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THE POLITICAL SITUATION. 0-
THE POLITICAL SITUATION. 0- MR. BALFOUR IN EAST LOTHIAN. Mr. Balfour, presiding on December 26 at t1 meeting of the East Lothian Unionist Associa- tion at at which Mr. Craig Sellar was aclbptedi as candidate to oppose Mr. Haldane, Secretary for War, said Mr. Haldane was rightly regarded as v. man of character, of ability, and) of moderate opinions. But they had at this moment to consider what was the Government of -Which Mr-. lately Tbecome a member. Was that a moderate Government? In regard alike to Imperial f Ya.ff-a,irs, to the relations between Great Britain j and Ireland, and to fiscal problems, Mr. ) Haldane had committed himself to a Govern- I ment which differed fundamentally from the opinions professed by Unionists. He had allied j his political fortunes with those of the head of j the Little England party, and of a party which ] was pledged) to Home Rule. ¡ The present Government were also pledged to what they considered the pure and undefiled j doctrine of free trade, but what, in his opinion, ] was a blind and stupid adherence to certain et fixed practices and maxims which had their meaning and their reasons forty years ago, but J had that meaning no longer. After criticising the pledge which, he said, Sir Henry Campbell- Bannerman had given in his Albert Hall speech to reduce the cost a-nd magnitude, of our arma- ments, Mr. Balfour closed by urging that it was the duty of every Unionist in East Lothian to purge himself, at least, from any respon- sibility for a policy and -b Government which 1 were utterly unworthy oi the support of the country at large.
FLUNG OVER A PRECIPICE. '1
FLUNG OVER A PRECIPICE. '1 According to a telegram received from Gray, I M. Rueoeher, an estate steward, and M. Ankele, inspector of forests, were chamois shooting near Streohen when they were carried over a preci- ( pice by an avalanche of snow. M. Ankele was j hurled in a sideway direction, and he landed in i a safe place, practically unhurt; but M. j Ruesicher fell to the bottom of the precipice, and j was killed. (
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A woman who recently died in Chicago had for years kept a number of hickens, and in her will she left £ 300 to be use-d in erecting "a chicken houee, good and warm, and lined in- side and out, for them." At the resumed inquest on the victim of the "Wtvdhursfc tragedy, Mrs. Stevens, whose son ia under arrest, charged with her murder, a witness said she passed the doceased house just before the niiirdel- is supposed to have been committed, and s heard Mrs. fcjtevens quarrelling. with. a man.
-'-¡f........-.-"",.- -ROBBERY…
-¡f. ROBBERY BY MOTOR-CAR. REMARKABLE BAND OF THIEVES. The police have arrested a band of thieves, -i^ventv in number, whose exploits and daring are little short of marvellous. They cultivated one particular speciality of theft—robbing delivery vans. Nothing came amiss to them. Whatever the vane contained was considered legitiniata booty, and added to the common store. The band was led by run ex-ipoiiceman, who had been dismissed the force for striking his superior. The thieves leagued themselves with carmen, and stole parcels, furniture, ornaments, clocks-, bibe. lots, silk, bedclothes, etc. They formed a veri- table community, living together in a large de- teebed house wt St. Miaur. The house was the property of the confraternity, which had for its motto, "Each for all and all for each." Attached to the thieves household was a chef, who sa-w to it that the common table was plenti- ifally furnished a-fter each day's thieving. For Ithe purposes of their business they had a num- ber of motor-foal's and a couple of honSl85 and 'light conveyances, all being housed in the grounds surrounding the mansion, and employed to facilitate coups. The place was full of stolen property, and had the appearance of a vatst bazaar. The Contents are now being over- hauled, but it Will take the police some time to complete the inventory of the goods. Mean- while it is estimated that the articles already classified amount in value to nearly £ 10,000. The motor-cars were in use every day. As soon ais a. haul was obtained the booty was placed in the automobile, which dashed off to the man- sion in St. Maur. Usually the leader accom- iplished the .more daring thefts. He would leave the car in the care of two of his confederates, and select what he wanted from delivery vans. He was detected removing a heavy parcel, and promptly arrested by the police. His colleagues rushed off, but were followed by a policeman on a motor-cycle. He Tocle to the house, then sought more policemen. Quite a pCGGle of men arrived, and the house was surrounded. The thieves now realised that the game was up, and allowed themselves to be arrested. Mr. Le Poit- tevin, examining magistrate, is inquiring into the remarkable doings of the band, the members of which are composed of all manner of men, including thieves, by profession, second-hand dealers, and a. disgraced barrister. r-a
DRAMA OF THE SEA.I
DRAMA OF THE SEA. A telegram from Bizerta gives particulars of the terrible experiences of a Norwegian: sailor, the terrible experiences of a Norwegian: sailor, named Liset, who is the only survivor of the wreck of the .steamer Atbula, off Cape Bon, The Atbula left- Traponi with a cargo of salt for Gibraltar, and was overtaken by a tempest on December 11. The vessel foundered in the December 11. The vessel foundered in the storm. The crew, composed of 17 men, endea- voured to construct a raft, but it was carried off. The men then entered the boats. One dis- appeared with six men and the captain; another, carrying 11 men, stranded. Two of its occupants, Eriksen, the chief engineer, and Liset, remained in the boat for three days with only a biscuit between them. Eriksen became mad and tried to kill Liset, but the latter took the knife from him and bound him. Carried away by a wave, Eriksen also disappeared. Liset remained in a fainting condition until the next day, when he saw land about a hundred yards away. He jumped into the sea, a,nd succeeded in reaching the shore. Arabs gave him food and drink. He then went to a signalling station, and was nearly killed by a. custom's officer, who took him for a smuggler. The semaphore telegraphed to the Admiralty, which sent the torpedo destroyer Dunois to his assistance.
HYMNS ON THE SCAFFOLD.I
HYMNS ON THE SCAFFOLD. NEGRO'S SINGING CAUSES BUNG-LED EXECUTION. The execution, of a New JrlSey negro namsa »i>swp>iey, wiio had killed his wire, was bunglicci. Van Xlise, the hangman, had invented a patenfc gallows, which failed to work properly. The victim, instead of receiving a drop, was sud- denly lifted from his feet by means of a weight, and the ierk was supposed to break his neck. lit failed to do so, however, and the spectators were horrified at the end of seven minutes to see that Tla,pley was still alive. He was there- fore lowered, and when the rope had been re- placed round htis neck, was hoisitled a second tbiime, but even then animation of the body was noticed for another six minutes. Van Hise, who had .previousiv hanged 250 persons, wrasRllmoslt overcome with nervousness. He declared that it was not due to the mishap, butt to the conduct of the victim, who up to the last moment con'tinmed tosing hymns.
BRITISH COTTON GROWING, I
BRITISH COTTON GROWING, Lord! Elgin (Secretary for the Colonies), in TOply to a letter from Mr. J. A. Hutton, vice- chairman of the British Cotton Growing Association, sayis, he is fully alive to the importance of the work undertaken by the im, association, and to the encouraging success with which it has been attended hitherto. He has, therefore, much satisfaction in assenting to the wish of the association for the continuance of the conferences at the Colonial Office which have proved so useful in the past, and has asked Mr. Churchill to take the place, in connection with them which has till now been occupied) by the Duke of Marlborough. Mr. Churchill, it is added, hais. informed Lord) Elgin that, it will be ¡ very gratifying to him to hold this position. I
"DELIGHTS" OF BALLOONING.I
"DELIGHTS" OF BALLOONING. I M. Faure, the winner of the grand prix of the Aero Club of France, has been relating the experi- ences of his trip, which are scarcely of a kind to inflame the average man with a paszion for long-dis- tance ballooning. They may be summed up as 24 hours spent at an altitude of from 10,000 to 12,000 feet, under high velocity, and in the depths of misery. Most of the time, the aeronauts were drenched to the skin from hail and rain, which was succeeded by frost that converted the very ballast bags into blocks of solid ice, which it would have been murderous to throw out. There were a few magnifi- cent glimpses of the midnight moon, and the Pole star guides the aeronaut as it does the mariner, who, of the two, seems the less exposed to extremity of hardship.
CAPTURING A BEAR. I
CAPTURING A BEAR. I Exciting incidents occurred on the steamer Logic while Bostock's menagerie was being conveyed from Belfast to Liverpool during a heavy gale. A heavy wave broke open the cage containing a large Polar bear, which sent members of the crew and attendants flying in a rush along the main deck, scared the man in the wheel-house by thrusting its face against the lighted window, and chased the took-out man. All the menagerie attendants were su mmoned, the vessel was hove to, and after half tm hour's hard struggle the bear was roped and dragged to another cage.
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A motor-car, on which two Americans were crossing the States, has been lost is the snow in Western Arizona, and has not been heard of for five days. Mr. J. M. Barrie's charming fantasy, "Peter Pan," has been revived at the Duke of York's Theatre. A syndicate of newspaper owners in the north of England is contemplating the use of wireless telegraphy for news transmission. Firemen called to an outbreak in High Holborn on premises jointly occupied by a tyre company and a drug merchant, found two separate fires in progress. The official report states that the cause is doubtful. Municipal artisans' dwellings to be built at Black- burn will, reports the medical officer, enable decent working men to live in comfort and with- draw that most obnoxious element in cottage houses, Wja lodger,"
LITERAR i -. -
LITERAR i Her Highness the Priric^st Vf. toria. of Schleswig-Holstein has been graciously pleased to accept a copy of La nie Wain's Arnual for 1905," which the artist has had the honour ol submitting to her Highness. Mr. Murray (says the "Athsnieum") has been entrusted w.ith the publication oi the "Life of the late Duke of Argyll," which has been edited by ,y the Dowager Duchess. The first part consists of a full and carefully prepared autobiography. It bnrgs things down to the time of the Indian Mutiny. With the Mutiny the autobiography, which was written from 188" to 19C0, etide, ild the remainder of the life is derived from the Duke's diaries and correspondence. Messrs. James Macleliose and Sons, Glasgow, have just published in book form four lectures given by Professor Henry Jones to business men iu Glasgow, on the invitation of the Scottish Christian Social Union. They treat of Social Responsibilities. Charles Lamb's writings have not had much vogue on the Continent, but the "Athenaeum" is able to review Mr. Lucas's Life" in con- junction with "Charles Lamb sa Vie et sea GSuvres," by Jules Deroquigny. This French critic has done his work well, though he has apparently relied too much on Ainger's chronology. Considerable attention is likely to be at- tracted by The Memoirs of Dr. W. Thomas Evans," the celebrated American dentist in Paris. Mr. Fisher Unwin is publishing the work. In it Dr. Evans gives his reminiscences of the chief persons and events of the Second French Empire. His acquaintance with Louis Napoleon was intimate. When, after Sedan, the Empress Eugenie fled from the TuiiSkies, it was in Dr. Evans' house that she sought refuge, and five thrilling chapters are devoted to the description of the secret flight of the Empress to England. Mr. Effingham Wilson has published "A Practical Guide to the Death Duties and to the Preparation of Death Duty Accounts," written by Mr. Charles Beatty. Concise, handy, well ordered, and well indexed is the verdict of a competent reviewer. In "A Naturalist's Holiday," Mr. Edward Step, F.L.S., gives an interesting account of idle hours on the Cornish Coast." The book contains no fewer than .seventy-five illustrations, many of them in colours. In the December "Book Monthly," there is an i-, article by tine editor, compact of the literary neco'llectdons of Mr. James Mills, who for nearly forty years was in the house of the late Mr. John Murray—John Murray the Third. Mr. Mills has confessedly kept few notes, and is not a raconteur. Ho recalls the late Lord Salisbury, as Lord Robert Cecil, in his writing days. "He was' not then the direct heir to the, peerage, and he was writing. Sometimes I thought that his wife must be of great assistance to him with his literary work, for she looked and talked so cleverly. And how winning she was with her f,a.x;e,i see ladies wore their hair in ringlets then Everybody had heard the romance, of their marriage, and delighted in it and them." A good old book, much quoted by writers on London, is (says the "Globe") about to ap- pear in a modern dress- This is John Thomas Smith's "Book for a Rainy Day; or, Recollec- tions of Events in the Last Sixty-six Years'" (1766-1832). The editor, Mr. Wilfred Whitten (best- known as "John o' London" in "T. P.'s Weekly") has treated Smith's book in the spirit of its cheerful title. This edition is illustrated with portraits and engravings chosen for their curious interest or their dash of caricature, and M.e<3:srs. Mjetlruien hava just ptiCblisiiiad. the book- Mr. J. C. Bailey hss edited "The Poems of William Cowper," and the book ic,, announced for immediate publication by Mr. Fisher Un- win. The aim of this edition is to provide a carefully corrected text of all the poems of Cow- per, arranged for the first time as far as pos- sible in chronological order, with the exception of those printed by the poet himself, wiiicii are, of course, given as he issued them. There is an elaborate, critical, and biographical Intro- duction, and some notes, in preparing which Mr. Bailey has had the advantage of consulting ,a large number of unpublished letters of the poet. Messrs. Hodges, Figgis, and Co., Dublin, have cent out a, valuable short essay from the pen of Dr. John Roche Ardill, entitled "Forgotten Facts of Irish History." It pleads both -by precept and exam.ple for religious tolerance and good sense in the writing of history, and will well repay the attention of disinterested students of its subject. The Australian Book Company, London, have published a pamphlet contaiMng a. series of letters addressed, from "An Australian Point of View," by Mr. F. A. A. Russell to his fellow- citizens of the Commonwealth, 'mey discourse on such topics as the Solvency of Australia, Im- perial Federation, and (not to mention every- thing) Protection. Ten tons of coal and dirt fell from the roo f of a Leigh colliery, entombing Peter Dyson, who was dead when extricated. Elizabeth Dillon, who was sent to prison at Hull for the theft of 16s., was said to have swallowed half a sovereign to escape detection. Sentenced at the Sessions, a prisoner shouted to the officer who arrested him: Here's my Christmas greeting. I hope you will get hanged." Mr. David B. Evans, a Whitefield solicitor, who, it is alleged, obtai-ned a loan of C200 from a gentleman by means of forged deeds, was remanded at Bury. Given half a sovereign in mistake for sixpence, George Moore, a Walthamstow labourer, failed to explain the error, and ran away. At Stratford he was ordered five days' imprisonment. Owing to a dispute between Messrs. Workman and Clark, Belfast shipbuilders, and their pattern makers, regarding the employment of alleged blacklegs, about 150 men in the engine works went on strike. In the King's Bench Division, Dublin, the case in which Councillor Vance seeks to have quashed resolutions of the Municipal Council increasing .9 tb3 salary of the Lord Mayor was adjourned. Thomas George Green, a waterman, and son of Tom Green, the King's waterman, was at Mortlake remanded, charged with attempts suicide. He was found lying on the railway at Barnes Bridge, and said Let a train go over my head." After a haul of pirated music several hawkers assembled outside the shop of the agent for the Musical Copyright Association at Hull, and he was badly assaulted. With bandaged face, he gave evidence against his alleged assailants, who were remanded. Prince Buelow bas received the Andreas Order, set in brilliants, from the Emperor of Russia. I King Carlos of Portugal, who has been staying incognito in Paris for some weeks, has left for Lisbon. Mr. Walsh and the officials of his insolvent Chicago banks are to be prosecuted for violation of the banking statues. Pope Pius X. has chosen Cardinal Labotird, Archbishop of Rennes, as his representative in Fiance. He will probably become Papal Legate. A memoria to the founder of the Mormon religion, Joseph Smith, consisting of the largest monolith of polished granite in the world, has been elected in South Royalston, Vermont, where the "prophet" was born. One man was burned to death and five were injured at Lang, Kansas, in the wreck of a train on the Atchison line, due to wreckers deliberately removing the fish-plates. This is tho fifth case of wrecking within a short time.
TOWJi TOPICS.
TOWJi TOPICS. (From OUT London Correspondent.) The shops in London in the days imme- j lately preceding Christmas were a remarkable ¡ sight. I suppose they were not gayer or more cheerful than usual, if we could but vividly nee all bygone Christmas see, but they cer- foinly appeared to surpass previous years. The daily scene in Ludgate-hill was something to semember. From Ludgate-circu-s, almost to the steps of St. Paul's, both pavements were literally lined with hawkers, selling almost every variety of cheap toy in the market. The King left London on Saturday to spend too Christmas holidays at Sandringham. Her .5-ty the Queen made the journey on the f previous day, when she had completed her Christmas shopping. For many years the King and Queen have spent the festive season at. their charming Norfolk home, where :ali the old time-honoured cuistomi3 are kept up with fervour-from the King downwards to the lowliest domestic. The Christmas decorations at Sandringham House and S-andringham Church, are olway6 of the most beautiful descrip- tion. Nearly £ 19,000 was realised from the sale of Sir Henry Irving's household gods at Christie's—a result in the main due to two names-Whistler and Irving himself. The interest in the sale never slackened from beginning to end, and it will remain in the memories of those present as one of the most absorbing auctions of recent years. It is extremely doubtful whether the present genera- tion will see such another sale. Gratification will be felt at the fact that Mr. Onslow Ford's "bronze figure of Irving as Hamlet will remain in England. The American buyers have not 11 carried away all the precious relics of our greatest actor. The papers are still publishing numerous seasonable appeals to the charitable. It is, perhaps, invidious to mention one more than another, but the appeal on behalf of the Ragged School Union is worthy of special mention. Mr. John Kirk points out very truly that the winter is always the most costly time for the regular work, as in connection with the local missions the classes are more full, the working expenses heavier, and the outgoings larger. Alas! there is also very much distress and poverty, vvliich will grow "in bulk ae thv weeks advance, and which has to be at least mitigated by judicious help in food, clothing. | and boots, etc., while the lame children need, both in winter and summer susgical instru- ments and boots, as well as spinal carriages and other extra, comforts. Adclied, to this burden and strain there is the further condition of a diminished exchequer. A military correspondent of one of the London evening papers has something to say in regard to the appointment of Mr. Haldane as Secretary of State for War. He enters office with an absolutely unbiassed mind, and has no pre- conceived ideas on the subject of military /policy. He is a man of accepted ability, is not likely to be misled, and will be able to gauge the value of the advice which the professional soldiers at the War Office will, of course, tender. The result of the experiment of plac- ing a keen lawyer at the head of our military force? will be awaited with more than an academic interest. In spite of the holidays, preparations are rapd-diy going on in London-and doubtless in the country also—for the General Election. The Prime Minister can, of course, advise the King to dissolve Parliament at any time, and it is jnet possible we shall "hear of the issue. of the even before the end of the first weak in January. The "Daily Telegraph" has pub- lished a statement which suggests that the pro- clamation dissolving the present Parliament will be issued much earlier than was antici- pated. In any case the G-er-eral l Election will be all over by the end of January. Both political parties are issuing tons of litera- ture, mural and otherwise, to the constituencies. For the most part the work of compiling the case of both sides has been admirably done, and the electors cannot compla-in of lack of ful- voss or lucidity or completeness in presenting the case for the prosecution and flie case for the defence. I have just seen a batch of election literature from each of the party headquarters in London. It forms entertaining reading for keen politicians. The new Winter Club at Olympia bids fair to fee a great success. The thousands who visited the place on Boxing Day were pleasurably sur- priroà at the transformation which has taken place. The whole 63,000 square feet of the arena was covered with an immense carpet of artificial grass, made of raffa grass worked into ooeoanut, and this floor furnished ample iroom for croquet, lawn-tennis, football cycling, polo, bowls, hockey, and indeed all the eummer as well as winter pastimes. The club is by far the most interesting novelty at present in London. One notable fact at least has been repealed by fee interim report on the quinquennial valua- tion of the City of London. There has been a groat decline in the value of licensed houses. Five years ago, when the boom in this class of property was at its height, it was no uncom- anon thing for L50,000 to be paid as a premium on a good first-class house. That state of things has passed away, and many of the houses are in the hands of the mortgagees. The premiums are absolutely lost, and the natural inference is that the supply of property exceeds the de- mand. The Windsor uniform, presented to Mr. Bal- four by the King, is regarded as a signal mark of Royal esteem. This gift,taken in conjunction with ibis Majesty's recent proclamation as to the high precedence which the Prime Minister is to take Sn future, indicates the desire of the King to keep in the closest touch with the two great political parties in the State. "The King knows no politics," has become proverbial in our State economy. It means, of course, that his Majesty knows no party politics. But he ta.kes an intense interest in the political life of the nation as everyone of his subjects well knows. C. B.
TfiAiS^VAAL IRON.
TfiAiS^VAAL IRON. It wao stated in one of the sections of the British Association at South Africa that the survey of the Transvaal had shown that the eastern part of the country seemed to be a mass of magnetic iron," judging from the effects of the rocks on the compass needle. Magnetic ore, or black oxide of iron, is the richest of the ores, con- taining only oxygen and iron, and yielding 73 per Bent, of iron by weight. It is found mainly in the older rocks, and in Europe the best form of it is found in gwedeq. It exists also in Russia, Canada, and several of the American States. The iron and itoal reserves of the Transvaal will some day take the place of its gold deposits.
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i Towards the new Sea Training Ship scheme $he Corporation of the Trinity House has ■awarded the Marine Society a grant of £ 50. :iUnder the scheme 100 boys from the society's rahip Warspite will be sent on a nin-e months' fvoyage to Australia and back for practical train- ing as mariners. •A. barber was defendant at Wood-green County-court. Defendant •. Business is very JLight just now. Judge Edge: What do you mean? Mr. Avery (solicitor): He means that ipeople let their hair grow longer now.
NEWS NO im
NEWS NO im r A Local Government Board Order has just been issued! to Boardis of Guardians, making provision for special treatment of the unem- ployed who have entered the workhouse, and for the maintenance of their wives amd families on out-relief. The principal change proposed is that an inmate may have leave of absence once a week, for not more than twelve hours together, and may be .relieved by the Guardians during his absence. This clause is obviously designed to give the distressed unemployed' a chance of obtaining work outside the work- house. While a man is finding employment in this way he will have the satisfaction of knowing that his wife and family are receiving out- relief. The change is a drastic one, and while it will give fair-play to these really anxious to get work, it may easily lead! to abuse. The order is operative for six months only. Mr. Brodritik, speaking at the Holborn Restaurant the other day, votichsaf-ed the information that the Regular Forces were- still a matter of serious discussion in high. quarters. Whatever may be the grievances of Militia and Volunteers, there was one force-the Imperial Yeomanry-which has been reconstituted with great success during the last five years. The force has trebled in numbers and increased in efficiency. No difficulty is experienced in recruiting, and each year the Yeomanry receives its due meed) 'of praise from the Regular officers, who inspect this interesting and effective branch of the Service. Mr. Brodrick paid! a compliment to the new Secretary of War, who, he believes, will carefully think over the reforms recommended, and will carry out the best of them carefully, with a view to a permanent settlement of the problem. The closing scenes in the Watt trial at the Old Bailey were exceptionally interesting, if not impressive. The court, crowded on each of the seven days of the hearing, was suffocat- ingly packed during the, judge's able and exhaustive summing-up, and crowds were unable to gain admission. It was not surprising to see the extraordinary amount of public interest manifested in this unique case. The annals of the Old Bailey could not furnish any parallel. It was a trial full of surprising situations, and one could not help feeling, as it passed through its various stages, that actual life is much stranger than fiction. The sentence of five years' penal servitude passed on the prisoner Watt fairly meets the claims of justice. Lord Curzon declines to stand as a candidate for the City of London at the General Election. His Lordship was approached by a. number of representative City men, who wished him to stand as an independent, assuring him that he would secure support from both political parties. Lord Curzon, while feeling greatly flattered by the offer from so distinguished a constituency (which returns two members to Parliament), replied that he could not become a candidate without- upsetting the arrangements of both sides, and therefore declined the honour. The offer was a very striking tribute to Lord Curzon's popularity with the hard-headed men of the City. The supply of Christmas fare in the markets this year surpassed all records. Turkeys were never so plentiful—in fact, they were a drug in the market, and prices, began to drop con- siderably before Saturday, and on that day good birds were sold in Leadenhall Market for half-a-crown each. In Smithneld tons of beef disappeared with marvellous rapidity; while Coven t Garden Market was a veritable paradise of fruit, flowers, and- holly. But the popularity of the Christmas tree is distinctly waning. There was a plentiful supply, however, ranging in price from sixpence to a guinea. The Prime Minister received a deputation from the Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress, who urged the importance of an early introduction into Par- liament of the Trades Dispute Bill. It was pointed out that the measure had already been before the House of Commons three successive sessions, in the last of which it was carried by large and increasing majorities, thereby indicat- ing that the House of Commons as at present constituted) was. of opinion that the subject was one requiring attention, and that the Bill met the case. The deputation hoped that the Government would be able to see their way clear to bring in R, Bill on the lines of the measure of the Trades Union Congress. Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, in reply, admitted the urgency of the matter, and' promised that a Bill on the general lines of the Parliamentary Committee should be introduced at an early date, and without any unnecessary delay. The recent report of the Medical Officer of Health for Glasgow reveals a. state of things in regard to the population which people outside that city were certainly not prepared for. It appears that the population is practically stationary, there 'being an increase of nine pe-rsons only during, the present year. Hence Glasgow is in danger of loising, her proud posi- tion as "the second city in the Empire," for the population of Liverpool, her nearest rival, is increasing. The report will cause a good deal of interesting speculation, in view of the fact that Glasgow is believed to be the best- governed city, in a municipal sense, in the United Kingdom. The King and Queen were much interested by the new riding-school at Welbeck Abbey, which was constructed by the late Duke of Portland. It is 400ft. in length, by 106ft. in width, and is built of stone, with a roof of iron and glass 50ft. high. The tan gallop, which is an arcade covered over with glass, is three-quarters of a mile long. The Duke laid out an enormous amount of money on building and completing the structure, which was intended to replace the old riding-house which was built during the ■reign of Charles the First by Cavendish Duke of Newcastle. The military correspondient of the "West- minster Gazette" vigorously defends Lord Kitchener and his work in the Indian Army from the attack of Sir Edwin Collen. Lord Kitchener is neither deaf, blind, not foolish. If it be true (which it is not) that Lord Kitchener has adopted idleas of his own, without inquiry into their probable consequences upon native opinion, then some of the high officers, better informed than he, should have represented the facts to him. Lord Kitchener is not an ogre; he is ready at any time to consider facts put before him, even by a subaltern officer; though with mere opinions unsupported by evidence he has indeed but little patience. The corre- spondent asks people to wait until we know what Lord, Minto thinks of the position.
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The sun is one thousand, times larger than Jupiter. The are 532,000 men working in British coal mines. The study of English ia compulsory in the Japanese schools. China and Ja-pan are the seaweed-eating nations of the world. Over 500,000 people are employed in Italy in rearing silkworms. The criminal court of Como. Italy, has sentenced the famous smuggler, Antonio Zilioli, to 25 years' imprisonment, and a fine of £ 1400. Zilioli nearly killed a gendarme in a terrible affray in an Alpine pass. The Paris Chamber of Indictments has decided to send the case of Gall ay, the alleged absconding bank-clerk, and the woman Merelli, who is sup- posed to be his accomplice to be tried at the Assizes. The trial will probably come on during the second fortnight of January.
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"I 'II "f,1 Tragedies and Disasters. An inquest was held at Stepney on Margaret Hilton, forty-four years old, who dropped dead while dancing r a wedding. Death was to cerebral hemorrhage, accelerated by exertion exertion and excitement. "While walking along the quay at Porfcishead, Bristol, to rejoin their ship, three of the craw of the Norwegian barque Anglo-Norman fell into the water and were drowned. Cases Told in the Courts. Burglars who, broke into ia house in Eaetfield"- road, Walthamstow, left behind them a- visiting- card, on which was written: "Visited by the Fraternity of Night Wolves." Mr. Justice Buckley explained his decision, in which he declined to grant an injunction restraining "b grown-up son from living at his father's house. Edward Rufane Benedict Donkin, who described! himself as "a bishop of the Old Catholic Church, Santa Cruce (Antioch)," was committed for trial at Bexhill on a charge of obtaining zCC-5 -by false pretences. Indicted with two other men on charges of stealing and receiving building material, Nathaniel Thomas, a member of the West- minster City Council, was sentenced to fifteen month's imprisonment in the ep-coiid, division at the Clerkenwell Sessions. Sentenced to six months hard labour for theft" at the Guildhall, Herbert Campbell thanked the alderman politely, and asked to be allowed) to put his last shilling in the poor- box of the court. For driving down a hill at the "furious" rate of six hour, the driver of a traction- engine was fined P,2 at Farnha-m (Hants.). WafioffisjS and Political. Mr. J. E. Geddes, a British merchant in Hong-Kong, complains that he was arrested as a, spy by Russians, and subjected to great brutality. He has arrived in London to lay his case before the Foreign Office. Mr. Lloyd George, M.P., addressing his con- L stituents at Carnarvon, said that a foremost place in the Government programme was given to religious equality in Wales. There must be popular control of all schools maintained by the public. He announced that the whole of the present Cabinet favoured Disestablishment. To encourage patriotism among the boys, the us e :2 headmaster of the Cuckneld (Sussex) National School intendis fo make the lads salute the national flag, and sing a. patriotic anthem on anniversaries of great battles. Though there is no subject which so nearly touches the welfare of the people as public health, the "British Medical Journal" com- plains that there is no representative of medicine in the new Ministry. Occidents and Offences. Colonel Allenby, of the 16th Queen's Lancers, was thrown from his horse while following the Essex and Suffolk Hounds, near Colchester. Several of his rihs. were fractured. As a. motor car wa,s being driven along Thornton-avenue, Streatham-hill, the petrol became ignited, end the car was speedily enveloped in flames. The oceupant.s escaped uninjured, but the body of the car was com- pletely destroyed. A runaway pair-horsed mail van from Euston Station overturned a hansom-cab in Euston-. road. Two menarle said to have received serious injuries. Commercial and Industrial. It was reported, at Port Glasgow that Messrs. Yarrow have decided against the claims or tuat town as the: site of their new wonke. Scotstoun, which is nearer Glasgow, is said to be favoured. An .order has been issued by the Local Government Board making provision for the special treatment of unemployed men who, having entered the workhouse, desire to find work. Their wives and children may be main- tained on out-relief, and the men may be absent for twelve hours once a week on out-relief. Figures issued by the Board) of Trade show the enormous growth of tramways in the United Kingdom, which last year carried more than 2.060,000,000 passengers. Messrs. Doxfords, of Sunderland, have secured the shipbuilding record this year with an o utn ut of twenty steamers, representing 86,632 tons, and Messrs. Harland and Wolff, of Belfast, are second with 85,287 tons. For the- extra work necessary by carrying into effect the Buildring Act Amendment Act (1905), the London County Council are employ- ing an additional staff at the cost of £ 4,74-9 a year. Soda!. "Parlour ponies," about the size of New- foundland dogs, were among the novelties in. Christmas presents this year. T,ea at a pound a cup, wiith another half-sove- reign for milk, was one of the luxuries for which visitors had to pay at a charity fete at the Paris Ministry of Marine. A new gaim,e caliled ^vishnu"—a- variation of the pilancliette—revealis all the secrets the, future holds for humanity. In aid of the fund for the suffering Jews in Russia, Mr. Mark Hambourg gave a concert in December, which resulted in £ 255 116. lid. be- ing handed to the fund. The Queen has graciously promised ;EI.00 to- wards the building fund of the Bedford College for Women. Mrs. Ludwig Mond has promised £ 1.000 to the same fund. Captain Sinclair, Secretary for Scotland, opened the West of. Scotland Technical College, which is the largest building of the kind in the world. ¡ The Princess of Wales sent a, Christmas pre- sent of toys from her children and the children of K&w to the little patients at St. Mary's Hos- pital. Military and Naval. As a New Year supplement to the "Shipping World," Mr. Charles Dixon, R.I., has just com- plated a- large drawing, in which the latest types of battleships and merchantmen as well as rac- ing craft have been grouped together under the title, "The Last Word." The Chevalier de Marltino has painted a series of pictures depicting the battles of tihe Nile and Trafalgar, the execution of which has taken him twelve years. Serious defects have been discovered in the second-class cruiser Dido. It is stated at Dover that seventy torpedo craft will have their headquarters in the naval harbour as soon as the southern breakwater is completed. Music and Drama. An alliance has been entered into between Mr. James K. Hac1:N3,bt and Mr. Frank Curzon for -e Txroduetion of their plays in England and America. I Lord Roberts opened the new Royal Artillery Theatre at Woolwich, which his, been erected on the site of the building burned down in 1903. ¡ The cost has been about £ 11,000, of which £ 8,800 has been provided by the War Office. From Other Lands. A sergeant-major of the Army Service Corps admitted at the, hearing of the War Stores Com- mission, Pretoria, th3.lt he had received from Meyer, Limited's agents sums of £ 600 and £ 240 for sales of surplus stores derived from drawing less than the proper amount of supplies. f Mr. Longworth, M,il36 Roosevelt's fiance, has introduced a bill into the American Congress to enable the Secretary of State to acquire the Ambassadorial residencei3 abroad at a cost of 91,000,000, with the object of removing the wealth barrier "to diplomatic posts. Mr. Richard Hodgson, the author of several works on psychical research, who leetrared at Cambridge University in 1884-5 on Herbert -Spencer's philosophy, has died at Boston. lie was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1855. | The appeal in the case of the British steamer Bawifcry, earotured by Japanese cruisers while bound for Vladivostoclc with general cargo, Las { been dismissed, and the vessel confiscated. Every steamer captured by Japan during the j war against whose detention an appeal has been Hedged has been confiscated. Presiident Roosevelt's birthplace, an old fashioned New York house, has been purdiased for the nation at a cost of £lJ.OCO. Mr. Car- negie and Mr. Edison are among the subscriber* Mr. J. H. Head-ley, of New York, says the cotton syndicate of which he is the head will underwrite all cotton pledged to the Cotton Growers' Association, guaranteeing 71e1. a pound to those who pledge their cotton. A potffc office official at Lille, who has just won P,6,000 in a lottery declares that he. wili go on working for another fifteen years until he be- comee entitled to a pension. Emperor Francis Joseph htes decided that, in the existing political circumstances yi Hungary. he cannot accept the resignation tendered to him by the Cabinet. A diplomat writes, on German Imperialism. desicriDing the cost of the 1,000,000 square miles of colonies that Germany owns. Miss Alice Roosevelt intends to wear at her wedding a wedding dress bequeathed to her by her grandmother. Other Interesting Items. The Russian workmen declare that the general strike will last until the abolition of martial law, and the granting of freedom of speech and the right of meeting. Charing-cross Station will, it is hoped, be reopened for traffic early in February. The contract, for riebuilding, has been given to Messrs. Handysides, of Derby. A church was. among the many curious places taken by the Post Office for the purpose of ed,ealing with the Christmas letters and pareelo. Afterrocleiving diplomas. at the Training School for in New York recently, forty- one nurrses. took an oath not to divulge the secrets of the sick-room. This, says the "British Medical Journal," might furnish, a hint for nursing schools nearer home. On the beach at St. Germans, Cornwall, a. bottle was picked up -containing a paper inscribed "CharliOO Henry Jennings drowned! his self off Plymouth, 12-11-1905. Mother, —, — Gillingham, Kent. The blank spaces are undecipherable. ( In three nights the Carol!ers." the members of a "ivate literary society in Highbury, who sang in the streets at Christmas-time, made a record collection of £ 120. It has been decided) by the Marylebone Boro-ugh Council to take the opinion of the residents in Portland-place as regards planting the thoroughfare with trees. Mr. Henry Harland, the well-known author of "The Cardinal's Snuff Box" and other cha-rming novels, has died at San R-emo at the age of forty-four.
TOGO AND HIS FLEET. I
TOGO AND HIS FLEET. I The Marquis Yamagaia has been appointed I President of the Japaneise Privy Council. Ad- tttiral Togo, in his farewell address to the officers and men of the fl,eet, warns them to hold them- selves in constant re:adinesis for all emergencies, and conel-Licles with the words, Victors, pull your helmet strap tighter." I The steamship Vancouver left Cuxhaven for Kobe, carrying on board a porbion of the I Japanese prisoners of war from Russia. The functions of the Japanese Resident- General at Seoul, appointed in accordance with I the convention concluded between Japan and Korea, will n,ot be exclusively diplomatic. He I' will be empowered to mete out to offenders punishment not exceeding imprisonment for one year or a fine of 200 yen.
THE PANTHER INCIDENT. I
THE PANTHER INCIDENT. I According to a telegram from Rio de Janeiro I the Brazilian Minister for Foreign. Affairs, Baron Rio Branco, has refused to accept the German Minister's explanation concerning the ¡ Panther incident on the ground that it is not sufficientJly satisfactory. Baron Branco has re- ceivied three additional reports on the affair showing -that and sailors of the Panther iwent ashore in plain clothes, invaded the house j of a Brazilian, citizen, a»d forced wis son to j accompany them in the search for the deserters. The German Minister will comply with the Brazilian Government's request for further in- vestigation. He declares that Germany is anxi- ous to m,ainbadn good relations with Brazil, and I it is understood that if no satisfactory settle- t men is arrived Eut both Governments will ap- point a joint Commission to make an investi- gation.