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

Labour troubles have led to collisions between people and police in France and Spain. Dr. Mahaffy, of Trinity College, Dublin, has received the Grand Cross of a Knight Com- mander of the Order of the Redeemer from the King of the Hellenes. Inspector Noble, who has served in the Bath police since 1877, died suddenly on Sunday. He assisted in the arrest of the Muswell Hill mur- derers at Bath in 1896. Stepney Borough Council has decided that the old Vine Tavern, which has stood on the Mile End waste since the beginning of the eighteenth century, must be pulled down. As a result of the late rains, says the "Drapers' Record," waterproofs are returning to public favour, as distinct from the "shower-proof" coats which have been so long fashionable. While rounding a sharp corner near Clithero on his bicycle, Thomas Weldman collided with the shaft of a trap and was killed on the spot, the shaft being broken by the force of the impart

I HEIRS ONE SHILLING EACH. Mr. Henry Bloom Noble, J.P., of the Isle of Man Banking Company, who died in May last at the age of eighty-seven, left property in England which has been valued at E16,001 17s. 3d. His property in the Isle of Man is said to be more than £ 80,000. He bequeathed to each person who can le- gally claim a share in his estate one shilling, and then, after a number of special legacies, he made the following bequests — To build a church in or near Douglas, £ 10,000; to build a nurses' home on the site of Clifton House, Isle of Man, £ 5,000 to the Church Missionary Society and the British and Foreign Bible Society, £ 2,000 each, and to the Religious Tract Society, the Church Army, the Church Patronage Society, the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen, the Liverpool Eye and Ear Infirmary, the Liverpool Hardman- street Eye and Ear Infirmary, the Liverpool Seamen's Orphanage, and the Liverpool Sea- men's Pension Fund of the Mercantile Marine Service Association, EI,000 each. To twelve other public institutions he made bequests ranging from C50 to C750, making a total of 931,350 in specific legacies. The residue of his estate he left to his trustees to devote to charitable uses. Included in his minor legacies were £1,000 to his coachman and V,3 a year to his housekeeper for the maintenance of his dog.

I COMPULSORY VOLUNTEERING. "Why is it difficult to obtain a high standard of efficiency from the volunteers?—Because they are men who offer, not what you ask, but what they can give, while their fellow-citizens give nothing! "Why the difficulty about a week's camp?— Because men do not care to be bound to give up, perhaps, their only holiday while others enjoy theirs. "Why do employers make a difficulty, in many cases, about employing Volunteers, and throw every obstacle in the way of their fulfilling the conditions of efficiency?—Because they can find scores of men who feel no sense of duty to the country, and who are, therefore, preferred bv the employer as having no calls on their time. "Why can the volunteer force never become a homogeneous one with the same standard of training throughout?—Because unless that standard be placed very low indeed it is impossible for two or three hundred thou- sand men living under every variety of condi- tions, and with varying civil occupations, to fulfil, one and all, any but the most moderate conditions, unless they are under an obligation incumbent on all." These .are questions and answers taken from a pamphlet just issued by the National Service League, which puts very clearly and cogently the reasons why we cannot be content with ouv present Volunteer Force. It is not with our Volunteers that fault can be found, but with the system under which they are enrolled. Unless that system is swept away, and a new one put in its place, which would claim from every citizen that he should undergo a cer- tain amount of military training, we cannot (ac- cording to the Army Service League) feel that British citizens are doing their duty to the State. "There is one, and one only, necessary pre- liminary towards rendering our dual Army, home and foreign, an effective instrument for hard striking abroad, and safe parrying at home. Com- pulsory education, already accepted by the whole country as a national necessity, must be extended to include the body as well as the mind. A NEW SPIRIT NECESSARY. "Every boy in elementary and secondary' schools, and after he leaves school, whilst still living at home or with friends, until the age of 21, should be a cadet attached to local militia, yeomanry, and volunter forces for compulsory Saturday afternoon drills', and for a short annual camp. "For these few years, say from 16 to 21, this would entail no hardship on a boy or his parents, and would practically solve all recruiting diffi- culties, because British boys are born soldiers, and a large proportion of these drilled civilians would, when settled into wage-earning positions, love to continue voluntary service, as much and as long as they had time to spare from their work, if they had as youths been trained to man- liness of body as well as mind. "The real hardship is that which existing volunteers now feel acutely, viz., that the majority of men entirely escape the duty of learn- ing soldiering; consequently it falls heavily on the few who are patriotic, and to them the miser- ably small parades are disheartening. If wil- lingness to serve were widespread, commanding officers would be able to choose their men in- stead of taking what they can get. Volunteer- ing would become an honour, and every town and village would be proud of its battalion. "The basis of this desirable change is a new spirit to be instilled into lads when young and at school. Surely it ought to be a reproach to any able-bodied man in the eyes of his friends of both sexes that he has never had any readiness to learn how to fight for his country."

1904 BY OLD MOORE." "Old Moore" has already taken Time by the forelock, and has already issued to the world his almanack for 1904. On the whole, Canada's future would seem to be the one bright feature in a list. of rather gloomy predictions. Somewhere about the month of January, which is to be a very cold month, a law will be passed forbidding small boys to smoke, and in February the domestic servant question will be- come so acute that many people will have to do the housework themselves. Europe is to be startled by terrible news, the weather will be vile, and an Anarchist secret society will be exposed in Scotland. In April, however, England will get the better of America in "the corn and flour question," and in the prediction for May the reader is cheerily informed that wonderful strides will be made with regard to cremation. In Lile July prophecies the following appears "It is with regret that "Old Moore' predicts an alarming increase in pauperism, not only of healthy paupers, but alas! there will be a heavy strain put upon our county asylums to accom- modate the overwhelming numbers of poor luna- tics. Stringent measures will have to be taken in regard to that vital question of aliens who come to this country in swarms, unprovided with the necessary means whereby they can obtain even a scanty living." A boom in Christian science, an outbreak of small-pox, and a tremendous explosion in Liver- pool are among the incidents promised for August, but Canada comes to the rescue with some wonderfully good news for September, and City men are asked to believe that the Stock Ex- change will be busy in October.

THREE NEW BATTLESHIPS. Specifications have been received at the royal dockyards for three new battleships, to be laid down at Chatham, Portsmouth, and Devonport in April, 1904. These battleships are the first t obe designed by Mr. Philip Watts, and, although in general plan they closely resemble the King Edward VII. class, they mark a distinct advance in war- ship architecture. The displacement of these new vessels is to be between 17,000 and 18,000 tons, and the armour belt of lOin. Krupp steel, tapering to 6in., will be continued the whole length of the broadside, which has never yet been done in any modern battleship. They will have four submerged torpedo tubes, and the main arma- ment will consist of four wire guns cf 50 tons, eight wire quiekfirers of 27 tons, and twelve 6in. guns, each capable of throwing twelve pro- jectiles of 1001b. each in a minute. The ships are expected to develop a spaed of nineteen knots an hour.

A ROYAL ADVENTURE. The Crown Prince and Princess of Greece were the other day the central figures in a sin- gular incident at the theatre of Phaleron, where they are making a short stay. Their Royal Highnesses were occupying the only box in the house during the performance of a French operetta, when suddenly a quietly-dressed man entered and began a furious tirade against the Princess, whom he threatened to strike. The Crown Prince sprang to his feet, and first flung the intruder violently against the partition, and then literally kicked him out of the box. When removed to the police-station, the man proved to be mad drunk, and on sleeping himself sober was evidently amazed to learn of the scene he had created. At the intercession of the Prin. cess he was not prosecuted.

William Tuffin, under sentence of death for the murder of his wife at Thames Ditton, is to be hanged at Wandsworth on August 11. His accomplice, Mary Stone, will be executed at Holloway on the day following. Sir John T. Brunner, M.P., chairman of Brunner, Mond and Co., chemical manufac- turers, has officially intimated that his co-partner and himself will present to Northwich and the county of Cheshire a secondary school equipped for the teaching of 200 scholars.

I IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. ) I ERIN'S NEW CHAPTER." The Irish Land Bill passed its second reading in the House of !oords late on Monday night. The Duke of Devonshire read his speech on the Land Bill from a sheaf of notes, and laid the blame on the intricacy of the measJre. He appealed to the landlords to accept the bill without amendments, reminding them that it was a treaty of peace which he hoped would bring peace and prosperity to Ireland. The Duke of Abercorn spoke of the bill with mixed feelings of pride and grief-grief (he ex- plained) because it would lead to the extinction of the landlord class in Ireland and break up the relations that had existed between landlord and tenant; pride because he hoped that it would bring peace and prosperity to Ireland. Lord Crewe's was one of the few dissentient voices, and his disapproval was limited to demand- ing a fixed limit for the application of the bonus. He spoke warmly of the happier state of Ireland and the great success of the King's visit but he added that unless landlords sold to tenants on a large scale serious results might be expected. Lord Dunraven followed with an attack on the present land system in Ireland as disastrous alike to landlord and tenant. He, at all events, had no sentimental regrets for the end of the feudal system in Ireland. I BETTER-FED SOLDIERS. I Bank Holiday had a very depressing effecton the House of Commons to let Mr. Brodrick have a quiet time. A dozen took Mr. Brodrick to task in a somno- lent House for the shortcomings of the soldier's daily rations, or mildly protested that the yeomanry were not up to strength, or that the militia had not received its fair share of honours for service in South Africa. The House was in Committee of Supply on the Army Estimates, the first vote being for £ 6,895.000 for food and forage for the army. Colonel Legge moved a reduction by EIOO as a protest against the way in which the army was rationed. Sir Charles Dilke at one stage of the debate said of the rough riders that they were all very well if they could ride, but a very distinguished officer said to him lately that some of these gorgeous regiments reminded him of what the Boers used to say when they spied certain regi- ments in the distance, Come along, there's no risk." Lord Stanley declared that the recruit of to-day was fed as well as the trained soldier of 1895, which did not sound quite a convincing point. As to the ESO,000 worth of food destroyed in South Africa as unfit, ha explained the careful- ness of the authorities at home in supervising all food sent out. The Government would press any legal claim if the contractors were at fault. Both Lord Stanley and Mr. Brodrick spoke of the serious deficiency of officers in the Militia. Mr. Brodrick suggested that the deficiency was due to the fact that the gay uniform and social position of a Militia officer could be had on much easier terms by an appointment as deputy- lieutenant. One lord lieutenant, said Mr. Brodrick, had as many as 126 deputies, and the War Office had accordingly secured a regulation that a lord lieu- tenant should limit the number of his deputies in proportion to the population of his county. By this rule the lord lieutenant with 126 gay young deputies should only have 20, and the rest, pre- sumably, would join the militia. Mr. Brodrick also explained that the trained soldier, who once received a shilling a day, now re- ceived Is. lid., and the recruit had received pro- portionate advantages. He denied that the food question hindered recruiting. Colonel Legge asked leave to withdraw his amendment, but it was pressed to a division, and negatived by 110 to 44. On the vote for Volunteers, which was agreed to, Mr. Brodrick said that since he had been at the War Office the allowance to the Volunteers had doubled, although the number of the force re- mained the same. I SUGAR CONVENTION. I By 106 to 28 the House of Commons late on Monday night confirmed the resolution authorising the payment of Great Britain's share of the expenses connected with the Sugar Convention. The Sale of Butter Bill was withdrawn. The Ireland Development Grant Bill passed the I report stage, and the Naval Works Bill was read a third time. SCOTTISH LICENSING. I In the House of Lords an unsuccessful at- tempt was made on Tuesday by Lord Kinnaird to amend the Scottish Licensing Bill, so as to give the licensing authorities power to regulate or prevent the employment of barmaids. The Bill passed through Committee with the provi- sion that bars at railway stations in Scotland must be closed on Sundays. The wide-reach- ing character of this condition may be inferred from the fact that within five miles of Glasgow there are fifty-three railway stations, at which at present anyone by purchasing a penny ticket may demand to be served with drink on Sunday. I MOTOR-CARS. I In the Commons on Tuesday the discussion o:i I the second reading of the Motor-Cars Bill dis- j closed a strong feeling that a speed limit should s be introduced, and finally Mr. Long consented to consider the point. Thereupon the second reading was agreed to without a division. Mr. Long mentioned in the course of his speech that he was driving recently when a motor-car com- ing rapidly round a corner just avoided running into his horses. Mr. Norman, on the other hand, gave a glowing description of motoring in Ireland, assuring the House that during his trip he saw only one horse frightened. "I escaped with my life," interjected Mr. Delaney at this admission, and the House laughed heartily.

A REMARKABLE FAMILY. f The death has occurred of Sarah Wolsten- holme, aged 94 years. She was the last of a re- markable family of eleven children of the late Abel Wolstenhoime, of Hollinhurst, Radcliffe. Her brother John died at Southport some time ago aged 90. For 90 years Sarah lived in the house in which she died. Her father, a weaver, died aged 77, his wife Sarah reacning 87. Of the children, Alice had reached 88 when she died, Maria 90, Ellen 84, James 84, Elizabeth 83, Mary 87, Thomas 62, Sarah 94, John 90, and Samusj 80, giving an average of 84.2 years. The eleveni j child, Richard, died in infancy.

Transvaal Legislative Council has passed a clause in the Precious Stones Ordinance providi. that half the product accruing to the Crown as ita share of diamond mines shall be applied to the re- demption of future loans. Queen Alexandra and the Dowager Emprer.s of Russia are expected at Copenhagen about t1.( end of August. On the 60ft. high chimney of an old factory .Berlin a stork family nested. The other day. after a heavy ra*\nfall, the nest with the two youug ones slipped down the chimney. The mother stork threw frogs and other food down to them for two days. Then a chimney-sweep succeeded in liberating the young storks. Captain B. J. Ewen, after giving evidence in a Kentucky feud case at Lexington, was threatened with assassination. To escape from the town he concealed himself in a large box, and was sent by goods train to his home at Jackson, 94 miles away

I NEWS NOTES. The King's visit to Ireland, accompanied aa his Majesty was by the Queen, was in every way a magnificent success. The King, on quitting the Green Isle, took the unusual step of issuing a n ;st considerately and appre- ciatively worded message of goodwill to the Irish people. Thereanent it is pleasing to find one of the most powerful of the National organs thus expressing itself: Rarely, if ever, have the people been addressed in such kindly and flattering language by the occu- pant of the British Throne. No statesman, we may safely venture to predict, will ever have his enthusiasm for the cause of Irish regeneration chilled by the coldness of the Court while his Majesty is King." On the contrary, the personal influence of his Majesty will doubtless be a powerful factor in the happy settlement of Irish affairs. Great praise is due to Lord Iveagh for his very practical way of evincing the gladness of his heart at the tour of the King and Queen in Ireland. The giving of £ 50,000 to hos- pital funds is a noble act even for a peer of great wealth in the throes of patriotic in- flation. Lord Iveagh's example is splendid, and the broadness of his benevolence, which knows no sectarian qualification, is one of its finest features. Even as early as last Monday some dissatis- faction was betrayed in certain quarters be- cause the Conclave of Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican at Rome had not re- sulted in a choice of a successor to Leo XIII. in the Papacy. Surely, however, it must have been lost sight of that prior to the election of the last two occupants of the chair of St. Peter, five Conclaves were held, the shortest of which ran over 35 days and the longest endured for 106 days. Gregory XVI., who was immediately before Pius IX., was 62 days in being discovered by the College of Car- dinals as the proper wearer of the 'Triple Crown. Pius the Tenth's choosing only ran into the fourth day, for Cardinal Sarto showed himself on the balcony as Pope on Tuesday morning. Away from the Principality it is not gener- ally known that it is the custom of Welsh farmers who have sheep walks on the moun- tains to make periodical visits for the pur- pose of inspecting and numbering their sheep. Mr. John Robson, of Plas, Llanarmon, left his homestead at an early hour one day last week to visit his sheep walk on the Llanarmon mountain side. As the hours sped by and Mr. Robson did not put in an appearance, a search party having been organised, search was made, and some distance from his home Mr. Robson was found dead. By his side lay his faithful dog, watching over his master's body. It was a pathetic sight. A contemporary thinks that in the holiday season it would be a good thing if those who have the care of old and interesting churches could be induced to leave them open. The majority of our old fanes are guarded much too jealously, and the curious stranger whose roaming has brought him to the vicinity of a church that he would like to visit, from motives either religious or antiquarian, usu- ally finds the door locked Why it should be so it is not easy to say. A sprinkling of clergymen fully recognise their responsibility, in regard to this, and have the doors kept open at all times. Nor have we ever heard, our contemporary says, that they suffered in any way. The hint deserves consideration. When the Royal Academy Exhibition was open, on Monday, for the last time, quite a goodly assemblage foregathered at Burling- ton House. Often on the August Bank Holi- day, the rooms are practically empty all day, but this year a great many folk seemed to have put their annual visit off till the last. The sales have been poor, and the Acade- micians are in anything but a cheerful frame of mind. Apropos, the Quarterly Review puts in a plea for a complete reform of the Academy, while the "Times" prints letters calling upon the R.A.'s to justify their Chan- trey bequest purchases, and comments upon the fact that Sir Edward Poynter does not reply to them. Public opinion has been gathering to a head for a long time. Now the Royal Academy is just beginning to feel its weight. Well, if the R.A.'s set their house in order ere it be too late! One is glad to see such an important eccle- siastical body as the Wesleyan Methodists discouraging what has been scathingly styled "dollar degrees." At the Camborne Con- ference, Dr. Moulton brought in the report of the committee on foreign degrees. An appli- cation had been made for the recognition of degrees obtained from the Illinois Wesleyan University upon examinations held in this country. The applicants pleaded that their work for these degrees had been started be- fore the passing of the standing order of the conference on this question, which excludes their recognition. The committee found that only a small proportion of the course had been taken, and in view of the evidence received from responsible leaders of the Methodist Episcopal Church of America that such de- grees are being most strongly discouraged, and the universities press for their discon- tinuance, the committee did not recommend that the standing order be interfered with or exceptions made to its operation. After all, what is the use of tacking after the names of ministers of the Gospel or others a string of practically meaningless and sometimes mis- leading initial letters? London's new fire chief, Captain Hamilton, will not be out of his element among fire- men, for the fireman in all grades is usually a man who has followed the sea. There are several reasons for this preference for sea- 1Tn' ,Flrst> says World's Work," there it the advantage with which a sailor starts in being accustomed to keep his head and hands with nothing but a rope between his feet and death but the chief is his training in always being on duty. The fireman must be always available, and his hours of duty in a big town or city never end. Persons whose collecting craze takes the form of curiosities in hats may be recom- mended to inspect an interesting relic of the past exhibited in the window of a West Lon- don curio dealer. This is a beaver of the time when George the Third was King, in excellent condition, and-most interesting of all in these days when the reimposition of old taxes is "in the air "—it has a revenue cer- tificate pasted in the crown to show that the hat tax had been duly paid. In the reign of George III. a tax of 3d. was levied upon every hat that did not exceed 4s. in value; for one not exceeding 12s. a duty of Is. was payable, while all hats exceeding this figure were duti- able at a rate of 2s. Paper tickets stamped with the several duties hereby imposed,, were obtainable at the commissioners of stamps, and had to be securely pasted or affixed in the lining or the crown of such hats under a penalty of JS10 for every omission.

It is said that more than a thousand young ladies are studying law in this country at th. present time. They probably expect to become mothers-in-law after awhile.

CURRENT SPORT I .0 SATURDAY'S CRICKET RESULTS. Again, owing to the weather, we last week had a lot of broken and disappointing cricket, and yet towards the end there were several sen- sational incidents. Notts' huge score entitled them to declare and easily beat Kent. Glouces- ter have to thank the elements for saving their game against Lancashire, who had compiled 474 for three wickets. The stand for the first wicket Maclaren and Spooner made totalled 368. Worcester, without any of the brothers Foster, defeated Sussex in a single innings, Fry being bowled by Wilson for one in each innings. Nevertheless, he is still well at the head of the batting averages with an average of nearly SO in front of anyone else. With small totals all round, Essex, despite strenuous efforts, were beaten by Middlesex, whose important match list, though they stand on the M.C.C. reckoning at the head of the table, is really only now being begun. DOGGETT'S COAT AND BADGE. The race for Doggett's Coat and Badge was rowed on Saturday on the Thames under good conditions as to weather, etc. The contest re- sulted as follows — E. Barry (Brentford) 1 F. Turk (Kingston) 2 Won easily by ten lengths. Barry is a finely- built young man, standing about 6ft. in height, a brother of W. A. Barry (ex-champion), who won this race in 1891. He had already rowed in various rumtum handicaps, and should with ordinary improvement become one of the fa;;te4 scullers seen in England for a long time. Tue Queen Elizabeth carried the members of the Fishmongers' Company and their friends, an. there was also a large following of oiioer »>raft. CYCLING. In the six hours' race for the Dibble Shield, at the Crystal Palace, on Monday, Leon Mere- dith, Paddington C.C., accomplished a good performance, as, going away from the start, he was inside record at 101 miles, which he covered in 3h. 54min. 6 3-5sec., and at the end of the six hours he had completed 153 miles J.872 yards, the previous best being 151 miles 1,705 yards by G. A. Olley, Anerley B.C., the pre- vious holder of the trophy. WELSH CHAMPIONSHIPS. The Welsh athletic and cycling champion- ships were decided at Newport on Monday. E. W. GouM won the 120 yards hurdles, and C. E. Baker the half-mile bicycle championship of South Wales. Of the flat events, C. R. Lundie won the sprint in 10 2-5secs., A. S. D. Smith the half-mile in 2mins. 5sees., E. J. Whale the quarter-mile in 53secs., and A. S. D. Smith the mile in 4mins. 44 4-5secs. SWIMMING. The annual 100 Yards All-England Handicap of the National Swimming Association was decided in the Serpentine Lake on Monday morn- ing, and resulted as followsWatts, Chelsea, 1; Harper, Shoreditch, 2; Juffs, Northampton Institute, 3. ANOTHER RECORD BY SHRUBB. At Horsham, on Monday, in a three mile flat handicap, Alfred Shrubb covered the distance from scratch in 14mins. 22 2-5secs., beating by 2 3-5secs. his own previous world's grass record, which he accomplished at Chelmsford on July 19, 1902. He covered the first mile in 4mins.30secs., tnd the second in 9mins. 23secs. COWES REGATTA. Cowes Regatta week opened on Monday in good weather. In the Royal London Yacht Club's races, Val dora, won the handicap for yachts exceeding one hundred tons. Bona was second. The handicap for schooners exceeding one hundred and fifty tons was won by the German Emperor's Meteor. Cicely took second prize. GOOD TRACX WORK. At the Canning Town track a youngster named Sharman, whose club was returned as the Essex Beagles, ran 150 yards from the six-yard mark in 17 4-5see. He was a second longer in the final, but the performance is regarded as distinctly good for a boy of 13 years 4 months. In the motor matches Crundall won at three miles, but Martin turned the tables in the mile. Some excitement was displayed over the five miles motor handicap, and T. Tessier, riding in the first and final heats, broke the world's record for the flying mile by 2-5see. FOR AUSTRALIA. It was officially announced at Lord's ground in London on Monday that Leonard Braund, the famous Somerset batsman and bowler, had accepted the M.C.C. invitation to form one of the team that is goirfcg to Australia at the end of the present season. Braund's acceptance depends upon his obtaining the permission of the Somerset County Committee. Information was also to hand from Bradford, that Tyldesley, of Lancashire, had also accepted. Replies were awaited from only C. B. Fry and Lilley, and the acceptances are: P. F. Warner (captain), B. J. T. Bosanquet, R. E. Foster, Hayward, Braund, Tyldesley, Relf, Fielder, I Arnold, Rhodes, and Hirst. I ',¡. BANK HOLIDAY CRICKET. Seventeen thousand people attended Kenning- ton Oval on Monday, for the first day's play in the match between Surrey and Notts. The home county at the close were 132 runs behind, with seven wickets down in their first innings. The Notts total amounted to 218. The feature of the opening day's play in the Canterbury festival was the bowling of Blythe, who secured nine Essex wickets for 67 runs, the visitors' full total being 121. Kent, in reply, made 87 for three wickets. At Bradford, the return match between Lancashire and Yorkshire was com- menced on Monday, for the benefit of Tunnicliffe. The visitors scored 233. Afterwards Yorkshire compiled 46 without losing a wicket. Following a bad start, Somerset recovered in remarkable fashion at Taunton in the return game with Middlesex on Monday. The home team scored 253, and Middlesex lost Moon and Warner for 88 runs. At Bristol, Gloucestershire kept Sussex in the field all day on Monday, and scored 351 for nine wickets. Bowlers held the upper hand at Edgbaston, 24 wickets falling for 184 runs. In Warwickshire's first innings, Arnold captured seven wickets for 48 runs, while Har- greave took five Worcestershire wickets for 7 33, and Moorhouse four for 24. Derbyshire had by far the better of the first day's play in their match with Hampshire, and when play ceased on Monday night they were five runs ahead, with a similar number of wickets in hand. A capital display by Mr. J. A. Lester was the feature in the match between Leicestershire and the Gentlemen of Philadelphia, at Leicester, the VISÜlllg captain making 126 (not out) in a total of 200. The home county scored 120 for the loss of five wickets. TUESDAY'S PLAY. At Kennington Oval on Tuesday, Surrey's first innings against Notts closed for 166 or 52 be hind Notts made 243 in their second innings, and the home team, with 296 to get to win ob- tained 27 without loss. Kent completed their first innings at Canterbury against Essex for 324 which gave them a lead of 203, and Essex lost half their wickets in their second innings for 157. At Bristol, Gloucestershire carried their first innings score against Sussex to 444, of which Mr. W. S. Brown contributed 155. Sussex lost five wickets for 166. Worcestershire easily de- feated Warwickshire at Birmingham by nine wicketsi. At Taunton, Middlesex completed their first innings against Somerset for 312, or 59 to the good, and the home team put on 229 in their second innings at the cost of half their wickets. Yorkshire's first innings against Lan- cashire at Bradford ended for 238, or five ahead, and Lancashire lost seven wickets in their second innings for 88. At Derby the home team con- tinued their first innings against Hampshire, and raised their total to 446, of which Needham made 131. Hampshire, with arrears of 261 to wipe off, were dismissed for 202, and Derbyshire won by an innings and 59 runs. Leicestershire completed their first innings against the Phila- delphians at Leicester for 164, or 36 behind. The Americans scored freely in their second in- nings, and hit up 287. THE KING'S CUP. At the Royal Yacht Squadron's regatta at Cowes on Tuesday, the race for the King's Cup was won by the German Emperor's yacht Meteor, Sir J. Spender's Brynhild coming in second.

I CUNARD AGREEMENT. I TERMS OF THE GOVERNMENT BARGAIN. The text of the agreement between the British Government and the Cunard Steamship Com- pany has been issued as a Parliamentary paper. The following clauses specify the deed in de- tail 1. To build in the United Kingdom two large steamships capa-ble of maintaining a minimum average ocean speed of from twenty-four to twenty-five knots an hour. 2. To hold all its vessels at the disposal of the Government to be hired or purchased. 3. Three-fourths of the crew shall be British subjects. 4. A portion of the officers and one-half the crew of three existing steamers and of the two new ones, when built, shall belong to the Naval Reserve. 5. To sell no vessel of the speed of seventeen knots or upwards without the consent of the Government. 6. Not to unduly raise the freights or to give undue preference as against British subjects. 7. To give a weekly American mail service by its fastest vessels, for which the postal subsidy payable to them will be increased to C68,006 per annum. 4 In return for this the British Government agrees:— To grant a subsidy of CI50,000 per annum. The first C75,000 of this sum will be paid on the date of the sailing of the first of the two new steamers, and the other £ 75,000 on the date of the sailing of the second new vessel. To advance a loan to the company equal to the cost of the two new steamships, but not exceeding C2,600,000, at 2t per cent. The 4 loan, which will rank as a first charge upon the whole of the company's assets, and will be secured by debentures, is repayable in twenty annual instalments. The trustees for the debenture-holders are Sir Francis Hopwood, Permanent Secretary of the Board of Trade, on behalf of the Govern- ment; Lord Inverclyde, for the Cunard Com- pany; and Lord Revelstoke, who is elected by his two colleagues. The company are also to issue to two nominees of the Government such voting power as will prevent the passing of any special resolution by the shareholders in viola- tion of the terms of the present agreement. An agreement has also been completed be- tween the British Government and the Morean shipping combination to preserve the previously existing British interest for Admiralty and Post Office purposes in the British vessels acquired by the American combine.

LORD KITCHENER AND THE SUBALTERN. A young subaltern at the railroad blockhouse in the Standerton district during the late war, writing home to his lady-love, inquired if the one-train-a-day to Johannesburg had passed (says the "V.C."). Learning that it had already g< ne, but that a special was shortly due, he exclaimed, "Special or no special, this letter must catch the mail!" finished the letter, and sauntered up the line to hold up the special. All he had do was to kick a wire, and the signal would stand at danger. In due course the special came along, read the danger signal and halted'. As the sub passed along to the guard's van, he saw to his horror that it was only a special train, but that the "Chief" was in it. Saying to himself, "In for a penny in for a pound," he cooly requested the guard to see that his letter caught the mail, and walked back along the train. Kitchener 1)11.; his head out of the window, and seeing the ven- turesome sub., said, "Who stopped this train?" The sub. explained with profuse apologies. "You'll hear of this again," remarked the Chief, "and in a way you won't like," and he ordered the train on. Next day General X., at Stander- tor;, had the subaltern up to report. "A fine business, sir, stopping the Chief's train; why ever did you do it?" Again the unfortunate sub. frankly told his story. General X. roared with laughter. "Well, sir," he said, "I'll make it as I nice to the Chief as I can, for you block-house fellows have a dull time of it. But I hope it will be a lesson." The very kindly report of General X. brought back in a day or two the curt verdict, "Overlooked this time, but Lieu- tenant is severely reprimanded." As Lord Kitchener, when travelling in South Afric&, mapped out every bit of his route-two minutes at this station, four minutes at that, and kept strictly to his self-compiled schedule, it is clear that with General X. he thought the sub.'s cheek too good to be severely punished.

Two jewel robberies have occurred in a fashionable residential district of Eastbourne. A German waiter is in custody. New S.outh Wales increased in population 12,420 during the first six months of this year. The longest span of life is that of the ele- phant, which will survive two centuries.

I TO THE SOUTH POLE: Aloft and below a big squad of workmen are employed in fitting out the Terra Nova, which is the most powerful whaler afloat, and is now pre- paring at Dundee to start for her important mis- sion of relieving the Discovery in the Antarctic regions. The expedition is noteworthy in miuiy respects. The Government, at a price ap- proaching C20,000, has purchased the Terra Nova from Messrs. C. T. Bowring and Co., Ltd., Liverpool, on the understanding that the firm have the option of repurchasing when the vessel has fulfilled her mission. The Terra Nova, which was launched in 1885, is 187ft. in length, has 31ft. of beam, in depth of hold measures 19ft., and is of 450 net and 744 gross tonnage, with engines of 120-h.p.. Built of oak and fortified with greenheart and iron bark, the ship's side through the framing has a mean thickness of 23ins. Captain Harry McKay, who has been appointed to the command, is an Arctic navigator of skill, courage, and resource. In her whaler days he commanded the Terro Nova, and as captain of the Aurora, launched from the same yard, he holds a record in whale catching. He it was that discovered the traces of the ill-fated expedition organised by Bjorling and Kalstennius, and, for his exertions in seek- ing to elucidate the mystery which surrounds the death of these explorers on the far-away Carey Islands, official recognition was made by the Swedish nation. The crew, for the most part, will be composed of whalemen from Dundee and Shetland-a fact which secures the hearty ap- proval of experts. A month will elapse before the ship can start, but it is essential that she should make the Southern ice by the end of November. She will proceed by way of the Suez Canal, will be towed part of the way by vessels of the Royal Navy, and will join hands with the Morning at Tasmania.

I AN OVERWORKED DEPARTMENT. Parliament will soon be asked to provide the means of augmenting the staff of the Board of Trade. Mr. Gerald Balfour, replying to a ques- tion addressed to him by Sir John Colomb, states, through the medium of the Parliamen- tary Paper, that the strain imposed upon the Board of Trade has been for some time, and continues to be, very heavy. Quite apart from the pressure involved in answering questions and making returns relating to fiscal matters, the normal work of the commercial department has largely increased. Much of the work will no doubt be permanent, and he is taking steps to enlarge the staff of the department.

I THE AVERAGE MAN. The average man in the United Kingdom, says "T.A.T. stands 5ft. 6in., weighs lOst, and a few pounds, and measures 36in. round the chest. He is, therefore, not conspicuously tall, but is a substantial personage of middle weight and a fair development. He wears a number 7 boot, a 7t glove, a 6 £ hat., and a 15 £ collar. He is, upon the whole, a youngish man to be exact, 35 years of age, is married and has four children, three of whom he will rear to, at least, comparative maturity. He married, when he was 27, a wife of between 25 and 26. Th& marriage was by banns, and not in the presence of the registrar. Ten days of sickness during the year are as much as he calculates on. The income of the average man is not a large one. In the earlier half of his experiences as a hus- band and father his weekly budget is nearer 35s. than £ 2. When his children, after the energetic modern fashion, begin to "do a bit," the total income of the little household may reach E100 or E130 a year. The average man works hard, and has his full share of financial and domestic work, yet his life is not as short as it is often represented to be. When a young male adult, even in a crowded modern city, has reached the age of 25 years he has an "expecta- tion of life" equal to another 35 years.

I THE USEFUL COW. Napkin rings, hair-combs, walking-stick knobs, brush-backs and handles, cigarette-cases and holders, and a variety of other small objects (ac- cording to the Paris correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph"), are now being made of milk. It appears that much of the cheap imita- tion ivory now in the trade comes from the cow. There are even alleged pearls worn in earrings, or in other kinds of so-called fancy jewellery, which are literally drops of condensed milk. A nobleman owning immense estates and large farms in the Loiret Department has set up a factory for carrying on this new industry. The substance, which is called "lactite," can even be used for veneering furniture, and for imitation earthenware.

ANCIENT EMBROIDERIES. Some fine examples recently added to the col- lection of ecclesiastical embroidery at South Kensington, are now exhibited there in the Tapestry Court. They were obtained irom the Hochon Collection which was sold in Paris last month. The museum owes one of the best among them to the generosity of Mr. J. H. intz- henry, who placed at the disposal of the authori- ties a sum sufficient to purchase the beautiful Italian orphrey dating from the second half of the 14th century (No. 831-1903). It is remark- able both for beauty and fineness of workman- ship, and for the simple and expressive manner in which the artist has told the story of the Virgin Mary the subject is represented in nine scenes. The orphrey probably belonged to a cope, and may be compared with that on the cope No. 580-1884 exhibited in a wall-case in the Italian Court. An English orphrey (No. 827- 1903) comes in no degree behind this Italian example in technical qualities, and forms another illustration of the remarkable pi-e-emir- ence of English embroideries in the earlier Gothic period. "Opus Anglicanum" had ac- quired a celebrity on the continent of Europe before the middle of the 13th century, and beau- tiful examples dating from that and the fol- lowing century, and showing unmistakable signs of English origin, are still to be found in Italy, Spain, France, and elsewhere. Two bands of Cologne work (Nos. 823 and 824-1903) illustrating the possibilities of combining the weaver's and embroiderer's art, date from the latter part of the 15th ccntury. One other piece may be mentioned-an orphrey from a chasuble (No. 826-1903) bearing the date 1526 on a car- touche beneath the central figure of David, and most probably of Freneh workmanship. It forms a simple and useful example of continental work at a period when ths art of the em- broiderer in this country, after a decline during the Wars of the Roses, shone again for a brief period before its practical extinction, as far as ecclesiastical work is concerned, at the dissolu- tion of the'monasteries.

LADY LAKING IN AN ACCIDENT. I A cab accident occurred on Bank Holi- day afternoon in Balham High-road. Lady Laking, the wife of Sir Francis Laking, the King's physician, was returning home with a friend after making some calls at Balham. On turning out of the Streathbourne-road into the Balham High-road the driver of the cab was un- able to prevent an electric tramway-car goinq towards Blackfriars from running into the back of his cab and throwing the vehicle against an- other tramway-car which was stationary. The result was that the cab was jammed between the two cars, its roof was taken off, and it was wrecked. The driver was thrown between the horse and the splashboard. Lady Laking was extricated from the debris with no more injury than a wrist sprained and slight injuries to her face.