Monmouth Guardian and Bargoed and Caerphilly Observer

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ICEFLOE TRAGEDY. 69 MEN FROZEN TO DEATH. VICTIMS' TERRIBLE SUFFERINGS. 'A St. John's (Newfoundland) message says: The Bellaventure arrived here on Saturday night with sixty-nine dead and fifty survivors of the crew of the sealer Newfoundland. Captain Rendell, of the Bellaventure, gave the following account of the disaster: "Tues- day morning opened fair. The barometer showed no storm, and four ships put out over 1,000 men to seek for seals. The storm began about noon. Most of the New- foundland's men went on board the Stephano, but the skipper advised them to rejoin their own ship, as he was starting to recover his men. They thereupon started to return to the Newfoundland while the Stephano went to where her men were working. Meanwhile the latter had gone on board the Florizel, who wirelessed the news, and the Stephano returned so that the Newfoundland's crew might rejoin her if they were not on board their own ship. AMIDST THE SNOW DRIFTS. They had, however, wandered in the con- trary direction in the blinding snow drifts. The Newfoundland, having no wireless, her skipper supposed that his crew were on board the Stephano. The latter was signalling by whistle for hours, and, no men appearing, she concluded that they had rejoined the New- foundland. The storm only abated on Wednesday night. At daylight next morning Captain Rendell sighted strangers coming to his ship. The enfeebled movements of the nearest man caused forebodings, and these were con- firmed when he stated that 150 of the New- foundland's men had been ADRIFT FOR TWO DAYS AND NIGHTS. Captain Rendell promptly hurried his entire crew to the rescue. This work occupied the whole of Thursday. The last man to be saved had been lost fifty-nine hours without food, but was practically unscathed, though he went blind the next day. Physicians, however, say he will recover his sight later. Most of the men are frostbitten, some frightfully so. One man has both feet gangrened from the ankles, and he will have them amputated. FROZEN INTO THE ICE. Many dead were absolutely frozen into the ice, and the bodies had to be chopped out with axes. Several died between the time the reseuers had reached them and before they could be got to the ship. Forty-three bodies were taken off three fragments of ice within a short radius. The rescuers piled the dead in groups on level sheets of ice and planted flags above them for the steamer to collect as she came behind. Many had wandered long distances before they succumbed; they were found in frightful postures, the result of the agonies they had experienced in fighting the cold before death. Of one party of fifty only thirteen escaped; of a second party of forty- three nine. Of a third party of thirty-three twenty-two escaped; they had found a small berg, and sheltered behind it, and ascribe their safety to this. Many men became insane and others BATTIRED THEIR FACES AGAINST THE ICE, so that they were almost unrecognisable. Some in walking or jumping to keep the blood in circulation and to resist the ice stupor stumbled over dead comrades, and, being too enfeebled to rise, met the same fate. One jumped from an ice crag and killed himself. When the survivors reached the Bellaven- ture their boots and clothing had to be cut off to lessen their agonies. Several cases are very grave. There are thirty cases in the hospital. None will die, but three will lose both hands and feet; five will lose both feet. while eight will lose one foot, and eleven will lose one hand or the fingers on both hands. IN THE AGONY OF FROST-BITE. The process of identifying the bodies has been attended with harrowing scenes. Two bodies were found tightly clasped together. These proved to be father and son. Another had the fingers on one hand severed. Later one survivor explained that the dead man in the agony of frost-bite sliced off his fingers with a seaman's knife. Four bodies from one family were also found. Hospital patients tell terrible stories of their experiences, the sufferings endured be- ing almost beyond imagination. Some saved themselves from death by CUTTING OPEN SEALS, removing the entrails, and burying their heads and hands in the seals' stomachs, thus escap- ing the worst effects of frost. Others used dead 'bodies to shelter themselves; but in no case was evidence shown that any man had removed the clothing from the dead to help himself. All of the sixty-nine bodies recovered had their entire equipment of clothing, boots, and sealing gear intact just as they were taken off the ice.

ANOTHER DISASTER FEARED. SEALER WITH 170 MEN THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN LOST. Another despatch from St. John's says the sealer Erik, from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, with 21,000 seals, arrived there at noon on Sunday. She reported having seen or heard nothing of the missing sealer Southern Cross, Sir Ernest Shackleton's old ship. The com- mander, Daniel Martin, says the Erik and the Southern Cross were together on Thursday week, when the latter left for home. The Southern Cross had aboard 17,000 seals, and was so deeply laden that she had to stow her provisions and part of her bunker coal on deck, thus enabling every available space be- low decks to be filled with seals. From accounts of the circumstances attending the Southern Cross mystery Captain Martin fears that the prospects of her survival are very poor.

OLD PARR'S COTTAGE, MAN WHO LIVED IN TEN REIGNS. Old Parr's Cottage, which is situate in a sequestered dingle in the Breidden Hills, on the Shropshire and Montgomeryshire border, has been restored on antiquarian lines under the auspices of the Caradoc and Severn Valley Field Club, and it is to become a place of public resort. The cottage, which is a good example in wattle and dab," with half-timber work of the houses of the humbler sort of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, has been fitted up with furniture and utensils of the parish in which Old Parr lived. There is a brass mural tablet in Great Wolaston Chapel—a chapel-of-ease to Alher- bury Church contal Dillg the following in- scription: "The old, old, very old man, Thomas Parr, was born at the Glyn, in the township of Winnington, within the chapelry of Wolaston, in the parish of Alherbury, in the county of Salop, in the year of our Lord 1483. He lived in the reigns of ten kings and queens of England—viz. Edward IV. and V., Henry VII. and VIII., Edward VI. Mary, Elizabeth, James I., and Charles I. died the 13th, and was buried in Westminster Abbey, November 15th, 1635, aged 152 years and nine months."

MATMc?a!L INTRODUCTIONS. All classes suited. PIltil"s fTeO sealed envelope. Secretary. 33,

FOR THE THIRD TIME, HOME RULE BILL SECOND READING. GOVERNMENT MAJORITY 80. For the third time the Home Rule Bill was given a second reading in the House of Com- mons on Monday night, the voting on Mr. Long's motion for the rejection being as follows: Against rejection n. 356 For 276 Government majority 80 This majority is smaller than the Govern- ment obtained in the two previous second reading divisions, the figures for which are appended First second reading, 1912-majority 101. Second second reading, 1913—majority 98. In the division two Liberals, Sir Clifford Cory and Mr. Agar-Robartes, voted against the Government; and another, Mr. Pirie, ab- stained. Of the official Nationalist Party, 73 voted for the bill. One, Mr. Roche, was away ill. The O'Trienites, eight in number, took no part in titt, division. Two Liberal Mem- bers, Sir Robert B:fr>ur and Mr. Joseph Mar- tin, who arrived at Liverpool in the Maure- tania during the afternoon, reached Londofi in time to record their votes.

LONDON'S ELECTORATE. 675,000 PARLIAMENTARY VOTERS. A return has been prepared with respect to the London electorate for 1913-14 by the Local Government Committee to the London County Council. It shows that the London Parliamentary electorate for the year 1914 is 675,079, an increase of 6,003 upon that for 1913, when there was an increase of 5,428. The total number of names of peicons regis- tered as entitled to vote at County Council elections in the Administrative County of London for the year 1914 is 810,369, or an in- crease of 6,654 upon that for the year 1913, when there was an increase of 7,073.

DEATH OF MRS. HUXLEY. FAMOUS SCIENTIST'S WIDOW. The death is announced of the widow ol Professor Huxley, which took place on Sun- day, at her house at Eastbourne, at the age of eighty-eight. One of a Kentish family named Heathorn, who emigrated to Sydney, she met Huxley in 1847, then assistant-surgeon in the Rattle- snake, which had been sent out by the British Government on a surveying expedition. For eight years she waited uniil the young scientist could gain a permanent post to marry on. They had a happy married life of forty years. Mrs. Huxley was fond of writing verse, and had the distinction of publishing a Tolume of poems at the age of eighty-six.

AN INSURANCE QUESTION. MERCANTILE MARINE AND THE ACTS. Application having been made to the Insur- ance Commission (England) by the Shipping Federation, Limited, for the determination under Section 66 of the Insurance Act, 1911, of the question whether certain officers and engineers employed in the Mercantile Marine are so employed within the meaning of the Acts, 191113, the Commissioners give notice that a hearing of parties interested will take place on, Tuesday, the 21st hist., at Bucking- ham Gate. Any persons interested who de- sire to be heard before a decision is given should give not less than three days' notice; while statements in writing made by persons affected will be considered if submitted not later than the day preceding that fixed for the hearing.

BARONET SHOT DEAD. ACCIDENT WHILE CLEANING GUN. Sir John Shiffner, Bart., died from a gun- shot wound at his residence, Bevern Bridge, Chailey. near Lewes, on Sunday morning. It is supposed that in expectation of having some shooting with his two young sons when they arrived home from school for the Easter holidays, he was cleaning a gun, when it went off. killing him almost instantly. Sir John Shiffner, who was fifty-six, was the fifth holder of the title. Formerly he served as captain in the Royal Artillery, and went through the Zulu campaign of 1879, receiving the medal and clasp. He was a Justice of the Peace for Sussex, and had been chairman of the Lewes Bench. Lady Shiffner and two sons and one daughter survive him.

CHILD'S TRAGIC DISCOVERY. FATHER AND MOTHER FOUND SHOT. A tragic story was told on Monday by the little daughter of George Barfor'd, aged thirty, a gamekeeper of Cranfield, Berkshire, who, with his wife, was found shot dead on Sunday. The little girl, Emily, who is six years old, said that she heard her "daddy" come home on Saturday night, and heard him say: "I'll shoot yon." She also heard her mother say: "Don't George; don't." "Then the gun went off two times, said the child, "awl I went to sleep." She added that the next morning she went downstairs to get her frock, when she found her mother and father lying on the floor. She then ran to the con- stable's house.

NAVAL STOKERS SCALDED. THREE KILLED BY BURST BOILER TUBE Three men were killed on Monday at Chat- ham by the bursting of a boiler tube in the torpedo-boat destroyer Alb;'core. Reginald 'James, a stoker, was dead when assistance arrived, and George Ballard, a stoker petty officer, and Walter Wilitiii-i Hewit, a second- class stoker, were so badly scalded that they died shortly afterwards. The Albacore at the time was on her way down the Mcdway to take in ammunition before going to Harwich

MADONNA ROBBED OF CROWN. The ancient and picturesque church of Madonna del Sasso, situated at a height of 1,165ft. above Locarno, has been entered by burglars, who smashed in the old sanctuary door and secured a valuable haul in gold and silver. All the ancient vessels and plate in solid gold and silver on the altar were taken, says the Daily Chronicle Geneva correspon- dent, and the statue of the Madonna was robbed of its gold crown set with jewels.

MILL HANDS AND MILITANTS. Militant Suffragettes met with a hostile re- ception at Blackpool, Cork, on Saturday, when they sought to press literature on the girl mill hands of a flax factory. The girls severely handled the Suffragettes, tore their hats and coats off, and personal injury was in. :=: ia :W:;l

I I K FAVS IN A •>: UTSHELL. Tee jISccrc'tary, answeri ng questions in the Cor:;r.:o;;$, has stated that no piau for operations Ulster was ever difmisaod. pvepofted, or pi, pared at the War Olik-e, and that no wurrants for the arrest of Ulster Covenantors were prepared or werc in course of preparation. Merchants in feathers consider that the Plumage Hi 11 will have a disastrous effect on many people. A i -;avy supply of meat from ahroad has causer' a temporary drop in prices. TV. the House of Commons on Monday night the second reading of the Home Ride Bl-tl as carried by a majority of 80. Mr. Daniels, Secretary of the United States Navy, has issued an order that after July 1st all naval offers when at sea will have to be total :-h: announced of Major If'i¡ry Cu?t'ffe ?. 'nms Wynne, vlo was t hrown g;I: rfc h (: j(;1 m,: ,(Y seriousl y hOÜí jured th,({:i ridii'i in a print-to-point steeplechase at Botr'f:eld last week. 31" Churchill, replying to Sir C. Kiniech Cooke i,. the I'nu-.•? of Commons, declined to give the nom- of the Members of the Board of i-o;iiatiotis he had re- quested duri his term of office. A singular hdorrnptio-n to railway traffic occurred at Ki.khy Stephen, Oil the North Eastern Railway, on Monday. Signalman Harsvoorl was found lying in an apoplectic fit with all his signals against approaching trains. Mrs. Patrick Campbell, the well known actress, was married on Monday in London to Mr. George Cornwallis West, who was divorced by Lady Randolpli Churchill. Mr. Edward. Marston. formerly of Sampson Low. Marston, and Co., the publishers, died on Monday in his ninetieth year. According to the Mexican rebel commis- sion's report on the death of Mr. Benton, the rancher was ■Oiot in a railway train, while being conducted to prison, by Major Fierro. Nine men have been killed at Memphis, Tennessee, as the result of an explosion in a caisson of the new bridge which is being built across the Mississippi. Charles Edwin Fenner. the London stock- broker, has remanded at the Mansion House on charges alleging fraudu- lent conversion of shares. Suffragettes caused a disgraceful scene fn the Marlborough-street Court. London, on Monday, who:1 Mrs. Drummond was charged. TelenVne communication has been estab- lished between Berlin and Rome by a line 1,250 miles long. General Count Kuroki, one of the heroes of the Russo-Japanese War, has retired from the Japanese Army. Sir John Lonsdale has had to undergo another operation and will be unable to attend to his Parliamentary duties for some time. Mr. Thornton, the new American general manager of the Great Eastern Railway, ar- rived at Liverpool on hoard the Lusitauia 0.1 Monday. Mr Thomas Lothian traffic manager at the United Alkali Company's works, Heb- burn-on-Tyue, was killed 611 Monday by a truck which ran down an incline. Bhckpool's new motor fire engine dashed into the kerb w'hen returning from a fire on Monday, and several of the crew were thrown off. They were not injured. Mr. Walter Hodgson, M.A.. of Keble Col- lege. Oxford, lias been appointed official shorthand writer to the Houses of Lords and Commons in place of the late Mr. Gurney Angus. At Brooklands on Monday Al r.. D. R. O'Douovan. on a 3'-h.-p. Norton motor-cycle, beat the record for the flying kilometre, covering the distance in 27 3-5:-ec.a speed ]I :? speed of more than eighty-one miles per hour. Captain Grigor. of the steamer Scotsdyke, which, caught fine in the Channel, has been exonerated from blame by the Nautical Court at Glasgow. Spontaneous combustion of osparto grass was given as the cause of the vessel 's loss. Colonel Sharman Crawford, Unionist, has been returned unopposed as M.P. for East Belfast in sm-cession to the late Mr. R. J. MeMordie.

a bad gathering in my thumb, writes Mr& M. Walls, of New Par k -qarrogate. swollen and inflamed and ached very badly. I coul d n't do my homework. Ointments and poultices !l failmal. Zam-Buk, however, soot h ed a? d ■ ■ cleanied my sore thumb. All the corruption gi ■ and prou d flesh were removed an d Zam-Bu k S H then healed my thumb with ntw skin!" 9

INSTITUTION TilicRORTSi;D BY A BOY. A fourteen-year-old Nottingham lad, John (,tt i il g liam la(l, John Henry Peters, who a month ago 'cut his throat because he was tired of life," and was sent to Skegness Sanatorium, has been giving much trouble there. He smlshefl the windows, terrorised the staff and inmates by brandish- ing a dangerous knife, fired the gorse and shrubbery, and finally threatened to set fire to the institution. In despair the officials sent an urgent message to the police authorities begging for the lad's immediate removal. At the police-court on Saturday he was remanded for medical inspection.

BEACHY HEAD TRAGEDY. IWO Doys WHO were conveying letters to the lighthouse at Beaehy Head on Saturday evening saw a man fall from one of the highest points of the cliffs. After a drop of some 500ft. the body was caught on a ledge, where it was subsequently recovered by four coastguards. On Sunday the dead man was identified by hi.s brother as Arthur Attlee, aged thirty-five, unmarried, a clerk to a chemist. His father, who lives at D vrking, wa's formerly warden at Christ Church, Eastbourne.

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THE EASTER FESTIVAL. ITS OBSERVANCE. CURIOUS CUSTOMS. Everisince the first Easter morning, when the angel at the mouth of the empty tomb proclaimed to weeping Mary that her Lord was risen, the feast of the Resurrection has been the most joyous of all the festivals ob- served by Christian people. The manner of its observance varies in different countries, and even in different parts of the same country, but always its keynote is joy; and there is a poetic appropriateness in the fact of its commemoration at the season when the earth itself is waking to new life after its death-like winter sleep, lending colour as it does to the idea that Nature itself is rejoicing in the resurrection of Nature's God. In ancient times the celebration of Easter lasted eight days. After the eleventh century, however, it was limited to three and, later still, generally to two days. While the feast lasted the courts of justice were closed, and alms dispensed to the poor, who were even feasted in the churches—a custom which led to much disorder. Slaves also received their freedom at that season; and as the austeri- ties of Lent were over people gave themselves up to enjoyment—hence Easter Day itself was called the "Sunday of joy." Not only were all kinds of sports and dances indulged in, but farcical exhibitions, in which even the clergy joined in some places, reciting from 4their pulpits stories and legends with the object of moving their hearers to laughter. Against this indecency, however, the Re- formers of the sixteenth century loudly and successfully raised their voices. It was customary on Easter Day for the people to salute each other with the Easter kiss, and the exclamation He is risen!" to which the reply was, "He is risen indeed!" The chief solemnity of the festival always consisted of the celebration of the Lord's Supper Easter Sunday is, as everyone knows, the great movable feast of the Church's year. When the date of Easter is determined the other movable dates of the Church readily fall into place. Easter cannot happen earlier than March 22nd, nor later than April 25th; but between these extremes it has a range of thirty-five days on which to occur. When the commemorative practice began, about the close of the first century after Christ died, the records showing the exact dates of the Crucifixion and Resurrection had been lost, but it was known that the Saviour was crucified during Passover Week. The Christians of the Asiatic Churches, therefore, kept the 14th of the month of Hisar, the day on which the Jewish Passover began, as the Resurrection Day, but the Western Churches more accurately kept the anniversary on the Sunday following the first Passover Day. The difference in custom caused a moat bitter controversy between the Ea.stern and Western Churches, which was at last settled in 325 A.D. by a decision of the Church Coun- cil. This declared that Easter Day should be observed on the first Sunday after the full moon, occurring on or next after March 21ct. Should this full moon fall on a Sunday, the Sunday after is Ea.ster Day. This arrangement was adopted because March 21st is very near the date of the vernal equinox; and a tradition existed that this equinox had occurred im- mediately before the Crucifixion. Many curious customs have gathered round the celebration of Easter; and, of them all, those most widely spread are those connected with Easter eggs. It is more than strange that around so simple and homely a thing as an egg there should cluster so many curious traditions; but the fact remains that it has been regarded with superstitious reverence from the earliest times. For use at Easter- time eggs are often stained of various colours with dye-woods or herbs, and people mutually make presents of them. Sometimes they are kept as amulets, sometimes they are eaten; games are also played by striking them against one another. In some moorland districts of Scotland it used to be the custom for young people to go out early on Pasch (i.e., Easter) Sunday and search for wildfowls' eggs for breakfast, and it was thought lucky to find them. In all countries where the Greek Church has held sway the use of dyed eggs at Easter has been maintained from the earliest times; and an old traveller has left on record a very quaint description of this usage amongst the Russians. "They have an order at Easter," he says, "which the. alwaies observe, and that is this: every yeere, against Easber, to die or colour red a great number of eggs, of which every man and woman giveth one unto the priest of the parish on Easter Day in the morning. And, moreover, the common people use to carrie in their hands one of these red Egges, not only upon Easter Day, but also upon three or four days after, and gentlemen and gentlewomen have eggs gilded, which fhey carrie in like manner. They use it, as they say, for a great love, and in token of the Resurrection, whereof they rejoice." It may be news to many of our readers that the distribution of red eggs at Easter is observed to this day in England; for at the Church of St. Mary Woolnoth, near the Mansion House in London, each member of the congregation is presented on Easter morning, at the close of the service, with ail Easter egg, dyed red. The custom of pre- senting eggs coloured red is known to have existed long before the Christian era, amongst the Persians, Egyptians, Hindus, and other Easter races; and it is supposed that the early Christians adopted it because they saw in it a representation of the blood of the Redeemer. Be the origin of the custom what it may, the practice of giving eggs as Easter gifts is too deeply rooted ever to be discontinued; and since it has been made the medium of all sorts of expensive presents the manufac- turers of fancy goods may well hope that the custom will never become less popular than it is to-day. The variety of the modern "Easter egg" is endless; and its value ranges according to its contents from the humble penny to many pounds. Probably the limit of extravagance has been reached in the case of a wealthy financier who recently presented to his young bride an Easter "egg" which contained, amongst other things, a complete trousseau, and took seven men to carry it. From Regent-street, where this monstrous egg was prepared, to Ispahan is a long way; but that geographical distance is nothing compared with the historical gulf that comee between the modern millionaire buying an egg that needs seven men to lift, u and the early Christian holding in his hand the sym- bol of the resurrection as he assured 'his companions in joyful accents, The Lord is risen indeed Modern fashion and ancient history can hardly furnish us with ft wider contrast than that.

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UNDET I- C T I- D C [t I .¡ E S 29 YEARS' TRAGIC RECORD. The acquittal of John Starchfield in the train murder case adds another to the long list of London's unsolved murder mysteries. Failing some lucky clue or a confession from the actual criminal, the murderer of- the un- fortunate little boy is not now likely to be brought to justice. During the last- two decades about 300 mur- ders have been committed in the London dis- trict. of which about forty have gone unde- tected. A considerable increase in the num- ber of undetected crimes is believed to have occurred. The number of murders committed annually throughout the country is about 150. In at least twenty-five of the undetected murders of the past twenty years in the Lon- don district there was considerable hue and cry, but without any useful result. These mysterious cases include Miss Money, whose body was found in Merstham Tunnel in September. 1905. Miss Hogg, murdered at CamberFey in June, 1906; throat. cut by burglar. Emily Dimmock, found with throat cut in her room at Camden Town, September, 1907. Lily Templeton, found dead in her bed- room at Brixton. November, 1009. Mr. Wildon Anderson, found shot at Battersea, July, 1910. CASES IN THE PROVINCES. In the country the number of undetected murders is probably higher than in the metropolis. The further away from the capi- tal the easier jog it for the murderer to get through his gruesome business undiscovered. Amongst the most notable of the unsolved crimes in the provinces during the pift twelve years are the following pa-ses: Rose Harsenl, a servant girl, found dead at Peasenhall. Suffolk, June. 1902. Mi6s Sheriff, found strangled on a cliff near Bournemouth. February. 1908. Mr. G. H. Storrs.millowner. of Gorse Hall, near Stalybridge, found stabbed. November. 1909. Mr. Kent Reeks, found shot in a field near Bilston, January, 1914. Fortunately for the peace of m I n-cl, comments the Standard, specialisation in murder is rare, a.nd the professional mur- derer is not common. But, when he does materialise he is rooii run down. owing to the tendency of all evildoers to d;) their work on lines which become stereotyped. An ex- ception i« Jack the Ripper, the most revolt- ing of all professional murderers, who. in the opinion of more than one high police official, ended his life in the Thames, and thus escaped from justice.

DROWNED SEA SCOUTS. PRINCE LEOPOLD UNVEILS MEMORIAL. Prince Leopold of Battenberg. president of the Port of London Sea Scouts' Committee, visited St. Agatha's Church. Finsbury- avenue, on Saturday afternoon, to unveil a tablet to the memory of the four Sea Scouts who perished off Gravesend last October 011 the occasion of the sinking of the vessel on which a troop of Scouts were practising, and also to present Lloyd's silver medal and cer- tificate awarded to Scout-Master Vowles for his pluck in saving life at the imminent peril of his ow n. The Vicar, the Rev. Everard Digby, in a short address, said that two of the four Scouts were splendid swimmers, and could easily have saved their own lives had they been selfish enough to-do so, while the other two afforded a splendid example of the value of discipline. Prince Leopold, in drawing aside a silken Union Jack which veiled the tablet, said, It is indeed a great pleasure to unveil this tablet to the memory of those who gave their lives for others." The tablet, which is set in the south wall of the church, is of dull bronze, two feet in depth by one foot in width. Upon its upper pa.rt is a representation of Christ. calling upon four bovs to come to him from the water. The inscription on the lower part of the tablet is to the dear memory of Roger Sowerbutts Cornall, Christopher Henry Witt, Rowland Maurice Purnell, and Harold Walter Rendell. Buglers of the Sea Scouts sounded the "Last Post" at the close of the ceremony. Subsequently, in a hall adjoining the church, Prince Leopold presented Lloyd's silver medal and certificate to Scout Master Vowles. The Vicar explained that the Scout- master not only saved several lives, but after- wards went into the forecastle of the sinking vessel and waded breast deep in water to make sure that ncbody was left behind.

NAVAL SPY SENTENCED. SIX YEARS' PENAL SERVITUDE. Before Mr. Justice Atkin, at the Olfll Bailey on Friday, Frederick Adolphus (JoaM, aged fifty-five, described as a coimjiission agent, and his wife, Maud Gould, were charged with feloniously obtaining certain plans and other documents calculated dad in- tended to be useful to an enemy. The woman was arrested at Charing Cross M she was about to leave in a Continental train on February 22nd, while the man was appre- hended at his house in Merton-road, Wands- worth. later on the same day. Gould pleaded guilty and his wife not guilty. To a second charge against him of feloni- ously inciting Mrs. Gould to commit an offence- contrary to the Official Secrets Act, Gould pleaded not guilty, while a similar plea was entered by the woman- in reply to a charge of receiving certain plane and information relating to the construction of ships, calcu- lated to be indirectly or directly usefifl to an enemy, having at the time a reasonable amount of belief that the information was for a purpose prejudicial to the sa-fety of the State. The Attorney-General said, in view of the turn the case had taken by the man pleading guilty to the principal indictment, the Crown had decided not to offer any evidence against the woman, and would withdraw the case against her. The judge then directed the jury to return a verdict of not guilty on both indictments against her. This they did, and she left the dock. In passing sentence on Gould, the judge said he had been convicted of a very serious offence. He was a foreigner who came to t his country at an early age, and had enjoyed its hospitality, and it behoved him that he should not betray the interests of the country whose hospitality he had so enjoyed. But it was apparent that for a number of years he had endeavoured to seduce from their allegi- ance officers of the State. He sentenced Gould to six years' penal servitude, and ordered him to be deported at the expiration of the sentence.

PSY(HiC PHOTOGRAPHY. A SPECTRE IN A RUINED CHAPEL. We have received a visit, says Light, the organ of the London Spiritualists, from a gentleman (Mr. S. F. Peirsor.) who has shown us a remarkable specimen of what seems to be a psychic extra appearing spontaneously on a photograph. He tells us that in the afternoon of Monday, the 2nd ult., lr. T. W. Latch- more. of Hitchin, a professional photographer, took a photograph of the ruins of Misinden Chapel (near Hitchin) and was afterwards sur- prised to find 011 the plate the outline of a shadowy figure. We have inspected the photograph, and the figure, hooded and re- sembling a nun, is clearly perceptible. It is transparent, as is shown by the fact that the wall of the ruins can be seen through it. We are informed that no idea of obtaining a psychic picture was in the mind of the photo- grapher. and the matter is to be laid before the Society for Psychical Research. We learn from Mr. Peirson that there is a tradition in the neighbourhood that the locality is haunted by the spirit of a nun.

ANCIENT JEWISH CAPITAL. IMPORTANT DISCOVERY IN SAMARIA. Dr. Ernst Sellin, an Austrian theological professor engaged in excavation work in Palestine, reports that he lias discovered in the hill of Balanta, in Samaria, the founda- tion of the ancient Israelite capital, Shechem. Although the professor was only able to work less than three weeks, he succeeded in uncovering some very interesting objects con- nected with the various periods of the city's lii.storv--Ca-iaayiite, late Israelite, and Hel- lenic. Amongst them, says the Pall Mall (j'izrftr, are arrows, rings, pitchers and jugs, and other household utensils, chiefly made of silver or bronze.

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