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IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—JULY 2. THE MILITIA BALLOT. Lord Wemyss moved the second reading of the Militia Ballot Bill, which, as he explained, was the same measure that was submitted to their lordships last year by the Secretary of State for War. He con- fessed that in his judgment the bill was far too drastic, and he hoped the House would, after agreeing to the second reading, modify its clauses in Committee. In 1898, on this subject being brought forward, the Secretary of State for War stated that, although he was not pre- pared to enforce the ballot, yet it was not a power which he would readily part with. The noble lord in the following year brought in a bill, identical with that now under consideration—not for the purpose of imposing the ballot, but in order to improve the machinery of the ballot, so as to make the system available at the present time.' It was now a derelict bill. Not only had the Govern- ment left their bill derelict, but they had adopted the unprecedented course of sending out a whip to whip it out of life. Instead of strengthening our military system the Government were destroying it by the way in which they treated the Volunteer furce. Lord Cowper bad always held that compulsion ought not to be resorted to in this country unless it were proved to be absolutely necessary. The momentous events of the last nine months had not in the least degree altered his opinion in this respect. Lord Newton declared that after considering the Government proposals for home defence and the bill proposed by the noble lord he emphatically preferred the latter. Lord Lansdowne maintained that the Government, situated as they were at the present moment, would not be justified in advancing this bill in its progress through Parliament. He admitted saying in 1898 that in his opinion the existence of the)militia ballot was of vital importance to the military system of this country and that nothing would induce him to part with that great reserve of power. He added, however, that the machinery of the ballot was more or less of an obsolete character and required revision. Therefore he proposed to have that machinery examined, and if necessary, to introduce a bill on the subject: but he distinctly stated that her Majesty's Government were not to be understood as pledging themselves either to have recourse to the ballot or to pass a Ballot Bill through Parliament in that or any other Session. In 1899, he introduced a bill in order to see what reforms should be made in case legislation became necessary, but there was no intention of passing the measure. He wholly repudiated the idea that the Government had changed their minds. The noble lord on the cross bench bad now appropriated their bill, but he denied that it would in the least degree meet the present emergency. After a vigorous defence of the emergency measures of the Govern- ment, he said it would be impossible at this time to describe fully the proposals they had in contempla- tion for the Militia. He would, however, describe some of the measures' affecting the Militia that would be adopted in the immediate future. In the first place action would be taken without loss of time to remedy the grievance with respect to clothing. Then a scheme had been prepared giving to Militia officers more frequent oppor- tunities of attending courses of instruction with- out having to incur any private expense, while something would also be done to add to the efficiency of the non-commissioned officers. He boped, further, to be able to increase the length of the training undergone by militia recruits. A scheme had likewise been considered allowing the whole of the militia to accept a longer liability for service abroad, and in consideration of their assuming that liability the bounties might be considerably increased with the further condition that the Militia Reserve should be put an end to altogether. As these matters were still under consideration it was not unreasonable for the Government to express a hope that their lordships would not proceed further with a Ballot Bill. He proposed, therefore, to ask them to vote for the -41 previous question." On a division the "previous question was carried by 90 votes against 31, and the bill was consequently lost. BILLS ADVANCED. The Colonial Solicitors Bill, the Mines (Prohibition of Child Labour Underground) Bill, the Prevention of Corruption Bill, and the Volunteer Bill were read a third time arid passed. HOUSE OF COMMONS. DUBLIN ELECTRIC LIG ITTING. The Dublin Electric Lighting Bill, which was dis- cussed last week, when the report stage was agreed to by a narrow majority, was again debated at con- siderable length on the motion for the third reading, and ultimately the bill was thrown out by 174 votes against 168, amid the cheers of the majority of the Nationalist members. CHINA. Mr. Brodrick, replying to Sir E. Ashmead-Bart- Jett, informed the House that the German Admiral at Taku had received intelligence contirming the news of the murder of tjie German Minister at Pekin by Chinese regular troops. He also stated that the total allied forces numbered about 13,000 men, but ,that as yet it had not been thought possible to make a further advance. Questioned with regard to the -state of affairs in the Yang-tzse provinces, he said that the Consuls in those regions had been in com- munication with the Viceroys, who were aware that they would be supported by the British Government in preserving order. ] THE AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH. ( Mr. Chamberlain announced that as a result of communications with the Australian colonies the Government had decided not to bring in a bill for the appointment of four additional judges to repre- sent the colonies in this country, but that they would take an early opportunity to consult the colonies as to the advisability of establishing a supreme per- manent Court of Appeal for the whole Empire. HOUSING OP WORKERS. The Housing of the Working Classes Act (1890) Amendment Bill was considered as amended, and on the motion of Lord E. Fitzmaurice a new clause was agreed to, which provided for the transference of the powers conferred by the measure on a district council to the county council, when the former authority failed to put the Act into operation. A clause moved by Mr. Channing and proposing that when land was acquired under the Act otherwise than by agreement no additional compensation should be given to the owner because his property was pur- chased compulsorily was resisted by Mr. Chaplin, on the ground that the clause, which had been already discussed at the Committee stage, would expose pro- prietors whose land was taken under this legislation to exceptional treatment. Sir H. Fowler pointed out that there were precedents establishing the principle of the clause, which was, however, after further con- versation rejected by 150 votes against 96. A clause providing that in cases of compulsory purchase the amount of compensation should be determined in default of agreement by a single arbitrator appointed by the Local Government 133oard or, in London, by the Home Secretary was passed, and after other amendments had been dis- posed of, The bill was ordered for third reading. r\ IL AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS. Cultural Holdings Bill as amended^" ° F' on the Ministerial side oflhf w 1 that they were ^ng°^td measure unexpectedly. They called ntf0"?-" the second clause of the bill? which provisions for the settlement of differences between landlords and tenants by arbitration, and insisted that it was faulty because it did not require the arbitrator to specify in his award the amounts given in respect of different claims. Objection was also taken to the clause which restricts the landlord's right of distress and to the proposal that the tenant should be entitled to claim for improvements made without the landlord's consent and altering the cha- "Wter of the holding. These criticisms of the bill ca'ae from Lord Willoughby de Eresby, Lord Percy, iuarr Cecil, and other members. Mr. Long the retention of the arbitration clause in cedm^,SeQt form on ground that it simplified pro- memv,' aanJ? the Attorney-General assured the obstar-ln ;^ii? Were dissatisfied that there would be no <L.rfitr°f„hre,n on 0f kw ,rom Mr Chftnn;„~ County-court. Agriculture tn et^ fcke President of the Board of Ere X-ntSS^n cord of the condition ofZT^°? T re" refused on the ground that thecd'e would'operate unjustly and necess.tate.needless expenditure. After %sWt conversation a division was token, and the proposal was rejected bv 142 votes against 46.

I HOUSE OF IORDS.—JULY 4. FORMAL BUSINESS. The Ancient Monuments Protection Bill was, on the motion of Lord Avebury, read a third tinne and passed. The Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Bill passed through Committee and was reported without amendment to the House. Lord Waldegrave moved that a committee of five lords should be appointed to join with a committee of the House of Commons for the purpose of con- sidering the constitution of Queen Anne's Bounty Board. The motion was agreed to. HOUSE OF COMMONS. WAR QUESTIONS. Captain Norton having asked whether the time had not come for the publication of Sir G. White's Ladysmith despatches, Mr. Wyndham repeated the answer which he had given on previous occasions, that the publication of despatches was a question within the discretion of the Secretary of State. At the request of Sir W. Foster, Mr. Wyndham stated the number of cases of enteric fever admitted into hospitals at Bloemfontein during each of the eight weeks ended on May 11 and the number of cases that ended fatally. In the whole period there were 2087 admissions and 286 deaths. THE CHINESE CRISIS. Mr. Brodrick informed Sir H. Campbell-Banner- man, who asked for the latest news respecting the crisis in China, that a large number of foreigners and missionaries had taken refuge in the British Legation at Pekin, which was now besieged. He added that the situation at Pekin, whence no direct information had come, was undoubtedly very grave. Mr. Pritchard-Morgan subsequently asked leave to move the adjournment of the House in order to call attention to the position of the British Legation at Pekin and the steps that should be taken to meet the situation. The question whether leave should be given having been put .by the Speaker in the usual way. the Nationalist members and a fairly large number of Radical members rose in their places to signify assent, but the occupants of the front Opposi- tion bench remained seated, as did all the supporters of the Government. The suggestion which Mr. Pritchard-Morgan had to make was that the Govern- ment, in conjunction with the Governments of other Powers, should consider the expediency of creating a Regency in China, and he maintained that the person who should be selected as Regent was Li Hung Chang. Mr. Joseph Walton feared that before Li Kung Chang could be made Regent the lives of the Euro- peans would have been sacrificed. In his opinion the best course to take would be for the Powers to intimate to the Viceroys administering the Yang-tsze regions that there was no intention of seizing Chinese terri- tory.' The Government should also inform Li Hung Chang that he would be held responsible in purse and person foe any outrages committed upon foreigners in the district under his government near Canton. Mr. Gibson Bowles said that he had been informed that six out of the nine viceroys of China had met together and formed a provisional Government, and that they were prepared and able to guarantee good order and safety in the central and southern pro- vince. Here, then, was a da facto Government ready to take charge of the abandoned empire, and lie urged her Majesty's Ministers to recognise it without delay. Mr. Dillon asked whether there was any founda- tion for the report that the United States Admiral disapproved of the attack upon the Ta-ku forts, and Sir E. Ashmead-Bartlett counselled the Government to invite Japan to intervene at once. Mr. Brodrick declined at the present juncture to be led into a discussion as to the policy to be pur- sued in future-in connection with China. It might be the duty of the Government to consider the pro- priety of conferring on Li Hung Chang some special authority to act on behalf of the Powers for the preservation of order, but in present circumstances I it. would not be right to announce their adoption of this or any alternative policy. The Govern- ment had been reproached because they had not invoked the intervention of Japan; but, as a matter of fact they had communicated to every Power concerned their desire that as large a force as possible should be placed at the disposal of the officers on the spot. There was no reason to suppose that there was any difference of opinion between the American admiral and the other com- manders with regard to the attack on the Taku forts. It had been made perfectly clear to Japan that the British Government hoped that Power would supple ment considerably the Japanese contingent already landed, and he had no reason to think that any in- iluence had been exercised by othor countries to dis- courage Japan from undertaking the work of restoring order. He pointed out, however, that there would be serious difficulties in the way of any relieving force of great magnitude. He summarised the course of events since May 20 and then explained in detail the provision which her Majesty's Government had made to meet the emergency. Nearly 2000 men had been landed, making with the contingents of other Powers 13,500 troops. With them were 53 field guns and 36 Maxims. Ten thousand men were going to China from India, and the Indian Government with cha- racteristic promptitude had already despatched several transports with some of these troops. The naval force which was available ought to be amply sufficient to protect the isolated treaty porta where foreigners resided. The Government could not at present decide what form the government of China should take, but the Viceroys had been in- formed that as long as they used their influence for the preservation of law and order they would ba supported. For the present the safety of the Lega- tions and the preservation of order were the only points to which the Government could be expected to direct their attention. That there should be com- plete accord between all the Powers was a matter of vital importance, and up to the present there had been complete agreement between them to take steps that ought to be taken. Sir E. Grey agreed that the present was not an opportune moment for discussing large questions of policy affecting China, and that the one paramount necessity was the work of rescue. Afterwards would come the work of reparation. He trusted that the Government would exercise their influence with the Powers to avert anything like a partition of China, which would bo calamitous to all concerned. The motion was then withdrawn. IRISH TITIIE RENT CHARGES. I The remainder of the sitting was devoted to the consideration of the Irish Tithe Rent-charge Bill in Committee, and the Nationalist members, led by Mr. Dillon, manifested their hostility to the measure by protracting the discussion of the tirst clause until iridnight. Amendments which would have curtailed the benefits proposed to be conferred oq payers of ecclesiastical tithe rent- charge by the measure having been negatived by majorities of 50 and 42, speeches of considerable l length were delivered against the policy of the clause on the question that it stand part of the bill. On the stroke of twelve, Mr. Balfour moved the closure, which was carried by 144 votes against 64, and after another division the clause was passed.

THE WAR AND THE WOUNDED. MR. BURDETT-COUTTS' ALLEGATIONS OF NEGLECT. DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT. The House of Commons on Friday night of last week, having gone into Committee of Supply, and a formal vote for the Army Medical Establishment having been put from the chair, Mr. Wyndham, the Under Secretary for War, rose to make his ex- pected statement in reply to the charges with regard to the treatment of the sick and wounded in South Africa, which appeared in Mr. Burdett-Coutts's in the columns of the Times. He referred at the outset to the absorbing and painful interest of the subject which the hon. member for West- minster had brought to the notice of the country, and then explained that the Committee would expect, from him an answer to the following questions: Were the hon. member's statements true if they were true, wholly or partially, could the evils to which he called attention have been avoided by the exercise of greater foresight, by a more lavish expenditure, or by greater zeal and intelligence on the part of the, Royal Army Medical Corps and, lastly, were the evils in question now remedied or being remedied ? Answering tht) first question, he admitted frankly that it was true to a lamentable extent that our wounded and sick at Bloemfontein had been exposed to terrible hardships, but in describing their sufferings the hon. member had omitted to mention facts and considerations which ought to be placed before the public in order to enable it to form a just judgment. The picture drawn by the hon. member was better suited to the domain of art than to that of politics. The Government did not take uptheposition thatno errors had been committed; what they did say was that every effort had been made to mitigate the inevitable hardships of the war. It was not true that the Government when the war began had not taken into account the possibility of an outbreak of enteric fever on a large scale. That possibility was foreseen and measures of pre- caution were taken. There had been nc stinting of any kind, the medical officers having been urged to ask for all that might be wanted. There was a wholly mistaken notion in some quarters that when the force in South Africa was largely increased after the reverses in December a corresponding in- crease was not made in the number of doctors and in hospital and medical appliances. To prove that there was no foundation for this rumour he supplied de- tailed figures showing that on June 15 the number of hospitals, of doctors, and of nurses in South Africa had been increased very largely as compared with the state of tilings on January 15. The scale upon which bed accommodation had been supplied was that which was fixed for campaigns in the most insalubrious countries, and the Transvaal was a healthy country. Having described briefly the organisa- tion of the medical service in the time of war, which he said he was prepared to defend, he stated that never before had such provision for hospital trains been made as had been made in this war, and with regard to the hospital waggons he in- formed the committee that they had been con- structed in accordance with the recommendations of experts who knew the circumstances of war- fare. He also showed that it was impracticable to take with the troops more than a cer- tain number of waggons when a rapid advance was made. He read telegrams from Lord Roberts and the General Commanding the Lines of Com- munication in support of his statement that nothing which the medical authorities desired to have had been withheld, and then communicated a message received from Lord Roberts in reply to a telegram sent by Lord Lansdowne on Wednesday, containing the purport of Mr. Burdett-Coutts's letter in the Times. The Secretary for War asked whether the state of t'lie field hospital at Bloemfontein, which was described as being terribly overcrowded, was typical of the other hospitals, and Lord Roberts replied that any deficiences in the arrangements were exceptional and temporary, and that the case referred to was not typical of the field hos- pitals collectively. The hospital accommodation at Bloemfontein was described fully by Mr. Wyndham, and he said that the principal medical officer had re- corded that on May 14 Lord Roberts expressed the opinion that the arrangements were satisfactory. Although it was true that the sick and wounded in Bloemfontein had to endure terrible hardship, it was not true that the late of mortality from enteric fever was abnormally high. The per- centage of deaths to admission:! into hospital had been 21, which compared very favourably with the percentage in other campaigns, and was two points lower than the percentage of mortality in hospitals at home. The percentage of deaths from wounds and disease in this war had been lower than in other campaigns. After describing in eloquent terms Lord Roberts's march from the Modder River to Bloemfontein, he called attention to the difficulties which faced the Commander-in-Chief when his huge flying column arrived at the latter place, and asked whether it would not have been an extraordinary thing if all the hospital arrangements had been perfected at once. He referred to the silence of the Press correspondents on the various allegations made by Mr. Burdett-Coutts and drew the inference that, in their opinion, what had occurred was inevitable. They bad kept silence because they did not feel justified in harrowing the feelings of the public. He concluded by asking the Committee to bear in mind that money, intelligence and devotion might mitigate the horrors of war, but could not abolish them. He was loudly cheered on resuming his seat. Mr. Burdett-Coutis, in a speech of considerable length, reiterated and amplified the statements con- tained in his letter published in the Times, which occasioned the debate. Alluding to Lord Roberts's generous readiness to take upon himself the responsi- bility for the deficiencies in the hospital arrange- ments, he expressed the opinion, amid cheers, that nobody would consent to his doing so. He explained that the field hospital at Bloem- fontein which he had described was un- doubtedly the worst hospital there, but in the other hospitals the equipment was also grossly inadequate and the staffs insufficient. He contended that it would have been possible a few days after the arrival of the troops at Bloemfontein to send up more doctors, orderlies, and nurses. A great deal of the misery endured was due to the want of a proper nursing staff. The greatest pressure of sickness at Bloemfontein was in the second week in May, and for six weeks previously the railway had been running freely, so further provision for the sick could have been made. He complained that in some of the hospitals there was no classification of patients, and that the orderlies who were told off to look after them were untrained. He also criticisoi the hospital arrangements at Kroonstad, and ex- pressed regret that stationary hospitals had not been established on the lines of communication. He gave instances of the great suffering which the sick had to endure. The responsibility for the state of things to which he had called attention did not attach, he believed, to any one in this country. There had been a want of organisation and of provision, but the per- sonnel of the Royal Army Medical Corps were not, he thought, to be blamed for this. He was inclined to ascribe the failures that had taken place to the inelasticity of the present system. Sir W. Foster regretted that a small sanitary com- mission had not been appointed to intervene between the military commanders and the medical officers, believing that if there had been such a system many lives would have been saved. Sir H. Vincent testified from personal observation to the great efforts which had been made to mitigate the horrors of war in the campaign. Sir C. Dilke averred that there had been scandalous occurrences in the Intombi camp at Ladysmith, and after speeches by Colonel Kenyon Sianey, Dr. Farquharson, Mr. Bartley, Sir C. Cameron, General Russell, Mr. C. H. Wilson, Mr. Gibson Bowles, and Mr. Lloyd-George, who declared amid considerable uproar that lives had been sacrificed in the war for political exigencies, Mr. Balfour replied on the whole debate. He repudiated with indignation Mr. Lloyd- George's suggestion, saying that in that House he had never heard anything so discreditable as the hon. member's statements. He charged the Opposition with a desire to make party capital out of the state- ments of the hon. member for Westminster, but he pointed out that they could not strike at the Govern- ment without striking at Lord Roberts. That there was a sufficiency of medical material in Africa was admitted. The only question then was whether Lord Roberts was justified in using as he did the limited means of transport at his disposal. Adverting t3 Sir W. Foster's proposed roving medical commission, he said that any scheme of that kind must render an army im- potent by dislocating all military and medical arrangements. The outbreak of typhoid at Bloem- fontein was foreseen, but owing to the circum- stances of the case could not be provided against beforehand, for Lord Roberts in his historical and phenomenal march could only carry with him a very limited amount of supplies. With regard to particular cases of suffering to which Mr. Burdett-Coutts had drawn attention, he insisted that the country before condemning the doctors ought to hear what they had to say. Reverting to the broader question, he asserted that to delay a General's advance because he could not carry with him a sufficiency of medical supplies would not accord either with war or humanity, for the way to bring a war to a speedy conclusion was to strike swiftly and hard. Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman, after protesting against the imputation that the only motive of the Opposition was the squalid one of attacking the Government, observed that the allegations made by the hon. member for Westminster had not been dis- puted. The hon. member deserved the thanks of the community for disclosing the true state of things. He recognised that the debate must be incomplete and unsatiafactorv, as the Committee were not in possession of all the facts. Some important facts were, however, known, one of them being that for every man who had died of wounds two had died of enteric fever. Blame was due somewhere, but at present it could not be as- signed. He trusted that the Government were guarding against any further breakdown in the hospital arrangements.

TOES OF CHINESE LADIES. It is not generally known that the small feet of Chinese ladies have commonly but one toe. This is, however, the fact. The great toe of the females of the first rank, and some of the inferior classes also, is the only one left to act with any freedom; the rest are doubled down under the foot in their ten- derest infancy, and retained by compressed and tight bandages till they unite with, and are buried in, the sole.

THE HOSPITAL SHIP MAINE. REPORT BY LADY RANDOLPH CHURCHILL. A telegram, dated Funchal, June 26, has been re- ceived by the hon. secretary of the American hospital ship Maine, stating that the patients on board are progressing favourably, and that all the officers are convalescent. The latter are: Royal Engineers, Lieutenant Hardcastle and Second Lieutenant Hep per; 1st Battalion Royal Scots, Lieutenant Puxley; 2nd Warwickshire Regiment, Lieutenant Laish 1st Battalion Cameron Highlanders, Captain Nicholson; 3rd Battalion East Lancashire Regiment, Second Lieutenant Forshaw and Second Lieutenant Cox; New South Wales Mounted Infantry, Lieu- tenant Lee Royal Army Medical Corps, Lieutenant Si berry and an officer of the 3rd North Lancashire Regiment. The sick lying down are 12; the sick convalescent, 79 the wounded lying down, 49; and the wounded convalescent, 9. Lieutenant-Colonel Hensman, of the Royal Army Medical Corps, is in charge. The Maine is expected to reach Southampton on July 3, and she will proceed on her third voyage to South Africa within a few davs of her arrival. It will be remembered that the idea of an Ameri- can Hospital Ship Fund, for the benefit of sufferers in the South African campaign, originated with Mrs. Blow, an American lady long resident in that part of the world, and was at once taken up by Lady Ran- dolph Churchill, the result being the establishment of a fund by which the Maine, lent by the Atlantic Transport Company, was equipped as a hospital ship, and placed at the sorvice of the British Government, the subscribers being Americans not only in the United States, but living in England and other countries. Lady Randolph Churchill, chairman of the Fund, has now issued a report to the Ladies of the Execu- tive and General Committees." The ship left London on December 23, 1899, with a medical staff of 41, made up thus Commanding officer, 5 surgeons, 1 superintending sister, 4 sisters, 11 male nurses, 10 orderlies, 5 non-commissioned officers, R.A.M.C., and 4 stewards. After detailing some of the good work done for the wounded as sent to the ship from the front, Lady Churchill proceeds: I would like to say a few words in reference to the change that has been made in the nursing staff of the Maine,' and why it has been thought best to have no nursing sisters on board during this her second trip. You may have seen a press article of May 28 on this subject, which, although embodying a good deal that is true, does not pretend to be au- thoritative, nor is it. In the first place, our sisters were not' lady volunteers,' but skilled professionals, having received the same training, and receiving the same salaries, as the male nurses, from the Mills' schools, the whole nursing staff having been sent to us by Mrs. Whitelaw Reid. In reference to the sis- ters, nothing could exceed their excellent work, and, if we are parting with them, our decision casts no re- flection on their efficiency. It has been found that the nursing staff was too large for the number of patients we, could take on board, and for the class of cases hospitaljships, practically three days' journey or more from the front, necessarily receive. There is no doubt that a wounded or sick man at death's door prefers a woman to nurse him, one before whom he need not fear to break down, one whose gentle touch no man can replace. But the bulk of our patients were men able to do a good deal for themselves, who, if given the choice of equally good men or women nurses, ivotild prefer the former. Under these circumstances, and addedjtothem the fact of the cramped'acco 'iniiioda- tion and want of privacy the ship affords for WGmei, it has been thought advisable to dispense with their services.

ACCORDING to a Dundee journal, the Corporation of that city has decided that no advertisements relat- ing to the sale of whisky or other intoxicating liquors are to be received for the electric tramcars. The Corporation has come to the conclusion that the town drinks enough as it is, and that the municipa- lity ought, therefore, to give no countenance to any- thing that would lead to the people drinking more whisky than they do at present. Locally, the opinion has been expressed that they are not likely to drink any less until the Corporation will do something to allay the dust nuisance." PROFESSOR OLIVER J. LODGE, of University College, Liverpool, who has been appointed by the Crown to the position of Principal of the recently established University of Birmingham, was born at Penkhull, Stoke-on-Trent, in 1851 and studied at University College, London, where he afterwards became Assist- tant Professor of Physics. In 1882, on the estab- lishment of University College, Liverpool, he was appointed Professor of Physics, and this position he has held ever since. Soon after he went to Liver- pool, he began to distinguish himself in the field of original scientific research. In 1887 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, and a year later the University of St. Andrews conferred upon him the honorary degree of LL.D. Professor Lodge is the author of several well-known works on scientific sub- jects, and is a leading authority on electricitv. A DEAL has just been closed whereby a well-known brewing firm purchases about 480,0001b. of corks. This deal represents £ 90,000. In two years the company will deliver to the brewery upwards of 100,000,000 corks. This is said to be one of the biggest deals in corks ever made. These 100,000,000 corks in bulk, weighing 480,0001b., would support 240,000 men on top of the water were they to be thrown overboard, each with a single life-preserver on. MR. W. C. LAWToN pleads in the Atlantic Monthly for a wider recognition of the advantages of learning German, a language which, he says, should take the place of Greek in our high schools. He maintains that a living language, fully known, can be more easily and thoroughly studied than the fragmentary records of an artificial literary dialect, long since practically dead. German is to-day, and must long remain, the chief instrument of utterance for the most advanced specialists in many fields of research. German, he adds, should be the first foreign lan- [ fftiage studied in our schools.

I CURRENT SPORT. A five miles invitation cycle race was the principt item on the programme at the RavensbourüfJi sporti on Saturday. It resulted thus: A. E. Wills, Putney A.C., 1; F. Burnand, Catford C.C., 2; S. Scott, Silverdale C.C., 3. G. W. Bishop, Thames Iron- works C.C., won the lap prize. Time, 14min. 32 4-5sec. In the final heat of a half-mile open bicycle handicap, H. E. Price, Silverdale C.C., fell and broke his collar-bone. It was by seven events to four that a team of Irish athletes beat a Scottish team at Belfast on Saturdav. J. McKenzie (Ireland) won the half-mile, in 2min. 4-5sec., by 3yds., from J. E. Finnegan (Ireland). Finnegan beat Paterson (Scotland) in the mile; time, 4min. 36 4-5sec.; W. H. Welsh won the 220 yards race for Scotland, in 22 3-5sec., and the quarter, in 51 2-5sec.; bnt suffered a two yards' defeat in the 100 yards, which his fellow-countryman, J. McLean (who is also a member of the Blackheath Harriers), won in 10sec. D. Carey (Ireland) beat R. T. Stronach (Scotland) by an inch or so in the 120 yards hurdles. Times, 16 4-5sec. T. F. Kiely (Ireland) won at throwing the hammer, with a distance of 143ft. 6in. D. Horgan (Ireland) put the shot 44ft., and won. A. R. Gibb (Scotland) won the four miles in 21min. 2 2-5sec. P. Leahy (Ireland) and P. O'Connor (Ireland) tied at 5ft. lOin. in the high jump and P. O'Connor (Ireland) won the long jump, at 23ft. 5in., P. Leahy (Ireland) being second, at 22ft. 8in., and Hugh Barr (Scotland) 21ft. lOin. third. P. W. Wells, ot the Dover Road Club, won the Catford Cycling Club's hill-climbing competition at Westerham on Saturday. He reached the summit in 4min. 14sec., and with 40sec. start also won the handicap. A. Simpson (Kettering A.C.) was second in 4min. 29sec.; A. C. Gray (London Central), third, in 4min. 30sec. Seventeen of the 19 starters reached the summit. Stanley Rowley, the Australian sprint champion, beat R. W. Wardsley, theEngiish champion sprinter, by 2yds. in the 100 Yards Level Race at Wolverhampton Sports on Saturday. Wadsley, how- ever, got away badly from the mark. Time, 10 2-5sec. F. E. Bacon beat Leonard Hurst by two yards in a 10 miles running match for F-50 a side at South- ampton on Saturday. Five miles were covered by the winner in 26min. osec., and the full distance in 54min. lOsec. In spite of the cold weather which obtained some excellent performances were accomplished at the summer meeting of the London Athletic Club at Stamford-bridge on Saturday. America and India accounted for no fewer than five of the 14 events. Norman G. Pritchard, the champion of India, who is a member of the L.A.C., won the 100 Yards Flat and 120 Hurdles Challenge Cups, the former against a very strong wind in 10 l-5sec. The Princeton University athletes won three events-W. Carroll did oft. 10in. in the high jump, D. S. Horton and 2 A. Coleman each did 10ft. 6in. in the pole jump, and R. Garrett put the weight 37ft. 6in. H. E. Graham, the old Cantab, ran a fine race in the Half-mile. The weather was rather unsettled on Saturday when the lawn tennis championship meeting was resumed at Wimbledon. An interesting day's play was wit- nessed, the final ties of all the three championship events being decided. Results: Gentlemen's Singles Championship: Final Tie: S. H. Smith (Stroud) heat A. W. Gore (All England) by three sets to one 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1). The winner will now have to meet the holder of the title, R.F. Doherty. Ladies' Singles Championship: Final Tie: Miss C. Cooper beat Miss Martin by two sets to one (8—6,5—7,6—1). Miss Cooper will now have to meet Mrs. G. W. Hillyard, the holder of the cup. Doubles Championship: Final Tie J. Verne and H. A. Nisbet beat F. L. Riseley and S. H. Smith (6-2, 2-6, 6-8, 8-6, 6-2). The winners will have to play R. F. Doherty and H. L. Dohertv. the holders, for possession of the cup and t.itle. All-England Plate: Semi-Final Ties: E. D. Black beat J. M. Flavelle (6-0, 6—2) G. Greville beat H. 8. Mahony (6-0, 6-3). Final Tie: G. Greville beat E. D. Black (6--2, 4-6,6-3). Ladies' Doubles: Semi-Finals (concluded): Mrs. Hillyard and Miss Martin beat Miss D. K. Douglass and Miss Bremfield (4-6, 6—4, 7-5). The Peel Memorial Croquet Handicaps were brought to a close at Sheen House, on Saturday, under the auspices of the United All England Asso- ciation. the results being as follaws: Gentlemen- Mr. C. E. Willis (owes 2) beat Mr. H. S. Barlow (3) by 2 points. Ladies-Miss Spartali (8) beat Miss Gower (scratch) by 24 points. Miss Gower, it will be remembered, won the All-England Gold Medal on the previous day, when her opponent, Miss Berens, was defeated by 22 and 24 points. Lancashire had the best of the drawn match in the County Cricket competition with Middlesex at Manchester, as, when rain caused the game to be abandoned, with seven wickets to fall, they required 113 runs to win. The Essex and Derbyshire match at Leyton ended in a drawn game, the home team, with eight wickets to fall, then requiring 106 runs to win. Warwickshire gained an exciting win over Hampshire at Portsmouth, there remain- ing only three minutes to play when the last Hampshire wicket fell, this giving them a victory by 143 runs. The Kent and Notts match also ended in a drawn game, it being impossible to play on Satur- day, owing to the condition of the ground after the rain. Cambridge University defeated M.C.C. at Lord's, after a capital match, by only 34 runs. Gloucester beat the West Indians with ease by an innings and 216 runs- Mr. J. B. Gribble beat Mr. V. W. Yorke at Lord's Ground on Monday in the semi-final round of the preliminary tennis competition for the Marylebone Prizes by three sets to none, 6—5, 6—2, and 6—2. Mr. Gribble will now have to meet Mr. A. W. Beau- clerk in the final. Sir Edward Grey is the holder of the second challenge prize. Thanks to fine batting by Baker and Mason Kent had tionn the worse of the day's play in their match with Yorkshire at Leeds on Monday, as after scoring a first innings of 230, they captured two home wickets for 59 runs. Warwickshire took first innings against Surrey at Birmingham, and during the time play was possible on Monday, scored 143 runs for the loss of two wickets. Only 90 minutes play was possible at Lord's ground on Monday owing to rain. In this time Oxford Uni- versity, who opposed a good team of the M.C.C., lost six wickets for 98, H. C. Pilkington playing finely for 43 not out. In the limited day's play at Chesterfield on Monday in the Derbyshire and Wor- cestershire match, the former had scored 75 runs for the loss of a wicket when rain stopped play for the day. At Nottingham, on a bowlers' wicket, Sussex, who had first innings, fared badly on Monday against the home county, seven wickets going down for 94 ere rain stopped play. Somerset also experienced a bad time of it on Monday at the hands of the Lancashire bowlers, as they lost eight wickets in scoring 85. The West Indians were seen to considerable advantage at Leicester on Monday. In a little over three honra' batting they completely mastered the home county's bowling, scoring 307 for the loss of four wickets. P. F. Warner assisted his countrymen with a valuable 113, while Mr. Ollivierre made 159 not out. The rainy weather on Tuesday again interfered with play in most of the chief cricket matches. At Birmingham Warwickshire completed their first innings for 404, and Surrey, going in, made 46 for one wicket. At Liverpool Lancashire defeated Somerset by an innings and 132 runs. Lancashire declared their innings closed at 276, when five wickets had fallen. Mr. MacLaren scored 108. Somerset made 104 and 40. The Sussex first innings at Nottingham ended for 113. Notts were all out for 224, and in their second innings Sussex made ^8 runs for one wicket. At Chesterfield the Derbyshire innings closed for 150, and Worcestershire were all out for 137. Essex made 224 at Southampton in their first innings, and three Hampshire wickets fell for 35. At Lord's Oxford University were all out for 106, and after the M.C.C. had been in for a few minutes without scor- ing the match was abandoned owing to the state of the wicket. No play was possible on Tuesday in the match between Kent and Yorkshire at Leeds. The West Indians carried their score at Leicester to 386 and then, thanks to fine bowling by Woods and Burton, disposed of-the county team for 80. Doing better at the second attempt, Leicester scored 208 for five before Tueeday nightfall. -F At Wimbledon, on Tuesday, Mr. R. F. Doherty, holder of the Gentlemen's Championship at lawn tennis, defeated Mr. S. H. Smith, the challenger, and Mrs. Hillyard, the holder of the Ladies' Champion- ship, defeated Miss C. Cooper, the challenger.

THEATRICAL ACTIONS. Mr. W. S, Penley, in the Queen's Bench Division on Monday, sued Stephens Brothers, proprietors of the new Ealing Theatre, at haling, to recover damages for alleged breach of contract. An agreement was entered into between the parties in April of last year for the production at the theatre, in February last, of Charley's Aunt." The theatre was subsequently closed until some requirements 'of the Middlesex County Council were met, and the defence was that Messrs. Stephens bad not been guilty of any breach, that, they were the victims of misfortune, and that they were protected by a clause in the agreement. Mr. Justice Ridley, however, decided in favour of Mr. Penley for the amount claimed. In another action, arising out of similar circumstances in the production of the Silver King," judgment was on, ei-ed for the plaintiff.

SIPIDO'S TRIAL. The trial of Sipido and his three accomplices for the attempted assassination of the Prince of Wales began on Monday before the Brabant Assize Court. Sipsdo admitted his guilt, and acknowledged that the attempt was not meant as a joke.

ST. BARTHOLOMEWS HOSPITAL. The Prince of Wales presided on Monday over the General Court of Governors of St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Sir Trevor Lawrence, the treasurer, explained how necessary it was for St. Bartholomew's Hospital to buy land for extending the hospital, and he described the desire of the governors to purchase as much of the Christ's Hospital land as they might require. The somewhat strained relations between the two institutions were discussed, and it was unani- mously resolved to adhere to the offer which had already beeu made to Christ's Hospital and, failing the success of negotiations, to apply to Parliament for compulsory powers for the acquisition of the land which was required.

COAL PRICES IN BYEGONE DAYS. In view of the continuous rise in the price of coaT, s. paragraph from one of Mr. R. E. Leader's articles- on Sheffield industries (now appearing in the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent) is of interest. Mr. Leader says common coal in 1734 cost 2s. 6d. a ton, and Attercliffe coal" 5s. lOd. The prices in 1774, at the pit hill, were hard, 3s. 4d.; hard and small, 2s. 8d.; small, 2s. per load of eight corves. rhe carriage from the .pit to the town was 2s. 4d., or sometimes in winter 2s 8d. The prices at the new itage (the terminus of a tramway with wooden rails) were 4s. 6d., 3s. 10d., and 3s. 2d. respectively, with Is. 2d. per load carriage.

FROM ICELAND TO CANADA. Another large batch of emigrants is shortly ex- pected in this country from Iceland, on their way to Winnipeg. This Icelander emigration to Canada is very curious thing, says the Manchester Guardian. Since the stoppage of live stock exports to che United Kingdom the Icelanders have been hardly put to it to make a living. They used to send their lean sheep to the North of England and to Scotland, where the animals were put out to fatten and then sold. Now this has stopped the Icelanders have only fishing to fall back upon as a means of livelihood, which is not much for a population of 80,000 souls. They are, therefore, emigrating to Canada.

A MONSTER CASK. An Indiana telegram to the New York Journal de- scribes an immense wine cask intended for the Paris Exhibition. The white oak timbers used in it were procured in Mississippi. One hundred and sixty- eight staves are required, each being 30ft. long, lOin. thick, and weighing from 13001b. to 19001b. The total weight of the structure, not including the heads and the hoops, is 197,0001b. The cask is 25ft. in diameter at each end and 30ft. high. It holds 4000 barrels of wine.

AMERICAN ENGINEERS. The American Society of Civil Engineers held their annual Convention on Monday in Westminster. Sir Douglas Fox, President of the Institution of Civil Engineers, offered a welcome to the visitors, and then expressed sympathy with them in the sad event which had taken place in New York. He said that the Queen, although in residence at Windsor, had invited the American engineers to the Castle, and they would be received by the City of London Corporation at Guildhall.

THE SLOUGH DISASTER. The inquest on the body of Robert Geohegan. one of the victims of the Slough accident, was resumed at Paddington on Monday. Woodman, the driver of the express, repeated the evidence given by him on previous occasions, stating that he was quite at & loss to explain how he did not notice the signals. The jury found that Geoghegan died from syncope and shock following injuries received in the collision which was due to the driver of the express having neglected to observe that the signals were against him, but having heard the statement of the driver they considered that he ought not to be charged with manslaughter. They recommended that drivers should be medically examined at an earlier age than 60.

COUNT ZEPPELIN'S AIRSHIP. Towards nine o clock on Sunday evening, the Count Zeppelin undertook a trial of his airship at Friedrichshafer, on a small scale, in the presence of a few observers. The greater part of the airship was drawn out of the shed and the propellers were set in motion. The huge machine moved forwards, back- wards, and sidewards, and rose in the air to a height of about 12ft. After experiments lasting for one hour and a half, the aerial ship was returned to its shed. Count Zeppelin was well satisfied with the result. Count Zeppelin's aerial ship ascended on Monday night. Those taking part in the first trip were Count Zeppelin, Baron Conrad Bassus, Herr Eugene Wolf, Engineer Burr, and Mechanical Engineer Gross. The ship travelled safely to Immenstadt, 35 miles from Friedrichshafen, and landed all well.

A VILLAGE WITHOUT MONEY. The North American gives a description of the village of Hastings, where money is a superfluous commodity. The houses are the property of a water- works company the stores in the village form one of the company's assets. It is for the reason that everything belongs to the company that the people do not have to pay taxes and do not know what money is. The men are all employed by the company, and are paid off only when they leave the community. When the rent comes due the amount is deducted from the wages due to the tenant. When a man wants anything at the store he uses certain coupons supplied by his employers, and no other form of cash is recognised in the village.

MRS. GRIFFITHS LLEWELLYN, a sister of General Sir Francis Greufell, has sent OJ donation of C1200 towards the Swansea Parish Church Rebuilding Fund. ° THE number of playing-cards used in the world ia something wonderful. Germany alone possesses 34 wl,ich k9t re" P™3'4 ACCORDING to the the King of Annam is ex- P? to V»sit the Pans Exhibition, accompanied by Nguyen-Than, his adviser, and a numerous retinue. LOBD BOUBIBT has joined Mr. Knowles's Com- mittee of Vigrlance for bringing about reforms in the army, navy, "d other Government departments. i THE establioninent of international telegraphs and telephones has made possible direct dialogues between e.f Foreign Offices of different Governments. A National Review sees herein a lightening '^duties of diplomatic functionaries and a pos- sible diminution of their importance. The world ia becoming one neighbourhood. MR. LONG, President of the Board of Agriculture, has promised a deputation from the International Kennel Club that he would consider a suggested re- laxation of quarantine regulations in regard to dogs coming from Ireland, America, and the Continent for exhibition. THE bubonic plague has quite disappeared from New Caledonia, and no cases have been reported there for a month. The general state of health all over the island is good, with the exception of a few cases of typhoid among the soldiers. SIR WILLIAM WASHBURN, who9e approachi„g retirement from Parliament has just been announced, can boast that three gellerations of his family cover more than a century and a half. His grandfather T°nra ? Pillloden 154 years ago—as a cornet ia Lord Avrlte s reeimep*