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

PENSION SYSTEMS. I An interesting agitation, which has no doubt been stimulated by what has taken place at Sheffield and elsewhere, is now being carried on by Government employees at Woolwich Arsenal, Enfield, Waltham, Birmingham, and Weedon. The system of pensions was abolished a good many years ago, and an attempt is now being made to frame a scheme which will satisfy the War Office objection to any charge falling upon the public funds. The task is not an easy one, beoause it is evident that either the benefits must be small, or contributions must be such as the poorer employees would have some difficulty in sparing. At the same time, however, there are circumstances which tend to facilitate a solution. It is difficult to see how a labourer with a £ 1 a week, is going to spare anything for a superannuation fund, but the opportunity ought to be accepted gladly by those labourers who are also army pensioners. Further, there is in the Koyal Ordnance Factories a system of gratuities to men who have served so many years, the sum vary- ing according to their length of service. These gratuities, in the majority of cases, are of no permanent advantage to the re- cipients, and if they can thereby increase the benefits, the delegates who have the matter in hand might very well draw upon the gratuities to a greater extent than they propose to do at present. Probably they will be compelled to do so, for the War I Department is asked to assume some res- ponsibility with regard to the fund, and the department officials will, n') doubt, sift the scheme very thoroughly before they sanction it, in order to ensure that the pro- posed contributions are capable of realising the anticipated benefits. It should be added that contribution to the fund is in- tended to be voluntary.

MERRYWEATHER ON WATER SUPPLY AND FIRE PROTECTION of COUNTRY MANSIONS. EXPERTS SENT TO ALL PARTS TO Report on EXISTING Arrangements. WRITE FOR PAMPHLETS: MERRYWEATHER & SONS, 63, LONG ACRE, LONDON, W.C. I

I INLAND REVENUE RETURNS. I No doubt the majority of the anomalies referred to by the Iuland Revenue Com- missioners, are mere accidents, modified by a disinclination to spend money on luxuries at a time of depression in trade. But whatever the explanation may be, the figures are not important, except those re- lating to alcoholic drink, which are of suf- ficient moment to receive more careful attention Briefly, the beer duty yielded less by C.244,000, and the spirit duty less by C365,000, there being concurrently a decrease in the number of licenses. The testimony of the Commissioners is in the direction of shewing that a decrease in licenses is accompanied by a decrease in consumption, although not to the extent which the mere figures indicate, a large number of houses having increased in size as the number of licences diminished.

I THE SOUTH POLAR REGIONS. I It will probably be some time before I we shall know all that Commander Scott, and those who were associated with him will be able to tell us concerning the ad- ditions they are able to make to our know- ledge of the South Polar region, but suffi- cient has already transpired to convince us that the voyage of the Discovery has been rich in results. The fact which appeals most strongly to the popular imagination is the memorable journey which was made from the winter quarters, when a latitude was reached much further South than that to which any previous expedition had pene- trated. It is generally admitted that travel is very much more difficult in the South Polar area than it is in the North, yet the point reached by Commander Scott and his party, corresponded with that which was, not many years ago, the extreme limit of exploration in the North.

I A DAY OF 3,552 HOURS. I At Berlin and London the longest day has 16! pours; at Stockholm, the longest day 18i; at Hamburg, the longest day has 17 hours, and the shortest 7; at St. Petersburg, the longest day has 19, and the shortest 5 hours; at Torena, in Finland, the longest day has 21- hours and the shortest 2t; at Wanderhus, in Norway, the day lasts from May 21st to July 22nd, without interruption; and at Spitzbergeo, the longest day is three months and a half.

A History of Monmouthshire. I The first of a series of twelve parts on "Monmouthshire from the coming of the Normans into Wales down to the present time," by Colonel J. A. Uradney, F.S.A., B.A of Talycoed, Monmouth, has been issued by Messrs. Mitchell, Hughes, & Clarke, 140, Wardour-street, W., at a guinea a copy. The tastefully bound post-folio vol. is dedi- cated to the Right Hon. Lord Tredegar, Lord Lieutenant, the highest representative of the county and the most appropriate to be thus honoured, for is he not lineally des- cended from Hywel Dda, the lawgiver and King of all Wales, who flourished in the tenth century ? An excellent photograph of his lordship forms the frontispiece. Coming to the work itself it is difficult in a few lines to do justice to its value as a record of the county, whether we regard it from the anti- quarian or genealogical standpoint. If we may judge the vols. that are to follow by the one before us, which deals with The Hundred of Skenfrith," the highest enco- mium we can pass upon it is that it is a wor- thy successor of Archdeacon Coxe's History of Monmouthshire, published in 1801. The writer's intimate acquaintance with the county, his painstaking researches, covering many years, into title-deeds, plans, wills, and documents of all kinds, stamp it as a trustworthy and invaluable record of the subjects with which it deals. It opens with the county town, and is lavishly and well illustrated throughout, the Border Castles (1732) being amongst the most interesting of its views, while Speed's Map of Mon- mouth in 1610," and the comprehensive map of The Hundred of Skenfrith." taken from the Ordnance Survey are worthy of special notice.

WOMAN'S TERRIBLE FALL.—Mrs Morgan, of Rod- ney-street, Swansea, slipped as she was walking along the cliffs between Langland and Mumbles on Wednesday. She fell 120 feet, and was dashed to pieces on the rocks below. She leaves nine children.

The Far East. The Chinese and Japanese. I Tokio, Friday. The natives of Liao-yang regard the Japanese occupation with feel- ings of relief. The market has been opened, and the Japanese military notes are readily taken.

Russian Cruiser Sighted. Victoria, British Columbia, Friday. The Russian auxiliary Cruiser Korea has been sighted off Vancouver Island by the British Cruiser Grafton. She is expected at Esquimault.

I Japanese Officer Released. Copenhagen, Friday. The Japanese officer arrested at Skagen, yesterday, as a spy has been released. He is Captain Takikawa, Japanese Naval Attache at Berlin.

I The Italian Heir. Rome. Friday. The new Prince is in excellent health. Congratulations have been received from the Pope and European sovereigns.

BOOKSKLLERS of Berlin are strictly forbidden to sell to School, children books stitched with wire, as several cases of blood poisoning have been traced to scratches from rusty wire. THE men-of-war of the ancient Romans had ST crew of about two hundred and twenty-live men, of which one hundred and seventy-four were oarsmen, working on three decks. The speed of these vessels was about six knots an hour in fair weather. THERE is no doubt that when the curse of Babel is finally reversed it will be so in favour of Eng- lish. Already English is spoken by as many people as any other two European languages put together, and it is incomparably the richest language in the- world.

A VERT OLD SIGN. The mark of a cross which persons use who are unable to write is constantly and mistakenly referred to as an instance of the deplorable ignor- ance of ancient times. Anciently the use of this mark was not confined to illiterate persons, for- amongst the Saxons the mark of the cross, as an. attestation of the good faith of the person signing,, was required to be attached to the signature of those who could write, as well as to stand in the place of the signature of those who could not. Hence, though people now write their names, they are still said to sign them. The probable reason why the cross was always used in the Middle Ages- in the attesting of ecclesiastical charters, and why it is still used by Roman Catholic bishops, is not only that it was a sacred symbol, but that Justinian) had decreed it should have the strength of an oath.

THE PENTRE TRAGEDY. I On Tuesday, Mr R. J Rhys, coroner, held an iagueet on the body of Mr Emlyn Jones, of the Bridgend Hotel, Pentre. Mrs Jones, the widow, was present wearing a plaster on her hft temple where she had been wounded. She was accommodated with a seat in Court, and was the first witness called. She stated that she was the first to go to bed on Saturday night, about an hour after midnight. The doora and windows were secured by the cellarman. Tii,re were two lights in the bedroom, one being lowered somewhat. Some time after she and her husband had gone to bed she was disturbed by a light noise in the bedroom. She looked over the side of the bed, and saw a man crouching on the ground. As soon as he knew that I had seen him she said he got up, and before I had time to scream he struck me on the left side of the head. I called my husband, and he at, once jumped out of bed. The man again attempted to strike me. My husband rushed at him and closed with him. I screamed, and tried to assist my husband to wrestle with the man. I struggled with the man and got one of his hands loose from the grip around my husband as they worked their way backwards towards the landing. While* on the landing I called for assistance, and the cellarman answered, All right, I am coming." The P!ruggla continue 1, my husband endeavouring, I thought, to push the man downstairs. The man got off, and I assisted my husband, who was very exhausted, back to the bedroom." The Coroner: Did you gee ;he man clearly ? Witness: Yes, q..ite ilistinctly. The Coroner: Y ui have no doubt whatever? Witness: NOlie whatever. His face will be Imoriuted on aiv memory for ever. You have seen him since? Yes; twice. The Coroner I will not hurt your feelings by asking you to see him again. George Henry Carpenter, cellarman, said he went to bed at 1.30. He heard deceased locking the door, and he (witness) took a casual look round afterwards and fastened the doors of the staircHse leadim: to the bar and also another door. He heard both Mr and Mrs Jones screaming and rushed to them. He saw Mrs Jones with blood streaming down her ftee. Mr Jones was at the time in another part of the room, lying down and groaning. He wa, practically speechless. He groaned and mumbled something, but witness could not say what ù" "a;J. Witness did not then notice any bhod wuing from the deceased. He went with Miss Richa ds fo. a doctor. The window of the urinal used by customers who frequented the ordinary bar was not fastened. Miss Kate Richards said she was a barmaid at the Bridgend Hotel. She was a niece of the deceased. She heard tarrible screams some time after she went to bad on Saturday night. She ran towards her aunt's bedroom, and her aunt said to ber, "There's someone trying to kill uncle and me." She ran back to her bedroom and looked out of the window to iee if there was a policeman about. Someone then went for the police. This was about 2.30 in the morning. She had seen ■nr:«-ner several times in the back bar of the liotel. P.O. Wocd stated that on the morning in question he was on duty in plain clothes, accompanied by P.O. Williams. I saw a man, he said, walking fast down the Taff Vale Railway near Pontypridd, an I I hid myself behind a signal cabin. I saw the prisoner coming towards me. I stopped him and I asked him whera he came from. He said Pentre. I also noticed a patch of blood jpn the right cheek, and a scratch on his nose. I saw his trousers were torn, with blood oozing through them, and noticed he had no boots nor cap on. I asked him where hia boots were, and be said he left them behind. I also asked him where his hat was, and be said he had lost it by falling. I told him I was a policeman and that he must come with me to the police-station. When 1 told him that he put both arms in his coat behind as if he was going to draw something from there. I then struck him on the arm with my staff. I told him afterwards he must come with me to the police-station. He said, Let me go quick, or I shall lose my boat. I am going out to-morrow." P.C. Williams then came to my assistance, and we both conveyed him to the Pontypridd police station. On searching him we found a knife on his back tied by a piece of cord twisted round his waist, and a small knife in his pocket, and a purse containing 13s. He had a watch and chain and a watch-key, and two handkerchiefs—one silk. I also found a patch of blood on his head and on his coat behind and two wounds on his knee. I then charged him on suspicion of having murdered Mr Jones, of the Bridgend Hotel, Pentre, at 3.30 o'clock that morning. I cautioned him and told him that if he said anything it would he taken •down in writing and used in evidence against him. The prisoner replied, I have nothing to say." Dr W. E. Thomas said he was summoned to the Bridgend Hotel at 3.45 on Sunday morning. He found the deceased lying on the bed quite dead. He ma te a superficial examination of the body and found an incised wound over the region of the heart. Mrs Jones had a panctured wound over the right temple. The Coroner (producing a formidable jemmy): Might this have caused the wound ? Witness Yes, easily. On Monday I conducted a post-mortem examination on the body of Mr Jones, and on the anterior surface of the right forearm there was a superficial wound, about three- quariers of an inch in length. Above this again there was a small punctured wound and some slight bruises, and these were caused by teeth. On the left arm was a wound, and also several scratches. Oa the fourth finger of the left hand was a deep lacerated wound, extending to the bone. The only other wound was that over the heart, which was a clean cut wound about an iuch in length. I probed the wound and found it was about two and a half inches in depth. The weapon parsed through the curtilage to the seventh rib, and immediately at its junction with the breast bone. There was a wouud into the cavity of the heart. Inspector Williams was then called, and stated how he had caused telephonic communication to be sent to Pontypridd, Porth, Touypandy, and other stations, intimating what had taken place, and instructing the police to keep a sharp look- out for any suspected characters. With P.S. Davies. he examined the premises and found that an entrance had been effected by means of a ladder in the back yard, which had been placed against the wall, reacbmg up to the w.c. window facing tbe river and the railway. The bottom part of the window had been removed, and it was through this that the burglar had access to the bar. Upon examining the bar. I fouud that the cash register had been tampered with. The glass door leading irom the bar to the hall and staircase was locked, but the hliding panel of the door was open. At tbe foot of the stairs we found a pair of brown leather shoes, size seven, with round rubber heels attached. On the landing upstairs we found a piece of bent wire, which could be used for picking locks. We found a raop, which bad recently been converted into a jemmy, wrapped in brown paper and bound. ith cord. The paper had several mpots of blood upon it. Close to the jemmy was a man's cloth cap, bearing the words (inside) 11 Barrett and Co., Clevedon-street, Middles-ill bf rough." The room generally was in a state of disorder. From instructions received from Super- intendent Cjles, I proceeded to Pontypridd by the -8.30 am. train, and at his office received the prisoner (E ic Lange) into custody, on suspicion of having feloniously entered the Bridgeud Hotel and murdered the landlord. I handed him the brown shoes which we found at the hotel, and aaid to him, Here are your boots; put them on." He at once caught hold of them and put them on. The sloes fitted him all right. I conveyed him to this ati t au, and, with Dr Thomas, I examined him and found two wounds on the left knee about half an inch apart—one an inch long, and the other 11 inches long and penetrating to the bone. Dr Thomas dressed the wound and placed two stitches in it. There were scratches on the bridge of the nose, a patch of b o id on the right side of the face and on ti e top of the head, and prisoner's coat had several patches of blood on it. I subsequently placed him with other men of about the same statu e at d complexion in the police court, and he was ihsre and then identified by the widow of the deceased (Mrs Jones), as the man who had mur- dered her husband. When charged with burglariously breaking into the Bridgend Hotel some time between eleven p.m. on the 10th inst. and 3.30 a.m. on the 11th inst., then in the occupation of the late Mr Emlyn Jones,be said, 11 Yes, I went there for money, but could not find any in the bar." I also charged him with that he, unlawfully and with malice aforethought, did kill and murder, on the lltb inst., in a bedroom at the Bridgend Hotel, Pentre, Mr Emlvn Jones, by stabbing him in the left breast with a knife or some sharp instrument. He replied Yes I went for money, but could not find any iu the bar. I went upstairs, and entered the bedroom. It was lit up. My mate said, You go in; the money is in bags. I went in, and when I was looking for the money she woke up and shouted. I then hit her with the bar, and be woke up too, and caught hold of me. 1 struck him several times flat with the bar. We had a struggle. Both of them tried to stop me. I lost the bar, and rushed out the same way as I came in-over the ladder, head first. My mate, Harry, must have been behind, as I heard somebody coming after me. I don't remember taking the knife, only to open the window before I came in. I only hit him with that thing in paper. I am a fireman of the screw steamer Patricia, that came to Cardiff on Friday with timber. I know nobody in Cardiff. Whilst taking his description on Monday, prisoner said Boss, I told you a lie that I came to Cardiff in the screw steamer Patricia. I came from Liverpool a week or so ago. In summing up the Coroner commented upon the smartness and promptitude of the prisoner's arrest. The prisoner said something about an accomplice, but in his (the coroner's) opinion there was only one man in this terrible business. After an absence of about a quarter of an hour the jury returned a verdict of 11 Wilful murder," the Foreman remarking that the jury were unanimously of opinion that the deceased died from a stab in the heart, end that he had been wilfully murdered by the man in custody. On Wednesday Eric Lange was conveyed to Cardiff Gaol.

The Welsh Bible. -1 l Saturday was the anniversary of the death of Bishop Morgan, who translated the Bible into Welsh, and who died on September 10th, 1604. Bishop Morgan was the son of a copyhold tenant on the great estate of Gwydir, and was boru at Ty Mawr in 1540. He was appointed vicar of Llanrhaiadr in 1578. It was while holding this living the noble idea of translating the Scriptures into Welsh occurred to him. In face of many discouragements, he carried out his self-imposed task with splendid courage and persistency. According to the" Dictionary of National Biography," the printing of the book began in London towards the end of 1587, and it appeared in 1588, just after the defeat of the Spanish Armada. His services were recognised by his appointment to the Bishopric of Llandaff in 1595, and his promotion five years later to the wealthy see of St. Asaph. To Bishop Morgan's pious and patriotic labours Wales owes an immeasurale debt. But for the Welsh Bible, the Welsh language would not be exhibiting the extraordinary vitality which it displays to-day. The translation was done in a flawless manner, and Bishop Morgan's Bible is a well of pure Welsh undefiled.

Shocking Accident in Ireland. LOCAL CONNECTIONS I As was briefly announced in our late telegrams on Friday, the death took place in Ireland on Thursday night of the wife of Colonel Riordan, of the Royal Army Medical Corps. Mrs Riordan was a Newport lady, the third daughter of Mrs H. C. Evans, of Enville House, Newport, and, since returning from India about two years ago, her husband had been stationed at the Clonmel Depot of the Royal Irish Regiment. On Friday week, Mrs Riordan, accompanied by three of her little children, went out for a drive in a pony trltp. The animal suddenly took fright at a lady in white on a bicycle. and bolted. Fortunately the children were strapped in, and they escaped without injury, but Mrs Rior- dan was thrown out, and fell on her head. The fall was a bad one, but the unfortunate lady recovered surprisingly well, and seemed to be on the high road to recovery, when there was a turn for the worse, but even then the news of her death on Thursday night came as a great shock to her many friends. The deceased lady was attended, after the acci- dent, by two local doctors, and the injuries on the head which she sustained were quickly cured but symptoms of a peculiar form of tetanus set in. Mr. Coleman, of Dublin, <% specialist, was telegraphed for, but the symptoms became aggravated, and defith ensued. The funeral took place on Saturday, when the mortal remains were interred in the looal cemetery after being removed over night to the parish chapel, where Uequiem High Mass was celebrated. There was a large and representative attendance of the military and townspeople at the funeral. The deepest sympathy is felt for Colonel Riordan, as he and his wife, although they had only lived about five months in Clonmel, were very popular with all classes.

ARTILLERY FIRB AT LIAO-YAWG. I The great artillery duel at Liao-yang, recalls, in the number of guns employed, the fierce cannonade ordered by Napoleon at Waterloo, which is said to have been heard by people at Hythe, as they were leaving Church on that memorable Sunday morning. It has always been said—perhaps more often by infantrymen than by artillerists-that the effect of artillery fire is mainly moral, and no doubt that view was confirmed by some incidents of the South African war, notably the bombardment of the Boer laager at Paardeberg, which was shelled for nine days by the batteries under Lord Roberts' command. Reports differ as to the effect of the artillery fire at Liao-yang, but although contests between infantry will probably always remain the more productive of loss of life, yet there can be no doubt that field guns are much more effective than they were a few years ago. That result has been secured by improvements in the guns themselves, by the invention of the range finder, and other appliances, aud by the increased deadliness of the shells which are projected. I RUSSIAN MINISTBa OF THE INTERIOR. I The President of a South American Republic said there was a decreasing interest in public affairs in his State, as evidenced by the fact that he had not been shot at for nearly three weeks. The position of a Russian Minister is not quite so dangerous, as that, but nevertheless Prince Sviatopolk Mirski, who succeeds M de Plehve, as Minister of the Interior, would probably experience some difficulty in inducing an insurance company to accept his life at the usual rates. It is said that some Senators who were offered the post refused it, unless they were permitted to carry out extensive reforms, and that is the policy which should recommend itself to the new Minister who, if he thinks it an advantage to die of old age, should advise the Casr to make further concessions on the lines of those with which his Majesty signified his joy and gratitude for the birth of a son. The general opinion is that the Czar is not averse from a policy which would bring Russia more neatly into line with other European countries, and if the new Minister would exert his influence on the side of an enlightened regime, he would probably have no difficulty in convincing the Czar of its expediency.

For Printing of all hinds try the "County Observer" Office.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC. The Board of Trade returns with respect to railway traffic and receipts shew that as compared with 1902 there was an increase of one million sterling in the receipts from passenger and goods traffic, but that there was a slightly reduced rate of increase with respect to passenger traffic, and a consider- able falling off in the rate of increase from goods traffic. These returns can scarcely be said to afford very pleasant reading for shareholders, who are confronted with the fact that there has been, since 1896, a very remarkable increase in the number of persons carried by the tramways, and a corresponding decrease in the number of passengers travelling short distances by rail. In the year mentioned, the railway companies carried 129 millions moru of third-class passengers than the aggregate of the tramways, but by 1900 the tramways had overtaken the railways, and in 1903 they carried 1,681 millions of passengers, as compared with 1,086 millions of third-class passengers who travelled by the railways. It is evident that this competition of the tramways has become a very serious question for some of the railway companies, but that fact does not appear to have very much effect upon investors, seeing that there was, during the year 1903, an in- crease of 29 millions in the amount invested in home railways.

iCost 1/—Save Wood-Milne srisl R VOlY'nfl n.™ ordinary wear. ordinary ■ Hon* genulna —11 11 ZSSJ unleaa stamped I laoe°d ,8oid0 ave^PEcfALQllALITX/^CI whtf.

I THE DEATH-RATE. Sir B. W. Richardson predicted twenty- five years ago that the death-rate would fall from twenty to eight per thousand, and as Mr 1. Young remarked, at the annual conference of the Sanitary Inspectors' Association, there is strong reason to believe that that prediction will be accomplished One of the things that hinder its fulfilment is the heavy mortality of infants, which Mr Young thought could be decreased by the appoii t nent of a large number of women as sat itary inspectors. It may be so, but the thing is by no means certain, seeing that one of the most frequent causes of infant mortality is a desira on the part of parents to get rid of their children. A womf.n sanitary inspector might be able to detect here and there a case in wh cli a child's life was being shortened by in- sanitary conditions, but she would ra-ely discr ver one of the cases of wilful murder, whi h medical men-practising in poor localities-know to be numerous. Besides these instances of deliberate neglect, where the medical man can rarely prove an intention to destroy life, there is the great number of deaths from suffocation in bed. The jury find that the occurrence was an accident, but the Coroner knows that in 90 cases out of a hundred, one, or both of the parents, is guilty of wilful murder, and that in half the remainder the fatality is due to the drunkenness of the parents, and more often than not takes place on Saturday nights. 0

I SEA WATER OF MANY COLOURS. On a bright, sunny day visitors are often puzzled by the numerous colours visible on the surface of the sea. There will, perhaps, be some four or five streaks of green, blue, yellow, black, and so forth, making the water appear as though it were painted in colour-stripes of mathematical precision. To the initiated these several stripes have their meaning. They are nearly all produced by the character of the ocean bed, and, as a rule, are only seen in closo proximity to land. If you see a deep blue or green patch, you may label it deep water, the blue usually being deeper than the green. A yellowish tint signifies a sandy bottom, and, if it is very pro- nounced, indicates a shoal or sandbank. Black iudicates rocks, although seaweed or cloud shadows will sometimes produce a similar effect. On the east coast it is no uncommon thing to see a patch of bright red where the sun has reflected the colour of the deep brown sand on the surface. Where the bottom is muddy, as on the Essex coast, a streak of bright silver-grey is often seen. Many people who cannot claim intimacy with the sea imagine these colours are in the sea water itself, whereas its intrinsic tint is bluish-green.

[ AMEBIC AN ENERGY. The sleepy Spaniards in Manila are astounded at the energy of the Americans. They cannot under- stand why the Americans keep their stores open at noon, when it has been the accepted custom of years to close them at that hour. But it is the great game of base-ball that is the mystery which passes all mysteries. The Filipinos gather wonderingly at the edges of the crowd and peer into the field. They cannot fathom the enthusiasm.

I When Hostilities may Cease. I Viscount Hayashi, in an inter- view with the London correspon- dent of the Echo de Paris, said Japan would only cease hostilities when Russia could no longer cause her uneasiness. I

w — The Czar's Thanks. I Mukden, Friday. The Czar, in a message to General Kuropatkin, says 11 I thank you and your splendid troops for their heroic work and continued self-sacrifice."

HINTS FOR COIN FANCIERS. To take a permanent and accurate copy or im- pression of a coin, melt a little isinglass glue by means of brandy, and when a paste is obtained pour this thinly over the coin from which the im- pression needs to be taken. The glue must quite cover the surface. Let it remain untouched for several days, until the whole has had time to harden; then gently tap the coin out with the- finger, and a very perfect copy of the coin will be- found in the glue, which is also warranted to remain firm and hard, even in damp air, which is; a great enemy of other kinds of glue. -A

THE INVESTIGATION OF THE BECK CASE. I The report of the very strong committee appointed to investigate the Beck case, ought to be received with confidence by the public. Some people, who have been rather carried away by excitement, have urged that there has been a "conspiracy to defeat the ends of justice, but few level- headed persons are likely to entertain for one moment the suggestion that the police set themselves deliberately to the task of compassing the conviction of an innocent man. Apart from a disinclination to think so badly of the police, there is an absence of motive which is sufficient to justify us in dismissing such an idea. No doubt the Committee will fiud that the two wrongful convictions furnish very conspicuous evi- dence of the fallibility of human nature, but they will doubtless go further than that, and will, above all, attempt to show how such mistakes may be made as nearly impossible as we can expect in a world where error is frequent, but happily-as we have reason to hope-not very frequent in the practice of our criminal courts. What- ever facts the Committee may bring to light, we can still rest assured that our system of criminal procedure will compare favourably with that of any country in the world, and that the safeguards against miscarriage of 0 justice are as nearly perfect as the wit and experience of man can make them.

I The Beck Case. Mr Justice Phillimore explained to-day, in the Central Criminal Court, that it had not been proved that William Thomas was guilty of either of the crimes for which Mr Adolph Beck was sentenced, although his guilt was probable. Thomas's sentence was, therefore, not increased on that account. a

I The Kelson Relics. I William Carter was spntenced to j seven years' penal servitude, at the Old Bailey, to-day, for stealing the 0 Nelson relics from Greenwich,

Stocks. [ Quiet; cheerful. I

PERSIAX IDEAS. An American traveller in Persia learnt that the. common soldiers of that country supposed that the- English practice of firing a salute at the burial of a soldier had for its object the driving away of devils. Other mistaken impressions no less absurd he re- ports in his "Persian Life and Customs." A village- soldier asked me if I knew of dog-worshippers. I told him I had heard of fire-worshippers, cow- worshippers, and the like, but not of dog-wor- shippers. He said he had seen some in Teheran- Some foreigners there had fed them, fondled them in their laps and taken them riding in their car- riages. Were they not do,(Y-worshippe'rs ? An Eng- lish sea captain whose ship touched at Bushire took, a horseback ride through the streets of the city, but made so poor a display of horsemanship as to. astonish and amuse the people. The next day a vendor of fruit came on board the ship and said,, to the captain: "I have made such an explanation; as to free you from all reproach. There is no one who does not think that you are an expert rider, as becomes one of a nation of horsemen." "And how did you do that ?" asked the captain. "I told them, you were drunk."

THE WORLD'S GOLD PRODUCTION. All the great gold-producing countries increased their output in 1897, compared with 1896, the Transvaal heading the list with an addition of approximately zE2,900,000, Australia following with an increase of £ 1,370,000, Russia of approximately the same as Australia, the United States with £ 850,000, and India about a quarter of a million., Taking Klondike and British Columbia into account; and adding these increases to the estimate of 45 millions for the year 1896, an estimate for 1897 is arrived at of about 521 millions sterling; and this huge total has again been added to in 1898, by about 10 millions, making the yield for 1898 over 621 millions. The year 1898, compared with 1897, shews an increase of about L4,700,000 in the Transvaal production, L2,250,000 in that of Aus- tralia, approximately P,1,700,000 in the American production, and Z2,000,000 addition may be allowed for Klondike and British Columbia.

AN OLD SUPERSTITION. The old superstition, which has grown into an adage, that rats desert a ship which is no longer seaworthy is still an article of faith with the fresh- water sailors of the Great Lakes. Sundry well- authenticated instances seem to justify this belief. The Vernon was a three-master which did a tramp business. Built in Buffalo in 1850, she was for many years regarded as one of the best craft on the- lakes. Late in the fall, about fifteen years ago, she unloaded a cargo of grain in Buffalo and reloaded: with package freight for Chicago. She was about to- sail one rough November night. Just before the lines- were let off, one of the seamen saw a rat run over- hawsers to the wharf. In a moment another was seen. The seaman called others of the crew to see the unusual sight. Between fifty and seventy-five- rats poured out of the ship and took refuge along-, the wharf. The crew refused to sail; but the captain was obstinate, shipped a fresh crew, and sailed forthwith. The ship was lost with all hands. The Idaho, a fine passenger steamer, foundered in Lake Erie in November, 1897. Out of her crew of twenty-one men, nineteen were drowned. Just before the vessel left her moorings a swarm of rats crawled over the hawsers to the wharf. This was, known to part of the crew, and four men deserted at the last moment. Similar stories are told of other- wrecked vessels.

VALUABLE GOLD-LEAF. The fragile gold-leaf used for gilding purposes,, and with which everyone is familiar, is really a- very thin sheet of solid gold. It is reduced from.- the solid lump to its very flimsy state by no more- complicated processes than pressing and beating, and. that chiefly by hand. The gold is first cast into, oblong ingots about three-fourths of an inch in. width and weighing two ounces each. These ingots- are passed between polished steel rollers and flat- tened out into ribbons of about 1-800th of an inch int, thickness. The ribbons are softened by heat and cut into pieces one inch square. One hundred and fifty of these pieces are placed between vellum leaves,. one piece above another, and the entire pile is enclosed in a double parchment case and beaten; with a sixteen-pound hammer until the inch-pieces- are extended to four-inch squares. They are then, taken from the case, and each square is cut into four pieces the pieces thus obtained are then placed between gold-beater's skin, made into piles, en- closed in a parchment case, and again beaten, but with a hammer of lighter weight. Still the leaves, are not thin enough, and once more each leaf is cut into four pieces and again beaten. This last quartering and beating produces 2,400 leaves, and the thickness of each leaf is about 1-200,000th of an inch. Gold is so malleable that it is possible to- obtain a still greater degree of thinness, but aofc profitably.,

ENORMOUS PENDULUMS. The orly structures in Japan which seem to ban earthquake proof are the pagodas, which are erected before the temples. There are many which are sevell or eight hundred years old, and as solid as where first built. There is a reason for this, and it lies 13, their construction. A pagoda is practically a irame- work of heavy timbers, which starts from a wide, base, and is in itself a substantial structure, but is rendered still more stable by a peculiar device. Inside the framework and suspended from the apex: is a long, heavy beam of timber 2ft. thick or more. This hangs from one end of the four sides; four more heavy timbers, and if the pagoda be very lofty still more timbers, are added to these. The whole forms an enormous pendulum, which reaches within 6in. of the ground. When the shock of am earthquake rocks the pagoda, the pendulum swingo. in unison and keeps the centre of gravity always at the base of the framework. Consequently the equilibrium of the pagoda is never disturbed, and this is the explanation of the great age of many of Nfm, when from their height one would suppose m to be peculiarly Susceptible to the effects of Wj earthquake. 1 Printed and Published hy Titz COUNTY OBSBBVBB," NEWSPAPER and PRINTING COMPANY, Limited, by JAMES HENRY CLARK, at their Offices, Bri-Ige- Street, Usk, in the County of Monmouth, Saturday September 17tb, 1904,