The Cardiff Times

BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, DEATHS. BIRTHS.' THOMAs.-March 24th, the wife of Rev. J. W. Thomas, Congregational minister, Treherbert, of a daughter. WILLIAMS.—On the 28th inst., at the Royal Oak Inn. Ystradmynach, the wife of Mr H. Williams, of a son. 4814 MARRIAGE. [,F.tGH-PHELPs.-On March 2Stb, at West Grove Unitarian Church, by the Rev. Joseph Wain, of Bristol, Harold, youngest surviving Ron, of the late Thomas Leigh, of Liverpool, to Frances Ethel, eldest daughter of Mr George Phelps, Lynwood, Clare-street. Cardiff. 281e SILVER WEDDING. CALL ERR—PATN.—27th March, 1873, by licence, at the residence oi' J. Van Cameron, Kingston, Demerara, bv Rev. T. H. Trosman, Rev. Philip Callier, Friend- ship, Demerara, to Fanny Gurney, second daughter of William Payn, Esq., Wingham, Kent. 305 DEATHS. DA vis.—On March 30th, at the residence of his daughter, Mrs Sanders, 89, Grange Gardens, Thomas Davis, late butcher, of Castle-road, in his 88th year. No flowers by request. 620 EVANS.—March 22nd, at Methodist Chapel House. Whitchurch, Daniel Evans, in his 64th year. HACKMAN.—At 42. Eabershon-street, 23rd March, after short illness, Georpe Hackman, aged 30, Cor- poral Glam. Altillery Volunteers. HAI>TRS.—At 109. Cowtridge-road, Cardiff, Sarah, beloved wife of John Haines, contractor, after a long and painful illness. HUGHES.—On the 22ud inst., at Oak Bank, Cheadle, Hulme, Cheshire, Jane. the widow of the Rev. D. Hughes, B.A., of Tredegar, Monmouthshire, aged 71 years. LLOTD.—March 27th, at the Hospital, Blaydon-on- Tyne, Charles Ernest Lloyd, beloved son of Eliza- beth Amelia and the late Edward Lloyd, 9, Station- street, Treherbert, aged 21 years. Deeply mourned. MILES.—On March 25th, at 13, Anglesey-street, Canton, John Edwards Miles, aged 42. MINIHAN. -On the 28th inst., at the residence of her daughter. Mrs Dalrymple, Royal Exchange, Canton, Cardiff, Honora Minihan, age 62. MORGAN.—March 26tn, at Watford Fach, Caerphilly, Mary. the beloved wife of Thomas Morgan, late of Cefn Carnau Fawr, aged 82 years. MOBS*—On the 22nd, at Comtown Court, Bridgend, in his 47th year, Thomas Morse. NEWTON.-Emma., the beloved wife of Joseph New- ton, died March 22nd, 63, Pearl-street, Roath, PBICE. On March 21st, at Belle Vae Inn. Blaina, Abraham Price, aged 55. THOMS.—March 27th, 1898, Mary Jane, the beloved wife of William Thoms. 27, Arran-screet, Roath. Friends please accept this only intimation. Deeply I regretted. WILLIAMS.—On the 28th inst., at 48, Ryder-street, Elsie Harriet, youngest daughter of George E. and S. J. Williams, aged 2% years. YATES.—On March 28th, at Oak Lodge, West Dnl- YATEs.-On March 28th, at Oak Lodge, West Dnl- wich, Emma Elizabeth, wife of the late Sidney E. Yates.

SA TURDA Y. APRIL 3, 1898, O' THE GUARDIANS OF THE POOR. DURING the present month electors will be called upon to give their votes for Poor Law Guardians. Ordinarily, little atten- tion is paid by electors to the Guardians' election, and that may account for the comparatively slow rate of progress which has been made in dealing with pauperism in the Workhouses. In the social history I. of the country there is nothing more interesting to the student, and nothing more depressing than the story of the Poor I Law and its administration. Poverty was considered a crime to be punished rather than a misfortune to be relieved, and the present system has still lingering in it many traces of the old bad ideas. How- ever, while the story of the Poor Law as a whole is an unsavoury tale of suffering and bad methods of government, the later periods have been characterised by far. reaching improvements and the dawn of a new era for the very poor. In the story of the Victorian epoch there is no section which gives more encouragement than that relating to improvements in the adminis- tration of the Poor Law and the treatment of pauper children and old folks. The improvement has come in the later days of the reign it is true, but the advances have been rapid and the changes very sweeping. During the last fifteen years the whole character of the Union Workhouses has been altered. Wbere the more enlightened policy of dealing with the old people and the children has been adopted the Workhouses have been con- verted from gloomy penitentiaries to well- conducted establishments for sheltering the aged and infirm. The children have had removed from them the pauper dress, and have been set free from the pauper school, and sent to the ordinary elementary schools, where they mix with other children and learn the first lesson of independence of spirit and self-reliance, and get accustomed to the outer world, which was closed to them when they were cooped up in the barrack school. In many cases the large schools for pauper children still remain in operation, but they have been condemned by a special Committee which inquired into the subject, and also by I public opinion. The question of dealing I with the pauper children is the most important which faces the electors and the Guardians of the poor, for on the children rests the whole subject of the pauper class. It is only by proper education and right treatment of pauper children that they can be edncated out I of their pauperism. The treatment of the old pauper inmates of the Workhouses. has improved wonderfully since the lady visitors were permitted to minister to them. The wards have been made more cheesfnl, and the poor have been made to feel that sympathy is felt for them by the visitors. Ladies have done good work as visitors, their work has been still more important and valuable as Lady Guardians. In the treatment of paupers and the working of the Poor Law there is room for further improvement, which will be brought about so soon as the electors show a proper interest in the elections of Guardians.

MR GLADSTONE. TRUTH ABOUT HIS ILLNESS. Out Again on the Terrace at Hawarden Wednesday r:ght'e bulletin states:—"Mr Gladstone has again had a good night and a pretty good day. He has been out this after- noon." The weathei- continues to be mild. Mrs Glad- stone drove out in the afternoon in company of Mrs Wickham. TRUTH ABOUT THE ILLNESS. We may say authoritatively that everything that can properly be told concerning Mr Glad- stone's condition appears in the daily bulletin issued from Hawarden. For the rest the public should understand the extreme and irretrievable seriousness of the case, a.nd the fact that no improvement can now be looked for, though an alleviation of the more painful symptoms is always possible. Our readers will, we think, be glad to know of the unshaken fortitude and noble serenity with which Mr Gladstone bears his affliction. His voice is as strong and as clear as of old, and the wonderful richness of tone remains. He converses easily and cheerfully, and now and again in a vein of pleasant story and even of jest. Music is a great and permanent consolation to him. Mrs Drew, we understand, plays to him for an hour or so before dinner and up to bedtime after din- ner, while the Rev. Stephen Gladstone comes from the rectory to play his father's favourite hymns.—Daily Chronicle. DEATH OF "PETZ." A loss which has cost every member of the Gladstone family an additional pang of pain during the last sad days is (adds The Westminster) that of little Petz, the black Pomeranian, who for nin^ years past has been the constant and faithful companion of Mr Gladstone in all his walks and I drives about Hawarden. Up to last autumn, when Mr Gladstone left for Cannes, Petz was as hapny as the days were long and in aggressively good health. The Castle becoming very quiet after Mr and Mrs Gladstone's departure, Pets migrated with Mr and Mrs Drew, and his special protegee, Dorothy Drew, to Buckley Vicarage, close to Hawarden. But with his master's de- parture Petz's joyous, happy spirit seemed to have left him. Again and again he ran back to Hawarden, and would not be comforted. Last week, a few days before Mr Gladstone's return I' home, Petz began to refnse food, and became listless and depressed. On the day of Mr Glad- stone's return he was taken home to the Castle, but it was too late; and Petz died a day or two ago.

THE BYE-ELECTIONS. I Polling at Maidstone. I Polling took place at Maidstone on Saturday for the election of a Parliamentary representative in the room of Sir Seager Hunt, resigned. The candidates were Mr F. Cornwallis (Conservative) I and Mr John Barker (Liberal). At 10.30 p.m. the result of the poll was declared as follows:— Cornwallis C 2,214 j Backer.L 2,036 Majority 178 Some 6,000 persons awaited the declaration of the poll in front of the Town Hall, and the result was hailed with much cheering. The successful candidate subsequently delivered a brief address from the balcony of his hotel. He said the elec- tors of Maidstone had won a grand victory on behalf of the Unionist Government, which he knew would be delighted to hear how nobly the people of the county town had acted at that important bye-election. Speaking at the Liberal Club, Mr Barker said the Liberals of Maidstone had fought a good fight and had not been dis- graced. Although the Conservatives had repre- sented the town in Parliament for some 17 years, he still believed that Liberalism would ultimately triumph. If the working classes oi Maidstone were united they could easily send a man of their choice to represent them in the House of Com- mons. The following are the results of previous elections :— 1888. 1892. Cornwallis C 2,050 Cornwallis C 2,443 Barker L 1,865 Nussey I» 1,637 Majority 135 Majority 816 1895—-Seager Hunt, F.C., unopposed. East Berks. ¡. The result of the polling in the Eastern Divi- sion of Berkshire was declared at Wokingham this morcimsr as follows :— Captain O. Young C 4,726 Mr G. W. Palmer L 3,690 Conservative majority 1,036

YORK ELECTION. Sir C. Furness's Petition A Withdrawal. The Press Association states that Sir Chris- topher Furness on Monday addressed the following letter to his solicitor", Messrs H. P. and J. H. Cobb, of 53, Lincoln's Inn Fields. w.c. :— Dear Sir,—I have on my return from abroad received your particulars as to the York recount. I notice we are equal in admittedly good votes, and that five of my papers and 12 of my opponent's are reserved for the judges. Looking at these in a businesslike way, I think I shall gain five votes and Lord Charles possibly 11 votes, leaving him with a majority on the- papers of six. Then there remains the scrutiny i -a tedious, worrying, and under our present system an expensive process. Looking at the case to be dealt with I think that we can strike off enough of absolutely bad votes to wipe away this majority, even allowing that Lord Charles would be able to strike some of our votes on the 3Mno grounds. Over and above these there are various votes which we could strike off on technical grounds, leaving me the seat. But I do not wish, and have never wished, to win or keep a seat on technicalities, and therefore I b av- decided not to proceed further, and thus save- both Lord Charles and myself much worry and expense. Kindly therefore notify Lord Charles's solicitors of my decision, and take the necessary steps to withdraw the petition.—" I am. yours faithfully, CHRISTOPHER FXJBNBSS."

A FAMOUS NOVELIST. I English fiction has lost one of the brightest and best of the novelists of what some people ike to call the old school by the death of Jam,, Payn. Like many other men who have made their mark in the world of letters, James Payn wa3 not intended in his early youth to make his living by the pen, but in his case the pen once again be- came mightirer than the sword,'for it was intended that he should have been a soldier. His educa- tion began at Eton, whence, with a view to his then contemplated entrance into the military profes- sion, he was removed to Woolwich Academy. TiaJ»r on, however, having made definite choice of a civil career, he quitted that seminary of scientific soldiership for Trinity College, I Cambridge, where he graduated in 1864. Even at that date his literary bent had revealed itself. I THE LATE JA205S PUN. I He had already published a volume of verse en- titled Stories from Boccaccio," which was followed by the appearance of a volume of Poems in the following year. This, however, was his last poetic effort, and he was henceforth to be known to the world, and to achieve success and popularity, solely as a writer of prose fiction varied by occasional volumes of humorous essavs and light and gossipy" Recollections." He began to write for the Westminster Heriew in 1854, and in 1858 he succeeded Mr Leitch Ritchie as editor of Chambers's Journal, for which magazine he wrote exclusively for some years. In the pages of Chambers's appeared his first novel, The Foster Brothers," which did not make much of a stir, but the second in the same magazine, Lost Sir Maasingberd," is said to have raised the circulation of that journal by 20,000. At any rate it brought the author into prominence, and his career henceforth was as- sured. From 1882 to 1896 Mr Payn was editor of Cornhill. The sum total of his works, accord- ing to the British Museum catalogue, amounts to upwards of a hundred voumes, including, to tell the truth, a not inconsiderable ingredient of somewhat indifferent work. That was, however, to be expected from a man who wrote such a heap of matter as James Payn. 11 Carlyon's Year," A County Family," "Found Dead," A Con- fidential Agent," Gwendoline's Harvest," The Mystery of Mirbridge," and The Burnt Million" are among the best known of his writings. He was a conscientious critic of other people's work, and many an author of the present day owes his reputation to the appreciation of an eary effort by that amiable, if critical, reader, JMMX Fayw.

Death of Lord Cawdor. BIOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS. I Lord Cawdor died at 9.30 a.m. on Tuesday. His Lordship had been unconscious since 4.30 p.m. on Monday. Lord Emlyn, who arrived at Stackpole Court on Friday last, left for London on Monday morning, and was wired for on Monday night, but had not returned when his father died. The deceased Earl was 81 years old. John Frederick Vaughan Campbell, earl and baron, of Cawdor Castle, Nairnshire, N.B, Staekpole Court, Pembrokeshire, and Golden Grove, Carmarthenshire, was the eldest son of John Frederick Campbell, first earl and second baron, and his wife, Lady Eliza- beth Thynne, eldest daughter of Thomas, second M&rquis of Bath. The Earl was one of ten children, four sons and six daughters. Two of the latter died in infancy, and two others married the Earls of Desart and Ellesmere respectively Lord Cawdor was born on the 11th June, 1817, and his early life passed without any incident of particular interest. He was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, and graduated B.A., in 1838, and M.A. in 1840. In 1841, he was elected to Parliament as Conservative member for the county of Pem- broke, hi succession to Sir John Owen, Bart., who wss returned for the borough of Pembroke at the same General Election. In the same year, Lord Cawdor, who was then known as Viscount Emlyn, was appointed private secretary to the Duke of Buccleuch, then Lord EARL CAWDOR. I Privy Seal in Sir Robert Peel's famous Ministry, an office which he held until the iollowing year, when he was appointed a precis writer at the Foreign Office. This latter position he retained until the fall of the Peel Government m 1846. In 1842, Lord Cawdor married the Hon. Sarah Mary Cavendish, second daughter of General the Hon. Henry Frederick Compton Cavendish, son of the Earl of Burlington, and grandson of the third Duke of Devonshire, by whom he had seven children. Lord Cawdor was appointed deputy-lieutenant of Nairnshire in 1852. and, later on, filled the same office for Lnverness-ihire and Carmarthenshire, becoming lord lieutenant and custos rotulorum of the latter county in 1851. He succeeded to the peerage on Kovembsr 7th, 1850. He was captain of the 1st Carmarthenshire Rifle Volunteers be- tween that year and 1866. The deceased Earl was the patron of ten livings. The present Lord I Emlyn, who was formerly M.P. for Carmarthen- shire, will succeed to the title and his son, the Hon. Hugh Campbell, who contested Pembroke- shire as a Conservative, will assume the title of Viscount Emlyn. Captain George Eledor Campbell, of the Coldstream Guards, who was killed while serving with Sir Evelyn Wood, on the 28th March, 1879, was a younger son of the ¡ late Earl. The eldest daughter, Lady Victoria Campbell, married Lieut.-Col. Lambton, late of the Scots Guards, and now resident at Brown- slade, Pembrokeshire, and is very mach respected throughout the southern portion of the county for the deep interest which she has always taken in and the generous support she has rendered to many benevolent and philanthropic movements. The late Earl was a man of retiring disposition. CONNECTION WITH WALES. The noble family of Cawdor is a junior branch of the House of Argyll. The first of the family to settle in Wales was Sir Alexander Campbell, I eldest son of Sir Hugh. He married a Welsh heiress, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Lort, and sister and sole heiress of Sir Gilbert Lort, of Stackpole Court, Pembrokeshire. Thus we get the connection between the Campbells and Stackpole Court. At the family church of Chericon may be seen effigies of the Lorts. Some 50 or more years later began the connection between the Campbells and Golden Grove, the seat and estate of the family in Carmarthenshire. John Vaughan, of Golden Grove, died without issue, and devised his estate from his half sister, Mrs Watkins, of Penoyrp, to John, Lord Cawdor. There is a, tradition that the Golden Grove itself, apart from the estate, C2>me into the possession of the Campbells as the result of a bet. John Camp- bell was created a peer of Great Britain in 1796 by the title of Baron Cawdor of Castlemartin. John Frederick Campbell, son of Baron Cawdor, who married Elizabeth, daughter of the second Marquis of Bath, was the first, and father of the late Earl. The "ponds" at Stackpole Court are a well-known feature in the surroundings of that mansion, and here on one occasion the Earl and Countess narrowly escaped an untimely end. There are springs in various places in the upper pond, and for this reason it was not at all tirae3 a safe place to skate upon, as the ice was apt to be thin above the springs. Whilst skating on the pond they ventured too near the thin ice, and both fell into the water. The butler. in trying to rescue them, was also immersed, and it was only with the greatest difficulty they were rescued. The year 1860 was notable in the annals of the country as being the year in which the Volunteer movement was established. It was also the year in which Earl Cawdor succeeded to the title. A strong corps was established at Llandilo, consist- ing largely of his Lordship's tenantry. He became its first captain, and it was the first corps in the county. He frequently rode over from Golden Grove to Dynevor Pari: to meet the men at drill at 7 o'clock in the morning. The late Mr D. Pugh, M.P,, offered a silver cup to the best shot, and Earl Cawdor had the gratification of seeing it won by his head gardener, Mr Hill. Earl Cawdor has been known to remark that he was never so happy as at the time, he was captain of the Volunteers at Llandilo. It was a pleasure to see him on his horse. He was a handsome man, and her Majesty was said to have considered him the HANDSOMEST OF HER YOUNG COURTIERS. I This, too, may perhaps explain his marriage with Miss Cavendish, who was a maid of honour to the Queen. That he took an interest in horse- racing is well known, but he was also a yachts- man, and sailed a good deal about, chiefly perhaps in search of health for his third daughter, Lady Evelyn, a confirmed invalid. His father was an ardent Churchman, and built no less than seven churches, but built them to the neglect of the estate, on which Earl Cawdor on coming into possession had to spend thousands of pounds. THE NEW EARL. Viscount Emlyn, the new Earl of Cawdor, has had an active and useful public career, for which his exceptional trifts eminentlv fit him. In tho year 1874 Vis- count Emlyn wa.s one of the four candidates who contested the county of Carmarthen, his colleague being Mr John Jones. MrPnxley also stood as an inde- pendent candidate in the Conservative in- terest, the other candi- I date being Mr Pugh. Upon this occasion Viscount Emlyn and his colleague, Mr John Jones, were both re- turned. This was at the time when the county had not been divided into two divi- sions. In the year 1880 his Lordship was returned as a Conservative candidate. After the county had been divided into two parts (in 1885) he unsuccessfully contested the seat as against the late Mr W. R. H. Powell, Maesgwynne. After this the subject of our sketch was induced by his party to contest Manchester against a candidate with strong local claims upon the constituency, and on that occasion polled very heavily against his opponent. He was, however, unsuccessful, but having a considerably reduced majority against him. Lord Emlyn's recent fight at Swindon is so recent that simple refer- ence to the matter will suffice. Viscount Emlyn is widely recognised as being one of the finest business men in the country, and hi3 organising and administrative powers have become more evident as they are called npon in the various responsible positions which he holds. Her Majesty appointed him to succeed the late Lord Kensington as Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire. In 1895 Lord Emlyn was appointed to the im- portant position of chairman of the Great Western Railway Company and it is to be hoped that his accession to the Peerage will in no way interfere with his connection with that gigantic organisa- tion. During' his regime all the old neglect of the industrial and agricultural interests of South Wales, a neglect which was as injurious to the shareholders as it was to the district, has been abandoned, and in substitution thereof has come into operation a policy which is at once apprecia- tive, alert, and comprehensive. It is recognised that the new attitude of the G.W.R. towards South Wales is largely due to the perspicacious initiative of his Lordahip; and any slackening of effort in this direction might involve a serious set-back to the development of the great and varied industries of the district.

A RUNAWAY HORSE AT BARRY. About 7.30 a.m. on Wednesday a horse belong- ing to Mr A. Haines, coal merchant, attached to a spring cart, suddenly bolted down Station-road in the direction of Dock View-road. The driver, unable to control tho runaway, jumped off the cart and saved himself from injury by holding on to a tree guard, but the horse, in turning the corner, dashed with its head madly into the urinal above the railway station. It smashed several of the cast-iron places, and was so greatly injured by the collision that it died shortly after- words. The driver was lucky in escaping unin- ii joxed-

MANY PITS TO STOP. Latest Returns of the Ballot. The latest development in the Welsh coal trade crisis is of an alarming description. As will be seen on reference to tne reports on the 6th page of this issue, the notices to ter- minate the Scale agreement and the men's contracts would, in the ordinary course, expire on Thursday. To enable the negotiations for a settlement to be continued, however, the owners I a.nd the workmen's representatives agreed to extend the notices until the 9th of April, and this agreement was ratified by an overwhelming majority of the workmen's de- legates at the miners' conference at Cardiff Ion Monday last. It would appear now that in a number of collieries the men are bent upon disregarding these arrangements, aud acting upon the original notices are determined to drop tools" to-night. There is danger of this example being followed elsewhere. The men, in thus taking the bit between their teeth, are acting in direct opposition to the urgent counsel of their leaders, every one of whom nas j advised the men to work on until the 9th proximo in the hope that meanwhile the negotiations for a renewal of a Scale agreement may be completed. The following lists show which collieries have so far decided to stop work Thursday, and which have resolved to continue operations until April, 9th.

TO STOP. RHONDDA. National Colliery, Wattstown. Lewis Merthyr, H&fod. Grea,t Western, Pontypridd. .UiEUDAKV, VALLBY. Deep Duffryn (hauliers). Navigation (hauliers). j Cwmcynon (hauliers). Cwmpennar. Lower Duffryn. G.G.w AND 06HOEE. International. Ffaldau (hauliers).. ,h Ocean (hauliers). North's (two pits). Aber, Tynwydd. MONMOUTHSHHMB. Old Tredegar. Ebbw Vale (Marine No. 1).

TO WORK ON TILL APRIL 9TH. RHONDDA. Femdale. Tylorstown. ABERDARE TAT.T/BY. Penrhiwceiber. Treaman. Dyllan (Gadlys). Albion. MSBTBTHt. Cyfarthfa. Plymouth. Merthyr Vale. MONMOUTHSHIRE. Rhymney. Western Valleys Union Collieries. Ebbw Vale (part). New Tredegar. Sirhowy. WESTERN DISTRICT. Hirwain.

THE BALLOT. Latest Returns. The following are the results so far to hand of the ballots now being taken at the collieries for and against plenary powers :— Colliery. For. Apt. Aberaman Ill 800 Darren (Garw). 19 83 Abercynon (.uowlais).. 156 412 Llanhilleth 49 574 Abercynon 156 411 Penrhiwceiber 244 541 Nixon's (Cwmcynon).. 88 225 Maindee Coll'ry (Ocean) 188 306 Ea.stern Coll'ry (Ocean) 154 287

MR DAVID MORGAN AND THE OWNERS. Strong Observations. Addressing a meeting of Plymouth colliers at Merthyr Wednesday, Mr David Morgan said he was sorry that Mabon should have given as a reason for securing the extension that the weather would get better after the 9th of April, because Welsh miners could fight in March just as well as in the following month, but the real reason was that the time at their disposal was not sufficient to enable a ballot to be taken, and after the votes had been counted to confer with the employers a^ain. Some of his colleagues on the Sliding Scale Committee had declared that the employers would not meet them unless they were armed with plenary powers, because Sir W. T. Lewis had so laid it down, but Sir W. T. Lewis was not the Almighty, and, thank God, he was not even a king. He regarded Sir W. T. Lewis as the greatest enemy to the working classes whom he had known for the last 30 yeaics, and he thought it was time that they should put down their foot and say that they woulàno longer submit meekly to his dictation. People might taunt him and say "Oh, that damnable Dai o'r Nant; he is a scoun- drel." When he was in the dock at the Cardiff Assizes last week the Docks people said that he ought to have five years, but if ha were to get five years he would live in prison more hap pily during that term than some of them would live in hell for five months. In the past the masters had been cowardly enough to take advantage of the sym- pathy of the men's representatives on the Sliding Scale Committee, in being too mindful of the possible sufferings of the families of the miners in submitting to unreasonable terms; but at present the fortune of good trade is smiling upon them, and they ought to be determined not to ac- cept the employers' proposals, but to insist upon better conditions than they had before.

BARRY RAI L WAY BILL. Result of the Ratepayers' Poll. The result of the poll demanded at a ratepayers' meeting held recently at Barry as to whether the District Council should be empowered to oppose the Barry Railway Company's Bill to be promoted in this Session of Parliament was made known at the offices of the Council on Thursday as follows For opposing the Bill 2,197 Against 430 Majority 1,767 There were 193 spoilt papers, and 670 papers were left blank. The clauses which it is proposed to oppose are purely local and have no reference to that part of the Bill seeking powers to construct a separate line of railway between Cogan and Cardiff, inde- pendent of the Taff Vale Railway.

FATAL ACCIDENT TO MRS PARNELL. On Saturday at about 2 o'clock, while Mrs Delia. Parnell, mother of the late Mr Charles Stewart Parnell, was sitting before the fire in the drawing-room at Avondale, the ancestral home of the Parnell family, her clothes became ignited and she was badly bnrned. Word was im- mediately sent to Dr. Leeper, Rathdrum, who is married to Mrs Parnell's granddaughter. He and his wife at once hastened to the unfortunate lady's assistance. Mrs Parnell died on Sunday night. She was the daughter of Admiral Stewart, of the United States Navy, and was in her 80th year.

FIVE PERSONS MURDERED. ST. PETERSBURG, Thursday.-A telegram from Kharkoff states that a. terrible tragedy has occurred in the village of Stepanovka, where a peasant named Na.onmenko murdered his wife, his three children (aged 10, 6, and 2 years), and a neighbour named Kaidenko. The mur- derer also seriously wounded his sister in-law. He appeared to have been insane at the time.— Beuter.

EARTHQUAKE SHOCK. California Inhabitants Alarmed. NEW YORK, Thursday.—A severe abock of earthquake was felfc in various parts of California towards midnight last night. Buildings rocked, and some damage was done. The inhabitants of the cities rushed into the streets in a state of ter- ror.-Beuta.

MURDER OF A SOLDIER. On Wednesday evening a reply was received at Clonmel Prison from the Lord-Lieatenant with reference to the recommendation of the jury in the case of private Wilfred Kenny, 8th Hussars, under sentence of death for the murder of Private Albert Goodwin, of the same regiment. at Cabir Barracks on January 11th. His Excellency states the law must have its course. Prisoner received the intelligence with apparent unconcern. He declines the ministration of the Protestant chaplain"

SUICIDEINAMADHOUSE. An inquest was held at the Bailbrook Private Asylum, near Bath on Wednesday, upon the body of Mr Savile Smith, who was a county councillor, magistrate and railway director in Lincolnshire. It appeal from the evidence that deceased was a voluntary inmate, suffering from depression, and he cut his throat with a razor which an attendant had inadvertently left with him. The jury returned a verdict of Suicide whilst temporarily insane."

Loyal Ca.mbrians on tbe Rand had i vwy successful celebration of St. David a Day, to whioh considerable space is given by the J ohan- nesburg papers now to band. The Rev. J. T. Lloyd, who proposed the toast of the eveni ng, remarked that saints were generally regarded as forming a most aoreeable subject of discourse, but speaking for himself he shoulcl Immensely enjoy having a shv at patron sinners. The Rev. Owen Owen, late "«f Porth, and Mr W. Morgan, late of Olive-road Cardiff, ore mentioned among 1 the fpeakera.

Glamorganshire Assizes. The Glamorganshire Winter Assizes were resumed at the Cardiff Town Hall on Thursday (before Mr Justice Phillimore and Mr Justice Channell). The criminal cases having been con- cluded, both Judges proceeded with the remaining civil cases in separate courts. (Before Mr Justice PHILLIMORE.) A PROMISSORY NOTE ACTION. EVANS v. EVANS.—This was an action relating to a promissory note, and defendant did not nut in an appearance. After formal evidence had been tendered, a, verdict for plaintiff with costs was returned. Mr Rhys Williams (instructed by Messrs Spickett and Sons, Pontypridd) appeared for the plaintiff. THE PARTIES AGREE. BARNES AND OTHERS v. EVANS.—This was an ejectment case, Mr C. M. Bailhache appearing for plaintiff, and Mr Arthur Lewis for the defendant. MrBailhache announced th&t a settlementhad been come to between the parties, plaintiff accepting judgment formally in ejectment. This, however. would not be enforced, and the plaintiff under- took to grant a new leaae for the residue of the original term. The plaintiff took the small sum of £15 in discharge of arrears of rent and costs. AN EJECTMXNT CASE. BnAIN AND Co., LIMITED, V. WILUA:>IS.—In thie case Mr B. Francis Williams, Q.C., and Mr Arthur Lewis appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr C. M. Bailhache for the defendant. Mr Bailhache informed his Lordship that the parties concerned had agreed on a settlement, judgment being accepted on plaintiff's possession on terms agreed upon between the parties, the terms including the costs. Judgment was entered accordingly. LAND AT BARRY. PARK CASTLE LAND Co., LIMITED, V. MTJRRKLL. —In this case the plaintiff company sought to recover possession of a piece of land belonging to them at Barry. Mr Abel Thomas, Q.C., M.P., and Mr Arthur Lewis appeared for the plaintiff company, and Mr Francis Williams, Q.C., and Mr Trevor Lewis for the defendant. Mr Abel Thomas stated that the secretary of the company. Mr Matthews, who was also a director, undertook to lease the plot in question to Mr Murrell for the purpose of a boys' barracks or hall. The plaintiff company alleged, however, that Mr Matthews had no power to grant the lease, although secretary to the company. He did not suggest that Mr Matthews meant to do anything but that which was right, and he wassure that Mr Murrell did not mean to do any- thing but what was right. However, on October 30th, 1896, a document, purporting to be a lease, was granted to Mr Murrell. It was contended by the plaintiff company that this could only be done by the authority of a meeting of directors and ander their seal. Evidence was given by Mr W. Evans, a former director of the company, to the effect that he aud Mr Gaen went down to Barry and saw the building being built on the land, and Mr Gaen advised the contractor or his agent not to proceed with the structure. The cross-examination of Mr Francis Williams was designed to extract admissions from the witness that the secretary (Mr Matthews) was empowered to arrange terms and to sign contracts. A CASE FROJli SWANSEA. FORESTER V. EDWARDS AND ANOTHER.—In this case plaintiff was represented by Mr B. Francis Williams, Q.C., and defendant by Mr Abel Thomas, Q.C., M.P. In opening Sir Williams said the case hailed from Swansea, depended entirely upon documents to be submitted, and was related to the obligations of the Landore Tinplate Company to the South Wales Union Bank, afterwards amalgamated with the Metropolitan Bank. The latter agreed to ad- vance a sum of £14,000, thus enabling the com- pany to pay off some mortgages. The plaintiff became surety for £1,200 which he eventually had to pay. It was con- tended by his counsel that the defendants— who were the trustees of the credi- tors of the company—were responsible. His Lordship reviewed the documents which had been submitted at some length, but did not con- sider those presented by Mr Abel Thomas entitled him to withhold judgment from plaintiff. Judg- ment would therefore be given for plaintiff for £ 1,200. Mr Francis Williams said plaintiff claimed interest as well. His Lordship allowed interest at the rate of 4 per cent. from June 30th, 1897. Mr Abel Thomas asked that execution be stayed for a fortnight. Mr Francis Williams did not object. His Lordship said the application wa.s quite reasonable, and if notice of appeal was given within the fortnight then execution would be stayed until the hearing of the appeal. Mr Gaen deposed that he thought the erection of a boys' brigade hall on the plot was mos) disastrous, and would depreciate the value of the land.—Mr Francis Williams, for the defence, contended that the plaintiff had not proved his case. He contended that authority had been given by resolution to the secretary,Mr Matthews, to make the best terms possible, and to let any portion of the land. He submitted that Mr Matthews had ample authority, and had acted upon it. Mr Matthews was called for the defence, and was submitted to a searching cross-examina- tion by Mr Abel Thomas.—His Lordship, giving his decision, saad the case was a very difficult one, but on the whole his judgment was for the defendant. He believed that others in authority besides Mr Matthews knew that Mr Murrell was in possession, and if he was unlawfully in posses sion, it waa their duty to tell him he ha.d mo title.: On the whole, he was of the opinion that Mr Murrell had a good agreement for:1 lease, which was enough to put him in lawful possession. He therefore gave judgment for the defendant with costs. There was a counter claim for a specific performance of an agreement for a lea.,se,and upon this judgment was given was given for the plaintiff (Mr Murrell). CIVIL COURT. (Before Mr Justice CHANNELL and a Common Jury.) CLVDACH CATTLE OWNERS' RESPONSIBILITY. JONES v. JONES.—The plaintiff, Daniel Jones of Clydach, sued the defendants, John and Richard Jones, farmers and cattle dealers, of Clydach, for JE250 for personal injuries to his child Blanche, 10 years of age, alleged to have been gored by I). cow belonging to the defendants. Mr H. T. Evans, M.P., appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr W. D. Benson represented the defendant. The case was part heard the previous day. A number of witnesses were called for the plaintiff to show that the cow, before it had gored Blanche Jones, had run wild on the road between Morris- ton and Clydach, and attacked several people. At one time it appeared the cow was bÚng ridden by a boy, while one of the witnesses, with the idea of quieting the infuriated beast, hung on to its tail. This concluded the case for the plaintiff. Mr Benson, addressing the jury, submitted that the defendants had no previous knowledge of the wildness of the cow, and that in ringing it and securing it to the tail end of the cart they bad taken all reasonable precautions, and could not be held guilty of negligence further, that the defendant, Richard Jones being the sole owner of the animal there could be no remedy in the circumstances against Mr John Jones, the other defendant. The jury gave a verdict against both defend- ants for £120. LIABILITY FOB BUNKERING DELAYS. AGIOS V. GREAr WESTERN COLLIERY Co.— Mr Bailhache (instructed by Messrs Ingledew and Sons) appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr S. T. Evans, M.P. (briefed by Messrs Downing and Handcock) for the defendant company. The claim was for £93 IGs 8d, damages for breach of contract. The allegations of the plaintiff, Edward Tancred Agius, were that the defendants agreed to sell to the plaintiff 1,500 tons of their large coal, at the price of 9a Hd, less 2-S per cent. f.o.b. at Cardiff, for bunkers of the steamers of Messrs Nye, Clare, and Co., from May 23rd, 1896, to the end of the year, aa required. The 3.9. Collingwood was stemmed on Dec. 2nd, 1896, for 900 tons of coal, which stem the defendants accepted, and on the following December 24th the vessel was ready for her bunkers. On account of the delay which occurred in completing the bunkering Messrs Nye, Clare, and Co. recovered from Mr Agius the sum of £20 and costs. The plaintiff now sued under his covering contract with the defendant company to recover this £20 and the costs he had incurred in defending the action brought against him by Messrs Nye, declaring that the delay occurred because of the Great Western Colliery Company neglecting to regularly supply the bunkering coal. For the defence it was denied that there was any delay due to the lack of bunker coal, except from 10 a..m. to 1 p.m. on the 24th December, and the defendants had paid £3 6s 4d into court in respect of this delay. Evidence, however, was tendered to the effect that there was a five hours' delay, with the result that the Collingwood missed a tide. This testimony, on the other hand, was combatted by witnesses for the colliery company. His Lordship gave judgment for the plaintiff for the full amount, subject to taxation. There was a stay of execution for 14 days.

A POLICEMAN'S FORTUNE. At Bedford Police Court on Wednesday a woman named Catherine Stevens was charged with for- tune telling. Evidence was given by a servant girl named White to the effect that she went to Stevens to have her fortune told, and gave her a shilling. Defendant then handed her a pack of cards,and after she had shuffled them t ree times, informed her that she had two young men, one of whom was fair she would have a letter, a sur- prise, and a disappointment. She would marry a good young man and be all right, because her trouble was in her single life and not in her mar- ried. Witness's sweetheart, a borough constable, was waiting outside, and Stevens agreed to tell his fortune for another shilling. Thereupon wit- ness said that he was a dark young man, and the reply was, He is following you about with a ring, and is very fond of you." The constable stated that his fortune was that he would be very lucky and would prosper in all that he took in hand. Someone that belonged to him was ill, and he would hear of a death in the family before long. There was a fair young woman who thought very much of him, and he would shortly have a letter from her. The con- stable also had his future predicted by palmistry, and heard much the same story as before wUh the addition that he would marry twice. After that he arrested her. Th« magistrates passed a sentence of 21 days, with hard labour.

PIMPLES, BLOTCHES, BLACKHBADS, red, rough, aud oily skin prevented bv OWICURA SOAP, the greatest of skin purifying and beautify- ing SO&M, as well as the purest and sweetest for toilet, bath, and nursery. It produces the whitest, clearest skin, the softest hands, and most luxu- riant hair. Absolutely pure, delicately medicated, exquisitely perfumed, surprisingly effective, its aa-leia greater than the combined Rales of all other skin and complexion soaps. Sold through- oat the wOdd r x

Bute-street Tragedy. A RESPITE FOR HULST ROM. Letter From the Home Secretary. On Thursday the High Sheriff of Glamorgan- shire received the following letter from the Home Secretary Homo Office, March 30th, 1898. Dear Sir,—I am to signify the Queen's pleasure that the execution of the sentence of death passed on Franz L. Hulstrom, now in her Majesty's prison at Cardiff, be respited until further signifi- cation of her Majesty's pleasure. You will acknowledge the receipt hereof by telegraph and return of post.—I am, sir, your obedient servant, "M. W. RIDLEY." High Sheriff for the county of Glamorgan, Sheriff's Office, 20, Charles-street, Cardiff." Sheriff's Office, 20, Charles-street, Cardiff."

THE GREAT DAM ACROSS THE! NILE. The great dam designed by Sir Benjamin Baker, and about to be constructed by the firm of Messrs John Aird and Sou, will be one of the most gigantic works of the kind in existence To dam back the river Nile at a point where it is a mile wide and thirty fact deep is no light task. For years the question of perrenial irrigation hiB claimed the attention of the Egyptian Govern- ment and its engineering staff, and after a good deal of preliminary surveying it was decided that ,(I that the site of the dam should be at the cataract of Assouan, the first cataract. Messrs Aird have L undertaken to construct, in five years, the reser- voir at Assouan, also a regulating barrage at Assiout, lower down the river. Further, they are within the same period to construct the reservoir locks and other works required for the passage of steamers and the distribution of the weter c, the canals. Payment for the works will be marie from the annual Egyptian revenues. This will be at the rate of between £ 70,000 and £ 80,000 every half-year for thirty years, showing a total cost of between four ana five millions sterling. THE GREAT DAM ACROSS THE NILE. The great dam will be constructed across the I head of the Assouan Cataract in a straight line, and will measure nearly a mile and a quarter from bank to bank. The condition was essential that the dam was so made as to be completely capable, by means of sluices, of regulating the flow of the Nile through it. Similarly it was necessary that there should be no difficulty about securing the absolute stability of the structure— making it invincible against any hazards of nature and the Nile. The dam and locks will I everywhere be founded on granite rock, while the mass of the work will consist of granite rubble laid in what is known as hydraulic mortar—this is composed of three parts of pozzuolana and two parts of slaked lime. At times the river will be dammed back to a height of 65 feet above its pre- sent level, and for a distance of 144 miles above the dam. The effect will be, in fact, that of a lake 144 miles in length—as far as from London to the Bristol Channel. The quantity of water impounded will be more than 1,000.000,000 tons, and at some periods of the year 900,000 tons a minute will rush through the dam's sluices. The immediate effect of these new provisions for irrigation will be, according to Mr Willcocks, the 'rln engineer to the Egyptian Government, to bring another 600,000 acres of land in Egypt into culti- vation. But the far more important effect will be that of converting the present cultivated area of five million acres into land of the first effi- ciency in crop-producing qualities, and of putting certain districts and levels beyond the reach of the vicissitudes of flood and drought. -4

A CLERICAL SCANDAL. Charges of Immorality. A special sitting of the Lichfield Diocesan Con- sistory Court was held on Thursday to investigate charges of immorality and misconduct with cathedral choir boys preferred at the instance of the Dean and Chapter against the Rev. Gerald T. Gr. Hayward, M.A., sub-chanter and priest vicar of Lichfield Cathedral. Mr Robert Lloyd Kenltyon, Recorder of Oswestry, and Deputy Chancellor of the diocese, presided. The case for the prosecution was conductd by Mr Lawson Walton, Q.C., and Mr A. B. Kemp (instructed by Mr R It. Redmayne, solicitor, secretary to the Lord Bishop), and the defendant was repre- sented by Mr Hugo Young (instructed by Messrs Hinckley, Hodson, and Brown, Lichfield). Mr Lawsou Walton, in opening the case, ex- plained that defendant was charged with im- morality with a young lady formerly resident in Lichfield, 17 years of age, between the summer of 1895 and spring of 1897 and with gross misconduct with one or other of the choir boys of the cathedral, over whom he had to exercise moral and spiritual control in his position as sub-chanter. It was in December last that one of the choristers made a communication to the Rev. Hugh Legge, domestic chaplain to the Bishop, who gave in- formation to his Lordship and aiterwards to the dean, subsequently having an interview with defendant. Mr Hayward was called before the Dean aud Chapter on December 15th, and the charges were preferred against him, but while protesting his innocence he challenged none of the statements. After the charges the boy's in- formation was conveyed to the dean. As to defendant's intimacy with the young lady in the city a large number of witnesses came forward and gave evidence. As the lady, however, was very young, aud much might be said in excuse for her yielding to the influence of a clergyman, Mr Vvalton intimated he should take the case of the boys first, and if the Court considered that made out he should not proceed further, as it would be evident such a man could not continue to hold any position in the Church. Evidence was then taken, and it was stated defendant was a married man, and lived with his wife and one child, 14 years of age, in the Close. The Rev. Hugh Legge said that at his inter- view with the defendant he told him that he was an infernal blackguard. Mr Hugh Young rose and stated that defendant had not appeared, and that his position was one of considerable difficulty. He had received two telegrams addressed to Mr J. H. Hodson, soli- citor for the defence. One was from defendant, who said Utterly prostrate can't appear • instruct counsel to plead not guilty on all counts, while the other message was from defendant's brother, who wired My brother broken down brought him to London impossible to be pre- sent hope counsel will do best under circum- stances." Mr Hugo Young said that in the absence of defendant he could not suggest that the witnesses were inventing their stories or committing per- jury, and he should therefore refrain from cross- examination. The two boys then gave evidence, and Mr Hugo Young said he must leave the testimony in the absence of defendant for the consideration of the Court without any remarks of his own. After an absence of an hour the Deputy-Chan- cellor stated that in the absence of defendant and of any cross-examination on his behalf there could be no doubt as to what their report to the Bishop must be, but they would adjourn pro- nouncing sentence until his Lordship had been communicated with. Mr Lawson Walton stated that the question of proceeding with the charge of adultery had been considered, and in view of the fact that criminal proceedings might follow the last case he could not advise the Dean and Chapter to withdraw evi- dence as to the immoral relations of deefndant with the young lady referred to.

DEVELOPMENT OF USKSIDE. Continuation of the Corporation-road. An inquiry, presided over by Mr W. A. Ducat, one of the inspectors of the Local Government Board, was held at the Town Hall, Newport, on Thursday, as to an application by the Newport Corporation for sanction to borrow £2,265, the net amount required to continue the Corporation- road from the. point where it now terminates to Liswerry and the new Railway station, on the Is East Usk Railway. The present road/is one and a half miles long, and 60 feet in width; the new portion is to be a mile long and 40 feet wide. As compared with the present route via the Chepstow-road to Liswerry, a saving of 300 yards will be effected the two distances being 2,750 yards and 2,490 yards respectively. The additional advantage of the new road is that it is straight and level from end to end. The present road is tortuous, and portion of it is carried over the Great Western Railway main line by a bridge. The Town Clerk explained that the total cost of the new portion of the road would be £3,950, of which the landowners had agreed to contribute £1,685, and also gave portion of the land as well as some abutting on the road. The Inspector was keen on the surplus land, and asked what was pro- posed to be done with it. The Town Clerk replied that it was proposed to resell it. The borough surveyor had put a certain value on the surplus land, and the figures he had given were the net amount necessary to be borrowed. A dozen members of the Corporation, including Alderman Moses, chairman of the Works Com- mittee, and Alderman Davis, the father of the Council, were present, but there was no opposi- tion, and the inquiry lasted only half an hour.

-d A star of some magnitude has appeared in the English dramatic firmament in the person of Miss Laura Burt, the heroine of the sensational American drama, Rh c Jeans," now touring in this country. Although born in the Isle of Man, Miss Bnrt confesses to Welsh parentage, and that the Cymric tongue is still the language of her home in the United States, whither she migrated when quite a little girl. She made her appearance in public (says the Sketch) at Lytle Hall, Cincinnati, and has since played in all sorts of melodrama; has made a special study of dialects, and ap- peared in Zulmer's Theatre—the Lyceum of New York—in the performance by women of As You Like It."

The Gale. WRECKS AND LOSS OF LIFE. DISASTERS AT FISHGUARD. Although the temperature became warmer on Saturday, and in some places snowstorms were succeeded by rain, there was no other improve- ment in the weather. Reports show that the gale continued with practically unabated fury throughout the day, and information still comes in showing the damage which the blizzard has caused. The worst effects have naturally been experienced by vessels at sea, and there is It fresh batch of shipping disasters to record, while it is to be feared that the North Sea fishermen, many of whom are unable to make their ports, will be amongst the principal sufferers. On Sunday evening the gale had abated, and seemed to be gradually dying out. o The ketch Progress, with a cargo of slates, from Aberdovey for Dover, which had been anchoring in Fishguard Bay since Wednesday, sank at 6.45 on Saturday evening, having re- sisted the hurricane for three days. The crew arrived here on Thursday in No. 2 lifeboat, and are carefully provided for by Captain Williams, the local agent for the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society. Their names are-Richard Jones (cap- tain), Aberystwyth Thomas Jones, Aberdovey and Jamas Jenkins, Aberyatwyth. This makes the seventh and last of the fleet which have come to grief in Fishguard Bay since Thursday. The storm shows no signs of abatement. RESCUE BY ROCKET APPARATUS. A crowd numbering several thousands watched a splendid rescue by the rocket apparatus at Bridlington late on Saturday night. The brigan- tine Lucinda, of Littlehampton, bound for Sunderland in ballast, drifted helplessly about all day, and finally rau ashore close to the Spa. Exciting scenes were witnessed as Captain Wilkins and the crew of six were landed. They had been out at sea 13 days experiencing terrible: weather. The lifeboat men at Bridling- ton spent a.n anxious night, the vessels within the bay being hard pressed to keep afloat. Shortly after 4 o'clock on Saturday the yawl Alpha was seen making for Bridlington Harbour. The captain managed to get her head into the mouth of the harbour, and then the vessel was taken in tow by a cobble. When it was clear that the vessel and crew had been saved the thou- sands of onlookers cheered heartily. The large Glasgow ship Tbistlebank was driven ashore be- tween Easington and Spurn. Assistance was rendered, and she was dislodged and got into the Humber. THREE SHIPS LOST OFF YARMOUTH The gale continued throughout Sunday off Yarmouth,, and three large sailing vessels were lost within a radius of half-a-dozen miles in the early hours of the morning. By a remarkable coincidence all three were Norwegian vessels laden with wood, and sailed from the same port of Fredrikstad. The barque Ebenezer, bound for Liverpool, struck on Bacton Beach, the crew of 12 hands being saved. At Munxsley, close by, the barque Soredeteren, bound for Harwich, was wrecked, and at Palling the brig Hilda, bound for Portsmouth, was washed ashore, and is rapidly going to nieces. The coasting steamer East Anglian, of Yarmouth, which should have reached Newcastle on Thursday, has not yet been reported, and anxiety is felt for her safety. EXCITING SCENE AT LOWESTOFT. An exciting scena was witnessed at the en- trance to Lowestoft Harbour on Sunday after- noon. The Belgian training ship Ville d'Anvers was seen steaming towards the port. The weather at the time was of the dirtiest possible descrip- tion. There wa3 a strong breeze, and a nasty sea was running. The vessel had just got abreast of the South Pier when a huge wave caught her and dashed her alongside. Then she rebounded and crashed stem first into the Pier Head, splintering the massive piles and timber work like matchwood. Her bows remained firmly wedged for a time, but she gradually drew astern and made the harbour in safety. At Lowestoft huge masses of the cliff have been washed away, and the residences at the top are in danger. Over 100 fishing smacks are at sea, and much anxiety is felt for their safety. At Yarmouth' during the squalls the wind recorded a velocity of 60 miles an hour. The trawl fleet of 200 sail were exposed to the full force of the gale on the Dogger Bank, North Sea. IN THE ENGLISH CHANNEL. Terrible weather has been experienced in the English Channel, and the cross-Channel steamers have experienced rough aud difficult passages. The steamer Seine struck the eastern pier at Dieppe on entering on Saturday, and received considerable damage to her bows, a hole being made in her hull below the wnter-line, which cauacd the fore-compartment to fill as few; as the first bulkhead. Captain Brouard handled his vessel with skill, ana broughther safely alongside the quay. A WARSHIP DELAYED. Some alarm is felt at Devonport at the non- arrival from the Australian Station of H.M.S. Rapid. She left Gibraltar on the 19th inst., and has to depend a good deal on her sails. With the present heavy winds against her, however, 10 days from the Hock will not be an unusual time to allow her to reTgch SJcfvonport. SNOWDRIFTS IN KENT. The effects of the blizzard were painfully ex- perienced in North Kent. Many outlying cottages, quite cut off from outer communication by road, were left for four-aaid-twenty hours without their supply of bread. The snow drifted most remarkably. In places the drifts were as much as 8ft. in depth, and here and there, for long stretches, the road (as at the top of Wester- ham Hill) was blocked with a great drift varying from 5ft. to 7ft. in depth. b LOST WITH ALL HANDS. The Hull trawler Chancellor arrived at Hull on Wednesday. She reported that 011 Sunday, in the North Sea, in a. terrinc hurricane, she observed a four-rigged ship flying signals of distress. The trawler was however unable to render assistance, and the ship, the name of which is unknown, went down with all hands. A STEAMER'S UNCERTAIN FATE. New:; received at West Hartlepool states that seven lifebelts were picked up on Monday at Sandgato with the name "b. S. Jobson" on them. This would seem to place beyond doubt the identity of tha vessel which foundered off Folkestone after colliding with the Liverpool barque British Princess. The E. S. Jobson was formerly owned at West Hartlepool, but was recently sold to Konisberg owners, who re- named her Magnet. Her crew of 17 were all lost. TERRIBLE EXPERIENCES. Fishing vessels arriving at Yarmouth bear evidence of the severity of the la, è gaole. The Express, which arrived on Wednesday, reports the loss of W. Bennett, the mate, whilst another of the crew had a leg broken. The Flirt lost a man, named George Wright. Both men were washed overboard. WRECK AND LOSS OF LIFE OFF HAVRE. Lloyd's agent at Havre telegraphed on Sunday evening :—British steamer Loch Doon, Ostend for Liverpool, ashore near Psigno. Have great fear she will become a wreck. Foro and main holds full of water. The bottom is rocky. Crew landed at Grand Camp. Lifeboat ca-psized going to rescue. Three of the crew drowned. Another vessel, supposed to be British, is said to bo ashore, but report needs confirmation. ON THE BALTIC COAST. The gale 011 the\ Baltic coast raged with un- abated violence dn Saturday. The steamer service was partially interrupted, and many ship- ping casualties were reported. The weather was especially severe at Flensburg, Kiel, Wismar, and Ruegen, where the storm caused considerable havoc. Sassnitz, a favourite seaside resort on the Ruegen Island, was threatened with partial de- struction.

ROYAL DOMESTIC TROUBLES. The terrible scandaThTthe Saxe-Coburg family is causing much trouble in the English Royal circles. Prince Philip of Coburg has put up with his wife's whims and vagaries for several years past, but now that she has flaunted her infidelities m the face of the world at Monte Carlo and other places, the situation has become intoleraole, and His Royal Highness, without in any sense sacrificing his dignity, has solemnly renounced all responsibility for her debts in the columns oi "Las Petit.es Affiches," a very useful Parisian newspaper devoted to advertisements ot properties newspaper devoted to advertisements of properties for sale, missing articles, rewards, and so forth. This, it may be remembered, was at first officially anounced by the Havas Agcnce, the premier newpaper agency of France, as a canard. It, PRINCESS PHILIP OF OOBURG. however, turned out to be perfectly correct, and the wording of it is so absolutely identical with what plain John Smith would write under similar circumstances, that it seems to bring Princes down to a lower level than that which they have generally occupied in the minds of the masses. Here is the announcement H.R.:E!. the Prince Philip of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, residing at Vienna, Austria, informs all concerned that he will not consider himself responsible for any debts which H.R.H. the Princess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, h" wife, may contract." Naturally this on the top of the Princess Victoria Melita. going back to her father and mother is causing much mental pain to our Monarch, whose close relationship to the Saxe-Coborgs maV*^ this matter almost an English question.

The Soudan. CAPTURE OF SHENDY. 150 DERVISHES KILLED. THE FORTS DESTROYED. The news we publish this morning is prophetfo of the early and easy triumph of the British and Egyptian troops now operating in conjunction in the Soudan. The fate of Shendy, which fell to a ( surprise attack from gunboats on Saturday, is an j event of the greatest importance, apart altogether' from the number of the enemy slain and madt prisoners. At Shendy were Mahmud's reserves and base supplies, and now thai, the former have been routed and the latter seized, and the delences of the place destroyed, the plight of Mahmud himselt, whose troops are starving i'* the bush some twenty miles in front of Su: Herbert Kitchener's troops at El Hilgi, is rendered parlous in the extreme. Any attempt on his part to raid in the vicinity of Berber is now out of the question, and the only courses left open to him are either to attack the Sirdar's a.rmy, in which case he must inevitably meet with a serious reverse, or immediately retire. In any case an advance of the troops may now be expected to speedily take place. CAIRO, Tuesday.—The Dervish army still lemains entrenched at El Hilgi, and is reported to be suffering severely from lack of food. Despatches from the front report a feat of arms on the Nile. Shendy has been surprised and captured. On Saturday the gunboats under Captain Keppel went up thA. Nile from their station near the At bar a fort, having on board the 15th Egyptian Battalion under Hickman. On reaching Shendy, where Mahmud's reserve force was quartered, the gunboats opened fire with shell while Major Hickman landed with his men and captured the enemy's position by 8" flanking attack towards the south. The operations were entirely successful. Tho Baggaras lost 150 killed, the forts at Shendy were destroyed, and 620 men, women, and children were taken prisoners. The force also captured a number of horses, camels, and 221 mules and asses, 14 cases of ammunition, and a quantity of cattle and grain. The gunboats pursued the fugitive Dervishes for 20 miles. The Egyptian loss was slight.—Ileuier. Official Telegram. following telegram from the General Uifacer Commanding in Egypt to the Secretary of State Mr War was received on Tuesday after- noon" Cairo, 29th March, 1898, 1.35 p.m.— Sirdar reports this morning, Gunboats under Keppel carrying 15th Battalion under Hickman arrived at Shendy at 5.30 a.m. on 26th inst. landed and attacked Mahmud's reserve depot- Their attack was thoroughly successful, result being: Killed, 160 Baggaras and Jehadia- Captured: Men and women, 645; horses, 12; camels, 4; mules and donkeys, 221; boxes ammunition, 14; war drums, 14- and a quantity ox grain and cattle. Our casualties nil. The position was taken by a turning from the south movement, but owing to previous information reaching enemy from Arab on bank the families of Mahmud and some of his emirs escaped. Pursuit continued by gunboats and force for 20 miles. Place was burnt and forts at Shendy destroyed.'

REVOLTING CRIME. A Whole Family Butchered. PARIS, Monday.—A telegram from Eureux, in the Department of the Eure, states that six persons have been found murdered a.t Wassail" ares, a small village of 500 inhabitants. Tho motive of thD crime was robbery. The author of the crime was arrested at 10 o'clock this morn- ing and has made a full confession. Ho is a mail named Caillard, 27 years of age. Tlw victims are M. Leblond and his family- Cailkira fired with a gun through a. glass door of M. Leblond's house at 9 o'clock last night, killing Mme. Leblond as she was trying to escape. He next killed two little children who were playing at ft table, and murdered a little girl in an adjoining room with a knife. While ransacking a third room the murderer found a paralysed old woman of 71, whom he shot dead as she lay in her bed. Caillard has also confessed to several crimes tot. which he had been arrested at St. Pierre-sut- Dives, in the Department of Calvados, but foJ which it had been impossible to convict him foi each owing to want of evidence.—11 cut sr.

PERilS OF SEALING. ..I,j/;i.<=. Terrible Disaster—48 Lives.4ost. ST. JOHN'W (Newfoundland!, Sunday. — TLRT sealing steamer Greenland arrived last night a* the fishing settlement of Cape uc Verds, having on board 25 dead bodies of men who had formed part of her crew. She had left 23 more dead on the ice. Prom the story told by the survivors it appears that 011 tha 21st inst., when about 30 miles off Cape Bonavista, the steamer sighted a large number of seals, and three parties were sent out in different directions across the ice-field to kill the animals, and haul the carcases aboard. A sudden storm came on, however, and the ice field broice up. The steamer, beset by the ice, was unable to roach the men, who drifted away on the floes. Snow fell heavily all that night and next day, and the cold was intense, ihe unfortunate sealers, cut off from their vessel by impassable lanes of water, wandered about until they were exhausted and then lav down to die. At length, when thE storm began to abate, those 011 beard the Green- land made every effort to rescue their comrade. by boats, but only aix were found alive, and evet they were in the last stage of exhaustion Twenty-five dead bodies were picked up, but 2. more could not be found. Many of the survivort are terribly frost-bitten. The Greenland is ex pected to come round to St. John's to-night. The disaster has caused a terrible shock to thf community, being the worst that has ever befall- the seal fishery.—Keutsr.

FIGHTING IN UGANDA. A despatch was received at the Foreign Office on Sunday from Mr Berkeley, H.M. Com missioner in Uganda, who is now on his way 1;( his post..telegraphing from Lake Nakuro, twt days south of the Eidoma Ravine, on the 9th net. lie says he had that day received news from Uganda to the effect that Captain Harrison, who was in pursuit of the mutineers after their escaps from Lubwas, overtook them on February 23rd a place callod Kabagambi, to the south of Inruli The mutineers were inside a double stocka.de which Captain Harrison attacked and captured after severe fighting. The eiiemv left a native officer and from 50 to 60 men dead, and 20t Soudanese women were captured. It was esti- mated that 100 more of the enemy were wounded. who took refuge^ with the remainder iu tbt swamps of Lake Kioga. It, ss believed that thoy have exhausted their ammunition. On the British side 10 were killed and about 20 wounded. Amongst the latter were Captain Moloney, RJL, and Lieutenant Osborne, the former severely, buj not dangerously.

KING GEORGE'S ESCAPE. The Attempted Assassination. ATHENS, Friday.—Karditzi, one of the King'» assailants m bis interrogation by the examining magistrate stated that the dynamite bomb found in his possession was destined for M. Delyannis" If the attempt on the King's life had succeeded it had been decided, he said, to go immediately afterwards to the house of M. Delya.nnis and- throw a bomb there. As no barrister has under- taken the defence of Karditzi, the Public Prose- cutor nas appointed counsel to defend the pri- soner. Karditzi said he regarded any defence of himself as useless.— Central News.

ZOLA TO VISIT AMERICA. NEW YORK, Monday.—Probably if the Frenol Court of Appeal grants M. Zoltt a new trial Jw will come to America to give fifteen lectures » ?.0,000fcs. each. A telegram was received hen this morning from him accepting these terD19.- Daily Telegraph.

THE TERRISS MURDER. A Curious Story. At the Central Criminal Court on Wednesda; (before the Becorder, Sir Charles Hall, Q.C.l Mr H. Avory, in the case of a young man named Eayres, otherwise Mason, who stands indicted foi having forged au order for admission to HollowftJ Gaol, it was alleged for the purpose of getting U. interview with the murderer of Mr Williaff Terriss, and for having committed perjury in at affidavit in the High Court, applied that th< amount of bail fixed by his Lordship should bi increased on the ground that the prisoner vvas < convicted person. Detective-Sergeant Crostin informed the Re corder that there were four convictions against the prisoner,and he had been fined for personating a detective and searching a house, from whicl jewellery was afterwards missed. He understood that it had been arranged that the prisoner shoulo abscond if released, and that a firm of solicitort had arranged to give him JE150 to go awav. The prisoner said he was prepared to prove thai a firm of solicitors had robbed Mrs Cathcort o! thousands of pounds. Detective-Sergeant Crostin That is the firm 01 solicitors I refer to. The Recorder said that in these circumstance' he should ncrGaf5e the bail to two sureties 01 £500 each.

--x.. J-Nisbet, the salvage engineer, wb< died at Cardiff a day or two ago, was a much travelled man. He had set up coffee plantation raachiuery in the wilds of Portuguese W ed • /jfr;«a, he had acted a!* mathematical instruct# | >• t the Government Northern EngiReoriDf To" inrv School in China, and had spent mod w 111,- t I.