Widnes Examiner. — 1886-05-29 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

SIIGGIESTIONS."—" The invitations lent of late to naval officers requesting them to furnish suggestions for a change Of uniform remind me," says a writer in the Boston Journal, "of s similar invitation issued by Jefferson Davis when he was secretary of war under General Frank Pierce. One of these invitations was sent to Lieutenant Derby, a good draughtsman and a merry wag, who sent in response a proposition for having a twe-inch iron ring appended to the seat of each enlisted man's trousers. Long and formal specifications demonstrated the utility of this ring. Each officer was to carry, instead of a sword, a long white-ash pole with a hook on one end. By hooking this into the ring of a private he could be kept in line of battle if he were disposed to hang back, or caught if he attempted to run away. The ring would also be useful in the artillery services for draught-parpoees, while the caval?'e• men could he locked to , rings in their saddles, and so kept from falling off. The illustrations which accompanied the specifications represented officers catching infantry stragglers and forcing them Into the ranks, dragoons padlocked to their saddles, and , artillerymen, with gun-prolongs hitched to their ringe, hauling heavy pieces of artillery up steep heights. It was very funny, and the clerks in the War Department enjoyed some hearty laughs over it ; but, when it reached the secretary, he became indignant land regarded it as an insult. He ordered charges and specifications to be drawn up, and a court-martial was actually ordered, when it came to the ears of Governor Marcy, the secretary of state, who was level-headed, and who advised Davis to let the matter drop. He might convict Derby and have him dismissed from the service; but he would be laughed at from one end of the country to the other. Davis took the advice, and Derby's 'suggestions' are still to be found on the files of the War Department."  CIMAPEST Muss in the city for Glass, China, Oriental Wares, and Fancy Goods.-175. Oxford-street, Manchester.— I Advt. SUPPLYING FALSR NEws.—At the Mansion House Police Court, London, on Monday, Charles Fowler was charged with endeavouring to obtain money by false pretences from the Press Association. Limited. The solicitor for the prosecution said he would be able to establish not only the particular charge, but several others of a similar nature. The supplying of false news had been going on for some time. The Press Association had used every effort to niscover the authors, and had employed detectives for the pm-pose. Mr. E. Bobbins, manager of the Press Association, proved the receipt of the news of an attempt to murder a sweetheart at Milton on the 28th November, 1885. It purported to come from "J. B. Harrison," and was in the prisoner's handwriting. Some years Ago the prisoner, in his own name, supplied accounts of fires, but they were found to be bogus fires, and orders were gives that no more of his copy should be used. The cashier of the Press Association proved that in December last prisoner applied for payment of an amount due to " Harrison " or " Martin3or."—The prisoner, who admitted that the copy was in his handwriting, was remanded, the presiding alderman stating that he would accept bail in two sureties of £lOO each.