Flintshire Observer Mining Journal and General Advertiser for the Counties of Flint Denbigh

SCARBOROUGH FATAL FIRE. FURTHER SENSATIONAL EVIDENCE. The inquest was resumed at Scarborough on Mon day night on Mrs. Brooks and her six children who were killed irthe flre. that coq^umed their residence Dn the 8th inst. The Court was again crowded. Jonathan Pennock in his evidence said it was his Dpinion that only one person- jslept in the bed in which Mr. Brooks said he, his wife, and child had rested on'the night of the fire1. A Juror As a practical man, Mr. Pennock, can you account for the front shop and the shaving saloon having suffered more by fire than the centre of the building ? Witness: That is a mystery to me. Joseph Farrar, a lamplighter, said that after the fire broke out there was a flash right along the centre of the shop followed by an explosion. Asked by the Coroner if he could account for this explosion, witness said he thought there must have been either loose powder scattered about or a train of powder laig.in, the shop. If the powder had been encased the explosion would have been louder. Mrs. Williams, cook at the Hotel Metropole, said she saw a figure at the window of the room above the shop. Witness thought it fell backwards. I Joseph Brooks, the husband of the deceased, rer called, said he had heard the evidence given. The Coroner: Have you any explanation to give as 'to how you got out of the house through that window, air? You still adhere to your statement?—Yes, sir. That before getting out you broke the win- dow. with your hand ? — Yes, sir. Did you use anything to break it with, except y:oiii -hani"?LL-;Iio, sir. Witness did not wish to correct any statement he had made. He reiterated that he did sleep in ttie bed that nighfc with liis wife" and^chijd. He did nj>t, however, tell her the place was on fire till he dot back to the bedr6om. He thenr went straight to the window and broke it. I The Coroner: What did you do then ?—Witnesfs: "Try to get out; (" Oh ;'v*nd hissee from the gal- lery.) « j -Have you since the fire authorised an insurance company to pay rent out of the amount due to you ? —Yes, sir. Can you give an explanation as. to the statement that you were seen getting up from the back of Mr. Render's roof ?-It is not true, sir.—Witness still thought he told the crowd his wife and children were in the house. Dr. Curry, who dressed the wounds on Brooks's hands, said there was a cut between the finger and thumb of one hand, and blisters on the fingers of the other. By the Coronet: He, thought- th wounds were such as would be caused by slipping over a rough surface, and not by breaking glass. Witness thought it was impossible for a man to have broken » window with his hands and passed through without receiving more injuries than shown to him. Mr. Brooks was dafced, bat was conscious of what was passing around 'him at-the time.. He once or twice asked what had become of his Wife and children. Evidence having been given as to quarrels between Mr. and Mrs. Brooks, the inquiry was again ad- journed.

KHARTOUM EXPEDITION. BRITISH EEINPORCIFMENTS.: In consequence of the departure of the 2nd Grenadier Guards from home for Gibraltar being deferred from the 9th to the 13th July, the Jelunga, taking out the battalion from Southampton, will not embark the 1st Grenadiers at Gibraltar for Egypt until the 19th, instead of on the 15th, arid the arrival of the men at Alexandria is thus deferred till the 27th. The Jelunga will then take the 1st Highland Light Infantry from Malta to Crete, and from thence will convey the 2nd Royal Welsh Fusiliers to Egypt, arriving at Alexandria on August 7. The 37th Field Battery, for Egjpt/vritk the 3rd Royal Warwickshire (the firstfdf the new battalions to go on foreign ser- vice), for Malta, will leave the Royal Albert Dock, as originally intended, next Friday, in the Nubia; and, on disembarking tHe Warwickshires tit M^lta, the vessel will take on board the -2ndi Bkttilioi^of the Rifle Brigade for Egypt, where this first of the In- fantry and Artillery reinforcements will arrive on the 15th.

i r. THE MURpER OF A GAMEKEEPER, At Aberavon, on Saturday, Joseph Lewis was fiharged on renaand with the murder of Gamakee er Scott, on Margan Mountain, on June 9. Tom Wil. hams and Hannah, his wife, were charged with being accessories after the facts Mr. Hughes, who prose- cuted on behalf of the Treasury, stated that investiga- tions made since; the last remand had yielded the results expected,^ for the gun had been found in Margan Wood with two exploded caps on the nipples, and recent bloodstains had been discovered on Lewis's troujiers. Lewis, who said he had nothing, to say in answer to the charge, was committed for trial- on the capital charge, while Hannah and Tom Williams were also committed for trial on the charge of having beeq accessories after the fact.

IN celebration of the 60th anniversary ot the Queen's Coronation, a grand concert took place on Saturday at the Crystal Palace. UNDER the auspices of the London United Temper- ance League, a number of demonstrations took place 1 in London on Saturday.. TRB owiiert 6f the Liverpool steamer Benholm re- cbv d in the Admiralty Court in London on Satur- day, the valtteof their Vessel, whicSf^aS sunk with loss of life as the result of a collision with the Antwerp steaihfer HltiDdyke. Mr." "Justice Barnes said the aeeidetnt wate- clearly due;'ta the reckless and wrongful starboarding of the Klondyke's master.

THE PRINCE OF WALEI3 AT WARWICK. The Prince of Wales and a large party from War- wick Castle, including the Earl and Countess of Warwick, the Duchess of Marlborough, Lady Ran- dolph Churchill, and ,Sir Edward Bradford attended service at St. Mary's Church, Warwick, on Sunday morning. During the 'afternoon Lady Warwick drove the Prince over to visit Mr. Joseph Arch, M.P., in his cottage.,home at Bar ford. His Royal High- nesses Norfolk seat is in Mr. Arch's constituency. Several motor cars had been sent to Warwick Castle for the use of the house party; and on Satur- day the Prince and several other guests were driven to Wellesbourne (a^ npighbovring yillage on the same Bide of the town asBarford), where they lunched with Mr. Mackey Low. The Prince left for London at line o'clock on Monday morning.

DISASTER AT A CIRCUS. A terrible occurrence is reported from Sioux City, In Iowa. A cirous performance was being given in a huge marquee, erected on the banks of the river, when a cyttfone which suddenly sprang up caused the tent to collapse. Hundreds of people were buried beneath tbe- structure, many of them being thrown into the river, and a terrible scene of confusion ensued. Up to the time pf telegraphing 10 dead bodies had been recovered from the river, and it is feared that there are still many more to be extricated.

CHAPLIN ON THE NAYY. The President of the Local Government Board (Mr. Chaplin) visited the training ship Exmouth the other day for the purpose of distributing the prizes to the bqjjf of that ship, which is under the manage- ment of the Metropolitan Asylums Board. After being conducted over the ship, Mr. Chaplin witnessed the boye at gun drill and cutlass exercise, and then proceeded to present the, prizes. Mr. Chaplin, addressing the boys, pointed out that from 1876 to 1896 no less than 6208 boys had entered the ship. Of that number he found 1907 bad gone into the navy, and 2100 had joined the mercantile marine, while a large number were to be found in the armv. From those figures he drew the moral that in the Exmouth they had aninetitutipri wholly necessary in these days. There was now no difference of opinion upon the paramount importance of maintain- -re ing a fleet powerful enough to safeguard our great interests in all parts of the world. Whatever the power or the number of our ships, the great English Fleet would be absolutely useless if there was not always at hand a sufficient number pf seamen to keep that navy properly manned. Therefore, in giving a good naval education, the institution was performing a great work. So long as the conditions of the world remained what they were at present it was certain that many of the children born into the would have to be provided for by the State. He had, in the performance of his duties, visited most of the Poor Law schools in the great metropolis, but in none had, he witnessed hap- pier results than he had seen there that day.

PRINCESS CHRISTIAN AT BOW. Princess Christian on Saturday visited Clifdea House Institute, Bow, to distribute prizes to a number pf working girls belonging to the institute, chiefly match factory workers, 01 whom 1200 or 1300 are employed in the immediate vicinity. A guard of [honour of the 3rd V.B. Essex Regiment, under the command of Captain Dumbell, drawn up in Fairfield road, opposite the institution, presented arms on the arrival of the Royal party. Her Royal Highness was received in one of the class-rooms by Mr. Charles Morley, M:P.,th«chairman of the day, and conducted over the buildiftgs. In the largest room, the restaurant, a hymn and some part songs were sung, and drill dis- plays given by junior and senior squads of girls, trained by Miss Nash, the superintendent. Before the prizes, which had all been gained in the annual com- petition of the Factory Helpers'Union,were distributed the hon.treasurer (Mr.G.Bartholomew) gave a brief his- tory of the institute, which- had been founded nine years ago in the interests of the very numerous work- ing girls employed at the neighbouring works. The restaurant department had provided 50,798 meals during the year, of which more than half were dinners. In the institute great success had attended the classes for cooking, knitting, and needlework, and of the work of 10 of the girls, who were teachers at St. Mark's School, the vicar expressed a very high opinion. _-1^

THE articles of associations of the National Bank of Egypt have been approved by the Council of Ministers, three members of the board of 12 to re- side in London. A NUMB** of British dull-sergeants have left Liverpool, their mission bring toinatruct the recruits of the new West African Regiment.

ALBION CALAMITY. FUNERAL OF VICTIMS. The funeral of 12 of the victims of the Albion launch disaster on Saturday afternoon brought large and constantly-changing crowds to the East London Cemetery. The first funeral was announced for noon, and the last two of the dozen entered the cemetery church at about half-past five o'clock. Those who were interred were Albert Hooks, 29 Isabella White, 33; Charlotte White, 5; Queenie White, 14 months; Ada King, 23; Samuel Southgate, 23; Rose Lucetta Elliott, 17; Ann Dives, 39; Jane Langford, 21; Mary Ann Eve, 48; Eliza Tarbox, 64; Reah Dearie, 23. Each of the processions to the cemetery brought its contingent of friends and mourners, and many were the comments of the vast concourse of people who lined the thoroughfares as to the beauty of the flowers, which, in some cases, covered the coffins, and tn others were hung on the hearses and in front of the funeral coaches. Of the dozen funerals two were noteworthy by reason of the particular sects to which the deceased belonged. In the case of Samuel Southgate, the son of one of the elders of the Peculiar People, about 300 Peculiar People were in the procession. Several persons during the afternoon fainted, some of them men, one being pointed out as a man who saved five lives. The funeral of Albert Hooks, a member of the Salvation Army, was an imposing one, and dif- fered from the rest in so far as the burial was in a private grave. The deceased was formerly a bandsman in the Stepney corps, and then in the Plaistow corps, and bandsmen from these two corps, and from Poplar, Upton park, and Can- ning Town united to honour their dead comrade. The band was composed of some 50 musicians, who, on the way to the cemetery from Dongola- road, Plaistow, played four funeral marches. Several hundred Salvationists were in the procession, which was headed by two banners furled and tied up with white ribbon, which was also used by the women, the men having white bands around the arm with S on them. At the graveside a ser- vice of three-quarters of an hour's duration was per- formed, addresses being delivered by Captain George Fowler, of the Plaistow corps, and by Adjutant Green, in charge of the East London division of the corps. There was some fervent singing, which at times was led by a concertina. The arrangements at lhe cemetery were admirably carried out by Mr. H. W. Littler, the superintendent, who was ably assisted by Inspector Healey, and a goodly staff of police officers. At about two o'clock Sub-Divisional Inspector Treby, on whom had falleD the brunt of the police work during the week, met with an accident. His horse shied at a piece of paper, and he was thrown to the ground. He was badly shaken and, bruised, and after getting back to Plaistow Police-station he was ordered home. Half a dozen interments took place on Monday at the East London Cemetery. Mrs. Beatrice Naomi Bradshaw, the wife of a London Missionary, was buried at Woo dgrange-park Cemetery, and Horace Cadman interred at the City of London Cemeterv at Ilford. THE RELIEF FUND. Alderman W. Ivey, Mayor of West Ham, on Saturday, received the following communication, with which was enclosed a cheque for £50: "Dear Sir,- I am commanded by the Queen to forward the en- closed cheque for JE60 as a donation from her Majesty to the fund that you are raising pn behalf of the sufferers front the recent sad disaster at Black- wall.—I am, Sir, your obedient servant, Fleetwood J. Edwards." On Monday morning the fund amounted to 11746. CONCLUSION OF THE INQUEST. Mr. Coroner Baxter at Poplar on Monday con- cluded his inquiry into the cause of the death of Mrs. Amelia Myra Gardener, who died in Blackwall Police-station after being rescued on Tuesday last at the Albion calamity. All the evidence considered necessary having been taken, the coroner at once proceeded to sum up. He pointed out that a function in a shipbuilding yard, which was a private and not a public place, was not under the jurisdiction of the police in the same way as a public ceremony in the street. The police authorities were not respon- sible, but granted the assistance of their constables an being applied for and paid for their services, and the number, of police sent 4 "nended on the number if police requested. Moreover, when granted they icted under the instructions of those who paid for their services. If, therefore, insufficient police were present the responsibility rested, not with the police luthorities, but with the Thames Ironworks Com- pany. The questions for the jury were: Was the bridge sufficiently strong, and in sufficiently good repair to bear any such stram as occurred ? Wasf there a iufficient body of police ? If the police were used at ill on such occasions, should not the hands of the police be strengthened t Should any such immense Soncourse be permitted without practical survey by tome responsible official? Was it not a mistake to in- vite so large a number of visitors in an area so restricted .n extent °and presenting so many dangers without special positions being assigned them? Was the danger of the structure which collapsed foreseen ? If not was the danger sufficiently self-evident that it should have been foreseen ? If it was foreseen, was it sufficiently guarded against? He could not advise them that there was anyone against whom a criminal charge could be preferred with any probability of success. But although there might be no criminal negligence there might be want of judgment and fore- sight. After an absence of over two hours the jury re- turned with a verdict of "Accidental death," and added a rider to the effect that there was a great lack of judgment on the part of the company in allowing such a large number of persons in thie works on such an occasion. They recommended that on future occasions the police should have entire control of the arrangements.

i' BRITISH BATTLESHIP FOR LISBON. The battleship Illustrious, Captain Sir Richard Poore, Bart., which was to have sailed from Devon- port to join tbe Mediterranean Squadron, re- ceived orders on Friday night' of last week, countermanding this arrangement, and direct- ing her to proceed forthwith to Lisbon, so as to be in a position to protect British interest on that side of the Atlantic, should occasion arise during the war between America and Spain. The Illustrious accordingly left for Lisbon early or Saturday morning. It has transpired that th amended order which Sir Richard Poore, Bart., of the battleship Illustrious, received shortly before leaving Plymouth on Saturday was to call at Lisbon to coal, and, if necessary, remain there a day or two before proceeding to Gibraltar, en route to the Mediterranean station.

GOING smilingly up to his mother one day, Tommy said: Ma, haven't I boon a good boy since I began going to Sunday-school ?" Yes, my lamb," answered the mother, fondly. And you trust me now, don't you, ma ?" Yes, darling." Then spoke up the little one, innocently: What makes you keep the mince-pies locked up in the pantry the same as ever?" CRAWFORD: What makes you think your wife isn't so much of a new woman as she used to be 7 Crabshaw: Because since this war scare I haven t heard her say how sorry she was that she wasn t a WHAT are you crying for, Bobbie ? Boo-Koo -Willie's broke his arm, an' if I lick him all the fellers will say that I'm a. coward. II Why don t vou wait till he's well ?" Boo-hoo—I—I can t l.ck IN auditing tbe Barnet Union accounts, Mr. Gas- kell the district auditor, found that a farthing was missing in those from Fincbley parish. Hp directed the local officials to clear up the mistake, and to report to him before the conclusion of the audit. Two days afterwards the officials informed him that the missing coin had been traced. The search occu- pied four hours, and the trouble and extra expense involved in attending the audit a second time will cost the ratepayers a sovereign. THK Council of the Naval Records Society intend, in the course of the current year, to issue papers re- ferring to the blockade of Brest, 1803-5, the journals and letters of Admiral Sir Thomas "Martin (1773- 1854), and papers relating to the first Dutch war, 1652-54. It is stated that some of these papers will throw an entirely new light on the early history of naval tactics. A calendar of the manuscripts in the Pepysian Library will also be puSlifhed this war. Permission was given by the Master of College to Mr. J. B. Tanner to this 1 work.

EPITOME OF NEWS. THE Chinese fruit trade will probably in the future have more than a passing interest. It is, there- fore, interesting to learn that 53,614cwt. of oranges valued at 210,218 were exported from Foochow in 1-97. Miss FLEETWOOD WILSON'S marriage to the Russian Prince Alexis Dolgorouki will take place on Mon- day, July 11, at St. Margaret's, Westminster. There will be a supplementary service at the Russian Cliapel, Welbeck-street. A IMP-BO AT has been run down by a Russian stei'.iner off Great Yarmouth, and an instructor of n iv:il reserve named Miller was drowned. The only other occupant of the boat was picked up by the steamer's boat. EARL 'BROWNLOW, Lord-Lieutenant of Lincoln- shire, has been appointed chairman of the Tenny- son Memorial Committee. It is proposed to erect, •i statue of the late Lord Tennyson in the city of Lincoln. J BAROIC ALFRED DE ROTHSCHILD, Hon. Consul- General for Austria-Hungary, has been re-elected president of the Association of Foreign Consuls in the British Empire for the year 1898-9. THE Corporation of Accountants are formulating a memorial for presentation to the Board of Trade advocating the prohibition of stockbrokers being eligible for appointment as auditor of the accounts of public companies. COLONEL THE HON. N. G. LYTTLPTON will have for his brigade-major on the Nile Major a Court, now D.A.A.G. at Cairo, and for his A.D.C. Captain Henderson, A. and S. Highlanders, of the Intelli- gence Department. NEXT to Carmen Sylva," the Queen of Roumania, Queen Olga of Greece is considered one of the most unconventional of reigning Queens. She walks about a great deal alone, and has climbed to the top of Mount Lycabettos without a companion. THE latest lifeboat, which is said to have been ap- proved by the Admiralty, carries three long cylinders into which a million cubic feet of air can be com- pressed. This air will drive the boat 15 miles an hour for six hours. A NEW method of giving an appearance of age to wines has been introduced in Germany. The process is an electrolytic one, and consists in passing a weab 3urrent of electricity through the wine between carbott poles. THE Persians in 516 B.C. invented a transparent glass varnish, which they laid over sculptured rocks to prevent them from weathering. This coating V»u« lasted to our day, while the rocks beneath are honey- combed. CHIEF-INSPECTOR MARSHALL, of the Criminal In- vestigation Department, New Scotland-yard, who has just retired from the police force after over 25 years' service, receives a full pension (£213 6s. 8d.) per annum. INTELLIGENCE has been received at Sydney of the capsizing at Noumea, New Caledonia, of a boat belonging to the Russian ship Bay of Naples. Fourteen men of the crew were drowned, or devoured by sharks. THE Queen has granted pensions from the Civil List of E25 per unnum each to the two daughters of :he late Mr. George Wallis, in consideration of his great services to art decoration. LONDON and its suburbs are just now in a wonder- fully healthy condition. A week ago the death-rate for the metropolis proper was only 13'8 per 1000, while in Greater London the rate was but 12-6. So high a condition of the public health has not been reported since 1893. ACCORDING to a telegram from Athens, the Akro- polis states, on what it describes as good authority, that the impending betrothal of Prince George of Greece to a daughter of the Grand Duke Vladimir of Russia is unfounded. A WEALTHY gentleman of Odessa left 4,000,000 roubles to his four nieces, with the proviso that they mnst each work 15 months as domestics before ob- taining the inheritance. They have already served nine months, and during that time have received thousands qf marriage proposals. IN the Germafk Empire there are published no fewer than 6533 periodicals, being one for every 12,902 of the population. But in Catholic Austria, the Press is six times less powerful, for there is only one periodical for every 72,290 of the population. AN Austrian chemist has been investigating the statistics of the lucifer match. He finds that in the United Kingdom every inhabitant uses an average of eight matches a day; but the Belgians only seven, the Yankees only six, the Freluchmen, five, and the Aus- tralians four. MR. W. L. MURDOCH is among the candidates for the managership of the Australian Cricket Eleven which is to visit England in 1899. It is understood that Mr. Murdoch will only apply for the post in the event of its being refused by Major Wardill, secre- tary of the Melbourne Cricket Club, to whom it has been offered. IHE Prince of Wales has written to the British Dairy Farmers' Association congratulating them on having resolved to exclude trimmed "and dubbed" birds from competition at their annual show at Islington. His Royal Highness also expresses the hope that other kindred societies will dis- courage the practice cf" dubbing "and "trimming," which he describes aji," cruel and unnecessary." ONE of the Church Missionary Society's mis- sionaries in Western China mentions that he has treated no less than 50 cases of attempted opium suicide within 12 months, seven or eight of the cases being hopeless from the outset. The statement throws a lurid light upon the ravages of opium in China. SATUSATE, the great violinist, some time ago re- ceived a large fortune from one of his relatives who was very proud *of him. Sarasate himself is a very frugal man, and with this new addition to his already comfortable fortune he will probably rank among the wealthiest artistes in the world. TUB Church Missionary Sooiety's Loan Depart- ment has made no less than 2925 loans of sets of slides during the past season, representing upwards of 3000 lantern lectures on the work of the society. Stts of diagrams, books, maps, and curios were also lent in large numbers. EPERNAY, in France, is a vast subterranean city, the streets for miles being hewn ont of solid chalk, flanked with piles of champagne of all blends and qualities. The largest champagne manufacturers in Epernay possess -underground cellars which cover no fewer than 45 acres, and contain 5,000,000 bottles of wine. THE Queen, on the recommendation of the Secre- tary of State for Foreign Affairs, has conferred a K.C.M.G. upon Mr. Martin Le Marchant Gosselin, C.B., and upon Colonel W. Everett, C.M.G., for their services as British Commissioners at the recent Niger Conference in Paris. IN the Church of Oollonges, near Lyons, a few days ago, a remarkable combination of matrimonial ceremonies took place. Mile. Gonnat was married to M. Jean Vallansot; whilst, at the same time and place, tire bride's parents celebrated their silver wedding and the bridegroom s parents similarly celebrated theirs, and the grandparents of the bride celebrated their own golden wedding. DR: W. J. RUSSELL, F.R.S., has now proceeded so far with his discovery of a method of photographing objects without the aid of light that he is hopeful of publishing a paper upon the subject to the Royal Society at an early date. He has succeeded in taking no fewer than 2000 pictures entirely in darkness. .N furtherance of American meteorology, the U.S. Weather Bureau are about to establish some 20 new stations between the Alleghanies and Rocky Moun- tains at as high altitudes as possible, in order to compare the observations there with those at low levels. It is hoped to be able to learn the state of the atmosphere vertically from the surface to an altitude of a mile. At this altitude the daily varia- tions of temperature are almost-absent. FOUR or five years hence one of the greatest heiresses in the world will appear before the society of Europe in the person of Mdlle. Lucienne Hirsch, daughter of the late millionaire and philanthropist, Baron Hirsch. She is now a girl of 14, and is being quietly educated in Brussels. SURGEON-MAJOR J. BATTBRS Y, who formerly served in Egypt, and was at Tel-el-Kebir, has left the Home District Medical Staff for service in Egypt. THE young King of Spain s ordinary education mbraccs the following subjects: Religion, Latin, iiistory, geography, algebra, geometry, and natural Jcience. TilE threepenny-piece is not the popular coin it need to be with church-goers. An analysis of s recent collection at St. Paul s showed that there were 564 sixpences as against 219 threepenny-bits. THE death is announced at Vienna of Professor Anton Kerner Ritter von Marilaun, the eainent- botanist, at the age of 67.

TMPERTAli PARLIAMENT, HOUSE OF LORDS, JUNE 27. ROCHDALE WATER BILL. Some discussion took place on the motion for the third reading of this bill. The Earl of Crewe moved the recommittal of ,the bill on the ground that the taking of water from the Calder Valley would in- juriously affect the Yorkshire millowners, and the large industrial districts of the Calder Valley. After tome discussion the House divided, when the third reading was agreed to by 68 to 13. POISONS BILL. The Poisons Bill passed through Committee. HOUSE OF COMMONS. THIRD READINGS. The London, County Council (General Powers) Bill, the Market Harborough Gas Bill, the Lanca- shire, Derbyshire, and East Coast Railway Bill, the Leyton Urban District Council Bill, the London United Tramways Bill, and the Sheffield District Railway Bill were read a third time. The following bills were ordered to be read a third time: The Blackpool ■ and Fleetwood Tramroad (Tramway Extensions) Bill, the Clergy Mutual Assurance Society Bill (Lords), the Hamilton Water Bill, the Hull, Barnsley, and West Riding Junction Railway and Dock Bill, and the Kettering Water Bill. The Buenos Ayres Northern Railway Bill (Lords), the Bury Corporation Bill (Lords), the Carlisle Cor- poration Water Bill (Lords), the Exeter, Teign Valley, and Chagford Railway Bill (Lords), and the Glasgow and South-Western Railway Bill (Lords) were read a second time. WAR OFFICE SAVINGS. Mr. Field asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he could state the approximate amount saved to the taxpayers of Great Britain and Ireland in the War Office contracts ty the substitu- tion of imported produce of forage and meat. Mr. Powell Williams: The amount saved is at least a quarter of a million sterling per annum. WATER LEGISLATION FOR LONDON. Mr. Chaplin, replying to Mr. Marks, said he was not in a position to make any statement as to the legislation that would be proposed next session deal- ing with the water companies in London, nor could he say anything as to the scope or the extent of any bills that might be introduced. MAIDSTONE TYPHOID EPIDEMIC. Mr. Chaplin, in replying to Mr. Cornwallis, said that the report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the circumstances attending the outbreak • of Typhoid fever at Maidstohe would be issued very shortly. NEW INCOME-TAX EXEMPTIONS Mr. Channing asked the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer whether the fact that the forms to be filled in for the quinqwenniaI- valuation for income-tax had been issued before the passing of the -Finance Bill, and in consequence contained no reference to the new exemptions proposed in.that bill would be allowed to prejudice the taxpayers in their assessments, or whether provision would be made to enable them to slaim the new exemptions and reductions. Sir Michael Hicks-Beach pointed out that, attached to each form, was a note stating that if the Finance Bill became law any claim for abatement would be considered. NEW MEMBER FOB BAST HERTS. Mr. Evelyn Cecil took the oath and his seat for East Herts in the room of Mr. Abel Smith, deceased. The hon. member was introduced by Sir William Walrond and Mr. Halsey. BLUEJACKETS AND THE V.C. Captain Pirie asked the First Xord of the Admiralty whether he was prepared to grant to sailors—if in destitute circumstances and unable to work, and who might have been awarded the Victoria Cross—the same consideration of their case as had recently been accorded to soldiers; and, if so, whether the pension of £50 a year, though not retro- spective, would be awarded irrespective of the date 3n which the V.C. was given. Mr. Goschen said this matter would be dealt with by the Admiralty in the same spirit in which it had been treated by the army authorities. j EAST INDIA LOAN BILL. On the motion for the third reading of the East India Loan Bill a number^ of hon. members spoke, arid replying on tliie debate, Lord George Hamilton said he had already promised that no portion of the loan should be applied to the promotion of a currency policy. He was unable to agree with the contention that the sal- vation of India lav in the reopening of; the .mints, and declared that the loan wouja in no way increase the taxation of the pepple of India. The bill was read a third time. THE MAN; TO THIi,.$HEDIVS. The House next went into Committee on a resolu. tion for remitting a loag- made to the Eihediye of I Egypt. Sir M. H. Beach, explaining the matter, said that the policy of the Government in the Soudan had been ably carried out by Lord Cromer and Sir H. Kitchener. Dongola had been rescued from barbarism and peace now reigned from that province on the south-west to Berber, Kassala, and Suakim. Along the valley south of the Nile, and the north-eastern Soudan, trade and commerce were reviving slowly but surely. Up to the present the operations had cost. P.1,850,000, a considerable portion of which had been expended in such valuable assets as railway J lines and telegraphs which had opened up the Nile in a way that had never been done before. No one could say what the end of the advance on Khartoum j would be, but Sir H. Kitchener and the troops with him would be' prepared for all eventualities. After the capture of Khartoum he did not think it would be necessary to retain the large force now employed in the Soudan. They did not contemplate under- taking afty further military operations on a large scale, or involving any considerable expfense for the recovery of the great provinces to the south of Khartoum, but they did anticipate that expeditions might be made by the gunboat flotilla to free the waterway of the Nile from any interference that might prevent the promotion of commerce with the interior. They esti- mated that the additional cost required for these operations would not exceed £750,000, and they n6w proposed to remit the loan of; £ 798,000 made to the Egyptian Government in 1897, which would enable the Egyptian authorities to provide for everything necessary for the purposes he had described. Our total contribution to the capture of Khartoum would be little short of a million, but he did not think hon. members opposite, who.in 1896 wasted four and a-half millions in the Sogdan, would consider this sum a large contribution for what had been done. Sir Wm. Harcqurt declared.that the prophecies made on that side of the House in 1896, that the people of England would have to pay for this policy of tne Egyptian Government, had been amply veri- Bed. He knew tber Chancellor of the Exchequer re- garded him as a financial prude, but he could not help thinking this remission was a most remarkable transaction. It was absolutely unsound finance, and he must enter a strong protest against it. Bgypt wae represented as flourishing and with an overflowing exchequer, yet the Government applied for the re- mission of a small loan to Egypt. He did not under- stand it. He did not think think Parliament should be asked to forego that loan. Mr. J. Ellis observed that no reason was given foi the English taxpayer paying that loan to Egypt. He bad returned from Egypt with the conviction that the incursion into the Soudan had been to Egypt a most disastrous step and hadpostponed reforms that were extremely desirable. The Soudan had nevet beett governed by Egypt. Why then tfiould we. whc had more territory than we could govern, seek to in. crease our responsibility there ? He challenged the title of the Government to pursue such, a policy- Mr. Courtney held that the advance on Khartoum was a mistake. Mr. Labouchere condemned the floundering expe- dition to the Soudan. It made him sick to hear a minister talk of philanthropy, for he always knew that when that was said we were about to grab and rob some foreign country. He intended to divide against the resolution. Mr. Pierrepoint defended the action of the Government. Sir Charles Dilke observed that very little had been said as to the policy the Government had in view. What extent had the Government in view as to the Nile between Uganda and Khartoum, and was the sovereignty of Egypt to be established inthe Equ^. torial Provinces beyond Khartoum ? xhe House ought to know what was to be the Government's policy beyond Khartoum. Mr. Bartley believed that if this vote were put to the constituency there would be a decided answer against it, r Mr Dillon condemned tfie present proposal of the UTUTCI UUiCUl. ~Vi this abominable expedition. Sir M. H. Beach spoke on the financial aspect of the proposal. He thought his method of dealing with it was the best and simplest. Having gone sc far, he thought we could not stay where we were now, but must advance to the capture of Khartoum. It was a matter not only pf foreign but of English inte- rest. The Committee divided. For the resolution, 155: against, 81. Progress was then reported. SCOTCH TAXATION RELIEF. The House then went into Committee on the Local TnxnfioTi Account (Scotland) Consolidated Fund Re- solutio^ r^ Advocate explained the resolution. He reminded the House that two years ago one-half of the agricilltumt rates in 'England was voted, and an equivalent grant of one and one-eightieth of the English grant was voted to Scotland..This year there was a bill under which a pecuniary subvention was given to Ireland, as one-half of the agricultural rates, and accordingly a promise was given that the Scotch claim should be considered on the same basis. The ratio proposed was seven-sixteenths of the sum raised as Scotch agricultural rates, one- eighth being deducted for building, as in Eng- land. He cculd not give the total figure at pre- sent, but the amount was calculated at £ 95,000. The first claim on that money was a sum of £ 20,000 to the local authorities, to put them in the same situation as the English authorities. As to the re- maining E75,000, he said there had long been a com- plaint as to the inadequate contribution to the pay and clothing of the police, and for that purpose he pro- posed to allocate £ 25,000. Next he proposed to give an allowance of E15,000 a year to the maintenance of police. There remained a balance of £ 35,000, which no proposed to devote to technical education, includ- ing agricultural education. He moved a resolution authorising the payment of £ 95,000 for the purposes he had enumerated. Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman said' the position of affairs just explained was very intricate, and he, therefore, moved the adjournment of the debate in order to understand the question properly. Sir M. Hicks-Beach did not oppose the adjourn- ment, but deprecated any idea that Scotland was not being fairly treated as to the amount of the grant. The adjournment being agreed to, progress was re- ported. COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEAL. The adjourned debate on the motion to send to a Select Committee the evidence in Criminal Cases Bill was resumed by Mr. Pickersgill who contended that the principle of the bill had never been adequately considered. con, Mr. Gibson Bowles complained of the contemptuous way the Attorney-General treated the question. The Attorney-General said the principle of the bill had been recognised over and over again, and, there- fore, the House did not need a Select Committee on the subject. The House was competent to deal with it. Mr. Dillon dissented from the representation of the Attorney-General as one who had been four times tried for his liberty. A large number of hon. members took part in the debate. Eventually, Mr. A Balfour contended that the bill should be passed this session, and that, therefore, the motion before the House should be settled now. so that the bill could on Wednesday be considered in Committee of the whole House. Mr. Broadhurst urged that time, should be taken to adequately consider so great a change in the law. He supported the bill as one that should go to a committee of the whole House. The House divided: For reference to a Select Committee, 92; against, 189. The bill was accordingly referred to a committee of the whole House. The* Union of Benefices Bill was read a third time.