The Aberdare Times

AL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. the opening meeting of the Royal Geographical session o{ 1879-80 was held in London In the n^OSJJ?KlVe2,lty;JBarlln8t0n-8a'den8. The ( President, the Earl of North- h. 1 016 'naa«ural address. Alter tome bservations, the President said mportant geographical achievements dur- without doubt, the completion -Aastem PsissagQ by the Swedish Arctic i C direction of Professor Nordonsk- 8,l After a successful and rapid voyage wUn coast in the summer of 1878, his iseL the Vega, was overtaken by winter f Straits, on the 25th of September. wed from the ice on the 18th of July ived at Yokohama on the 2nd oS S'ap. lastraned, in the name of the society, rzofessor Nordenakj*aId ottr hearty con- on his success, and te express oar hope la be able teviett England and to give t of his voyage. I have heard from Mr. IOn, of Gothenburg, the munificent pro- is great undertaking, that he is not return to Sweden before the end of that he will no doubt avail himself rtion. I have every confidence, there- oaay be able in the course of the spring to hearty welcome in this hall. (Cheers.) of Captain Albert Markham, in the utter Isbjorn, of only 40 tons, and that a Bruyne in the little Dutch exploring llem Barents, during last summer, yield id interesting information about Nova Barents and Kara seas, and Franx i. Captain Markham's paper will, we at our next meeting, ø field of African discovery, the event learly concerns ourselves is the lamented 28th of June, of Mr. Keith Johnston, the expedition to explore the route from Dar uth of Zancibar, to Lake Nyassa, under of the society. You will, I know, join Mu in lamenting the premature death of ihed young geographer and explorer. He f qualified by his training, by his travels, parently robust constitution for the task •aken. (Hear, hear.) The expedition had K) miles into the interior when Mr. Keith a. The command devolved upon Mr. 10 was chosen as second to Mr, Keith recount of his qualifications as a geologist i. We lately received, by the courtesy of y, some interesting news of the progress aon in a letter from Dr. Kirk to Lord ted Zanzibar, September 15, which gives h information respecting the navigation ujer, which has been navigated as far as Pangani, about 120 miles from its mouth e, by an Arab despatched by the Sultan At Pangani there are rapids which pre- r progress, but it is thought that in flood jot over. The ascent of Pangani occu- but the descent was accomplished in five, ported to be not far from the confluence and Uranga rivers, the former of which be full of rocks, but the latter to be many days west, i Missionary Society have had, in addi. oas of two members of their party, to tss of Dr. Mullens, their foreign secre- ent traveller, who was leading a party to :e Tanganyika. (Hear, hear.) He died Ifa, on the 10th of July, on the route East Coast and Lake Tanganyika, though he had achieved great things as and man of science, was better known to ^missionary and a director of missionary He had occupied for 13 years the import- reign secretary to the London Missionary i to the other exploring expeditions in I Afrioa, there is little to report except obstacles of African travel have inter- pid progress. We hear of the continued, advance of the Belgian International two of which are on the way from the 'Lake Tanganyika and the Manyema ld, and one under Mr. Stanley is ad. the west via, the Congo. The caravan of its given to the Central Commission by Ie Belgians is now several hundred miles Coaøt on its way to Lake Tanganyika, iring efforts of the German African Ex- aety to extend our knowledge of the or of Africa are well known. During the Her Schutt, one of the latest of their rers, has returned to Europe, with rich tthe little-known region lying between Kassai Rivers, and has recently Geographical Society of Berlin maps of his expedition. His successor, Dr. J, when last heard of, preparing for a he country of Lunda. Thus, in Western measure of suoeess has attended the re- a of the Germans; bat in the North the attempt of Gerhard Rohlfs to reach nca and the Upper Congo from Tripoli, has at present been baffled by the the tribes of the Kufara Oasis. Pinto, with whose expedition you are niliar (cheers), arrived in London eetings for the summer were over, was too late in the season to summon sting with any prospect of a sufficient :0 him the honour which we should have was kind enough, however, to give an travels, at my house, to the members of id such persons interested as I was able e were equally or even more unfortunate f the eminent Bohemian traveller, Dr. who arrived in London in August, when difficult to bring together men of science "would be in the southern part of liJv ke haB recently visited. (Hear, id n^ h&8 brought home drawings and much valuable informa- ?, the neighbourhood of the Zambesi •, ^Gtoria Falls, and I hope he will be i an accoant °f his travels at our ■th of January next. ^•frioa to Central Asia, we hear that » J & w^0Be great attainments are well »ched Suchow, on the Chinese frontier, on De, three months after he left the Siberian uaøia, on his way to Lhassa. A Hun. Count SzéchénJi, in correspondence raphical Society of Berlin, has also been ths engaged on an exploratory journey nd Thibit, but making China his start- > our geographical knowledge have been lurveying officers who accompanied the mns during the recent. campaign in The results will, no doubt, be in due known in form of a revised general map by General Walker; meantime it may aat descriptive papers ef much interest ve been received by us from Captain iieutenant R. C. Temple, relating to the route; from Captain Gerald Martin on VaUey from Captain R. Beavan, George C. Gore, Major Campbell, Laicolm Rogers on various districts in lanistan. lit conclndfid his address, in the course extracts from reports re- z. Thomson, the successor of Mr. Keith ader of the expedition to Lake Nyassa, the expedition of Mr. Wilfrid Blunt, npanied by his wife, Lady Anne Blunt, of Arabia—a paper on which Bubject i in the course of the session. Subse- Ir by Professor Veth was read on The tion to Central Sumatra."

>EEP SEA HARBOUR AT BOULOGNE. s reasonably expected that the com pie- eep sea harbour at Boulogne will be l improvement in the present arrange- sing the Channel, the news that the pre- s have been begun and are being, pro- ome energy will be welcome to many. 'Q of the pier which is to form the lary of the new harbour, and which is rly a mile into the sea from the small of Portel, has been already laid for a yards from the shore, and about fifty pier itself have been completed. A oporary pier has also been built a short the finished portion of the larger one, -he latter a small harbour, 150 yards *ds wide, for the accommodation of the Dr craft employed in loading or unload- A road has also been cut half way up tg which rails will be laid down to ransport of the materials used in the in inclined plane of earth has been built 'ore to the top of the cliff for sending es obtained from the quarries on the Mall Gazette.

BIG GAME OF CANADA, day of the present month the period of iring which the killing of moose and an prohibited in Nova Scotia came to an ceforth the pursuit of this magnificent that province and in New Brunswick, I under restrictions which, it is hoped, effect of resuscitating the stock and pre- fer extermination with which it was re- led. It haB for many years been the prao • from otherpartsof the Dominion, as well ited StateBand occasionally fromEurope, nooøe country in large numbers during Reason and at other times when the [)øt easily got at, and shoot them down ven, in the days of their abundance, by ke skins, and perhaps the horns, were the carcases left to be the prey of carni- and beasts, there not being even the the Indians and others are accustomed | cases, that the flesh of the animals was ■°od. Henceforth this wanton waste i*dand a noble race of animals saved from -he three years' close time which has Nova Scotia has had the effect of oon- the stock of moose and cariboo "*ty of 20 dola. in Nova Scotia and of w Brunswick will in future be levied on th' or attempting to kill, either of these these means, and by the rigorous en- ™ annual close time, the big game of i ouf?ht to be adequately protected "^Pghter.—Colonies and India. ::=

ATHB '0F A *>ACK 0F HOUNDS.—On I hounds had a narrow escape J* the viUage of Griff. The meet a&d shortly after midday a IR „•? siding, on the Coventry s ,ay» saw a fox, closely pursued HJTV1.S?111 j.'°wards the railway, Two HJTV1.S?111 j.'°wards the railway, Two hart dwection« were signalled, and of mind to stop the KadrX* from being cut to pieces. KadrX* from being cut to pieces. drain,

SIR WALTER SCOTT'S STUDY AT ABBOTSFORD. Mr. Frank Backland, writing to Land and Water, gives a most interesting account of a recent visit to Abbotsford, famous as the residence of Sir Walter Scott. We make the following extracts :— The house itself stands at the bottom of a steep declivity which leads from the main road. It is built close to the Tweed, and the Gala water falls into it just below. The general appearance of the house is that of an old castle, but made with modern stone, a design suggested by the antiquarian mind of Sir Walter Scott, who evidently treasured up many things which otherwise would have perished. For in. stance, the old Tolbooth, of Edinburgh, having been de&oliehed in 1817, the stones of the portal were given to Sir Walter Scott, and rebuilt into a doorway, whica bears the following inscription -.—The Lord of Annies is my protector, Meastt ar thay that trust fa the Lord.— 1575. I had to wait a few minutes in the little room before the guide came to conduct us over the house. In this ante-hall were severcl very curious prints, especially a picture of a sea-fight, the Wolverine, Captain Montague, taking some French luggers; a desperate fight between the Russian and Cossack cavalry, 1800; a procession in Edinburgh; and a trunk made of tiger skin, probably a present to Sir Walter years ago. The first room we were ushered into was Sir Walter Scott's study, the furniture of which is left exactly as when Sir Walter died. The table on which he wrote is an old-fashioned affair, but as many drawers and many wings, just the table to suit a man who had a great many papers to deal with. The arm-chair is covered with leather, and just the sort of chair into which a busy man would delight to throw himself back and think. Near the fireplace is a piece of furniture made from portions of the Spanish Armada, with this motto, Aflavit Deus et disipantur." The tables in the dining hall at Westminster School are made from portions of the wreck of the same Armada, All round the room there are numerous shelves with books, and halfway up the room a gallery with more books, very like what we have at the Athenasum Club. It may have been possible Sir Walter took the hint from the Athenaeum, which was founded 1824, and of which Sir Walter was one of the first members. Behind the chair is a cupboard devoted to Sir Walter's pipes and sticks, and I was delighted to find out that Sir Walter Scott smoked. Among the books I noticed bound copies of the French newspaper, the Moniteur. The next room to the study, the drawing-room, is a wonderful place. At one end of it stands an admirable bust of Sir Walter by my godfather, Sir Francis Chantrey. In a bay window is a table containing many in- teresting relics, as follows :—Portrait of James Stuart, born June 10,1688, died at Rome, 1766. The purse of Rob Roy, also the Skein Dhu—English black knife or dagger—belonging to Rob Roy. The tumbler used by Barna; Tam o'Shanter's snuff box; Napoleon's port- folio, ornamented with golden bees. This, if I mis- take not, was presented to Sir Walter by the Duke of Wellington, probably at the time when he was writing "The Life of Napoleon." The Duke's autograph accompanies Napoleon's portfolio. A lock of Lerd Nelson's hair. A lock of the Duke of Wellington's hair. In this room there are some ebony chairs, also some very old, handsome furniture which I do not under- stand. These were presented by King George IV. In the next room—the dining-room—is a picture of Sir Walter Scott, taken about 1815 by Baybum. one of the most famous portrait painters that ever lived. Standing by Sir Walter are represented two hounds- one Maida, the Luffra of the Lady of the Lake, and of another hound called Menus, The walls of the passage leading out of this room are hung with the most interesting relics. A pair of pistols found in Napoleon's carriage after Waterloo, very handsome, handy weapons, engraved "Ver- sailles King James VI.'a hunting flask; the spurs of Prince Charlie; Kob Roy's gun, with the initials "R.M.C"; the iron mask worn by Wishart the Martyr at the stake to prevent his addressing the people; the money-box of King James IV.; Bruce's candlesticks, with a most admirable arrangement for keeping up the candle always to burning point; the magnificent tusk of an elephant. The doors of the Hall were then suddenly thrown open, and a most interesting place it is. All along the walls are hung cuirasses, helmets, and swords of, I should say, of almost every age and period. Above the armour are coats of arms, and a double line of escutcheons displays the heraldic bearings of the Sootts, Kerrs, Elliots, Douglases, and other border clans, these reminding us of the flags hung up of the Knights of the Order of the Bath in Henry VII.'s Chapel, Westminster, The following inscription runs round the walls of the Hallj THESE BE THE COATS ARMOKIES OF THE CLANNS, AND CHIEF MEN OF NAME, WHO KEPIT THE MAROBES OF SCOTLAND IN THE AULD TIME FOR THE KING. TRKWE MEN WAR THEY IN THEIR TIME AND IN THEIR DEFENCE. GOD THEM DEFENBYT. At the west end of the room are a helmet and cuirass of the French Life Guards; also the finest head I ever saw of the fossil red deer, forming a capital pair, 'with magnificent skull of the extinct British ox (Mos urus). There were many other objects to which I should like to have given my attention, but my time was limited, as I had to return to Melrose, I afterwards visited Sir Walter Scott's tomb at Dryburgh Abbey. It is a plain granite tomb in the ruius of what ence had been a chapel. It has the simple inscription indicating that Sir Walter was buried there en the 26th September, 1832. This, therefore, is the last resting place of the greatest literary man since Shakespeare's time—his- torian, antiquarian, poet, novelist, and, above all, a really true and good man, an ornament to the country of his birth, Scotland.

EDUCATION IN HUNGARY. An interesting work on the condition of public in. struotion in Hungary at the close of the school year 1877-78 has been published within the last few days by order of the Hungarian Ministry of Worship and Education. It is a quarto volume of nearly 500 pages, compiled from official sources by Professor Schwicker. It gives pleasing proof of the great strides which have been made by Hungary during the last decade, or since the restoration of the Hungarian Constitution by her present popular King, the Emperor Francis Joseph. These happy results are traced to his bold re-institution of an independent Hungarian Government. While in 1869 there were only 13,798 elementary schools in Hungary and Translyvania, they had increased at the end of 1877 to 15,486. Thus in eight years no lesa than 1,688 new schools arose, or an average of 211 each year. A proof of the zeal of the parents for education is shown by the fact that whereas in 1869 only 48 per cent. of the children of legal school age could be gathered into the schools, 71 per cent, are now in regular attendance. The number of teachers has risen from 17,792 in 1869 to 20,717 in 1877. The schools are only assisted, not wholly maintained—unless in exceptional caøes-b, the Hungarian Legisla. ture. They owe their present prosperity and aCt ceptability to the extraordinary spirit of sacrifice which is exhibited alike by the local civil communes and by the various religious denominations. The State has improved the prospects of the whole class of teachers by giving them a title to retirement upon pensions after a certain term of activity, and by the promise eventually, with the help of private bounty, of instituting a fund for the maintenance of their widows and orphans. Dr. Schwicker believes that the Hungarian "People's School Law" (Yolknchul- gesete) has aimed at and successfully attained the golden mean between Voluntaryisn and State supremacy in the regulation of the local schools. The State is not the only school keeper, but accepts and acknowledges the co-operation of the different Churches. "In Hungary," say. the compiler, "it is not our first question—Who is the founder and maintainer of this school? But rather, does this school correspond to its aim ? Does it fulfil the lepal prescriptions? Is it a good school ? The fanatics on both sides fought hard at the firat against the tolerant attitude of the State, but their zeal has waned for want of support from the people. There is no fixed age for the child's first appearance at school, as Hungarian society has long ago pre-occupied the ground by charging itself with the education of the very little children.—Olobe.

MORTALITY IN RUSSIA. The official Board of Statistics at St. Petersburg has published some population figures, from which it appears that in European Russia there are annually born 1,619,108 males, and 1,544,297 females, or an average total of 3,163,405 children of both sexes. On the other hand, the average annual deaths are 1,214.467 males, and 1,167.929 females, or a total of 2,382,396 persons of both sexes. The population, therefore, shows an average increase of 781,000 a year—a per- centage which, supposing the inhabitants always to multiply at the same rate, would double the popula- tion in 58 years; whereas in Sweden, according to a similar method of calculation, this result would only be attained in 62 years, in Germany in 68, in Bel- gium in 79, in Austria in 95, in Switzerland in 99, and in France in 165 yearB. The high percentage of mortality in Russia is chiefly caused by the numerous deaths among children, more than the fourth part of whom perish before they are a year old; whereas in Prussia, of 1,000 infants only 165, and in England still fewer, 140, die before that age. Measles, scarla- tina, and diphtheria, says the Novoye Vremya, are at present making great ravages among the juvenile population of the capital, and in certain districts of the Empire the danger is so great that several colleges and infant schools have been closed.

To SLEEP ON IT !—"TO sleep en it," or, go to bed and sleep on it," derives its origin from the fol- lowing circumstances. A French soldier who, having lost all hiB money at play, wished to fight with any of his companions that would come out, No one accept- ing the challenge, he threw himself down by the side of a tent, and went to sleep. Two or three hours after, it happened that another soldier who had met with the same fortune, was passing by the tent and heard the other snoring-waking him, he cried, Get up, com- rade, 1 have lost my money as well as you; quick, draw your sword, and let us fight!" "Fight? we fight cned the other, rubbing his eyes not yet lay down a bit and take a nap as I have done, and then we 11 nght as much as you please." THROWING A TDB TO THE WHALE.—The Green- land vessels, and indeed the South Sea vessels, are sometimes (especially after stormy weather) so sur. rounded with whales, that the situation of the crew becomes dangerous. When this is the case, it is usual to throw out a tub in order to divert their attention when the marine monsters amuse themselves in tossing this singularsort of a plaything into the air, to and fro, as children do a shuttlecock. Their attention being drawn, every sail is hoisted, and the vessel pur- sues its course to its destination. Hence came the Mying. Throwing a Tub to the Whale!"

SIAMESE SAPPHIRES. It seems possible that the attention of the world will be drawn before long to the little known kingdom of Siam. A Straits' paper recorda a great rush of Burmans and Shana across the frontier into Siam, attracted thither by a reported discovery of a great field of sapphires. Another stream of Eastern ad. venturers had passed through Penang, en route to Bangkok by sea, and ahould these pioneers meet with success, we may depend upon it that they will be followed at no late date by a full tide of Australian miners. It is said that already many subordinate Government officials, both in Burmah and at the Straits, have resigned their ap- pointments in order to be early in the field. There seems little doubt that a discovery of valuable sapphire mines has been made in Siam, as not a few stones of price have filtered down to Bangkok lately and there met with ready purchasers. The main question is, however, as to whether the find will be likely long as remain productive in the face of this sudden influx of miners. The Cape diamond fieids certainly continue to yield profitable returns on the whole, but even in that instance there are many good judges who predict a gradual narrowing of the industry owing to the exhaustion of the diamondiferous beds. Very similar predictions were wont to be uttered some years ago about the Australian gold deposits, which nevertheless continue to hold out without any serious diminution in the average yield. In process of time they will, of course be exhausted, and the South African diamond fields are pretty sure to meet with the same fate. For the time being, however, both pay for their working, now that machinery is extensively used in place of manual labour. The sap- phire mines of Siam may similarly prove worth open- ing up on a large and systematic scale by European capital and enterprise. In the meanwhile the Siamese who live in the vicinity of the bed of gems will probably have cause to rue the day when the discovery was made. The Burmese and Shans of whom we hear are not likely to make very pleasant neighbours, but if the Aus- tralian or CaUfornian digger pats in an appearance, it will, indeed, be an uncomfortable time for the poor Siamese. Moreover, it is just possible that the latter may think they have a right to keep the sapphires for themselves, a pretension which would inevitably lead to the use of revolver arguments by their visitors. Altogether, Siam can scarcely be congratulated on her apparent good fortune. She will, however, have the consolation of knowing that her Bufferings, whatever they may amount to, will enhance the pleasure of the world at large, by increasing its supply of one of its most beautiful gems.—rOlohe.

CURIOUS STATISTICS. The Brussels Correspondent of the GZ-be writes Two years ago, at the request of the Brussels Geo- graphical Society, the Minister of the Interior ordered returns to be made of the colour of the eyes and hair of all the children attending the primary schools throughout the country. The result of this inquiry has now been published. Though it may not appear at first sight of what use such statistics can be, they will, it is expected, prove of value in afford- ing some clue to the origin of the inhabitants of Belgium. All has been learned that can be learned from the study of what remain of the early records of past times bearing or supposed to bear upon the subject; now it will be seen how far the theories of ethnologists are borne out and confirmed by the living reoordB as stamped on the featares of the present gene- ration. It was Professor Virchow who, in Germany, first attempted to carry out the suggestion made by the Anthropological Society of Paris, and he is now in possession of a mass of observations on the colour of the eyes and hair of several millions of German children. A similar task has since been undertaken simultaneously between Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, and Bohemia. Here a more simple plan has been adopted than in Germany, the inquiry being limited to the sex and approximate age of the children, the colour of their eyes, as divided under three categories—light eyes, blue or grey, brown eyes, and black eyes; and the colour of the hair, whether red, light, brewn, or black, any exceptional cases being noted in a separate column. Professor Vander Kindere, who was charged with the direction of this laborious undertaking, wisely refrained from adding to the difficulty of obtaining accurate inform- ation by dividing each colour into different shades, as the returns were to be drawn up by several thousands of teachers, many of whom might be ineapable of deter- mining where light brown ceases and dark brown begins. The forms used in Germany were so complicated as to lead to much confusion, from the number of de- tails to be noted down. In Belgium all that ia really wanted, at least as a beginning, is to know the rela- tive number of children with light hair and eyes, or with dark hair and eyes. In the month of March laat year the teachers of all the primary and infant schools received the forms to be filled up, these were in due course forwarded to the Home Office, and then classed according to the communes, cantons, and pro- vinces. Then came the labour of verifying each sepa- rate sheet and cancelling all that were irregular; for of course there were some who failed to under. stand the simple instructions sent them. Each column had to be added up, and the number of chil- dren grouped under the three headings of light, having light eyes and hair dark, or brown and black and mixed, having dark eyes and light hair, or vice versa. The totals were again added up, giving the number of each in each canton or district within the jurisdiction of a iuge de paix. The average number in each canton, of which Belgium contains 204, is about 3,000, and the total, leaving out the lists cancelled, 608,698. We now know that in the north of Belgium the light type pre- dominates. The provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, and Flanders, and the north of Brabant constitute the zone of blue or grey eyes and light hair, which are now shown to be the characteristic of the Flemish part of the population. The cantons of Ostend and Bruges, however, form a remarkable exception, the same being observed at Boulogne and along the French coast, which leads Professor Vander Kindere to infer that the inhabitants of these maritime districts are descended from a race that was early attracted there by the abundance of fish, and not, as some main- tain. from Spaniards who settled there in later times. M. Vander Kindere denies that the darker type in the Walloon provinces is to be attributed to the pre- dominance of Celtic blood, and claims it as a proof of descent ^frona the prehistoric races which, after the Celtic invasion, remained in the country and mingled with the conquerors.

ANECDOTE OF THE CZAR NICHOLAS I. The Berlin Correspondent of the Standard says that the diaries of Privy Councillor Boguslovshl, recently published In St. Petenburg, contain not a few interesting contributions towards the personal history of Nicholas I. The following Is one of the anecdotes given by the correspondent: The Emperor Nicholas not unfrequently acted as his own Foreign Secretary, issuing commands of which his Chancellor knew nothing. Having heard on one occasion that a play had been produced in Paris, bearing the title Catherine II. and her Favourites, in which the celebrated Empress was painted in the blackest colours, his Majesty addressed the following autograph letter to the Count Pahlen, the Russian Ambassador at Paris:— Upon receipt of this, repair without delay, what- ever may be the hour, to the King of the French, and communicate to him my wish that all printed copies of the piece called Catherine II. be forthwith con. fiscated, and that its performance in any Parisian theatre be prohibited. Should the King decline to accede to my request you are to demand your papers and to quit Paris in twenty-four hours. Leave the consequences to me.' The Czar's messenger bearing the despatch, arrived at his destination when Count Pahlen was dining with the King. Strictly following the Czar's instructions he summoned the Ambassador from the table, and handed him the Imperial letter. The Count grew uneasy on reading it, but of course had no alternative but to exe. cute the command of his Sovereign. Returning to the dining-room, he approached the King and solicited an immediate audience. His Majesty, much astonished, inquired whether it was not possible to wait until dinner was over. 1 Your Majesty,' replied the Am- bassador, the instructions of the Emperor are so imperative that it is necessary for me to explain them at once.' Upon this the King rose and ac. companied the Ambassador into another room. where the latter handed to him the despatch, Surprised at the acerbity of tone and irritated at the urgency of the language in which the letter was couched. Louis Philippe turned to the Count and said with dignity :—' The will of your Emperor may be a command for you, but it is not so for me, the King of the French besides this, you are well aware that France has a Constitutional Government, with freedom of the preBS, and I am therefore unable, even if I were willing, to comply with the request.' If that is your Majesty's final answer,' returned the Count, I must beg to be at once supplied with my passport.' But that would be equivalent to a declaration of war,' remarked the King. That may be, your Majesty; but, as you see, the Emperor takes all responsi. bility upon himself.' 1 Give me at least time to consult my Ministers,' urged the King. I am allowed twenty-four hours,' replied the Ambassador; 1 at the expiration of that time I must take my departure.' The matter was ultimately disposed of by the French Government proscribing the play and confisca- ting the printed copies, the Count, of course, remain- ing at his post. "Something similar occurred in the year 1844, when a piece bearing the title The Emperor Paul was an. nounced for performance in Paris. On that occasion the Emperor Nicholas wrote to the King—' If you do not forbid the representation I will send a million of spectators to hiss it from the stage.'

SCAB IN POTATOES. American cultivators, as well as those on this side of the Atlantic, are often considerably troubled with scab on the skinB of their potatoes. The cause of this marking, which so materially affects the appearance of the tubers, is one of those thingB that has vexed and troubled many minds, but to little purpose. Some have it that lime in the soil does it; others, ashes; others say that it is produced by worms, and yet others that it is the result of blight or rust. Now as the same kind grown in similar soils, yet in diverse places will be often found to exhibit in the one place much scab and in the other soil none whatever, it becomes more and more evident that there must be something in the soil, and not in the sort, that is the cause of the scab- bing. At one time a believer in the theory that earth. worms excoriated the skins in search of moisture during dry weather, I now incline to a totally different theory, but it is one that can only be explained on a scientific basis, How many personB are there who on lifting some potatoes early, where scab is afterwards seen, have not found dotted over the skin of the im- mature tubers certain white warts or excrescences that rub off in handling and leave behind just a mere speck. The cause of these eruptions must be looked for in Bome chemical or formative process going on in the tubers, and probably is caused by the presence in the soil of some agent that, being taken up and eventually absorbed into the growing tuber by the plant, is presently expelled as a foe, in much the same way that some human blood disease is expelled in the form of skin eruptions. These warts as the tuber expands and becomes matured, presently dis- | appear, but leave the mark of the eruption on the skin, and of course, as the tuber increases in size, the extent of the scab mark inoreases with it. Hence the scab, which ia never deeper than a skin mark, though objectionable in its appearance, is rather an evidence of good quality than otherwise.—"A, D. in the Gardeners' Chrowide.

THE ROYAL BELGIAN ELEPHANT EXPEDITION IN AFRICA. Letters from Zanzibar, received in London, an- nounce the arrival at Ugogo of the United Belgian Expedition. The Elephant Expedition, under Mr. Carter, arrived first at Mpwapwa, from Dar-es- Salaam, at which place they awaited the expedition under^Captain^ Popelin, and, upon its arrival, the two expeditions joined, and proceeded en route for Unyan- yembe and Ujiji, all well. The elephants had travelled moat successfully from Dar-es-Salaam (where they were landed), to Mpwapwa, for the first fifty miles over the Mackinnon.Buxton road, which is now com- pleted for that distance inland, in the direction of the Lake Nyassa, This road is described by one of the expe- dition as being like the king's highway," the loaded elephants passing over the numerous bridges without trying them, and that there is no portion of the road over which a dog.cart could not be safely driven. Bungalows, or rest-houses, are being erected at inter- vals along the route. Having this road to traverse for the first fifty miles proved a great boon to the elephants, and all connected with the expedition, enabling them to get somewhat accustomed to marching before they had the arduous task of going acroes country to Mpwapwa, by a previously unknown route. This was a great undertaking to accomplish, the hills crossed being very steep, and the country one of extreme diffi- culty, some of the descents being spoken of as literally like coming down the side of a house." That no animals but elephants could possibly have carried their burdens of half a ton each over such a country with so little distress is the opinion of the leader of this expedition. "Tsetse" country was passed through and the elephants covered and bitten by the fly, but with apparently no bad results; they also seem to thrive on the native vegetation and not to mias their accustomed Indian luxuries. Unfor- tunately, when near Mpwapwa, one of the elephants (a large male) died, not from" tsetse" bite, but, it is believed, from apoplexy, dying suddenly and in its sleep; it had been the most difficult to manage of the four, and was therefore the easiest to spare, for though of course a loss to the expedition, yet as it never could be turned, having made up its mind to do a thing, it made up its mind to die, and succeeded. The other three animals may now be considered fully acclimatized, and by last accounts were all welL This expedition is creating profound admiration and astonishment in all the villages through which it f>assea, and the docility of the huge beasts, hitherto ooked upon as enemies to their crops, is beginning for the first time to dawn on the native mind. It is much to be hoped steps will before long be taken to capture and train the wild African elephants, roaming in large herds in the interior, especially now these Indian ones prove of such immense use as means of transport in Central Africa, where trustworthy and more inexpensive means of carriage are so much needed to develop the resources of that vast country. Mr. Sanderson has written from India, volunteering to go to Africa, taking his staff of experienced ele- phant-catchers with him, for a period of three years, should he obtain leave from the Indian Government, in whose service he is employed in the capacity of elephant-catcher, and should the necessary funds for the undertaking be forthcoming. It will be much to be deplored if Mr. Sanderson's enterprising offer and the opportunity of gaining the advantage ef his great experience are lost, for to our thinking the civilisation and development of Eastern tropical Africa promises to do more towards the successful opening up of new markets for our manufactures than any undertaking hitherto attempted. Two members of the Belgian expedition return to Europe unable to sustain the fatigues of the journey. Their places are about to be filled by Englishmen of energy and expe. rience, who proceed shortly to join the party. The tusks being sawn off at the tips (3ft. 3in. long and 1ft, 2in. in circumference) of the elephant that died in the King of the Belgians' service have arrived in England from Mpwapwa, and will be forwarded to his Majesty at t ruesels as a touvenir of the death of the first elephant in the praiseworthy attempt to civilise and develop Africa, in which so many noble lives have been sacrificed.

EMIGRATION TO MANITOBA. The Times of Monday published the following letter :— Sir,—Now that emigration is looked upon as the only plan of affording relief to the many tenant farmers who are, perhaps, suffering more at the pre- sent time than they themselves care to acknowledge, I venture to send you extraptB from a letter lately re- ceived from a clergyman in Manitoba, Canada. He says:— I have settled two or three townships in Eastern Canada with emigrants, and have sent 150 people to the great Saskatchewan. I have only been here (Emer- son, Manitoba) one month, but I am so delighted with country and climate that I determined to write to you and see if we could not together induce English Church tenant farmers to come out here. Any man that can command j6200 sterling on his arrival in Emerson has every earthly security of becoming wealthy in five or ten yean. All my people that I have settled in the country are very sanguine and glad that they came." I should be, of course, happy to forward more par- ticulars and a copy of the letter from which I have extracted the foregoing statements to any one desirous of fuller information.—I am, your obedient servant, J. BEIDOER, Emigrants' Chaplain. St. Nicholas Church, Liverpool, Nov. 7.

THE CHATEAU OF PARDO, This Royal pleasure residence, when the future Qaeen of Spain is to spend a few days before her marriage, ia situate on the right bank of the Manza- nares, about nine miles from Madrid. It is sur- rounded by extensive woods, which are enclosed by a stone wall between 48 and 50 miles in length. These woods are well-stocked with game, which is carefully preserved. It waS originally a hunting lodge built by Henry III. of Castile, and subse- quently greatly enlarged and beautified by Philip II. and Philip Ill. The chateau is flanked by four towers. The interior is admirably arranged. There is a noble collection of tapestry, with which almost all the apartments are hung, and which were manufactured in Madrid from original designs. There is also a fine collection of frescoes which represent bunting scenes or passages from Don Quixote. There are in the chapel several pictures by famous Spanish masters. The chateau is surrounded by beautiful gar. dens which command a magnificent view. Within the woods there are two other smaller chateaux. One of them is a two-storied building, surrounded by de- lightful gardens, which was built by the Infante Don Fernando for the purpose of giving dramatic enter- tainments. At present there is the greatest activity in getting the Chateau of Pardo ready for its august visitor.

A MULTITUDE OF WHALES.—The bark Elsinore, which arrived at New York on October 23 from Rio Janiero, reports that BIX days before! when abreast of Bermuda, she passed through an immense school of whales. The captain says that in an experience of many years be never saw so many whales together. The "procession must have been at least twp miles long. It is a very uncommon thing to fall in with a large gathering of whales so far south u Bermuda.

MR. GLADSTONE'S SEVENTIETH BIRTHDAY. Mr. Gladstone has written the following letter to Mr. Samuel Morley, M.P., In which the right hon. gentleman explains his reasons for declining tbe offer of a banquet which it was proposed to hold in the largeat available build- ing in London in celebration of his seventieth birthday :— I 73, Harley-street, Oct. S3, 1879. I My dear Mr. Morley,—I reached London on Saturday, and I have since been laid up by a severe cold, which has not entirely left me, so that I must write more hastily than I could wish. But I think it necessary to address you without delay in refer- ence to a plan, most gratifying to my feelings, on which y<>u wera the first to speak to me in the spring of this year. The design of honouring me with a banquet on the anticipated completion of my seventieth year is so flattering to me that I am naturally reluctant to with- hold my assent from it. Had circumstances permitted me to remain in that degree of political quietude which I was able to main- tain in 1874 and 1875 I should thankfully have accepted the proposal without fear of its being mis- understood. But the necessities of the period from 1876 onwards have forced me into a constant activity, while I remain as desirous as heretofore te do nothing which could appear to compromise or tend to alter my position as a private member of the Liberal party. The prospect of a general election has led to my undertaking in the county of Midlothian a full share of the labour and excitement of the crisis; but this appears to render it especially needful that I should not, at such a period, be the object of a public demon- stration elsewhere, whether in the form of a banquet or otherwise. I hold it to be at this time a duty of special obliga- tion for every member of the party individually to avoid whatever might tend to disturb its organization under its excellent leaders, or to weaken its action in pursuit of the greatest and most urgent national aims which have for many years been presented to it. I therefore respectfully and gratefully ask you to convey to those who have thus far been engaged in the design, my request on public grounds that it may not be further prosecuted, I remain, my dear Mr. Morley, very faithfully yours, II W. E. GLADSTONE."

THE GERMAN POST OFFICE. The development of the postal system in Germany, as meaaured by the sale of postage-stamps of the various descriptions, has been extraordinary. In 1855 it was still more the custom not to prepay letters or to affix stamps on them, and the number of stamps sold in that year was only 1,535,000, besides 3,757,000 stamped envelopes, the total value being only 801,660 marks, or £40,083. Ten years afterwards the value of the stamps, 61,240,000 in number, and of stamped envelopes, numbering 11,341,100, sold in 1865 was 8,423,165 marks, or £421.158. In 1173, under the new Imperial Government, the total value had risen to 59.9S0.071 marks, or £ 2,999,003, which was the sum received for 507,886,800 postage- stampB, 11,533,009 stamped envelopes^ 27,319,100 simple post-cards, 694,500 postcards with prepaid answer, and 5,089,800 stamped wrappers. In 1878, only five years later, the progress was still astonishing. In that year the German Post- Office sold 646,750,000 postage-stamps, 5,251,000 stamped envelopes, 92,018,000 simple post-curds, 963,500 postcards for answer by return, 6,525,000 stamped wrappers, 90,000 stamped envelopes and cards for the tube-post, and 2,245,600 foreign post. cardø. The total value last year was no less than 83,743,960 marks, or £ 4,187,198, being a hundred and four fold the receipts of 25 years previously.

AN INTERVIEW WITH CETYWAY0. By permission of Captain Ruscombe Paolo, R A., the ens- todlan of Cetywaye, the deposed Zulu Ktng was interviewed on the let ult. by some British officers previous to their de- parture for England, among them being: Captain Dickson, Royal Dragoons; Captain Symons, 24th Regiment; Captain Sutherland, 4th King's Own; Assistant-Commissary Cberm- slde and Lieutenant Reynolds, 31st Regiment; and Lieu- tenant A Barney, Royal Dragoons, who was present at the capture of Cetywayo. The interview is thos described (says the Daily Telegraph) :— At ten a.m. we were introduced, and found Cety- wayo sunning himself on the ramparts of a bastion of the castle, and having his hair dressed. He shook hands with all of us—a good wholesome grip, with a cool hand and a huge net. He was sitting on a mat spread on the ground, and had on a red tablecloth, which partially covered his body and enormous thighs. We had brought with us a basket full of figs, oranges, sweetmeats, and raisins, of whioh last he is inordinately fond, a bottle of whiskey, and some coloured kerchiefs. We asked per- mission to give him these things, as we bad heard that he was shy of visitors and often would not talk to them. As with many less renowned men, an offering te his appetite loosened his tongue, and he spoke to us openly and pleasantly. His appearance by this time will have been so often described, and must be so well known by the thousands of photo- graphs that have already been sold, that we will touch but lightly on this point. His manner was subdued and self-possessed, and he was extremely shy of being looked at. He cannot look any one in the face, but, after a quick, intelligent glance, looks askance, and answers questions and talks in a low voice. When inclined to talk at all he likes being questioned, and answers at once through the interpreter. We asked him if he felt afraid of the sea as he embarked at Port Durnford. He said, Yes, of the surf boats, but not at all when I got on board the big ship." He said that he had known'in his head all along that his army would be beaten by the English, and he did all he could to pre- vent a war, but was driven to it by the younsr men of the army J that after Ieandhlwana and Kambula, where his regiments lost very many men, more than he could count, they had only half hearts in the fights, and that it was only with the greatest difficulty that he could get the men together again; that very few of the things taken at Isandhlwana were ever brought to him, and when he asked about them his men said they had got nothing, but he knew that they had, and he Buppowd they had them hidden away at their kraals. The two guns were brought to him by his order a week after Isandhlwana, during which time they had been left on the battle field; one was caught his side of the hill, the other ours. He had never heard anvthing of the loBt colours, and did not know wh"t thS wire, and did. not think it likely that we should hear of them again. The young men would most likely tear them up, and give the gold fringes to their intombis (girls). The white people living in Zululand might in years to come hear of them and other things, if they had not been destroyed; but the people for a long time would be afraid to give up any- thing, through fear of being killed for being m posses- sion. He was exceedingly angry with the army for killing the officers at Isandhlwana, and had given his men strict orders to bring all the officers to him alive his men had said that they co^d not tell the officers from the men, and so klUed them all. He called them fools, as he had told them that the officers wore swords and the men had guns. (It will be remembered that before the campaign commenced the officers received orders to assimilate their dress as much as possible to that of the men, to prevent the fire of the enemy being drawn on them.) When asked what he would have done with the officers Cetywayo replied, I should have used them for politioal purposes. On being pressed for a meaning he said, I should have made use of them. I knew what to do with them. I was very angry." Cetywayo then began to talk to Captain Poole about his living and some arrangements for his comfort, and grumbled because he oould not have a whole ox every day for himself, and then he asked if he knew what his (Captain Poole s) name with a click in front of it meant in the Zulu language ? Being answered in the negative, the King, laughing, told the interpreter to tell him that it meant a small thorn, very troublesome in some parts of the country, and that he must take his name to be a warning to take care of him and not get pricked. The Zulus pride themselves on their conversa- tional powers and never miss an opportunity of playing upon a word, and in this the King is an adept. He has been measured for a BUI* of clothes and a pair of boots, and he was counting the days on his fingers till they were completed as promised, thus assuming very quickly raiments of a civilisation to which a few days before he was such a determined enemy, and an adaptation to fortune and circumstances worthy of a great mind. Oar virit terminated, as it had begun, with a "shake hands" all round. On our way out we stopped to speak to the King's four wives, or rather concubmeB, who were captured with him-four strapping wenches of five feet seven or eight inches in height, and, for black women, not ill-looking. They looked happy enough now that they are assured that they are not going to be killed, and were humming away as one was stringing beads, another cooking, and the other two looking on.

THE EDISON TELEPHONE. On the above subject The Times of Monday has published the following letter I- Sir,—On the 10th of May last, in a leading article on the subject of the Edison telephone, you published a description of the means by which a resident m the country might communicate with his office in town, transact his business, dictate letters, and do all that which can be accomplished by a personal interview. The Edison telephone has to-day fulfilled this pre- diction in the most practical manner. With a wire passing through the Exchange system of this company, and conveyed for ten or twelve mileBof the way on poles with many other wires, conversation was carried on with as much facility over a distance of fifteen miles as though from room to room. It will be difficult to convey to your readers a more graphic description of what can be done with the Edison telephone than by shortly recounting what has actually been accomplished to-day. A gentle. man, with whose house the Edison Telephone Ex- change has been plaoed in connexion was enjoying a day's hunting. At the time he left home the telephone had not been fixed in position, although the wire had been run. Duriag his absence the work was com- pleted, and on his return important letters were read to him, to which replies were dictated. A conference with his solicitors being necessary, the operator at the Central Exchange connected him in the manner already described in your columns. An important telegram from New York was received, and a reply dictated in time to reach New York three hours after the first message was despatched from America. The principal portion of a day's work in town was thus compressed into half an hour's occupation in a library. It must be borne in mind that what has to-day been accomplished is no laboratory experiment. The con- ditions involved were the conditions of ordinary life.— I am, Sir. your obedient servant, ABNOLD WHITE, Manager, Edison Telephone Company (Limited), 11, Queen Victoria-street, November 8.

There has just died at Mawdsley, at the age of 79 years, an old man named George Moss. Mr. Moss s claim to celebrity rests on the fact that he expired on the bed and in the house In which he was born, and that be pevsr slept away trom bome during bis long lifetime.

A DISASTROUS FIRE. A conflagration of an extensive character took plaoe on the morning of the 2nd inst. at Trarbach, one of the chief centres of the wine trade of the Moselle, situated between Treves and Coblenec. The fire broke out in the Rathhaus. or tewn-hall, soon after mid- night. This edifice, which was three centuries old, and which was built chiefly of wood in an interesting style of architecture, was soon in flames. The building also contained some fine painted glass windows, the gift of Dutch merchants, who have long been in the habit of purchasing much wine produced in this district. The whole building fell a prey to the flames, and the conflagration rapidly spread to the neighbouring dwelling houses. The appliances for extinguishing the fire were so in- adequate that, besides the Rathhaus, about sixty private houses were completely destroyed, together with their outbuildings. The unfortunate inhabitants, scarcely one of whom was insured, were at the time the report left Trarbach encamped in their vineyards with such furniture, bedding, and cattle as they were able to rescue from the flames.

EPITOME OF NEWS. BRITISH AND FOREIGN, Mr. Edison, the American inventor, is expected in England next montb. It is atated that the Post-office authorities are think- ing of trying the experiment ef sixpenny telegrams within a six mile radius of St. Martln's-le-Grand. A memorial sundial, erected at a cost of upwards of two thousand pounds by the Baroness Bnrdett-Coutts in the reclaimed and ornamented churchyard of St. Pancras, has been formally presented to the new churchwardens of that paiiih by her ladyship in person. The electric light is steadily growing in favour for lighthouse purposes. Oar Trinity Board has long ago recognised Its great advantages, and the South Australians have recently determined to use ltat Cape Northumberland, and are prepared to expend £20,000 for the purpose. It is stated that a Russian naval officer has jnøt ar- rived at Constantinople to purchase four Turkish ironclads. ( The Nawab Abdul Ghani of Dacca and the Nawab Absanulla of Dacca have each forwarded 1,000 rupees, and the Maharajah of Hutwa has forwarded 600 rupees to the secretary of the Princess Alice (Darmstadt) Memorial Fund. How fashion repeats itself has recently been strikingly demonstrated In New York, where a young lady has been married in her grandmother's wedding dress made seventy years ago, and, thoagh It was left unaltered, no one knew that the dress was not made in the latest style. The vineyards of Europe occupy some 17,000,000 acres of land, which annually produce about 3,294,808,000 gallons. France, Italy, and Spain respectively head the list of wine-producing countries. The bazaar opened at Brighton by the Duke and Duchess of Connaught in aid of the Royal School for Daughters of Officenln the Army realised £1,700. It is stated from St. Petersburg that the German Emperor has assured the Czar that neither he nor his son would ever make war upon Russia, and that time would show how favourable they both are to the whole Russian nation. In the list of Mayors for the ensuing year, pub- llshed on Tuesday morning, there were 100 Liberals and 69 Conservatives. Mr. W. E. Baxter, speaking at Bernie, said when the Liberals return to power the people would expect that the Turkish Government should be told that the convention by which we bound ourselves to defend that country against Russia is at an end; and as for Cyprus, it would be a grace- ful thing to band it over to Greece in part reparation for having deserted the cause of that kingdom at the Berlin Congress. The German Emperor has graciously contributed the sum or 10,000 marks (about £600 sterling) in aid of the sufferers by the Murcla Inundations. A rumour has been circulated in St. Petersburg that England had expressed a desire to the Porte to establish a naval station on the Black Sea. Commenting on this rumeur, the Golos says that the entry of the British Fleet into tbe Eoxlne would be regarded by Russia as a casus belli- An hotel that makes up 3,000 beds is said to have been built at San Francisco I There are arcades lined with shops on the ground floor, two or three restaurants, a theatre, and various other places of amusement within Its outer wails. Bear stalking is just now producing good sport in the neighbourhood of Valence (Drdme). Three of those animals have been killed at Romeyer, one weighing 3601bs. The authorities of the Charing-cross Hospital have received a valuable present of old linen from her Majesty the Qaeen. No fewer than twenty barristers were called on Monday in Dublin, the largest number at one call for many years, although the amount of business at the Irish Bar has been said to be declining. At a meeting of the Derby Town Council, held on Monday afternoon, Mr. Councillor Ley stated that the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society had practically determined to hold their show for the year 1881 at Derby, if the sum was raised which was required towards paying the expenses of the society. The sum needed was ".000, and a half of that amount had already been subscribed. A committee was appointed for the purpose of raising the subscriptions still required and of furthering and carrying out tbe proposal to hold the show at Derby. Every member of the Dutch Second Chamber is paid for his services 2,000 florins ( £ 166) per year, apd can fifteen pence for every hoar's travelling from his resi- dence to The Hague, whenever he chooses to attend the sitting of the Chamber. The Indian Press is making an appeal which should receive a hearty response both in India and in England, namely, that those who have papers, books, or magazines to spare should forward them to Surgeon-Major Porter, of the Cabul field force, for the use of the hospitals and seldiers' reading-rooms- Oar troops are likely to have a long and dreary period of Inaction this winter, and, without reading, will find time heavy on their hands. An inquest has been held at Bath touching the death of two drovers, who were killed at the Midland goods station. The men came from Bristol, in charge of cattle, by a special Cattle train, and got in front of a goods' train slowly entering the station. To avoid being run over they jumped to another line, and were knocked down by their own train, which was being shunted, one man being killed Instantly, and the other dying at the hospital from the shock. Both were sober. A verdict of accidental death was returned. Mr. Seeley, M.P., has notified to his tenants in the Isle of Wight that he will deduct 20 per cent. from their rents for tae past half-year, and 28 per cent. at the end of the next half-year. The Rev. James Tripp, rector of Spoffortb, York. shire, died last Saturday morning, in his ninety-third year. The living was worth a year, thoagh now about JE140 per annum will be added to that of Wetherby. It Is in the gift of Lord Leconfleld. The whaling schooner Petrel, of Newbury port, Massachusetts sailed on the 25th of October for Fayal. Some time after her departure she encountered a heavy gale, wrecking her in mid ocean. Fourteen persons, includ- Ing the captain and the entire crew, were drowned. Six Portuguese passengers, the sole survivors, picked up from the wreck In a starving condition by the Austrian bark Reabus, arrived at New York on Saturday. Intelligence received at New York from New Mexico announces that the United States troops have driven all the marauding Indians into Mexico, where, after a sharp fight, they succeeded in dispersing them. A Router's telegram states that eight persons have been killed by the fall of a biscuit manufactory at Kansas City, Missouri. The Dominion Line steamer Brooklyn left the Mersey at noon on Thursday, Oct. 80 last, and arrived at Quebec in eight days—on Friday, the 7th insl-being the fastest passage on record between the two ports. The monthly returns of the Treasury of the Do- minion of Canada for October have been published. They show that the refenue during that month amounted to 2 035,680 dols., and the expenditure to 2,247,611 dols. The total'recelpts since tbe beginning of the fiscal year amounted to 7,070,767 dols, and the total expenditure during that period to 6,249,228 dols. The Empress of Austria's favourite country seat, Gtodollo, in Hungary, Is fitted up in accordance with Its mistress's well-known tastes for riding and hunting. A large circular riding-school is attached to the Castle, where It is the Empress's greatest pleasure to watch the training of various horses, under the management of an ex-member of a Vienna circus. The riding-school is fitted up with a grand stand for spectators, and even a piano, and some- times In the evening serves as a meeting-place for the Empress's guests from the neighbourhood. One of the patriarchs of the English Church, to whom Cardinal Manning was formerly curate, died In his ninety-third year on the 8th Inst. The Rev. James Tripp was of an old larded family in Somersetshire, who changed their name from Howard in the time of Henry V. He was born on his mother's property in Sussex in 1787, and was educated at Midhurst School with the late Lord Leconfleld, with whom he had a lifelong Intimacy. He took his degree at Cambridge in 1809, and was ordained by Bishop Brownlow North in 1810 in a private chapel in Cheyne-walk, Chelsea. An eight or nine year old black-and-white cow has recently been exhibited at the Oldenburg Cattle Show, with two calves at foot, whleh has shown most remarkable powers of fecundity. Within four years this creature has dropped nine fully-developed calves, including one bull calf, the record of which is given by the Hanoverian Agruultural Journal:—Two calves in June, 1876 three oalves (one of which survived) in June, 1877; two in April, 1878; and two in June, 1879. The twins of 1878, which were aIøo on show at the exhibition, were put to the bull last May, and both are now In Calf. Amongst the numerous varieties of birds which are dignified with the title of game In America, and are con- sidered, therefore, worthy objects of pursuit by the gunner, are the small reed or rice birds, anq these frequent the shores in great numbers. To show to what an extent they are pursued it may be stated that no less than 50,000 of them have been exported from the town of Salem, New Jersey, alone up to the beginning of last month. Pisagua has been taken by the Chilian forces, after a determined resistance, in which they are said to have lost 600 killed and wounded. The Gazutta di Mantova states that on the night between the 23rd and 24th of October some unknown persons broke into the mausoleum erected near Solferlno and stole several gold rings, silver medals, watches, and about 100 lire in old Pledmontese money, relics belonging to men who fell in the great battle, and whose bones lie beneath the mauso- leum. No trace of the thieves were discovered. Some one has got into the library of the British Museum with a measuring tape. The result is somewhat incredible. We are told that in forming the library there are three miles of bookshelves, and as these bookshelves are partitioned off in tires from top to bottom, It is computed that there are twenty-five miles of boon-Court Journal. Mr. Mark Firth, of Sheffield, in addition to present- ing to the town a college and centributlng £5,000 to Its endowment fund, has expressed a wish to found a Chair of Chemistry in connection with it, and has named Dr. Carnelley, of Owens College, for the first appointment. "The bracelet slipper has just been introduced. The shoe is cut very low in front and high upon the inirtep," is fattened with a finely chiselled real gold bracelet instead of the usual strap. Another expensive novelty In » line is the Andaluslan boot, made of black satin, wit ruffles down the front seam, and fastened with real Jewel buttons."—Court Journal. The patron saint of the is yearly honoured on .Nov-t3^^t^ in particular, tbe hounds of each district. At Chanttiiy, gt Hubert ceremony is speclaUy Dqc d'Aumale and bis celebrated in the chapel belore^ _|aaearl, grooms, In visitors, while huntsmen, Deate of tbe cholr to gala costume, t^ethM»^" oldest dog in the pack is be blesaed- The Dake>, 00lour, and the hunt starts decorated with tb chapel the oover side amidst the straight off from famous cors de-chasse on which tr ^hnwn defieht to discourse excruciating music. This year however, the ceremony was deferred for three days. Sir Edward Watkins, M.P., speaking at Folkestone nn Monday night, described the past Pailiamentary session M being fruitless and objectionable. He was afraid they had been unprofitable servants. With regard to foreign nollcy, his views were in entire accord with those of the Marquis of Hartington, who had said he believed the re- sources of England were so great, her naval power so great, that her alliance would always be courted in Etirope and he believed that that alliance ought be given, and ought to be used for the purpose of forming and joining in a combina- tion of the States of Europe framed for the purpose of pre- serving the peace and the Independence of Europe, for the purpose of repressing the aggressive ambition of any Power, for the purpose of protecting the weak against the strong, tor the purpose of protecting tbe tree against the oppressor. The next edition of Kelly's Post Office London Directory will Include a Cyprus-street. Amongst the presents given on a recent occasion at a fashionable wedding was a large Japanese chest fall of tea from Minclng-lane— Court Journal. Marshall Canrebert has been elected a member of the French Senate for the Department of the Charente. At the last election he polled less than his Republican compe- titor, but on the present occasion he had a very large ma- jority. The Rev. C. H. Spurgeon preached to crowded con- gregations at the Metropolitan Tabernacle on Sunday morn- mgand evening, previous to taking his annual vacation. The rev. gentleman is about to proceed to Mentone for the benefit of his health. The Queen and Princess Beatrice returned to Bal- moral on Saturday afternoon from the Glassalt Shiel, at- tended by the Countess of ErroU and the Hon. Ethel Cado- gan. Viscount Sandon dined with the Queen in the evening. A compromise has been effected in connection with the Liverpool School Board elections. The new Board will comprise six Churchmen, five Roman Catholics, nda fcnw Nonconformists, the latter including a lady. We understand (says the Daily News) that the mili- tary authorities have sent out Instructions to Sir Garnet Wolseley to make every effort to recover Prince Louis Na- poleon's watch, whioh is believed to be somewhere In Zulu- land. Lord Ernest Hamilton, youngest son of the Duke o* Aberoorn, has had a narrow escape from drowning. While upon the lake at Baronscourt his canoe capsized. His lord- ship was half an hoar in the water, and quite Insensible when rescued. Various literary men and leading citizens of Vienna are making preparations for a festival In commemoration of the liberation of Vienna from tbe Turks. It Is proposed to publish a historical work on tbe occasion, and also to erect a monument In some publle place in the Austrian capital. Mrs. Alfred Pope, ex-Mayoress of Dorcheater, was presented on Monday with a silver cradle, in commemora- tion of the birth of » daughter during her husband's year of office. A shocking accident occurred the other morning at Ashford station, Middlesex, on the South-Western Railway. A lady named Waugh, of StanweU, while attempting to cross the rails from the up to the down platform, was caught by the 11 a.m. train from Waterloo to Beading, which passes Ashford at great speed, and was thrown a distance of nearly twelve yards. She was Instantaneously killed. Colonel Walker, M.P., speaking on Monday night at a meeting of Foresters in Salford, Iud that It ahonidbe M. membered by those who had legislation to promote, that In encouraging friendly societies they were encouraging economy, thrift, and self-dependence among the people, and at the lalDe time nhanktng the extravagance into which the nation had run In times put. Referring to the state of Prince Bismarck's health, Monday night's National Zeitung states that symptoms of a malady have appeared which the robust constitution of tbe Prince will probably overcome, but which, on the other hand, are such as to cause apprehension. In view of probable distress through the dearness 01 food during tbe coming winter, the editor of the HeUttes Rail writes to recommend the more extensive use of such food as oatmeal, haricot beans, fish, peat, lentili, artichokes, rice, maize, blue beans, pearl barley, and vegetaMet gene- rally. The suggestion Is not new: but It Is one that will bear repeating. The worst of It Is that vegetables are all scarce, and consequently dear, this year—Mark Lane Express. A sad accident occurred at Southport on Monday afternoon. William Walton, aged 17 yean, 80D of Mr. Kelghley Walton, town clerk, was attempting to draw the cartridge from a revolver chamber, when it went off, and the bullet struck him on the temple and penetrated the brain. He expired soon afterwards. Sunday (9th), being the 3Sth birthday of the Prince of Wales, the bells of Windsor pealed merrily in boaour of tbe anniversary, the Royal salute and the other demonstra- tion being reserved tUl Monday. The Prince of Wales WIle bom en Nov. 9,1841, and on March 10,1863, married Prlncasa Alexandra of Denmark. In consideration of the forthcoming meeting of the British Association at Swansea It was resolved on tbe elec- tion of Mayor on Monday that bis salary be £800 a year, Instead of £300, aa hitherto. There were 30 British and foreign wrecks reported during the put week, making the total for the present year 1,854, or an increase of M. as oompared with the correspond- ing period of last year. The approximate value of property lost waa £520.000, Including British £316,000. Six vessels were lost off the British coasts. By a private letter from Rome, the Paris Soir learns that the Queen of Italy is serlonsly unwell, has been suffering for several days from an attack of fever, and has been advised by her doctors to remain some time longer at Monza before returning to Rome. The Earl of Derby has sent a donation of JEM for the National Memorial to Sir Rowland Hill. All the chil- dren ia the Commercial Travellers' Schools and the Orphan Working Schools have subscribed a penny each to the same object. Abbondio Sangiorgio, the sculptor of the horse chariot on the Slmplon Triumphal Arch, and of the Castor and Pollux at the entranoe of the Turin Royal Palace, baa just died at Milan at the age of 81. The IOn of a carpenter, he had a passion for sculpture, and at 28 years of age be undertook the former work, which occupied six yean, A Router's telegram from Madrid says that a water' spout, proceeding from the sea, has caused serious damage near the village of Rociana, in the province of Huelws. Several houses were unroofed and some trees nprootea. is the village of Bedmar, province iS2*u have been destroyed by the floods, but no loss ol life Is reported. It is announced that the Cunard Company have entered Into a contract for the building on the Clyde of a liner of 7,600 tone-bemg 460 feet long, 60 wide, and 41deep, and having engines of 10,000 horse-power. The vessel wUt carry 1,060 passengers, 200 offieers and crew, and take tn addition to coals and stores 6,600 tons of cargo. She will be second In size only to the Great Eastern. Experiments are now being made in Paris with a view to abolishing the pneumatic tubes for conveying met- sages and letten, and substituting electricity In their place. The change would necessitate the use of rails and diminu- tive locomotives. A trial of the propoeed system has been made on a circular line, when an electrical engine weighing seven kilogrammes drew five kilos, of letten at the rate of about twelve miles an hour. The seiulti obtained so far appear to be satisfactory. The Duke of Westminster and Lord Tollemache of Helmlnghans, two of the largest landowners In Cheshire, have Intimated their intention of making material reduc- tion* in their tenants' rents. The Duke of Westminster la allowing on an average about 27 per cent. on the year'a rental, three-fourths to be given in money and the other quarter to be expended In bones; and Lord Tollemache, on the first half-year's rental shortly becoming due, Is giving from 10 to 86 per cent., to be expended In drainage and bones. The Earl of Chichester and Mr. J. G. Dodson, M.P., have both allowed the tenants of their Sussex farms 10 per cent. off their rents. A Sileaian paper gives an appalling account of the situation of the Sileslan peaaantry as regards this year's crops. Owing to the bad weather potatoes have yielded 66 per cent. under tbe average, and corn and roots 30 to 70 per cent. under the average. In many places tbe grain sown naa not been regained, and in othen the crop waa ploughed In and the ground replanted. In a paetoral tetter to his clergy, appealing for funds to promote ecclesiastical education, Dr. Vaugban, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Salford, states that the cottot the education of a priest may be estimated at £1,000. Dtarlng tbe last seven years he has had te find no fewer than 108 priests, and there are now 76 exeroMng the ministry In the diocese who were not in it seven yearaago. The public may be interested in knowing that the Prince of Wales has just e-eoted In the Church of St. Mary Magdalen, Sandrlngham, a beautiful tablet to the memory of bis lamented sister Princess Alice (Grand Duchess of Hesse) The work, which had been executed by Mr. J. E. Boehm. A.R.A., consists of a medallion portrait In marble of the Grand Duchess, with the following Inscription be- neath t-" To the beloved memory ef Alice Maud Mary, Grand Duchess ol Hesse, Princess of Great Britain and Jrit. land. this monument Is erected by her devoted and Borrow- ing brother, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. The archi- tectural design is by Mr. Arthur Blomfleld, F.B.A. Above and below the tablet are carved these texts. Blessed are the dead which die In the Lord; Thy Royal Highness has at tbe same time presented to the church a fine organ. Ming Martha Charters Somerville died on the 3rd Inst. at her residence In Florence, In her 66th year. Mlaa Somerville was the only surviving daughter of the cele- brated Mn. Mary Somerville, and grand-daughter 01 the late Vlce-Admlral Sir WUliam George Fairfax. The late M n. Somerville was twice married. By her tint marriage, with Captain Samuel Greig (son of Sir Samael Grelg, High Admiral of Russia), the had a oon, Mr. Woronzow Greig, barrlster-at-law, who died In 1865. By her second marriage, with Mr. William Somerville, she had two daughters—the younger, Mary, who died a few yean ago, and the lady fust deceased. Miss Somerville enjoyed a pension of £100 a year, which was conferred upon her In recognition of tbe services rendered to science by her mother. Miss Bomer. ville edited "The Recollections of Mary Somerville. Obituary of The Times, Nov. JO.

THE MARKETS. MARK-LANE —MONDAY. At Mark-lane business was again very qulet. There was a thin attendance and not much disposition to operate. Sup- plies of English grain were still very small, and the quality and condition, as a rule, bad. Foreign grain waa In fair sup- ply. Wheat was dull, and II. to 2s. lower on the week. Barley, of which a moderate supply was on offer, sold slowly. Mslting produce was slower, but grinding had a decided downward tendency. Malt sold on former terms. Inoatt. sales progressed quietly at drooping prices. Maize was quiet, but tolerably steady. Beans and peas, with a moderate demand, were firm in value. The flour market was dull and weak, prices ruling about Is. lower than on Monday last. METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET.—MONDAT. The cattle trade was again dull in tone. Supplies of stock were about the average, and was ample for requirements. The receipts of English beasts were on a fair average scale, but as usual there was a preponderance of inferior breeds. Business generally was very dull. Really oholce stock realised 6s. 4d. all other descriptions met a dragging sale, and 6s. per 8lb. Wall frequently accepted for fair qualities. From the Hid- land and Home counties we received about 2,000, from Scot- land 50, and from Ireland about 1,400 head. The foreign side of the market was thinly supplied, chiefly ,wttn DanUn beasts. Trade was dull, and quotaMons ri^d wertL xne sheep pens were moderately well JSwiKn favonr demand was heavy, and the tendency of prig* d of buyers. The best downs and at 6s. 4<L to ^.Jd Per 8ib.^ treme and exceptional. Caires k—.». weak. At Deptford therewere about ^bws^ana about 9,000 sheep Co™ ando aecond 5g. ad. to 5s. 4d.; coarse and ln- terlGlr' '.heep, .1. 6d. to 51. lec.nd quality ditto, 5s. to fit ed "nrlme coarse wooiled, 6s. to 6s. 2d. prime Scuth- 5s. 6d.. prime large coarse calves, 4s. 6cL to 6s. ^Wn/imaU d'ltto to to 6,!Td. large pork, 4s. to 4s. 6d. smaU ditto, To 5s. per 8Lb. sinking the offal. METROPOLITAN MEAT MARKET.—MONDAY. Trade was very heavy this morning, the supply was mode- rate, at the following rates :—Inferior beef, 2s. 6d. to 31.; middling ditto, al. 4d. to 4s. 4d.; prime large ditto, 4s. id. to U. 8d.; prime Scotch, 4s. 6d. to 4s. lOd.; veal, 5s. to 6s. 44. "inferior mutton, 3s. to 3s. 4d. middling ditto, Sa. 8d. to 4s. 4d.; prime ditto, 4s, 4d. to 61. 4d.; large pork, 8.. 6d. to SI. lOd.; small ditto, 4s. to 4a 4d. per Bib. by the carcase. GAME AND POULTRY. Hares, SI. to 6s.; rabbits. 18. to 21.; pigeons, 6d. to 8d; plovers, 4d. to 7d. golden ditto, lOd. to 11.; partridge. 18. lOd. to 3s. 3d.; grouse, 2s. 3d. to U.; pheasants, 3s. to 6s.; ptarmigan, 9d. to It 2d.; widgeon, 100. to It. 6d.; wild ducks, 18. 6d. to 2s. 3d.; geese, 4s. 6d. to 7s. 6d.; duokllngs, 2s. to 48.; and chickens. It. 2d. to 2s. 2d. each. FISH. Native oysten, 17.. 6d. to 2Oa.. Dutch ditto, 6s. 9d. to 10. Spanish ditto, Sa. to ai, 6d.; Ostend ditto, 8s. to 9s. 6d. Portugese ditto, 3s. 6d. to u. pearl ditto, 10s. to 118.; common ditto, 6s. 6d. to 8s. 9d.; American ditto, 61. to 71. fresh herrings, 4s. 3d. to 61.; red ditto, 81. to u.; roused ditto, 6s. to 61. 6d.; pickled ditto, 7s. to 7s. 6d. mackerel, 18s. to 2ba, mullet, 60s. to 100a.; and bloaters, 6s. 6d. to 10s. 9d. per hundred. POTATO. Goodpotatoat were In large demand, and are very firm, but the trade as regards inferior remains dull. PrlcM Scotch regents, 130s. to 1501.; ditto champions, 130s. to 1601. Lincoln dlttoo, lSSa. to 150s; vietorlsa, 120s. to 160s. per ton German red and Belgian kidneys, 5s. 6d. to 6s. 6d. per bag. HOP. Business continues rather quiet, and no great change can be ceported in prices. Choice hops are scarce and well held; but the tone all regards Inferior grades Is somewhat easier. Foreign markets are less active, and quotations are not 10 good. Mid and East Kent, £ 8 10s. to £ 18; Weald of Kent, £ 9 to £ 14; Sussex, £ 9 to £ 12; ditto inferior, £ 3 5s. te £ 7 7s.; Bavarian, £,9 to £12; Alost, £6 to <6 161.; American, £ 1Q 10s. to £ 13.