The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

A SKETCH OF AN OLD BACH- ELOR, WITH A HOUSE TO LET. There it was most unquestionably-an appeal, in fat black letters, wound up by a huge exclamation point, to the attention of all house-hunting sufferers. This house to let-and no mistake about it, either," mused Mr. Briggs, stirring his cup of cold coffee, and looking distastefully at the one boiled egg that lay before him. The fact is, I'm sick of keeping house coal always out—taxes always due-carpets always wearing away-grocer's bills enough to make a man's hair stand on end, and housekeeper always asking for higher wages I won't stand it Piny longer—I'll be boiled alive if I do! As Mr. Nahum Briggs was a little fat, fussy man, with starting eyes and a tout-ensemble not unlike a comfortably sized lobster, the "boiling" part of the business was not at all nappropiiate. And as if to carry out the simile, he i nraed a lively scarlet as the door slowly swung open, a ad his housekeeper stalked majestically in. In truth and ia fact, Mr. Briggs was a little afraid of Mrs. Parley, but Mr. Briggs was resolved to break the baleful spell, and stood boldly to his guns. "Mr. Briggs!" begaE. the lady, solemnly, "can I believe my eyes ? Well, ma'am," said the old bachelor, I never heard that anything was amiss with your eyesight." Is it possible that you have posted a bill on the front of this house without consulting me ? Quite so, ma'am," responded Nahum. And you intend-" To shut up shop-to close my establishment-to break up housekeeping, ma'am," said Nahum. "That's exactly my intention." "Very well, sir," said Mrs. Parley, grimly, "if you will settle the trifling question of salary between us, I will take my departure." "What? now?" ejaculated Mr. Briggs, somewhat taken by surprise. "Immediately," responded the lady, frigidly. And who's to keep house for me until the 1st of May? and who's to show the premises to all in- quirers ? demanded Nahum, a little apprehensively. That is your own business, sir," said Mrs. Parley. "I, for one, cannot consent to remain in a house where I have been so markedly excluded from the con- fidence of its owner." Just so, ma'am—exactly," said Mr. Briggs, count- ing out several banknotes. "There's your money, and now oblige me by going off as quick as you con- veniently can." Mrs. Parley withdrew and Nahum was left to his own meditations. Singular to relate, they took the shape of a species of war-dance, exeouted in the middle of. the floor, to the musical snapping of fingers. "Bravo! bravo three cheers! hurrah, I'm free! chuckled our hero. "If ever there was a miserable slave, I've been one to that hatchet-faced woman, and now I'm free! Who would have supposed-tO He stopped abruptly—there was a ring at the door bell. And nobody to answer it," mused Mr. Brisrgs, a little depressed from his high spirits. Well, I'll go myself." A spectacled old lady stood on the door steps, in a shabby bombazine and furs that looked as if they might have grown en the back of some dissipated oat. This 'ere house to let ? Yes, ma'am." Can I look at it ? Certainly, ma'am." Water-pipes in order ? cellar dry ? paint new ? ovens good ? roof sound ? chandeliers go with the house ? possession at once ? neighbourhood good ? a church anywhere near? any objection to children? ventilators in the rooms ? closets in the bedrooms ? "Ma'am?" ejaculated poor Nahum, fairly stunned by the torrent of questions. Servants is so stupid ?" sighed the old lady. Can I see your master ?" "I'm my own master, ma'am," said Mr. Briggs, irritably. Oh-I thought you was the porter," said the old lady, scornfully. What's the rent ? A hundred a year." "A hundred fiddlesticks!" shrieked the old lady, holding up both her hands. "Who on earth do you s'pose is goin' to pay a hundred a year for such an old tumble-down rat-hole as this? Why you must be crazy Say seventy. five, and I'll look at the rooms." "I wont say anything of the sort," said Nahum, turning red and feeling apoplectic. "If you don't like the rent of my house, ma'am, you're not obliged to pay it, and 1 wish you a very good morning, ma'am." So saying, Nahum Briggs closed the door in the face ef the old lady with the mangy furs, who immediately commenoed rapping on the panels with her umbrella- handle, and calling out abusive messages through the key-hole. Scarcely had the old lady got safely round the corner, and Mr. Briggs recovered his ruffled faculties, when there came another sharp tintinnabulation to the bell wires, a languid young lady this time, with a stiff- looking gentleman who appeared engaged in holding on his moustache. With this couple Mr. Nahum trotted to the very top of the house and down again. Adolphus, my dear," said the lady. "Well, my dear?" "Don't you think these ceilings are very low ? "Well, I don't know." And then the back yard is so very small." Well-I really don't know." "And the dining-room is so inconvenient." Well-on my soul I don't know." And—I'm really afraid there are obnoxious insects in the bedrooms." Really, ma'am," said Nahum, bristling up, is .here any other fault to find? Because, if there isn't, there's the front door open, and I really don't think it's too narrow for you to walk out of." "Adolphus, my dear," saidthe lady, "we won't re- main any longer in the society of this exceedingly abrupt person." "No, my dear." And Adolphus and his wife departed, Well!" quoth Mr. Briggs to himself, I wonder if people leave their manners at home when they go house-hunting. Obnoxious-insects in my bedrooms, indeed! Well, I wonder who's coming next. Jewish the confounded house was let and off my hands. The next arrival was a tall, stylish lady, who promptly fell in love with the house and all its be- longings.. "Such a delightfully convenient mansion! And if Mr.-Mr. 11 "Briggs, ma'am." Mr. Briggs," with a charming bow, would con- sent to take the rent out in board-" Oh-ah-you keep a boarding house P "Not exactly a boarding house; my family consists of seventeen select friends, five servants, and six children." "Seventeen, plus five, plua six, plus one Twenty- nine people," hurriedly calculated Nahum. I—I really think, ma'am, I couldn't consent to let the house to you." And the lady flounced out in a rage. Two young damsels and a spinster aunt followed, and after a lengthy inspection of the premises, came to a state council in the parlours. I like the house very much," said the spinster aunt, solemnly, and, with a few slight alterations, I will engage it for my brother's family." "Very good, ma'am," said Nahum, rubbing his hands, and scentiag a speedy termination to his trials. Naine 'em." "The door-handles must all be gilded, and I should like the house new papered in velvet and gold, and re- painted, and the partition between the parlours taken down and replaced by an arch, and an extension dining-room built out behind, and a bay window thrown out of the parlour, and a new style of range in the kitchen, anu a dumb waiter put in, and new bronze chandeliers throughout, and Held on, ma'am—just hold on one minute," said Nahum, feebly grasping for breath. Wouldn't you like the old house carted away and a new one put in its place ? I think it would be rather less trouble than to make the trifling alterations you suggest." Sir! said the spinster, loftily. I don't think we can agree, ma'am." "Very well- very well-come, girls." With prim dignity the lady marshalled her two charges out, muttering something about "the extor- tionate ideas of landlords now-a-days." While Nahum, wildly rumpling hia iron-gray hair with both hands, soliloquised— II Well, if Job had been alive, and had a house to let, there never would have been any Book of Job written. There goes that everlasting bell again; III- haul it out by the roots if this sort of thing goes on much longer. I'll tear down the bill and put the place nPAanother l £ dy, but quite different from the other-a slender, little, cast-down lady, with a head that drooped like a lily of the valley, and a dress of brown silk that had been mended, and darned, and turned, and re-trimmed, until even Nahum Briggs, man and baohelor though he was, could see how very shabby it was. Yet she was pretty, with big blue eyes, and shining brown hair, and cheeks tinged with a faint, fleeting colour, where the velvety roses of youth had once bloomed in vivid carmine; and the golden-haired little lasses who clung to her dress were as like her as tiny lily-buds to a full bloomed chime of flower-bells. As Nahum Briggs stood looking at her, there came back to him the sunshiny days of his youth-a field of blooming clover, crimson in the June light, like waves of blood, and a blue-eyed girl leaning over the fence, with her bright hair tied with ribbons, and he knew that he was standing face to face with Barbara Wylie, the girl he had quarrelled with years and years ago, and whose blue eyes had kept him an old bachelor all his life long. This house is to let, I believe? she asked, timidly, with a little quiver in her mouth. I believe it is, Barbara Wylie." She looked up, starting with a sudden flush of re- cognition. Mr. Briggs! And then Barbara turned very pale, and began to cry, with the little golden-haired girls clinging to her skirts, and wailing, Mamma, mamma-what's the matter, mamma ? "Nothing, now," said Barbara, resolutely brushing away the tears. "If you please, Mr. Briggs, I will look at the house. I am a widow now, and very poor, and-and I think of keeping a boarding house to earn my daily bread. I hope the rent is not very hjgb ? 11 "We'll talk about the rent afterwards," said Mr. Briggs, fiercely swallowing down a big lump in his throat that threatened to choke him. Come here, little girls, and kiss me; I used to know your mamma when she wasn't much bigger than you are." Barbara, with her blue eyes still drooping, went all over the house without finding a word of fault, and Nahum Briggs walked at her side, wondering if it really was fifteen years since the June sunshine lay so brightly on the clover field. I think the house is beautiful," said meek Barbara. Will you rent it to me, Nahum ?" "Well, yes," said Nahum, thoughtfully. "I'll let you have my house if you want it, Barbara." With the privilege ef keeping a few boarders ? No, rna'am!" Barbara stopped and looked wistfully at him. But I don't think you understand how very poor I am, Mr. Briggs." "Yes, I do." "And that I cannot afford to take the house with- out the privilege of boarders." "I'll tell you what, Barbara," said Mr. Briggs, aic- tatorially, I'll give you the privilege of keeping just one boarder, and him you've got to keep all your lite long, if you once take him." I don't think I quite understand you, Mr. Briggs, said Barbara, but she blushed very becomingly, and we are rather inclined to think she told a naughty little fib. What do you say to me for a boarder, Barbara ? said the old baohelor, taking both the widow's hands in his. "Barbara, we were young fools once, but that is no reason we should be old fools now. I like you as well as I ever did, and I'll do my best to be a good husband to you, and a good father to your little girls, if you'll be my wife." Barbara blushed again and hesitated, but Nahum was not to be eluded thus. Shall I take down the To Let,' Barbara ?" "Yes," she murmured, almost under her breath. So Nahum went deliberately out, and coolly tore down the bill, to the great astonishment and disap- pointment of a party of rabid houae-hunters who were just ascending the steps. "And when shall we be married, Barbara?" he next demanded. In the summer, parhaps," said Mrs. Barbara, shyly. "To-morrow," said Nahum, decisively, and "to- morrow it was. Upon my word, Barbara," said Nahum, on the 1st of May, aa he watched his wife's blooming face behind the coffee urn, you can't think how much jollier it is with you for a, housekeeper than that hag, Mrs. Parley." Barbara only laughed, and said, "He was a dear, good old stupid." So the probabilities are that neither Mr. Nahum Briggs nor his brown stone house will be in the market again as To LET INQUIRE WITHIN."

EPITOME OF NEWS. .0_ In the Greenwich workhouse, containing up. wards of 900 inmates, there has not been a death from any cause the first fortnight in this month, although the average deaths are five weekly. Dr. Russell, the special correspondent of the Times attached to the Austrian army, maintains, in contradiction to the Prussian military correspondent of the same journal, that in every encounter the Austrian cavalry has shown its superiority to the Prussian. A wonderful cashmere shawl, now in Calcutta, will be among the sights of the Great Exhibition at Paris next year. It is worked in arabesques of un- heard-of fineness on red ground, and waa ten years in the workman's frame. It was originally ordered tor the Queen of Oude, not long before the Sepoy revolt. The Murder of a Boy in St. Giles's.—Much excitement prevailed on Saturday in the neighbour- hood of Bow-street, consequent upon a report that the murderer of the boy in a cellar in Earl-street, Seven Dials, had been captured. Though the person captured answered in many respeets the description of the murderer, yet the witnesses upon being con- fronted with the suspected person did not identify him. Drowned whilst Bathing.—An inquest. wag held at Whitaxable on Saturday, on the body of Alfred Welby, a clerk in the Customs. He had been out bathing with a friend, and was last seen floating leisurely at about fifty yards from the beach. When his friend found that he had sunk he took steps to save him, but it was not until an hour had passed that the body was recovered. A verdict of "Accidentally drowned was returned. The Convict Colthorpe.—Since hQr conviction this murderess has maintained a quiet demeanour. Her mind appears, however, to be much relieved by a communication made to her by the chaplain of the Ipswich Gaol that the execution of the sentence of death passed upon her had been respited until further signification of her Majesty's pleasure. The prisoner's second child has been weaned, and will shortly be taken from her. A Gang of Thieves in Trouble-At the Liver- pool Police-court, on Saturday, seven men and one woman were charged with having attempted to break into the shop of Mr. Wilkin, pawnbroker, in Islington. The prisoners (only a portion of the gang) were arrested in a house in a ^disreputable street; the officers also seized various instruments, dresses, &c., evidently used for nefarious purposes. They were all sent to prison for two months. The Wesleyan Conference.—At the WeBleyan Conference, held at Leeds, a building committee was appointed to superintend the erection of a theological institution at Headingley, at a cost of ^812,000; and a committee was also appointed to consider the de- sirableness of the erection of another theological in- stitution in the neighbourhood of Birmingham. It was also decided to appoint the Rev. W. B. Pope, suc- cessor to Dr. Hannah, in the theological chair at Didsburv. The Needle Gun a Diabolical Invention. —A letter from Rome, in the Opinion Nationals says —"The needle gun had very nearly been adopted here. The successor of Mgr. de Merode, General Kanzler, had suggested it, and the proposition appeared to be favourably received when a cardinal remarked that the arm in question had not yet been used by any Cathelic army, and that it was not for Rome to show too much eagerness in an invention with which the Lutherans had been inspired by the Prince of Darkness. Much surprise was occasioned in North Shrop- shire on Saturday, by the announcement of the fact (gleaned in the first instanoe from the Parliamentary reports in the morning papers), that Major Cust had retired from the representation of the constituency. It was rumoured that the nephew of the late member, Mr. Adelbert Wellington Cust, would offer himself for the vacant seat, and later in the day the rumour was confirmed by the appearance of an address to the electors signed by that gentleman. In it Mr. Cast says he is a Conservative, and will give a general support to Lord Derby. Royal College of Surgeons of England.— The following gentlemen having passed their exami- nations were admitted licentiates in dental surgery at the last meeting of the board-viz., Thomas Read, of Holies-street, Cavendish-square; William P. Bartlett, of Keri six; gton-park. terrace; Edwin Frederick Lane, of Bedford-place, W.C.; William Caleb Williams, of North Petherton, Somerset; Ebenezer Apperly, of Stroud, Gloucestershire; John Cardell Oliver, of Car- diff, South Wales; George Christopher M'Adam, of Hereford; Edward B. West, of New Broad-street, City; Thomas Henry G. Harding, of Park-square, Regent's-park; aud Nathaniel Tracy, of Ipswich. Important to Householders. A rather curious case, Spalding v. the East London Water- works Company," was heard before Mr. Commissioner Kerr, at the Sheriff's Court, on Saturday. The plain- tiff sought to recover X5 damages, which he had sus- tained beoause of the company's refusing to supply him with water. He had rented a house the late tenants of which had left the water rate in arrear. The supply was cut off, and the company refused to lay the water on again until the plaintiff paid the rate due from his predeoessor. After the case had been argued Mr. Commissioner Kerr delivered judgment against the company. Attempt to Murder on the High Seas.—At Ilford, on Saturday, a seaman named Frank Allen, was charged with attempting to murder his superior officer on board the William Penn (London, Havre, and New York) steamer. The prisoner had been sent over from New York by the American Government under the extradition treaty. Whilst the vessel was on its way from Havre to New York, the prisoner being one night at the wheel, the chief officer noticed that she was out of her right course. He went to the wheelhouse and found that the prisoner was not sober. He tried to get him away, but the prisoner assaulted him. Afterwards he struck him with a knife, and used great violence. After the hearing of some evi- dence, he was committed for trial at the Central Criminal Court. A Steamer Wrecked at Fleetwood.—The steamship Wasp, of Southport, was wrecked Bear Fleetwood, at the estuary of the river Wyre, on Friday night. At seven o'clock she shipped her pas- sengers to proceed down the Wyre on her return voyage to Southport, and owing to the rough weather got upon what is called the nars." Her keel was so broken in that she sprang a leak, and began to fill with water. Considerable alarm naturally prevailed on board; but a vessel was soon brought up to the rescue, and the passengers were removed as speedily as pos- sible and taken ashore. The steamboat gradually made more water; the engine-fires were extinguished, the vessel had to be abandoned, and she floated up heavily with the rising tide towards the harbour. She was afterwards drifted against a vessel at anchor, and smashed one of her masts. Bobbing a Tragedian. — The many local ad- mirers of Mr. Ira Aldridge will learn with regret, says the Levant Herald of August 1, that be has been the victim of a very sweeping robbery at Kieff. During his absence at the theatre for his last representation at that town, his lodgings were broken open and the whole of his jewellery, including—as a request for a warning notice of the theft states-co two gold watches, nine rings, four of them set with valuable brilliants; a broooh set with 52 brilliants and all his other presents and relics of his deceased wife; also, bills of exchange, bankers' and other acknowledg- ments, contracts, &c." Mr. Aldridge's loss in cash alone was nearly 10,000 silver roubles. We complain of our Turkish police, but it is, it appears, perfect when compared with the guardians of life and property at Kieff. Though the fact of the robbery was dis- covered within an hour of its being committed, no clue whatever was obtained to the thieves, nor when Mr. Aldridge wrote was there the remotest prospect 11 of his recovering any portion of either the jewellery, documents, or cash stolen. Flogging Garotters.—During the past two assizes at Manchester the judges have been ordering that persons convicted of robbery with personal vio- lence should be flogged in addition to the sentences of penal servitude. On the first occurrence it was evi- dent that flagging was looked upon by the prisoners as more disagreeable than the imprisonment they had to undergo, and whilst some bore the punishment with a certain amount of fortitude, the most of them acted as cowards. On Wednesday and Thursday the prisoners who were sentenced to be flogged at the assizes which closed on Monday were led out for punishment. The governor of the gaol and several visiting justices were present. The prisoners were brought one by one into a small enclosed yard, stripped to the waist, their legs fastened in a kind of box, and their arms secured at the wrist. A stout gaoler took the whip in band, and laid on each stroke of the whip at a signal from the doctor, who stood by, watch in hand. One of the prisoners had managed to get a piece of leather, which he rolled in his mouth to aid him in simulating fortitude; but after a, few strokes he roared out most lustily, and the suspense between each stroke-half a minute, carefully told off before the doctor repeated the signal—seemed to add im- mensely to the agony. There is no doubt that the knowledge that the cat" will be applied to all con- victed of robbery with violence will have a tendency to lessen that particular form of crime. False Imprisonment.—An action for false im- prisonment was brought, at the Man cheater assizes, on Monday, by Mr. Stone, a tradesman, against another tradesman, Mr. Sorton, to recover compensation for false imprisonment. The plaintiff, owing to business losses, had become a bankrupt, and an arrangement was entered into between him and the defendant, by which the latter agreed to supply him with money to renew his business, all profits beyond ar-i amount necessary for the maintenance of the plaintiff to go to the defendant until his debt was paid. This arrange. ment had proceeded for some time, when the de- fendant gave the plaintiff into custody for keeping back .£25. He was discharged by the magistrates. The plaintiff alleged that the .£25 had been paid. On certain legal grounds his lordship held that the defendant had no right to give the plaintiff into custody, and the jury gave him damages to the amount of « £ 50. The German Vineyards.—The Moniteur Vini- cole comments in the following language on one of the results of the German war: As we foretold, the cultivation of the vine-that which demands the most handwork—has been completely neglected for the last two months on the other side of the Rhine. The props are not erected; the branches are allowed to drag on the ground like the stalks of the pumpkin; and the buds are not pared. The flower has been drenched by rain; the juice is thin and scanty; and whatever may be now done there is no remedy possible. This is a great misfortune in a humanita,rian point of view; but, as the mishap is irremediable, we must, as men, make up our minds on the subject; and as French- men and vine-growers, we must, if not rejoice, at least congratulate ourselves in being the heirs to profit by the disaster. A man does not always shed tears over a deceased uncle's wili. Let, us, therefore, abstain from sentimentality, and profit by the inheritance." A Venerable Fire-raiser. -At the recent assizes held in Wells, an old man named Latcham was charged with setting fire to a house occupied by his son, at Wedmore, in May last. Some years ago the prisoner had induced the landlord of the house to transfer the tenancy from himself to his son, but afterwards he wished to have the house back again for himself. On the refusal of the landlord to make the re-transfer, prisoner threatened to burn down the house. On May 25 the place was found on fire in two places, and prisoner was discovered concealed, with a piece of candle and some matches in his possession. His crutch was also charred at the end. The jury found the prisoner guilty, with a recommendation to mercy, on account of his extreme age—78. Sentence was postponed. The Attempted Y-urder at Leeds.—At the Leeds Town-hglj, James Gallagher, a travelling tinker, lodging at a house kept by William Dawson, Marsh- lane, was charged with having attempted to murder Alice Dawson, aged 16, daughter of the propnphr nf the house. The surgeon stated that the wounds re- ceived by the young woman were not of a serious nature, and there was no dagger to be apprehended. The prisoner, in answer to tbo charge, said he never had the least intention of injuring the young woman. He was quarrelling with his wife relative to the mis- conduct of his little boy, when the prosecutrix ran in between them, and, striking him, received in return a stab from a knife which his son had brought him for the purpose of cutting tobacco. The prisoner's son corroborated his father's evidence relative to giving him the knife to out tobacco. He was committed for trial on the charge of cutting and wounding. A Fatal Draught of Carbolic Acid. A strange fatality was reported to the Liverpool coroner on Wednesday. Some nurses, who had bean attending a cholera patient, left a bottle of carbolic acid on a table. A relative of the patient, while in a state of intoxication, mistook the acid for rum, and drank enough, the doctor said, to kill 20 men." Of course, death was almost instantaneous. The Detention of a British Steamer.—The screw steamer Cyclone, Captain Foreman, of Glasgow, which was detained in Great Yarmouth roadstead, on Thursday, was released, by order of the Government, on Friday evening, and sailed for her alleged destina- tion, Rio de Janeiro, about nine p.m. It appears that the Cyclone put into Yarmouth roads on Tuesday, on her way from Hamburgh, in consequence of her machinery breaking down. As she did not communi- cate with the Customs within the specified period, an officer was sent on board, and found a large crew, con- sisting of sixty, five men. Arms were also discovered, and the vessel, which was evidently built for war pur- poses, was pierced for ten guns. The Spaniah vice- consul at Yarmouth, Mr. E. H. L. Preston, was communicated witb, and the result was that the vessel was detained on suspicion of being about to infringe the neutrality laws, and engage in the war between Spain and Chili. No proof, however, of such inten- tions being forthcoming, the vessel was released. It is understood that after the Cyclone left the road- stead, a gentleman connected with the Spanish Lega- tion arrived in Yarmouth with papers tending to implicate her, but she was then far away on her voyage. Two of the vice consul's men are on board, but it is probable that they will be transferred to some other vessel in the Channel. Carrier Pigeons v. the Telegraph.—Although the telegraph lines are now so widely extended, the employment of carrier pigeons is not altogether dis- pensed with. The Duke of Richmond objects to having Goodwood-park disfigured by posts and wires, and consequently the Electric Telegraph Company employ pigeons to convey messages from Goodwood to the telegraph office at Chichester during the races. At the recent meeting thirty pigeons were employed, and the distance, six miles, was flown in about three minutes and a quarter. Blackfriars, bridge.- On Friday last the mem- bers and associates of the Society of Engineers visited the works of the new Blackfriars-bridge, by the kind permission of Mr. Joseph Cubitt, the engineer. The works are progressing rapidly, the masonry of the south abutment pier being above the level of hign water, and that of the north abutment within 4ft. of that level. In some of the intermediate piers the permanent caissons have been sunk and filled in with concrete and brickwork, whilst in others the masonry of the piers has been commenced. In other parts the dvers are still at work clearing away the foundations of the old bridge piers which, in most instances, do not interfere with the new ones. The old bridge was 44ft. in width; the new one will be 75ft. between the paxapat walls, and will be, in this respect, a great im- provement upon the former one, as well as being a much flatter bridge, and therefore easier for traffic. The new bridge is expected to be opened to the public in about a year from the present time. The members and associates dined together in the evening at the Bridge-house Hotel, London-bridge.

FATAL COLLISION ON THE LONDON AND BRIGHTON BAIL WAT. On Saturday night, at about half-past nine o'clock a collision occurred between two trains on the Mid- Sussex portion of this line at a place known as the Itchingfield Junction, about three miles on the Shore- ham side of Horsham. One man lost his life, and several passengers were severely injured. From inquiries made from passengers and others it appears that on Saturday night the 7.40 train from London- bridge to Littlebampton and Portsmouth was fifteen or twenty minutes behind at starting. It is a quicks train, making comparatively few stoppages on the journey; but as it has a third class attached to it, is the last night train to Portsmouth, aud is in com- munication at Littlehampton with the Jersey and St. Malo screw steamers, it is a favourite train with the public. Being late at starting, the train was also behind time when it arrived at Three Bridges, and it was likewise late on passing Horsham, where, how- ever, it did not stop. At Three Bridges the train was handed over to a driver named Edward Ray, and to Ode and James, head and under guards. On reaching the Itchingfield Junction, which is the point where the Shoreham branch via Steyning and Henfield enters the Mid-Sussex line, the 7.15 up train from Brighton and Shoreham had just arrived, and was in the act of crossing on to the main line. The Steyning and Henfield branch is a single line, and the guard, whose name is Burgess, was in the act of exhibiting his staff from the window to the signalman, to indicate that there was nothing behind, when his break was run into by the down London train, the engine of which ran into the other immediately between the tender and the guards' van next to the engine. On the locomotive of the up train, along with the driver, was his fireman, John Snatt, who was killed on the spot. The drivers of both engines escaped comparatively unhurt, whilst Burgess, the guard, did not sustain a scratch, although his break was shivered to atoms. The up train happened to be an unusually light one, whilst the down train was more than ordinarily heavy. Had the up train contained more passengers, or had it been run into nearer the centre, the casualties must have been alarming in the highest degree. As it was, the majority of those who suffered were passengers by the down train, several of whom have sustained fractures of the leg or other limbs, but up to Sunday night no other fatal oases had occurred. On examina- tion it was found that a great many of the carriages had been shivered to pieces; one second-claas carriage was cut completely in two, and a third-class carriage, which was near the engine on the down train, was reduced to a complete wreck. By dint of great exer- tions the line was cleared and the wounded passengers attended to. Some, who were able to walk, made their way to Horsham. Others who were more hurt were conveyed there by train, and others who were en route to the Chan- nel Islands were taken by train to Littlehampton, and placed on board the Honfleur, which was to have been dispatched at 12 o'clock an Saturday night, but which, owing to the accident, delayed her Bailing until noon, on Sunday. Several of her passengers are suffering severely from their injuries. The accident has been attributed to a disregard of signals, but a judicial in- quiry will, of course, deal with that question.

NARROW ESCAPE OF MADAME ANNA BISHOP AND THE ENGLISH OPERA COMPANY. Intelligence has been received from Hong Kong of the total loss of the ship Libelle, while on a voyage to that port from San Francisco, having on board a valuable cargo, specie to the amount of X76,000 in dollars, and a number of passengers, among whom were Madame Anna Bishop (the widow of Sir Henry Bishop, the composer), Miss Phelan, Mr. M. Schrutz, and Mr. Charles Lascelles, of the Eoglish Opera Com- pany, who, with other artistes, were on a musical tour, The ship was cast away on the night of the 4th of March on an uninhabited and dangerous reef, oalled Wake Island, in the China seas. The passengers re- mained on board during the night, the sea breaking teartally over the wreck all the while. They were all landed with difficulty, through the breakers, the following day. After an ineffectual search over the island for water, for three weeks, and suffering much privation, it became imperative to take to the boats, and endeavour to Teach the nearest habitable island friendly disposed to defenceless shipwrecked people. Several days were spent in finding a suitable and safe point for departure, the breakers encircling the island, which appeared to be some 20 miles in circumference. iaiiing such provisions and water as were saved from the wreck, the passengers were transferred to the ship's long-boat, in charge of the first mate, the oaptain preferring another boat, and on the ^•arck both boata sailed for the Ladrone or Mariana Island. To attempt a voyage 1,400 miles, subject to equinoctial storms, calms, and a tropical sun, with short rations, and an ocean studded with hidden rooks and coral reefs, gave but poor hopes of arriving at a port with life. However, after encountering great dangers, and enduring horrible sufferings for thirteen cUys and nights, the long-boat arrived off the town of Gnan. An error in six degrees longitude had brought tnein off that place. The lady passengers, and in fact everyone in the boat, were in a pitiable and forlorn condition. His Excellency Francisco Mosoosey Lara, Governor of the Mariana Islands, on being apprised of their landing, directed every help and isuccour to be afforded them. The poor creatures were loud in their expressions of thanks for his hospitable conduct. Nothing had been heard of the other boat, containing the master and the rest of the crew, up to the departure of the last mail. They parted company on the first night after their departure for the island. Unless the boat was picked up by SOtn9 chance vessel, it was apprehended it must have been swamped, aa heavy cross seas were met with that night. Ilia Excellency has sent a schooner in search of the missing boat 13 18 among the Islands to the northward, and then to pro- t. the scene of the wreck and recover the j^ V1 SP0CI0\ It had been saved from the wreck, beach security been buried in the island on the

DEATH FROM DROWNING. Between one and two o'clock on Sunday morning Sir Gilbert East lost his life near tha pier at Ryde in a. manner which has not yet been satisfactorily ex- plained. He has been in the habit for many years of spending the yatching season at Ryde, and this vear his fine schooner yacht the Lalla RõoklÍ has been out daily daring the regattas on the Solent. She was at her moorings, about 400 yards from the pier head, on Saturday afternoon, when Sir Gilbert, accompanied by a female companion, came ashore in his own cutter and spent the evening in Ryde. Between one and two o'clock in the morning he passed through the toll-gatea with the same person, as the piermen supposed, to go on board his yacht. It was high water, and running: heavily at the time, and before they could have got half way down the pier the attention of the few per- sons at the gate-house at that hour was excited by the piercing shrieks of a woman. Captain Craske, one of the oldest officers of the Royal Mail Isle of Wight steamboat service, happened to be at the toll-house in the performance of his duty at the time, and Cousins, the pier watchman, and othera ran in the direction from which the cries proceeded. On reaching the roundhouse they found a lady ia a state of great excitement, and a voice from the water was distinctly heard crying out, Save me! Oh! save a drowning man 1 I'm all right!" Adams, one of the crew of Mr. Hudson's yacht the Caroline, who was among tho few present, ran to his sutter alongside the slip about 250 yards distant, but before he and his mates could get back to the spot whence the cries came all traces of any person in the water were lost. The search was continued for some hours, but without avail, and although the spot has been dry since that morn- ing the body has not yet been recovered. Sir Gilbert's companion returned to the toll-house, and subse- quent y went off in the cutter of the Lalla Rookh, the- crew of which had been awaiting the arrival of their owner at the pier gate?, but on seeing him approach had hastened off to the pier head where their boat was moored, and where they had been out of hearing of the alarm excited by the sad event. It is said that Sir Gilbert was an excellent swimmer, so that the circum- stances of his death appear the more extraordinary.