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r ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.1 III "LUIICK AT THE DIAMOND FIELDS. BY DALEYKPLE J. BELGRAVE (BARRISTER-AT-LAW). A VAAL RIVER HEIRESS. I PART I. THE General, as he had been called since diamond digging first broke out on the banks of the Vaal River, inhabited a hut built of rough stones and thatched with reeds near the river bank at Red Shirt Rush. He was the owner of sortie claims, and he had worked at Red Shirt since he came up to the Vaal from the colony to try his luck as a diamond-digger and when other diggers went hither and thither to new places on the river, or were attracted by the rich diggings which afterwards became famous as the South African diamond mines, the old General worked on at Red Shirt as if he were quite satisfied with the rewards that fortune thought fit to bestow -upon his labours there, and would laugh at the men who were attracted elsewhere by glowing reports. He could hardly be said to be contented with Red Shirt-certainly if he were he expressed his content peculiarly, for he seldom talked of the place without an uncomplimentary epithet; but he probably was imbued with the gambler's belief in the doctrine of chances, and hoped his luck would change, while he was too discontented with the results of every move he had made in his life to care to make any more. He was generally suppo sed to be the unluckiest man down the river, and his bad luck was a very favourite subject for discussion and exaggeration at the canteens and places where diggers congregated. His former history, and the reasons which led him to take to diamond digging, were subjects which afforded scope for imaginations which found life down the river, when finds were few and far between, barren of topics of interest; and certainly his appearance and manners seemed to show that he was much out of place in the community he found himself in. He was an aristocratic, reserved man, from whom years of rough life had not taken the un- mistakable stamp of the military officer. It was generally believed down the river that the General's relati ons at home were very great people, and he was looked upon as a man with a history. Luney White, the Vaal River poet, whose Bontribution to the Diamond Field newspapers caused quite a furore down the river, many bets being made, and much fighting and drinking being occa- sioned, by the difficult question of what they were all abo at, and what he meant by them at all, retailed, on the pretence of having heard it from an army officer at Capetown, a story that the General had allowed the suspicion of a terrible murder to rest upon him so as to shield the really guilty person, a lady of exaltad rank, and was, at present, a fugitive from justice in consequence of his noble conduct. Luney's story rather took for a day or two, until some one remembered having read just such a tale in a book the poet had borrowed from him-a circum- stance which threw doubts, not only upon the vera- city of the story, but on the originality of their poet's genius, which, up to then, they had believed in. The General's real name was hardly known, and he was never spoken of by it, though it was to be seen on a tombstone in the Barkly Cemetery, which was put up to the memory of Constance, wife of John Stanby, of Red Shirt Rush, Vaal River. He was the father of a golden-haired little gird of seventeen, who had grown up from a child on the banks of the Vaal. His story had not really been a romantic or remark- able one. Like many another man of good old family but no money he had gone into the army. After serving for some dozen years he had got into the clutches of the Jews by backing a bill for a brother officer. For some years he fought against his debts, but in the end he was obliged to surrender his commission to his enemies, and leave the service. Then, when his affairs were sufficiently hopeless, he fell in love with and married a girl who had not a penny, and, after having tried in vain to get some- thing to do in England, went out to the Cape and was attracted up to Vaal River when diamonds were first found. Though he was under fifty, he had I become a grizzled, old-looking man, broken in spirits by persistent misfortune; and yet he was a strange mixture, for at times he was as sanguine as when he first put a pick into the soil of South Africa. Those who said that he never found exaggerated his ill-success, though not perhaps his ill-luck; at long intervals a few ill-looking, off-coloured little diamonds had turned up on his sorting-table, which, if they were to be considered as a recompense for all his weary work, were Fortune's insults added to her injuries; but nevertheless kept up in him a curious sort of hope, which through all his bad luck he retained, notwithstanding his bitter grumbling against South Africa in particular, and all things in general. To himself constantly, and to others when he met any one he cared to speak to, he would inveigh bitterly against his luck. First of all he would wish that he had never gone into the army; then he would curse the fate which had made him choose the particular branch of the service he had gone into; then he would curse the day he left the service; and then he would collect every malediction he had made use of and every other he knew, and fire one withering sulphurous volley at ate, which had made him a digger on the Vaal River. These explosions would seem to do him much good, for after one of them he would generally seem much relieved, and as likely as not in a few minutes would be talking about what he would do when he found, as he felt sure he would And when he had got the top stuff off his claim, or got into the lime layer which he would strike in another ten feet, or started into the new ground he was going to work in a month or two. There were two diggers at Red Shirt with whom the General was on intimate terms-Charlie Lang- dale and Jim Heap. The former was a light-hearted, cheery youngster of about twenty-two, in many re- spects a typical river-digger. He was restless and unable to take kindly to any work which entailed obedience; had a rare gift for getting into any mis- chief that was going on, while he possessed very little reverence for his seniors and those who thought themselves his betters: on the other hand, he was superior to many colonial youths in that he did not lie as a rule, nor boast overmuch, and could speak a few sentences without swearing hideously. The first time the General had seen him he was holding his own against a big Irish digger who was trying to bully him out of a claim he was working; and the nonchalant way in which he laughed at the Irish- man's threats, and put the right value on)hem, im- pressed the General so much in his favour that he at once struck up an intimacy, and the two became great allies. The other, Jim Heap, was an old Australian digger Who had settled at Bed Shirt, where he had become a fixture; for besides having some claims, he had become the proprietor of a store, which his wife looked after for him. He was a favourite confidant of the General, who would explain to him his theories about diamonds, and show him why he felt certain he would soon find and be able to leave the country theories which Jim Heap would listen to gravely enough, though he did not believe in them one bit; but, as he would say to Charlie, what was the good of putting a damper m the old man's hopes ? His life was bad enough as it was, but would be unbearable if he did not go on hoping that he would soon make his pile, and be able to take his littfe girl home to Eng- land. Sometimes, however, he would offer him advice, which the old General-who, though he con- sidered diamond-digging a hateful occupation into which he had been forced by a malignant fate, believed himself to be as good an authority as any one on the subject-would greatly resent. Charlie Langdale also would sometimes 7enture on the same subject, and one morning, as he sat after dinner smoking under the trees near the General's house, he had greatly aroused his old friend's anger by criti- cising his way of working. What! say my drive is dangerous I" the General had burst out, after he had listened to Charlie for some time, and I shan't get anything in that ground I am driving into! I should like to know what you mean by talking to me about it. Why, if I don't know something about river digging, I'd lik& to know who does. I have been digging since they first found diamonds in this cursed country, and have stuck to the river all the time, and never left it for the New Rush when all the others did. A lot I have got for it so far. Well, it's a long lane that has got no turning; and there is Connie, perhaps she wouldn't be as well as she is if we had left the river and gone to Kimberley," he added. By Jove, yes, you're right, it's healthier here than at Kimberley, and she couldn't look better than she does, could she?" Charlie answered, with a flush of admiration coming across his bright young face, as he looked round and saw a golden-haired, blue-eyed girl, whose bright beauty was unharmed by the piti- less South African sun and climate, which often enough makes sad havoc of a woman's looks. The sight of Connie, however, made Charlie go back to his subject, regardless of the General's j wrath. "I don't like the look of that drive, don't like those boulders'that are abovejyou why don't you leave it alone and go into fresh ground ? I think it dangerous, so does Jim Heap; he told Connie that you ought not to work in it; and she is wretched about it every time you go to the claim." It seems to me that every one thinks they can interfere with me—you and Connie, and then Jim Heap, who thinks no one understands anything about digging but himself and the General drew in his breath to prepare for a burst of eloquence anent Jim Heap, when his daughter came up, and, feeling that he couldn't do justice to the subject in her pre- sence, be went into the house choking with indigna- tion. I wish some one could persuade him to give up that work. But it's no use, he thinks he is a greater authority about digging than any one else," Connie said, guessing from her father's suppressed indigna- tion that Charlie had been broaching the question of the dangerous state of his claim. Yes, I wish he would go into fresh ground. I never believed in those claims of his, they're too neat the river." M You will never get him to do that. You know that years ago he saw a big diamond found in the claim next to where he is, whiebilooked, he said, as if it were chipped off a much bigger one, and he is as sure in his own mind as he is of anything that the other bit is somewhere about near wiere he is work- ing." Well, I dare say the claim is safe enough, and i I hope he will come across the big 'un, which is going to make his fortune," said Charlie, who was always ready to look at the bright side of things. It was only the other day he was saying that it was about time he found, as you were growing too old to be living at Red Shirt." "Poor old dear, he is always troubling himself about me, and says I am growing up a perfect savage, without any accomplishments and very little educa- tion, and shall have terribly hard work to make up for lost time when I get home. Weil, I'll back my- self to cook, set a line for fish, nurse any one who's down with fever, and sort for diamonds, against any one on the river; these are accomplishments enough for Red Shirt, and that's where I shall be all my life, so far as I can Sbe. He was talking the other day about sending me home, and staying out here him- self but that's absurd, isn't it ?" Charlie did not answer. The idea of Red Shirt Rush without Connie was miserable enough, for all his good sense told him that the General was right. Connie ought not to be growing up in a digger's camp, with little education that was not of a very practical character. Why don't you say that I couldn't be improved, Charlie ? You're not half polite. I suspect you're comparing me with some of those fine ladies you have met at Kimberley. Come, I bet I know about as much out of books as they do, for I have read all the old man has, and they are a good mixed lot. Besides, if I want educating ever so much, how could I go home and leave him by himself? He is wretched enough as it is, and I couldn't bear to leave him—besides, I don't want to say good-bye to all my old friends." Charlie's heart gave rather a jump-he wondered whether he were one of the friends she would most mind saying good-bye to. He didn't believe much in the General's sanguine expectations being realised, and thought that Connie was likely to stand in need some day of a stronger protector than her father; and her words gave him a feeling of hope, and he de- termined that he would speak out. Just then, how- ever, the General's voice was heard calling for Connie, and the interruption disconcerted Charlie, who turned off a sentence he was beginning and determined to put it off for another day. His heart failed him, and he thought that the old General would not like it, and that Connie might take it amiss; so knocking the ashes out of his pipe he said good-bye to Connie, and walked up the bank [to where he was working, although he longed to stay and talk to her, and there was not the slightest reason why he should not have done so. On his way to his claim he passed the ground where the General was working. It was a claim which had been partly worked in the old diys, before the New Rush, as the Kimberley mine was then called, was found, and had been deserted before it had been worked out. After its former owners had abandoned it and had gone to try their luck at the new diggings, the General had worked it down to the bed rock, some thirty feet deep, and was driving into the side of the claim towards the ground where he had seen the diamond found. Charlie stood for a moment or two watching him at wok. (To be continued.)
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MAJOR GOOLD-ADAMS, Resident Commissioner of Bechuanaland, who commanded the Town Guard at Mafeking during the siege, and is now home on three months' leave, says that the monkey called General Snyman," who is supposed to have acted as bell-ringer during the siege of Mafeking, is alto- t gether unknown to him. Major Goold-Adams is reluctant to spoil the belief that this particular ape rang a bell when he heard a shell fired. All he says is that he never heard of General Snyman," and is certain that no important post could have been entrusted to a monkey. SIGNOR MARCOWI and Sir W. Preece have so far divided the honour of inventing wireless telegraphy, but Glasgow now puts forward a claim on behalf of one of its citizens, who explained his system to the British Association 40 years ago. In support of the contention the following is quoted from the Pro- ceedings of the Association: "Mr. J. B. Lindsay, lecturing in Dundee and Glasgow on this subject since 1831, has succeeded in transmitting signals across the River Tay aided by the water alone. He also entered into calculations to show that stations in Cornwi-tll and Scotland would enable us to transmit messages across the Atlantic to America."
THE GUILT OF CHINESE OFFICIALS.
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THE GUILT OF CHINESE OFFICIALS. A representative of Renter's Agency has hixd an interview with the Rev. S. E. Meech, the first refugee mIssionary to reach England from China. He has been working for 28 years in that country, and, in company with a number of English and American missionaries, had to leave his station in June last and, escaping with only a small bundle, finally reached the coast after an anxious journey of 13 days. "The Boxers," he said, "have throughout always declared that they have seen acting under the orders of the Empress. It is difficult, however, to believe this, as they have themselves been the objects of attack by the officials. I do not believe that the Empress Dowager had much to do with the movement until June last, when the Boxers became so successful in their attacks upon foreigners that it was thought that they might be made use of by the Imperial authorities. The first incident that induced them to adopt this course was probably the massacre of 70 Catholic Christians—men, women, and children-at Laishui. The Boxers found these people hiding in a pit, and they thereupon threw in fuel and literally burnt them alive. Since then practically all the Manchus in Pekin have thrown themselves heart and soul into the Boxer movement. The action of the German Emperor in demanding the punishment of the most prominent among the guilty parties seems to be the first step in the direction of showing the Chinese that they have really been beaten. Until this has been accomplished other action is farcical. In the list of guilty persons the Dowager-Empress comes first and foremost. Her guilt admits of no doubt. It does not rest on merely moral grounds, but on the uncontradicted issue of edicts sup- porting the Boxers and on her allowing the attack upon the Legations by Tung-fuh-Siang while she was in the city. No one in China doubts her guilt, and Dr. Morrison has proved the issue of official orders offering rewards for the murder of Christians. Therefore, the first thing is to get hold of the Empress. The supposed sanctity of her person is all nonsense. She is not popular among the Chinese and never has been since her attacks upon the Emperor, and the people, as a whole, would not in the least object to her removal from power. It is quite certain that, so long as she remains in China, she will exercise a consider- able influence on politics. Next in the list of notorious ringleaders comes Prince Tuan and then Kang Yi, known throughout China as the Lord High Extor- tioner,' who has been closely connected with the later develppment of the Boxer agitation. Then follows Yung Lu, a member of the Privy Council, and Prince Ching, who, despite the fact of his appointment as a Peace Commissioner and his reported efforts to assist the foreigners in Pekin, has long been notorious as one of the most violent anti- foreign members of the Tsung-li-Yamen. Among these Manchus must also be included Yu Hsien who, as Governor of Shantung, was a prime abettor of the Boxer movement and as Governor of Shansi is directly responsible for the wholesale murders in that province. Among the Chinese of whom examples should be made are Li Ping Heng, who was recently sent by the Empress to the southern provinces, doubtless with the object of stirring up an anti-foreign agitation, and Tung-fuh-Siang, who led the troops against the Legations, and whose hatred for foreigners is so well known all over China. These are a few of the names that occur to me of persons who must be punished. But in my view the deportation of the Empress is the first great necessity, and with this should be the removal of the capital from Pekin. The influence of Pekin can never be effectually felt all over China. Not only is it remote and out of the way, but it is shut up for three mouths every year. It is simply a harbour for a lot of lazy Manchus. The best pos- sible effect would be produced by the adoption as the seat of Government of Nanking—a central, easily- accessible, and important city which, at the begin- ning of the present dynasty, was the capital of the country. If China is to be peaceful and to take her place among the nations something of this sort must be done."
HOW WE LOSE FOREIGN TRADE.…
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HOW WE LOSE FOREIGN TRADE. I In a Manchester hotel some little time ago the writer met an Englishman who has for many years been a resident in Japan. The gentleman is a member of a large firm, with houses in Kobe, Yoko- hama, and one or two Chinese ports, and is thoroughly conversant with the dry goods trade. You want to know," said he," why you are not hold- ing your own in foreign markets. I will tell you. You rely too much on your middlemen. I will give you an instance of this. I had an introduction to a certain well-known manu- facturer in Batley, who makes army clothes largely for the East, and he was good enough to show me several cloths for the Japan market. The price of the cloth which I selected was 2s. 7!d. per yard. They said they were very sorry, but it was a protected cloth which they supplied to a certain firm in Brad- ford, and they asked me kindly to go there. By a peculiar arrangement' I understood I would be able to buy as cheap from the Bradford firm as from them. I went there, but I found that the price was 2s. 9-gd. They expressed surprise when they heard 2 I was a buyer direct from Japan. We cannot supply you from here,' said this precious Bradford firm, as we have a contract with a house in Yoko- hama to supply all our Japan cloths from there, and you will have to purchase it there.' I explained it was necessary to telegraph the price out, and they told me if I added five per cent. to their price, that is making the cloth 2s. lid., I would be right. As there was a tender pending I cabled out the price, and I have just received an answer to the effect that the contract has gone to a German house at 2s. lOd. Now, my contention is that if the Batley firm had supplied me with the cloth at 2b. 7d., which was their price to the Bradford firm, I could have taken the order, whereas it has gone to Germany. Why the manu- facturers should suppcrt the middlemen in these days, when banking is so perfect, and remittances are so easy, is to me incomprehensible, and you are losing your foreign trade through it. I am going on to Germany now to make arrangements with a cloth manufacturer there, to whom I have a letter of intro- duction, and I shall never buy a yard of cloth in England again while I live.Drapers' Record.
YELLOW FEVER IN BRAZIL, I
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YELLOW FEVER IN BRAZIL, I A letter has been received from the yellow fever expedition which was sent to Brazil by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. It states that the expedition left New York on August 10 and arrived at ParA on the 24th, when it was welcomed by Mr. Temple (the Acting British Consul), the port sanitary authorities, and other leading medical officials. When the expedition landed the Governor of the State of Parà (Senhor Dr. Paes de Carvalho) expressed his own and the general desire to put all facilities for collecting information at their disposal as well as the various laboratories and hospitals of the city, and said they were to consider them- selves the guests of the State. A residence was provided for the members of the expedition in a chalet in the grouuds of the Institute Lauro Sodre, about an hour's ride from the city. Two days later the Governor, accompanied by the leading physi- cians, conducted the expedition to the municipal laboratory -of hygiene, which was found to be well equipped for the chemical investigation of foods and water, and also to possess a supply of sterilising and other apparatus for bacteriological purposes. On the following day the Hospital de Misericordia, the chief general hospital of the city, was visited. Though not yet quite complete it already contains 250 patients. When the letter was des- patched the appartus of the expedition had not been landed, owing to delays on the part of the revenue officers, who are under federal, and not local, co n- trol.
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ACCORDING to the Sanitary Record, meat kept in refrigerators for a long time loses a nourishing prin- ciple of some kirid; it is not easy to say what. THE Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette pub- lishes an interesting table showing the current market rates (wholesale) of agricultural produce in various parts of the colony on the 25th ult. Wheat was valued at prices varying from Sit. 6d. per 1001b. at Dordrecht to 17s. 6d. per 100 lb. at East London. Barley fetched 7s. 6d. per 1001b. at Mossell Bay and 14s. 6d. per 1001b. at Beaufort West. A bag of potatoes cost only 8s. at Burghersdorp, but 18s. at Cape Town, 25s. at Beaufort West, and 30s. at East London. Fresh butter varied from Is. 4d. to 3s. 3d. per lb; mutton from 5d. to lOd, per lb,; cattle for slaughter fetched £ 15 at Graaff-Reinet and £ 21 10s. at East London, and as much at £ 25 each at Pieter- maritzburgin Natal. Tobacco (Boer roll) varied from 63d. to 3s. per lb. All agricult ural produce at East London was much higher is price' than, else
MARKET NEWS. 1
Detailed Lists, Results and Guides
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MARKET NEWS. 1 MARIC LAKE.—Firmness again characterised the various sections of cereals, although the attendance of buyers was not on the increase, and business slow, us a rule. English wheat 6d to 9d dearer, white extremely scarce respecting new, old being almost out I of snpply. Fine white (new) 33s to 33s 6d, and red His 6d to 32s 6d 641b. delivered. American descrip- tions 6d firmer. No. 1 Northern Spring 34s ex-ship, 34s 6d ex-quay hard Duluth, 34s 6d ex-ship. 35s ex- qnay. Flour 6d better, and the advance checks busi- ness. The London Millers' Association advanced their prices, town household being quoted 26s. and whites 29a ) per sack. American tirst patents quoted at 27s to 28s; second ditto, 24s to 25s; first, bakers. 22s to 23s; and second 20s to 21s. Australian patents 21s to 22s 2801b. Grinding barley unaltered. Persian being in good supply at 18s ex-ship, 18s 6d ex-quay. Odessa 20s ex-quay. Oats 3d to 6d lower since last Monday, the market being adversely influenced by abundant arrivals and shipments. The tone was, ¡ however, steady to-day at the decline. American mixed clipped quoted at 14s 9d ex-ship, 15s ex-quay white clipped in these positions, 15s and I03 9d respectively, 401b. St. Petersburg, 13s 6d ex-ship, 14s ex-quay. Vologdas, 13s d ex-quay, 381b. Flat maize is fully ld cheaper on the week, but the tone I' ruled steady to-day. American mixed, 20s 10id ex- ship, 21s 3d ex-quay. Odessa, 25s 6d ex-quay. Beans and peas remain unaltered. LONDON METROPOLITAN CATTLE.—A fair average supply of beasts, with no increase in the demand, I trade for both prime and second qualities made very slow headway at about late prices. Fat butchering II cows were slowly supported. Quotations: Devons, 4s 8d to 4s lOd; Herefords, 4s 7d to 4s 9d; runts, 4s 6d to 4s 8d Lincoln shorthorns, 4s 5d to 4s 7d; Irish, 4s 4d to 4s 6d; fat cows, 3s 6d to 3s 8d per 8!b. Irish stores, yearlings, ;E6 10s per head. Sheep pens were filled to a moderate extent, and business again proceeded slowly for both wethers and ewes, at about un- changed prices, 7|- to 8-stone Down wethers, I 58 8d to 5s lOd; 9-stone ditto, 5s 6d to 5s 8d; ¡ 10-stone half-breds, 5s 2d to 5s 4d; 10-stone Down ewes, 4s to 4s 2d 11-stone half-bred ditto, 3s 8d to 3s lOd per 81b. to sink the offal. Lambs not worthy of note. Calf trade nominal. No pigs were offered. Milch cows £15 10s to £ 22 per head. Coarse and inferior beasts quoted 3s 4d to 3s 8d; second quality ditto, 3s lOd to 4s 4d; prime large oxen, 4s 6d to I 4s 8d ditto Herefords, &c., 4s 8d to 4s lOd coarse and inferior sheep, 3s 2d to 3s lOd second quality ditto, 4s 2d to 4a lOd; and first, 5s 4d to 5s lOd per 81b. SMITIIFIELD MEAT.—Fair supplies were offered, but trade ruled slow. Quotations:—Beef: Scotch, 4s to 4s 6d; English, 4s to 4s 2d; American, Deptford killed, 3s 8d to 3s lOd; Liverpool, 3s 8d to 3s lOd American refrigerated, hind-quarters, 3s 8d to 4s; fore-quarters, 2s Sd to 2s lOd. Mutton Scotch 4s 8d to 5s English wethers, 4s 2d to 4s 6d ewes, 3s 2d to 3s 6d. Veal: English and Dutch, 3s 8d to 4s 4d. Pork Dutch, 3s 8d to 38 lOd per 81b. POULTRY AND GAME.—Fowls: Yorkshire, 2s 3d to 2s 9d; Boston, 2s to 2s 6d Surrey, 3s to 3s 6d; Sussex, 2s 6d to 3s Essex, 28 6d to 2s 9d; Welsh, Is 8d to 2s; Irish, Is 9d to Is lOd geese, 4s to 5s; ducks, Aylesbury, 2s 3d to 2s 9d; country, 2s to 2s 6d; pigeons, Bordeaux, 6d to lid; feathered, 7d to 9d; rabbits, wild, 8d to lOd tame, Is to Is 3d each; Australian, 7s 6d to 9s 6d per dozen; hares, 2s 6d to 3s; leverets, Is 9d to 2s 3d each; grouse, young, 58 to 6s; old, 38 to 3s 6d; partridges, young, 3s 6d to 4s; old, Is 8d to 2s per brace; venison, haunches, 15s to 18s each forequarters, 3d per lb. BILLINGSGATE Fisit.-English salmon, 4a; Scotch frozen, Is 8d to 2s; Canadian, Is; soles, Is 2d to Is lOd slips, Is to Is 6d red mullet, 9d to Is 7d dories, 2d to 3d per lb; turbot, 9s to 14s; brill, 6s to 9s; halibut, 6s to 8s; lemon soles, 5s 6d to 8s plaice, 5s to 7s per stone; large steamer ditto, 30s to 35s per trunk; Aberdeen ditto, 30s; whiting, 5s to 10s gurnet, 8s to 12s; hake, 12s to 15s skate, 10s to 12s bream, 6s live cod, 15s to 18s dead, 10s to 20s per box; English mackerel, 12s to 16s per 60 Irish, 20s per 120; steamer haddocks, 5s to 12s per trunk loose, 2s per stone; live eels, 15s to 20s; dead, 10s to 14s per draft; lobsters, 20s to 35s per score crabs, 25s per hamper; whelks, 5s per bushel crayfish, 2s 6d per dozen; smoked haddocks, 3s to 8s per dozen; whitebait, Is 6d per quart. WHITECHAPKL HAY AND STRAW.—Superior picked I hay, 88s to 92s good hay, 82s to 85s inferior, 60a to 72s; best clover, 100s to 103s; good clover, 88a to Do's inferior, 63s to 80s; straw, 30s to 38s. WOOL.-Great carefulness distinguishes all opera- tions in this market, as prices for the finer descrip- tions are rather weaker, whilst other classes show a disposition to harden. More business could be done if sellers could accept the terms of buyers, but these are still very low. The high prices touched last year by the fine classes of wool have had the effect of checking the demand for these qualities, and trade is suffering in consequence. Spinners find great difficulty in dealing with new business, owing to the relatively high prices of wool compared to prices offered for their goods, and all round business is very trying. Downs, 7d to 9d; Kents, 6d to 6gd; half-breds, 61-d to 8d. COVENT GARDEN.-Apples, Is to 6s per bushel; English grapes, 8d to Is 9d; Belgian, 6d to Is per lb; Denia, 4s 6d to 6s 6d per barrel Lisbon, 6s to 9s per case; English William pears, Is 6d to 2s per half-sieve; hazels, 2s 6d to 4s per bushel; French, 2s to 4s per box Victoria plums, Is to 2s 6d; Orleans, Is to 2s; damsons, Is to Is 6d per half- Bieve peaches, 28 to 6s; English tomatoes, 2s 6d to 4s; Jersey, 2s to 3s per 121b; Bordeaux, 2s to 36 per crate; parsley, Is 6d to Is 9d; mint, Is 6d; radishes, 6d to 9d; carrots, Is to 2s; turnips, Is 6d to 2s 6d per dozen bunches; endive, 9d to Is 3d: cucumbers, Is to 3s; cauliflowers, Is 6d to 2s 6d per dozen; cabbages, 2s 6d to 38 6d marrows, 28 6d to 4s beetroots, 2s to 2s 6d per tally; peas, 3a to 4s; beans, Is 6d to 2s 6d per bushel; celery, 9s to 15s per dozen rolls English onions, 4s to 5s per bag; Valencia, 4a 6d to 6a per case; spinach, Is 6d to 2a per bushel; horseradish, Is to 2s per bundle; pota- toes, 60s to 90s per ton. SEED TRADE.—High prices asked for the samples of new American cloverseed now arriving. Trefoil realises long figures. Alsyke and white unaltered. Rye grasses meantime keep very firm. The continued dry weather naturally restricts the sale of trifolium. Tares and rye, mustard and rapeseed, steady. Canaryseed, notwithstanding light stocks, is dull. Peas and haricots favour holders. CAMBRIDGE CATTLE.—There was a fairly good trade for fat beasts of all classes. A larger show of store beasts, but trade was rather slow. There was a good supply of fat sheep, and late rates were maintained. only a few lots of store sheep to hand. There was a good brisk trade for fat pigs. Store pigs were not quite so good as last week. Prices Beef, 7. to 8s mutton, 4s 4d to 58 8d pork, 6a to 7s. READING CATTLE.—Beef, which was ia short supply, made 4s 4d to 4s lOd and secondary, 3s 6d to 4s 2d per stone. Best mutton, 5s 4d to 5s lOd secondary, 4s 4d to 5s 2d per stone. Best veal, 5s 6d to 6s; secondary, 4s lOd to 5s 4d per stone. CORK BUTTicit.-First, 91s; second, 87s third, 8ls; fourth, 76s; superfine, 93s; fine, 88s; choicest boxes, 94s. GRIMSBY FISH.-PriceS: Place, 5a lemon soles, 58 6d per stone soles, Is 7d per lb.; live dabs, 15s dead ditto, 10s; live codlings, 12s; dead ditto, 8s kit haddocks, 16s; gibbed ditto, 20s; whitings, 2s whitches, 5s per stone gurnets, 58 per box; turbot lOd brills, 8d per lb.; live ling, 4s dead ditto, 3s live cod, 6s to 8s dead ditto, 5s to 6s live skate, 69: dead ditto, 3s 6d each; live halibut, 7s; dead ditto 6s; English shrimps, 4s prawns, 5s 6d pet stone; kippers, 2s; bloaters, 2s red herrings, 2s pei box; catfish, 35s; live coalfish, 80s dead ditto, 20a per score; English oysters, 6s; American ditto, 4s per 100; smelts, 3s 6d per score whelks, 3s 6d pet wash salt cod, 128 6d per cwt.; lobsters, Is 4d pet ) s: lb.; conger eels, 3s each; hake, 80s; roker, 20s; mackerel, 5s; crabs, 51 per score; tusks, 25s; ice, Is 6d per cwtr
MURDER IN SHEFFIELD.
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MURDER IN SHEFFIELD. A murder of an extraordinary character was per- petrated on Saturday night in the streets of Sheffield. Walter Hague, a machine planer of Chapelton, near Sheffield, was walking towards the Midland station with his sweetheart, when a drunken man seized him by the throat and threw him to the ground, kicking him violently, and then making off. Hague rose up and asked his companion to brush his clothes, but a second or two afterwards he dropped to the ground and expired. He had' been stabbed close to the heart,
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THE ex-Queen Natalie has informed the ladies of Belgrade who have deprived her of the patronage of the Charity Association that she has broken off all relations with King Alexander and will never again set foot in Servia.
OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.…
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OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT. j Politicians who love excitement have assuredly no reason to complain just now, for the General Election is supplying them with more of this commodity than they have had for years. A dissolution is always a lively time for those engaged in it, even in the remotest degree; and, although there are not in these days the same abundance of humours that marked the olden fights, much that is stirring is to be extracted even now. The noise and the riot which often attended upon contests when the nominations were made on the hust- ings and the voting was open, have gone for ever, though they remain in the memory of many of us even yet; and the Corrupt Prac- tices Act of 1883 has put so severe a limit upon a candidate's expenditure, and has so abso- lutely forbidden any portion of it to be devoted to bands and bunting, that the picturesque element to electioneering has well-nigh disappeared. Politicians will argue as to whether this is an unmixed good, for the old process had at least the advantage of fastening popular attention upon the polls. But there are certain things in this world which, once disappeared, are never revived and among them are certainly to be numbered the broader and noisier humours of electioneering. Those who are watching the present contest from the outside have been somewhat amused at the fashion in which various candidates have nervously endeavoured to keep within the law regulating the amount of their expendi- ture during the electoral period. The law itself is so extremely doubtful that no one is quite able to say when that period begins: and, in order to feel approximately certain on the point, several would be legislators declined to formally commit themselves to a candidature until the date of dissolution had been officially announced. The coyness thus displayed was in some instances almost ludicrous, for it was with tongue in cheek that the transaction was accomplished: but candi- dates are hardly to be blamed for this, seeing that the law is at once so elastic and exacting that it strains at a gnat and swallows a camel. Some members have held their seats, despite evidence of practices which everybody but a lawyer knows to be bribery or treating: while others have been unseated because of an incau- tious payment for a twopenny hat card or a trumpery flag. This, of course, is the kind of thing which has brought some contempt upon the Corrupt Practices Act, though on the whole that statute appears to have answered the ex- pectations of its promoters. While there are many in the metropolis who regret the contretemps by which the Lord Mayor of London, after accepting an invita- tion to Paris, was necessarily unable to carry out his intention, the incident had the effect of calling a greater amount of attention than would otherwise have been the case to the gigantic luncheon given by the President of the Republic to the mayors of France. This Gargantuan feast was of a size which has probably never been equalled in the history of official receptions in the world; and English visitors to Paris last Saturday appear to have been much impressed with the wonderful organi- sation and excellent good temper which marked the whole affair. The Parisians themselves had been agog for a full fortnight beforehand,with talk about the ceremony: and the frequenter of the boulevard and the café must have almost ex- hausted fancy in devising some fresh story concerning the coming invasion from the pro- vinces. But all that was wasted upon the excellent honest folk who came: and it is already obvious that, as far as France is con- cerned, this great gathering of the mayors is one of the most memorable events of a very memorable year. The middle of October has been fixed for the opening of the Royal College of Art, the pre- mises of which at South Kensington are being modified to meet the requirements of the re- organisation which has been adopted by the Board of Education, acting upon the ad- vice of the Council for Art. This latter body consists of four such distinguished artists in various phases as Sir Wil- liam Richmond, Mr. Jackson, Mr. Onslow Ford, and Mr. Walter Crane, the first three of whom are Academicians: and it may be re- garded by the public as certain that the counsel they tender is full of value. The college, it is to be noted, has been divided into an upper and a lower school, and students, who will be placed in one or the other according to their proficiency, will be required to pass through the four divisions into which each is divided namely, those for ornament and design, drawing and painting, modelling, and architecture; and the result should make for thorough training. Those who follow the advise of the sage and never read a new book without at once following it with an old one, will be interested to pass from the prospects [of the Royal College of Art to the achievements of the National Gallery. Visitors accustomed to thatjsplendid pleasure-house of painting will note just now that there have recently been many important changes in the matter of hanging, and that these are mostly to be observed on the British side and in the long Venetian room. Their consequence, as a whole, has been to show certain of the pictures to much greater advantage than before: and it is to be recorded with pleasure as a mark of the present management of the National Gallery that every endeavour is made to pre- sent its treasures to the public in a way"wliieh shall show them at their best. The days when visitors were looked upon with suspicion and almost as enemies have, indeed, gone for ever. The first wing and the central block of the new building of University College Hospital were informally opened this week; and this splendid extension of a most useful institution will prove a valuable addition to the hospital accommodation of the metropolis. It is note- worthy that the whole of this new building, which will involve an expenditure of no less than one hundred and twenty thousand pounds, will owe its erection to the generosity of a single private donor, that being a metro- politan member of Parliament in the person of Sir John Blundell Maple. Surprise has often been expressed that more of our millionaires have not spent a portion oi their vast fortunes in the same way; and they have before them an older example 'than that of Sir John Blundell Maple, and that was Thomas Guy, for Guy's Hospital, hard by London-bridge Station, is with us still as a perpetual monument of the best and most use- ful form of munificence. In the case of the addition to University College Hospital, special attention has been given to the requirements of modern medicine and surgery, and each ward will be completely isolated, being con- nected with the rest of the structure by bridges. This is the system which has been adopted with admirable result at St. Thomas's Hospital, the;huge series of buildings facing the Houses of Parliament; and it is assuredly the system of the future. Attention is being called in the Metropolis to the growth of a system of trading which is obviously open to abuse. It appears that tenants of houses having what, for convenient purposes may be called a good address, are Getting into the habit of renting-oufc letter- oxes at about five shillings weekly. By this means, persons who are often financially irre- sponsible are enabled to send letters and circulars from this good address, thereby lead- ing-and sometimes misleading merchants into the idea that they are dealing with substantial firms. The mischief is not confined to orders given in London, where, after all, some inquiry into the bona-fides of the trans- action can be promptly made, tor many such are sent abroad. It is not easy to see how the practice can be effectively checked under the present law but there is no doubt that it is rousing an increasingly antagonistic feeling, and that it merits further investigation. R.
NEWS NOTES.
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NEWS NOTES. MEN'S minds are chiefly occupied through- out the country—whether they will or no- with election thoughts but somehow or other there is a marked absence of the hot partisan- ship and strenuous endeavour that usually accompanies an appeal to the Parliamentary voters. Party programmes are not at all to the fore, and the issue is to be decided mainly on the South African settlement, concerning which there can scarcely be said to be any sharp division of opinion amongst the bulk of the electorate, though there are certainly seational variants— but not in sufficient quantity to offer likeli- hood of the upsetting of forecasts. Neverthe- less, for the fortnight to come there will be enough political excitement up and down the land to interfere with all other matters a good deal; and steady going business people will be glad when it is all over and done with. A NOTABLE utterance occurs in Lord Salis- bury's manifesto with reference to the trouble in the Far East. The Prime Minister prophesies that "to the difficulties which will occupy the coming Government China is destined to fur- nish an abundant contribution." It is apparent to every careful watcher of the situation that diplomacy's task at Pekin is beset with many perils. Thehopeisthatthe interfering Powers will be able to square their individual aiming with harmonious collective action, else the open and rankling Chinese sore will assuredly occasion terrible trouble to the ruling bodies of the rest of the world. THE thing to do seems to be that the con- joint powers should make China punish her evil-doers properly for their enormities, or else hand the delinquents over to the Allies to be dealt with according to the measure of their iniquity. It will need all the vigilance of the West and all possible self-abnegation amongst the interested parties to prevent the escape of some of the guilty from the fate they richly deserve. If the cause of universal justice be not strictly vin- dicated at this critical juncture worse will in- evitably remain behind in China. VIRTUALLY Lord Roberts may be considered to have finished his task in South Africa now, and finished it splendidly. The victorious Field Marshal may give place to the military organisers and administrators now, and return home with many bright leaves added to his laurel crown. A great reception awaits Lord Roberts. "IT never rains but it pours" is hardly a weather saying which may be ap- plied aptly to India as a rule, where insufficient wet has often lately occasioned dire distress. But drought has given place to deluge just now in the neighbourhood of Calcutta, where as much 35in. of rain has been measured as having fallen within four days. This may be written down as distinctly too much of a good thing." Half the city is described as being under water, thousands have been ren- dered homeless, and a score or more of natives have lost their lives. We are wont to grumble much at the mutability of British weather but we are happily free from the viol-ent changes which plague our Indian brethren and others of the Queen's subjects whose lot itis to dwell in zones less temperate than ours. WE have had our St. Martin's summer," so to speak, a little earlier in these isles than the enjoyable aftermath of sunshiny weather usually comes-when it comes at all. He would be indeed hard to please who is unthank- ful for the meteorological conditions which have mostly obtained from Land's End to John o' Groat's during the September which is end- ing now. It has been indeed a glorious month,, and if October be chiefly characterised by stormy winds and wet we ought not to com- plain at all. A GENERAL ELECTION hardly ever occurs without marking the withdrawal from public life of some conspicuous servant of the State. A prominent retirer-if the contradiction in terms be permissable in this connection-at the present juncture is Mr. G. J. Goschen, whose ability has of course been recognised on all sides. At his best in financial matters he has been also a bold figure at the Admiralty, and has done a good deal of note- worthy work for the country in other capacities during a long Parliamentary life. M. LouBET's sentiments at the big municipal banquet at the Tuileries on Sunday were entirely admirable. His Government, he declared, desired a France free, strong, and glorious, united at home under the reign of right and of law, and respected abroad for her genius, the power cf her arms, and for her sincere love of peace." The French Presi- dent's ideal State is, indeed, a beautiful concep- tion. Would that the sons of the Gallic land had but the steadfastness to adhere always to the aspirations of their loftiest leaders! Then, indeed, might Franco ever be a bright light in the world. DURING the last financial year in Great Britain the total sum paid for Estate Duty amounted to close upon 14 millions sterling. This is a huge amount to contemplate, and affords eloquent testimony to the wealth of the kingdom. There are those inclined to cavil at the inequality as to distribution of the nation's money, but the complainers are, it must be admitted, those who are the least well-off. This is only another way of saying that we are all very human. There is reason for satisfac- tion in being but a unit in a community which is so solidly prosperous in the concrete as the Exchequer figures show ours to be.
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THE Independent Belge refers to the fact that the young King of Italy, like his Queen, is passionately fond of music, and in that respect takes after hia mother, Queen Margherita. He is, perhaps," says the journal, the only Prince of the House of Savoy who has ever shown a leaning towards the musical art; and in this connection is re-called the saying of his grandfather at Solferino, who, hearing the cannon, remarked, That is the only music I ever understood. THE chief scent trade of Europe, and. indeed, of the whole world, centres around Grasse, Nice, and the Riviera, says the Gem. In all, some 4200 differ- ent species of plants are used for commercial pur- poses in Europe. Of these, out of 308 violet blossoms, 13 are odoriferous. Similarly, 594 blue flowers give 34 scents; 823 red give 84; 951 yellow give 77; and 1124 white flowers yield between them some 187 scented varieties. A SERIES of wild boar hunts is being organised by the German Emperor to take place early in December in the vast Royal forests of Springe. Several of the Emperor's British friends have been asked to join this exciting form of sport, and it is probable that the Prince of Wales will, for a week or 10 days, be the guest of his nephew. To those who have never considered the subject. it might appear that each letter is of equal import- ance in the formation of words, but the relative pro- portions required in the English language, as given in Science Siftings, are these: A, 85; b. 16: c, 30: d, 44; e, 120; f, 25; g, 17 h, 64 i, 80; j, 4; k, 8; 1,40; m, 30; n, 80; o, 80; p, 17; q,5; r, 62; a, 80 t,,90; u, 34; v, 12; w, 20; X, 4; y, 20; z, 2. It is this knowledge of how frequently one letter is used compared with others that enables crytogram readers to unravel so many mysteries.