Flintshire Observer Mining Journal and General Advertiser for the Counties of Flint Denbigh

AUSTRALIAN DIAMONDS. Diamonds are known to exist in considerable quantities in various parts of Australia. In New South Wales their existence was discovered so far back as 1851, but little notice was taken of the fact. In 18G7 numerous diamonds were found by gold diggers in the Mudgee district, and in 1869 diamond working was commenced in a systematic manner. The richest finds of diamonds have, however, been at Bingera, where during the last ten years many hundreds have been discovered, a circumstance which has led to a firm of diamond merchants commencing working operations on a more extended scale, The conditions under which the Bingera diamonds are obtained are much the same as at Mudgce, where the gems are procured from outliers of an old river drift which had in parts been protected from denudation by a capping of hard compact basalt. This drift is made up mostly of boulders and pebbles of quartz, jasper, agate, quartzite, flinty slate, silicified wood, slate, sandstone, and abundance of coarse sand mixed with more or less clay. Diamonds are also found in other parts of the colony. From the Borah Tin Mine, situated at the junction of Cope's Creek with the Gwydir, two hundred were obtained in a few months. Out of a batch of eighty-six, averaging one carat one grain each, the largest weighted 5.5 grains. Diamonds have been found on most of the alluvial tin workings at Cope's, Ncwstcad, vegetable, and Middle Creeks, also in the Stanifer, Ruby, and the Britannia Tin Mines, and elsewhere. In colour the diamonds vary from colourless and transparent to various shades of straw-yellow, brown, light green, and black. One of a rich dark green was found in the form of a flattened hemitrope octahedron. The most common crystalline forms which have been met with are the octahedron, the hemitrope octohedron, the rhombic dodecahedron, the triakis and hexakis octohedron, but they are all usually more or less rounded. The flattened triangular hemiotrope crystals are very common. One specimen of the deltoidal dodecahedron are met with. The lustre is usually brilliant or adamantine, but occasionally they have a dull appearance. This want of lustre is not due to any coating of foreign matter or to the same cause as the dulness of less hard and water-worn crystals, but it is due to the surface being covered with innumerable edges and angles belonging to the structure of the crystal. These reflect the light irre- gularly at all angles, and give the stone its frosted appearance.

EMIGRATION TO CANADA. In London, the other evening, the Marquis of Lome attended a public meeting at the St. Mary's School, Whitechapel, and spoke on the subject of Canada as a field for emigration. The Marquis began by stating that there was plenty of room for people in Canada. Although lie had been called a good Canadian, he was also a good Cockney, and he should not advise anybody who was happy in his lot, here to seek to change it. At all events, no one should go to Canada without first consulting the agents of the colony appointed for that purpose. He thought also that the Church organisations should be usedfor the purpose of getting funds, as 110 emigrant any more than an army could march without something to eat. The Baroness Burdett-Coutts and Lady Cathcart had each decided to send out twenty-five families from the East-end and West- minster on this principle--viz., furnishing them with funds to make a start. Why should not those who desired to go club together and send out a delegate, upon whose word they could rely as to the number of people wanted in a particular district ? He suggested this to them as a feasible plan, remarking that English farmers had relied immensely upon the reports of their delegates. It would be a mistake, the marquis said, if the attention of emigrants was entirely concentra- ted upon Ontario and the North-west, because the maritime provinces of Canada offered good opportu- nities for settlement. The country in those provinces was charmingly varied—hill and dale, wood, moun- tain, and plain being close to each other' They had a winter with a great deal of snow, but that was so much the better, because when the snow melted it manured the land, and kept everything nice for the summer. There were steamers once or twice a week, and they were only eight days post from .London. No doubt they were fond of American apples, but fully one-third of the apples brought hero as American were from the Canadian provinces. There was a great valley there called Annapolis, full of beautiful farms and orchards, which had been immortalised by Longfellow in his" Evangeline." There was the home of Evangeline, and there he was informed would be found a good opening for labour. He telegraphed the other day to the Dominion as to the labour pros- pects this year, and was told that the Government expected a large demand in the ensuing year. Refer- ring to female emigrants, he said they must be pre- pared to work with their hands. Fine ladies were Dot wanted at all. The Ladies' Emigration Com- mittee at Montreal told him recently that they could place 1000 servants at once. He could assure any intending emigrant of this class that she would very soon change her name. The marquis concluded an interesting discourse by referring briefly to the prairie country around Winnipeg, now a town of 30,000 people, and pointing out the advantages of the country to farmers.

THE THREAT TO SHOOT THE PRINCE OF WALES. On Saturday Mr. W. Norris Nicholson, master in lunacy, held an inquiry at the Bristol Lunatic Asylum at Stapleton concerning the alleged lunacy of William Cooke Doone, who was ordered to be removed to an asylum by a warrant of the Home Secretary, after having been charged at the Bristol police-court with threatening to shoot the Prince of Wales on the occasion of his Royal Highness's visit to Leigh Court. Doone is a farmer, of St. Woonards, near Ross. The inquiry was held under an order of Lord Justice Bowen, dated February 25, made on the petition of Mr. Thomas Doone, an uncle of Mr. William Cooke Doone. Mr. Clifton appeared for the petitioner, and Mr. Symonds, of Hereford, was present on behalf of Doone, who, in the course of a long written statement, denied that he intended using the revolvers found in his possession against the Prince of Wales, but made no secret of his desire to see his Royal Highness, to whom he had written asking an interview. In answer to Mr. Nicholson, Doone expressed his belief that he had been mesmerised by the Prince of Wales at Ross Races. Dr. Shaw, Clifton, stated that he first. saw Doone at Ilorfield Gaol after he had been brought before the magistrates. From his examination he came to the decided conclusion that he was labouring under a monomania. Ho was under the idea that he had had a masonic shock through his heart by the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh at an hotel at Ross and he mentioned that six weeks afterwards, when he was riding along the road, another shock was sent into his horse, making it leap into the air, and so injuring the animal that he had to sell it at a great loss. The second shock, Doone stated, was given by the Duke of Edinburgh. Witness came to the conclusion that the man was of unsound mind. Doone asserted his intention of being revenged on the Prince of Wales. Mr. Superintendent Thatcher stated that on the 23rd of January he proceeded to the house of Mr. Pavey, at Clifton, where Doone was living. He had received information that Mr. Doone had threatened to shoot the Prince of Wales when he came to Leigh Court. He told Doone that ho held a warrant for his apprehension. He said, What for ?" Witness replied, "For making use of threatening language towards the Prince of Wales -in fact, attempting to shoot him." Doone at once became agitated, and put his hand into his coat pocket behind. Witness had two detectives with him, and when Doono put his hand into his pocket one of the detectives caught hold of his arm, and said, "What have you got there?" Doone replied, "They are not here, but upstairs." Witness said "What?" and Doone answered, My revolvers." On opening a portmanteau and carpet bag belonging to Doone he found two revolvers—one with six cham- bers loaded with ball cartridge. There was also a powder-flask, containing a quantity of powder. The portmanteau also further contained a large number of letters addressed to the Prince of Wales and other persons, in all of which he charged the Prince with using his "Masonic Art" to his damage. In the carpc-t bag were 111b. of cartridges. During the whole time they were at Davey's Doone was talking about the Prince of Wales, stating that he had given him a masonic shock through the heart, and that he felt it for inoro thanamonth. He also charged his Royal Highness with having mesmerised his horse, and said that both the Prince and the Duke of Edinburgh had masonically shocked him one night and drove him nearly mad. He added that he meant to have satisfaction and damages for all that, and that lie had written to the Queen. He added that he might have threatened to shoot the Prince, but that he was in a pasc-ion when he said it. Witness then apprehended him. Wit- ness handed in a copy of the letter which Doone sent to the Prince. In it'he accused the Prince of having mesmerised him, and asked him to meet him and give him damages. Dr. Thompson, medical superintendent of the asylum, stated that Doone was admitted on the 17th of February, and having examined him he found he was of unsound mind. He had delusions of such a nature that the person subject to them would be led to injure others. Doone said he must have written to the Prince of Wales whilst under the influence of chloroform, which he was in the habit of taking. After further evidence, the Master decided that the patient was of unsound mind.

THE RE-AFFORESTATION of IRELAND Amongst the Parliamentary papers issued last Saturday was a preliminary report on the re-afforest- ing of Ireland, by M. D. Ilewitz, forest conservator, of Copenhagen. This is the result of an actual survey which leads M. Hewitz to the conclusion that at least five million acres are well suited for forest cultivation. Many hundreds of thousands of acres," says he, "do not pay an interest of 6d. a year, and the greatest part of the five millions of acres are waste ground, and pay not Id. There is much grassland and many fenced paddocks on the ranges where the heather and brake is in such force, and where rocks, stones, &c., cover the ground to such an extent that the actual gain per acre is not more than Is. to 2s. Would it not be better to cultivate these vast areas, so eminently^ suited for forests, and to obtain a yearly rental of at least XI per 'acre: instead? t The calcula- tion is easily made, and without entering into details, which would be out of place here. Cultivation, including cost of nurseries, purchase of seed, prepara- tion of ground, purchase of tools and buildings, fencing, labour, and superintendence, should for, say, 100,000 acres, be about £4 per acre, or £ 400,000. This first cost, calculated with 4 per cent. interest for 30 years, X17 per acre, add to this expense for superintendeuce, road-making and repairing, main- tenance of fences and drains, as well as all inci- dental expenses, made up as follows First cost after 30 years, £ 1,700,000; one superintendent at X.,500 a year, 50 forest rangers at £50 to £ 75 a year, and repairs of buildings, tools, &c., at zC300, £ 125,000; road-making and repairing, and fences, drains, and incidental expenses, £ 35,000; total, .ci,sw,ooo. And to put the expenses with a round sum to two millions, the cost per acre will be at 30 years of age X20, this allowing for the highest wages, and I firmly believe that the expenses will be 25 per cent. less." He thinks the Lough Neagh catchment should be cultivated first; at the same time plans should be prepared for the cultivation of the Shannon, and other basins and also a number of smaller trial plantations should be commenced in the more difficult highlands and coast areas of Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Galway, Clare, and Henry. After setting out how nurseries may be made to supply the great plan- tations, the report proceeds to explain how the whole scheme of re-afforesting should be put into operation and closes with an assurance that the work would be profitable in every direction. In an appendix is a list of forest trees suitable for cultivation with remarks on their character, habits, utilisation, and cultivation.

THE IMPORTATION OF CATTLE QUESTION. The butcher says to Mrs. Bull: Please to import your beef alive." The farmer says That must not be if you do so, 1 cannot thrive." Says Mrs. Bull: "I know, alas! Alive or dead, whate'er I do, For one poor pound I still shall pay a price that ought to buy me two -Moonshine.

No CHEESEPARINGS !—" And 'ow about the per- formers for my lady's concert on Wednesday next ?" Oh, it's all right, Sir Gorgiue I've got you six first violins, four second violins, and-" Second violins be anged I'll 'ave none but firel fiddles performing in my Qua !"—Punch.

MRS. WELDON AND DR. FORBES WINSLOW. The hearing of the action brought by Mrs. Weldon against Dr. Forbes Winslow was resumed on Tues- day, before Baron Huddlestone and a special jury, in the Queen's Bench Division. This was the fifth and concluding day of the hearing of this case. The plaintiff Mrs. Georgina Weldon, brought an action against Dr. Forbes Winslow for an alleged trespass in having forcibly entered her house on April 14, 1878, for assault, false imprisonment, and also for two libels, laying her damages at £ 10,000. Mrs. Weldon conducted her case in person Mr. Edward Clarke, Q.C., and Mr. C. II. Anderson were for the defendant. The evidence having been concluded, Mr. Clarke submited that there was no case for the defendant to answer. As to the trespass, Dr. Winslow, as the keeper of a registered lunatic asylum, was protected by the Act of 8 and 9 Victoria, as well as by the 16 and 17 Victoria, as he had acted on the order of Sir Henry de Bathe and on the certificates of two duly- qualified medical practitioners, who were bound to examine the alleged lunatic separately. The learned counsel, having referred to the section of those statutes bearing on this question, said, as to the alleged libel, Dr. Winslow's communication to Mr. Weldon, after ho had been consulted by the latter, was privileged, and that Dr. Winslow's letter to the British Medical Journal, in answer to repeated chal- lenges by Mrs. Weldon in various newspapers, was also privileged and made without malice. Mrs. Weldon had herself acquitted him of personal malice, but alleged lie had an indirect motive in getting some benefit for his mother and himself in case Mrs. Weldon was placed in their asylum. Mr. Anderson argued the point on the same side. Mrs. Weldon replied, contending that although she did not attribute personal malice to Dr. Winslow nothing could have been more cruel than his whole conduct to her in sending three persons into her house to drag her from her bed and place her in a lunatic asylum. To this death, or even murder, would have been preferable, and she believed if she had not got away that night she would never have been heard of again. During this trial she, who had a number of little children dependent on her, had been compelled to put into the witness box a number of persons who would cut her throat if they could. She submitted there .was ample proof of express malice. As his lordship had said a crossing-sweeper could sign an order and get two wretched miserable medical men to sign a certificate, and she would have been consigned to a living tomb to pass the rest of her days amongst lunatics. She wou'd, however, spare Dr. Winslow, and would say she did not believe the persons confined in his asylum were lunatics. On the conclusion of the arguments, Baron Hudd.leston said under ordinary circum- stances I might have taken time to consider my judgment, but the facts are fully before my mind, and 1 am bound to state the conclusion to which I have arrived. Mrs. Weldon in her statement of claim alleges that the defendant with other persons tres- passed on her house, and she also makes two charges of libel. She has pointed out the distinction between the two kinds of trespasses, and truly says that as regarded the first of them it was committed prior to the drawing up of the order. Now I say distinctly, I wish I could treat this case apart from all techni- cality, but I must express my astonishment that such a state of things can exist, that an order can be made by anybody, on the statement of anybody, and that two gentlemen if they have only obtained a diploma, provided they examine a patient separately and are not related to keepers of lunatic asylums, and that on this form being gone through any person can be com- mitted to a lunatic asylum. It is-soiticivhtit start Iiiig it is positively shocking that if a pauper, or as Mrs. Weldon puts it, a crossing-sweeper, should sign an order and another crossing-sweeper should make a statement, and that then two medical men who had never had a day's practice in their lives and would for a small sum of money grant their certificates, a person may be lodged in a private lunatic asylum, and that this order and the statement and these certificates were a perfect answer to any action. But still I am bound to obey the law. In the present case the order was signed by General De Bathe, and I do not doubt that, even if mistaken, he did not act wilfully. The order was made in compliance with the Act of Parliament the abatement was made in compliance with the schedule appended to the Act; and the certiifcates were legally drawn up. Whatever may be my opinion as to Mrs. Weldon's state of mind, I cannot doubt that there was a conscientious desire on the part of all concerned to comply with the conditions of the Act of Parliament. I am bound, however, to say that the proceedings were strained a little, and although I believe Mr. Weldon felt himself honestly bound to take a medical opinion on Mrs. Weldon's state of mind, and therefore consulted Dr. Winslow, I think there was no occasion for all that precipitancy which was evidenced on that Sunday in the visit paid to her by Dr. Winslow and Dr. Winn--who naturally did not state their names nor the object of their visit, but came to the conclusion she was insane. I am bound to say I think they were mistaken, and that having seen her demeanour throughout the case, and speaking as a layman and not as a doctor I consider she is in the full possession of her senses, and has conducted her case with judgment, intel- ligence, and talent. But as to the trespass, if there had been a trespass in point of law, whatever was done by Dr. Winslow was done by the direction of Mr. 'Vk'eldon, and therefore claim for the trespass failed, Mr. Weldon being, legally speaking, the owner of the house. If, however, I were called upon to express an opinion, which I am not, I should say that there was no need for all that precipitancy in the steps taken on that Sunday one after the other, the drawing up of the order by Mr. Weldon the statement made by General De Bathe, the certificates signed by the two medical men, and the carriage with keepers being sent to carry her off to an asylum. Presuming Mrs. Weldon was eccentric, there was nothing to show she was in a condition dangerous to herself or others. Technically, however, these trespasses were protected, and I am bound to say that the letter written by Dr. Winslow to Mr. Weldon was privileged. As to the letter written by Dr. Winslow in his own defence in the British Medical Journal, Mrs. Weldon had ad-, mitted she had libelled everybody in the hope she might be prosecuted, and thus be enabled to bring her case before the public. She could not complain of Dr. Winslow's letter, and that I hold to be privi- leged. The only question, therefore, that remains for, me is whether I should leave the question of malice to the jury. It must be remembered that before Dr. Winslow was consulted by Mr. Weldon he was a perfect stranger to Mrs. Weldon, who, bow-, ever, said he wanted a patient who would bring £ 500 a year to his mother's asylum, of which he is the medical attendant. I do not think that a gentle- man in Dr. Winslow's position would be influenced by any such sordid motives; but this he would say, that had it been proved that if anything in the statement that had been made was untrue to his knowledge, he could not rely on his privilege. i It seems to me there is no evidence on which I can J leave the question of malice to the jury, and under these circumstances regretting that Mrs. Weldon cannot obtain redress in this form of action for the very serious inconveniences to which she has been put, I do not see that she has made her case out, and therefore I am bound to nonsuit her. His lordship then entered judgment for a non- suit, and certified for a special jury. During the day, as throughout the trial, the court was densely crowded, and large numbers of persons could not obtain admission.

AFFRAYS IN IRELAND- A shocking affair occurred on Monday evening at Killycooloy, County Monaghan. A quarrel about a right of way ensued between a family named Kelly and some of their neighbours, and in the struggle a', man named M'Gale was struck on the head with a hatchet. Death was almost instantaneous. Another man named Brien was so badly injured that his life is despaired of. A third man was also dangerously wounded. Four arrests, all the prisoners being members of the Kelly family, were made by the police, and the accused were removed to Monaghan gaol. An affray of a serious nature has occurred near Cratloe, county Limerick. A number of men return- ing home from Limerick had an encounter with a young man named Keogh, the son of a boycotted, farmer. Keogh, it is alleged, spoke in a disparaging manner of the Land League. This gave offence, and a free fight ensued, in the course of which Keogh was severely stabbed. Four arrests were subsequently made, and it was stated that a knife stamed with blood was found in the possession of one of the accused.

A SoLMHa UKBLY TO Bl8B FROM THB B«NKS.— Private JfcterpriBe,—Jvxty.

I MR. PARNELL ON IRELAND. On Monday evening an Irish national banquet was held at the Holborn Restaurant, London, the occasion \1. being the celebration of St. Patrick's Day. Mr. C. S. Parnell, M.P., presided, and among others present were Mr. Justin M'Carthy, M.P., Mr. Mayue, M.P., Mr. Kenney, M.P., Mr. T. P. O'Connor, M.P., Mr. A. M. Sullivan, &c. There were altogether about 200 gentlemen present. None of the usual loyal and patriotic toasts were included in the toast list, the first given being Ireland a Nation." Mr. Parnell, on rising to propose this, was re- ceived with loud cheers. He said he would have the honour to present to them the toast of Ireland a Nation," and he regretted that his words that night must be very few, owing to a severe hoarseness, which prevented him from speaking very much. But His regret was considerably qualified by the fact that they had amongst them a most distinguished son of Ireland, Mr. A. M. Sullivan, who had kindly under- taken to respond for that toast. And he would, therefore, leave to him the burden of doing it justice. He thought that he was entitled to congratulate the Irishmen of London upon the proceedings of that evening. He was told by gentlemen who had lived in London for many years, and who had taken part ii these annual festivals in London, that never had any assembly met together so imposing in its di- mensions or of such a character. It gave him great encouragement to witness the progress of the Irish movement as indicated by that dinner. When he looked around him he could not help remembering that it would have been impossible a few years ago to have brought together so numerous, so important, and so influential a body of Irish Nationalists in the City, and not only was it a good indication of the progress of their movement in London, but he thought it ihight be taken as a fair test of the strength of the Irish people throughout England and Scotland also. Iï., ll the great centres of England that evening as- II. ill the great centres of England that evening as- e4 jJies such as this were meeting together to cele- £ the day of the patron saint of Ireland. They had ill many countries of the world influential bodies of-Irishmen but to them it had been reserved to show by their numbers, and by their presence that even- ing, what Irishmen could do to-day, and what Irish- men were likely to do in the near future. He had always endeavoured to teach Irs countrymen, whether at home or abroad, 0"(1 lesson—the lesson of self- reliance— that in ore1 c o work oui Ireland's future and regeneration they had to depend upon the exer- tions of Irishmen at home and abroad. He did not depend upon an English pol i, ici 1 party, and he should advise them not to depend upon any such parly. He did not, depend upon the good wishes of any section of the English people, al,'lOogh Ireland might have, and undoubted'y had, many friends amongst English- men. In lhe Vveumstarces oc Ireland's position, the nature of the case rendered it impossible for them, however well disposed, to give that effec- tual assistance and work which was absolutely necessary in order to obtain the welfare of Ireland. Some people desired to rely upon the English democracy- they looked for a great future movement amongst the English democracy. But he had never known any important section of any count ry which had assumed the task of governing another country awakened to the real necessities of the position until they had been compelled to do so. Therefore, he said, do not rely upon any English pirty do not rely upon any English section do not even rely upon the great English democracy, even if it may be supposed they are favourable towards your claims. But rely upon yourselves -upon the great power which you have in every industrial centre of England and Scotland, upon the devotion of the sea- divided Gaels wherever they are found, whether it be under the southern sun or across the wide Atlantic; and above all rely upon the devotion and determina- tion of our old people upon the old soil at home. They were there that evening to celebrate Ireland's day. He was confi- dent that the future was promising—most promising —never more promising for Ireland. A spirit had been infused into the Irish people which would never die. They nnderstood better to-dav the weak points in the armour of their enemy than they ever did before. They understood and recognised the most suitable means of attack. Whether they looked at the present position and prospects of the Irish Parliamentary party, whether they regarded the unprecedented union of the demo- cracy of Ireland at home and abroad, or whether they considered that of all political parties hi* Irish party was the only party which confidently lo;ed forward to any crisis that slight arise, he said the prospects for Ireland were good and most hopeful. Their country was well fitted by nature to excel amongst the nations, to enjoy that "nationhood which that toast wished for her. They had a climate unequalled by that of any other part of the world. They had a people most quick, most intelligent, most energetic, most adapted, per- haps, of any people to excel in those pursuits which went to make the glory of every nation. That the singular gifts of Ireland, and the extraordinary gifts and advantages with which she had been benefitted by nature had not yet placed her in the position to which she was entitled, had not been the fault of Ireland. They bad a beautiful climate, they had a fertile soil, and he felt confident that the time was very near when all sections of Irishmen and all religions would have an opportunity of meeting together on Irish soil and of celebrating the day they celebrated on English soil that night under the protection of an Irish Parlia- ment, and of then sending that message of peace to England which could never be sent from Ireland save by a self-governed nation. Mr. A. M. Sullivan afterwards spoke.

THE QUEEN'S VISIT TO GERMANY. The Queen and Princess Beatrice will, it is ex- pected, leave Windsor Castle on the 7th of April for Germany. The Royal party, attended by the Marchioness of Ely, Lady Churchill, Lord Bridport, and General Sir II. F. Ponsonby, will travel by special train over the South-Western and South- Eastern Railways to Port Victoria, the terminal station of the Hundred of IIoo line, at the mouth of the Medway, which will be reached in an hour and three-quarters, the journey being seven-and-a-half milds shorter than that to Queenborough, while the anchorage is better. Passengers at Port Victoria, which is nearly opposite Sheerness, embark at any tide the pier which has been constructed by the South- Eastern Company. From Port Victoria her Majesty and Princess Beatrice will cross the North sea in the Osborne to Flushing, which will be made on the following day, and whence they proceed about half- past ten o'clock in the evening, by special train to Darmstadt, where the Royal travellers arrive on the 9th of April. The Queen and Princess Beatrice while staying at Darmstadt will reside at the Palace of the Grand Duke of Hesse, and will attend the marriage of Princess Victoria (daughter of his Grand Ducal Highness and the late Princess Alice) and Prince Louis of Battenburg, which take place at Darmstadt on Easter Tuesday, the 15th of April. Her Majesty and Princess Beatrice will, it is believed, remain in Germany about a fortnight, and are expected to return to England before the close of April.

THE CHARGE OF ASSAULTING A BAILIFF. In London, on Tuesday, at the Central Criminal Court, Lilian Murray, 24, was indicted for maliciously wounding Edward Lyons with intent to disable him. The case was one of a peculiar character. The defendant resided in Pimlico, and the prosecutor was a man who had been placed in possession of her house for some rent. The defendant seemed to have been addicted to intemperate habits, and she had a nurse living with her whose duty it was to prevent her from taking drink. The evidence went to show that the prosecutor was drunk and went into the l defendants bedroom, where she then was. The nurse remonstrated with him, but he replied that he was lord of the house. The next morning the -Burse on entering the room found the prosecutor lying on the floor with some wounds in his head, suid some empty bottles were found, showing that there had been drinking going on. It was alleged that the defendant had struck the prosecutor about the head with a poker, knocking out several of his teeth, and when taken into custody she said that it served him right, and that he had no business to force his way into her room. The medical evidence showed that the prosecutor was insensible from drink when brought to the hospital, and it was admitted that the injuries might have been occasioned by a fall. Mr. Montagu Williams, addressing the jury for the defence, strongly censored the prosecutor's conduct, and argued that there was no evidence to show that the defendant had inflicted the injuries. The jury in the result acquitted the defendant, and said they wished to add that in their opinion the jproeeeutor was deserving of great censure. The defendant was discharged.

THE DEATH OF CETEWAYO. Miss Colenso, in writing on February 19th to a friend in England, concerning the reports as to the probable poisoning of Cetewayo, says For my own part I see no signs of poisoning, and hold that it would have been almost impossible to reach him in that way, so many and so minute are the precautions on this point which habitually surround a Zulu king. His clothes, his food, his very sticks, all have their own carefully chosen guardians. The idea of his death having been altogether sudden is however done away with by his last message, of which Mr. Grant will have told you. The man to whom the King spoke it lives some distance from Etshowe, so that the King must have sent for him on Wednes- day morning early, or more likely given the order overnight. I do not, however, gather that he spoke with the King before Thursday night, or even on Friday morning. But Cetewayo then felt himself dying, and if he had himself suspected poison he would, I think, have mentioned it. As to the vomiting on Friday morning, mentioned in some accounts, you must remember that the most ordinary form of native medicine is an emetic, which indeed they will take on the slightest provocation. I still believe, therefore, that he died of some affection of the heart, having, as Mr. Grant says, suffered during the past year, and particularly the last three months, enough to break the sound hearts of a dozen ordinary men."

THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF A WOMAN. In London, on Wednesday, Dr. Thomas, the coroner for Central Middlesex, resumed the inquest into the circumstances attending the death of Mary Ann Yeates, aged 24, a single woman, who was found dead in her bed on Sunday, the 9th inst, at 12, Burton-crescent, Eusiou-road. Mrs. Dewsnap, a professional singer, stated that she lived next door to the house in which the murder had been commuted. On Sunday morning, at a quarter to two when in her room. she heard a noise in the other house as if persons were quarrel- ling, and about a quarter-past two she heard three distinct screams. She also heard bumping or thumping noises, and so also did other persons living in the same house. The witness did not know the character of the other house. At a quarter-past three she heard some person go downstairs very heavily, and she afterwards heard the door noisily closed. On Sun- day morning the witness complained to her landlady about the noise in the other house. She did not hear of the murder till Monday afternoon. Several inmates of Xo. 12, Burton-crescent, were also examined, but nothing new of importance was elicited. The coroner said he understood that there was some more evidence forthcoming, and as this was such a serious case, he thought they should not come to a has'y conclusion. He would, therefore, adjourn tile, case until next week.

SUPPOSED MURDER AND SUICIDE. In London, on Monday morning, the body of the mother o" a child which was discovered dead on the previous Friday near Blackfirars-bridge, on the Surrey side of the river, apparently having been drowned, was found in the Thames. Since, the police have ascer- tained that a young married couple, with their child, aged about three months, had occupied apartments at 13, Alscot-road, Bermondsey. The husband, a brick- layer, named James, and his wife, Esther Louise James, with the deceased child, were at home on the afternoon of the 13th instant, when a few words ensued between them with regard to money matters. Mrs. James left home with her child, and nothing more was heard of her until a woman with an infant in her arms was seen by one of the City police sitting in one of the stone recesses of Blackfriars-bridge. On the fol- lowing morning the body of the child was found on the stone steps leading to Wing's pleasure boats, and it was conveyed to the Ewer-street Mortuary, South- ward The child, which had been dead only a few hours, was identified by the father, and lie reported to the police that his wife was missing. At low tide on Monday the body of the mother was found lying on the southern shore of the Thames, near the Old Barge-house Tavern. The deceased was only 24 years of age. On Tuesday inquests were held by Mr. Carter as to the deaths of Esther Louisa James, aged °4, and Arthur James, her son, aged two months. Edward Henry James, a tanner's labourer, identified the bodies as those of his wife and son. Witness last saw them alive on Thursday in last week at noon. They were then at home. The mother was in an excited state, she and witness having quarrelled. This was because she had pawned some rings and other articles, although he always supplied her with money. Wit- ness left to return to his work, and. returning at six in the evening, found they had both gone. Witness did not see his wife again alive. On Sunday night he saw her dead body at the Lambeth mortuary. The medical evidence was to the effect that death was caused by drowning. It was also shown that the deceased"with the child in her arms had been seen loitering about Blackfriars-bridge until two o'clock on Friday morning. In each case the jury returned an open verdict of "Founù drowned."

DEATH OF THE KHEDIVE'S MOTHER The Cairo correspondent of the Standard, writing on Monday evening, says The mother of the Khedive died at three o'clock this morning of fatty degeneration of the heart. All the Ministries were consequently closed to-day, and a large assembly of natives and foreigners met at the Ismailia Palace at eleven o'clock to accompany the funeral cortege. The whole of the Consular Corps, with their Staffs, the representatives of the English and Egyptian armies in full uniform, and the members of the Ministry formed a conspicuous group. The procession was headed by a strong body of police, followed by a band of chanting Ulen-ia then came the Princes Hassan and Hussein, the Ministers, Generals, and Consuls; after these came a second band of Ulema, then the bier, covered with Cashmere shawls, followed by carriages containing the family mourners. After accompanying the procession for half a mile the European element fell out, leaving the Moslems to escort the funeral out to Imam Sbafi, where tht Khedivial vault is situated. The greatest sympathy is felt with the Khedive in his bereavement.

A SERIOUS CHARGE WITHDRAWN. On Monday, at the Croydon Police-court, before Mr. T. R. Edridge, Charles Neve, 23, described as a carpenter, and formerly a constable in the Metropoli- tan Police, was charged, on remand, on suspicion of causing the death of the illigitimate female child, aged four months, of Fanny Hampton, of which he was the father, on or about November 30 last. Mr. Pollard prosecuted, and Mr. Montagu Williams defended. The circumstances under which the charge arose have already been reported. When the case was called on, Mr. Poland said that since the last hearing an effort had been made to discover the whereabouts of the missing child, but without success. On the last occasion the girl Hampton, on being cross-examined by Mr. Williams, contradicted many of the statements she made on the first occasion and also to the solicitors at the Treasury. Since the last remand she had made a further statement contradicting her evidence, but acknowledging the truth of her cross-examination, and saying that her story as to her becoming insen- sible when the child was taken away was untrue. She denied that such was the case, and stated that she never lost her senses at all. She still asserted, how- ever, that she was ignorant as to what had become of the child. Mr. Pollard said that, under the circumstances, he thought he was justified in with- drawing from the prosecution. The prisoner was then discharged.

THB BLUB RIBBON AHMT.—The partisans of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat R4bC4%Wtody.

THE ALLEGED MURDER OF A MOTHER. In London, on Friday in last week, Mr. illiain Carter, the coroner for the Newington district of Surrey, held an inquest on the body of Mrs. Mary Relton, G2 years of age. It is alleged that the deceased lady was murdered on the previous Tuesday afternoon by her son, Seymour Boyer Relton, at their residence, 35, Spencer-road, Brixton. The SOH does not admit the crime, and is at present under remand from the Lambeth Police-court charged with the capital offence. The first witness called was Mr. John Boyer, clerk to the Coopers' Company, and residing at 39, High- bury-hill, who identified the body of the deceased as that of his sister Mary, the widow of the late Mr. James Frederick Relton, traffic superintendent of the Great Western Railway. Deceased's life was not insured. Witness last saw her alive on Tuesday morning, when she was in bed. She did net seem then to be very ill. His wife had been staying with the deceased since the previous Saturday, when the deceased sent for her bv telegram saying that she was dying. Bv Mr. Lewis. —Deceased and her son were devoted to each other, and lived very happily together. Wit- ness did not know thit he was subject to fits. Harriett Wiffen, who was employed as a servant by the deceased. ] epeated the evidence she gave before the magistrate, adding that Mrs. Bowyer, wife of the first witness, had been staying there since Saturday, and on Tuesday afternoon she took some greens to a chemist. Soon after she had left the house, witness heard the dog bark. She wen >o the street door, but finding no one there "e went straight to her mistress's room, There she '.n;v he son standing-over his mother with his right hand on the deceased's shoulder. His leic h. nd was covered with blood. Her mistress was ly;n with lie,- body and head on the bed and her trei resting floor. Mv. Relton said as she entered, "Harr:e'i. help! Your mistress has got a razor and has cri her throat." Witness had never seen the Cieceased ;li possession of a razor, nor had she ever seen Mr. Tlelcon with one. Ou Saturday, when the son took !o 1:" bed, he had two fainting fits, and when in the ihs lie was pariially unconscious. Dr. Barraclough, residing in the Duh ich-road, deposed to being called on Tuesday afternoon to see the deceased. Witness found her lyiug on the bed with her feet on the ground. He examined the body and found a cut eisrht inches in length on the throat. Nearly all the muscles and vessels of the neck were severed. The wound was a mortal one it could not have been self-inflicted, and witness saw nothing in the room which would lead to the supposition that deceased committed suicide. Witness had seen the deceased that afternoon, and had for some time past betn attending her medically. She was of thorough sound mind, but rather excitable. In answer to Mr. Lewis, the witness stated that he thought the wound was inflicted by a right-handed person, but it was just possible that it might have been done by a left-handed person. Considerable force must have been used. The witness Wiffen. recalled, stated that she was not aware that Mr. Relton hud not had the use of his right arm for the last three days. She had not seen him during that time. She did not linow that he was left-handed. Inspector Barnes proved taking the son into cus- tody. When charged he said, I was lying on the bed when my aunt went out. I got out to attend to the fire. and when I looked round I saw my mother cutting her throat. I took the razor from her, and put a towel round her neck to stop the blood. At the station the prisoner made no remark. There was a towel in the room covered with blood. The Coroner having summed up, the jury, after deliberating for some time, returned a verdict of "Wilful murder" against Seymour Boyer Relton, whom the Coroner committed for trial at the Central Criminal Court.

A REMARKABLE PEDESTRIAN. Writing to the Standard a correspondent says: Ernst Mensen. a Norwegian sailor in the British navy, L having distinguished himself in the Battle of Navarino (1827) left the navy and became a professional runner. He first attracted attention by running from London to Portsmouth in nine hours, and after that he ran from London to Liverpool in thirty-two hourp. Subsequently, he undertook to run from Paris to Moscow. Starting from the Place Vendome at four p.m. June 11, 1831, he entered the Kremlin at ten a.m. June 25, having done the distance (seventeen hundred and sixty miles) in thirteen days eighteen hours. He soon got employment as a public courier, and became an object for sporting bets in European Courts, invariably beating mounted couriers when matched against him. He never walked, but always ran, his usual refreshment being one biscuit and an ounce of raspberry syrup per day, and two short rests of ten or fifteen minutes each in twenty- four hours. These rests he took standing, and slept with a handkerchief covering his face. In 1836 Mensen carried despatches in the East India Company's service from Calcutta to Con- stantinojile through Central Asia he performed the distance, five thousand six hundred and fifteen miles, in fifty-nine days. He died on one of his extraordinary tours, and was found resting against a tree as if asjeep. He was buried there (just outride the village of Syang-, in Upper Egypt).

ALLEGED MURDER AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. On Wednesdav a middle-aged man, named William Thomas, a widower, employed in the parcels depart- ment of the Midland Railway at Birmingham, murdered his landlady, Mrs. Hollis, by stabbing her with a clasp knife, and afterwards cut his own throat so terribly that he is not expected to recover. Nothing is known of the circumstances which im- mediately led to the crime, as there were no witnesses, and Mrs. Hollis expired on the way to the hospital before her depositions could be taken. All that is known is that about half-past two in the afternoon Mrs. Hollis ran screaming out of her house with blood flowing copiously from three wounds in her throat, and fell speechless in the road, and when the police entered the house in search of her assailant, they found Thomas lying on the floor near the scullery with his throat cut, evidently by his own hand, and a clasp knife covered with blood lying hy his side. Both the sufferers were at once removed to the hos- pital, but Mrs. Hollis died on the road. Mrs. Hollis, whose husband is a soldier on service in India, WM about 28 years of age, and had three children, who were at school at the time of the murder. She had kept a coffee house for many years, and during the greater part of the time Thomas lodged with her. He had been paying his addresses to her, and repeatedly urged her to marry him, but she had always refused in the belief that her husband was still alive, though she had not heard from him for three years. Thomas, who has only one arm and one leg. and is described as a. passionate man, and his temper had not impro^od of late since he had taken to drink. On the previous night he came home drunk, and after going t,, bed got up again and went out for a walk. He went business as usual on Wednesday, but returned to dinner shortly before the circumstances which resulted in Mrs. Hollis's death. From a. medical examination of the body of the deceased, it appears that three wounds were inflicted, one of them severing important arteries. One stab under the left ear was very deep, and seems to have been inflicted with terrible force. There was another stab on the left side of the neck, and a third was on the right side.

MURDER AND SUICIDE IN WALES. On Wednesday John Price, a farmer, living on Lord Penrhvn's estate at. X sgnbornewydd, Bangor, murdered Catherine Price, his stepmother, and then committed suicide. Price who was a year older than his stepmother, enjoyed under his father's will a joint interest in the farm. He had expressed an intention to marry, and there has been continual quarrels between him and his stepmother in conse- quence. On Wednesday afternoon he returned home after taking some cattle to the mountain. A servant girl heard a quarrel in the back kitchen, and on going there found Mrs. Price with her throat cut and her stepson holding her. She ran out for one of the servant men. who on reaching the back kitchen found that John Price had cut his throat. Dr. Grey Edwards and Dr. Langford Jones were on the spot in less than thirty minutes, but Price died before their arrival. A blood-stained razor was picked up on kitchen floor. The murdered woman, who of late had been drinking heavily, had one child.

A MURDER TRIAL IN PARIS. In Paris, on Friday in last week, a trial for murder tok place, which had been awaited by the public with a good deal of curiosity. The correspondent of the Times gives the following details A man of sinister appearance called, last August, on a retired lawyer, M. Ducros, who, with his maiden sister, dwelt in a small detached house. On the lady opening the door, the man asked for the domestic servant, who was out. On learning this he went away, but in a quarter of an hour returned, and, after a moment's parley with Mdlle. Ducros, swung round a stone hammer from behind him, and struck her a blow which levelled her with the ground. M. Ducros, hearing her scream, rushed out. The prisoner dealt with him in the same way. The neighbours, hearing the victims' cries, fetched the police, and the man was found upstairs, sitting at the side of a bed, with his head enveloped in the bed-clothes. M. Dueros expired on the spot, and Mdlle. Ducros has only recovered after a long illness, which has left its traces on her mental condition. Thus far the facts are not of a very unusual character, though they point rather to insanity than to motives of plunder. The murderer is a well-educated man, who writes rather cleverly and correctly composed letters, though certainly of a very violent and exaggerated character. A deep sword scar is visible on his forehead. He will tell nothing about his origin or antecedents. He gives his name as Michael Campi," but admits that it is not his real narue, and leads people to suppose that he has a family which he wishes to save from shame. Whether he is French, Italian, or Spanish is not known. He says that he was born at Mar- seilles,and is 33 years of age. He wrote to M.Clemenceau, when he had to appoint an advocate, complimentinghim on his opposition to the Transportation Bill, speaking of his experience of Italian and Spanish prisons, and re- questing him to recommend him a young and trust- worthy defender. M. Clemenceau recommended Maitre Laguerre. While in prison awaiting trial the accused has written violent, arrogant, and conceited letters to the judicial personages whom he has come, as a prisoner, in contact with, but nothing has been extracted from him about himself. The conjecture which the facts warrant is that his brain has been affected by his wound, and that his application to M. Clemenceau was a feint, intended to lead to the suppo- sition that he was a Communist. After the interrogatory and the speech of the Public Prosecutor, Maitro Laguerre roso amid a dead silence. He said that he knew the prisoner's name. Ten days ago he went to a house in Paris of modest and poor appearance. A woman was there. He asked her whether for eight months a man very dear to her had not disappeared. He revealed everything to her. He knew everything. He would say that Campi had had such a past that even on the morning before he committed his crime he would have been received at the Avocat- Général's own table. The prisoner had been twice in prison, but his offences were such as would pre- vent no honest man from tendering him his hand. There was a young officer in the French army. His mother was three days ago in his (the learned counsel's) chambers, and told him, with anguish, that if the murderer's name were discovered her son would be a dead man that night. On behalf of the family he solicited pity. As, however, there was not an atom of proof of any of these statements, and as, if there Had been, they were perfectly irrelevant, the jury had no option but to find the prisoner guilty, without ex- tenuating circumstances, and he waa accordingly sen- tenced to death.

SERIOUS FIRE IN PARIS. In Paris, on Wednesday, a sad catastrophe occurred in the Rue Grand Truanderie. Fifteen young girls, employed by a feather merchant for ladies' dresses, found themselves suddenly enveloped in flames by the awkwardness of one of their number, who set fire to a box of benzine. The only mode of escape was to jump to a balcony on the floor beneath. The first girl who tried this tumbled over the balustrade, fell into the street, and was greatly injured. The others safely let themselves down upon the balcony, but four of them were badly burned. The fire raged in the upper stories of the house, and the damage is estimated at X3000.

POLITENESS.—A polite philosopher once thanked a lady who had been singing to a party for an hour, by saying, Madam, you have wasted our time charmingly."