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

LONDON CORRESPONDENCE. DURING the last week of March the poli- t tical atmosphere might be regarded as olosely reflecting the disturbed state of the natural atmosphere. The cold, wild winds, aooompanied by oooaaional blinding outbursts of snow and hail, had their counterpart in the excited, sometimes blustering, discussions respecting the imminence of war whioh followed the announcement of Lord Derby's resignation. There seemed to be an impression at first that the sequel of this event — which caused surprise by its suddenness, though it was not quite unex- pected—might be a declaration of war against Russia wLhin the course of a few days; but the real cause of the Foreign Secretary's split with the Cabinet was the resolution they had oome to about calling out the Reserves—a mea- sure which he considered an unnecessary menace when be believed there was still a^ possibility of the difficulties of the situation, in re the Ireaty of Peace and the Congress, being settled by diplo- matic mains. Lord Derby, in leaving the Cabinet, probably revolved in his mind the words of (Enone when sue said— I will rise and go Down into Troy, and ere the stars come forth i Talk with the wild Cassandra, for she says A are dances before her, and a Found Bings ever in her ears of armed men. » What this may be I know not, but I know That, whereso'er I am by night and day, All earth and air seem only burning fire." Lord Derby's retirement from the Foreign Office, at one of the most critical epochs in modern history, necessitates other changes in the Cabinet, whiah previously underwent derangement when Lord Carnarvon resigned. On that occasion bir Miohael Hicks Beach was transferred from the Irish to the Colonial Secretaryship, and it is now reported that he will be the successor at the India Office of the Marquis of Salisbury, who is understood to have been selected as the new Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. There was a general ap. roval of the appointment, on feie part both of Conservatives and Liberals, when Lord Salisbury was sent to represent England at the Constantinople Conference; but it is not every man who can expect to gain at once the confidence of the country when he < succeeds at the Foreign Office a statesman so experienced, collected, unimpassioned, and persevering as Lord Derby. Another change, in connection with the Colonial Secretaryship, at a time when we have atiil a Kaffir war on band, cm only be regarded wish regret as likely to interfere with the ener- getic prosecution of the measures that are urgently needed to bring about the pacification of South Africa. There are complaints made from time to time that some of the most important national institu- tions in the metropolis do not fulfil the require- ments of the publio as regards the days and hours when they are kept open. Much improvement in this respect is greatly needed as respects the British Mu eum, and the same may be said of the National Gallery. The art treasures in Trafalgar square are closed for two daya each week, aúd in the summer months, when there ia long daylight, admission ceases after six o'clock. Between six and eight o'clock on summer evenings is the very time that would be most suitable for thousands, who are engaged in their various callings during the day, visiting the Galleries and enjoying the splendid collection of pictures they contain. The expense of some extra attendants is the chief obataole in the way of the Galleries being thrown open in the evenings; but this is not a sufficient reason, considering the cost to the nation of the oolleotion, for making prisoners of the piotures, and causing them to resemble the illustrious in- mates of the Tower in former times. For the purpose of relieving the ever-increasing traffio between the north and south sides of the Taames below London-bridge, Sir Joseph Bazal- gette has brought: forward the bold scheme of building a high-level bridge below the Tower. The oarrying out of this project, which lies within the possibilities of modern engineering, would cost an enormous sum of money; and the alter- native proposal is to widen the existing London- bridge, which oould be done at a compara- tively moderate outlay. The expectations of relieving traffic that were raised by tbe owrying out; of the Thames Steam Ferry at R >thernithe have not in the meantime been fulfilled, as an accident to the machinery has entirely sui- Dinded the transport of laden waggons with their II )rSe8 across the river. Sir J. Bazalgette, who is engineer to the Metro- politan Board, his suggested a high-level bridge, because it was found that atthe posttionhe selected —Little Tower-hill between the Tower and St. Katharine's Wharf—about twenty-four masted vessels pass either way per day. In those circumstances it was felt that a low-level bridge would involve an ow'ruc- tion to navigation even if it were pro- vided with an opening span. Ira this view Sir J. Bazalgette is supported by the opinion of Mr. Leach, the engineer to the Thames Con- servancy. What the former recommends is a trused-girder bridge of steel in one apan of 850 feet, in an arched form, built so as to give a clear headway of 65 feet above Trinity high-water marK, whioh would enable the highest masted vessels to pass under it by lowering their top- maata. If carried out, this grand scheme would possess the distinction of being the largest arohed bridge in the world. Simultaneously with this bridge movement the Court of Aldermen have been dhcuuing-not for the first nor the fiftieth time certainly— the necessity of widening the riverside streets where the congestion of traffic is a matter of daily oosurrenoe. Notwithstanding the vast growth of business in the metropolis the streets in that quarter—Gresham-street for example—remain pretty muab as they were immediately after the Great Fire, and, though dignified with the name of thoroughfares, are mere lanes, often tortuoua and sometimes steep. The horses must be glad of the frequent blocks, as it gives them a rest when pulling the heavily-laden waggons along the dingy and greasy defiles. If the Aldermen were as energetic as the Midland Railway Com- pany, who are making a clean eweep of whole acres of streetaitt order to carry out extensions in St. Pancras Railway Station, which is already a splendid structure, they would talk less and "boggte" less than they do at the question of expense. Costs should not stand in the way of a great Corporation when the widening of streets has been rendered absolutely necessary by the growth of traffio. The question of a site for the proposed Agri- cultural Exhibition of next year still remains un- settled. The precise grounds on whioh the utter impracticability of Hyde-park was affirmed have not been made public, and one agricultural journal is at a loss to comprehend what they can be, remembering that the Great Exhibition of 1851 was held there. The R^gent's-park is sug- gested as the next best place, one of the recom- mendations of this site being the benefit that would accrue to the Zoological-gardens. It is supposed that visitors to the exhibition wou!d make a point of seeing the carnivora in their new and spacious cages. No doubt the near proximity of the gardens to the show would help to give them an increase of the patronage of which they stand so much in need. D. G.

THE NEW SECRETARY AT WAR. — Colonel Stanley, who ia a younger brother of Lord Derby, is 37 years of age. He was educated at Eton, and was tor some time in the Grenadier Guards. From August h December, 1868, he was a Lord of the Admiralty from February, 1874 to August, 1877, Financial Sec- retary at the War Office; and he then succeeded Mr. W. H. Smith as Secretary to the Treasury. Colonei Stanley entered the House of Commons as one of the members for Preston in 1865, and has sat fer North Lancashire since December, 1868. By the recent changes four out of the five Secretaries of State- Home, Colonies, War, and India-will sit in the House of Commons, and only one—Foreign Affairs in the Lords. The newest member of the Cabinet is also the youngest Minister included in that body. A FATAL QUAHBEL.—A fatal quarrel has oc- curred at Low Walker, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, A Boilermaker, named John Graham, living in Victoria- street, and bis wife, Mary Graham, were seen quarrel- ling together in the evening, and Graham struck her upon the head and shoulders With a long tough. His nephew afterwards came into the house and found the woman lying dead. Police-sergeant Gray took Graham into custody on Sunday afternoon on sua- picion of causing his wife's death. The prisoner was t brought before Mr. Durnett, at Newcastle, and re- I' mandad for a week. f <

FORGERY OF BANK OF ENGLAND NOTES. KXTBAORDrNAkY CASE. At the Mansion House, London, Paul Dubois, 31, described as a traveller; Oornelius John de Jongh, 41, an agent; and Achille Roi, 52, a tailor, all foreigners, were charged before the Lord Mayor with having in their possession a press and a plate en- graved with the name of Mr. F. May, the chief cashier of the Bank of England, and various blocks, with in- tent to forge Bank of England notes. They were also charged with conspiring together to commit a forgery on the Governor and Company of the Bank of Eng- land. The case excited much interest. Mr. J. W. I' Birch, the Deputy Governor of the Bank, occupied a seat on the bench. Mr. Poland, instructed by Messrs: Freshfields, was counsel for the prosecution Mr. Edward Lewis and Mr. Pratt appeared for the defence. M. Albert acted as interpreter. Mr. Poland, in opening the case, said the evidence would that a regular scheme had been prepared would shaw that a regular scheme had been prepared by the prisoners for the purpose of forging X5 Bank of England notes on a large scale. He need scarcely say that persons so engaged were obliged to resort to all kinds of devices to induce engravers to do their work and also to deceive them. In this case the pri- soners resorted to the device of a coupon, which they represented was for use in Paris by a firm who pre- sented such of their customers as did business with them to the extent of lOOOf. with a bonus of 125f. That coipon was headed Old England," and was to be printed in parts, the bottom part being an exact copy of a .M-note. The prisoner Dubois, who gave the order, said he did not want the signature F. May." That, for the moment, disarmed suspicion, I but after a short time M. Fimbel, a lithographer of Bedford-row, to whom the order was given, becoming suspicious, did what all honest men would have done in the circumstances—namely, communicated with the bank authorities. All he afterwards did was under their approval. The prisoners, having t us obtained a printer of the notes, next got the signature of the chief cashier (Mr. May) and this they ordered from Mr. de Leion, of 24, Rathbone place. To blind I the latter they gave him the word "Pimlico" to be engraved under Mr. May's signature but thisplan did not succeed, and this engraver also communicated with the bank authorities. The prisoners also ordered of him the various numbers and letters on the bank- notes. How skilfully the work had been done would be seen from the impressions taken from the plates. It was suggested that the forged notes were intended for use during the coming Paris Exhibition, but whether that was so or not, it was quite immaterial to the guilt or innocence of the prisoners. M. Emile Fimbel, of 21, Jockey's- fields, Bedford- row, deposed that he is a lithographer. He knew all the prisoners. He first saw Roi at 23, Broad-street, Golden-square. He knew the prisoner Dubois by the name of Wattercamp." He showed him some samples of paper for the purpose of making a coupan from the dratt of one given him by Dubois. The bottom part was to be a copy of a Bank of England note without the name "F. May." Dubois showed and handed to him at that time a £ 5-note as a pat- tern. He wrote out a draft there and then, and showed it oim, and he said that was just what he wanted, and he saw witness perfectly understood it The words Old England were to be used. Dubois promised to call upon him next day, and to choose out of the samples of paper the one he wanted. When he went down stairs with Dubois they saw Roi, and Dubois introduced witness to him as my printer." 'I Dubois asked if he had seen the engraver, and witness s id that he had, and that he had asked him about the wrds "Old England" Boi ¡ said, Don't speak so loud about the engraver here. You will have 100,000 copies of this to do for us." Dubois stopped him and said, Ten thousand shall 'I be the first order you will have. We will come and see you about what you require for a deposit." Dubois had told him that Roi bad come from Paris to buy goods and to push on the affair. The prisoner De Jongh came with the prisoner Dubois to his premises ten days ago, and Dubois sdid in his pre sence that he thought they could start the job now. De Jongh replied that it was quite time, as it had been about long enough. \^itness asked for the deposit, and the prisoner De Jongh threw down two sovereigns on the table, which Dubois picked up and gave him after- j wards. This was the evidence given on the first I' examination, which was heard in camerd. The witness on being recalled said he had lived in this country twenty-two years. He knew a Frenchman named Le Roy, a traveller in the fancy basket trade, and had known him nine or ten years. He lost sight of him I about four or five years ago, and never saw him again I until August last, when he called at his shop with another Frenchman named Martin. He introduced Martin to him. Witness understood that Martin was a writer on lithographic stone. He obtained a stone for Martin, ard afterwards allowed him to use a part of his business premises. Martin was practi- sing writing, and he used a portion of his shop far a month or five weeks. He lodged with him. Witness first saw the prisoner Dubois on the 7th Feb. at his shop. Martin introduced him to witness, saying he had a lot of work to give him, as he was going back to Paris, and he hoped he would do it in a straightforward way. He called Dubois "Mr. Wattercamp." Dubois asked if he was a good printer, and Martin said, "Let him alone he is a good workman. Look at these speci- mens all round the room." Dubois handed him a paper headed Old England," and said he wished to have it engraved by him, but he would call next day and give him tull particulars. Martin said he was a very unfortunate man, for a very good order came j juet as he was going away. Next day Dubois drove up to his shop in a hansom cab, and on coming in asked if he had a sheet of paper to give him. He gave him one, and Dubois then took from his pocket the paper headed Old England" and a .G5 note, saying he would show him what he really wanted. Dubois put a £ 5-note at the bottom corner, and then traced very carefully in pencil the size or measurement of the note. Above it he put the words Old England" and traced out a space, saying be; wanttd him to get that filled with some writing, the j words milie^ francs and cent vingt cinq francs and Paris" to be boldly written, so as to cat rh the eye. A ctrtair space, he said, must be left for the director's name, and a scroll made along the side, such as upon banker cheques. The middle of the scroll must also be perforated, an-i that would make up a complete coupon. A margin must be left for purposes of binding, and,the coupons would have to be made up in books of twenty-five each. Witness wrote the words "Old England at the time, and also the other words in the upper divi- eion. Dubois told him he must not make a line be. tween the top and bottom of''Old England," as the line he himself had drawn was only to show the place of each. He also said he wanted a facsimile of a £5-note printed on the bottom part of the paper. Witness said he d'd not think he could do it. The prisoner then swd he did not want the signature of F. May engraved, as their own chief cashier would sign it himself. The numbers and letters on each side of the note might also be omitted. Witness said he bad ¡' better make out a copy for the engraver, so that there should be no mistake, and then wrote out a I copy in his presence and showed it to him. The prisoner said approvingly that he saw he perfectly understood his meaning. The prisoner also said he wanted him to get a water-mark similar to that on the £ 5-note. The lower part of the sketch was to be water-marked exactly as was a £ 5-note, with the omission of some little square. The waving," parti- cularly, was to be the same. The prisoner asked him if that could be done, and witness said it could by ordering the paper at the mills. The prisoner inquired if he could get him some paper of the sarre quality as that of a bank note. He said he would try. The prisoner said be wanted 10,000 copies of the coupon to begin with, and witness said they would eccupv from four to six weeks. The prisoner said that would not do, and he must try to get them done before that. W itness, upon that, promised to see the engraver. The prisoner said he should require twenty-five or thirty proofs by the following Monday, and witness said that was utterly impossible. The prisoner then said he _n_À _L ■!?,, lbe Place of business in Paris 2 u EDglandJ was Koing to be opened on the 15th of February. He afterwards saw the prisoner and told him it would cost ten guineas to have the plate engraved, and E7 10s. for the block for the water-mark. The prisoner agreed to give that price. The prisoner asked for the specimen £ 5-note back again, and said he would show him where to get the paper. Trey went together to Messrs. Maclure's, in Queen Victoria-street, and the prisoner said the paper could be got there, as the firm did the printing for the Old England house in Paris. The premises were closed. A few days later witness went to the Bank of England and gave the authorities full information, and after that everything he did was under the direc tion of the police. On the 18th Feb. he again saw the prisoner Dubois, having in the meantime obtained some sam plesof paper at Messrs. Waterlow's. He showed these samph-s to the prisoner, and he said they were not thick enough. The prisoner asked how long it would take to get the water-mark and the plate ready, and he said ten days. The prisoner expressed himself pleased at that, and said the order would be 10000 to egin with, and more later on. He next saw Dubois and Boi together on the 25th Feb. Dubois introduced KOI to him, saying he had come to England to buy eoods for the Paris Exhibition. On the 6th March Dubois called upon him again, and said he was very poor just then, and witness must get a £ 5-note lent to birxi to copy from. On Me.iday, the 18th March, be called again with De Jongh, who said he had enough money to buy the plate. Dubois asked how long it would take to finish, and De Jongh gave him until the following Friday to complete it. Dubois said, To save time, tell the engraver only to engrave the bottom plate—that is, the £ 5 note, and just a small part of the scroll and the title 'Old England.' that we may show it." Dubois afterwards said, when De Jongh had left, that Da Jongh was rather a sus- picious man, but they were partners and Hired together at Peckham. Dubois later on obtained a £ 5-note, which he compared with a sample of paper, saying the latter was rather thin. Witness asked if he was par- ticular as to its being exact, and he said he was. Witness then said that in the wetting the paper would swell and get a little thicker. The prisoner said that would do nicely. He repeated that be did not wan1: the numbers or the signature F. May," but that the water-mark, with the txception of the equares, must be exact. He did npt see the prisoners again until they were in custody. At this stage the Lord Mayor remanded the prisoners for a week, and refused an application for bail.

RUSSIAN PRECAUTIONS IN THE BALTIC.-It is stated that the Russian Government has despatched General Krudener to Biga to place the fortifications of the port on a complete war 'ooting. A corps of torpedo'sts will also be despatched to Riga from Cron- stadt the beginning of next week. THE MAN who enters into the enterprise of Manufacturing Aerated Drinks, in any district where they are required renders "real service to the public, and no business otleri him a better return for a comparatively small outlay. 1c those who propose investing in this lucrative business, the first object to ascertain is where such a district exists, the next for success is to have the proper Machines and Appli- ances for producing the different Waters in the best condi- tion.—Catalogue and all information sent upon receipt of six stamps to Barnett, Son and Foster, 2U, Forstou- street, Hoxton, London, N. CURIOUS TRIAL FOR MURDEB.—Advices from Columbia give particular* of a trial at the Edgefield1 Court-house on the 12th of March, when six children were indicted for murder. Four were the children of Mr. Fallow, a well-to do-plant-, r of Edgefield County, the remaining two being orphans, wards of Mr. Fallow. Four of the children were boys and two girls, the ages ranging- from nine to thirteen years. The facts of the case were as follows.: The children were engaged picking cotton in a field belonging to their parents, when a negro boy named Ellis, about 14 years of age, went to the place where they were working, and threatened to whip them. Ellis, it was stated, was of a bad dis- position, and had been warned not to go in Mr. Fallow's fields. He approached the children with the intention of carrying out his threat, when a general fight ensued, in the midst of which Ellis knocked one of the boys down with a stick. The little fellow rose to his feet and struck Ellis with a stone, causing a wound from which he died. The parents of the neero boy had the six children arrested. All the solemnity of a trial for murder was observed on the occasion. The jury, after hearing the evidence, returned a verdict of not guilty, and + v.children were restored to their parents. WILLIAM BRUNTON, one of the most promis ing of our comic draughtsmen, has been buried at High- gate Cemetery. He died suddenly, from disease of the heart, after for years affording amusement to thousands by his clever little outline sketches in the pages of, Fun, and latterly in Funny Folks. Eight or tenyars ago, when illustrating the fanciful works of Mr. Knatchbull Hugesten, he began to develop talent of no mean order, but unfortunately these growing germs were somehow never properly nurtured, and the artist returned to journalistic work. William Brunton drew the frontispieces to the volumes of Savage Club Papers—that in the last issue being a remarkably clever sketch of the New Zealander preparing to commit the ruins of London to his canvas. That in the first issue was a group of character-likenesses of members of the Savage Club, several of those represented having preceded the artist to their ead. HAVE IT IN YOUR HOUSE-L.wPLOUGH'S PYRETIC SALINB-and use no other. The only safe anti- dote in Fevers, Eruptive Affections, Sea or Bilious Sickness, Small-pox, and Headache; having peculiar and exclusive merits. Use no substitute. See per- petual injunction against imitators; also the unani mous judgment before the Lords Justices Bramwell, Brett, and Cotton, 22nd J..n., 1878, in Lamplough's favour. 113 Holborn-hill. London. LONGEVITY OF THE CANARY.—How long does the canary of our cages live ? One in the writer's possession has sung cheerily to him at intervals for over ten years, and is now once more in full son?. He has been a bachelor all his life, and time after time has dropped, had fits, and his singing days have seemed to be over; but-here is a hint for canary keepers, old though thp. pretcription is-he has always been held ligbtl; in the hand, and immersed, all but his head, in warm water, apparently enjoying it, and afterwards placed upon his perch nsar thefire. The result has in- variably been the same; Richard or Dickey has been himself again, and, saving for the loss of one toe caused by obstreperous behaviour while having his nails trimmed, he might, be taken for a two year-old.— G. M. F. in Live Stock Journal. BERLIN WOOLS and UJSiiMAN NEEDLEWURK.- I. a above are imported direct by M. LKADKR, 9, N cv? ^AU-YARD, SHOREDITCH, LONDON, B.C., from wboir price lists are sent, on application, of every descrip tio- of fjincv wools. MIoftVM. filoafOlo. &e. THE RUSSIAN BALTio FLEET.—A Crona'ait correspondent states that on the 13th March a com- mission composed of the principal Russian admirals on the active list arrived at Oronstadt to make an in- spection of the Baltic Seet. The commission bus been specially appointed to inquire into the condition and power of the Bussian navy, and will examine in detail every vessel of war at Oronstadr. On the conclusion of its labours, which will last eight or ten days, the Admiralty will determine what vessels are to compose the seagoing fleet, and fix the various ports to which the in-shore squadron will be appointed. The ice at Cronstadt is rapidly becoming weaker under the in- fluence of the warm weather that has been prevailing in the north, and the navigation is expected to open at an unusually early period this season. WRIOHT'S COAL TAK BOAP Oarovnit Detergent), Antiseptic, Detergent disinfectant. The most healthful, agreeable, and refreshing Toilet Soap in the world. By its daily use, freedom from infectious diseases is secured the complexion improved; pimples, blotches and roughness removed and the slin made clear, smooth, and lustrous In our hands it has proved effective in skin diseases. —Th<L<Mtc<t. "It is the only true antiseptic soap."—British Wt'ii/iai Journal. In T»bl«t,s,«d. ar>d ia. eaob all Chemists. W. V. WRIGHT and Co., Southwark-straet, London. <. ATTKMPTTO STEAL LADY ROSJEBERY'S JEWELS —A skillully-planned attempt to carry off the jewels of Lady Bosebery has been made at Petworth House, Sussex, the seat of Lord Leconfield, at which Lord and Lady Bosebery are spending their honeymoon. It appears that the dressing-room of her ladyship is situated in the back portion of the mansion, over- looking a retired courtyard. On the night in ques. tion, while the guests in the house were at dinner, i one of the men servants, on passing through tb»j courtyard, noticed a peculiar flickering light in the window of the dressing-room, the blinds of which were down. He stood for a moment looking at the window,! when, observing the forms of two persons moving about, it occurred to him that something was wrong. He at once, without entering the house, rang a bell attached to the exterior of the mansion for alarm purposes. This had the effect of disturbing the robbers, who escaped by a ladder placed perpendicularly against the wall, and which the man-servant who had raised the alarm had failed, in consequence of the darkness, to observe. The dressing-room door was found to be locked from the outside, and on admission being gained it was dis- covered that the robbers had not succeeded in stealing any booty. This was due to the fact that the jewel cases of Lady Bosebery were placed in a strong iron case, instead of being, as is generally the custom, left on the table. The police have failed to obtain any clue to the culprits. WOOD AHD IVERT, LIMITED (J. W. Ivery, manager), Albion Blue Brick and Tile Works, West Bromwich, Staffordshire, manufacturers of vitrified blue bricks garden border tiles, flooring quarries.in, blue, red, of buff colour. Illustrations and prices on application. IMPORTANT SALVAGE CASE.—An important (case to salvors engaged in recovering wrecked pro- perty was brought before the bench at Harwich, in which seven smacksmen and divers named Fredeiiek Burton, Joseph Wheeler, James Smith, John Glover, Henry Jutson, James Juteon, and Edward Jones, belonging to .three Bmacks named Ann, of Whrstable, Increase, of Col- cheater, and Cupid, of Harwich, were charged with secreting wreck recovered from the German barque AugusteLolscher, stranded on the Kentish Knock Sand near the place where the steamer Deutschland was lost. The aervicea of the smacks were engaged by the German Vice-Consul at Harwich to save as much property as possible from the vessel named They broughtsome of it into port and landed a portion after which the Coastguard officers visited the smacks' and found other goods stowed away in various parts of them. In one instance some shawls were discovered inside one of the sidelights, and in another case one of the crew was found to have his breast padded with them. The goods were then seized. The prosecution was conducted by Mr. Smith, barrister, and Mr. Har- grave Hamel for the Board of Trade, and Mr Jones solicitor, of Colchester, appeared for the defendants' The magistrates—Messrs. W. Groom, J. H. Vaux and' C. F. Bevan—acquitted Glorer and Jutson. and the others 40s. each. nned THOUSANDS OP DELICATE CHILDREN and consumptive persons are said to have acquired sound constitutions and permanent strength by taking that most aereeaWi and efficient steel preparation, Dr. Guinle^ Steel Tablets, procurable of all respectable chemists, in boxes i or post free on receipt of postage stamps fori, lid. I or 2s. 9d.: by C. Allen Chemist, Kilburn, London.

i THE EASTERN QUESTION. r OUTLINE OF CONGRESS NEGOTIATIONS. The following is an outline of the Congress nego- tiations as detailed at length in the recently-published despatches Bustis began by accepting the principle that the Treaty of Peace should be referred to the Powers who were parties to theJTreaties of 1856 and 1871. The whole question in dispute for the last two months has been. as aU the world liiows, as to the manner in .which this reference to the European Powers ahtuUd be maae?i Our Government, at a very early period, limited in some degree the extent to which the treaty should be discussed by declaring that in so far as its provisions modified European treaties and affected general and British interests, they could only be valid as they were made the subject of a formal agreement among the parties to the Treaty of Paris. Prince Gortscba- h ?cceP';e^ the principle of this requirement, and the Austrian Qover ^ment, in sending an invitation to a Conference of the signatory Powers, which it did early in February, stated that its object was to con- sider the modifications which It was necessary to make in the Treaties of 1856 and 1871. In a few days the proposal was modified into one for a Con- gress at Berlin, and Lord Derby replied that it was des.rable first of all that it should be under- stood that all questions dealt with in the Treaty of Peace should be considered as subject to be discussed in the Congress. This was in some respects going beyond the original demand, which was not for all questions to be dealt with, but for all which bore on European treaties and general and British in- terests. In a further despatch our Government demanded that every article of the treaty should be placed before the Congress, not neces< sarily for acceptance, but in order that the Congress might decide whieh. rjquired the concur- rence of the Powers and which did not. The reply ■of Russia wfis that the who.e treaty would be tex- tually in the hands of the Powers betore the Con- gress met, and that. in the Congress every Power would have full liberty of appreciation and of action. Priaee Gortschakoff, however, explained that he could Only consent to a discus- sion of points which' concerned European .interests. Here came the hitch which has- rendered the whole negotiations useless. Our Government was not satisfied with this statement, and asked for a pledge that every article should be before the Congress. This pledge the Buskian Government declined to. gi*e> ax^d in its final reply claimed for itself the privilege o( not accepting the discussion of questions, as the correla- tive of the liberty each Power possessed of raising such questions as it thought fit. FAILtJBE OF IGNATIBPl 'S MISSION. A Vienna correspondent, under date March 31st, says: General Ignatieffs mission has led to nothing. His concessions wllre found to be insufficient, and his attempt to persuade the Austrian Government to occupy Bosnia, failed, Austria prefers to see Bosnia formed into a self-governing State, if necessary under Austrian control,. extending over the western portion of the Balkan Peninsula, and united (to Servia and Montenegro by commercial and customs treaties. Count Andrassy has made known to General Ignatieff that, in order to establish the political, com- mercial, and military equilibrium, Austria makes her cofisent td the peace of Jten Stefaao depend onfive con- ditions, as under: "1. An Austrian commercial and military convention with Servia, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Albania. 2. The management of the future rail- way to Salonica to be under the control of Austria. 3. Bulgaria to have no port on the JEgean Sea. 4. The Sultan's supremacy in the territories left to him to be secured. 6. A direct understanding to be con eluded by treaty between Austria and Turkey respect- ing the above conditions." THE INSUBECTION IN GBEECE. There is the following intelligence from Athens, under the dates of the 29th and 31st March: Thirty villages in Epirius have been pillaged and a large number of cattle have been carried off by bands of Albanian Turks, who are marchinu southward to their homes with their booty. Two thousand of these marauders, after destroying everything on their way, have arrived near the Greek frontier, and are stated to be continuing tb-ir advance. Intelligence received here this evening ann6unces that 2000 Albanian Turks, deserters from Arta, ha^e burnt some Turkish villages and murdered the inhabitants. It is sup- pesed that the same band committed the mas- sacres at Karaha. The news of the rising of the in- habitants of Volo is fully confirmfd. The Turks un- succssfullyattaeked the first line of insurgent en- trenchments in the villages near Volo. The insurgents drove the Turks into the town of Volo, some of their bullets falling within the town. Several Turkish war vessels are bombarding the insurgent posi- tions. Some of the shells have fallen short and burst within the town, wounding several of the inhabi tants. The foreign consuls consequently requested Hobart Pasha to change the position of his vessele- He has refused this, although promising to use better shells. According to an official despatch reinforce- ments havd reached the insurgents. The Turks ill large numbers made a general attack upon the insurgents on Mount Pelion, and after des- perate fighting drove them from their entrench- ments. The Turks, who are reported to have been 10,000 strong, have occupied Macriuitzt, and the in- surgents are entrenching themselves in new positions. I The losses in the engagement were heavy on both sides. Fresh fighting is expected. Several journal here state that the Government )-i-,va concluded co»" tracts Huh some ilrujs for the supply of shotli ttnd tquipments for the army. THE WAR PARTY IN CONSTANTINOPLE. The special correspondent of the Daily Aeuis, ref er- ring to rumours of movements of Russian troopS, states that there are no such troops nearer the B"9* phorus than ten or twenty miles, and that the Rus- sians have not advanced perceptibly since the move- ment on San Stefano. He then says: There is not the slightut evidence of any intention on the part of the Russians to violate the engagement they have made in any way. This is acknowledged by everybody except those who are blindly deter inined on bringing about war at any hazard by any means, however reprehensible. This is ac- rknowiedged by one correspondent of a leading £ aper here, who is violently anti-Buasian in views, rhis honesty contrasting forcibly with the conduct of another, well-known correspondent, who openly and cynically avows that he will use any report that may tend tc* bring about war, without inquiring into Its truth or caring for its truth. There is a evidently ft preconceived plan for working on English public opinion, and. at the same time for alarming the BuggiaiilB, causing them to lose their coolness, and inducing them to take some precautionary measures .that may be interpreted as warlike acts. There »re besides strange, inexplicable movements going on in the Turkish arm,-m>;rchin" counter marching, moving of troopa from point to point, incessant drilling, &e that lleem purposety intended to alarm the Russians, and induce them to take some warlike step. Fortu nately, the plan has not succeeded so far. I know the feeling in the Bussian army. I know that there is not the slightest desire for war with England that the Bussians fear war with England. But this very fear may, in view of the efforts of the War Party at Constantinople, cause them to lose their heads. I know, further, that Russia will make any reasonable «onee«ion to avoid war; that there is not a single article in the peace treaty upon which Lord Derby and Prince Gortschakoff could not come to an under- standing in an hour's convention that there is virtually nothing to go to war about, but I believe tbe War Party is well aware of this. They are doing everything in their,power to prevent the Congress and to bring about an explosion like that of the Benedetti- Ollivier incident. The only question is, will the Eng- ) lish nation repeat the French cry of To Berlin l" and English statesmen copy the blunders of the Third Empire ? ENGLAND AND THE CONGRESS. The Berlin Post writes: Should England insist on not joining the Congress, there would be no Euro- pean sanction to the treaty of peace. It is scarcely correct to see in England's demand with regard to the conditions, merely a formal dispute. Russia can. after having refused the English demands in respect of every clause of the treaty, raise the question whether it is of general interest. Then England would have tamakeeSorts to procure a majority of the Con- gress. She would be able, by her single vote, to pre- vent the admission of any of the clauses into the law of Europe. Therefore,it is clear that England should de- mand that the whole treaty should be submitted to the Congress for deliberation. Russia's reply that in com- municating the treaty to the Powers England's demand was satisfied is hardly conceivable. That the assembly of the Congress ;s whollv It, the interest of Btiss.a has been stated by Prinze Bismarck in his recent speech on the Eastern complications. If England does not attend the Congress the Treaty of San Stefano is juridically invalid. She would continue her arma- ments, and wait for the most favourable moment for action. If Bussia will not suffer it, she must keep herself upon £ be offensive. If she finds but a single place to attack England—such a place, however, she will not discover—if the Russian army should march against India, who will protect her conquest in Turkey ? Or do they imagine that India can be con- quered with a few regiments ? If Bussia will retire to the standpoint of beatipossidentes, her whole Em- pire must remain in arms to be prepared at every point for an English assault. This armed existence England and Russia will have to endure as long as the former refuses to acknowltdge the treaty. But Eng- land can bear Euch a state of things for years, while Bussia cannot stand it for three years. Bussia's hopes for an alliance with the United States against England will prove to be idle. Bussia cannot bring about an 'anti-Bntish coahtion, while Ensland may be sup- ported by Turkey renewing the war against Russia, who would then be forced to advance beyond the limits drawn by the San Stefano Treaty. Austria herself will not remain passive. Turkey will find means to make spontaneous sacrifices of Jier posses- sions en the Western Balkan Peninsula in favour of Austria and Greece, in order to "recover Bulgaria. To avoid these eventualities, Russia should be wise enough to be moderate. GENERAL IGNATIEFP INTEBVIEWED. Th", Paris correspondent of the Times says The Vienna correspondent of the Temps interviewed ¡ General Ignatieff, who said: I come to Vienna with an autograph letter from the Czar serving toe* as a direct introduction to the Emperor. Tbe mission in- 1 trusted to me by my Sovereign has an eminently pacific aim. It consists in harmonising the interests of Austria-Hungary in Servia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, I and on the Danube with the modifiable provisions of the Treaty of k.an Stefano. I was expecting next to go to Berlin as Secend Plenipotentiary, but I shall probably return to -St.. Petersburg, as the Congress seems to be postponed Or abandoned. That abandon- ment, however, is not, perhaps, definitive, notwith- standing Lord Derby s resignation. England in I violating the provisions of the Treaty of Paris, which forbid men-of-war to enter the Sea of Marmora, has placed herself in a dilBcult position, whence she is trying to extricate herself in a way capable of saving her dignity. This is why she puts forward unacceotable conditions. From the moment, in fact, that the-majority of votes is not the law of the Congress, Bussia is justified, m 1 he same way as any other Power would be, in re- serving tbe right of discussing or not discussing a particular ^paragraph of the treaty. The Vienna and Berlin Cabinets, moreover, sharfe this view. The Rus- sians will remain before Constantinople as long as the English men-of-war are In the Sea of Marmora. The diet option of the Vienna Cabinet towards us is pacific and evenly friendly, and this could not be other- wise, Russia having carffuliy reserved all the questions affecting Austro-Huegarian interest* as is shown by the modifiable character of cer- tain points of the treaty. The Constanti- nople Conference, in settling the question of Bosnia- and Ht*rze £ cmna> admitted the introduction into those provinces of a foreign militia. Austria might temporally profit by that clauae. The occupation of Bulgaria by 50,000 Bussians as long as a native militia is not formed, and in any case for two years at n>ost» is indispensable fer the repatriation of the armf> the dismantling of fortresses, and the pre- venting of collisions between Mussulmans and Christians. In according its protection only to Christians of the Greek Ohurch, the St. Peters- I burg Cabinet wish to respect the position of France in the Holy Places; so, too, it desires to respect the interests of the European creditors of Turkey by es- tablishing for their benefit a kind of community of interests with those of Russia by the mode of payment of the war indemnity." The correspondents imprea. 8ion after this interview was that Bussia wishes for tbe Congress, but doubts whether it will meet, and seeks a cordial understanding with Austria in view of every contingency. j The correspondent of the ftew York Herald at St petetersburg telegraphs that he had an interview with General Ignatieff as the latter was starting for Vienna. The correspondent gives what purports to be tbe exact language used by General Ignatieff as foj. lows^, "I..am going to give the Austrian Cablet! all tbtr. explanations desired respecting the pr*lj. jpiftaries of peace. There shall be no more equivoca. tion. England will be left atone' in her opposition to us and to the termination of the war. We are onu too willing to quit Turkey, but the English, by the de. (nonstrations of their d'et, and the refusal to allow our troops to embark at Buyukdere, seem to oppogg our going. If we are driven to extremities "e gball remember tbe phrase now celebrated, J'y ?uis et j'y reste.' We are re-idy for everything. The Grand Duke Nicholas only awaits the word." The chief secretary of Prince Gortscbakoff said to the same correspondent, the exact words again being cited: "The bad faith of England has aroused general irritation. It ia really an ultimatum which General Ignatieff carries to Vienna, because whether Austria is with ua or against us, we go on." BtJSSUNS AND BOUMANIANS. The feeling of dislike between the Bussians and Roumanians is increasing day by day, and the latter contrive all kinds of annoyance, especially to civil- ians bringing Bussian passports in order to cross from Rustcbuk to Giurgevo, while the Boumanian soldiers levy black mail from passengers, under the pretence that the passports are not in order. The Roumanians have also established duties amounting to 15 per cent, on all provisions brought over here from Giurgevo. THE RUSSIAN TROOPS IN BULGABIA. The 7ïmes correspondent at Bustchuk has the fol. lowing under date March 24th The Volkhof Regi. ment of Infantry, belonging to the 35th Division, has been ordered to Widin, and two battalions have already been taken up the river in a couple of barges. The KLerson and Bcssarabian Regiments of the 33rd Division continue to occupy the town and forts (jutside, beinj distributed in different villages. Within the district marked by this town, Silistm, and Basgrad are the Tiraspol and Odessa Infantry Reeimer,ts, together with several iegiments cf cavalry nnd C<we».ckp, the nmnhr.) of i*hu-h I h.ve not. v-i. betn able to discover, b8 tln-y are daily changing troiu one place to another in fact, since the conclusion of peace there has been nothing but orders and counter- mands. Two days ago some Cossacks of the Guard were preparing to start for home, in conformity with in structions from San Stefano, when their departure was put off indefinitely by a telegram from the same source. Officers talk a good deal of bein* sent to Plo- jesti and to other places along the line of the Bon- manian railway. Shumla, it is s id, has been evacuated ?| l r*8 occupied by the 1st Division of the 0oirJ)a-. General Vanofsky remains chief here during the absence of Prince Dondaukoff Korsakoff at head-quarters. AN INTERVIEW WITH OSMAN PASHA, Our ( ai y News) correspondent lately at Sebas- topol, writing from Kharkoff on March 15, says: <Wn Pasha was still at his hotel here, 1 determined this morning to pay him a visit. Tbe Pasha received me at once. His apartments, which are en the ground floor of the Hotel Bellevue, were com or a y but not luxuriously furnished. He was quite alone. As his French was limited the conversa- tion wasatmost entirely on my side. I told him all the 4.a„„, hoped he had been pleased with his k*t U8aia- He said: Yes; the apartments are u, still a prisoner." I expressed astoniah- suggested that the Government were pre- parmg a yacht to send him back in. I hoped he had recovered from his wound, and told him that if he Tk Crimea he would find the weather j very agreeable. He knew all about the peace 8,1 e/J 6 P°8ition of the Bussians, and apparently Cal" J kittle about these matters. He ex- presse decided satisfaction when I told him that the ultan had ordered that no more British vessels were to be admitted through the Dar- j? which I conclude he is not amiably disposed towards us. I told him that Baker Pasha was on leave, and that I believed Hobart was at Constantinople He aaid, "I don't know Baker Pasha, but 1 know Hobart." After about a quarter of an hour of similar conversation I took my leave. He rose when I left, and shook hands, which I hear find ^Fea^ k°nour. Kharkoff is a fine town, and I r_no of distress from the war. The market is e y good, and everything cheap. I bought this morn- Ing four grouse (rabchick) for ten kopecks (2d.) each; fggS are ten for the same sum, and all other things fiL chtap. There are no beggars, except nontJj 6 kfd ones, who sit in tbe mud at fre- corners howling psalms. They make no .dIrect a,pelll to you, but the howl increases as you approach (especially if they are blind), and is well worth a kopeck to step. The weather is gett ng wa mer, and the streets muddier every day, but I find a great difference between this climate and the Crimea. There we bave spring; here winter still reigns^I hope not for long. VISIT OF THE GRAND DUKE TO THE SULTAN. tarn p' ?n o'clock on the morning of the 26th March w; i ,U881an steamers, containing tbe Grand Duke n an^ kis staff and a guard of honour, arrived tj0 m.abagr,che. The foreign stationairea hoisted the Rasslsn flag, and the Turkish ironclads were ma ned, but there was no other demonstration. There wafjn? 8ftlut«. The Grand Duke's visit had not been a announced, and scarcely any persons were P B k 00n 88 the Grand Duke's yacht was brought o anchor four large caiques, eaen capable of hold- ing welve persons, besides rowers, went off and Grand Duke and his staff to the palace, ut Pasha received the Grand Duke at the landing place, and the Sultan received him at the steps lead- t. Throne Boom. Tbe Grand Duke remained ?. an hour with tbe Sultan, and then he and his staff went over to the Palace of Beglerbey, where the Russian soldiers were drawn up. The Sultan afterwards returned the Grand Duke's visit, the Russian ships being dressed in his honour. The rand Duke met the Sultan at the landing- place, and assisted him out of tbe caique. The Sultan remained at Beglerboy for half an hour, and then, together with tbe Grand Duke and bis eon, and i ei|era'8 and Gourko, went back to Dolma- < tk # where refreshments were served. Later in 1 the afternoon the Grand Duke drove in a carriage and four to the Bussian Embassy in Pe"a, where tbe wrappings which have concealed the Bussian eagles on the gates during the war were solemnly taken down. (

WILLS ANI) BEQUESTS. The will, dated Sept. 15, 1873, of the Hon. Frances Mary Vaughan, Vicountess Forbes, formerly of No. 3, Queen-street, Mayfair, but late of No. 107, Lans- downe place, Brighton, who died on Dec. 25 last, has been proved by Miss Angela F. M. A. L. Vaugban, the daughter, the sole executrix, the personalty being sworn under £2000., Subject to some specific gi: ts of jewellery, &e to her son, the Earl of Granard, and her other children, the testatrix leaves all her pro- perty to her daughter. Tbe confirmation, under seal ef the Sheriff Court of Aberdeen and Kincardine, of the will of Sir Alexander Bannerman, of El&ick, and Crimon- mogate, who died on the 21st of April last, granted to Lidy Katherine Bannerman, the widow, Lord Saekville Arthur Cecil, and the Hon. Henry Bobert Hepburn Scott, the executors nominate, was sealed at the principal registry, London, on the 28ch ult., the personal effec's in England and Scotland amounting to upwards of £32.00U. The Will and three codicils (dated June 22.1872, Srptemt er 2,1873, September 25,1875, and November 21, 1877) of Miss Elizabeth Hoisted, late of St. John's-street, Chichester, who died on the 19th ult., were proved on the 9th inst. by George Drewitt and Bobert George Baper, the executors, the personal estate being sworn under i'90,000. The testa- trix bequeaths £1000 to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, £500 each to the Royal Hospital for Incurabhs, the National Hospital lor the Belief and Cure of the Paralysed and Epileptic, the Cancer Hospital, Piccadilly and Falham-road, and the Association for the General Welfare of the Blind £4UO to the Brighton Eye In- Srmary; £300 each to the London Orphan Asylum and the Asylum t'or ti e Support and Education of the Deaf and Dumb Children of the Poor, Ken^-road and there are many other bequests, including .£21,000 and certain property at Westhampnet to Mr. Raper. The will and codicil (dated August 21, 1871, and December 8; 1874) of Mr. Charles Herbert Ames, for- merly of her Majesty's Indian Civil Service, and late of Bemenham-place, Berks, who died on January 19 last, were proved on the 8tb inst. by Henry St. Vin- cent Ames, Frederick Ames, and Beginald Ames, the brothers, the executors, the personal estate being sworn under £70,000. The testator leaves to his executors £ 200 each; to Lis wife, tirs. Eliz* Scott Ames, £500, his residence, with the furniture and effects, and the income of £10,000 for life; and the residue of his property to be divided between all his children in such a way that each of his sons shall have double the portions of each of bis daughters. The wi!l and two codicils (dated November 1 and 16 and December 24, 1877) of Mr. Francis Wood- ward, late of Severn Stoke, Worcester, who died on January 12th last, were proved on the 12th inst. by Ed- ward Henry Pace and Thomas Farmer, tbe exe- cutors, the personal estate being sworn undergo, 000. The testator settles his property at Pensbam, Wor- cestershire, upon his great nephew, John Willoughby Wilson Woooward. There are several legacies, and the residue he gives to his nephew, Thomas Saunders, and his niece, Mrs. Elizabeth Farmer. The will (dated August 27, 1877) of Mr. Samuel Parker Bidder, late of Bersted, Sussex, colliery pro- prietor, who died on January 10 last at Southsea, was proved on the 22nd ult. by Mrs. Isabella Seymour Bidder, the widow, and John Sandilands Ward, the executors, the personal estate being sworn under .E25.000. Subject to legacies to his brother, brother- in-law, and late and present servants, the testator gives all his property to his wife absolutely.— Illustrated London News, March 30.

THE WAR™PREPARATION. The following is the form which will be used in calling out the Bcserve First Class Army Beserve.—Her Majesty having been graciously pleased to direct by Proclamation that the First Class Army Reserve Force b called out for permanent serv ce, all men belonging to the said Be serve Force of the —— district are required to report themselves at the head -quarters of the pension district at —— on or before the —— for the purpose of rejoining the army." In an appendix to the instructions the places are named to which the Beserve men in the several pen- sion districts, other than those previously provided for, are to be sent, and also the officers to whom they must report themselves. The stations appointed are the military depdts most convenient to the residences of the men. On Friday one of the principal firms of merchants and Admiralty contractors in Wolverhampton re- ceived an inquiry from the War Office as to a very large number of picks and shovels required for war purposes, with an intimation that they were urgently required and the time they could be supplied in was specially asked for. The recruiting omccrt are experiencing an increase of business, and the recruits who are coming in are not only numerous, but of a superior class. The recruits still manifest a preference for a long spell in the army, but short service is now the invariable rule—eight years in the ranks and four in the Reserve for Artil- lery, Engineers, and Cavalry; six years in the ranks and tix in the Reserve for Infantry. Very many good abd useful men are permitted to make a new engage- ment extendii g their service to a fuU period oftwmty- Oiif pars. On Saturday ever ing Mr., Forbes, t he wur correspon- dent, was entertained by some members of the Liver- Pool press to dinner at the Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool. The chair was taken by Mr. J. A. Willox, and many the leading men of the town were present. Mr. Forbes, responding for his health, expressed his con- action that we should be engaged in war in less than ^fortnight. He had proffered his services to the Government in connection with a reconnoitring corps -tbe formation ef which he proposed in a letter to the Times; and there existed a probability of his en- gagelUent in that capacity. He added that he desired to serve his country again as a soldier.

DEATHS IN FOREIGN HOTELS.—Mr. Charles Braid, M.B., Edinburgh, writes as follows in the Tunes; A dear friend, after a week's illness, died, frem no contagious disease, at the Hotel de l'Univers on u*' AmbMsadeurs, at Aix-les Bains, S»voie, on the 20th of last month. In Paris, if a death occurs at an hotel, j hear a reasonable indemnity is requested, usually amounting to £3, in order to paint aud disin- fect the room but in the provinces it is different, the sum awarded by law being frequently £20. After paying 8ft exorbitant hotel bill, the landlord, Monsieur Renaud, demanded the fabulous indemnity of £280, and his wife refused to permit me to depart until the entire sum was paid. After much ex- postulation «hich was utterly useless, I said I would go to the judge of the country, and was told by Madame that there was no such official in the town but I knew better, and foond a courteous and honour- able gentlemaili who, with great care, investigated the matter and awarded the landlord the sum of £20. Many efforts were made in my absence to induce try sister and friends, all young girls, not one being 21 years of age, to sign a document rendering themselves responsible for the sum of £280. Such an attempt at extortion deserves to be made known wherever the Times reaches. TERBIBLE FIRB AT TIENTSIN.—A frightful catastrophe from fire has occurred at Trientsin. A great number of refugeee are gathered at that port, where they are housed in temples and improvised camps, and fed by Government or private charity. On the morning of the 7th of January a fire broke out among the matsheds in one of the relief yards just out- side the city wall. A strong wind was blowing at the time, and within an hour the sheds were all burnt, and some 1500 Intn, women, and children were suffocated or burnt to death. This frightful result is due— i first, to the location of the yard, and partly to the occurrence of the accident at meal-time. The place was bounded on one side by the city moat, on a part of the south and west sides was an ice-pit, while houses lined the remaining sides. In addition it was surrounded by a fence of millet-stalks, plastered with mud, in which was only one gate, that was kept closed by special order at mealtime, to prevent outsiders in truding and stealing tbe food. In the confusion there was delay in opening this solitary outlet, and then so many had to find exit that it is not difficult to realise the scene while eye-witnesses dectare that the horror of the picture after the fire will never be effaced from their memory. AFRICAN EXPLOHATION.—A private letter has been published, received by one of his friends, from Mr. Maas, of the Belgian expedition to Africa, one of the two whose sudden illness and death have caused such a painful sensation here. It is dated Zanzibar, the 7th of January, just a week before his death. He gives a pleasing a'count of his arrival and first im- pressions, his reception by the Sultan, and the new kind of life to which be was getting accustomed. He concludes by saying that he was quite well, and-had. not as yet felt any bad effects from the climate, about which be had heard so much before leaving Belgium. M. 0am bier telegraphs that he has returned from his preparatory journey to Mpwapwa, and is making arrangements to leave for the interior in May. A Brussels paper asks if carrier-pigeons might not be employed in Africa as a means of communication. THE POLITICAL CRISIS IN VICTORIA has ter- minated. Tbe bill for the payment of members j jf tbe Assembly having been passed by the Legis- lative Council, the Legislative Assembly thereupon | pasaed the Appropriation Act without that item. i

P A RLIAM ENTAHYJ^'iKLLj GENC £ RESIGNATION OF L^kd DEEBY.—Ia the House of L^rds Lor, Derby rose and said lie desired to take 'he earliest opportunity,of sitting that he hai ceased to hold the office of the Secret&iy for Foreign Affairs, and thar, as his resignation had been accepted by the Queen', he only held office until his successor should be appointed. The Cabin,t arrived at cert-tin conclu- sions of a grave and important nature, and in the measures proposed he had not been able to concur; but, to prevent needless alarm, it was his doty to state ib it those measures did i:ot necessarily lead to a s' ate of war. f hen the concurrence of Parliament s V ould be asked for the adoption of 1 hose measures he would be ready to indicate the opinion he had formed, but it would be for those who we'e responsible f >r the conduct of public affairs to select the time for submit tin. the sub- ject to the consideration of Parl ament. it might be in. ferred that he had differed from the vi..w of the Cabinet as to the positii n in which England should join the Congress, but that was not the ca- e an l ne need not add that no personal motives had in:li enced his conduct, for he had always held that a public 11111.11 was bound to make a sacrifice of his personal feeliiiijs L, iM li1 ;i. ousfi-Jd s-aid that during a long time the cares of Tlublic life which he had shared with Lord Derby had been comp nsaced by the consolation of private friendship. As Lord D rhy hud with perfect taste avoided entering on the particular reasons which hai ind ctd him to take a step so important to the country, ip like manner, 1Jord Heaconsfieid proceeded to say, he would refrtun from noticing those topics; but as public mi-chief might arise from misapprehension he must state that, in consequence of the belief tha^, the Congress would not meet, it bee >me the duty of the Government to consider what, measures they would adopt for the protec- tion of the Empire, and they had thought it right to advise the Queen to appeal to Parliament, in order that the servi. es cf the Reserved Forces mitrht be made available. In losing the services of Lord Derby, he was th' greatest suSever, but he believed that the policy which he had recommended would tend to the greatness and strength of this country. Lord Cardweil said that it was most important that the House should know the reason of Lord Derby's secession from the Government, and he sup- posed that an early opportunity would be afforded of dis- cussing thema ter. The subject then dropped. Mi NisTKRiAr, STATEMENT.—In the House of Commons, Lord Haa-tington asked whether the Government was able to give any inforuation ns to the meeting of the Congress. The Chancellor of the Exchequer replied that, papers would be at once pl9ced in the hands of members toxplainillg the position of affairs, aud he proceeded to indicate the prin- cipal: points which would be foi nd in them. In the (first despatch, dated March):5, her Mtf jesty s Government laid it down as a condition ot entering the Congress, that every article in the treaty between Russia and Turkey, should be piaced bef re the congress, not necessarily for acceptonce, but in order that it might be considered what articles required the ac- ceptance or the concurrence of tbe several Powers and what did not. To this the Russian Government replied on the lath of March that.thg treaty would be communicated in its entirefv, and well before the a eembling of the Con- gress that all the Governments woulo lif ve full liberty of appreciation and.aetion;. j!»ct that it would be an unfair restriction o.u Russia, if sir1 alone nmong nil fh'e Powers were asked to contract a preliminary engagement. To this her Maj. sty's Government res-lied en the 21st of March, denying that the .preliminary understanding which they ask-d for. would reiFrict, the freedom of Russia, and asking for further explanation; and finally, the.Kussia^,Government, off;the 2t»tli of March, defined the term "-liberty of appreciation ajid action" to mean that other Powers would have the liberty of raising such questions at the Congress as they might think fit to discuss, but that Bussia reserved to herself the liberty of accepting or not accepting the discussion of these questions. THE MUTINY Bili.—The House then went into committee on the Mutiny Bill, and wa.s occupied in considering the clauses until a late hour. The proceedings were of the same protracted nature as on the two previous evenings. Ulti- mately the bill passed through committee. SUPPLY.—On going into Supply, Lord Hartington asked for some further explanation of the statement made by the Prime Minister in the House of Lords as to the cailing out of the Reserves—was it, intended to embody tie Militia or merely to call out the Army and Militia Reserves? Mr/Hardy replied that, under the Act of Par damcn:, before calling out the First Class Army Reserves it was necessary that acommu- nication should be ma> e to Parliament and that, a Pro- clamation should then be issueo, and those step-" would be aecordinglytaken on Monday, or as toon after as possible. They would not affect the enibodiment of the Militia, which requled a different process, but they would simply f nut her Majesty in a position to avail herself of the First Class Reserves to fill up her regular forces. In answer to further questions-from Mr. Cywen and Mr. Childers, Mr. Hardy said that the' strength of the First Class Aruiy Re- serves wa^ 12,000 meo, and of the Miliiia Reserves' between fi&iOtK) anA 26,000 men. If ah expediticn uy force is sent out, of course the linked battali m" of Militia will be em. bodied, but not before. Tht He use subsequently went into Committee of Supply on a vote of £ 3,777,540 on ac- count of the Civil Service and Revenue Estimates for the I next year. THE CALLING OUT OF THE ARMY AND MILITIA RESERVES. —THE ROYAL MESSAGE.—In the House of Lords the Earl of Beaconsfield presented the Message from tbe Crown. The Lord Chancellor read her Majesty's Message, which was in the foUowicg terms: Victoria Regina.—The present state of pubiic affairs in the East, and the necessity in connection f' therewith for taking steps for the maintenance of peace and for the protection of the interests of the Empire baying constituted, in the opinion of her Majesty, a case great emergency within the meaning of the acts Lof Parliament made on that behalf, her Mnjesty deems it proper to provide additional means for her military service, and, therefore, in pursuance (f tho-e acts, her Majesty bas thouglJt it right to cUlJlmunicate to the House of Lords that her Majesty is' about to cause her Reserve forces and her Militia Reserve force, or such part of then? as her Majesty may thiiik necessary, to he forthwith caIleg out fopyewnH.naiit service." Tie E irl of Beaconsfield said j he had intended t" move ihat'lier, Majesty's gracious Message should be taken into consideration on Thursday' 0 but .as "it ^appeared to be" thought expedient, tl at her 1 Majesty's "Message should "be considered by both House9 of Parliament 011 the same day. and the time for it3 discussion was then teing considered i the Commons. he proposed that a settlement of the time should re "j arrived at later in the evening, when the arrangement made by the Commons became known. He took the opportunity ofsuying that he should lay further paperS on the astern Question before the House trat even- ing. Earl Grey hoped it would not be consiiered prematur0 if he venturtd to espre-s 11 hope that wh n th rime canJe for the C'.jn ideration of her Majes y's gracious Message be' "Majesty's Ministers would explain very ckarl. whit. the ultimate purpose for which the m. asure of calling °u the ReserVwB"«Kras adopted. Such a measure was a very aojd <ould onlj be done m time of nat onal danger 0 j: great .emergency As to tte m< n of the Reserves tbeiO" /o selves, many of' them would be compelled to leave tbeir |j occupations and their families, so that, such a I was a most serious one. The Earl of Redesdale sal nothing was more likely to embarrass tbe Government r.Kh 1 speech as that of the noble earl's. E-irl i'stiei! i' c.irre-.jx nderce with any other Governments tb^fl Russia would be prouui ed. The Earl of Beaconsfield he should lay further papers on the table this evening, deprecaifed further discussion at present. In with the understanding arrived at in the Commons, th Message would be Considered on Monday, the 8th inst. THE Quefn'S MESSAGE.—In the House of Commons ^r* G. Hardy, the Secretary of State for War, I he expressed it from the bar of the House, ''a from the Crown." The Speaker then read her Majesty Message, whicti was the same as that presented to Upper Honse, and, after some discussion, it was agreed t° Upper House, and, after some discussion, it was agreed to fix Monday, the 8th inst., for its consideration. THE PROPOSED CONGRESS.—The Marquis of asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it was tlI 1: intention of the Government to by on the table any further papers relating to the negotiations with other Powers ejj the subject of the proposed Congress..Be said he only point out in explanation of his question that the pape1 given on Saturrjay morlling showed an mterval d a whole month—namely^ from the 7th of FebruB I) to the 7th of March—during which there ",er Ii I no communications produced. He wanted to point OUt also that no papers were laid .before them shewing wj1" views were taken of tbe preliminary objections of enteral* into the Congress by the other to.weis of Europe. < Chancellor of the Exchequer said there are more cornmoP- cations which I think will be laid on the table besi" those already presented. With regard to the del*v referred to between the correspondence or comnru^j cations —that"'fiTSISy -was--occasioned to. the. inter^ thai had elapsed .before her Majesty's bad received the official communication the- terms bf the Treaty of Peace. With regard the communication's from other Government s as to the 0 jection raised by us to enter tbe Congress, tbey are j garded in the light of confidential corumui ications, a~g- therefore they could not properlj be laid before the HouS~I There is one paper which will be laid on the table this ing, and which I hope will be in the hands of members morrow. It is a circular despatch which was prep red j her Majesty's Government and u as addressed to all ,g Powers of Europe expressing the opinions of her MaJeS J Government as to the present position of affairs. I INDIAN FINANCE.—Mr. Fawcett moved a series of resol11i tions directed against the increased salt duty in India the trades licence tax, and declaring that the fund for relief of famines should not be expendet1 upon public w0^S ] Mr. Grant Duff said the resolutions summed up all j the House ought not to believe with regard to finance. Mr. Maclver moved as an amendment that trades licence tax should be supplemented by a sif^t I tax on incomes from other sources; the was not seconded. Sir G. Campbell suggested number of suiall economies might be effected, which I1f f¡b' aggregate would suffice to dispense with the increase of salt tax. Mr. Smollett supported the resolutions, as did Mr. Grant; while Mr. Blrley objected to the first, sympathised with the second. Mr. E. Noel favewV the second and third, but opposed tbe first resolutJ" Mr. Massey aid tbe >a t tax was asse ssed with wanton 1 a quality. He should vote iitainst the first res< lution. support the second a- d he resommended that tbe tration of the famine fund should be left in the hands of Indian Government. Mr. C. B. Denison object d that -j resolutions we e equivalent to a vote of cei sure both the Indian Government and Sir J. Strachey- 0id Playfair condemned the salt tax, although no one c°nCe- advise its abolition in the present state of Indian Lord G. Hamilton said the object of the Govern ment to equalise the differential duties throughout India..$0 increase in the expenditure had, however, eaten up a j^l' Lord G. Hamilton said the object of the Govern ment to equalise the differential duties throughout India..$0 increase in the expenditure had, however, eaten up a j^l' the surplus, as well as the improved receipts from the1 pt ways. Under these circumstances the Indian pC had made wise arrangements for obtaining a su £ jil>' surplus, besides laying down Found financial ciples, which were capable of almost indefinite The proposals of ir J. Stracbey were so closely assoc^j^ that one could not be com enmed without overtbr0 jn the entire budget. He admi ted that there was for £ some things that had been said ngainst the !i fttiv0 and the licence duty; but there was no alterD pg between the latter and the income-tax. The resol°j,ffif' wae of too abstralJt a character to be accepted. Mr- plil" cett having replied, the House divided on the first Te tion, condemnatory of the salt tax, which it negati'J 0ja" 163 to 87. A division was then taken on the second ». tion, relating to the :rade licence tax, which was del by 1M to 96. The third resolu ion was withdrawn. «*