BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 821, 21 May 1910, Page 15

BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

NEWS SUMMARY. TREASURY RETURNS FOR 1909-10. THE DEFICIT: AN UNPRECEDENTED TOTAL. London, April 8. According to the returns of the revenue recoipts issued by tho Treasury at tho close of the financial year 1909-10, the country is confronted with a deficit of .£2O- - the actual figures being as follow :— .C Expenditure 157,944,611 Revenue 131,096,150 Deficit »C2G,245,155 If, however, the estimated revenue (JIlGi!,8iO,OaO) is set against the actual receipts, tho deficit immediately reaches the unprecedented total of J»1,U.1,5,ii. The greatest deficit occurred with regard to tho income tax; an increase of .£3,230,000 on the total for tho previous financial year was estimated, "but there was an actual decrease of JH0.035,000. There was a decreaso of on tho excise estimates, and one of .£1,920,009 on the land tax estimates.

STOAT'S NEST MISHAP. Tho Board of Trade report' of its in-, quiry into the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway accident at Stoat's Nest, by which seven lives wore lost, has beeu published. Lieut.-Colouel Von Donop, Inspecting Officer of Railways, says that the accident must be solely attributed to the loose grip between' tho wheel nnd tho axlo. It is probable, he states,, that when running through one of the connections the wheel rubbed against one of tho check rails, and' the looseness of tho grip between the wheel and tho axle allowed this rubbing to cause the wheel to shift on its axle. Tho position in which the. fifth! vehicle was after the accident points conclusively to tho derailment having originated with that vehicle, and if the shifting of the wheel outward on its axlo indicated by tho marks on the rails was taking placo before the derailment ocourred, Colonel von Donop considers it needless to look further for the cause of it.'

DISTINGUISHED VISITORS. No date is yet fixed for the visit of Mr. Roosevelt to the City of London, but this interesting event will probaWy occur at the end of May. Tho programme, which • will follow- Royal and official precedent, will include a reception, luncheon, and presentation of the honorary freedom of the city in a golden casket. The King of tho Belgians is expected in October, and he will pay a State visit to'the city. Other Eoyal and distinguished personages who are to pay visits inclurto the Crown Price and Princess of Sweden, the Crown Pnnco and Princess of Rumania, and Priuco Fushimi, head of one of the Imperial families of Japan. STARVED TO DEATH. The tragic stories of .125 human derelicts, who died from starvation or disease accelerated by starvation or exposure is told in an official return just issued by the Local Government Board. Tho cases, aio those reported by coroners all over England and Wales during the year 1908. The 125 .deaths include fifty-two in London Mid seventy-three' in tho provinces,. Details. are given of each of tho cases. Tho following is a typical one:—AlL., aged 57 years,'general labourer, died suddenly from exhaustion following want of sufficient food, and exposure. Ho was a stranger in London. It was stated that he had no relatives or friends. Another case, not quite so common, is that of J. T. H., aged GO years, an architect, who died in the Holborn Workhouse from congestion of tho lungs after destitution at home. Ho was described, as an inventor, and there: wero two ■■ uncompleted, models of an automatic piano-player in' his room. /Theso were detained by the landlady for arrears of rent.

"EOKEBY VELASQUEZ." Mr. James Grieg, the distinguished-art critic, has been making an examination of the "Rokeby Velasquez," now in the National Gallery, which was purchased for .£45,000 and presented to the nation by the National Art Collection Fund. "I have found," ho writes in the "Morning Post," "on the low left-hand corner of the painting, about twelve inches under tie left foot of the 'Venus,' close-to the frame, tho signature," which is reproduced in the "Morning Post." "To mo tho first cipher suggests J. 8., the second D. M., which taken together may be interpreted as the initials of Juan Bautista Del Mazo, son-in-law of Velasquez and hia successor at Court Painter to Philip IV. Mazo had an extraordinary talent for reproducing the character and quality of the works of other paintors, especially of Velasquez. So closely do his best pictures resemble those of tho father-in-law that there has always been some uncertainty in regard to their attribution."

FREE CHURCH LEADER'S DEATH. A pathetic story of tho last days of the Kev. Thomas Law, secretary of the National Council of tho Free Churches, whose body was found in the sea off Brighton was told at tho inquest when a verdict of "found drowned" was returned by the jury. Mr. Law was in illhealth, and in great dread of complete breakdown. Tho evidence showed that in these circumstances, in his last few days, ho sought relief in drink, and so brought on a state of mental confusion and nervous collapse. A deck hand on the Palace Pier, Brighton, saw Mr. Law climb down a ladder until his feet were in the sea. "I looked over and said: 'Come- back, sir, the man told the jury, "and he said: All right,' and climbed back." Mr. Law was handed over to a pojico sergeant, and went with him to the police station. Hβ was sent back to London, but seems to have returned the same day to Brighton. Tho night porter of a hotel said that at fiveo clock in the morning Mr. Law rang and was shown to a bedroom. At hnlfpast eight he paid his bill, and left the hotel. A little later he was seen walking a ong the front, and this was the last that was seen of him alive.

. SUFFRAGIST IN A CHIMNEY. Another attempt on the part of a suffragist to enter the House of Commons has been frustrated. A woman, a member of the Women's Social and Political Union, was discovered concealed in one of the ventilating shafts near to the upper waiting hall of the House of Commons. While visiting the Houses of Parliament she slipped away from the crowd unnoticed, from the central hall and, reaching tho upper hall, hid herself in tho first convenient spot, which chanced to be a hot-air ventilating shaft. Here slio spent from Saturday afternoon to early Monday morning. Tortured by thirst, she ventured out to an adjacent water-tap, where she was detected by tho policeman on duty. She was permitted to go, but not till she had been warned that her escapade might have cost her dear had the heating apparatus been at work, as she would have run tho risk of being suffocated by the heat. LAND'S END SHIPWRECK. Eighteen lives were lost when the Liverpool barque Kate Thomas sank oft' tho Longsbips, Land's End, as tlw result of a collision with a small steamer believed (o bo tlio India, of Penwince. Tho Kate Thomas was being towed by a tug to Port Tnlbot, when she was cut down in the early dawn and sank almost immediately, all mi board being lost, save an apprentice—.Tack Nelson. Nelson states that as the ship heeled over ho sprang clear and struggled away from the whirlpool with a lifebuoy in one hand. There were two or throe enormous waves, and when lie looked round the ship had disappeared. "I swam on through the halfdarkness, and suddenly the third olticcr appeared, with a lifebelt on, by my side. I asked him if I could do anything for him, anil he said, 'No,' but I found he had his sea boots on, so I tried, to take, them off. I could not manage it, and I was afraid of sending him to the bottom, so I cave it up. Then I lost sight of him." Nelson was picked un

shortly after by tho tug. Tho captain's wifo and the mate's wife were among: Ihe drowned.

BRITISH AGRICULTURE. Grain nml farm' produce grown in Great Britain durinff 100!), according to n Board of Agriculture return was of an estimated value of .£79,1011.000, as compared with .E7J,2:i1,000 in IMS. Tho crops wore divided as follow:—

Value. £ Wheat, 7,650,297qr., at 325. lid. 12,610,000 Barley, 7,617,320qr. at 275. <kl. 10,125,000 Oats, 15,375,197qr., at 17s. 5(1.... 13,392,000 Potatoes, 3,074,453 tons at fits. 9,921,000 Clover, hay, etc., 2,930,091 tone at 85s 12,478,000 Meadow hay, 5,132,360 tons at 70s 20,013,000 The total production of wheat was the largest quantity recorded rince 1899, when the harvest exceeded 8,0(IO,OO0qr. PARIS IN LONDON. After negotiations which have extended over four .years, the French Development Company, Ltd., has acquired from tho London County Council, on payment of the sum of .CSOOO, an option for'the utilisation of the open spaco known as "Strand Island." It is proposed to carry into effect the Echemo originally put forward by the French architect jr. Ernest Gorrard. This scheme, speaking broadly, contemplates the construction of a Palaco of French industries, adjoining tho Gaiety Buildings. Tho plans, which "have been passed by tho London County council, include, a semi-circular row of shops, after the style of the old Palais Hoyale in Paris. The centre will contain ft liandsome theatro, whilst provision, will bo mado for concert and banqueting halls, places of meeting (including a French club), restaurants, etc. The buildings will face the Strand, and extend to Aldwych, and will cover an area of 124,000 squaro feet.- The , capital will be .£1,000,000, and of this practically four-fifths has already been raised. ARMADA TREASURE. '• It is expected that, as eoon as tho weather is milder, the search for tho Spanish treasure ship Florencia will again bo resumed in ,Tobermory Bay. Colonel Kenneth Mackenzie, who holds the leaf* from the Duke of Argyll authorising tlio search, is bringing native divers from the Ceylon pearl fishery, who are accustomed to work at great depths without diving dress, to help him in tho work. It is estimated that tho treasure on board the Florencia when she was sunk in 158S would to-day be valued at two and a half million pounds. According to Spanish State papers of the time, she is said to. have carried not only the Pope's contributions towards the subjugation of England, but also the erovm intended for the coronation of the- Spaniard who was to reign over England in Elizabeth's stead. THE CABMAN'S LOT. In consequence of important concessfona which have just been granted to nim, there is little doubt that tho cabdriver's lot has beeu greatly improved. The drivers of horse cabs, in tho future, will be allowed four free tests in tho driving of motor-cabs, and, if necessary, two additional tests for a feo of 2s. Gd. each. A scheme has beeu devised whereby drivers whose cabs arc on ranks will be ablo to obtain meals in comfort without liability to proceedings under the law which compels them to accept a faro who requires their services. Taxi-drivers are now allowed to smoke, and, in future, when an offence imputed to a driver is of such gravity that tho suspension of his licence for more than two months would, under ordinary circumstances, be the appropriate course, the case will bo dealt with by a board—tho assistant commissioner, a chief constable, and another person to be nominated l)y the commissioner. Y.M.C.A. PALACE. The new headquarters of the Young Men's Christian Association are rapidly neai'ing completion nt the site at the Oxford Street «>!■! ot Tottenham Court Eoad. The Y.M.C.A.'s now home, which occupies an island site will bo tho most modern roligious meeting placo in ,tlio world. It will include a luxurious club-houso.-for 10.000 young..men, with a colloge and an hotel for 300 youths. Among tho attractions provided for the members will be a gymnasium, swimming and fjhoiver baths, riflo ranges, games rooms and loungo, and library. Tho hotel, which in purt of the scheme, is a complete novelty. It is intended exclusively for those boys in London starting business life who do not earn more than 15s. a week. A boy will hero bo able to obtain an hotel bedroom to himself from 3s.' Gd. a week, and the meals will bo solved at tho most modest tariff.

SCHOOLBOY EMIGRANTS. Dr. Gray, warden of Bradfield College, hlis left Englaud in the Virginia for Canada with a party of twelve schoolboys. Ho is well known as one of tho pioneers of tho public schools emigration movement, and is tnkiiiß the bqya out to his big raiich in Alberta, .where. ..they will study practical farming for two years. The ranch consists of 1920 acres, nnd not only will wheat, oats, and barley bo raised, and a large number of stock kept, but there will also be courses in practical engineering, carpentry, electric lighting, and so forth. The party is uoing out under tho auspices of tho tubHe Schools League for Imperial Land Settlement.

£12,000,000 FOR PENSIONS. Tho United Kingdom at tho present time is spending nearly .£12,000,000 a year on pensions, exclusive of naval and military annuities. The following particulars aro contained in a list issued by the Treasury. Number of Pensions. Amount. £ Civil Service (superannuation vote) 412S 078,992War Office (Civil) ..„ 1844 H.J,23G Admiralty (Civil) 4855 316,591 Customs and Excise ... 2373 426,824 Inland Revenue 378 116,726 Post Ofiico 8587 014,091 Royal Irish Constabulary 7433 399,209 Dublin Police 522 33,373 Consolidated Fund:— Judicial 43 72,347 Political 5 7.G00 Miscellaneous 4 10,333 Total 30,172 .£2,850,325 These figures are exolusive of a charge on the, Consolidated Fund of w£9,000,000 for old age pensions. OPPORTUNITIES. Miss Agnes Deans Cameron, the explorer and writer, delivered an interesting lecture recently on "Canada, tho I,nntl of Opportunity," at the Y.JI.C.A. Hall, Mount Pleasai.t, Liverpool. Miss Cnineron, who has mado a close personal study of Western Canada for the past four years, declared that north of tho Saskatchewan River, that is, north of tho present area of settlement, Canada possessed a rich hinterland containing 100,000,000 acres of land capablo of growing No. 1 hard wheat. Northern Canada she described ns a veritable land of fat things—timber, fur, coal, tar, natural (»as. Tliat country would be onened out by n railroad running from Edmonton to the AtlinbnEoa Rivpr. The speaker also prophesied that Fort George, in Northern British Columbia, nn tlio direct line of tlio Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, would he tho Croat metronnlis nf Northern British Columbia. This district, nnd. in f.icK Hip whole shore of Stuart Lake in British Columbia, was f.ist nttractin? settlors and investors.— "Standard of Empire."