The Aberdare Times

SHOCKING CASE OF CHILD MURDER. At the County Petty Sessions, Coventry, on Friday, a middle-aged woman named Ann Lole, a widow, was brought up, charged with the wilful murder of her illegitimate child on'the 17th of January last. It appeared that the child was born on the 20fh of December last, and was then remarked to be strong and healthy. A few days afterwards several female neighbours noticed that it had numerous sores about it,1 body. They attributed them to boiling water, but the prisoner denied that such could possibly be the case. The sores became worse, until, according to some of the witnesses, "its little hands were raw, and its nails were off." When its clothes were removed, nearly all the skin came from its body. At the request of the neigh- bours the prisoner consulted Mr. Orton, surgeon, who concurred with his assistant in attributing the sores to the application of boiling water, as the prisoner's neighbours had previously done. Mr. Orton told the prisoner his suspicions, but she denied having scalded the child. When the prisoner "returned she falsely told her neighbours that the medical man said it arose from "inflammation of the liver." The child lingered till the 17th of January, when death terminated its sufferings. A post mortem examination showed that it died from no natural disease, but from injuries in- flicted upon its person by the application from time tc time of boiling water. The Bench committed the prisoner for trial for Wilful Murder."

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. In the House of Lords, February 20, no public business of any importance was transacted, and their lordships adjourned after a number of private bills had been read a second time. In the House of Commons business commenced by a dis- cussion on the St. Giles's-in-the-Fields Burial Ground Bill, which, after some discussion among the metropolitan mem- bers, was read a second time. Mr. Walpole gave notice that on Tuesday, the 11th of March, he would move that, on a day to be then named, the House woWd resolve itself into committee to consider the distribution of the parliamentary grants for education now in the hands of the Committee of Privy Council, and, in the event of the House going into committee, would move amendments on the Revised Code of Education. Mr. Caird asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he could confirm the reports which had recently appeared regarding geld discoveries In British Columbia, and if he would lay upon the table any recent information regarding that colony and its gold fields; whether it was the intention of Government to establish a regular postal communication with British Columbia and that any recent information regarding the Australian gold fields be laid upon the table. Mr. C. Fortescue said that the papers which he laid on the table would confirm, but would not add much to the valuable letters which had appeared in the columns of The Times. Mr. Cowper said he was not prepared to lay the corres- pondence relating to the Thames Embankment on the table. It was a, departmental correspondence of no public utility or interest, and he was unwilling to add to the printer's bill, which now amounted to 24,0001, Sir Frederick Heygate asked the Chief Secretary for Ire- land whether he intended to introduce a bill this session upon the subject of bastardy in Ireland. Sir R Peel said it was intended to assimilate the law of Ireland to that of England. The Exchequer Bill;, (Expenses of Management Bill) was discharged, and the Exchequer Bills Bill was postponed. The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that it was his attention to make his financial statement before Easter. Mr. Berkeley moved that Mr. Speaker issue his warrant to the Clerk of the Crown to make out a new writ for the elec- tion of two citizens to serve in this present Parliament for the city of Gloucester. The honourable gentleman entered at some length into a statement in reference to past parliamentary contests in Gloucester, and paid a high compliment to the able and intelligent commis- sioners who were appointed to conduct the inquiry; but he objected to the commission itself, which had something of asacerdotal character. The commissioners said in effect that all the rascality of the town might come to them, and that they would give all the political sinners who duly confessed absolution and remission of sms. Having obtained all the information they could, they said—"Now you may return to your virtuous homes and pax vobis" (laughter). Considering the valuable members Gloucester had sent to the legislature he thought it ought to be no longer disfranchised (hear, hear). He described Gloucester as a suppliant Magdalen now coming forward to present her petition to the House. Sir G. Grey said it was not the intention of the Govern- ment to oppose the issue of the writs for Gloucester nor for Wakefield, which were next to be moved for by Major Edwards, but he did not agree with the statement which had been made, that those boroughs had been improperly or inadequately punished. He hoped to present a bill very shortly for the amendment of the Corrupt Practices at Elec- tions Act, which would meet the canes of such places as Gloucester and Wakefield. Mr. Disraeli thought that the Government could not take any other course than that which had been adopted. To withhold a writ by one branch of the Legislature was an arbitrary and unconstitutional proceeding which ought not to be had recourse to except under very exigent circum- tances. After some discussion, the motion was agreed to. Sir R. Peel moved for leave to bring in a bill for the regis- tration of births and deaths in Ireland. Mr. Hennessy strongly objected to the employment of con- stabulary in connection with the proposed registration, that being a feature of the measure. In the discussion which ensued Mr. George complained that the bill did not deal with marriages as well as with births and deaths. Mr. M'Mahou also touched upon the same question. The motion was agreed to. The O'Donoghue moved for several returns respecting the Southern blockade. He said he was anxious that the House should be in possession of accurate information on the subject. Mr. Layard said that the Government were unable to give the information which was asked for; and after a few remarks from the Solicitor-General the matter dropped. Mr. Whalley moved for certain returns connected with Maynooth College, which were ordered. Mr. M'Mahon moved for and obtained leave to introduce a Bill to amend the procedure in the County Courts. The House adjourned. In the House of Lords, Feb. 21, Lord Truro asked whether any application had been made to the Minister of War in relation to the command on the proposed field-day of Volun- teers at Brighton on Easter Monday next, and, if so, whether the Government was willing to state the determination at which they had arrived. In the course of his remarks he much regretted that a slight had been put upon Lord Ranelagh by not having appointed him to the command, as he had occupied the post so effectively at the last review at Brighton. Lord Ripon, having explained the principles by which the War-office were guided in appointing officers to command large bodies of Volunteers on field-days, stated the com- munications which had passed between Lord Ranelagh and the War-office on the subject, and assured Lord Truro that there was not the slightest intention on the part of the Government of putting a slight on Lord Ranelagh. The fact was the Government had considered it expedient, under the possibility of some 10,000 Volunteers assembling at Brighton, to appoint an experienced officer of the regular army In the person of Lord Clyde to the command. He expressed his conviction that the Volnnteers would benefit more by being placed under a distinguished veteran General than under a less experienced officer. After a few words in explanation from Lord Truro, Lord Hardinge expressed hit satisfaction at the course adopted by the Government. The subject then dropped, their lordships then adjourned. In the House of Commons, Feb. 21, on the order for going into a Committee of Supply, Mr. Maguire, who had given notice that he would call atten- tion to the existence of serious distress in Ireland, premised that he wished to,defend himself, and to show that certain statements made in Ireland, and repeated in that House, were not founded upon accurate information. His veracity, he said, had been impeached, and he asserted that all he had stated was true, and that what had.,been represented on the other side was not justified by facts, He then entered very largely into details, supported by statements derived from various sources and by returns which, he contended, were utterly inconsistent with agricul- tural prosperity in Ireland, and which showed that the pressure was felt by all classes, but especially small farmers, shopkeepers, and labourers, the extent of workhouse relief being no test of the amount of real pauperism. He simply stated facts, he said, and -left the responsibility to the Government, to act for the relief of the distress he had shown to exist, instead of endeavouring to dupe the minds of the people of this country. He mpved that certain Irish Poor Law Returns 110 laid upon upTSn the table Sir Robert Peel delivered an elaborate speech in reply contending that the picture drawn by the member for Dimgarvan was far too lughjy_ coloured, and quoted from statements and statistics which he had received to prove that, while there was a measure of distress, yet, on the whole, the country was prosperous, and there was no ground for Some discussion followed, and the subject dropped. Sir F. Smith, in putting a question to the Secretary to the Admiralty relative to the report of the Iron Plate Com- mittee, urged that it was important that the House should have information upon the subject of the construction of the iron ships. Lord C. Paget could not say when the report would be ready, as some very important experiments had yet to be made. He added explanations regarding the pier at Holy- head, III reply to an inquiry by Colonel Dunne. Griffith asked whether the English Minister at Turin had lately been directed to communicate to Baron Ricasoli any remonstrance on the part of the English Government against the late popular demonstration in Italy against the ,f temporal power of the Papacy, or whether he had made any communication of that character any remonstrance on the part of the English Government against the late popular demonstration in Italy against the ,f temporal power of the Papacy, or whether he had made any communication of that character to the Italian Minister, either alone or in conjunction with the French and Prussian Ministers. He prefaced his inouirv l»y a statement of some length. 1 Lord Palmerston said it was quite true that in many parts: of'Italy there had been a strong manifestation of an earnest desire that Rome should be the central capital of Italy and that the temporal power of the Pope should cease,' and nowhere had it been more strongly felt than in the city of Rome itself. But her Majesty's Government had taken no part in this demonstration, and Sir James Hudson had not been instructed to take, and had never taken, any step on the subject, The House then went into a Committee of Supply, the Chairman immediately reporting progress. The Markets and Fairs (Ireland) Bill and the Poor Relief Ireland), No. 2, Bill, were read a second time. The House then went into committee upon the Qualifica tion for Offices Abolition Hill (after a few observations by Mr. Newdegate and Mr. Osbome), the clauses of which were agreed to. Mr. Cowper moved for leave to bring in a bill to authorise the formation of a road between Kensington and Bayswater for the accommodation of visitors to the International Exhibition. Some discussion ensued, and a division was intended, but there being less than forty members present the House adjourned. In the House of Lords on Monday, February 24, Lord St. Leonards laid on the table two bills, one to; improve the law relating to real estate, and the other to protect the pur- chasers of real property. The object of the latter was to give purchasers of real property a good title after the lapse of 20 years. He hoped the bill would be referred to a select committee, together with the five bills on the same subject. Both bills were read a first time. Their lordships then adjourned. In the House of Commons, the benches were crowded at a few minutes after four o'clock by an excited assemblage of members, who had been drawn together at that early heur in anticipation of a scene," arising out of language used in debate by Sir Robert Peel oil Friday night, which had been considered personally offensive by The 0 Donoghue, and had prompted that honourable member to commit a breach of privilege by dispRtching "a friend" to the hon. baronet to deinind explanation and an apology. Lord Palmerston's rising to his feet had the effect of hushing the uproar that prevailed during the time of private business, and breathless silence at once succeeded. The noble lord observed that in the course of debate on Friday evening the Chief Secretary for Ireland used expressions which had been deemed offensive by The O'Donoghue, although he took no notice of them at the time and, there- fore, nobody .supposed that any unpleasant consequences would ewsue. After the House had adjourned, however, it was intimated to him that this was not unlikely to be the result. He accordingly wrote the following letter to Sir Robert Peel :— House of Commons, Feb. 21,18(52. My dear Peel,—It has been suggested to me that the O'Donoghue may contemplate sending you a hostile message in consequence of what he considers your allusion to him in your speech this afternoon and I think it right, therefore, before I leave the House, to remind you that such a pro- ceeding by the O'Donoghue would be a breach of the privi- leges of the House, and that if you were to accept such a challenge yom would make yourself a party to that breach of privilege. Your duty, therefore, in such case would be to decline the invitation (laughter); and I should in such case deem it my duty to state the matter to the House at its meeting on Monday, in order that the House might deal with the matter in the manner which It ha? usually dealt with matters of the same kind on former occasions. "It seems to me, moreover, that your official position renders it the more incumbent upon you to avoid infringing the privileges of Parliament and making yourself a party to what would be a public scandal. (General cries of Hear, hear.7—Yours sincerely, PALMERSTON. The Right Hon. Sir Robert Peel, Bart., &c." This letter was delivered to Sir Robert Peel early on Satur- day morning; and in the course of the day communications took place which led to the right hon. baronet being re] quired to "name a friend;" and at his (Lord Palmer- ston's) request, the right honourable baronet referred to him. The gentleman who had been commissioned by the O'Donoghue called uponhim that morning, and tohimhecom- municated the. bearing of the contemplated proceeding upon the privileges of the House, and stated that he should bring the matter under the notice of the House at half-past four o'clock, and leave the House to deal with it as it might think proper. The Speaker then called upon the O'Donoghue to express his ijegret for having committed a breach of privilege, and to give an assurance that the matter should proceed no further. Major Gavin, who had acted as the "friend" of The O'Donoghue, explained that the objectionable language used by Sir R. Peel was, in describing the last meeting in the Rotunda, Dublin, presided over by The O'Donoghue, as consisting of "manikin traitors," who had attempted to imitate the cabbage-garden heroes of 1848, and that its appeals were not responded to by a single respectable person. Having been consulted by The O'Donoghue on the subject, he had come to the conclusion that the words were such as no gentleman should rest under, and, so thinking, he had waited upon the right hon. baronet to request an explanation, but, instead of retracting the expressions, he declared that he adhered to them in their entirety. He then requested the right hon. baronet to refer him to a friend, and late on Sunday evening he received a letter from him saying that he referred him to lord the Premier. He subsequently received a letter from the noble lord, requesting him to call upon him Lord Pal merston), which he did that (Monday) morning. He told the noble lord that he came for an explanation of words made use of in the debate on Friday evening by the Chief Secretary for Ireland. The noble lord, in reply, told him what the rules of the House were upon which he said, "My lord, if yeu take this matter officially there is no use my taking up your time further." (Laughter.) The hon. member concluded by saying how painful the whole matter had been to him that the honour of the member for Tip- perary had been entrusted to him and that he now handed its care over to the Speaker and the noble lord at the head of the Treasury, trusting that it would be preserved. The Speaker reminded the House that the proper time to take exception to words spoken in debate was the moment when the words were uttered. In the present Instance that course had not been adopted; the opportunity for dis- avowing the objectionable expressions had therefore gone by, and it was his duty again to call upon the O'Donoghue to express his regret, and to give an assurance'that the matter should not proceed further. The O'Donoghue said he should deeply regret to do any- thing in violation of the privileges of the House, or to wound the susceptibilities of any hon. member. He thought the language used by the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieu- tenant" as offensive to himself, and that the right hon. baronet had come down with his mind made up to disparage his social position. He felt that the eyes of the House were upon him at the time, and that he could not submit to such an affront without forfeiting his claim to associate with honourable men. He was aware that the ancient mode of arbitrament had fallen into disuse; but with it he thought those unseemly manners which had first called it into existence had disappeared. Having failed to obtain an explanation or an apology, if he arrived at the conclusion that the right hon. baronet was not distinguished by the qualities for which his countrymen were famous the fault was not his-the O'Donoghue's. He began to be afraid, indeed, that the right hon. baronet was not quite so hollow as he appeared, and that there was much of craftiness and cunning in his disposition. (Cries of Order.") The Speaker intimated that the question now lay, not between The O'Donoghue and Sir R. Peel, but between the hon. member and the House itself. He trusted, therefore the hon. member would not conclude without some reference to the position in which he had placed himself in regard to the House. The O'Donoghue again rose and said he thought he had already apologised to the House for committing a breach of its privileges, and after what had passed it was almost un- necessary for him, though he was ready to do so, to say that it should go no further.-The subject was then dropped. After a discussion of a discursive character between Admirals Walcott and Duncomb, Mr. Lindsay got up, and referring to the statements made by the Government last Session of the strength of the French iron fleet, upon the faith of which a large sum had been voted, complained that those statements had been exaggerated, supporting his argument by an account of the actual condition of the French iron fleet, which he had just received, and which showed that we were greatly in advance of France. Seeing this, and that we had more wooden ships than all the world put to- gether, he did not think there was a necessity for so large an outlay as was proposed in the Estimates, especially in regard to wooden ships, and he protested against this large expendi ture. Mr. Baxter took the same view as Mr. Lindsay, consider- ing that very strong and cogent reasons should be given for the large estimates proposed. The disturbing causes having ceased, why, he asked, should we net return to the ordinary average rate of expenditure in 1857 and 1858 i He stated facts to show that there had been a delusion as to the strength of the French navy. The House then went into Committee of Supply. I Lord C. Paget, in moving the Navy Estimates, began by adverting briefly to the observations made by Mr. Lindsay and Mr. Baxter. He asserted that the account he had given of the French iron fleet was true; that the vessel# »he had enumerated were all in existence and In progress He then proceeded to explain various matters connected with the details of the estimates. The total amount asked for the year 18G2-63 was 11,794,3052., being a diminution of expendi- ture, compared with 1861-62 of 840,2831. The actual decrease in the number of men was 2,200, the number of men and boys to be voted this year being 76,000 against 78,200 last year. The number of boys was the same. He next stated the number of vessels on the home and foreign stations, the total force afloat being 160 vessels. The total number of men to be maintained afloat was 54,200. The Royal Naval Reserve whose neble conduct he eulogised, amounted to 10,100 men, and the cost, including all items, was 131. per man annually. He calculated that the future cost on account of pensions would be 31, per man. Adding to this force that of the. Naval Coast Volunteers, he thought we were coming to a satisfactory state as to the force at home and our reserves. After noticing the force of boys under training, and their cost he entered into details show- ing the satisfactory state of the fleet, describing the progress made in improving the condition of the seamen, by reducing the complement of ships to obviate the objection that vessels were overcrowded. Corporal punishment had diminished m the navy. The Admiralty had taken measures to effect what the navy wanted,-organisation in barracks. He then gave the numbers of steamships afloat and building, the grand total being 580 and details of the reduction of the arma- ment of ships, pointing out the advantages attending the reduction. He next approached the subject of iron-cased ships and the progress made in their preparation. Alluding to the construction of 'iron-covered ships, he stated that in 1863 we should have twelve of this powerful class of vessels afloat, that in 1864 three more would be ready, and that with Captain Coles's iron-shielded ship, there would then be a fleet of sixteen. With regard to the Warrior, and the reports circulated respecting her performances, lie ob- served that the communications received from Captain Cochrane, her commander, to the" Admiralty were of the most satisfactory character. She had encountered such terrific weather on her voyage to Lisbon that she was obliged to lay to, but she arrived at her destination without ex- periencing any serious accident. The noble lord concluded by moving a vote of 76,000 men for the fleet and coast-guard service, which, after some discussion, was agreed to. On the first vote, the debate, which was of great length, extended to most of the topics embraced in the speech of Lord C. Paget. After several votes had been agreed to, the Chairman was ordered to report progress. Some further business was disposed of, and the House ad- journed. In the House of Lords, February 25, the Earl of Derby gave notice that, in the unavoidable absence of the Marquis of Normanby, on Thursday next, he should call the atten- tion of the noble earl the Secretary for Foreign Affairs to a proclamation of a very extraordinary nature, which had been issued in the Neapolitan territory. Earl Russell asked where the proclamation was to be found. The Earl of Derby said he was about to ask the noble earl whether he had received any information respecting it. He had seen it in an Italian newspaper and it was to the effect that no person was to set foot after a given day within a cer- tain boundary, and that all houses, farm-houses, and hovels were to be levelled to the ground, and that all the inhabi- tants of every farm-house or cabin in which more than a day's food should be found shall be.treated as brigands and shot. (Laughter.) Earl Russell said he hjjl received no information from her Majesty's Minister or Consul at Naples on the subiect and he should feel obliged if the noble earl would furnish' him with a copy of the proclamation to which he referred Their lordships then adjourned. In the House of Commons, Feb. 25, Mr. Beamish asked the Secretary for Ireland whether his attention had been called to the defects of the law relating to charitable bequests in Ireland, and whether he means to introduce a bill. Sir R. Peel said the subject had been under the notice of the Government, and he had been in communication with the Commissioners of the Board, but as at present advised he_ could not say that Government had any intention of bringing in a bill on the subject. Mr. Bentinck, with aviowtoifacilitatethe discharge of public business, moved the following alterations in the 57th para- graph of the rules of the House :-If it appear on notice being taken at the close of It speech, or on the report of a division by the tellers, after 4 o'clock, that 40 members are not present, Mr. Speaker do adjourn the House without a question first being put till the next sitting day and the name of the member who had taken such notice, and also the name of every member present when the House is counted si all be taken down and published next day in the votes and proceedings. M Knightly seconded the motion, and after some dis cussion the House divided, the numbers being-for the motion, 43against it, 219; majority, 176. The motion was therefore lost.

THE QUEEN'S OPINION ON THE ALBERT MEMORIAL. A meeting, especially convened by the Lord Mayor, for the purpMe of hearing a communication containing a'statement of the views and wishes of her Majesty in relation to the proposal for erecting a national memorial of the late Prince Consort, has been held at the Mansion-house, London, by the committee of noble- lwm and gentlemen, upwards of 100 in number, charged with the superintendence and application of the fund now being raised with that view in the city of London. The letter ran as follows :— Osborne, Feb. 19,1862. My Lord,—I have had the honour of receiving and of sub- mitting to the Queen your Lordship's letter of the 18th inst, communicating the proceedings which have taken place with a view to the erection of a national monument to the much lamented Prince Consort. The Queen feels grateful from the bottom of her heart for the universal sympathy that has been expressed for her in her deep affliction; but it is still more toothing to her feelings to know that the noble character, the truly Princely nature, of him whose loss has bowed her to the earth, with a sense of desolation and misery that every day, alas I serves only to increase, is appreciated by the country; that the benefits he has been instrumental in conferring upon the nation, the 'good he has wrought since he tost came among us, and to effect which he may truly be said alone to have lived, are understood and acknowledged The Queen is also much touched by the feeling which has led the promoters of the movement for erecting a national monument to the Prince to leave the nature of that monu- ment to hei-decision. It is a subject on which there must necessarily be much difference of opinion. Many, influenced, doubtless, by the belief that there was nothing which the Prince himself had so deeply and constantly at heart as the promotion of whatever might tend to the advantage of the community at large, or of any portion of it, have thought that the most appropriate monument to his memory would be to connect his name with some great work that should have that end in view; and the Queen cannot but be grati- fied by this proof of a just appreciation of his character. But it would probably be difficult to procure anything like agreement as to the nature of the institution which should thus bear his honoured name, and it would be inexpressibly painful to the Queen were any controversary to arise on such a subject. It wpuld also be more in accordance with her own feelings and, as sheibelieves, with those of the country generally' that the proposed monument should be more directly per- sonal to its object—should be, in fact, more what is com- monly understood by the word. Even so it is probable that opinions may differ as to the character that would be most appropriate for such a monument. But the Queen is confi- dent that the same good feeling which has led to the reference of the subject to her decision will lead to a cordial acquies- cence in it—to the cheerful abandonment of individual views, and to an unanimous working together to effect tn. object all have at heart. After giving the subject her best consideration, her Majesty has come to the conclusion that nothing would be more appropriate, provided it is on a scale of sufficient gran- deur, than an obelisk to be erected in Hyde Park on the site of the Great Exhibition of 1851, or on some spot imme- diately contiguous to it; nor would any proposal that can be made be more gratifying to the Queen personally, for she can never forget that the Prince himself had highly approved of the idea of a memorial of this character being raised on the same spot, in remembrance of that Exhibition. There would also be this advantage in a monument of this nature—that several of the first artists of the day might take part in its execution for there would be room at the base of the obelisk for various fine groups of statuary, each of which might be intrusteu to a different artist. In the selection of the artists to be employed, in the choice of a design, and in the consideration of the details of execu- tion, the Queen would wish to obtain the best advice and she would therefore desire to call to her assistance a small committee, consisting of persons in whom she could feel satisfied that the country would repose entire confidence. I have written by her Majesty's command to those whose assistance she thus desires to obtain, and I will lose no time as soon as *1 shall have received their answers, In com- municating their names to your Lordship. I have the honour to be, your Lordship's very faithful and obedient servant, C Grby The Right Hon. the Lord Mayor. The reading of this communication was listened to with most marked attention, and at its conclusion the meeting manifested an unanimous and cordial approval. The Lord Mayor said in the same envelope there was another letter, which lie conceived to have been made separate and supplementary, in order that the committee mr exercise their judgment and discretion as to whether or not- it might be made public. He would read the letter to the committee, but forthe present he respect- fully requested the representatives of the press to forbear giving it publicity. The communication, so prefaced, was then read by his lordship. It breathed through- out sentiments the most touching and noble, perhaps, of any to which utterance has been given on this great national calamity. Its simple pathos appeared to thrill the hearts of all present. The emotion it produced was visible in the countenance of every one, and at its conclusion the whole committee was, more or less, unmanned. Mr. S. Morley, speaking with some little emotion, said he believed the moral effect of the second letter would be prodigious. Ho could not, however, presume to recommend its publication until the committee obtained the requisite permission, but he repeated his conviction that its effect on the whole country would be little less than electric, calculated as it was to deepen, if that were possible, the national grief and the all-pervading feeling of devoted loyalty to the Throne. lhe^committee passed a unanimous resolution expres- +bVC t e'r ('eeP gratification that the measures Vhich they had taken for raising a national monument to the memory of the late illustrious Prince Consort had been honoured by the approval of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen. It was also resolved that a sub- committee be hereafter appointed to co-operate with the committee to be named by the Queen in carrying out more fully her Majesty's wishes in the choice of a design, its execution, and the selection of the artists to be employed.

The second letter has since been published by per- mission of her Majesty. In reading it one can under- stand the profound impression it made on the committee, combining as it does, all womanly tenderness with queenly dignity. Few will read this picture, uncon- sciously drawn by her own hand, of the woman and the Queen with dry eyes — Osborne, Feb. 19, 1802. My Lord,—The Queen wishes me to add a few words to the answer to your letter, which you will receive with this, expressive in a more especial manner of her Majesty's personal wishes. She is aware that she could not with &ny propriety con- tribute, as a wife, to a monument to her husband; but she is also the Sovereign of this great empire, and, as such, she cannot but think she may be allowed to Join with the nation in the expression of a nation's gratitude to one to whom it owes so much. Who has a dearer interest than the Queen in the well- being and the happiness of the people ? And if it has pleased God to make her reign so far happy and prosperous, to whom, under Divine Providence, is this so much owing, as to her beloved husband—in all matters of doubt or difficulty her wise counsel, her unfailing guide and support ? No one can know, as the Queen knows, how his every thought was devoted to the country-how his only aim was to improve the condition of the people, and to promote their best interests. Indeed, his untiring exertions in fur- therance of these objects tended, in all probability, to shorten his precious life. Surely, then, it will not be out of place that, following the movement of her people, the Queen should be allowed to consider how she may best take part with them in doing honour to her beloved Prince,so that the proposed monument may be recorded to future ages as reared by the Queen and people of a-grateful country to the memory of its benefactor. I have the honour to be your Lordship's most obedient and faithful servant, q GREY. The Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, &c.

IS HE DEAD OR ALIVE P Several months ago an action w&s brought against the Railway Passengers Insurance Company by the friends of a person who, having taken an insurance ticket in 1856 to go to Brighton for a few days, went to bathe in the sea, and has never since been seen or heard of alive, though a naked corpse washed ashore at Walton-On-the-Naze some time afterwards was alleged to be his. The defence was that there Is no sufficient proof that the Insured man is dead. When the caso was last before, the Court the plaintiffs, If we remember right, elected to be nonsuited. On the case being brought up again, alj, the old evidence and some new was given, and very curious evidence it is. The story is soon told, and is thus narrated and commented upon by a London daily contemporary :— In September, 1856, Mr. F. D. Hiorns took a policy of insurance, worth 2501., from the Railway Passen- gers Assurance Company. On the 15th of the same month he disappeared, and has not been heard of since. But, on the faith partly of this insurance, he went' down that month to Brighton; and the witness who deposed to having seen the last of him says that he was going to bathe." This was in the eveningrof the 15th of September. It is highly probable that he did bathe, for Charles Warner, a carpenter of Brighton, says that about eight p.m. of that day he saw some clothes- which have since been identified as belonging to the supposed deceased—lying on the steps of a bathing- machine. Some weeks after this occurrence a body was washed on shore at Walton-on-the-Naze; and the yea or "nay" of the issue rests on the question whether this body was the bedy The ques- i tion is a delicate and a difficult one. As the body was I naked, and as Mr. Hiorns' clothes were found on the steps of the bathing machine, there is at least between these facts the corroboration of possible relationship. But this furnishes very faint evidence for identification. Opposed to the theory that the body was that of the lost man, is the fact that the brother refused to pay the reward of 151. he had offered fcr finding it, though he now states that he believes it to have been the body of his brother. A philosopher might descant very instructively on this point, and show by what subtle inclination a man's mind may be bent from a fact, when to admit it involves the payment of 15l. and how, on the other hand, he may make up his mind to take the same fact for better or worsp, when the immediate consequence of acknowledging it is the fruition of 250J, But for the plain minds of twelve good, lawful, and discreet men, such subtle distinctions, natural though they are, have small recommendation. We feel assured that the jury put little faith in the statement of Mr. Gardner Hiorns—one of the plaintiffs—that he believed the body to be that of his brother, from the height of the forehead, and the absence of a tooth in the left jaw. Besides, was not a coroner's inquest held on the body, and did not the jury return an open verdict of Found drowned ?" Even the medical witness, who was brought up from Walton-on-the-Naze to testify that the body had been in the water for about the time which had elapsed between its being found and the disappearance of Mr. Hiorns, says that-all the teeth were gone but four, and that their loss was due to the action of the water. The absent tooth in the left jaw, on which the brother The absent tooth in the left jaw, on which the brother of the mysteriously-absent insurer partly relied to identify the supposed deceased, loses even its negative significance from the testimony of the medical witness. And of a piece with this evidence was all the testimony on which the case was based. After the charge of the Chief Baron the jury retired, and, though they debated the question for an hour and a half, they could not come to an agreement. They were nearly equallj divided, said the foreman, but the minority would not give way. Under these circum- stances the judge, mercifully declining to exercise his right to lock them up all night, without meat, drink, or fire, discharged them. Quite right. Neither he nor they could have done anything but what they did. Yet, after all, that ghastly corpse which was washed ashore at Walton-on-the-Naze two months after Mr. F. D. Hiorns took his bath at Brighton, may have been his veritable remains. After immersion in the water for six weeks or more, it might not be easy for the fondest survivors to identify a departed friend. In the salt mines of Poland, towards the close of the last century, under the wreck of a portion of the mine which long years before had fallen in, some miners found the body of a man still perfect in form and feature, though changed to a green hue by the action of the salt. All crowded round nim; and amongst the crowd was one old woman, who, pressing forward, beheld in the long-buried corpse the features of one to whom in early youth she had plighted her troth and kept it. Salt water is not so preservative. It washes the teeth out, changes the features, and-provides insects and fishes to do the work which the worms do upon land. Moreover, when the corpse of the supposed dead man was found, the crows had been at it. What other verdict could the coroner's jury return than Found drowned ?" or how could it be expected that the twelve special jurymen who heard this case in the Court of Exchequer could do otherwise than doubt and disagree?

We subjoin a few of the remarkable incidents of this extraordinary case, as developed in evidence The missing man, it appeared, had been bankrupt in 1855, and in September of the following year effected several policies of insurance, and made his will, directing that the policies, after his death, should be realised and the money appropriated to the payment of his debts, and, if not found to be sufficient in amount for that purpose, then a dividend was to be paid, but none of the money was to parted with until 12 months or more after his death. The plaintiff, Hioms, swore that when he went to see the body at Walton the flesh was knocked off the face, the ends of the fingers bare to the bone, and the body generally in a far advanced state of decomposition; that his brother had lost a tooth in the left side of the lower jaw, and that a tooth was missing in the corpse in the same place and £ hat, from all he could see, his belief was that the body was that of his missing brother. Other witnesses were called, who had been on inti- mate terms with the missing man, and they swore that they believed the remains to be his. A medical gentleman stated that the eyes were out, the eyebrows and lashes, as well as the hair of the head, gone, the flesh off the nose, and, in fact, that the features were so knocked about and destroyed as to render them no longer distinguishable. A witness namd,Judd swore that by placing the haml over the mdHh, so as to hide from view the ex- tremity of the lower jaw, from which the greater part of the flesh had been knocked away, he could see the very man himself—his friend Hiorns. He had no doubt in his own mind about the identity of the body. A man named Miller said that he went down to see the body, and recognised it as the remains of his old acquaintance the assured, whose nails were very remarkable and long during his lifetime, and were still entire after death. A photograph of F. Hiorns, taken at Brighton the day of his supposed death, was produced. The defence, in substance, to this moat remarkable action was, that the assured is still living and within reach of his friends awaiting the receipt of the money from the office. Evidence was called to show that on the evening when Hiorns was said to have perished a gentle wind was blowing from the south-west, and the sea, as far as all ordinsdy contingencies were concerned, was safe for bathers. One witness swore that if the assured had been lost at the time alleged-viz., at low water on the evening of the 15th, his body must have been recovered early win on the following morning; and that although every search had been made for it for many days, he had been unable to find it. The coroner of Walton-on-the-Naze stated that the body upon which he held an inquest, and which was attended by one of the plaintiffs and his friends, was in such a state of decomposition as to render recognition of the features impossible. The eyeballs were gone, as well as nearly the whole of the flesh of the face. The surgeon who attended the inquest on behalf of the company swore that «the ends Of the_ fingers and thumbs had been knocked off the first joint of each, and that so far as the face was concerned, there was nothing left tfe recognise and, finally, the ticket collector of the Brighton Railway was called to prove that the half return-ticket found in the pocket of the supposed deceased person would not have been avail- able later than half-past seven in the evening of the 15th.

FRIGHTFUL COLLIERY ACCIDENT. Just as we had finished the perusal of that felfaccident at Hartley, by which 200 human beings and upwards were stealthily killed by the insidious enemy that ever wars against the colliers—just as the last narrative of the final closing scene had been eIded, the sound of lamentation was again aroused, and in Merthyr a universal shock felt by the astounding intelligence that the Cethin Pit had been the scene of a terrible explosion. Cetliin, or Gethin pit, the property of Mr. Crawshay, the extensive iron-master of Cyfartha, is the largest in the dis- trict, employing upwards of 200 men, and is about equi- distant between Merthyr-Tydvil and Troedyrhlw. At noon on Wednesday, the overlooker at the pit's mouth had notice that something unusual had occurred in the pit, which was sooa followed by information that an explosion of gas had taken place. MeaIS were at once adopted to render assis- tance and to ascertain the extemtof the calamity, which, un- fortunately, has proved to be the most direful that ever hap- pened In this valley. Cethin Colliery is an extensive and well managed balance pit, extending in Its furthest direction to about a mile and a-half below ground. The shaft is 126 yards in depth, and the workings are so subdivided and the arrangements are so excellent that In the event of an explosion it would be confined*to the place where it origi-. nated. Thus, in the present case, the accident was solely confined to the two headings formerly No 4-foot vein, or seam-the yard seam and other portions of the pit escaping altogether. But even with these arrangements the pit has a bad name. A few years ago the headings were,, flooded with'gas, though fortunately no one was below with a naked light; so the gas ascended the shaft in a great volume, penetrated actually to the lodge at the mouth, and exploded at the fire, severely Injuring two men in the lodge and causing great damage. The present dreadful event, oc- curred between 1 and 2 o'clock on the afternoon of the 19th, and, as many of the poor fellows had their jackets on and their bread-tins under their arm, the supposition is that the men had struck work for dinner. It is very probable that at this juncture some incautious man either opened the lamp or struck a match in order to light his pipe, and at once caused the fearful calamity. Mr. William Jones, the able manager of the fyfartlifa Works; Mr. Kirkhame, the colliery manager; and Mr. Moody, with Mr. E&wreck, colliery manager of Plymouth Works, descended the pit immediately after the accident, and worked nobly in order to rescue those who might yet be alive. But the task was one of great danger. The insidious choke-damp, or carbonic acid gas, which it evolved by arf explosion, combined with a most offensive stench from the smell of singed bodies and burnt horses, rendered exploration most difficult, so much so that two volunteers were dragged from the bottom of the pit insensible, and nearly all suffered extremely. At length by forcing down large quantities of water, which fell at the botton) and caused a great draught, the explorers were enabled to penetrate with safety. When they reached the four-foot seam the spectacle was harrowing. In every direction bodies were met with, in every conceivable form of death produced by violence. Some, it is true looked as tranquil as if they slept; but the masfe were bruised and battered, and the workings were destroyed to a ruinous degree One by one the bodies were found and placed near the bottom of the shaft, and when the number of forty. seven had been collected, and the greater part recog- nised, preparations were made for taking them up the shaft. At seven oclovk, on a daw, dull night, the rain falling, I narrowing together in appearance and adding to the solemn gloom, the first batch of bodies was brought to bank. thousands were assembled around, and on these, among whom, here and there, were the sorrowing bereaved I the flame of torches glared, making a fearful and mo, t gloomy picture. Batch by batclf, tram-full after tram-full, they were brought up, and then conveyed by the Cyfarthfa ——— i KaMway to Merthyr. In every corn* rows of-crushed homes were revealed Ïll the street had some new horror mourning and earnest sympathy abou The recognition scene was "most- wife kneeling in speechless anguish him she so fondly loved; the (hl1l¡ that was mortal of a beloved, father, would arouse the sympathy of a misai was seen, as if in placid sleep, the be was the aole support of his aged met] agony, and heard her mournful cry sonorous vernacular of the country,' God I had died for thee." This po called upon to play the part of chief the first time-she had acted that pa widow. As to the origin of the a mystery, none have lived to tell t plosion took place in the four-foot si in the theee-foot vein escaped unhur off in a contrary direction to the one occu: red. The cause of the explosion is sti' probability will be so till the inquest "THE LAST SCENE ( On Saturday "the last scene of all thyr assumes funeral aspect simil the cholera stalked through the stree down young and old, rich and poor citable race. All of the family, itlict Wales, or his cousin in race, the Ii their strong feelings of love or ha tpneral would hare wrung the heart were not all buried in tho sam« ceme together in the same graveyards was sion consequently strong. There W2 tion save in the semi-closing of shops grave stood only its little many-coin and mourners. And while half a doz being read at the same tin»e, in nearl women or young maids, boys ormci women or young maids, boys ormci hands with rude energy, wrung then: to and fro, and utteriug some dear i a sob that was peculiarly distressing, to other places (or were taken to Abe the choir preceding, sung finely, Altogether, though the effect was dh not lost. Merthyr put on its mo solemnly as the curtain dropped ove]

A RAILWAY COMPEN In the Court of Queen's Bench t North London Hallway Company h action to recover compensation in which the plaintiff s daughter, Susai years of age, had sustained by reasor of the defendants' servants. The de liability, and the only question wai joined are the particulars :— The poor little child was in the was thrown off the line on the the Hampstead station, which recollected. The child was rid woman who was killed by the was found insensible, and was ta Hospital. She did not recognise days. She was being educate learning French and music, and formed child. She is now lame, much affected that her education She is now highly nervous, and ( Mr. Marshall, on being exan surgeon at the University Hospit when brought in. She was coir a condition of collapse. She hac cheek and forehead, a wound a: left eyebrow; both eyes were cheek a wound penetrating rig mouthy two small cuts near the extensive discolouration and swe brow, slighter on the right; sl blood on the left eyeball; at the shallow lacerated wound an incl reaching down to, but not expos sole of the left foot was a coi wound two inches wide, parting sele and the bones, but withoi There was considerable bleeding o blood passed with the urine, the s( discovered. There was a fracture lower jaw in front of the left e; pletely through the bone; a simt collar-bone, and a fracture of the: with a twisting inwards of the tures were simple fractures, symptoms, she suffered from coi The insensibility passed off duri the morning she was able to be r< This state was followed by a con ment, being restless, screaming She had pain in the head and fev head was shaved and leeches app subsided gradually and favouialv1 ger. She remained till the not then recovered the Collar-cvE a large lump outside. The frai not then united it was delayed abscess under the bone, which fracture with a discharge. 1 leg had united well. The wound was not quite well, and &he co the foot, but walked with difticuI other wounds were healed, but s face. I saw her afterwards twi< She was still lame, and coir, pi an ness in the foot. She also comv occasionally. I was not satisfies thing more than a weakness of her general state. I have not i ginning of November. She was n to go on with her education. would interfere with her activii would get well in time. The lui a disfigurement to a girl. I absorbed, but it is impofesible to I Cross-examined The worst it that to the foot. The inversion temporary the next worst injui the jaw. That would be perfect would not be permanent. A sea head, and there is a little "pi which will get less and less, but 1 distinguishable mark. I don't tl formed child. The wound in several months to be completely child up till late at night would It would be wise to keep her months, but I think she will ull well. The head symptoms had s the 12th day. I give her 12 mon Other medical gentlemen vv< testimony concurred with the abc Mr. Denman addressed the ju He had not taken any course to the parents, but had lllerelyadvcJ kept up late at night, as a ruei mischief. No doubt, it was a ve: the child, and it was.a testimoi surgeons at the hospitals, for supposed that the poor child's ] They were all great y indebted to able manner in which Mr. Mao evidence, and he had thought it that gentleman and to the feel clients that the jury should decit his evidence alone, without callin Sart of the company. He was h Ir. Marshall's opinion the chi recover so as to pursue her studie would not disapprove the cours taken in conducting this case, admitted their liability, and had damages alone to the jury. The; o to disparage the injuries the poor The jury would deal liberally, I fairly, with the (Ase. Mr. Justice Blackburn summed regard what the injuries done w the compensation. According to parties, a sum of money might which would be nothing to arfotlie given their evidence in a manner to great commendation, and pro1 respectable persons in their statio question would be what they th permanent injury, because it was suffered very considerable pain > sate her, but not punish the comp tunate circumstance for the child into such skilful hands, for whei account of the injuries he had not so much good having been effected The jury retired for some time, verdict for the plaintift —Damages^ verdict for the plaintift —Damages?

A STARTLING MIRROR !—Ai«' exhibited in the last Paris Expos' for ours, was a h14ge cone n'e inirt of a startling species of optical maj On standing close to the mirror, al presents nothing but a magnificently of your own physiognomy. t!l On retu'U1 of feet, it gives your own face and fiSlJ but reversed, the head downwards. A ignorant of anything else, observe pass on. But retire still furtbe' distance of five or six feet from the mi see yourself not a reflection-it doe a reflection-but your veritable self, s, part between you and the mirror. appalling, from the idea it suggests natural; so startling in fact, that nerves will shrink 'involuntarily rise your cane to thrust at your ow* pass clean through the body and apPe^ the figure thrusting at you the samelU The artist who first succeeded in this description brought it to one ot. if we recollect aright, it was I'c^ Majesty on the spot, and bade hi' and thrust at the figure he SI" but, seeing tha point of a sword breast, threw down his weapon practical joke cost the inventor tn1 and favour his Majesty being a't(j of his own cowardice, that he •' at the mirror or its owner,