The Illustrated Usk Observer and Raglan Herald

THE FALLING OF A HOUSE IN HOLBORN. On Monday afternoon Dr. Lankester opened an in. quiry at the Holborn workhouse into the circum- stances attending the deaths of Guiseppe Casartelli and Elizabeth Davis, who were killed on Thursday last by the falling of a house in Ely-court, Holborn. Mr. E. W. James, solicitor, Ely-place, and Mr. L. H. Isaacs, architect. Gray's-inn, represented Messrs. Ledger and Clarke, the lessees. Mr. L. Lewis, soli- citor, appeared on behalf of the friends of the woman Davis and Mr. Buxton, solicitor, was professionally engaged by Signor Guiseppe Guanzirolli, the employer of the deceased Casartelli.. William Andrews said he had resided at 6, Ely- court, but at present he lived in No. 5, in the same court. He was the brother-in-law of Elizabeth Davis, who was 54 years of age. Groiseppe Guanzirolb, of No, 1.06, Hatton-gardcn, was produced for the purpose of identifying the body ef.. CasarteIli. The witness Andrews was re-examined, and stated that he saw no cracks or rotten beams in No. 6, Ely- court. He went to bed on Monday night at eleven o'clock. His son slept in the same room on the first floor. Mrs. Davis slept in the back room of the same floor. He had been sleeping three years in the room, and never imagined the house would have fallen down. He never knew that the walls were shored up in any way. When the house fell he heard a little noise, and nothing more. The walls fell in and out after the ceiling had come down, and wit- ness put himself together" and prepared for death. He subsequently got out of bed, but he could not get his clothes, and Was obliged to wait until the police came and helped him to get them. He rented the room of Messrs. Ledger and Clarke, and paid 3s. 9d. a week rent. He could not give any definite opinion as to the cause of the falling of the house. Had seen Mr. Ledger after the accident and had told him it was a bad job. He had not asked Mr. Ledger for anything. He was not aware that No. 5, Ely-court was unsound. He knew that No. 6 was an old house, but he did not 'know it had been propped. Signor Guanzirolli was again produced. He said his attention had been often called to the house. He told Mr. Clarke, one of the lessees, about 15 months ago, that he thought the house was most likely to fall down, and that somebody would be killed. He thought the house would fall because there was a rotten beam between the house in question and Mr. Benjamin's house next door. This strut" or beam fell down. There were cracks in the walls, the gutter was bad, and there was an overflow which came into his (wit- ness's) premises. The gutters were repaired 16 months ago after he had spoken to the district surveyor. He had always thought the house would come down some day or other, and although he expressed his opinion on the subject in the presence,of the surveyor s clerk, nothing was done. When the house fell he heard a fearful crash, and on going to his door he was nearly suffocated by the dast. By Mr. Lewis: He called the attention of Messrs. Ledger and Clarke to the house on several occasions, but they appeared to take no notice of what he said to them. Other persons in the neighbourhood also spoke about the unsafe condition of the house. He believed that if a very small expenditure had been made in re- pairing the house the accident would not have occurred. There were several cracks in the walls. He had known the house 35 years, and had not seen X10 expended in its repair during that time. The inhabitants of the court were very poor, and could not afford to spend five shillings in repairs of any kind. The landlord did not seem to care about anything but his rent. John George Sheehy deposed he lived at present at 119, Cromer-street. He had lived at No. 6, Ely-court. He had felt, a kind of shaking in the upper floors a week or ten days previous to the accident. He had lived eight months in the house, but had heard nothing in reference to its state. Martha Small, who said she had lived at No. 6, Ely-court, stated she had no home at present. She was in the house when it fell, and thought it came in from the side. Henry William Fox volunteered to give evidence. He said his wife took a room in November last at No. 6, Ely-court, and after they had been there a couple of weeks they heard a cracking noise between the wainscot and the wall. There was a hole in the floor through which his wife fell, and was permanently dis- abled. Mrs. Davis fell through the same hole, and she previously said to his wife in his presence that if they did not get out of the house they would be all buried alive. The hole had been repaired, but not properly. Robert May, builder, of No. 24, Holyford-row, Vauxhall, was produced by Mr. James, and deposed to having removed an old gutter from and put a new gutter in No. 6, Ely-court. He said he saw nothing unsafe in the condition of the walls or roof of the house. He would not swear that there were not two cracks in the walls. Benjamin Bryant, Inspector of the S division of police, deposed to having gone to the scene of the accident about eight o'clock on the morning on which it occurred. It was said that moans had been heard, and from that time up to four o'clock 20 men were employed in removing the ruins of the house. The Rev. Dr. Worthington here observed that it appeared to him that the woman Davis could have been taken out alive. When he went to the scene of the accident he found only four men occupied in re- moving the rubbish, and they had only a very incon- siderable quantity stowed away. The woman re- mained among the ruins from seven until two. The men were working with the greatest possible slowness, and he had to give them money for drink to stimulate their exertions. He was of opinion that if sufficient energy had been used from seven until three, the woman would have been removed alive. Five or six efficient labourers could have done the work properly. He did not blame Inspector Bryant, who, he believed^ had acted admirably on the oecasion, but he thought life should have been risked for life in a bolder manner than appeared to have been the case at the accident- The coroner said that if the jury thought any further evidence was necessary he would adjourn the inquiry, and they could in the meantime examine the premises themselves to see if any one was to blame for the fall- ing of the house. There was no possibility of their returning a verdict of manslaughter, but they could ascertain whether Messrs. Ledger and Clarke had been guilty of neglect.. The jury, through their foreman, expressed a wish to retire; and after a short deliberation they returned with their verdict, which was to the effect that the deaths of the deceased persons arose from accidental causes. The jury added that "there was a want of proper attention on the part of the landlords of the house No. 6, Ely-court, Messrs. Ledger and Clarke, in not replacing a beam or strut which had fallen down sixteen months ago, and which had evidently supported the walls of the said house. The proceedings then terminated. — w A public meeting, oonvened by the ±uev. J- «• Laturhlin, rector of St. feter's, Saffron-hill, and Mr. Alfred Barough and Mr. H. W. Cottrell, church- wardens, was held in the evening, in the Infants' School-room, beneath St. Peter's Church, to take into consideration the best means to aid the sufferers by the falling of the house. No. 6, Ely-court, Holborn. A large number of the parishioners and others attended, and aubsoriptiona amounting to over .£12 were re- ceived. The total estimated loss of the poor people is MS.

ALARMING ACCIDENT ON A BAOE. COURSE. On Tuesday afternoon, during the running for the Wolverhampton Stakes, a fearful accident happened, by which several persons have been injured so seriously as to be taken as patients to the South Staffordshire General Hospital in Wolverhampton. The accident happened at ten minutes past four o'clock, when some 30,000 people were at the highest pitch of excite- ment consequent upon the coming in of the horses in the race. Near the winning-post was a temporary stand, upon which about 500 spectators had pur- chased standing places. The occupants seemed to be intensely interested in the issue of the race, and like the rest were cheering and waving their hats. Suddenly, with a terrible crash, the whole fabric gave way, and its occupants fell to the ground. The structure was composed of seven tiers of timber planks fastened to uprights by ropes, and the centres being supported upon crosB timbers. The injuries sustained by some were so shocking that but little hope is expressed of their recovery. Amongst X, cnAotators in the adjacent grand stand were the rron. 0. P. Villiers, Sir Robert Peel, Bart., the of Stamford and Warrington, Sir Henry John- n and other noblemen. Fifteen persons were !wftd at the hospital, eleven remaining there, and I t wo are not Ukely to recover.

GREAT YARMOUTH ELECTION COM- MISSION. The commissioners appointed to inquire into corrupt' practices at elections for members to serve in Parlia- ment for Yarmouthcommencad their sittings at the Town-hall on Thursday morning. The commisaionora are Mr. Wyndham Slade, Mr. Lucius Henry FItz. gerald, and Mr. George Russell. There was not a very large attendance of the general public. The first witness examined was Mr. C. J. Palmer, who acted as the deputy of the mayor at the election of 1865. He detailed at length the general proceediugs and results of the Parliamentary elections in Yarmonth for many years past—and particularly of the last election—the number of voters who polled in the several districts, and how the votes were distributed. According to current report, and the evidence given before a com- mittee of the House of Commons, he should sily that the amounts declared as expended by the several can- didates did not represent the actual disbursements. .1". O. Cory, the town clerk, was next examined. He pre- sented statistics of the population of the town and the number of them exercising the franchise. He, too,, did not think that the amounts returned would cover He whole expenses. Money was spent on both sides. Mr. J. Clowes, legal agent for the Liberal candidates, testified that he was one of the petitioners after the election. From the cases brought under his notioe he had reason to believe that there were corrupt practices .1' at the late election. The eases which came out before the committee were only a small proportion of those which could have been brought forward. He con- sidered that corrupt practices had been generally practised on both sides in the borough during the last three or four elections. Mr. J. Scott, one of the borough magistrates, stated his belief that bribery had taken place, although he could not mention any case of his own personal knowledge.—Mr. Carson Blake, merchant and ship- owner, deposed that he signed the petition because he was averse to bribery, and he thought bribery, and particularly intimidation, had been practised at the last election. Several cases of intimida.tion came under his own knowledge, but not any of bribery and treating. He had resided in Yarmouth 50 years, and believed that the elections bad always been impure on both sides, save when Mr. Mellor and Mr. Young were elected, and when Mr. Rumbold and Mr. Sandars were returned.—On Friday the principal witness examined was a Mr. Cooper, who described himself as a printer and stationer, taming over about .£800 a year. He took a considerable intere8t in the last election, on the Conservative side. During the time that canvassing was going on, he purposely avoided going into the committee-rooms, or giving any orders which would have made him an agent. He did canvass, and calling upon one voter, who told him he wanted the needful, he gave him £20. He gave various sums, differing in amount from X15 to .£45, to many voters. But that did not secure the votes. Some voted for the opposite party, and others split between the two, and others again did not vote at all. Altogether he distributed, either personally or by sub. agents, from R3,000 to 44,000 to voters. This money was brought to him by a gentleman who was a perfect stranger to him. First, on a. Saturday afternoon he brought about £ 1,000; then. on the day after, Sunday, he brought about; £ 1,000 or Cl,500 more and on the Tuesday, he called again with about =81,000. The money was all in gold, and was either made up in brown paper parcels or was in bags.

THE SOLDIER'S BLIND MOTHEB AND THE EMPRESS. Amongst those most deeply engaged in active and practical deeds of kindness and charity throughout the Austrian Empire, none exceeds, if any equals, the activity and benevolence of the beautiful Empress Elizabeth, who still remains at Peath. We give our readers a translation of a letter which a lady, placed in her Majesty's suite under the title of Reader to the Empress," has just written to an old blind gipsy woman living in a remote part of Hungary. It strikes us as being one of the most affecting documents we ever read :-— "OFEJT, July 17. "Good Woman,-Her Majesty the Empress and Queen of Hungary went recently to see the wounded soldiers in the hospitals of Vienna, and amongst them found your son with a serious fracture of the right arm. X am sorry to tell you the medical men declared the arm must be amputated, but your son would not consent. Her Majesty used such persuasion with him that at last he consented to have it done next day. The Empress came again on that next day, but the arm was not yet amputated, and the medical man declared that if many more hours passed your son would be lost. He consented, but begged the Empress might be present at the operation, which would give him full courage to bear it. Her Majesty was not able to refuse the request, so she remained until he was put under the influence of a narcotic, and until the surgeons deolared all had gone on well, and was sitting on his bed when he awoke. Her Majesty then promised him that he should be moved to her own hospital at Luxembourg after a fortnight. As there are only officers there, he will have the best attendance. When he is quite well he will go home to you, and as be is not able to earn any- thing, her Majesty wishes to provide for him as long as he lives. The Empress asked him if be ha.d a family, he answered that he had only an old blind mother, whom he loves with all his heart. Her Majesty was pleased with this expression of feeling, and as she knows that you cannot write, she sends you ten florins to pay for the writing of a letter, because your son is very anxious to hear something from you. Send very soon a letter under cover to me, and I will present it to her Majesty, who will deliver it to your son. Do not be anxious; your son has every- thing he wants."

DEATH OF A GABOTTEF. Mr. Humphreys, one of the Middlesex coroners, recently held an inquest at the Green Gate, City-road, relative to the death of William Symons, aged 51, who expired through excitement upon being chased and apprehended after committing a garotte robbery in Finsbury-square. -i_ Elizabeth Symens, Kell-street, Dover-roarf, said that her husband was a dyer. He left home on Tuesday to sell something. He said that be was going over the water with a friend. He did not tell her the name of the friend. He never told her unless it was something particular. She heard since from a Mrs. Butler, who sells fruit in Finsbury Market, that her husband had got into trouble, and died. Thomas Hainan, 207 G, said that abont one o'clock on Wednesday morning he was on duty in Fins. bury Market, a man came up running, and apparently in a great fright. Witness said. Hallo, what is the matter ?" The man said, I have been stopped by some persons, and robbed." Witness pnt up his hands, and said, "Huah," for he heard footsteps. Then up come two men and a woman. When they caught sight of the police they separated and ran away. The robbed man said. "That man," pointing to the deceased, "is the one that searched my pockets with the woman." Witness thereupon ran down Market-street after tbe deceaaed, and succeeded in overtaking him. Ha langhed and said, What do you want with me ? Witness said, "I want you for robbing a man." Thedeoeased re- plied, Oh, it was not me. I know nothing about it. Just at that moment the other constable came up with the woman in custody, and the presecutoc also came up. The prosecutor said, He is the man. It was he that squared up and said, "Let the —— have it," while the other held me, and the woman and this man robbed me." The deceased seemed to be struck all of a heap by this, and he began to puff and blow. Witness said, What, is your wind gone bad? It was all right en on eh just now when you were running after this man." Witness took him along the City.road towards the station. On the way he reeled, and ultimately he fell. Witness got some men to assist him in carrying thedeoeased to the Worship-street station, where he died imme- diately on being carried in. No violence was offered him. Thomas Capes, the prosecutor, corroborated the constable's evidence. Mr. G. Yarrow, surgeon, said the post-mostem examination showed that there was a rupture of a vessel on the brain, and that the surface of the brain was covered with blood. The lungs were congested, otherwise the body was in a healthy btate. He attri- buted death to rupture of the vessel in the brain from excitement. The jury returned a verdict that Deceased died from effusion of blood i on ths brain from natural causes, and excitement."

THE FATAL COLLISION OFF THE SUFFOLK COAST. The terrible collision which took place early on Sunday morning off Aldborough, on the Suffolk coast, between the General Steam Navigation Company's steamer Bruiser, from Hull to London, and the Haswell screw collier, bound to the Tyne from the Thames, has not been attended, it is believed, with the very exten- sive sacrifice of life which was first reported. Unhap- pily, however, there has been a sad loss, and it is stated that many who perished were children and women. The collision took place abeut ten minutes to three o'clock in the morning. The Haswell had reeently undergone some repairs in the Victoria Dock, and was going down light to the North to receive a cargo of coals. The Bruiser left Hull on Saturday for London, and had a full complement of passengers. Both vessels were pursu- ing the usual course some few miles off the land. On the part of the Haswell it is everr-ed that she kept a port helm, and that the Bruiser must have suddenly altered her course to have brought her across the bow of the Haswell. The Bruiser was struok right amid- ships on the starboard side. The shock is described as having been of a most terrifia character, and, for the time, it was apprehended that both ships would go down. The Bruiser was cut down below the water line, and the sea rushed into her hold with considerable force. The cry was raised for the passengers and crew to save themselves by getting on board the Haswell. Captain Hartz, the master of the Bruiser, is reported to have been below at the time of the collision, having left the chief officer on deck. In about ten minutes the Bruiser went down in several fathoms of water, and as she disappeared several hands, apparently of children and females, were seen above the companion. Many of them were asleep in the berths when the collision took place, and in the confusion were unable to get on deck. Two of the stokers of the Bruiser were killed in their berths, and a sailor belonging to the same vessel was drowned. Amongst the passengers who came on board at Hull was a German woman and two or three children, and it is thought that they have all perished. A passenger also lost his wife. Considering the character of the accident and the short time that was allowed them to save themselves, it is somewhat providential that the loss of life was not greater. The number who perished is computed at about 20 or 25, but some of the passengers may have been picked up by passing ships. The Haswell, after remaining about the spot for some time, returned to London. She sustained a fearful rent on her port bow, the iron plates being driven in, but fortunately she was light, and the for. ward bulkhead held firm. She arrived off the Victoria Docks on Sunday evening, when the passengers were landed. Mr. Joseph Fry, bookseller, Chelmsford, who was a. passenger on board the Bruiser, gives the following acoount of the catastrophe:—I had gone to bed in the saloon part of the cabin about 11 o'clock on the previous evening, the weather being calm and the sea smooth. I went to sleep soon after, and remember nothing more until I was suddenly awoke in the morn- ing about 3 o'cloek. The-noise which awoke me was a strong loud crash, and when I looked out I saw a gentleman who slept in the adjoining berth already on the cabin floor. I hurriedly aBked what was the matter, but received only as a reply that something had hap- pened to the ship. I then put some articles of dress on, and at once hurried on deok, where I found the greater portion of the passengers in a state of semi- nudity. Everything was in the greatest confusion. The captain told the passengers to take to the rigging, as the ship was sinking. A great number of people obeyed the order, bat I was so unnerved by the sight which presented itself that I was unable to mount into the shrouds. The boats which were suspended to the davits amidships were both stove in, and there was only a. small boat on the quarter deck that could be launched. In the meantime the ship that had run into us was entangled in the rigging. Her bowsprit extended right across our vessel, and all her crew were in the bows. They lowered ropes to bring the people on board, and by this means some were hauled up, while others managed to scramble on board by the bowsprit or any other means that they could command. In the meantime the cap- tain gave orders that the only remaining boat should be lowered, and the women and children were ordered to be ready to get in. The sea was perfectly calm at the time, and there appeared no difficulty about get- ting all the passengers transferred from one vessel to the other. The boat was let down, and all was ready, but some of the women in the dim twilight of the morning hesitated about being lowered down the side of the ship into such a small boat, and after endeavouring to persuade a young girl to go in after two sailors, who had taken charge of the boat, and finding that she would not go in, I descended by a rope, and was the third person in the boat. I think there were nine or ten of us in when we pushed off. We reached the side of the other ship and got onboard, but not too soon. The vessel that we had left had been gradually settling down, and although in the hurry which distracted every one except the captain, we could not see exactly what injury our own ship had re- ceived, we discovered after we were safe that she was almost cut in two. She waa now going rapidly, and half-naked figures of helpless women, with streaming hair and despairing looks, were Been, clinging to the shrouds. Just then a schooner hove in sight, and seeing what had oocurred she bore down upon us. She arrived in time to be of service, for she succeeded in taking off several of the unfortunate persona who were left on the wreck. I was conveyed in the other steamer to London. I never shall forget the awfulness of tho scene that presented itself on the occasion of the ship going down. As I have said, there were a great number of persons clinging to the shrouds, and their waitings for help were heard above .the bustle) and hurry which possessed every one. Orders were given for all manner of things to be done, and everything was done to save life which it was possible to do under the circumstances; but above all this the shrieking of terrified women was heard, and half-frantio men rushed in every direotion with the hope of rendering assistance to those who were yet on the wreck. The ship into which I had got had steamed astern, so as to clear herself from the sinking vessel; but we had not gone further away than was absolutely necessary for safety. I have said that I got into the small boat and reached the other ship, but my time in relating it far exceeds the time in which the occurrences took place. Indeed, so rapidly did one matter succeed another that it is with difficulty I can recollect the order of events. One thing I do remember, however, and I am sure I shall never forget it, and that is the awful eight of the sinking ship taking with her some twenty human beings. All of a sudden the ship seemed to heel, and then plunging headforemost beneath the waves, a boiling surge suc- ceeded, and for ever drowned the cries of the unfortu- nate creatures who had been unavoidably lefh on the wreck. I afterwards inquired of the captains of the two vessels how the accident occurred, but they replied they were unable to say. Both ships showed lights, and both had men stationed on the look-out; but no signal was given to the helmsman until the collision took place.

THE SOCIAL SCIENCE CONGRESS. A meeting of the executive; committee was held en Friday, at Manchester, in the Mayor's Parleur; Mr. Alderman Neild presiding. There were present the Mayors of Manchester and Salford, Messrs. Steinthal, W. Fairbairn, Oats, Phillips, Richardson, Bremner, H R. Forrest, Heron, and R. M'Kerrow. The minutes of the former meeting were read and confirmed. Mr. Steinthal reported that the Earl of Shaftesbury had undertaken the presidency of the association. He had received a telegram from [London intimating that his lordship was willing ti»> receive a deputation, and requesting some one to go up from Manchester to join the deputation. Mr. Maclure and himself so- cordingly went up, and he was glad to say they had obtained his lordship's consent (hear, hear). A letter had also been received from Mr. Dudley Field, of New York, who had recently been engaged in codi- fying the laws of the state of New Ydrk, accepting the office of president in the International Law Section, and stating that he would come over to England expressly to attend the meeting. Judge Marvin, of New York, had declined the office. Mr. Austin Bruce had also consented to take the presi. dency of the educational section, and Sir James Kay Shuttleworth had accepted the presidency of the economy department. That completed the list of presidents of departments, with the exception of jurisprudence; but the secretary had written to him to say that he hoped to have an answer shortly from a gentleman, with whom he was in communication, in gentleman, with whom he was in communication, in reference to the presidency of that department. Since their last meeting, the guarantee fund had not in- creased very much, owing, perhaps, to the present com- mercial pressure; but Mr. Harter had sent in a dona- tion of JEIOO towards the guarantee fund. They must now go on rather more actively on that point. The first advertisement of the prograrame of proceedings had been published, and would be repeated once or twice until the list of oSisers wa3 completed, when a. better advertisement would appear. With regard to railway accommodation, answers had been received from theNorihLancashire SteamNavigationCompany, the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company, the Belfast Steam Navigation Company, the Caledonian Railway Company, the Glasgow and Liverpool Steam Navigation Company, the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway Cotspisy, the Great Northern Railway Company, and the Midland Railway Company, all of whom had granted the privilege to members aad associates, on producing vouchers, to take return tickets at a. single fare, first and second class. The London and North-Western Railway Company had acknowledged the receipt of their letter on the subject, and stated that it would be brought before the direc- tors at their next meeting; and he had no donbt that matter would be satisfactorily arranged. A preliminary prospectus of the association would be issued in a few days, with a list of the officers of the association, the special subject-) for discussion, the secretaries names, and the regulations concerning papers, subscriptions, and membership. This circular would be largely sent out in Manchester, and he hoped it would be the means of helping the guarantee f and. Mr. Oats suggested that in the circular; something should be said as to the use to which the subscriptions would be applied. It seemed to be thought that the subscriptions went to pay the local expenses, whereas it should be understood that they were applied to de- fray the cost of printing the transactions,,and the general expenses of the association. Mr. Steinthal said it would be well that it should be known that this committee did net touch one farthing of the subscriptions, which wonkl go to London to pay the regular expenses of the association. All the expense of rooms, advertising, printing, and entertain- ing members of the association while in Manchester, would be borne by the local committee, and it was for that pnrpose that they required the guarantee fand. Mr. Steinthal read a letter which he had received from the secretary, in which he ssid: "If your capitalists will give the congress a frank support, I be- lieve now that it will be one of the best yet held. The papers promise to be some of the best and strongest ever sent in for any of our meetings." Some other matters of detail, as the providing of refreshments at the evening assemblies, &c., were en- trusted to the sub-committee, and it was agreed that the general committee should be called together on the earliest practicable day for the purpose of hearing a report as to the progress made, and receiving Mr. Clay, one of the secretaries in London. The meeting then adjourned.

THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. I wandered along Fleet-street, admiring the shop- windows and other gratuitous exhioitions of a like nature, so profuse in the great metropolis. I passed along the Strand to Charing-cross, thence down by the Admiralty, the Horse Guards, the Treasury, and so on, to Westminster Hall and the Abbey, ti!l I reached an entrance hall door, where something like a well-bred crowd was standing, to see a number of gentlemen enter, some of whom arrived by means of walking and some by carriages, in which ocaasionauy ware elegantly dressed ladies, who did not alight like the gentlemen, but dreve off again in the vehicles. Amongst the arrivals, I was struck with the appearance of my elderly fat friend who had dmed, so gratifymg to himself, at the bay window of the hotel, and wao was now all alive and active, as he dropped from his cabriolet and toddled along the passage that led inwards. I now inquired of a bystander what im- portant gathering this was, when he informed me it was that of the House of Commons, and that the gentlemen I had observed were honourable members peuringin—aratherinterestiHg debate, on an important subject to the nation, being expected to take place that evening. Unless I had been told that the gentlemen walking into this lobby were members of Parliament, I confess I would never have guessed them to have been such, for, although a few were decidedly good- looking and gentlemanly in their appearance, the generality of them more resembled decent olerks, or honest shopmen, or respectaole schoolmasters, than what they were: some having under their arms rolls of paper, or in their hands parcels of books, or, stick- ing out of their pockets, petitions all of which had a considerable resemblance to the commodities that per- tain to the worthy professionals I have named. There were likewise a. number, of tottering aid seemingly doted old gentlemen, who I thought would have been better at their firesides than where they were; and not a few mere youths, or as we would denominate them in Scotland, "laddies," who, apparently, looked npon the House of Commons asaverygooci sort of lounge, or club. I felt a desire to witness the debate, and having learnt frjm my informant that I might obtain thisgratifioiition by the exercise of a little patience, and the payment of half-a-crown, I pressed my way along a passage that was pointed out to me, and up a dark, narrow, and crowded staircase, till I arrived at a daor, through which I was admitted, after a lapse of tbDut half an hour, to a gallery, where I found myself in the preaenceof the assembled Com- mons of England, in full debate, the scene being some- thing like that of a bear-garden, for many vociferous and angry members were on their feet at once, and the Speaker, with stentorian voice, was calling out "Order, order;" while not a few honourable gentle- men, by way of supporting the Speaker, were bawling "Chair, chair!" and Hear, hear!" thereby adding, as I thought, more to the disorder than otherwise. During this period, we in the gallery were under the strict surveillance of the Jialf-crown recipients, who, the moment any one of us, carried away by tne excite- ment of the members, smiled, or made a remark to hie: neighbour, or stood up, to see to more advantage the melée, would order himat osoeto be quiet, or tobe seated3 as the case might be, so that we looked more like a par- cel of Quakers, staring a company of camediaus while enacting a farce, out of countenance, than an audience of free-born Britons, witnessing unrestrainedly the proceedings of their representatives, and for which they bad paid full admittance money. This sort of drama, although new to me, was, somehow or other, not strange, and on inquiring the reason why, in my own mind, I found it was because the squabbling bad a resemblance to what used to go on, in my infantile doys, in the Goosedubbs, on the occasion of some of the crowded social meetings pertaining to the locality, with thill difference, that while the members of either regarded each other with equal malignity—so far as expression of countenance CNild reveal—there was a modification here in the expression of speech. For instance, in the Goosedubbs, we called a spade, a epade;. but in the House of Commons, they gave it a very roundabout name, so that when oae member wisbed to insinuate that another was bouncing, he did it in such a way as follows" The honourable member has made an allegation; well, all I have to say is, tna^ any alligator may do so! wh«e shouts of laughter and cries of Hear, hear," or Oh! oh l? t'^ed the vile attempt at a pun. The scene, which had con- tinued fully five minutes, at last moderateddown, and the debate then flowed on monotonously and drowsily, se much eo that most of the members composed them- selves to sleep, and conspicuously so, a,monget them, my elderly friend, who had dined ao fc>S. rauL» Coffee- house. I now saw there was to be no further excite- ment that evening, so, after giving two or three yawns, I left, heartily tired of the House of Commons.-Th; Beggar's Benison.

Three Young Men Drowned in the Orwell —A painful affair happened on the river Orwell at Ipswich, on Sunday evening between eight and nine. £ y j waterman), William Podd and Partridge Podd (brothers), Herbert Bernett, and Samuel Barber, landlord of the Beehive Tap, Ips- wicn had pulled to the Oatrieh, a pleasant river-side house. They stopped there but a short time, and had three pots of beer between them. With the exception ot rarmage Podd, the partv started for home, and when off Hog Island, within half a mile of the Dock Promenade, at Ipswich, the boat, through Kirby's gettug up, was upset. Barber fortunately clung to the boat, and was rescued by a man named Church- man, on board the mud engine not far off, and taken ashore the other three were drowned. Information was at once given of the accident, and Podd's body was found between eight and nine on Monday morn ing, and the other two bodies a little later. Althoug; the bodies had been in the water bat a short time, their faces were quite mutilated by the crabs. Kirby leaves a wife aad five children.

HEARTLESS CONDUCT OF A BROTHER. A General Lover. Frederick Augustus Wright, a young man, described as an agent, of No. 61, Chester-street, Kennington- lane, was charged at Marlborough-street, on Tuesday, before Mr. Tyrwhitt, on suspicion of stealing a lady's velvet jasket, a moire antique dress, and other pro- perty, belonging to his brother, Mr. Thomas Francis Wright, a literary agent, residing at No. 60, Walcot- place, Kennington-road. The prosecutor said that some time ago he was charged at that court with obtaining a mantle from Messrs. Swan and Edgar's by fraud, and was committed from that court. On the 25th of June the prisoner—his brother—came to him in prison, and from that day to the 20th of July he obtained from his (prosecutor's) wife several sums of money- in all about < £ 4. He entrusted the prisoner with a parcel, containing a velvet jacket, a moire antique dress and the property to take to Mr. Oddy's, in Argyll-street, to be delivered to Mr. Sayer, the solici- tor engaged for him, and the prisoner took it there, but subsequently fetched it away, and he had seen nothing more of the prisoner till yesterday. The prisoner had also, although he received the money for the purpose, failed to get his witnesses to character in attendance on the trial. He (prosecutor), however, was discharged. He had ascertained that the prisoner had been using his cards for a most improper purpose, and he had received letters addressed to him, but in- tended for the prisoner, from servants who complained of the prisoner robbing them. To one female the pri- soner had represented himself as a clerk in Somerset- house, with a salary of £ 900 a year, and to another as possessed of .£300 a year, and he had offered both of them marriage. Mr. Oddy, refreshment-house keeper, of Argyle- street, said the prisoner brought a parcel to his house for Mr. Sayer, and subsequently sent a lad for it. He refused to give the lad the parcel, and the prisoner came himself, and he gave him the parcel. The prosecutor said the prisoner, although married andhavingtwoohildroB.wagoarryingonoorrespondenoe with different females with a view to marriage. In one of the letters sent to a female was one of his (pro- secutor's) cards, which the prisoner was using, and round it was wrapped a piece of blue silk, sent as a specimen of the intended wedding dress. Mr. Sayer said the parcel was intended for him, to be handed over by agreement to Messrs. Swan and Edgar. The prisoner, when taken into custody by Sergeant Cole, of the C Division, was in company of a young woman whose acquaintance he had formed in Hyde- park, and to whom he was paving his addresses. The following is the specimen of the letter forwarded to the young woman:— My own darling Sarah,—I could no longer conceal the resolution which I have taken to love you all my life, and bear the character of your lover eternally. I have three times attempted to give yen a -verbal relation of the con- tents of this note, but my poor head has failed me. Darling, I am not precipitate, nor would I desire your hand if your heart did not accompany it. I declare to you, with all the sincerity of a man of honour, that I have a most sincere passion for you, but I have seen gentlemen lead such dances when they have given up their affections to the lovely tyrants of their hearts, and could not help themselves, that I had no courage to begin an address to you, of whose good sense and generosity I .had nevertheless a good opinion. Your lover for ever, FRANK. The prisoner was remanded.

PRUSSIA AND THE SOUTH GERMAN STATES. The full text of the armistices concluded by Prussia. with Bavaria, Wiictemberg, Baden, and Hesse-Darm; stadt, has just been made publio. The principal stipulations of these documents are as follows:— AKMISTECE WITH BAVARIA. "An armistice, is concluded between the Prussian and Bavarian armies for three weeks, commencing on the 2nd August. Further military details, together with the line of demarcation both parties shall observe, will be settled between the Prussian and Bavarian commanders upon the basis of the military uti possiitetis., The Bavarian Government undertakes that no obstacles shall be placed in the way of the immediate return to their homes of North German troops hitherto occupying UIm., Rastadt, and Mentz. The King of Prussia has empowered the commander of the Maine army to conclude armistices with the Governments of Wiirtemberg, Baden, and Hesse Darmstadt, from the same date and of equal duration with the present convention, and will enter into negotiations with those Governments^ for the conclu- sion of a peace immediately after signature of the armistioe. "ARMISTICE WITH WTJRTESIBERG. The armistioe between the Prussian and Wiirtem- berg troops begins on the 2nd and lasts till the 22nd August inclusive. If the Wiirtemberg troops in Bavaria remain in cantonments, they shall not cross to the right bank of the Maine, nor enter Wiirtemberg territory. The Prussian troops and their allies will not enter any part of the kingdom of Wiirtemberg south of a line drawn from the Baden and Wiictem- berg frontier along the course of the Neokar until its function with the Kocher, upwards along the course of the Kocher to Hall, and from Hall along the great high road to Crailsheim and Feuchtwangen. The Prussians and their allies will respect State and pri- vate property in Wiirtemfcerg, and impose no contri. butions. The districts they occupy will have, however, to supply them with provisions free of cost. The Wiir. temberg Government undertakes to withdraw its troops in the fortress of Mayence by the 8th August, and will also permit the North German troops in Ulm free departure for their homes. The Hohenzollern districts shall be evacuated by the Wiictemberg officials as early as possible, and at latest by the oth August. All State and private property in those dis- tricts, if in any way damaged by Wiirtemberg officials or troops shall be fully restored. The Wurtemberg Government will adequately compensate Prussian sub- jects banished from Mentz after the withdrawal of the Prussian troops. "ARMISTICE WITH BADEN. The armistice to last until the 22ad of August. The Baden troops will march to Carlruho, and occupy no position north of that city so long as the armistice re- mains in force. The Prussians and their allies may oc- cupy the districts of Baden upon the right bank of the Neckar, with the towns of Haldenburg and Mann- heim. They will respect State and private property, and impose no contributions, but the districts they occupy will have to supply them with provisions free of cost. The Baden Government undertakes to withdraw its troops from Mentz by the 8th of August, and to offer no obstacle to the North German troops in Ulm, Rastadt, and Mentz returning home. It will also adequately compensate Prussian sub- jects who suffered injury by being expelled from Rastadt and Mentz while Baden troops were present in those fortresses. "ARMISTICE WITH HESSE-DARMSTADT. "The armistice to data from the 2nd to the 22nd August inclusive. In case the Hessian troops in Bavaria remain in cantonments they shall not cross to the right bank of the Maine, uor pass the road from Oohsenfurth to Aub, in a westerly direction, nor «nter Wtirtemberg territory. Should the Hessian Go- vernment decide upon recalling itstroorm home, they aTmll observe a certain line of march (detailed), and Position assigned to them until the expiry ^t.hftVeAK?oo*th! left bank of the Rhine. The of the atmistic P. |i:e9 not enter the district Prussians ^Safan tro^ps upon the left bank of assigned to the Hessian troop^ ifl foi;ce. the Rhine while prjvate property, and lm- They will respect btate an diatricts they oooupy pose no contributions, bat provisions. The same must furnish them al f)f troops from Mentz, stipulations as to the withdrawa jjorth German opposing no obstacle to theretu ^ectB iDjured troops, and compensation of Prussian J by banishment from the Federal fortresses, M concluded with the other South Carman Governments, germinate the Hessian armistice. •