South Wales Echo

TOPICS OF THE DAY. So far as the reports go there is nothing to show that Mr Gladstone's indisposition is serious, and the whole country will hope that it is not so. The cause for anxiety on the matter lies, we think, in this that, apart from the fact that the age of seventy- five is itself a serious illness, Mr Gladstone has on the present occasion fallen sick in the recess, and after a long rest in the country. Indisposition at the close of a long and arduous Sessions of Parliament is not un- natural. But it is serious if the Prime Minister fails to gain strength in the recess, and is in bad health at the beginning of the Session. Mr Holden has given a conclusive answer to the charge reported to have been pre- ferred against him by Mr Coleridge Ken- nard, M.P., viz., that he contributed to the Free Trade agitation in England so that the goods manufactured at Roubaix, in France, might be admitted duty free into England. Mr Holden does not manufacture in his French works any goods imported to Eng- land. Mr Kennard complained of being misreported in the statement replied to by Mr Holden. The repudiation of the statement, however, was not at all clear and as the report appeared in the T;mes and nearly all the papers in the country, as moreover Mr Kennard's alleged charge proves to be utterly unjust and baseless, some explana- tion is due' from the junior member for Salisbury. According to the London correspondent of the Liverpool Mercury, Austria is pledged in honour not to advance to Salonica so long as Mr Gladstone is in power, a promise not to do so having been given to Mr Gladstone as 9 1 a quid pro ^no for the much denounced Karolyi apology. Bismarck irritated at z, this, is paying Mr Gladstone off. The Angra Pequina incident gave him his excuse. Riitc illoi lacrjimce. A Dublin Official," who is given leader type in the Times, attacks a statement made by the Freeman s Journal as to the name- less scandals," with which the Caatle officials have been concerned during the year. "One man only, and he not directly," according to the Dublin Official, ''was con necteil with Dublin Castle. The offi- cial is to be complimented upon his iu- genuity in avoiding the point. It is, how- ever, well known that Dublin Castle did not supply all the prisoners in these cases. The case against the Irish Executive was that they t/lok no steps to secure the proper ad- ministration of the law in these scandal cases; that, on the contrary, they obstructed the efforts of those who took upon them- selves the work shirked by the proper authorities. The result of the Tipperary Convention, held on Friday, is remarkable, Mr John O'Connor, of Cork, one of the ablest of Mr Parnell's supporters out of Parliament, and his nominee for the present Tipperary vacancy, was rejected by the representatives of the constituency, Mr Patrick Ryan being chosen. For two years Mr Parnell's power to nominate members in most of the Irish constituencies has been undisputed. He has usually exercised the power with conspi- cuous care and moderation, being most de- ferential to the wishes of the constituencies but there was evidently an opinion at the Tipperary Convention that he had acted in- discreetly in this case. We do not think the public are likely to underate the seriousness of supposed dyna- mite explosions. We therefore direct atten- tion to the fact that the explosion at Gower- street was not a severe one, and the damage done was slight. It is easy to reach the con- clusion that all explosions now-a-days are caused by dynamite, and that Fenians have a monopoly of dynamite. Let us, therefore, point out that there is not a tittle of evidence on either of these points in the case of the Gower-street explosion. Before dynamite and the dynamitards arose to distract the public mind, it was re- cognised as possible that such things as steam, gas, and gunpowder might cause ex- plosions. Dynamite, however, has robbed these of their old vocation and it is impos- sible now for anything to explode without the whole credit of the business being laid to the charge of dynamite and Fenianism. We suppose that the origin of this latest explo- sion is discoverable, but at the present time there is no official report upon the subject, and there has been more than one gas explo- sion on the Underground Railway. The Newcastle-on-Tyne people have given up the idea of extending the boundaries of the city. It has been found that the outlying districts proposed to be included were by no means desirous of coming into the city. The canny folk" of Newcastle, however, have decided that though they cannot enlarge the boundaries, they will press for an increase in -the representation of the city from two to three members.

THE very large increase in the number of pauper inmates of the Cardiff Workhouse would naturally lead us to the conclusion that there is a great deal of poverty in the town at the present time. An increase of 101 (,n the corresponding week of last year, when the number of inmates was 512, is at the rate of nearly 20 per cent., and it behoves the guardians to institute some inquiry into what is in some degree unaccountable. If we bad had several weeks' hard frost, thowing out of employment those en- gaged in building and other outdoor occupations, we could understand the large amount of increased pauperism. But the weather, so far, has been in every re- spect highly favourable to work out of doors. True the work at the docks has been far from brisk, and many labourers have thus been thrown idle but this fact will scarcely of itself account for 101 extr4 paupers in the workhouse. It has been noted that pauperism is sure to increase in any town in the neighbourhood of which large public works are being carried on; and without actually knowing such to be the case, we believe that the presence of some hun- dred of navvies in Cardiff and its immediate vicinity, has something to do with the in- crease of 101 inthe indoor pauper list. Navvies are, of all classes of workmen, the most prone to give up work and go on tramp, leaving their wives and children to the workhouse until the tramping husband and father has got another job. But whatever the cause, it requires the attention of the guardians.

A CORRESPONDENT in our daily contem- porary, writing on the subject of a rate- payers' association for Cardiff, thinks, "the only way of putting a stop to the reckless extravagance of our Corpora- tion and Board of Guardians is for the long suffering and heavily burdened rate- payers of Cardiff and district to form themselves into an association." This particularly well-informed correspondent then talks of a corporation who cannot go to inspect a waterworks or reservoir without putting us to the expense of elaborate turns-out in the way of horses and carriagesand champagne luncheons, &c." He is evidently ignorant of the fact that the last visit of the Waterworks Committee tothe reservoirs and waterworks—the visit to which he apparently refers-was in response to the invitation of the chairman of that com- mittee, who paid all the expenses in connec- tion therewith, the elaborate turns-out of horses and the champagne luncheons in- cluded. But our contemporary was well aware of this fact, and in admitting the letter into its columns without appending the explanation we have now given, furnishes another instance of its persistent attempts to ignore the good deeds of gentlemen not of its own political way of thinking. Our contemporary seems to forget that in allow- ing those of its readers, who are unaware of the true facts of the case, to believe that the Waterworks Committee make such excursions and partake of champagne luncheons at the expense of the ratepayers-a charge was .e being made against the whole corporation, loll, who are jointly responsible for the proper spending of the rates.

CARDIFF-BOUND SCHOONER ABANDONED. The French schooner, Sainte Marie Reine des Mers, of Nantes, was towed into Falmouth Harbour on Sunday. She was bound from Nantes to Cardiff, with pitwood. On New Year's Day she experienced heavy weather, and sprang a leak, and the water continued to increase so that when twelve miles off the Lizard, early on Sun- day morning, they decided to abandon the schooner. The: craw took to their boats, the captain saving the ship's papers. They stood by her for three hours, when tl)e,, v saw the masts fail overboard. The vessel was then almost totally subicerKed. The crew arrived about ten o'clock at Falmouth. The steamship Victor, of Falmouth, subsequently observed the abandoned schooner, and takine her in tow, brought her to Falmouth, and beached her.

-1. lr Peter Kaincar, .school officer for the borough of Crewe, and a man named Shaw, son of a grocer of Batley, were drowned while skating on Satur- day night on Batley Mere, near Crewe, in sight of e^'Ohancellor Wallis, Mr Raincar's father-in- law, who was unable to render assistance.

Sudden Death of Mr Luard, Llandaff. PARTICULARS OF THE SAD OCCURRENCE. The Inquest. REFERENCE BY THE DEAN OF LLANDAFF. I Biographical Sketch. The news which was received at Cardiff on Saturday evening of the awfully sudden death of Mr William Charles Luard, of Llandaff House, Llandaff, caused not only considerable surprise, but over Llandaff cast a gloom which the city has not experienced for some time. Only a short time previously Mr Luard had been moving among them in his usual health. He had, however, been suffering from sciatica, and, acting under medical advice, he went to Bournemouth for a time, believing the change of air would be beneficial. During his stay at Bournemouth, he was accompanied by Mrs Luard, Miss Luard, and Mr Gerard Mauriee Luard, his younger son. As county treasurer, his presence would be required at Cardiff on Monday, when the magistrates assembled at thp Town-hall for the despatch of county business, as it was his duty to present the various reports connected with the financial position of the county and he left Bournemouth on Saturday morning, intending to spend the Sunday at Llandaff. When they left Bournemouth, he appeared as well as usual. On arriving at Gloucester, an interval of more than an hour occurred before the departure of the train for South Wales. Deceased was always a great admirer of ecelesiastical architecture, and while Mrs and Miss Luard remained at the rail- way station, he, in company with his son, paid a visit to the cathedral. Here he pointed out many of the beauties of this grand old structure, and subsequently left with his son to return to the railway station. They had not proceeded far before the son felt his father leaning heavily on his arm. The circumstance caused the son con- siderable surprise, as up to that moment his father had been apparently as well as usual. The son called to his father, who was unable to reply. Some foot passengers in George street observed him, and procured a chair from a dwelling-house, and two of them ran for medical aid, but he died in a very few minutes. As it was necessary that an inquest should be held, the body was conveyed to the Spread Eagle, and on the coroner being informed of the circum- stances, he at once held the inquiry, in order that the body might be brought on to Cardiff that night. A telegram was sent to Cardiff briefly stating what had taken place, and Mrs and Miss Luard came on to Cardiff by the 10.30 train. Mr G. A. Stone, undertaker, had been communi- cated with, and he sent a hearse to the station, but owing to the inquest being held, the body was not despatched from Gloucester until the arrival of the down mail. In the interview a shell had been made in which the body was placed, and, accompanied by the son, it was brought to Cardiff. At the railway station, Mr Shirley, jun. and one or two friends from Llandaff were wait- ing. The body was placed in a hearse and conveyed to Llandaff House, followed by Mr Maurice Luard and a few friends. All the residents of Llandaff, on Sunday morning, had their blinds drawn closely down, as a mark of respect, and at the cathedral the prayers of the congregation were desired for the mourning widow and family, for whom the greatest sympathy is felt. REFERENCE BY THE DEAN or OF LLANDAFF. in the aiternoon the Dean 01 Jjiandafi preached a sermon in aid of the Church Pastoral Aid Society, but before closing he said, quoting the words of his text, "Arise, shine It shall be our New Year's motto-it shall be be the resolution of the New Year's life. There is much to make it an impressive call to-day. We have been startled, we have been stunned, by a sudden sorrow. The windows of one of our chief houses are darkened—within it are mourners, not refusing, but finding it hard, to be comforted. A beloved husband and father is laid low by a stroke of deathin the midst of life. Half his home- ward journey yesterday was made by a living soul, the other half by a lifeless body. We have no words for a transition so sudden, for a shock so terrible. That stately and stalwart form will be seen no more in this congregatioll-.tho,;e powerful and manifold energies will speak no moro in their various departments of usefulness. We of this cathedral have lost our right hand m the management of its business—we shall long miss the experienced counsellor, the man so learned in human dealing, so skilful in suggestion of wisdom. But what is all this in comparison of the desolation of the home so suddenly bereft of its beloved and loving head ? That home asks your prayers to-day—sorely does it need them. Pray for the widowed wife, pray for the orphan children, that the Comforter may be with them this long, dark Sunday, a very present help in their great trouble. Arise, Lord, in Thy power thine, Lord, with thy beautiful light," till they can say first, Thy will be done and then, Thou hast done all things well." THE INQUEST. The inquest was held on Saturday afternoon, at the Spread Eagle Hotel, Gloucester, before Mr A. M. Sydaey Turner, the city coroner. Mr William Jb'ream was chosen foreman of the jury. The first witness called was Mr Gerard Maurice Charles Luard, son of the deceased, who identified the body. He said his father was a solicitor, practising in Cardiff, and registrar and chapter clerk of the diocease of Llandaff. He was also county trea- surer of Monmouth. He had not been in good health for the last twelve months, and six weeks ago had gone to Bournemouth for the benefit of his health. That day (Saturday) they left Bournemouth by the 9.30 a.m. train on their way home to Llandaff. Having an hour to wait at Gloucester, he and his father went to see the cathe- dral, leaving his mother and sister at the station. The deceased and witness went through the cathedral, and then started back for the station. On arriving at Mr Hatton's brewery, George- street, he felt his father lean heavily on his arm. He looked to his father's face and saw that he was unable to speak. On seeing him taken ill, someone came out of a house with a chair on which the deceased was placed. Witness unfastened his collar and medical assistance was at once sent for. Mr Mdis, surgeon, and Mr Sidney Turner, surgeon, were quickly in attend- ance. He had never known his f,ither have a lit, but his heart was always weak. He did not think his father was more unwell than usual that morning, and lie made no complaint as to his heart. He believed deceased had taken light refreshments on the journey, but had had nothing at Gloucester. He had been under the care of Dr. A. Nankwell at Bournemouth, and previously to that he had been under the carejof Dr. Burnett, of London, He had scarlatina when a boy. and signs of dropsy and Bright's disease had developed themselves. Mr T. JSdis, surgeon, of Gloucester, deposed that on that afternoon, at four o'clock, fie was- called to the deceased at Mr Hatton's offices, George-street. He found the deceased lying down on the floor, evidently in a moribund state. There was pulsation at the wrist, but this ceased in less than a minute, and he died immediately. He had no doubt that lie died from failure of the heart's action supervening on Bright's disease. The Coroner said he was there at the time, and agreed with Mr Kdis as to the cause of death. The jury returned a verdict of "Death from natural causes." BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. Mr William Charles Luard was the son of Mr Luard, the general manager of the London and County Bank, London. He was articled to a solicitor, and after being- enrolled he for some time practised as such at Gray's-inn, London. Mr E. Priest Richards, who was for many years solicitor to the late Lord Bute, and also solicitor to the estate during the present Lord Bate's minority, was Mr Luard's uncle, and on feeling the duties iiivoived, owinc to the eX[Jansio;1 oi the dock property, becoming too great, heinvited his nephew to come to Cardiit and assist him as legal advi.-er to the estate. Mr Luard came to Cardiff in 1354, and acted in concert with his uncle for I several years. Mr Richards was at the same time treasurer for the oounty of Glamorgan, and after some years he resigned the position of solicitor to Lord Bute. Mr L. V. Shirley then came to Cardiff as a partner with Mr Luard, and the firm of Luard and Shirley carried on for many years the duties of solicitors to Lord Bute. Mr Richards at a subsequent period —in the year 1865—resigned the position of county treasurer. There were two candidates for the appointment, Mr W. C. Luard and Mr R. W. Williams, of Cardiff, between whom it was said the appointment would fall. Considerable excite- ment was felt in the election, which took place at Swansea. There were partisans in favour of either candidate, among the county magistrates, and feeling on the question ran very high. In Mr Luard's address he claimed to be the nephew of Mr E. P. Richards, but this was denied by some of his opponents in the newspapers, who said that he was only a half-nephew. Mr Luard's appointment was only secured by one vote, but since that time he has gained the respect and esteem of all who opposed him, and his uncle, Mr E. P. Richards, never shared the confidence of the county magistrates more than he did and at the meeting of the magistratjs to-day there is little doubt but that there will be a general feeling of regret at his death. He was steward of Lord Bute s Manor, and held courts leet in Lord Bute's name and was besides solicitor for several of the leading county families. On the death of Mr Dunning he was appointed, by the present Bishop of Llandaff, registrar of the diocese and chapter clerk. Re cently fresh arrangements were made as regards the legal advisers of Lord Bute Mr Shirley became Lord Bute's local solicitor and Mr Luard retired. In his public capacity Mr Luard often seemed cold, distant, and reserved, but in private life he was a taan of kind and courteous manners. He was a member of the Athenaeum, the Oriental, and several other clubs in London, as well as the Cardiff and County Club at Cardiff. He was a great reader, a man of cultivated mind, and, as such, reader, a man of cultivated mind, and, as such, his society was always sought and his presence greeted with smiles and a hearty welcome. Many years ago he purchased Llandaff House, and among the residents of the city few had a wider circle of friends. In the restoration of the cathe dral he took an active part, and, as was remarked by the Dean on Sunday, the cathedral has sus- tained a great loss by his death. Mr Luard was twice married. By the present Mrs Luard there is no family, but by the first wife he had two sons and one daughter, who are living. The deceased was 57 years of age.

I ILLNESS OF MR GLADSTONE. The Premier's Journey to Hawarden. After attending Saturday's Cabinet Council Mr Gladstone drove to Euston Station, where he took the 2.45 train for Chester and Hawarden. A special saloon carriage wvq pro- vided for the right hon. gentleman's accommo- dation, and was well heated before he entered it. As the train left the station, a] number of persons who had assembled on the platform gave a hearty cheer, in response to which the Premier came to the window and took off his hat. It was noticed that he looked pale and careworn. Immediately the train was clear of the station, Mr Gladstone laid down,and succeeded in obtain- ing a refreshing sleep on the journey between Willesden and Rugby. At the latter station a crowd collected opposite the saloon carriage, and cheered the Prime Minister, who had now drawn up the blinds. Chester was reached shortly after seven o'clock. Many persons who had heard of Mr Gladstone's illness from the morning papers were on the platform to enquire personally as to his health. An answer was given to the effect that the Premier was better. Mr Herbert Gladstone joined the train at this point" and an animated conversation soon ensued between his father and himself until Broughton Hall station was reached. This stage of the journey was accomplished in a special train. On arriving at the station, Mr Gladstone walked with firmness to his carriage in waiting, and drove direct to Hawarden Castle. Snow laid on the ground to the depth of half-an-inch, but the weather was much less keen than on New Year's Day,when the Premier travelled to town. On inquiry at the castle on Saturday evening, the Press Association's special correspondent was informed that Mr Gladstone had withstood the fatigue of the journey exceedingly well, and was in good health. Visitors arrived at the castle in the evening, and will take part in a concert to- day. INTERVIEW WITH MRS GLADSTONE. | Telegraphing on Sunday night, the rress Association says :—Mr Gladstone still remains indisposed, although his illness is not so serious as to occasion any alarm. The special representative of the Press Association had an interview this afternoon with Mrs Gladstone, who stated that Mr Gladstone was a. little better. Mrs Gladstone remarked, in the course of conversation, that it seemed to her that the public and the pres. of this country had an idea that the family of the Premier were desirous of keeping back from the knowledge of all the true state of Mr Gladstone's health. This,Mrs Gladstone said. was far'from her purpose and feeling, her desire being that the truth should be communicated to all those who were so kind as to make inquiries. She desired it to be made known that Mr Gladstone's illness was not of any rerious nature. For some days prior to summoning the Cabinet Council for Friday last, the Premier had been working particularly hard, having a large amount of business to transact, and numerous papers to peruse. This led to some worry, and occasioned loss of sleep for several hours during the night, and restlessness. The Premier seemed to be more than usually wakeful on the night before leaving for London, and accordingly determined to see Sir Andrew Clark, who has complete know- ledge of his constitution. After his journey to London on Thursday and subsequent transaction of pressing official business, he did not feel well and passed a sleepiesa night. Sir Andrew Clark visited him for the second time on Fri- day morning, and ordered as much quiet and rest as he could possibly take. On Friday night, although he had attended a long sitting of ttio Cabinet, and had transacted numerous other business matters, he slept better, and when next Sir Andrew called upon him he was able to report an improvement. Sir Andrew desired that Mr Gladstone should at once obtain three weeks' rest from all but most pressing work, and a change of air may possibly also be ordered. Mrs Gladstone stated that the Premier passed a better night on Saturday than he has experienced since the recurrence of these sleep- less attacks. His appetite is good, and he felt comparatively well to-day, but he is suffering from an attack of lumbago, which prevents him from taking his accustomed walks. Mrs Gladstone states that she herself can see a marked improvement in the Premier's condition. Mr Gladstone, however, looked very pale and careworn this morning as he walked leaning on Mrs Gladstone's arm from the castle to the parish church, a distance of about ball a mile. He seemed feeble in his gait, but this was accounted for by an'attack of lumbago. This feebleness was particularly noted by the villagers, who frequently see Mr Gladstone in his usual good health walk- ing with firm step about the village and grounds of Hawarden. I MR GLADSTONE AT CHUHCH. "I I On ^rrivinsj trio cfjurciijivxr ijriscistoiio took his customary seat beside the choir, but did not read the lessons as heretofore. It was observable that the right hon. gentleman retained his seat during the greater portion of the service. It has also been his practice at the commencement of the sermon to move from his own seat to one immediately under the pulpit, so that he may be better able to hear the words of the preacher. He did not do so to-day, and many of his admirers went away from the church in the full impression he was not at all strong. He partook of the Sacrament, and then walked back to the castle again, leaning on Mrs Gladstone's arm. After luncheon he took a stroll in the garden, but although the day was beautifully fine, he remained out only a short time. For several years past Mr Gladstone has not missed attending evening service at church. To-day, however, he did not do so, but remained at the castle, while Mrs Gladstone and the other mem- bers of his family proceeded to church. Mr Gladstone's vacant place was observed, and many inquiries were made as to the reason of his non- attendance.

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The Penistone Railway Accident. OPENING OF THE OFFICIAL I INQUIRY. Major Marandin, the Government inspector, arrived at Penistone on Saturday for the purpose of holding an official inquiry into the recent accident on the Manchester, Sheffield and Lin- colnshire Railway. Major Marindin was received by Mr R. G. Underdown, general manager of the company Mr Sacre, chief engineer; Mr W. Bradley, general superintendent and Mr H. A. P. Hamil- ton, district superintendent. Immediately on arriving at Penistone, Major Marindin went to the scene of the accident, and inspected the line, the wrecked carriages, and the broken axle. He subsequently returned to the Penistone Station, and commenced his inquiry in one of the waiting rooms. After two signalmen had given evidence, in the course of which they stated that the signals were right for the coal train and the excursion train to pass each other, John Couldwell, the driver of the excursion, was called. He stated that he had been in the service of the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lin- colnshire Railway Company for 20 years, and had been a driver for 13. His engine was fitted with Smith's vacuum brake, and the carriages were each fitted with the vacuum brake, worked from the engine. He tested his brake before starting, and also at Wadsley Bridge and Deep- car, two stations on the road to Penistone. It worked all right after leaving Deepcar. All the signals were off between there and Penistone, and, said the witness, we passed the Barnsley Junction Box at a speed of 25 or 30 miles an hour with the steam on. I first caught sight of the mineral train after passing the box. It would then be about 100 yards off, and I perceived then be about 100 yards off, and I perceived nothing the matter. When we got within eu yards of it I saw a waggon of the mineral train run off into the six foot way. I should think it would be about the fifth waggon. The driver of the mineral train appeared to be looking back over the engine on the six-foot side. I could not say whether he had the steam on or off. As soon as I saw the waggon I made prepara- tions to stop the train by shutting off steam and applying the vacuum brake. My fireman applied the tender brake. Both brakes were hardly on before we struck the other engine, and we had reduced the speed a good deal-I think by half the speed the train had been travelling at. I did not notice what speed the other train was running at. I saw the waggon work from the six-foot into the four-foot of the down line, and when I struck it the waggon knocked the smoke-box door of the engine in. I bent down and did not see any- thing more until the train stopped. I bent down because I thought something might come over the top of the engine. There were about six vehicles off the rails after the collision. The smoke-box, the right side rod, and several minor parts of the engine were damaged, but not very greatly. The line was in very good order. My engine did not leave the rails, nor the tender. I do not know which was the first carriage to go off the rails. Jacob Hanley, one of the guards of the excur- sion train, said:—Everything went right until we were approaching Penistone. When passing 81 "1 Barnsley junction box, I wasstandiug looking out of the window. When I got opposite the distance signal for Hudderstield junction, I saw the driver of our train make a rush to his reverse lever, and I thought we had run over a shunter, or that something was wrong. I immediately applied my brake, and I felt the vacuum brake come on sharply. I was knocked down in the van almost at once. Before this, however, I had seen the engine of the goods train pass-at about the time I was applying my brake, but I could not say whether the vacuum brake was on before the enc-inn was nassinEf or not. It was so very quickly all happened. Our train on passing Barnsley junction was running between twenty-five and thirty miles an hour—certainly not more than thirty. The speed was a good deal reduced before our train struck the waggon. It pulled up very suddenly. I was knocked down, and my left shoulder was hurt. I came up to Penistone as soon as I could get out to tell the signalman to stop the road. I warned the signalman at Hud- dersfield Junction box on the way to block the line. I took a train down as far *s we could, anf. when I got theio found the woi-nded passerypj13 had been got out and placed or the bank The Liverpool portion of the train vas very full, the Southport part was not. The vorst damaged car- riages were the sixth and severth from the engine -th Liverpool portion of the tain. William Spinks and J oserh Plowright, two other guards, having given evilence, John Schofield, the driver oc the coal train, was examined. He said I came on duty at 4 o'clock in the morning at the shed tt Gorton, and took on the empty train from Ariwick. It consisted of twenty-six or twenty-seven waggons. I left Ardwick at five o'clcck, and had to take the waggons to Shireoaks. We stopped at Penistone goods station, where we picked up one troods wag- gon and left again ai 8.21 or 8.22. The signals wers all right up to lenistone, and we ran at the rat af 10 or 12 miles per hour. On approaching p Barnsley Junction, laving shut off sternal Peni- stone, my mate firfc called my attention to a waggon in the six-bot way, and I immediately put on the vacuun brake. It was the fifth waggon from the eigme so far as I could tell. There was a vacuum brake on the engine and a hand-brake on the teider. The latter was applied by my mate. We were close on the passenger train when I put m the vacuum brake. I did not see the passenger train until I had my hand on the brake. Whei I first saw the engine of the passenger train it wis close on to u. The driver of the passenger tain applied his brake at the same time that I applied mine. My mate opened tin whistle as soon a. we saw the waggon wrong. That was just at the moment the passenger engine was i passing My engine stopped just beyond the crossing, and several waggons became detached and were broken up. When the collision took place my train was running not more than ten or twelve miles per hour. As soon as 1 felt my engine vas all right I went to help the injured. First, I examined the waggon wbich gave way, but I could not find out the reason. I felt no jerk on the engine. There was nothing to com plain of in the state of the line there was no roughness between Penistone and Barnsley Junction. I had nat put my brake on at all after leaving Penistone vntil reaching the scene of the accident, when I applied the vacuum gently, lest the waggons should mount on the top of each other. Edmund Peacock, fireman of the coal train, said I have been in the service of the compa.ny since 1876. I saw the waggon jumping near Barnsley Junction. It was the fifth waggon, as near as I can say. I called the driver's attention to it, then opened the whistle, and afterwards ran to the tender brake, which I applied. 1 he pas senger train was perhaps fifty or sixty yards ott when I first saw the waggon jumping. I felt the shock of the collision very greatly. After aoing what I could to assist the injurec., I went aiong the line for about 100 vards from the broicen wa^on, but failed to discover any roughness or «m?filiner wroner with the line. ne witness, in replv to the inspector, when his evidence was being read over, said his tender brake was not on until after the collision took place. Robert Higgs, who has been a goods guard for nine and a-half years, and was guard of the Ard- wick coal train, said There were nine waggons empty next the brake for Shireoaks, two for Waleswood Colliery, and five belonging to the Kiveton Park Colliery. There were also sixteen loaded goods waggons and a brake coming Oil t,) Penistone. After dropping and taking up wag- gons at various stations, we ran from Woodhead to Penistone. The first I saw was some tire flying from one of the waggons when I was about sixty yards, apparently, from the scene of the accident. It was about the fourth waggon from the engine. I f aw it oscillating very much, and fall into the b?;iiii(i -It -,ii six foot, the wwggon behind it following. When I noticed this, the engines would be about pas- sing one another. I now saw the pas-enger engine strike the waggon, rearing it on end towards the coal train. The waggon then fell into the pas- senger train. Having applied my brake, i go down behind to give assistance. I applie > brake as soon as ever I could The wmst damaged carnages were those about the of the train. After the aocident; I saw that oe en wagons had been knockeu off the After other evidence had been Mr Joseph Sharp, locomotive Sur, -rintelident of Sheffield, described the of the psmenger train and the waggons after the ace:dent. The wheels of the waggons that caused the accident was, he said, marked Harrison and Camm, but he could find no name on the axle itself- The wheel was marked inside the boss Harrison and Camm 1,167." None of the carriages of the pas- senger train were telescoped. The damage was done by the train dragging alongside of it. In his opin> 11 the broken spring came off No. 218 waggon. H-: nad seen the broken axle..It had had a flaw .n it- a quarter of a inch deep. An his opinion the axle broke first, for he did not think the spring would have fallen out unless the axle had broken. The inquiry was adjourned until this week, tuid will be continued at Manchester,

The Nile Expedition. OFFICIAL DESPATCH FROM LORD WOLSELEY, The Press Association has received a copy of the following telegram from the War Office From General Lord Wolseley to the Secretary of State for War. KORTI, Sunday, 3.30 p.m. Yesterday the Stafford Regiment rowed safely up the so-called Cataract of Gerendid, and are now camped at Hamdab. Will soon have force there ready for advance into Monastir country. All going on well. [REUTER'S TELEGRAM.] UAIRO, Saturday. -Lieutenant-General Sir F. Stephenson left Suakim this morning, and is ex- pected to arrive here on the 7th. L TIMES" TELEGRAM.] SUAKIM, Suriday.-Col. Chermside has gone to Massowah. It is reported that excitement and alarm prevail in Osman Digna's camp at the ad- vance of the English forces on the Nile. [" DAILY CHRONICLE" TELEGRAM. I VIENNA, Sunday. -Information received here from Egypt states that the Mudir of Don- gola has telegraphed that some Catholic missionaries are still prisoners of the Mahdi at El Obeid. It is also stated that Lord Wolseley, when in Dongola, invited two prominent sheikhs to try and induce the Mahdi to liberate his captives. KORTI, Sunday.—General Earle left here at mid-day for Merawi, on .board one of the steam launches. Another troop of Hussars went up the river early to-day.

Hi The French in China. ANOTHER GREAT BATTLE. -Six Thousand Chinese Defeated. Resignation of the French War Minister. [CENTRAL NEWS TELEGRAM.] PARIS, Sunday Afternoon.—An official tele- gram has just been received at the Ministry of Marine from General Negrier, to the effect that that general had succeeded in deieating 6,000 Chinese, who were encamped a day's journey from Cbu. No further detail's are added. PARIS, Sunday, 4 p.m.—The resignation of General Campenon, Minister of War, is row un fait accompli. For some long time past tb-s event has been talked of and hinted at, but IV to the present nothing definite had occurr-1. Now, however, it is well known that th^neral tms resigned his portfolio, and I am a ^os'^25-e(i state that not only has M. goffered tha his late minister's resignation. whQ bRfl acc6pted vacant post to General Levv infol.med that tne position. I am also b £ /of the highest the new minister judges^ compIete occupation importance that a rap^fc once effected as far as of Tonquin should b' a,gQ assure;j that the the Chinese rrontie J,J new reinforceme "s lfc out will not 6,000 men, if as much. -n [REUTER:S TELEGRAM. I .,] -1 pARr, Sunday.—Several or to-aays p. state chat the management of the operations in Tf,.quin, which up to the present has been in 'tie hands of the Ministry of Marine, wdl now oe transferred to the Ministry of War. The Temps says that General Lewal is of opinion that the -1 L- reinforcements already despatcnea TO xonquin will be sufficient to ensure the conquest of that country. A rumour is current that M. Cavaig- nac, deputy for Sarthe, will replace M. Casimir Perier as Under-Secretary for War.

AFFAIRS IN ZULULAND. Proposed Extension of British Rule. [" TIMES TELEGRAM.] DURBAN, Sunday.—A petition to Lord Derby it being signed "here urging the extension of British rule "over ail Zululand as the only means of pre- venting further complications and safe-guarding the Imperial iuterests in South-East Africa, and so securing the welfare of the native population.

ARABI PASHA. To-day's Morning Post says :A curious rumour from Vienna. reports that the case of Arabi Pasha. is again under the consideration of her Majesty's Government, with a view to engage the lata leader of the Egyptian insurrection to aid the efforts of her Majesty's Government in the valley of the Nile. Arabi is stated to have re- cently expressed to some visitors his profound sympathy with Mr Gladstone in his Egyptian difficulties."

1- I THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION. To-dav's Times, discussing the probable course of the next general election, says Liberal members will be, to a great extent, released Lm the influence which led them -ma nimiths ago to vote against their convictions. Some re- cognise their political doom in the new order of things others have to deal with new constituen- cies and unknown currents of opinion; many will be reluctant to face a general election with the discreditof having supported through thick'andthin a disastrous and ignoble policy; and many more will not be sorry to cast upon political opponents the perplexing task of devising a remedy for difficulties which have accumulated in ail overwhelming mass. The enormous cost, for instance, of the Nile expedition, will be hard to justify even after a brilliant success, and even if the only result is to bring Gen. Gordon back from Khartoum without making any permanent ar- rangements for the government or tne upper jl]e and the security of Egypt on that side. And would be satisfactory to Liberal candidates, look- ing to the impending contest in the autnum to charge the increase of taxation, which Will b9 ~r ts Z dined, therefore, to believe that Mr Gladstone and his colleagues may be mistaken if they imagine that further evasions and consequent disasters in their dealings with Egypt will be „,Jn„ed, when Parliament re-assembles, by a mai ority of the House of Commons- « w,flld he more dignified and more profitable for them to anticipate the result by resignation, which would ba justified according to constitutional practice, if, as we doubt not is the case, there are divisions in the Cabinet, and which is, at all events, de- manded in the interest of the country, and if Ministers are unable to make up their minds, and can do nothing but dnft aftsr the manner of ftheee .,c Mr Gladstone must recollect, involved England in the Crimean War more than thirty years ago-

ftTEETiNG OF GLAMORGANSHIRE CONSERVATIVES. A meeting of the executive of County Conservative Association was held on Saturday, at the Angel Hotel. Among those pre- sent WP/P F!nl E S Hill, Messrs L. Garr, O. taut alterations made.

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