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

SICK BED IN A WOOD. I A middle-aged man has been taken charge 01 by the Parish authorities at Campsie, Fifeshire after having undergone a remarkable experience! Two men found him lying prostrate in a wood on Friday of last week. They carried him away, and a doctor applied restoratives. On recovering the man explained that, feeling ill last Sunday, he lay down in the wood. He became too weak to rise, and had remained in the same spot until he was rescued.

DEATH OF SIR JOHN RIGBY. I We announce with regret the death of the flight Hon. Sir John Rig"by, the former Lord Justice of Appeal, which took place at Carlyle House, Chelsea Embankment, on Sunday; he had been in unsatisfactory health for a consider- able period. He was born at Liverpool in 1834, being educated there and at Cambridge. He was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1860, and ultimately became junior counsel to the Trea- sury. As the "Times" obituarist remarks, "at the Bar a certain austere isolation, a dis- regard for personal appearance, and a rugged but impressive manner were then, as through- out his career, his marked characteristics. It was odd, for example, to see him smoking a pipe as in a full-bottomed wig he mounted the steps of the House of Lords."

A special journal, which will describe all the latest, discoveries relating to cancer will be published by the Cancer Investigation Committee of Berlin. The King has consented to become the patron ol the Royal Tennis Club, which has its habitation in the Royal Tennis Court at Hampton Court Palace. Several eminent German professors have received invitations from the United States Government to deliver lectures at the St. Louis Exhibition. All birds, when perched on trees or bushes, serve as weathercocks, as they invariably ar. range themselves with their heads to the wind.

I IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. I I THE TRANSVAAL'S FUTURE. I The House of Lords, on July 27, held a short sitting at which several Bills were advanced a stage. In the Commons, Viscount Cranborne informed Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman that the Persian Convention was signed on Feb- ruary 9, and the ratification exchanged on May 27. The Government had instructed his Majesty's representative to make it clear that "most favoured nation treatment" did not ex- clude preferential treatment within the Em- pire. Sir William Harcourt returned to the House for the first time since his illness, and was heartily cheered on both sides. Mr. Cham- berlain, in answering the right hon. gentleman's criticisms of the South African Loan and War Contribution Bill, congratulated him on his re- covery, and he expressed the delight which all felt in seeing him once more among them. Sir William reviewed the financial proposals of the Bill, and remarked that the enormous cost of land settlement, irrigation, and other works of- fered a prospect so extensive that they seemed to be only at the beginning of things. The Colo- nial Secretary, in his reply, spoke hopefully of the Transvaal's future prosperity, and, on the question of importing Indian or Chinese labour, he intimated that he would not interfere with the opinion or desire of a substantial majority of the Colony, whatever it might be. The Bill was read a second time. The Committee stage of the Naval Works Bill occupied the rest of the sitting. I LONDON EDUCATION. I In the House of Lords, on July 28, the Mar- ^FeS?u JLondonderry moved the second reading of the London Education Bill. Lord Reaj moved that it be read a second time that day three months. Among his objections to the measure was that it destroyed the School Board, and thereby abolished the direct representation of woman. Th Archbishop of Canterbury, wha followed, said he was at a loss to understand the passive resistance" phase. He believed, how- ever, that they would yet find themselves stand- ing side by side to defend religious teaching in the schools. The Debate was continued by the Bishops of London and Hereford. The latter supported the Amendment in the interest of the Established Church, of justice, and equality. After a reply from the Duke of Devonshire the Second Reading was carried by 69 votes to 26. The Motor-cars Bill was read a third time and passed. I WINDING-UP. I Rising in the House of Commons to propose the suspension of the twelve o'clock rule for the remainder of the session, Mr. Balfour dealt with the prospects of the measures already before Parliament or to be introduced later. He said there was no chance of the Motor-cars Bill be- coming law unless it was received by members generally in a sympathetic spirit. The question of our commercial policy soon swallowed up all other topics in the debate, and Mr. Dalziel moved an amendment with the object of securing a discussion of the subject before the close of the session. Though Mr. Balfour thought per- haps the House would have an opportunity of considering the matter, he could not give any pledge, and he pointed out that there were obvious objections to discussion as long as the Cabinet inquiry was still in progress.. The amendment was rejected by a majority of 97, and the suspension carried by one of 138. Mr. Bal- four then moved the second reading of the Sugar Convention Bill. He said that Russia, Argen- tina, Chili, and Peru were the only countries against which we should have to apply the penalising clause. Mr. Lough moved the rejec- tion of the measure, and was supported by Mr. Bowles. The debate was kept up during the re- mainder of the sitting.

[ PEACE IN TFTTC FAR V. A ST I A usually well-informed correspondent writes to the "Daily Chronicle" as follows: It is now certain that peace will be preserved in the Far East throughout the winter. Russia has made important concessions to America and Japan; while England, who has conducted her nego- tiations on more sober lines, has also obtained her desires. An important Russian declaration will shortly be issued. Meanwhile, it is signifi- cant that two British battleships have just left Wei-hai-wei. It is understood that the strained situation in the Far East was the subject of discussion at the Cabinet Council held in London last week while the happy issue to the negotiations was announced at Tuesday's sitting. All doubt as to the speedy conclusion of a treaty between the United States and China. providing for the opening of the ports in Man- churia has now been removed by the positive information received in Washington. The only question to be decided now is the date of the opening of the ports; it must, of course, be subsequent to the ratification of the treaty by the United States Senate. It is likely to be many months, perhaps a year, before the treaty becomes effective.

MR. WHITAKER WRIGHT. I The excitement attendant upon the prepara- tions for his departure for London from New York proved too much for Mr. Whitaker Wright on Tuesday. The prison physician, Dr. Guerau, was summoned twice to attend him, but his condition was not serious enough to prevent him from sailing on the Oceanic. The doctor says that Mr. Wright was in a highly nervous state. When a correspondent of the London "Daily Telegraph" called on him at Ludlow- street Gaol on Tuesday afternoon, he said that he had decided to heed the advice of his coun- sel and friends in London, and would therefore not make a statement of any kind about his case. "Not until I get in the witness-box in London will I open my lips," said Mr. Whitaker Wright. "You can rest assured of that. I shall have nothing to say when I leave, when I am on the ship, or when I arrive in London. You can state with absolute positiveness that any statement or interview purporting to come from me after this is absolutely false, and I wish that you would deny any such statements for me. You cannot make the denial too strong. I am delighted at the prospect of re- turning home. My counsel in London will meet me at Liverpool, and will provide a bondsman for me. Within a few hours after my arrival I expect to be with my family in Surrey."

A TRAGEDY OF HAMPSTEAD HEATH. A painfully exciting and tragic occurrence was witnessed by a large crowd of people at about eigh o'clock on Sunday evening on Hampstead-heath, when a young woman deliberately threw herself into the deepest pond, near the bandstand, and was drowned. A young man in whose company she had been dur- ing the band performance, and who is be- lieved to have been her lover, instantly plunged into the water to save her, but she strongly re- sisted his attempts at rescue. One of the on- lookers, seeing that the young man was in danger of being drowned, went in to his assistance, and was just in time to save him. The young woman after rising twice to the surface finally disappeared. Her would-be rescuer was removed in an exhausted condition to the shed close at hand, and there re- storatives were successfully applied. The body of the girl was brought ashore some time later by means of drags.

The "Petit Bleu" of Brussels publishes a re- port stating that the King of the Belgians has been in direct correspondence with King Ed- ward regarding the attitude adopted by England towards the reported ill-treatment of natives by Belgians in the Congo. A Lloyd's telegram from Bona states that the British steamer Firth of Forth, from Hamburg for Vladivostock, has foundered. The passen- gers and crew were all saved. A pig which has just been born at Westham, near Weymouth has two bodies connected at the shoulders, one head, and four ears. The fore legs are reversedj but the hind legs are perfect.

THE POULETT PEERAGE CLAIM. ( The claim to the earldom of Poulett before the Committee of Privileges of the House of Lords, the Earl of Morley, Chairman of Com- mittees, presiding. The claimant, William Turnour Thomas Poulett, described as of Henry's Buildings, Pen- tonville, claimed to be Viscount Hinton and Earl Poulett. Mr. Bennett Calvert appeared for the claim- ant; Mr. Warmington, K.C., Mr. Haldane, K.C., Mr. Lindsay, K.C., and Mr. R. J. Quin for Rosa Countess Poulett, who opposed the claim on behalf of her "infant" son; and the At- torney-General, Mr. E. R. Askwith and Mr. Geoffrey Ellis for the Crown. The late and sixth Earl, William Henry Poulett, was born on September 22nd, 1827. He married three times, and the question was whether the claimant was the issue of the Earl by his first wife, Elizabeth Lavinia Newman, whom the Earl married at a registry office at Portsea on June 23rd, 1849. Within two months he discovered that she was likely to be- come a mother, and separated from her. It was alleged that the father of the child (the claimant) was Captain William Turnour Gran- ville, of the 48th Regiment, with whom she had cohabited. Elizabeth Lavinia died August 9th, 1871, and the Earl on January 26th, 1899. Dr. Champness and Dr. Collingworth gave medical evidence. Mr. Warmington proposed to give in evidence the sworn testimony before Mr. Justice North of the case in July, 1887, as to the paternity of the claimant. Mr. Calvert objected, on the ground that it was unfair to his client, as the only person who could contradict it was the' wife, who was dead at the time. If this evidence was allowed it would give an opportunity to a man to bas- tardise his own children. The Lord Chancellor said it was a very im- portant question, and he submitted that the evidence was admissible. The question of ac- cess must be treated as one of fact. The object here was by what evidence could the legitimacy of the child be rebutted. Was it conceivable that a man who had taken to wife a woman he imagined to be chaste, and who afterwards found that she was pregnant before marriage, should not be at liberty to say that he had been deceived, and that he had not had relations with her before marriage? This would be an outrage against reason and common sense, and therefore he submitted the evidence should be received. Mr. Warmington then read the statement of Earl Poulett, who explained the circumstances under which he became acquainted with Eliza- beth Lavinia Newman, and denied that he had any relations with her before marriage. Evidence was next given as to the deed of separation and the payment of £65 a year to his wife. The claimant himself was called, and asked as to where he had passed his boyhood. He replied that he lived with his mother, Eliza- beth Lavinia Poulett, who told him that his father was Lieutenant Poulett. He visited the relations of the late Earl Poulett, among them the late Dowager Countess Poulett and the Duchess of Cleveland. They introduced him to their friends as Viscount Hinton. He received two letters from the la-te Earl, and produced them. On October 27, 1871, he received a lettet from the Earl, asking him to call upon him at twelve o'clock next day, and adding, "Give the name of Turnour, as I have reasons for not allow- ing my servants to know who you are." Up to that time he had never heard any repudiation of his parentage as the son of the Earl, and he and his mother were supplied with money by the Earl. Mr. Calvert: Did you have any interview with the Earl?—The Witness: Yes; on October 4, 1871, after my mother's death. He asked me to go to India, and offered me £ 700 or £ 800 a year. The claimant went on to say that when he received the letter of October 27, he refused to call as requested, as he was not inclined to give his name as "Turnour" to the servants. He heard from his mother that she knew the Earl some time before the marriage. They were great friends when they met at Miss Lock's house at Portsea. They knew one another in Dublin. As to the proceedings in Chancery, he was advised by counsel not to go on with them. Mr. Calvert having addressed their lordships in support of the case, the Attorney-General replied, and The Lord Chancellor said that this was a very clear case. The only question was whether there was evidence that could be believed. There could be no doubt that the late Earl, when between twenty-one and twenty-two years of age, married this girl, whom he seemed to have admired very much. Shortly after the marriage it was discovered that she was pregnant, and thereupon, according to his sworn testimony, he refused to further live with her, and the whole history of what took place afterwards was only consistent with that story. Therefore, treating this as a question of fact, he asked their lord- ships to believe the statement thus made. According to that statement, the lady admitted before marriage to friends that she was pregnant by Captain Granville, and after her marriage she admitted this fact to her husband. In the course of the whole case there was nothing whatever which cast a doubt on the truth of the history thus set forth. He was unable to understand why there should be any doubt as to the decision of the case once the facts were ascertained. The facts seemed to him consistent with the hypothesis put forward in the sworn testimony of the late Earl. There could be no doubt, there- fore, that the claimant under this marriage was illegitimate, and had no right to the titles he claimed. He accordingly moved that the Com- mittee report to the House that his claim had not been made out, and that there was complete proof of the claim of Rosa Countess Poulett on behalf of her son. The resolution was put by the Earl of Morley and agreed to.

I A BARON'S FATAL ACCIDENT. I Baron de Bush died in the Northampton General Infirmary early on the morsiBg of July 24, from injuries sustained on the London and North-Western Railway at Banbury-lane crossing, near Northampton. The Baron, accompanied by the Baroness and his daughter, left Euston on the day preceding by the 8X0 p.m. train for Scotland. He occupied a separate sleeping compartment, and at Rugby the Baroness discovered that he was not in the car. A search was made on the line, and he was found alive, but very seriously injured. He was taken by special train to Northampton, but died shortly after admission to the infirmary. It is surmised that he opened the carriage door in mis- take for another. Only forty-three years old, and a notable chemist, the Baron got his title from the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

MODERN VIKINGS. I The daring of the old Vikings who-crossed the seas in their primitive boats has been emulated by their descendants. Five members of the Danish Svendborg Rowing Club have made their way in an ordinary club rowing boat from Svendborg to Kiel, where they have received a hearty welcome from the Senior Rowing Club. The "Standard's" correspondent says that they accomplished the perilous voyage in two and a- half days, having crossed the Little Belt and the Bays of Flensburg, Eckenford, and Kiel. They would have arrived earlier but for unfavourable weather off the Island of jEro. From Kiel the adventurous crew proceeded, by special permis- sion, through the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal to Hamburg, to attend the regatta there.

Of the 10,000 million pounds of fibre annually produced in the world for manufacturing pur- poses, cotton amounts to over half the total amount. Dr. Philip Henry Pye-Smith, M.D., F.R.S., has been re-appointed a Governor of St. Paul's School, and Professor W. H. H. Hudson, M.A., LL.M., has been appointed a Governor of the Roan Schools, Greenwich. A marriage has been arranged, and will take place at Lahore, India, early in November,* between Leslie Noel Malan, Royal Engineers, only S" of Henry Noel Malan, The Old Cottage, Epsom, and Christine Marguerite, elder daughter of the Rev. Arthur N. Malan, D.D., Eagle House, Sandhurst, Berks.

| RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN GLASGOW I aERIOtTS LOSS OF LIFE. One of the most disastrous accidents which has occurred in the history of railway enterprise in Scotland took place on the morning of July 27th, and resulted in the death of 15 persons, serious injury to about 20 others, and minor injuries to many more. The scene of the accident was St. Enoch Station, the terminus of the Glasgow and South- western Railway Company. The company have recently doubled their station from six to twelve platforms. The extension is to the south side, and the platforms in consequence of the position of the hotel are much curtailed in length and the dock of that at which the accident occurred is a particularly short one, and is reached round a rather stiff curve. The train which came tc grief was a special run from Ardrossan in con- nection with the sailings of the steamer Tynwald from the Isle of Man. It was due to reach Glasgow at 7.50, but was several minutes late. It consisted of the engine, twelve carriages, and a brake van, and, as Monday marked the close of the Glasgow fair holidays, it was crowded throughout with passengers, chiefly of the work- ing class, who had been spending their week's vacation in the Isle of Man. The tickets are collected at a station about half a mile from the terminus; and, as that distance is quickly covered, the passengers were for the most part on their feet, getting packages and wraps ready for alighting, when the crash came. It appears that the engine, which, it is stated, was running at high speed, could not be drawn up in time, and dashed into the terminal buffers. They and the locomotive stood that impact tolerably well, but the second carriage was telescoped into the first, the former being com- pletely demolished, only a shred of the framework being left. The rest of the train escaped without damage, although many of the passengers who were in the act of jumping off were thrown on to the platform and received cuts and other injuries. The scene at once became all con- fusion and excitement. It was evident from the beginning that many had been killed, and the cries and appeals of the living who were jammed among the wreckage were most pathetic. Lady onlookers fainted, and added to the confusion. A large staff of willing workers was soon engaged in the work of relief. The dead were removed one after another to a waiting-room, where ultimately thirteen bodies were laid awaiting identification. The injured were expeditiously attended to by the doctors. Many were able to go home, but about twenty of the more serious cases were taken in ambulances to the Royal Infirma.ry. Of these, Alex. Knutt and Bella Carmichael afterwards died, bringing the death- roll up to fifteen. Henry Northcote, who was the driver of the train, is what is known as a spare man—that is to say, he works goods trains when not required for passenger trains. He blames the brakes for failing to act. He was detained at the station for a time, and was afterwards removed to the Central Police Office in custody- The following is a list of the killed: William Hunter (40), painter, 14, Cadogan- street. Marion James (32), 47, Oswald-street. Robert James (35), of the same address. George Edward Darroch (35), draughtsman, 97, Dykes-road. James Ewart (29), who is said to be a clerk, but whose address is unknown. Mary Duff (27), tailoress, 3, Bell-street, Calton. Alexander Knutt, 162, Butterbiggins-road (died in the infirmary). John L. Wilson (29), manager of Nelson's Colliery, Kilsyth, whose address is unknown, but whose parents reside at Drongan, Ayrshire. Hannah Davidson (24), 100, Watt-street, Paisley-road. Charles Wilson (39), warehouseman, 29, Simpson-street, New City-road. Mary Campbell, or Wilson (39), wife of the above. Mary Wilson (7), and Charles Wilson (4), children of the above. Henrietta Anderson (26), Gardner-street, off New City-road. Bella Carmichael (34), Napiershall-street, Glasgow (died in the infirmary). The following is a list of the injured at the Royal Infirmary: John Thompson (21), 187, Comely-park-street, compound fracture left leg. William Turnbull (22), 28, Richmond-terrace, Aberdeen, compound fracture left leg. Edward Archard (39), 187, Comely-park-street, Aberdeen, both legs fractured, right compound and left comminuted. { James Revie (19), 13, Auchentorlie-street, Partick, scalp wounds and comminuted fracture of left leg. George Kennett (29), 19, Rupert-street, scalp wound and shock. Robert Anderson (23), 11, Hill-street, Spring- burn, general bruises and shock. William Smith (50), care of Ross, 40, Cow- caddens, scalp wound and general bruising. John Smith (45), brother of above. William Smith (51), Montgomerie-street, Kelvinside, lacerated wound of head. Duncan Darroch (25), 31, Sussex-street, both legs bruised. Peter Seaton (7), 22, Merkland-street, Partick, lacerated scalp wound. John Scott Shaw (27), 13, Torrisdale-street, Coatbridge, fracture of right thigh. Bella Wilson (19), 29, Simpson-street, fractured leg and bruises. Mrs. Hesson (31), 5, Hampden-street, bruises on legs. James Hesson (her husband). Mrs. Darroch (21), wife of Duncan Darroch, 31, Sussex-street, bruised legs. George Priestly (25), 21, Clerk-street, Airdrie, compound fracture right leg, simple fracture left leg, and scalp wound. Mr. James Brown, 702, Gallowgate, president of the Scottish Junior Football Association, is among the injured. Included in the list of injured who were sent home were: Samuel Knox (44), of Stirling-road, Glasgow, who sustained injuries to the back. Matilda Knox, his sister. Elizabeth O'Brien, King-street, Glasgow. Robert Prince (25), Rutherglen-road, Glasgow. Eliza Kirkgood (15), of the same address. The Board of Trade appointed Lieutenant- Colonel Yorke, R.E., Chief Inspecting Officer of Railway,s, to hold an inquiry into the circum- stances of the collision.

NEWSPAPER COPYRIGHT. In the Chancery Division of the High Court en Monday, before Mr. Justice Joyce, Mr. Springfield, a journalist, brought an action against the publisher of the "Evening Standard" for an injunction to restrain the further publi- cation in that paper of a paragraph contributed by the plaintiff to the "Daily Mail," and for a declaration as to the ownership of copyright in the paragraph. It appears that the paragraph, which, as it appeared in the "Daily Mail," was altered from the form in which it was sent in by the plaintiff, was copied, with slight altera- tions, in the "Evening Standard," and the action was brought to determine whether a newspaper is entitled to "lift" original matter from another newspaper and refuse to make any payment to the author. His Lordship held that the action failed because the plaintiff was not, in his view, the author either in the popular or the legal sense of the paragraph which appeared in the Daily Mail."

In Norfolk and Cambridgeshire the wheat area has decreased 9,300 acres since last year, thus reducing the production of grain in these counties by 270,000 bushels. Mr. Austen Chamberlain is endeavouring to come to an arrangement with the Russian authorities to enable persons in this country to send correspondence to the Far East bv the Trans-Siberian route. The Russian crop prospects, which until recently were excellent, are becoming less favourable owing to the excessive heat which ore- vailed for some weeks in the greater part of Russia. Eight Chinese officers, sons of high dignitaries, have arrived at Cassel to complete their studies of the German language, after which they will serve for three years with the colours.

I NATURE NOTES. BILBERRIES. A marked feature of the trade of the week ia the fruit markets of the Midlands has been the bilberry boom. As there is a shortage in the Eng- lish black currant crop the retail fruiterers buy up the cheap foreign bilberries readily. Grimsby is the great import centre for them. In two days during the week four boats unshipped over 20,000 packages of this fruit. The bulk cornea from Hamburg and Antwerp. TOAD IN A HOLE. If you poke about the corners of a garden you will soon understand (says "The Garden") how the stories of toads imprisoned in a solid rock arise. You hardly ever find a toad in its chosen retreat without wondering how it managed to get in, and how it proposes to get out again and our ancestors enshrined this batrachian habit in the phrase "toad in a hole," as the name of a dish in which a piece of meat is baked inside a batter with no visible means of entrance or exit. This peculiar faculty of the toad for burying himself without leaving a trace behind is due to his trick of burrowing backwards, as a crab does, his strong hind legs shovelling the earth forwards until he ia covered. AN OLD FISH TALE. Fish stories are not a modern invention. The Liverpool Post" gives an extract from a maga- zine, published in the beginning of the last century, as follows: -In the year 1497, in a fountain which belongs to the town of Hailbron, a pike was catched which was in length 19ft., and which weighed 340 pounds. Behind its ears there was a copper ring, upon which there was the following inscription in Greek, I was the first fish that ever was thrown into this pond, by the hands of Frederick the Second, monarch of the world, on the 5th of October, 1230.' Hence it appeared that this pike was 267 years old when it was taken." A FRIEND OF MAN. Regular visitors to the hotel situated on the summit of the Schneeberg, that popular summer mountain resort within easy distance of Vienna, will miss the large black Newfoundland dog Pluto, which fell down a precipice some days ago and was killed on the spot. When the hotel was first opened Pluto was installed in his kennel as a puppy, and ever since then, in summer and winter, he had remained at his post. In organising expe- ditions for the rescue of mountaineers in distress, Pluto's wonderful sagacity frequently stood hit companions in good stead. Often, too, his instinct was invaluable in recovering the bodies of unfor- tunate climbers, and in a snowstorm or fog his knowledge of the district and the certainty with which he could be trusted to guide the way back to the hotel was marvellous. A MONSTER CACTUS. The Succulent House in the Royal Gardens at Kew, which was erected in 1855 for cactuses and allied plants of dry climates, became very popular, we gather from the same authority; but it is diffi- cult to say whether the visitors were more in- terested, or instructed, or puzzled, by the strange and novel forms it contained. One cactus which lived for several years was the wonder of the Kew collections. It weighed one ton. It belonged to the genus Echinocactus, of which the species are more or less globular and in this case was 9fft. in girth. Sir. W. J. Hooker reported that he paid a bill of fifty guineas of the cost of its transport from the mountains to the coast of Mexico in a waggon drawn by six oxen. The cause of the death of this cactus was bruise received in transit, which caused it to very slowly rot away. JERSEY CO WS. The peculiar characteristics of the Jersey cow as a dairy animal pure and simple have conduced to the keeping of records by its admirers, and have led to the study and encouragement of all means by which cows may be profitably kept in the dairy for as many years as possible. Any acci- dent or disease affecting breeding or milking powers is of comparatively little consequence, il the affected animals can be quickly and profitably fattened off. Country Life points out, how. ever, that this cannot be done in the case of a Jersey, so that it behoves the owner of a really good milker to guard against everything which may damage her dairy value with more than ordinary precautions. WHAT A TREE DOES. Some curious facts are set forth concerning trees by a writer in Scribner's Magazine," A single oak of good size is said to lift 123 tons of water during the months it is in leaf. This moisture is evaporated, and rises to form rain. clouds. All the trees are busy doing the same thing, and the rank ferns and mosses, and deep mould of the forest depths, acting as reservoirs for the rain which falls upon them, in their turn feed the springs and brooks. From this estimate of the labour of a single oak we can gain some idea of the immense force which the forests exert in equalising the evaporation and precipitation, and preventing periods of inundation and drought. BRAGGART SWANS. The most terrific of swans is only a Bombastea Furioso among birds. No doubt he can deliver a flip with his wing that whistles through the air, and would doubtless be a nasty blow for a dog 01 another swan. But, as Country Life observes, a swan's attitude takes time in the making, and if the enemy exhibits resolution in advance, the swan nearly tumbles over his own tail in his haste to get out of his fighting attitude and into the water. There he becomes supremely magnificent, with bowed and upcurved wings, and every plume on his body doing duty for six, as he oars himself through the high-rippling water with that superb double stroke of his broad black paddles which he reserves for striking occasions. Never was there such another poseur as the swan. THE BENEFIT OF BIRDS. Robins, hedge-sparrows, and wrens seem equally superabundant, but the larcenies of these little garden trifiers are so petty and rare that their mul- tiplication is matter of unmixed pleasure; while even in the matter of blackbirds and thrushes no one who owns a garden and watches the birds can have any doubt that he gains largely by their presence in numbers. The trouble of netting such small fruit as you desire to preserve, observes the 11 Garden," is a small countercharge against the large benefit which the garden in general derives from the services of these feathered police, who spend all the rest of the year in arresting evil- doers. Nor need one be ashamed of counting the singing of the birds as a large item in their favour if one desires one's garden to be a plawatince in the good old-fashioned sense. POISON AND ANTIDOTE. With reference to antidotes for snake-poison, a correspondent informs us that the natives of South Africa use the gall of the snake itself, taken in- ternally, and find it a very successful remedy. We do not dispute its efficacy, which our correspondent declares he knows to be a fact, but his statement that it is highly probable that the reptile should carry an antidete to its own poison lest it should itself perish can hardly be substantiated. As & matter of fact, poisonous snakes do ocoasfonally wound themselves with their own fangs and when this happens they die of the venom, just as any- thing else would into which it had been injected. As illustrating the marvellous powers of certain riverside plants as antidotes to snake-poison, our correspondent gives the instance of a dog belong- ing to his father which was cured by a poultice made of the leaves. He adds, in support of his contention of the value of the snake's gall, that in the Natal Times of some time back there was published an undoubtedly authentic account of a Chief who was bitten by a mamba, the most deadly 3f the South African snakes. He recovered on the ;a.tl of the snake, which one of his men kIlled seing administered to him."

Dickie, what did you do with that penny I gave you for taking your quinine?" "Why pa, I bought some lickerish with one halfpenny— an with the other I hired Tommy Budds to take th quinine."

:T # —— CURRENT SPORT. ž,SÁTURDAY'S CRICKET FINISHES. Despite the broken weather, all the seven first- class matches of last week-end were brought to a definite conclusion with the exception of the Sussex and Leicestershire match at Brighton, and even there another half-hour would have been sufficient to ensure the defeat of the visitors. In this match Mr. C. B. Fry scored his seventh hundred of the summer, reached his 2,000 runs, and scored 226 for once out. Of the finished matches, the most exciting finish was at Man- chester, where Essex beat Lancashire by only two wickets, within seven minutes of time. It was a great performance, in which Percy Perrin and Sewell had the greatest share. Yorkshire àad not much to spare in beating Warwickshire. Quaife made a great effort to stave off defeat, but, with the exception of Charlesworth, no one stayed long with him, and he carried his bat out for a fine defensive innings of 55. Moorhouse bowled ex- tremely well, and in Yorkshire's second innings took seven wickets for 53. Hargreave secured hi9 hundredth wicket of the season, a feat also performed by Barnes and Wilfrid Rhodes. Surrey, at Portsmouth, gained an easy win over Hampshire by nine wickets. It was a low scor- ing game, on a difficult wicket. Two days' play was sufficient at Gravesend to enable Kent to 'beat Somerset. The wicket became terribly -difficult on Saturday, and the lead gained on the preceding day by Kent, when they declared, was enough to give them the victory. Naturally, Fielder's fast bowling was of little use, but Blythe was suited by the pitch, and garnered in a har- vest of wickets. The match at Kennington Oval produced very interesting cricket, in which the Philadelphians were out-played by Mr. Warner's Eleven, the latter winning easily by 196 runs. A GREAT GOLFER GONE. The death took place at Musselburgh on 'Saturday, in his seventieth year, of old Willie Park, who four times secured the golf cham- pionship at Prestwick. Park was a maker of golf •clubs, and was largely instrumental in fostering the popularity of golf not only in Scotland but all over the world. He was known to a wide -circle of golfers, and, although he has been con- fined to the house for several years past, his prowess on the greens is a lasting memory. His son Willie has won the golfing championship twice. 'GOLF AT FORMBY. An interesting contest took place on the Formby Links on Saturday, when a local team met a House of Commons side, got together by Mr. E. Marshall Hall, K.C., the member for Southport. Mr. Marshall Hall had the assist- ance of his conqueror in the final tie of the Par- liamentary Handicap, Mr. H. W. Forster, and other prominent House of Commons golfers; but Formby won the Singles by six matches to two, and halved the four-ball foursomes. EXIT POLO. After a season which, despite the wet weather in May and June, has been a highly successful, if not a brilliant one, polo was played for the last time this year at all the metropolitan clubs. True, there may be still some members' games and a few scratch matches, but the clubs have ■completed their lengthy programmes, and the polo season of 1903 is over. Hurlingham fittingly closed its gates with the final tie of the final handicap. In this Mr. L. Wilson, Mr. J. B. Dale, Mr. Roylance Court, and Mr. M. de Las Casas defeated Mr. W. Bur- don, Mr. J. Mason, Major F. Egerton Green, and Captain Hobson by eight goals to one, to the surprise of many. At Ranelagh there was an excellent match between the Household Brigade, consisting of Lord Ingestre, the Duke of West- minster, Sir H. Rawlinson, and Captain Fitz- gerald, and the Royal Artillery, represented by Captain Powell, Major Cameron, Major Cou- rage, and Captain Stajiley. After a close struggle, the Household Brigade won by seven goals to five; but had Major Ferrar been playing {as usual) for the gunners, the reverse would pro- bably have been the result. Several matches were played at Roehampton, the most interesting being the final of the Public Schools Tournament, in which, thanks to the splendid captaincy of Captain E. D. Miller, the Old Harrovians had worked their way into the concluding contest. The team representing the Old Harrovians consisted of Mr. N. Baring, Captain Hobson, Mr. J. Bellville, and Captain E. D. Miller, while opposed to them were the old Malburians, represented by Captain L. Jenner, Mr. E. B. Sheppard, Mr. G. A. Miller, and Mr. C. D. Miller. The Old Malburians were, of course, much the stronger side, and they won easily by six goals to one. LOXG-DISTANCE SWIMMING. On Saturday last J. A. Jarvis, of Leicester, registered his sixth successive victory in this -event, which took place over the usual course from Kew to Putney, a distance of five miles and about sixty yards. However, the race was the finest that has been seen for a number of years past, as Billington, a young swimmer of eighteen years, from Bacup, who has improved wonder- fully during the past year, put up a grand struggle until taken with cramp at Chiswick, up to which point he had led by sixty yards. After that Jarvis drew level before reaching Hammer- smith Bridge, and in the end won rather easily by 200 yards, Billington in the meanwhile having been twice more affected by cramp. None of the,pther swimmers stood any chance with this pair after a half mile had been traversed in fact, the gap that divided them from the others was at times so great that at the bend of the river they could not be seen at all by those with the leading men. Jarvis had to swim so hard that he covered the distance in lhr. 3min. 48 l-5sec. the best time on record, the previous best having been that made by him in 1900, lhr. 4min. 17sec which was beaten by 28 4-5sec. Of the twelve that started all but two finished, the times of the steading men being as follows: J. A. Jarvis (Leicester), lhr. 3min. 48 l-5sec.; D. Billington (Bacup), lhr. 5min. Isec. W. J. Hawes (Citv of Westminster S.C.), lhr. 9min. 21sec. J. Short- house (Salford), lhr. 9min. 25sec. C. Bottina (St., James's S.C.), lhr. lOmin. 55sec.; J. Millar t w a ames 8 S-C-)' lhr- 11mm. 55sec. J. Wolffe (Amateur B.C.), was seventh R F Bhoss (Hornsey S.C.), eighth; B. Carpenter (Invicta), ninth; and B. Jenkins (West Ham S.C.), tenth; M. H. Blackmore (Zephyr S.C.) and S. P. Spiller (Napier S.C.), New Zealand, did not finish. SALFORD HARRIERS SPORTS. London athletes had a successful time at the Salford Harriers sports, at Belle Vue, Man- p^ster> °.n Saturday. L. F. Treemer, of the 4r.Tri+ Harriers, won the 220 yards scratch ~™.on race, beating E. H. Kenyon, of the W c,lub> by six inches, in 22 2-5sec. uMirl oV v. ai~] y> a^S0 now °f the Salford Harriers, rhamnim? 220 yards and quarter-mile third- A- Shrubb, of the tion scratch arr,iers> won the two miles invita- &scne' ■o!"7;sup- rthe -than W G r<l 1_Jsec., only 4 4-5sec. slower teSoSi iTJ1?pro- Shribb on Saturday beat' the seconlnL,C°f. ITliof!i6 ^frrinSton Harriers, by 15o'yards and the four miles ex-champion and holder J T. Eimmer (Liverpool) by ten yards more' Had Bimmer won on Saturday the Cup would haw ^become his own. u A half-mile scratch running race, for the club hampionship, was won by G. Walsh in 2min. .5 4-5see., and a one mile scratch invitation bicycle race resulted thus:-C. H. Threlfall ((Liverpool), 1; Or. H. t rost (Birmingham) 2 • J. Brooks, jun. (Stalybridge), 3; and R. JansoA (Polytechnic C.C., London), 4. Only a few Inches separted first and second and second and third. Time, Imin. 16 l-5sec. N.C.U. CHAMPIONSHIPS. The Wakefield Trinity ground was attended by about 5,000 spectators on Saturday, when a further batch of the National Cyclists Uniont championships constituted the attraction. In the quarter-mile amateur championship the holder, A. S. Ingram (Polytechnic C.C.),, was again first, a length in front of J. S. Benyon (Liverpool), and three lengths ahead of J. W. Longstaffe" (Sunderland). Time, 33 l-5sec- It was Ingram's fourth annual win. Leon Meredith (Paddington C.C,) won the twenty-five miles amateur championship, beating the second man, B. S. Ledger, of the Dearne C.C., by a lap. W. H. Giles, of the Derby Wheelers, was third, and Crowther, of Leeds, fourth. Only this quartette completed the journey, although fourteen riders started. Time, lhr. 5min. 14 l-5sec. There were three professional events, and they were all won by S. Jenkins (Polytechnic), who easily beat H. B. Howard (Putney) in the quarter- mile. Time, 33sec. T. James (Pontypridd) fell after going a furlong. Jenkins was again successful in the mile, beat- ing Howard by twenty yards, in 2min. 27 4-5sec., and he followed up that victory by carrying off a third championship—in the five miles—adminis- tering a ten yards beating to W. Rees, of Llantris- sant, and a fifteen yards defeat to Howard, in 13min. 3 4-5see. DR. DEIGHTON'S FEAT. Dr. Deighton successfully carried out his threat (despite his 61 years of age) to walk from London to Newcastle (300 miles) within six days. He arrived in Newcastle at 7.35 p.m. on Saturday strong and well, and met with a great reception. GYMKHANA AT EDEN PARK. There was a "record" gathering at Eden Park on Saturday, when the club held their annual gymkhana. Seven events comprised the pro- gramme, and the entries were very large. The Bending Race was won by Mr. J. N. Noakes on Tom Thumb, and the Hurdle Race fell to Mr. J. C. de Las Casas, who was first easily on his pony Limit. In the Club Scurry Mr. E. Hermon- Hodge was first with Paxton, and Mr. R. Young, 0' riding Socks, took the Stick and Ball Race. Mr. Bullivant being disqualified in the Club Stakes through having omitted to enter his pony, the prize was awarded to Mr. R. Young's The Saint, ridden by Mr. Donald Mr. Edward's Uncle Tom, ridden by J. N. Noakes, winning the Stand Plate. The last event was the Eden Park Plate, and after a good race Mr. J. C. Las Casas passed the judge first on Little Ada, Mr. W. F. Robinson's Amber being second. AUTOMOBILE HANDICAP. The first motor-car hill-climbing handicap organised in England was successfully brought to a conclusion on Saturday afternoon. Sunrising Hill, a steep incline on the Banbury road eleven miles from Stratford-on-Avon, was the venue, and the conditions of the contest, which was open to all petrol touring cars, demanded an ascent of 300 feet on a course of 1,000 yards long, two stops of 30 seconds duration being necessitated at points where the gradients were 11.87 and 14.71 in 100 respectively. The handicap was pro- moted by J. Broughton Dugdale, President of the Midland Branch of the Automobile Club, who presented a handsome cup for competition. Of nineteen cars which essayed the ascent seventeen successfully negotiated the course, the official times of the best performances being: C. Edge, 20 h.p. Napier, 2min. 55 4-5sec.; G. Iden, 20 h.p. "M.M.C. 3min. 21 4-5sec.; J. A. Holder, 24 m.p. Panhard, 3min. 32sec.; E. W. Lewis, 22 h.p. Daimler, 3min. 35 2-5sec.; and the Hon. C. S. Rolls, 15 h.p. Panhard, 3min. 36 l-5sec. CYCLING RECORD. On Monday morning Miss M. Foster covered the Southern Roads Records Association's 50 mile course in the remarkably good time of 2h. 14min. 2sec., beating Miss Palmer's previous best of 2h. 38min. 18sec by 24min. 16sec. L. Meredith's unpaced record, accomplished on the same course, of 2h. 21min. 42sec. was also beaten by 7min. 40sec. Miss Foster was paced through- out by a motor cyclist. TENNIS. At Lord's, on Monday, Peter Latham, conced- ing 15 to Mr. E. H. Miles, won a match by three sets to love—18 games to ten. SPOIL-SPORT RAIN. Continuous rain prevented play in all the first- class matches arranged to begin on Monday ex- cept in that between Kent and Surrey, at Maid- stone, in which Surrey had about, half-an-hour's batting, and lost one wicket for 37 runs. RAIN AGAIN. Rain again prevented play on Tuesday in the Essex and Hampshire match at Leyton. A simi- lar state of things prevailed at Brighton and Maidstone; but a full day's cricket was possible in the match between Yorkshire and Gloucester- shire at Sheffield, where sbme extraordinary cricket was witnessed. Batting first, the home county compiled 284, Denton, with 83, heading a list of useful contributions. G. L. Jessop bowled well. Gloucestershire collapsed utterly before the bowling of Hirst and Rhodes, and, alter being all dismissed for 65, lost eight wic- kets in their second venture for only 17. runs.

MURDERER REPRIEVED. I The Under-Sheriff of Kent was informed on Saturday that the Home Secretary had advised the King to grant a reprieve in the case of Samuel Henson, who was to have been hanged at Maidstone Gaol on August 4 for the murder of his son, by causing an explosion of tonite at Ramsgate. The sentence has been commuted to penal servitude for life.