The Aberystwith Observer

49nr Janban Cumspoitaf. t We deem it right to state that we do not at all times identify H*90|Des with our correspondent's opinions.] There is a rumour that it is the intention of our good Queen to hold a court at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday next, for the reception of a number of the English nobility. If this rumour be true it certainly gives encouragement to the belief that her Majesty will gradually assume that position which, whether rightly or wrongly, we expect from the Queen of this country. The most desperate opponent of monarchial government cannot affirm that any of the important State duties that appertain to the Queen have been neg- lected—and indeed since the death of the Prince Consort many official labours have fallen on her Majesty from which she was free while he lived, but still the continued seclusion of the Queen has caused a painful feeling in the public mind, and it was with general pleasure therefore, that the long official account of the recent Court at Buckingham Palace was read, many people dwelling with delight on the details of her Majesty's dress, which indicated some approach to the habits of former times. The rumour to which I have alluded, coming after the reception of the foreign ambassadors, &c., has been received with very general satisfaction. The Oicl, which strangely jumbles its presumed facts and its intentional jokes and witticisms, very often succeeds in giving us a pleasant or unpleasant bit of news. It is to be hoped that its announcement or prophecy, whichever it is—that the Prince of Wales will open the Dublin Exhibition in state, — will prove correct. The Irish are good at grumbling (although no people take real misfortune more good humouredly) but they certainly have some cause .to grumble at the continued absence of royalty, even though they have the counterfeit presentment in the shape of a Lord Lieutenant with his sham court. Were the Prince to go in state to open the Exhibition it would mightily please our brothers and sisters of the Emerald Isle, and go somewhat towards reconciling them to the favour which her Majesty shows for Scot- land. Political parties have not yet been thrown into sufficiently direct antagonism to evoke any public ex- citement. In theatrical parlance, first old men and heavy business, appear to go well together, and occupy the stage to the exclusion of the light or the low comedian. Seeing that the latter is generally as- sociated with an indefinite amount of buffoonery, I canno see that this fact is much to be regretted. Some useful measures, however, have been brought under the consideration of the House. Mr. Locke did good seivice when he asked by what authority prisoners on remand were treated with harshness in Newgate. It is undeniably the fact, that this has been the case, even to an exceptional degree in the instance of the brothers Barry; but possibly had they not been in so good a commercial position, we might have heard nothing on the subject in the House of Commons. The debate on Mr. Newdegate's motion concerning Conventual establishments, went far to redeem the dullness of its predecessors. The strong speeches of Messrs. Hennessey, Whalley, and Scully, the second of whom, provoked the laughter of the House, have been, and will be read with interest as showing the arguments adopted by the two great religious parties. It is rumour-ed that a further attempt will be made to bring the subject before the House, and this time in the form of a bill for the authorisation of the inspec- tion of convents. That the whole subject will be kept before the notice of the public, by the ultra-Protestant party, is sufficiently shown by the renewed rea monstrances of the Protestant Alliance, which is a body not likely to be snuffed out, even by Mr. Layard. It is to be hoped that, as the Under-Secretary remarks, the Government are taking all fit and proper measures with regard to the case of Mary Ryan, who was carried off to a Belgium lunatic asylum, for the public mind is by no means satisfied on the matter. A fall of Id. per lb. in cotton, and of between 4 and 5 per cent in the quotations of thtf Confederate loan, followed the receipt of the news of the evacuation of Charleston. Thi3 historic town has been called "the cradle of the rebellion, and the hotbed of slavery pro- pagandism." Without attempting to support or refute this hard language, it is certain that the evacuation of the town and its occupation by the Federals, are rather startling and suggestive facts. There are those who be- lieve that the fall of Charleston is but a prelude to the Confederates succumbing entirely. To prophecy such a result is comparatively easy; to give adequate reasons for such a belief, and at the same time to foreshadow the course of events, is quite another matter. But in any case the most ardent friends of the Federals can scarcely be- lieve that any peace which might be patched up, with- out a radical settlement of the points in dispute, will be lasting. We are apparently on the eve of important events. Would that this long and sanguinary struggle might issue not only in lasting peace, but in freedom to the slave. The world of literature not alone, but society generally, has its attention now directed to th& magnum opus of the Emperor of the French, the Life of Caesar." Not that the world generally now cares much about Julius Csesar, save as an historic personage who looms dimly through the mist of past ages but it is felt that the book is a grand apology for the Napoleonic regime. Caesar is the nominal hero, but Napoleon the First, the central figure—Caesar the prototype, Napoleon the antetype, and the "cno Roman hand of the imperial author, clearly traceable through the whole book, is everywhere devoted to magnify the systeme Napoleon. The hand indeed is the hand of Jacob, but the voice is the voice of Esau. In reading the History of Caesar, therefore, the reader feels that he is "under the shadow of a great name" but under the reality of a greater power for, as had been well observed, the third Napoleon is an active agency in our midst, he has done a great deal more in the past 18 years he may do a great deal more in the next 18 years; and a hundred millions of people are eager to master his ideas, to penetrate his designs. Where will the blow fall next ? He has destroyed two republics. He has humiliated two empires. He has weakened the Temporal Papacy. What next, and Dext ?" The book is indeed remarkable for its authorship, but it is remarkable in itself as being the most elaborate work on one of the foremost men the world has seen. It is remarkable too, inasmuch as it is made so by the ponderous criticisms of the press. When all the leading journals and literary periodicals devote column after column to the book it must needs be considered a great work. But in vain we look for a fair criticism of the work in the columns of the French newspapers they are im- perially, "cabined, cribbed, confined," and dare say nothing, unless in praise. I am Sir Oracle," says the imperial author, and when I ope my mouth let no dog bark." And yet the Emperor Napoleon must sometimes think that full and fair criticism would on the whole be best for himself. His magnificent work would bear any amount of unprejudiced examination, and Napoleon would then have the inestimable advan- tage of knowing what his contemporaries and country- men think of him as an author as well as a sovereign. Literary men, artists and actors—representatives of which classes form so large a proportion of the Garrick Club—are much excited by the rejection by "black- ball of a gentleman proposed by Mr. Charles Dickens, and seconded by Mr. Wilkie Collins; a rejection which has resulted in the retirement of the mover and seeonder. It is not fair to mention the name of. the rejected, as his friends consider the refusal to admit him—arising from no moral cause—would be mis- onstrued. It is said that a gentleman, the son of Mr. James, C.E., who claims to be "the founder of the present railway system," has invented a new mode of transit, whereby passengers may be conveyed 10J miles for Is., at 100 miles an hour, and with more safety and comfort than under the present system. A hundred miles an hour for a shilling It almost takes one's breath away to read it. We now get a telegram from India in eight hours. Suppose we have the Atlantic cable in working order. And then—what next? And meanwhile, shall we be the better for this increased speed? Sup- pose some one improves on Mr. James, and invents something that will take us a 1,000 miles an hour for 6d. ? Eh? Suppose our grandchildren talk of the old railway days, as we now talk of the old coaching days —what then ? Like Brutus, I pause for a reply.

CURIOUS MASQUERADERS. The Turin correspondent of the Times, In describing the Carnival esque rejoicings at that place, gives the following amusing description of the contest for prizes It to groups and Individual masks, which should be considered the most original and amusing, the most fantastic and extravagant The prizes offered to the most amusing and fantas- tical disguises and inventions had evidently stimulated the ingenuity of the masqueraders. Among the single horsemen there were few of much mark. There was a mounted Gianduja, in the traditional tri-cornered hat and red wig, with a pigtail; but his dress was not very sumptuous, for he went about in his shirt, al- though he put the best face he could on the matter, and even, told some people that he considered himself very fortunate they had left him a shirt to his back It is said that the King met him, and shook hands with him, which, considering the old friendship between them, must have been very consolatory to the poor fellow, who has sacrificed a good deal for the sake of his relations, and has not always found much grati- tude in return. There was an individual disguised as a donkey, and who brayed, as if he had been born to the part, so naturally as greatly to excite a real animal of the same speres which he bestrode. A huge self-moving box wandered up and down in a most supernatural way, a cobbler, tapping away at a ragged boot while his old wife span. The boot seemed to give him a deal of work, as does at times another Italian boot to those who would make it whole but perse- verance goes a great way. There walked about a group of barrels, marked as containing olives, and big as the oil-jars that sheltered the 40 thieves there was a flock of geese, and a man riding on a magnificent turkey-cock, and there was a tree in full blossom, walk- ing on its roots, and an orange-tree, whose roots, the season being still chilly, were carefully swathed in matting. A small party of six had dressed them- selves up entirely in straw, and looked like walking trusses. They and the trees were in continued danger from the carriage and saddle horses, which kept smelling and nibbling at them. A drum- major, with a shako three feet high on his head and a magnificent brass-headed staff in his hand, was a very effective personage. Fastened behind his back were six drums of various sizes, with accompanying sticks. By turning a handle which came forward under his arm the sticks were set going and beat a lively tattoo. But, certainly, the most laughable figure of all was a lady walking on her hands. From out of petticoats duly distended by crinoline there rose a pair of stout and well-shod legs, not disclosed to an extent shocking to the proprieties, but protected, about half-calf high, by a discreet muslin awning. The head was within a few inches of the ground the hands were cased in white gloves. The figure was colossal, the get up wasjperfect,|and people trooped after the masquerader with shouts of laughter. If he did not get the first prize he certainly deserved it, if the amusement of the public was to be tsken as a test of superiority. Early in the day three masks, dressed in black, wearing black masks, silent and unostentatious, drove along the Corso in an open carriage of a very plain description, scattering among the people thousands of copies of a lithographic print representing Pietro Micca in the act of setting tire to the mine. Every- body remembers the story of the Piedmonteae Sapper, who, to save Turin from capture by the French, blew up himself and the advancing foe. Under the picture was the following dedication :— "To Napoleon 111.. Pietro Micca, Citizen of the little country situated at the foot of the Alps."

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. In the Ilonse of Lords, on March ?, the Civil Bit! Courts Procedure Ireland) Bill was read a third time and passed, and their Lordships adjourned. In the House of Commons, Mr. Colltns asked the hon. member for Leeds whether it. was his intention to proceed with the second reading of the Borough Franchise Extension Bill in the week nxtd by law for holding the Courts of Quarter Sessions throughout England and Wales. Mr. Balues said that finding the bill had teen fixed In the week of the courts of quarter sessions, he had postponed It from the 5th of April to the 3rd of May. Air. White asked the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affair* when the return of "Taxes in Europe," presented on th* °5th of July last, would be distributed to members. Mr, Layard trusted they they would be ready in a few days. Colonel Sykes asked the Lord Advocate whether, in the annual report of Scotch judicial statistics, he would adopt the English and Irish forms to facilitate oomparbon. The Lord Advocate said he would look into the matter, and, if possible, he would adopt the suggestion. Mr. Lawrence Palk asked the Secretary to the Admiralty if it was the intention of the Government to remedy the com- plaints of the masters aDd staff commanders of the navy as regarded their present rank, pay, and allowances. Lord C. Paget said that at a hter period he shoald be pre- pared to state what course Government intended to adopt with regard to masters and commanders. Mr. Laird asked the Under Secretary of State for War whether her Majesty's Government are aware that Arm- strong guns are being manufacted by the Elswick Ordnance Company for foreign Governments. The Marquis of Hartington said by an arrangement with the Government then in office Sir W. Armstrong trans- ferred to the nation his patent for the construction of wrought-iron ordnance. As far &8 he was aware, Government had an exclusive right to it, but last year a question arose as to the rights of the Government over guns on the shunt prnciple, and it wasreferred to the law officers, who decided that the Government had no exclusive power over that invention. Although Sir W. Armstrong had no power to prevent the Government from manufacturing ,it, it was not in the power oftbe Government to prevent hIm from doing so. He had reason to believe that the Elswick company had supplied guns on that principle to foreign Governments Mr. Baillie moved that a select Committee be appointed to inquire whether her Majesty's ships are at present armed in a manner øuUed to the necessities and requirements of modern warfare. After noticing the ignorance which appeared to prevail among even professional men in this country of the inventions of other countries, he stated the armament of the British fleet, which had not materially changed, he said, since the introduction of Iron-clad sbips, The motion was seconded by Sir J. Hay. who did not quite concur In the historical narrative of Mr. Battle. The Marquis of Hartington observed that Mr. Baillie had ranged over the history of our naval ordnance for the 1-ttt five years, Most of the questions he had aàveIted to had been investigated wilh nil their minute details by a Com- mittte, and it would be wasting time to appoint another Committee to re examine questions mainly of a scientific character, which had been often discussed and often decided. He hoped the House would not assent to the appointment of a Committee, which could not have any practical effect, and would hang up the whole question for another year, General Peel likewise opposed the motion. He did not think members of that House were competent to decide upon this question. Mr. Bentinck supported the motion. Our battles would be fought at sea, and he believed that upon an emergency our navy was not in a state to contend with a stroDg naval Power. Sir F. Smith doubted whether IntheeveDt of a sudden war our ships were properly armed, and no time was to be lost. Mr. Peacocke was of opinion it had been proved that our nary was not properly armed; if so, it was the duty of the House, he said, to institute a most rigid Inquiry. Lord C. Paget thought a Oommittee, with the very beøt Intentions, would rather retard than promote tue object in view, Admitting-that the armament of onr navy was not In a satisfartory state, he briefly stated the position in which the matter now stood. He hoped the motion would not be pressed. A division being called for, the motion of Mr. Baillie was negatived by 57 to 22. Sir H. Verney called attention to the evidence given to the committee on Navy Promotion and retirement 1863, on the subject of reappointing to the office of Chaplain-General of the Navy, dwelliIJg upon the importance of tbe o1Hceand its benefit to the service. The Select Committee on the Taxation of Ireland was re- appointed, with an instruction to inquire into the system upon which advances are made, and repayments required by the Imperial Government for drainage and o ther works of public utility in Ireland. Mr Cardweil moved for leave to bring In a Bill to enable Her Majesty's Colonial Possessions to make better provision for maritime defence, the main object being, he said, to ex- tend the principle of the Royal Naval Reserve of this county to the Colonies. Leave was given, and the Housa adjourned. In the House of Lords on March 3, the royal assent was given by commission to the Civil Bill Court Procedure (Ire- land) Act Amendment Bill. On the motion for Ihe second readings of the County Courts Equitable Jurisdiction Bill, Lord St. Leonards opposed the second reading, and described his objections to the measure, among which were the deficiency of the County Court Judges in the requisite knowledge of the law, the want of a Bar, and the application of part of the Suitors' Fund in Chancery to the purposes of the Act. Lord Cranworth admitted that some of the provisions of the bill ought not to stand, though the main object of the bill, that of giving a small equitable jurisdiction to the ■County Courts, was a very useful one. He trusted that with some modification, the bill would pass. Lord Chelmsford thought it would be difficult to arrange all the detail* of the measure so as to avoid giving the Couuty Courts too much jurisdiction. It was not the time to go into these details, bnt he agreed with Lord St. Leonards that the staff of the County Cour's would no.. be found sufficient for the duties required of them. The Lord Chancellor, in answering the objection made to the Bill, defended the Judges of the County Courts from the charge of Incompetency that bad been brought against them. The Bill was read a second time, and their Lordships adjourned. In the House of Commons, on the order for going into a Committee of Supply, Mr. Newdegate moved for a Select Committee to inquire into the existence, character, and in- crease of monastic or conventual societies or establishments in Great Britain. Hts reason for moving for this committee was thtt of Jtte. years there had been a a enormous increase of these monastic establishments, and he justified inter- ference and inquiry by the example of Komau Catholic countries, and of our own Government in the reigns of Henry II. and Henry V. He appealed to testimony as to the social and moral evils, ard even the deep corrupt! u, of convents and monaateriei iutnat age; and as a proof that the antipathy to these establishments was no Protestant prejudice, their suppression in this country, be observed, was proposed in the reign ot Henry VII., by an Ecg!ish Cardinal, and actually sectioned by a Bnll of the Pope. Mr Hennessy observed that for all these alleged wrongs the Jaw provided a sufficient remedy. Mr. N.are remarked that conventual establishments were under less contrul in this country tban in France where the greatest facilities were given to those who desired to be released from their vows. He thought It wai conceivable that much wrong and oppression might be inflicted in these establishments, for which i' would be difficult to obtain a remedy by law, and he ahould eupport the motion. Mr. Whalley insisted that it would be almost impossible to obtain by an appeal to the law a remedy against abuses in monastic establishment., air G. Grey, niter replying to remarks by Mr. Whalley on the cases of Mrs. M'Derinott and Mary Ryan, expressed his regret that this subject should have been revived. He thought no ground had been laid for the motion, and he should vote againat It. Mr. Scully opposed the motion, denouncing the attacks made upon convontual establisbmellts upon vague charg s. and called for specific charges. Upon a division, Mr. Newdegate's motion was negatived by 106 to 79 The British Kaffrarla Bill was recommitted, after an ex- planation by Mr. C. Fortescue, in answer to Mr. A. Mills, and a short discussion, in which Mr. Marsh, Mr. Adderley, and Mr. Cardwell took part, and the House adjourned. In the House of Lords, on March 6, Lord Dalhonsie called attention to the condition of the Military Hospitals at which ?nd detalled the circumstances uuder V, ere°ted, at the close of the Crimean war, and contended that in every resnect it had at on the contrary, he thought very' factøry. It was not SUtted to the purp08es eith f ral or regimental hospitals. er 0 a gene- Lord de Grey admitted that the hospital at Netlev had proved successful, and thought it would be better to suspend opinion as to the establishment at Woolwich tilllt had been tested by use. u»««u ieen After a few words from Lord Ellenborough, Lord de Grev and Lord Granville, fl Lord Longford said no improvements In the administration of the army could be thoroughly carried into tfTeet till all the military departments were collected under one roof. The subject then dropped, and their Lordships adjourned. In the House of Commons, onlhe order for going into a Committee of Supply, Mr Bentick moved a resolution that, 'In consequence of the freauencv and increasing number of accidents on rail- wavs and the absence of any power In the executive Govern- ment' ufinterfere for their better prevention it is desirable that power should be vested by Act of Parliament in the Board ot Trade, or in some other department of the Govern- ment. to institute an inquiry Into the causes of any accidents which may occur on railways and examine witnesses on oath, and that powers should be vested in such department to frame and Issue regulations for the conduct of the tiamc on rallwavs for the safety and convenience of the public. The motion was seconded by Mr. Jackson. Mr. Thompson opposed the resolution. The first part, he said, was unnecessary, as the Board of Trade now had power to Institute inquiries, and the'second part, which proposed to vest to the Board power to frame regulations, berof accidents resPonsibility, and increase the num- Sir F. Smith could not go the whole length of the re- golution which could throw upon the Government the responsibility which now rested upon the railway companies. Mr. M. Gibson said he thought the first part et the resolu- tion unnecessary, as the present system of inquiry was successful In ascortainmgthe cause oftheaceident and with regard to the other portion, a Royal Commission was ap- pointed, which would Inquire Into and report upon the subject, so it would be premature for the House to agree to the motion. After further observations by Mr. Lefroy and Mr. R. Hodgson, the resolution was negatived. The House then went into a Committee of Supply, when Lord C. Paget moved the Navy Estimates. After a pre- liminary explanation ot the form of the Estimates, he stated that the number of men proposed to be voted for the service of the year 1865-66 was 69,750, being a decrease compared with the Estimate for last year of 2 200 men. The money Estimate was 10,392,2241., that of last year being 10,708,65ll" a decrease in the gross expenditure of 316,0002. The amount for wages, &c., was 295,006 £ showing a slight Increase over the estimate of last year. He proceeded to explain the cause I of this Increase, the reasons why a diminution of the number of seamen was proposed, and the details of various items in the other Estimates. On the first vote of 69,750 men, Sir J. Paklngton, after some general remarks upon the statement of Lord Clarence, said he should not deal candidly with the Government if he did not state that, from information he had received, he was not free from apprehension as to the condition of our navy. Atter the enormous Bums which had been placed at the disposal of the Admiralty-upwards of 57,000,0001, in five ycars-he had been told that at this moment we could not send an effective fleet to sea. Sir. J. Eiphinstone complained of the Royal Sovereign being put out of commission, of other improvident acts of the Admiralty, and generally of their naval policy. Sir W. Miles said a great catalogue of grievances bad been brought before the House; but one had not been adverted to which he hoped would be considered by the Admiralty— namely, the exclusion of widows of engineers from pen- sions. On the motion of Sir M. Peto, the Chairman was ordered to report progress. The Common Law Courts (Fees) Bill, was read a third time and passed. Mr. M. Gibson obtained leave to bring in a Bill to amend the Law of Partnership, and the House adjourned. In the House of Commons, on March 7, the notices of motions stood thus :— Sir H. Bruce,—To ask a question relative to a stipendiary magistrate who signed a requisition to convene a meeting to form an association f"r political objects, tfce. Mr. Malins,—To present petitions relating ta the decay of the navigation of the Upper Thames and the Isis. Sir F. Kelly,—To move that in any future remission of in- direct taxation this House should take into consideration the duty on malt, with a view to ita early reduction and nltlmate repeaL Mr. Neate,—As an amendment, to move that owners and occupiers of land are not entitled to any special considera- tion on account of the pecuniary pressure of the malt-tax. Mr. Hardcastle,—As an amendment to Sir F. Kelly's motion, to move the previous question. Mr Pollard Urquhart,—Select Committee to inquire 'into the effects of augmented duties on spirits in Ireland Mr. Doulton,—Address for copy of all correspondence relative to the case of William Webb, sentenced to impri- sonment for stealing six walnuts. Mr H. Fenwlck,—Bill to renderowners of dogs in Englpnd and Wales liable for injury to sheep and cattle. ^ri> ^a'?a0I1> £ 'dress for return of the Town Councils and Boards of Commissioners which have adopted the Public-house Closing Act of 1864, &c.

VISITS TO CONFEDERATE TOWNS. The author of "A Visit to the Cities and Camps of the Confederate States gives ^following interesting reminis- cence* ot a tour through the Southern States Colonel Gordon, an Englishman in the Confederate service, and C., accompanied us as far as Savannah, so we were" quite a party." „ At Charleston we remained for two days. The Yankees had recommenced shelling the city some tune before, but comparatively little mischief was being done. Few shells fell beyond the part ol the town which was destroyed by a fire previous to the first bombardment, and the houses of Charleston, as in most cities of the Southern States, are ve^y much scattered, except in two or three business streets, each one stand- ing in a large courtyard, and having besides a garden of shrubs and "shade trees. lhus nine out of ten shells fall harmless and the hope of the Yankees to set fire to the city or to batter it down has been hitherto entirely disappointed. The district nearest the bay, which is most exposed to the shelling, is nearly deserted by the inhabitants, but still ladies enter it without hesitation to visit their houses and a friend ot mine, Captain Mordecai, told me that he had in vain attempted to prevail on his old negro housekeeper to evacuate his premises. Them shells never do nobody any harm," she argued. In walking through this part of the city, the only observable results of the bombardment are the broken windows in houses where shells have exploded and General Jordan never even hinted the possibility'of its being an objection to our visiting the Battery and other exposed places to have a look at Fort Sumter, the Blakeney gum", and other objects of curiosity, and he 1 and several of his fellow officers accompanied us on the expedition. Various individuals were lounging about in the streets and on the Battery, which battery I think I have men- tioned before, is not a battery, but a promenade, whence there is a beautiful view of the harbour and bay. Of the row of fine houses here--the best in Charleston— fronting the bay, only one has been struck by a shell. In the" safe district" we visited the Soldiers' iiome, where every soldier, whether wounded or sick, or. travelling on furlough to visit his friends, is provided with board and lodging. Everything was admirable clean and well kept, and the dinner, which was just +l?R^Ve^' aPPeared excellent. In almost every town ui the South there is an establishment of tbe same description, generally close to the railway station. A hey are supported by the surrounding country, and mmany of t^em the ladies of the neighbourhood take It muturns to. wait upon their guests. Ihe establishment at Charleston is extensive, and we were shown over it by Mr. Gibbs, a wealthy Charlestoman, who has remained in the beleaguered city, determined to abide by his native place inits dark hour and he makes this "Home" an object of his chief care and solicitude. We had a very pleasant journey to Savannah. The weather was delightful indeed, from the time we reached Wilmington we had found the climate entirely different from that we had left at Richmond. A Mr. B-n had joined our party—a New Orleans gentle- man, and a friend of Colonel Deaa, who was very amusing. Savannah is the largest city of Georgia, on the south bank of the Savannah river, eighteen miles from the sea, and has a population of about 16 000 whites, and 12,000 blacks. A city with less than 30,000 inhabitants in the Northern and North-Western States of America is at the utmost considered a rising and promising young place; but it is different in the South, where popula- tion does not congregate at commercial centres, and the comparatively ancient town of Savannah is an impor- 17^ tyi v' was f°unc!ed by General Oglethorpe in y anr"' hke most of the seaboard towns, was in the ands of the British during almost the whole of the Revolutionary War. It is a beautiful place, and, to t an American guide-book, "regularly built, witn streets so wide and so unpaved, so densely shaded with trees, and so full of little parks, that but for the extent and elegance of its public edifices, it might seem to be a score of villages rolled into one. Theie are no less than twenty.four little green squares scattered through the city, and most of the streets are lintd with the fragrant flowering China tree, or the Pride of India, while some of them have four grand rows of trees, there beings double carriage-way with broad wattut on the outer sides, and a promenade between. The neighbourhood is exceedingly pretty, with drives on the banks of the river, and aven** of live oaks, bay-treep, magnolias, and orange- *• favourite drive is to the Cemetery of Bona- venrar#, which was originally a private estate, laid out In broad avenues and these avenues of live oak, now grown to an immense size, with their huge Dranobes sweeping the ground, and carrying heavy festoons of the haughty Spanish moss, are magnificent, We were at the Pulaski House, which is a capital °ry" eneral Beauregard was staying there, and we pMd our respects to him the morning after our arrival. He was looking remarkably well, and said he had never in his life been in better health, which was the more gratifying to hear, as it was from ill health that the general had been obliged to give up his command in the field two years ago. General Beauregard repeated what General Jordan had told us at Charleston, that he considered Fort Sumter stronger now for internal defence than it had ever been before. At the railway station we parted with our friends ^*r°rd^n and C., and proceeded on our journey to Mobile. It was long and tedious, but we got on pretty welL Some time before this we had discovered the dodge of fraternising with the conductor as soon as he came round to collect tickets, and the result was that we were generally introduced by him to his private box or to the mail room, where there were always chairs and plenty of space for making ourselves comfortable. Between Columbus and Montgomery General Bragg entered the cars and travelled with us some distance. He told us that he had just been all through south- western Georgia and eastern Alabama, and had found surprising abundance everywhere. The tax in kind which wa.s now being levied by the government was working exceedingly well, and provisions had already been collected amply sufficient to supply the armies in the West till the next harvest. An old farmer in the car became intensely excited when he heard what an illustrious passenger he was travelling with, and rushed up, saying, "Are yau Mr. Bragg? Are you General Bragg? Give us your paw I" and the general very good.naturedly shook hands with him. Then he sat down and stared in mute admiration; but when the general had left he attacked Colonel Deas "What big ears you've got! Why, you've got ears like a mule I-haw haw haw You mustn't mind me,—I'm an old fool,—haw haw But I've shook hands with Mr. Bragg, anyhow, haw haw haw And so he went on hke a maniac, much to our amusement. We stopped a few hours at Montgomery, and reached Mobile after a journey from Savannah of a little more than two days and two nights.

LETTER FROM A PENITENT SCHOOL- BOY. Last week a paragraph went the round of the papers giving an account of the adventures of four run- away schoolboys. Since then the following peni- tential letter has been received by the mamma of one of them :— —— Feb. 25, 1865. My dear Mamma, I am very sorry to fay I ran away from school. We were out for a walk on Wednesday afternoin. I and three other boys got behind the red noses; then, as soon as the other boys had gone on a lit'l* way, we ran over the sacd hills and past Mr 'g over the iron bridge, anti into Birkenhead. Oue of us then thought of selling his topcoat. We all agreed. I forgot to tell you that before we crossed the iron bridge I had a penny in my topcoat pocket that I picked up on Sunday in the ground Another of us had five postage stamps. We changed them at a little shop, and got four large biscuits which cost twopence. Another had a farthing; he bought two small biscuits. When we got to Birkenhead we asked for marine stores. One of us had a little pistol to flre percussion caps; but they would not buy it. Then we Witt to a tailor to sell the topcoat. No he would not buy it; told us to porn It next doar. We went in, but he would not porn it. We then went back again to the next marine stores (not the same one). He would not buy it; so we went to the eame one; but they said they would buy nothing off us; so we went to a toyshop to try to tell either a whistle or pistol. She bought the pistol for threepence. We tben went to buy hread. We got a JJd. loat of bread, as well as Id. T J?.wf wen\ to the Janding-stage; went over to i, 7e were 8°iri« down to the ferry we tried to sell a sack A. mau tried it; it was too big for him so he would not take it. When we got to town we went tothb waiting-room for a drink of water. Then as we were walking about the stage, such a funny policeman came and paid, What boat are you going by ?" We raid, none; we just come from Birkenhead. Then he saidj "Youre Just the boys I am looking for. You mnrt away fr..m school; follow me: come this way. Some one has been looking for you all over town." Then he took us to Miss who was waiting for us on the stage. We then went on the New Brighton boat. Papa was waiting for us on the New Brighton Stage. He took me and another boy up 'o Burton's car. Then they all got in, except me and papa. We all as soon as we got here went into the study, where Miss told us how naughty it was. We then went to bed, were Miss sent us a cup of hot tea and some brefd. I must now conclude.—I remain your aØeo. ton, JOTIN.

A MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR. Dr. Wybracts, coroner for East Somerset, has just been investigating a most mysterious case at Em- borough, a small village, lying between the cities of Bath and Wells. This inquiry, which was twice ad- journed, resulted in a verdict of "Wilful murder." The fiacts of this very remarkable case are as follows :— On the 8th of February, William, the only surviving child of Mr. Charles Coles, aged seven months, died very sud- denly, In consequence of a powder administered to him by his mother, and which powder she supposed to be one of Steadmau's Soothing Powders," from a packet of which she took it. Death resulted in ten minutes. It appeared that on the 31st of December a woman named Ann House purchased of Mr. Habgood, chemist, Wells, a packet of Steadman's powders for Mrs. Coles, and that in January Mr and Mrs. Coles themee'.ves purchased another packet of the same powders. One was given to the child with a good effect, and the remainder were placed in a cup- board In the parlour. In the evening of the 8th of February Selina Young, the nursemaid, was sent by Mrs Coles to the parlour for the powders, and she took them into the room where Mrs. Coles was nursing the child. Mrs. Cales took out d nnxed it with moist suaa* and gave it to the child, who died within ten minutes after. Mr. Cartner, a surgeon, was sent for, and when he arrived he requested a Mr. Ham, who was present, to take charge of the remaining powders. He did so, and subsequently Mr. Mr. Cartner made a post-mortem examination of the child, and found tbat he had died of a collapse produced by corro- sive mineral pobon. On examining the powders given to Mr. Ham ho found that one of them contained ten grains of bichloride of mercury; the other powders contained none. Mr. Habgood, the chemist of whomithepowders were bought, Mr. Faaiconer, of Queen's-row, London, the proprietor and manufacturer of the powders, and Mr. White, the managing clerk of Messrs Barclay and Co., the agents who supplied Mr. Elabgood, were severally examined, and stated that by no possible means could p Hon have been introduced Into the powder as issued by them, Inasmuch as they were sealed and stamped with the Government stamp. It was further proved that Mr. Coles kept lump mercury in his house, for the purpose of treating his sheep, and that Joseph Chard, the shepherd, also had a lump, which he had lost. Mr. Deane, of London, an alalytical chemist, proved that the powders he examined contained particles of hair or wool, and also some dirt. He was of opinion that it was Impossible that such particles could have entered packets la a chymlst's shop. The Coroner summed up at considerable length, pointing out the incontestable fact that the child had been poisoned, and that poison had been substituted for the powders, as was proved by one packet of poison still remaining among the others. The jury returned one°ote" T\T° effect» which is substantially unknown -^urder against some person or persons unk nown."

EPITOME OF NEWS. BRITISH AND FOREIGN. bltk!16 "^>r™ce Wales will open the Dublin Exhi- The Post of Vienna, of March 1, has the follow- ing .-—" ihe greater part of the Polish fugitives interred in Austria have already quitted the country. Prince Arthur, of England, was in Fa"8 on Friday, and paid a visit to the Emperor. Twenty-two young ladies graduated at t e raming- ham (Mass.) Normal School, lately. « the examination, occupied two idest normal presented the diplomas. This £ "le oldest normal school ^America, having been established in liwa. The first volume of the "JJ?tou3L,J3 £ uIes Cesar" was published In Paris on Saturday- This however, be it understood, is only the ™L 6, c°stly and splendid edition which th^y can have> who^are willing to pay an imperial price for an imperial production. The annual "winter meeting of the National Rifle Association was heldn London on Saturday, the Duke of Cambridge officiating at it as chairman. The re- port was a highly favourable one. His royal highness said the society had now a funded balance of 7,ûOOl, their re- ceipts last year were about 26,000* and the number of mem- bers had Increased, and the colonial and local associations eaS&.C°nJ l0n thePar^t ^ocTatlon,hadXo A A blackbird belonging to the gate-keeper of the county prison, Stirling, was missing In June last, and was not again seen until one day during the late storm, when it appeared at the prison, and entered its cage. A great meeting of the Peace Society and its sup- porters has been held at Bristol. The hippophaghists of Europe propose to kill 600,000 horses every year for food. What a quantity of night-maie I Mr. H. Berkeley, M.P., has resigned the Chairman- ship of the Ballot Society, in consequence of a difference of opinion between himself and the committee as to the utility, under present circumstances, of continuing his annual motion on the ballot. It is stated 011 the authority of a Montreal journal that there are no less than 36 000 French Canadians alone in the Federal Army. Bull-fights by ladies is the novelty in Mexico intro- duced since Maximilian civilised the place. The tenth anniversary of the Emperor Alexander's accession to the throne of Russia was commemorated by the Russian subjects in London on Friday, Mr. Lynn, a surgeon, practising at Newcastle, was found dead in his bed. It appeared that the deceased had been in the habit of taking chloroform for some complaint, and had unhappily taken an overdose. On Friday her Majesty's staghounds pursued a deer into Windsor, when the animal suddenly darted Into the shop of Mr. Linnell, butcher, and thence into the kitchen, where several persons were at dinner, and of course, greatly to their consternation. A scene of confusion immediately ensued upon the entrance of thil unex- pected and unbidden visitor, who was at length secured by a number of men. A royal commission has been issued for an inquiry Into the working of the railways of the United Kingdom, with the Duke of Devonshire as chairman. The scope of the inquiry is only limited by the public service and safety. It is said that Mr. Gladstone has it in view to procure a reduc- tion of fares, and an Improvement in the construction of third class carriages. Lady Buchanan, the wife of the English ambassador at St. Petersburg, has nationalised an Englishman, whom she introduced to the delighted Muscis at her pleasant ball, in the shape of Sir Roger de Coverley. They have adopted the gay dance with effusion. As to tenant-right, I may be allowed to say that I thiLk it is equivalent to landlords' wrong. (A laugh.) Tenant-right, as I understand it to be proposed, would be little shott of confiscation; and although that might cause the landlords to emigrate, it certainly would not keep the tenants at home.—(Renewed laughter.)—Lord Palmerston an Ireland. The Empress Eugenie has written to the Queen and the Sovereigns of Europe, proposing that, without dis- tinction of creed, all shall join at once for the purpose of effecting a suitable restoration of the holy sepulchre at Jerusalem, which is now in a state of utter disrepair. At the Maghera petty sessions the other day, a young woman was fiaed 30s. for emptying a kettle of boiling water about tha head and shoulders of a young man. It seems the complainant—a former lover—had spoken some- what disparagingly of the fair defendant, who decided on having revenge. The Prince of Wales has been appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Bath. William Smith, a farm servant in Westmoreland, fell in love with a fellow. servant, and arranged to be married to her. Suddenly, however, he was missed, and not seen for nearly a month alter, when he was discovered lying under a thick layer of hay in a barn. He was nearly starved to death. He ssid he had only had one drink of water during the whole time he had been there but would give no reason for his remarkable conduct. The Saturday Review says:—" All ladies who are in training to be leaders of fashion should, above all things, cultivate insolence. It is better, perhaps, to practise on their relations or on their husbands just at first, in order to avoid making too many enemies at the outset of their career. But, whoever may be selected to fulfil the office of practising-block, the quality must be acquired somehow, as an indispensable condition of success." The Sultan shows his love of literature, not like the modern Csosar, by writing, but by paying for the writings of the best authors. He has decreed that 100,000 piastres shall be annually spent in translating the best works of all countries. A new reptile discovered in America has been named the "anthrakerpeton crassosteum." The whole bookselling trade of PaÇs is indignant at the exceptional rule adopted by publisher Plon, who has cut down the usual 25 per cent. allowed the fraternity on their purchases, and will only abate 10 per cent. on the price of the Emperor's book. They have memorialised the Emperor on this flagrant infraction of the laws of egalit. and fraternke in the republic of letters, which has had no Crosar daring enough to upset it hitherto. An old woman, named Ann Williams, died last week, in the Model Lodging Houses at Worcester, aged 101. She was a widow, and for some past was in receipt of parochial relief. The Constableship of the Tower, vacant by the death of Lord Combermere,•will either not be filled, or will be constituted an honorary office. The salary 9472. a year, will resolve itself into nine good service pensions of 1001, a year each, which will be shortly distributed among the senior officers of the army as rewards for distinguished or meritorious services. The wonder of Paris society is the Egyptian Pasha, now on a visit there. He is a Pasha of many tales" in the salons, where his magnificence is heard of with wondering, lifting of the eyebrows, Vraiments Pas possibles and so forth. The Pasha Is said to have a penchant for high play, and suits the tastes of the members of the grand clubs to a nieety. Mr. Somerset Beaumont, M.P., has been placed on the commission to proceed to Vienna, to in quire into the commercial relation between Great Britain and Austria. Morris. Levi, a bankrupt clothier, was tried at Warwick Assizes on Saturday, on a charge of defrauding his creditors. The prisoner carried on a large business at Bir- mingham until November last, when he executed a deed of assignment. His accounts showed a dtficiency of 8,0002. It Was allfged tbathe had fraudulently removed lar"e quan- tities of goods prior to his bankruptcy, and the evidence satisfied the jury that such had been the case. Sentence was deftorred tUl next assizes, in order that a question of law raised in the trial might be decided. IXeauwhile he was admitted to batlln 4,0002. At New York, recently, Charles English, a young English buralar, who attempted to shoot officers M'Kelvey and Connelly of the 15th precinct, while they were attempt- ing to arreSL him, was convicted. English was a fancy- looking fellow, elegantly attired, and bearing a fine ap- pearance—being almost a mere boy. He had been engaged in a number of burglaries. He was kept by a mistress, and flourished in a most fanciful style. English listened with the utmost sang froid, and as he turned away from the bar, merely shrugKtd his shoulders and exclaimed, gotto voce, Humph-ten years. That s only a little sleeping spelt. • It is said that in M.'s back parlour one day lately, Dean M. said to Lird D. that he was surprised to find that Lord S had not yet read his father's translation of the Iliad, "No, nor never will," said the noble translator, "uutil it I.. put into prose in the form of a Blue Book." A case has been tried before Sheriff Smith at Elgin, which deserves notice. A Dissenting minister in the neighbourhood, while denouncing the practical heathenism of the age, as shown by people not attending church, named two families as being in that state. An action for defa- mation of character was raised against the minister by the parties named, and the minister was glad to compromise the matter by making ample apology, and paying expenses. On Saturday night last, the Rev. John Kennedy, curate of Gortou, committed suicide by cutting hit throat, nearly from ear to ear "fie had been for a .eek or two deeply depressed in spirits from some private difficulties. The great strike or lock-out in the iron districts began on Saturday night. The North Staffordshire men refuse to budge an inch from their position, and, as they are acting in defiance of the wishes of the Executive of the Ironworkers' Union, all pecuniary assistance from the association will bd withheld. In fact the North Stafford- shire men have been excommunicated, ttfough this does not at all affect the misunderstanding. The Duke of Saxe Coburg has originated a new title called "Commercieuratn," or sellers of high-class articles at a cheap rate. Six boys, living in Edinburgh, broke into a shed In which powder was kept, at the station of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, in order to steal ammunition for a pis- tol. A can of powder exploded, blew off the roof of the shed killed one of the boys, and severely burned two others. The rest of the boys ran away, and as they were afraid to state what had occurred, their injured companions were left some time without assistance. A bill laid before the House of Commons by Sir F. Hey gate, (to extend only to Ireland) for the protection of sheep from the ravages of dogs having no owuer or dis- claimed, proposes that every dog when it is six months old shall, under a penalty, be registered by its owner annually, with description, at the police-station, and a half-crotfn fee paid per dog; and any dog. whose owner eannot after due inquiry be discovered may be destroyed by the police. People are getting bold with the spirits—who are out of spirits. An Exeter hatter offers to pay 502. to a charity if he cannot tie up the spirits in the persons of the Davenports effectually. The London Review says Oxford Colleges and Halls are very lull. Peace and plenty of money always havg the effect of sending up more boys to the universities, partly because papa can afford it better, partly because in time of peace, promotion in the army is a slow process, andtso on. Certainly, towards the latter part 01 the Crimean war, the number of names on the books (f this university showed a l ery remarkable falling off, at least all remarkable as the present fulness." The Court Journal satirically remarks :—"Ifc ia wonderful what large numbers achieve when banded to- gether in a common object. For instance, the Foresters have subscribed the sum of 141. Is. 8d. In copper and t 110 fourpenny-pieces, to reimburse Mr. Coxwell for the loan of his balloon destroyed at Leicester." The mayor of a town in the north, in reply to a gentleman who always prides himself on being particularly conversant with the rules of Lindley Murray, said, sarcas- tically, (I I have just returned from receiving the Judges, Mellor and Shee or, speaking grammatically, I should say Melior and Her." A puzzling advertisement, representing a picture- frame surrounding the words "Watch this frame" has lately appeared on the walls of London. It refers to Mr Watts Phillips's drama of the" Woman in Mauve," which is to be brought out at the Haymarket Theatre. The Pope has a long array of titles. In the Anniiaris Pontificis for 1865 he is styled "Vicar of jesus Christ, Successor to the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontilex of the Catholic Church, Patriarch of the West Prunate of Italy, Metropolitan of Rome, and Sovereign of the States of the Church." At a fancy dress ball in Paris the other evening a masquerader dressed up as a Roman Emperor was christened Tne First Edition" as soon as he appeared in the ball-room. The preface to the History of Julius Caesar was written three times after it was in print, which caused the delay. A rumour is again current that reinforcements are to be despatched to a batf«^ nt of the Guards, a battery of horse artillery, and a battalion of rifles. It may be interesting to the curious to know that the cards of invitation to the Court balls at the Tuileriesare about seven inches by and of an orange colour. The charge preferred against the Earl of Norburv at having f ^y tnvestiMted h?e8'i?' a glrl flfteen age, was fully l before the magistrates at Seven Oaks, on Friday, JNO witnesses were called for the defence and upon 'he for the prosecution, the magistrates a°penalty of a co™ *^lt, anTSposed don^o^rafein^iL m'-?H4 m<?vement by the Bishop of Lon- of the metronoiu^. « Prl[ng to meet the spiritual wants f0,1°Wed byaiImUtte<Iurt th of Ghent, states that Dr, Clifford, thn far?) ii v Bishop of Clifton, is about to receive thp ,il at| and Bishop Errington will be called to Wiseman "estminster, vacant by the death of Cardinal The government have now determined to arm the whole of the cavalry with carbines on the breech-load- mg principle, and have selected the Westley Richards' arm as the arm of the service. The Prince of Wales hunted with the Windsor harriers on Saturday. The Chancellor of the Exchequer's prediction, that if Parliament consented to abolish the duty on paper wa should see coaches made of this material, is about to ha partly realised. A carriage company, under the Limited Act, has been formed at Birmingham, for the purpose of bringing Into use various Improvements. The most im- portant of these is the use that will be made of paper in the construction of the vehfeles. All the panels will be of the substance or rather of paper-machie, the great peculiarity of which is its resemblance to leather, though considerably stiffer and tougher than-that material. Every portion of the carriage usually made of wood will be made of paper and^thecost of construction will, it is said, be considerably