Monmouthshire Merlin

FRANCE AND CUBA. Intelligence reaches us (the Globe) from Jamaica of the visit of a French squadron to St. Jago de Cuba to inquire into the circumstances attending the murder of a French subject, and to demand an explanation, if as currently reported his death had been caused by per- sons in authority.

THE JEWS OF PALESTINE. Sir Moses Montefiore has just published his long- looked-for report on the condition of the Jews of Palestine. It is principally remarkable for the refuta- tion of the charge brought agau^tthem of laziness and disinclination to work, and mHfes numerous valuable suggestions for bringing about a regeneration of the Holy Land.

AN AGRICULTURAL LABOURER AND HIS PARENTS. Samuel Dawson, who some months ago was com- mitted to Bedford prison for refusing to maintain his parents, on the ground that his wages—13s. per week -would not enable him to do so, and whose case created considerable sensation and public sympathy, the result of which was subscriptions amounting to £50-hus again been before the Shanibrook magistrates, and, as he still persisted in refusal, was sent for another month to gaol. The case is likely to be taken up again by the public.

SINGULAR DIVORCE SUIT. In the Divorce Court, on Saturday, the case of Borring v. Borring and Chalmers was heard. This Was the husband's petition, praying for a divorce on the ground of the wife's adultery with the co-respondent, ■The case was undefended. Mr. Jeune was counsel for the petitioner, who is an lndigo merchant in the city, and he stated that the forties were married on the ildth of February, 18 <5. +V, lived hajipily together up to the 10th of May in that year. When the petitioner retured home from the city on the afternoon of that day he found a letter ad- ^lessed to him from his wife, the contents of which caused him much surprise. They were as follow:— j My dear Alph,—I find I cannot live with you any > (n8w, as I love another man—Captain Chalmers—so a^e run away with him. It is no use coming after me, le • not return, for I love only him. Think as gently of me as you can. Good-bye. LUNA." fter recejpt 0f ti)i8 letter the petitioner caused in- quiries to be made, and he found that respondent and' co-respondent, who was stated to be an officer in the army, oad stayed together as man and wife at the Calveriy Hotel, ■tunbridge Wells.—The petitioner w*s called, aud he spoke to those facts of the case which came within his Knowledge.—Mr. Harrison, clerk to the petitioner's soli- citors, deposed to.going to the hotel in question to serve the petition filed in the case, and he there saw the re- spondent and the co-respondent dressing in their room. Afterwards meeting the respondent on t'.e stairs, he followed her, and made known his business to her, an,) she said that Charlie (the co-respondent) "would be down directly," He soon afterwards came in, and in reply to a remark from the witness, in relation to thecon- tcmplated divorce case, he said All right; what time will the divorce take ? for (pointing to the respondent) 1 love this woman, and I want to marry her." Sir James Hannen said that be was satisfied as to the e-vidence of the respondent being complete, and as to that a decree could be pronounced but as to the ques- tion witli regard to the identity of the co-respondent, further evidence must be given. No doubt that evi- dence could be easily supplied but until such evidence Was brought forward the case must be adjourned, and it Was ordered to be adjourned accordingly.

IMPORTANT TO GLASS BOTTLE MANU- FACTUKEliS AND OTHERS. A case of considerable importance to the above trade •bus before the Attorney-General, last week, at hfs chambers in the Temple. It appears that Mr. Thos. Sutcliffe, of Barntdey, glass bottle manufacturer,and Mr. John Fe'wiugs, of Bridport, mineral water mamifac- turer had applied, in April last, for a new patent for bottles and their stoppers. Mr. Charles Tapp, of Don- caste; having, in September, ISiJ, obtained letters patent for (as he alleged) the very same form of stopper, namely, an elliptical shaped body, coated with India rubber having a button head, lodged notice of his oppo- sition/also a declaration stating therein that the article sought to be patented was not new, but precisely the same in principle and detail as that patented by him in 1872. Messrs. Barrett and Ellers lodged opposition, on the ground that the stopper in question was a colour- able imitation of theirs, patented some years since also that Mr. Fewings had obtained a lease to work Barretts' fcatent, and so got the idea of the first inventors, namely, Barretts'. Barretts' is a long stopper, made of wood, With a deep groove, in which is placed a rubber washer, and is alleged to be very different from the one sought to be patented by the petitioners. Eminent counsel were retained by Messrs. Sutcliffe and Co., also by Messrs. Barretts and Co. Mr. Tapp Undertook to conduct his own case. Messrs. Barretts' counsel argued that the stopper "ought to be patented was the same in principle as theirs, at which the Attorney-General, after examining them both, gave a very significant shake of his head. Mr. Tapp next argued the question, showing the Attor- ney-General his patent specification and the drawings, especially that of Fig. 5, where he argued for practical Purposes it was an exact copy; but to make a difference 8o as to call or pretend it new, one more button head had been put on, namely, one at each end. Mr. Tapp argued that this was a direct contradiction to the Act of Par- •liament of 1852, pointing out that the Act says that no person or persons shall add to or subtract from a pre- vious patent, so as to pretend themselves to be in- ventors or devisors oT the same. 1 At this stage the petitioner's counsel intimated that he would withdraw the stopper. The stopper was there- fore allowed to be struck out, the patent being taken ln^hfnA^f0rrixy"General asked Mr. Tapp to make out Mr whit* he would revise. Thl> A++ counsel raised objection. JL^-Geaetal replied: You bring people a distance, then you withdraw. You must pay the costs. Ihe case has excited much interest among the glass tt e trade of Yorkshire. Many orders and arrange- lUents have stood over pending the decision.

Tiir SEItIOUg CilAkc;E AGAINST A BRISTOL MERCHANT, woollen^! uerry' °f No- 39> High street, Bristol, November W w'• J°/S char8ed with- having in Fore street W* worth of goods from the was ontheCoiUpby false pretences, hail and waq « F exarn'Ilpd at the London Guild- hall, and was remanded, bail being taken for his ap- pearance. r A new and complete edition of the poetical works of EdWin Waugh, the Lancashire poet, which has been for some time in preparation, will be published in a few days. A limited number of copies is printed on large paper (quarto size), nearly all of which are sub- ^'THF/ALIDLAND DIVIDEND.—Some disappoint- ment appears to have been felt on the announcement by this company of a dividend of* against for the corresponding half-year of 18-4. J.hose who antici- Dated a better return than that now intimated, over- looked several very import ant matters affecting the in- terests of this line. The increase in re^pts for ■the half-year just ended amounted to 000, which falls considerably short of the increase of the corresponding half-year of the previous year, when the dividend paid was Uk. The capital which the C'.OL_n I)anNqlgs to pay npon is also largely increased. So far from being a cause of disappointment, we cannot but regard tho dividend just declared as satisfactoVy. It is important to bear in mind that in the case of the Midland, the Company was working during the past half-year a con- siderable increase of mileage, including the Settle and Carlisle extension but on this part of the line only a certain portion of the goods traffic was run, the com- pany thus practically deriving no benefit frcui it, inas- *nuch as they have still to pay the North Western the *ul1 amount of £ 40,000 a year for the use of the Lan- caster and Carlisle line. In a few weeks the extension \vh l llale will be open for passenger traffic, and the So tj business of the Midland Company with 0 land will pass by that route, and the company will to thCe^enefit bv t,hesaving of the payment now made Lanca f°nh Western for the use of the line between eonv of tuan(i 0arliBlp- We have not yet received a appoint- reP«rt and accounts, but we shall be dis- 0q!e '• lf.il does not show more favourable results, T.„. n Wlnaiion, than appear to be generally antici- l a88uming the value in the price of the stock to Railway 2V* & C*e0t 'n^'ca^on public opinion.—

_0. IMPORTANT DISCOVERY OF COAL IN LEICESTERSHIRE. A correspondent writes: — The Whitwick Colliery Company have just succeeded in reaching the deep main or roaster coal at a d4th of 305 yards from the surface. The winning of this coal has been looked for- ward to with great anticipations on account of its ex- cellent quality. It has proved eight feet two inches in thickness, and of a quality which has not hitherto been imagined. The company intend to develope this valuable seam at once, and great preparations are being made on the surface for a large output.

CONSERVATIVE DINNER AT GLOUCESTER. At the annual True Blue dinner, at Gloucester, last week, Mr. Wait said that, though unable to;vote for the Burials Bill, he should welcome a reasonable compro- mise on the question. Mr. R. Plunkett, M.P., said it was time for England to consider what should be her policy with regard to Russian encroachments in India. Her present policy was neither consistent with safety nor dignity. There must be a limit fixed beyond which Russia must be warned not to advance. Mr. J. Yorke, M.P., thought the maintenance of the Sultan's sove- reignty important to English interests.

MR. PLIMSOLL AT BATH. Mr. Plimsoll, M.P., addressed a monster meeting at Bath last week, presided over by Colonel Hayter M.P. The hon. member followed up his speeches atLiv'erpooi on compulsory survey, and at Derby on deck loading, by addressing himself to the question of load line. After urging the importance of limiting the owner's discretion, he said legislation upon the subject must take place next session, and advocated a survey of merchant vessels, and the united opinion of the builder and a skilled surveyor being taken. Colonel Hayter expressed the hope that the Burials Bill would be passed next session, and condemned the purchase of the Suez Canal shares.

THE SOLICITOR-GENERAL ON THE SLAVE CIRCULAR. The Solicitor-General, Sir Hardinge Giffard, replied to a vote of confidence in Mr. Disraeli's administration, at a meeting of the Lewes Conservative Association.last week, the Marquis of Abergavenny presiding. He said the object of the recent slave circular was not to sympathise in any way with the nefarious system of slavery. If England or Englishman chose tp trade with countries where slavery was recognised they were bound to do one of two things—either to respect the forms of government there in existence, or to declare war with a view to put down slavery wherever it is re- cognised. 7^

THE LOSS OF THE DEUTSCIILAND. REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE. The report of the Board of Trade on the inquiry intt the loss of the Deutschlaud was published last week. The Government Inspector states—that in his opinion the accident was due to the vessel having got ahead of her reckoning owing to the disregard by the master of theforoeanddirectionofthetide. The master oug ht, frolh the warnings he received, to have known that his ship was out of her position, and knowing this it would have been his duty to have put her about, as the managing director stated, and returned slowly upon his course. For not doing so (continues the report) we think he was slightly to blame. It is very painful for us to have to I pass censure on a man who appears for so many years to have discharged his duty to the I entire satisfaction of his employers, and who, after the vessel got aground, conducted himself so well. Mr. Cohen, in his concluding address, strongly urged that even if we should think that the master had com- mitted an error of judgment, we ought not to pass a censure upon him, which might ex- pose him to the loss of his situation and to a prosecution in his own country. But we mnst rp- member that this inquiry has been, if not invited, at all events acceded to, by the owners of the Deutschland. 5so doubt, if our opinion had been that no blame attached to the master, we should have been asked to say -0, and it is too late now, when it is found that the evidence presses hardly upon bim to be told that it is not within our province to throw censure upon him. What in effect we are asked to do iR, to pronounce an opinion on the conduct of the master if that opinion is favourable to him, but not to do so if it is unfavourable. We do not so understand bur (bty. You, the president of the Board of Trade inquiry, ha,'e called upon us to say what are the causes that have led to this disaster; and if wo think that want of caution on the part of the master led to it, it is our dutv to say so. Whilst, however, we are compelled to sa^that the master showed a great want of discretion in holding on as he did, when he ought to have known that he was out of his depth, and that the water was shoaling, we must express our aamiraiion for the courage which he exhibited after the unfortunate vessel had taken the ground. The report exonerates the North German Lloyds' from blame, and also the Harwich people, and others whom the jury exonerated in the inquiry.

THE BI.snor or GLOUCESTER ON THE PERMISSIVE BIM., -At a temperance conference held last night, the Bishop of Gloucester spoke approvingly of the Permissive Bill, and promised that if it ever came into the House of Lords, while he had a seat there he would vote for it. UPROARIOUS PKOCKKIHNGS AT A LIBERATION MEET- iNci.—There was a most uproarious meeting last week at the Victoria Hall, Exeter, held under the auspices of the Liberation Society. The row began before the lecture had proceeded ten minutes. Sticks were freely used, and after a free fight, or rather series of fights, lasting half an hour, the police were called in. As order could not be restored the gas was eventually turned out and the hall was cleared. MR. PHILIPS, M.P., ox PUBLIC TOPICS—Mr. R. N. Philips addressed his constituents at Bury on the f>th innt. He reviewed the session, saying that the Labour Laws were satisfactory, but that they were passed with the assistance of the Liberals. The Artisans' Dwellings Bill did not go to the root of the matter. He con- demned the Regimental Exchanges Bill as a retrograde measure, and said he would support Mr. Plimso-11, who would force the Government to pass a satisfactory bill. He should vote for the Burials Bill, as all classes had a right to use the national churchyards. He advised the Liberals to go for extending the county franchise. The purchase of the Suez Canal shares was a mistake, for if the Government wanted influence in Egypt,let them go about it in a straightforward way. TIIK WHITBCIIAPKL MURDER.—CURIOUS QUESTION OF LAW.—A London correspondent writes:—The White- chapel murder gave rise to a rather curious question of law. Henry Wainwright had insured his life, but had allowed the last annual payment due upon his policy to remain unpaid. After his conviction and sentence to death, his brother, who bad paid the costs of his trial, went to the insurance office and demanded that the policy should be renewed upon the conditions for the renewal of lapsed policies named in the com- pany's regulations. The brother produced a proper medical certificate, declaring that Henry was in good health. The insurance officials were not a little puzzled, inasmuch as they have no provision, as some offices have, that policies are voided by suicide and by death at the bands of the executioner. So counsel's opinion was taken, and it was decided that a man under sentence of death could not be considered an in- surable life. Thus fortified, the company refused to renew the murderer's policy, and the JE800 was not forthcoming. A ST.OKMS ANI) THK WHITKCIPAPKI. MURDER.— 4th in!+ "M'1"? of the Psychological Society on the FKlv?rnVSer-t ,Cox Vresidiug— the secretary, >» h«d h»d |t''>k,>0rtf0f 5" i"VieW 7h|f.h i ^e*1 n"rdf:v of Harriet Lane. He found t thA m ViT ln Sent- Rnd by no means so illite- vf ? A r?,°rtS °1f,his evidence would indicate. He stated that he himself was the author of his pub- lished le^'[; llc.h \va» thought to be beyond his powers of diction—he intended it to be private, and did not "ll ,1,1 01 "the gaol authorities permitted its publication f rom Stokes' narrative it appeared that he t^cieu himself possessed of a kind of second sight as the Scotch call it; he imagined that whenever h- dreamed ot his deceased mother, trouble of some kind followed. On the night before the eventful Saturday when Wainwright was taken into custudy he had a vivid dream of conversing with his mother;'he was consequently depressed, and in the course of the day told his wife that he was out of sorts, had no apne- tite,and was sure that something unpleasant was going to happen. Later in the day, when lie looked at the horrible parcel, he seemed to hear a distinct voice by his side say three times Open that parcel!" He could have sworn that somebody behind him uttered the words, and he turned round to look, but could see no one, and tried to dismiss the thing as absurd. The voice startled him again with the same words. He opened the parcel, and could never forget the horrible feeling that crept over him when he saw its contents. He closed it up, and Wainwright noticed his .confusion, saying, "What's the matter ( "Y ou haven't touched that parcel, have you?" To this he replied, I don't feel well, and have had no tea." Wainwright said," Why, it isn't time yet," and he (Stokes)rejoined, Ah, but I didn't get my dinner either." Stokes adds .that he did not attempt to explain to the Court several things, because if he made the slightest mistake the lawyers badgered bim so that he was afraid to say any- thing.

CAUTION TO EMIGRANT.?. The Emigration Commissioners have issued another notice, cautioning intending emigrants to the Chupat river settlements, South America In the last accounts received by her Majesty's Government, it is stated that the colony is in a very critical condition, some of t .e new comers finding themselves threatened with priva- tions, and being without. belter or work. During the present season, the almost entire failure of the wheat crop was expected, and unless the Government is able and willing to assist and employ them, the settlers will probably be exposed to great distress. The Commis- sioners wish intending emigrants to bear in mind that if they proceed to Chupat after this notice, they will have themselves to blame for any suffering they may experience.

OUR POLITICAL THIRD PARTY." The London Telegraph, referring to the position of the Home Rule party, says The persistency of the third party in our politics is not altogether to be re- gretted. There are many countries where it would work enormous mischief,' to use the phrase with which Mr. Charles Yilliers struck at the Protectionists l 18.r>2. Where parties are evenly balanced and fiercely factious, eager to fight without regard to pa- triotism or conscientious scruples, a swall body ready t join one or other in chance votes cr 'snap'divi- sions would be a terrible temptation to the leaders of the Opposition or to the minister of the day. There were times when in England itself an Irish con- tingent, taking such advantage of English party feeling, could have done the State much harm. Those days are, to a great, extent, past. Public opinion out of Parliament is enlightened and strong. The constituencies are Liberal or Conservative, hot Englishmen first. There are hundreds of men on both skies of the House who would not think of following their leaders in an unpatriotic vote. On questions of Indian, colonial, and foreign policy, and on all dis- putes relative to the army and the navy, the House rarely has a party division. Members may take dis- tinct views as to the best policy, but their opinions are coloured by independent thinking, not by partisan- ship. The main question—What is the interest of England ?—dominates the minor deputes. Even on a matter so 'burning' as Ritualism we saw the session before last one feeling unite a majority from both sides, while a resistant minority in- eluded Liberals as well as Conservatives. This is, therefore, not a favourable period for the Home Rulers. The time ought to be more out of joint, and then they might have deemed themselves born to set it right. As it is, they are somewhat behind the age, and saw the day hatf a century or so too late. iNor are thev fOJ tunate in Lord Hartington's leadership. As incapable of unpatriotic Opposition as any of his pre- decessors, he is certainly less anxious for place, and not likely to stoop to conquer. No doubt there are many administrative grievances which the Home Rulers as a party may properly ventilate, and we hope speedily redress. For instance, it is unfair that the promoters or opposers of Irish private bills should have to bring witnesses over to London at great ex- pense, and if any plan could be devised for retaining in ail its integrity and purity the control of ParliiT- ment, some change is due as a reasonable concession. Then the establishment of local county boards in Ire- land would be a great boon. In England the grand juries indirectly, though imperfectly, represent the rate- payers: in Ireland they do not. Mxnvofouradmmis- trative difficulties in the sister island would be removed if it were covered with a network of elected bodies to whom problems too thorny for Parliament might be entrusted piecemeal. The municipal corporations and boards of guardians work well, and without sectarian strife: county legislatures would, we believe, be an equal success. In matters like these the lb me Rulers may do Ireland good. In fact, thev have it in their power to purify the Liffev, but not to set the Thames on fire."

Banquet to MR. Boroic.u'LT.—The banquet ten- dered to Mr. Boucicault bv the Irish members of Par- liament and Irish residents in London, which was postponed in consequence of the sad bereavement «h'ch recently befel that gentleman, has now been fixed to take place in July next. Sir Joseph Neale M'Kenna, M.P., wjjl preside.

SUICIDE BY A LADY. On Saturday moruinc. the coroner for Bristol held an inquest on Miss Jemima Elizabeth Luke, a lsdy ao years of age, residing at Clifton, who was fouud drowned in si pond in Red!and. Deceased was secretary to the Bristol and West of Englaod Women's Suffrage Association, and was well known in connection with the women's rights movement. On the fun inst. she left her residence, leaving behind her the following note, written in pencil, on a scrap of paper I have been mad for several wee s, but I have concealed it. My difficulties have turned my brain, and I must die. My mother's address is 5, Swinburne road, Deptford, S E." Miss Priestman, who was associated with deceased, said that her ideas of being in difficulties were purely imaginary. The jury returned a verdict of temporary insanity.

SERIOUS EPIDEMIC AT BOLTON. A Bolton correspondent writes:—A serious epidemic has broken out in the village of Eigley, near Bolton. Already, within a few days of appearance, eighty person* were attacked. The disease, which bears tliereii-iblance to foot and mouth distase in cattle, was first noticed ten days ago, when a number of persons were seized with sickness, followed by enlargement of tongue and swell- ing round the eyes. In worst cases this is succeeded by unconsciousness: but, with the exception of a few children, no very dangerous symptoms have supervened. Pittients are under medical treatment. The most alarming part is the rapidity with which the dise.^e spreads. In one street not « single house has escaped, whilst in more than one instance whole families are prostrate. Three causes are assigned for the outbreak fon] smell from the brook that runs through the village, and down which there has not of late been a stream suf- (iciently strong to carry off the r. fuse; the badness of the gas, and the fact of milk, as s alleged, having be. u drawn from cows suffering from foot avid mouth disease, The last is held by the medical gentlemen to be the most likely cause, and the milk is to be analysed by the medical officer of health for Bolton.

EXTRAORDINARY OUTRAGE IN WOOL- WICH GARRISON. On Saturday morning, when the men c.f :F rattery, 18th Brigade, Royal Artilleiy (Captain Greear), pro- ceeded to their stabb s, it was found that during the night the stables ad been entered, and a number of the paddles, surcingles, and other horse trappings cut and damaged to a large extent. It was also uncovered nhat an entrance had been effected by a window at the back of the stables, at a spot which was not patrolled by the sentries. The brigade stdiJJes. are built in a row, and there were three sentries on duty in front of each block. Those stationed in front of F Battery stables state that they saw nothing of the outrage but they were immediately placed under arrest. It would appear that if the act were seen by any one it would he by the men on duty in hont of the next stnbles. The number of surcingles and girths cut is 48, and the damages are such that it will be im- possible to repair them. The saddles and most of the other trappings can be repaired and made fit for use, so that the total mom y loss will probably not exceed £ 2 ). The men of F Battery de clare that they have no sym pathy with the dastardly perpetrators of the act, und there appears to be no general grievance existing amongst them. An outrage of a similar nature was committed about eight months ago in another battery, but at that time there was some dissatisfaction in the | brigade, aonseqn^r.t upon their hanug leen brought home from India in winter.

SINGULAR WILL OF GENERAL CLAUDE MARTIN. At the Judicial Committee on Saturday, judgment w ,s given in an appeal," The, Mayor of Lyons v. The Advocate-General of I!< m -ii and others," in which an important question was raided as to a very large sum left by General Martin, who ro>.e from being a private soldier to the rank of goner. in India, where he died in 1801, worth about £ ;>;rs0U(). He left by will large SUITS to Lyons (of which place he was a native), and to Calcutta and Lucknow, which had been paid. Sums were left for Calcutta and Lucknow ao to imprisoned debtors, and also criminals who had behaved well in gaol. In lndia, by operation of law, the objects had failed, and a large sum had accumulated, which fell into the residuary pro- perty. Considerable litigation had taken place as to the application of the bequests in the will. The city of Lvons prayed to participate in the large sums that had accrued on account or the objects of the testator's charity having failed in the places mentioned in India, and the question was argued before the Judicial Com- mittee whether the city of Lyons were not to share as residuary legatees in the large property. The case was sugued by Mr. Cowie, Q.C., and Mr. Hemming, Q C, for the city of Lyons, as appellants from a decision of the High Court: and by Mr. Cotton, Q.C., and Mr. Macnaghton, for the respondent, who represented the other charitable in- stitution. The object of the testator was to perpetuate" his name in Calcutta, Lucknow, and Lyons, and he left large sums to each for charitable purposes. The ques- tion was whether the principle of cypns prevailed to ex- large sums to each for charitable purposes. The ques- tion was whether the principle of cyprIs prevailed to ex- clude Lyons so as to confine the large property to objects similar to those which had fail d in the particular localities.—Sir Montagu Smith, in giving judgment, narrated the facts, and then applieu the law Their lordships held that the High Court was correct in ex- cluding the city of Lyons from the particular charities in India, and the appeal would be dismissed with costs.

SHOCKING DISCOVERY IN A LEEDS HOUSE OF ILL-FAME. A Leeds correspondent writes — A discovery of a shocking character, and around which there is a con- siderable degree cf mystery, was made in Leeds on Sunday. For some time past a woman named Mrs. West, aged about 40 years, has kept a house of ill-fame at 9, Portland cresoent. Woodhouse lane the neighbours state that they have not seen her about for a fortnight, and during that time the blinds were drawn, and the house from the outside had a deserted appearance. When such a length of time passed and still Mrs. West did not appear, and when in addition to this a doer which the woman owned was heard nigdit after night, barking inside the hou^e, suspicion of something being wrong was aroused. The result was that the neighbours communicated with Mrs. West's son, a young man lately married, and living at 1; Reuben street, and on Sunday night., ahout seven o'clock, lie effected an entrance to the house by breaking a square of glass in the back kitchen, and undoing the fastening of the sash, descending to the cellar kitchen. A glance at the bed so horrified him that, without staying to make any examination, be made his exit from the place, and went to the Town Hall for the police. The police surgeon and two officers went, and in the cellar kitchen a sickening sight was presented to them. On the bed, but not undressed, was a human body, whose features were totally unrecognisable. From the face neaily the whole of the flesh was :rone. and the front of the head at least was stripped of fcair, a quan- tity of which was laid on the right side of the body. In the kitchen was also the dog poodle, cleanlv and in good condition. It is surmised that the dog. having survived for a fortnight olpparently without having access to food, must have appeased its hunger by t,ating the flesh from the face of its mistress. But against this supposition is the fact that the dog was quite clean, that it did not smell, and that decomposition had advanced sofar that the effluvium was almost overpowering in its intensity. But P. closer in- vestigation than Mr. Mann was able to make in gas light may throw light on the point. Whether or not death was caused by violence, or was the re-ult of natural causes, will also be a. question, and the most important one for the inquiry. In a slight examination made of the kitchen and the other rooms in the house by the police on Sunday nothing was found to indicate that any struggle bad taken place. A coal scuttle in the kitchen contained a quantity of bloody matter, and in the back sitting room on the floor a man's felt hat was found. Deceased's son, however, stated that he knew to whom it belonged. It was that of a man who visited the house occasionally, and who a short time ago on leaving put Mrs. West's hat on his head, and left his own behind him. The contents of the letter box attached fo the front door assist, in fixing the date of Mrs. West's probable death. There v. ere five letters found in the box, one of them bearing the Leeds post mark of the 1 Pth January and another the 21 st January, so that for at least eighteen days the box had not been cleared. The police are in possession of the premises, a thorough investigation of which will be made.

New South Wales has voted X4000 for the erection of a bronze heroic statue of Captain Cook, in Hyde Park, Sydney. The commission has been entrusted to Mr. Woolner, R.A.

THE i;ja SILVER MINE. At a meeting of the shareholders in the Emma Silver Mine on Saturday, a resolution was confirmed which was agreed to on the 21st ult., empowering the present chairman of the company, Mr. M'Dougall, to take legal action against Mr. Albert Grant, Mr. i'ulestou, and the late board of directors for misrepresentation and con- spiracy. An attempt was made to induce the share- holders present to rescind their decision, but without effect, a large majority voting in the affirmative.

EGYPT AND ABYSSINIA. Two Englishmen (says a correspondent, telegraphing on Feb 1st from Alexandria) have arrived at Suez on board the Egyptian s'eamer from Massowa. They were offered free passages to England, refusing which they were placed under guard at their hotel night and day. They report that they were present at the late defeat of the Egyptians, and saw Colonel Avendroup killed. Abyssinia has, they declare, thousands of horsemen and other troops, and will not be defeated. They were captured by the Abyssinians and badly treated until taken before King John. They proceeded to Massowa bearing despatches. Some were taken away, others were concealed in their boots. They did not apply to the British Consul, but hare obtained per- mission to leave Suez, and have started for Cairo.

MR. PLIMSOLL AND THE SHIPOWNERS. The Tines, referring to the recent ac^on of the shipowners m anticipation of the Merchant Shipping Bit!, says;— It is certainly time that the shipowners roused themselves to this combined exertion for there can be no doubt. as the chairman said, that the coming session will be the great opportunity for settling this question on a firm basis. Tne agitation of the last two or three years has rendered the sub- ject more than ripe for legislative treatment, and after the scandal which closed the debates of hist- session, it WOuld fatally discredit the Govern- ment if they failed to render the Merchant shipping Bill, if not their greatest, at least their most urgent legislative work. The statement of the first resolution passed at the meeting cannot, in substance, be contested. There can bo no doubt that the recent and continual changes in. the law have teen most •harassing that tho legislation has been fragmen- tary and ill-considered, and tb!tt the laws ought to be simplified or codified.' The huge merchant shipping Acts which have been vainly and helplessly introduced session after session are a sufficient testimony to the justice of these complaints. The shipping interest, perhaps, is in no gmall degree itself responsible for this delay and confusion, in consequence of that lack of unity in its counsels which promises now to be remedied. It has been practically impossible to get at the facts and necessities of the case, and even a Royal Commission ended in most tentative and indefinite results. If Mr. Plimsoll has done no other service. he has at least matured the question, and, by bringing the shipowners to bay, has compelled its settlement. The public will equally re- cognise, now that their attention 4s fully aroused, the immense importance of the trade with which we are asked to interfere. The tonnage and other figures quoted by the mover of the first resolution are at once unnecessary and inadequate to illustrate this point. Endand is nothing if not a maritime nation, and her shipowners, and the classes who depend upon them, create and maintain her maritime vitality."

TIIE PALMERSTON STATUE. We cannot pretend to say whether Lord Palmerston 7 bad those highest qualities of the statesman which make or remake nations. But we do know that wherever he was suddenly confronted with any serious flilncuity he appeared equal to the emere-ency. When he ^ns called on to succeed Lord Aberdeen during the Onmean war, there was so much expectation as to what he would do, and so complete a foregone conclusion as to his capacity to set everything right, that;, according to all precedent, he ought to have disappointed people's hopes. We know that he did not do so, but that, on the contrary, he won a new reputation for capacity and energy. He had, indeed, that happy ease of manner and flexibility of temperament to which no task seems difficult, and which, therefore, often procure for their owner the credit of being able to do anything he cares to put his baud tu. Public opinion, of course, is somfiimesled to wrong conclusions on such subjects. That which seems. so easily done is often the utmost effort of the capacity which has accomplished it. The man can do his vern best all at once, and without seeming effort, where other men have to toil and strain to accom- ph=h as much, but it is the best all the same, and no effort, on his part could arrive at anything higher. We cannot tell whether Lord Palmerston really was one of those men of limited range but ready power of reaching its highest level, or whether he could have met a great national crisis with the genius and the resources of a statesman of the highest class. But we know that what he did, he did with wonderful ease and skill, and that he wrung success agnin and fisr-un out of conditions in which failure might have seemed certain. There was much in his policy as a foreign Minister—and his whole career, whatever ortice he filled, was that of a Foreign Minister—of which vre dj not pretend to approve. But his stroncresl opponents would acknowledge, we suppose, that he had always at heart the prosperity, the great- nf". and the national honour of England. Some traditions, lingering into his days from times less liberal, occasionally prevailed so far over his natural sympathies and instincts as to lead him into asso- ciations and into paths which the intelligent spirit, of the present day would hardly approve. But his feel- jugs went almost always with everycause which seemed fairly to work for the advancement of political liberty. If his first thought was that England should be great, his nf'V usually was that other countries should be free.— Ihitfy JS'cws.

On the 1st instant a fire broke out in the town mansion of Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, Bart., St James's square, but owing to the timely arrival of the engines the tire was subdued before any considerable amount of damage was done.

> « DOMESDAY ROOK." It is now many centuries since the ancient and cele- brated work known by this name was compiled, and until the present time, we believe, nothing of a similar character has been attempted. It will be interesting to the public to know that, as the result of between three and four years' labour, the Local Government Board has completed a modern Domesday Book,' under the title of a "Return of Owners of Land in England and Wales, exclusive of the Metropolis." The Times, commenting upon the production, says "When the nek), 'I)oiiiesday Book' has been laid before Parliament, it will be the duty of every politician to master its result? and no public man will have a right henceforward to appeal to popular opinion on the tenure of land who does not frankly admit, or impeach with forcible proofs and reasons, the conclusions immediately deducible from the re- turns We trust that Mr. Bright will profit by his studies. In the meantime we may direct attention to an easy means of testing the political significance of the information here collected. It would obviously be im- possible to examine the whole of these 1^00 quarto pages, ranging over all the counties of England and Wales, and including the names of a quarter of a mil- lion proprietors. But let us take a single county, and pick out a few salient facts. The West Hiding of York- shire had in 1871 a population of 1,874,611; the re- turn shows that it has more than 1,500,000 acres of assessable land, in the ownership of nearly 80,000 persons. Of these 17,417 possess holdings of one acre and upwards. But, to come to particulars, neither the very great nor the very small proprietors absorb the bulk of the acreage, as any one may see who will run down a column or two cf the return at random. We have at the head of the great landowners, Mr. Charles Towneley, with 23,000 acres, the Earl of Harewood and IJarl Fitzwilliara with about 20,000 acres each, and several others with estates that may fairly be called large. But by far the greater part of the county is owned by the small holders. Among eighty names taktn in a column at hazard we find one estate of ').') acres, four others above 20!I acres, I our, again, above 100 acres, about one-fourth of the remainder over f 0 acres, and three-fourths below that figure. Among the 80 holdings only eight were below two acres. The majority were 8, 12, :20, 30, and ;)*) acre holdings. This experience would be produced, no doubt, with little variation—for the arrangement of the names is alphabetical—in every one of the 228 columns of the return for the West Riding. It is, we venture to affirm, a perfectly fair test, and it proves, tc our minds, beyond controversy that the totals of the new "Domesday Book' are not the statistical juggles that Mr. Bright prophesied they would be. If one half of the 17,000 landowners of the We-t Riding are small proprietors, with holdings of fromihetoiitty acres, the country cannot be so hopelessly in the grasp of a territorial oligarchy.

TRADE AND FINANCE. The Daily Sews remarks:—"It may perhaps be said that time has not yet been given for tlie events of last year to produce their full effect thai trade is growing duller and duller: and 'ha.t the Chan- cellor of the Exchequer ofnnot be so cheerful, looking a year ahead, as the actual results of the financial year up to the present time would seem to Warrant. We can discover no reason, however, for this excessively pessimist view. It is impns- sible to foresee what calamities may happen, but everything may be hoped when money and raw materials and wheat are all cheap, and what trade there is is hand to mouth, and in no way specu- lative-especially when these conditions have been present, as they have now been, for so long a period as two years. The longest lane has a turning, and after such a time of depression we cannot but think that the expectations of better times, generally encouraged in commercial circulars at. the beginning of the year, were well founded. If things are not to improve henceforth, however slowly, the teachings and observations of political economists as to the cycles of prosperity and adversity in trade would constitute one of the most singular delusions which have ever been cherished. Nor is there anything decisive in the present signs of renewed dulness. Trade is bad among our chief customers abroad, with whom all transaction-, as with ourselves, have lonz been band to mouth but for this reason improvement ought also to set in generally very soon, the 'liquidation' dating back in most, places to 1873, so tint ample time has been gh-rn for the worst effects to be worked out. In liussia, by exception, a crisis seems to have broken out quite lately, the previous troubles in 1S73 having hardly touched that country at all but tho aggregate trade of Russia with the rest of the world and with ourselves is by comparison unimportant, and any fluctuation in it would easily be lest. in a more general movement. It is evident from the gene- ral increase of the quantities of the exports in the Board of Trade returns for January of the pre- sent year, issued yesterday, that the improvement, noticeable in this respect lately, continue. Almost the only principal articles of export wli ch show a diminution of quantity are iron and steel. Cotton and woollen manufactures, and coal, exhibit a moderate in- crease; and when this is the case with our staple in- dustries, our foreign export trade can no longer be said to be continuing in a retrogressive course. The omens are thus not unfavourable, though we should expect the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his next budget, to be as careful in his estimate of revenue as he was in the last."

A LOSING GAME. The Budget of the Italian Ministry of Finance contains sonte interesting particulars with reference to the lottery (il lotto), which is a fruitful source of revenue throughout the kingdom. In 1874 the Treasury received a sum of three millions sterling from different speculators, of which nearly one-third was contributed by the Neapolitans. The Piedmontese and the Lombards furnished nearly half a million each the Sicilians, £ 41X1,000 the Tuscans, i.'360,000; the Venetians, £ 320,000 the liomans, £ 250,000; and the inhabitants of the provinces of Baria, £ 200,000. The amount won in prizes was £ 1,W0,000, so that the Treasury derived a profit of more than a million sterling, less the commis- sion paid to the persons who receive the hnestmentsof 1 he public. Some provinces were more fortunate in 'heir speculations tba.n others; for, while the Sicilians won £ 300,000 out of the i'400,000 invested, the Pied- montese, and the Lombards, who had staked ha1 fa mil- lion each, received back but £ 200,000. The Neapoli- tans won back £ 000,000 out of tho £ MUMand the i T1 nnavis more than f10 per cent. of the quarter of a 1uiliion which they had invested.-Pall Mall Gazette.

GEORGE ELIOT AND HER NEW BOOK. A London correspondent writes :—"George Eliot's new story is the one topic of conversation in literary circles, although there is not that unanimity about it one would have expected. The first edition has been completely sold, however, and, as it consisted of 4U(!U copies, I think it is pretty clear that the public taste is satisfied. The authores-, well-known in town ss Mrs. G. H. Lewes, was a protege, strange to say, of Mr. Newdegfle's, and will receive £ 'f.UOO for her story, with more as cheaper editions come out. I nave not seen the good lady myself, but those who ;\re interested in her personal appearance may be thankful for the following from the World-.—" A slight, pre- sence, of middle height, as the height of women g<>es; a face somewhat long, who^e every feature tells of intellectual power, lightened by the per- pflLual play of changing expression a voice of most sympathetic compass and richness; a manner full of a grave sweetness, uniformly gentle and intensely womanly, which proclaims the depth of the interest taken in ordinary and obscure things and people conversation which lends itself as readily to ti'Dics trivial as to topics profound, and which is full o! a humour—as, indeed, are her writings—that is redeemed from sarcasm by its ever present sympai hy such is a rough and imperfect sketch of George Eliot, as she may be seen when she is occupied with her day receptions in her pleasant home near Regent's Park."

-_n .4- THE CONSCRIPTION LOOMING BEFORE FS. BY HKXRT KICIIAKB. ESQ M.P. The indications are midtiplying that during the ap- proaehing session of Pailiament some attempt will ),o made to introduce the principle of compulsory military serv ice among the population. Military, and "volan eer, and militia ofHeers, like bi- (is of evil omen, a re cr and fiapping their wings in all directions, nil of them asking for more power to drag the young men of this country into their toils. Not the least Mgniiicant of these portents is an article in the current number of the FI¡lh1'l/h Jteviev: on "Army Kecruitmeut." This periodical is usually regarded as the organ of the old Whig party, and we presume the article in question list, to some extent, be taken as the mamttstC) of the Whigs on the subject of what is called our national defences. It begins, as all such productions do. by utterly dis- crediting all that has been done heretofore. After all the patching and tinkering of our military establish- ments that has been going on for the last thirty or f rty years: after raising our forces, as tLe writer acknow- ledges, from 100,Oti, men in 1835, to 4Sd,000 iu 1 >75 after organising the field artillery after reconstituting the militia after calling forth the volunteers after creating the militia and army reserves; after pa-sing a mensire for the localisation of this forces, alvi prv- posing another for the mobilisation of the army alter spending more than 320 millions sterling iu twenty £ years on the army alone-after all this, every- tiling is in an utterly unsatisfactory condition. As respects the guarding of our national honour and Pro- viding for the national defence," we are in » faulty, ruinous, and dangerous condition." Our system is one that would quickly entail insolvency and absolute stoppage on any company or association which, for pur- poses of industry or trade, so managed its aff-nrs." So it always is. Give to these military clamourers whatever you may, ia hope of stopping their outer-v. and yon may be quite sure that, after a few years, they w;11 fill the air anew with lamentations and shrieks of alarm. It is easy to see this purport and tendency of the article in the f,?, i-,Ih from two tliings-first. their ext e-ive glorification of Lord Elcho; and, second, their desperate attempt to rehabilitate the damaged reputation of Lord Palmerston. Of Lord Elcho personally we desire to speak with every respect: but it is well known that, he is the very clapper of the panic-bell Hat is so often rung to frighten the people of this country. In an evil hour he became an officer of volunteers, and, like many other respecta'de who might have passed their lives as quiet and peace- able citizens but for that mania, he became fixed with the conviction that, the safety of this realm \1':1. a matter committed to his special care, and t! at tin v was no other but himself fully alive to its perils and responsibilities. Well, in the estimation of the Jui; h»r:ih., Lord Elcho is the hero of the day, to whom be- longs the ''proud distinction" of having oo-npel'ed attention to the deplorable condition of England as re- cards her defences. The reviewer's account of Lord Palmerston is this- that, having pursued a policy which brvught ii- to the brink of war with France iu Irihi, when he was without the means of sending ten thousand men abroad, and having succeeded, by audacity and intrigue, in that game of brag," he became aware of the necessity of providing means for the future to back up this policy of brag, and therefore he went in for increased arma- meut-iandforthe fortifications, which most men had cause to regard as Palmerston's folly," hut which the reviewer admires and glorifies. Hut. what is t-he practical outcome of the writer's speculations 'i Why this—that we should have the means of operating with weight on the Continent." hy organised force." Now, as Lord Derby has lately stated, that there are seven millions of men trained to arms in Europe, our readers may form Some conception of what will be required by this country, if it is to operate with weight, by means of an organised force, in the mid,t of such prodigious armed multitudes. Allel more especially so, when we are farther told that "one of the primary conditions of national defence is the power to strike in return, or to a.iheiprl'- at ark by carry ivy the conflict to other .i< tlun those separate! i>y our on-n seas and shoresThis, it will be seen, is a bold republication of that policy of med- diing aud blunter which has cost this country so dear iu tim; s pa<t, and which we thought statesmen of all parties had agreed to abandon for that of noh-interveu- tion. We agiee with the writer that if we are to do all that he declares we ought to be ready to do, our present forces, enormous as is the cost of them. are ridiculously inadequate to the requirements that instead of spending 25 millions on our armaments, we ought at least to spend 50 millions; and instead of having •1S6,0(>"> men trained to arms, al). our able-bodied population should at once he pressed into the service. And even then we should be nowhere. One of the contingencies we are asked hy the alarmists to consider, and against which we are to provide, is that of a confederacy of all the nations of Europe agr.inst us, seeing we are the only righteous nation, and all the rest are thieves and robbers. But if we are to antici- pate the attacks of such confederacy, and to carry the conllict to the European continent, what could our whole able-bodied population, if we could transport them bodily into the midst of our intending foes, do agsinst seven millions of men in arms ? Now, one of the strongest reasons we have against placing larger forces at the disposal of our (Government, is precisely the one adduced by this writer in favour of their augmentation, namely, that we don't want to put it in the power o" any admirer of Lord Palmerston's policy first to "play a fame of bag" with other (Govern- ments, and then anticipate their attacks by carrying the contJiet to the continent. But let u, mark w ell what are the means proposed by the army reformers to meet the exigencies of the case, Everywhere do we find tile same thing pt-epiug out, in a more or less cautious and tentative form, and that is the conscription—compulsory military servitude. The ICtlm- hvrah Kevi< ir disclaims this in terms. But he distinctly intimates that "the power of forced enlistment" for the militia is a store that should be at the disposal of the executive Government, and as another part of his proposal is to abolish enlistment for the army alto- gether, and let that be filled by recruitment from the militia, it is obvious that he contemplates the ballot, or forced enlistment, as the original source of supply for both services. But others, such as Lord Eleho and Vice-Admiral tSuliivan, are still more explicit. Here is the plan of the latter, which varies from that of the former only in some minor points 1. To raise the militia by ballot from men of twenty years of age. 2. To allow no substitutes and no exemp- tion from the ballot except to efficient volunteers find- ing then own personal equipment. 3. Service in the militio. and volunteers to be for live years, and to remain on the reserve of their regiment for live years more, in case of war." What we wish to impress upon our readers and upon the public so far as we can reach them is, that they must not trust to tLe House of Com- mons of its own accord to reject or resist these pro- po«als. A large proportion of that House are. or have been, otlieers in the army or navy. Another large proportion are men who have been bitten with the miserable mania of volunteering, and on whom no reliance whatever c:!n be placed, for a volunteer officer is rather more foolish on matters of this sort than a military oflieer. If, therefore, our countrymen do not wish to have this galling yoke of military servitude, the fear of which is driving thousands of young Germans and Frenchmen into exile, placed upon their necks, they must be prepared to struggle for their own deliverance. Let all means be taken to inform their representatives iu Parliament- that they do not mean to submit to have themsylves and their chil- dren dragged from their home, froife their from the religious work in which many of them are engaged, and the religious influences by which more of them are surrounded, to be forced into association with some of the lowest and loosest classes of the population, in the miiitia drill. It is the sheerest hypocrisy on the part of the advocates of such schemes to pretend indig- natioii at such a description of the men who serve iu the militia. They know as well as we do that such is the character of many of them that no religious or virtuous parent could contemplate without a shudder seeing his child compelled to live in company with them.—Herald 'ot 1'eace.

The Peace Society, the Aborigines Protection. Society, and the Anglo-Oriental Society for the sup- pression of the Opium Trade, have formed a joint- committee for the purpose of promoting a thorough and honest discussion of the whole subject of our political relations with China in the House of Com- mous. At the unanimous request-of the committee, Mr. IT. Richard, M.P., has undertaken to raise the question in the House. The new Archbishop of Vienna, Dr. von Ivutschker, was born in 1810. His father was a weaver, aud, being in very necessitous circumstances, was unable to pro- vide any education for his son: but the latter showed so much capacity that the clergy of his district pro- cured a free admission tor him in the college at Trap- pau, and afterwards in the Lniversity of Olmiitz. After completing Jus theological studies he was or- dained priest. in 11:'48 Dr. Rutschker became known to the Emperor, who appointed him his chaplain. He beaame a councillor in the Ministry of Cnltus in 18f>7, vicar general and bishop in 18t;:2, a Commander of the Cross of St. Leopold in 18(;4, and a privy councillor in 1874.—Eastern BucLaet. Mr. Fisher is to plav one of the parts in "The Gascon, which is now in active rehearsal at the- Olympic. Mr. Henry Neville will undertake the chief ma'e part, and Mrs. Rousby, Miss Fanny Josephs, and Messrs. George Neville and Lytton Sothern will also be in the cast.