Monmouth Guardian and Bargoed and Caerphilly Observer

TRAIN MURDER CASE. TRIAL OF STARCHFIELD. CASE FOR THE PROSECUTION. The trial of the newsvêndor John Starch- field for the murder of his son William, aged five, on January 8th last, was opened on Tuesday before Mr. Justice Atkin, who re- cently tried Ball and Eltoft at Liverpool in the case known as the sack murder, at the Central Criminal Court. For the greater part of the morning, Mr. A. H. Bodkin, for the Crown, outlined the case for the prosecution. On January 8tli last Willie Starchfield was sent on an errand from his mother's landlady's house at 191, Hamp- stead-road at 12.50 p.m. He never returned. His dead body with the marks of the cord by which he had been strangled round his neck was found in a train the same day at Shore- ditch Station on the North London Railway at about 4.30 p.m. The medical evidence was that he had died between 2 and 3 p.m.. and, being in the status lymphaticus, probably within a minute of the time when the cord was tightened round his neck. The case for the Crown was that the pri- soner entered the train with his son shortly after 2 p.m. at Camden Town Station, the next station to Chalk Farm. and, having mur- dered him, proceeded to Broad-street, whence he could reach the West End before three o'clock. He was seen by the boy's mother and Mrs. Longstaff selling papers between 4 and 5 p.m. in Tottenham Court-road. THE IDENTIFICATIONS. The case rested on three identifications of the prisoner and the boy between 12.50 p.m., when he left his home, and the time sbortly after two when they were said to have en- tered the train together at Camden Town Station. Mrs. Wood would say that at 1.15 p.m. she saw the prisoner with a curly-haired boy of about that age. munching a cake, nenr Angler's-lane, about 2,150 yards from No. 191, NarnpeLeakl-roa(t. Such cakes were tSoOld at a shop close by with cocoanut in them; and the remains of such a cake. half-digested, with cocoanut, were found in the boy's etomach. The prisoner appeared to have re- traced his steps, because the next identifica- tion was that of a man named Moore, who had known the prisoner some years ago. He would say that he saw the prisoner with a boy at 1.45 p.m. close to Camden Town Sta- tion, a distance of 960 yards from Angler's- lane. Mr. Bodkin said that he felt bound to tell the jury that it was not until February 4th that Moore told the police of what he had seen, and that this witness had since at- tempted to take his own life. Mr. White, a commercial traveller, would say that at about two o'clock he saw the prisoner with a boy taking a ticket in the booking-hall at the Camden Town Station on the North London Railway, which was about 400 yards from the Tube station. Jackson, a signalman, was looking out from his box for a shunting operation which took place at 2.8, when he saw the 1.59 train from Chalk Farm pass. And in a carriage in the part of the train where the body was found he saw the head and shoulders of a man and the head of a curly-haired person moving to and fro. He could not at first say whether the head was that of a boy or a girl, but he had seen the body and had identified the head he saw as that of Willie Starchfield. He did not identify the man. In commenting on the dif- ferent capacity of witnesses to remember de- tails, Mr. Bodkin said that Mrs. Wood said the prisoner was wearing a soft felt hat; Moore said he was wearing a cap White said he was wearing a dark trilby hat, and Jack- son said the man he saw was wearing a dark bowler hat. THE EVIDENCE. A constable who had made a map of the dis- trict, Mr. Lo lg^taff, the landlady, Mrs. Wood, Mr. Knapp, to whose shop the boy was sent on an errand, a confectioner who sold cakes near Angler's-lane, Mr. Burns, the as.-istant- secretary of the Carnegie Fund, w ho paid the prisoner a weekly allowance for his bravery in the capture of Titus, and Moore were then called. Mr. Hemmerde. K. C.. who appeared for the defence with Mr. Pureell and Mr. G W. H. Jones, was cross-examining Moore when the Court rose. In the course of Mrs. Wood's evidence it appeared that at the in- quest her evidence was read over to her; but she did not sign it until the following day, when it was taken to her house typewritten, and she then before signing it mar-e a correc- tion. The Judge observed that this procedure at an inquest was most irregular.

BURGLAR WITH A HATCHET. SERVANT SERIOUSLY HURT. When Florence Beeken, twenty three, a servant at a house in Lawrence-road. South Norwood, came downstairs on Tuesday morn- ing she found a man lying half asleep in the dining-room. The man got up, rushed at her, and threw some pepper or other irritant into her eyes. As the girl stood temporarily blinded the man knocked her down and struck her repeatedly with a chopper taken from a coal-cellar at the back of the house. Mr. Erroll Bowyer, the master of the house, roused by the girl's screams, found his ser- vant lying on the floor with the man dealing blows at her with the hatchet. The girl jumped up and ran to her master for protec- tion. "Put that down," exclaimed Mr. Bow- yer, pointing to the hatchet in the man's hand. In a frenzy the assailant rushed at him, and the two men struggled in the hall. Mr. Bowyer, though a man of spare build, was formerly a footballer, and he found his early draining of value. Twisting the man's wrist he forced the chopper from his grasp, and the man surrendered. The servant received a dozen serious cuta about her head and face. At Croydon Police-court, on Wednesday, he was remanded.

SHOTS AT MILITARY GUARD. UNPLEASANT INCIDENT NEAR STRASSBURG. An incident which occurred on Friday at Kehl, a small town on the Rhine opposite Strassburg, became known on Monday, says a Berlin correspondent. The story is that at midnight the bell of the gate at "Fort Kirch- bach was rung. On the sergeant in charge of the guard opening the gate a shot was fired at him from close quarters, grazing his breast. He went outside to find his assailant, and a second shot was fired at him, but it struck a five- mark piece in his purse, and lie escaped injury. A patrol was despatched to search for the man who fired the shots, but owing to the darkmess it did not succeed in capturing him.

BUDGET SURPLUS. The national revenue in the quarter which ended on March 31st was £ 5,477.111 more than in the last quarter of the Fiscal year 1912-13, and the result is that the total for the year is £ 198,242,807. The Budget estimate was £ 195,825,000, which it was calculated would provide a surplus of £]85.000. The year's expenditure has been £ 1,852,969 more than was then expected, the Supply services accounting for £ 1,739.000 of this. The total has been £ 197,493,960. or £ 8.871.000 more than in 1912-13. There is still, however, a realised surplus of nearly Y.750,000,

BRAVE SHIP'S OFFICER. SWIM THROUGH HEAVY SEÃ. WITH LINE. ATTEMPTED LOOTING IN A STEAMER. The Chilian Transport Maipo, formerly the Manitoba, arrived at Falmouth on Sunday afternoon with a heavy list to port, her boats gone, ventilators smashed, and hatches stove in. She had encountered heavy gales in the Bay of Biscay and was in danger of founder- ing wli n she sent out the S.O.S." signal, which "as answered by several vessels. She was making for Valparaiso with a general argo, and had a crew of 105. The Cardiff steamer North-am, which stood by the Maipo, the steering gear of which had broken down, sent a boat, in command of her second officer named Evans, to endeavour to reach the transport with a line. The boat failed to get alongside owing to the mountain- ins seas. and the officer jumped overboard and swam to the Maipo with the line. Thus com- munication was established and towage was begun. Only two hours elapsed before- the hawser snapped, but eventually the engineers of the Maipo succeeded in temporarily repair- ing the damaged steering gear, and the trans- port proceeded slowly to Falmouth. There was one woman on board, wife of the second officer, who with her baby had a narrow escape from being crushed by a boat which was torn away from its davits and crashed on to the roof of the cabin she occupied. It is stated that some of the members of the crew, thinking they were lost, got out of hand, and attempted to get at the stores with the idea of consuming the intoxicants. They were lecured with ropes.

ZAM-BUK Ends 9 Years' Torture. AN outbreak of itchy pimples on Mrs. /3k A. L. Savage's face started a long and severe attack of eczema. Writing from 66, Chestnut Street, Leicester, Mrs. Savage says :— "My skin got inflamed and dry, and the burning, smarting sores practically covered my face. I daren't go near the fire nor face the least wind. The doctor's treatment failed. Common ointments, creams, etc, were no better either. After nine years of indescribable misery and disfigurement, I felt I should never be cured. "A friend, however, persuaded me to ve Zam-Buk a trial. At the same time I also used Zam-Buk Medicinal Soap, which I found very comforting to my ■jjl tortured skin. g "I was delighted with Zam-Buk; it was so E? MO?/u? and ?M?/:? to my burning s/n?. pa Per"verance with this splendid Zam-Buk trc?t- jjJ ment relieved all the itching and soreness, and || cleared the sores from my face. M "Now, thanks alone to Zam-Buk. I have a skin M free from blemish." jg "It is two years ,?ince Mrs. Savage made the §| above statements, and to-day she writer:—"I am %3 glad to say that I have had no skin trouble at all gg since Zam-Buk cured me of the terrible eczema." ?s J g mltjk No common ointment possesses the medicina: action si of Zam-Buk, which is a soother and healer of M unparalleled power. Zam-Buk is IlnNjw¡l1d for E9 festering sores, ulcers, eczema, ringworm and scalp gj sore" poisoned wounds, piles, pimpUs, rashes, scalg Eg skins, cuts, brvises. knocks, etc. OJ all chemists and .J drug stores at t/ii and 2/9 per box. Refuse all imitations and substitutes. fgj||

BUS SUPERINTENDENT'S SUICIDE. TEXT IN DEAD MAN'S POCKET. An inquest was held at East. Ham on Friday on the body of Harold Fiske, forty- one. motor-'bus superintendent, who was found in the garage office lying in. front of a gas stove with a towel round his head and a tube in his mouth. The widow said her hushand had suffered from influenza for some time, and afterwards was strange in his manner. He never sug- gested suicide. Their domestic relations were most. happy. The Coroner's officer produced a slip of paper which he found in deceased's jacket pocket. On it was written: "Let those with- out sin cast the first stone." The Coroner said he did not think any significance could be attached to the paper. T' e widow could throw no light on it. De- ceased had been a very religious man. A verdict of suicide while temporarily in- sane was returned.

AVIATION BY NIGHT. MOONLIGHT FLIGHT ACROSS COUNTRY. Mr. J. Aleock, at Brooklands Aerodrome, on his Sunbeam Morris-Farman- biplane, as- Mided on Thursday night by moonlight an I reached a height of 2,000ft., sub- uently going across country by W ,i't-)n an i Staines. He descended at 11.15 with a b "utiful spiral volplane. This is believed t;> be the first night flight with a passenger aeross country.

THE POLITICAL ORTSIS. MR. ASQUITH AS WAR MINISTER. COL. SliELY'S RESIGNATION, SIR EDWARD GHKY'S NEW OFFER. A new and dramatic turn was given on Monday afternoon to the political si tun; n. When the House of Comiions assembled, it was seen that Colonel Seely was 110 longer an occupant of the Treasury Bench; and this was soon explained by a statement in which the Prime Minister announced that he him- self was assuming the office of See>-■ ■ i :_y of State for War. Colonel Seely sublet,uently announced his final resignatioll-the result of the steady insistence of his colleagues, Sir John French and Sir J. S. Ewart, that the repudiation of their signatures by the Gov- ernment left them no option but to vacate their appointments. Thus the former Secre- tary of State, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, and Adjutant-General retire simul- taneously; while Mr. Asquith assumes con- trol of the War Office but disappears from Parliament pending re-election. The Prime Minister received a great tribute from his fol- lowers as he left the House. Before announcing the news in the Com- mons Mr. Asquith. after a consultation with other Ministers, attended by the three mem- bers of the Army Council who have resigned, had been received in audience by th, King, with whom he remained for half an hour. During the day his Majesty also received in audience Lord Morley, Colonel Seely (who delivered up the seals of office as Secretary for War), Sir John French, and Sir J. S. Ewart. SIR E. GREY'S SUGGESTION. In the House of Commons on Tuesday Sir Edward Grey put forv* ard the suggestion that during the six years' time-limit vouchsafed to Ulster a solution of the problem might be found in a federal system for the whok king- dom. Sir Edward hinted at a renewal of con- ferences, adding that if there were any possi- bility of a settlement being reached it would be best to resume private negotiations. He also made a conditional offer of an early General Election on Home Rule, as against the Uuionist proposal of a Referendum. His conciliatory tone after the bitter strife of the past few weeks made a considerable impres- sion- in the House. Simultaneously a strong movement is going forward among back- bench members on both sides of the House towards a scheme for settlement by consent. Lord Morley. yielding to the pressure of his colleagues, has derided not to resign his post as Lord President of the Council. BY-ELECTION IN EAST FIFE. A by-election in East, Fife is caused by the addition of a second ofTn-e of profit under the Crown to that already held by the Prime Minister as First Lord of the Treasury; a. mere transfer of office would not have vacated Mr. Asquith's e -,i tin Parliament. The salaries of the Firq Lurll of the Treasury and of the Secretary for War are each £5.000. but the Prime Minister has decided to receive only one of those salaries. Previous elections in the constituency have resulted as follows: 1910 (December).—Mr. H. H. Asquith (L.), 5,149; Colonel A. Sprot (C.), 3,350; Liberal majority, 1.799. Asquith (L.), 5,242; Colonel Sprot (C.), 3,183; Liberal majority, 2,059. 1906.—Mr. Asquith (L.), 4,723; Major J. Gilmour (C.), 3.279; Liberal majority, 1.444. 1900.—Mr. Asquith (L.), 4,141; Mr. A. H. B. Constable (C.), 2,710; Liberal majority, 1,431. In 1895 Mr. Asquith's majority was 716, and in 1892 it was 294. Easter Monday (April 13th) is spoken of M a likely day for the poll. As at the last elec- tion Colonel Sprot will oppose Mr. Asquith. MR. ASQUTTH S CAREER. The following is an outline of Mr. Asquith's official career since he first- became a Member of Parliament: ISS6.- El-ected M.P. for East Fife (aged thirty-fo:; r). 1892.-Appointed Home Secretary (a.ge forty) IDf}¡).- Appointed Chancellor of the Ex chequer (age fifty-three). 1908.- Prime Minister (age fifty-six). 1914.—Secretary for War (age sixty-two). STATESMEN WHO HAVE HELD TWO POSTS AT ONCE. The names of statesmen who have simul- taneously held two portfolios are as follows: Sir Robert Peel. First Ixjrd of the Trea- sury and Chancellor of the Exchequer. 1834. W. E. Gladstone, First Lord of the Trea- sury, 1808, Chancellor of the Exchequer, August, 1873. Benjamin Disraeli (afterwards Earl of Beaconsfield, 1876), First Lord of the Trea- sury, 1874. and Lord Privy Seal, 1876. W. E. Gladstone, First Lord of the Trea- sury. 1880. Chancellor of the Exchequer till December 16th. 1882. Marquess of Salisbury, Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary. 1885. Marquess of Salisbury, Prime Minister, 1886, and Foreign Secretary. 1887. W.. E. Gladstone. First Lord of the Trea- sury and Lord Privy Seal. 18';2. Lord R-;>sebery, First Lord of the Treasury and Lord Privy Seal. 1894. Marquess of Salisbury, Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary. 1895. Marquess of Salisbury, Prime Minister and Lord Privy Seal, 1900; resigned, 1902.

POST OFFICE ROBBERY. A daring post-office robbery in London came to light on Monday. A skilful gang of burglars obtained entrance to some unoccupied pre- mises next to the post-office at 291, Regent- street. During Sunday night they cut a hole through the wall, thus reaching the post-office. They made their way to the safe and with much labour drilled a hole through the steel. They escaped with the contents of the safe, which consisted of a considerable sum in silver and a large number of postal oi-der".

REASONABLE PAY FOR CLERGYMEN. The Bishop of Manchester, at t'i,- annual meeting of the Diocesan branch of the Queen Victoria Clergy Fund, finl that but for these societies t-iie Church of England would have eai-se to be ashamed His v i-ew was that the clergy should be paid according to length of service, and that their stipends should rise at least to the moderate sum of £500 a year

SILVER GfFT TO THE NATION. The great set of three Charles II. pieces in silver gilt, sold at the Ashburnham sale last Tuesday for £ 3,700, has, by the generosity of Mr. lIan-ey Hadden, been presented to the nation. Nothing in the Ashburnham treasures excited morp admiration than this group, which consists of a covered vase with a flask on either side.

NEWS IN BRIEF. COMPULSORY NOTIFICATION OF EYE DISEASE. Ophthalmia neonatorum, or inflammation Of the eyes of the new-born, one of the most frequent causes of blindness, is now a notifi- able disease. MR. ASQUITH TO BE WAR MINISTER. In both Houses there was a debate on the Army crisis, and it was announced that Colonel Seely, Sir John French, and J. S. Ewart had resigned and that Mr. Asquith would become War Minister. CALLERS ON THE KING. Lord Morley had- an audience of the Ki.Bg before a. Council meeting at Buckingham Palace on Monday morning. In the after- noon Colonel Seely was received amd de- livered up the seal, of office on his resigna- tion of the post of Secretary of State for War. BIG PRICE FOR APPLES. A consignment of Cox s orange pippins, which arrived in London on Monday from Australia, fetched 41s. a bushel, as compared with 25s., the normal price. SHORT CUT TO FAME. 11 gas fittiiigi3, a man Charged with stealing gas fittings, a man named Rudd explained at Lambeth that he "did this for the purpose of putting his name before the public." TO BAN UNTIMELY HOOTS. The text of a. hill has been issued which is intended to prohibit in special areas during specified hours the use of certain warning ill- etrument.s on motor vehicles. THE SCHRODBR-STIIANZ EXPEDITION. Information has been received in Germany suggesting that there are yet other survivors of the ill-fated German Spitzbergen expedition. MALAY FEDERATED STATES. The feudatory State of Kelantan is agitating for inclusion in the Malay Federation. DESTRUCTIVE LANDSLIDE IN FRANCS. A farm has been swept away and other serious damage caused by a landslide in the Department of the Correze. SIGNOR TITO MATTEL The death has taken place, in his seventy- fifth year, of Signor Tito Mattei, composer and pianist. THAMES IRONWORKS. The engineering branch of the Thames Iron- works at Greenwich is to be reopened at an early date. PORTUGAL'S ILLITERATE MILLIONS. A consular report states that, tne population of Portugal and the Portuguese islands is 5,960,056, of whom no fewer than 1,936,131 males and 2,541.947 females are illiterate. £ 30,000 FOR AT TENDANT'S WIFE. Mrs. Rimmer, wife of James Rimmer, at- tendant at the Carnegie Library and keeper of the town hall at Birkdale, Southport, has received information that she has inherited £ 30,000 from her uncle in Switzerland. TORPEDO-BOATS DAMAGED IN STORM. During a. violent thunderstorm on the eastern coast of Sicily, the Italian torpedo- boats Alcione and Ardia were badly damaged. GERMAN ARMY AIRMAN KILLED. Captain Reinhardt wa^ killed and Lien- tenant Sehulz was badly injured as the result of a German army biplane crashing to the ground at Kurve on Monday. WOMEN AS SOLICITORS. The City of Loodon Sohcitors' Company (which consists of 200 solicitors) has decided to request the Law Society to oppose the Solicitors (Qualification of Women) Bill. TRAMPS MAY HAVE CHEESE. It had been decided by the guardians at Bradford, Wilts, that tramps should be allowed cheese. with the midday bread ration. NATIONAL GALLERY GUIDE. A official guide has been appointed for the National Gallery, Trafalgar-square, Londoa, and he will give two lectures daily. CAPTAIN'S 100TH ATLANTIC TRIP. Reaching Plymouth on Monday in command of the North German Lloyd liner Kronprin- zessen Cecilie. Captain Pollack completed his 100th voyage out and home as a commander on the Atlantic. EARTHQUAKE RECORDED AT CARDIFF. At Cardiff t.ho seismograph registered an extensive eartJJCJlIfikeeurly on Monday morn- ing, apparently about 5,000 miles a way. The first and the maxi- mum movement was registered at 1.30. DEATH OF OLDEST CHURCHWARDEN. r-'I r- IVlr. ucorge hkniner, of uushden, the oldeat churchwarden in England, died qh Monday, aged ninety seven. He possessed all his facul- ties to the end, and until a few days before he died was walking about the town, MARRIAGE RESTRICTION ON DEACONS. A recent issue of the Wellington (New Zea- land) Church Chronirlr states that it is the desire of the Bishop of the Province of New Zealand that no clergyman be married within three years of hie ordination to the diaconate. WIN FOR FARM LABOURERS. The strike of farm labourers at Hillington, Flitcham, and Baxingley, on the Sandring- ham estate, has been amicably settled. The tenant farmers ha/e agreed to increase the men's wages by one shilling a week, and the increase has been accepted by the men. BUILDING DISPUTE EXTENDS. The London Building Industries Federa- tion has called out those men who, not having been called upon to sign the masters' strike penalty agreement, have so far remained at work for members of the Masters' Federa- tion. It is estimated that forty firms and further 10,000 men will be affected. LIFE'S LITTLE IRONIES. At Highgate when a man was charged with cruelty to a horse it was said' that the horse woo employed by the Dumb Friends' League to help in the pulling of loads up the Arch- way-road. The horse was supplied by a con- tractor, and' the caee was adjourned so that the owner might he summoned. COAL STRIKE BEGINS. The etiyke Ül the Yorkshire coalfield hae commenced, the notices of the men falling due at several of the pits in the county. Ea-ch day during the week the numbers will be added) to. and by the week-end 170,000 men will be out of work.

CHANDELIER FATALITY. TWO WOMEN POlsONKD BY GAS. The breaking of a chfitdeiier caused the death by gas of two women living in Manor- road, Stoke Newington—namely, Mi«s Emily Loese, aged ninety-two, of independent means, and Miss Eliza West, aged fifty-six,  her ltonsekeee it was ;h' .t 'diss Leese had occupied the house .since it was built fifty years ago, while Miss West had been her housekeeper and companion for thirty-eight yean. Mr. W. H. K el J and, who lives next door, said that on Tne.alay lie hcarrl i hod the nuik- rnaji had called the lion. but could get no reply. The witness telephoned to the police. An entry obtained by means of a ladder through a back bedroom window. The room was full of gas, with both ladies lying dead in bed. Other rooms were also full of gas. In the dining-room it was found that th'1 chain of the gas chandelier ,ee, weigh ts were lying on the N a s pouring out of the chandelier. It had been in the house about thirty-eight or forty years, and it was what was known as a pull- down one. Dr. Bornhurst said the women had been dead many hours when he called. Deaih vas due to coal-gas poisoning. The jury returned a verdict of accidental cleath.

THE WRONG OFFICE. LADY WHO CALLED WITH m00 TO INVEST. How a lady with £100 to invest is said to have walked into the wrong office and parted with her money was. told in a case at Co-.en- try on Thursday, when Herbert Ford, insur- ance broker, was committed for triai at the next Warwick Assizes, charged with obtain- ing ClOO by fraud from Miss Lizzie Daven- port, of Berbswell, near Coventry. Last October Miss Davenport went to see Mr. Lord. the City Treasurer, to invest her sav- ings in Coventry Corporation stock. It was alleged that by mis-take she went into Ford's office, and he. not telling her she had come t-a, the wrong office, promised to attend to the investment. She handed him £100, but subsequently, finding her mistake, wrote for its return, and received a cheque. This was afterwards dishonoured at the bank. The prisoner, it was stated, absconded, and was arrested in Blackburn.

"DEAD MAN'S" CURSES. DOCTOR DRIVEN MAD OWING TO Jj LUNATIC'S PRANK. The sudden return to life of a supposed dead body created a panic at the St. Diony- sius lunatic asylum, near Copenhagen. A surgeon was about to remove the internal organs from the dead body of a patient, which was placed on a marble slab, when, saY,5 the Daily Exprcthe "corpse" sat up and hegan to curse him. The surgeon raised an alarm, and a number of nurses hurried into the room. When they saw the "dead man sitting up they fled. Then the "corpse" sprang down from the operating slab, and, rushing out of the room, locked the door on the surgeon. Later, when the surgeon's colleagues came to his rescue, his mind had given way, and he was raving mad. It was discovered that the supposed/ dead man had exchanged his clothing for the wrappings which covered the real body, whose place he proceeded to occupy on the Operating table. He was captured, and had apparently lost all remembrance of what had occurred.

A FORGOTTEN BRITISH ISLAND. Litigation over the ownership of a little island in Lake Erie, according to a Toronto correspondent, has disclosed the surprising fact that the strip of land in question, Little Sister Island, with a population of twenty, is the property of Great Britain independent of Canada, and amenable only to the laws of the Home Government. The island is in the occu- pation of a Mr. Goodchild, but Mr. John Napress, of Detroit, is seeking to Saint posses- sion in the courts, on the ground that it was given to him by a former owner named James Ross. Mr. Goodchild declares that he bought the island from Mr. Ross before the latter died forty-five years ago. The principal cause of the litigation is the discovery on the island of a valuable mineral.

Weighing 3001b., a 10ft. royal sturgeon was eold at Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, for £ 15.

ANCIENT SURGEUY. OPERATIONS OF 2,000 YEARS AGO INT ERE STING DISCO VEIIIE S. A set of thirty-seven very remarkable am ient- Greek surgical instruments has been discovered near the site of Koloohon, in Ionia, and has been brought to England. The instruments, says a correspondent of the Tint* show a typo of workmanship un- equalled in any oHser extant speciim' 's, and generally reveal the very great- progress in s!'i.ery which the ancients achieved. The date. though somewhat uncertain, is probably the fir.t or -seeond century A.D. With two exceptions, all the instruments are of bronze. The blades of the knives were originally of steel, but in each case this metal 11) been almost completely destroyed i, oxidation (rust). It is an interesting fact that in ancient tims knives were made either of st< ae or bronze. This custom was followed net be- cau.e iron II nknow 11, but because that metal was hekl in superstitious fear. FOR EXTRACTING ARROW HEADS. Amongst tlio hve pairs ot torceps or grip- per-s in ihe find is a large and beautifully- made instrument, the handles of which are shaped to represent two dolphins. This is probably a pair of "polypus" forcep-s, used for removing growths. The" bitiJ" of the teeth is i-lrong and clos€. Another interest- ing pair of foreojis is that used for extracting arrow and lance h-eads from wounds. An elevator for raising depressed1 bone is another interesting exhibit. Its presence in the colkvron would seem to prove that after-, battle efforts must have been made to treat surgically even the most serious wounds of the skull. Modern surgeons are apt to ,+,ry is a r?ce-?,tit dis- imagine that brain surgery is a recent dis- covery, and that operations for the elevation of pieces of depressed bone were invented within living memory. Another and still more remarkable brain instrument is the "drill-bow" lor operating a skull trephine. EVIL SPIRITS' ESCAPE. Far from being a triumph of modern sur- gery, skull trephining or trepanning is a very ancient r-'e-,louvre. Skulls have been dis- covered again and again showing trephine openings, and the natives of the South Sea Islands are actually known to practise the operation. In Classic times this was not undertaken, as at present, to relieve the pressure from an abscess or an effusion of blood, but to allow exit to the evil spirit supposed to be troubling an insane or epileptic patient. That thf Greek and Roman surgeons achieved uood results is certain. Probably the nnrtv of the atmosphere in which they wovke-' made them to f-m" extent indepen- dent of antiseptics. They used mandragora juiee o-- i.tn.pi.j as antw li.et.ics. I

FRENCH STEAMER SUNK. EIGHTEEN LIVES LOST. Lloyd's agents at Brisbane cabled on Friday as follows: "French steamer St. Paul, Noumenfor Sydney, in entering port about midnight Thursday, struck Smith's Rock and sank. Eighteen drowned." The St. Paul was a steel screw steamer of 1.633 tons gross, built in 1912, and owned in Bordeaux.

PICTURES ON GOOD FRIDAY. An application has been made before the Birmingham Incensing Justices for permission to open about twenty picture-houses on the evening of Good Friday. It was stated that frivolous pictures would not be s hown, as the managers made special arrangements for the day. The applications were granted. It was intimated that the permission was only in the nature of an experiment; the magistrates would be guided as to the future by a special report which would be prepared on the per- formances.

LADIES B 1_- it. N (j H t\ R I. S ILL M Are unrivalled for all Irregularities, &c., they speedily afford relief and m'ver fail to alleviatl all suffering. They supersede Pennyroyal, Pe Cochia, Bitter Apple, Ac. II BLANCHARDli are the Beit of all Pilis tor Women." Sold in bcxes,. ilij, by BOOTS' Branches, and all Chemists, or post free, same orice, from LE8LIE MARTYNr Ltd., Chemists, 14 DAL8TON LANIf lONDON Pree Sample ani valuable Booklet p',C1 f?-e -? 9tanttt ? DEATH TO BIG PRICES j My Friend, if you wish to Furnish your Home with Solid, Sound, Reliable Furniture THAT WILL LAST, come to ISRAEL FINE'S U HEAT SALE Which is proceeding for 14 days only. I Supply direct from my Factory. Established over Half a Century. Re-upholstering & Polishing by Experienced Workmen Very Fine Show of Cycles by Best MjjhlGBrs. Look at my 3-speed Bicycle, d65 I Os. Od. CASH. Everything marked in plain figures. Fine Selection of Artificial Wreaths, ISRAEL PINE, Lawn Terrace, Rhymney, and Commercial Street, New Tredegar. THE DESIKABLE POLICY FOR MOTORISTS ISSUED BY The London and Lancashire Life and General Assurance Association, Ltd. SPECIAL FEATURES AND PRIVILEGES. Members of the Insured's Family or his friends are indemnified whilst driving the Car with the consent of the Assured, against any claim made by a third party. The Policy insures the Owner whilst he is driving any other Car (irrespective of Horse Power) when his own Car is out of use. i Damage to the Car as defined is covered :— f ) (a) Whilst being driven by anybody licensed or unlicensed with or without the Insured's consent [ (b) Whilst being cleaned or repaired. (c) Whilst being used for Electioneering purposes. r. -¡:; j. TRANSFER.—The Policy may be transferred to a purchaser of insured arc without extra charge, or to new car by adjustment of premium (if any) subject tc particulars being furnished in writing. REPAIRS.—Necessary temporary repairs can be commenced without consents Permanent repairs may be executed Immediately without consent, provided a detailed estimate is first obtained and forwarded to the Association and the total cost does not exceed £ 10. The insured can have any repairs undertaken by the makers of the Car, provided they are willing to undertake the work on the same terms as the Association's Repairers No Cancellation Clause is inserted in the Policy, but Owners desiringito cancel their Policy, having sold or laid up their Car, may do so and claim a return of premium upon the following terms:- Policy in force 30 days or less—three-quarters of the premium. pt 90 to u -half M n 180 „ -one-quadu w w PROSPECTUSES ON APPUCATION. "1 J Looal Agent.JJ 0, JACOBS, Viqtoria Buildings