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

THE FIRST H.M.S. FORTE. The name Forte, borne by the cruiser which has found the Smolensk, is associated in naval history with a famoua frigate fight. The first vessel bear- ing the name Forte in the British Navy was a frigate captured from the French in 1799. Heavily armed, she had been a terror to British commerce in the Indian seas, and finally Captain Edward Cooke in the Sybille sailed from Madras with the express object of bringing her to action. On February 28 the Forte was sighted, and the English frigate stood on with lights out. She was allowed to get quite close before the Forte opened Are with a broadside. To the Frenchman's con- sternation this was returned with interest from treble-shotted guns at half pistol-shot range, after which the fight raged furiously for several hours, during which the gallant Coe-ke was mortally wounded. Lieut. Hardyman took over the com- mand, and at length, the Forte being a dismasted helpless wreck, the firing was discontinued. The Forte asked that a boat be sent, as they had none that would swim. The brave Capt. Cooke, one of the most promising officers in the navy, died of his wounds at Calcutta, and a handsome monument in that city perpetuates his memory.

I STOP A COUGH IN ONE NIGHT. Take VENO'S LIGHTNING COUGH CURE. It stops an ordinary cough in one night, and cures chronic coughs, bronchitis, asthma, catarrh, influenza, and whooping cough rapidly. Its vast superiority over the different emulsions and ordi- nary cough mixtures cannot be estimated. It has saved thousands of lives after they had jbeen turned out of hospitals. A new scientific remedy endorsed by medical men. Ask for VENO'S LIGHTNING COUGH CURE, 9|d., Is. l £ d. and 2s. 9d., at all chemists everywhere.

TERRIBLE FISHING DISASTER. News has arrived at Queenatown to the effect that the Canadian schooner Troop,, from the Grand &anks, arrived at St. John's, Newfoundland, on September 1 with news of a terrible fishing-boat disaster. The Troop met another fishing schooner, the Coleraine, which reported having spoken a French barquentine, name unknown, 170 miles off Cape Race. £ he vessel had only three men left out of a total crew of thirty-four, the others hav- ing been lost while fishing with their dories. The French captain asked for help, but the weather was too bad to go on board the barquentine, It is feared that the vessel, with the remainder of her crew, has been lost.

THE WAR! I THE CARNAGE OF A FORTNIGHT. I The followng despatch has been received at the Japanese Legation in London from Tokio "Tokio, September 10, 10.15 p.m. "Marshal Oyama reports as follows:- 'After the fighting on the 4th and 5th our right army occupied Yentai Colliery and Yu- mentse Hill. The enemy's main force is believed to have retired to the north of the Hun River. The natives say that the Russians sent by train over 10.000 killed and wounded. We buried over 3,000 Russians. Before evacuation the enemy burned the magazines near the station, but we captured im- mense quantity of provisions and ammunitions.' Our total casualties in the Liao-yang battle since August 26 (says a Japanese official tele- gram of Sunday) are estimated at 17,539, whereof the rignt army sustained 4,886, the centre 4,992, and the left 7,681. Officers killed, 136, and wounded,464." LIAOYANG LOOTED. I The Japanese were unable to restrain their starving soldiers after the six days' desperate battle before Liaoyang, and looting (according to a message from the town) became general. Some soldiers, attempting to rob the missionary and Red Cross compound, stabbed the distin- guished Scotch missionary, Dr. Westwater, wounding him in the neck and hands. This is the first time that Japanese soldiers have been known to get beyond control. The scenes at Liaoyang before the battle were oppressive in the extreme. Even when the Japanese were swiftly marching on the town, the Russian offi- tters, upon arriving at Liaoyang, immediately plunged into dissipation. The Pagoda Garden presented a gay scene. From the officers' quar- ters could be heard the clink of glasses and the tinkle of musical boxes. The privileged Port Arthur cafe chantant women remained until the battle was half finished or their retreat assured. The Russian army appears to have lost its battles through demoralisation and dissipation, and also because the enemy was persistently underesti- mated. The Chinese afforded a most astonish- ing spectacle. Having grown fat upon the Rus- sian occupation of the town, they characteristi- cally dissipated their savings in the opium dens when the invaders entered Liaoyang. The Chinese shopkeepers wisely hid all Russian marked goods. The Japanese afterwards looted these shops, even breakmg into neutral premises where property was stored. Many of the men of the Japanese army had no proper food during the last three days of the great battle, which probably excuses the apparently outrageous loot- ing which went on. The shell-fire of the Japanese kept up with undiminished intensity for six days astounded the Russians, who were unable to ac- count for the rapid transport of the Japanese supplies. The Japanese are preparing to make Liaoyang the headquarters of their Manchurian army. The battle of Liaoyang is accepted there as determining the mastery of Manchuria. The Russians were fully equal in numerical strength to the Japanese. KUROPATKIN'S REPORT. General Kuropatkin, in a message sent to the Czar on Saturday, says there have been no hos- tilities except insignificant encounters between patrols. A Chi-fu despatch of Sunday's date says General Nogi's next assault on Port Arthur will be directed chiefly against Erlungshaw and the Kikwanshan forts, which are the strongest on the North-east front. The "Standard's" Tientsin correspondent states that Chinese troops are being quietly moved into Manchuria to occupy the territory captured by the Japanese. I ALEXEIEFF AND THE VICEROYALTY. I It is reported from the Russian capital that Admiral Alexeieff has tendered his resignation to the Czar, and that the Baltic fleet sailed for I the Far East on Sunday afternoon. I RUSSIANS USING DUM-DUM 'BULLETS. A report from Marshal Oyama, of Monday's date, states that a large body of Russian cavalry has appeared on the road from Ping-tai-tse to Wu-shun, and that other detachments of the enemy's cavalry, with artillery, are at various points between Yen-tai and Mukden, and are keeping touch with the Japanese. Marshal Oyama also mentions that two kinds of Ditm Dum bullets were found among the Russian ammunition captured after the battle of Liao- yang and it is suspected, though not yet estab- lished, that some of the Japanese were wounded by such bullets. I KUROKI'S FLANKING MOVE. A telegram from General Kuropatkin's head- quarters states that the army is retiring on Tie-ling, and that the Japanese advance is slow. Lieutenant-General Sakharoff, telegraph- ing on Sunday, says it has been ascertained that there are no Japanese forces of any importance north of the branch railway to the Yen-tai mines. I A correspondent of a Russian journal, telegraph- ing from Tie-ling, asserts that the Japanese. are now moving forward very swiftly, and are par- ticularly skilful in making flanking movements. They are receiving reinforcements from Ying- kau, and General Kuroki's flanking march to the north is continually threatening to cut the Russian communications. A correspondent lately with the Japanese army reports from Kau-pan-tze that the Japanese are pushing up reinforcements and supplies to the north in every possible manner, and there is every indica- tion that they intend to accept, or force if pos- sible, a decisive battle with the Russians on their own ground. The Russian military journal, the "Riisski Invalid," devotes a long article to an endeavour to show that the defeat at Laio-yang is an incident of minor importance. WAR'S HORRIBLE ACTUALITIES. I Mr. MacHugh, who was with General Kuroki's army at the battle of Liao-yang, visited Hai-yen-tai Hill, the key of the Russian position, around which occurred the severest encounter of the twelve days' incessant fight. This is what he saw after the battle: "Hundreds of dead lay unburied, and the green slopes were so covered with blood-pools that it was almost impossible to walk without stepping in them. The whole hill was littered with broken weapons and articles of clothing and equipment belonging to both armies. Grimmest of all were the hundreds of broken and twisted bayonets, all blood-stained, that lay about in heaps. The ownership of those few hundred yards of green hillside cost in killed and wounded' nearly 3,000 men." Mr. Simpson, the "Daily Telegraph's correspondent with the Russian army, has seen scores of men, unscathed by bullets, helped from the field or left for dead when their last shot was fired, utterly exhausted by want of food and the weight of their cumbrous kit. WILL PORT ARTHUR SURRENDER? I According to the "New York Herald" (Paris j edition) the Russian fleet at Port Arthur is once again to go out and immediately afterwards the j ships unlit to go to sea are to be blown up. j Then General Stoessel, who has been decorated with the highest order for bravery, will be in- structed to surrender the fort. This decision, it is said, was made prior to the recent disas- trous sortie of the fleet, but the humane inten- tion of avoiding further loss of life, by surren- dering the fortress, was frustrated by Admiral Ouktomsky's defiance of instructions. Mean- while the Port Arthur journal, "Novy Krai" states that life in the town is cheerful under the circumstances, and singing, dancing, and music by the bands are going on. j A CRISIS IN A GREAT FIGHT. I A vivid account of the critical position General Kuroki's army was in while it was at- tempting to cut off General Kuropatkin's retreat from Liao-yang has oome to hand from the special correspondent of Reuter's Agency, who says that the fifth day of the battle was an anxious one at General Kuroki's Headquarters. i It gradually became known that Kuroki's army had been cut off from the -other Japanese forces, and a period of terrible suspense followed. Firing decreased on both sides, and attaches and correspondents were prevented going near the firing lines, giving rise to the suspicion that a Japanese retreat was contemplated. The ten- sion ended when it became known that General Kuropatkin was retreating. If he had but knowa of the critical position of Kuroki's forces he might have destroyed them. might have destroyed them. SCENES OF AWFUL CARNAGE. General Kuroki is stated to have rode forward to Haiyentai-hill, after the Liao-yang fight, through the Chinese villages without inhabitants and filled with wounded, past many mounds where fires burned over the dead, and hundreds of fresh, hastily-dug graves through fields tram- pled into bogs by the fighting, and strewn with the debris of the armies. The spectacle which Haiyentai-hill presented has seldom been equalled in any war. Close to the summit of the hill 200 Russians lay with their rifles where they had fallen. It appeared that they had ad- vanced upon the word of command, and the whole line was mowed down when almost upon the trenches. The bodies were black, having lain there in the sun, while the firing was so constant and fierce that the Japanese were un- able to bury them. Many corpses were strewn in the fields below. Hundreds of shells had fallen on the hill, tearing pits and furrows in it. Fragments of steel were everywhere under foot. Several Russian drums and two or three hundred Russian rifles and cooking pots were all torn and shattered by shot, bayonets were twisted and broken, and the rags of uniforms and caps were shot-torn and blood-soaked. Blood was smeared everywhere, in the trenches and on the turf. It was impossible to step with- out treading on bullets. It was difficult to be- lieve that the same area elsewhere could ever be the scene of such carnage, and this was only a single point of the battlefield, every foot of which had been bitterly contested for two days and nights. FOOD SHORT AT MUKDEN. General Kuropatkin, in a message to Ihe C2ar, says he received no reports of any lighting on Monday, and there were ao sigrs d activity among the Japanese. The bivouac cf a fairly strong Japanese detachment Wt.,s discovered Be kilometres South-east of Mukden. It is believed that the Russian commander has an army of over 200,000 men with him, and it is stated that since the battle of Liao-yang his forces have been in. creased by the equivalent of two corps. General Kuropatkin has held a review of the troops who fought at Liao-yang. Owing to the enormous concentration of Russian troops at Mukden, food reserves have long since been exhausted. The Russians are reported to be looting everything they can lay hands on, supplies being so short.

A SCHOOL FOR SLEEP. There is to be shortly opened in Paris a scnool to teach persons how to sleep well and grace- fully. Among the points of the curriculum will (says the "Telegraph's" correspondent) be lec- tures on how not to snore, and precepts for pre- venting one's mouth from remaining wide open during slumber. How to compose the limbs artistically and restfully before dozing off will be taught. Ladies will, in particular, be instructed as to the best way in lhich to do the hair be- fore lying down to repose. The idea of the school is to ensure that its pupil shall always wake up cheerful, fresh, good-tempered, and full of energy in the morning, and never get out of bed the wrong way.

T TOWN TOPICS. (From Our London Correspondent.) Although fashionable London Life is now at perhaps its lowest ebb, and the metropolis is as dull and eventless as it can be, the West-end streets are not entirely deserted, for country cousins and American visitors, not to speak of Continental friends, are to be found shopping there in large numbers. To them also is primarily due the fact that our restaurants and hotels can profitably keep open, and that the theatres and other places of amusement are doing good business. Just now, when all the streets are up, when every leading thoroughfare is impassible, and when cabs and 'buses have to make a long detour in order to reach their destinations, it is as delightful as it is unexpected to find an American writer comparing our streets favour- ably with those of New York. "Dirty, noisy, sunless, airless," is Miss Charlotte Harwood's judgment on that city in the New York Critic." Cool, green places, wide streets, and houses of un-avarieious height" is her impression of London. Buildings in New York remind her of the Tower of Babel, which aimed at heaven, but never got there." Fifth Avenue is a perspective of mounds of mud, huge holes, and amalgamated dirt." We are wont to regard our dear old squares as rather dingy, but Miss Harwood yearns for them on Manhattan Island, which is treeless, grassless, flowerless, destitute of grace or beauty, a marble and asphalt gridiron." After that, hey for our glorious Strand! Various reports have been circulated regard- ing a second Liberal candidate for the City of London. I am in a position to give the true facts of the case. Mr. Herbert Tritton has definitely consented to stand as a candidate, and another gentleman, also engaged in banking, was approached some time ago by the City of London Liberal Association. He asked for time to con- sider the matter, and has gone abroad for his health. He has not yet given an answer to the Association, and, as he is moving about on the Continent, they have not been able to communi- cate with him. Meanwhile, a feeling has sprung up among the rank and file of the party that one of the candidates ought to bejdentified with commerce, and not both with banking. Hence, Alderman Alliston, a warehouseman in the City, has been sounded on the subject of coming forward in conjunction with Mr. Tritton. It is an open secret that the alderman is quite willing to do so in the event of the ab- sent banker declining, but he feels that while the offer is still under consideration by that gentleman he cannot openly put himself for- ward as a candidate, nor can the Association openly adopt him. The sale of pirated music in the streets has been almost entirely suppressed,but the fact of its enormous sale illustrates the demand that exists for good music at a popular price. There is no doubt that a fortune waits the publisher who has the enterprise to bring out a series of music sheets at a price within the reach of everyone. Some letters have recently appeared in the newspapers commenting upon the fact that our soldiers are absolutely destitute of songs to sing on a march, and complaining that the whole English reople are pretty much in the same position. Our town population," says one corre- spondent, have a few music-hall songs, about which, artistically speaking, the less said the better, and for our rural people the only song literature is the penny song book,' the words of which are imbecile at best, and the tune must be improvised by the would-be singer. Such fine songs as the British Isles possess, are dying or dead, so far as the working people are concerned." The Hampstead-heath Extension Committee have fortunately been able to conclude the purchase of eighty acres of adjoining meadows known as Wykle's Farm, thus preventing a beautiful and picturesque stretch of land from falling a prey to the suburban builder. The money required for the purpose has not yet been fully subscribed, some jE4000 being still wanted; but certain ladies and gentlemen have guaranteed the balance, and the preliminary agreement has been signed. Thus," Mr- Barnett, who has acted as secretary to the committee, writes, "the far-reaching view is saved, the sylvan beauty round the Twopenny Tube station pre- served, new walks and roads with broad out- looks made possible, and some fifty acres of playing fields added for the benefit of London youths." The area to be acquired will in due course be transferred to the London County Council to be held as an open space for all time. All the old fairs in and round about London, such as Bartholomew, Greenwich, Southwark, Camberwell, and the rest, have vanished, the sole survivors being Mitcham Fair, in August, and Barnet Fair, which is held in the first week I of September. The latter is not a mere pleasure fair, but an annual mart for horses, cattle, and sheep. This year the live stock were more numerous than they have been for many years past. Droves of ponies were sent, as usual, from the Welsh hills, and some of them had at least the appearance of being tolerably sound. To one who goes to look, rather than to buy, fair-time in the growing Hertfordshire town is full of humorous incidents, and there is a Bardolphian charm about the dealers and drovers who haunt the fair. Many of them are sad rogues, but they are picturesque rogues; and they help to relieve the dull monotony of suburban life. The sensation of the day in the City is the abrupt and unaccountable breaking off of the wedding arranged between the Lord Mayor's daughter and Mr. J. A. C. McCalman, of the Egyptian Government Service, which was to have taken place last Monday. Every prepara- tion had been made for the event, and the in- vitations sent out for the wedding breakfast and reception at the Mansion Hom e. It was not until nearly eight o'clock en Saturday night that the Lord Mayor received a note from his prospective son-in-law stating that the writer had determined to abandon his engage- ment. It is understood that he stated his reasons, but they have not been divulged to the public, and the Lord Mayor declines to make any statement on the subject. The Reasons must have been imperative which could cause a gentleman of Mr. McCalman's standing and character to act in such a manner; but, while judgment upon his conduct must be sus- pended until the truth is known, no one can withhold his sympathy from the cruelly disap- pointed bride, who is quite prostrated in her distress. The theatrical season has opened well, and ere are now sixteen West-end theatres in full swing instead of the seven "stalwarts" that kept open all August. Among the new plays produced within the last few days are Merely Mary Ann," a four-act comedy, by Israel Zangwill, at the Duke of York's "The Catek of the Season," a musical comedy, by Seymour Hicks and Cosmo Hamilton, at the Vaudeville: and "Marguerite," a. four-act drama, adapted I from the French, at the uorosist. T. I

The Scotsman earns on the average £45 a I year, the Englishman £ 38, and the Irishman PQ20. Scotland spends £3 per head per year for upkeep of police, roads, bridges, harbours, education, etc., while the Englishman and Irishman con- tribute E2 18s. and El 4s. respectively. Scottish fishermen bring to port a quantity of fish worth for every man, woman, or child in their country, 7s. 6d. English fishermen, 3s. 4d. worth; and Irish fishermen Is. 2d. worth. Scotsmen, too, appear to be most thrifty. In the savings banks each Scotsman has £ 5 4s.; each Englishman, 95; and each Irishman, C2. The Grenadier Guards can boast of having the oldest soldier in the Brigade of Guards in Drummer J. Woolcock, who has just entered his forty-seventh-year andcompletea thirty- three years' service. He commenced his career j in the 82nd Foot (Prince of Wales's Volunteers), and after serving his twelve years with the, colours re-enlisted in the Grenadiers. He "Vas transferred to the drums in 1885, and now plays the big drum at the depot. Drummer Woolcock has six long-service and good-conduct badges, has been a marksman every year since he first enlisted, and company shot for five consecutive years. He has only had one furlough in thirty- three vears.

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HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPTS I COMMISSION. The 16th report of the Royal Commission 011 Historical Manuscripts,has been issued as a Par- liamenta,ry Paper. The introductory statement of the report mentions that since the last report appeared in 1899 the Commissioners have had to deplore the loss by death of Sir Archibald Levin Smith, Lord Lothian, Lord Salisbury, Lord Esher, Dr. Stubbs, Lord Acton, Mr. Lecky, Dr. S. R. Gardiner, and Mr. J. J. Cartwright, who had been connected with the Commission, first alii assistant secretary and then as secretary, since the year 1875. The principal collections examined since the presentation of the last report are the folløwing:1 —In England.-The Stuart papers belonging to the King, and the manuscripts of the Duke of Norfolk, the Duke of Buccleuch, the. Duke of Portland, the Duke of Rutland, Lord Lothian-^ Lord Salisbury, Lord Bath, Lord Egmont, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, Lord Edmund Talbot, Sir George Wombwell, Miss Buxton, Mr. J. B. Fortescue, Mrs.. Stopford-Sackville, Mrs. Frani- land-Russell-Astley, Mr. J. M. Heathcote, Mr. P. W. Leyborne-Popham, Mr. Clarke-Thornhill, Sir T. Barrett-Lennard, Mr. F. H. T. Jervoise, the Bishops of Chichester and Salisbury, the Dean and Chapters of Chichester, Canterbury, Exeter, and Salisbury; the counties of Wilts and Wor- cester the corporations of Beverley, Berwick- on-Tweed, Burford, and Lostwithiel. In Wales.. —The manuscripts in the Welsh language of Mr. Wynne of Peniarth, Sir John Williams, Jesus College, Oxford, the Free Library, Cardiff, at Havod, Wrexham, Llanwrin Rectory, Merthyr, Abedare, etc. In Scotland.—The Duke of Buc- cleuch, Lord Mar and Kellie, Colonel David Milne-Home, Mr. Hay of Duns Castle, the Laing MSS., in the University of Edinburgh, etc. In Ireland.—Lord Ormonde, and the Convent of' Franciscans at Merchants'-quav, Dublin. The reports upon a few of the collections of the above-named owners are not yet complete, although far advanced but of those that have already been presented to Parliament an abstract is given. This abstract occupies the greater part of the report, and provides an ample de- oeription of the contents of the collections. Of the more important items may be mentioned the Stuart papers, formerly belonging to the Old Pre- tender and his sons, brought from France in! 1810 and 1817 the Montagu papers, extending from 1483 to 1755, and comprising the correspon- dence of the Montagu family of BroughtonjJ three volumes of the Harley papers four volumes from the manuscripts at Hatfield, containing ab- stracts of papers belonging to a period of four years—1597-1600; Sir Ralph Win wood's collec- tion, relating chiefly to his negotiations as Agenf> and Ambassador in France and Holland; the papers of Colonel Edward Popham, one of the three "Generals at Sea" for the Commonwealth-g a further instalment from the papers at Drop- more of Lord Grenville's correspondence; thei papers at Chequers Court, which might be termecl a new series of the "Memorials of the House of Cromwell"; the correspondence of Sir Richard Fanshaw, Ambassador from Charles II. to the Courts of Portugal and Spain the records of the extinct Corporation of Burford, wfrich the Com- missioners hope may be eventually secured by the Bodleian three volumes of the MSS. of Lord! Ormonde, showing light upon Irish nffairs in the, middle of the 17th century and the Welsh MSS. at Peniarth, which form a collection "more valu- able than all other Welsh collections put to- gether." The report also includes a list of the names, of the owners of manuscripts upon whose collec- tions reports have been presented to Parliament up to July of this year, and a list of collections arranged topographically.

COLLOTYPE OF YOUR OWN SUBJECTS. WILSON, P08T8AM8 ■ Hill DESTRSVEI JAMES' DEPILATORY instantly removee. Superfluous Hairs from the Face, Neck or Anns, wkb. out injury to the skin. Of most Chemists or free front wt- servation, post free. on receipt of Postal Order for ia. jd. and 25. od.—Mrs. C. P. JAMES, 2(58, Caledonia* Rod, Londna N.

MELON'S FOOD "'Ii'! l' 6 rc' I B is hi 1 rm!JIr¡".¡'¿i\1I-wrJtf Simply dissolve Mellin's Food in hot water and add fresh It then forms a diet adapted for the youngest babe.

An admirable actor of the old school has made his last earthly "exit" in Mr. John Billington, whose memories of the stage went back to the days when h<9 was playing with Macready more than half a century ago. Not that they were very important parts with which he was entrusted in those days, for he was the rawest of stage re- cruits at that period. He often used to recall, for instance, how on one occasion he played the Duke of Norfolk to Macready's Wolsey and made some blunder, whereon Macready muttered directions to him under his breath. Whereto the youthful Billington replied in his broadest yorkshire, "What, six? .What do you sayf"

I NEWS NOTES. The Russians and the Japs have both lost terribly over the Liaoyang battling, and the accounts thereof sent by the correspondents of the Times and a leading New York paper, who I saw the whole sanguinary business and smartly I got away to Pekin immediately afterwards, ¡ show that neither side acquitted themselves well in a military sense. The Russians were crowded and overmanned in the trenches, and j the Japs went wildly into frontal attack, con- sequently the carnage was awful. It would seem that the Czar's myrmidons and the seem that the Czar's myrmidons and the I Mikado's legions are equally determined to fight with the desperation that must eventuate into "bleeding to death." But where are the light and the leading? Mr. Bennet-Burleigh, the well-known war I correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph," has I left the Japanese army, thus, as his journal ex- presses it, solving "the difficulties of an in- tolerable position." From Tientsin he de- spatches a candid criticism of the treatment ( dealt out at the Japanese headquarters to the | attaches and the Press. Dislike of all foreigners, to whom the Japanese owe much, is still a feature," he says, "particularly in high mili- tary circles. For these and other reasons all the correspondents are precluded from doing their duty or honest work. The attaches, al- most without exception, privately express their I deepest disappointment and more. None of the correspondents or attaches are permitted to see the fighting at a nearer point than six miles, and only correspondents who break away ¡ can join the firing lines. Even after a battle the Japanese staff prevents us until the second day from visiting the field." To this the mili- tary may well reply that the war is not being carried on for newspaper purposes. i There have been a number of royal romances about recently. Here is another. Crown Prince George, heir-apparent to the throne of Servia, a lad of seventeen, fell in love recently with one of the most talented actresses of Bel- grade. To testify to his affection, he caused 1 his coachman to drive him back and forth in front of his adored one's residence, while he cast loving glances and heaved deep-drawn sighs at the stage favourite. She paid no heed to these demonstrations, but the common i people became deeply interested and followed the carriage in troops, giving visible—and audible—signs of approbation or, at least, amusement. Finally, King Peter heard of it and summoned his young "hopeful" to a pri- I vate audience, which ended in the indignant parent taking his son across his knee and ad- ministering a good, old-fashioned spanking. | Several reputable papers were hoaxed the other day by a letter purporting to be from Princess Louise of Coburg, and which appeared in the Belgian Socialist journal, Voorhint." The letter was so obviously a fraud that one j need hardly be surprised except at the j humour—that the editor of "Voorhint" now declares that he published it as a joke. The document bore the marks of forgery on its face. It purported to be a catalogue of the wrongs of King Leopold's daughter, was spiced with scandal, and constituted an attack on the King of the Belgians. In short, it was a species of Socialist manifesto. But the public have such an appetite for persiflage of the Court that anything spice anent Royalty is bound to receive publication somewhere. A Parisian paper states that M. Maher, the agent of the North-East Siberian Company, has arrived at Washington with two Siberian fleas, which he wishes to sell to M. C. de Rothschild for EIOOO. The same journal adds that M. de Rothschild possesses a collection of fleas at Tring Park, and has even organised an expedi- tion to look for Arctic fleas. But even the Rothschild's could get fine fat fleas nearer home at less expense! Some time ago attention was called to the proposal of a trading company having premises at Brentford to construct a dockyard on Lot's Eyot. It was pointed out that this little eyot, immediately opposite to Kew Palace and Kew Gardens, served at present (with other islets) as a screen against the wharves and chimneys of Brentford, and that its conversion into a dockyard would bring unsightly sheds and the disturbing clang of workmen's hammers into immediate touch with the quiet and beauty of the Royal suburb. The consent of the Thames Conservators and of the Board of Trade (the department owning the foreshore of the river) was happily necessary to the execution of the scheme. The Thames Conser- vators seem to have been far too kind to a most objectionable project and to have made some compromise with the pro- moters. But the Board of Trade, says the Times," have shown a better appreciation of the interests of London, and have re fused their sanction to the proposed dock and works. Mr. Gerald Balfour is to be congratulated on the broad view he has taken; and it would be a satisfactory close to the incident if the pro- perty in the eyot could be transferred on reasonable terms from its present owners to some public body. The Corporation of Richmond already owns the two wooded eyots immediately above Kew-bridge, and no more fitting custodians of Lot's Eyot could be found. We trust that the outcome will be the conservation of a riparian beauty spot that Londoners and visitors to London alike would be sorry to see spoiled. It has become a custom at many hotels abroad to charge a substantial sum for "valet- ing "-for brushing the clothes of visitors, and for performing other services of the kind which at home are not described as extras." The custom of charging for valeting," however, is shortly to be introduced into this country, though, of course, without possessing the excuses for its existence which it has in the United States. It appears, says Marmaduke," in the "Graphic," that the directors of several of the important hotel groups, as also many of the proprietors of well-known private establishments of the kind,intend atno far-distant date to add the item to their other charges I It is obvious that the smaller provincial hotels will quickly adopt the suggestion; the proprietors will add the charge i to their accounts, and most of them will, of course, not provide any new machinery to add to the comfort of their visitors! But is not this putting the elock-hands back ?

I HOT NEEDLES OF SCIATICA. { j HOW DR. WILLIAMS' PINK PILXS FOR PALB PEOPLE CURED A BRISTOL HAN. ) Bciatica is pain like red hot needles—in the hip, down the back of the thigh, extending to the knee, and perhaps to the ankle. The course taken by the pain is often painful to the touch. Mif. Price, 29, Milk-street, Bristol, suffered for years, on and off, with this, and from Rheumatism. So severe were the pains," said he, "that I could not stand up nor sit dowki with comfort. "Just below the knee-cap the Rheumatism "Just below the knee-cap the Rheumatism ..p ap ¡ settled most P(,rply. The pain kept me awake at I MR. NICHOLAS PRICE. night. Life was robbed of all its plea- sures. Pain ? I was one mass of it, and any movement, almost, brought an Ioh!' from me! I read an article about a case similar to my own which had been cured by Dr. Wil- liams' Pink Pills for Pale People. I bought a box, and, after tak- ing the contents, felt slightly better. Some people expect one box to work miracles, and, if it fails, stop. But I bought another box, and when they had gone I felt better in every sense. I con- tinued, with the result that to-day I am better than I have been for years, notwithstanding my e (67)." Mr. Price's rapid cure was due to the fact that Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People make new and pure blood. The genuine pills have cured Paralysis, Locomotor Ataxy, Rheumatism and Sciatica; also diseases arising from impoverish- ment of the blood, Scrofula, Ricketts, Consumption, Anaemia, Loss of Appetite, Pains in the. Back, and the many ailments distressing to ladies. These pills are tonic, not purgative. They are sold by chemists, and by Dr. Williams' Medicine Co., London, at 2s. 9d. a box, or six boxes 13s. 9d. Sufferers are invited to write to Dr. Williams' correspondence, department, 46, Holborn-viaduct, London, with description of symptoms. Particu- lars of cures and local testimony can always be supplied.

I THE CZAR'S HUNDRED PALACES. The Czar has one hundred palaces scattered throughout the length and breadth of his dominions. These Imperial residences have a staff of 32,000 servants, and the wages lJUI amounts to £800,000 per annum. His private stables con- tain 5000 horses, and he is the owner of 50,000 head of cattle which graze on the pasture lands of his private farms. It is said that he has, never even seen more than half of the palaces that are his, and he has seen only the outside of about 25 of the remainder. Still, all the Imperial residences are kept fully equipped and staffed all the year round.

I THE STRONGEST NERVE TONIC I IS VENO'S SEAWEED TONIC. It is not possible to make a stronger or more effective nerve strengthened It possesses marvellous, purifying, healing and tonic properties. A rare edible species of seaweed obtained on the Pacific coast is used. In cases of nervous weak- ness, lassitude, debility, indigestion, liver and stomach diseases, and especially female weakness and habitual constipation, it is pre-eminent. Cures permanently. No return. Pleasant to take. You feel better at once. Doctors use it. Credentials and testimonials of the highest character. Ask for VENO'S SEAWEED TONIC Is. ld. and 2s. 9d., at chemists everywhere.

'TWENTY-SEVEN UNIVERSAL LANGUAGES. The arrival of the latest "universal" language, the "Tutonisn" of Mr. Molee, an American, e- minds the" Manchester Guardian" that since Wilkins, an Irishman, invented "Mercury" iu 1641 no fewer than twenty-seven of these "uni- versal" languages have appeared—a number which is being adcfed to every year without any particular result. The list since the beginning of the last century includes "Pasilalie," invented by Methammor in 1828; "Solresoldomido," by Sudre, in 1827; "Genigraphia," by Matrata, in 1834; CCPantosdimon-glossa," by Ruddelle, in 1859. In 18C3 Senibaido do Mas proposed the use of ideogramniatic Chinese characters; in I 1875 Dyer suggested "Lingualumina" in 1878 Merriggi proposed "Blaia Zimendal"; "Vola- puk," invented by Sehlever, appeared in 1880 •'New Latin," by Sturmhoefel, in- 1883; "Pasi- tingua," by Steiner, in 1885. "Chabe Afcane, invented by Maldant; "Kosmos," by Landa and "El Nbinoj" by Verheggen, all appeared in 1886. S'warthn's "Visona" and Zamenhof's "Esper- anto" date from 1887. Saint-Max produced "Rapal" in 1888. In 1889 came Chancerel's "Oidapa," Bauer's "Spelin," "Hoinix's Anglo- Franca," and Stempfi's "Myraim." Gaste's "Nov Latin," saw the light in 1890, Dormoy's "Baits," and Keinzeller's "Uriiversala" in 1893; "Comrriunia," another attempt by Stempfl, Marehsnd's "Dilpak," and Bollak's "Bolak" in 1894, and Mr. Liptay's "Langue Catolica." in 1899.

Denmark, which produces an immense quan- tity of butter, has an average of one cow for every two inhabitants. Missionaries are at work in 247 of the walled cities of China. There are still 1,500 walled cities without missionaries. Benham (Jur T>oy was a pretty oaoy, out ne gets plainer every day." Mrs. Benham: "Well, you didn't expect him to get to look like you all at once, did you?" Passer-by: "I thought you were blind?" Mendicant: "Well, boss, times is so hard and competition is so great that even a blind man has to keep his eyes open nowadays if he wants to do any business at all." Minister: "So you've lost all your marbles, eh ? Well, it serves you right. Boyti always lose who play on Sundays." Tommy: "But how about the oilier feller, who won all my marbles?" mv-v-

The origin of all weights and measures in, England was derived fiom a grain of wheat. According to the old statute, thirty-two grains, well dried, and gathered from the m-ddle of the ear, were to make one pennyweight, twenty pennyweights one ounce. It was afterwards, thought better to divide the pennyweight into- twenty-four equal parts, called grains. William the Conqueror introduced into England what was called Troy Weight, from Troyes, a town in the province of Champagne, in France. The English were dissatisfied with this weight, because the pound did not weigh so much as the pound in use at that time in England. Hence arose the term Avoir du pois" which was a medium between the French and the ancient English weights. We can learn from the Japanese a thing or two about stabling horses. In Japan horses are backed into their stalls, then the door is closed at the head, which has a "rain and hay rack con- veniently constructed, to which the nag ia secured. When needed, the door is swung back and the horse led forth. No one gets kicked, no refuse matter is visible to the visitor, and it seems to be a sensible way to construct a place for any horse.