fashionable fur, and that astrakhan had largely taken its place, that he
was willing to believe them.

It is reported that Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the Premier of Canada, is
coming here to be present at the next conference.

It is to be hoped that Lord Salisbury's eyes may now be opened to the
true state of the case, and that he may be able to convince Sir Wilfrid
that common sense demands that England and Canada shall make a similar
agreement with us to that which is just being prepared with Russia and
Japan.

* * * * *

The engineers' strike in England has not yet come to an end.

A special cablegram reports that the situation is unchanged. The Society
of Engineers insists on the eight-hour day, and the masters refuse to
discuss the subject until this point has been abandoned.

The chances of reaching an understanding are more remote than ever.

In the mean while there is trouble in the cotton trade.

The state of the cotton market is such that the manufacturers can no
longer pay the wages they have been paying, and they have had to give
notice to their hands that they must either close their mills or reduce
wages.

At first it was decided that ten per cent. must be taken off the pay of