The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

THE LAND OF THE SNOB. Illustrious Visitor hail! Right welcome to Albion's shore Wherever you go, through the streets or by rail, Bystanders will holloa and roar. Be prepared with your eyes and your ears, Eor the stare and the shouts of the mob, Their aloft flourished hats, and demonstrative cheers; For Old England's the Lard of the Snob, of the Snob '7 Old England's the Land of the Snob. The people of England are free, And Heaven for equality thank: But none have such wild adoration as we For folks of superior rank. On the toes of each other we tread, With delight, at the heels of a nob." And in herds we await and pursue a crowned head; For Old England's the Land of the Snob, of the Snob: Old England's the Land of the Snob. To put on sweet Majesty's hat r Would joy to a Briton impart. The cushion to press where it sat, With lips, some could find in their heart. There are those, could they do such a thing, On a tempting occasion, as rob, Who a tooth-brush would filch from a king; For Old England's the Land of the Snob, of the Snob Old England's the Laud of the Siiob.-Pttiieh.

A WORKING MAN'S VIEW OF REFORM. The following letters appeared in The Times of Wednesday Sir,—As this is a time when all are anxious to glean the opinion of the working classes on the great question of the day, "Rerorm," I venture to send you a textual copy of a letter I have received this morning from a bond fide work- ing man-a plasterer. It is full of so much deep thought and manifests such an acquaintance with the constitutional history of England that I feel sure you will not hesitate to comply with my request that it may find a place in your columns. I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, July 30. DENBIGH. Gateshead, July 29. Aly Lord,—The basis of representation in the Commons House of Parliament is communities, not persons. "Those commiinities-viz, the corporate towns and shires —are integers of the State, having constitutional functions for the management of their part of the business of the State. "The present position of the House of Commons towards the communities is fundamentally wrong, the members of Parliament having assumed the management of the business of the communities. "They have also encroached on the prerogative of the Crown. They arrogate the right to dictate to the Crown as to the appointment of Ministers. This innovation on the Constitution is fraught with grave danger to the State. It brings upon us the worst vices of democracy by open- ing the gates of ambition and converting the House into an arena of faction, and the interests of the empire are sunk in the exigencies of parties. "This ambition produces corruption downwards, and in- terested demagogues mislead the people by preaching organic changes for the advancement of their aims. "Not the least dangerous innovation is the assumed power of the Commons to dictate to the Lords. "The House of Lords, being removed from the surging passions of the people, it ought, to be the balancing power in the Constitution to keep in check this element, which all history proves to be the most dangerous when uncontrolled. The present practice has set aside the Standing Council of the Crown (the Privy Council). "The Constitution requires that nothing be done save through and by the advice of that Council. The Cabinet Council is unknown to the Constitution. "It has usurped the place of the Privy Council. Formerly the Secretaries of State, of which there was but one up to the time of Queen Elizabeth, had no seat in this Council. Up to the time of George II. there were but two principal Secre; taries of State, who were then allowed to sit in the Council. "There is safety to be found in the existence and consti- tutional practice of the Privy Council, which is not to be found in the Cabinet.' n the Privy Council every member was individually responsible for the advice given to the Sovereign, and was required to place his name to every judgment recorded, and nothing could be done by the Executive but in accordance with its instructions. "Thepractice of the Cabinet is to dispense with delibera- tion in Council before acting. The heads of departments are allowed to act uncontrolled in the gravest matters of State. Viewing the evils which have arisen from the departure from the Constitutional laws of the land, we do not seek a remedy in nostrums of Reform," but in the restoration of a sense of law in the minds of our fellow-citizens. "These, my lord, are some of the views which I and many other working men hold in opposition to those who seek to effect speculative innovations under the guise of Reform. I have the honour to be, &c., —

EXTRAORDINARY VOYAGE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC. The American life raft Nonpareil, 43 days from New York, arrived at Southampton between five and six o'clock on Thursday evening in last week, and was moored off the dock shore. This daring adventure has been conducted by John. Mikes, captain, and a crew of two, named George Miller, and Jerry Mallene. She is only 24 feet long and 12ft. broad. The raft, 2 which has two masts, consists of three cylinders, pointed at each end, united together by canvass con- nections, having no real deck, and is strengthened by boards slipped under strong iron neckpieces, the whole kept together by lashing. A waterproof cloth, hung over a boom, closed at each end, somewhat resembling a gipsy tent, affords sleeping accommodation, two at a time, and the third keeping watch. This is fixed on a strong locker, in which the provisions are kept. The raft lay-to seven times from the stress of weather, and the last vessel spoken of was the John Chapman, a week since, from which they were given a fowl, which is still alive and well. They have arrived with 30 gallons of water to spare. The captain was poorly two days during the passage, otherwise all have been in perfect health, and the men are in good spirits, their countenances looking healthy and bronzed by the weather. They had no chronometer on board, and sailed by dead reckoning, and corrected their position by vessels they spoke. There is a smaller raft on deck for use as a boat. The raft has kept per- fectly water-tight all the way, not a leak of any sort having occurred. She is fitted with an apparatus for filling the tubes with air.

A FRENCH VIEW of the SHEFFIELD OUTRAGES. The Revue des Deux Monies publishes an article on the reform movement in England, in the course of which the writer refers to the Sheffield outrages in these terms The list of these crimes is too hideous for us to at- tempt to produce it. What we must not omit is that the guilty were generally pretty well known, and no one dared denounce them to justice that the secre- taries of other unions bore their share in the expense of these expeditions that, finally, these murderers and incendiaries have declared that not only had they no motive for animosity against their victims, but that often they did not even know them. What is, above all, noticeable in these little jobs is the indifference with which the workmen have always acted, and the entire absence of that sort of shame which is rarely wanting, even in the vilest of mankind. Where morality and religion had ceased to influence the conscience it might be supposed that the fear of the law would yet have been a sufficient check. Not a bit of it. The Sheffield workmen seem to fear the vengeance of the chiefs of the unions alone, and obey their secretaries' as implicitly as the fanatics of Syria 800 years ago obeyed the Old Man of the Mountain. Only that the assassins of those days were animated by the hope of going to that paradise of whose delight they were granted a foretaste, while it is for a few shillings and for a settled price that murder is done in Sheffield. In reading the reports of the sittings of this commission we involuntarily call to mind the celebrated inquiry which was made at Rome in the time of Alexander VI., of which Burkhardt has preserved us a few particulars, when the Duke of Valentinois jealous, as it is said, of the preference which his sister, Lucrezia Borgia, manifested for his brother, the Duke of Candia, had caused him to be assassinated and thrown into the Tiber. A boatman had seen the wholeaffair; and when he was asked why he had not given his evidence sooner, he declared that, ashehad witnessed n t fie course of his life many similar adventures to which no one had paid any attention, he had not thought that this last could produce more impression than the others. This naive answer gives an idea of the intimidation which used to prevail in Home, and which has prevailed but recently in England. It explains the indifference with which these crimes insti- gated by the heads of the unions, were regarded in Sheffield, even by people who had no interest in the matter and held a respectable social position. Such moral views recall the most infamous times of Italy in the fifteenth century, coupled with the scenes of brigandage enacted in London itself by hordes of robbers and thieves who, under the pretence of accom- panying volunteer regiments, stripped at mid-day those whom they encountered on their route, they are well calculated to teach modesty to nations who are proudest of their power.

_i" FIVE POUNDS DAMAGES. At the Lancashire assizes, the cause of Croft v. Har- greavea." has been tried, and was an action for breach of promise of marriage. The plaintiff, it appeared, is a young woman living with her aunt at the Millstone Inn, Over Darwen, and the defendant keeps a small druggist's shop at Over Darwen. It was alleged for the plaintiff that the de- fendant used to frequent the Millstone publichouse and pay great attention to Miss Croft, who waited as barmaid on the customers. The aunt was called, and proved that the defendant had asked her if he might have Jane Ann" (the plaintiff). She said she could not spare her. He afterwards asked her the same question again, and the aunt said if his intentions were good she had no objection. He then courted the plaintiff for some time, but in March last he married another young lady, Miss Taylor. The defence was that he had paid the plaintiff no more attention than several other young men had done, particularly one Proctor, who got killed by a fall from his horse, and for whom the plaintiff and her aunt went into mourning, and one Phillips, a com- mercial traveller, both of whom had frequently been seen alone with the plaintiff, and paying her great attention. Much amusement was caused in court by the aunt stating in cross-examination that Proctor's attentions were all paid to her, and not to her niece, the plaintiff. The Attorney-General having summed up, Mr. Temple replied, and his Lordship having summed up the case, the jury retired, and after being locked up for some time, found a verdict for the plaintiff-- damages, 51.

BORDERING ON THE INCREDIBLE. If we are to believe a writer in the Revue des Deux Mondes, the art of picking pockets has been carried by the thieves of Paris to a perfection which must excite the envy of the rascality of London. We are told that the thief, of course well dressed, enters the omnibus armed with a very small morsel of lead attached to a very fine thread of black silk. The ex- tremity of this thread he holds between his forefinger and thumb, and as soon as his nearest neighbour takes out his or her portmonnaie for the.purpose of paying the fare—which is paid in Paris on entering an omiiibiis-tlie thief, his eyes of course apparently fixed in contemplation on some far-off object, dex- terously launches the bit of lead into the portmonnaie just as its owner is closing it. The purse is then re- turned to the pocket of the unconscious owner, who never sees the thread by which it is now in the power of the thief. As soon as an opportunity offers, or is provided by the thief himself, who tumbles, apparently clumsily, against his neighbour at the first stoppage of the omnibus, the purse is gently withdrawn from its owner's pocket, and transferred to that of the rogue, who, as soon as possible leaves the conveyance, with a polite salutation to his victim and the rest of the travellers. The feat certainly does seem to border on the incredible. Nevertheless it is vouched for on most respectable authority, and after all is not more won- derful than the feats of Indian jugglers of common skill.

THE SONG OF A TAILOR-NOT ON TRIKE. My life is dull, my lot is low, A tailor-sitting on a board- I urge a hot goose to and fro O'er seams of fustian, seams of cord. I had a dream in early days, Ere cramped about the heart and knees,— The youthful longing for the bays That heroes bring across the seas. But poverty-in scornful mood- Upraised a haggard face and said, Go Take this needle, work for food, Thy fate is spun of wincey thread." When now I wish for great renown, A, ragged regiment" me assails; The ghosts of future jackets frown From out paternal swallow-tails. Sleep brings me dreams of cannon balls, And hostile garments rolled in blood: With morn I wake to troops of snialls- Stained by a peaceful country's mud. Sometimes a thought across me comes, In busy labours of the night,- That I do hear the roll of drums— Loud clarions clam'rous for the fight. Then my swift lance despises rest, Fierce through the ragged breach 1 whirl, This hand hath made a crimson vest, And pinked the doublet of an Earll O'er lifeless limbs I hotly press, O'er soulless bodies-cut and torn- I see the ranked battalion's dress, Gods It will be an awful morn. A page ascends the death-heaped stair,— Ho Doth thy Mistress tidings send? What! Tokens from my lady-fair ?" "No Mr. Thompson's coat to mend." Oh heedless, heedless 'prentice boy, The errand you too-quickly ran. One hour-I feel the warrior's joy, The ilext-a fraction of a man Yet, wherefore should I thus regret A blood stained wreath—a shroudless grave Men's hearts are not so narrow yet, But they may think a tailor brave. I have a friend who loves me well, There is a maiden holds me dear; >• Away regret! Renown farewell! I have a worthier consort here.—Punch.

THE TRADE WE ARE DOING, The Board of Trade returns for the past month indicate a steady amount of business. The total declared value of our shipments was 15,490,091?., being an increase of 6 per cent. compared with June, 1806, and of 17 per cent. on June, 1865. The exportation of yarns of all kinds, cotton, linen, arsi woollen, seems to show a ccnsiderable revival in the manu- facturing industry of the Continent. As regards our con- signments of manufactured goods, those of cotton figure for a decrease of 3 per cent. in value, but the quantity shows an increase of 12 per cent., and demonstrates that although the lower price of the staple occasions a reduction in the money total, the extent of profitable employment has been greater. In two of our most important branches of trade—iron manufactures and woollen manufactures, the amount of the shipments has been almost exactly the same as in the corresponding month of last year. The same is the case also in earthenware. Most of the other branches show a decrease. In haberdashery it has been 26 per cent., in hardwares 13 per cent,, in linen manufactures 24 per cent., and in silk goods 62 per cent. In the shipments of machinery there has been an increase of 21 per cent., affording a further proof that there has been some revival of activity in foreign manufactures. With regard to the principal articles of importation it appears that the arrivals of cotton during the month were only 1,293,721 cwts. against 1,677,672 in June, 1866. Of wheat there were 1,944,479 cwts. against 2,166,098, and of flour 304,638 cwts. against 375,700.

QUEEN MARY OF HANOVER.—Notwithstand- ing the precautions which the Prussian authorities had thought necessary to adopt, the departure of Queen Mary of Hanover gave rise to demonstrations from her former subjects. At the station of Alfeld a deputation of young girls threw yellow and white flowers into the Royal carriage. At Goettingen the train was received with shouts of welcome, and was covered with bouquets and wreaths. As far as the frontier her Majesty everywhere met with earnest marks of sympathy. ECCLESIASTICAL.-The Council of Trelit.- Drink Bass's bitter. "-Punch. THE MURDER BY A LUNATIC.-At the Lan- caster Assizes on Monday, Thomas Cardwell, a stone- mason, of Kirkdale, was charged with the wilful murder of Abraham Nuttall, a weaver of Spotland, near Rochdale. The men were patients in the County Lunatic Asylum at Lancaster. It will be remembered that on the 13th of July prisoner struck deceased on the head with a chamber utensil, fracturing his skull, and causing his death in a few days afterwards. When called upon to plead prisoner stood mute, and did not appear to understand what was going on. Medical evidence of the prisoner's insanity, and of his inability to plead, having been given, the jury re- turned a verdict accordingly, and the judge ordered him to be kept in strict custody until her Majesty's pleasure be known.

FEARFUL CATASTROPHE. A shocking accident occurred on Sunday evening in the estuary of the Tyne. A strong north-east sea had been breaking on the coast in consequence of a gale which had prevailed on Saturday morning, and on Sunday afternoon it was rolling in white waves against the south pier. Some seamen had been carousing with girls of the town at North Shields on Saturday night, and they appear to have kept it up over Sunday. On Sunday afternoon Thomas Laird, of Dublin, John Chatton, of Colchester, and Charles Poleman, a Prussian seaman, had taken a boat, along with Jesse Steward, Elizabeth Clark, and Mary Ann Fitzgerald, who with Robert Higgers, alias Bob the Fiddler, and Thomas Wilson, alias Piedish, had rowed down in the sculler boat to the mouth of the Tyne. It is said that they called at South Shields and procured a bottle of whisky, and that the fiddler was drunk. Be that as it may, they took the boat in among the seas in the most reckless manner, and the result was that about four o'clock, as a crowd of people on the South pier were witnessing their mad freaks, the boat was suddenly overlapped by a sea, which filled it, and two others hurled it ever so far in towards the pier. It turned bottom up, and the eight wretched creatures were left struggling in the water. As soon as the cry of alarm was raised on the pier a coble was manned by pilots and pulled to the assistance of the drowning people but, as they had to pull three-quarters of a mile, a good deal of time elapsed before they could reach them. When they got down to the boat they found Wilson a:;d Poleman holding by the boat's bottom, but the others had disappeared with exception of Fitzgerald, who was apparently drowned, but floating on the water. They were got into the coble as speedily as possible and pulled to the pier, and thence they were carried to the house belonging^ the Life Brigade and attended by medical gentlemen. The two men recovered the unfortunate girl waS beyond all human help. b The recklessness of persons who should be well acquainted with the danger in which they place them' selves by venturing into a seaway in rough weather in open boats is marvellous. Other boats were in the same dangerous predicament as this unfortunate craftj and two boats' crews of two lads each, who escaped from among the broken water after the catastrophe," so far from being affected or frightened by what they had witnessed, deliberately pulled off their clothes and rowed a race, naked to their waists, a considerab. distance up Shields harbour.

SHEFFIELD SENTIMENT. The other night a commercial clerk, living in Alma- street, Brightside, Sheffield, beat his litttle boy, 11 years of age, with shocking severity. The child haS caused his father a deal of trouble by his propensity to lying. On the other hand, the child has bêen much repressed at home, and very frequently beaten. His mother is dead, and his father has married again- In consequence of the cruel conduct of the father the neighbours communicated with the police, and the chief-constable sent the child to Dr Young to be ex- amined. The doctor found his shoulders, back, and loins covered with bruises and bleeding wounds, sothat a finger could not be laid on a sound place. In con- sequence of the doctor's report the father has been brought before the magistrates, but the doctor not being present the case was remanded. "I suppose, said one of the magistrates to the father, "that we must send the boy back with you, and I hope you can be trusted not to beat him again before to-morrow. I'll never touch him again," said the father, bursting into tears. Upon this the little boy looked up and began to cry too, and said, taking his father's hand, Don't cry, father I'd sooner go to prison than you should go." Thus weeping, the father and child left the court together. a-

THE HARVEST IN FRANCE. Letters from France inform us that the reaping is over in the southern departments, so far as the wheat is concerned. The quality of the grain is said to be good, but the quantity inferior to what was expected and if the reports received down to the latest date be trusted, it is pretty much the same everywhere. In the central departments the harvest is making pro- gress. It is more or less advanced in the Beauce, La Brie, in the east and west, and the districts round Paris. In the north the farmers are only waiting for the rain to be over to begin reaping. But for the extremely wet weather which has prevailed, with but rare and short, intervals, for the last fortnight, it would have been almost completed by this,' for the vegetation was far advanced, and an un- usually early as well as abundant harvest had been calculated upon. Six or seven weeks ago nothing could be finer than the appearance of the fields, and most people believed that they were quite safe from accident. All this is changed high hopes are baffled; instead of congratulations we now hear only com- plaints on all sides, and the least dissatisfied are those who accept of an average yield—average in regard of quantity. It is impossible as yet to form an accurate estimate of the damage occasioned by the inclement weather. The quality is believed to be good generally, but from all the information that can be obtained the yield will not be even an average one. The conse- quence is that in the Paris markets the price of flour is kept up.

MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF A SOLICITOR AT DERBY. Great consternation was caused in Derby on Mon- day morning in consequence of a rumour that Mr. Francis Johnson Jessopp, solicitor, of that town, and who had apartments at 54, Kegent-street, Litchurch, had died suddenly and in a mysterious manner at a late hour on Sunday evening. The deceased had attended the volunteer review at Derby on Saturday afternoon, after having packed up all the effects of a deceased brother (a lieutenant in the 1st Derby Militia), who died suddenly about two months ago, and which were forwarded by railway to a relative. On Sunday morning the deceased got up and commenced packing up all his effects, after which he wrote fifteen letters the majority of which were addressed to his wife and children (who are some distance from Derby on a visit), and to some relatives and personal friends. He also told his landlady that the vicar of St. Peter's would call for a certain picture, and that another friend would call for a photograph of his (deceased's) son. He ordered nothing for dinner, but about six o'clock on Sunday evening the landlady, who was downstairs, heard him scream out" house." She ran up stairs and found him lying on the top of the landing, with his arms through the banisters. He was raised into a chair, and Mr. Linley, surgeon, sent for, and promptly at- tended. He found deceased sitting in a chair, half- dressed, and supported by a female. He had lost the use of one side, and they lifted him into bed. He died at ten o'clock on Sunday evening. Deceased had been for some time a great opium eater. He had several good appointments, including secretary to the Derby Waterworks Company, solicitor to the St. James's Improvement Company, and clerk to the trustees of several turnpike roads. On his dressing tables were found memoranda of several small sums that he owed, with a request that they should be paid. An inquest was held, and resulted in a verdict of Death from apoplexy."

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. 0. In the House of Lords, on July 2G, on the Itailway Com- panies' Bill being committed, Lord Redes.tale stated that the select committee had struck out all the clauses with respect to the sale of insolvent lines, as to which no arrange- ment could be effected satisfactory to all the parties in- terested. The bill, therefore, now only contained the clauses for effecting arrangements; but if these could not be effected, owing to not obtaining the assent of a sufficient number of the parties, the whole would fall to the ground, and nothing further could be done. Regarding the measure as incom- plete, he should, therefore, move the omission of the arrange- ment clauses, and the insertion of others providing for a mo-re stringent auct it. After some discussion, Lord Cairns moved to insert the words struck out by the select committee, respecting the rights of creditors over the rolling stoiks, and the motion, though opposed by Lord Stanley of Alderley, was agreed to. Eventually the bill was passed throllgh committee. Some bills were advanced a stage, and their Lordships adjourned. In the House of Commons, on the order for going into committee of supply, Mr. Blake called attention to the sub- ject of the dietary in the county prisons of Ireland, which he complained of as insufficient, and less than one-half of that which was allowed to prisoners in England, and moved a resolution embodying an opinion in that sense. After some discussion, and an explanation by Lord Naas, the motion was withdrawn. Sir C. O'Loghlen next proceeded, in a thin House, to call attention to the chronic grievances of Ireland, which, according to the hon. baronet, consist of the state of the land law and the existence of the Established Church. He concluded by asking what were the intentions of the Government for the next Session in reference to the Irish difficulty. Several hon. members having spoken on the subject, the Chancellor of the Exchequer agreed p,«t Parliament was about to disperse at a time when the state of Ireland was most unsatisfactory; but he had not heaid from any of the gentlemen who had addressed the House that they had Attributed the peculiar josition of that country to the conduct of the Government, or, indeed, to their pre- decessors in office. The state of society h: Ireland, which had rendered the suspension of civil rights neces- sary, had arisen from circumstances which were totally irrespective of any system of government. He admitted that the relations between landlords and tenants in Ireland might be improved, and with that view Ministers had early in the Session introduced a measure which was not conceived in a petty spirit, but attempted to deal largely with the question. What was the reception which it met from the party who represented the principle of tenant right ? He did not remember a measure which was received with more captious criticism or greater coldness. Where then was the encouragement to proceed further in dealing with the diffi- culty ? The right hon. gentleman said he was utterly opposed to the destruction of the Irish Church. He denied the assertion that Ireland had not made progress of late years, and he added that, as to the future, her government must be, as it now was, inspired by the principle of justice, and with a feeling of deference to the fair claims of her people. Sir J. Gray, in interpreting Mr. Disraeli's speech as a de- claration that the Government declined to deal next year either with the Church or the land question, expressed his disappointment with their decision, and denied that the Irish Liberals opposed Lord Naas's Land Bills, or had repu- diated their claim for "compensation." Lord C. Hamilton on the contrary, insisted that it was the representatives of the tenant interest who had prevented those Bills passing this year. Mr. Pim, Mr. Monsell, and Mr. O'Beirne followed in a similar strain, dilating on the grievances of Ireland, and predicting that the refusal of the Government to deal with the Church and the land Questions would greatly increase discontent there. An imputation made by Mr. O'Beirne on the sincerity of the Government called up Lord Naas, who asserted emphatically that they had seriously and earnestly desired to pass the two land Bills, and had been prevented pressing them forward by the pre- occupation of all available time by the Reform Bill. On the general question, Lord Naas, while acknowledging that, owing to the peculiar circumstances of the Session, Irish legislation had not been very important, expressed a con- fident hope that it would soon be possible to deal with these vexed questions; and with the patriotic assistance of both sides the University Question would not be found very diffi- cult of settlement. Mr. H. D. Seymour called attention to the condition of the Abyssinian captives, and moved an address praying her Majesty to take steps to recover them, by force of arms if necessary. He discussed at length the various objections to sending an expedition for their rescue, its expense, its risk, and the danger of precipitating the death of the captives, contending that the proper course was to forward an ultimatum demanding their release within a certain time, and to follow it up if unsuccessful by the despatch of an armed force, which he showed could with little difficulty reach the vital point of King Theodore's power. After some discussion, however, the motion was with- drawn. The remaining business was disposed of, and the House adjourned. In the House of Lords, on July 29, the Earl of Malmesbury, in the absence of the Earl of Derby by Jeason of illness, having moved to go into committee on the Reform Bill, Lord Halifax proposed the resolution of which he had given notice, to the effect that the scheme of redistribution of seats was inadequate, and that it was expedient to provide the means of giving more representatives to large and im- portant constituencies than were allotted by the bill. In making this proposal the noble lord avowed that he had no alternative pian of his own to offer as a substitute for that of the Government, being desirous not to lay himself open to the charge of needlessly interfering with the duty of the executive, and, moreover, that the matter should not be treated as a party question. The measure of Reform, so far as the franchise was concerned, was more extensive than any yet introduced by a Government, and his experience of the working classes gave him perfect confidence that they would neither abuse nor un- worthily discharge the privileges thus conferred upon them. He could have wished therefore that the redistribution part of the bill had been conceived in the same spirit; but, un- fortunately, it was full of inequalities and anomalies, and he contended that in order to effect a settlement that would be durable some of the small decayed boroughs should be abolished altogether, and their seats transferred to whatever places were more worthy of, and more entitled to them, and which were not now represented. In concluding, Lord Halifax impressed upon their lordships the polkyof avail- ing themselves of the opportunity now presented for making the redistribution part o the measure coincident with the scope of the enlarged franchise, and thus place the settle- ment of the question on a more permanent basis. The Earl of Malmesbury said that it was hardly becoming and decorous on the part of their Lordships at this the eleventh hour, to interfere with a scheme which was the result of so much time, labour, and thought, and so pecu- liarly the province of the Commons to deal with. As to the resolution now proposed, it was only an abstract one, but when reduced to detail it would really amount to another Reform Bill, and its adoption would be tantamount to a defeat of the measure for the present year and to throwing the question again into chaos and confusion. On all the points raised by the mover of the resolution the decision of the House of Commons had been recorded by large ma- jorities, and the third reading was agreed to unanimously and without opposition even from Mr. Gladstone. He earnestly entreated their Lordships, then, not to interfere with the bill in the manner proposed by the amendment. After a long debate a division took place, and the amend- ment was rejected, the numbers being for the amendment 50, against it 100. The House then went into committee on the bill. The Earl of Romney moved an amendment to clause 4, requirina that lodgings shall have been occupied from the 31st day^ of March instead of the last day of July, but the amendment was negatived without a division. Lord Cairns moved to add to the definition of lodgings the words" or being one and the same set of chambers and rooms not separately rated," and after a short discussion the amendment was carried by 124 to 76._ • i j Another amendment by Lord Cairns to raise the lodger qualification to lfii. was also carried by 121 to 89. On clause 5, the Earl of Harrowby moved to raise the copyhold qualification from 51. to lOt. The Lord Chancellor agreed to the amendment. Earl Granville hoped that the Government would not accept amendments of this kind, which after all would have no practical effect on the operation of the bill. After some discussion the amendment was carried by 119 to 56. Further progress with the bill was then postponed, and their Lordships adjourned. In the House of Commons, the Chancellor of the Exchequer stated, in reply to questions from Sir John Ogilvie and Mr. M'Laren, that he intended to move that the Scotch Reform Bill should be committed pro forma, in order to insert in it the amendments made in the English Bill so far as they were applicable to Scotland, and to have the Bill reprinted with those amendments, but it would be premature to do that until they knew what amendments would be made in the English Bill. He did not contemplate taking any dis- cussion on going into committee pro forma. The Chancellor of the Exchequer further stated in reply to Sir G..Grey that it was not intended to proceed this session with the Parliamentary Elections Bill, and the order on that Bill was discharged. On the motion for going into committee of supply one or two questions of minor importance were brought forward, after which the House went into committee, and the sum required for the British Museum, 99,6211., was voted after a discussion, in the course of which the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the intention of the Government to take measures for the separation of the natural history collect-ion from the otner collections, and to bring in a bill to carry out that object next session. Lord Robert Montagu, in moving the education vote of 706,8651., stated that there was a small increase of 11,3351. over last year, and that during the year there had been 80 school-rooms built, 50 school-rooms enlarged, and 61 teachers' residences bin It. Ine number of schools inspected was 13,586; there were on the books 1,510,871 children, and of these 1,287,000 had been presented at the inspections, 664,000 had been presented for examination, and more than five-sixths of these had passed in reading, writing, and arithemetic. Then there were 42,700 scholars in night schools, showing a marked increase over previous years. The vote was agreed to after a lengthened discussion, in the course of which Mr. J. S. Mill congratulated Lord Robert Montagu on having expressed an opinion in favour of tech- nical education and Sir. E, t-at technica schools were required in order to enable this country to compete with continental nations, which have technical schools, and that the feeling that the people should be allowed to tax themselves in order to promote middle- class education was getting stronger. The House then resumed, and on the order of the day for going into committee on the Parks Regulation Bill, Mr. Locke moved as an amendment, "That it is inexpedient to proceed further at the present moment with any bill for the regulation of the parks." Two other bills had been introduced on the same subject, the provisions of which differed from this, but they had been withdrawn, and that showed the difficulty of dealing with the question. He objected strongly to several of the provisions of this bill, and especially that which gave the stipendiary magistrate power to convict without the intervention of a jury. A debate ensued, sustained by Sir C. Russell, Lord Amberley, Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Bright, and other hon. members. On a division, the amendment was rejected by 133 to 83 and the House then went into committee on the bill, but further progress was almost immediately postponed. Several other bills were advanced a stage, and the House adjourned. In the House of Lords,^ on July 30, a petition was pre- sentee from Lancaster against the disfranchisement of that borough The committee on the representation of the People Bill was resumed at Clause 7. Earl Grey proceeded to argue for the continuance of the practice of compounding for rates. He said the resolution in the other House to abolish the compounding system passed with but comparatively little discussion. The noble earl then reviewed the circumstances which led to the passing of the small Tenements' Act, and said the measure was generally approved of as calcu- lated to remedy an acknowledged evil. That act had been adopted in the most populous parishes, and had worked well. But by the passing of clause 7 of the Re- form Bill in the other House this compounding system was entirely swept away. This was deeply to be regretted, be- cause with the vestries and parochial authorities the Act had given satisfaction. The Lord Chancellor said it was perfectly clear that if they expunged this clause, unless others were introduced, it would have the effect of disfranchising all compound house- holders. The noble arid learned lord followed the noble earl (Grey) into a consideration of the Small Tenements Act, to refute his arguments, and then said that while he thought it would have been better to have repealed the 14th and 15th of the Queen, instead of abolishing the system of compound- ing in Parliamentary boroughs; but as that remained unrepealed, it was only consistent to introduce this clause He thought it right to state that the expunging of this clause might be fatal to the bill, and he could scarcely believe their lordships were prepared thus to endanger the passing of the bill. The Earl of Romney said it did appear to him that, after the Small Tenements Act had been found to work well in operation, it would be excessively foolish to abolish com- pounding altogether to obtain the object in view. Earl Russell considered that the clause ought to stand part of the bill. On a division the amendment was rejected by 148 to 43. On clause 8 (registration) Lord Halifax proposed to reoeal the 24th and 25th of 2nd Wm. IV., c 45, and in lieu thereof to enact that no person be registered as a county voter in re- spect of any premises within a borough, if they entitle him to vote for such borough. The Duke of Richmond observed that the Government had been strongly urged by their own friends to support the amendment as a most Conservative one; but he doubted if this were the object of the noble lord in proposing ië. The original clause said, if "any other person" was entitled to vote for the borough, and the amendment would really tend to swamp the county constituency. Earl Russell threw the weight of his vote into the scale in support of the amendment, which, however, was negatived on a division by 135 to 41. Lord Lyttelton moved an amendment disqualifying persons who could not write legibly. This motion was rejected, but without a division. And a motion by the Marquis of Claiiricarde to disqualify freemen created hereafter from voting a parliamentary elections met with a similar fate. Lord Cairns then moved that in boroughs and counties returning three members no person should vote for more than two, and in the City of London for more than three candidates. The motion, which was opposed by the Earl of Malmes- bury, gave rise to some discussion, and was carried by 142 to 51 votes. The Marquis of Bristol moved to omit clause 9, which disqualifies paid canvassers, agents, and messengers; but, after some conversation, the clause was agreed to. On clause 10, which disfranchises the boroughs of Totnes, Reigate, Great Yarmouth, and Lancaster, Lord Romilly moved to add words which would have the effect of disfranchising those boroughs only until the 1st of January, 18SO. The Lord Chancellor opposed the mot'on, and reminded their Lordships that there was this difficulty about it, that the seats had been given to other boroughs. The motion was negatived, and clauses 10, 11, 12, and 13 having been agreed to, further progress with the bill was then postponed. Some other orders were disposed of, and their Lordships adjourned. The House of Commons held a morning sitting, for the purpose of considering the Factory Acts Extension Bill, the Hours oi Labour Regulation Bill, and two or three other measures of less importance, in committee. The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced, in reply to a question of Sir R. Palmer, that it was the intention of the Government to issue a commission of inquiry into the opera- tion and effect of the present condition of the superior courts of law and equity in England, and the Courts of Admiralty and Divorce respectively. On the order for going into committee on the Factory Acts Extension Bill, Mr. Moffatt moved that the House was not prepared, without further evidence, to interfere in the free exercise of labour to so great an extent as was contem. plated by the measure. The hon. member urged that the sub- ject was one in which both employers and employed ought to be heard before any legislation was proceeded with. Mr. Waipole was of opinir,n that ample information was in the possession of the House; Mr. Liddell recommended that the question should be postponed for the consideration of the new reformed Parliament; but Mr. Henley thought that so much success had attended this sort of exceptional legislation that the House might advantageously deal with the clauses in committee. The bill having been committed the several clauses were agreed to with verbal amendments. Progress was also made with the Hours of Labour Regu- lation Bill, and the Sewage Bill was passed through com- mittee. The sitting was then suspended. On re-assembling at nine o'clock, there were not forty members present, and after some delay a count took place, and the members present dispersed.