The Aberystwith Observer

MUNIFICENCE OF MR. GUINNESS. St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, which has been restored at the expense of Mr, Guinness, was re-opened on Friday for Divine worship. There was a full choral service. The Archbishop of Dublin preached. The Lord-Lieutenant, the Lord Mayor, several Knights of St. Patrick, and a large number of tbe nobility and gentry and clergy, including several bishops, were present. The ceremony was most impressive. Many of the congregation then present had been worshippers j4J^Sent!<la pi,cture of squalor comnletelv J and tasteless repairs had the arches were filled up ^1. tbe cb?^r al* calleries • the canitals (,f P>. r?. ments or hideous galleries, tne capitals or pillars had been cutawav The side aisles were so blocked un vr awa7- 4ft. wide, and the windows had undergone everv • ble change in length, breadth, and ak»pe> On^hati been converted into a staircase, another into an oven and a third was widened to admit the lengu, tombstone. of a Mr. Guinness, who was his own architect, superin- tended everything himself, and would have no innova- tion-only a perfect restoration with better materials and better workmanship. It is the greatest work, perhaps, ever accomplished by a single citizen. In a few years more this national cathedral, with all its historic associations, would have fallen in and become a mass of rums, burying all the monuments, Shared by the iconoclastic soldiers of Cromwell, with the banners, swords, and helmets of the Knights of St Patrick, who, strange to say, never made any effort to purify and restore this sacred home of their illus- trious Order, which has always included a Royal Prince and the Lord-Lieutenant for the time being, as well as the proudest of the Irish nobility. But the work which was too great for the Knights of St. Pat- rick, or for the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, or the bench of Bishops, which the Irish Parliament refused to undertake, and which the British Parliament never entertained the thought of executing, has been accom- plished within four years by a single merchant, at a cost of 150,000?. Mr. Guinness has given back the cathedral to the Dean and Chapter with all its internal appointments complete, and perfect in their kind, even to the upholstering of the pews, stalls, and thrones, the gas fixtures, and the heating of the build. ing. They had only to walk in and perform their services as ministers, and nothing is expected from the Protestants of Dublin but to enter this grand and beautiful cathedral, take their comfortable seats, and worship God with grateful hearts. Mr. Guinness has done everything for them, and paid for everything, and yet he took his seat among them on Friday as quietly and modestly as if he had done nothing. The Archbishop of Dublin preached the opening sermon his text was from Psalm xcvL, 8-9 :— Ascribe unto the Lord the honour due nnto His name: nring presents, and come into His courts. Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: let the whole earth stand in awe of Him. Towards the conclusion of the sermon, the preacher made the following allusion to the munificence of Mr. Guinness:— Tofewmen Indeed are intrusted the means, and to fewer still hag been given the heart, to equal and emulate that deed of munificence which has given us the opportunity of the glorious service and eelehrailon of to-day. Seldom Indeed has the whole home of the Church been filled with thesweet oilour of anointment so lavishly poured out as this has been. A 1°, "round me, aud, instead of waste places f,6W years m1ore might have become ruinous heaps, behold the fa'r propor ions ot this house renewed in all its parts, amply fitted and furnished for the service of Almighty if.u 110 w?rc*s which express my feelings or yours my brethren, so well as those of the sacred historian, who, re- cording another free gift made to the same service, and the spirit in which it was made, uses memorial words which I claim as having their special fitness to day:—"All these things did Araun, as a King give unto the King." But of this no more. We may praise and exalt men it often be- comes us well that we do so behind their back. Would that this were the manner of speaking behind the back most frequent among us; but how, without offence, to their face and in their presence? How, above all, shall we do this in His house and in His presence before whom and whose majesty all human merit sinks abashed and ashamed—yea feeis almost like a guilty thing in the awful light of His presence?

FORMIC :T IT- TSLIIG::NCE, AMERICA. NEW YORK, Feb. 14. n, ^as been no further fighting by Grant's army. fn £ v °?d papen of the 11th inst. state that Sherman's anH i aPPeared on the west bank of Edisto River above cant °e Branchville, but do not confirm the reported capture ot that place. mr,af amounts of the movements of General Thomas are atof-ll.u.5; otters from Eastport, dated the 3rd in' £ -» ttlat bis army was tHen embarking in transports for tne Purpose of descending the Mississippi, but for what point »as unknown.. n#T*ue %rlera1s bave evacuated Pascagoula, and the report Of the New York Times, on Saturday last, that M<obile iis to be shortly attacked both In front and rear is believed to be unfounded. Another enthusiastic war meeting was held in Richmond °n Thursday; the speeches, in which Secretary Benjamin and other leading Confederates participated, denounced Air. Lincoln's proffers of reconstruction as insulting, and it was Unanimously resolved to incur every sacrifice of life and Property rather than forego the independence of the Con- federacy. Ihe resources jfor this end were declared abun- dant, and should it become necessary to abandon the sea coast the people would follow General Lee into the Interior, and there continne the struggle until the North should be- come exhausted and abandon the contest. Washington despatches state that the Federal Consul at London has officially notified the Government that the iron- clad ram built at Bordeaux, and recently purchased by Denmark, has been sold by that Power to the Confederates. The Danish Ambassador at Washington denies the truth of the statement. Mr. Lincoln yesterday sent to the Senate the nomination of Senator Morgan, of New fork, to succeed Mr Fessenden in the Treasury. Mr. Morgan immediately waited upon the President and declined the nomination, and it was conse quently withdiawn. Mr. Fessenden has addressed a letter to the Finance Com- mittee, in which he estimates the public debt at 2,153,735,444 000.000 dols,8 C°Dgress t0 authorise a new loan of Mr. Highland^ Garnett, a negro preacher, delivered a ser- mon, by request, in the House of Representatives on Sunday last. Feb. 16. Confederate accounts state that Sherman's left wing occu- pied Grahamsville, on the South Carolina Railway, i8 miles ■west of BranchviDe, on the 8th Inst. Subsequently Kllpatrlck's cavalry moved westward towards Augusta, occupying Blackvllle, while the main force crossed south of ihe Edisto river, and advanced upon Orangeburgh, 10 miles north of Brancheville, upon the Columbia Rail- way. The Richmond Examiner states that Beauregard, with the greater part of Hood's army, is in Sherman's immediate front. Governor M'Grath orders the entire population of the State, including aliens, to arm and resiit the invaders. Charleston despatches report that 3,000 Federals landed cr James Island, within three miles of the city, on the 10th Inst., but the movement was believed to be a fdnt. An attack made simultaneously upon the Confederates cn the Salkeh»tchie river was repulsed. General Gilmore resumed command at Port Royal, re- placing General Foster on the 9th. o-2tneraI Lee ha4 resumed the command of the Confederate rates. In an order dated the llth inst. he warns all absentees to report within 20 days to head-quarters of the epartments in which they may be. He declares that the resources of the Confederacy vigorously employed are ample to establish its independence. < < Feb.17. Feb. 17. Richmond papers of the 14th report that the Confederates had tOvscuated Branchville, retiring upon Columbia. The Federals occupied Orangeburgh ""ch "•«"<■

The immediate effect of the arrest has been the recovery Of about 1.40M. worth of jewellery stolen from the premises of Mr. Walker, in Cornhill, and a considerable sum ot money supposed to have been the produce of previous burglaries During the greater part of Saturday Mr. Walker and his sons were engaged with the police in identifying property found la the possession of the piisoners, and the result was that hfv? 128 gold chains and 52 gold watches, some whicb of grea. yalne beloug to customers, and were in their hands at the time of the robbery undergoing alteration or repair. In the search 2-201. 10il., in gold was found in three separate sums of 196i. 10s., 191., and 51, together wW a 60J. Bauk of England note, seven 51, notes, and two deposit notes of tbe Lunoon and Westminster Bank (Whitechaoel branch) for 2501. and 1501. so that the money and securities for money in the possession of the prisoners amounted in all to 655*. odd. The da'es of the deposit notes of the London ind Westminster Bank for 400l. show that the money had been lodged there after the great robbery of jewellery at the ahop of Mr. Johnson in Threadneedle-street in July last, and before that on the premises of Mr. Walker. By some, there- fore, it is surmised that the 4002. was part of the proceeds "the robbery at Mr. Johnson's and the more to as, with a single trifling and doubtful exception, none of the jewellery found in the possession of the pri- soners has been identified by him. Ot that, however, there knn»^r?i? 1and Pro^bly never will be. It is not generally of Mr t?? ?.very ,ser,°ns robbery was effected at the shop the beirtn^fni0^ a I°rtn,8ht after the far greater one in worth^ 00021 n n ^hcn he was plundered of property drestedman On the occasion referred to a well* entering his ihd th"8" al'gbted from a brougham, and, set with a precious ^n^an Tf '? look at a 801d scarf pin the pin was being shown to hTm* ?h°Ut mid"day' aud wh le openthedooroi a pi«^«- him the woman contrived to of the shop a trav and take from the front window together of 4ooi., one ,ar?ond of the value ( which she concealed about w? a e belog worth 1502., not buy the ptn which he ♦ Uer companion did until about an hour after tbevhoT,e€> and it; was not discovered his loss. The same w 1 Mr- Johnston three other of the principal Jeweiier.mt8n\,after victimising not more, was at length caught inthe JL ™etropolis, if at Portsmouth, and, tbe two havW 1. °' a Jewel robbery woman was sentenced to seven years'and thConvicted> the years'penal servitude, which they are now unL^aP to real name of the woman is said to be Emily r„ £ ° ng- The •he was much better known to the 6. but alia#. p lce by an The manner in which the capture of the six *as effected is a subje-ct of very general admiration. TITJ8 Were completely surprised and overpowered, the plans r?» the police h»ving been so well arranged that escape was impossible. Every outlet from the house in Whitechapei- joad had been guarded by policeman in plain clothes before the entry was made in front by Inspector Tottei and City ijetective-strgt ant Mos?. At one time wben Inspector potter relinquished his hold oi the man Jeffrey, whom he had ]ust before seized, to follow upstairs the woman to whom he had seen the Jeffreys pass some- At.ram t ma,e prisoner Brewerton made a desperate roomah?«efCape'.iThe woman Brewerton on reaching » refusine to i? bouse locked the door inside, and, a panel in and mt. bidding of the inspector, be kicked fronted her while KhlS y ,the he bad ma^e he con- packeta, containing in «Kr..act of concealing three deteimined effort to escarp «g ^nnRS- st)e. too> m>u'e a face, but, Sergeant Moss havint he insPector's hair and was overpowered. While the .tm.T to.his a«»i3tance, si e going on up upstairs tbe man Br«wWlth the W0Dlan wa* conflict with the rest of the constahu? was en8aged in a ground floor, but with no better re«ni? "i a on the pletely mastered in the end. Ior be wa« c m- It is said that besides the jewellery and > the possession of the prisoners quantities of siit^ JLJ0U 'n ber of shawls, supposed to have been stolen nUm" houses in the city, and particularly from that of Mr TWIT81?!" PI Wood-street, were also discovered. They ^iikew^Ch» gnmber of well made implements and tools m k? Ptoses of burglary, some of themof ^Jeelof the flness temper and finish. One of these n hn«H ^m|eofhthyhaH fU t?ji"g °n a i»i6t of a house in which iritti «« f Ted" 11 may be remembe»ed that it was floor ot ^Prtme,Dt kiSd that \hole cut in thi tsdneri f„ ^harles CfOBley's office, by which access was ob- cnttim. tall(?r's sh°P below, and thence from the Waikfr on the basement to tbe back shop of Mr the occn^H ainiDA]lls iron safe T w0 of the bouses in centi, |a, °n prisoners are said to bave been re- *°nien h»S i.v n ft ,costly manner, and both men and "e;:en had each a S' ock of fashionable attire when they arre14ted.

^onVhh a^kaWt circumstance has transpired in con- Waiker>7oth the robbery of jeweilery at the shop of Mr. ^x Pers°ngi °^l'L A{ter the capture on Friday of the K^he r°bbery s"PP°sed to have been concerned thi16!6- e,mployed had reason to ii 0len pronertv^ari v^. *7 had received, that much of oi the riv^ t«en^°^n ,nt.° the Thames, and met was pointed out near one ot the I bridges at Blackfrlarg as that in which it might probably be found. On Sunday, accordingly, and again on Mon- day, a diver was employed to make a search at the place Indicated. The result was that five gold watches were re- I covered from the bed of the river, which, It is said, have been identified as belonging to Mr. Walker. Some part of the ap- paratus of the diver was understood to have got out of order in the afternoon, and he was obliged in consequence to dis- continue the search. The presumption is that the confed<»- rates of th.. person in custody, alarmed at their arrest, threw the remainder of the booty into the river, being unable otherwise to dispose of it, and unwilling longer to incur the risk consequent on its possession.

The persons charged with the City burglaries, now in- creased to ten in number, were all br ucht before the Lord Mayor on Tuesday, the magistrate of Bow Street, before I whom they were first brought, having consented to hand them over to the jurisdiction of the City magistrates. it will, perhans, be remembered that the burglar Scottv," alias Brown, alias Price, but whole real name it now appears is Millar, after repeated remands, was once more remitted to the House of Detention to be brought up for final ex- amination on Tuesday, on the charge of being concerned with two others not in custody in breaking and entering tne house of Mr. Abraham, jeweller, Strand, and stealing up- wards of 1,0002 worth of jewellery. From the time of Scotty'g" apprehension the police had no doubt that he was not only concerned, but was the leader in most, it not all, of the great burglaries at jewellers' in the city and in the provinces which have lately excited so much alarm. In the course of investigations instituted by tte police with a view to the apprehension of Scotty's accomplices in the Strand burglary they discovered facts which led to the apprehension of eipht others—four men and four women, living with the men as their wives. From an early hour a large crowd had assembled in front of the court-room, and as soon as it was opened every available space was filled. Among those nresent and accommodated on the bench were Sir Richard Mayne, Lord Lennox, Lord George Gordon Bruce, Lord Ingestre, Lord Hay, <fec. The dock was not large enough to admit all the ten, and the four women were allowed to sit in front of it during the proceedings. The prisoners examined at Bow-street had been brought in a prison van from the police- station there under a strong escort of police. To prevent the possibility of escape, or any attempt at escape, five of the male prisoners being desperate and determined men, the van was backed close against the little low archway by which the prisoners are admitted to th- police-cells connected with the justice. room, and a similar precaution was observed on their bdllg conveyed to Newgate in the evening. A great crowd had collected about the Mansion-house, both 14 see them arrive and depart, and much excitement prevailed both outside and inside the court. The evidence taken at the justice-room when the piisoner Roberts was first examined there and remanded was then read over and made part of the general case against all the prisoners. It was to the <.rfeet that Robert was arrested hy two of the city detective officers, at a working jeweller's shop In Wilderness-row, St. Luke's, while in the act of trying to dispose of two of the watches stolen from Mr. Walker's shop, and of the value together of about lOOl., a few nights after the robbery.. The other evidence given did not advance the case of Mr. Walkers burglary much beyond the point tr> which it had open carried before; hut the burglary at Mr. Johnson's, in Threadneedle-s'reet, was also entered or The following evidence was given respecting "Scotty "— Gideon Murray: I live at Hawick, Scotland, and am a weaver. The prisoner Brown ("Swtty") is my brother-in law. I married his sister. His real name is Thomas Millar. He came down to llawick in August last, and stopped at my house. He brought a bag with him. The d"y after he came my wife told me, in his presence, that he had given her a brooch. He said the glass in it had been broken in coming from the Jeddarf (Jedburgh) games. I know the ring produced. It was given to my wife by the prisoner. She said so in his presence. 1 looked at it in his presence, and observed that it was a very nice one. He said there were three small diamonds in it but that they were of very little value. He did not say how he had got It. He gave the gold pin produced to my wife to give to me. I told him I never wore such things, and that it would never he worn by me. In the latter end of December he came down to Hawick again. As he was having breakfast with me he said he would give me a certain snm of money to bank in my name. I told him that. »as a thing I knew no>hing about and that I wanted nothing to do with it. I asked why he did not do it himself. He said some recommendation was needed for that. I refused to bave the money deposited in my name, and he never asked me again. One day when he came to dinner my wife told me he had placed 55l in the Royal Bank of Scotland, and I afterwards saw the two books produced. (One was a banker's pass book and the other a check-book.) He left Hawick without saying any- thing about them, and he gave my wife SOl. to put in a drawer. Mr. Lewis at this stage applied to have the prisoners remanded. Mr. Beard was understood to urge that the wife of Brew- erton might be discharged, on the hypothesis that she had acted in the matter at the instance, and, it might be, on the pre'sure of her hushand. Mr. Lewis remarked that she was found with about 5502 in her possession. Inspector Patter added that only a few weeks ago he had seen her sitting at an oyster stall in Lambeth. The prisoners seemed anxious to exonerate their wives, but they were all remanded whhout bail. It is understood that more than one of the prisoners is now anxious to turn Queen's evidence. They were all remanded for e weak.

A DESCRIPTION OF CARDINAL WISEMAN'S FUNERAL. The event of the week has been the funeral of Cardinal Wiseman, (writes the London Correspondent ot the Liverpool Ii lbion. It has been the subject of conversation everywhere for tHe three days preceding that on which it came off; and the circumstances attending it are now spoken of as the most remarkable in a religious sense of any that have occurred in England within the last three hun< red years. It caused an obstruction in the entire traffic of a portion of the city and of the leading thoroughfares of north London for about nine hours and from pavement to house-top the route of the funeral proces8!on was lined by vast multitudes, who viewed It witb a respect almost amouting to reverence, and who passed tbe time of their loDg-wnltlng, In exchanging encomiums on the ability, learning, aLd excellent social qualities of his lat.e Eminence. The popular verdict on Thursday pronounced Cardinal Wiseman an honour to his country. From nine in the morning every street immediately lead- ing to St. Mary's, Moorflelds, was b ocked by men, women, and children. The crowd. were only kept from making the approach to the building impassable by strong barriers, whicb had been erected at a dlstaIJce of several hundred yards from the church, and which where guarded by strong bodIes of police; every window in the neighbourhood had ita occupants and at the Eaet.street entrance to the sacred edifice, mo" signers and canons ot the Roman Church, wearing cassock and surplice, and black cap and purple cnpe, passed in and out without one expression of public feeling against thia. open display of R .mish insignia 1 The application for admission to the requiem service exceeded by many thousands the number of heats; but the claims 0f the pless were very awply provided for, and I wai fortunate enough to procure a ticket for the reserved seats. Every foot of space in the interior was occupied; but there was no crushing; no more were admitted than the bulldli'g could hold. There was a temporary gallery for the corp8 diplomatique, and nearly the entire oi the Roman Catholic States were represented by their ambassadors, It need hardly be observed that the Roman Catholic nobility mustered in aimost lis full strength but I may inform your readers that the aristocratic portion of the assembly wa» not composed solely of members of the creed of which Dr Wiseman wai the chief priest iu England The bead of the ducal house of Sutherland was there were a<so the Earl .tMilmesbury and other noblemen who never have been suspected of pap 3lic a proclivity. I not about to repeat details which yon will find in The Time* Mr Whall'eu h 1 A had Mr Newde^U of Rome mnHp^f Present, the display which theChu ch tt'ituh m ? ^ls occasion, in tbe very heart of the tbeir P W0Uld have effected the sensibility of w l,^IS stem f°r perhaps the remainder of their lives. nt t-Jri w wbat can be done on t he Continent iu the way engious bpectaclc; but tc see sixteen mitred bishops and pi ests, including friars of orders grey, brown, and black, all in the full paraphernalia of pontificals" rochets," surplices, habits and cowls, defiling in the neighbourhood fnshury-circns before such a gathering of ambassadors, °' .le upper ten thousand, and of citizens of all ranks and station», was a sight which, up to Thursday last, no one of the present generation had expected to witness. ihe music would have been worth a journey of a hundred miles to hear it. The manner in which the supplicatory appeals of the Dies Irce were rendered was awfully grand. If ever the appeals of prostrate humanity to the Divine Judge were sung in accents of desolation or utter dependency, they were so chaunted on Thursday. ) his performance positively made one's blood run cold. Fifteen years a go, Nicholas by the Grace of God," &c., raised the Indignation ot Pcotestant England by declaring from the Flaminian Gate "We govern, and shall continue to govern, the counties of Middle- sex, Essex, and Hertfoid." It. defied even his abilIty of explanation to quell that storm for the time; but since then, he hath borne nis honours me>kly' and his spirit might now exclaim, Silentium mexim loquitur tibi," f r in sight (of his dead body Protestant London has displayed a magnani- mous forgetfulness which called forth the acknowledgments of the entire Catholic bo<'y, as expressed by Dr. Matming In the funeral sermon, and entitles it to the highest com- mendation from all who can admire the manly generosity of a great community. It was generally expected that Mr. Whalley would have called the Home Secretary to account for the obstruction caused by Dr. Wiseman's funeral. He has not done so but it is not yet too late. It is stated that Cardinal Wiseman has left a memoir on the condition of the Roman Catholic Church of England ow. iBflueliCein developing the interests of his reli- cal tablPK^'s country. At the end of the memoir are statisti- cism has'm«H« 1.ntellded to sllow that Roman Catholi- Cardinal's arrfvaiC»nV^ual ipr°8ress m E"^la,lfl sh'ce the 71 churches andu1 y h,s direet or 'ndirect influence « 35 Roman Catholic convenf have been who were under^the' numbered 1,338 in England (comprising 17 bishops nsa'in Scotland, (comprising four bishops), which will give a ultel of 1,521 priests, showing a considerable augmentation of the>r numbers. Iu 1829 there were only 29 R"man Catholic Churches in London, aud one convent; in 1857 there were 46 churches and 11 convents; and in 1863 there were 117 churches and 46 convents.

Another correspondent says:—The Catholic body were deeply touched by the sympathy and respect manifested by the Inhabitants, and the crowd assembled along the line of route taken by the funeral procession of Cardinal Wisemap. The generous English public thought not at that moment of the perhaps unintentional affront which the deceased pre- late offered to their religious feelings in 1850. They re- membered only the Cardinal's learning, his piety, his honest English heart. Along the very streets In which he had been carried in effigy on Guy Fawkes' Day in 1850, a hushed and sympathising crowd were drr IVn up to witness the obsequies of a Prince of the Roman Church. "I do believe," said a Catholic tome, "that if any rude orlnsultingtxpression had been used in the crowd, the man who gave vent to It would have been in danger of being mobbed What a change in « ,en years !—An Irishman who was present in the Moor- Dr T2T aPel> could not help remarking that the Very Rev in hu friuiD^' In the sketch of the Cardinal's life contained was bo«?«rai sermon, adverted to the tact that the Cardinal a sv?iIk, palD' but entirely ignored his Irish parentage, which it coi.^ w1 tbe ex ADg,iCiin Archdeacon let fall from luminary t<Tth 8UPPosed that Ireland had given this great favourite, lt j Church. The Cardinal was not a he did not undpr ♦ ere^' amoll8 the Irish pries's. Perhaps Bishop ot London ""1,}11™, nor they him. An Anglican He might even sunnl have a ready interpretation athal d late Bishop of London\^ from his o wu experience. The curates who came uct." a creat distrust of the young Irish Their zeal is not always pUsh their fortune in the Metropolis. of mind is polemical, lI:cordlng to knowledge, their tuia squabbles with Ctmsuarig of are often getting into wonder if the Cardinal had » ^f,r sects. r should not not ,h..t he objected to them as i it* Btory to tell. It was standing the public mind. one n'.bu(i a' not under- voung men, imbued with the manner^8?1^' t"0' that raw L ease in the presence of the r^flned Maynooth, felt ill who had lived so many yoars in th« be^lpol,.8h"d ecclesiastic The name of the Right Rev. Dr. UllXS^ °f ^me.- hich circles as the Cardinal's probable mentioned in SMSSfeot rvf c, uthwaTk. is a younger prelate. at%a v, ^rant, ment would not be unacceptable totheCourt. BishopGrant is, I understand, often con u = deslrahltftn^i Cambridge in regard to the spiritual pr^iS'.onderaWeto bemade (|r Roman Catholic soldiers, not only in tbe metropolis, but in various parts of the world.

THE ERUPTION OF MOUNT ETNA. The Nazi one publishes the following letter from Acireala, dated the 18th inst. Those who perchance may have seen an eruption of Mount Etna can form an adequate idea of the present from the few words I have to add to my letter of the 1st inst., now that I have witnessed this tremendous spectacle. The crater is about six kilometres in circumference, with four horrible piincipal mouths, which eject enor- mous stones to a height not less than one kilometre. The lava is rather fragile compared with that of t previous eruptions, but has a certain smell of sulphur, And preserves an intense heat. It flowed rapidly the first two days, during ^frich it made from twelve to thirteen miles. Subsequently to this it advanced much slower, the lava making its way under that first formed like water under the surface of a frozen river. A cloud of dust hung over its course, and woe to him who met it with the wind blowing towards him. The eruption is limited ta the foot of Mount Fro- mento, and threatens the territory of Piedimonte and Linguaglossa, two considerable districts. This stream uf lava, which caused serious apprehensions for Giarre, diverted its course. Divided into seven branches, it destroyed whatever it encountered with incredible voracity. The great proprietors have suffered immense losses, and the small farmers are reduced to the most extreme misery. Descending a small valley, the lava formed a hill which covered and joined the two mounts Arsi, before divided by a plain, whence the lava, dividing into three streams, occupies an area of one mile. It is this branch which is invading the district of Mascali on the north. The breadth of the lava is not greater than eight nor less than six kilometres. On Mount Struneddo the fire has separated into two streams, the most contiderable of which flows in a northerly direction, and is descend- ing upon the village of La Vina in a stream about a mile in breadth. The other branches, though less con- siderable, still cause grave apprehensions. It appeared that after the first eight days this dread- ful scourge was on the point of ceasing, but upon the night of the 8th, which was preceded by a terrible storm lasting two days, a great shock of earthquake was felt, which opened the crater with fresh vigour. At present five branches have ceased to flow; the lava is proceeding twards Pumazze, in the direction of Giarre, and does not make more|than 40 metres a day, at which rate, even for some time, the damage done cannot be very great. Last night, however, at one o'clock, it could be seen from the great terrace of the College of San Martino, which is a real observatory, that the two mouths still open continue actively at work, and that if the lava no longer flows forth with the same velocity, it is because it is impeded by the first discharge from the crater.

THE PRINCE OF WALES AT A LONDON FIRE. On Tuesday the magnificent and extensive pile of buildings known as Saville House, Leicester-square, London,so long associated with Royalty as the residence for many years of the Princes of Wales during the time of the Georges.and tbe scene of many fashionable crimes and follies during the last century, was totally destroyed by fire-not a portion of the whole building left standing but the bare walls. At about half-past six o'clock, on Tuesday evening the passengers passing through Leicester-square were alarmed by perceiving a dense body cf smoke pouring out of the windows on the first floor, almost immediately followed by a large volume of flame and explosion of gas. The alarm of fire was at once given, and people ran off in all directions for the engines. I hose sta- tioned in Chandos-street were upon the spot in a few minutes, but so rapid was the progress of the fare that it appeared by this time to have enveloped the whole building. Several engines kept arriving in quick succession, and the firemen got to work as speedily as possible, but such was the power and extent of the flames that for some time, and notwithstanding the torrents of water poured into the premises from the various steam engines, they defied all the efforts made to resist them, and it was not until the whole roof of the building, composed of massive timber, fell in with ar tremendous crash that any perceptible diminution of the fire took place. At this time the whole of the building from the frontage in Leicester-square to the rear situate in Lisle-street was one burn- ing mas?, sending high up into the air myriads of burning embers, which fell thick and fast over the houses and streets in the neighbourhood. Adjoining Saville House on the east side is that of Mr. Searle, banker, and running parallel with the building were the bank offices; the latter were destroyed, while the roof and upper part of the dwelling-house were much burned. Fortunately the wind blew from the west, or the extensive warehouses of Stags; and Mantle, the linendrapers and silk mercers, filled with a costly stock of goods, and which adjoin the premises destroyed on tbe west side, must have fallen a sacrifice to the flames. About nine o'clock all danger of the fire spreading further was at an end. but from the large area where once stood the noble building dense bodies of smoke and flame kept issuing forth. < Shortly after seven o'clock his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales arrived at the scene of destruction. He was accompanied by the Duke of Sutherland, Lord R. Grosvenor, and several other gentlemen, and having attired himself in fireman's costume, got as Hear as practicable to the burning ruins, which he surveyed with much interest. The news that the Prince was present soon got wind amongst the people, and those who obtained a sight of him and his party gave vent to their loyalty in loud cheers. Seville house in its day has been the scene of strange events, and has bfen a home for persons and things of the most opposite description. After it had ceased to be the abode of Royalty it went through various phases, until in the early part of the present century it became famous for the exhibition of needlework by a Miss LtDwood, and was commonly known as Lin- wood's Gallery. Its noble and magnificent rooms were afterwards used for sparring exhibitions aud benefits of noted pugilists, but latterly it has been used as a foreign cafe, restaurant and music hall, the large hall, of which there were two, being fiteè. up in a very costly and lavish manner, the walls being lined with plate-glass mirrors, and a large number of chandeliers being suspended from the ceiling. At twelve o'clock last night there was still a large mass of fire. It appears that the back portion of the premises of Messrs. Stagg and Mantle are much injured, and a quantity of the valuable stock destroyed. No accurate estimate can yet be formed as to the amount of damage, but it is estimated at 20 000Z. A large number of persons employed on the establishment as t-ii gers, dancers, waiters, &c., are thrown out of employment by the catastrophe.

A LETTER FROM BEFORE RICHMOND. In a letter to his relatives in Manchester, dated January 1st, a soldier serving with the army of the Potomac, and stationed in the camp befoi e Petersburg, writes :— I have two years yet to serve with the Union army, the army of the Potomac. Our line of battle is over 30 miles in length. Immediately before us is the Southern army, under Lee. Of course his line of battle extends as far as ours. Night and day we hear the booming of cannon and musketry firing aIon<j tome part of the line, either to our tight or to our left. We don't know the minute we may be attacked, but we are well prepared to receive them as it is a difficult matter to get to us, We have breastworks, rifle pits, and forts, all in front of us and almost on all sides. So has Lee likewise and for General Grant to make an attack on Lee would be equally impossible without great loss of life, but such are the intentions of neither at present. They are watching each other as a cat does a mouse they are two able generals, contesting every inch of ground with a strong determination not to yield. But this great army that I belong to under General Grant is not the only army that we are depending upon to close this ar; we have other armies operating with us, and which bid fair soon to put an end to this cruel war. We have General Sherman operating in j eorgia; he has taken Savannah, and will probably ave Charleston, at least we hope so. Wo have also general Thomas's army, which is operating in ennessee, and licking old Harry out of the rebel General Hood. We have also General Butler with a large fleet and land force operating against Wilming- < ton. and will soon take it, you may depend upon it, and by doing so he will be able to stop all blockade running and cut off the supplies of the Southern swell Confederacy. We have been having great victories lately; we are having success in every military depart- ment. The rebels know it too they are deserting into ♦i?r hundreds (and this is no Idle nonsense, though it may appear so). Last night there was a heavy tiring on the picket lines, and we found out this morning that it was amongst themselves on account of deserters. The deserters tells us that they have ] no hopes their soldiers are getting tired of it and it is the general opinion that the war will not last much < longer. The last time I wrote you our corps, or, as 1 we are called, our 'k Fighting Sixth ('orpa, was in the Shenandoah Valley since then we have ridden about s 100 miles, in slow open cars, and about 250 miles down 1 the river James. How we did suffer with cold if you < could have seen some of the poor soldiers your heart < would have ached. But that soon passed away, and s we are now in comfortable quarters, aud as cheerful < as larks. We bave plenty of wood to burn, and plenty to eat, and that is what the rebels have not they are < in a starving condition, and that is one thing that will i soon close this war, for soldiers must be fed. Every Friday we hangthree or more deserters that desert from onr army. I have seen lots hung since I have been here. I sent you a paper a few days ago, it gives you a good account of the treatment our poor soldiers get when they get takrn prisoners poor fellows 'b^y h^ve to Buffer under the rebels' brutal hands. We treat our prisoners well, even better than we are treated our- selves, and that they acknowledge, but the Southern rebels treat their prisoners shamefully. Inhuman wretches that they are, what reasonab.e man will sympathise with the South or its cause ? VnVy those who know nothing about what we are fighting for. The Union and its constitutional liberty must be pre- served, and if the war shoutd hang on another four yt-ars-which I think impossible-why willre.enliat afcer making you a visit. I shall see the end of tbia war (if I live) and help to finish it.

THE MINISTERIAL BAL MASQUE IN PARIS. Therms correspondent of the Daily Telegraph describes a reception In masquerade given by Maa»my i>rouy„ jje Lhuys, wife of the Minister for foreigu Affairs. He thus It was a masquerade, the first great private one of the year—and inaugurated the season of festivity, when diplomacy hides its face and asks its friends to make merry. On dansera," said the invitation and they did dance. If M. Drouyn de Lhuys only carries into the other duties of his ministry the spirit, energy, and tact displayed in every arrangement last night, he must be the best minister in Europe, and should be kept in office till death do us part. The ball may be said to have begun on that bridge over which you cross the Seine. There you were marshalled into line by mounted gendarmes, and there. you hratsaw other pursuers of pleasure waiting patiently in their carriages, or more eager enthusiasts defying the cold, and walking in light costumes, or in those weird dominoes which seem only fitted for Venice and gondolas, before the admiring crowd. Etiquette does not oblige you to enter masqued, but many do, and then you are taken into a sort of large oon- and requested to show your face m don uCe 40 Srootn of the chambers. This is am u 81erved an Irish friend, just to show them you vonr -else' This ordeal gone through, you assume ment ia_?|Ue8e' ar^ walk upstairs. The first man you c,™ 8iy Julius Csesar, with a brass helmet, A ,4- *°Ka, who has been brought from a j party by a.Tapanese—a most wonderful get up! Indeed, s>o natural was it, that the wearer, later in the evening, came to grief with au "original article" from that country, who insisted on talking in his native tongue to bis compfttriot) and was so enraged at not getting any answer that I am expecting hourly to hear t that he has committed the "happy despatch." Passing thisill-matched pair—by-the-bye, the Roman emperor was christened "The First Edition" as be appeared-you came on Faith, Hope, and Charity; the last had, in accordance with the proverb, begun at it?6' i a.w Judging from the success of her elaborate toilette, she must have begun very early. ™ ,fUre "vice to be hated needs but to be seen, these three virtues had but to be seen" to make others followers of virtue. Why had one of them wings? Was it an emblematic of hovering Faith, or of fleeting Hope, or of Charity flying right away when most required ? I saw one follower of virtue, a diplomatist from a recently "demenaged" court, who verily did reap his reward. He was entrusted with the three wands which distinguished the virtuous trio while it went to dance, and as one of them had Hope's anchor on the top which would "grapple" every- one, life was for some time a burthen to that polite diplomatist. Then enters upon the scene an Eastern prince, with more jewels than the originals ever wear- rows of pearls ruffled round his neck; his gaberdine was like the" starry firmament on high;" and round his bead a halo of rubies. To him succeeds the Rimsky- ivorsakow, in a Russian court dress; splendid; her robe literally massive with precious stones. With her walks an ambassador, who wears the costume which is de rigeur if you are not masked—that is, evening dress, knee breeches, and a Venetian cloak, which is like the cape of the Life Guards, only decorated with a little mask. I his ambassador, being what is called in the Blang now unhappily so popular, "a howling swell," wears also a blue ribbon. Suddenly up stalks Don ?MI L ° ,18' w^en home, a captain of French artillery, about seven feet high—say seven feet—the very best costume and the best kept-up character in i if00" With his usual gallantry, the Hidalgo de la M anche paid great attention to the ladies. His bow to Mary Queen of Scots was quite worth going to the ball to see. The unhappy daughter of the Stuarts seemed m better spirits than when I last heard of her, which was through one Scott, Lochleven: but I question if Mary herself was ever really dressed more completely a la reine d Ecosse than was last night—this morning, when was it ?—the Countess Keller, who had even dyed her hair to the traditional colour. I call that feeling a part and going into it," as Mr. Crummies said of his first tragedy man. There were other Scotch there—one, a Gordon, in his clan tartan and the kilt, worn easily, who, I fear, rather—not to put too fine a point on' it—took the shine out of some French who had assumed the Highland garb, in which they looked as if they had come out in a hurry and had forgotten their nether coverings, and so felt naturally uncomfortable. Again place aux dames, and a good deal of it. Here you see a real Anglo-Indian princess she is dressed not only in fine feathers, but also in fine birds. Imagine a dress of ] mariboo feathers interspersed with birds of paradise, < other specimens of tbe genus avis. With this feathered songstress—well, I do not know whether she ~Iet us say feathered dancer—walks a thing in H1? believe he was a "Berger," and looked as w he had just stepped from out a teacup of old china his manly form was clad n pink, he had pink < stockings, pink shoes, pink rosettes, over his face was a light pink veil, and the edifice was crowned by a pink hat, which was completely covered with a garland of roses. He looked like the ghost of a straw- berry ice, and was much admired. I preferred the < tragic muse, who had come in her night-rail, and f evidently being cold, pulled it closely around her. She seemed odd, however, walking with a magyar chief, W "f ?wa £ £ erec' along in his handsome national costume as if he were back in Pestb. A knight in chain armour then clanks by, and an Albanian with literally a bundle of arms, which he must have found a great blessing in An Cp°Wr' M '*■ ^ePt a free circulation around him. J p -*1 Volunteer, in a dark green uniform, Pari ^te a sensation, and Cleopatra, an English of rah*11 |auty' a r°ke of white, round the skirt i (inr,;1Jj0f6 dress were inscribed hieroglyphic figures, t,he base the pillar in the Place de la i ii ii de» and whose hair hung down to her waist "in ] ess dishevelled charms," was pro- 1 character of the evening. All this time i nleasar,ttre A ing about mysteriously, whispering un- 1 f th«aA ths, and asking impertinent questions. Two i ,s an<l dominoes contained the Emperor < nieht at if*1' tbe EmP*ess Eugenie, and who for this heine'witb^\ <?0U,d *ive and move ancl ^ave tlleir tb* r ii>ei'-Ilg bored- Tbe music was very good; ] fcnerewa well lighted and never over-crowded and who nrefeT*^1' where tables were spread for those "T Y C an<* a sideboard as long as the refreshment stand^f^Th 7*° t0°k theif 1 PTPrsawra,f !«*n<ung. The most handsome women I < floors for da,? &n EnS1ish ball-room was there, capital SSte to to °Perate on' and S°od music to nlantations of &ardens of flowers beds of voilets charming ball °'arige trees, baskets of hyacinths. "A Biinner" and tv, Thank you, a little more fairyland and cal1 the c,rriaSe' a(Keu to world ag'afn'' g P°U-fc m the cold' back to tbe busy up to seven ia rTriZte 1°^ °T6r cosWs 1 • • J Q-night there is a general repose.

THE OLD LADY THAT WAS FOND OF DOGS. r»ro1Hv1lie R«Wer^o^ vf611'8 Bench, in London, the caase of I (Jrady v. Baker has been tried, and was as foiiows s The plaintiff, Mary Ann Grady, is a servant, and 8 sued the defendant, Miss Maria Baker, a lady residing j it Clapham, London, to recoverdamages in respect of injuries inflicted on her by a certain dog kept by the defendant, who knew it to be of a savage, mis- chievous, and ferocious nature, and accustomed to attack, bite, and injure mankind. The defendant pleaded not guilty. Mary Ann Grady, the plaintiff, deposed that she was in the habit of attending upon the defendant, who is an old lady, residing at Clapham. The defendant was a great admirer of dogs, and used to collect all the stray dogs she could find in the neighbourhood and feed them. About two years ago she bought a bulldog, < which became her pet. It was tied to the defendant's bed-post. On the 31st of December last plaintiff went to defendant's house as usual, and the defendant < asRed her to come into her bed-room, assuring her that 5 the dog was tied up and could do her no harm. Accord- ] ingly she went into the room. After being there some 1 little time the defendaut said to her, "My dear little 1 angel Bobby is not well; he has got the spasms. I want < y ou to go out at once and buy him a nice little chicken never mind the expense, butletitbetender." (Laughter.) i Plaintiff then went to make the fire, and whilst 1 she was doing so the defendant said, I shall 1 let the dog loose, as the poor little fellow wants < exercise." (Laughter.) he did so, and as plaintiff was stooping down the dog Hew at her under her clothes, i and caught hold of herP*r.1 She had great difficulty in > forcing the dog to let go■ his^hold. She screamed very much and j umped upon tbesofa, and asked the defendant 1 to take the dog away, saying lIe is eating of me." 1 Finding that she c°u!d not get away from the dog, she 1 took up a chair to 8t" £ e^Tj;b< when the defendant cried out Don't hurt nay l ttl angel. fae t<> play with you a bit. (Laughter.) The defendant then locked the door and took out the key, thus preventing the 1i^°mA1feavin& the room. The dog seized her by the ankle Afterwards the defendant opened the ft h^r fff rushed into the pass- age, where the dog flew at her face and bit her on the J hand, which she held up to protect her face She afterwards got into the street when a baS man interfered and prevented the dog from doinl fur?her b,,tea T,i" f e,en=dr'»»OH«dhi Feeding the dogs. (Laughter.) When she first had the dog it bit the defendant and tore the bedclothes X parlour0^1!! 8he USed to tie log io t°e Parlour. About eight months aero the dosr t\aDu the 8kiK of her dress- nftal and b 8, #he went to the for i tthe, WOU1J: 8 cauterised. She had rr three ^mfk ?ndant ab°vJt ten or twelve years. 'RTS&J ] Hiis occurr^n n '0Q, the plaintiff said that ever since Some exceediri'V fere&t P*in' and had aecoui exceedingly nervous. ,h« hldTiTk^ the PIaintiff wa? examined, and said Bv»eks hef -ir i by the same dog about five or t-ix 4iat wh™"erdaughter andanother witness deposed inestior, Plaintiff returned home on the day in Swollen w,ound* were bleeding, and her legs were Iwollen to such an extent that she could scarcely take )ff her stockings. r'hwff Ttbe defendant called no witnesses the Lord verdioi f briefly summed up, and the jury found a diet for the plaintiff—damages, 60?.

MAY THE PARISIANS KEEP TO THEIR TASTE! The people aragone mad about horse flesh (writes a correspondent). I take the following from a provincial hewgpapej..— Notwithstanding the jests of those who cannot resist the of showing their wit against a truth, even at the tifi °' delaying its definite triumph—"horse-laughers in this instance"—the question has advanced, and there can be no longer any douhtihat horseflesh is wholesome, agreeable to the taste, rich in nonrhhing properties, and d'sttuedto nil upavotd in the food of the working classes of this country. France contains more than 3,000,000 horses. These animals arerenewed every twelve or fifteen years, for afttr a time horses are no longer useful for work. Tne fitteenth Pare of 3,000,000 is 200:000, and if we set aside 50,000 unfit for food from disease, there still remains 150,000 healthy animals which would furnish 6,000,000;bs. ct food. That weight is equivalent to the meat furnished by 90,000 to 1(0,000 head of Cl\ttle. Therefore the questloll is cf great economical im- prtince. Horseflesh is sometimes oifrred for sale clandes- tinely at Paris, and very often eaten as filet de bmif aux champignons In the Palais Royal, without the knowledge of the PUI/lic. 1u Denmark it IS puhllcly sold; al1d at Vienna there are seven special butcheries, whtre, in 1862,1,954 horses were retailed at an average plice of 62f. There seems, there'ore, (continues the correspondent), to this country editor-who does not hve in ParIs-no reason why this meat should not be sold publicly in France in shops set apart for that purpose, to the great advantage of the public, for the Increasing requirements of which the production of meat is notoriously insuffl ient. I have quoted this at some leugth oocame I tbiuk th", qu stion 18 interest- ing, and even perhaps important. That more fresh meat Is required in Paris is 1 fancy a fact, for it Is very dear but how Is horse flesh to bring down the market? Horses ate terrinly dear in France. You cannot feed the population on "twos and threes to use racing phrsseololly-priee would bar that; and I fancy "the six-year old and upwards" will be toughish food even for the" artisan," who I see by the reports Is to be the usual corsumer of this unnatural ailment Whilst horse consuming societies are endeavour- ing tc eat us out of horse and home, the Emperor's Govern- ment is doing its very best to keep the race in a state of gradual improvement. No less a sum than 1,724,254f. (£69,000) is devoted by Government to flat races, steeple- chases, and trotting matches, whilst there are 105 hippo- dromes," that ia, racecourses, in Franee.

LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES ON HIGHWAYS. In accordance with the decision of the noblemen and gentlemen forming the deputation which recently waited on the becretaryof State for the Home Depart. ment, requestinghimto rescind theorders issued by him prohibiting the passage of locomotive engines along the highways of certain districts, excepting during very inconvenient hours at night, the following regulations were drawn up and recommended by the committee appointed on that occasion for approval by Sir George Grey :— That in the opiDion of the committee appointed by the deputation which waited upon Sir George Grey, Bart upon the use of agricultural looomo ives on the highroads it will be sufficient for the protection of the public, under the Locomotive Act, 1864, if Sir G. Grey requires the owners or persons in charge of such engines when travelling on the public roads, to bave some person to accompany or precede the engine, whoss duty it shall be to signal the engine- driver when he deems it necessary to stop or slacken the speed of the engine, and who shall be instructed to assist horeea and carriages drawn by horses passing such engines and as a further precaution it is recommended that the speed should be limited to four miles an hour. The following is the reply of the Home Secretary — Whitehall. Feb. 14, 1865. My Lord,—I am directed by Secretary Sir George Grey to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's letter of the llth inst., forwarding a copy of a resolution of the Agricultural Locomotive Committee in reference to tbe use of locomotives on high roads; and I am to inform your Lordship that Sir George Grey does not think he is empowered by law to Impose on tbe owners of locomotive traction-engines regulations of the nature pro- posed in the resolutions of tbe committee; but tbat he would suggest that the owners of such engines tn any dis- trict in which a restrictive order is in force, should give publfe notice that they are willing to adop: such regulations and should ascertain whether their adoption would be satisfactory, so as to admit of a revocation or modification of the order.—1 have the. honour to he, my Lord, your Lord- ship's obedient servant, H Waddington.-The Lord Kin- naird, K.T., ftossie Priory, Incleture, N.B.

AN INDEPENDENT MINISTER ON 1 CARDINAL WISEMAN. The Rev. Dr. Thomas, editor of the Homilist, deli- vered an address on Sunday, in the Stockwelt Inde pendent Chapel, on tbe subject 01 the death of Car. dinal Wiseman, remarkable for the liberality of the views expressed. They might, and they did, consider the members of the church in which the late cardinal had held so high a position, in error in many impor- tant matters, but they were our fellow-citizens never- theless. They held the great cardinals of our faith and we were not infallible. Therefore it was not im' proper for us to sympathise with them in this hour of then distresss. The cardinal's death had left a percep- tible blank in English society. The stcond pofnt was the special lessons which his life seemed to teach. Every mans life was charged with some lessons, and it was wise and well to inquire into the moral of man's life. That superior intelligence is no guarantee against the adoption of errors in religion was proved in Car- dinal Wiseman s case. H18 theological and scientiBc attainments were grea,t even f„r a prelate. Even ill-natured, hostde critici, lJÏgh in their standard, severe in their scrutiny, such as the Saturday Review, paid respect to his attainments yet this man adopted and advocated views in religion which we consider both repugnant to common sense and inconsistent with the plain teaching of the gospel. It was true that Catholicism held the cardinals of our faith; but whilst it held these in common with ourselves, it had adopted absurdities which tended, it was feared, to mar and neutralise these blessed verities—such as the supremacy of the Pope, the infallibility of the church, the saving efficacy of sacraments, prayers for the dead, &c. That a man of the cardinal's intelligence—ay and of tbe intelligence of such men as Pascal, Fenelon Doctor Newman, and Doctor Manning, and many others—could adopt such absurdities might well be wondered at. After dwelling on the fact that there are other things besides intelligence on which religious opinions depend—such as early impressions, natural predispositions, &c. and pointing out that charity should be extended to those who differed from them Dr. Thomas referred to the duty of governments as regards religious beliefs. He considered govern. ments ought to allow their subjects the utmost freedom in religious matters, and proceeded to call ta mind the popular demand made UPon the government to interfere to prevent Dr. Wiseman from taking tbe title of Archbishop of Westminster. The less thoughtful pulpits of the land, both in and out of the Establishment, sought to alarm their flocks with horrid pictures of Popery, and of the danger of the Pot>e coming to England to take possession of Queen Victoria's throne. Platforms were reared in all parts of the kingdom where fanaticism and bigotry ran riot, and where speeches w.-re delivered which, perhaps, most of their authors would now blush to own. Even journalism, in many cases, yielded to the influence of the excitement, and became the organs of the miserable spirit that prevailed. Nor in Parliament were there wanting those who echoed and advocated the claims of the uproarious bigotry of the time. In truth, it was a dangerous thing for a public man of that time not to go with that spirit. The preacher who would noc yield to it was sure to receive insults from some of his con- gregation, and be branded as a Jesuit. He happened to be of that number, and because he ventured in that stormy houi to advocate the rights of all religionists to liberty of action, not a few deserted their pews. and re- garded him as being in some mysterious alliance with the Pope; and because he refused to preach a course of sermons against Popery, a report was circulated amongst his congregation to the effect that it was dis- covered he was a Jesuit. But, however strong the demand that was made upon the government at that time, all that was done was a little bit of legislation which was obsolete almost as soon as it was accom- plished and he asked, had not the fifteen ye trs of Dr. Wiseman's cardinalship exposed the absurdity of that popular excitement, a.nd showed tbe wisdom of the government in allowing to its subject the utmost freedom of action in all religious matters? The con- sequence was that they had now before them a con- vincing pro .f of how little Popery could do iu England in this the nineteenth century. The lecturer concluded an eloquent exhortation to all present to profit by the lessons taught by the late cardinal's life, and to keep themselves ever prepared for that final account which all, high and low, withcut distinction of persons or stations, would sooner or la.ter have to render.

THE LAW OF LIBEL. The Bill introduced by Sir Colmon O'L^ghlen to ammd tbe law of libel and secure the liberty of the press provides that no criminal proceedings can be in- stituted for libel, unless the objeot of the libel has been to extort money or other valuable thing. The Bill also provides that in civil proceedings for libel, in any pub- lic newspaper or periodical publication, proof that the alleged libel was a true report of a speech or part of a speech spoken at any public meeting lawfully assembled for a lawful purpose, open to reporters for the pre? s, and that thA said report was published in the said public newspaper, or other perIOdiCal publication bona fide without actual malice, aud in the ordinary course of business, shall amount to a defence, unless it shall be proved that the defendant declined or omitted, if required so to do, to publish in his said public news- paper, or other periodical publication, and in a portion of the same as conspicuous as that in which the said alleged libel was published, an explanation or contra- diction of the said alleged libel, of not unreasonable length, immediately after such contradiction or ex- planation shall have been furnished to the said defen- dant by or on behalf < f the party complaining of the said alleged libeL" Farther, "proof that the defend- ant believed the alleged libel to be true, and that the same was published without any defamatory intent and with a lawful object, or, bona fide as a fair comment on a matter in which the public were interested, i-hall amount te a defence, unless the plaintiff shall prove that he has sustained actual loss or damage by the publication of the said alleged libel, or unless the jury at the trial shall he of opinion that the alleged libel is such as is fairly calculated to cause actual loss or damage to the plaintiff by its publication." f There are also provisions for the payment of money uito court as in other personal actions, and that the de- fendant shall be entitled to his costs where the damage do not exceed 20s. It is also provided that a speech • i P,"1 meeting, reported in a newspaper, shall sub- ject the speaker to the same process as a written libel, he privilege of Parliament or of courts of j ustice, or any other public body intitled to privilege, in any way whatever, will not be affected by this Bill. The Act is not to extend to Scotland.

ANOTHER DEFEAT OF THE DAVEN- On Frid,„P0RT MOTHERS. seance at tbe r?the,r davenports had a liminaries the Brothers After soine pre- complain was Wm. Davenw „ 'rian^. ^r.8' to able uproar resulted. Dr. Stoith^ser«fi!S? had not been harshly or rudely J ought to go through their performances The audience demanded that the exhibition should proceed, when Dr. Ferguson stepped forward and stated that Wm. Davenport had been too tifrhtly bound. Subsequently the instruments, which are a part of the paraphernalia of the Brothers, were de- stroyed, and the cabinet was pitched over the orchestra into the body of the room, many persons wishing to see whether there was any spiritual influence about the article of furniture or not. Afterwards, in spite of the remonstrances of several gentlemen on the platform, the cabmet was smashed. The Davenport Brothers fled as soon as the row originated, leaving Mr. Palmer as their representative. The police afterwards entered the hall; the lights were turned down, and many gentlemen earned away relica of the apparatus. Mr. Reffit, one of the gentlemen chosen to bind the Davenport Brothers, has written to the Leeds Mercury as follows :— In the first place, the rope provided was in short pieces, rendering splicing nece'sary to obtain sufficient length. I tied both their wrists with the double reef knot, but with their hands before them. This was a fatal mistake, as I afterwards found each of them possessed of a penknife, which it would be easy to reach from their waistcoat pocket, and I have now little doubt that the cord was cut, at least by one of the Brothers. Alter thus releasing them- selves, they re-entered the cabinet, and with an additional supply of rope made pretence of binding themselves, but in quite a different manner to ours. Then followed the so- ealled supernatural noises, banging of tambourines. &c. A trumpet was also put out of the window or hole in the c,™De'- The second or third time this was done, I made a sudden dash, and seized a hand, which was warm, and un- doubtedly belonged to one of the Brothers. Whilst in the cabinet the most spiritual odour I noticed was that of onions, of which both men smelt strorgly. My object in writing is to draw particular attention to the fact that the Davenports made no manifestations whatever whilst bound j t^,e1two selected. Had they been able to do so they might have been considered clever, but with thoir own sham binding nothing but humbugs.

f-T A LADY IN TOO HIGH SPIRITS. Tbe Paris correspondent of the Court Journal thus de- scribes an incident that occurred at a lancy ball at the Ait aires Xtrangeres;— Well, then, at this ball, where everything seems to have been new and strange, a great sensation was oc- casioned, just at the witching hour when Paris omnibuses cease to run and the theatres close, by the entrance of a lady covered with diamonds, who, sweep- ing up to the head of the room, took her seat coolly among the family of the functionary giving the balL The lady eat for some time unnoticed and silent, but after awhile sundry bedizened officers-various civil employes under the functionary's government—knowing that the step would be agreeable in h'gh places, invited her to dance. This she accepted with delight, dancing with such exquisite grace and agility that a circle (of foreigners; was formed round the quadrille wherein she figured, for the express purpose of beholding her execution. After awhile, when the great mass of the company had departed and the cotillon had begun, the lady got rather more lively in manner than folks in good society are accustomed to behold, and in the figure called the Polonaise, when it came to her turn to lead, the disposition to withdraw became so evident that she grew angry, and seizing one of the ladies who had been the first to retire when the lead fell to her turn, she insisted on her following the cha'n. To this the lady, with haughty gesture, re- fused to accede and then forgetful of the place where she was standing, unaccustomed to opposition, she actually pulled the lady from her seat in her determina- tion to have her will. The lady drew herself up to her full height, calm and self possessed, but pale as death. With a superb gesture of disdain she waved the insolent intruder off as she exclaimed, Madame, I refuse to dance, because I object to dance in your company, and I now retire." The awe struck offender had, of course, no resource left but to burst into tears and to threaten a fit of hysterics, in anticipation of which she was hurried by some of her partners into the lobby, and soon after placed in the carriage which was waiting to receive her.

A WONDERFUL GENERAL! J n the course of a debate on the affairs of S\m Domingo the other day, General K arvaez passed the following encomiums on himself:— I now proceed to lrform M. Campoamor how Spanish gallantry is proved. At the affair of Aslaban during the Carlist war), when four armies, belonging to the four natioos that had concluded the Treaty of Quadruple Alliance, were present, I was ordered with two battailous to the Princesa Resiaaent and two French battalions to open Are at the moment when the entire Carlist army was drawn up in battle afray. I made the two French battalions march past, and then halt and rest on their arms. I then addressed General Conrad, who commanded them, and I said to him, I am going to provo to you that we Snaniards have no need of < th<-r than Spanish arms to defend our liberties and our in- dependence." Whereupon, and under the very eyes of the French, I attacked, the whole of the Carlist army. I fell wounded and became insensible. There are persons In this House who may recollect having seen me. General Narvaez does not say whether, with his two battalions, he routed the Carlist army, which must have been about 20,000; but I suppose (says a Paris correspondent), it is to be referred that he did, though the war continued at least four years after that ex- ploit. Jt must have been a stirring sight—the four armies of the Powers that signed the Quadruple Alliance looking on while 30,000 were attacked and probably routed by about 1,000 men. General Narvaez is an Andalusian, and the natives of that delightful province are known to form a high estimate of 'heir own merits. Narvaez was certainly a brave officer whenever the occasion offered—I have never heard any one say to the contrary bn". po were hundreds of others who b .m elsewhere than in Loja.

HOW IT STRIKES A STRANGER. The Rev. F. G. Clark has been giving a lecture before a fishi nable audience in Xew York, stating what he thought of LondJn and Paris in a recent visit:- The characteristics of the English, he said, were reserve and formality to the stranger but once across the threshold of their dingy-looking houses and fairly introduced, and you find yourself in the lap of domestic: bliss. An American gentleman is always treated with politeness, and, when he mentions his nationality, he can find a good seat even in Spurgeon's crowded places of worship, where scores of Englishmen have to stand. As an illustration of the general sentiment of the English mind regarding American affairs, he said that a merchant prince might say to you, on being intro- duced, "Glad to see you; rather gloomy times with yc-u in America just now. Things are looking badly. What do you think of the war? Do you think you can ever subdue the Confederate States? Better let them go. That is what England would do if Ireland or Scotland should ever want to live apart. Let the South go and you will be strong enough. These rich good-natured, and ruddy English gentlemen grow radiant when speaking of our misfortunes. They don't know how cheerfully they acquiesce in that Providence which threatened to divide our Republic. The English- man hates slavery in the United States, but slavery in the Confederate States is another thing, and he has nothing to say about it. The speaker deplored the growing sentiment of hatred to England. We were too closely united in sympathy to think of war. If it should come too pass it would be the most monstrous disaster of the 19ch century, and stop the world's progress. The stern loeic of events and the eloquence of such men as John Bright would save England from dangers she does not now anticipate. Paris, the lecturer, described as the most beautiful, the gayest, the most frivolous, and the most openly sinful capital of Europe. By the stranger sin was to be found on every side garnished with beauty and gold, yet deep in its bosom was the cancer of licentiousness. The S[ eaker thought that the better qualities of the French and English might be united successfully in the American citizen, and that the quality of cheerfulness might give place to that deep care in which the American mind is struggling.

A SIMILE. Therms In a leader on Mr. O'Reilly's recent speech in the House of Commons, on recruiting in the army, remarks:— There is a period in life when a man in the enjoy- ment of good heal'.h, and a condition to take care of himself, becomes conscious of a more imposing figure and a more majestic port. He feels himself more of a presence. He commands respect without et" ort, makes an impression without intending it, and can even go through the routine of daily life and society more easily than in a less trained or less mature age. He might almost think himself stronger and more active than he ever had been. There will, ho vever, be occa- sions on which he will be made sensible that he has lost as well as gained. Should he have to overtake a carriage or to follow Donald up a Highland brae, should he have joined a party of youngsters to cross the Wengern Alp in five hours, should he have taken an oar from Windsor to Henley, or unaerta en to do '"long stop for some cricketers, or to ride a young horse in a hot day, or Bhould he attempt to give an im- pudent snob a taste of bis quality, be will find that a softer developement has replaced the tough fibre of his younger days. His SIneWS are no longer iron, something seems to impede the free action of. his lungs, and prolonged efforts are followed by a con- siderable loss of moisture. In fact, he is not so young a» he was, or so active as he was, or even so strong as he was. iNow, there is no necessity for such a change In a nation, but there is at least the ten- dency; and if there is on one side a palpable grain, there will be the danger of a loss. We ought also to be thankful to anyone who warns us that we are fall- lnFi o, °' condition, instead of firing up like a pursy middle-aged gentleman at the slightest hint that he is been. So we feel greatly obliged to j Rfciily f°r telling us to look after the s;.news and thews of the nation, and to take the most effective measures for keeping up our stamina. We are all delighted to hear of our prodigious develop- ment we listen with eagerness to the assurance that our imports and exports still increase, that our relations with all the world are still peaceful and for our mutual advantage. We are relieved to find that our colonies are loyal without being dependent. Our population increases, particularly in London and the large towns not so much in the country, and not at all in the purely agricultural districts. But it is all the better for the labourers, as they will get better wages. We are not displeased to find that the Irish are taking their grievances out of hearing, and while eye no longer sees heart will not grieve. We are on spea.1dng ,terms with all countries, and can even give them a bit of our mind without being dragged into their quarrels. As for our material improvements they are immense, while our domestic progress is something the world never saw before. But may we not all this time be running to fat, or, at least, putting on too much flesh ? Mr. O'Reilly seems to think so, and he recommends a course of training, jaft to keep us in wind.

llkdtams feroral fltfes. A NJow MILITARY COTILLON.— At the last ball given by the French Minister of War a new cotillion which was introduced i" described as ex. ceedingly original, and it has already become the rage in garrison towns in France. After the closing galop the dancers assemble in a close column and promenade the ball-room many times with military steps, whilst an obligato charivari is played on drums, tambourines, and mirlitons. At the head of the column strides a drum-major, who is chosen for his height and martial demeanour. U ^ARILOW ESCAPE —On the principle that who keeps fat oxen should himself be fat," it may shnnu8 that who deals in ships himself known events. Mr. Roberts, the well- natfnl n shipbroker, found swimming a very "R incr tbJr* a day or two ago at Glasgow. Being there to bid for a Bhip at an auction, he paid a ™ e i e.?e which had twelve feet of water in the hold, and, the weather being frosty, he slipped off a beam into the gulf beneath. There was not a soul on board besides himself, and all appearance there was no means of getting out of the hold. Fortunately there were some pieces of timber floating about, and of ( these Mr. Roberts, being a good swimmer, constructed a rude raft, upon which he managed to keep afloat uutil other people, bound on the same errand aa him- self, paid a visit to the vessel. But for his ability to swim, his disappearance would have been a complete mystery, the probability being that the vessel will lie, as she now lies, many months. A SUPPLY OF COAL.—An Illinois orator says the coal fields of that State are more extensive than any other on the globe. Of the 57,000 square miles of our territory 3 >,000 were underlaid with coal of an average thickness of six feet, and computed to be worth 500 billions of dollars a sum compared with which all the debts of the world are but pocket change. He thought the coal of Illinois equal to 1,10 cubic miles. It would last, with the increased consumption consequent upon. increased manufactures, railroad?, &c., 500,000 years. He thought the coal fields gave us some indication as to how long the world would last. If a man built a house and placed within it provisions and fuel for ten years, it was a pretty good indication that he expected to live in it that length of time. LIEUTENANT BURLEY, THE ST. ALBAN'SRAIDER. —Bsnnett Burley, the St. Alban's raider, is a native of this place (says the Glasgow Citizen). His father, Mr. Robert Burley, was a joiner in Messrs. Steele's shipbuilding yard, Greenock, 25 years ago, and was one of the promoters of the Mechanics' Institution. Mr. Burley. sen., still carries on business on his own account at Tradeston, Glasgow, and is well known in the trade as a c'ever and ingenious workman, and works a patent of his own for oval-turning and making hammer-shafts. He has also lately invented an im- proved process of destroying vessels in naval warfare, by means of submerged guns or torpedoes. Mr. Burley brought his invention before the naval authorities in this country, but, as is usually the case in such mat- ters. got no encouragement. Young Burley was quite familiar with his father's invention, and was anxious to see it turned to account. Being of an adventurous turn of mind, he left Glasgow during the iate war in Italy, with the intention of joining Garibaldi, but was too late. He then found his way to New York, where he was for some time attached to one of the daily newspapers next he was connected with a news- paper in the South. He communicated the torpedo scheme to Jefferson Davis, and obtained a commission to superintend a party engaged in laying down these destructive engines. He is about 24 years of age, and a powerful dashing fellow, of great energy and deter- mination of character. A "WOMAN'S LAW.—At the Salisbury Comity Court the other day an agricultural labourer brought an action againgst his employer to recover a large sum for wages due to him. The defendant, no doubt, being convinced that the grey mare is the better horse," sent his wife to defend the action, and she urged as a reason for not paying the plaintiff his wages that he lefthia work before the week was out, adding that if a person began a week and left in the middle of it he forfeited all the money that was due to him, even if it was a twelvemonth's wages. The lady clinched litp- statement to the plaintiff by saying I hat's law." The incident created some amusement in the court, and the lady found to her cost that her reading of Blackstone was not very profound. RATBEt EXPENSIVE Accordina to the Shefield Telegraph, the Commission now sitting to adjust the claims against the Water Company o that town for injuries arising out of the late disastrous in- undation will be a costly piece of business. From minute calculations made by the leading men on both sides, it is said there can be no doubt that the expenses ofioveetigatioa alone, without taking into account the immense amount awarded to sufferers, will prove to be at least a guinea a minute during every baur the Com- missioners shall have sat. Seeing that the Commission has sat many weeks already, and to all appearance is likely to sit many more weeks, the total cost of It. we should think, would make a handsome fortune for a Prince. RESPONSIBILITY OF RAILWAY COMPANIES—The Carlisle Assizes were brought to a close on Saturday by the trial of an action for 181. 10s. claimed by a farmer from the North British Railway Company, in consequence of his stacks being set on fire by the sparks from one of their locomotives. The evidence as to the engine having set the stacks on fire seemed clear enough, and the question was as to whether the engine was properly fitted up with the wire gauze over the funnel, and the usual precaution against the emission of sparks. The defendants admitted the absence of the wire gauze, which they alleged to be useless, and contended that in other respects the engine was of the best modern construction. His lordship. Mr. Justice Shee, in summing up, told the jury that the defendants were authorised to run their trains, and were not liable for a fire if they adopted the best known appliances to prevent sparks flying. Had they done so, was the question for the jury to decide. The jury found for the amount claimed by the plaintiff. DISCOVERY OF ANCIENT PAPER.—We ("Birming- ham Post ") understand that some very early speci- mens of paper have been recently discovered by oui valued correspondent. Mr. Toulmin Smith. We have not yet learned the full details, but we believe that in examining some writs to sheriffs of various countries, bearing dates at the end of the fourteenth century, Mr. Smith found that they were written on paper, and not on parchment as usual. K 0 paper mill seems to have been established in England before the end of the sixteenth century, and, whether of English or oreiijn manufacture, this recently discovered paper s very curious, and still more so if it proves to be English made, and probably more than a century older than any previously known. The discovery has excited much interest in the Record Office, and we hope to re- ceive some further details in the course of a few days, and content ourselves for the present with this first and brief announcement of the facts.

THE MARKETS MARK LAXE, MONDAT. A very moderate supply of English wheat was received, fresh up to our market to-day, both from Essex and Kent. Generally speaking, the trade was in a sluggish state but the condition of the produce on ofter was somewhat inferior good and fine dry qualities were disposed of at the full pjices of Monday last. Damp wheats sold heavily, yet no alteration took place in their value. There was a moderate supply of most deseriptJons of foreigu wheat on the stands. Notwithstanding the recent small importations, millers operated to a very moderate extent, b3th in American and Continental produce. As regards prices, however, the trade was decidedly firm, and in the transaction* concluded the full rates of Monday last were obtained. Floating cargoes of grain were in but moderate request, at about previoue rates. The supply or English barley on sale was very moderate, but there was a full average supply of foreign samples on the stands. Malting qualities were in slow request, on former terms. For grinding simples there was a moderate demand, at the late aùvance tn prices. Malt chauged hand* to a moderate extent, at previous quotations. The market was but moderately supplied wi'h oats. The trade, however, was much less active than on Monday last; nevertheless, that day's improvement in tbe quotations was steadily maintained. There was an increased supply of beans on offer. Small descriptions were firm in price but for larger sorts the trade was leas active, and the quotations were somewhat easier. For peas—owing to the small supply on offer, the trade was firm, at full currencies. A ery little barrel 8 ur was exhibited for sale, and the trade was firm, at from 21s to 26i. per barreL English and foreign sack flour was in fair average request, at previous rates. METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET, MONDAY. The arrivals ot beasts fresh up from our own grazing districts were seasonably good, boih as to number and quality. From Ireland and Scotland the receipts were rather limited, but tie Scots and crosses came to hand in first rate condition. On the whole the beef trade was in a sluggish state, and tn some Instances prices were a shade lower than on this day se nnlght; however, the best Scots realised 5s. 2d. to 5s. 4d. per o.D. ihe s.iow of sheep, though rather on the Increase, was again very limited, and the quality ot most breeds was only middling. The mutton trade was slow., nevt rthe ass, prices ruled higher. Downs, In the wo jl realised W0Ql 5«. 2d. to 5s. 41., and clipped Lincolns 4s lOd. to 5s. der Sib Limbs met a dull Inquiry, at from (h. 8d. to 7s. per 8ib" heing4d. lower. The few calves on ( tier moved off steadily, at full quotations, viz from 4«. • to 6 s. Id. per 81b. The demand for pigs was heavy, an<l prices had a drooping tendency. POTATOES. These markets continue to be moderately supplied with potatoes. The trade both for English and Scotch descrip- tions is tteady, and prices rule firm. There were no imports into London last, week Yorkshire Regents, 90s to 110s Ditto Flukes, 130s to 145s; Kent and Eisex Kegents, 90i to 105s Scotch Regents, itus to 100s Ditto Rocks, 70s to 85s; Dunbar Regent, 90s to 11' Foreign, 60s to 70s per ton. HOPS. Holders of English hops—owing to the limited supply on ofter-are very firm in their demands and there being < steady consumptive inquiry for mo-t qualifies, the full prices of last week are realised without difficulty. The best foreign hops move off steadily, at full currencies but tie bulk of the imports, more especially 88 regards American produce, being of very middling quality, inferior samples are difficnlt of disposal, and are ottering at comparatively low prices. Lttt week's mparts amounted to 305 bales from Antwerp, 22 from Ostend, 51 from Bremen, 25 from Dunkirk, and 50 from Boulogne. Mid and Ea&t Kents, 110s. to 200s vTeald of Kents, 105s, to 155s.; Sussex, 100s. to 140s.; Yearlings. 100s. to 140s.; Belgian and Bavarian, 93s. to 180s.; American 80s. to 1308., per cwt. WOOL The demand for all descriptions of English wool contfoues to rule heavy. The quantity of produce disposed of since our last report is small, and in some instances holders have ac- cepted less money to transact business. To-day the market, bath as regards Down aud Lincoln woo's, 11 dull, with a downward tendency in prices. The public sales have been fixed to be commenced on Thursday next, colonial wool, In the private con ract market, commands very little attention. During the progress of these sales it is estimated that abont 80,000 bales will be brought forward. The arrivals already comprise 60,884 bales, viz. :—9,953 bales from Sydney, 25.206 from Port Pniiitp, 6,101 from Adelaide, 475 from van Dieman's Land, 314 from is'e w Zealand, 63 from Swan River and 18,785 from the Cape of Good Hop