The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-27
RATS ARE CAUSING
 MUCH SICKNESS In London and Many Other Places in England CLOSE-FISTED ROYALTY King George Is "GraciousIy Pleased. to Donnte $50 for Christmas Fund
 For Crippled Children of
 London
CLOSE-FISTED ROYALTY

caused many cases of sickness in the in- terior The popular seaside resort of Felixstome is almost bare of winter wis itors because of the rat plague. Around the Orwell peninsula nearly everybody is engaged in a rat hunt. Ten thousand rodents are being killed daily.
 In great war being waged against rats in Suffolk increased acticity is be- ing manifested. as it has been proved that plague-infected rats are spreading over wide area. Not only so, but at the rate infection Is spreading amongst other animals, 1t seems probable that rabbits and all ground game may have to be destroyed. These rather alarming reve- lations, which are the outcome of the meteorological examinations of pr. Heath of Ipswich are, that the area of danger is increasing was shown by a black-letter bill headed Plague with the word warning printed in staring red below, which told residents of Wood bridge that the war against rats had swept over their boundaries. Broadly. 5o,0OO acres in the peninsula. around lbs Wich, Woodbridge and Feixstowe have become battle ground against rats One man at Wherstead has trapped 14o0
 Two hundred rats tails decorate the barns of farm near Tatting Stone. Those are two instances of heavy mortal ity by ferret and trap. Woodbridge was tEe scene of the most dramatic battle between men and rats since the cam paign began. There was an abnormally high tide in the river Deben, and as result hundreds of rats were washed out of their holes in the river islet known as the Baltings, and in the wharves. The enemy was thus defenseless. L. Hay ward, head of a firm of millers, put off in a boat and shot many rats as they swan upon the flood. Two other men Waded out in topboots and killed others Along the banks was company of dozen killers, generated by an official them and with sticks as weapons, they harried the pests, killing thousands.
 English monarch and in fact all mem- bers of the reigning family have been known as close-fisted in money mat ters. They make a shilling scream before they let go of it.
 Recently King George was asked for contribution to the Christmas fund for the crippled children of London. and now comes the news that "he has been grac. | iously pleased' to donate $50, about one | twentieth the amount which an American business man would give The letter an- nouncing the gracious contribution reads: T am commanded to inform you that the King has been graciously pleased to continue the subscription of 10 guineas year toward the fund you raise to pro- vide Christmas hampers for crippled chil- dren.-W. Darlington"
 The will of Sir Claude Campbell was recently probated in this city and his estate goes to his mother, Lady Esther Campbell He spent much of his life as common sailor on merchant vessels one of which was wrecked 10 years ago when he lost his life. Campbell, who was born in 1871 and died in 1900, had an extraordinary career. At the age of s he was taken to Italy by his mother who afterward became unsound in her mind In 1882 the court of chancery sent a representative to Italy who discovered young Sir Claude working in slaughter house. He was brought back to Eng land .5.f
 When only IS years old he went to the United States and became a cowboy on western ranch, but after a few years of 1t he returned to this country, from which he went to Africa and shipped as q sailor. The Sutherlandshire one of the vessels on which he sailed, was wrecked off the coast of Sumartra- Sir Claude, With two apprentices, volunteered to swim ashore for help. In this gallant attempt he and one of the boys lost their lives. Sir Claudes body was washed ashore and identified by Captain NicholI as that of the man who had shipped with him as Claude Robert Campbell Since 1900 no trace of Sir Claude has been forthcoming. A month ago the follow ing document, but not in Sir Claude's handwriting, reached the family solicit. ors:
 Alive and we'll
 ''R. c. CAMPBELL"
 At a recent quarter sessions at Coventry a man who had passed as Sir Claude Campbell was convicted of fraud. The Campbe1ls were Irish baronets, and the first being Robert Campbell of Donegal, whose descendants had long associa- ton with the East India company. The third baronet, Sir Gilbert father of Claude, was captain in the Nnety-second Highlanders.
 It is proposed to let the one-acre space of cellars in the heart of London They are the historic cellars or vaults under the church yard of St. Martin-in-the- Fields Trafalgar Square.
 These cellars stretch under the play ground round St. Martin-in-the-F Fields, which was until 80 years ago the burial ground of the royal parish. Francis Ba- con was baptised in the church, Neil Gwynne and Jack Sheppard were buried close to these old vaults, which adjoin the crypt under St. Martins. Lord Mo- hun, who was killed in a duel with the Duke of Hamilton, in which he also Killed his adversary in the eighteenth Century, was laid to rest in the church yard.
 The cellars. which are masslveIy arched, were built long before the pres- ent church, which was not erected until 1721
 When the old whipping post of the par ish was removed 1t was placed in the cellars. and was a great attraction to visitors until someone burned it for frewood by mistake.
 From well-informed source in New York comes the intimation once more that President Taft will invite Mir. Roose- welt to head the special mission that is expected to visit this country next June for the coronation of King George That the ex-President will accept the invita- ton does not admit of doubt by those who realize his love of ceremonials.
 Much amusement has been caused by the silly speech of William Ormsby- Gore a youthful conservative member of parliament, and the only son of lord, which contained a threat that, if there was much more taxation of the class to which he belongs he might have to draw the sword of his ancestor, Sir John Owen, and use it. This owen, who was a Charles the Firstite. made a suc- cessfu attack on Carnarvon, but the other side receiving endorsements, he xar inns 0a mi a I1d n