Monmouthshire Merlin

DREADFUL FATALITIES TO FISHERMEN. The Scotch fishing boats suffered severely in the re- cent gale near Aberdeen. A boat was wrecked and three men drowned. Two fishermen were lost from other boats. One man was drowned in Wick harbour, four were lost off Caithness, six were lost off Fraser- burg, and three boats were lost and eight men drowned at Peterhead. Intelligence received at North Shields states that the fishing boat William and Susan, of Buck- haven, had been capsized at sea, and the crew of six drowned

At the recent Bristol Assizes, Edward Legge was condemned to death for the murder of Thomas Allen, in June last. The prisoner stabbed the deceased through jealousy, upon discovering that he was living with his (prisoner's) wife. The jury, on account of the provocation, strongly recommended the prisoner to mercy, and no doubt an effort will be made to obtain a reprieve. Caroline Hicks, alias Emily Church, was charged on remand at Brentwood Petty Sessions, on the 3rd, with the murder of her daughter, aged three and a half years, at Rainbam, Essex. The child's body was found in a brook, and prisoner stated at the former hearing that she had entrusted it to the care of another woman. It was now proved that the child had been returned to the mother s keeping, and medical evidence showed that violence had been used. Prisoner was committed for trial for wilful murder. CONVICTION OF BETTING MEN. AT NEWCASTLE.—At Newcastle, on the 4th instant, several persons were charged with having betting stands on the Town moor during the recent races. John Henry Cooper, Oldham road, Alauebes er; a person named Hill residing at Cam- bridge, Walter Lee, Nottingham; and Thomas Winn, G&teshead; were fined £10 each and costs; Thos. Oates, Oxford street, Huddersfield, and George Henger, Don- caster, were fined £ 5 and costs, and a warrant was issued for a Nottingham defendant who did not appear. IRON IMPORT DUTIES IN RUSSIA.—Si? Julian Paunceforte, writing from the Foreign Office on the 28th of July to the Secretary of the British Iron Trade Asso- ciation, anys :—" I am directed by the Earl of Derby to state to you that his lordship bas received a despatch from her Majesty's Ambassador at St. Petersburg, whetein he reports that, having inquired of the Russian Government whether there was any foundation for the reports referred to in your letter of the 20th ult. as to an intended increase in the import duties on iron and steel in Russia, his Excellency was informed that the Russian Government had no such intention, but that a Ministerial resolution bad been taken to abolish hence- forth certain privileges which had hitherto been granted to railway companies in their concessions to import the rails into Russia free of duty,a premium being at thesame time granted under certain conditions and for a limited period-say twelve years-to the home producers of iron and steel rails for the encouragement of the native industry. It is further stated that in all future conces- sions or contracts for railways in Russia, it will be stI- pulated that at least one-half of the rails to be used must be of home production. In reply to an inquiry on the part of Lord A. Loftus whether the licences now granted for the free entry of iron and steel for the ereo- tion of industrial works would still be continued, his Excellency has been informed that, although abuses of this system have been discovered (licences when pro- cured by one party having been sold to another party), it is not intended to abolish them, bat a stricter super* vision will he exercised M to the use of them."

WRECK OFF THE ISLE OF MAN. News from Douglas on the 4th instant, states that the steamer Isabella of Stranraer, bound from Liverpool to Belfast, with coals, was driven ashore in Portgash Bay, south of the Isle of Man. Her canvas had been blown away, gear burst, and mainboom lost, consequently the ship was quite unmanageable. On the tide going down the crew reached the shore in safety.

FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES IN CLEVELAND. On the 4th last. a meeting of the creditors of Messrs. Oharlton and Co., of Middlesbro', proprietors of iron works, ironstone mines, and collieries, in Cleveland and Durham, was held at Darlington. A statement of the accounts was presented, and though the liabilities are large, they were said to be covered by a surplus of over jE27,000 irrespective of the assets of the individual partners, but this capital is locked up in mines, &c. Twenty shilinga in the pound was offered under security if time were given.

SHAM FIGHT AT ALDERSHOT. On the 4th inst., at Aldershot the Duke of Cambridge superintended a sham fight by the division, whioh, numbering upwards of 8UOO men, was divided into two forces. The southern, under Major-General Primrose, consisted of three batteries, four infantry battalions,, and two cavalry regiments and engineers. The northern, under Brigadier-General Anderson, con- sisted of five batteries, six infantry battalions, and two cavalry regiments and engineers. The operations were conducted on a supposition that an army, advanc- ing from the south, sent. forward a force to oppose and retard the advanced guard of an army which had been ordered to secure the passage of the Basingstoke canal, between Aldershot wharf on the Farnham road and Norris hill. The southern force entrenched themselves at an early hour and lined the south bank of the canal with men. They were attacked about ten o'clock, and after a desperate fight forced back to their shelter trench. +

SAD CASK OF DROWNING AT RKDOAR.—A gen- tlefflan named Watt, having purchased a new pleasure coble a short time since, engaged an aged man named James Metcalf to look after it. The ooble was moored a few hundred yards to the west of Redcar Pier, and, about seven o'clock on Sunday evening Metcalf went out in a small boat to see that all was right. There was a 9teanier—The Vigilance, of Sunderland—lying at the pier, and taking in trip passengers for the return, when the attention of the pier master, Mr. Robert Clarke, was attracted by an exclamation from a little girl that a man had fallen into the water! Two of the steamer's crew immediately unfastened a small boat at the stern of the vessel, sculled to the drowning man, and got him out of the water. The body was conveyed to the Swan IIotel, but life was extinct. The poor fellow was about 56 708,y? age. It is supposed that he overbalanced himself, and fell head-foremost into the water. AIDING FEAT.—At Lillie Bridge Grounds, London, on tI!o,nday. the Mexican rider, Leon. performed his feat of riding 50 miles in two hours and a half. He made use of seven ponies from Texas, and accomplished the distance in eleven minutes under the time. The Plumstead commoners held a demons! ration on Monday, on Blackheath. The arsenal men mustered in strong force. A letter was read from Mr. Glad- stone, admitting that the question was one of great interest, but stating his opinion that at present his presence would not add weight to the proceedings. (Joon TEMpLAmsM.—Tbo last quarterly statistics of the Independent Order of Good Templars show that the number of subscribing members in England is over oDe hundred and thirty-six thousand, being about ten thousand more than the number reported to the ^pnuftl meeting in April, and a net increase of nearly eleven thousand in three months. eilll,D CUT TO PIECES AT SUTTON RAILWAY STATION.- On Monday, towards half-past five o'clock, a girl about 12 ye»r» of age, named Louisa Fenton, daughter of James |.enton, landlord of the Gate Inn, Sutton, was killed at the Sutton railway station, three or four miles from Ret- ford. She had come to the station with the intention of going to Retford by the 5.45 train. The York express due at 5.22, and was approaching the station at a tgrrific speed. The little girl endeavoured to cross the it reached her, but was too late. She was knocked down and literally smashed to pieces. Both lege and both arms were severed from the body, and the head was shockingly crushed. The driver was unable to pull up before he reached the Burnley Moor crossing. JJJN ENGEFTL BEES.—A correspondent of the Times wr^esj "A most extraordinary event occurred at ^.blngdon a few days ago. A donkey tethered a short ^stance from two hives of Ligurian bees was attacked aDd killed by them. This is the second year that these bees have become aggressive after their harvest of honey has been taken If rom them. The owner of these hives is a bee fancier and the honey is made In boies, which latter are removed when filled. In this way the bees are deprived of their natural food, and at a time of year when there is little or no honey to be got from flowers. The country around Abingdon is, moreover, at all times very unsuited to bees. The consequence is that the poor things are now wholly dependent on arti- ficial feeding, and when this is not sufficient or is neg- lected, they of course become exasperated with starva- tion. Last year these same bees invaded private houses, and even formed marauding companies into the town of Abingdon (nearly half a mile distant from their hives). and made an inroad on the sugat in a grocer's shop, jjast week they not only wreaked their vengeance on the unfortunate donkey, but attacked passers-by in a I'o"d at the back of their hives, and also two ponies going along the road. Perhaps Ligurians are remark- ably savage by nature, but, at any rate, this event may jjjnke others besides myself question whether it. is alto- gether advisable to deprive bees in this way of their honey. The old-fashioned plan of destroying the bees to take the honey has been much deprecated of late, but I question if it is not more humane than to let the poor little industrious creatures suffer from hunger, when they have worked hard all the summer for their winter store ? This is a fact overlooked, perhaps, by many who We interested in 'bee keeping,

:.JIIIIIf"8II SHOREHAM ELECTION. The following is the declaration of the poll:—Sir Walker Burrell, (C.) 2152; Mr. Hubbard, (L.) 1394.

THE BLOCKADE OF DAHOMEY, The nail steamer Ambriz arrived at Liverpool on Aug. 4tk. She brings news of the blockade of the Dahomey ports. It had been decided not to attack Dahomey by sea, and when the Ambriz left Lagos on the 1st of July, the mail boat Echo was about to be de- spatched up the lagoon to Portonova, the nearest port to the King of Dahomey's capital. The steamer Congo has also arrived at Liverpool with dates from Lagos to the 5th July. The Echo had been up the lagoon with the Governor and some troops on board, and she returned the day before the Congo: left. It could not be ascertained, however, what was the result of the expedition, but ofilcial Government | despatches were sent by the Congo. Advices from Bonny state that it will be impossible for the traders to get up the Nigør without some assistance, owing to the hostile attitude of the natives. This is considered a serious matter, as about 400 white people, including missionaries, are up there,as wellasproperty tothe value of upwards of £ 100,000. The Governor is understood to be willing to send a gunboat up the river, as it is thought the sight of one will do good, but it is not known whether Commodore Hewitt will consent. TIIE BLOCKADE CANCELLED. The notice of the blockade of the above territory, which took effect on the 1st instant, is hereby can- celled. Sworn under my hand on board her Britannic Majesty's ship Active, off Whydah, this 3rd day of July, 1876, W. N. W. HEWITT, Commodore Commandant of her British Majesty's ships on the Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa Station.

MR. CHAMBERLAIN'S SPEECH. In his interesting maiden speech on the education question, Mr. Chawberlain (says the Times) warned the House that the modified form of Lord Robert Montagu's proposal about to be adopted would prove a new spring of political agitation, more severe than any which has yet arisen out of our educational controversies. The 25th Clause had divided the Liberal party, but the present substitute for it would produce still more bitter divisions. The dissidents from its policy would bear their witness against it, be the result what it may. Mr. Chamberlain did not explain the precise sequence of events be anticipated, but it may probably be sketched with fairly approxi- mate accuracy. The opponents of the new law, directing boards oi guardians to pay the fees of the children of indigent parents whether they do or do not live in school board districts, would in the election of guardians pledge their candidates to limit to the utmost the operation of this law, or even make it wholly in- operative, and in the election of members of Parlia- ment would pledge them to promote its repeal. At first the effect might be so to divide the Liberal party as to produce repeated defeats of Liberal candidates, but, as the opponents of the new law are the most energetic, pertinacious, and dogged of Liberal politicians, and would persevere in their policy however many years the Liberals misrht be in a minority in Parliament, they might at length win over the other members of the party to their terms. It might be necessary to wait for a new set of leaders before this consummation could be achieved, but these Covenanters of our day and generation can wait. At the end they will win, and as far as the promotion of their own views is concerned they lose nothing by the delay. If we do not misunderstand Mr. Chamberlain, it is to this long vista of agitation that ho looks for- ward when he prophesies evil things of the clause Lord vSandon was disposed to hope might be accepted as satisfactory.

THE EARL OF WHARNCLIFFE ON MIDDLE-CLASS EDUCATION. On Saturday the Earl of Wharnoliffe formally opened the new middle-class Church Schools, in Vernon road, Leeds, erected at a cost of £G9UI). His L-iansuu^in declaring the schools open for the instruction of the young in religious knowledge and sound learning," first of all expressed regret that the Bishop of Ripon, who had intended to perforin ceremony, was unable to do so owing to indisposi- tion. His lordship then said that he could not pretend to familiarity with the course of studr in siu-h schools. When a young man he did not take a fancy to university education, but entered the army, and pro- ceeded to travel, and he thought he had learntmore from having seen men and manners than he had ever done from books Heobserved from thepiospeetus that those schools had several distinctive marks. First, they were not to be conducted with any view to profit; secondly, the element of cheapness was very much to be consi- n dered and. thirdly, the requirements cf commercial and professional life were to be provided for.,or, in otherwords, what was termed a liberal education was to be given. But there was a still more important provision which commended the schools to all present, and that was that they were founded for the purpose of educating the middle class youths of Leeds, aod all others who might enter them, in accordance with the great principles of the Church of England. In England there were three classes. The sons of the rich upper class went to the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Dublin, and other places, and in time the elementary school of the country would provide for all the children of the artisan ClaBH and these not so well off but until that remarkable man Canon Woodward took in hand the edu- cation of the children of the middle class, nothing was done for them, and especially as regarded their educa- tion, based upon the principles of the Church of Eng- land. His lordship went on to remark that a great many people were too much inclined to undervalue tha advantages which accrued from indulging in other pur- suits of knowledge than those they felt to be necessary for advancement in life. He could not think that any young man was at all fitted to lead a life of intellectual pleasure to himself and of good to those nround him if he did not add to an ordinary education the higher branches of mental culture. Nothing could have a more beneficial effect on his mind than that pro- duced by his acquiring a familiarity with the fine arts, and some knowledge—superficial though it might be- of the sciences, such as chemistry, botany, geology, or astronomy. There was another part of the pro- spectus to which he attached great importance from his own experience. He observed the school course included French, German, and Latin. He believed that of all the valuable additions that a man could make to his education, there was nothing equal to that of languages. Many people, knowing that Latin wm a dead language, thought it was hardly any good, and though he hated it as a youth as much as anybody, he now regarded it as the basis of all study of languages. and should recommend any young man who had time to spare to make one of his chief emplojments the study of the language, and especially the grammar. As regarded the other two languages, be might say that whilst Eng- lish was spoken by the greatest number of people in the world, it was not spoken by alt. They might go to Australia, America, to all«our distant settlements, and English would no doubt carry them through; but next to our own tongue the French and German languages were by far the most. generally spoken, and he could re- commend them from the great use he had found them. and from the pleasure be had had in being able to read works in those, languages. After other remarks, his Lordship, in conclusion, reminded the boys that every department of the public service was open to tbem, and expressed the hope that the school might be one of the best in Yorkshire. (Applause.)

THE DEPRESSION IN TRADE. Considering at once its severity and its duration, the present depression of trade is perhaps as bad as any the country has sustained since 1842. In December, 1874, there was a panic formidable not so much in a financial as in a commercial aspect, during which goods of every sort, and especially produce, sank to lower prices than had ever been known. At that time it was a very general opinion that the cause of this fall in values was temporary; and as merchants are generally inclined to look only at immediate prospects and obvious influences, speculators thought that things had reached their worst, and must be sure to mend. During 1875 many of them acted on the assumption that prices must rise. Those who did so have suffered severely, and a check has been given to speculative purchases which amounts almost to absolute cessation. In every branch of manufacturing industry there is trouble and de- pression, if not actual distress; in many there is dis- tress unuôually severe. Some cotton mills are running short time the chemical trade, for a long period one of f the most profitablein England, is now struggling, not to make profits, but to keep things going without ruinous loss. The production of coal is greatly diminished. 1 ron manufacturers have not only long since ceased to make profits-have not only sustained heavy 108s- but are actually blowing out their furnaces, an extreme measure, which, from the enormous cost of re- lighting them, is never resorted to except when the continuance of production involves continual losses whioh can no longer be endured. Of about 160 fur- naces in the northern district, one quarter are blown out, and elsewhere several are being damped down with a view to their extinction. Wages have fallen enormously in many of our largest trades. Yet the revenue, which generally shows very quickly the effect of a fall of wages upon the working classes, has, as yet, scarcely suffered. This is the more remarkable because the greater part-we might almost say the entire fluctuating part of the revenue-is derived from spirits, beer, and tobacco; three articles the consumption of which rapidly rises, and, as a rule, rapidly falls with the earnings of the working classes. And -as sup- plies are mostly kept in bond until actually wanted for consumption, a diminished consumption tells at once upon the payments made into the Exchequer. From these facts it would seem to follow that as yet the suffering inflicted by the prolonged and very profound depression of trade has fallen almost exclusively upon the trading and middle class, and that as yet, though the incomes of working men are diminished, they have not, found themselves obliged to diminish the consump- tion of their peculiar luxuries. It is plain, then, that we must look to special causes for the present state of the country. That state does not resemble the usual condition produced by prolonged bad trade, which generally discloses itself sooner in the falling off of the Customs and Excise revenue than in any other manner; that is, tells first upon the unnecessary con- sumption of the better class of artisans.

THE GREAT NORTHERN DIVIDEND. The Great Northern Railway dividend is announced at the rate of 4t per cent, against 51 last year.

MURDER OF A WIFE BY A CLERGYMAN. At Killowen, near Kenmare, on the 3rd, the Rev. Arthur Watson, Protestant clergyman, finding his wife drunk, shot her, inflicting such injuries that she died next day. Mr. Watson, who is sixty years of age, was immediately, arrested. IF

THE MOBILISATION OF THE ARMY CORPS. (From the Daily News.) The general order lately issued by hit) Royal High- ness the Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief, com- menting upon the favourable appearance of the two army corps recently mobilised, must be read with general satisfaction. On one point, certainly, some revision is necessary. Our yeomanry cavalry could, doubtless, be employed with advantage for many pur- poses in case of invasion, or in putting down local disturbances, but it is surely too much to expect them to take the place of regular troopers. Yet, while we find crack volunteer corps relegated to the garrison army, our mounted irregulars are placed in the Army List side by side with lancers and hussars, to act aa corps cavalry. It is said to take a year or eighteen months to make a good cavalry soldier and yet we post our mounted farmers, who have but a week's muster during the year, in the cavalry brigade, or among the divisional troops of an army corps. No less than seven such regiments of yeomanry belong to the Fifth Army Corps, while the second has four attached to it. The idea, of course, was to show enough cavalry for the vfhole of our eight army corps, and on paper the thing looks well enough. It is only when we attempt to mobilise our forces that the absurdity of such a course becomes apparent, for it was palpable from the first that our roughly-trained yeomanry could never work harmoniously with smart dragoon regiments. The worthy farmers who fill the ranks of our reserve cavalry are capable of doing good service; but it is demanding too much to ask them to perform such active duties as those which devolved upon the famous Uhlans in the last war. If we desire a sound system of mobilisation, we must leave off "making belief" and set down in the Army List only such troops as we can rely upon to do the duty they are required to dis- charge. As a fact, we know that the yeomanry regi- ments did not do the duty of regular cavalry in the two army corps that have been mobilised, and it is therefore the height of folly to pretend any longer that they could take the place of regulars in the event of the corps going upon active service.

DIVORCE CASE. In the Divorce Court, on the 4th instant, a motion was made in reference to the case of Ashbrook v. Ashbrook and Baillie in which Lord Ashbrook seeks a divorce on the ground of his wire's adultery with Cap- tain Baillie. They have answered denying the alleged infidelity. It was stated at the court that there was a large number of witnesses, many from Ireland, and the case must last several days. Under these circumstances, and in view of the length of the probate causes, Sir James Hannen adjourned the trial to November.

THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR AN EXTRADI- TION TREATY. (From the Standard.) The country will learn with satisfaction from the opening of Lord Cairns' recent speech that nego- tiations have been resumed with the United States rur the amendment of the extradition treaty. It is a matter which ought to be arranged without difficulty. Both countries have the same principles of jurispru- dence, for the law of the one is the offafing of that ot the other. Both have the same ideas of liberty, and the same sacred regard for the right of asylum, and both are equally interested in maintaining extradition. Both desire to put down crime, and neither wishes to be exposed to the depredations of the criminals of the other. It ought, therefore, as we have said, to be an extremely easy task to draw up a treaty that would prove satisfactory ta both. And although past ex- perience is not very encouraging, we hope the task will be found an easy one now. It may be thought that, as negotiations have been again opened, it would have been better had the Lord Chancellor not resumed the adjourned debate. We cannot, however, agree in that view. It was extremely desirable that j the legal aspect of our case should be laid before the world in its strongest and clearest light, and that was effectively done in the House by the Lord Chancellor. After his speech Americans can hardly continue to believe that our Government has broken faith In the matter of Winslow's surrender, or that it has subordinated an international treaty to an Act of Parliament. They may still continue to think, Indeed, that we are in the wrong. But that we have deliberately refused to fulfil our obligations they can no longer believe. We are inclined to hope, then, that the Lord Chancellor's powerful argu- ment will facilitate the task of our negotiators. Lord Cairns began his speech by showing that the opinions of all Western Europe is in har- mony with the principle for which our Govern- ment is contending. He cited the opinions of emi- nent writers on international law in France, Holland, and Germany to establish this. And he also showed that the practice of the French Government and the rules of the French tribnnals are in accordance with it. It was objected by Lord Selborne that this reasoning was beside the point, that our obligation to the United States is regulated by treaty, and consequently cannot be affected by a priori considerations. That would be true, if Lord Cairns had endeavoured t) explain away the treaty by reasoning drawn from the prac- tice on jurisprudence of other countries. But Lord Selborne is too able and clear-sighted to have so misconceived the argument of the Lord Chancellor. He must have been well aware of the object the Lord Chancellor had in view in those preliminary observa- tions. It is admitted by every one, as a matter of course, that our obligation to the United States is governed by the treaty, but the true meaning of that treaty is differently understood by the two Govern- ments. This being so, it is the rational way of endea- vouring to arrive at that meaning to inquire what wafc the prevailing theory in regard to extra- dition in the most advanced countries of Europe at the time the treaty was concluded. Lord Cairns showed conclusively that it was identical with that which our Government holds, and he challenged Lord Selborne to produce a single authority on international law who favoured the interpretation put forward by the American Government. The challenge was not taken up. We admit that all this establishes only a presumption. But that is all the Lord Chancellor contended for. His citations and extracts showed that his interpretation of the treaty is in accordance with the views of the great authorities in international law, and with the practice of the French Government; and as it is also the logical outcome of the American as well as of the English theory of the right of asylum, the reasonable inference is that it is the correct inter- pretation of the treaty. At any rate if it fails to con- vince the American Government it must prove that their interpretation is, at least, doubtful, and that the English case is one which cannot be answered. This being so we may hope that they will lay aside the temper of which they have given evidence, and enter upon the new negotiations with the single wish to conclude a satisfactory treaty.

A dressmaker named Hannah Brown, who lived at Smethwick, has committed suicide by swallowing vermin powder. She had for some time been depressed in spirits from the fear of becoming destitute. A handsome fountain, presented to the inhabitants of Dairy by Mr. Thomas Biggart, of Baidland hill, has just been opened amid great public rejoicings and the grateful recipients of the gift presented Mr. and Mrs Biggart with two silver cups. The University Court of St. Andrews met a few days ago, and elected the Rev. William Knight, of St. Eoch's Church, Dundee, to the chair of moral philo- sophy in the United College, rendered vacant by the appointment of the Rev. Professor Flint to the divinity chair in the sister University of Edinburgh. The newly-married Duke and Duchess of Montrose arrived at Buchannn Castle last week, and from the tenantry and the residents in the district they received a most cordial welcome. The duchess was presented with a diamond necklace and ring, and also with a dressing table set; and the tenantry were entertained to luncheon. Lord Charles Innes Kerr was summoned at the Windsor petty sessions, recently, as master of a pack of draghounds, for hunting the pack without a licence either for the hounds or the huntsman. The magis- trates inflicted a fine of £10, half for the servant and half for the dog, as the defendant was only summoned in respect of one dog. The Rev. James Anderson, Presbyterian minister at Whitehaven, closed his connection with his congrega- tion on Sunday evening, after a ten years' pastorate. In a few farewell remarks to his congregation he said he had for good reasons become dissatisfied with dissent. It is understood that the reverend gentle. man will be the curate of Holy Trinity Church, Whitehaven. WONDERS OF THE 81-TON GUN.-The further trial of the 81-ton gun at Woolwich has shown that a charge of 370 pounds of powder can be fired with only a moderate strain on the gun. The results in velocity and energy are beyond all precedent, and the three- quarter-ton bolt could be driven through three feet of solid iron at 9 r&oge OF A thousand yards,

ALARMING ACCIDENT TO A FEMALE ACROBAT. At Hengler's circus, in Dublin, on Monday, Lulu the great lady acrobat, in taking a. somersault, fell from a height of fifty or sixty feet on to the stalls, breaking a seat. She was carried from the place senseless. Several persons almost fainted, and there was a general cry from the audience to lynch the manager, who had introduced her. A great panic prevailed in the theatre for several minutes after the occurrence.

ACTION AGAINST THE GREAT EASTERN RAILWAY. In an action against the Great Eastern Railway, at Norwich Assizes, on Monday, before Chief Justice Cockburn, a special jury gave a verdict for £ 32 in favour of Mr. Simeon Bergheim, merchant, St. Martin's lane, London, for the loss of a dressing bag committed to the charge of a porter to place in a car- riage and keep safely while plaintiff went to a refresh- ment room. The bag was stolen from the carriage, it Was alleged with the connivance of the porter. The jury said there was no proof that the theft was com- mitted by the company's servants.

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF BUILDERS' LABOURERS. A conference of builders' labourers was held in Lon- don on Monday. All the twenty-seven branches of the London association were represented, and delegates were also present from Glasgow, Bristol, Kidder- minster Cambridge, Bridgenorth, Northampton, Portsmouth, Worcester. These delegates were the authorised exponents of the views of about eight thousand labourers. A resolution was adopted pledging the conference to the formation of a national federation of builders'labourers, every individual mem- ber of which should contribute Is. per annum towards a general fund. Mr. Baldwin, of London, was chosen as president; Mr. Kenny chief secretary the Hon. Auberon Herbert, hon. treasurer and Mr Kelly, of Bristol, vice-president. A meeting of labourers was held in the evening, at which the federation scheme adoped in the day was heartily approved. The speakers at the evening sitting included, besides the newly-elecfced officers, Mr. Miles, of London, and Mr. Poos'ey, of Northampton.

THE NATIONAL GALLERY. A number of privileged persons, including several foreigners of distinction, were on Monday permitted to have a view of the new salons of the National Gallery, which will be thrown open free to the public on the 14th inst. Mr. Barry's five new rooms are lofty and capacious and are lighted by glass domes. Massive Pillars of'dark green marble support the roots, and the walls are coloured a bright crimson. Altogether the addi- tions to the institution make it superior to any building of the kind in the world, and the recent gift of the Wynn Ellis collection renders it also the richest of all kindred institutions in the possession of art trophies. Itound the cornice of the largest dome there is this inscrip- tion The works of those who have stood the test of time have a claim to veneration to which no modern can pretend The pictures have for the first time been arranged in schools. In the first salons entered the visitor sees the masterpieces of the ancients-rubens, CUyp and Teniers. As he proceeds onwards he passes by the triumph" of distinct and later epochs, until in tho last otiwnbers he finds the gems of Maclise and Laadseer, fiorsley and Frith.

THE ALLEGED MURDER BY A CLERGY- MAN. The Rev. Arthur Vincent Watson, rector of Sneem, county Kerry, has been arrested on a charge of umrder- ing his wife. At the inquest held on the deceased, on Saturday it appeared in evidence that the Rev. Mr. Watson and his wife were in Kenmare on the 3rd inst. He drew a considerable sum of money, and it was remarked that during the day both, who appeared to be addicted to drink, had drnuk rather freely and quarrelled. They left town about four o'clock, and soon after they arrived at home the Rev. Mr. "W&tson went to the kitchen, and said to the servant, Mary, tell your mistress to take care of the loaded gun in the pavlour." He theu left, and walked in the direction of the parlour. Shortly after two shots Were fired, and the lie v. Air. Wutson in a short time afterwards proceeded to where a workman was employed, and said, Go in; I'm afraid the little woman is dead." The workman went to the house, and found Mrs. Watson lying on the floor bleed- ing from a wound in the left side. When the pol tee arrived they searched for the husband. They found the door of his bedroom locked. They forced the door, and found him standing on the floor undressed, as if he had got out of bed. In the pantry of the bedroom a double- barrelled gun was found, both barrels having been dis- charged. There were no arms in the parlour. Mrs. Watson lingered until the next morning. She vtfused to give any account of the occurrence, and her last words were l'oor Arthur." They are stated when sober to have lived on very happy terms. Mr. Watson was twice in a lunatic asylum some years ago.

SUICIDR IT A PRISON.—LMt week, at Snaitb, a young man, named Henry Brooks, was charged with attempt- ing to murder kis wife. He had been disturbed in the act of cutting her throat. Prisoner was remanded, and WHS subsequently found dead in his cell, having hung himself with his waist belt. SUSPICIOUS DISCOVERY.—The arm of A middle-aired won-Ian was found in the river Ness on Saturday. The limb was partially decomposed, alid appeared to have been in the water about two months. The matter is being investigated. WAGES OF Bun/nHRs' LABonmnR. The labourers employed in the building trade in the Bristol district held a mass meeting on Saturday, at Bristol, and unanimously decided to reject the misters' offer to refer the question of an increase oi wages to arbitra- tion. Mr. Kelly, president of the Labourers' Associa- tion, justified the decision on the ground that, '.)0 per cent. of the employers refused to carry out the award made in the dispute last year. THE LATK MH. MORTIMER Cm.MNs.—AHuding to the death of Mr. Mortimer Collins, the Athensenm says:— "So long ago as 1855, Mr. Collins published a volume of poems, but his clever vers de soviitc first began to attract general attention when he was contributor to the Ot"l. It was in that periodical that he published the most brilliant of his short poeiips, Ad Chloen, M.A.1 Along with other poems of his, it is to be found in the Inn of Strange Meetings, and other Poems,' published in 1871. Together with much sprightly wit, Mr. Collins possessed singular fluency and neatness of ex- pression, and the uumber of verses he produced was vqry large. A few specimens of his powers have ap- peared in our columns, but for the last two yean; and more hardly a number of Punch has been issued with out containing some lines by him.

BREACH OF PROMISE.—DAMAGES, £ 2000. An amusing breach of promise case was heard on Saturday before the Shorifr of Cork, to whom the case was remitted to assess damages. The plaintiff was a young lady of 23, named Alice Sophia Williams and the defendant was William Biker Good, a gentleman of near 70 years of age. Damages were laid at £ 3000. The defendant had been in Indi-t, where he amassed considerable means. He became acquainted last October with the plaintiff, whose father had been postmaster at Macroon, and proposed to her. She finally consented to accept him. Defendant then made a will, leaving all his property to plaintiff in the event of his death. The wedding day was fixed, and the defendant made her presents. Over forty letters were written by him to the plaintiff, all containing expressions of endearment. The defendant, without assigning any reason whatever, suddenly broke off the engagement, and sent telegrams demanding back his presents, or threatening legal proceedings against her.—The Jury awarded the plaintiff £ 2000.

OUR INTERVENTION WITH EGYPT. Mr. Lowe (the Times says) was only too accurate on Saturday in his analysis of the course of our interven- tion in Egyptian finances. Th:>re have been four stages. First, we intruded in a way that was never invited. Next, we turned the affairs of our friend the Khedive inside out, partly to prove the sincerity of our friendship, and partly in the pure pursuit of knowledge. Then we suppressed the results of our inquiry so as to convey the impression to the world that they were so terrible that they could not be told. Fourthly, we repudiated having any other interest in Egypt than the gratification of a passion for statistics, and thus compelled the Viceroy to re- pudiate his obligations and force a composition on his creditors. This is the last stage wa have reached, though we cannot profess to be certain that it is the last stage upon which we shall enter. The Khedive's feudal superior anticipated him in telling hia credi- tors that they must- be content with something less than the fulfilment of the letter of their bonds, and the holders of Turkish obligations would now be ready to offer a large discount to any one who will guarantee them that composition of ten shillings in the pound which the Sultan pro- mised. The Khedive's ability to carry out the terms of his composition has not yet been fully tried, but it is obvious that the calls which have been made upon his resources by the war in European Turkey must have materially affected the means at his command. It remains to be seen whether the pressure of another crisis may not provoke a new and more urgent appeal to England for counsel, aid, and direction.

THE EDUCATION BILL. The transformed Education Bill was read a third time in the House of Commons on Saturday morning. In the second week in August (says the Daily News) the chief measure of the session, that, at least for w hich it is likely to be longest recollected for good or evil, goes up to the House, ofl Lords. After its Protean changes of last moments and on second or even third thoughts in the House of Commons, it is impossible to anticipate what may happen to it in the Upper House. Its apparent destiny is to be hastily passed through its various stages in that assembly, so as to be cot out of hand at the earliest possible moment. There is not time for that careful reconsideration and review which is one of the highest functions of the second Chamber and there is scarcely a chance even for that polishing and finishing which was once described as the peculiar service it could perforin for measures which bad been roughly forged in the fur- nace of party debate in the popular House. Few im- portant measures have ever gone up to the Lords in greater need of this process of improvement. From be- ginning to end, the Government never seems to have known its own mind on the kind of addition to our educational legislation the country required. The original sketch of the bill was drawn with a hesitating hand. It was the work of men who were anxioua to serve popular education, and at the same time to gratify the expectations of some of those ardent friends who had waited for three years for the reward of im- portant service. The former motive prevailed at first; but the latter gradually gained upon It, and con- quered towards the close of the discussion. The measure is the result of this double purpose; and the latest influence has left the most permanent marks upon it. Now, after hurried changes which have en- tirely altered its character, it goes up to the House of Lord?, not, it. may he feared, to be restored to anything like its original shape, not even to be polished into an effective instrument for promoting parental responsibility in the matter of elementary education, but to be hastily passed into an Act which will un- settle the whole system established in 1870. This is the result of the unpardonable weakness of a Govern- ment which could not say nay to its more extreme fol- lowers. The education of the people has hitherto been regarded as one of those matters of primary national concern which ought to be lifted above the strife of party but it is now dragged down into the arena, and must necessarily become an object of political agitation and party action.

THE CROWN PlaNCE OF GERMANY ON FREEMASONRY. -At the great masonic meeting at the Hague, in cele- bration of the sixtieth anniversary of the installation of Prince Frederick of the Netherlands as Grand Master of the Dutch Freemasons, the Crown Prince of Germany delivered a speech, in the course of which he said:—" Nationalities have created frontiers; free- masonry desires charity, tolerance, and liberty, without distinction of frontiers. I AM happy on this day, which I shall never forget, to be able to raise my voice in Holland to testify my adhesion to the principles of the order, and to express the hope that in the struggle engaged for the free development of the peoples and the liberty of the human mind, the final victory will remain with the order." The Crown Prince's speech was received with the greatest enthusiasm,