THE EMPIRE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 401, 9 January 1909, Page 10

THE EMPIRE.

LATEST NEWS BY THE ENGLISH MAIL. The United Kingdom. London, November 27. Whila some workmen were engaged in I trenching: a field at Broughton, in Hampshire, they came across a bed of flints, and subsequent examination proved that ,an ancient burial place liad been discovered. The hole was about 7ft. by sft. Some of the mould, being placed under the microscope, was found to be largely composed of light particles suggestive of calcined bones,-and, being subject to a chemical test, provcd bcyond doubt that the Bne earth contained a large amount of bono dust. Undoubtedly this marked the position of a round barrow, although the mound had long since disappeared, and was a burying place of onei ot the Celts who occupied our country alter the later Stone Age race. The early .Celts burned their dead, placing the ashes in a ' roughly-made urn of burnt clay, and deposited the urn, bottom upwards, in a Hole such as was excavated. Probably the -urnwould have been found entire if the hole had been carefully dug out under proper supervision. ". . , Much interest has been aroused in the possibility of recovering from the Wash the regalia and treasure lost by King John wnen ho crossed the Wash, by a paper read at the meeting of the Cambridge Antiquarian society by Mr. W. H. St. John Hope. After detailing the royal itinerary, prior to the disastrous engulfing of the baggage tram, Mr. St. John Hope said that, collating the three best accounts, he found they all a fi r T °™ that the catastrophe occurred in the wellstream, King John's distress of mind resulting in his death a few days later. He had left King's Lynn on October _ 11, 1210, crossed the river to Wisbech, and next day journeyed up the Wellstream to Holbeach, out his train did not travel the same route. The Wellstream was an estuary extending inland nearly to Wisbech, and between Cross Keys and Long Sutton was four and a half miles wide. Within living memory there was a passage over the sands, horses and carriages being conducted oyer by a'guide. This being the'direct route from Lynn'was most likely taken, but a delayed start from Lynn caused the-; tide to turn before all could make tho crossing: and the quicksands, still the terror ..of the . Wash, swallowed up the carriages and-iheir rich freightage. John probably had witnessed their disappearance himself while waiting their arrival on the Lincolnshire side. '1 he essayist, believes the vehicles sank 1 through' the quicksands till they reached a firm stratus, where/he thinks they are still. The site ot the disaster has since undergone extensive changes, and the suggested line of crossing is no longer under water. T' "Why," demands a correspondent fiercely in a London paper, "are the wheels of omnibuses in London always painted yellow?" .We don't know, replies the paper. Who does? is-the most disturbing inquiry we have met with since the raising of tli© great question, "Should boys sit on ! whales' blowholes?". ;.

The presentation of the Cnllinan diamond, in its new form, to the King at Windsor by the heads of the Amsterdam firm of cutters (remarks the "Pall Mall Gazette") was tended with even less formality than, the presentation of the Koh-i-Noor to Queen Victoria. On July, 6, 1860, this offer was made by .(the chairman and doputy-ch'airman of the East "India Company. The stone had been so clumsily handled by .'the Indian cutter that Prince Albert consulted Sir Pavid Brewster to how it might be re-cut to the best advantage. . Sir David, called in the Gosters of Amsterdam. These- adepts ithought the : difficulties - might be overcomo by the skilled artificers in their employ.. But the Koh-i-Noor never went to Amsterdam. Instead, the chief cutter of the Coster firm was brought over here 4 and the operation, was performed in the atelier of the Ordwnf Jewels/in London.' The Prince Consort himself placed the stone'on the mill on July 6, 1852. i The process was superintended, by Mr. Sebastian Garrard, and attracted scientists of all sorts, the general opinion being that tho stone would split to pieces. "Supposo it did," the head of the mm was asked, "what.- would you do?" "Do?" Garrard answered promptly. ''Why. take my name-plate off the door and bolt I" It did not como to that. But the re-cutting of the Koh-i-Noor gave by no means general satisfaction. Amsterdam: was considered to liavo lost the cunning" which she has regained . since. . ■ . ' •

:! A movement has been' initiated for " the holding of'a pageant at Bath next year. By general consent, Bath lost the opportunity in 1906, when the pageant'; might havo cele- ■ brated the ; millenary v of;: muni(iipal government in the city.',.;. '." i Dr. A. M; M'Aldowie, of Cheltenham, addressing a meeting of the North Staffordshire, ■ Field Club, at Stoke-on-Trent, foretold that by the slow process of stream development changes would take place in the geography of North Staffordshire. The' Mersey had always been the enemy of the Trent. Inch by inoh the latter was yielding territory and retreating to the. soutn-east,'. so that', within a brief geological period, however longit might seem, judged from an historical standpoint, the spot on- which they now stood would have passed into the basin of the Mersey and would have lost for ever its right to be called Stoke-on-Trent.

The Peterborough Cathedral restoration fund, which was started twenty-five years ago, when,, in 1883; the central tower showed signs of collapsing, has just been closed. The expenditure nas amounted to £53,614 Bs. 10(1.,' which has been raised by voluntary subscriptions; and, in addition, the special gifts,.; lor adorning and beautifying the Cathedral have, so , far as can be ascertained, ot- £20,000. The work has been carried, on during the tenure of office of' four deans Vand'three bishops, of whom only the present. Bishop (Dr. Oarr Glyn) is now living, ;,while of tile.-three architects engaged, two have died during .the progress of the work.

i In the city of Worcester stands what is locally called Queen Elizabeth's House, with an outside gallery,' whence, tradition says, she addressed the populace during her visit in 1575. Her portrait u?ed to hang on the front of this gallery, and, on the occasion of the Trinity Wake, was hung with garlands, never renioved until they dropped oif by the action of time. The portrait was blown down one stormy night, and all trace N of it lost.-for many years. It has lately been found and returned, and it is hoped to shortly replace it in its original position. The house is one of the show places of Worcester, snd it is intended to return to the ancient, custom of wreathing the portrait on the eve of next Trinity Sunday. It is painted on an oak panel, with a heavy oak' frame, and i? over four feet in height. . The fine old - fifteenth ■ century' tower of Fowey: Parish Church' is to be thoroughly restored; and the peal of eight bells rehung. The tower is of four stages, and about 100 ft. high to the tops of the pinnacles. At every stage there is a ■_ band of fine gothic tracery, and it is finished with battlements and crocketed : pinnacles. Fovcey Church is one of tho oldest and most beautiful in the county, and was rebuilt in 1336. Its patron saint was originally St. Funbamea, who' was a Bishop of 0 jrk in the sixth century. At the opening of tho annual bazaar in connection with St..J6hn's Church, Newport, Isle of Wight, the vicar (the Eav. D. C. \V. .Harrison) announced the receipt of various donations towards the bazaar fund, including 2s. from Vancouver Land, from one who years ago was a boy at St. John's School,, and who' on. one occasion of the bazaar stole 2s. from a mantelpiece. Snbsequenlly, since his conversion, at each annual bazaar he has forwarded 2s. to make restitution. •

The town council of Sudbury havo. been informed by the new Mayor of the borough (Mr. Edward Oliver) that having been elected in his absence/ and contrary to his desires, his intention is • not to wear tha mayoral robo or civio chain during his year of office, and also to dispense with the use of the maoes.. At a specially-convened meeting cf tho counoil' Mr. Oliver said -lie would only regard his .position as that of chairman tf the town council,- and he should hot qualify as a magistrate unless it became absolutely' needful. - Nor would he observe - the social festivities traditionally associated with "the mayoralty, aud he would decliho to carry out old oustoms. In the way of reform, he should

rule that smoking at committee meetings was not permissible, and he desired members not to smoke within, the Town Hall precincts when attending to public business. He did not care whether bis remarks were liked or disliked, the council, having put him in hisposition, must now put up with him. The Glasgow students have strongly resented an order by the Senate that henceforth girl students are not to be. seen inside the; cloisters conversing frith their male fellow-students. This action is also resented by tho girls as encroaching upon their, freedom. To enforce this order the Senate has established an official chaperon, whoso appearance in the cloisters was greeted by a reception which could hardly be called effusive. The girls declaro that they are quite capable of taking care of themselves, and threaten to refuse to enter the class-rooms if such an indignity is. persisted in. The island of North Hist, in the Outer Hebrides,; has been put up for sale at Token-house-yard, but no bids were obtained for it. The island has belonged to the family of Sir Arthur J.- Campbell Orde for three generations, and has an approximate area of 145 square miles, and brings in a rental of more than £5000 a year. _ • The Otway, one of the five liners being built to the order of tho Orient Steam Navigation Company, has just been launched at Fairfield by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering, Company. The new ship- is one of the fleet being built for the Orient Company in . accordance with a subsidy contract with the Commonwealth Government. The Otway is sister ship to the Orosora, which i wasj launched at Clydebank a fortnight, ago, and will have passenger accommodation for 1 280; first-class,- 115 second-class, and 700 third-class and emigrants/ She is 652 ft. long, 63ft. broad, and 46ft. deep, and her gross tonnage is about 12,000 .tons, - Two vessels , of similar tonnage are being built for the Orient Company at Belfast. Dumfries Town Hair has )>een practically destroyed by fire, which _ originated in the heating apparatus. In little over an hour the interior was. wrecked. The hall, was valued at £5000. There were also lost a number of very valuable paintings, inoluding life portraits of King Yvilliam and Queen Mary, Duke Charles of Queensberry, and two large landscape paintings presented to 'the town by the. late Lord Young, in. addition to the ancient civic chair. A man pluckily rescued the,; most valued historic relio, the Siller gun, which was presented to the town by King James VI. of Sootland. - ' Tho Rev. A. Hamilton Ross, who was recently appointed United Free Chnrch minister to the settlement which is_growii)g_iround the new .aluminium' works in the Kiiilochleven districtcould not obtfyn a-manse, go bought a 20ft. yacht, and sailed her .round from the Clyde. He anchored at the head of the loch, and has made tho vessel his home. •' ■ . • -.

An ingenious device for forcing open a aafo was spoiled through its premature discovery by the police at Wishaw. Gclignito cartridges, with the necessary detonators and fuse, were in position, and had the police appeared. five minutes later the safo would have been'shattered to atoms. The safe had been wrapped itfolay covered with wet sacking; so as to prevent the sound of the explosion reaching curious_ ears. A young man was arrested on suspicion, as ho was loitering close' to the safe, and ran away on the approach of the police. / Lord Glamis, who was married on November 23 to Lady Dorothy Osborne, is the eldest son and neir of the Earl of Strathmore. For many centuries the family _ of Lyon has resided at Glamis Castle, which magnificent estate was granted to a certain Sir. John Lyori by, Robert II; King of Scotland. In-1424 the then -head of the family, was created' Lord Glamis by the Scots Parliament'for his services as one' of,the , hostages for the ransom of James I, then a priso-. her in' England.. It was owing to the marriage in 1767. of the ninth Earl of. Strathmore with the only daughter and heiress of a certain George Bowes that the family assumed the surname of Bowes.. The present head of the family is.tha fourteenth Earl, and succeeded his father.in 1904. He married:a daughter of, thadate-ißtrec Charles Cavendish Bentinck, r '■ > -j fci-rjc- '.•■ •' • ■ ' i An alleged' breacjiifif s?r«J»f3iurch law was before -tho-. Edinburgh Presbytery recently. It was reported ,with .regard to Eider : Memor; rial Church's >Leith,. that .the -.organ., had bepn lMd.Jjbja. praisa. A' motion was car--ried 'to make inqhiry arid.'report, .but this was" dissented':' from,; and appeal taken to.. tho synod. : ■■ ■..•■}, . ' .. ; . • Canada. .. . ■;•" ' The' Baptists of the Dominion at a convenI tion in Ottawa have declared in'favour of the principle of union, The resolution declared that the-formation of a Baptist Union was both-desirable and practicable; it recommended 'the', appointment of' a' committee of■ fifteen to prepare a- report; upon the decision';! of the Ottawa Conference and submit itthe Baptist .Churchos,/ associations,' andJexecutives; :with -the'request -that they consider, the ■ report and -bommunicate' their decision to : the'committee as soon as possible; that a convention; bfr called to meet in the autumn of 1903 to receive the report, and if deemed wise to finally organise the Baptist ;Uriion of Canada. . . ■ 7 ■ ' : -, ■ , v' Officials of the druggists' organisation are proceeding against unauthorised vendors of dangerous drugs. In one day in the Montreal Police Court 'a druggist, two barmaids, and ■Lee Chu, a Chinese court interpreter, were condemned to pay fines of 25 dollars (£5) for eaoh offence proven in connection with* a number of charges preferred. , •: ■-..■Vy-.v: ■ ■ According to the assessment returns -the population of Toronto is now-287,201; . This' gives an inorease for the year;of 14,601. The total assessment is : 223,207,413 dollars (£45,864;537). • This shows an inorease for the year of 16)822,160 dollars (£3,456,606), as against; 22,034,607 dollars (£4,531,746); -for the year previous. The land assessment amounts to 83,386,481 dollars-(£17j134,205), and the total assessment on buildings to 103,752,548 dollars (£21,319,014). The slight decreasedn the. total assessment is explained' by .'the drop ■in v . building -operations and thedecline in immigration.. : • ' • The Rev." Dr. William Henry Withrow, of Toronto, is dead. He was editor of the "Canadian. Methodist Magazine" and 'the Sunday School publications of'the Methodist Church in Canada. This appointment he held without interruption from- 1874 until his- death. f He was a Fellow of the English Literature section of the Royal Society of Canada'. ' The author of many books, the' one by which he is most likely to be • membered probably is his "History of Canada."" ; According to Mr. Thomas Sonthworth, Director of Colonisation,- there will not be 25 per cent, as much lumber cut in Northern Ontario this season as last. . " : _ ' . Superintendent Stinson, of the Provincial Department of Game and Fisheries, declares tbat Ontario has had this year the smallest' number of serious accidents from hunting of any district - in America. This, he believes; is due to the prevalence of hunting with hounds. He argues that still' hunting requires the expert, the man who knows woodcraft, and that among the thousands-; who go to the woods not half a dozen could bring homo a deer if it depended on woodcraft. Nearly "all the deer are shot along the water paths with the hounds in pursuit. The use of hounds in hunting, he holds, is a preventive of accidents, for, there'is no mistaking the approach of an animal when chased by dogs. . Moreover, in the northern districts, With their second growth of -'timber, still hunting would bo almost impossible. October has been one of. the most successful months in the history of the Nova Scotia Steel arid ' Coal Company. The total amount of coal brought to the surface from all the collieries was 70,182 ton's. Dnring the month the iron arid steel department of the company has worked to the: fullest capacity, with the result, that 6000 tons of pig iron, 8000 tons of steel, and 8600 tons of coke were manufactured, totalling 22,600 in all. The shipments were also very large; -• : St. John, Now Brunswick, is making ready for the first of tho'transatlantic steamers. This arrival;-will mark the transfer of the merchant fleet from the St. Lawrence route to St. John for the winter. All unusually busy shipping season is anticipated here. Railway construction goes forward apace in New' Brunswick. On the Grand Trunk Pacific 4860 men wbro employed last month, with 1200 horses and twelve stoam shovels, and the force, during November is somewhat greater. There are to bo .256 miles of this new transcontinental .railway 'located in Now, is, between : tho Quebec boundary and tho seaboard. -Of: the work on this section about >iD per cent, is now completed, ' and ' a treineudous expenditure of

eperjjy and money must be made before the trains will be running in December, 1911. The effect ,of the great work stimulates business in the province, and the railroad vail open uf> much ,new country, increase land values lin districts now somewhat remote from railways,/and promote settlement, agriculture, and [timbering.The project for a bridge across' St. John Harbour,, across Navy Island, to connect the city proper with St. John West, where the principal docks are, is being urged upon tlio New Brunswick Government.

Mr. D. Mann, vice-president of the Canadian Railway, who has Ireturned from a trip of inspection over the company's western lines, expressed himself as well.pleased with the outlook through the. west. ■ There was . a striking contrast in this ' and last year's crop, arid everywhere he had heard expressions of satisfaction at the way the wheat was carried to'* She front. Just now there was a greater rush than formerly m ordor that the graifr, a&>inuch as possible, could be unloaded at Port Arthur before the close of navigation. Mr. Mann said there was still a lot of wheat in'.;the hands -of the fanners,- and it was doubtful if it • would.bo got out this fill/ It ! "could,'how-.' ever, be shipped east by rail,'which was '—a - little more expensive. Speaking of the work of extending the lines, Mr.'Mann-said that work, would be continued-this-fall .as long as possible, and if the winter.w.as not -.- too severe grading would probably-be continued ,on some' of the proposed liies ' all winter. Next year work woiild; be. pushed ahead; with as much, if not^reater','. vigour than'it had-been.ithis.-year.V ' The Earl of. Stanhope, visited Saskatchewan, during the week.. .Re 'says the 'Western : Provinces are fail of ~ undeveloped resources, arid wifl' /'some. day proveimmense value. The fruit whicli was' produced in the valleys of "Southern British Columbia was unsurpassed by any . that he had tasted- from 'any part of tho world.; One; of the matters, into ■> which Lord Stanhowris '. looking, during:'his trip is the'practicatotity . of the establishment in Canada by the British Government, of an extensive farm jfeqkiiyi' m which ;large .parties" of' British -people could .be placed, It was the idea-'of;'',the ; . : .visitor that large numbers .9f British unem; ,; ployed m%ht be brought to Canada' in ves- '' sels owned-by ,the Government, and that the . Government: would Jbe responsible for them.--. As they:. were .able, .. these colonials cc.uld leave ;the farm of .-the Government and begin, to work for the farmers of .the country or go on land, of ;their own. .If .they were wholly unsuitablc' they-could be,taken. back'to '.' thej / Mother "Country. . ,This plan, if tried at all, • •' % the earl said, ought to be tested on i large' " scale. _-It would-oost .a large sum,-but the - resulting advantage would be great." South Africa. Financial returns published by the Government 'of Cape' Colony for , September' show that the expenditure was as follows:—f. Ordinary, £347,614, against £362,337 .. in . September, 1907; railway, £179,997, against . £204,984; total, £527,511, against £567,321. :;. ■The revenue for September,- 190S, , ; was £477,098; the • expenditure for . the three months of-the financial " year was .. , £1,965,699, against £1,950,707 in 1907. Tho... estimated expenditure-tor the present ytar is £8,190,083. -.'The"revenue tor ,the tirs* three months of 1908-9 was £1,537,881. ■'./ . ~ ■ The Government of Natal-made arrange.-.; ments for starting the first ; woollen'--f artery .in- that colony, the: power, -for : which :: is to be obtained from the Howick Falls.. The . r , horse-power 'from tho falls-fori driving tho machinerv.will be about' 2000, and in order -, ' '.to 6bt(iin f 'this it will be necessaryy.to dam.', ' the' rivet, .'pirobably above the Castle > Hotel i; 5;-., and ii-conserve the -water during the dry months of the'year.; There ; can be no.doubts ' that' the'"'establishment'. o£-''such', an '.industry.;.; ; will be'ra great commercial advantage - whole'country. ■ ; - . : Sir Benjamin Greenacre, who presided at the annual meeting of tho Dundee. (Natal) Coal Company, said' that since the; beginning - of the current financial year the company . had 'increased their,-output by 65,000 "tons.;. . •Durlhg i^the^first'"liiile, months of-the <ourrent • vear tlie coal from the colOiiiyJhad-j. •increased ly tons bunker, V tons cargo. ; , They had teen .tapping markets ;... whict a' ago-they, h'aa ;not. tha.' ;, falintest ideaf they-jwouldvbe.-able 'to - reach,:-r ' and though 1 . Natal had dhly just touchou-thf? -. • fringe .' of the:. Eastern ' market, -they - had ..\ . never, been in a stronger: position for obtamr>ing orders .from' that part of the' world. • . The official mining statistics'-for, the 'Trans-.. vaal for' September give the coal output ; _at 250,487 tons, valued at £66,150," being a-.de«:>. ■, crease of 10,616 tons (valued at £3010), compared 'with August. The silver production- v was 63,9240z., valued at £7010. ». a decrease of 3160z.-of gold: in the. outputj ■ JetJS of of £2 { 499J64. V ■ total mineral, output; was £2,595j473.-i,.... i

Tlig -labour probloni in British Honduras ' is be solv.ed by tlio actioaof.Canadai . Two representatives of the Dominion; Governinent, with: two East- Indians, are. at present inspecting the.' boloiiy with a 'Tiow to seeing if it is suitable for the reception of some 3000 - East Indian coolies. at present in Columbia, where they ; have not: been made-'-welcome The Government have -issued, a ■ -notice inviting applicationsfor coolies; and *-' : - draft ordinance; bearing on the" subject paa - been submitted to the is • expected that applications will be received tor about 1000 - : ■'-V Work on the new Honduras railway is being actively " carried on, and tho opening of thfe first ten 1 miles has given tis<S to. general; satisfaction. Cultivation alongside' the line J where/land has 'already- been taken gives-; dbundant evidence, of the fertility of tho dis- : trict, which has been selected for tho pioneer - -Dr^Enos' Nuttal, : Archbishop of the West > Indies, whose-services toJamaica at the time ; 1 ofthe earthquake: last, year. c ,vill .not readily •• ■ be" forgotten;-has received from all classes a - cordial-welcome on-his- return -to the : island, -, after ?: a Visit to the Mother. Country, Soon,: after his arrival, he was waited on by a; do-, putation ' of: :clergymen and; laymen of tho * Anglican :diocese, -who presented, to ■ him a. substantial cheque. , T • A suggestion moted by the xlon« George Soloman for.holding a Jamaica Ex-; hibition in -1911. ' -He has'pointed out that twenty-years have elapsed since the last ex- - hibition"-was held in 'the island,- and that a ■ large financial surplus resulted therefrom: 'Bie Northside (Jamaica) planters are indignant at ; the allegations made by Dr. ' Pairault regarding Jamaica rum.:' This dis- - tinguished chemist recently-visited -the ....West . Indies on behalf of the French Government to - report on the methods, of rum manufacture . prevailing' there,, and on his return ho re- . ferred to. the : German'.rum made on- tha i 'Northside as '.'stynking r.ura."_; To ; :.this theplanters took exception. They* laid- a state-., ment on the subject before tho Governor, who ; promised to represent -the...fatter -to . tho., Homo Government.- i, , . • - -■ : . ■■ IntilaV ■ - Tho King's message to the Princes and Peoples'of India has had a somewhat nused re- . ception in the Indian press, both native and Anglo-Indian. The Bengalee" papers—with one unimportant exception—have received- the message in anything but cordial terms, but, of course,: it is doubtful whether anything short of a complete measure of self-govern-ment would have satisfied, tho parties, repfe--. seated by such, journals: It is stated in the annual report 'by thai Collector' of Bombay on the working of the Indian Factories Act for .1907 that the intro-... duct-ion of electricity as a motive power ia three factories in Bombay is a Special feature . of the year. : The number of factories increaisod from 495 in.. 1906 to 519. ■ The. factory population increased from 212,637 to ' 214,452. ' -. ' The usual triennial; programme of .railway construction Jias been submitted to the Secretary of Stato for sanction. It hasTfioon framed on an 18 crore tas, tho bulk of which it is proposed to give to the open lines. The Lower Ganges bridge is included m the pro. - gramme,;: and ample provision appears ,to ■ gave been made for rolling stock. ■ Thei;Governor 'of Bombay, during a visit' paid to Bhor, spoke at a durbar in connec- ; tion i with ' the proposed district irrigation " works, ;;stating: that it was proposod to raise ;• the dam of Lake Whitinc as the only menus of providing storago sufficient to render the largo arid areas permanently fertile.