BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 858, 2 July 1910, Page 6

BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

LONDON SUMMARY. THE FESTIVAL OF EMPIRE. AN INTERESTING LETTER. London, May 20. In view of the great but inevitable disappointment caused by the postponement of the Festival of Empire in consequence of tho death of King Edward, an interesting letter has been issued to the press signed by the Earl of Plymouth, Lord Shaftesbury, Lord' Strathcona, and Lord Avebury. They appeal to tho public to keep alive the interest already awakened in the objects of the Festival, so that the Empire-principles and sentiments involved may bo strengthened during the interval which must elapse before its fitting celebration next year under happier auspices. AVitli regard to those who have entered into contracts administration, an assurance is given ,that every effort will be mado to prevent undue loss falling upon them. Presli work, it is gratifying to note, will be given to a considerable number of employees in carrying out the alterations necessitated by tho enforced change of plan, although the Festival of Empire has been postponed it has been decided that tl.e Canadian., New Zealand, Now South Wales, and Newfoundland courts shall bo opened. In tho case of the Indian and South African courts, however, ho display of exhibits will be made. A large portion of the loss resulting from the postponement of the Festival will be covered by insurance, but tho guarantors will stand to lose a considerable sum. Those who have bought tickets have had their money returned, and exhibitors havo been offered either their money back or : an allotment of equivalent space for the show of next year.

JAPAN IN LONDON. - Without parade or ceremonial, in face of the sorrow of the public, the JapanBritish Exhibition opened at the White City, Shepherd's Bush, on May 14, and met with a gratifying measure of popular support. On Whit Monday, in ideal sumirier weather, the attendance numbered no fewer than 518,000 people. AVith such an artistic, dainty, and picturesque representation, of a little-known l&nd the exhibition' bids fair to achieve a fame equal to, -if not surpassing, that of the great' and historic Franco-British Exhibition, which was such a triumph of its kind. The attractions are manifold. There are halls given over to exhibits from tho British Admiralty, there is a splendid representation of the famous Temple Q*te of Nara, a brilliant tableau depioting tho history of Japan from the time of the frreat Emperor Jiinnra, twenty-five centuries ago; a huge section devoted to Japanese arts and crafts; a palace typifying British indus-' try; a Japanese Imperial War Department ; a Japanese Fair; representations of the Ainu and Formosan villages; and Oriental tea-houses galore, together, with innumerable side-shows. From morning to night tho exhibition is full'of life, the life of the East, and provides the very atmosphere- of Japan.

THE HEROINE OF THE CRIMEA. Tho King sent a' congratulatory' message to Miss Florence Nightingale on the occasion of her ninetieth birthday. 'Miss Nightingale has for some time ceased to take an active interest in public affairs because of her advancing years, but her health continues to be good, and gives iio cause for anxiety. Miss Nightingale has retained unimpaired most of 'liei faculties, her chief difficulty being hei eyesight; which has gradually, failed of late, and her memory, which is'not so good as it used to be. She keeps entirely to her .bed,, her chief relaxation being found-in listening to the reading of her, secretary,; and in following the progress of the Nightingale Homo . for Trained Nurses,, .was founded: with .the 'aid of money voted to her for her wonderful work in the Crimea.

LESS TTNEMPLOYMENT. 1 ' Employment in April, according to the "Board of Trade Labour Gazette," continues to improve generally, particularly in the metal, engineering, and shipbuilding trades, and there was increased seasonal activity in the building and. othei industries. As compared with a yeat ago, employment in all industries, except cotton, showed considerable improvement. Iu tho 41G trade unions, with a net membership of 699,932, making returns, 30,479 (or '1.4 'per cent.) were reported .as unemployed at the end of April,' 1910, compared with 5.2 per cent, at the end of March, 1910, and 8.2 per cent: at the end of April; 1909. Thirty-three disputes be-gan-in April, 1910, as compared with 32 in the previous month, and 24 in April, 1909. The -total number of workpeople involved in disputes .during April, ;1910, was 53,30-1, or 10,938 more than in March, 1910, and 44,341 more than in April, 1909.The changes taking effect in April affected 81,000 workpeople, o£ whom 68,500 received advances and 12,500 sustained decreases. The total computed effect of all the changeis was a net increase of ,£BSO per week.

GREAT eailway pool. An agreement has been reached between the Great Western and the/London and South-Western ■ Railway Companies. The basis of the agreement .is, it'is. understood, substantially as follows Profits to be pooled and divided between the two companies in an agreed proportion. Many competitive trains to be abolished. Interchange of booking. Running powers over each other's lines, " thus. greatly shortening the distances for trains and involving a great saving .in coal. Reduction of duplicate booking and receiving offices, and avoidance of unnecessary' expenditure in cartage of goods. Reductions of staff, which, however, will be so gradual as scarcely to bo felt by existing employees.- Tho immense interests involved in tho agreement may bo seen from the following figures:— ■

G.W.R. L.&S.W.R. £ £ Capital 96,019,703 46,970,427 Year's receipts .... 13,742,913 5,528,360 Year's expenditure 8,73i,125 3,525,814

. ' TUBE "STORM SERVICE." A "storm service" will shortly be inaugurated on the Bakerloo, Piccadilly, and Hampstead tubes. A sliower of rain sends to the tube stations hundreds of people who would otherwise ride on omnibus or tramcar, and the result lias been that the normal service on the tubes at such times have been airogetiier' inadequate. All tliis is to be changed in future on the Bakerloo, Piccadilly, and Hampstead tubes, when what will, be known as a "storm service" is to be instituted. It is the object of the "storm service" to make rapid provision for this increase in traffic in bad weather at any. part of the day or night. The chief inspector of theline will decide when the increased service is needed, and his decision will be at once olectrically flashed to fifty and the various depots, and in a short time longer trains or more trains will take their place in the. service.

REVENUE INCREASE. A Treasury return just published shows that the revenue of the country during the six weeks ended May 14 was .£23,047,686, compared with .£17,999,327 in the corresponding period of last year—an increase of ,£5,018,359. The revenue from Customs shows the large decrease of <£1,032,000. The following are the principal increases:— .£ Excise 321,00 ft Estate duties 940,000 •Stamps 527,000 Property and income-tax 4,546,000 Post Office 100,000 Miscellaneous. 368,359 RAILWAY RETURNS. The railway returns of the United Kingdom for the year 1909, issued in a summary and preliminary form by the Commercial Department of the Board of Trade, indicate that the railway companies of the kingdom last year enjoyed a considerable increase in prosperity as compared with the preceding year. "Tlia,

total number of passengers carried during the year, exclusi%'c of season ticket holders, was 1,261,857,000. This shows a falling off of oyer; 13J millions compared with tho preceding year, accounted for, no doubt, by the rapid growth in tho use of motor vehicles, and, perhaps, by the inclemency of tho summer weather. The number of season ticket holders, however 729,000—shows a substantial increase. .There was an .increase of nearly eight million tons in the quantity of minerals and general merchandise carried, the total being 499,322,000 tons. The total working expenses were ,£75,033,000. o.S ;?,?L rc - t ! eil)ts n ' ero -£45,136,00, against •£43,481),526 in 190S and ,£44,936,729 in

"HYPNOTISM." Remarkable allegations of hypnotises and ialse imprisonment in a • nursing homo were made in the Law Courts by Mr. Ihoinas Browne against Mr. John Honan, his cousin, and Mr. and Mrs. Benjeyield, proprietors of a Lower Edmonton nursing home. Mr. Browne stated that one evening, when he was in periect health Mr. Honan called on him and announced that he had arranged lor his removal to an institute. The defendant then hypnotised him, and took him in a cab to the home. There ho was hypnotised several times. "They continued to drag me about," he said, and the hypnotism had so serious an effect on my health that my mind became unbalanced." Mr. Honan denied that ho was a hypnotist, and said that ha took his cousin to the home in order tc avoid having him certified as a lunatic. J V 'f "turned for the defendants. Standard of Empire."