The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

BBUTAL ASSAULT UPON A RAILWAY OFFICER, Joseph Moulahurst, a labourer, was charged before Mr. Yardley, at Marylebone Police-station, with being drunk and violently assaulting John Blatchford, ticket- collootor at the Edgware-road station of the Metro- politan Railway. Blatchford deposed: About five o'clock on Satur- day afternoon the prisoner came on to the platform in a drunken state. I told him he could not go by train, when he seized hold of the gate and would not allow the passengers to go either in or out. He said he had a ticket and would go. After a deal of per. suasion the prisoner was got outside the station, and as I was about to return he struck me a most violent blow on my nose with his fist. The blow cut my nose tight through to the bone. I then took him into custody. Mr. Tilssey, from tha office of Messrs. Bnrchell, solicitors, who appeared to prosecute, handed to his worship a medical certificate, which set forth that the naaal bone was broken. In reply to Mr. Yardley, Blatchford said he lost more than a pint of blood. Prisoner: I was so drunk that I did not kaow what occurred. Mr. Yardley: That is an entire justification fer pro- secutor refusing to allow you to go by the train. In faot, he would have acted very wrong if he had allowed you. Because he did his duty you assaulted him in a most brutal manner. I sentence you to one month's hard labour.

DREADFUL RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN FRANCE. A collision took place on Thursday, near the station of Berre, between the express train starting from Marseilles at half-past eleven in the morning and an omnibus train. Two passengers and two agents of the company were killed. The number of wounded is not exactly known. According to the information received, the cause of the accident wa3 this :-In consequence of some repairs in course of execution on one of the iron ways, the circulation was for the moment confined to the other. In such circumstances, all the trains circulating on the single line were bound by the regu- lations to bo accompanied by an agent appointed to act as pilot. Unfortunately, on the day the Indian mail going to Marseilles was announced, and the agent appointed to serve as pilot or director, had gone to await it at one of the stations above Rognac, the train from Marseilles arrived at that station. This train ought to have waited until the Indian express had passed, but the station-master allowed it to proceed, thinking it would have time to pass over the portion of the railway with a single line before the other reached that point. The contrary, however, occurred, and the two traina, one proceeding at the rate of twenty-five and the other nearly fifty miles an hour, came into collision with a terrible crash. The first carriages of the Marseilles train were smashed to pieces and heaped on each other, and the driver of the Indian mail train was killed. The catastrophe took place in the open country, at a distance from any town, and the wounded persons lay for three hottrs before any surgical assistance could be obtained. The scene was most horrible; the numerous victims were lying about pell-mell among the fragments of the carriages, exposed to the burning rays of the sun; the greater part had their thighs or legs crushed. One unfortunate young waman, about to become a mother, had both her legs broken, and with her last breath gave birth to a child. The agent who was accompany- ing one of the trains had both his legs out off, and died on the spot. At the latest moment we learn that the total number of killed is six, and the wounded thirty-eight.

A Husband of Wax.—"A curious incident in Paris high life," says the Epoque, "is about to become the subject of a suit for a divorce before the First Chamber of the Tribunal of the Seine. A young hus- band belonging to one of tha great families of France, in order to conceal his nightly absence from home, formed the idea of placing in his bed a figure with a wax head made to resemble him. The artifice suc- ceeded for a, time, but one night the lady venturing to enter her husband's room and approach the bed, discovered the itrick. Henoe the suit for a. judicial separation."

AGRICULTURE. --+- The Farmers and the Malt-tax. The subject of the malt-tax has been so frequently used during the elections that we consider it wise to give the arguments adduced both in favour of and against it. At an agricultural meeting at Birmingham, Mr. Good, after remarking upon the evils that were assigned to malt, which, he contended, were often incorrect, said it was not judicious to make this too much of a farmer's question for, however much agriculture may be benefited by being allowed to have perfect freedom in the use of the present most im- portant grain crop of this country, it was certainly clear that the consumers of meat, butter, cheese, and beer will reap a far greater advantage by a repeal of this restrictive impost. "Indeed," said Mr. Good, many of my friends have come to the conclusion- and in this I quite agree-that the additional com- mercial profit that will aoerae to the country may be thus divided—one-third of it will be in favour of agri- culture and the interests immediately depending on the land, while the other two-thirds will be dis- tributed over the general public. If this be a fair assumption—and about which I have not the slightest doubt—our cause, which is admitted on all hands as being just, must sooner or later become popular (hear, hear). To promote this end we must take a more comprehensive view of the question than has yet been done, and thus, by showing how this tax on home- grown raw material, under a system of so-called 'free-trade,' cripples the farmer by withdrawing capital in an unfair or one-sided way from his business. Wherever I go I see the damaging results of the one-sided legislation which has been going' on for the last quarter of a century. I will take a case that way conspicuous this morning in this town. In walking through the market, I there saw calves by the hundred, and many of them only a fortnight old, but few of them above a month, yet all were con- demned to be murdered, for the two-fold purposes of food, at the present high price of meat, and of getting them out of the way (A voice, It is shameful!'). No, it is not shameful, but it is a mere question of commercial economy and profit. Farming is a busi- ness that, to be successful or to hold its own, must be conducted under the same principles and calculations which guide merchants and manufacturers. And if it be more profitable for a farmer to take advantage of the high prices of butter and cheese, with the quicker return which belongs to these articles, than it is to rear calves, he is quite at liberty to do so, and the public, under the circumstances, is equally well served. But what will be the result of this practice before long ? From what I was able to see last autumn, at fairs and markets in various parts of the country, I have come to the conclusion that so soon as a bite of grass comes, store stock-mind, store stock—will be at the highest price that was ever known in this country. At the early fairs of last autumn—take Peterborough for example, which is a great cattle dis- trict—everybody expected to see what may be termed an inundation of store cattle, from the barren condition of the fens and other grass lands. But so far from this being the case, it tnmed out that in the face of parched pastures, and nearly empty mangold and turnip fields, the supply of cattle was short, and there was little or no difference between last year's prices and the prices of previous years! When this was found to be the case, orders were sent to Continental agents to buy up store cattle, and a regular trade was established for weeks last autumn in connection with the Great Eastern Railway, and Hamburg Steamboat Company, and the success of this trade will be judged of when I say that the Eastern Counties graziers said they did not know what they should have done if it had not been for the Dutch stores which have been brought over.' On this ground, it will be seen this is everybody's question (hear, hear). While we are murdering our male calves at home in our dairy counties—and this slaughtering will increase as the calving season comes on we are scouring the continent of Europe for stores as well as fat stock. It is well known that malt may be largely substituted for milk in rearing stores, therefore it is clear that to retain the tax is the way to inflict an immense injury on the British public as well as on the British farmer (hear, hear). I have lately advised many friends in the South and Eastern Counties to oome down into the Midland Counties, and buy 50 or 100 calves and rear them, but what they have mostly said is, 'We shall want to turn some- thing into money before they would come round,' so their milk will go for some purpose that will suit their present difficulties better than rearing calves that would come into money in two years time. Now let us briefly consider the present price of beer. A brewer was candid enough to admit the other day that his ad- ditional profits this year, in consequence of the low average price of barley, would be £ 20,000. And this, after having in past years made a princely fortune under the brewing monopoly! How is this to be ac- counted for? Why, in the neighbourhood and parishes where this brewer's drays go, almost every licensed house is brought up either directly or indi- rectly, and the consequence is, not a labouring man or woman who is not supplied by an employer, can get a drink of malt liquor at a retail house under 2d. a pint. This beer I have tasted, and its effect is* most perni- cious, as it creates thirst instead of refreshing the working man (hear, hear). In the neighbourhood in question, and in other parts of the country where I am in the habit of paying periodical visits, I have had the opportunity of tasting home brewed beer, and the mild beer which is put upon the table at these farm houses costs, at the present price of malt, with the duty, 7d. a gallon, or without the duty, one halfpenny a pint. I have made a strict calculation, and find that thia ale, costing one halfpenny a pint, contains more malt and hops than any of the ale the labourers above referred to get at 2d. a pint, or than is contained in any London four- penny ale that is, ale sold over the counter at 4d. a pot, whioh is the same price. The healthful and refreshing character of the home-brewed ale, as com- pared with the brewers' mixture, need not be dwelt on for a moment. It is great folly, therefore, for this reason, as well as many others, to say this is only a farmers question. If wholesome and refreshing beer can be produced at one halfpenny a pint it can surely be sold at a penny. Cent. per cent., I believe, is considered to be a good profit in any trade (laughter, and cheers), and is it not then a monstrous state of things that the present monopoly should be upheld, seeing that, on reflection, it must act so injuriously both to labour and home manufacture and trade ? It is. not necessary to argue with Mr. Milner Gibson, or any one else about the duty being only 12 per oent. on porter or mild ales-the drink of the labourer and humbler classes-because these drinks, under the present restriction, may contain but little malt and hops (laughter); but what we are called upon to ehow, and instil into the minds of every one we meet, is that the duty on the raw material ia, at least, X4 per acre for every crop of barley grown. This is putting it at a low figure, for if X9 an acre be the average yield of malting barley, it would be more. But at this rate, I will ask, what body of manufacturers, commercial men, or tradesmen, is there who would submit to have taxed at the rate of *n.'± £ a?y r&w material which especially belonged to their business P If the average growth of barley be 6 quarters an acre, and 5-6th of this be fit for, and used for, malting purposes, then the tax is above ,;1;,5 an acre on the raw material (barley) which the farmer produces. Therefore, as I have said, all Y°j.WaL1? 0 popularise this cause, ia to out to the consumers of meat and malt. liquor that the production of these necessaries, as between the farmer and them, is restricted by an impost which amounts to X4 in .£9, or, at least, to between X4 and < £ 5 on the raw material per acre." «

THE CONDEMNED PRIEST. The correspondent of the Morning Post, writing from Stockholm, says: It was not difficult to be foreseen that the trial of Pastor Lindback for the murders he had committed Siibodal would not occupy much time ? £ ter the qfl4" fied confession which had been made by him with re- gard to tbem, more especially when it ia remembofe<^ that in this country the formalities of a trial are to » great extent superseded by the proceedings hlC. take place previously to the accused making his ap pearanco before the high criminal tribunal, little occurs beyond the formal examination to he is then subjected. In this instance enough been admitted by Lindback to justify the court i» once finding him guilty; for, although he attexnpt to palliate his offences by, assigning reasons f°s having committed them, suoh ad that his were either incurables who were alike burdens,^0 themselves and to his parish, or that, in giving- them medicine for the purpose of onrJJI them, tbe effects had been different from tbof which he had expected, the muidcra were so clea*^ established in every case that the j ucfgc-s could hvell hesitation as to the sentence which they should P: nounce. He was, therefore, at onoe condemned to v beheaded, and an early day will likely be fixed for execution. It should, however, be mentioned that J?" tore beiDg taken into court he was deprived of ecclesiastical vestments, and after sentence was iiotmced the prisoner in the first instance the judge, and then the goveruoi.' cf the concluding with a most affecting speech to the cro*" which had assembled, in which he admitted that hia youth ho had yielded to temptation3 which had him to the sad and miserable condition in which J0 was then placed, and strongly urged them to warning by his fate, and asserted that though now prived of all hope of much longer existence on earth, he atili looked with confidence to Heaven for pardop* ing mercy. After this address he bowed most foundly, and left the bar in charge of the gmLrda, Vf the same dignity and calmness with whichhe hadb8?? accustomed to descend from the pulpit in the pa*1^ on which he has brought so much misery. =-———————————. j

BSTEACTSPEOM "PUIMJH" I « Oar Unprotected Footmen* ONEKD MR. PUNCH,—Sir, I usaiiy am in the ef a dressink U in ryme, which my freiads sav is qul ekal to 10-nison hor Sheekspur, but the subjick u"* B 4 me is too serious for Potry. I elude Sir to Dawgs, which they daily grows more newmorouS)!'1 spite of all the eghorts as ia taken to decrease M. footmen are igspeshly in terror cf theBrewts, for carves is extry plump and no trowsers to pro them. Has i were standink only yesterday ohawles beind our cawridge, Chawlea I says to im a mad aawg were to come I should fall a Copse imf' jit. And the wust of stray dorga ia theyre aw,, sleeping upon dorsteps, which neoessaly increa0? sleeping upon dorsteps, which neoessaly increliSjP of our inconwenience. I used to take a Pride t. givink dubble nox, but when a dorg is on the <3°, step my and shakes to that degree that I scace old the Nocker, hand if the dorg'a asleep I 11 as gently as i can for phear of Hydry :Fo1 Men as ave lean legs can pad their carves with '3°?1 or cotton, which is as good as hancient harmer to & But pussona with more phlesh they carnt purt«c theirselves in this way without binjurin their phigi?ef.' Hi should make a pnffik Danel Lambut of myself was to be padded. Besides, the eat of it this weatbf, would be truly hawfil! The ladies bless M! have the^ crinnilynes for to purteck them from mad dawgs, b« footmen aint so fortnit as to go about under Pettico protection. It mite look a little ludicrous to see us corstumed, but i ad far reether be iarfed at than ay, either of my legs bitten. With so many dorgs aboS it reely isnt safe to go with nothink on one's car^ excep a pair of stockings. j Pray then, Mr* Punch, say something for the us poor unpertected footmen. Hii perlicemen had struksiona to drownd all the stray dawgs the in Ameriky, what a mussy it would be to us and O,vv, grateful we should pheel for it. Nineteen dorgs in doesnt pay no dorg tax and ort 011 that account to be1 hextrumminated. Certingly at any rate out shood be perfected with crikket pads or pettioo^ f the hospitals will soon be phull of footmen hyd#'0^ fied. Pray then persade our Guvners to let url, .v wear crmilyne, at least during the dorg days. cood buy it cheap enuff just now its going 0&" Phashiu. With best respects to Toby, who is via-^ too wise a dorg to run about this wether, I aub8<3rlB myself respectfly your most obejnt Servant, ) JOHN TEOMTTS (of Belgravy)- I OBVIOUS. —Best Paris kid! The Prince Imperii;. A DRAMATIC NOTE.—We have been requested W the property-man of Theatre Boyal, to io^'c him what is the "culler of simples," mentioned Shakespeare. Green, of course. t DELICATE HOSPITALITY ABUSED. JEVAI&ET? "Come, now, Betsy, what's jour little ga{6% Aint'cher goin' to stand somethin' 'ot afore we ¡>¡¡,Y. farewell? Betsy: JSTo, Jemimer! • ,{ I've stood porter, an' I'v% stood rum, au' I've st0°\i kidney pies and whelks, and mild hale an* singer Wr k v.* an+ sin and homages, with hoys^, and hices to foller, not to mention all manner of s*0^ stuff an I'm blowed if I'm a' goin' to aDA ?r0re « 4. that's my little game." „ n. A VERY SAFE POWDER.—The Safety Powder pany s Works, Southdown, Hamoaze, Plymouth, up the other day. A telegram announcing destruction states that" From the nature 0* \e patent powder, its explosion waa harmless to neighbourhood." Powder, whereof the harmless to the neighbourhood in which it occo^V perhaps little likely to do much harm under any cumstances. Thia sort of powder seems calculated exportation to foreign countries for the use of elloob of England, or the supply of plunderers of their nei^' bours, like the king and people Prussia. It is the powder with which one would choose to be ebot THEATRICAL NEWS.—The veteran manager of Theatre Royal St. Stephens, has made arrange^3 to reopen the house as soon as his company whiob gone to the country returns from its provincial is rumoured that a good many old pieces n. revived for the next season. Amongst them will p bly be the well-known farce of Reform, or and Bustle, by the author of Box and Cox. this last-named farce will be reproduced will on whether Cox doesn't get into the wrong Fresh scenery is being painted for tbe theatre> c" 11 sisting chiefly of new views of England, but we A- anticipate any very startling novelty in this d0f^,e ment. The drop is Little Bethel], with a View of Falls of the Westbury. The John Stuart Ms Men has long been in active preparation at minster. «

The Queen; lias issued! her coriqS d'elire to Dean and Chapter of Chester directing the eleet»oD Dr. Jacobson, Hegius Professor of Divinity at 0^ to the vacant see. to the vacant see. tl" Non-Eplosive Gunpowder.-It was reccÎØl reported that Mr. Gale, electrician, of Plymouth, be. discovered a means by which gunpowder couW 0 rendered ^on« explosive, and its original prop0 resfcored at pleasure. It is that, of nary gunpowder could be made non-explosiv# Ai- minutes and restored as quickly to its origin^ c0 /lay tion whenever it was required for use. On T experiments were made at the Government &° » a. Mount Wise, before Viscount Templeton, C.B-> *t miral Fremantle, Admiral Symonds, and others- 5.*r_exPerimeHt the process was applied to a 8 1 qaantity of gunpowder, which was made n°n'}l0,n sive, and restored to its original condition in lesB two minutes. The powder used was ordinary b tile powder, and the match which was applied {7# powder produced no effect beyond lighting \L<r grains, which sparkled one at a time without any approaching to a flame, much less to an exP?8and' Some of the Government powder was then this proved to be much stronger than the blasting powder. The slow match which was through the powder lighted the grains wiih wbic came in contact, but no explosion took place, after the match waa burnt out it was fcund tli^' jj# i powder had lost less than one-eighti part weight. During the time the match was burniDg J Gale held in his hand the vessel containing the pOetlt Further experiments were maeie with the Govr iPe powder, when it was found that by increasing ØS quantity of the non- explosive mixture the powder pllt j fully protected, and when a red-hot poker 0n through it nothing waa seen but a few sparks, 8Jled. re-weighing the powder no loss could be di¡WOyor

EPITOME OF NEWS. A. fire at an enamel hollow-ware factory in 'Wolverhampton has destroyed property to the amount of .€4,000. A fireman wà, crushed by the fall of a portion of the building, and was only saved from a terrible death by this intrepidity wf a police inspector. G-enerai Tom Thumb has keen disappointed in his expectation of having his carriages ready for travelling, aJOAd so remains in London a week longer, and is now ex- hibiting at Westboiirno-hall, "vVestbourne-grove. The new railway route from Easton-square to London-bridge by way of Kensington and Waterloo, which is intended to afford direct communication to Scot- land and the North of England with the South Coast has just been opened. There will be ten trains each way daily (Sundays at present excepted), between Kensington and Waterloo, Blackiriara, and London-bridge stations direct, while there will be fourteen trains each way daily (on week days only) between the Waterloo, Blackfriars, and London- bridge stations;. One of the most splendid buildings ever erected in connection with English Nonconformity was solemnly dedicated to its appointed purpose a few days ago. It is the new Westminster Chapel, situate close to Buckingham-gate, of which the Rev. Samuel Martin is the minister. On this occasion the sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Camming, o £ the Scotcli Church. Mr. Adam Black is at present said to be very unpopular with his constituency in Edinburgh, which has given rise to a respectable joke. What can have caused Adam's fall?" asked one constituent. "The Eve of an election was the reply. The first completed portion of the river wall of the Thames embankment has been uncovered. It extends about twenty yards, just in front of Whitehall, in the sec- tion of Mr. Contractor Eurniss. Thewail presents a very handsome, and even elegunt appearance. An inquest was held at the London University College Hospital, on Saturday, rehtive to the death of Eliza- 'beth Matthews, aged thret;' years, who died from the effects of burns produced by playing with lucifer matches while alone. A vermct of "Accidental Death" was recorded. A large male elephant from the Jardin des Plantes, has just been shipped for London on board the Seine- tit- Tamise, having been exchanged for a young rhinoceros and several other animals belonging to the Zoological Gardens in the Begent's-park. The Queensland Guardian says that the Government have sanctioned a scheme for Lt limited assisted immigration from Italy. It is proposed that the immi- grants introduced shall consist of agriculturists, such as vine and oli?e growers, and other workmen skilled in the cultivation of the products of the South of Italy. An excursion party of 100 young women be- longing to the Bible-class of Lady Rothschild's Sabbath School, in Devonshire-square, City, made a pleasure-trip the other day to Hayes-common, near Bromley, in Kent, where they were liberally regaled with an excellent dinner. After roaming about this delightful spot they were provided with tea, cake, &c., and the youthful excursionists returned to their school-room highly delighted. The "Glasgow Herald," says that the balloon of Mr. Cox well which ascended from Belfast, has been found in a very shattered condition by a coast-guardsman, on the shore at Bowmore. The debts of Prince Esterhazy, a part of whose fortune ha a been placed under the control of adminis- trators, are estimated at nearly 23,000,000 sterling. The property sequestered is that situated in Hungary only the annual revenue of that portion is valued at about £ 190,000. A case of A siatic cholera has occurred within the last week, in Bowl-alley, Pipe well gate, Gateshead, and although attended by Dr. Lyle, the skilled assistant of the pariah-surgeon, Dr. Wilson, the malady terminated fatally in twenty-four hours. Such an OCCllrrence will, it is hoped, lead to a strict watch being kept over nuisances in every city and town in England. Two granite drinking fountains have just been erected at Crewe station, one on each platform, pre- sented to the company by Mr. C. P. Melly, of Liverpool. They havo been fixed under the superintendence of Mr. Lee, of Chester, engineer, and are supplied with an abun- dance of pure water from the company's new works at Madeley. Advices from St. Petersburg announce that the importation dues on various goods at the European frontier are suppressed or diminished, and, from other goods coming from the trans-Caucasian countries reduced ■one per cent. The dues on exportation and quarantine on the Asiatic frontier are abolished. An anti-meat club has been formed in New York, in consequence of the high price of meat. The thunderstorm which, on Friday last, visited Hull and its neighbourhood, blinded one woman, injured another, and killed several cows. We understand (says the Record) that the Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench is about to be raised to the peerage. A letter from Vienna states that a fine piece of carpeting, measuring 14 feet by 20, the first of the kind manufactured in Austria, has just been placed in the museum of that city. It presents a map of the railways of central Europe, and was produced at Prague. A new steamer, named the Herman, of 3,000 tons, was launched last week, for the North German Lloyd Company, from the building yard of Messrs. Caird, Gree- nock. She is to be placed on the line between Southampton and New York. The show of window gardening by the working classes in the metropolis was a successful and interesting exhibition. The prizes were distributed by the Bishop of London, assisted by Lord Shaftesbury, and a number of the metropolitan clergy. Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands honoured the meeting with her presence, and evinced great interest in the proceedings. An Athena letter mentions that the Minister of the Interior in Greece has issued a circular to the provincial authorities, stating that cholera has appeared at Smyrna, and declaring that city, the Gulf of Smyrna, and the whole coast of Asia Minor to be suspected; at the same time ordering the application of the sanitary laws. We understand that Earl Fortescne, who was seized with a severe attack of pleurisy while on a visit to the Earl of Lovelace, in Surrey, returned to London in the beginning of last week, and was sufficiently recovered to go down with the Countess l'ortescue to Devonshire on Satur- day. An Orange funeral procession, while re- turning on Sunday from Aintree Cemetery, near Liverpool, was assailed by a crowd of Roman Catholics, who pursued and injured several of the Orangemen. Several prisoners were arrested, and fined by the magistrates. The Master of the Rolls has just given jucig- ment in a complicated will case, touching the bequest of the late Alderman Thompson. The question wa3 as to the construction of the provisions of the will-vvhether the alderman's grandson, Lord Kenlis, was to take the whole benefit of the will, or whether his sisters were to take any interest under its clauses. The Ma.ster decided in favour of Lord Kenlis. The Grand Duchess Sophia of Baden, mother of the reigning Grand Duke, has just died a.t Baden of pulmonary disease, aged sixty-four. The deceased was daughter of King Gnstavus IV. of Sweden, born May 21 1801. Her Royal Highness espoused, July 23, 1819, the lat Grand-Duke Leopold of Baden, and was a widow since April 21,1851. During the past week the visitors to the South Kensington Museum have been as follows: -On Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday, free days, open from ten a.m. to tan p.m., 11,121; on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, students' days (admission to the public 6d ), open from ten a.m. till six p.m., 2,470. Total, 13,51)1; from the opening of the Museum, 5,401,940. A telegraph dispatch from Geneva an- nounces that the boiler of a steam-eaginein the arms manu- factory of that city exploded on Saturday, killing two per- sons and wounding ten others, one of whom is not likely to recover. The building containing the engine was entirely destroyed. An enquiry has been mstitued to ascertain the cause of the accident. Advices from Rhodes state that for the last four months earthquakes have been felt daily in the island, but they have done very little damage. In the Belfast flax market the other day Mr. Fiew, a farmer, residing at Killinchy, county Down, exjai. bit.d a sample of most excellent new flax. The quality of the article was so good that it speaks well for the prospect of tho new crop. A private letter from Paris says that there are more Americans there at the present time than was ever » khown. Some of the largest Parisian hotels are almost ex-" clusively iccupied by rich Americans. There is quite a rage for cats just now in Brussels—especially of the Angora breed. The demand being large Lnd the supply apparently limited, the dealers have resorted 0 strong measures to satisfy the market. The other night r-co-ly all the Angora cats in one quarter of the «ity—*the March* aux Bois-were stolaii-to the astonish- ment and distressof their owners. The Londo-i "Review" Rays that the story re- centJy told in the Pal. Mall Gazette of a gentleman parading Rotten-row with a IELd-es'hair cob," which he had picked up and stuck at the enCk0f his stick, was given a month ago in a New York comic jouinai under the title of The Latest Hair Restorer." Early on Monday Etornins: cries of "Murder" and of "Palica" were hea.1 ill North-street, Wolver- hamptcn, na a man named Richard Shore was picked up dead. Thomas Potenmr). wnc j., known to have threat- ened him, is in custody. He profess his innocence. Mrs. Davis, so says a correnc;nde-nt of the New York Herald, is living in Savannah in destitute condition, without money or proper clothing, a.d without any ser- vant to aid her in taking care of her children. The number of patients relieved at the City of London Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, Victoria-park, during last week, was 1,077, of which 246 were new eases. Lord Cranworth, the new Lord Chancellor, has appointed Mr, Lushiagton, of the Chancery Bar, 90ii of the Right Hon. S. Lushington, to be his chief -secretary and Mr. Scott, of the Chancery bar, who was formerly secretary to Lord Chelmsford, to be his second secretary. A number of locusts are said to have been found at Tollerbridge, near Barnet. The popularity of the Rev. J. M. Bellow, of London, with his congregation appears to be increasing. He was presented the other day with the most magnificent set of robes ever given to an untitled priest of the Church of England. The Americans are boasting that, since the con. clusion of the war, their expenditure is only £ 385,000 a day. This amounts in a year to £ 139,525,000! A modest little figure to settle down upon, truly. During the present Parliament 112 peers have died, whose united ages give an average to each of 67 years. The Duke of Buccleuch has given £ 100 to. wards the building fund of St. Andrew's Convalescent Hospital, near Windsor. The selection of Lord Cranworth for the office of Lord Chancellor appears to have given universal satisfaction. The duty of Is. Id. per ton on coal brought into London produced ik251,850 in the past year. M. de Lesseps, the promoter of the Suez Canal, it is said, no sooner heard, in Paris, that the epidemic had broken out, than he hastened to Egypt to see that evei y succour was given to his labourers. The Committee of Privileges in the House of Lords has decided in favour of the claim made by the Marquis of Lausdowne to the Earldom of Kerry. The smallpox in sheep, which caused so much mischief in Wiltshire and Hampshire two years ago, has, it is said, made its appearance in Sussex. A reverend gentleman of celebrity was the other day attracted by a "correct likeness" of himself being prominently put forth in a &hop window, and on his pur- chasing the thing as a curiosity of non-resemblance, to show to his friends, he found it to be the portrait of Bush the murderer, attired in the dress of the reverend gentlemen. A frigbtfal accident occurred at the Queen's Theatre, in Hull, on Saturday night. A cry was raised that the roof was faliinsr, and the people rushed to the doors in crowds. One man now lies in a precarious condition, and very many others are seriously bruised. The scene is de- scribed as most heartrending. We hear (says the Court Journal) that the mar- riage of the charming and accomplished Miss Ogle with Eldred Cutwen, Esq., is fixed to take place at Brighton on the 19th inst. We understand that the bride, who is only in her eighteenth year, has a fortune of &3,500 a year settled on her by Chancery, and that it will eventually be £ 10,000 a year. The roughness of the weather during the past week has delayed the coaling of the Great Eastern. No coal was to be taken on board, however, after Friday, and the vessel was to leave her anchorage below the Nore on Saturday, at four o'clock for Valentia. The splice will probably be made and the final start effected on the follow- ing Tuesday. Prince Napoleon," says the Independence Beige, "is said to propose undertaking a scientific voyage to Kamschatka, in which he would be accompanied by several naturalists, and the object of his Highness's present journey to Havre is stated to be to see what changes would be required in his yacht in case the project should be carried into execution." It is calculated that within thirty years there have been in Spain about fifty different premiers and 400 ministers, so frequent have been the changes in the cabinet.

THE PREMIER'S ADDRESS TO HIS CONSTITUENTS. Lord Palmerston issued the following address to the electors of Tiverton immediately after the dissolu- tion :— "94, Piccadilly. "Gentlemen,—Parliament having been dissolved, fresh elections will immediately take place, and I beg to solicit from you a renewal of that confidence with which you have honoured me during seven successive Parliaments. If I were addressing you for the first time, it might be necessary for me to dilate upon the future; but I think I may with propriety found my appeal for the continuance of your favour upon a reference to the past, and to the results of the course pursued by the Government of which during the last six years I have had the honour of being a member. "During those six years, notwithstanding the heavy pressure of three bad seasons on Ireland, and the severe distress which prevailed in some of the manu- faoturing districts, in consequence of the great dimi- nution of the supply of cotton from North America, the United Kingdom, as a whole, has enjoyed a re- markable degree of progressive prosperity, peace has been preserved with foreign nations, and this country has been exempt from the exertions and sacrifices which, within that period, other countries have been required to make. Additional freedom has been given to the employment ot capital, and to the exercise ot productive industry. Trade with foreign countries has been relieved from many obstructions, while new n¡"u"TlAIi'1 of nommerce have been OTtunn^ a,ollU Jl.1.l1JV1.V.Lll' \J">¥-- -4- in distant parts of the globe. The result has been that the wealth of the United Kingdom has rapidly increased, aud, though great reductions of taxation have been made, and some diminution has been ef- fected in the national debt, the public revenue has always been sufficient to provide for the pub- lic expenditure, and to maintain in efficiency those national defences, naval and military, which are to every country among the best securities* for peace. The present time is remarkable for the progressive application of the results of science to the operations of war, both by sea and by land; and this country has not in such matters lagged be- hind the other great Powers of the world. r." Nor has our colonial administration been less suc- cessful. The population of our North American pro- vinces are devotedly loyal and attached to connection with this country; and India, no longer the scene of insurrection and rebellion, is making rapid strides in civilisation and general prosperity. "But the six years' period, in these respects so happy, waa doomed to witness a calamity which plunged the whole nation into grief; and while tb'e loss of the Prince Consort will for ever be recorded among the great domestic misfortunes of the country, the universal sorrow which that loss occasioned will at least testify fehat the nation duly appreciated the high and admirable qualities of the Prince whom they mourn. On the other hand, a bright gleam of hcipe for the future has cheered the land by the fortunate and happy marriage of the Prince of Wales and the birth of two Eoya-1 Princes. How long the Ministry of which I have the honour to be a member may continue to direct the affairs of this great nation, must depend upon the will of the Parliament now about to be elected; but I think I may be allowed to say, for myself and my colleagues, that a just judgment of our past administration will entitle us to the same measure of goodwill which has been extended to us by the Parliament now dissolved. "In the meantime I again respectfully and earnestly solicit from you a continuance of that confidence which for so many years has been to me a proud and honourable distinction.—I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, your most obliged and obedient servant, "PALMERSTON."

AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE 'THAMES. The trial heat for the Wingfleld Ssulls, at present held by Mr. W. B. Woodgate, was rowed on Tuesday afternoon, from Putney to Mortlake. The following were the entries and starters:— Station 1. Mr. W. P. Cecil, West London Rowing Club. H 2. Mr. C. B. Lawes, Third Trinity Boat Club. „ 3. Mr. J. Lindsay, Clydesdale Amateur Bowing Club. 1. 4. Mr. E. B. Michell, Magdalen College, Oxford. Number 1 station on the Middlesex side of the river. Betting: 6 to 4 against Miohell, 6 to 2 against La,wes, and 5 to 1 against Lindsay. A good start was effected at 4.34, just on the slack of the flood, a breeze from the west making consider- able disturbance on the water. Cecil was the first to get fairly into his pull, and went to the front, Lindsay, Michell, and Lawes being separated by a length each. More than 200 yards had not been rowed when Lindsay, the North countryman, pulled on Cecil, and obtained a lead of one length, pulling at a rate that it was certain could not be long maintained. Michell, with a fine steady pull, next dropped Cecil and breasted Lindsay, Lawes, working a good forward stroke, also left the London man astern in the next dozen strokes, and, rowing between the Oxford and Scotsman, now neck and neck, picked the latter up as Michell went away fairly to the front. Seven minutes had not elapsed before Cecil was beaten hollow, and out of the trial; Lindsay also exhibited signs of fatigue, and, in spite of the shouts of his friends, who followed in an eight," he pulled stem on into a skiff under the shore, and smashed his bow to splinters. The race now rested with Michell and Lawes, the former keeping a slight lead, and both pulling with tremendous exertion over the swash. At the Soap- works they fell in with two barges in their course, and Lawes passed the pair on his right, while Michell, very cleverly handling his sculls, went between them, having barely room to work his oars. At 4h. 45m. Miohe.11 and Lawes (12m. 5s. from Putney) passed under Hammersmith-bricge. the Oxford man having a good lead of a length, and still pulling away. Lawes however, seemed capable of staying any time, and was coming forward with his oars steadily, pulling with a long swinging sweep, which perhaps for style did not look so telling a3 the more finished stroke of Michell, but which served him well. Midway between Hammersmith and Barnes Lawes pulled on his left and coming across Michell's stern overlapped his rival's right oar, the various spectators ashore and°afloat evincing the most intense excitement, as they rowed the next 200 yards neck and neck. The Oxford man, after this struggle, bpgan to show signs of overwork, but, making desperate efforts, pulled his left, and, coming across Lawe's stern; placed himself in his old position; but Lawea still had too much strength for Michell's pluck, and when they passed underneath the bridge at Barnes the Trinity boat was a length and a half ahead; time, 24m. 55s. Lawes, with plenty of vigour left, now went ahead by lengths, and Miohell seemed to have barely strength to get his oars to and fro, and was quite unable to respond to the repeated calls of his friends. Lawes, on the contrary, was full of work, pulling hard to the finish, and getting over the last water' by tremendous strokes, the crowd on the river's banks oheering and inciting him on. The Oxford man, now utterly used up, seemed in danger of falling over as he made his last few cfforts to pull on his oars, and finally gave in about 200 yards from home. Lawes arrived at the gaol, and won in 30m. 28-5ths, as timed by one of Mr. M. F. Dent's chronometers. Mr. Thorncroft; kindly placed his steamer at the disposal of the umpire who accompanied the match.

II A LITTLE TOO MUGH." Four young men, named Michael Daley, twenty Henry Buckingham, eighteen, William Turner eighteen, and Thomas Kemp, eighteen, were charged with indecently assaulting Maria Morton and attempt- ing to throw her over the parapet of Westminster- bridge. The prosecutrix, eighteen, said that about twelve o'clock on Sunday night she was proceeding over Westminster-bridge from the Surrey side of the river. When nearly half way over she saw six young men coming towards her arm in arm, covering the whole of the pavement, and singing an obscene song. She endeavoured to avoid them, but before she could get clear of the pavement they encircled her, and each of them took indecent liberties with her. She called out for help, but they disregarded her cries and entreaties. They threw her clothes up; then they lifted her and laid her on the edge of tho parapet and held her over. She was as near as possible falling into the river, but fortunately a young man came to her assistance, when her assailants threw her on the pavement and made off as fast as possible. Her petticoats and under clothes were torn oN, and she was very much bruised. As soon as she had sufficiently re- covered she went with the young man who had come to her assistance to the Westminster-bridge-road in pursuit of her assailants. In an ice shop, nearly, opposite Astley's Theatre, she saw the prisoners, sitting. She then went in search of a police- constable, and, having found one, returned to the ice shop, and gave the prisoners into custody. Their companions contrived to escape. She did not think the prisoners actually intended to throw her over the bridge, but they held her over the parapet, and frightened her very much. The evidence of the prosecutri-c was fully corioborated by Louis Cowell, a compositor, who had interfered in her behalf, and by John Fuller, 62 M, who took the prisoners into custody. Iu answer to the charge, the prisoners admitted having drunk "a little too much," but denied the accusation and all knowledge of the prosecutrix. Mr. Woolrych told them they were a set of ill-conducted young fellows, and it was clear that they had acted in a brutal and cowardly manner towards the prosecutrix. He acquitted them of any intention of throwing the young woman over the bridge, but for the brutal and indecent attacks upon her he should sentence each of them to four months' hard labour in Wandsworth Hoase of Correction. 4