The Cardigan Observer and General Advertiser for the Counties of Cardigan Carmarthen and Pembroke

INS ANITY AMONG THE UPPER GLASSES. The following letter ia being circulated in South Wales and adjacent counties: "ÂitylulDi for the Insane' Of the Upper Glasses.—Huntington-court, Hereford, January, 1878. Sir,—The ratepayers of England and Wales having to a gnat extent provided asylum accommodation for 'heir pauper patients, it would aeema fitting time for them to consider whether it is not desirable to provide institutions of a somewhat similar kind for the insane among their own class. At present such persona are sent to licensed houses in various parts of the country, and are there maintained at a cost in many instances greater than their relatives or friends should be called upon to bear..680 is stated to be the average yearly charge, and £52 the lowest. It is obvious such charges must be made in esta- blishments kept and managed for profit. Even this accommodation, with the exception of the Briton Ferry Asylum, with ita twenty-eight inmates, is not to be found in South Walea and the adjacent counties of Monmouth and Hereford, and the private patients from this extensive district have to be sent to licensed houses in London and other parts of England. On the other hand, we find in Scotland asylums of a pub- lic kind have long been provided for the upper classes. These are known as Royal Chartered Asylums, and were in the first instance mainly founded through private benevolence. The best kind of treatment is there obtainable, and at a very moderate coat, probably not exceeding the yearly average of £30. Last Session of Parlia- ment a Select Committee of the House of Commons received ^evidence on the subject of the treatment of lunatics, and the witnesses then ex- amined very generally recommended the adoption of such asylums, if not in lieu altogether of licensed houses, at any rate as an alternative to them. The number of tbe insane among the upper classes in Seuth Wales may be estimated at 210, and in the counties of Monmouth and Hereford at 90, or a total of 300. Why, then, abould net some of these coun- ties unite for the purpose of providing out of the rates suitable buildings at aelected localities, and a guarantee against any loss that might possibly ensue in the management of them? The first coat would not be great, and after a year or two such asylums would probably be entirely self supporting. •" At thia momeat the paupers are much better put up in asylums than the upper classes, not only relatively but absolutely better put up. I should rather be a pauper myself if I had the misfortune to be in aa asylum, says Dr. Lockhart Robertson to the Select Committee. Thiaahouldnotbe. The end to be attained is that of securing a comfortable home to the insane of the upper classes, where the best possi- ble treatment can be had, and at a very moderate cost, and where it is to the interest of no one to keep a patient longer than is absolutely necessary. To what wiser or better purpose could the ratepayers devote a smal^ portion of their county rates ? Par- fcamentary sanction will be required for the.carryMg oat of the aaheme, the outline of which I have given; and if tJUa circular meeta with a favourable response from the pafclic it will be necessary by concerted efforts to invoke the assistanoe of the legislature. I after the consideration which I am sure you will give to the subject, yon think the proposal worthy of your support, you will allow me to add your name to the list of its supporters, I have the honour to remain, air, yoar obedient servant, Jon LLOYD." 1.

A PRIMITIVE STATE. We are surprised to learn, says the Glob*, that there is now one State in Europe which dees not possess a Minute newspaper. It had one in 1877, but itbUBone in 1878. This remarkable land is the Principality of Liechtenstein, which lies to the east of Switierlatrtf—a narrow strip of meadow and Mountain side, dtndw by the Shine from the canton of St. Gallon One way survey the Prince's entire territory, with its green AIna, ita gleaming white capital, white villages, white phurcbee, ^rhite convents, and its little bit of Mlway, from a height above Wildhaus, the romahtic birthplace of Zwingli. Until the year 1866 Leichten- steiil wasrockoned the smalleat State in the German Confederation- It was bound to contribute sixty sftfyjifw to the German Federal arnfy. It possesses ait .present above 8000 inhabitants, all Catholics, and. a GMVemment in the capital, Yadus; but its reigning Prince,$rans Johann, who is exceedingly wealthy, prefers to live at Vienna, and hia faithful people frmptow that he does not visit his dominions afteD. than once every ten years. Now and then an English mountain climber, bound for Feldkirch and the Austrian Vorarlberg, dashes across this small Pfiasspality in a railway carriagOt but he is probably aaaaware wlaether he is in Switzerland or in Auatria, and would be surprised to learn that he is in neither. Until last New Year's day Yadnx was in the possession of a newspaper, the Liechtenstein Woehenblatt; but the editor plaintively in- formed his readers in hia last number that the insufficient moral support" which it had received from the population of the Princi- pality compelled the owners to cease publishing it. The French humanitarian, M. Gagne, tbe author of the Unitoide," who some yean ago petitioned the Government of Napoleon III. to suppress all existing newspapers, might have found a comfortable home in the country of Prince FPans Johann; although; indeed, if we remember rightly. M. Gagne considered that the Government might profitably issue one news^ j paper, ueder the supervision of an Imperial editor; who might bear the title of "Miniaterof the Press."

BELLS. (from the" Globe.") Shakespeare's plays are full of allusions to bells— the bells that have knelled to church, the midnight bell, the sullen bell,the 'larum bell, the funeral bell, tbe scaring ben, that dreadful bell that frights the we from her propriety," the merry bells, the melan- choly bells, the sweet bells jangled out of tune, and so forth—to every tone and utterance of bells the great heart of Shakespeare seems to have been as sus- ceptible as the glassy surface of water to a breath of wind. In or about Shakespeare's time seems, indeed, to have been the time in which we English were more passionately fond of bell music than at any other period of our history. Among the educated classes in the time of Queen Mary we are told the enjoyment to be derived from a good Deal of bells was so highly esteemed that the Eromise to give Oxford the finest peal in England was eld out as the greatest allurement that could be vised to bring students to that university. Thia at least was the proposal of Tresham, its Vice-Chan- eelior, wwM himself gave a somewhat guahing proof of his own susceptibility to the voice of. a bell when the predecessor ef "Old Tom" was brought from Osney, and first swung out its topes from the gate-tower of Ohristchurch. 0, delicate and sireet harmoay J" he exclaimed. 0 beautiful Mary!" —the bell had been christened Mary, after the Queen, whom Tresham was, perhaps, intending to compli- ment—" How musically she lOundal how strangely she pleaseth my ear 1" How different may be the musie of bells in different ears, and even to the same ears under different circumstances, it would be easy to nndmanyatotieatoilluatfate. There is the weU-known story of the lady to whom the sound of the evening bells came singing clearly and unmistakably," Yes, marry your valet; yes, marry your valet; yes, marry your valetbat to whom when, after she bad taken the irrevocable step, the same Wis seemed to have been saying all the time, Don't marry year valet; don't marry your valet; don't marry your valet." The story of Dick Whittington may be nothing more than a fable, but it very well illustrates the capability of speech which most persons at some time or other have probably felt it eaay to attribute to bells.

ACCIDENTS 1M THE HUNTING-FIELB.—Sir Walter Barttelot, M.P., had, says the Sporting GaMette, a bad fall while out with the Crawley and Horsham houds. The Duke of Norfolk has met with a bad accident while out hunting with Lord Leacons- fleld's hounds. His Grace's horse bolted with him, and, passing under a tree, one of the boughs struck the duke in the cheat, hurling him violently to the pround. He was badly abaken, but no bones were broken, and the duke hopes to be in the saddle again next week. Mr. W. M. Robinson will resign the Mastership of the Surrey Staghounds at the close I of the season, having held the office for nearly nine years. Mr. Walter Morris, of Olaridge, near East Grinstead, will succeed Mr. Bobinson. The Hon. Alan Pennington baa definitely decided to resign the Mastership of the Holderness at the end of the season. Mr. George Nichols, of Bristol, met with a serious accident while out with the Duke of Beaufort's. His horae fell, and rolled over 'him, kicking him aeverely in ita struggles. His injuries are not believed to be of an alarming character. Loss of FIVB LIVES.—The ahip Rokeby Hall (Captain Clark), from Iquique, bound to Queenstown for orders, was spoken off Crookhaven on 4tb Feb- ruary. The captain reported that on the 11th Novem- ber last in lat. 47 S., long. 84 W., Peter Conway, the' carpenter, fell overboard, and that a boat aent to the rescue, after being away one hour and a-half, had nearly got back safe to the ship when a waveawamped her. Another boat was sent out as quickly aa possible, and she returned after being about the same time from the ship, but found only thelife-jacketa supplied to those in the first boat, and with them the life-buoy which had been thrown to the carpenter. The names of the drowned were J. W. Spence, second mate; Peter Oonway, carpenter; Wilaon Paton, A.B.; Matthew Byan, A.B.; Benjamin Stevens* A.B.; and Wm. Philip Eddy, apprentice. PEOPLE who travel into cannibal conntriea are apt to be turned into Indian meal.

SAL* OY OLD ITALIAN ENGBAVINGS.—The collection formed by Mr. A. G. Dew-Smith, recently sold by Messrs. Sotneby, Wilkinson, and Hodge, con- tained some notable examples of the rarer, wasters. Baccio Balding of & design by Botticelli, being a page with text at the bade of the Dante Inferna,"Florence edition, 1481 (Bartsch, 38), sold for £2 10s. By the Master H. F. R, the Marine Gods (B. xv., 3), in poor condition, .61 8s. The Master I. B., Frieze of Child- ren (Passavant, 35), £5 5s. Baldini, Sibylla Cumana (B.161 .6&5s. Barbarij, "the Master of the Oada- ceus/ Judith (B., 41), a beautiful but modern impres- sion, JI0 2s. 6d. Giulio Campagnola, St. John Baptist (B.. 3), an early and fine impression, in good condition, from the Liphart collection (£20), j624 10s. Jaoopo Francia, Bacchus and his Followers (B., 7), .£8. Andrea Mantagna, Soldiers carrying Trophies (B., 14), fine, with the column, £10. Bacchanalian scene with the Wine press (B., 19), unusually nne, but in poor eondxtton, .620. Mocetto (1454-1000), a young man seated on the ground (B., 6), .£9 12s. 6d. Nicoletto Ad tfodena, Punishment of the Evil Tongue (B., 27), alukoetleBt impression of this rare print, £22 10s. Antonio Pollajuolo (1426-98), Battle of the Giants (B., 2), hot remarkable for quality, .£8 6a. Marc Antonio Raimondi, Adam and Eve (B., 1), alae impression of this splendid print, £111. God appeal- ing to Noah, slightly cut at the top, £10 10s. The Martyrdom of St. Lawrence, after Baldini (B., 104), .£30 10s. Death of Dido, from the plate as retouched £7. Lucretia (B., 192), fair impression from the re- touched piate, £51. Cleopatra(B., 199), £ 7. Alexander depositing the Books of Homer, £5 ôs; The Basso- relievo (B., 249), £20. Parnassus (B" 247), £10. Poetry, £5 5s. Apollo Belvidere (B., 330), with small margin, £5. Apollo, in a niche (B., 334), with a margin added, £5125. 6d. Young Man with Cornu- copia (B., 360).. a very rare print, £33. Trajan be- tween Borne and Victory (B., 361), £5 5s. The Plague (B.. 147), £5 5s. The Two Sons of Noah, after Michael Angelo (B., 464), £10 15s. Other engravings of the German and Dutch School sold were: Hans Sebald Beham, the Woman Re- clining (B., 315)..61 2s. The Judgment of Paris (B., 89). The Triumph of Christianity (B., 128). Death and the Woman (150), £ 5 2s. 6d. Albert Durer, Adam and :JÐve..£5 5s. St. Hubert (B., 57), from He Mariette Collection, a fine and brilliant im- pression, .660. St. Jerome, £10 10s. Melancolia, rich and good impression, £18. The Great Fortune, .£I4. The Knight of Death, a fine impression, £32. Hollar, Antwerp Cathedral, first state, :£10 5s. Lucas Van Leyden.—Of the. nine prints br this master, the Magdalen was the finest (B. 122), and this sold for .£20 10s.; in the Galichon Sale an exceptionally he one sold for £300. Israel Van Meekessen, the four naked women after Albert Durer, .£10. Death and the Virgin, after M. Schongauer, £20. The Organ Player (B., 175), £13511. Rembrandt, Triumph of Mordecai (Wilson, 44), J66 6s. The Angels and Shepherds (W., 49), 4th state, £8 15s. Village near the high road (W., 214), £8 5a. Martin Scbdngauer, Christ with Cross (B., 26), £ 39 10s. Dirk Van Staren, St. Luke painting the "Nfcirgin, J65. Adrian Van de Velde, Venus and Cupid (B., 286-). £6. Les Grimpeurs (B., 423), £5 5s. Martin Zasinger, the Gentleman and Lady embracing, £1051. The whole collection of 353 prints, with a portfolio of Mr. Seymour Haden's etchings, pub- lished 1866, which sold for .£24, and a few ifeter- colour drawings, realised £1145. A VUlT BY PBBMZSSIOIT.—-The Government have given permission to Dr. John O'Leary, one of the former chiefs of the Fenian conspiracy, to revisit Ireland for a brief period. Dr. O'Leary was the editor of the Irish Republican organ, the Irith Peojple, which was sgised in 1865, when he was arrested. He was subsequently tried along with the leaders of the Fenian movement for treason felony, and on con- viction sentenced to penal servitude for life, it having been proved that he, O'Donovan Bossa, and J. Olarke Luby had been appointed by Stevens as the Executive of the intended Provisional Government in Ireland. Dr. O'Leary, since his release by the amnesty of Mr. Gladstone's Government, has resided in Paris, as it was made a condition of his release that he should reside outside her Majesty's dominions. One singular fact connected, with hint was that his ability and sincerity were held in such esteem by the leaders of the conspiracy that he was admitted to their confi- dence without formally becoming a Fenian. The permission now granted to him is the result of a re- presentation by bis solicitor that his presence is required in Ireland in relation to the settlement of some family properties. The only conditions made are that he gives his word of honour that while-he remains in Ireland he will not interfere in politics nor be a party to any political demonstrations in his honour. A TmtATM Busier Dowry.—The Qneea's Theatre at Wigan has been completely bunt down, the are being one of the most serious which have ever occurred in the district. The theatre was built en- tirely of wood, and was opened about two years and a half ago. The auditorium was capable of holding over 2000 persons. The stage was a very large one, and there were extensive dressing-rooms. The per- formance concluded shortly after half-past ten, the place was locked up, and everybody had left but about eleven o'clock flames were seen issuing from the roof of the building over the stage. When the firemen arrived the place was one mass of flames. It was found impossible to save the building, and efforts were mainly directed te prevent the flames extending to the surrounding pro- perty, and in this the Fire Brigade was successful. By twelve o'clock the fire had almost burnt itself out. The proprietor and lessee of the theatre was Mr. Robert Fowter. The cost of the building was about £2000, and the loss is partially covered by insurance. TBra RUSSIAN TEBMS.—The Vienna corre- spondent of the Manchester Guardian telegraphs an outline of the terms on which Russia is said to have granted an armistice. The conquerors demand, in effect, that the whole of European Turkey, with the exception of Gallipoli and Constantinople, shall be placed in their hands. The positions wbich are to be occupied comprise the lines which have been con- structed at Tchakmadje for the defence of Constan- tmople, a position at the entrance of the Bosphoms, and portions of the coast not only of the Sea of Marmora, but also of the iEgean. From the same source we learn that the Bussian bribes to Boumania for the cession of Bessarabia were extraordinary high, SreatyofP1™° '"pality "takei* ^«*WD. OR the AN old bachelor wrote the following: Twixt | women and wine man's lot is to smart—'tis wine I makes his head ache, and woman his heart."

THE KAFFIR WAR. I A despatch, dated Capetown, January 15th, has the following: The state of affairs on thefrentier is unchanged. The rebel Kaffirs swarm in East London division, especially near the Kei. From Komgha Colonel Lambert, with a force 600 strong, went out against them, but thought it better to defer an attack until reinforcements should arrive. He re- lieved and brought away a garrison of the 24th Begi- ment at Fort Jeupetu. In less than an hour after- wards the fort was occupied by the natives. At the junction of the Isomo and the Kei the Gaikas atacked the Fiogoes, but were repulsed with a loss of eighteen killed and many wounded. On the 14th the troops in the Transkei, under Colonel Glynn, encountered a force of from 1000 to 1200 Galekas. The fight lasted from four to six p.m. The enemy was defeated with fifty killed. Our casual- ties are five soldiers wounded, two severely. Volunteers and Burghers from the eastern and western districts are pressing to the front. A united movement by Colonel Lambert's and Colonel Glynn's columns on the rebels near the Kei is expected to be made in a day or two. It is feared that the war will last for a year at least. The governor has taken up his residence at King William's Town for six months. The anxiety regarding Captain Elton's party has been relieved by the arrival at Lovedale of Rev. Dr. Stewart, from Lake Nyassa, who reports the mission and party all well. The Oap" Standard and Mail states that the gloom which had settled down upon the colony, consequent upon the Kaffir rebellion, has deepened, and the ap- prehension of a deadly conflict between the colonists and the natives has spread in every direction. The position of the people of British Oaffraria is most precarious. # Bodies of armed natives swarm in every direction. Isolated farm-houses and stores are attacked, the inmates are put to night or murdered, and the greatest difficulty is experienced in keeping up communications by the main roads. The Hon. J.X. Merriiran, the Chief Com- missioner of Public Works, who up to the present has been in attendance upon his Excellency the Governor, and who has been charged with the chief conduct of the war, has been recalled to the colony, and the Colonial Secretary, the Hon. J. O. Molteno, has taken his place at head-quarters. In the Transkei terri- tory nothing of a definite character has been effected for several days. Frequent engagements between her Majesty's forces and the Galekas are reported, and in every instance the enemy seems to have been repulsed, but only to appear in another quarter in undi- minished force. The Argus received the following tele- grams from King William's Town as the mail was leaving: Volunteers returned on Saturday evening, having captured at Newlands fifteen natives supposed to be implicated in the murder of Sainton and Brown. Two Kaffirs with loaded firearms were shot; a number of assegais looted in one hut, belonging to Christian natives; be pounds of powder and half a bucket of newly-cast bullets are said to have been found; also a packet of correspondence from natives in the Civil Service, which will be translated. A Capetown despatch (vi& Madeira), January 22nd, is as follows: The Kaffirs have been hunted out of Ohichaba Valley by a joint motement of the troops and auxiliaries under Colonels Lambert and Glyn and Captain Brabant. Large quantities of stock were captured. The Burghers under tsrost had a brush with them, and killed 100. The TSnemy are now in the fastnesses of Kabousie and Kei. The natives to the west of Oaffraria are unsettled. Two thousand mounted Europeans are under arms on the frontier. Colonel Griffith has been placed in command of the Burgher forces and publicly decorated by the Governor with the order of O.M.G. Sir Bartle Frere is said to look careworn and aged. It was hoped that the war- cloud would soon disperse. In Zululand Cetywayo's warriors had a free fight amang themselves. The Active has returned to Simon's Bay. The Danae pro- ceeds up the coast, landing men at Natal for service on shore. AN ENGAGEMENT. The force under command of Captain Acklom, con- sisting of forty men 88th Oonnaught Bangers, twenty F.A.M. Police, under Major Moore, and three volun- teen-viz., Mr. Montague White, Mr Barnett, and Deputy-Commissary Warneford-Ieft Komgha at 11 a.m., with orders to take up a position at Draaiboseh and secure the transit of the mails to and from King William's Town. The enemy, numbering some 400 horse and 700 or 800 foot, were perceived on the hills to the right, at a distance of some four miles, and our small force was placed in loose order on the summit of the hill above Savage's shop, and overlook- ing both it and the ruins of the Draaiboseh hotel. It became apparent that the intention of the enemy was to attack at once and in full force, and before re- inforcements could be sent to us from Komgha, and, to get timely notice of such reinforcements, the enemy's horse were scattered over the whole of the neighbour- ing hills. In the meantime their infantry advanced steadily to the attack, and at about 2.15 p.m. had arrived at a hill some 600 yards from our position. Here, owing to a dip in the ground, they were lost sight of for a few moments, when their advance was seen en- deavouring to turn our right flank, and it thus became necessary to change our front to oppose them. This was done at the double and as expedi- tiously as possible, but the enemy, led on by the Chiefs Mackinnon and Kiva, mistaking this manoeuvre for a retreat, rushed up the hill with their whole force and with loud yells to the attack. Some confusion ensued, especially among the police, and rendered worse by the oxan of the one ammunition waggon running away. At this crisis and in the face of the over- whelming numbers of the enemy, Major Moore and Captain Acklom successfully stayed the momentary panic, and, sword in hand, followed by as many as they could at once rally, advanced and charged the foe, their, example and that of the others who rallied round them (among whom were conspicuous Inspector White, of the police, and Messrs. Montague White, Warneford, and Barnett) soon stayed and finally broke the rest of the savages, who, throughout the remainder of the afternoon, confined themselves to attacks in the rear of the different positions we were forced to take up; and for one hour and a half it was simply driving the foe from one side to see a new attack at once proceeding from another. At about 3.30 our ammunition had become nearly exhausted, and Major Moore and Captain Acklom determined to save the last few rounds for an attempt to cut their way through the enemy towards Komgha, whence they well knew they could depend upon relief soon arriving. This our force did; and shooting down one or two of the enemy, who in numbers held a kloof on our right, we reached Savage's shop on the Komgha road, and a few moments afterwards a ringing cheer from the men proclaimed the first view of arriving reinforcements. Soon after Colonel Lambert and his men were with us, and the day was over. The losses on our side were fortunately few. Two soldiers and two police killed or missing, two native drivers killed and some few men wounded. The horses of Inspector White, of Deputy. Commissary Warneford, and of Messrs. White and Barnett were shot under them, and the; helmets of several of the men were riddled with bullets. Mar- vellous was the escape of Major Moore and of Cap- tain Acklom; the former walking his horse as if on parade throughout the whole afternoon and under a continous nre; the latter, equally cool, exposing him- self whenever he deemed it might have the effect of steadying his men." A private letter from a gentleman who was with the force aa a volunteer says: "I confess I felt a little queer, looking at our poor tiny force and then look- ing at the dense masses of the savages thirsting far us. Well, on they came to within some 150 yards, when our- men began firing, and, I am sorry to say, firing most wildly. It did not stop them in the least, they outflanked us, and finally, surrounded us, but not before there was a scare among our police, who threw themselves on their horses and (five or six of them) galloped through and away. This made for a moment a panic among our men, and also for a moment I resigned all hope'of ever seeing you little people again in this world. By God's mercy, however, we rallied our few men, and gave them a volley in front, and then cheering as hard as we could we ran out to meet them and they turned Had they closed in then we should have been butchered to a man. From that time for some three hours and a half we held the topoithehill, first breaking them back on one side and then on another, because directly we advanced on one body another would at once in turn advance against us in the rear. Just then the discovery was made that the oxen in our ammunition cart had bolted with cart and all, and that there was no more ammunition left than was contained in the men's pouches-some six rounds on the average ^so it was determined to save these for a last emergency and fight our way to Flanagan's shop, and, if possible on to Komgha. So away we went, cheering as hard as we could (I am as hoarse as a raven this morning from it), and driving them to our right and left. We had not gone quite as far as the shop before we were glad- dened by the sight of some volunteers riding hard up from Komgha, and from them we heard that 100 men of the 88th and every policeman from Komgha were close to us marching to our assistance. So we once more turned again and beat them off. And thus ended thedav," 1

A DETROIT boyatood with an umbrella, with a 1 cord tied to it, in a public doorway. Eleven peiions i thought that the umbrella was theirs, and carried it with them the length of the string. They then suddenly dropped it and went off without once look- ing back or stopping to pick it up again. DOMESTIC discipline is maintained In Dahomey ( by the dread every wife feels lest her husband may 1 give her to the king for a soldier. ]

DISASTERS AT SEA. A Lloyd's telegram from Madras states that the British Sceptre arrived there on the 12th of January from Melbourne. The master, Captain Richards, reports, while at Keeling Island, the Cheviot barque arrived there with a portion of the crew of the Glene- richt, of Liverpool, from Sunderland for Singapore, coal laden, consisting of the master, his wife and two children, and fifteen of the crew. The master of the Glenericht stated that about the 25th or 26th of November the cargo was found to be on fire from spontaneous combustion, and all efforts to put it out having proved ineffectual she was abandoned on the 29th, in lat. 32 S., long. 89 E, the crew leaving in four boats. The ship was then burning fore and aft, and the three masts had gone over the side. After being together three or four days two of the boats parted company during the night. Eleven days after leaving the ship the master's and two other boats fell in with the Cheviot, on board of which vessel they were taken to the Keeling Island, and there the crew were divided into three portions, six being taken to Madras by the British Sceptre, six taken on board the Theophane, bound for Calcutta, and the master and his family and three of the crew being retained by the Cheviot, bound for Rangoon. A Lloyd's telegram from Marbella, under date the 31st of January, says: "A fire broke out on the 30th of January on board the Sainton, steamer, arrived here from Almeira. It occurred at 7 p.m., and was caused by the accidental upsetting of the riding lanop, which set fire to some bales of esparto grass, and, in spite of every effort, the fire spread so rapidly that the sailors had barely time to save their lives. A strong west wind fanned the flames, and soon the whole vessel except the stem, was enveloped. The vessel burnt all night, and about 9 a.m. sank in four fathoms of water. As regards the cargo all the grass is burnt, and the nuts and oranges are very much damaged. A quantity of the latter have floated out of the hold and washed away. The Piaster thinks the engines will prove to be little damaged. The vessel lies in an upright position, 300 yards from shore, and is favourably situated for any operations on her that may be deemed desirable." The Bokeby Hall, Captain dark, from Iquique for Queenstown for orders, was spoken off Crookhaven on the 4th of February. The captain reported that on the 11th of November last, in lat. 47 S., long. 84 W., Peter Conway, the carpenter, fell overboard, and the boat sent to the rescue, after being away one hour and a half, had nearly got back safe to the ship when the breaking top of a wave swamped her. Another boat was launched aa quickly as possible, but it was too late, for she found only the life jackets supplied to those in the first boat, and with them the life buoy which had been thrown to the carpenter. The names of those drowned were: J. W. Spence (second mate), Peter Oonway (carpenter), Walter Paton, A.B., Matthew Ryan, A.B., Benjamin Stevens, A.B., and William Philip Eddy ^apprentice). The Greek brig Antares has been in collision off theLisard with the ship Atlantic, and it is feared that four of her crew have been drowned. The captain, mate, and three of the crew got on board the Atlantic and were brought to Cardiff.

THE ROAD OF THE DEAD. TBBBIBI/B SCENES. I The special correspondent of the Daily News, dating from Adrianople, Jan. 27th, gives a harrowing account of the scenes which accompanied the night of families before the advance of Gourko s troops. We make the following extracts: Seventy milts of utter desolation, seventy long miles strewn with the household effects of many thousand families, seventy weary miles of a con- tinuous, ghastly, sickening panorama of death in everv form, and in its most terrible aspect—such is the road from Philippopolis to Hermanli. This route has been for many weeks the theatre of scenes, and here has been enacted a tragedy of such colossal proportions and horrible character that it is quite impossible for any one who has not witnessed part of it to conceive in the most moderate degree the nature of the dia- bolical drama. CRUSHED CORPSES. As we left behind us the rocky hills and picturesque city of Philippopolis on the morning of the 23rd, and rode eastward along the road, the first thing that met our eyes was a number of bodies of Turkish soldiers lying in the road crushed by the wheels of passing artillery, and trampled into the mud by the feet of many horses. Before we had gone half a dozen kilometres the corpses of peasants, both Turkish and Bulgarian, were to be seen lying in the snow, and some of them had already been exposed to the weather for two or three weeks. Some had blood stains still fresh on their garments. Dead horses and cattle blocked the path at every few steps, averaging two to the dis- tance between the telegraph posts; and as we went further and further away from the City the number rapidly increased, and hundreds of abandoned arabas stood in the road, and choked the ditches alongside. Tbe road, too narrow for the immense trains that had passed over it in hasty flight, was now supplemented tJy beatened tracks through the ricefields on each side, and there were traces of bivouacs in the snow, which became more and more frequent as we proceeded, | Pj^hs were almost literally carpetted with the dibns of camps, and our route lay between row* of dead animals, broken ara as, piles of rags and cast-off clothing. and human bodies, for thirty- five miles of the whole of the first day's ride. WOKBN AND CHILDREN FROZEN TO DEATH, Our mystification increased with every hour. We saw the bodies of Bulgarian peasants with terrible wounds in the head and neck, sometimes mutilated and dis- Bgured; women and infants, children and old men, both Turkish and Bulgarian, fallen in the flelds by the roadside half buried in the snow, or lying in the pools of water. It seemed to have been one long battle between the peasants of both races, in which the dead were counted equally for each; but while many of the bodies bore marks of violence and showed ghastly wounds, the great proportion of the women and children were evidently frosen to death, for they lay on the snow as if asleep, with the flush of life still on their faces, and the pink skin of their feet and hands still unblanched. Side by state with these, many corpses of old men, full of dignity even in death, lay stark by J 5? • B1, white beards dotted with blood, and their helpless hands fallen upon their breasts. From the muddy waters of theditches tiny hands and feet stretched oat, and baby faces half covered with snow looked out innocently and peacefully, with scarcely a sign of suffering on their features. Frozen at their mowers' hreasts they were thrown down into the snow to lighten the burden of the poor creatures who were struggling along in mortal terror. SLAUGHTER OF BOTH RACES. I say the lhystification increased as we advanced, because it was impossible to see why Bulgarian and Turk should be frosen side by side, or why there had 8U1°'1, slaughter of both races. That peasants shomd be frozen to death was no more than could be expected in the severe weather, for they were travel- hng In mIserable arabaa without food or shelter, ani with half-Btarved oxen. Miles of these araba trains we passed on the road, human beings and jhouse- hold effects jumbled in promiscuously. Upon the loltmg carts bedding and utensils were piled. Women and children upon donkeys and cattle followed alongside, and behind for miles was a long trail of wretched, weary, half-dead stragglers; old mwi and women bent double, crawling along with the crutches or sticks; mother* with infants at tneir breasts, scarcely moving one foot before the other all this after long months of flight, constant exposure, continuous dread of marauders, and the hated Muscovites. XT MTIFDL SPECTACLE. IU • 80 utterly helpless as in the pre- sence of this supreme misery. I watched a mother leading along a sick child of perhaps 10 years, a mile or more behind one of these trains. The poor girl could with difficulty balance herself on her naj half-frozen feet. Night was coming on, *1 ui wind that chilled us in our warm cwt ng w about the rags from the suffering crea- ^oeln8 emaciated limbs and skeleton body, ihe mother was in quite as pitiable a condition. Her face and head alone were well wrapped up. The araba train, was moving slowly out of sight on the v hills. A night on the road meant death to both these unfortunates, and their straggling friends could give them no assistance, because they were for the most part in a similar state of misery. The mother dragged her little one along, fast losing patience as the darkness came on, and finally pushed the sick child into the snow by the roadside, and hur- ried on without looking behind her. BULGARIAN SPOELEBS. Ihe head of a long train of returning Turkish refugee families appeared in the main street of a j village which we reached. Then followed a scene which is painful in the last degree to describe. The Bulgarians gathered on the side of the street in knots of three or four, and waited calmly until the miserable tram had got well into the village, when from every atrec ion the inhabitants pounced upon the exhausted, defencelessTurks, and began to carry off their household effects, and even the cattle from the carts. One poor woman, leading an ass piled up with bedding, and a child on the top, found her property distributed among half-a-dozen stalwart ruffians in a twinkling, and the little infant on the ground in the mud. The old men and women clung to their only treasures, j • Bulgarians dragged them away. Children yelled with fright, and panic reigned, which started the slowly-moying caravan into a quick march. All this went on before General Gourko was out of Bight of the town. I happened to linger behind with Uaptam SukanoC, of the Hussars, and we formed ourselves into a special police force in an instant, and the captain knocked one Bulgarian through the hedge, while I settled the business with another who waa escaping with his plunder round j<*rner of a house. Soon several officers joined us, andIttie whips were plied with effeet, scattering the crowds and recovering a great quantity of the stolen property, j mua^. however, that I could not, after the heat of indignation was past, bla^e the so very much for their attack; on the Turks; for the refugees, when they had passed through the I# *v?eI Plundered on all sides, and as I rode out • « "aw several bodies of Bulgarians in the nee fields, where they had been cut down in the recent massacre, which numbered 136 victims. mfluired of one of these families where they had come from, and they said that they left Plevna five months ago, and since that time they had been on the r(u^L f°r the past few weeks in a great camp, which we should find further on towards Hermanli. For many days they had been entirely without bread 2r vTe«, Indian corn, and had existed solely on the flesh of the cattle that fell on the road. Ij gave them au the bread I could get hold of, and they ate it like starved creatures, crying for joy. The grandmother, father, and mother, with an infant at the breast, and a small boy of io years had not a single shoe between them, and their only baggage consisted of a few old tern bedquilts, and a kettle to boil meat in. They were In great distress of mind, because the house they occupied did not belong to them, and not having any means of transport they were unable to proceed further until fine weather should begin. The only consolation I could give them was the assurance that they would receive nothing but kindness from the Russians, and would probably find their house in Plevna unburned. MUTILATED BODIES. At every step beyond Haskioi we met new and more orrifying scenes man and wife lying side by side on the same blanket, with two children curled upon the pnow uear, all frozen dead; old men with their heads '"cutoff; some Bulgarians mutilated as only the a v 0w *° mutilate, and on each side of the road, broad continuous bivouacs deserted in haste, strewn with household effects. For many miles we trampling in the mud, carpets, bed- auo clothing. Now the hiarhwav w«*s literally paved with bundles, cushions, blankets iT67 lmaPnable article of household use. Broken to multiply, and as we approached the little village of Tirali, we saw in the distance, on either side of the road. a perfect forest of wheels, reaching: to the river on the right, and spreading away up the hillsides o& the left. Several dead Turkish soldiers, and one or two Russians, showed that there had been a little skIrrnish there; and we rode into the midst of the great deserted bivouac, the horses walking | on rich carpets and soft draperies, all crushed and trampled m the mud. 1 i A BLOODY BIVOUAC. < Hundreds of acres were covered with household i goods. All alang the river bank, following the wind- < ings of the read, over the hill, and across the fields i where the road makes a sharp turn, reached this I bivouac, at least three miles in extent, and of varying t width. Over this great tract the arabas were standing as closely as they could, with their oxen placed together. The frames of the carts were in most cases broken to pieces. Sick cattle wandered listlessly about among the wheels. Corpses of men, women, and children lay about near every araba, and the whole ground was carpeted with clothing, kitchen utensils, boots, and bedding. It was a pitiable sight to see an old, grey-bearded Turk lying with his open Koran beside him, splashed with blood from ghastly gashes in his bared throat. Bundlee of rags and clothes nearly all held dead babies. Crowds of Bulgarians swarmed in this great Avenue of Death and Desolation, choosing the best of the carts, and carrying away great loads of copper vessels, which lay about in profusion, and mud-soiled bedding, with no more respect for the dead than for the rags they lay on. These scavengers would drive their carts across the heads of dead women and old men without even a glance of curiosity at the bodies. CAVALRY ATTACK AND BIVOUAC PANIC. When the Bussian cavalry came in sight of the bivouac there were one or two battalions of Turkish infantry stationed there, as rearguard, but they dis- persed and retired with little attempt at resistance, and a squadron was sent into the great assembly of waggons to find out what it was. They rode on without receiving a single shot until they were right alongside, and within a very few paces of the train of arabas occupying the toad, when from behind these waggons, out from under the rude coverings, and from all sides came a rattling volley, which emptied some saddles. Then it became evident that ferocieus resistance was to be made, so this squadron retired, and preparatiens were made to attack the collection of waggons, for it sheltered not only the rearguard, but also no one knew how many armed peasants; but before the attack began in earnest the panic caught in the bivouac and spread like wildfire. The immense band of refugees ran away with the soldiers to the mountains, leaving cattle, carts, and all their movables which they could not seize upon at the moment. The cause of the panic was the appearance of Skobeleff's cavalry in the valley of the Maritza, in front of the bivouac. The result of it was doubtless the death of thousands upon thousands of Turkish peasants, who are now in the mountains without clothing or food. Still another result of the night is the enrichment of all the Bulgarians in the neighbourhood, for the smeke of the first firing had not cleared away when these ever watchful individuals pounced down upon all the cattle the soldiers did not drive off, and carried away hundreds ef carts laden with plunder.

THE WARRINGTON POISONING CASE. THE SCENE IN OOURT. The Liverpool Courier, in reporting the trial of Ellen Heesom, or Johnson, at the Chester Assizes, for poisoning her child and mother, says that at the close of the caM for the prosecution, in an earnest address to the jury, Mr. Swetenham, the prisoner's counsel, pleaded for his client, whom everyone whe had heard the evidence felt there was not the slightest hope for, since the cross-examination of the witnesses never for a moment shook the damning testimony, and the learned counsel called no one te put a different light on the facts of the case. Catching at such straws that drowning men proverbially clutch at, for an hour and a half Mr. Swetenham urged all that could be urged, exhausting every shadow of a plea that could be advanced on the woman's behalf. His lordship then had the ear of the jury for three-quarters of an hour, most of which was taken up with reading extracts from the notes of the evidence. Then the jury retired, and for twenty-five minutes there was quite a feeling of relief experienced in the court, so attentively had every one listened to the words that fell from those engaged in the trial. The chamber became densely crowded in every part, at the sides of the justice seat being a number of fashionably-dressed ladies, whilst in the grand jury box and its approaches there would be some fifty women and girls. For a proportion of the former an unexpected duty was in store, quite foreign to their minds. The jury returned and were duly "told," but still, beyond a fixed regard of them, the prisoner, who had been brought to the front, betrayed no anxiety of mind. The question, Do you find the prisoner guilty or not guilty 1" was listened to amidst breathless silence, for in the minds of some a doubt had been raised, owing to tbe length of the de- liberations of the twelve men, as to the issue. The simple reply came, guilty." The concluding words of the clerk, Prisoner at the bar, have you anything to say why sentence of death should not be passed upon you according to law ?" were lost in the dread sentence issuing from the judge's lips. Very briefly expatiated on; the enormity of the offence, simply characterising it as a crime almost un- paralleled and incredible had not the proof ef it being so overwhelming and then Ellen Johnson, for the cold-blooded murder of two of her children, and her own mother, was sentenced to expatiate her guilt for the satisfaction of human law on tbe gallows. She heard the fatal words unmoved, until his lordship re- commended her to seek for pardon from the quarter whence it never is refused, and then the full force of her awful position overcame her, and she sank down in the seat in the dock, and lowering her head to her hands, gave the first visible token of sorrow. Immediately her counsel stood up, and, silence being commanded, he stated that the condemned woman was enceinte. Thereupon his lordship ordered instantly that a jury composed of matrons should in- quire into the matter, and before the ladies occupying the grand jury box could quite comprehend the next step to be taken, they were separated from the gentle- men in their vicinity and virtually imprisoned. Some tried to beat a hasty retreat as the nature of the pro- ceedings dawned upon their minds; but the bailiffs stood at the doors, and an officer of the court pro- ceeded to select twelve matrons from the crowd, and take down their names. Some little time was occupied before a dozen could be found, and more time was spent before they were isolated m the jury- box in order, their right hands ungloved and testa- ments placed in them. A forematron having been chosen, was duly sworn to undertake the duty re- quired by the law, so that the innocent might not suffer with the guilty, and then was administered the oath to the others: "The oath which your forematron hath taken on her part you and each of you øhall truly observe and keep on your respec- tive parts—so help your God." Even now it was found that two of the matrons had not gone through the form—not having had the books in their bande-IO reluctant did they seem to have any part in the proceedings. To the peremptory order given, "Take the book in your right hand," they assented, and again the oath was repeated aloud. The surgeon of the gaol was also sworn, and then with oolllliderableditlculty, and prompting from the learned judge—so little accustomed was the clerk to the form —a bailiff was sworn to take the jury to a convenient place and there them keep," allowing no one but the surgeon, and the prisoner to speak with them till their duty was accomplished. After an absence of twenty minutes the matron jury reappeared but the Court was kept waiting for another ten minutes till the prisoner should be replaced in the dock, as she had swooned below. The question being put as to the result of the investigation the as- sertion of the prisoner's counsel was confirmed; and his lordship thereupon ordered the execution to be stayed until the unborn child of the three-fold murderess should be delivered to the world. This was the dosing scene, and the prisoner was helped in a fainting state down the dock stairs by the female and male warders. We believe it is about twenty-three years since the last matron jury was sworn in Chester Castle.

TUB REv. A. TooTH. — Mr. Tooth has left England to travel in the Bast. He has not, however, resigned his benefice at Hatcham, as his intended suc- cessor, the Bev. Mr. MacOoll, is not yet free from Sonth Bermondsey. NEW PROCESS OF CLEANING OLD PICTURES. —The London correspondent of the Manchester Guardian says: There has been some talk in certain art circles here lately regarding the new processes ap- plied to the cleaning of old pictures at the National Gallery. Everybody must know that it is a difficult thing to remove what might be termed in Heine's phrase the secular dustof ages from an oil painting and leave the colour and lines behind in all their pris- tine freshness and fulness. Irreparable evil has been done in the attempted" restoratIon" of old paintings as well as in the restoration of old cathedrals, and it would certainly be a pity if many, .r even any, of the masterpieces in our national collection were thus to suffer" improvement off the face of the earth." Yet there are among us a few artists and connoisseurs who sincerely fear that we are about to experience serious loss from the scouring that is at present going on .in the National Gallery. The Music Lesson," by Titian, is cited as one of the works that have been most severely scraped and skinned, and a "Holy Family," by the same master, is also alleged to have been considerably the worse of the cleansing to which it has been recently subjected. From a careful inspection of the former of those pictures to-day, I must confess that there seems to be some good ground for the fears en- tertained by the gentlemen to whom I have referred Oompared with other works ascribed to the same master, "The Music Lesson" is now decidedly defi- cient in glow and colour and definition of detail. It ie, indeed, little more than the ghost or fading outline )f what it must have been when it left the studio of ¡he Venetian master. It is certainly time that public attention was directed to what is now being done in his way at the National Gallery.

MR. H. M. STANLEY AND HIS MEN. The Daily Telegraph has published letters frtf* Mr. Stanley on his Hbmeward journey from Loaad* to Natal. In the course of it he makes several reo ferences to his followers. After alluding to his oø feelings at being once more in a civilised country, bl says But what incentive had the Wanguatui to live? The hope of seeing their island home of Zanzibar' Ab, it was so far f "Nay, master, speak not. shall never see it. Who fears death ? Let me ¡jj undisturbed, and be at rest for ever." Thus dropped away from me—brave, faithful, honest sou" —with only myself for mourner. Their great au:- only compensation was that they had brought theif master to the sea," and he had seen his white brøthet80 "La, Allah, il Allah," they said, and died. It is not without a sensation of choking that write of these days, for memory recalls each name oj the lost ones, and my mind sweeps over the fields of incident where they became connected it. Their voices still respond to my cheering word* I hear them still speak of the necessity of standing b1 the White Man," and the tones of their boat-soølt similar in meaning to The pale-faced stranger, lonely heite, In cities far, where his name is dear, Your Arab truth and strength shall show; He trusts in us, Bow, Arabs, row— despite all the sounds which now surround me, chart' my listening ear. In another part of his letter he says: Four of & men had died at Loanda from the effects of tl1' famine and fatigue, and three died fit Kabiød" There were many others who were hovering on verge of the grave. The Governor-General Town Oouncit of Loanda seconded my endeavours restore them to health. Seiiors Oapello and SetfJ Pinto were also indefatigable. Dr. Lopez, the skilful physiciau, according to the opinion foreigners resident at Loanda, prescribed medicio*' some were sent to hospital, and skilled nur^ attended those who preferred to live with tbfljjf fellows. Under such treatment many recover quickly, but there were many also the day we barked on board her Majesty's ship Industry, if would constantly require the attention of the surged and his assistant. The diseases were general debility dysenteric affections, scurvy, and ulcers. The sailed from Loanda Harbour with a hundred wishes from the English naval officers, and with$ cheers of the Seagulls ringing in our ears. Tb*^ more of my men died on board the Industry Loanda and the Cape; and it was onlv faitbf^ assiduous nursing and attendance on the put of Wm. Brown and his assistant that saved others JIV". drifting away to eternity. Indeed, one might ,.¡ those who succumbed simply drifted painlessly tØ death. They felt no pain, they said; there nothing the matter with them," they replied to ¡ constant questions. Two of them expired withe" warning in one day, and were buried in the deep «* £ What a difference between these bright, robust Eng^T sailors, and that feeble wayworn band of negro trat^j lers from Zanzibar. And how the former softe^ their great rugged robustious strength as theyb^ down to assist and succour the wan and weary which crept forth on deck to breathe the fresh the sea! Had I returned to England frem Loarr:;¡ I should have lost one of the most beautiful noble sights it was ever my let to see. great strong, free white men illustrated once what a vast amount of goodness there is in Pj! human heart. Before suffering and debilityt ? fanatical pride of the white in his colour gave and the proud European forgot his dignity, honoured gallant and faithful black manhood, gave freely most tender sympathy to the negro farers. Those of the Wanguana who were destined^ reach their homes thrived wondrously under the heatfjj abundance provided for them. Yet they did not act K though they were happy and free from anxiety fit care, for sometimes I detected, I thought, a s^J shade of uneasiness. It was not until we 1I\1 about leaving the Cape that I discovered the of this. For the first three days after landing Simon's Town I was unable to return to the ship. people became anxious, and wondered whether ¡JY distant port was to be the end of my voyage with Returning to the ship, I thought my people were ø commonly melancholy. I asked the reason. of They said," You will return to Ulyah (Burope), course, now 1" "Why?" Oh, do we not see you have met your friends, all these last three days we feel you are about to don us ?" Who told you so ?" I asked, smiling. Our hearts, and they are very heavy." oØ "Ah, and would it please you if I accompanied 1 to Zanzibar ?" tØ Why should you ask, master ? Are you act 0 father ?" Well, it takes a long time to teach you to f"L' upon the promise of your father. I have told jrT over and over that nothing will cause me to break promise that I would take you home. You haveb*^ true to me, and I shall be true to you. If we can no ship to take U9, I shall walk the entire dista^ with you until I can show you to your friends j Zanzibar." Zanzibar." "Now we are grateful, master." I saw no sad faces after this day. Captain PTfl his officers, and sailors noticed that they bright01^ up from this time.

A REMARKABLE PLOT. tbft The Daily Telegraph Paris correspondent say9 in a case which has come before the Third CouOCJ War a strange event was brought to light—ft Pj,? formed in 1871 to hand over tbe whole of 0f members of the Commune to the GovernmeB" yt Versailles. The charge which was being tric" the court-martial when the revelation took was not very interesting or important in itsel*»,^ the facts disclosed by the witnesses took the jud!y and audience by surprise, and have been devo^ with avidity by Parisians. Jean Oagnat, formerly captain of the 17th of the Federal troops, was charged with taken part in the insurrection of Paris of 1871*. m defence was that, while apparently a soldier of Commune, he was really acting in the interest °(f0o> regular Government, and receiving his orders Versailles. Amongst the witnesses called by was M.Muley, formerly Colonel of the ITth 1^1 of i who had himself been brought before a j War and acquitted. He described the scheme upon to overthrow the Commune in these | "Our object was to arrest all the raS^^ I of the Commune at once, and to call » the people immediately afterwards to vote up^ > proposal for peace to be submitted at Versailles. I than twenty battalions were ready to act We had an understanding with some of those** .r j head of the insurrection. It was quite possible J | prehend the members of the Commune, as sittings took place every week. We were j several of those who promised to help us, these t0l | having divulged our intentions to Malou, A j the Commune for the Batignolles, who | us at the next meeting, and obtained the | for our arrest. I escaped from the tare of Police on the 34th by blowing out the ( of the warder. I first succeeded in reaching the &$ yard of the building, and afterwards made my I the barracks opposite, where I had the good fortoo^- t fall into the hands of friends." After hearing • dence the Court could not accept the defence of C*^p. aa he did not clearly establish the part he had tak*^ f the scheme to hand over the Communists to the a vernment of Versailles. They therefore 0l i him to a year's imprisonment and the deprivation [ his civil rights for ten years.

DIVOBCE CASE.—The oase of Cohen v. CoW^' the wife's petition for divorce on the grounds of conduct and cruelty, was before the President w'jjfof a jury, and undefended. Mr. Tatham appeared j the petitioner. The lady was married to her band in England, in August, 1864, and they re* at Brighton with the petitioner's relatives for 60 time. From there they went to New York. The spondent's means being very limited, the married was not a happy one, and the respondent beca kind and latterly cruel to his wife. In 1868 returned from New York to England, and as *jjt was no improvement in the respondent's trea^J, the petitioner left him to seek her own livelij* She succeeded in obtaining situations as govern^^t y Paris, Dresden, and Odessa, whither the followed her and persecuted her for monef» Odesia his conduct was such that the authof1 .y compelled him to leave. Subsequently the r instituted the present proceedings. The Court P nounced a decree nisi with costs. j[' f Ax, PAT said a sohool mistress to a • headed urchin, into whose muddy brain tempting to beat the alphabet," I'm afraid you'll »' learn anything. Now, what's that letter, en ?" ^-Jjt j don't you know, ma'am ?" replied Pat. I tb° ? you could have recollected that." "Why, ma^^jj^ > Because it has a dot over the top of it 9 ma'am! I mind it well, but sure I thought itJj, fly-speck." "Well, now, remember, Pat, i You, ma'am f No, no! not U, but I» yo* head." Ocb, yes! faith now I have it, ma'a1 mean to say that you, not I, are a blockhead. 1 fool!" exclaimed the lady, almost bursting with Fool or blockhead, it's no matter which ye are so long as you are free to own it." —— — ) Printed and published by the proprietor, JOHN ^,° ROBERTS, at his General Printing Office, JJI lane, Cardigan, in the parish of Saint Mary 8 County of Cardigan.—Saturday, Feb. 16, I £ 78.

ALLEGED LOAN SWINDLE. If; At the Qlerkenwell Police-court George Finch, 24, address refused, saddler, alias G. Martin, alias R., Joyce, and John Baker, 40, address refused, were charged with fraudulently obtaining 7s. 6d. and i.£2 8s. 6d. from Isaac Preston, in the month of October; they were also charged with defrauding persons in Swansea and elsewhere of variotus sums of money. Mr. St. John Wontner, solicitor, prosecuted on behalf of the Treasury. Detective-sergeant Little- child, of Scotland-yard, said that he arrested the prisoners on the 28th January at a small newspaper shop, where they had gone to obtain letters. He found on them various letters and promissory notes, also newspapers containing advertisements relating to loans to be advanced by a man named B. Joyce; also promissory notes, the handwriting being that of Finch, in the name of Joyce. The promissory note found on Baker was crumpled up, not folded. Finch denied that his handwriting was that on the document signed R. Joyce," and said that if the writing with which he had endorsed the receipt of two registered letters were compared with that of Joyce, they would be found to be dissimilar. He asked that those slips might be produced. Isaac Preston said he was a labourer, living at Woodlands, in Dorsetshire. He saw an advertisement in a local paper referring to a loan office, which offered to advance money on the security of a note of hand alone; references not re- quired, and the utmest secrecy observed. Apply to Mr. George Finch, 185, New North-road. He applied for the loan of JE40 at 6 per cent. In reply he received a printed form stating that Mr. Finch re- quired 7s. 6d. to defray inquiry fees. This was sent, and in reply he received a letter stating that his application for the loan would be granted, and that, on receiving £2 8a. 6d. interest and cost of stamp, the .£40 would be forwarded by return. Witness sent Mr. Finch the money by post-office order, as directed. He did not receive the money, and a few days after he received a letter addressed from 33, Highbury-vale, dated the 9th of October, as follows Felicitas multos habet amicos (laughter).—Dear Sir,—Since forwarding my decision I have been en- gaged prosecuting a fraudulent borrower, who disputed his signature to a promissory note, and from the fact of my not being able to prove the witnessing of the same, the judge decided against me (laughter). I have had a consultation on the subject with my solicitor (renewed laughter), and he has advised me in ail future cash grants to have all signatures wit- nessed. Therefore for the purpose I will visit you at Woodlands, and pay you the .£40 at the same time.; so please say by return when you can make it convenient to see me. Duly considering the low rate of interest charged, the borrower must in each case de- fray fbe cost of travelling (laughter) before I leave London, which will be £110s., and which I now await by return post, together with above particulars (laughter). When remitting, say if you prefer gold in place of notes, and I will bring at you desire.—I am, dear sir, yours truly, GIIO. Futca." Witness did not send the money, but sent the whole of the papers to his son in London. The prisoners were remanded to the House of Detention for a week.