BY THE ENGLISH MAIL"

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1188, 25 July 1911, Page 2

BY THE ENGLISH MAIL"

LONDON SUMMARY INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF PEACE. London, Juno 16. hi connection with tho efforts of the Kin? Edward National Memorial Fund to purchase the Crystal Palace as a. memorial to tho late Kins, it is proposed to 'hold an exhibition next winimcr at tho Palace. This exposition will take tho form of an International Festival of Peace, and will celebrate the compact, of peace now Wins arranged between Great Britain and the United States, the longcontinucd peace with Germany, and the (approximate) centenary of peace with France and with tho United States. All civilised nations will he invited to take part.

RELICS OF THE PAST. Somo wonderful treasures have recently changed hands in London. At Sotheby's tho other day Fielding's receipt for the. Kilo of "Tom Jones" and an -agreement for tho writing of the famous novel, signed by tho author, fetched JElOlft. For a page'of a letter by' Daniel Defoo .£295 was given at the same Kile. letters from Dryden, Goldsmith, Sir Francis Drake, and autographs of Anne Boleyn, Queen Elizabeth, and Edward IV, also changed hands for big sums. According to "Tho Times," Mr. .1. Picrpont Morgan has acquired Lord ]\'onald Sutherland-Gower's collection of relics of Marie Antoinette. These, include a beautifully decorated fan which the young Archduchess bore with her on her wedding journey to France. An alabaster bust of the ill-fated lady, which was taken with her by the Empress Eugenie when she fled from the Tuilcries is among the other relics. An Elizabethan silver banquet service, hidden at the time of the Great Rebellion, and left forgotten in a cave for nearly 200 ye:<rs has boor. solA by auction this week. It fetched .£11,500.

UNIONIST REORGANISATION. The labours of the -Unionist Reorganisation Committee are now completed, and it is announced in tlio Press Hint certain recommendations have been made with a view to changes in the higher ranks. Mr. Stcel-Jlaitlanil, M.P., will, it is believed, become chief organiser of Hie party. This is a new post, in which the- young member for East Birmingham would, if appointed, have full scope for the great abilities which lie has already shown in the Housft of Commons. Lord Balcurres, who is now one of the Junior Whips in the House of Commons, will probably be Chief Whip in place of Sir Alexander Acland-Hood, the present Chiet Whip. Sir Alexander will hold, it is understood, the grtfat and important post of treasurer of the party.

BIG EXPORT INCREASE. The Board of Trade returns for Kay which have just been issued, show that imports have, fallen by .E1.299,029, as compared with the corresponding month last vear. On the other hand, the exports for the month show an increase of £1,007,317. As compared with 190!), the exports for Way are up .•C0,(i72,785. lhe .£■1,000,000 increase in exports is mainly accounted lor by cotton'goods, in May 1810, X7,003,U0» worth was exported, against iti,80(i,039 last month. The decline in the imports is chiefly in foodstuffs and drink. There is a decline of £1, 172,780 in dutiable articles and a decline of £jffl;M in grain and Hour.

MOTOR OMNIBUS COLLISION. Nine people were injured in a collision between two motor omnibuses, which took place in the South Lambeth Road shortly before midnight on Juno 10. One of the omnibuses was a full one bound from Hammersmith lo West Norwood, and the other was an empty one running to the garage at' Turuhani Green. It is believed, that the steering gear of the loaded omnibus went wrong, caused tho vehicle to swerve across the road, and, hefore the driver of the empty omnibus could turn out of the way, the full one crashed into it' with great iorcc. The

windows of both omnibuses were smashed, and'the road was littered with broken glass. The front part of the loaded ve-' hide was damaged extensively, and the woodwork torn away. As mentioned, nine people were injured, hut, fortunately, net severely. SOLDIERS' CONDUCT. Tho report on military detention barracks and military prisons for 1010, just issued, shows that tho conduct of tho British soldier continues to improve. The Curragh military prison and the Chatham branch detention barrack were closed during the year owing to the decrease in admissions. The following (aide shows tho decrease, between the years lflOt and WlO (inclusive), the figures referring lo committals to military detention barracks and military prisons at Home and abroad (excluding India):— Average PercentStrength. Committals. age. 1001 182,21(1 22,012 12 miO 171,985 9,152 1.11 Only 102 soldiers wero committed to military prisons in 1910. AUSTRALIAN CONCERT.

An .Australian concert, the third of the series of Empire concerts which are being given at the Crystal Palace in connection with (ho Festival of Empire, took place this week. The most important Australian work presented was a symphony in E flat by Mr. Marshall Hall, a prominent' Melbourne musician, brother of the wellknown K.C. The work was heard some four years ago at tho promenade concerto, and was favourably received, a success which was repeated at the Crystal Palace. Miss Esta JVArgo did credit to the reputation of her Continent as the land of song-birds by singing "Ah, fors o lui," from "La Traviata," and songs by Clutsam and.Carey with much charm of stylo and finished vocalisation. Mr. James Hay, the brilliant young tenor, and Mr. Peter Dawson, baritone, also sustained the glory of their country in respect to natural gifts; while Mr. Percy Grainger, in Liszt's Hungarian Fantasy, again proved himself to be ono of the most prominent rnanists of the younger generation of the Empire.

"YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE." A man named Hay has been arrested and charged in connection with tho outrage upon Mr. Saul Splitter, a motorcyclist, who was shot and wounded by a cyclist on tho high road between South Minims and Barnet. The accused at first stated that he knew nothing about the affair, but afterwards, according to police evidence, made a statement in which ho admitted shooting Mr. Splitter, after uttering the words "Your money or your life."' .A doctor stated that tho injuries to Mr. Splitter wero serious, ono bullet entering a lnng. His condition, however, was improving. The accused has been remanded. THE HORSE SHOW. The fifth International Horse Show has just opened at Olympia, and is proving as great a success as in previous years, if not greater. Olympia has been transformed into a Tudor village, built round a big oblong space. At one end is tho "Lowther Arms," an ancient hostelry, through the big gateway of which competitors ride into the arena. At. the other end is a cottage on a sloping lawn where the band plays. The whole thing has b<v»n done on a wonderful scale, and the cost of the show this year will be nearly .£•13,000, as compared with -£20.000 edd in 1907. The. prizes amount to nearly .£,'14,0(10, and there have been some 5300 entries. A feature of tho show has been the lino performances by French riders, while jhe lion. C. Siflon, who represented Canada, won a second prize in the jumping compMyii3ii. • COACHING MARATHON. The coaching Marathon from Hyde Par!: lo Hichmond was witnessed by large crowds. The splendidly-appointed conches, with their magmticenl. horses, and (he dresses of (ho lady passengers, combined to present an aniinnled ami pictuioi.'pio scene. The conditions of I he Marathon allowed one hour for the journey, and as speed was not a deciding factor in (he contest' there was no racing. The start was mailo al 11.110, and Ihe first coach arrived on the showground al: 12.12. Mr. A. G. Vanderbiit drove his Brighton road coach, the Venture, with its famous greys, and judge Moore also drove his own cqacX drawa by. a team bays. Other

road coaches wore (ho Vivid, Reynard, and Now Time?. Nineteen coaches compctcd", and each carried a minimum of six na'scngcrs. The following were (ho awards :-Hoad coaches Mr. Vanderml, 1; Wimbush and Co., 2; Mr. W. A. Barron 3. Private coaches: Judge Mcoro, I; Senor Marline/, do lloz, 2; Mr. Craig M'Kcrrow, 3. ITEMS OF INTKRF.ST. The gross profit made by Messrs. Jo-t-enh Lvons and Co., Ltd., (he famous catered, last year, was 4:1,200,0011. A dividend of CO per cent has been declared. ...» . r ■ The report cf the Chief Inspector oi Factories and Workshops for 1910 shows that the numhor of accidents which took place in factories (luring the year was 129,550, the highest on record. The number of fulal accidents was 1080, as compared wifh tl lIS last year. _ While superintending (ho digging .of a grave in. Abney Park Cemetery, "stoke Newingtoii, a foreman grave-digger named Spencer, was overcome by gas arising from the earth and died. Two men wlio went to his assistance, also suffered from the fumes-, but afterwards recovered. Mr. Bertram Mackcnnal, A.R.A., the sculptor, who designed the new coinago and the Coronation medal, has just celebrated his forty-eighth birthday, lie was born in Melbourne, but came to London at the ago of IS, and entered as n student at (ho Royal .Academy. In 1000 Mr. Mackcnnal was made an Associate of Die Royal Academy, being (ho first Oversea artist lo receive that honour.

i The Maharajah of Bikaner has given a reward of JS2S to the messenger boy who found his lost diamond in Pall Mall. Tho Maharajah came to London with jewels valued at .£IOO,OOO, and after attending a levee at St. .James's Palace it was announced (hat a valuable gem forming a pendant to a necklet worn by the Maharajah was mif.sing. The jewel, which was valued at 4:300, was returned to ils owner two or three, days later, having been picked up iu tho gutter by a passing messenger.