Monmouthshire Merlin

INTERNATIONAL RIFLE CHALLENGE TROPHY. The International Rifle Challenge Trophy was shot for at Edinburgh last week, by the Scotch, English and Irish twenties. The result was In favour of Scotland, by 25 points over England. ScoresScotland, 1226; England, 1201; Ireland, 1140.

CLOSE OF THE SESSION. In the best-informed quarters it is believed that Par- liament will rise about August 3rd. The massacre of the innocents is impending; and we hear that among the victims will be found the Rivers Pollution Bill, the Prisons Bill, and the Valuation Bill.- Whitehall Review.

DEATH OF GENERAL LORD SANDHURST. General Lord Sandhurst died on the 23rd of June at his London residence, at the age ot 57. He was one of the most distinguished officers in her Majesty's service, and his early death is due to congestion of the lungs. The deceased General, William, Lord Mansfield, Baron Sandhurst went through two campaigns in India, and durine the mutiny he was chief of the staff oi General Sir Colin Campbell. He received the thanks of Par- liament for distinguished services, and afterwards became commander of all the forces in India, and more recently held the chief command in Ireland. Besides other honours, he was raised to the peerage five years ago by Mr. Gladstone. a

EXPULSION OF MR. RIPLEY, M.P., AND SIR G. BOWYER, M.P., FROM THE RE- FORM CLUB. The committee of the Reform Club, at a meeting held last week, passed a resolution expelling Sir George Bowyer, M.P., and Mr. Ripley, M.P., on account of their recent votes in the House of Commons. It was expected that after the action taken by the Political Committee of the club no further steps would be taken until a general meeting of the members had been held, but the Press Association is informed that the extreme measure recorded above was urged upon the general committee by about 160 leading members of the club, the majority of them being members of Parliament.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC UNION. The Roman Catholic Union of Great Britain held its annual meeting last week, the Duke of Norfolk presid- ing The Marquis of Ripon, the Earl of Denbigh, Sir C. Clifford, Sir P. Ratcliffe, and other Roman Catholic notables were present. The report was con- gratulatory as to the progress of the Union by the increase of members and of affiliated societies, the additions of the year being the Sheffield, Leeds Wigan, and Bath societies. The work of re- gistration had made great progress in the Metropolis. To two very important congresses—one in Austria and another at Rheims-tbe Union sent representatives, and hoped to be represented at all the important Catholic congresses to be held during the present summer. The report also spoke of the fund for the relief of the German clergy as a great success in the amount ob- tained, and its moral effect in Germany. The Marquis of Ripon, Earl Denbigh, and others took part in the discussion, their remarks being chiefly confined to these topics.

RAILWAY PASSENGER DUTY. The report of the Special Committee on the Railway Passenger Duty was laid on the table of the House of Commons last week. The Committee state that the tax is an undesirable one to maintain longer than is financially necessary, and recommends its total repeal whenever the state of the public revenue will permit. Until then they recommend that the present tax of 5 per cent. be restricted to fares of one penny a mile, and that the fares of all passengers paying one penny a mile or under be exempted, this exemption to apply to return and season tickets in urban and suburban districts all fares of all classes up to ninepence to be exempted. In future legislation care should be taken to keep in view the object of maintaining ample passenger communica- tion between the several stations of each line. The committee, in reference to their strong recommenda- tions in favour of the metropolitan and suburban passenger lines, point out the severe competition they undergo with omnibuses and tramways, and state that in many thinly-populated localities where passenger traffic would be useful, the lines are confined to goods traffic only on account of the duty in question.

THE WAINWRIGHT FUND. Last week a petition was presented to Vice-Chancellor Malins to nettle a scheme for the investment of the residue of the Wainwright Fund, now standing in the London and County Bank. Mr Glasse Q C., stated that the petitioner was the '« fonder rector of Middleton, Sussex. Henry £ *"W cU'droii .ged te.pwlJ J prti'tionert '„pp(,»l to LTVbftc TLriptioo.. amountiDg to £ 1255. 1W "1DEarfy8in the present year ElizabethWain wright JU F I rpduced to great distress, and in her the petitione^paid to her out of the fund £ 300 The question was then raised whether the petitioner was justified in paying,^ f '1? ^Kli^thwLln.right: '«aS"dfo'° JS v,-i j The fund was contributed by about 1100 penons 10 various parts of the Doited Kingdom. Subscription" instances sent in anonymously, and thp • therefore, unable to ask the consent o t of frhe to the course he had pursued. Alter py costs of advertising, &c., the sum of £ 939.179. d.. remained. The petitioner submitted ttot the m st beneficial disposition of the fund would be to pay r to Elizabeth Wainwright a further sum of £ 100 for the purchase of necessaries for herself and her children, to invest the balance in the purchase of some freehold or copyhold houses for Elizabeth Wainwright for We, ir^alDder to her children absolutely. To P posal Mrs. Wainwright Had gi™n her assent and the petitioner proposed that the property should be vested in three trusts^ « The Vice-Chancellor said it was clear that; the^money was sent by the public for the Court had children of Henry Wainwright and tbat the the power to carry out any arraugem jia«dVontftCe to their benefit. The children had every contend with, and he thought have power to make provision out of the fund for theu advancement Mr- Glas«« Tf vour lordship makes a decree to that e««ct that will be a settlement without expense The Vice-Chancellor made the order as prayed. I

THE PRISONS BILL. DEPUTATION TO THE HOME SECRETARY. A deputation of about 40 visiting justices, represent- iog Y orkøbir: Lancashire, Devonshire, and about ten other counties or districts, wars week, attended by several members of Parliament, to urge various objections to the Prisons Bill. These wereThat the authority of the visiting justices was being taken away; that the prisons were being trans- ferred to the Government, while in many cases counties would be left to pay debts incurred in erecting them; that patronage to a large extent would be placed in the hands of the Home Secretary and that by removing the authority of the visiting justices the cost of maintaining prisons would be lu- creased instead of being reduced, as was suggested by the promoters of the bill. Mr. CROSS replied that coun- ties were compelled to provide prison accommodation, and the bill merely left them with that obligation. The 0&ols were not transferred, but as the State undertook cost of maintaining the prisoners, it desired the the traols, which, however, would revert to the J* thev ceased to be used as prisons. As to I on it would be necessary that the State should rS^ippSlOTt of the be"> b-J to leave the nomination of ± J* visit,inc iustices. At present visiting subordinates to regarding the regulations, justices took the lmttMJve them. The bU1 and the Secretary visiting justices to ™erwi8e A deputation from the Howard Association had an interview with the Home Secretary the other day, at the House of Commons. The deputation urged that the local justices should retain at least the care of the re- ligious and educational needs of the prisoners, and also have the appointment of officers, and that there should be a greater variety of labour, as 10,000 prisoners were concentrated upon mat-making, against only 2500 free workers.—Mr. TALLTJCK, the secretary of the association, urged that more facilities should be given for the visi- tation of prisoners, by judicious and philanthropic in- dividuals. Mr. CROSS replied that he was prepared to concede to justices the appointment of subordinate officers, and that it was intended to give greater variety of labour. Sir SEl wY:K-IWIETSON said he believed that under the ne" Act local magistrates would virtually exercise Uearly as much influence in gaols as they do at present.

About two thousand six hundred guests attended the conversazione of the Society ot Arts held last Ohtk at South Kensington Museum, ^rd Alfioi ^hlll, the President, received tbe visitors on their

FALL OF A PORTION OF NEWCASTLE QUAY. A portion of Newcastle quay, about 10 yards wide, and extending eastward two hundred and twenty feet from the ferry landing, fell on Saturday. The part had shown signs of subsidence on the previous day, and pre- cautions were taken against accidents to passengers. The primary cause of the subsidence is probably dredging in the harbour and above the bridge, which has greatly increased the flow of water, the force of whiob the piles appear to have been unable to resist.

CURIOUS CASE OF WITCHCRAFT. Frederick Oulliford, a herbalist, of Crewkerne, was summoned at Yeovil, last week. for obtaining money under false pretences from Emma Foot, domestic servant. A woman named Kimber was taken ill, and believed she was "overlooked bewitched. Her daughter, Emma Foot, consulted the defendant, who on receiving 3s. wrote for her a curse which, ac- cording to him, would cause the death of the witch. It did not appear to have this effect; Sirs. Kimber got worse. The prisoner was committed for trial.

THE SAMOA DIFFICULTY. American papers received recently, treat with much seriousness the intervention of her Majesty's ship Barracouta, which involved the deposition and forcible removal from the Island of Samoa of the Premier, Colonel Speinberger. He has published a protest, in which he states that he was at Samoa with the sanction under autograph letter from the American President, and was taken there by an American ship of war, the Tuscorana. He declares that he was seized and carried on board the Barracouta, to gratify the private spite of the Consul, the illegality of whose whim must have been known to Captain Stevenson, of the Barraoonta. The firing upon the Barracouta's men was made by natives who wished Steinberger to be restored. The King was con- veyed on board the Barracouta while drunk, and made to sign Steinberger's dismissal, which act he has since repudiated, but the dismissal so incensed the Samoans that they deposed the King. Steinberger appeals to the United States to vindicate its honour against British interference.

DEATH OF A YORKSHIRE SCULPTOR. We have to announce the death of Mr. Matthew Noble, the sculptor, of Bruton street, which occurred at his residence in Kensington, on the 23rd of June. He was born at Hackness, near Scarborough, in York- shire, in the year 1818. Mr. Noble was a pupil of the late Mr. John Francis. At an early age he obtained by competition the commission for the Welling- ton Monument at Manchester, a colossal statue in bronze of the Duke on a pedestal of in bronze of the Duke on a pedestal of granite, at the corners of which are placed figures representing wisdom, valour, victory, and peace. Among his best-known works are the statue of the Queen, in St. Thomas' Hospital; the statue of the late Lord Derby, in Parliament square, near Westminster Hall; the statue of the late Sir John Franklin, in Waterloo place. His death was accelerated by the shock he received from the loss of his eldest son, a youth of great promise in his father s prolession, who was killed in the accident at Abbots Ripton on the Great Northern Railway in January last. Mr. Noble leaves a widow and two sons. His gentleness and amiability of manner made him a general favourite, and he leaves a large circle of friends to lament his loss.— Times.

THE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE SERVIAN GOVERNMENT. It is suggested that all this mobilisation and march- ing to the frontier represents the weakness rather than the resolution of the Servian Government. There has been during the past year a violent excitement among the people of Servia in favour of the insurgents, and a belief that the opportunity of the Slavic race had come. The Government of the Prince has been urged by the very strongest influences to take part against the Turks. The Prince fears for his throne and for the supremacy of his family and the leading politicians and soldiers have fancied that irresolution at this crisiawould be followed by a popular condemnation from which they would never recover. To these motives may be added a confident hope in the support of Bussia indeed, we can scarcely be unjust in assuming that the Government of St. Petersburg has approved and en- couraged the display of national spirit. Servia has, in fact, been appealed to from every part of Slavic Europe as the State whose duty it is to stand forth foremost in the common cause. The consequence of these incitements has been preparation for war, and, of course, a great expenditure of money. What makes the present position more difficult is, that the highest personages in the State are pledged to something bold by their de- meanour and their incautious utterances. Whatever explanations might be vouchsafed by the Turk, it was thought useless to pretend among Servians that the arming and drilling was merely to guard the frontier. Foreign officers received appointments, and some of these not only boasted of the coming campaign, but sent their opinions and predictions to the press. It is natural to suppose that such a commotion cannot subside at once. According to some, these demonstra- tions are little more than a safety-valve for the present excitement of the people, who cannot bring themselves to think that their Prince and themselves are of so tmall account in Europe that a little dust strewn by the hands of diplomatists suffices to bring their puny movements to en end. Times,

At Leeds, last week, John Bacon, described as a "leather merchant," was sentenced to seven years' penal servitude for having stolen a set of harness. Previous similar convictions were recorded against him. "BLACK DIAMONDS" AT PRESTON.—A publican at Preston had a remarkable find a few days ago. A load of coal had just been emptied on his premises, when looking at it to ascertain the quality, he dis- covered among his black diamonds a diamond ring of considerable value. The police have it in their pos- session to trace the ownership. Should they not suc- ceed that will be a cheap load of coal. IMPORTANT CONFERENCE ON SANITARY MATTERS.—. The London correspondent of the Leeds Mercury, writing on Saturday says: ^aP informed that a conference and conversazione will be held at Willis's Rooms, on the Gth July, at which Lord Stanhope will preside-its general object being to aid the movement in favour of the Pollution of Rivers Bill; but a special object of the meeting will be to consider the ad- visableness of establishing throughout the country County Boards to deal with sanitary matters in rural districts, as municipalities are empowered to do in towns. To this meeting medical officers of health, engineers, members of boards of guardiana, of the National Health Society, and of the Ladies Sanitary Soeiety will ha iarifeari.

EXCITEMENT IN JERUSALEM. The Kreuz Zeitung of Berlin has a private letter which describes the great state of excitement and anxiety prevailing in Jerusalem, owing to the excesses of the Turkish authorities and the apprehended up- rising of the Fellahs. On the 2nd of June, when the excitement reached its crisis, all the shops of the Christians were closed, many houses were barricaded, and the foreigners armed themselves and held guard the whole night. The Germans met the next day at their Consulate, organised themselves for mutual defence, and sent a formal application to the Home Government for military or naval aid. Turkish soldiers have since been permanently encamped in the public squares and streets.

ACROSS THE OCEAN IN A DORY. The New York Herald states that on the 5th inst., or the following day, Mr. Alfred Johnsen, fisherman, was to start from Gloucester Harbour, Massachusetts, for a trip to Liverpool, England, in a centre-board dory. The dory has been built expressly for this trip by Messrs. Higgins and Gifford, of that city, and has attracted the attention of hundreds of persons who have visited their premises. It is built of pine, and extra-timbered with oak, is 16 feet in length on the bottom and 20 on the top, 51 feet in width and 21 in depth. She is decked over with the exception of standing room and a hatchway, has three water-tight compartments, and the water and provisions for a cruise of 90 days will be carried in quarter barrels and £ in cans. She is provided with a mast and mainsail, two jibs, and squaresail. His accommodations for sleeping are in the hatchway, and the dory is to be provided with a drag to be used in a gale. Mr. John- sen was perfectly confident that he would make the trip in safety, and would occasionally, when not having spoken any vessel, throw over a bottle securely sealed, giving his experience and whereabouts.

SHOCKING TRAPEZE ACCIDENT. Mrs. Leraux, who has frequently performed under the professional title of Mdlle. Emoclew, met with a terrible accident while performing in Howe's and Cushing's Circus at Philadelphia on May 27th. She closes her performance on the high trapeze with a most perilous feat. As she sits upon the bar the trapeze is swung by means of a rope until the lady's head touches the canvas which forms the top of the tent. She then throws herself backward, utters a slight scream, and just as the spectators think that she is about to be pre- cipitated to the earth she catches the ropes, by which the trapeze bar is suspended by her feet, and, hanging head downward, swings to and fro. On the occasion above referred to, as she had thrown herself backward, uttered a scream, and to enhance the excitement the bass drummer had given his instrument a powerful thump, one of the ropes supporting the trapeze bar broke, while the apparatus was nearly at its highest altitude, and the performer was dashed to the ground, falling a distance of nearly forty feet. A net was held by four men beneath the trapeze, but they lacked the firmness to properly retain it in position, and the falling lady tore it from their grasp. She was re- moved in an unconscious condition, and, after an examination, a physician stated that, although no bones were broken, she had received internal injuries which would preclude her performing again for some months.

ANOTHER ROYAL MARRIAGE RUMOUR. "Rumour with her hundred tongues has decreed, says the Whitehall Review, that Prince Louis of Battenberg is to become more closely allied to our Royal Family than he is at present. Prince Louis, who is a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, is a singularly genial and unassuming young man, with a great deal of fun in his character. The Prince of Wales has a great affection for him, and had him specially appointed to the Serapls for the visit to India. Wherever they were, by fi#ld or flood, Prince Loula and Lord Charles Beresford were the life of the party, and when one broke his collar-bone pigsticking, the other sent his four front teeth on an exploring expedition. Both deserved their promotion, Prince Louis being made a lieutenant, and Lord Charles a commander. Although-if there should be a wedding -Parliament will of course, be asked for a grant, his Serene Highness can afford to do without it, for he has a large income, and will come in for a most lucrative property on the death of his aunt, the Empress of Russia. The following little story of Prince 'Louis may amuse some people. Last year he was studying at the Royal Naval College at Greenwich, where each of the junior officers has a room to him- self. A party of visitors were being shown over the college, and when passing Prince Louis' room, a brother officer put his head in and said, "There are some ladies here, Battenberg." Prince Louis at once invited them in to have some tea, and while they were admiring the various curios about the place, one of them asked who wera the originals of two portraits on the table. "Oh!" replied the Prince, "they are my uncle and aunt." I only asked," said the young lady, "because I thought the gentleman looks very like the Emperor of Russia." Well, it is the Emperor," was the reply; "do you think it a good one? At this answer all the ladies were rude enough to laugh, none of them knowing the Prince, and it was not until the young sub-lieutenant who brought them In, and who had gone to order the tea, inquired the cause of their merriment, that they understood Prince Louis was not trying, as one blushing young creature prettily put it, to sell them.

J. W. Pease, M.P. for South Durham, having erected a capacious school house at Dugan, in the neighbour- hood of Falmouth, has handed it over to the locality as a gift. The training ship Cornwall, which took up its quarters off Greenwich some few months ago, in conse- quence of an outbreak of fever amongst the boys, has been towed back to Purfleet. The Morning Post is informed that Mr. Gladstone has undertaken to write the essay on Lord Macaulay In the forthcoming number of the Quarterly Eeviem, suggested by Mr. Trevelyan's Life of the late states- man. A constable in the Metropolitan police has been oonvicted, before the Marlborough street police magistrates, of having been drunk whilst on duty and was fined X5, with the alternative of two months'' im- prisonment. The obituary column in the Western Daily Press contains an announcement of the death, at West Mall, Clifton, of Eliza Zanthe, daughter of Percy Bysshe Shelley, and wife of Mr. E. T. EsdaUe, of Cothelestone, Taunton, aged 63 years. The Earl of Northbrook has received the congratu- lations of his late constituents at Penryn and Fal- mouth, on his safe return from India, and has pro- mised to come to Falmouth in August, when a banquet and demonstration will be given in his honour. The Rev. Kentish Bache has resigned his charge of the Unitarian Chapel at Moretonhampstead, in South Devon, which he has held for fourteen or fifteen years. According to the Bristol Times, Mr. Bache intends to take orders in the Church of England. A STEAM VELOCIPEDE.—A Berlin mechanician has invented a steam velocipede which is said to answer admirably. The engine Is heated'with petroleum, and, being placed on the two back wheels, does not interfere with the convenience of the driver. A bill has been printed bearing the names of Sir Eardley Wilmot, Mr. Floyer, and Mr. Serjeant Simon, which proposes to enable courts and justices to send to a certified reformatory school, without previous imprisonment, young children of tender age when con- victed of certain felonies and misdemeanours." The bill gives power to magistrates to send such children to a workhouse while inquiries respecting a school are being made. DEATHS FROM STARVATION IN 1875.-A return hat been presented to the House of Commons of "the number of all deaths in the metropolitan district in the year 1875, upon which a coroner's jury returned a verdict of death from starvation, or death accelerated by privation." The number of such deaths in the central division of Middlesex was 7; in the eastern division, 32 in the western division, 1; in the city of London and borough of South wark, 5 and in the city and liberty of Westminster, 1—total. 46. HARVEST PROSPECTS. — The Agricultural Gazette says of the harvest prospects A recent journey through many counties in Western and Central Eng- land leadb inevitably to the conclusion that the prospects of the harvest of 1876 are worse than those of many past years. Wheat is often spindling and yellow, and everywhere at least a fortnight late and spring-sown corn crops are almost universally below par. We have never before seen so much late sown oats and barley—looking now, indeed, as it ought to look In April. Beans are coming into bloom on an unusually short stem. Fallows are foul, and grass is very short."

THE GERMAN EMPEROR AND DR. FALK. The German correspondent of the Guardiam writes: The Emperor has just conferred on Dr. Falk, the Minister of Worship and Education, the order of the Red Eaglo, first class. The Minlater has only been in office four years and a half, and previous to this had not received a single ribbon, and now he has obtained the second decoration of the kingdom. This is a con- clusive answer to those who assert that the Emperor is, after all, only half satisfied with the measures of his Ministers in religion and education, and dis- poses at the same time of the late rumours that Dr. Falk's position was endangered.

THE FINANCES OF EGYPT. The Foreign Office issued a few days ago the corres- spondence which has taken place between her Majesty's Government and various Powers respecting the finances of Egypt. The letters are eighty-eight in number, having dates from February 14 to May 29 inclusive. An important despatch from Earl Derby to Major- General Stanton bears date May 26. It states that the time has at length arrived when her Majesty's Government must come to a determination with regard to the nomination of a commissioner to which they had been frequently pressed to assent by the Khedive. Lord Derby expresses his regret that the Khedive had not seen fit to adopt Mr. Cave's recommendations with re- gard to the method of dealing with the debt. Lord Derby further points out that the arrangement pro- posed In the decrees was not only a very different arrangement from that proposed by Mr. Cave, but was not of a character which enabled her Majesty's Govern- ment to give it their support and countenance. For these and other reasons it was not in their power to accept the responsibility in which the nomination of a commissioner would involve them.

COMING RAILWAY DIVIDENDS. The Financier publishes some tables with a view tc arrive at an estimate of the dividends on the Northern lines for the current half-year. The fortnightly state- ments of the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway afford a fair gauge by which to estimate the proportion that working expenses will bear to gross re- venue in these cases. The statements give but little promise of any material reduction in the percentage of working expenses. These companies Bhow a moderate decline in the estimated traffics, and the amounts would in most cases become conspicuous were it not for the current half-year containing one more day's receipts than that against which it compares. The capital expen- diture on these lines between June and Dec. last year, and during the current six months, has assumed serious dimensions in many cases, and must materially affect the dividends on the ordinary stocks. The tables show an estimated falling off in the dividends in every in- stance, and this decrease is greatest in Great Northern, Midland, and North-Eastern. Although the Midland Company have made about three and a half millions of capital productive by the opening of their new Settle to Carlisle line, still they have had to run an expensive service of trains over their system to feed it, and compete with the improved services of the London and North-Western and Great Northern. Both the latter companies will probably lose a small portion of their Scotch traffic whilst earning it at greater cost. The change has, however, taken place too recently for the effects to be readily discernible. Decreased receipts and largely augmented capital might be fairly reckoned on to furnish the results tabulated, and until a revival of trade allows the increase of receipts to overtake the constantly expand- ing capital demands, the same experience seems likely to recur.

THE REPORT OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. Referring to the report of the Privy Council on p education, the Times says:—"We shall find in the report a sufficient justification of some of the omissions for which Lord Sandon's measure has been most severely criticised. On the merits of direct, as com- pared with indirect, compulsion, we are, of course, told nothing. We shall see this better when the experiment has been a little more fully tried, and, whatever is to be the verdict, we shall wait for it meanwhile with oalm- ness. We are told, however, some very important parti- culars about the working both of school boards and of the voluntary agencies by which in so many places school boards have been staved off. It seems that since 1869 the additional school accommodation which boards have furnished has been for only 386,400 children. Against these the voluntary system can show provision made for no less than 994,080 children. The above figures, It must be remembered, represent the whole work which, at the date of the report, our school boards had done; they do not represent one-half the work of the older system which the advocates of school boards have not yet succeeded in driving out. On the score of school management, too, the figures in the report deserve attention. It seems that of each hundred pounds expended last year in the maintenance of boaid schools, not less than sixty-eight pounds were contributed from the local rates. About fifteen pounds were earned for 'results,' and about fourteen were derived from school fees and payments in various forms by the scholars. The proportion of these figures is certainly better than it was three years ago, and it has been improving ever since but it still leaves much to be desired. We cannot accept it as satisfactory that the class for which the whole ele- mentary school system has been devised should contri- bute 80 slenderly towards paying for it, or that the children who make use of it should be found to have profited by it so little. The latter of these faults is, no doubt, the more grave; but we can, nevertheless, more easily make allowance for it. We must bear in mind the class of children for which our board'schools .Be have been making provision. There is no picking and choosing possible or rather the choice falls most necessarily on the most neglected and most unpromis- ing subjects. We cannot wonder, however, when we look over the figures which the report discloses, that our responsible educational authorities should have declined to do anything which would destroy or en- danger the working of the voluntary Bystem. Our surprise rather might be that the avowed champions of education should have been found so insensible to the merits of their best helpmate. That there is an abundance of educational work before us still undone and still regaining to be done we shall not venture to deny. But we may be pardoned, nevertheless, if we stop on our course for just one instant to look back with pleasure upon the ground which we have already passed, and on the hard-earned victories which we have the right already to call our own."

The parish church of North Petherin, Devon, which has undergone thorough restoration at the cost of the puke of Bedford, has been re-opened by Prebendary Xbynne and Archdeacon Earle. The conservators of the river Cam have given per- mission for the erection of a foot and horse bridge over the Cam, near Charon's Ferry, by the University goat Club, to commemorate the services rendered by their late president, Mr. J. H. D. Goldie. ANOTHER FOLLOWER OF AsDUL Aztz.—Mr. Thomas William Lawson, commission agent, Castle street, was remanded at the Liverpool police-court a few days ago, charged with having attempted to commit Buicide by opening the veins in his arm. The prisoner attri- buted the act to domestic trouble and embarrassment in business. Several statues in white marble are to be placed in the crypt of the tomb for the Orleans family at Dreux. The first, ordered by the Count do Paris, represents Jtfdrne. Adelaide lying on a bed, the head and breast surrounded by a lace veil. The three others have been commanded by the Duke de Montpensier, who will place them on the sepulchres of his daughter and two sons. All four are the work of the sculptor, Millet. A volunteer in the 1st Surrey Artillery was last week summoned by the colonel of the regiment for refusing to deliver up a carbine and sword issued to him, and which were required to be sent to Birming- ham to be burnished. The defendant, who pleaded guilty, produced the articles mentioned, but as the corps had had to purchase a new rifle, he was ordered to pay the price of it, and in case of default to be im- prisoned for one month. nil. CURIOUS CASE OF FALSE PRETENCE. — Elizabeth Davis, an old woman, was charged at the Lambeth Police-court last week with obtaining some bacon, tea, and bread under false pretences. Her plan was to go into a coffee house and order two cups" of tea, with bread and bacon, and, when these were brbught to say that a friend was coming. In the present case she had eaten the two portions supplied to her, and then said her friend had not come, and she had no money. "—Mr. Chance held that, as the artioles had been served to her before she said her friend was coming," he could not hold that the false pretence had been established, and was therefore obliged to dis- charge her.

ELOPEMENT OF A COLONEL'S D.-VnCIITER WITH HER DRAWING MASTER. An interpleader action was brought before Baron Huddlestone and a jury in the Exchequer division, last week, by Miss Helen Constance St-ewart, to recover compensation for the alleged illegal seizure of a qum- tity of furniture, the plaintifi's property, whilst resid- ing at the house she then rented, and which was situated at 26, Chepstow place, Bayswater. Mr. Murphy, Q.C., and Mr. Turner were counsel for the plaintiff, and Mr. Clare represented the defendant. It appeared that the defendant, a Miss Alfred, took an action against a gentleman named William Molt Walker, and obtained a verdict with S300 damages against him. The then plaintiff seized the furniture now in question in order to obtain payment of the said X300 and costs, believing it to be the property of Walker, who had been residing in the house with Misa Stewart. The plaintiff stated that prior to 1875 she was some- what intimate with a nobleman whose name she de- clined to mention. She received from him as a gift a sum of money amounting to £800. She became ac- quainted with Mr. Walker in April, 1875, and lived with him, but did not take his name. She afterwards took the house in Chepstow place, Bayswater, having made the necessary arrangement with the landlord, and paid for everything in it, including all the fixtures, with her own money. She then took the name of Mrs. Walker, and purchased the furniture in that name. As the landlord declined to treat with a single woman, the house was taken in Mr. Walker's name. She afterwards consulted Mr. Edwin James, formerly Queen's Counsel, and he advised her to have the furniture made over to her by a deed of gift, although it was her own money that bad purchased it, in order that Mr: Walker's creditors, in case of his death, could not seize them. The deed of gift was then drawn up in November, 1375, and was duly executed by Mr. Walker. An execution was soon afterwards sent into the house in the name of the defendant, and all her furniture, pictures, and water-colour drawings -the last articles executed by herself -were seized. (Here the witness appeared to be much affected, and burst into tears.) In her cross-examination by Mr. Clare, the plaintiff stated that she bad lent £ 600 to Mr. Walker out of the £800 she luvd received from the nobleman. She received such money from him in South Molton street. It was a gift from affection, the nobleman in question having known her from her childhood. She loved Mr. Walker so much that she would have given him £ 1000 if she had it. She had paid for Mr. Walker's clothes, and would continue to do so as long as he lived. Here the witness became very excited, and com- plained of some ladies in court laughing at her. His Lordship, whilst censuring such conduct on the part of any person present, observed that he had never known a case more properly conducted on the part of the learned counsel on both sides. Mr. Murphy, Q.C.: Are you the daughter of a colonel in the army ? Witness (beseechingly): Oh, pray do not expose my family. I am. But, my lord, you know my people and my relatives, save me from this exposure. (Here she burst into tears.) Baron Huddieston said he should not allow her to be asked any improper question. Witness, then in reply to the learned counsel's ques- tions, stated that she had been left an orphan, and was educated in Carlton House Terrace, at the house of a gentleman, whose name she handed privately up to the bench. At the age of sixteen years she eloped with her drawing-master, who was then teaching her, and lived with that man until January, 187.5. She then partly supported herself by painting pictures, one of which was recoived in the Royal Academy. The man bad illused her, and she left him, receiving a deed of annuity for £ 50. In March or April, 1875, a com- munication was made by her to a certain nobleman asking for assistance to enable her to procure a liveil- bood on the stage or elsewhere. She received in reply the letter which she now handed to his lordship. Here some discussion ensued between the counsel and the bench as to the reception of this document as evidence, his lordship ruling ihat he should do so sub- J'ect to the objection of the defendant's counsel. It was, lowever, understood that the contents of the letter were to be kept private. A verdict was returned for the defendant.

Richard Ryan, charged at Dublin with having com- mitted perjury in his evidence in the trial of Mr. J. G. Mooney for an assault in a railway carriage, has been acquitted by the jury and discharged. Thomas Murray was charged at Dublin Police-court, on the 22nd June, with having attempted to commit sui- cide by drinking chloral whilst in a cab in the Phoenix Park on the 19th June, from the effects of which he had up to the pi esent'been a patient in the Stevens' Hospital. He was remanded. The cause of the postponement of the Duke of Con- naught's visit to Liverpool has now transpired. The Liverpool Post states that the officers' quarters at the barracks in Rupert lane were in a disgraceful state, and that a well was discovered beneath them containing a large quantity of offensive matter. There have been many complaints of late as to the increasing number of insane persons wandering about the streets or presented to the public gaze in places of resort more or less frequented, and the Lancet thinks the Commissioners of Lunacy may with advantage have their attention directed to the matter. 0 The appointment of Lieutenant-Colonel Owen Burne, C.S.I., as private secretary to Lord Lytton in India, the Army and Navy Gazette understands, was made for twelve months only. Colonel Burne is ex- pected to return to the India Office next summer to resume his appointment there. THE DECLARATION OF PARIs.-At a public meeting of shipowners and merchants, recently held at North Shields, the Mayor presiding, resolutions and a petition to Parliament were adopted in favour of Mr. Percy Wyndham's motion for withdrawing from the Declara- tion of Paris, which declaration was strongly denounced as detrimental to England. DEATH OF MR. ROBERT NAPIEE.—Mr. Robert Napier, the famous shipbuilder, died on the 23rd June, at his residence, aged 85. The history of his life was in great part that of the progress of marine engineering on the Clyde. His firm enticed and built one of the first iron- I clads ordered by the Government at the time of the Crimean war, and a number of other ships, including several Cunard liners. The death is announced of Mr. James Acland, the election and parliamentary agent, who was about 78 years of age. The Daily News says:—" Oue of his latest political contests was that in which he acted for Sir R. Clifton at Nottingham, when he defeated Lord Lincoln in 1861. Almost his latest election engagement was on behalf of an unsuccessful candidate for the Lon- don School Board in 1870 He was the compiler of Acland's Poll-book," which gives the records of the constituencies since the Reform Act. CHILD MURDER AT ASTON. NKAR BIRMINGHAM.—At Aston Police-court, last week, John Ball, 25, steel-toy maker, was charged with murdering his infant son, seven months old, by drowning it in the canal, near Birmingham. Prisoner has been addicted to intemperate habits, in consequence of which he and his wife have been reduced to extreme poverty. On June 22nd he took the child out as he said for a walk, and threw it into the canal. The body was found with a piece of rope tied round it, to which two bricks were fastened. PROSPERITY OF CEMETERY COMPANIES.—We do not know (says the Financier) whether it will be regarded as a somewhat grim announcement if we state that, in these days of depression as regards joint-stock enterprise generally, the cemeteries of Edinburgh are flourishing just now. The Edinburgh Southern Cemetery has de- clared a dividend and bonus for the past year of 172per cent., as against 15 per cent. last year; the Edinburgh Western Cemetery has announced 12i- per cent., as com- pared with 10 per cent and the Edinburgh Cemetery Company pays 15 per cent. SOCIAL IMMORALITY.— On the 23rd June PereHyacinthe delived an address at St. James's Hall. London, on social immorality. Over 20 members of Parliament were on the platform. He commented on the inequality of the social code as affecting women, and eloquently described how they were frequently driven into vice by pressure of want. The remedy for immorality he indicated as education of the youth of both sexes in perfect purity of thought and mind. From his own experience -from youth to middle age—he affirmed that this was not only possible but a condition blessed by God. He concluded with an earnest appeal to England to cast out prostitu- tion. A NOVEL WITNESS.—At the Rugby county court, last week, a case was heard in which Mrs. Priscilla Wolfe, a widow lady of independent means, residing at Kilsby, near Rugby, sued Richard Jones, butcher, of the same place, for £ 5 damages, for illegally killing a cocka- too parrot belonging to the plaintiff. The defence was that the defendant shot the cockatoo mistaking it for an owl. Thejfellow bird of the deceased cockatoo was brought Into court, and afforded great amusement by strongly recommending the parties to shake hands," shut up," and asking for sugar." His Honour said there was no evidence as to value to assist him. and he must take time to consider the question. While the solicitors were arguing pro and con. the bird never ceased recom- mending the parties to shake hands. Judgment was deferred.

THE COOLIE TRAFFIC. Referring to the importation of coolies into Cuba, the Doily Sews says :—" It is a curious evidence of the worrhlessness of what we mav call a paper constitution that provision is made, partly by treaty between the Governments of Spain ard of China, and partly by the legislation of Spain, against almost every one of the practices denounced in the report. An article in a treaty provides that officers of the two nations in- terested are to be present at the signing of contracts and embarkation. No such offieers are ever present: the contracts are often forced upon young and igno- rant Chinamen, and sometimes in the barracoons or on board ship. The Spanish Royal decree of 1800 on the importation of Chinese coolies into Cuba provides that no contract signed by a minor without the sanction of parents or guardians shall be binding, but of the Chinese in Cuba a large number are minors who were compelled or deceived into signing unlawful engagements. The deposition of a Chinese military official states that Portuguese and Spaniards, acting in concert, and aided by vicious Chinese, make a traffic of decoying and selling men.' The Spanish Royal Decree provides that if the mortality during any voyage shall exceed 6 per cent, an inquiry shall at onre be made by the authorities. But the general mortality on the voyages exceeds, the Commissioners state, ten per cent., and no inquiry takes place. The Royal decree limits the disciplinary right of the owners to arrest or stoppage of wages, and declares that no other punishment shall be inflicted except by the authorities. There are officers called the protectors of the Chinese—and whose office must surely be a sineeure-who are charged with the duty of seeing that right is done. We need not blame the officials too much for neglect of this duty. The poor Chinaman in most cases knows nothing of the laws, the language of the officials of Cuba. If he is flogged he probably has not the least idea that there is any authority to appeal to he suffers his scourgings again and again without thought or hope of legal interposition. Even intelligent and comparatively edu- cated Chinese have, it is said, been sometimes deluded into going on board ship by shamefully false represen- tations, and when once on board have been carried off and sold into servitude. Horrifying as many of the statements of this report are, they are, unfortunately, Lot inconsistent even with recent experiences of the manner in which an inferior race' may be dealt with when it is placed absolutely at the mercy of greedy and reckless masters. In Cuba, where all the forms of slavery have ever shown their worst aspect, it is but natural that the coolie business should be conduc ed in the roughest fashion."

THE GOVERN-AIENT ANID THE PRISONS BILL. The interview between the Home Secretary and the deputation of justices which took place last week on the subject of the Prisons Bill is likely to have con- siderable weight with the magistrates in quarter ses- sions, who are expected to pronounce judgment on the measure during the next few days. The speech of Mr. Cross threw a little new light on some of the provi- sions of the bill, while at the same time he announced his willingness to make important concessions with regard to the visiting justices. But he contended that, after all, the limitation imposed on their authority by the 10th and llth clauses, would be found rather nominal than real, and in this respect confirmed the opinion which we ventured to express on the first reading of the bill. A good deal of the discussion, however, was taken up with financial questions, the deputation complaining that it was bard on the counties and boroughs to be deprived of their property in the gaols, and that they were left to pay off the loans contracted for the erection of these buildings, while at the same time they had to pay com- pensation to Government for being relieved of the maintenance of prisoners for whom there was no prison accommodation, and for the reconveyance to themselves of prisons not required by the State. Mr. Cross seems to have a satisfactory answer to both of these complaints. The State could compel the prison autho- rity in either town or country to provide adequate Drison accommodation for its own wants. Where it has failed to do so it has failed in a legal obligation, which the State could compel it to fulfil. At present, where the number of cells is insufficient, the magis- trates are in the habit of sending their surplus pri- soners to some neighbouring gaol, of course paying for the accommodation. Now what Mr. Cross requires is, in effect, that in taking these surplus prisoners off the hands of the local authorities the State shall ba in no worse position than those upon whom they have been quartered; that is to say, the money which one prison authority paid to another for this accommodation shall be paid to the Government. Where the Secretary finds a prison, with the full amount of oell accommo- dation, he simply takes it as it is, without any further demand; but where this accommodation is deficient he requires the deficiency to be made good, at the rate of E120 per head for every prisoner in excesa of the accommodation provided during the last five years. With regard to discontinued prisons, Mr. Cross's argument, as far as we can judge by the report of it, appears to be something of the same kind. The prison authority being bound to build a prison for public purposes, and forbidden to turn it to any other use, the prison is in some sense already the property of the State. The Government cannot, therefore, give it back again to such prison authority for nothing, but is ready to restore it at less than cost price. That is to say, that while many such prisons cost X165 per cell, the State, in whom they become vested by this bill, will reconvey them to the authori- ties at E120 per cell. Whether the whole sum repre- sented by this £ 165 per cell, which at Bolton is X12,600, was paid down at once, or whether it was spread over a series of years, obviously makes no difference. The State, moreover, will lend the money necessary to make these payments at a very low rate of interest, allowing thirty-five years for the discharge of' the debt, and when we remember the permanent relief afforded by the transfer of the cost of prisoners, it is difficult to see any hardship in the proposed arrange- ment.-Standard.

WESTON AT EDINBURGH.—Weston retired from the course at Edinburgh on Saturday after walking 435 miles, having failed to complete his 500 miles' walk. His friends presented him with a chronograph, but he declined taking possession of the gift until he had accomplished his feat. A fatal accident occurred off Millbank pier a few days ago. Alexander Cleighton, who is training for a swimming match, was with Benjamin Newman and Thomas Burman in a boat. While Cleighton was jumping into the river from the slender craft ehe cap- sized. Cleighton and Newman rose to the surface, but Burman was drowned. WORK AND WAGES AT BRISTOL.—The painters' strike at Bristol has terminated, the masters agreeing to a general advance of one halfpenny per hour. At a delegate conference of builders' labourers, on Saturday night at Bristol, it was unanimously resolved to cease work on the first Monday in August should the Mas'er Builders' Association refuse to concede the terms demanded, viz., an advance of three farthings per hour. NORTH-EAST AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION OF IUE- LAND.—At the annual show of the North-East Agricul- tural Association of Ireland, held last wtek, at Bel- fast, the £50 challenge cup for thorough-bred stal- lions was won by Massanissa. This horse was bred by Count Legrange, and belongs to Mr. Lindsay, County Down. Mr. Patterson, Renfrewshire, won the cup for the best sire for agricultural purposes. The exhibitors in implements and machinery included Wear aLd Lewes, and Bradford and Company, London Thomas A. Taylor and Lippet, Manchester; Osborne Robin- son, Liverpool; Samuelson, Banbury; Warde, Leeds, Eastwood, Preston Picksley and Co., Harrison and Co.. Leigh; Howarth, Farnworth Marshall, Gains- bro'; Ord and Waterison, Darlington; and the West Cumberland Engineering Company. The remains of Bollini are to be removed from the Paris cemetery to Catania, the place of his birth. The funeral ceremonial will be celebrated by a grand musical festival in Septembers Messrs. Bemrose have in preparation a series of school manuals, intended to meet the requirements of the code (1875) of the Committee of Council on Edu- cation as to specific subjects. Botany will be the first of the series. Prof. Whitney, the learned American Sanskritist, is reported to have nearly completed a treatise on Aryan Affinities, a work likely to create a sensation amongst Oriental scholars. It is said he intends to proceed to India soon and take up his abode there for several years, to continue his researches. For the sake of philology, it is to be hoped, this is a true report. The bishop-elect of the new diocese in the Madras Presidency, Dr. Caldwell, the well-known Oriental philologist, is in a failing state of health, from the effects of work both of body and of mind, and will probably decline the episcopate, as he has twice done already. The severe labour which he underwent in England lately, preparing the second edition of his "Comparative Grammar of Dravidian Languages," appears to have shattered his health.