Papurau Newydd Cymru
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IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT
IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT In the House of Lords, on Teh. 9, Lord Bessborough brought up Her Majesty's answer to the Address of the House. Lord Chelmsford asked for information respecting the Abyssinian captives, and thought that the Government had made a bad choice in sending Mr. Kassam to treat for their release. Lord Clarendon defended the Government and Mr. Rassam from the charges male against them by Lord Chelmsford, and read letters from the captives, from which it appeared that they were in good health. Every effort would be made to obtain their release, though it was uncertain when it might be effected. A discussion then arose on the Cattle Plague, with a 1Jew of extracting some information from Lord Russell as to the nature of the Bill about to be introduced in the Lower House on Monday next; this information Lord RueseH. declined to give, and the subject dropped Their Lordships then ad- journed.. In tne House of Commons, on the Keport of the Address being brought up, Sir John Pakington protested against the premature judgment which had been passed, with imperfect information, by a portion of the press and at public meetiugs on the conduct of our officers during the outbreak in Jamaica, and especially censured what he called the grossly unjust language used by Mr Bright in his Rochdale and Blackburn speeches. Though the Government, yielding to pressure from wiihout, might have been rather in a harry in appointing tha Commission, he allowed that sooner or later they must have taken that course, and be approved entirely the composition of that Commission. Passing to the question of Reform, Sir John pressed the Government to declare explicitly what their in- tentions were, and exhorted them not to keep it longer dangling before the eyes of the people. Mr. Bright reminded Sir J. Pakington that at the time he had made the speeches he complained of writers and speakers of his party were expressing approval of Governor Eyre's conduct. He denied that he had prejudged the Governor; he had formed his opinion of these transactions entirely from the Governor's own despatch, and no evidence since received had lessened the gravity of the charge. Instead of censuring the Colonial-office for being premature in ap- pointing th3 Commission he was inclined to think they had delayed it longer than was necessary. lIe expressed himself thoroughly satisfied that a full inquiry would be made, and that justice would ultimately be done; and, with regard to the passages from his speeches quoted by Sir John Paking- ton, he asserted, with much earnestness, that he had no- thing to retract, and that there were none of his public speeches to which he desired more unreservedly to adhere. Mr. Marsh bore testimony to the uniform sympathy which Governor Eyre had always shown for the native races with which he had come into contact. He professed himself in- credulous as to the passing of any Reform Bill this Session. After a few words from Mr. Butler-Johnstone, who con- gratulated the Government ironically on the insignificant part which Reform played in the Speech, Mr. Cardwell denied that the Government, in appointing the Commission, had been influenced by any external pressure, and with regard to the general merits of the question he excused himself from pronouncing any opinion, as it was the duty of the Government to w^it for complete information before forming their judgment. Sir G. Grey assured the House that though it was not in his power to fix a day for the introduction of a Reform Bill, the Government had no intention to trifle with the question. Mr. T. B. Potter made a few remarks on the subject of Jamaica. Mr. Bouverie, alluding to the rumours afloat, warned the Government that a Reform Bill which dealt merely with the extension of the franchise and left the nomination and cor- rupt boroughs untouched would not be acceptable to the Liberal party. He believed that much of the dissatisfaction with the present state of things was caused by the unequal distribution of electoral power, of which he mentioned several glaring instances, and exhorted the Government not to leave this opening for future agitation. Sir H. Hoare also expressed his belief that a "single- barrelled Bill would not be satisfactory, and argued that the manufacturing towns and the large agricultural counties were entitled to a greater share in the representation. Mr. Neate, on the contrary, was of opinion that the most expedient manner of dealing with the question was by sepa- rate measures. Mr. P. Taylor urged the Government to deal with the ques- tion so as to settle it for some time to come. The report on the Address was agreed to. The Chancellor of the Exchequer brought n two Bills to amend the National Debt Acts and the Savings-banks and Post-office Savings-bank Acts and the House adjourned. In the House of Lords, on Feb. 12 in answer to the Earl of Belmore, Earl Russell said that the subject of the recom- mendations of the select committee on Railway Borrowing Powers was under the consideration of the Board of Trade. In answer to Lord Houghton, Earl Russell said it was not intended by government to introduce at present any measure altering the constitution and administration of the British Museum. The house then adjourned. In the House of Commons, in answer to Mr. Locke, Sir G. Grey said it was intended by the government to move for a select committee to inquire into the system of licensing theatres. In answer to Viscount Cranborne, Mr. Villiers said it was his intention to bring in a bill for more effectually securing the execution of the laws relating to the poor in the metro- polis. Sir G. Grey moved for leave to bring in a bill to amend the law relating to contagious or infectious disease In cattle and other animals. Having at length stated the different measures which had been adopted by the government and the recommendations which had been made to meet the evil, he argued that all opinion was against any hope of any means of cure being effectual, and that the only way to check the disease was by the slaughter of infected animals, by the pro- hibition of the movement ,of live cattle by railway and road, and the slaughtering and disposing of hides of all cattle coming to this country by sea, at the points of debarkation; and proceeded to lay down the principle of the bill he was to propose, namely, that rules should be laid down from which local authorities should not be allowed to depart; and to trust to the able and zealous co-operation of those local authorities. It was proposed to require quar- ter sessions in counties and municipal authorities in boroughs to cause to be slaughtered all infected animals in their own districts. With regard to animals not actually infected, but from circumstances of contact or vicinage likely to be in- fected, it was proposed that power be given to the local authorities to direct them to be slaughtered, al- though the provision was not to be imperative. The princi- ple of compensation would be adopted; not exceeding two-thirds of the vdue, or 201., and in other three-fourths of value, or a maximum of 251. All animals dying of the disease were to be buried 80 as to prevent infection, and the premises in which they died to be disinfected. It was not, however, proposed entirely to prohibit the removal of cattle, but to leave it to the local authorities to act in this respect at their discretion, under general regulations appli- cable to the whole country, such as that no cattle shall be moved along a high road by night, and that there should be no movement of cattle by rail or road except by license from the local authorities while power was to be given to arrest persons violating these rules and punish them, while the cattle so driven should be instantly slaughtered. Power would be given to proclaim and isolate infected places All fairs and markets for store cattle were to be prohibited for a limited time, while those for fat cattle were to be li- censed. None of the beasts should be slaughtered there, with regard to cattle brought by sea, it was proposed to place all other ports in the same position as to prohibition as was now the case in London, but this was not to apply to Irish cattle. The bill would generally be limited till July, 1367, while some of the special provisions would be limited to 15th April, with power to the Queen in Council to extend the duration of their operation. With regard to penalties, if less than four cattle were moved the penalty would be 20J, or 5Z. a head for any greater number. As to compensation, it was proposed that in counties and boroughs local rates should furnish two-thirds of the ex- pense, and the other third to be raised by a cattle-rate im- posed on all cattle above one year old of five shillings a head. He stated that it would be open to divide the bill into two parts, in order that those provisions which were generally approved of might become law at once. Mr. G. W. Hunt thought the bill stringent, but not strin- gent enough; and he proceeded to state the provisions of a measure he had himself prepared to the effect that stringent restrictions should be put on the removal of cattle, these being, that from 1st, to 25th March there should be no movement on rail or road, and a universal slaughter of in- fected or clean animals, local slaughter-houses being pro- vided for the purpose. It would be necessary to have, at certain times of the year, relaxations of the rules, in order to meet the necessity of stocking the land, while as to the source of compensation, he was, on the whole, satisfied with the proposal of the government. The Chancellor of the Exchequer briefly annotated Mr. Hunt's more special stringency of enactment, and urged unanimity on all parties with a view to obtain early, and on the whole effectual legislation on this most important subject. The discussion was continued by Mr. Newdegate, Mr. Leeman, Mr Cumming Bruce, Mr. Gurdon Rebow, Mr. Liddell, Lord J. Manners—who suggested that as so com- prehensive a measure as that proposed could not be passed immediately, the House should embody its main provisions in resolutions. Lord R. Montagu wished to offer two suggestions by the adoption of which the Government might improve their measure. The right hon. baronet proposed that all diseased animals should of necessity be killed, but that as to those animals which had come into contact with them and had thereby become infected, it should be left to the local autho- rities to say whether they should be slaughtered or not That he thought was radically wrong. If they desired to stamp out the plague they must do as other countries had done and kill not only the diseased but also the infected animals. The example of Aberdeenshire had been adduced perfect; but what had they done there! They were not content with killing merely such animals as had the disease, but they bought up the whole herd and killed it. He now came to his second suggestion. He agreed with the noble lord the member for Leicestershire that they must en- tirely stop all movement of cattle. The right hon. baronet said that if they did that they must resort to a dead-meat market; but he did not show that any evil would result from adopting that alternative. Many ad- vantages would attend a dead-meat market. At present animals often suffered a great deal in travelling to market; and, moreover, the bones, hides, hoofs, and offal of cattle were now brought long distances into large towns, where they were utterly nseless, and therefore they had to be sent away again to some place where they were wanted for manufac- turmg purposes-thus entailing much aeedless trouble and expense. All that would be obviated by the establishment of dead-meat markets. But it was said" Oh but meat being a perishable commodity, if it came up to town an ™^i,an<!wa8not t^en bou8ht> it must be sold next day eheaper. But what was the Home Secretary moA«»°w »v, He said they might send their fat cattle to hnW? tey not bring them back again. But when umiJn wn m +vJew cattle could not be taken away Thi^=^ld th8y 8ure t0 han8 back in buying them ? fLrmor 'f w ,that regulation would be to deprive the farmer of the full price of his cattle, while the result of a dead-meat market would be to enable the public to get their meat at a cheaper rate. The Home Secretary, he might add had made no provision for the movement of cattlc from Ire- land. from which, as hon. gentlemen were well aware the oattle fattened in England to a considerable extent came By that means an injury would be done not only to the English grazier, but to the Irish farmer also, who found in this country the best market for his stock. Now too that no cattle were being bred in England we must in the spring resort to Ireland for a supply, and, therefore it was h« thought, desirable that the tattle in Ireland, being free from infection, should be allowed to be landed at our quays and taken straight to the grazing ground. Next came the question of compensation. The light hon. gentleman pro- posed to give a compensation amounting to two-thirds of the value of every diseased animal killed, and three-quarters of the value of those animals which might be slaughtered with- out showing any symptoms of the plague. It was, however in his opinion, a most arbitrary proceeding to say to the farmer, "You must have your cattle killed in the interest of the country," and net to acknowledge his right to ask for full compensation for the loss which he sustained, ft must not be forgotten, also, that every restric- tion placed upon a particular industry spoilt the sale of the article which it supplied, and that thus the value of cattle would be diminished under the operation of the stringent rules about to be laid down. The farmer under those circumstances had a right, he contended, to demand full compensation. The question was one in which, not only he but the large towns—in short, the whole country- were interested; but what did the Home Secretary propose ? He proposed to relieve the farmer by laying on his shoulders one-third of the two-thirds which he intended to give him in the shape of compensation. Now, for his own part, he could not see, as everybody in the country was interested in stamping out the plague, that there would be anything un- fair in making good the loss of capital which the farmer must sustain out of the Consolidated Fund. In the course of the discussion, the Lord Advocate stated that in the bill measures would be taken to combine the proprietors and tenant-farmers in the local executive which would be established. Leave was given to bring in the bill. The Attorney General obtained leave to bring in a bill to law relating to the granting of pensions to per- ^fW) JLceltain offlces connected with the administration Chinrtiw object of is to take away from the Lord wWch a nL.VLP1Wnrv,° deciding the circumstances under courts and ita c?rt*in officials of the law Mr. Childers obtained leave to brine in a hill .„0u. th* Public Works Loan Commissionersto mke advices towards lous pSctojU dwemn«8for the labouring classes to popu- The other business was disposed of, and the House ad- journed. In the House of Commons, on b. 13, the Notices of Mo- tions stood thns Mr. Fawcett-To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, viewing the deplorable condition of the children employed in many of the trades of Sheffield and other towns, it is the intention of her Majesty's Government to introduce a measure for regulating the employment and securing the education of these children. Sir J. Pakington—Select committee to inquire into the constitution of the Committee of Council on Education, and the system under which the business of the office is con- ducted and also into the best mode of extending the bene- fits of Government inspection and the Parliamentary grant to schools at present unassisted by the State. Sir G. Grey—Committee of the whole House on the oaths taken by members of Parliament. Mr. Coleridge—In committee of the whole House to move: _If That the chairman be directed to move the House for leave to bring in a bill to abolish certain tests in the University of Oxford. Sir C. O'Loghlen Bill to codify and amend the law in relation to the keeping together and discharge of juries on the trial of criminal cases,
| THE CATTLE PLAGUE.
THE CATTLE PLAGUE. The Times, in a leader on Monday remarks that, although the Government might advance the plausible argument that the pressure now and recently put upon it in favour of a particular course of action had pro- ceeded from one class only, nothing can be more evi- dent than that the ultimate interests of all classes in in this matter are identical. The farmers feel the pressure first in the loss of their stock, but the loss d'f their stock is the lose of the public food. So long as the havoc of the plague is partial, and the supply of the town markets is still maintained, the pressure is not perceptible to the great body of consumers, and as they are not yet hurt they have not yet cried out. But it is the duty of Govern- ment to exercise greater foresight than is always to be expected from the governed. In the present in- stance the calamity which overwhelmed the farmers was but the first wave of a surge rolling rapidly upon the whole nation. It is no disparagement of their re- port that others do not yet see the truth as they do, nor is the real state of the case affected by the present inaction of those classes which have not yet suffered. In the meanwhile, we quote the following extracts from letters which have appeared in the Times and other papers :— (From Lord Leigh, Stonelcigh Abbey, Kenilworth.) I feel that the great importance of the subject is a sufficient apology for my requesting you to give publicity to the en- closed letter which I have received from Mr. Worms. I may state that the rinderpest broke out on my farm with such violence on Friday last that on the following Saturday and Monday I destroyed twenty-two valuable animals with the hopes of stamping out this frightful disease. This I con- templated doing according as it should show itself among my stock, but seeing a paragraph in the Times of last Mon- day to the effect that Mr. Worms had treated some animals on a farm at Datchet with perfect success, I telegraphed to that gentleman to the Lodge, Egham, Surrey, and requested him to do me the favour of trying his system with my stock. Mr. Worms came here recently and carefullyex8mined my whole herd of cattle, and selected for treatment twenty-four which were infected with the disease, some in their first stage, and others still further gone. One cow I had actually ordered to be destroyed. Mr. Worms had his medicine administered to all of them, and at this moment (twenty-four hours since they were treated) they are all well and take their food as usual. This needs no comment, and I trust that Mr. Worms's system m<y be generally adopted, and that ere long this terrible disease may be totally eradicated. Mr. Worms' Mode of Treatment. "The Lodge, Ezham, Surrey. "Dear Lord Leigh,—After the fortunate result of my treatment of cattle affected with the rinderpest at your farm at Stoneleigh, I think it just that I should explain to you, first, what I consider to be the premonitory sYILptoms of the disease; secondly, the ingredients and mode of pre- paring the medicine I employ; thirdly, the precautions to be observed while the animals are under treatment. I passed, as you are aware, many years on my estates in the island of Ceylon, and kept very large herd3 of cattle for the purpose of high cultivation. My animals were every year affected with a disease which I have since found to be identical with the rinderpest now raging. For the first 15 years of my sojourn my efforts to avert its ravages were fruitless. I did not, however, despair, but watched the malady closely, and at last found a method of effectualy checking it in its first stage. When an animal is suspected of having the rinder- pest, or as a necessary precaution at the present time, its mouth should be opened and its breath smelt by a person with a keen sense of smell, it is self-evident that. as with human beings, so with animals, in ill-health the breath is tainted, and that of the cow, usually so sweet, becomes most offensive. The excrement also should be tested in a similar manner, as in this disease it undergoes a total change. The taint of the breath is the most important point hI the diagnosis, as indicating to a certainty the presence of the first stage of the disease. As soon as this test kas been applied, theanimal should at once be separated from those still healthy, and the fallowing medicine shou'd be administered :—Take equal portions of small red pickling onions-not the green-and garlic, peel them, and p und them together so that they are reduced to a fine pulp; add to this about one-third of their weight of ground ginger; then take assafootidato about two- thirds of the weight of the ginger, pour sufficient water over it to cover it thoroughly, and allow it to boil, stirring it all the time, w that little 01' no sediment remains; pour the liquid, which should be of a milky appearance, over the pulp, and mix it thoroughly boil some rice in water till it is thor ughly soft. and add the rice water to the mixture, so that the former may be one and a half times in excess of the latter, and mix thoroughly and allow the whole to cool. "Dose-To a full grown animal, a good pint; to a heifer, a good half-pint; to a calf, rather less. The medicine should be given the moment the animal's breath is tainted, and should only be repeated once in twenty- four hours in very bad cases Should the animal's bowels be confined after 12 hours, and the stomach swollen, administer to a full-grown animal half a pound, to a calf a quarter of fresh unsalted lard, made into boluses. If the mouth be sore, wash the gums with a pulp made of the rind of Seville oranges, boiled. Diet,—Two hours after the medicine has been administered the animal should be feil with riee gruel and during two days, three times a day, with nothing else than rice gruel and a little sweet hay. The animals must be kept warm, and the stall thoroughly disinfected and venti- lated. This is the whole of my treatment. "Trusting that it may be as successful here as it was in Ceylon, "I am, dear Lord Leigh, yours very truly, "MAURICE WORMS. "The Right Hon. Lord Leigh."
"ALL AGAIN IT!"
"ALL AGAIN IT!" "Anglo Hibernicus" writes the following letter to the London Times:—Being desirous of ascertaining from a reliable source the state of feeling as to the Fenian movement now prevailing among the middle and lower classes ia the south-west of Ireland, I wrote to an under-bailiff on my father's property, a very in- telligent, but, as his letter shows, a not very highly educated man, who has raised himself by his own shrewdness and industry somewhat above the labour- ing class, to which he properly belongs. Being, from the nature of his occupation, constantly on the move from place to place, he has the best opportunities of judging of popular feeling in the counties of Limerick, Tipperary, and Clare. I give the extract from his letter verbatim I was down in the County Tiprary since I heard from you. there is Great Reports about the Feenans there, in fact the were shure that the (they) wood be over at Cris muss. the inhabitants in Ireland are all again it unless those flying fellows that never intend to make a living any place now I now (know) some poor farmers as poor as could be. the (they) say the are very well off as the are. I hope in God that we will see nothing But what we have heard of it. as peaople say it would be ruination of Ireland. Besides it is in a good state at present. People generally well of in it. I recollect when servant girls had only from 11 16 0 to 2l 0 0 a year, now they have from 7 to 8 pounds a year aud cant be gut for it. the boys 3 to 4 now about 8 pounds and some of them over it. there did a great deal go to America from fedemare (Fedamore) on last wellsday over 30 out of that Parish, it is servant boys and farmers sons I am shure who wod wish this Country to Be fiÍsturbed, that is Idle felloes that was cut off by there fathers, there is some of the officers that was in the American ware now in Tiorarv one a eournell (colonel) the other a captain one of who was takrn last week, he was let go again there was only a treason song found IU nis trunk. reason
(®nr Jønbmt Cnraspittaf.
Jønbmt Cnraspittaf. fW e deem it right to state that we do not at all times idmtif; Sttrseives with our correspondent's opinions.] It is stated that her Majesty intends to quit Osborne some time between the 15th and 20th inst., and to return to Windsor Castle. For some unexplained reason the Queen seems entirely to have abandoned London. Whenever she has occasion to come amongst us her visits (like those of angels, "few and far between") are most joyfully received, but there are no indications of this manifestation of public feeling having any effect on the mind of her Majesty, and in no place is her seclusion more keenly felt than in the metropolis. It is said that the close approach of rail- ways to Buckingham Palace is distasteful to the Queen, and we cannot wonder at it. But surely this need not prevent an occasional visit to us. Jf we could but now and then see the flag flying on the Palace it would be something When Parliament met, the ministry, which had been so long under process of reconstruction, was still incomplete, and it was not till it was many days old that the entire administration was complete in all de- partments. Sir Charles Wood, who had been Secre- tary for India, has had to retire, through illness. There are people who are malicious enough to say that he bows before the rising storm with respect to India, but I cannot think this likely, for two reasons—first, because there is no rising storm, and, secondly, because if there were Sir Charles could not escape it inasmuch as public opinion and the condemnation of Parlia- ment, were they expressed, would follow him into retirement. The simple truth seems to be that the accident which happened to the right hon. baronet was more serious than at first appeared, and this is not surprising seeing what a heavy fall it was, and that a man of 65 is not able to bear what "a fine young English gentleman, one of the modern time," could support. Earl de Grey and Ripon takes Sir Charles's place as Secretary for India, but whether he owes the choice to the Countess being a Lady of the Bedchamber to the Princess of Wales is neither easy nor important to decide. The Marquis of Hartington, heir to the princely revenues and noble estates of the Duke of Devonshire, is promoted from Under Secretary to Secretary of State for War; and Lord Dufferin is to be his Under Secretary. Perhaps the most significant appointment just made is that of Mr. Stansfeld to the post of Under Secretary of State for India. We all remember how Mr. Stansfeld was induced—I may say compelled—to leave office on account of his being charged with complicity with Mazzini (who by the bye however numerous may be those whom he gets into trouble, manages to keep out of it himself); so that Earl Russell's having taken him again into the ministry speaks well for the veteran nobleman's courage and determination to stand by a man whom he consider3 ill-used. It is curious how long the office of vice- president of the Board of Trade has remained vacant. Mr. Monsell, who now takes it, has had a great deal of official experience, though he is not an old man. He has never paid much attention, I believe, to com- mercial matters, but he has devoted a considerable time to the condition of Ireland, and that is just now of no little importance. On the whole it is not in the power even of staunch political opponents to say much against the recent changes in the ministry. There is a rumour that Mr. A. H. Layard is somehow or other to have a seat in the Cabinet, and I have some reason to believe that he was offered the post which Earl de Grey has now taken, but it is whispered that he is not in accord with several members of the ministry on the question of Reform. Whether Government have yet come to any definite arrangement with regard to the provisions of the bill they intend to introduce to modify our representative system, is a point on which there is great difference of opinJbn. It is worth mentioning that, so far as Lon- don is concerned, nothing that Ministers are likely to introduce will benefit us unless they have the lodger franchise in their bill. In the metropolis the number of working artizans, clerks, &c., who live in apartments, is enormous. Reducing the qualification to fSl. would not affect the inhabitants of London at all. I am rather surprised, therefore, that our little village has been so silent on the matter. The two sides of the great question of Jamaica— which apparently will be even a more exciting topic than Reform have been admirably put by Sir John Pakington and Mr. Bright. Without expressing any opinion on the matter, I may say that the speech of the hon. member for Birmingham was, in my opinion, the best that has yet been delivered in the House of Commons. Mr. Bright evidently felt his personal honour attacked, and he poured out such a volume of eloquence as the House seldom hears, and in so impassioned a manner that the attention of every member was rivetted on the speaker. His clear and powerful voice gave no indication of that physical weakness under which he was suffering some time since. Several gentlemen who interest themselves in ques- tions which specially affect the interests of the working classes, are now making an effort to obtain the opening of our museums and picture-galleries on the evening of the week-days. In my opinion this would be in- finitely better than opening them on the Sunday, which would simply please some at the expense of doing violence to the religious feelings of others. The advocates of opening in the evening have a stanch friend in one of the most eminent men of the day. Last session, in a debate on the subject, Mr. Glad- stone said, "lam bound to say that I think the open- ing of the museums of an evening includes the whole subject with regard to the mass of the population. It cannot be said that the National collections exist for the majority of the working classes without an evening opening." Hear, hear Heartily do I wish success to the advocacy of this boon. The plea that there would be a danger of fire is utterly unworthy of modern science. Before Lord Campbell's Act was passed, enabling persons injured to obtain compensation for their injuries, doubtless there was frequently a personal wrong without a legal remedy, but it is doubtful whether the personal wrong is not now often on the side of those who have to pay for injuries they have unknowingly and unintentionally inflicted. I have often thought that juries have been affected with a revengeful feeling against railway companies which is quite unjustified by facts, but which has arisen from an impression that they are very careless and very rich. The amount of damages which they return in their verdicts is frequently unwarranted by the facts of the case. Within the last year or two this has specially been the case, and so startling have been the amounts of the verdicts that nobody could have been surprised that a new trial has been moved for sometimes, with a very different result. The adaptation of paper to various articles of manu- facture has largely increased since the removal of the duty. Already we have paper collars and cuffs, paper shirt-fronts, and paper cravats. I see that a company is to be formed in America for the production of paper hats, at from 8 to 25 cents apiece. What next? Perhaps paper coats and trowsers, paper boots, and paper paletots especially as they could, I presume, be easily made water-prosf. Paper waistcoats—dress waistcoats, for evening wear—are quite within the range ef possibility, and indeed I am not sure that they are not made. The man who would invent some reliable method of avoiding sea-sickness would be such a benefactor to mankind that I should b prepared to do what I never did in my life and have promised and vowed to myself I never would do under any possible circumstances- I would subseribe to a testimonial to him, or even I would go so far as to help to erect one of those stupid monstrosilies, a modem statue. But there is no danger of my being called on. There are many professed preventives, and some which occasionally have the intended effect, but the real remedy has yet to be dis- covered. Meanwhile a friend from Paris writes me word that a scheme for a bridge of boats from Calais to Dover has been privately submitted to the Emperor, and that t will probably be, ere long, publicly discussed. That some other mode of communication between the Eng- JIJh and French coasts than that which now exists some day be attempted there can be little doubt. j;iat a tunnel would be practicable, I suppose few en- Sneers would deny. As Stephenson jokingly said, with regard to a railway to the moon, it would only be a question of money, and perhaps thera would be no more engineering difficulties than there are in the tunnel under Mont Cenis, which will soon be a great fact. There are other schemes for crossing between France and England at the point where they nearest approach. I believe that at the present moment there ia under consideration a proposal to build mon- ster vessels, the size of the Great Eastern and to take the train bodily 01i board on arrival at Dover or Calais, as the oase may be, examine the baggage en faisant la traversee, so that passengers and baggage could be at once transferred to the train in waiting to oonvey them to London or Paris. This would shorten the entire journey very considerably, and bring the English and French capitals within six or seven hours of each other, and it would to some extent obviate sea- sickness, as immense vessels would not roll so much, but it appears to me that the enormous expense of these ships would prevent the realisation of any such scheme. Another idea has occurred to many people, but I am not aware whether it has been entertained by engineers. It is simply that at Dover and Calais re- spectively there should be a stone pier, say three miles long. This would shorten the passage to about IS pules ef Mfs
IftkelliiiitOHS JiMigeittt,
IftkelliiiitOHS JiMigeittt, HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL. How SHERRY IS CLEARED.—A lover of wine should by no means visit the vatting-floors, however interestingmay be the processes there to be seen(says the author of The Towns of London in the Evening Star). R e is told that certain importations of sherry are at that moment being mixed by order of the merchant. There is a square hole in the floor, underneath which is the great iron vat wherein the sherry turbidly floats, and a man, standing by the aperture, stirs the liquid from time to time by means of a long pole with a wooden apparatus at the end. He will lift a canful of sherry out of the vat, and show you a nasty-looking fluid of the colour of raw coffee beans, quite opaque, and with a froth on it like soap-suds. Immediately afterwards two men bring a large churn-shaped vessel of tin, filled with milk, and pour this milk into the vat; whereupon the sherry is once more rinsed up and down. A tubful of Spanish earth is the next requisite, which looks si very like mud that I hope the Dock Company themselves bring the earth from Spain— mud being a substance at all times easily obtainable in Wapping. The Spanish earth, which is fluid, is rapidly stirred round in the tub until it froths, and is then tumbled into the sherry, which again is churned up. Finally, a quantity of isinglass is added to com- plete the "finings," and the sherry is considered to be on the fair road to purity. The peculiarity of Spanish earth is, that it settles down into a paste, carrying with it all the floating impurities of the wine; and the mixing together in one vat several kinds of wine is said to be highly advantageous to all the vintages con- cerned. LEPERS IN A TOWN.—On Saturday, January the 13th, the whole of the lepers located in Half-moon Bay appeared in the market place of this town offering straw hats and baskets for sale says the Fal- mouth (West Indies) Post. The attention of the polica was directed to the fact, and the sergeant, corporals, and some privates ordered the unfortunate creatures to return to their huts but. instead of obeying the order they went to the office of his honour the Custos and stated that the food supplied them by the contractor is insufficient, therefore they have been compelled to make and offer for sale the above-named articles for the purpose of getting money to procure ground provisions, salted-fish and meat. His Honour directed them to return to the lazaretto, and promised that he would adopt measures to prevent any further cause of complaint. THE UXKINDEST CUT OF ALL !—A most remark- able circumstance is reported of a negro convention, convened at Augusta, Georgia., by designing persons to enforce the policy of universal black suffrage. The negroes met, deliberated in the solemn manner so pe- culiar to the race, and to the astonishment of the Radicals, wh. got up the convention but did not watch its proceedings close enough, they actually passed resolutions "opposing" universal suffrage. The Radicals were frantic at such unheard-of conduct on the part of their proteges, but neither coaxing nor threats could induce the negroes to change their minds. The nearest the blacks weuld come to the test was the passage of a resolution that suffrage might safely be given to such blacks as can read and write with ease, but they again disappointed their superintendents by expressing their decided opinion that negroes who will not work should be made to work. CURIOUS CASE.—The Gazette des Tribunaui" has the following, and which relates to a paragraph that went the round of the papers last week :— A Paris journal hu reproduced an article extracted from the Precurseur d' A riverx, in which the correspondent of that paper, speaking of the emotion caused in the Palals de Justice by the death of the wife of one of the Judges, added facts which must, he affirmed, bring on a judicial investiga- tion. In fact, the writer insinuated that the lady had been murdered in a railway carriage. The real facts are these:— A lady married for more than 20 yearp, finding her health declining, went last year to seek in the climate of Nice an atmosphere more favourable to her lungs, irritated by a frequent cough. The invalid returned to Paris in better health; but winter having again brought on alarming symptoms, she thought it best to return to Nice, and again took her departure from the capital with a maidservant and a lady to act as companion. The journey was apainful one to the sufferer, and she was obliged to stop at Lyons; in that cify her malady became aggrava ed so rapidly that her medical attendant recommended her to return to Paris. She took his advice, and engaged a carriage in the railway train for herself and her two companions. But the effects of the journey were soon manifest, and her state became so bad that a speedy and fatal result was easy to be forseen. In fact, after leaving the Dijon station, she felt the death- struggle coming on, and before reachiag Montbardhad ceased to extst. The companion "nd the maid-seryant would have preferred remaining at Montbard with the body, but the station-master suggested that it would be hetter to have the corpse conveyed immediately to Paris, adding that he would inform the husband by a telegraphic message ot the loss he had sustained. The proposition was accepted, and the two women accordingly arrived with the dead body at the Paris station. It is now fully three weeks since the funeral ser- vice for this lady was performed at the Church ef the Made- leine in presence of a numerous assemblage of persons convoked for the melancholy ceremony. Such are the facts of the case. THE USE OF BALLOONS.—M. De Fonville sums up as follows, in the Pantheon de l'lndustrie et des Arts," the service already rendered by the endeavours to turn aeronauts to some practical account. "With- out balloons," he says, "we should not know that parhelia, anthelia, &c., which used to be a subject of terror to superstitious populations, are caused by par- ticles of ice suspended in the air by electric attraction; we should not know that the law of progressive refri- geration is not found to hold good at great altitudes, or that in the air there exists a sort of gulf-streams, if we may be permitted to call them so, consisting of hot air, and affording an easy explanation of the irregu- larity of the seasons. Without Mr. Glaisher's ascen- sions it could not have been proved that the bands of the spectrum are all of terrestrial origin, and that con- sequently the astronomical theories built upon the supposed part they play in the universe have no reliable foundation. It is not, therefore, possible to assign any limits to the utility of aerial navigation, as it is now practicable by the labours of distinguished philosophers." APPLYING FOR A BABY.—At a recent meeting of the Manchester Board of Guardians, the fol- lowing letter, from a person writing from a town in the Salford hundred, was read amidst the laughter of the board:— February 2, 1866.-Would you be So kind and so obliging as to Look in the house for me if thare be a child newly Born or is going te be born Soon to be parted with as one of our own but not with red hair. it will have A good home and Learning. I Should be very glad if you could supply me with one soon i could like it about A fortnight old or under a Month old i have been Married about ten years. Now i think we shall Not have any of our own, and if you can supply me with one you will do a kindnes And send me word and i Will come for it in a week or a fortnight after i have a Comfortable home and stays at bome regilar a dress- maker And youv nothing to fear about me bringing it back for if i get a fine baby i keep it but i want so young So that i can bring it up my own way and that people wont know but why it il our own for i will go off for about a week or a fortnight before i come for it 80 that they wont know. It is hardly necessary for us to say that the guar- dians refused to entertain the application. SHARP PRACTICE. — Poncet, the assassin of Argenteuil, was put to death on the 7th inst. For four days a large crowd gathered at the place of execution, in the hope of witnessing the terrible spectacle, no announcement having been published of the time at which it would take place. Some of the journalists, growing impatient, carried out the sentence of the law without waiting for the intervention of the executioner. Threenewspaperil-the Gazette de France, the Pays, and the Patrie -gave their readers a full account < f the execution while Poncet was still alive. Poncet complained that he was not allowed to see what the papers said of him. DEFICIENCIES OF THE TELEGRAPH SYSTEM.— Mr. Duncan M'Laren, the new member for Edinburgh, intends to signalise his entrance into Parliament by leading the movement, so aetively supported by the commercial classes throughout the country, for an in- quiry into the working of the present telegraph system. The vexatious deficiencies of the system are sufficiently notorious. Nobody can tell beforehand how long a telegram will take to reach its destination, or in what mysterious and unintelligible form of words its meaning may not be disguised or obliterated before it is de- livered. Then the charges are high as well as the ser- vice inefficient, and the "coolness of telegraph clerks has passed into a proverb. In fact, it is quite plain that the country is not getting all the benefit which it should and might get from the invention. How far monopoly is the source of the evil it will be for a par- liamentary committee or a commission to discover. The petition of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, of which Mr. M'Lar. n is chairman, to the House of Commons suggests that the existing telegraphic com- panies should be amalgamated under the sanction of an Act of Parliament, which should fix the maximum rate or rates of dividend, and the maximum tariff. Another proposal is that there should be ageneralAct authorising the erection of telegraphic posts along any highway. Or Government might take into its hands the management of telegraphic communication, and extend the lines until all towns and important villages Were connected; and, if it were to adopt a low uniform rate, the petitioners express themselves as confident, from the analogous case of the Post Office, that the ex- tended use of the telegraph would yield a surplus re- venue in a few years. These proposals are of course open to criticism, but there can be no question of the necessity of inquiry. THE RETORT COURTEOUS !—Thefollowingincident occurred during the meeting of the Corps Legislatif in Fans recently :—The business of the day commenced by inquiry into the validity of Baron de Mackan's elec- tion for the Orne. M. Creuzet, the official reporter, in his resume of the proceedings, happened to remark that the public had a perfect right to criticise any published document, dIScuss. its tendency, and seek therein for the political or social opinions of its author. The op. portunity was too good a one to let slip. Ernest Picard instantly retorted, Then give us liberty of the press, which excited an immense commotion among the Government majority, whom the unexpected attack took by surprise. THE SYSTEM OF ISOLATING OATTLE !—Five thousand head of hormd ca/tle are about to besmt from Austria to Etgland, and it might psrhaps be well to b eep and slaughter them in the immediate neighbour- hood of the porta at which they may arrive, instead of driving them to the markets in the interior of the kingdom. During my sojourn in this city are quoting from the correspondent of the London Times at Pesth.) I have repeatedly spoken with svme of the great landed proprietors about the rinderpest, and they all say the pestilence will continue to rage in England as long as the Government allow cattle to be driven from one place or district to another." They fully approve the idea of sending the butcher to the cattle instead of the cattle t > the butcher. Total isolation," say they, "of the different farms, daries. &c., is the o"ly means of preventing the spread of the malady." To my question whether there was any means of curing the sick animals, the reply was, We have never met with an efficacious remedy." A few years ago inocula- tion with virus taken from toe sick animals was tried, but the disease pr< duce l by artifieal means was so violent that the pati-nts rarely recovered. One of the sentlemen told me that he bad b-en very "lucky," as he had repeatedly had the murrain in two or three of his farms and not in the others, although somfl of them were not very far apart. On cross-questioning him, I learned that the system of isolation had been so rigidly upheld that the people who took food to the keepers of the sick cattle never cam" in contact with them. The food was put down in a field, and when the persens who had brought it were gue the cattle-keepers went and fetched it. SCENE IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS.—The following is by the London correspondent ef the Manchester Guardian :— Fairest of the fair—confessed with one consent—was the lately wedded wife of Lord Dudley; radiant with the un- dimmed charms of youth, and glittering with costly gems though a whisper went the round that a tiara ordered for the occasion, which was to eclipse those of all others of her rank, had by some mischance not been completed in time. After the greater number of the seats reserved for Peeresses were filled, Lady C rdigan made her appearance, her naturally line dark hair disguised, as is the fashion, to match that of the Lmpress of the French. No one seemed dis- posed to move or make way, and it was some time before she could find a seat. Her Majesty's expression during the ceremony was one rather of abstraction than gloom. A little trait of attention on the part of the Princess Helena did not escape notice. When her Majesty had taken her seat upon the throne, on which the robes of state had previously been laid, her daughter raised one portion of them and spread it gently over the side of her mother's dress. The Queen took no apparent notice of the act, and, with the exception of the kiss given to the Princess of Wales ere she quitted the House, gave no indication of feeling, pleasurable or other- wise. WONDERFUL IF TRUE. — The Progres de Lyons" brings us particulars of a mess into which Von Toggenburg, the Governor of the Venetian provinces, has got plunged. It arose from the local lottery, which forms a main source of the inadequate revenue Austria screws out of her reluctant dependency. At the opening of the present year there was a run on the number 1,866, some staking their chances on 18, others on 66, others on a combination of both numerals. Such was the rush for those particular numbers that the Governor got alarmed, and fancied there was some tacit conspiracy afloat. He telegraphed to Vienna for instructions, which were to the effect that all comers should be served. Unfortunately last week the fatal 1,866 came uppermost for the grand prize, the other fractional parts of the same anno domini being also entitled to win. The lottery became bankrupt, and funds had to be supplied from the Austrian Exchequer to meet the deficit on the Lagunes. Great was the rejoicing and glee on Piazza St. Marco. ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS ALLOWED TO MARRY. —A Naples letter in the Temps states that a priest named Pasquale de Francesco, of Caserta, aged 46, presented himself recently before the deputy mayor of the Montecalvario district, furnished with all the papers necessary for marriage, and demanded to be united in matrimony to Seraphine Velardi, of Naples, aged 27. The functionary applied to declared that, in consequence of doubts as to his power in such a case, he must refer to the government law officers. This was done, and the Neapolitan judicial authorities, after a serious discussion, decided, according to the formal opinion of Procureur General Mirabelli, that, as the civil code in vigour since the 1st January, 1866, mentions no explicit or implied restriction concerning persons bound by ecclesiastical vows, Pasquale de Francesco had certainly the right to marry. In con- formity with that decision, the above named priest was married at the mayor's office of the section of Monte- calvario on the 29th January. A SKETCH BELOW THE GANGWAY—The Lon- don correspondent of the Birmingham Post, in a de- scription of the new House of Commons, says :— Perhaps the most influential and distinguished bench in the House, and certainly that to which the greatest num- ber of eyes is turned is the second bench below the gangway on the ministerial side. First comes the manly figure, and comely, honest Saxon features of John Bright, now the leader of a strong, popular, and intellectual section of the Liberal party yet finding so little consolation in the acces- sion of his forces, that, without Mr. Cobden, he will tell the House presently he feels as if he were almost alone. Next to Mr. Bright is Mr. Seeley, M.P. for Lincoln, the friend and host of Garibaldi, who last session rendered good service by pointing out the wastefulness and inefficiency of admiralty dockyard management. Then comes the fine bald head of John Stuart Mill, the new M.P. for Westminster No man is more warmly congratulated on his appearance in the House. Everyone feels that the House of Commons gains lustre and reputation by the presence of so distinguished a philosopher and so original a thinker. Mr. Alill is sixty years of age, but looks younger. His features are mild, and wear a thoughtful, benevolent, and contemplative expres- sion. Next to him sits another new member, well known if not quite so distinguished as a writer, Thomaft Hughes, M.P. for Lamboth, author of "rom Brown's School Days," the "Scouring of the White Horse," and other popular works. He, too, is an advanced Liberal, the friend of the working classes, but at times their manly and courageous reprover. Behind him are Mr. M'l ullagh Torrcns (once Mr. Torrens M'Cullagh), who has succeeded little Mr. Wat Tyler Cox in the representation of Finsbury, and Mr. Stansfeld, the friend of Mazzini, who was driven from the Treasury bench by a factious outcry, but who is sadly wanted back again at the Admiralty. These are men Mill, Hughes, Stansfeld, Fawcett, Torrens-whom any political leader might be proud to own, and who will lead on the popular party to fresh con- quests over prejudice and ignorance. Behind them are the Ayrtons, Bazleys, J. B. Smiths, and the rank and file of the advanced Liberals favourable to an extension of the suffrage, both vertical and lateral, and extremely doubtful whether to accept as worth having a suffrage based upon a 61. rating as distinguished from a 61. rental. CAPITAL CRIMES.—By the law of Scotland the following offences are still punishable with death:- Child stealing striking a person in the presence of the King's justice sitting in judgment; aggravated theft, amounting to f urtwni grave; killing or houghin" cattle; cutting growing trees and corn cursing or beaming parents; incest; notour adultery sorning engaging m a duel without the King's license hear- ing mass and concealing the same; Jesuits, priests, and trafficking priests saying mass. These laws are in desuetude, but it is no particular credit to Scotland to keep them on the statute book. In practice they are silent, because the whole duty of prosecuting for crimes devolves on the Lord Advocate as public prose- cutor, and when he indicts for any of these crimes he frames his libel for a minor punishment. CONSULTING THE FAMILY DOCTOR — Not very many days ago, aladyresidingnear London calledin the family doctor. Befoi e he left the house, she asked him to wait for a few minutes, as she wanted his advice upon a peculiar matter. He waited, and presently the lady reappeared, followed by a domestic bearing a large piece of beef. It was set down before the doctor. Oh,Mr.-— said the lady, "I'm so ter- ribly alarmed by this cattle plague, that I'm almost afraid to cook anything in the way of meat. I've my suspicions about this sirloin. Now, just look at it, and tell me whether it has had the plague or not." My dear madame," replied the doctor, "I don't understand that kind of patient. I'm not a veterinary surgeon, you see, I don't attend cases of beef! I could only say it was good if I ta ted it." The lady was in no wise taken aback. "Then come and dine with us, doctor, she said, and if it is bad. you'll be able to tell us." A TELEGRAPH INCIDENT.—The Paris Cone. spondent of the Irish Times tella the following story :— vr v;ectric telegraph is an official and government es- tablishment in France, and those employed in its working are not only very intelligent, as my story will show. I know the story would be a far better one if it was invented, as half the telegraphic stories are, but this is unfortunately true, therefore it will be dull:— A commissionaire brought a message already written to the office in the Rue Lafayette in Paris. The clerk began quietly to count the words, when suddenly he gave a btart, and widely opening his eyes at the mes- senger, asked him, "Are you sending this despatch yourself, or has it been confided to you by another?" I only bring it, sir, for a gentleman in the Rue Fontaine." Oh I see his address is at the bottom. In any case, however, wait here a moment." A person is cautiously sent round by another door and a police- man is called in, and the words of the despatch are anxiously communicated to him. They were as follow I have thought of a better and more expeditious means of killing Faure. (Signed) Mery." A police- man's instinct is to believe crime to be probable be- cause it is possible; so the gentleman in the blue coat and tight waist went to the house of M. Mery, placing some of his brethren of the force in various surrounding attitudes to observe the premises and to see that no one escaped. And yet the denouement was extremely simple M. Mery and M. Duloche have been for some time dramatising the poem of Don Carlos for the music of a beautiful opera to which the sweet-souled composer Verdi is just now giving the finishing touches. You will recoliect that Schiller, the author of this beautiful work, kills the Marquis de Rosa. (the part in the opera destined for Faure, the singer) by a musket shot. Mery was thinking some other mode of death might be more agreeable to the audience, and so he sent this telegram to his friend. The clerk suspected it to be something serious, and the policeman, of course, smelt in it the last arrange- ments of a horrible plot to assassinate. The affair has caused much laughter in Paris. THE AMERICAN CiVIL WAR.—The printing of the official reports of the battles of the late American war, with such correspondence and documents as the Secretary of War can with propriety furnish for pub- lication, is now to be commenced forthwith. The superintendent of the public printing of the United States estimates roughly that these papers will fill 20 volumes. Eleven thousand five hundred copies are ordered to be printed. The aggregate cost will ap- proximate 350,000 dols. The roster, or roll of all field, line, and staff officers of volunteers, also ordered to be printed, with a statement of casualties and other ex- planations, will make four volumes of 700 or 800 pages, also costing not less than 1 dol. 50c. for the print- ing and binding of each volume. SINGULAR ESCAPE OF A PRISONER !—On Tues- day afternoon a prisoner in the Orleans county gaol- named Hiram Carpenter, disappeared in a mysterious manner, much to the chagrin of the gaoler and sheriff (says an American paper). At the time he escaped there was but one oiher prisoner in gaol, and he, it ap- pears, was cognisant of the affair so far as the disap- pearance was concerned. The prisoner had discovered thatthe flagstone through which the iron pump brought water from the well covered a larger hole in the main flag, through which a wooden pump had once passed. They raised the small stone, Carpenter descended, and his companion replaced the pump. Thus shut out from the light of day, the prisoner began his work. Descend- ing five feet below the surface, where the wall of the well was plastered, he began to work like a beaver, and soon made a hole in the wall and into the earth. He threw dirt into the well behind him, and went on till he came to the wall of the ga.ol. He then turned his course downwards tiU he came to the foundation, dug his way under, and came out on the other side a tree man. He was engaged on the work forty-eight hours, without food or water, and must have laboured at a diwbdvantag# for want of fresh air and suit. able tools. The IJllloDner of his escape waa discovered as follows He had agreed with his companion to give j a signal from without if he was successful. As no signal came, the remaining prisoner was forced to the con- elusion that Carpenter was dead in the well. The more he dwelt upon the probability of a tragical end to the affair, the more uneasy he became. He made a proposition to his custodian that he would tell where Carpenter was if he would give him a discharge. This was not possible, and he consented to tell if he was assured that he would not be compelled to see the fugitive drawn from his place of concealment. He l.ad a horror of seeing his body drawn from the well. The well was opened and the tunnel discovered, but Car- penter was gone. It being presumed that he was too much exhausted to go far, search was made for him at the house of a relative in Albion, and he was there found, resting from the fatigue incident to the labour of escape. He was returned to the gaol. Carpenter is 22 years of age. A DIRE PORTENT !—A Paris correspondent of the Noid says :—" A terrible rumour was circula- ting yesterday in the saloons. Crinoline is in danger Neither the Empress nor her ladies of honour wore it at the dinner on Monday at the Tuileries. You here see the consequences of that reform at the Court which, if it be continued, will completely destroy the unhappy crinoline." POST-OFFICE FACTS.—In Ewgland and Wales 27 letters were delivered to every person upon an average in the year 1864; in London, 51; in Scotland, 20 in Ireland, 9 in the United Kingdom, as a whole, 23—the total number exceeding 679.000,0\;0 :— Railway companies sent 720,000 circulars by the post in the year; charitable institution*, 510,000 lottery offices, 169,000; drapers, 2,062,000; "medical men" and dentists, 177,000. 4,865,000 letters passed between this country and the United States and British North America—that is, in both directions; 3,632,00 > between this country aad India and Chim and the following numbers between this country and the other countries named-viz., 2,915,000, Australia; 1,727,000, West Indies, the Pacific, and the Brazils; 6,771,0011, France; 4,403,060, Prussia, Hamburg, aiid Bremen: 924,000, Belgium; 600,000, Holland 827,0u<>, Italy 617,000 Spain. 28,000,000 letters in all passed between this country and foreign countries and colonies, and 21,500,000 books, papers, and patterns. 95,500,OCO books, packets, and newspapers, were delivered by post in the United Kingdom, and 625,950 packets were sent by the pattern post. If Ash Wednesday should not cast a shade over the luck of Valentine's Day, our letter-carriers would probably have to deliver on that day nearer 600,000 than 500,000 extra letters. EVERYBOBY'S FRIEND.—The "Nord," in des- cribing Count Montalivet's villa at Nice, mentions that in one room is a bust of Napoleon I. by Canova, presented by the Emperor to th", father of Louis Phillip's minister. Opposite is the bust of Louis Phillip, a gift from the King himself, and near it a marine piece of Godin from the Duke of Aumale. On a table lies a magnificently bound copy of the Life of CaMar," presented by the author. MUSKETRY INSTRUCTION ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.—Here is a glimpse at musketry a century ago, and a hint for Hythe (says the Armyrtnd Navy Gazette). By all mean's let's have a "tuft"—our dress is sadly in want of ornament. The quotation is from a work written by an infantry adjutant in 1766 -"Thegeneral yearly allowance of ball being only four to each man, the insufficiency of that number for frequently prac- tising in firing at marks must be obvious. It will therefore be necessary that moulds and leads be pro- vided for the companies, in order to cast an additional quantity, the expense of which is but trifling, if the butts for firing at are fixed against a bank, from whence the balls can easily be dug out by pioneers and cast again. When a convenient place can be obtained, the companies should perform all the different firings with ball cartridges once a month, and in order to raise an emulation in this essential part of the discipline, that company which in the course of a day's performance drives the greatest number of balls through its target should be distinguished until the next monthly practice by a tuft of scarlet worsted, worn above the cockade. WILL HE GET HIS DESERTS l-Lafayette C. Baker, the chief Government detective during the war, who rendered himself so odious that the Presi- dent dismissed him from the army, has been arraigned before the Criminal Court in Washington, to answer the charge of theft from one of his victim". The case shows the depth of villany towhicfl the wretched breed of spies maintaiued by Secretary Stanton during the war descended. A lady who was a pardon-broker was addressed by one of Baker's assistants, who personated a Confederate officer, to procure a pardon. The assis- tant purposely assumed the guise of an officer belong- ing to a class that the President always freely par- doned, and the lady easily procured the necessary papers. For this Baker arrested her, and on pretence of searching her took 1501. from her pockets. The President heard of the Vile act, released the lady, and is said to be the real prosecutor in the present suit for theft. Baker, once in high feather at Washington, is now roundly abused byaU, and numberless instances are reported in which he and his crew have entrapped army and navy officers, extorting hush money, or causing their victims to be thrown into prison. It is to be hoped a speedy punishment is in store for this man, whom rumour points out as one of the chief in- struments in the manufac ure of the lying lists of Eng- lish holders of Confederate Loans, so ostentatiously paraded in the American press by Secretary Seward. THE FENIAN CONVICTS.—At a very early hour on Saturday, the 10th inst., 13 Fenian prisoners, lately convicted, were conveyed from Kilrnainham Prison, escorted by a great number of warders and mounted police to the Westland-row station in Dub- lin. They left the station by the 6.15 a.m. train for King3town, and were intrusted to the charge of 25 marines from Her Majesty's ship the Royal George," with a number of warders, to t. conveyed over the Channel, on board the Royal mailpacket the Ulster" to Holyhead, en route for the Pentonville Prison. It being a very rough morning at sea the prisoners were all very sick durincr the whole voyage. Having arrived at Holyhead, and the mail bags with the ordi- nary passengers being landed, a portion of the Marines marched up before the Fenians, and formed a line to guard them from the packet to a third-class carriage attached to the limited mail train, which left Holyhead at 11.40 a.m. for London. Thirteen w&rders from London had been commissioned to meet them at Holyhead. STONEWALL JACKSON'S WIDOW.—The exertions so general through the South to raise a fund for the widow of the lamented Stonewall Jackson are meeting with success, and one of the first contributions received by that estimable lady, a remittance from Texas, has produced the following reply from Mrs. Jackson, pub- lished in a Texas newspaper, a copy of which has found its way to the North :— Gentlemen,—Your note inclosing a letter from Mr. John Dickenson, of Houston, Texas, forwarding a draught for 626 dols. in gold, and a certificate of deposit from you, has been received. Mr. Dickenson requests that, the proceeds of the same be placed at my disposal, aud gays the amount was contributed by a portion of the citizens of Texas at the instance of some ladies, daughters of the Old Dominium/' As I have not the means of knowing who these kind friends and noble daughters of Virginia are, I must, through you, express my heartfelt thanks to them for this testimonial of love and honour to my lamented husband, and would thank you to convey to them the strongest expression of my grati- tude. That their reward may be far greater than this noble act of generosity to the widow and fatherless, and that the choicest blessings of Heaven may ever rest upon each one of these kind hearts, is the prayer of yours, very truly, T. J. JACKSON. A STEP IN THE RIGHT^DIRECTION !—A brigade of juvenile crossing sweepers has been formed in Lon- don under the presidency of Lord Brougham. At present there are eighteen boys, who wear a green blouse as their uniform. They are not to beg, but to trust to the liberality of the public, and a certain por- tion of their earnings is to be set aside as in the case of the shoeblack brigade towards a fund for providing relief in sickness and for other purposes.—We also read that a number of ladies, occupying a high social position, have formed a society for the express purpose of improving the condition of the members of the corps de ballet. In order to become a member of the institution established for the benefit of her profession, the dancer is to deposit in the nearest post-office saving s-bank a sum not less than Is. a fortnight. The committee of ladies, on the other hand, are endeavour- ing t) raise a fund out of which they propose to pay a percentage upon t.he deposits equal to and in addition to that allowed by Government. The members will thus receive a double interest on their savings, while, as an encouragement to provident habits, frugality is mado an indispensable condition of membership. It is hoped that the fund will be sufficient to afford extra assist- ance in the event of sickness or distress, and when the dancer is compelled by advancing years to retire, it. is proposed to maintain her for three months, during which time she is to be taught some branch of female industry. AN OFFICIAL AMATEUR PAUPER.—The Guar* dian states that Mr. Gulson, the assistant poor-law commissioner, was the first who ever went to a work- house in forma pauperis to learn how the inmates were treated. When Mr. Gulson was appointed an agitation was going on respecting the a leged hard- ships" paupers were subjected to, and in order to make himself fully acquainted with the truth or other- wise of the allegation, he gressed as a pauper and visited one of the poorhouscs. He stayed in the lace a fortnight, during the whole of which time he fared as the other inmates, slept as they did, and performed the labour of an able-bodied male pauper. His testi- mony of the regime he was subjected to at that rime is best summed up in his observation that he came out feeling a great deal better than when he entered, and quite satisfied that everything was done consistent with economy for the comfort of the unfortunate poor. HOUSE OF COMMONS NAMES. — One in every three members of the House of Commons has a namesake in the House There are in the House five Russells, five Bruces, five HamiltoD3 and there are four Barings, four E^ertons, and four Peels. These six names were the six most frequent in the last Parliament also they had 25 members then, and they have 27 now. There are also 14 surnames, esch of which is borne by three memhers-namely, Cavendish, Dundas, Grosvenor, King, Leslie (with Waldegrave Leslie), Lindsay, Lowther, Miller, Rothschild, Sey- mour, Smith, Stanley, Wynn (or Wynne), and Young. This is a larger number of triple's than the last Par- liament had. There are above 70 other members who have one colleague in the House of the same surname. The names most common out of doors are not the names most common in Parliament. The thi ee names most frequent in England and Wales taken together are Smith, Jones, and Williams. The hand of fate was heavy upon the Smiths at the general election of 1865 there were eight of them in the last Parliament and there are only three in this, and only three mem- bers bear the name either of Williams or Jones, two of Williams, and one of Jones. ACTION AGAINST A RAILWAY COMPANY.—In the Sheriff's Court on Friday Mr. Commi sioner Kerr tried the case of Jacobs v. The Great Eastern Kail wav Company. This was an action to recover 6/ 15<f damages sustained in consequence of the non-deliverv of goods within a reasonable time, and bv the tion of those goods by the company. Mr Jones ° fni- the piaintiff, said that his client had a stall at Eom- fftrd, which he attended only every Wednesday. On December 26 he entrusted to the company for carriage a bag of o- anges and a bag of nuts, which he r^u red for sal^ at Romford on the following day. When plaintiff arrived on the Wednesday hf couW not get the goods, and was compelled to buy at a gr-at disad- vantage m the town. His Honour pointed out th".t the only damage that could be claimed by plaintiff ] was the difference he had so paid. Mr. Ashley, for] tho company, said the goods had arrivefl on the 28 th, 1 and as plaintiff only went down to Romford every Wednesday they were tendered to him at his next visit. Mr. Jon-s said that plaintiff had bought other goods for the next Wednesday, and it had been held in the case of Williams v. the Great Western Railway that where a portmanteau was not delivered in a certain time, acd the owner had replaced it, the com- pany were bound to pay. The station-master said that when plaintiff left Romford on the evening of the 27th, he said that he should not take the goods as they were no use to him. Plaintiff declared that he only meant it for market day. His honour ruled th"t the plaintiff had dispensed with delivery, and that there- fore the company were only bound to hold the goods tn his use. The measure of damage was only the difference between t-e cost of the g >ods and the money plaintiff had paid in replacing them. This had been sworn to be ll., aud for that plaintiff could have a verdict. Verdict for plaintiff for ll. A TERRIFIED CREW.—On Saturday fifteen men belonging to the Bell Wood, were brought up at the Li- verpool Police-court, ch*r*ed with having refused to proceed to sea. The reason they assigned was that they were afraid to go in the ship, although a British vessel, she had been a Yankee, and the third mate, who was an Irish Yankee," had threatened the whole of them. Th" first mate had been practising with a revolver, with which he affirmed that he would shoot several of the crew on the voyage. These threats were not proved, and as the men positively refused to pro- ceed, they were committed to prison for periods ranging from two to e.ght weeks, according to the amount of advance each had received.
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Another correspondence says that the treatment practised by Mr. Worms has since been tried by that gentleman upon some infected animals in the herd of de Rothschild at Mentmore. When Mr. Worms arrived, the animal first attacked had already exhibited all the symptoms of the disease for upwards of forty-eight hours, and Mr Worms pronounced the case te be hopeless. He, however, adminis- tered his specific, and though there is some fear that the animal may still die from exhaustion the disease itself ap- pears to have been conquered. In the other two cases the treatment was so successful that both animals were last night believed to be out of danger.
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From" A Firm of West India Brokers." Lord Leigh and Mr. Worms, as a part of the treatmenet, re- commend rice-gruel as the food for infected cattle. A list of the principal rice cleaners of London and of the whole- sale dealers may be useful. We beg to enclose the same. The cleaners sell not less than two tons at a time, the whole- sale dealers not less than one bag of ljcwt. each. The price varies from about 121, to 162 per ton. One ton makes five tons of food, from the water it absorbs. List.—Chapman and Gray, 19, St. Dunstan's-hill; Carbutt and Co., 38, Fenchurch-street; Woodbridge and Smith, 81, Tower-street; H. Page, 28, Mincing-lane; American Rice Mills, Upper Berners-street, Commercial-road East. Dealers Wholesale.—J. W. and H. Browning and Co., 112, St. John- street, Smithtield G. Harker and Co., 101, Upper Thames- street J. Travers and Sons, and Sterry and Sons, Cannon- street.
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From Mr. William, Mason, Somersham, Hunting- donshire, Feb. 8. Soon after the appearance of the rinderpest in this village I determined, though with little hope of a good result, to give vaccination a trial. I took a healthy cow which had been carefully guarded against contagion for at least two months previous, by being shut up in a stable by herself, and I asked a medical gentleman, a friend, to vaccinate her. The vaccine was most satisfactory. On the eighth day she gave scarcely any milk, and refused her food. She recovered on the tenth, and, to all appearance, was RS well as ever. A few daysafterwards there was afresh outbreak of the disease, and my cow was among the new victims. In spite of the most careful nursing, she succumbed six days after the attach. -=
MR. PEABODY'S BENEFACTIONS.
MR. PEABODY'S BENEFACTIONS. lhe, Ameri™n bai*er, wh° has carried has wriftMi a 1 ft- °'l" so profitably in London, present '• £ ° tnistees "f fund, on hurdr-Pfl m ,iW 13 second donation of ene antliAY*'c. !r:ar,d Pounds. In the course of it he in K, -V63 -i i ^ees to use any portion of the fund n ding loaging.housesfor the labouring poor but as before many years it is to be apprehended that desirable sites for such buildings may be difficult to obtain at moderate prices within the limits of the metropolis, in that event it is his desire that the trustees for the time being should seek out and secure at such rates as the state of the fund may warrant such freehold sites within ten' miles of the present Royal Exchange as may appear eligible, both on account" of salubrity of position and proximity to the great centres of labour,, and railway accommodation due regard being had to the probable burden of taxa- tion. It may also be desirable to obtain from railway companies the most economical arrangements pro- curable for the conveyance of working people at stated hours to and from London at such moderate fares as will come within their means. Comfortable and con- venient houses are to be erected upon those utes for the exclusive accommodation of the tionest and industrious poor ot London, under such regijl^tjons and on such terms and conditions" as the jusRffcs may direct, subject only tb thegmdmg princi- pies laid down in respect to Mr. Peabody's former do- nation. As such sites may in some instances be re- mote from schools and other facilities for instruction, the trustees are to be at liberty in such cases, should they consider it needful, to set apart space adjacent to the building and suitaole for school-houseB for the children of the families holding tenements. But such schools must be so organised as carefully to exclude sectarian influences, and so conducted as to avoid de nominational jea'ousy. With this view it is Mr. Pea- body's desire that the course of education shall be ex- clusively of aa elementary and literary character. The sites may also be distant from good markets, and in that case Mr. Peabody suggests that there should be provided apartments in which the tenants may organise co-operative stores for supplying themselves with coal and other necessary articles for their own consumption, subject to such regulations as, in the judgment of the trustees, may be needful.
EPITOME OF NEWS.
EPITOME OF NEWS. BRITISH AND FOREIGN. j The Prince of Wales, it is stated, has shot, this season, upwards of 26,000 head of game. Fish is just now extremely dear in Paris, owing to the tempestuous weather An average sized t.urbot costs 42. The Queen's Speech reached Paris from London in eleven minutes. A Yankee paper informs us that an English noble- man has married in America an Esquimaux, in consequence of her kind treatment of him, when he was taken seriously ill. A well-known French artist, Bouvin, has hanged himself on account of the distress in which he and his family had for some time been plunged. It is reported that before committing the deed he said that perhaps his death would give his children the bread he could not give them while he lived. At the bal costume which took place at the Tuileries; on Thursday in last week the great success of the evening was a quadrille in which the gentlemen were dressed as leopards and the ladies as gazelles. The Time^ thinks it is now tolerably certain ths. the Reform Bill of 1866 will consist simply of clauses lowe ing the franchise in boroughs to 61. rating and in countie to 152. occupation. A Montreal despatch, dated Jan. 25. states that two large boxes, containing bodies, arrived there from Quebec that morning. The boxes were strong, about six feet long, four deep, and three wide. One contained a man and two females, packed in snow; the other, three women and one man. Both boxes were sent to the Chief of Police, Quebec. j The Marquis of Hartington, the newly-appointed Secretary-at-War, has asked his constituents in North Lan- cashire for re-election, and. in doing so, speaks of the coming Reform Bill as one which will admit a considerable number of the intelligent portion of the working classes to the franchise and of the Cattle Plague Bill, as one which will provide adequate compensation to those. whose pro- perty it may be necessary to sacrifice for the public good. The Missionary ship John Williams, bound to Mel- bourne, Australia, which sailed from Portland last Monday week, has again returned there for shelter, having experienced very severe weather since she left. There are also several large steamers which were outward bound again at anchor in the harbour, having put back through the heavy weather which has prevailed in the Channel for so many weeks past. The Kingston (Jamaica) papers contain the follow- ing as an advertisement:—" Now ready, and for sale, price one shilling, an accurate report of the trial of the late Mr. Geo. W. Gordon, together with his last letter to his wife. A limited number of the above has been struck off, and parties desirous of having a copy of same must apply 1 at once." On Saturday last, at Beeston, near Leeds, Sarah Twidell, the wife of a collier, but who had for some time been separated from her husband, committed suicide by jumping down the shaft of a coal-pit! The shaft was ot considerable depth, and the woman was killed on the spot, her body being frightfully mutilated. The Fenians still continue their amusing quarrels, and the newspapers are filled with their proclamations and manifestoes (says a New York correspondent). The Catholic Church continues resolute in its determination to refuse communion to all who espouse the Fenian cause, and there are reports almost daily from different parts of the country of the clergy refusing to open the churches to re- ceive the remains of dead Fenians, or to administer the Sacrament to the dying who persist in their belief." Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, has been again con- verted into an auction mart. The pews, let at a fixed rate, were put up for choice at a premium. This money-changing iu the temple is a scene of annual occurrence. Very welcome intelligence has been received regard- ing the crew of the Hull steamer Excelsior, which was sup- posed to have foundered with all hands. The report of the loss of the vessel is confirmed, but it appears that she was stranded, and that the captain and crew were, after suffering great hardships, taken from the wreck. Another Australian passenger ship has foundered in the Bay of Biscay, but this time, happily, no lives were lost. The vessel, the Warrato, one of the Black Ball line, came into collision on the night of the 6th instant with the Queen of Beauty. The whole of her three hundred passengers were got off, and then she sank, her foundering being so rapid that a large number of the persons have been landed at Plymouth only partially clad. The Pope has been making a speech at the English College at Rome, in which he regretted that England "should be forgetful of her glorious title of the Holy Island." His Holiness hopes, however, that her prosperity and greatness, her immense possessions and boasted institutions, will by and by "serve the cause of the faith.' The Sunday Gazette, in its column of official an- nouncements, states that an earnest attack is to be made on the High Church party, and that their opponents are pre- paring a repoit, which they will submit to Convocation, touching the manner in which services are conducted in a number of churches. M. Moynier recently brought an action against M- Thiers for having, in the History of France," attributed to another a feat of arms performed by his father. The court has decided in favour of M. Thiers, on the ground that an historian is at liberty to make a selection among the documents, often contradictory, from which he has to gather the facts. The subscriptions to the "Tom Savers monument" amount to something under 15M. Bell's Life has invited the persons interested to meet at its office to decide as to which of the gentlemen who have sent in plans for this memorial shaH be entrusted its execution. A few days ago died Friedrich Ruckert, the oldest and one of the greatest of modern German poets. An American paper remarks—" The Times'1 obituary of a late date mentions the death of a woman who had been for sixty-one years a servant in the same family.—Promotion is slow in that service." Mr. Beecher Stowe's income from preaching and lecturing is estimated at 15,COu2. a year A proposal has been made to attach, as travelling refreshment carriages to trains on long distance journeys, a first-class dining-aaloon, capable of dining about thirty people, and an adjoining carriage, which would comprise a bar, larder, and kitchen. Passengers are to enter at one station, dine, and alight at the next. The wife of a labourer, working at New Swindon factory, recently presented her husband with three children at one birth The clergyman of the parish wrote to her Majesty for the usual bounty to poor women in such cases, and received in reply in due course, a Post Office order for SI. One of the most famous antiquities of London has disappeared. The Traitors' Gate at the Tower, through which condemned prisoners passed, has for some time been in course of demolition, and has now been entirely remcved. An old woman, in London, wag reaching across the table to get a gin-bottle, when she set herself on fire by the flame of the candle, and was so terribly burnt that she died in a few hours after. A French paper states that out of 53,835 children born in Paris during 1861, 38,907 were legitimate, and 11 868 illegitimate. Some boys were swinging on a heavy iron gate, at Sheffield, when the hinges gave way, the gat'e fell, and two of the boys were killed ou the spot, and oth-rs injured. A little foreigner of the name of Rien h is married the immense Philadelphia giantess, weighing nearly 600 pounds. One of the pleasuntest bits of news from Trelmd is the intelligence that the National League" is on the verge of bankruptcy. If the 'National Association* was in » similar condition the chances Of Ireland's future peace and prosperity would be considerably improved Pall Matt Gazette. The account from Belgium of the state of the weather assures us that a splendid spring, almost a summer, has set in about Liege many of the trees are in full blossom. It is becoming quite usual to have a murder in Liverpool to announce. Another has to be added to the list of outrages for which that town is becoming famous. A man passing harmlessly along the street, was stabbed by FOme one unknown, and died almost instantly. At a conference of workmen's delegates from all the English and Scotch seats of the carpet trade, held at Ileck- mondwike, it was unanimously determined to demand an increase of wages, at the rate of 111 per cent, upou Scotch and rug weaving, and at the rate of 15 pGr cent. upon all carpets worked with gears; and it was also decided that the President for the Masters' Association should be asked to convene a meeting to consider these proposals. Fifteen hundred Freemasons have held a meeting in Paris in honour of those Masons who died during the year 1865. President Lincoln, King Leopold, and Marshal Magnan were mentioned among the deceased Freemasons A letter was published a few days ago. purporting to have been written by Admiral Pareja, and giving his reasotJ8 for committing suicide. Senor Cortina, First Secpetary to tho Spanish Legation, has written to sayThe Spanish Govern- ment have not received this document, nor the slightest communication which could lead to the supposition of such a letter having been written, although they are in po=se-sion of correspondence from the Spanish fleet in the Pacific up to December 18." i [has died from injuries T,n \nterval between the committal 50 0002 or fio coo/ • ? llis wil1. bequeathing, it is said, hv P }llci^lly to hi» Widow and sister, was. hood of the f Jhere are rumours as to the likeli- hood of the validity of the will being contested w2tmimtTlnng' Lt R'>man Catholic Archbishop of was on Sundav eTd a Pastoral to his tloek, which worshio th? 3t readTm aU Roman Catholic places ot observe thl Jn U he calls uPon faithful to. hp\hnu-a l),l which Lent calls for, and at some length in such eCeSSlty.,tor fas,ts and SUPP''cations—namely* ,as the cattle murrain ana possible wars. Orphanage SP appeal for the support of the Xorwood. A man and his wife have been taken up having ill: their possession 8,0002 worth of precious stones, Theyhad- employed an artist to make drawings of splendid jewellery 111. shop windows, and got false jewels of the same pattern made, sent to the jeweller to bring his jewels for them to see, and replaced the real by imitation jewellery. The following Peers come of age durin" the orient year :-The Duke of Hamilton and thS Earls of!B?do*?jSS, and Harrington. The following eldest sons of noblemen also come of age this year: Marquis of Lorn son of Lht> n,7lr J Argyll; Hon. W. T. Powletc, son of dXC V- Casilecuffe, son of the Karl of Desarf vf*n ,?? J 'sconTlt of the Earl of Enniskillen the Hon c' M XV Cole> S°"f LordUeadley; Earl of Kerry 'W ot S°n # Lansdowne the Hon. P. Sanfo'rd son „f r jMarquis o £ Viscount Melgund, son of the Earl'of \n + i thuen» of March, son of the Suke of r o ofSag'e"ePheW a"d hdr t0 the Kaii ^grnont, during a pause, pulled out a ''chignon t and said he had just picked it up-whoL wa^A S?0^l' each fair one iu the dance voluutarilv ™,t- iT I a, whioh head. The sto'y will not do it is evldpn?lt r> T to of the well-known French picture^ of yi v a Plagiarism passion exclaiming suddenly in the miriat JV tort,ering Take care there, below, you woZn m lst of h.ls sermon, this Bible at the head of her whTw at? to harl Upon which all the women l ,8 ^served it!' alarm." vomen are seen shrinking back m Jmn-naTdcs^ba^"the^1ue3tion in the. therto pursued hv Vnrr? V alluding to the course hi- France Siat has a f W- 'here is no party i* by it The brothers of LoukP\vrof.lc> *or a11 have Pro«tedi Orleauiats after rr. ?K 3 XV[ ,.m the emigration, the> successively used th' vi„!i f republicans after lis-U have alt soil. It is no loiiffiv of as>'Hlm mhereat in the English would find his banmiPt Loniion> Candid* seen the time whfn ?? dethioned Sovereigns, and we have in London saiT ^tV18 m er one °f the principal hoteia. iWnragWjfcefj8P§"<T^om for any one the J