County Observer and Monmouthshire Central Advertiser Abergavenny and Raglan Herald Usk and Pontypool Messenger and Chepstow Argus

As improvement to the pier at Chatham, which will enable it to be approached by steamers, is pro- nosed to be carri ed out.

NEWS NOTES. KING EDWARD'S prompt expression of sincere sympathy with the sufferers from the dire disaster at the Universal Colliery near Cardiff, linked him with his late mother as one constant in the grief as in the joys of the lieges. Every successive act of the Sovereign shows him to be to the manner born." It is a sorrowful story, this from the pit at Sengehenydd-the old, old story of man must work and woman must weep" to keep the world a-going. Not only fellow-feeling, but practical pity is wanted in this calamity, and we are glad to note that both are forthcoming. THE Duke and Duchess of Cornwall have reached Sydney in pursuit of the programme of their Colonial tour, and the welcome of New South Wales to the King's Royal ambassadors was as hearty and sincere as any that have foregone. The decorations and the festival arrangements generally were worthy in every way of Sydney, as might have been expected, for the rivalry between the various Colonial capitals is keen. IN most parts of the country the Whitsun- tide holiday was passed in beautiful summery weather, to the great joy of those free from the cares of business for a brief spell, so that the various railway companies had on the whole a good time." Partial rain fell in a few districts, but the general enjoyment was little interfered with. THE weekly tale of captured prisoners, sur- renders, and the like in South Africa is tersely told by Lord Kitchener but nothing definite yet transpires as to the probable ultimate end of hostilities, and nothing can be expected of a decisive nature for some time. No doubt the presence in London of the High Commissioner for South Africa—now created Lord Milner of Cape Town-will assist in the settlement. THERE seems to be at Pekin a general move for the departure of the troops of the Allied Powers who intervened against gross mis- government. Our own Indian soldiery are quitting Tientsin also for home, and it remains to be seen whether astute diplomacy can follow up and culminate what force has sought-aø yet unsuccessfully-to achieve. THE War Party in France is not yet dead, for we find General Andr6 urging the Army under his control to pursue without respite the task undertaken in order that the nation to which they belong may one day resume the status she formerly occupied. Sedan is un- forgotten, and many wise prognosticators bold that its memory will only be wiped out in the blood of terrific battle. With such heated competitive armament among the nations as now obtains this may very well be. The Gallic temperament is so fervid and so fickle at once as to be not unlikely to bring about a conflagration amongst inflam- mable material; and one cannot see so tre- mendous a proportion of the world of wealth being constantly expended on powder and shot without falling into the reflection: How oft the means to do ill deeds makes ill deeds done." Who can tell what cataclystic monster the near future may give birth to. THE blue Danube has yielded up a mystery which yet awaits solution. There has been taken from that famous river, near the city of Buda, a dead body heavily loaded with chains, which the Hungarian police firmly believe to by that of Romagnoli, the Anarchist reported to have been despatched from America for the purpose of murdering the German Emperor. The linen of the dead man was marked G. S. and in one of the pockets was a little box of lozenges containing a poisonous substance. The police of every country in Europe and America have been notified of tho discovery. Great excitement has been caused by one discovery, which raises the question of secret execution by the murder societies for failure to execute the mandate. The terror of Anarchy still hangs heavily over many Conti- nental cities. IT is notable that in the electiona for the Victorian members of the Australian Leglis- lature the citizens have the facility of voting by post. Any elector who resides at least five miles from the nearest polling-booth at which he is entitled to vote, or who has reason to believe that on polling day he will not be within five miles of such booth, or that on account of ill-health or infirmity he will be prevented from voting personally thereat, may obtain through the local post- office his ballot-paper from the returning officer for the district. The writing in of the names for which the elector wishes to vote is done in the presence of the local postmaster or police officer specially appointed for the district to visit sick and infirm persons who cannot attend the post-office. The witnesses, however, must not look at the names of the candidates which have been written. This reduces the exercise of the franchise to the lowest imagin- able inconvenience, almost. A GERMAN telegraph-ship, the Von Pod- bielski-made in Scotland, by-the-bye—has carried a new cable across the North Sea from a point at Bacton, near Yarmouth, to Emden, in northern Hanover, by way of the Frisian island of Borkhum. The Von Podbielski had been expected off the Norfolk coast for a fort- night before her arrival, and when she anchored on Friday a thousand yards off Bacton cliffs, the whole population turned out. The cable was warped ashore by blocks and tackle, and when it emerged from the sea the land end was seized by a hundred sturdy fishermen, dragged into a trench excavated in the beach, and hauled to its allotted position in the station where the sea and land wires ere connected. The shore end having been tested and found perfectly sound, the Von Podbielski left, paying out the cable at the rate of five or six knots per hour, for the German shore. There are now altogether twelve wires connecting the Conti- nent with Great Britain through the little red- brick cable station at Bacton, which has its repeating station at North Walsham. This expansion of communicative plant, with its necessary access of mutuality, may make a powerful racific factor in the matter of Euro- pean peace some day.

TIIE bell-bird, which makes the greatest noise, is found in South America and in Africa. It is stated that it can be heard a distance of three miles. Its note is like the tolling of a distant church bell, and is uttered during the heat of the day, when every other bird has ceased to sing and Nature is hushed in silence. The hornbill, a bird which is widely dis- tributed in India, the Malay Archipelago, and Africa, has also a very loud note. Its call has been described as between the shriek of a locomotive and the bray of a donkey," and can be heard a dia- tance of a couple of miles. THE ochre industry at Vaucluse, South France, has been carried on for some years, but the mines are not yet exhausted last year about 180,000 tons of ochre were produced. Sometimes the ochre is got without mining, but often shafts have to be sunk, the mining being done only in the winter season, as the watercourses are dry in summer, and the stuff has to be washed, for which purpose it is brought in carts from the mouth of the shaft down into the valley. By means of successive settling basins, the ochre is obtained in various degrees of fineness. At the end of the winter the basins have become full of ochre in the form of mud, and this dries hard during the early summer, and is then cut into blocks of regular size and further dried. When dry, it is either cut up smaller or is crushed to powder, being then sorted for colour; the yellow shades command the highest prices.

CHINA. I THE INDEMNITY QUESTION. The indemnity question promises (says the Times correspondent at Pekin) to be brought to a satisfac- tory solution on the lines of the British proposal, which is viewed with increasing favour. The allied Powers will require the issue of an Imperial edict admitting China's indebtedness to the Powers at 450,000,000 taela plus interest, whereupon the Powers will agree to begin evacuation. China will willingly comply. The attitude of Germany is more concilia- tory. Count von Waldersee, in deference to the wishes of all the allier, has already reduced the area of foreign military occupation, the Chinese being permitted to resume their jurisdiciton. I THE ALLIED FORCES. The military authorities of the various Powers seem to consider a settlement in sight, as general preparations are being made for the evacuation of Pekin in the near future. Two German marine battalions have left for Tsing-tau, and British transports have been ordered. Count von Waldersea expects to leave in the middle of June. The United States Legation guard had a fracas with some Germans the other day. Legation-street was being repaired near the United States Legation, and an American sentry was placed there with orders to direct passengers to pass along a side street. All obeyed except the Germans, both officers and soldiers, who caused the sentries much trouble. One German officer drew his sword and was going to attack an American soldier, who brought his bayonet to the charge. The officer then desisted. Later on a German soldier charged past the sentry, whereupon the latter fired, bitting another German soldier who was standing near the German Legation a quarter of a mile away. Fortu- nately only a slight flesh wound was inflicted. The sentry has been arrested. The attitude of the German Minister, Baron Mumm von Schwarzenstein, repre- senting the German civilian element, and of Count von Waldersee, representing the military, as well as that of other high officials, has been particularly friendly to the Americans. This makes the unfriendly feeling evinced by the majority of the German officers and men all the more pronounced. The feeling is attributed to the action of the United States in retaining control, with the Legation Guard, of one entrance to the Forbidden City, which the Germans consider a reflection on their national honesty. The Fourth Brigade is returning to India and will be broken up on its arrival there. Major-General Cummins and staff, with the Bikanir Regiment, have already left Tientsin. The 28th Madras Infantry and Ulwar Regiment leave almost immediately. I DISTURBANCES NEAR PAO-TING-FU. According to a telegram received by the French Minister of Marine from General Voyron, disturb- ances have occurred to the east of Pao-ting-fu. A reconnoitring column sent out .from Ting-Chow was fired on from a walled city 10 miles to the north- east, whereupon a breach was made in the wall by shell fire, and the city was captured. The French had one man slightly wounded. General Bailloud is supporting the Chinese regulars in their work of pacification. I SUCCESSOR TO WALDERSEE. It is stated that pourparlers are taking place between the different Governments with a view to the appointment of a successor to Count Von Waldersee, as commander-in-chief in Pekin, and that it is possible that a Frenchman may be ap- pointed.

I DISASTER NEAR CREWE. An explosion resulting in loss of life occurred late on Monday night at the Talk o' th' Hill Colliery, Staffordshire. The explosion occurred in some distant workings, and as yet no theory has been formed as to its cause. Fortunately there were not as many men as usual working in the pit at the time on account of the holidays. Otherwise the result would have been very disastrous, as about 800 men are employed at the colliery. Four men were working near the scene of the explosion. Their names were Ralph Birks, married, five children William Highfield, married, two children; Wilmot Harrison, single; and Thomas Beckett, widower, no family. The bodies of the two former have been recovered. The first indication of the explosion was given by a loud report. Clouds of smoke afterwards issued from two shafts, as well as volumes of afterdamp. It was at first impossible to approach one of the shafts on account of the afterdamp, but a descent was quickly made in one of the other shafts. As the rescue party approached the depth close to the seam where the men were supposed to be working the presence of afterdamp prevented further search. Later, however, the bodies of Birks and Highfield were recovered. The damage done by the explosion is so extensive that practically no hope is entertained of rescuing the two missing men, Harrison and Beckett, alive. Seven of about 30 horses used in the pit were found unhurt; the remainder were killed. Mr. W. N. Atkinson and Mr. W. Makepeace, inspector of mines, Colonel John Strick, and other colliery engineers of the district later went down to view the workings, and expressed themselvss astonished at the extent of the damage.

[PERMANENT SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF TRADE. The President of the Board of Trade has ap- pointed Mr. Francis J. S. Hopwood, C.B., C.M.G., to be the Permanent Secretary to the Board of Trade in the place of the late Sir Courtenay Boyle, K.C.B. Mr. Francis Hopwood was born in 1860 and entered the Board of Trade in 1886, as assistant law clerk, during presidency of the late Mr. Edward Stanhope. In 1888 Sir Michael Hicks- Beach appointed him assistant solicitor, and he subsequently became private secretary to the Pre- sident. When, in 1893, the late Sir Courtenay Boyle succeeded Sir Henry Calcraft as Permanent Secretary, Mr. Hopwood was appointed secretary to the Railway Department. In this department he has been especially connected with legislation for the promotion of light railways, the development of electric traction, the prevention of accidents to rail- way servants, and the regulation of their hours of labour. Mr. Hopwood has also been much interested in legislation for the benefit of deep-sea fishermen both here and in the colonies,and in 1893 was created C.M.G. for services in connection with colonial fish- eries and other maritime questions." He was also a member of Mr. Asquith's Commission on the Metropolitan Cab Service and a British delegate to the International Railway Congress in 1895, when he was made C.B. In the following year Mr. Hop- wood acted as hon. secretary to the chairman of the Select Committee appointed to inquire into the Jameson Raid. He has also, on several occasions, been entrusted with official business in the United States, Canada, and Newfoundland. It will be remembered that Mr. Hopwood took a prominent part in the settlement of the Taff Vale Railway dis- pute in August last.

THE KING'S HARNESS HORSES. The sale of the King's harness horses at Wolfer- ton on Whit Tuesday attracted a large company, which included Lord Roberts, Sir Redvers Buller, Lord Marcus Beresford, Viscount Downe, and Lord Churchill. Sir Ernest Cassel gave 560 guineas for Pop Gun and Spring Gun, a smart tandem team, Count Zborowski 420 guineas for a well-matched pair, Sir Walter Gilbey 340 guineas for another pair, Sir Redvers Buller 280 guineas for Ammunition and Lord Bobs, two black geldings. The sale resulted in a total of 5446 guineas for 36 lots.

No questions will be asked" is a dangerous ending to an advertisement for the recovery of a lost dog- or any other article of moderate value, for by an .1d statute it is open to anyone to bring an action rilr"inst the advertiser or the newspaper for £ 50 penalty and costs. This was the result of a case heard the other day at Manchester. The odd thing is that the Court bad no discretion to diminish the penalty. It is believed to be the first case since the Act was passed 40 years ago. MIE. MELBA has been relating some of her amusing experiences during her artistic career. In regard to audiences fhe thinks the English the least, and the French, the most, demonstrative. One of her quaintest experiences was in Russia, where a crowd of ladies waited for her at the stage door that s he might sign some photographs. To her immense amusement no one had brought the wherewithal; but at last a gentleman obligingly lent a pencil, which was afterwards promptly broken up, and the frag- ments divided among the ladies t

FATAL COLLIERY DISASTER. I PROBABLE DEATHS, 82. I INQUEST ADJOURNED THREE WEEKS. After being exempt from serious mining see i- dents for four or five years, the South Wales coal Lasin is once more tho scene of a catastrophe. Shortly before five o'clock on the morning of May 24 a terrific explosionccnrred, followed by a second and a third of almost equal force, at the Universal Colliery, situated at the top of the Aber Valley and a few miles from Caerphilly. The winding gear at the shaft and the back-leg structure from which it depended were wrecked and missies were blown in every direction, while the sound of the underground explosions, so terribly significant in the South Wales valleys, reverberated and re- echoed on the hillsides, and colliers proceeding to their work at mines in the neighbouring valleys abandoned their intention and hastened in the direc- ion of the explosion to render that aid which is so freely and bravely tendered by the Welsh pitmen upon such occasions. It appears that the night shift, consisting of several hundred men, began to ascend the Universal Pit about half-past four o'clock, and all of these had reached the top when the explosion occurred, with the exception of 73 men who were taking a half shift or overtime. In addition, five firemen had descended to examine the workings before the advent of the day shift, so that at the moment of the catastrophe there were at leasf 78 men below ground. Mr. Edward Shaw, manager of the colliery, was at once summoned, and steps were taken to fix a substitute bond" to enable a descent of the shaft to be made. About half-past seven o'clock it was discovered that the pit bottom was seriously blocked with debris, and it was not until nearly two hours later that the barrier was pene- trated by a rescue party, which included Mr. Phillip Jones, manager of the Albion Colliery. The explorers, however, were unable to proceed far along the main road owing te the wreckage, and especially to the overpowering afterdamp, and they signalled to be drawn up. Other attempts were made by eager volunteers for the perilous task, and at eleven o'clock a group of ex- perienced mining engineers, with Mr. Dyer Lewis, an assistant-inspector of mines, went down to investigate. They found a big fall on the east side of the pit bottom, and while essaying to get through this the afterdamp became so powerful that the party was compelled to seek fresh air. Nothing daunted, others volunteered, and these, taking with them brattice cloths, &c., made further efforts to reach the entombed miners. At one o'clock the first body was conveyed to bank it was that of a stableman named George Warren, found in the vicinity of the stables. The first man rescued alive was William Harris, a hauler, who was shockingly burnt about the face and hands. The rescuers found him lying on the east side of the pit bottom with his head on the breast of the horse of whichhe had had charge. All the members of the rescue party thought him dead, but Harris, hearing their voices as they discussed the matter, raised his head, and be was rescued just in time. Dr. Burke, of Llanbradach, and Dr. Mackenzie, of Caperhilly, went down and administered restoratives, and in due time Harris was able to be brought to the surface. Great excitement prevailed at the pit mouth, and distressing scenes were witnessed among the relatives and friends of the poor fellows below whose fate seemed hopeless. At half-past two o'clock two bodies were brought to the surface which had been found comparatively near to the pit bottom. They were those of John Jones, repairer, and Tom Coombes, helper, a married man with six children. They had evidently made a despairing effort to reach the pit bottom, only to find escape cut off by the blocking of the shaft and of the winding gear. The explorers found in one place a fall extending more than 100 yards, a barrier which must be over- come ere the working places can be reached. At the time of dispatching this report little hope was enter- tained that any of the 74 men remaining in the mine are alive. The Universal Colliery was opened about 18 months ago. It is owned by a company of which Sir W. T. Lewis, who is at present abroad, is chairman. The cause of the disaster must, of course, be mere conjecture at the present moment, but the triplicate boom seems to indicate the igniting at different points of fine coal dust after the original explosion had occurred. It is doubtful whether there had been any shot-firing in the mine just before the explosion. Mr. J. T. Robson, Inspector of Mines for the South Wales district, arrived at the colliery during the day from Swansea. Mr. David Evans, one of a rescue party who descended the pit after the explosion, gave a Press representative the following description of the scene underground: The first thing we saw was a number of trams that had been smashed to atoms, and about 10 yards away from the bottom of the shaft there was a fall, but it was not a very heavy one, and we had no difficulty in climbing over it and in getting to the spot where Harris was lying. Going up some distance on the tramline we came to a stall on the east section, and there we saw four horses. Two of them were alive, but the other two had been blown into one of the stalls, where their bodies were tightly wedged, and both were dead. We did not see the remaining men in the pit we could not get at them because of the foul air, but I am practically certain they are all dead. They could not possibly live ia such atmosphere. The whole place is in a fearful state of wreckage, the bottom of the shaft being com- pletely destroyed. The rescue party who are now down there are trying to get the air passages clear, and to get over the big fall which prevented us from getting over to the poor fellows that were down there. It is remarkable that the two horses were alive so near to the spot where the two others were killed, but this is explained by the fact that there was a current of air which was in that particular place, and it was no doubt this that saved Harris from death." I, The death roll of the disaster at the Universal Col- liery, situated at the top of Aber Valley, a few miles from Caerphilly, proves to be even greater than was believed to be the case. It has been ascertained pre- cisely that at the time of the explosion there were 83 men below ground, and all, except one man, William Harris, who was rescued in a dangerous condition on the first day, have inevitably perished. During Whit Monday several bodies were seen by the exploring parties in different parts of the mine, and five of these were brought to the bank in a very decomposed state. The total number of bodies re- covered up to Tuesday morning was 38. The pro- gress of the work of exploration has been very satis- factory. The announcement that the Pretoria district had been approached came as a surprise, because it had been thought it would take at least another day to penetrate to it. On the east side also a way has been effected through a large fall that had stopped ventilation and caused a great accumu- lation of gas which had hampered the progress of operations. An inquest was opened on Saturday, adjourned, and on Monday resumed, upon the bodies re- covered, and when formal evidance of identification bad been given it was again adjourned for three weeks. It was stated that no other bodies would be viewed by the jury, as the doctor advised against it in the interests of health. Mr. Dyer Lewis, Assistant Inspector of Mines, who has been in almost continuous attendance at the colliery since the disaster, says that the work of exploration is now proceeding more satis- factorily than hitherto. The whole of the Lady- smith district in the western side has been explored, and all the bodies, with the exception of two, recovered. Explorers have, however, only got about 200 yards in the direction of the Pretoria and Mafeking workings. One fall on the Pretoria road was from 60ft. to 70ft. high. It is here that the largest number of the bodies will probably be found. With respect to the eastern siae, tbree-fourtbs of it has been explored, and Mr. Dyer Lewis does not think there are any more bodies there except in the top part, where probably the remains of the fire- man will be found. Mr. Lewis said there was no longer any doubt that the explosion was caused by coal dust, adding that the long continuance of the north-east wind, which practically pre- vailed for three weeks, might probably have had the effect of drying up the air passing through the work- ings and thus have caused the coal dust to become drier. He ridiculed the idea that this was ignited by striking a match in the pit, and as to shot firing he preferred not te express an opinion just now. He visited the colliery a tortnight before Christmas, and found that the management bad made every provision in the main roads for efficient watering, and in the course of his visits be had never bad occasion to report to the management upon inadequate venti- lation. The workmen, too, had periodically examined this pit once a month. He believed that they had made reports-in fact he believed they had made a recent examination-but he had not seen the books because they were impounded. The :108.1 dust in this mine was of the same class as that in the Albion. There was in this portion of the South Wales coalfields a circle where coal dust was particularly dry and very fine, and therefore of a more fiery nature. The Universal Colliery was in this zone. The afterdamp which had been met with showed that the explosion could not have been one of ordinary gas, for there was more carbonic oxide found than carbonic acid. This was demonstrated by the fact that the lamps remained lighted and gave no indication of the presence of afterdamp, although the men might have entered it, as was the case with three rescuers who were prostrated by it on the first day. On Monday afternoon Mr. Robson, Chief In- spector of Mines, South Wales, sent to the King the following reply to a sympathetic message he had re- ceived from his Majesty: Your kind message expressing sympathy and admiration has been gratefully received and made known to the relatives of the sufferers." MORE BODIES RECOVERED. Of the victims in the disastrous explosion at the Universal Colliery, in the Aber Valley, the bodies of 51 had been recovered up to Tuesday night. The only survivor was still lying in a critical state. The work of exploration was on Wednesday being expedi- tiously pursued, and only two districts in the western side remained then unexplored. The difficulties encountered in removing the bodies have been very great, even to men who have taken part in exploration work after many other colliery disasters in South Wales during the past 20 years. Bodies had to be dragged over falls of unprecedented length, and through email openings made by the workers as they proceeded. Identification has in most cases been possible only through a mark on the clothing, belts, shoes, or watches. Pathetic incidents are discussed on all hands. William Harris is still unconscious, but from time to time utters the words, Jack, Oh Jack, let us run to the cabin," probably the last words he spoke in the mine. During the day a number of funerals took place; but the large, sympathetic crowds generally present on such occasions were not seen, because in this little mining village almost every inhabitant is mourning a relative. The following official report was issued on Tues- day afternoon by Mr. Rees, the managing director: The east side has been thoroughly restored, in- cluding the York district, which is a part of the working on the east side of the pit. It is thought that all the bodies have been recovered from that part of the pit. The ventilation has been restored with the exception of three or four working places in which it is known there are no bodies. On the west side of the pit the gangs of men working their way towards the Pretoria' district have experienced great difficulties through the want of sufficient ven- tilation, which is being attended to by Mr. Edward Jones and a shift of men from the Lady Windsor Collieries. Until their efforts are successful further exploration towards 'Pretoria'is impossible. We have sent for horses accustomed to underground work, and four are expected this afternoon. All the horses underground except two have been killed we shall have no difficulty in getting all the horses we require, although we are short at the present time. Mr. Robson is engaged with his assistant inspecters and Mr. Shaw and Mr. R. Rees in consultation as to the best means of getting into the Pretoria' dis- trict."

DILLON ESTATE, COUNTY MAYO. I Mr. Wyndham, Chief Secretary, on May 28, went to Ballaghaderin, county Mayo, to hold a conference with the tenants on the Dilion estate, which has been purchased by the Congested Districts Board with the view of soiling to the tenants. The progress bf the scheme has been delayed by difficulties with regard to the question of game preservation; but Mr. Wyndham, addressing the tenants, expressed the opinion that the game would belong to them, and that the question of its preservation would rest with themselves. If they preferred not to preserve it, and to lose the money they would otherwise derive from it, let them say so.

THE ROYAL VICTORIAN ORDER. I The King has been graciously pleased to make the following appointments to the Royal Victorian Order: To be Knight Commanders.—Horace Brand Townsend, Lord Farquhar, Frederick Treves, Esq., C.B. To be Honorary Knight Commanders.—General Count von Moltke, Baron Hermann von Eckhard- Itein. To be Commanders.—Major-General Arthur Henry Paget, Colonel (temporary Major-General) A. H. Laye, Colonel Henry Fludyer, commanding Scots Guards, Henry David Erskine, Esq. (of Card- ross), Algernon Bertram Freeman-Mitford, Esq., C.B., Alfred Downing Fripp, Esq., C.B., M.V.O., George Thomas Hertslet, Esq. To be Honorary Commlander.-Lieut.-Colonel Nicolaus von Rauch, commanding 5th (Prince Blucher of Wahlstatt) Hussar Regiment. To be Members of the Fourth Class.—Captain Prince Frederick Dhuleep Singh, Duke of York's Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars; Colonel Thomas William Viscount Coke, commanding the Prince of Wales's Own Norfolk Militia; Colonel the Honourable North de Coigny Dalrymple Hamilton, commanding 3rd Battalion Scots Guards; Lieut.-Colonel Charles Napier Miles, commanding 1st Life Guards; Lieut.-Colonel Sir Audley Dallas Neeld, Bart., commanding 2nd Life Guards; Lieut.-Colonel Henry Thomas Fenwick, Royal Horse Guards; Major and Honorary Lieut.- Colonel George Francis Addison Cresswell, 3rd Volunteer Battalion Norfolk Regiment; Captain Gordon Chesney Wilson, Royal Horse Guards; Frank Reginald Beck, Esq., Francis Morgan Bryant, Esq., George Augustus Courroux, Esq., William Augustine Ellison, Esq., M.D., the Rev. Canon Frederick Alfred John Hervey, Thomas Kingscote, Esq., Rowland Edmund Prothero, Esq., Reubsn D. Sassoon, Esq., William Tait, Esq., Daniel Alfred Anley Tupper, Esq., the Rev. Edmund Warre, D.D. To be Honorary Members of the Fourth Class.- Captain Richard von Rentzell, 1st Regiment (Queen Victoria's) of Dragoons of the Guard; Captain Carl Courth, 5th (Prince Blucher of Wahlstatt) Hussar Regiment; and Lieutenant Eggert von Usedom. To be Members of the Fifth Class.—Lieutenant Henry Cecil Elwes, Scots Guards; Lieutenant Albert Edward Stanley Clarke, Scots Guards and Monsieur Hua. To be Honorary Members of the Fifth Class.— Lieutenant Freiherr Max von Senden, Lieutenant and Adjutant Freiherr Franz Heereman von Zuydt- wyck, 1st Regiment (Queen Victoria's) of Dragoons of the Guard Lieutenant Carl von Roehl, 1st Regi- ment (Queen Victoria's) of Dragoons of the Guard Lieutenant and Adjutant Ernst Boguslaw von Kameke, 5th (Prince Blucher of Wahlstatt) Hussar Regiment; Lieutenant Sigismund von Micbaelis, 5th (Prince Blucher of Wahlstatt) Hussar Regiment.

TURNIP FLY IN GREAT FORCE. I Northern farmers are in great fear of the turnip fly -less intelligibly called phyllotreta nemorum— which is swarmmg over Yorkshire, Westmoreland, Cumberland, Durham, and Northumberland, in consequence of the recent drought. Thousands of acres of turnips have been practically eaten up by the plague of these flies, the extermination of which baffles scientific resources. Soot is the most effective destroyer, but enough soot cannot be had to dress the area affected. The turnip fly is really a winged beetle, and its capacity for mischief is only slightly inferior to that of the Colorado beetle, which attained notorietv years ago for devastating Californian potato fields. I

NEW YORK mendicants are at feud with fashion, and are calling down tbreatenings and slaughter on the dictates of the mode. The object of their objur- gation is the trailing skirt. The connection between an overplus of drapery and a shortage in the profits of beggary is at first obscure. But it seems the woman with the trailing skirt needs at least two hands to keep it from trailing. Consequently, though all her heart goes out to the penniless, she has no hand to produce the purse with the begged-for penny. That and the difficulty of finding a pocket are fashion's discouragements to tho p.h..it.a.hJ..

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I A DANGER OF TABLOIDS. Self-drugging is increasing to an enormous extent, Sir James Crichton Browne declared at the Phar- maceutical Society's annual gathering, and he con- demned the practice. An eminent medical authority to wnom this alarming statement was submitted by a representative of the Evening News confirmed the prevalence of the practice which, he observed, was increasing daily, especially among society ladies. The tabloid system," said this well- known specialist," by affording facilities for the pur- chase of drugs has much to answer for. In former times doctors' prescriptions were most carefully guarded and hedged about with restrictions, which are not now in force. Dangerous poisons are, of course, still scheduled and sold only under most stringent conditions, but there are thousands of druge in daily use which can be bought in tabloid form, that are, from their cumulative properties, quite as deadly in the long run. in favour of the tabloid it must be said that in its manufacture the human ele- ment of inaccuracy—always present to a greater or less degree even in the best disp-noing-is absolutely avoided. The great German and English factories turn out thousands upon thousands of tabloids with absolute scientific accuracy, so that a medical man to-day knows that the exact effect he desires will result, from their use. The society lady who returns from her daily routine of engagements fatigued and fagged to death knows, perhaps, that a bromine tabloid will allay the extreme nervous irritation and induce sleep, and she takes it. She foea not know, or is heedless of the fact, that by so doing she is approaching one step nearer to insanity. It is perhaps a trite observa- tion, but none the less true, that the extreme tension of modern life, with its enormous wear and tear in the nervous system, is acoountable for the abuse of drugs and stimulants. We are too neurotic. We don't use our muscles enough, and we overdrive the brain. Whatever official reports may allege to the contrary, specialists know that insanity is greatly on the increase, and we know also that the cause is directly attributable to the over-pressure to which the brain and nervous system are subjected, and the pernicious abuse of drugs, which, while they give relief for a time, inevitably entail disaster. No; I am afraid there is no remedy while the present con- ditions of life remain unchanged. All we can do it to make an appeal to the good sense and self control of the peooJr themselves.

THE veteran peer who takes the most, active part in debate in the House of Lords is Lord Norton, who saw the light the year before the Battle of Waterloo. He was President of the Board of Trade, as Sir Charles Adderley, more than a quarter of a century ago, and even now probably makes as many speeches on as many different topics as any of his fellow- members.

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HONOURS FOR BRITISH. The following honours were gazetted on Saturday in the official Reichsanzeiger, wires Reuter's Berlin correspondent: The Order of the Black Eagle: Field-Marshal Lord Roberts. The Order of the Red Eagle, First Class Major- General Sir John C. McNeill, the Earl of Kintore. The Order of the Red Eagle, Second Class with, Star: Sir Fleetwood Edwards and Sir Arthur John Bigge. the Order of the Red Eagle, Second Class: Colonel Carington and Lieut.-Colonel Arthur- Davidson. The Order of the Crown, First Class: Colonel Lord Edward Pelham-Clinton and Vice-Admiral Sit John Fullerton. The Star of the Order of the Crown, Second Class: Sir J. Reid, Bart. The Order of the Crown, Second Class: Lieut.. Colonel Waters, Lieut Colonel Hon. Henry Charles Legge, Commander William Hall, Captain Ponsonby, and Staff-Captain George Broad. Other high Orders have been conferred on military officers.

CARILLON MUSIC. A search among the municipal archives of Brussels has brought to light (says the Independance Beige)> an ancient book of carillons of the belfry of St. Nicholas, by Theodore De Sany, bearing date 1648. The Brussels Library a'ready possesses an example- of carillon music in archaic notation, but in the one just discovered all the airs collected by De Sany are transcribed in modern notation.

EASTKHN MAN: "Considering the price yon ask, it seems to rae that this lot is very small." Western Hustler: "But you must remember that this is a new town, and growing like all possessed. That lot is young yet." i AFFABLE STRANSKR: I can t help thinking I have seen your picture somewhere in the newspapers." Hon. Mr. Greatman Oh, no doubt, no doubt. It's often been published." Stranger: Then I was not mistaken. What were you cured of." HOUSEKEEPER Why don't you go to work, you, lazy vagabond P" Tramp: Lazy, mum ? Do you call a man wot tramps from here to San Francisco an' back, year in an' year out, lazy ? I think, mum, gents like me displays considerable energy."