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

LONDON CORRESPONDENCE. BAD as were so ue of the extraordinary soenes which took place in the Home of Com- mons last session, they seem to have been quite eolip'ed by what occurred at the private sitting on Friday night after "strarigers" — which includes Parliamentary reporters as well as the general publio-were cleared out by Colonel Forrester and his subordinates. But it is a most egregious mistake to suppose that the exolu- sion of the representatives of the press must neoessarily guarantee the secrecy of the proceedings, as there are always members reILdy and wiiling to give an account of the ohief tbiDgs that were said and done on such occasions. In this way the metropolitan papers were enabled to supplement their own reports, and their columns suinequeatly contained the substance of wi at was spoken, a1: the secret sitting, by the Irish incorri. gib es atd their opponents. Souie of the incidents of the evening certainly appear to have been of a very remarkable, as well as diagraoMfut, character. The Marquis of Hurt- is gton, Mr. Gladstone, and Mr. Lowe, were greeted with hoots and howls when they voted with the minority 011 the exclusion of the preaj, and this conduct Wall described by the first-named, on returning to the House, as gomtthing un- paralleled in the annals of Parliament. Sir Patrick O'Brien also stated that he bad been in the House of Commons twenty-Bix years, and had never seen en A an example of bad tiste—uvinjr the mildest words •(•oaib'.e—as had been exhibited by Messrs. O'Donnell and Parnell. From all this the infer, nce to be drawn is that there is assuredly no advantage in the House of Cammoas seeking to indulge in private sittings. Ia households of a certain order, the members of which do not live on terms or amity, it is a common practice to look the door when a ahindy Is impending, or when boisterous language is to be freely oted. Similarly the motion to exolude strangers was carried by a majority in the House of Commons when it was feared that language might be bandied to and fro calculated to outrage the Parliamentary proprieties. But, notwithstanding thw precaution, the echoes of the expressions em- ployed have travelled beyond the walls of St. Stephen's. All the country now knows that Dr. Ward, referring to the accusatory remarks made by the members for Duagarvan and Meath about the late Lord Leitrim, described these hon. gentlemen as simply anxious toacquire for themaelvea a notoriety which in this case looked very like infamy; and that Mr. O'Donnell, in retorting, characterised what had been spoken in the hearing of the House as an "infamous lie." The objectionable phrase was, of course, withdrawn, on the attention of the Speaker being drawn to it; but no apology can adequately atone for the use of tnch words in such a place. Sir William Haroourt accused Messrs. O'Donnell and Parnell of having used "monstrous lan- guage," and Mr. David Plunket .thought that it could only be tolerated by the foal rabble which had hooted the corpse of the late Earl in Dublin the other day. The sitting, it is thus apparent, was one whioh, however lively, could redound little to the credit of the House of Commons, or rather to those members of it who seem to take delight in dragging it into the mire. The University boat-race day might almost be considered as the first of the Easter holi- days. There was only aa interval of five days be- tween it and Good Friday. The race took place under the most favourable auspices as regard weather, and the usml eagir crowds lined both banks of the river notwith- standing the early start. People who had to row all the way from below bridge to some select spot between Putney or Mirtlake, or to travel overland any considerable distance, required to be up betimes and to swallow a hasty breakfast. A noticeable circumstance was that, although the betting, from the first appearance of tIle two erews on thel river, had been almost universally in favour of Oxford, the great majority of the speotitorsof both eexea aported the colours of the light blue. Perhaps the fact that, previous to this year's contest, Oxford had only onne been the olear winner over a space of seven year?, had something to do with this popular predileo- tion. Likings, however, are unaccountable things, and there are plenty who could not have given a satisfactory answer if asked why they preferred the Cambridge to the Oxford oolours. I War has the effect of increasing our geogra- phical knowledge, and a similar distinction, so far as points and places on the Middlesex and Surrey sides of the Thames are concerned, may be alaimed for the world-famous boat-race. The Distillery, the Soap Works, the Lead Mills, the Oil Mill?,and Griffen'a Brewery that adjoin the Putney and Mortlake nouree, have become, through a length of years, so closely associated with what Lord Coleridge calls the annual Nautr.acira," that their posiii jn is pr tty accurately knovn to thousandis who ntver saw the Thames except in maps and their names have quite as familiar and pleasant a sound to the ear aa Craven Cottage, Rose Cottage, Chiawick Church, the Crab Tree, and the White Hart. If the race took place on a river which had no distinguishing points like those on its banks the sporting reporters would experience some difficulty in making it known how far one or the other crew had the advantage at various distances along the course from the wtturting spot to the winning-post. Londoners who are desirous this Eastertide ot putting a long distance between them and the scene of their daily labours and cares are afforded ample opportunities of doing so both by railway and steamboat cjmpantea. The London, Brighton, and South Coast; the South-Western; the South Eastern; the Great Western; the Noxth- Western; and the London Chatham, and Dover Unel-theae have all announoed extended time for return tickets, and numerous cheap fast trains to all points of the compass. For those who prefer sea voyaging to land travelling, cheao excursions to Hamburg, Ant- werp, Ostend, Havre, Boulogne, Edinburgh, Newcastle, and Hull, have been provided by the General Steam Navigation Company, although it is quite soon enough in the season yet for landamen, who want to combine enjoyment wish relaxation, to commit themselves, even on board ship, to the tender mercies of the treaeherous sea. The holiday-makers who are not fond Of venturing too far afield would be glad to learn that through the exertions of the Kew Gardens Public Rights Defence Association, the First Commissioner of Works had consented to open these de- lightful gardena at ten o'clock in the morning on all Bank Holidays, whioh of coune includes Easter Monday. It may now be confidently hoped that the boon, tiros partially granted, will loon be extended to visitors on ordinary days during the summer and autumn, when the gardens are in all the glory of flowerage and foliage. The newspaper which made the announcement the other day that the old Playhouse of Alleyne, the founder of Dulwioh College, situated in Play- house-yard, Whttecross-street, would be pulled down in the oourse of a few weeks, appeals to have been labouring under a considerable mistake, as it has since been pointed out that, in Maitlaimd's "History of London," published in the year 1772, the Playhouse referred to was, at that time, described as being a ruin. Six years ago a Refuge, which had been erected on the Bite of Alleyoe's Theatre, was also removed in turn, on aooouot of its dilapidated state, in order to make room for a three-storey factory, the entrance to which is now being rebuilt Playhouse, Refuge, Factory—-such^is the changeful history of one London site since the Elizabethan-Stuart days when lived Alleyae, actor and philanthropist. D. G. =====

AUSTBALIAN W OOL.- Tbe moat important exhibition of merino wool ever held in Australia was opened on the 14th of February at the warehouses in Melbourne of Messis. B. Gcldsbrough and Co., who gtTe four gold cups as prizes. The exhibition proved a great attraction to stoctowners and those who take ai interest in pastoral pursuits. The judges' decisions Closed the greatest surprise. Few were prepared for the result that when brought to the crucial tpst of a money value the wools from the hot plains of Riverine and South Au-tralii would surpass the samples from the best flocks in Victoria, The majority of the pxbi. bitora decided to forward their wool to the Paris Exhibition.—Melbourne Argus. FIOKXIXAH's Tit A, GUARANTEED Pure. HOUNIXAN'S TEA, belJt value for money. HOBNiMAN'A Tu. gold OBJvin facketa.

THE EASTERN QUESTION., 1 :r PRINCE GORTSCHAKOFFS CIRCULAR. The text of the circular of Prince Gortechakoff of the 9uh inst., to the Russian representatives abroad, accompamying the annex, in which the Prince replied point by point to Lord Salisbury's circular despatch of the 1st inst., is as follows: li Lord A Loftus has communicated to me the Circular addressed by the Marquis of Salisbury to the Great. Powers, under date April 1. It has been subjected to a careful examination, and we duly recognise the franknfsa with which it sets forth the views of the Government of Her Britannic Majesty on the preliminary Treaty of Peace of San Stefano. We therein find presented in great detail the objections of the English Cabinet, but we look ia vain for any proposals it would be disposed to suggest towards a practical solution of tbp present crisis in the East. The Marquis of Salisbury tells us what the English Government does not wish, but says nothing or what it does with. Wo think it would be useful if his lordship would be good enough to make this latter point known in order to promote an understanding of the situation. Aa r^-ards the declaration of the views of the Government of her Britannic Majesty on the subject of the Congress, I can only recall the course which on its side the Imperial Cabinet has followtd on tbi* question. It has socially communicated to the Gr^at Powers the the text of the Prelimi- nary Treaty of San Stefano with an explanatory map. We added that at the Coneress, if it were to meet, each of the Powers there represented would have full liberty of appreciation and action. In claiming the same right for Rutsia^we can only reite- rate the same declaration. Be pleased to communicate the present despatch, with its annex, to the Govern- ment to which you are accredited." GORTSOHAEOFFS REPLY. Prince Gortethakoff has replied to Lord Salisbury's depatch. The nature of the reply may be judged from the fact that Prince Gortschakoff maintains that the San Stefano Treaty without undergoing the hast modification, would still not have the effect of placing the new state of Bulgaria under the control of Russia, notwithstanding its Muscovite administration, and the occupation of its territory by a Russian army for two years. It is argued that the present pro- posal with reference to Bulgaria is nothing more nor less than that which Russia carried into effect in 1830 in the interests of Moldavia and Wallachia. Experience has proved, it is said, that the work then accomplished in those provinces has been attended by the best possible results, and that Russian influence has not preponderated there in a manner prejudicial to the interests of Europe. Moreover, it is pointed out that the virtual independence of the Danubian principalities has been realised, notwithstanding the fact that their frontiers are coterminous with those of Russia, while it is proposed in the treaty that Bulgaria should be divided from Russia by the Dobrudscha in the event of the latter territory being ceded to Rou- mania. As regards the proposed occupation of Bul- garia for two years, that period would willingly be abridged by Russia, provided it could be accomplished without prejudice to the peace and interests of the country. No proposal is made with a view to allowing Austria to occupy the western portion of the Principality, nor do we ob- serve any similar concession regarding the various mixed commissions for the settlement of boundaries, and the inauguration of the new governments in the several provinces of the Balkan peninsula. It is stated that the delimitation of Bul- garia has only been indicated in general terms, as far as possible in accordance with the majority of the population in the various districts, and that the principle thus laid down will be practically applied by a mixed commission. The statement, however, is simply a repetition of the clause of the treaty which provides that the mixed com- mission shall consist of a Russian commissary aided by commissioners appointed by the Porte, Servia, and Bulgaria. In other words, the cemmis- sion would be practically a Russian one, instead of being European in character. The granting of ports to Bulgaria on the coast of the Black Sea is defended on the ground that the same proposal was received with favour by the Constantinople Conference; while asre- gards the ports on the JSgean it is maintained that they would be profitable to England and the other Powers, whose commerce is far greater in the Mediterranean than that of Russia. The cession of territory in Armenia, and more especially of the fortresses ot Kara and Ardahan, is justified on the ground that Russia ought not to be subjected at any future time to the necessity of taking, by force of arms, places which she has captured three times within the last half century. The repiv termi- nates, as it was anticipated, by requesting the Eng- lish Government to show bow the benevolent views expressed in Lord Salisbury's Circular can be realised for the subject Christian races consistently with the rights which Russia has obtained by so many sacrifices, unless, indeed, in accordance with the pro visions of the Treaty of San Stefano. It is therefore urged that practical proposals should be prescribed to indicate bow arrangements for this purpose can be consistently made with the interests of Russia for the establishment of a solid and durable peace.

WILLS AND BEQUESTS. {From the "Illustrated London News") The will and two codicils (dated October 27. 1873. end Febru-ry 13, 1878) of Mrs. E izibeth llenxon, late of 10. Kensiij^Ujii Palace-gardens, who dioii on February 16 last at St. Leonard's-on- Sea, were proved on the 20th ult. by Henry Schlesinger and Arthur Perry Bower, the acting executors, the personal estate being sworn under £ 70,000. There are a great many legacies, both pecuniary and specific, to her mother, the members of her family, and ethers; to the Royal Normal College for the Blind, Norwood, she gives her piano, all her music, and S500 to the Hos- pital for Sick Children, Great Ormond-atreet, £ 200; to Marsbman's Dover Home, £ 30; and to the St. Leonard's Infirmary, .£20. The rest of her pro- perty she leaves to her son, Henry Ernst Schlesinger Benzon. The will aid four codicils (dated April 21, 1864; June 22, 1869; July 22, 1875; and February 25, 1878) of Miss Maria Casson, late of Bolton-villa, Ealing, who died on February 26 last, were proved on the 23rd ult. by Renry Casson, the nephew, and Miss Fanny Eliza Casson, the niece, the executors, the per- sonal estate being sworn under £ 70,000. Among numerous bequests may be mentioned an annuity of £ 300 to her friend Mary Lord; X100 to the Asylum for Idiots, Earlswood; £50 to the Bolton Infirmary and nineteen guineas to the Bolton Ladies' Charity. The remainder of her property she gives to her nephew and nieces, Henry Casson, Fanny Eliza Casson, and Emilv Jane Lewis. The will (dated March 30,1872) of the Rev. Robert George Baker, a Prebendary of St. Paul's, formerly vicar of Fulbam, who died on February 21 last at Ivy-cottage, Fulbam, was proved on the 27ch ult. by Major Thomas Ricbard Baker, the brother, and William Franks, the executors, the personal estate being sworn under £ 40,000. Among other legacies, the testator leaves £250 each to the Building Fund of the West London Hospital, St. George's Hospital, the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, and the Church Missionary Society, and the residue of his property to certain of his nepbews and nieces. The will (dated January 20, 1866) of Lieutenant- u-eneral Arthur Uavendish Bentinck, late of East Court, Wokingham, who died on December 11 last at Berkeley-square, was proved on the 18th ult. by Mrs. Augusta Mary Elizabeth Bentinck, the widow, Edwin John Pollard, and the Rev. Henry George Cavendish Browne, the executors, the personal estate being sworn under £ 25,000. The testator gives all his property to his wife ior life, and then to all the children of his then present marriage. • The will of Mr. Francis Synge, of Glanmore Castle, in the County of Wicklow, J.P. and D.L, who died at his seat, Glanmore Castle, on Janaary 19, has Ven proved by his widow and Mr. H. Hans Hamilton, executors. Subject to some legacies and annuities, the testator leaves all his personal property ab. solutely to his widow, and his landea estates and Glanmore to her for life, with reversion in entail to his nephew, Mr. Alexander Hamilton Synge, eldest son of his brother, the late Rev. A. H. Synge, vicar of St. Peter's, Ipswich. The will (dated May 15, 1875) of Dame Sophia Macnamara Hawes, the widow of Sir Benjamin Hawes, K O.B formerly of Hampton Court Palace, but late of Cberrahunt, Weybridge, Surrey, who died on January 17 Jast, was proved on the 20th ult. by Arthur Briscoe Hawes, the son, and Isambard Brunei, D.C.L., the nephew, the executors, the personal estate being sworn under £ 12,000.

LORD SHAFTESBUY AT EDINBURGH--Lord Shaftesbury has been presented with the freedom of the city of Edinburgh on Saturday in recognition of his philanthropy. In acknowledging the compliment he referred to the Eastern Question. He said he did not condemn all war. nor was he a peace at-any-prico man, but he considered that at the present time. before entering on war, England should be sure that her cause was righteous, and should try every meats to eSsct a peaceful reconciliation. •RESPITE. A oommnn cation from the Home Secretary has been received at Ayr Prison, stating that a respite bad been granted to John Hell, who was condemned to death for the murder of his master's daughter, near Ayr, in September last. It is under- Stood that the sentence is to be commuted to penal servitude for life.

FAILURE OF CITY BANKERS. A meeting of the creditors of Mes., Willis, Per- cival, and Co., private bankers, whose recent failure has attracted so much attention in City-circles, was held at the Cannon-street Terminus Hotel; There was a crowded attendance. Mr. Simøn Becjr, a large creditor, of Ironmongers' hall, was voted to the chair. A summary of liabilities and assets, with-an estimate showing the basir of the proposed sale of assets for a dividend of 9j. in the pound, presented by Messrs. Turquand, Youngs and Co., the liquidators, was read bv Mr. Turquand, who mentioned, that the doubt- ful debts were eetimated to realise £ 60,860, which included the value they bad placed on the debt of Gerussi and Co., of Pdotras-an important item. There was property valued at .£4000, consisting of a policy of insurance on the life of a debtor, purchased by the fir of the value of £ 3000, furniture at the bank, £500, ar.d S500 which they would receive from the Clearing-house, The surplus from the separate estates was, Mr. Henry Willis, .£613,i)96, including tbe lite interest under bis mar- riage settlement, £ 13 000 cowing to him in the shape of reversion under bis father's will, and the bank premises. The surplus of Mr. Samuel Tomkins was £ 10,493, consisting principally of shares in public companies, and two policies of insurance. The surplus of Mr. S. Leith Tomkins was £127. There was an item not carried out of £ 46C0, the estimated value of the partners' household furniture. Uti was bound to place it in the statement, but the Hampshire and North Wilts Banking Company hbd consented, in the event of the arrangement to which he would afterwards refer being carried out, to aban- don this item to the partners. The total assets were £291,062, subject to these deductions £ 22,166, liabilities on the estate of Mr. Willis, senior; £ 80rt.% the funds of charitable institutions and the item of £ 3377, the surplus of the Government securities. These three claims came to £ 33,608, and they reduced by that amount both the liabilities and assets. Mr. Turquand then referred to the negotiations which bad brought about tho offer o; 9s. in the pound by the Hampshire Banking Company. The circumstances in which the offer of 10a. in the pound was with- drawn were, he had no doubt, generally known. Two or three other banks to which the offer was made to purchase the property refused to enter- tain the notion. The liquidation expenses were esti- mated by the Hampshire Banking Company at £10,000, this amount including X3000 for three months' salaries to the clerks, the expenses of sending out a gentleman to Patras, and Court fees. He had gone carefully through thtse valuations with members of the firm. After deducting the £33,608, the creditors were reduced to £529,909, and the assets to £ 247,453. To pay 9a. in the pound would take £238,460, leaving a balance of about LgOOO in favour of the Hamp- shire Banning Company. Since this result has been arrived at be had communicated with that company to see if they would improve their offer, but they had declined. They had, however, offered to retire from their proposal. In reply to questions, Mr. Turquand said the Hampshire Bank had agreed, on the adop- tion of the proposal submitted, to pay him the sum of £238,000, which he would distribute among the creditors as rapidly as the cheques could be drawn. The full 9.a. in the pound would be distributed. The agreement was signed and sealed by the Hampshire Bank. Resolutions were then passed liquidating the affairs of Henry Willis, Samuel Tom- kins, and Samuel Leith Tomkins by arrange- ment, appointing Mr. William Turquand trustee, expressing the opinion of the meeting that the pro- visional arrangement entered into by Mr. Turquand with the Hampshire Banking Company was a bene- ficial arrangement for tae creditors, and desiring the trustee to convene a meeting of creditors to confirm the arrangement; forthwith discharging Messrs. H. Willis, S. Tomkins, and S. L. Tomkins; and intrust- ing Messrs. Lawrance, Plews, and Baker with the regis- tration of the resolutions. Votes of sympathy wit,h Messrs. Willis and Tomkins and of thanks to Mr. Turquand and to the chairman terminated the pro- ceedings.

O'DONOVAN ROSSA AGAIN. Mr. O'Donovan Rossa is back in New York, eager for" business." He thipka that all the talk cf civilised warfare is trash." If Ireland take the field, her seaport towns will be bombarded, her villages burnt, her crops destroyed; and why should not Irishmen have the right to lay English cities in ashes ? England has no rights in Ireland except those which force gives to the robber." The reporter of the New York herald judiciously asked whether these epirited reprisals are to be undertaken before Ireland goes to war, and Mr. Rossa announced generally that he had no scruples. Irish rebels have always been too honourable, and they have always failed." There is a residuum of theso honourable and scrupulous men amongst the trustees of the Skirmishing Fund" itself, and. Mr, O'Leary, "who resides in Paris," is singled out as very mucli so." This casual remark stirs quite a warm interest in Mr. O'Leary of Paris. Oae would fain know, in order to lc,ve him. There are grounds even for hoping that the truculent Rossa himself is not such a -villain as he boasts. Wiien be broke uo the interview, hurrying home to comfort a sick wife, a Fenian leader who bad been present considerably diluted his fiery words. "Rossa," said this candid gentleman, is a very good-natured fellew, who has never harmed any one, and would not hurt a child. His friends don't look on him as a desperate man in any sense of the word." This view is the more likely to be correct, since bis enemies in Canada emphatically endorse it. The amicus curiae, who wishes his name to bo with- held, thinks that talk about dynamite, "and that kind of thing, lowers the tone of the movement." It is imprudent and thoughtless." Rossa is too im- pulsive, and we are coming to a time when that kind of thing may be ruinous." What the Skirmishing Fund requires at tbia most critical time is a sensible and dignified policy. Rossa must yield his" personal crotchets for the common good, or Mr. O'Leary, of Paris, and his like will be discontented. All this is vastly droll. The Skirmishing Fund has gathered £ 2000 worth of paper dollars, and the contemplating of this enormous sum is magnetising tbe trustees. They cannot decide what to do with it. L.

ORIGIN OF PETROLEUM.—M. H. Byasson has been led by the following experiment to give a ecien- tific explanation of the formation of petroleum If a mixture of vapour of water, carbonic acid, and sul- phuretted hydrogen be made to act upon iron heated to a white heat in an iron tube, a certain quantity of liquid carburets will be formed. This mixture of carburets is comparable to petroleum. The forma- tion of petroleum can thus be naturally explained by the action of chemical forces. The water of the sea, penetratingintothe cavity of the t rrestrial crust,carries with it numerous materials, and especially marine limestones. If the subterranean cavity permits these new products to penetrate to a depth where the temperature is sufficiently high, in contact with metallic substances, such as iron or its sulpburets, we have a formation of carburets. These bodies will form part of the gases whose expansive force causes earth. quakes, volcanic eruptions, &c. Petroleum is always found in the neighbourhood of volcanic regions or along mountain chains. In general it will te modi. fied in its properties by causes acting after its forma- tion, such as partial distillation, kc. Petroleum deposits will always be accompanied by salt water or rock salt. Often and especially where the deposit is amonsr hard and compact rocks, it will be accompanied by gas, such as hydrogen, sulphuretted hydrogen, carbonic acid, &c.— Revue Induttrielle. TROUT PONDS.—At a time when so much in- terest is taken in fish culture, writes Viator in the Live Stock Journal, it seems odd that no attempt has been made near any of our large towns, and parti- cularly near London, to imitate the trout ponds near Heidelberg. They are found at Wolfsbrunen, a few miles from the ancient university. They consist of five ponds, fed and connected by a small running stream, but separated by sluice gates with gratings. In the first pond sm 11 youne trout are placed when caugbt from neighbouring brooks; these, as they increase in size, being regularly fed, are re- moved successively to each of the other ponds, in regular gradation, until they reach a consideraole weight, and attain the honours of the last pond. When I visited this interesting place, many years ago, there were trout in the fifth pond considerably over two feet in length; fat. round, brilliant—in fact, in the finest possible condition. I picked up on my way a huge yellow frog, and cast it into the midst of an expectant shoal of fish. There was quite a splash as they rushed at the tempting morsel. A huge fellow apparently the king of the company, seized it, but could not at first swallow it. The frog's bind legs hung out of his mouth like a pair of Hungarian moustaches; the other trout dashed at him like a pack of fox-hounds, and for several minutes there was a brisk chase round the pond, and much splashing of fins and tails. Finally froggy was ab- sorbed. There was a small tavern attached to the ponds, where they professed to cook trout fresh from the pond. The chef has probably been changed several times since my visit; at that date the art of the trout- pond cook left a great deal to be desired. Near London, where the holiday-makers are always calling for something new, a series of ponds of the same kind in the pleasure-grounds of say Alexandra-park or the ] Crystal Palace, or any other pleasure haunt, assisted I by really good fish dinners, would be likely to make a ] sensation and a suceepg I NINK VESSELS, of 327-3 tons in the aggregate < were posted at Lloyd's last month as missing. Ninety i men are supposed to have been lost with these I vessels, and the estimated value of the nine ships was I £75,000. p j

PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE. --+-- THE BUDGET.—The House, upon going into Com. mittee of Ways and Men ns, the Chancellor of the Exchequer moved a resolution for increasing the dog tax from Ss. to 7s. 6d. Btr. Chillers reviewed the Budget pro- posals of the Govern meat as a whole, and. in doing so observed that tHe addition to the income-tax and the tobacco duty would have to be borne not only for the cur. Yent year, but next year, even if there were no increase of extraordinary charges in the interval. He also complained that seven-eighths of the additional taxes were to be derived from one source alone, and would fall exclusively uppn the income-tax payer. This was neither neces-ary, Just, nor politic. Mr. C. Lewis con- curred with Mr. Childors as to the impolicy of increasing the income-tax. The debate was continued by Mr. W. Holms, Mr. Hopwood, Mr Muntz, Mr. Storer, Mr. Greene, and other gentlemen. The Chancellor of the Exchequer explained that the object of increasing the dog-tax was to reduce the number of wander ng animals that did so much mischief in the country, and he believed that 7s. 6d. vould not be fcun4 a severe tux. With regnrd to the question of age, however, he had come to the conclusion that it was going too far to tax dogs of two months old. He therefore accepted the amendment of Mr. Monk, and retained the present age of six months. After some further discussion, Mr. Monk's amendment was agreed to, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer pro- ceeded to reply to the criticisms of Mr. Chillers on the general character of the Budget. He assured the House that the Government would not cease their effort, to keep down expenditure; and if the charges for the army and navy, of which the country bad approved the votes for 1 education and local grants were deducted, it would be lonnd that in ti e case of other services there was an actual tiecre.-ise. Hccourae had been had to tho income-tax in this instance- -to meet a temporary emergency and not a continuous strain U:'vD the revenue which might have rendered other measures necessary, and he justified the exemptions on the ground of philanthropy, and' because the working of tae impost was easier. Mr. Goschen ob- served that the Chanceilor of the Exchequer h',d wade the collection easier by diminishing the area over which taxation was spread to the extent of a half mil- lion of people. He deeply regretted that a great poli- tical principle had been sacrificed to the temporary con- venience of the moment. After some further discussion, the resolution increasing the dog-tax was agreed to. On the order for reading the Customs and Inland Re- venue Bill a second time, Sir C. Diike moved a resolution expressive of regret that it should be. proposed to raise that portion of "the ways and means of the year which was to be met out of indirect taxation by in- creasing the tobacco duties, which were now so high ae to cause an enormous amount of smuggling. Ultimately the second reading was carried by 164 to St. A SECRET SITTING. — In the .House of Commons Mr. O'Donnell called attention to the action of the Government in Donegal consequent on the murder of Lord Leitrim, and, under the supposition of something which might have hap- pended in Cumberland, made « -virulent .Mtack on t»e character of the late earl, imputing to him, among other J1^8' at BSED his powers as a landlord for purposes ot debauchery. He was interrupted by cries of "Shame!" ind fj*st .Sir A. Gordon and then Mr. King Harman, appealed^w the. Speaker, who, however, held that Mr. U Uonnell s language, though greatly to be deprecated, was not out ot ordc. Mr. hing Harman then drew atten- tion to the fact that strangers were present, and the speaker, acting-, as he said, fu the spirit of the Sessional •tifj' *>u,*i the question that "Strangers fee ordered to withdraw." The motion was carried by 57 to 12, and the I '°us?.1,8,8 accordingly cleared.. The gallery remained closed from a quarter-past nine until twenty-five minutes to one, and it is understood that Mr. O'Donnell's motion con. aemning the action of the Executive was negutived without a division after a warm debate.

ARRIVALS OF SPRING BIRDS. The severity of the weather at the beginning of April has bad considerable effect, say the Daily JSiews, in keeping back those migratory birds -which should now have arrived in this country. Among the birds due are the blackcap, wryneck, &c. These two birds have not yet put iit-an appearance. The spring flight of many birds is* very late, had the weather been genial the flight should have been at its height just now. Some birds bave, however, already put in an appearance thus the wheatear hM been seen between Hampstead and Finchley eight or ten days ago. These buds feed near London, but go away among the stone quarries in the West of England to breed. The flight of the linnets and chaffinches is just beginning, and they are to be found on the waste lands feeding on the charlic and chickweed. Titlarks, or tree pipits, have arrived to their time, viz, last Saturday. They have lavered" (i.e., taken up suitable places for breeding) in the neighbourhood of Hampstead, where they are not allowed to be caught. Ohiffchaffs have been here about a week, but not in large numbers. Redstarts and yellow wagtails are arriving in very small numbers. Our common black and white wagtail stays with us all the winter. The dun wagtail comes in the autumn, remains all the winter, and returns to his breeding places in the north in the bpring. The bullfinches are now strongly feeding on the bud, and are not to be taken by decoys. They do not do so much injury as they do geod, because they take off many buds and strengthen the others that are left; they aie, in fact, Nature's pru- ning gardeners. In the month of May the cock bullfinches are very pugnacious, and are easily takbn with a lime twig and a decoy bird. The swatllowa generally pat in their appearance about the middle of April. Should these cold easterly winds continue, all the migratory birds may be expected to be late but, should the wind shift to a warm quarter, the migratory birds would be immediately in full flight. Just now there are a very largd number of wood pigeons in the metropolitan markets; they are very shy in the winter months, but when the breeding season comes on they are very easily got at. Starlings and jackdaws are very busy now nesting. Young squirrels are now a third grown they are born about the end of January cr beginning of February, be the weather whatever it may. Squirrels' nests are called drays." These are made of small branches of trees, and brambles, and briars, and are snugly lined with sheep wool. The late easterly ?ales have had a terrible effect on the sparrows' nests built in the poplars in and about ton don tbeir nt-stg have been entirely blown away, but they will begia building again as soon ts tho winds have left us.

HUMAN FLESH SAUSAGES. If the extraordinary story vouched for by the MS- saq,r du Midi be true, the inhabitants of the Spanish town of Aranjuea must either bave a singularly blunted taste, or human flesh cannot be so unpalatable as it is thought to be. We learn from the journal alluded to that for upwards of a year a character re- siding in Aranjuez has been in the habit of selling to an unsuspecting public sausages, pAtes, and boudii*> made exclusively with human flesh. So excellent were his comestibles found that he reckoned more customers than any other pork butcher in the town, and having amassed a sufficient fortune he was meditating retiring from business when basard brought about the discovery of his malpractices- It seems that within the last year or eighteen months several persons have unaccountably disappeared from Aranjuez, and in spite of the investigations made by the police no clue has been forthcoming concerning their fate. The missing clue has at length been found they have filled the which by rights should have belonged to the pig, and their fellow-townsmen have unwittingly eaten them in the guise of chzrevterie. The unscrupulous pork butcher was aided in his horrible business, says the Messager du Midi, by a eoiffeur. The Spanish Figaro's shop where besbaved his customers was pro- Tided with a trap-door, by which means those among them whom he destined to death were precipitated into a cellar, where they were despatched, their bodies being then handed over to the pork butcher. The disappearance of a young man called Francisco Andral, who was seen to enter the barber's shop and never came out of it alive, raised suspicion; the police followed up the scent, and discovered the fatal trap- door, the cellar, with its blood-stained floor, and certain other proofs, which left no doubt upon their minds as to the guilt of the accused. The two mis- creants are now, it is stated, in the hands of justice, which, if the history of their atrocious crimes prove correct, will, it is to be hoped, dral with them accord- ing to their merits.

REGISTBATION OF TRADE NAMES AND DEVICES. -The case of Eno v. Stephens came before Vice- Ohancellor Sir J. Bacon. This was a motion in an action by the proprietor of Bno's Fruit Salt" against a chemist in Hereford, to prevent him from using a trade device and three trade names which had been registered by the plaintiff under the Trade Marks Registration Act, 1875, and from offering for sale any chemical preparations with wrappers so resembling the plaintiff's wrappers as to induce the public to believe that it was manufactured by the plaintiff. It was proved that the defendant had sold a bottle under the title of U Fruit Saline." Vice-Ohancellor Bacon held that it was sufficient for the present purpose that the plaintiff had proved the use of the title Fruit Saline on one occasion. The more important questions between the plaintiff and the defendant might have to be discussed here- after, but the defendant must be restrained from in- fringing the plaintiff's trade-mark by using such a combination of words as that which bad been proved. THE TRADE OUTBACK AT SHENTELD.—At the Leeds Assizes, before Mr. Justice Hawkins, John Holland, 25, puddler, who had been found guilty of feloniously wounding acd causing grievous bodily harm to Michael Oonfrey, at ShtSeId, on the 8th De- cember, and John Olf aver, 23, puddler, who was found guilty of wounding without any intent, was brought up to receive sentence. His lordship said it was abso- lutely necessary that men on strike should be taught the very wholesome lesson that they have no right to dictate to any one else, and say that thty shall not work at any place where others were on strike. A man himself bad the right to say that the place did not suit him, and that he would not work there; but be had no right, and the law would not tolerate'nny one mying to another man, You shan't go and earn your laily bread at the place I have left, and if you do I'll issail and beat you." Such offences must, be visited teverely. He ordfred Holland to be kept in penal icrvitude for seven years, and Cleaver to be imprisoned for twenty months, with hard labour.

THE ASSASSINATIONS IN IRELAND. FUNERAL OF LORD MITMM. The remains of the late Lord Leitrim were com- muted to the tomb in St. Michan's Ohurch, Dublin, amid demonstrations of brutal feeling on the part ot the populace, which made the closing scene of a shock- ing tragedy more disgraceful still to the country. Although the church is situate in the elums of the city and the memory of the murdered earl had been traduced and held up to popular execration, it was not expected that the vindictive passions which have been appealed to by the apologists of the crime would find vent in so scandalous a manner. It is humilia- ting to have to record the details of such en exhibi- tion in the heart of a community professing to be civilised, aud on the part of a people who are usually represented as imbued with deep religious fet-ling. The remains of the earl W,'re convoyed from Donegal to bis late residence, Killacloon, near Ot-lbridge, about eight, miles fron Dubiin, whence they were removed for interment in the vaults of St. Michan's Church, in the city, the family burial-place. Un- fortunately, the arrangements for the funeral hid been announced beforehand, and for several hours before the curtiga was expected to arrive the street, in which the cburch stands was blocked by a mob of the lowest type. There were frequent most dis- respectful allusions to the lute earl, who was de- nounce d as bn old rufliaa and a heretic.' This st^'e of affairs having been communicated to the police, a force of about twenty constables was despatched to the loc,.rlity to prestrve order. The gates of the churchyard were kept locked, and me-tsures were taken to prevent access being had, but a number of the roughs scaled the walls, while every time the gates were open to admit persons having authority to enter, a rush was made, and new contingents from the mob lorced their way in. The funeral pro- cession reached the bottom (. f the street, and it appearance there was the occasion for an outbreak ol cheers and hisses. A rush waa made to reach it, and the chief mourners, to- gether with a number of the nobility and gentry who followed the hearse, were charged and literally hurled back from its vicinity. In a few moments the hearse was surrounded by the most prominent of the mobs- men, many of whom were much under the influence of drink, who shouted, cheered, hissed, and threatened as the mood seized them. Attempts were even made to open the door of the hearse and get at the remains. The orce of police present was utterly inadequate to cope with the mob. The Earl of Leitrim, Lard James Butler, the Earl of Kingston, and others, appealed to the constable:) to deal with the rioters, but they were helpless. This con- tinued for over twenty minutes, when twenty-five additional policemen arrived, foreinir their way through the crowd with the greatest cifficulty. They sur- rounded the hearae three deep, and made room for the undertakers men to remove the coffin. Two or three times the mob got the better of the constables, expressing their intention, amid execrations, to Haul him out,' referring to the body of the deceased. When the coffin was removed within the cemetery some of the chief mourners battled with the mob to gain admission, and only some of them succeeded before the gates had to be again closed, while those who succeeded had their hats smashed. The Solici- tor-General for Ireland, the law adviser to the Castle, and Colonel Oftulfaeld, Controller of ho Viceregal Household, were among those who received rough treatment in their endeavours to enter the churchyard. The cheering, yelling, and hissing of the mob con- tinued while the burial service was being read in the church and when the remains were being consigned to the tomb. At the close the chief mourners and others wiihin the church were escorted out by a back gate which is but seldom used.

THE DOG QUESTION IN THE COMMONS. "By the Dog," was a famous classical oath which would have been appropriate during a great part of the discussion in the House of Commons the other night. By the dog was the attention of the House taken up for many hours. How the dog ought to be taxed, what kind of dog ought to be taxed, and what exempted; when the dog ought to be regarded as having attained his majority for taxing purposes and having become liable to the financial responsibilities of citizen ship-these were some of the questions which came directly up for discussion. But the indirect and incidental opportunities for controversy were more varied. What use, for instance, can be made of the dog by a popular candidate at a future general elec- tion f Mr. Hopwood threatened the Government With the vengeance of those who love the faithful Tray or fcrellert, and who, indignant at the increased tax imposed on their favourites, will sternly vote against all sapporttrsot the Ministerial policy. On the other band, a Conservative member declared that he was ready to present himself to any constituency of Eng- lish lathers, and carry all before him as the supporter of taxation destined to diminish the number of dogs, and consequently the dangers of hydrophobia. Hounds suggest horses, and the House there- fore easily glided into a interesting and animated conversation about the pleasures of the chase. The conversation, however, threatened at one moment to become acrimonious. Mr. Parnell fancied that in the remarks of some English members be detected a purpose to deny to Irish members a proper sense of the joys of the bunting-field. He resented this with becoming spirit, and informed the House that having hunted much in both countries, he considered the riiiiug in Kildare and l" j i i suF"f'rior (° anything in England, and, irJf H'il- lever seen certain safw acd feeble methods o ge Mng over the ground except in this island. The Sngiu members, however, were pacific. Tbey were, doubtless, as liberal in their recognition of the bold riding of Irishmen as Mr. Trollope's Lord Obiltern is to lr ineas imn, and the fervour of national rivalry was, therefore, allayed.

CLAIM FOR DAMAGES. An action occupying the greater part or two days was concluded before Baron Pollock in the Nisi Prius Court, Leeds Assizes. The plaintiff was Mrs. Eliza- beth JJent, who resided at Heckmondwike, and she sued the defendants, the Midland Railway Com- pany. for damages through the death of her husband, Mr. Edmund Dent, which she alleged was caused i* ,railway collision brought about through their neglect; but the defendants, although admit- ting neglect, denied that death resulted from such neglect. Mr. Digby Seymour, Q.O., and Mr. Lock- wood were for the plaintiff; and Mr. Waddy, Q C, and Mr. Barker for the defendants. The case for the plaintiff was that the deceased, at the time of his deatn, was between 57 and 58 years of age, and was a commission agent for iron merchants, and an iron merenant en his own account. He was an active man, dorng; a considerable business, his turn-over being up- wards of £15.000, and his net profits somewhere between X1500 and £ 2000 per year. It was, there- fore, a case in which the widow and eight children had been deprived of the support of a husband and f!L bringing in a considerable sum. k June the deceased went from Heck- mondwike to Sheffield, and, as the train drew into tne iatter station, another locomotive, which was coming to Leeds, ran into it, injuring several passengers, including the deceased. Mr. Dent tried business, but, being too ill, he was to, return home. After returning from a doctor was called in, and it was found that the deceased was suffering from incipient pleuro. pneu- monia coupled with inflammation of the lungs. The disease made rapid progress and proved fatal in four- teen days, which was the period, according to medical "fB lf10^' ln whicb this form of disease developed Iiff Was the opinion of several medical men that Was the cause of tbe disease. After the Cft a ■ fr partly heard it was agreed to accept a verdict for the plaintiff-damages, £ 1500. -J.

• AGAINST A CO-RESPONDENT.—The ful u° k 1j'jdford against Brand ford and Sheppard, the husband's petition for dissolution of marrriage by reason of his misconduct with the co-respon- dent, has been hfard at the Divorce Court. The parues were married at St. Bartholomew's Ohurch, Birmingham, in 1875, and went to reside at Olaverley, 1 m • ?^ F0, There the petitioner formed the 'i the co-respondent, wbo lived at •nf?' °.? borders of Worcestershire, but who fre- y drove over to Olaverley. The respondent, P a 1Ine> became intemperate, and occasionally lefi While an(* Wen' ^r°^ver^arnPton to her mother, /lent ^eFei°? one occasion she saw the co-respon- an<?' 'while driving back to Oiaverley with him, f? er ""8band. A violent altercation ensued, and the respondent and co-respondent returned to Wolver- f Vi? °?" ere tbey were alleged to have passed tbe wg at a hotel. There was a claim for £ 1000 co-respondent denied the charge, P ed the husband's cruelty, and sought by two wi nesses to prove the petitioner's misconduct ia hio company. One of these witnesses, however, had a violent scene the night orevioua with the respondent, and could not or wculd not identify the petitioner. t C Tnon7 on either side was directly contradic- ory or the other, and the jury found lor the peti- tioner on all the issues, and awarded him £100 decree »8' "^e ^J"es^en^ thereupm pronounced a BUAS, FLEAR, MOTUS, BEETLES, and all other in- sec s are dtstroyed by KEATING'S INSECT DESTROYING POWDER, which is quite harmless to domestic animaiB In exterminating Beetles the success of this powder is extraordinary. I', is perfectly clean in application. Sold m tins la. and 2e. 6d. each by all Chemists.

PROPOSED POST ADVERTISING CARDS. Dr. Charles Rogers has submitted to the considera- tion of the Postmaster-General the following scheme of post advertising cards for universal distribution and without addresses: 1. By means of advertising the mercantile bnsinc-as of the country is chit-fly conducted. Hence the great financial success of daily and weekly newspapers and class or trade journals.—2. But the existing means of advertising are inadequate. Newspaper advertising, important as it undoubtedly is, does not fully meet the public requirements.—3. Broadsheet or other advertisements distributed from house to house seldom reach the parlour, and, indeed, are not welcomed there. In the servants' hall they are generally used as wastepaper. — 4. The halfpenny postage has been fiund too costly for general advertising purposes. It is only had re- course to at the Christmas season, or under very special circumstances.—5. It is a recognised object of the Post-Oilice Department to facilitate the commer- cial business of tho country, and it is held that this Department alone can render the advertising system of the United Kingdom adpquite and complete.— f>. The existing post-card system ja capable of expansion consis- tently with thej financial interests of the Detriment. -7. Cards should be manufactured of tho 8;Lme size as thosrt now in use, e wch to be entitltd, Post Adver- tising Card." A less expensive material should ba used in the manufacture of these cards. S'iout paper would Bumce-8. As it is essential to the post adver- tising system that the cards should be used solely for advertisements (to be printed, not written, upon them), antl that they should receive no mark in passing through this Post-Office, so as to avoid Post- Office labour, they should be manufactured of a light blue or green colour, with a stripe of white runninc through the whole length. Such a course would prevent imitation,, or forgery.-9. Post advertising cards, such as these in- dicated, can be manufactured, including expense of paper, at an outlay of about twopence per hundred.—10. Post advertising cards should be sold in packets of one hundred each, and at the charge of tenpence per hundred-that is, at the rate of ten cards for one penny.—11. Advertisers should be permitted to use their own discretion in displaying their adver- tisements on the cards, no restriction being made as to the character of the type. Printing on both sides should be permitted — 12 A condition should be imposed on advertisers, viz., that the date of advertisement shculd be displayed on the card, this provision being necessary to prevent the card being posted through the Post-Office a second time.—13. The Post-Office authorities should be entitled to delay the transmission of the cards for six days after the time of posting during eleven months of the year, and for ten days in the month of December—14. The Post.Office autho- rities should arrange to print advtrtisementa on the advertising card, since some advertisers might prefer the entire work being undertaken and carried out by the Post-Office authorities, while in point of expense the Department could successfully compete with local printers. — 15. When applica- tion is made to any metropolitan or district Post-Office for any given number of printed post advertising cards, the applicant should be informed that the authorities will not undertake to supply the cards earlier than within fifteen days. Pre-payment of the cards should be imperative.- 16. The post advertising cards are to be used for delivery by letter-carriers along with the ordinary letters at the first or morning delivery of the day on which they are dated and issued; or the morning delivery of a day within six of the said date or day of issue.-17. In order to the proper carrying out of the system, the Post-Office Department should procure accurate statistics of the average number of houses at which letters are delivered on the mornings of each day in the principal towns or centres of popu- lation. The Inhabited House Statistics would not suit, since it is not suggested that the letter-carriers should hand in the advertising cards at any houses save those at which they are at the time delivering letters.—18. It is held that the advertising public would largely approve this system, and would avail themselves of it periodically. It would materially avail local traders, who at very inconsiderable cost could make their articles of merchandise known not merely at the principal dwellings but actually to their occupants—these cards being banded in along with the family letters.-19. Many traders would adver- tise throughout London, Glasgow, Liverpool, !\1 an- cbester, and other principal town?. Some might advertise throughout the United Kingdom.-20. A special arrangement should be made respecting class advertisements, such advertisements being charged by weight. Thus advertisements of machinery, with drawings displayed on one side of the card and a written address on the other, should be charged at so much per pound weight, the size of cards being less subject to restriction.-21. By means of telegraphic communication, the Post. Office authoritie3 would be enabled to communicate with local branches, so as to meet the requiremei ts of the proposed system.- 22. It may be urged as an objection that under the new system additional letter carriers or officers might be required at the principal offices. Such additions, it is answered, would be amply justified by the additional revenues yielded by the change —23. The pest-card advertising system now recommended would, by its adoption, not injure any existing branch of industry, would prove serviceable to trade, and would, it is maintained, double the present revenue of the Post- Office Department within three years.

INCITING TO FIGHT A DUEL. At Lewes, Malcolm Frbser, formerly an officer in the Royal Sussex Artillery Militia, was brought up on a bill of indictment found against him on the previous day by the grand jury at the Quarter Sessions—that he bad in a letter incited Francis Barry Whitfield, banker, of Lewes, to fight a duel. Mr. Langham, for the prosecution, said that the prisoner was formerly an officer in the Sussex Militia Artillery stationed at Lewes. He was introduced to Mr. Whit- field's family, and seemed to have formed an attach- ment to Miss Edith Whitfield, the prosecutor's sister. That courtship was conducted in a clandestine manner. When it came to the knowledge of Mr. Whitfield he at once endeavoured to put a stop to it by expressing his serious disapproval. This, however, was not sufficient bar to the prisoner's communication with MissWhitfield. The correspondence was kept up on prisoner's part by all sorts of disgraceful and clandestine means. Once he disguised himself as a rustic, wearing a smock frock. On that occasion the prisoner's behaviour was such that he was apprehended by the police. At the time that the prisoner had heen carrying on the correspon- dence with Miss Whitfield he had been associated with the daughter of an innkeeper at Lewes, to whom he was married, in June, 1876. The wife was still living, but was belieTed to be separated from the p i- soner. It might be charitably thought the prisoner was out of his mind, but the deliberate and per- sistent manner in which be had acted forbade this conclusion. Even in his letters he stated that he was married, and yet asked Miss Whitfield to go away with him. For three years Mr. Whitfield's family had been persecuted by the prisoner. Spies had been em- ployed by him, and wherever Miss Whitfield went he was sure to follow her. In a letter dated the 30th of January, 1877, be asked Miss Whitfield to go away with him, adding, I call God to witness I would rather see you dear!, killed by my own hand, than believe for one moment that you cease to love me." The challenge to a duel was soon afterwards given to the lady's brother. The prisoner was committed for trial, bail being accepted in two sureties of X300 each and the prisoner in £600.

Two Boy TRAVELLERS.—Two boys at Gornal were recently victims of this wander-mania, and, lack- ing the necessary funds with which to gratify their tastes, one of them stole a considerable sum belonging to his parents, and they set off for America. On ar- riving at New York, however, their childish appear- ance aroused suspicion, and they were detained as runaways, and eventually sent back. When they reached Liverpool one of them escaped, but the other -the one who had stolen the money-returned home, and wis given in charge. From his statement it seems that the courle soon found out the reality as we!l as the romance of travel, for their money was quickly spent, and then they fared very hard, and their sufferings made them regret their folly. LOTTERIES OR RAFFLES AT BAZAARS.—At the monthly meeting of the Glasgow U.P. Presbytery. a memorial respecting raffies or lotteries at bazaars was read from the Kent-road Session. The memo- rial set forth that their attention having been called to the practice, which was of questionable legality, f nd exercised a bad influence upon those taking part in them, they memorialised the Court to issue a re- commendation to the effect that when congregations feel it expedient to resort to bazaars, lotteries or raffles should not be allowed. Dr. Robert Jeffrey said that in 1867 the Presbytery, at the instance of the Scottish Protestant Layman's Society, declared that lotteries tended to foster a spirit of gambling, were injurious to the best interests of society, and were opposed to tie law of thf land, and recommended the discontinuance of them. He thought that recommendation covered the present case, and tuovfd accordingly. D. Legan Aikraan seconded. Dr. Young, Dr. Brown, Dr. Geo. Jeffrey, Mr. Welsh, and others expressed themselves thoroughly against th* pract ce cf having rbffl-s or lotteries at bazaars, and it was agreed to recommend to the people under its inspection to discontinue them, as the Presbytery regarded tbem as tending to foster a spirit of gambling, and were injurious to the best intertsu of society. It was also agreed to intimate this decision to the various sessions in the Presbytery,

THE KAFFIR WAR. A messenger was sent to Tini Macomo p.nd hi people on the 13th inst. giving them an opportunity to surrender, but they posisively refused to do so, although tbey were promised th;.t"their lives and pro- perty would be resptct'-rl. An attack was consequently wade on them on the lfirb, which rcEo!ted in several natives being shot and in th" capture of 500 head of cattle, The telegram hdds that the Waterkloof had been cleared, but according to another telegram re- ceived this morning a grand attack was to be made on Tini Macomo to day. Tee attack upon Sandilli at the junction of the Black Kei and Saint Thomas Rivera had the effect of driving him back. It is also reported that Umfanta and Gonpnabele will make a combined movement to reach him there. The Bowker's Rovers engaged the enemy at Isendigi on the 12th, but had to retire, with one man wounded. On the 12ch inst. the Governm»nt, reported that the rebels were occupying the P, ri Bush in three divi- sions—Uatarzima with tho right winz, Sandilli and Gongnabele wid1 the centre, and Edmund Sandilli with the left wing. Krrli h;<-s sent scm'- messengers to the officers in command in tho Tr;;n.cl;ei, but, like Sandilli, be is believed to be only attempting to dr- ceive the Governm^nt. Two hundred u&!iv>3 have I made a successful attempt to escape from the Doline Bus-h. They were opposed by a small party of Bowker's Rovers, who killed thirty-eight of them. Captain Ella, of Queers-town, was slightly wounded, and one man severely. The police ard volunteers stationed at Oosadie have been ordered to Kokstadt, where it is reported trouble is brewing. The official telegram published on the 13th says there I is very little sign so far of the matter coming to a close, and even among: those natives nominally loyal a feeling of restlessness is visible. Tbe var feeling is strongly abroad, and it requires all the prudence that the Government possesses to prevent its break- ing out in every direction. Parliament. 13 summoned to mert in Otpatown on Mav 10 h, unless the rebel- lion will make it necessary to meet elsewhere. Cap- tain Blythe has requested the Government to send re- inforcements to Griqualan West. Natbaniel Kinhale has been brought in a prisoner by Von LinsingeD from Berlin. It is reported that Colonel Glynn's column had attacked a trading place of Kreli's, and killed Kiva and four minor chiefs. Her Majesty's ahip; Himalaya has arrived at Simon's Bay with the naval brigade of her Majesty's ship Active. News. has. been received, from the Transvaal that Secocceni has risen and sur- rounded Fort Vfaeber and Fort Burghers. One hundred Zulus were sent to. the assist nee of Fort Wieber, and fighting iff reported to have taken place, with the defeat of the enemy. A telegram.iust re- ceived says a'well-concerted attack was made on Sandilli in the Amatolas. The general is personally superintending, and thera are about 5000 men engaged onourside. The fighting at Builie's Grave is still going on, and is described as the most severe engage- ment that bas as yet occurred. It is generally belit ved that the present fighting is a last eflort on the part of Sandilli; and if our forces are successful, a speedy termination of the war may be expected. Kreli is again said to be anxious to surrender. The death of Kiva is confirmed.