Evening Express

L ———— ==» r- Nation Dying Out. I GRADUAL EXTINCTION OF A GREAT RACE. The steadily proqgresedve decline in the birth-rate of France is the subject of eon- at&nt preoccupation among political eoono- mists. Certainly, the statistical re-view of the situation, published in Sunday's "Paris Opin.ion" by M. de Foville, member of the Institute, and president of the Academic dee Sciences, Morales, and PolitiAues, accen- tuates the national gravity of the question. The latest figuree prove that France, as a nation, is slowly but surely dying. In a hundred years the birth-rate has fallen from 32 pep 1,000 to 19.7, and at the present moment, for the first time in history, and in France aJone among the nations, the deaths exceed the births. Since the twentieth oeatary began the deotine has oontonued at t.h. fr.lV»«rin £ r stio-rminsr rate: — Exoees of births over deaths. 1902 .u. 84,000 1903 73.000 1904 57,000 1905 37,000 1906 27,000 Last year, 1907, sem wee reached and passed. There were 20,000 more deaths than births. Official returtis are 794,000 deaths and 774^00 btrtha. Under these respective iueada the word depopulation," M. de Foville points out, is. therefore, no exaggeration. Is it," he asks, the beginning of the end. At this rate France will soon be ripe for invasion. It io the only fate waiting a oountry which is capahJe of supporting 80,000,000 inhabitants and is content with half that number. In 1875 the population of Germany surpassed th £ .t of France by 6,000,000. It now exceeds it by over 2,0,00000. In another twenty years there will be two Germane for every Frenchman, without counting the sons of the Fatherland scattered all over the globe by emigration." Thus France, oomctudea M. de Flcvill-e, is marching with quietened steps to her doom. As to the causes the writer contends that they are political and economic, as well as that the moral law is lax in regard to oertain criminal practices. It has made divorce ridiculously easy, and it wiphe at pernickrae teachings. The burden of taxation is only one of many other explana- tiona suggested, and in this connection it is pointed out that recent legislation has imposed iy harder conditions on the bread-wiuner with a family to support. The new income-tax, for instance, makes no distinction between a bachelor and & married man with a numerous progeny. Nothing, in short, is being ckyne to arrest the gradual extinction of a great race.-Router.

I LOCAL WILLS. I MR. WILLIAM GRTLLS, LLANISHEN. The late Mr. WiUiain G-ryius, oi The Pines, Liaaishen, formerly baci manager, of Oar- diff, left an estate (a8 already stated) the gross value of which is L15,971 lis. 8d. and L14,618 19s. Od, not. The testator bequeathed to his widow the sum of -il,ooo, together with the use of his books, pictures, fwmture, plate, &C-, during her life, and a sum of £50 per aramrai to has da.urhiter-ta^ta.w, Eupteemia, Mary GryJte. Haviag- provided for theee legacAea, the teertaAor teaves bis estate in trust to his wiidow atad. 80n (Mr. William lona Grylls). but in the event of the latter s demise without ianrtft a sum. of Almo is ibequeaöJed to the teefaaitor's sister, Mrs. JefiKie AnidrerwB. the wife of John AndTows, of Prttaiopd Slantooi, Devon, and her chil- drEm. aiad the remainder to the newt-cfkiu.

LThe BmA for ?fMr?-T?M?GN -COmMBt?? *-■ *• -6 SUITS FOR THE HOLIDAYS ECONOMY AND SMARTNESS. THE "CITY" 25/ qutT ?L?? SUIT TO MEASURE In Tweeds, Serges, Vicunas, and Oaahmeres. THE FLANNEL SUIT, 25/- TO MKA8CBB. IMMACULATE FIT. GRAND WLABEES. EVIDENCE. Evidence of our ability can be eeen by the many smart suits we make for well-dressed men in this town, and by the large selection of stylish materials we have to show you, while our prices are eloquent evidence of the value we offer. SEE OUR WINDOWS. SEE OUR WINDOWS. PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW. THE Capital & Labour, MERCHANT TAILORS, 59/61, QUEEN STREET, CARDIFF. (Next to Andrews' Hall.) W P. CARYL. F.S.M.C Qualified Ophthalmic Optician for SIGHT-TESTING &nd SPECTACLES 16. HIGH-ST&E.ET AW"& CARDIFF. and 15. UNION-STREET. SWANSEA. I

The Mao in the Street —— » Docks hurls a query at me respect- ing the season tickets talked of for the Oajxiiff tramways." (Ian it be." he aaks, the persojis a,ppoir1.ted to see to it are as dead as the Development Com- mittee?" I don't knomv I have inquired into the matter, but no one in the tram- ways department appears to know any- thing ahout the proposal. It was not put forward by the departaneait, I a-m assured, and as an outside suggestion weal, it takes a lot of driving power to force a thing of that kind through a I committee, and then through the council. No, speaking from previous experience of the inertness of local bodies, I do not think it likely that such a revolutionary proposal as season I tickets for the tramways will be adopted at Cardiff. Besides, why should it? The tramways do not pay as it is, and to carry a number of people who use the cars often at a cheaper rate than others would mean additional cost to the rate- payers. There is not evfti the excuse of competition for such an arrangement. Exjoe-pft for one side of the city, the tram- care are without a rival, and there is, therefore, no reasoij for inducements to ca.tch and hold wayward passengers. I Rodiway companies do not grant "sea- l sons" from any pitula.n/thropic motives. They do it in order to secure passenger tr.a.ffi.cro induce citizens to seek a habitat in the wilds of one or other of the suburbs, and thus bring grist to the railway mill. And the experiencer, of "subbubs" furnish another reason ajgainst "seasoois" on tramoars. "Tthen a mail has taken a "season," generally for a. year, on any line he is delivered bound into the hands of the railway cam- pajiies, wiho do wkh him what they like. Compare the treatment accorded by most railway companies to a trainload of excursionists—people wiho come once and may or may not come again, juSlt as their fancy direots or their treatment invites—-and a tnaiaaifuil of "&oasons," and you will find a reason why, for the sake of the general weal, season tickets a.re not desirable on any tramway system. Who are the moet charming of the oiftizens of Cardiff ? A Bute-street land- I.aody, whose knowledge of the oosmo- politan crowd which fi-equenitc, that quarter is immense, says the best cus- tomers she has, the kindest, and the most polite, and the most civil, axe the Arabs. Take off your caips, my hearties, to Mahomet 1 According to an occasional philosopher here and there, the Milletnnium will not arrive until every adult is married. Pos- sibly the Millennium arrived long ago- to the married. A cynic has remarked that marriage in itself is worse than a crime—it is a Tilistake. But cynics, cer- tainly less ethereal than their fellows, are only human beings after all, and their infliction upon a suffering world is tolerated as only something worse than wasps and other pests because the law of the land operates against their immediate extermination. The more important question is as to the influence connu- biality has upon crime. A scientist has been to the trouble of making an exhaus- tive inquiry as to the influence which an entry into the holy estate exercises upon criminals of all sorts and of both sexes. Take the case of the criminal Edwin. Science establishes the fact that if Edwin had not married Angelina he would have been an inmate of a prison much more frequently during the half- century of his active existence than, thanks to the reformatory influence of marriage, has been the case with him. In the case of Angelina as a criminal spinster, the percentage works out at an even higher figure. There can be no doubt about the virtues of connubiality as a deterrent. While much can be said for marriage as a check to the incipient criminality of Ed-wilu, there is even more to be said for it as a wholesome check upon the antinamian proclivities of Angelina. The record against Edwin as a bachelor may show quite a number of convictions. Immediately he joins the blessod rank of the Benedicks criminal tribunals see legs and less of him. As a spinster, Angelina may have been a source of trouble to her ftienin- Aa&adwm b as a married woman she is an 'nf reque-nt second offender. The natural deduction I to be drawn is that both Edwin and Angelina, though they may not always prefer oommbialtfcy to crime, prefer it to any other form of punishment. There- fore, the more connubiality the less criminality. The way for the Home Office to tread m plain. The love for I experimenting with criminals can be indulged to the extent that an agency should at once be established by which offenders against the law on probation can be married to each other. It is apparently the most attractive form of punishment yet discovered, and a more general application of it would relieve our police and magistrates of much work and responsibility. Why commit crimes when one can get married? That the Gridiron Club, of Washing- ton, claims to jxrovide the most humorous dinner in the world is easily brought near to being proved good by making known the one convincing fact, that its members are newspaper and literacy men. These are the kind of people who generally work the hardest, and they, therefore, have the greatest capacity for fun and enjoyment. Cer- tainly, out of offioe hours they can give points to and easily whack the good people whose sole anxiety is to get through the world as easily and as smoothly as pos- sible. Viiceipresideait Fairbanks was at the last celebration, and he seriously jm- paired his chances of succeeding Mr. Roosevelt by drinking a "cocktail"—«a mysterious compound which is getting bertrter known on this side of the Atlantic. At this remarkable dinner he was presented, not with the usual American drink, but with a glass of butter midk, the giver of long life and beamty. However, peculiar drinks are not tihe only feattures, and some real fun is sometimes provided by the Gridirons. The newly-elected Senators never refuse, but meekly obey an order to leave their seats and toe a line, like school- boys on the platform. There they humbly stand, while the chairman throws out gentle hints about "the toss- ing up" for party jobs, the latest in election manners, and fizaling squibs u,pon the piarrbies and the politics of tihe diay. It is essentially a species of "ragging," and the nearest thing to it that we have in this country is only to be found at Oxford and Cam- bridge on Maifeking nh.t6. These national retpresenifcaftives oast aside all dignity, and are like so many college lads set free from their studies. It is a form of exciiXB^nit that is the opposite of British, and Americans seem to think none the leas of their Senators for thus "letting themselves go." It would be insttrucrtive, if not edifying, to see Bri- tish members of Parliament behaving similarly. One can imagine the subse- quoiit foreibly-enpreawd sentiments of shocked constituents.

TALLEY LADY'S WILL Bequest to South Wales and Sussex Charities. Mrs. Mjuria Mcwgswi, of 44, St. Aubyns, Hove, who died on the 2nd of August, aged 87 yeearv, widow of Mr. John Morgan, of Caipeihir, TaJdey. Carmarthenshire, and of Merthyr, left estate of the groee ralue of £ 22,969, of which the net persooalty had been sworn at £ 18,003. Probate of her will, dated the 9Lb of Deoember, 1891, with a codicil of the 2nd of March, 1904, hu been granted to MjArthur Kitohie Upjohn, of 5L Holborn Viaduct, EjU., and MI. Alfred Brookfield Parker, surveyor, of 3, Windiesham-gardena, Brighton. Mrs. Morgan bequeathed £¡,OOO to the Briffhtoo and Sussex County Hospital, Kemptown, Brighton X-IOO to the JirighiWo Dispensary, Queen's- road, Brighton; LZOD to the Lying-in Hospital, Weetetreet, Brighton; X200 to the dhaldren's Hospital. Dyke-road, Brighton; £ 200 to the Merthyr Tydfil General Hospital, 1200 to the reotor and ohurchwardens of Merthyr Tydfil upon trust for the use or benefit of the Sisters of the Poor working under the directions of the rector; £100 to Sir James Drummond and the vicar for the time being of Talley upon trust to (I apply the income towards the upkeep of the Morgan family vault and m painting the railings of Talley churchyard, and the balance to be distributed amongst the poor of the parish at Christmas; zElOO to the Lifeboa.t Institution, Brighton; 1100 to the Brigilt-on Fire Brigade; X100 to the Royal Society for the Preven- tion of Cruelty to Animals; S,5W to her medical attendant. Dr. Reginald Francis Jowers; £ 300 to the Kew. Daniel Lewis, rector of Merthyr; fW to her nurse, Annie Robbine. of St. Nicholas-road, Brighton; £ 30 to her old serraoA, Catherine White- house, of Merthyr Tydfil; LZ5 to her coachman. Charles NeaA; £ 10 to her cook, Eliza Scott; A life annuity of jE5 to "Charlotte Thomae, of Talley, the late Poet Girl," this annuity being charged on her house, 44, St. Aubyns, Hove, which, subjeot thereto, she left to Mr. Arthur Ritchie Upjohn. Mrs. Morgan also bequeathed £ 2,050 and certain land at TaJley and her houould I and personal effects to Mr. Arthur Ritchie Upjohn, £ 300 and her gold watch pn4 chain to her niece Louisa Martha HayUar. to whom and to whose husband or the survivor of them she left the use for life of her house, j 49, Regency-square, Brighton, with remainder to her residuary estate; EWO to each of her nephews, Henry Wllliam K»ig4nt and John Knight; Z300 to her niece, Elian Beaaley; £ 200 to Joseph Oakey White, of Merthyr; £100 each to Mrs. Smith. widow of Mr. Walter Smith, chemist, of Merthyr, and her daughter Nellie amd her son now practising as a solicitor in Merthyr; £100 to Percý Montague Harris, of Clarence-square, Brighton; tIOO each, to Beryl. Marjorie, a.nd Ursula Upiobn; LIOO and her freeholds, 14, Preston-etreet, Brigrhton, and premises in the rear thereof, to Mr Alfred Brookfield Pa.rker; a life annuity of eZS to her niece Maria Emily Knight; and the residue of her pro- perty to .M.r Arthur Ritchie Upjohn.

I EAST CARMARTHEN SEAT — Rejection of the Miners' Nomineei A meeting of Trades Unionist delegates in East Carmarthenshire was held at Amman- ford on Saturday to consider the representa- I tion of East Carmarthen in Parliament. It will be remembered that a meeting of a similar nature waa held a month ago, and was adjourned in order that the Trades Unions might be fully represented. Mr. Jenkins, miners' agent, Swansea, presided. Mr. Morrell (Merthyr) said that the miners had taken the initiative, and had been pre- paring for a political campaign. The men, by ballot, had decided that Mr. David Morgan (Tycroes) should be their nominee. Mr. Maudera (Burry Port) said that the miners did not take the initiative, for the trades council of Burry Port selected Dr. j Williams, of Burry Port, before Mr. D Morgan was decided upon by the minere. The Chairman said that the business was to oonfirm or otherwise the nomination of Mr. David Morgan. On a vote being taken, there wero:- For Mr. Morgan 18 Against — 22 It was found that the votes of the dele- gates repreeented the tallowing electors:— Ag&inet the confirmation of Mr. Morgan 3.574 Por 2,783 Majority against 791

•— llanijuly HOSPITAL FETE This popular social function, held on Fri- day and Saturday at Stmdwy Park for the benefit of the LJanelly Hospital, proved very gucceatfoA, in opite of urtfavoctrable weather on the first day. These annual fetes, or through the kindness of Mr. Henry Sta&, have been the means of adding over < o,ow to the funds of the hospital. Oo- oiperating wttah Mr. Stratbt were MT. Daniel Williams, J-P., chairman of the hospital com- mittee; Mr. D. G. Bees, seapetary; ai*d Mx. LTtmm. WnihrrtH. AUd rfntfams.

Chorai Festival. -1 —— WHY THE WELSH tHOIR FAILED. I A festival on a grand scale held at the Crystal Palace last week, the twenty-first o? the series, was concluded on Saturday with a programme that included cports, choral con- tests, a flower show, and a concert by a chorus of 4,000 voices, in which the entrants included choirs from Blaenavon, Abersychan and Ynyshir. Several Welsh choirs were expected in the choral competitions, but the only one in the final list was from Owmbach (con- ducted by Mr. S. Da vies), which was in the cla-ss for junior choirs of from 30 to 40 singers for the Co-partnership Trophey. The winners in this class were: -1st, Ports- mouth; 2nd, Woolwich; 3rd, Peterborough. The awards were distributed by Mr. Aneurin Williams, M.A., J.P., president of the National Co-operative Festival Society (Limited). One of our representatives writes:—One or two of the musical critics present expressed a high opinion of the Cwmbach Cnoir. although agreeing with the awards. I, there- fore, asked Dr. W. G. -ti'Naught (who, with the assistance of Mr. W. M'Naught, B.A., was the adjudicator) for "his opinion on their singing. I learned that the placed choirs had gained out of a possible 160 marks 146, 143, and 141 respectively, whilst Cwmbach gained only 125. Dr. M'.Vaught (who is selected as o-ne of the adjudicators for next year's National Eisteddfod, to be held in London) said that the Cwmbach singers lost upon the question of style and finish. Their altos were the finest lot that he heard during the day- they were real altos-aud the ohoir sang very well; but there was just the lack of expres- sion tha.t, in comparison with the other choirs, lost marks. But the material in tie ohoir was good, and with a little more training they ought to take a high rank. He added that he gave this expression of opinion because he would like to encourage the Owmbach Ohoir. Results of other competitions were:- Excelsior Shield for senior choirs: 1st, Sheer- ness; 2nd, Faversham; 3rd, Rugby. Earl Grey Challenge Shield for senior choirs: 1st, Coventry; 2nd, Peterborough. The "Ideal" Trophy: 1st, Rochester; 2nd, Willesden; 3rd, Croydon.

COLLIER BURNED TO DEATH Dr. W. R. Jones, coroner, held an inquiry at Ysitradigynlais touching the dearth of Hans Wimmer, a German, 34 years of age, who was trarnt at the Diamond Colliery on Saturday, August 1. Lewis Lewis, brother-in-law of the deceased, told him the lamp exploded, and oomplained that he had to be on duty from seven a.m. on Saturday morning till seven a.m. on Sunday morning. James Hanlan, G-lantawr, stoker at Gyroos Colliery, said deceased slipped while trying to hang up the lamp, the oil splashed over his head aind body, and the flames set his clothes on Are. He took his coat off and wrapped it about; him. He them pulled him out, to the railroad, and left ham there 6,moul,dei-ing while he ran for a doctor. Mr. William Lewie, mechanic, said deceased did not complain of the long houm neither did he make any corn/plaint about the lamp, which witness did not consider unsafe. He found the lamp cm a heap of coal, together with two quart bottles of beer. He also found that the deceased had shame- fully neglected his work. Dr. Walsh having given evidence, the jury I returned a verdiot of Death from exhaus. tion," and censured the manager (Mr. John Jones;, the mechanic, and James Hanlan.

RELIGION AND LABOUR. Mr. W. Abmham (Mabon), M.P- occupied the pulpit on Sunday at the ( z,vv7in,p&?U!cd Methodist Chapel, Porthcawl, and based his discourse on Christ's sympathy with suffer- mg humanity. He made a touhi., refer- ence to ?e disaster at Wigan, and eadd that an idea was current that a collier was a man who worked short hours for high wages. They in South Wales would know that that by no means represented the colliers' lot. In former years they suffered great hardships, and even now their hours were longer than those of the ordinary tradesman. It was true that the collier was often a rough diamond, but he was also- a heroic servant of mankind. Our wealth and our success in industry depended on the collier. Every bit of fire and every jet of i gas should remind us of what we owed to the collier. His great desire at this moment was the reduction of the hours of labour. What would have been the attitude of Christ to modern labour conditions? He would not have been a party to men working twelve hours instead of eight, and for two shillings a day instead of six.

MOTOR-CAR EXPLODES Buildings Set on Fire and Gufted 1 A disastrous fire occurred at Slough on Sunday morning through a motor-car exploding. For nearly two years an engineer, named Shepherd, has been working on a new type of emgine, which a -well-known London firm had agreed to buy, and on Sun- day morning he wae testing the engine in a shed at the rear of some val-uable property in High-street, when a pipe exploded, and the car was quickly enveloped in flames. The, fire spread with alarming rapidity, and, in spite of the efforts of the Slough, Windsor, and Da.tchet Fire Brigades, the warehouse and stores of Mr. W. Liditone, three lots of stabling, a carpenter's shop, and all the outbuildings were completely gutted, the damage amounting to many hundreds of pounds. The motor-car itself was worth hun- dreds of pounds, and was not insured. At one time the flames threatened the Wesley an Sunday School, and the children were hur- riOOly removed.

A DOCTOR'S LAST HOURS Mir. George L. Smith, a prominent phy- mcdan of Brooklyn, three wee-ks ago put iodine on a small pimple on his hand, and later lanced the sore. The next day the hand was swollen, and the doctor summoned hie son, who is also a physician. They decided that blood poisoning had set in. and called in the best experts in New York. These declared that death was inevitable, Dr. Smith received the newis calmly and began to prepare for death. He made a will leaving his extensive property to his wife and son, and on Thursday evening bade fare- well to his family. He said that he would die at five o'clock next morning, and that he wished to be left alone. He shult himself in his library, where he died at five minutes past five, An open medical bock showed that he had apparently passed the time while awaiting his end in studying his own case.

THREATENED LOCK-OUT The Engineering Employers' Federation (says the Times") nfonnedhe Amal- gamated Society of EnglDoors an the United Machine Workers' Association an the Steam Engine Makers' Society thlat unl the mem- bers at present on strike on the North-east Coast resume work on the proposed reduc- tion of wages, the dispute will b4 made a Federation question, and all the members of these societies employed in federated shops will be dismissed. No reply has yet been reoeived from the Unions, the officials of which have before them communications from the men em- powering them to treat with the employers for a settlement, provided the proposals made be returned to the district to be ballotted on before being accepted. HaMI

I AEROPLANE TRIALS Mr. Henry Bairman, of aeroplane fame, has returned from America, and arrived at Ply- mOUlth on Saturday. He is not disheartened at his treatment in America., although he complained that after one week the company which had en-gaged him to display his aero- plane trials for three months failed, owing to lack of capital. I am claiming X12,000 damages for breach of contract," he sadd, and Mrs. Farman, intervening, said tshe did not suppose that anywfhere in the civilised world there was such selfishness, trickery, and cowardlinees as had been shown to her husband in America. I

I1320 DISTRIBUTED Mr. George Evans, secretary of the eisteddfodau held at Tonypandy in 1897-8-9, called a meeting to decide as to the disposal of £ 320 which has been lying at the Metropolitan Bank. The money has been allocated as follows:— £ 50 to the Treaiaw and Tonypandy Queen Victoria Nursing Institu- tion, cloo to the Tonypandy and Treaiaw Public Library, and S,170 to the Porth Cottage Hospital.

I VILLAGE ZU?; BREAD for peop?- with ?<akJ ??<??.—?.teM?<:L?aMte<i?DatBUm.?.? a

Sultans Fight. COMPLETE ROUT OF ABD-EL-AZIZ. I Advices received at the Ministry of War in Paris from General Amade convey The information that the army of Abd-el-Aziz has been practically cut to pieces, and is in full retreat before the forces of Mulay Hafid. In its headlong retreat the shattered force had to repel the attacks of various hostile tribes. The fighting was severe, and several kaids and chiefs were killed. Abd-el-Aziz himseif have escaped and arrived at Settat. TANGIER. Saturday. The authorities have received a wireless telegram frottf the south-western coast stating that the advance guard of Abd-el- Aziz'e force has been routed by Muley Hafid s ma-hall a., fifty miles from Marrakesh. Further information from an excellent source sta-tes that the whole of the Sultan s mahalla was attaoked by Muley Hafid's force and wae thoroughly beaten, and fled in terrible oonfusion. It is said that the Sultan's artillery proved ineffective owing to a panic caused by the bursting of some guns. The Government post at Geach, near the house of Mr. Harris ,the "Times" corre- spondent here, was attacked last night by the Angoras, who killed one Askari and wounded many others. They also carried off all the Askari's rifles. Mr. Harris himself is at present living in the town.-Reuter. PARIS, Sunday. Official confirmation has been receix^d at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the defeat of Abd-el-Aziz by Muley Hafid's troopfc. A number of Abd-el-Aziz's kaids fell into the enemy's hands, this leading to the announce- ment of the capture of the Sultan. The "Agence Fournier" states that accord- ing to later official messages Abd-el-Aziz, though crushingly defeated by Hafid's troops, succeeded in making his escape with the remainder of his men. ABD-EL-AZIZ AT SETTAT. PARIS, Sunday. A telegrám from Tangier states that the Sultan Abd-el-Aziz, accompanied by El-Nokri, Ben Sliman, and the Arabout Bujab, has arrived at Settat. The Sultan will proceed to Oasa Blanc*. He intends to go to Damas- cus, and to remain there until circumstances are favourable to his return to Morocco.— Beuter. PARIS, Sunday, The "Echo de Parie" has obtained from a very well informed person the following information reg&rding the intentions of the French Government In view of the defeat of Abd-el-Aziz. The Government wiLl not hasiten to recognise Muley Hafid until the Powers signatory to the Algeoiras Act have had their say. Muley Hafid may now be con- sidered the Sultan, of Morocco. France does not object, but will not recognise him until she has, through diplomatic channels, inter- rogated the Chancelleries interested in the Alsjeoiras Act, and after having agreed on her course with Spain. France has no inten- tion of acting alone. If she is brought to reoogndee the new Sultan it will be on con- dition that he recognises France's rights, pays her compensation which is her due, and gives an understanding to guarantee on his side the operation of the Algecinas Act. A new confereuce of the Powers would not appear indispensable, but a simultaneous Act in the nature of a declaration will be required to be made on the same day by Ohancelleries interested in the Algeciras Act. Letters from Oa.8Q Blanca state that Mr. Vernon, doctor to Abd-el-Aziz, and Mr. Bal- ding, cavalry instructor, escaped, and are safe.—Be>uter.

FLY-CATCHING PLANTS Mr Francis Darwin (a son of Charles Darwin), who is to preside at the congress of the British Association in Dublin next week, will deliver an address in support of the theory that plants a.re endowed with brain, and have intelligence and memory. Captain Musgrave, who ha6 just returned from a zoological and botanical expedition to Colombia, has made a discovery bearing on this theory. Whilst there, he says, he found a specimen of a carnivorous plant that had a (brain, digestive organs, and a nervous system like a human being. Visa Tors to Kew have seen the Venus fly trajp." It is the Dionsea Musipula, a low herb found in North America, with leaves in the form of two lobes. In the centre and at the end of each lobe are bristly hairs, and as soou as these hairs are touched by any- thing, by a fly for example, or equally by a pencil, the leaves close together, and, in the case of a fly, it is caught and kept there until its juieee a.re digefrted. There is a similar plant, the Drosera, found in twampy districts in this country. Lu this case the leaves are covered with brdsties bearing a substance like birdlime. Flies settling on these bristles stick to them just in the same way as a bird sticks to a twig that is smeared with this substance. There is a well-kno*Fn orchid, t.he male part of which is guarded by horns. When ocne of these horns is touched by an insect visiting tihe flower for the honey with which it is baited, the male part, commonly known as the pollen mass, shoots out, with the result that portions of it stick to the insect and aire carried by it in the naturai course of tbuict to the female flower. There is one plant, known as the Sensitive Plant, nothing more than a tropical weed, which shrinks when it is touched ae though jn a state of alarm. With regard to climbing plants, which Mr. Darwin intends to cite as an illustration of his theory, their tendrils have a sweeping action, like arms feeling all round in the air, until they find aoonathing round which to cling or on which to support themselves.

ARAB GIRLS' SHOP TOUR I Charges of Extensive Thefts I Two Arabian girls, giving the names of Meriem bu Mohamed (18) and Fatima bu Habbase (17), and describing themselves as gold and silver merchants, of Ayleeford- street, Pimlico, were charged before Mr. Curtis Bennett at Bow-street on Saturday with shoplifting. Both defendants were dressed in black, and Habbass, whose curly hair was considerably darker than her dusky skin, wore no head covering. Mohamed, whose face and hands were tattooed, wore a black lace shawl over her head. It appeared from the evidence that police officers followed the defendants from their home at Pimlico to several well-known chops. After the departure of the girls from the chops various articles were missed. The defendants were about to drive away in a cab when they were arrested. The accused were remanded, a detective stating that a large quantity of other property had been found at their address.

OFFICIAL REMITTANCE LETTER Ernest Sayce, a sixteen-year-old I ad'' engaged as all auxiliary postman at Cwm- j goi-6e, was brought up in custody at Llan- elly on Saturday and charged with stealing an official remittance letter containing £17 in gold, the property of the Postmaster- General. Police-sergeant Davies stated that, aecom- panied by Mr. William Phillips, the Llanelly postmaster, be arrested the defendant at the railway efiation, and found in his posses- sion dE17 2s. 4d. When charged prisoner -aid, "I took this money to give to my father and mother, because my father has been out of work for twelve months." The defendant was remanded until Wed- nesday, the police objecting to bail, as, they said, the defendant, who came to the district from an industrial school, was on his way to London when arrested. The Magistrate (Mr. Thomas Jones): We are advised by the Home Office to grant bail whenever possible. I should like to grant bail to a boy of defendant's age. The Magistrate granted bail in two sure. ties of jE20 each. It was only recently that another lad, also an industrial schoolboy, who was in the private employ of the sub-postmasiter at Cross ha rids was convicted for stealing an official remittance letter containing a large sum of money.

DIPHTHERIA AT LLYSWEN At the last meeting of Hay Rural District Council Inspector John Pritchard (Talgarth) reported two eases of diphtheria, at Llyswen, one of which had proved fatal. The inspector considered that both cases were due to the insanitary condition of the outhouses at Llyswren School, where both children affected had attended. The b-u-il-dings referred to had now been cleaned out, and were in a more sanitary state. A mild case of scarlet fever had also1 occurred at Talgarth. JEtedative to Liyswem's proposed water seheme. the clerk (Mr. James Gunter) informed the council that provisional con- sent to the lease of & spring belonging to Mjs. Williams had been arranged on equitable terms. Permission had also been given by Mx. S. H. Cowper-Ooles, on behalf of Lord Glanusk, for the laying and main- the-nipe. li m=i Ahmaghufrift Jrmti..

Blown About a Room I -81 EXPLOSION AT OIL-CAKE WORKS I The oil-cake works of Messrs. John and James Bibby, at Liverpool, where 1,500 men are employed, were on Saturday night the scene of a serious explosion, by which six workmen were injured in such a manner as to necessitate their removal to the hospital. Thty were working in the drying room, a depaTtment where the meal is dealt with after the oil has been extracted from the oil seeds in another department. In this drying room fine dust accumulates, and the combustible nature of this dust is believed to have caused the explosion. The men were blown with great force about the room, and they narrowly escaped death. Their injuries were very bad, and. in addi- tion to serious burns in each case, one man, Thomas Nightingale, had all his clothes completely blown off his body, and skin and flesh were hanging from both arms. He was brought out by a young man who rushed in to the rescue. The interior of the works of four floors was wrecked, massive iron doors and hoist doors being blown into the street, and the roof of the drying house carried away.

BORDERERS' VETERANS I The Formation of a Dinner Ciub A proposal to form a veterans' dinner club in connection with the 24th Regiment (South Wales Borderers) is meeting with a hearty response. The club will be composed of past and present officers, warrant officers, and sergeants of the regiment, with the object of enabling old and new members of the oorps to meet anu ually at a dinner. Sergeants of the Volunteer active service companies who served with the line battalion during the South African war have also been invited to become members. The colonel-in-obief (Major-general George Paton, C.'M.G.) is the president, and Colonels Hunter and Travers, commanding the 1st and 2nd Battalions respectively, vice-presidents of the club. Twenty-three officers and sixty warrant officers 'and sergeants who formerly served in the regiment have joined the club. Amongst the former are General Sir Frederick Carrington, K.C.B.. K.C.M.G., and General R. Upcher. With the officers and sergeants now serving, the membership will total over two hundred. A committee has been formed to make arrangements for the urst gathering, whicb will, probably, take place during January. Amongst the various places proposed are Brecon, Newport, and London. This will depend chiefly upon the wishes and con- venience of the majority of the past members of the regiment, who are scattered generally 0-r all parts of the kingdopi. A committee w?!l be ele0ed T=uaJIY at the dinner, the provisional committee for this year being oomposed of Sergeant-major J. Wilson, Depot South Wales Borderers (chairman), Mr. J. Gittins (late colour- sergeant 2nd South WIRes Borderers), a.nd representatives from the home battalion and depot. The hon. secretary is Mr. R. W. Evans (late sergeant-major 4th South Wales Borderers), 2, Laxey-villas, Darwin-sitreet, Shrewsbury, and the treasurer Major G. H. Grant. The oldest veteran of the regiment is Mr. W. Jesson (late colour-sergeant), now residing at Eastbourne, who is 84 years of age. He enlisted in the 24th Regiment in 1845, and went to India in 1846, where he served with the regiment in the Army of the Punjaub under Lord Gough, taking part in the battles of Sadoolapore, December 3, 1848; Chillian- wallah, January 13, 1849, when the regiment had 13 officers and 227 men killed and 10 officers and 300 men wounded, and Goojerat, February 21, 1849. He also took part in the suppression of the Indian Mutiny. The old warrior was drill--ergeatit of the battalion for many Years, and one of the many officers who passed through his hands as recruits was Sir Frederick Carrington when that officer joined the 24th Regiment in 1864.

NEWFOUNDLAND FISHERIES. The modus vivendi between the British and American Governments for the winter herring fishery on the West Coast of New- foundland, which las-ts from October to January, has been renewed for the coming season on terms practically identical with those of the past two or three years, when it wae called into being to avert possibly serious friction with the Colonial authori- ties. It has been agreed by all the parties to this dispute to submit to the arboitmtion of the Hague Tribunal, but it is a moot ques- tion whether it will be ripe for this pro- cess for a long time to come. The terms of the reference to the Hague Tribunal are also unsettled, and it 'is understood that there are &erious differences of opinion between Newfoundland and the United States on this point. Even, however, when this difficulty is got over and a draft is agreed upon by the several Goveratnents interested, it will then have to be drawn up in treaty form and submitted to the United States Senate for ratification before it becomes opera-tive. It is no exaggeration to say that if the treaty is not satisfactory to the American fishery interests it will never get through that Chamber. If it should be considered, the United States fisheay interest is all-powerful at Washington, principally because it represents that the New England fisheries are the !.L't- .1: nursery of the American inavy, ana wiln me agitation in that coun-try now for battleship building it is easy to see what effective use could be made of such a cry, even though it might not be true, for most of the crews of the New England fishing vessels are not Americans at all. However, this argument has sufficed for twenty years to defeat all cilorts for Reciprocity, and it remains to be seen whether it has lost its potency new. In any event, the spokesmen of the American fishery interests maintam tha-t they can exert sufficient influence, through the agency of Senator Lodge, to prevent the passage of the treaty, because the modus vivendi now in forc? gives them practically evb,; advantage which they could derive from the most favourable arbitration, and, therefore, there is no point in their risking anything before such a tribunal as that at The Hague.-Pre,ss Association Foreign Special.

PLASMARL WOMAN'S DEATH Mr. Viner Leeder. the Swansea borough coroner, opened at Morriston on Saturday an inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Hannah Bees, of Neath-road, Plasmarl. William Rees, aged seventeen, a son of the deceased. said that at 11.30 the previous Saturday night his father hit deceased on the side with his fist. Deceased fell into a chair. He struck her three times on the side till witness got between them, when his father caught him by the throat. The Coroner: Has your father been in the habit of ill-using her?—Yes, sir. Mrs. Charles, the mother of deceased, said that the latter had been beaten dozens of times by her husband. Dr. Charles Keimp said that he found the woman unconscious, pale, and unable to answer questions. Asked whether the blows had anything to do with the death, Dr. Kemp said that he thought it was more the excite- ment. The Coroner said that, of course, to a oertain extent the husband was responsible for the excitement, and yet that would not be sufficient to make him culpable. The inquiry was adjourned till to-morrow week so that the husband might be present and a post-mortem examination made.

CWMAVON YOUTH INJURED A collier, named Joshua James, a-ged six- teen, of Rhydyglyn, Owmavon, met with terrible injuries by falling under a Turk- men's train at Cwmavon Station on Satur- day, one leg being completely severed and the other badly injured. Dr. R. T. William., amputated the right leg below the knee and the left leg above the knee. The operation was successfully performed, but a few hours afterwards the patient succumbed to his in j uries.

KILLED ON TRYFAN An inquest was held on Saturday on the body of IFI-edemelk Palmer, of 5. Pleamni- place, Bond-street, Vauxhall, London, who had been found on the eastern slope of the Tryfan Mountain, near Ogwen Lake, about 300ft. from the summit. The jury returned a verdiot of 11 Aoridental death."

RED FUNNEL LINE The programme of boat trips by the Red Funnel Line this week mchjdea special excur- sions to th? M-amM? and Tenby -d to Lundy Island.

Ask our Van man for VILLAGE COUNTBY BREAD, .MMtm.?tith .ft<Mh <n<Ur .<Rtn)rnnf) <T?tmitrft) f'trmr

England's Naval Security GERMAN CONSENT TO OUR POliCY I Anglo-German relations and their bearing upon the future of naval policy and national finance are treated at great length in the "Observer, which refers to the nego- tiations involved in the King's recent visit to Cronberg and to what it describes as Germany's consent to the new British naval policy, involving a vast programme and a probable loan as a national guarantee. Whilst oonsidering the facts from an inter- national point of view re-assuring, the journal deems them grave from a national standpoint, except that, while averting bit.ter and perilous controversy with Ger- many, they put an end once for all to doubt and hesitation at home, and make it ob tain that the overwhelming majority of the nation, irrespective of party, will stand as one man behind the Government of the day in their determination to place the naval security of this country beyond challenge by a programme upon the basis of two keels to one." The Kaiser and his Ministers, says the journal, took in friendly spirit the British declarations that if violent and dangerous conflicts year after year between public opinion in England and in Germany are to be avoided it will be better that we should make our position perfectly plain, and secure it by a four years' programme which will prevent annual controversies and carry us over the period up to 1911, when the hands of the German Government may be free enough to enable them to consider the possibility of such a definite and economical understanding as is impossible now. The results of British action are set out as folIo WE It is agreed that the prospects of an ultimate understanding with respect to ship- building programmes for the period after 1911 are not hopeless. For all intermediate purposes the attempt to arrive at such an agreement has failed, for reasons which both Governments gladly recognise to be convincing A four years' programme upon the basis of two-keels-to-one has become advisable and, indeed, inevitable: This programme must provide for the building of 30 capital ships of the improved Dreadnought or the improved Indomitable tYPO-oosting nearly £'tOOO,OOO apk-ce-and for other vessels in proportion. The total extra cost of this programme by comparison will be nearly X50,000,000 sterling over and above our present Naval Estimates. It is evident that this sum ought to be raised by loan. In conclusion, the jotirnal rem-arks that Ministers have no option but to proceed with one of tbe greatest tasks ever carried out in the interests of the nation. If this is not done a naval agitation in this country will be inevitable, and will require a violence and take a tone as regards Germany to which no sane man can look forward with- out disquietude. Mr. Lloyd George on His Way Home I Dr. von Bethmann Hoilweg, Secretary of State for the Interior, gave a. be nquet at Berlin in honour of Mr. Lloyd George. In addition to Mr Lloyd George, Mr. I Henry, and Mr. Spender, there were present Herr Breitenbach, Minister of Public Works; Count de Salis, Councillor of the British Embassy; Herr Havenstein, of the Imperial Bank; Herr Wermuth, Under-Secretary of State for the Interior; Herr Twele, Under- Secretary of State of the Imperial Treasury; Herr Stemrich, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; Dr. Kaufmann, President of the Imperial Insurance Office, and several officials of the Ministries of the Interior and Foreign Affairs. 0(n Saturday Mr. Lloyd George was shown over the establishment of the Allgemedne Elektrizitaets Gesellschaft, and he subse- quently received a number of labour repre- sentatives and officials of the local sick funds and workmen's insurance institutions, with whom he discussed German and English social legislation. In the afternoon Mr. Lloyd George visited the Imperial Insurance Office, where the systean followed was expla,ined to him.- RcnteiT. Mr. Lloyd George, Mr. C. S. Henry, M.P., and Mr. Spender arrived at Hamburg at eleven o'clock on Saturday night. On Sunday morning Mr. Lloyd George had a long conversation at the Esplanade Hotel with Herr Krogmann, president of the Sea- men's Association, regarding the establish- inent and development of that organisation. He afterwards made a tour of the harbour. This (Monday) morning the officials of the Hamburg-American Line are giving a lunch in honour of Mr. Lloyd George. In the after- noon he leaves for Bre.moo, and after a sh<;rt stay there will return to England.-Beuter.

P.O. TELEPHONE OUTING I The first annual outing of the Post-office engineering staff took place on S&turday last at Llantwit Major. Having put up at the Swan Hotel and partaken of luncheon, sports of all kindii were indulged in. includ- ing a cricket match between the Helaby Cable Company and the Poet-office staff, reeiiltine- in a win for the latter by 40 runs. At tea r. C. J. Youngs, the engineer, took the chair, giving a most humorous speech. Messrs. Youngs and Land kindly gave prizes for races, Ac. At 8.30 p.m. the party started on the return journey after a most enjoyable day. The arrangemenis were successfully car- ried out by Mr. W. H. Scott, mechanic.

NEWS OF THE CHURCHES. I ST. DAVID'S DIOCESAN CON- FERENCE The annual diocesan conference will be held at the Royal Gate House Assembly- rooral, Te-nby, on Wednesday and Thursday, Octcmer 21 and 22. The subjects for dis- I pussion include Lay Ministration in Churches and Other Places," which will be introduced by Colonel Everitt, and the Pan- Anglican Congress—a retrospect by the Dean of St. David's. Papers are also to be read at the conference by Mr. Marlay Samson and Dr. W. A. Wheel, while at the evening ser- vice at St. Mary's Church on the first day the sermon will be preached by the Rev. T. G Gardiner, rector of St. Michael's, Pater- noster^row, lyondon, and bon. chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury. PRESENTATION TO THE LIVING OF LLANGENDEIRNE. The living of Llangendeirne (Carmarthen- shire), in the patronage of the Bishop of St. David's, has been offered to the Rev. Lewis Davies, B.A., curate of Sketty, Swan- sea, who has accepted it. I

CARDIFF GARDENERS The members of the Cardiff Gardeners' Association spent a pleasant few hours on Saturday in inspecting the Cardiff Castle gardens, under the guidance of Mr. Farmer, the head gardener, and Mr. Went, the secre- tary of the association. The old gardens off North-road were first visited. Surprise was expressed at the forward character of the new gardens and of the arrangements made for their cultivation. Mr. S. Medhurst propoeed a vote of thanks to Mr. Farmer, and said that in a few years the Cardiff Castle gardens would be among the best in the kingdom. Mr. Donald Cory seconded. Mr. Farmer returned thanks, and said that he anticipated a great improvement in the gardens and grounds, as the Marchioness of Bute took a great delight in gardening, and was especially interested in the gardens and grounds connected with the castle. This was to him a pleasure and a delight.

SUPPOSED BURGLAR CAUGHT NEAR LLANELLY. William Williams, ^aescanner, Dafen, was brought up in custody at -uianelly on Satur- day charged with breaking and entering BTyngwyn Farm with intent to commit a felony. Police-constable Sam Jenkins deposed that, in consequence of information received, at 3.15 that morning he went to Bryngwyn Farm and examined the premisee. He found a window open and footmarks on the sill inside. A number of flower-pots had been removed from inside to the outside, and on the ground near the window was a sack. He and the tenant of the farm made a search, and saw a man on the road coming towards them. When the man saw them he ran away in another direction. They ran after him, and, although they lost trace of their quarry for a short time, they ultimately captured him. When charged Williams replied, if j was to drop dead, I was never in the house." Prisoner was remanded until to-day, bail being allowed.

I BURGLARY AT MR. GWYN NIOHOLL'S HOUSE. The residence of Mr. Gwyn Nicholls, Park- xoad, Whitchurch, has been broken into during the family's absence. A neighbour, noticing a window open, reported the matter, and ilolice-gergeaalt Bennett and the con- stable under his charge found the rooms had been ransacked. The burglar's oIotlbeø had been discarded in favour of one of Mr. DIN

A Stepmother in Tears I ECHO OF A MURDER: ALLEGED I NEaLECT. The strange Newington Sessions case, in which it is alleged that a murdered woman'? children were neglected, came up for hear, ing again on Saturday. Mr. CampbeE represented the National Society for th. Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Harold Lacey (40), clerk to a gas company at Nine Elms, and his second wife, Rose Lacey (7-2), were accused of having neglected Josephine, Rowland, and Bertie Lacey, aged twelve, eleven, and seven. The case is bound up with the story of a terrible London tragedy of live years ago. According to Mr. Warde (defending counsel), Harold Lacey married when he was øeven. teen, and his wife was shot by a young man lodger, who afterwards committed suicide. The children mentioned in this charge were the offsprings of the first marriage. The husband, continuing his story on Satur- day, said he had made no distinction between jthe two sets of children, except that those of the first marriag. did not have their meals with him, because there was no room at the dining-table. It was true that they had their meals sometimes in the scullery, and he had occasionally locked them in the scullery for a few moments to keep them out of mischief. He had* no grand affection for Bertie, but he pitied him. The description of the children's bedroom was grossly exaggerated. Bertie had a hay or straw bed because of a complaint from which he was suffering. The children were bathed every week. The wife denied the various allegations, and, bursting into tears, declared that she had looked upon the children as her own. It is wicked what has been said against me," she cried. I have made no difference between them and my children, except that my children are my children. I am doing my duty to them, as I hope someone else will do to mine when I am dead." She added that both sets of children had the same kind of food. Mr. Campbell: During the time the decorators were at the house these children always had their meals in the scullery, wblle your children had their meals with you. Is not that strange?—Everything was in a state of disorder; my husband had his breakfast one day in the rcuuery. Martha Pratt, the general servant, stated that there was no stint of food, and the bed- room was washed out every day, and there was matting upon the floor. After twenty minutes' consideration the jury found both prisoners guilty of wilful neglect. Mr. Hedderwiok said it was painful to intact punishment upon a man who had hitherto borne an unblemished character, but the offence was a very grave one. It was not possible to accede to any request of treating the prisoners in any other way than sen- tencing them to imprisonment. They would each have to undergo three months' imprisonment in the second division. The prisoners shook hands, and then, Just ae they were being led to the cello, a most exciting scene occurred. A boy, one of the children of the second marriage, dashed from the side of the court, and, rushing by several police-constables, made a determined effort to reach his fot-her in the dock. He was promptly seized by policemen, but he struggled so violently that it took two con- stables to restrain him. On learning the cause of the boy's excite- ment, Mr. Hedderwick granted him permis- sion to see his parents before they were removed to prison.

Mystery of Keligion EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS & THE POPE Archbishop Bourne's pastoral letter on the Eucharistdo Congress was read in the Roman Catholic churches and chapels of the Diocese of Westminster on Sunday. His Grace says they are engaged in pro claiming aloud to the world their unswervini belief in the central Mystery of their reli- gion. The Sacrifice of the Mass, the Rea) Presence—these were the facts which the con- gress proclaimed. "Here in England," the letter says, "these thoughts carry us back through that long period of a thousand years in which this belief was the very heart cf the Christianity of our country, uniting it in one pulsa- tion with the whole of Christendom. Every one of our old churches, cold and empty as they appear in our eyes, testifies by its forlorn condition to the worship which once gave it life. Mass and Holy Communion gave meaning to these churches, as they meant spiritual life to thobi who worshipped within their beautiful walls. Then we pass in thought through the days of desolation, when England officially abandoned the unity of the Catholic Church and the Altars were cast down and men were fined and imprisoned for assisting at the sac- rifice, which had been the joy of their fore- fathers, and the priests who offered it were put to a barbarous death. It was to preserve the Mass in England that our colleges were set up in foreign countries, a.nd that so many exposed themselves to dangers of every kind lest the priesthood might perish out of the land. It is with such memories as these that, with great joy and thanksgiving to God, we shall keep this, t-he first International Eucharistic Congress ever held on English soil." The Archbishop expresses the desire that all, without exception, should take part in Ithe congress, which, he added, would be held at the time when the Pope was about to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of hifl ordination to the priesthood. Roman Catho- lics ought to give utterance to the most fer- vent ak;piratiow of their hearts that God would pour down npom the Pope every graoo and blessing that he needs.

MIDNIGHT INTRUDER Mrs. Law, the landlady of the Prince of Wales pu-blic-house, Pembroke Dock, spent a lively night on Friday, according to thesUwy told the local magistrates on Saturday. It appears that twelve Royal Artillerymen went to lodge there, and about one o'clock at Diight Mrs. Law and the barmaid, who slept together, were awakened by a noise, awl saw a man in the room. Mrs. Law said, What are you doing here. you scany>?" and a voice replied, I've lo&t my roomt" Next morning she found that 25s. had been taken from a purse in her room, as well as the key of the bar. from which another 15s. and two bottles of spirits had been taken. The spirits were found in a bed in a. room occu- pied by two men named Brown and Earl, but another man, named M'Ready, was charged with the theft. The barmaid swore that she recognised the voice of the mid- night intruder as tha-t of MR^ady. The money had not been traced. The Magistrates, after a long hearing, came to the conclusion that a prima facie case had not been made out. and dismissed the case against the accused. W

SOUTH WALES COAL TRADE. CYFARTHFA COLLIERIES TO GIVE NOTICE. ? A meeting or we woritmen «m.pioyea ai f,11" Castle Pit of the Gyfarthfa Ooilieries has heen held. It appeared that out of 1,000 men employed 92 were non-Unionists and 137 had not shown their cards at the recent inspection. It was decided to tender notices on Septem- ber 1 for the terminatdon of contracts.

COAL TRADE AMALGAMATION With reference to the report that a com bination of interestis was imminent betweer Messrs. D. Davis and Sons (Limited). th. owners of the Ferndale Collieries, and Messrs. Hull, Blyth, and Co., of Londoo, Cardiff, and elsewhere, coal exporters, a statemaent haS been issued by the latter firm saying defi- nitely that there is no truth in the rumour.

AMERICAN TARIFFS It is announced in New York that }fro Taft has pledged himself to initiate tariff revision immediately after ihis election BJI President.—Central News.

WHITE FUNNEL LINE In addition to the regnla.r service (It Channel steamboats announoed by Messrs- p and A. Campbell, there are tripe tO cievedon and Bristol aDd to Minehead thi* week.

Ma in dee (Newport) Liberal Club held itØ first annual flower show on Saturday in the CampbeU-Bannernian-hall, Wharf-road. :Mr. Sindrey, of Llantarnam, wM the jud?, and Mr J. Hawke-ley hon. secretary. Mr. J. g. Broome, of 22, Archibald-street, was the winner of the chief prize for group of pO plants, for any variety of window pla°? and for cabbages; Mr. R. H. Smith sweo. off the chief honottrs in roses, p?a? na salads, and Mrs. Satneburyl accounted rot I the gweet peas and other garden aowere. VILLAGE COU?TBT BEEATI, made with MII]L" Stevens (Limited), Dutch CWe, Pontc? und D;W?O -d tM. QueMi Street, Caidift.