BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1061, 25 February 1911, Page 10

BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

LONDON SUMMARY. THE lIOUNDSDITCII TRAGEDY. London, January 13. It may safely bo asserted that rarely, if over, has so much interest and speculation been aroused by any deed of violonco as has been excited by tho Houndsditch crimes and tlio Claphani murder mystery. From out of tho cloud of conjecture that veils, for the general public, tho Sidney' Street affair a few facts of considerable importanco havo been discntaugled—first, it is now certain that two assassins, and two alone, i>erishcd in tho siege; second, that "Peter" tlio Painter—stated by an authority on tho international Anarchist movement to bo "ono of tho worst of desperadoes" is still at large. It lias also been ascertained that the Rang, to which tho dead desperadoes aro believed to liavo belonged, number eighteen. It is held that the besieged assassins were Fritz Svarrs and a man nanus "Joseph." An amazing story was told at the inquest pij tlio two.men by Mrs. Gershon,. a'dressmaker, residing at No. 100 Sidney Street.' It appears that sho had known "Joseph," .who , wn,s a Russian, for some- time.- On-.tho night of January 1 tho 'man paid her- a visit, accompanied by a friend, belioved to bo "Fritz." On tho following night thov camo again, refused to' go; away,.'and; after threatening her,■ <' sent', bier, into a room at the back of thfi; housci'and"appropriated her room, i She fgav« description of tho pair.; "Jtiseph"-had, a long face, with a thin, straight'nose, darkskin, and walked with'a limp. - Tho other man was of fair complexion; tind had rather a broad face; : \ Tho, other _ points that wero emphasised-at .'tho inquest, wero that tho two men were armed with Mauser,automatic pistols,.'far superior in rango to any of tho weapons possessed bj the police. Ilenco.tlio necessity folr calling in tlio aid of tho Guardsmen. Medical evidence also proved that, ono of tho men was sulToeated. whilo.the other died from the wound caused by a, bullet which passed, through his brain.*. Neither of them committed suicidc,- it was stated.

PRECAUTIONS AGAINST. ANARCHISTS., / ' ' Littlo light \vas 6hed on .tlio subjcct of tiib Houmlsditch muvdersat r tlio inquest on tho polico victims.'- ■> At. tlio resinned Polico Court hearing-at Jhoi fiuildllall ■ of, tlio charges against. tHef two women in custody thb j'nost noticeable feature• v.-a?' that the - polico- had taken almost unprecedented precautions against a surprise attack by Anarchists on tho Guildhall, the placo being surrounded by uniformed polico and detectives, and tho- prisoners being guarded by armed policemen. Detectives aro still hunting for others concerned in tho case. Those who were wounded in the Sidney Street siego aro doing well, and tho King has sent , them n message of sympathy, Scotland' Yard is busv testing tho- latestpattern revolver for tlio rearming ofjtho-! police. " ' v . "ii-i >;-i ;• EPIPHANY AT CHAPEL ROYAL. : The feast. of -Empliany was marked by, tlio customary, celebration at the Chapel; Royal, St. 'James's," tho King sending mfta of gold, frankincense,, and myrrh. The royal gifts were brought to tho altar by two gentlemen ushers of tlio Court, who represented tho King at tho service. Six Yeomen of tho Guard, wearing their quaint Tudor costumes and Ayitk,lia|bcr,ts in their hands, 'stocd' nt regular inter-' vals down tlio' nave, and a detachment, was .posted in tho vestibule. Tho boys of tho choir woro their State clothes of scarlet and gold. Tho King's,representatives',' with tho royal gifts enclosed in a scarlet bag, walked down tho navo to tlio altar, steps, wlicro Uicy were mot .by Canon Sheppard and made an obeisance. li'l'ho. sub-dean rcccivod thb offering on a silver plate, and placed it upon the altar, llavihg niado a further obeisaiice, * tlio 'gcntloujcti usliors vitltdrow-froiu' the' chapel. j

- TIIR CONQUERING TAXI.' Tho following figures,iwhich show • the remarkable, increnso, in tho numbers of taxi-cabs in, tho streets of London in six' years aro contained in a paper read recently before tho Koyal Automobile Club: ; Taxi-cabs. Horse-cabs. Total. Dee. 31, 1901 ... 2 11,057 11,059 Dcc., 31, 1005 ... 19 10,031 10,950' Dec. 31, 1908 ... 00 10,492 . 10,568 Dec. 31, 1907 ... 723 9,818 -10,511 Dcc. 31, 1908 ... 2,605 8,475 11,260 Dec. 31, 1909 ... 3,950 C.562 ' ,10,518 Deo 31, 1910 ... 0,330 ; 4,701 .11,037, EMPIRE -FESTIVAL., i; ' ' Excellent progress is being mado-with tho preparations for the Festival of Empire, Imporial Exhibition, and Pageant of London, to bo held at . tho 'CrystalPalace from May to October next. l?e----fcrring to. tho general arrangements,■ Mr. Austen, llroreton, head of tho Tress department, states that thero will ;bo vivid representations of tho . scoucry . of. tlio British possessions oversea, and tlio daily life of tlio settlers will bo portrayed in a manner at onco,lifelike and'pitturcsque. The getting of gold from the earth will be illustrated, and the gleaning of gojden grain to (ill tho granaries, of tlio Empiro. An 1 Overseas-Club will bo established in tho grounds,-'of which visitors from tho Dominions'will bo made honorary members, whilst in all probability ordinary members will bo elected on payment of a modest subscription. . . : A GRAND MASQUE. ' It lias' been . decided to add to tho Pageant of London a fourth part, in which incidents of Oversea history will bo. reproduced, < gays !'Th(i:! Tini(!s/': It : will consist , of six episodes and a grand' masque, as follow:--..

1. Nowfouiulland.—Occupation by Sir Humphrey Uilbcrt in 158.1. 2. Oanaaa.—Tho Confederation' Kejoicr ings in' ISO 7. , '.. . ~ ,

3. South Africa.—Arrival of tho Settlors in 1820.

4. India.—Tho Delhi Durbar of - 1877 (Proclamation of Queeu Victoria as Empress).

6. Australia.—(To bo nrranged.) li. New Zealand.—(To bo nrranged.) A fit\ing conclusion will bo mado by tho presentation of a llasquo of Empiro showing tho representatives of all the Dominions bringing'gifts of their iiiatural products to the Mother Country. Thero will also bo performances, as part of tlio festival; of nativp plays by Iroquois Indians from Canada and Maoris from New Zealand.

• , PAGEANT OP LONDON. Tlib Pageant of London, indeed, promises to bo 0110 of tho greatest historical Kpoctacics oyer witnessed, for neither money nor pains aro being spared in tho elt'ort to mn'ko tlio scenes accurate roprnsentations of events of tho various periods selected. Some idea of tho work that is being dono 111 tho way of dressing tho' pageant in tho exact mode of tho- reKpedtivo periods may bo gathered froni tho fact that ill order that every detail of tlift costumes of the 15,000 performers may bo absolutely accurate, a research •conimitteowas formed, whoso duty it tva* to traco in tho various museums and frivato houses old masterpieces and tapesries charactors and scones in stirring times long gone by. Mere than GOOD costumes arc alrendy completed, a staff of 203 workers being engaged practically day and night during tho past twelvo months on tho task;

' ELEVENTH DREADNOUGHT. ; Tho 19,900-ton battleship Neptune, which was laid down at Portsmouth 011 January 19, 1909, has been commissioned for service 111 the First Homo Flee! Dattlo Squadron. The Neptuno will bo tho eleventh British Dreadnought in com. mission. Sho is tho first British battleship of tho Dreadnought typo to lmvo a full bfoadsido. Earlier ships of tho Dreadnought," Bellerophon, ami St. Viu. cent classes, though carrying ten 12in. guns, havo been ablo to firo only eight guns on the broadside. The Nqptuno is two guns stronger both in broadside and in astern fire than any of our other completed Dreadnought battleships. i 'A KING IN EXILE. A' small Portugueso colony is springing up in Richmond, where King Manoel is taking up his residence, at Abercorn, a houso belonging to Kaid Sir Harry Maclcan. The Marquis de Lavradio, King Mnnocl's criyats secretary, and tho

Count mid Countess do Figuciro, Lord Chamberlain ami Lady-iu-Waiting to Queen Amelia, and many other of tlio old l'ortugueso nobility, havo taken houses iu the neighbourhood. Tho exiled King's new homo was built some forty years ago by a Scotsman named Grahaine, who ntado a fortuno in New Zealand, where most of tho wood used in tho construction of tho houso camo. Abcrcorn is an unpretentious, comfortable liou&o, und its exterior is decidcdly mid-Victorian in aspect. Its privacy is doubly secured by a high brick wall and by numerous trees. It stands in four acres of grounds, which includo two tennis lawns and a croquot lawn, n charming roscry, fruit and kitchen gardens, and an attractivoly-laid-out flower garden.

16,000 FEWER PAUPERS. Tho latest Local Government return on pauperism shows that on July 1 last thero were .in England and Wales 887,102 pooplo in receipt of relief, 139,G83 being in London and 747,119 in provincial unions. Of this number 117,351 wcro insane, London providing for 20,305 of thia total. The number of persons ill-receipt or relief was 10,020 lower than in tho previous year, but ill London the decreaso was less tluu in tho rest of England and' Wales, amounting to 0.0 per cent, only. Out of an estimated population in London'-of 4,872,702, ono person, in 35 received relief, and of tho 30,109,150 inhabitants of England and Wales ono person out of, overy. 42 received relief, Tlio dedreasojn.pauperisin was general 'throughout tho; country, with tho exception of a feiv- localities. | . EMPIRE METOIC'SYSTEM.; 'In .view of tho forthcoming Imperial Conference in May, when tho question of a common decimal system throughout tho Empire is to bo raised by the Australian delegates, some interest .attaches to tho report that Malta has decided to adopt tho system. Tho hon. secretary of tho Decimal Association, in;an interview recently, said : "Up to tho present tho colonies havo adopted tho attitudo of waiting to seo what the Mother Country would do. 11 Last August, ', however, tho Australian. Commonwealth' Government passed by thirty-five, votes to two an important resolution pledging tho Commonwealth Government to. seek tho ap-. proval of tho next Imperial Conferenco to a common decimal system of money, weight, and measure throughout tho Em.pirb,";and failing .this, to proceed with flio' consideration <of such , a Tcform in Australia, .and. invito the co-oDeration of 'New iZenland, therein. • The'; colonies as a >whole are Jstrdngly: in favour of tlio reform, rind this" action , may forco tho Imperial Government to movo."

- ' TOE'MALL IMPROVEMENT. Tho conference held on tho subject of tlio completion of Tho Mall improvement has had an unsatisfactory termination, tho representatives of tho Offico of. Works intimating-that they were-not prepared to recommend tho Government to make a grant out of public funds. . Tho deadlock accordingly continues, and It will llot bo possible, ns: was at ono tiino hoped, so to .arhuigd •tho' roulo of,' thev;,Coronation pr'ocfcssion that the new Admiralty archway might 'be used instead', of tho llorso Guards: Parade. Tho.'qnestipn discussed dit the' conference was whether tho OfEco if--,'Works would recommend a grant of .£50,000 towards tho i! 150,000" needed for tho widening of tho road leading from tho Arch to Trafalgar Square. )

SOjjTH . AFRICAN ARCHITECTS. 1 kr;'Herbert''Baker,' tho".'"distinguished Southr.Africaii'architect, announces his intention, in 'ft memorandum- to ''Tho Times," to instituto every alternate year a scholarship, to bo hold by young. South African architects, for the study of the architecture of South Europe, with tlio object of fostering in tho warmer climate Of tho South African States those styles of • architecture suitable to such a climate, and to check tlio importation of a less' appropriate stylo based upon tho ■ irchitecturo of Northern Europe. In founding this scholarship Mr. Baker is furthering an idcii originally conceived by his first,,patron, Cecil Rhodes, for whom lie helped to build Grooto Schurr. The scholarship will bo for '■ tho period of the year, and its vnluo will be .£250. The scholarship will bo- open to any British subject who has spent seven years in tho study and prnctico of architecture, who is under thirty-fivo years of ago, and who*has spent, at least two-thirds of hia architectural career in South' Africa;

INTERCHANGE OP STUDENTS. Lord Strathcona, High Commissioner for Canada, and Sir Gilbert Parker hayo promised fr t,o, 'speak at a meeting of • tho Association I 'for -tho International vlnterchango of Students on February 10. Last year's arrangements havo been very successful, and plans aro under consideration now for tho bringing of tho students from other- parts of the English-sneaking world to the United Kingdom. Tho main tour, open'to Rhodes scholars and other Oversea scholars now nt English universities, will begin on Juno 21. and is to occupy three mnnths. Tourvfor British students to Canada and tho Dominion's great neighbour, tho United States, are in preparation ' They, too, will occuny three months and include British Columbia. Tours are also being arranged for agriculturists. They aro to include three months practical work" oil Canadian farmsteads; and to occunv six months, from tho beginning of April'to tho end of September "KING GEORGE V." It is tho King's wish that the battleship which will belaid down at Portsmouth on January IG, and which was to havo been named Royal Georce, should be known-as King George V. lho King has determined rto.coutnuio tho policy of King.'EtUvord in regard .to tjie npnicnclaturo His Mnjesty .will be following "tho (precedent set bv the lata King when iu 1902 ho nppro.vcd tho namo King Edward Vlt being given-to tho new battleship laid down at tho premier naval port/ King Georgo will also follow tho practico of King Edward -by preserving names in tlio servico, which by, their historic associations havo hooomo tart of the Navy. Thus tho threo other iirst-class battleships in 1 the programme will be called the. Centurion, Ajax, and Audacious,'names all intimately connected with notable achievements in our naval history. '<■' ' .

.TAKING ; THE CENSUS. Preparation for taking tho census on the night of Sunday, April 2, aro proceeding rapidly at the- Census Offices, behind tho Tate Gallery. Huge bulks of paper • containing over 7,000,000 of tho necessary 9,000,000 ordinary schedule forms, now reposing in ono of tho largo tabulating rooms 1 of tho census building, will shortly, 'bo- dispatched to the 2000 registrars in England and Wales. When the complete returns begin .to pour into the Census Offico arrangements, will bo mado to lighten the enormous; calculation task by tho use of mechanical reckoners.- If this system works without interruption, by tho iiso of about .20 machines tho final result of tho census will bo known within twolvo months. As in former years, a preliminary estimate of the population should bo ready within a few months—probably by June.

EJIPIRE'S POPULATION. This year's census returns aro expected to give tho total population of tho British Tflcs as '10,000,000, which would mean an increase of about 5,000,000 during tho last ten years. A? will bo gathered from the much-discussed declining birth-rate figures of past years, the population of the country is not increasing in tho proportion that might bo expected, and will probably become nearly stationary within a few decades. But sinco nearly all the Oversea Dominions are taking census returns durinfr this year, in some of which, such as Canada (which hail in 191)1 a population of only 5,371.000), Astounding records of progress will bo made for the British Empire as 'a whole. Ton years ngo, it is interesting to note, there were ovor 400.500,000 persons registered as 'living within and subjects of the Umpire, 201,000,000 \nf whom resided in India.—'"Standard <Jf Empire."