Just when people in the west were congratulating one another upon the improved: outlook, a sudden appeal to "'direct_action" on the part of the two great transport unions again bro tight dark clouds into the horizon. The trouble, so far as it can be said to have a local origin, started in Glasgow, where the clockworkers, inspired by a small body of extremists, refused to handle coal intended for the Caledonian Railway Company. Their action was perfectly unjustifiable. The coal was shipped from Cardiff—not brought from overseas—it had been hewn by Trade Union Labour in the Welsh mines before the stoppage, and it had been loaded Cardifé by Trade Unionists. There was no taint or suspicion of blackleg labour about this particular shipment. Nor could it be alleged that it was destined for industrial purposes. The coal was intended to help the maintenance of a skeleton service of trains on the Caledonian Railway. a service absolutely essential in the general interests f the community.
The outcome of this fresh industrial trouble will be known long before this letter reaches you, but it is useful to narrate "the above details in order to exhibit the unreasonableness of the extreme labour claims at the present moment. The facts quoted establish beyond doubt that the wilder elements of the two transport unions associated with the miners, are decision of the majority of their members and force them into the adoption of a policy of direct action which has as its avowed object the downfall of the entire present economic system.
Tur Lave Mik. James McLeisu, TreNtsin.
The death is announced of a noteworthy Dundee personality, Mr. James MeLeish, son of the late Master Mariner James Me-Leish, who belonged to a family possessing a remarkable record of adventure (says The "Dundee Ad-dvertiser"), One of Mr, Me-Leish's ancestors had a price put, on his head for helping the Pretender to escape after the Rebellion of the Fifteen. Many years elapsed before he was allowed to return to this country, and then only under the disguising name of "Jack." Another ancestor took part in Rodney's famous battle in the West Indies, where he had the) fortune to intercept a piece of chain. shot which otherwise would have struck Prince William (atter-wards William IV—Burns's Royal Tarry Breeks"), who was serving an the same gun, an incident which gave the Royal Family a lasting interest in the old sailor.
Mr. McLeish was born in Dundee in 1851, and was educated at the Navigation Schoo] established by the Riddles in Greenwich Hospital. He graduated p.a., at London Uni-! mits that the machinery and pro-
English. He was for some years an_assistant master in Dulwich College, London, where he took a leading part in the school "rugger" and in swimming. The fine swimming bath there was due to his zeal as Hon. Secretary in collecting a fund of £2,800.
In 1886, Mr. McLeish joined the staff of the Imperial Naval College in Tientsin, one of Li Htungchang's experiments in Western education. The Boxer rebellion put a quietus on this institution, and Mr. McLeish then became the proprietor and editor of the "'Peking and Tientsin Times." In 1903 he was appointed Secretary to the British Municipal Councils, and thus Civil Administrator of -46 British settlements. In 1914 he retired on a pension.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.