29 NOVEMBER 1946, Page 5

The second reading of the Trafalgar Estates Bill, which termi-

nates the annuity of f.,5,000 a year paid to the holder of the title of Earl Nelson since the year 1806, is to be taken in the House of Commons next week, and since several naval M.P.s, all, I think, Conservatives, intend to oppose it an interesting nautico-historical argument should result. It has, I fancy, escaped notice that the L5,000 is paid free of all dues and taxes—a negligible matter when income-tax was 2d. in the pound, not so negligible when it was los. I am taken to task, by the way, for describing the present Earl Nelson as " A Catholic priest," (a) on the ground that I should have said Roman Catholic, and (b) on the ground that he does not appear to be a priest ; I may quite well be wrong on this latter point.

jANUS.