The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-08-22 00:00:00

THE ANTWERP CO-OPERATIVE
ASSOCIATIONS.

"missing."
Sutton-on-Sea was gaily decorated on Saturday in
honour of the commencement of the work which is to
connect it with the railway system of the kingdom.
Mr. Burdett-Coutts and a party of gentlemen inte-
rested in the scheme travelled by rail from King's-
cross to Alford, a station on the Great Northern line,
about six miles from Sutton, and the remainder of the
journey was performed in carriages, affording a
pleasant drive through a well-cultivated country. The
ceremony known as " cutting the first sod " of the new
railway took place in a field adjacent to the village
in the presence of a considerable number of people.
Mr. Burdett-Coutts was presented with a
suitably-inscribed silver spade and ornamental
wheelbarrow, and, taking off his coat, used the
spade and barrow in workmanlike fashion
amid cheers. In a few words which he after-
wards addressed to the company, he hoped that the
proposed harbour and docks and the railway would be
prolific of benefits not only to the people of Sutton
and the hardy race of fishermen enabling the latter
to get their fish quickly to market, but also to the
consumers of fish. The line, rwhich will be about
seven miles in length, will commence by a junction
with the Great Northern Railway system at Wil-
loughby, pass through several villages, and having its
terminus on land adjoining the proposed harbour and
docks. Accompanied by Mr. A. Giles, M.P. (the
chairman of the Sutton and Willoughby Railway
Company), Lord Waveney, and others, Mr. Burdett-
Coutts then walked down to the beach, where the
position of the proposed harbour works and their
nature was explained. It is hoped that the works
will soon be commenced. Subsequently a
numerous company sat down to luncheon it/
a marquee, Mr. A. Giles, M.P.' presiding, an
amongst those present being Lord Waveney,
Mr. E. Stanhope, M.P., Mr. Burdett-Coutts, Sir James
Oldknow, Admiral Soadby, Mr„Banks Stanhope, Mr.
R. Brooks, Mr. R. E. Cooper, and others. Speeches
dwelling on the importance of the undertaking were
made, Mr. Burdett-Coutts proposing "Success to the
Enterprise," which was responded to by Mr. A. Giles,
M.P. The toast of "Success to the North Sea
Fisheries (East Lincolnshire) Harbour and Dock
Company" was also duly honoured, Mr. E. Stanhope,
M.P., in giving it, referring to the benefit the proposed
works would confer upon the toilers of the sea. There
was included in the assembly a large contingent of
visitors from Nottingham. At present Sutton-on-Sea
is connected with Alford by aline of tramway running
to the railway station.

Writing in the Economist Franaise, M. Arthur
Raffalovich gives a very interesting account of the
Co-operative Associations at Antwerp, which, under
the name of " Nations " (Natte), have practically,
though no longer legally, as they used to have, the
monopoly of the transport of goods in the city. Most
of those associations date from the 15th century, and,
as in the Scottish and German Universities, they were
from the first divided into 0 nations " in order to dis-
tinguish the nationality of the various countries from
which they were recruited. There are 46 of them in
all, most of them having from 20 to 30 associates who
are called Natiebazen, or masters of the nation.
Three or four of these associations, however, such
as the Noordnatie, the nngaard Natie, and Gil
IVerfen Vlas Natie have twice that number, the
general total being about 1500. In former times
the masters worked themselves, but they do not
now, except when business is very slack, finding it
more profitable to employ companions (Gasten). The
members of each nation form a co-operative associa-
tion, the capital of which consists of horses, vans,
trucks, &c., stables, and warehouses. The material
of the Yoordnatie, which owns 40 horses, valued at
£5O each, is worh about £Bl. ,000. Each member has
his share in this, acquired either by purchase or in-
heritance; but before being accepted as a member he
must obtain the votes of half the existing members
and pass an examination in reading, writing, and arith-
metic. The value of the shares :varies from year to
year, those in the larger associations being worth
from .E7OO to .£lOOO, and the net profits of the under-
taking are divided monthly: while when business is
very brisk a certain proportion of the profits is paid
a
over to the reserve fund. Each nation has three or
four superintendents to look after the different
mar branchesiitsteese these
of
fof labour,
sevesuperintendentsn a nd when
members, aann special
com-
mittee d
submit it to
should they
fail to come to an understanding a general
i
meeting of members s called. In most of the
nations the majority is entitled to expel a member
who has made himself in any way obnoxious, but in
others a unanimous vote is required. All the
members have to be at the headquarters of their
association at half-past six in summer and at seven it}
winter, and the work of the day is then distributed
among them by the superintendents, and each
member has to submit a written report at the end of
the day of what he has done. Fines varying from
15 centimes for the first hour to five francs for the
whole day are inflicted upon members absent from
work, and a fine of 200 f. is inflicted upoh any
member who goes to law with another. The
superintendents go to the different exchanges for
orders, and it is worthy of note that they, or rather
the nations of which they are representatives, are
responsible for the goods entrusted to• Meth.' They
are also selected as experts by the tribunals in all
cases of dispute as to weights and measures. 'The
nations are chiefly recruited from the small fermis
around Antwerp, and their political inillence at an
election is considerable.

Viihat is the use of a seat of war to. a standing
army?

PROPOSED NEW PORT ON THE EAST EPITOME OF NEWS:
COAST.
On Saturday Mr. Burdett-Coutts performed the BRITISH AND FOREIGN.
ceremony of "cutting the first sod" of the Sutton
and Willoughby • Railway at Sutton-on-Sea, Lincoln-
shire. This was the practical inauguration of the
work of constructing a railway from the existing
station at Willoughby, on the East Lincolnshire
branch of the Great Northern Railway, to the water-
ing-place of Sutton. At present Sutton, which is well
situated on the Lincolnshire coast, is little more than
a village, but, with its fine open sea front and excel-
lent beach, it is rising in favour as a seaside resort,
being accessible to the midland centres of population.
With direct railway cornunication, there is no
reason why the place should not grow in popu-
larity with the people of, say, Nottingham,
Leicester, Derby, Lincoln, and other Midland
towns. But apart from this development of
Sutton-on-Sea as a health resort a main object of the
railway is to serve as a connection between a pro-
posed harbour and docks and the Great Northern
Railway. The increasing trade of the North Sea has
brought forward the question of further harbour
ael‘otamodation, and an Act of Parliament has been
obtained for the construction of a harbour and docks
at Sutton, which has been selected as the best spot for
practically creating a new port on the East Coast.
Such a port would not only be, it is urged, of com-
mercial benefit, especially to fishermen and fish-con-
sumers, but it would also be a refuge in stormy
weather. It is stated that the greater part of the
difficulties with which the fishermen have to contend,
both as regards the supply of the markets and their
own safety, are, in one way or the other, due to the
deficiency of the harbour accommodation on the
East Coast; and in support of this state-
ment the following words of the Duke of
Edinburgh, contained in a paper read by his
Royal Highness at a conference at the Fisheries
Exhibition in 1883, are quoted: "The importance to
the fishing industry of increased harbour accommo-
dation on our East coasts cannot be too strongly
dwelt upon. This accommodation would not only be
of great value for fishery purposes, but it would afford
shelter and security to many ships and vessels engaged
in the navigation of the North Sea and coasting trades.
There is at present no port which can be safely
approached in bad weather on the East Coastbetween
the Thames and the Humber." Statistics of wrecks
show that there is no port of the seaboard of the
United Kingdom on or near which a greater propor-
tion of fishing and coasting vessels are annually lost
than on or near that portion which lies between
Harwich and the Humber. The number of
fishing vessels in the Hull district is set
down at 3598, and the fishermen and boys
forming their crews, were 13,250, and in the
Harwich district the number of fishing vessels men-
tioned is 2670, with crews numbering 14,100 men and
bop. The proposed harbour at Sutton would parti-
cularly concern these two fishing districts, as the Hull
district includes the coast from Berwick-on-Tweed to
Cromer, and the Harwich district the coast from
Cromer to near Dover. Grimsby is a considerable
fishing station on this coast; then there are Yar-
mouth, Lowestoft, and other places. As an indication
of the perils which have to be encountf red by the
East Coast fishermen it may be noted that in the gale
that raged over the North Sea in March, 1883, no less
than 255 men and boys were drowned in 50 smacks,
which were totally lost, the fate of some 43 of the
vessels beitig described by the significatt werd,

Gennaeius has been appointed Greek Charge
d'Affairs in London. M. Hadzopoulos has been ap-
pointed Greek Consul at Manchester in place of M.
Joannides.
Prince Albert Victor has not claimed the lodger
franchise at Cambridge. The assistant-overseer for St.
Michael's has, however, placed him in Division Number
2, as being entitled to the Parliamentary vote.
Mr. Edward Stanhope has been appointed President
of the Board of Trade, a position which has been vacated
by the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, now Secretary
for Scotland.
On Saturday Arthur Souter, aged 13, of Hackney, was _
running after a tram as so many boys do, and riding on
the step, when, in endeavouring to jump down to avoid
the conductor, he fell and broke his arm.
Dr. Diplock, coroner, has held an inquest upon
Edward Sertin, of Estcourt-road, Fulham. It appeared
that the deceased was employed as a malt grinder at
Messrs. Lovibond's brewery, North-end-road, and acci-
dentally slipped into a vat. He was scalded, and died
from the effects of the injuries.
Sir John Humphreys has held an inquest upon
Priscilla Davis, aged 30. The deceased was found
lying on a stone outside the Alexandra Palace gate
after the police fete helpless and insensible, and
before Dr. Rugg was summoned the poor creature was
dead.

Lord Salisbury, writing to the Glasgow Chamber of
Commerce, says it is impossible just now to appoint a
committee of either House of Parliament regarding
bimetallism, but he believes the question of the relation
of bimetallism to the existing range of prices is likely
to be one of the questions into which the Royal Com-
mission will investigate,and upon which it will probably
report.
The Bishop of Chichester, in a letter to the .-.3ecretary
of the Funeral Reform Association, says he is con-
vinced that, notwithstanding general improvements,
there is still abundant room for further reform. The
tyranny of custom presses most heavily upon those
classes who can least afford necessary expense and yet
dare not break through usages which almost form part
of their religious duty.
The Secretary to the Admiralty, replying to a com-
munication from the Portlaw Harbour Commissioners
at Londonderry, calling attention to the defenceless
condition of the north of Ireland coast, stated that the
Admiralty could not undertake to station a war ship
permanently in Lough Foyle or other similarly-situated
ports for the purposes of defence. In time of war all
her Majesty's ships would be required for other ser-
vices.
Mr. J. Calmer, aged 60 years residing at Walworth,
has bee* attacked by a cat andseverely itten In the

hand.
The Ist Battalion Coldstream Guards, at present at
Cyprus, will, it is understood, be the first of the three
battalions of Guards now there to return to England,
and will probably, after a short stay in the metropolis,
relieve the Ist Battalion Grenadier Guards at Dublin.
The Ist Coldstreatns is next on the list for duty in
Ireland, but should the Government detain the Guards
at Cyprus longer than at present expected, the Ist
Battalion Scots Guards, from Chelsea, will proceed to
Dublin early in September.
An extraordinary and remarkably ingenious case of
smuggling was brought to light at Hull on Saturday.
The steamer Elizabeth, from Hamburg, was being dis-
charged when the workmen, in lifting what appeared
to be several wet balks of timber, jammed one against
the combings of the hatchway, the end of the supposed
balk was indented,and the Customs officers foutel that
it was hollow. Examination showed that the whole of
the balks, eight or nine in number, were filled with
tobacco and cigars estiraated to weigh several tons.
A demonstration of Irish Nationalists from Glasgow
and the surrounding districts assembled in Dumbarton
to the number of 2000, dressed in green sashes, carry-
ing green banners, and accompanied by a number of
instrumental bands. The processionists met on Dum-
barton-common, and were addressed by several speakers.
A resolution was put and unanimously carried that
Irishmen should support Mr. Parnell and the Irish
Parliamentary party through all the struggles in the
British Legislature until Ireland is a free nation. The
demonstration passed off quietly.
The editor of the " Moniteur de Rome" has been
arrested on the charge of having sold to a foreign
Power a plan of Italy's maritime defences.
The betrothal of Prince Waldemar of Denmark with
Princess Marie of Orleans will be celebrated at
Fredensbore on the 7th prox.
A monument in honour of the late General Charay
was unveiled on Sunday at Le "IsTens.
At' the Guildhall, on Saturday, her Royal Highness
Princess Christian performed the annual ceremony of
presenting the certificates to the successful pupils of
the City and Port of London District Ambulance
Society.
Mr. Akers-Douglas, M.P., senior Conservative whip,
In a speech at Herne Bay on Saturday, asserted that
since taking office the Government bad dispensed with
the services of "something like" seventy-five detectives
in London alone, who were in the habit of escorting
members of the late Government to their homes every
night.
About 6000 Volunteers who had been engaged in
military operations at Aldershot during the past week
left for home on Saturday, fourteen special trains being
required for their cons eyance.
At a meeting of Munster Bank shareholders, held on
Saturday in Dublin, a resolution was adopted declariag,
that the company should be voluntarily wound up.
Some explanations were also given as to the constitu-
tion of the new Munster and Leinster Bank (Limited)
about to be formed to take over the business.
Two casual paupers were sentenced at Hammersmith
on Saturday to imprisonment for breaches of discipline.
It was stated that one of the prisoners while breaking
two stones destroyed eighteen hammer handles.
The screw steamer Isis, of Newcastle, which left the ,
Tyne for Spain, put into Shields Harbour on Saturday
morning with a large hole in her bows. On Friday '
evening, when off Newark, she came into collision with
the screw steamer Edgeworth, of Middlesbrough, '
striking her below the water line, inflicting such '
damage that she almost immediately sank. The crew, '
with the exception of one man, who went back to set
his clothes, were saved.
Fruit gathering has commenced in the south 01 Cam-
bridge, under most favourable circumstances. Large
quantities of apples and pears have been sent to the
metropolitan markets, and greengages, for which the
district is famous, are most plentiful. Damsons and
other plums are abundant, and there is a fair crop of
walnuts.
General the Hon. R. Blonck has just made an official
inspection of the sea defences at Chatham.
Shocking details were given at an inquest at Sea-
combo on Monday, before Dr. Churton, of Cheater, of
the conduct of two labourers, Margaret Green, aged 8,
had tumbled into a pool, and her companion attracted
the men's attention to her struggles. One of them,
putting his foot into the water, exclaimed, " Oh it's
too deep," and both walked off. Two persons engaged
at a brick field, named Pugh and Clarke, were then
called. Pugh grasped the girl and was seized with a
fit, and the child and man were drowning, when Clarke
plunged in and rescued both. The girl was, however,
dead. A verdict of "Accidental death " was returned
by the jury.
On Monday the 18th annual musical festival of the
aferionetshire choirs was held at Flarlech Castle, under
the presidency of Lord Harlech. Upwards of 20,10
voices took part in the choruses.
The annual Berkshire Sheep Fair on Hungerford
Downs was numerously attended by breeders and
dealers. The supply was unusually large, more than
10,000 animals being penned. Business opened quietly, '
and the trade throughout ruled dull. The transactions
generally exhibited a decline of fully 2s. per head on
the prices at Britford Fair last week.
On Monday evening six persons, all of whom were
said to be more or less intoxicated, endeavoured to.
return to Keswick by boat from Lodore. They had not
got far beyond the site of the "floating island" before
they were seen to capsize. Another boat put off imme-
diately, and rescued two men, two boyn picked up a
third, but the remainder were drowned.
A fatal accident has occurred at Llandudno. Mr. W.
Griffin, the son of Mr. W. H. Griffin, of Forest-hill,
London, was bathing, and, it is supposed, ventured out
too far. He aas carried out to sea by the receding
tide and drowned.
An exciting contest to fill a vacancy in the Bluecoat
School, Newgate- street, took place at Newbury on
Monday. Under the will of John West, the towns of
Newbury, Reading,and Richmond (Surrey) periodically
enjoy the privilege of electing children to this institu-
tion. All householders have the right of voting. The
poll was kept open for two hours, and resulted in the
return of a boy named Brindley, whose father is a
hawker of earthenware. The unsuccessful candidate
was a son of Police-constable Seaarove, of the Bears
Constabulary, stationed at Newbury.
Mr. George Simonds has completed the colossal lion
which is to form the principal feature of the monument
about to be erected at Reading to the officers and men
of the Berkshire Regiment who fell during the Afghan
war of 1879 80. The model, pronounced by competent
judges to be an artistic masterpiece, is in the hands of
the founders, and the pedestal is in course of erection
in the public gardens at Reading. Owing to the vast
size of the lion, a special apparatus has had to be
constructed for casting the figure in iron. It is ex-
The work in which, since the 18th ult., some °you
pected that the monument will be completed within
volunteers have been engaged with the regular troops six months. Harvest operations were vigorously commenced in
at Aldershot was brought to a close on Saturday, when various parts of North Wales on Monday. The het
the 6000 officers and men of 35 regiments who have sunny weather of the past few days following the heavy
been encamped during the past week returned home. rainstorms greatly enhanced the farmers' prospects.
Reveille sounded at five o'clock, and an There are splendid crops of wheat, oats, and barley,
hour later the scene in the camp was surpassing any ingathering of the past decade. The
very animated. Those corps which had to root crops and or: ,hard fruit are also very promising.
leave early struck.their tents be-fore breakfast, but in On Monday, a.; the Sheerness Police-court, before the
the majority of cases this work was deferred till later stipendiary magistrate, Henry Small, gunner in the
on. Lieut. Colonel Sartorius was in charge of the Eastern Division Royal Artillery, was charged with
arrangements at Aldershot Station, assisted by the feloniously and maliciously wounding Gunner Henry
Brigade Majors of the Ist and 2nd brigades. The
Ward, with intent to do him gricx ous bodily harm. The
first corps which left was the 2nd Hants, which evidence showed that the prisoner on Saturday evening g
:
last was observed sharpening a table•knife on the
marched away from its camping ground at Rushmoor- verandah at the rear of the barracks. He was drunk and
hill at half-past ten and proceeded to Southampton. declaring that he would take the life of the first man he
This was followed by the Volunteer Medical Staff met. He went towards the barrack-room, and two or
Corps under Surgeon Commandant Cantlie which, three gunners ran away from him. On entering the
, after the athletic sports in which it had been place he repeated the threat, and, fearing that he would
engaged during the morning, marched out, headed by carry it out, Ward advanced towards him to seize the
the band, amid the cheers of the regulars of the corps knife. The prisoner made a violent plunge at his
to which it had been attached. In all twelve special heart, but Ward happily grasped the blade, which
trains were despatched from Aldershot and two from snapped in his hands. The prisoner then rushed at
Farnborough. All the corps were accompanied to him with the broken knife, and inflicted two wounds
the stations by the bands of the brigades to which just above the eye, rendering him insensible. The pri-
' they were attached. Before leaving camp the follow- soner was secured by another gunner, and removed to
lag divisional order was issued by Lieut.-General the garrison cells. Small, when charged, said that the
Anderson; "The Lieut.-General commanding desires affair occurred in a drunken freak., He was committed
or trial. -•
to express to the several volunteer battaliohs that At the veal esn i' eaf tta W. Rade' y
have during the past fortnight formed part of. phi!" Society, heldat,
• -Aldershot, Division his appreciation 'of their -gdod ; presiding, a letter was read from Lord Shaftesbury
conduct and discipline." With the departure of the statlag that had he been well enough to attend he
volunteers the division at Aldershot is now brought would have pointed out how great and absolute was the
down to about 9000 of all arms, and it is not probable necessity of extending rapidly and very widely the
that any further large displays will be held this system of training ships and bringing under their in-
_
• season. . fluence wild and lawless rough lads. By such a
movement they would drag out of the recesses of
Every good deed will have its blessing. We need degradation some of the finest and noblest specimens of
have no fear of losing tho reward if only we make men qualified to. serve their cour,try. He could not call
the man patriotic I sure to merit it by the virtue of our motive and the . . - who did not heartily support this in-
stitution,
iudicioutnees of our effort,

Lord Moreton, M.P., presided on Saturday at Brain's
Lodge, Kingswood, over a meeting of 5000 Liberals of
Bristol East. Addresses were delivered by Mr. E.
Stafford Howard, M.P., Mr. Handel Cossham, the-
Liberal candidate, and Mr. L. Ffy, M.P., the latteC
ridiculing the attempt of Sir Michael Hicks-Beach ta
take credit for the present Government passing the
Criminal Law Amendment Bill. Resolutions in sup-
port of the Liberal candidate for Bristol and Gloucester
shire were unanimously carried. Mr. Bissell, of.
Iybridge, Devon, will be the Conservative candidate for
Bristol East.
About nine o'clock on Saturday night, outside a
public-house in Cunliffe-street, Chorley, a young
fellow named Alfred Holbrooks attacked an unknowu
man, knocked him down, and kicked him several times
about the head and under the ear, inflicting injuries
from which he died immediately. On the body there
was nothing found by which it could be identified.
Holbrooks, who till recently was a member of the
Salvation Army, managed to get away, but was arrested
an hour afterwards.

An open-air political demonstration, promoted by
the Conservative Association of North-West Durham,
held near Consett on Saturday afternoon, after the
Tory speakers and lecturers had addressed a large
gathering, a body of Liberals took possession of the
platform and carried resolutions proposed and seconded
by sturdy miners, condemning the action of the Tory
Government when in opposition in retarding ne-
cessary and useful legislation, and pledging the meeting
to use all its efforts to secure the return of Mr. GM.
stone's party at the next general election.
Frequent complaints having been made of the dis-
turbances caused by the Salvation Army in Derby
Market-place on Sundays, the police have commenced
to take vigorous measures to suppress the nuisance.
At Hull, on Saturday night, a destructive fife
occurred on the premises of Messrs. Tudor and Sons,
lead manufacturers. Nearly the whole of the valuable
plant and stock was destroyed, the damage being esti-
mated at about £15,000.

No news of any moment has lately been received
from General Komaroff.

Maxwell, who stands charged with the murder of Mr.
Preller, has arrived at St. Louis, where he has been
lodged in gaol.
A series of changes in oolonial governorships is
announced.

Thomas Boulton was executed at Stafford on Monday
morning for the murder of Elizabeth Bunting.
Fruit gathering has commenced in the south of Cam-
bridge, under most favourable circumstances. Large
quantities of apples and pears have been sent to the
metropolitan markets, and greengages, for which the
district is famous, are most plentiful. Damsons and.
other plums are abundant, and there is a fair crop of
walnuts.

General the Hon. li. Monck has just made an official:
inspection of the sea defences at Chatham.
Shocking details were given at an inquest at Sea-
combe on Monday, before Dr. Churton, of Chester, of
the conduct of two labourers, Margaret Green, aged 8,
had tumbled into a pool, and her companion attracted
the men's attention to her struggles. One of them,
putting his foot into the water, exclaimed," Oh, it's
too deep," and both walked off. Two persons engaged
at a brick field, named Pugh and Clarke, were then
called. Pugh grasped the girl and was seized with a
fit, and the child and man were drowning, when Clarke
plunged in and rescued both. The girl was, however,
dead. A verdict of "Accidental death" was returned
by the jury.
On Monday the 18th annual musical festival of the
Merionetshire choirs was held at Harlech Castle, under
the presidency of Lord Harlech. Upwards of 2000
voices took part in the choruses.
The annual Berkshire Shot-p Fair on Hungerford
Downs was numerously attended by breeders and
dealers. The supply was unusually large, more than
10,000 animals being penned. Business opened quietly,
and the trade throughout ruled dull. The transactions
generally exhibited a decline of fully 2s. per head on
the prices at Britford Fair last week.

On Monday evening six persons all of whom were
said to be more or less intoxicated, endeavoured to
return to Keswick by boat from Lodore. They had not
got far beyond the site of the "floating island" before
they were seen to capsize. Another boat put off imme-
diately, and rescued two men, two boys picked up a
third, but the remainder were drowned.
A fatal accident has occurred at Llandudno. Mr. W.
Griffin, the son of Mr. W. IT, Griffin, of Forest-hill,
London, was bathing, and, it is supposed, ventured out
too far. He was carried out to sea by the receding
tide and drowned.
An exciting contest to fill a vacancy in the Bluecoat
School, Newgate• street, took place at Newbury on
Monday. Under the will of John West, the towns of
Newbury, Reading,and Richmond (Surrey) periodically
enjoy the privilege of electing children to this institu-
tion. All householders have the right of voting. The
poll was kept open for two hours, and resulted in the
return of a boy named Brindley, whose father is a
hawker of earthenware. The unsuccessful candidate
was a eon of Police constable Seksove, of the Beth&
Constabulary, stationed at Newbury.
Mr. George Sirnond3 has completed the colossal lion
which is to form the principal feature of the monument
about to be erce‘td at Reading to the officers and men
of the Berkshire Regiment who fell during the Afghan
War of 1879-80. The model, pronounced by competent
judges to be an artistic masterpiece, is in the hands of
the founders, and the pedestal is in course of erection
in the public gardens at Reading. Owing to the vast
size of the lion, a special apparatus has had to be
constructed for casting the figure in iron. It is ex-
pected that the monument will be completed within
six months.

Harvest operations were vigorously commenced in
various parts of North Wales on Monday. The het
I sunny weather of the past few days following the heavy
rainstorms greatly enhanced the farmers' prospects.
There are splendid crops of wheat, oats, and barley,
surpassing any ingathering of the past decade. The
root crops and orchard fruit are also very promising.
On Monday, at the Sheerness Police-court, before the
stipendiary magistrate, Henry Small, gunner in the
Eastern Division Royal Artillery, was charged with
feloniously and maliciously wounding Gunner Henry
Ward, with intent to do him grievous bodily harm. The
evidence showed that the ptisoner on Saturday evening
last was observed sharpening a table-knife on the
verandah at the rear of the barracks. He was drunk and
declaring that he would take the life of the first man he
met. He went towards the barrack-room, and two or
three gunners ran away from him. On entering the
place he repeated the threat, and, fearing that he would
carry it out, Ward advanced towards him to seize the
knife. The prisoner made a violent plunge at his
heart, but Ward happily grasped the blade, which
snapped in his hands. The prisoner then rushed at
him with the broken knife, and iaflicted two wounds
just above the eye, rendering him insensible. The pri-
soner was secured by another gunner, and removed to
the garrison cells. Small, when charged, said that the
affair occurred in a drunken freak. He was committed
for trial.
At the annual meeting of the Wellesley Training
Ship Society, held at Shields, Mr. Albert Grey, m.p.„
presiding, a letter was read from Lord Shaftesbury
stating that had he been well enough to attend he
would have pointed out how great and absolute was the
necessity of extending rapidly and very widely the
system of training ships, and bringing under their in-
fluence wild and lawless rough lads. By such a
movement they would drag out of the recesses of
degradation some of the finest and noblest specimens of
men qualified to serve their country. He could not call
the man patriotic who did not heartily support this in-
stitution.

A number of representatives of Liberal working
men's clubs in Wolverhampton waited on Monday on
their member, Mr. 0. P. Villiers, and presented him
with an address. Various speakers referred to the con-
sistent support which Mr. Villiers had always given to
Liberal principles, and assured him that, if prevented
by ill-health from personally contesting the southern
division of the borough at the general election, his in-
terests would not suffer. Mr. Villiers thanked the de-
putation, and through them his constituents, for this
token of their confidence and esteem. He referred
briefly to his long Parliamentary services and support
gf Liberal principles.