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led up a deputation of school children , who presented a magnificent bouquet to the Princess . The children then sang " God Bless the Prince of Wales , " their Royal Highnesses p lanted memorial trees , and the statue was then formally unveiled , amid the cheers of the multitude , the

band playing a few bars of the National Anthem by way of salute . The Rjyal party then loft the ground , and drove to Lockinge , Colonel Loyd-Lindsay ' s seat , where they remained as guests till Monday , when they returned to Marlborough House . On Wednesday , the Prince aud

Princess of Wales dined with the Duke of Cambridge at Gloucester House . Their Royal Higuesses' eldest sou , Prince Albert Victor of Wales , is , unfortunately , laid up

at Marlborough Houso with an attack of fever , but the attack cannot be very severe , or they would not be going out visiting . Indeed , the latest accounts report the little boy as progressing satisfactorily .

Later accounts from Wimbledon give evidence that the shooting of our volunteers , so far from being inferior to what it was last year , has considerably improved . As the meeting will be concluded this week , most of the important contests are already over . The winner of the first

stage in the Queeu ' s Prize tarned ap in the person of Corporal Betts , of the 1 st Norfolk Rifle Volunteers , with the splendid score of 93 . The gallant fellow thus takes the silver medal of the Association and £ 60 . On Tuesday , the sixty who had made the highest scores in the first stage ,

competed for the Association Gold Medal and the Queeu s Prize of £ 250 . The ranges in this competition are 800 , 900 , and 1 , 000 yards . Private G . Jamieson , by birth a Scotchman , by adoption a Lancashire man , secured the honours of victory by a single point , his score comprising

22 points at 800 yards , 23 at 900 yards , and 25 at 1 , 00 J yards , or , in the aggregate 70 , Sergeant W . Jolliffe of the 1 st Isle of Wight aud two Scotchmen following close upon his heels with 69 . Of the other contests we note that Colour Sergeant Hyslop , 8 th Ayrshire , carried off the St .

George ' s Challenge Vase , with the Dragon Cup , Gold Jewel , and £ 25 for himself , his score of 35 points being the highest possible . Private Cameron , 3 rd Lanarkshire , was second with 34 , and thus secured £ 25 and a silver jewel , Private Angus Cameron being 3 rd with 33 points , aud

taking the bronze jewel and £ 20 . Lieut . Dank won the Alexandra Prize with a score of 62 . England has won the National Challenge Trophy with an aggregate score of 1 , 426 against the only other competitor , namely , Ireland , which made only 1 , 238 . Norfolk has carried off the China

Cup , the 1 st Notts ( the Robin Hoods ) , the Belgian Cup , Private Humphrey , a former Queen's Prize winner , secured the Secretary of State for War ' s Prize , Captain Pixley of

the Victorias , another Champiou shot , the first of the Henry Prizes , Sergeant Paton the Great Aggregate Prize , and the Volunteers have defeated the Army for the Donegal Challenge Cup .

The Eton and Harrow match at Lords , ended unsatisfactorily in a draw , owing to the abominable weather , on Saturday . The day previous had been very brilliant , and in consequence , some 15 , 000 people were present to witness this annual event . Eton headed its rival on the first

innings by six runs , the scores being , Harrow 157 , and Eton 163 . Harrow went to the wickets again , and had lost two wickets for 93 rnns . On Saturday play was resumed , and in spite of the rain there was a large gathering of spectators . Several interruptions occurred , and

the elevens only gave in to the elements when the ground was like a swamp . Harrow added 100 to its over-night ' s score of 93 , making a total of 193 , of which Rowe contributed 82 . When the game was discontinued , Eton had scored 78 for the loss of one wicket . This left them 110 to

win . In the other principal matches Notts beat Surrey b > only 18 runs , and Lnncashire defeated Yorkshire by nine wickets . The match between the counties of Gloucester and York and Eugland ended in a draw . Mr . W . G . Grace made the two excellent scores of 52 and 110 . the latter

being his second best performance this year , and Mr . A . N . Hornby , for England , scored 105 and 33 ( not out ) . On Monday afternoon , by permission of the Lord Mayor , whopresided , a meeting was held at the Mansion House , in aid of the Royal Dramatic College . The remarks of his Lordshii .

were very much to the point . Mr . Ray , to whose action the College is indebted for the present movement in support , made an earnest appeal to those present . Mrs . Alfred Mellon also addressed the meeting , and was followed by Mr . S . Emery . Mr . B . Webster , seconded bj Mr . Churchill , moved a cordial vote of thanks to the Lord

Our Weekly Budget

Mayor , and the compliment was gracefully acknowledged by his Lordship . Among the donation ? promised were one ot ten guiueas from tho Lord Mayor , and twenty-five guineas , with an animal subscription of ten guineas , from iVlr . Willing .

The news from the seat of war is growing more exciting every day , the Russians having gained more than one important success in Europe . In the first place , they have captured Nicopolis , the possession of which will enable them to establish another bridge over the Danube . Whether

this place was taken utter a desperate contest , as is stated in one report , or whether the Turks evacuated the place and retired without sustaining any loss , as stated in another , is not clear as yet . However , the city has been taken , beyond all question . Then a detachment of the

Russiaus has effected the passage of the Saltans , but subsequeut news is to the effect that the Turks , after some desperate fighting , succeeded in forcing their opponents back . Iu spite of these rumours , it is evident that the Russians have contrived to force—to what extent is

unknown—the second line of Turkish defence , and the news of this achievement has caused a great scare in Constantinople , and a tremendous excitement in all the other European capitals . Reinforcements are being hurriedly sent to the front , and every preparation is being made to

meet the forces under the Grand Duke Nicholas , and give immediate battle . Adrianople is being strengthened as to its defences , and , indeed , everywhere measures are being takeu to light it out to the very last . A report was spread abroad that the Russians , under the Grand Duke himself ,

had been defeated on the Plevna-Monastir line , and lost 12 , 000 men , but this has not been confirmed . The worst news that reaches us is ot the slaughter by the Cossacks of non-combatants , including women and children , and this is said to have taken place both in Europe and

in Asia . We trust , for the honour of Christianity , that these reports will turn out to be false . We are already sick of the continued announcements of " atrocities . " In Asia , the Russians are still retiring , and Kars has been entered by Moukhtar Pasha . The bombardment appears

to have inflicted no serious amount of harm to the defences , and only a few lives were lost . The Turks , indeed , seem bent ou attacking the Russians , and operating on the offensive along the whole line . Whether they will be successful under these altered conditions of the war remains

to be seen . As to Montenegro , now that the Turkish forces have beeu withdrawn , the Black Mountaineers have resumed the offensive , and have captured some half dozen villages . The events in the European theatre of war have caused profound agitation in Hungary , and there is a

general cry that Austro-Hungary should immediately declare itself in favour of Turkey . It is even said that the question of the passage of the Dardanelles by the British Fleet has been raised . Be this as it may , events are moving rapidly , and there is no knowing one day what new complication the next may bring forth .

The Quarterl y Court of the Girls' School was held at Freemasons' Hall on Saturday . The chair was taken at noon by Lient .-Colonel Creaton , and the minutes of the previous Court having been read and confirmed , it was announced that there would be ten vacancies for new

pupils to be ballotted for at the October election , while the number of approved candidates was fifty . Ifc was thereupon moved by Bro . R . B . Webster , and seconded by Bro . Raynham W . Stewart , that twenty-five additional girls be

admitted in October . This resolution was accepted unanimously , so that thirty-five instead of ten candidates will be otiosen b y ballot from the list of fifty . The usual complimentary vote of thanks to the chairman , who cordially acknowledged it , brought the proceedings to an end .

The Quarterly Court , Boys' School , was held at Freemasons' Hall , on Monday , at the hour of noon . The minutes of the previous court having been read and confirmed , it was announced that there would be nine vacancies to bo balloted for at the October election , while

the number of candidates alread y approved is sixty-three . Lhi t ! : < > motion of Lieut .-Colonel Creaton , seconded by Rev . A . F . A . Woodford , it was resolved that a testimonial , in recognition of the services of Mrs . J . B . Mouckton , should be presented by the Institution ; and a sub-commifctee , consisting of Lieut .-Colonel