THE EMPIRE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 419, 30 January 1909, Page 10

THE EMPIRE.

LATEST"NEWS BYITH E.'ENGLISH' MAIL. ; The United Kingdom. ,_,; ' " London, December 19. : I Tho late Mr. Sheil, one of .tho best-known of the London stipendiary magistrates up to the; time' of; his'retirement/, four years ago, was an Irishman who carried his native wit: on to tho Bench, At the Westminster Court he was both feared and respected. Many excellent stosics are; told of him." On.one occasion a garrulous! widow who pleaded as aii excuse; for. not. sending liar, 'boy to school that.;'.'.he. had no father ".was pulled up by; Mr;. Shoil .wfth'.the retort, "I. suppose you talked the poor ; jrian to. death years 'ago.": Addressing aiiyoung, constable who was mak-. ing: long • detour j in. his. evidence, ho said, . Now, officer, do. come, to the point,- or you will keep .your, .trump enrd- up' your sleevetill tho game is 105t. , ? Six women were .before him once for street rioting and drunkenness.:; Mr. Sheil told them it was a 'pity onehalf of them did not kill the other half, thenthe remaining three wquld have been hanged, and,, added: Mr.' Sheil, "we should have been rid of the whole lot of you .!" ..,:■ ■ ..:.." .;. A curious, communication, which for. sheer audacity must bo hard to beat, has reached Sir.G. Wyatt Truscott; tho Lord : Mayor, ac- ; cordmg tothe : ."Gity I'ress."'-. It ran as'fol-. lows;■;.-May., it ;please your lordship, :tbaj; I am very Indian, and I belong to the 'Brahmincaste. f/Owing. to niy.poverty-and. unhcalthiness,:;:!.;;.:..:. I cannot earn money byany profsssion;.'.,': Incluaing :mo, there, are .eight, members.;;jn; .my..'large, 'poor,, and pitiable family'j-r, '"'..'/,''f/.1-'i I . : ■:'."."■' .."'./•': v'- 0 ./ ' My:paternal.t-'i 7pMy aun't,..-':; ■:' ■'• ';■ ' :.VC:grandmother-,. >, Myself,'-, ; : -;-'c-' ■■■ '-•■'.'■•■; VvMy. wife, -4 ; ."/ ';.VV-'-.-,v!. >~■;. grandmother. My .first daughter, '"■'■ My, ; roptber'^;: v-s <\ ivMy. second;, daughter^;' ■Morobverj'l.must perform'marriage for' my two-daughters.■ .So, if I have at,]east : .£2ooo ; as aVamtarfor. my large,' poor; and pitiablo family,'lcaninvest.this amount in .the, safest bank,,aud I can maintain,my Ibrg'e, poor, and : pitiable family:by tho interest"on this'capital. 1 : So I.nmst. humbly request, your Iprdship TO regard mo as yourJordship's'own'son: and' send ine-.at least,. £2000. at your.'lordship's parlipst.convenience. : I am.in earnest; I'am' in'earue s fc : VI "ain in 'earnest." '•/ :-.■■' ':} .;• •„■■ : : A .commission' :of' five' textile .workers from" the heavy; woollen districtVof Yorkshire lias ]ust,returned;from.Germany,, where they have been), investigating the tile7,trajl.e..i.there.aAiTHeyi. set .out'.:under.;tho ■impression/that /the,- German- workers were in a condition in every <way .inferioriito/. thai:,of ,texiiilßvworkers'in^.'Hbme.;;;.i..They' i -'liave-vTe-t f urnedioomplQfely.disiJlusiohed. : ' They found 1 little on no unemployment/ 'noi'destitution,found'workers'bet-' ter. .treated ,in the; factories, living' happier lives at,.homej:providcd..with:m6re comforts, and of ■ sick■ pMsio'ns, and all those other ideals which workmen ; in England : lopk ! :to. a .happier, era to produce. They .'re-' .port ; that .the: solution 'of the toystery is. that the German -. textile; trade. is protected :

■„■ Among\the crowd,of distinguished people at .theiimE's: Investitliro : thi? weok':.was a' short - stoutly-built, man, '■ with' a' close-cropped' beard tummg^to-white,;-a- thick:head'of grey hair .parted ,in the' middle,- and ■ f ar-Eecinc dreamy, eyes.;- He'was Signbr'Tb'sti, thecomP° s er.;Of hundreds, of .songs, .and -henceforth' , he v as' 1 -Pablo Tosti . for; he' was ..jnyeste'd/as 'a.:Knight.Commander of the;Boy.fil;,Victorian Order: -Sir francesM! levGl'-years :bld;vand'.thp'>,ighv ; 'he only.became,a.;naturalised .Englishman a 'few ■years, ago 'hof.has liycd in: this..country'for ovpr. thirty :yeaiS.--. : ':-'-; : '[■■:':>""-'"i\ : -':'-y-. .,, -• ■ \ : ; Thb -i Kyar"G^graph|cal : iSoc'iety-; Ksivo ; 'held a,: special'■ meeting ■ in : -eelebr'atiori' ofV Speke^s : discovery;: of. ■ the ■Victoria /Nyanza:.' There was;;an;interesting exliibitipni' in connection with'ithe: occasion,,' of' portraits ''of Nile' • explorers; -maps,; etb:,; and;Si^-:W-:■Garstiu read a paper, on Isile exploration, iii:which ho'reviewed^tbe: :'histofy-;pf : '..ttie. subject■■ from ■. the date vor- Sppk'o's.-; expedition: described ' thb ; pheiiomenji-of-the : rise'?and ; tall/of 'tKe' ; Nile ■■' l ■and. pointed'out''the ! jiatu" l re , "o'f the'worlt'stilJ' to; bs,done.-;./'■.',/.;:■::';' 11, : , t ;' r -:!;.~.':.r;-y;::V,i!'.'J>37?.; ; .'; ■ ■.;^^^M; , W?#H i qf''^ illustrated.:•% ■■ the, la'test '.dppartu.re'.iof thb' Aerohautical' Society '.'of',Groat 'the oWest;hody. of'its;;Hind r in r ; the,,world." Tho' •society has;acquired aii;. pxperimpntal ! grbiind; fori.tlie'Mise.--,of ; ;. mombers,'"v ■''situated' -near Dagenliani' Station.■ bir.the; Ixindpn, .Tilbury.' and/Southerid; -.Railway .':,The'ground :is' r . half' ; 3 mile in length', and: about: the "same -width: most'-.of:; it■ is :flat'i, but .there ■''Varb 'steep iiipunds^ainie".'KPfeet 'Kigh;:' >Sheds be ■efe'cted, ,|, iiwl.': ! wheii-.'funds '■ jpcrmit"' ippro--' pprlyrequipped ■ sclpii'tifi'ci-'est'aMsßmeilt/'witK: testing^.appafafij-;will -be'provided:,, Tbe piost recent:'iacliieyemcnt : ' in^^iballppn|ng'; : is, a' .voyage' irbm'-'Battersearitb'. 3 .'m :hours,'-'flaade 1 -'By\.threeJ members^bf" the'. Aero Clußj' :in • Mr.-.Dunville's'. balloon/Bansheei'.. •:■; 'acted -. when.:.'an ■; elophjgi couple -were; intercepted by -the:: young.' lady's relative's -and a ■detective,- were about to embark bn? the liner Orient,; en route' for New Zealand;:,:.Tlic-.':.girl;wasi.hurned'.,,into ; a;;cab, and driven: off-;before .the man,'Who:was al;ready; married,;'couldjreco.yer.-from his'isurprise.at;tho unexpected : deyel6pment.. As soon,as .he realised 'his-loss"ho turned-and ran, Shouting.;:wildly,,,after ■•'■the; 7 fast-vanishing yehiclo,,:but to no,purpose-, and,' seeing .;his', qaseiwas,. hopeless, .hp;- returned 'tp and., subsequently., sailed on steamerV.Tte' .girl,. who,' is,iunder..'age,■ had.\been .courted ■■secret|^:. : tp;';;an^^lpg.emeht;.^■.Bfl^■'-''^'eltttivesi,'■uWwewr' ) .' succeedeo;-. in..'tracing .the '.runaways. fo] London: tH,e',policfr;B.tatipn :thb'i girlfpitepuslyibegged:tp'-'ha;-allowed .to. ; join; Jiefe lover, ...but.. when, it" was 1 ascertained that, ,-he' ■;had?.:disappe{ired; ■ she "consented- to : home .with x her'.guardian.' ■<;:';., ;-.'•;, ■ -.'.

:' : A committee' of;' registered jnedicar women recently, asked, the Prime.Ministerto' receive a deputation in;reference-to the extension; of to;'women, stating:' tha't : -538' registored-medical '.women are; in favour of, such I, ertensioii,'.while, only. 15/ are opposed to it. '■ Mr."Ascjiiith.replied regretting: that.pressure of.business would prevent his receiving' a .deputation, but .expressing his. readiness to receive' aiid consider aiiy representations that might', be made'to. him in writing.'.. . Mr.; Lloyd-George, the -Chancellor of;the Exchequer,;,\yho has■ : received '..•[ such '' rough, treatment at: the hands of the Women Suf-fragistSjvhas-now;definitely declared,that,he will /address'- no rnore; : : nublic .mcetings at which women' are : , permitted ..to 'be prbsent, and if any manage to get-smuggled into; any meet-. ing/;which:he- proposes to address he will're,fuso.tb'..speak: ; ! by' lending :iiim:;postcards bearing the single word''-'Coward!"'.: ~ .'■'.'■•■ , ■ :

In presiding at a' meeting of the General 1 Courioil.of.King Edward's Hospital Fund for Loudonj .held'at Marlborough House, the Prince of Wales had tho satisfaction .of boing able to announce that £140,000 had been-allo-cated from the fund for/' distribution among' hospitals, convalescent, homes, and consrimp-. tive sanatbria.in.thp-provinces.'This is an in--orpasp of £19,000 pyer/the sum distributed in' 1907 i and.the'Pfjnce found : great encpurageimbnt in the fact that during the past decade there .hadibeeni a>steady -increase, in the.anniial amount/available tor distribution. Tho ■donations' for 190.8 iuolude .the/ munificent gifts/of £100,0()0'from Lord' Mount-Stephen, .which; in''.accordance with the direction of the donor, has been, placed to capital, and £10,000 from Lord been .similarly treatodi. '....'•• '.■',,. - : . ■ ~..''. ■; ■■'..'•■.

A aorio3. of ..interesting explorations has been made in tKo roof of th'e Peak cavern at Castleton by. mombers of , tlio , Derbyshire Ponine;Club. Following l a fissure.back into the; heart of a hill, the-explorers reachod a ■high harrow floor, and ' found tho Avails •thiokly jcoatbd with a soft white substance that looked like snow or foam, with innu■rher'ablo: ..tiny vertical'- flutings. Continuing their search the party safely negotiated largo cavitios ill !tho ,fl6or,;..;until the roof .got 50. , 10w that t'urth'or ■■progress''was- im- ' possible. side'passages of groat qehnty; woro discovered,. the surfaces of the rock being coated with remarkable calcite deposits in varying forms, vwhich are said never to have been seen by man before. ' , • It is.a'matter for recret that the Ruben's which was so niuch admired at last year's Wintor Exhibition of" Old- Mastersl "at"Bur - lihgton House cunnqt be retained in England;' Its prospective destination will be

either tho galleries of the Prado, in Madrid, or.the New York palace of an Amerioan merchant prince. The picture is now in the possession of Mr.' Henry Roche, who discovered it in a Belgian convent. . It had been long:lost sight of, but. in 1340 it was considered one of the most valuable treasures in the great "Schamp d'Aveschoot" collection; at Ghent. , Br. Bode, Sir. Charles Holroyd, Sir Edward Poyntor, and other famous oritics . affirm. that tho picturo is that which, was painted for tho groat Duke ef Lcrma when he was twenty-six, and that it is' a striking ~example of Bubens's early work. It represents ."Christ Risen." • Another tragic illustration of the need .for. a periodical medical examination of-,'engine-drivers; was.furnished.at a Peterborough.inquest, on Josiali. Humble, aged' fifty-nine, a .driver •■■ in' the omploymcnt; of, ithe .-Midland-. ■Railway; Company. . Ho had:been with a train.-.; to .Birmingham, and, being on. long hours, rested thero and at Melton Mowbray on.returning. : Wlien;Humbl_e reached Peterborough; he ran hjs engine into tho locomotive shed,-end. then fell dead.*. Medical evidence attributed death to, an aneurism; the disenso liad run its .course, and-death, it was stated,, was likely, to, occur. at, any moment without the slightest warning..■'•'' ■ i ;'■..•■.' '!'■ More than £70,000 has been left for'-public purposes by the late.Sir Oeorgo Livosey, chairman of the' South Metropolitan Gas Company, and: a well-known temperance advocate. The .net '.personalty of his estate lias been sworn• at. £147,385.- The testator do-, clared. "as a. pledged teetotaller since the year 1850, : ,1,.am convinced -that; to induce; men,; women,.and children to abstain.entirely'fromintoxicating' drinks is one tho b'Qst .means of helping rt-hom to better things." ' Sir George' made the following among other boquests ;—•' |.£IO,OOO -to' the. King's. Hospital -Fund j and a. sum'.of. over, £40,000, .divided; into a:liun--dred parts;-and distributed in' the' i: follbwiiig ; proi)or(;ions :—Twenty parts';' (say n '£8000): British and' Foreign Bible Society. -Teh.parts each.-Church Missionary Society;-* London. Missionary Society,' Church Pastoral'. AidjSocietyi' and London City Mission.' Fivo parts (say $2000 each) : : United Kingdom Al'liarice. National; Temperance League,- Band of. Hopo Union, Church of England Teinperance Sooiety, and" London Temperance Hospital. Four'parts (say £1600) each: Wesleyan Missionary; Society, .Presbyterian English., Mis.sionary'Society, s and Baptist". Missionary Society, l ' Three; .parts .(say £1200); Lord's Day Observance Society. ... .. '..."; •.'.'■— z>;"Wheni tho .Orient.liner'Oroya touoh'ea",. at; Plyfliputhon.her Homeward journey from Australia;the captain repdrtod.a-remarkablo experience with;a shark, tweiity-five feet, long in tho Red Sea.;: The monster, .became impaled; on the.bows of;,the-liner,: and- she ..-.was 'co'nj-i polled pto: go in, order .tp.iree-.-Hersel.fv As .soon as. the .shark! got dear- witfc an ;.pnqifi- ; .mdus_wound.in its'side; it rushed. atithe liner.:' with-jaws -wide' bpeii, and dashed itself-agarnst 'hor,.-si-des.-..- ■■'.;■-';.;_ •''■".-• ■ '. -•':-■' ■'-.■;.•'.■, ; ; : .;■'■?'■.■/■■■;■■ [ The 'great : 4uestion;of an intor'niitionai load , l'njj'haa 'been practically, settled by. Great. Britain ,and;'Gcrmany'..'agreeing to recognise qach other's as equally' eftective...-' The negotiait'ions' have. been'.in progress- for. some time, and 'the, delay ''in.' arriving '. at' an understanding ' was.. principally.-) due ■■■■to.' Germany!s :belief) that-the; British • load: lino should ,:,bb:fixed'.pn. a,'.more; scie'ntific' basis,; since it'did not, in'her viow, : meet' the requirements' of jnodern^vessels,?-■'.>''.',i-''T■'■'■■■•".. •"'■ .. t: : ; -'

;■;■;,;.;.. ■, ... i .;., Canada.V ;■•'■■■• •■-•■-,-,j.-,'.,-.. : '.. ;.'The/Montreal'Board of.Trade:has selected i'as .repres6ntatives,;,;at the meeting of Chambers, of Cpmmoroe;of tho Empire at Sydney, Australia,i.ne'xt September, Mr. H,' 8.-Ames;-M.P., ; Xieut-Cblonel Jeffry.;H,:Burland, Mr.' George. and Mr./Rv Wilson- . ■ Lioons'ed;Yjctiiallers' Association :o'f Montreal district;i»i its.'annual-nieeting;ma'4e. ■complaintiagainst tho' hardships imposed'ori' ;the tradoiby.Otfyo ..Legislature. The effect is said to haye;.lieeii\'a. marked redn'ctibn in profits. ■!' The of thie- association were ,urgcd to vigorously comba't the'opponents of :th.o : ;trade,,but. there was a-general recbgni'.tion that the, conditions''complained of are likely to bepermanent."; '! . ■ r '':'■:]■ : '"■.•/. ri. An 1 endowment fund!' of' ,£10,273 will be .■raised, for the Toronto.' Free' Hospital for Consumptives: ■, It- is' intended tp.'be a memorial of-Mr. H.C. Hammond, who has been' : jllj for many months, and whose recovery is boyond possibility. Already £7396 has-been, subscribed./'./'-.; :/' ■ : , : . .■'.-: '■ :/ ; ; Interesting.; addresses ,',hayo: been by :Dr..-J;i.^'.vLeonard ) Sßnp'erintfendent.'qf.-''.the. ;ohm -.This .'-reformatory is opprat.isd il :Qn ; ;the.',in(letermiriate ! 'plani , 'and ; 'young moiivworlt 1 : in> -the <■■ open helds;;onjit|e : farm .iittacbed/tp'the institution J.Tyitll, , noj armed ":gi|a"ras-' or' i-iny , ' capo. ■•■-. Fdr::,3om6.'time : tho Ohio Refprm'a'to'ry-' ■system has'"attracted , the , attention,; : pf ;;thq ! .'"Hon. Wv J.: Hahha, ;the. Provincial. Secrptar'yK and it : is now, announced that-similar methods 1 will'be introduced at Toronto. -A-fafra'.will be purchased ..in the county--'of/ ; .Y6rk, ! the Toronto Gaol ;removnd. thereto; and prisoners set to .work.in tho opcivfields. . •

i-^The , Provincial" Government crop 'report which' was issued: this : ..week, shows, that- the farmers of Nova Scotia ■ have had an ■ excelAent vyear. : The fruitVcrop- was' the ' most satisfactory'that 'has been' gathered, for-' a numbor:; of..years., The,average of all correspondents places the quantity, in comparithe' yield of last -year, at' 97 nc-r cent.- The-quality, however, : .is so . much ■superior that' if is - estimated the number of parrels 'to be •.shipped will considerably ficeod.the past years,shipment.' ,'■-:, .Big game in' Now. Brunswick is now' regarded -as more :plentiful than:^it-has , - , been for .thirty, years.\ A,bounty:'will' probably be ottered.next year'for the destruction ! of'-wild cats-,..;(tl,anadian ■ lynx), :whioli" ■' aire: becoming numerous:-:; These' animals are-not dangertusto.meny.but they.destroy:small«game;' ; 'They afford.good..sport for-the/hunter. ;: ' : ;'<:'.' i-'W- •_' The city/has just:.opened two neiv buildvgr n* a■• Jo W> one the headquarters of ;the X au.O.'A;, the other the' , Seamen's. Mission.. ■■Ine'now .ho'mo'.of the. former-' institution is one' of. modern ■equipment,'- with ; gymnasium baths,; swimming, pool, arid."bowling 'alleys' The cost: was"about £15,411. "' ':■< ' ■ , '

j There,is istrong -movement for .the organinin 0 " ■?■ a '. World's. Fair for Winnipeg- in 1912. : It is proposed that, the fair, shall celebrate the arrival of the Selkirk'colbnißts pntheßed.Biver in 1812. A number of prominent business men have declared in favour of,, the ido/, 'and it. is : likely .that a comnnttee will be formed: in tke near-future. ..Prqfossbrr George-Bryco, chairman": of ''the committee'which lias charge' of the "arrange-ments-for ■entertaining tho' 'BritieU"Associa- : ■won: , for, the Advancement of-Science? lr in Winnipeg, in 1900; states that -there,will be 5 at. least 600 in attendance.'?, Many ■ inquiries have been received asking for: particulars of. the meeting,, a number of 'which- have , ' come from .the United States. - If is possible tliat the Amerioan Association- for tno-.'Advaiice-, ment of Science will' meet iii St. Paul or Minneapolis, shortly before the date of the meeting in Winnipeg,, and. that, many of its members,,will- take, this opportunity of v&tending the Winnipeg' : Conventiori.'. The Dominion Medical: Association will■'.■ meet in' WiMJjag .just .before the. British . Association'meeting, and will remain, over in order to bo present at the meeting of the scientists.: ■■•" .;■ '■ '■'• : . : .'■ ;LeffingwoH,' the; Arctic .explorer, declares his, intention of returning to the. North nest .vear.with.thc: objpqt'of'remaining' three or four/years , .' .The purpose of hie journey will not bo, to ■•'reach the: Pole," but to make geo-! logical,.and,■■ other investigation's. He ' declares life in tlie North to bq by'no-means yeryarduous, '.and.aays it" to life 'in the tropics..'. The, schooner ■Diichcss' of Bedford was not crushed by the iqe. Her caulking was drawn.out. by the ice freezing to ■ ltj Riid if-, materials woro'' available for recaiilfting she, could , h* rnado'ontircly seaworthy.. : Leffingwell very largely all the. stories, of rich discoveries on tho Arctie, coast of North America. Ho con-, codes tho existence of, gold, lint say's thcro is' nothing - ; te warrant the reports that' rich' gravels-haye.been.found. , ~-... -,■••■ ". The' foreign trade-of Canrtda during'the last complete , -fiscal year amounted to I)o0,000,000,-dollars,, the best .twelve months': figures on,record in the Dominion. • A w\v] wheat elevator of threo and aquartor million inishels capacity •■ is being built at Fort William, Ontario. . Two .thousand' branches of Canadian banks are now operating in the Dominion.

The question of tho reduction. of liquor licenses, .which is now exercising many.minds i in.Ontario has been oloqucntly discussed in churches and chapels here. Tho Rev; Dr..i Crummy; ■ a . well-known Methodist minister, argued that tho reduction was to the full as ! necessary a reform as the anti-troating.niovo-mont, which bos lately gained ground, Dr. Crummy asserted that the Production- of licenses should bo considerably extended. - South Atrioa. ''...■,;,'; •'■ Sir Percy Fitzpatrick's dictum concerning the Closer South African Union Convention,! that it has obliterated distinctions'between iho.existing parties, has occasioned considorablo speculation in Johannesburg. ■ "It is feared in spine- quarters that "the: publication' of the 'proposed National" Constitution, wnich :is understood '~to. be' nearly, ■completed, may | ..bo a;;sigiial for fresh-.cleavages : amongst t]ie British residents..." It is said that' Mr.'Cress-' well, who" returns Shortly, intends' adopting a : strong Imp of opposition to. Unification/ on tho ground that it will'destroy all hboes of obtaining . legislation in favour of 'he' working classes. .The Johannesburg ""Star," discussmgthe situation, says:—"The political parties will do well to. keep"'their armour bright, even in these days) when party warfare is at a standstill." ■■. ... : ■ ! .. : Tli6 excellent performances of tho visiting English; .tennis ..team is 'creating great enthusiasm in sporting ciroles.in tho Transvaal. Not even tho frequent heavy stofme oan ; damp tho ardour'pf the-keen'followers, of- the game who.attend.the'tournainents. '. ■■■■..■ .'■■ ■.'■: - • It is believod that the treasurer of Orange River Colony will have to face a considerable deficitnext: year::' The outlook" for farmers is very - gloomy, > owing .to ■. the .likelihood that the ravages of the.locusts will be particularly :sovere; ::.».•., do;,AVfit,. the. Ministor.'pf Agri-oulturo,.-has:,abolished :tho.;locust .'.bureau,.. Tvhioh..did';an enormous-amount of valuable -work. He .withdrew his Locust /Bill. last session 'owingv:-to, :the-opposition 1 of. those Govbrnment.: supporters wild-considered (be. interfarence ivith : nature) an -act. of impiaiy. . The senior Cape Government 'analyst, in a' statement.onvthe- utilisation of sea-weed:for. manuHal purposes, .points out that the. vast masses of- sea-weed tip on .the: South African coasts: might.be turned to good account. .Samples aro to be ..-analysed, in. the Government laboratory. : - .. ' ■ ..: , .'.■;.: revenue derived from, telegraph .traffic in Capo: Colony for the year ended September" 30 last was £2,p12,739, : a decrease of £321^983.compared with the roturns for.the' 1 preceding twelve months. For. the. month "of .Septßmbef.alQiie the-revenue'" was, £182,612, ". ; ■!.-The-'latost:\in'dustriai ; moye.in the Transvaal- ;■'is 'the' erection -of a •bacon-,and' hani- . including "a- cold 'storago, at ■Reitfpii-tei'n'iV'Ah' expert carer - fronv, Europe , ; hasibeori- engaged," and'it-is 1 anticipated"that : |,fromvSoo .'to..'B'oo pigs 'will be slaughtqred'and-oui-od: peri month; , - when "'the : factory. -is :in; I; complete working .order.: Tlio factory,:;whioh |-"*vvill, thoreforej.be; conducted on.a fairly largo' scale, will be ths means of diminishing the I largo amount , . , of .-bacon'-and -haiiv at. present , . |,iniported -into South -. Africa , .;...' ; lnto Natal ; alone; in • ono rcceiit month •" ns many ■-.■•as! .l'46,sßilb.:of.bacon and hams.were imported,; and this..amountexceeds/the importations:'of • , the Orange River Colony and Rhodesia■ com/bined;>- ; ;■'; ■■ '.'■'/'-'■' "■-.■■-■'.-.■.'-'■. .''•"'.-. .-.■"-: ': v--

'i: ■•.' ; J;! India and tho.Eastw .•■; \/'> ;/ -The ■.••recent; conference -.between tke/Goy'ornorsj of, Madras and Ceylon, on the.lndo-: Ceylon-railway question, shows that' an im-portant-stage has'been reached in-.the advancement of the project:. -Lines havo been oxtendod, :and others aro underconstruction,: up 'to the extreme points on eacli side : of itho.narrow : slip ,of Eea.di.yiding,.Qeyjpn.'from' the mainland,,and , now it only remains to deal with tho.problem.- of actually '■', crossing•', the. water, --pisoussion has raged . for . yoars around the rival merits "arid''possibilities,- of railway bridge, and train terry..schemes'; •: .'j Sir Alexander; Hosie,. the Acting-Coinnier--oialAttachev to .'the 'British.'.. Legation'./at Peking, has.'subniitted'.a report o'n.the.'foreign' trado of: China, f0r..1907.■ India? a'.-'direct ex-, .ports to .Oh.ini.' l during,,the,y!3ar,;Wore .valued at: £5,348,500;': an''iferpase v .'of '■', £29,376 ', onthoso'! al'. 18IQ6, 'and her imports,'/.which' : hadfallQ4,frpm; £409,215 in .1905-t0;£28§,024 ill, 1906, roso',tb/£516,700.-m:-WO7, r This;de.mon- ; strate's vbliat ■, tho/. trade' between. India",: and China,is. pp'6ning.,out,. and that India -,ia .find-: ilig a ; new market' for-her cotton..:••;;/■' .■:, .'■..,...:.'. , ; -A. vblumb of'.figures' has beon issued'by :the-Direbtor-Gonel-al of Commeroiar Intelligence rekting to ■ prices .and' wages in India .from 1883 to 1907. , The general impression. c'onreyed. by-the figures is that, upon the: whole prices of food grains -have'risen■ in>tho.. last tweiity-fiyo yeavs : ,t<)'a greater extent than wages: of labour, "■a -':'r !i : ''■'■:'■■■