The Cambrian

Jean Lucas, chief of the securities department of the Giro and Casserverein Bank, brother-in-law of Baldey, a superior official in the same institution, who was arrested last week on the charge of embezzling 166,000 florins, has committed suicide. It is stated that he was impelled to this act by the reproaches addressed to him for neglect of his duties. WHAT IS MILK?—"All language has a tendency to deterioiate, but that is no reason why respectable words like milk should have a push down bill given them by persons in authority. That is what has happened in the case of Lane v. Collins." The Adul- teration Act, 1875, requires, under penalties, that articles of fo >d sold shall be of nature, substance, and quality' of the article demanded, and Mr. Justice Day and Mr. Justice Mathew decides that when milk is asked for the statute is sufficiently complied with if skimmed milk is supplied, that is to say, milk 60 per cent, deficient in butter-fat. Skinnned milk, they lay down, is the milk of commerce, but the question is whether it is the milk of language. We ven-u e to maintain that milk means the milk of the cow, and that those who want cow's milk do not use a negative and ask for unskimmed milk.' The impetus now given to the decline of language in tbe in erests of commerce may carry us fa.r. If we ask for coal we are not entitled ^o coal as it comes fr m the pit, but must be satisfied with dregs, from which, in the words of the plav, all 'the knoboly ones' have been picked out. If w- ask for strawberries, we must pu' up with a basket of leavings with a few big fruit at the top. If we ask for wine, we must, on the authornv tb ■-e learned judges, be content to drink, korrescimus, the claret of commerce. — Law Journal. SHOCKING TRAGEDY AT WOOLWICII.—A Girl Assets- sinatcd in Bed. shocking murder was per" i-at- d at Woolwich on MOOD y morning. A girl nam dLiun Wilson, iged 17 iu ser\ice at Mrs. Hewitt's, lob ice n st, 13, Beresford-stroer, W.iolwich who had been "Ie ping in an adjoining room, rushed into the be-1 room whe.e her mistress was sleeping, and pxciaime). "I "Ill stabbed and before she had time to say morr t. tl on the floor and ixpired. Information was sent, to the police, and Inspector Do vling proceeded to the h us- and found hit the girl had been stubbed in th ft side near the heart. The wound had ihe anpea auce of having been caused by a dagger, and Dr. Ingiedew, who was in prompt attendance, f/ave it as hi o..i > on that the weipon had penetrattd the bea t. Tie murdered'girl was attired in her night-dress, and h JI evidently been -tabb d in bed. The Inn i-ct.ir on examining th. girl's bedroom found the wilwow h i t' open, and it was through this window tha' the ur- derer h..d evidently escaped, all the other wind w- and doors bei g found seemed. The suspect d innrder r is a y« un,; mall named Frederick Marshall, aaed w -nty- one. aon of n man employed at th,. Arsenal, hv ng t 40, Maj ndie-road, Plumstead. This young rn n ,d been paying his addresses to the girl, and is suop el to have gained access to the house in som." way. To-. police, on proceeding to Majendie-rcad. fou d him missing, IIId he will be apprehended a. soon u 'ound. The murdered girl is the daughter of a picture-frame maker, carrying on business for twenty years next d.<or to where she was in service. The police, on going to the resid nc-1 of the young man, found tnat be had not slept at home, and it is supposed be climbed up the balcony, and, finding the window unfastened, entered and stabbed the girl, the cause of the murder being jealousy. A hter telegram states that the suspected murderer returned to his home at eight o'clock on Monday morning, and was apprehended by Sergeant Leonard. He said, I suppose you suspect me because I carry a d .gger No dagger was found upon him. He was charged before the sitting Magistrate at Woolwich with wilflul murder.

COURT OF CHANCERY. (Before MR. JUSTICE PEARSON.) BPATN V. MOWATT—THE MILFORD ESTATES COMPANY Y. MOWATT. These were two actions relating to property which had been mortgaged by Messrs. Lake and Turner, con- tractors for the Milt'ord Docks, arising out of their bankruptcy. The first action was brought by the trustees in bankruptcy of Messrs. Lake and Turner to set aside the mortgage on the ground that at the time it was given the mortgagee had notice of a prior act of bankruptcy-namely, that certain plant of the con- tractors had been seized and sold under an execution. The second action is a redemption action, brought by the company to whom the trustees bad sold the equity of redemption in the mortgaged premises. The mortgage was a pecular one in that it provided that, in case the mortgage money of £D,DOO and interest was not paid by the 15th of December, 1884, the mortgagee should have the option of purchasing five-eights of the property at the price of his loan. It was in evidence that the exercise of the option would yield a very large profit. A term of the bargain under which the Estates Company bought the equity of redemption was that a sum of £6,500, part of the purchase-money, should be deposited in joint names for the mutual protection of the parties to provide for the payment of the mortgage. There was a motion by the Estates Company to prevent Mr. Mowatt, the mortgagor, from exercising his option to purchase, they being willing to pay the £6.?OO as the Court should think rigbt, but being unable, without some protection, to pay it to Mr. Mowatt, by reason of the dispute as to the validity of the mortgage. There was also a motion by the trustees in bankruptcy to restrain Mr. Mowatt from receiving the mortgage money. Interim orders had been made preserving the status qno, notwithstanding the passing of thel5th,tbe day the right to the option accrued, and the motions were now finally disposed of. Mr. Napier Higgins, Q.C., Mr. Phipson Beale, and Mr. Dale-Hart appeared for the trustees in bankruptcy Mr. Cookson, Q.C., and Mr. Latbam for Mr. Mowatt; and Mr. Cuzens Hardy, Q.C., and Mr. Swinfen Eady for the E.,tares Company. They suggested that the power given by the 5th Section of the Conveyancing Act to discharge property from incumbrances on payment of a proper sum into Court might be conveniently made use of. Mr. Justice Pearson said, with regard to the validity of the mortgage, he was clear that there was a very important question which would have to be tried, and he was not now going to say anything on the evidence that might tend to prejudice the trial; but on the balance of convenience and what would be for the benefit and protection of all parties be would make an order restraining Mr. Mowatt from receiving the money. As far as the other part of the case was concerned, the Estates Company were mortgagors able and willing to redeem persons who were perfectly in- different who should receive the money they were ready to pay, and the only reason the money was not p d arose out of a question to which they were strangns. They were entitled, therefore, to be protected. Ind pendently of the Conveyancing Act. he should have made an order to keep the fund in medio and to protect them from loss by the exercise of the option. The provision of the Act referred to seemed to him in the pre-ent case to be very convenient, and he would order that, on payment of the £ 6,500, the property should vest in the Estates Company, freed from all incum- brances; in case the £6,500 should not amount to 10 per cent. over the mortgage money and interest Mr. Hardy's clients would pay in the difference and the defendant Mowatt would be restrained from exercising his option in the meanwhile.

THE CORN TRADE. There is little market chang" to note, and only a small amount of business has been done. The year is drawing to its close without any marked recovery in the position of trade, and 1884 will certainly have to be placed on record as one of the most dismal of years alike for holders and growers of corn. As regards the former, their losses have drained the corn trade of more of its capital than even the commercial world generally believes, while with respect to the latter they have bad the mortification of finding nature's favours no aid to a good living. Even a yield of 30 to 31 bushels on the acre has been insufficient to convert selling prices into profits. The English wheat average has sunk to a 30s. level, which is lower than the most scared Protectionist believed would come to pass forty years ago. The same avalanche which has overwhelmed the cereal pro ducers of the United Kingdom is in process of over- whelming other agricultural industries, such as the meat, poultry, and cheese trade. Agriculture cannot subsist by d-iiry farmingalone, andthegreatest of national interests—an interest which, as a well-known writer eloquently puts it, is" co-eval with civilisation and co- extensive with it," is threatened with absolute ruin, is indeed before our eyes, and at the present moment, in steady course of submersion and collapse. Fair trade in England first became a recognisable "cry" about, tha year 1878, but Francs entering the field five years later has with characteristic impetuosity, alike of topic and of action, already fought the matter out, and arrived at the definite'conclusion to tax the competing suppbfa of foreign lanis. The Government have proposed a duty of Is. per cwt. on wheat; the Financial Com- mittee of Parliament have actually urged the Gover j- ment to ask tuore-nainely, Is. 6 per cwt. French National Society of Agriculture demand 2s. per owt., and the agricultural journals energetically endorse this demand. The report of the financial commission presents a mean which if the range of compromise should extend across the Channel may be looked upon as the new duty on foreign corn imported into Frauce. Shall we. follow in the footsteps of our neighbour, or shall we not? The answer to this question it is as yet impossible to give; but there is one thing quite certain—namely, that if we do not, we must be prepared for a radical change in our rural economy, and for agricultural and even social alterations such as have not occurred for centuries, and must b of a character to constitute in themselves a revolution. The comparative firmness of the wheat trade during the past fortnight has been helped by the moderate rate at which imports are now coming in. The week before last the figures which were recorded were the rever-e of heavy, and the latest returns ar^ lighter still:— Wheat. 134.400 qrs. of 480 lb. Barley 23,500 „ 448., Oats 68,000 „ 336 Maize 69,300 480 II Flour 119,750 sks. of 280 The tlour arrivals are ont ot all former proportion to the receipt of wheat, and this branch of the free trade question may fairly be expected to receive incratsed attention next year. a p

COMMERCIAL FAILURES. According to Stubbs' Weekly Gazette," the number of failures in England and Wales gazetted during the week ending Dec 20 was 68. The number in the corresponding week of last year was 268, showing a decrease of 200. The failures were distributed amongst the following trades, and for comparison we give the number in each in the corresponding weeks of 1883 and 1882. 1884. 1883. 1882. Builders, Building Materials 4 32 25 Chemists and Drysalters 3 2 2 China, Glass, Earthenware 1 4 2 Confectionery, Toys, Fancy Goods ••• 4 2 Corn. Coals, Minerals 2 9 6 Drapery, Clothing- Textures 6 25 28 Farmers 2 18 13 Furniture, Upholstery 2 4 3 Horses, Vehicles 2 3 3 Jewellery, Watches — 3 2 Leather 4 19 9 petals 4 7 5 Paper, Printing, &c. — 6 2 Provisions 8 37 38 Wines, Spirits, Beer, Tobacco 6 46 25 Miscellaneous 24 49 32 68 268 197 The number of bills of sale published in England and Wales for the week ending Dec. 20 was 290. The number in the corresponding week of last year was 269, and the corresponding weeks for the three pre- vious years 326, 1,442, and 1,285.

INSTITUTION OF THE NEW VICAR OF SWANSEA. The Rev. Canon Smith, M.A., the newly-appointed Vicar of Swansea, commenced his pastoral labours in this parish, as successor to the Rev. Dr. Morgan, on Sunday last. He attended at the early Communion at 8.30, preached in St. James's at eleven, visited the National Schools in the afternoon, and preached again and administered the Holy Communion on Sunday night. The services, both at St. James's and at the Parish Church, were attended by large and overflowing congregations, the interest felt in, and the anxiety to hear, the rev. gentleman being very great. The new Canon is a gentleman of commanding presence—tall, with a large flowing beard, black as the raven. He possesses a deep, rich, sonorous voice, while his elocution is of a finished and impressive order, bespeaking the scholar, the gentleman, and a aind evidently deeply imbued with the sacred duties of the ministerial office. A distinguished writer has said, Religion ought to be dispensed in accommodation to the spirit and character of the age. Men desire excitement, and religion must be communicated in a more exciting form. It must come from the soul in the language of earnest conviction and strong feeling." Canon Smith s preaching is marked by earnest conviction and deep fervour. In both places of worship he made a strong and most favourable impression, and fully justified the reputation which preceded his advent of possessing much energy, considerable pulpit power, and a large experience in the administration of parochial affairs. The Rev. Canon Smith's instirn-ion and induction to the living took place on Monday, at noon, in St. Marv's Church. The Lord Bishop of Sc David's attended in person. There was a large congregation, and the pro- ceedings were of an impressive and solemn character. Amongst the clergy present were tb Archdeacon of St. David's, Prebendary Gauntlett, Rev. Eli Clarke, Rev. J. Bolney, Rev. Mr. Binns, Rev. Mr. Westhorpe, Rev! Mr. Davys, Rev. Vincent Young, Rev. Mr. Clougber; Rev. Thomas Williams, Kilvey; Rev. John Thomas, and Hugh Williams, curates of St. Mary's; Mr. Thomas Hall and Alderman E. Rice Daniel, churchwardens; tha surpliced choir was also in attendance, j L. ..t- The service commenced with a voluntary on the organ. by Mr. Radcliffe, followed by a hymn. The Rev. John Thomas then read the Litany, and another hymn having been sung, His Lordship ascended the pulpit and delivered an interesting and fervid address explanatory of the object of the ceremony in which they ware about to engage, and the relations that ought to exist between pastor and people. He said he should first explain to them what it was that be came to do that day. According to the law of the Church of England, every minister received bis commission from the bishop of the diocese. He did not mean that every minister was set apart for his sacied office by the bishop, but that he received his commission to exercise his functions in any particular church and in any particular parish, from the bishop. It was true that the incumbent of a benefice was nominated to a bishop by other persons, but it was from the bishop that he received his commission. The form by which the commission was conveyed to a minister by the bishop was generally known as institu- tion, by which he was solemnly placed in charge of the souls of the parishioners who were to be placed under his care. This was a very solemn charge, and one which no man, one would think, could undertake lightly or thoughtlessly, or ambitiously, or for the sa *e of lucre. This ceremony of institution was ordinarily performed in private, for it would be impossible for a bishop in a great diocese like this to go to every pari;¡h in which a new incumbent was to be instituted. He had calculated if it were attempted it would take exactly a month in every year to go through those ceremonies; still, in the case of a great parish like this, he thought it right and seemly to come before the public to place their minister in charge of the church. Besides this legal form-md be would also call it a religious form—of institution, there was another form which was purely legal, and which was known as induction, which took place alter the institution, at the door of the church where the clergyman was to be minister. He would therefore take this opportunity of saying that when the service was completed, he would request the congregation to leave the church as quickly as possible, and proceed to the main entrance, where the Archdeacon would inuuct their now vicar, and put him in actual possession oi his benefice, that was to say, of the profits and in- cidental advantages accruing irom the benihce. tie wished them to remember that what be was going to do was their act as well as bis, because a bishop rep- resented the Church, that was to say, the people. He was their mouth-piece, and therefore he should ask them to join in silent prayer that the act tbey were about to perform that day might be blessed of God. As to the mutual relations of pastor and people, be would ask What did they want ? What must those mutual relations be ? What must they do to act for one another ? He answered first that they needed mutual trust, for unless the people trusted him who was set over them in the Lord, and unless he trusted them, little good would become of his ministrations. He felt confident that be who in the providence of God had come to minister amongst them bad come with a single eye to the glory of God, and the salvation of souls in this great town, and of that they must be firmly convinced in order that his ministrations might be profitable, and in order that the word of Gcd might have frfe course amongst them. Mutual distrust was the very worst attitude in which people could stand with each other in relationship in human life, but especially in relations between pastor and people. It there was a mutual trust between pastor and people, I,. quite certain to follow for which au(l» tanhl ul was quite impossible toplease meD, how- minister of Cimst would not see P to aU mQrlj ever much he m,gh w,sh to be g m the sense Vl^f taSte8 of traditions, of fancies. Jahe8S ?o spLk in matters relating to tbe duties of B clergyman's office, especially in the outward things of religion, aiad a wise minister of Christ 3 he sought to avoid all occasions ot sffence at the same time sought as far as possible f do that which was first edifying, and then! t might be pleasing to tbe majority, ihe one object iTnh he had to keep before his eyes throughout, was God s glory in the salvation of men. There must also v »,1 helD He hoped no one would forget that bu .TwjSentto help in spiritual things, and to a the vicar was t things, and to help them on certain extent l P tQ se(. before tbem the their road rerealed for them in H.s great truth fche work 0f tbis parish so as to holy word, to organ \artfest possible number bring influence £ isM then, to of tL parMnone s H. t He „a9 remember It "■ «■»' J"yw„kes,'points of tlleir afraid this was one occurred that tbe people Church's system.. It too otten^ while they expected j ^uty to do anything themselves in forgot it was thei y ffork of Q.0d in the place in the way of t He thought in this respect which their lot • tQ borrQW and uke a the Church people migh n Certa,n lesson from what be knew under8tood to be the religious bodies ID woman, as far «8 might be, duty of every man and eve y w do me_ £ £ fTthe^'work,' by direct -^direct acti;n. For bimllelf be kneW" :)f no part 0 IS, wor !z, s TaJ™fn TbU Veh.t htoh:„b*nd Ur/.nd 1DtrirJrlh He had long felt that the church had undivided P *t fftUed tf) overuke her work, but for to a certain hope that before long P. m>d0 [0 brl„'g a vigorus and workof the Church of England in before the been in timtS past, and God the way in which He |00ked with confidence to grant that it may be s k t0 |j0 carried out. the new Vicar to enab° M present to unite His Lordship conceded by bles8ing on the in silent prayer to the, m hfa WQuld be lhe Vicar in bis new j t0 Christ. means of bringing many sou an0ieut custom, The new Vicar ^n, acto*1" cODgregation had was duly instituted, aud■ if in the church and left the Church, he l'"ked 1f lf aIld rang one of the afterwards proceeded to tbe Oenr 3, bells- a A,h* ceremony which was witnessed by a br?.W "ij 'th/Rrt.'°C ™in Smith .ill not r Jir,f;s.di -iu *• °"dd,e of J Clnuary.

CONFLICTING EVIDENCE-NO. on«[ in thatthe jury in the Lotinga hfe insui agreeing upon V Union Assurance Company his life in ^e Co^me cid Union boho for the sum of £ 2,000- He diedbatMe. The acid, which bad beeV;t^uminsured, on the ground company refused to Pacommitted sul"d^' that, in the fiilf^Pla u reas he had represented in the second, that, confirmed drunkaid. as a temperate man, b placed in the witness- prove the latter aHegatu, ^d and acquaintances, all box a number of ^Jfhis habitual intemperance of whom swore to the fact o intimated that So strong was the evlden?f more witnesses upon this tbey did not desire to have b<j heard the point. When the other side cam direction, testimony was equally str^"S umb«i-s entered the box Friends and acquaintances in num rate man, and swore that Lotinga. was a m^st indeed quite an exceptionaUy temp confllcting wonder rte ■«« testimony. That ig no nncommon occurrence, blank against ea and many on the othei but that twenty on one^ ionai ,g almo9t dr should do so was q lay has been founded on to the belief that a popu^ a*twiu„ wbose drunken Lotinga's case, a assigned to him. In no other SayiCcahn lo Sarkable a contradiction of opinion be explained.

NEATH AND DISTRICT. ST. DAVID'S CHURCH.—Sermons were preached in this church on Sunday last, morning and evening, by the Rev. J. P. Hughes, M.A., Vicar of Llantrissant, in aid of the funds of the Llandaff Church Extension Society. FOOTBALL.—NEATH v. NEWPORT.An exciting match between the teams of Neath and Newport took place on the ground at Newport, on Saturday afternoon. The weather was very unfavourable. The visitors won the toss, and the Newport captain kicked off against a. strong wind blowing down the ground. The Neath back caught the leather, but gained very little from the catch. New- port pressed the visitors from neutral territory into their ground, and from out of a scrimmage near the far side of the goal line A. Gould got the ball, and, hard pressed, passed it to H. M. Jordan, who outran the defence, and got a try. The place kick, entrusted to McDaniell, although from a very favourable position, was caught by a gust of wind, and carried completely away from the posts. After the visitors played up, and aided by the wind ultimately compelled the home team to touch down twice, though not until after a protracted struggle. Play was in neutral ground for some time after this, with occasional sorties in the home team's 25. As a result of one of these, J. Williams won a try, but the major point was not obtained. Before half-time was called the Neath men again compelled Newport to touch down, and thus really had the best of the game. Just before half-time, from a. scrimmage nearly in front of the Newport goal, J. D. Smart adroitly caught the ball, and placed it neatly over the posts, a fluke" which gained the visitors much applause from the spectators. At half time the advantage was with the visitors, by a dropped goal and a try, to a try gained by Newport. In the second half of the game the Newport men were unlucky. The wind fell off somewhat, and veered a point or two more to the west, thus lessening the chances of getting a goal either from the field or from the usual place-kick. The visitors, too, undaunted by the extra odds against them, played a plucky game. and once or twice succeeded in threatening their opponents' goal line. Clapp, the Newport captain, got away with the ball. and would have scored a try, had not one of the Neath men adroitly touched down. Subsequently, how- ever, he ran in, and got a try—a feat which H. 1\1; Jordan afterwards repeated by means of a cleverly dodged side run. McDaniell and A. Gould, to whom the place-kicks were entrusted, did not convert them. The worst piece of luck was that which followed. A. Gould got the leather out of a scrimmage, and made a neat kick for goal, but the ball cannoned high against the left side post of the cross-bar, and fell inside the line. During the half the Newport team added four touches down to their score of three tries, but could not .get the coveted goal. The visitors' forwards played remarkably well, especially in the latter part of the game; but in scrim- mages the superiority of their opponents was manifest. The game ended in victory for Neath with a dropped goal. a try, and several touches down, to three tries and four or five touches down scored by Newport. The fol- lowing were the teams:—Newport: T. Thomas, back; A. J. Gould, H. M. Jordan, and J. E. Webb, three-quarter- backs T. Harding and M. Williams, half-backs T. J. S. Clapp (captain), R. Gould, T. B. Jones, T. Lewis, H. M'Daniell, L. Williams, Freeguard. L. Yoratb, and Hannan, forwards. Neath: R. P. Barnes, back; S. Clark, J. Williams, and J. D. Smart, three-quarter- backs W. Phillips and Kempthorne, half-backs T. Williams, D. Rees, J. Watkins, Richards, W. Jones, R. Jones, W. Harris, Randall, and another, forwards. NEATH PETTY SESSIONS.—FRIDAY. [Before Griffith Llewellyn, W. Leyson, W. Hunter, and O. Sheppard, Esqrs. DRUNKENNESS. — John Woods, of Glyn-Neath, was charged with being drunk on the road leading from Glyn Neath to Neath, on the 11th inst. Fined 5s. and costs. —Owen Griffiths, for being drunk near Bryncoch, on the 14th inst., was ordered to pay 5s. and costs.—John Jones, for obstructing the highway at Britonferry, was fined 2s. 6d. and costs.- Jesse Gill, Levi Lewis, and Frank Parr, for a similar offence, ,vere ordered to pay Is. each and 'costs.—Thomas Hopkins, for drunkenness at the British Tar and challenging people to nght Win. Sulli- van, for drunkenness in Ch"rch-street; Thomas Davies, for being drunk ot Glynneath, near Dinas Rock Jonah AVilliams, for drunkenness and fighting and Thomas Davies, for a similar offence on the 16th inst., were each fined 5s. and costs. POACHING AT RESOLVEN.—Robt. Chappel, of Resolven, was summoned for illegally being in possession of rabbit nets and a ferret. The case came on by adjournment. After bearing the evidence of P.C. John David, who seized the articles in question, the bench fined defendant 40s. and costs, and ordered the nets to be destroyed and the ferret to be returned to the owner. Mr. S. T. Evans appeared for tbe defendant. AFFILIATION.—Mary Elias summoned Evan Thomas, of Neath, for not contributing towards her child. The paternity was admitted, and defendant was ordered to pay 3s. per week and costs. NEATH POLICE.—MONDAY. [Before the Mayor and Ex-Mayor.] DISORDERLIES.—Margaret Williams was fined 5s. and costs for heing drunk in GnoIl Park-road. on the 17th inst.—Martha Maitland. for a similar offence in New Street-square, was ordered to pay 5s. and costs; and John Davies was fined 10s. and costs for being drunk on licensed premises. The Head-Constable found the defendant at the back of the Angelina disputing with the landlord about paying for stabling. Refusing to go away, he was summoned. # CAUTION TO LANDLORDS —Evan Lewis, of theBrittania Inu was summoned for permitting gambling on bis premises. —P.C. V. Jones stated he visited the defendant's house on the 15th inst,, and found defendant. Evan Rees, and Evan Jones in the front room. Directly,after Lewis house on the 15th inst., and found defendant. Evan Rees, and Evan Jones in the front room. Directly,after Lewis and Jones agreed to play a game of skittle bagatelle for a quart of beer. They then began to play, and a dispute soon took place between the parties about two quarts of beer, the one on tbe table and the one which had not come in. Defendant said Rees lost the quart on tbe table and paid for it. Rees said the quart had not come in, and that Jones had lost three glasses in that quart and he (Rees) had lost one. They went on playing, and the landlord won the quart right off. Jones called the beer in- and the servant brought it in. He told her to put it down to him, and they commenced drinking. Witness then called the landlord outside, and told hIm he was not doing right by playing for beer. The land- lord said it was not right to play for money, but he thought he had a right to play for beer, as it was a quiet game.—Cross-examined by Mr. Evans, who defended: Witness stayed there about ten minutes. He thought the landlord did not know whether be was right or wrong, and that he might be let off with a warning. He believed it was a glass at a time they were playing for.— After hearing Mr. Evans for the defence, anrl the evidence of defendant and Evan Rees, the Bench imposed a fine of 5s. and costs.

LONDON GAZETTE. (From Friday Night's Gazette.) FIHST MEETINGS AND DATES OF PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS, —Richard Gould, 4, White Lion-street, and ;)9. High- streer, Tenby, grocer, china, glass and earthenware dealer. Fi-st meeting, December 3o, 2.30 p.m., at the Offic.al It, c, lvel's <'armarthen. Moses Soloman, 44 and 71, J:r ad-stieet, and Lion-street, Blaenavon, and High- s r-e. Abersychan, all Monmouthshire, furniture dealer Miid picture frame dealer. Public examination, January 6. 11 a. in George Thomas, trading as Thomas Brothers, a-2. S'. \I irv-srree' Chepstow, grocer. Public exutnina- twn, .J ,nll try 6,11.30 a.m.. Newport Court. PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED.—Robert Wilkinson, and Alexm iru Ketriie, trading as Rennie, Wilkinson, and Co., it I )"c!srreet, Newport, Monmou h. shiphrokers, c i, l .nei ch-.tits, Cl;l. ■<'•!« If"I).

LIT1 LDING SOCIETIES --Tlie toll wivi,, is a general sum so r, tbe return furnished by building societies, inc r t t to December 31, 1883, as to their numbers, nu rti r-liip, receipts, liabilities, and assets. In England Mini Wales there were 1,853 societies, with 513,667 members. The total receipts amounted 'o £21.165,211. the liabilities to depositors was £ 16,253,437, t.o holders of shires 231 066 887, while the assets were, due on mort- gage secun ie* £ 46.286,167, and amount invested in other securities £ 2 712.151. In Scotland there were 54 s. c etns. 6,709 members. The receipts amounted to £ 462-,166 liabilities to depositors, £303.924; to holders of shares, J6742 964; while the assets were due on mort- gage securities £949.820; amount invested in other st curities, £ 60,957. In Ireland there were 40 societies. with a membership numbering 2,272 the amount of receipts was £7£7.395 there were liabilities to depo- sitors of £45] ,077; to holders of shares, j3686,582 the balance dne on mortgage securities was £1,083,817 and the amount invested in other securities was £65,215.

CANNIBALISM AT SEA. A despatch to the Philadelphia Press from Leweg, Del., says:—"The three-masted schooner, Helen L. Angel, from Georgetown, S.C. for Baltimore, has brought into port Pilot Marshall Bertrand, and Alfred Swanson, a Norwegian, two of the three men who left the pilot boat Turley in a skiff for the purpose of putting Thomas Marshall, another pilot, on board tbe steamship PennysylvoInis, which was bound for Philadelphia. They succeeded in performing this duty and started back to regain the Turley. which was beating to and fro off the Five fathom Lightship. The weather was very thick, and a heavy sea was running, and they never reached their vessel. It was consequently supposed they bad been lost. Several pilot boats were sent in rearch of them, and one cruised 300 miles of the coast without discovering a trace. Bertrand told the story of their rescne and the horrible cannibalism to which the survivors were compelled to resort. Soon after the leaving the Pennsylvania they found that in the darkness they had lost their bearings. They had no compass on board, and not one of the Delaware lights was visible. Their frail boat became unmanageable, and the wind and sea rose higher every moment. When daylight broke they were drifting rapidly out to sea before the strong north-west gale. and then abandoned all hope, except that they might be carried witkin sight of some vessel This was but a forlorn chance, as Bertrand knew that only by some lucky accident would their little craft, which most of the time was in the hollow of the seas, be sighted from the deck of any vessel. All they could do was to keep her as much as possible before the wind. The weather was bitterly cold, and they bad left the Turley in such haste that they had failed to take their thickest clothing or to throw in any water or provisions. Soon the spray, driven by the cutting blasts, froze upon their oilskins, and their stiffened muscles refused to do their duty. One man attended the helm, while the others attempted to keep the boat from swamping by con- stantly bailing her. All Monday, Monday night, and Tuesday they drifted aimlessly about, suffering the extremes of hunger, thirst, and cold. Towards dusk on Tuesday evening both the Norwegians, who were pilots' apprentices, became delirious, and before B^trand could control them they had lost the oars and everything els that was loose in the boat. Thus left without any mems of handling the skiff. Befrand can hardly i*xplain how it escaped from filling or capsizing. H- -ays that be occasionally sank into a stupor, in which the ravings of'his shipm-ites, the roar of the wind, and the lashing of the waves were curiously mingled in whatever remained to him of consciousness. He sup- poses that it was about midnight of Tuesday when one of the Norwegians, whose name neither himself nor Swinson knew, drew his sailor's knife from his sheath and made several plunges at him, declaring that he would kill him and drink his blood. Tne deranged man was too feeble to carry out his intention. Ex- htusted by bis long fast. and clad in his icy garment- as in a coat of mail he fell shrieking and gasping across the thwarts at Bertrand's feet. In a few minutes he was dead. The clouds bad passed away, the moon had risen, and its beams fell upon the contorted features Ot the dead sailor, upon whose face the freezing spray quickly formed a film of ice. l'o add to tbe peril of the remaining men, the boat shipped a great deal ot water. The bailer was among the things tbe crszy 1111: had thrown overboard, and Bertrand was forced to take off one of his rubber boots to use in its place. Thus he freed the boat from water, but his unprotected tout was frozen. Swanson was so near death as to be incapable of rendering any assistance, and except when he was raving he lay like a log. When Ihe sun rOS8 on Wednesday morning Bertrand eagerly scanned the horizon in sparch of a solil, but be saw nothing. As bis glance fell upon the corpse of the dead sailor it occurred to him that here might be the means of prolonging life until rescue came. Horrible as the idea of cannibalism was to him, he realised that nothing else remained between them and death. He roused Swanson. and was happy to discover that his mind had completely cleared, and that he understood what was said to him. The cold had not abated, but the sea had gone down. The day was bright, and Bertrand knew that it they could keep aiive until nightfall they would in nil likeii- bood he picked up, as they could not be out of the pith of the coasting vessels. Then came the supreme moment. Bertrand indicated to Swanson whit he proposed to do, and the latter egreed with him. With the small remnant of strength left them they tore the stiffened oilskins and the underclothing from the dead, and left a portion of the body exposed. Into bis breast and shoulders they plunged their knives, and eagerly sucked the blood from the wounds. They immediately felt refreshed, and the tortures which they had experienced were allayed. Pausing for a moment in their work tbey returned to it, and cut strips oi flesh from the corpse. Each devoured a little, though Bertrand says it was with a loathing which only the conviction of self-preservation could enable him to conquer. Then they laid b^ck under the gun- wales of 'heir craft, occasionally raising their heads to -can the waters for a sail. A correspondent of the Philadelphia Press found at L w s. Del., M rsbal Ber rand, the yountf pilot who was the chief sufferer, till surviving the 60 hours' exposure end the cannibal- ism. He says: Wednesday morning dawned clear, but it was still blowing hard. An hour later I made out, a three-masted schooner coming by the wind. We W: re then 100 miles from the Cape, and about 35 miles from Absecom. I took my mast down, tied my o I kin to it by the slteves, and waved it with all my mgbt. The schooner came half a mile to windward, but didn't see us until it got past. The wind had then m, derated. I wetted my hand with sea water, rubbed my lips, and gave the hardest yell I ever gave in my lite. Tney heard me, and the captain put his helm bard up. He ran to leeward, and when he got within hailing di»tance I heaved the corpse of tbe man overboard." At this moment Bertrand hesitated for the first time and did not speak freely. Why did you throw the body over- board ? he was asked. I didn't want the captain to see it," he replied. "The boat was all bloody. I had kept the man's body up to that time because I meant to eat it that night if it was necessary, and I saw it was fast coming to that." The schooner bore down on us," Bertrand continued," and threw us a rope. Swunson was too weak to take it, so I did, and as the schooner's ladder was down I got aboard without help. Swanson was hauled in over the side. Tile schooner was the Emma F. Angell, Captain George Tripp, and a guardian angel she proved to us. They treated us as kindly as could be."

Canvas bags, and, presumably, canvas clothes used by men in wet work, can, it is said, be made as impervious to moisture as leather, by steeping it in a decoction of one pound of oak bark with 14lb. of boiling water, this quantity being sufficient for eight yards of stuff. The cloth from which the bags are made has to soak 24 hours, when it is taken out, passed through running water, and hung up to dry. A FORECAST OF THE NEW PARLIAMENT.—It is con- ceded on all hands that under tbe new Bills the English Parliament of 1886 will be, in a most unusual and unprecedented degree, truly representative; and if that is granted, then it will be in the main an English House—that is, a House of men in pt to be governed by ideas, though occasionally swept away by them seeking visible and usually material result", but con- trolled in the main by ordinary morals, especially rhat embodied in the eighth commandment impatient of legal privilege, tnougb tolerant of old inequalities of condition contemptuous of inefficiency, aud with a never-ceasing and effective desire for what they consider comfort. Now. what is a House of such men, ruled by a constituency which is like itself, and which is inclined to interfere very frequently with its representatives, likely to attempt? We should say apart from accidents like war, rebellion, or other unforseen calamity, tbe new House would first of all make itself effective by dealing strongly, perhaps ever harshly, with obstruction, by insisting on greater energy in its Executive Committee, the Cabinet, and by declarations which will cripple or abolish for practical purposes the veto of the Lords. Secondly, it will sweep away, roughly and effectively, every relic of privilege in local self-government, making it "frankly democratic," and this in Ireland, where there is danger, as well as in Britain, where there is none. And, thirdly, it will endeavour, so far as is consistent with ordinary English ideas of morality, to « ake its constituents more comfortable. Spectator. DEMAND FOB LABOUR IN NEW SOUTH WALES.—The Sydney Morning Herald, Nov. 6, say- :—" Never before has the demand for immigrant servants so exceeded the supply as it did yesterday, which was the general hirino- day for the immigrants who came into port on Sunday by the Aberdeen, and in one direction never has there been so small a supply of labour on hire before. At the engagement rooms at Fort Macquanefor married couples and single men, there were applicitions for between 40 and 50 men and women for form and station work, while two railway contractors sought between them for 250 navvies but they sought in vain. Only about two dozen immigrants put in an appenrance at the Fort in search of employment out of the 64 married couples aud 87 single men brought ou> hy the Abe-deen, and although from £35 to £53 a year was offered for unmarried labourers, and from £fj5 to £90 for married couples, with board and lodging, service was not accepted by the immigrants, except in two instances. At the Hyde-park depot, where there were 77 single women waiting engagements, there was a" unprecedented rush of applicants for their service. Something like 190 tickets of admission into the hiring room Ims been the largest number hitherto issued, but yesterd y 'here were no fewer than 253 granted. VVit > 253 eager applicants for the services of less than one-tnird that number of girls, no wonder there was contusion a> first. Nearly every girl went into domestic service at v; ry fair rates of wages, something like 40 general servants and housemaids commanding remuneration at from 10s. to 12s. a week. In two cases cf general service 14s. was obtained, and 13s. in one. A few nurses got from 9s. to 12, and a dressm ker accepted employment at 15s. a week. For a cook and laundress the wages ranged from 12s. to 155., and for a nurse from 9-. to 12s. I

<6tntral Another theatre is about to be built, on the site of the Junior Army and Navy Stores in Regent-street. Speaking at Glasgow on Saturday night, on "Dress," Mr. Oscar Wilde said a Lancashire mill-girl, with a shawl over her shoulders and wearing clogs, knew more about dress than a fashionable London lady recently returned from Paris, because in the former case there was comfort while in the latter there was discomfort. The trial of Elizabeth Gibbons for the wilful murder of her husband, by shooting him with a revolver, was concluded on Friday, at the Central Criminal Court. Mr. Poland summed up for the prosecution, urging the absence of motive for suicide, and the other circum- stances pointing to the act being one of murder. Mr. Grain replied for the defence, contending that the case for the prosecution depended entirely upon the evidence of two medical men. Mr. Justice Hawkins, in summing up, pointed out the improbability of suicide. The jury, after about half an hour's deliberation, returned with a verdict of guilty. The Judge, in passing sentence of death, held out no hope of mercy. Prisoner was removed in a fainting condition. MILK FROM HOLLAND—Let us suppose that the pro- ject suggested at the Amsterdam meeting (to import milk into Londou) becomes a "fait accompli." It will then remain to be seen whether the Dutch will appoint their own special agents for the sale of their produce, or whether they will allow milkmen to buy it to retail again. In the latter case the British public will be no gainers, for then the middlemen will band themselves together and keep up the price. In that case none will be benefited, except perhaps the foreigners, who may make their calculated profit. Things will go on the same as before, and the consumer will continue to grum- ble at the bad quality and high price of the milk without any means of redress. If, however, the Dutchmen ap- point their own agents, aud supply the milk at a reason- able profit, then matters will look better from the con- sumers point of view whilst the British middlemen and tbe farmers will be the sufferers. With regard to the former class. all would be glad to see their calling at an end, and the farmers',have the remedy in their own bands —let them organise an association of a really practical character for supplying milk direct from the country to the consumer at a reasonable profit. Then, provided this organisation works with a will, we shall in all like- lihood hear no more of the Dutch milk scheme. Owing to the way farmers' sons and daughters are now brought up we have lost the useful knowledge which made the former generation of tenant farmers such good dairymen. The importations of butter and cheese prove this, for in 1882 no less than eleven and a half million pounds ster- ling worth of butter was received into England, whilst the "mouut paid for cheese from abroad was near1y five millions. If, in addition, a large portion of the milk supply of the metropolis is to be sent from across the Channel, the conclusion is inevitable that British dairy farming is dying out.—Land and Water. A PRETENDED MARRIAGE.—A somewhat curious case occupied the attention of the magistrates at Chester for five hours on Monday. The Public Prosecutor, acting through Mr. Cartwris^ht. of Chester, charged Thomas Stevens and Thomas Pugh with conspiracy to represent to Mary Harris, that she had been lawfully married. Marv Harris deposed that she and the prisoner Pugh had been fellow-servants. Pugh succeeded in seducing her, and had promised to marry her. He invited her two brothers and her cousin to go to witness the ceremony. U Chester the registrar informed Pugh that the marriage couH not take place without one clear day's notice. Pugh then went iuto Stevens's office and after some delay called the party in. They found Stevens fdtting in his office apparen'ly waiting for them. Stevens inquired for the persons who were to be married, and placed them in one position an-i the wituesses in auother. He seemed to be writing. When he finished he told witness sue could not have the marriage lines for a month or six wpeks. Pugh put a wedding ring on her finger just as she was leaving Stevens's office.. One ot the witnesses asked Pugh if that was all. and he replied, "Yes, shQ is now my wife." She went home and lived with Puab as his wife. 8ubsequel1!ly Pugh told her he did not believe thq had heen married. She and her mother at Orlee went to Stevens, who in reply to their questions said thlit there had not beeu a marriage. They then both went and 21 ve information to Mr. Fenwick, Chief Constable of Chester. The prisoner Pugh more than once said in Court that he was willing to marry MissHarr-s. Further evidence was called tor the prosecution, aud the Court ad j ourned. Setting the prospects of our counir.- against those of America, Mr. Forwood writes:—" H re in England Free Trade enablts us witb cnnfidenee to look for brighter da\s. The whole world is our customer, and in whatever corner of it trade improves, we ft el it directly in a-i increased deinarid for our minufaciures." Trade will by-and-bv improve all along the line. Meanwhile, the excellent harvests which we have had hxve cheapened food till it is now possible for a Board of Guardians to buy bread at threepence farthing per loaf. This permits low prices of commodities; and low pnces in their turn create a demand, to the advan- tage ot producer, distributor and consumer. There are now ?c <rcely halt the vessels lying up en tbe Tyne and the Wear in midwinter that there were near to midsummer. The Tyne and Wear commissioners are wholly ju-t Bed in adducing the fact in testimony of their contention that the d. pression thereabouts is more th-.n on the wane. Mr. Forwood ought to be a good authority for what is going on in his own county. He says that. already the spindles and looms of Lancashire are more actively and profitably employed than for years past. We are not. surprised that mm of long familiarity with the iron industry, who know from their own experience that their ciaft is one especially marked by periods of ebb and flow, should be preparing, as they are, both in tbe North of England and also in South Wales, for II largely augmented demand at a compara- tively early period. THE SALVATION ARMY.—According to its report for 1884 the Salva ion Army has now 910 corps, viz. ;— In the United Kingdom, 637 France, 8 Switzerland, 7 Sweden, 4 United States, 50 California, 5; C'narta, 71 India, 14 South Australia, 3-5 Victoria, 21; New South Wales, 21 New Zealand, 2o: Tasma- "in,3; and the Cape of Good Hope, 11—total, 910. Of Little Soldiers' Corps there are 444, which have held 933 meetings during the year, attended by 41.688 juveniles. The army at home is officered by 1,147 per- sons, exclusive of majors, who number 14, aide-de- camp 29, and specials 37. One hundred and forty persons are employed at the head-quar'ers, 11 at depots, and .58 in the printirg and tiade departments. There are 188 cadets in the training barracks, and the train- ing home staff numbers 20. Abroad there are 688 officers, the total at home and abroad being 2.3o2. In connection with the" village warfare," it is reported there are 303 villages regularly occupied in the United Kingdom, besides 100 occasionally visited; the villages occupied in Canada number 36; France, 20; Switzer- land, 10; New Zealand, 31; South Africa, 5; India and Ceylon, 50; South Australia, 15—total, 570. A summary of the financial statements for the year ended the 30tb of September last—statements audited by Messrs. J. Beddow and Son, chartered accountants— shows a total income of £74,665 18s. 6d., which in- cludes receipts on account ot the general spiritual fund amounting to £24.452 Is. building fund, £30,182 18s. 8d. training homes, £6.302 4s. 4d.; foreign ser- vice, JE3,704 14s.; France and Switzerland, £:2,082 16s. 6d. There was a balance in band at tbe end of the financial year 01 £448 5s. The trading transactions of the army realised a net profit of £ 6,790 Os. lid., which has again more than sufficed to cover the entire ex- penses of the headquarters' management. Tbe army has added to its mercantile operations by the sale of "musical instruments, watches specially designed to remind the soldier of his God and his duty, mottoes, and other articles for borne use, all contrived with the same end in view; and now last of all tea, and other things which cannot, except by means of covers or marks, have so direct a bearing on the propagations of the truth, but which will at least answer another great purpose which experience has taught us we may safely aim at—the raising of funds by trade profits." It is stated that "the day of suspicion with regard to the motives which govern the army's leaders has well-nigh passed away. Only a vile infidel print thriving on scandal, or a still viler Christian paper, equally intent 011 libelling any religious teacher or movement against which anything can be said, can now be found to echo aspersipns on the iutegrity of tbe General and hili family." During this year 85 new barracks were opened in the United Kingdom, including a congress hall at Brighton, seating 3 500, and costing £7,000, which had been presented rot. e army by two residents there. A portion of the old t^aol at Northampton had been converted into barr-cks accommodating 2,300 people. The Wear Music Hall at Sunderland bad beea.. adapted to serve the army'* purposes; and out of a legacy of £:3.700..bequeatbed by Leamington ladys barracks were being erected there to accommodate 1,800. The 39th London b irrai k was opeued in the Boroush, and the 40th is in the c urse of erection near the Edgware-road. It would cost £5,000. Regret is expres-ed at tbe army's failure to purchase the licence of the E <gleTiver". Abroad, the work of tbe onrani- ration is described as succeeding and ext nding satisfactorily but It appears to have been diicovered tnat the American major, M ijor Moore, had been privat- lv rranging for an incorporation of the =irmv in the United States, which would have placed the whole of ihe army's affiirs and property nnder the control of himself and 1 few other pi-rsons," unknown to the General and his staff His ousiuess affairs too being in the utmost confusion," he was immedi'a'ely recalled, but Major Moore refused to -( turn to England and, seizing whatever property of the army he could get under his control, proclaimed his intention of continuing in command of what he bad strangely wished to call the Salvation Army." A najor from bead- quarters had superseded him. Miss BOClth-" the Mareceale''—writing of Swi'zerlind, says. "Despite all that has been done, the rest-ricri -ns in diff rent cantons—which cannot be' appreci-it'-d in England the prejudice, calumny, and persecution, we have not only held our own, but steadily advanced." Finally touching the sinews of war," the report concludes with an appeal for funds from Mr. Bramwell Booth the chief of the staff"—and states that the treasury is absolutely empty, a considerable sum being actually needed at once to meet pressing demands which relate ta the present year." For 1885, in order to maintain th. work throughout the world, £30,000 is solicited. 0