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

THE AMERICAN TARIFF. An American lady writes to the New York papers to state a case which she evidently feels to be a hard one, says the Keening Standard. She brought back with her recently a dress from Paris, and, as it had not been worn, paid the usual duty for it. Shortly afterwards, having tried it on, she found it to be a misfit, so returned it to the Parisian dressmaker, with instructions for altering what was wron. Enter- taining cer:ain misgivings as to whether she would not be charged duty a second time on receiving it back, she wrote to the Custom House authorities to inquire, and was informed by the officials that J the law would require a second payment of duty, as the dress had not been actually worn. The owner of the garment finds that rather unfair, and contends that, once having discharged her debt to the Custom House, the duty ought not to be collected a second time but a gentleman, with a view of reconciling her to what is inevitable, gives his own experience under somewhat similar circumstances. lie imported some time back a bicycle from England, paying duty thereon. He used it for several months, took it with him on a trip to Cuba, and on returning home was unpleasantly surprised to find that the Custom regula- tions required him to pay duty on it again. He pro- tested, of course, but was told that the vehicle being a luxury of foreign make, he must pay the duty on it every time it re-entered America.

UNCONSCIOUS BIAS IN WALKING. Mr. G. II. Darwin, in Mature, states that some ten years ago he made a few experiments upon the subject of "Unconscious Bias in Walking." He began by walking himself, and getting various friends to walk, with eyes shut in a grass field. All walked with amazing crookedness in paths which were not far re- moved from circles. Two of the circles described were not more than fifty yards in diameter, although the pedestrians thought they were going straight. All diverted to the right excepting one, who was strongly left handed. I then got eight village schoolboys," from ten to twelve years of age, continues Mr. Dar- win, and offered a shilling to the boy who should walk straightest blindfold. Before the contest, however, I dusted some saw- dust. on the ground and after making each of the boys walk over it, measured their strides from right to left and left to right. They were also made to hop, and the foot on which they hopped was noted they were then made to jump over a stick, and the foot from which they sprang was entered; lastly, they were instructed to throw a stone, and the hand with which they threw was noted. Each of these tests was applied twice over. I think they were all right- handed in throwing a stone, but I believe that two of them exhibited some mark of being partly left-handed. The six who are totally right-handed strode longer from left to right than right to left, hopped on the left leg, androse in jumping from that leg. One boy pursued the opposite course, and the last walked irregularly, but with no average difference between his strides. When I took them into the field I made the boys successively take a good look at a stick at about forty yards' dis- tance, and then blindfolded them and started them to walk, guiding them straight for the first three or four paces. The result was that the left-legged boys all diverged to the right, the right-legged boys diverged to the left, and the one who would not reveal himself won the prize. The trial was repeated a second time with closely similar results, although the prize winner did not walk nearly so straight on a second trial. I also measured the strides of myself and of some of my friends, and found the same connection between divergence and comparative length of stride. My own step from left to right is about a quarter of an inch longer than from right to left, and I am strongly right-handed." Mr. Darwin believes that nine out of ten strongly right-handed persons are left-legged, the reason being that every active effort with the right hand is almost necessarily accompanied by an effort' with the left leg, and a right-handed man is almost I compelled to use his left leg more than the other.

AN ArT REI-ARTEE.—A country surgeon, who was bald, was on a visit to a friend's house, whose servant wore a wig. After bantering him a considerable time, the doctor said, "You see how bald I am, and yet I don't wear a wig."—" True, sir," said the ser- vant but an empty barn requires no thatch."

THE EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY CELEBRATIONS. On Friday in hut week the tercentenary celebra- tions at Edinburgh were resumed, the first event being a. breakfast given to the visitors in the Royal College of Surgeons' Hall. There were about 150 guests present, and among the speakers was Sir Lyon Play- fair, who referred to the educational system of Scot- land, which, he said, enabled the poorest to attend the university. Professor Virchow and others also spoke. At half-past eleven o'clock the students' reception, under the presidency of the Lord Rector, was held in the Synod Hall of the United Presbyterian Church. The students occupied the body of the hall, and the remainder was crowded by visitors. The platform was occupied by the Rector, the Principal, the Lord Provost, and a large number of foreign delegates. The Rector (Sir Stafford Northcote) said,—I am sure it will be a satisfaction to the distinguished men who have visited us upon this occasion to have the opportunity of coming face to face with you all and to make your acquaintance, and I am also sure that to many, to the whole body of you, it will also be a matter of the greatest and most lasting satisfaction that you have had an opportunity of coming into personal communication with these distinguished men, of whom several I hope will to-day address you. It is an opportunity such as I will venture to think will be given to very few men indeed to witness again —namely, the collection of so many men distinguished in various branches of literature and science and art as those who are collected on the present occasion. I should be unpardonable if I were to take up your time, because I may have other opportunities from time to time of visiting you, and I therefore will not stand between you and those whom you may have no opportunity of ever seeing or hearing again. I take this opportunity of thanking you, on my own part and on the part of the other University authorities, for the excellent conduct which has been displayed, for the zeal with which the students have thrown themselves into the festival and the part which they have taken in providing entertainment, and in every way making themselves responsible for assisting to entertain and render their visit agreeable to our friends. Mr. Lowell, who was received with loud cheers, said lie confessed lie was very deeply touched by the kindness of their reception. He had feared that his engagements were such that he could not be there that morning, but he could not bear to go away without seeing the students face to face he could not bear to lose the chance of having, perhaps, one of the greatest pleasures that fell to a teacher—and lie for twenty years was a teacher—the pleasure of looking into young eyes. It was a batli of youth, a bath of hope it was restoring and invigorating. He would only say a very few words, and they, his fellow-students, would pardon him, for he was very tired. The few words he should say were suggested by the very pretty sight he saw the other evening from the windows of his hotel- he meant the torchlight procession, which seemed to him emblematic. It suggested to him two reflections, one of them pathetic, the other hopeful. One of the things that were, perhaps, saddest to a teacher was that he remained and saw passing before him these endless processions of young men, comparable to the bird of the Anglo-Saxon king, which flew in at one end of the lighted hall from the darkness and out of the other into the darkness and so that passed before them. This was something of a sad reflection. On the other hand, as he looked at their torches he thought how high, how sacred, how anxious was the office of teacher. When he looked at the torches lie thought of that familiar passage of the Latin poet, of how the lamps of life were passed from hand to hand. Sometimes teachers had the good fortune, not often, of lighting those torches, and as he saw them emerge from darkness he felt it was their destiny, the destiny of students to carry them down to the future and hand them on to their successors. He would not detain them longer, except to express the great satis- faction, the great pleasure and interest, that all their guests must have felt in this ceremonial which had been going on for the last two or three days, and which had been successful beyond all possible expec- tation. He could conceive nothing more interesting, and it seemed to liini they were singularly fortunate in being able to carry with them such a tradition into life as the memory of having stood face to face with so many eminent men and remarkable personages. Professor Beets, in the course of an address in which he quoted many familiar expressions in Scottish literature, and spoke of Edinburgh as Auld Reekie," said he came to them as an old man with a young heart in whom the love of beauty had nut diminished. He often thought that he owed as much to his fellow students as to his professors. M. de Lesseps, who spoke in French, was received with great enthusiasm. After expressing regret at his inability to speak English, he said that his family were of Scottish descent. His father had been sent to Egypt by the French Directorate after the Peace of Amiens," and intrusted with the duty of finding a native chief sufficiently energetic and intelligent to overthrow the power of the Mamelukes, whose disastrous rule had ruined the country and been the cause of the French expedition to Egypt. He found an intelligent and vigorous man named Mehemet Ali, who was born in Macedonia. That chieftain had only 100 men under his orders, and he did not know how to read or write, but he was very proud to have been chosen by the repre- sentative of France to govern Egypt. Later on, in 1832, when he had himself gone as Consul-General in Egypt, he was very well received by Mehemet Ali, who remembered that he owed his situation to his father. That succession of circumstances had helped materially the success of the Suez Canal. He had been frequently attacked, not in Scotland, but in England, and those attacks had not been favourable to his undertaking. He could not forget that 28 years ago, when he had made a tour of 22 public meetings in England and Scotland, he had come to Edinburgh, where he had received most cordial hospitality under the auspices of the University. At a public meeting in that town a resolution was carried setting forth that the work would be useful to humanity. M. de Lesseps proceeded to give some particulars as to the construction of the Suez Canal and predicted the pro- gress of peace and commerce and science. After speeches from Professor Yirchow, Professor Helmholtz, M. Pasteur, Count Safin and Professor Laveleye, Lord Reay addressed the meeting, thanking the men from the old world and the new who had spoken. Mr. Browning, in answer to loud calls from the audience, said he was rather surprised, and in conse- quence embarrassed, and that must be his excuse for not attempting to do what in other words lie should certainly have done in acknowledging their kindness. He had been accused in his writings of being unintel- ligible. He hoped he would not be unintelligible when he said how thoroughly grateful lie felt for the reception given to him. He should consider it to the end of his life one of the proudest of his days to be recognised by them in the way that he had been on this occasion. Sir Stafford Northcote, in a few words of thanks, closed the proceedings. In the evening a grand illumination of the city took place. The general idea was to light up the nothern side of the old town, from the Castle down- wards. The rimparts of the Castle were marked out 1 with lights, while the banks below had similar lights arranged to mark out the parallels and approaches of a siege. The tall houses of the High-street, including the Free Church College, the Savings' Bank, the Bank of Scotland, and the tall pile of the Coi poration buildings, were lit with candles, and the inhabitants of the intervening buildings were supplied also with canities, the general effect being very fine. The streets were thronged for several hours, and, as all tramway and carriage traffic was suspended, the effective scene was witnessed in perfect safety'by several hundred thousand people. A strong detach- ment of the Scots Greys patrolled the centre of Princes-street and other principal streets to divide the stream of traffic, and contributed greatly to the com- fort of the spectators. Various buildings throughout the city were also illuminated. From the north bank of the castle a splendid display of fireworks was let off. a.id the Scott monument and other principal buildings were lit up by various coloured fires. The display continued from eight to eleven, and elicited the highest admiration from all who witnessed it. The hotels and clubhouses in Princes-street were occupied by multitudes of ladies and gentlemen, and every point where a view of the extraordinary spectacle was to be obtained was crowded. The evening passed off without any accident of a serious nature.

THE FIRST ST.ILIN.-Dicl our young readers ever think how little it take to stain their characters ? A single drop of ink is a very small thing, yet, dropped into a tumbler of clear water, it blackens the whole and so the first oath, the first lie', the first glass, they seem very trivial, yet they leave a dark stain upon your character. Look out for the first stain.

EPITOME OF NEWS. BRITISH AND FOREIGN. A destructive disease of the leaves has appeared in the coffee plantations of the Dutch East Indies. An order in Council has been issued, directing the division into two portions of the Archdeaconry of York. or the West Riding, one of which is to retain that name, and the other to be called the Archdeaconry of Sheffield. The fire which occurred at Rangoon last week raged for two days, and forty-one houses were destroyed. The damage is estimate. 1 at about one million two hundred thousand pounds. Prince Bismarck has sent a heart v letter of thanks to "the Loyal Men of Jever," who every Spring send him a large basket full of the earliest plovers' eggs. The Policemen's Swimming Club at Glasgow, started in September last, has made great progress, and many constables who could not swim a stroke at that time are now fine exponents of the art. Big nuggets are still occasionally met with in New South Wales. At Temora one was recently found weighing 173oz. The first session of the New Veterinary College, Edinburgh, has just been closed. The classes were attended by 167 students. One of the original copies cf the National Covenant of Scotland has been placed in the Parliament House, Edinburgh. In a plebiscite taken in Stornaway, 3495 persons voted for closing all public-houses, and only thirty-two were for keeping them open. The licensing justices, how- ever, have just renewed all the licenses. The Indian police have made an extensive seizure of proclamations purporting to have come from the Mahdi. Last week's receipts of cotton at all United States ports were 27,000 bales; since 1st September, 4.6^5.000 bales. Week's exports to Great Britain, 14,000 bals to the Continent, 12,000 bales. Total sine li-t Sep- tember, 3,407,000 bales; stock at ail ports. 611,000 bales. Stock at iilteriol: bales. Mr. Gladstone, writiry to a lady correspondent at Cardiff, who had inquired of him whether the new Franchise Bill would include female suffrage. remarks that he fears the consideration ti tli matter referred to would be travelling bey.n tin ""upe of the present bill. In London, the other evening, in the refreshment bar at the Ludgate-hill station a gentleman was examining a small pistol, when it suddenly exploded, injuring one 3 of his fingers. He was carried out in a fainting con- dition. A leading firm in the meat trade at the London Central Market state that they have just received from Russia two brown bears, frozen and packed in a large case, forming part of a heavy consignment of game, principally white and brown hares, which, similarly packed, have also arrived in good condition. The traffic receipts of the railways in the United Kingdom for the week ending April 13. upon a mileage of 16.909f, amount to £ 1,283,709, being equal to £75 17s. per mile. For the corresponding week of last year the then published receipts were £ 1,248,655, the number of miles open 16,627j, or X75 2s. per mile. A comparison of the two weeks shows an increase in the total receipts of £35,054, and an increase in the number of miles open to 282. The Municipality of Meldola have just placed upon their town hall a monument to the memory of Felice Orsini, who was executed in Paris in 1858 for attempt- ing to assassinate Napoleon III. by throwing bombs under his carriage. The Post Office Committee of the United States House of Representatives have resolved that it is ex- pedient to establish a postal telegraph, by contracting with the existing companies to do the work. The annual report of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers has just been issued. During the past year the number of members has increased by 2030, the total being 50,418. The total income has been S,134,649, an increase, of X10,241 as compared with the previous year. The outlay was £ 124,724, an increase of £ 22,569. The assets of the society are now £178,125. Mrs. Gladstone is expected to contribute a little manual on Healthy Bed-rooms and Nurseries to the series of handbooks about to be issued by the Inter- national Health Exhibition Committee. The contract for constructing the 77,000 square metres of buildings for the Antwerp Universal Exhibi- tion has been divided among three Belgian companies. A new observatory is being built on Mount Ventoux, in the department of the Vaucluse, France. The works are considerably advanced, and the service of observa- tions will commence in the autumn of the present year. A correspondent in Greece who has lately visited Olympia, states that the excavations have been renewed, and are now proceeding at the expense of the Athens Archselogical Society. An Athenian gentleman has given 200,000f. for the erection of a museum, which is making good progress. A number of bones of animals—though none of an extraordinary size—have been discovered, at a depth of 16 feet, during the excavations in the site of the Con- stitutional Club in Northumberland-avenue, London. The spot at which the bones were found was formerly part of the gardens of Northumberland House. At an evening school for adults in Hornscy," The Horse was given to the pupils as a subject of compo- sition. An agricultural cottager set to work with a will, and executed the following "The ors is the noblst of anermals and so is the kow. If you hit him he won't do it. The ors has 4 legs 1 in each korner. Finis." An innovation in the education of Eastern women is to be introduced at Constantinople, where a day school is to be established for instructing girls in useful arts and trades, under the Sultan's especial patronage. The fee will be nominal, as 200 scholars will be admitted on payment of 9s. a month, another 100 being taught free. The Town Council of Edinburgh have authorised the purchase of Blackford-hill as a public park. The area is 107 acres, and the price asked is tSOOO, being about 45 years' purchase of the present grazing rent. Black- ford-hill has an historic interest, as being the spot from which Sir Walter Scott makes Marmion survey the landscape of the city and the Firth of Forth. Particulars have reached Belfast of the death of Dr. Logan, R.N., at Suakim, on board H.M.S. Sphinx. Surgeon Logan successfully extracted the bullet from Colonel Burnaby's arm, and several pieces of shell from Baker Pasha's face, for which he was mentioned in Admiral Hewett's depatches. He afterwards had a sun- stroke at Massowah, and died from a fever which super- vaned. He belonged to a County Down family. A girl, four years of age, named Tanner, residing with her parents at Duke-road. Chiswick, while playing with matches, ignited her clothes and set fire to the house. The fire was extinguished, but the child died in great agony, a few hours after the occurrence. A little brother was found insensible, being suffocated. The Duke of Cambridge has signified to Major- General Newdigate his satisfaction at the admirable manner in which the mameuvres on Easter Monday were carried out, and at the discipline and efficiency shown by the volunteers. A memorial against the Congo Treaty has been addressed to Lord Granville by the Committee of the British and Foreign Anii-Slavery Society. It is estimated that in the coming year, the first full twelvemonth of its working, the new Bankruptcy Department of the Board of Trade will prove almost self-supporting. As a matter of precaution a vote for a trifle over £ 2000 will be asked for. In continuation of a scheme of barrack extension at Portsmouth the authorities have been directed to frame an estimate for preparing a site for new barracks for the Royal Artillery. The present barracks were con- demned more than twenty years ago. On Saturday morning the axle of a truck on a goods train proceeding from Pontypool to Hereford, broke when approaching a bridge crossing the Wye at Here- ford. Two trucks left the metals, tearing up the per- manent way, breaking through the ironwork at the side of the bridge, and falling into the river. Fortunately there was no loss of life. It is proposed to collect and to publish the principal speeches which the Duke of Albany delivered during the last few years of his life. An old lady named Annie Leesoi:, who was said to be 103 years of age. has just died at Solihull. near Bir- mingham. She lived with her son, who is 79 years of age. She was in -full possession of her faculties. The discovery was made in the Birmingham Court of Quarter Sessions the other day that during the time the Court was sitting some thief had stolen, unobserved, into the Recorder's and Clerk's private rooms, and. after emptying a decanter of sherry and another of claret, had carried off the wig belonging to the Clerk of the Peace. The Spanish Cortes have just paid £ 36,000 for the library of the late Duke of Osuna. The collection consists of 2770 volumes of MSS. and 33,567 volumes of printed books, many of which in both batches are unique. The Spanish Government proposes to ask the French authorities for permission to remove to Madrid the remains of the painter Goya, who died at Bordeaux in 1828, and was interred in the cemetery of the bran- Chartreuse there. ir-.nj.n A centenarian family inhabit a village n attain district, Japan, none of whose race baye fa.led t^atto the age of 100 since the foundation of the family m <30 A.D. exhibition, towards the end It is intended to open an exm of July, of national portraits m the galleries of the Scotch Royal Academy at Edinburgh, as a prehminary step towards the establishment of a national portrait gallery for Scotland. It will consist of authentic portraits of men and women whose names are associated with the history of the country. Whilst the Channel Squadron were in Phalerum Bay, a fatal accident occurred on heard the Minatour, the flag-ship of the Duke of Edinburgh. At the close of the quarterly practice with revolvers, and after orders had been given to unload, a young seaman asked the gunner's mate to explain the mechanism of a pistol. The latter took up a revolver in which there happened to be a cartridge that had missed fire. It exploded, shooting the seaman through the jaw, the ballet lodging in the spinal column. The unfortunate man died in a few minutes. A brutal murder was committed on Saturday evening at Tolleshunt Knights, near AT it ham, Essex. Two young labourers, named Beckwith and Smith, had been drinking at a public-house, and on their way home, after lnving some words, Smith stabbed his companion in the abdomen. Beckwith fell into a ditch and lay there bleeding, with his bowels protruding, until six o'clock the next morning, when he was discovered. He died on Tuesday in great agony. On "Wednesday an inquest was held at North Shields on the body of a boy named John Holmes Burris, the son of a solicitor's clerk belonging to Sunderland, who is alleged to have been poisoned by Sarah Jane Holmes with whom the father of the child had been cohabiting. The jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against Holmes, who was committed to take her trial at the Northumberland Assizes. The accused, it is said. poisoned the boy with a portion of a packet of verinin- killer. There were 2429 births and 1474 deaths registered in London last week. Allowing for increase of popula- tion, the births were 302 and the deaths 328 below the average numbers in the corresponding weeks cf the last ten years. The annual death-rate from all causes, which had been 20 4 and 21-9 per 1000 in the two pre- ceding weeks, declined again to 19'1. The death is announced of General von Schwerin Governor of Metz. In command of the 10th Infantry Brigade, the deceased Ut ueral hel l his own against overwhelming numbers at Mars la Tour, when he lost lie i'wer than C6 officers and 1644 JDtn. and in subse- quent engagements = ÍMll, at Mans, he took a prominent iiart. The Iron Trade Wages Boare held a meeting at Wolverhampton on Tuesday. The employers had given a month's notice for a reconsideration of the current wages. They now require a drop of 6d. per tOll. half tL" s L. Cleveland. The repre- sentatives of the men on the Board refused to accept the terms, and Alderman Avery, of Birmingham, will arbitrate. Pending his decision the works will be kept going. The drop notified will carry a five per cent, reduction in rolling and mill works. From a Parliamentary return of mortality in the navy during the past ten years, issued on "T edneffiay morning, it appears that the loss of life, exclusive of deaths from natural causes and in actual conflict, amounted to 1703. Of these 172 were caused by falls from aloft, 1060 by drowning, 48 committed suicide, and 423 died from wounds, injuries, or explosions. The silver medal for long service and good conduct," has just been awarded to 2(4 non-commissioned officers and men. The recipients include four of the Household Cavalry, 18 of Cavalry of the Line, 24 of the Royal Artillery, 17 of the Royal Engineers, eight of the Brigade of Guards, and 122 of infantry of the Line. Ravoninahitriniarivo. the Chief Malagasy Envoy, since his return to Madagascar, has written a letter to his friends in England, thanking them for the many acts of kindness which he received from their hands during the recent visit of himself and his colleagues to this country. The Warwick Dog Show, under Kennel Club rules, opened on Wednesday. It is the largest show ever held in the provinces. Some of the most noted dogs in the kingdom, including 99 champions, competed, and upwards of 1,14)0 in prizes was given by most of the leading clubs. The total number of dogs entered was 1200. The Nottingham Corporation have resolved to with- draw their opposition to the Trent Navigation Bill, and to buy the undertaking, representing a paid-up capital of £ 26,000, for £ 21,000.' Dr. M. D. Kayanagb, of the Middle Temple. barrister- at-law, has by this mail received instructions from the Princess of Tanjore to bring forward her Highness's claims to the throne of Tanjore, to one-fifth of the territorial revenue, and to the private property now in possession of the Receiver. The Jubilee Singers of Fisk University arrived at Liverpool on the 13th inst., and are about to commence a tour through the principal towns in the kingdom. The original company, strengthened and improved since their visit in 1871, will sing the slave songs which were then so favourably received. A negro who had brutally murdered a woman near Austin, Texas, last Saturday night, was chased and captured on Monday. He was taken to the scene of the crime by a lynching party numbering 100. and con- fessed his guilt. He was then roasted to death. A telegram from Gratz states that Count Meran. the son of Archduke John, former Administrator of the Empire, has met with a serious accidert while out driving. The carriage was upset, and he sustained severe injuries, his head being much cut by the broken window glass. William Suowey Mitchell, a lad of 16, who was apprehended at Perth last week on a charge of forging and uttering a cheque for £ 650 in the name of his employer, on the Union Bank of Aberdeen, was on Tuesday charged with the crime before the magistrates and committed for trial. "When apprehended jESOOwas found in the boy's possession, and a gold watch, which he had purchased as a gift to a young lady in the south. In London, on Tuesday, at the Mansion House Police-court, Augustus Sheath was charged on remand with obtaining, by false pretences. 12 ladies' jackets value ilo 15s. It was stated that numerous other similar charges would be preferred against him, and he was again remanded. The trade done on Tuesday at Howden Horse Fair was principally in horses suitable for riding and driving purposes, with a moderate demand also for cart-horses. For the former prices ranged from f50 to i-15, whilst the latter realised from £ 45 to £ 75 each. At Wednesbury, on Tuesday, Isaac Davis, a miner, was committed to the assizes for stealing horses. It is alleged that the prisoner has been in the habit of going about the country and stealing horses which had been put in fields to graze. He visited Wednesbury and Sedgely and took two horses, and disposed of them to a horse slaughterer at Birmingham. He afterwards decamped, and was arrested in North Staffordshire for breaking into dwelling-houses. A vessel trading between Kirkwall and North Faroe has arrived at Kirkwall with intelligence of a fearful fishing disaster during a gale. The fishing fleet were caught at sea and two boats were capsized, the whole of the crews. 16 in number, being drowned, one of the boats being upset in sight of their home. The boats had a good fishing, and as they were undecked it is supposed that they filled with the heavy sea. Most of the 16 men drowned were married, and in some cases two or three of a family were lost. From careful observations made by the Sanitary Committee of the Port of London it appears that the number of persons constantly upon the. river within the authority of the Board averages from 22,000 to 23,000, the average number of vessels of all classes being from 2.500 to 3(300, exclusive of ships belonging to her Majesty's and foreign Governments. The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland have resolved upon a petition to Mr. Gladstone praying for the resto- artion of the old hall of Kdiuburgh Castle, once the meeting place of the Scottish Parliament, now used as a military hospital. In Greece there are 90 printing offices, half of them being at Athens. 135 newspapers are published there. and an annual average of 500 to 600 books are issued by the publishers. The Press Laws are very mild. A Select Committee has been appointed at Manitoba to inquire into the operation of the protective tariff on agricultural implements, lumber, and canned fruits. Claret-coloured dress coats are to be introduced in Paris for evening wear, in order to avoid the present funereal and waiter-like appearance of the ordinary masculine full-dress garb. It is stated that the medal to the troops taking part in the expedition to the Soudan will be of similar design to that given for the recent campaign in Egypt with bars for two engagements. On Saturday a man named Mosquelin was gtiillotined at Douai, for murdering his mother. He was p y cards with the gaoler when the executioner arn Some miscreants, by unfastening a ra night, handle Railway, near Dayton.Ohio. were wrecked a train. The engine-dri killed. killed.. breadstuffs from The value of the exports of dom^ag 10 500;000 dols! ? the I nited States last (j0jg as comparfct] being a decrease ot o\ei with March, 1883^ that the revenue of Cyprus for the y^nd''i March 31st h.st was £ »0(000 in excess A*1thnestone cave'with beautiful stalactite and stalag- formations has been recently discovered by chance in'the Department of Ain. near the road from Geneva to Lyons. It has been explored for about 300 yards. An extensive lead mine has been discovered at Ghor- band, near Cabul. The work of printing the United States census report has come to a stop for the third time for lack of money. Several volumes have been published, and the remaining 15 or 20 volumes are ready for printing. In addition to the insufficient appropriation made for the purpose by Congress, the Government printing office is over- crowded with work. Unusual activity is said to prevail just now m tne Russian dockyards. Six new war ships are o fin i shed by next autumn. Russia has at present in the Chinese waters, besides a small fleet of forming the Siberian squadron, one man-of-war, two clippers, and one sorew c

TTtlPEIlIAL PARLIAMENT. Parliament reassembled on Monday after the Easter fe I if the HOUSE OF LOEDS Lord Abingdon took his seat on his succession to the peerage. Lord Belmore, speaking on the subject ot the pro- o«ed Parks Railway, recommended that the motive oower should be electricity and not steam, because of the difficulty, if not impossibility, of properly ventilat- ing underground railways without shafts into the open air; and he asked whether the Government would con- sider the propriety of making the assent of Parliament to the proposed line contingent on the adoption by the company of that recommendation. Lord Sudeley, in reply, stated that the Board of Trade had received an assurance based on high profes- sional opinion that the new line, worked by steam power, could be ventilated without such openings as had been referred to by Lord Belmore, and the sanction of the department had been given to the scheme only on an undertaking by the company that no ventilating shafts were to be carried up to the surface. Their lordships adjourned at ten minutes to five o'clock. In the HOUSE or CmBIOXS Mr. Harris took the oath and his seat for Poole, in the roam of Mr. fechreibner, deceased. THIS I.OVDON" GOVERNMENT BILL. The Lord Mayor of London (Mr. R. N. Fowler) gave notice that on the second reading of the London Government Bill he would move that it be read a second time that day six months, and Mr. Ritchie gave notice of a resolution declaring that the House, while admitting the necessity of reform, declines to sanction a measure which vests the whole control of the metro- polis in a single central body, thus destroying all local self-government. AFFAIRS IN THE SOUDAN. Replying to Mr. Bourke, Mr. Gladstone stated that a telegram had been received from Sir Evelyn Baring substantially confirming the detailed report of a tele- gram sent by General Gordon to Sir Samuel Baker. Shendy was threatened by hostile tribes, and serious apprehensions were entertained with regard to the safety of Berber. A telegram from General Gordon confirmed previous information to the effect that Khartoum, though hemmed in by hostile tribes, had abundant supplies, and that there was not the slightest apprehension of danger. With regard to the reported summoning of a European conference as to Egyptian finance, the right hon. gentleman said that at present he had nothing material to sdd to what he had previously stated. Lord E. Fitzmaurice added that the report that a portion of the garrison and some of the civilian population who had left Shendy with the view of escaping Lad been massa- cred appeared to be true and in answer to Mr. Ashmead-Bartlett, he explained that the Foreign Office had no information with regard to an unciphered tele- gram having been sent to General Gordon informing him that no British troops would be sent to his assistance. In answer to further questions by Mr. Chaplin and others, the Prime Ministei repeated that so far as the Government knew the position of General Gordon was one of security, and in a recent telegram the General spoke of being as safe at Khartoum for a couple of months to come as at Cairo. Sir Evelyn Baring was about to leave Egypt for England, and arrangements had been made for the transaction cf the duties of his office during his abseIce. SUPPLY. On the motion to go into Supply, Dr. Cameron called attention to the inconveniences and occasional in- justices caused by the present system of public prose- cutions in Scotland, especially complaining that Pro- curators Fiscal are allowed to act as factors or agents in the management of landed estates and to practice as solicitors in the districts over which their commission extends. He moved a resolution condemning this part of the system, which was seconded by Sir G. Campbell, and supported by Mr. Macfarlane, Sir t. Colebrooke, Mr. Mackintosh, and Mr. Dalryiiilie The Lord Advocate, after some general remarks m defence of the Scotch system of preliminary inquiries, expressed the agreement of the Government in the principle that where it was possible to get the services of a competent man exclusively for the duties of the Procurator Fiscal that should be the course pursued. But he pointed out that, owing to the necessity of having Procurators Fiscal within easy distance all over the country, the duties of the officers were not always sufficient to employ their whole time. Mr. Dick Peddie regarded the answer of the Lord Advocate as eminently unsatisfactory, and Mr. M'Lagan and Mr. Barclay also supported the motion, which on a division was negatived by 52 to 35. Mr. Collings complained of the negligence of the Charity Commissioners in enforcing the operation of the Allotments Act. Mr. Mundella, in reply, reminded him that a commit- tee had been appointed just before the recess to inquire into the working of the Charity Commission, before which all cases of hardship might be examined. Mr. Elton and Mr. Read maintained that the Allot- ments Act was quite unworkable, and after some further conversation the House %vent into Committee on the Civil Service Estimates. Several votes were agreed to in Class I. (Public Works and Buildings), and on the first vote for the Royal palaces a reduction of £:2000 was moved by Mr. Rylands, which was ultimately negatived. h On the vote for the Royal parks and pleasure grounds there arose a long discussion on the item of E2000 for the new statue of the Duke of Wellington, which was warmly opposed by Mr. Rylands, Mr. Labouchere, Mr. Lentuiek. and others, and carried ultimately by fifty- four to fifty-one. Sir 11. Peel thereupon gave notice that he would revive the question on the report. Some other business was disposed of, and the House adjourned at a quarter-past two o'clock.

THE FIGHTING IN TONQUIN. A telegram received by the French Minister of the Marine confirms the news of the utter rout of the Chinese and Black Flags who had occupied Hong- Hoa. The French were unable to capturc any pri- soners. According to the information furnished by spies, a considerable portion of the Black Flags have crossed the Red River into the marshy land between that river and the River Claire on their way to Laoki. General Millot states that the French troops are to pursue the fugitives that are on the right bank of the Day in order to purge the south of Tonquin from them, and to obtain complete satis- faction for the massacres perpetrated during the last three months. The French loss during the attack on Hong-IIoa is officially put down at five European soldiers and eleven Anamite Coolies, who were drowned in crossing Ill) Black River. The French have, moreover, captured and destroyed the fortresses of Phnlamtralll and Donjun, which after the fall of Hong-IIoa, had served as refuges, the former to the chief of the Black Flags, the latter to the chief of the Anamite Rebels.

THE APPROACHING WEDDING AT DARMSTADT. Writing from Darmstadt on Sunday, the cor- respondent of tho Times says The wedding of Princess Victoria with Prince Louis of Batteuberg is now fixed for Wednesday, April 30. The parties will first enter into the obliga- tory civil contract in presence of Freiherr von Starck, Minister of State, and the religious rite will then be solemnised in the Castle Chapel, where the Princesses were confirmed, at five o clock in the afternoon. As the number of invited guests, representing all the upper classes of society here, is large, and as the chapel itself is rather small, the seats will be re- moved to make standing room. Among the lvoyal and princely personages who will attend the ceremony are Queen Victoria, the ,Iere on th. fe comes on the 2oth and will be followed on the 20th by her husband; Princess William and Henry of Prussia, with the Hereditary Princess of Saxe- Meiningen and Princess Victoria of Prussia, sons and daughters of the Crown 1 mice and the Grand Duke Sergius of Russia, the betiothed of Princess Elizabeth. The Grand Duke has just returned from Stuttgart, and will now lodge in the Schloss with the other princely guests, and the suite of her Majesty the QueenT who herself occupies apartments in the new Palace. The German Emperor will in all probability also be present at the wedding if cil-clillist,-iiiees--aiid among them the health of the Empress-previously nable him to leave Berlin for Wiesbaden, where he Intends taking the waters for a fortnight or so. But jn any case he is sure to come over here from ies aden to visit the Queen.

THE ITALIAN AUMY.—The latest reports issued by 6 Italian Minister for War give the following figures s repregCnting the effective of the Italian army on epteirtber 30, 1883: Regular army, 750,765 men; Mobilised forces, 341,250; total, 1,092,015 men. To ^se must be added 1533 officers en disponibilite, 4742 officers of the territorial army, 3748 officers of the reserve, 1,017,212 men of the territorial army, form- 1^8 a total of 2,119,250 men. Of these 450,000 men &ve served from two to three years, 50,000 over ree years, and 375,000 something less than two

GOSSIP ON DRESS. THE almost universal adoption of mourning since the death of the late Duke of Albany has not been without its effect upon fashion and its votaries. The principal shops have been showing scarcely anything but mourning materials in every sli-ide of grey, mauve, and violet, as well as black goods. The sale of such minor adjuncts as black gloves, &c., has been simply enormous. THE Queen has an article on "The Fashions of the Day," from which we make the following extracts: The black mantles are very pretty this season, trimmed with a profusion of black lace, jet, and bead passe- menterie. Brocaded and plain velvet, and also broad stripes of velvet and grenadine, are to be most fashion- able. One novelty in the latter style has epaulets and brandebourgs of oxidised silver braid, laid on black lace. It is caught up high at the back with clusters of black velvet loops, and silver braid orna- ments. Another and smaller mantle, in black or coloured velvet, resembles a cape at the back, with full front and long ends of black Chantilly lace. The sleeves of all are still much puffed at the top. Yery large jet butterflies are placed on mantles For instance, a mantelet of velvet broche gauze, in black or colour, would have the whole centre of the back of black lace, drawn from the neck to the waist, where a very large jet butterfly would gather it in, and then let it fall in graceful folds low on the skirt. Tigers' claws are also used for the same purpose, and also in front as clasps. TiiE black grenadine mantles, with black or coloured chenille broche, will be very pretty, when the weather admits of their being worn. The smartest mantles are short and full at the back, with plenty of lace and beads about them. A great many have long ends in front. Some of the beaded bails that trim them are as large as small oranges, but beino: of cork are quite light. The short basqued close-fitting jackets will be, and are, much more general than mantelets. Several are boned, to render them more close-fitting to the curves of the figure, and some are padded under the basque, to make them fit without a crease. The bro- caded velvet, with full chenille fringe, the plain velvet, with frills of black lace, and the stockingnette, with frayed silk ruche vie with each other in popularity; while the most dressy are those entirely of jetted lace, fitting like a cuirass, with fall of plain lace, sprinkled over with tassels of jet beads. Some have fronts of full black lace, clasped at the throat with a cluster of jet balls, or loops of ribbon velvet, gathered at the waist, and then falling in a loop below. Others have two large rosettes of cut velvet, one fixed on the left shoulder and the other just below the throat, con- nected with straps of the ribbon. MOST of the new bonnets are very small (says the same authority). They are nearly all kept in place by fancy pins passed through the turned-up hair. These pins are endless in variety, and seem to prop the bonnet up high on the head. Many ladies, evidently considering this style of coiffure too flat to be be- coming, put a frisette inside, and then turn up the hair, so that in some cases the effect resembles that of the once popular chignon. Irish crochet is now adapted to bonnets, and is dyed black, red, or pale fawn colour. It is mounted over a coloured crown, and also mixed with the full ruche of,, cut silk round the edge of the bonnet. Twine, in brown, dust, grey, and other shades, is another novelty. The crown of the bonnet is worked round and round, commencing in the centre, and is encircled with a thick rope of twisted twine. The front of the bonnet is composed of frayed silk of two or more shades, and a flower, harmonising perfectly, is placed deftly in the coils on one side. Other twine bonnets have the crown of fine netting, with small sprays of kid flowers appliqued on the edge is ornamented with two or more rows of cut beads, corresponding in colour. Bonnets of gold twist have a large gilt butterfly on the crown, smaller cnes fastening on the strings at the sides, and the whole veiled in gold bpotted or shot tulle. This shot tulle is very new, and may be compared to a spider's web thick with dew, glistening with iridescent splendour, in the sunlight. At present, only a few leading milliners are using this tulle. The coloured tulle is very fashionable for veils, but not so becoming as the spotted black. It is often worn over the chin, drawn tightly back in folds to the hat or bonnet, instead of across the tip of the nose, or the mouth. Buttons of incrusted stones are 'sewn on to straw bonnets, as flat as possible. Old garnet buttons, which many people possess, can be attached to a ruby straw bonnet, trimmed with the same coloured velvet, and the edge ornamented with beads matching as nearly as possible. The buttons are scattered sparsely over the crown, and one is mounted as a brooch to fasten the strings, while another forms the head of a long pin, piercing the wearer's hair. Steel, jet, or other fancy coronets, intended originally for wearing on the hair, are now to be seen mounted as the fronts of bonnets. Some- times they are put below, and sometimes above, the raised brims of bonnets, according to the taste of the wearer. A FEW new-shaped hats are beginning to appear. Some have the brim straight and projecting in front, with a half-wreath of flowers resting on a plain layer of coloured velvet. The back is turned sharply up lagainst the crown, apparently pinned back with a fancy-headed pin and a small tuft of the flowers to 'one side. Others have a large, wide bow of velvet in front, and a few feather tips fixed far back at one side, curling over the flattened edge. Ostrich feathers droop over the back of the rather wide, turned-up brims of the Cavalier hats; and groups of various teoloured wings in the front of the Henri II. ones. Coloured straw hats, matching costumes, are trimmed with velvet or spotted gauze, and have a tuft of flowers in shade. Green hats (reseda) have a half- wreath of mignonette; grey ones have the wings of pigeons, and the newest—" Mushroom "-are trimmed with two shades of the colour, ami have a few admir- ably imitated artificial mushroom slightly to one side. !But black hats are considered in the best taste, and, as a rul" the "lost becoiiiii-ig. LIGHT beads of cut jet arc much used now for edging the cuffs and collars of dresses next the skin. Sometimes the front of the bodice is cut out in a large diamond, edged with beads, and filled in with gathered black or cream lace, or flowered net over colour. The edges of parasols are also ornamented thus A pretty fashion, which has lately been adopted, is to pass a black lace scarf loosely round the neck, fasten one end under the left ear with a dainty spray of real flowers, and the other on the right hip with a second spray. Real flowers are occasionally seen at the handle of parasols secured to a bow of ribbon. A new way of using a pretty pocket handkerchief is to divide it, and put half of it, in the shape of a bow on the handle of the en-tout-cas, and the other half tucked into the bodice. The rage for fancy bordered handkerchiefs is as great as ever, ever, and at present those with plain bands of colour are considered in better taste than the vandyked ones. For half mourning, borders of delicate grey, with, sometimes, dots of black on them, and the monogram in black, arc more used than black. Narrow bangles of cut jet are worn, several together. When out of mourning, a single gold bangle is considered better style than a number of very narrow ones. Velvet round the throat and wrists, fastened with any good- sized rococo buttons, especially miniature, with roses diamond setting, crystal, or pearls, is coming in again, and also two or more strings of pearls, fastened on to gold braid of about an inch wide. A LON DON" contemporary has an article on Layette Basket and Bassinette," both articles most necessary to the comfort of infant humanity. We quote the following: The basket is used more or less night and day; its contents are continually required, and never is a baby dressed or undressed by a thoughtful nurse or mother without it being placed at a handy distance, complete with all its small contents, includ- ing the full suit of clothes about to be put on. The nos1andy, practical, and useful description is that °[1 four legs, having two shelves and a handle 's Iined—a dark-coloured material n Wrl ai\ )nger than light—and has two pockets, the four oorrfprq>n' Tl"^ tlle Powdcr-box secured into the four corners. The contents of the baskot consist of a soft hair brush, a pot of cold cream, a pot of zinc ointment, and perhaps a box of fullers' earth, a roll of old linen, a piece of new flannel, and a suit of the baby's clothes. In the powder-box is a puff and some violet powder; in one pocket about two dozen hold- fast safety pins, of two sizes; in the other pocket a reel of strong white cotton, a packet of large needles, a thimble, and a bodkin. On the pincushion should be two or three needles threaded and on one side of the basket, inserted in a loop, a pair of small round- pointed scissors. The upper shelf is convenient for holding the squares; and the lower for the towels, soft sponges, soap, and a piece of old flannel, until a more convenient place is found for them, lhe flat baskets are lined and trimmed in a similar manner, and contain the same articles. All baskets for this purpose should have a cover to protect their contents from dust when not in use. The bassinettes of the present day arc of such a variety and have so many qualifications, it is merely a question of taste and perhaps of chance what is pro- vided. It is advisable to have one too long for a baby at first, as he will soon grow, and when it is too small requires a crib; also space is necessary for clothes. The hood and curtains ought not to be too low or near the child's face; there should be plenty of air without a draught. If the cot is used in different rooms, either night and day or during the day, it is advisable to have one light in weight, particularly where the staircase are passages are not wide. The usual contents are a mattress or feather bolster, a small square pillow, macintoshes, two upper blankets, and one or two under ones, a coverlet or counterpane, and often an eider-down quilt.

PRIMROSE DAY. The wearing and the display of primroses on Satur- day—the anniversary of the death of the Earl of Beaconsfield--wa. very largely adopted in the metro- polis and accounts received from all parts of the United Kingdom show how universal has become the display of the late earl's flower. From an early hour of the morning the vast majority of those who came into London were wearing "posies of primroses." As the morning advanced, it was noticed that drivers of cabs and omnibusses all displayed the modest little flower; while shop windows were dressed with un- usual taste, and in such a manner as to a'low of the pale yellow predominating. In the streets the huck- sters of flowers, although they had loaded their carts with this flower, found ready sale for the whole. The statue of Lord Beaconsfield in Parliament-square was adorned with primrose wreaths, and one, tied with blue ribbon, encircled his lordship's neck. One of the wreaths at the base of the statue bore the words, Peace with lioilour." Many hundreds of bunches of primroses were strewed about the pavement. In London, on Saturday evening, the first banquet of the Primrose Lenguc" was held at the Free- masons' Tavern, the Earl of Egrnont presiding over a company of nearly 400 gentlemen. Lord Randolph Churchill was unhappily prevented by a severe cold from attending. In proposing" The Memory of Lord Beaconsfield the chairman said that when he was laid in his rest in Hughenden Churchyard, the grave had closed over the head of one of the most honest, most honourable, and most patriotic states- men that England had ever had. The toast was drunk in solemn silence, and was followed by that of the Houses of Lords and Commons," to which the Earl of Limerick and Mr. Marriott, M.P., responded.

MINISTERIAL CHANGES IN CHINA. A telegram received from Shanghai reports that the principal members of the Tsung li Yamen have been changed, and that the newly-appointed Councillors belong to the anti-foreign party. Prince Koang, who has been appointed President of the Tsung li Yamen, is a devoted partisan of Prince Chun. It is expected that the greater part of the Viceroys of the Provinces, being creatures of Prince Kung, will be dismissed or superseded. The telegram, at the same time, points out that the high functionaries recently dismissed in- clude several belonging to the anti-foreign party, and that, although Prince Chun s accession to power may be regarded as a triumph for the latter, it is necessary to await the acts of the Government in order to judge of the political direction which it will follow.