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London, Aug. 17.â€"â€"The Agreement of London, the most: important inter- national compact since the Versailles Treaty, was partly signed and partly initialled at a final plenary session of the London Conference last night, just one month after the' inte'r-Allied de- liberations began. The documents embodying the hisâ€" toric understanding include four protoâ€" cols regarding the Dawes plan, a fifth protocol under which final signature to the other four is promised following parliamentary sanction to what the various conferences have agreed upon France, Germany and Belgium upon the hard-won settlement that not only puts the Dawes plan into operation subject to ratification by the French and German Parliaments, but solves the Ruhr problem through the French written guarantee of evacuation within one year from Friday last. 50,000 PERISH AND MILLIONS HOMELESS Speeches wgre made by spokesmen for the United States, Great Britain. Villages Inundated by Devas- tating Floods Sweeping Widespread Chinese Areas. A despatch from Shanghai says:â€" Millions have been rendered homeless, and at least 50,000 persons have been drowned in devastating floods which are sweeping widespread areas of China, submerging tens of thousands of villages. Thousands of refugees are pouring into Pekin. It is impos- sible to get even an approximate estiâ€" mate of the fatalities, but 50,000 is said to be a conservative estimate. Unusually devastating floods, with accompanying Widespread destruction of property have been reported from various sections of China during the last few weeks. Late in July there were serious inundations in the Provâ€" inces of Chihll and Hunan. On Sat urday further floods were reported from Kwangsi and Sinkiang, but it was reported that the loss of life had been up until that time comparatively small. A despatch from Washington sayszâ€"Ten million people are affected by famine 'in China, according to an announcement by the China Internaâ€" tional Famine Commission, obtained for the American Red Cross by Jacob Gould Schurman, the American Min- ister in Pekin. The estimate is that $10,000,000 will be needed for relief operations. The emergency relief mea- sures now under way are carried on by various Chinese philanthropic organizations, and Dr. Schurman re- ports that the Famine Commission is laying plans to meet the distress which will follow the destruction of the crops. AGREEMENT 0F LONDGN SIGNED, RUHR EVACUATED WETHEN YEAR A later despatch from Pekin says :â€" The international famine relief com- mittee announced on Thursday that the latest estimate of the number of deaths from the floods which have been sweeping China is 14,115. The com- mittee estimates that 15,000,000 per- Ions are affected in the flooded areas in the Provinces of Hunan, Chihli, Klangsi. Fukien, Kwang'tung. Shangâ€" tang, Honan and Hupeh. AIRPLANE CRASH CLAIMS TWO VICTIMS Forestry Service Men Instant- ly Killed in Thunder Bay District, Third Injured. Fate which deal: death to Burton's comrades sent. succor to him as he lay unconscious beside the wreckage of Port Arthur, Ont., Aug. 17.â€"-Junior Pilot Kenneth McBride, 20, of Brantâ€" ford, and Victor Gilbert, Kingston, foresters, are dead, and Pilot E. C. Burton is in the hospital here suffer- ing from a compound fracture of the right leg and body bruises and burns, the result of an airplane crash near Savanna early last evening. The plane was one of seven being used in this district by the Ontario Government _in forestry patrol work. Burton and his comrades were flying G-CAOC and were on a forced trip searching for G-CAOB, which had been missing since Thursday but which was located toâ€"day and brought into Port Arthur where three planes are now lying. “ Senior Pile durton told the C adian Press that his plane “run i a bump" on one wing which set him edge. The machine went into a 51: ning nose-dive from a distance 1,000 feet into a muskeg swamp « "1d a half miles from Savanne s fion. Kenneth McBride died of I uries shortly after the accident : ilbert succumbed in hospital here t hours atter being admitted and hours after the smash. Final Session of Reparations Conferenc‘ Important Conference Since Treaty DH! his and two 18 iBRITISH EMPIRE MAY 3 BE SELF-SUPPORTING iDevelopment at Home and 3 Conservation Necessary, Esâ€" , I pecrally in Canada. 1 I A despatch from London says:â€"-‘ Measures to safeguard the Empire against the possibility of a world fa- mine in timber as foreshadowed in a paper read at the meeting of the Brit ish' Association at Toronto on Wednesâ€" day are outlined in an interview which Prof. Fraser Story, technical officer to the Forestry Commission, has given the Times. Prof. Story is of the opin- ion that at no distant date the Empire may become self-supporting provided there is a reasonable development at home, with adequate conservation of a resources throughout the Empire, par- ticularly in Canada. Only twenty per cent. of the present British timber imports come from within the Empire, with Canada as the principal source. The resources or the Dominion, which by themselves would be capable of making the Empire self-supporting, were almost unlimited; the loss from forest fires, however, was appalling. During the last five years no fewer than ten million acres of timber had been destroyed in Canada by fire. The only real remedy for forest fires was Ito educate public opinion in the areas concerned, and to get settlers and others to realize the importance of Canada’s timber resources to the Em- pire. Prof. Story says the United Kingdom has five million acres of un- lproductive land suitable for cultiva- tion for the purpose of a forest sta- tion. There was scarcely a country in the world except British Columbia and California, where soft woods could be grown so well. The Forestry Commission has acquired 127,000 acres for planting. here, and four formal letters exchang- ml among the French, Germans and Belgians regarding the Ruhr. It was the Ruhr problem which held up the agreement until yesterday morning, when at 4 o'clock a messen- ger from German headquarters woke Herriot to hand him a note from Chancellor Marx informing Herriot that Germany, while contending the Ruhr occupation is illegal, “takes note’ of the French decision to remain anâ€" other year. The final Ruhr agreement is in ef- fect a compromise. Herriot stood firm for his year but gave away on many other poirts and agreed to the German wish as to the form the agreement should take In the first of the four Ruhr docu- ments the French and Belgians, in In the first of the four Ruhr docu- ments the French and Belgians, in a letter to the Germans, state that they stick to their view that the Ruhr occupation is legal, but will evacuate within a year from Friday last. his plane. G-CAOD, piloted by J. F. Maloney, flew overhead and spotted the wrecked machine and was able to get immediate aid. Burton will probâ€" ably recover. He has not been told of the death of his comrades, nor will he be told until his condition is im‘ proved. McBride was a flying student and it was his first year in the game. Gilbert was an experienced forester, a gradu- ate of one of the eastern colleges. Burton was unable to give much ac- count ef the actual crash. He believes it was from an up-current of air which tilted the wing. Moon Provides No Guide For Western Crop Seers The harvest moon is set in the heavens to illumine the late labors of the harvest field, not to act as a wea- ther prophet, meteorologists say. Wes- tern farmers who have been predict- ing that if the full moon passes withâ€" out a frost there will be none until the crop is harvested, are deluding themselves, state the weather sharps, who do their prophesying by rule and reason and not by guess. do with to Sir F ological proache ular theor before the be none ur “We dc has anytk 000,000 bus four mecha capacity of marine leg bushels per and it time to onference Results in Most :e Treaty of Versailles. Mo loon has absolutely nothing to weather conditions, according federic Stupart, of the Meteor- Office, Toronto, when ap- l for an opinion on the pop- ory that if there is no frost 1e full moon passes, there will until the crop is harvested. 3!: consider that the moon I; to do with it," he stated. n old wives’ tale." Quaâ€"Vle grain nlcvator er is practically completi d be functioning in ample le the 1924 crop. The new a storage capacity of 2,- lels and is equipped with .ical car unloaders with a 28 cars per hour and four with capacity of 60.000 ‘nour. Quoted at L 99.94 Cents on New York Market, Highest Since September, 1922. New York, Aug. 17.â€"â€"The Canadian dollar came within a very small fracâ€" tion of par value in the New York market yesterday. It was quoted at 99.94 cents, the highest point it has reached since September, 1922. The position of the Canadian dollar has been improving steadily during the past few weeks, due largely to the transfer of funds from the United CANADIAN DOLLAR NEARLY AT PAR IN US. States to Canada cause of the low vailing here. Predictions are that Canada’s money will reach par during this week. In the last week of September. 1922, it gained equal value with Un- ited States money, and during October and a part of November of that year it was at; a premium in the New York market. Its lowest point since the war was in January, 1921, when it was at a discount of 14% per Cent. Ottawa, Aug. 17.â€"In the absence of the Acting Minister of Finance, Hon. George P. Graham, from the city to- night, no official comment could be obtained on the rise of the Canadian dollar on Wall Street. Some of the factors in the rise, which has brought Canadian money so nearly to par, might be found in the recent and pro- jected borrowings by the Canadian Government and its railways, for most of which bonds the United States is the potential market. Up to date, bor- rowings on behalf of the Government and the Canadian National Railways have totalled $76,825,000 in 1924, which is a big increase over the first eight months of last year. Of this $50,000,000 was borrowed by the Naâ€" tional Railways at very advantageous terms. In October and November the Can- adian Government will float loans to- talling $198,000.000 to meet maturing Victory bonds and Treasury notes. Most of these bonds probably will be taken up in the States. Then the steady betterment of Canada’s trade balance has probably had a direct effect on the par value of Canadian money. In the twelve months ended June 30 last, Canada imported goods worth $572,000,000, compared with $586,000,000 in the previous twelve months. Exports in the same period were $474,000,000, compared with $394,000,000 in the previous twelve months. Kaslo, B.C.â€"-T}ie Canadian Mines Merger C0,, Ltd., with capital of $11,- 200,000 has bgen {ts-gistexjed in British Columbia with offiEe at Kaslo. A group of properties in this area will come under the merger. Isle Royale, in Lake Superior, is soon to be converted into a matchless sporting reserve and placed at the disposal of the public. 011 it are forests and herds of deer, caribou and moose and other game. Admire. has been a; appoin from the United for_investment be- interest rates pre- 5 London, Aug. 17.-â€"The Canadian ilawyers returning from Paris, where they were the guests of the French liar, speak in the warmest terms of l the reception accorded them and their American confrers. At Versailles the fountains were turned on for :heir Abenefit, this being regarded as a very 'special honor on account of the ex- ‘ pmse involved. A despatch from Winnipeg says:â€"- Crops in Manitoba and Southern Alâ€" berta are ripening fast under favorâ€" able weather conditions. Some wheat is being harvested and harvest will be pretty general in the districts mentionâ€" ed by Monday next. New crop of rye is already coming on the market. Lake of the Woods Milling Co. bought three cars from S. Manon Thursday, graded 2 C.W.,flne sample. Crop in Manitoba will be made in a few days of the present weather. WESTERN CROPS RIPEN i UNDER GOOD WEATHER |' Haresting Will be Pretty Gen- eral in Manitoba This Week. The fine, cool weather of recent days has retarded development of rust in Southern Manitoba, but at the same time it has held back the ripening pro- cesses of the grain crops. It is claim- ed that there has been actual damage from rust only in isolated fields, and it is expected now that rust damage will not be general in any way. A situa- tion which threatened to be serious was relieved by favorable weather. Rye harvesting is general in the Brandon district and‘ many farmers will start work on barley next week. In the district of Tilney, in Southern Saskatchewan, wheat is being cut and harvesting will be fairly general in a week. Southern Alberta reports con- siderable cutting. A despatch from London says:â€" Prospects of a large Australian wheat crop are most promising, according to authoritative sources quoted by the Sydney correspondent of The Daily Telegraph. Assuming there are no adverse circumstances before the har- Prospects Promising for Australian Wheat Crop Recent rains have caused great im- provement in the hay crop everywhere and in pasture. vest season, the crop is expected to total approximately 140,000,000 bush- els, as compared with 123,000,000 last year. Canadian Lawyers Water is the greatest need of ani- mals in hot Weather. Were F eted in Paris fish Navy vy. who Manitoba wfientiâ€" $1612.41» North-I 1.5 ' . 2 ortl., .. , . s Mafi'cggsâ€"No. 3 ()W, 57m; N0 3 feed, 56%c. _ All the above, c.i.f., nay ports. r .Am. corn, track, Torontmâ€"No. t yellow, $1.33. Millfeedâ€"Del., Montreal heights. bags included: Bran, per ton, $29: shorts, per ton, $31; middlings. $37; good feed flour, per bag, $2.05. Ont. wheatâ€"New No. 2 white, red or mixed, $1.10 to $1.15, f.o.b., shipping points, according to freights. Ont. flour-New, 90 per cent. pat. In jute bags, Montreal, prompt ship- mentY $6.25; Toronto basis, $6.25; bulk seaboard, $5.95. Man. flon‘rflst pats., in jute sacks. $8.20 per bbl.; 2nd pats, 7.70. Hayâ€"Extra No. 2 timothy, per ton, track, Toronto, $17.50; No. 2, $17; No. 3, $15; mixed. $13; lower grades, $10 to $12. ' Screeningsâ€"Standard, recleaned, f‘ ,9.b.__bay poggs, per_ ton, $22150. Strawâ€"Carlot $19. Dressed poultryâ€"Hens, over 5 lbs., 28c; do, 3 to 4 lbs., 18c; spring chick- ens, 2 lbs. and over, 50c; roosters, 20c; ducklings, 4 to 5 lbs.. 35c. Beansâ€"Can. handpicked, 1b., 655:; primes, 6c. . Mapie productsâ€"Syrup, per imp. ga1., $2.50; per E-gal. tin, $2.40 per gall; maplers‘qgay, 1b., 25 tpu2fic. $5 to $6; do, com., $4 to $4.50: butcher heifers, choice, $6 to $6.50; do, med, $5 to $5.75; do, com., $3.50 to $4.25; butcher cows, choice, $4.25 to $5; do, med, $3 to $4; butcher bulls, good, $4 to $4.50; do, fair, $3.50 to 34' bolognas, $2.50 to $3.50; canners and cutters, $1 to $2.50; feeding steers, choice, $6 to $6.25; do, fair, $5 to $5.50; stockers, choice. $4.50 to $5; do, fair, $3.50 to $4.25; milkers, springers, choice, 75 to $90; do fair, $40 to $50; calves, choice, 8 to $8.50; do, med., $6 to $7; do, com., $3.50 to $4.50: lambs, choice ewes, $13 to $13.50; do, bucks, $11 to $11.50; do, culls, $9 to $10; sheep, light ewes, $6 to $6.50; do. culls, $2 to $4.50; hogs. fed and watered, $10.75; do, f.o.b.. $10.25; do, country points, $9.77; do, select, fed and watered, $11.80; do, of? cars. long haul, $11.15. MONTREAL. Oats, CW, No. 2, 6814c; No. 8, 61%c; extra No. 1 feed, 6114c; No. 2 local white, 601,1“. Flour, Man. spring wheat pats., lsts, $8.20; 2nds, $7.70; strong bakers', $7.50; winter pats, choice, $6.75 to $6.85. Rolled oats, bags. 90 lbs., $3.40 to $3.60. Bran, $29.25. Shorts. $31.25. Middlings, $37.25. Hay, No. 2, per ton, car lotsI Cheeseâ€"â€"Finest wests., 173)“; finésl easts., 1714c. Butterâ€"No. 1 pasteur- ized 35%c; No. 1 creamery, 3451c; seconds, 331340. Eggsâ€"Fresh extras, 40c; fresh firsts. 33c. Best veals, $7.75; med. lots, $6 to Honeyâ€"60-lb. tins, 11 to 111,126; per 1b.; 10â€" b. tins, 12 to 125430; 5-lb. tins, 121/2 to 13c; 25’2â€"lb. tins, 13 ‘30 14c; comb honey, per doz., No. 1, $2.75 to $3.50; No. 3, $2.50 to $2.75. Smoked meatsâ€"Hams, med., 27 to 280; cooked hams, 42 to 43c; smoked rolls, 18 to 20c; cotta e rolls, 20 to 22¢; breakfast bacon, 3 to 27c; spe- cial brand breakfast bacon, 29 to 31c; backs, boneless, 34 to 38¢. Cured meatsâ€"Long clear bacon, 50 to ’70 lbs., $17; 70 to 90 lbs. $16.50; 90 lbs. and up. $16.50; llglnweight rolls, in barrels, $32; heavyweight rolls, $27; Lardâ€"Pure, tierces, 17% to 18¢; tubs, 17% to 18%c; pails, 18 to 18%c; prints 20% to 2015c; shortening, tierces, 15% to 16c; tubs, 18% to 16%c; pails, 16114.: to 16%6; prints, 17% to 18c. Export steers, choice, $7.50 to $7.75, do, good, $6.50 to $7; export heifers, $6.50 to $6.75; baby beeves, $7.50 to $10; butcher steers, choice, $6.25 to $6.75; do,_good, $6Ato $6355“ d9, m‘ed., $29.2 $37.2 $17. mixed lots $10; bulk, spring pig Hang for Five Hours Over BOO-Foot Cliff rope being guide The Week’s Markets \ dcspatch from Chamonix, FranceA 's:â€"~Three Italian mountain climb- underwent the terrifying experi- ‘e of hanging for five hours from a Ie over a 300-foot precipice before ng rescued. Unaccompanied by dcs. they had reached the summit the Aigui‘ile De Gi‘epon, an 11,000- :rassers, $ as old ones guille De Urepon, an 11,000- without mishap, and were 33' back when one slipped, the others with him down uf the mountain. The rope the second and third men, caught on a rock as they - the edge of the precipice. were pulled up with great TORONTO av C mom with a slice of raw they will then polish u emge quality ‘90 to $10; V 9 to $9.50; s< )ats., in jute sacks, pats, $7.70. 2 timothy, per gqn, tum 1 NOrth-v lots, $6 to 50; hogs. y, $9.75 to very light :cws. $6 to .5