The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

IJlettopoUt.tn Gossip BY ocr coaRBSPONORtrr. 1 (The remarks under this head are to be regarded as the expression of independent opinion, from the pen of a gentle- wan In whom we have the greatest confidence, but fcr which we nevertheless do not hold ourselves responsible.] If London generally, and LcndonTtradegnu-n par- ticularly, have had till lately resscin to complain of a dull season, the last week or two must have made amends for almost any amount cf dulnega, We have, in fact, been rather dissipated of late, and pleasure has be- m the order of the day and the night. So great has been the amount and variety of gaiety that the daily papers have been fairly beaten in their attempts to ketp pace with it; it has in fact, impossible to record a tithe of it. Among the last of the great events that have occurred, have been the Sultan's reception at Guildhall, and the splendid ball given to him at the India Office (unhappily marked by a strik- ing and terrible instance of sudden dearth), the visit of the Belgians to Miss Coutts's charming mansion and grounds, and the ball given to our Belgian friends at the Agricultural Hall, followed by a grand concert the next evening. Of one of these—the visit to Holly Lo(l, e —I can speak from experience, and a pleasant ex- perience it was. The residence of this wealthy and charitable lady, and the grounds which surround it, are charming in the extreme. Close to the spot where Dick "Whittington heard the chimes of Bow Church, the place is nevertheless characterised by a, sylvan beauty which we might only expect to find far from the smoke of London town. But that we missed the presence of the Sultan and the Prince of Wales, and but that the weather now and then slightly marred our pleasure, there was nothing to prevent the day being a most enjoyable one. What I most admired about the whole affair was its homely, hearty character. There was no more formality than was absolutely necessary to preserve order, and aristocracy and commoners, Belgians and English, xringled toge- ther with a freedom and yet a mutual respect which were pleasant to witness and participate in. I have mixed a great deal with the Belgians during their visit to us, and am happy to find that they are generally delighted with their reception. Many of them already had friends here, but many more have made friends during their stay. One effect of their visit, I should say, would be to create a desire to learn French, for these international visits will now become annual, and, it is to be hoped, permanent. Comparatively few of the Belgians who have been on a visit to us could speak English, but still far more proportionately understand our language than out of a similar number of English volunteers there would have been found those who spoke French. This is not very creditable I to us as a nation. French is supposed to be taught at our schools, but it is comparatively rare that it is ac- auired there, and even when it is, as it was in Chau- cer's time, "Frencheof the fscliole of Stratford-atte- Bowe." The public will have noticed, I think., (that the Lancet usually issues only those statements which are reliable as to the health of the Royal family—a sub, ject about which we outsiders know very little. It is rather remarkable, therefore, that your professional contemporary should now tell us that it has good reason for stating that "the absence of the Queen from public evening festivities is really due to the fact that agitation, over-worry, or much talking in the evening is followed by restless nights, most distressing sick head-aches, and severe and great exhaustion. one will regret that this shouM be the case, but the thought will naturally occur that there has not been much agitation and over-worry during the last year or two arising from any public evening festivities. To oppose a non-professional opinion to a professional one may be rather presumptuous, but stilJ the prevail- ing opinion is that if her Majesty is unhappy in this nervous state it is far more likely to have been induced by a too rigid seclusion, and that consequently a return to more public society—which need not involve many public evening festivities "—would be very beneficial to the Queen'd health, as it would certainly be pleasing to her subjects. e I see that Her Majesty's commissioners for in. quiring into the standards, weights and measures, held a meeting a few days ago, at No. 7, Old Palace-yard." I wish her Majesty's commissioners joy in their task. They have frequently met before, and it would seem that they will have frequently to meet again before coming to any decision. I do not look confidently for any happy conclusion of their labours, simply because they meet to decide questions on which everybody has his crotchet. Were one mind alone to be brought to bear upon it, a reform of our present conflicting weights and measures could ba asily effected. Such a man as Mr. Cobden or Michel Chevalier would singly have been able to have proposed a rational and simple system; and we have men now living who could do it, but a commission will probably result in an elaborate report which will never Ire .carried out. Whatever may be the r;si-ili-, I hope that at all events we shall be spared any permissive-" legisla- tion. Any reform to bo worth anything must be com- pulsory. The permissive element would only make confusion worse confounded. And it is to be hoped, too, that our law against false weights and measures may be made more stringent and more easily workable. It is no joke even for Royalty to entertain Sove- reigns for we see it is affirmed that in consequence of the expense attending the reception of the Sovereigns and Princes in Paris, the imperial civil list has exceeded its ordinary budget by some millions The Emperor, it is said, intends to provide for this excess of expendi- ture by payments spreading over two or three years, without having recourse to p, lcpn. It is said that the cost of the entertainment cf Sovereigns and Princes will exceed the sum of two millions sterling This reminds me, too, that should an Eastern, poten- tate wish to ruin a man, he has only t" do him the honour of sending hire, as a present, a white elephant, which being regarded as a sacred animal, must never be killed, but fed sumptuously every day and what- ever hope the person thus signally honoured may have once entertained of leaving a little ready mcney behind him for his poor relations, should ha have any, he need give himself no further trouble on that score The eminent naval architect, Mr. Oliver William Lai;g, died on the 21st inst. at Blackheath. Mr. L;, nS, was the son of the builder of that fine paddle-wheel frigate Terrible, and was himself regarded by Sir John Pakingtivn and others, as the most clever designer of ships of the present day. The last ship the coiistr c- tion of which he superintended was the Achilles. which, next to the Minotaur, was the largest armour- clad ship at the late naval review. Mr. Lang's health has been fading for the last two years. He then received a severe'shock by the death of his eldest son, a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, who was killed on fclie west coast of Africa while in the execution of his duty.

PASSIXG EVENTS, llUMOUES, &c. The reception given to the Belgian Volunteers hv Miss Eurdett Coutt*. at her resident1", Holly Lodge, on Friday, is spoken o'f as the most enjoyable and the most magnificent r entertainment to which they have been treated sinee their atTwallll England, tin Saturday evening the lord Mayor ""r ■ gave a bauquet to the Belgian officers. Oil Monday morning the Belgians who had not previously gone home. and who numbered about 1,000, assembled at the quadrangle at Somerset House, and marched to the House of Commons, where they were met by Colonel Loyd Lindsay, Sir Paul Hunter and other members of the Reception Committee, who had engaged eight steamers to take the Belgians and themselves to Gravesend, where thesret-opis was waiting to receivethem. In spite of the rain a large crowd had assem- bled on the route to witness the departure, and long and loud hurrahs greeted the ears of the departing Belgians, who in tnrn waved their handkerchiefs and caps and gave a final "Heep! heep! hurrah!" The arrangements for the de- parture seemed much better than they were for the arrival; for to take hack ahout 1,600 eight boats were engaged, while there were but six to. bring to London 2,000. The luggage was all despatched from the Custom House on Sunday, and would be distributed to the several towns so as to be in time for the Belgians when they got back to their homes. It is said that the Sultan has declared himself to be much more pleased with England than with France; that he admires Paris, but is much more deeply impressed by the solidity of London anll of England. It is also asserted that the Sultan has declared himself to have learnt from his journey that the ereat defect of the Turks is their extreme exclusiveness.-The Saturday Review, in remarking upon his visit to Europe, observes that, "while the Sultan is gratifying French and English curiosity, his most, formidable rival is cementing an ominous family all ance. The King of Greece, already allied through his sister with the Russian dynasty, is-about to marry the daughter of the Grand Duke Consfeustine, who is himself believed to be the ablest and most ambitious member of the Imperial house." The new act to amend the law of Auctions has been printed, awl will take effect on the 1st day of next month. It relates to sales of land, and in the interpretation clause a "puffer"is stated to mean a person appointed to bid on the part of an owner. "Yhere sales arc invalid in law they are also to be invalid in equity, where a puffer had bid. In future all conditions of sales are to state whether the land is to be sold without reserve, or whether there is a reserved price, or whether the right to bid is reserved. The act is not to extend to Scotland. A very important case has recently been decided by the Chief Justice of the United States. A firm in Pennsylvania broaarht a suit against a firm in North Carolina for a note given by the latter before the war. It appeared that the de- fendants had been compelled to pay the note and interest to the Confederate Government under the sequestration act, -lues and they claimed that that Government whilst it existed being a de facto Government, its acts were valid, and relieved them of the original debt, The Chief Justice decided that the defendants must pay the original debt and the interest. The Globe announces that the visit of,, the Sultan to Western Europe will have one beneficial effect, and probably the one most hoped for in connection with his journey to France and England. The condition of the Christians in his dominions is to be improved, and beyond this it i3 alleged that improvements in the administration of the Empire, and a number of sanitary reforms are to be inaugurated imme- diately upon the Sultan's return to his capital. Triad Mehroed Pasha, who has been with the Sultan in this country, was the author in his youth of some poetry, and publ shed in 18,;2 an Ottoman grammar, which is much appreciated by savants. He early devoted himself to modern languages, history, law, and social economy. In 1810 he became AttachS in the quality of first secretary to the mission of Chekib Effendi in London. In 1843 he was ap- po nted second interpreter of the Porte at Constantinople, and afterwards made director. Subsequently he was charged to compliment the Queen of Spain on the occasion of her co, accession to the throne, and he was a most successful diplo- matist at the Court of Madrid. There is nothing m him," says a biographer, "which at all resembles the ancient Turk. He speaks French admirably." In reference to a telegram which has beer, published, and which states that on the 24th of June the Bombay Govern- ment ha,1 received intelligence of the death of one, if not two, of the captives, it may be stated that a letter from Colonel Merewether has arrived, dated from Aden, on the 21st of June, in which he writes that according to the last accounts from the prÜoners they were all well, lmt anxious about the future." It is most improbable that any later news than this should have reached Bombay, for the com- munications are carried on between Massowah and Aden, and it is not known that there is any channel by vihich news could reach Bombay except through Aden. Whatever maybe the demerits of the Reform Bill, it has the crowning merit of success (remarks The Times ) Lcrd Derby may bemoan the tender mercies of friends, whellLord Carnarvon justifies his defection from the Ministry and pro- tests against being supposed an accomplice in the "organ- ized hypocrisy which believed in Household Suffrage, out opposed a 7t rental qualification or he may chafe when the Duke of Argyll, while supporting the Bill, throws all his power into a denunciation of the Conservative Ministry which has fathered it; but at the end he may congratulate himself that the Bill is safe. At half-past one o'clock on Wednesday morning, after a debate of remarkable power, sus- tained through twohmg nights, Lord Grey's Amenrl ment was negatived withotvta Division, and the Bill was read a Second Time. Lord Grey would not withdraw his amendment, bur,, disappointed by Lord Russell of the support he had expected, he did not divide the House. The result which was from the first inevj¡able, compensated the Ministry for some inci- dents of the debate. In the Life of Lord George Beniinck, wh^ch Mr. Disraeli published when reconstructing the Con- servative Parly, he pictured the distress of Sir Robert Peel at seiJlg the county members he loved troop into the lobby to punish him by an adverse vote on an Irish Coercion Bill. Lord Derby must have felt a similar pang when two such men as Lord Shaftesbury and Lord Harrowhy-whose names are towers of strength, and whose Conservatism has ever been tempered by the liveliest sympathy with the people, and an active zeal for the improvement of their condition-were foremost to denounce the measure he had submitted to the House of Lords In the House of Commons, the other evening a most, amus- ing- scene took place upon the second reding "of the Scottish Reform Bill. M". Disraeli made the motion without com- ment, being willing, doubt12ss, to give place to the Scotch memhers, to whom, it was supposed, the gre ater pare of the evening would be given up. But it happened that there were very few Scotch members in the House at the time, and these were not among those who are accust, med to take the initiative in public business. The consequence was that no- body aid a word, and the second reading was pasted in silence It was only when the Speaker had said that the ayes had it," and was passing to the next order that lion, members appreciated the humour of the position, which they acknowledged by a burst of laughter and jocular cheering. That influential French paper, the Debate, published a long article in its columns on Monday, to prove—what no one ever doubted—that the various European Governments did all in their power to save Maximilian's life. That their efforts failed was no fault of theirs, nor, indeed, according to the Debats, was it that of Juarez. The Debats also say that the Mexican President had no choice in the iiizittet- "that his authority over h's subordinate generals was and is of the slightest, and that his efforts to preserve Maximi- lian's life would not only have proved ineffectual, but jeo- pardised his own. According to the Morning Star a very dangerous symptom has appeared in one of the Berlin olllcial papers. It has taken to combating the reports that the relations between France and Prllssia are not of a friendly character. The Berlin paper says that it has noticed a great change in the tone of French discussion of German affairs, and that every- thing betokens a good understanding between the Pow ers. Ntnv this is a sort of assurance which always seems to indi- cate danger when it is made by a Berlin paper. There ;s no stronger indication of the correctness of warlike rumours than that they should be contradicted by a semi-official 'oresgn paper.—In another edition the Morning Star again returns to the charge, and sayg:—" The tone of the French press grows more and more threatening. Some of the semi- official papers deny that any notes of an offensive character nave been addressed by the Marquis de Moustier to the russiaii Government; but the denial is not believed. It is stated that Prussia feels convinced that war must- soon e >• lie, and that the sooner it breaks out the better it will, be tor her. Meantime all politicians are discussing probable alliances. Ever) thmg, in îact, betokens war." The French Imperial steam yacht Reins Borteme, with her jVIfl'.fcstj tiic .limpr^ss of tlio liYcncli ou bocir-'i ar- rived off Poicso outh eaily on Monday uiorninrr from Havre after a pleasant passage of eight hours, and anchored until afternoon m the vicinity of the Spit Buoy A p*i'*y of ladies and gentlemen from the yacht, including it was sup- posed the Fan press, landed at Southsea in the morning and scent some time on the Esplanade and Common and oa'*fook o: luncheon at the Pier Hotel. Shortly before 2 the Heine Horterm again weighed her anchor, and steamed slowly past the fleet at Sptthead for Osborne, where the Empress arrived on a visit to her Majesty the Queen soon attei- p.m. As the Empress travelled incognita the yacht hoisted no standard. The Executive Committee of the Reform League, heinO" desirous of taking full advantage of the enfranchisement conferred by the Reform Bill, have resolved to uee the organisation of the League, now consisting of 430 branches throughout the country, for registration purposes, and to secure the return to Parliament at the next general election or members pledged to advance Liberal principles.. With. this view a circular has been addressed by the committee to the 430 branches, urging upon the members to aid each other in getting on the register; to form election committees for the purpose of securing candidates pledged to advanced Liberal principles, and re turning them at the least possible cost at the next election; and impressing upon all Reformers, and especially working incit, the necessity of sending to Parlia- ment, such men as will properly represent their claims from their own point of view. Forms of application for claimants to lie placed on the register have been extensively circulated by the League throughout the country. The Government Vaccination Bill, having been, by consent of the Duke of Marlborough, referred to a Select Committee, much curiosity has been excited as to the cause of thedeiav with what many persons suppose a heneficial measure. It appears, however, that in medical circles grave doubts exist as to the efficacy of vaccination, and the idea that a Royal CnmmiFdon should be issued to enquire into all the facts relating to the practice, as was prayed for by the Auti Cow., -V pulsory Vaccination League a few months ago, is gaining ground in influential quarters. The question has since been further complicated by the declaration of Lord Robert Montagu, in Parliament, that the use of pre- served lymph has been the cause of much disease. It also appears that the invitation to send in essays on the subject, with the offer of a premium of lOOl. for the best has been largely responded to, the donor of the prize being a lady of title. A supplement to4 the London Gazette of Tuesday, July 23, contains an Order in Council, dated the 23rd inst., directing thtt all cattle brought by sea from any place out of the United Kingdom except the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, and landed at any place in Great Britain, shall, within twelve hours of such landing, in addition to being marked as before directed, be branded by the owner.or person landing the same in such manner as the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Customs shall from time to time direct.

HORRIBLE MURDER at WOOLVER-I ON, On Sunday morning, between five and six o'clock, a messenger reached the Frome police-station to ask for assistance to put out a fire in the village of Woolver- ton, five miles distant on the Bath road. Superin- tendant Deggan and some members of the Volunteer Fire Brigade started as quickly as possible, and before reaching Woolverton they were informed that the engines were not required, as the fire had been got under. Superintendant Deggan, however, proceeded, and found that a most horrible tragedy had taken place, under the following circumstances ;— The premises on which the fire had broken out were a malthouse occupied by Ml. Moger. It was a thatched build- ing, and adjoined at right angles the dwelling-house of Mr. Britten, who owned the property. The door of the malthouse was only about five yards from the door of the dwelling- house, and was in fact within the front garden. Mr. Britten went to live in this house about three months ago, his family consisting of his wife and one son nine years of age. They kept no servant, although they were persons of independent means, and Mrs. Britten's industrious habits were well known to the neighbours. Mrs. Britten was last seen alive on Thursday. On Friday the husband said she had gone from home. On Saturday her body was found frightfully burnt in Mr. Moger's malthouse. These are the main facts. To fully understand the fearful nature of the case some explanation is needed. The door of the malthouse opens oil what is called the" couch," or the place where the barley is spread after being wetted. Near to this is the kiln, and in a corner by the kiln was a quantity of coke, but no fire had been lit since May. on Friday after- noon Mr. Moger and Mr. D'Arcy, an excise officer, visited the malthouse, and all was then right, and it was specially noticed that a long board used when malting was being done lay by the side of the èoueh" wall. On Saturday morning between four and five o'clock, a young man named Rogers was going to his work when he noticed smoke issuing from the malthouse, and knowing that no fire should be there, he called his father, and all alarm was at once raised Amongst the first to offer assistance was Mr, Britten, and he insisted that the attempt to extinguish the fire should be made from the side furthest from his house. and therefore furthest from the malthouse door. Mr. Hold way, a farmer, however, broke open the door, and saw at a glance that the fire was in the "couch." A few buckets of water were sufficient to put out the flames, and when entrance was obtained, the dead body of a female was found lying oil a long- board on the All her clothes had been biii-iied-her limbs were charred-scnrce anything of humanity remained except the hair, which was bilt slightly burnt. Two prominent front teeth were also noticeable. The question was raised as to who the poor woman could be. Some one suggested that she was a tramp, it being known that the malthouse was formerly sometimes frequented by tramps. Mr. Hold way and others, however, discovered some resemblance to Mrs. Britten, who had the peculiarity of possessing two rather prominent front teeth. -Air. Britten asserted that it was not the body of his wife. When Superin- tendent Deggan arrived he made a strict examination of the piace. Underneath the body were found remnants of a fall," and of a bonnet, a pair of cotton and a paj¡ of flannel stockings partially bnrnt,. and also a man's trousers. There were embers of faggots, of which there were none on the premises, and of coke, of which at four o'clock none was within several yards of the couch. Besides, the long board, which in the afternoon lay at the side of the couch, was now over it, and the body laid upon it. Then came an examination of the body, and it was found that there were two or more wounds on the head. Superintendent Deggan, to whom rr. Hoklway had communicated his suspicions, immediately commenced an active investigation. On ex- amining the body, which was dreadfully mutilated, and portions of it burned, the superintendent soon suspected that the female was the wife of Britten. Accordingly he challenged Mr. Britten (the accused) as to whether he knew the body, and told him plainly that lie believed it was his (the accused's) wife. Prisoner replied that she was gone to visit her friends at West Pennard, near Sheptoti Mallet, and that he last saw her on Thursday morning at five o'clock. She got up, he said, in the morning, and went into another room to wash herself. On being asked if she took away any- thing with her, be replied that she ttiok a bundle with her. The superintendent again asketl him if the deceased was not his wife, and the accused replied that he could not re- cognise her. The officer then raised her bead, and the pri- soner said, "0 dear, dear t think it isand on the road to Frome in custody of the Superintendent, lie changed his tale, and admitted that it was his wife. The son of the accused, who is about eight years of age, states that he saw his mother last on Thursday night, between eight and nine o'clock. Hetllen heard her fall down on the stairs, and cry 'Oh! oh!" The father afterwards told him, "If your mother is not heard of to-morrow morning (Ioii t be alarmed she is gone to West Pennard." On being charged with the murder, prisoner said •' It's a bad job." The superintendent, with an immense amount of tact, sue ceeded in getting the prisoner into his trap, and took him at once to the police-station at Frome. We should state that the hair of the deceased is left intacc, and that, with the fact of one side of the face having been left untouched by the fire led to the recognition of the unfortunate woman, who is said to have been a very lady-like person, and whose photograph, in the possession of the superintendent, proves this to be the fclct. The accused, who is stated to be a most determined man, has been watched by two men. Britten has only been at Woolverton for the short period of three months. He had previously resided at Ditcheat and fonckton Combe, near Bath, and was formerly a farmer, and enjoyed the respect and confidence of his neighbours. The deceased was his second wife. She was about 40 years of age, and he is about 50. He and his wife were regarded by the neigh- bours almost as a model couple. He was sober and dernesticated, while the wife was a pattern of industry and neatness. It need scarcely be a-lded that the dreadful event has occasioned a painful sensation in the neighbourhood, and it shoul d be stated that Woolverton is in the imme- diate vicinity of the world-famous Road, Wol- verton-cum-Road" being, in fact, the ecclesiastical designation. TI-I E INQUEST. The inquest on the body of the unfortunate woman was held on Monday by Dr. VVybrants, coroner for East Somerset, at the Red Lion Inn, Woolverton, before a jury, of which the Hev. C. F. Baker was foreman. The room was cowded. Mr. Messiter, solicitor, of Frome, watched the proceedings on behalf of the family of' the prisoner, who was present. The prisoner is a somewhat aged man, gray-haired, and dressed in a suit of black, and appeared to feel his position. Mr. Valentine Glood, chief constable of Somerset, was present, and Mr. Superintendent Deggan, of Frome, in whose custody the prisoner was. As the prisoner has confessed the crime, it is unne- cessary to do more than give his own statement. Superintendent Deggan said the prisoner, when taken into custody, said" It's a bad job." He pro- duced the statement written by theprisoilcron Sunday morning. It was directed to Mr. Woolly, his brotlicr- in-law, and was as follows ;— Mr. Woolly,-I do to you uhat I could not do to any one else. With shame and true abhorrence and npentanee of the deed J have done, I ■ovfe-ss it tons I that foully murdered my poor wife. It was done in the heat of passion and in a Jit of jealousy, and arose thus. I saw what I shall keep to myself -told her of Ü-she treated it lightly, which enraged me. I caught hold of the first thing that came to hand, struck her with it three or four times. Oh, how I wish I had been blind or God had struck me d ad before I did so. Oh, what power the devil must have oner mlJ. It seemed as though I had almost a hundred devils in me, and, I believe, had twenty people been there, I should, had they interfered, sensed them in a similar manner; but after it was done, and I reflected a little time, oh, how 1; devested and deplored the act-aiewed it ivith abhorrence, and oi,, what I would have gave to bring her to life agcÚn. 1 fully intended then to have destroyed myself, but was pi-evented by tavo thoughts—first, that, alone in the house, the child would come down and first find us, and no doubt would lose his reason, or something as bad. Second, that probably God may foiy)ive murder even, but not self- murder. Then I thought of at once giving myself up, but then the devil or my own evil heart tempted and inducecl me to try and hide my act from the world, which I did imme- diately by carrying her poor body over the wall by the pear tree into the malthouse, and finished the next night. 1 chose that place for j'eI1S0)1,.< Moger a-nd her friends will understand. The reason I would not take your hand was, I could not put the hand, (!f a'murderer into that of my sister's husband. Once yousaid fanything happened to rne, youwotild take care of the boy. Will you do so now l There is a draft on the old Bristol Bank for 3501, in my trunk. Do so for not mine but his sake, and I hope, poor fellow, he may reward you. 011., what I have brought on myself and friends, and first begun and ended by false friends, which 'has been my bane through hfe. Oh, how I pity and feel for poor Elizabelh-you-your family—my boy—Charles and Joseph. Asfor myself, now I feel my doom is fixed, and that since the last tragedy 1 deserve it, but not before. I have no wish to live. May God receive my wife's soul ill His abode above, ctnd may Me forgive me and receive mine at last al80. As for man, I do not ask, nor expect, to receive forgiveness. Do let me again beg you and poor Elizabeth, to take the poor boy into your care, and may God bless you all and Mm—(Signed) Geokge Britten. WÛ"kssea, Edward DJ9{jtln, Superintendent of Police, 1 hornets If egtsonwe, p>oUce-constaMe, Js o. 194. Dated at I'rome, this 21st d4¡¡ of July, 1867, Four P'clock p m. He shook very much and said, I could write more, but I can't." He then voluntarily made this statement to me I killed her on Thursday night. I put her body in two sacks. I tied a rope round her neêk. I dragged her bodytip the laddei- by the pear tree, threw it over the tiles, dragged, it over the plank which was over the cistern, and then set fire to the place. Olt. God forgive me, I loved her, I struck her with a piece of lead down stairs. That is the whole of the statement. He seemed to be in a low depressed state. He made no reference as to the time nor where the body remained from the Thursday till the Saturday. The coroner cautioned the prisoner in the usual manner, and he replied, "1 don't wish to say any- thing." The coroner then summed up and the jury in a few minutes returned a verdict of Wilful, murder" against the prisoner (Jeorge Britten, who was formally com- mitted for trial at the next Somerset assizes. 1!1\SIR1B.1!: ":I. -a

A YOUNG WOMAN DROWNED IN THE PRESENCE OF MANY SPECTATORS. The Dundee Advertiser givee the following account of a very sad case of drowning which has taken place at the Stannergate. It appears that between twelve and one o'clock two young women, named Helen Hen- derson and Sarah Salmond, residing in the Overgate, went to Stannergate for the purpose of bathing. The girl Salmond. after partially undressing, went into the water, her companion remaining on shore. Opposite the place where the accident happened there is a small provision shop, kepteby Mrs. Miller, who furnished the following account of the event. We give it in her own words :— The girls came to my shop before bathing and got a bottle of ale. said she thought she could drink three, she was so thirsty. About twelve o'clc ck she took off her clothes and went into the water. She dived two or three times and amused herself. She had been some time in the water be- fore I paid any particular attention. I looked on for a little. [ saw her go over the head, and when she came up she staggered. I thought something was the matter. She struggled wi'h her hands and rolled over and over. She cried out, Oh, Nelly, come and help me," and then three times said, "God bless me." The girl IIendernn never minded, and I then heard a loud gurgle in her throat. I ran down to the water, thinking I would reach her, but I found I could not do so. When I salv this I went for a rope, and stripped a little boy, meaning Inm to go to the assistance of the g'rl. He was, however, afraid, and would not go in. I think he was airaid of the way in which she was rolling and tumbling. The girl who was with Salmond was just looking on. I threw the rope out, and cried to her to take hold of it, but I believe she could not hear me by this time. This was about half-psst twelve o'clock. One man was standing by, but he would not go in, and another man who came from the east said he could once swim. but would not venture now. All this time ihe (urlwas struggling. Nobody would venture; and you would have thought, the half of Dundee was down here. Most of them were boys from twelve to fourteen, but there were a lot, of men, and if I asked one I asked a dozen. Of course I did not know the lassie, but I was sorry that she should be drowned b,.fore our, yes. She then floated away with the tide, with her face upwards, but never sank. At this time a person came past. He said he would go to the Stannergate and tell the salmon-fishers. Of course this would takc, him about half-an-hour. The body was still floating, but there was nothing to show life. Two fishermen came up with a boat and took hold of the body, dragging it ashore by the arm. A b v stripped and helped the girl out. I got a sheet and rolled her into it, and she was laid at the back of my house on a mattress. By this time she had been in the water more than three-quarters of an hour, so that nothing could be done for her, as she was quite dead.

THE BRITISH LION TO THE BELGIAN. Here's a God-speed to the Lion that, in troublous times of yore, In Brabant and old Flanders stood to guard his native shore: Springing, at ring of Roland,* to wa'ch-tower and to wall, 'Gainst Spaniard, aud Hollander, 'gainst Austrian aud Gaul. "For defence an l not defiance" the Flemish tocsin rung "For defence and not defiance" were Flemish crossbows strung "For defence and not defiance her strength now Belgium bauds; "For defence and not defiance," Britain's sons with hers clasp hands. Her cause of old was ours, the cause of free speech and free thought The triumph of her cause, like ours, with civic blood was bought. Both guardians of homes and hearths, of liberties and law, Behoved the British Lion grasp the Belgian Lioll's paw. The welcome that you gave us we have given back to you. In spite of all red-tape, routine, or blundering might do Though aboard of the Serapis beds and breakfasts miglit be spare. Though Guildhall tables, for the nonce, groaned under meagre fire- Though his mains St. Swithin opened, and emptied all his hose, And thing his wettest blanket on all our sports and shows Though no Queen bade you welcome when you feasted in her Court Though medallions and luncheons at Wimbledon fell short- Though the wind put out the fireworks and the fountains ¡ blew awry, And forbade your rifle-bullets to get home on the bull's-eye. Still, there was warmth of welcome, that kindled warmth again, And laughed to scorn shortcomings, short commons, wind, and rain. Yes, 'twas warm, if clumsy, welcome that England proffered you, Stout hearted civic soldiers, Flemish brethren, trained and true; A kindred blood, a common cause, and kindness to requite, j It was for these we gave, and you accepted the invite -Punch. The old tocsin-bell at Bruges.

ENGLISH ENGINE-DRIVERS IN EGYPT. The following letter has been sent to The Times by Mr. Moberly Bell, under date Alexandria, July 12 While the Viceroy has been entertained in England we have had a somewhat serious complication with his Government here which may be of interest to your readers. Among the engine-drivers on the Alexandria, Cairo, and Suez line of railway a very large proportion are Englishmen. These men, who took service under the Egyptian Government, deceived by the promise of wages higher than those in England, not taking into calculation the more than proportionate expenditure, have found that not only are these wages small, but that they are seldom, if ever, paid, while the other conditions of their contract are deliberately neglected. Dissatisfied with this state of things, they were sud- denly, without any pretext whatever, dismissed from their posts, their salaries in arrear and yay for extra work plainly refused. They applied to their consulate, but British interests in Egypt are a byeword, and the importunities of our consul met with either con- temptuous silence or determined refusal. An examination was at last agreed to. The Com- missioners, including our consul at Cairo, Mr. Reade, Bett Bey, and Mr. Phillips, of the_ railway, and others, were in favour of the engine-drivers another appeal was made to the Government, and met with the same result. Now, as a last resource, Mr. Reade, as acting consul-general, has deducted from the annual subsidy the amount due the check for the balance has been offered to Cherif Pasha, who, however, refuses it, and has entered a formal protest.

THE COMING HARVESI. A correspondent, signing himself "Baud-w>n.' writing from the Conservative Club, in London, makes lowing remarks to The Times:— The letter in The Times of to day on the subjee of the scarcity of labour to reap the corn when lipe. and the great loss thereby incurred by what faimeis call a shake-wind," one of which a friend of mine, who farmed very extensively in Northumberland, told lixe co-it him at least 1,2001. in twenty-four houts, induces me to mention to you that the crops in Northumber- land^ and Durham, and generally in the in>ith of England, and in many parts of Scotland, are reaped entirely by women, except when Irish harvest labourers are pnxmrable as assistants, and where the use of a reaping-machine has been adopted. are six women with one man to bind, and that set is called a band-won." and six or seven of these sets ate often at work in the same field, and the corn is rapidly cut aud bound, and set up in stooks behind them. It has been alleged that reaping, or ."shearing' as it calied m the North, is a kind of labour dclriuicntal to women from the amount of stooping requited but that objectiou can hardly be considered to have much weight when we see the fine, healthy women at harvest work in the fields, and the numerous and healthy pro- geny playing about the doors of their cottages — families of ten, twelve, and fifteen being by n< iiuean3 uncommon among the agricultural labourers in Nor- thumberland. The women in these districts look forward with great pleasure to the approach of harvest, for tlle wages they earn during its continuance enablo tlioiu to procure some warm clothing for themselves and their families for the ensuing winter and though the work i bard, yet the women enjoy the unlimited gussiP which they indulge in all the time. In these (bYs, when it is so much and so generally desired to proiaote the interests of women, and of the labouring ilai#eS in particular, 1 cannot help thinking one of the largest fields for their improvement is the "halves* field." A srreat many years ago, in the infancy o roapmS machines, I was offered one of the best of that lay by its owner at half-price, for he said, "I cannot aifor" to grow crops fit for this machine to cut itu-a>uug that his crops were too heavy for the machine to operate successfully on.

At Messrs. Brierley and SonJs cotton mill, Rochdale, Elliniiiicl Gr ndrod was oiling the shaft in the weaving shed, wiien his slop was caught, and he was hurled round with great veloci'y, and, coaling in contact with the wall and the T'oof attach evolution, several ribs on his right side were broken, and his feet were almost battered to pieces. B* died while being removed home. A NARROW ESCArE.We are told that at the close of Disraeli's speech on the third reading of THE Reform Bill, Some of the strangers present, carried away by the enthusiasm of the moment, shared in the applause by clapping their hands." They may con- sider themselves lucky that they were not carrie" away by the Sergeant-at- Arms.—Punch. THE FLIGHT into Egypt.—Ismail Pacini, ac- cording to the Egypte, as soon as he arrived in Paris, made a gift to the Empress of the tree and the ground surrounding it under which, as tradition says, the rested during the flight into Egypt. Every one in that country knows the Virgin's tree. His Highness had enclosed in a small coffer a portion of the earth in which it is planted, a piece of the bark, and the hodget, or title to the property, which were presented to her Majesty. Organic News.—There is to be a new paper started in Rome. It is to be the Organ of the Italian party. The Roman Editor would have done us a signal service by taking back to their own nativ0 country several Italian parties with their organs, now in England, instead of starting a new one. Of course the new paper, which might be called the street- organ, is denounced by the Civilta Cattolica, the Church Organ. Punch. Poor Woman !-A poor woman, it seems, may have as keen a sense of 1 o iour as the most chivalrous gentleman who ever stood up, pistol in hand, at twelve paces (remarks the Daily Telegraph.) Mary AnIe Heath, a woman of forty-five, the mother of six children, was employed at a collar manufactory In London, where she earned fifteen shillings a week. She was discharged from her employment on account of some deficiency as a workwoman; and in a state of great excitement, she found that she had taken by mistake a bundle of her master's work instead of .her own children's clothing. At once it flashed across her mind that the occurrence would be imputed to dishonesty, and she. became Very miserable. Her husband told her to take the things back at once greatly agitated, she started to do so, but could only nerve herself to leave the bundle at a public-house directed to her master. That same night, at nine o'clock, she jumped over the parapet at London Briclge; and, though she was promptly rescued by a boat, she could only say, Oh, don't expose me I am Mrs-1 Heath, of 1, Boundary-row, Blackfriars." Imme- diately afterwards she died- a homely victim to the point of honour, if ever there was one in this world. A IN arrow-mindktj Calculation.—One of the French papers calculates the income of a Marshal of Iranee who is also a Minister. As a'Marshal he FN oaa AS A LISTER 1.00,000F., as a senator 30,0001. as a grand officer of the Crown 48,000f., a8 OO'^OEO. oss of the Legion of Honour 3,OOOf. total, per annum.—On this a correspondent remarks:— The calculation is made probably in a grudging and ungenerous spirit. I cannot help remarking that this is not only ungenerous but unjust A great general who under- stating his business, and who has woit a great vietory for Ilio country, is fully entitled to a mundieent reward. Even in » narrow, economical, pennywise Manchester School point of view, the reward is not exaggerated 8,0001. a year is but the interest of 160,0002. at 5 per cent. And wilfany one deny, for instance, that Marshal M'Mahnn did not save his country far more than 160.000Z. by saving the French army at Magenta ? British Peach: Insurance.—With, reference to the late Naval Review at Spithead, a contemporary quotes from one of Lord Palmerston's speeches the saving that "There is no better or more necessary security which this country can have for the con- tinuance of peace, than to put its na,vy on a footing1 with that of any other country." Pe; haps these words of our late, if not our last, statesman were inaccura- tely reported. He might have said more. It is not too much to say that, to insure the continuance of peaee, the British Navy ought to be put on a footing superior to that of the Navies of all other countriesp^ together.—Punch. A Prophecy J uxftltjEd !—AN Italian corres- pondent sends to the Phare de la Loire a copy of verses which was found posted on Pasquiuo's of THE un orbunate Maximilian's visit ttt 3Jotf>E* ou his way to Mexico, in 1831 Massimiiiano-non ti fidare Torna s"Uecito-a Vliramsire 11 trono fradicio-dei Montezuma E nappo Franeese—culmo di sjikeTi II timeo Danaos—chi non RECOID-A Botto la elamidc—trova la ÜOJ'<)- a." A nglicè Maximilian, beware; hurry back to Mir-.mar. The rotten throne of thfi Montezun as is a Fi-en,:Ii (,oble lftlletl with froth. He who forget's tw Himo Dmms beneath tM purple vrill fiwl th0. ^Ivor," —