The Brecon County Times Neath Gazette and General Advertiser for the Counties of Brecon Carmarthen Radnor Monmouth Glamorgan Cardigan Montgomery Hereford

MAIL ROBBERY IN JERSEY. On Friday evening the letter orderly of the 43rd Light Infantry was robbed of the post bag which he was conveying from the Post-office, St. Helier, to the barracks at St. Peter's, a distance of some four miles. On his way through Beaumont, about half-way between the two places, he seems to have purchased a bottle of rum, and to have removed the letters in order to put in the bottle, replacing the letters on the top. Soon after leaving Beaumont, however, he was set upon by two men, who attempted to seize the letter-bag. He re- sisted, and a struggle ensued, in which the poor fellow's thumb was broken, and the ruffians decamped with the bag. The soldier, on being found, was conveyed to the military hospital of St. Peter's, but so far has been un- able to afford further information, and no clue has yet been obtained.

ACCIDENT TO TWO SHIPS OF WAn. The Anglo-Brazilian Times states that on the 15th September, when the Italian frigate Regina was going out of port she manned her yards when about to pass the French flagship Circe, a courtesy responded to in the same manner by the French frigate. Unfortunately the Regina was steered so close that one of her yard, caught in the stays of the Circe's foretopgallant mast and broke off this spar, which fell upon the yard below and parted it, causing all the seamen upon it to fall. Five were killed on the deck, one fell in the water and disappeared, and seven more were hurt, two of them severely. Three men on board the Regina are reponeu to h-ye also been hurt.

MURDER AND SUICIDE. A shoemaker, named James Boddington, living in Melbourne-street, Northampton, murdered his wife, and then cut his own throat. The man and his wife were upstairs, and an old woman in the same house hearing a noise went to the door of her reom and saw Mrs. Bod dington tumbling downstairs. On going to her she found that her throat was cut. An alarm was imme diately raised and medical assistance sent for, but before Dr. Barr arrived the woman was dead. On going upstairs the husband was found on his knees with the blood pouring from two wounds in his throat. A shoe- maker's knife, stained with blood, was lying on the bed before him, and the room was covered with blood. He inquired if his wife were alive, and on being told that she was dead, he said he would have done it again, and that she bad robbed him of three shillings. He repeated the remark several times over. On the arrival of the police Boddington was handcuffed and taken to the hospital, but he died immediately he was taken into the house. Immediately after the murder was committed the wife's sister arrived from Birming- ham on a visit, and was just too late to see her alive., The murderer bad been in ill health and low spirits for some time past. There had been no estrangement between him and his wife, and no ill words had passed between them.

AN INDIAN WILL CASE. A strange suit of disputed testamentary succession has been commenced in Bengal, the estate claimed being worth, it is said, X4,0,000 a year. The claimant is a Christian convert, the only son of a highly respected and prosperous Bengalee Brahmin, the Baboo Prosunno Coamar Tagore, Companion of the Order of the Star of India. The Baboo died not long ago, and on his death bed, to mark his anger at his son's apostasy, executed a will by which he left the bulk of his property to a nephew, already a wealthy man, with an estate of his own valued at £ 20,000 a-year. The joy of the Brahmins over the pious death of the Baboo was great but the Christian and disinherited son has impugned the validity of the will in the Supreme Court, on the ground that the instrument illegally proposed to tie up the disposition of the property for a hundred years. It is anticipated that the court will upset the will and if so, the case will be sent for final decision before the judicial committee of the Privy Council; when, it would not be easy to fore- cast. Besides the bequest ta his nephew, the Baboo left large legacies to the University of Calcutta, to a famous idol, and to several charitable societies. If the son's suit be successful, all these will, of course, be invali- dated. The singular feature in the case is that the Bengalees speak of the will as a clever attempt at "cheating the devil in the dark." The Baboo, they hint, was anxious at once to secure his property to his son, and to make sure of his own pretensions to Brah- minical purity. So, though a skilled lawyer and man of business, he designedly left an obvious flaw in the will. --Pall-wtall Gazette.

Øf TREASURE TROVE. A Parliamentary paper has just been published con- taining returns of the treasure trove claimed by the Solicitor of the Treasury on behalf of the Crown in the year ended on the 10th May, 1838. On the 16th January last a claim was made for 6,905 small gold and silver coins, together with two ivy leaves and a piece of silver, all which had been found at Highbury. The total value was .£44, and all the articles are now at the British Museum for inspection and report. A day later claim was made for 80 guineas which had been found in the wall of an old house on the manor of East Parley, near Christchurch, Hants. Eight of these guineas have been sold for £ 8 8s., but the remaining 72 are retained at the Treasury, the alleged descendants of the original owner having claimed them. On the 28th of March last 261 old coins found in a house at Lichfield, and valued at £7 Os. 10td., were claimed, and have been sent to the British Museum for inspection and report

THE BRINDISI ROUTE FOR THE INDIAN MAILS. Signor Cattanio, the Italian Consul resident in Liver- pool, has forwarded a communication to the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce explaining at length the advan- tages of transmitting the Indian mails by Brindisi com- pared with the Marseilles route. It appears from this communication that amongst the advantages derived from the Brindisi route are that the time employed between London and Alexandria is six days and 25 minutes, instead of seven days and eight hours by Mar- seilles; that by fixing the departure of the mails from London on Saturday morning, Liverpool and Manchester merchants gain an advantage of 24 hours for their Eastern correspond encewhich could be dispatched on Friday even- ng, instead of Tuesday, as at present. The Italian Govern- ment is at present negotiating with the French Govern- ment for a revision of the postal treaty between the two countries, which, by the establishment of additional trai-ns to meet the mails, will ultimately enable the de- parture from London to be retarded until Saturday morning, so that the hours of transmission can be modified thus :-Leaves London, Saturday, eight p.m, arrives at Paris, Sunday, seven a.m. leaves Paris, Sunday, 8.30 a m., arrives at Turin, Monday, seven a.m. leaves Turin, Monday, 7.30 a.m., arrives at Brindisi, Tuesday, noon leaves Brindisi, Tuesday, two p.m., and arrives at Alexandria, Friday,imidnight. By this means the mer- chants of Liverpool and Manchester would have the benefit of 36 hours more for the dispatch of their letters to the East.

OUTRAGES IN AMERICA. The sheriff and the parish judge of St. Mary's, Loui- siana have been assassinated by some disguised horse- men. The office of the Attakapas Register, a Republican journal published at Franklin, was sacked by a mob during the night of the 18 th ult. A collision between the whites and negroes was apprehended in that vicinity. Outrages by the Ka-klux- clans are on the increase in Arkansas. It has transpired that the 4,000 stand of arms, lately seized by a body of disguised men on board the Mississippi steamer Hesper, and thrown in the river near Memphis, were the joint property of the Governor of Arkansas and of Sextor Macdonald, who expected to sell them to the Legislature.

ALARMING ACCIDENT ON THE MIDLAND RAILWAY. A collision of a somewhat alarming character oc- curred on the Midland Railway, at the Wigston Junc- tion, on Saturday afternoon. It appears that the ex- press train from Leicester to London left the former station at its usual time, 1.45 p m., and on nearing the junction some short distance from the Wigstou station the driver observed a coal train in front of him passing on to the Rugby line, which branches off near this spot. The coal train had, it seems, from some cause or other, been delayed at the junction, but the driver anticipated clearing the Midland line before the arrival of the ex- press train which was then due; and the driver of the latter, seeing the coal train in motion, would seem to have entertained the same opinion, as he slackened speed, but did not stop his train. The consequence was that the engine of the express train dashed into the rear of the coal train with considerable violence, smashing the guard's break and several wagons. Fortunately the guard was out of his break performing some necessary duty in connection with the train, or he must inevitably have been killed on the spot. The pas- sengers in the express train were very much shaken and greatly alarmed. The carriages of the express train did not leave the metals, but both up and down lines were obstructed for a considerable time with the broken wagons and their contents.

THE PROJECTED ROYAL TOUR. According to the route sketched in the papers, the Prince and Princess of Wales, leaving England in the middle of November, will proceed to Paris, Germany, and Denmark afterwards visit Greece and a portion of Asia Minor; finally proceeding up the Nile to the Second Cataract, accompanied on this part of the journey by Sir Samuel Baker. To see all that is to be seen in Upper Egypt involves severe exertion, undertaken in a climate which presents great and rapid changes of temperature, the thermometer frequently marking a difference of 50 deg. or 60 deg. between day and night, and heavy dew at nightfall. We should imagine the Princess would keep very much on board the Dahabeeh which takes her up the Nile, making occa- sional short visits to the villages contiguous to the shore. Excursions to the various temples inland are performed partly on the backs of donkeys or Arab horses, and partly on foot and should the traveller not set out at five or six o'clock in the morning, these necessitate exposure to a powerful sunshine, succeeded by a tem- perature which, by comparison, is extremely cold. The heavy dews at night render camping out an extremely hazardous proceeding, especially after a fatiguing day. The risks which must thus be run are, of course, well understood by African travellers and physicians; and under the constant care of Sir Samuel Baker and of Dr. Minter, who also accompanies the Royal party, we feel sure that the health of the Princess will never suffer in her journey fram evils which judicious foresight can avert.-Lancet.

THE PREMIER. Mr. William Saunders, of Sutton Courtney, near I Abingdon, writes :—"Anything respecting the Premier will net just now, I think, be unappreciated by th8 general public. Perhaps you are not aware that he exhibited his mighty genius at the age of sixteen, by gaining all the prizes at Railton's for mathematics, classics, and both ancient and modern history-when there were 100 competitors. Alfred Tennyson was one, but his junior by a year or two. Of all his qualifica- tions-which were doubtless of the highest standard- Disraeli's memory was perhaps the most remarkable. Being in the same class, I often heard him repeat his lessons when read but once over. This, I assure you, sir, he invariably achieved as easily as if the book was placed before his eyes, whether the quotations were in Greek, Latin, or English. Ha always attended church, with the rest of the school, on Sundays, both in the morning and afternoon. In the evening it was usual to have a sermon and prayers, by the reverend the prin- < cipal, and also questions on sacred history, in which Disraeli showed likewise great proficiency."

MARRIAGE ON A DEATH-BED. Fiction in the popular novels of the day makes many marriages under extraordinary circumstances, but sober truth may be more wonderful than romance in matri- mony as in love and war. An instance of this occ urred on Monday last in Boharm, in this neighbourhood. The minister of the parish, the Rev. Mr. Murdoch, a worthy pastor of about threescore and ten, confined to his bed by a disease which, it is said, his medical at- tendant had told him must be fatal in a few days at most, resolved to take unto himself a wife before leaving this world, in which he had lived a bachelor. Miss Stewart, an assistant teacher in tha district, about 20 years of age, was sent for to the manse, and consented to the marriage. A justice of the peace was next sent for, and the couple were married by him in the presence of witnesses, the bridegroom sitting in his bed. This is a case of "romance in real life" which has had few equals in Scotland.—Elgin Courard.

NATURALISATION TREATIES. The protocol relating to the rights of naturalised Z, citizens, which our Minister to England has concluded I with the British Government, is supposed to be similar to the treaties which Mr. Bancroft recently negotiated with the German Governments. The main feature of these treaties, it will b3 remembered, was embodied in II the principle that foreigners naturalised in this country should be entitled to precisely the same rights and fran- chises as native-born American citizens. We do not see that any more could be claimed than this, and Mr. Seward has secured its recognition by half the Govern- ments of Europe. We suppose our new Minister to Vienna, Mr. Watt, will presently negotiate a similar treaty with the Austrian Government. It is important that the principle should be recognised also by Spain, France, Russia, and Italy.—New York Times.

AN HISTORICAL EDIFICE. Passengers in St. James's-park may have lately observed some workmen employed in the demolition of an ugly-looking chapel not far from the India-office. This editice formed part of a mansion, now the office of the London recruiting district, which formerly was the residence of the notorious Judge Jeffreys. It was here that he performed his official duties when his court was not sitting, and here he lived in some little splendour till his committal to the Tower. The entrance of the mansion is from Duke-street; but as a mark of favour King James II. granted Jeffreys permission to throw out a flight of stone steps leading to the park these still remain and distinguish the houses from the others in the same row.-Pall-inall Gazette.

Extracts from Our Comic Journals, (From Punch.) FROM THE POULTRY.-When does a hen like beer When she has a little brood. THE ACT OF SETTLEMENT."—Having pin-money. A DISCHARGE WITHOUT A REPORT.—A servant dis- missed without a character. A SONG AND A SATING.—What do you say to the Affaire Daulton ?-Oh, no, we never Mention it. THE PROPER JUDGE.—An arrangement has been made for all cases arising out of the new dog-code to be tried by Mr. Commissioner Kerr. WHEN are parsons bound in honour not to abuse theatres ?—When they take orders. HOOP DE DOODEN Doo.—Sir Richard Mayne's order against little London boys' hoops has created a great excitement in certain circles. THE SCHOOLMASTER (WANTED) ABROAD.—The great want in Spain is education for the masses. They have got their Prim; but they still stand in grievous need of their primer. SWEET THING TO SAY. Iron-grey middle-aged gentleman (who has been for some time using Lead- bitter's Hair Restorer) to good-natured Friend: Ell ? I say, Scruggles, it seems to me that my hair has lately got darker." Scruggles: "Very likely. Your hair seems to have got darker, because your eyes have got dimmer." BENJAMIN OUT OF HIS MESS. They said Monte Christo was dammed But the dams must be broken, 'tis plain For if it was dammed the first night, It is certainly running again. NURSERY RHYMES. Suggested by some recent letters to the" Times." Hushaby, baby, sleep sound as a top, While Jane goes and stares at that milliner's shop No doubt if you wake you will make a great squall, Bat little she careth how loudly you bawl. Sing a song of nursing in the Park you'll spy Four-and-twenty hussies flirting on the sly While in their perambulators the children may be seen, And if they tumble out of them they'll hurt their heads, I ween. If she rides the high horse, and gives you her sauce, Be sure that your nursemaid is cruel and cross If she's rings on her fingers, and buyeth smart clothes, She'll bully your baby wherever she goes. Pipsy Popsy had a great fall, Pipsy Popsy made a great squall But mamma's a fine lady, and trusts to her maid, So poor baby will tumble again, I'm afraid. (From Fun.) SWEET THOUGHT.—Barley Sugar.—The repeal of the malt tax. SUPPORTERS NO WOULD-BE M.P. CAN DISPENSE WITH. —The tongue and legs. A WRINKLE FOR THE UNDERWRITERS.—To prevent ships being lost at sea, see that they are well found." WILL MR. GLAISHER KINDLY EXPLAIN THIS ?—A balloon ascent undoubtedly exhibits one of the most tranquil modes of locomotion known ;-a singular fact, bearing in mind that the road is invariably up." A LOOK-IN AT LEADENHALL,—Partridges are de- eidedly cheap this year, but, if we remember rightly, at the early part of last season the very young birds were cheepers." PERFECTLY RI-TICKLE-OUS.-—Some fish are more susceptible of the polite attentions of man than others:- for instance, you may tickle a trout, but a barbel takes scratching." DOMESTIC MAXIM.—A lady of our acquaintance who has had a long experience as a housekeeper, and knows something of the insolence of servants, declares she always finds, contradictory though it may seem, those servants that don't answer suit her best. WHEN THE WINE IS IN THE MAN, THEN THE WITS ARE IN THE CAN."—After the second bor,tie old Bees- wing's head gets completely muddled. Seeing a bevy of fair girls drying their flowing locks on the beach, he sputtered out B-bless me quite a Back-hair-naliau festival! IF AUGHT OF OATEN STOP "-The London Revieio the other day expressed a belief that on an average t,here,are half-a-dozen poets in every Scottish parish. If this be true one has no cause to wonder that Scotland is entirely given up to (oat) meal-au'-colly. A CITY EPIGRAM. Said Tom to Dick, 'Tis strange to see How few new companies there be Said Dick to Tom, You might have known All bubble companies are blown." Nox ERAT Let dogs delight "-and let men of sense rejoice Here's a bit of good news :—" The resignation of Sir R. Mayne, the chief of the metropoli- tan police, is spoken of as likely to take place early next, year. Mr. Knox, the police magistrate, is spoken of as his probable successor." It would be superfluous to knight a (K)nox, but that alone is needed to make the succession faultless. Scotland-yard under Mr. Knox will be able still to boast of its be-night-ed manage- ment. (From Judy.) A FAINTING Fit.—Tight lacing. A CREATION OF THE FANCY."—A blpck eye. THE LATEST SONG OUT. We won't go heme till mor!Jin." SCANDALOUS.—Talking about Iviiss Bateman's "leer. By OUR OWN STREET BOY.-A hoop stick "—Sir Richard Mayne. [ PROCEEDINGS IN LUNACY.—Lending an umbrella. Reading Tupper. Taking a wife. STRANGE, BUT TRUE.—The "Crowning Act" of the recent Spanish Pronunciamento was the dethrone- ment of the Queen! HONOR UTRIQUE. I The Royal Humane Society has conferred medals upon Viscount Bury and Charles Pride for saving the life of a fisherman. Judy loquitur— Pride of class now let us Bury, Brave—in time and in tide- Ye, Pride and Bury, did well—very— Take, then, these badges with Pride, England most justly has said it, i. Each in gallantry stands not alone If to his order Lord Bury's a credit, j His mate is the Pride of his own. THE HUMBLE APPEAL OF JOHN MAY, Dogsmeatman, of Bedfordbury. ¡ Kind housekeepers, compassion feel I. For honest Johnny May A dogsmeatman, who makes appeal In his poor humble way Sir Richard Mayne has spcil'd my trada In horseflesh, sad to tll! For pounds and pounds I daily made, I only ha'porths sell! So many dogs are "gone to rest," j That used my prog to eat, Tbat now, beth ends, I'm sure I'm blest, f If I can make them meet. Bethink you, then, kind gentlemen, Of Y ours to serve, John May," And for your table, now and then, "A piece of horseflesh," say You'll find it good, I know you will, And economical. Give me a turn, your butcher's bill Will soon in prices fall If once my wares you'll only eat j You'll keep to them alone; I'll serve you well, and give prime meat, [ "Down weight," and free from bone 1 ■

BIRTHDAY OF MELBOURNE. Melbourne," writes the Hon. J. P. Fawkner, com- pleted on the 29ih of August its 33rd year. On the 29th of August, 1835, the first landing was made, on a small rising ground on which our tent was pitched on that evening. Our horses were then landed and set to graze. Early in 18351 resolved to attempt to settle in Port Phillip, having been one of those who landed on Point Nepean from the Calcutta, under Governor David Collins, to colonise at Port Phillip. This was on Oct. 19, 1803. Governor Collins declared the place unfit for settlement and took the whole of the people to the Derwent. I sought out some friends to come with me in 1835, and five persons agreed to help to found the new colony. Their names were Robert Hay Marr, William Jackson, Samuel Jackson, Captain John Lancey, and George Evans. They a11 deserted me. Some went away, and others took to sheepfarming, and I alone remained to found the famous city of Melbourne. I purchased a schooner, the Enterprise, to bring my horses, cattle, and house- hold goods, and six days after landing had five acres land ploughed and sown with wheat. This produced 100 bushels in January, 1836. A wilderness in 1835, a fine flourishing colony in 1868, though only 33 years old

ZIPORTS AND EXPORTS. The accounts relating to the trade and navigation of the United Kingdom for September and the previous nine months have just been published. The imports, the returns of which are only brought down to the end of August, show a falling off not only upon the returns of the corresponding months of 1866 and 1867, but also of the five previous months of this year. The decrease as compared with last month is £ 1,2^9,552, and as com- pared with the returns of August, 1867, the falling off amounts to £ 469,986. The total value of the enumerated imports was £ 20,273,080. The exports, on the other hand, and which are brought down to the end of Sept., show an improvement. The total value amounts to X16 927,240, which, though £ 3,350,840 Jess than the imports, is in excess both of the returns for every month of the present year, and of those of the corresponding months of 186,3-67-not a ve"y large excess certainly, but still sufficient to mark the tendency tawards improve- ment.

A MILITARY SCANDAL IN POONA. A general court-martial was recently held at Camp Poona for the trial of Lieutenant R. D. Lowe, of the 48th Madras Infantry, on the following charges:-First, in having, at the regimental mess, made use of the fol- lowing provoking and grossly insulting language to Lieutenant Charles Woolley Blenkin, of the 12th Regi- ment of Madras Native Infantry:—" You are nothing more or less than a spy, to find out what I did, and go and report it, sneaking spy," or words to the like effect; secondly, in having said to Lieutenant Blenkin in a mocking and sneering tone, What were you afraid of last night, eh ? Why did you stop at the door?" or words to the like effect; and thirdly, in having at tha same time and place said-" My ears burn to throw this at somebody's head," at the same time looking at and leaning across the table towards Lieutenant Charles Woolley Blenkin, thereby indicating that he was the person to whom this insulting and provoking language was addressed. The Court found all the charges proved, and sentenced the prisoner to be cashiered-a sentence whieh has been approved by the commander-ia-chief. Sir W. Mansfield.

EXTRAORDINARY OOEAN WAVE AND EARTH QUAKE 8 IN NEW ZEALAND. From north to south of New Zealand, a curious tidal phenomenon was observed on Saturday, the 15th of August. The sea rushed out and in with extraor- dinary violence, and in some places in the South Island great damage was done from the sea going far over the usual high-water mark. On Monday, the 17th, shocks of earthquake were felt over a larger portion of New Zea- land than is usually subject to them. The northerly point reached was Napier, and from there as far south as Otago. Auckland, as usual, was entirely exempt. The schooner Rifleman, which arrived at Dunedin on August 28 from the Chatham Islands, brings sad news. These islands have been visited by three tidal waves, causing great loss of life and property. The settlement of Tupunga, on the north side of the island, felt the greatest force. It was entirely destroyed—no mark being left to tell where it stood. The ground was completely covered with sand and seaweed. The inhabitants barely escaped with their lives. The sea went inland about four miles. Along the coast a house and its contents, belonging to Mr. Hay, sheep farmer, were carried bodily out to sea. Some Maories, in trying to save a boat which was being carried out to sea, were drowned. The settlement of Waitangi sustained great loss. Houses were shifted and carried out to sea. A large quantity of Government stores were destroyed. The schooner Rifleman, lying at Waengaroa, fortunately escaped. The force of the water at Tupunga smashed drays, and removed to a consider* able distance stones half:a-ton in weight.

THE -NEW lIfAP OF FRANCE. The new map of France, which has been so much spoken of, has been issued. It is accompanied by a preface, which speaks as follows of the present map of Europe Under the Second Empire France has regained her natural frontiers, the Alps. Italy has become a free country. Holland has burst the chains which bound her to the German Confederation in virtue of her possession of Limburg and Luxemburg. The Germanic Confederation has been dissolved, the Federal fortresses have ceased to exist; Mayenc is now oocupied by Prussia alone; Landau an& Germersheim bebng to Bavaria, and are garrisoned by her Rastadt is occupied by Baden troops- and Ulm by Bavaria and Wurtemburg together Prussia is materially increased, but in reality the Euro- pean balance of power is not destroyed to the detriment of France. Before the recent events Prussia and Austria united were the rulers of Germany, and they could oppose us with 80,000,000 of men, bound together by treaties and a formidable military organisation. To-day the States surrounding Frande are independent; BelgiuF- and Switzerland are neuter Prussia, with the North German Confederation, counts 30,000,000, the South German States having a military alliance with Prussia count 8,000,000, Austria, 35,000,000, and Italy 22,000,000. France, with her unity and her 40,000,000 of inhabitants, including Algeria, has nothing to fear from anyone."

WORKHOUSE DRESSES. The Bermondsey Guardians gave rather long conside- ration, the other day, to the case of the two girls who were turned out of the workhouse in canvas dresses with the words "Bermondsey Workhouse" in large letters stamped upon them. It appeared that the girls to escape, if possible, the irritation of the skin caused by the coarsest side of the canvas being next to it, went under an arch, and there turned their scanty and uncom- fortable clothing. The master of the workhouse reatt the following statement, which he said the girls had made since they had been before the magistrate -11 Wt- were sitting on the doorstep, when Police-sergeant 5 Å came past, and told us to go under the arches till be. tween three and four o'clock in the afternoon, and then to go to him to the police-station. We did so, when he gave us an order for St. dave's Workhouse, He also told us to go to him about ten o'clock on the following day. After we left St. Olave's Workhouse we did so, when he told us to turn the inside of our dresses to the outside. We did so. He then said he would send us to the magistrate to let Li.u see how they were stamped. The police-sergeant above referred to sent us through the streets with the clothing in that manner, making it ap- pear that they were stamped on the outside." The girls were called in, and stated their ages to be respec- tively 15 and 17 years. The clerk of the guardians alleged "that the whole blame was to be attributed to the police, inasmuch as it was at an officer's request that the girls turned the stamped side of the dress to the light. The guardians decided that the importance of the affair had been magnified, and that the whole of the facts should be laid before the Coramissioners of Police.

SQUARING THE CIRCLE. At last week's sitting of the French Academy of Sciences, the perpetual secretary announced that a news- paper had recently revived an old story, to the effect that the Academy was in possession of a considerable sum bequeathed to it as a reward for any person who might discover the quadrature of the circle. He therefore, suggested the propriety of again publishing 9 the decision the Academy came to in 1775 of never more devoting the slightest attention to the solutions that might be sent in of the following problems the duplication of the cube, the trisection of the angle, perpetual motion by means of a machine, and the quadrature of the circle. It justified this course as regards the latter, by remarking that many weak-minded persons, utterly ignorant of mathematics, and labouring under the impression that large sums were ready to be handed over to them in case they succeeded in solving that problem, devoted their time to it, utterly neglecting their regular busi- ness and the interests of their families, and even occa- sionally losing their reason by following such a vain pursuit.

A PRESENTIMENT FULFILLED. The Grand Duke Alexis, who was on board the Alex- ander Newskv, has returned to St. Petersburg looking very pale and thin. He had all along a presentiment that the ship would be wrecked on the way home, and at Poti, on the Black Sea, where he first joined bis vessel, on taking leave of his uncle, the Grand Duke Michael, he told him of his apprehensions, of which, in- deed, he made no secret throughout the vovaee. During some rough weather in tbe Bay of Biscay,* some one of his entourage asked bim if this was the storm that should prove fatal. The Duke said no, but it would come later. At Plymouth he prophesied that the catas- trophe would happen within three days; and late on the third day, in perfectly calm weather, one of the profes- sors attached to his highness began to joke with him on the subjeot.when he received this answer, Wait awhile, the third day is not over yetand in the same night they struck on the Jutland coast.

EXTRAORDINARY GAT GEES OF HER- RING. During the past week or two. great excitemeat has existed at Greenock, Helensburgh, and other places on the Clyde, owing to the presence of enormous quantities of herring at the tail of the Bank, and between that and Dumbarton Castle, and the great hauls made by the fishing-boats. At Helensburgh no fewer than 80 tons were landed in a single day, and at Greenock on Wed- nesday last there were no fewer than 50 boats discharg- ing their herring cargoes at one time. So plentiful were the herrings that boys were catching them in the Greenock harbours with their hands. The prices are comparatively low. Cargoes sold in small quantities realise about 2s. per 120, but in the bulk a cargo would feteh only a trifle more than Is. per hundred.

SIR R. MAYNE7 S DOG LAW. Eliza Cooley, a charwoman, was charged at Clerken- Well with being drunk and creating a disturbance in Upper-street, Islington. The defendant was in Upper- Street, having a small dog with her. A policeman to ok up the dog and conveyed it to the station. The de- fendant was exasperated at losing her dog, and was very abusive, but as she had no muzzle the dog was not given up to her. She was drunk, it was stated, at the time, and created such a disturbance that it was found neces- sary to detain her. The defendant said she was not drunk, but excited at having the dog taken from her. Mr. Cooke said the police were justified under the Act of Parliament in securing the dog, since it was neither muzzled nor led by a string. Fined 2s. 6d., or one day's imprisonment in the cells of the station.

A HUSBAND. John Fitzgerald was charged at Lambeth Police-cour with assaulting his wife Elizabeth in a most biutil manner. The wife was a respectable, hard-working woman, and the prisoner had done nothing to support her and his five children for a long time past, and was constantly drunk he had frequently ill-treated her, and was lately sentenced to a month's imprisonment. On the present occasion he struck her over the face and head with a brass candlestick, cutting open her head, and knocking her down a flight of stairs. She was now suffering severely, and was in daily expectation of her confinement. The prisoner was sentenced to imprison- ment with hard labour for six months.

PRESENTATION SWORD FOR LORD NAPIER. The gold sword which the Corporation of London de- cided on presenting to Lord Napier of Magdala, as a mark of their estimation of his distinguished services in Abyssinia, is of solid 18-carat gold, in finely-executed Tepoussd work. The scabbard is ornamented with groups of war trophies in relief, consisting of Euro- pean and Abyssinian weapons, entwined with renais- sance scrolls of the palm and laurel, together with ribbons on which are inscribed the names of all the prin- cipal military stations and places through which the army marched. In the centre of the scabbard, on either side, are two medallions in finely painted enamel; the one containing the arms of the City of London, the ,other the monogram and coronet of Lord Napier ,of Magdala. On the obverse of the hilt are the arms, crest, and motto of his lordship, in illuminated enamel, with the words "Zoula" and "Magdala," the reverse side bearing the date of his lordship's en- campment at Zoula (January 2nd), and that of the siege of Magdala (April 13th), the year 1868 being enamelled in monogram. The handle is in carved ivory, surmounted with a finely-chased lion's head in gold, and the blade is beautifully engraved in Damascene work, with groups of arms, laurels, &c., and bears the following inscription Presented by the Corporation of London, with the freedom of the City, to Lieutenant-General Lord Napier of Magdala and Caryng- t(Do, G. C.B., G.C.S.I., Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Bombay, in admiration of the fortitude, skill, science, energy, and promptitude displayed by him in bringing the Abyssinian war to so successful and brilliant a close."

AIV IBISH GHOST. A respectable farmer named Gear, residing at Bally- macmorrougb, about a mile and a half from Kanturk, was returning from Mallow, on Thursday night, accom- panied by his servant man, each in charge of a horse and cart. The servant was in advance, and both had proceeded as far as Gurteenbaha, when the foremost horse stopped suddenly, pricked up his ears, and con- vulsed violently. The driver plied his whip and tried to urge him on, but he threw himself wildly into the air, and the next moment fell heavily upon the road. The man jumped out and looked round, but could see nothing, and was in the act of relieving his horse when he re- ceived a desperate blow on the back of his head, which threw him into the ditch. Gear's horse was knocked down in a similar manner, and himself struck on the back and thrown from his horse. Gear says he saw a tall black figure of a man standing on the ditch over him; tie stooped for a stone, and when he raised his head the mysterious apparition had vanished. Both men are at present very ill, and Gear's back is quite black and charred. Gurteenbaha is remarkable for occurrences of a similar nature. About five years ago a respectable though unfortunate farmer was discovered on a winter's morning almost dead on the precise spot where the las incident occurred, and he died positively declaring that he had been beaten by a ghost,-Gork Herald.

A TRADESMAN CHARGED WITH PBBJUJI Y. At the Shrewsbury Police-court, Mr. Samuel Harries, agricultural implement maker, was charged with having committed perjury in the Shrewsbury County Court on the 20th Oct. It appeared that Harries sued a Mr. Williams, of Welsbpool, as administrator to his father, for X3 10s. alleged to be due for a straw-cutter. Harries is alleged to have sworn that he had a personol interview with the deceased in March, 1867, on which accasion the straw-cutter was sold; but it appeared that Mr. Williams -died in January, 1867. The prisoner was committed for trial at the assizes, bail being accepted.

THE REGISTRAR GENERAL'S RETURN. The quarterly return of the Registrar-General shows that during the three months ending Sept. 30 there were 255,199 births, and 165,728 deaths in the United Kingdom. The recorded natural increase of population during the quarter was therefore 89,471, and the native migrants were 40,672. Both births and deaths in Eng- land were above the average number.; but the marriages, which are given for the June quarter only were fewer. The average price of wheat was 59s. Id to which it fell from 71s. lOd. in the previous three months. The mean temperature throughout the quarter was 68*3, and on the 22nd of July the thermometer in the shade rose to 96-6-tbe highest temperature ever recorded at Greenwich. The mean summer fall of rain is 767 tons to an acre of land but in the last summer the deficiency was 252 tons an acre.

BRITISH ENTERPRISE [IN SPAIN. The sherry trade in Andalusia about 25 years aoo assumed greatly increased proportions, and now vast amount of British property is accumulated in this district, represented by various stocks of wines of various qualities, vineyards, agricultural and pastoral farms, and also by mining investments. In Jerez de ia. Frontera, alone, for instance, there are about twelve E-gliah houses, whose property in wine and land are estimated at X2 230 000. The Spaniards generally value the British property at Jerez at £ 4,000,000. The British property at Port St. Mary's represents a sum of *463,000'• at Seville, £ 360,000. In the mining districts near Cordova about £ 480,000. British capital is invested in the Huelva districts, JB580,000 in Cadiz and other towns general trade and shipowning, £ 350,000. There is, besides an English Railway between Utrera and Moron, the capital of which amounts to £ 650,000.

THE YELVERTON GASEl AGAIN. f curious action against Major Yelverton, at the ^instance of Mrs. Maria Iheresa Longworfh Ai, Yelverton, has been decided by the First Divisf the Court of Sessions at Edinburgh. The lady° n w seeks to have the judgments of this court and of the House of Lords reduced "—that is to say, annulled 5 =and declared void, on the ground that the Scotch courts had not jurisdiction to entertain actions in which neither •of the parties was domiciled in Scotland, or had even had forty days' residence before citation. The court seemed to think that, as the lady in the present action of reduction appealed to the same court whose jurisdic- tion to decide the former case she was denying, her case amounted to a contention that it had not jurisdiction to decide wrong, but that it had jurisdiction to decide rightly and repair that wrong. They therefore dismissed the action. The lady, on the other hand, may say that the decision of Thursday amounts to an acknowledgment that all the judgments in the former action were pro- nounced by courts without jurisdiction.

THE CONSPIRACY TO ASSASSINATE THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH. It was recently announced in a telegram that the Colonial Secretary of New South Wales had stated that a conspiracy had been organised for the purpose of assassinating the Duke of Edinburgh, that one of the conspirators had been murdered by his confederates as untrustworthy, and that particulars would shortly be laid before the Parliament. From the Sydney Morning Herald of September 9, we now learn that the con- spiracy referred to was not a new one, as might have r been supposed, but merely that which was reported to exist at the time of the attempt upon the Duke's life by O'Farrell. It appears that the Government of the colony has been the object of some strictures on account of the excessive rigour of the Treason Bill which it so hur- riedly passed just after the occurrence. It was in a speech replying to these strictures that the Colonial Secretary made the statement recently telegraphed. He declared he could produce evidence, attested by affidavits, show- ing that not only was the murder planned, but that some person who was in the secret, but whose fidelity was suspected, was foully murdered before the attack was made upon the Prince. The Sydney Morning Herald says that this announcement has caused much excitement in the colony and that almost everybody is of opinion that the evidence should at once be laid before the Parliament. People are asking it adds, whether the untrustworthy conspirator was murdered in the colony or elsewhere, and if in the colony, what had become of the body, and moreover what steps hud beea taken by the police? Meanwhile they think the secretary's statement should have been deferred until it could have been supported by the evidence, which has yet to be pro- duced.

MURDER NEAR PARIS. A dreadful crime was discovered last week near Paris 1 The woodkeepers of Vincennes, in making their rounds, came on the body of a young man apparently about 20 vears of age, with the throat cut across so deeply that the head barely held on to the trunk. A workman's regulation book, found in his pocket, gave his name as Defert some short time back employed by M. Hoffe, butcher at MohtreuiL This latter, on being applied to, declared that he had seen the deceased the afternoon before at the market of La Villette, having in his posses- sion at the time a gold watch and chain worth 260f. Those objects were not found on his person after death. In addition, the murdered man had been deprived of his trousers and his shoes. The supposition is that Defert, after having aided some other young men to drive a number of oxen from the market to Saint- Maur, had, on his return, been waylaid and murdered for the sake of the 1 property about him.

CONGEALED VIOE. Some newspaper agents who bought upwards of; 2,000 numbers of the Lanterne, No. 11, to send into the country, brought an actiou: tgainst M. Henri Roche-, fort and M. Dumont, his publisher, to recover the sum i of 691tr. 55c., being the cost of those numbers and the; postage paid upon them. The plaintiffs grounded theiri suit upon articles 1,641, 1,643, and 1,645 of the Code Napoleon, which declare a vendor responsible for a concealed vice" in a thing sold. The libel-, lous matter in the Lanterne, for which it was seized in the post-office, was, they contended, a| concealed defect, and the vendors and not the purchasers ought to support the consequences of the seizure. But the Tribunal of Commerce dismissed the case with costs, on the ground that the plaintiffs, before they purchased the number of the Lanterne in question, must have been acquainted with the tenor of it, and aware that they posted it at their own risk and peril" and therefore not the articles of the code on which they; relied, but article 1,642 was applicable—an article which j lays down that "a vendor is not responsible for patent! defects which the purchaser may detect himself with! a)mmon diligence."

INHUMAN PLEASANTRY. Mdlle. Albina di Rhona, the dancing soubrette," who first raised the Soho playhouse to the rank of a recognised theatre, and endowed it with its present title, the New Royalty," has lately been exposed to serious peril. Her present calling, it seems, is that of a performer of legerdemain, and at the Salle de FOrient, Brussels, she has been giving a series of performances, comprising the well-known trick of receiving uninjured the supposed contents of an apparently loaded pistol. One evening, when the weapon, after it had been handed round for the inspection of the public, was returned into her hands, she inserted her magic wand into the barrel, and felt it come into contact with an unexpected obstacle. She retired, and afterwards reappeared in a state of violent agitation. It subsequently transpired that some scoundrel among the spectators had slipped into the barrel a screw of about an inch in length, which, if it had not been discovered, would have killed or seriously wounded the fair enchantress.

NEW ZEALAND. The last New Zealand mail brings tidings of trouble The attempt to recapture the native prisoners that escaped from Chatham Islands some short time since seems to have ended in a disastrous failure. Two expe- ditions were sent out, and each was driven back with loss. The first repulse took place on the 8th of August, the second nearly a month later, on the 7th of Sep- tember. On this occasion the British troops were looking for the rebels in the neighbourhood of a pah which had been captured and destroyed but a day or two before, when they were suddenly assailed by their enemies, who were advantageously posted, and they suffered a loss of five officers and seven men killed, and many wounded. About 27 of the Maories fell. Prepa- rations were being made for another attack. Many shocks of earthquake were felt on the island on the 17th August, and shortly before this an extraordinary tidal wave rushed inland a considerable distance and de- stroyed a settlement on the Chatham Islands and many houses on the main land.

THE OHARGE OF SHOOTING AT FOUR CHILDREN. At the Leicester adjourned borough sessions, before Mr. C. G. Merrewether, Charles Mitchell, 1(3, boatman, was charged with maliciously shooting at Edwin Brown, aged 12, on the 1st October. It will be remembered that the children of the Wesleyan Sunday-school, of whom the prosecutor was one, were playing in a field adjoining the Leicester Canal, and that some were amusing them- selves by throwing stones into the water, and others by playing at duck and drake," skimming the water with stones, when prisoner came in a boat, which he was steering. He went into the cabin, brought out a gun, and tosk aim at the children, but the charge did not go off. He however cocked the gun a second time, and, firing, the charge took effect in the face of the prosecutor, causing severe injuries to his right eye, and also wounding in various parts of the body Arthur Bull (13), John Shelton (9), and Emma Food (8). For the defence it was urged that the prisoner had no idea that the gun was loaded when he fired amongst the children. The jury found the prisoner guilty, and the learned Recorder, after giving him a severe reprimand, sentenced him to six months' hard labour.

JEALOUSY AND lrIURDER. A case of murder has just been tried at Brest. The culprit was a seaman of the French navy, named Le Corre. He had been on a cruise for four years, and since his return had frequently accused his wife of mis- conduct during his absence, although those charges ap- pear to have been unfounded. On the 27th of July he told her to say her last prayer, and immediately after stabbed her to the heart with a knife. He was con- demned to death. After hearing his sentence he sud- denly drew forth a dagger which he had concealed about his person, and threw it on the ground, saying that had he been only sentenced to hard labour for life he should have committed suicide in court.

MIRACULOUS ESCAPE An example of the wondrous manner in which human life is preserved amid great danger was afforded at the works of Mr. Joseph Edwardes, edge-tool maker, of Blakenhall, Wolverhampton. One important depart- ment of edge-tool making is the grinding, which gives the polish and the edge to the spades, shovels, and other implements manufactured. This is effected bymeans of grindstones. They are of large size, generally from two to three tons, and revolve, by means of steam, with very great velocity. The grinder sits upon a "horse," a long plank of oak, which is slightly inclined towards the face of the stone to enable him to press the implements against it. This "horse" is secured to the ground by strong chains, not only for the purpose of steadying it, but for the preservation, as far as possible, of the grinder. The great danger is the breaking of the stone, when from the great velocity at which it revolves the broken pieces are cast upwards and about with sometimes most perilous and destructive force. Three grinders were at work in Mr. Edwardes's grinding shop about eight o'clock on Tuesday morning. William Clarke, Thomas Neale, and John Shaw. Clarke, a new man, was working at a new stone weighing about two tons; Neale was mending the strap of his stone, a little in front and to the left of Clarke's stone; while Shaw was grinding at another stone close by. All at once Clarke's stone split into three parts. One piece, weighing about nine cwt., flew up before his face, and so closely to it that it caught the brim of his hat and knocked it off his head, the stone crashing through the roof and bringing it down. A second piece of stone, of equal weight, at the same moment shot past Neale, almost touching him, and in the next second of time the half of the stone remaining fell away from the axle, but bumped with such force against the" horse" upon which Clarke was sitting as to send him flying at an angle from his seat up through the broken and fallen roof, and in a second he found himself—as he had in the most remarkable manner fallen-standing upon the wall which separates the shop from the street. The noise of the break- ing stone and falling roof brought the men in other parts of the factory among the ruins of the shop, and their first shout was "Where's Clarke?" and he replied, to their great astonishment, from the wall, "I am here." They next sought for Neale, and found him buried with his stone under the fallen roof, which, however, had so fallen that he was arched over and preserved from all injury. When released, however, he was so frightened as to run all the way to the hos- pital shouting, "My ba-k is broke." When he got there only a few bruises had to 1.e dressed. The whole of the roof is demolished, and some considerable damage is done to the machinery. Such occurrences are frequent, and grinders are often fearfully injured but never one before so wondrously escaped as these men did.