28. The University Boat Race from Putney to Mortlake was won by Cambridge by 4½ lengths; time, 20 min. 23 sec.
29. The Report of the Departmental Committee on Local Taxation (Chairman, Sir John Kempe) recommended a large increase in State subventions to local authorities, a system of direct grants being substituted for that of assigned revenues. But grants should only be given for semi-national services, e.g., education, poor relief, main roads, public health, criminal prosecutions, and provision for mental deficiency. Under these heads a revised and simplified system of grants was recommended. The total increase would be 4,700,000l. annually, of which nearly 2,500,000l. would be spent on elementary education.
30. The Premier announced the resignation of Sir John French, Sir J. S. Ewart, and Colonel Seely, and his own assumption of the post of Minister of War. (See Eng. Hist., Chap. II.)
31. Great disaster to the Newfoundland sealing fleet. (See For. and Col. Hist., Chap. VIII., 3.)
—In the King's Bench Division, the libel action Adam v. Hayes Fisher was settled. The defendant, the Unionist M.P. for Fulham, had recommended that the plaintiff should not be selected as Unionist Parliamentary candidate for Woolwich, and the plaintiff now withdrew the charge that he had been actuated by express malice.
APRIL.
1. In the Central Criminal Court, the trial of John Starchfield, a newsvendor, for the murder in a North London train on January 8 of his son Willie, aged seven, was stopped after the close of the case for the prosecution, the Judge suggesting that the evidence of identification was insufficient, and the prisoner was formally acquitted. The child lived with his mother, the parents being separated.
2. Announcement that General Sir Charles Douglas had been appointed to succeed Field-Marshal Sir John French as Chief of the General Staff.
3. At the Central Criminal Court Frederick Augustus Gould or Schroeder was convicted of espionage under the Official Secrets Act and sentenced to six years' penal servitude.
4. At Glasgow, at an International (Association) Football Match, Scotland beat England by three goals to one.