SCOTLAND.

.» (Feom Ottr Own Cobrespoxdext.) THE GLASGOW EXHIBITION.

EDINBURGH, May 16,

Glasgow has the distinction lx>th of holding the first international exhibition in the twentieth century and of leading the way in commemorating the jubilee of such undertakings. The death of Queen Victoria made a change in the opening arrangements necessary, and his Majesty the King accordingly deputed the Duke and Duchess of Fife to take the placer, of himself and his consort. The opening ceremony took place on the 2nd May, and, happily, it was favoured by beautiful weather — a none too common experience in Glasgow. The Duke and Duchess were the guests of Lord and Lady Blythswood at Blythswood House. Renfrew, and came in from thence by special train, reaching St, Enoch's" station at 11.30 a.m. Thence they drove via Queen street, George square, Bvch'aaan and Sauchiehall streets to the West End Park, where the exhibition is situated. The houses all along the line of rcute were gaily decorated, and the streets were filled with many thousands of enthusiastically loyal citizenE. The main portion of the exhibition buildings is to be the permanent home of the city's art treasures, and it was opened by H.R.H. the Duchess with a golden key, which was presented to her by the Lord Provost. The foundation stone of the building was laid by the Duke of York in September, 1897, r.o there was a fitness in its being opened by his eldest sister. The building has cost £250,000, of which £50,000 was derived from the profit made by the exhibition held in Glasgow in 1888. The other ceremonies were of the description customary upon such occasions. After passing through a good part of the buildings, the Duke and Duchess drove back into the city to the Council Chambers, where they received the freedom of the city. Luncheon followed, at which the company numbered 500, and a number of hearty speeches were made. In acknowledging the toast .of the afternoon, the Duke of Fife congratulated the citizens of Glasgow " on having remained faithful to the great traditions of the Victorian Era, in having invited the whole world to enter into a peaceful contest which involves neither tears nor bloodshed." The Duke and Duchess then returned to Blythswood House, but on the following day they paid a private and more prolonged visit to the exhibition. As is invariably the case with all such menster undertakings, a good deal of it is not yet ready for inspection, though it is believed this will soon cease to be the ca^e. Russia and France have the most space allotted to them of any foreign countries. M. De Witte, the Russian Minister of Finance, nent a special telegram of congratulation, and some hopes are entertained that the Czar and Czarina may visit the exhibition in tha early putumn. From all accounts, it promises to be a very interesting and imposing show, and already the attendance is very large, though very few strangers have aa yet come to Glasgow. The at+endance on the first Saturday was 103,000, and on the second 135,895. I 'hear that over 80,000 season tickets have been disposed of, and this number is certain to be considerably increased. Complaints are made as to the high charges for refreshments, which are said to have caused the holders of season tickets to go outside the exhibition to the many dining and tea rooms in its vicinity. Even in the case of ordinary day visitors, it is alleged that it is cheaper to go outside and pay for re admission than to patronise the refreshment places in the exhibition. This is a great blot on the management, and especially so in Glasgow, which led the way in the matter of the establishment of cheap dining rooms. HONOURS TO SCOTTISH GENERALS.

Much satisfaction has been caused in Scotland by the announcement that Lieuten-ant-general Sir Archibald Huntei has been appointed to the command of the forces m Scotland in succession to General Chapman. This command has hithertr been conferred upon officers as a sort of old-age pension, to borrow the Scotsman's words, and the Scottish people are accordingly gratified at the appointmeat of so distinguished and vigorous an officer as Sir A. Hunter. No doubt the defences of Scotland, which are being vigorously pushed on with at various places, will receive his, special and early attention. Much pleasure has also been caused by General Hector Macdonald being croated a K.C.B. He has just been paying a flying visit to this country, but is leaving to take up a command on the N.W. frontier of India, and on this account has been obliged to decline the offered honour of the Freedom of Dundee. In this connection I may mention that the Rev. James Robertson, the well-known chaplain of the Highland Brigade, has been cneated a C.B. This honour also has been hailed with much appreciation in Scotland. NEW ZEALANDERS IN SCOTLAND.

Mr A. C. Begg was present at the annual meeting of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce on May 7, and gave a brief address on some of the commercial features of your colony, dwelling especially on the frozen meat trade and the extension of the dairy farming industry, with a hort reference also to wool. He also touched upon the gold-dredging in Otago, and concluded by referring to the patriotism displayed by New Zealand during the war. On the motion of Councillor Harrison, Mr Begg was awarded a hearty vote, of thanks for his address. Another New Zealander (Mr John Gilruth, chief veterinary surgeon to the Government of New Zealand) delivered a lecture on May 11 to the Arbroath Farmers' Club on the condition and prospects of agriculture in the colony, and wa« li«> f onptl to with much interest. Such t ii' 1 -*! often bear fruit long after they ha\<- h,> delivered.

PRINCIPAL RAINY'S JUBII.FK

Celebrations of the jubilee of I'unoial Rainy Jiavt been going off at »nten'.<!. 'inr ing the last three months and a-half. wi'li tl# Jsgnte? irregularity QtsQst wi^n?, *ad

most ]-eople- outside of his own church are rather tired of them by this time. The late»-t occ-urrence of the kind was at Hautly, in Aberdeenshire, where Dr Rainy began his ministry. Dr Rainy was presented with two congratulatory acklresses, and was entertained at a public luncheon- — not a dinner, the Huntly people, like John Gilpin, being of a frugal mind. Referring to the differences of opinion existing; in regard to the recent union of the churches, he said they were to be expected, but he thought they were in the main due to people taking too narrow a view of the whole business. He sought to earnestly impress upon all the necessity and desirableness of making the very best of it that could be made.

CENSUS RESULTS

The figures showing the population of the piincipal towrs in Scotland, as ascertained by the raeent census, have now been published. The greatest growth is in Glasgow and Edinburgh, which show increases of 104,221 and 43.562 respectively. Aberdeen also shows rapid growth, and will soon pass Dundee if the latter town does not look out. Paisley has parsed Lelth, which ia now so hemmed in by Edinburgh as to have very little room for further expansion ; and Kirkcaldy is now sliehtly ahead of Perth. The following are the totals for some of the leading towns of Scotland : — -\T Glasgow 760,406 Edinburgh 316,540 Dundee 160..836 Aberdeen 153,161 Paisley 79,274 Leith 76,506 Greenock 67,681 Kirkcaldy 33,973 Perth 33,130 Motherweil 30,396 Ayr 28,573 Hawick and Ga'ashiels both show decreases ; as also do Arbroath and Forfar. Campbelltown is almost exactly stationary, showing a decrease of one in a population of 8234. Proportionately to its total population, the increase exhibited by Motherweil— ll,669 — is the greatest of any of the more important towns. WHAT THE MARQUIS OF BUTE LEFT.

Much interest has been taken in Scotland in the publication of the leading particular* of the estate of the late Marquis of Bute. The inventory, which has now been lodged with the Sheriff-clerk of Buteshire, shows a net total of movable estate to the amount of £2,125,950, and of heritable estate £897,426; making a grand total of £3,026,376. In addition to this there is a further sum of £2.000,000 accruing from his father's trust, which escapes duty through the senior Marquis having died prior to the passing, in 1894, of the existing act relating to death duties. Out of the whole sum of £3,026,376 estate duty is only paid upon £966,884, and it amounts, with interest, to £78,558. The deceased nobleman/insured his life in 1863 ' in the North British and Mercantile Insurance Company for £30,000, the bonus additions to which reach the figure of £15,461. By far the greater part of the marquis's personal estate is in England. The value of Mountetuart House, Bute, with its furniture, pictures, a-nd books, is set down at £18,079. His Lordship left heritages in Palestine, but ■ they yield no free return. There are three trustees named in his will- : — namely, Lord Edmund Bernard Talbot, of London ; Lord Herries, of Terregles; and Mr A. R. C. Pitman, W.S., Edinburgh. THE UNION BANK OF SCOTLAND

(LIMITED)

The annual general meeting of the shareholders of this bank was held in Glasgow on April 24, Sir Charles Tcnnant, Bart., presiding. According to the directors' report, the net profits for the year amounted to 174,138. A dividend was_ declared at the rate of 12 per cent. — the same as last year, — and £40,000 was added to the reserve fund, bringing it up to £700,000, while a balance of £25,759 was carried forward to the next year. The deposits and current accounts were set down as amounting to a total of £13,253,603, being an increase of £535,257 during the year. The Chairman said that during the last three years the deposits had increased by two millions sterling, and it was therefore right and prudent that an addition should be made to the reserve fund. It was at a time like this —of progress and development — that the bank should add to its strength. THE CHARGES AGAINST A GLASGOW

EX-BAILIE

The charges against Jnmes Wilson Dick, noted in my last, of accepting ai»d soliciting bribes from license-holders in Glasgow while he was a magistrate of that city, came before Lord Young at the High Court of Justiciary on April 26. On behalf of the accused objection was taken to the relevancy of the indictment, a-nd this was sustained by the" judge. His Lordship said that he had no hesitation in expressing it as his opinion that by the criminal law of Scotland as it now stood it was no crime to accept the money referred to. Nor could he sustain the charge of bribery, inasmuch as the accused was under no legal obligation to return the money he had received. This was not bribery, however much it was censurable conduct on the part of one in the position of a magistrate. He was of opinion that the indictment was from beginning to end irrelevant, and he therefore dismissed it and discharged the prisoner. This sudden termination of the case was e\idently a surprise to the occupants of the court, and the accused is reported to have left the dock " amidst a loud hum of conversation." Though the present case has failed, it has drawn attention to what everyone regards as a serious defect in the law, and no doubt steps will be taken in due course to close this loop-hole for escape from punishment for corrupt conduct. Everybody feels the importance of safeguarding the offices of councillors and magistrates from being occupied by venal men, and the more so now that rogues see that they can accept biibes foi the misuse of their civic powers without running any risk of being sent to prison if they are found out.

AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE FOR EDINBURGH.

A scheme for the establishment of an agricultural college in the Scottish metropolis has been drawn up, and is now being considered by the County and Burgh Councils in the eastern and south-eastern counties. It is proposd to provide a complete course of trai»i"rr ir agricultural science, as well ■> a - , i • urse which farmers might be ..ij.f v, ..«., r .<»mselves of. The college staff' w■■ • I- > oiiduct experimental work, and tici'-c i> ti'Hiwin lectures in various places. T'i* s( ' • ( !m- the support of a number of lUui'winal in'-n including Lord Tweedmouth, Li id M n /i ' -Darling, and Professor Sir William Tm.K i. as well ac that of Sir Henry '" i.k, '••- fcu-r^ary of the Scotch Education

department. As the farming <± the Lotluans is famous throughout the world, tlie proposed institution should h?ve a £-od held for its labours, and it is to ho Hoped tho necessary fundt> may be forthcoming without undue delay.

LADY ATTACKED BY AN EAGLF

Miss Mott, daughter of a London barrister, has had an adventure of an mutual 'and while on a \isit to friend? in the Island of Mull. She left her friends, who were fishing in Minnish Loch, to climb alone a neighbouring reeky hoigh f . When some way up she saw abo\e I.cr a large erne, or •whitetailed eagle : but thinking it would fly away at her approach she paid no heed to it. The bird, however, ruffled it a featheis and hovered about a yard o\cr her head, uttering angry scream"--. Miss Mott struck at it with her walking stick, and then beat a retreat. The eagle at fiist pursued her, buc as she drew noar her friends, it flew away. It ia supposed that its nest or some prey was neat ti/e bpot where Miss Mott encountered it. She was foruinate in escaping as she did, foi an enraged eagle is a dangerous ereauue> and she was armed only with a stick.

OBITUARY RECORD

Mr John Thomson, the la«t of the original firm of William Thomson and Sons, whose vineries at Clovenfords have a more than national reputation, died on April 27, aged 42. Thousands of persons from all parts ot the world visited the vineyards, where they received" every courtesy and saw very much to interest them. Mr Thomson took a leading part in local affairs of all kind?, and will be greatly missed. He leaves a widow and one daughter. The Rev. George S. Davidson, senior minister of Kinfaune, died there on April 20, aged 85. He was a distinguished classical scholar, and in early life acted for a time as interim Professor of Greek in Aberdeen University. He was afterwards first rector of the Normal Institution of the Church of Scotland, but since 1853 he had been parish minister of Kinfauns, and was latterly " Father " of the Presbytery of Perth.

Mr William Skinner, W.S., who from 1874 to 1895 was town clerk of Edinburgh, died "last week, aged 78. He did good work for the city, which gave him a retiring allowance of £1000 a year. During his period of office he eerved under 12 Lord Provosts. The deaths of the following person's are also announced : — Rev. R. M. Gibson, mini-ster-emeritus of the East United Free Church, Patrick, aged 70; Mr A. J. S. Johnstone, of Halleaths, a much-respected Dumfriesshire gentleman, aged 45 ; Miss Christian Maclagan, of Stirling, a lady well known as a writer on Scottish antiquities, aged 89; Mr James Loekhart, a Wigtownshire farmer with a world-wide fame as a breeder of Clydesdale horses, who was suddenly seized with illness while transacting business in a bank in Straweaer, and died the same afternoon, aged 61 ; ex-Provost Peattie, of Crail, a prominent man in the East Neuk of Fife, aged 92 ; Mr A. Kirk Mackie, S.S.C., for many years secretary of the company of merchants of the City of Edinburgh, aged 71.

GENERAL NEWS

The Dick Institute, Kilmarnock, a handsome building, erected at Eknbank as- th£ gift of Mr James Diok, Glasgow, was opened on April 30. It accommodates the public library and museum, and ha 3 a fine lecture hall. The opening ceremony was performed, by Miss Dick, whose father was presented with the freedom of the burgh, the Burgess ticket being enclosed in a gold casket. A Glasgow steeplejack, while engaged in heightening a tall chimney at Armadale, fell to the ground and was killed. The day of a very famous dog has just; been closed by death. The animal in question was Mr H. Rawson's deerhound, Champion Selwood Morren. He was knovn throughout Scotland and in London and many of the other large cities of England. During his seven years of life he won 152 first prizes, 20 championships, 36 medals, and eight cups, besides establishing a record by winning the Deerhound Challenge Plate four years running. In February, 1900. he met with an accident at the Crystal Palace, and from this he never recovered. He died at Topoa, on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Hamilton is suffering from an epidemic of juvenile crime. On a single day lately 29 youna; persons were brought up at the Burgh Court.

A doctor's jubilee is a less common event than a minister'?. At Newburgh-o;i-Tav, Dr Niven celebrated his iubilee as a doctor there, and at a large public meeting was presented with a siher salver and a cheque for £185.

The Kinneil Colliery Company, Bo'iie*:-, now gives a dowry to youug couples who marry after being in its service for a specified time. The second dowry of the kind waa paid the other da3\

A new patent machine for edging and -trimming the sides of country roac's is being tried in the Cupar district. In an hour and a-half it did as much work as the ordinary staff of roadmen would accomplish in four or five diiys. Its average day's work is set down at from six to eight miles. A small memorial church ha» iml been erected on the battlefield of Drumcloe. famous in Covenanting history, and still the scene of an annual service.

A record oatch of fish, amounting tc 367 tons, was landed at Aberdeen on April 22, and 340 tons more on the following day. Sir William Laird Waving lesitjned tha chairmanship of the North Britir-h railway on account of ill-health, Mr G. B. Wieland, who was formerly secretary of the company, has been appointed to the vacant post. The trustees of the late Adam Teacher, the well-known Glasgow publican, have now arranged the allocation of funds bequeathed by him tt charitable institutions situated in or connected with that city. In all, a total sum of £36,434 is disposed of. The Glasgow Royal Infirmary gets £6500, and the Western Infirmary £4800. The other amounts vary from £1700 to £70.

At Hillside, near Montrose. one clay last week, an express train Tlashcd intc a, nook of sheep which in some way had got unou. the line, and killed or injured 45 of themT As a result of the opening of the railway extension to Mallaig. noticed in my last, fish caught off Stornoway last Saturday were on sale in Billingsgate early on Monday morning.

The personal estate of the - late Colonel Hugh M. Gordon, of Abergeldie Castle. Aberdeenshire. has been returned as amounting to £67,669.

The high honour of the Most Distinguished Order of the Thistle has been conferred upon Colonel the Earl o[ Eiroll.

The Ross correspondent of the Guardian says that the new settlement at the Waitaha is reported to be in fearful straits. Someslip has occurred higher up the river, which has blocked the old channel, consequently many enterprising settleis and then «oik of years h threatened.