Monmouthshire Merlin

MURDER OF AN OFFICER AT QUEBEC. An inquest has been held upon the body of the young English officer, Ensign Wliitaker, of the 53d Regiment, who was recently shot at Quebec by a youth named Chaloner. The evidence inculpating Chaloner was conclusive. He fired twice, and it Was the second shot that took effect in the deceased's temple. Lieutenant M. L. Porter, of the Royal Ar- tillery, who witnessed the tragedy, said The ex- pression on Mr. Chaloner's face when he discharged the weapon was one of intense hatred. He mut- hesf between his teeth, which to the I m«t, Was, You know what that's for." behind a^j ^r0m front, and Dr. Hedley from a 5.au" took him by the neck. He did not make liandre^1Stan(-e' '3U' rather advanced towards us. He an(j us bis pistol, which Dr. Hedley received, like ifSWfar one produced or one exactly that I* t*16 same time saying, I have done all Qlat I. Wanted.Cross-questioned by the prisoner that's fo eu Prisoner said You know what what did' w^om be address himself, and eions P A^°U (w'tness) understand by those expres- Whitaker. I dout know the reason why, and I thought at the v' know the reason why, and I thought ladv TT Was Probably connected with some tion* W n°'' know who the prisoner was.—Ques- been *e y°u BOt aware that the deceased had or ti bis addresses to the prisoner's sister, BWer^I t an^ Chaloner kept company ?—An- on know that there was a great flirtation going bid if 'or some time before he had been for- u 0n the house. —^Question Does the witness hoi ^r" Whitaker had been forbidden the house ?-Answer: I had no means of knowing that hitaker had been forbidden the house. I have en told the reason, and only know it from liear- j,r^Q^estion How did you come to know that "hitaker had been forbidden the house of Mr. th ?Der> an(i if your information was derived from e deceased, what reason did the latter assign ?— nswer I was chaffing Mr. Wliitaker about the irtation with Miss Chaloner about two mouths ago, When he said, "That's finished; I have been for- bidden the house." He didn't assign any reason to tne, and I concluded the flirtation had gone far finongh, aud that he had not proposed to marry.— ihe prisoner proposed to call Lieutenant Colonel Harenc, of the 53d Regiment, and other witnesses to show the provocation he had received bnt the Coroner held that this evidence was not pertinent to the inquiry, and the prisoner therefore reserved his defence.—The verdict of the jury was, "That F. C. Whitaker came to his death from a pistol shot wound on the left temple from the hand of John Henry Chaloner." A despatch, dated Quebec, March 13 gives the following additional particulars Mr. Whitaker was buried with military honours this e«t/In°°n' TJl? Btreets through which the funeral with^sDTOtlt m Vth6 Citadel were thickly lined ference whiS™' W^°/e looks betokened the indif- casloTtley 5elX THFRMFTHT of ^eoc- i A -L t or the unfortunate deceased The Seyu""n jS* r° "RT ">>■ a with rti, t>„ i A by four horses, with drivers of the Royal Artillery. Six aubalterns of the 53d acted as pall-bearers, and the bands of the decea sed's regiment and the Royal Artillery were pre- sent. The officers of the 53rd followed immediately after the corpse, both officers of the Rifle Brigade Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, and staff, with the Commandant, and citizens, about 30 in number, including a few prominent merchants the doctors of the deceased, Mr. Coker, Lloyd's inspector here and Mr. Bellingham, member for Argentenil. AV- plication will be made on Monday to admit Chaloner to bail. The refusal of the Jury to render anything else than an open verdict is regarded here satis- factorily, as a proof that the sympathy of the public is with the prisoner. Miss Chaloner is reported to be dangerously ill with brain fever."

FBIGHTFUL ACCIDENT AT A CLUB-HOUSE.—On Monday morning, at half-past nine o'clock, a fright- ful accident occurred at the New Palace Club-house King-street, St. James's, by which several persons were injured. It appeared that the Club-house in question was going to be repaired, and while the workmen were pulling up a ladder over the balcony, a height of twenty feet; the stone balustrade sud. denly gave way, and fell with a tremendous crash, bringing the workmen with it. They were picked up and placed in a cab, and conveyed to St. George's Hospital, where Mr. Wilson, house surgeon, rendered every assistance. Patrick Quin, aged thirty years, who resides in East street, Manchester-square, was found to be mO$t IvOriouely injured. The others were sent àowe.

MULTUM IN PARVO. The Budget will be introduced by Mr. Lowe on the 8th of April. There are said to be 11,000,000 believers in spirit- [ ualism in America. The new waiting room at Notting-liill station was on Tuesday burnt down. + ^I'I6 Pavisu church of Meigle, near to Perth, was totally destroyed by fire on Sunday. .^ben the Pacific Railroad is completed California s be within twenty days of London. Mr. J. Eckford Lander, R.S.A., died at Edinburgh on Monday. He was in his fifty-seventh year. In the second Protestant church newly opened at Madrid, the form of worship is Presbyterian. The King of the Hellenes intends to make an ex- cursion to the Ionian Islands in the middle of April. The government of Western Australia has offered a reward of £5,000 for the discovery of a workable gold field in the colony. It is stated that a velocipede enthusiast has driven a velocipede with great ease and without fatigue from London to Glasgow in seven days. General Stoneman, commanding in Virginia, has ordered all civil officers in that state who cannot take the first oath to vacate their offices by the 18th inst. It is thirty-seven years since the Jews celebrated the Passover at the same time as the Christians celebrated Easter, a coincidence which has happened this year. Sixty-seven female teachers in Cincinnati have petitioned for the same salary as males, on the ground that they find no reduction in board-bills on account of sex. The aspect of Paris at daybreak on Monday morn- ing was that of mid-winter. It had been snowing hard since midnight, and the snow continued to fall till eleven o'clock. President Grant has appointed General Horace Porter as his private secretary, and Mr. Robert M. Douglass, son of the late Senator Douglass, as as- sistant-secretary. The Avvenire of Naples states that the Royal Pa- lace of Capodimonte will be placed at the disposal of the Prince of Wales, who is expected to arrive in that city at the beginning of April. Private advices from Paris state that the Italian Loan, based on the security of the ecclesiastical pro- perty, has been at length arranged, and will now be brought out by a combination of leading capitalists. The official reports on the Mont Cenis tunnel show 67 metres excavated from the 1st to the 15th of March. The total excavation up to the latter date was 9,454 metres, leaving only 2,766 metres to pierce. Indian depredations are so numerous and outra- geous in Arizona that the settlers suggest among themselves a war of extermination, to commence with the massacre of all the Indians on the Govern- ment reservations. An attempt is being made to get together a team of efficient Welsh volunteers, and to obtain permis- sion for them to compete against the English,Scotch, and Irish Twenties in the International Enfield match at Wimbledon. Kossuth has been returned at several large cen- tres during the present general elections in Hun- gary. There exists an ever-increasing party who desire the complete independence of Hungary from the Austrian Empire. A passenger train from St. Albans, on Monday, came into collision with some empty carriages at the King's Cross station of the Great Northern Rail- way. Several persons were much shaken, but none weie seriously injured. The Government has offered a reward of £100 with a free pardon to any accomplice, not being the ac- tual cnlprit, who will give such information as will lead to the conviction of the murderer of John Fenn, who was found dead. near Maidstone- On Tuesday, in a case of an assault upon a wife, Mr. Ingham, the stipendiary magistrate at Wands- worth, remarked that drunkenness was the cause of all the misery in the world. If working men were to keep sober, the magistrates would have to shut up their shop. It is un lei stood that a deputation from the in- habitants of the islands of the Sporades has ar- rived in London, for the purpose of inducing the Western Powers to use their influence to prevent the attempted infringement by the Sublime Porte of the guaranteed autonomy of these islands. RAILWAY COLLISION.—On Monday, a passenger train from Waterford ran into a goods train about a mile from Clonmel. The line was temporarily, blocked, and a special train with labourers were en- ga ?ed in clearing the line. The damage is great. r Several passengers are injured, but not seriously. THE PERMISSIVE BILL.-At the Edinburgh City Council, on Tuesday, a motion to petition Parlia- ment in favour of the Permissive Liquor Bill was debated for two hours. Ten voted for the motion, and sixteen against it, and it was therefore nega- tived. The Lord Provost condemned the licensing system. Despatches were received on Saturday at the Colo- nial-office from the Governor General of Canada and from the Governors of British Columbia and Prince Edward's Island. Despatches were sent to the Go- vernor-General of Canada and to the Governors of British Columbia, the North American Provinces, Newfoundland, and Malta. The Mayor of Penryn and eight of the Town Coun- cil, with the town clerk, accompanied by the ser- geants at mace, attended divine service in the Wes- leyan Chapel on Easter Sunday. This is the first instance of the Penryn Corporation attending offi- cially any other place of worship than the Church of England. The two sons of Count Bismarck, having com- pleted their stndies at a public grammar school in Berlin, have entered the Prussian army. The elder becomes a Hussar, and the younger an Uhlan. They may, however, adopt diplomacy hereafter, as the passing from the one service to the other is, with noblemen of high rauk, not rare in Prussia. The Earl of Morley, at a meeting the other day in connection with the inquiries which the Hon. W. B. Portman is making in Devonshire on behalf of the Royal Commission on the employment of children in agriculture, expressed his opinion that the present system of education is inadequate and the country wanted some more effective local organisation. BREACH OF PROMISE.— At the Norwich Assizes, the case of Tillet v. Wrightup has been tried. The action was brought by the daughter of an innkeeper against a Norfolk farmer for an alleged breach of promise of marriage. It appeared that the plaintiff had been seduced by the defendant, and that he afterwards married another woman. A verdict was given for the plaintiff, with zC700 damages. An important provision of the Railways Regula- tion Act has come into operation. Every train tra- velling more than 20 miles without stopping is to be provided with an efficient means of communication between the passengers and the servants of the com- pany in charge of the train. There is a penalty of iSlO for each case of default, and passengers using the apparatus without sufficient cause will be liable to a fine of £5. THE MARQUIS OF WATERFORD.—We regret to Ie?rf\|^at» owing to a recent deplorable event, the establishm ent of the Marquis of Waterford, at Cur- raghmore House, will be broken up, all the servants, with the exception of two, having received notice that their services are no longer required. The absence of a resident nobleman, who spent so much of his time at the family residence, will be felt seriously in the locality.— IVaterford News. FEARFUL LEAP FROM A WINDOW.—On Tuesday morning a young man, the son of Mr. Stevens, broker, of Fairfield-street, Manchester, was admitted into the Infirmary suffering from very dangerous injuries, caused by his leaping from the window of a house in Fairfield-street, three stories high, and falling a distance of about 40 feet to the ground below. The unfortunate young man is said to have been in au unsound state of mind when he committed the act. The suppression of the workmen's livrets has, it appears, been received with the greatest enthusiasm by the working classes of Paris, as well as by ser- vants, and the carpenters and joiners of the Fau- bourg St. Antoine have suggested the idea of pre- senting an address of thanks to the Emperor, to ex- press their gratitude for the suppression of the liv- rets. Hundreds of workmen employed in the various workshops of Paris have already signed these ad- dresses. The Official Gazette of Lisbon publishes the decree already mentioned by telegraph, modifying the electoral law in Portugal. In future only one mem- ber is to be returned by each district, and the num- ber of the districts has been reduced. The new Cl>;tmber will be composed of 107 members instead of 179. FATAL ACCIDEXT TO A JOCKEY. — An inquest was held at Wigton, near Carlisle, on Saturday, on the body of William Gambles, a groom and horse jockey, who died from injuries received at a steeple- chase held at Wigton on Wednesday before. He was riding a horse called Soda Water, belonging to Mr. Blamire, of Carlisle, and when he had almost got round the course came to a water leap. Here two horses which had preceded him fell, and Gambles, in order to avoid them at the leap, pulled too near some hurdles which had been erected to define the course. His horse ran against the hurdles, shivered one to atoms, and fell on his rider, who, besides being rolled over by his horse, sustained severe ii ternal injuries. Hewaspickedupinsensibleand conveyed to the nearest hotel, but though every at- tention was paid him he died the following night. Tiie jury returned a verdict of Accidental death." REAL ESTATE INTESTACY.—Mr. Locke King's bill only occupies a single page. It provides that when a person beneficially entitled to real estate shall die intestate as to such real estate, it shall vest in his executor or administrator and the same, or the proceeds of the sale thereof (which sale he is hereby empowered to make), shall be distributed in the same manner as if it had been held for a term of years only and such real estate is to be included in the grant of probate or administration of the goods and chattels of the deceased. The bill fur- ther provides that the executor or administrator may, at the request of the persons entitled, partition the estate among them and the Court of Chancery, or any judge thereof, is empowered to make orders and decrees for the more effectually carrying into effect the provisions of the bill upon the summary appli- cation of the executor or administrator, or of any of the parties entitled. ALARMING ACCIDENT ON THE ANGLESEA CEN- TRAL RAILWAY.—On Saturday, as the down train from Amlwich, due at the Gaerwen Junction of the Chester and Holyhead Railway at 7 48 a.m. was coming insight of the station, a heavy fall of sleet took place, rendering the action of the breaks on the engine useless to arrest the progress of the train. The rails being on a slight incline towards the sta- tion, the train was running at the time four miles an hour, and the engine coming in contact with the wooden protections, forced them away, precipita- ting the train over an embankment. Fortunately, four empty waggons were in front, which prevented the carriages freighted with passengers following the engine. Save a few tumbles to those passengers who were standing in readiness to get out, and the pinching of a gentleman's hand at a door, no serious accident took place, and though considerably terri- fied, all the passengers proceeded by the train wait- ing the arrival of this train from Holyhead. The engine had not been raised up to a late hour on Saturday evening, though two powerful engines and cranes had been employed. MARRIAGES BETWEEN ENGLISH AND FRENCH SUBJECTS.—The Tribunal of the First Instance of Paris hasjust declared null and void a marriage be. tween a Frenchman and an English girl, which was solemnised at Cardiff on November 14, 1867. The names of the parties are not given in the report. It ap- pears that they at first attempted to get married by the French Consul at Cardiff, but he refused to per- form the ceremony on the ground that the previous formalities required by French law had not been complied with. They were then married before the registrar, and also by a Catholic priest at St. David's chapel, Cardiff. The husband was at the time twenty- eight years of age, and the young lady, whose father moreover, gave his consent, was upwards of twenty- one. The court held that although the marriage before the registrar was good according to the laws of England, yet it was void in France, because clan- destine, and purposely concealed from the husband's father, whose consent should first have been asked by an acte respeetueuse.. This is a new instance of the danger which English girls run when they marry foreigners in England. SEVERE THUNDEFSTORM.—A MAN AND WOMAN KILLED BY LIGHTNING.—The weather for the last three days has been very severe in the neighbour- hood of Whitby. A very cold north-east wind blew keenly on Good Friday, softened by occasional fits of sunshine, and between five and six in theevenincr it commenced snowing furiously, and next morning the neighbouring hills and dales were several inches thick with snow. Saturday was bitterly cold and between eleven and twelve o'clock at night there occurred a violent thunderstorm, which seems to have been most severely felt about ten or twelve miles distance from Whitby. At a place called the Shaw-end, near to Lealholm-bridge, on the North Yorkshire line of railway, a cottage was struck by lightning and completely demolished, the fragments being strewed in all directions. The occupants of the cottage—a man named Watson, his wife, and a child seven years of age-were in bed at the time. The house is somewhat isolated, and nothing was known of the terrible event until next morning, when the persons living in the nearest dwelling made the discovery. The Watsons, man and wife, were found quite dead locked in each other's arms, the bedding all burnt to ashes, and their bodies much blackened the child, who was in the same bed with his parents, had managed to escape, and was discovered, almost dead with cold, in an out- building. SENDING A VALENTINE TO THE POPE.—A case has just come to our knowledge which is probably without a parallel in the history of St. Valentine. Six young ladies in an English boarding school- two of them hailing from the north—purchased a very pretty valentine, which they sent directed to His Holiness the Pope, Rome." Accompanying the valentine was a letter, signed by all the young ladies, stating that they seen His Holiness's con- demnation of chignons and long dresses, and had been so impressed by it that they had given up both. The young ladies waited patiently, and in due time received a letter from Cardinal Antonelli, acknowledging receipt of valentine and epistle, which had afforded His Holiness much gratification. The letter was in French. The young ladies were delighted to get an epistle from such an exalted pre- late. However, another post brought back their valentine, with the Pope's blessing very beautifully written upon it in Italian. His Holiness had not been accustomed to such souvenirs, and thought it was doubly valuable returned with his benediction. The young ladies were immensely pleased, and are nowhaving the documents lithographed for preserva- tion—the originals to be given to the girl who sug. gested the affair. It may be added that neither of the young ladies has either taken down her chignon or shortened her dress one-eighth of an inch the whole matter having been entered into as a joke, although it may seem to some that for a few girls to hoax His Holiness Pope Pius IX., and his great Lord Cardinal of a Secretary, was hoaxing in rather high quarters.-Scot small. THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES IN EGYPT. -CAIRO, MARCH 18.—The Prince and Princess of Wales reached Minieli somewhat earlier than was anticipated. They were met by the Viceroy's son, Taufick Pacha, some of the ministers and the prin- cipal members of the Consulate. There was not any ceremony, but hearty greetings and glowing ac- counts given and eagerly listened to of the travels up the river. The Prince-in light-coloured travel- lmg dress, and an Indian puggaree round his pith heimet—looked the very picture of health so like- W!se did the Princess, as she stood underneath her sunshade, talking gaily with t]ie y Egyptian ac ia. The Prince of Wales related his shooting adventures, and how between the two cataracts he had shot a crocodile. He seemed proud of his ex- ploit, and so he may be, for crocodiles are tough- B mne ana it requires a very unerring aim to make e wound a mortal one. The sacred animal —svm- ° u6 -^le* or abundance and luck—was stutted on the spot, and is to be taken in triumph -l i n 'here maybe the Prince will have him nailed—as people do in this country—aloft of his door at Marlborough House. When at Thebes the Prince of Wales was informed of the existence of a tomb not yet come to light. Excavations were com- menced, and under the superintendence of Colonel Stanton, who returned from Assouan while the Prince and Princess proceeded to the Second Catar- act, a sarcophagus of red granite, in the form of an Usiridge figure, covered with hieroglyphics and cartouches- the feet partly broken-was found. It is buried at a depth of some 60 or 80 feet, at a distance of 30 or 40 feet from the face of the moun- tain. The tomb will be very carefully removed, and the proper engineering appliances have been sent thither for that purpose. But the sarcophagus is manv miles away from Gizeh.-Dailv News Corres- pondenti The South London Press says that Her Majesty, on the recommendation of Mr. Gladstone, has gran- ted a pension of zC50 per annum to the widow of Dr. Robert Armstrong, the late head master of the South Lambeth Grammar School, author of the "Dic- tionary of the Gaelic Language," &c. LADY SHOPLIFTERS.-Two well-dressed ladies, mother and daughter, were lately arrested for shop- lifting at the drapery establishment of the Villes de France, in the Rue de Richelieu. On entering, they were remarked by one of the assistants, who remembered that on a former occasion they had in- spected different pieces of silk without purchasing anything,and that after they had left several articles were missing. He accordingly kept a watch on them, and detected the younger secreting a silk dress under her mantle. They were given into custody, and on their apartment being searched a large quantity of 11 y silks, laces, ladies' underclothing, &c., was found, many of which were identified by the proprietor of the Villes de France as having been stolen from him. The ladies, who belong to a highly respectable fa- mily were afterwards liberated on the bail of a for- mer avoue of the Tribunal of the Seine.—Galignani. THE LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOVER COMPRO- MISE.—A more decisive proof of the extent and hopelessness of the litigation which is crushing the Chatham and Dover Railway cannot be afforded than in the fact that even the lawyers are desponding, and see no way of settlement but compromise. On one day this week not less than three applications were made to the Court, each attended by seventeen lawyers and supported by piles of affidavits and cross affidavits, but all were dismissed and the costs thrown upon the estate. There is a fund of some- I thillg like £300,000 which might be made available for division at once if it could only be ascertained who are the parties that are to share in the distri- bution. Hundreds of debenture holders who had relied for their income on the payment of the inte- rest are suffering severely from this state of things. The cumbrous machinery of the Court of Chancery, the best possible intentions and good wishes of the directors rendered worthless by disturbed and di- vided councils in the board-room, and the united exertions of the brigade of lawyers, each pulling different ways, only serve to embarrass and render hopeless a legal settlement of the financial position of the company. Now is the time for some sensible, practical men of business to step in and devise some scheme which, even if it does not ensure, in the opinion of some, complete justice for all parties, may b0> at all events, infinitely preferable to the hopeless bewilderment aud the ruinous litigation that are now seriously injuring the value of the property, and rendering more and more hopeless the prospect of a satisfactory adjustment.—Railway News. I DR. CUMMING ON EARTHQUAKES.—Dr. Camming lectured on Good Friday in his own church from the words Earthquakes in divers places." He said lie thought the most splendid commentary on the Book of Revelation was the daily newspaper, because what the prophetic word said should happen the newspapers recorded every morning had been done. Dr.Cumming,after reading various extracts from the newspapers detailing the effects of the earthquakes which have visited various parts of the world since the beginning of 1867, went on to say that material i convulsions had been always accompanied by great social changes and when, in addition to such start- ling material phenomena as had lately occurred, we rmembered theprodigious preparations for war being made on every hand, as well as other signs of the times both at home and abroad, we might be assured that we were on the eve of a tremendous change, which was no other than that spoken of by the prophet Haggai—" Yet a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth, and the sea and the dry land." All Scripture seemed to indicate that the troubled condition of our earth was draw- ing to an end, and even newspaper editors predicted that the present state of affairs in the political w, .rid could not last very much longer. He (Dr. Cum- ming) regarded what was now taking place as pre- monitory signs of stupendous social changes, fraught with the gravest issues. The Saviour had stated that these things should precede his second coming, and it was during the seventh vial that it was written that there would be earthquakes, lightnings, and thunders, such as never had been seen since men were in the world. It appeared to him, how- ever, that still there remained to come one shock so startling, so terrific, and of such huge and unprece- dented proportions that even thoughtless men would begin to be awakened, and to turn their attention to phenomena which hitherto they had only sneered at aud ridiculed. CURIOUS ACTION AGAINST THE DIRECTORS OF A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY.-At the Liverpool Assizes on Saturday, before Mr. Justice Brett, an interesting and amusing case was tried, which will let the public a little more behind the scenes as to the getting up of limited liability companies. A gentleman named Bennett, once a publican at Man- ci ester, and now an estate agent at Levenshulme near to that city, brought an action against Mr. Arthur Humphreys, the chairman, and the other directors of "The Loom Improvement Company, Limited," in which company he had been induced to take shares. He now sought to recover the value of his shares on the ground that the representations made to him as to the company were fraudulent. The plaintiff took the shares from a gentleman named Wrigley, who was an engineer of the com. pany, and who owed him some money. Durinc the trial it transpired that two gentlemen named Har- rison had patented some inventions, which ulti- mately fell into the hands of Messrs. Humphreys and Mumby, solicitors, of Manchester, at the price of £800. These gentlemen formed a limited com- pany, of which Mr. Humphreys was chairman, and tinough the medium of a nominee, named Richard- son' nno6y liad S°LD TLIE PATEUTS to the company for I V-» The comPany was not a success, and the plaintiff alleged that it was nearly twelve months before he could get to see a copy of the articles of I the association, and ultimately, fancying that he I had been deceived, he tried to get back the money his shares had cost him. One of the clauses in the articles of association caused much laughter. It was that "The shares of any shareholder who directly or indirectly threatened legal proceedings against the company or directors, or any of them in their capacity as such, should be forfeited for the benefit of the company." Several scientific wit- nesses were called, who said they did not like to attempt to put a value on a comparatively untried invention. If properly pushed, that held by the com- pany might in time be worth £10,000, and produce trom.e2.000 to £3,000 a year.-After a very lengthy trial, the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff damages zei Go. RnwL'HL oTIC3 MAD.—An event in the Thames nail ub sports had been reserved for the last, an 'c Obstacle Race." The unhappy com- pecitors were to swim across a lake (which, by the way, was covered with ice a few hours earlier), tueii run 150 yards over five flights of wattled urd es, then surmount "an obstacle," and then race home. There was a great deal of mystery about this obstacle. One paper said it would be an ex- traordiuary obstacle another said it would be an obstacle simply another that no conception what- ever could be formed about it. When made mani- fest to the eye, it turned out to be a barrier made np of "three perpendicular scaffold-poles, crossed at ree-feet intervals by three others." It was nearly dark when the start was effected. The lake was crossed, the hurdles were cleared, and two dripping athletes got over the obstacle and secured first and second prizes. But the candidadates for the third honours were not so fortunate. Two of the gentlemen reached the top of the obstacle, and there they re- iramed. They could not get down. Perched upon the summit of three perpendicular scaffold-poles, Sitting exalted, by merit raised to that bad emi. nence," on a bleak evening in March, in the dark, num bed with cold, covered with muddy water, their position cannot have been comfortable. But soon a triend arrived to keep them company. A third gen- an equally eager to be placed in the race ap- peared upon the summit of the obstacle. He also could not get down. He looked at the pair beside him, sitting there fixed and motionless. Sedent, eetur- numque sedebunt. Should he also abide on a per- pendicular pole, crossed by a horizontal one ? No. How then should he get down. Happy thought; tumble down. Accordingly he tumbled down, and the shock of the fall preventing him from resuming the erect posture, crawled the remainder of the dis- tance and won the third prize. Thus we gather if you are willing to swim, rnn, jump, climb up an obstacle, sit on a pole, tumble off it, run the risk of vertebral paralysis, and finally crawl upon all fours, and will do all this in the dark, on a wintry night, you may get the third prize, and have the reputa- tion of being a rather indifferent athlete. We shall look with curiosity for future specimens of ingenuity in the developments of athletic science. If there is any truth in the converse of the proverb, wo ought to be not far off the sublime of athletics, for the ri. tticaloua has been attained.-Saturdau Review. in the Court of Session at Edinburgh on Saturday, before Lord Barcaple, the North British Railway Company asked for an interdict against the Cale- donian Company declaring any dividend on their ordinary stock traffic receipts alleged to be due to them under the joint purse agreement, amounting to £ 50,000. His Lordship refused the interdict. Professor Ewald, of Gottingen, who was lately prosecuted by the Prussian Government for high treason, and acquitted, has been charged with the same offence before a higher court, on the appeal of the Crown Advocate, and again acquitted. Accord- ing to statements in the German papers, Professor Ewald is likely to be elected to the North German Parliament by the city of Hanover. A procession of The Way of the Cross," consis- ting of the Rev. Mr. Lowder, his choristers, and such of the clergy and laity as liked to join it, went through several of the most squalid thoroughfares of St. Georges's-in-the-East on Friday. Halts were made at various places, corresponding in number to the stages on the way to Mount Calvary, and an address on the symbolical meaning of the events that occurred at each stage was delivered by Mr. Lowder, and appropriate hymns were sung by the choir. A constantly increasing crowd witnessed the procession, and offered no disrepect to any of those that took part in it. MARRIAGE OF A PRISONER IN GAOL.—On Friday, James Ried, nailmaker, who is at present lying in the East Prison, Aberdeen, waiting trial on a charge of assault and robbery, was marriel to Jane Anderson, Gallowgate, in one of the classrooms of the prison. It was expected that the Rev. Mr. Wilson, minister of the parish, would discharge the ceremony, but he refusel. This difficulty wa°, however got over by the Rev. Mr. Skene, of John Knox's Church, kindly consenting to unite the parties. The marriage took place in the afternoon, and was conducted in the presence of the Governer (Mr. Rutledget, and two warders, male and female. After the ceremony, the prisoner was removed to his cell, and his newly- made wife went away.-Dundee Advertiser. The Army and Navy Gazette says that, although the number of battalions to be brought home from the colonies remains as originally proposed by Mr. Cardwell, some changes have been made in the ar- rangements. The 47th, which is entitled to relief before the 1st battalion Rifle Brigade, will return from Barbadoes, the Rifles remaining in Canada. The place of the 47th at Barbadoes will be taken by the 53rd from Canada, and that of the 84th in Ja- maica by the 29th for the same station. The 29th and the 53rd had been previously told off for Hali. fax, which will now be garrisoned by two regiments from Canada. The 50th would embark at Sydney in the Himalaya about the 1st of this month, and the Orontes is on the point of leaving for the Cape to fetch home the 99th. A SCHOOLMASTER CHARGED WITH SHOOTING.— At the Moot Hall Police Court, Newcastle-on-Tyne, on Saturday, Thomas Hodkiuson, schoolmaster, Low Walker, was charged with shooting atRobert llughes, with intent to murder him. The prisoner, it seems, has run up some heavy accounts with tradesmen, some of whom recently determined to distrain his furniture. On Thursday morning a number of young men, boys, and others gathered in front of Hodkin- son's house, to watch the proceedings of the bailiffs, who were refused admittance. After a short time Hodkinson fired a pistol out of a window into the crowd, and shot Robert Hughes, 17 years of age. The youth was taken home, and about 25 shot wounds were found in various parts of his body. He is now dangerously ill.—The magistrates remanded the prisoner for a week. A GIRL ATTEMPTING TO POISON HER MOTHER. On Saturday a girl, named Elizabeth Jones, 16 or 17 years of age, was brought up at the Liverpool Police Court charged with attempting to poison her mother a widow, residing in Rokeby street, in that town. Some time since the girl was employed at a cigar manufactory, but her mother, not thinking this a suitable place for her, insisted upon her leaving. This displeased the girl, who was taunted by her companions about her mother "putting upon her." Mfs. Jones was, by medical advice, in the habit of taking gin for an internal complaint, and the pri- soner, having procured a quantity of "Crew's Disin- fecting Fluid," put it in the gin bottle. Tne poor woman drauk some of the compound, aud was taken ill immediately afterwards, and she is now in a dangerous state. The prisoner, who admitted her guilt, was remanded. THE END OF THE HUDSON'S BAY Co.—The share- holders have been dreaming of the ownership of a continent, sovereign rights, and what not, and to find themselves offered £ 300,000, some 50,000 acres now, and ten million acres by and by, when their territory is all colonised, inspires them with the ex- asperation of baffled hope. They are rather shabbily treated but the truth is they have got a white ele- phant, and experience the usual difficulty in keep- ing him. A little reflection will, we think, teach them that under the circumstances their choice is between bare terms, and no terms at all. We are not going to irritate the Union and alienate Canada because a few score Londoners think they have a property-right in half of British America. If they have, it will be taken away, just as they took it away from the Indians, who were quite as useful to the world as they are. They have sacrificed men to minks just eight years too long.—Spectator. A MIDLAND RAILWAY GUARD DECAPITATED.- On the morning of March 26, informatiou was for- warded to Dr. Lancaster, the coroner for Middlesex, of the shocking death of Richard Green, a goods guard on the Midland Railway, under the following circumstances. On the previous night the deceased, who is about 35 years of age, was travelling on an engine from Agar town to Kentish town, and when he arrived at the cattle siding, lie jumped off into the six feet." At that identical moment a heavily- laden goods train from Wellingborough was pas- sing, and the unfortunate man slipping, the en- gine caught him, dashed him to the ground, and killed him on the spot. Mr. Palmer, the station- master, with Police-sergeant Calder, 1 S, at once proceeded to the spot, and there a most horrible sight presented itself. The unfortunate fellow's brains were scattered all over the line, his head was severed from the trunk, and his right arm and his shoulder were also cut off. His left arm was also broken, and his legs were crushed. His body was placed on a stretcher and conveyed to the St. Pan- cras deadhouse, and the head and other portions of the deceased were picked up and taken in a basket to the same place. The deceased, who is a native of Leicester, has only been employed in London for a few weeks, and a few hours before his untimely end obtained leave of absence to go to that town to visit his wife and three children. GOLD DIGGINGS IN CAITHNESS.—We have men- tioned repeatedly since the discovery of gold in Kildonan that there was every appearance that gold would be found in this country, especially in those districts which adjoin and run from the auriferous regions of Sutherland. Several prospectings" on a limited scale have now been made, with a highly favourable result, more especially about Dunbeath and Berriedale, where some fine specimens of gold of first quality have been obtained with exceedingly little trouble. What may be done at Dunbeath and neighbourhood remains to be seen, but at Berrie- dale his Grace the Duke of Portland has authorita- tively ordered that any attempt at digging for gold shall be prevented, and has established a posse of watchers to carry his orders into effect. This reso- lution has raised considerable excitement, both in the immediate neighbourhood and among the dig. gers at Kiklonan, and from the indications which were manifested on Friday, when a band of 22 men, accompanied by a fiddler, visited Berriedale, and prospected, it is feared, that some disturbance may occur. Hints were given that the body of Kildonan diggers would cross the hills on Monday, headed by a Welsh digger, but the fears of such a raid turned out vain, as the day was too fine to admit of their leaving the diggings, and there were no indications of any attempt from other quarters. We believe that on Monday the Duke presented a petition to the Sheriff for an interdict against about 30 persons from Dunbeath, Latlieron, and neighbouring dis- tricts, who had either visited Berriedale or threat- ened to do so, and the petition has since been sery- ed upon them. Meanwhile, nothing worthy of the name of disturbance has occurred, but it is not to be denied that there is a strong popular feeling, which is greatly increased by the liberal manner in which the Duke of Sutherland has behaved towards the diggers, greatly to the good of the district and to the whole north. We would fain hope that no col. lision may occur, and that in a matter of such vital public interest the Duke of Portland will devise liberal things so as to admit of the district being freely prospected. In the event of popular antici- pations being disappointed, the amenities of Lang- well will be far more effectually preserved by a full survey than if the estate were hermetically sealed against all investigation, and the populace were allowed to dream dreams of gold nuggets, and be tempted to violate the law ftud break through all wdw,—Northern THE ASSASSINATION IN CANADA- Lieutenant o of n u 53rd, who was shot by Mr. Chal* oner at Quebec, on the 3rd of March, died on th. James ^\xiL\ev oi 8eC0D<i 80n of Mr* of the 5th Dragoon Gu^s.^T Gazette states that the grave charges against this young officer are quite unfounded THE COST OF W AR.-The following curious sta. V are'publunea ioi the Gazelle de Fiene. ot the numoer of men killed in action between the veum 1854 and 186S. The sum total in both the Continents of human beings sacrificed to Bellona is thus given -The war in the Crimea, 748,000 Italy, 44,000; Schleswig-Holstein, 3,500 North America,'281' 000* in South America, 519,000 Germany, 45,000; Asia and in Africa, 95,000 sum total, 1,736,400. The ex- penses amounted to 47 milliards 870 million francs, thus divided:-Crimean war,8,500,000,000f.; Italian, I,500,000,000f. Schleswig-Holstein, 180,000,000f.; America, 23,500,000,OOOf.; South America, 5OOOf.; Germany, 1,650,000,OOOf.; Asia and Africa, 1,000,000,000f.; total, 47,870,000,000f. Many of the islands on the eastern shore of the ^natic are blessed with a climate little, if at all, in erior to Madeira. Lacroma, which lies opposite to Ragusa, is eminently gifted in this respect, and !aooni!s respect, and in vegetation and picturesque y, 1 is perfectly tropical. A company is now being formed to establish there a sanatorium for persons affected with chest diseases. The tempera- ture ranges almost pari passu with that of Madeira, the only difference being that the great heats do not succeed so early, and that until July and August there is really no excessive warmth. On the island of Lacroma the late Emperor Maximillian had built himself a very picturesque and beautiful residence by partly restoring a portion of the ancient convent -Pall Mall Gazette. PARIS AND LONDON OMNIBUSES.—M. Lavollee administrator of the Omnibus Company of Paris, has published a report concerning the omnibus ser- vice in Paris and in London. In the French capital the whole is in the hands of a single company in the English metropolis there are several companies and if number of passengers be a criterion omni- buses are much more frequented in Paris than in London. In 1866 there were in London 602 omni- buses, which, in the year, carried 44,351,000 passen- gers. In Paris, the numbers were—omnibuses 656, passengers 107,212,000. In London each omnibus transports 201 passengers each day in Paris 447 at a lower cost; for notwithstanding the disparity of the numbers, the annual receipt was in London 15,377,000 francs, in Paris 20,604,000 francs. The growth of the service in Paris is shown by the 347 omnibuses and the 40,000,000 passengers having in- creased to 448 and to 67,000,000 in 1860, and to the numbers above-mentioned in 1866. M. Lavollee also shows that the Parisian service has many advanta- ges over that of London that the Parisians are better accommodated than the Londoners and that the dead weight is less, whereby the force utilised becomes less expensive. EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF ILLNESS AND TRANCE. A short time ago an account was published of a little girl in Wales who had not partaken of any atMilor f°rfifte?n months. There lias occurred at Millom, in the neighbourhood of Whitehaven, an tlTwl Ca8f.' the only difference being ia the length of time life has been maintained with- out food. Eighteen weeks ago, a girl, eleven or twelve years of age, residing at Millom, was ill, and the medical attendant advised removal for change of air. The patient was taken to Old Farm, near to Ulverstone. She was attended to with every care but made no progress towards recovery. In a short time she fell into a lethargic state, and remained so for many weeks. At length she woke up, and call. ing upon her mother related how she had been in heaven and seen numerous angels, and her brother L, I f ? S°me tim0 ag0" She jessed a desire not to recover, but to go to the happier land of which she had had glimpses. She is described by her attendants as having a heavenly expression of countenance," and though she had been then for many weeks without one particle of solid food her face was plump, the lips alone being devoid of the colour natural to her age when in health. This power ot speech remained only for a short time, and the girl relapsed into her former state, and she now lies in a lethargic condition. When a question is put she shows she understands by a slight movement of the head. The only sustenance, if such it can be called, the girl has received for fifteen weeks has been the occasional moistening of her lips with a little brandy and water or tea. Within the last few days her limbs seem to have become more rigid. THE PAUPER EMIGRATION.—The Poor Law Board have addressed a circular letter to the Boards of Guardians of the Poor of r lie metropolis, stating that in consequence of the various legislative and other changes which have been made in reference to pau- per emigration from this country, the Board consi- der that some of the instructions and forms for- merly issued by them upon the subject may be ad- vantageously modified, and asking to be informed of any obstacles or difficulties which the Guardians may have hitherto experienced in their attempts to effect such emigration, or of any suggestions which they may desire to offer in reference to it. The Board of Guardians of St. Pancras having referred the subject to the consideration of the Committee of General Purposes, a report has been received from the committee, recommending that the attention of the Poor Law Board be called to the difficulties which the Guardians experienced in promoting the emigration to Canada of young women under the care of Miss Rye, owing to the Board having declined their sanction to any expenditure in connection with the emigration until a contract hai been entered into with the shipowner, and the shipowner having refused to enter into the contract, the Guardians were powerless to assist the young women referred to, who were ultimately taken out to Canada at Miss Rye's expense. The committee state that in their opinion it is impossible for the authorities of single parishes or unions to organize or carry out any satis- factory system of emigration, but think that if the power to negotiate with the Colonies for this pur- pose were vested in a Central Board, and in their opinion the Metropolitan Asylum Board would pro- bably be the best medium for the purpose, an effec- tual and constant system of emigration would be promoted from all parts of the metropolis, the ex- penses of which would be defrayed by the several parishes and unions contributing a fixed sum for each emigrant sent from the several districts. The Guardians adopted the recommendations of the com- mittee, and a copy of the report was ordered to be forwarded to the Poor Law Board. DARING BURGLARY AND ATTEMPT TO GAROTTE A SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE. At the Court House, at Driffield, John Brown, alias Necklace Punch," Henry Lock, alias "South Country Harry," and William Johnson, alias Gabby Link," were charged with having on the 5th inst. burglariously entered the premises of Mrs. Anne Cook, farmer, of Huggate, between Driffield and Pocklington, and stolen therefrom eight hams, several pieces of bacon, and some horsehair. An entrance was effected into the premises by making a hole through the wall sufficiently large to admit a man. The burglara got safe off with their booty, and for a time eluded the vigilance of the police. Superintendent Young on the lltli instant proceeded to a district between Bainton and Middleton, and found four men en- camped at Enthorpe. They were preparing to have ? VJ v? 6 8^0^en bacon, and several pieces were laid about. Superintendent Young succeeded in capturing two of the men, but the other two made their escape. With the assistance of another man named "Blackbird," who was supposed to be in some way mixed up with the affair, the two prisoners were handcuffed and placed in a dog-cart. They were then driven off towards Driffield, and when near the village of Kirkburn Lock jumped up, seized Superintendent Young by the throat, and then said, "Now, you we do not intend to go any farther with you," and threw him back in the cart. Brown got upon the Superintendent, who received a severe blow upon the nose, and both the prisoners then tried to throw him out of the cart. They then suc- ceeded in jumping out, and made the best of their way across the fields with the shackles on. One of the prisoners who, in the first instance, made their escape, was soon after captured sleeping in an out- house at Lockington, and lie turned out to be the prisoner Johnson, and, on the 20th instant, the pri- soners Lock and Brown were captured by Sergeant Wright, at Gainsborough. When charged with the burglary and garotting, Lock denied it, aud said Joe's a liar (meaning Superintendent Young.) I only put my hand round his neck, and he squeaked out. I never struck him." Lock, on being asked how he got the handcuffs off, said he knocked them off against a tree, and that he was not going to hug them far. The charges having been proved, the prisoners were committed to York Castle for trial. They are part of a gang called Wold Ran- gers," being a lawless set who obtain their living by poaching and stealing. The hamp have been found in a stone pit.