The Aberystwith Observer

A CURIOUS PLF. A. FOR DIVORCE. In the Court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes, tbe cause of Hanoock v. Peaty, has been heard, and was a suit for nullity of marriage on the ground of the insanity of the alleged wife. It was instituted by the brother of the wife, as her guardian ad litem, against the hnsband. The respondent denied that his wife wa8 of ungound mtod at the time of the marriage. The respondent and his wife are first consinB. She oneof the daughters of Mr. Hancock, a manu- facturer, 0 died m 1835, and she and her brother w b,een bought up by tl^ir uncle, Mr. a gentleman in affluent circum- TIT T> U ? h7ed Stoke Newington. The respondent, TUntfT? Augustus Peaty, who is a clerk in the j ,0' ^ngland, was on intimate terms with them, • m 1859 he made an offer of marriage to Miss A £ «y Ann Coleman Hancock. The uncle had a great objection to the match, and the offer was refused. It Va?_ renewed in 1863, and Miss Mary Ann Han- cock then accepted it, contrary to the advice and the wishes of her uncle and the other members of her family. The marriage took place on the 19th of August, 1863, at the church of St. Mat. thias, at Paddington, two of her sisters, Miss Harriet Hancock and Mrs. James, and some friends being pre- sent at it. Mr. and Mrs. Peaty went to Scarborough after the marriage, and after a short stay there re- turned to London, Mrs. Peaty then showed decided symptoms of unsoundness of mind, and in the begin- ning of October, 1863, a medical certificate was obtained, and she was placed under the care of Dr. Sutherland at Hammersmith. She has since been under the care of a number of different medical men, and in February, 1866, her husband placed her in St. Luke's Hospital, where she remained until last week. She is now living with her husband at Twickenham, and it appeared from a letter wntten by her a few days ago that she was assisting him to oppose this petition. Last year Mr. T. Hancock, the uncle, died, leaving a will and codicils making provision for his nephews and nieces. By a codicil made since Mrs. Peaty's marriage he revoked a legacy of 5,0001. to her, and gave 3,000?. to trustees to be applied according to their discretion for her use and benefit during her life, and at her death to fall into the residue. A great deal of evidence was given on the part of the petitioner for the purpose of showing the insanity of Mrs. Peaty previous to the marriage. Her sister, Miss Harriet Hancock, said that she used to fancy her. self a person of great political importance, and she was sometimes under the delusion that her food was poisoned; that her dress was eccentric, particularly her mode of wearing her hair and her bonnet; and that some of her habits were inconsistent with sound- ness of mind. Even on the day of the marriage her behaviour, Miss Hancock said, was extravagant and wild. Her usual medical attendant, Dr. Cumming; Dr. Cork, who had attended her for a few days in 1862, when she fancied that some one was persecuting her, and she wished to be shut up in Middlesex Hospital, in order to evade him; and Dr. John Taylor, of Queen's-road, Bayswater, at whose house she had been staying for several months previous to the marriage, were among the witnesses examined. It appeared from Dr. Taylor's evidenoe, that there were certain times, with regular intervals between them, at which she was in a state of great excitement and irritability, and it was suggested, on the part of the respondent, that if her mind was ever affected before the marriage it arose from physical causes, and the aberration was merely temporary, ceasing when the physical cause had been removed. She had been taken by Dr. Taylor to consult Dr. Robert Lee, who had advised that she should get married if an eligible offer was made. The case of the petitioner was that she was subject to delusions, and that her mind was permanently deranged. Dr. Ellis and Dr. Wood, of St. Luke's Hospital, proved that Mis. Peaty had been insane during her residence there from February, 1866, until the 17th inst., when she was discharged. A servant in the employment of Dr. Taylor, at whose house Mrs. Peaty ? f°r some months previous to the mar- v f'f' that she was very eccentric in her be- jPeculiar in her dress; that on one occasion T™e?e11 > Dr- Taylor's clothes; that she d waa poisoned, and that this ielDX S np Kthe d*y of the marriage. For the two or three nights preceding the marriage she was more excited than usual, and she sat up tUl three or four 1D the morning washing some of her clothes which had been sent home by the laundress and some new gloves in a washhand basin, giving as a reason that nothing was pure that had not passed through her handa. One of Dr. Taylor's pupils was also called and gave similar evidence as to her conduct. He added that she had made him an offer of marriage, after she had been advised that marriage would pro- bably be a remedy for her illness, but he had declined it. She behaved properly at church during tbe oere- mony but at the breakfast she was restless, and told 4-vfr PUP^ that it was his own fault that he was no the bridegroom. Mrs. James, a married sister, tn v.JI*8 Pr?8ent at the wedding, also gave evidence as f-i-j f^0? ,011 that occasion, and said she had foarpH ber from the marriage becaune she although »>, ,?•*? ^gbt be some unsoundness of mind, Dr g^tdld.^ot think her insane at the time. believing that his and that the marri^ewas *vZ of/be carriage, and that the marriage was a valid one felt it is duty to was entirely one of affection, for she was^ntirefv dependent on her uncle, who was strongly opposed to it upholding it, for the money left her by her uncle was «Ition°f<^Tv? l!' aPPlied according to their dis- Wf»ar>d wa8 ^uite out of bis control, f e evidence did not establish such ]jTO caP«5lt7 as to invalidate the marriage, had J"? °n Was b1 favour of marriage. If she h« J capacity to eonsent, the marriage must a. even although she might not have had tncient capacity to make a will. Consent was of the very essence of marriage, and if a continuing consent could be proved before the marriage, at the tune of the marriage, and after the marriage, evidence of some unsoundness of mind would not render it void. He read a letter written by Mrs. Peaty to the respondent on the 17th of July, 1863, informing him that marriage had been reooinmendedtoher, and asking him if be was willing to renew their old engagement several other letters written by her from fk a I to the 17th of August, 1863, ti0dLXf^th ° UP riage, in which she spoke of the neo^i? mar" going on for the purpose of 8°tiationsthat were her family, and btwniB8 the «m8ent of wedding. Theselettew k- u6 arrangements for the and the advice of Dr Lei • Dtly rational» tracting the marriLa V v Mr* Peaty m con" not, unfortunat J' .from which his wife had expected. y' derxved the benefit that waa eminent physician, proved that not th J fflned lady in 1863> an<* that she was i ? 8uffering from any organic disease, but from ent hysteria, and he advised that if an opportunity M marriage offered it should not be refused. Dr. Lee liad examined her on the previous day, and said that in his opinion she is now perfectly Bane, and that she told him she was living happily with her husband and did not wish to be separated from him. Dr Lee emphatically denied the suggestion that he had ever advised an operation which was said to have been per- formed while she was under the care of Dr. Baker Brown, some time after the marriage, and of which the respondent very much disapproved. In the course of his cross-examination a question was put to him by the Queen's Advocate respecting his theory." He replied, "I have no theory, Sir, I never had a theory in my life since I was born." He went on to Jay that he held certain doctrines, the truth of which had been demonstrated by facts, and those doctrines Were now accepted by the great mass of the profession. Before the adjournment, the Judge-Ordinary asked Whether it was desirable for any one that the suit Bhould go on. The object of both parties seemed to be the protection of the lady while she was in her Unfortunate condition, and neither party could have any pecuniary object. He suggested that it would be uesirable to consider whether some arrangement could be made for placing the lady under the care of some .'J1™1 the consent of both parties, until her health B~?uld be restored, as some of the evidence was to the enect that she might recover in the course of a few years. The learned counsel on both sides expressed their entire concurrence in this suggestion. The hearing was then adjourned until a future day.

THE AZTECS. Few can have read without regret, if not disgust. exclaims the British Medical Jowrnal, of the" mar. riage of the Aztecs." To perpetuate a race of such unhappy deformities would be a misfortune. They are neither more nor less than diminutive idiots. The bird-like features which made them noticeable are quite characteristic of one group of idiots—namely, those with fairly developed cerebella, but very dimi. lom The idiote ^b i*88 imperfect oerebra *™ "taking peculiarity of profile. Those, of trace ofTt ° hydrocephalic (as many are) have no under the no^^ dlot8Wlth dinclnutive brains are grees of this ^tof^f but they p^ent many de- •' Aztecs" ttB ff1, ?elcPaiellt; of tbe body. The tion of idiocy witeS £ fi ?U°lina' ▼olume of Transactions"™' £ ?0Cle*y 8 valuable paper by Mr. MarshallofTTnitLaftJ* Hospital, giving an acoount of K • College cephalic idiot who died A V™? «' Aztecs" were exhibited, and whose eatureTare ™ ticularly described as '-resembling th^ of the m"; Aztec ;» but he had a white skin, and wastsi rdmbll! *ie cued in Hanwell.

THE DISPUTE OF A DUCHESS AND HER MAN.MILLINER. There is many a curious phase of Paris life which even a foreign correspondent, however well informed he may be, is not made aware of till it comes before wie tribunal (writes the correspondent of the Morning Star.) Witness the following strange transaction be- tween Madame la Duchesse de Persigny and her seam- stress, fix rather tailor, the celebrated M. Maugas, whok it is to be hoped you are aware, is a personage of and only admits crowned heads, r^L,- V- dukes and a few marquises, to the honour Wwirir6'8' 14 at the end of Maugas sent the duchess the following VIaa'ameilHU]j?chfi«0b^S et Manteaux de COUF, furnished to »hiteTilk ahot wi^ Ptrsl««>y. J4HU4ry, 1866-Dr«88 of rieeve. of v ,,trlmmed wlth white »a,in. cheml- Mtte and sleeves oi Valenclenties. 800f — ml February— Ball dress stiver tulle, trimmed with blue and silver butterflies ver ailk gUln> i 20Of.-48/ flounced chesnut satin tulle -'■d silver, and blue butterflies, 3501- Hl March-BI..cK sIlk drelstrimmed with jdt and Watered Zlbbon, 7\i0f.-28l. total, 3,0601. The season over, the duchess left town for Chama. rande. M. Maugas had pr. viously sent in his bill several times, and at last wroie to the duchess to say that on presenting himself at her house he had been referred to M. DesnagerB, the duke's agent, who, to J118 mfinite amazement, had offered him 2,500F. (100?.) instead of 3,050f. He supposed some mistake had oc- curred. The dresses in question were certainly not cheap, but they were of a style which involved a con- siderable outlay. A fortnight later M. Maugas wrote a second time to remind the duchess that she had made no terms when ordering the goods, and had y desirtd they should 1Jp all perfect as possible, which her grace admitted them to have been; that although it was by no means the habit of his establishment to have recourse to the strong arm of the law, if he did not receive the money due to him, he would not shrink from this unpleasant alter- native. In reply to this declaration of war a I'outrance, M. Desnagers wrote a most insolent letter to Maugas, the chief accusation therein being that if his customers did not agree beforehand as to the terms on which he undertook to equip them for conquest, it waa evident he took advantage of their confiding natures to charge double what was his due. M. Desnagers may be right hat the tone of his letter was familiar and sneering. The affair was therefore brought before the courts. M. Beaulieu pleaded for Maugas; he opened the case by producing the bills of every sovereign house in Europe, entering into minute details as to dresses sup- plied to every empress, queen, and princess in the Almanach de Gotha," thereby proving that in com- parison to the price of the garments supplied to these high and mighty personages, the duchess's attire was absurdly cheap. Why, one of the queens on his books had just paid 3,400 francs—1321.—for a mere dinner dress. another, an Empress. I believe, 3,800f.; and so on; and as to Princess Dagmar. the wife of the Caesarewitch, her last dress cost 7,000 francs—2801. The council for the duchess pleaded in her defence that she had agreed to a sort of tariff by which her robes were to cost 700f. all round. The court has reo ferred the affair to the expertise of Madame La Fernere, before whom the blue butterfly and brown tulle, &c., attire is to be laid, and on her decision as to its intrinsic value this curious case will be decided.

A CAUTION TO INTENDING EMIGRANTS. The following letter has been sent to the papers for pub- lication and the Importance of it cannot be too highly estimated at this particular juncture:- U Sydney, New South Wales, Nov. 12,1886. "Rtsoluiion pasted at tM Carpsntsr«* and Joinw? Society:— That we form r. committee to inquire Into the present depression in trade, and call delegates from other trades with the view of ascertaining the amount of distress existing among each trade or calling In the colony of New South Wales." TO THE SECRETARY ANJC MEMBEB8 OF THE AMALGA- MATED SOCIETY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. Gentlemen and Fellow-Workmen,—We, the under- signed; as delegates of the various trades of Sydney, hereby forward you a correct account of the great de- pression existing among all classes of skilled and unskilled labour in the colony. It is with extreme regret that we feel it our duty, and a very painful duty, to make you acquainted with our present depressed condition. Owing to the great want of employment experienced by all trades and callings, more especially among the building and iron trades) labourers in the building trades also, we wish par- ticularly to warn you against the glowing, but false, accounts that often find their way to the United Kingdom by almost every mail We can assure you that the labour-offices are daily besieged by willing and anxious hard-working men, offering their services for any kind of employment or wages; but the demand for labour is as scarce as the applioations for employ. ment are numerous. We do not wish you to understand that we never had New South Wales in a distressed state before now, for we can assure you that the colony has not been worth a man in the United Kingdom, who was doing moderately well, or getting a moderate amount of employment, to leave to come here for these last six or seven, years; in, fact, employment is always hard to obtain, and where obtained is mostly of short duration. We will now give you a truthful statement of the wages paid and received by the best workmen in the colony and city of Sydney, and that is the very highest received by any trade or calling. Stonemasons, 10s. per day of eight hours, but not in a shop or under a shed, as in the old country, but under the scorching sun of Australia—no protection either from hot winds or drencfiing rains, but knock off and go home, lose the time, and consequently the money, from the ale ready too small amount of wages. Carpenters and joiners, 9s. per day, not in shops such as you have at home, as we call it, but most of our work is done in sheds that are neither wind nor water-tight, or else in the buildings, and subject to all the annoyances of the plasterers and all other trades when the work is pre- pared in the building. Bricklayers, 10s. per day, or 21. 10s. to 3l. per rod of piece-work. Plasterers, 9s. per day, or from 6d. to lOd. per yard of piece-work; and, if at day-work, there are no hawk-boys, but the mortar is pitched on the board, and in nine cases out flout-in ?rt dispense with the labourer when the raneinf wT** Painters, 8s. per day. Iron trades Slaters all hv +kto 10s' pei day °* ten hours. 5± & £ £ L" Quarreymen, from 83. to 10s. per day of ten hours! We cannot give you a correct account of cabinet- makers, upholsterers, French-polishers, tailors, shoe- makers, &c., but we can assure you that they are in a most deplorable condition, as the most of their branches of trade are imported from England and other countries. In the above we did not tell you how many of each trade, on the average, were employed, but we will do so to the best of our knowledge. Masons, about two- thirds only employed; carpenters and joiners about the same, if anything a little less; painters, we are sorry to say, only about one-third bricklayers and plasterers, about two-thirds employed bricklayers and plasterers' labourers, we are sorry to say, only about half; and the iron trades only about two out of every ten in em- ployment. They are in » most deplorable condition Now, we dare eay you will think the wages in New South Wales are very high, or, at any rate, very good, and wonder what we are complaining about, but when thinfc ° v ^°U expenditure side of the account, we ma/i emigrants are not quite Australian they will at once see that there is no balance in our of the Australian wages, saying nothing about tne Unsteadiness of employment. In the first place, if you wish to live in or near the city, for a house of four small rooms you will have to pay from 14 J. to 20s. per week rent, if in a court or alley, from 10s. to 15s. per week; if in the suburbs, for a four-roomed house from 10s. to 15s. per week, and the smaller the house the more rent you have to pay in proportion. Firing and lights will cost about 4s. per week all the year round. Vegetables cost about 250 per cent. more than in Eog. land only fancy giving 8d. for a small cabbage—that is the price now! Bread averages about 5d. the 21b. loaf; beef and mutton average about 5d. per lb., pork, about 7d., veal, about 7d., bacon and cheese about Is. Gd.; milk, 8d. per quart; groceries about the same as in England, only very inferior, generally speaking; boots and clothes about the same (slops), but there is much less wear in those things here, on account of the greater amount of perspiration, as in all hot coun- tries—you may often see people as wet as if they had been dipped in a pond—we might easily say 120 per cent. more here than in England. Now, there is another cause of complaint of a very serious nature. There is not the slightest inclination on the part of employers to take as apprentices any of the thousands of young Arabs, as they are colonially called, and the consequences are that they are entirely dependent on their parents; and also, there is no sort of industry that young girls can engage in except millinery and dressmaking, which are already overdone, and their pay isdown almost to starving point. What we are going to do with the rising generation is an everyday question, but no one appears to be able to answer the question. We are sorry to say that our streets are thronged with unfortunate girls as a con- bi? £ rnCe n°n-employment. The Government are oni k g an,d enlarging gaols all over the country, and are olent institutions are all full, and one or two nnm«M additional wings built to accommodate the tion in S8 ,aPPbcations for relief. There is one institu- r" •k to nee a 'oave8. It is nothing uncommon men are WOSH mechanic call in where other assistance as w«8i^Be?k employment, or Buch other • Jnallw noiB be able to give him these are prmc pally new amva!, and Jmt of t'hem have Ann miles The ^ueen8land, a distance of 500 or 600 miles. The d1streaø there no doubt, you have heard of before The colony of New South Wales has been getting gradually worse these last seven years, cbiefly owin? to the great amount of emi- gration, and the falling-off of ourg0]d.fie]dg more so through the great amount of importation q{ almoat every article we left our homea to come here to manu- facture. We are, Gentlemen, yours respectfully [Here follow thesignatures of the delegates from the Joiners,' Painters,' Bricklayers' and Labourers' Society.]

PROFESSOR FAWCETT, M. P., ON FOREIGN COMPETITIVE LABOUR. Professor Fawcett has addressed the following letter to the operatives at the Brighton Railway Works, who had requested his explanation of the question as to why foreigners can compete so successfully with English labour, and how English trade can be best prevented from going to foreign countries:— Trinity Hall, Cambridge, Jan. 21, 1867. My dear Sir,—In your letter you ask me, in the name of yourself and several of my friends at the railway, whether I think that England is likely to lose, by foreign competition, various branches of in- dustry, and, amongst others, that in which you are engaged. In the first place, I will remark that our Govern- ment ought not directly toi nterfere, even if we should suffer from foreign competition. The fundamental principle of free trade is that the capital and labour of each country should be applied to those departments of industry for which the country may possess the greatest natural advantages; and I am confident that jjhe class whom you represent would be most reluctant cinfanCA°n slightest interference with this prin- bv dir« 'bough the Government ought to do nothing directly^6 Protection, yet the State can do much in- petitors. °rpa88^8t us in our contest with foreign com- and, therefore*8J^re Puid by emPloyers and employed, upon capital and lLnnrregT«d!d a .burden j?°th it may be, and ought to Jaxation 18 reduced, as on capital and laboS c^try the burden industry is made more p^^ed. hence our tiotgaaDexistrein PruS ^ndlh^Unf^d^^Th" whole condition of the people would be fmproved we should have less crime and pauperis and you kn^w that crime and pauperism are so costly that they caBt a heavy burden upon industry. It may be further remarked that an educated labourer is a much more efficient workman than an ignorant labourer, if therefore, the whole nation was educated, the labour of the country would be made much more productive. This would give us a great advantage in our competf- tion with foreigners, because when labour is made more productive, more is produced by the same amount of work therefore both employer and employed can receive a better remuneration, and at the same time commodities can be sold at a cheaper rate to the con- sumer. But I am chiefly induced to look forward hopefully to the industrial future of this country, because I observe unmistakeable signs which convince me that the relations between employers and employed are destined to be greatly modified and improved. Hitherto labour has been too much regarded as a commodity to be bought and sold just like a sack oi wheat, The employer has striven to buy labour at the cheapest possible rate, and the employed have naturally endea- voured to sell their labour at tbe highest possible price. Employers and employed have thus been Earties to a keenly-contested bargain. It frequently appena that the terms of this bargain cannot be arranged; things must then come to a standstill: a strike ensues, and a heavy loss is inflicted both upon capital and upon labour. If these strikes cannot be prevented, a great danger threatens English industry; for capital and labour, if they have to suffer the loss consequent on strikes, may seek refuge in other coun- tries. Now it has been proved that strikes can be pre- vented if employers and employed, instead of having the feelings of antagonists, are bound together by some of the bonds of common pecuniary interest. Several employers in the north of England, who suffered greatly from strikes, have agreed to give their workmen a certain proportion of the profits realised, when those profits exceed a certain amount, which amount represents a fair return to the master for his capital and for his labour of superintendence. The profits which are thus distributed amongst the men make them interested in the success of the business; employers and employed, instead of being antagonists, are in this way made, in a certain degree, partners. The workmen, being contented, labour with greater efficiency; strikes and other disputes are prevented; and the business obtains a prosperity which it never knew before. Similar happy results will be obtained if workmen are able to subscribe amongst themselves a sufficient amount of capital to carry on a business on their own account, upon the principles of co-operation. I have now indicated various reasons which induce me to think that we have it in our power to secure success in our industrial contest with foreign com- petitors.—Believe me to be, my d"ar sir, vour truly, Mr. John Short. HENRY FAWCETT. p.S.-You may make what use of this letter you Iflce.

THE CATTLE PLAGUE. The Gautte of Friday night contains three orders of the Privy Council, dated the 23d inst., relative to the landing of foreign cattle. The first licenses the port of Southampton for the landing of foreign cattle within the meaning of the Order of Her Majesty, dated the 10th of November last, until the said license shall be revoked or otherwise determined, upon con- dition also that all tbe regulations from time to time prescribed by the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Customs for the landing of cattle at such port be duly observed. The second order describes the pens and sheds erected by the Southampton Dock Company for the reception of such cattle, and licenses them. The third order directs that when foreign cattle are re- moved from the pens or sheds belonging to the said company to any market in the metropolis of London such cattle shaIl be removed by railway only, being loaded into the trucks belonging to the railway com- pany on the rail leading from the railway to the sheds at the docks in which the said cattle are kept, and in tracks exclusively appropriated to this particular traffic, and duly and carefully cleansed and purified after each journey. All toner such cattle intended to be removed elsewhere beyond Southampton shall be removed between six o'clock and six o'clock only until the 31st day of March next, and thenceforth between sunrise and sunset in every day, with a store stock license, with this proviso, that a certificate from the officer of Customs at the said port certifying that the cattle described are healthy and free from cattle plague shall be received in the place of the declaration of the owner, and the certificate to accompany it re- quired by the Order and the license shall refer to such certificate of the said officer instead of the declaration of the owner. It is further ordered that the cattle shall be removed to the place mentioned in the license, and to no other place.

SENDING A NOBLEMAN TO PRISON. In the Court of Queen's Bench, on Thursday, in last week, the case of the Queen v. Lord Ernest Vane, was heard. The case was a criminal prosecution for an assault, instituted ten years ago, when the defendant was abroad, and upon which he had been outlawed, and had lately, upon his return to this country, pleaded "Guilty," and was now called up for judgment. So long ago as 1856 Lord Ernest Vane and the prosecutor, Mr. Thomas Harding Ames, had been cornets in the Queen's Own," a cavalry regiment, then stationed at Brighton. Lord Ernest Vane, who at that time was very young, being scarcely twenty yeacs of age, had, it appeared, fallen into serious pecuniary difficulties, and something very disagreeable kad taken place be- tween the two officers, the result of which was that Lord Ernest Vane had to leave the regiment, and soon afterwards to leave the country. It appears that, among these Hussars, and doubtless in other regi- ments, there had been a practice, of eoBMderable anti. quity, that when a new-comer joined, and had fur- nished his rooms to the best of bis ability and taste, the junior officers should assemble during his absence, break open his door, smash his furniture, and throw his bed out of the window, tear up his carpet and thrust it up the chimney, and then retire quietly to their several quarters. Sometimes the ceremony seems to have been_ varied by their forcibly entering at the dead of night and dragging the new comer from his bed, into which it was usual to pour the contents of his water-jug. The purpose of these rites is not easily comprehended; but the tradition is that they were considered a test of the good-fellowship of the stranger. If he took the destruction of his tables and chairs as a joke, he was thenceforth looked upon as gold which had passed through the furnaoe. It was a rough test worthy of a set of simple-minded young warriors, and was probably wholly ineffective for its purpose—that of distinguishing a good fellow from a bad one. But whether effective or not, it was against the spirit of this age. Lord Ernest Vane's ill fate threw him on tbiB more rigid age. When Mr. Ames joined the regiment, Lord Ernest Vane and his companions began to persecute him with more than the usual vivacity. Mr. Ames resented the offence the disorderly proceedings in the regiment were noised abroad; they were brought before the Comm%nder-in abroad; they were brought before the Comm%nder-in Chief, and the consequence was that Lord Ernest Vane and another officer were dismissed the service. Shortly before he left England nn tba 31st of October, 1856, he met Mr Ames Brighton and spat in his face, calling him a coward and blackguard. On the 15th of Nov 1856 before, as it appeared, any communication had taken place between Lord Ernest Vane and Mr Ames nnnn the subject, Lord Ernest left England. On the 20th of November, 1856, a criminal information was moved against him in this court, and the result was that he was formally outlawed. Last year he came over to this country, got his outlawry reversed (paying 501 tc the prosecutor's attorney for the costs of it) and pleaded guilty to the indictment upon which he was now brought up for judgment. He filed an affidavit, stating that at the time he was greatly annoyed at the loss of his commission, and that he committed the assault complained of while labouring under consider. able mental excitement; that he had left England on account of his pecuniary difficulties, and before he knew of the proceedings against him that he had never been served with process in the prosecution and had not heard of it for two years; and, finally, he declared that he desired to express his sincere regret for the offence which he had committed. It was urged for the prosecution that he had not offered any aooloev to Mr. Ames. 1 v &j Mr. Justice Blackburn alluded to some circumstances which had been urged in mitigation, and then said —But, after all that has been said, there remains still a serious offence, which requires a serious sentence though at the same time the circumstances are such as to induce us to pass as lenient a sentence as pos- sible, consistently with our duty. We do not think that under such circumstances a fine should be im- posed, which would be no punishment to a person in your rank and position. We feel bound to pass a sentence of some severity, and taking all the circum- stances into consideration, our sentence is that you be imprisoned for three calendar months as a first-class misdemeanant. Lord Ernest bowed to the court and was then removed to the prison in which misde- meanants from that court are confined.

The Flaneur of the Morning Star, In commenting upon the above case, says o The general opinion of the public seems to be that the sentence was severe. Taking into consideration the length of time that had elapsed, the fact that the defendant had voluntarily surrendered himself to justice, and the provocation he had received—which latter point, though not set forth, is known to have been great—one would have thought that a month's confinement would have been sufficient. The decision of the judges probably rested on the fact that duelling in England is practioally extinct, and that protection must be found—no matter how late—for such persons who, being assaulted, are from their position in society or other causes debarred the luxury of a rough-and- tumble fight. It is supposed, also, that the defen- dant's persistent refusal to apologise to the prosecutor had its effect on the severity of his sentence. This may be, but the refusal is intelligible. No honourable man would refuse an apelogy where he had been in the wrong, and when he knew his opponent to be in the right. No one can defend Lord Ernest Vane's conduct, but every one mast have their opinion of a man who has his face spat into in a public street, and who wipes out the indignity by an appeal to his solicitor. The negro actor who was not rnueh disturbed by being pelted from the gallery with stones, declared that he wouldn't stand a brick." There are occasions when we must submit to hard language, must keep our hands in our pockets, and our feet on the pave. ment; but to have one's face spat into would surely bring out whatever manhood lay in the least manly of us. The wretched little Aztec who was married the other day would, under such provocation, have tried to kick his opponent's shins. Lord Ernest Vane has had, if all may be believed, a rough time during the last ten years he haB graduated in the school of adversity and we may hope that when, at the end of three months, he comes out of Whitecross-street officially purged of the consequences of his youthful escapades, he will become a useful member of society.

A SUTHERLANDSHIRE SUPERSTITION. A few weeks ago a woman belonging to the wan- dering tribe of tinkers, on entering a house in one of the fishing villages on the Sutherland coast, found that a little child was to all appearance dying. The tinker expressed a wish to see it, and on examining it closely, she said, with a grave and solemn air, that it was suffering from the effects of the evil eye or some such nondescript malady, and that she could cure it, which she would do provided they would follow her directions (we are quoting from the Northern Ensiffn). The mother would do anything or be at any cost to save the life of the child. The directions were then given something as follows :— You must get me a bundle of the best clothes you have, wl5 b ,ou have any remains of your wedding garments, they bundle B" Inore efficacious, and a half-crown piece. This secret tn S" to dlPP«d in a loch, which must be kept a recover andi *s 'Inks in the water, the child shall toer^oveSu^Xtld.8et a P0Und lor her treuble' when These were hard terms to a fisher-wife but what was to be done ? Life is precious. Instant search waa then made for suitable articles to make up the bundle. Among other things, a flannel petticoat and fine caps, which adorned the mother on her bridal. Fine shirts and a seven and sixpenny Bilk neckcloth, which belonged to the father's wedding gear, were produced, and pronounced by the oanny pnygiciau aa the very things needed; but she also required an apron in which to tie them up, so a yonng woman present had to give a span new one which ahe had provided for the forth- coming market, and to part with which was no small sacrifice. Whatever might he the tinker woman's feel. ings on marching off with the bundle, its late owners declared that their hearts were sore on seeing so much good clothing going out of the house; but if it saved life, it must not be grudged A desperate row threat- ened when the father came to miss his seven and six- penny neckcloth, but, M among birds of prey, so among the Sutherland fishers, the husband is the weaker vessel, so he had to content himself with his lot, and keep a quiet sough. Strange to say, the child soon got better, and the tinker was not forgetful of inquiring after her fee.

DEFINITE INFORMATION!" (From the Morning Star.) The Globe, which aspires to be thought a Ministerial organ, was on Monday very severe upon the Liberal journals because they are not in a position to tell the public exactly what the Government is going to do about Reform. It thus shows its own superior know- ledge :— The Cabinet keeps its own secrets,—as every Cabinet ought to do. Bat there are two points upon which we can give definite Information, alike to the public and to nur Radical contemporaries. In the first place, the Cabinet has made up Its mind how to deal with the Reform question. This was settled before the Christmas recess. In the second place, there neither are nor have been any dissensions in the Cabinet on the question such aa the Liberal journals have so freely reported. In short, the policy of the Govern- ment Is settled, and the Cabinet Is agreed. This much we can announce: for the rest the pubUc must wait. The rest happens to be the only thing any one wants to know. For that the public must wait." What a thing it is to be a Ministerial organ and to have definite information I"

Utisallairaras Jiitdligtitte, HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL. To THOSE WHOM IT MAT CONCERN.—The following notice was placarded at the Metropo- litan Extension stations and also at Ludgate-hill terminus on Saturday afternoon :— Take notice that all the fixtures, good*, chattels, and effects In, about, and upon these premises are the property of Major Henry Jelf Sharp, of Kincarrathle, in the county of Perth, and of Hall Rokeby Price, of Cowper'i-court, Cornhlll, In the city of London, Esq., and that the use thereof Is rented of them by the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway Company. Any person or persons Intermeddling or Interfering with ftie same will do so at his or their peril. January, 1867. Few and Co 2, Henrintta-street, London, solicitors for the said H. J. Sharp and II. R Price. This notice is supposed to be specially addressed to sheriffs and their officers to prevent them seizing property in execution. DASTARDLY ACTS IN THE Isle OF ELY.— About ten days since some miscreant poisoned a valu- able setter dog, tbe property of George Samuel Hall, Esq., of Ely. Shortly after, within a day or two, a prize sow with a litter of ten pigs fell a victim, and on Monday last two valuable horses, one a hunter, and the other a valuable thoroughbred hackney mare by Velox, met the same fate. All these animals were poisoned with strichnine, and doubtless by the same individual, as there are particularities in each case that trace the commission of these cowardly acts to the same person. Every attempt to discover the offender and render him amenable to justioe is being made by the London detective and the local police. THE SNOW-STORM IN THE HIGHLANDS.—The John o1 Groat Journal says: We are in the midst of the heaviest snow.storm that has fallen in the north of Scotland for many years. On the Ord the snow- poles, ten feet high, set to be a kind of guide across the hills on occasions like this, are in many cases buried, and in the hollows the accumulation of drift on the road is in some places said to be at least twice the height of the mail coach, so that unless the read is dug, even should a thaw come, there is little or no chance of the mail coach being able to go through for a long time. The horsemen in charge of the bags only saw. the road now and again, and had to clamber over rocks, flounder through bogs and fields, and across ditches and dykes the best way they could, in some cases getting very severe falls. The road between this and Thurso is also completely blocked, and though the mail bags have been twice brought through since the storm began, it has taken a whole day to get the horses over the distance. The Castletown coach on Saturday night got about a quarter of a mile out of town when it stuck in a wreath, breaking the tvaoes, and bad to be brought back. Two gentlemen frmn Castletown, who were going heme are stayed till now." DEATH OF AN EOCINTRIC.—There died recently, at Inverness, aged eighty-two, Mr. Hugh Miller, an eccentric character. He still adhered to the ancientstyle of tying the hair in a cue, and wore the broad blue bonnet in vogue nearly a century ago. The door of Hugh's house had to do service for both bipeds and quadrupeds, the owner and his cattle occupying respectively the opposite ends of the same domicile. To the modern modes of agriculture Hugh was a perfect stranger. He ploughed shallow, sowed his grain at least seven weeks or more later than the ordinary time for doing so, and as might be expected reaped a deficient crop at a corresponding late season in autumn—his motto being that "the worst farmer had his chance of get- ting a good year as well as the best." A DISCiPLE OF ST. COLUMBKILL.—An Irish paper says an extraordinary character, a poor man named Jacob, who frequents Callan and its vicinity, has slept every night for the last four years in the open air, without bedclothes or covering of any kind save a handful of straw which serves for a pillow. He has been often offered lodging, nay forced to take shelter inside doors, but on the first opportunity would make his escape to the ditch side. On being remonstrated with, he always remarks that St. Columbkill punished his body more severely. He is about fifty years of age, and, notwithstanding his "airy life," enjoys good health, and has never been heard to complain of cough, rheumatism, or any dise80lle of the kind. DEATH OF A NATURALIST.—Geological and botanical sciences have lost an energetic observer by the untimely death of Frederick James Foot, Esq. M. A., &c., of the geological survey of Ireland, at the early age of 37, drowned on the 17th January at Lough Key, near Boyle, Ireland, in endeavouring to save the lives of two people who had fallen through the ice while skating. Mr. Foot was appointed to the geological survey in August, 1854, since which time he has contributed several papers upon geological subjects to the British Association, the Geological Society of Ireland, and various periodicals. His oceupation led him much into the wilder and least inhabited parts of the eountry, where he made many observations and discoveries in natural History these for the most part have been recorded in numerous communications to the Natural History Society of Dublin, the Royal Irish Academy, &c. Amongst the most valuable were his notes on the marine zoology and botany on the mammalia of the county of Clare, his botanical chart of the Burren district, in the same county, his dis- coveries of species new to Ireland among the bats inhabiting its caves, and various records of fern stations in Ireland, He leaves a widow and a large circle of friends and relatives to deplore his loss. A PERTINENT QUESTION—Under the hsad of Trades' Unions and Starvation," W. O. M. writes to The Tvms~* On a late Snnday I listened to an eloquent and touching description of the misery of the working classes in the ea«t of London, and, In MCS, «U along the London banks of the Thames. A few days later I attended a meeting of a build- tag committee, which Is engaged In adding a new wing to St. Mary" HospitiI there learnt that our operations had been grreatly delayed, because the Iron girders had not been duly 'orwardea (as promised) from Belgium! Am I wrong in drawing the concinaien that my donation at the church-door a««M»i m saying from starvation those who decline to make Iron girders for our hospital? That this starvation Is in some way a voluntary act on the part of the starvert THB END OF A VENDETTA!—An American paper says that two families of Carter county, Ten- nessee, named* Koberts and Johnstone, have been waging a bloody war between each other for twenty years, during which time fourteen men belonging to these two familIes. have lost their lives. On the evening of the 5th mat, the vendetta came to a bloody end in the streets of Elizabethtown, Tennessee, by the sole surviving males of the Roberts and John- stones. They engaged in a personal altercation which resulted fatally to both This domestic war originated about a very trifling affair. SKATING IN CHICAGO.—The "Chicago Tribune" has the following amongst its advertisements: The ikating season.—West Side.—Rt^. Thb evenlng- This evening. Grand Fancy Dress Carnival and Masquerade. The Ice will be crowded with skaters In costume The rink In a blase of glory Seating accommodations for every one, and a perfect view of the imposing scene. The greatest right ever witnessed In Chicago. At a quarter before nine (first bugle call), the Ice will be cleared off all bat the masqueraders. At 915 the skaters will again take the iee and join the merry circle. At 9 30 (second bugle call) all masks will be removed. Doors open at 7 p.m. Randolph cars will pass the doors every five minutes. Those wishing to eome in costume will be admitted free, on registering their name-, and procuring tickets at Johnson's Skate Dspot or at the ltlnk. SHOCKING BARBARITY.—On Sunday a number of navvies got together in the little village of Unstone near Dronfield, where they imbibed until intoxication followed, and intoxication was succeeded by a quarreL A man named Rowbottom threw his antagonist and then attempted to strangle him. The strangulation process went on until the tongue of the prostrate man protruded. Rowbottom caught the tongue between his teeth, and bit off it a piece measuring one and a half by one and a quarter of an inch. Robins, the injured man, is in a precarious condition. The other man is in custody. FANCY IMPORTATIONS.—There are very few ship-masters who manifest so much interest in this colony as Captain Harrill, for each time the Orient returns she is certain to contribute some items for the especial instruction and amusement of Young Aus- tralia (&ays a South Australian paper.) The present contribution is a most extensive and really interesting one. There are two large casks of gold and silver fish, with a few eels for diversity. Above them are cages, in one of which is a fine badger, while next door there are two coati. On the fore deck-house is a box con- taining a stork and heron, while abaft the mast are pigeons, doves, starlings, monkeys, egrets, &c.—a per- fect menagerie on a small fcale. On the main hatch- way Mr. Jordan has a commodious stall occupied by as fine an entire as could be seen. The Ace of Clubs was a notable horse in England, and his owner may well be proud of him here. A couple of brood mares, in good order, occupy another part of the deck. All the imported stock is in condition reflecting credit on the keepers. THE HERMIT LUCAS.—The hero of Mr. Charles Dickens's Tom Tiddler's Ground," better known in Hertfordshire as "Mad Lucas," has, says the Hertfordshire Express, been in a declining state of health for some time past; the recent cold weather and want of nourishment have brought him into a feeble condition, almost amounting to a state of torpor. His helpless condition has attracted the attention of some of his neighbours, and on Monday last the assistance of the Stevenage police was secured, and an entrance effected into his house at Redcoat's Green, by I sending a boy through one of the windows and unfastening a door inside, The poor misguided I occupant of the dirty house was found coiled up in a Btate of helplessness under the front first-floor window; it oould be understood from him that he had tasted nothing but water since the previous Friday, and had had no fire for months. His aunt and brother in London were communicated with, and on Tuesday his brother came down. It has been reported that by the efforts of his friends the poor fellow has been brought to a state of decency, and removed to a place where he will be taken better care of than he has either the reason or instinct to do for himself, but he refuses to leave his dirty hovel THE CANINB RACE IN FRANCE.—The corre- spondent of the Daily Telegraph sends the following canine statistics of France In 1770 the number of dogs kept In France was so great that a return was ordered to he made, by which it was shown that four miUfens of faithful friends" were daily consuming food. As two dogs oonsumed as much food as a human being, It follows that, In a time of scarcity, the canine race devoured as much as one-sixth of the population, then only 12.000,000. On this return the idea was for a time enter- tained of laying a tax of 6f. on every dog, hoping thus to diminish their number. This project, however, was aban- doned at that time, and only adopted lately; but we do not believe that the number has diminished. Some are doubt- lass useful, but a large proportion in realfty appear only dangerous to the public, without any advantage. THE LAST TASMAN!Alq.-William Lanney, who is going to England, hopes to have the honour of an audience of htr Majesty Queen Victoria, (remarks the Hobart-tovm Mercury.) This is his great ambition. But he is very proud of the notice taken by the Governor and Mrs. Gore Browne of himself and his four country-women at the birthday levee and ball. He has been well satisfied with life at Oyster Cove, where plenty of rations were supplied to him, and boating and various healthy outdoor occupations were found for him. He writes a fair hand, can read well, and may be said to be intelligent. He is about 29 years old. We have no doubt King William will be well received in England. A CURIOSITY.-The "Dundee Advertiser" says The other day, as an ordinary-sized orange, purchased In town, was being opened, it was found that there was another orange of smaller size lnride. The second one was situated exactly In the centre of the large one, and was about an Inch in diameter. It was perfectly formed, with rind, tissue, seeds, &c., all of course In miniature; and a very curious circumstance was that the rind, though it had been entirely' covered up by the substance of the ex- terior orange, and therefore shut out from flight, was of the same yellow colour as the rind of ordinary oranges. THE VICTORIA CRoss.-A Royal proclamation, countersigned by General Peel, was published in the London Gazette of Friday night, formally extending the right of obtaining the Victoria Cross to any person serving with our troops, under the orders of a general or other officer, under circumstances which would entitle an officer or soldier of our army to be recom- mended for the said decoration, in accordance with the rules and ordinances prescribed in our said recited warrant, and provided, also, that such person shall be recommended for it by such general or other officer." It is also provided that a similar privilege shall be en- joyed by those "who may hereafter be employed in the local forces raised, or which may be raised, in our colonies and their dependencies, and who may be called upon to serve in co-operation with our troops, in military operations which it may be necessary to undertake for the suppression of rebellion against our anthority, or for repelling invasion by a foreign enemy." ARTIFICIAL FLOATING ISLANDS.—Among the curiosities promised for the approaching French exhibi- tion are floating islands on the Seine at Billancourt, aa may be seen on the great lakes in China. The inhabi- tants of the celestial empire construct immense bamboo rafts, on which a layer of earth is spread, and this being planted soon forms a vast field covered with vegeta- tion. The man erects his tent in the centre, and then trusts himself with his family to the waters. This moving oasis usually drifts about at the mercy of the winds, but if required to be directed is provided with masts and sails, or with cables and anchors for render. ing it stationary. AUSTRALIAN BEARS.—A white native bear is a curiosity that we never saw or even heard of until the 3rd inst. Such an animal, however, was brought into town on that day, from the Ironbark forest, where it was obtained by Mr. Banfather, a farmer, residing at Jan Juc (we are quoting from the Geelong Register.) Native bears of a dark brown and also of a slate colour are not at all uncommon, but perfectly white ones have been, we believe, hitherto almost unknown. These animals are usually very sluggish, and generally sleep all day this one, however, is lively, and sits up looking at the spectators out of eyes of a pretty light blue oolour. An enthusiastic admirer of native pro- ducts purchased the animal, and presented it to Mr. Bunee for exhibition at the Botanical Gardens, where it is likely to be an attraction for some time. AN OLD WOMAN'S DARK MOON.—The fol- lowing is taken from a Wigan paper:— The other day the sum of 60Z. was stolen from the house of Mr. Martland, farmer, Buracough. The circumstances caused a great sensation In the district, and suspicion feU upou the servant girl, who had that morning left her place. It appears that the money was Mrs. Martland's dark moon"—that is. money saved unknown to her husband— which she had deposited In a bag In the wall under the stairs. The police-officer at once made a search, and after removing several bricks found fragments of a bag and Ill. in gold. The officer pursued his course, and afterwards found 6U. In different parts of the wall to the great delight of the husband. Mrs. Maryland appears to have put Indian meal in the bag to keep the gold from rusting, as she said, and the rats had thus been tempted to run away with her dark moon." A MATRIMONIAL RUMOUR.- The Court Journal" has heard a rumour that a noble lord, whose name ever figures prominently before the public in connexion with the Volunteer movement, is about to contract a matrimonial engagement with a young lady of great present and prospective wealth. The bride is understood to be just of age. She, moreover, is reported to be of great beauty, inheriting that ad- vantage probably from her partially Greek origin, and is understood to possess an unusual share of social talents and acquired accomplishments. If report speaks truly, something like a "plum" will be her dower on her marriage day, but it is believed that she will eventually inherit much more from her father, one of our wealthiest Greek merchants. Is THIS RUMOUR TRUE ?— The Flaneur of the Morning Star writes :— Upon the occasion of his marriage with the Princess Helena, Prince Christian of Schleswlg-Holsteln was ap- pointed a major-general In the British army. It was then announced that the appointment was purely honorary, and that there would consequently be no Interference with the promotion of the officer8 of the regular army. A rumour is now current In military circles that this decision is to be set aside, and that on the occurrence of the first opportunity Prince Christian Is to have the colonelcy of one of the regi- ments of the Household Brigade. This is but a rumour at psesent—tolerably weil authenticated, it in true, and,believed In by many wbo vainly wish to discredit it; but still only a rumour. Consequently one waits before offering any further remarks on a proceeding which would be in Itself iniquitous, and of the greatest possible detriment to the interests of the British service. INTERESTING BIRTHS !—The birth of a camel in this country is a very rare event, but on Friday, while the menagerie (No. 1) of Mrs. Wombwell was proceeding from Cheltenham to Oxford, one of the lady camels exhibited symptoms of an inclination to add to the camel population of the country. She was accordingly accommodated in the stable of an inn, where she produced a fine single-hump male camel. Singularly enough the event was not many minutes old when the announcement was made that another female camel in the same menagerie was taken ill, and in a short time a second baby camel was added to the collection, this time a double-humped female. The mother, in the first case, is an Arabian, and her young one had early to be removed from her and brought up by hand," owing to her unmotherly treatment of it. The othc." camel is a Bactrian, and very fond of the baby, paying it the greatest atten- tion, and covering it with her long mane when it lies down. The happy father of both youngsters is a magnificent double-humped Bactrian.

EPITOME OF NEWS. BRITISH AND FOREIGN. The American Congress has passed a bill requiring the Government to make its sales of gold in public, and to the highest bidder. The Irish Times states that it has been determined to provide a residence for bis Royal Highness the Prince of Wales In Ireland, where the prince will, In future, spend some portion of every year. Official returns show that there were 265 bears killed in the state of Maine during the year 1866, 109 being killed in Penobscot county alone, and 45 In Lincoln township. It is said that his Holiness the Pope recently thus touched off the heads of our Liberal party, lately resident In Rome Lord Clarendon," observed Pio Nono, I like and understood. Mr. Gladstone I liked, but couldn't understand. The Duke of Argyll I understood, but didn't like. Lord Russell I didn't like and didn't understand." Sundry artists and other clever men of Paris, weary of rltnlnlllt la mode, have formed themselves into an asso- ciation 1Unatoire. The twelve original members had their first dinner last week. No person is admitted who is not in peasant's dress, with blouse and cotton nightcap. The menu of the first dinner at Brebants was a pattern feast: cabbage, soup, roast mutton, cheese, and salad. Dessert, apples. Wine on table tn jugs. A law exists in Germany to prevent drinking on the Sabbath daring Divine service. It runs thus" Any person drinking in an alehouse during service on Sunday, or other holiday, may legally depart without paying." Sixteen thousand dollars have been subscribed in New York for the failill-a of the unfortunate men who were lost fiom the yacht Fleetwing, and they are to have a theatrical benefit in that city, at which the principal New York actors will perform. The Memorial of Amiens states that the town of Lille learnt with affright on Saturday last that M. Pollet, head of an important bank in that place, had died suddenly in the night, and that the house the next morning had stopped payment. The liabilities are estimated at fifteen millions of francs. A conference assembled at the invitation of the National Sunday League, was held on Tuesday, in St Martin's Hall, London, to consider the grounds ot difference of those who advocate and those who oppose the opening of the national museums and educational institutions on Sunday. The Bremen ship Maria, Captain Meyer, is shortly expented at with the library, painting*, and other effect* of the ^^otte. The cargo constat* of 622 chest*, Insured for 20,000t. There was a great Reform demonstration at New- castle on Monday. The coaly town showed that It has become no whit less earnest than It ever was in the cause of popular freedom. A great out-door meeting was held in the afternoon, at which many thousands of working men were present. A few days ago a young man named Reed, son of a farmer near Honiton, Devon, was out walking with his father in the fields. Suddenly the gun, which he carried In his pocket, went off, and wounded him gp dreadfully that in a few hours afterwards he expired. One of the smallest elephants ever imported into E"(iland arrived at Liverpool on Sunday last, In the ship Frigate Bird, from Rangoon. This curiosity is only three feet high, very docile, and, on Its way up from the ship to the house of the naturalist who bought it, went into a public-house, and, Inserting the end of Its trunk into a jug of beer that was on the bar-counter, sucked up the contents, much to the surprise of those present. The United States' government is preparing for an active and vigorous campaign against the hostile Indian tribes of the extreme west. Troops, horses, and munitions of war are being concentrated at Leavenworth, Omaha city, and other points on the Upper Missouri, and the campaign will begin with the opening of spring. All the military posts on the plains are to be strengthened at once, A general attack and massacre is feared from the Indians, and the frontlei settlers are In greaftkead ot their lives. The opening of the French Chamber is announced for Thursday, Feb. 14; and it is a rather curious coinci- dence that the two great events of the se"son, the opening of Parliament and the inauguration of the Exhibition, should be fixed for two great festivals of the Church—St. Valen- tine s day and All Fools'-day. On Sunday night, Mr. Fisher, surgeon, Hudders- neld, committed suicide by shooting himself In his bedroom with a revolver. The shot entered his right temple. His gearing the report went upstairs and found him lying dead on the floor. There was a. great ball at the Hotel de Ville, in t «0Ij £ hur,day, in last week, when some thousand ladles and two thousand gentlemen partook of the hospi- tality of M. and Madame Haussmann. The great event of the evening was the dress of Mme Rlmsky Korsakow, the train of which took up standing room for about ten men. A large boiler at the Helton Coal Railway, Sunder. land, exploded on Saturday, doing immense damage to property, but very little injury to persons. The work— from which the workpeople were absent at the time-were reduced to ruins, and several other buildings In the neigh- bourhood, Including some dwelling houses, were seriously damaged Two or three persons were struck by flying debris, but were not seriously hurt. An odd illustration of the habits of mediaeval prleuts In England occurs in a treatise now being edited for 'he Early English Text Society, Mirk's Duties of a Parish Priest." The writer is instructing the priest how to baptise a child, and suddenly pntl in, "But if you are too drunk to say the words of baptism In their proper order. what should you do? Don't say them, by any means. Wait till another time." Let us hope that the necessity for delay did not occur very often. An interesting race has taken nlace between two American clipper ships, the Luis Walsh and the Charlotte W. White, both of Belfast, Maine, from Calls 0 to Algesiras. These two vessels sailed from CaUao on the 26th of Septem- he,, last, at the same hour, and kept company for fifty-four days, passing Cape Horn on the twenty-sixth day. On the w ,°r jMmary lnet afc^n off Gibraltar, when the Luis Walsh won the race by twenty-five minutes, after a passage of 1^4 days. The death is announced of the Countess of Devon. The sad event took place at Powderham Castle on Sunday. Her ladyship was married to the Earl of Devon in 1830. She was sister of the late Earl Fortescue, and is aunt of the present earl. The deceased lidy leaves two children- Lord Courtenay and Lady Agnes Courtenay. M. Thiers, when informed of the changes made in the French Corps Leglslatif, is said to have observed The Emperor gave, and the Emperor hath taken away; glory to the Emperor." c The medal purchased by the contributions of 30,000 Frenchmen, to be presented to Mrs. Lincoln as a token of respect for the memory of her husband, was transferred to the widow, without pomp or ceremony, the other day, by the agent sent for the purpose. It is stated that the Rev. W. J. Butler—the gentle- man who was elected by Bishop Gray's friends to the Bishopric of Natal, now occupied by Biohop Colenlo-has, after consultation with his advisers, decided to "postpone" his acceptance of the office till he has received "more satis- factory information concerning the circumstances of his election." In October last, a shipwright, while struggling with a policeman, at Liverpool, fell into a graving dock, and was killed on the spot. He managed to inflict several severe in- juries on the policeman which caused his death on Friday. The Sunday Gazttte compares the several Reform Bills Introduced by Liberal Ministers with the Derby Reform Bill of 1859, and with the exception of the attempt of the latter measure to curtail the privileges of freeholders In boroughs, sees no reason why the two great parties In the State should not come to a satisfactory settlement of the Reform question. One day last week, it being a fine, cold day, one Ernest Mahner Jumped into the Rhine at Mayence, and swam a considerable distance with the stream. The hardy swimmer has long dubbed himself the German Apostle of Health," and by example, as well as precept, endeavours to make his countrymen as indifferent to cold and fatigue as Tacitus says they were. The Minister of War in France has just decided that In future every man In the army, in addition to the ordi- nary drill of the branch of the service to which he belongs, shall receive Instruction In fencing. A watch has been patented, without hands, that shows on Its face no figures but those which tell the hour and minute looked for. The figures are displayed as they are wanted, and no others appear on the watch face. Young Mortara, whose abduction some years back caused such excitement in Europe, has Just entered the Church of St. Peter's, at Rome, as a novice, before joining the order of regular canons of 8t. Jean-de-Latran. at Rome. He Is now fifteen years old. A letter from the Grisons reports the fall of red snow to the depth of three Inches. The fall lasted about two hours, and was succeeded by white to double that depth. The phenomenon In qnestion Is not uncommon, and Is due to the presence of a microscopic mushroom, the proto-coctus nivalis. We regret to say that the Earl of Derby, who since his return to London had enjoyed excellent health, Is now suffering from an attack of gout. A clerk in the General Post Office of fifteen years' standing, ha* been charged before tbe Lord Mayor with stealing a letter containing a bank post blU of the value of 1072. He was remanded for further examination. Great distress prevails throughout the country, owing to the high price of bread. The English Independent announces that the Rev. Henry Christopherson, late minister of New College Con- gregational Chapel, St. Johm'e-wood, is about to take orders in the Church of England. The third of Mr. Goldwin Smith's lectures on the Political History of England was delivered on Monday evening at Manchester. Mr. Goldwin Smith selected Pitt as the subject of his lecture, and confined his remarks to the earlier portion of the stateman's career, intending to take the latter portion of it as the subject of his concluding lecture. A Newsboy of Toronto, named Henry Martin, has fallen heir to 200,000 dollars, in Texas. A feature of the French Exhibition is to be a Japanese coffee-house, with eight genuine Japanese girls, already on their way to Paris as waiters. It is calculated that about 300,0001. has been lost to the men in wages alone by the recent strike In the Iron trade, while the contributions which the ULion gave to some 3,000 out of the 12.000 loeked out did not exceed 10,COOJ„ leaving a net loss of 290.0°0l., and by far the greater portion of the hands had no assistance whatever, and were compelled to endure the greatest privation and suffering. The Eusealduna, a journal of Bilbao, in Spain, states that on the arrival of a train at Brujala a few days » *»x third-class passengers were found to be com- pletely Insensible from cold, and two are not likely to re- cover. The windows of the carriage occupied by them were not even glazed. Notwithstanding the repeated cautions which the public have received against the use of green paper for covering the walls of rooms, &c., from the dangerous effect. so Insidiously produced by the arsenic which forms the basis of the colouring matter of the most attractive buea- another death from this cause has just taken place at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London. The death of the Marquis of Exeter, which has been for some time expected, calls up his son Lord Burghley to the House of Lords, and thereby creates a vacancy 10 the House of Commons for North Northamptonshire, as well as In the Treasurership of the Queen's Household which Lord Burghley has held since Lord Derby's accession to office. If the Mexicans have not yet succeeded in making tbemselTes a nation, they have, at any rate, made themselves a difficulty. Their destinies form a subject of embarrassing Interest to more than one great Pewer, and a complete puzzle to the whole world. They are regarded as a people 'in- capable of self-government,' and they have certainly never yet been able either to govern themselves or to accept a Governor at the hands of any other nation. "-Tima. An appropriate memorial of the late Mr. Joseph Sturge has been sent out to Jamaica. Memorial" is scarcely the word, for the fund which was raised at Birmingham was expended in the purchase of lamps, and bells, and clocks for some of the native chapels, to the great delight of both the missionaries and the coloured people. We have to announce the sudden death of the Countess Dowager of Jersey, which occurred on Saturday night at her ladyship's London residence In Berkeley-square. It appears that, after a cheerful dinner, and to every appearance in excellent health, the countess shortly after ten o clock went to her dressing-room. In a few minutes the household were alarmed by a violent ringing of her bell, and, on an attendant going into the apartment, the countess said she feared she had broken a blood-vesseL Medical aid was Immediately obtained, but to no purpose, for her lady- ship expired shortly before eleven o'clock. Colney Hatch madhouse at present contains over 2,000 patient*. The question between Mr. De la Poer and Major Wombwell Is, after all, not settled. The case was before the Court of Exchequer In DubUn on Saturday, and it Is I stated that the defendant now means to fight It out ) the Court of Exchequer In Dublin on Saturday, and it Is I stated that the defendant now means to fight It out ) The allegation la that Major Wombwell on the 29th ol December said of Mr. De la Poer, publicly, He's a- Fenian," meaeing that he belonged to the Fenian brother- hood. Major Wombwell "traverses the defamatory sense imputed." The Maasachnsets spiritualists have been holding a convention in Boston, which Is characterised by the usual blasphemous nonsense. A model spiritualist is under arrest in Norwich. Connecticut, for attempting to murder his daughter. HI* proce** has been to deprive her entirely of food. He began by restricting her to a diet of one bowl of puel each day for twenty-one day* for the forty days fol- lowing she had, by her own showing, nothing to eat or drink. Finally, she crawled out of a third-storey window and fell to the ground, where, badly hurt, she was dis- covered. The inquest in reference to the ice accident in London, waa brought to a conclusion on Monday. The Jory returned a special verdict of some length, finding that the catastrophe was accidental, but attributable to the ice being over-crowded. It urged upon the GovernmenUhe necellity of investing the police or park authorities with powers to prevent persons in the parks venturing upou Ice If it be In an unsound state, and suggested a reductfon in the depth of the ornamental lakes in the metropolis. It praised the efforts made to save life, expfMd tympathy with the friends of the deceased, aDd commended the Humane Society to more liberal suppor* from the public. An Austrian phyfic^?', Meyer, who was with the army in the camp»^|? »ast year, has committed mur- der and suicide to the debtors' prison, at Bremen. tended to go to America, and as he was without means a relative, u f g' Undertook to pay his passage and "t'theform*; w T t Jhetr "rival Bremen he found tb»* «»«' fo*mer had already sailed. He fell Into debt, »nd waa in consequence arrested. Hi* wife having visited "irterv h« hind k a penknife, and then opening \° death- He was only thirty-one years of age, and his wife twenty-five. ^as reached the John Bull that a serious iegai nitch has most unexpectedly arisen with regard to the prosecution ot Mr. Eyre by the Jamaica Committee. "Its exact nature has not been allowed to transpire, bat it Is re- ported to be of such a character as may not only compel the agitators to desist from extracting funds to attack an officer and servant to the Queen, but may enable Mr. Eyre to indict those promoting it for conspiracy. Certain statutes are said to have been overlooked by those who drew up the case for counsel's opinion, which have a most direct bearing upon the above points." A person in London wishing to prepay a letter to Rome has to pay 8d.; but If he poats his letter without pre- paying It, it Is delivered in Rome for 6Jd., and letter* from Rome to England, whether unpaid or prepaid, cost but 5id. Several English gentlemen residing In Rome, have applied to tbe General Post Office for an explanation of this anomaly, but can obtain none—at least none that they can under- stand. Mr. Hill throws the blame of the overcharge on the French Post Office, and the gentlemen reply, that If the French Post Office make an unjust overcharge of 2kd. on each paid letter from London to Rome, It should be the special duty of the English Post Office to see that the im- position is abated. Upon the subject of the tombs of soldiers buried in France, the Emperor Napoleon has addressed a letter to Viscount Hood, of which the following is a translation "Palace of the Tuilerles, Jan 20, 1867. Sir, I learn with regret from your letter, that the tombs of the English officer* killed at the battle of Toulouse are In a state of decay. Soldiers who fall on a foreign land belong to that land, and it is the duty of all to honour their memory. I shall take upon myself the expense of repairing these tombs. Receive the assurance of my sentiments.—NAPOLEON." The fortunes of the great Hungarian family of Esterhazy appear to be on the decline. Prince Esterhazy's celebrated breeding establishment at Ozora, after having flourished for nearly two centuries, has been brought to the hammer. It had been very much reduced a few years ago, and family circumstances have now rendered its entire discontinuance necessary. Twenty-six horses, the last that remained, were sold a week ago, and fetched good prices. The celebrated jewels of the family, including the pearl embroidered suit, the hat with its diamond plume and band, the sword and scabbard studded with costly gems, are also, we have beard, In the possession of a well-known Jeweller In London Tennessee legislature ekes out his Income by .ervlngas a waller In a restaurant. wX°rkTbfr»nSf?hP?rain been partly under water this p £ tri>,M.8Wollen al,the streams and rivers in the Inorth and East HI ings: and what were before fields and meadows, h8ve been turned into vast lakes, spreading away for miles Many of the road* were under water, ana on Saturday fears were entertained that railway communl- cation would in some instances be cut off. A man was lately ridden out of East Haddam, Connecticut, on a rail, for having ventured Improper atten- tlons t^ a married womnn. A black girl at Shelbyville, Indiana, has com- menced a suit against a white man for breach of promise of marriage. Three men were killed, and seven others seriously injured, on Monday. while hoiotlng up timber at tbe carriage works of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company. at Manchester. A load of timber had been rahed to the npper storey, when the chains of the hoist snapped, and men and timber fell to the ground. The Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Rail. way Company have made a» rangeroents for supplying the engine-driver, guard, and stoker of every train with hoi coffee at various station* on their line during severe weather. A sad case was disclosed at the Liverpool coroner's court on Saturday A poor woman named Brown, the wife of a labourer. was without food for two or throe days, and pelng unable to afford any nourishment to her infant child it died in her arras from sheer hunger Neither Mr*. B'own nor her husband bad applied to the authorities for relief. The coroner directed that 5*. should be given to the mother from the poor-box. Some of the Spanish journals state that M. Borella, propnetor of the tIokl de France at Madrid, and Hotel de P«^O' offer* to supply 400,000 dinners a day at Paris during the Exhibition, at lfr. a head. They are to consist of soup and three dishes. Some persons were examining a horse at Rosy-sous- ? an,mal, having been Incautiously touched, kicked out with great force. The blow struck a bystander straight In the breast with such force that the man's death was instantaneous. The Great Northern Railway Company intend to open their branch line from Doncaster to Gainsborough on the 1st of March next, the works being in such a forward state as to justify this expectation. The Queen has conferred the rank of baronet on Sir James Emerson Tenent. who, among other public services, li the author of the recent scientific works on Ceylon. There is no prospect of a settlement of the wages dispute in the Staffordshire Iron trade. The men appear to be adopting the policy which led to the last disastrous lockout, accepting the reduction in some districts, in order that they may fight the masters ift detail, and support the men who are out In the districts where a strike Is resolved upon. The proposal of her Majesty's Commissioners for the Paris Exhibition to present at one view, as nearly as practicable, every publication which has iisued from the precs of the United Kingdom during the year 1866, haa made, it Is stated, very successful progress towards com- pletion. Upwards of 3,000 volumes have been contributed by the various publishers as a loan for exhibition, and almoct all the leading firm* In London and Edinburgh have lent in their publications of the year, including many of a magnificent and costly character. ''A large leopard attached to a menagerie exhibiting In Cincinnati escaped from Its cage on Monday, and after devouring a couple of small dogs attacked the elephant. That animal, however declined to be eaten, and In a few moments the assailant found itself hurled against the bars of the lions' cage, bruising it considerably, but still not daunting it. In the meantime, the keepers having armed themselves with iron bars, succeeded in capturing the ferocious animal and re-caging it. to th it its iream of liberty on New Year's Day vanished."—American Paper. It is stated by a Florence correspondent that at a dinner given In Mr. Gladstone's honour by some members of the Italian Parliament, the right hon. gentleman delivered a speech that excited the admiration of his entertainers, so intimate was the acquaintance displayed by the English statesman with the language and literaure of Italy. Unfortu- nately. It had been especially requested on the part of Mr. Gladstone that no shorthand writer should be present on the occasion. The Times draws a lesson from the fact that the Republic of Chill, a little State with an Income of a million and a quarter, and an expenditure of a million and a half, has applied to this country for a loan of 2,000.0001, and the application has been answered by an offer of 17,000,000i, and a scramble for the stock at 11 premium. Nothlng can be clearer than that there is capital enough and to spare, and that money is lacking for the purposes of industry, not because It is lost, but because there Is a fear of losing it. The Times gives some particulars about the health of Lord Llanover, which has been the subject of numerous alarming paragraphs in some of the daily papers lately. It appears that his lordship has never had any Illness, although he has been suffering from a severe operation recently per- formed for a tumour in the cheek, which came on after a blow from the rebound of a new gun, which he was trying. But it II the opinion of his medical attendants that he Is in as favourable a state as they could possibly expect under the circumstances, and that his natural good health and rigorous constitution are uninjured. th^t«DinaU^ 4.merican news 18 the letting of Time! chnrch- The New York before » ,»Jt took place off the evening of the 8th Inst., belore a very large congregation, Mr. PUlsbury officiating as auctioneer The highest premium offered vu 650 dols., Dut several choice pews fetched above 300 dols. premium. The total receiptslast year for pew rents and premiums amounted to 43,000 dols.; this year they will exceed 60,000 doll. All but a few back seats were disposed of at the auction. The Paris correspondent of the Morning Post gives an interesting account of the Russian village that Is being formed In the space around the Exhibition, and of the peasants who are engaged In forming It. The moujiks he tells us. are by no means pleased with the French capital; but It was observed during the late severe weather that they were somewhat less despondent than usual, and on seeing the snow fall one of them exclaimed, Ah, well, there Is somethlnR good to be found here," and opened his mouth to catch lome of the fa11lrg tiakes. n An inhabitant of Lyons left his home one morning recently on business. In the evening a woman with whom he lived went to meet him. She found him lying insensible In the snow, and set to work to empty his pockets and remove his watch then she tried to take out his earrings, but not being able to succeed, she cut off both his ears with a pair of scissors She has since been amsted. On the 24th of January, at the Parsonage. Henley- in-Arden, Warwickshire, died Mary, the wifu of William Howard RUF8..J1. LL.D.. the well-known special correspon- dent of The Times The deceased was second daughter of Mr. Peter Burrows, of Kllbarrack, oounty Dublin, and was married to Mr Russell la 1846 During the height of the Crimean war she went out to the East to her husband, and was by accident present at the battle of Tchernaya, where she rendered asslstanue to the wounded Russians During Mr. Russell's absence In India In 1858 she had a serious illness, from which she never completely recovered and, after the death of her last (born November 14, i860), she sank gradually to her rest. other day a well-dressed young man called at a ? shop In Ludgate-hlli, London. He made some warmth 'J16 remarkable change In the weather and the with a handfoi* and took ofr hl» hat. placing It, together He put tMeo upon HI. da, SJ shop was rather dark, and the intending purchaser moved towards the window apparently to get a bKetter lf suddenly opened the door and ran away, leaving his hat and stick. He did not return, and as the articles he left behind him were not equal to the value of the rings the police have been asked to look out for him, to give him an introduction to a magistrate. A mysterious case of suspected murder is reported from Warrington. The body of a brewer, who went out shooting wild ducks a week ago. was found on Friday, In a secluded place, watched over by a faithful dog, whose howls had attracted a casual wayfarer to the spot. The man had evidently died from a gun-shot wound received three or four days previously, and it was at tirst thought that he had sholi himself by accident. But his gun, found lying by bis side, was afterwards discovered to be loaded in both barrels. His pockets were not rifled, and he was not known to have any enemies. If not murdered, It is thou^t likely that he may have been accidentally shot by some offi» person out shoot ing at the same time. On Monday a Reform demonstration in connection with the National Reform League, comprising a number of working men belonging to trades' unions—Joiner*, stone- Lr,> shoemaker*, cork-cutters, metal bricklayers, <fec.—took place In Exeter. There was *on' accomP&nied by four bands, and a public Thf.i g at which Sir John Bowrlng presided, iQere little or no enthusiasm in the city, scarcely a na? or banner having been exhibited at the house* of the citizen*. There were, however, a good many in the proces- sion, and many of the manufactories were closed for the day.