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WARSHIPS BOMBARD FORT. â- '4 â- : r:. Prompt Reprisal for Outrage to Union Jack Followed the Act. A Puerto CulxUo, Vener.ucla, des- patch siiys; Thu liiiti.sh cruiser tending more and more toward part mil and a part lake bervicc, and nc- cordin^ly tlio railroad systems of tlie NorlliwosL in the future must lie Ohio to compete on water as well as on land if they oxf.ecl to koej) their earnings. 'It is stated that the con)l>any may also docido to con- si nu:t a number of passeuKcr boats Charybdis' and the CJiruian cmiser plyiny; from Detroit and 'I'orontO; Vine*'". b(jnil)arded the fortress lierc liuvinK secured an interest in the at fl o'clock on Saturday afternoon. ; business of the Bertrams, Kliipbuild- The lire Was returned, but after a ers, of Toronto. 'J'he latter, it is toniWrdnient of 45 minutes the further said, will construct a SL- Venezuelan guns were silenced. 'J'he jUOO.OOO plant, completely o<iuipped fortress is composed of i'"orts So- i at Sandwich, across tlio river from FLOOD OF CHARITY. British Purse Strings Loosened in Aid of Poor. A LoiKlon de.'ipntch says: ('hrist- niiustido in (Ireat Britain promises to rosolwB itself into a struggle to avert tJie death of thousands of i)cople from cold and hunger. Charity ia pouring out money like water, and the collection of further funds is pro- ceeding. The Charity Organization Society alone will distribute 81,000,- 000 within the next few weeks. The Salvation Army has thrown oj>cn its shelters free of charge, and is night- ly feeding the multitude at a price far below cost. Itoth tlie Established and Non- Conformist Churches are drafting parishioners for the service of re- THE MARKETS Prices of Grain, Cattle, in Trade Centres. etc lano and the Castle Libertador. At- Uetroit. The primary object of this j lief. Hoards of Cuardians and Bor- ter the lirlng ceased the Charybdi.s plant will be to builil boat.s for the|ough Councils are pushing public sent marines, to occupy the castle 'i'he forlie.ss was alniiisi demolished. It is probable that only a few per- sons were injured liy the shelling. The coinniantli'r of Castle l^il'ertador has been taken piiJioner. The cruis- vessels crs are still here. shops. At 7 o'clock Sunday morning the Charybdis and the Viiieta arrivc\l here searching for Venezuelan Rim- : Half a Dozen Agricultural Canadian I'aei/ic, but it is also the! works in order to give employment puri>o.'^e of the new company to enter 'to the ne<idy. Idle, noble, and aris- the (ield for general contracts for tocratic women are organizing com- building ami repair work. Nearly niittees to collect funds and arc all the rci>air work for Canadian | planning bazaars on a large scale, is now done in American 'fho Bishop of London states that Itho prevailing demonstration of â€" â€" â€" *• â€" ! charitable feeling is almost unprece- TRAINING FOR P^RMERS. Rented in his long experience. He Col- leges Needed in Ontario. ! A 'J'oronto desi)atch says: Mr. C. C. James, Dei)Uly Minister of Agri- boats. The two cruisors sent their boats into the inner iiort, but liiid ing no gunboats, thu bouts return ed. The c.iplain of the British luer chant steamer Toi)aze, which was culture, in connnenting on the siwech seized by the mob here last Wedne.s- of Dr. Mills, 1'ro.sident of the (In- day, then visited the com- tario Agricultural College, Guelph, modorc on board the Charybdis, and ; delivered at the banquet of the Blid- lodgetl a protest against the viola- winter Fair Board, contended that, tion of his ship. The Briti.sh cap- with 17.'5,000 farmers in Ontario, tain returned an hour later with a theie was need of half a dozen more detaehnsent of lifty nuirincs, who Agricultural Colleges, such as the took charge of the Topaze. The populace were greatly excited at this incident, and rai.sed the er.v, "To arms!" but there was no disorder. OUTHACJK TO BUrriSIl FLAG. The British commodore then .sent a message 1o the uuthorities at Puerto Cabello deman<ling inime<lintc stitisfaction for the action of the mob in having hauled down the Bri- tish flag from the Topazo, saying if this satisfaction was not forthcoming in two hours, at 5 o'clock, the fort- rcsfi and the Customs house would be Ijombarded. On the receipt of tlii.s demand the authorities sent a nies- 1 sago to President Castro a.sking for "instructions. i A comniitt/'e of merchants of Pucr- | to Cabello then approaehe<l the 1 Amcriran Constil here, petitioning him to intervene. The Consul ac- j ccptcsd this mission, and visited the I cruisers, but lie could obtain no al- I tcration in the decision of the allies. | At a (piarter befor*. .") a reply was received from l'resi<lent Castro, who authorized the chief oflicial here to j give th(! British comuiolore ample Batisfaction. Before tlii-i answer | could be rommmiicatcd to the Ameri- I Can Consul the hour stipidated for its receipt had arrived. The cruis- j ers immediately openwl lire <m the fortress. The lire was returned from Fort .Solano anri Castle I.iberl.tdor. While the (ire continued there wiis Intense excitement in this port. P^v- er.v house in town was closed. The lieople of Puerto Cabello can- not ac<:ount for this prnri|ii(alc ac- tion on th(! part of the allies, which the.v considei' to be |ii-oof that tir<!at Britain and CJerinany intend forcing war upon Venezuela. The British nmrines purpose to make ust; of the cannon la Ca.s^tlc IJherlador. No damage Was done to the town. one in Ouelih, which is doing .such splendid Work. Of cour.'^e the e.x- peiise involved in such an inuler- (aking ma<le it impracticable, but ho would favor utilizing some of the High .Schools throughout the coun- try nsi training schools for these who wi.sh to devote their lives to agricul- tural pursuits. This was along the isame line as Hon. ftichjird Har- court's suggestion of turning the Technical School into a non-cla.s.sical high school. The trend of the age was towards sp<'cializiug in educa- llion us in other things. NEW LINES IN THE WEST. C. p. E. Pursuing an Active Policy Says Engineer. A Montreal despatch .says: Mr. Mc- Henry, the chief engineer of the (;. P. !{., has returned from a (rip I which has included the western I boundary of Manitoba. In regard to the new lines which had been plaimcd, and upon which a certain amount of work had already been 'done, he .said that (he C. 1'. It. was carrying out a vigorous policy in .the w<'st, and that a considerable ] amount of work and a large outlay ! would he inuncdiatel.v in order. The lines which are being projeclec! west of Winnipeg will cost, all told, in j the neighborhood of 51(1,000,0(10. There bad alreiul.v bojn a cerlain number of branch lines built in the Northwest, but Manlloha needed, and was receiving, earnest attention at the hands of the company. hopes that much may be aocomplish- ed to mitigate the mass of misery and darkness in so many sections in the metropolis. On Monday a conference will take place between the Independent Labor party and Borough Councils and guardians and other representative men and women to devise means for arousing public opinion a-"? to the necessity for initiating practical measures for the reduction of the un- employed in the country. QUEEN TO DINE WIDOWS. Her Majesty Prepares Christmas Treat for Them. A Lon:!on despatch says :â€" It is learneil that Queen Alexandra in- tends to mark l:or syu)patliy for the WdTerers in the recent .South African War b.v giving a (.'hristuias dinr.er to all the widows and children now in London of those who fell in the war. The diniie]' will be given on December 27111 at the Mexantira Trust lU'stauraiil, of which the CJueen is [resident, and which was founiled in ivlareh, lOOU, by Sir Thomas l.ipton, for the betielit of the poor. .Sir Thimuiii Liiiton has charge of all the arrangements for the din- ner. In the prochmint ion announcing her intention, (Juetn Alexandra will in\lte all Ihi" widons and childic-n of the Koliliers and sailin-s belonging to the Imperial and colonial I'orees who lost llnir lives in ."-â- outh Africa or (liel fi(Mn the eifeets of th- cain- liaiRli. She adds : "Her Maii'sly iky- Birc» in the coionat ion yeai- to ex- press her heartfelt symialliy with those who have sulTered the cruel bis rcavcMnent of war. and to wish that happiness and comiort ma.v, with Ood's blessing, be Ihelrs in the com- ing year." Her Alnjosty will defray all the traveling ONpenses of her guests. MRS. U. S. GRANT DEAD. Widow Oi? Famous United States General Passes Away. A Washington despatch says :â€" Mrs. IJlys.se-i .S. Oraul, widow of f<U"- mer Presiiirnt Ciant. died at her residence in ttiis city at 11.17 o'clock on Sunday night. Death was due to heart fnihu-e, Mrs. (Irani having sulTeied for some years from valvular tU'case of the heart , which was aggravated by a seveio attack of bronchitis. Iler age pi evented her from rall.vins from the; attiuks. Her daughter, Nellie (Jiant .Snrloris. was the onl.v one of her chihhen wit(j her at the hour of her death, her three sons, who had been summoned here, all being out of the cit.v. ONTARIO SHIPYARD. J. J. J. Hill and Canadian Pacific Back of Entorjirise. Chicago dcKiiatch says; .lames llill, president of the (Jrent Northern Ilailway, arrived in the city on Friday night, and with him cnnie the seml-otlieinl aiinouncenuMil of ambitious plans contemplated b.v the (Jrent Northern system, not the leant lieing the construction of a large Meet of niodern vessels for thu lake carrying t.iade. This move Is Conteniplat(Ml, it Is stalixl, for the purpose of putting the Northern Pa- cific (in a parity with the 1/ehlgh, the Groat Northern, and oUier systems BELLS AT CROSSINGS. This Method of Protection Would Prevent Accidents. A Toronto despatch sa.vs: City Fngineer llusl thinks something could and should be .done to eiul the appalling list of level crossing fatali- ties. He did not fav<u' tlu- jiro- posal to provide automatic gatvs at crossings, as he wasn't sure they would be practicable. "There Is no reason," said he, '•why level cross- ings should not be provided with alarm bell.s-, which would ring aut(una( ically at the approach of a train. This method of warning has alrciKly been tried successfully at crossings in cities and it would work at country crossings just as well." ASKS FOR ARBITRATION. Makes Heqiiest Through United States Minister. A Washington despatch sa.vs: \ cablegram received at the State De- partment on Friday frcmi Minister Bowen, at Caracas, states that t hi> Voin'zueia (Jovcrnment has reiiuested him to |:ropow^ to (Jreat Britain and Ocrmany that the dlflncultics arising out of the claims for allegwl dam- ages an<l injuries to British and (lerman subjects, <luring the ('ivil War, he BUhinltled to nrhit ration. The otter was referrod to the BrilisJi niul (iermun I''mliusHies, and by thein in lako transportation. Traflic east , trnnsmitte<l to their respecUve tJov- kml west bctwccu the *j>g centers is Icrnna'nts. .|er WANTS SALOONS CLOSED. Rtissians Say Monopoly Has In- creased Drunkenness. A St. I'etersburg despatch says: Many provincial authorities are pe- titioning M. ,S. J. Witte, Minister of Finance, to close the .State saloons. The.v as.sert that tlie tiovernment Vodka monopol.v has resulted in the secret sale of spirits everywhere, and in a lar.ge increase of <lrunkenncss. "Formerly," says a petitioner, "in- to.xication was seen onl.y in saloons. Now the streets and public places are frei|uented by drunkards. This sad conilition of aflairs is directly due to the pri>hibition of the con- sumption of liipior where it has been bought." P'urther, the monopoly has been abolished on the ground that it is taking a lucrative source of revenue from the schools and giv- ing it to the .State, which i.s expect- ed to dismiss the petitit>n without much delay. 'Phe vodk,a monopoly ir.creascs the Imi crial revenues. The annual income from alcohol was 280.000,000 rubles (Sl'M.:iOO,000) in 1897; last vear it amounted to 31G,- ()00,0(J0 rubles (,';J1C)2,7'10,000), KENSIT'S SLAYER. Acquitted of Charge Amid Tumul- tuous Scenes. A London despatch sa.vs: The trial of .lolin McKeever. who was charged with killing _ .lobn Keiisit, the anti-Iiitiialistic h'ader, at Birken- head, ended on Thurs<la.v in an actiuittal of the accused. When the verdict was announced there was a scene of tuimilluous exultation in the court. McKeever danced in the dock, nnt\ was so excited with joy that warders ha<l to hold him while the judge lormall.v discharged him. The peopli' prosienl cheered vocifer- ou.'l.v and wave:! their hats. When McKeever appeared (Uitside the court- room the crowd that had assembli.nl hoisted him on their shoiildors and paraded triumiihantly with him. Kcnsit was struck on the head with a chisel during a riot arising out of his anti-lUt iialist ic campaign, and died from his injuries. LANDI^IARK DESTROYED. House Built by Fur Traders Over 100 .Years Ago, A Sault .Sle. Marie, Out., despatch says: 'J'he residence of ex-Indiifii Agent William Van Abbott, with entire contents. was burned on Thursday morning about 1 o'clock. This removes one of the old lalid- mark.s and tin- oldest frame building in town, it having been built in part upwards of one liuiulrod .vears ago b.v parlies engaged in fur trallic, and opponents to the Hudson's Bay Coml>any. who also hail a post here. The Inmates of the burned building l)arel.v escaped with their lives The poiicenian who forced the door found Mr. Van Abbott in his bed uncon- sciotis, bat managed to bring him outside. PASSENGERS IN BOND. Regulations Laid Down Will Now i Be Enforced. An Ottawa despatch s.^ys: There are Certain regulations which are laid down to govern the transit in bond through Canada of baggage of railway passengers. The.so regula- tions liave not. it Is lcarne<l, been strictly enforced of la\e. and as a conseiiiienco the authorities of the Customs Department have been in conference with the railwn.v oflU'ials ns to the best means of scctiring bet- ter obwrvanre for the futin-c. It Is un<lerKtood that moans have been suggested. ami that these regulations will l)c fully enforced from tliis out. BKUADSTUFFS. Toronto, Bee. 16. â€" Wheat â€" Is steady to firmer at 68Jc to 6'Jc for No. 13 red and white east, and CSJc middle freights. Goose is steady at 0.5c for No. 2 east. Spring is stea- dy at 66c for No. 1 cast. Manitoba is firmer at 87c asked for No. 1 hai-d, and S.^c for No. 1 northern grinding in transit, and 2c less all rail North Ba.v. Flour â€" Js "lirmer at $2.70 bid for cars of 90 per cent, patents in buy- ers' bags east or middle freights. Choice brands are held 15c to 20c higher. Manitoba flour is steady at S4.20 for cars of Hungarian patents an<l Sa.'JO for strong bakers", bags included, on the track Toronto. Millfced â€" Is steady at S16 for cars of shorts and 511 for bran in bulk east or middle freights. Mani- toba millfeed is steady at S19.50 for cars of shorts and §17.50 for bran, sacks included, Toronto freights. Barley â€" Is steady at 45c for No. i5 extra and 42c for No. 3 east or middle freights. Buckwheat â€" Ts steady; No. 2 is ciuoted at 51c bid east, and at 50c high freights we.st^ K.ve â€" Is steady at 50c cast, and at 495c middle freights. Corn â€" Is Kteadv at 46c for Can- ada new yellow and at 58c for old Canada yellow west. American is firmer at S.'ic for new No. 3 yellow and 65c for old No. 3 yellow on the track Toronto. Oats â€" Are steady at 31c to 31 ic for No. 1 white east. 30c for No. 2 white high freights, and at 30* c middle freights. Oatmeal â€" is steady at $4.10 for Cars of bags, S4.25 for barrels on the track Toronto and 25c more for broken lots. Peas â€" Are steady; choice No. 2 milling are quoted at 74Jc east and at 74c mitldlo freights. .2 3c to 24c ..22c to 23c ..20c to 21c steady and unchanged; sheep are not wanted; lambs arc firm, and hogs unchanged. There is practically no export trade at this market at present; and what would, in ordinary circum- stances, be shipping cattle, is bought lor the local trade. For all the best butcher cattle there was a good de- mand. Good to choice cattle sold at from 3^ to 4{c i)cr pound, with selections as high as 4ic per pound. Medium cattle was steady at from 3i to .'JJc iier pound; common stuff was unchanged. Bulls, feeders, and stockers are not quotably altered in price. Good milrh cows are wanted, and the right kind will realize up to 860 each. A few good veal ea-lvea are in steady demand, at from 44 to 5c per pound, or up to ten dol- lars each for choice veals. Sheep are quoted at 3c to a shade more, but the.v are really not want- ed at all. Lambs were ten cents better to-day, going as high as 4ic per pound. Hogs are unchanged and steady. The top price for choice hogs is $6 per cwt; and light and fat hogs are quoted at So. 75 per cwt. Hogs to fetch the top price mu.st be of prime quality, nn<l scale not below 100 nor above 200 lbs. Following is the range of prices for live stock at the Toronto cattle yards to-day: Cattle. Kxport cattle $4.50 S5.12J Do., light 4.00 4.50 Butcher cattle, choice.. 3.75 4.25 Do., ordinary to good Stockers, per cwt . .Sheep and Lambs. Kxport ewes, pier cwt Nominal. Lambs, per cwt 3.75 4.25 Bucks, per cwt 2.50 2.75 Culled sheep, each 2.00 3.50 Milkers and Calves. Cows, each 35.00 60.00 Calves, each 2.00 10.00 Hogs . Choice hogs, per cwt laght hogs, per cwt Heavy hogs, per cwt Sows, per cwt Stags, per cwt 3.00 2.50 3.50 3.25 5.75 5.50 5.50 3.75 2.00 6.00 5.75 5.75 4.00 2.50 COUNTRY PRODUCE. Butter â€" There is a scarcity of choice dairy in tubs and rolls, and prices for these are firm. The sup- ply of medium grades i.s large en- ough, and there is an abundance of common stuff, chlefl.v in tubs. Cream- ery is lirm, with a keen demand. Quotations for all sorts are unchang- ed. Creamerv prints do solids, new do do old Dairy tubs and pails, choice 10c to 18c do medium 14c to 15c do common 12c to 12Jc do pound rolls 17c to 19c do largo rolls 16c to 17c Cheese â€" The market is steady, with a good demand. Prices are un- changed; jobbers quote large at 12Jc to I3c anil twins at i;ic to 13Jc. Kggs â€" There is a stead.v demand for strictly frcsh-gatheretl. and the.y all .sell readily at 19 to 20c. Sec- onds are unchanged at 14c to 15c. and splits tontiuue slow at 12c to 14c. LinuHl are selling at 18c. Potatoes â€" The higher prices of the past da.v or two arc due entirely to the change in the weather, neces- sitating belter care in the transport- ation of the supplies. Car lots on track here are (pioted at 85c to 90c per bag. and potatoes out of store at SI to SI. 10. I'oultry â€" Tlfe market is well cleaned up. and some lines, particu- larl.v the choice birds, are scarce Turke.vs are quoted at 9ic to lOJc per pound, and good ones bring i more. Chickens are (inner at 35c ! to 45c for old birds and 40c to 60c j for young, tieese are in light .sup- ! pl.V at 7c to 7Jc. with He asked and; paid for good samples. Ducks are i lirmer and higher at 65c to 90c per i pair. I Baled Hay â€" Market has an easy tone, but prices are no lower. Car I lots of No. I timothy on track here are quoted at .?9 to 89.50 I'er ton Baled .Si raw â€" Market ipiiel. with prices wtcady. t'ar lots on track | hero arc tjuotcd at S5 to 55.50 per ton. HOW WE ARE DYING. Ontario's Eate of Mortality Low- est in the World. A Toronto despatch says: iVfortal- ity tables are not usually cheerful or fascinating subjects, but when Dr. Bryce, registrar-general of Ontario, begins to speculate with them they become not only hopeful but even fascinating. The following table shows how many people died in On- tario in the past five years, since 1897, when the new Act came, into force which has made the returns practically complete: 1897. 27,633; 1898, 26.370; 1899, 28.607; 1900, 29,494; 1901. 29,006. The rate l>er thousand in 1901 was 13.0, which is one of the lowest, if not the vcr.v lowest death rate in the world. Scotland, which is a healthy ccun- tr,y, h,ad an average dcnxth rale of 18.5 in the thousand for the past 10 years. A clo.sor e.xamination of thcs? fig- ures goes still further to prove the healthful characlcr of Ontario's cli- mate. In 1':M10 :?.80O people died over 70 years of age. and 3.099 over 80 years of age. That is about 23 per cent, of the deaths were those ol I'crsons over 70 vears of age. Nearly 25 per cent., or 7.163, of the deaths were of children under one year. The deaths of those under one year old, that is. infants, and of persons over 55 years of age. form 60 per cent. of the total deaths; so that the death rate in that great part of the population between infanc.v and .">S years, or 1.919.000 people in (.hv tario, is onl.v six in the tliousnud This is a death rale for the wvirkins period of life lower than that of aii.v other countrv in the world. aiie shows that after all Ontario 'is about as good a place to live in as can b« found. BUFFALO 15UA1N MAllKETS. BulTalo, Dee. 16. â€"Flour steady. Wheat â€" Siu'ing dull; No. 1 hard pot, 83 Jc: winter flrui: No. 2 reil, 7,9c. Corn â€" .Steady: No. 3 .yellow. No. 3 corn, 55c. Oats â€" OlVcr No. 58c: iiigs light; No. 3 white, 36Jc; mi-\ed.'841c. Barley â€" 48c to 63c. l{ye â€" No. 1 in store, 56Jc asketl. F.UHOPKAN GKAIN MARKKTS. London, Dec. 16. â€" Mark Lane Miller Market â€" W'heat, foreign linn at Jill advance of 3d; lOnglish lirm. Corn â€" American, irregular, and lianubian stead.v. Flourâ€" .American, lirm and rather dearer and F.nglish (irm. Paris, Dec. 16. â€"Close â€" Wheat, stead.v at 2lt 20c for December and 2lf 60c fur Ma.v and August. Flour â€"Steady al 28f 20c for December ami 28f o.'ic for May aiul August. Antwerp. Doc. 16. â€" No. 2 red winter, 15;t. IMPORTATION OF HIDES. The Regulation Changed Eegard ing Them. An Ottawa despatch says; Thii Government has decided to aiucno the regulation prohibiting tlie entrj of hides friun the United Slates, sc as to permit the importation o: hides ami .'^kins, provided the.v dc not originate in an.v of the si.x New; iji.glaiul .States, and are aecoin paiiii-d b.v a certificate showing that they did not originate in the iiifccl- td districts. I.IVK .STOCK MABKF.TS. Toronto, Doc. 16. â€" The receipts nt the Western cattle market this morning were 86 carloads of live stock. There was a fairly good de- mand to-day: a small amount of Christmas cnttlo came in, and sold as high ns 5Jc per pound. A few ex- port cattle changed hands at around 5c per pound; butcher cattle was MANY FROZEN TO DEATH. Cold Weather and Hard Times i« Germany. A Berlin despatch sa.vs: The ex treniely cold weather prevailing it Germany, in connection with Ihi liard timts, is causing much suiter ing. Many perstuis have been froz en to death in the western iiulustria! provinces and also in ttie northeast ern prov inces. GOOD YEAR FOR LC.R. Receipts for Past Five Monthi Show $320,000 Increase. An Ottawa despatch sa.vs: I'oi the live months ending November 30, the Intercolonial Kailwu.v receipts show an increase of $320,000 over the same time last year. The year has been an exceedingly good one. and the embargo on the •hipnient of Canadian cattle by the Canadian Pa- citic throtish Maine to St. John will add to the receipts of the Interco- louiul for Use ne.xt few months. \^ {