[Mr. ASQUITH has pronounced himself cautiously in favour of a Capital Levy, on the condition, amongst others, that it must not be allowed to discourage the habit of saving.]]

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[Illustration:  JULIUS CAESAR ON THE LINKS.

Actor (whose knowledge of SHAKSPEARE is greater than his golf). “’O, PARDON ME, THOU BLEEDING PIECE OF EARTH.’”]

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RINGS FROM SATURN.

(Extracted from various issues of “The Daily Mandate.")

I.

To the Editor of “The Daily Mandate."

SIR,—­For a number of years I have been experimenting in wireless telephony with my installation on the heights of Lavender Hill.  On several occasions recently I have been puzzled by mysterious ringings of the bell attached to the instrument, which have obviously been set up by long-distance waves.  On taking up the receiver, however, I have been unable to make out any coherent message, but only a succession of irregular squeaks, although once I distinctly, heard a word which I can only transcribe as “Gurroo.”  I have no doubt in my own mind that one of the more advanced planets is trying to get in touch with us by means of wireless telephony, and that once we have deciphered the code we shall be able to converse freely with its inhabitants.  I myself incline to the belief that these rings emanate from Saturn, which, in spite of its great distance from the earth, is just as likely to wish to communicate with us as any other planet.

Yours faithfully,

DIOGENES DOTTLE, F.R.S.

II.

Mr. Dottle’s remarkable letter, published in our issue of yesterday, suggesting that inhabitants of Saturn have been endeavouring to communicate with the earth by means of wireless telephony, has created profound excitement in scientific and other circles.  To a representative of The Daily Mandate a number of well-known men expressed their views on the matter, which will undoubtedly stimulate further investigation into the momentous possibilities of this epoch-making revelation.  The opinions advanced, which are, on the whole, highly favourable to Mr. Dottle’s theory, are as follows:—­

Sir Potiphar Shucks, the famous astronomer:  “The possibility that Saturn is inhabited is one that, in the absence of incontrovertible evidence either way, should not lightly be set aside.  Assuming that it is inhabited, that its people are skilled in the use of wireless telephony and that it is possible to set up waves of sufficient intensity to travel all the way from Saturn to us, I see no reason why communications of the nature suggested by Mr. Dottle should not at some future date become an accomplished fact.”