County Observer and Monmouthshire Central Advertiser Abergavenny and Raglan Herald Usk and Pontypool Messenger and Chepstow Argus

THE CHINESE CRISIS. I NEWS FROM PEKIN. I GERMAN MINISTER MURDERED. I SEVERAL LEGATIONS DESTROYED. I TIENTSIN ARSENAL CAPTURED. I J BRITISH LOSSES. j CHINESE REGIMENT IN ACTION. The following message has been received from 'Colonel Dorward to the Secretary of State for War, Chefoo, dated June 30, 1.15 p.m. Arsenal north-east of Tientsin captured ra the morning of June 27 by combined forces. British troop" engaged were Naval Brigade and Chinese Regiment; all remained in reserve. Naval Brigade four killed in action, 15 wounded, including two officers. Chinese Regiment no casuaiti". Latter checked counter attack by Boxers on left Hank with heavy loss to -enemy. Following telegram Teoeivad by Admiralty from Admiral Bruce: Sent, via GmEvoo, June 30, 2.10 p.m. The conduct of Commander Stewart, Algerine, and Commander Lanz, litis (German), at bombardment Taku forts was magnificent, and elicited admiration of allied ships. River route to Tientsin, 51 miles from Taku, now 1>pen. Railhead ROW nine miles from Tientsin and road inward, not ( ? now) quite safe. Communication with C. in C. Tientsin difficult. Force with Cradock had to fight way into Tientsin. Cradock also commander storming patty previously forts at Taku. Fort which commanded view 13 miles above Taku was found deserted by Lieutenant and Commander Keyes, and blown up by him, leaving passage up the river free. Keyes reports to-day arsenal Tientsin captured June 27. Naval Brigade losses Fire men killed, Lieutenant Colomb, Endymion, slightly wounded. Gunner May and 21 men wounded. No further details. Warrender quite well, doing very good work, taking charge of all our forces on river and along lines of communication. Vice-Admiral Alexiev, Governor-General of Port Arthur, and Liaotung Province, Commander-in- Chief of all Russian forces in the east, has just arrived on his way to Tientsin, taking supreme command of Russian forces. Captain Jellicose shot through lung, doing very well. Forces landed to date: Officers. Men. Germany 44 1300 British 184 1700 Austria 12 127 America 20 329 France 17 387 Italy. 7 131 Japan 119 3709 Russia 117 5817 Total 520 13,500 with 53 field guns, 36 machine guns. No details yet of killed nd wounded with Com- mander-in-Chief. REPORTED FLIGHT OF EMPEROR AND EMPRESS DOWAGER. The Times correspondent at Shanghai telegraphs that the Viceroy Liu has received an edict, dated June 20, in which the Throne, after referring to the difficulty of-solving the problem of the anti-foreign movement and the gloomy outlook, bids him protect his own borders while doing his best to help Pekin. Well-informed Chinese are convinced that the Em- press-Dowager and the Emperor have fled westward, and that Prince Tuan has placed his son, their heir- designate, on the Throne and himself assumed control of the Government. The German Minister in Pekin was attacked by native troops on June 18, And died shortly afterwards of his injuries. The news has been received trough Chinese official lources that the Legations in Pekin were safe on June 25. MORE "HANDY MEN FOR CHINA. Upwards of 800 naval officers, bluejackets, and marines left Portsmouth on Saturday in the Jelunga for the China Station. They are to take the place of the men who have been landed for operations on there in China. THE BESIEGED LEGATION.—CHINESE QUARTER OF PEKIN BURNT DOWN. Very serious news has arrived regarding the posi- tion of foreigners in Pekin. The most detailed information has been sent to Berlin by the commander of the German cruiser squadron at Taku. This officer's message, which is dated June 30, is to the effect that he has received a letter from the German Legation in Pekin stating that the Legation was besieged, that supplies were running short, and that the position of affairs was desperate. The murder Df the German Minister occurred on June 18 as has been reported. On June 25 all the Legations axcept those of Germany, France, and Great Britain had been destroyed. The commander of the foreign guards and the foreigners were in the British Legation. The Chinese quarter of Pekin bad been burnt down, 30,000 Chinese troops were outside the city, and the Empress-Dowager had fled. The position at Tien-tsin was also serious, as a large body of Chinese troops was reported to be marching upon the town. Confirmation of the desperate situation in Pekin also comes from a message sent by the Second Secretary of the German Legation to the sommander of the European troops. This message is signed by Sir Robert Hart, and is dated Sunday apparently June 24). Rear-Admiral Bruce tele- graphs that all those who were wounded at Taku and Tien-tsin on June 17 are progressing favour- ably. THE BRITISH CASUALTIES. The following casualties have been reported to the Admiralty by the Commander-in-Chief in China: KILLED. Centurion Captain Herbert W. H. Beyts, R.M.A.; Edward Samuel Wyatt, chief petty officer, O.N. 104052 George Spiller, petty officer, let class O.N., 124233 Thomas|James Restall, leading seaman, O.N. 151659; Thomas Townsend, A.B., O.N. 174826 Sidney Herbert Bone, A.B., O.N. 158529 Robert Parsons, A.B., O.N. 184683; William Thomas Lloyd, O.S., 190614 James Bryson, O.S., 198639 William Edwards, stoker, 282137; John J. Yates, Gunner R.M.A., 5890; Ernest Lunn, Gunner R.M.A., 5767; Frederick H. Foster, private, Ply., 8594; George H. Hawes, private. Ports., 8906; Albert E. Ellis, private, Ports., 8634; Ernest Frisby, private, Ports., 3599. Aurora: Frederick Kane, private, Ply., 8529; Thomas Davies, private, Ply., 5816 Arthur H. Gigg, private, Ply., 7271. Orlando Hugh Berry, ord. seaman, 197904. Endymion: Herbert Charlo, petty officer 2nd el, 152172; Stafford Ernest Wooldridge, P.O. 1st cl., 1397^8; Daniel Watson, ord. seaman, 192403; Donald M'lntosb, stoker, 285206; John Parker, private, Ports., 9565; Robert Barton, private, Portsm., 9073; Henry W. Bryan, private, Portsui., 9576: William Stanford, private, Portsm., 7749. Orlando: ? Sergeant Gingell, No. 3769, lent from Tamar. DATTGKtOUSTiY WOUNDED. Centurion: Albert Bevis, A.B. 183480; Herbert S. Bolton, A.B. 183671; Frank W. Briggs, private, Portsmouth, 8239; Frederick William Wilkinson, ttoker 282983, latter doing well. SERIOUSLY WOUNDED. Centurion Captain R. Jellicoe, Sidney J. S. Tooze, petty officer 1st class 156075; Maurice M'Elligott, A.B. 151904; Walter H. Rogers, leading seaman 157415 Thomas Wright, leading seaman 161349; Arthur Christopher Thompson, stoker 176043; Herbert C. Miller, sergeant R.M.A., 3413. Orlando: William J. Godfrey, stoker, 276417. Endymion: George Parsons, ord. seaman, 195630; Alfred Quaife, private, Portsm., 7958; John W. Simmons, ord. seaman, 190465; Richard Wright, A.B.,167503. All the above are badly wounded, but are pro- gressing favourably, the remainder are only slightly wounded, and are all doing well. Casualties at capture of arsenal, N.E. of Tien-tsin Settlement, June 27, by combined forces, British forces engaged being the Naval Brigade and 1st Chinese Regiment: KILLED. Centurion—Frederick Sharpe; A.B. 188893; Bar- Aeur-F,rnew.t. VVal ter Grover Ord. seaman, 188808; Aurora—Jaones Spillane, stoker, 278528, and Henry Eddiford, Private R.M.L.I., Plymouth, 4814; Endymion—William Flory, A.B., 147621, William Chamdier, Private R.M.L.I., Chatham, 9113. From Wei-hai-Wei-Arthur J. Lee, Private R.M.L.I., Chatham, 9678. Wounded, 15. PARLOUS POSITION IN PERIN. The United States Government is officially in- formed that the Chinese Empress Dowager and the Emperor are imprisoned in Pekin, and that only two of the Legations remain undestroyed. An edict which was issued in Pekin on June 26 practically declared war on all foreigners, and officials in the provinces were ordered to enrol "Boxers" and troops to assist in their expulsion. KAISER WILLIAM VOWS VENGEANCE. In a striking and characteristic address to the re- inforcements of German Marines who were about to start for China, the Emperor William, on Monday, referred to the murder of Baron von Ketteler as a crime of unspeakable insolence and barbarity, and as an insult to the Empire demand- ing exemplary punishment. He expressed the gravest fears for the safety of the other Foreign Representatives. The Powers, his Majesty declared, were fighting for the cause of civilisation, and he himself would not rest till the flag of Germany, alongside of theirs, could be planted on the wails of Pekin. In conclusior, the Emperor exhorted his marines to bear themselves bravely, and to treat the soldiers of the other allied Powers as comrades. FRANCE'S ATTITUDE. In the French Chamber, on Tuesday, M. Delcasse ,declared that the French Government did not desire to make war on China, and wished to maintain the present equilibrium but it could not refrain from joining with the other Powers in protecting humanit,) ftnd civilisation.

THE KHEDIVE IN LONDON. The Khedive paid a visit to the City of London on Tuesday. Though the weather was unfavourable, the streets were crowded, and his Highness met with a. cordial reception. At the Guildhall he was presented with an address from the Corporation, and in reply the Khedive expressed his hope that the friendly relations subsisting between the British Empire and Egypt might be promoted still further by his visit. His Highness was after- wards entertained to luncheon in the Great Hall, the Lord Mayor presiding. Among the guests were the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, and Lord Salis- bury. The Khedive, in reply to the toast of his health, said that he was glad to be able to express his appreciation of the cordial reception he had met with throughout his visit. His Highness afterwards returned to Buckingham Palace, and on Wednesday he left England for the Continent, crossing the Channel from Dover on the Royal yacht Osborne.

CONVOCATION OF CANTERBURY. Both Houses of this Convocation met on Tuesday at the Church House, Westminster. In the Lower House the Dean of Windsor moved a resolution de- precating the action of the English Church Union in pronouncing decisions upon ritual and in counsel- ling the clergy to resist their spiritual rulers. Pre- bendary Villiers moved the previous question, and after a debate in which Canon Rhodes Bristow, the Bishop of Coventry, and Bishop Barry took part, the previous question was defeated by 42 to 23. Various amendments were moved and carried, nd finally the amended resolution depre- cating the action of voluntary societies of Church- men in putting forth declarations upon disputed points of Catholic doctrine and ritual in terms which may be interpreted to suggest resistance on the part of the clergy to their spiritual rulers was adopted by 49 to 15.

MURDERED BY CHINESE. The following account has been received at Slough by the friends of the Rev. Owen Stevenson, of the China Inland Mission, describing the murder of Major Kiddle and Mr. Sutherland. It was written by her Britannic Majesty's Consul Litton: "Last night (February 8) Mr. Sutherland proposed to go and look at the Shan town of Mengtun, seven miles Bouth of Yun-nan-fu. I consented, and told General Liu that I thought of going. No objection was raised, and a non commis- sioned officer with, I think, 10 soldiers was Bent with us. We started at eleven a.m. Major Kiddle determined at the last moment to come with us. The soldiers preceded us by some distance into Mengtun, and we saw no more of them but the non- commissioned officer kept with us. Our presence in ihe market excited no commotion for 10 .minutes or so, when there was a roar from 300 to 400 persons assembled, and they all rushed to the far end of the market. Stones were thrown and arrows fired from sross-bowa, and swords drawn. We three were quite unarmed, with the exception of Major Kiddle's shot- gun. We at once retreated up the street, where, I think, Mr. Sutherland and Major Kiddle were both hit on the back with stones, and I had my shins grazed. Only some 50 people followed us outside the town, shouting and throwing stones. Major Kiddle, Mr. Sutherland, and myself and the Chai Kuan were left alone. We passed a bit of jungle, and our pursuers had diminished to about 20. I do not think either of us imagined they had murderous intent, but, a few yards further on we came to an open space, and some more came up, and guns were fired. Major Kiddle was wounded in the back by a cross- bow, the Chinese N.C.O. was wounded in several places, and Mr. Sutherland received a heavy stone in the ribs, which completely disabled him. Major Kiddle and I now supported Mr. Sutherland along as best we could, and the Chinese N.C.O. walked beside us with great bravery. On arriving at the grass I suddenly heard a man say, Ta' i.e., kill,' and then some 15 others advanced on us with swords. I was about to fire on the leading man, when I received a Stone in my stomach, and another, which hit me with great force, in the jaw. I remember trying to keep my feet and staggering some yards, the earth and sky going round and round. I then fell, and lost my senses for 30 seconds or so. When I came to I saw a number of mon hacking at the heads of Major Kiddle and Mr. Sutherland, who were apparently dead already. I was about 25 yards from them. One tall man came out from the group towards me with a sword. I reached for the gun and shot him in the stomach. They seem to have made no further attempt to attack me, as they were busy with the bodies of those they had already slain. I have a faint recollection of staggering along the road with the N.C.O., and finally reaching the signalling camp."

THE national anthem Of the rsoers was written ny an old lady who is at present living a peaceful, obscure life in Holland. This lady (Miss Catherine Felicia Van Rees) was born in Holland, at Zutphen, in 1831. She is an excellent musician, and in her youth she composed several operettas which were performed by the Choral Society of Utrecht. In 1875 Mr. Burgers, who had become President of the South African Republic, begged her to write a natio-,al anthem for the Transvaal, and in a few hours the lady did so by writing both words and music. The burghers were so pleased with the com- position that the Volksraad of Pretoria officially accepted the work and sent Miss Van Reea a letter 8f thanks ami congratulation*.

THE WAR. I t THE SETTLEMENT OF THE REPUBLICS. I GENERAL COLVILE ORDERED HOME. There is practically (said a Times correspondent, telegraphing from Pretoria on Saturday) to further development north of the Vaal. We are in touch with Botha's outposts along the eastern front, and there is a constant interchange of shots. The enemy displayed a tendency to work to our north. Five trains per day on the average arrive with supplies. Sufficient remounts have arrived to bring General Porter's aud General Dickson's cavalry brigades, which are now in the vicinity of Kauleel Drift, up to strength. General Colvile has been ordered to England. South of the Vaal five columns are converging with the object of clearing our communications in the north of the Orange River Colony. Two minor successes are reported already. This movement should break up the only bases remaining to the enemy south of the Vaal-namely, Vredeand Frank- fort. The market in Pretoria affords an extraordinary proof of the confidence of the farmers in the neigh- bourhood. The Government of Pretoria has (says a Reuter's message, delayed in transit) been gradually organ- ised. A great number of colonials, Australians and Canadian?, have volunteered for civil employment as police and on the railway. A new Court of justice has been established. It has been named the Pretoria High Court. Prices are regulated accord- ing to proclamation. The banks are allowed to do business £ 20 is the weekly limit allowed to be drawn by one person. Payments in and out must be made in specie. No transfers or current accounts are permitted. The oath of neutrality has been made considerably stronger than that originally used in the Free State. Those who take it are obliged to sign a declaration solemnly affirming that they have not only delivered up their arms, but are not aware of any being con- cealed. In a furthur proclamation Lord Roberts emphasises the fact that any damage done to the telegraph or railway must be done with the conniv- ance of the neighbouring inhabitants, and warns all concerned that when such damage is committed the nearest farmnouses will be burned, and the prin- cipal civil residents will be made prisoners of war. Three mails, addressed chiefly to the Cavalry Bri- gade and beginning on April 20, have been burned by De Wet. Lord Kitchener has returned here. I GENERAL HUNTER'S MARCH. General Hunter entered Heidelberg on the 25th nit. Many arms are being surrendered, and the town is resuming business. General Ian Hamilton is progressing very favourably. Colonel Williams, principal medical officer to the Division, reports that in all probability General Hamilton will resume active command forthwith. The casualties to Roberts's Horse were more serious than was previously reported. While making a flanking movement they got within 800 yards of the enemy, who were concealed in the hills. Fire officers were hit and Captain Whittaker was killed. He was buried with military honours. General Hunter reached the Vaal River on the 28th ult. unopposed. 1 SIR R. BULLER'S ADVANCE. General Clery, with the 4th Brigade and details of artillery and cavalry arrived on Saturday at Weasel's Farm, which is nine miles distant from Standerton. This movement will complete the hemming in of De Wet. The country is flat, and consequently nothing is seen of the Boers, but a number of them are in the Witpoortje hills, a few miles in front of us, and they fired on our advanced patrols. The railway re- I mains intact so far. I GENERAL RUNDLE'S OPERATIONS. The Boers attacked the British position at Ham- monia on the 29th ult., but were repulsed. It is reported that only a small number of Boers got through General Bundle's line, and that they afterwards returned. Their horses are in very poor condition and are dying in large numbers. Boers caught deserting are ordered to be shot. The tilence of the enemy's guns is due to scarcity of ammuni- tion, which they are reserving for fighting at close quarters. TALBOT COKE RECONNOITRES.— CLEMENTS ENGAGED. General Buller telegraphs that General Talbot Coke made a reconnaissance on Friday of last week towards Amersfoort and found 2000 of the enemy in a strong position. He retired after shelling them and was not followed. General Clements's flying column is reported to have had a hot engagement with the enemy about five or six miles on the Lindley road. General Clements reported all safe. HUNTER AND MACDONALD JOIN HANDS I The following telegrams from Lord Rolierts hav4 been received at the War Office: PRETORIA, July 2, 10 a.m. Hunter's Division has crossed the Vaal and should be at Frankfort to-day, where it will be joined bj MaoDonald's Brigade from Heilbron. Buller's leading brigade has left Standerton foi Greylingstad. Both here and at Johannesburg several families of men fighting against us are being fed. Some of them are in a state of destitution. At Heilbron, where food supplies ran out, groceries, meat, &c., are distributed to the inhabitants under the supervision of a relief committee. Arrangements are being made for dis- tributing oats for seed purposes to such farmers as actually require them and are unable to procure them otherwise. HEAD OF THE BOND CAPTURED. July 3, 10.5 a.m. Hunter reached Frankfort on the 1st without opposition, and MacDonald joined him there yester- day. They found two men of the Seaforths and 1H Derby Militia in hospital. They had been well treated by the Boers. Methuen reports from Paardekraal, on the Heilbron-Kroonstad road, he captured the com- mander of De Wet's scouts and two other prisoners, also Andries Wessels, head of the Afrikander Bond. CLERY AT GREYLINGSTAD. The following despatch has been received front Sir R. Buller: STANDERTON, July 3, 12.55 p.m. Clery occupied Greylingstad last night without op position, but met with a good deal of sniping four or five casualties. CLEMENTS AND PAGET. SEVERE FIGHTING. The Times correspondent at Kruisfontein, in a message dated June 30, and sent by way of Kroon- stad on the 2nd inst., says: General Clements has practically joined hands with General Paget after overcoming considerable opposition with slight loss. The fighting fell prin- cipally on the cavalry screen, consisting of the 2nd Brabant's Horse, the Yeomanry, the Royal Scots, and the Malta Mounted Infantry, assisted by the admirable service of the 8th Field Artillery and two naval funs. The fighting on the 28th was severe, the enemy absolutely holding till dark a strong position on the left of the road with several heavy guns and Vickers- Maxims, while also resisting our advance on the right front with one gun. They occupied and con- tested every favourable point. Garner's squadron of Brabant's Horse killed six Boers and wounded another in a donga, and numerous other casualties are reported. During the night the enemy evacuated their posi- tions. Several of their guns were damaged by lyd- dite. They, however, defended the approaches and banks of the Zand River, but the extended line of our advance evidently discouraged them, and Brabant's Horse and the Yeomanry, with the Worcestershire Regiment, pressing forward, the Boers retreated rapidly. ( To-day the advance was practically unopposed, but the enemy are reported to be entrenching and making gun positions on our right. Their numbers are stated at 1500 with numerous guns, but they are probably being reinforced from the east. THE POSITION AT PRETORIA. I PRETORIA, July 2. A Renter's Agency correspondent, dating as above, says: General Sir H. Colvile's Division was broken up in consequence of the necessity of the British forces being divided into smaller units. I have just returned from the positions to the east, of Pretoria held by Pole-Carew's Division. The enemy continue to patrol different points in close vicinity. It is an undoubted fact that there are frequent communications between Botha's force and the townspeople. The Boers have sedulously circulated reports that they intend to attack Pretoria, a pro- ceeding which will meet with the approval of every soldier, whose greatest desire is to face the enemy. A number of foreigners, mostly persons who had accepted Federal burghership during the war, were sent to-day to the sea coast. There is a scarcity of provisions in the town and a great number of poor inhabitants are suffering in consequence. Colonel Ward has convened a com- mittee consisting of ministers of all denominations for the purpose of coping with the distress. The Government is granting substantial aid. All the troops are on full rations. Natives report that the Boers in several instances are arming Kaffirs.

TERRIBLE FIRE AT NEW YORK. ATLANTIC LINERS DESTROYED. t. FIGHTING FOR LIFE. 200 BURNED AND DROWNED. The full extent of the loss of life and property occasioned by the burning of the North German- Lloyd Company's docks and steamers at Hoboken on Saturday is yet unknown. Probably between 150 and 200 men, chiefly sailors and longshoremen, have been drowned or burned in the ships, and 6,000,000dols. worth of damage has been done. The steamships Saale and Main have been practic- ally destroyed, and the Bremen has been burned from the main deck up the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse has been only slightly damaged. The Saale was to sail for Boston on Saturday to take the Christian Endeavourers to Cherbourg. The flames began in a number of cotton bales on the southern pier, and swept rapidly, fanned by a strong wind over two other piers, where the iour ships lay. The Kaiser Wilhelm was first towed out, and the flames on her upper works were soon ex- tinguished by the crew. The Saale was now all ablaze, and the men cut her loose. The Main burned at the dock. The Hamburg-American Company's docks ad- jacent were saved by the destruction of the inter- vening pier shed. Messrs. Campbells' storehouse, a fine brick building full of jute and whisky, was destroyed, and a dozen or more loaded lighters were burned. Many stories are told of terrible sufferings. A large number of men were caught while working in the hold of the Saala. A hundred are thought to have been below the main deck, others jumped over- board, and were saved. Captain Mirrow is the only officer believed to have been lost. The faces of the imprisoned men could be seen at the portholes cry- ing for help unavailingly. About 50 were rescued through the burning hatchways. Paul Stoenberg, a sailor, said: There were 40 of us. We had just lunched and gone forward to work in the hold, when someone shouted, Get out, everybody! The ship is on flre I A scramble followed. Every man was turned into a devil, and ran fighting, clawing, scratching, and swearing for the ladder to the deck. They found the hatches battened down. Great God! how the men did curse Some climbed the ladder, and pounded with their fists against the iron hatch till the blood ran. Through the gratings we saw the llames-fire forward, fire in the stern, fire everywhere. Some of the men started forward. They had to pass over the coal bins, and half the way could walk, but half the way had to stoop, and at last crawl on their bellies. There were 40 men struggling like rats in a black hole, with no air, and everybody fighting and cursing. We crawled through the machinery, and got upon the pumps forward. There were 40 men, and room for only 15. One man tried to pull me down. I kicked his face in. Men tried to climb. Others kicked them down. The man that fell first was stamped on like a coal. Outside we could hear the crackling of the flames, and firemen shouting. I thought they could never reach us. It was like hell down there. Men tore their clothes off, and then after a while stopped cursing, and began praying. The men at the bottom fought no more. One by one they lay still. It was like months from four o'clock till after seven. Then we heard the firemen above. After a while they put down a ladder. I got out. I hope others got out. Forty bodies were taken from the hold." On Sunday 16 men on the Main were taken out alive after several hours in the coal bunkers in the midst of the terrible heat. One had his eyes scalded out. Others in the upper bunkers were burned or suffocated. The company insures its own ships. The Cunard DOGk has been lent temporarily, but plans are still undecided. The damage done by the fire is declared to be enormous, and the estimated loss is placed at between 10,000,000dol. and 20,000,000dol. The figures vary widely owing to the confusion that exists. Already 25 bodies have been recovered, but only a few of these have been identified. The entire pier system of the North German Lloyd, with a frontage of a quarter of a mile, has been destroyed. The flames swept over the three piers of the North German Lloyd and the liners lying there in little more than a few minutes, cutting off about 750 longshoremen and abont 1000 other people. Satur- day was visiting day on the vessels, and the docks were crowded with men, women, and children anxious to see the officers and crews of the vessels. Hundreds jumped into the water, and there were many marvel- lous escapes. The rescuing of the huge Kaiser Wilhelm der u Grosse was an especially brilliant piece of work. Most of the officers were on board at the time, and when the alarm was given they at once sought, their posts. Captain Engelbart took his station on the bridge, and shouted his directions for cutting the cables and moving the tugs. The sailors, with hoses and hand-grenades, protected the sides of the liner at the risk of their lives. The canvas and wood- work of the vessel often caught fire, and had the men been less prompt the vessel would not have been saved. The officers and crew, after getting their vessel into the river, rescued many. Among fany wonderful escapes was that of 29 firemen from e stokehole of the Saale. That vessel was towed out into the stream with dozens of people clinging to her rudder. The "floats" fought the flames for four hours, while the stokers in the hold faced death from fire and water. Finally they mounted on each others' shoulders, and, forming a human rope, drew one another up in safety. It was reported, however, that 70 others perished in the hold. Seventeen persons were taken off the Bremen alive on Sunday. They had been lying with their bodies under water, and only a portion of their faces above the surface to allow of breathing. INHUMANITY AT THE FIRE. The loss of life by the great dock fire at Hoboken (according to Tuesday's Times) is variously estimated at from 200 to 400. Most of those who perished lived in Germany, and the records of the burned ships have probably been destroyed by the fire. The crews of tugs are denounced for demanding money from drowning men. Inhumanity of the worst cha- racter is alleged against those engaged in salvage attempts.

Great Fleas have little Fleas Upon their backs to bite 'em; And little Fleas have lesser Fleas, And so ad infinitum." Kill the lot by using HEATING'S POWDER. Kills Fleas, Bugs, Lice in Children's Heads, Tins, 3d., 6d., Is. New Filled Bellows, 9d. THE Prince and Princess of Wales have definitely fixed Thursday of next week for the opening of the new workhouse at Lewi sham. DR. FRANK, of Berlin, has discovered a new fungus which destroys the roots of wheat. He has named it Killer of the wheat stalk." THE Robert Newman prize for organ playing was awarded on Monday at the Royal Academy of Music to Ernest Read, a native of Sheen. IN the House of Commons on Monday night Mr. Wyndham said that 1093 commissions in the army had been granted without examination. ABOUT 40 miners were entombed by a fall of coal in a Dudley colliery on Monday night. After several hours' work all the men with the exception of one were rescued. TIIE tea out-turn for the month of June has been normal in Assam, but poor in the Terai, where the weather is unfavourable, and in Darjiling, where there has been a severe blieht.

EPITOME OF NEWS. I A WRITER in the Manchester Guardian tell a otiriotie IItory of r'he coincidence" kind in connection with the death of the Earl of Airiie. Th- E,-trl for five years held the position of adjutant of a Yeomanry cavalry regiment. This regiment has just been out for its annual training. One day last week the attempt to hoist the colours of the regiment before the tent of the commanding officer was attended by failure. Again and again was the attempt made, but the flag persisted in flying half-mast high. This attracted so much attention thatniessengers|were sent from neigh- bouring camps to know if anything had befallen the regiment. Before night fell news came of the death of the regiment's old adjutant, the Earl of Airlie. NOWADAYS it is extremely hard for a criminal prosecution to originate in the Court of Queen's Bench, but that; this may still happen is illustrated by the proceedings the other day before the Lord Chief Justice, when the Middlesex Grand Jury were summoned to consider an indictment preferred against a person for alleged offences committed abroad. It was the practice till 1872 for the Middlesex Grand Jury to be summoned into the Court of Queen's Bench every term, but as it very seldom happened that there were any indictments for them to consider, a statute was passed in the yeaL' mentioned removing the necessity for their convocation unless their ser- vices were actually required. One of the last in- stances in which they had any notable case to consider was in 1866, when they ignored the volumin- ous indictment preferred against Governor Eyre for his conduct in repressing the Jamaica insurrection. THE original Dutch settlement in South Africa was in Cape Colony, where the Hollanders first went in 1652. After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV. there was an exodus of Huguenots from France in 1688, and they, too, settled in Cape Colony. The French and the Dutch never got along well there together, and in 1709 the use of French in addressing the Government was forbidden. In 1724 the French religious services were finally prohibited. Many of the Cape Colony Huguenots emigrated to other parts of Africa, and gradually the Dutch ab- sorbed both the French and their language. In the main only French proper names now survive in the Cape Colony and the Transvaal. General Joubert is of ancient exiled Huguenot stock. Da Beer and Du Troitspan, whose farms were despoiled when dia- monds were first found at Kimberley, were of Hugue- not extraction. CAPTAIN MALCOLM, of the Argyll and Sutherland 1I ighlanders, has been invalided home from South Africa. He went out a magnificent specimen of humanity he returns a living tribute to the triumphs of surgical skill owing to injuries to his leg, which necessitated upwards of a dozen operations, and the extraction of no fewer than five inches of bone. How the gallant Captain will get about minus so much bone is a mystery only known to the clever surgeons who operated upon him. Mr. Malcolm, who is the son of Colonel Malcolm, of Wingfleld, and brother of the honourable member for Stow- market, was the fellow-companion on his hazardous journey through China and Tibet of Captain M. S. Wellby, of the 18th Hussars, who is now in South Africa. IN writing about the" Boxers" in the Asiatic Quarterht Review Mr. E. H. Parker draws attention to a matter which some might think of no more poli- tical consequence than a false quantity in Latin verse. The author, however, is so great an authority on Chinese that he knows what he is talking about. Patriotic Peace Fists is the English translation of i-ho-k'iien, and in Mr. Parker's opinion the use of the word i is ominus of evil to the Manchu dynasty, for this term has always been employed by patriots,' such as those who turned out the Turks in 620 and the Mongols in 1360. The original idea of the Central Government was to develop a defensive patriotism against the Germans and Christians, notably the Catholics, who have now been idiotically provided by the imbecile Chinese Government with an official status, giving them illimitable power to in- trigue and create mischief; but the reforming and revolutionary element surreptitiously regard the i as referring to Chinese rights against those of Manchus, and it is impossible for the old women of the Tsting- li-Yamen to say how far blustering generals like Tung Fu-siang may not take this objectionable view of the word i." THill extreme near-sightedness of Camille Saint- Saens, the well-known French composer, is illustrated by the following story, given by the Liverpool Daily Post. Being asked to play something at a party in Paris, he extemporised for an hour in the most brilliant fashion. Then some of the guests began to leave, and after two hours the rest took their depar- ture. The hostess retired to bed, and the master of the house alone remained in the room, butstill Saint- SaeJM, lost in his musical reverie, and not perceiving that the guests had departed, played on. At last, about 2 a.m., seeing Saint-Saens playing with more ardour than ever, the host, completely overcome with fatigue, became desperate, and said I beg pardon, my dear sir, but pray are you not a little fatigued ?" Saint-Saens replied, without leaving the piano, "Not in the least. 1" and, to show how fresh he was, struck into a new inprovisation with wilder euthusiasm than ever. The host gave it up, stole out of the room, and went to bed. At daybreak, Saint-Saens rose, gravely J bowed to the tables and chairs, and went home, com- pletely ignorant that the chair and tables had been for hours his only audience. A BOY who was bitten by an adder near Angers, in the north-west of France, died four hours later after terrible sufferings. Two ladies have opened a weaving establishment at Canterbury, in the hope of reviving an industry which formerly flourished there. ARTHUR BADEN-POWELL POWELl, and Edith Pre- toria Hall figure on the baptismal register at Hinck- ley. THE Atbara River has com"" down in full flood, causing the Nile to rise twelve inches at Berber. THE Bishop of Waiapu, New Zealand, says that he has more hopes now of the Maoris as Christians than he has had for many years. GROUSE disease has made its appearance on the Glenfiddieh moors, in Banffshire, the property of the Duke of Richmond and Gordon. GENERAL BOOTH has directed the Salvation Army throughout the world to pray for peace in China, and the protection of missionaries and converts. THE trustees of the Duke of Bridgewater have had a powerful electric light installation put down at their Bridgewater Colliery. THE rumour that General Liebert, Governor of German East Africa, will retire after his return to Germany is again current in Berlin. LORD LAMINGTON, the Governor of Queensland, contemplates making an extended tour in the northern parts of the Colony in August. His Excel- lency is anxious to see the Gulf Country, and also Cape York Peninsula. DURING the stay of the Warwickshire Regiment at Prieska, a little dog attached himself to the column, and on their departure he followed the troops all the way on foot from Pri'/ska to De A.ar, a distance of about 100 miles. (In seeing the faithful little animal had fallen in love with the regiment, the latter formally annexed him as the regimental pet, and brought him away by train. Strange to say (adds the Bloemfontein Post), the little fellow will have nothing to do with anyone not in khaki. THERE is at present reposing in the guard room at Stormberg Junction Station an interesting relic of the war, which was picked up in the Boer Laager after its desertion, and which consists (says the Bloemfon- tein Post) of a rough tablet of soft sandstone, on which the following inscription had been rudely en- graven Gedenkteeken op gericht door Bethulie en Burghersdorp Burghers op 16 de Dec. Del Heer is our banier." (Memorial stone erected by Bethulie and Burghersdorp burghers on December 16. The Lord is our banner). DURING a thunderstorm near Consett, in the North Durham district, the lightning struck a pabture field and dug a trench varying from 3ft. to 3ft. 6in. deep, and 6in. or 7in. wide, across the field for a distance of a dozen feet. The solid clay was scattered in all directions, portions thereof being found lying over 20 yards away, while the ttirf had been cut up as clean as if the work had been done by a sharp im- plement. One grass sod, measuring about 6ft. long and 9in. in width, was laid on the opposite side of the fence in another field. OBERAMMKRGATJ has lost its burgomaster and manager of the Passion Play by the death of Johann Lang, who, it was declared, was responsible for the modern realistic form of presenting the great story. Lang was first, chosen burgomaster in 1866, and held the highest office in his commune for three years. In 1879 he was re-elected to the post, which he con- tinued to hold until his death. At each of the four performances of the play, 1860 to 1890, Lang imper- sonated Caiaphas, and gave what was universally de- scribed ns a remarkably fine rendering of the charac- ter of the High Priest.

FLIRTING TO STOP. Because the girls attending the West Division High School, Chicago, persist in flirting with the students of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the parents of the girls have protested ao vigorously that the School Board has decided to sell the build- ing and erect a new High School in some other place. The girls strolled past the College doors, which alwayt have their little cluster of medicos loaded down with ponderous volumes. They met their neigh- bouring students at the lunch stands, and they came to know one another very well-too well, the school authorities said. Too much flirting and too little ottidy have been the result. Both the High School girls and the College boys are at a romantic age, and while they are so near together there will be more or less communication between them.

LIGHTNING DANGERS. The remarkable effects of lightning have attracted the attention of some of the technical journals. In a recent issue of one of these a contributor discusses Bome of the most remarkable phenoniena connected with electric storms. Most people are now aware of the danger to which they expose themselves in seek- ing shelter under trees during a thunderstorm. It is not, however, generally known that the risk varies according to the kind of tree chosen as a shelter. Such, however, is the cass. The danger is great if the tree selected happens to be an oak, pine, elm, poplar, or chestnut, but it is practically nil in the case of the beech, birch, and maple. If, then, we want to provide our houses with natural and inexpensive lightning-conductors, we should plant round them trees of the first-named kinds, while we should as carefully avoid these as sheltors during a thunder- itorin.

A TEACHER in a certain school recently received the following note from the mother of a boy who had been absent for a day or two. Dere Mani,-plese eggscuso Willy. He didn't hav but one pare of trowsers, an* I kep him home to wash and mend them, and Mrs, O'toole's cow come an et them up off the line, and that awt to be eggscuse enuff, goodness nose. Yours with resneck-Jl.frs. B.

A SERVANT GIRL'S MILLIONS. Among romances in real life a prominent place must be taken by that of the Scotch lassie, Elsie I Tyson-a humble "help" in America, who, it is said, finds herself the heiress of four millions, and is hastening home to her native Scotland. Following; the New York Journal the Express tells her story, and thus quotes Miss Tyson Then there are the letters I get, and some of them make me feel perfectly disgusted. Why, I have had 90 men offer to marry me whom I never saw. Just think of it I I have given away a great deal of money, but, do you know, I think it is a very serious thing to give people money and alter their lives when God planned them as he thought best? I am going to adopt two little children, orphans, whose mother was very kind to my mother, and there is a girl in Evanstown who was very fond of me where we were both poor, and she will g» to Scotland with me, and we will try to have some good times. I suppose 1 ought to give money to illinisteri and missions and all that, but I don't believe much in them. The ministers have been so awfuily attentive to me now, but when mother was was sick they hardly noticed her, yet she was very religious. I shall try and do my very best with the money, and have made the people I lived with quite rich already, and if only mother or father, or any of the children were alive I would be so happy. But they are all dead, and were always so poor, and now I have so much money it is a burden." A companion picture to this story is that of the nurse of New York who has been left £ 600,000, by a Berlin merchant, whom she nursed in hospital, but whose offer of marriage her parents would not allow her to accept because he was consumptive.

COLONKTJ SHOOTEU: "What are you doing in tny fowl-house, you black rascal?" Shanghi Sarn: Whv Colonel Shooter, I-I laid in bed an' wuz so cold out I thought de colonel's chickens will be froze to def an 1 s dat tenner-hearted dat I got, right up out or bed an couldnt rest till I wrapped 'em up nice aA' warm m mah coat." fIiIæL.

FE¥'S CONGENTRATED"I COCOA S "NO FLAW IN ITS CLAIM TO BE ABSOLUTELY PURE.MedicalAnnual;

NEW ORANG AT THE ZOO. Although the plans for the new Anthropoid Apee House, to stand on the open space near the west end of the Ostrich House in the garden of the Zoological Society of London, have been prepared, for some- little time past there has been but one representative of this group in the collection-a fine young chim- panzee. The other afternoon a welcome addition was made to the stock by the arrival of a young orang, which was at once placed in a large cage by the side of that occupied by the chimpanzee. It is an ex- cellent specimen, in good condition, and very lively and vigorous. It had been brought home as a pet on board of one of her Majesty's gunboats, where it was a general favourite; and an animal that reachee this country under such circumstances is always more likely to do well in confinement than one boxed up within narrow limits, and brought home spe- cially for sale to dealers. In a very short time it made friends with the keeper, Mansbridge, and recog.. nised that the act of coming, when called, was re- warded by him with a piece of apple or banana. But this rewarding the orang led to a very amusing out- burst of jealousy on the part of the chimpanzee, which was deeply offended at the notice taken of the newcomer. It sprang up and shook the wire net- ting that covers the front of the cage with all it* might, screaming loudly and "saying things that needed no interpreter to explain their meaning.

YOUNG BROTHER: Sister Ruth has lots of trouble with her teeth." Sister's Lover Why doesn't she have them out ?" Young Brother: Oh, she does have them out every night, but she puts them back in the morning." HUNGRY HIGGINS Madani, I useter have as gooci a home as anybody till misfortune overtook me." Mrs. Pott: lz)deed! And what was the nature of the trouble?" Hungry Higgins My father-in-law lost his job."

THE REVENUE. The receipts on account of Revenue from April 1, 1900, when there was a balance of £ 3,517,047. to June 30, 1900, were £ 24,690,634, against £ 25,893,778 in the corresponding period of the preceding financial year, which began with a balance of £ 8,919,173. The net expenditure was £42,308,282, against £ 26.099,477 to the same date in the previous year. The Treasury balances on June 30, 1900, amounted to EI,404,399, 1 and at the same date in 1899-to £ 5,638,474.

JOHN ROBERTS'S BANKRUPTCY. Cross appeals under the bankruptcy of Mr. John Roberts, the billiard champion, were before the Court of Appeal in London on Tuesday. Mr. Roberts and Mr. Dawson had played for the championship, the stakes being £100 a side. Roberts won, and his trustee claimed the £ 200. Mr. Justice Phillimore decided that the trustee was entitled to the -2100 deposited by Mr. Roberts, but he directed that the sum handed by Mr. Dawson to the stake- holder should be delivered by that individual to the person to whom he thought it belonged. The Lord Justices, however, held that the trustee ought to have all the stakes, and allowed his appeal, but dismissed that of Mr. Roberts.

NEARLY Alk £ TABLETS VINOLIA, 5,809,000 HA'PETTOTES on nearly 5,000,000 Tablets, representing ]?!fl Oilfi have been «ent to the Soldiers" War a&iUjUoU, Fund. id. sent on every Tablet sold.

AWAY TO THE FAR ANTARCTIC. The Antarctic expedition, towards which the Government has given F.40,000, will be ready to start by the end of July, or the beginning of August, 1901. Up to the present the funds raised for the purpose amount to 990,000, which will provide for a two years' voyage; but the committee will extend the time to three years if they can raise an additional £ 30,000. A Dundee firm is to build a new ship for the voyage. It will be named The Discoverer, and be almost entirely constructed of wood. Lieutenant Robert F. Scott, R.N., of H.M.S. Majestic, will command the expedition.