Weekly Mail

TIDE TABLE. FOR THE WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 30, 1885. ■S q S • -5 *•= -« t* • o u .2 3 1JO C tn OAT! 0Y THK WBXK. s g35 S u-r, s— I* 3 3 « « -2 2 S. ■5 o 3 K W C.' V 4 s 4 s ( Morning 7 18~j 7 8 j 6 8 7 2 FT5 SATITRDY Evening 7 34 7 ?.7 6 27 7 21 8 34 I Height 33 7 3=) 3 3' 4 36 0 28 0 I Morning 7 52 7~Tl 6 4, 7 39 8 51 SUNDAY .■< Evening 8 10 8 2 73 7 57 99 ( Height 34 3 36 1 33 0 36 11 28 11 ( Morning 8 30 8 22 7 23 8 17 N 29 MONDAY.^ Evening 8 49 8 40 7 41 8 35 9 47 I Height 34 1 36 4 32 10 37 1 29 4 (Morning 98|9 0i81j8 55 10 7 TUESDAY!^ Evening 9 30 9 19 8 22 9 16 10 26 ( Height 33 2 35 9 Zi 0 36 4 28 5 i Morning 9 50 9 39 8 44 9 2b 10 18 WKDSDY.< Evening 10 13 9 t9 9 6 10 0 116 I Height 31 7 34 6 30 9 35 0^ 27 2 ( Morning 10~3f jlo 19 9 29 10 23 11 26 THURSDY < Evening 10 53 J 10 42 9 53 10 47 11 49 ) Height 29 3 32 3 29 3 33 0 25 1 i Morning I 11 19 11 5 10 19 11 13 — FRIDAY. 1 Evening 11 54 U 34 10 £ 2 11 4o 12 12 1 Height I 26 7 30 4 27 4 30 8 22 4

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1885. NOTES OF THE WEEK. BY OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENTS.] There is something curiously inconsistent about the news from the centre of European attention to-night. At an early period of the evening we were informed that Prince Alexander was marching into Turkey; later came a telegram that King Milan of Servia was invading Bulgaria. The two stories are obviously irreconcilable, but the latter has about it an air of probability. If true, there will be fighting between the two States, and Bulgaria inevitably be beaten. Then we shall have the entry upon the scene of Russia, who will, presumably, depose Prince Alexander. May it all end there. Mr.W. S. Blunt has, after all, done a very neat stroke of business with the Indian dele- gates. Profiting by his personal acquaintance with Lord Randolph Churchill, he carried his ingenuous friends from the Fast off to the India OHice and presented them to the Secretary of State, who received them with that grave and persuasive courtesy for which he is celebrated, listened patiently to all they had to say. and sent them away converted to a firm belief in the wisdom and goodness of a Conservative Government, Lord Randolph has thus once more turned their own guns upon the Radical enemy. Mr, Chamberlain will soon he driven to despair if this sort of thing goes on. To have his ideas stolen from him by the audacious Lord Randolph is, by his own account, an operation he has now grown accustomed to; but it is a far more serious matter to have his dusky Indian allies seduced from their allegiance and taught to shun the wiles of the Radical Caucus. Lord R. Churchill's speech at King's Lynn can hardly be called a lively or exhilarating performance. It was devoted mainly to the questions of free land and free schools, on neither of which can the noble lord be con- sidered an exceptional authority. With re- gard to the state of Ireland, on which he was expected to say something, the noble lord maintained an impenetrable reserve. This attitude of his may be prudent and statesman- like, but it is exceedingly perplexing to a large number of straightforward Conserva- tive candidates, who are puzzled what line to take about the Irish policy of their party. Again, Lord Randolph said not a word about India or Burmah. He appears to be fairly weighed down with the burden of official responsibility, and to be afraid to open his mouth about the affairs of his own department lest he might inadver- tently say too much. But it seems to be a pity that, having so excellent a ca3e, he did not reply to Lord Hipon's foolish and mis- chievous speech about our relations with Burmah, and vindicate the wisdom of Lord Dufferin's policy. The Conservative managers have received very voluminous returns from their agents throughout the United Kingdom. The data upon which these returns are based is de- clared to be trustworthy. One point in con- nection with the subject is interesting,and will be accepted with incredulity by Liberals. I allude to the conclusion that the Conserva- tives are assured of victory in a much larger number of the counties than their opponents credit them with. The new electors form, in a voting sense, an unknown quantity, but according to the researches and conclusions of the Conservative agents, made and arrived at in course of registration, can- vassing, and at public meetings, the labourer in the counties specified will support the present Government. Besides securing a larger number of rural divisions, the party is also assured a larger number of Metropolitan seats than previous calculations justified the managers in counting on. On the other hand, the Liberals claim, by the same process of deduction, to have secured every division of the county of Durham. Political arithmetic is now running very high. Mr. Gladstone is querilously angrr at the publication of his letter to M. de Lavaleye, and hopes it may do no harm." it is to be hoped so. But the moral suggested is that the ex-Premier should not address possibly harmful epistles to men certain to make them public. His present epistlB to Mr. Guestroff is not calculated to enhance his reputation in the eyes of the Greeks, whom be, the ancient champion of the race, now affirms are intriguing with countries against the Turks. Verily, JSemesis is hard pressing the G.O.M. Apropos of Sir John Esmonde's adhesion to jMr. Parnell, which has taken everyone in Ireland by surprise, Vanity Eair remarks that all his belongings are Whigs; his father voted and worked with that party for years, and his mother, a grand-daughter of Henry Grattan, has barely one connection who has not thrown in his fortunes with it. The collapse of the Radical platform is now the general topic of conversation in political circles. Mr. Chamberlain and Sir Charles Dilke have failed as completely to goad the English people into revolutionary designs as they had previously failed in their scheme for nobbling the Irish Home Rulers. The sole result of all Mr. Chamberlain's fervent speeches is that multitudes of moderate Liberals are now openly professing an inten- tion to vote for Conservative candidates at the General Election. The Grand Old Man has, of course, to make his effort yet; but he has delayed it too long, t'eople now know what they have to expect if the Radicals come into power, and they also know that a victory won by Mr. Gladstone must mean in the long run the triumph of Radicalism. One must do Mr. Gladstone the justice to say that he has written a very sensible letter about the state of affairs in the Balkan Peninsula. Considering that ail the strug- gling nationalities in European Turkey look up to him as their patron, he shows great moral courage in Maying plainly that he "de- precates movements like those apparently threatened by Servia and Greece, whose title to intrigue with countries beyond their own borders he is unable to recognise." The attempt which is being made to settle by arbitration the differences of the Radicals where two are contesting the same seat does not promise much success. To begin with, Lord ilartington, and, for that matter, Mr. Chamberlain also, have not signified their readiness to serve on The Board of Arbitration. Then comes the positive refusal of a number of both Whigs and Radicals to submit their political fortunes to the crucible of the Caucus. The fact is instructive, since it shows that neither one set of candidates nor the other are convinced that on an examina- tion the balance of the constituents would be with them. The scramble for seats is, there- fore, likely to go on unless some more ac- ceptable method can be found of clearing the ground. In the end the Conservatives are pretty certain to clear it. Lord Ilartington has taken the usual method with statesmen of correcting errors about themselves. He has taken advantage of the letter of an assiduous correspondent to denv the truth of the rumour that he intends withdrawing from public life. The secession of the bad of Londesborough from the Liberal party will, I learn, be followed by that of several other more or less prominent adherents of Mr. Gladstone. The step has not been unexpected as a conse; quence of the anti-religious and Church policy of the Radicals. In the case of Lord Londes- borough its importance is, of course, mini- mised by Mr. Chamberlain's supporters here, on the ground that his lordship has always been a Conservative by preference. Hut he is now a Conservative in fact, and his reasons for seceding from Liberalism are generally accepted without qualification. The reasons assigned by Admiral Maxse for retiring from the contest at Plymouth have turned attention to a subject which must have occupied the thoughts of poor men with a desire to serve their neighbours iu Parlia- ment. A seat in the House of Commons has always heretofore been charged with numerous pecuniary obligations to the con- stituency of a quasi-charitable character. Admiral Maxse will have none of this. He will not subscribe as a condition of member- ship to local cricket clubs and chapel har- moniums. He will retire from the field rather. This is confessedly bold, and it is an action which, if it be not followed in sub- ] stance, will be used in the abstract by many 1 occupants of the new House for evading one 1 of the most trying duties of a legislator. Some people say the new one is to be a poor man's Parliament. III that event Ad- miral Maxse'a action will have an important bearing upon the domestic relations of mem- ber and constituency. It is, perhaps, a re- markable thing to retire upon, but the gallant admiral contends that the system involves a principle of independence which justifies the step he has taken. There is a Parliamentary legend that Plymouth belongs to a group of constituencies which keep a hat continually circulating in the lobby of the House of Commons. Admiral Maxse's determination is to disestablish and disendow the lobby hat. "Human Nature at Drurv Lane is very villainous and gruesome behind the curtain, but very chirrupy and virtuous in front thereof. The wrongdoers 011 the stage have a bad time of if, inasmuch as they are much hooted and hissed at, while, on the other hand, the sparks of virtue, which, by-the-bye, are very little ones, are fanned by hearty cheers into a feeble flicker. Mr. Augustus Harris has fairly won his way to the Imperial purple of stage management, his crowning achieve- ment being the London crowd in this piece. He has presented us with a veritable London crowd, photographically true to life, a sur- ging, good-humoured, police-obeying crowd, seething with excitement to welcome as they pass through Trafalgar-square our wbite- helmeted, kaka-clothed heroes on their return from Egypt. A marvel of management this, especially to those who know how difficult it is to galvanise even into a show of life a mass of people upon the stage, more especially when you have to appeal to the real critics in a Drury Lane gallery-who know wot's wot"—as units of the genuine thing. This crowd will mark a new era in the Knglish history of the stage, and will even compel me to brave the draughts wandering about the Drury Lane stalls to make a further study of this triumph of stage management. Queer stories have reached me of Stock Exchange gambling. The operations are carried on outside of the Kxchange by means of the information upon variations in prices which is circulated at intervals during business hours. It may surprise you to hear that the gamblers include, ladies, who throw themselves into the speculation with all the passion of their sex. Large sums are realised, and, conversely, large sums lost, with the consequence in the former case of an enhanced passion, and in the latter of tragedy. This is no invention, for stories of extraordinary scandal are current, and at least one serious esclttndre is likely before long to engage the attention of one of the law courts. Mr. Stuart Cumberland, the thought- reader, who is in Cairo for the purpose of making himself acquainted with Egyptian affairs, in view of his entry into the British Parliament, has been received in special audience, lasting upwards of an hour, by the Khedive at the Abdin Palace. In a letter describing- the interview, Mr. Cumberland says the Khedive expressed a strong desire that his visitor, who, it has been given out, has ceased to practice as a thought-reader, would afford his Highness an exemplification of his remarkable powers. Mr. Cumber- land at once correctly divined a date (1873) and wrote out in Arabic characters a word thought of by his Hignness. The word was A bbas, the name of the Khedive's eldest son, and the date was the young Prince's birth year. Mr. Cumber- land asked the Khedive to think of the number of years he would like to see Egypt under England's protection, whereupon his Highness replied with a smile that the piece of paper in front of them was not large enough to contain the number of years he had in his thoughts.

LOCAL JOTTINGS. [ISY PENDRAGON.J I am pleased to be :).b)s to congratulate tho honorary secretaries—how indefatigable they are all the town can testify—upon the opening of the campaign 'of the Cardiff Infirmary Saturday Fund. I hope the finish will be equally satisfactory. On Saturday, the first day, nearly £ 200 was taken, a sum which is creditable to the generosity of the givers. I have been asked to publish in this column the following letter, addressed to the secretaries by Mr. J. Findiay, and I make no excuse for doing so, as it speaks for itself. "I have much pleasure in handing you our donation from the New Roath Dock, amounting to £ 80, which pleasa place to the credit of your Infirmary Saturday Fund; and I may inform you that never was money more cheerfully given. The list was handsomely headej by Messrs. T. Nelson and Co., the workmen of all classes, without exception, following suit. The btter would very much like their best thanks conveyed to the managers and officials at the Infirmary for the very kind treatment their injured mates receive from them, and also from the staff generally of this noble institution. Hear, hear! Half a dozen Cardiff Licensed Victuallers are anxious that Pendragon" should make known to the public that they are just now suffering from a piece of inquisitorial officialism which they are far from appreciating. They--all the publicans in the towD, I believe, have been simi- larly served — are asked to make cate- gorical answers to the following questions:— 1. The date your tenancy commenced. 2. The amount of your full rent. 3. The amount you paid for goodwill. 4. If you have a lease, state for what period, and what amount (if any) was paid for it. 5. Whether you are to do all repairs, I inside and out, or only a portion. I am told tha t the document is purely local, and that those at "headquarters" have had no hand in its com- pilation. Its author can, therefore, say, with Bunthorne, that it is a little thing of my own." I have here a suggestion which I present to the promoters of the weir scheme at Cardiff. Could they not formulate a set of questions to be put to candidates for municipal honours upon the sub- 'ject? The primary ones, of course, would be If elected, will you vote a sum of money out of the corporate funds for the purpose of calling in an engineer of eminance to report upon the feasibility of the scheme?"; and "Will you support a motion in the council chamber that a weir be made by the cor- poration, provided the cost is a reasonable one-say jEI.0,000 or £ 12,000?" I know that there is an immense amount of public feeling in favour of the proposal, and this would he a practical way to give it vent. Mr. Charles A. Heywood, of Penarth, has sent the following memorandum to Pendragon :— "According to your remarks a few days ago. the Penarth people ou«ht to rejoice because the Gas Company has reduced the price of gas supplied to Penarth 2d. per 1,000ft. On till) principlø of being thankful for small mercies we do rejoice. hut we should ba more pleased if the directors of the (ras Company still further reduced the price 6d per 1,000ft., and so make tho price of gas at Penarth the same as it is at Cathavs and Koath. We cannot see why an extra charge should be continued now Penarth is such a large place and so profitable a customer, especially as the main gasworks are on the Penarth side of Grangetown, and the distance is not groat. Say a few words on our behalf, and if the directors of the Gas Company will not do Penarth this justice tell the people of Ponarth tc agitate and erect gasworks of their own." I should like tho popular verdict on a miscreant who, for spite—I cannot conceive of anything like mischievousness of such a diabolical character— maims and disfigures the animals of his neighbours, Corporal punishment, I should say, ought to be revived for tho special correction of such a diabolical offender. Do you all agree, gentlemen ? I thought so. A case of the kind was dis- sovered on Tuesday at Lianishen, and this is the second incident of the kind which has occurred within a week. I hoar that the police are making a strict investigation, and I hope that we have not yet come to the end of the chapter. The question "Who is to he mayor ?" is an engrossing one at Swansea just now. Two names at least are freely mentioned in coiinection with the appointment. One it that of Alderman Tulloch, whose claims have perhaps been overlooked for some little time; whilst the other is that of Mr. j W. J. Rees, who is as apt and business-like a gentleman as can be found sitting in the Council semi-circle. There will be, mark my words, a sharp competition for the honour, but I suppose it will be pretty well cut and dried before it comes to the uublic vote. There is a rumour afloat that after the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Queen's coronation knighthoods are to be scattered profusely amongst the mayors of the boroughs. The year will be an important one in more than this respect. The new Free Library is to be opened and the Vivian Statue to be unveiled, whilst possibly, ere the civic year draws to a close, the extension of the borough boundary and the consequent enlargement of tho corporation will be accomplished. It is in con- templation also, I believe, to invite the Associated Chambers of Commerce to the town during tha year, but this is more indefinite than the other events I have mentioned, and which are sufriciant of themselves to invest with importance and eclat the mayoral term of 1385-6. There is still a good deal of talk about the rowdyism displayed by those who ought to have known better on the occasion of Lord Salisbury's visit to Newport. There is little doubt that if the Ea lieals had had their way thev would have packed the meeting, and thus marred what all admit was a splendid success. The Radicals are so in the, habit of resorting to tho tactics of noiso at the meetings of their opponents that, the practice of ticketing" a meeting has to bo re- sorted to in sheer defence. Your Radical rowdy can no more listen to his favourite theories being attacked without shouting himself hoarse than ho could stand being kicked without an exhibition of his vocal powers. I hope my friends the miners of flip coal valleys of the district will not tell me to refrain from being so dashed familiar if I (figuratively, of course) give them a hearty slap on the shoulder, and exclaim in my usual boisterous tones, Well done, my lads. I am proud of you." At a meeting of the Sliding-Scale Committee 011 Saturday they consented without a murmur to a reduction of 2k per cent. in their wages, being convinced that the state of the coal trade, and not the" grinding of the masters, is responsible in the matter. This brings their earnings to within 10 per cent. of the minimum rate Jixerl by the existing arrangement. Writing in these commendatory strains I have in my 0; mind's eye the fact t'hat, tho colliers of the North are at this moment clamouring for an ] increa.se of 15 pur cent. The subject of overcrowding in our large towns does not, I am afraid, receive the attention its im- portance demands. I am painfully aware of the difficulties of housing the very poor in anything like a civilised manner; but when a lodging-house keeper for the mere sakiJ of tilthy lucro crams his cramped and ill-ventilated rooms almost to suffoca- tion it, is tima tho lawsteppedin and put an end to practice the evil consequences of which cannot be over-estimated. As the winter approaches and the nights become chilly the poor creatures are by no means averse to availing themselves of the warmth which is obtained by huddling together in a small apartment. They do not appreciate the consequences to their health of the fcetid atmosphere they breathe and the disease and death which as surcly follow as the darkness succeeds the light. There is, too, the moral as well as the sanitary side of the question, and I declare most emphatically that this overcrowding is more productive of depravity in its worst forral than those who never inquire into tho subject would like to believe. At Newport I see there has been a raid on these pestilential dens, and several of their keepers have been mulct in heavy penalties. I trust other towns in this district will not relax their vigilance or we shall be still further inundated with the literature of infamy, the publication of which has shocked society to its centre. Oh, ye purity mongers, who discuss with evident unction from the public platform the obscenities and filthiness too loath- some to be printed on wholesome paper, why do you not, if you are in earnest, set yourselves to the more practical task of personal investigation and personal effort to stem the tide of iniquity, which is always at its flood in large centres of popu- lation, and of which, I afn afraid, the chief source is the packing of God's creatures, like flies in a treacle-pot, in dwellings which we should be ashamed to offer as shelter to our swine ? What it wanted is work, not talk. All the palaver in the world will not diminish the magnitude of tho evil. We must go and see for ourselves, and act to the best of our lights in minimising a terrible sin which has existed even before the times of Sodom and Gomorrah. Pity the sorrows of a poor ticket-of-leave-man John G. Owen, a young fellow, who is described as being "respectably dressed," was charged at the Mansion House on Tuesday with failing to report himself whilst on ticket-of-leave. Since his release the prisoner had been engaged as a timekeeper at the Tredegar Iron Works, but. as in tho case of Hob Briefly in Tom Taylor's famous drama, his antecedents were raked up against him, and having, as he said, lost his "ticket," he was once more overtaken by the law: I cannot tell whether the unfortunate man's story is true, but I think the magistrate—Mr. Saunders, of Socialist prosecution fame—might have caused inquiries to be made before he sent him back to prison, and once more made a gaol bird of him: If the statement that the prisoner. had been earning his livelihood since he has been out of gaol could have been corroborated I, for one, think lie might have been allowed to be honest. In the Conservative candidate for East Carmar- then we have an instance showing how the atti- tude of the Radicals in regard to the Church is likely to operate at the forthcoming election.. Sir Marteine Owen Mowbray Lloyd, Hart., of Bro n wydd, Lhndyssul, J.?. and Deputy-Lieutenant for the counties of Carmarthen and Cardigan, comes of a Liberal stock, his father, unless I am nristaken^having had the honour of a baronetage conferred upon him by a Liberal Government. Sir Marteine himself until recently vas a staunch and active member of the same party. But, as was stated in the Western Mail a week ago, he could not conscientiously continue within the ranks of a body of men who sought the destruction of an institution the welfare of which he placed above the exigen- cies of party, and henco his action. The separation was publiclv made on the occasion of the Libera- tionist propaganda in Carmarthenshire nearly two years ago, when the worthy baronet, whose geniality ha.s made him highly popular, defined his views and declared he could go no further with politicians who were trying to encompass the ruin of the Church.

oun PARIS LETTER. PARIS, OCTOBKR 21. The lirst ballot of the 4th of October last inflicted a chastisement on, not the Republic, but the Re- publicans, for the manner in which they washed the family linen in public and frittered away the resources, vitality, and timo of the country. Henco why the united partisans of the four pretenders tc the Crown of Prance scored the discontented. The Monarchists, astonished at their windfall, commenced to exult: to sell thu bear's skin before having slain Bruin. During the interval between the first ballot and the second, which has just taken place, the Republicans, with a discipline worthy of the days of the 363 led by Gambetta. closed their feuds, and, i-houtder to shoulder, gave a solid vote for the Republic. The first verdict was that France desired to remain Conservative; tho second that she was equally resolved to cling to the Republic. Uni- versal suffrage has thus expressed what it wished and what it wished not. In Paris it elects the noisy Rochefort the last of its 38 deputies in the Department of tho Kure it rejects the Due de iiroglie, the chief of the Reactionists, and it leaves out in the cold jinnc, the evil genius of Opportu- nism. In a word, both ballots have shown that the best. way to obtain the confidence of the nation is to avoid its reprobation that is, to pursue a policy which shall bo neither revolutionary nor retrograde. The new Chamber of Deputies, including the members for all the Colonies, less Tonquin, Tunisia Madagascar, and the Congo, will consist of 584 members. It will be Radical, but not in the sense ot being Red or Extreme. It will handle questions and reforms that have been dodged aside till tho usual that day six months. Many usoful measures that have always been lying on the table of the House will have their cobwebs dusted off, and be ventilated, threshed, and disposed of. one way or tho other. The Monarchists will muster 200, the Radicals 115, and the remainder, advanced Republicans, say 274. The aim will be to create a solid Republican phalanx, by eliminating the Radical Extremists. If not, the Radicals and the Monarchists, bv an ephemeral coalition,can upset every Cabinet. Indis- cipline is an innate drawback with French depu- ties, and the bost means to prevent the crumbling away of a united party into sects or factions is to weld them together by useful work that will enlist their sympathies. When tho heart of a maiden is stolen the maiden herself will steal after it soon. In this respect politicians and maidens aro alike, Attention is still fixed on Serviu as tho pivot of tho llujgarian U (lrdian knot, for she dunces as Austria pulls tho strings. Russia is in 11 brown study about pulling the wires in Bulgaria, Ordi. narily, bears waddle along to their prey, sheer stupidity being for them the same lizi couvilge., Russia is clearly not prepared to face the crack o' doom of European Turkey. There aro too many legatees demanding Consta nti noplc. M. Emile do Laveleyo, tu whom Mr, Gladstone recently addressed a letter on the Bulgariaa, is an authority on matters cunnected with the Balkans. He is the advocate of tllo federation of tho Balkan States, that" crystal in course of forma- tion." Strangers, ho assorts, cannot believe the extent the "ethnic sentiment," or question of nationalities, has assumed iu Austro-Hungary and in all the Balkan Peninsula. It was by acting on these lines of national agglomerations that such realists as Cavour and Bismarck succeeded. The press and literature are the chief instruments for re-kindling and keeping green Janguago and race- vitality. In Finland, where Swedish once was spoken, after tho ofticiaJ language—Russian—Fin- nish predominates. In Galicia the Poles have uow their natal tongue, and not German. In Bohemia tho Tcheque triumphs over the German, and the same exists at Prague. Now, in numbers the Croat- Slavs alone can keep Russia in check, either by federating, as in the United Stales and Switzer- land, or working in with Austria. M. do Laveleyo lias just been through Servia. He is an old European traveller, and looks with the eyes of a Do Tocquoville nt States and their institu- lions. Servia, lie affirms, is agricultural and Democratic, Tho clergy, or popes," must, be married to bo doacon. They dopant) on their Hocks" for support in kind, plus a poll-tax of 2f. yearly on every taxpayer in their commune. Some of tho popes have large families. They are very popular, tilling their own holdings, mixing in all tho joys and sorrows of their congregations; but, abovo all, people adore tlum because they aro ignorant of theology, and abstain-unlike the clergy of many countries—from politics. Tho doors of tho church are ever kept wido opon, for fear worshippers might forget the road thereto. I King Milan I., who succeeded his father— assassinated in 1868—was educated in Paris. He is now as superb-looking aaa Life Guardsman. Ho is his own Chancellor of the Exchequer, and merci- lessly cuts down all expenses. The taxes are not levied on the land, but on the individual. Tho latter receives a list of all the expenses to be met under respective heads—army, education, poors' rate,clergy, sick, railway loans, kc. It is thus easy to know how the wind blows. About 60f. a year, orono franc per week, is the average total impost per taxpayer. The Queen (Nathalie) is the King's own cousin, and a celebrated beauty, daughter of a Russian colonel and a Roumanian princess. She is tall, slender, looks a goddess, and moves aqneen They have only one child, a lad seven years old, destined to wed the only daughter of the Prince of Montenegro. From this union it is hoped to revive the fame of Douchan. The King and Queen assist at all tiie village fetes they can, and enjoy the merrymakings. A few arm chairs suffice for their Majesties. On these occasions all tho girls have the privilege of kissing the Queen twice on the cheek—"Don't touch the Queen" is a Spanish prohibition. The officers of the Royal escort, who join in the dances, retake the kisses from the girls. Often the King on these occasions administers a little justice, like Louis, under an oak—not a bad "bed of justice." In every village there is a granary of abundance, where each farmer deposits Sscwt. of wheat, or maize annually, as a prepara- tion against, famine or war. Each farmer is the absolute owner of his holding, and if distressed for debt the creditor must leave him seven acres of his farm, his house, his live stock, and imple- ments. A Servian will never act in the capacity of a domestic or farm labourer: the CroMs perform these duties; but farmers assist each other, service for service. In his time Tacitus observed the Germain fed on meat, miik, and its preparations to-day the German's diet is chiefly potatoes and rye bread. The Servian has meat once a day at least, save on the 150 holidays, when he fasts on tnaize and beans. Nine-tenths of tho total popula- tion of two millions are agriculturists, breeding and fattening live stock, grain and vine culture being the end. If Holland has been built on her- ring bones, Servia. may be said to be founded on pigs. She exports 350,000 annually many of the hogs are fed on the glands in tha forest. King Milan is ambitious to re-possess Old Servia, that northern point of Macedonia and south of Vrania, the theatre of the exploits of Servian glory; of Skopia, where Douchan placed on his head himself the Imperial Crown of all Routnania, and Kassova the epic battlefield, where the Cross definitely triumphed. The French admit the English, in removing the lunatic ruler of Upper Burmah, adds the only remaining plum open for competition in the East to her Crown. It means, not only a new territory of over 190.000 square miles, but the future grand highway into China; and, since the Cilinese desire to enter into closer relations with the Westerns, it is only common sense to take them while they are in the humour. As for buffer States, that platitude is as extinct as the balance of power. The best bulwark for a nation is to impress her neighbours and all whom it may concern that she will stand 110 nonsense regarding her rights, and will be ever ready and resolved to do her duty by insisting on their being respected: With that frame of mind and always keeping the powder dry thore will never be poachers or prospectors on the premises. No anxiety need be entertained as to French Colonial ambition for the future; That card is played out. France would award the Montyou prize to whoever could help her to get out, without too much humiliation, of the Kroumir takes into which Jules Ferry and Bismarck have plunged her. She has plentv. of occupation for many a long day in ameliorating home institutions and placing her commerce on a sound basis. Now that the Egyptian Question has been dis- posed of, by England's metayage arrangement with the Sultan to farm the Nile Valley for 999 years, there is no reason why the relations between France and England ought not to become as har- monious as between any other Governments. The last few years have swept away many errors, prejudices, and hypocrisies. But, in the name of all the gods, never return to the mutual-admira- tion and Blarney tactics. The French swallowed all that flummery like milk, and when the supply was stopped they attributed it to Albion's histori- cal ingratitude or put, it, down to her decadence. Both nations have seen they can do without each other, but would be better if they exchanged occa- sionally a warm shake of the hand. The French have noted that England, single-handed, was not afraid to encounter Russia; that adversity, instead of being seized as an occasion for her Colonies to fly off, served to show how they rallied to her that in a sudden crisis she could rise to the height of the occasion, and that wherever the earth hunger" affected her interests she allows all tho world the same commercial advantages as she possesses herself. The bicentenary—October 13,16S5— of the Revo- cation of the Edict of Nantes naturaily did not escape the passing tribute of a sigh in the Reformed Churches of France. The Calvinists, or to call them by their contemptuous sobriquet, Huguenots, were tolerated Dissenters before Henri IV. gave their faith a legal status in tiie Edicr; of Nantes, signed in April, 1593. The grand Henri, unable to convert them—they had no Paris for a recompense like his Majesty's own re- cantation—tolerated them; the grand Louis, having, as he concluded, converted them, believed there was no use to tolerate them, and revoked his grandfather's edict. The nobleness of the act of Ilenri IV. lay in placing the public rights of his subjects above the struggles of creeds; the lamentable error of Louis XIV., the enormous political fault of his Government, consisted in ignoring these rights, no matter by wiiatinfluences, which resulted in a national misfortune that created one of the blackest of dates in the annals of France, that deprived, by a stroke of the pen, thousands of citizens of their civil and political rights, which led to proscriptions, massacres—to be equalled only by those under the Terror—and the exodus of an entire people, and a. people who formed the backbone of the nation by their courage, endurance, and stubborn resolve to abide to the end by their faith wit.h the heroic tenacity of Pilgrim Fathers. By the Edict of Nantes, prepared after twelve months' deliberation by a Commission, Henri IV. married Franco to peace." The Calvinists were secured liberty of conscience, which the Chan- cellor, L'Hospital, and the Treaty of Amboise guaranteed them 35 years previously. The Edict contained 92 clauses, one nearly for each year of its duration, but it imposed some unpalatable con- ditions. The Calvinists, for example, could not worship within a fixed radius—five miles in the case of Paris—of a Royal city. They were bound to be married by the Catholic priests, and had to pay tithes as usual; also, they weru obliged to externally kee[j all Church holidays. The Huguenots were viewed as freethinkers by the clergy aull Lila masses. In presence of grow- ing hostility, the Calvinists commenced to concen- trate for common safety pear tile aeapQi(.o, the more readily to escape and to ensure protection of thepi property. This tendency fitted them exclu* sively for industry, commerce, and finance. They invested their fortunes abroad—against a rainy day—as well as at home, It is this same fear of persecution and confiscation that still Influences the Jews to convert or keep their world's goods ill the tortuot personal property—far safer now-a- days than land. As Pluly as 1661, when "his best friend," Madame do Maintenon, was still the pretty widow of the ex-Abb6 Scarron, and nursery governess at Vaugiard for the illegitimate progeny of Madame do Montespan, Louis bad commenced his persecu. tions of the Calvinists, though Turenne, Schom- berg, and Duquesne were sucked in the creed of the Geneva Luther. They culminated in 1681, when a decree declared children aged seven years to be arrived at the age of reason and capable of changing their religion. tiie l)raj<o,i)u<de$—tire> quartered on Protestant families to secure conversions, for where the sword was there was faith." If men resisted they wero sent to the galleys for life; if they bolted they were shot: women were imprisoned for life,- preachers wero to quit the kingdom or be converted as rapidly ns was St. Paul on the road to Damascus 300,000 persons fled France for England, Germany, f Hollands and Switzerland, carrying with them 60,000,000 in gold coin and the secrets of the cloth, silk, cutlery, hat, and other trades of which France had tha monopoly. The fleet was deprived of the services of 9,000 sailors; the army of 12,000 soldiers and 600 officers. Artisans, engineer- » writers, and aivanls fled. Hence why in England, Holland, Prussia, Austria, and America there are now so many families bearing French names. France fell by what she parted with, and t ho foreigners rose proportionately by what France lost. Out of 1,000 pastors 600 escaped, 100 were massacred, and the reft disappeared. Under Louis XV. corruption loft, no time for intolerance. Voltaire raised his voice in favour of toleration in tho case of John Calas till tho Revolution sealed liberty of conscience. The number of French Protestants, including Calvinists and Unitarians, is now not more than it was in 1559—about half a million. Past and present, they claim eminent. men as Papin, the Cuviers, Goujon, Guizot Leon Say, Waddington, De Freycinet, &c. The Revocation of t he Edict, of Nantes was, morally, an infamy, politically, an in- conceivable fault, and, for the material interest;! of France, a. disaster of which she still feels the effects. Princes, Princesses, and Royal scions are at present as plentiful in France as blackberries they do not como in any questionable sliape- such as a Uhlan-so are allowed to keep the even tenour of their way. A Republic, is perhaps, after aU, the safest place for Royalty on the run to seek a. refuge, or if only out for the day to enjoy itself. The marriage of the Princess Marie d'Orleans, with the last unprovided-for member of the Danish Royal Family, makes a small stir. But what political grist will it bring to the Orleanists' iiiiii ? One journal announces the Comte de Flandres as father of Leopold 1. of Belgium—that of a son father of his own dad; while Julefl Sandeau dead, since some years, is doing the bear- leading business for a Russian Grand Duke.

THR GENERAL ELECTION. The Bristol Times and Mirror says:—A great deal of doubt seems to exist as to the exact date of tho General Election; but e are able to state, upon undoubted authority, that, the polling-day in boroughs will be Saturday, November 21.

PEMBROKE DOCKYARD. ORDER FOR A TURRET SHIP; Orders were received at Pembroke Dork- yard on Monday evening from the Admiralty for the building of a ship of war, to hi) called the Nile, a sister ship to the Trafalgar, ordered to Vie built at; Portsmouth. The Nile will be a double- turret ship, mounting 66-ton guns. Her principal dimensions will he: Length, 365 feet; breadth, 73 feet, and displacement in tons, 12,000. Her armour plating amidships will be twenty inches thick, and on the turrets eighteen inches;

THE PRIME MINISTER. Lord Salisbury returned to town early on Wed- nesday from Hatfield and at once proceeded to the Foreign Office. Here he was busily engaged all day in transacting official business. Late in the afternoon M. de Staal, the Russian Ambassador, called at the Foreign Office for the first time since his return from Baden-Haden. His Excellency, whose interview was of a brief duration, was suc- ceeded by Musurus Pasha, the Turkish Ambassador, with whom the Prime Minister had a somewhat protracted conversation.

A GREAT FORTUNE: An old inhabitant of Wednesburv, named Edward Hampson, a coachsmith, has just come into possession of a fortuno amounting to £800,000 under the will of his uncle, a cattle deiler of New Zealand. Roades, who was a Wednesbury man, left the town 53 years ago almost penniless:

ANOTHER SECESSION TO THE ROMISH CHURCH, The Rev. W. B. Drewe, M.A., Oxon, for 36 years vicar of Longstock, near Stockbridge, has been publicly received into the Roman Church at Southampton by Canon Mount, the Catholic rector here: JJ

EARLY WOODCOCK: Captain T. P. Lewes, of Llysnewydd, Llandyasil, shot on Monday last, the 19th inst., near Llys- newydd, a woodcock in fine condition.

ALLEGED VIOLATION OF CHILDREN AT NEWPORT. —————————<———————— SOCIAL PURITY PARTY PERVERSION OF FACTS. DISCLAIMER FROM THE REV. CONYBEARE BRUCE. A VISIT TO THE "HOME" AT NEWPORT. INTERVIEW WITH THE SISTER IN CHARGE. [BY AP Gwir/ra.l The terrible statement put into the mouth of the Rev. Conybeare Bruce, vicar of St. Woollos, by Mr. Lewis Williams at the recent Social Purity meeting at Cardiff made a great impression upon me as I have no doubt it did upon thousands who heard and read it. It, seemed incredible that in one Home" or Refuge" in Newport there were 22 female children, whose ages ranged from seven to thirteen, who had been debauched in the most horrible way. I knew Mr. Bruce to be a thinker, a scholar, a philanthropist, and a thoroughly-conscientious Christian preacher and teacher, and I naturally thought that if he had made the statement it must be only too true. I could not rest, however, until I had seen tha rev. gentleman and received from his own lips the truth or otherwise of the terrible allegation. I, therefore, paid a visit to the Vicarage and met with a very cordial reception. I was. he assured me, the very man he wanted to see, in order that I might, with tho permission of the editor of the Weekly Mail, put him right with the public. In the cosy study we thereupon sat ourselves down, and talked over the latest addition to the literature of nastiness as it was disseminated at Cardiff at the latter end of last week to a mixed meeting of men, women, and children. Unfortunately, I cannot shut my eyes to tho fact that at all our largo towns, whether at Newport, Cardiff, Swansea, or elsewhere, immorality of the most degrading character rides rampant, and how to deal with it has now become the most delicate and difficult social problem of the age; but I think it is culpable—nay, criminal-to endeavour to effect ifjjpiovoment in these directions by opening the sluice-gates of brutal obscenity and disgusting immorality oy tho publication in the columns of the press of details which are an offence in the nostrils of men accustomed to the world. 1 cannot express my opinion of t,? a cl and those who back him up in what lie has done because his case is at the present moment sub judice but, I do say this, that the cast- ing broadcast ot a budget of the coarsest and most villainous filth in tiie columns of the Pall Mall Gazette was an outrage upon our mothers, out- wives, our sisters, and our children which nothing cat) expiate. One of the Clewer Sisters, a brave and benevolent lady, whose good deeds and noble life are known and appreciated from one end of New- port to the other, went a wiser and more whole. some way to work. From her constant visits of charity and consolation among the poorest, of the poor, it came to her knowledge that unspeakable offences were being committed against girls of tlu most tender ages, and to help to check them she, in November, 1881, started a Refuge for the children in whicn, peradventure, by gentle treatment, and wise teaching, they might be brought to live down the past and become decent members of the community. f-he found plenty of work ready to her hand, not only in the town in which tho Homo was situated, but all over the country. From that time to this she has been carrying on her philanthropic work, and yesterday, with beaming eyes, she told me she had through Providence been tho means, she hoped. of rescuing many young people from a life of shame and degradation. It not until after the institution had been in existence for twelve mouths that Mr. Bruce appeared upon the scene. There were at that time t wenty-two children in the Home. It was pursuing its work under the Ciewer Sisters with- out the slightest fuss, arid, although he could not help being shocked at the necessity for its exis- tence, he could not, of course, withhold his sympathy and his help. Things wentni) as usual, and when' the Social Purity movement extended itself to New- port he attended Miss Hopkins's meeting about four months ago for the purpose of explaining what he knew of the Home and it was then that, he made thestatement which Air. Williams repeated at the Cardiff meeting. Returning homo on I he day of that meeting ho found a letterawaiting him asking him to verily what he said, and he telegraphed the reply—" Facts correct; age 7 to 13; number 22." Now, it. is quite certain that those who promoted the gathering wished it to be inferred that Mr ilruce was a Steadite but he is nothing of the kind, for he denounced the publication in the Pall Mall Gazette the moment it took place. He know the sin existed, but his object in sending the message was to show that there was an organi- sation in Newport which was grappling with the ovii, find to bespeak its support. As a proof that he deprecated inoststrongty the course taken by Mr. Stead, I rtiay mention thn.t he took tho first opportunity to utter his denunciation of it from the pulpit of tho Parish Church. Hero tire a few sentences cullod from his sermon:- I cannot forbear to speak oil that; topic which is fore- in tnen'a minds fc'i-day and my lirst word shall ba he expression of my (inn arid deliberate conviction that a great wrong has IK?PO done \'0 1Iat,\011a1 purity, and a great immorality 11:19 l.PIJ11 perpetrated in the mime of iiiomiitv, by the broadcast publication of those foul revelations, which Si1OUI¡j have heed lefr, to the day of the revebition of all tilings, wiien the secrets of all hearts shall be .Ji3ClosPfl, I will notailinit any, even the ,juftili"atioii for this roekieas and deliberate exposure of those secret.9 of the devil and his agents, which surely come under the category of those fearful things of which St. I.'aul, who knew how to speak "IHi II i,r. and whose motives were beyond question, said (hat "it was a shame even to sprak of t hose things which are done of them in secret." There are. I those who are in every respect worthy of trust and considera- tion who take a different view, who seek to justify these hideous revelations on the ground that, the end .justifies the means, and thnt, without such a stimulus the public conscience could not be effectually aroused aud legisla- tion would be indefinitely deferred. I regret to find honoured names ranging themselves on the side of such delusion and. lending their weight to such a doctrine. Surely It, musd, lie with them as with Eli,jah-it great, terror and despondency has overwhelmed theiu hey lire tempted to think that, (xod has forsaken His people, Mild that the whole work of vindicating His purity now rests upon them they are for forcing tne counsels of the I Most High; they will compel action they will choose their nWB battlefields and their own weapons. They are not wise, and I sa.y that,whatever the result may be, God may, I: pray He will, overrule this temporary derange- ment of honest hearts and heads, and bring good out of evil. But the time will come, and that ere long, when a hitter regret will seize them that ever they so lost faith in God as to resort to such expedients in llis innie. It will come in the dav when the lives of those who have gathered of this poison by the way and have died will h_. required at their hands. I say no more. The deed is done; but I am bold to say that they who most eagerly seek to justify it would not dare to repent it. These words speak for themselves, and they at once give the lie to those who wished, for reasons which we need not go far to seek, to identify Mr. liruce with themselves. It has been asked why the rev. gentleman, with hiaknowtedgo of the facts, did not at once communicate with the authorities, in order that those guilty of these horrible violations might, bo brought to justice. But he asks, What would have been the result ? He found the children located in the Home: the sin had been sinned, evidence against the villains had not been forthcoming—and we all know how difficult it is to substantiate in a court of law charges of this kind—and tho time for action had passed. Fresh cases were admitted to the Home, hut without his endorsement: he had no knowledge of the event, and was consequently powerless. He, however, was assured, and he accepted the assurance because he believed it to be true, that those who were instrumental in getting the little sin-stained children into the Home had exhausted all the means at. their disposal to bring home the crimes to those who perpetrated them. I think Mr. Bruce is right, for I can appreciate the danger of stirring up these nauseous things except in well-defined cases, whore the evidence at command would give some hope of a conviction. A VISIT TO THE HOME. So much for Mr. Bruce and those who sought to inveigle him. Let 1110 now add a few words about the llome. to which I paid a visil. in the afternoon. It is situated at the top of that very steep incline which is known as Stow-hill, and is composed of four houses, knocked, as it were, into one, in the six which comprise Severn-terrace. It is most pic- turesquely situated, and commands n, magnificent view ot the valley and Channel which lie far away beneath it. I was ushered into the waiting-room, it, commodious, comfortably-furnished apartment. Shortly there entered to me tho Sister in charge, a middle-aged lady, with a beautiful, placid face, and large, calm eyes. Sho appeared at. first to distrust my mission, fearlul, af) she said, that I might do her cause some harm by a publication in tho press of details. I assured her that my intention was exactly the opposite, ami that I hoped whtlt I might have to loll the public would do good. I do not wish to let, go my hold upon these poor children, as I do not think they are fit to go out into the world until they are eighteen years old." she remarked; "and I am afraid that the parents, seeing these things in print, might be in- duced to take their children away from fear of the sneers of their neighbours; for we have no power to keep them. Ours is a purely voluntary institution." But if they know that they are receiving an excellent training and are well housed, and clothed, and fed, thev surelv would not be so foolish I interpolated; I do not know, I hope not," she replied. "TIle children when they come here are as bad as thev can be. We have now 24 inmates-as many as we can accommodate; but we are enlarging our space so as to be able to take 30." Have you more applications than you can deal with ? Yes; but mostly from children over the age I have fixed. I never take them ttftet; ten yearg; My object is to break them from their past life;" "What, is the passport of admission to the Home ?'' With one or two exceptions, we have only here girls who have sinned as far as women can sin, I have always ample evidence of this, not only from those who send them here, but from the pitiful stories which the girls themselves pour into my ears." Where do they all come from ?" Somo from Newport, whom the Sisters rescue from the bad houses and other places, and others from all parts of the kingdom." h How is the institution supported ?" When the children are sent here we do not ask the ladies who send them to contribute to their support. There have, indeed, only been three. cases in which we have received such support: We rely almost entirely on voluntary aid and the work that is done inside by washing." "Do you educate the children in the Home?" No. they go to the pariah Bahools, wbere they behave themselves much the same as other chil- dren. I may tell you that at the last examination we took the highest prizes for Scriptural know- ledge. When they are here they are trained in household duties, just the same as they would be at respectable homes. They are taught domestic duties and to make their own clothes. We have five matrons who superintend this training, and there is one of them in each of the dormitories with the children during the night. The girls make excellent servants." At the request of the Sister in charge, I then took a run through the buildings. The rooms, s,lv though small, are scrupulously neat and tidy, and there is plenty of ventilation all over the building, especially in the dormitories, which are comfort- able and well-appointed. The play-grounds are ample, and the laundry—a quaint, old ecclesias- tical building, which was formerly connected with the church—is spacious, and is fitted up with all the modern appliances necessary in the art of washing. In the large schoolroom I find, drawn up in line, the inmates. They are neatly attired, and look the very picture of robust health. There are tiny little things who, notwithstanding the ordeal to which they have been submitted, look innocent enough, and peer wonderingly at the stranger and there are strapping, healthy young girls, whose red arms are suggestive of active exercise at tho washing tub. They sing me some songs at the bidding of the good Sister, and afterwards I leave this benevolent, institution with mingled feeliogs- regret that there should be any necessity for ils existence, and thankfulness at the knowledge that God has put it into the hearts of noble women to do His work in rescuing from a life of sin and shamelessness the fallen little ones. Let me make this important addenda before leaving the subject. There is not a a scintilla of evidence in any of the cases at the Home to sup- port the statement of Stead and Company that girls can be bought for money, and can be debauched by the means and influence of the rich. The cases arise out of contact with bad houses and the debasing influence inseparable from over- crowding in the dwellings of tho poorest of our people.

CARDIFF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. The monthly meeting of the above chamber was held on Wednesday at tho rooms, Docks, Cardiff. Present: Mr. G. W. Wills (chairman), aud Messrs. Rees Jones, A. Hood, J. Guthrie, J. Gunn, F. P. Adey, C. W. Ingram, W. Jones, M. Krieger, J. H. Wilson, D. R. Ambrose, T. L. Browne, W. J. B. Fry, W. S. Stallybrass, A. Thomson, A. T. Lucovich, J. G. Marychurch, R. Duncan, W. J. Trounce, C. E. Stallybrass, J. Balmer, H. W. Rice, S. S. Howard. T. J. Williams, f). L. Owen, J. H. Ferrier, T. Heywood, A. B. Tcllcfsen, F. de Courcy Hamilton. J. G. Cop- pock. Jonas Watson, M. J. Begg, J. O. Riches, John Kovey, G. S. Stowe, G. C. Downing, C. H. Jones, L. Turnbull, A. Foa, M. Angel, D. Griffiths, F. J. Lieavan, and W. L. Hawkins (secretary). PAYMENTS OF RENT. A circular letter was read from the Oldham Chamber of Commerce with respect to priority of payment of rent before other debts. Mr. WILLIAM JONES, who had gone very carefully into the letter, said it appeared that in Oklham they had suffered a very great deal through a system that had arisen of late in that town. Capitalists erected mills and stocked them with plant, and let them out. Under the powers which now existed they could claim rent in advance as well as in arrear, and this led to a great, manv abus es. It was proposed to ask for all alteration of the law, to place landlords on the same footing as other creditors. (Hear, hear.) Mr. GUNN stated that the systeii) complained of was very different to that prevailing in iSouth Wales. The letter was ultimately allowed to lie on the table. PROPOSED REMOVAL OF ItOOJIS. The committee appointed to consider the desira- bility of removing to Mount Stuart-square reported as foltowa :— Your committee have carefully considered the terms of the propos d made by the directors of the 13:schange and Oltice Company, and have had a personal conference with them, when the whole matter was very fully .and frankly discussed aft,er all inspection of t!le premises. Your committee have also had brought to their notice a proposal from the promoters of the new building on tile Pier-head and lkte-crescellt,. which indicates a reaniucas Oil their plirt to make their condition inviting but, liav- ing regard to the greater facilities the new buildings ill Mount t!tu8rt-sqllare offer as a loc.Li c'mtm for the worl, incidental to the functions of a Chamber of Commerce, and the liberal spirit shown by t he directors to plaeo, undoubtedly, vastly-superior accommodation at he dis- posal of the chamber, on terms certainly not to its dis- advantage financially, your committee entertain a strong conviction that, steps should be taken to come to terms j on some such basis ns that suggested. As re- gards till; accommodation, two distinct, proposi- tions were made -.—(a) The apportioning of a lar^e room to the exclusive use of the chamber, and (6) the appro- priating a room (which would form also the maga/.i no- room of the .Kxchange Reading-room) to the uitt of the chamber for the purpo:e of monthly, special, or general meetings, and a smaller room tor tiie use of the secre- tary, and which would always be available for com- mittee meetings of the chamber. Your committee, regarding the choice as between these alternative pro, posals as beyond the scope 01 t heir power, oiler no re- commendation, it being question easily determinable by a vote of the chamber. Financially- speaking, enough has been elicit.ed to warrant the foregoing statement of your committee, that th s arrangement, is possible with- out involving tiie chainoarin any increased expendit ore. The linal terms might tie advantageously settled by a comrnittcu specially appointed for that purpose. A long discussion ensued, several members urging the advisability of Ie/lving Lho matter in abeyance for the purpose of ascertaining what offers could be obtainod from the Pier-head Otfice Company. Eventually, Mr. HOOD proposed to remit ro tho consideration of a, committee the question of the chamber removing from its present premises or of altering its constitution. This wan, however, defeated by 29 voles to 10. The report was I hen adopted, and on tile motion of Mr. EICHKS a committee of four was appointed to negotiate with the Mount Stuart Company as to terms. This was seconded by Mr. TnOUNcg and agreed to. Thurowits no other business, and the meeting was adjourned till Wednesday next for the pur- pose of dealing with the report of Llio coil-liilittee appointed to draw up answors to tho questions submitted by the Royal Commission on the Depression of Trado,

SCIENCE AND ART CLASSES FOR PKNARTU. Wo Ilro pleitsed to learn that it iacontemptated fonningart classes in connection with the Science and Arr Department, South Kensington, at, Penarth. These classes will bo conductod by Mr. Henry Hill, art master and silver medallist of the Art Depart- ment. and for many years head master of tho Northampton School of Art, which school lie has but recently left. A public meeting will be held at the National Schoolroom on Friday, when Mr. Hill will deliver an address on Art Culture." It is proposed to hold the classes on two evenings in the week, and it is intended to fix the fees very low, so as to place the boon offered within the reach of all classes. There is also to be an advanced class on Saturday evenings, at which water and oil colour painting will he taught. The classes will bo conducted on the basis pursued at South Kensington School of Art, and examinations will be held in May by the Science and Art Department, when prizes will be awarded to successful students.

HOSPITAL SATURDAY AT CARDIFF. At the Town-hall, Cardiff, on Saturday, the first meeting of the Cardiff Infirmary Saturday Com- mittee was held. Councillor D. Jones presided. Messrs. G. Coleman, W. Lincoln, and F. W. Lock, tho hon. sees., reported the amount then received to bo JE122 9s. 10d., which included £ 50 from the employes of Messrs. Nelson and Co. In a letter sent by Mr. Findiay, of this firm, it was stated that the workmen experienced very great pleasure in increasing their subscriptions by JS20. Reference was also made to the care and attention shown at the Infirmary to some fellow-workmen injured in constructing the new Roath Dock. It was stated that the number of persons who received aid from the Infirmary during the year was as followsln-patients 797, out-patients. 7.406. The expenditure was this year considerably larger, and the committee nsk for a more liberal response to their appeal. They suggest that employers of labour should establish collections of Id. a week at their several works. Between 1,000 and 1,400 collecting books have been issued, and any firm who has not re- ceived any can obtain them at the Infirmary or of either of the hon. secretaries. The committee will continuo their sittings every Saturday during the time the collections It l'e being- made.

DEPRESSION OF THE LEAD MINING INDUSTRY. Sir Theodore Martin, speaking on Saturday »t a meeting of lead miners fit Mim ra, near Wrexham, held in support of Sir Wat.kin Williams-Wynn, Conservative candidate for East Denbighshire, said that, at the end of 1884 there were 102 Jeafl mines shut up in Great Britain, and during the present year 47 more had been closed. The closing of these mines threw out of employment, 40,009 miners, who, with their families, were deprived of food, houses, and ctothing: In 1377 lend ore sold af.ei412a.6d. a ton, while now it only reached £ 7 3s. 6d. How was this great deuression caused ? In 1882 the imports of lead into England were 91,000 tons, in 1884 116,000 tons, all dutv free consigned. As English lead could not compete with foreign ore, which could be raised so much cheaper than in England, the wages of the miners in Spain being only h. 2df a day, it was impossible for English workmen to hope to compete success- fully under these circumstances, and something must be done to protect the interests of those who were struggling for their very existence in this country:

RAILWAY RATES: DEPUTATION TO MR. CHAMBERLAIN: On Wednesday morning a deputation of the Bir- mingham Railway Rates Association and others waited on Mr. Chamberlain, M.P., to solicit his inte- rest in the agitation for legislation against excessive charges. Mr. Chamberlain said that ho did not see that any scheme for a general revision of railway rates could be put forward in the House of Commons unless the railway companies were offered an equivalent for any privilege which they believed to be theirs. They were accustomed to regard the privileges which had been granted by Parliament ns inviolable, and any retrenchment upon them was an injury to property which they had been induced to put down on the faith of what Parliament had granted. His Bill had done all that lie believed to be possible but he would be willing to re-consider any facts that might hereafter be brought before him as to the operation of the terminal charges.

Tho cotton mills in the Ashton-under-Lyne dis- trict, which have been running short time for thirteen weeks, commenced working full time on Wednesday.

THE BURMESE DIFFI. CULTY. KING THEEBAW DECIDES TO FHjHT. [it REt.TER'S" TELEGRAM.] CALCUTTA, THURSDAY. The Burmese are constructing earthworks and making other active military prepara- tions. A gunboat is at Minhla laying dowc torpedoes and obstructing the river with fire- rafts, &c. King Theebaw has ordered the Commander of the Burmese Frontier to pre- vent the passage of the British Expedi tionary Force at all costs.

THE CRISIS IN EASTERN EUROPE. COERCING SERVIA. EXPECTED DECLARATION OF WAR, THE REPLY OF THE PORTE TO THE POWERS. [" BEUTETT'S TELEGRAM.! BELGRADE, THURSDAY. At a meeting of the diplomatic body it wai unanimously decided to address a Note to the Servian Governmnnt with the view of arresting further step-i on its part. ["TJJIES" TELEGRAM.] CONSTANTINOPLE, TxunsDA Y. By a Circular addressed to the European Powers tiie Porte has proposed that a. Conference be held at Constantinople with the exclusive object of set- tling tho Roumelian difficulty. A DECLARATION OF WAR EXPECTED. ["DAILY Nlnvs" TELEGRAM.] PHILIPPOPOLIS, WEDNESDAY. On Monday the Servian Army advanced to Agor with the intention of invading the Bulgarian terri- tory. Prince Alexander subsequently deferred his departure from Sofia, and took command of the Bulgarian Army. A declaration of war by King Milan and tha bezin ning of hostilities aro every moment ex- pected. This morning the garrison of Phllippopolis, 2,000 strong, and 1,000 .Macedonian volunteers, started for the Servian frontier by rail to Tosaretny, and from there on fool- Several divisions of tha army assembled pn tha Roumelian frontier have been ordered to fall back to resist, tlm Sei via/is. Kmg Milan seems to he amM'*teif aotejy by pec sonal 11114 dynastic, views, and is believed to act on foreign instigation. I he Bulgarians m.t, l'dsoivea 14 suiiggid to {,ha last, lor tliui|> national rights ^mi esis(eiice: I he rumours of outpost sikji-pushcs Tzajlbfocl have not yet been confirmed. f" TIMKst TliLKiiU iJ*-j NlbOH, Wkpskbba*, Th$rain hasi ne.^juud i»nr leaving [lie camp, and the troops are again lodged in tha town. lha work of preparation goes on incessantly, and sonio signiifcant movements of troops ard ro. ported, but I may not give particulars. It. was yesterday denied in Sofia that, Prlncs Alexander had proposed to send a special mission to King .Milan. According to this official declare tinn, it was not a mission, but only a letter, whicfc Prince Alexander proposed to intrust to M. Grekoff, N; vertheiess, the facts are precisely as I narrated in In" didpMch of Monday. Tha Prince and King are personally on excellent terms, and there was no reason why the King should refuse to receive a letter from his Highness. But there were very serious reasons why a mission should be declined, and the most important of these is that, having violated tha heilin treaty, Bulgaria is en mptare de him with all tha Powers, and to receive omission from Iiulgai ia at hucii a critical moment its the present would have cast a. shadow of suspicion over tiie Servian policy. TURKISH WAR PREPARATIONS. [" TIMES TKT.KUKAM. | CONSTANTINOPLE, TUESDAY. Notwithstanding tho prospects of pOllce. thlJ concentration of troops is still as actively carried onasbnfore. A large Austrian steamer left, this morning for Sinope, in order to ship there 2,500 men of the Reserve. In the way of naval propara* ion noLhing has yet been done beyond getting the ironclads ready, but; all remain in the Golden Horn, The wooden gunboat Lkenderieh (foul-guns) sailed yesterday for Tripoli. It is calculated that nearly 100,000 men are al the present moment, under arms along tho Roumelian and Servian frontiers, nnd more ard following rapidly, so that from 120,000 to 130,000 may shortly be on foot ready for all emergencies. To meet the heavy expenditure thus occasioned tho Porto is on the point, of raising a loan of nearly £ 1,000.000 on the security of the cession of the Cassaba Railway and othor sources of revenue (of course, on stringent terms), hoping thus to avoid the necessity of touching tlm resources which have been ceded to tho bond- holders of tho Public Debt. The Porte, in its reply 10 the Collective Note of the Great Powers, thanked them in warm term! for their strenuous exertions in the interests ol peace, and requested to be furnished with somd more explicit, statement of the practical means to be adopted for solving the Roumelian difficulty in 11 manner which would remove the danger of further complications from tho attitude of th« bordering minor States roused to claim an exten- sion of territory in consequence of the rash liul. garian i-novement..

TURKISH FINANCE. F" TIMES" TELEGRAM. I CONSTANTINOPLE, WEDNESDAY. T wns present at. an interview bf't\VI'en thf Grand Vizier, Kiamil Posha, this morning and 1'11', Swaftield. chairman of the Committee for the 135t and 1862 loans, who recently arrived here, wiler: liis Highness, who speaks Etigiish perfectly, «e reply to a question from tho visitor, replied that the Porto entertained no thought of interfering with thoarrangonenta of t))e Public Debt as estab- lished by the decree of 1881. His Highness, reply ing to further quest ions, also said that the porte had hopes that the groat Powers will consider the present opportunity a favourable otio for justly settling the questions of the tribute from Bulgaria and the share of the Public Debt to be borne ft2 stipulated by the Berlin Treaty by which had acquired territory under the sainf treatyi

GREAT FIRE AT LEEDS: 21 HORSES BURNT TO DEATFt Early on Thursday morning a fire broke out al the Leeds Corporation nightsoil depot situate ill Black Bull-street, Hunslet-lane. Twentr-nne lior-qef belonging to the contractors, Messrs. Robinson Bod Hardcastle, were burnt to death, and the stabli"^ and other property were considerably damaged. Tllf cause of the fire is unknown.

MAD MURDERESSES: At the Central Critilill", Court on Mondav ti"fl Bicknell was charged with murdering her tvvc children at Stockwell. The jury, without lea^l'M the box, found that the prisoner was insane, she was, therefore^ ordered to be detained dur'1'' her Majesty's pleasure.. A similar verdict returned in the case of Mary Howard, who j charged with murdering her daughter at Hill last week;

SERIOUS BREACH OF THE FACTORY ACT: EMPLOYING WOMEN ALL NIGHT: f4 At Llanclly Petty Sessions on Wednesday (Pe^iS Messrs. R. J: Nevill and R: Maclaren) the M°rned Tin-plate Company, Llangennech, was sum050 by Mi\ J; IT. Bignold, her Majesty's Inspe^^ si# ty Factories, Home Office, London, for p. fomales during the night of September 8.—'j?1ltSi Randell, who appeared for tho defend- admitted the offence.—The Bench fined the ° dant company £ 1 10s. 6d. including 008 each case, making in all £ 9 3s.

Mr. Robert Wildie, proprietor of the Star jjjJJ' Stockton, filed a petition in bankruptcy \>f neq.lay; and or. Thursday committed suic10 blowing out his brains.