The Aberystwith Observer

NO IDEAL CASE. A correspondent, signing himself A Man above Forty," has sent the following letter to the London Times for publication A number of carpenters refuse 35s. per week, and here am I, a tolerably well-educatdd man, of unimpeachable cha- racter, who now and at any time these three years would have been glad to take half that sum, and who, when my most pressing wants were somewhat relieved, though perhaps wishing for more, by no means disposed to seek it by a strike and a return to idleness and" ant, doomed day by day to make ineffectual applications for employment, until the old complaint of heart sickuess has become chronic. When I look back I wonder at not being in either the union or tne grave, and when I look forward I see-owing princi- pally to the, alas inevitable increase of what has often and often been my sole difficulty, age-I see even less hope of avoiding one or the other in the future. f However, if you would kindly publish this, the carpenters folly might be my succour, and I hereby register a vow that, should I obtain employment thereby, I will devote ten per cent. ot my earnings, whatever they may be, to my present eqtial2- he poor. equals—the poor. Mine is no ideal case, aud though I cannot, from having long since dispensed with such evidences of gentility, enclose my card, I beg to add my name and address as an available guarantee to you, and a means of finding me to any one dis- posed to take the hint.

SUICIDE IN A GAOL. An inquest has been held in the Tothill-flelds Female House of Correction, in London, on the body of Mary Ann Day. aged 63. The deceased was at one time housekeeper to a nobleman in Ireland, and ultimately cook and house- keeper to a gentleman at Hampton. She was im- pressed with tte idea tbather master had fallen in love with her and would make her his wife, but as the offer was not made she threw up her situation, and went to live with her sister. She stole out at nights, and on her return frequently said that her lover had been walking about with her. Ultimately she was sent to a lunatic asylum at Camberwell, where having re- mained some time she was discharged upon the usual certificate of her health having been restored. Some short time after she absented herself from her sister's house, and nothing more was heard of her until her death in the piison. Mrs. Ann Clark identified the body as that of her sister, who was a single woman, of no occupation. She had been in a lunatic asylum, but left there in March or April last, and had lived with the witness, was given to wandering about at nights. She was very quiet, and could be dealt with as a child. She suddenly absented herself, and nothing more was heard her until the mote came from the prison that she Was dead. Mr. Matheson, chief clerk of the prison, produced the commitment paper of the deceased to three months imprisonment, with hard labour, as a rogue and a "vagabond, and not giving a satisfactory account ot herself. There were two other commitments agains her, each occurring a few days after the other, an after her departure from her sister's house at Balham. She was last received in the prison OIl the 26th of December of last year. Annie Maria Payne, sub-warder, sai liad been some time under her charge, 7 had been employed at needlework She had been under medical treatment, and was ordered extra food. Her task was to pick three pounds of oakum daily but she never did it, and afterwards being:a old woman, she was put on •« unfit work, that is, finishing the partially picked work of other prisoners. Some of the prisoners picked the three pounds by one o'clock in the day. On Monday the deceased took her break- fast exercised, and went into her cell, and then rang her bell several tirMS. About four o'clock in the afternoon witness went to give her some water, and having unlocked the cell door saw her standing by the wall. The witness went in and then saw that the de- ceased was hanging by the prison shoulder shawl round her neck from the bell handle. Her knees were bent and her feet under her. The witness lifted lier up and held her until assistance arrived, when the shawl was undone, and she was then placed on the ground and rubbed, while a mustard poultice was put on her chest. She sighed once and died. Mrs. Cruffey, the chief warder, on examination, said the deceased at times appeared childish, and was never violent. Insanity was never suspected. She had given her sister's address. The medical evidence showed that the cause of death was strangulation by hanging. The jury re- turned a verdict of "Suicide under temporary in- sanity."

ESCAPE OF BRIGANDS IN ITALY. The Italian papers inform us of the escape of 33 brigands from their prison in the fortress of Taranto (says the Florence correspondent of The Times). They smashed the door, slew the sentry, fought the guard, and finally got away, leaving one of their number dead upon the field of battle. The fugitives were pur- sued, and, up to the latest accounts, one more of them had been killed and three wounded and captured, leaving eight of these fierce and desperate ruffians still at large for the benefit of the public. Cases of this kind have lately been of frequent occurrence in Italy, showing great laxity, and perhaps corruption. There seems no longer any security in Italian prisons. The most atrocious criminals-for whom, if their lives be spared out of deference to a morLid philanthropy, escape should at least be rendered utterly imposiiibl.e-break their bonds and bars again and again Witness the case of the infamous Coda, thrice a fugitive from Italian cells, and reserved at last to grace a French scaffold. Only the other day a malefactor named Ceneri, wlio was being conveyed by sea from one prison to another without, as it seemed, any urgent necessity for the ■ change, and who appears to have enjoyed on board an extraordinary degree of liberty for a person in his circumstances, was quietly fetched off in a boat by some of his confederates, and made good his escape. From Paullo, in the province of Modena, two notorious criminals recently escaped. In short, numbers of such cases might be cited, and it would be curious to keep a register of them, and to ascertain how many robbero and murderers contrive to break out in the course of the year.

A FIRE AT SEA. By the arrival at Liverpool of the steamer Java we learn of a fearful conflagration, which was witnessed off Sable Island by the steamers Palmyra and William. Penn, which have reaohed New York:- Captain Watson, of the former vessel, reports that on the evening of the 12th ult., when off Sable Island, he saw a ship on fire. He at once bore up, firing rockets and burning bluelights all the time, and steamed round the burning vessel, hut could find no trace whatever of the crew. The ill-fated vessel was American built, of about 1,500 tons burden. Her jibbooms were standing, with jibs carefully furled, and she was burning below decks. Captain BiIbnge, of the William Penn, adds, The light of the burn- ing vessel could be seen seventy miles off, a? approaching as near as prudence dictated, he fo"B, to be an American ship of about 1,000 tons bur- den, its position being ninety miles *rom, Island. The flames shot out of the hold with great fury, and the thick clouds of black spoke, intermingled with them in a peculiarly threatening manner As it was night, rockets were: fired at intervals of two and three minutes, as a. evidence to the crew of the burn- ing ship, if anywhere m the vicinity, that friends were ready to relieve them m their extremity, but he bad no response, and then a boat was lowered, with the second mate in charge, who pulled round the burn- ing wreck. This examination led the crew of the boat to surmise, and this supposition is freely endorsed by Captain Billingo, that the vessel was laden with petro- leum, and had been on fire at least two days. She was of black hull, and the fire bad commenced in her hold, the name on her stern being totally obliterated. Her sails and masts were still in the water alongside near the hull, and as the waves flowed into her ports the flames shot up with renewed fury, sending still thicker clouds of smoke upwards and around. Being fine weather, with the sea fortunately very smooth, Captain Billinge believes that the crew of the burning ship, as soon as she was discovered to be on fire, had taken to their boats, and unless rescued by some passing vessel not yet heard from, they, with the favourable wind then blowing, had sailed for and reached Sable Island. ——

THE HIGH SHERIFF MUCH TO ANSWER FOR! Mr. G. F. Train's lecturing tour is not likely to prove so profitable a speculation as he was sanguine enough to expect. In Waterford, Clonmel, and Limerick he has been refused the use of the public rooms to hold his performance in. He was announced to address an audience in Sligo on Friday, night, m last week, but there, too, he was refused, and obliged to postpone his "lecture." He intends to renew his attempt upon Dublin, and, discarding the suppert ot the classes who take reserved seats, he hopes, or least the manager hopes, to induce a large assembly to attend by reducing the price of admission to a low figure. Mr. Train's visit to Sligo was partly to assist Colonel" Nagle, and this he proposed to do effect- ually, as appears from the characteristic corares- pondence which is subjoined RE "CROWN V. NAGLE." Imperial Hotel, Sligo, Feb. IS. • Deer Sir,—As six aliens are allowed on the case of the "Crown v. Nagle," will you permft me to observe that I am an American citizen, and at present in this country, and am therefore eligible for the said office 1 Please inform me if my services are wanted as a juryman.— Sincerely, GKORGB FRANCIS TRAIH. To the High Sheriff of the county of Sligo, Sligo. Sligo Court-house, Feb. 28. Dear Sir,-In reply to your note of this day's date, I beg to observe that I decline putting you on the jury of aliens to try Mr. Nagte, and will state my reasons if required in open court by the Judge—I have the honour to remain your obedient humble servant, P. C. II OWL JIT, High Sheriff. George Francis Train, Eiq., now at Sligo. Sligo, Feb. 28. Dear Sir,—I am surprised to ftad your note declining to Lmr,name 011 the panel. dntviVi11dewtand the laws of Great Britain, the Sheriff's men and a certain number of names of eligible jury- nual'ificatirml8 the Court and Crown to decide as to their unusual action T-Iincerely *°r explanation ol thig m081 To the High Sherifi, county of SUg^ F*ANCIS TRAIN- o-- r mx. Sligo Court-house, Feb. 28. MS'S" "It<,rl»s inl" =,> •< .K"1 »» y' High Sheriff K C" "0WLMY" To George Francis Train, Esq. ri«' °°unty of Sligo. S'lgo, Feb. 28.4p.ffl. Dear Sir,—Surprised as I was at' y°ur rat decision, 1 am by no means surprised at the las • iJic.ld.ent of my being an Americau citizen seems to be fw! t' to exclude me from the panel of an English To P. C. Howley. Esq., High Sheriff, county of Sligo. The High Sheriff has much to answer for in reject. ing the serviees of so competent a juror.

CONVICTION OF A SURGEON. A very heavy sentence has just been passed on Edward Charles James Shaw, a surgeon, who was tried and convicted at Hertford, on Saturday, for /■If charge of an insane lady without the medical J""1 orders required by the statute. Mr. h»d ille^allv^ a8ylu.m for invalids at Elstree, and he J? AI?K ec< £ ve<l the patient without the needful y} fnr i,Hr T,1^- sum of sixty pounds a year was ^ali» mn«t she, a lady, was employed • <r hoots aruUfTi °eS a^out lhe house, such as cleaniD0 HaTn„ Wes' an<* working an oat-crushing machine. person was then tried on a second indictment, charging him with neglecting and ill- treating anotherpatient, a gentleman who had once been Mayor o Windsor. When the visiting physician under the Commissioners of Lunacy Went to Shaw's house, they found the unhappy p&ti«nt" in a most wretched condition. He was flying 0n a straw mat- ftess in a. back kitchen, with no other covering than an old carpet, and in a most pitiful condition of neg- lected imbecility. Sixty pounds a year had, in the first instance, been paid for his support; but, on repre- sentations that his infantile habits rendered addi- tional attendance necessary, the allowance was doubled. Yet no attendant was provided, and he was suffered to lie in his misery. The Lord Chief Justice, in pass ng sentence, said that he considered the inquiry of very great import- ance, and it appeared to him that the offences he had committed were of a very serious character. regard to Mrs. Weston, he must have known perfectly well that she was of unsound mind, and he had 1tn<ere fore, in her case, wilfully and denberately broken t law that was intended to protect unhappy persons in her condition. He considered to this lady, who was a woman of and accomplishments, m employm her n menial occupations was most disgraceful, and tor the indictment relating to her he should order him to be imprisoned for two months and to pay a Me of £ 100. With regard to the second charge, he hardly knew how to trust himself to speak of his conduct towards this unhappy man. It was almost sickening to hear a description of the state he was m when he was dis- covered and his conduct was deeply aggravated by ask- ing for an additional amount and receiving double the original sum under the pretence that he wanted more attendance, and then leaving him in the same if not a worse state than he was before. A point of law had been raised in this case, and if that should be decided in his favour he would have the benefit of it, and would be released from the consequences of the second conviction so far as the law was concerned. If this should, however, turn out to be the case, he could not help expressing a hope that his own conscience would punish him for the conduct he had exhibited towards this unhappy man. The treatment of the poor creature—his suffering him to lie in the con- dition in which he was found, with no covering but a piece of old carpet, and on a mattress that was rotten with filth, and only fit to be thrown on a dunghill, was a. disgrace to anyone calling himself a. Christian man. He regarded it as a very bad case, and in the event of the conviction being held good, he should order him to undergo, upon the second indictment, an additional imprisonment of six months, and to pay a second fine of £100, and he should also direct that he be further imprisoned at the expiration of his sentence until both fines be paid. The wife of the defendant, who had been in court during the trial, threw her arms round his neck and kissed him ardently several times when the sentence was pronounced, and he was then removed in custody.

STATIONS OF THE BRITISH ARMY. (Corrected for March. ) (From the.Army and Navy Gazette.) 1st Life Guards, Hyde-park. 22nd, New Brunswick; Chat- 8nd ditto, Windsor. ham. Royal Horse Guards, Regent s- 2nd bat., Newcastle-on-Tne. park. 23rd, Bombay; calmer. 1st Dragoon Guards, Alderst. 2nd bat., Newport, S. Wales. 2nd Bombay; Canterbury- 24th, Malta; Sheffield. 3rd,'Bombay; Canterbury. 2nd bat., Burmah Shef- 4th', Aldershot. field. 5th, Colchester. 25th, Glasgow. 6th Dublin 2nd bat., Bengal; Preston. 7th' Shorncliffe. 26^, Abyssinia; Preston. 1st Dragoons, Longford. 27th, Dover. 2nd, Dundalk. 28th, Belfast. 3rd Hussars, Hountlow. 29th, Canada; Chatham. 4th Bengal Canterbury. 30th, Canada; Chatham. 5th Lancers, Bengal; Canter- 31st, Malta; Chatham. bury. 32nd, Mauritius; Colchester. 6th Dragoons, York. S3rd, Abyssinia Sheffield. 7,th Hussars, Bengal; Canter- 34th, Portsmouth. bury. 35th, Portsmouth. 8th Manchester. Sfith. Bengal; Pambrokedock. 9th Laneers, Cahir. 37th, Bengal; Pembroke dock. 10th Hussars, Newbndge. 38th, Bengal; Gosport. 11th, Bensral; Canterbury. 39th, Dublin. 12tli Lancers, Dublin. f? r' iA'd#rshot. 13th Hussars, Canada Can- 41st, Bengal; Colchester. terbury. 4200, Stirling. 14th ditto, Edinburgh. 43rd, Aldershot. 15th ditto, Norwich. 44th, Kilkenny. 16th Lancers, Madras; Can- 45th, Abyssinia Chatham. terbury. 46th, Bengal; Pembroke. 17th ditto' Brighton. «th, Nova Scotia Pembroke. 18th Hussars, Madras; Can- 48th, Fermoy. terbury. 49th, Bombay Colchester. 19th ditto, Bengal; Canter-50th, Sydney, n. S. Wales; l)Ury Chatham. 20th ditto, Bengal; Canter- 51st, Aldershot. bury. 52nd, Limerick. 21st ditto Bengal; Canter- 53rd, Canada Shorncliffe. lmrv 54th, Aldershot. Military Train ^th, Bengal; Sheffield. Woolwich, Troops 13, 14, 56th, Waterford. 15 16 18, 20, and 24. 07tn, Manchester. Ditto, Chatham, 23. 5Sth, Bengal; Pembroke. Ditto,Kensington and Re- 59th, Ceylon Gosport. gent's-park, 3. 60th, Canada; Winchester. Ditto, Portsmouth, 19. 2nd bat., Bengal; Winchsr. Ditto, Hilsea, 22. 3™ 1iat-, M adras Winchsr. Ditto, Dublin, 2, 8. and 11. 4th bat., Canada; Winchsr. Ditto, Aldershot, 1, 5, 7 9, 61st, Bermuda; Gosport. 17, and 21. 62nd, Cork. Ditto, Curragb, 4, 6, and 10. 63rd, Dublin. Ditto, Shorncliffe, 12. 64th Malta Parkhurst. Grenadier Guards 1st bat. 65th, Kinsale. Wellington barracks. 66tli, Jersey, &c. 2nd bat., Wellington bar- 67th, Curragh. racks. 68th, Manchester. Srd bat., DuWm. 69th, Canada; Preston Coldstream Guards, 1st bat., 70th, Ashton. Windsor. 71st, Fermoy. 2nd bat,, Chelsea barracks. 72nd, Dublin. Scots Fusilier Guards, 1st bat., 73rd, China; Shorncliffe. Tower. 2,'?ra'Jar: Fort George. 2nd bat., Chelsea. 75th, Gibraltar Shorncliffe. lit Foot Madras; Chatham. 76th, Madras; Shorncliffe. 2nd bat Bom bay; Chatlun. 77th, Bengal; Gosport 2nd, Bombay Chatham. 7Sth, Canada Aberdeen. 2nd bat, Athlone. 79th, Ben-al; lort George. 3rd, Bengal Shorncliffe. 80th, Aldeishot 2nd bat., Dublin. 81st, Cork. 4th Abyssitiia; Parkhurst 82nd, Bengal; Chatham. 2nd bat., Nova Scotia; Park- 83rd, Gibraltar Colchester, burst 84th, Jamaica Colchester. 5th Bengal; Shorncliffe. 85th, Bombay Shorncliffe. 2nd bat., Dover. 80th, Cape for Mauritius; Gos. 6th, Bombay Sheffield. port. 2nd bat., Edinburgh. 87th, Malta Walmer. 7th, Bengal; Walmer. 88th Bengal; Parkhurst. 2nd bat., Bury. 89th, Dublin. 8th, Malta; Chatham. 90th Bengal; Preston. 2nd bat Aldershot. ert, Madras Fort George. 9th CapePembroke. 92nd, Bombay; Aberdeen. 2nd bat., Japan: Pembroke. 33rd, Bengal; Aberdeen. 10th, Cape'; Chatham. 94th, Dover. 2nd bat., Madras; Chatham. 95th, Bombay Pembroke. 11th, Bengal; Parkhurst. 96th, Bombay; Colchester., 2nd bat., Cape; Parkhurst. 97th, Portsmouth. 12th, Devonport. 98th, Aldershot. 2nd bat, Bengal; Gosport 99th, Cape, Preston. ISth, Gibraltar Shorncliffe. 100th, Canada Colchester. 2nd bat Portland. 101st; Bengal; Walmer. 14th, Malta; Chatham. I02ud, Madras Walmer 2nd bat., Melbourne Chm. 103rd, Bengal; Shorncliffe. 15th N Brunswick Chathm. 104th, Bengal, Walmer. 2nd hat C^raltar Chthm. 105th, Bengal; Shorncliffe. im e!!l?hester 106th, Bengal; Chatham. 16ih^Cw A»Xdoes Col- 107th, Bengal; Preston. 2nd bat., Barbad > xOSth, Bombay; Gosport. tester. iodth, Bengal; Chatham. 2nd bXcanada; Chatham. B.fle Brigade, Canada; Win- isth, Chester. 7P«iand • 2nd bat., Deronport. 21 Colchester 3rd bat"' Ben«al: Winehstr. « 1 <hpffield 4th hat., Weedon. 2nd lfa"t, Burmah; Sheffield. 1st West^India Regt, Sierra 2°2nd bat°,BCape Shorncliffe 2nd, Bahamas. "fclgH,' B^Ses.

THE IRISH PAPERS ON THE RECENT PRESS PROSECUTIONS. The Roman Catholic journals have, with one or two exceptions, observed a significant silence on the press It is satisfactory, kowever, to find .an independent organ such as the Cork BeporUr offering the following sensible remarks Thfl conviction and sentence of Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Pijrott should be a salutary Uss°° havi."t tha pnntrnl nf niihlie iournals, are tempted by a desire to win popular favour or to obtain the substantial advantages of popular support to play fast and loose with what the law defines to be sedition." We have expressed our opinions on the subject of Feniauism in this journal too distinctly for anyone to doubt what those opinions we. We have re- npatfidiv declared it to be fraught with evil to Ireland, and have done all we could to d.ssuade the peofde from giving it any countenance-pointing out "8]1,^Ker. its criminality. We consider it the bounden duty of ever, Insh journalist who desires to serve his country to adopt a like course; and we hold those who, whether from sympathy or through desire of gain, act otherwise, to be 111 the highest degree culpable. • ln Prosf- cutions no one reading the evidence we think could come to any other conclusion than that the direct nay, the inevitable, tendency of the writings In both the journals involved was t < excite the passions of the people in the highest decree, and this at a time when the i gravest public dangers were likely to result from such con- j duct. No one, then, can quarrel with the verdicts, save j those who consider that the jurors should have found yerdicte against their oaths, and that the condition of the country is cuch as to release men from all moral obligations. Vo one, in fact, can justify the writing in the two newspapers who is not prepared to justify Fenianisni. It is all very well fri rp„ret the imprisonment of a couple of newspaper editors w ovi'ftRS in the language used by them against the State, nnt *■« have witnessed very much worse punishments during But we nave years of men whose zeal was certainly the >st Uo or in re>jotism was warin, and whose inten- ds sincere, y. A_.not merely involving months' of impri- tions were as in solne cases, a whole life of penal sonment, but yea:rs, y, who have ha(J fc() ff servitude. Who shall say ^ritings 1(ke those of the W(My in this way ^ave {qi, ttie pmiUhment they endure'? 1Sews and Irishman checked before now If the editors of institutions under in their reckless agb en the salvation of many a which we live, it mi £ itb*ve bej-n wg confeM hiidi-spirited, may do much to save such consideration that their sent m rec0n(.ilee Ui not persons from the fate of oth ers li e the reconciles us not a little to the severe, but comparatively punishment of Mr. Sufiivan a»d Mr. Pigott. c mi T jl an old and able advocate of The Limeriek Htporlt), an oiu following con. strictly moral force agitation, has th o solatory reflections on the subject: After all, compared with the 8eIp,e"ctt and^Sullivan O'Connell and his companions, Messrs. Pjg mntinues in its can hardly complain of theirs while the ther traversers present state. Neither O'Connell nor the other ti avensera had ever employed any language, in "ther J writing, which could be tortured even into the sem 01 sedition. There was no conspiracy exisUng in the country in their time. No outbreak had occurred no outr ge had been committed. There was no organisation m onenlv menacing invasion of Ireland, lhe u uonneinte aeitation was peaceful and indigenous, unattended with public disturbances, strictly constitutional in every sense of the word sanciioned by the authority of the Church and therefore loval ant' participated by some of the best and SSf v>° ad6lnot as veMiftro^ diced Jhe rrvX'tLnaiyelement into the national agitation; and yet O,Collyiell aii(i the other traversers were pumshed as severely as Messrs Pigott and Sullivan are, except that the rigours of prison discipline as they exist at present, were unknown-an exception, it must be confessed, which makes a very serious difference in the puuishment. ,The,13fry Standard, a Presbyterian organ which strongly dissents from the political principles of the Government, expresses approval of the late prosecu- tions. After contrasting the rigour of the French law With ours, and the extenuating circumstances which might bs pleaded by journalists in France, the Standard says In the case of contemporaries the very re- verse of all these mitigating conditions has existed in point of fact—there has D no d^cussio,, of public grievances with a view to an) save one,—namely, the continuance ot an ^edenu y too weak to attempt a revolution, tl b P enOUKb to embarrass the Government, to keep so'c p ^te°''°hr°nic alarm, our shores. Their d' ..fjl'1'to any otherVm Sf pointed to legislative iei tdi'^ o{ home preparation constitutional action, wh prominently before and of foreign intervention were Kef v the masses of their readers. After noticing the complaint of the Nation that the Press is not legally free to speak of the land laws, education laws, the Church establishment, the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act, the Act of Union, the Abys- sinian Expedition, the income-tax, the electoral or jury systems, or, in fact, of "anything whatever which has in British law the ba-us and warrant of its existence," the Standard makes the following com- ments :— The assertions above recited are not simply perversions of truth-they are downright fiction3, without any foundation iu reality, no such law as this having ever been laid down. In regard to the principal questions enumerated, we our- selves, during far more than a auarter of a century, have been" complaiuing" of them in no mitigated terms, but our "complaints" have been invariably employed as stimulants to remedial action through legislative interference. The so-called "national Press" did not adopt this constitutional policy-at one time it sent a deputation to France, virtually offering the Crown of Ireland to Marshal M'Mahon as the "Comharba" (legitimate "successor") of Brian Boroimhe; and when this application failed the next resort was, and has since continued to be, an undisguised calculation upon the chances of a rupture with the United States and the prospect of an American campaign in Ireland It is utterly vain to pretend that logic of this description falls within the limits of free discussion, since no Government on the face of the earth could permit its subjects openly to deal in any such class of arguments. As to the" land question in particular, though it lies at the very source and origin of all Ireland's social grievances, the self-styled "national Press has never thrown itself heartily into the discussion. The Tory Press has always been dead against the tenant people: the Liberal journals, so called, have been feeble and hesitating in a poorly qualified advocacy; and, in point of fact, we ourselves have been left, in the Standard, to fight the tenant battle nearly alone, and unaided either by "Nationalists or by Liberals."

NO PLEASING ALL! Last week the Chairman of a London joint-stock company whose operations during the last three or four years have attracted a considerable amount of public notice, took it into his head to read out to the shareholders at their half-yearly meeting letters which he had received from some of their number expressing their views as to the importance of keeping up the payment of dividends. The company, it was known, had sustained at least one loss of considerable magni- tude, and a fear appears to have prevailed that the pay- ment of a dividend might thereby be prevented, as in- detdhappened, and under these circumstancestheletters referred to were written. Shareholder Number One held that the true policy was to keep back the loss and pay a dividend." Number Two would "rather have calls made and dividends paid, than hltTe no c'111s and no dividends." Number Three "wanted a dividend, and did not care whether it were paid out of revenue or out of capital, so that he got it." Number Four would rather consent to a new irsue of shares than go without dividend; and Number Five "must live," and therefore wanted a dividend, and did not care where it came from. It would have been interesting to know what variety Number Six could have added to these specimens of a proprietary but at this point of the reading the Chairman was interrupted with cries of Time," coming probably from one or more of the writers who had involuntarily contributed to the instruction of the meeting.

ACTION FOR SLANDER. At the assizes held at Warwick, the cause of Lund v. Wamsley" has been tried, and was an action of slander, brought by the superintendent of police and inspector of nuisances at Leamington, against a mem- ber of the local board of health of that town. The plaintiff was formerly an inspector of detectives in London, and officiated during the Great Exhibition of 1851. He was subsequently promoted by Sir R. Mayne to be a superintendent of the metropolitan police force, and after a service ef twenty-four years retired, in consequence of ill- health, with a pension. Upon, that occasion Mr. Lund quitted the police force with the highest possible certificates of character, and was presented by the inspectors, sergeants, and constables of his division with a gold watch of the value of £49. Mr. Lund was appointed superintendent of the Leamington police in 1859, and, having discharged his duties in that position to the satisfaction of his employers, has had his salary raited three times between his appoint- ment and the present date. The defendant is a bookseller and stationer and a collector of income-tax, and, after two unsuccessful efforts, wii* elected a member of the local board in 1866. The slander now complained of was uttered on thuee sepa- rate occasions: on the first the defendant was alleged to have charged the plaintiff with perjury; on the second and third with drunkenness. The case for the plaintiff was that, as far back as 1860, on the occasion of her Majesty passing through Leamington, the defendant took offence at the eonduct or the plaintiff in excluding the public from a foot-bridge over the Great Western Railway, and wrote to the Secretary of State thereon. I111804 a public meeting was held in Leamington for the purpose of canvassing the conduct of the local board of health, and a Mr. Heritage having spoken in defence of the board, Mr. Lund incurred Mr. Wamsley s displeasure by refusing to turn Mr. Heritage out of the room. On that occasion it was stated that Mr. Wamsley said to the plaintiff, I told you, Lund, 18 months ago, that I would get you cut of the town, and I will never leave you till I do. I will get you out before two years are over." Again, a woman of bad character was taken up on a charge of stealing plate, and on that occasion Mr. Lund took into his possession a diamond and emerald ring, which was found concealed upon her person. Tne woman was discharged by the magistrates, there beinr no evidence against her upon the charge on which she was taken up, but the magistrate refused to order the ring to be given up to her, and Mr. Lund retained it, and, believing it to have been stolen, advertised for the owner, whom, however, he was unable to discover. This also constituted a grievance in Mr. Wamsley's eyes, who wrote to the Secretary of State on the subject, and from time to time annoyed Mr Lund by remarks tending to insinuate that Mr. Lund had retained the ring for improper motives. In 18C5 proceedings were instituted against a professional gentleman in the town of Leamington for perjury, alleged to have been committed before a master of one of the courts at Westminister, upon the reference of a claim against the local board. On the occasion of the preliminary inquiry before a magistrate at Bow-street police- court, in London, the plaintiff and others were examined as witnesses, but the magistrate, deeming that a primAfacit case had been made out, committed the accused for trial The result was communicated to Leamington by telegram, and on the arrival of the train containing the witnesses, the defendant was found at the Leamington station with a placard hearing the words" committed jnr trial" upon it. This placard the defendant was said to have attempted to fasten rounfl the plaintiff's hat, saying at the same time, 11 It will be your turn next. You have committed perjury sftvaral times, and I can prove it." This was the slander first complained of. It should be added that when the charge of perjury against the gentleman alluded to came on to be tried before the Chief Justice of England and a special jury, the indictment having been removed into the Queen's Bench by ctrtiorari,- the case for the prosecu- tion broke down, and the defendant was acquitted without being called upon to give evidence in his defence On a subsequent occasion, when a charge of drunkenness against one of the police force was under investigation, the defen- dant stated that he was sorry to say that there was too much drunkenness going on in the police force at Leamington, from t-he highest to the lowest, and that they ought to punish the highest and let the lowest off on easy terms. Mr. Lund denounced this statement at untrue, whereupon the defendant said he had seen the plaintiff go into the "bakehouse (a place so-called where liquors are sold) for two hours at a time. Upon this there was a great uproar, and the chairman demanded an unqualified retractation and apology from the defendant, which, however, he refused to give. On the third occasion the defendant was said to have repeated the charge of drunkenness in a private conversa- tion with a member of the board named Ballard, and to have told that gentleman that he had seen Mr. Lund so drunk that he could not stand, and required to be supported by two men. The case for the defendant was that he had no ill-feeling against Mr. Lund, that he had never imputed perjury to him and that the placard was not intended in any way to Allude to Mr Lund. As to the chartre of drunkenness made at the meeting of the buard, the defendant denied that the expression "from the highest to the lowest" was in- tended to include Mr. Lund, and contended that at all events the occasion was such M to make the statement a privileged one. As to the remaining charge, the defendant denied that he had ever said anything of the kiud to Mr. Ballard, aud stated that he was not on friendly terms with that gentleman. It would be perfectly impossible to give any idea of the weight of the testimony on either side, a great number of witnesses having been examined, and the trial having lasted a day and a half. Judging by the attendance of spectators, the case appeared to excite the greatest interest in Leamington. In summing up, his Lordship directed the jury, as to the question of privilege, that if they believed the words spoken were intended to include Mr. Lund, the question was, whether those words were spoken by the defendant in the bond fide discharge of his duty, or whether he took advantage of the opportunity to go out of his way from motives of malice and ill-will to make a charge against Mr. Lund which was entirely unfounded. After being absent from the court five minutes the jury returned with a verdict for the plaintiff for £ 75.

THE POPE AND THE ENGLISH ROMAN CATHOLICS. The following reply of his Holiness to the address of condolence and sympathy presented by the Archbishop of Westminster in behalf of the meeting held on December 4 at St. James's-hall, London, in persuance of the requisition signed by more than 11,000 catholics of the dioceses of Westminster and Southwark, was read in the various Roman catholic churches and chapels in London on Sunday last "To our venerable brother, Henry Edward, Arch. bishop of Westminster, Pope Pius IX. "Venerable Brother, health, and the Apostolic blessing. With your acceptable letter, written on the 24th day of December in last year, we have lately received the address which was forwarded to us by the clergy and faithful people of the dioceses of West- minster and Southwark, and which has given us no small consolation. From that address we have learned, venerable brother, how great is the fidelity, love, and regard which the ecclesiastics and faithful laity of each diocese glory in showing towards this Chair of Peter, the centre of catholic unity. Moreover, We have learned how deeply they deplore the heavy afflictions which the cruel enemies of God and man have brought upon us and, also how indig- nantly they detest and condemn the fierce war which in these troubled times has, with every kind of impious and sacrilegious effort and design, been waged by wicked men, especially in Italy, against ourselves, this Holy See, and its civil princedom. Amidst the troubles which weigh upon us, great indeed, venerable 1 brother, was our joy on receiving the noble dcclara- i tiuns to which, not only in their address above-men- J tioned, but also in the great meeting which they I held, the clergy and the faithful laity of the diocefles of Westminster and Southwark have given public utter- ance. Wherefore we earnestly desire that to the clergy and faithful people of the said dioceses you will in our name make known that their address, so entirely worthy of children of the catholic church, was exceed- ingly pleasing to us and that you will assure them of our true fatherly benevolence, and of the Apostolic blessing which, with all the affection of our heart, we bestow upon them. It is most grateful to us on this occasion again to testify and to confirm our affectionate goodwill towards you, and, as a sure pledge of this, we now from the depth of our hearts most lovingly give to you, venerable brother, and to all the clergy and faithful laity committed to your charge, our Apostolic blessing. Given at St. Peter's, in Rome, on the 20th day of January, in the year 1868, the twenty-second year of our Pontificate. "POPE PIUS IX."

FEARFUL SCENE AT A FIRE IN LONDON. On Monday morning, at a quarter before three o'clock, a fire of a calamitous character, and nearly attended with fatal consequences to a dozen persons, happened in the premises known as the Anti-Gallican [ and Star Tavern, situate at 117 and 118, rooley-street, Southwark. The discovery was made by a police- constable, who saw smoke issuing from the lower part of the buildings. At that time the whole of the inmates were in their sleep, and there being twelve rooms in the tavern, it was unknown in what part the people were sleeping. The officer, however, sprang his rattle and knocked violently at tne doors. his rattle and knocked violently at the doors. After some time he succeeded in making the residents sensible of their impending danger, but not until the fire had rolled up the stair- case, and was attacking every room in the house. The fire at the same time was rushing up the stairs and making a noise like a furnace at full play, thereby cutting off aU means of retreat by the regular way. The inmates, therefore, made for the windows, and Miss Susannah Lowther, aged nineteen years, in order to escape out of the burning apartment m which she was, jumped out of window, and was baaly injured. An infant aged seven months, named Kate Lowther, was thrown by one of the residents out of window, so as to avoid being suffocated, but, unfortunately like its sister, was badly hurt, but, it is thought, not fatally. The fire-escape promptly attended, as well as numerous engines, including threeor four land steamers, and the other residents having been assisted out of the burning building, they fortunately received no injury beyond being nearly blinded with smoke. The origin of the fire is unknown.

FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT TO A "TRAPEZE" PERFORMER. The Dundee Advertiser reports a lamentable accident which befel a gymnast-one of the Brothers Bolena at the Dundee Music-halL The brothers went through some very clever and daring gymnastic performances, which many of the audience, especially females, could not behold except with fear but for which they received, from the greater bulk of the audience the warmest approbation. The elder and stronger of the two hung from the trapeze by the legs, while he caught the younger by one of the hands as he was falling past him and swung him in the air. This and other equally daring feats were accomplished in safety. The next exhibition of their agility was intended to be of a similar kind. The elder of the two swung from the trapeze by the legs, and while in this state it was evidently bis inten- tion to catch the younger by the left ankle. By some miscalculation, however, the leg of the younger brother came some few inches short of the reach of the elder, and he fell bead-foremost into the orchestra. The sensatioii created amongst the audience on witnessing such a "Pectacle can be better imagined than described, bcreams and sobs escaped from men and women, and a number of those in the front seats rushed, in a state of excitement, to see whether the unfortunate performer had been killed by his fearful fall. The other performers also hurried to ascertain what was the matter. The unfortunate man, when picked up from amongst the feet of the band, lay in the arms of his supporters in a state of unconsciousness, with the blood flowing from a wound on the scull. He alighted with his head on the sharp edge of the footstool used by the leader of the orches- tra, with such force that he broke it, after having struck in his descent the neck of that gentleman's violin. On an examination of the unfortunate gymnast it was found that he had sustained a large scalp wound of semicircular shape, and about three or four inches in length, on the crown of the head, and some slight bruises on the forehead but so far as could be seen, he did not appear to have received any very serious injury. The wound was sewed up, and the sufferer was removed to his lodgings. Falling a dis- tance of upwards of twenty feet, and alighting on the crown of his head, it is a wonder he was not killed on the spot. It is supposed that he must have saved himself by his hands from receiving the full force of the fall. -=-

MISSING PEOPLE. The disappearance of the Rev. Mr. Speke was con- sidered to be a most unusual and alarming circum- stance. When the discussion of the subject brought a number of letters to the newspapers relating other cases of mysterious disappearance, the excitement of the public became intense. Because at one time or other a dozen persons had been lost in London and never again heard of; a good many people were begin- ning to think that London was not a fit place to live in. Others were incredulous, and refused to believe half the tales that were told. What will these alarmists and these sceptics say to the return furnished by the police of persons lost and missing during years 1841 and 1860 ? Here is the returnI REPOETID LOST OR MISSING. 1R41—1,000 1848-1,866 1855—2,178 1842-1,179 1849-1.473 1856—2,371 1843-1,218 1.0-2 204 1857-2.171 1844-1,111 1851-1,876 11158-2,409 3845—2.201 1152-2,103 1859-2,374 1846—2 4!-9 1853—2,rfy 1860-2;515 1847—2 216 1854-2,286 RESTORED BY THE POLICE. 1M1- 560 1848—1,009 1855— 964 1842- 623 1849— 994 1856—1,084 lf-43— 623 1850—1,137 1857—1,193 1844— 545 18^1-928 1858-1,264 1845—1,000 1852—1,049 l'l64 1846—1,082 1853— 000 1860—1,164 1847-1,111 1854- 941 This return was furnished by the police to Mr. Henry Mayhew, when he was investigating the condition of the London poor., The figures seem to imply that about 2,000 persons are lost in London every year, and only half of them found again, leaving annually 1,000 disappearances never accounted for. annually 1,000 disappearances never accounted for.

THE REV. MR. SPEKE. The Lancet (a medical journal) says that on Mr. Speke1 a arrival in London he was well advised in at once placing himself under medical care. Dr. Gull and Dr. Tuke, the physicians consulted, recommend an entire cessation from clerIcal duty for some time loneer. rest of mind and bodv, and change of climate. Mr. Speke will, therefore, proceed in a few days to the south of France, probably with his relative Mr. Murdoch. The late mysterious disappearance of Mr. Speke from London was not altogether a sudden im- pulse, but rather a deliberate determination arising from erroneous impressions which now seem happily removed. The fact that he has been travelling on foot during the last few weeks through the wildest parts of Devon and Cornwall accounts for his ignorance as to the excessive extent of the public and anxiety as to his fate, and for his silence, which he now regrets. It was singular that during his journey he should have only once heard his name mentioned and by this circumstance he was confirmed m his belief that he would soon be altogether forgotten. We are enabled to state on indisputable authority that there has never been any accusation of misconduct brought against Mr. Speke, and that he is much loved and respected by his parishioners. We trust he may soon be re- stored to his life of usefulness, The Immediate cause of his illness was probably the mental shock he ex- perienced in the melancholy death of his much-loved brother, the distinguished Afri^11 traveller.

We (Spectator) have authority for saying that while he was absent, just after he entered Cornwall, the death of a relative he can scarcely have known, an old lady of ninety-six, gave him a new succession of some £ 600 a year, strengthening at once his bonds to Somersetshire and his reasons for quitting it. So far from being a worse man than his parishioners took him for, Mr. Speke seems to us to be a better, though a feebler one, a man who winne€^l°°king after perhaps for years, but who while master of himself is decidedly a good man, who wants to become a better one. The extraordinary outburst of public petulance against him is perhaps natural for what can be more annoying than to find one lias speculated for weeks on a natural event as if it had been swpernatural ? but the feeling, best expressed by the Western Morning News, when it says that Mr. Speke can hardly live in Somerset, is unreasonable, not to say absurd. We do not know Mr. Speke, or Mr. Murdoch, or any of his family; but the story of his hallucination is, we have good authority for believing, correct, and "the county" might as well be fractious because he had broken his leg.

We may add that one circumstance which created much comment at the time has now been explained. Mr. Speke purposely threw away his hat in Bird- cage-walk in order to strengthen the belief in his death but he did not recollect that his sister lived near the spot. Therefore, the rumours occasioned by the discovery of the hat in that place were due solely to a curious coincidence.

A WEALTHY COSTERMONGER. At the Guildhall Police-court, in London, Patrick Toohay, a costf-rmonger, has with having in his posses- sion 21 old guineas, and 20 old shillings, supposed to have been stolen. Thomas Casey, assisistant to Mr. Attenborough, of Fleet-street, pawnbroker, said that on Saturday after- noon the prisoner brought him eight old guineas, and offered them for sale. He purchased them at £1 Oa. 6d. each. About half an hour afterwards the prisoner came to sell 20 old shillings, and then showed a number more of the old guineas. Witness suspecting that a man in his position could not be honestly possessed of so much money, asked him to show him all he had got. He did so, and produced 21 guineas in gold. He then asked the prisoner to whom they belonged, and he said to his brother. Witness then told him to fetch his brother, and he left for that purpose. On Monday morning he returned with a man who was not his brother, and who said the guineas and shillings be- longed to the vrisoner. Believing that they were not come honestly by he sent for a constable and gave the prisoner into custody. The Prisoner said be bought them from a man, but he did not know who he was. John Webber, a policeman. said he took the prisoner into custody, and found on him 15s. 6d. in money and a sold note for the £8 4s. He gave a correct address, and on searching the lodging with George Legge, detective officer, they found in a box 38 sovereigns, which the daughter claimed as hers, but would not tell how many there were. Sir Robert W. Carden remanded the prisoner for further inquiry. At the conclusion of the hearing of the night charges, The prisoner's Daughter and his Landlord applied to havf him admitted to bail The landlord said he knew him to be a very hard-working, saving man, and that he had money in the Funds. He bad known him for many years, and he had been saving during the whole of his life. He had no doubt the whole of the money belonged to the prisoner, and that it was a por- tion of his savings. The prisoner had told him that he got the guineas from a man whom he only knew by appearance, and unless he was admitted to bail he would never be able to produce him. He was willing to become bail for him to any amount for his appear- ance on a future day. The daughter confirmed what the landlord had stated, and produced a receipt for the purchase of J6263 New Three per Cents., and two bank books, in one of which was an entry for £15, and in the other were numerous entries, the gross amount of which did not transpire. She said that her father had got the guineas from a labouring man, who had found them in an old house that was being pulled down. Sir Robt. W. Garden said he was glad that he had had that explanation, and under the circumstances he would accept the landlord's surety in jE50 for the pri- soner's appearance on the remand. The prisoner was accordingly liberated on bail

HARD LABOUR, VERY HARD INDEED! At the Middlesex Sessions John Watling, aged twenty-three, a deaf and dumb man, was indicted for stealing three shirts, a coat, and other articles, value 7s., the property of Abraham Marston. The Rev. Samuel Smith, chaplain to the Associa- tion for Aiding the Deaf and Dumb, interpreted the evidence to the prisoner. From the evidence it appeared the prisoner went into the prosecutor's shop, took up the articles named in the indictment, and deliberately walked off with them. He was, however, captured by a policeman. The Jury found the prisoner guilty. The Rev. Samuel Smith, in answer to the Assistant Judge, said he had two or three times got employment for the prisoner, but he became drunken and dissi- pated, and he would not remain in his employment. He had two or three times been taken before a magis- trate, who acted mercifully towards him ana relieved him from the poor-box. On one occasion witness got him a situation with a French polisher, and he could earn about 12s. a week, but he preferred a sort of cadging life, about the streets of London, and had no idea whatever of working when he had got any money. He had been in prison for fighting and drunkenness, and at the present time was under recognisances for six months for assaulting another deaf and dumb man. The Judge (to the interpreter): Tell him that we hear a bad character of him, and we are now going to sentence him to a term of imprisonment, but if he comes here again we shall send him away to be a slave for seven years. I now sentence him to imprisonment and hard labour for six months. This having been communicated to the prisoner, The Interepeter The prisoner wants to know, my lord, if you said hard labour? Judge Yes. The Interpreter: He wants to know if I am sure you said hard labour. The Judge: Yes. The Interpreter He does not at all like the hard labour. He says it makes the thing very heavy r indeed (laughter). The prisoner was then removed, looking very dis- consolate.

A NARROW ESCAPE FROM ASSASSINATION. Baron de Budberg, the Russian Ambassador, who has just returned to Paris from St. Petersburg after a long congé, has narrowly escaped assassination in the refreshment room of the Verviers station in Belgium. While at table Baron de Meyendorff, son of a cele- brated Russian diplomatist, came up to him and said, Bon jour, Baron." What, are you here ? replied Baron de Budberg, who evidently knew him. An altercation followed in the Russian language, and after the lapse of a. few seconds Baron de Meyendorff struck Baron de Budberg in the face, and was in the act of drawing a sword from a stick to assault him, when M. Beckmann, a writer on the staff of the Temps, who saw the movement, rusked upon him and snatched the sword-cane from his hand. Thereupon Baron de Meyendorff drew a revolver from his pocket and levelled it at the Russian Ambassador. The latter ex- claimed, Secure him, he is a madman A waiter at the buffet, with much presence of mind, took away the pistol, and the Baron de Meyendorff was taken into custody by the police. It seems that some time ago the Baron bad sent a challenge to a French gen- tleman, who refused to fiaht him because Baron de Budberg had certified that he was not in his right senses. Desirous to avenge himself on the Russian Ambassador for this slight, Baron de Meyendorff had laid in wait for him at the Belgian frontier for a whole fortnight. The affair has naturally created a great sensation.

THE EMIGRATION FROM THE PORT OF LIVERPOOL. The Government emigration officials at Liverpool on Monday completed their usual monthly return of the emigration from the Mersey. During the month there sailed to the United States in 18 ships, under the Act, 3,920 passengers, of whom 1,880 were English, 137 Scotch, 955 Irish, and 948 foreigners. To South America-viz., Rio Janeiro, there was one ship, the Florence Chapman, with 360 passengers, of whom 75 were English, 4 Scotch, 258 Irish, and 3 foreigners. This vessel is the first which has sailed from the Mersey with tke pioneers, who intend founding a new colony in Brazil. Of ships not under the Act, there sailed to the United States 434 passengers two to Victoria, with 39 passengers four to South America, with 108 passengers one to the West Indies, with 6 passengers one to Africa, with 23 passengers and one to China, with 3 passengers— making a total of 21 ships and 603 passengers. The total emigration for the month, under and not under the Act, is 4,863, which is an increase of 1,399 over last month, and 172 over the corresponding period of last year.

A SKETCH OF MR. WARD HUNT. It was formally announced in the House of Com- mons on Friday evening that Mr. George Ward Hunt had been offered and had accepted the important office of Chancellor of the Exchequer. So rapid a rise of so comparatively young a man, without family in- fluence," is, we believe, unprecedented (says the Birmingham Daily Post, from whom we are quoting.) Mr. Ward Hunt is about forty-three years of age, and has only been ten years in Parliament. The son of a Berkshire clergyman by the daughter of an Oxford- shire squire of easy means, but no political influence, Mr. Ward Hunt was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, at which latter place he achieved a second class in classics in 1848, and graduated M.A. in 1851. On leaving college he ate his tsrms, and was called to the Bar in 1851, going the Oxford Circuit for a time, but not practising much. In 1852, and again lft.vr bp unsuccessfully contested Northampton borough; and in 1858 he stood for the northern division of the county, where he had property, and wa8 elected. He has held his seat there unintermit- tently until now. A steady adherent of the Conserva- tive party during his whole oareer, and an uncompro- tive party during his whole oareer, and an uncompro- mising supporter of the Disraeli tactics during the debates on the Russell-Gladstone Reform Bill, he was on the accession of Lord Derby to power, in 1866, ap- pointed to the office of Financial Secretary to the Treasury, with a salary of £ 2,000. Having supported Mr. Disraeli when out of office, he faithfully stuck to him during the whole of his shifting policy in office, and has now reaped his reward in an appointment to an office which is generally given to men of greater age and more experience. Mr. Hunt has some of the qualities requisite for such an appointment—a clear- headedness and a talent for figures but there can be little doubt that his Budgets will be Disraelian, and he is merely for the present the delegate of his more able chief.

The London correspondent of a Liverpool contem- porary gives the following pen-and-ink sketch of the new Chancellor of the Exchequer:— Mr. Hunt's personal appearance is remarkable. Indeed, no one can help remarking it. He is considerably over six feet in height, and of more than proportionate ùulk. I should say that he is far away the heaviest man in the House. Then, to add to his formidable appearance, he wears a oLacK beard and moustache, and as he walks swiftly but solidly across the lobby, "making the pavement groan as he doth tread tkereon," he looks a man monster. The same writer also describes Mr. Hunt as an in- domitable worker.

The address of Mr. Ward Hunt to the electors of North Northamptonshire, on presenting himself for Ye-election, is of the briefest possible character. Mr. Hunt says Her Majesty having been graciously pleased tv confer upon me the office of Chancellor of the Exchequer, my seat in parliament is now vacant, and I once more seek re-election at your hands. I trust that I retain, as a Minister of the Crown, the confidence which you have reposed in me as an independent representative. There is at present no opposition to Mr. Hunt's return.

THE LOWER CLASSES IN EDINBURGH. At a public meeting held in Edinburgh in April last a committee was appointed to inquire into the sources and extent of the misery and destitution pre- vailing in certain parts of the city," and also to con- sider whether anything could be done to concentrate the action of the public charities, as well as to improve the condition of the deserving poor." A meeting of the committee was held on Friday last in the Council Chambers, to receive reports that had been prepared on these subjects. The Lord Provost occupied the chair, and among others present were Sir James Y. Simpson, and many other gentlemen of note. Dr. Alexander Wood submitted the report on the condi- tion of the lower classes. In the report, which ex- tends to about 90 octavo pages, the number of the "lapsed masses" is estimated at 45,030, or about one- fourth ot the population, The committee, however, say that this is rather an under than an over-estmlate. as it was shown by the Census in 1861 that 13,209 families, or about 66,000 persons, were living in houses consisting of a single roona, and that l,5dt et these single apartments had from 6 to 15 persons residing in them. Of these rooms 12 L had no windows, and up- wards of 980 were cellars, most of them damp and utterly dark. Of 431 houses examined by the com- mittee, only 97 were supplied with water and 53 with waterclosets. The access to 237 of these dwellings was dark in daytime. The average rent was Is. 7d. per week, or R4 2s. 4d. per annum. It appears that in Edinburgh 1 person in 9-10 is a pauper, and that £112,500 is raised and expended annually in various ways for the support and relief of the poor in Edin- burgh, being a tax of 13s. per head for every man, woman, and child in the city. Among the causes given for this state of things are the following :-in- temperance, overcrowding, the want of education, want of method among charitable societies, indis- criminate private charity, want of water, want of light, &c. The committee suggest a number of reme- dies, including the toUowing :—the shutting up of unsuitable houses, the improvement of dwellings, pro- I viding the means of thorough and complete educa- tion, diminution of the temptations to drink, appoint- ment of a sanitary committee of the Town Council, a house-to-house visitation of the poor, encouragement of savings-banks, friendly, building, and clothing societies, &c. Sir James Y. Simpson moved that the report on | the state and causes of distress be approved. In al- luding to some of the statements brought out in the report, he said that if the Lord Provost were obliged ( to superintend, at the Cross, the sacrifice of one or two persons every day, it would be very startling, but they sat at home and allowed the sacrifice to go on every day, more hidden, but as really as if it were done at the Cross. He urged the adoption of a system of visitation among the poor as one means of remedying the present state of matters. Mr. Charles Cowan seconded the motion. Mr. David Lewis drew atten- tion to the prevalence of shebeens" in the city, and said that if they went down to Blackfriars' Wynd on a Sunday morning he could load the largest cart in Edinburgh with strong drink from one of these she- beens. He thought that the magistrates might do more in the way of suppressing these places. Mr. Thomas Knox said the magistrates were doing a good deal in regard to the suppression of shebeens, but they ought to do something more. Dr. Guthrie maintained that the great cause of the vice, of the large amount of taxation in Edinburgh, and of the wretched physical and moral condition of so many of the people, was drunkenness. After some discussion a clause in the report, considered as reflecting on the magistrates for not putting the law into full operation in regard to shebeens, was modified. The report was otherwise agreed to.

A "BOAR HUNT." William Midgley, John Smith, Thomas Hall, Hugh Owen, and James Collins, appeared at the Town Hall, Salford, on Monday, to answer a charge of torturing a pig. Mr. Edwards, instructed by an officer of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, appeared for the prosecution and Mr. Cottingham and Mr. Cobbett appeared for the defendants. Mr. Edwards stated that at the Butchers' Arms public- house, Pendleton, a number of persons associated them- selves together for getting up a pig hunt," and they pur- chased a boar for the purpose. On the 24th of January the animal was led by two men to a field in Seedley, where it was surrounded by the subscribers—armed with guns and fowl ins; pieces, loaded with small shot—who commenced peppering it, not in the first instance with the intention of killing it, but for the purpese of raising any spirit there lllÏltht be in the poor creature, and so getting up a "boar hunt." After being shot at in volleys, the animal ran towards a pond, and on the way it was still peppered with small shot, until its skin was riddled like a colander. On its coming out of the water it was finally shot at and killed by Midgley. The carcase of the pig was found at a butcher's shop, com- pletely riddled with holes. 31r. Cottingham and Mr. Cobbett both took exception to the form of information, but their objections were over- ruled by the bench, and evidence was called in the first instance against Collins. Emma Whalley, landlady of the Butchers' Arms, proved that Collins had purchased the pig, and she kept it for him. There was a bill (for subscribers to the "hunt") up in her bar for some days, but she did not know who put it there. ,When Collins left the pig she asked him what he was going to do with it, and he said he was going to get up a shooting match for it, either with pigeons or sparrows. The pig was a very wild one; it was very vicious. It was kept in a stye by itself, as it was not fit to be with another pig. George Heywood said there were fourteen or fifteen men firing at the pig. They fired at it twice each. On its coming out of the water, Midgly ran up to it and fired at it, killing it, when he said he had won. The pig was in the pond only about a minute. Air. Edwards was bringing forward more evidence when the magistrate interposed, and asked if he could carry it any farther. The two last witnesses had only proved that the matter took up two or three minutes. The animal was taken to the field, fourteen or fifteen men fired at it, it ran into a pit, and was killed immediately after being taken out. Mr. Edwards admitted that his witnesses had not proved what they had been called to prove. The magistrate said he would like to get a copy of the bill that had been shown in the public-house. It he could have it proved that the publican allowed a raffle for a thing of this kind to be got up, the licence of the house would be in peril All the summonses were then dismissed.

A THIEVES' PRAYER MEETING. The Glasgow Herald tells the following extraordinary story of a thieves' prayer meeting :— A Sunday-school teacher was going to church when he was accosted by a lad who asked him if he was a teacher. He replied in the affirmative, whereupon the lad said that there was a number of young folks residing in the place in which he lived, and he was anxious to hold a prayer meeting, so that, as be remarked, they might be led into the right path. He concluded by soliciting the teacher to accompany him to the place of meet- ing and the lad appearing so earnest the young man was induced to go along with him.bey entered a house in which there was another lad, and subsequently three youths entered the apartment. Two girls also made their appearance, and remained for some time. One of the lads produced a Bible, and read the 3rd chapter of St. John, after which he commented on several of the verses. The chapter was read in a fluent manner, and his ownremarks were, the teacher thought, far from being unsuitable. The youth then offered up a prayer, during the delivery of which some of his hearers seemed inclined to make merry. The teacher then began to think that, to use his own words, he was in the wrong shop," and accordingly he made a move- ment towards the door. After the prayer, which the young fellow got through in a sort of scrambling way, he stated to the teacher that he and his friends were getting up a subscription in aid of a poor widow who was in very destitute circumstances, and solicited his mite. The teacher turned out all the coppers he hap- pened to have in his possession, and was preparing to leave the apartment, when lie was suddenly seized by his praying friends, who forcibly took possession of his coat, vest, and watch. The teacher, seeing that all resistance would be in vain, submitted himself to this enforced contribution, after which he was allowed to depart in peace. On getting clear of the den he was fortunate enough to meet Inspector Harding and Ser- jeant Sutherland, to whom he told his story, and these officers were successful in apprehending two of the praying gang, on the person of one of whom a knife belonging to the teacher was found. Two of the other fellows were subsequently apprehended and identified. The two women who had entered the apartment, but who were not present when the robbery was com- mitted, were also taken into custody. The prisoners are all well known to the police.

IMMENSE POWDER EXPLOSION. The Hankow Times states that three loud reports on the morning of the 11th of December told at once that a misfortune had occurred at the powder magazines at Wuchang, and a rush was immediately made for that locality. The site and a considerable area around were found covered with a mass of blackened and smouldering ruin. The streets were scarcely passable for the heaps of rubbish scattered about, and of every house there barely remained the broken and disjointed framework, tottering threateningly over a heap of tiles, rafters, floors, furniture, &c., mingled in one tangled mass below. Immediately upon and about the site of the explosion there was, of course, nothing left stand- ing, but the numbers of charred and mangled corpses lying about presented a sicKening spectacle, a curious feature in the extraordinary scene was the number of bullocks standing about among the ruins alive and per- fectly quiet, but utterly denuded of all hair, and in some cases of skin likewise. The amount of gun- powder lying in the Pao-gan-keuh at the time of the explosion was but trifling, for, as a rule, it is never kept there when made, but forthwith removed to the magazine, called Yun-gan-koo, which is distant some 300 yards from the Pao-gan-keuh. A few days pre- vious this Yung-gan-koo is reported to have stored in it 170,000 catties of gunpowder, or about 100 tons foreign measurement, and curiously enough, although there was no communication between the two estab- lishments, and the magazine was more carefully en- closed and isolated than the manufactory, the ex- plosion at the Pao-gan-keuh by some means or other fired the Yung-gan-koo, and hence the third and most violent of the discharges. The loss of life is put down by the Chinese at fully 800 souls, but it is to be hoped that this estimate is above the mark. The origin of the accident, it is reported, has been discovered by the mandarins. A number of workmen, it appears, had been occupied with their usual em- ployment in the Pao-gan-keuh, and then retired to the room allotted for smoking. One man, con- trary to orders, returned to work with his pipe alight, but concealed under his cotton garment, and it was while he was shifting powder that his pipe is re- ported to have burnt a hole through his robe, and caught some loose powder lying about him.

DISTRESSING SUICIDE. On Tuesday, an inquest was held in the Board Room of the Scottish Union Fire and Life Insurance Office, 87, Cornhill, London, respecting the suicide of Mr. Frederick G. Smith, aged sixty-six years, who shot himself with a revolver. Mr. John G. Smith, of High Holborn, brother of the deceased, said he was secretary to the London board of the Scottish Union Insurance Company. Since August last he was very depressed. At that time he had taken a step-he had got married after thinking over it for several years. He was very Ill, but it was partly caused by imagination. He olten said that he would come to poverty, and asked witness what he would allow him. He had a delusion that he was eternally lost. He regretted his marriage from the moment of it, and asked witness if he could undo it. On Thursday last he said, My soul is in Hell." He said that he did not belong to his family-he belonged to the DeviL After his marriage he became changed. Up to that time witness had noticed that he was quite right. The jury returned a verdict ot lemporary insanity.

A "COURTSHIP CORNER." A matrimonial fever seems to be raging in the North, if one may judge from the advertisement pages of the Scotsman (remarks the Pall Mall Gazette). In the "courtship corner" of that otherwise sedate and decorous journal, a score of amorous advertisers may daily be found sighing (in small type at so much a line) for connubial sympathy. Every rank of life seems to be equally smitten with the same passionate yearnings, from the four domestic servants who wish to correspond with four engineers or joiners to the "gentleman, aged twenty-seven, residing in a beautifully situated house two miles from a county town, who is desirous of meeting with an eligible young lady of good position, who would make a pleasant companion for life money no consideration, the advertiser having ample funds;" and the English Lady (aged 28), good personal appearance, and amiable temperament, possessed of mode- rate fortune wishes to correspond with a gen- tleman of steady habits, and of domestic tus t'1 a view to matrimony." There «l(a^ee^caar^ simplicity in the appeal of the i' „ in comfortable circumstances who is and who evidently thinks that wh le be is alumt lt lle may as well include among other aracles of urmtur, a young lady under tvveuty-bve. two conmu-rcial ge nth men betr.y the mstmc's of trade in their search for two young ladies with some means." and the young gentleman, bearing a high position in the legal profession," who wishes to find a wife not ex- ceeding twenty, and possessed of an annual insome oi ■7 at least £300" is plainly of opinion that love in the "aibstract" may be very well in its way, but matri- mony should be based on more substantial considera- tions. As for the ladies they seem to judge a m,1.n rather by his occupation than his income..H.T-wo young ladies, a blonde and a brunette, under twenty, considered pretty," sigh for military men; three young ladies, considered very handsome, of amiable dispositions an 1 attractive manners—aged respectively seventeen, llmeteen, and twenty-ane-wish to corres- pond with three special constables, with a view to matrimony and "two domestic servants have set theif hearts, one on a tradesman and the other on a seaman. The sympathy of a common misfortune leads a jilted young lady" to offer consolation to a "jilted young gentleman." But, perhaps, the most curt and business-like advertisement of all is the fol- lowing Young Lady Wanted, about Seventeen or Eighteen, to go to a Ball on the 14th." ■ Ml

A DREADFUL AFFAIR. Dr. Diplock, who has just been elected coroner for West Middlesex, held his first inquest, at the Mitre Tavern, Pulham, on the body of a little girl named Honora Sweeney, aged one year and ten months, who was alleged to have been murdered by burning. Margaret Sweeney said that deceased was her child, and it was one year and ten months old. She knew Mrs. Manning, who lived in the next room to her. On Thursday afternoon she left the deceased in the cradle by the fire in her own room while she went out into the yard to chop some wood for Mrs. Manning. While there she looked into a room, and she saw Mrs. Manninl1; seated in it, with the child in her lap. Shortly after she heard the deceased scream, but as Mrs. Manning had been in the habit of beating her she took no notice. She heard Mrs. Manning then say to the child, Don't be crying, you little —— she is not your mother." Witness then went into the room, and while she was doing so Mrs. Manning put the deceased on the floor. She took her up, and w hile doing so the skin peeled off her person. Witness then said, "You wicked woman, what have you done to my baby ?" x];e accused then took up a chair to strike witness, and said, "You I never touched your baby. The neighbours then rushed into the room and ejected her from it Witness then took the child to the police-station, and the doctor dressed her burns. She then returned home with the ch Id, and Mrs Manning tried to get into the room to kill her wiili a chopper. The police then took her into custody. Police-constable Turner stated that when the prisoner was charged with putting the child on the fire, she said she knewnothmt: about it. and that it was lying on the floor when it received the injuries. Shet-hought that the burns had been caused in consequence of there being no fender to the fire-place. The witness produced the clot1tinp; worn by the deceased at the time of the occurrence. They rlid not show- any appearance of having been i.Jurued. The witness thought that the clothes had been ]:"1.( up while the naked body was held over the fire. Mrs. Manning's hands were not burned in the least. In answer td a juror, the witness said taat she knew perfectly well wliat she was about. Mr. Lee, F.R.C.S., suid that he was called to see the de- ceased at the Fulham police-station. Tne upper part of the thighs, buttocks, and ab iomen were burned, the shin was also burned, and the calf of one of her legs. The private parts of the clv d were burned away. He dressed the wounds and set:i lie child home. She died from the effects of her injuries on Friday night. The Coror. :• having summed up, the jury, after consulting fc.- one minute, returned a verdict of "Wilful murder against Mary Manning for destroy- ing the life of the deceased child by fire."

COCK-FIGHTING IN AMERICA. Some of the American newspapers have taken to describing cock-fights with all the picturesque detail? to which Englishmen are accustomed in the accounts of pugilistic encounters. The following elegant nar- ratives are from the New York Herald — FIFTH FIGHT.—Both introduced brassbacks, each weigh- ing four pounds seven ounces. The Jersey bird com- menced the fighting, but New York quickly responded, and they fought furiously by rapid and punishing flights, cutting first throats, breast and body, when with a terrific lunge the gaff of the Jersey bird penetrated the head of his oppo- nent and he died instantly. Duration fifty-nine minuies. The friends of the Jersey fowls were jubilant, as they had won four of five battles. SEVENTH FIGHT.— Before the minutes passed given to pre- pare the contestants in this battle betting was heavily in- dulged in. Both showed a black red, weighing four pounds five ounces. Instantly the glittering gaffs began their work, and soon X ew York was cut in breast, neck, and throat, but New Jersey did not escare witbout injury yet he was too adroit for his opponent, and New York lost the battle after fifteen minutes' severe fighting. EIGHTH FIGHT—Jersey had won five of the preceding battles and the main. Consequently when the bird for this contest were brought into the pit the betting was greatly in favour of their representative. Each was black red, and weighed, New York four pounds five ounces, and New Jersey four pounds six ounces. This fight was quite evenly and gamely contested, as they fought for tveen y-eight minutes, aud when New Jersey gashed New York lor almost the fiftieth time, cutting his threat so fearfully that the last few drops of blood in his body dropped into the pit, he still endeavoured to fight, but with a gasp he succumbed—,& whipped, but game, chicken. Now New Jeraey had won six out of eight battles.

LETTER FROM CONSUL CAMERON. The Coblenz Gazette publishes the following interesting letter from Mr. Consul Cameron to Prince Hohenlohe- Langenbuig :— Magdala Prison, Nov. 6,1867. My dear Prince Hohenlohe,—You have surely heard of my prompt promotion in the diplomatic ser- vice, and how, after having had my legs chained during two years, 1 can now consider myself put in irons—twenty pounds weight of iron attached to my feet justify that distinction. But to speak seriously, I have witnessed singular events since we parted for the last time, and I suppose that, in one way or another, you are aware of their most essential details. It is incontestable that England has done all it was possible to do to reconcile herself with our Royid iriend. Now, we patiently wait that her troops come and liberate us. If the movements are executed with promptitude I entertain no doubt about the success. Neither the King nor his people have ever had to con- tend against real dangers, and I am certain that if .a small number of our soldiers quickly advance to the heart of the country they will suffice to dispel all the illusions of our enemies concerning their strength. Several circumstances, and above all, the situation of Magdala, are most favourable to us. Certainly, we may run the risk of being assassinated in a fit of vanic by the native soldiers, but the latter are without a single place of refuge, because they are surrounded by enemies who will never allow them to make their junction with the King. We calculate that the affair will be settled in one way or another by the middle of January. Lastly, two months will not seem long to those who have lived four years in irons. I learn that the Abyssinian affair is, in England, the object of numerous criticisms, and, as far as I can judge, malevolent persons have tried to prove, both in England and in Egypt, that I am the only guilty party in that affair. Nothing is more incorrect. I came for the second time to Abyssinia, with the authorisation of King Theodore, and while I was avoiding- with the utmost care to come to any conflict with him (the King has already broken his relations with the European representatives in consequence of the bastonnade, inflicted on Dr. Stern), I was, never- theless, thrown, in irons, when scarcely rallying from a malady, because I had written to him a most respectful letter, in which I begged him to grant me the permission of returning to my post, as my orders directed me to do so. In any case, I think that since that time the truth has prevailed, notwithstand- ing my silence. Have you read the good jitter the Duke of Saxe-Coburg has written to King j'heodore on my behalf ? I am unable to thank him as I would. He will be happy to learn that poor Schiller and his companions are free from the irons which chained their hands. The King has set them to work, and their feet are still in irons. Please to receive, &c., (Signed) C. DUNCAN CAMERON.

THE MARKETS. MARK-LANE, MODAY There was a moderate show of English wheat, and the quality of the samples was, on the whole, improved. For all kinds the demand ruled very inactive and to effect sales Is. to 2s. less money had to be submitted to. Foreign wheat—the show of which was good—was very dull, and the quotations ruled almost nominal. Floating cargoes ot grain moved off slowly, at the late decline in the quotations. Both English and foreign barley sold steadily, andlate rates were fairly supported. The supply was seasonably good. In malt about an average business was doing, at last week's currency. The fresh arrivals were on a fair average scale: Oats commanded quite as much money as of late; but the demand was by no means active. We have no change to notice in the value of beans. The inquiry was chiefly con- fined to retail parcels. Peas moved off slowly, at late cur- rencies. The flour trade was rather heavy. In prices, however, very little change took ptace. The seed trade was heavy, on former terms. In cakes very little was doing. Maize was very dull, and 6cL to la per quarter lower than *n Monday last. „ METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET, MONDAY. The show of foreign stock on sale here to-day was limited, even for the time of year. The demand, however, was in a sluggish state, at about last week's quotations. From our own grazing districts the arrivals ot beasts fresh up this morning were only moderate, but in excellent condition. For most breeds the demand ruled inactive. Nevertheless, the prices currest on this day se'nnight were supported. The best Scots and crosses realised lOd. per 81b. The supply from Scotland was very good from Ireland, inferior. The supply from Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire was about 1,100 Scots, crosses, and shorthorns: lrom other parts of England, 400 various breeds; from Scotland, 3Si Scots and crollses and from Ireland, 130 cows, heifers, dec. The show of sheep was again rather limited. Most breeds, however, were of full average weight. For the most part sales progressed slowly, at last Mouday's quotations. Thp primest Downs and half-breds changed hands at 5s. per 81b. The supply of lambs was on the increase. Amongst it were 56 head from the Isle of Wight. On the whole the demand was steady, at from 32s. to 37s. each. Calves were in short supply and limited request, at late rates, viz., from 4s 4d. to 5s 6d. per 81b. In pigs, the transactions were trifling, at from 3s. 4d. to 4s. 2d. per 31b. The supply was very moderate. HOPS. For all kinds of hops the trade has continued reiy quiet, at prices about equal to last week. ('oiUii.ental marKets have been inactive, and in America the trade hw niM heavy. The imports into London last week £ ?„ if bales from Antwerp, 161 from Dunkirk, ^^f^s fromlfoTi' 140 from Hamburgh, 34 from Calais and13^ bales^from Bou logne. The following are the quotations Jlid and t ist Rents, U. 5s. to 71 15s.; oi Kents, 4i.a to 6.. Sussex, 41. 4#. to 51 5a Farnhams, 71. 0s. to 91. 0s., an4 Yearlings, 41. Os. to 5Z. per cwt. POTATOES. These markets are well supplied with potatoes. The trade M heatvTo^all descriptions at our quotations The imports in^ Lmidon last *?eek consisted of 643 bags from Barling- tou 14 bags from Hamburgh, 240 tons fro,n Nantes, 68 bags from RoUerdam, 250 bags and 165 sacks truni Boulogne, h2„s ami j 095 sacks from Dunkirk, 3ob tons from Rouen, <V.7 tons from Caen, 60 tons from Granville, and 50 bags from Ostend Regents, 110s. to 160s.; Flukes, 130s. to 170s. Rocks, 100s to 130s.; French, 100s. to 105s. per ton. WOOL The public sales of colonial wool have been well attended by English buyers, and French as well as Belgian houses have been well represented, but the transactions on German account have been limited. Biddings in all descriptions have progressed steadily, at enhanced rates. Australian qualities have advanced Id., and Cape id. to ljd. 'per lb. Tne sales are expected to last until the 1st of April. The arrivals up to date consist of 12,241 bales from Sydney* :-><>,tii'iO from Port Philip, 19 018 from Adelaide, 785 from W- st Australia, 970 from New Zealand, 30,174, from the Cape, 513 from Van Diemen's Land, making, with 10,000 hales left un- sold from last sales, 113.364 bales. English, especially long wools, have commanded more attention at full currencies. Current prices of English woolFleeces.— southdown n. -its, is. 2d. to Is. 2trl. haU-bred8, Is. 4,-1. to Is. 6a. t fleeces, Is. 2d. to Ia. 2*1. douthdownewe. and wetner. if. Ui. to Is 2-d.: and Leicester'Htto la Id. -o la 2d. per ID Sort?: clof 'ng, u, 2d. to U 6jd.; and combiug, Is. Pd. to j t. pei lh. ■'V