The Aberdare Times

THE YOUNG PRINCES IN SYRIA. Princes Albert Victor and Prince George arrived at Beyrout on Saturday from Baalbek, and were received at balf-an-hour's distance from the town by Rustem Pasha, Governor of the Lebanon, Edhem Pasha, Governor of Beyrout, and Akif Pasha, Brigadier-General, with a battalion of troops. Their Royal Highness took up their quarters at the British Consulate, where they entertained at luncheon Rustem Pa?ha, Edhem Pasha, and Ahmet Bey, the Sultan's aide-de camp, who had been expressly sent by his Majesty to accompany them during their Syrian tour. In the afternoon they went on board the English war vessel waiting to convey them to Athens, and on taking leave of the Turkish officials expressed in warm terms their thanks to the Sultan for the hospitality and kindness which they had re- ceived during their pleasant sojourn on Ottoman territory. Early next morning the Btitish ships, with their Royal Highnesses on board, sailed for the Vimua.

HANLAN AT THE ALEXANDRA PALACE. On Saturday Hanlan exhibited his sculling capabili- ties on the lake in the grounds of the Alexandra Palace, and at a quarter to six he rowed across and round the water, and then commenced a series of evolutions to exhibit to the spectators his consummate mastery over his boat. First of all he stood up in her and rocked her so that it seemed almost miraculous that he did not capsize, and then rowed hand over hand in a peculiar fashion, only one scull being in the water at a time. He eubaequently aculIed hard up to the edge of the lake and stopped instantaneously, per- forming several other marvellous feats in his boat, the exhibition lasting in all about an hour. He sub- sequently thanked the spectators for his reception, and expressed his gratitude for the kind way in which e had been treated in this country.

THE FINCHLEY WOOD TRAGEDY. At the Central Criminal Court in London, on Fri- day In last week, John Baker, aged 20, carpenter, was placed upon his trial upon an indictment charging him with the wilful murder of Enoch Clark. The prisoner pleaded Not Guilty." Mr. Poland and Mr. Montagu Williams conducted the prosecution on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions Mr. Charles Mathews appeared for the defence. Mr. Poland, in opening the case, remarked that, appearing with Mr. Montagu Williams as repre- senting the Director of Public Prosecutions, it was his duty to state the facts to the jury, and he would endeavour to do so as briefly as he could, in order that they might more readily follow the evidence. Upon the day mentioned in the indict. ment—Thursday, the 2nd of March-the prisoner was living at 30, Mint-street, Borough. At that time the deceased man, Enoch Clark, was also living in the same house with a young woman named Emily Matthews, who passed as his wife. The deceased was a young man of some 21 years of age, and the young woman Matthews was 19. On the afternoon of Thursday, the 2nd of March, the two men were on friendly terms with each other, and after tea they started out together for the purpose of commit- ting a burglary. There was no doubt whatever that they went together that night to Finchley, and at the house of a Mr. Hill a burglary was committed by them. As to that there could be no doubt, because when the prisone iwas charged before the magistrates he said he confessed to the burglary and had confessed to it from the first; but he denied the murder, or being in any way con- nected with it. The prisoner had also pleaded guilty to an indictment which was preferred against him at this court charging him with the burglary. Having committed the burglary the prisoner and Clark appeared to have gone together into a wood near the house. Neither of the men returned to Mint-street that night; but on the following morning, at eleven o'clock, the prisoner returned alone, and at that time it was noticed that he was wearing a pair of buttoned boots. When he left the previous day he was wearing a pair of side-spring boots, and there was no doubt that he had left his own boots in the neighbourhood of the burglary, and that he had put on the buttoned ones when he returned on the Friday morning. It was also noticed that upon the boots and the legs of his trousers were some red spots, which the prisoner asserted to be the stains of port wine. The accused also had with him when he returned on that morning a pipe, some other small articles, and two table-cloths. The buttoned boots which he was wearing appeared to have been too small for him, and in the course of the day he asked one of his companions to clean and pawn them because he was in want of money. The boots were taken and pawned for 4s. and having thus got rid of them the prisoner asked another of his companions to buy him a pair of cheap shoes, and someone procured for him a pair of patent leather slippers. They were also small for him, but he cut them down in front and was able to wear them. Although the prisoner said the deceased man Ulark would come in shortly, he never returned during that day, in consequence of which the girl Matthews became somewhat alarmed. The prisoner told her that the deceased must have been captured, because there were two policemen, one of whom was on foot, and the other on horse- back, and he took, he said, a bottle of port wine from his pocket and struck one of the officers with it, while Clark ran out into the road and must have been taken into custody. So the day passed on, and on the same afternoon of Friday the pri. soner asked a man named Woolridge, who went by the name of Curly," whether he would like to earn a shilling or eighteenpence. The man said he would, and the prisoner asked him to bring his basket and accompany him. They went together by train to Finchley, and the prisoner left Woolridge at the earner of the wood near the house of Mr. Hill, where the burglary waj committed. The prisoner went into the wood and afterwards returned with the basket, in which were a great many pairs of boots. They then returned to 30, Mint-street, Woolridge carrying the basket, and the prisoner had in his possession a silver-mounted flute.- There must also have been in the basket some wine, because when they ret irned to Mint-street the drink was consumed. The girl Matthews became intoxicated and went to bed, the prisoner going to her room with her. On the following day (Saturday) a further conversation took place with regard to what had become of the deceased man Clarke, and it was supposed that he was in custody at Highgate or had been taken to Newgate, as the prisoner had said for the purpose of accounting for the absence of the deceased. With reference to the spots which were observed upon his boots and trowsers, the prisoner, while in con- versation with a witness named Checkly, said that Clark ran away and that he (the prisoner) struck the police patrol on the head with a bottle of port wine, which inflicted a wound causing the blood to flow. The prisoner lifted up the leg of his trowsers and showed the red spots which he thus accounted for. It appeared that on the Saturday night there were some gipsies encamped near the wood in question, adjacent to Mr. Hill's house. A pony had broken loose and was roaming about, and they went into the wood for the pur- Eose of finding it. They discovered there the dead ody of a man, which was identified as being the body of the deceased Enoch Clark. There had been a white frost, and the police traced footmarks from the house to the corner of Woodhouse-lane—a distance of 545 yards. It appeared that at that spot the police lost the trace of the footmarks, but there was a gap in the hedge where a person could go along in the same direction till he got to a place called Coppett's Wood, and about eighty yards in that wood the body of Enoch Clark was found. Woolridge who had waited outside while the prisoner went into the wood on Friday knew nothing whatever about what was there, and besides the body there was also found a quantity of plate with Mr. Hill's crest upon it, part of it being covered over with leaves, and also a portion of the right side of the de- ceased's waistcoat, a gravy spoon, and a snuff-box. There was a tracing of blood for about 23ft.—a large quantity at first, which gradually diminished as it get further away. The body was photographed before burial, and the photograph was ultimately shown to the girl Matthews, who immediately recognized it as the photograph of the deceased man Clark. She also identified the clothes, and eventually on the 17th of March, the prisoner was taken into custody. In order that there might be no possible doubt as to the identity of the body, it was exhumed and shown to Matthews, who clearly identified it as the body of Enoch Clark. Mr. Poland then proceeded to describe the condition of the body. He said there were altogether nineteen wounds upon it, three of which were mortal. The deceased had been stabbed in one of the ventricles of the heart, in the liver, and also in the temple, and there were also wounds on the throat. The more serious injuries were the wounds in the heart, in the chest, which had passed through the liver, and in the jugular vein, and they had all been inflicted with some sharp instrument. When taken into custody, the prisoner said he knew nothing whatever about the murder, but confessed that he was guilty of the burglary. The jury would have the fact that when they left together for the purpose of committing the burglary, the pri- soner and tne deceased were on friendly terms with each other, and it would be for them (the jury) to de- cide whether or not after the burglary had been com- mitted, the property stolen being carried into the wood, from the fact that some empty and broken bottles were found there, the two men got drinking, and that was the actual occasion which gave rise to an attack being made by one upon the other. They had, of course, no means of knowing, but it was a serious matter for the consideration of the jury whether or not after the attack was made the bulk of the stolen property was left behind in the wood, the prisoner thinking that, with the body there, the fact of a large quantity of plate being pawned might cast suspicion upon him and ultimately lead to the crime being traced to him, and yet being in want of money, he thought he might safely dispose of some small articles and be able at some future time to remove the plate in safety. All the wounds were inflicted with a knife, and it seemed that among the other property stolen from the house was a picnic combination knife, which was subsequently seen in the possession of the pri- soner. Although both the prisoner and the deceased were powerful young men of about the same age the prisoner did not appear to have been injured in any way. When he was taken into custody, the accused was stripped for the purpose of ascertaining whether he had any bruises or any other marks of violence about him, and it was found that he only had some scratches on one of his thighs, but he had no other injury upon him, neither had he when he returned to Mint-street on the Friday morning, Evidence was then given in support of Mr. Poland's opening statement by the girl Matthews and other witnesses. The case occupied the remainder uf Friday, and the whole of Saturday, and was resumed on Mon- day, when Mr. Poland's address to the jury brought the case for the prosecution to a close. Mr. Charles Mathews then proceeded to address the jury for the defence in a speech of considerable length, and in impressive terms pointed out to them the great seriousness of the case and of their duty in deciding it, arguing that the whole case of the prosecu- tion was built upon conjecture, and merely circum- stantial. The learned counsel also reminded the jury that there was no evidence to show that the prisoner and the deceased had ever quarrelled, or that the slightest ill-feeling existed between them, but on the contrary they always appeared to have been on the most friendly terms, and there appeared to have been an utter absence of motive for the commission of such a horrible crime. Then there was nothing to show that Baker was in possession of such a weapon as that with which the murder must have been committed. Mr. Mathews urged that as there was no ill-will, no motive, no weapon, no blood-stain, no mark upon the person, and no rents in the clothes, the accused could not be the murderer, concluding a most able and effective speech with a caution to the jury not to act too hastily on circumstantial evidence. Mr. Justice Hawkins having summed up, The jury retired at a quarter to four o'clock to coa- sider their verdict, and, after an absence of fifty minutes or so, returned into court and asked his Lord- ship to again define the dividing line between murder and manslaughter. Mr. Justice Hawkins said If they went into the wood without a desire to fall out, but did fall out, and in the course of a scuffle, when the blood was hot, a blow was struck without the intention to kill, or to do such grievous bodily harm as would be likely to cause death, tfcen you might say the crime was one of manslaughter. But if on going into the wood without the intention to kill some dispute arose and a man said, Now I have the opportunity, I will kill him," the fact of the animus having recently arisen would not prevent the killing being murder. If you are the most perfect friend of a man one moment, and within the next ten minutes say, I will kill him," and do kill him, then that is murder. The jury again retired, and at a few minutes past six o'clock returned into court and asked for a fuller exposition of the law relating to manslaughter. Mr. Justice Hawkins repeated his explanation at gems length, and The jury again retired, and at twenty minutes to eight returned into court, requiring a still further ex- planation of the law upon the subject, which Mr. Jus- tice Hawkins having given them, they intimated that they were unable to agree upon a verdict. Mr. Justice Hawkins said it was a great pity that a trial like that should be abortive, and he thought that if the jury took a little further time to consider the matter they might arrive at a conclusion. The jury again retired, and at half-past eight o'clock returned into their box, stating that they had agreed upon their verdict. They found the prisoner Guilty of wilful murder, but without proof of premedita- tion." Mr. Justice Hawkins pointed out to them that the question was whether the prisoner had intended to kill the deceased. The premeditation might have been of the minute or of years, and he repeated that the question was whether he had any intention to kill at the time the prisoner inflicted the wounds. The jury said they found that the accused had no intention to kill, and Mr. Justice Hawkins said upon that they might find tfc3 prisoner guilty of manslaughter. The jury then returned a verdict of Manslaughter. Mr. Montagu Williams informed the learned Judge that the prisoner had been previously convicted. Mr. Justice Hawkins said that that was imma- terial. Addressing the prisoner, he said,- John Bnker, you have been found guilty by a very mer- ciful jury of the brutal slaughter of your companion in crime. For the crime of which you have now been convicted I condemn you to be kept in penal servitude for the term of your natural life. The prisoner was then removed from the dock.

THE FEARNIEUX FRAUDS. At the Warwick Assizes, on Monday, before Mr. Justice Fitzjames Stephen, the trial took place of Mary Jane Fearnieux (42), no trade, and James Gething (43), fitter, for obtaining large sums of money by means of the extraordinary imposition practised by the woman in the assumption by her of the cha- racters of Lord Arthur Pelham Clinton and the Earl of Lanesborough. The indictment contained three counts: for obtain- ing about 22,000 from Edward Beynon with intent to defraud for conspiring to obtain the said sums of money with intent to defraud; and for foaging and uttering a warrant or order for the payment of jESOO with intent to defraud. The court was crowded principally by ladies. Notwithstanding the announcement of Mr. Justice Stephen when charging the Grand Jury that the attendance of Lord Coleridge would be unnecessary to prove the forgery of the letters bearing his name, the Lord Chief Justice occupied a seat upon the Bench beside the Assize Judge. The prosecution was conducted by Mr. Me re wether, Q.C., and Mr. Arnold Morley, M.P. (instructed by Mr. Poland on behalf of the Treasury); Mr. Stubbins (instructed by Mr. T. C. Cheston) appeared for Fear- nieux, and the male prisoner was defended by Mr. Hugo Young. Mr. Mere wether, in opening the ease for the prose- cution, said the prosecutor fixed the amount of which he had been defrauded at between £ 1,500 and £1.600, most of which had been paid through the man Geth- ing. The transactions in question commenced in 1873, when the woman went to lodge at Aston in the house of Mrs. Ward, a sillterof the male prisoner, who was then engaged by Messrs. Elliot at their factory at Selly Oak. Gething introduced Beynon to Fearnieux, telling him that if he had any money to advance he could recommend him a good thing, as Fearnieux waa not a woman, but was Lord Arthur Clinton whose death it was supposed had occurred at an obscure village in Hampshire, and who was expiating bis offence by wearing a woman's dress. He said that he was entitled to large property, and that this would be re- stored when the Queen ultimately granted him his pardon. Representations were aleo made that she was also the twenty-seventh Earl of Lanesborough, and there was a long series of letters purporting to come from Lord Coleridge in support of the claim of Fear- nieux, including an elaborate account by his lord- ship of the sums which he had been compelled to pay on behalf of his client," Lord Arthur Pelham Clinton, until the latter could be restored to the garb of man and title of nobility. (Laughter.) Mr. Mere- wether said with regard to the woman he should prove past all doubt that these were forgeries, and since her imprisonment she had written to the prosecutor a letter which showed conclusively that there was no real defence in her case. It might have occurred to the jury, however, that the man Gething was one of the woman's dupes, and if they were convinced of that he ought to be acquitted. In eombating this idea, Mr. Merewether urged that it must have been almost im- possible for the prisoners to be in daily intercourse without Gething finding out circumstances which must have shown him that the woman's story was untrue. Gething was also on one occasion sent to London to see Lord Coleridge, and upon his return stated that he had had an interview with his lordship at Judges' Chambers, whereas Lord Coleridge never was at Judges' Chambers during the year mentioned. The examination of the prosecutor, Edward Beynon, who was the first witness for the prosecution, lasted nearly two hours. He said I live at Selly Oak, near Birmingham. I have known Gething for some years. At first he wa? an engine-fitter under me. I remem- ber a conversation he had with me in 1874 He told me that a nobleman had taken apartments at hia sister's, Mrs. Ward, at Aston, and that he had made his acquaintance.—Mr. Justice Stephen What did he tell you about the nobleman ? Witness: That he was under the displeasure of the Queen for a time that hi. estates had been con- fiscated, but that ultimately he should regain them. The nobleman was dressed in female attire, but he (Gething) was sure "it" was a male. They arranged for an interview at the house of Mr. Bishop. On our way we met Fearnieux. She was dressed as a woman on that occasion. The same night he told me it was Lord Arthur Pelham Clinton, and that any one who would assist his lordship whilst in seclusion would not be forgotten. Gething asked me to assist. I told him I had some money-not much, between JE20 and £ 50—I could advance. I continually lent money to Gething for the purpose of the support of Lord Lanes- burgh, represented by the woman, and certain estates were mentioned as security. One of the documents was addressed "To the Lords of the Crown," and recommended them to pay to Beynon JE500 on, before, or after Nov. 7, and it purported to be signed by "Lord Coleridge," "Lush, Justice of the Peace," Sir John Bennett, the worthy Alderman of 0 London," and "Fredk., Earl of Lanesburgh," was stated to be by order of the Crown, and con- cluded with the words "God save the Queen." The woman was at one time described as Lord Arthur Pelham Clinton, and at others as Lord Lanesburgh, and as a nobleman who was under the censure of the Queen. [Letters purporting to come from Lord Coleridge were read, and his Lordship joined in the general laughter that followed.] After a time I began to doubt the accuracy of Gething's state- ment. I paid Gething's expenses to London, and in- structed him to see Lord Coleridge. He returned next day, and said that he had seen his Lordship, who was very kind to him, and assured him the person they were dealing with waa Lord Arthur Pelham Clinton. I believed what Gething said, and had every confi. dence in him. Miss Fearnieux wrote him the follow- ing letter:— "MY dear Arthur,—By this post I have received notice to settle up the Interest at Smith's, the pawnbroker's, upon the family jewels. Where I am to get the money from to save the family diamonds is more than I can tell A. E. has given me an order on Glynn and Co. for P-200. Could you amongst your friends manage to get JE40 ? If so, you will be safe in giving £100, for I don't know which way to turn for your ultimate benefit. H. G. M. has sent to all places of trust. She supposes you have relented, and she has forgiven you. Don't please bring that child here again, will you, or anything else. Believe me, my dear boy, your friend to the last, J. COLERIDGE, Lord Chief Justice." (Laughter.) Another letter professed to come from the Queen and to grant a pardon to one known to the Peerage of Great Brittain (sic) as Arthur Pelham Clinton." It purported to be countersigned by Lord Coleridge. Mr. Justice Stephen Did you*really believe those documents to be genuine ? Witness I really did not know much about these things. I was shut up in mills all my life, and had had considerable trouble. Mr. Justice Stephen Then you did really believe rightly or wrongly, that these documents were genuine ? Witness I did believe, or I should not have ad- vanced the money. I am very sorry. (Laughter). Mr. Justice Stephen You need not apologise. You have not injured anybody except yourself, and I am very sorry for you. Witness continued It was proposed that we should go and see the Queen at Balmoral, and we set out to go to Scotland. We stayed two or three days in London. A letter was shown to me from "Lord Coleridge," approving of our visit. I was taken ill at Ballater, and Fearnieux went by herself to the Castle. (Laughter.) She came back in about half an hour, and said that the Queen could not attend to her, as she was just going in to dinner, but would send her a letter to the hotel. Subsequently, a letter was shown me as coming from the Queen. Mr. Morley Did Gething offer to prove to you that Fearnieux was a man ? Witness Oh, yes shall I tell you in his own words ? (laughter.) (Witness described what Gething said, what he had done on his journey, and what he knew of the woman.) Mr. Morley How much did you advance altogether ? Witness: Eight hundred pounds of my own. I borrowed S400 from Mr. Minto and JE500 from another gentleman, and I am still answerable to them for those sums. I have had to sell my leasehold property to meet my payments. A consultation now took place between Fearnieux and her solicitor, and later on Mr. Stubbins intimated that she wished to withdraw her former plea and plead guilty, and his lordship said that might be so. Beynon was also examined on behalf of Gething with respect to the confidence the Gething family placed in Fearnieux. He stated that Gething christened one of his children Arthur Pelham Clinton, and he believed it was a fact that Gething's niece, Jane Ward, was engaged to the sham Lord Clinton. They always treated one another as an engaged couple. Miss Fearnieux afterwards became attached to a Miss Horan, of Liverpool, and he believed Miss Ward was very much affected in her mind in consequence, and was at present confined in a lunatic asylum. He several times saw Fearnieux in male attire, and when the case was originally brought before the magistrates, he still believed her to be Lord Clinton. Mr. Screen, who had also been defrauded, visited witness after the propecution had been instituted, &nd complained bitterly of these pro- ¡ ceedings. Numbers of other people were fully im- pressed with the truth of her representations, and he knew a Liverpool money-lender was among thotte who had been taken in. Witness had often dissuaded Gething from writing to Lord Coleridge on the matter. Lord Coleridge, who was next called and sworn, said he was Lord Chief Justice of England. He had never written any of the letters read during the after- noon, and had never written to Fearnieux in hg life. He had been under the impression that he had no heard of her until last autumn, when he was in Scot- land or at the Lakes; but in consequence of something that had passed during the trial, he fancied he might have heard of the matter in 1878. He had never seen Gething at Judges' Chambers in 1867, nor was he at those chambers until 1880. Evidence was also given by Mr. John Cook, olerk to the Lord Chief Justice, Detective Sergeant Prioe, and Mrs. Lovesay, the female searcher at Birmingham, the last witness being called to prove the sex of the prisoner Fearnieux. Mr. Merewether having briefly addressed the jury for the prosecution, Mr. Young spoke on behalf of Gething, urging that he had been a dupe throughout the whole of the proceedings. No doubt the mon- strous imposture which had been practised was implicitly believed by numbers of persons, and Gething was one of the innocent victims. The fraud was not the concoction of Miss Fearnieux; there was some one behind who had written the hundreds of forgeries so frequently referred to and Mr. Young submitted that this third person was a man who had not even hesitated to personate the Lord Chief Justice in the precincts of the Judge's Chambers, as alleged by Gething. After deliberation for half an hour, the jury re- turned into the court with a verdict of "Not Guilty with respect to Gething. Fearnieux pleaded guilty to a previous conviction at the Birmingham Quarter Sessions in 1872, for obtaining money by false pretences of a somewhat similar character. The Judge sentenced her to seven years' penal servi- tude. He told Gething he had had a very narrow escape, but he did not dissent from the verdict of the jury.

DISASTER AT SEA. The New York Herald of the 25th ult. reports the destruction, near Jacksonville, Florida, of the river steamer City of Sanford, involving the loss of eleven lives. It appears from the statement of the purser that just as the City of Sanford rounded the point La vista, four miles on a straight stretch from Jackson- ville, fire was discovered in the port bunkers, among the wood alongside the boiler, and doubtless origi- nating from the engine. The captain, as soon as he comprehended the situation, immediately rushed up to the pilot-house, headed his boat inshore, and grounded her in three feet of water within 30ft. of the shore. By this time the steamer was wrapped in flames, the north-east wind sweeping them through her fore and aft. The passengers were up, in various stages of apparel. A group of five was on the rear deck, where the captain urged them to leap over. board into the shallow water. During the brief dis. cussion Miss Ireland fell overboard, and the stern wheel, still turning, caught her dress and was about dragging her under its paddles, when the captain sprang overboard and extricated her. Mr. Ireland, who jumped after her, was caught in the wheel, and was also rescued by Captain Roberts. Mrs. Ireland and her little daughter, and Mrs. Keep and her little son, were then left on the deck. The Jadiefl were about to jump over. board, when the two children, seized with panic, ran back into the blazing saloon. The two ladies went after them, and the four were burnt to death. Mr. G. H. Downer jumped overboard, but became exhausted before help reached him, and sank. Captain Shartelle, a passenger, an expert swimmer and sea- man, was also drowned. Many of the passengers and crew sprang overboard in the shallow water and were saved, with the exception of two negroes who have since died. The City of Sanford was a freight steamer between Jacksonville and Sanford, Florida. She was built with open lower deck, the passenger accommodation being aft. This was her 137th trip.

RELEASE OF MICHAEL DAVITT. On Saturday afternoon in last week, at half-past three o'clock, Michael Davitt left Portland Prison. There were certain formalities to be gone through before he could be liberated, and a telegram was re- ceived at the prison stating some visitors were coming for him. At twenty minutes past one the three liberated Irisb members of Parliament — Messrs. Parnell, Dillon, and O'Kelly—arrived at Weymouth from London, and after lunching at the Royal Hotel proceeded in a carriage and pair to Portland Prison, just outside of which they were met by Mr. Thomas Quilter, who most warmly greeted them. The party at once prooeeded into the prison, and were introduced to Davitt, who was overjoyed at seeing his friends. The party were inside the prison for half an hour exa- mining Davitt's cell and the little floor on which he has bestowed so much care and attention. At length everything was settled, and at half-past three the convict stepped out of Portland establishment accom- panied by his friends. He appeared to be in the best of health and spirits in every way, and has improved since being at Portland, his weisrht being twelve pounds more than when he entered the prison. The party were accompanied by the governor, Mr. George Clifton, who immediately on leaving took them to his residence, where they remained a few minutes. At a quarter to four Davitt and his friends bade adieu to the governor, and just as they were about to get in the carriage which was in waiting for them a Roman Catholic priest came up, and warmly congratulated the prisoner on his release. So secret was the hour for the liberation of Davitt kept that very few persons were outside the prison but as throughout the day numbers of people came to witness the depar ture of each train, thinking he would be going by it, it was decided to drive to Weymouth, so as to avoid any manifestation of feeling. Before the carriage had, however, reached Weymouth the news that he would leave the railway station by the quarter to five London and South Western train soon spread, and by the time the carriage drove up to the door a considerable crowd had congregated. A. first-class carriage was especially reserved for the use of the party, and around this the crowd gathered until it was time for the train to depart, but no manifestation of feeling was exhi- bited, not even a cheer or groan being given. A few minutes before ten o'clock the train arrived at Vauxhall station, where the party alighted. A number of the political friends of the Irish party had also assembled there to greet their return.

PARLIAMENT AND THE SUNDAY OPENING QUESTION. The friends of the Sunday opening movement are very sanguine as to the division of the Sunday Society's resolution which Mr. George Howard, the member for Cumberland, istobring^orwardonthe 19th inst (says the Daily News). An amendment, which cannot be considered hostile to the resolution, is to be proposed by Mr. W. S. Cairne, member for Scar- borough, in the following terms But such museums shall not be opened to the public before one o'clock on Sunday afternoons and shall be entirely closed upon one other day of the week."—Mr. Howard's resolu- tion is as follows :—" That, seeing the success which has attended the action of her Majesty's Government in opening on Sundays the national museums and galleries in the suburban districts of London and in the city of Dublin, this House is of opinion that the time has arrived for extending this action to all museums and galleries supported by national funds.'

CUTTINGS FROM AMERICAN PAPERS. What made the mule kick youi ? they asked o the gentleman who had been sent flying through the roof of a barn. And he answered, Do you think I was fool enough to go back and inquire ? Whew I Coming up those stairs takes the wind out of me," remarks the gentleman who climbs to our editoral rooms to give advice gratis. "So glad," says the editor, shaking him by the hand, and the gentleman thinks the editor is delighted to see An old man with a head as destitute of hair as a watermelon entered a drug store and told the clerk he wanted a bottle of hair restorer. What kind of hair restorer do you prefer ?" I reckon I'll have to take a bottle of red hair restorer. That was the colour of my hair when I was a boy." "Amateur Gardener" wants to know the easiest way to make a hot house. Leave a box of parlour matches where the baby can play with them. Some fellow has brought out an opera glass which, he thinks, will fill a long-felt want. It holds a pint of whisky. But that will not" fill" a long-felt "I wish I was worth 1,00^,000 dollars, said a gentleman. What good would lt^ do .you, for you don't spent your present income inquired a friend. Oh, I could be economical on a larger scale. A few days ago a politician fronLt^16 was at Washington in search for an office. Deceived by the flattering promises held out to him he telegraphed home Things are working will be home in a few days." Not long afterwards he again telegraphed home Things have worked send me 25 dols. to get home." Together they were looking over the paper. Oh my. how funny," said she. "What is it?" he asked. "Why, here's an advertisement that says no reason- able offer refused.—" What's so odd about that?, "Nothing, nothing," she replied, trying to blush, "only those are exactly my sentiments. If that young man hadn't taken the hint and proposed right then and there she wouidhave hated him. A man trade# a 70 dollar watch for a 45 dollar shot gun, pays three dollars for repairs and then exchange* it for a 30 dollar horse, which kicks a 28 dollar cow to death and then dies of a broken heart. How much did the man lose ?

POOR RATES AND PAUPERISM. From the quarterly statement as to pauperism in England* to Lady-day, 1882, just issued as a Parlia- mentary paper, it appears that the number of paupers in receipt of relief on the last day of the last week, ended Lady-day, 1882, was 740,844, as against 772,526 on the corresponding day of 18S1, and 752,391 in 1880, thus showing a decrease of 4'1 per cent. as compared with 1881, and of 1*5 per cent, as compared with 188 ». The number of paupers in the metropolis on the same day in 1882 was 94.975, as against 95,743 in 1881, and 91,(,95 in 1880, there thus having been a decrease of 0'8 per cent. as compared with 1881, but an increase of 4'3 per cent as compared with 1880.

A SWORD OF HONOUR. A handsome sword for presentation to Lieutenant- Colonel White, C.B., V.C., of the 92nd Gordon High- landers, has been made by the Manufacturing Gold- smiths and Silversmiths' Company, 112, Regent-street, London. It is a claymore, but is designed on the pattern of the true Italian claymore, and is in some respects unlike the basket-hilted weapon of later date which goes under that name. The ornamentation is emblematic, or directly illustrative of the doings of the recipient. The handle is of fine ivory, cut into spiral flutings in which gold and silver cords are laid to make the hold more sure. The hilt and guard are of solid silver heavily gilt. In the centre of the guard is an exact copy of the porch of an Indian temple, within which stands a soldier in the full service costume of the 92nd Highlanders. Two side guards, bearing ooats-of-arms in enamel on gold, are hinged 10 as to lie flat to the side when the sword is worn on dress occasions. The scabbard is of deep blue velvet, with heavy pierced and chased gold mounts, in the opposite sides of the upper one being placed in jewels of the Bath and the Victoria Cross. The blade, 32in. in length, is etched in gold and colours, and bears on the obverse the names of battles in which Colonel White fought in Afghanistan, and on the reverse this inscription Presented to George Stuart White, of Whitehall, Brouchshane, lieutenant-colonel the Gordon Highlanders, by his friends in the County of Antrim, in recognition of his gallant services during the Afghan oampaign, 1879 80."

MANIFESTO OF THE IRISH PARLIA- MENTARY PARTY. The following Manifesto has been issued by the Irish Parliamentary Party To the People of Ireland,-On the eve of what seemed a bright future for our country, that evil destiny which has apparently pursued us for centuries has struck another blow at our hopes, which cannot be exaggerated in its disastrous consequence. In this hour of sorrowful gloom we venture to give an expression of our profoundest sympathy with the people of Ireland in the calamity which has befallen our cause through a horrible deed, and to those who had deter- mined at the last hour that a policy of con- ciliation could supplement that of terrorism and national distrust. We earnestly hope that the attitude and action of the whole Irish people will assure the world that an assassination such as that which has startled us almost to the abandonment <4 hope for our country's cause is deeply and religiously abhorrent to their evevy feeling and instinct. We appeal to you to show by every manner of expression possible that amidst the universal feeling of horror which this assassination has excited, no people feel so intense a detestation of its atrocity, or so deep a sympathy for those whose hearts must be seared by it, as the nation upon whose prospects and reviving hopes it may en- tail consequences more ruinous than have yet fallen to the lot of unhappy Ireland during the present generation. We feel that no act has ever been per- petrated in our country during the exciting struggles for social and political rights of the past fifty years that has so stained the name of hospitable Ireland as this cowardly and unprovoked assassination of a friendly stranger, and that until the murderers of Lord Frederick Cavendish and Mr. Burke are brought to justice that stain will sully our country's name. -CHAS. S. PARNELL, JOHN DILLON, MICHAEL DATITT." Mr. Parnell sent telegrams to the Lord Mayor of Dublin and to the ^Mayors of Cork, Waterford, and Limerick, suggesting that they should immediately call meetings of their respective Corporations to pass resolutions denouncing the assassinations. Instruc- tions were also telegraphed ordering the above Mani- festo to be printed at once upon large placards and posted throughout Ireland. The representative of the Press Association has had interviews with the members of Parliament recently liberated from Kilmainham, and also with Mr. Davitt, released on Saturday from Portland Prison. Statements have been made, from which we take the following Mr. Parnell, M.P., who appeared to be in a very depressed condition, said—"lam pained and horrified more than I can express at the terrible and startling news which I only heard about breakfast time this morning. I think the murders form one of the most atrocious and unprovoked crimes ever committed in any country, and its effect must certainly be most damaging to the interests of the Irish people. Duriag my PArliamentary experience of six or seven years I have occasionally had personal communication with Lord Frederick Cavendish, and always found him one of the most amiable and painstaking of men with whom I have ever come into contact. He had a strict regard to the conscientious fulfilment of his official duties, whilst at the same time desirous as much as possible to accommodate himself to such local representations as might be made to him. I did not share the disap- pointment generally expressed in Liberal and Irish circles regarding his appointment to the post of Chief Secretary, as I anticipated that the principal reform to be prepared during the present Session would consist of amendments of the Land Act, which would be under Mr. Gladstone's personal supervision, and the proceedings in connection with which would almost necessarily be of a strictly Parliamentary character. After some further observations Mr. Parnell con- cluded by saying-I trust that the people of Ireland will take immediate and practical steps to express their sympathy with Mr. Gladstone in his most pain- ful position." Mr. Davitt !!laid No language I can possibly command could express the horror with which I re* gard these murders, or the despair which I feel at their consequences. The first news was communicated to me late last night, but at the moment I could not credit the statement, and regarded it merely as a hoax. This morning, however, brought terrible com- firmation of the sad news. I deeply and sincerely grieve to think that just at the time when the Govern- ment had run a risk in introducing a new policy, when everything appeared to be bright and hope- ful, when the expectations seemed to be universal that all outrage would cease in Ireland in response to the changed attitude of the Government, that this terribie event should occur, and dash our hopes to the ground. After what has now occurred, I wish to God I had never left Portland. Where was the motive for the crime ? Its commission is not only the most fatal blow which has ever been struck at the Land League, but one of the most disastrous blows which has been sustained during the last century by the national cause in Ireland. It seems like a terrible destiny that such a thing should occur at this par- ticular juncture, and it is no wonder that a feeling of horror should instantly spring up in all our breasts. My only hope is that the assassins will be discovered and punished as they deserve. One cannot help won- dering that such an outrage should have been allowed to occur when there was actually a constabulary depot within a few hundred yards, and probably a large force of police there within the very precincts of the crime. Under these circcumstances, how is it that the murderers have been allowed to get off ? If some evil genius ruled the destinies of Ireland, no more fatal blow eould have been struck at our cause than it has suffered by these lamentable assassinations." Mr. Dillon, M.P., said he deeply deplored the sorrowful tidings, but he had nothing to add beyond expressing his concurrence in what had been stated by Mr. Parnell and Mr. Davitt. Mr. Sexton, M.P., said, "I am bewildered and horrified at the news from Ireland. Personally I never had any direct communication with the unfortunate nobleman, but from observations of his conduct in the House I regarded him as an exceed- ingly amiable man, most painstaking in his public business. He was certainly regarded by observers in general as a capable administrator, so far, especially, as matters of official detail were concerned. As we had been led by conversation and public report to expect the appointment of Mr. Chamber- lain to the Chief Secretaryship, the first emotion following on the news of the appointment of Lord Frederick was undoubtedly one of disappoint- ment, as it was thought that the daily pressure in the House of Commons of questions relating to the multifarious details of Irish administration would prove very embarrassing to him. In the course of a day or two, however, it began to be understood, or at least to be rumoured, that Mr. Gladstone had sent Lord Frederick Cavendish to Ireland in order to have the services there of one with whom he had long been in close official contact, and who would enable him to apply his own will more freely and rapidly to the diffi- oulties of the Irish problem. It also came to be thought that Lord Frederick Cavendish had special qualifications from his experience aa a Treasury official for the operations which might have to be carried out with regard, in the first place, to the ques- tion of arrears; and, secondly, the perfection of a plan for the development of the Purchase Clauses. Under the influence of these considerations, the most active members of the Irish Party had come to the conclusion that Lord Frederick Cavendish's appoint- ment was one that for a time, at any rate until decided by results, should be regarded with a suspended judgment, and that he should have, in every way, a fair and ample chance for the due performance of his duties. I have no reason whatever to believe that there was in any political quarter in Ireland the slightest personal feeling against Lord Frederick Cavendish. Indeed, it is extremely doubtful whether he wad even known in Ireland outside of official circles. I cannot help making the surmise that he must have been mistaken for someone else against whom the assailants might have supposed they had some cause of grievance. Mr. Burke has, I believe, been connected officially with Dublin Castle for a period nearly forty years, and public feeling has, from time to time, iden- tified him with many harsh and unpopular acts of ad- ministration. On the other hand, those who had op- portunities of being well informed have always held that Mr. Burke confined himself rigorously within the immediate duties of his post, and that he was rather averse than otherwise to concern himself with purely political matters outside of his own special duties. He was also very little known to the people of Dublin. For instance, I remember well Iteing in the chair lastsummer at a great meeting held in Phoenix Paik, and I saw Mr. Burke there standing at the edge of the crowd, but not known nor recognised apparently by a single individual amongst the thousands who were present. He passed about amongst the crowd unobserved. He was a tall, handsome man of distinguished abearance with an aquiline no?e and a keen face. I think he belonged to a lind-owning family-the Burkes, of Marble Hall, county Galway. He was a Catholic, and graduated from the post of an ordinary clerk in the office to that of Permanent Under Sectretary, and in the opinion of a great many people he has for a long time been the real ruler of the country. The crime is the more in- explicable when one considers the good temper shown by the large crowds, for although they burnt an effigy of Mr. Forster in rejoicing at the release of the Suspects, yet it was more a matter of political sarcasm than in passion, and was totally unconnected with anything like violence. Mr. Justin M'Carthy, M.P., says "Inmy mind, as in that of most persons, the news excited some- thing like consternation. Indeed, I do net think I ever had such a shock in my life. The crime is cer- tain to be most disastrous, at all events for some time, to the Irish cause." Mr. Biggar, M.P., joins in deeply deploring the event, and says it is all the more to be lamented as Lord Frederick Cavendish was certainly one of the least obnoxious of the official members on the Liberal side.

A telegram from Washington states that President Arthur has signed the Chinese Exclusion Bill. A return issued on Tuesday of all persons who have been or who are ill custody under the Protection Act up to the Slst March, 1882," shows that to that date 87a sus pectghad been arrested, of whom a great number had subaequeutly been liberated- Sir William Harcourt has directed Sir E. Henderson subaequeutly been liberated- Sir William Harcourt has directed Sir E. Henderson to place Extra special constables opposite the official and I private residences of all the Cabinet Ministers.

AMERICAN ARCTIC EXPEDITION. The following dswatches have been received at the London office of the New York Herald from the special correspondent of the Herald in Siberia (1) Deerstation, Kengurach in Verchaiansk, Apri 10. Mountains. Rumour current among Tonguse here that five men have been found by Tonguse at mouth Lena. They describe one as wearing gold faced uniform, and goros tells me De Long wore his uniform coat under ulster at time of landing. I give this as rumour, but it is remarkable that news spreads among Tonguse with remarkable speed." (2) "Forty miles beyond Kengurach, 4 morning, April 12.Cossack estafette just arrived here with despatches bringing news that Captain De Long and ten men found all in one spot. He takes sealed despatches, which you will receive with this." Also the following from Mr. Melville, the engineer of the Jeannette "Lena Delta, March 24.-Found De Long and party dead. Found all papers and books. Continue search for Chipp."

A PAINFUL CASE. At the Stafford Assizes, before Mr. Baron Huddleston, Emil Charles Hindelang, 18, was in- dicted for the wilful murder of his two brothers, Louis and Francis Hindelang, at Tipton, on the 9th of February last. Mr. Haden Corser prosecuted Mr. Gwynne James, at the request of the learned Judge, undertook the defence. This was a case of the most painful character, the facts upon which the prisoner was oommitted for trial showing that without any apparent motive he had decoyed his two young brothers to the canal side and drowned them. He had done his best also to take another brother younger still, but, happily, this brother refused to go with him. Having done the deed, the prisoner gave himself up to the police, and made a full statement, in which he said he had been low in his mind for some time for want of work and had come to the conclusion that his family required thinning. Upon the prisoner being arraigned, a preliminary question was raised that the prisoner from insanity was unfit to plead to the indictment. A jury was there- upon empanelled to try thia issue and formal evidence given. Dr. Pater, medical officer of the county asylum, de- posed that he examined the prisoner on the previous day and found him unable to converse rationally on any subject. His memory was defective, and he was wholly unable to realize his position. By the Judge In my opinion, the prisoner is quite incapable of instructing a solicitor. Dr. Greaves, the surgeon of Stafford Gaol, gave corroborative testimony. He had frequently con- versed with the prisoner since his committal, and during the last few days his mind had become more and more deranged. In his opinion, the prisoner was quite unfit to plead. Mr. James said this was the evidence he had to offer, and, the learned Judge having left the question to the jury, they immediately pronounced an opinion that the prisoner by reason of insanity was unfit to plead. The learned Judge thereupon directed that he should be kept in strict custody during Her Majesty's pleasure.

ltisttllancDlts HOME, FOREIGN, AND GOLONIMI EXPERIMENTS WITH BOILERS.—The experiments at Portsmouth with locomotive boilers with a view of devising means of preventing the leakage of boiler tubes when under great pressure are being prosecuted on board four first-class torpedo boats. The methods adopted are, first, screwing the tubes into the fire plate; second, expanding them into the plate third, expanding them into a groove in the middle of the plate and, fourth, securing them by means of a steel ferrule. These experiments have been rendered necessary by difficulties which have been encountered in the attempt to introduce steel locomotive boilers into ships of war. A LAST CENTURY IDEA.—It is curious that a tunnel between Calais and Dover was an engineer- ing dream of the last century. In Sir John Sinclair's correspondence is given an account of a journey he made from London to Paris in 1789, in company with the elder Montgolfier, when upon arriving at Dover they discussed the pros and cons of a submarine tunnel. They proposed to ventilate it by barrels of compressed air, laid out in its centre A recent sug- gestion, curiously enough, was also made at that time— And if the French should come—a rare oh We'll drown 'em as the Jews did Pharoah I" "The Bubbles of 1825" alludes to the same happy despatch A tunnel underneath the sea from Calais straight to Dover, air, With sluices made to drown the French, if ever they come over, sir JUST THE SAME.—The Detroit Free Press says :— There was a crowd of carriages in front of a Wood- ward avenue church the other day when a man came along, discovered that something was going on, and leaning against a hitching-post he asked of a pedestrian: "Was it very sudden! "I don't know." "Presume it was. Well, we've all got to go that way. Do you know sir, that—that—" Here his voice broke down and he reached for his handker- chief. "What's the matter?" inquired the other. "Young women's funeral in there." "That's no funeral; that's a marriage! Marriage Ah-yes -marriage-I see. Well, it's all the same to me. Give me the young man's name and I'll weep over him." A SKELETON IN A TREE.—Two men who live in the northern part of Gilmer County, Ga., near the Cohut- tah range, made a startling discovery a short time ago. They had chased a deuredating fox to his covert, which proved to be an immense hollow tree trunk charred and blackened by forest fires. It was com- paratively but a huge stump, being not more than twenty feet high, evidently having been snapped in twain by some fierce hurricane which had swept that way. The wily robber of the hennery had entered an aperture near the base of the tree and all efforts at smoking him out had proved futile. As a last resort one of them suggested barring the fox's mode of entrance and then felling the tree, which, owing to its aged and decayed condi- tion, would be an easy task.-This plan was adopted and a few vigorous strokes of their axes sent the old shell crashing to the earth, and Reynard, in endea- vouring to make his escape, was summarily dispatched with an axe. As they were preparing to take their departure one of the men discerned something white gleaming in the old hollow stump, and upon examina- tion was horrified to behold the bleached bonea of a dismembered human skeleton. The men were con- siderably startled by their strange discovery, and on closer inspection a powder-horn and bullet-pouch were brought to light, together with a few mouldering arti- cles of raiment, but nothing else was found that would identify as to who the person had been. Many con- jectures have been made as to how the skeleton oame, and how long ^it had reposed in this strange mauso- leum, the affair being a profound mystery. VORACITY OF WOLVEs.-In a pamphlet published in St. Petersburgh, some curious instances are given of the voracity of the wolf and its tenacity of life. A Eair weighing together not more than 1 cwt., have een known to eat in two or three hours a portion of a horse weighing 7 cwt. On one occasion a wolf feU into a trap, and had one of its legs taken off. With the balance it ran into the fields and seized a young pig tied to a sledge by aome hunters, who followed it, and lodged a bullet in another of its logs, tho brute meanwhile contisuing to ran with apparently un- abated speed. After a chase of fourteen miles a ball was lodged in the body which ended ita career. ENOLISH BIRDS IN AUSTRALIA.—The Sydney Mail of 18th March says :-A meeting of the New South Wales Zoological Society was held in the Agricultural Society's rooms, Bridge-street, on Friday afternoon. The secretary read his report, which stated that since last meeting the society had received a consignment of 80 skylarks and 12 goldfinches, but only 58 skylarks and 11 goldfinches reached Sydney alive. The birds were shipped to the society by the Nelson Acclimati- sation Society, under the care of Captain Wheeler, of the steamship Wakatipu. This shipment enabled the society to supply the Glen Innes district with 26 sky- larks and 5 goldfinches. ACTION AGAINST THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY.—The High Sheriff of Somerset held a court at Weston-super-Mare on Monday to hear a claim for JB1,700, brought by Mr. William Wilcox, potter, of that town, against the Great Western Railway Com- pany for damages sustained through depreciation of property, consequent on the construction of a loop. line by the defendants. A special jury having been sworn, it was stated that JE78 had been paid into court, and that the defendants had subsequently agreed to allow JE117 12s. on four items of the claim. Professional evidence as to the extent of the deprecia- tion having been given, the jury, after half an hour's consultation, gave a verdict for £750, in addition to the S117 12s. previously referred to. THE Loss OF A LIVERPOOL SHIP WITH ALL HANDS. -The terrible loss with all hands of the large Liver- pool ship Alexandrovna near Swanage was announced the other day, and it apj^ars from information re- ceived in Liverpool that eleven of the bodies of the unfortunate sailors have been washed ashore on vari- ous parts of the coast. Three of the bodies were foujd at Swanage, all of them being in a perfectly Jude condition, leading to the belief that the poor fellows had divested themselves of their clothing so that they might be better able to swim ashore. On one of the bodies, if not more, there were many tattoo marks, a correct memorandum of which the authorities are carefully keeping for the information of inquiring friends or any of the crew. The people at Swanage, and particularly the hon. agent of the shipwrecked Fisherman and Mariners' Aid Society, Miss Julia Colson, have been anxiously on the look out for any bodies coming ashore, and in all instances a decent burial was given to them in the little ceme- tery at Swanagel For the information of relatives of the deceased men it may be stated that Miss Colson will answer any inquiries addressed to her at Swanage, giving particulars of the bodies which have up to the latest accounts oome to hand. SAWDUST WHEELS.—We in England often hear of a variety of very ingenious applications and inventions emanating from our occidental cousins, and it must be confessed that for many of these our admiration is irresistibly awakened. Half the world are not yet acquainted with the fact that railway carriage and tramcar wheels are made of paper both in this country and in the States and we are now informed of a still more surprising feat, for the Lumberman, an American con- temporary, describes a model car wheel made of saw- dust, con-isting of an iron rim of seven inches outward diameter by half an inch thick, fitted with a well-pro- portioned hub, the space between being tilled with pine sawdust, pressed in so solidly that we are ready to believe the assertion that a pressure of twenty-three tons applied to the hub failed to develop any signs of weak- ness. What next ? and next ?—Building and Engineer- ing Times. MOUNTAINEERING IN NEW ZEALAND.— Zealand Herald (Auckland), March 1; Mount Cook has been scaled and its hii reached. Mr. Green and party have been cessful in their effort to reach the top, th admit that the dangers encountered are than are to be found anywhere in Europe. danger met with was the vast number of a which were almost incessant. These cause1 no little delay in trying to avoid then ascent of the peak appears to have occu twelve hours of hard travel. They reached point between six and seven o'clock in the e' the weather beir g cloudy they were prevent joying the prospect which such an elevation afforded. It was too late to return the track over the ice that night, and the hi taineers descended about 200ft., and durinj night stood upon a narrow ledge of ice nnt when they were able to resume their desl mountain. They were also wet through, have made them very uncomfortable, ee they had no food. However, they have i safety to Timaru, but it would appear that and his guides are about to return to Eui immediately. PATENTS.—A Parliamentary return i Saturday gives a classification of tl,,Iie wholi the Patent Office for the financial yeaj" 188] iUK stamps. From this, it appears that of. £ 210,534, Blll,060 was received in the int £29,520 of which bting on petitions for leti £21,500 on notices to proceed, £19,955 or £19,!45 on letters patent, and £18,390 on S cations. SHORT SIOHTEDNESS. — Short sightedi creased to so great an extent among the yo great Government schools in France, that a was appointed some time ago to inquire ii ject. In their report which is now pul committee point out that in their opinion 1 the prevalence of the infirmity is to be f( fact that the achool books are printed in ty too finely cut, and further, that the custo, ing upon white paper is still more hurtful. mended, therefore, that the authorities w the advisibility of substituting thicker cl the books, and also of printing in white 11 tinted paper. EH! HAT?—"I am yours for aye," a said, when it succumbed to the mower Judy. MB. GLADSTONE ON THE DUBLIN MUB Mayor of Cork having sent a telegram to stone giving the terms of a resolution public meeting in that city expressing mdignation at the murders, Mr. Gladston follows :—10, Dowuing-Bireet, Sunday, M —Sir,—I thank you for the telegram you good enough to send me. It is my firm there will be but one common sentiment the three kingdoms concerning the terribli tion of Lord Frederick Cavendish and 1 and that Ireland in particular will thrc length and breadth demonstrate how Ur the slighest touch of moral complicity in deed.-I have the honour to be, Sir, i W. E. GLADSTONE. THE GROWTH OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA.; to the "Statistical Register," recently i has been a steady increase in the populati Australia, from 185,626 in 1871 to 279, census returns day, April 3 of last year.. ago the total number of inhabitants M 35,000. The whole area of the land in thi is 37,725,440 acres, of which 9,212,415 ha, chased from the Crown. The public d creased from £ 2,174,000 in 1873 to £ 9,86 beginning of 1881. The entire revenue jE2,027,963, derived from land sales, renl post office, customs, and general taxation, income alone being £517,631, or a little mc fourth of the entire mm. AMERICAN SHORTHORN S.A.LKI.-The ann mary of these sales has been issued for 1881. that in all 3,078 head were disposed of, 1 greatest number since 1876. The average pric was just under J332 per head. In 1880 tbt price was jS29 per head. A summary of the the past 12 years shows that an aggregate head of shorthorns have been disposed of at a of a little over 255 per head. During the f ending with 1880 prices showed a continuow but for last year they recovered somewhat, abotft equal to prices in 1878. The prospect upon as satisfactory. THE NATIONAL FINANCES.—An account public income and expenditure of the Uaited for the year ended March 31, 1882, has been a Parliamentary paper. From this it apt the total income was £ 85,822,281 18s. id., expenditure £85,472,556 Is. 9d., leaving a £349,725 16s. 4d. A VALUABLE NUGGET.—The Sydney Mc lith of March reports the finding of th nugget ever unearthed at the Temora GoldJ was found at a depth of only 14ft., and ooi the Australian Joint-Stock Bank, where it i to weigh 153oz. 17dwt. THE POLL-TAX IN RussIA.-One of the which are now under consideration of the Government is the abolition of the poll-tax St. James's Gazette). This tax, which was f duced by Peter the Great, has always t unpopular in Russia; and the Government such difficulty in enforcing its payment tl arrears of it accumulated they often had to off as a bad debt. Originally the tax was at of 74 kopecks a head; but it gradually in< the years 1794, 1810, 1812, 1818, 1839, 1862, 1867 and it is now 21 roubles a head. The Commission of 1859 recommended that it i abolished but it has hitherto been found cable to abolish it owing to the difficulty oi new taxes to take its place. The amount duced by the poll-tax is about 5,000,000 roubl sum it is proposed to raise by an increase of dmtiea on tobacco, coffee, and wool. LONGFELLOW'S CouRTamp.—About the 3 Longfellow, being engaged in making th Europe, selected Heidelberg for a permane residence. There his wife was attacked witt which ultimately proved fatal. It so happe ever, that some time afterwards there ca: same romantic place a young lady of co personal attractions. The poet'a heart wa he became attached t& her but the be&ut] not sympathize with the poet of 36, and T. returned to America, having lost his heart his wife. The young lady, also an Am4 turned home shortly afterwards. Their it turned out, were contiguous, and availed himself of the opportunity of 1 his addresses, which he did for a c( time, with no better succcess than at fii foiled he set himself resolutely down, an like Petrarch, of laying siege to the h mistress through the medium of sonnets, i to write a whole book; a book which wow the double object of gaining her affectio establishing his own fame. "Hyperion* result. His labour and his constancy were I away they met their due reward. The him her hand as well as her heart, and th live at Cambridge, in the same house which ton made his head-auarters when he was firsi to the command of the American armies. LEGAL.—Poor debtor (humbly). I'm Mr. Grindstone, that I can't pay just yet under the circumstances, I do think you me a little law."— Mr. Grindstone (with < A little law? Of course I will! Oh You shall have as much law as you ca County Court, and I'll take out the I morrow. "-J udll. VANDERBILT AND MEISSONIBB.—An I Vanderbilt and the celebrated painter) thus related by a correspondent of a West —Mr. Vanderbilt's reception to his gentlt and to the artists was a very marked si famous Meissonier, "Information—Gen. the Captured Peasant," is the best spec artist's genius. It is the subject of a very which runs thus :—Mr. Vanderbilt wai Meissonier for his picture, and in chatt great painter, the latter observed My is in Germany, in the hands of my enem offered all I am worth to get it again, but 1 sell it to me." Mr. Vanderbilt got all the pa; left the room. Summoming Avery to hia him to telegraph to every gallery in Gern to find that picture; to buy it for him, might cost.—In a week this picture was potent a wand does this our modern Pros] Then, asking Meissonier to breakfast, a %een on an easel, covered with a cloth. supposed it was the portrait of Mr. Vane he had just se-at home.—Well, Monsieur Vanderbilt, pleasantly, "my friends d that picture lite me—I must ask you t< little."—"Not like you I mon ami I" aaic disgusted, "ah! it is your living imag now, raise the cloth and Eee if it is at all Meissonier went to the easel and very away the drapery.—There stood hia loved ture-" Information, "-He could not belie "Ah mon ami 1 Oh, ma femme, mes ei je suia heureux said the excited artist. he sang, and he shed tears.—Mr. Vandi him the picture.—" No," said the gratefu "take it to your noble America, the fi dom and the friend of France."—" Da I opulent friend, the Vanderbilt?" Meissc he tells this story.—At the receptions j gallery where hang Gerome's, Fortnny'i Millet's, and Millaia', Zamacow' and c masterpieces, there is always a crowd aro ture with its generous legend. ROYAL PILGRIMS AND HOLT SITIS.— remarks :-From the time of King St. ] of Queen Victoria the pilgrim has .1 Crusader as a visitant of the Holy Lan( face of society has been re-cast. Chri been rent by a mighty schism Christiai rejected, and restored, and is again fierc in France. The belief in the efficacy of pi now few votaries left in England. But aeek the Holy Land in tens of thousi traveller, rather than as a pilgrim, 590 ye Crusade of his ancestor Prince Edward, AJ Prince of Wales was the only member 1 House of England who, until the p set foot within the waHs of Jerusalen of all this long and illustrious serie pilgrims, it is probable that the youth whom the ancient rules ot chivalry would ai of the Duke of Cornwall, together with Prince George of Wales, have been the line and kin who have gazed on the tomb < all events, the Royal grandchildren of hei the first of the descendants of Alfred whc the tomb cut in the rock hard by the pi execution for Jerusalem. One result of has already been secured to the arcbse( visit of the Royal Princes to Palestine. at Hebron, the most jealously guarded has been open to their inspection, and Quarterly Statement of the Palestine Fund will be enriched by a report fromCa on a spot which the expedition party b anxious to penetrate.