BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1381, 6 March 1912, Page 6

BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

LONDON SUMMARY. A MOHAMMEDAN CENTRE. London, January 2G. London is soon to become Iho wutro of Western Mohammedanism. Of Into years tlio number of business men and students who aro members of tbo Moslem community lifts largely increased in-the Motropolis, in Liverpool, and other centres, To-day, with the exception of tho inaccessible mosquo at Woking, there is-not a single Mohammedan place of worship in this country. To meet the needs of tho community, on influential coimriittco was formed with tho object of raising a fund of at least .£IOO,OOO to build a mosque in London. Several sites havo already been under consideration j but'tho most favoured ono is in Pim.lico, not far from the Thames Embankment of that district. Several rich Mohammedans havo sent subscriptions, and the movement bids fair to succeed at an early date. The new mosquo is to bo of Oriental splendour, and a gathering ground or centre for Moslem worship and activity. ,

Y.M.C.A. Tho Young Men's Christian Association has failed in its campaign to obtain 2100,000 in twelve days. When the twelfth day expired a sum of JE(i(i,677 Kail been collected, but indications are not wanting that many further sums will come in, and these will bo added to the fund. It is stated that the cost of. raising tho money, including printing and postage, was 3 per cent, of tho amount collected only. Tho biggest amounts collected in single days were ,£10,302 on tho fourth day, and ,£10,217 on the.tenth. Mr. Ward, explaining the cause of the failure of the campaign, said that it was duo to the fact that "tho strength- and breadth of. the association movement, and .its influence on young men, are not appreciated in London as they arc over the rest of tho world."

LUXURY AFLOAT. The new Cunarder Laconia, which has left on her maiden voyage to New York, is probably the moet luxurious liner afloat. Although not so big as the Mauritania and Lusitania, she is a fine ship of 18,100 tons, and is tho first British.vossel to be fitted with Horr Frahm'a system of nati-rolling .tanke.to increase steadiness and to reduce diicotnfort tp a, minimum. On the Laconia tho passenger may play tennis and even golf and read tho latest .news in the ship's newspaper at breakfast-time. Thero. is ■ a verandah cafo on board, with walls treated to represent stone stucco, with green trellis upon which ivy has been, trained. What with a gymnasium, dancing and concert rooms, and private dining-rooms, and the luxurious arrangements generally, the Laconii. surpasses tho finest hoteli in tho land.

THIRD BIGGEST DOME. In August next, the handsome new Church House which is to bo the centre of Woslcyan Methodist activity in London will bo opened and devoted to the multifariouß uses which the connexion had in view when the scheme was embarked upon. Tho cost of the building 'is approximately .£IOO,OOO. Tho dome, which is now approaching completion, will ho one of tho landmarks of London. It is not so large as that on St. Paul's or the library of tho British Museum, but it probably occupies third position. It is 30ft in diameter, and tho measurement from the ground floor to the top is 2!oft. Privileged parties, will be able to indulge in a fine eurvey' of London and its environs from a balcony which has been constructed around tho dome. One of the chief internal features of the building'is the largo hall,' capable of seating 2650 persons. . ■ •

BURGLAR'S SUICIDE' IN CHURCH; Early one morning towards the end of last week a policeman noticed a light in tho Toltners Square Congregational Church, Hampstead Road, and later saw ft figure emerging from a side entrance, rho man, apparently understaisding that he had been -observed, retreated, and the policeman, noticing that he had a revolver, summoned assistance, and a forco of polico made an entry. The man retreated a feu- steps, entered a pew, and then shot himself. Investigations resulted in the discovery that tho man who ended his life so dramatically was Paul Stubner, known as Ritter, for whom the polico were searching in connechon with the recent robbery of valuables from Count Mensdorff at the Aue-tro-Hungarian Embassy.

OVERCROWDED ENGLAND. During the course of a caso heard at l> arnhani—in which a man and his wile were accused of neglecting their children •-it was disclosed that on a common nt Hale there wore 60 many campers in tents that the place was called tho "White City." A witness stated that the prisoners, with their children, occupied a rudely-constructed tent, having a length of lilt. 6in., a breadth of Sift., and an avorage height of 41ft. When he visited the structure a fire was burning from a bucket in the centre, and the wnnian and the children were all very scantily clad and exceedingly dirty. Two thin layers of straw, through which the ground could be seen, served as beds, and tho only covering was n thin blanket. J. he ground inside and outside the tent was sodden with rain. The man stated that ho was unable- to get a cottage , in the place.. The prisoners were, sent to prison for a month

OLYMPIANS IN.BATTLE. As the result of a Kcnsitito demonstration against Professor Rcinhardt's product tion, "The Miracle," at Olympia, a free fight took place between the followers of Mr. Kensit and the employees of the hall. About eiity of the dotnonstraiora paraded the neighbouring streets with a largo banner and a number of bills bearing various inscriptions. When they arrived outside the building they were ordered away by the attendants, and some of the supernumeraries employed as pikemen in' tho spectacle shouted that tho Kciisitites were endeavouring to take away their living, and rushed to the attack. A I'reo fight ensued, in which some of the demonstrators got pretty badly hurt, and the banner nnd bills were torn to shreds. The end of tho battle was a Kensitito retreat, which rapidly degenerated into a rout.

£47,000,000 INVOLVED. An official statnicnthas been issued giriug details of tho scherno for a colossal London traffic amalgamation between the London General Omnibus Company and the Underground Electric Railways' Company of London. The importance of the amalgamation is indicated in one direction by the fact that roughly £47,000,000 is involved. So numerous are tho routes covered by Hio proposed allied services that there is hardly a residential■ suburb or part of London that is not indirectly interested in the, change. Fiftjj-fivo'miles of train routes are involved and 48 miles of tianicar routes. Tho bus routes, of course, have an enormous mileage. *Tho London General Omnibus Company—itself n recent combination of several undertakings—carries somo three hundred million passengers a year..