1813. After spending eight years at Lord Weymouth's, foundation school at Warminster, where the encouragement to learning was chiefly the rod, he was. at the age of fifteen, articled to a firm of solicitors at Salisbury, and was subsequently-in 1831-transferred to the office of his brother-in-law in London. He was present at the Coronation of King William and Queen Adelaide in Westminster Abbey. It was in May, 1838, that he came to Newport, where he became a partner of Mr. James Birch, who was then solicitor to the Tredegar family. His advent to the town on the tfsk preceded the Ohantist riots by some eighteen months. Anent the attack on the Westgate Hotel on November 4, "1839, Mr. Davis wrote the following in his book of reminiscences, published in 1891:- Some time previous to the Chartist riots there were large meetings of Chartists, who paraded the town, and on one occar sion the magistrates were assembled at the King's Head, and I well remember Mr. Phillips (afterwards Sir Thomas Phillips) mounting a. cart laden with flour and reading the Riot Act therefrom. Subsequently some of the men were arrested, taken before the magistrates, and sent to gaol, but a great crowd had assembled bent on rescuing them. At that time the only place at Newport for the confinement of prisoners was a round house in Mill-street called the Clock-house, and the magistrates, in order to prevent a rescue, adopted the following ruse:—It was given out that the prisoners were to be removed thither, and the special constables were ordered to keep a passage for them through the crowd; thus the people were formed into two lines across the street, from the front door of the King's Head to Thomas-street. In the meanwhile, the prisoners having been placed in a car- riage in the inn yard, someone announced from the front door, "They are coming; clear the way!" and-whilst the attention of the crowd was attracted thither the doors of the yard were opened and the carriage driven out, en route for Usk Gaol. and the horses were off at the gallop before the crowd knew what had happened!" Alderman Davis was one of about a hundred citizens who had been sworn in as special con- stables. The attack was made upon the Westgate Hotel between eight and nine o'clock in the morning, and in the room south of the entrance Mr. Thomas Phillips, the mayor, Lieutenant Grey, and about 30 soldiers of the 45th Regiment were concealed. The mayor opened the shutters and gave the command to. fire, receiving a bullet wound in his arm while doing so. The soldiers fired, killing fourteen of the Chartists and wound- ing others. The mob then took night, their leaders-Frost and Williams—amongst them. Mr. Davis was one of those who afterwards arrested Frost. When, in 1843, Mr. Thomas Jones Phillips died the late Alderman Davis became clerk- to the justices for the Newport and Chrisfcchurch division of the county of Monmouth (Mr. Phillips having been clerk both to the county and borough justices), and he held the office up till the time of his death, a period of 60 years. When Alderman Davia entered the Newport Corporation, in 1841, the population of the borough was about 10,000, and there were only two wards. He had been in the council ever since, with the exception of a few days. Mr. Davis was turned out of his seat as alderman a good many years ago by one vote, because he had refused to support a member whose conduct he could not approve of. Some of the members seemed a bit ashamed of what they had done, and they asked him to go back into the council, and also got Lord Tredegar to speak to him on the matter. The result was that Mr. Davis went in again in a few days unopposed. His other public offices are pretty well known. He was a member of the harbour com- mission for 50 years. He was a subscriber to the hospital for something like 60 years, and chairman of its board of directors for about twenty years. He became agent for the Gla- morgan estates of the late Sir Charles Morgan, of Tredegar Park, in 1845. At the time that the late Mr. Pauling was appointed for the Monmouthshire estates Mr. juavis gave up tne iarms, out retained the agency of the building property in and about Cardiff. About 27 years ago—twelve months before the late Mr. Samuel Homfray died-he was also appointed agent to the Tre- degar Wharf Estate at Newport-a landed partnership concern, the remaining interests in which Lord Tredegar has since bought out, and it is now all in his lordship's hands. Alderman Davis was registrar of the Newport County-court for about 25 years, having served under three judges-Judge Herbert, Judge Selfe, and Judge Owen. He was mayor of the town in 1851-52, 1891-92, and in 1901-02. He was a borough magistrate for over 50 years, and a churchwarden at St. Woolos' Church for over 30 years. Formerly he was a warden at St. Paul's, when living in Palmyra-place. He was probably the oldest solicitor on the rolls, having been admitted in 1835, and always took out his certificate, although latterly he had retired from the firm of Davis, Lloyds, and Wilson and devoted himself entirely to the agency business. '1

IDLENESS AT DOCKYARDS I An Admiralty minute pointing out that it is generally understood that idleness among workmen is largely prevalent in the Royal dockyards, and requesting the several superintendents to fully exercise their powers to put a stop to it, has been received at Pem- broke. The minute states that the existing dockyard regulations regarding the infliction of fines are in contravention of the Truck Act, and authorises the substitution therefor of compulsory suspension without pay of offenders for periods within the discretion of the superintendents or dismissal. Instruc- tions with a view to reducing overtime to a minimum are also issued.

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Cochfarf's" Comments. I have received a long and closely written letter from a Merthyr correspon- dent in support of my note on the preva- lence of bad language in South Wales. Its cryptographic character makes it a most difficult task to follow the author's meaning, and I have put it away several times in a spirit of despair. Really, it is not unreasonable to expect correspondents to practise a fairly legible hand. We are living in the days of typewriting I machines, and we are getting more t intolerant towards careless writers as the years go on. Illegible penmanship is not due to a lack of education-indeed, the least educated writers practise a startlingly large hand. Some writers take a pride in using hideous hiero- glyphics, but they have outlived the times when their art was regarded as a sign of greatness or high breeding. If my cor- respondent is anxious to avoid an increase of swearing, then, for goodness' sake, let him abstain from sending out such crow's feet as I have now before me. The very commonness and magnitude of the evil of bad language have led many people to look upon its suppression, or even its check, as an impossible task; but it only requires a vigorous and united effort on the part of all good citizens to. deal with what is really a public scandal. Along the streets, in public conveyances, among school children, and in places of business profane phrases are freely used. The habit is not always loud-mouthed, or unguarded, but the suggestion is unmis- takable, and is in no sense less offensive. It is an offence against the law; but what is greatly required is a healthy public opinion which will shame at least the "better" class of the population to im- prove their vocabulary. If want of decency is want of sense, then sense must be greatly at a discount just now. Places of recreation are avoided by lovers of athletics largely on account of this practice. Let young men cultivate man- liness and young women womanliness, and improvement in conversation will follow. The French Chamber of Deputies has had an experience of all night sittings, but with less success than our British House cf Commons before the sane rule of suspending business at midnight was agreed to. Listless and jaded our legislators were when the dawn of day peeped in upon their chamber; but in Paris Deputies fell* asleep, and had to be awakened by a vigorous sounding of the President's bell. Saith one newspaper: i11 At four o'clock in the morning a mem- ber entered the House, and going up to a brother legislator, stretched full length upon a bench, tickled his face with a piece of paper. The latter put up his hand to brush away an imaginary fly, and went on sleeping. At five minutes to six, while the Chamber was waiting for the amended Budget to return from the Senate, the whole House snored in unison." This must be a unique accom- plishment, and if it becomes more general we may reconcile ourselves to snorers. It is an interesting study to watch how some people go to sleep during public business, and most of those I know resort to a nap at one time or another, whilst others become unconscious as regularly as the meetings or committees they attend. Tired nature will exact its restorer, and why there should be so much sliamefacedness when we are literally caught napping I cairnot under- stand. It is usually of the kind known in Wales as Cysqu ci'r cigydd," or a butcher's dog nap, i.e., with half the senses alert. However soundly the said useful animal may be supposed to sleep, let a stray bone fall from his master's chopping block and the dog is asleep no more. And such is the sleep of many a wearied councillor. Scientific investiga- tors assert that under no circumstances do the senses unitedly fall into slumber, but that they drop off one after another, and during a daylight nap this pecu- liarity is more marked. By the way, what is the origin of the tradition that every Bristolian sleeps with one eye open? It is used in a figurative sense, of course, and is regarded as being complimentary to the wide-awakedness of the inhabi- tants on the banks of the Avon. Flowering Sunday" brought us another instance of "winter lingering in the lap of spring," and the day was a strange compound of sunny weather with a cold wind. Our climate affords a good subject to Continental wits, and it is not surprising when we read of strawberries being gathered in Cambridgeshire, and of snow lying on the Ayrshire hills on the same day, and the whole island of Arran being covered to a depth of five inches. But a week ago we were basking in sunshine, and congratulating each other upon the passing of winter, whereas travellers to Bath saw that usually balmy city's roads carpeted with snow, and I know that the Breconshire Beacons still retain their white caps. We have had snow at Easter, and old weather students speak knowingly of the chances of its being repeated this year. It is seldom we have such a link with the past of a province as in the person of the late Mr. H. J. Davis, J.P., of New- port. Many have read with keen inte- rest, and then have forgotten, the stirring story of Chartism in South Wales, but to Mr. Davis's mind it was an ever-constant living picture. The old Westgate Hotel, Newport, had stood long enough to have its roof moss-grown before it was re-built, and yet daily, until last week, Mr. Davia passed it, and would re-call at any time the day when the two bullet holes that are still to be seen in the porch pillars of the old house were made. What an interesting chapter of incidents a man who had spent sixty-five years in the public, commercial, municipal, and social life of a growing town could have written I The Merthyr Guardians have had a bout of bad language, and if we are to be treated with many such scenes it will be I necessary for the Society for the Sup- pression of Bad Language to form a seo- tion dealing particularly with the mem- bers of public bodies. "Use hard words and then you will get reported is the dictum of one guardian I know, and there is some truth in that opinion; but if a well-dressed man went along a road with one side of his face painted black be would have his share of staring, not because his eccentricity was admired, but on account of its singularity.