The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

SUMMARY OF PASSINQ EVENTS. No subject is more interesting to the nation at the present moment than the pleasing reflection that our gracious Qaeen has at heart the well- being of the nation over which she governs, and that charity is the predominant feature of her character. During the years of mourning which have passed since Prince Albert's decease, her Majesty has not expended in royal hospitalities the amount of money which usually taxes the English sovereign's privy purse, and during that period the Queen has saved a large sum of money. Now comes the question how this saving may be I expended most usefully to the public good, and by the advice of the most philanthropic persons in the land, her Majesty has been induced to hand over to certain trustees, of whom the governors of St. Bartholomew's Hospital are the chief, a sum of money amounting to half a million sterling, to found a Convalescent Hospital. It has been shown that much distress frequently occurs consequent upon poor invalids being discharged from ordinary hospitals technically cured, but in reality suffering from extreme weakness, which will not permit them to attend to the ordinary duties of life, and thus fathers of families and. sons of widows return home a burden to those they formerly supported. The Convalescent Hospital is intended to give support to discharged patients of hospitals until they are enabled to return to their work strong and vigorous—a charity which will do more real service to the working community than first meets the eye. THEBE is a general feeling of peace throughout European nations, and the gathering of crowned heads in Paris is believed to be most beneficial towards the general and permanent settlement of all foreign disputes. The Emperor of Russia has been received with all the pomp of a great potentate. It was prophesied that the Czar's presence in the French capital would be at least disagreeable to a number of exiled Poles who had sought a shelter from the despotic rule of a conquering sovereign. Previous to the Emperor's arrival, however, it was announced that an amnesty had been issued, staying all proceedings against the Poles implicated in the late insurrection; and further it was announced that all Poles exiled to or imprisoned in Russia should be permitted to return to their homes. This completely turned the scale, and the French sympathisers with Poland are now enthusiastic in their applause of the Emperor. THE final ratifications of the Luxemburg treaty have been exchanged; there has been a con- siderable rise in the Paris Bourse in consequence, and it is believed that the Emperor Napoleon's idea of a permanent Congress to settle European quarrels will eventually be carried out, where oy the settlement of national disagreements may be settled amicably without resorting to the sword. PREPARATIONS are now being made in earnest to give the Belgian riflemen, about to visit us, a fitting reception in return for the hospitality extended to English volunteers last year at Brussels. It is said the King of the Belgians will himself be one of the party of volunteers, and the arrangements at present made are two grand I entertainments—one at the Agricultural-hall, and the other at the Crystal Palace. On one evening there will be a ball and supper, and on the other a concert and supper, to which the Belgian volun- teers will be invited as guests. There is every probability that the Belgians will be conveyed from Ostend to London-bridge in Admiralty steamers, and that immediately on landing they will be marched to the Guildhall, and there enter- tained by the civic authorities. Miss Burdett Coutts, in her usual good taste, has intimated her desire to give the Belgians a fete, and several noblemen have solicited the sanction of the recep- tion committee to receive our foreign visitors at a banquet. Apart from private hospitalities, how- ever, there is a desire generally expressed that we should give them a national reception, befitting our character as Englishmen, and subscriptions, through the aid of Col. Lloyd Lindsay and others, are flowing in, and we trust that our national hospitality will bear comparison with that which our noble volunteers experienced at the hands of the Belgians last year. THE decision of the Government in reprieving the Fenian convict Burke has given general satis- faction, and even in Ireland it has added to the popularity of the ruling powers of this country- The Cork special commission for the trial of the Fenian prisoners has closed, and only the Limerick Commission remains. The results of the Cork trials have been that five prisoners have been sen- tenced to execution—one to fifteen years' penal servitude, ons to ten years, five to seven years, twenty-seven pleaded guilty, and were discharged on bail, and nineteen were remanded for trial at the forthcoming assizes. One of the flatter is charged with the murder of Sheedy, a policeman, on the night of the rising. Four were acquitted, including Colonel Condon and the alleged Head Centre O'Mahony. Both of these prisoners are retained in custody under the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act. It is hoped and believed that should peace and order be established in Ireland, the Government will look mercifully upon the poor deluded creatures who took part in this abortive insurrection. As far as politics are concerned, thereppeal's to t- be a general reeking in favour of the Uovernment j Eeform Bill. Of late there has grown up in the House of Commcms a conciliatory disposition, and I the Liberals generally, amongst whom we may | notice Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Bright, have expressed I themselves satisfied with the concessions of the I 'Government. By slow degrees it has advanced through committee, the Redistribution of Seats clauses alone being the bugbear; with this the Whitsuntide holidays arrived, and Mr. Disraeli has promised to reconstruct the bill so as to suit the views of the majority of the House of Commons; after the Whitsuntide recess we may expect that the measure will rapidly pass through its various stages and become law before the close of the Session. The Reform League admit that this is as great a measure of Reform as they ever anti- cipated, and the society will only remain in exist- ence to advocate the ballot principle of voting. A NUMBER of Irish Conservative members had an interview the other day with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Chief Secretary for Ireland, to explain their opinions upon Irish Reform. The majority were opposed to any material lowering of the franchise, and were in favour of an extension of boundaries rather than the grouping of small boroughs. Mr. Disraeli heard all the arguments, but confined himself in reply to a statement, that the Government desired to introduce such an Irish Reform measure as would prove, he trusted, eminently satisfactory and beneficial. Foa some time there has been a growing feel- ing against the prevailing custom of quartering militiamen at public-houses and beershops during the annual training. A resolution condemning the system was recently passed by the corporation of Preston, and at their request this was presented by Sir T. G; Hesketh, one of the borough members, I to Lord Longford. From the conversation that j ensued, it appears that the subject is under the consideration of the* War Department, and that there is reason tobeliëve something will shortly be done to remove or mitigate the evil. ONE of those "hair-breadth" escapes which often strike us with awe, occurred the other day at Walthamstow, and we hope it may be a warms g to travellers never to act contrary to railway regulations. Mr. Eustace S. Butler, an officer of Customs, was attempting' to get into the guard's van of a moving railway train, was knocked down and one of the wheels of the van absolutely passed over some of his hair and severed it from his head as he lay on the ground. Singular to relate, this was the only injury the gentleman sustained.

A WIFE'S PRIVILEGES. In the Exchequer Chamber, on Saturday, an appeal case, the Queen v. Mary Robinson and others, was de- cided before Chief Baron Kelly and four other judges. Certain prisoners were indicted for embezzling and com- spiring to embezzle certain goods the property of Mary Robinson, a bankrupt, with intent to defraud the creditors of Mary Robinson. Upon the trial before I Mr. Justice Smith it was shown that Mary Robinson was a married woman, and that her husband was living abroad. It was therefore submitted that she wasinot subject to the bankrupt laws, and that the goods were the property of her husband, and thaf the examination of a witness in the bankruptcy had been admitted without his having been cautioned not to criminate himself, which it was urged ought not to have been admitted. The prisoners were convicted, but the points were reserved for the opinion of this court.' The case argued a short time since by Mr. Campbell Foster for was the prisoners, and Mr. Harvey and Mr. Coleman for the prosecution, and the court then took time to con- sider its judgment. This inoiting the court met, and the Lord Chief Baron, in delivering his judgment, said that in his opinion the goods were the property of the husband, who might at any moment come forward and exercise his marital right. He was also of opinion that the adjudication of Mary Robinson as a bankrupt was void, otherwise any married woman in England might file a petition in bankruptcy against herself, and transfer the whole of her husband's personal estate to assignees, and if she acquiesced in the bankruptcy for two months the- husband might be indicted for embezzlement. The indictment could not be supported and must be quashed. Mr. Baron Martin was of the same opinion. The whole superstratum of. the indictmeut failed when it was proved that Mary Robinson was a married woman. The charge was that she had embezzled part of her own property, but it was the property of her husband. Mr. Justice Byles agreed .that the prisoners were en- titled to their discharge. He-expressed no opinion whether a married woman could be made a bankrupt, or upon the other points, as the ground upon which he rested his judgment was that the property was the husband's, and that at the time of the bankruptycy the husband was in actual possession by reason of the possession of the wife. Mr. Justice Keating confirmed his judgment on the ground stated by Mr. Justice Byles. Mr. Justice Shee agreed in the judgment that the conviction could not be supported. Robinson was charged with embezzling her own property, and it was necessary to prove that it was her property, whereas it was shown to be the property of her husband. Conviction quashed.

THE TAILORS' STRIKE: CHARGES OF I TNTTMTT) ATION. Joseph Rearden, a tailor, was charged before Mr. Knox, at the Marlborough-street Police-court, on Wednesday, on a warrant, with, by threats, intimidation, and molestation, endeavouring to force certain workmen to leave their employment, hiring, and work. It appeared that the accused applied for work at Messrs. Oliver and Brown's tailoring estab- lishment, in Sackville-street, that he was at once employed, and placed among the men already at work on the premises, and that, after calling them dungs," he promised to smash some of their noses, and then made off with himself. After the production of a good deal of evidence, the case was adjourned. Bail was refused. William Connelly was next charged with being con- cerned with another in conspiring, to prevent Joseph Hope from working for his employer, Mr. Bowaters, of Hanover-street, and with violently assaulting him. Mr. Sleigh said this assault was a violent one, and as the other man charged had absconded, he must ask for substantial bail, as an adjournment was required.—Mr. Knox fixed the bail at two sureties in X100 each.

A MONTH WITHOUT A p j?FX Moox. A curious circumstance occurred th 'ar, which has, only now led to some discussion. Last uary was a month in which no full moon occurred. A w journalists in Italy got hold of the fact, and at once q,. mouueed it to be an exceedingly rare occurrence. Some said it could only happen about once in 25,000 centuries others, more moderate, simply adverted to the fact that there was no mention of such a thing in Genesis. After much dispute in the columns of the daily papers, the question at length caught the eye of the well-known astronomer of Milan, M. Schiaparelli, who has now disposed of it very summarily, showing that in 1847 the very same thing took place, there being full moons on the 31st of January, at six; minutes past nine a.m., and on the 2nd of March I following, at 45 minutes past three a.m. In 1828 there was a similar occurrence at Washington. I In consequence of the Reduction in Duty, Horniman's Teas are supplied by the Agents EIGHTPRNCE per lb. cheapen Benuine Paekebt gzi signed Horniman & Cc., LondWI

REPORTED EXECUTION OF THE EMPEROR I MAXIMILIAN. (BY ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.) NEW YORK, June 1. The New York journals publish advices from Mexico, partially confirming reports that the Emperor Maxi- milian and his officers have been shot. VIENNA, May 29. Intelligence received here from Washington states that the Austrian Minister in that city had received a telegram announcing the capture of the Emperor Maximilian. On the other hand, information has been received at the Mexican embassy in Vienna stating that the republicans before Queretaro had been completely defeated. Austria has taken immediate steps to procure the release of. the Emperor in case the first news is true. -f' -¡-i'

FRANCE. 1 PARIS, May 29. The Prince Imperial came this morning to the Tui- leries, where he walked in the garden with the Emperor, the Empress, and the Ministers. He returned imme- diately afterwards to St. Cloud. The Journal de Paris states that the Minister of War has ordered the artillery regiments of the French army to be reduced to a peace footing. The Patrie says We have reason to believe that the French military mission to B ucharest will leaveforthat town at the beginning of June," The same paper quotes a note from the Roumanian Moniteur denying the truth of the rumour that disturbances had broken out in Moldavia, and that the Government had placed restrictions on the religious liberty of the Jews in that country. The Patrie adds that no accusation of this nature had been made against the Roumanian Government, but only against the Minister who had issued the circular against the Jews. The circular, it says, has now been withdrawn, for the honour of the Moldo-Wallachian Government. The Paris journals publish a letter from M. Cremieux, confirming the reports of the persecution of the Jews. The fete last night at the Austrian Embassy was splendid. The Emperor, the Empress, the Crown Prince, and Crown Princess of Prussia, and the Duke of Leuch- tenberg were present.

THE EASTERN QUESTION. PARIS, June 2. The Etendard of this evening says :—" The guaran- teeing powers have agreed upon the terms of a note to be addressed to Constantinople with reference to Candia. This note, it is said, will insist anew upon the absolute necessity of the adoption by the Porte of radical and efficacious measures calculated to put an end to the present crisis in Candia. It will also point out the danger of the disturbances in that island extending to other provinces of the Turkish empire should the present state of things be prolonged, and it will advise a solu- tion which shall satisfy the desires of the Cretan Christians."

INDIA. CALCUTTA May 9. Telegraphic communication has..been interrupted and the messages delayed by a hurricane near Mirzapore. A famine is feared in Upper Birmah. Reports Arom, the famine districts in Orissa continue favourable. A tele- gram received here from Pondicherry of the 3r& inst. states that the lighthouse in that port was on fire. A licence tax defence fund has been formed in Calcutta for the "purpose' of resisting illegal ,assessments. The extra fortnightly mail between Bombay'and Suez'has been discontinued during the ensuing monsoon. Several raids have taken place on the southern frontier of the district of Silhet. BOMBAY, May 14. Mr. Dickson, of the Bank of Bengal, is in Bombay, and has had several interviews with the directors of the Bank of Bombay. He awaits instructions from Calcutta regarding the suggested alterations in the terms of amalgamation first offered by the Bank of, Bengal. A deputation of the shareholders of the Bank of Bombay have had an interview with the governor. His Excel- lency; expressed objections to the State being a sharer holder in a public company, but would give an tarly reply on the subject of the support which the new Bank of Bombay might expect from the Government. The leading natives of Bombay have presented an address to the Hon. Mr. Erskine, on his retirement from the Indian civil service. Uninterrupted railway communication between Cal- uctta and Jubbulpore, and between the latter'place and Bombay there is onlyorie break. v The weather is warmer, than it has beenfr several years. The public health is satisfactory, and 'cholera in .the north and west is rapidly subsiding. -,f„

FEVER IN THE MAURITIUS. The Globe has, from a private source, intelligence from the Mauritius to the 6th April, to the effect that a malignant fever was raging there, paralysing commerce, impeding agriculture, and resulting in a mortality exceeding that of 1854, which carried off 7,650 inhabi- tants.- In the last six weeks the deaths in the whole colony had numbered 7,494. The fever has not been confined to the lower classes, but has penetrated the merchants' offices, the Govern- ment department, shops, &c. Nearly all the troops that were in Port Louis have been sent to Flat Island. Owing to the precautions taken, there has been but very little fever among the military. The fever, however, is of a nature that with proper precautions, and prompt and judicious remedies, does not preclude the chance of recovery. The official statement of the mortality to the 31st March showed that in Port Louis 3,025 persons had died Of fever Pamplemousses, 1,078 Riviere du Rempart, 318 Flacy, 77; Grand Port, 60; Savanna, 44; Black River, 665 Plaines Wilhems, 202 Moka, 172.

FEMALE MEDICAL SOOIETY. The third annual meeting of this society was held a few days ago at the Hanover-square Rooms, London, under the presidency of the Earl of.Shaftesbury. The room was densely crowded with an audience, con- sisting principally of ladies. This society does not ad- vocate woman's rights," or the indiscriminate medical practice of women, or the admission of ladies to medical classes which are attended by young men. The report was read by the honorary secretary, Dr. Edmunds, of which the following are extracts :— Your committee have met with abundant encourage- ment during the past year. A strong current of en- lightened public opinion has of late been rapidly de- veloping itself in favour of instructing ladies in those various branches of medical science which refer to practice among women and children. The great organs of the press have not only given increased consideration to the society's operations, but, almost without excep- tion, have each devoted one or more leading articles in unmitigated commendation of the society and its objects. Much of the hostility and misrepresentation with which the society had at first to contend has subsided, while a considerable and increasing number of eminent members of the medical profession are now prepared to co-operate with those who from the first have been in its favour." The supplementary report of the society's auxiliary college shows that- "The third annual session- of-the society's teaching operations has closed with', results that are both satis- factory and promising. Fifty ladies have entered as students, of whom twelve5 entered during the first session, nine during the second, and twenty-nine during the third. Of these ladies, ten were widowed, fifteen married, and twenty-five single. Some were amateur students who attended the lectures merely as a means of personal education, nine were midwives previously in practice, one the matron of a maternity hospital, ten were sisters, daughters, or wives of medical men, one was prepared as medical missionary, to act in connection with the Delhi Mission of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, a considerable number were or would have I been governesses, and some were of .no occupation. I Many other gentlewomen would gladly have availed: themselves of the college, but were prevented by want of pecuniary means. It is hoped that the foundation of scholarships will shortly extend the advantages of the college as an honorarium to gentlewomen of limited means, who,. being of suitable personal character, pass a satisfactory preliminary examination. Probably there is no object upon which benevolent and discriminating persons could more judiciously bestow a few hundred pounds than by giving their names to a permanent scholarship in connection with the infancy of this im- portant public institution." The supplementary report of the college was prepared in order to present the examination papers and other details which do not require general publicity. It may, however, be 'stated here that the reports of the lecturers and the lady-secretary show that the students have, by their regular attendance, propriety of demeanour, and general attendance, given a satisfactory earnest of future public usefulness and professional success. At the voluntary examinations with which the last session closed, no less than twenty-three essays were sent in from the obstetric class, and Professor Murphy states that in all his experience in the same chair at University College, he never received so large a number of essays from any class of gentlemen, and that many of the papers from these ladies were marked by distinguished ability. The accounts for three years to April 30, 1867, show receipts, £ 1,259 17s. 4d.; disbursements, £ 1,397 2s. 3d. leaving a debt of X140 to the treasurer. Although this debt is less than that standing against the. society at the last annual meeting, while the scope and efficiency of the society's operations have been greatly increased, yet the existence of a balance on the wrong side of the account seriously hampers and dis- courages the committee, and it throws upon the honorary officers of the^society a burdensome amount of personal effort and anxiety. The principal resolutions passed at this meeting were- 1st. That properly-educated midwives would prevent much-loss of life and physical injury which now occurs for want of skilled attendance during confinements, and that in the practice of midwifery and the treatment of diseases peculiar to women the option of employing skilled ladies would save many sensitive persons from an unnecessary, injurious, and painful ordeal, while at the same time this option would benefit medical men, by shutting out accusations from which the most odious professional scandals are now continually arising. 2nd. That a select number of noblemen, ladies, and gentlemen be requested to give their names to a General Committee for the purpose of promoting the develop- ment of the Ladies' Medical College on a sound public basis, and that the office-bearers of the Female Medical Society act provisionally as a working executive, with power to add to the number. The addresses of lady-midwives and all particulars may be obtained of the lady-secretary, at the society's temporary offices, 4, Fitzroy-square, W.

-111 THE TAILORS' STRIKE. The seventh week of the strike was entered upon on the 3rd of June, without any prospect of its early ter- mination, both parties remaining firm in their respective positions. The men express themselves as highly pleased and gratified at the liberal way in which remit- tances are being sent to them from all parts of the country and they attribute this in a great measure to the avowed determifiation of the masters to break up their union if possible, and also to their refusal of arbi- tration, as it is well known many of the trades' unions have from the above cause contributed much larger sums than they would have done if it had been merely ir-, support of the strike. The committee on Saturday, although the number on the funds .had been increased from the previous week, owing to the strike of the military tailors, were again enabled to pay the full strike allowance to every man and Nyomen entitled to receive it. The picketing system is carried on as actively as ever, and as fast as the masters succeed in obtaining the services of non-unionists from the country, the great majority of them are drawn out again by the union. On Saturday out of a dozen men obtained by a leading member of the masters' association, no less than eight were drawn out, enrolled in the union, and placed upon picket over other shops and this is being repeated day after day. It is stated that another attempt to bring the committees of the masters and men together, with the view to a settlement, is about to be made in an influential quarter. A project is also in contemplation by several gentlemen who take an interest in co-operative movements, to subscribe £ 500 each for the purpose of selecting a number of the best workmen on strike, and opening several co-operative tailoring establishments in the metropolis.

MEETING OF THE OPERATIVE TAILORS. A .large meeting of the operative tailors was held on Wednesday at the Alhambra Palace, Leicester-square. The meeting was convened by the committee of the London Tailors' Protective Association, with the object of affording the men an opportunity of refuting the state- ments made at,the meeting of the master tailors, held on Saturday last. The meeting,, which was densely crowded, was composed of in and out-door workers, unionists and non-unionists. A large number of females- were present. Mr. Druitt, President of the Tailors' Association, oc- cupied the chair. He opened the proceedings by read- ing a circular issued by the London Working Men's Association calling a delegate meeting of the London trades in support of the strike. He after- wards read a letter from the Manchester Typo- graphical Society, which stated that they had subscribed £50 in support of the tailors' strike. After alluding to the number'present, he observed that there were two causes for the meeting not being so. large as that held on Easter Monday, namely, a large number of men on strike had gone into the country to work, and those men employed in shops not on strike had been recommended to continue their work, and pay the money as an extra levy on Saturday next. Mr. Neal moved the following resolution: That this meeting, having read with surprise the statements of the master tailors at their meeting on Saturday last at the Hanover-square Rooms, that the men were forced out against their will by the terrorism of the executive, here- by express their indignation at the same, and utterly repudiate the charges made against the executive of the Operative Tailors' Association." The resolution, having been seconded by Mr. Nichel- son, was carried with acclamation. The following resolutions were also severally put and carried unanimously "That the question of a time log' having been first, raised by the masters themselves, and the operative tailors of the United Kingdom feeling the necessity of the same, this meeting pledges itself to use all legitimate means to bring about the equitable adjustment of a question involving the interests of the trade at large." That the master tailors have broken faith with the representatives of the men, and violated their engage- ments, on the question of the time log, have now declared their intention to be the destruction of the union,' by one formed among themselves. This meeting therefore pledges itself to give their executive all the moral and the pecuniary assistance in its power, that every possible effort may be made to defeat an object so unworthy and malignant; and it also expresses its entire confidence in the executive appointed by the members of the association for the purpose of carrying out the resolutions passed in this hall on the 22nd of April last." A; cordial vote of thanks to the chairman elided the business. r ■"

THE CATTLE SHOW of the Royal Agricultural Society for Ireland will be held this year in St. Stephen's- green, in the month of August. The Farmers' Club are making the necessary arrangements. PC AAA PIANO b'OETES, by C. HAMPTON, attest the worth of this maker's principle of construction. The new Illustrated Catalogue, shewing re- cent improvements, fiee. 74, Charlotte-st., Fitzroy-sq" W. jobn Go.upt¡ mii<1 «. o. > 4 It.-ir) 'I 00110 I'lwie pricfii lii. v. Deoidedl g th* beet preparation for oUanaing and preserving the teeth Bold bjr ill p«rfamer( ftnd ebamitte-88. Upper Thames-street London One of Dr. Locock's Pulmonic Wafers, taken two or three times a day, gives instant relief and rapidly curea aathma, consumption, coughs, and all disorders of the breath tnd lungs. They have a pleasant taste. Sold by all druggists.