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

I MR. WALTER LONG. THE GOVERNMENT WILL DO SOMETHING FOR THB TRADE. Mr. Walter Long was the principal speaker at the annual dinner on Tuesday night of Bristol and District Beer, Spirit, and Wine Trade Association. In acknowledging the toast of "The Imperial Parliament," he said he did not think the life of the present House of Commons was going to be a very short one at all events he saw no signs of want of confidence on the part of the people, which alone could bring it to an end. On the contrary, there were signs which seemed to indicate that they were improving their position. At one time it was said that a new body had been formed, called the Free Food League, which was going to draw to itself the flower and strength of the Unionist party; but if the information which reached him was to be relied upon, it was the Free Food League which was gradually coming to an end, and not the Unionist party. Dealing with the licensing question, Mr. Long said that if throughout the country magistrates were to take the view of the law which in some cases they had taken, and if they were to be incited to take it by men in high positions, then it was necessary that Parliament should step in and protect the property, which was just as much entitled to protection as any other class of propery. That, at all events, was the view which they held, as some of his colleagues had said in public before, and it was a view to which they would most undoubtedly give expression and effect when Parliament met. They might rely upon it that whether their proposals met with general approval or not, when they were made they would be violently attacked by those who were conducting the crusade upon the other side. He asked them to take care that the facts from their point of view were widely circulated and generally known, and to take care that all the missionary work was not left to the other side. The Government believed that not only had they a period of existence before them, but that they had useful work to do. He believed in the programme of that work there would be found a measure which would commend itself to them.

SOLDIER EXECUTED. I At Chelmsford on the morning of the 1st inst. Bernard White, 21, of the 2nd Battalion Essex Regiment, was executed for the murder of Maud Garrett, 20, at Warley Gap, in May. The young woman was found dead, with wounds on the head and her jaw broken, and there were also other terrible injuries. White served in South Africa, and became jealous of the girl on bis return home. At the trial Mr. Justice Lawrence said the murder was one of the foulest and most cruel he had ever heard.

MUNIFICENT BEQUEST. I It is stated that, according to the will of the late Mr. Seale-Hayne, M.P., after payment of various private bequests from his personal estate, the residue is to be used for the establishment of a College of Science, Art, and Agriculture for the county of Devon, which is to be built in the imme- diate neighbourhood of Newton Abbot, and is to be open to students throughout the whole county. The executors have discretion regarding the disposal of deceased's fine collection of pictures, but if thought desirable they may be hung in the gallery of the proposed College. The scheme is outlined in the will, the details being left to the executors, Messrs, Lambeth, M.P., Jennings, and Smith, of Dart- mouth. His three seats and London house are to be sold. It is thought that about E150,000 will be handed over for the College.

WHITAKER WRIGHT CASE. I Application was made to Justices Lawrance and Kennedy, in the King's Bench Division on Tues- day, to fix a day for the trial of Mr. Whitaker Wright, which had been removed into the High Court. It was explained that certain formalities had to be gone through, and eventually counsel said if the proceedings were allowed to take their ordinary course he thought they would admit of a sufficient interval to enable the case to come on shortly after the Christmas vacation.

ROYAL SOCIETY. The Royal Society held its anniversary meet- ing on Monday. The report of the council was received; the officers and council were elected; the various medals were presented and Sir A. Geikie was elected secretary, in place of Sir M. Foster, M.P., by a large majority over Pro- fessor W. D. Halliburton. The President, Sir W. Huggins, afterwards delivered his address. In the evening, the annual banquet of the society took ptace at the Hotel Metropole. Sir W, TTngginw presided, and among other speakers were Lord Alverstone, Lord Robertson, Pro- fessor Curie, of Paris, whose discoveries as to the properties of radium have gained him one of the Society's medals, Sir A. Rucker, and Sir M. Foster, M.P.

SNOW AND FROST. I DECEMBER COMMENCES WITH GREAT SEVERITY. I The first snows of winter have arrived. In London the fall was very slight-only a few hesitating flakes in the middle of the day on Monday, which served as a trembling salutation of December. In the north and north-east the weather was more businesslike, as befits that strenuous part of the country. At Whitby, Scarborough, Filey, and Bridlington there were distinct falls, and most of the meteorological stations in that part of the country report, at least, showers. North and South Shields were the worst sufferers, having an exceptionally heavy fall. All outdoor work in the Tyne dockyards had to be abandoned. A fall of two feet in South- East Durham necessitated the use of snow- ploughs on the electric tram route between Stockton and Middlesbrough, and the men in the Tees shipyards had to cease work. There was a considerable fall in South Lincolnshire, and the ground was white for 'miles round Peterborough. Places in the Thames valley ex- perienced small snow showers, and last night a heavy snow squall was raging at Dover. Weather prophets indulge in gloomy auguries of an exceptionally severe winter. I A general frost seems to have set in. Even Bournemouth has a temperature below freezing point, and London on Monday shivered with the thermometer less than 30 degrees at noon. We are, however, better off than many parts of the Continent. Paris and Brussels had a considerable snow-fall, and the Vosges and Ardennes came in for very heavy storms. The Neva at St. Petersburg is completely snow- bound, and the North Italian railways have been blocked. In Spain the Old Church of the Virgin at Madrid has been blown down, and San Sebastian is flooded. Naples has been swept by heavy storms, and very bad weather prevails at Gib- raltar. Awful weather is reported at sea, both at home and abroad. The steamer Lady heagh, of Dublin, arrived at Falmouth in a battered condition; H.M.S. Spartan was washed with heavy seas in the Irish Channel; and the steamer Strabo, which has arrived at Falmouth, received one great wave that killed a member of the crew and injured four others. The P. and O. steamer Arcadia arrived at Plymouth twenty-two hours late, several persons having been injured in the gale.

I ART AND LITERATURE. An edition of "Dod's Peerage," limited to 500 copies, and illustrated by portraits of peers and peeresses in their Coronation robes and coronets, is to be issued at the end of the year. By appointing the Rev. Dr. H. M. B. Reid, parish minister of Balmaghie, to the Chair of Divinity in the Glasgow University, in succes- sion to the late Professor Hastie, the Court of that ancient seat of learnmg has added a bril- liant writer to the professorial staff. Dr. Reid is best known by his "Life" of Macmillan, founder of the sect of the Macmillanites, or Cameronians, who was minister of Balmaghie in his day-an out-of-the-way rural parish on the banks of the Dee in Galloway. Dr. Reid has been one of the few clergymen in Scotland to take the world's classics into the pulpit, in the shape of sermons on Milton, Bunyan, etc., which were subsequently published. As a writer, he is singularly versatile, and his viva- city is unfailing. In the City of London there has been a pic- ture factory prosperously conducted, in which most modern masters will be turned out with punctuality and despatch. For the most part it favours those modern Dutch masters, who are rightly enjoying so great a vogue in Great Britain, while it also has a fondness for the Anglo-Scotch school. It must not be supposed (writes Mr. M. H. Spielmann in the "Magazine of Art") that the picture forger makes great profits from his hateful trtde. Like poor Bas- tianini, he works for a hard task-master, and the very shadiness of his vocation renders him helpless against the sweater. A skilful painter may make perhaps £ 3 a week if he sticks close to it all the year round; when he can he breaks away, if the desire is in him to make an honest living. One or two well-known painters would like to sponge out the memory of such a past when first they were thrown upon the world and were picked up and befriended by the picture-farmer. Dr. Samuel Warren's "Ten Thousand a Year" has been described as one of the great novels of the world. It certainly at one time had an extraordinary -vogue. The first chapter appeared in "Blackwood" in October 1839, and as the subsequent instalments came out month by month it was eagerly read. When in 1841 it was published in three bulky volumes it had an enormous sale, and was translated into the French, Russian, and other languages. Of late year's little has been heard of the book. It has been excluded from many of the recent re- prints, no doubt on account of its great length. But it recently occurred to Dr. Townsend Brady to strip the story of its legal and medical details, and some of its moral reflections also, and he has carried out his task with the con- sent of the author's son, Dr. E. Walpole Warren. He has also altered the title to "Tittlebat Titmouse." What success the book, which has just been issued by Funk and Wag- nails, will have in this form remains to be seen. Mr. Parker Hogarty, a Cardiff artist, has un- earthed a genuine oil-painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds in a remote corner of South Wales. While on a sketching tour he saw hanging in a house what seemed to be a valuable painting, and purchased it. Experts declare it to be a Reynolds, worth 3,500 guineas. The work had been given to the ancestress of the late owner by a member of the Meyer family, some of whose portraits are known to have been painted by Sir Joshua. The painting was probably exe- cuted about the year 1778. It is the portrait of a lady playing a mandoline. The face and the white and flowing drapery and head-dress so often seen in Sir Joshua Reynolds' works. The years have mellowed the colouring, and the picture, which is in its original narrow gilt frame, is in splendid preservation. It seems that another life of Disraeli is to follow hard upon Mr. Meynell's "unconven- tional biography," which appeared a few weeks ago. "The Jewish Chronicle" understands that Mr. Lucien Wolf has been entrusted with the editing of Lord Beaco-nsfield's works, to be published next year, the centenary of his birth. The first volume will deal with the Disraeli family, and will be for the most part a bio- graphy of the statesman, "concerning whom and whose family Mr. Wrolf has discovered many interesting items of information." The volume containing the biography will not be Mr. Wolf's first essay in that branch of literature. The life of the centenarian Sir Moses Montefiore, pub- lished in that eminent Jew's hundredth year, 1884, was from the pen of Mr. Wolf. He has contributed largely to the historical literature of British Judaism, in addition to doing staff work on various papers and his name is known as a frequent contributor of papers, usually on questions of international politics, to the leading magazines. An attractively-illustrated little book which will be welcomed in families with a theatrical bent called, "How to Get Up a Children's Play," is (says the "Morning Post") just pub- lished by Cassell and Company, Limited). The writer, Miss Maggie Browne, has seen that children get tired of long rehearsals and that their acting is often worse at the end than the beginning, and she thinks that an Erour at a time will be found long enough. Most people who have had experience in the promotion of Christmas plays will agree with her. The book contains various hints on stage management and the appropriate dressing of children. The voting for English candidates for tks Noble Prize is, so far as literature is concerned, in the hands of the Society of Authors. The Society, however, does not itself forward any collective recommendation, but merely circu- lates voting-papers among the persons who, ac- cording to the statutes, are entitled to vote, and transmits them when duly filled up to the electing body in Scandinavia. Each of the xty members of the Council has a vote, and about forty other persons in the country possess the stipulated qualifications. The vote has only the importance of a testimonial, and the electors can, if they choose, ignore all the votes, and bestow the prize on someone who has received none. This year's awards will be made known in the course of a few days. Mr. Murray is publishing at once Mr. Lionel Cust's work on the authentic portraits of Mary Queen of Scots. It is based on the researches of the late Sir George Scharf, but contains much new information. To those who micht ask whether there is an opening for such a work, it is replied "Few heroines of romance have been so icily regarded from the point of view of portraiture as Mary, Queen of Scots, most people being in the habit of choosing, at their own pleasure, that particular attributed likeness which tallies most with their own pre- conceived idea." In response to a number of requests from local authorities the Editor of the "Schoolmaster" has compiled a list of a hundred books where- with to start a, school library, and the list ap- pears in the last number of our contemporary. It was submitted, among others, to Sir John Gorst, and some of his criticisms are interest- ing. For instance, he asks whether "Lorna Doone" is not above a child's comprehension, and further, whether "Allan Quartermain" is not "too bloody." He says, too that "The Last of the Barons" is "very immoral." On the question of "Ivanhoe" he writes: "I am told modern children don't read Scott, other- wise I should have advised more." As to the inclusion of one of Marryat's works, Sir John writes: "There are others of Marryat's in the same style which are very good—'The Children of the New Forest,' 'The Settlers in Canada,' and 'The Mission. Sir John asks whether "Sesame and Lilies" is not above a child, and would add to the two books from the pen of Charlotte Yonge, "The Dove in the Eagle's Is est. Sir William Anson has also looked through the list. He strikes out Dean Farrar's "Eric" altogether. Sir WiUiam would add Jules erne's "Round the World in Eighty Days and Rolf Boldrewood's "Robberv Under Arms." The Bishop of Hereford would omit the following: "Eric," "Our Village," "Sesame and Lilies," "The Heir of Redclyffe." On the other hand, Dr. Percival would add the follow- ing Black Beauty,' The Heroes' (C. Kings- ley), Lamb's 'Tales from Shakespeare,' 'The Little Duke,' or 'The Caged Lion' (C. Y onge, or any of Mrs. Emma Marshall's books." Dr. Percival would like to see more poems, ballads, etc.

CURRENT SPORT. -<— THB "SOCCER" LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHEP. Both Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday played drawn games on Saturday, and their rela- tive positions at the head of the League remain unchanged. Aston Villa, who are at present plaving as good football as any team in the com- petition, scored a victory over Liverpool, and now are fourth, only one point behind Manchester City. The results of the matches were:—Shef- field United and Blackburn Rovers drew at Shef- field, two goals all; Manchester City and Shef- field Wednesday drew at Manchester, one goal all; Aston Villa beat Liverpool, at Birmingham, by two goals to one; Newcastle United beat Bury, at Newcastle, by three goals to two; Stoke beat West Bromwich Albion, at Stoke, by five goals to none; Notts Forest beat Notts County, at Trent-bridge, by three goals to one; Everton beat Small Heath, at Everton, by five goals to one; Derby County beat Sunderland, at Derby, by seven goals to two; Wolverhampton Wan- derers beat Middlesbrough, at Middlesbrough, by two goals to one. THE SOUTHERN LEAGUE. The result of the mate-hes in the Southern League on Saturday were: -Southampton beat Portsmouth, at Portsmouth, by one goal to none Bristol Rovers beat Millwall, at Bristol, by three goals to one; Northampton beat Kettering, at Northampton, by one goal to none Queen's Park Rangers and Wellingborough drew, at Welling- borough, one goal all. THE ASSOCIATION CUP. The fifth round of the qualifying competition for the Association Cup was decided on Satur- day. The winning clubs will enter the interme- dSa-te lound. Out of the ten matches the most important was that between Luton and Fulham, at Fulham, in which Fulham won by three goals to one. Plymouth Argyle beat Swindon Town, at Plymouth, by two go-als to none; West Ham United beat Chatham, at Chatham, by five goals to none. The other winning clubs were:- Brentford, Gainsborough Trinity, Darwen, Shrewsbury Town, and Burslem Port Vale, Stockton, and Wallsend Park Villa drew, at Stockton, two goals each, and Burton United and Leicester Fosse d.rew, at Burton, one goal all. MIDLAND LEAGUE. Gresley Rovers, three; Grimsby Town Re- serves, oiie.-Chesterfield Reserves, six Lincoln City Reserves, three.—Worksop, two; Rother- ham, iioae.-Denaby United, one; Derby County Reserves, one.—Thornhill, four; Doncaster j Rovers, one.-Newark, three'; Barnsley Reserves, none.—Whitwick White Cross, none; Gains- borough Trinity Reserves, none.-Sheffield Wed- nesday Reserves, eight; Hinckley, none. SOOTTISH LEAGUE. St. Mirren, one; Partick Thistle, none.— Queen's Park, none; Port Glasgow, none.—Dun- dee, one; Hibernians, none.—Glasgow Rangers, five; Greenock Morton, non e.-Airclrieonians, two Kilmarnock, none.—Heart of Midlothian, four; Motherwell, none. SOUTH-EASTERN LEAGUE. Tottenham Hotspur v. Brighton and Hove Albion At Tottenham, the Hotspur won by seven goals to none. GLASGOW CUP.—FINAL TIE. Third Lanark v. Celtic At Ibrox Park, Glas- gow, the match ended in a win for Third Lanark by one goal to none. co SOCOER" CLUB MATCHES. Corinthians v. Reading: At Queen's Club, Reading won by three goals to one.—Clapton v. Oxford University By one goal to none Clapton won this match at Upton.—Old Westminsters v. Cambridge University: Played at Shepherd's Bush. The Cambridge team gained a victory by three goals to one.—Clapton Orient v. Bristol City: At Clapton, Bristol City won by two goals to one. THE RUGBY COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP. Cornwall v. Gloucestershire: At Redruth, Gloucestershire won by two goals and a try to nothing. NORTHERN UNION LEAGUE. Division I.—Leeds, 6 points; Salford, 0.—Hud- dersfield, 5 points; Batley, O.-Runcorn, 6 points Hull, 3.-Broughton Rangers, 3 points Oldham, O.-Swinton, 5 points Widnes, 0.— Halifax, 7 points; Keighley, 2.-Bradford, 14 points; Warrington, 0.—The match Hull Kingston Rovers v. Hunslet was given up five minutes before time, and that between Wigan and Leigh was postponed.: Division II.—York, 14 points; Barrow, 7.—Rochdale Hornets, 9 points Millom, 6.—Pontefract, 3 points Normanton, 0. —Castleford, 8 points; Bramley, 5.—St. Helens, 11 points; Wakefield Trinity, 8.-Brighouse Rangers, 6 points Dewsbury, 2.—Lancaster, 9 points; South Shields, 5. "RUGGER" CLUB MATCHES. Blackheath v. Richmond: Richmond beat Blackheath on the latter's own ground by two goals and a try to a penalty goal.—Old Merchant Taylors v. Kensington: -The Taylors beat Kensington at Richmond by a goal and five tries to nil.—London Scottish v. t, R.I.E.C.: The Cooper's Hill team beat a poor side of the Scottish by a try to nothing.—Harlequins v. Rosslyn « Park: At Wandsworth, this game ended in a draw of one try each.—London Irish v. Guy's Hospital: Playing at Stamford Bridge, the Irishmen won by two tries to nil.-Old Leysians v. St. Bartholomew's Hospital: At Eltham, the Leysians were victorious by a goal and two tries 10 nothing.-Oxford University v. Marlborough Nomads: The University won, at Oxford, by three goals (one penalty) and three tries to nil. -Cambridge University v. Leicester: At Cam- C, bridge, the Light Blues defeated Leicester by two tries to nothing.—Cheltenham v. Gloucester At Cheltenham, and won by the home side by a goal and a try to a try.-United Services v. Dublin University: On the officers' ground at Portsmouth, the United Services won by 19 points to 5.—West Hartlepool v. London Welsh The London Welsh were beaten at West Hartle- pool by a try to nil.—Swansea v. Cardiff: At Swansea, before 20,000 spectators, in a great game, Swansea won by two tries to one.- Northampton v. Lennox: Lennox were defeated at Northampton by a goal to a try. WARNER'S M.C.C. TEAM BEAT QUEENSLAND. Queensland, in their first innings against Mr. Warner's England team of cricketers, made a very good show, putting on 242 runs. Dr. Macdonald (who will be remembered as having played for Leicestershire, made 59, and Evans 72. England, who were playing without Tom Hay- ward, George Hirst, and Tyldesley, only scored 215 in response, Knight being "top" with 46. However, at the second attempt, Queensland were all disposed of for 91, Braund and Arnold bowling finely; and the visitors secured the necessary runs to win the match, with six wickets still to fall, the score being 119 for four at the close, Mr. R. E. Foster being 34 not out, and Mr. Bosanquet 20. GORDON-BENNETT MOTOR RACE. The rules for the eliminating trials whereby the French team in next year's Gordon-Bennett race will be chosen have now been drawn up and adopted by the sporting committee of the Automobile Club of France. The trials will take place one month before the cup race, and in the interval the successful cars will not be allowed to take part in any other competition. The manufacturers of the chosen car3 will be required to hold in readiness a reserve vehicle similar to that entered for the cup race to take its place in case of accident before the international event. The course for the eliminating test is to be not less than 500 kilometres and not more than 600 kilometres in length. MONDAY'S "RUGGER." The Oxford University Fifteen gave a wonder- ful display of football at Oxford, and beat Edin- burgh Wanderers by seven goals and two tries to nothing. The Richmond team were beaten at Dublin, the Wanderers scoring one goal and three tries to Richmond's one try. WESTERN LEAGUE. Tottenham Hotspur v. Bristol Rovers.—There were 5,000 spectators of thts Association match at Tottenham on Monday. The Hotspur played very well. They were two up at halftime, and finally beat the Rovers by two goals to one. Brentford v. Reading.—At Brentford the home side led at half-time by one goal, and eventually beat Reading by three goals to none. OTHER GAMES. Woolwich Arsenal v. An Army Team.—This match was played at Plumstead the gate-money being for the fund raised locally for the suf- ferers by the explosion at the Arsenal. Woolwich were much the stronger, and they beat the Army by four goals to none. Queen's Park Rangers v. War Office.-In this match at Kensal Rise the Rangers team won by seven goals to one.

I NATIONAL DOG SHOW. The National Dog Show, which opened at Birmingham on Monday, proved to be one of the best exhibitions of recent years. The St. Bernards were one of the strongest classes ever seen at the show. This is explained by the fact that the St. Bernard Club held their annual exhibition in conjunction with the Birmingham Show. Few finer lots of bulldogs have been on view either. Mr. A. Croxton Smith showed both the best dog and bitch among bloodhounds, in Champion Panther and Champion Wandle Wel- come, respectively. Mrs. Laura Williams had the two leading Irish wolfhounds, in Champion Wargrave and Champion Artara, g-rd Mr. W. C. Grew and Mr. F. R. Snow exhibited some excel- lent deerhounds. Mr. H. H. Taylor was a suc- cessful mastiff exhibitor, his Champion Clarice gaining several leading awards. Mr. J. B. Scott and Mr. T. T. Messenger had some stylish St. Bernards, and Mrs. Horsfall, of Bridgnorth, swept the board in the Great Danes, Champion Viceroy of Redgrave being adjudged the best dog, and Champion Valentine of Redgrave the best bitch in the show. Wishaw Clinker again enabled Mr. Tait to triumph in the collie classes. In the fox-terriers, Mr. Jowett and Walter Glynn met with success, and Mr. Luke Crabtree, of Manchester, was again profitably represented by Prince Albert. The Duchess of Newcastle showed some fine Borzois.

AN IMPORTANT NAVAL APPOINTMENT. His Majesty the King has been pleased to approve of the selection of Captain Frederick Samuel Inglefield, R.N., to be Junior Naval Lord of the Admiralty when Rear-Admiral John Durnford, C.B., D.S.O., vacates the office on taking his appointment to the command of the Cape of Good Hope Station. The selection of an officer so relatively low down the list as Captain F. S. Inglefield, whose seniority is June, 1895, to be Junior Naval Lord, although not un- precedented, has ("The Times" reminds us) been of comparatively rare occurrence in recent years. But Captain Inglefield is an officer of rare experience and attainments, and Lord Selborne's selection is one which the Navy generally will commend. Captain Inglefield was 49 in June last, and entered the service in April, 1868, became a sub-lieutenant in January, 1874, and received his commission as lieutenant in January, 1877. In that rank, when serving in the Minotaur, he saw service during the Egyptian war of 1882, receiving the Egyptian medal and the Khedive's Bronze Star. Subsequently, as lieutenant of the Condor, he was present during the naval and military operations in the Eastern Sudan and received the Suakin 1885 clasp. He was promoted to commander June 30, 1889, and to captain June 30, 1895. In both grades he filled important appointments calling for capacity, tact, and high professional knowledge. In November, 1898, he was posted captain of the Devastation, the port guardship at Gibraltar, and in November, 1901, to the Royal Sovereign in the Mediter- ranean. In October, 1902, having left that vessel, he was appointed to the Admiralty for special service, and in January of this year was made an Assistant Director of Naval Intelligence, a post he still fills. Captain Inglefield has passed as an interpreter in Swahili and French.

THE PREMIER ON THE WAR OFFICE. Mr. Balfour, speaking at the annual banquet of the United Club, in London, dealt exclusiveh with the subject of War Office organisation. He hoped that the committee which had been appointed would in a few months bring to fruition questions which had been pressing for some time, and would do much to put the War Office on as satisfactory a footing as the Navy. He pointed out the peculiar difficulties and complications which confront a British War Minister, laying stress especially on the constant differences of opinion among military experts themselves. Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman and Lord Rosebery, when in power, had been guilty of a deliberate policy of starving the Army. The present Government had since done their best to bring up the Army to the standard laid down by Mr. Stanhope. After reviewing what they had accomplished, he maintained that the Army, as framed by the Unionist Government, did all that its administrators professed it could do, and did it effectively. We had performed in South Africa a feat that no other nation had ever attempted before. He admitted that the military task had been underrated, but he denied that the whole of the miscalculations were due to the War Office not having takefi advantage of the, information given them by the Intelligence Department. The mistake was one of which the whole British military profession were alike guilty. He did not intend to apologise, as he did not think apology necessary. As to the future, he did not believe that home defence required a large army. The difficulty was not at home, but abroad. Con- scription had never been, and could not be, used to defend outlying possessions. All we could do was to have an adequate Army for an expedi- tionary force. But we must have an elastic organisation, and look forward to a common scheme of Imperial defence.

A COUNCILLOR'S CONFESSION. I An unusual confession for a councillor was made by Mr. J. Gribble, a Socialist member of North- ampton Town Council, at the meeting of the Mncil on Friday night. He was pleading for the unemployed, and complaining that his colleagues did not adequately realise the extent of the distress in the town, said that he had himself just been compelled through want of work to pawn his watch, a parlour suite, overmantel, and numerous other things, in order to exist.

BRIDEGROOM'S PLIGHT, I A Blairgowie ploughman was to have been married on Saturday afternoon in the manse of an adjoining parish, but half an hour before the time fixed for the wedding he was arrested on a charge of stealing a gold brooch and gold ring belonging to his employer. He denied all knowledge of the theft. The police visited the young lady at her home and asked her to show them her presents. She did so, and among the gifts were found the brooch and ring reported as stolen. When told that her lover had been arrested for stealing them, she gave way to un- controllable grief. Later in the day she called at the police-office requesting that the marriage might be allowed to take place in the cells, but this request was refused. During the evening the accused was liberated on bail of £ 3, and the couple immediately proceeded to the manse, where the ceremony was performed.

Mr. A. E. Rendle,, president of the Metro- politan Cricket League of New York, has ina,ugu- rated a movement for petitioning King EdTward to confer a knighthood on Dr. W. G. Grace, for his services in inculcating the sportsmanship of the game among British youths. Mr. Rendle maintains that Dr. Grace's services to his coun- trymen are greater than those which brought Sir Henry Irving and Sir Thomas Lipton their honours. Mr. Jules Levy, famous in Europe and America as a cornet player, died in Chicago on Saturday of apoplexy.

I GIRL'S TERRIBLE ORDEAL I STRUGGLE WITH A ROBBBR IN A LONELY HOUSE. An extraordinary Btory of an attack on a de- fenceless young woman named Florence Grant, aged 22, who is described as an authoress, was told before the magistrates at Sittingbourne ou Monday. Miss Grant, a young lady of pleasant appear- ance, medium height, and of quiet, self- possessed manner, has, for some time past lived alone at Little Rides Farm, in the parish of Leysdown, in the Isle of Sheppey, presumably, with the object of pursuing her literary occupa- tions in seclusion. Her spare time was deyotedto the hobby of poultry keeping. Miss Grant's parents reside at Warden, a village two miles away, whither they had gone from London. According to the evidence of Miss Grant on Monday, it seems that on Thursday night of last week she slept at her parents'house, and on the following morning she proceeded to Little Rides Farm. She noticed that a pane of glass had been removed from one of the windows. Upstairs in her bedroom she discovered that the bedclothes had been disarranged, as though some- one had slept there. Upon crossing the landing to another room she was astonished to see a strange man with a sheet wrapped round him, while a net curtain was drawn over his head. Before Miss Grant could recover from her astonishment the man sprang upon her, and a desperate struggle ensued on the landing, in the midst of which Miss Grant and her assailant fell downstairs. The young lady was there overpowered, blind- folded and gagged, taken upstairs, and bound hand and foot to a bedstead. The intruder then demanded money, threatening If you don't give me this money I'll put your light out." She pro- tested that she had no money in the house, but suggested that he should take a note to her parents, who would give him some. She was liberated partially to write the note, and when it was written the ruffian bound her up again and left with the note. As soon as he was out of the house Miss Grant managed to remove the gag and screamed for help. Her screams frightened her assailant, who returned, and insisted that Miss Grant should herself take the note to her parents' house. He accompanied her until they were near the place, when he went and waited in a neighbouring field. The young lady related to her parents all that had happened, and a messenger was sent to Mr. Thomas Horspool, a gentleman residing a little distance away. He drove to a neighbouring vil- lage for police assistance. In the meantime the assailant made off, but the news having spread he was pursued by the police and some villagers, and eventually captured at Hai-ty, where he had been unable to cross the River Swale. The man has been identified as John Wilson, a stalwart labourer aged 30, who has several pre- vious convictions against him, his last term of imprisonment being six months for a till robbery at Queensborough. After evidence prisoner was remanded.

DUELLIST PUNISHED. I Baron Guenther von Carlowitz has been sen- tenced to three months' detention by court-martial at Dresden for duelling with his brother-in-law, Baron Henry von Friesen. Both the men are officers in the army. There was a long-standing feud between the two, and they had fought with their fists at Baron von Friesen's house, owing to Baron von Friesen's ili-treatment of his wife (Baron von Carlowitz's sister). The duel followed, three shots being fired without effect. The case stands in strange contrast with one at Stettin, where the High Court has ordered an in- quiry into the conduct of an old judge, who was challenged by a junior judicial official and refused to fight for conscientious reasons.

LADY'S GIFT OF £ 20,000. I Newton Hall, Kingsley, near Runcorn, was dedi- cated to the purposes of the Children's Homes (established by Dr. Stephenson), by Miss Fowler, of Queen's-park, Liverpool, who has given E-90,000 for the purpose in memory of her brother, the late Mr. John Fowler, a merchant, of Liverpool. I

MIDDY'S HEROISM. I HIS SPLENDID EFFORT TO SAVE A COMRADE. I H.M.S. Flora has been on patrol duty in Northern waters, and about a month ago the sad news was conveyed to Vancouver, British Columbia, in brief form to the effect that Lieut. W. C. Pearce, of the Flora, and Midshipman McGuire were lost for a day and a night in those icy climes, the senior officer finally suc- cumbing to the exposure and Mr. McGuire suffer- ing terribly. No further details were received at that time. The return of the Flora to the station at Esqui- malt brought fuller news concerning the tragic death of Mr. Pearce, and the heroism of his young companion. The cruiser bad called at Queen Charlotte Islands to obtain some samples of coal to forward to the Admiralty. She had then proceeded up Skidegate Inlet, which separates Moresby from Grahain Island, intending to remain there a day or so. While the ship lay at this point Mr. Pearce and Ur. McGuire obtained leave one afternoon, as it was already growing dusk, and started up the inlet in a ship's boat to see what might fall to their rifles, intending to return about eight o'clock. An hour or so later, while still heading up the treacherous fjord, a heavy windstorm arose, and in making for the ship once more, they miscal- culated the currents and were carried on to a low reef in the middle channel, where they managed to clamber to a precarious foothold, but their frail craft was dashed to pieces, and all escape cut off, for the strongest swimmer would not live in that seething, ice-cold flood more than a few moments. In their exposed condition, in light shooting kit, without bla-nkets or food, their position was pre- carious indeed. Pearce, the less robust of the two, was soon chilled to the marrow by the surf, which broke over their inhospitable refuge and by the north-east blast which swept down the canyon. It was then that the middy proved of what mettle he was ma,de. One by one he doffed jacket, waistcoat, and shirt to give added warmth to his superior, and strove to keep life in his companion's body by wrapping his own clothes about him. But all to Do avail. Found the next morning by a chance Indian hunter, MeGuire lay insensible, completely ex- hausted and almost naked, and beside him Pearce, wrapped in his comrade's clothes, but dead. The unfortunate officer's remains were interred at Alert Bay. After careful nursing Mr. McGuire survived, to probably add further long years of gallant service in his country's cause, for he is yet but little more than a boy.

Queen Alexandra has many treasures, but few which she values more highly than a modest milk-jug of earthenware which she keeps in the boudoir attached to her dairy at Sandringham. It was given to her by a poor dying girl, whose YI latter days had been soothed by the tender nursing and sympathy of the Princess Alexan- dra. When the Queen entertains any very exalted guest at afternoon tea in her Swiss chalet, it is from this humble but priceless jug that she pours the cream.

THE CHINESE EMPRESS AND HER GUARDS. Seven thousand men of the Metropolitan Army of China, under Mayuken, who has hitherto been opposed to foreign drill, have now been placed under a Japanese instructor and been partially equipped with modern weapons and uniforms. This revolutionary proceeding is directly due to the action of the Dowager-Empress, who dis- covered that the Metropolitan Army was in a state of utter helplessness; more especially was this found to be so in the case of the Guard of -the Court, for their leader, Chuang Kuei Ti, declared that his entire force was unable to shoot because they had never been supplied with ammunition, and so were quite unaccustomed to the sound of the rifle.

"A STAR-SPANGLED SCOTSMAN." I On Tuesday, St. Andrew's Day, Mr. Andrew I Carnegie was present at the dinner of the St. Andrew's Society. He was introduced in a speech proposing his health as a, "star-spangled Scotsman," and, in replying to the toast, he said that what made a Scotsman so Scotch was that children in Scotland were reared right, and were fortunate in being born poor. The saddest day in the life of a Scottish child was when it learned that England was bigger than Scotland.

THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY. j Queen Alexandra, in the midst of her family, eelebrated her fifty-ninth birthday at Sandringham on Tuesday. Loyal and respectful good wishes and blessings from every class of the community marked the auspicious anniversary all round the world. The Queen, as usual, spent the day with the King and the members of the Royal family at Sandringham; where a small party of personal friends were invited to share in the domestic festivities which took place. Royal salutes in honour of the occasion were fired in St. James's-park and at the Tower of London; at Edinburgh Castle, Kingstown, in Ireland, and at all saluting stations at home and abroad.

THE REVENUE. I The receipts on account of Revenue from April I 1, 1903, when there was a balance of P-6,637,127, to November 28, 1903, were £ 79,734,150, against E83,050,074 in the corresponding period of the preceding financial year, which began with a balance of 48,566,947. The net expenditure was £ 93,358,887, against E127,434,606 to the same date in the previous year. The Treasury balances on November 28, 1903, amounted to E4,972,662, and at the same date in 1902 to £ 7,607,537.

Viscount Knutsford has been elected Master of the Library of the Inner Temple for the ensuing year in succession to Mr. Justice Granthaan, who has accepted the office of treasurer. Mr. Louis Pearson, late of Corpus Christi Col- lege, Cambridge, has been appointed to assist Mr. Mitford, the secretary, in the work of organi- sation on behalf of ike Queen Victoria Clergy Fund.

I WAR OFFICE AND THE WAR. I LIBERAL LEADER INDICTS THE GOVERNMENT. Sir Henry Campbell-Bannfpoaan spoke at New- port, Monmouthshire, on Monday, in reply to Mr. Balfour's recent speech at the United Club on the War Office and the war, as well as on the fiscal question. The leading points in the Liberal leader's adr dress on the former subject were as follows When I opened my newspaper on Saturday morning I was amazed1 to find the columns of Mr. Balfour's speech with a plentiful sprinkling of my name, and the general impression, as con- veyed in his speech, was that if this War Com- mission has disclosed a bad state of things the biggest culprit is the Secretary of State who left office in 1895. He says that when I was War Minister I pur- sued a deliberate policy of starving the Army. I give it a flat denial, the flattest of flat denials. It is utterly unfounded. What were the facts? I had inserted in the estimates the full amount asked for by my expert military advisers. They assured me that if I had gone to them and expressed a willingness to place at their dis- posal £ 50,000 or C,100,000 more for Army service, small-arm ammunition was the last thing they would have expended it upon. The new explosive, cordite, was in an experi- mental stage, and therefore it was inexpedient to have any exaggerated stock. The doubts entertained about it have been more than realised. At the critical moment it was discovered that the ammunition actually in South Africa was un- serviceable. These very men who are so feverishly anxious about the state of the ammunition allowed their reserve of it, in high time of war, and not in piping times of peace, to run down. As to the cordite vote, a fruitful source of obloquy against me, I have always treated it wiih the contempt it deserved'; but when the story is told it brings deep discredit upon its authors. As to the charge of starving the Army, it is nothing but pure party recrimination. Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman concluded his re- marks on this subject by saying:—"Reorganise your administrative machine if you like, and I, at least, have shown that I was not indifferent in that matter when I was responsible, for when I quitted office in 1895, I left for my successor a carefully-elaborated scheme for an Administra- tive Board, which would give the Secretary of State the benefit of the best and of the most direct advice of the most capable and experienced soldiers and civilians. It was on the eve of being issued by me, and it was practically adopted by my successor. And what did he say of it? In a published letter he has said that but for this scheme, inherited from me, it would have been impossible for them to have placed and main- tained in the field the South African Army. But all these matters, though of high importance, are not the main gravamen of this War Commission Report. The indictment lies not at the door of any office or Department—it lies at the door of the Cabinet itself. The charge against them is that they never counted the cost in men or money, that they undertook an enterprise fa! exceeding their provision for it, that they erred against the clearest light, that they had full information of the nature and requirements of the war and dis- regarded it, that. they slammed the door against unpalatea.ble opinion, that they listened to those outside the official'circle who assured them the Boers would not fight, but would yield to threats and bluster, and, therefore, they went light- heartedly into the. war. That is the charge against them, written on every page of this Blue- book. It was no system, no office, no soldier, no civilian that brought the catastrophe; it was the Cabinet itself."

RUSSIA'S FEAR. I REPORTED ACTION BY THE POWERS. I There is no decided change in the Far Eastern situation, though, according to a Japanese cor- respondent at Port Arthur, Admiral Alexeiff now leans to peace, because he has insufficient dock accommodation to fight a naval war and because many of his warships stand in need of repairs. The movement of Russian troops to Port Arthur continues. The statement that Japan is prepared to acquiesce in Russia's occupation of Manchuria is denied by the "Daily Mail'e" Tokio corre- spondent, so that Russia will be held to her word. A Russian treaty with Korea has been signed which virtually places that country under the protection of Russia. On the other side, the Japanese Anti-Russian League urges that a date shall be fixed for a definite reply from Russia, and that if no reply be forthcoming Japan shall resort to force.

Seventy years of wedded life Mr. and Mrs. C. D. Webster, of Clinton, Wis., recently celebrated their seventieth wedding anniversary. Mr. Webster is ninety-three years old, and his wife is ninety. This estimable couple joined the Methodist Church two years after their marriage and have, it seems, been faithful mem- bers ever since. Mr. Webster has held many important offices in the church. Since 1848 he has acted as trustee, recording steward, class leader, and Sunday-school superintendent. Both Mr. and Mrs. Webster are in excellent health. Sir Arthur Jelf was a formidable opponent at the Bar, and on the Bench has proved no less a success. He has a pretty wit, too. Once at quarter sessions, as Recorder of Shrewsbury, he was sentencing a hypocritieal prisoner, who, hopeful of softening the judge's heart, shed copious tears, and in reply to his lordship's inquiry, "Have you ever been in prison be- fore?" sobbed tearfully:—"Never, my lord, never!" "Well, don't cry," was the Recorder's reply. "I'm going to send you there now."