BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1497, 20 July 1912, Page 6

BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

LONDON SUMMARY. ■ SOLDIERS' HEHOISM: THBEE DiIOWNED. London, June 7. •Whilo shimming horses the other day in tho cavalry pond at Aldershot, a sergeant mid two privates, all of the lOtlv ifussriv, vera drowned. A soldier named Earner was the first to get into difficulties. He was swimming with a liorso across tho pond when the animal plunged. A fellow-trooper swam to Ms assistance, and it is supposed that Barnes must iia.ro clutched him desperately, as they sank together; Sergeant Clark then made, a desperate attempt to find Hie tiro meii.r and at last, becoming exhausted, he also sank. Lieutenant Lyons then plunged, almost fully dressed, into the water, and succeeded in grasping one of the men, but became so exhausted that he was on tho point cf sinking when Major Percy niad'o a cast for him with his long riding whip. Tho thong fell near the drowning officer, who clutched it, and was drawn ashore. Every effort was made, but in vain, to save the three others.

LIGHTNING PEANKS. The drought has broken, and there has been a suflicient rainfall to save the hay and.strawberry crops. Many parts of the country have- been visited by violent storing, and in some parts of South Lincolnshire the meadows have been a foot under water. During a thunderstorm at Farnborough a partly-built,-house was struck by lightning and razed to tho ground. Two •' houses in ; Enswill Park, Newport (Hon.), were also struck by lightning. Li one case the ceilings and walls were damaged, and in tho other tho chimney , was , cleft in half, ono. part being scattered and the other half .left standing, viith bricks severed, as if "by -the stroke of a knife. During the last thirtyfive years the two consecutive montlis of April and May have been dry ■ twelve times, and both months have been abnormally dry this year. Tho records showthat the.chances are three to ono that at least two of .Hio three summer months will be dry. It seems highly probable that Juno-this year will have a rainfall somewhat in excess of the normal, and will bo followed with fairly dry weathein July and August.

DEATH OF FAMOUS PRELATE. The Right Rev. Dr. Sheepshanks, formerly Bishop of Norwich, whose death is announced, spent eight jears in British Columbia as rector-of New AVestminster ill the early days of Hie Far West. In thoso times ho declared he used to cobblo his own boots and mend his own breeches, and as a result of his experiences there he ones remarked that he was competent to give any lady lessons in simple cookery—how to make flapjacks or cook bacon. He was the only Anglican clergyman that has ever, so far as is known, addressed a congregation of Mormons in Suit Lake City, and one of tho few men that have witnessed the adoration of the Grand Lama at Urgn, in Mongolia. Ho came back to England in 1868; and was consecrated to the See of Norwich in 1803. He was 78 years old. ' WHITEI-El" HOMES.

The first' step in providing the new Whitcley Homes lms now been taken. It may bo remembered that the late- Sir. William White-ley left a large sum of money, approximately a million sterling, for tho erection of cottage homes in the country' for his '■ agetl and infirm employees. In accordance with tire terms of liis will, a competition was arranged for the laying out of a magnificent estate at Burhill, near Hersham, adorning tho Walton golf course. Tho scheme provides in addition 800 cottages, a large administrative block, library, club room, church, meeting hall, hospital, shops, workshops, allotments, and recreation grounds. Mr Walter Cave, the assessor, has awarded the first premium to Mr. It. Frank Atkinson, F.R.1.8.A., London, and tho second to Messrs. Collcutt and Hamp, 1'.1i.L8.A., London.

BATTLE IN BEEMONDSEY. A' police inspector was stabbed and a sergeant .'and live other policemen were injured while helping to quell a riot at Dockhead, Bermoudsey. The man who stabbed the inspector was rescued by the mob, which at tho height of the ecufrlo numbered nearly three hundred. A foreo of police never more than twenty strong was engaged for an hour and a half with a disorderly crowd, which numbered lifteen to one. Botties and belts were used as wjapoii3 by tho rioters, and a number of helmets and truncheons were lost in tho struggle. Tho riot began appareatly after tho police liad interfered in a drunkni quarrel. T.velvo arrests were n-.ailo, while a man named .Sawyer, who is alleged to have stabbed tho inspector, rurreudered later at the polieo station, and has beeu remanded by Hie Tower Bri'lgo magistrate.

A REMARKABLE BLUNDER An extraordinary incident occurred at tho Soutli-Westem Court when an innocent woman was plnced in thoidock charged with being drunk and disorderly, Pntc , "is., and taken to the cells. It appeared that a -Mrs. Stoneham,, of Victoria Dwellings, Battersea, attended the court to inquire after the interests of her husband, and she was ushered into the dock. Sho stoutly denied tho charge, end though she declared her innocence, Police Constable Wright, the officer in the case, swore on oath she was tho prisoner. Later in the morning a Jessie Boswell surrendered to her bail, ami the constable then discovered that he had mistaken one woman for the other. Mrs. Stoneham was brought bock into court, and Mr. Garrett, in ordering her release, expressed regret that she should havo been so inconvenienced.

HEAVY WORK FOR JUDGES. Trinity teriu at the courts has begun, and thero are very heavy arrears of work to bo got through. This congestion is lafgely duo to tho action of the Government in refusing to fill up tho two vacancies on Hie judicial bench. It will be' remembered that after repeated protests two 'additional judges were appointed in 1310, but although since that time. Mr. Justice Grantlifijii has died ami Jir. Justice Lawrnnce lias resigned, no successors to .those judges have been appointed. The oases eet down for Ucariug during ilio present term are W2O, which is 320 more Hum -a yc.ir ajfo, and has prnetieallr onlv been exceeded twice in Hip past ten" veaw, Probate, Divorce, and Admiralty actions show a great inerease, these being -tCI or 119 more than a ytar acjo. Of these (he matrimonial causes number aiy.

CROMWELL'S LETTERS. Two full-page letters in Oliver Cromwell- handwriting brought .£125 at Messrs. Sotheby's the other day. The earlier wns dated February 18, ICSO, and referred to an attack of fever from which Cromwell wns just recovering. "I have been very ill, now recovering," it. ran. "I a am scarce , strong enough for this loiter." This one fetched £2Vi, while the second, dated Feptembpr 1. lO"," in which the Protector bewailed his loneliness, brought cC2lfl. A notable' Uvronrelic was submitted in the special inarriage licence from the Archbishop oC Canterbury granted to Genrsn Gordon Hyron and Anne, Isabella Millhnnke, Dscember 'J3, ISII. The docinnent ivns-piir-clia.H'd by Mr. for .£53 A loiter from "T/Pwis Carroll" to Tom Taylor, nskin g for an introduction to Tcnniel for him to draw -omn wnorl-e.ufs" for a child's book ("Alice in Wonderland") brought £11 in?. .Letter? of Weshiiißlon. Umb, iSlinlloy, and )ilnr.kmor» wevo also joldr" "Standard oj Enjjlro/*