The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard

rso. t. GRAMMAR SCHOOL, BALA. HEAD MASTER MR W. T. PHILLIPS. A VACANCY 011 the Foundation of this School will be open for Competition on the re-assembling ef the Pupils. Applications concerning the same must be made to the Head Master on or before the 26th instant. There are a few Vacancies for Boarders: Terms may be had on application to Mr PHILLIPS. The next Quarter will begin on Thursdays Janwary 26th. W~ ANTED, a to look after a Horse and T)„V. °' —Apply, by letter, to H., Cambrian News Office, Bala. FIRE INSURANCES RENEWABLE AT CHRIST- MAS SHOULD BE FAID FOR ON OR BEFORE THE 9TH OF JANUARY- pROVINCIAL JNSURANCE COMPANY Efcablished 1852. Chief Offices: WRF^H AM-LONDON-GLASGOW. CAPITAL C200,000, wholly subscribed. FIRE DEPARTMENT. Insurances effected upon almost all descriptions of Pro- perty, upon moderate terms. No charge whateve made beyond the premium. Claims settled with promptitude. LIFE DEPARTMENT. The usual description of Life Assurances effected. Numerous advantages offered. The Net Life Premium Income for 1869, was £ 32,728 Os. 3d. And the Accumulated Life Assurance was R141,198 17s. 5d. This Fund has more than doubled itself in the last six years. Chairman of the Company THOMAS BARNES, Esq., Farnworth, near Bolton, and the Quinta, Salop. ROBERT WILLIAMS, Wrexham. Secretary to the Company. AGENCIES.—Applications are invited from towns and districts where the Company is not already adequately represented. Apply to the Secretary. V. R. MR. SELLIS, DENTIST, TOWYN. FIFTEEN YEARS Surgical and Mechanical Dentist in London, may be consulted at the under- mentioned towns:— DOLGELLEY—Every second and fourth SATURDAY, at Miss Evans's, Smithfield-street. BALA—Every first and third SATURDAY, at Mrs JONES'S, Tegid-street. PWLLHELI—Mr Francis Evans, bookseller, &c., High- street, the 1st and 3rd WEDNESDAY m every month. PORTMADOC Every 2nd and 4th WEDNESDAY, at Mrs. Bennett Williams's, Snowdon-street. All operations without pain. Advice free. AN RXFATURLE IIKMEDY FOR COUGHS, &e. JONES'S PECTORAL BALSAM OF SQUILLS <3 AND HOREHOUND.—This invaluable Medicine has for many Years been considered to be the safest and most effectual remedy for Coughs, Colds, Difficulty of Breathing, Hoarseness, Asthma, &c., &c. The following is an extract from the many testimonials deceived Brymbo, Wrexham, April 8th, lea/. I have been for eighteen months suffering from weak- ness and continued violent pain in my breast, with a Severe cough, but after being advised by Mr Howard, Chemist, to try Jones's Pectoral Balsam of Squills, &c 1 did so, and the first bottle quite relieved the pain and when I had taken three bottles I was restored to perfect health CATHERINE JONES. Prepared only by D. W. SCOTT, Medical Hall, Barmouth, and sold by all Chemists in bottles at Is. ljd. CADTTON.—None genuine without bearing the name or D. W. S. on the Government stamp affixed on the top of each bottle. NEW INSTRUMENTAL AND DANCE MUSIC. ^l"TGS, DUETS, PIANOFORTE & DANCE MUSIC yv f By the Best Composers. POPULAR SONGS by Harry Clifton, Leybourne, Harry Sidney, Stead, Arthur Lloyd, Vance, Nash, and Other Favourite Comics, at Also the following NEW SONGS Taking my Ease, new song by Vance. Pretty Miss Ricketts. I feel like a Morning Star, by G. W. Moore, author of The Grecian Bend." NEW MUSIC, The Yellow Dwarf, Serio-Comic Fantasia, introducing all the song and pieces. 4s. Coote's Favourite Lancers. 4s. Coote's Songs of the Period Valse, introducing Act on the Square, The Idol of the Day, The Lan- cashire Lass, It don't suit Charlie Baker, Little Daisy, Taking my Ease, &c. 4s. Each Free for Eighteen Stamps. Coote's Grecian Bend Quadrille Duet. 5s. Coote's Overture Quadrille. 4s. Coote's Fairy Galop. 3s. Riviere's Cliquot Galop. 3s. MUSICAL BOXES, FROM 12S. Ladies' Satchels, best Leather, with gilt springs, lock, &c., 7s. 6d. to 12s. 6d. Gentlemen's Bags, from 6s. 6d. to 12s. The Expanding Solid Leather Traveling Bag, with patent catch lock and straps; will hold a suit of clothes, a change of linen, and a great coat. Price 22s. 6d. Ladies' Tatting Satchels from 6s. 6d. each. THE FUNNIEST -OF ALL FUN and the Wittiest of All Wit; with the must Amusing Anecdotes and Laugh- able Poetry. Royal 32mo. "A cheerful heart robs the physician of his fee.Virgic. In cloth, plain, Is. Post free 2d. extra. PARCELS FROM LONDON DAILY. ASKEW ROBERTS, WOOD ALL, AND VENABLES V BREAKFAST.—EPPS'S COCOA.—GRATEFUL AND COMFORT- ING.—The very agreeable character of this preparation has rendered it a general favourite. The Civil Service Gazette remarks:—"The singular success which MrEpps attained by his homoeopathic preparation of cocoa has never been surpassed by any experimentalist. By a thorough know- ledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful implication ot the fine properties of well-selected cocoa, Mr Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a delicately flavoured leverage which may save us many heavy doctors Made simply with boiling water or milk. Sold by tne Trade only in i lb., i lb,, and 1 lb. tin-lined packets, labelled—JAMES EPPS & Co., Homoeopathic Chemists, Loncioll. CHANGES IN THE PEERAGE. -The mortality in the ranks of the peerage during 1870 has been considerably less than in the course of the previous year, when the deaths of 32 lords spiritual and temporal were recorded. This year one bis- hop and 18 tempeoral peers have died, as follows: —The Earl of Onslow, 93 years of age .the Bishop tf Chichester, 84; the Marquis of Headfort, 83; the rl of Haden, 81; the Marquis of Cholmondeley, 78 Ea-1 Howe; 74; Lord Tenterden, 74; Viscount Midleton, 7. the Earl of Clarendon, 70 Lord Auckland, 70 the Mai'i'iis of Hertford, 70; Lord Henniker, 6.9; the Earl ° *>f Haddington, 68; LordHawke, 67; the Marqis of Ailsa, 'C- 54 Lord Byron, 52 Lord Willoughby d'Kresby, 48 the Marquis ot Lothian, 38 the Earl of Aberdeen, 28. It will be seen tint both the hereditary grand chamberlains of England, the Marquis of Cholmondeley and Lord Willoughby d'Eretbv, have been removed by death. The title of the iatter peer), at present in abeyance, while the suc- cessors to the earldom o" Onslow and the barony of Byron are miners. ANGLESEY TO BE GARRISONED.—it IS said, and there .,)Cl grounds for the beliel that it is the intention of the (Government to provide bi-rrack accommodation in the county of Anglesey, and th^e is every probability that L,.a,nrrefm will be selected as bong the most central spot. The barracks are intended in answer a double Purpose, viz to accommodate the Royal Anglesey Militia during their period of training (i"^ad of billeting them as at present on private houses at Beaumaris), and at other times a regiment or one or two depots of the line. The plans have been drawn by the royal engine s, and it is understood only want confirmation at headquarters. Th5 staff of the Anglesey militia are now lodged in totally inadequate quarters in the town of Beaumans, and, Be- sides there being insufficient room for the storage 01 arms, the place is almost, if not entirely, unprotected in the 'event of an assault being made upon it from without. This gave rise to much alarm during the Fenian" scare," and a gingerbread attempt was then made to "fortify" the building. —Liverpool Mercury. FEARFUL EXPLOSION, AND DESTRUCTION OF A SHIP AT SEA—-NARROW ESCAPE OF THE CREW.—A despatch, dated Calcutta, November 29, states that Captain Cros, of the French ship Emma, of Nantes, which had arrived at Cal- cutta froin Reunion, reports that on the 11th of October, when the Emma was in lat. 3 S., Ion. 4 E., he fell in with the ship Compeer, Captain Reed, of Greenock, bound from the Clyde to Bombay with a cargo of coal, with the cargo on foe. Captain Cros immediately hastened to offer his assistance in saving the crew, and strongly urged upon Captain Reed the necessity of abandoning the vessel. The commander of the Compeer, however, declined to do s,) but Captain Cros, being unwilling to leave the crew to what appeared to be their inevitable fate, kept in company With the Compeer until the 13th of the same month, on which day, about 8 o'clock in the evening, the weather at "the time being very thick and squally, a terrific explosion ^pcurred on board tlie Gompeer. The decks of that vessel ,-ere blown up, and the ship herself almost immediately aisappeare(j, rpjjc boats 0f the Frenchman were quickly on the scene of the disaster, and were fortunately succes- ful m saving the crew of the Compeer, 25 men, many of whom were severely injured by the explosion,

SHROPSHIRE CHAMBER OF AGRI- CULTURE. An ordinary monthly meeting of the committee of the Shropshire Chamber of Agriculture was held at the offices of the Chamber, Music Hall Buildings, Shrewsbury, on Tuesday afternoon. There were present Mr Bowen Jones, in the chair; the Rev. C. F. C. Pigott, Messrs Jasper More, Stanley Leighton, J. Bazeley Wm. Brewster, Samuel Minor, James Paddock, M. Williams, Thos Williams, jun., W. Nevitt, S. Hudson, Thos. Man- sell, Geo. Cureton, John Richard, E. W Rag B. Rainforth, John Bridgeman, John Preece, and Mr W. Edwards, secretary. NEW MEMBERS. The following new members were proposed and enrolled: Mr Loxdale, Kingsland, Shrewsbury Mr Richd.^Wood, Abberley Mr Chas. J. Hooper, Oldbury, Bridgnorth and Mr Thos. Hare, Mellins Heath. THE ANNUAL DINNER. A report was read from the Dinner Commilttee stai^ that arrangements had been made with the Clarendon Hotel to supply the annualdnmer o 17th inst., that gentleman s catering Ae la ^ould having given great satisfaction. Acc limited num- be provided in the orchestra for ladies, and a limi g ha(1 ber of tickets would be issued. ^Tord Sill, Lord been received from the Earl of Pow j, Oi-irisby Berwick, Sir Baldwin Leighton, Bart., Mr 'Corbet and Gore, M.P., Capt. Severne, the Rev. o. u* others. 7 VhP first business upon the The CHAIRMAN said that determine upon what agenda was for the committee to thy formation 0f a steps should be taken in .Shropshir L ^{ Taxa_ Local Committee or other ) (-ien)-ra| Chamber. The tion Committee appointed by tw(j yearg ag0 this committee would re"10™ the Central Chamber to unite Chamber was applied to QY Local Taxation Committee, with it in the formation ]>ev_ q p C. Pigott were and Mr Jasper More* ^]ie Shropshire Chamber at that then elected to repr tral chamber now appeared to committee. J^%girable for the different county Cham- think that it a to sub-committees to act in bers of A^cuitur question of local tax- rypeThamber in^^lan^ with the^ggestion which SJiSii could be got to bestir^ie™ had hitherto been the case, be the question should not, a of county districts and left almost entirely 111 The question was to county members of Piailiam.s magistrateS at the have come under the notice ot^t, geeing one or Quarter Sessions be gla(11? know from two magistrates Pre»»n f Qaarter Sessions had re- them what coarse1her the magistrates were disposed solved upon takin0, not inclined to take anV action UP n tiie subject;, be thought it would be any action upon c^ mber to' petition them to take the advisable for this C^^ con8ideration> as the .^istance subject into tnei ponrt were verv material. With and co-operation <>f .committee he thought that they the assistance of t acoe8S for the discussion of the n^ight more readily Boards of Guardians, bodies subject of local tax appear to evince that interest which ^t present M n'^ aPP sentlal th should, a9 he f ^^Ktofthe whole Boards of Guardians in the c:>r4,^nly one-thatat Wellington-had memonahzed PMiASLNtLErLETIGHTONSAID that a petition embodying if ftp orincinles drawn up m the memorial which f ^l? ,pntout by SiArassey Lopez had, on the previous had been seJ\ t /by the Court of Quarter Sessions for day, been adopted ^n of Common9 by (J()l (Jorbett, ST In that petition the court adopted the principles of Inoal fixation as at present laid down, but they pointed out that the Treasury did not give them that support which thev ought in all fairness to receive, that the sup- plementary grivnt which was allowed was not adequate to the^ayments which the court, by statute, had to make. The-petition went on to state that there were certain classes of property-such as metallic mines and woods which were not rated, and these, it was submitted, ought fairly to come within the compass of rating. These were the principal features of the petition, which was signed by all the magistrates present, with the exception, he be- lieved, of Mr Jasper More. Mr JASPER MORE—No, you are mistaken. I signed the P0Mr°STANLEY LEIGHTON said that he was glad to learn from the contradiction of Mr Jasper More that the Court had been unanimous in its adoption of the petition. He fully agreed with the chairman as to the desirability of appointing a sub-committee, and in his remarks that the question should not be 4eft exclusively in the hands of county members. If they wished to create an expression of opinion in Parliament they must not ';0 to the county members only, but they must also gain the assistance of borough and town members, for a re-adjustment of such an important question as that involved in Local Paxation was a subject of as great interest to people living in cities and towns as it was to the agricultural classes. The Rev. C. F. C. PIGOTT hoped that care would be exercised in drawing as largely as possible upon the towns in the formation of the local committee, for if they wished to obtain a reversal of the present unjust system of local taxation it was absolutely necessary that they should have the assistance of the boroughs and towns. They must enlighten and educate the borough householders upon the importance of the matter, and enable them fully to understand it, so that they might tell their representatives that unless they assisted in bringing about a readjustment of the present system, they would vote for some one else who would. The county members he thought they might fully rely upon, but unless they had a strong support from the boronr-h members the matter would not be very rapidly advanced. He advised, if the funds would per- mit, that a small grant should be made annually to the London Committee, and also to the Local Committee, if they resolved upon forming one. The CHAIRMAN said that they had a good balance at their OO.-NWS, and could well afford to make a grant of R10. He thought that if an appeal were made in the county, a sum of £ 30 or £ 40 might be raised, as had been done in other counties. Mr Mixor then moved, and the Rev. C. F. C. PlGOTT seconded, the appointment of the following committee, with power to add to its number Messrs jasper More Stanley Leighton, G. Cureton. S. Minor, W. Brewster' M. Williams. J. Bazeley, the Rev. C. F. C. Pigott, and the chairman, ex officio. The resolution was unanimously agreed to. THE DISTRESS IN THE FRENCH AGRICULTURAL DISTRICTS. The CHAIRMAN said that the second subject set down was to consider the present distress of French agricul- tnrists, with a view of affording some D relief Thev would remember, doubtless, that the first gentleman who took action in this matter was Mr James Howard, M P who, in the first instance, communicated with M. Drouyn de Lhuys, as President of the French Agricul- tural Society. Mr Howard, finding from the information which he received from M. Drouyn de Lhuys that great distress and privations were prevalent in the French agricultural provinces which had been over-run by the German forces, communicated with the Earl of Powis, as President of the Smithfield Club, who brought the sub- ject under the notice of the club at its late annual meeting. Earl Vernon, the President of the Royal Agricultural Society, had also addressed a public meeting upon the subject' at which a letter was received from Mr Howard, setting' forth the deplorable condition in which the French agriculturists had been placed through the outbreak of the war, and asking for assistance from the agriculturists of England. There could exist no doubt as to there being great and urgent necessity for sending assist- ance to the French, who, as appeared from the reports in the newspapers, were suffering very great privations. At the public meeting over which Lord Vernon presided (re- ports of which they had doubtless seen in the agricultural newspapers), Mr Sutton, of Reading, graphically described the great desolation and misery from which many of the French provinces were suffering. Since the time to which W IC a Mr Sutton had referred, the German forces had spread themselves north, south, and west, and their progress was marked with increased and more widely-spread desolation. English farmers naturally felt that they were not in a position to find money for other people, but he thought that an appeal might go forth from the Chamber for con- tributions. and that the farmers might form a small nucleus of a fund which might be augmented by the sub- scriptions of charitable persons, and the sum so obtained could be sent through the Chamber to the principal committee. Many farmers who did not like to put their hands in their pockets might be willing to assist their suffering brethren by a contribution of a sack of wheat or grain, and contributions in kind as well as in money would be thankfully received. Mr STANLEY LEIGHTON said that it should be remem- bered, before the Chamber pledged itself in any way, that the deject which they sought to attain w.13 not the throw- ing-in if an international svpply that they were seeking to^assist the French exclusively. As neutrals their sympa- thies ought to hang evenly in the balance, and if they as- sisted the i reacn they should also assist the Germans. The CHAlRMA^said there was certainly great force in the remarks wbic'n had been made by Mr Stanley LeIg'a.}' ton, and he should like to have proposed that similar aid I be afforded to the Germans, had the Germans been simi- larly situated Is the French now were. It would be remembered that it was not the German but the French provinces which were suffering from the inroads of an in- ^The Rev% C. F. C. PIGOTT—Yes, France is the only country which is occupied by an invading army, whereas Germany is perfectly free, and no appeal for help has come ^r<Mr STANLEY LEIGHTON feared that they would only be adding to the power of resistance on the part of the French, were they to assist them as proposed. The CHAIRMAN said that the names of the noblemen and rrpiitlemen who had consented to act as vice-presidents, and who were taking a very active part in the movement was, in his opinion, a sufficient guarantee that the money raised i would be properly expended, What was ser\t out would be distributed, not as bread for the contending armies, but as seed for the land. It was then unanimously resolved, on the motion of the CHAIRMAN, seconded by Mr BREWSTER, that the Chamber agree to receive contributions on behalf of the suffering French agriculturists. MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS. It was resolved that the terms of the petition on local taxation be identical with those of the petition agreed to by the Central Chamber. The remaining business upou the agenda was the consideration of the circular of the Central Chamber respecting the February discussion upon the Metrical system of weights and measures," but no circular having been received, the consideration of the subjeet was therefore deferred.

HOW THEY MANAGE MUNICIPAL MATTERS AT SHREWSBURY. (From the Oswestry Advertizer.) The Shrewsbury Corporation are determined to purge themselves of any taint of liberalism and, if we are to believe the evidence of a couple of police sergeants. Fortune smiles upon their efforts. In our immaculate county town, from an alderman down to a scavenger, the supreme qualification is Toryism—not the modern con- servatism of cultivated men, but the good, old, undiluted Toryism of ancient days the Toryism which knew nothing valuable beyond ibself, and which was far too conscious of its own advantages to hesitate about the method of dis tributing them through society. At the present moment the very mud of Shrewsbury is considered too sacred to be touched by liberal shovels, and if a few members of the radical party still wear the alderman's gown, it is only because past events, which Fortune has since reversed, render it necessary that the Corporation should wait awhile before a complete purgation can be accomplished. Then, the-Tories fondly hope, although the deluded in- habitants of one or two wards may still perhaps send a handful of liberal representatives to the Council, the minority will be so small that the wishes of a great body of respectable ratepayers can be ignored, and the affairs of the town handed over to a clique. We shall seo; but meanwhile let us tell an instructive tale. Our readers will remember how, on the night cf the "great conservative victory" at Shrewsbury, when the petition was dismissed, the windows of some of the petitioners were broken by the mob; and one unhappy policeman, forgetful of his duty to the Tory party, foolish- ly kept his eyes open while the riotous procession paraded the streets. If Police-constable COOK had only winked, it is quite possible that he would still occupy the distinc- tion of serving the Shrewsbury corporation but he seems to have thought more of his duty to the public than the party, and when he saw a stone thrown at Mr DAYIES'IS window he arrested the man whom he supposed to be the offender. "Fool and unwise." There were those who said at the time that Police-constable CooiCs days were numbered in the Shrewsbury force, and so, strange to say, has it happened. The accused found three of his fellow processionists," as they have been euphoniously called, to swear that he was innocent, and the Shrewsbury Bench, so famous for judicial wisdom, dismissed the charge. The defendant escaped, but not the policeman. A few days afterwards Police-constable COOK appeared before the Watch Committee, on a charge of drunkenness, and was dismissed the force. Sergeant ABBOTS said he was drunk, and so did Sergeant JONES and although it is a somewhat singular fact that OWEN, according to ABBOTS'S testimony, was quite sober at one o'clock a.m., and quite drunk at two a.m., notwithstanding the difficulty which he must have experienced in obtaining drink meanwhile, and although the ser- geant appears to have walked with him for a considerable distance before he discovered poor OWEN'S condition, we have no wish to throw the slightest discredit upon the testimony of two men who, for anything we know to the contrary, are respectable and trustworthy. It may be mentioned, however, that ABBOTS and OWEN were dis- puting about the window-breaking case, that both most likely became excited, and that if OWEN'S excitement was mistaken for drunkenness by the two sergeants, it was not the first time by many that such a mistake has been made. The accused, we are told, was not listened to patiently when he offered his defence, which, we are bound to say, reads like an honest, straightforward statement, and the Watch Committee, with something like indecent haste, dismissed from their service one of the most useful and intelligent men in the force for this, at least, on all hands, COOK is allowed to have been. The man has not suffered, since he has instantly found a better place in the Haniey constabulary, where, apparently, the worth of P.C. COOK has more weight than the character of the Shrewsbury Corporation; but what about the Watch Committee? Well, they have rid themselves of a police- man who arrested a Tory "processionist," and all we can hope for them is, that they have the approval of their own consciences, because that, most likely, is the only approval they will get. No doubt, they are "all honourable men," but the public will talk about the prophecy and its strange fulfilment. On Monday the work of purgation was carried still further, this time in higher regions. Mr J. CROSS pro- posed, and Mr THOMPSON seconded, that Mr WILSON, a liberal councillor, who had attended more meetings of the Market Committee than anyone else, should again serve on that committee, but the motion, of course, was nega- tived. If the mud'must only be .shoveled by Tory sca- vengers, and persons and property only protected by Tory truncheons, how much more important that the market should be managed by members of the same great party ? And if liberals should be rigidly excluded frDin committees, how could they be placed upon trusts? It was vain, therefore, for Mr CROSS to move, as he did on Monday, that Alderman PIDDUCK and Councillor WILSON should be placed on the Preston Brockhurst Turnpike Trust. The Council would have none of them, but faithfully carried out their policy by appointing two of their own number to keep the roads in order. Finally there was an aldermanic vacancy to fill, and it was fondly hoped, we believe, by certain ardent members of the party, that a defeated candidate for municipal honours would be seated in the alderman's chair, in spite of the decision of the ratepayers that he should not occupy the less dig- nified position of a councillor. In another influential quarter, however, a distinguished convert to the Tory ranks seems to have been destined for the honour, and through a split in the camp the gown might have fallen upon liberal shoulders Fortune again favoured the Tories, for the notice being alleged to be informal, an ad- journment took place, and next November, when the three liberal aldermen retire, the Tories will be able to reward their friends, while at the same time they thoroughly purge the aldermanic bench. At least they hope so, 1;L we shall see. Fortune is fickle. Fortune is fickle, and Monday's proceedings did not pass without-not a defeat only, but something besides a defeat-for the Tories. At the meeting of the Council in November Mr EDWARD HUGHES said "a matter had cropped up which required some explanation." He re- ferred to the rumoured application for a fresh appoint- ment of borough magistrates, and asked Mr HARRIES if he knew anything about it, a question which was objected to, but pressed, and finally answered in the negative. Mr GROVES, however, thought the subject should be en- quired into, and proposed that, as an application had been made to the LORD CHANCELLOR, and the CHANCELLOR had replied to it, his lordship should be respectfully requested to allow the Council to see the correspondence. The motion —of course-was seconded and carried, and here the matter would probably have ended, for the Tories are wise enough not to expose their own misfortunes, but Mr J. CROIS- who will persist in putting unpleasant questions-asked for the correspondence with the LORD CHANCELLOR, which was accordingly produced. His lordship politely intimated that the application was very like an imperti- nence; and Alderman PIDDUCK properly remarked that the letter was a well-merited rebuke. Perhaps the Shrewsbury Tories will be content to fly at lower game for the future. The CHANCELLOR'S snub was felt, for, when Mr CROSS enquired how the language used at the Novem- ber meeting could now be justified, he was answered with anything but soft words. Let us part with the Tories of Shrewsbury with a word of sympathy. They have a majority in the Council, it is true, and next November, if the fates are kind, the red snatched from the hated liberal shoulders, where it now aggravates the Tories much as the same colour aggravates a bull. They can appoint their own scavengers, and dismiss policemen who never wink. Their lot, in short, is a happy one—but, alas, they have a small body of determined liberals in their midst, who have more respect for the public interest tlian the feelings of the Tories, and, if municipal matters are to be made entirely subservient to the predominance of party, the work will not be done in the dark. Possibly, in course of time, the public will begin to think that the liberal minority must be converted into a majority if the municipal government of Shrewsbury is to Jbe anything but a scandal and a farce.

HOLLOWAY'S PILLS.-Hale Constitutions.—The ex- perience of years has shown that when the human frame has become debilitated from the effects of exposure, excesses, or neglect, these Pills will repair the mischief, taken according to the directions. Holloway's Pills exercise the most wonderful tonic properties in all cases of nervous depression, whereby the vital powers are weaKenea, ana tne circulation is rendered languid and unsteady. They improve the appetite, strengthen the digestion, regulate the liver, and act as gentle aperients. The Pills are suited to all ages and all habits. A patient writes "Your Pills to be valued require only to be known. During many years I sought a remedy in vain, was daily becoming weaker, but when I heard of your Pills, and had, recourse to them, they soon restored me."

THE WAR. THE SIEGE OF PARIS. The fall of Fort Avron has enabled the Germans to turn their fire not only upon the great fort of Rosiiy and adjoining works, but even upon a part of the city. The bombardment has been steadilv maintained, and the superiority of the German artillery will no doubt soon tell decisively in their favour. When the French evacuate Fort Rosny they will surrender a position from which the Germans will hold Paris at the merev of their heavy guns. A special correspondent with the head-quarters of the Crown Prince of Saxony telegraphs that during the bom- bardment of Mont Avron. on Wednesday, some shells were sent into Paris, to La Viliette, and Belleville. from the Raincy batteries, the range being about 7,000 3Tards. The French batteries at Bondy have been silenced, and the camp behind Bondy broken up. A telegram from the German head-quarters at Ver- sailles states that the bombardment of the forts on the north-east of the city was vigorously continued on Satur- day and Sunday that the advanced posts on that side had been evacuated by the French; and that Forts iNogent, Rosny, and Noisy made no reply on Sunday to the shower of German shells. A telegram from Paris, dated Saturday evening, admits that the capture of Fort Avron by the Germans had caused a certain emotion in the city, but says no disorder had resulted. There appears, however, to be some dissatisfaction with the conduct of the defence. At a meeting of the mayors of all the arrondissementa, on the 30th ult., strictures were passed upon General Trochu. M. Jules Favre, and other members of the Government, but in the end moderate councils prevailed, and the meeting contented itself with the adoption of a declaration of opinion that the military operations should be carried on with all possible energy and activity. It is announced from Versailles that the east front of Paris was so effectually bombarded on Tuesdav, that onlv Fort Nogent replied, and that feebly, to the German firè: The attack on the forts to the east of Paris—Rosny, Nogent, and Noisy-was suspended on Wednesday owing to a thick fog. ° THE SEIZURE OF ENGLISH SHIPS. The Daily News correspondent writes that the seizure by the Germans of six vessels at Duclair, has excited great indignation among the English residents and mer- chants in Havre. The Journal of that city says that if England allows such an act to be committed with impu- nity she will sink to the rank of a fourth-rate Power. The correspondent thinks that a more formidable war vessel ought to be sent to Havre to protect English interests than the tiny gun-boat at present there. A correspondent at Havre telegraphs that an English vessel, named the Svlph, has been seized by the Germans at Rouen, aud towed down the river, the crew being forced on shore. We are glad to learn that the remonstrances of the Secretary of State for Foreign Aflairs with respect to the seizure of the English collier ships in the Seine, have been received in a very fair spirit by the X Olth German Govern- ment; and that there is every prospect that the question will be amicably an anged. VARIOUS MOVEMENTS. An official dispatch was received at Bordeaux some days ago announcing the precipitate evacuation of Dijon by the Prussians, on the approach of the French troops. After ^evacuating Dijon, the Germans have also eva- cuated Gray, and are said to be precipitately retreating on Vesoul. Bordeaux, Dec. 28 (3-30 p.m. )-M. Gambetta arrived here to-day. A despatch from Chalons announces that at five o'clock this morning the vanguard of Garibaldi's forces entered Dijon, which has been evacuated by the Germans. The French have succeeded in dislodging the Prussians from nearly all their positions on the left bank of the Seine, between Rouen and Havre. On Friday, the force under the command of General Roy carried the Prussian positions on the heights of La Bouille and of Chateau Robert, after six hours' hard fighting. On the following day the Prussians retook the position of La Bouille, but in a very short time the French drove them off, inflicting on them considerable losses. An act of treachery, it is said, was committed on the occasion by a Prussian officer, who came forward to surrender, offering his sword. The French thereupon ceased firing, and immediately the Prussians fired pointblank into them. The Prussians on Saturday precipitately evacuated Yvetot, and there re- mained but a straggling force between Bearentin and Croixmare. General Pettingeas, the new commander of the army at Havre, on Saturday sent a strong reconnais- sance in the direction of Bolbec, which led to a skirmish, in which the Prussians lost 18 wounded, 25 killed, and 11 prisoners. General Chanzy telegraphs that General Jouffroy made an offensive reconnaissance in front of Vendome on Satur- day, and defeated a German force, making 200 prisoners. But the Germans also claim the victory, and assert that they took four guns. In tlie east there has been a small engagement, news of which reaches us from Switzerland, owing to the fact that 200 vengeurs of some of the free corps had been driven across the Swiss frontier and made prisoners. In the west, General Chanzy is reported to be entrenched at Le Mans, in a second Torres Vedras, where he is reorganising and armed his forces, and recruiting prior to taking the field again. RETREAT OF THE GERMANS. Besan^on, Sunday.—The Germans evacuated Gray Yesterday after a severe engagement with the Franc Tireurs of Bourra-s. Neuvy, Sunday.—The Germans are falling back on Gien, and evacuated Bonny yesterday. SPEECH BY THE KING. Versailles, Monday. -At the New Years' reception held yesterday at the Palace of Versailles, the King made a speech, in which he said that although they had achieved a great success they had not yet reached their goal, and that important tasks were still before them ere they ar- rived at an honourable and lasting peace. KING WILLIAM THE VICTORIOUS. Versailles, Tuesday.—At a banquet on New Year's Day the King expressed his thanks to the German princes, and added—Your hopes are directed to the crowning of the edifice, and honourable peace. The Grand Duke of Baden, who responded, said—We regard your Majesty as the supreme bead of the German Empire, and proposed a toast to King William the Victorious. ALLEGED REPULSES OF THE GERMANS. Bordeaux, 31st Dec.—Yesterday a reconnaisance took place in the neighbourhood of Vendome, and a number of German troops were driven back. Other small engage- ments took place to-day, in all of which the enemy were worsted. FRENCH REVERSE. Intelligence from Pruntut says that on Sunday an en- gagement was fought between Abbevilliers and Croix, and Intelligence from Pruntut says that on Sunday an en- gagement was fought between Abbevilliers and Croix, and the French retreated. On Monday another severe en- counter took place near Delle, particulars unknown. BATTLE AT BAPAUME. Very conflicting accounts have been received of a serious engagement near Bapaume. On Wednesday the papers published a telegram from Lille containing the intelligence of a battle that took place on the 2nd instant between a portion of the French Army of the North and the forces of General Manteuffel. The scene of action was near Arras, between Sapignes and Bapaume. At the close of the day the French claimed to be the victors. The battle was renewed on the 3rd, a little below Bapaume. It commenced at eight in the morning and continued till six in the evening, when, it was stated, it ended in a complete victory by the French. In his dis- patch General Faidherbesays :—" We drove the Prussians from all their positions and all villages. The Prussians suffered enormous losses our losses were severe." During the fight, Bapaume and Behagnies were entirely burnt. The further reports are hopelessly bewildering. The French acpounts claiming a complete victory are confirmed by an official report from Bordeaux whilst, on the other hand, General Manteuffel claims to have dispersed General Faidherbe's army, after having beaten it with heavy loss on all > oints. There has never been throughout the war a more flat contradiction. Which account is to be believed? The French have deceived us so often, and the Germans whatever their other faults may be, have so invariably told the truth without exaggeration, that we are inclined to believe that in this, the third great battle of the north the German arms have met with their wonted success.

TRAFFIC RECEIPTS. 1870. Great Western ) £ 91,675 West Midland J- 1869. South Wales. I 984,924 1870. London and North Western I £ 134,301 Shrewsbury and Hereford. 1869. Shropshire Union ) E127,235 for the v;eekcnr/iti j Jan. 1st, 1871. CAMBRIAN RAILWAYS (178 miles open)—Passengers, parcels, horses, carriages, dogs, and mails, £ 1,232 mer- chandise, minerals, and cattle, £ 1,206 total for the week, E2,438 aggregate from 1st July, £ 86,409. Corresponding week in 1869, passengers, &c., RI,074 merchandise, &c., £1,056 total, £ 2,130; aggregate from 1st July, tSl,60,5 For the week ending Jan. ls<, 1871- BRECON AND MERTHYR RAILWAY.—(60S miles open)— Passengers, parcels, kc., k221 10s. od., goods &c., EI,012 2s. 8d.; total, 1,233 13s. Id.; £ 20 6s. 2d. per mile per week. Corresponding week last year (60f miles open). Passengers, &c., £ 212 15s. Od.; goods, &c., £ 838 lis. 6d.; total, £1,051 6s. 6d. C17 16s. Id. per mile per week; increase, £ 182 Gs. 7d.; aggregate from 1st July, 1870 E32,571 15s. 9d.; ditto, 1869, £ 28,84',l 15s. 2d.; increase £3,722 Os. 7d.

The inhabitants of Denbigh seem to be in earnest about thoroughly draining the town. A public meeting was held last week, and those attending were pretty unanimous. Of course the irrepressible-cons,ervative-leave-things- alone' party was represented, but very slightly. Perhaps because of the severity of the weather, perhaps because of the decadence of the old custom, there has been very little carol singing at Oswestry this Christmas.

MODERN ASTROLOGY AND THE FALL OF PARIS. pie following letter has appeared in the Standnrd — S On October the 16th, faeling anxious to know the' result of the siege of Paris, and being one of those deiuded mortals who even in the present age believe in astrology I erected a figure for the latitude of London, at 3h. 35ml. p.m. As the time is now rapidly approaching when, according to the rules of the art, the siec-e should ba raised, I take the liberty of sending you the result of mv calculations. Those among your readers who understand astrology will be able to erect the figure for themselves fop. the day and hour above given. To the general public all, thai; it will be necessary for -.ie to say is, that I firmly be- lieve that on January the 16tn the siege of Paris will be sk thing of the past. I may here mention that I have already tested th»' truth of the figures on which I am now expressing my opinion, for I anticipated that a great martial effort woulal be made about December 1, as witness the sorties again, I have never believed the reports of food and ammunition failing, as in the scheme there are the strongest possible indications to the contrary. In the figure, it is to bo remarked-nrstly. that. as the-' malefic planet Saturn is most evilly posited in the mid- heaven, and in opposition to the significator or the be- siegers, that this alone is a sufficiently sure sign that Paris. will not fall, while it is most probable that one of thft greatest chiefs of the besieging army will meet with at terrible mishap and great disgrace. Secondly, as the sig»' nificator of the besieged is both strong and well dignified, and joined to the benfic planet Venus, this is another- sign, if another be required, that Paris will ba relieved. Now, as to the time at which this event will take place, I have made certain calculations, having had regard t» the distance of the moon in this figure from Mercury and Venus, and have arrived at the following opinion :-That about the 9th January a great attempt will be made to re« lieve the city. This may prove successful, but should itg. fail, then during the days which intervene between that 9th and 16th of January a series of events will take placet which will cause the siege to be raised. In fact, on that. 16th January I expect that Paris will be free. The exact time of an event in astrological caleul,,Alic)nsiw- ever difficult to arrive at, but of the main facts I have not doubt, namely— That Paris'will not fall. That great disasters will ere loiig attend the Prussian: arms. December 26. ANAEL.

THE KING OF ITALY'S ENTRY INTO ROME. Simultaneous with the issue of a strongly-worded pro- test by English Roman Catholics against the occupation of Rome by the Italians, comes the announcement that Victor Emmanuel has arrived in that capital. The recep-' tion accorded to him by the populace was significantly-- demonstrative. He left Rome on Sunday, so that his firsts visit to his new capital has been a very short one. During^, his stay he gave 200,000 francs for distribution among the, poor, and further showed his generous disposition by re- questing the municipality to devote to charitable purpose. the money they had intended to spend in festivities in hia( honour.

SPAIN.—ENTRY OF THE KING.—DEATH OF PRIM. From Madrid we have intelligence of the assassinatisat of Marshal Prim. The Marshal was proceeding in hill carriage on Wednesday week from the Cortes to the: Ministry of War, when he was fired at in the Calie Aleala.. Eight balls lodged in his shoulder. Seven were exfracted, and a finger amputated. The wounds terminated fatally^ on Friday week. The crime has provoked great indigna-^ tion throughout Spain. Reports of an insurrectionary* movement are contradicted but from the facts that, domiciliary visits have been commenced, and that other precautionary measures have been taken, it is evideqf thafc the Government is very uneasy about the present ststa' of aff The King of Spain landed at Carthagena on Friday ani set out for Madrid. His Majesty's reception has beea. most enthusiastic. Madrid, Monday.—King Amadeus made his entry t(JC day. Madrid. Sunday.—The representative of the Rank of. Paris at Madrid has informed the Spanish Governments. that the bank will carry out its contract for the loan oik, the security of treasury bonds. Madrid, Sunday.—The funeral of Marshal Prim too place to-day. A large concourse of people was present^ Perfect order prevailed.

THE FENIAN PRISONERS. The commissioners appointed to enquire into the allega- tions of ill treatment of the treason-felony prisoners pub- lished their report on Tuesday afternoon. They find thafs the prisoners have suffered no exceptional hardships, but rather the reverse. Their cells, diet, and labour were of. a better than the ordinary kind. They were never placed among the other convicts except as a punishment. It isf- perhaps to be expected that such men should feel bitteUy humiliation at finding themselves in a prison at all, buf;i the commissioners remark with satisfaction that friendly^ remonstrances seemed to produce a better effect on thar refractory than punishment. Certain incidents of tbek treatment they comment upon with dissatisfaction, and they think that a more complete separation of political from ordinary convicts is desirable.

1' The Speaker's warrant for an election for Durham hast been issued. Mr Davison will probably be re-electedl unopposed. The premises of Robert Morrell and Co., provisioIi-' merchants, Bradford, were burnt down on Tuesday morn": ing damage, £10,000, partially covered by insurance. At a meeting of head-masters of English public schoils;( held last week at Sherborne, it was resolved that the pre* sent mode of pronouncing Latin in England is objec- tionable, and that the Latin Professors at Oxford an<J Cambridge should be invited to draw up a paper so as ensure uniformity in case a change is adopted. The Devonshire magistrates on Tuesday, at the quartet sessions, resolved to petition in favour of several of the charges now paid out of the county rate being repaid oufc of the national exchequer-the county having the control of only twenty per cent. on the rates raised. Napoleon III. continues to be treated with every marle:" of attention. With the heavy fall of snow which hall. occurred in all Germany, some sledges have been sent to him straight from the royal stables at Berlin. Some of the Church papers which profess to be well in- formed, state that Dr Pusey is founding a new community1 of Anglican nuns, who are to be entirely clad in habits oft. pure and spotless white. The schooner Accra, Captain Berries, which left Liver pool on the 29th December for Isle de Los, Africa, put, into Holyhead on Monday morning, considerably damaged; by collision with another vessel, name unknown, which ifl supposed to have foundered. It was blowing a strong. easterly gale at the time. An inquest on Arthur Mason, killed by a boiler e" low" sion at Brothen colliery, near Hanley, was completed on. Tuesday. Mr Longridge, engineer, Manchester, reported that the boiler was old and had frequently been repaired. The plates over the fire were considerably wasted, and thai rivet heads much corroded. There was no evidence ott- overheating, or of deficiency of water, but the accident appeared to have arisen from over pressure of steam on the lower seam. The jury returned a verdict of "Acci-, dental death," and considered that no blame was attached to the proprietors of the colliery. One of Dr Lankester's first inquests this year was om: the body of a young woman 23 years of age, and a cook inr the service of a gentleman residing at Belsize-park, Hamp-v stead. The deceased was lighting the kitchen fire on tha morning of Christmas-day, when, owing to the formation, of ice in the pipes of the warming apparatus, there was no escape for the steam, and the boiler burst, fatally maiming' the unfortunate maid-servant. It was suggested, both by< the coroner and by the decesed s employer, that cverjk such apparatus should be furnished with a safety-valve. Speaking at Oxford on Monday night, Mr Cardwell contradicted some of the idle stories which have beew circulated respecting the condition of the army. Tha- chief fabrications which he exposed were, first, that 20 00(9 experienced soldiers had been disbanded; second, thafc there had been great difficulty experienced in obtaining recruits third, that the field artillery had been neglected, and, fourth, that the stock of powder is insufficient. Tha right honourable gentleman assured Lis hearers that tha Government would do their duty, and would bequeath to their successors untarnished the trust which had beett.. reposed m their hands. The Truck Commissioners commenced their sittings Birmingham, on Monday, to inquire into the prevalence oC the truck system in South Staffordshire, and were engaged for about seven hours in taking evidence. The examina- bolli" began with the calling of witnesses connected with, the Patent Shaft Company at Wednesbury and, in tha course of the day's proceedings, the truck shops at thel. works of Mr Rose, Moxley Messrs Grocutt, Bilston S and the Darlaston Steel and Iron Company, also forme* the subjects of enquiry. The witnesses were examined oath. It was shown that even in the case of firms paying' an enormous aggregate sum in wages yearly, facilities for drawing money in advance, or fortnightly settlement, were only given to workmen on the understanding that they dealt at the employer's truck or tommy" shops. The chairman of the County Down Quarter Sessions- Mr Robert Johnston, Q.C.—in opening the sessions for the Downpatrick district of the county, made some ob- servations on the provisions of the Irish Land Act, and their probable operation. It was, he said, a startling? fact, that there were no less than thirty-six ejectment cases set down for hearing, a number for that one district exceeding the entire number he had ever had at one ses. sion in the four towns. Referring to the Act, he said ha could not see how any Legislature, having due regard for. the rights of landed property, could be expected to ga further to secure to the tenant the fruits of his labour and the stability of his tenure, because he apprehended wheml the landlord knew that he could not disturb or remova the tenant without compensating him for the disturbancet and at the same time paying him for improvements mada upon the farm, there would be few found to encountw | such au expense as would be necessary to evict,