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

THE AMERICAN SILVER BILL. The Bepudiationiats of the United States, sayr the Globe, have carried their bill through the Senate, and there is scarcely, any doubt that it- will become law. The President, it is true, has a right of veto under the Constitution, and the bill has still to run the gauntlet of the House of Representatives. But the Presidential veto can be overidden by a two thirds vote of Con- gress, and the number of Senators who supported the Bland Bill in the vote early on Saturday raeraing-the Senate having sat all through the previous night discus- sing the amendmentø-exceed. that proportion. Pro- bably, then, Mr. Hayes will not put the Senate to the trouble of voting over again; but will keep the bill back for ten days, whereupon it will become law without his signature, and he will have no responsi- bility in the matter. The measure was expected to be brought before the House to-day, but there is no chance of any effective opposition to it there, aa it is notorious that the Silver Party are more powerful in numbers in the House than in the Senate. Amendments, will, doubtless, be proposed. and the Resump tiomsia may protract the fight, and even give some trouble to their opponents. But the issue is certain. The remit ia—aa the Timd well- informed Philadelphia correspondent puts it-that "a silver dollar of 4121 paine will be made un- limited legal tender for all debts, public or private." Now, as the silver in a dollar of 412j grains is only worth 901 cents, it is plain that the creditors of the United States, both public and private, are to be compelled to submit to a deduction of nearly 10 per cent, from all the debts owing them. The United States Funded Loans were raised on the express understanding-and in the original prospectuses put forth here with the express mention-tbat both prin- cipal and interest were to be paid in gold coin," but they will now be redeemable in the depreciated currency. The United States will have broken faith with the public creditor for the sake of grasping the profit accruing from substituting silver for gold in payment of debts which they are bound by every con- sideration of honour and morality to pay in the more precious metal.

A COURT TORCH-LIGHT DANCE. The following torch-light processional dance, as described by the Timet correspondent, formed a part of the late Royal marriage festivities at Berlin: Now ensued the famous ceremony peculiar to this Court known as the laekdtanu, or torchlight procession. A more formal, un-terpsichorean dance cannot well be imagined. Their German and Belgian Majesties, together with the newly-married couples being aeated on the dais in front of the Throne, the other Royal Dersenages ranged themselves on both sides, the ladies on the right and the gentlemen on the left. This preliminary duly settled, the Prus- sian Cjabinet Ministers, headed by Prince Salm, the Grand Master of the Court, approached the Bmperor. Carrying immense lighted wax topers in their hands, they bowed before his Ma- jesty and turned totheright. Onthiathenewly-married Opaplat roae and made the circuit of the hall, the Ministers going before them and the band playing a polollaile composed for the occasion. The tlratcircuit over, the Emperer got up and went round with the brides; next, it. was the Empress's turn to conduct the bridegrooms oyer the aame ground. Then the other Royalties, one by one, came in for their share of the pageant, till aiMatteveryBoyal lady preoenthad danced, as it is euphemistically called, with the two bride- grooms,aad eyery Prinee with the two brides. To com- plete this eyele no less than 22 circuits were required. The brides or bridegrooms figured only alternately; but the Cabinet Ministers undergoing an even worse infliction,, lighted the path at every successive round. Prince Bismarck did not take part in this laborious ceremony. The papers have once and again discussed the question whetber it would not be practicable to deviate from the ancient usage and intrust the hymeneal torch to Chamberlains. After the last round the Ministers handed their tapers to pages, who con-

gate, of the United States Signal Service. Captain Howgate's proposal is to establish a colony of hardy, ■t resolute, and intelligent men at some favourable point on or near the borders of the Polar Sea, providing it with all modern appliances for overcoming the phy- sical obstacles in the pathway to the Pole, and for resisting the effects of hunger, cold, and sickness, and to deprive it of the means of retreat except at stated periods of time. The object of the colony would, be to watch the condition of the ice and the weather, in order to take ad van age of whatever favourable op- portunities flight be presented to push parties on by fcoat wratedge or both, the quest being continued till the Pole be foand. Svery possible comfort would be provided, and the colony would be visited at stated intervals by ships tent out from the States. Lady Franklin Bay, well known in connection with our own recent expedition, is the locality selected by Captain Howeate. though ultimately some other station may be chosen. At the meeting of. the New York Geo- graphical Society on January 31, Captain Howgate's -was discussed in the presence of Lord Duffisrin, who, with many flattering compliments, was electei « honorary member of the society. Lord DuBerin acknowledged the honour in his well-known happy style; he spoke of himself as a potentate whose sceptre touches the Pole, and who rules over a larger area of snow than any monarch." ( DBATHS tbou Bunua,—Dr. Hardwioko held two inquiries at the Hetbern Coroner's Court as tothe deaths of two persons who have died from barns. The first case was that of Elizabeth Curtis, of CS, of 7, Bald win's-pi ace, Hoiborn. She was very feeble and- near-tighted, and on Monday afternoon was left by a friend sitting by the fire-side reading, but about an hour afterwards smoke was seen issuing from nnder the doorway. A woman lodging in the house went into the room, and found Curtis lying on the floor with her clothing burning. The woman at once out the lire out, and Dr. James Miller was called in, but life was extinct.—The second cam was that of Isabella Lee, 48, of 20. Greville street, Holborn. The son, Jam- Lee, said that on the 17th ult. he went to work, and left his mother, who was the worse for drink, sitting by the fire-side. Shortly afterwards he was called home by being told that the house was on are. On going into the room he found it full of smoke, while his mother was lying on the floor near the fire-place with her dothiog alight. He put the fire out, but his mother was very much burnt all over the body. A week afterwards do was taken to the Hoiborn Work- house Infirmary, when she gradually sank, and died on Sunday last. The jury in each cue returned a verdict of Aesidental death." MXJBJDBBXNG A MOTHEB-IN-LAW.—Anthony Metcalfe was arrested by the Liverpool police on a charge of killing his mother-in-law. The prisoner and his wife lived in a ceurt in Fontenoy street, and the wife's mother (Ann Dalton, a fruit seller) lived in a cellar in the same court. On Wednesday night the Metcalfes returned home under the influence of drink and quarrelled. Mra. Metcalfe used irritating lan- guage, and htr husband knocked her down and kicked her while she was prostrate. Her screams attracted her mother, who remonstrated with the prisoner. Then he turned on her, chased her- into her own cellar, whence she afterwards emerged in a state of great exhaustion from loss of blood. She died in a short time. Meanwhile Metcalfe had been seen to leave the place hurriedly, and to go to a publio- house in the neighbourhood. Afterwards he went to his brother's house, about half a mile distant, and it was there the police arrested him. His boots and I clothes were bloodstained. J OUR MILITARi RESOURCES Itf-IWDIA*/ The possibilftyof w»>- b^wewjiBgliBttd andlfttosi* naturally directs public attention to t&tfitfmy in India* and the very important question! anses'AIB -to in the event 'df such a war, India. would bein'a'XfcsJ1 tion to supply a military contingent. The most ttteJ valent opinion seemato be that itwo&ld be higfllf. dangerous and impolitic to withdraw from India èmr temporarily any part of the English troops, but this argument does not apply to c.ative troops, seeing that one of the piincipal uses of English forces in India is to act as a military check upon the native army. The sending of a part of the latter from India would serve, therefore, as a safeguard rather than as a source of danger tq British power. The native troops are well equipped, well drilled, and handle the rifle with considerable skill. There ia at present, however, a most fatal defect in the organisation of native regi- ments, which would have to be remedied before they could be employed agajnst European troops-namely. the serious deficiency of English regimental officers. The full complement of English officers in all ordinary regiments L. seven, and of these on an average not more than four would be available at the commence- ment of any sudden campaign. A regiment might, accordingly, find itself after a abort period of active service without a single English officer. It is a military canon that no regiment ought to go into action without less than two officers per company, and it will ba readily understood that native regi- ments would require a larger than a smaller propor- tion of English officers if required to fight with European troops. Should this deficiency, however, be supplied, there is no reason why native soldiers should not prove a very valuable auxiliary to an English army engaged in a European war. India, as a recruiting ground for such forces, is almost inex- haustible, and for the purpose of a campaign against Russia the limit to Mussulman levies would be solely dependent upon nnancialcontideratiecs.

OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE. Further omcial correspondence has been published respecting the affairs of Turkey. On the 8th of last June Count Schouvaloff had a confidential conversa- tion with Loed Derby, -in which he explained on what terms Russia would then make peace. Among the principal stipulations ware: Bulgaria north of the Balkans to be made an autonomous vassal province, under thegunranteeef Europe; Buigannsonthof the Balkans and the other Christian provinces of Turkey to have a regular administration guaranteed to them by the Powers; the portion of Bessarabia ceded to Boumania in 1860 to be restored; Batoum and the adjacent territory to be eeded to Rassia. If Turkey accepted these termsi Russia would not cross the Balkans, or parsue the war any further. If she rejected them, the war would continue until she was obliged to agitoe to a peace* In that case the Russian terms aright be altered. These conditions Lord Derby did not think it advisable to submit to the Porte. Mr. Layard, in a despatch dated June 13, thought that it would "be even dangerous te suggest them to the Sultan or to his Ministers." If the former were to consent to them it would most probably cosi him hie throne, if not his life. Some weeks later, how- ever; Mr. Layard was instructed to sound the Sultan on the subject of peace. This was oil the 28th of last July. 011 the 2nd of August Mr. Layard replied that he had secretly ascertained the Sultan's views. His Majesty could not listen to "any conditions of peace." His Ministers and othei- in finential persons were so much encouraged by the Turkish sttecessee at Plevna, and Eski Zegra, and by the prospect of favourable results in Asia, that they felt confident the Russians would ultimately be re- pulsed and driven out of Bulgaria and Roumelfa, as they had been out of Armenia. With this despatch the correspondence doses. '> J\. (-'

A FIGHT AT ODESSA. Advices which we have received from Russia give the following particulars ef the fight that took place a £ Odessa on the 12th instant between a band. of Socialists and the police. For some time past the police although having in their custody more than 4Q0 individuals. charged with conspiring against the. Government, have suspected the existence of other secret societies, and on the evening of the l|2th instant resolved to search the lodgings in, a building known as Petrovsky House, in Sadovoifstreet. On enquiring at the door of one set of apartments, which was full of company, t^e. gpndarme officer was refused admittance, He Whiattqd for seme gendarmes to come, upon which the pepplefired several revolver shots at the officer, who Seated,.and, then blockaded the door. Reinforce- ments of police were brousht, and the conspirators, who were armed with swords, rifles, and revolvers, driven into one apartment, in which they secured themselves so effectually and maintained such a steady fire upon the besiegers that the latter could not force the place. The building was thereupon surrounded by a cordon of police and a detachment of gendarmes armed with rifles, brought to the front of the house, whence successive volleys were fired into the window of the room occupied by the conspirators. Still the Socialists held their own and. maintained a steady fire at the police forces ba the end a detachment of troops was brought from the garrison, and these attacking the place in down- right earnest, smashed in the doors and secured the aolllpiiaton. During the fight ten persons were wounded—the gendarme officer, four gendarmes, two policemen, the concierge, and two of the revohttionists. The conspirators only mustered seven strongs—fire J men and two women—and against them were over fifty gendarmes and policemen, and double that num- < ber of Mfantry soldiers.

EXPIATJCBNT or CHILDREN IN GERMANY,— From a statistical report recently published, it appears that these are about 88,000 children employed in the various factory industries in Germany. Of these Prussia musters some 47,600, more than half of the whole; while about 1*8 per cent, ef the population in P.ia of the age from 12 to M; in Bavaria, 1*3 per cent.; in Saxony, 66 per cent.; in Wiirtomburg, T8 per cent. Of all the children employee H, per cent, are of the age from 12 to 14 (first-class age) and 76 per cent., of the second class, from 14 to 16. More- over, 60 per cent are boys, and the remaining 40 girls. In the textile industries there are 34,000 employed (about 40 per cent. of the whole) and of these Prussia Wyes occupation to 14,600—vis., Dusseldorf, 3900 i Aix-la-Ohapelle, 1900; Breslau, 1050; Fmnkfort, Liegnits, and Cologne, each 900; Bavaria employs 3100; Saxony, 10,500, Of which 8000 are found in Zwickau alone; Wiirtemburg, 1860; Baden, 2800- 'the remaining States, 1750. Mining and wweltiny dustnes employ 14.800, and the tobacco nnd eigar- making trades about as many. Of the former there are o0 per cent in Prussia, 9 per cent. in Saxony, and 11 per cent. in the other States collectively; and of the latter Prussia employs 43 per cent; Baden, 24; Saxeny, 15; Hesse, 6; the other States about 12, As the number of people employed in factory pursuits makes altogether 880.000 — vix., 666,600 men, 326,000 women, and 88,000 children, the latter contribute about a tenth part of the whole industrial community, The wages of the children between 12 and TO Vary according to the locality and industry from one to nine marks; and of those of the second class, from 14 to 16, from one ud a half marks to 13 £ the average being about three marks for the first and five for too second dnss. The highest wages for ohildren are paid in the brick and tile trades, IMOBBASB or }>nLle-BOV8B8.-The reports of the Inspectors of the Constabulary of the oounties and boroughs of England and Wales (exclusive of Middlesex and the metropolitan district) give the following results for the year ending At Miebaelma* 1877: The number of public-houses is stated as 62,635, or sixty more than in the pre- eeding year beer and eider houses, 41,622, or 932 more than in the preceding year; refreshment houses with wme licenses, 2670, or 00 more than in the pre- ceding year. The number of persons proceeded against drunkenness, or as drunk and disorderly, was 186,006, being 6406 fewer than in the preceding yflA't; aad the number of those who were convicted was 152,744, or 6886 fewer than in the preceding year. All three districts—northern, midland, and southern —how an increase in the tetal number of houses licensed for the sale of intoxicating liquon. The southern and midland districts show an in the convictions for drunkenness, but this is more than counterbalanced by a decrease in the northern divi- sion. But the northern still had nearly 105,000 of the 152,000 convictions. The population in 1871 was nearly lSj millions in the southern districts: more than 51 million. in the midland district, and 7,866,000 in the northern district. A CBOWPBD TOWN.—A special correspondent at Adrianople says that the city his probably never had in its entire history such crowded streets as at present. The main thoroughfare is at times almost impassable; all the hotels and restanrantsare crowded; every empty house has been filled with soldiers, and the officers have been billeted about promiscuously. The Russian and Turkish soldiers thoroughly frater- nise. The Russians, too, asaist the refugees in various ways- Rarely," says our correspondent, is a hand held out for charity that does not receive some coin, and I have seen the soldiers bring water quite gallantly for the Turkish women." With the Bulgtpans the Russians are not on such good terms, PUBCHASB or ANOTHKB IAONOLAD — It is announced that the Government have now effected # another irondad or^maQy intended for the Turkish navy. She was built .to. Miners. Bolt, and is pierced for twelve 18-ton guns.

PAIR-OAMED RACK PO. £ 60.—A boat race for the above amount took place from Putney to Mort- lake, between O. and L. Gibson, of Putney, and H. Messum, and J. Chitty, of Richmond, lads who, al- though comparatively young, hftye acquitted them selves very creditably in the races in whu^i they have taken part. It was nearly high water when they got off, and hence the Richmond lads, who won the toss for choice of station, took the centre, the betting being 2 to 1 and 5 to 2 on them. Mr. Tjightfoot, of the Sporttnum, was the reieree. The favourite* had decidedly the best of the start, in fact, placing a length to their credit before they had covered 200 yards; but jut below Simmonds's Boat- house they were level, and then, before they had got to the top of the concrete wall, the Richmond men had got away again, but losing the service of their cutter had to look after their own steerage, and conse- quently ran into a barge below the Soap Works, and before they could get clear the othera were by. Off the centre of the Soap Works, however, they were level, and then the Richmond menwtllt away again, and passed under Hammersmith-bridge dear. After this they had no difficulty in going ahead as they liked, and won by four lengths. THE PANTOMIME having been withdrawn at the Royal Aquarium, Westminster, the afternoon í performances have been resumed in the theatre, with Mr. Phelpe appearing as Riehelfeu. The old Canlinal of Lord Lytton was never more efficiently or correctly presented, for Mr. Phelps is now the ouly surviving actor who can pourtray the traditions associated with the part in the mind of the author and its first repre- sentative, Mr. W. 0. Macready. The present per- formance brings to the memory the acting of the late Mr. Macready, in whoee hands the Cardinal was made to appear a political statesman and priest The wit, the sarcasm, the duplicity, and the intellectual power of the Cardinal are all presented by Mr. Phelps with an accuracy that leaves nothing to bedeaired. On alternate daya Mr. Phelps haa been personating the other great Cardinal of history, the only great English Cardinal—Wolsey—a part in which Mr. Macready used to delight, and in which he made the proud priest to appear more vividly than the atateaman. Miss ManeLittoa is a very excellent Julie de Morte- mar, and with Mr. Phelps, divided honours. AT A HSCBNT MEETING of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution rewards, amounting to .£260, were granted to the crews of different lifeboats of the institution for services performed during the put month, in which period the boats had beeninatrm- mental in aaving nfty-mne lives from shipwrecks on our coast The Kingstown lifeboat gallantly saved the crew of twelve men from the Austanan brig Olinka, whieh x was wrecked on the Xiah Bank during a strong wind and heavy aaa, accompanied by aleet and snow shewers on the 25th alL The Crown Prince of Austria, who was in Dublin at the time this service was rendered, presented .£80 to the lifeboat men as a mark of hi8 appreciation of their praiseworthy services on thia occasion. The thanks of the institution, inscribed on vellum, were voted to Mr. James McOandlish, of Greeneastle, Ireland, in acknowledgment of his highly laudable conduct in putting off with some fishermen in a shore boat, and saving six of the crew of the Norwegian brig Hilding, which was wrecked near that place in a gale of wind and a heavy sea on the 26th ult The thanks on vellum were also granted to Mr. Fletcher, master of the steam tug Hotspur, and .£5te his crew, for their services on the occasion of that wreck. Payments to .£1974 were likewise made on different lifeboat establishments. AN UNPRECEDENTED THEATKICAL RUN.—AS moat people who take an interest in, playa has seen "Our Bon," or, at any rate, have had plenty of opportunity of seeing it, and as in its essentials the east remains very much as it was at first, it is sufficient to sav that a very numerous and enthusiastic audience assembled in the Yaudeville Theatre for the 1000th representation, laughed uproariously, and applauded to the echo. After the third act, Messrs. James and Thorne opened a rhymed address, in whieh they were subsequently joined by Mr. H. J. Byron. It alluded to the success of the comedy, and announced the intention to keep it to the fore so long as the public should and it attractira. There was a suggestion, too, that Mr. Byron was to snpply the next piece. The address was received in the same spirit as the vert of the entertainment which Mr. Farren announced had secured something over £ 900. This sum. he said, would be apportioned among the Royw General Theatrical Fuid, the Metro^litan Free %"Pital. tha Oharing-cross Hospital, «he G*»t Northeni Hospital, and other charitieS. The Lord Mayor and Sheriff., with the City Marahal and suite, lent their patronage, which naturally added to thepecuniM-r success ef the performance. 'i MU&DKB AT Htrax.—A mnrder has been per- petrated at Hull by a joiner named Vincent Knowles Walker. This man was under bca&to keep the peace towards his wife, who had been csfcpelled to leave him and take refuge with a Mr- ana Mrs. White, in Nile-street A little after four in the afternoon Walker went to White's houae to see his wife, but die, fearing his violence, made her way out of the house by the back door. Walker thereuponatabbed Mrs. White on the face and also about the body, and in a few minutes ahedtaet. Before her death Walker was arrested, and while in cuatody he tried to kick her. At the police-station Walker expressed regret that he had not met his wife, and said that, had she come near him, he would have served her in the same way. POSITION ia something, but not everything. The eyes are in the rear of the nose, but can see much further than it can ameli. OVERDUE—The Waterloo sailed from Quebec on October 24 with a cargo of timber for Liverpool. She arrived off Bi<v before the 29th of October, and has not been heardftfcsince. It is thought probable that she has been ice-bound and crushed, and that the crew, like other crews in former times, may be heard of on the island of Sic. The Waterloo was formerly owned by Mr.Harward, of London. In 1875 she went ashore near New Orleans, and was subse- quently got off and taken into port, where she was condemned and Sold. She afterwards underwent extensive repairs, and was sent to sea again. She is now the property of Mir. J. H. Allen, of London. She was built at Quebee in 1865,and was originally classed at Lloyd's, but that class expired five years ago. She was a wooden ship of 1155 tons register, tad worth, with her cargo, about .£18,000.

DEAN STANLEY ON THE POPES OF ROME. This Dean ef Westminster addressed a crowded congregation at the Union Chapel, Oomp ton-terrace, Mington, on The Popes of Rome." He was, how- ever, so indisposed daring the evening that he had to pause in the delivery of his lecture, and the con- cluding portion of it was read by the Rev. Dr. Allon. 'The dean said he did not desire to speak ef either the late or the future Pope, because the former had so recently passed away, and 88 to the latter there was still great uncertainty. Treating the Pope as an hia*»rical office, he said there were points connected therewith- which were of interest to every Christian Roman Catholicor Protestant, Churchman or Nonconformist. The Pope could be considered, first, as the representative of many customs of Christian antiquity.; secondly, as the representative of the ancient Roman Empire; thirdly, as an Italian prince and bishop; fourthly, as the Pope, or chief oracle of the Roman Church; and fifthly, as the head of the ecclesiastical profession of Western Europe. The Pope had had the character of an Italian prinee and bishop for many centuries, and was such a prince and bishop 88 the Bishop of Durham or the Mitred Abbot of West- minster had been. But whereas theseand similar prince- bishops had disappeared, the Pope remained. Since 1870 he had lost the dominion over a large portion of his territory. He was, still, however, the Sovereign Prince over the Vatican, ench as was the Prince of Monaeo, and had his guards and ambassadors. Refer- ring to the election of the Pope, the Dean said that in the earty days that election was in the hands of the populace, and in the fourth century it was con- ducted with such violence as to cause blood- shed. Si ace the twelfth century it had been conducted by the College of Cardinals. The title of Pope originally was not confined ex- clusively to the Bishop of Rome, but belonged to all the teachers. It was afterwards applied, to all bishops, and in the seventh century it dropped from the other Western bishops, remaining only with the Bishop of Rome. The claim of the Pope to infalli- bility was conceded by a large part of Christendom. He, however, became Pope simply by the election of the College of Cardinals, and he really need not be a clergyman to be elected by them. In fact, on two occasions laymen had been elected Popes, and those who imagined that the Pope inherited his office by virtue of episcopal succession laboured under a great mistake.

OUTRAGE BY FOREIGN SEAMEN.—I-At the Thames Police-court, twelve Chinamen, named Arys, » u' Achon, Arhena, Artie, JhoBoak,Fosig, Arsou, Anhion, Aillu, and Chie, were brought before Mr. De Kutzen, charged with disorderly conduct and assault- ing Francisco Tamar, a boarding-house keeper for seamen, of 221, St. George's-in-the-Rafct It Appeared that some time ago the injured man was charged at this court, with Itealing.£26 from a Chinese seaman, who was bearding at his house at the time, and was com- mitted for trial, but acquitted at the sessions. It is conjectured that when the Obinaman got back to Singapore, he communicated With his fridnds, the prisoners, the fact of his losing his mon6y, and the r&>uH of the trial. At seven o'clock' the other evening >«M*ws °f two Chinese ships,' l^ing in the South ^pf lndia Deck, about twenty in number, armed wim«aarlingspikes, thick iron bolts, and a large iron nuVused as a sling shot, went to the house Of the pro- secutor, and beat him in a most brutal manner abont theheadandbedy. HieinjarMeat-e not expected to termmate fatally, but he itfina very weak state and unable to leave his bed. Sufficient eniefeee was taken to grant a remand, and to see how the injured man progressed. •' CauGB or BREAKING A Wnrtfg ABM.—At the Marlborough-street Police-court, John Heagren, a labourer, of No. 18, New Compton-street, was charged before Mr. Newton with violently assaulting his wife Elisabethjby breaking her arm. Mr. Moore, of the Asso- ciate Institute for the Protection or Women attended. being called on, Robert Marsh, 181 B, ItaWthat the injured woman was not in attendance. Mr. Newton said he would hear what evidence there was. Marsh said he was called by the wife of the prisoner, who said the prisoner had broken her arm by striking her with a lamp briish. She gave the prisoner into custody, and the only reply the prisoner made to the charge was that he had not hit his wife hard enough to do such a thing. The wife, who had previously been to the hospital and had her arm in splints, went to the station and charged the prisoner. Mr. Newton remanded the prisoner, and ordered a summons to be taken out to compel the attendance of the wife. Now THAT THE BROWN BOARD MODKI, of Cleo- patra's Needle is up, a good many people are not at all pleased with the site, just as a good many were not pleased with the Stephen's-green one, or, for the matter of that, would be with any site on the earth, or on the shores of the waters on the surface of the earth. The painter who exhibited his work in public and asked his discerning countrymen to explain their opinion on it is always a sad example of the uselessness of this kind of amateur con- noisenrship. And so it will be with the Egyptian pillar, if the Government goes on build- ing models and pulling them down to the end of the year. Nevertheless, it must strike anyone who has ever seen the venerable-looking, won, and rather corroded "Needle" itself, that it will contrast some- what tastelessly with the spick and span freshly-cut grfrJ granite of the Embankment. However, let us haveit up, for even in theseslack times weeannotatways be employing carpenters to build models of it More- over, if Mr. Erasmus Wilson does not get his baronetcy soon, we shall have over a Pyramid next, with Pompey's Pillar and the Sphinx thrown in as Packing.—# A TICKBT-OT-LKATR POSTMAN.—At the Tun- Petty Sessions, a ticket-of-leave man, n«w«d William Oliver, «&*» King. «Iw Welfare, em- ployed as a rural post messenger from Oowden to Edinbridge, was committed to take his trial at the ensuing Kent Assises on the charge of stealing a post letter and two cheques for .£3 and £ 60 21. respec- tively, the property of the Postmaster-General. Mr. 1. G-Talbot, M.P., stated that ha sent to his bailiff the two cheques enclosed in a letter, and, as they were not delivered in doe course, information was given to the police and complaint made to the postal authorities. Befosa this, however, the prisoner, whose duty it would be in the ordinary oourse to deliver the letter, absconded and eluded the pursuit of the police uotal Friday, when he was apprehended at the East instead Workhouse. When in. custody the prisoner admitted having taken the cheques, that he had tried to raiae money on the smaller one, and facing to do 10, had made a man named Thompson. a present of the £ 3 cheque. The other cheque he had burnt. It «*»ed out, however, that he really gave the cheque hoopmaker &am*d South, tolling hiiaat the tupe tat Mr. Talbot had sent it him as a. Christmas box. Fox»H{nrrztra'Zff WILTSHIRK.-—A letter has been written by Mr. B. H. Dickenson, of Berkeley £ **» Frdme, to the Master of the South and West Wilts Hunt, Oolenel J. P. Everett, in the following terms: ««My dear Sir,—-I understood yon had fixed go to Mells on Saturday and postponed writing yon laat 1feek in consequence. I now write to say I think 1011 had better not come here again. The place is full of foxes, there are no fabbits, and they have nothing to eat but pheasants. Ton are utterly unable to kill one. so i directed my gamekeeper to try to poison t»em, and it is for this reason I write to yon, that no Buhap Buy occur to your hounds." Mr. Dickenson adds that he is losing pheasants daily. Colonel Bverett, in reply, says this is an nneourteous note and he Protests against such intsference with the national "Port of fox-hunting, indeed, he hardly thinks his oor- J*»pondent would interfere as he proposes todo with ■port of his neighbours. MELANCHOLY DBATH OP A TUTOR.—An iti- quest was held at the Peacock Tavern, Westminster- bridge-road, to inquire into the death of Mr. William a Roman Catholic tutor, who was found dead u* his bed. The deceased was a very great reader, and studied much at St. George s Cathedral, South- wark. Latterly he had become very despendent, and refused food, being fed with oranges, tc., until his death. The deceased was paying attentions to a young lady, and it is supposed that he had been re- jected, and sank from grief. A verdict of death from exhalation and weakness was returned. A RESULT or THB MASONS' STBttB IN Loxoojt.—A sad result of the masons' strike is re- ported. Joseph Langdon, a stonemason, aged 49, residing at Lambeth, has been thrown out of work by the strike. Being unable to procure other employ- ment, he and his family were reduced to a state of great privation. On Sunday night he and his wife and five children slept together in their one room. The wife, upon awakening in the morning, found her husband dead, his throat being cut from ear to ear. CARRXAGK ACCIDENT.—Mr. Hesketh, corn merchant, of Bank-place, Preston, with his son, Miss Heslpth, and Mrs. Gardner, another daughter just returned from her wedding tour, were driving down SVenchweod-street towards home, 10 a pony phaeton, when the animal took fright. Dashing down the street it turned suddenly into Ayenham-place, and brought the vehice into contact with the lamp-post, by which it was shattered into fragments, the whole of the occupants being thrown violently to the ground. Mr. Hesketh escaped with some cuts and bruises on the head and face. His son was injured in the same way, and was taken up insensible; Miss Hesketh was badly shaken, and Mrs. Gardner was mueh injured in the back. The pony turn*, back up Frenchwood- street, and galloped up Cannon-street and into Fisher- gfcte, where it same into coUi**on wnh awoaolbus and WMeaptared.

A ROMANCE m JteEAh LIFE. The Paris con-eapondentof the Globe gives the fol- lowing account of an extraordinary case .which has come before the Paris law courts: Victor Maunier, who died in Aogust, 1874, at NeUilly, at the age of 55, was the hero of cue of those romances in real life which are barely credited in this prosaic and material age. The preux chevalier whose sword was ever drawn and lance carried in defence of beauty, and the Crusader who risked his life for the deliver ance of Jerusalem, have been handed down to us as a tradition of the past; but we still have men who wander forth seeking adventure and trying to gather together millions. Maunier left his native village with nothing but the clothes he had on hit back, and apprenticed himself to a jeweller at Marseille, where he made thp acquaintance of an Italian family of dentists. He married the sister of his friend, Teresa Oddo, and settled down at Messina, where- he established himself, with the assistance of some of his acquaintances, as a jeweller. Ten years of married life were too much for the gay young jeweller, whose love of amusement and dislike of trade had brought him to the brink of ruin. He abandoned his wife and children to their fate, and made his way to Athens, while Madame Maunier, with her two girls, made her way back to Marseilles, where, with the aid of her toothers, she was able to open a small haberdashers' shop, which increased and prospered, enabling her to bring up her family and lay the foundations of a small in- dependency. The truant husband appears to have tried every trade and profession, without obtaining any satisfactory result, until in 1848, when he perceived the important r6le the invention of Daguerre weuld have throughout the world. He learnt the process, and went to Cairo, knowing that an art considered wonderful in France would be accounted a miracle in the land of the Pharaohs. Maunier, on his arrival at Cairo, was far from dis- appomted with his reception at the handiof the Pacha. He took portraits of the Court and managed to ingratiate hnhself with Prince Halim, son of the fanions Mehfemet AU Pasha, with whom he made some valuable ^archaeological discoveries in the neighbourhood of the Pyramids. Some few thousand yeara ago the man who could read or explain a dream to the Pharaohs was called at once to honour nnd dignity, and even now a species of veneration awaits the fortunate individual who can make dwcoveries adding prestige and wealth to sue- rainty fast faHirig into decay. Balim Pasha and Marnier became bosom frienda and oompaniens. The Prince, among his vast estates, was possessed of land which had been extensively planted with sugar canes, and Mavinier perceived t at once what w lmmenee fortune might be. made. The tWO partners started a large sugar ex- tracting and refining work *gn the neigh- bourkoodofJxmgsor, the first of its kind ever intro- duced into Kgypt, and they were rewarded" beyond their moat 8&npine expeetatioaa. Both became rich and powerful. Maunier looked about him, paying his addresses to a yonng giri who sang and danced at a Moorish coffee-house in Cairo. She waS the daughter of the master of the establish- ment, and had gained a reputation for beauty. The forwutrti wife appeared most inopportunely for the truant husband on the scene. Cairo is not far from the OBnaebi&re, and Egyptian gossip can Marseilles. The wife had heard of her husbands good fortune, and had determined to make antirgmappe^ to him, promising-aU should ba forgotten and forgiven if he would return to hia old allegiance and to hie children. He KfaM, and at once commenced a suit for separation against his wife, gaining the day, owing to the powerful influence of his friend and partner Halim. Notwithstanding the opulent maiuMr hr which he lived, he «ontrived to persuade the French Consul that he was a mere dependent on the bounty of the Prince, and the wife had to return to Marseilles empty-handed, having been nonsuited in her claim for alimony. The ««nabob found that anything could be accomplished with money, and he went through the ceremony of jjiarri^ according to the rites of the Greek Church ^jth Madame Bouvaret-GaUj, the dancing-girl, who wifoi 1 sceiety and acknowledged ^Powerful, conceived a scheme f0I °f ¥• Political ambition. He ? similar to that which placed on the throne of tbe Ottoman Empire, but the J^nspiracy was discovered and the Prince if88 k*nMhed'. He turned his footsteps towards I J? foreigner, Paris. He was accompanied by Maunier, who, to prevent any enf°rced him by the ver- "ti Jf4Sfoou2 of Ia»- made over all his p Bouvaret-Galli and two of his ,and only surviving daughter met him at Marseilles as he landed from the Bto&mervbut he refused to recognise them. He made 1° ?!„ "owety in a most brilliant "Sfc*? hotel purchased in the Bue Scribe and fttted up in the Oriental style with luxury. Invitations were sent ? had remembered the magnificent hospitality offered to all COIners by Francis Bravais were eager to bow down before the golden calf and Madame Bourawt-GaHi, for such according to French law i"?..?erer be, was anxious to establish her position as Madame Maunier in the eyes' of the worn. She was thought by the habituS* of the Bois ? and the Opera to be the lawful spouse °«ti! ?eT millionaire, and nothing was heard of the unfortunate T6r&a Maunier, nee Oddo, who was earning her living at Marseilles, remembering her duty towardl her husband, and still offering him forgive- nas. 1 nnK a Tep7 severe illness the curt of the Madeleine endeavoured to reconcile the husband and wife, and would probably have succeeded had not Madame Bouvaret-Galii intervened and declined to peruut the old priest to see the siek man. The legitimato wife was advised to commence a series of actions against her huaband, which, if legally unsuccessful in point of law owing to the separation pronounced before the consular authorities at Cairo, would haTe areat influence on the rich parvenu, whe, like most ofhiaelaaa, trembled with apprehensions as to the result of an adverse verdict recorded against him by public opinion. Kadame Maunier refused to take any steps, and when business was in a most critical stote with her she merely Wrote to her hus- band asking him to assist her for the sake of their daughter. At one moment—according to the opening speech the and daughter, now suing Madame Bouvsret-Galli for the purpose of obtaining P°T"1?n °f Property and money which belonged jJf *hen he died—Maunier was on the .SUlk beyond hepe of recovery, he friends who hnew the, ewenm- effect a Hs was on the point of yielding, and .actually written to the wife and daughtw begging them to come to Paris at P1* by the side of their dying husband and father. An effort was made to fceep the family divided. Madame Bouvaret-Galli, finding she was losing her influence over the dying man, whose mind was continually wandering hack to happjdaysspent at in«, determined to remove of those who were advising h"0 her own particular interests. A house at Neuilly, and the sick man dead of night, only a few people ^5 oonfidence of the supposed Madame family declare that during the few jays when Maunjy was struggling for life, securities tuKfo Property were removed from the house jii the aue Scribe and delivered up to Madame Bouva- yet-gatn, on orders signed by the/dying man, whose ¡"hereabout. DODe could discover. At last Maunier died, ana the seal wife, to protect her own in-, terests, caused seals to be placed on all the books, Spers, .closets, ehests, &c., of her late husband. to^L°*refuUy taken revealed the astound- ing fact that the "nabob". had died almost « league Francois Bravais. Madame gouveret-Galli admitted that she had been band- gomely provided f0r, and the widow, dissatisfied with he explanations she received, commenced a law auitagainjt her rival, who had held her place for °rL? ^S'^eilty y*™. and ,had supplanted her 'nneral, usurping the position of tji as the case was about to be Bouvaret-Galli volunteered a state- ? JS at 'mount of money given h*r by the ^"argued that she had from £ 20,000 to .£25,000. and offered to surrender one half (£10,000) as a compromise. The offer was accepted, a deed was signed, and lawyers thought they had heard the last of the case. Madame Maunier has, however, dNcoveted since that her husband at the time of his death had more than one claim to the title of millionaire; and finding that Madame Bouvaret-Galli had claimed a sum from Halim Pasha of over .£80,000 aa due to the Maunier estate, of which she is commenced an action praying that the deed or compromise may be set aside, owing to her having been induced to execute it on the fraudulent representations of her rival.

DUBI. WITH PISTOI.8.—A duel with pistols took place on the morning of the 18th inst, at Ainhoa, on the Spanish frontier. The two principals were M. de Yignancourt, a former deputy for Orthes, and M. H. Dufaure, a municipal councillor. Placed at twenty-five paces, they exchanged one shot without doing any injury to one another, except that It H. Pafaure ™ £ a scratch on his nose, caused hy the wtedtt df fcirpiitot,

A COSTLY SOLDIER. An ugly suspicion exists in military circles that the strength of our land forces as exhibited on paper is much in excess of the real number of our soldiers. Not that English officers adopt the plan of pocketing the pay of paper men; that sort of arrangement died out finally, we believe, in India about the time of the battle of Plassey. But it is un- questionable that the British army contains a number of ingenious individuals who have mastered the art of self-multiplication. The following sugges- tive history of one of these accomplished gentle- men has just come into our hands, and as it was re- counted by himself the details may be accepted as ac- curate. The statement of Private James Morrissy, 14th Foot: In the beginning of the year 1872 I en- listed in the Liverpool Militia under the name of James Reilly. In the beginning of the year 18731 enlisted in the 2nd Lanarkshire Militia, under the above name of James Beilly. About the third or fourth month of 1874 I enlisted in the Barnard Castle Militia, county Durham, under the name of Thomas Farr. About the year 1871 or 1872, in the fifth month, I enlisted into the 6th Lancashire Militia, under the name of James Boss. About the 12th November, 1876,1 en- listed in the 2nd Lancashire Militia; also on the 19th November, 1876,1 enlisted in the 5th West York Militia, under the namss of James Dunn. I enlisted for the 20th Regiment of Foot. I enlisted in Man- chester in November, 1876, and was sent to the depot at Bury, in Lancashire. I enlisted and was sworn in under the name of James Dunn in the city of Manchester. In the beginning of the first month, 1874, I enlisted in the Royal Artillery, under the name of James Hogan, for which I got attested and sworn in. In the year 1868 I was discharged from her Majesty's ship Impregnable with ignominy. I was serving then as a boy under the name of Robert Jackson. About 3rd September, 1874,1 received the sentence of eighteen months' imprisonment for mutiny on the high seas, while serving on board the steamer Columbia. (This was read over to him.)—Signed, JAMBS MOEKISSY, 2-14th P. W. O. Regiment" He has been three times tried since he has served with the 14th, in addition to the aforesaid.

HUSBAND AND WIFE. At the Olerkenwell Police-court, Joseph Watkins, cabinetmaker, 358, Liverpool-road, was charged on remand with assaulting his wife, Bsther. Mr. Bicketts, solicitor, defended. The complainant stated that on Monday night her husband came home and asked for a clean shirt, and, on being told that it had gone to the wash and had not been returned, he be- came violent, knocked her down by a blow in the face, and bruised her severely. In reply to Mr. Bicketts the witness said she had always been a good wife to the prisoner. Mr. Bicketts handed witness a letter addressed to her, and asked the namfe of the writer, which she refused to give. Mr. Bicketts then read the letter as follows: < My darling Esther,—I sit down to write you a few more lines before I leave you for good, but before I do that I wish to ask yod one or two ques- tions. The first one is this: If I get money, will you oome away with me somewhere, say either in England or to France ? only do not say so now, add then, when we are going to start, alter your Mind. I dare say I shall manage' tv. get by to-morrow .£16 to £ 20. Now, my darling, will you come With me? The people who I shall get the money from will nottronble to come after me, so now, if yon love me, you will oome, Ac." This letter, with some poetry, written in the same handwriting, the prisoner had found hi a box belong- ing to his wife. The poetry was supposed to re- present the feelings of two separated hearts, and was asfollows: A heart I here prssent to you, A heart that is sincere and true; » That never will incline to join To any other heart but thine. Two hearts you have, and I have none, Now is it not a wonder That you should have your heart and mine, And be so far asunder ? (Much laughter.) The writer (continued Mr. Bieketts) then described his feelings as follows: I feel so extremely revengeful to-day, So teeming with purposeless spite, That everyone—except you—that comes in my way, I have such a longing to bite. Ifeel so unmeaningly vicious and raw, With all my relations and friends, My heart is so bent upon going to law, To give me an untimely end. With yearning so nearly akin to distress I feel that I inwardly long To go to your bad, wicked husband, And do him some horrible wrong! Mr. Bicketts contended that his client, eould he give evidence, would be able to show that he had been shamefully treated. The discovery of such letters by him naturally created a feeling of animosity against his wife, who refused to give him the name of the writer. During Mr. Bieketts's remarks, the com- Slainant was most violent in her accusations against her husband. Mr. Hosack ordered the prisoner to enter into his own surety in the sum of .£10, to be of good behaviour for six months. "\1." 4

HONBSTY REWARDED.—Oli the 9th February one of the conductors of the London General Omnibus Company, plying between Barnshiity and Kenningfon- park, found in his omnibus a bag. containing gold watches, diamond rings, packets of unset diamonds, and other articles of jewellery of considerable value, which he deposited at the station-house, and they were afterwards forwarded to Scotland-yard. He has just been rewarded by the Chief Commissioner of Police with .£60, which the owndr of the property had to pay. AN ANTI-VIVI8BCTION MKKTINO.—A meet- ing, called by the International Association for the Total Suppression of Yivisectiou, was held at the Lecture-hall, Metropolitan Tabernacle. The chair was taken by the Bev. B. JL Baynes, hon. canon of Worcester and vicar of Coventry; but it was evident from the first that, owing to uproar in the hall, the meeting could not go on. Several gentlemen at- tempted in vain to obtain a hearing. The chairman, in announcing that the meeting was at an end, read an extract from a letter which he had received, in which it was stated that an organised opposition had been got up by 000 medical students, with the express object of putting a step to the meeting. AN INFANT BUBNT TO DXATH^—An inquiry was held in the Alfred Ward at St. Thomas's Hos- pital, on the body of Ernest William, the infant son of Mr. George Jackson, residing at No. 21, Weethall- road, Blfin-road, OamberwelL It appeared that the deeeMed, in the absence of hi* mother, obtained a box of matches. Whilst playing with them the matches ignited, and. set his clothes on fire. The jury, after referring to the lamentable fact of a number of ohildren being .buntto death through playing with matches, returned a verdict of Accidental death by burning." SHOCKING DISCOVHBT.—Andrew Johnstone the local agent for 4m Charity Organisation Society at Portsmouth, had not been seen or heard of since the end of November last, and on the.police breaking open the branch office of the society, a few days since, the missing man was found dead in bed. His body .was frightfully decomposed, as he had no doubt died in his «leep some months since. DBOWNKD IN TH* THAHAS.—The body of A man, unknown, has been found in the Biver Thames. The deceased, who is about 60 years of age, was observed floating beneath the nerth arch of Blaek- friars-bridge, and was recovered by Mr. Day, the pier-master. No money or any document to prove identification was found. Deceased waadressed in a black doth frock-coat and vest, and wore a pair of check trousers and sidespring boots. He is 5ft. 9in. in height, dark whiskers, beard and moustache slightly turning grey. TIm ASTASTB STKAMBB.—A telegramreceived from Lloyd's agent at Monte Yideo states that the first officer and third engineer were saved from the eteamer Astarte, of Glasgow, before reported by tele- graph as having been lost at Bastillos, Brazils, while on a voyage from Cardiff to Monte Video. The con- clusion is that the rsmaining officer and erew, num- bering p-obaoly abont thirty penws, have perished. TIm LATH GBOSGB CBTTIKSHANK.—Whether the late Mr. Oruikshank owed his long immunity frem the inroads of old age to only drinkmg water, I do not know; but he certainly was a wondrous instance of this immunity. About four years ago, when he was 81,1 remember passing an evening, or rather a night, with him at the house of a friend in Brompton. We emerged into the street at about 4 a.m. A cab passed, and I hailed it. He laughed at me for not walking home, and set off himself to walk to his house, near Hampstead. If any one wants to know what Oruikshank looked like, he has only to turn to one of the illustrations of Oliver Twist. The artist was sitting meditating how he should portray Fagan. He saw his own shadow reflected on the wall, and it became Fagan. But a man more unlike Fagan, except in regard to the outward presentment, never existed. A few months before his death, he told me that his income was amply sufficient for his own modest wants, but he had many calls upon him, and to meet them, he was always devising some plan by meaD8 of whioh he might gain a few pounds.—Truth. TUN CANADIAN PBXMQCB has stated that no negotiations for a Reciprocity Treaty exist between Canada and the United States. No proposition has been made to Canada. If any is made, it will be givm duoconaidaration.

ENGLAND'S FIELD ARMY. (From the Times.") A good way of ascertaining what our real position is will, wo think, be to imagine oursdrei in the posi- tion of a staff officer addressed by the Duke of Cam- bridge as follows: "Draw up a memorandum showing both how many troops, &c., we have available for an expedition—say to Turkey—and the steps neces- sary to be taken to put an army destined for that purpose together." The first step is to ascertain the number of efficient fighting men available, for there is a difference greater than civilians would imagine between the pape** and the real strength of an army. On reference to the Army Estimates for the current year, we find that the total number of men voted by Parliament is 133,720, including staffs of brigade depots to be formed from the staff of the auxiliary forces. Of these, about 29,000 are in the colonies* leaving at home 104,720 of all ranks. To these must be added 20,000 men—according to the latest calculation-first-elass Army Reserve and 30,000 Militia Reserve. Thus we have 154,720 of all ranks liable to serve abroad and available— on paper—for an expedition to Turkey or elsewhere. A Corps d'Armee contains 36,805 of all ranks, and it might appear from the above that we could easily despatch an army of three corps. A careful analysis, however, will show that we should be rather straining our resources and leaving ourselves without reserves were we to do so. Moreover, the strength of the cavalry is insuf- ficient for much more than two corps and a body of etappen troops. On the assumption that the landing would be effected in Turkey, the etwppen troops could scarcely be set down at less than live battalions of infantry, one regiment of cavalry, one company of engineers, two batteries of field, and two of garrison artillery. A naval brigade and a body of marines might be landed to assist in holding the point of'dis- embarcation, but the fleet itself would be actively em- ployed, and could not make a large contribution. Let us now see how the infantry are to be supplied. Two corps and five etappen battalions would require 47 battalions of 1097 of all ranks each. The Guards, seven battalions strong, with a total strength of 5950 of all ranks, would as umal fur- nish a brigade of three battalions, each of which, by drawing on the home battalions, could be easily raised to a war strength. Thus we need only take into consideration 44 batta- lions of line infantry. In the Mediterranean are 12 battalions, each 917 of all ranks strong. These could furnish six battalions, 1001 strong each, volunteers being obtained from the battalions left in garrison to fill up the expeditionary battalions, and militia regi- mentis being ordered out from home to take the place of the latter. That leaves 35 line battalions to be sent from England. There are at present 64 battalions, of whom 12 have an establishment of 903, four of 609, and the remainder of 603 of all ranD, r Thereare, however, many eliminations to be made from' each battalion before sending it on an expedition. There are the wanting to complete," men absent but not yet struck off the rolls, men in hospital or prison, men from age or some physical disability nwflt for active service, undrilled recruits, and lads who, being under 20, are, according to the highest authorities, incapable of supporting the hardships and fatigues of a campaign. On an average, two out of three of the infantry recruits will not attain the age of 20 under a year, and then they will be a. year younger than the average age or OoDtiDeatat. recruits after being dismissed drill. We may," therefore, fairly deduct 10 per cent. from the regi- r ments on the lower establishment and 15 ftom those on the higher establishment for this eamse. There is a larger proportion of recruits iD.!t}te stronger than in the weaker regiments; hence the higher percentage of deductions- from the former. Add 5 per cent. for other causes, and that is a low estimate, for several regiments are much below their establishments. By this process 12 battalions would be reduced to about 727 of all ranks, and the remaining 26 out of the 88 tofeersant-frem home to about 502.. It would be necessary, in order to bringr all 38 battalions to the regnlated vter strength of 1097 of all ranks, to add about 20,000 men. Of the 20,000 men of theftnt class army reserve, probably about 18,000 are infamry, and about 17,000 of thele might be reckoned on as fit to serve and obeying the sum- mons. All these would be excellent men in every respect. Of the militia reserve of nominally 30,000 men, probably 20,000 infantry, men fit to serve, would come forward. From these 3000 good men could be picked to complete the required augmentation of the expeditionary battalions. This would leave 17,000 men. to fill up the gape in the garrison battalions at Malta and Gibraltar, to supply men for subsidiary corps, and to provide. first reserve at Malta. The result of this calculation is satisfactory as regards numbers, for, as we have shown, we could send out two corps, a body of etappen troops, provide a first reserve, complete the regular battalions left in the Mediterranean, expand the Army Service and Army Hospital Corps, have fun depdts in England, and yet possess 26 line bat- talions, each about 600 strong, besides four battalions of Guards, in the United Kingdom. These with the second-class army reserve, the militia and the volun- teers would constitute a force quite sufficient for home defence. ¡

A PLEA FOR "BREACH OF PROMISE." A correspondent writes as follows in the Timet: In the overpowering excitement at present prevailing both abroad and at home of Russian a Turk, the 'comparatively peaceful action of "JliamJU of Pro- mise/ as mooted by Mr. 'HeweheH's bill, meets bat scanty attention. A word may, however, find place in favour of the time-honoured process the honour* able member for Durham would fain see entirely abolished. He views the question from a high stand- point of delicacy and disinterestedness, and apparently forgets that legidation is not alone for the upper-ten, but also for the masses. True that no woman of refinement could under any provocation wish to seek a salve for wounded affec- tions in what is certainly a low kind of revenge on a slippery lover. But it is equally true that our entire female population can by no means lay etaims to a niceness of feeling which Would prevent its having occasional recourse (with a general healthy effect for the community) to a remedy provided for its comparative safety from the trifler and seducer. In the lower middle elass, and in yet humbler grades, women, in losing the law of "Breach of Promise*" would find a safety barrier thrown down which would leave them exposed, all helpless and undefended, to the mercy of any man who, studying only self-gratifi- cation, might choose to play the lover. There, wowld be nothing to hinder an unprincipled fellow from con- tracting an engagement and making solemn-promines of marriage he had no intention of keeping. Frequently, also—for human nature is more often weak; than it ia wicked—men who would shrink with a holy horror from facing the chance of an actiou for "breach" would (that terror once withdrawn) yield to temptation, and without a precise intention > to deceive offer marriage, trusting to the chapter of accidents that they might perhaps fulfil their word. Of the thousands of gentlemen who lodge baehetof fashion in London, how many would see the blandishments of their landlady's comely daughters and nieces in an amatory light, secure in the know- ledge that, should the undesirabiKty of the connection, prove too strong for their affection, it was open to them at any time to desert the woman, who was powerleseto punish? Most women prefer the eBent agony of a blighted life to any comfort to be obtained from publicity in the newspapers. Not a hundredth part ef the cases that possess every requisite find their way into the law courts; but we may believe that the small per cent. which do act as awholesome deterrent to the many.

AN ECCBNTBIC CENTENARIAN.—On Monday there died at Dundaylor, near Aberfeldy, a widely known "ganerel bodie," named Peter Figgans, who is said to have reached the extraordinary age of 1(11 years. He was a native of the county Down, Ireland, and came to the Highland* of Perthshire half a cen- tury ago, and was then known to be an elderly man. Ete was a pedlar, and went through the country vend- ing drapery wares till within a few days of his death. During his long sojourn in the Highlands he was never known to wear a coat. However stormy the weather, he might have been seen trudging up hill and down dale dressed in a scanty-sleeved vest with a wdlet containing his stock-in-trade slung over his shoulder. Living temperately, and always having an eye to business, he was supposed to be the possessor of con- siderable means, but it is believed that, lacking faith in the banking system, he deposited his possessions i* various out-of-the-way places while on his waader- ings. On his clothes being searched after his death, ten sovereigns were found sewed up in one of bJ8 stockings. CBNTBNAB7 OF JBAN JACQUES RoUBSKAtT. < Great preparations are being made in Geneva to eele- brate the centenary of Jean Jacques Rousseau, who was a citisen of that town. The celebrated author of the Social Contract was bom in 1712, and died July 3, 1778; but the objection against honouring hi* memory on the anniversary of his death overcome, at least so far as his Swiss admirers ere concerned. Several meetings have already been held oa the subject, and the arrangements for the celdbrarr tion festivities have been fixed. They will extend oret three days, from June 30 till July 2, both inclusive* The first will bear a purely intellectual character, and will be devoted chiefly to eulogies to be delivered on the work. of Rousseau. Printed and published by the proprietor, Jomr COKWTSC J BOBKBTS, at his General Printing Office, No. 1, lane, Cardigan, in the parish of Saint Mary's in f* County of Caidagan.—Saturday, March Z, KTt. ;1