The Cardigan Observer and General Advertiser for the Counties of Cardigan Carmarthen and Pembroke

J i SHE. HEY OF ALGIERS. SUSPENSION OF PAYMENT. 8idfM<&awd-«I-Sadok, Bey of Tunis, is about to take satep, says the Daily NerbI, which will make him a vecyiatereating personage in Earope, but especially in. Fraisee. The Bey is well-nigh independent of the Saltasn^ hM suzerain, paying no tribute, but: being bound-tafumish the Sultan with* small contingent of troops in time cf war, of which obligation he has long giQi^ aequ'rtttxJ himself so far as the war between Turkey and Russia is concerned. He has also a public debt of JE3,000,000, which is certainly a respectable sum for so small a State to owe, and to help him manage this debt h<» has, like the Khedive; an International Finance Commission, of which Englishmen, Frenchmen, and Italians are members. Now the Bey is no doubt anxious for the "settlement and gradual extinction of the debt," but he is- even morj solici torus for the triumph of the Mohaonaedfta cause in Boumelia and Bulgaria, so he has resolved, as a telegram from Constantinople informs us. to "make furrher sacrifices in favour of Turkey." "What the Bey is about to sacrifice is not aaything wMeh belongs to him, but the rights of his creditors. To quote the Turkish telegram again, the Bey h .s declared his intention of suspending the payment of the non-hypothecated portion of the. coupon of the Tunisian debt." This is an easy i way of being patriotic, or faithful, or whatever is tbe correct name for the Beys public virtue; but we are not surprised to find that the French Consul has protested against the measure, which cer- tainly, more resembles the bigh-handed proceedings of the old knights of the road than the just conduct expected of modern Governments, be they African or European, Mohammedan or Christian. The Bey is not acting under constraint, or fulfilling a treaty or a political obligation, but confiscates the money of his creditora out of mere arbitrariness. He seems to have forgotten the lesson taught him when his affairs were last regulated by jffiuropean intervention. f -<

;?4^TI-YACOINATION AGITATION.—Proceedings under "the Vaccination Act were taken against a ppmhar pf members of the Anti-Vaccination League .Hving in BHghton. The defendants were summoned a month ago, when some extraordinary scenes of dis- order took place in court, and it was now stated by the solicitor to the Board of Guardians, who con- ducted the prosecutions, that they had all disre- garded the order then made upon them to have their children vaccinated within fourteen days, and that, therefore, the present proceedings had been instituted to recover a fine. On the first case being heard, he added that as these defendants had pertinaciously and contumaciously resisted the law, he should ask for the full pecuniary penalty in each case. The defendant said he would willingly undergo imprison- ment if thj Bench would send him to gaol; and, on the'OouTt informing him that imprisonment would only be resorted to if it were found l'e had no goods wherewith to meet the flue, he asked that they would take into consideration the fact that he had been fined the full penalty before. Mr. Bigge (stipendiary magistrate), who had been informed that the authori- tiesmeant to prosecute until the law was complied with, • taid he saw no reason for reducing the penalty. As far as he could see, these cases were analogous to the prosecutions taken against parents for refusing toaead their children to school, who wera sum- moned over and over again until they did obey the law. He did not know that there was any difference between one class of offences and the other, and as the Lord Chief Justice had laid it down that such per- sons were not allowed to be a nuisance to their neigh- bours, Hie full penalty of 20s. would be inflicted, with the alternative of seven days' imprisonment if the money were not forthcoming after distraint. The other cases, six in number, were dealt with in a similar wav, with the exception of one in which the Child wae certified as unfit, and another in which the full penalty was not pressed for. A WAIL FROM GAOL.—A committee has been formed by the Tower Hamlets Radical Association to obtain the release of Mr. John de Morgan from prison. Writing to this body from Holloway Gaol, Mr. de Morgan complains that he is worse treated than Colonel Baker was, although accused of no crime. He says: "I was committed to this prison few coatempt, or breach, of agreement, no limit being mentioned, so that, to all intents and purposes, Mr. Peaeh and myself are here for life. Is it not monstrous that without trial by a jury any one ahoald be committed indefinitely to pruon ? I have not been charged with any crime, but only one cell is allotted to me. Stone floor, whitewashed walls, a hard three-legged stool to sit on, cocoa fibre bed and pillow as hard as the floor itself. There is no fire in the cell, and while Siting this my hands are so cold that I can scarcely hold she pen. I have had rheumatic pains ever siiice I have been here. I •hall not live through the winter unless I get more warmth in my cell. The warders and matrons are kindness personified, and hard would be my lot if it '■'mere not for their kindness. We purchase our own food, and the matron cooks it for qL I am not de- spondent, and, although imprisoned, will not make *r way apologies. I wantyou to agitate for the follow- ing *efbrtas: 1; That aH cases of alleged contempt be tried by jury; 2. That no one be imprisoned longer than three months for contempt, and taat in all cases the duration of imprisonment be stated- on the war ra&t. "3. That oa notice of appeal being given, the order of commitment be stayed until after the appeal Is heard* ACTIOIT AGADfSf DB. KENEALY.—AT the Hanlej. Folice-court Dr. Kenealy, Ahmed Kenealy, Charlemagne Kenealy, and Maurice Kenealy, were summoned by two reporters of the StoflvrteMte Nw* for salary due — one claim- lng £ 4 and the other .£2. The paper was started bv Ahmed Kenealy, and worked by him for some months. A short time ago he left the district, and the journal has since beeu managed by the doctor personally, the nominal proprietor being Maurice, who has not been in the town. The two com- plainants had contributed to the paper since it had started button the doctor coming down to manage .mattery he summarily dismissed theta both, but offered to keep them on at 40 per cent, reduction. They de- clined to accept this, or to work by lineage. Dr. Kenealy told them he had plaeed a large balance at bis banker's when the periodica] had been commenced, but that it had gone, and th$t there was nothing to BHow for it. The doctor appeared in court, and aDeged that Ahmed was solely responsible. The stipendiary made a joint order against Dr. Kenealy and his sen Ahmed, with costs. CATTLE PLAGUE.—The cattle piagtie in Derby- shire is becoming serious. Samuel Woodward, of Trusley, has seven attacked, fifty-six in contact, and one has been killed, and Elizabeth Gibson, of Little- over, baa one attacked, eleven in contact, and one has bean killed. DBUNKENNES 3 IN WORCBSTKRSH IRE.—Drunk- enness seems to be considerably on the increase in Worcestershire. At the last quarter sessions the chief constable of the county, in his quarterly report, stated that the number of persons proceeded against for drunkenness in the past quarter was 500, against 452 in the corresponding period of 1876. Of this number 467 had been convicted, against 413 in 1876. The number of convictions obtained against licensed persons for offences against the Licensing Act was 14, against 13- in 1876. On this statement two magistrates, Mr. Bartteetand the Ac v. M. Am- phlett, contended that, inasmuch as the connection between crime and drink was eo common, it was the duty of the Bench to use their utmost endeavours to suppress the latter. The fact that drunkenness should have increased at a time when trade was notoriously tfcbresgoi} was a serious consideration. Undoubtedly it it." v

EXTENSIVE FRAUDS.UPON HOTEL- KEEPERS: "fA.' At Bow-street Police-court, London, serious charges. e against the Son. Mrs. Caroline Bingham and her 1 daughter filiaabetsh. Bingham of obtaining food and lodging from numerous hotels and boarding-houses ¡ ] by fraud wére brought before Mr. Blowers. The I I court was .crowded, and there were said to be up- wards of 100 cases against the defendants. Mr. Besley appeared for ttie presecution on behalf of t various hotel managers, &c., who had been de- ] frauded; Mr. Keogh, barrister, defended Mrs. 1 Bingham; and Mr. Arthur Scott appeared for ] Elizabeth Bingham. Mr. Besley pointedout that both j defendants were liable to a year's imprisonment under] the 13th section of the Debtors' Act, and for the 1 fraud the elder prisoner 'might be sentenced to seven years' penal servitude. He did not wish to enter into the antecedents of the defendants, but it appeared that they were in a state of great poverty in July, 1877, at which time, or soon after, the elder prisoner succeeded in obtaining .£20 worth of goods from a certain tradesman who had never been paid, although some of the goods had been returned. Since then they had been living at various hotels, going from one to the other and gaining admission on the representation that they had luggage which would follow. The luggage never arrived, nor were the bills ever paid. Boxes were taken to one or two places by the defendants, but they were subsequently found to be empty. Mr. Sayer, the second clerk, read evi- dence taken in reference to frauds committed at the Bedford Hotel, Covent-garden, from which place the defendants were given into custody; Bacon's Hotel, Great Queen-street; the Inns of Court Hotel, and a private lodging-house in Bayswater. The accounts at the last two named amounted to about £10 each. Mrs. Stokes, whose husband kept the pri- vate lodging-house in Bayswater, deposed that the defendant gave her name as the Hon. Mrs. Bingham. Witness, hearing that the owners "of the Clarendon Hotel had been defrauded by the defendants, thought it advisable to ask Mrs. "Bingham to advance £10 of her debt, but was referred to her solicitor. The defendant was afterwards re- quested to leave the house, and her empty boxes were detained. Mr. Besley said the defendant always re- ferred to her solicitor for payment. A girl named Croker, from Dunn's Hotel, Charterhouse-square, deposed that the defendants went to that hotel en Christmas Day and were accommodated. They had with them a younger lady and gentleman. It was represented that the maid would arrive from Has- tings with the luggage. The elder defendant gave her name as the Hon. Mrs. Yelverton Bingham. They ran up a bill of .Ell 6s. Id., which was never paid. Edward Goshawk, waiter in the ladies' coffee-room at the Bedford Hotel, deposed that the elder defendant said she had been recommended to the hotel by Mr. Neville. There was a party of four, consisting of the two defendants and a young lady and gentleman, ap- parently children of Mr. Bingham. Mrs. Bingham asked some questions the morning after she arrived respecting the nearest underground station from Pad- dingtdn, where her maid had gone for the luggage. The defendants had four teas, four suppers and sleep- ing accommodation. Witness said, it was quite against the rules of tbehotel for people to come in witboutlug- gage. The elder defendant, when applied to for the money to pay the bill, referred to her solicitor. Mr. earner, the proprietor of: the hotel, gavethede- fendants into custody." Mr. Besley asked • for a. re- mand, and said he had upwards of fifty charges to prefer against the defendants. Mr. Keogh said he was originally, retained on behalf of both defendants, but since the morning Mr. Scctt had been engaged for the younger defendant at her father's request. Mr. Keogh was about to dwell upon some private matter mating to Mrs. Bingham and her husband, when he was stopped by Mr. Flowers. The esse was adjourned, Mr. Flower.) consenting to accept two- sureties in .£50 each for the appearance ot Mrs. Bmgham,, and one in.E30tor her daughter. The elder prisoner was, aa before, unable to procure sureties.

THE NEW IMPERIAL INDIAN ORDER. The Times, commenting on the creation of the new Imperial Order, says: It will be seen that the order at the outset is extremely select. Our own Prin- cesses supply ten of the names there are eight Indian ladies of distinction, including the wife of the Maha- rajah Dhuleep Singh, and only eighteen other ladies, wives of great Indian dignitaries, are admitted. While the honours of the order are dispensed with this reserve it will not materially disturb the harmony of the fair sex in this country. It would be out of place to inquire whether anything very serious has been contemplated in the institution of this novel order; but we would willingly see in it an expression, however figurative, of her Majesty's anxiety to promote the movement, which has of late attracted so much attention, towards the elevatidf) of the female sex in India. W.men hold distinguished positions as Sovereigns in India, and the Begum of Bhopal, in particular. This gracious act of the Queen can hardly fail to have some influence in bringing home to the minds of the natives the position which women hold in Western society, and the idea thus suggested may gradually spread. There is, indeed, something even more surprising than the assump- tion of an Indian title by an English Sovereign in this association in one order of English and Indian ladies. A generation lor two ago the gulf between them would havo been deemed impassable. The two societies—European and Asiatic—were as distinct as if there were no common interests and no common in. heritance between them. Sir Henry Maine has re- marked that the discovery Ot intimate affinities in language and race between all nations of the Indo- European stock has, through its influence on the im- agination, had a singular effect in removing these traditional barriers. Indian Princes now mingle freely in English society, and every day a clearer mutual understanding between members of the two peoples and countries is established. Now that English and Indian Princesses are united with distinguished English ladies in the same exalted society, the last social barrier of this kind might seem to be removed. We shall await, however, with some curiosity the official statements which may be expected when Par- liament meets respecting the precise purposes which this novel institution is intended to effect. If Lord Beaconsfleld is as imaginative on this topic as he was on the assumption of the Imperial title by her Majesty, something very graceful and interesting may oe expected.

THE NEW MEDICAL COLLEGE, EMNBUBGH.— A commencement has been made with the clearing of the site to be occupied by the new Medical College, Edinburgh. The houses occupying this site were butlt about a century ago, and that portion of them constituting Park-place consisted of what were then first-class city residences. One of these, of very graceful design, is considered to be the work of one of the brothers Adam. It was the town residence of the Campbells of Succoth, and was at one time occu- pied by Sir Islay Campbell, Lord President of the Court of Session. This house, Mr. Anderson, the architect of the college buildings, proposes to re-erect aud incorporate with the general design in such a manner as not to interfere with the sssthetic effect of the Aiaatomy Court, of which it will form a fea- ture. Another qf these houses belonged to the Taits of Harviston, and in it the present Archbishop of Canterbury was born, his mother having been a 1 daughter of the Lord President Oampbell above re- ferred tc. The interior of these houses contain ad- mirable specimens of mantelpieces, doors, &c., similar in style to those so much aS cted by the modern Queen Anne school. These Mr. Anderson proposes to utilise as far as practicable in the new class rooms. To carry out the portions of Mr. Anderson's design aHflblately required will entail a cost of about £188,000. Towards this sum the pubhc have contri- buted about £90,000, and the Government have promised to contribute £80,000 conditionally upon the public subscribing the balance.—HuileUr. NEW RECRUITING REGULATIONS. — New regulations as to recruiting have just been issued by the Secretary of State fer War. The rewards pay- able for each recruit are to be as follows Five: shillings to toe recruiting officer of a sub-district, or the adjutant of a corps at home; from 5a. to 8a. to 1 staff officers of pensioners according to the number I of recrnits; £1 to tharecruiter, includipg the bringer, < or £1 5s. when the recruit enlists for the Royal < Artillery and is 5ft. 7in. in height. The enlisting ( shilling is not to be given to soldiers re-enlisting or t re-engaging. The recruiter's reward includes lOa. to < the bringer, and bringers are to be persons of good < character and known, in order that they may be 1 called upon tn refund the bringing money in cases of f fraudulent enlistment. t BELFAST WORKING MEN AND THE SUNDAY CLOSING BILL—A meeting of working men was held 1 in the Belfast Music Hall to protest against the Sun- J day Closing Bill. Mr. Patrick Kelly, painter, pre- v aided, and re^plutioBs were passed to the effect that it was the opinion of the meeting that the bill of last y session, for the closing of public-houses on Sunday, was an attempt at class legislation, and, if passed into 11 law, would abridge popular rights and liberties; I that they regarded the Sunday Closing Bill a as an insult offered to the individual cha- 01 racter and manhood of the working men or Ireland n that the bill, if passed, would be the cause of making BJ law-abiding citizens become law-breakers, and would b4 also endanger morality, by introducing drink into the JL domestic circle and they protested against this a tyrannical attempt to curtail their rights and privi- m leges as honest and industrious lxiembgra of society w Xhejaeetibg was moist dieordetlj throughout. £

INTERVIEW WITH THE CLAIMANT. Mr. Guildford Onslow and Mr. Quwtermaine East, ix-Sheriff of London, had, by the permission of the BCome Secretary, an interview of twenty minutes' luration with the Ticbborne Claimant at the Convict Prison, Portsea. In the'evening they addressed a rublic meeting at the Beneficial Society's Hall, which iras held under the auspices of the local Magna Oharta md Tichborne Release Association. The chair was ;aken by Mr. J. Howell, a memberof the Town Council. Mr. Onslow said he bad never seen.the Claimant lookso well and strong or in better epirits. Indeed, according to lis own account, he has never been so well treated before n prison. He had given valuable information, which it was hoped would be of great use to his case here- after. Mr. Onslow remarked that notwithstanding the number of Tichborne meetings which had been held in all pafts of the country, they were no nearer securing the release of the convict, and the only way in which this eould be accomplished was to procure and produce Arthur Orton in the flesh. They had of- fered a reward, and after much time and labour had at length discovered the real Arthur Orton in Paramatta Lunatic Asylum. Though known as Cresswel), ho could be identified by twenty-two respectable, witnesses. Creswell's photograph had also been recognised by the Claimant. A letter wpa read from the convict stating that his cousin Biddulph doubted tie Oresswell story, and expressing great anxiety as regarded his wife and family, from whom he had not lately heard. Mr. Onslow urged the meeting to assist in bringing the lunatic to England. The Attorney-General of Australia was willing to surrender Oresswell under certain conditions,and to these the friends of Tichborne were willing to agree.

SAVINGS BANKST" The third article in the British Quarterly Review for January is on Savings and Savings Banks." Tbe writer gives a brief account of the origin and progress of savings banks, and, after showing the position they have obtained at the present time, proceeds to review in detail the Post Office Saving Banks scheme, chiefly from reports issued by the Postmaster-General. While acknowledging that the scheme has been eminently successful he affirms that it has not accomplished all that was anticipated, nor is it accomplishing all that its admirable machinery adapts- it to fulfil." He therefore inquires what effect the Post Office Savings Banks have had upon the old bank system, and what hinders depositors in those old banks from ac- cepting the greater advantages of the new; points out a few defects in the system whichj if remedied, would make the institution infinitely more valuable than it is; suggests some practical means for popularising the subject and extending the education of the people in habits of thrift; offers some remarks upon the internal arrangements the Savings Bank Department of the General Post Office, and concludes with an enquiry as to the influence the Post Office Savings Bank scheme has had upon Foreign and Colonial Governments. We commend the article to the consideration of all who are interested in pro- moting habits of thrift among the poorer classes, and would call especial attention to the remarks of the writer upon Penny Banks and the suggestions for popularising Savings Banks by the formation of social societies to which membership can only be obtained by becoming Saving Bank depositors.

T THE LATE LORD KINNAIRD. Lord Kinnaird, who has died at his seat, Bossie Priory, Perthshire, in hia 70th year, had been suffering from cold for a few days, but nothing serious was ap- prehended. The deceased, George William Fox Kinnaird, ninth Baron, was born in April, 1807, andsucceeded his father in 1826. He was educated at Eton, was Master of the Buckhounds from 1839 to 1841, and filled the office of Grand Master of the Freemasons of Scotland. He was a Knight of the Thistle, a Privy Councillor, and Lord-Lieutenant of Perthshire. He married in 1837 the daughter of the first Lord de Mauley; and is succeeded in the peerage by the Hon. Arthur FitzGerald Kin- naird, M.P., head partner in the banking firm of Ransom, Bouverie, and Co. The new peer was born in 1814, was educated at Eton, and was attache to the British Embassy at St. Petersburg, and private secre- tary to the Earl of Durham when Minister at that Court from 1835 to 1837. Mr. Kinnaird sat as a Liberal for the city of Perth from 1837 to 1839, and has represented the same constituency since 1852. By his succession to the peerage a vacancy is created in the House of Commons. The late peer was a Liberal in politics, and took an active part in many social movements having for their object the well-being of the working classes. He was one of the few peers who belonged to the Anti-Corn Law League, over one of the great meetings of which in Covent Garden Theatre he presided.

HOME-BHEWED BEER FOB JAPAN.—About four years ago M. Aoki, the Japanese Envoy at Berlin, requested, in the name of his Government, a firm of brewers in that city to take a young Japanese named Nakanava as an apprentice, in order that he might be thoroughly instructed in the art of making lager-beer. They consented-, and when the young lad was con- sidered sufficiently skilled in brewing they passed him on to another houses where he was taught everything connected with the preparation of malt. The whole apprenticeship lasted about three years. 'Meantime the Japanese Government had built and fitted up at Tokio a large brewery, according to plans sent out from Germany, and on Nakunava's return home he was placed in charge of it. The intention or the Government is that it shall serve as a school for the practical training of young Japanese in the mysteries of brewing. It remains to be seen whether the intro- duction of this new branch of industrial learning will tend to promote the moral development of the Japanese. TOWNS ON PAPEB.—The Natal Mercury says in a recent number: "The sagacious providence of oar rulers has anticipated the possible needs of the future by laying out areas for future cities all over the country. This is the case in most new countries. Governments are ambitious, and power is apt to drift towards centres. Landowners are acquisitive, and townships attract population. Few of our readers probably know how many paper towns there are in Natal New Glasgow, Mount Moreland, North and South Barrow, Scottberg, Port Shep- stone, and Murchison. on the coast; Lidgetton, Fort Nottingham, and Weston, up country, are all places represented by specific mention on the map but by only a solitary building, if even that in reality. There are plans of them all to be found in the Surveyor-General's office, with even streets market-place, and sites left for church, gaol, and post-office but they are little more than names. As they have in every case been selected with due regard to convenience of situation and accessibility of water supply, they present very suitable localities for set- tlement. Experience shows the utility of establishing centres of population as means of filling up a district. Provided the right class of settlers can be got hardy' frugal, contented and industrious people—no better way can be devised to impart a substantial value to these townships than the planting upon them of co- operative colonies of self-sustaining, hard-working villagers." MR. MITCHELL HENRY, M.P., AND HIS TENANTS.—Mr. Mitchell Henry, M.P., has written to the Irish papers declaring that since he purchased the estate of Kylemore, county Galway, not a hearth- stone or roof has ever been removed, and that twenty families have been added to the rental. This cate- gorical denial of the statement by the local Roman Oatholic curate is confirmed by the parish priest of Ballinapal, who says that the charge against Mr. Henry is groundless in fact and startling in its utter untruthfulness. A PAPAL HIERABCHY IN SCOTLAND.—The other evening a meeting in opposition to the estab- lishment of a Papal hierarchy in Scotland was held in the hall of the Protestant Institute, Edinburgh under the presidency of Mr. Ferguson, of Kinmuodv' There was a large attendance. Addresses were de' livered by the Bev. Dr. Begg, the Eev. Dr. Willi!" Mr. Long (Glasgow), Mr. Guiness, secretary of the Protestant Alliance, and others. Eesolutions were adopted to the effect that the establishment of Z Popish hierarchy in Scotland, designed as it was for ;he exercise of foreign juriadiction, professedly reli 5ious, but mainly temporal, was a contravention of rnr laws and a danger to our religion, and that the langer springing out of the Popish hierarchy ren lered it the duty of true Protestants to oppose itl establishment and to enlighten the whole community; >n the subject. Previous to the meeting a conferen™ >f delegates from different parts of the country JZ leld, at which it was agreed to make arrangements or holding public meetings on the subject in the i owns throughout Scotland. ™ THE UNIVERSITY OE EDINBUBGH.—A letter las been received from the Treasury, intimating that E20.000, the first instalment of the grant by the Go! 1 ernment for the buildings of the University of Edin 1 urgh, will be inserted in the estimates for thi- 1 ear. 10 1 Suspicious DEATH AT WABBINGTON An 1 iquest was held at Warrington on the body of Sarah 1 iuson, an infant, which had been exhumed in r ccordance with an order frein the Home Secretary ( n account of a suspicion that it had not died a ] atural death. The stomach and its contents had been aalysed, and arsenic sufficient to cause death bad 1 eenTound. The child's life had been insured. The a iry returned a verdict of Wilful murder against ft person or pereocs unknown. The child's o3. ( other died unaer similar circumstances, and x ison o aa found in her stomach. Her life was also insured ] ho police have tbe matter ia hand. \«

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. A report has been issued by the Chief Registrar of rn j Industrial, and Provident Societies and lranes Unions for the year ending the 31st of De- cember, 1876. The total number of retnrns received tor England and Wales was 11,282, the total number n!u> ^>404>187, and the total amount of funds *a,000,943. The report says: "Twenty-two societies returned over 10,000 members each, and of these nine returned over 30,000, the largest number being re- urned bytha Royal Liver Friendly Society, Liverpool —viz., 682,371 members. The aggregate member- ship of the whole 22 societies amounts to 1,478,765, leaving 1,925,422 in all the 11,230 other societies, making an average of close upon 171 members eacb. From this it will be seen how small the bulk ot our Friendly Societies really are in point of mem- ship. If we turn to the amount of funds and adopt the same figures we shall find vory different results. ty-eight societies return more than £ 10,000 each, or together £2,283,346, representing not much more I than a quarterjof the total, and leaving £7,053,602 for the remaining 11,224 societies, or say £@28 nearly each. If we attempted from the above data to esti- mate the membership and funds of the 14,805 socie- whIch have failed to make- returns, it would be very unsafe to take either the average IAW^11 'P or funds of the societies with less than 10,000 members or £ 10,000 funds as a basis. great bulk of the large societies, and especially ? the richer ones, having probably made returns, it would hardly be prudent to suppose an average of more than sixty-five members, with 30s. funds a head, or say, in round numbers, £t}8. This would give an addition of 962,325 members, making in all 4,366,512 &nc* of ^1>450,890 funds, making in all A10,<8t)839. A deduction must, however, be made from the membership for persons who are members of •° £ r m°re 80c*et*e9 once. Perhaps, ten per cent. ^e^ucte<^ on this amount, leaving skill over d,900,000 members. Since the above figures apply only to registered societies, it appears probable that the estimate given some years since by the Friendly Societies Commissioner of over 4,000,000 members of FrIendly Societies, registered and unregistered, with £11,000,000 funds, was decidedly under the mark."

IMPORTANT TO FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. 1 Alfred Tiickbroom, of 43, Great Cambridge-street, Hackney-road, was summoned at Guildhall by the Treasury before Alderman McArthur, for that he un- lawfully omitted to send to the Registrar of Friendly Societies a general statement, to wit, the annual return of the receipts and expenditure, fund and effects of "The Court Rose," of the Ancient Order of Foresters, as audited, contrary to the provisions of the Friendly Societies Act, 38 and 39 Vic., cap 60. Mr. St. John WontDer appeared for the Treasury, and stated that the object of this proceeding waa to let friendly societies know that they must comply with the Act of Parliament or they would incur very heavy penalties. The defendant was the secretary to the Court Rose of the Ancient Order of Foresters, and notwithstanding the repeated applications of Mr. Thompkins, the registrar, the de- fendant had persistently refused to make the annual return required of him. The notices from the registrar he had disregarded, and the Treasury he had treated with contempt; in fact he had ignored it. By the 14th section of the 38 and 39 Vic., cap. 60, it was provided that certain returns should be made on the 1st of June in every year by all friendly societies to the registrar, and sub-section 4 of section 14 provided that the penalties for not complying with the Act should' not be more than £5, nor less than £ 1 for each offence; but every week the society was in default constituted a new offence. The penalties would now be accumulative from the 1st of June last; but the Treasury did not wish to be bloodsuckers, they only want to let the officers of friendly societies feel that they must make the returns required by the Friendly Societies Act. The registrar wrote to the defendant on the 9th of November, but got no answer. Mr. Stephenson wrote to him on the 28th of November, telling him that if he did not make his return by the 3rd of December proceedings would betaken against him. He had not made his return since, and the result was that eight summonses had been issued against him. The defendant said that when he received the note of Mr. Thompkins on the 9th of November, he wrote an apology, and promised to-send the return in with- out delay. When he received Mr. Stephenson's letter he obtained the form, and on the 3rd of Decem- ber posted it to Mr. Thompkins. It appeared after- wards that he had not made the return correctly, and it was returned to him. He did not wish to oppose the Treasury, and if the registrar would tell him what he wanted he would make the return required. Alderman McArthur said he was quite sure that Mr. Thompkins would do that. It ap- peared to him that he could not inflict a fine in this case, because the letter of Mr. Stephenson gave tho defendant up to the 3rd of December to make his return, and thereby condoned all previous neglect on the part of the defendant, provided that he complied with their wishes. He had done so. He had made a return, which was not correct; but there was a difference between sending an incorrect return and sending no return at all. He thought if the defen- dant complied with the wishes of the Treasury that would suit their views. Mr. Wontner said that it would, and if the defendant would promise to comply with the Act he would withdraw the whole of the summonses. The defendant made the promise, and the summonses were withdrawn.

FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT. — A boy, aged 14, named Albert Webster, whilst playing in the Atlas Works, Sheffield, ventured too near the rolls, and was caught. His right arm and leg were whirled off, and his body drawn in and rolled into a flat mass of flesh and bones. His mutilated remains were with diffi- culty removed from the machinery. THE Cape Argus states that the Prince of Wales is to be presented with an assegai taken from the Galekas. Captain Ward ell, of the East London Volunteers, recently addressed his men, stating he had Sflen the Governor, to whom he had presented, on account of the volunteers, three fine assegais, which bis Excellency had graciously received, and told tbe captain he would keep two as a valuable keepsake, and send one to the Prince of Wales for his Royal Highness's museum. DISTBESS IN WOLVEBHAJIPTON.—Consequent on the stoppage or partial cessation of the principal ironworks and collieries, the distress in this district continues to increase, and relief, in the shape of bread and oatmeal, was distributed recently at the Town Hall to about 530 families. Unfortunately the tickets for this relief had been distributed somewhat hurriedly, and consequently many persons obtained a share who were not entitled to it, whilst some of the worst cases were altogether passed over. The distribution was presided over by the Mayor, assisted by the aldermen of the different wards, and the clergy and ministers of the town. DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN SOUTH INDIA.— Mayfair says: The discovery of gold in South India, so long asserted by some Australian speculators, turns out to be a fact. In the coffee-growing district of Wynaad, sixty-two tons of the auriferous quartz, de- scribed as Alpha stone from Wright's level," has produced above thirty ounces of rich gold, or an average of nine pennyweights per ton. The gold has been bought by a Madras firm, and specimens of the quartz have been submitted to the Governor, the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos. The commissioner of the district has visited the works, and the result is that a company is projected to work the Alpha rock, with a capital of £150,000. A steady out-turn of gold, secured by capital and honest industry, would solve many of our most difficult Indian questions of finance and currency. ATTACK ON A CONSTABLE BY GAMBLEB8.- Five young men, who made a practice of going to Old Parkwood, near Sheffield, on Sunday afternoon to gamble, were disturbed by a constable, whom they assailed with a shower of stones, one of which struck him on the forehead, inflicting a wound down to the bone. The officer would have been killed had not relief opportunely arrived. The prisoners were sentenced to three and four months' imprisonment. IT fis NO SECBET, unfortunately, that the Cabinet is divided. The Prime Minister, the Secre- tary of War, and the Lord Chancellor are in favour, if not of immediately going to war, of, at any rate, Baying at once to Kusaia, in the most unmistakable manner, "Thus far you may go, and no further. Lord Salisbury, Lord Carnarvon, and Mr. Cross are of opinion that Russia's programme is not in the least injurious to England's interests; while Mr. Smith, the Duke of Richmond, and Sir Michael HICKS- Beach believe that the Government should take no decisive steps until the House of Commons has been sonsulted.—Hornet. ALLEGED SEBIOUS ASSAULT.—A man named John Glancy, residing in Westport, Edinburgh, was taken to Leith Hospital, suffering from a severe scalp round, and with bruises all over his body. Ho stated ihat between one and two o clock in the morning he ivas attacked by three men in the Eastern-road, by vhom he was kicked, jumped upon, and otherwise naltreated. So little hope was entertained of his 'ecovery that his depositions were taken in the course I' the day by Sheriff Hamilton and the procurator- fiscal. MAILS fOB AUSTBALIA AND NEW ZEALAND.— Fhe Post Office has announced that a mail for tie .bove Colonies will be made up in London on the ] veninp of Wednesday, the 23rd inst., for despatch by );ri<=nt Line steamship Chimborazo, leaving Plymouta 14 n ibo 24th inst. for Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney, ] Newspapers and letters must be specially marked j j 1 Per steamship Ohimborazo." i '1'

PASSAGE OF THE BALKANS IN TIIt, tha DEAD OF WINTER. cut OWRKO'S ADVANCE.' ,T The special correspondent of the Dally atfe of from the head-quarters of General Goorko, Ouri| me near Sofia, Dec. 29, gives an account of the ext$the ordinary passage of the Balkans in mid-Winter. Af which we take the following extracts: f1" mL 0F THE ADVANCE.. gpfl The plan of the projected advance, >npd«<f hil the whole order of the campaign thus f^, an( mainly due I believe to the chief of ?ene» fac Gourko s staff, General Naglovsky. Tbe Plan *1 as precise as a mathematical problem. "J work was laid out explicitly for eaeh ^bn^nimi The physical difficulties of crossing Mto range that separates the valleys of Orkhaoieand o°fidha in fact the great Balkan range, were so much increased by the formation of ice, that it was altogether ^P°4g0 8lble to carry out the details of the plan. Therefor^ I will only give the general outline. The army WaC" divided into nine detachments. Three of these wer%j to form a column, which was to cross to the west oJK Araba Konak and come down into the villages ot h, Curiak, Potok, and Stolnik. The command of tDe ad. vance guard of this column, consisting of two battalions of the rifle brigade, the Prasbrajenski and SmaHofM Regiments, one brigade of Kuban Cossacks and sixteen k guns, was entrusted to General Bauch. Tbe entire fe- column numbered thirty-one battalions and forty » guns, the Kuban Cossacks, one squadron of Cossacks of the Caucasus, and five squadrons of dragoons. The second column, commanded by General Wilbelminot, composed of a brigade of the 31st Division of infant of the "ne, two brigades of cavalry of the Guard, one battery of field pieces, and one horse battery, was di- rected to cross the range bv the point marked on the Austrian map as Urmages: ^het^rd_COluT'led General Dondeville, *as to turn the Turkish position on the summits east of the Pass, crossing the range where the word onJ;he maP» debouching into the valley at Mierhovo. The fourth column, commanded by General Schilder-Schuldner. was to demonstrate against Lutikova. The fifth column, comprising a regiment of Grenadiers, one and a half battalions of a regiment of the line, two sotnias of Cossacks, and two guns, was to remain in position near Slatica to watch llamarli. n e a REVEILLE. Before daylignt °n Christmas morning thebuglea sounded the reveille again and again, and soon the infantry crowded the streets on the march towards R waa bitterly cold and frosty. The fog had settled down so densely that before sunrise the darkness was absolutely impenetrable, and even after daybreak objects across the narrow streets were vague and indistinct. The fog clung to the houses and trees and the clothing of the soldiers, and froze there, covering every surface with a glistening garment of n*ne o'clock General Gourko and his staff left the town for the bivouac of the Dragoons on the chauaaeejust behind the positions there. A RABE SPECTACLE. It was a rare spectacle this group of horsemen as they moved slowly along the ice-pave-1 chauseee. The aides-de-camp were dressed in the most fantastic cos- tumes. Some were in greatcoats of dressed skins orna- mented with embroidery and buttons. Some were enveloped in Circassian cloaks, all doubled up with the weight of additional clothing, and with capuchons and wraps about the head. General Gourko, leading the group, was alone dressed in a simple surtout, without mufflers of any kind. He rode along appa- rently unconscious that the frost was turning his beard white, and covering himself and horse with frozen crystals. It resembled more a carnival cavalcade than a general with his staff, the effect being heigh- tened by the picturesque Kuban Cossacks in the con- voy with their sheepskin hats and curious weapons. Before we had been out half an hour icicles hung from the beards and from the horses' mouths, and f6,8 Pfocession of so many Santa Glaus we rode into the defile through the chill fog, the view being limited to the snow-laden trees along the roadside. The sol- diers began to straggle, several dropped, overcome with cold and fatigue, and some were iniured by fall- ing on the ice. HAULING UP GUNS BY HAND. I finally determined to make my way to the summit, and started off two hours before sunset. The way was completely blocked with artillery and infantry. The soldiers had made fires along the path and were cooking their suppers, and everybody seemed to be taking matters Tery easy. Hard climbing broughtme to the first difficult place inthepath, and here Idiscovered the cause of the delay. Four guns and their caissons were being hauled up by hand. The ropes were short, permitting not more than sixty men to take hold, and even th;S number worked with exasperating de- liberation. It was soldiers of the line that were de- tailed to bring up the first cannon. They were small men, unused to such work, and after a long march from Plevna did not enter with any enthusiasm into the novel and exhausting labour. General Bauch stood half way up the first steep incline, encouraging the men to pull, and spurring up the officers. Long after dark I worked my way up from ene crowd of soldiers to another. The intervals between the cannon grew longer and longer, and when I reached the first one I found the men all lying about resting as calmly as if it were not an important part of the plan of the enterprise that all the troops should get up the mountain before morning. The officers lay down and slept. The men made fires. Others scooped a hole in the snow, and were soon snoring peacefully. The choruses which had sounded along the path as the soldiers hauled the heavy caissons up, inch by inch, sle t Cease(* alt0&etber, and apparently everybody SNOW BIVOUAC. Towards midnight General Gourko came up the path, followed by his staff. He could no longer endure the delay, and his sleepless energy would not permit him to remain inactive in the rear. A Cossack post was found on the summit of the watershed, and here the general and his staff lay down on the snow around two fires, which were kept low that the enemy might not notice them, and slept like the soldiers. The Pravbra- jensk regiment had advanced into the village of Ouriak, already for some days occupied by the dra- goon outposts, and with them part of the train of pack Worses had descended in the early part of the night, so that there was little to eat and meagre com- tort in the snow bivouac. Officers and soldiers lay around indiscriminately as near the fires as they could get, for the icy wind was blowing across the peak. and the snow was freezing hard. VIEW OF THE GREAT PLAIN OF SOFIA. The sun rose on a scene of wonderful picturesque- ness and a landscape of serene beauty. Generals and aides-de-camp, some wrapped in Bourkas and furs, .some in overcoats alone, without additional covering, h n Bnow huddled together about the .ff" Cossacks and dragoons were already busy with their cooking, and huhdreds of horses tied to the trees about the bivouac stamped impatiently in the snow. Southward lay the great plain of Sofia, its pure white face only broken by little dark lines where the villages were, and beyond, half veiled in dense clouds, were the mountains further south, and the great peak Titos that tcwers over Sofia. Through the trees eastward was clearly visible the great bare peak near the Bilia-Konak Pass, and the lines of the lurkish works were drawn on the snow as plainly as pencil marks on white paper. General Bauch, always on foot, clambered up to the bivouac for a few moments' rest, and to consult with General Geurko, p motive power, and General Maglovsky, the soul or the enterprise. Then both General Bauch and General Gourko were off again to hasten tho move- ments. W THE DESCENT. the twilight came on we all started down the mountain, everybody on foot, for the path was so steep and slippery that no horse could carry a rider T j' -A snowstorm began before we had gone far, and doubled the difficulty of the descent. Part of the way we slid down like so many schoolboys, and after- warGs -let ourselves down through the undergrowth, for the road was one solid sheet of ice. Two or three toiles of this work brought us to n e head of the valley, and we were over the xJaifians, breathless with the exertion of the descent. We paused a moment, and shook bands in the darkness, and then pushed on to the village, where we slept under a roof as peacefully as if the Turks were twenty miles instead of one mile away. How ^nnon came down this side it is almost impos- 81 ^11, for the road was for a long distance only a ^7 'nade by the rain, and the incline was so steep ana slippery that it was almost impossible to stand 0n.-v, road. However, the four pounders were in at daybreak, and the regiment of the line filed through in the forenoon. N «. T-HE 1>A8SAGE ACCOMPLISHED. J8 a 8ma^ village hidden away in a hin. ♦ a na,,row valley winds through the Plain beyond, a couple of hours' ride aistant. At daybreak on the 27th the Circassian 1 outposts were standiBg on a little hill scarcely a i mue away, and we saw an officer with his staff come up and take a look, then gallop away. The < Brigade 0f Kuban Cossacks was sent down the valley t with one regiment of infantry to the left, and 1 one up on the height to the right. There was a little 15 13 f be valley. The Turks in a little rifle pit 1 on the hill fired four rounds and then retired. The c st> rpruyjg Kubans pushed ahead and saw out on the a plain a long transport train slowJv moving towards v > Ir0nak* They received orders to try and capture a About! three o'clock two ^uadron8'8c&rcely uiore t n 100 horsemen—dashed down into the plain and off half the train, more than 200 waggons en with provisions and forage. The two squadrons Turkish regular cavalry and Circassians retired un- r< diately, when the Kubans came down; but finding Q y were not outnumbered, returned and gave battle, 01 ;er a short sharp fight, in which ten Turks were e: led and two Cossacks wounded, the waggons were 1 t in the Bussian hands. The Cossacks cut the tele- a iph wires, the infantry took up positions on the a Is near the plain, past the village of Poton, t< 1 the passage of the Balkans was an accomplished 0 t- c SNOW-STOBM ON THE MOUNTAINS. 1] Late last evening the column of General Wilhel- nof began to debouch into this valley, the descent il Zilava having proved impracticable. These troops I ve undergone the most severe hardships, and report r it the storm on the mountain was terrible, c ldiers who paused for a few moments became t listinguishable from masses, of snow. Many strayed j ray. All suffered from want of food; and when ey arrived here after an almost continuous march I five days, and for thirty-six hours without a halt, l ey were drenched and half frozen tegether. BRINGING IN A BABY. f The crossing has thus far cost very few lives, and t was accomplished, too, in the face of unusually rere weather, and to the complete surprise of the emy. The Cossacks have played a most important part this movement, and the history of their actions would ake a most interesting letter. They bring in prisoners most every day, half-naked and scarcely recognisable human beings, Turkish. Circassians who have come 1 io their lines believing them to be of the samearmyfrom 1 B similarity of dress. Yesterday a blond young Kuban fcsack came riding in with a child of three years 1 slung in the mane of his horse as a cradle. The |ld was happily eating a morsel of hard bread, and n been thrown away by its mother from one of the insport waggons which escaped. The tenderness >h which the Cossack handled the chi'd, and the Jression that his face wore as he fed the baby and te it trinkets to play witbrwere most touching. Aen the child was taken froin the horse to be given She Bed Cross attendants it cried lustily, and refused consoled. UNDER COVER IN STRAW SHELTERS. cohere was a most peculiar effect of the column jning down through the snow. The sky and the attains were all one colour, and the only spot on ajiblank white space was the winding black line o moving down, as if from the heavens. One by sl. e soldiers slid and scrambled down the steep a and the cannon were let down by ropes, wound Vajt the trees er strong bushes. Once in the thv> after their five days of mountain climbing, ag )proceeded to make themselves as comfortable lQ Isible under the circumstances, and the houses COIf villages being already overcrowded, the men alWUcted straw shelters in a few m men far, so that Ve under cover by sunset. rjtt PANORAMA OF THE MOUNTAIN CLIMB. tain'panorama of that mountain climb would con- dradore scenes of personal devotion and more batd hunoan interest than most of the larger r,ictn of the war. Every step presented a new a Ian Gathered round a small fire at the foot of the lrree two or three Guardsmen would be relating turesPy Dubnik, and with animated ges- jnourfostrating how they dragged guns up the the so118 near Etropol. The small audience of in the[er8 line who had spent weary months at th#eTna inches could only stand and wonder they °f the Guard, and, too cold to sleep, of thd8^ the long night thus in exchanging stories on thrr* fuddled up against the banked snow were of the pathway at every few paces those soldiers who carried up the muskets of over I10 hauled the guns, and we stumbled bundle £ ny lying in the path, shapeless from .could only be recognised as soldiers snow a^6 rifles which were stuck in the the mejlay scattered about en either side the track, make a fallen asleep after futile efforts to dragginr oufc of the green wood* When the soldiers down wr10 Cftnnon halted for a moment they lay ice onel°ut SO of the rope and slept on the g ng upon the other. Their feet were wrapped heads a^d skins, pointed capuchins covered their ♦Ii • gijpst hiding the faces, and most of them wore talking tent as a cloak. A file of them slowly s. Jftst in the darkness had a wondrously fheir ova60*" *n intense cold of the night When thrata "wcame inflexible like sheets of iron. t resquetf10011 r08e lighted a scene of weird pic- inst tjJg, figures and trees coming out oark mysterious background of snow, and the At intervf1 beinS l°at far up in the frosty haze, f men cf al°ne ^e track were motionless groups kled fon' *lorseB» an(l caissons; and little fires fc7^in \h a ruddy light all over the mountain side.

A MISER.—An inquest has just been /i J Greenwich on the body of a German DaDQ vean 6 ^rones» aged 58, who had for six or Jv f ved in a common lodging-house in King's- r • J^ Vd. On Saturday last deceased was found n„ le opposite the Deptford Police-station, P B conveyed him to the Greenwich Infir- mar^' v he expired an hour later of serious !fZ* he deceased's clothes were very ragged a0d LThey were searched, and three, dirty leath A tied round with a bootlace, were dis- covertJ • contained £Wõ in gold. another £106 and a g ipoleon, and the third £ 3 in gold, 18s. in 81 '1 2|d. in bronze. A number of dirty also found, including a Bank a Inani note for £ 250 in the three per cent. sold for £ 231 by Messrs. Simms and > teque for S548 on the Exchange Bank- in £ „ New Orleans, signed "Bobb and rl 1862 i a German passport dated "promissory note, and some counterfoils of cbeq \fling £ 20 in amount. John Conolly, manage Je lodging-house named, stated that deceas jmost eccentric man in his habits. He lived J" jJttic, where there were rats, and with these a „ T3>layed and fed, calling them by sundry pet names, <(Tom„ „Blll» « Jackj» &Ci He vras nev j/*lwith any money in his possession but coPP^j j believed that he gained his livelihood by Jr. Some time ago he was occasionally visited by a Pjjon said to be his sister, who on her visits dThe in a chaise, and was apparently well to do. Jry found a verdict of Death from natural canse*' A ^"IIGEB SUED.—An action has been raised 1,1 ^tch Court of Session by an Edinburgh lady» nft™ _.Jellie Baptie, against James Bowden Boss, ^proprietor, Bainbow Beef, Charter's Towers -10 ii]e, Queensland, for £ 2000, in respect of his f^u Vpach of promise of marriage. The defendant ha: n absent in Australia for about fifteen years, g which time a courtship by letter hadbeeocann | on between the parties. He returned in with the avowed intention of marry- ing the pam" f, having previously settled £1000 upon -itl Queensland they never knew what a day ifiU forth." All the arrange- ments *eT\e for the marriage, even to the wedding having gone to Glasgow to see some friends ? T6^ao grace the ceremony by their pre- sence, the j enCJ»t appears to have suddenly changed his mind. Gf ^turning he sent the following note to r "Iff; Dear Nellie,—I am sorry to state that circ^tances have turned up which make it quite -that oar marriage can take place. I ,y expenses incurred in the mean- time un» 'P, rtaayself. I am not able to return to explail. J J must leave for a time.—I am, defer Nell!1 \B. Boss." On the day after this he was mai >«« 7 1declaration before a magistrate to a Miss Truefitj laughter of a late merchant in Princes-street. BfUik.eh< HEALTH O £ L,0^BON.—There were 2878 births and 1892 deatb8 jeg^ered -n £ on(i0n last week, the births having e*ceeo^ ]^2, and the deaths by 135, the average DUm The annual rate of mortality from all causes was .4^ pep JQQQ^ calculated upon the population tne this year, which is esti- mated at 3,677.oU'± pe^0ns. week 26 persons died from small-pox ?" °T^on, 16 of the deaths occurring in the Metropolian -&yjum hospitals, and 10 in pri- vate dwelling-bouses. {ronr Qf deceased patients had resided 1 n/.] • 4 in Stepney, 4 in Mile-end Old Town, and o in pancra9> Of the 26 fatal cases 13 were certineu unyaccinated.and 7 as vacci- nated. The number or .^ent0 Metropolitan Asylum hospitals,J^'cHad declined to 137 in the beginning of October, ^itefwar^|a steadily increased to 316 and 309 at the end.or the last two weeks of the year, and further rose Airing last week to 374, the highest number sincei tlfmiddle of August last; 129 new cases were adanttea^ttring the week. REMARKABLE FOA^J^Q CASE.—A remark- able poaching case has b^n heard before the magis- trates at Mistley in -*jjsstec. The defendant was Mr. F. Romaine Bignold, residing at Shirley View, Holmsdale road, "n^ey, an(j jje waa charged upon two summonses with tre<j)aag-ng *n gearch of game on bwo successive days tej0n certain "saltings" at Walton-on-the-Naze. Aft, Bignold, who holds a game sertificate, said the grou^ was covered by the sea ;wice a day, and contend^ tha.t he had therefore a •igbfc to be there. It stated, however, that where rueh land is not covered by medium tides, as this is lot, tbe sei! is in la1*PresUraed to belong to the owner >f tbe adjoining estate, a«^ no £ crowtti It was .lso proved that a tenant rrin.. for tha land and y&3 tilted for it. ths first day Mr. Bigaoid took 1 k hare and on the second j^bit. In each of the 1 wo cases he was fined £ 1 cogtg< a

FOREIGN AND COLONIAL. I The Republican party in New Hampshire have 3-nominated Mr. Prescott as their candidate for the Lovernorship of the State. The resolutions adopted n this occasion acknowledge the difference of opinion risting with regard to President Hayes' past acts, 'hey approve his patriotic and sincere efforts to secure just,honest,and efficient Bepublican Administration, f nd denounce as factious and mischievous all attempts j > reopen the Presidential controversy or the question I f President Hayes' title. They further strongly 1 ondemn the Anti-resumption and Silver Bills and •' t irge the President to veto them. 1 The Governor of South Australia is engaged on an < inspection of the coast, with a view to its defences lis Excellency will leave for New Zealand in Dec. to eport upon the defences of that colony after the losing of Parliament. A policy of extensive emigra- ion is adhered to by South Australia, and a vote of 680,000 for this purpose has passed the Assembly. Che prospects of the Northern Territory are im- iroving owing to the discovery of some splendid and. Cholera is reported to have broken out at Jeddah I ind Mecca. The news has not yet been confirmed, I >ut unfortunately there is great probability of its aC- ;uracy. Since 1875 epidemiologists in this country aave had an uneasy feeling that we were about to witness another diffusion of the malady beyond the witness another diffusion of the malady beyond the Doundariea of India. This feeling seemed to receive I x>nfirmation from the ascertained spread of the Jisease eastwards into the districts of China, and pro- bably also into parts or the Eastern Archipelago, and t aorthwards into Belooebiatan and Afghanistan to the Frontier of Persia. Although no facts were known of extension to the countries westwards, yet it was to be inferred that what had been observed to the north and east of India might also be taking place at the west, and the recent carriage of the dis- ease by a French transport from Saigon into the Red Sea gave some countenance to this view. This happened when the tide of the Mecca pilgrimage flow- ing from India and the Eastern Archipelago was in full now. Hence there is a great probability that the reported appearance of cholera at Mecca and its sea- port Jeddah will prove correct. Europe should stand in respect to this threatened calamity in a different position from that in which it has ever stood before under a similar prospect. The International Sanitary Conference, which sat at Vienna in 1874, came to a common understanding as to the principle of international hygiene which should govern the different nations of Europe in view of another threatened epidemic of cholera. It is incumbent upon the various European Governments to adopt these principles loyally and carry them out. These principles, while specially calculated to avert or greatly modify the vexatious and futile practices of quaran- tine, set forth clearly the conditions, as tested by es- perience, which would afford the greatest protection against the introduction of the pestilence into 9 country from without. That it would be possible to exclude the disease wholly from Europe by any means of quarantine when it becomes epidemically diffusive is the merest figment of the imagination. Measure* to prevent the needless introduction of cases into country have their value, but the only true protection rests in internal measures of precaution.—Lancet. Despatches from Washington state that the TrW sury has trustworthy advices that the Nevada Silver Mine owners-notably, Flood and O'Brien—with their t associates controlling the chief silver mines, object to the Bland Bill, being opposed to unlimited silver re- j monetieation. They wish a moderate coinage of silvB' dollars, of a weight approximating in value to dollars. They also declare that the Government vrat | debt should be paid in gold. It is stated that King Victor Emmanuel made hiS confession to Mgr. Marinelli, Sacristan of the ApOll'" tolic Palaces, who was sent to him by the Pope. go was also visited by Mgr. OenBi, the Pope's domestic r prelate, and he received the Communion from the hands of Canon Anzino, chaplain to his Majesty' Baron von Haymerle, the Austrian Ambassador having just arrived at the Quirinal, was present wff Prince Humbert, Princess Marguerite, and the digØl' taries of State, when the King received the Sacrj^ ments of Communion and Extreme Unction. Towa* 2.30 p.m. the oppression under which & Majesty laboured increased, and he was made to inb9*_ oxygen, which seemed to give him a little strengt His Majesty saluted those present, bending his he*r three times, and then, with a deep sigh, expii^J Baron Uxkull, the Ambassador of Eussia, entered chamber at this moment with a telegram from Czar to his Majesty, whereupon those present points to the dead body of the King. w The Chief of the United States Bureau of Equily, ment and Becruiting says in his annual report: » again respectfully ask the attention of the departing to the restricted space allotted to the crews of °. 9 ships of war. As a matter of eiliciency alone, i. health of the men is of primary imporo ance. A ship loses her significance as a 10 it of war unless manned by a vigorous crew. t is simply impossible to expect men to retain to j health if compelled to berth and^ mess in ► j dense and mephitic atmosphere which is the natu result of their crowded quarters. Ventilation of oj ships has never received the attention it imperative*? demands. I respectfully urge upon the departed the propriety of appointing a Board of medical 1 to report upon this subject and to devise a whereby the object may be assured." As an instan_ y. ( the bad effect of crowding men on shipboard, it tioned thatduringthe trouble between the United O and Spain, on account of the Virginius affair, ø 3000 additional even were enlisted for the navy> ° 25 per cent, of them were incap acitated for 6 within a few weeks by reason of crowding then* u. vessels. It is said in a Press desnatch from ington that on the berth deck of the Swatar»» t part of the ship occupied by the officers, there space of 133 cubic feet per man, and in that par cupied by seamen there is a space of but 58 feet per man. On the Richmond the allotted 0 for officers is 273 cubic ftet per man. On the M tonomoh the allotted space for officers is 1158 e feet per man, and for seamen 81 cubic feet per <jf Under the laws of Great Britain, 300 cubic space are allotted to each person in the enli ships, and in the barracks system of that country cubic feet are allowed to each man." Melbourne advices state that there is every ance of an impending deadlock between the Houses of the Legislature, owing to the action 0 Government in forcing upon the estimates the tiOØ v for the payment of members. The Appropr*9 Bill, containing the objectionable item, passed I Assembly by a majority of seventeen. Its rejfl*' j„, ( by the Legislative Council is looked upon as cer and a crisis will then be inevitable. The c°1 tions of Victoria to the Indian Famine Fund reached £ 23,255, and more are still coming in. Australian cricketing team which is about to England is playicg a series of preparatory ma' { in the different Australian Colonies. The which is composed of six New South Welshmen# J Victorians, and one Tasmanian, starts in March a.if travelling vid America. The 50,000 Califor salmon ova imported by Sir Samuel Wilson g-^ been successfully hatched. The services of .jjJi John Coode, C.E., are to be secured by c*' Harbour Trust Commissioners for the purpof0 reporting upon the improvements to be effected in port. The Executive Commissioner of Victoria at the Paris Exhibition leaves by the outgoing mail. ■* f estimated expenditure of the colony of Victoria the year is £ 5,022,145, against an estimated raven^ >. of £ 4,904,180, showing an apparent deficit £ 117,965. The gold-mining interest continues pressed, although some claims are paying splend1

ALLEGED SEDUCTION BY A PRIEST.— excitement has been caused in Boman Catholic in Dundee in consequence of an action having J raised in the Sheriff Court, at the instance of a j\j/f lady, against a Boman Catholic priest, for damages for alleged seduction, and also as' ai^V j for two illegitimate children, of which she alleg^rf? ■ fendant is the father. It is stated that the plain^ji' j a lady of superior accomplishments, living in Chester, and moving in good society. The defei* it is further averred, has left Dundee since the r of the action. FATAL CARBIAGE ACCIDENT.—Mrs. a lady residing at Long Ditton-hill, near has died through the results of an accidant w^ curred while driving in a dog-cart near that Yjff One of the wheels ran against some obstacle, an .y,. Bischoff was thrown into the road. UnhapPj 1 heavily-laden carc was passing at the time, wheels went over her bod), causing injurie*^ which she died. Mrs. Bischoff was the daugn .s Baron Pollock. c [ > DEATH OF M. RASPAIL.—The death Francois Vincent Baspail, one of the deputies Marseilles, is announced. The deceased deputy, I was born in 1794, achieved scientific distinction e | in life, and for many years past has held ahighr<>Pj, I tation on account of his chemical researches. j| withstanding these scientific pursuits, M. Basp 1 throughout his life took an ardent and active I political affairs. His views were of an advanced k mocratic and Socialist character, which brought n j into frequent collision with the various Governing1 of France since the Restoration. Tho laafc was in 1875, when he was sentenced to one year J piigofiment for a violent, preface published Yearly Manual of Health/' f — -F Printed and published Y>y THE proprietor, JOHS { BOBEBW, at his General Printing Ofr.co, { £ lane, Cardigan, in the parish of Saint Mary's I County of Cardigan.—Saturday, Jaa. ID, l £ 7S. f i