Monmouthshire Merlin

MULTUM IN PARVO, Mr. Jefferson Davis is expected to visit England next month. The celebrated Prussian archaaologisfc, Dr. Ger-, hard, is dead. I The Hereford Musical Festival will commence on the 20th August. During the past week 55 wrecks have been reported making for the present year a total of 1,283. The well-known French novelist, Octave Feuillet, has been appointed librarian to the Castle at Fon- tainebleau. A Connecticut journal adds to its "standing.heads" that of "divorces," and inserts the list between the Carriages and deaths. A company has been formed at Meriden, Connec- tieut, for the manufacture of hats by a machine which weaves them whole." The Wiltshire papers announce the death at Hey- tesburyj in that county, of Mr- John Parker, a well- uown antiquarian, at the age o The New Zealand mail steamer Kakaia made the run from Wellington to Panama in 26 days 20 hours and brought 96 passengers, the largest number yet obtained by that route. It has lately been ascertained by the friends of the late Samuel Rogers that for the illustrations to his "Italy" and his volu ue of miscellaneous poems he paid no less than f 15.000. The new Royal Amphitheatre, in llotborn, was opened on Saturday night for the purpose of eques- trian and dramatic performances. The building is of novel arrangements, and has been built from the de- signs of Messrs. Thomas Smith and Son, of Blooms- bury Square. The Mekhitarist Fathers of St. Lazarus at Venice, Directors of the Armenian College in Paris, were two days back received in private audience by the Em- peror, and had the honour of offering to his Majesty the "Vie de Jules Cesar," translated into Armenian and printed in the presses of their monastery. SUDDEN DEATH AT A FUNERAL.-On Saturday, Mr. William Mackill, overlooker, aged fifty-six, Sowerby- bridge, attended the funeral of a niece near Rippon- deu,"and it is supposed that he over-exerted himself on the way to the house. He died about five minutes after arriving at the house, in the midst of the mour- ners. Mr. Hookman, the well-known librarian of Old Bond-street, whose establishment (recently merged in a library company) was a celebrated place of resort in the last generation, died a few days ago, at the age.of 80. He was well known and esteemed by Shel- ley in his early years. Some of Shelley's published letters are addressed to him. The Archduchess Matilda, daughter of the Arch- duke Albert of Austria, met with a serious accident On the 22d. By some means, at present unknown, her clothes caught fire, and the arms, neck, back, and Wer extremities of the body were much burned. In- t^mation havine set in, great uneasiness is felt as to 6 consequences likely to result. The p. all(] Princess of Prussia paid their first 'sit to the Exhibition last Saturday. When in the °°m appropriated to English glass, they suddenly ?et the Duke of Edinburgh, who at once embraced "is sister. After a few moments of conversation and Cordiality the Duke withlrew, and, pursuing his pro- menade, went to breakfast at the Cafe Gousset. The Movimento of Genoa has the following: "A Painful event has plunged a noble family of this city into mourning. The young wife of the Marquia h Tv on rising from table about eight in the evening retired to her own apartment where-no one knows why—she stabbed herself to the heart with a knife, death following almost immediately. The customary review of the Foot Guards on Her Majesty's birthday took place on Saturday, on thei Parade in St. James' s-park, and owing to the fineness1 ^of the weather a large number of spectators congre-i gated. The Prince of Wales was present, accompa- *ied by the Hereditary Prince Adolphus of Mecklen-J h^g-Strelitz and His Serene Highness Prince de' TECT. THE PRINCESS TECK.—The Grand Duchess of Meck- lenburg-Strelitz was present with her sister at the Princess's accouchement. The Duke of Cambridge was at Kensington Palace at the time. On Monday,' afternoon, from 400 to 500 of the nobility and gentry" called personally at Kensington Palace to inquire after the health of Her Royal Highness and infant, who were doing remarkably weT. VISIT OF THE SULTAN TO ENGLAND.—The Standard 'ays':—"The Sultan is comingto London, and he will ^lodged in Buckingham Palace as the guest of the, jleen. We are not aware that the date of his visit fixed, but it will probably be at some time towards^ the end of July." Another journal says "The pre-( Orations for the reception and welcome of our lllus-, kious visitor will, we believe, be worthy of the occa-1 sion." The miracle of Sf. Januarius has not gone off as Suspiciously as usual this year. The liquefaction of. the Neapolitan saint's blood was incomplete, a port-, eHtous black clot remained unsolved in the centre of the vase, and was seen, says the Tablet, with grief by thousands of the faithful, who deem it to be a sign of j ttipendino-calamity. The whole Italian people are J Stated by the same authority to be sadly depressed in: Consequence of this coagulum.-Pall Mall Gazette. The cruel flogging of coolies on the tea plantations' of Assam formed the subject of a parliamentary pap er lately published. From that document, itappeired that the chief offenders had been subjected only t J a Nominal punishment, and that there was an abse ice that strict magisterial supervision which was in dispensable to the just treatment of the coolies. Be- fore he left office, Lord Cranborne addressed a vigor- ous despatch to the Governor-General on the subject, reprobating these cruelties in the strongest language, Q?d directing the appointment of an additional ma- gistrate. SAD END OF A CONVICT.—The death is recorded of Henry B. Jenkins, who was two years ago coll- ected of bank defalcations in "Sew York, into which he had been led by "a pretty water girl." He was 8eiit to the Tombs, a name which seems to be well applied to that prison, for he has died of the terrible t^dships to which he was exposed there. Chilled ?° death by cold, tormented by rats and more disgust- lT1g, if less ferocious, vermin, his health gave way Qnder his sufferings, concerning which he used to 8P( ak in a grim sardonic way, learnt from his constant Peiusal of Carlisle. A FIRE IN THE PARIS EXHIBITION.—On Tuesday after. noon a fire broke out in the Exhibition building. A Cajk of brandy was being taken into an English spirit eellar. jt broke apart. There was a candle on the |r°und at hand; and the brandy immediately caught re; The flames at once enveloped all the casks in a Ve) i table sea of fire. But in a quarter of an hour all s put out, thanks to the promptitude and efficiency of the firemen. The reader may imagine the proba- h If catastrophe were a cry of fire raised, with 100,000 People within the Exhibition building.—Paris Letter, DISARMING A FORTRESS.—A letter from Tournay, in B(?1gium, states that the powder magazines of that Place have been evacuated and their contents sent to Antwerp. The men of three batteries of artillery are etnployed in disarming the citadel. Their work con- Blsts in removing all kinds of material, cannons, gun carriages, projectiles, muskets, swords and other arms, cuirrasses, &c., of a total weight of 2,500 to 3,000 tons. As from twenty to twenty-five tons per day only citi be removed, the disarming will occupy upwards of three months. There were in the citadel more than 180,000 cannon-balls and shells, of a weight of from 500 to 600 tons. All these stores are to be distribu- ted among the fortresses of Liege, Namur, Tirlemont, and Antwerp. THE COURT AT BALMORAL.—Her Majesty, Princess Louise, Prince Arthur, and Prince Christian, and a Numerous suite, attended divine service in the Parish Church of Crathie, last Sunday. Dr. Norman Mac- W|, of the Barony, Glasgow, officiated, and took the theme of his discourse from St. Matthew, iv., 1 Verses. At the close of the service, Dr. Macleod gave Notice that the induction of the Rev. Malcolm O. Taylor to the pastoral charge of the parish of Crathie would take place on the 6th of June. The Crathie Aluaical Association serenaded the Princess Christian 4t Balmoral Castle on Saturday morning, it being her birthday. The following pieces were sung on the Occasion-namely, "Since first I saw your face," "The Blue Bells of Scotland," "Taste life's glad foments." "Logie o' Buchan," and the "National ^uthera,—Dundee Advertiser, ACCOUCHEMENT OF THE PRINCESS MARY OF TECK.— The Princess Mary Adelaide was safely delivered of a Princess at one minute before midnight on Sunday. Her Royal Highness and the infant Princess are re- ported to be doiner Derfectlv well. A LONG SLEEP.—The tiicKman (IVENRUCKY; vonnrr is responsible for the statement that a Miss Mary Godsy, living near that place, has been asleep for 12 years. At the age of twelve years, after an ague fit, the young lady went to sleep, and has been in a state of coma most of the time since, an 1 she is now twenty- four years of age. She wakes at regular intervals for the purpose of yawning, but soon sinks into a slum- ber again, from which it is impossible to arouse her. She takes kindly to this condition of things, has grown considerably, and preserves her beauty and plumpness. WHISKERS IN THE NAVY.—The following circular under date "Admiralty, May 15th, 1867," has just been posted at the several Royal dockyards in the kingdom:—"Sir,—I am commanded by my Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you that they desire to draw the attention of commanders in chief and senior officers to a custom which appears to be prevelent of officers wearing whiskers of such inordinate size and length as to resemble beards, which latter are prohibited by the printed instruc- tions. The regulations of the naval service require that any such irregular habits should be prevented, and that officers should be permitted only to wear the same length of whiskers as the seamen and marines under their divisional superintendence,—I am, Sir, &c., HENRY G. LENNOX." THE KINDNESS OF THE PRINCE OF WALES.— The Prince of Wales marked his stay in Paris by one of those acts of kindness which are never forgotten. His old French Master, M. Brasseur, whom he has never failed to visit whenever he passed through Paris,told him that his great ambition was to possess the ribbon of the Legion d'Honneur, but that he had not sufficient interest to make his claims known to those in power. The Prince laid his cause at once before the emperor, and said that he did not ask for the distinction merely because he had been his mas- ter, but because he had so honourably maintained his nationality for many years in a difficult public posi- tion in England. Needless to remark that M. Bras- seur received the decoration on the eveningof the day the Prince had asked for it. The Moniteur announces the nomination in the following terms :—"By decree dated May 22, 1867, M. Isidore Brasseur, formerly professor of French at King's College, London, has been named Chevalier of the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour." THE FOREIGN COAL AND IRON TRADES.—The Bel- gian coal trade has experienced no material change of late; the fall which occurred recently in price3 appears to be stopped, but transactions do not revive. The extraction has been much curtailed in each of the basins, as is usually the case at this season of the year; but coal-workers regard this as a favourable circum- stance rather than otherwise. The stock of pig iron in Belgium is considerable, and notwithstanding that many blast furnaces have been extinguished, it appears to be still increasing. The railway plant workshops have received some orders, and hopes are now enter- tained of a revival in business. The forges in Haute Marne (France) have received only small orders never- theless, prices are firm. In the Moselle district no fresh orders for pig have been received of late and business is somewhat stagnant. The coal trade of the French departments of the Nord and the Pas-de- Calai is spoken of in favourable terms. The Eastern of France Railway Company has ordered 37 new lo- comotives, to be supplied in the course of the current year. THE GREAT EASTERN STEAMSHIP.—The misfortunes in connection with the Great Eastern steamship have within the past three weeks been the theme for a number of ridiculous articles by lachrymous and un- practical people. The misfortunes of a really good and useful ship have actually been attributed to Fate instead of mismanagement or other action which might be characterised by a harsher term. Few facts worth knowing have been supplied to the public; in- deed it may be said that the general public are still totally in the dark as to the actual position of affairs. It is not our present intention to attempt to clear away the impenetrable fog in which the Great Eas- tern Steamship Company is enveloped, but we may state this, that the position of affairs is worse than has hitherto been represented. It is here almost need- less to say that the Great Ship was chartered by a French Company, and that to this company the pre- sent creditors are referred by the real owners of the ship for satisfaction. The French Company have no funds, and the creditors have but a poor chance of obtaining anything tangible from this source. The French Company have disbursed d693,000, and the in- debtedness as under the late charter is, in round numbers, £160,000. It is said that the French Com- pany have assets to the extent of about jB33,000, but Messrs. Forrester, the engineers, who were creditors to the extent of dE51,000, have a lien on a portion of the things on board valued at £ 22,000. The creditors held a private meeting on Monday, and the matters which engaged their attention were:-first, was the charter regular and really a bona fide charter ? and, secondly, was it legal to grant Messrs. Forrester what may be supposed to be a preferential claim ? As to the regularity of the charter, or the validity of Messrs. Forrester's claim, the courts of law will most pro- bably decide. The Great Eastern creditors are likely on the present face of things to get 6s. 8d. in the pound, and before the proceedings are closed there will inevitably be a number of tedious delays. An agent acting for the French Company was to have met the Liverpool creditors last week, but we under- he has not yet put in an appearance with the valuable information and propositions with which it was an- ticipated he would favour the creditors.-Liverpool Post. THE ANNUAL POOR-RATE RETURN.—The 59th annual "poor-rate return has been issued by the Poor-law Board. It shows that the gross estimated rental of the property assessed to the poor-rate in England has increased from £86,077,676 in theparochial year ended at Lady Day, 1856, to zCIIO,079,308 in the year ended at Lady Day I860; and the net annual value has been as f 1 o vs: £ 62,540 0;50 in the year 1840-41, f 67,320,587 in 1840-47 £ 67,700,153 in 1849-50 £ 71,84,0 271 in 1855-56, £93,638,403 in 1865 66. The amount of poor- rates levied in the year 1865-66 was £9,573,772 being Is. 8-9d. in the pound on the gross estimated rental, 2s. 0-5d. on the net annual value, 9s. Id. per head of the estimated population. Receipts in aid from other sources brought the total up to £ 9,958,250—an increase of £ 189,108 over the previous year. Of this large sum, there were expended for relief to the poor £ 6,439,517 being Is. 2d. in the pound on the gross estimated rental, IS. ld. on the net annual value, 6s. IiI. per head of the estimated population—an in- crease of £174.551 or 2-8 per cent over the preceding year. The residue, jE3,549 604 was expended for other purposes than relief to the poor— £ 2.209,184 being collected as part of the poor-rate, but being, in fact, county, borough or police rate; JE578,494 for highway boards, under the Highways Act of 1864; de40,864 for constables' expenses and cost of proceedings be- fore magistral £i5,563 for fees to clergymen and registrars, under the Registration Act JE55,818 for vaccination f es and jE37 715 for expends of parlia- mentary and municipal registration an I jury lists, to which must be added expenses incurred for sani- tary purposes and the cost of providing new burial grounds. The £6,439,517 expended for reiief to the poor was dispensed as follows £ 1,188,784 for the in-maintenance, £3,196,685 for the out-relief, £566,482 for the maintenance of lunatics in the asylums or licensed houses, £180,746 in repaying workhouse loans and interest, £730,704 for salaries and rations of officers and superannuations, and 2567,116 for other expenses of or immediately connected with relief. All these items are larger than in the preceding year, ex- cept that of out-relief, an exception owing to the charge for out-relief in the north-western division (Lancashire and Cheshire) having declined £403,ll6 in the years 1864-65 to zC309,01 0 in the year 1865-66. Theexpendi- ture for in-maintenance in the year 1865-66,constituted in all England 18-5 per cent of the total relief, but in the metropolis it was no less than 34'8 per cent. The expenditure for out relief in all England consti- tuted 49-7 per cent of the total relief in the metropo- lis only 23-9 per cent; in the north-western division 41-3 per cent; in the south-eastern, 47-3 per cent; in the west-midland, 49 3 per cent; in the York, 53-4 per cent; in the eastern, 55-6 per cent; in the south mid- land 57'4 per cent; in the northern, 58-2 per cent; in the north-midland, 59'2 per cent; in the south-western, 617 per cent; and in the Welsh, 72-6 per cent. The amountpaid for medical relief advanced from 9259,833 in 1864-65 to jE264,052 in 1865-66. The returns give receipts and expenditure under the several heads for each union. — ——=—— THE FENIAN CONSPIRACY.—James O'Br^gn, who was found guilty, on Saturday, of high treason, was sen- tenced to death in the usual form on Monday morn- ing. John Coghan, Eugene Lombard, Simon Downey, Morgan, M'Swiney, Jeremiah Oher, and David Cum- mins were then put to the bar. All pleaded guilty to the charge of treason-felony. Sentence was de- ferred. MEETING OF CONSERVATIVE COUNTY MEMBERS A meeting of Conservative county members was held on Monday, at the house of Colonel North, M.P., in Ar- lington street, "to consider the county franchise, it having been notified that Sir Edward Dering does not move the reduction to E12 rating therefore, the question will depend upon Mr. Locke King's motion to reduce it to £10, as opposed to the proposal of the Government of 215. A telegram says :—"The meeting was attended by about 70 members, and it was unanimously resolved that the Government be requested not to persevere in the j615 rating proposed by the bill, but that the proposition of Sir Edward Dering be adhered to, and that the Government be also requested, on no consideration whatever, to allow the jElO rating as proposed by Mr. Locke King." BAD DEBTS. — Two bills are before the House of Commons for a compromise of bad debts due to the public purse. Unwards of £230,000 are due on a loan made to the Limeriok Harbour Commissioners, and the Treasury are to accept £65,000 in full for this debt, jE56,000 to be paid by a £50 years' annuity at the rate of 4 per cent, and the remaining jEl 0,000, with 31 per cent interest, to be a charge on the tolls of Weliesley Bridge. The other bill relates to the loan made to Galway Harbour Commissioners the debt is upwards of j621,000, and the Treasury are to accept £ 10,000 in full, the amount to be paid by a 250 years' annuity calculated at the rate of 4 per cent. In both cases the Public Works Loan Commissioners are au- thorised to make further advances for the improve- ment of these harbours — £ 17,000 to Galway and £ 23,700 to Limerick. DEPUTATION OF ENGLISH WORKING MEN TO THE EM- PEROR NAPOLEON.-On Saturday, adenuta'ionof Eng- lish working men was presented to the Emperor by Viscount Ranelagh, who delivered an address to His Majesty, expressing fervent hopes for the mainten- ance of peace, and dwelling on the importance of friendly relations between the two countries. It con- cluded as follows:—"The gracious welcome which your Majesty has given to the industry of England forms a fresh element of concord and good will; and be certain, Sire, that, with no less loyalty to our own beloved Sovereign, we, from our hearts, join in the deepest wishes for the health of your Majesty, the Empress, and the Prince-Imperial." The Emperor replied:—"I am deeply touche 1 bv the egressions of good will you have just made to me. It has always been one of my great wishes to increase the good will so long existing between our two countries, a cordial understanding between France and England has been the constant aim of all my policy." -Standard. The funeral of Mr. Clarkson Stanfield took place on Monday. At a very early hour the gentlemen who had been invited to take part in the ceremony, arrived at the residence of the deceased, No. 6, Belsize Park Road, London. The funeral procession moved in the first instance to the Roman Catholic Chapel of St. Mary, Holly Place, Hampstead, which had been draped in black. The remains were received by the Very Rev. Monsignor Vincent Eyre, and a numerous body of the Roman Catholic clergy who attended for the purpose of paying a last mark ofrespectto the memory of their deceased friend. After an impressive requiem mass the cortege left the chapel, and moved slowly to St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Kensal Green, which is situated further on in the Harrow Road than the ceme- tery which is now so familiar to all. Notwithstand- ing the unfavourable state of the weather, a large number of persons had assembled on the ground. Here, with a simple service, the remains of the dis- tinguished academician were interred. DETERMINED SUICIDE IN SUNDERLAND.—On Mon- day morning a determined suicide was discovered in Monkwearmouth, Sunderland. The deceased was a widow named Elizabeth Smith, aged forty-two years, residing in Church street. About six weeks ago her husband, Richard Smith, formerly a master mariner, who had lost his employment on account of dissipa- tion, and had gone to sea as a sailor, jumped from his vessel in Yarmouth Roads and was drowned. This had preyed on the mind of his wife, who from that time had been in a low and desponding state, and she had two or three days ago told her daughter, a girl seventeen years of age, not to be surprised if anything happened. At nine o'clock on Monday morn- ing a neighbour saw through the window deceased suspended from the ceiling, and on the door being forced she was found fluite dead. She had taken a piece of small cord and fastened it from a crook in the ceiling. She had been dead some hours, and ap- peared to have been most determined in her attempt at self-destruction, for on her bed near was found a half-opened razor, with which she had evidently in. tended to have cut her throat had the cord broken, while a bottle standing near contained a quantity of laudanum. I A HORRIBLE CASE OF BODY SNATCHING IN MICHl- GAN.—A discovery of human remains was made near this city on Monday morning, under circumstances which reveal a chapter of the most horrible and re- volting details. The remains were those of a woman apparently not more than twenty-five or thirty years old. They were found in the thickly-wooded bottom lands bordering on the Clinton River, in the rear of Paddock's Mills, and in the neighbourhood of th9 Cemetery. They were entirely unburied, being left carelessly on the surface of the ground, and the stage of decomposition indicated that they had not been in that exposed situation more thai two or three days. The skeleton had been completely extracted from the body; not a single bone was to be found in the decay- ing mass. The ground was much trodden, and there was every indication that busy work had been done, Cigar ends were lying about, and a scrap of the De- troit Post was found close by, bearing date the 27th of April, 1867, upon which a bloody knife appears tC) have been wiped. These facts all betray t he history of the most damnable outrage against law, decency, and humanity which has been perpetrated. The body was snatched from some new-made grave in the Cemetery close by, the grave clothing remove 1, placed back in the coffin, the coffin buried, and the grave restored as near as possible to its former appearance, the nude body carried to the woods near by, and there mang- led and outraged for the purpose of obtaining the skeleton. That skeleton, which so lately formed the frame of a lady well known, doubtless, to the most of us, now, in all probability, graces the anatomical col- lection of some one of the physicians of this city. — American Paper. FORGERY ON THE MANCHESTER AND COUNTY BANK.— On Monday, a middle-aged and very respectably at- tired man, named Richard Constantine, who was for- merly a cotton spinner, near Leigh, but more recent- ly in business as a draper at Ashton-under-Lyne, was brought before the borough magistrates at Bolton, on the charge of forging a cheque for £50 in the name of William Clarke, draper, Keighley, Yorkshire. It appeared that last week the prisoner was staying in Bolton, at the Swan Hotel, and on Thursday week he wrote a note, which he sent by the boots to the Bol- ton branch of the Manchester and County Bank, ask- ing for a cheque book. The note was signed" Wil- liam Clarke, draper, Keigbley." Mr. Clarke, it ap- pears, is brother-in-law to prisoner, and the latter was therefore somewhat acquainted with the former's business transactions, and knew he had an account with the local branch. A cheque-book was according- ly supplied, which the boots delivered to the prisoner. On the following day (Friday) the prisoner was at the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway station, and beckoned to an out-door porter, named Christopher Young, and sent him to the bank with a cheque for £50, telling Young to bring the money to him. The cheque was made out in Mr. Clarke's name, and pur. ported to have been endorsed by him. On Young pre- senting the cheque, the manager at the bank, Mr. Edwin Woolard, interrogated him as to who had sent him, and not being satisfied about the matter, he sent the young man back, and requested that the gentleman himself would come, as he believed from its appear- ance that it was a forged cheque. Mr. Woolard at the same time sent a clerk with the porter to identify the person. The prisoner, however, would not come back to present the the cheque personally, and subse- quent inquiries (the prisoner having relatives in Bol- ton) revealed the fact that it was a forgery, and he was apprehended at Ashton. On the application of the public prosecutor (Mr. Hall) the case was remand- ed until Saturday to give time for preparing the evi- dence. The prisoner made no remark, except that he was not ready with his defence, The Earl and Countess of Clarendon had a dinner party on Saturday evening, at their residence in Gros- venor-crescent. The Countess of Derby had a brilliant reception on Saturday night, at the Earl of Derby's official resi- dence in Downing-street. Above 700 members of the diplomatic body, the aristocracy, and Members of Parliament responded to her ladyship's invitations. A Roman villa was unearthed last week near An- dover. Mr. Lockhart and Mr. Nell were the lucky finders of this treasure, in a field on Andover Down i Farm, heretofore known as Castle Field. Fragments of stone and pottery were frequently found on the spot before Messrs. Lockhart and Kell began their labours. The villa which they have found is oblong, 65 feet long and 41 feet broad, having a portico upon its western side. Six or eight massive pillars sunportthe roof, and numbers of roofing tiles, of an hexagonal form were found. Two fire-places were discovered, but no hypocaust or bath, and instead of a tesgelated pavement, only a pavement of flints, embedded in mor- ter was observed. The walls were two feet thick, reg- ularly built of flint stones and mortar. The wall of the portico was three fe^t thick. Roman coins and fragments of Roman glass and pottery were picked up, with some curious relics of iron and other metal workmanship. The discovery helps to support Hoare's suggestion, that Vinlonum lay on this side of '19 the present Andover. The John Bull says that among the members of the Ritual Commission will be the Archbishops of Canter- bury (the president), York, and Armagh; the Bishops of London, Durham, Oxford, and Gloucester and Bris- tol the Deans of Westminster, Lincoln and Ely; the Earl Beauchamp, Lord Cranborne, Sir R. Phillimore, Mr. Beresford Hope, M.P.; Mr. J. G. Hubbard, M.P.; and the Rev. T. W. Perry. Our contemporary adds "The Earl of Shaftsbury has been offered a seat on the commission, and several members of the evangeli- cal party, but we do not know whether they have ac- cepted the invitation or not. We repeat that the list is not finally approved; but in order to allay unneces- sary alarm, we publish the above names as showing the desire of the Government to secure an impartial commission. No minister will be on the commission, the arrangements of which will devolve on Mr. Wal- pole." The same paper understands that at the usual meeting of the bishops at Lambeth on Ascension Day, the University Tests Bill will be considered, and the programme arranged for the Pan-Anglican Synod. n A MINIATURE VOLCANO.—Among the numerous ex- periments which may be made with Ruhmkorff's ma- chine, which, as is well known, produces strati c elec- tricity by induction, there is a very remarkable one imagined by M. Chautard, professor of natural phil- osopby at Nancy. A quantity of flowers of sulphur is mixed with a small proportion of iron filings, or better still with iron reduced by hydrogen, in which case it is in quite an impalpable state; zi nc and con- per filings may also be added in small quantities. The mixture, which must be as complete as possible, is then thrown on a pane of glass or on a dry brick so as to form a heap two or three centimetres high, and much longer than it is broad. If the ends of the wires of Ruhmkorff's machine be now inserted into the heap, so as to be at two or three centimetres distance from each other, and the current made to pass through a violent explosion of the mess takes place, a surt of crater is formed, whence magnificent sheaves of fire will be seen to issue, much resembling the bouquet of fireworks, and like it displayiug different colours. It is in reality a miniature volcanc with subterranean noises, as it were, and ejection of boiling lava.- Galignani. THE DIFFICULTIES OF PRUSSIA.-All the Ministerial journals of Berlin speak of a plot discovered in Han- over, the source of which they declare has been traced to the Court of King George. It relates to the forma- tion of a Royalist legion, which would have taken the field in the case of a war between Prussia and France, with the object of re-establishing the throne of the GuelphB. Numerous domiciliary perquisitions, and fol- lowed by arrests, have taken place in Hauover, and at the house of a banker in that city the police seized on a sum of £6,000. The Berlin Correspondence, in speaking of the agitation in question, says :—" The Government will serve that country's own interests by energetically putting an end to the desperate efforts of a party which does not even shrink from commit- ting high treason. It is time that indulge nee should give place to the exclusive consideration of the public interest. The ex-King will have to meditate, in his own mind, upon the question whether he will resign himself to a destiny drawn on him by his own fault, or lose completely the benefit of the respect hitherto paid to his person. Queen Marie, if she wishes to continue to enjoy the hospitality of the King of Prussia, will have to submit to the formal obligations imposed by it." THE ABORIGINES OF QUEENSLAND.—A movement has recently been initiated for ameliorating the condition of the aborigines of this colony and preventing that slaughter of them which sometimes takes place in the outlying districts, and the full extent of which is not known. At a public meeting held at Bowen a short time back, at which were present many of the squat- ters of North and South Kennedy, a memorial was addressed to the Governor, the purport of which was that the gentlemen in question were desirous to civi- lise the aborigines; and, by largely employing them u in station duties, prevent a continuance of the out- rages so frequently committed. A series of resolu- tions were passed to the effect that certain stations be set apart to which the natives may be encouraged to come in that, to guard against murder or stealing, additional native police be stationed, and that the Government supply of blankets and tomahawks to the stations thrown open, be offered to the blacks that the officers residing at such stations send in quarterly reports, countersigned by the owners or superinten- dents of such stations. The matter has been placed before the Executive Council, who, while fully admit- ting the philanthropic character of the memorial, feel constrained to express their conviction that its re- commendations, while good in theory, would, if car- ried out, result in increased injury to the aborigines, who might mingle more indiscriminately with-the European population. The Council accordingly are unable to advise compliance with the prayer of the memorial.-Brisbane Courier. THE BiSHOP OF SALISBURY AND HIS CLERGY.—In reply to the protest from clergy and laity of the dea- nery of Dorchester, the Bishop of Salisbury has made the following communication :—" Bradford Peverel, May 20.—My dear sir,-The address which was signed by you and eight other clergymen, and fifteen laymen, reached me on Saturday last before I left Dorchester. When I asked my brethren to give my whole charge a calm and patient and dutiful consideration, I did not expect to receive, within an hour and a half of my addressing a part of it to them, an expression of opi- nion about it from any of them. I now thank all the persons who signed the address for their assurance of their earnest prayers for me, and I remain, your faith- ful brother, W. K. SARUM.—Rev. H. Muule." The Rev. H. Moule rejoins at some length. He says :—"My act in so protesting was prompt, but it was neither a hasty act, nor was it the result of impatience; and if it boars on it the appearance of uudutifulness to your Lordship, I solemnly declare it. to have been done after much previous consideration, and under a deep and consciont ions srn-e of duty; but duty not merely to your Lordship, but to the people committed to my ministerial charge, to my Church, and to my Lord and Master in Heaven. For although I utterly reject as a fiction of man your Lordship's claim for us clergy of regal, judicial, and supernatural powers, I yet claim to be, through God's grace, an ambassador of Christ. With full consideration of the deep import of these words, I claim to have been moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon me that office, and to have been truly called, according to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the due order of this realm, to the ministry of the Church.' For half a century either in the prepa- ration for the ministry or in its exercise, not only have the Holy Scriptures been my study and delight, but in actually approaching the heart-searching God in the use of the services of our Church (and especially, I may say, in that for the Holy Communion), I have calmly and solemnly weighed their every expression." He refers to his consideration of the subject as soon as the summaries of the charge had been published, and says that having since read the entire change, "I find nothing in any way to weaken, but very much to increase our condemnation of the doctrines held by your Lordship, and set forth in that charge. These doctrines against which we have protested, have not been shown by your Lordship to be supported by our Articles or Liturgy. You have not proved them by certain warranty of Holy Scripture.' You cannot so prove them. To the Articles, the Liturgy, and the Holy Scriptures they are directly opposed. Against them, therefore, I repeat individually my solemn and Barneat protest, — — A maiden lady, named Mary Smith, died last week at Banbuiy Hall, Uttoxeter, aged 100 years. EXTRAORDINARY DEATH OF A BOY.—On Saturday afternoon, a boy named Alexander Anderson, son of a working man living in Wear-street, Sunderland, came to his death in an extraordinary and fearful manner. The boy, along with a number of others, was playing at the foot of Tat ham-street, when he commenced to climb up some metal railing, about five feet high, in front of a house there. Deceased had reached the top, when by an accident he slipped, and on falling one of the spiked points of the rails caught him by the neck and penetrated the jugular vein. Assistance came, and the boy was lifted off, the blood flowing profusely from the deep wound. He was conveyed to a house near and a surgeon got, but the hemorrhage could not be stopped, and the lad died within an hour. FATAL FIGHT BETWEEN MILITIAMEN AT LIVERPOOL.— On Monday, before the Liverpool stipendiary magis- trate, Peter O'Boyle was charged with having caused the death of another young fellow of the name of George Williamson. Both men were carters in the employ of Mr. M'Cabe, Freemason's-row, and both belonged to the 2nd Royal Lancashire Militia, which was disbanded on Saturday, after the usual training. On that night O'Boyle and Williamson quarrelled at a public-house in Mile-end, and came to blows. Oa Sunday they again met, and angry words passed be. tween them. Williamson wanted to settle the differ- ence by a fight, but Boyle at first refused. Ultimately, however, he consented, and, with a number of other persons, proceeded to a brick-field in Stanley-road, where the battle took place. Williamson seemed to have the best of it, but, however, after a round, in which O'Boyle struck him a smart blow on the left side, he fell down and instantly expired. It is said that both men were under the influence of drink at the time the fight took place. The prisoner was re- manded until after the inquest, which was held on Tuesday. A FEMALE BIGAMIST.-At the Borough Police-court, Derby, on Monday, Emma Taylor, a good-looking wo- man, was charged with the crime of Hgamy. It ap- peared that in 1853, the prisoner married a man, named David Taylor, then a private in the 1st Derby Militia, who afterwards volunteered into the regular army. His wife had accompanied him to Sheffield, Weedon, and other places, with his regiment, but, when in 1857, he went out to India to assist in quell- ing the mutiny, she remained behind, he giving her 30s. and a warrant for 6d. a day out of his pay for twelve months. He went out to India and the pri- soner came to reside in Derby amongst her friends. In 1858 he sent her money from India, but in 1859, when reading a letter for a comrade, he came across a statement that she had married again. He wrote to her again after that, the last time in 1863, but never got any reply, and on coming back to England this year, and getting a furlough, he came down to Derby, found that she was married to a man named Humpstone, by whom she had four children, and at once took proceedings against her. The woman's solicitor alleged that she was informed by her first husband's sister that he had been blown up in a powder magazine, and she married the second time under the full impression that she was a widow, and he put in a certificate of the second marriage in which she was described as "Fanny Taylor, widow." He also alleged that Taylor deserted her by enlisting, and never saying he was going away.—The bench in. formed the prosecutor that they were of opinion that he was pursuing this prosecution from vindictive motives, and warned him that if he went on the costs would fall upon himself in the event of his failing to prove his case.—A good deal of sympathy was shown for the woman, and she was remanded. FRAUDULENTLY PROCURING A GOVERNMENT APPOINT- MENT.—At the Guildhall, London, on Saturday, Wm- Girling Balls, tailor, living at 2, Wells-street, Jewin- street, was summoned before Sir B. Phillips to answer a charge of receiving various sums from Matthew John Thomas for procuring him an office under the Postmaster-General. Mr. Peacock prosecuted on be- half of the Post office authorities, and Mr. Jones watched the case on the behalf of the defendant. Mr. Peacock stated that this was a case in which the de- fendant had used his influence with one of the mem. bers for the city of London to procure a situation for a man named Thomas in the General Post-office, for which he had stipulated that he was to have from Thomas a sum of £ 40. The young man got the situa- tion, and as soon as he did so the defendant obtained from him a promissory note- for £10. Shortly after- wards he represented that he had lost the note, and got another for JE30, and subsequently he said he lost that, and induced Thomas to give him another for zC25, which he agreed to pay off at the rate of E2 per month. The young man, however, had afterwards to pay the £10 bill by instalments; he paid £6 off the jE30 bill, and £7 off the 225 bill, when he discovered that the last one had been parted with by Balls to a person named Wilson, in Regent street, and he had never put on the bill the £7 Thomas had paid off. The man then payed Wilson 92 per month until March when it was discovered that Thomas had purloined some money letters from the Post-office, and on being tried for it at the Central Criminal Court was found guilty, and was now suffering penal servitude. Mr. Jones said he was instructed to say that the whole of Mr. Peacock's statement was true, and that the de- fendant desired to plead guilty to the charge, he not knowing that he was doing wrong. Mr. Robert W. 11 17, Crawford, M.P. for the City of London, said he re- ceived an application in October, 1865, from Mr. William Girling Balls, asking him to procure a sit- uation in the Post-office as a sorter or clerk for a friend of his. He said that his name was Thomas, and that he resided at 49, in Jewin-street. Witness made inquiry, and found that the defendant's repre- sentations were correct, and then made an appoint- ment to meet him at his office. The defendant came and brought a young man named Thomas with him, and said that he was a young man in whom he had a personal interest. On the 31st October, witness made an applicatiQn to Lord Stanley of Alderley, asking him to place Thomas on his list of applicants for em- ployment as a clerk or a sorter in the Post Office. A few days after he received a communication from Lord Stanley's private secretary, intimating to him that Lord Stanley had complied with his request. There was also enclosed with it a printed form of letter, as was usual in such cases, and his clerk, Mr. Gibb, forwarded it to Mr. Balls. Mr. John Lowther Duplat Taylor, private secretary to the late Post- master General, gave confirmatory evidence, and stat- ed that Thomas was appointed to the Circulation De- partment as a temporary extra clerk, at a salary of 5s per day. Matthew John Thomas, who was brought up in custody from Newgate, said in September 1865, he was residing with his parents at St. Austell, in Cornwall, and about that time he caused the follow- ing advertisement to be inserted in the Daily Tele- graph. It appeared on the 16th of September, 1865, and was as follows :—"Forty pounds will be present- ed to any person who can procure for the advertiser an intelligent and educated young man of twenty years of age, a permanent appointment of from £80 to jElOO per annum. First-rate references, &c. Address in confidence, to S. W. R., Post-office, St. Austell, Cornwall." In reply to that advertisement he receiv- ed letters from W. G. Balls, and replied to them. The following was the second of these letters:—"2a, Well-street, Jewin-street, E.C.-Dear Sir,-I have just returned to town, and your letter has been placed before me. I have influence with several Members of Parliament, but am pretty certain that none of them could obtain for you a situation in the Customs or In- land Revenue-office, to start on the salary you ask j680 per annum. I am not quite sure, but think they com- | mence at about £ 60. If you like, I will inquire; but it must be in strict confidence. You must please to write me a different letter to this just sent, as I must sub- mit it as it came from a friend, asking me to inter- cede for him out of regard I might have for him and from an interest I might take for his future welfare, and if possible send a letter from someone that will strongly recommend you asking it as a favour, from your father or mother would be the best you can. In addition, get a testimonial from the person named in your note, and I have not much fear of getting you a situation under Government at £ 60 start. Hoping to hear from you soon, I remain, yours respectfully, W. G. BALLS." The witness then gave account of his journey to London in September, an application made by Balls to Baron Rothschild and Mr. Crawford, his snccess in obtaining the appointment, and the demand made upon him by the defendant, to whom he paid altogether upwards of £ 50. Other witnesses having been examined in support of the statements made by Mr. Peacock, Sir Benjamin Philips fully committed the defendant to take his trial, but consented to ao- cept bail for his appearance, two sureties in L100 each, and himself in J6200, with twenty-four hours no- ticoofbail, The Japanese Commission at present visiting Washington refuse to disclose the object for which they have been sent. President Johnson in a recent interview told them good-humouredly to take their own time about it. The number of persons who visited the Britisb Museum during 1866 was as follows :-General visi- tors, exclusive of readers, 468,279; in 1865, 369,967 in 1864, 432,339 in 1862, 895,077. Readers 1866, 99,857 1865, 100,271 1861, 130,410. A correspondent of the A rmy ana IVavy Journal of New York "complains loudly of the thieving and dis- honesty of the United States regulars. He says there is not a company in which there are not 15 or 20 men, who, if not thieves and dishonest, do not reprove theft and dishonesty. Many men have F,3 to £5 worth of clothes stolen from them in a short time." ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEOKS.-An effort is being made by the Court of Examiners to improve the ex. aminations for the Fellowship by the addition of a clinical test. The college has applied to the com- mittees of the different metropolitan hospitals for per- mission to examine in their surgical Wards, and in several instances, adds the Medical Times and Gazette the application hac been favourably received. The same authority adds that the vacancy in the Court of Examiners caused by the resignation of Sir William Lawrence, is about to be filled up by the election of Mr. Samuel Solly, F.R.S.. surgeon to St. Thomas's Hospital. The Queen has nominated the Maharajah of Mysore to be a knight grand commander of the Star of India and the Maharajah Sree Jowan Singjee, Chief of Edur Mr. Daniel Eliott, Madras Civil Service, re- tired Mr. George Frederick Harvey, Bengal Civil Service, retired Major General William Hill, late Madras army Major General Vincent Eyre, C.B., Royal (late Bengal) Artillery the Rajah Jodhbir Chund, of Nadown and Mr. Henry Lacon Anderson, Bombay Civil Service, retired Mr. Richard Tem- ple, the resident at Hyderabad and Colonel Arthur Purves Phayre, C.B., to be Knights Commanders of the same order. SCHOOLS FOR POOR PARISHES.—The finance com- mittee of the National Society for Promoting tbe Edu- cation of the Poor in the Principles of the Church of England have just set apart the sum of £5000, to en- able them to increase their ordinary grants of build- ing schoolrooms whenever applications come from the poorer parishes in thinly- populated districts of Eng- land and Wales. There are some parishes the popu- lation of which is too small to require separate schools and these are often united with others for school pur- poses; but doubtless there are yet many places which need schoolrooms, and could support schools when once established. THE VOLUNTEER REVIEW AT DOVER.—In his report on the Dover review, the Duke of Cambridge says "I was much struck by the great improvement which I observed during the marching past of the force, in many of the minor details of organisation, and the admirable regularity with which every corps passed the saluting point was worthy of the highest approba- tion. The regularity with which the different corps were brought down by the railroad companies reflects the greatest credit on the staff of those companies, and the general arrangements made by Colonel Erskine and his assistant inspectors for collecting BO large a body of volunteers from such long distances, and in- suring their arrival at the appointed time and place, deserve my warmest commendation. The co-operation of Her Majesty's navy, underCaptain Commerel, added greatly to the effect of the day's proceedings, and I heartily join with the Major General in his request that the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty may be informed of the gratification experienced, both by the army and by the body of volunteers on the ground, at the presence of a portion of the fleet." A MESSAGE FROM THE STARS.—The master of the Mint has actually given us a message from the stars F It occurred to Mr. Graham that, by investigating a certain class of metals of a "soft colloid description," such as native iron, platinum, and gold, the gases they give off could be taken as evidence of their origin. The gas shut up in a meteorite would be derived from the atmosphere through which the meteorite passed when last in a state of ignition. A specimen of the well-known meteoric iron of Lenarto, when properly heated, and tested by a Sprengel respirator, gave off three times its volume of hydrogen gas; malleable iron, on the contrary,can scarcely be impregnated with more than one-half its volume of the same gas. The inference, therefore, is, that the meteoric iron came from a very dense atmosphere of hydrogen gas, which atmosphere, says Mr. Graham, we must look for be- yond the light cometary matter floating about within the limits of the solar system. That hydrogen is a constituent of of a considerable number of the fixed stars has been ascertained by recent spectrum obser- vations; hence we may fairly assume that the Lenarto iron has brought to us the hydrogen of the stars.— Athenaeum. THE TRADE UNION QUESTION.—A special meeting of the London Trades' Council was held on Friday evening, to take into consideration the present posi- tion of the trade union question. The secretary (Mr. Odger) called the attention of the Council to the great interest at present taken by all classes in the trade union question, and to the statements regarding what was transpiring before the Royal Commission. It was thought advisable that the London Trades' Council, in conjunction with the International Association, should hold a series of public meetings in London for the purpose of discussing the question in all its bear- ings, not only in connection with the labour and capital of this country, but those of the continent and America. It was deemed expedient that such men as Mr. J. S. Mill, M.P., Professor Fawcett, M.P., Mr. T. Hughes, M.P., Mr. Neate, M.P., Professor Beesly, Dr. Watt, Mr. Harrison, and Mr. Ludlow, should be in- vited to take part in the proceedings, and that the in- vitation, which should embrace delegates from all the trades in this and foreign countries, should be ex- tended to those who are known to be opposed to the principle of trade unions. Mr. Edgar said he believed the proposed series of meetings would be of incalcul- able service, especially in giving a right direction to the conflicting opinions which existel with respect to trade unions, their objects, means of action, and mode of working. After a good deal of discussion, the secretary and Mr. Edgar were directed to put them- selves in communication with the International Asso- ciation, with the view to carrying out effectively the intentions of the Council, and summoning the first of the series of meetings on as early date as possible. THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION.—The prize pro- gramme for the Wimbledon meeting was issued on Saturday. In the first stage of the Queen's prize sev- eral additions have been made. The winner will re- ceive the silver medal and the silver badge, with jE60 in money instead of F,50 as heretofore. The next 29 men will receive the badge and jE15 in money; the next 30, £10 in money; and the next 90, 93 in money. The prize for the first stage is Her Majesty's £250, the gold medal and badge. The Prince of Wales's prize is £100 as heretofore for the first man, with 20 prizes of 25 each for the next 20 best shots. The"St. George's Challenge Vase of JB250, has 60 additional prizes for the first stage ranging from the vase and jewels to one sovereign each. For the second stage there is the Dra- gon Cup of £50. The Enfield International Trophy of £1000 in value, will be shot for by the three teams, followed by the Irish International Trophy for the best shot in each of the above selected lots. The Duke of Devonshire's £100 Plate will be shot for by Oxford and Cambridge, and the China challenge plate by ten men from each county. Mr. Bass gives JE50, and there is a £50 prize for carbines. Five-groved rifles get £50. Sir William Martin gives £ 50; and E50 is set apart as consolation prizes for the non-winners. The above are all of them volunteer competitions. For all comers there are the Association prizes, of JE570 value, and a cup for the second stage worth about £100. The Alexandra prizes are now 135 in the first stage, valued at £ 750, and a £ 50 cup in the second stage. The windmill prizes are 104 in number, value £ 350; and a jE25 cup for the second stage. There is also a challenge cup, with £75 added for ten efficient volunteers from each battalion. Two Asso- ciation cups, value £ 50 each, and two Wimbledon cups of jElOO each, are to be shot for by members of the Association. The Swiss carton prizes are valued at JE630, for Enfields and any bore rifles. Fifty pounds are given in ten prizes for the nominees of lady mem- bers of the Association. The Military breech-loaders have JE150 set apart to them in 20 prizes the Duke of Cambridge's EZO forming a second-stage prize. The Elcho challenge shield is shot for under last year's conditions. The Daily Telegraph prize, public schools' matches, the Henry Peek Dudley, and Rifle Oaks and Derby are shot for on the same terms as last year. The running prizes are continued, a new one being for volunteers to run in pairs. The all-comers' county match and the Earwig prizes make ap the list,