The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. » In the House of Commoss, on Wednesday, Mr. T. Hughes moved the second reading of the Sunday Trading Bill. He pointed to the prevalence of Sunday trading in Lambeth, and stated that upwards of 100,(00 persons in London were engaged in trade on the Sunday, nine-tenths of whom were desirous that Sunday trading should be either prohibited or stopped to a great extent; but that could not be done unless all weie dealt with alike. The present law was inefficient, and could not be enforced, and legislation was therefore necessary. The bill provided that certain articles should not be permitted to be sold at all on the Sunday, but it permitted perishable articles, such as butchers' meat and vegetables, to be sold before nine o'clock, and articles sold at places of refreshment before ten. Public-houses, and beerhouses were not interfered with. Mr. Freshfield was opposed to the principle of the bill, which he said ought to be called the Sunday Trade Licensing Bill. He preferred the present law, but would support a bill to make it more efficient. He moved the rejection of the bill. Mr. Powell objected ta some of the provisions of the hill, which would be regarded in the country as legalising Sunday trading; but there was an evil for which a renaedy ought to be provided, nd if the objectionable details of the bill were modified he would support it on the third reading.. | Sir B. Brydges supported the bill, but thought some of 1 the exceptions were too wide. j Mr. Horsfall opposed it, because it made Sunday trading S leeal which was now illegal. I Lord C. Hamilton looked upon the bill as. one which would give relief to many tradesmen who were desirous of giving up Sunday tradisg, but could not do so as long as they were subject to the competition of others. Mr. M'Laren believed the bill went against the growing feeling of the country that the Sunday should be more strictly observed, and on that account should vote against it. Mr. E. Gurney denied that the bill legalised Sunday trading. He objected to some of the exceptions, which he thought allowed trading rather in the luxuries of the rich than in necessaries for the poor. Mir. Walpole had little confidence in any legislation on this subject. He did, not, however, object to the bill; but thought many of those exceptions ought not to be allowed. The discussion was continued for some time longer, Mr. ,Alderman Lusk supporting the bill, Mr. Candlish and Mr. Headlam suggesting that it should be confined to the metro- polis, Mr. Henley giving it a qualified support; and Mr. Graham and Mr. Newdegate opposing it oa religious grounds after which the bill was read a secend time. Mr. Dawson moved the second reading of the Grand Juries {Ireland) BilL After some discussion, Lord Naas said it was a large subject, requiring much con- sideration, and he suggested that the bill should be with- drawn, and that a select committee should be appointed next session to consider the subject. On the order of the day for- going into committee on the Sale of Land by Auction Bill, Mr. K. Hugessenand Mr. E. Ki Karslake objected to the bill. The House, however, went into committee on the bill, aud made some progress, and The House adjourned. Ia the House of Lords, en Thursday, the Office of Judge in.the Admiralty, Divorce, and Probate Courts Bill passed through committee; and the Customs and Inland Revenue, Bill was read a second time, and Their lordships adjourned. In the House of Commons, the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer, in reply to a question by Mr. Heneage, stated that a boundaries commission, consisting of five commissioners, would be appointed, and that Lord Eversley had consented to act as chairman or that commission, and that the other commissioners would be appointed in communication with him. On the order of the day for the second reading of the National Debt Bill, Mr. H. B. Sheridan moved as an minend- ment that a further reduction of the duty on fire insurances would be a better disposal of the surplus of the revenue for the present year than the creation of terminable annuities, proposed by the bill. Mr. Hubbard supported the amendment. Mr. T. Hankey supported the bill. Mr. Lahig contended that the true policy wag to reduce or raneal taxes, and let the money fructify in the pockets of the people. Mr. Gladstone said there were many taxes which ought to ■ be repealed before they meddled with the duty on fire insurances. One was the tax on corn, which was preventing this country from being what it ought to become-the great entrepot of corn from all parts of the world ? and there were license duties which were most impolitis. The argument of Mr. Laing went against applying any portion of the revenue to the payment of the national debt. It had been the policy of the Government for the last hundred years to devote a portion of the revenue to the reduction of the debt, and this bill was only carrying out that policy. The objec- tion that the incidence of the income tax operated unjustly .gainst those annuities did not apply, because the annuities vera not thrown on the market, and the tax was not levied on them. Mr. T. Cave agreed with the object of the bill. Mr. Gorst thought this bill could not do much harm, but it had not beenshoivn that it would do much good. I Mr. Aytoun and NIr. Read followedin support of the amendment; and Sir F. Crossleyand Mr. Alderman Salo- mons in support of the bill. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said it Itad been the- policy of our most able financiers for a long periocl-cer- tainly for fifty years-to deal with the debt by terminable annuities. This year terminable annuities to a considerable amount fell in, and as the Government had a surplus they thought it right to apply that surplus in following out the policy which had been so long pursued. Oil a division the second reading was carried by 162 to 133. On the order for goiniz into committee of supply, Mr. Whitbread caUedattention to the system of reoruit- ing for the army. Sir J. Pakington said the system of recruiting was open to objection, but declined to enter on the subject now. Captain Vivian thought the subject of military reform ought to be taken into consideration along with that of recruiting. After a short discussion, The Marquis of Hartingbon thought the House had rea- son to complain that the Secretary for War declined now to enter into the discussion. That part of the resolution which requires that the terms of the service should be explained to recruits was then agreed to, and the House went into committee of supply, and a vote of JE415,000 for increase of pay to the army, and more efficient increase of recruiting, was agreed to. After which the House resumed. Further progress was made in committee with the Court of Chancery (Ireland) Bill; and the other orders were dis- posed of Shortly before the House adjourned, Mr. Layard called attt)ation of the Speaker to certain offensive expressions which had been applied to him in the lobby by Mr. H. Lewis. Mr. Lewis gave his view of the transaction, which materially differed from that of the hon. member for Southwark. Eventually, mutual apologies were exchanged, and, after a few words from Mr. Disraeli and the Speaker, the matter dropped. In the House of Lords, on Friday, Lord Lifford presented a petition from Glasnevin, a suburb of Dublin, praying for the remission of the capital sentences on the Fenian pri- soners. The petition was signed exclusively by members of the Defence Association, who had all been ready to support the authorities during the late disturbances. He entirely concurred in the prayer of the petition. He pointed out that there was a broad distinction between the conduct of the Fenians and the rebels in 1798. Many of the Fenians were misguided and deluded youths, and their proceedings towards individuals had not been marked by rapine and outrage. The Fortifications (Provisions for Expenses) Act was read a second time. The House adjourned. In the House of Commons. Lord B. Montagu stated, in reply to a question, that cs.ttle plague is on the increase in the liietropolls, unat toe Government has received intelli- gence that it is also rife in. many parts of Germany, and that an order m council has just been passed in reference thereto. In committee on theRepresentaton of the People Bill, resuming at clause TT Mr. Watkins addressed the House m support of a proviso, which was under discussion l,1,19 House was last in committee on the bin, in at no tenement shall be con- sidered a dwelling-house, tor the purposes of this Act, which contains less than two rooms. The obiect of his M-oviso. he said, was to prevent household Suffragefrom degenerating into hovel suttrage. Captain Meller contended that the proviso wasxnconsistent with the lodger franchise, whicn the House had already a^Mr. Pease moved an amendment that the rooms should contain an area of 1,600 cubic feet. Sir R. Collier objected to the proviso. JNotnirfg conld be more absurd than Mr. Pease's amendment. Mr. Liddell impressed upon the House the importance of defining what a dwelling-house i3.. Mr. Cowen said the adoption of the proviso would be tan- tamount in many boroughs to drawing a "ard and fast line at £ 7 or £ *8. There were 14,000 persons in Newcastle who would be disfranchised by this clause.. After some further discussion, in the course of which tne Attorney-General said it was not, intended to enfranchise •the occupiers of mere hovels* and undertook to bring up a clause to define a dwelling-house, Mr. Pease withdrew his amendment, and Mr. "Wattin his proviso. Sir F. Goldsmid theu moved to add another proviso, that no man shall be entitled to be registered as a voter by rea- son of his being a joint occupier of any. dwelling-house; and on a division the proviso was adopted by 259 to 25. Another proviso, which re-opeued the compound question, but ii, a different shape, was moved by Mr. Hodgkinson, that no person other thaS the occupier shsUberatedtü parochial rates in respect,of p""IT.\i,,¡es occupied by him with- in the limits of a Parliamentary borough, all Acts to the I S- contrary notwithstanding. Mr. Gladstone said tlie House had on two occasionsj once by. a large, and on the other oocaftion by a considerable ma-1 jotity, determined t'nflt householder should mot have a vote. He could not a<iquiescj3 in those decisions, | -which established household- suffrage indeed, but accom- panied by uujust aud vexations restrictions,,sail te whiah. he believed that She country would not submit; and he should take advantage of every legitimate occasion to induce the House to abolish those restrictions. By this amendment they were offered an extension of the fran- chise at the expense of pressing an economical advantage which parishes now had in the system of compounding, and he was ready to pay the price for the eake of ob- taining a settlement of the question that was now agitating the country. But he should recall his assent if there was an attempt to put off the question involved in the was an attempt to put off the question involved in the proviso by dealing with it in a separate bill sext year. There was now the opportunity-perhaps the last that would offer-of peace and concord in the settlement of the Reform question; but the Government of the country went beyond the walls of that House when on a vital question of this kind the people met in thousands in every part of the country, for the purpose of protesting against the proceed- ings of Parliament. He, therefore, hoped the Government would accept the amendment. In consenting to it, he and those who acted with him waived their views for the sake of peace, and if it were not accepted by the Government he snouia lee* tnat ne naa aone aii Luat, peacw i cquueu. Mr. Bass supported the amendment. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said this amendment would really carry out the principle of the bill, and in their original seheme the Government introduced a similar pro- vision, but on consideration they came to the conclusion that it would so encumber the ship as to imperil the voyage, and they therefore struck it out. He should, therefore, offer no opposition to the proviso. He thought, however, that it was a subject which would be best dealt with by separate legislation, and if the amendment were withdrawn he would undertake to bring in a bill to carry out the object thA amendment. Mr. Childers suggested that they should postpone all the clauses relating to the compounders till the Chancellor of the Exchequer had brought in his bill. Mr. Ayrton observed that it would be impossible to pro- ceed with a bill to abolish compounding without referring it to a select committee, and hearing counsels for the parishes interested. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said he did not wish to mix the two subjects, and he could not undertake to bring in a bill immediately; but the Government would deal with it as effectually as they could- He proposed, after they had finished the third clause, to go immediately to the 34th 'clause, which related to the compounders. Mr. W. E. Forster thought there was now a hope of settling the borough franchise in a way that would be satis- factory to the country. He suggested that the Chancellor of the Exchequer should revert to his original intention, and that they should go on with the clauses in their order, and in the meantime the other bill might be brought in. The Attorney-General said thereat question was whether they should pass the bill this Session. He did not think it possible to prepare a bill in reference to the compound ques- tion in time to pass it this Session. Sir R. Collier thought that the law officers of the Crown might by a few well considered clauses, deal with the difficulty. Mr. Brett said it would be a departure from ordinary practice to pass a bill affeeting local interests without re- ferring it to a select committee. Mr. J. S. Mill remarked that the more difficult the subject the more necessary it was that they should have the bill before them. Mr. Sandford did not think the Government had dealt frankly with their supporters because they led them to sup- pose that the Small Tenements Act and the Compound Acts would be maintained. I Mr. Denman regarded the difficulties spoken of as mere chimeras. Mr. Henley vindicated the Government from the charge of inconsistency. Mr. T. Chambers did not believe the measure would pass this Session if it were mixed up with the compound ques- tion. Mr. B. Osborne advised the Liberal members to depend on the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who, he said, was the greatest Radical in the House, and who, he believed, would not only settle the Reform question, but that of the Irish Church with the Liberal members sitting bebin-l him. Lord Cranborne said the Chancellor of the Exchequer had announced this evening a change of startling magnitude-a change that involved the certain admission, instead of the doubtful admission of some 500,000 persons to the franchise. It was$,n entire negation of all the principles by which his party hW besn actuated. A change so important should not be discussed without more time for consideration, and he therefore moved that the chairman report progress. The Chancellor of the Exchequer assented to the motion, which was then carried, and tha House resumed. Several bills were advanced a stage, and the House adjourned. In the House of Lords, on Monday, in committee on the Increase of the Episcopate Bill, on the clause authorising the appointment of suffragan bishops, after some discus- sion, and without any result having been arrived at, the House resumed, on the understanding that the question should be further considered on Monday next. The Customs and Inland Revenue Bill and the Fortifi- cations (Provisions for Expenses) Bill also passed through, committee, and The House adjourned. In the House of Commons, Lord Stanley stated, in reply to Mr. Ewart, that our international system of money orders has been established between Italy and France; that communications have passed between the British and French post-offices, with a view of a similar system being established between England and France, and that, by way of experiment the French post-office has opened a money order office in the Paris Exhibition. Lord R. Montagu stated, in reply to Mr. Dent, that the cattle plague has broken out in a cowshed in Duncan-street, Islington. The matter was under the consideration of the Privy Council, but he could not state what conclusion they would arrive at. Mr. G. Hardy, in reply to Mr. P. A. Taylor, stated that he proposed to. postpone the meeting on the Royal Parks Bill till after Whitsuntide. He thought the House would be more likely to come to a calm judgment on the bill if they discussed it without reference to any other ques- tion. In reply to the O'Donoghue, Lord Naas stated, that considering the state of business before the House, he should not introduce the Irish Reform Bill till after Whitsuntide. The House then went into committee on the Bepresenta- tion of the People Bill, resuming the discussion on the pro- viso proposed by Mr, Hodgkinson to be added to clause 3, enacting that no person other than tue occupier shall be rated to parochial rates. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said he had expressed on the part of the Government their entire cbneurrence with the policy which was indicated by this proviso, but at the same time his doubts whether the clause would bring about the result which was desired; and he undertook, on the part of the Government, to consider the best means by which it might be accomplished. He hoped to be able to bring up a clause shortly, perhaps on Thursday, and at the same time he would state how the bill should be proceeded with, in order that it might 'be sent up to the House of Lords in a convenient time. Mr. Hodgkinson thereupon withdrew his amendment, and Mr. Childers and Mr. P. Scrope stated that they should postpone amendments of which they had given notice. On the question that the clause stand part of the bill, Mr. Lowe said they now knew what the real principle of the bill was. It was that all householders were to have the franchise except such as were excused from the payment of rates on the ground of poverty; and he thought that before adopting it that the principle ought to be discussed, which it had not been yet. The Chancellor of the Exchequer had not shown his supporters his whole plan at once, for they would have been frightened at it; but he tolsl them it was not a democratic measure, and he dandled before them dual voting, and personal payment of rates, and other restrictions. But now these were all removed. How was that House to face the country, and how was it to face history when it was recorded of them that the same Parlia- mentthathadrejeated a bill for a R7 franchise had passed a bill for household suffrage ? He had before predicted that hon. gentlemen opposite by passing this bill would ruin either their party or their country. He was wrong; they would ruin both. Mr. Henley said he considered this proposal of the Go- vernment the most Conservative that could be made. Was it not better to settle the matter than let the pot go on boil- ing, and bring about even a much worse state of things than Mr Lowe ha;4 pointed out. The discussion was continued by Sir E. Knightley, Mr. Hubbard, Mr. Newdegate, Mr. B. Cochrane, and Mr. B. Hope, who protested against the borough franchise being degraded as it was by this clause; Mr. Scourfield, who could not approve of the change made by the bill; Mr. Schreiber, who objected to the lodger franchise; and by Mr. Poulett Scrope, who argued in favour of an amend- ment which he had postponed, to limit the franchise to a £ 4 rental. The clause was then, amid general cheering, ordered to stand'part of the bill. On clause 4, which relates to the county franchise, Mr. Mill moved to strike out "man and insert "person, the object of the amendment being to give the vote to wo- men. He said he did not claim the vote for women as an abstract right, but his argument was entirely one of expe- diency and justice. It was a doctrine of the British con- stitution that taxation and representation should co-exist, and many women, paid taxes, and therefore should be allowed to vote. There was evidence in our records that women, in a distant period of our history, had voted for counties and some boroughs, and there was no reason why they should not vote now. Mr. E. Kayslak-e said the proposition affected only widows and spinsters, but if carried would ultimately be extended to married women; but suppose the wife went "gadding about," which she might do at an the husband might legally lock her up, and then what became of her vote ? Mr. Fawcett thought Mr. Mill's argument conclusive, and should vote for his proposal. Mr. Laing opposed the amendment, on the ground that nature had drawn a clear distinction between the two sexes, and that women ought not to mix in politics. Sir G. Bowyer thought women should have votes, seeing that the country was governed by a woman, and that women might fill the office of overseer and churchwarden. The question was put amid much merriment, and the amendment was rejected by 196 to 73. Mr. Colvile then moved to give the vote to copyholders of the annual value of £5, The Attorney-General said the proposal was founded on the that freelloicters of the annual value of 40s. had votes for the county, buti while no one proposed to take that franchise away, if it did not exist ao ona would now P*Th? amend meat was supported by Mr-. Boebuck, Sir E. Buller Mr. Pease, Mr. Evaaa, M;r.. Barrow, and Sir E. CoiXrooke, ami ia TO earrlsil by 20.1 to 157. '&3. The Chancellor of the Exchequer then moved that the chairman report progress, saysag it was necessary that one or two votes should bo obtained ia supply that evening; and after some discussion she motion was carried, and the House resumed. General Dunne called attention to the illegality of appro- priating to the consolidated fund the fees for the registry ef deeds in Ireland. Mr. Hunt said there was not much cause to complain, seeing that the fees for a number of years had not paid the expenses of the office, which have been defrayed out of the consolidated fund. The House then went into committee of supply, and pro- ceeded with the Civil Service Estimates, several votes in which were agreed o. Several bills were then advanced a stage, and the House adjourned. In the House of Lords, on Tuesday, Lord Derby, in reply to a qnestion from Lord Russell, stated that although the principle of arbitration upon the subject of the Alabama claims had been admitted by the United States Government, yet there were differences as to the exact points of refer- reMce. The negotiations were being continued, but in a very satisfactory spirit. The Duke of Buckingham moved the second reading of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Bill. the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Bill. After a brief discussion, in the course of which a general assent was given, upon an understanding that it would be referred to a Select Committee, the Bill was read a second time. The bill for abolishing the office of Vice-President of the Board ofTrade was read a second time. The sitting was closed at half-past six o'clock. The first business in the House of Commons was to com- ply with the immemorial custom of adjourning ever the Derby Day. Lord Naas (in answer to Mr. O'Beirne) said it was intended to perseve.,e with the Irish Land Bills, and promised to fix the day for their further progress as soon as public busi- ness would allow. Mr. Mill introduced a bill for the establishment of Muni- cipal Corporations in the metropolis, intimating that he should not move the second reading until he had brought in his bill for a central Federal Municipality, with which he was not yet prepared. Mr. Ayrton, though not opposing the introduction of the bill, pointed out that it was not in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee on Metropolitan Local Government. In the present state of business it was im- possible to proceed with any bill on this subject this Session. Mr. Locke argued in favour of a scheme which would take the City Corporation as a nucleus for a great metropolitan municipality, dividing the metropolis into wards. After some remarks from Mr. Hogg and Colonel Sykes in defence of the existing loal bodies, Mr. Hardy offering no opposition on the part of the Government, though declining to give any pledge as to their views on so complicated a question, the bill was brought in. After some conversation on the alleged refusal of the Suiters' Company to grant a site for a Roman Catholic church at Magheraf'els, Mr. Bentinck called attention to the mode in which the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have dealt with the claims of the non-capitular members of cathedral and collegiate churches to increased stipends; and moved for copies of the question which have lately been issued to the non- capitular members of cathedral and collegiate churches, and the replies thereto. Mr. Mowbray assented to the motion, which was agreed to. Lord Naas, in bringing in a bill to prolong until March the 1st next the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, in Ireland, urged that it had been very useful in suppressing the late disturbances, and that there were many prisoners now in custody whom it would not be safe to release, and promised that the powers of the Act should only be exer- cised for the safety of the country, as the Government had always held that it was not intended for the purposes of punishment. Mr. Maguire promised to raise a discussion at the next stage, and leave was then given to bring in the bill. Some time was occupied in the discussion of the rival Scotch Game Bills of Mr. M'Lagan and Lord Elcho, both of which were ultimately re^d a second time and referred to a select committee. Lord Amberley moved the second reading of his Parlia- mentary Begistration Bill. Mr. Hardy opposed the bill. Mr. Powell also opposed the bill, and Lord Amberley withdrewit. In Committee of Supply, a considerable number of votes was agreed to, completing Classes Nos. 2 and 3 of the Civil Service Estimates. Some other business was disposed, of, and the House adjourned.

A POOB GIRL IN SEARCH OF "BUSTLE AND LIFE." A girl, apparently about eighteen years of age, with somewhat coarse features, but well formed, wearing a dark dress, a grey, light fitting, and shabby white Leghorn hat, round which was twisted a black veil, was brought before Mr. Newton at Worship-street- station on Saturday, charged by the police with being found wandering in the Bethnal-green-road, and also with being intoxicated. A constable of the N division said On Friday evening I saw a mob of persons surrounding the girl, pushing her about. She was evidently in liquor, and seemingly not knowing which way she was going. I therefore took her to the station-house at Hackney, but it was with the greatest difficulty any address could be obtained frcm her, even when quite sober, and the principal things she did was to laugh. Mr. Newton What name has she given ? Witness Eliza Scoll. The girl during this statement leant over the iron rail of the dock concealing her face from sight. Mr. Newton (to Bendall, the gaoler) See what you can make of her. Bendall: Where do you live ? Girl No. 4, Bassett's-terrace. Bendall Where's that ? Oh, near Victoria-park. Constable There's no such place, sir. Inspector Gibbons, N division Permit me, sir. A week since this girl was brought to the station-house, charged with being found on the Hackney-marsh. A constable brought her in about ten o'clock at night, he having seen her lying there—I believe in a very stagnant part of it. Her manner was then just the same as now. I recognised her immediately. She was brought in last evening. Mr. Newton And what became of her then ? Inspector She was taken to the workhouse, sir, where, I believe, she was discovered by her friends and ernoved. She was not charged. Mr. Newton Have you any friends ? Girl: Not that I know of. Mr. Newton Because I think you are not in a fit state to take care of yourself. Girl Oh yes, I ain. I want bustle and life; business will take this weight off my mind. Mr. Newton The best thing I can do is to send you to the workhouse, where you were before. I dare say that your friends will read of your having been brought here, and then we shall learn that of which you will not now inform us.

PLAIN LANGUAGE.—Mr. John Clerk, in pleading before the House of Lords one day, happened to say in his broadest Scotch accent, In plain English, ma lords; upon which Lord Eldon jocosely remarked;, "In plain Scotch, you mean, Mr. Clerk." The proaipt advocate instantly repHed, Nae matter.! in plain common sense, ma lords, and that's, the same- in. a' languages, ys'il hm."

THE HALL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. LAYING OF THE FOUNDATION STONE BY HER MAJESTY. The Queen on Monday morning laid the first stone of the new Hall of Arts and Sciences at South Kensington. The conception is a great one, in respect at least to the size of the building, and was due, in its primary form, to the late Prince Consort. It appears that soon after the closing of the Great Exi-iibitioii of 1851-from which it may be remembered there were large surplus funds representations were made to the Commissioners of that Exhibition, on the part of chambers of commerce, learned societies, and other bodies of persons in- terested in science or the arts, of the want that was felt throughout England, and especially in the chief commercial cities, of a central institution in London for the promotion of scientific and artistic knowledge as applicable to productive industry." The Commissioners, ol whom the i rince (Jonsort was president, devoted their surplus funds to the purchase of an estate at South Kensington, "with the view of providing a common centre of union for the various departments of science and art connected with industrial education." Plans were then drawn out directed towards the object in view, and in these plans the central hall, now about to be erected, "formed a prominent and essential feature." The death of the Prince Consort for a time put an end to the project; but the idea of a central hall is now revived. The management of the hall will rest with" a governing body, acting under the authority of a Royal Charter." The hall will be available for national and international congresses, concerts, distributions of prizes, art conversaziones, exhibitions of works of art and indus- -is try, and of agricultural and horticultural products and, which is a very comprehensive clause indeeed, any other purposes connected with science and art." The Commissioners of the 1851 Exhibition have granted a site for the hall at a nominal rent for a term of 999 years, and have further guaranteed one-fourth of the cost of the hall (which is put at £ 200,000) in addition to advancing < £ 2,000 for the preliminary ex- penses. The public have subscribed the remaining Y,150,000, receiving in return for their money certain perpetual privileges of admission to boxes, stalls, or area, in proportion to the amount contributed. The hall is intended to hold comfortably about 5,600 per- sons, but on an emergency some 9,000 persons could be squeezed into the building. The preparations for the ceremonial of the laying the corner stone of the building were on a scale commen- surate with the importance of the occasion. A spacious temporary erection, covered with canvas, and about 190 feet long by 186 feet wide, afforded chairs for nearly 7,000 spectators. At the northern end ,t platform was constructed around a space left open for the foundation stone. This platform was richly carpeted, and a few feet further in the rear was a raised dais covered with crimson cloth, on which a throne of crimson velvet, magnificently embroidered and emblazoned with the Royal arms, was placed. Immediately at the back of the throne-which was the one that was used at the inaugural ceremony of the opening of the Great Exhibition of 1851—a pair of crimsen velvet cur- tains were drawn aside, disclosing an elegant canopy, communicating with the northern entrance in the Ken- sington-road, where her Majesty was received on her arrival. A space was set apart on the right of the lower platform for her Majesty's Ministers and high officers of state, similar accommodation being afforded on the opposite side for the foreign ambassadors and suites; whilst the space in front was reserved for the Lord Mayor of London, and the civic dignitaries of the provincial corporations, who had been invited to the ceremony, and immediately in their rear was placed the grand orchestra, consisting of the band and chorus from the Royal Italian Opera, under the direction of M. Costa. The remaining portion of the space was occupied by chairs placed on raised steps, ex-' tending back to the extreme southern end, and also rising on the right and left side of the building. The decorations were recherche. The summit of each pillar was ornamented with groupings of the flags of different nations, skilfully arranged in numerous ingenious styles and devices, the Royal Standard being of course con- spicuous amongst others, whilst stands of splendid flowers, which were artistically arranged near the throne and platform, lent an additional charm and elegance to the general effect produced by the embellishments. Amongst the earlier arrivals were the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of Winchester, the Right Hon. S. H. Walpole, Lord Halifax, Sir John Pakington, Lord Cardigan, Earl Russell, Lord John Manners, the Duke of Buckingham, Sir Stafford Northcote, Colonel French, the Marquis of Donegal, Sir William Hayter, Colonel De Bathe, Earl Granville, the Right Hon. H. E. Bruce, the Right Hon. H. L. Corrie, Colonel Sykes, the Earl and Countess of Derby (who were loudly cheered on their entering the building), Mr. Gathorne Hardy, the Chan- cellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Robert Lowe, M.P., Lord Stanley (who was received with applause), the Duke of Malmesbury, the Bishop of Cork, Lord Naas, Mr. Alder- man Salomons, M.P., Mr. C. Gilpin, M.P., Mr. Headlam, M.P., Mr. C. Foster, M.P., Mr. G. W. Hunt, M.P., Mr. W. E. Treveleyan, M.P., the Hon. Mr. Egerton, &c. &c. Amongst the foreign ambassadors were M. van de Weyer, Count Kielmansegge, Prince de la Tour d'Auvergne, M. De Musurus, &c. Soon after eleven o'clock his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge arrived, accompanied by the Grand Duke and Duchess of Mecklenburg Strelitz and Prince Adolphus, and was followed, after a short interval, by his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, attired in full uniform as a general of the army his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, attired in naval uniform and his Royal Highness Prince Arthur, attired in cadet uniform. Their Royal Highnesses were attended by General Knollvs, Colonel Teesdale, and Mr. Herbert Fisher. The Royal party were greeted with warm cheers, and the Prince of Wales shook hands warmly with the Duke of Cambridge and party, and other dis- tinguished personages who were present. ARRIVAL OF HER MAJESTY. At half-past ten o'clock on Monday morning her Majesty left Windsor Castle in semi-state to lay the foundation-stone of the_hall. Their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess Christian were the first to arrive at the Windsor station, and after a short interval her Majesty (who wore half- mourning), with Princesses Louise and Beatrice and Prince Leopold, reached the station. The two Princesses were very richly attired, while Prince Leopold wore a II Highland costume. Her Majesty was received on her arrival at the Paddington station of the Great Western Railway by Mr. Sanders, the secretary of the company, and several of the directors and the Royal party and suite at once entered the carriages provided for them, and proceeded, attended by an escort of the 1st Life Guards, by way of London-street, Oxford-terrace, Sussex-gardens, Westbourne-street, and the Uxbridge-road, to Hyde-park, which was entered at the Victoria-gate. The line of procession across the park was by way of Kensington-bridge, and was kept by the Royal Horse Guards Blue, the band of which regiment was stationed at th'e Queen's-gate, and played I the National Anthem as her Majesty passed out of the park into the Kensington-road, and thence to the site for the new building, where a guard of honour, composed of the first battalion of the Cold- stream Guards, was drawn up inside the en- closure, and immediately in front of the en- trance to the building, who received her Majesty with a Royal salute, the band of the regiment at the same time playing the National Anthem. The Royal party and suite occupied four carriages, and along the whole line of route they. were warmly received, more particularly in their progress across the park, at the gates of entrance and exit, and upon their arrival in front of the building. The Queen appeared in excellent health and spirits, and repeatedly acknowledged with gracious and pleasant smiles the salutations of the crowds who had turned out to do honour to their sovereign. 'RECEPTION OF HER MAJESTY'S MINISTERS AND OTHERS. At the end of the marquee nearest the Ivensington- Boadi, and approached by a covered flight of steps, was a dais, in front of which was the stone, together with all f I the paraphernalia and means of lowering it to its requi- site position. The main part of the arena was occupied by the orchestra and choral body, and the most advan- tageous divisions of the amphitheatre were apportioned to the Houses of Parliament and to the box and seat- holders. These were accommodated with chairs to the left of the platform, the Peers being to the r ,i and the Commons next beyond, the far emi. <<■ tlie ellipse being given up to the general public, or so many as had been fortunate enough to secure ticket %of admission. Lord Derby was greeted with a volley of cheers, which bespoke the personal popularity of the noble earl; while the Chancellor of the Exchequer, ac- companied by Mrs. Disraeli, passed to his seat compara- tively unnoticed. Lord Stanley, again, was heartily re- ceived nor could the present able Minister for Foreign Affairs have affected to mistake the demonstrations as he walked along the passage in company with the Earl of Malmesbury. The other Ministers of State present with their ladies were Sir J. Pakington, Lord J. Manners, the Duke of Buckingham, Sir Stafford Northcote, Mr. Corry, Mr. Walpole, and Mr. G. Hardy. Among the distin- guished company were Lord Russell, Lord Halifax, Earl Granville, Bishop of Winchester, Bishop of Cork, Mar- quis of Donegall, Lord Cardigan, the Right Hon. Robert Lowe, and others. Conspicuous amongst the foreign ambassadors were M. Van de Weyer, the Belgian repre- sentative, and M. de Musurus, the Turkish ambassador. The Prince of Wales arrived at about a quarter past eleven, in company with his brother, the Duke of Edin- burgh and as a matter of course they were received with every mark of respect. Neither of the Princes looked the worse for having travelled all night fromParis. The Grand Duke and Duchess of Mesklenburg-Strelitz, with their son, Prince Adolphus, had been, by-the-bye, the first Royal personages to arrive. The Duke of Cam- bridge shortly afterwards followed, but neither the Prin- cess Mary nor the Prince Teck was present. It is worthy of note that the members of the Royal family assisted to the number of 14. At half-past eleven came her Majesty the Queen, in an open carriage drawn by six horses, without riders. Her children accompanying her had received the addition to their number of Prince Arthur, who wore his uniform as a Woolwich cadet. A royal salute was fired as the Queen entered the pavilion, and her Majesty was received by the Prince of Wales, as chair- man, by the Earl of Derby, Earl Granville, the Duke of Buccleuch, and the provisional committee. The Prince presented his mother with a beautiful bouquet, and con- ducted her to the throne, while God save the Queen was sung by a chorus selected from the Royal Italian Opera and the Sacred Harmonic Society, accompanied by a band similarly chosen and led by Mr. Costa. The solos were sung by Madame Rudersdorff and Madame Sainton-Dolby and, on the conclusion of the National Anthem, the brilliant crowd in front and on either side of the dais broke into cheers that shook the hanging colours of the tent, if they did not shake the tent itself. The Prince of Wales then stepped forward, and handed to her Majesty a parchment scroll, on which was written a lengthened description of the intended building. His Royal Highness then read an appropriate address to the Queen, to which her Majesty gave a gracious reply. LAYING THE STONE. After her Majesty's reply to the address had been read, the ceremony of laying the stone was proceeded with in the usual formal manner, the coins and inscrip- tion being handed to the Queen by the Earl of Derby, while Earl Granville presented the glass vessel in which they were to be placed. Her Majesty then received from Mr. Lucas, the builder, the gold trowel, and from Lieut.-Colonel Scott, the director of the works, the line and plummet. After the spreading of the mortar and the lowering of the stone had been accomplished, to the sound of a flourish of trumpets and a Royal salute fired in Hyde-park, the Archbishop of Canterbury read, in a very distinct voice, an appropriate prayer. Mr. Costa then gave the signal, and the orchestra sounded the first chord of the late Prince Consort's Invocazione all' armonia." The band, consisting of the players whom Mr. Costa is accustomed to lead at the Royal Italian Opera, and the chorus singers, also professional, were placed immediately behind the civic dignitaries, and were not far removed from the platform. The late Prince is known to have been a composer, no less than an enthusiastic lover of music, and it was a graceful idea to consecrate a building, designed to commemorate his goodness as well as to promote the cultivation of all the arts, by a tribute of his own to the power of a science that he studied so deeply and worshipped so well. Several of his compo- sitions are in the hands of the public. There is, for instance, a collection of German songs which testify to the literary taste and to the strong feeling of the late accom- plished Prince, as well as to his musician-like skill. The poems set by him are either by his brother, Prince Ernest, or else by some writer of well-known fame. Among them will be found the names of Eichendorff, whose Miihlrad'' is so well known, Michel Beer, author of the Struen- see," for which his brother, the famous Meyerbeer, wrote incidental music, and Friedrich Riickert. Some of the Prince's psalms, for instance, With glory clad, with strength arrayed," are also widely known and thoroughly appreciated. Many of his compositions, however, have never been published, and among these is the" Invocazione all' armonia," performed on Monday. It is a simply written and perfectly unpretentious composition, but it thoroughly fulfils its object of cele- brating the might of music. The cantata, if we may apply so grandiose a title to so unambitious a work, opens with a very short but impressive allegro marziale, which gives place to an allegretto in three-four time, the simple well-worked melody of which seizes at once upon the general ear. There arc episodes. for soprano solo, 1 y with florid singable passages, for bass chorus, on a duly weighty subject, and for tenor and contralto solo. But these are separated by the constantly recurring waltz-like melody and this same theme, as easy and unassuming as the subject of the wonderful Ode to Joy," in Beethoven's ninth symphony, brings the work to an emphatic conclusion. The solos were allotted to Madame Rudersdorff, whose untiring energy and enthu- siasm enable her to shine to conspicuous advantage on such occasions to Signor Mario, whose voice and tem- perament are less well adapted to morning celebrations of this nature and to Madame Sainton-Dolby, at all times artistic, dignified, earnest, and effective. TERMINATION OF THE CEREMONY. The swelling notes of music had scarcely ceased, when the Queen was conducted by the Prince of Wales and the provisional committee through the north-east exit of the tent to the conservatory of the Royal Horticultural Society, and on her passage from the dais her Majesty thanked Mr. Costa and Signor Mario for the manner in which the composition of the Prince had been executed. j The Queen was received at the east door of the con- servatory by the council of the Horticultural Society, and was graciously pleased to accept a very beautiful bouquet, the third she had taken in hand that morning, which had been made for the occasion under the direc- tion of Mr. Eyles. Her Majesty stopped to admire several of the rare plants exhibited in the alcoves. The weather was fine during the stay of the Royal party; and the crowded assembly in the gardens appeared bent on enjoying the fete but soon after the Queen had been conducted to her carriage the rain began to fall, and continued incessantly for the rest of I the day. I

EXTKAORDINARY CONDUCT.—Two brothers, Charles and William Knewstub, sons of Mr. Knewstub, surgeon, of Machen, one ten and the other twelve, together with a schoolfellow named Thomas, went a few nights ago to bathe in the Wye, near Monmouth, and when en the side known to tourists as The Gamblings," they undressed and entered the river. On the opposite side of the river a fellow named Giles was fishing, and saw Charles carried away by the stream, which at.this point is both rapid and deep, but did not attempt to rescue the I drowning lad, coolly going on with his fishing. At the | inquest Giles said he thought lie heard one of the boys say, "Save my brother, save my brother," but he hrd an eel on his line, and was going home to his tea. The coroner and jury severely censured h'm.