SCOTLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2318, 4 August 1898, Page 54

SCOTLAND.

CFeom Oue Own Correspondent.) Edinburgh, June 2.

GBEAT FIXE IN EDINBURGH.

The extensive works of Mackenzie and Moacur (Limited), hothouse builders and heating and ventilating engineers, Elinburgb. were destroyed by fire on May 11. The fife was discovered at G 15 p.m., the workmen having left; for the day at 5 o'clock, and it svrcad v.Hh such rapidity that the fneaien had difficulty iv saving ihe adj •mug building". Amorg tbesa were sheds in evrmectien with the Imgj brewery cf W. M'Ewsn and Cd. (Limited), which were piitly turned. Somo dwellirg houses were also in darger, and invalids in them were I, niridly removed. Pi-ices of Lurnir-g timber fi.ll upon Mi e lino of the Caledonian lailway, on which the premises abutted, and tiain3 h-» dto pats with great cuUion. Tne water for tho engines had to be brcuphfc t'rera Fountainbiidge through 1400 ft of nose. Tho bui!di?jg3 and valuable stock and machinery were destroyed. Among tho things thu3 consumed or tmafrhed wero wii.kr p-irflej.q for Stanley P.uk, Liverpool, and for Kew G..jrdsns. The Ichs is estimated at fully L2O,OOOrJin3 i s covered by insurance. Ntaily 400 men were temporarily thrown out of employment.

COIJIKG SCOTTISH EXHIBITIONS

An International Fisheries Exhibition is to bo held at Aberdeen. It is intended to ppply for 20 seres oS ground on the Qaeeu's Links, between the Bannerrnill and tho Bathing Station, as tbe site of the exhibition, the prospects of which are said to be excellent. The guarantee fund of the Glasgow International Exhibition, to be held in 1901, new amounts to about L400.C00. The Lord Provost, of the city urg&p, however, that the fund should be further augmented until it reaches at le>ißt L 500.000. It is intended that the cxhibitim fchall be the biggest thing of the kind ever held in Scotland, but, of course, eveiything will depend on whether peace prevails lilt that time or not

RAILWAY EXTENSION

The contracts have bien let for the construction of a line from the O.illendar and Ob&n railway at Consel Ferry to Billacbuli»b, a distance of 25 miles. The lice will ba carried across Elive on a bridge consisting of one Bpan of 500 f t; and across Loch Cireran on a biidgd of three epacs of 100 ft each and two spans of 50ft each. It «iill open up a good deal of country which ia little known except on its tea frontage, and which contains some fine £ emery.

At a special meeting oE the shareholders of the Gbfgow and S uth western Railway Company it was n'Bolvtd to apply for powers to construct, a line of light railway along ths c>ust let ween the towns of Ayr and Girvan. Ths line will pass through an iinpoitant agricultural district studded with thriving villages. It will be 10 miles in length, and its cost is estimated at about £100,000.

FA I' ÜBKS IN THE LINEN TRADE.

Tbe linen manufacture, which is such an important industry in the eas>t of Scotland, is in a rather disturbed prat a on account) of the failure cf Messrs R chards and Co., Broadfoid Woiks, Abc-rdreti, which led to the bujpetision of Messrs Sharp ar.d Sjn, Dandee, and Messrs Watson and Son, CuparFife. An investigation of the fir&t-narnsd firm's affairs by an Edinburgh accountant showed the free assets, after deducting heritable burdens, to be £90,92(5. The liabilities amounted to £181,(558, showing a probable dividend of 10a per £1 , su'. ject to expenses of realisation. It v«.s added that a much better return might be czps-cted if the works c».uld be kept going. Accordingly, Mr C. Bjielay Holland, the only partr>er in tbe firm of Richards and Co., has issued a cucalar to the public cf Aberdeon and the turrousdirg districi, asking them to help him to raise Ihe sum of L 130,000 iv order to cany on tho works as a limited liability company.

A GIPSY CORONATION

The vi'bgs of Yslhclm, in Roxbuighshire, is famous as the headquarters of the Scottish gipsies, who own a sovereign of their own, in addition to Queen Victoria. The throne has boca vacant f^r a good while, since the death of the lsßt sovereign— Q.uen Either Faa Blytb,— -but it w&a lately resolved that the interregnum should cease. Queen Esther's son, Charles, who i 3 over 70 year* of age, was chosen king, and Whit-Monday was appointed the day of hia coronation. Oj that day Yetholrn was crowded by thousands of visitors, from nobility downwards, and the viilsge street was faiily blocked with cycles. Two days before the monarch-o'.ecb retired from business as keeper of a lodginghouse, where tramps were accommodated vi from 4d to 6d per night, and took up his abode in the palace— a white-wash e.l cottage, consisting of only "ft but and a ben." The coronation took place on the green at Kuk Yetholm, which was enclosed for the cccaoion, and tbe parish minister, Rev. W. C. Miller, acted a 6 master of the ceremonies. After two ver3es of tha "Old Hundredth" bad been sung, Mr Miller offered preyer, and then made a brief speech, followed by another by Bailie Gibson, of Leith. The heralds then proclaimed the kicg, whereupon Mr Miller read a letter received by him fiom a Mr William Blytb, cf Leitb, claimicg that his father was rightful king. As neither put in an appearance, the ceremony was proceeded with. The gipsy srehbiehop came forward, in the person of the village blacksmith. Then came a hitch. The carriage of the king and queen was diawn by six donkeys, tandem fashion, and these animals obstinately refused to enter the enclosure, until a biawny Border lad pushed each of them on. The crown was of brass, studded with imitation rubies, amethysts, and cairngorni3. The blacksmith performed the ceremony of coronation, accompanying it by a brief speech in Romany; and the kiog, standing on a chair, erclaimed, " King I am, and king I intend to be 1 " A rnotlt-y procession, dressed in robe 3 furnished by a Glasgow theatrical costumier, escorted the king back to his palace, whore he held a leveo. Some ladies, after shaking hands with him, kissed their fingers "for luck." The proceedirga were wound up by a dinner in a marquee on the haugh, and some sports. The new king takes the tills of Charles 11. He c<\n neither read nor write.

OBITUARY RECORD. The Rev, Dx H, J. Macdoaald, Roman

Catholic Bishop of Aberdeen, died in Edinburgh on May 29, rather suddenly. He was b~drn in 1841, and was a soil, of Mr Angus Macddnald, of Glenaladale, invernes£»shire. He had a distinguished career, and was noted as an educationist as well as in his clerical capacity, Mr Patrick B'air, late S'lenff-snbstitute of Invernsss-sbire, died at lavernesa on May 25, aged 68. Tbe earlier years of his profassional caresr wers passed in Jamaica, where he was a resident judge. Io 1871 he was appointed Sheriff substitute of Inver-ness-ahiro, and held tho post till his reliramenfc into privats life in February, 1897, He was greatly esteemed and loved by all classes, and on more than oue occasion he received marks of the regard ia which he was held by the legal i'ralernity in the North tf Scotland. E?ery g^od obj-ct found ia him a hearty aJvocate and a faithful frietfd.

Mr William France, sulicitor, a well-known resident at Critff, vvheia he was a bank r.gent, and also at one timo town dark ard a number of the School Bjard and Pamii Council, has died there, aged 51.

Mr Jjhu Mackj-.y, tbe oldest Scottish railway contractor, died suddenly at Mujrkirk, Ayishir?. 110 was present at the cutting of the first sod of the Edinburgh and Glasgow railway, and he carried cut large contracts for the constiuction of tho lines from Cjllandar to O'oan, Dunkeld to Kingusidc, Stobcroß3 to Wiahaw, and many more In different parts.

A prominent Ayrshire farmer has passed away in the person of Mr Andrew Allan, of -North KirkUcd, D>lry, at the age of 75. Ha was noted j-s r.»i exporter of A> rjbire cattle to foreign o. untries, etptcially Sweden, and at all leading shows in Sco'lmd h8 acted as a ju<?go.

A iijxbuighsbire farmer (Mr John Wailsce) of Cheaters, aged 70, committed euicide by cutting his throat with a pocketknife. He had for some time Buffered severe pain from lheumatifm,

M- James Balf our- Melville, of Mcuot Melville, Fife, died at St. Andrews on May 14 from shock resulting from a piece of meat sticking in his threat while he was at dinner. Mr B ilfour-Melville, who was 83 years of age, was a woll known Edinburgh lawyer, a prominent Fi«<; Churchman, and in former years a noted prolf'.r. He assumed the additional name of Melville on succeeding to the Mount Melville esUte on tha death of au elder brother coma years &g">.

Mr J. G. Oicbr.r, Provost of Bronghty Ferry, died on May 14, aged 72. He began lifd as a j. iner, and rose to an influential and s Shunt position in the engineering industry. It is umnly to his taste and liberality that Dundte owes its splendid art gallery in the Albert Institute.

GENERAL NEWS.

Djuctee manufactures are exercised aboufc the effect which the outbreak cf the plague in Calcutta may have upon their industry. Soma of the Esngal mil ! B aro owned in Durdee. The etccks of jnle in the latter p'aca are ssid to be sufficient to meet ordinary requirements for 18 months. It fa hoped, however, that no serious dislocation of trade will take place.

Scotland has a very small share in tbe list of Queen's Birthday honours. Mr Robert Dunda.", of Aini&ton, one of the most respected of the county gentlemen of Midlothian, is created a baronet. Dr John Murray, director of the publications of tha Challenger expedition, is made a K.C.B. Tnongh born in Canada S.r John Murray is practically a Scotsman.

Scot*m«n are jubilant because the Amateur Gulf Clnmpionsbip has sgaia been won by Mr F G Tail;, tho winner in 1896. The compati'jon tbia year took place at Hoylake, Cheshire, on May 27, when Mr Tait won by seven up ami five to play. He ia a son of Piufes»>or Tf.i!-, Edinburgh University, and ia ia the Back Watch.

Mes'.ra Da' hie. Sons, aud Co., the famous Afcerdeafc tMpbuilders, have leased the Montrose Shipbuilding Yard, and are about to begin opaiatiuns there. Pcof«88or James Seth, of Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y, has been appointed to succeed the late Dr Calderwood as professor of moral philosophy in the University oi Edinburgh. Professor Ssth's brother occuj.>i?s the chair of log'c in tho latter seat of lcaYfciug.

More than half of tho LIO.OOO required to carry c-u 1 ; the restoration of Brechin. Cathedral has been received.

Ths Scotsman of Saturday, May 14, waa the largest ever published. It consisted oE 18 p?gis of eight columns each, or 144 columns in all, of which 88 columns were occupied by advert weraentp. The Ryv. Dr Herdman, of Melrose, one of the most reopected of tha Border minifiere, has resigned bis charge on account of failing health. Hi was for 20 years in a charge in Calcutta. Three yerra ago he celebrated his ministerial jubilee, when he was presented with his portrait. Portgoy, BiDfEihire, is to be lighted with acolylene gas. It is the first place in Scotland to adopt the new illuruinant for street lighting. The late Dr Fyfe, professor oE moral philosophy at Aberdeen University, has bequeathed to it LOGO, the income from which is to be devoted to an annual prize in moral philosophy. II? stipulates that tha name of the prize shall not include the word Fyfe — an example worthy of imitation. A roe waa desciied the other morning crossing Perth bridge. On reaching George street several people gave chase to it, but the creature soon distanced its pursuers and, got away to a safer legion. The accounts of the Water Committee of Glasgow Corporation show an estimated surplus of L 40.563 for tba current year. The personal estates of the undermentioned persons have been proved at tbe amounts stated after their names :— Mr Jameß Lindsay Bennet, of London and St. Andrews, L121.8G9 ; Mr Richard Bwnwell.of Balfron (late managing director of the Fairfield Shipbuilding Co., Govan), L 82.538 ; Mr J. H. Ktrr, sugar aad tea merchant, Glasgow, L 51.515; Mr Gemmoll, coalmaster, West Kilbride, L 33.259; Mr John Kirsop, hat and cap manufacturer, Glasgow, L' 24,383; and Sir W. J. M. Cunninghame, V.0., exM.P. for the Ayr Burghs, L 13.281. Mr Kerr bequeathed to his office staff amounts ranging from L2OO to the cashier, down to L 3 to each of the office-beys.

Mr J. Barrowman,"o£ Dundee, in an address delivered, to the Women's Co- operative Guild

at Arbroath, stated that co-operation in this 6ountry was doing a business of 50 millions annually, of which five millions were profit.

The Rev. Dr Caiid has resigned, on account of. failing health, the office of Principal of Glasgow University, which he has held for 25 years.

The removals in Glasgow at this Whitsuntide term were nearly double the average annual number. At tire gas office nearly 40,000 notices of removal wero given. There is a growirg movement into the suburbs, caused by improved means of communication and the pulling down of old houses for railway construction acd city improvements.