Cheshire Observer

THE BISHOP OF CHESTER'S i SCHEME. 1 A CO-VERSATION. i A CONVERSATION. I A profane rumour has attributed to the rsisnop --of Chester the remark, If I were not a bishop I should like to be a publican." But the desire, if it were there, would not be profane in the Bishop; for in his view a publican who duly appreciates his office is one of the good things that may come out of Galilee; "an agent of morality," in the Bishop's words, "of the highest sort-really quite a possible instructor for my clergy." .The receipt for forming the character of this complete publican may be found printed in that moral drill-book, entitled Instructions to Managers," which is issued by the People's Refresnment-house Association, Limited. lms association is a pioneer company which has been floated, a kite (as an American bishop might say) which has been flown, to test the possibilities in alien soil of the scheme of temperance reform now in force in Gothenburg and elsewhere in Scandinavia. The principle of this scheme, which has for some years been connected in England with the Bishop of Chester's name, is to reform public-houses from within; to allow that drink in itself is not necessarily a bad thing, but to try to lop off the abuses of it; to follow the line of least resistance, and so "get there" (while perhaps others stumble over forlorn am- bitions) as quickly as possible, and, having got there, still to let the man in the street retain the humanising and self-respecting power of choice. And therein lies the difference between the Bishop's scheme and the more exigent ambi- tions of teetotal reformers, with whom the Bishop, in his urbane way, simply does not agree." Mr. Chamberlain, with his more direct and slogging methods of attack, has said that the United Kingdom Alliance has spent more money and has less to shew for it than any temperance body in the kingdom. At all events that great temperance general Sir Wilfrid Lawson has forced Mr. Chamberlain to take cover since 1877, the year in which Mr. Chamberlain brought forward a scheme rather like the Bishop of Chester's. The supporter of the Gothenburg scheme. indeed, feels that he stands between the devil and the deep sea; the drink on his one han d. the teetotallers on the other—his com- panions in reform converted by an ironical but common law of life into the hottest of enemies. I It is a brave position for a bishop to occupy. I have just had a conversation with the Bishop of Chester about his scheme, and he is kindly allowing me to refer to it now. Everyone who knows the Bishop would like to engage his ser- vices as the champion of a cause, for he com- mands in himself an instant recognition of the immense power of polite and scholarly advocacy. The Bishop was not only a classic at Oxford, he was also a legalist and historian; the habit of mind which so often follows a cloistered and academic bent in the case of a fellow in residence was reinforced in his case by a broader and livelier contact with the world. To-day you can see in him that mark of serenity and distinction which is so often impressed on a man by the combination of social Christianity and sound scholarship. The open countenance can be drawn down as though all the resources of thought were being focussed on a pin-point, and when the strain of the momentary problem has passed the countenance opens again like a flower. I think of the face of Archbishop Benson, which ripened in the same social climate, and, again, of the Bishop of Durham's. If you know the latter's face you know the face of a man who, con- trary to the shrewdest expectations entertained of him, exchanged with great success the life of the scholar and the philosophical dreamer for that of the practical administrator; you know a face one side of which is wrinkled with the long concentration on problems of textual and doctrinal exegesis and the other side of which is open-eyed with a frank and buoyant optimism. But enough of faces. Only the faces of some bishops have struck me, and perhaps it is true to say, as a variation of a celebrated saying, that the profession is the face. I asked the Bishop to assume that I knew nothing of the Gothenburg scheme, and perhaps the request was made with more sincerity than he guessed. Anyhow, we agreed that experience shewed increasingly that in every subject it is always best to assume ignorance in everybody (but one's self) and to begin at the beginning. I remember," said the Bishop, how Mr. Chamberlain once insisted on the necessity of assuming no knowledge at all when speaking to the House of Commons—a secret of his force, perhaps. But to begin at the beginning with this temperance scheme, I must tell you about our pioneer company-the People's Refreshment House Association. This company has the same principles as the Trust Companies which we hope to start immediately. The only difference is that this company was started in a much smaller way as a test. The fact is that you can go on writing books, you can go on discussing foreign schemes, you can go on talking about the whole thing and getting some sort of approval for your views, but it is all not of the least use; there is only one way to convince and convert the British people, and that it to have what you advocate working under their eyes. That is the reason for the pioneer company." "And now for the principles. Do you differ in any important way from the Swedish plan?" I asked. "No," said the Bishop, "we accept all the essentials of the Gothenburg plan, though we may work differently in details. We have a common principle, which is that a most dangerous monopoly should not be in private hands. Therefore our Public-house Trust Companies- that is the right name-will acquire new licences and, as far as possible, buy up old ones, and manage the houses in the interests of the com- munity and not for private profit." The Bishop was reading now from a circular issued by Lord Grey, the provisional chairman of the com- panies. You see," the Bishop went on, glancing alternately at the circular and at me, there are two great reasons against public-houses being run for private profit; one in that there is no guarantee that the best liquor that can be ob- tained will be sold at them." The Trust Companies will not sell arsenical beer?" I asked. The Bishop turned and looked into a picture. No," he said, we shall not endeavour to make capital out of glucose." "And the second reason?" The second reason," he went on, is that it is to the interest of the ordinary publican to gush the sale of intoxicants. Of course it is. F. gets a commission. Now our publicans will get no commission except on the sale of non- intoxicants and food. Therefore it will be to their interest not to push liquor. You see the two evils go at a sweep. Further, our public- houses will be refreshment-houses, and not merely drinking-bars. They will always serve food and tea and coffee, and of course would rather do so. But if you wanted a whisky and soda there-well, you could have it." I remembered twice or three times being re- fused tea, when I did not happen to want a whisky and soda, at country inns, and I wished that I could always look forward to having the Bishop of Chester as my host. And about the details of the working of the pioneer houses?" I asked. "Well," said the Bishop, "I really haven't had time to manage one myself, but all the re- ports on them are excellent; and the police have not made a single complaint to the magistrates about our houses." "That is most gratifying." said I. On the contrary," the Bishop continued, "we have had plenty of unsolicited testimonials. But as for the details of the working, you coul d hear far more than I can tell you from Major Crauford. Do you know Major Crauford ?" Yes," said I, foi* I remembered quite well meeting him near Ladysmith when he was in charge of Lady White's gift of stores for the Ladysmith garrison. "But really," said the Bishop, "you must look at this book of instructions for the management of the pioneer houses." He handed me a pamph- let. In it I found the publican invited to regard himself "as an agent in the cause of temperance and good behaviour, who, by the general tone and system of management of his house, will make it a place where recreation and social intercourse of a harmless nature may be enjoyed." Later I came across this passage: 'There can be no doubt that a public-house manager who is actuated by a high sense of his responsibility towards the pub- lic may, by the exercise of his personal influence, do great and permanent good." The gentle periphrasis which insists on the necessity for "chucking out" in an extreme case charmed my fancy. Here it is "The exercise of powers vested ia the manager by law requires much tact and discretion. Persons to whom drink has to be re- fused must be treated, if possible, in such a way as to prevent their becoming violent or offensive; but when the resources of tact and firmness have failed to obtain the desired end, the law must be unhesitatingly enforced." But the prettiest pic- ture of all was afforded by the instructions which require that the battery of spirits shall be masked, so to speak, behind other things. I imagined the delectable ramparts of buns and lemonade. One more extract:—"Special attention is to be given to the making of tea." That is almost an article of salvation in itself. I met the Bishop's smile as I looked up from the instructions. "Our OWIt pioneer houses are 3kot the only ones," he said. Then he told me of some public-houses managed on similar principles in the west of Fife; public-houses in mushroom towns which have sprung into existence, Ameri- can-wise, since coal has been discovered in the district. There is the town Hill of Beath, for instance; a town black in the day and black also at night, for it is unlighted-or rather it was un- lighted until the public-houses held in trust pre- sented their profits not only for the lighting of the town with electric light, but for the erection of a reading-room, bowling green and football park. And this example led the Bishop by a natural transition to speak of the disposal of profits by the pioneer company and by the proposed Trust Companies. "The surplus will be distributed," he said, "for public purposes. The decision as to what those purposes shall be will be made by representative men chosen for the purpose. In the case of the pioneer company the representa- tive men have been chosen mainly from the local authorities, the clergy, and landlords. But there 19 one point to be considered. It may be necessary to set aside a certain amount of the profits as a redemption fund in case people don't like us, after all, and want to get rid of us." "You mean," I asked, "that people might be- came frightened of you after you had fairly been allowed to get to work, and regard you as a sort at Frankenstein?" "Exactly," he answered. "We don't want to f/rve any trouble, and the redemption fund will, ptovide for getting rid of us." "Will a large scheme be started soon?" I asked. "I hope so," the Bishop answered. "We have really got to an important point now. The whole question is, Will enough money be subscribed to begin the thing on a large scale. Lord Grey is floating-that is, starting-a company in North- umberland and another in London, and other companies could be federated with these. But one thing I do wish to be clear. The whole scheme is no longer mine at all. It has passed into the hands of business men." Having given me a characteristically businesslike account of the scheme, it was like the Bishop to smile with some deprecation here, as who should say, "The clergy are notoriously bad business men." "I do not manage the scheme, then," he added, "and am not responsible for it; it would not be desirable that it should be episcopally managed." "By the way," said the Bishop, "you asked for some details of the working of houses that have already been tried. I have just remem- bered a point. The managers of one public- house wanted to sell beer only, and to refuse to sell spirits." It is a common thing, I remember, to regard beer as a more temperance drink, so to speak, than whisky. In Sweden beer used to be sold deliberately as a temperance drink-like Guinness's porter in Ireland. "Well, the managers had their way. But it was found that the cus- tomers went elsewhere for spirits-and bad spirits, too—or else brought .them in surrep- titiously to drink. So in the end it was found best to sell everything. That's what I believe myself. It is no use putting your foot down against a taste." "Does Sir Wilfrid Lawson oppose you much?" I asked, remembering secretly that Lord Grey has received some attention in Sir Wilfrid's genial verse. "Lord Grey has often said," the Bishop answered, "that we ought to pay Sir Wilfrid Law- son at least £1,000 a year for advertising us." Then the Bishop began to sum up the position. "The advantage of this scheme," he said, "is that it avoids legislation altogether. It simply doesn't involve the question of compensation at all. A terrible question! No one will look at it. Will they? You know they won't. The trade is too powerful. Certainly I can tell you that there is no chance of this Government attempting temperance reform, at least till some plan like this of ours has been properly tested. Therefore this plan is the only possible alterna- tive to letting all the public-houses become tied; for the private publican cannot long survive in the competition. What would that mean-all the houses in the hands of large brewery companies? It would simply mean a still greater pressure brought to bear on the sale of drink. Of course I for one do not regard drink in itself as neces- sarily 'the accursed thing.' Perhaps at the back of the minds of Prohibitionists there is the hope that if only things go from bad to worse Pro- hibition is bound to come. I don't agree with them. I don't believe in compulsory teetotalism. I believe the power of choice is a good thing." "Do"you," I said, "regard your scheme as only an expedient course in the circumstances? Do vou think that in other conditions there could be a better? Do you, in short, think of it as a kind of second-best scheme?" The Bishop brought his hand down hard on his chair. "No," he said; "I regard it as a 'first- best scheme.' Then we laughed heartily. J. B. A. in the "Manchester Guardian."

I A DRUNKEN MOTHER. I CHILDREN'S SUFFERINGS. At the City Police Court, on Saturday morning, a married woman named Sarah Jane Walsh, living in Clare's Court, Charles-street, was charged in custody before the Mayor (Alderman H. T. Brown) and Mr. Roger Jackson, with committing a breach of the peace in Clare's-court, and with neglecting her three children, whose ages range from three to eleven years, in a manner likely to cause them un- necessary suffering and injury to health.— Prisoner pleaded not guilty.—P.C. Smith proved the first charge.—The Chief Constable (Mr. Laybourne) said that shortly after eleven o'clock on the 2nd inst. P.C. Evans was called to Clare's-court, where he found that the three children had been locked out ot the house by the mother. They were poorly clad, a boy three years of age being clothed only in a shirt and some ragged trousers. The officer asked the woman to let the children go into the house, but she refused, and the con- stable was obliged to leave the poor children in the care of a neighbour. For several days past prisoner had been seriously addicted to drink.—The police court missionary (Mr. Charles Wright) deposed to visiting the house on two occasions since the 24th of December. He found the children in a very dirty state, ome of them having no boots or stockings on. On his last visit the woman was partly under the influence of drink. Mr. Laybourne said prisoner bad been twice in Upton Asylum in consequence of her drunkenness.—Dr. Harrison, police surgeon, examined the woman on her last appearance in court, and said she would be perfectly sane if she kept from the drink.— The Bench sentenced Walsh to two months' imprisonment. (The above appeared in our last Saturday Evening Edition.)

I FREEMASONRY. I THE "CESTRIAN LODGE" AND THE. "OLD CHARGES." Brother W. J. Hughan writes to the Masonic Journal" as follows:—"I have been very much in- terested in reading the report in the "Masonic Journal" for December, 1900, of Bro. John Arm- strong's history of the Cestrian Lodge, No. 425, Chester, and also the editorial relating to Bro. John Yarker's most suggestive remarks, and other experts as to Freemasonry in Cheshire. The par-1 ticulars respecting the old lodge of Chester from 1739 are most curious and valuable, especially as the successor of the present No. 425, as well as being in touch with the lodges of 1725, on the roll of the Grand Lodge of England and meeting in that city, besides having an existence prior to the earlier date noted. If the actual minutes are preserved of the lodge before it came on the English Register in 1739, they should certainly be published, and if Bro. Armstrong would under- take that duty I feel assured that my lodge, No. 2076, the Quatuor Coronati, London, would gladly see, through the esteemed secretary, Bro. G. W. Speth, to their publication in the Trans- actions. Caxton's "Policronicon" (Liber Secundus) of A.D. 1482, and the still earlier MS. of that name, amplified by Ralph Higden, Monk of St. Werberg, in Chester, from Roger's compilation (both of the 14th century), undoubtedly played an important part in the preparation of early ver- sions of the "Old Charges," based upon Trevisa's translation of 1387, which Caxton embellished, and continued to 1460. The Crane MS., E.12 (im- perfect), of the "Old Charges," the transcript of which I gave in the "Freemason" of the 8th November, 1384, was sent me by Bro. Robinson, formerly of Chester (an earnest Masonic student), and was taken from a MS. copied from the original in 1781. Also another named by me "Crane MS. No. 2," because in the handwriting of the Rev. Thomas Crane, was reproduced in like manner, in the same paper for the previous October. Since then I have tried unsuccessfully to find out where these extracts are preserved, and shall be glad and grateful for Bro. Arm- strong's aid in that direction. In the "Masonic Magazine" for December, 1879, will be found a re- production by me of another Chester document— the "Wren MS." of 1852--the original of which I regret to say, and the transcript of some fifty years ago, have both disappeared. The copy of 1852 was given me by a friend, and I let my lamented collaborator, the Rev. A. F. A. Wood- ford, have it. On his decease his relatives failed to find the document. The original has never been traced in my time; which is declared and certi- fied by Bro. J. Browne, secretary and treasurer of the Cestrian, 615, Chester, A- -L. 1852, Decem- ber 4th, to have belonged to the late Rev. T. Crane, who was for many years Provincial Grand Crane, w h o was for many Vart:lculars as to such Secretary of Cheshire. Particulars as to such may be found in my "Old Charges of British Freemasons," 1895, and I shall be delighted to know if either or all of these MSS. are still in existence. I quite agree with Bro. Yarker (a distinguished Masonic author) that Chester has not received the attention it has long deserved "as an important seat of Masonry." It is to be hoped that such neglect will now be rectified through the researches of Bro. Armstrong, and other earnest and capable students of Masonic lore." In a footnote the editor of the journal says:- Bro. John Armstrong informs us that the Rev. Thomas Crane was never P.G. Secretary of Cheshire, lie was initiated ana passed in uie "Royal Chester" on the 20th June, 1777; raised, September 16, 1777; became Master, June 12, 1781; resigned the chair, December 10, 1782; and was at once appointed by the P.G.M. (Sir Rt. Salisbury Cotton, Bart.) as the first P.G. Orator of Cheshire; and re-appointed 1783-4-5 and 6. He was the first Master of the Royal Chester to deliver the charges in all three degrees, and de- livered famous orations or sermons at the Church of St. John the Baptist, at all provincial meetings -1782 until 1786—the last of which was printed at the expense of the province. His successor was the Rev. Edward Thelwall (in 1787). After 1786 Bro. Crane's name disappears altogether as an attendant at Masonic gatherings. For ten years only he was the great and shining literary light of Cheshire Masonry, and was also Master of the Neston Lodge, No. 301, meeting at the Golden Lion, Neston, in 1780, which lodge a few years after this date became dormant, and was finally erased in 1812.

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CHESTER PAXTON SOCIETY. t PRESENTATION TO MR. JOHN TAYLOR. The opening meeting for the winter session was held in the Gresvenor Museum on Satur- day evening, when the members were present in good force. By the kindness of Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Siddall the officers and members of the committee, together with their wives, were entertained at tea in the Art Gallery, after which an excellent programme of music, con- tributed by Mrs. E. Gratton Lloyd, Mrs. Simon, Mrs. Miln, Miss Welsh, the Misses Wells, Mr. Peters Jones, Mr. A. Ward,. and Mr. John Weaver, was given in the Lecture Theatre, and to which all members were invited. Here I occasion was taken by the president for the present year (Mr. N. F. Barnes) to present, on behalf of the members of the committee and a few friends, to Mr. John Taylor, of Hoole, on the occasion of his marriage, a handsome aneroid barometer, bearing a suitable inscrip- tion. In doing so, Mr. Barnes made mention of the fact that Mr. Taylor was the first president of the society, and had been closely identified with all its workings from the time of its inception, nearly 12 years ago. Con- tinuing, the President said that during all this time Mr. Taylor had worked strenuously to bring about the success which the society had attained, and there was a spontaneous desire to recognise in a tangible form the recent impor- tant event of his life. Mr. Thomas Weaver and Mr. R. Wakefield (past presidents) also spoke. and in a few well-chosen remarks Mr. Taylor thanked the members for the handsome and unexpected gift it had been his pleasure to receive. He looked back upon his work and connection with the Paxton Society as the most pleasant part of his life, and he hoped that so long as he was spared this connection would not be severed. In con- clusion, he also thanked all present for the warm welcome given to his wife, which she greatly appreciated. Mr. Wakefield and Mr. Newstead thanked the artists for their services, and also Mr. Siddall, who exhibited an interest- ing series of lantern pictures. The secretary, Mr. G. P. Miln, read the names of eighteen new members, after which the proceedings closed with the National Anthem.

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VIOLENT CONDUCT OF CHESTER, SOLDIERS. I At the City Police Court, on Monday morn- ing, two soldiers named George Simpson and William Riley, stationed at Chester Barracks, were charged before the Mayor (Alderman H- T. Brown) and other magistrates, with unlaw- fully damaging certain goods belonging to Harry Emmerson, who keeps a shop in Lower Bridge-street, on the 31st ult. They were also charged with assaulting both Emmerson and his mother on the same day, while a cross- summons was taken out.—Mr. E. Brassey appeared for the prosecution, and said defendants had acted in a most disgraceful manner. His client (Harry Emmerson) came home from Stonebridge about 5 30 p.m., and shortly afterwards went to bed, as he felt rather unwell. He left Mrs. Emmerson, his mother, in charge of the shop, and between eight and nine o'clock the same night a neigh- bour named Ellen Greatbanks. whom he would call to give evidence, saw the two men, who seemed to be the worse for liquor, stop in front of the shop, and endeavour to open the door. 1.. f.Viav war a nn"fnl in rvnal\incr ;t. (\T\n -T -N' t'U"'Õ -1' they went to the side door in St. Olave-street. However, they came back and burst the front door open, and started to create a disturbance in the shop. Mr. Emmerson, who was awakened from his sleep by the terrible row defendants made, slipped his trousers on and ran swiftly downstairs in his stockinged feet to ascertain what had occurred. He remonstrated with the men, but their conduct became worse, and they used abominable language. They destroyed property in the shop in a most reckless fashion, and fiercely attacked Emmerson, who was obliged to defend himself with a poker. He was kicked and abused, however, in a shameful manner, and Mrs. Emmerson, who was also assaulted, sent for a policeman. The soldiers continued their rowdy behaviour for some time and upset a case of ginger beer bottles, which were smashed to atoms on the floor. The floor, in fact, was sostrewn with glass that Emmerson cut his feet rather badly in trying to get away to a place of safety, because he only bad stockings on. In the meantime a large crowd of people had assembled, and defendants were eventually taken to the Police Office and reported. Harry Emmerson bore out this statement, and said he was kicked by one of the men on the leg, while both of them knocked him about in a disgraceful way. Defendants had received no provocation whatever. The soldiers were complete strangers to him. The damage committed would amount to about 14s.—Ellen Greatbanks and Mrs. Emmerson also gave evidence in support of Mr. Brassey's statement, the last-named witness saying one of the men struck her in the chest twice with his fist when she endeavoured to turn them out. They asked her to sign her name and address on a piece of paper but she refused—(laughter)— while Simpson threw a bottle at her son but it missed him.—Defendants emphatically denied the charges against them, and said the shop door was not locked when they entered. Simp- son said Emmerson struck him heavily on the head with a poker which accidentally knocked over the case of bottles when it was thrown.— Each defendant was fined 5s. and costs for the assault upon Harry Emmerson and ordered to pay the damage between them.—The cross-sum- mons against complainants was dismissed, and so was the summons taken out by Mrs. Emmerson.

MR. TENNYSON SMITH AT I SALTNEY. Mr. Tennyson Smith opened his first temper- ance campaign in the now century in the Lecture Hall, Saltney, Chester, on Saturday. Various temperance societies, including Good Templars, Sons of Temperance, with Bands of Hope, &c., assembled at the railway station on Saturday after- noon to meet the lecturer on his arrival from Birmingham. The procession was headed by the "Tranmere Gleam" Good Temp!ar Prize Silver Band. Then came the various Bands of Hope, preceded by a banner bearing the inscription— "Save the Children, the hope of the future." Many of the children also carried flags. Then came a wagonette, in which were seated Mr. Tennyson Smith, Pastor R. Dobson, Mr. Isaac Jones and other representative temperance men. This was followed by the Good Templars and Sons of Tem- perance wearing regalia. A parade of the dis- trict was then made, and a reception tea meeting was held at 5.30 in the Lecture Hall, Saltney. After tea Pastor R. Dobson formally welcomed Mr. Tennyson Smith in the name of the tem- perance societies, remarking that Mr. Tennyson Smith's name was a household word among the advanced teetotallers, and he was doing work which was perfectly unique for the temperance cause.—Pastor M. A. Collins, B.A., and others gave addresses of welcome to the lecturer. Mr. Tennyson Smith thanked them for the heartiness of their welcome, and expressed his pleasure at being in their midst. People often expressed surprise at the remarkable results which followed his work, but the secret lay in the fact that thousands of people throughout the country were praying that God would prosper the work of his hands. At 7.30 a public meeting was held, at which Mr. Hawkins presided. Mr. Tennyson Smith's subject was "The Curtain Lifted." His power as a speaker has not been exaggerated, for he ap- peared to move his audience at will. At one moment they were moved to tears by some pathetic story, and anon convulsed with laughter as he told some humorous anecdote in his inimit- able fashion. At the close the pledge tables were crowded by persons coming forward to don the blue ribbon and sign the pledge. On Sunday afternoon a united meeting of Sun- day schools was held. Mr. Tennyson Smith said that his first address was given to children some 26 years ago, within a week of his own conversion, and he hoped that the last public address he should give before being laid in the grave would be addressed to the little ones. He certainly has a special gift for addressing children, and held the attention of the audience for nearly an hour. In the evening, at six o'clock, he preached in Curzon- street Chapel, and gave a most impressive Gospel address. At eight o'clock there was another meeting in the Lecture Hall. Mr. C. P. Cockrill, who presided, expressed his great delight at seeing such a splendid audience, and said that Saltney had been already stirred, for public attention had been arrested by the splendid procession on Saturday. He said no such demonstration had ever been witnessed in the place before, and it had en- couraged the temperance people. Mr. Tennyson Smith's subject was "In Darkest Drinkdom and the Way Out," and for an hour his hearers were held almost spellbound by his vivid word pictures of the "Drink Evil." At the close of his lecture he appealed to Christians especially to enrole them- selves on the side of total abstinence, and asked whether there was no one who would rise and say, "I will sign the pledge for the Master's sake," and to the surprise of the audience three people responded to the appeal. Subsequently a num- ber of others came forward and signed the pledge. On Monday night a large crowd had assembled outside the hall some time before the doors were opened, and in a very short time the building was packed, numbers having to stand, and many being unable to gain admission. Mr. W. H. Barnes, solicitor, presided, and gave an able speech. Mr. Tennyson Smith's subject was "The Drink Demon." In the course of his lecture he gave an i impersonation of an interview with "The Drink Fiend," and secured the breathless atten- tion of the audience. He denounced brewers and publicans and licensed grocers, and warned them that unless they discarded the business they would ruin their souls. He produced a large number of brewery share lists mounted upon calico, and startled the audience by flinging the end of the roll down the aisle. One of these he stated cost him J68 9s. 7kd. at Somerset House, and in that brewery share list alone their appeared the names of 46 ministers of the Gospel who had shares, men, he said, who were preaching salvation on the Sun- day and promoting damnation every day of the week. He stated that he did not believe there was the name of a single Nonconformist minister on the list, but he deprecated the cry raised by Non- conformists against the Church of England as to the beer and Bible alliance, for the Nonconformist churches throughout the country were guilty of electing liquor sellers to high office in the church, and it was their duty to remove the beam from their own eye before they proceeded to pluck the mote from their brother's eye. He hoped to criticise the Bishop of Chester's scheme for making a wicked traffic respectable. A number of people have attended the meetings from the districts around, several being present from Tarvin, Rossett, &c., and a number even from Wrexham, proving how wide is the interest taken in the lecturer's work. Tuesday was a special night, the subject being "The Humorous, Pathetic and the Tragic Phases of Life," and a charge was made for admission. The proceedings were thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. Almost enough tickets to fill the hall had been purchased beforehand. The meetings are announced to con- tinue until Monday next at 7.30, except on Sun- day, when the meetings will be at three and eight o'clock. The admission is free, with collections, to all meetings except Monday night, when the great "Trial of Alcohol" is to be held, to which a charge of one shilling is made. Particulars will be found in our advertising columns.

A COSTLY NEW YEAR'S GIFT. R2,000 FOR A LADY'S CAPE. "Madge," writing in Truth," savs: We noticed a dozen or so of beautiful dark Russian sables which are being collected for a lady whose cane is to cost £ 2,000." This is certainly a magnificent New Year's gift, but the, bealth is more than the raiment, and a box of Chas. Forde's Bile Beans for Biliousness, which cost only one and three balf pence, would doubtless bring more baopiness to scores of homes where ill health now reigns than the most costly of capes. Bile BeRns are a certain cure for indigestion, colds. chills, rheumatism, ansemia, headache, and all female disorders; and in the changeable and trying weather to he expected during this month, are a most suitable and serviceable present for any lady.

KRliGtSR AND KHAKI." j This is the title of a lecture announced to be given by Mr. Frederic Villiers, who is fresh from the front," in the Music Hall, Chester, on Friday evening, the 18th January. The lecturer is an old campaigner, and the synopsis includes such stirring events as the fight at Magersfontein, Lord Methuen directing the battle, the remnant of the Highland Brigade, with Pilcher at Sunnyside Kop, Colonial i brethren at work, with French at Colesberg, our guns on Coles Kop, with the Army in Natal, Captain Percy Scott, with Lord Roberts, the invasion of the Free State, the dash on Kimberley, the relief, Cecil Rhodes and his humane work during the siege, the great march, the pursuit of Cronje, the surrender, Cronje and his wife, the last march of Cronje's men under escort of the C.I.V.'s, the road to Bloemfontein, crossing the Orange River, our Red-Cross Work, Mafeking-its gallant de- fender, Baden-Powell, its heroes and heroines, &c. The lecture will be profusely illus- trated with about 200 limelight views, repro- duced from snapshots taken during the actual fighting (special for this lecture), and which have not yet been published, and it is expected a large audience will be present.

SEQUEL TO A CHESTER ASSIZE I CASE. On Tuesday, at a special sitting of the Wrexham County Court, before his Honour Judge Sir Horatio Lloyd and a jury. an adjourned action was heard in which Mr. John Harris, architect and surveyor, Wrexham, sought to recover from Mr. Edward Babb, of Rossett, the sum of 930 16s. This amount was made up of C20 16s. balance of account for professional services, and £ 10 for attending Chester Assizes under subpoena as a witness on the defendant's behalf in the action Wycherley v. Babb. There was a counter claim of 9150 damage, alleged to have been sustained by defen- dant by reason of the plaintiff's incompetence and negligence as an architect. Mr. J. Hopley Pierce was for the plaintiff and Mr. Samuel Moss, M.P., defended. The plaintiff's case was placed before the Court at the previous hearing, and the defendant also gave evidence. Fur- ther evidence for the defence was called on Tuesday, the first witness being Mr. E. J. Muspratt, from the office of Messrs. Douglas and Minshall, architects, Chester, who said the work was not completed when Mr. Harris gave his final award and declared the work to be finished. He found many defects in the buildings. He discovered that best Ruabon dressed bricks had not been used, that the water came into the cellar, that snow got in through the roof, and that the outer walls were not bound properly to the inner walls. The drains were badly constructed, and were above the damp course. There were no stays to the ceiling nor binds, and this had caused a con- siderable sinking in the ceilings. The windows were very badly fitted, and left an opening either at the top or bottom, and the water ran up underneath the window sills. There were only two coats of plaster on the walls, while the ceilings and cornices were cracked and blown. Wrong flooring boards were also used. The house was in a very dirty condition, cement, &c., being left on the floors. The joint- ing in most cases was badly done. Other evidence was given. The jury found for the plaintiff on the claim and awarded him £ 36 10s., and on the counter claim they ordered the plaintiff to pay R82 14s while his Honour reserved his decieion respect- ing a further sum of JE40, a disputed account for bricks. ♦

CITY POLICE COURT. MONDAY.—Before the Mayor (Alderman H. T. Brown, Dr. Stolterfoth, and Mr. J. G. Frost. DRUNK AND HYSTERICAL. David Evans, a young collier, residing near Elles- mere Port, was charged with being drunk on Canal-side late on Saturday night.—P.C. Woods said he found defendant lying down in a drunken condition, and he learnt that a doctor had been sent for. The doctor came and ordered Evans to be removed to the Infirmary. Witness took him there, and the house surgeon said he was drunk.—Detective Arthur Hughes gave corroborative evidence.—There being a doubt as to whether defendant wat; drunk or not, Evans having stated that he was subject to hysterical fits, Dr. Markby, of the Infirmary, was sent for. On entering the witness box, the doctor said he examined defendant in company with Dr. Parry, and came to the conclusion that he was slightly the worse for liquor.—The Mayor Did you consider that he was drunk ?- Witness: Yes. He had taken too much.—A publican living on, the Canal-side said, in answer to questions put by the Chief Constable (Mr. J. H. Laybourne) that defendant came in the publichouse be occupied on Saturday after- noon, and stayed there for two or three hours. During this time Evans had only about fourhalf- pints of beer. He had a little brandy but no whisky. Defendant was taken ill in the house and he had to be nursed for a considerable time. The young man had a fit of some kind and it was not from the effects of strong drink that he became ill—according to his opinion, at anyrate. He understood that Evans was in trouble, and this must have had an effect upon him on Saturday night.—Evans was fined 5s. and costs or seven days. NESTON WOMAN DISCHARGED. An elderly woman named Ellen Callaghan, hailing from Neston, was charged with being drunk in Victoria-road, shortly before two o'clock on Saturday afternoon.—Defendant pleaded for leniency in a most sympathetic way and said she had never before faced a magistrate for an offence of this kind or any other.—She was dis- charged with a caution. HUSBAND AND WIFE DISAGREE.-Mary Bowker. of Great Boughton, summoned her husband, William Bowker, who is a labourer, for threatening to injure her.—The Chief Constable said the case bad been remanded in order that Mrs. Bowker might come to friendly terms with her husband, but little had apparently been done in this direction.—Com- plainant said her husband had used threatening language towards her for some time past, and she was greatly afraid of him in consequence. Defendant had once cut her head open, and some of her ribs had almost been broken. (Laughter.) She wanted to go and live with her daughter at Sunderland, but her husband had refused to let her take the things she was entitled to.—Complainant concluded by saying that she was desirous of living separately from defendant as she wanted a little quietness in her old days. (Laughter.)— Defendant denied that he had ever been cruel to his wife, but the Bench bound him over in his own recognisances of 50s. to keep the peace for three months, and ordered him to pay the costs or suffer seven days' imprisonment. HELPLESSLY DRUNK.—Catherine Way, who had been previously convicted, was fined 10s. and costs for being drunk and disorderly in Grosvenor-road on Saturday.—P.C. Hewitt said he was obliged to get a handcart in order to take the woman to the Police Station. WEDNESDAY.—Before Messrs. John Thomp- son and Roger Jackson and Dr. Stolterfoth. LICENSING CHANGES.—On the applica- tion of Mr. Pierson the licence of the Grosvenor Hotel was transferred from Mr. Hartmann to Miss Florence Tate Wagget, who has been in the service of the Grosvenor Hotel Company for a period of 6 years.—Mr. W. H. Churton applied for the transfer of the licence of the Dublin Castle, Upper Northgate-street, to George Moss Jones, who had become tenant. the late tenant having died. Granted.—On the application of Mr. N. A. E. Way the licence of the Horse and Jockey was transferred to Martha Swindles.—Mr. E. Brassey applied for the transfer of the licence of the Bear and Billet Hotel, Lower Bridge-street, from Annie Hewitt to Alice Jones, widow, at present residing at 40, Bridge street Row. Mrs. Jones had taken the tenancy of the I house from Messrs. Roberts and Co. Granted.—Mr. T. Moore Dutton applied for the transfer to Mrs. Annie Hewitt of the licence of the Marlborough Arms, St. John- street, of which she has become the owner, from John Aslatt. For a number of years she had been licensee of the Bear and Billet Hotel, and she intended to manage her new house per- sonally. The application was granted.—Mr. Way applied on behalf of John Henry, that the provisional licence granted to him for the new premises of the Saddle Inn, Grosvenor-street, should be declared final. The inn had been built in accordance with the plans, and an undertaking would be given to pull down the small remaining portion of the old premises. The application was granted. Temporary authority was also granted to Mr. J. W.Greaves, the present tenant. I

DIOCESE OF LIVERPOOL.—It is the intention of the Bishop of Liverpool to hold an ordina- tion four times in every year; at Trinity and Advent for candidates for priest's orders, and at Lent and September for candidates for deacon's orders. The next ordination will be of candi- dates for deacon's orders, and will be held on Sunday, the 3rd March. Intending candidates should, without delay, communicate with the bishop. The examinations will commence on Wednesday, the 30th January, and the papers of accepted candidates must be received by the bishop's secretaries, Messrs. Gamon, Farmer and Co., 53, Lord-street, Liverpool, on or before the 30th January next.

COMM E RCIA L T R A V E LLE RS' DINNER. A RECORD SUBSCRIPTION. I MR. YERBURGH ON ARMY REFORM. I The annual dinner of the Chester and North Wales Commercial Travellers' Association was held at the Blossoms Hotel, on Friday even- ing, and proved a very pleasant function. The speeches were not too long, the singing was enjoyable, and what was the most important circumstance of all was that the subscription made in the room on behalf of the Commercial Travellers' Schools and Benevolent Institution reached the record sum of nOO The chair was occupied by Mr. C. A. Body, London, and the vice-chair by the President of the Association (Mr. J. S. Arnold). A good attendance included the Mayor (Col. H. T. Brown), Mr. Robert Yerburgh. M.P., Colonel Sheriff Roberts, Dr. Butt, Dr. Griffiths, Messrs. Thomas Smith, George Dickson, John Jones, D. L. Hewitt, W. H. Barnes (hon. solicitor), A. Bradley, J, E. Riley. R. Swancoat (vice-presi- dent of the association), Henry Jones, J. R. Hughes (Carnarvon), W. H. Denson, Frank Denson, M. C. Sunter (election secretary), J. G. Hardie, the following members of the com- mittee:—Messrs. E. V. Duffi-ld, J. Elliott, D. E. Evans, W. T. Adams, George Davies, T. Sansom, H. R. Thomas, and Evan Williams, the hon. treas.(Mr. T. M. Johnson), the hon sec. (Mr. A. C. H. Davies), &c. Apologies for absence were received from the High Sheriff (Mr. B. C. Roberts), Sir Horatio Lloyd, the Bishop, &c. The harmony of the evening was contributed to by Messrs. W. A. Hopton, Greenwood, Peters Jones, and J. Dawson, who when not singing played the accompaniments. After the loyal toasts bad been warmly pledged, the Chairman proposed The Navy, Army, and Auxiliary Forces Colonel Sheriff Roberts, in responding, said if our Navy were defeated or put out of action for any length of time our military forces would not be much good for the defence of the country, inasmuch as it would not be necessary for any enemy to land one single man in this country to bring us to our knees. If our first line of defence were broken, the enemy would stop the whole of our supplies and we should be obliged to surrender for want of food. That was a matter which ought to be seriously considered by every patriotic and far-seeing Briton. They had present with them that evening the member for the city—(applause)—and be knew that Mr. Yerburgh had taken rather a prominent interest in this subject, which he (the speaker) as a very humble follower of his thought should have far greater attention than it had hitherto received. (Applause.) That the Army required reforming and reorganising there was very little question, and he hoped the taxpayers would see that the reform and reorganisation were of a drastic and thoroughly up-to-date character. They could have very little hope from any House of Commons, and still less from any Government, unless it waa thoroughly backed up by the tax- payers who should insist on having full value for their monev. (ADDlause.1 "4- ¡;; THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. Dr. Butt next gave the toast of "The Houses of Parliament," coupled with the name of Mr. Yerburgh. He was sure they would agree with him that in Mr. Yerburgh they had a most perfect member, for he not only represented his party but every individual in Chester. (Applause.) The toast was pledged with musical honours. Mr. Yerburgh, on rising to respond, was cor- dially received. He expressed his in- debtedness to them for sending him an invitation to their dinner, because it was only by being brought face to face with large bodies of representative men that members of Parliament could got in real touch with the feelings of the country. He had had the honour of responding to that toast on previous occasions in that room, and he regretted there was not some other member of Parliament present who would add variety to the dish. There was one matter he was more calculated to speak upon, perhaps, than any other member of Parliament; he alluded to the Money-lending Act, now happily in force, in which commercial travellers as a body threw the weight of their influence upon the side on which he was engaged. (Applause.) That, as they knew, to a large extent was a work which owed its inception to himself, and he was able to enlist the sympathy of their members in support of the crusade he organised, and he believed it was largely owing to their support that the measure was the law of the land to-day. The Parliament that had now been returned, the first Parliament of the new century, was, it seemed to him, face to face with problems of the very gravest char- acter. We had all sorts of things before us which we must deal with; we had the great question of tho Housing of the Poor—(hear, hear)—alluded to the other day by the Prime Minister. That was a question which every sensible man must recog- nise must be dealt with. Then there was the question of providing pensions for the thrifty wage earners of the country who had contributed to the wealth of the country, and through no fault of their own were unable to support them- selves in old age. They had to recognise that other countries had organised their educational forces as well as their armies, and they had to recognise that they must organise their educa- tional forces so as to meet their opponents upon the field of friendly rivalry in commerce upon fair and equitable terms to their own people. (Ap- jaiise.) One problem must be dealt with in the coming session of Parliament; it had been touched upon very ably by Col. Sheriff Roberts, and that was the re-organisation of the Army. (Hear, hear.) There is a little story of a Scotch minister who was going to some particular church, and as they had been having fine weather and wanted rain, he was requested to pray for rain. He gave the prayer with all the proper fervour, and in response to his prayer rain came, but it came in torrents and spoiled the crops. That caused an old farmer to remark, "That's what comes of having a minister to pray fcr rain who does not ken anything about agriculture." (Laughter.) Applying that story to the present case, they could not say they had a man responding for the Army who knew nothing about it, because Col. Roberts had shewn them that he knew everything about it. (Hear, hear.) A very serious point was the question of our dependence upon sea-borne supplies of food. That was a question which he had gone into very thoroughly, and he was bound to say that so far they had succeeded in im- pressing this danger upon the public mind. They had had a large body of .in- fluential agricultural authorities sitting on a committee, and they had the evidence before them of experts on the subject, and the view the committee came to was that there was an urgent and pressing danger which it was the duty of the Government to grapple with. He had had it from one of the highest authorities in the country that he considered the danger a very serious one, and one that deserved the serious consideration of the country, this ques- tion of seaborne supplies of food. (Hear, hear.) He did not know whether any of them had read a little pamphlet by Mr. Arnold Foster dealing with the whole question of the position of the army. Mr. Foster made clear the most extra- ordinary fact that as a real matter of truth the army they thought was an army was no army at all. They had 108,000 men serving with the colours at the time the war broke out, and the largest proportion of these men was unfit for foreign service and could not be sent to the Cape. They had a reserve of 34,000 men, which they were to fall back upon when the army with the colours was reduced, when they wanted some men to fill up the ranks. They found they had to call upon their army reserves and militia to fill up the ranks which were depleted by drawing out the men who were unfit> serve in South Africa. Therefore as a matter of fact they went into war with their reserves in the fighting line, and they had no reserves to fall back upon. That was a position no man could deny; it was admitted by Lord Lansdowne. It lay with the taxpayers and the electors of the country to say that the Government must give them an army sufficient to defend their interests in all parts of the globe, and it lay with them because after all it was a question Ot. pounds, shillings and pence. It might be said that they were spending a very large sum of money upon the navy and army at the present time, but a very high authority, Sir Robert Giffen, speaking last year, stated that as a matter of fact they did not spend 5 per cent. of their income upon our national defence. That was not a very large amount to pay in insurance for the safety of the Empire. Their income was something between 115 hundreds and 116 hundreds of millions of pounds per annum, and their expenditure on their forces was between 55 and 60 millions of pounds per annum, so they did not spend 5 per cent. upon their national defences. They would see, therefore, that they were not spending an excessive amount of their income on the insurance of the Empire. In the first place they had not got enough men, and in the second they would have to pay their officers and soldiers better. An oiffcer at the present time could not live upon his income, and the soldier did not get his clear shilling a day. Reforms would have to be carried out, and that meant more money being spent. They would have to accumulate all sorts of stores; they would have to arm their militia and volunteers with the latest weapons; they would have to make them efficient for service in the field; they would have to build more depots and barracks for the service of their troops-all this would have to bo done if they wished to have a proper army. an army fit for service at any time. It was for the taxpayers to tell the Government that they intended to have this army, and at the same time they must say that they would have proper value for their money. He was sure they were prepared to spend their money freely and liberally, provided they got a proper return for it. (Hear, hear.) It was a good sign that Mr. Brodrick had appointed a committee of business men to see what could be done in the way of decentralising the administration of the War Office. He thought Mr. Brodrick would do his best to reform the War Office, but there might be great influences working against him. He had to deal with the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer, but if the Chancellor of the Exchequer knew that the people of the country were sup- porting the Minister for War the Chancellor of the Exchequer must give way, the War Office must give way, and they would have the army they wished. Do not let them say After all we have muddled through it, and we shall muddle through it again" do not let those who were supporters of the Government be afraid to meet the Government and to insist on their carrying out this reform of the army. If they used smooth words to the Government and said We can muddle through again," they would be doing the wrong thing. (Applause.) With regard to the question of the settlement in South Africa, they were glad to know from what fell from Mr. Chamberlain that the Government had every intention of conferring in due time a liberal government upon the Transvaal and the Orange Free State, and that they would in time become self-governing colonies like their other self-governing colonies. He saw that day a report of a most admirable speech made by Lord Kitchener. It was addressed to some burghers who had been formed as a Peace Committee to get their fellow burghers to come in, with a view to bringing the war to an end. They were told that while Great Britain meant to finish the war, and the Dopper Government never would be in office again, at the same time the burghers were to receive an ample share in the govern- ment of their country. That was a generous offer, and an offer they must have appreciated. He (the speaker) could not help thinking that when knowledge like that gained ground throughout the Transvaal the Boers would be prepared to settle down as citizens under the British flag. (Applause.) A story had been told him by a Royal Engineer officer who had been serving under General Buller. He had taken some of the Boers prisoners, and one of the Boers who was standing apar.t from the British came over to our people and asked for a little water to drink. An Irish sergeant replied, "Yes, bedad; you shall have the water, but on one condition, and that is that you all say God save the Queen.' (Laughter.) The Boer went back and consulted with his comrades, and after a little time he came back and said "We will agree to your terms. We will all say 'God save the Queen,' on one condition." Our people asked what the condition was, and the Boer replied, You must let us say 'To Hell with Rhodes.' (Laughter.) They said "By all means; send Rhodes wherever you like, so long as you say God save the Queen.' And they all said "God save the Queen." (Applause.) While they had this great hatred of Mr. Rhodes and others who they believed intended to filch their country from them, he thought when they saw the liberal terms offered to them they would be prepared to say with the other colonies of the Empire God save the Queen." (Applause.) I THE MAYOR AND CORPORATION. Mr. W. H. Barnes, in proposing the toast of the Mayor, Sheriff and Corporation of Chester, said it was so far back as 1257 since the first mayor of Chester was elected. He was not exaggerating in saying that Chester had never had a better Mayor than Alderman H. T. Brown, the present holder of the office. (Ap- plause.) He ventured to think that some of the experiences through which he had had to go were rather exceptional, and almost unique. How many mayors bad had to receive the colours of their regiment going out to fight for their Queen and country ?—(hear, hear)—and it stood the Mayor in good stead on that occasion that for many years he had been the colonel of a volunteer regiment. Again, how many mayors had to welcome back a duke returning from the field of battle after fighting for his Queen and country, and returning also on the attainment of his majority ? How many mayors again had conducted a watch- night service on the steps of the Town Hall at the close of a century, and so welcomed in a new century ? Those who were not present, and who did not hear the speech which the Mayor delivered to 8,000 people, would do well to secure a local paper and read the Mayor's words. Alluding to the characteristics of Chester as a city, ho reminded the chairman that even London was thinking of copying the Chester architecture. Hitherto Chester had held a unique position as the possessor of rows, but they felt honoured that London contem- plated copying them. If they would share the honour with anybody they would share it with the metropolis of this great Empire rather than with any smaller city. (Laughter.) Touching on what he felt to be the delicate question of the trams, he said Chester had been singularly successful with the electric light, and he had no doubt they would be equally successful with electric tramways. As far as he could under- stand the position of many of the citizens at present it was this-they wanted electric trams but they did not want to pay for them. (Laughter and applause.) The Mayor, in responding, said he presumed the Corporation of Chester was about an average Corporation. They tried to do their duty, and did it to the great advantage of the city. They had a great many critics. If they did not do their duty it was not for the want of plenty of advice. (Laughter.) The advice tendered was from so many quarters that it would be exceedingly difficult to follow it. They had recently embarked on a scheme which was about to receive the attention of the ratepayers, who were now called upon to say whether they considered it was one that would be beneficial to the town or otherwise. With regard to it they had received a variety of advice, letters anonymous and signed, and letters had been addressed to them through the newspapers. Some of the letters which had reached the Corporation were not couched in particularly good English. (Laughter.) It was, however, for the rate- payers to say what was the proper course to take. They as a Corporation bad to obey the mandate of the ratepayers, and if the rate- payers did not agree with the position which the Corporation had taken up the ratepayers must say so and the Corporation would be happy to fall in with their views, because their only desire was to walk in accordance with the wishes of the citizens. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Yerburgh had referred to the probability that the question of the housing of the poorer classes would be taken up in the next session of Parliament. That was a ques- tion that touched them very deeply in Chester, because, from their position as an old walled town, they were very much overcrowded in the centre, and they felt that the overcrowding in the smaller courts and alleys of the town. which had existed for centuries and existed at the present day as they existed centuries ago, required to be remedied by finding suitable dwellings for the poor away from the centre of the town. If they pro- vided them with positions outside their present boundaries it was clear they must provide them with the means of reaching those positions cheaply and conveniently. That was really the fundamental principle underlying what they were doing now, in attempting to municipalise the tramways. (Applause.) He hoped the citizens at large would take that broader view of the case, and leave the details which would have to be arranged hereafter to their repre- sentatives. He had taken a prominent part in the acquisition of the tramways, but he was by no means bound on the question of the system to be adopted. He felt quite at liberty to vote for that system which he felt would be most convenient to the public and advantageous to the city. (Applause.) SCHOOLS AND BENEVOLENT INSTITU- I- TION. Alderman Thomas Smith said that company would one and all be surprised to know that the toast of the evening, "The Commercial Travellers' Schools and Benevolent Institution," had been entrusted to him, and nobody was more surprised than himself, and but for three reasons he should not have attempted the task. One was that his being placed in that position was caused by the absence of the High Sheriff of the county, which they all very much regretted, and nothing that lay in his power was too much for him to do for their popular High Sheriff and fellow-citizen Mr. B. C. Roberts. (Applause.) The second reason was that so highly did he appreciate the cause which had brought them together that night that he was more than willing to do everything in his power to help it. (Applause.) And his third reason was that when asked to undertake the toast he was told, "You need not say a word, Mr. Smith; the Chairman, who is going to respond, knows all about the subject." (Laughter and applause.) Mr. M. Calvert Sunter, responding for the Benevolent Institution, was glad to say that the institution was making satisfactory progress. During the past year the annual income had in- creased by about £5,000, and the number of annual subscribers had increased by 488. (Ap- plause.) This was very gratifying as shewing the increased interest taken by commercials in this noble institution—(hear, hear)—and it was a point that they had worked hard for for many years. But it was not all honey, for it should be borne in mind that every new annual sub- scriber was a. possible candidate for some of its funds, therefore it was only natural that they should look for a display of increased interest on the part of the commercial body generally, otherwise this important institution would not be equal to the demands upon it of those who ultimately became candidates for its pensions. They might safely rely upon it that the funds were in safe hands; the interests of those who supported the institution were carefully watched; and the recipients of the pensions were so well looked after that during the past year no fewer than three widows had given up their pensions because of their improved positions—(applause)— shewing how very good and very honourable the widows of commercials were-(Iaugliter) -wb ile two widows, whose positions had equally im- proved but had not resigned their pensions, had had their pensions taken from them. (Laughter.) The Chairman, who responded mainly on behalf of the schools, said: Your interest has been awakened by a resume of the excellent work of the C. T.B.I., and I say in all sincerity, long may it flourish. To participate in any benefit from the C.T.B.I, you must become a member and pay something for the privilege, but how very different with the C.T.S. Here the orphan children of every commercial traveller are eligible for admission, whether their fathers were sub- scribers or not, and I am ashamed to publicly announce the deplorable fact that an undue ad- vantage is taken of the privilege. (Hear, hear.) The commercial travellers as a body do not sub- scribe to the schools. This is evidenced by the fact that at the last two elections out of 75 candi- dates only 14 were children of regular subscribers, and when I tell you that fully £9,000 is required every year to feed, clothe and educate the 348 children in the Pinner Schools, I ask you, in all seriousness, if the schools have not as great a claim upon the commercial traveller as the bene- volent institution. (Hear, hear and applause.) I regard the difference in this way. In subscribing to this benefit there is a possibility of it being a personal benefit, and cannot be considered as altogether unselfish, but in supporting the school you are giving a thought to others who may be left to the mercy of the world. As a subscriber you are always helping the orphans of your less fortunate brethren, and fate may decree that you. yourself in the prime of life may be cut off be- fore you have had the opportunity of making any provision for those nearest and dearest to you, and what then? If a subscriber up to the time of death your children would be admitted into the schools at the age of five years, and for every year you had subscribed 40 votes would be ac- corded (if a subscriber for 10 years 400). On the other hand, if you had been apathetic and not subscribed your children, although equally eli- gible, could not be admitted until they were seven years of age, and what is the most important feature of all, they could only be regarded as children educated and maintained by charity, and such a thought as this to any brother of refine- ment would be a most crushing blow. (Applause.) I therefore urge you in all seriousness to give a thought to the question of subscribing to your schools as well as the benevolent, be resolute, but if you make a resolution, let its fulfilment be a possibility. Owing to the many claims upon a commercial traveller's purse it may not be con- venient to pay an annual subscription in a lump sum. This difficulty is anticipated, and met by the many Alpha. associations so well-known to you. (Hear, hear.) Mr. J. G. Hardie, in a eulogistic speech, sub- mitted the toast of "The Guests," for whom Councillor John Jones responded, expressing high appreciation of the providence shewn by commercials in preparing for possible conting- encies in the future. THE TOAST OF THE EVENING. The Chairman followed with what he described as the toast of the evening, namely, The Chester and North Wales Commercial Travellers' Association." He said I feel myself somewhat handicapped, for you, gentlemen, know so much more about the association than I can possibly tell you. My position to-night is to convey to you, on behalf of the C.T. Benevolent Institution and the C.T. Schools, the profound ap- preciation of the great and valuable service you render every year to the institu- tions. Without troubling you with weary statistics, I may just mention that this splendid Association of Commercial Travellers have been the means of contributing during the last 12 years a sum of over £ 1,400 and almost equally divided between the schools and benevolent. (Applause.) Now gentle- men, such a magnificent result as this is not achieved without some consider- able amount of trouble and expenditure of valuable time, and I feel sure that I am expressing your views when I say that your esteemed president, Mr. Arnold—(loud ap- plause)—is largely responsible not only for the success of the evening, but the success of the C. and N.W.C T. Association. He is an excellent traveller he knows he has a good line to represent, and he has man- fully shewn his samples well round, as his sheets to-night fully testify. Nothing will give me greater pleasure than to convey to my Board of Management the excellent work that is being quietly carried on in Chester from year to year, and I very heartily congratulate the C. and N. W. Commercial Travellers' Association upon their good fortune in securing Mr. Arnold's voluntary services for another year. I give you, gentle- men, in bumpers, Prosperity to the C. and N. W. Commercial Travellers' Association," coupled with the name of its president, Mr. Arnold. (Applause.) Mr. Arnold, who had a flattering reception, reviewed the local work of the year, and emphasized the utility and healthy condition of the local benevolent fund. The membership numbered 280. 15 new members having been added during the year. Having reminded the meeting of the success of their boy candidate from Carnarvon at the recent election, Mr. Arnold urged that they should not rest until they got all their commercial brethren to support these excellent institutions. (Ap- plause. ) I THE SUBSCRIPTION. The Chairman having been enthusiastically toasted on the initiative of Mr. T. Mayo John- son, and having duly responded, announced that the total amount collected in the room that night reached the handsome total of £300. (Cheers.) He would like to know if this was a record amount ?• Mr. Arnold I believe this is a record amount, and I have worked my hardest to make it so. (Renewed cheers.) Among the principal donations were:—Mr. C. A. Body, 25gs. and lOgs. from the firm of Higgins, Eagle and Co., London Mr. Yerburgh, M.P., 20gs.; Mr. R. Swancoat, 20gs.; Mr. J. S. Arnold, 20gs.; Mr. J. R. Hughes, Carnarvon, lOgs.; Mr. O. P. Hughes, Carnarvon; Mr. F. P. Davies, Rock Ferry Mr. J. F. Roberts, Prestatyn Mr. Samuel Parry, Chester, all lOgs. each Mr. T. Geeson, Mr. H. Parr, Dicksons Limited, Alderman Thos. Smith, all 5gs. each; the High Sheriff of Cheshire (Mr. B. C. Roberts) and Councillor John Jones (B), 4gs each.

I CHESTER CASTLE PETTY SESSIONS. SATURDAY.—Before Messrs. H. D. Trelawny, John Thompson, J. Pover, Colonel Miller and Dr. Butt. SERIOUS AFFRAY AT ELLESMERE PORT. —David Evans, labourer, giving his address as Platt's Bridge, near Wigan, was summoned for assaulting a young man named William Clay at Ellesmere Port on the night of the 31st December. Defendant admitted he was "guilty in self- defence. "The Magistrates' Clerk (Mr. W. H. Churton): That is an Irish sort of reply. (Laugh- ter.)-Complainant alleged that while in a chip potato shop defendant and his brother Abraham entered the shop, and behaved in a very dis- orderly manner. On account of their foul language the proprietoress (Mrs. Williams) re- fused to serve them. Complainant remonstrated with Abraham, who thereupon threatened to smash his head with a plate. Defendant, who was under the influence of drink, then rushed at him, and exclaiming that if nobody would take his brother's part he would, struck complainant a violent blow on the temple with his clenched fist, rendering him unconscious. When he re- gained his senses he found his face bleeding. He had not given defendant or his brother the slightest provocation for the assault, and the only apparent reason for the men's conduct was that they were vexed at the refusal of Mrs. Williams to serve them. After taking a summons out against defendant, he met him the following day in Dock-street. Evans said with an oath, "You are the article who has taken the summons against me," and added that he had closed one of com- plainant's eyes, and he would close the other. Complainant, who did not speak a word to him, then received a severe kick from Evans, which "floored" him. A young man who went to his assistance narrowly escaped an assault.—Evidence for complainant was given by Mellam Woodhouse and Thomas Hesketh, the latter of whom said defendant struck him also in the shop.—Ann Jane Williams, keeper of the potato shop, said de- fendant struck Clay unmercifully, and also aimed a blow at her.—Defendant admitted committing the assault under great provocation. He alleged that complainant and his companions in the first instance annoyed him by throwing chipped pota- toes and fish bones at him.—The Bench thought the assault was a most brutal one, and imposed a fine of 20s. and costs, with the alternative of one months' hard labour. INDOW BREAKING.-Rebecca Taylor, re- siding at Great Boughton, brought a summons against her sister-in-law, Anne Connah, for wil- fully breaking fifteen panes of glass in her window on the 27th of December. It appeared from the evidence that the window-smashing was the re- sult of a long-standing animosity between the parties.—Defendant, who did not deny the offence, but pleaded having received great provocation from complainant, was ordered to repair the damage (8s.) and pay the costs of the case (5s. 6d.). THE THEFTS FROM CHESTER CASTLE: A SEQUEL.—Five boys named Archibald Shrop- shire, Charles Shropshire, living in Fosbrook- street, and Albert Bailey, John Bailey and John Lloyd, of Bellis's-court, Cuppin-street, were sum- moned for being on the enclosed premises of Chester Castle with intent to steal on Tuesday.— Sergeant Thomas Brookfield, of the garrison military police, deposed to seeinar a number of boys shortly before ten o'clock at night coming down the steps from the orderly-room. He caught the eldest of them, Archibald Shropshire, but the others escaped, and were pursued by two other soldiers, but not overtaken. He had no doubt the boys were there with the object of stealing, as for some time past various articles, including blankets and clothing, had been missed .on several occasions from the Castle, and men had been engaged on special duty to detect the sup- posed thieves. He had repeatedly found the orderly-room window open in a manner that indi- cated a robbery.—A private and lance-corporal (military police) deposed to thasing the other boys, but failing to catch them. They could not. identify the defendants as those boys.—P.S. Farn- worth, who received Archibald Shropshire in cus- tody, said the boy, when charged, told him that at the time he was caught he was looking for his cap, which had been playfully thrown in the Castle precincts by his companions. In his pos- session were three tins of condensed milk, which he admitted having taken from his employer, a grocer in Brook-street.—Defendants, who had all been previously before the magistrates, were each fined 5s. and costs. (The abov3 articlei appeared in our last Saturday Evening Edition.)

A WONDERFUL CENTENARIAN. Mrs. Ann Smith, a Worcester woman, who has lived to see three centuries, died on Saturday, aged 109. She was born at Pershore, Worcester- shire, in a travelling showman's van, and lived in one practically all her life. Last summer she was with some roundabouts, and np to quite recently retained her faculties and a fair amount of activity.