The Pontypridd Chronicle and Workman's News

Easter Yesiry at Pontypridd, The Easter Vestry in connection with St. Catherine's ecclesiastical district took place list week at the Parish Room, the vicar presiding. There was a fairly good attendance The Chairman having read the minutes of the previous vestry, referred to the only question -arising from them, viz., the then unsatisfactory state of the choir, which, he was pleased to say, had shown a very marked improvement. The various receipts and disbursements of the several churches and missions of the parish were submitted by the respective wardens, which were passed subject to audit. The Vicar, in proposing a vote of thanks to the auditors (Mr H. W. Spowart and Mr S. shipton), said that although their wrrk was n t yet com- pleted, he was sure it would be done in an efficient and satisfactory manner, and he would be glad if they would continue in office for another year.- Mr Spowart said he was prepared to do so and he had no doubt Mr Shipton would have no objection to act for another 12 months. '1 he Vicar next expressed his sincere and grate- ful thanks to the various wardens and the sides- men sor the energetic and zealous way in which they had performed their duties during the past year. He was more particularly indebted to Mr Grover for the interest he had taken in laying out and beautifying the church gro-inds at his own expense, and he moved that the best thanks of the vestry be accorded him. This was most heartily done. Mr Grover, in responding, said that he had always had a desire to see the surroundings of the church which had hitherto been barren and desolate in appearance, improved. Apart from that, the laying out of the grounds was a hobby of his, and be did not therefore think any thanks were de- served or necessary, but at the same time he was gratified to find that it had given such satisfac- tion. The election of wardens and sidesmen was then proceeded with, and the following gentlemen were appointed:— Sx CATHERINE'S Vicar's warden, Mr T. Jenkins people's warden, Mr M. S. Lewis. the old sides- men were re-appointed with the addition of Mr F.'lhomas and Mr <\ Belcher. ST MATTHEW'S.—Vicar's warden,Mr T Williams; people's warden, Mr W. VJorris sidesmen, M esrfrs F. fetacey, T. Williams, D. Bees, D. Jenkins, W. Williams, J. Heid, H. Wide and W. Hart. ST MARK'S.—Vicar's warden, Mr Hobbs people's warden, Mr F. Cook sidesmen, Messrs Seele, Phillips, Maddy, Thomas and Stonelake. ST LUKE'S.—Vicar's warden, Mr John Jones; people's warden, Mr W. G. Cridland sidesmen, Messrs D. Owen, G. Bin, J. Griffiths, W. Morti- mer, w. Lewis, and Ldwis Morgan. GRAIG.—Vicar's warden, Mr W. Evans; people's warden, Mr W. L. Davies. Welsh church vicar's warden, Mr Powell; people's warden, Mr T. Jones. The unsatisfactory condition of the heating apparatus at St. Catherine's Church was dis- cussed. I t appeared that the lowest estimate for a new apparatus was about £160, and as it was thougnt difficult, considering the various appeals which were being made for pecuniary assistance in extending church work, to raise so large a sum. Eventually, on the motion of Mr Sprague, seconded by Mr Grover, it was resolved to refer the matter to a committee composed of church- wardens and sidesmen, and Messrs H. LI. Grover and W. Morris to see what could be done in the matter. Mr Grover complained of the annoyance to worshippers at St. Catherine's arising from little children occupying front seats. He did not know whose daty it was t I attend to such matters, but he thought it desirable that they should be kept in the back seats, where the verger might keep them in order. The Vicar, in reply, said that the irreverence of the children and some young men bad given him muoh vexation, but he was taking steps to prevent it. Mr Sprague proposed, Mr Monk seconded, and it was resolved that a recommendation be made from the vestry to the churchwardens that as the -church grounds had been laid out at no little ex- pense, they should take steps to ensure its being kept in proper order, by having the grass properly mown anl beds trimmed and periodically looked after. Mr Grover said he wruld be pleased to present the churchwardens with a lawn mower, and the offer was accepted with thanks. This being all the business, Mr Grover pro- posed a vote of thanks to the vicar, and in doing so complimented him on tho very satisfactory condition of things generally, and he trusted the rev. gentleman would be spared to continue the work he had in conjunction with his co-adjutors so energetically pushed forward. 'i he Vicar having briefly acknowledged the com- pliment, the proceedings terminated.

A Good Story about a Welsh Motto. Colonel Pendarves Vivian told a good story at the Volunteer dinner at Bridgend the other night. He said in building his house in Cornwall he was desirous of having the Red Dragon of Wales and a Welsh motto inserted in one of the stained win- dows. To arrange for the dragon was easy enough; not so the Welsh inscription. In his dilemma he consulted his brother, Sir Hussey Vivian, who had strong antiquarian tastes, but whose knowledge of the Welsh language was, un- happily, as limited as his own. Sir Hussey, however, said that he could supply two mottoes. These he (Colonel Vivian) was about to send off to *>e executed by a London firm, but before doing so e submitted them to one of the officials in their ,ai With a smile that was childlike and «T tt1 ia 4e latter translated them—One was .v o Princess," the other God bless the Punce of Wales."

ATTEMPTED OUTRAGE NEAR CWMCLYQACH. ATTACK ON A SCHOOLMISTRESS. A most brutal attempt to assault a young lady was made on the mountain which separates Cwm- clydach from Ogmore Vale on Friday evening last. While Miss Rachel Williams, an assistant mistress at the Cl dach Vale Schools, was return- ing from Ogmore Vale to her home, whither she had been accompanying another young lady, a man, who is at present unknown, interrupted her progress home, and demanded some money. Miss Williams, who was terribly frightened, gave him the sum of 4s 6d in silver, which he accepted, but then proceeded to make a desperate attack upon her. The young lady struggled successfully with her assailant, and managed to free herself from his grasp, and the miscreant losing his foothold and falling, she managed to get away, and ran to the nearest place she could find-the carpen- ter's shop of the Cwmclydach Colliery—which she reached in a very feeble and exhausted condition. Having revived a little, she acquainted the work- men of the attack which had been made upon her on the mountain, and they immediately ran to the scene of the struggle and found Miss Williams's hat and umbrella on the ground,also a two-shilling piece, but there was no trace of the villain. The local police have been busy searching the whole neighbourhood sinoe Friday, but hare hitherto been unable to lay their hands on him.

A REVIEW OF THE PAST SEASON. THE AMALGAMATION QUESTION. [BY MARCUS.] With last caturday's game between Maritime and Cardiff Harlequins, the 1892 football season closes as far as the principal teams of Pontypridd are concerned. The team which journeyed to Cardiff to fulfil the last fixture was a very strong one, and indeed was almost the best we could turn out under any circumstances. Alun Morgan and Tiley assisted the colliers behind, and E. Gould took the place of Tom Harry among the forwards. The result (a try each) is not only satisfactory to the Maritime team, but also serves to show that with the proposed amalgamation accom- plished, wa could put on the field a team strong enough to take the rise oat of the 'Quins on their own ground, a feat which the best team in the Principality would find hard to accomplish. I mean by this, of course, that if we take the last match of the Maritime season as a criterion to gaage the abilities of the new amalgamation, and granting that we could improve Saturday's team three points, that would be sufficient to place us on a substantial footing in first-elass company. No doubt there would be some quibbling at first as to the selection of the best team, but in the end I should think the fo lowing players would make a combination which would thoroughly repre sent the strength of the club :— Alun Morgan. Vickers, Dickenson, Tiley, Murray. Sullivan, Foster. Bowers, Stead, W. Williams, Connelly, Devereaux, Hope, Hemsworth, Tom Murray. That would be my selection, with first reserve place allotted to Ben. tewis as centre three- quarter. Many supporters of Poatyprid i would undoubtedly take exception to the preponderance of Maritime men in the forwards, but to anyone who understands forward play and will view the question from an impartial standpoint, it is obvious that I have mentioned in the above team the cream of the forwards of both teams. We have in Bowers, Hope, Devereaux, and T. Murray four genuine hard workers, which are absolutely necessary in a pack. Stead, Williams, Connelly, and Hemsworth are all splendid men in the open, and I think, taken all round, the forwards men- tioned would constitute a pack able to beat nine out of every ten in Wales The Maritime halves are admittedly a warm pair, and I don't thinn we could improve them in the district. Murray and Vickers are (in my opinion) our best wings, while Tiley and Dicken- son are both good feeders, a quality which is essential in centres. Alun Morgan is andoubtedly the coming back of Wales, and would bp the selection of both parties. The only obstacle (so rumour says) now in the way of the amalgamation seems to be the question of which ground shall be used. Candidly I think the Maritime should give way on this point, but Pontypriddians should bear in mind that the Maritime will be giving up a title which they have considerably honoured during the season ended this week, and will also be supplying two-thirds of the players. The Taff Vale Park has the best entrance and appointments, but the quality of the turf is nothing, as we could soon have either 1 id or re-turfed. A committee consisting of an equal number from each club would be appointed, and the other officials ought to work harmoniously j together. In the event of forming an athletic club on the same lines as the Newport A.F.O., it would be simple enough to start a much-needed gymnasium, and who knows but what, in a few seasons, we could produce a record similar to that of the Usksiders. So much for amalgamation. Before this reaches the eyes of the football public, the question will be settled one way or another The sooner the better, say I. PONTYPRIDD opened their season with a creditable victory over Newport Harriers, followed with a hard tussle with < ardiff Star. In this encounter Pontypridd scored a lucky win from a try obtained by Alf. Lewis after the ball had rebounded from a tree on the lower side of the field. The Llanelly match proved disastrous to the 'rone lads, a 22 points to 2 being the extent of their drubbing at the hands of the tin-platers. Another reverse awaited them on the following Saturday from Morriston, who beat them by two goals to nil. In the ensuing four matches with Merthyr, Caerphilly, Splott Hovers, and Cardiff University, they scored four wins, with 85 points to nothing in their favour. Then came the most disastrous month of the season, matches being lost successively with Penygraig, Penartb, Pontymister, Cardiff Harle- quins, and Neath. A draw with Llandaff and a sensational victory over Cardiff, followed by a success against Morriston away, once more gained the confidence of the supporters, and indeed not without cause, as the team performed better just then than at any other period of the season. The team then performed in a very in-and-out fashion until the encounter with Penarth, whom they van- quished by two tries to nothing. Llanelly were fortunate in winning their fixture, and ontypridd had a large share of what luck was knocking about the day they beat Neath. Two victories over Merthyr and Treorky came next, Cardiff 'Quins being the last team 'o beat the representatives of the town club. Notwithstanding the absence of one or two good players through injuries, three victories over Aberdare, Kent Wanderers, and Abergavenny wound up the season with a flourish. Financially the season has been a very fair one, and I believe I am right; in saving that the club will come through all right. Much credit is due to Mr E. Llewellin, the hon. secretary of the club, whose efforts are much appreciated by players and supporters alike. MARITIME. Never in the history of the Maritime club has so much success attended the efforts of the players as during the season just ended. Their fixtures at the commencement of the season were one after the other disposed of easily, and in the first dozen matches or so they defeated pointless (with the exception of Aberavon, who dropped a goal) Treorky, Swansea "A," Aberavon, Giangeton and Pistrict, Ton Rangers, Skewen, Morriston, Tondu, Ystrad, Llandaff, and St. David's. Not a very strong list, some will say, but it must be borne in mind that Morriston and Aberavon were just then playing a warm game. 'I hen the match with Llandaff came as a surprise to the supporters of the team, and it was not until this match that the line was crossed. Penarth next visited Maesycoed and were fortunate in getting off with a try each, although the weather would not permit a continu ation of the game after half-time. Aberavon was next visited, and a victory by a point gained over one of the strongest second-class teams of the season. A draw with Morriston and a victory over such old enemieq as Penygraig prefaced the tour through Yorkshire, which was highly gratify- ing to the club. Cardiff Star were next defeated, and an exhibition game with the Harlequins was followed by a game with same team the Saturday afterwards, the 'Quins winning by three tiies to nothing. A losd at Penarth was followed by the defeating of Treorky, St. David's, Penygraig, and draws away from home with such crack organiza- tions as Gloucester and Llanelly. Swansea A" and Penygraig then beat them on successive Saturdays, but victories were not yet done with, and the Welsh Wanderers, Splott Rovers, Peny- graig, and Tondu all being defeaced. Armley caught them in a losing mood, and then the season wound up with a draw with Cardiff Harlequins. A successful season has now been brought to It close, and the supporters and management of tho team must feel satisfied with the performances of the team. The duties of secretary have been ably carried out by Mr Q. Humphrey, who has been indefatigable in his efforts to place the team on a substantial footing in good company, and deserves the hearty thanks of all connected with the club.

THE ANARCHISTS IN FRANC l WHOLESALE ARRESTS. flip French police have m-ide an extenslvo r-' upon the Anarchists not, only ill Paris but al--o 1 Lyons and other large centres, and anvs'el 10 fewer than 122 persons under the hi v regarding y cvlleij Associations of M il iVv t'irs. Ev«r fince t.l o rec(-iit ex:-I.)sio-is in Paris the authorities been means by one decisive stroke to g, t rid of the agitators who have for so long been the cau*e of <-u:n anxiety to all taw-abiding ejtiz liS, To this end it was decided tt) take measures agiiir.-C I them in virtue of Clause 255, and the f« l i.wii. clauses cf the Penal Code. In was hoped also that, by st riki 'g at the root <>f the trouble,) lie aullxrit b-s would obtain a thorough knroul-dg* of the «>t-nt, orgaïis:tti n. and iruvr working of the various Anarchist groups, while at fie s-une time asc< ruin- ill- ,how til(t (ivria,iiiite from 1 lie Soisy-Sous Etiolles <| ';u'ri.-I \VIT> di^ri' ute of I S!iirn;onei rt.> his office a!l the Coirmi^sio". o' ti e j various <'istr'.et.«. and handed tin m he v a.rra.nts em- pnw. d. g Them in arrest i! f "nsp:.('7t,:1 • er :c. j C'di:;giy at 11 o'ehv k the i okh 11 ie' )<olic. in;' e a the Anaichists in the d ff( ren- <-ua--t. rs of Pans and the suburbs, and apprehended +6 pp>-s. ns. In iiak- ing the nrr1 sts the police at the same time made a rarerul ".semination of the rooms occupied by the pr!:•<••! ers. altho-igh without ^iscovi-ring a.nv im l imineling nia'ter beyond some pamphlets ami I c>v»;es of Anaichi-t n wspapers. together with several revolve is and daggers. Meanwhile similar a'ion was being taken by the provincial police, iO Anarchists leing taken irno cut-to'ly at St. Elienne and the neighbouring tnwrs. Five arrests were al-o mare at T)ijoii, eight at Amiens, 10 at St. Qu. ntin. and 24 at Lyons. The police on Friday evening seized an Anarchist publication called Perf Feinard, which contained an article of an ex- tr< mely violent character. A search was al -o made at. the offices of the MvoHr, the organ of Prince pot kin. Four fresh arrests of Anarchists were made during the evening, making a total of 49. Three were arrested at, A-genteuil, and it was gathered from a number of papers seized at the s.nii time that they had resolved to blow tir), on May 1st. the offices of the Mayor, the Church, and the Commissariat. M. VERY'S RCSTAUKANT BLOWN UP. At 20 minutcsti 10 on Monday night the, restan- ram of M. Very, who wis 'he. ch ef instrument in delivering the Anarchist IbvildlOl into the hands of j'iMice by has'iiy summoning the police wher R waehol pntercdthe restaurant, was ut.t^ ly wrecked I y the explosion of a bomb which, th re is nt doubt, was either placed on the ti res'n Id or tlriOWh into the premises by an Anarchist. M. Very, says a Pari" telegram, lias !WPi1 thrtatened reioafedlvby the comrades of Ravachol, and has lived in peril of his life for several we hs. The vengeance of the miscreants has now fallen, and the contiternation which the outrage has occasioned, coming as it does on i iie very eve of the trial of Ravachol, is inde- scribabie. The explosion was tern tic, and in a few moments a great crowd had collected round the restaurant. hen the police entered the premises they found M.Very lying in the midst of the debris, groaning. A hasty examination shewed that his leg was broken, and he was conveyed at once to the hospital of St. Louis, wh re he died during the course of the night. Several other people were liki wise injured. M. Vary's grand-daughter was hurt, and two ladies who lived in rooms over the restaurant were badly shaken and bruised. M. Vary's wife was unhurt, but she has for the time being, at any rate, lost her senses, and is in a raving condition. The firemen of the Rue du Chateau d'Eau station were soon at work clearing away the wreckage. So tar as can be discovered only the restaurant, which was on the ground floor, suffered. The rest of the house escaped with slight injury. The police say that the bomb aeems to have been. thrown down into the base- ment below the restaurant through the railings of a grating. A later telegram says it has been ascertained that the number of persons injured by the explosion is five. The means by which the explosion was pro- duced is still a matter of conjecture. A policeman who was on duty in front of the restaurant, and who was thrown to the ground by the force of the explosion, states that he saw nothing in any way calculated to arouse his suspicions. Three persons were immediately arrested, one of them being a man who was heard to shout "Vive l'Anarchie at the moment of the explosion. The news of the occurrence spread like wildfire, and caused great excitement on the boulevards, the damage done and the number of persons injured being at first much exaggerated. A crowd speedily coll. cted in the street outside the wrecked cafe, and gent ral indignation was expressed against the alutl ors of the outrage. Contingents of police were hurried up to the part of the Boulevard Magenta where the Cafe V6ry is situated, and the thorough- fare was kept as clear as possible. Among the various theories suggested to account for the explosion is the supposition that a person may have contrived, while being served with refreshments, to deposit a bomb with a lighted fuse attached behind the counter of the restaurant.

THE DEPARTURE OF THE QUEEN FROM HYERES. Queen Victoria, accompanied by Prince and Princess Henry of Battenberg, left Hyeres on Mon- day morning for Darmstadt. Her Majesty arrived at the station at a quarter-past 10, when the Municipal band struck up "God save the Queen," and a salute of 101 guns was fired. The Queen immediately proceeded to the waiting-room, where she was received by the Prefect, the Mayor, and Deputy Mayors, who offered bouquets to net Majesty, with wishes for a prosperous journey. Madame Collyer, wife of the Protestant pastor, also presented a bouquet. The Royal party having entered the saloon carriage, the Queen remained standing at the carriage window until the train left the station, when her Majesty graciously bowed to those present. The weather was magnificent, and as early as 9 o'clock the railway station and its approaches were thronged by an eager crowd anxious to witness her Majesty's departure. The station itself was taste- fully decorated with flowers, and triumphal arches were erected bearing the following inscriptions in the Provencal language: "A happy journey," "Hyeres hopes to see you again." Among those present on the platform to bid farewell to the Queen were the Prince and Princess of Wales, with Priuee George and the Princesses Victoria and Maud of Wales, Princess May of Teck, the Right Hon. H. Childers, Mrs. and Miss Childers, the Count and Countess L6autaud, Lady Hardinge, Mr. Corbett (the British Consul), and the principal Municipal and Departmental authorities.

TROPHIES FROM INDIA. Mr. Henry S. King, M.P., who has been touring in India, will bring back with him. a magnificent trophy, the gift of members of the Uncovenanted Civil Service. It is a silver candelabrum, which stands quite three feet high. From the centre of the pedestal springs a beautiful Indian column, terminating in a suitable capital, connected with cantilevers in the form of lotus scrolls, thus binding together the whole design, and forming a suitable support for the eight massive branches. At the foot of this column are grouped four female figures, superbly modelled, and representing types ot the inhabitants of Bengal, Madras, the Punjab and Burma. Rising above the branches is a well- executed figure of Britannia, standing erect, one hand resting on her shield and the other grasping her trident. It is altogether a beautiful piece ol II workmanship.

MORE PLOTS IN BULGARIA. j A startling discovery, says the Times correspon- dent at Sofia, has been made at Rustchuk, which seems to indicate that another plot against the lives of Bulgarian public men is in active progress. In consequence of information received from the Turkish police, and communicated by the Ottoman Commissioner to the Bul- garian Government, a descent was made the other night by the Bulgarian police upon the house of a p rson named Garabet, at Rustchuk, where no fewer than 14 bombs were found charged with dynamite and pieces of iron. The police have dis- covered that the bombs were loaded at Galatz before being brought to Rustchuk. The person in whose house they were discovered is an Armenian by nationality, and it is conjectured that he has been in correspondence with the committee 01 Bulgarian emigrants which recently held its sitting at Galatz.

CONTEAH'OKA ItY CHAT. A circular issued by the BonrdofAgricnIture describes the appl--blossom weevil and its life his- tory,and gives s-«ne 8iig-estion.s for the des: ruction of the pest, which frequently <]oi s an humeri us amount of damage to Hpph and pear crniw. In the first, warm days tf spring the insect emerges from its winter retreat uuder the bark or mosses cf tiees or other shellt r, and bores holes in the blossom huds, in <a(h of which it deposits one eiisr. As the insect lays 15 to 2.0 eggs, an I never more than one in a t ud, it is a destructive agent, of no common kin.t. The eggs are hatched in five to nine days, and the maggots soon destroy the fruit blossoms in whirr tlwy am lii,(h-n. In this stage, or 111 th larval • siat:e, which soon follows, the insect cannot In- j destroyed v.'i'hout also destroying the i-lossoiii, but theie aie various methods of tahng with the weevil in its final form. The barks ot tics are serai < d curing the autuam or wit ter, and brushed afii-r- war;•»,a cloth being u-ed to catch the scrapings and' tiie insects among them, which are burnt. After scraping, lime-washing is a useful operation. Great numbers of weevils are colh cie 1 in France by snak- ing the branches of tr.es violently two or three times, at intervals of a few hours, placing a cl th under the trees. In one case, nearlv 450,0/0 j weevils were destrnye-t at. the cost of £1, and the e >v;is a satisfactory crop of apples. The work should be done l < f >re the- insects lay eggs, and it is,there- fore, necessary to watch for their tiist appearance. Hyde Park on a .niliiant Sunday afternoon in spring-lime offers, says the Daily Tele rraph, a spectacle unrivalled in the world for helllty and variety. The trees begirt to deck themselves in pale but healthy green, the grass is strong and springy to the foot, the witer sparkles in the sun- shine, and above all there is the llood of chetrfu) human life which fiowi untiringly through the park, stopping here to listen to a blind reciter gi \'0 the exploits of "Bill Adams," and there to hear a nigger who has come all the way from Africa to convert the English halting a moment beside the red flag of Anarchy, undr which a meek-laced young man nroposes a resolution in favour ot the abolition of everything, and empowering the orator to carry it out; then passing on to the music ot the Church Army, and enjoying for a minute the immense mirth of about three dozen dome-tic servants, who laugh immoderately at. the attempts of a gentleman in broadcloth to explain to them that they are a down-tr dden race. They know better. On Sunday afternoon there was an addi- tional demonstration of clerks, of whom a few assembled to further the claims of a union which has been started for them. Altogether tli re were at least a dozen different oratorical and musical attractions going on simultaneously, but the great majority of spectators left. them severely alone, to enjoy the natural beauties of the finest town-park in existence. Why should we not bwcouie at O;K-O a nation of fruit-growers ? According to the Gardeners' Chronicle there are thousands of waste nooks and corners around every cottage and farm throughout the country, thousands of acres of railway embank- ments, and any number of waste walls and fences that could be clothed and filled with cordon bushes or pyramidal apples, pears, plums, cherries. There are also few gardens or or.-hards that might not be fenced around with multiple cordons or espaliers, the walks being edged with single, double, or diamond cordons. Further, in almost every cottage garden-allotment,, s •iall holding, and tarm garden, space might be found for a dozen or score, fifty or a hundred of small fruit trees—>n fact, to such great length has the hastening and heightening of fertility and tho concentration of fruit-bearing force been carried that it is, we are n-,Mired, hardly an exaggeration to say that every yarrl of ground may support its fruit-bearing tree. In connection with this subject we are told that. as a practical result of the technical education lectures on horticulture, active efforts are being made to establish fruit-tree clubs to enable labourers to purchase the best varieties at wholesale prices, and to pay for them at the rate of a penny a week or more. as they can afford. Among the claimants of exemption from service on juries are .members of tire brigades. The preamble of a bill introduced by Viscount Curzon, M.P., points out that fire brigades may at any time be deprived of the services of the officers and other members by reason of their liability to serve on juries, and, it is urged, it has been shewn that great risk and inconvenience to the public have occurred while members of such brigades have ,a been serving on juries." Thus the bill is founded on the contention that it would be for "the better protection of life and property from fire." According to this proposal the chief officer of each fire brigade (except the Metropolitan Fire Brigade) is each year, whenever exemption is desired, to apply to the local authority, and if, after making such inquiries or inspection as they deem expedient, the authority certify that in their opinion the brigade is an efficient one, the list of efficient members is to be sent on to the overseers, and they are to be exempt from serving on any jury or inquest whatsoever. However, no member of » fire brigade is to be entitled to exemption unless a copy of the rules of the brigade has been deposited with the local authority, and such rules prescribe the maximum number of the members and the number of drills to be attended for efficiency. Moreover, the members of the brigade are not to exceed the total number which in the opinion of the local authority are requisite for the efficient working of the engines and appliances of the brigade. The Resolution, one of the sisters of the Royal Sovereign, which will be put afloat at Jarrow next month, perpetuates a well-known name in British naval history. The first Resolution, of 58 guns, was present in the action of July 31st, 1653, when Tromp was killed; and in the action of June 1st- 3rd, 1665, after losing her captain, Willoughbv Hannam, she was tackled by a Dutch fireship and burnt. The second, a 60-gun ship, built in 1667, was present in 1672 at Sir Robert Holmes's attack on the Dutch Smyrna fleet, and at the battle of Solebay, when she lost 240 killed and wounded; at Rupert's action with the younger Tromp in 1673; at the Battle of Barfleur in 1692, and at the destruc- tion of St. Pierre in 1693. She was wrecked in 1703. The third, a 70-gun ship, after a most gallant action off Genoa in 1707, was driven ashore by a superior French force, and burnt to avoid cap- ture. The fourth, another 70-gun ship, was built In 1708. The fifth, a 74, built in 1758, took part in Hawke's defeat of M. de Couflans in 1759, when her captain, Henry Speke, behaved, as Hawke put it, "like an angel but on the following night the ship drove ashore and was lost. The sixth Resolu- tion, a 74, built in 1770, was at Copenhagen in 1807 and at Basque Roads in 1809, and was broken up in 1813. In her day there were also a 14-gun brig (purchased in 1771), which shared in one of Cook's voyages; a 14-gun cutter (purchased in 1779), which was taken by the Spaniards in 1798, and re- taken and destroyed in 1801; and an armed trans- port (purchased in 1782), which was taken by ths French in 1732—all of which bore the name Resolution. o it.t.t written a composition on the turtle in inch he says: "A turtle is not so frisky as a man, t he can stand a hot coal longer on his back hout squealing." incited individual: "Is this where they swear I; Ie ?" Commissioners tor Oaths: "Yes, sir; .t can I do for you?" Excited individual: umme the book, quick-l want to take au oath t'r to put down another carpet'. alleyrand,on his return to Paris from the London iDassy, was asked what might be the position in o y of a ortain Edward Ellice, and replied: "I i tell you. When you have given a great dinner u rdinarily give a dish-up of it the next day, s it is to the »«*cond dinner ^at you invite Mr. v'lice."

DIFFICULTY" IN AFGHANISTAN. THE AMEER AND CHITRAL. According to the Standard correspondent at Cat, cutta the further intentions of the Ameer of Afghan*. istan, now that he has acquired a strong position in the Kunar Valley by the capture of Asmar, are ex- citing considerable speculation, not unmixed with anxiety, in official circles in India. The future operations of the Afghan Commander-in-Chief are expected to lie in another direction and against different antagonists from Umra Khan, and it is thin probability that has aroused some apprehension in India. The original belief was that. the Am er's main object was to humble the Kafirs, and, if possible, to conquer Kafristan but the Ameer has formally disclaimed this intention, explaining, at the same time, that his real object is to open up a new road to Badakshan by way of the Kunar Valley and the Dora Pass to Zebak, in that province. Un- fortunately for the reali.-ation of this project, the route selected passes through the territory of the Mehtar of Chi ral, an independent, ruler, who is con- nected with the Government- of India by ties of friendship and alliance. The Mehtar has declared that any further advance of the Afghan troops up the Kunar towards his chief town of Chitral, which is situate on the Ameer's new route to Badakshan, will be opposed, and this declaration is the more important because he does not possess any sufficient force to resist t' e well-armed battalion of Gholam Hyer. But the Mehtar claims the protection of the Government of India in the maintenance of his in. dependence. Any attempt to c'lrry out the Ameer's designs by a further advance of the Afghan forces above Asmar must be followed by a rupture between him and the Mehtar of Chitral, who are both in Irienoly alliance with the Government of India. As the overthrow of Chitral would be very injurious to our reputation in this quarter, an energetic effort is being made to avert by diplomacy a collision that would certainly have some untoward consequences.

ESCAPE OF AN AMERICAN PRISONER. The story of "Bunco O'Brien's escape from his custodians near New York is a strange one, and but for the fact that a desperado, who, only a week or two ago. wrs sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, is again at liberty, the whole business is somewhat humorous-. The escape, it appears, was not wholly the work of O'Brien. After he left the High Court with his sentence confirmed there was a considerable journey to the prison at Eltica. Warder Buck had him in charge, but he was not prevented from hav- ing communication with friends, and among these there was a well-known sporting politician, who made himself very agreeable to Buck and other prison officials. At several stopping places en route the sporting politician spent money freely in plying Buck and his colleagues with drink, and in due course the prison oiscipline gradually relaxed. O'Brien was allowed out of reach, but judiciously kept in sight of his custodians, and mere drink was provided. Then a woman got into conversation with Buck, and at that moment O'Brien succeeded in escaping. He is believed to have left the United States and gone to Cuba.

CAST ON AN UNINHABITED ISLAND. Particulars are to hand of the loss of the Nassau Missionary schooner Rebecca, and the rescue of two p.iests and six of the crew, after hours of peril on an uninhabited island. The ill-fated vessel, while on a missionary tour with the Rev. Father Paul, 0, S B., of Minnesota, and the Rev. Father Schreiner, of Nassau, Roman Catholic missis, iries on board, struck some sunken reefs near ception Island at 10 p.m. The vessel vas ver lly damaged, and in less than five minutes af., riking the reefs she foundered. The two priests, with the crew of six men, took to a small boat, in which they remained all night. At daylight they reached an uninhabited island, where they found water and some crabs and other shell-fish. The little party were forced to make their meals from this scanty fare, having left the sinking vessel in such haste that they were unable to take any provisions along with them. They remained on the lonely island for 27 hours, when they succeeded in attracting the attention of the crew of a passing sponge vessel, who sent a boat ashore and took the party off. The Rebecca went to the bottom so quickly that those on board were unable to save anything except the gar- ments they wore at the time of the accident. A brisk gale was blowing, and the sea was running dangerously high. The schooner went down with her mainsail set.

THE LUSHAI RISING. News from Lushailand, says the Times Calcutta correspondent, makes it more than ever clear that the rising is on an extensive scale, involving nearly all the tribes. The remarkable feature about it is that the enemy for the first time has developed tactics, doubling behind ou- posts to raid the frontier, but the system of patrols ought to prevent further attacks on the tea-gardens, while it may be hoped that as soon as Mr. M'Cabe has cleared Bungteya and other rebel villages he will be able to join hands with Captain Shakespear and prevent detached parties from approaching the frontier. The following is a summary of Mr. M'Cabe's report on the capture of the Poiboi village, which report has been placed at my disposal: "We left Aijal on the 10th, the force under th^ command of Captain Loch consisting of 225 frontier police, with Lieutenants Tytler, Roddy, and Johnson, 75 Sepoys of the 18th Bengal Infantry, with Lieutenant Edwards and 240 baggage coolies, and three days' supplies. On the evening of the 10th the enemy attacked from an ambuscade, but were turned out by our flanking parties. By sending a party in the direction of Bungteya we led the enemy to believe that that village was our object, so we were able to advance close to Poiboi without further opposition. We attacked Poiboi before dawn on the 14th. The em my opened fire from two stockades, one of which entirely commanded the road and the other enfiladed our left flank. The defence was determined, but our men lushed the main stockade, and some well- directed volleys silenced the fire from the other. our men lushed the main stockade, and some well- directed vollevs silenced the fire from the other. One Sepoy was killed. The enemy suffered much j and made a hasty retreat, burning the small village of Lalhrima and a portion of Poiboi." Mr. M'Cabe further reports that parties have been sent out on all sides to hunt down the enemy.

THE NEGRO QUESTION IN AMERICA, The burning alive of a negro at Texarkana, and the lynching of several at Memphis, have aroused the coloured population of the United States to protest in a more organised way than usual against the constant failure of iustice to protect their race. A meeting of about 1,000 negroes has been held in an African Methodist Church at Chicago. When the hymn "America" was given out, including the words "sweet land of liberty," the congregation refused to sing it, and "John Brown's body had to be substi- tuted. One of the speakers said There was a great hubbub over the protection of American citizens in Chili, but there are 8,000,000 American citizens on American soil unprotected, and nothing is thought of it, because of their colour. To them the American flag or national hymn means nothing substantial." He advised his hearers not to be rash, but to carefully consider means of preventing outrages in future, and said that a permanent organisation would probably be formed. with detectives, to bring the guilty whites to justice. The minister of the church afterwards said, in an interview, that the coloured people no longer loved the country of their residence, but considered it the worst enemy of their race in the world. In Haiti- more, on the 7th inst., about 50 coloured ministers met to organise indignation meetings, which are to be held all over the country on Sunday, May 29th. One of the reverend gentlemen said, "There is something coming, and before it does comf we want the people of this country to understand our position thoroughly in this matter as Christians; and when the conflict does come. which I am aatis" fied it will, we shall be in the right." Anoiher minister declared, "If this thing cannot be settled amicably it will then have to be settled v the sword, until one or the other is exterminated; and the man who is not willing to cast in his lot wittt the others as an offering on the altar is not worthy of being called an American citizen." A telegram from Gurdon, Arkansas, states that numbers cf the negroes are selling their property with a view to as exodus to Africa, the colourei preachers nocouragiajB this movement. And along with all this comes tbi news of three white "regulators" in New Orleans hunting down a negro labourer who had taken pell in a drunken row when some white men w«fl| 4 wounded, and killing him with buckshot. J x

CHIPS OF NEWS AT HOME. A ininer named Luke Manuel attempted t6 swim across one of the Liverpool CorporatioD waterworks reservoirs at Rivington on Sunday after- noon, and was drowned. At the Caversham Petty Sessions, on Saturday, Frank Child, of Reading, pleaded gulity to viole y assaulting Inspector Jannaway while in the execution of his duty, and was sent to prison for six months. While a lad named William Drew was driving a spring van to Errol Station ( hI-! horse took fright. and began to plunge, with the result that Drew was thrown out. Alighting violently on his head, the lad was killed. Two men were killed on the Fdrth Bridge the other afternoon. They were engaged piinting between the rails, when they were knocked down bv a passing express and instantaneously killed. They failed to hear the approach of the train owing to the high wiud. A gentleman named John Portray Pledger, of Chelmsford, aged 45, who was accompanied by an attendant and a doctor, while staying at the Kind's Head Hotel, Dover, evaded them and committed suicide by cutting his throat with a razor which hd had secretly obtained on the previous night. According to the official list of divorce cases to be tried during the ensuing sittings there are over three hundred suits awaiting trial; but this large number is accounted for 1- the fact that for nearly nine months the undefended actions, now num- bering 227. have, owing to other business, not been disposed of. Many of the visitors to Hampstead Heath,on Sun- day, shewed much curiosity in inspecting the staircase at the railway station where the fa'li" crush took place. On Saturday Major Marindin concluded a Board of Trade inquiry into the disaster. The injured persons are making satis- factory progress towards recovery. On Monday, while Mr. Stanley Kewney, solicitor and clerk to the Tynemouth magistrates, was walk- ing along the street, he suddenly fell and expired. The deceased, who was well known throughout the north of England, had been magistrates' clerk for several years. He was about 50 years of age, and was universally respected. Rabies have broken out among the splendid pack sf coursing dogs belonging to Mr. Thomas Dickson. in the North of Ireland. Forty-five greyhounds are now suffering from the malady, and Dolly Dillon and Dolly Duff have had to be destroyed. It is stated that the carcases of some sheep that had j been worried were distributed in the kennel. The body of a boy named Matthew Bolton was found on Saturday hanging in a birn near Dalton- in-Furness. It appeared he had fastened a chain to abeam, attached a skipping-rope to it,and then used a stool to reach the rope, the end of which he tied round his neck. He was found dangling with his feet a couple of inches from the ground. A woman named Mary Ann Gilby, has been committed for trial by the Greenwich stipendiary on a charge of attempting to murder her son, a child of four, by drowning him in a tub of water. It is alleged that the prisoner placed the child's head in the tub of water, and that she was hooted and hissed by a mob of people who observed what she'was doing. The want of house accommodation for agricul- tural labourers in the parish of Ixworth, near Bury St. Edmunds, attracted some attention last autumn. The Guardians of the Thingoe Union, in which Ixworth is situated, have just taken a step in the matter, having decided to build eight cottages at Ixworth, under a certificate granted by Lord F. Hervey, M.P., who held an official inquiry uf on the subject in the course of last year. An application will be shortly made by the Guardians to the Local Government to raise the necessary capital. Richard Bromley was brought up at Oswestry on Saturday charged with murdering his son Wil- liam at Porthywaen on the 7th inst. and he was further charged with attempting to murder his two other children, Richard and Margaret, at the same time and place. The prisoner, who was in a pitiable state, cried and trembled like a leaf, and much sympathy was felt towards him notwithstand- ing the grave crime with which he is charged. On the application of Police-superintendent Langford, Bromley was remanded to Shrewsbury Gaol until the 10th inst. Another lamentable accident to a domestic ser- vant has just formed the subject of a coroner's in- quiry. The victim, Sarah Lodge, was cleaning a leennd floor window at Holloway. when she lost her balance and fell mortally crushed. The coroner pointed out that there is an Act which prohibits, under a penalty of 40s., any employer from allow- ing a woman to stand on a window-ledge. It has Veen asked how windows are to be cleaned except from the outside. The coroner pointed out an alter- native. Windows can or eabily might be displaced and pulled into the room. ABROAD. Monsignor Goubhe-Soul aid, Archbishop of Aix, has issued a pastoral which is much like that for which the Bishop of Mende is to be prosecuted. He tells his flock that it is a sin to give a bad vote, for it is choosing the enemies of God and religion for the governors of the country. For the first time since Sis accession to the throne, the Czar has taken up his residence at the Winter Palace at St. Petersburg. It is reported in Cracow that the Czar will pay a visit to Warsaw either during the summer manoeuvres in Poland or in September,in which month his Majesty will spend some time hunting at SLierniewice, to the south- west of Warsaw. On Sunday, at Choisy-Ie-Roi, the centenarv of the first public singing of the "Marseillaise "was celebrated. M. Goblet, Senator for the Seine, and ex-Minister for Foreign Affairs, in a telling Spf" ch, traced the history of the song, which was in 1879 reinstated officially in its former position as the National air of France. A banquet was given in the evening. The Radetzky monument in Vienna was unveiled cn Sunday, by the Emperor Francis Joseph, in the presence of a large and brilliant assembly. The Emperor—who himself served under the Marshal- delivered a short speech, in wh h he referred to the Fervices rendered to Austria, and the House of Hapsburg in particular, by the deceased soldier. When the statue was uncovered, a short religious ser- vice tookplace.and volleys were fired by the troops. In Balakany, near Baku, the centre of the Rus- sian petroleum industry, is witnessed the anomaly of the water used for the steam boilers in the several establishments costing more than the fuel. As a. matter of fact the water is bad and dear, costing abcut half-a-crown per ton: whilst a ton of astatki, that is, the residuum of the distillation of the crude naptha, which is the combustible naturally utilised, is sold at a price equivalent to eighteenpence per ton of coal. A remarkable arrest has been effected at Okla- hsma by a girl. In November last two men named James Heath and Walter Hnrgood quarrelled over a young woman, and in the course of the dispute Hargood shot his rival. Heath's shter, intent upon bringing her brother's murderer to justice, donned male attire and otherwise disguised herself. After much hardship she succeeded in tracking Hargood to Oklahama, where she gave information to the police. Harg od was at once arrested. Fifteen persons have been arrested in Bulgaria in connection with a discovery of a number of bombs at Rustchuk in the house of an Armenian. It is stated that the police have unearthed a con- spiracy directed against the Bulgarian Government as well as against the Sultan. The owner of the house, it seems, was in correspondence with two Bulgarian emigrants, and some of the bombs were intended for an attempt on the life of the Sultan, the remainder to be used against the Bulgarian Govern- ment. A serious accident occurred on Saturday at Holyoke, Massachusetts. During the ceremony of laying the foundation-stone of a gymnasium for the Young Men's Christian Association a heavy girder, which was temporarily supported, fell under the weight of a number of people who had climbed upon it to witness the ceremony. A youth was crushed to death and 12 men and women were badly I injured. The disaster created a panic among the spectators, who fled in all directions. President j Gates, of Amherst College, was delivering an address when the catastrophe occurred. A lady's maid in the employment of an English family at present staying at a Paris hotel, hai been arreted on a charge of stealing a number of small art cles from the counters of the Grand Magazin du Louvre. The woman's employers, in whose ser- vice she has been for 18 years, are firmly convinced that she is wrongfully accused, and are exerting themselves to obtain her release. They have repre- sented to the authorities that the prisoner is a per- son of tried fidelity and unblemished character, but they have been informed, in reply, that the proofs against her are conclusive, and that justice must i take its course.