South Wales Echo

The Man About Town. I I am very sorry to have to tell the story of a terrible fire in Roath this morning, which resulted in the death of four persons. Eveu now the circumstances are scarcely intelligible, for it would seem that the tire was discovered by a passing neighbour almost as soon as it had broken out, and the alarm was raised, and rescue parties were at work, but it was found impossible to arouse the inmates, who had possibly been plunged by the mephitic vapours into the long sleep which knows no waking. There is no clue at present to the origin of the tire. It is as likely as not to have been caused by the carelessness of one of the members of the household. The neglected grate, or the carelessly-thrown match, accounts for many ot the conflagrations the firemen are called to but, I must say, the consequences in Cardiff have not for a long time been so horribly disastrous. The only parallel for this morning's disaster is a conflagration at, I think, the Glamorgan Hotel, on the Canal bank, where some seventeen years ago a tire, which caused the death of four persons, and gutted the house, occurred in the small hours of the morning. There, also, the inmates seemed to have been caught in a trap. They had passed from a room, which would have been safe when the tire escape came, to another chamber, where they were actually brought face to face with death. There were reproaches on that melancholy occasion that the firemen might have been quicker at their post. There is no reason for such a criticism to-day. All that could be done to save the ill-starred family was done; the engines were quickly on the spot; there was no want of water; but, alas the end of all things had come before the police could make an entrance to the upper rooms of the stricken household. » The Cardiff Corporation is not in a position to congratulate itself upon its experiment with regard to evening meetings. It has not made matters more convenient to the members, or to the reporters, or to the burgesses whose interests they are supposed to serve. There were about twelve members of the public present on Monday night, and about twice the number of Aldermen and Councillors. Two points may here be noted. The burgesses, for whose conve- nience this new and strange arrangement was said to be made, did not turn up. The Council, moreover, consisted of a very muoh smaller gathering than it has generally been at a middle-day meeting ever since November twelvemonths ago. We are not all noon- tide diners, and many of us are of the kind which always go home to tea, and in default of dinner in town have to submit to a "thick tea" at home. But the circum- stances stand just the same. It is an identical inconvenience for all sorts and conditions of men to have to throw away all their evening engagements in order'to be free to attend the municipal meeting. I am doubtful whether it is a case of cause and effect, but clearly enough the members have got more querulous at night- fall than they used to be in the noontide hours. During the twelve months I have sat in the chamber I do not remember such t an altercation as that which passed between Mr Sanders aud Mr Carey. Mr Carey's "right to explain" shall be left to him, and his claim to make a statement will be recognised in this column; but he will, I trust, confess that the hour of meeting is too late for men to keep in good temper. « You want my opinion on these nocturnal meetings 'I You shall have it at once. There is no reason whatever why Town Councillors and Aldermen should not take their seats once a month, so long as the meetings are fixed for the middle of the day. Something, I should like to say, is due to those who have been honoured and ancient servants of the town. They are entitled to ask for a little consideration. The hours of most men of business, if I am not wrongly in. formed, enable them to dine between two and three, and those, I should say, are the hours of most men. You get bad tempers and vacant stomachs at the Town Council meeting at its altered hour. There were no such rows in the daytime of old as there were under the new arrangement on Monday evening. I do not want to say that the Corporation has gone mad; but I venture to suggest that this change towards a "mid-night movement" is going to place the Town Council in distress, and make a dog-kennel of a liall vhich but the other day might have been called the home of gentlemen. • As regards the ratepayers, their cry is proved to be utter humbug. The ratepayers who have time to spare will go in, as I go in, at the convenient interval of noon. But not one of these men would turn up at night. There are other attractions and other diver- sions about the evening hour, and T fancy that for the most of us we could wish the Town Council a thousand miles away rather than that it should sit on an evening. ♦ How it comes to pass the Borough Sur- veyor will possibly be able to explain but the fact is here, that in this month of December the roads are being, or have been, cut up in half-a-dozen places, to the inter- ruption of traffic, and the spoiling of a roadway for a whole day long. In three places in St. Mary-street the roads were upturned, and the traffic disturbed here and there, by gas pipes, or possibly a water joint. The road is not too wide to be able to stand obstacles of this kind, and the hindrances to the street traffic become somewhat of a serious business. Someone at the Town- hall is responsible, no doubt, and I should like to know who it is who sanctions the opening of the streets in four or five places in the moist weather we are at present experiencing. • <1 thought that we had heard the last of the Newport "dip," butlfind it, to my surprise, cropping up yesterday at the Town Council meeting of the neighbouring borough, and, as far as I can learn, in no further advanced state than it was before. That the "dip is a nuisance everyone in Newport will be prepared to testify. It is really a shocking thing that so productive a source of accidents should be tolerated by the Newport authorities. But there is this to be said for them. The bridge is in the possession of the county. There is still a negotiation pending between the borough and the county as to the means of seeking a solvent of the difficulty. Mean- while, the u dip is the prolific source of accidents—eigjht in one day, as recorded by the Mayor of Newport. I am altogether of the opinion of Mr Alderman Lyne that the bridge should be in the hands of the town but it must be bought for its market value, and not at tqo price the county authorities put on.

NEWPORT HARBOUR COMMIS-I SIONEH8. The Proposed Harbour of Refuge. The usufil monthly meeting of the above com- nrneioners was held at the offices this morning, Me T. Beynon, the vice-chairman, presiding. The harbour works committee's meeting recommended payment of a further sum of £ 95 to the con- tractor for the river works improvement. The committee had considered the matter of improving the Pilots' Pill, and had received tenders for the work. The tender of Mr John Linton for £ 991 Is 3d was recommended for acceptance. The committee's attention had been drawn to the sanitary condition of the offices, and an expert from the Sanitary and Economical Association had been instructed to examine and report on the matter. The report of the committee was adopted, with the exception of the part referring to the river works contract, the consideration of which was deferred till the next meeting. The tender for the improve- ments was accepted, and the cleikj was requested to forward a copy of the plans to the Board of Trade aud also a letter to the Alex- andra Dock Company, informing them that the commissioners had accepted tenders for the improvement of Pilots' Pill, and intended to proceed with the work immediately. The consideration of the bills to be promoted in the next session of parliament by the Alexandra Dock Company was referred to the harbour works committee with instructions to watch the interests of the commission. A land- slip had been reported iu the river bank opposite the entrance to'the Old DOCK, and the harbour master was instruced to report to the committee if there was any danger of its tilling into the river. The works committee were also authorised to obtain tenders forclothing for the river watchmen. The report of a joint committee of pilotage and harbour commissioners, on the question of a harbour of refuge for the Bristol Channel was presented to the board. The commissioners reported that they had visited Swansea aud Tenby Bays and also Lundy Isle, and gave it as their emphatic opinion that no portion of the northern shore of the channel was suitable for a harbour of refuge. The committee recommend the erection of a breakwater on the east side of Luudy Isle, to be constructed of granite, which is to be obtained an the island 10 large quantities. The committee conclude their report by endorsing the re: "inmendatious of the Royal Commission of 1859, which are to the effect that Lundy Isle is the most suitable place for the erection of an Harbour of refuge. The adoption of the report was deferred until the next meeting.—The dues and receipts for tha month were :—Harbour dne." £ 409 13« 6d, being an increase over tho cor res- ponding month of last year of £44 10s 3d. Hospital, gridiron, and hallast dues from l.ire.of explosive boats, L102 15, 3d, being a decrease of £ 9 12s 8d. The expenditure for salaries, &c., amounted to £ 188 lis lid. The balance nt the bauk in favour of the commissioners, £ 877 7s 61.

TRICKING NEWPORT GROCERS. The Seaman Gets a Character Offhand. William Jones (49), seaman, from the Aber- ystwith district, was charged before the Newport borough police-court, to-day, with obtaining 2s by false pretences from Thomas Morgan, and 61 and an ounce of tobacco from Albert Miles. The prisoner went to the prosecutors, who are both grocers at Piligwenlly, and ordered stores for the Lady Mostyn and the James Grove. He also went to Mr Jenkins, grocer, Dock-street, and ordered a supply for the Camargo. At Mr Wm, J. Hollingdale's branch shop in Commercial-road he was from the s.s. Eiderwell. At all the shops except Mr Jenkins', where he was known as Jones, he signed the order* as David Davies. At Hollingdale's be got 2s by a trick but when apprehended wanted to return the money, as he did not care aboutbeinglockedup.Severalother trades- men proved too wary for prisoner and would have no dealings with him.—Prisoner proved of a most ingenious turn of mind, and declared that he was really one of the crew of the Camargo, which had since sailed, but his wife wanted him at the last moment to go in a better ship. His professions of innocence did not commend themselves to the bench. Mr Dawkins, manager to Mr Hollin'gdale, said prisoner was known about the docks as a schemer. —Prisoner Wait until I get my character from the place I where I am known ?-The Magistrates' Clerk Well, you have a number of characters from these ?;rocera already.—Sentenced to 28 d:iys' hard abour.

THE ILLNESS OF HEAD- CONSTAftLE HEMINGWAY. At a meeting of the Cardiff Watch Committee to-day the town 'clerk reported that the head- constable (Mr Hemingway) had been in bed ten days suffering from erysipelas, though on Sunday ho was able to get up for little whiie. The doctor thought that he would be able to get about in the course of a day or two. It was decided to allow Mr Hemingway » month or six weeks' boliday.

II South Wales Echo Money Distribution. I FOR WEEK ENDING DEC. 10th, 1887. j WINNERS' NAMES, FIRST PRIZE OF Y,5 :— W. COLEMAN, 24, Tynant-street, Upper Grange, CARDIFF, SECOND PRIZE OF £1 MICHAEL STACK, 7, Lyne-road, NEWPORT. THIBD PRIZE of 10s;- GEORGE TAYLOR, Courtney-road, Cwm, t CADOXTON-BARRY. FOURTH PRIZE of 10s :— VINCENT. 45, George-street, Docks, CARDIFF. FWTH PRIZB: of 10s M. E. EDNEY. 39, Salisbury-road, CARDIFF. SIXTH PRIZE of 10S :— HENRY THOMAS, 11, Forest-road, TREFOREST. SEVENTH PRIZE OF 53 JOHN FRANCIS, 10, Lead-street, Roath, CARDIFF. EISHX PRIZE OR 5d:- E. SEXTON, Lamb Inn, Baueswell-road, NEWPORT. NINTH PRIZE of 5 T. THOMAS, Gas Works, BLACKWOOD. TBNTH PRIZE of Es:- E. HOWE, 52, Machen-place, CARDIFF, ELKVKNTH PRIZE of 5s — T. E. MORGAN, Btyuhyfryd, SWANSEA. TWELFTH PRIZE of 5s LEWIS JONES, Buffalo Inn, CARMARTHEN. THIRTEENTH PRIZE of 5s MRS M. JONES, 53, Arcot street, PENARTH. FOURTEENTH PRIZE of 5s MRS PHILLIPS, 77, Union-street, CARDIFF. The above amouuts have been forwarded this day, in cash (in registered envelopes), to the re- spective addresses. December 14-th, 1887.

EVICTIONS IN LONDON. OVER SEVENTY FAMILIES TURNED OUT Evictions on an extensive scale took place yes- terday on the premises of 8, 9, 10, and 11, White Hart-street, Strand. The building has been constructed on the artisans'-dwelling plan, and has only one narrow passage to serve as an entrance to the whole of the premises. The interior of the building was in a most uninviting condition, and the odour emitted from the rooms and, passages was sickening. Over 70 families, it was stated, occu- pied theplace, andalthough notices bad been served on them inary of them refused to lea ve. Consequently shortly after 12 o'clock this morning, the sheriffs' officers entered the building, while a small detach- ment of police remained in the street, in order to be at hand in the event of their assistance being needed. The work cf eviction then commenced. The furniture, such as there was in the rooms, was taken into the street, and a number of women and children were compelled to follow. In one or two cases it was with difficulty that the occupants could be induced to quit the premises, and in one instance the assistance of the police was needed. The work was ultimately completed, and the houses cleared, but for some hours after- wards women and children remained in the street. in many cases without Lats or shawls-, sitting beside their scraps of dilapidated furniture. The reasou of the eviction is, it is stated, that the ground landlord has been unable to obtam his rent, and that the persons occupying the houses had paid no rent for the past twelve months.

A THRICE MARRIED FEMALE BIGAMIST. -1 The magistrates at Leigh, Lancashire, have I just committed for trial at the Liverpool Assizes, a woman named Alice Ctarkson, of Atherton, charged with having committed bigamy at Ather- ton by contracting marriage with a man named James Dickinson, an operative spinner, her first husband, Job Hulse, of Wins- ford, being alive. From the evidence adduced it appeared that Clarkson was married in May, 1857, to Hulse, at Runcorn Parish Church. About two years ago she married for the second time, at Bolton, a man named Clarkson, who had since died. William Rose Bury, a. waterman, of Manchester, stated he was present at the first marriage of Clarkson, but after that ho saw Hulse on very few occasions as they passed in their boats on the canal, and previous to being called as a witness in the case he had not seen him or defendant for 28 years. The prosecutor Jas. Dickinson said he became acquainted with Clarkson about 12 months since, and during their courtship, which extended over that period, she represented herself as a widow. She said she had been married twice before, but both husbands were dead. He mar- ried her at Atherton Parish Church in February last. It was stated by a woman named Caroline Murray, residing in Bolton, where defendant formerly lived, that she had a conversation with Clarkson about two years ago, in the course of which she said that Hulse was living at Runcorn.

THE ARMY CAPTAIN'S ELOPE- I MENT. In the Divorce Court, yesterday, before Sir James Hannen, the case of Robinson v. Robinson was concluded. The action, which was heard last Friday, but held over for further evidence until yesterday, was brought by the wife of a captain of the 5th Regiment (Northumberland) ngainst her husband for a divorce, on the grounds of the respondent's adultery and desertion. Captain Robinson was, in 1884, quartered at Mussoorie, a hill station in India. His wife was with him. In that year the respondent, after a ball, eloped with a young lady, the daughter of another officer. Mrs Robinson was afterwards sent home by her husband's brother officers. She met her husband shortly after this, in January, 1885, on the Thames Embankment. The sister of the peti- tioner was called yesterday and gave evidence of being present at this interview. The respondent said he was going abroad, and did not wish to have anything more to do with his wife. The learned judKP. pronounced a decree nisi with costs.

NIGHT CLASSES FOR CARDIFF. I TO THE EDITOR OF TilE "SOUTH WALES RCHO." SIR,—It has occured to me that scarcely.any difficulty need be experienced in tb" establishment of Mutual Improvement Classes in various parts of this important borough, presided over by teachers whose services should be gratuitously given and I have not any doubt but that such teachers Dead only be solicited to at once secure the desired aid. I, for one, would readily do so, and give two hours four evenings per week. What a boon such classes would be to our young men desirous of self-improvement, and what good results would result therefrom. I only hope now the matter has been* mooted that it will be taken up with vigour, and the necessary details arranged at the earliest possible moment. Trust- to your kind insertion of this letter.—I am, to., M. Cardiff, December 12th, 1887. -7n

AN EXTRAORDINARY MISTAKE. The Central News is informed that an extra- ordinary mistake has occurred in connection with the case of Alfred Linnell, whose injury near Trafalgar-square and subsequent death in Charing- cross Hospital have lately formed the sinject of so much talk. It appears that on the evening of the 3rd just. Linnell's body was removed from the hospital to the house of Mrs Hann, 2, Fenchurch- avenue, E.C., whose husband died in the Hospital on the 1st inst. When the coffin lid was removed the mistake waE\ discovered, and the bodies were tht 1ItWi. Mtcadqh ;t. ,:c' 1

What the World" Says. The date of the commencement of the session will depend on the Queen. If her Majesty opens Parliament in person she will come to Buckicg- ham Palace on her way from Osborne to Windsor, and Thursday, February 16th, is to be the day. If, however, the Queen does iioc honour the ceremony with her presence, the session will begin a week earlier. The Queen at present intends to open Parliament; but, for obvious reasons, no official announcement on the subject can be made for several week to come. I hear that the Baroness Lowenstein's villa at San Remo, which is one of the largest and most attractive residences in the place, has been engaged for the Queen, and extensive decorative repairs are being carried out in the interior of the house. The Queen, as I have already stated, intends going to San Remo in March but the Yillct has been already taken, as circumstances might render it desirable for her Majesty to proceed there at an earlier period. The Duchess of Edinburgh thought fit to call herself Madame Rolfe" during- her recent visits to Rome and Naples, and seems to have astonished the Italians a good deal in so doing. w Madame Albani want. down by "command" to sing to the Queen at Windsor oil Friday evening. St George's Hall was specially arranged for the occasion. Nobody was preseut except the Prince and Princess Heury of Battenburg, one or two chosen friends, and the "Household." Madame Albani, who wore a mauve silk dress with black lace and her Jubilee decoration, first sang "Angels ever bright and fair," and "With verJure clad," and then "Hear my prayer, and From Thy love as a Father," with the choir of St George's Chapel and organ accompaniment. After the concert was over the Queen talked for some time to Madame Albani, and assured her that she was greatly pleased at the performance. ♦ Mr Laurence Oliphant, who arrived in town from Haifa a few days ago, after a short stay in Paris, went down to S uvlringLsm on Tuesday, on a visit to the Prince and Princess of Wales, and stayed till Saturday. if; Twenty-one thousan 1 eight hundred andseventy- five Enfield Martini r;fler, had been manufactured at the Royal Sinail Anns Factory before it was discovered what a complete failure the riflj was, and orders were given to stop the manufacture. A nice state of things, truly No wonder prece- dent was set aside in filling the Enfield appoint- ment, and that Mr Rigby was chosen to replace Colonel Arbuthnot. ♦ ♦ There is. I hear, a schism at the New University Club between the votaries of tcbacco and tlier opponents. The smokers, it seems, have carried the day, and a resolution has been successfully passed permitting the use of the obnoxious "-eerl in the pleasant morning room overlooking St. James's-strect. Their enemies have, however, promptly given notice of an amendment peremptorily forbidding the use of pipes, and strictly limiting the smoking to cigars and cigarettes. One day last week the following epigram by a well-known writer was irreverently posted up in the apartment which is the bone of contention between the rival factions:— "All pipes abandon, ye who enter here Less nobles passing by snould gaze and sneer, Let cads who'd sully thus the club's fair name Puff their foul calumets an troisimie. Quite Common folk smoke p pes, whereas we see lii weeds a passport to society And cigarettes sound Frenchified, and so We'll let them pass—in fact thf'y're cOlnm it taut. Though Club havannahs make our stomachs reel, If sick, thank God, we stili remain gcnteel » The Dean of Cork questioned a furrier in that city as to the present state of trade the other day, and received the significant reply from him that he had never before sold so many seal-skin jackets and costly articles of that sort as he had done during the current year, the purchasers of them being farmers' wives and daughters. This is a pretty sort of commentary upon the hardships of Irish tenants about which we hear so much. ♦ I hear from Washington that the favourable reception accorded to Mr Chamberlain in New York has been extended to him since his arrival at the capital on the 17th ult. Although the season proper at Washington can hardly be said to commence before January, the town is already pretty full of senators and congressmen, whose legislative functions necessitate their being on the spot. Mr Chamberlain is the lion of the hiiiir, statesmen, judges, officers of the army and navy, and public officials all vieing with one another in showing him civility. Two days after his arrival he and Sir Charles Tupper and their respective suites had an audience with President Cleveland, and an agreeable half-hour was passed in dis- cussing common-place topics and interchanging compliments. The belles of Washington, so far, are two Miss Tiffanys from Baltimore and Miss Grant. The young ladies especially evince great curiosity to have a look at Mr Chamberlain, who, they say, bears his years remarkably well. Please, do tell me which is Mr Chamberlain ?" asked one of them at a recent party. On his being indicated, she took a good look at him, and then remarked, Well, I guess he's just lovely This sounds highly eulogistic to British ears, but in America it is only an ordinary favourable comment. Another fair creature, on being shown Mr Cham- berlain, seemed disappointed in his stature, observing to her English informant, Well, I thought your great men were taller than that • The proprietors of Bohn's Libraries have accepted the cry for popular literature. The volumes in Bohn" now number some seven hundred, and since it was first set on foot the library has had a sale of upwards of four millions. Messrs Bell and Sons will begin to issue on New Year's Eve in shilling volumes, each complete in itself, a series of select works from the collection, with notes and introductions. Bacon's essays, Lessing's Laokoon," Dante, Goethe, Goldsmith, Plato, Hauff, and Mohbre are a few that will be published in this cheap form. ♦ Lord and Lady Dunraven are now entertaining the Lord-Lieutenant and Lady Londonderry and a numerous house-party at Adare Manor, L:merick. Adare is one of the loveliest places in Ireland. It is in perfect order, and there is capital shooting and fishing. Though situated in one of I the most disturbed parts of Ireland, the relations between landlord and tenant on the Adare estate have always been perfectly friendly. This.is, no doubt due to the fact that Lord Dunraven, when in Ireland, is always accessible to any of his tenants who may wish to see him, learns from them personally their grievances, and, if possible, remedies them. Lord Dunraven, who since the close of the Session, has been conducting a vigor- ous political campaign in Wales and the North of England, will probably remain in Ireland for some little time. I

THE VAGARIES OF DRUNKEN WOMEN. At the Marlborough-street police-court, London, yesterday MargaretEnglefield and Edith Barwood, matronly charwomen, were charged with being drunk and disorderly in Berners-street.-P.B. 457 D said that the happy pair orhen found were decidedly drunk. They were lying prone on the pavement, and a crowd of upwards of 50 men and boys were laughing at them. They tried to regain their feet, but rolled about, and than, embracing each other, they set about screaming and halloaing as loudly as they could. Asked what they had to say to the charge, the purport of their defence was something like this Never such a thing occurred before—oh, no and it shan't happeu no more—ob, nu I We bad an extra glass of unsweetened, it is true, but we were not so bad as the policeman has made us out to be-ob, no!" (Laughter.)—Mr Newton (to the assistant-gaoler): Are these women known here ? -On Brawer replying in the negative, they were fined half-a-crown each, both of them again exclaiming, It never occurred before, and it shan't happen again, oh, no," and amidst much laughter they disappeared. I

ROBBERY BY A LADY'S MAID. At the Central Criminal Court, London, yester- I day—before the Recórder-Felicie Vincent (31), described as a servant, was charged with stealing ¡ a large quantity of wearing apparel aud other ¡' articles, the property 'of Mr Guy Sebright, Mr Humphrey Napier Sturt, and Mr John Hyem Walton, her masters. The prisoner bad been lady's maid in the families of the gentlemen named, and bad purloined valuable articles of wearing apparel which passed through her hands, or which were under her control, the value of which was something like JB70 ur LBO.-The de- fence was that the articles were some of them giveD to ber, and that others were the ordinary perquisites of a lady's rnaid.-This, however, was denied by the prosecution.—She was found guilty; but the jury recommended her to mercy, and the Recorder sentenced her to 15 oftatiw iarwtemwKl,

To-day's London Papers. $ THE FAIR TRADE CRAZE. The Daily News says;—The political cowardica of Lord Saiisbury and Mr Goscben in this respect have been simply despicable. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, since he took office in the present Government, in a melancholy series of principles sacuficed to party, has only behaved as any intelligent observer of recent events might have expected of him, but Lord Salisbury, who wa always a Protectionist at heart, rnignt at least have plucked up the resolu- tion to say something on the great financial ques- tion of the day. Mr Jacks on, the secretary to the Treasury, has spoken out manfully for Free Trade, and ;1'1 honest men will respect him for it. Even Mr Goschen must tcrew his courage to the sticking point in the end, though he has not done so yet. THE DYNAMITE PARTY. The Times, remarking "u\ on the alleged dynamita plots in this country, says No doubt whatever can exist as to the main fact that Irish-4.mericaa ruff,,iis are st;ll in our midst seeking to gratify their brutal instincts. The pubiic have informa- tion enough to settle that point, and the police are in possession of the fullest and most precise details. As little is there room to question that the headquarters of the organization for pro- moting assassination and outrage are in New York, while, as regards the chief director named by our informant as the successor of O'Donovan Kossa, he is already notorious in connexion both with dynamiters and with the Phamix Park murders. It is randiy becoming a serious question for all civilzecl Governments whether the enormously increased facilities for crime placed at the disposal of scoundrels by modern science and improved communica- tions do not call for some corresponding international organization to cope with the common enemies of humanity. No political grievances, however grettt and real, can possibly justify in the eyes of Americans organized attacka upon private life and property and we are loth to believe that the co-operation of the American Government extirpating a gang of unmitigated ruffians wouid alienate the vote of a single Irish- man deserving the privilege of citizenship in the Republic. I THE FRENCH PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE. The Standard says :—The programme sketched out by M. Carnot cannot be called a new one indeed, it is old even to triteness. Yet it never ceases to be true that wiiat Frtnc,3 needs most is the encouraging of industry, the fostering of credit, the extension of commerce, and the strengthening ot the foundations of public confidence, l-I. Carnot does rightly to call these the vital interests of a nation and by thus pointedly designating them, he in- timates how insignificant, ijl reality, are the sounding watchwords of party warfare, and how misleading and mischievous the showy pro- mises of those politicians who seem to think that progress is not possible in a modern State unless its chariot wheels pass over the prostrate bodies and mangled reputations of its rivals and adver- saries. In the very front of the matters that demand be best attention of the Legislature, M. Carnot puts the question of Fmance. He could hardly leave it to figure in the background. While French politicians are holding each other up to ridicule and hatred, the national indebted- ness keeps mounting and growing, and it will require all the skill of the best financial minds, and all the long-suffering patriotism of the French people, to rescue the public iiuances from embarrassment and confusion. WELSHING AS A CRIME. The hail a letegraph, rei'emus; to the recent decision by which wel.-hing is held to be felony, says:—After the decision of the five judges, every Victim of such scoundrels as Buckmaster and Sharp can infl ct legal punishment upon them by handing them over to the nearest police- constable. We fear, however, that, despite this righteous award, welshing is too deep- rooted and profitable a form cf larceny to be easily era(1icated in this country. It has existed ever since horseracing began to flourish at Newmarket, Epsom, Doncaster, Ascat, and scores of other courses and, in tha teeth of the increased risks under which it will henceforward be carried on, opportunities will often occur for rogues to take advantage of dupes and simpletons. The only security offered to backers of horses, whether small or great, is to deal toleh* with bookmakers whose honety anJ character are more or less guaranteed by the certificates they carry with them as members of Tattersall's Rooms.

A FARMER WITH AN UNLICENSED GUN A F SWANSEA. [SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE "ECHO. "i At the Swansea police-court, this morning, Win. James, farmer, of Killay, was summoned by the Inland Revenue for shooting partridges on his own lands at Goitrefawr on tho 2nd September, he not being the holder of a gun license. It appeared from the statement of two labourers, who were working on the adjoin- ing property, that the defendant, with liis sou and a dog', was shooting on his own land. De- fendant fired a shot at some partridges, and one partridge fell in the direction at which the gun was pointed on the land of Mr W. G. Balle. They picked it up and carried it to their master, Mr Baile, who put the matter in the hands of the authorities. There is only a brook dividing de- fendant's from Baile's land. Mr Williams, for the defince, admitted that his client had no gun license, and pointed out that there was evident animus on the part of either Mr Baile or his ser- vants. In fact, it was simply the outcome of malice. The defendant had never before been convidteci of any offence, and bore an unblemished character, —A fine of 21 and costs was imposed.

A MAD CARDIFF POLICEMAN. A SAD CASE. It will be remembered that some few months ago two constables named Rose and Ciinimins were dismissed from the Cardiff force as the result of very unsatisfactory evidence which they gave before the Cardiff magistrates. The disgrracs seems to have preyed very seriously upon tht mind of Crimmins, who has lost his reason, and je now an iumate of the Bridgend Asylum, The matter came before the Cardiff Watch Com- mittee this morning, when the town clerk report d that Mrs Crimmins had called upon him, and stated that she was quite destitute, her husband having been in the asylum fot six or seven weeks. The poor woman, said the Town Clerk, bad four children dependent upon her, and she wished to know whether the com- mittee could not allow her something out of the superannuation money which her husband had for years paid into the fund.—On the motion r.t Mr D. Jones, it was decided to allow Mra Crimmins E16 10s 5d, which her husband bad paid into the superannuation fund, and also to return to ex-P.C. Rose the money which bf* bad contributed to the same fund.

FIGHT FOR THE MIDDLE- WEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP. Victory of Dempsey. i" SPOKESMAN" TXLICGI'AU. I BOSTON, Tuesday.—The fight with kid glovej between Jack Dempsey and Johnny Reagan waa decided to-day up the Hudson River. The stakes were L200 a side, and Frank Stevenson officiated as referee. The fight was under the r.N rules of the London Prize Ring. Only twenty spectators were present. Forty-tive rounds were fought ia an hour and nine minutes, and thpn Reagan's second threw up the sponge, seeing that be faai no chance of winning,

DISASTROUS FIRE AT CHARLTON. HEAVY DAMAGE AND NARROW ESCAPES. Early this morning the extensive works of Messrs Johnson and Phillips, telegraph engineers, Victoria-road, Charlton, were destroyed by fire, the damage amounting to £ 25,000. Many valu- able patterns were destroyed. The fire defied the efforts of the ten fire brigade divisions, and .t ten o'clock men were playing on the smouldering debris. During the fire some heavy coping fell breaking down a wall under which the firemen were standing, who thus escapsd narrowly.

THE CHARGES AGAINST M. WILSON. [RRUTRIt'S TCLZGRAs; PAFfS, Dec. 13th.—The tribunal k. nown as tto Chamber of Arraignments, to which the charges asrainst M. Wilson have been submitted, has pronounced that there is no case to lay before the courts. The proceedings will therefon b* drogoea,