The Times from London, Greater London, England • Page 4

THE TIMES, THURSDAY, 1 many quotations from the Koran to this effect. It must be remembered also that during the first weeks of its existence the Assembly was composed almost exclusively of the members for Teheran, only two from the provinces having arrived in the capital in the Arst half of December. Owing to the difficulties of travel, many of them have probably not yet reached Teheran. Such a situation as recent events have created in Persia would have tried far abler and better ruler than Muzafler-ed-Din, and he was already physically a wreck. His health had for some years been seriously ailing, and last summer his condition was for time very critical.

He rallied for time, but towards the middle of October the principal doctors in Teheran were called to the palace in consultation, and, although opinions differed with respect to details, it was generally agreed that the Shah was suffering in an acute form from the result of long standing disease of the kidney with other attendant complications, including dropsy. The latter complication attained alarming gravity early in November, and the Shah's physicians considered it necessary to diet their patient most carefully. They, in fact, prohibited solid food altogether. About this period a German specialist, Dr. Damsch, arrived at Teheran and took entire charge of the Royal patient, who, though in a most critical condition, was being driven out daily to palaces and gardens in the environs, in order to contradict the ramours which had already got about that the Shah was either dead or dying.

Dr. Damsch, in characteristic Prussian style, took over complete command. He confined the Shah strictly to his town palace, he insisted that the host of hangerson should be turned away, and himself took up his abode within the palace. He, however, allowed the Shah to partake freely of solid food, with the result that towards the middle of November his Majesty's condition considerably only temporarily. At that time Dr.

Damsch is said to have announced that there was no immediate danger, and that he hoped that the Shah would live to go to Europe again, as he proposed to do, in the spring of next year. Before the end of the month, however, the inevitable reaction set in and the dropsy increased alarmingly. But the natural strength of the Shah's constitution enabled him to makes much more prolonged struggle for life than his physicians had anticipated; and the end did not come until close upon midnight of Tuesday. The Vali-Ahd, or Heir-Apparent, who succeeds to the throne, was summoned last month from Tabriz to take over the Regency, and he arrived in Teheran on December 15. Prince Ali Mirza has been Governor-General of the Province of Azerbaijan during his father's reign, in accordance with the usual custom.

Of a more masterful disposition than the late Shah, he has so far, shown few of the qualitics which would lead one to hope for any substantial improvement in the Royal methods of government, Only few months ago Tabriz was the scene of an agitation, very similar to that which took place at the same period in Teheran, and the grounds of the British Consulate-General, like those of the British Legation in Teheran, were crowded for some time with political refugees, as protest against the worst forms of Persian misgovernment. There is a strong party also at Teheran in opposition to the Vali-Ahd, and it is believed to be favoured by the late Shah's second son, Prince Shon-es-Sultaneh, who has been living at the palace in hourly attendance on his dying father. But, in view of the understanding which exists between the British and Russian Governments to lend their moral support to the HeirApparent, little or no active opposition is to be expected in the capital and it may be hoped that in the provinces also the accession of the new Shah will be accepted peacefully. LADY BURDETT-COUTTS'S WILL. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

order to set at rest the various rumours which have been circulated with regard to the will and property of the late Baroness Burdett-Coutts, we are authorized, as solicitors to the executor of the will, to make the following statement: the property at her disposal to Mr. Burdett(1) That the baroness by her will has left: all Coutts, M.P., who is made sole executor. (2) That the baroness under the will of the late Harriot Duchess of St. Albans, the widow of Mr. Thomas Coutts, was only entitled to the income of the trust estate, which income was mainly derived from Messrs.

Coutts and bank and that her ladyship had no power over the capital, which now passes under the provisions of the duchess's will, and in which Mr. BurdettCoutts has no further interest. (3) That in the year 1881, on her marriage with Mr. Bardett-Coutts, the baroness, in order to avoid litigation, effected a compromise with the successors named in the duchess's will, under which compromise her ladyship surrendered the I larger portion of the income from the trust estate. (4) That at various dates between 1881 and 1895 the baroness conveyed to Mr.

BurdettCoutts absolutely nearly. all the property which was at her own disposal. These conveyances included the Columbia estate in the East-end, the Holly-lodge estate at Highgate, her ladyship's life interest in the leasehold houses in Strattonstreet and Piccadilly (of which Mr. BurdettCoutts had bought the freehold from Lord Fitzhardinge in 1884), and such of the contents of the last-named houses and of Holly-lodge as were her ladyship's own property. The will is dated in the year 1888, and will be proved in due course.

We are, Sir, your obedient servants, LAWRENCE, GRAHAM, AND Co. 6, New -square, Lincoln's- W.C., Jan. 9. OBITUARY. SURGEON-GENERAL RICHARD CHAPMAN LOFTHOUSE, whose death at the age of 74 took place on January 10 at Harrogate, saw much active service in the fifties of last century.

Appointed an assistant surgeon in July, 1854, he served with the 10th Hussars in the Crimes from April, 1855, his service including the siege and fall of Sevastopol, the battle of Tchernaya, and the affair near Kertch. Joining the 14th )Light Dragoons in India in 1857 he served through the long operations of Sir Hugh Rose and Sir R. Napier in the suppression of the Sepoy revolt in 1858 and 1859, including the sieges of Rahutghur, Garakota, Jhansi, the actions at Baroda, relief of Saugor, Kunch, Muddenpur, Betwa, Gwalia, and the pursuit of Tantia Topee. He was mentioned in despatches and thanked by the Director-General Army Medical Department. He was promoted surgeon in 1867, surgeon-major in 1873, and deputy-surgeon-general in 1884, in which year he retired.

Lieutenant-General Sir D. C. Drury-Lowe, G.C.B., writes 1-" May I be allowed to supplement the record of service of my brother, the late Colonel R. H. C.

Drury-Lowe, which appeared in your obituary notice of the 7th inst. On the outbreak of the Mutiny in India he was A.D.C. on the. staff of Sir George Anson, Commander-in-Chief, who died on his way to Delhi, subsequently filling similar appointments to Generals Barnard, Reed, and Wilson as stated. My brother was promoted into the Grenadier Guards for his services before Delhi, and subsequently served through the China war, 1860-1, as A.D.C.

to the admiral in command, and was present at the various engagements and the advance on Peking he also served on the staff in Canada. Bob Lowe, as he was generally called, was a very keen soldier, an excellent companion, and favourite with all he both served under and with, and his loss will be Mr. GEORGE JAMES WHITE WINZAR, the Sword Bearer of the City of London, died yesterday at his residence at Sutton, after month's illness, at the age of 68. He -had been an officer of the Corporation since 1866-first as a clerk: in the Chamberlain's department, next (in 1872) as Common Crier and Serjeant-at-Arms, and finally Sword Bearer, to which office he was elected in April, 1874. He had been a conspicuous figure in all the great City pageants and state ceremonials during the last 30 years, and was highly respeoted in the City.

In addition to his ceremonial duties, he had acted as treasurer and cashier of the various Mansion-house relief funds. He was the recipient of the Jubilee and Coronation medals, and was a member of the Order of Leopold of Belgium. BRIGGS PRIESTLEY, of Ferneliffe, Apperley, Yorks, worsted spinner, of Priestleys (Limited), Laisterdhke, Bradford, vice chairman of the Bradford District Bank (Limited), and Liberal M.P. for the Pudsey Division of Yorks, 1885-1900, who died on October 21 last, aged 75 years, left estate of the gross value of £282,495 0s. of which the net personalty has been sworn at 2276,172 9a.

7d. He bequeathed 81,000 to the Natter Orphanage for Boys at Bradford and £500 to I the Bradford Tradesmen's Benevolent Institution, JANUARY 10, 1907. TEHERAN, JAR. The Shah died st 11 o'clock last night. The official announcement was made this morning 9 o' elock.

above appeared in our Second Edition of 7 P.M.• DEATH OF THE SHAH. Shortly after the official announcement of the death of the Shah, Mahomed Ali Mirza, the HeirApparent, proceeded to the Palace, where he arrived about 9 o'clock. He was at once formally acknowledged as Shah by the Grand Vizier, the Ministers of State, the other Princes of the Royal family, and by numerous high Court and Government officials. Late this afternoon the body of the late Shah was removed with the customary ceremonial to the Great Takich, where it will remain until the funeral, the date of which has not yet been fixed. To-morrow the members of the Diplomatic Body will be received by the Grand Vizier and will convey to him their condolences and those of their respective heads of State and Governments, and on Sunday they will be received by the new Shah, to whom they will present their congratulations on his accession.

The enthronement of Ali Mirza has been fixed for the Ghadir Festival (the Festival of the Lake), which is celebrated on February 2, the anniversary of the day on which the Prophet, by the side of a lake, proclaimed that Ali was his own desh and blood. (PROSE OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) MOSCOW, JAN. 9. The news of the Shah's death naturally evokes considerable interest in commercial circles in Moscow, which are keener than ever regarding matters affecting Russia's foreign markets. The increased competition in the Far East renders Persia particularly valuable to Muscovite producers.

It is impossible, however, to find even a suspicion of uneasiness here. regarding Persian affairs- a fact which strikingly contrasts with the situation as it presented itself only a year or 1 two ago, and which is entirely attributable to the gratifying change in the relations between Russia and Great Britain. GERMAN OPINION. BERLIN, JAN. Commenting on the death of the Shah, the North-German Gazette says The late Shah was a friend to Germany.

We sincerely deplore his death after long and severe suffering, and we hope that the good relations between the German Empire and Persia will continge under the rule of his successor in the same spirit as hitherto. That does not signify a spirit aiming at the execution of political plans, such as are falsely attributed to Germany sometimes in the foreign Press, but in the interest of the development of our trade with Persia and the promotion of peaceful civilization." In Government circles the German policy in Persia is described as being confined to the demand for equal privileges for all nations. It recognized that any attempt to obtain a political and commercial ascendency would rather tend to draw Great Britain and Russia closer together than otherwise. The newspapers, while declaring that the late Shah was neither a great ruler nor the reverse, comment sympathetically on his liberal policy towards his people. Naturally the position of Great Britain and Russia in Persia is discussed at length.

The Rundschau says that the decided anti-British and anti-Russian character of Persian Liberalism even permits the inference that the relations between Germany and Persia may become more cordial. The Post declares that the Persian Parliament owes its existence mainly to British influence, and that this mighty friend and protector of Persia will know how to use her creation when necessary to uphold her present predominant position. Russian diplomacy, the journal points out, will also strive to win over the new ruler, and it considers that it would be more advantageous for German interests if Russia gained the upper hand, for from Russians it is to be expected that they will not place difficulties in the way. of trade and the commercial exploitation of the country by other European nations, which from previous experience it is to be feared the British would do. Regarding the bank concession recently granted to Germany by Persia, it is understood that the German Government has turned it over to a group of German banks which will shortly send out experts to report on the financial possibilities of the country before 3 definite decision on the matter is taken, The King and the Foreign Office were yesterday oficially apprised of the death of the Shah of Persia, and by his Majesty's command the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs despatched to the Persian Court and Government, through the British Minister at Teheran, a telegram of condolence.

Sir Edward Grey also offered the condolences of the British Government. It one were strictly to obey the injunction De mortuis nil nisi bonum, the life of Muzaffer-ed-Din Shah would have to be dismissed in a very few words. He found Persia already in an advanced stage of decay when he came to the Throne. He has left his kingdom plunged into financial ruin and threatened with political disintegration. Born in March, 1853, Muzaffer-ed-Din was declared Vali-Ahd or Heir Apparent in 1858 and, in accordance with customary usage under the Kajar dynasty, he resided during the greater part of his father's lifetime at Tabriz, as GovernorGeneral of the province of Azerbaijan.

He was at Tabriz when Nasr-ed-Din Shah was assassinated in 1896, and, though he hurried immediately to the capital, he hesitated at first to assume his father's inheritance, as he dreaded opposition from his brothers, the Zill-es-Sultan, who was Governor of Isfahan, and the Naib-es-Sultaneh. who was Minister of War. The British and Russian Governments agreed, however, to give him their support in order to avert the danger of widespread disturbances, and he was reassured by the energetic attitude of General Kosakowsky, the very distinguished Russian officer then in command of the Persian Cossacks, who were at that time the only more or less disciplined force in the capital. General Kosakowsky presided with a drawn sword over the formal ceremony of his installation, and, under those significant auspices, on June 8 Muzafler-ed-Din took his seat on the Throne of Persia. One of his first proclamations was to the effect that henceforth public posts, dignities, titles, and decorations, civil and military, were to be granted only to merit, that no money consideraMion would in future be allowed any weight in these matters, and that he himself would refuse all pecuniary presents.

Yet the distinctive feature of his reign has been the creation of a relatively heavy public debt, nearly the whole proceeds of which have gone to defray the extravagance and profligacy of his Court. Towards the end of 1896 the Amin-es-Sultan, who had been Grand Vizier of the last years of Nasr-ed-Din's reign, WaS disgraced, and announced that he intended in future to be his own Grand Vizier. The Amin-ed-Dowleh, a less masterful servant, took office with the less exalted rank of Prime Minister. During his short administration a comprehensive scheme of reforms was elaborated on paper, and remained on paper. The Court clamoured for money, and money was not forthcoming.

So in the spring of 1898 the Amin-edDowleh was dismissed, and his rival, the Amines-Sultan, was recalled from exile at Kum, where, thanks to the protection accorded to him by the Beitish Minister, Sir Mortimer Durand, he had fucceeded in taking sanctuary when he had to flee for his life from Teheran at the time of his fall. The Amin es-Sultan, better known afterwards under the higher title of Atabeg, was restored to power, and he knew now on what terms, and on what terms alone, his Imperial master's favour could be retained. By hook or by crook, the Treasury had to be Alled. He appealed to England in the first place for assistance. The security which Persia was prepared to give was absolutely Reuter's Agency.

unimpeachable, and from the point of view of British interests exceptionally valuable- namely, the Customs of Southern Persia. The amount of the Joan, £1,200,000, was actually underwritten In London but Lord Salisbury hesitated and procrastinated, and before he could make up his mind to give his assent the Amin-es-Sultan had lost patience and turned to St. Petersburg, where there was not a moment's hesitation in making an advance to meet the Shah's immediate needs. From that moment Russian ascendency grew from year to year in Teheran, based on the double power of the purse and of the sword. A Russian Bank, under the direction of the Russian Ministry of Finance, was established in Teheran Belgian Customs officials, dependent upon Russian support, were entrusted with the superintendence of the Customs revenue, and recast the Persian tariff in the interests of Russian trade.

The Persian Government bound itself over not to build railways or allow railways to be built in Persia for term of years without Russia's consent. Russian Consulates and Russian commercial agencies grew up like mushrooms, concessions for ronds were granted to Russian companies in Northern Persia, and Russian cruisers as well as Russian merchant steamers showed the Russian flag for the first time in the Persian Gulf. At the beginning of 1900 the financial outcome of the negotiations between Russia and Persia was made public in an announcement that the Russian Bank at Teheran had been authorized by the Russian Imperial Government to take up a Persian gold loan of 22,500,000 roubles A few months later Muzaffer-odDin paid a visit to Europe and was received in great state at St. Petersburg. During his stay in Paris an attempt more alarming than dangerous was made upon his life by an Anarchist madman.

His Majesty behaved with great coolness and dignity, and, in spite of that unpleasant incident, he so thoroughly enjoyed his first taste of the pleasures of European life that he was ever afterwards only too anxious to renew those expensire experiences whenever the state of his finances allowed them. By the end of 1901 the Shah's Treasury was again empty. One of the conditions of the Russian loan of 1900 had been the repayment of the outstanding balance of an earlier loan from the Imperial Bank of Persia, a British institution created at Teheran under a special charter. The rest of the money received from Russia had been squandered without conferring a single benefit on- the Persian people. One of the secrets of Russian influence at Teheran was that Russian diplomacy never worried the Shah about any reforms in the administration of his kingdom.

Russia agreed once more to replenish his Majesty's coffers, and on the strength of a further loan of 10,000,000 roubles (£1,000,000) Mazaffered-Din was once more in Europe during the summer of 1902. On this occasion he paid a State visit to England, and on his way back was again entertained the Tsar, at a banquet at which tonsts were exchanged of unmistakable signitcance. Nevertheless, both the Shah and his Grand Vizier had been profuse in sasurances of friendship towards England whilst they were the guests of King Edward, and in the spring of 1903 special mission was despatched from this country to Teheran to invest the Shah with the Most Noble Order of the Garter. By a coincidence, which can hardly have been fortuitous, the conclusion of a commercial agreement between Persia and Russia extremely detrimental to British interests was announced from St. Petersburg on the very day on which the formal ceremony of investitare was being performed in Teheran, As a matter of fact, the negotiation of this commercial convention had been brought to a conclusion in conformity with the wishes of Russia even before Muzaffer-ed-Din's visit to London.

Had the fact been then known, there would hardly have been a Garter Mission to Teheran. The British Government at last showed a more intelligent appreciation of the situation in Persia, when in May, 1903, Lord Lansdowne made an important declaration of policy with regard to the Persian Gulf, which was emphasized before the end of the year by the visit which Lord Curzon, then Viceroy of India, paid to those waters accompanied by a powerful squadron, and by the despatch of the MacMahon Mission to Seistan to settle various differences which had arisen between the Persians and the Afghans on the Helmund. In the meantime the extravagance and incompetency of the Shah's Government and its complete suhserviency to Russia were causing widespread disaffection throughout Persia. Serious rioting took place during the summer of 1903 in Shiraz, Isfahan, and other cities, In some places the rioters attacked the Belgian Customs officials, in others they massacred the unfortunate adherents of Bablism. The Atabeg, was held largely responsible for the Shah's misguided policy, had grown universally unpopular, and in September, 1903, the alarm caused at Court by the death in very mysterious circumstances of I one of his most serious rivals, the Hakim el Mulk, at last precipitated, his downfall.

The Ain-edDowleh, the Shah, was appointed in his place, but no improvement ensued from the change. The outbreak of war between Russia and Japan to some extent relaxed Russian pressure at Teheran, bat it tightened at the same time Russian purse strings, and the growth of administrative anarchy went hand in hand with the impoverishment of the country. The clergy, which forms in Persia an influential hierarchy, grew more and more outspoken in its denunciation of Muzafler-ed-Din's misrule, and endorsed in an almost threatening tone the popular demands for reforms. Nevertheless, Muzaffer-edDin braved public opinion by undertaking yet another visit to Europe in the summer of 1905 but, though he was received with the accustomed pomp and ceremony at St. Petersburg, Russia was not in a position to give him any further substantial assistance of financial character.

The growing popular agitation culminated last summer in a series of demonstrations at Teheran, headed by the chief priests and when the latter, having failed to wring any concessions from the Shah, departed for Kerbela, the bazaars were closed and thonsands of the merchant and other representative classes took sanctuary in the British Legation. The whole of Teheran went practically on strike. Muzaffered-Din was at last compelled to yield to this pecaliar form of pressure. The Ain-ed-Dowleh was dismissed, a new Ministry formed, and important constitutional reforms promulgated. Under the new Constitution, elections for a National Assembly took place last September, and the first Persian Parliament was opened on October 12 by the Shah, amidst demonstrations of loyalty and popular rejoicing such as he had long been unaccustomed to.

Whilst Muzad had found it necessary to surrender to these new popular forces, an equally far-reaching change had come over the international situation. Events had tended of late to diminish the friction between Russia and Great Britain, whom he had always counted upon playing off against each other if the worst came to the worst. His financial necessities were as urgent as ever, and, when he applied once more for help, he discovered that the days of indiscriminate accommodation were over. A friendly exchange of views between the Russian and British Governments had already progressed so far that they were able to settle in mutual consultation the terms on which they would be prepared to make a small advance on joint account to the Persian Government, strictly limited to the most pressing needs of the State. On the other hand, the new National Assembly, influenced no doubt by the strong popular feeling against the earlier financial entanglements with Russia, entered a vehement protest against any more foreign loans, though, when it proposed as a panacea the creation of a National Bank to finance the State, its appeal to the patriotism of the country fell on deaf ears and empty pockets.

Though much remains to be done before Persian National Assembly can do really useful work for the country, it is quite clear to the most superficial observer here that the events of the last few months have disclosed all the characteristics of a serious and far-reaching national movement. The religious element is strongly to the fore. The principal Mujtehids, OF high priests, take marked interest in the Assembly, and, though they are not actually Deputies themselves, they attend the sittings and take part in the debates. They point out that the Prophet Mahomed enjoined the necessity of deliberation and consultation among men in their affairs in order to act for the best. There are I THE CORPORATION OF WESTERN EGYPT (LIMITED).

The Corporation of Western Egypt (Limited) announces an issue of 235,143 shares at par, for which Messrs. Glyn, Mills, Currie, and London, and the Anglo-Egyptian Bank (Limited), Cairo and Alexandria, and all branches, as bankers to the corporation, are authorized to receive applications. The shares may be paid up in full on allotment, and share warrants to bearer will be issued if required. They rank in all respects with the existing shares. The prospectus states that the further capital now issued is required in order to complete the Western Oases Railway, now being actively constructed from the point of its connexion with the Egyptian State Railway at Khargeh Junction (between Abu Tisht and Farshut) to Khargeh in the Oasis of Khargeh, a distance of about 120 miles 191 and in order to enable the corporation to bring into fall cultivation and into a state of readiness for sale, simultaneously with active.

mineral exploitation and development, the extensive lands of the oases to be acquired in virtue of the concessions. THE EDUCATION CRISIS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. sincerely hope that there will not be another addition to our. sectarian controversies, having the Cowper-Temple clause as its centre.

Of one thing I am certain. There are numbers of Dissenters who are as much opposed to the interpretation quoted by Dr. Wace as he is himself. I presume he has not seen the strong utterance already put forth on that subject by several of us. Those who take the view of undenominational teaching which Dr.

Waco so strongly reprobates do so, not because such undenominational religion is their own creed, but because they do not think the State could, with fairness to all classes of its subjects, enforce any other. For the same reason I have always advocated, now for more than thirty years, the separation of the religious from the secular teaching in our schools. The whole history of the controversy has shown the enormous, as I think the insuperable, difficulty of securing complete religious equality under any other system. As Nonconformist I have suffered quite sufficient from the invasion of the rights of my own conscience to make me absolutely unwilling to be a party to do a similar wrong to others. The difficulty is to avoid this if we teach religion at all.

As to the idea that parents have a right to demand that their children shall be taught their own religious faith at the expense of the State, it appears to me to be both politically and religiously wrong. On the other hand, I could never agree to the Bible being treated in our national schools as mere literature, or as an ethical commonplace book. If a teacher is forbidden to describe it as God's message of love to all mankind, and to point to His gift of His own Son: as the revelation of that love, I cannot see why it should be introduced at all. Whether it is possible to secure this is question into which I cannot enter here. The one point on which I am desirous to insist is that the great majority of the Nonconformists (and I speak especially of the Congregational churches, to whom I belong) are absolutely loyal to what may be described as the old Evangelical faith.

Yours, Clapham, Jan. 9. J. GUINNESS ROGERS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

May I remind Dr. Wace that he pays no attention whatever to the question, which in my judgment is the crur of the whole edncational situation- whether the selection and teaching of the creeds of the Churches shall be left to the Churches and paid for by them, or whether it shall be done by the State and out of funds provided by the whole of the people If we could be brought to face that fact we might reach a satisfactory settlement; until we have faced it there is no prospect of peace. Will Dr. Wace permit me to say that he draws the conclusion from my last letter with reference to the question of State-teaching concerning 44 the nature of our Lord he expected to draw but his statement of that conclusion fails to give a full and clear view of the facts I showed (1) that the National Council of Free Churches has voted for simple Bible instruction in State schools; (2) that it leaves the local edncation authority free to select those portions of the Bible judged to be suitable to the capacity of children; but (3) that the creeds of any Churches, and of all the Churches, are not admissible factors in that education. So that if a local education authority selected the passage in question the teacher would be trusted to deal fairly with the child and with the Bible in the light of the prohibition of the introduction of all denominational formularies.

I quite readily admit that such a course does not accord with the doctrine held and taught in the Church of Dr. Wace The Church to teach, Bible to prove," because that dogma involves starting with the Athanasian Creed and its damnatory clauses, or with the Nicene Creed and deciding what is meant by the words cited from John's Gospel by those authorities -a proceeding that may be perfectly legitimate in a church, but wholly outside the province of Parliament. But Dr. Wace will appeal to what are called primary truths common to all Well, what are they Has not the Rev. J.

Jowett told us recently of his pathetic failure to find such a common ground of co-operation there indeed a common ground in the Anglican Church itself? What is the common ground between Dr. Wace and the Church Times Dr. Wace is a Protestant; but the Ohurch Times says, Let it be understood that every Church school in the country is a place of training for unceasing war against and the destruction of Protestantism is to be insisted on just as one would insist on sanitary laws in face of advancing Is it not time that we recognized in this strife that we are not confronted by the Anglican Church of 1870, but with a Church saturated with Roman ideas and with the Roman temper That is the eritical factor. Is it not obvious that the State must, in England as in France, take up a position of absolute neutrality towards all creeds and all Churches, so that it may secure justice to all its members promote the real well-being of the entire commonwealth I am truly yours. JOHN CLIFFORD.

25, Jan. 9. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, J. MORGAN GIBBON. Stamford-hill Church, Jan.

9. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. Sir, -Were it not that a mist thick as the clouds that shroud the peaks of Ruwenzori is settling down on the question, Dr. Wace's letter in The Times of this morning might be allowed to pass in the silence of pained astonishment. But lest any of the Churchmen on whom he desires to into believing them, will you allow me to say that it is press home his strange assertions should be led astray not, and cannot be, true that the avowed object of the all United Free Churches is the abolition of Christian teaching in elementary schools The Free Church Federation is a union of Evangelical Churches, and is in such entire agreement with the standards and symbols of the Anglican Church as to the Divinity of our Lord that Unitarians of all shades are statedly excluded from the union.

But, Sir, a large and daily increasing number of Free Churchmen are yielding to the logic of things which demands that, in national education as in other matters, we render unto Cesar the things that are Cesar's and unto God the things that are God's. We believe in secular education by the State and in Christian education by the Churches. At a meeting of the Carnirvonshire Education Committee held yesterday a letter, dated December 11, from the Board of Education was read, stating that for their part they would regard it as reasonable that, in view of the present circumstances, the managers of voluntary schools should not be pressed to undertake substantial structural alterations, but should merely be required to carry out such alterations as might appear to be urgently necessary in the interests of the health and safety off the children attending the schools. In a report upon this communication the building committee saw no reason why the necessary repairs and alterations upon non-provided schools should be further delayed, and they proposed that a sub-committee should formulate definite requirements and should fix a time limit for the completion of all work. This was agreed to.

It transpired that, with regard to old council schools which are in course of being improved, the Board of Education had intimated that they had no desire to insist upon the ten square feet basis, the circumstances of each case to be considered with a view to the utmost concessions being made in favour of the committee." THE WEATHER. METEOROLOGICAL OFFICE REPORTS. WHATHER CHART, WEDNESDAY, JAN, 9, 6 P.M. barometrical the values which they indicate being given in figures as the The shade temperature is given in Light wind, fresh or strong, a violent gals, Bright sunshine recorded was, the following stations 5 9hrs. Llandudno, 5 4hrs.

Scarborough, 2-Shra. Harrogate, 0-Ihr. General Inference from 6 p.m. Observations. -While the barometer has fallen slightly over our southern districts and France decided rise has taken place in the and its influence has already extended southward to the Tyne.

It seems probable, therefore, that very quiet conditions will hold through the ensuing 24 hours over the country generally. FORECASTS FOR 24 HOURS INDIS MIDNIGHT THURSDAY. Bar. Cloudy -55 55 Shower Falling Slowly Showers Dani Dani In the abore chart the dotted lines isobars, or lines of equal SCOTLAND, N. and ENGLAND, N.E., MIDLAND COUNTIES, and S.

(London and Channel) SCOTLAND, ENG-1 LAND, N.W. (and N. Wales), and S.W: (and S. Wales), and IRELAND, N. and S.

Warnings. issued. (Light south-westerly to westerly breezes; cloudy, slight showers locally, misty in places mild. Light westerly to north-westerly breezes cloady, misty in places mild. THE TIES OFFICE, 11 P.M.

READINGS OF THE JORDAN BAROMETER (CORRECTED) DURING THE PAST OUR HOURS. JANUARY 8-9, Glycerine Mercury. Light or moderate southerly to westerly breezes dull, misty, slight showers locally mild. $25. 824.

TEMPERATURE AND HYGROMETRIC CONDITION OF THE AIR IN LONDON, JANUARY 9. Temperature. Tension Weight Vapour of Power Drying of Hamidity Hears of in 10 Air (per (SataraObserva- of 10 tion tion. Air. Point.

Vapor cubic Air. feet). 100). cubio of Inches Grains. Grains.

Par Cent. Noon 21 15 58 6 p.m. 35 14 62 11 p.m. 34 22 15 59 Min. temperature, 44deg.

Max. temperatare, 47deg. JANUARY 10. Sunrise, 86. 5m.

Sunset, th. 9m. Moon rises, 3h. 20m. a.m.

Moon sets, 1h. 9m. p.m. Age of -Twenty-seventh day. LONDON (M.O.OBS.), JAN.

9, 6 30-34in. 46deg. 42deg. Wind light. Weather overcast.

Rainfall (past 24 hours), nil. BERLIN, JaN. Ther.39-73deg.; 38-91 dog. Slight N.W. wind.

Overcast. VIENNA, J.AI 30 34in, 33 3deg. Slight W. wind. Cloudy.

ROME, JAR. 9. 30-12in. 57-40deg. Wind N.

Fine. PARIS, JAN, 30-43in. 41 deg. Wind E. Fog.

MAIL SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. THE MAILS. OUTWARD MATES. To be despatched from London to-morrow, Jan, 11- MORNING To Canada and Newfoundland, by Canadian packet. To Japan and China, cia Vancouver, per S.

TUNISIAN. To Lisbon, Brasil, Uruguay, Argentine Republic, and Chile, via Southampton, per s. AMAZON. To Portugal, Uruguay, and Argentine Republic, parcel mails, via Southampton, per s. AMAZON.

To Malta, parcel mails, by sea, per s. SYRIA. EVENING- To Egypt, Cyprus, Jaffa, and Beirut, via Brindisi, per S. OSTRIS. To India, Cozion, Straits Settlements, China, Japan, Australia, Zealand, Brindisi, per MARMORA.

To West and South- West Coasts of Africa, via Liverpool, per s. ARo. To Turks. Islands and Jamaica, via Bristol, per s. PORT ANTONIO.

To United States, Bahamas, and Bermudas, parcel mails, via Liverpool, per s. CAMPANTA. To Jamaica and Turks Islands, parcel mails, via Bristol, per s. PORT ANTONIO. PRIVATE SHIP LETTERS.

To. Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad, and Demerara, via Dartmouth, per s. SARSTOOS. To Antigna, Montserrat, St. Kitts, and Jamaica, via Dartmouth, per s.

DEB. To Port Limon, via Manchester, per s. MATINA. To Teneriffe, Las Palmas, Monrovia, Axim, Sekondi, Lagos, via Dover, per S. ELBONORE WOERMANS.

To Gibraltar, per s. MACEDONIA. letters intended for private ship must be sO addressed, and if by a particular ship its name must be INWARD MAILS. DUR TO- MORROWFrom Chile, Uruguay, Argentine Republio, Brazil, and Cape Verd Islands, tia Lisbon. OUTWARD-BOUND STEAMERS.

FROM JANUARY 10TH TO 16ra INCLUSIVE. Compiled from the Advertisements in the Times Shipping Columns, which should be consulted for details. Destination. Line. Leaves.

Argentine S. America R.M.S.P. 11 Australia, China P. and O. Mars'les, Jan, 11 Do.

Orient-Royal London, Jan. 11 Do. Mars'les, Jan. 16 Bombay and P. and 0.

London, Jan. 11 Do. British India London, Jan. Do. Ellerman's Hall Liverp'1, Jan.

10 Calcutta and Colombo P. and 0. London, Jan. 12 Do. Austrian Lloyd Trieste, Jan.

12 Do. Harrison Liverp'1, Jan. 12 Canada Canadian Pac. Liverp'1, Jan. 16 Egypt Mars' les, Jan.

16 Ceylon, Burma Bibby Mars'les, Jan. 11 Mombasa, Zanzibar, M.M. Mars'les, Jan. 10 British Indis London, Jan. 12 New York Cunard Liverp'1, Jan.

12 Do. White Star Liverp'1, Jan. 16 Do. American Jan. 12 Do.

ton, Jan. 16 Do. A. T. London, Jan.

10 South Africa Union-Castle ton, Jan. 12 Do. Do. London, 11 West Africa Woermann Dover, Jan. 11 West Indies, (FROM LLOYD's, P.

and 0. SUNDA, Calcutta for London, left Port Said 2 p.m. yesterday. from Brindisi, with the Indian mail, arrived Port Said 2 p.m. yesterday, and the London for Bombay, with the same mail, entered Canal 3 p.m.

MONGOLIA, London for Sydney, with Australia mail, arrived Fremantle 11 a.m. Tuesday. PALAW WAS, London for Calcutta, left Malta 4 p.m. Tues- day. Tuesday.

SIMLA, PERSIA, for Bombay, with China mail, left Shanghai Royal Mail- from Bombay, OPHIR, arrived Aden yesterday. left Gibraltar Brisbane for London, 4 p.m. Tuesday. ORMUZ, from London, arrived Melbourne 9 a.m. yesterday.

Union-Castle-s. ARMADALE CASTLE, carrying the South African mails, arrived Madeira 7 a.m. yesterday and proceeded noon: for Table Bay. AvONDALE CASTLE, from Table Bay, arrived Tenerife 7 a.m. yesterday and proceeded p.m.

for arrived Southampton and London. GOTH, from London, Table Bay 7 a.m. yesterday. DONVEGAN CASTLE, from Southampton, arrived -Table Bay p.m. Tuesday.

British MANORA, Calcutta for B.A.D., passed Gravesend Dover yesterday. Tuesday. Bombay London for Antwerp, MAURISTAS, for East African ports, left Zanzibar yesterday. Pacific-s. ORONSA, Liverpool for Valparaiso, left -Bio de Janeiro yesterday.

ORIANA, Liverpool for raiso, left Vigo Tuesday. ORTEGA, Valparaiso ValpeLiverpool, left St. Vincent, C. Tuesday. BOGOTA, from Liverpool, arrived Coronel Tuesday.

White Star-s. OCBANIC, from New York, arrived in the Mersey yesterday. TEUTONIC left New. York noon yesterday. MAJESTIC, for ICTORIA left New York 4 30 p.m.

Tuesday. Cunard-s. SAXONIA, from Liverpool, arrived Queens New York, left the Mersey yesterday. town yesterday, and proceeded 9 25 a.m. for Boston.

Anchor-s. Calcutta for passed Giravenend yesterday. African- for W.C. Africa, left the Mersey yesterday. COOMASSIE, for Liverpool, left.

Accra day. British and African- MINDI, from W.C. Africa, arrived Plymouth Tuesday, and proceeded for Liverpool. ADDAH, from Liverpool, arrived Grand Canary Tuesday. Imperial Direct West Indian- PORT KINGSTOS, from Avonmouth, arrived Barbados yesterday.

Canadian MONTEZUMA, for St. John, N.B., left Antwerp 8 a.m. yesterday. North-German Lloyd KAISER WILHELM IT: left New York noon Tuesday. KRONPRINZ WILHELM, Brimen for New York, arrived Southampton 8 30 a.m.

and left 12 30 p.m. Brrow, Yokohama for arrived Southampton 4 30 a.m. yesterday, and. left 7 30 a.m. GROSSER KURFURST, Sydney Bremen, and PRINZ REGENT LUITPOLD, from Colombo, arrived Sues yesterday.

German East African- KASZLER, from East African ports, arrived Dover, and left 12 15 a.m. yesterday for Rotterdam and Hamburg. KRONPRISZ, Hamburg for Zanzibar, passed Dover yesterday. Hamburg-American-s. SPEZIA, from Hamburg, arrived Yokohama' (Jan.

9). KAISHRIN AUGUSTR VICTORIA. Hamburg for New York via Cherbourg, left Southampton 4 35 p.m. yesterday. BETHANIA, Hamburg for Baltimore, passed Lizard Tuesday.

SILESIA, from Hamburg, arrived Hong-kong (Jan. 9). Messageries Maritimes-s. ADOUR, Tamatave for Marseilles, arrived Snez Tuesday. OCEANIE, from Marseilles, arrived Hong-kong (Jan.

9). Compagnie LA LORRAINE, New York for Havre, signalled 190 miles S.W. of Fastnet 8 a.m. yesterday. Austrian Lloyd- CHINA, from Fiume, scrived Yokohama (Jan.

9). Nippon Yusen Kaisha- TAMBA MART, Yokohama for London, passed Sagres Tuesday. MARt, from Seattle, arrived Yokohama (Jan. 9). Booth-s.

MADEIRENSE, for Pars, left the Mersey yesterday. JEROME, Liverpool and Leixoes for Para, arrived Lisbon Tuesday. ASSELM, for Madeira, left Para Tuesday. GRANGENSE, for Liverpool, left Cajoeiro Sunday. HILDEBRAND, Liverpool for Iquitos, left Madeira Tuesday.

QUARANTINE NOTICE. telegram from the Foreign Office states -British Minister Buenos Agres reports serious. outbreaks of bubonio plague 3: Asuncion and Villa Concepcion. WRECKS, CASUALTIES, Gravesend, Jan. Gothenburs, from Kotka, cargo frewood, and SEA SPRAT, 8., of Glasgow, for Caen, cargo pitch, were in collision about 12.30 this morning in lower part of Gravesend Reach.

Latter vessel was struck on starboard side amidships and foundered in mid-channel. Chief engineer missing. Former vessel has damage to stem and bows, and is now moored to buoy off here in a waterlogged condition. South Shields, Jan. previous! reported abandoned in a sinking condition, has-bern.

towed here by the North Shields steam trawler Windsor Castle, Corporal is now beached here with engine-room, full of water and decks awash. Southend, Jan. RED TAIL, of Rancorn, laden with York stone, has been ashore since Monday on South Shoeburz Sand. Has taken no assistance up till now. Lizard, Jan.

Falmouth togs Dragon, Triton, and Victor made an unsuccesstal attempt to tow the stranded HIGHLAND FLING off the rocks at high water to-day. Vessel is in same position. Hamburg, Jan. Danish RITA, for Copenhagen, is aground at Brockdorf. Assistance has been sent.

Singapore, Jan. 9. -The fire on board the British a. NETHERTON, as A roe Bay, is understood to hare been extinguished. Damage serious.

Leghorn, Jan. 9-Italian a. ASSTRIA, has been aground Bank, owing to Lightship having left her station. Lighs la under repair. Gallipoli (Turkey), Jan.

a. LYDIE, Bourgas for 1 badly stranded Diana Sboal. -While captain attempting boat capsized; one man drowned. FOREIGN ARRIVALS. ADELAIDE, -Commonwealth, London for Melbourne and ALGOA BAY, -Clan Mactadyen, Liverpool, BARBADO8, 1st.

-Alumwell, BIMLIPATAM, 8th. -Clan River Macneil, Natal. BOSTON, Hilarios, 3., Plate. BUENOS -Ottringham, Gulfport. Cardiff Thorpe Grange.

CHARLESTON, 5.0., Christian Nebe, Bremen EAST LONDON, 9th. -Bulayo, Algon Bay. GALVESTON, of Buenos A gres. GIBRALTAR, City Agra, Clyde for HAVANA, 8th. -Restitution, Passage HIOGO, 9th.

Cambodia, 8. HONG-KONG, 9th. Alcinos Clyde Orwell, Kina, IQUIQUR, 8th. MADEIRA. 9th.

-Tanis, Valparaiso for MADRAS, Ranald, Clyde Calcutta. MELBOURNE, London: 8th. 4-, Liverpool. NANTUCKET, 8th. Finland, Antwerp for Now York, NATAL, 6th.

-Perthshire, NEW ORLEANS, 8th. -Dunblane, Rio de Janeiro-Author, Mexico. NEW YORK, Ganos. Rotterdam. NORFOLK, 8th.

-Horda, Tyne. PORT SAID, Candid PHILADELPHIA, 4 Tokio, 8., Hull for Bombay. BIO DE JANKIRO, Newton, Antwerp. SAGRES, -Philae, Alexandria for Liverpool. ST.

VINCHNT, C.V., 9th. -Belscon, SAND KEY, Asuncion de Larrinaga, 6, for Galveston kum, Liverpool for Galveston. Hall, 5., Madras for London. TENFRIFFE, -Fort Salisbury, East London for London. YOKOHAMA, 9th.

Sikh, Clyde -Shawmas, VIZAGAPATAM, Clan Ferguson, FOREIGN SAILINGS. ADEN, 840. 1 Calcutta. ALGIERS, 800 eddo, Now York BOMBAY, Dunkeld, Leith. BUENOS A 8th.

-Margarita, COCHIN, -Clan Macleod, Coconada, CORONEL, Fitzclarence, 6. BAST LONDON, 9th. 4, Natal. LA PLATA, -Highland Watch, LAS PALMAS, London. MALAGA, 8th Peninsula, Cadiz.

MALTA, Sailor Prince, Manchester. MOJI, 9th. -Bee kenham, MONTEVIDEO. Clan New York. Macdongall, Bombay.

NEW YORK, 5th. Rio de NORFOLK Winnie, Rochfort. PORT Phillip, Bydney. PORT SAID, City of Calcutta, 4, Loncon. ST.

VINCENT (C.V.), Northlands, 4, Cork. SINGAPORE, 9th. Japan -Puritan, Tampa. TABLE TOTICORIN, BAY, 9th. -Clan -Clan Robertson, Maefariane, London.

HOME ARRIVALS. GRAVESEND, Norrmping for of Amsterdam, Oporto for Fredrikstad for for Marie, Gothenburg for E.I.D.-Plugs, Sitona, Fredrikatad for B.C.D.- Ren, Valencia for LIVERPOOL, 8. Barcelona -Star of Vi Norrona, Christiania. Campane 9th. Donate, Santander Palermo lemachus, Kragero Hone for chester.

Scholar, 5., Winifred, Port Oporto Arthur Batum Portland, Me, for Manchester and left for A ronmouth. PORTLAND; 9th. Montevideo, for and left London. for Reva! -Highland Ghillle, Buenos Ayres, Portland, and 0. left WATERFORD, QUERNSTOWN, Rosario.

9th. Brabloch, WEST HARTLEPOOL, -Port Victoria, 4 Port Pirie. HOME SAILINGS. BARRY, 7th. -Phoenicia, Coronel--King Bleddyn, St, Vincent.

CARDIFF. St. Vincent, C.7. 9th. Calthness, Mauritius.

FALMOUTH, 940. -Rabentels, Calentia: GLASGOW, 8th. -Holt Fill, Vancouver. Table GRAVESEND, 9th. -Antoinette, Bay--Narragansett, York.

GREENOCK, 8th. 8th. -Peru, St. Buenos Agres. Newport LIVERPOOL, News Hektos, Ancona.

9th. -Nerma, CopenFilians, Lord Elgin. Natal- Turia, Barcelona. NEWPORT. General Archinard, St.

Francois, Guadeloupe, PENARTH. -Goathiand, Buenos Ayres. PORT TALBOT, 8th. -Malvero, Buenos Agres. SHIELDS, 7th.

Urmston Grange, Buenos Agree via AntwerpOhio, Baltimore. SWANSEA. 7th. Chicago City, New SOUTHAMPTON. 9th.

-Ophir, York. WEST HARTLEPOOL, 6th. Oddersjaa, Valparaiso. HIGH WATER AT LONDON-BRIDGE THIS DAY. Morning 43min.

past 9 Evening 19min. past 10 MR. ARTHUR CHAMBERLAIN AND TRUSTS. -Mr. Arthur Chamberlain, referring to the Soap Trust in the forthcoming issue of the Kyacch Journal, says 54 In free-trade England no injurious trust can be permanently -it must die of evils inherent in its own constitution.

A trust cannot continue to exist in England. for any long time after it has become a nuisance that is, after it has begun to claim the spoils of victory. So long as it respects the sensibilities of its customers the world and the purse of the public, so long as it gives to the benefit of its economies, it may continie; but so soon as it uses its monopolist powers to enslave its customers and tax the pablic, rivals will appear. In England it is useless to kill competition with a view to raise prices as a later date. So soon as prices go up fresh competition, either from at home or abroad, will inevitably It is only in protectionist countries, where people have become broken to burdens and restrictions on trade, that trust has fair chance.

To deal with the commonest error of all, it is a mistake to suppose that an increase of size necessarily involves an increase of business economy which produces the most economical results in production. There is a unit of size in every beyond that difficulties connected results. with The human Soap nature Trust intervene rather than economic during its brief existence worked on the was brondest trust lines and pursued the widest aims. It managed by a committee for the good of all it stopped all competition among its members it pooled its profits (or losses) the it secured a monopoly of at least. three-fourths of ing trade; markets it made and efforta it.

put to the fear of dismis in the control both. produce and sellhearts of all its employes.".