South Wales Echo

The Man About Town. The scheme for controlling the output of coal in the South Wales and Monmouthshire Coalfields has been finally abandoned-by the Coalowners. That was the decision arrived at yesterday, and the Secretary was "desired to inform the workmen's represen- tatives of the fact." Needless to observe, the Output Control Scheme was devised to stop reckless competition in selling Welsh coal, and consequently to maintain the miners' wages. It is urged with a good deal of truth and justification by the colliers' representatives that the Sliding Scale enables the Owners to ran down prices in the selling market and lower the miners wages because there is no acting check in the working agreement be- tween the masters and men. So long as the Sliding Scale is in operation the owners are enabled to accept very low prices for coal, knowing that these prices will be met by the operation of the scale which controls wages by the selling price of coal. The suggested scheme for maintaining prices, and consequently wages, by regulating the output was to some extent a substitute for the men's demand of a mini- mum rate in the Sliding Scale for fixing wages The various schemes for controlling the output which have been suggested and discussed by the Committee represent a gigantic amount of work and a stupendous effort, which have resulted in, leaving the question just where it was. The failure of the Coalowners to combine in such a scheme will throw the workmen back on their demands for a minimum price in the Scale agreement, below which no sales shall count in reckoning the wage rate. The Cardiff Chamber of Commerce yester- day had its attention drawn to the question of the Import Trade of the port by the reference of the Chairman to the fact that the formation of an Import Section of the Chamber had brought in twenty new candidates for membership. Action usually follows by publicity but there has been publicity for the last seven or eigh t years and precious little practical effort. The Import trade is coming with a rush presently, and there will be other interests than ships and coal. The early and practical development of an Import Trade in the port of Cardiff would be one of the most advantageous movements possible for the working classes of South Wales generally. It would mean well stocked and cheaper markets for food products. The high standing efficiency of the Cardiff Board Schools is well known throughout the country, and that reputation is fully maintained by the success of the Higher Grade School pupils in the London Matriculation Examination. Ten passes- six in the first division and four in the sownd-is a good record for a school of this disss, and Mr Waugh and bis assistants are to be complimented on the results. And here let me pointp a moral and adorn a tale. Do the people of Cardiff fully realise what advantages their children enjoy in the matter of education which, next to good health, is the finest and the most valuable equipment for either a boy or girl who has to face the world and earn a livelihood ? Now and again we hear of a bright boy or girl making his or her way up from the Board School to the University. It is possible for boys and girls of exceptional ability and quick intelligence, with the aptitude for study and the iron will to succeed, to pass from the Board School to the Higher Grade, thence to the Intermediate Schools and the University College, aided by scholarships which are open to all and the poorest. I should like to see a Cardiff Board School pupil the proud possessor of a University degree. Those ten pupils of the Higher Grade School who have passed the London Matriculation Examination have at least got their feet on the first step of the University ladder. There never was such interest displayed in Cardiff before on the question ot the Welsh language, nor so much questioning about the use to which a knowledge of it may be put by young people of the present day. Parents are asking, What is the commercial value of the Welsh language ? Has the language a literature, and what is its history ? But beyond a humorous remark that Welsh was the language spoken in the Garden of Eden, the man in the street confesses his ignorance. The general desire for instruction in the language of the Cymry, as expressed on the voting papers sent out by the School Board, is the truest indication one could have of the curiosity in the subject which has been aroused. The Board has tested the opinion of the parents and the scholars but it has not got quite what it wanted. The Board has, in fact, obtained too much and too little. The original idea was to teach Welsh to Welsh-speaking children- The Board does not know what is the desire of Welsh parents on the subject but on the other hand it has received an ex- traordinary demand, or the appearance of a demand, for tuition in the Schools. One wonders whether the result would be simi- lar if the test were applied to the Voluntary Schools of the town. The discussion is leading to the dissemina- tion of a knowledge of the real work of the Elementary schools, and many parents have been led to make inquiries tor the first time into the subjects taught to their children, and the manner of teaching adopted. In the light of the extraordinary and unexpected demand for the teaching of Welsh it would throw a flood of light on the result of the voting if one could know what the head teachers and the assistants said to the children under their charge. Was the enthusiasm created by the observa- tions of the teachers when distributing the voting papers ? Judging from the number of papers received the youngsters have displayed a peculiar zeal in returning them. Possibly we may hear something on this point when the general subject is raised at the meeting of the School Board. A Docks Clerk writes on the com- mercial phase of teaching Welsh :— Dear Man About Town,I have read with some interest and no little disgust of the efforts which just now are being made to introduce the teaching of the Welsh language in the Board Schools. Don't you think those responsible would be better occupied in ascertaining the opinions of parents as to the suitability of teaching their children French or German instead of trying to revive a language which to-day is never heard outside the limits of the Welsh borders, and which will be totally useless to the children in years'to come ? It has been proved times without number ehftt English clerks are at a great disadvantage compared with the French or German clerk iiimply be- cause the Englishman knows only his own language, whereas the foreigner, in addition to his mother tongue can, in the majority of instances, speak English as wellas ourselves. By all means train the ohildren to spoak another language, but for goodness sake let them learn one which will be of some use to them in after life. The Welsh language will oertainly never be required in Cardiff, and if not in its own principal town (?) where else A practical difficulty which presents itself to my mind is how, with the already crowded Time Table, an additional subject is to be crowded into the work of the schools. Another practical question. Is it possible in the Elementary schools to teach Welsh to children who very rarely hear Welsh spoken 1 It is an excellent sug- gestion to teach Welsh Grammar in the schools to the children of Welsh-speaking parents. That the subject is being widely discussed is evidenced by some of the "comments" added to the voting papers. Several have already been published. Others demand that their girls shall be taught geography and cooking, whilst not a few have given advice to the effect that the Board had better teach English and English composition before Welsh is attempted. We must wait for the discussion in the Boar d meeting. The following extract from a letter by Observer" admirably represents public feeling on the management of the Parks and Public Gardens:— I was glad to see your reference to the ridiculous methods that have prevailed at Roath Park. I hope it will be effective in securing more freedom and enjoyment for those who visit the park, but I am con. vinced that there are more absurd methods predominating in somo of the public gardens m town. In Loudoun-equare the children may pass through the gates, but all soon as they are inside they are expected to walk as carefully and demurely as old ladies, or to sit upon the seats like aged philosophers and admire the fountain or ponder the mysteries of nature, as suggested by the unique flowers and plants in the beds. If the children run around the garden the man with the cane promptly commands them to leave. Should they step off the outer path, and walk up towards the fountain they are driven back im- mediately. The children ought to be permitted to walk on all the paths and roads, and to run if they like, without being terrified ,or growled at by soyoue."

TO-DAY'S WEATHER. 4.30 P. M. I 9> TO.. Y'S FORECAST I NIt ANGLANDI S.W., AlfD BOWTIF WAJONS. North-westerly breesee, light; fine*; cool at first, warmer later. alox"&. -Much finer weather formwawto.doy.

I Murder of a Singer, I STORY OF THE CRIME. I MAJOR AND PREFECT OF POLICE. I "BY THE PRINCE'S WISH," I Opening of the Trial, VIKNNA, Wednesday.—The trial of the men accused of the murder cf tha singer from Budapest, AnnaSzimon, began yesterday. They are Petroff Boitscheff, a mn jor in the Prince's Guard and adjutant of Princess Marie Louise of Bulgaria, Carlo Novelio, prefect of police in Philippop ii3, and Bogdan Wassilen, a gendarme in the mounted police. Nicola Boitscheff, brother of the major, is accused of having abetted the murder. The indictment describes the victim Auna Szimon A Girl of Extraordinary Beauty, born in 1875 in Budapest, the daughter of ? shopkeeper. Having learnt to sing she was engaged for Sofia in 1893, and in 1894 made the acquaintance of Major Boitscheff, the Princess's adjutant, who not ouly promised to marry her by word of mouth but wrote letters to that effect to her father. In 1895 she gave birth to a child, and the major refused to provide for either her or the baby. When she asked him for money he illtreated her so badly that her friends found ber in fainting fits. She ohen;suffered from hunger and cold. The man then decided he would make a rich marriage, and though he told the girl this would not change their relations, but would provide him with money, he was already thinking of the means to rid himself of her. Six days before the major's marriage his brother came to press his suit with Anna, but she would not even listen to him. All this happened in Sofia. On the 5th April, 1897, Anna Szimon received I A Letter from the Major who was in Philippopolis ordering her to come to that city with hi brother. They took rooms in a hotel, and here the brother Nicola again tried to wiu her favour, but failed. At night he repeated his attentions, and as he was quite drunk the girl defended herself with a log of wood. This created such a disturbance that they were told to leave the hotel. Anna went to another hotel Nicola left for Harmau'.i, where he was an offioial in the savings bank. The girl had not a franc of money in her possession, and all her attempts to see the major were of no avail. Whenever she appeared at the Palace the guards drove her away. She spsnt one whole night waiting outside the gates. In the meantime Boitscheff had returned to Sofia. When he came to Philippopolis again and heard how the girl was waiting for him, be resolved seriously to get rid of her once for all. On the 18th April he summoned the prefeot of police to the Prince's house adjoining the Palace in which he lived, and asked him to rid him of the eirl "oJ' I By Fair Means or Foul, Novelic consented. Thoy settled a plan without loss of time. Boitscheff knew of a deep part of the river Manzz-i not tar from Philippopolis, and here they decided to drown the girl. They agreed to take a gendarme inthePril1ca'sseniceintotbeir secret councils. Boitscheff sent the girl a letter through a cab-driver, in which he told her he had bought some tine things for her, and would wait for her at the bridge overthe Marizza, as ho meant to go for a week with her to a little property he had in the neighbourhood. The girl was delighted with this letter, and in her joy showed it to some friends. When no carriage came for her next day she went to the palace to ask for Boitscheff, bub was induced by a functionary to go quietly away, he promising to give her message. She then got another letter announcing that a carriage would call for her at half-pass 8 on the 21st of April. Anna's friends advised her not to drive to the I Marizz Bride ab night, but she declared she was not afraid of Her uarnng Papusohka. I She must ppe.-vk to him about the child. On the J 21st April, Novelio and the gendarme drove to the spot in the afternoon to examine it. In the evening Novelic sent for a public conveyance, told the driver he should not need his services, and made the gendarme, dressed as a civilian, mount the box. He then drove to the hotel, paid Anna's bill, told her to take her luggage, and drove with her to the road boyond the city, where Boitscheff was waiting outside the Catholic Cemetery. Major Boitscheff wore his Guards' uniform, but with an ordinary overcoat. Novelio wore the uniform as Prefect of Police. Boitscheff sab by Anna's side, Nuvelic opposite. When the carriage passed the monument to the murdered mother of General Skobeleff Anna jumped out of the carriage, Boitscheff after her. He was grasping her hand, holding a bottle to her nose. The carriage stopped and the three men seized the girl and put her into the carriage again. She swooned away, but came to again. Boitscheff,who did not like his work in the carriage,mounted the box, and made the gendarme drug the girl until she fainted again. When the bridge was reached they stopped, dragged the unconscious girl out, laid her down aud looked for a large stone to bind to the body, but first They Stranglei Her. I Then they bouud a largo stone over the body. The gendarme seized her head, Boitscheff and Novelic her faet. and so they carriod her to the river and flung bar in. They then rshirned to town, Boitschnff to his young wife, Novelio to the police station, where Anno Szinton's luggage was taken. Qn the third day the gendarme threw the effects into the well of the station. As Anna did not return, her friends suspected foul play, and told some journalists what they feared had happened, and a Sofia paper first com- mented on the affair. Novelio WM questioned, and said Anna Szimoo had gone to Vienna, and had sent telegrams to Sofia and Philippopolis asking to have her letters sent to Vienna. The police of Vienna soon ascertained that the girl had not been there at the time the telegrams were sent, and that the telegrams were sent by other persons. On the 29th May the girl's body was found by fishermen. The indictment gives also some other interesting information. Among Novelic's papers were found Boitsobeff's letters, one of which says :—" Yuu must rid me of this girl somehow—she behaves in a scandalous way in the street every time I leave the Palace, and the Court has several times felt annoyed. It is the Prince's wish that the girl shall be removed." Novelic, who is 45 years old. lately married asinger of 18, and was in continual financial difficulties. Boitscheff gave him a bill for 3.000 francs, which he could not get discounted even at half the amount. Boitscheff attempted to send letters to Princess Marie Louise from prison. The letters were intercepted, and were found to contain supplications to the Princess to save him. She could do so by a word if she declared that she knew for oertain that he was at Court the night of the murder. Sixty-four witnesses will appear in the trial.-Daity News.

WESLEYAN PRESIDENT. I The Daily Chronicle says that the Rev. W. L. Watkinson, the new president of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, is in more respects than one a remarkable man. Doctrinally he is orthodox of the orthodox, and in his attitude towards Methodist politics the new president cannot be said to be anything of an innovator. He is a slow mover, content on the whole with Methodist machinery as it exists, and jealous of any tampering with the precious itinerancy, the order of sessions, or the supremacy of the ministerial class. In the columns of the Methodist Recorder he has opposed with energy the idea of per- mitting laymen to have a voice in the election of praeident. A few months ago it teemed a close thing between Mr Watkiuson and Mr Hughes for the presidency, and there is little doubt that the vigorous line taken by Mr Hughes in favour of lengthening the ministerial term of residence greatly increased the following of Mr Watkinson. Other Characteristics. I The newly-elected president is a spare attenua- I ted man, more than six feet high, with a vein of caustic humour suggestive of the typical Yankee. He is widely read, probably more widely than any other Methodist minister. Fiotion, theology, science, come alike within the scope of his draw. net, and he has a romairkably apt and daring way of introducing all sorts of knowledge into is interesting serm one. He is editor of the Methodist Magazine, which he has redeemed from a condition of sterility.

A SUICIDE'S TOAST. I Ever sinco William Beer Whitfield, a Poplar I shipwright, 49 years of age, was bitten by a II healthy dog 13 months age he has been low. spirited and nervous, perhaps frightened by the talk about hydrophobia. A night or two ago be took up a bottle of carbolic acid in the kitchen, I said Here's luck, everybody," and took a draught from the bottle. The Coroner's jury said it was a case of "Suicide while insane."

l "FOB THB DBFBNOB." — Fergus Humfe's Thrilling Story, For The Defence," commences in j the Gmrdijf. Txmet wtd South Wak4 Wttkly on I Pk"14

I Petroieum Hair-wash. I A LADY IN FLAMES. I Coroner's Inquiry. I SENSATIONAL STORY. An inquesb was held yesterday ab the West- minster Coroner's Court on the body of Mrs Francis Samuelson, the danghter-in-law of Sir Bernbard Samuelson, ex-M. P., and it was then disolosed for the first time thab the ghastly aCCident which caused her death occurred in a West End shop, in the premises of Emile et Cie., the fashionable hairdressers, of Conduit-street. Rarely has a more sensational story been heard in such a court. Although the lady only died last Saturday, the accidenb happened as long ago as June 26sh, so that the secret has been well kept. At the inquest Mr W. Howlaud Jackson, instructed by Messrs Leesmith and Munby, represented the deceased lady, while Mr H. A. Forman watched the case on behalf of Emile et Vie. Mr Spencer appeared for the London County Council. The Bottle. I In front of counsel there stood on the table an I eight-ounoe bottle bearing x "1)91 with the I inscription PETROLEUM HAIR.WASH. ) must not be used in rooms which have a fire or light. Emile et Cie; Parfumeurs 24, Conduit-street, Bond-street. London, W. This bottle, the evidenoe showed, had been found in the late Mrs Francis Samuelson's room. Terrible Sufferings. I Thomas Edward Bridge, pharmaceutical chemist, of 30, Conduit-street, related how three weeks ago he had been called into the hairdresser's shop to attend to a lady who had been burnt. He ran to the piace, and found a lady who was sitting in a chair. Her body was very much burnt. He did not see anything about her either alight or smouldering. The burns were far too serious for him to deal with. so he at once sent for a surgeon. She was crying out that she was in such pain and begged that someone would put her out of her misery. He did nob see anything about that he could posisibly connect with the accident. Smoke was still banging about the room. Everything on Fire." K/inue FUCII3 explained that he and Einile Kopf constituted the firm of Emile et Cie." On June 26ih he heard a noise in the back room, a noise ike bourn the swarthy little Frenchman exclaimed with dramatic gesture, On rushing into the room he saw everything on fire he put towels on the lady, and got his arm singed a little. The lady was in flames from her waist up. His partner, Emili;, Kopf, was on fire too. The bottle produoed was like those sold to customers at 7s 61. It was called petroleum hair-wash, or antiseptic." He was ignorant of its component parts. "It is stuff to clean the hair. That's all I know." The label was put on it because it inflamed by light." He got it from M. Masson, 1. Great Queen-street, in tins of about 10 or 20 pints and bottled it iu the shop. (The invoice produced was for twenty litres, or 40 pints, a large quantity to store in a shop or dwelling. place, surely, considering the dangerous proper- ties of the liquid.) There were three gas stoves in the back room, which were used for heating curling tongs. These stoves were always put out before any customer's bead was washed with petroleum. The back room was divided into three compartments by means of two screens. Two of the gas stoves had been alight that morning, but he felt sure they had been duly put out. He never knew the waah to explode without light." He had heard of the somewhat similar accident to Mrs Fitzwilliam at Monte Carlo but then she had a night-light behind her basin. He bad never heard of a French actress being burnt to death through the stuff exploding. He had warned customers that the liquid was dangerous. He had made inquiries about it in Paris, and bad. been told it was dangerous by light." The wash had been in use in Paris for the past six or seven years he had used it for two years only. Counsel for Emile et Cie here interposed, and remarked that "other hairdressers in London used the wash." Witness resumed They had a special "saloon upstairs, which was sometimes used when applying the petroleum hair wash. It did not have any gas stove in it. The Operation Described. I Emile Kopf, the other member of the firm, said he had attended thedeoeased for several years. At an appointed time she came into the back room. Nobody was there. She aslwd to have ber hair washed with petroieum. He always saw if the gas stoves were out before he used petroleum. He described how he operated. While lie had her hair in a bunch, and was wringing the liquid out of it. a noise came like boom I" and both she and he were on fire. He wore rings. It was a very hot day. The wash was loe-cold to the touch and to the head when first applied. Gradually both head and hand grdw very burn- ing. Such was the invariable rule. When the explosion took place Mrs Samuelson asked him what had happened. Ho replied, "I don't know." He had always considered the wash dangerous with light." He could not tell whether the beat of the sun, whose rnys shone through skylight above bis clients' heads, or the ringing of the hair, had caused the explosion. Every day ladies asked for that particular wash. If he did not supply it, other hairdressers would, and be would lose customers. Since the accident lie had refused it. He told all his customers it was dangerous stuff. There was no air at all in the room the heat was excessive. He told Mrs Samuelaou it was dangerous. She replied that she had used it before. The Coroner: Why did you use it if you considered ib dangerous 2-Becausa I have never had an accident before. I sell it to customers to please them. If I refuse it to them, they threaten to get it from Paris. I never heerd of an accident before. I never wanted the stnff in my place. I took more care than usual on that day, because it was a very hob day. Why did you warn her on this particular day -Bocause a very hot day is more dangerous than a cold one. At this junoture, it being late in the afternoon, the Coroner adjourned the inquest.

A NOTORIOUS CHARACTER. I Wm. Rice (33), who has gained considerable notoriety through his ecoentric conduct in the streets of Cardiff, was brought up at the Police Court to-day charged with begging in Duke-street on the 21st insb. He admitted his guilt and then entered into his customary rigmarole that he would leave the town. Indeed, your Worships, I will walk straight to London if you give me this one chance," added Rice in a most penitent manner. Councillor White said that he had promised to do that before. Sergeant Frederick Butler was called: upon for defendant's record. and stated that he bad been in 39 times for different offenoes, four times for begging, for which he had been sentenced to two terms of imprisonment for a month, one term for six weeks, and another for seven days. The Bench now ordered his incarceration for 14 days with hard labour.

THE PLAGUE IN INDIA. I Serious Allegations. I We have received the following telegram (says tbe Daily New,) from the seoretary of the India Association, dated Calcutta yesterday evening. We print the telegram as we received it, but no confirmation has reached us from any other souroe :— Two gross cases are reported of attempted outrage on Hindoo girls in the Khana plague inspection camp by two European ofifcers, who have been suspended by the Government. Pandita Ramabai writes to a newspaper of the seduotion of one of her girls in the Poona plague camp, utterly demoralising the arrange- ments there. These cases have created a great sensation all ver the country.

AFFAIRS OF A CARDIFF CLERK. A meeting of the creditors of Mr Richard Douglas Page, clerk, who resided at Holly Dene House, Whitchurch, was held at the ottice of the Offioial Receiver, Cardiff, to-day. The statement of affairs showed the gross liabili- ties to be £ 2,392 lis 7d, of which ;68W 154 9d rankod for dividend. The assets were pnt at B374 4s 2d, there being thus a deficiency of jE435 118 7d. The causes of failure were said to be expenses of a large family and law coats. No offer has been made, and the estate will be 'administered by the Offioial Reiver in bank- ruptcy.

J- THE KING OF Wnmxms. Pattisons," which a acknowledged by connoisseurs to be perfection, is strongly commended to lovers of Scotch Whisky. It is & wholesome, sound, and invigorating beverage of a wholesomquea, lity and flavour. "Patttsons" is the wbisky "Pat Excellence." Try it. It speaks for i Sold everywhere. Sole Proprietors :Pattlsons itself. Highland D&tiUera, .BaUlndaQoch* Leitb, and :D,dqÐ. r- nM

I The New Gold Field. I A RICH FIND. f Attitude of the Canadian Government. In a message despatch from New York yester- day the special correspondent of the Daily Tele graph says The Dominion Government of Ottawa is using every effort to complete the organisation of the district in which the gold fields recently dis- covered aloug the Klondike and other creeks are situated. This action has been taken in view of the fact that the Government is in possession of information which corroborates the first accounts given of the richness of these placer diggings, Two years ago Inspector Constantine was sent by the Ministry of the Interior in charge of a force of 20 of the North-West Police to the district in question for the purpose of administering the law and collecting taxes for the Customs depart- ment That officer established two posts, one at Cudahy.and the other at Forty Mile Creek. He collected 15,000 dollars during the first year he was there, and owing to the success attained by their initial step the Government, in the following year, despatched Mr D. W. Davis as Customs officer for the district. His collections for the year augmented the total obtained in this way to 35,000 dollars. The Alleged Grabbing of Territory, I Mr William Ogilvy, chief of the Canadian International Boundary Survey, has set alldoubis at rest regarding the lack of foundation of the charges made against the Canadians of grabbing territory belonging to Alaska, which had been set afloat by newspapers at Seattle and other places on the American coast. When the mile posts were being set up by the surveyors the observations of the American and Canadian parties as to the boundary differed by only 60 feet ab Forty Mile Camp and six feet at Cudahy. The first detachment of polioe thab had been sent to the region refused to re-anlist when the terms of their service expired, as the Canadian Government only paid them wages at the rate of one dollar per day, while the earnings of all the men around them ran from 10 dollars to 15 dollars per diem. Five of these policemen returned, and it is said that they brought back with them over 200,000 dollars' worth of gold. Mr Ogilvy's last report to his Government says that the accounts given of the Klondike region are very encouraging. AU the other oreeks around are practically abandoned. I Who are to Work the New El Dorado P Information has reached Washington to the effect tball the Canadian authorities have under consideration a proposition prohibitin any but British subjects from working this New El Dorado of North America. At the State Department it is remarked that the Dominion Government has the right to forbid the entrance of foreigners if they consider the step desirable, but the United States officials do not think that the Canadians will adopt such a measure as the British have always been allowed to mine in Alaska. The Americans do not intend to be excluded, and a number have established claims in both British and American territory, and have written to the State Department requesting the Seore. tary to adopt measures for their protection. Another Shipload of Gold. SAN FRANCISCO, Wednesday.—A steamer from St. Michael is known to be on its way to this port with fivo or six million dollars worth of gold from Klondike.—Cintral News.

CARDIFF STREET MUD. I the Minimising Measures. I JOOULAR COUNCILLORS. I The Streets Committee of the Cardiff Corpora- tion submitted to the Public Works Committee to-day a seriogs of recommendations having for their objact the improvement of road construction so as to minimise the quantity of mud. These suggestions have already been published. The committee also recommended that the borough engineer be provided with a horse and trap. At to-day'a meeting of the Publio Works Committee, Mr Harpur said it must nob be supposed that the adoption of the recommenda- tions would get rid of the irnd, -Councillor Mildon Of oourse not it is only playing to the g.tllery.As to the further recommendation, the Borough Engineer said be would prefer to pay for the horse and trap himself, if the Corporation would provide for up.keep. He objected to remarks being made as to his riding about in a conveyauce bought out of the ratepayers' money. In answer to Councillor E. Thomas, Mr Harpur said there were nearly 100 miles of roads in Cardiff. -Councillor Allen Have you not thought of a bicycle, Mr Harpur? -Councillor Crorisman He does not want to break his neok. (Laughter.) The Borough Engineer said the idea of the Streets Committee was to reduce, not to increase, his labours. (Laughter.) Councillor E. Thomas failed to see what the Publio Works Committee bad to do with any reporb from the Streets Committee. The latter were appointed by the Council, and they should report to the Council. (Hear, bear.) He had expected to see some suggested improvement on present methods, but all they saw was that this mountain had been 10 great labour and-Colincillor Allen Brought forth a horse and trap. (Laughter.)— The Borough Erigincer said any improvements which might be made in road repair and construction wonld not remedy matters unless, and until, there was a great improvement in the system of cleansing them. The reporb was referred to the Council.—The salary of Mr W, Eaton, A.R. I.B. A., architectural assiabanb to the borough engineer, came under revision, and the committee decided to recommend the Council to increase his remuneration from B150 to B175 per annum.

AN AUrOPSy CLUB. A club has been formed in Chicago with quite an unusual object. It is called by the somewhab gruesome name of Autopsy Club, but this appellation has its advantages, for it expresses exactly what the club is. Its raison d'etre being to investigate the brains of the members after death —that is to say, each member on joining the club signs an undertaking by which he bequeaths his brain to the surviving members thereof, and the object of this is to permit of a thorough investigation being made into his cerebral organ, with a view, no doubt, to the consequent enlightenment and benefit of mankind. Such a club may be productive of many inter- esting speculations among the members. The characteristics and eccentricities of some clubmen are humorously proverbial. For example, it would be interesting to learn the exact localisation of the brain-cells which oaus6 « member to cruise round the reading-room and take up surreptitiously four or five of his favourite newspapers, for which there is a general demand, and sit on them till he haa time to read them in turn. Occasionally, again, there is a member who dries his handkerchief at the smoking room fire. Bab so far it has not been determined in what part of the cerebrum the cells exist which must be held responsible for this act. Upon the whole, then, one can readily imagine thab, even upon the less important grounds of throwing some light upon the brain centres of eccentricities, the Autopsy Club has a future before it. We shall await with interest the further announcements in connection with this 'enterprise, and as soon a* business begins in earnest the ooramibtee of the club should make early arrangements for the publication of their reports."Medical Press and Circular.

I Devastated Essex. I IBAD DEATH OF A SUFFERER. I I More Extraordinary Effects. BBSNTWOOD.— There can be no doubt that the late storm iu Essex was one of the most singular phenomena of the kind ever known in this country. There seems to be no end to the stories of its curious effects. I have driven to-day (writes the special correspondent of a London contemporary) for 15 or 16 miles through the heart of the afflicted district, aud at almost every point I inquired at I had shown me the queerest results of the ter- rific downpour of missiles. One farmer, for instance, assured me that his wife had been rak- ing out from his pond the fish that had been killed by the storm, The rake lying on the bank of the pond cannot, perhaps, be accepted as unquestion- able evidence of the fact, but I saw no reason to doubt the literal truth of the assertion that when the storm was over the carp were wobbling about intgreat agitation, and were turning over on their sides, and that they died in such numbers that they bad to be raked out Because of the Nasty Smell. I The farmer's evident belief that they had been battered and beaten by the lumps of ice may not be the true explanation, but that they died in consequence of the storm seems hardly to be doubted. Another exceedingly puzzling effect of the storm was pointed out to me by the Rector of Doddinghursb, the Rev. Mr gAdams. T say that the frnit trees in the rectory garden were battered and broken is only to say they shared the fate of trees all over the distriot of Essex. But the curious thing was that the stem of the trees bad the bark slit and gashed in the most inexplicable way. The branches presented evidenb effects of direct blows, smashing and stripping. That waa intelligible enough; but what in the rector's opinion was not intelligible was that the inner and more sheltered branches were longitudinally slit and cracked, as though the wood within -had momentarily expended. It may possibly have been the result of the violent bending and twisting to which the trees were subjected for one terrible quarter of an hour, In two cases to-day I was shown the wooden fronts of houses which presented just about the appearance they might have been expected to do if a mob bad attacked them with a battery of macadamised sbones. They were dented and broken all over. It need hardly be said that every fragment of glass was babbered away. In one case this had been renewed, and the small farmer showed me a bill he had just paid amounting to J34 17s 2d. "But I wouldn't mind about the glass," said the farmer, if that was the worst of it." I had found him having a rest under a tree and looking oub over his wasted fields, the very picture of despondency. Well lie might, poor fellow. He had got some grass left, and that seemed about all he had gob. It was seriously damaged, and it was dreadfully bard work to got it in, and he had h' d to rake it all over before he could cub ib. I don't mind the work," he said, as he passed the back of his horny hand across his forehead. I'm used to that, and, thank the Almighty, we got a bit o' beautiful weather to get it in- what there is of it. But I dread the autumn and the winter." He had had 41 acres of corn, and a great part of it he bad just bad hoed at a cost of 5s an acre, I saw his fields, and for the corn be will oertainly not get 41 pence. The roots are there, and they have shot up again and look wonderfully vigorous and green in some parts. There may be a little straw for litter, but certainly nothing more and there is the hay he is getting in. Beyond that everything has gone. Last year he made JBSO out of his orchard. He took me into ib, and there isn't this year sixpennyworbh of fruit. One poor fellow who suddenly found himself Face to Face with Ruin I died yesterday in the Essex County Lunatic Asylum, and really it must have been a heart. breaking experience for many another. "You have a nice lob of fowls," I said to the wife. "Yes," she said, "but we had a lob of them killed, and I've got a Job of chicks in the orchard that was knocked about dreadful. They managed to live, but they don't thrive somehow, and if they do we shaU have to buy every bit of food for them. We shan't have a bit o' corn to come into the yard." I balked to several small farmers to-day who had got some nice cattle but how are they going to keep them, they want to know, with everything to buy for them ? We shall have to sell some of ours," sighed one woeful wife, and yon know when they knows you're obliged to sell,low, they don't give e nobbidg for 'em." The rector of Doddinghursb, who has taken so sympathetic and active a part in the promotion of the fund for the help of his unfortunate neighbours, entreats me to urge upon everybody who can render any assistance to do so. There'll be no gleaning, no straw bying, no thrashing machines for the men to follow about and work with. In short, there will be deep and widespread distress. The cottage gardens are everywhere cut up, and my driver to-day told me that even at Ongar, where the tempesb seemed only to have commenced its destructive career aoross counfFy, and where the devastation is a good deal more limited, it has nevertheless been sufficiently disastrous to lead to the abandonment of the annual horticultural show. There are hundreds of hardworking and deserving farmers and their families tottering on the verge of absolute ruin, and are watching day by day the slow advance of a fund which ought to commend itself to all who can feel for unmerited misfortune. It is a piteous case. I be 62 years old," said A weather-beaten old veteran, and unless I gets help I got to turn out and begin all over again—and jusb as I thought as I was goin' to turn the corner, and do a bit o' good for myself It's pretty hard." —' ii ——mma

HOTEL ENGLISH. The world will be a much duller world when we all como to speak the same universal language, and when in consequence we shall be deprived of the pleasure of witnessing the efforts of the enterprising hotel manager in wrestling with a I foreign tongue. English is spoken a great deal in Norway, but we are delighted to find, on the nuthority of Dr. Horton in the August Temple Magazine, that the example of the immortal Pedro Caroline still animates the Scandinavian student of our language. The description of a river as being here pressed in a narrow chink with mighty giants' kettles" is distinctly precious; so, too, is the warning, One must be cautious, as the mountain is polished." Best of all, however, is the startling announcement that this first-olass hotel is beautifully situated at the very bottom of the FiLwd, and accommodates transient as well as permanent' boarders." Where inaccuracy leads to such exhilarating results, who could wish for the attainment of a higher standard of linguistic precision on the part of the merry Norse hotel- keeper ?—Daily Graphic.

CAJtMf AND COUNTY HoUTlCt'LTOKAL gOOIKM -The NiDtb Annual Show of Ftowe?s. Fruit. V..etab, M? Honey will be held on d' Hth VetcetfAtM, An 1'MtMt?i Fxhibition will bt held at LM. the sme time, OPON to all cbildren under 16 yoaxg. j Entides clON8 August 5th. For schedules apply j Secretary, 66, WoodTiHe-ro?d, Cardiff. 9?<

SAD ACCIDENT AT PENARTH. I A Lady Terribly Injured. This morning a sad accident occurred on the Taff Vale Railway at Penarth. It appears that an elderly lady of independent means, named Mi. Sydenham, who resided at West-terrace, Pamrtb. after waiting at the crossing off Windsortoad while a train from Cardiff passed, attempted to cross the line, having apparently not noticed a train coming in the opposite direc- tion. The unfortunate lady waa knocked down and carried some distance, but the driver of tne engine pnUed up very promptly. Dr. Bird was in immediate attendance, and on examination found that the lady had sustained a severe frac- ture of the skull, besides being otherwise badly bruised. Miss Sydenham was removed to her home, where abe lies in a precarious condition.

UTILITY OF BOXING. An Extraordinary Incident, A very strong argument iu favour of Doxmg nas been supported by an iociden b, the report of which comes from New York. Two men engaged in a contest, and one of them was deaf and dumb. In the course of the figbt the deaf and dumb man received a violent blow, which, instead of doing ;him harm, had the benign effect of restoring his speech and bearing. After this who shall dare say that boxing is not a healthy and beneficient pastime ? It appears to have reme- dial powers undreamt of before, and we should not be surprised to find it in future recommended to certain classes of sufferers instead of medioino. If it will instantaneously cure deaf- nes. and dumbness, why should it not be efficacious for other evils? It might, for e sx. ample, be good for sluggish liver. chilblains, influenza, short sight, measles, whooping oough, and housemaid's knee. For all we know it 'is a certain remedy for bald heads, andkcan'be guaranteed to touch the spot, no matter whnt is wrong. The news from America opens up a fine prospeot of the uses to which boxing can be turned, and we should advise all sufferers to give :jt one trial, and then hope for the beet.— Birmingham* €haKtteA"

BRITISH AND AMERICAN GOLFERS. Will there be an international match between a team of British and American golfers 1" is a question that is just now being asked here (says a London correspondent), and, as the result of inquiries, I am inclined to think that those who entertain the hope thatsuoh a game will be played are too optimistic. The idea, of course, is that the team should be composed of amateurs but, unfortunabely, certain of the more prominent of the British amateurs are not in a position to absent themselves from England for a couple or three months. Ib is thus already certain that if a team goes out it will not be thoroughly repre- sentative of British golf, or it would certainly not, for instance, inolude the amateur obampion. It i3 singular, by the way, that London, which is showing so remarkable an enthusiasm for the game, and which possesses in the Royal Blaok. I heath the oldest golf club in England, should seem absolutely indifferent to the idea of an ¡ international match.

I SHOCKING DISCOVERY AT GLOUCESTER DOCKS. 8hipping Federation Tioket- The body of a man found in the docks at Gloucester this morning in an advanced state of decomposition was taken to tbe Mortuary, A Shipping Federation tiokeb was found on tb. body, issned ab Barry Docks, Cardiff. The itidket- bears tbe name and, desoriptiov, William Baxter (English). steward, ship Whitefield, aged IT, 5 feet 3 inches."

A DANGER TO THE PUBLIC. At Cardiff Polioe Court to-day Alfred Wm, Brimley (32) pleaded guilty to being drunk in charge of A horse at High-street on the 21st inst.  It bein?M first offence he was !et off wIth the ? naikigated,ponalby of 5s and OOIN or seven days' ? iMpriNUUFPA(4

A Burgiar Caught. 1 POSSESSED 0 F X2,000 WOflTH ? OF JEWELLERY. Remanded at Westminster. j In the early hours of this morning a night 1 watchman at Lord Iveagh's house. Grosvenor- I placa, discovered a burglar on the premises, and with the assistance of the other servants captured him. The prisoner gave his name as Paul J Gorman. He had taken a gold casket and a J quantity of other jewellery, valued atipooo. I He was charged at Westminster to-day and ra. manded. ————————————

Foreign News. Miscellaneous Ilems,from Many Quarters MADRID, Wednesday.—The proceedings against the municipal councillors on account of alleged electoral frauds have terminated by the with* drawal of the indictment.— Renter. -0-- HALIFAX (NOVA SCOTIA), Thuzoday.-The elections in Prince Edward Island were held yesterday and resulted in the success of the Liberal candidates, the Government obtainiD majority of two seats. —Reuter, --0- CADIZ, Thursday,—-The death is announced ol Admiral Arrainza.-Beuter. ■O PARIS, Thursday.—The Figaro states that the King of Siam will certainly visit Paris next September. President Faure left at 18 o'olook this morning for Ilavro.-Neuter. -0-- BOMBAY, Thursday.—Sir J. Woodburn. a mem- ber of the Vice Regal Council, has left for Poona. It is believed that histvisis is connected with questions addressed in Parliament to Lord George Hamilton concerning the dissemination of false intelligence and incitement to religious animosity by a portion of the native Press, Certains editors of Poona papers will it is reported be tried at Bombay before the chief magistrate, whose departure for England on furlough, which was fixed for to-morrow, has been suddenly]; cancelled. The Government has in contemplation to offer « shortly free pardon to anyone who was privy to but not the actual perpetrator or instigator of the Poona murders. The Poona municipality being unable to meet the punitive charges, the Goyern. ment has ruled thab the charges shall firsb be treated as ordinary Government charges, and that recoveries shall be made hereafter and credited to the Government. Under this ruling it does not appear necessary for the municipality to -i make payments to the Government on that account. Though there is an alarming increase 3 in the Bombay death rate there is little recru- descence of the plague. With tbe excepion 01 sporadic cases, the greater death rate is chiefly due to endemic cholera. Good rains have fallen in the Bombay presidency, and the crop prospects are everywhere improving.- Bettkr. -0 MADRID, Thursday.—The strike of men em. ployed at the Almaden quicksilver mines has 1 come to an end.-Reutcr. SIMLA, Thursday.—In to-day's sitting of the 1 Legislative Council, Mr Chalmers moved that the Bill repealing Act Five, 1895, be cousidered and passed. The Lieutenant-Governor of the PuDiaub, addressing the Council, said that the Pnnjaub contained 20,000 British troops, and that in-the hearty desire for their welfare he yielded to none. He would have been content, to read a silenb vote were not wider issues involved. He could not conceal from himself the fact that the Bil before the Council proposed restoring the powers lately withdrawn. Abuses. crept in, and 'had crepb in, and opponents of the system fought rightly for morality and did their duty, but the result was disastrous. Good had been swept away with evil. j it was not in the power of the legislature to raise the standard of morality it must look to other influence. The conscience of Englishmen was more awake to the debt due to their countrymen in India, and the grand appeal of the Commander-in-Chief to the soldier himself was awaking aglow of enthusiasm, and showed that encouragement was expected in bigh quarters. After declaring tha.t he trusted that the powers restored to the Government might initiate a now era, the Lieutenant-Governor said that ho gave his vote for the BIUt which waa- then passed.—Reuter. --0-- MELBOURNE, Thursday.—As Lady Brassey, the wife of the Governor, was out driving to-day a runaway horse and cart dashed into the carriage and her Ladyship had two ribs broken. A doctor was summoned immediately and declared j himself satisfied thab the injuries were not of » ? dangerous character. The Hon. Dorothy Brand, 1 who accompanied Lady Brassey, was thrown out ) of the carriage, but escaped unhurt. -IkuL-r, j

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. J East London Flooded. I A thunderstorm of destructive severit) raged over North and North-Eawb London on Wednesday afternoon. The rain descended in torrents, speedily turning the streets into watercourses, upon which floated heavy planki and scaffold potes, whilst the waters soon rose to the level of the steps of tba. tram cars, which had to cease running, many of them being brought to a standstill in the streets by the depth of the water. In Clissold Park a tree was destroyed by lightning. Many bouett and places of business were flooded, and the road. ways were ploughed up, presenting after the storm had subsided the appearance of the bed of a torrent. A remarkable feature of the storm was the heavy downpour of hailstones, which are stated to have been of exceptional size. Savaral persons in the distriot declare them to have beec » as large as iflberts. On the Midand Railway several stations arc flooded. The storm has soriously affected traffif Oil the Great Eastern Railway, and in Stratford, East Ham, and other districts many buildings have their lower floors under water, suburban railway travellers were all subjected to long deiays. At Stoke Newington a sewer burst. Wednesday's storm was of unexceptional severity at Ipswich, where it last from to 6 o'clock, the lightning being extremely vivid and the thunder louder than anything ever remembered in the district. On an allotment in the town two boy. of 16, who were seeking shelter, were killed by lightning, as well as a pony which occupied the stable. A bouse in the upper part of the town was struck, and a fireball passed through the roof of another bouse setting fire to it. Rain fell in I torrents, and the low-lying portions of the town are flooded to a depth of 3 feet. Blocks of wood ] pavement were washed away and tramoars were j thrown off the metals, so the traffic had to be J fuspwided.

A DISHONEST BOY. 1 William Marsh (13) was charred on a warrant ] at Cardiff Police Court to-day with feloniously 1 embezzling £ 1 8s Id, the moneys of W. Wilkins, j on the 20hh matant. The evidence of prosecutor j (% bUÍJer) was to the <'9act that the boy j had received on account for goods delivered by him the money he was charged with j embezzling, but did not give it up. He bad only been in his employ one day, but had worked for other butchers. He took him without any references. Detective Charles Gregory said that the prisoner was arrested in Yeovil by the polio* there and banded into bis custody. Two esoeUeat testimonials as to ohamcter wore put in and scru- tinised by the Bench. Prisoner pleaded gtliltyand upon his mother becoming surety in the sum of L5 for bis good behaviour for the next twelve months, be was allowed to go with a severe admonition from Councillor Wtiits, who alao informed Wilkins that lie should be more oareful when eiagaging boys without a character. 1

WILL SHE REFORM ? A rather prepossessing young woman named Nellie Evans was charged at Cardiff Police Court this afternoon with behaving in a disorderly manner in Bake-4treet on tha 21st inst. Tha magistrates, after hearing the evidence of the ooustable, ordered her to be put baok in order that the Police Court missionary (Mr Smith) might consult] with her with a view of getting her to go to a home. When the list of other cam had been disposed of she was again brought up and n-oirori by the Bench if she would go to a home.-prisoner: Yes, to my own home at Brynmawr.—Alderman Sanders (who had relieved Councillor Henry White): Well, we will give you a chanoe to try and reform. You will be sent back'-by the Police Court missionary thir