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

DEATH OF A SPORTING PARSON. By the death of the Rev. C. Earle-Marsh, which occurred on Friday of last week, Norfolk loses -one of its old school. The reverend gentleman in his day was a well-known rifie shot; he was one of the first to join the volunteer movement when in its infancy, and many were the prizes that he brought into his county from all parts of the kingdom-notably the Wimbledon Cup, which he won against 1000 competitors. As a game shot he had few equals in the county, thousands of head of game having fallen to his gun. A sound judge of a horse, a great horticulturist, he will be much missed by a large circle of friends. The deceased gentleman received his education at I Eton and Pembroke College, Cambridge, and held the living of Salle, in Norfolk, for 53 years.

r', SIn. REDVEES DULLER. I Sir Redvers and Lady Audrey Buller occupied seats in the Royal box at the afternoon perform- ance of the Military Tournament at Islington on Saturday. On being recognised they were loudly cheered, and when leaving the hall at the dose of the proceedings the demonstration was renewed with increased enthusiasm. As the General entered an open carriage For he's a jolly good fellow was sung with great heartiness. A large crowd, extending a considerable way towards the Angel, had assembled in Liverpool-road, and Sir Redvers had quite an ovation as he drove along, the 'buses readily making way for him. Sir Redvers was obviously touched by these marks of popular affection, and lie acknowledged them by constantly bowing and raising his hat. Lady Audrey recipro- cated the attention bestowed upon her husband, and for some minutes the scene was quite friendly and even enthusiastic.

DEATH OF A BALACLAVA VETERAN. Trumpet-Major Thomas Monks, of the Innis- 'killing Dragoons, who sounded the Charge" for the Heavy Brigade at Balaclava, died at Shrews- bury on Sunday. After leaving the army he joined the staff of the Shropshire Militia, and subse- quently for 20 years held the post of trumpet- major of the Shropshire Yeomanry, his total mili- tary service amounting to 50 years. Monks was specially awarded the French war medal in the Crimea.

AFRICAN" MAIL BOAT LOST. ALL PASSENGERS SAVED. I A telegram received at Liverpool on Saturday from Grand Bassam, on the French Ivory Coast, states that the mail steamer Stanleyville is a total wreck, having struck the Hoeven Rock, near Axim, on the Gold Coast. The Stanleyville was one of the fine steamers of the Cie Beige Maritime du Congo, trading between Antwerp and the River Congo, calling, when occasion re- quired, at ports on the Gold Coast. The Stanley- ville was under the command of Captain F. W. Tubbs, and was a steamer of 4081 tons register. She left Antwerp on the 8th inst., and after calling at Southampton left the i latter port on the 9th, and Teneriffe on the 14th, where some of her passengers were landed. At the time of the disaster she would have about fifty-eight pas- sengers on board, nearly all of whom were from Antwerp. The African Company's steamer Sobo is reported in the telegram to have got the passengers on board, and will land them at their destinations, as she herself is bound for the River Congo. The Sobo left Liverpool on the 7th inst. The Stanleyville had a valuable general cargo on board, but no reference is made to it in the tele- gram. Further telegrams received from Axim, West Africa, state that the passengers' baggage has been saved, and is being landed, and that some portion of the cargo is also being landed. The steamer herself is fast on the rocks, and there is no chance of saving her. The Hoeven ock is in Axim Bay. The Stanleyville was so as a eorQphment to Sir Henry M. Stanley, St Sx0me time was in the service of the Congo InnxW) io "^e line to which the Stanleyville be- „f almost exclusively for the Free State •frmp-o an companies of the with twin sc^ga magnificently appointed steamer

/s°vs8thet" Phila^M0^- Society °* Germ ant own i v/r tlie mft iuit r!iPhia,Eec°rd ") is rejoicing The chaif, which is 0^200 'i r°Cki to William Penn, and thf^kwS belor;se[! than the chair is the one on r/hich G^ree Washington stood while he directed the battle If Gemantown. According to a telegram from Marseilles to the Petit Journal," two aeronauts, MM. Latruffe and Judic, will shortly^ attempt to cross the Mediterranean in a navigable balloon of their own invention, similar in form to the Santos Dumont No. 5.

I CURRENT SPORT. I I Throughout the country cricketers were at last favoured with beautiful weather on Saturday, but the wickets had naturally suffered from the rains, and as a result the bowlers had the best ing matters in most instances, and some interest- ing finishes were witnessesd. At Brighton Mr. S. M. J. Woods made a fine effort for Somerset, but he received very little support, and Sussex, thanks mainly to Relf, were able to secure the 122 runs set them to win with three wickets to spare. A couple of blank days at Edgbaston caused the match between Warwickshire and Gloucestershire to be left drawn. Kent fared badly at the hands of Lancashire, at Old Traliord, and collapsing in their second innings before the bowling of Webb and Cuttell, were beaten by eight wickets. Scoring ruled low at Leicester, where play had been impossible in the match between Leicestershire and Surrey until the third day. When an innings each had been completed there was only a difference of five runs between them, the home county, who totalled 86, claiming this slight advantage, but upon going in a second time Surrey did much better, and at the close had made 98 for the loss of two wickets. After having all the worst 01 matters in the earlier stages of the game at Nottingham, Essex had rather the best of a drawn match. They were got rid of by Wass on Friday for 60 runs, and Notts, after making 187 for six wickets on Saturday, declared. They failed +o dispose of their opponents a second time, how- ever, as F. L. Fane played a fine not-out innings of 105, and, assisted by C. J. Kortright, the Eastern county compiled 202 for five wickets before play ceased. As was expected, the Oxonians sustained a severe reverse at the hands of the Australians. The Colonials declared their innings closed at 314 for six wickets, and Oxford, who never looked like getting the 237 to avoid being beaten in an innings, were all disposed of for 183, leaving Australia winners by an innings and 54 runs. A somewhat sensational finish was witnessed in the match between Cambridge University and Yorkshire at Cambridge. The county on Saturday declared their first venture closed at the overnight score of 219 for eight wickets, and then got rid of the Light Blues for 126. Going in a second time, the county again applied the closure, after making 64 for three wickets, leaving Cambridge 158 to get to win in an hour and fifty minutes. So well did Haigh bowl that five wickets fell for 15 runs. E. M. Dowson and R. N. R. Blaker, however, came to the rescue, and in the end the game was left drawn. Ten a side took part in the ladies' international golf contest, England v. Scotland, at Deal on Saturday. The result was a win for England by eight matches to nil, the other two matches being halved. At the Oxford bumping races on Saturday three bumps were registered in the second division. Hertford accounted for Christ Church, Wadham defeated Queen's, and St. John's caught St. Catherine's. In the first division University had no difficulty in maintaining their newly gained position at the head of the river. The War Office Sports Club held their first athletic meeting at the London County,Ground, at Hernø Hill, on Saturday. Among the dis- tinguished visitors were Countess Roberts (who distributed the prizes), Lord Raglan, and Colonel' Streatfield. F. J. Hoyle won the 100 yards handicap, C. Stanfield the half-mile handicap, G. E. Crawford the mile handicap, and the three- quarter mile steeplechase was carried off by G. C. Smallwood. It is not often that father and son appear n the same game at polo, but on Saturday, at Roe- hampton, in the presence of a large and fashion- able company, Lord Ingestre and his noble father, Lord Shrewsbury, partnered Mr. H. Whitworth and Mr. N. Baring against the Wanderers, who were Mr. Guy Gilbey, Mr. Roylance Court, Mr. H. Winston Churchill, and H. Marsham. Roehampton secured the victory, after a fast game, by 6 goals to 2. A rather unfortunate accident happened to Mr. Winston Churchill, who received a facial injury from one of the canes, and had to be strapped up before pluckily continuing. At Lord's Ground, in London, on Saturday, E. M. Baerlein and A. W. Beauclerk met in the first, round of the contest for the M.C.C. tennis challenge racquets. Baerlein secured the rubber by three sets to love, the scores being 6—4, 6-3, 6—4. A grand struggle took place in the concluding stages of the Anerley Bicycle Club's twenty-five miles motor-paced bicycle race at the Crystal Palace on Saturday. G. A. Olley went away at the start, and had the lead right up to the last lap, when he was passed by H. S. Chambers, who was first home in 47min. 17 4-5sec., one-fifth of a second in front of Olley. The open half-mile handicap at the twenty- fifth annual sports of the South Middlesex Rifie Volunteers at Stamford Bridge on Saturday pro- duced a sensational finish. F. W. Burton, of the Kennington Harriers, with 62 yards start, drew out 300 yards from home, but in the straight he was challenged by P. B. Dodd, of the South London Harriers, and half-mile ex-champion of Surrey, who won a fine race by only a few inches in Imin. 56sec. from the 40 yards mark. The yachts which have entered for the race for the German Emperor's Heligoland Cup are as follows: -Leander, yawl, 98 tons (the Hon. Rupert Guinness); Dimsdale, ketch, 91 tons (the Earl of Arran) Vol-au-Vent, yawl, 104 tons (Mr. John Dempster) Isola, yawl, 91 tons (Mr. A. W. Coomber and Mr. N. Spencer); Cecily, schooner, 260 tons (Mr. Cecil Quinton) Licna, yawl, 80 tons (Mr. Henry M. Rait); and Clutha, yawl, 91 tons (Mr. Lome Currie). The race will be started from Dover at noon on June 21. The strongest team pitted against the Australians so far was that representing the M.C.C. and Ground at Lord's Ground, in London, on Monday. The match attracted a large attendance, and, some interesting cricket was seen. Batting first, the Club compiled 240, chiefly through the aid of K. S. Ranjitsinhiji, who was top scorer with 67, C. B. Fry, L. C. H. Palairet, Dr. W. G. Grace, and Frank Mitchell. The Colonials had forty-five minutes' batting, and during that time they ran up 74 for one wicket, Victor Trumper, not out 46, being par- ticularly aggressive. Dr. Grace got Duff l.b.w. before the first day's finish. During the Australian match at Lord's, on Monday, an amusing incident was witnessed. Ranjitsinhji and Grace were at the wickets, and Jones at mid-off, in returning the ball, struck a sparrow, which, after fluttering around for a few moments, dropped as if dead. Some humanitarian spectators were apparently incensed at the inattention paid to the sparrow by the players, and one of their number went into the field, presumably to put an end to the bird's suffering. To the general amusement, however, upon the man approaching it the bird, which could only have been stunned, flew away. At Leyton, some sensational cricket was witnessed in the return match between Essex and Surrey on Monday. The feature of the play was a grand, innings of 150 by Abel and the collapse of the last six Surrey batsmen, who only made 22 between them. At the close of the first day's play Essex had lost two wickets for 28 runs. Lancashire did badly against Gloucestershire at Bristol on Monday, as the home county, after compiling 250, were able to dispose of three of their opponents for only 44 runs. For the Westerners, Langdon (55), W. Troup (47), Board (38), and Paish (not out, 35) did well. The feature of Monday's play at Bradford, where Yorkshire and Kent was engaged, was the display by Tunnicliffe, who was responsible for a capital 127 out of a total of 337. Hirst (69), and Lord Hawke (40), also rendered valuable assistance. In the last few minutes of the day the visitors did badly, as three of were out for only ten runs. It was a bowlers' wicket at Worcester on Monday, and considerable progress was made in tne match between the home county and Leicestershire. Batting first, Worcestershire could only make 92, and the visitors were all accounted for for 98, whilst, going in a second time, the home side secured a lead of 84 runs for the loss of two wickets. Wilson, Simpson-Hayward, Woodcock, and Odell shared the bowling honours on their respective sides. The All Ireland team, con- tinuing their tour, visited Oxford on Monday, where the Dark Blues kept them in the field the greater part of the day, and compiled 304. In the last few minutes of the day the Irishmen lost one wicket for 21 runs. Although the batting of the Australians was distinctly uneven at Lord's on Tuesday, the last five wickets falling for 47 runs, a brilliant in- nings by Victor Trumper, his third hundred of the tour, enabled the Colonists to gain a lead of 31 runs on the first innings. Dr. Grace bowled with great success. Subsequently M.C.C. and Ground lost six of their best men for 190, and as the game stood on Wednesday morning, they were, with four more wickets to fall, 159 to the good. There was another interesting day's cricket at Leyton, on Tuesday, when the match between Essex and Surrey was resumed. Before Lockwood's fine bowling the locals fared badly, and were all out for 138, M'Gahey (79) alone making a stand. Again the tail end of Surrey collapsed in their second innings, which closed for 177. Requiring 302 to win, Essex had made 29 for the loss of one wicket at the close of the second day's play. Yorkshire gained an easy vic- tory over Kent at Bradford on Tuesday, the visi- tors suffering defeat by an innings and 108 runs. Mr. F. S. Jackson bowled irresistibly for the winners. Gloucestershire were severely handi- capped at Bristol in their match with Lancashire, and, losing all the advantage gained on the open- ing day, have nothing but defeat to look forward to, for, with only three wickets to fall, they were left on Tuesday night but 40 runs on. A com- plete change came over the game at Worcester between the home county and Leicestershire. Knight and King each exceeded the century for the visitors, the latter contributing 130 and his colleague 108, with the result that the Leicester- shire second innings realised 377, and the home side, set 372 to win, lost two wickets for 57 runs before Tuesday nightfall. The Dark Blues again showed to advantage, on Tuesday, with the bat at Oxford, and after disposing of All Ireland for 185, ran up 309 for the loss of only four wickets. The Oxonians were on Wednesday morning 428 runs on, with six wickets to fall.

NURSE'S LIBEL SUIT. An action brought by Miss Rosalind Mansell, a nurse, to recover damages from the Sun news- paper for alleged libel was heard on Tuesday in the King's Bench Division. The case for the plaintiff, who was superintendent nurse at the Renfrew-road Workhouse, Lambeth, was that scandalous and untrue accusations were made against her by an inmate at a meeting of the board of guardians, and were published in the Sun." The jury awarded her £600 damages.

THE USE OF THE ROYAL STANDARD. As considerable doubt existed in the public mind with regard to the flying of the Royal Standard at the time of the Coronation, Mr. John Sherwood of Folkestone, communicated with the Home Office on the subject, and received the following reply Sir,—With reference to your letter asking whether it will be legal and proper to fly the Royal Standard at the time of the Coronation of his Majesty the King, I am directed by the Secretary of State to say that the Royal Standard is the flag of the Sovereign, and that no private person is entitled to use it. His Majesty has, however, been pleased to grant permission for its general use on the occasion of his Coronation, but this permission is limited to the occasion in question, and the sub- sequent use of the flag would not be proper.—I [ am, &c., HENRY CUNYNGHAME." I

A HORRIBLE DISCOVERY. The booking clerk of the Great Central station, Sheffield made a horrible discovery on Tuesday. Opening a yellow tin box, about 18in. in diameter, he found wrapped in a small potato sack the body of a little boy, about four years of age. The face had been smashed 'in. The box was sent from Sleaford, Lincolnshire, on the 20th inst. as pas- sengers' missing luggage. It was received at Sheffield the following day, and as no one claimed I it and it was emitting an offensive smell, it was opened on Tuesday morning.

WAR OR MURDER? OFFICER CENSUIIED. General Chaffee, Corn man der-in-(,hief in the Philippines, has issued a report expressing dis- approval of the acquittals of the American officers, Major Waller and Lieutenant Day, on the charge of ordering the execution of Filipinos without trial. He calls the acquittals a miscarriage of justice, and holds that the evidence was opposed to the court's findings. General Chaffee declares that while the laws of war justify summary executions, the necessary causes did not exist in this case, and in reviewing the record he says: "Justice to the military ser- vice, common fairness to the hapless natives whom Major Waller sent to death, and the need that this act, partaking more of unlawful retaliation than of justifiable warfare, should not become an ap- proved precedent for young officers, require that the findings of acquittal should not meet with un- qualified approval." However, considering the influences of Major Waller's mental attitude, so much of the finding as finds him not guilty of murder is approved. Lieu- tenant Day is censured on the ground that he knew Major Waller's condition, and yet seconded Major Waller's resolve and promptly executed his orders, whereas under the circumstances he should have disobeyed him, thus guarding the honour of the country and probably preventing one of the most regrettable incidents in the military service.

SHEFFIELD PARACHUTE ACCIDENT I Since the inquest on Miss Edith Brooks was adjourned at Sheffield on Friday of last week, a witness has come forward who is apparently able to throw a remarkable light on the manner of that parachutist's terrible death. The witness actually saw the tragedy through a teles. cope. He had been watching the ascent and every movement of the performer while in mid-air. According to his statement Miss Brookes suddenly lost her seat on the trapeze attached to the balloon, turned a complete somer- sault, and reD into the ropes of the parachute, which immediately broke from the balloon and commenced to fall but was too much entangled to open properly. The last the observer saw of Miss Brookes was that in falling she appeared to be shaking her arm about, probably in a frantic but futile endeavour to disentangle the ropes.

PRESIDENT LOUBET, I President Loubet and M. Deleass6. on their return voyage from Russia, on Sunday, visited Copenhagen. They were met before landing by King Christian and the Danish Princes, and es- corted to the Amalienborg Palace where they were the guests of his Majesty at luncheon. In proposing the health of M. Loubet the King said he drank to the health of the President, and to the welfare of the beautiful land of which he was the first and most worthy representative. In reply, M. Loubet said fcothing gave him greater pleasure than to greet the revered Sovereign of a nation for which France had nothing but esteem and sympathy. The French President and M. Delcass6 then returned to the Montcalm, which continued its voyage to France.

A remarkable double in nature can be seen at the foot of a mountain near Rnosllaner- chrugog, North Wales. Viewed from a distance, the spots &eem the very counterpart of each other, even to the arrangement of trees, rocks, and shrubs. A stream flows down a narrow incline in both places, and. the immediate sur- roundings are marvellously alike.

WEST INDIAN CALAMITY. MARTINIQUE INHABITANTS' TERRIBLE FATE. The following despatch from the New York Herald Correspondent contains some exclusive and interesting details.- "POINTE A PITRE, May 22.—Mont Pelee continues to menace the existence of the entire island of Martinique. Without cessation it has been in eruption since Monday. A new crater has opened on the north side of the volcano, and from this lava pours in a broad stream down to the sea. This crater is probably the result of the terrific explosion that occurred early on Tuesday morning, when the pent-up forces seemed to rive the mountain, from the base to the summit. ONLY A MIRACLE CAN SAVE THEM. It is now known that there has been further less of life, and, what is more distressing, a large number of persons, mostly women and children, are imprisoned by lava streams which surround them. It is impossible for assistance to be rendered them by human beings, and nothing less than a miracle can save them from the awful death which confronts them. These unfortunates are at Grande Riviere. They were cut off from escape when Mont Pelee resumed its labours on Monday. The lava that burst from the volcano swept away all the roads, filled up the river channels, so that it set the bridges afloat, carrying them upon its surface until they were consumed, and on reaching the sea coast spread through the crevasses a bubbling mass, so hot as to be almost incandescent. PLEADING FOR DELIVERANCE. In this way have the women and children at Grand Riviere been surrounded. Efforts have been made to reach them, and although they can be seen pleading for deliverance, it is impossible to give them aid. Their supply of food is limited, if not wholly exhausted, and starvation, if not a more terrible fate, confronts them. Gradually but steadily the rivers of lava are spreading, and if the eruption increases, a wave of molten material will sweep away the victims. Thoughout Martinique the conditions are impossible to describe. Believing that the island is doomed, the population continues in a state of pitiful panic, and as fast as possible they are leaving on the ships. They do not care where they go; all they ask is means of quitting the place, which they have come to regard as an inferno." ISLAND MAY BE ABANDONED. Owing to the alarming character of the latest news from Martinique, M. Lheurre has been instructed (says a Paris message) to reconsider the situation with a view to an immediate evacua- tion of the islosd. FRENCH CAPTAIN'S REPORT. The Emperor of Russia has given E- 10,000 for the rel-ef of the sufferers of the Martinique catas- trophe. Very weird is the account of the awful eruption of Ma*/ 8, given two days after its occurrence by M, Sainte-Mate, of the schooner Gabrielle, be- longing to the firm of Knight, and who has now found it." way to Paris. He says that between half-pasi six and seven o'clock on the fatal morn- ing columns of white smoke suddenly emerged as if from a new crater, about 600ft. below the top of Mount Pelee, creating panic among the inhabitants of St. Pierre. Shortly after seven a launch, crntaining the Governor, M. Mouttet, and the members of the Scientific Commission, passed within fifty yards of the Gabrielle, appa- rently bound for Precheur. At a quarter to eight a formidable rumbling was heard emanat- ing from the mountain, as if a colossal fissure had been made from peak to foot, and then was beheld, omid black smoke, which the eye could not penetrate, a great, uniform mass which burst with diz-y rapidity on the valley, enveloping and destroying, as in a whirlwind, the whole of St. Pierre from Sainte Philomene to the Petite Anse du Carbet. On the sea two-thirds of the ship- ping in the roadstead, after a sinister cracking of all their woodwork, had their masts swept away and suddenly foundered. Three vessels, two of which were steamers, the Korona and the North America, were alone able to resist the shock, but the great majority of their crews were car- bonised. and only a few were saved as by a miracle. M. Sainte, who was on board the "^hooner, had himself a marvellous escape, iiurled into the sea, which was so hot that he was almost scalded, he managed to get on some floating debris, and then he saw a terrible spec- tacle. The town had been converted into a huge brazier, and a veritable torrent of lava, mud, and stones was descending on it. About nine o'clock M. Sainte was able to distinguish Mount Pelee, which seemed to have diminished quite 900ft. in height, while its sides were streaked with large fissures. Several of his comrades were near him on rafts, and as, after drifting about, they were being carried in the direction of the blazing shore, he threw himself into the water, where he remained for two hours, keeping himself up as best he could, and then he was rejoined by his friends, who had drifted back. About two o'clock in the afternoon an empty boat was espied, and after many desperate efforts the party were able to get into it. About three o'clock in the afternoon the cruiser Suchet ar- rived, and took them all on board. A detach- ment of sailors was landed, but most of the sur- vivors were so severely injured that they expired on their way to the ship. Even after the Suchet had left the eruption continued, and of St. Pierre nothing remained but smoking ruins, among which carbonised corpses were strewn. ANOTHER TORRENT OF LAVA. On Friday of last week, Mont Pelee was com- paratively quiet, but on Saturday the volcano belched forth a torrent of lava and mud, which rushed down the northern slope and swept away what remained of the town of Basse Pointe. New fissures also opened in the side of the mountain. ST. VINCENT DISASTER. The commander of the United States warship Cincinnati has cabled that his ship had circum- navigated St. Vincent. He states that 130 per- sons are in hospital at Kingstown, while eighty more, who are badly burned, have still to come in. The Lord Mayor of London on Saturday ad- dressed the following letter to M. Cambon, the French Ambassador:- May 24, 1902. Dear Mons. Cambon,—I have received and am touched by your Excellency's letter of the 22nd inst., in which you are good enough to propose to invest a portion of the profits of the bazaar at the French Embassy and their fetes at the Earl's Court Exhibition (Paris in London) to the two funds—one in Paris in aid of the French sufferers at Martinique, and the other in London for the assistance of the inhabitants of St. Vincent- who are fellow-sufferers in a dire and dismal calamity. In gratefully accepting your Excel- lency's generous and gracious suggestion, I feel sure that it will be regarded, as I regard it, as a further manifestation of that friendly feeling be- tween our two nations which is never more keenly exhibited than when they are working side by side for the alleviation of misery and the exer- cise of mercy and pity.—Believe me, dear Mons. Cambon, your very truly. JOSEPH C. DIMSDALE, Lord Mayor. His Excellency Mons. Paul Cambon, French Ambassador. The Mansion House Fund on Saturday amounted to £ 43,000, and a further remittance of E5,000-making £ 40,000 in all-was cabled to the Governor of the Windward Islands at St. Vincent. AN ISLAND OF DREAD. A message from Martinique of Monday s date states that Mont Pelee was then again in erup- tion. llu»e inky black clouds were rolling over Fort de France in great masses, with peculiar lightning flashes playing in them. The inhabi- tilnts were flocking into the great square of tha town. A very heavy surf had been beating on the shores for the last two hours, and an enormous greyish-yellow cloud was dimly visible at a great height in the direction of Mont Pelee. The night was intensely dark.

A military officer who had seen a good deal of active service, Colonel H. Worsley, C.B., died early on Monday morning at his residence, Ray Park, Maidenhead.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT "NOTES AND QUERIES." [From "THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHRONICLE."] I EDUCATION ACTS—ELECTION—EIGHT TO VOTE. I Rural writes:—" If the overseers have failed to strike out from the rate book the names of persons whose rates are excused by the justices, has the returning officer power to refuse them the right of voting at a school board election in a parish ?" Answer.—In the second schedule to the Educa- tion Act Amendment Act, 1873, it is provided that —" In a parish which is not situate in the City of London or in a borough, other than the Borough of Oxford, the book containing the last rate made for such parish more than one month previously to any date shall be the register of the ratepayers entitled to vote in such parish at that date; and every rate- payer whose name appears in such rate book shall be entitled to vote unless he is disqualified for voting," and no person shall be entitled to vote whose name does not so appear." The effect of this is that as the persons are disqualified for vot- ing if their rates have been excused, the returning officer has the right to refuse to allow them to vote. We doubt if the technical omission of the justices to strike out the names from the rate would save the persons their votes, if in fact; they had treated their rates as having been legally excused. CORONATION FESTIVITIES—GIFTS, TEA, AND FIREWORKS—LEGALITY. "A." writes:—" Is it legal for a parish council to take out of the rates—(1) money to buy pots with as a momento to give the children; (2) to buy books, &c., for children's sports (3) to tea old people and children; (4) for fireworks and band ? Answer.—Yes, we should regard all these items as within the spirit of the Local Government Board Order if the sum expended is reasonable. UNION ASSESSMENT COMMUTES ACTS—SUBSTI- TUTION LISTS—POWER TO MAKE. "H." writes:—" 1. Have overseers of the poor the right, of their own initiative, to prepare a sub- stitutional valuation list to contain all the rateable properties in the original and in subsequent sup- plemental valuation lists ? 2. To prepare supplemental valuation list in which to enter an amended value (increase or de- crease, as the overseers may deem right), as well as to correct the valuation of any hereditament which they consider has been too highly rated in the original list? The assessment committee maintain that they have the sole right to reduce valuations of pro- perties included in original lists, and that only en appeal of the parties aggrieved." Answers.—1. No; this power is confined to the union assessment committee under seetion 26 of the Act of 1862. 2. Yes the overseers have power to make such lists in cases that come under section 25. We should have thought that in cases where there had been a reduction in value the parties would ap- peal. I POOR LAW—CORN TAX—CONTRACTS. A." writes:—" With reference to your answer to Questions 9 and 10, in your issue of the 10th instant, have you not overlooked the provisions of section 10 of the Finance Act, 1901 (1 Edw. VII., c. 7) ?" Answer.—No, we had not overlooked that enact- ment, but, in our opinion, it does not apply to the cases in the questions referred to, which were— where a contractor who was supplying a union workhouse with flour and barley meal sent in his extra claim, viz., 5d. and 3d. percwt., respectively, on goods supplied on the 18th April last, stating ] that the prices were already advanced owing to the new Budget duty, and where the contract was simply for bread and flour, which could be 1 supplied either from foreign or home sources. Section 10 (1) of the Finance Act, 1901, provides that-" Where any new custom, import duty, or new excise duty is imposed, or where any customs. import duty, or excise duty is increased, and any goods in respect of which the duty is payable are delivered after the day on which a new in- creased duty take effect in pursuance of a contract made before that day, the seller of the goods may, in absence of agreement to the contrary, recover, as an addition to the con- tract price, a sum equal to any amount paid by him in respect of the goods on account of the new duty' or the increase of duty, as the case may be." It will be observed that under this enactment the contractor is only entitled to make the addition to the contract where the duty has been paid by him in respect of the goods," and not merely where there has been an advance in price, which advance might, of course, result from causes independent of the duty. In the very remote case of a contractor supplying a cargo of imported flour direct to a board of guardians, and being able to show that he had paid the duty on that flour, he could, no doubt, charge it to the guardians, but in ordinary ca.ses the flour supplied is locally grown, and has paid no duty. Under such circumstances, or where the foreign origin of the actual goods cannot be proved, the duty cannot be added. I POOR RATE-RATING FARMHOUSES. G. R. H." writes:—" A. B. rents a small farm, and sublets the dwelling-house belonging thereto to C. D. free of all rates. (a) Who should be rated as occupier of the house? (b) Are the rates recoverable in respect of the house when it is empty? (c) Does it make any difference where the owner of a farm is also the occupier ?" Answers.—(a) The overseers cannot take any account of the arrangement between A. B. and C. D., and they should rate C. D., who is the oc- cupier, leaving A. B. to appeal and get his assess- ment reduced by the value of the house. (b) Not if it is separated from the farm lands; but if A. B. is rated for the farm as a whole (which he would be when the house was not let), then no abatement could be made if the house was unoccupied. The rateable value should be regu- lated with regard to this, and if this were done A. B. would not be entitled to as great a reduc- tion from his assessment when the house was lot as the occupying tenant would be rated fori (c) No. PUBLIC HEALTH ACTS—BUILDING LINE- CORNER SITE. Subscriber writes :—" Plans have been sub- mitted to the corporation for alterations whore a shop fronts a certain road, and the owner has built back eight feet from the pavement, thus making a total footway of 13ft. At the side of the house, which is a corner house, he has & narrow strip of laud, two feet wide, at the corner, which widens out to seven feet. The works committee disap- prove the plans, unless the owner keeps back two feet from his boundary, and as the premises form an obtuse anglr, it means there would be no gain at all at the corner, and the slight addition would be valueless. "1. Can a building committee enforce two build- ing lines on the same property ? t;. 2. If such a condition can be insisted upon, would not the owner be entitled to compensation ? New bye-laws have been adopted, and no reference is made to building lines." Answers.—A house may be in two streets for the purpose of determining the building line, but the question must be determined onits merits in each case, having regard to all the facts of the case aud it is a question of fact and not of law whether a house is to be deemed to be in two streets. See the decisions in Barlow v. Kensington Vestry," L. R. 11 Appeal Cases Aol, and Warren v. Mustard," 61 L J. M. C. IS. The corporation are, therefore, entitled to raise the question, and it will rest with the justices to decide the point. In the "Kensington case referred to, a house was held to be in two streets for the purposes of the building lines. 2. The owner is not entitled to compensation under the circumstances set forth. (Generally). It does not appear under what authority the corporation require plans to be sub- mitted. as this is an alteration, and not the erec- lion of a new building, and, therefore, it does not fall within the bye-laws. If it is desired to test the issue, and the work is commenced, the corpo- ration could then proceed for penalties under the Buildings in Streets Act, 1888.

THE KING AND MRS. SPURGEON. The miniature lake in the beautiful grounds at Westwood, Mrs. C. H. Spurgeona home, always contained, until quite recently, at least one graceful swan. Heading in the papers that the King was reducing his stock of Royal birds, says the Baptibt," Mrs. Spurgeon wrote asking whether she would be allowed to purchase one of them. Sir Francis Knollys,in reply, inquired whether his correspondent was Mrs. C. H. Spurgeon, of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, and on receiving an affirmative answer said the King would be pleased to present Mrs. Spurgeon with a bird if she would accept one. This gracious offer, it is unnecessary to say, was accepted, and in due course a letter of thanks was sent. The King once again replied, saying he was glad to have given Mrs. Spurgeon pleasure. The bird, which is a very fine one, has Liecii appropriately named" Ilis Majesty."

A CORONATION HOST. We are hearing a good deal just now about the Coronation guests, but so far the Coronation hosts have received little or no public attention. One of the principal hosts-i.e., gentlemen who are oificially appointed to look after the welfare of foreign representatives during the sojourn in London-is Mr. Robert Follett Synge, C.M.G., who is the Assistant-Marshal of the Ceremoniea and has wide and varied experience in the special duties required. Mr. Synge, who is nominally a Staff officer in the Treaty Department of the Foreign Office, took charge of the late King of the Hawaiian Islands during his Majesty's visit to England over 20 years ago. On the occasion of the Jubilee of 1887 he was appointed to attend the envoys of Oriental States, and two years later waa iu attendance on the German Emperor during his visit to England. At the Diamond Jubilee Mr. Synge again took the Oriental envoys under hia wing, his special guest being the young Prince of Japan, whom he personally conducted over the metropolis. For the Coronation this valued ofli- cial again has his hands full, as might well be ex- pected.

THE RAT AND THE SEAGULL. An Indian gentleman, writing to the" Pioneer," bewails the extraordinary ingenuity of the rat, who" even in death is a formidable enemy of man," as every one who has read about the plague knows. To illustrate the animal's cleverness, he says On one occasion a rat was caught alive on a ship and thrown overboard. A seagull was floating by the side of the ship. Immediately there ensued a battle royal and the rat strangled the seagull to death. He then sat upon the car- case of the seagull, unfurled its left wing to catch the wind, and working the right wing as an oar, Ect sail for the shore

EARL BEAUCHAMP'S ENGAGEMENT. Eavl Beauchamp, whose engagement to marry Lady Lettice Grosvenor is announced, has done good work for London as a Progressive member of the School Board and for the Empire over-seas aa- Governor of New South Wales before the Commonwealth was inaugurated. He is still a young man of 30, and high hopes are founded on him. Lady Lettice Grosvenor is, of course, the sister of the Duke of Westminster and daughter of the Countess Grosvenor, who is married to the Chief Secretary for Ireland. She is a general favourite in London society and in Cheshire, where her early years have been spent at Saighton Grange, her mother's residence. Earl Beauchamp, by his marriage, renders himself liable to the penalty which the Bachelor Club inflicts upon erring members, but which may be withheld where good-fellowship has been proved.

ON THE BRINK OF DISASTER. [ The terrible disaster at Martinique will suggest (says the Field ") to many the danger that lies before towns that are built alongside extinct vol- canoes, and doubtless act as a warning to people in the future. Quito, the capital of Ecuador, lies on the side of a volcano which has on more than one occasion given the city trouble. There are many other populous centres in South and Central America similarly situated, and so running the risk of being at any moment annihilated, as has- been the case with St. Pierre. In our own territories the most striking in- stance is, perhaps, the city of Auckland, in the volcanic north island of New Zealand. From the crest of Mount Eden, on whose slopes Auckland stands, no less than 60 apparently extinct craters can be seen with the naked eye. and the whole countryside must at one time have been a seething mass of seismic energy. Mount Eden itself was once an enormous volcano, and visitors to Auck- land now amuse themselves by going down the old crater. The island of Rangitoto, in the mouth of the Waitemata River, about three miles from the city, was another great volcano, and the Taliapuna racecourse, also only three miles off, runs round the inner rim of a crater. Auckland has a population of nearly 50,000. and was built almost entirely of wood, on account of the earthquakes, as wooden build- ings suffer less from earthquakes than those com- posed of stone or brick. It is safe to say, there- fore. that if Mount Eden or any other of the neighbouring extinct volcanoes broke out sud- denly at any time there would be a repetition of the St. Pierre calamity. That such an alarming contingency is not impossible is apparent from the eruption of Mount Tarawera 16 years ago. Tara- wera is not very far ftom Auckland, and it was just as quiescent as Mt. Eden and similar tem- porarily closed volcanic vents up to 1886, when, without any warning, it broke out afresh. Over a hundred lives were lost on that occasion, and doubtless if there had been a town the size of Auckland at its base, in place of the little Maori village of Wairoa, the loss of life would have been appalling. The whole stretch of the volcanic belt in the Pacific, from Tongarvio in the south up through the new Hebrides and Solomon Islands and on to Hawaii, is constantly displaying activity at one point or another, and there would seem to be grave danger hanging over such towns as have thoughtlessly been built alongside these old craters.

The Earl Marshal has given permission to the higher officials at the Heralds' Collepe each to 0 1 nominate one of the Rods who are to usher the Coronation guests into their places in the Abbey. Mr. Scott-Gatty will present a most dis- tinguished appearance on the occasion, as although he is York Herald, he will represent one of the higner officials, and stands quite near the King, wearing a gorgeous costume and with a silver crown upon his head. Whilst Mr. Andrew Carnegie was struggling for wealth in his early days the only recreation he allowed himself was an occasional fishing expedition. Now that the wealth has come to him he is a.n ardent angler, and he has given orders for the building of salmon and trout hatcheries on the banks of the Evelix, about three miles from Skibo. His little daughter has already been taught the mysteries of fly-fishing, and is most enthusiastic at the sport. The Archbishop of Canterbury thinks every boy should be able to do something with his hands. When he was a lad himself his father used to take him to a carpenter's shop every afternoon, and leave him there to learn the use of tools. To this day the Primate treasures a horseshoe which himself made in a black- smith's forge. In the days of his youth the aged Primate had quite a reputation as a plough- man. American millionaires and other wealthy mea are not always idlers who seek their own amuse- ment. Vanderbilt is the inventor of a boiler. Colonel J. Jacob Astor is an author and inventor of new machinery, including a turbine aid a road-cleaner. Mr. P. Cooper-Hewitt has recently devised a mercury vapour lamp, macnines for making glue, and other novelties. Jr1** P; Bishop has improved motor cars, V;f8., s invented a game of indoor goif, ai;d Mr. Dinsmore has patented a tyre- removing device.