The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

THE IRISH FISHERIES. The Deep Sea and Coast Fishery Commissioners, Ireland, to their report for 1866, issued on Saturday, state ;— The quantity of herrings taken on the eastern coast has been considerably in excess of what it was in 1865, but nevertheless it has not been so profitable, nor yielded such good returns to the fishermen and owners of boats, in consequences of:. the low prices generally obtained. On the south coast, the excessive Severity of the season has most injuriously affected the mackerel fishing, the approach of the shoals to the bank having been apparently retarded thereby but recently they have appeared in their wonted numbers, lr giving a vast amount of lucrative employment to the large number of fine boats and their crews congregated on that coast, and to the other persons engaged in the business. On the western coast there appears on the whole to be but little change in the condition and Prospects of the fisheries from the previous year. Except in the few sheltered places, such as Galway and Dingle Bays, the interruptions from the stormy Weather which prevails so frequently and for such long- continued periods along the rugged coast, prevent almost the possibility of fishing being pursued as a regular avocation. Moreover, it appears to us to be a matter of serious doubt whether the superabun- dance of fish, which it.is the general belief there is off that coast, in reality exists. With regard to the oyster fisheries, we trust that, at least, there has been no further deterioration as compared with last year, and that the exhaustion of the public beds has been in Some measure arrested. The stormy weather which has prevailed throughout the season has greatly re- stricted the operations of the dredgers their take has been comparatively small. A considerable number of new licenses to form private beds have been granted by us during the year. No complaints have reached us from any quarter in regard to the conduct of the fisher- men; they have been everywhere, peaceable, and we are happy to find that the old antagonism which existed between the trawlers and the Claddagh men in Galway •^ay, has, at all events for the present, disappeared, and that the latter are now not unfrequently employed 111 the trawl boats. 0,

A YANKEE STORY. The following story is from "The Dodge Club,"in Harper's JSew Monthly Magazine :— "Dick," said the senator, as they rolled over the road, spin a yarn to beguile the time." Dick looked Modest. The rest added their entreaties. Oh, well," said Dick, "since you're so very urgent Would be unbecoming to refuse. A story? Well, whm? I will tell y ou about my maternal grandfather. £ Ly maternal grandfather, then, was once out in Hong -Kong, and had saved up a little money. As the cli- mate did not agree with him he thought he would come home and at length an American ship touched there, on board of which, he went, and he saw a man In the galley so my grandfather stepped up to him and asked him 'Are you the mate?' I' No. I'm the man that boils the mate,' said the other who was also an Irishman. So he had to go to the cabin, where he found the captain and mate writing- out clearance papers for the custom-house. b 'Say, captain, will you cross the sea to plow the raging main asked my grandfather. t,Oh, the ship it is ready and the wind is fair to plow the raging main !'said the captain. Of course my ,ztndfather at once paid his fare with- out asking credit, and the amount was three hundred and twenty-seven dollors thirty-nine cents. Well, they get sail, and after going ever so many thousand miles, Or hundred-I forget which, but it don't matter,a §reat storm arose, a typhoon or simoon, perhaps both; and after slowly gathering up its energies for the space Of twenty-nine days, seven hours, and twenty-three liaillutes without counting the seconds, it burst upon them, at exactly forty-two minutes past five, on the sixth day of the week. Need I say that day was Fri- day ? Now my grandfather saw ail the time how_ it was going to end and while the rest were praying and shrieking, he had cut the lashings of the ship's longboat and staid there all the time, having put on board the nautical instruments, two or three fish- hooks, a gross of lucifer matches, and a sauce-pan. At last the storm struck the ship, a I have stated, and at the first crack away went the vessel to the bottom, leaving my granfather floating alone on the sur- face of the ocean. My grandfather navigated the fifty two days, three hours, and twenty min- utes by the ship's chronometer; caught plenty of fish "!th his fish hooks boiled sea-water in his sauce-pan, and boiled all the salt away, making his fire in the bottom of the boat, which is a very good place, for the flre can't burn through without touching the water, j^hich it can't burn and finding plenty of fuel in the "oat, which he gradually dismantled, taking first the tllole-pilis then the .seats, then the taffrail, and so on. *nis sort of thing, though, could not last for ever, and last, just in the nick of time, he came across a dead hale. Jt was floating bottom upward, covered with arnicles of very large size indeed and where his fins projected, there were two little coves, one on each side. Into the one on the lee-side he ran his boat, of which there was nothing left but the stem and stern and two side planks. My grandfather looked upon the whale as an island. It was a very nice country to one who had been so long in a boat, though a little monotonous. The first thing that he did was to erect the banner of his country, of which he happened to have a copy on his pocket-handkerchief; which he did by putting it at the end of an oar and sticking it in the ground, or the flesh, which ever you please to call it. He then took an observation, and proceeded to make himself a house, which he did by whittling up the remains of the long- boat, and had enough left to make a table, a chair, and a bootjack. So here he stayed, quite comfortable. for forty-three days and a-half, taking observations all the time with great accuracy and at the end of that time all his house was gone, for he had to cut it up for fuel to cook his meals, and nothing was left but half of the bootjack and the oar which served to uphold the banner of his country. At the end of this time a ship came up. The men of the ship did not know what on earth to make of this appearance on the water, where the American flag was flying. So they bore down straight towards it. 'I see a sight across the sea, hi ho, cheerly men re- marked the captain to the mate, in a-; confidential manner. 'Methinks it is my own countrie, hi ho, cheerly men rejoined the other, quietly, It rises grandly o'er the brijae, hi ho, cheerly men!' said the captain. And bears aloft our own ensign, hi ho, cheerly men said the mate.' ¡- As the ship came up my grandfather placed both hands to his mouth in the shape of a speaking-trumpet, and cried out, Ship ahoy across the wave, with a way-ay-ay-ay-ay! Storm along! To which the captain of the ship responded through his trumpet, 'Tis I, my messmates bold and brave, with a way-ay-ay-ay. Storm along At this my grandfather inquired, What vessel are you gliding on? Pray tell to me its name.' And the captain replied, Our barque it is a whaler bold, and Jones the captain's name.' Thereupon the captain came on board the whale, or on shore, whichever you like-I don't know which, nor does it matter—he came at any rate. My grand- father shook hands with him, and asked him to sit down. But the captain declined, saying he preferred standing.. 'Well,, said my grandfather, 'I called on you to see if you would like to buy a whale.' Wa'al,.yes, I don't mind. I'm in that line myself.' What'll you give What'lL you take for it ? What'll you give ?' What'll you take ?' ■■ What'll you give?' V What'll you take ?* 'What'll you give?' What'll you take ?' Twenty five minutes were taken up in the repetition of this question, for neither wished to commit himself. Have you had any offers for it yet ?' asked Captain Jones, at last. Wa'al, no; can't say that I have.' I'll give as much as any body.' How much ?' 'What'll you take ?' What'll you give ?' 'What'll you take ?' What'll you give ?' What'll you take?' Then my grandfather, after a long deliberation, took the captain by the arm and led him all around, show- ing him the country, as one may say, enlarging upon the fine points, and doing, as all good traders are bound to do when they find themselves face to1 face with a customer. To which the end was: Wa'al, what'll you take ?' 'What'll you give?' 'What'll you take?' What'll you give ?' What'll you take ?' 'Well,' said my grandfather, I don't know as I care about trading, after all. I think I'll wait till the whaling fleet comes along. I've been wafting for them for some time, and they ought to be here soon.' You're not in the right track,' said Captain Jones. 'Yes, I am.' 'Excuse me.' 'Ex-cuse me,' said my grandfather. 'I took an observation just before you came in sight, and I am in lat. 47° 22' 20", Ion. 150° 15' 55" Captain Jones's face fell. My grandfather poked him in the ribs and smiled. I'll tell you what I'll do, as I don't care, after all about waiting here. It's a little damp, and I'm sub- ject to rheumatics. I'll let -you have the whole thing if you'll give, me twentyAiveper Cent, of the oil after its barreHed, barrels and all:' The Captain thought for a moment. You drive a close bargain.' Of course.' Well, it'll save a voyage, and that's something.' SomethingL'Bless your head! ain't that every- thing ?' Well, I'll agree. Come on board and make out the papers.' So my grandfather went on board, and they made out the papers;, and the ship hauled up alongside the whale, and they went to work cutting and slashing, and hoisting, burning and boiling, and at last, after some time, I don't remember exactly how long, the oil was all secured, and my grandfather, in a few months after- wards, when he landed at Nantucket and made in- quiries, sold his share of the oil for 3,956 dols. 56c., which he at once invested in business in New Bedford, and started off to, Pennsylvania to visit his mother. The old lady didn't know him at all; he was so changed by sun, wind, storm, hardship, sickness, fatigue, want, exposure, and other things of that kind. She looked coldly on him. Who are you ?' Don't you know ?' No. I 'Think.' Have you a strawberry on your arm ? Then—you are—you are—you are—my own—my long-lost son.' And she caught him in lierarkas," —;—

SCOTTISH ANECDOTES. (Froll Traits auditories of the Scottish People, by the Pliev. Charles Rogers, L.L.D., F.S.A.) Mr. William Roger, of Ryehill, Perthshire, great- grandfather of the writer, was frequently employed to arbitrate in agricultural concerns. Though a person of substance and known probity, he had been, in an affair of arbitration, offered a bribe by both parties. The monies supposed to be the price of his conscience were p sent him shortly before the period when he was to make his award. He placed the two budgets of guineas one in each pocket of his upper coat, and proceeded to meet the parties. Having taken his seat he said, striking his hands on his sides, There is a rogue on this side, and a rogue on that, but an honest man in the middle." He then made his award, and drew forth the rogues from his pockets, which he returned, to the owners. In the times of feudal jurisdiction, the principal landowners were Lords of Regality," and so exercised the power of inflicting capital sentences on those who resided on their estates. Any one who was sentenced by the Laird to suffer death was, however precious his life might be to his family, readily resigned to the executioner. A young Highlander condemned by the J-aml (Ji-iMit for sheep-stealing, was reluctant to mount the fatal drop. The executioner having failed to induce him to ascend, that functionary- called on the wife ot the condemned to render her assistance. The woman went up to her husband, tapped him gently on the shoulder, and said coaxingly, "Noo, Donald, gang awa^up, and be hangit like a shentleman, and no anger the laird." The last Duke of Gordon was as Marquis of Huntly, celebrated for playing the gaberlunzie. This exploit being mentioned in company, a gentleman pre- sent took a bet with him that under no possible dis- guise could his lordship deceive him. In the course of a few days he appeared at the house of his friend, in his guise as a mendicant. The owner of the mansion was walking in his avenue, when the pseudo-beggar saluted him with becoming reverence and asked an awmous. The gentleman told him to step into the hall, and there to see what could be found for a keen appetite. The gaberlunzie humbly thanked his honour, and proceeding into the hall, had placed before him an abundant supply of cold meat, bread, and beer. Having partaken* of the cheer, he again crossed the path of the gentleman, who asked him how he had fared. "Very poorly, very poorly," replied the mendicant; I had nothing but cold beef, sour bread, and stale beer." "You must be' a saucy scoundrel," said the gentleman, who called to some of his people to hasten his departure. The beggar threw aside his the rags, and appeared before his astonished friend as the Marquis of Huntly! A story is related in a recent publication of an in- cident which occurred in a London clubhouse, when several gentlemen thought to discover the peculiar idiosyncrasy of the inhabitants of the three' king- doms by putting the same question to one individual of each. Three street porters wtre called in, these being natives of England, Ireland, and Scotland. What would you take," said the president to the English- man, to run three times round Russell Square, stripped to the shirt ?" I'll take a pot o' porter, sir," was the reply. The question being put to the Hibernian, he shrugged his shoulders, and with the naivete of Irish humour exclaimed, "Sure I'd take a mighty great cowld." Sandy was next asked. He scratched his head, and archly replied by the cautious interrogatory, What will ye gie me ?" The celebrated Henry, first Viscount Melville, was on a visit to Edinburgh shortly after the passing of some unpopular public measure to which he had given his support. On the morning after his arrival he sent for a barber to shave him at his hotel. This function- ary, a considerable humourist, resolved to indicate his sentiments respecting his lordship's recent procedure as a legislator. Having decorated his lordship with an apron, he proceeded to lather his face. Then, flourishing his razor, he said, We are obliged to you, my lord, for the part you lately took in the passing of that odious bill." Oh, you're a politician, said his lordship; "I sent for a barber." "I'll shave you directly," added the barber, who, after shaving one- half of the beard, next came to the throat, across which he drew rapidly the back of his instrument, saying, "Take that, you traitor." He then hastily withdrew. Lord Melville, who conceived that his throat had been cut from ear to ear, placed the apron about his neck, and with a gurgling noise shouted Murder The waiter immediately appeared, and, at his lordship's entreaty, rushed out to procure a surgeon. Three members of the medical faculty were speedily in attendance but his lordship could scarcely be persuaded by th<?ir joint solicitation to expose his throat, around which he firmly held the barber's apron. At length he consented to an examination but he could only be convinced by looking into a mirror that his throat had been untouched. His lordship was mortified by the merriment which the occurrence ex- cited, and speedily returned to London.

A CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER. An inquest was held at Sheepshead, near Loughborough, Leicestershire, on Tuesday, on the body of James Cullen, 36 years, of age, a collier, who came to his death through the violence of a man named Hillyer. The facts are briefly these :— On Sunday evening a number of Sheepshead, Thrussington, and Irish men were drinking at a beer- house kept by Jesse Atkin, on the Loughborough and Ashby road. The Sheepshead men were very quarrel- some and wanted to fight the Irish and Thrussington men. At length a quarrel ensued among them as to the payment of a pint 'of ale, which was, however, settled by the deceased volunteering to pay. A man, named Jordan, was going to drink up some ale, when deceased stopped him, upon which Jordan struck him and gave him a black eye. Philip O'Mar, an Irish- man, interposed, when the accused laid hold of him and wanted him to fight. Hillyer and several others were turned out of the house, but the former got in by a back window, and after bursting open a door got at O'Mar, and violently assaulted him. He was dragged into the passage, when he inquired if they intended to kill him, upon which they said, We will not kill the in the house; bring him out." He was dragged out and iay on the ground outside, when Hillyer. after having left him for a few moments, came to him and tried to pull him up to have a fight. This he refused to do, and said he was too weak to get up. At this time deceased came to the door with two hands in his pocket and said to the accused, "Don't kill the man," upon which Hillyer said, You are one of the and at the same time gave him a violent blow with his fist under the left ear. Deceased fell backwards, striking the back of his head against a flat paving- stone. He did not speak or stir, and seemed to be dead instantly. Mr. Toone, surgeon, Whitwick, was at once called in, and he found a contused swelling under the left ear, and a wound about an inch long at the back of the head. A post mortem examination revealed a con- gestion of the brain and the membrane crossing, also of both linings, and a little bloody serum round the contused swelling under the ear. He was of opinion that deceased died from concussion of the brain caused by the fall, and that he" never breathed after he fell. The blow would have the effect of stunning him and causing him to fall, but it was not the immediate cause of death. The jury returned a vej^ct Q| "Manslaughter against Hillyer," who was committed for trial at the ensuing assizes on the coroner's warrant.

THE CATTLE PLAGUE. A Supplement to the London Gazette of Friday contains three orders of the Privy Council relative to the cattle plague. One directs that from and after the 10th of June, 1867, cattle exposed for sale in any market, for the time being so licensed for the sale of cattle for imme- diate slaughter, may be kept alive for the period of six days after exposure in any such market, and no longer, and no such cattle shall be exposed for sale in any such market a second time that this Order shah be construed in like manner as the Order of the 24th day of March, 1866, that all the provisions therein con tained relative to the offences for the contravention thereof, and the penalty for the same and otherwise now in force, except so far as they may be inconsistent with anything therein contained, shall be applied to it, and that these provisions shall also apply to sheep and lambs. The second Order directs that from and aftei the 7th inst. the Order of the 18th of September last, relative to sheep and ambs in the county of Chester and the counties of cities and boroughs therein contained, shall be rescinded, and be no longer of force: or validity, except in respect of any matter or thing commenced under it and not com pleted, or of any offence committed in contraventior thereof, and not yet punished. The third Order directs that on and after the 7t inst. cattle sold in the Liverpool cattle-market until tk- 31st day of July next, may be moved from. the sfei* market to any siaughter-honse in the towns of Black burn, Bolton, Bury, Rochdale, Warrington, anJ Wigan, in the county of Lancaster, and n the town ship of Birkenhead, in the county of Chester, to be there immediately slaughtered under the regulation enforced by the local authorities. 0

PIT ACCIDENTS. Mr. Kinnaird, of Rossie Priory, thus writes to the London Times:— Another fearful accident, attended with serious loss of life, has occurred in the Washington Pit, near New- castle, the result, it would appear, of culpable negli gence on the part of the proprietors of the pit in not adopting the safety cage and the automatic disengaging hook. Accidents are of frequent occurrence from over- winding and breakage of ropes, and yet mine owners rop I and managers wilLnot adopt the^e simple precautions by which the majority of such accidents might be pre- vented. During my inspection of mines I had a ^ong discus- siollwith a very able mining engineer on the subject, who T found prejudiced against the use of the safety cagos, arguing it. was better to trust to the care of a machinery. A few nmnths rafter. I received a letter from that, gentleman s'tating "that he was sure I should be glad to hear that in conseqiience of the discussion which took place between us he had examined more carefully into the working of these cages, and had, in conse- quence of his conviction of their efficiency, introduced them into all the numerous mines under his charge, and thankful, indeed, was he that he had done so, as they had already been the means of saving life." I cannot help thinking that'it would be worth while for the Miners' Association to bring an action of damages on behalf of the relatives of these poor people against the proprietors of the pit. They might, perhaps, recover damages as in the case of railway accidents, on the plea that proper precau- tion had not been taken to prevent accidents. I suspect this will be the only way of dealing with some mine owners wi are reckless in regard to the life of their men, as I despair of the Legislature making the adoption of proper precaution for the safety of human life compulsory.

A NOVEL STRIKE. The whole of the pitmen usually employed in Washington Colliery, have struck work, and have re- fused to go into the pit until proper keps are put into the shaft, to prevent, if possible, the recurrence of an accident to the cage, such as that which happened at the pit last week, by which two men and lads were killed. The masters promise to get the keps put in as soon as possible, but the men refuse to resume work until these safeguards are completed. The men also complain that their lives are endangered by a loco- motive being allowed to run between the engine-house and- the shaft mouth, by which, if the men are being drawn to bank at the time the engine is passing, the engineman is likely to be prevented from seeing the cage arrive at the bank. The men have determined to seek legal advice to see if it is possible to get some legal compensation for the families of the men who were killed by the late accident. Two of them only were members of the Miners' Permanent Benefit Society.

THE WORKING MEN AT THE PARIS EXHIBITION. The special correspondent of the Daily News, in reference to the Working Men who left London for Paris last Saturday evening, under the auspices of H. Layard, M.P., Hodgson Pratt, Esq., and other gentlemen interested in the welfare of the working classes, thus writes :— "On Monday last, 160 English workmen were assem- bled in the workmen's lodgings by the Avenue Rapp. They had arrived on the previous evening from London, and were well cared for. Indeed, on looking over the trim and airy barracks which the French authorities have erected for workmen, it occurred to me that there were many pent-up lwvellers in fashionable avenues of the capital who would be glad to be so airily and cleanly lodged. "The men pay 30s. for their journey to and from London, including their lodging in these handsome quarters. The very fastidious, who insist upon a double-bedded room, pay 33s. Early this morning Mr. Layard was in the midst of the excursionists, completing their arrangements, and working like the most industrious paid clerk. At ten o'clock a meeting was held in the Workmen's Meeting Room, which had been fitted up by the Royal Commission, close to the British refreshment department. Mr. Layard addressed the working men present, and assured them that he would remain at hand throughout their visit, to tender them every assistance in his power, and all the advice he could afford them. So far, the arrangements appear to be admirable, thanks to the French authorities. The working men who compose this first excursion of the wage class from England to the Exhibition of 1867 appear to be serious representatives of their several trades. Mr. Blanchard Jerrold introduced the leading members of the excursion to M. Chabaud, the president of the delegate workmen who reported to the French government on the trades represented in the Exhibition of 1862. This most intelligent French working man is now living in the model cottage erected by the Paris working men in the Exhibition park. He is the president of the Association of Working Men that represents all the trades of Paris. In conjunction with his colleagues, he at once offered the hospitality of his bureau, and all the information at the command of his association, to the working men of England. This is practical; this is exactly what we want! an English workman answered. We werff asked to inscribe our names, and we should hear from the representatives of our respective trades but by this means we reach the fountain head at once." And so the English workmen who are in Paris for seven days will be able to get to work to-morrow."

THE GOVERNMENT AND THE ARTISANS. On Saturday afternoon a deputation, which professed to be composed mainly of the artisan classes, waited upon Lord Derby and the Chancellor of the Exchequer at the Treasury, in Downing-street, to present ad- dresses on behalf of the London and Westminster Working Men's Constitutional Association. Among those heading the deputation were Lor i Henry Scott, M.P., Mr. G. Cubitt, M.P., Mr. Surtees, M.P., Captain G. C. Armstrong, Mr. W. H. Smith (the Conservative candidate for the last election for West- minster), Captain F. Petrie, the Rev. Dr. Worthington, and the Rev. W. H. Foy. Mr. W. H. Smith, as President of the Association, introduced the deputation, and said the Association was composed entirely of working men, by which class it had been within the last few weeks called into existence from a feeling that there was a necessity for an organization of this character in order that the working men might be able to testify their confidence in the constitution under which they lived, and in order that they might exercise those important political rights which the measure of the Government purposed giving them with judgment and discretion, and to the honour and benefit of the State. Mr. Bennett, who was introduced as the chairman of the Association Committee, and who appeared to be of the respectable artisan class, said he was entitled to thank his lordship and the Government on behalf of a large number of working men for the course adopted by the Government with reference to the Reform ques- tion which has oflate been agitating the country. On behalf of the working men he repudiated the claim of the Reform League to represent them, and his ex- perience in the formation of this Association had proved to him that there -were many thousands of the artisan class who were desirous of showing that they had no sympathy with the pretensions of the League. On behalf of a meeting held lately in Westminster he begged to present a copy of resolutions which were then passed by working men, who looked up to the constitution with reverence and felt that when they were upholding Conservative principles they were upholding the true cause of the country. The resolu- tions were as follows :—; That this meeting repudiates the unfounded statements and assertions so industriously promulgated by the profes- sional agitators of the day respecting the political opinions and sentiments of the working classes; and at the same time affirms that this Association, being established to counter- act the baneful teaching of these self-constituted leaders, is deserving of the support of all who desire the continuance in power of Her Majesty's present advisers. That this meet- ing hereby records its sense of the high administrative power of the present Government, far surpassing that of their predecessors on all questions of home, foreign, and colonial policy. That the thanks of this meeting be given to the Itight Hon. Benjamin Disraeli for the zeal, courage, tact, and talent evinced by him in bringing the Reform Bill to its present issue, coimnandina: thereby the unwilling homage of even_ opponents, and effecting in the face of a vexatious opposition a settlement of that important question. Mr. Hurry and Mr. Cotter, who were also of the artisan class, addressed Lord Derby, and expressed the earnest hope thit- in the future election the work- ing men would show their gratitude to the Government which had enfranchised them, by returning a good working majority to the House of Commons in favour of Conservative principles. Mr. Holland assured his Lorcfehip and the Chan- cellor of the Exchequer that the artisan classes of the country appreciated the generosityfand noble, bearing of her Majesty's Government ,owarc}s them. After forty years' experience as .a j ourneymaii and.ås ar em- ployer among the artisan classes, he .'could affirm that there had been and was a strong national feeling which only awaited the auspicious event of the passing'ot the Gov ernment measure to fullj prove itself. The true feeling of the artisan class had not had an opportunity of declaring itself before, and their feelings in favour of the Constituti jnal party of die country had been ap- parently neglected. tiavclled much in industrial districts of the country, and he found wherever he went the hignc'st d for his Lordsliip, and a determination to sustain tne Government as a Govern ment having the best interests of the artisan class and the working class g-i) erally at heart. He assured the Government thot there was a broad distinction to be drawn betwee the working c-asses and those who followe in the train of the Reform League, and these agitators, he could distinctly affirm, did not fairly re- present the working classes of the country. He knew, from his own experience, that there were large fac- tories full of men who would not associate with the motley group of. the,- Reforrr League, and the respect- able artisans did not form themselves into the illegal combinations so prevalent among the others. On his 1 own behalf, and on behalf of the respectable artisans of the country, he begged to ic-iider heart i thanks to the Government for the mann i the interests of the working classes had cated in the House of Commons, and he at the next election the community gent i. show that a working Ministry were pre talking one. Mr. Saunders gave an emphatic contrad ? assertion of the Reform League that that sented the sentiments of tlic working r; country. Mr. Hearn, amid some cheers and laugh" i the honour of being a very early disciple > ciples advocated by Mr. Disraeli, and s: 1 given his support to the right hon. gent u he sought the suffrages of the Taunton 1 7 years ago in fact, before he had entered ment- The enunciation on that occasii 3 principles which, he said, Mr. Disraeli tently advocated ever since so imigoraced vatives of Taunton that they returned tw. tivec members, and this A uj n pm) for London what was then for Taunt Lord Derby and the Chtyiello) of thef delivered suitable speeches to the deputatio 'i they expressed great satisfaction at the ■■ i and widely-spread conservative feeling throi'M e country. The deputation then wlthti re w,

CAVALRY CHA BGE S. The following is from a book t- ui) d The History of Lord Seaton's Regiment," by liev Wdham Leeke, M.A. I have a very vivid reoollection the charge of the French cavalry. Those who adw ced on the right square of the 52nd were cuirassiers having iioi, only a steel breastplate but the same covering for the back. As I observed before, the pleasing part of the charge was that, for several minutes, perhaps ten, we were relieved from the cannona le w H ch the French had kept up upon us, except when t.hei'- cavalry charged. They came on in very gallant style, and in very steady order, first of all at a trot, then at :i gallop, till they were within forty or fifty yards of the front face of the square, when one or two horses having been brought down, in clearing the obstacle they got a somewhat new direction, which carried them to either flank of the face of the square, which direedon they one and all preferred to the charging home and riding on to our bayonets. Notwithstanding their armour, many of the men were laid low, many horses dso were brought down, and the men had a difficulty in disentangling themselves from them. The cuirassiers passed' the square, receiving the fire of all the four faces, and pro- ceeded up to the crest of the British position. They then re-formed, and came down the slope again upon us in the same way, and again avoiding to charge home upon the rear face of the square, as they could scarcely hope to penetrate the squares possibly it was a reconnoisance ordered to be made by the Emperor, who had no other means of ascertaining what force the Duke of Wellington had at that time on the reverse slope of the position. From the French position scarcely any of the British troops could at that time be seen, except our own and the other regiments of General Adam's brigade. An interesting anecdote was mentioned to me not long ago, by the late Gene- ral Sir Frederick Love, who was a captain and brevet-major in the 52nd at Waterloo Some years ago he and his brother were returning through the south of France, from a trip they had been taking to the Pyrenees, when they fell in with a nice gentle- manly Frenchman in one of the public conveyances, who, in the course of conversation, told them that he also had served at Waterloo and it turned out, on their comparing notes, that he had been an officer of some standing in the very regiment of cuirassiers which had charged the right square of the 52nd in that action. Amongst other things, the French officer said that whilst the cuirassiers were re-forming, just under the British position, preparatory to renewing their attack upon us, he observed that the men had ordered their arms and were standing at ease, and that he said to a young officer near him, "See how coolly those fellows take it; depend upon it that is one of the old Spanish regiments, and we shall make no impression on them." This officer added, that on charging back again he rode close to the right face of our square, so close that a young fellow sprang from the square and wounded him with his bayonet on the left side of his neck it was a slight wound, but he showed them the scar which it had left. My attention, when the cuirassiers charged back upon us, was chiefly directed to those who were brought down by our fire, about twenty yards from the angle formed by the front and right faces but I have a recollection of something having occurred at that time, without knowing what it was, in the front ranks of the right face of the square, not far from its junction with the rear face.

The proposal of the new Italian Finance Minister to raise the land tax from 139,000,000 to 200,COJ, OCC has produced great alarm in the provinces of Lombardy a '.d Piedmont. Several of the landowners in these provinces h ive already been compelled, in consequsnos 0: the pressure of this tax, to sell their estates at a great loss, and it is expected that a. furthei rise will bring the agriculture of Northern Italy to a complete standstill. The corn imported from France and the East is already lower in price than that produced at home, and the tax on a square kilometre of land in Italy, where the development of agriculture is hampered by want of capital and brigandage, is 540 francs, while in France, which has no such difficulties to contend with, it is only 370 franc-. A YEAR'S IRISnEMIGRATION.The Reo'istrar- General's return of the emigration from Irish ports in the year 1866 shows that the number of emigrants was 101,251,. a decrease of 1,845 from the previous year's emigration^ The emigration from the. several-pro- vinces was in the following proportions ;-Lii-- every 100 37 were- from Munster, 26 from Ulster, 17 from Lenuter, and 12 from Connaught, the rest not being distinguished. There were three males to every two females. 47 per cent went in March, April, or May. 30 p jr cent. embarked at Queenstown. 21 per cent. at Dublin, 18 per cent, at Belfast, nearly 10 per cent. from Londonderry and Moville. Of tiie whole num- ber nearly 10 per cent were uuder 10 years of age; 14 per cent, were between 10 and 20 55 per cent. (more than half) were between 20 and 30 12 per cent.;were between 30 and 40 7 per cent. were above 40 years of age the rest were residents of other countries. 58 per cent. of the males were' between 20 and 30 years of age, and 52 per cent, of the females were between 15 and 25.

A CAUTION TO YOUNG LATd (From The Blunderer," in Wo, She had gone to visit a YOI; "ii couple 0 ;r class of the poor. They had yet no cl i d the husband being a stoker on the railway, c; e above the reach of want. Under these cir. -.s it seemed to their visitor that they might tended to their religious duti t least to tic, it of going to church on Sundi.\ úJd s>he ventn so intimate as much to the y,mogwoman, A s standing rather idly at her d(Or. Willy uj to walk in till I show you somttain0 was the 1 's answer and she conducted her visitor into t ie kitchen where her husband sat by the fire. ,:1 just come home for half-an-hoqi t' > have list sd was watching the kettle on the are wi; L t, 1St absorbing interest. He w;. 01 course, his working clothes, and his and hanos of a deep oily black, after the i>: inner of s: s. Now, ma'am," said the c>> • pointin; 1- Itll, "you see that there man That's my I and I'm bound to do a pari by him, a in "Surely," said the blunderer, Mixic-us to uj i ie duties of matrimony. Very well, would j to know how I has to pass my Sun A washing of he! Never a blessed moment ILl, lJe to wa 1 hisself through the week, out early and IMc as he is, half the night too, and blacker nor in crowa11 the ile. .Well, on Sundays it's fitting and pj-oper he s try to look lifce a Christian if he can, so he sets me to it after we has Our breakfast, with ,i, bucketful o; s,ap- suds and a scrubbing-brush, and I iribs at him oif aad on all the day, till my arms ache, :nd he ant in ch better than he wor and then, after we has our t. he says to me, Come Sally, have another try. t1 r"V a brave wench and I goes at him again, and winces him down, till you'd think a born nigger u. i come out white; and if you'll believe me. ma'am, when I polishes him off with a dry towel afore we go to bed, he's only a light brown after all What to be said in reply to such stubborn facts especially when the good woman finished with the unanswerable argu- ment, So you see, ma'am, them :1'" wants to live re- ligious, had best not marry a stoke r."