The Aberystwith Observer

HORSE-FLESH AS AN ARTICLE OF FOOD. A lecture on horse-eating w&s mVen at ti>*> n <■ i PaWe » few <t»J» »S» by S. A large number of ladies were amongst the" aud £ nce. Mr. Bicknell commenced his lecture by referring to ths various periods in the history of mankind, dating as far back as the time of Herodotus, 'when tile fle8jj of the horse was considered a lit article for human food. Passing on to the present century, he observed that it had been consumed for many years past in various parts of France, until at length (in the year 1856) the Government legalised the use of it as food • and, after the lapse of a short period, a banquet took place in Paris, at which some two hundred guests sat down, including editors of newspapers, surgeons, physicians, &0., and from that time nippophagv might be regarded as established in that country. Twenty- five shops were now opeu for the sale of the food, and a large number of horues were slaughtered for the pur- pose of being gold therein. There were sixteen coun nea ui which horse-flesh was legally recognised as a wholesome and nourishing edible. These were- Iceland (where it had always been received), Russia j and Denmark (dating from 1807), Wurtemburg (1841), Bavaria ( ), Bsden (1846), Hanover, Bohemia, baxony, Aiwtna, and Belgmm (i847)) Switzerland »nd Prussia (18;>.3), Norway and Sweden (1855), and France ^1866). too that in fact the 0Biy i;upori'aIlt COUntry I in the civlllzed globe where a prejudice still existed against horse-flesh was England and her. the first ? attempt which had been made to introduce it was in tho month of October last, when twenty-two gentle- I men, of whom he was one, joined in a banquet at a 1 celebrated betel *t the West-end, and all went | ———————mo. r away convinced that there was nothing whatever to prevent people eating the new meat as they might any other animal food. At the dinner which took place recently at the Langham Hotel in London, there were some 170 gentlemen present, and on that occasion also the result was, on the whole, most satisfactory. Amongst the various objections raised Hgaxnst the food it was contended that the people would only have the opportunity of eating old and diseased animals— that the flesh was hard, unwholesome, and nasty— that the use of it was forbidden by the Mosaic law- that the horse was the faithful servant of man, and therefore it was cruel to kill him and eat him; and, lastly, there was the strongest objection of all, which had it. origin in prejudice. All these objections he strongly combated, contending that the religious ar- gument was set at naught by the doctrine of bt. -raui, that the sentimental objection was so weak that u would be far better to sacrifice it than depnve the rieoDle of an important article of food; that, as xe- d'SnS • tat there wer. more di.ea.ed »nimal« now thaif there would be (if their flesh became^ ^ceptable to human kind) because they were badly treated. But to obviate any difficulty in that respect, he would have a Government inspection, and much more rigid in its character than was now applied to other animals. After the lecture Mr. Bicknell invited the company into an adjoining room to partake of the new meat, in the form of plain joints, soups, sausages, &c., from an animal whioh he avowed to be twenty-three years old.

DEAN CLOSE AND THE ENGLISH CHURCH UNION. Dean Close made a long speech at the anti-ritual meeting in Carlisle on Friday, which he delivered sitting, in consequence of an attack of the gout. tie vehemently denounced the English Church Union and the attempt of ihe Bishops, with {he Pnmate at their hea l, to fraternise with the Greek Church. Mr. Graham has told you, said the dean, "f Arch" of differen 0f Lambeth, and held out his Christian hands to all faithful Protestant be- lievers What a contrast now, when the present amiable prelate has presumed, writing m the name of the Archbishop of Canterbury—-which as an ^dividual I deny he had a right to do-be has addressed a letter to the false and corrupt Greek Church, which is un- sound in her doctrine of the Trinity, and whose worship is debased and degrading and superstitious in the extreme. Sooner be my hand withered than that I should hold it out to the Eastern or Western churches. I expect next to see a letter from the arch- bishop to the Pope, asking for reconciliation, and I hope that the Pope will deal with Dr. Pusey s Eirenicon,' and nail it on his church door, as farmers nail weasels, rats, and other vermin."

THE MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF THE REV. MR. SPEKE. The Morning Post of Saturday says :— We believe we are correct in announcing that all fears as to Mr. Speke having been murdered or having committed suicide may now be dispelled. There is little doubt of the rev. gentleman's existence, and that information has been received of his present whereabouts. We (Daily New, of Monday) are informed, however, that up to a late hour last night the police officers to whom the task of investigating the circumstances con- nected with the disappearance of the rev. gentleman has been assigned, had no satisfactory informatiom with regard to him. They know nothing which con- c- 'IlfoJ a rumour that he has been traced to a. lunatio 'lum in Germany, and cannot find that he oalled at sister's house in Queen's Square, Westminster, on evening of his disappearance. The house has, it aid, been searched, and from the character of the sons who are in charge of it it seema very unlikely t they know anything of foul play. The finding of hat in Birdcage-walk of course led to the suspioion t the Twinging gentleman committed suicide by wning in the adjacent ornamental water, but it has n dragged several times, and is indeed so shallow -very part that a discovery must have been made aediately if the body had been there. All that the ice know has been already told—namely, that after Speke left the hatter's in Warwick-street no one been able to give them the slightest information cerning him. The relatives have, it is said, been ctly examined (if such a word may be used in such we), inquiries have been made at every hospital, a.tic asylum, prison—everywhere, indeed, from ch there might be the slightest hope of obtaining a Mr. Williams, as the chief detective who has r'cre of the case, has had a vast number of visitors, received many hundreds of suggestions, all of oh, as far as desirable and practicable, have been mptly acted upon. Only those which were abso- sly useless, on account of their outrageous absur- t, have been rejected. 16 disappearance of Mr. Speke involves a question of 3us importance to the public. Every reasonable argu- ,t, therefore, that may possibly lead to its solution is thy of attention—writes a correspondent of the Daily graph-who then proceeds to discuss the case as itvs:— ssuming the case to have been one of murder, and ng the facts already known as a basis for further lion, the following seems to me the most probable rpretation of the mystery, ihe known facts are oilow: 1st. Mr. Speke when last seen was on his 7 to Westminster. 2nd. He had scarcely sufficient e to go there on foot, and keep his appointment at ) in Eccleston-pquare. 3rd. His hat was picked up 3irdcage-walk, near to the residence of his sister. What, then, is the inference to be drawn from these facts ? The hat being found near to the residence of Mr. Speke's siater may be taken as evidence of the direction in which he was going. At any rate, it disposes of the supposition that it was designedly placed there "as a blind," for unless the missing gentleman had placed it there himself with this object, it is highly improbable that any other person would accidentally have produced this singular coincidence. Thus I think we may fairly infer that, notwithstand- ing Mr. Speke's knowledge of his sister's absence, he was on his way to her house. Now we come to the next point. We have evidence that he was pressed for time, and the usual course with gentlemen in such » case is to hail the first hansom. Whether Mr. Speke did this can, of course, only be surmised; but certainly it is highly probable, and, seeing what has happened, it is equally improbable that he took a four-wheeler," for, 1n the latter case, the driver must have had a con- federate inside, an arrangement which no gentle- man taking a cab would submit to. Upon the supposition, therefore, that Mr. Speke took a hansom, let us consider what may possibly have occurred. He would desire the driver to put him down at the nearest point to Queen-square, which from Pimlico would be in Bird-cage-walk. Now the evening was fogg^ and it was getting dark. Upon reachmg the place where the hat was found circum^tances n^y & vourable to cnime mditnay h.^ & driyer not Qnly misfortune to prepared to take advantage of 'th™Opportunity.' This being the supposed position of Mr Speke, we come now to the question-Could a murder be committed under these conditions? Now it occurs to me that the trap-door on the roof of a hansom might assist such evil purpose, the head of the victim being immediately beneath it. The actual instrument or method employed, whether a. life-pre- server, air-gun, pistol, or other weapon, can only be guessed at, neither is it very material to the inquiry, but it is highly probable that a short struggle would ensue—the hat of the sufferer would be knocked off and roll out of a hanson. All this may appear to you very visionary, b.t I submit that it is not an impossible course of events. It explains the finding of the hat, and it accounts for the entire disappearance of the body. Of course, if it can be shown that by no known means could murder, or even stupefaction, be thus produced, that part of my theory falls to the ground; but let it be remembered that the only part of the deed attended with chance of failure, and consequently risk of detection, would be the work of a minute. The after proceeding would pre- sent very little difficulty. For instance, the mur- derer would let down the glass front of his cab, take up a confederate upon the step behind, and proceed, unsuspected and unchallenged, to the nearest and most favourable suburb of London, there completing his diabolioal deed, plundering his victim, and dig- posing of the body.

DOUBLE MURDER. The Court of Assizes of the Nord has just been en- faged in the trial of a young man named Jean taptiste I^acqueman for double crime of fratricide. On the 11th January last the two brothers of the accused, aged eleven and fourteen years, left home at about seven in the morning to go to school at Orchies, a village about half a wiile from the cottage in whioh they resided with their parents. An hour later they were found lying near the path they had been follow- ing, cruelly murdered, their skulls having been fractured with some heavy instrument. The accused had also left home shortly before the two boys to go to his work, in the same direction. The elder brother, when accused of the crime, showed great embarrass- ment, and spots of blood were observed on his clothes. The suspicions thus excited were shortly afterwards confirmed by an axe which Jean Baptiste had been seen sharpening a few days before being found in a ditch, still covered with the blood and hair of the victims. In consequence of these proofs the accused confessed his guilt. The prisoner was of a brutal and avaricious disposition, and had been impelled to the deed by a desire to reduce the expenses of the family and increase his ultimate share of the little property their parents possessed. The jury returned a verdict of guilty, with the admission of extenuating circumstances, and the court condemned him to hard labour for life.

MISS MENKEN AND HER CARRIAGE. In the Court of Queen's Bench, before Lord Chief- Justice Cockburn, an action has been brought by the trustees of Pearce and Court, formerly coach-builders in Long Acre, against Miss Adah Isaacs Menken, the well-known actress, upon a bill of acceptance for JE33 5e. tid. The defendant pleaded false representa- tion, no consideration, fraud, never indebted, pay- ment, and a set off, &c. Mr. Prentice, Q.C., and Mr. Murphy were counsel for the plaintiffs, and Mr. Serjeant Parry and Mr. Joyce for the defendant. v Mr. Prentice, in opening the case for the plaintiff, stated that the plaintiffs were trustees under a deed of settlement made by Messrs. Pearce and Court, who were carriage builders in Long Acre, and who, in June, 1866, made an arrangement with their creditors. The defendant was a celebrated actress, who had made herself conspicuous in the character of Mazeppa; but he supposed she was of rather extravagant tastes. The sum was for £42; one part was on a bill of exchange for JB33 Is. 6d., and the remainder for re- pairs done to a brougham. It would be necessary to state the facts. In 1864 this lady required a brougham: it was not to be one of an ordinary description, but one of a very magnificent kind, with very handsome harness, adorned with silver, and with sets of bells for the horses. The brougham was sent home in Novem- ber, 1864, but although it was to be a ready-money transaction, still the defendant only paid £100 at the time of the delivery, on account. An account was afterwards sent in for £208 6s. 6d., giving credit for the £]00 paid. Other accounts were subsequently sent in, giving credit for other sums paid. In July, 1865. she went to America, but returned about September in that year, and another account was then sent in for JB127 3s. 6d. The coachbuilders became anxious for payment, and the defendant then gave two bills of exchange of equal amounts for £33 Is. 6d. each. She was represented by a Mr. Pender, who acted as her agent, secretary, or manager. The first bill was not paid at maturity, but was afterwards taken up. and the defendant was now sued upon the other, and that was the action they would have to try. Mr. Court said: I was a coach builder in Long Acre. In 18C4 the defendant came to my shop. She wanted a brougham with very handsome curtains, lamps to be chased and mounted, with horses run- ning and rampant; panels bordered round with foliage in gold, wheels to be picked out with gold foliage, white, and bands with white and gilding round the felloes of the wheels; chased handles to correspond, and her monogram and crest, viz., a. rampant horse on the panels round the roof hand- some chased ornaments and foliage, and a rampant horse at each corner solid works, silver-plated nails to the wheels, everything else to correspond. The defendant suggested how it was to be done. There were cigar pockets inside; the harness mounted elaborately, silver crest embossed, four sets of bells, two for each horse; one set of silver for the day time, another set for the night; a set of horse blankets. The price was £308. J6100 was paid off before the carriage went home, and B20 was paid on account sent in in December, 1864, or January, 1865. B140 has been paid, leaving a balance of jE170 14s. Repairs were done to the carriage from time to time. There was a very handsome whip, with silver ferrules. The order was for cash. On several occasions I waited on defendant, but did not get a pay- ment. The witness then went into further explana- tions. Mr. Sergeant Parry, in stating the defendant's case, said the defendant was placed at a great disadvantage in this case, for unfortunately, like professionals, she did not keep a particular account of her business transactions. He denied the right of Mr. Pender, her former secretary, to hind her in any of these transac- tions, and said with regard to the brougham it was ordered at Mr. Smith's suggestion, and as a joint advertisement for both whenever this lady with bells on her horses and rings on her fingers drove through the streets of the metropolis. (Laughter). Mr. Smith gave all the directions with regard to the ornaments. The brougham was badly built; it let in the rain, and required alterations. It was a remarkable fact that this brougham should require repairs a month after it was delivered, to the extent of over £14. The unfor- tunate carriage was now in America, where it had cost an additional B60 for repairs. He should show that when this bill was given, Miss Menken had paid more than enough to cover it, but from the carriage being in the United States he could not show how it was built. The defendant was called—She deposed that in 1864 she entered into an engagement with Mr. Smith, at Astley's. Mr. Serjeant Parry: How came you to have this brougham ? Mr. Murphy objected. It was not material to the case. The Lord Chief Justice said the motives for order- ing it could not be received in evidence. But anything done in defendant's presence or subsequently ratified by her could be. Defendant said Mr. Smith suggested the brougham, and he gave directions as to its character. She was present when Mr. Smith gave instructions about it. The rampant horses were suggested by Mr. Smith. She had now a claim against Mr. Smith. Shortly after she had the carriage the water came in by the oval glass and the doors when they were shut,. and the mud splashed in and covered her dresses. The silver came off with ordinary cleaning, and «qpld net be renewed except at a great expense. That was little more than a month after she had it. In July, 1865, the necessary repairs amounted to £14 odd. About that time one of the firm called upon her, and saw the brougham at the door, and desired it should be sent to him immediately for repairs, but she declined as he said they would amount to about £11; he suggested them as being necessary. She never suggested any alteration, but the brougham so constantly required repairs that she could not recollect how often it had to be sent to the builders. Some further evidence was then taken, when the Lord Chief Justice, in summing up, said that whether Mr. E. T. Smith suggested the brougham, or the de- tails, or ornaments, or the defendant, was wholly be- side the question to be determined. He had no doubt Mr. Smith, who understands catering for the public as well as any man, might have thought it an addi- tional attraction to have Miss Menken driving about town in a brougham, which, by its attracting atten- tion, was very likely to increase the number of per- sons likely to visit Astley's Theatre to view the per- formances. The question was, to whom the brougham was supplied, and on that point there could be no doubt, and then had she paid the plaintiffs sufficient without the last bill which was given in settlement of the account. There was no legitimate foundation for < saying that Mr. Smith had brought this action because he had had a rupture with Miss Menken, because, as one of the trade assignees of Messrs. Pearse and Countze, he was bound to endeavour to realise this bill for the benefit of creditors. It was a hard thing on tradesmen who had furnished articles, sent in their bill, and asked for payment, and then, having post- poned further pressure by taking bills, to be told, when those bills became due, and the articles removed to a distant part of the world, and passed into other hands —to be told, we will rip up the whole of the accounts, and show that the charges were exorbitant. A de- iendant who comes forward under such circumstances did come forward under circumstances of considerable difficulty but if the defendant could satisfy them that she had been overcharged, she had a right to do so, and she was entitled to the advantage. The jury ultimately returned a verdict for the plaintiffs for £27 4s., being the amount of the balance less the interest.

The CAUSES of IRISH DISAFFECTION. Lord Arthur Clinton has given notice of his intention to move the followin!1: resoluiiions on Friday, the 21st 01 February:— That, in the opinion of this House, the continued existence of the disaffection and discontent which pre- vails in Ireland is not only an injury to Ireland, but a source of embarrassment and uneasiness to the United Kingdom, and that it is essential to the interests of the whole kingdom that the causes t-f those disaffections and discontent should be removed. That, in the opinion of this House, this result cannot be attained unless the Government of Ireland is carried on and the laws and institutions of the country are framed in accordance with the wants and wishes of the Irish people themselves; that the educational and eccle- siastical arrangements at present maintained in Ire- land are not in accordance with the feelings and wishes of the people that the system of land tenure, which has grown up under the existing land laws, is not suited to'the want3 and circumstances of the country, and that it has failed in giving to the general mass of the agri- cultural proprietors security of their tenure and assurance that they will enjoy the fruits of their in- dustry or the means of living in comfort and indepen- dence in their native land that while the grievances arising from this state of things continue the causes of Irish discontent and disaffectien must remain that while this House is sensible that the effectual redress of these grievances may involve extensive changes in the laws, the institutions, and the social system of Ireland, this House is of opinion that it is essential to the contentment of Ireland and the honour and welfare of the whole United Kingdom that these changes should be made.

THE TRIALS FOR SEDITIOUS LIBELS. Mr. Sullivan, of the Weekly News, has been brought in guilty on all the nine counts of seditious libel except the seventh. The Attorney-General, whom the counsel for the defence afterwards charged with being highly excited, quoted freely from the articles. One of his extracts wound up thus :— The impatience of English domination that stirred the pulses of Ireland then (in (1808) has not passed away, and in 1867, as in 1803 and 1798, the gaoler and the hangman form the twin pillars upon which the edifice of British rule in Ireland is supported. He read a passage from Milton's "Areopagitica to show that books ought to be looked after as well as men :— I know they (bookee) are as lively and as vigorously pro- ductive as those labulous dragon's teeth; and being sown up and down, may chance to spring up armed men. The articles he had read might become dragon's teeth. For the defence, the insinuation of Fenianism was repudiated. Mr. Sullivan had only advocated the policy of nationality—the true union of the kingdoms under one sovereign, but with the distinction of the national life and national aspirations of Ireland. Three of the alleged libels were woodcuts, and Mr. Dennis Sullivan, brother of the defendant, and sub-editor of the paper, was sharply questioned by the prosecution as to their meaning. The Attorney-General contended that a certain ugly female figure in the picture It is done," represented the British public. "No, only a section of the British public," said Mr. Sullivan "the section who danced round the scaffold at Manchester, and who at Windsor stoned those who went to petition for mercy." What do the three crowns in the 'Angel of Justice' represent?" said the Attorney^ General. "Are they not crowns of martyrdom. The witness hardly knew what crowns of martyrdom were like; he did not know that there was any peculiar shape about them. The Attoniey-General: Would you say they represent martyrs crowns. Witness:

A SCENE AT A PARIS STATE BALL. On Wednesday evening in last week, the third, and it is expected the last State ball took place at the Tuileries. Never was there seen a greater crowd. The heat was dreadful, too. But worse than both was the thorough bad-mannerism of the invited. When the Emperor and Empress walked through the salons it was difficult to make a passage for them and then on each side the pushing and squeezing, the standing on tip-toe, the bruising of corns, the tearing of costly dresses, was frightful. No wonder the Emperor looked angry more invitations had been issued than there was accommodation for. But what can ambassadors do? If his countrymen, and worse still, countrywomen, are not provided with tickets he ought to be recalled. One American lady insisted on obtaining eight tickets for the Court ball—and she got them. The crowd that waited outside the supper-room doors was like a hungry mob. Supper was servea at half-past twelve, and at one o'clock their Majesties retired, the Emperor par- ticularly glad, no doubt, to smoke his favourite cigarette before going to bed. The Empress wore a green crape dress, ornamented with garlands of flowers. Her head and neck were a blaze of diamonds slightly resting on her forehead was a bee formed of diamonds and rubies. On her bosom was a cross in diamonds. The Princess Metternich wore a simple white dress. A flounce was carried completely away from her jupe by a black merchant from Hayti treading on it. The Princess sweetly smiled, and hoped he would not take all her rags."

IRISH CHILDREN AND MR. TRAIN. The Cork Hxaiinner publishes the following address to Mr. Train, by the young ladies of Youghal:— We, the undersigned, on behalf of the children of Youghal, having seen that our parents fully recognise and appreciate you as the fearless champion of Irish rights and liberties all the world over, cannot allow you to leave our old historic town without offering you our small meed of thanks; and humbly beg your ac- ceptance of the accompanying trifling token from our young hearts to our Transatlantic cousin, Miss Train, your beloved daughter. In doing so we want to show how the young generation of Irish children wish the more fully and securely to cement that bond of love which has been already so bravely crimsoned by Irish blood, and which we children feel is only in its infancy between ourselves and our Transatlantic cousins in the free land of brave Columbia. We also wish to be wiser in our generation and the better to testify more fully our regard for you, sir, we have purchased and shall do so during the continuance of your tour through our beautiful but stricken land, those newspapers which shall fully record your able and thrilling aspirations in the fearless defence of our country and kindred, and send them to our sisters on the other side of the broad Atlantic, that high road which you opened as a door of welcome to our grandfathers years before we were born; and that door of welcome through' which, we trust, ere long our brave, beloved countrymen will one day return to wish us a happy St. Patrick's Day. The deputation to present the address consisted of Miss Shiels, Miss Mary Ellen Geary, Miss Alice Hilgrove, Miss Norah Hilgrove, and Miss Hanora Prender. These five little ladies, the eldest not more than ten or eleven years of age, the youngest a little cherub of five or six, were neatly and richly dressed in white having their hair bound with green ribbons."

THE POPE'S BRIEF ON FEMALE EDUCATION. The French Clerical papers publish the text of a brief ad- dressed by the Pope to the Bishop of Orleans, to compliment him on his courage and zeal in the campaign which he has undertaken against one of the most useful institutions of the Minister of Public Instruction. The question is the founda- tion ef a seoondary school for young girls The following are the most important points It is a plan which cynical writers have long since proposed to pervert youth, in order to more easily ruin, as the" say, religion and all authority. Now this plan is ba ng executed with the most persevering efforts, either by the corruption of education, by the Insiduouh rations of history, by exciting the bad passions, er hy all the manoeuvres of an impiety with- out shame. However, as these means touch men rather than women, and as for that reason the project has not as yet been so successful as was wished, woman herself is now to be attacked she is to be deprived of her native modesty, to be produced in public, to be turned from life aud her domestic duties, and to be given up to a false and vain science in such a manner that she who, well and religiously brought up, would be as a pure and brilliant light in her house, the glory of her husband, the edification of her family, a bond of peace—swollen, on the contrary, with pride and arrogance, she will sdain the duties of her house, the duties of a wonn-.n. pervert her children, become in her home a germ ot division and dispute, and finally become for all a mark for scandal. And, what is to be profoundly deplored, those to whom the care of public things is confided do not properly regard this great peril, not less threatening for society than for religion, favouring the designs wf impiety by new and unheard-of attempts, and thus putting themselves the finishing stroke to the ruin of 80cial order already commenced.

THE MARK-LANE, MONDAY. A very moderate supply of English wheat was received fresh up to our market to-day, in but middling condition. Good and fine samples, from their scarcity, were held ilrmly, at an advance in the quotations of is. per quarter. Low and damp qualities moved (Iff slowly, yet prices WHe well supported. There was a good inquiry for line Ai sfraliaw and Californian wheats, at Is. per quarter more money com- pared with Monday last. All others kinds were quite as dear as last week. The demand, however, was by no means active. The great fleet of vessels laden with grain bus at length commenced to arrive. Since Friday, 40 vessels, chiefly laden with wheat, have been reported off the coast. As yet, ihe transactions have been only moderate Barley, though in full average supply, moved off steadily, fit full quo ai.oiis. In malt only a limited business was doing. Pm es. howi-vcr, were supported. The supply was seasonably good. The supply being very moderate, oats moved off freely, ami the best qualities were rather dearer. Beans snn{»orteii last week's curi ency, with a moderate inquiry. The .dc for peas was inactive at late rates. We have no "change to notice in the value of anyMnd of fleur. Seeds and cakes were dull, but not cheaper. METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET, MONDAY To-days market was scantily supplied with foreign stock, nevertheless the demand, except for the best sheen TV.O YES> ruled inactive, at last week's quotations. .arrivals of beasts fresh up from our own gra«injf aisiricts were limited, but mostly in prime condition, f supply from Scotland was seasonably good—from Ireland only moderate. For all breeds the inquiry ruled inactive; but no quotable change took niaee in prices The best Scots and crosses sold at 4" 81 t0 4 3 0.1. per 81b From Norfolk, Suffolk, Eseex, and Cambridgeshire we) eceived about 1,000 Scots, crosses and shorthorns from other pans of hngland, 400 various breeds from Scotland, 5^0 Scots and crosses and from I relalld, :70 oxen, &c We were again very scantily supplied with sheep, but there was no failing off in their condition. On the whole the demand was steady, at prices fully equal to Monday last A few very superior Downs and haU-breds realised 5s _'TI per SIIJ, The few shorn sheep in the pens sold at about 8d. per Slh helledh those iu the woo) Lambs sold slowly, at from 3:!s, to SO each The. supply was on the increase There was a fa1r sale for <,alYeA, at full prices-viz" from 4s. 4d to 5i. 6d. per 8ib. Tho number brought forward was limited. Prime small pi^s were quite as dear as last week but inferior pii;s were very dull, The quotations ranged from 3s. 4d to 4s 9 1 per POT A i OKr Large supplies of potatoes are on sale at these mr.rbets. All kinds have been firmly held, although the demand for the.u h.19 ruled heavy. The import into London In- ( week con- sisted of 2,907 sacks from Dunkirk,™ tons fr" "1 (\tr.l ner, v 12!) bags from Rotterdam, 336 tons from Kouen, 17? Ixigs and 264 sacks from Boulogne, and 70 tons fr un Havre K.-geius 120s. tolTOs. Flukes, 130*. to JSOs. K-.vks. to "lSos • French 100s. to 110s. per ton. HOPS. The market has been very quiet, and Vies have oeea- sionally been made at reduced quotations, o,, ti,c ( ontir PMI as well as in America, business has; been much restricted at about previous currencies. The imnorts into l nndon l«*t week consisted of 132 bales from Antwerp i°f from Duf Ostend Mid Irm i 953 lrom Bremen, and 4« from of Keiits n fKast Kents, 61. 0s. uM. 0s. Weald of 108-: Sussex, 41. 15s. to fiI. 16s.; ams, ,1. ns, to ft*. 0s. yearlings, 4f. 0s. to fli. 0s. WOOL 1 he market for colonial wool has continued very quiet, at late rates. The arrivals for the next series of public sale«, which will be commenced on the 27th inst" amount to 61,853 bales, consisting of 0,466 bales from New Soiuh W'aisg and Queensland, 13,232 from Victoria, 1V6-2 from South Australia, 7S2 from West Australia, jys from New Zealand, and 27,613 bales from the Cape of Good Hope. There has been an improved demand for English wool, at an average advanae of lb. <ki. per it

iMti, l j The House of Lords sat for a few minutes only on Feb. 14, and the business done was of a purely routine character. I n the House of Commons, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, replying to the inquiry of Mr. Sandrord, as to whether it was intended by the Government to bring in a measure for relieving compound householders from the pergonal payment of rate?, reminded hon. gentlemen that m the parliamentary boroughs there were now no corapouii d householders, and that the alteration in the position of that class of occupiers i effected by the new Reform Act had been earned unani- motuiy by the House. That act, se far as the compound householder was concerned, came into operation on the 29th OISeptember last, and generally speaking, only one rate had been levied in the interval that had since elapsed. It must be obvioup, therefore, that experience on the subject was limited, and that her Majesty's Government were hardly in a position, nor would it be seemly in them, to impugn a de- cision whioh han been unanimously arrived at hy the House. This answer elicited much laughter. Mr. Hardy .^n £ in answer to Mr. Beaumont, that the report ot tue boundary commission was in the hands of the printer, ana weuld be in possession of members in the j course of a few days. 1 W' K ^orster, the Chancellor of the Ex- fit™ <iti™ waa the intention of the Government to NT ™eaaure OH the subject of the elementary educa- j h ■,c2ddrenof the labouring classes in the course of m p *llt Session. ( 'n moving the second reading of the Public tv.l • exPlaitied that its object was to carry into effect fv» rc(;0l^meiidatioiis contained in the report of the Royal commission, In the manner and after the example in which *ne universities had been dealt with when similar reports Pr,eceded the measures passed with reference to them, the bill affected the seven schools of Winchester, Eton, Shrewsbury, Westminster, Rugby, Harrow, and the Charter- f"«,0 ana its provisions were substantially the same as those the measure which was sent down from the House of ■uords last year. Air. Ayrton indulged in a lengthened oriticlsm of the management and the system of instruction pursued at the Air. Ayrton indulged in a lengthened oriticlsm of the management and the system of instruction pursued at the metropolitan foundations, and especially at the Charterhouse and Westminster, and called upon the Govern- | raent either to exempt those institutions from the bill, and atai with the metropolitan schools in a separate measure, or else inolude the whole of these schools, and send the bill or else inolude the whole of these schools, and send the bill to a select committee. After some debate, the bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Thursday week. In a house of eighteen members, six of whom only were Irish, the Earl of Mayo moved for leave to introduce a bill to renew for one year the Habeas Corpus Suspension (Ireland) Bill, and in doing so declared that it was the earnest conviction ot the Government that it was absolutely necessary for the preservation ef the peace in the sister country, to frustrate and endeavour to destroy the efforts of the Fenian conspiracy. After some remarks from Mr. Bagwell, leave was given to nrirte in the bill, which was read a first time, and the House adjourned. J a the House of Lords on Feb. 17, the Marquis of Clanri- carde, who had a notice on the paper relating to the question of land tenure in Ireland, intimated that 111 consequence ot the absence, through indisposition, of the noble Premier, he should postpone his motion on the subject until that day week. The East London Museum lite BiU passed through com- mittee. The Bishop of Oxford introduced a Bill to amend the Consecration of Churchyards Act 1887, after which their Lordships adjourned. In the House of Commons, Mr. M. Hamilton asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any representations have been made to him aa to the hardship and distress which the abolition of the composition of rates under the Reform Aet of 1867 is causing to occupiers of small rated houses in a great number of English parliamentary boroughs. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said that no representa- tions of any kind had been made to him as to the hardship and distress which was supposed to exist. There had been, doubtless, cases in which overseers had misapprehended the meaning of the Act in Salisbury, for instance, they had done 10, and hardship had been entailed on some people in oenseqaence. v -Mr. u'Beirne asked the Chief fteeretary for Ireland whether v '■ introduce any measure for the improvement .wlUu Homing ot a *,1;: rateable valuê. As reg" the distribution of seats it was not proposed to take away the right of representation fr. m any existing constituency, but it was proposed to give seven additional mem- bers to Scotland, increasing the number of the mem- bers of the House by so many. Of these, two would be given to the universities of Scotland: one to each of the three large counties of Lanark, Ayr, and Aberdeen; one to Glasgow, upon the same footing as the third member was glnn to Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham and one to a !lI'oup of burghll comprising Ardrossan, Coatbridge, Wishaw, Barhead, Johnstone, Helensburgh, Kirkintilloch, ? ,~?arksblre> Renfrewshire, and Dum- Th?n th^v g a*n ■S»n*ate population of 56,35 s. ri i y proposed that the burghs of Hawick and IraSh? Sh°Uld add6d t0 the fladdington district of ^r. Smollets, Sir J. Ogilvy, Mr. MLaren, Sir E. Colebrooke, Sir J. Jergusson, and Mr. Graham took part, was concluded by the Chancellor of the Exchequer who described the measure as the targestand most munificent increase of the constituency in Scotland that had ever been offered to the consideration of Parliament th. JT Principle was the extension of the franchise, and the propositions with which it was associated he believed to be such as would give satisfaction to the Scottish people. He urged the House to pass a moderate measure of reiorm In the present Sewion if possible, and, with that view, to con- Aider the bill with candour H. undertook that, whatever suggestions might be made rtotua receive the careful atten- tion of the Government, with the one desire of making the representation of Scotland as efficient as possible Leave was then given to bring in the bill, and the House adjourned. In the Bome of Lords, on Feb. 18, the Lord Chancellor, in w £ jading of the Promissory Oaths Bill, h! who are not acquainted with the sub- ject could hardly conceive the number of oaths which are required to De taken. With regard to oaths imposed by Acts of Parliament, this bill converted them into declara- tions, and 1ll the case of oaths imposed by charter or custom, the bill required that the officer should deelare that he would be faithful to the trust reposed in him. To sum up, all oaths were proposed to be abolished by this Bill, except those mentioned, and with regard to all other oaths they were easily converted into declarations Lord Lyreden concurred in the desirability of abolishing certain oaths and eaid that even in tke case of the oath of allegiance his belief was that it was equally unnecessary, inasmuch as that oath was not likely to restrain an omcer from swervmg from his allegiance. His lordship thought that if any oath were at all necessary, the official oath which bound certain officers to secrecy might be retained Jarl Russell expressed his belief that the bill before their Lordships would be a great improvement upon the present Mate of the law regarding oaths. The noble Sari thought if any oath of secrecy were required, it might be taken by members of the Privy Council. The Bishop of Oxford was one of the commissioners who differed from the conclusions ot others, and argued that the oath in many instances superadded a reverent obligation to the ordinary condition ef holding office. In the House of Commons, Mr. Schrieber asked the Chan- cellor of the Exchequer, with respect to tne inhabitant ooeupiers'' of parishes in which compounding Acts are now the whole or part of which it is proposed for the borough!.0 #includ« within the limits of Parliamentary oee.mf«™ what time the personal liability of such oDinion t,w »P?;or rate wm commence; whether, in his first reiistrZtin < a Position to avail themselves of the ^sion^nd wha»^f V0leTa under «»• Reform Act of last one Dart of a »artRh%r repea* 01 a compounding Aot in The ChancSio^^r the remainder, auctions ^ere notiLrt il *fohe<Wer said that the first two niis^oners lately laid on Tl POinU"5 ttoeta. witn respect to the third question, the ComnnnnHinff Act remainder 0n6 Pm °f 4 PMUh beTe^eaft fhe Mr. i'awcett asked the Secretary of Itate for India IbSwa0UriXP?tBiti0ntrTil,^D0.t cXicateK advanoinc into th*t i that t„e Egyptian troops are high India? '^li.1further to ask whether field, did not emphaUcrily warn th^,Uo'nd *nd MalJ1'" war was decided upon, that the nationa^ITi?1 » .e?ore,tl!e would be united against us, if it annexed1 th°ot -n obtaining any aid or support from T-irco-E»vnu*n aTil M8r6 and whether, considering these warnings, the G^vem^ieut' before commencing the war, obtained any assurance^from interference0*1 ViCer°y tU*4 th6y WOuld abitain from aU Sir Stafford Northcote said that they had carefully ab- m makin8 any advances towards the Egyptian or asking them to act as allies. That Oovern- cert«in *Ter' llad allowe(l them to use their territory for effect Purposes in consequence of a request made to that advancing w.? ,ti,Ine .E«yptian soldiers were supposed to be to the Vicerov bllt immediately it was represented promised to 6rd« ♦^nc, a steP misht be misunderstood, he last adviceB from rv?ilnu,n^llaie return of the troops. The lieve that there was aw!? Robert Napier led him to be- ^ance^^water^

ENGLISH FETE AT CANNES. The Paris correspondent of the Morning Post writes:— A brilliant fete has lately been given at Cannes, where a number of distinguished English noblemen and gentlemen formed the bulk of the gay gathering, and which is due to the initiative of Mr. Bateman, a well-known member of the fashionable British society now becoming naturalised in this pleasant town in the south of France—a town which may be said to rival Nice in the elegance and refinement of its social pleasures. A tournament took place m a most vic- turesque spot, a beautiful meadow partly enclosed by the Gulf of Napaule, and the picturesque mountains to the north and west. The cavaliers all youUg mell> were armed like the knights of the middle ages, but mounted after the manner of Sancho P4n«a, on the classical animals from the øtable of Don Quixote, announced at the beginning of the tour- nament by a herald-at-arms on a beautiful white palfrey. These emblazoned knights were Mellsu. Vallez-Long, Levalt, Lord Stafford, Messrs. Moss, Campbell, Thornycroft, lliddell, ( ochrane, Brougham^ and Goldschmidt, who all put in a very elegant appear ance. After the combat the conqueror was duiv pro- claimed, and rewarded with a crown of orange flowers at the hands of a beautiful young lady. ^Among the company at this recherchi meeting were the Larl and Countess Kintore, Mr. and Mrs. O'Neil, the I'.arl and Countess of Mount-Edgeumbe, M. and Madame Levalt, Mr., Mrs., and Yiss Brougham, Lady Coch- rane, v>I. Hem It de fSeauvau, and many other eminent pM nonage. After the tournament came donkey races, jumping in sacks, and such rustic games as are com- mon in the rural fetes of old England, which extra- comic exhibitions in the classic vicinity of a French town did not fail to excite uproarious laughter, in which all present felt it their privilege to indulge without the least restraint. It is quite evident that these fetes had an English initiation."

FRIGHTENING THE CORK POLICE! planation*Etxtmimr publishes the following amusing ex- affair: 1 w*>at at first appeared to be a very serious mmuestionaM11*8 ^een made to us by a gentleman 0< t. ° veracity, which completely alters the occurrence in the North Main-street reporte P Peru aa an attempted assassination of two P°^c, '-urate** lJ*i?rmation supplied us, which seems to be • *eves the community of the very serious and paintul imputation the version already given of the affai th»^ ifc "^d we, therefore, hasten to lay the fat. 'p11(,Jj^av6 been detailed to us before our readers. O V £ evening, at the hour the shot is alleged to h T1Qr? i.at ^le two con- stables, a dairyman—whose "has been given to us and whom our luforman if necessary produce—was passing on his car through the North Main-street, and observed a small child come out of Castle-street, holding a powder cracker, the fuse of which was ignited. The two constables were then on the footpath walking along at a leisurely pace. The urchin was a few yards in the rear of the policemen when the cracker exploded with a loud report. The constables never looked behind, but bolted*for the nearest doorway, into which they both jammed themselves at the same instant, shrinking as far back as they possibly could to escape the formid- able missiles which they expected to follow the dis- charge. The child, equally alarmed at the explosion and "its consequences, fled another way. In a few moments the policemen had recovered sufficient nerve to peep cautiously from their shelter and seeing no trace of an assassin in the streets they then ventured out, and went at a rapid pace in the direction of the Shandon-street station, where they reported, as has been stated, that they had been fired at, from the corner of Austin's-lane, or from a window in the North Main-street. The head-constable, with a large armed party, at once visited the spot and made inquiries, but could obtain no information in reference to the assassination-firstly, because no attempt at assassination had been made; secondly, because those few who were acquainted with what had taken place were reluctant to disclose the facts, lest, as our informant states, it should lead to the arrest of the child—a surmise not at all improbable. Trusting to the information on which we wrote the other day, we stated that immediately after the occurrence the two police- men found themselves surrounded by a crowd who seemed perfectly indifferent to the outrage. The fact is that the people were amazed at the extraordinary panic of the constables, and were gating with natural bewilderment at them to ascertain the cause of their terrified demeanour. This statement, we wish to point out, is quite reconcilable with the version of the facts given by the policemen themselves. Their statement simply is that they heard a report—they believed the explosion of a revolver—behind their backs, but saw no one—nothing further to indicate that a shot had been discharged. Their conclusion then is that they were fired at. The person from whom our information is derived also heard the report; and, moreover, saw that it was the explosion of a. powder-cracker. We are sure that the explanation of the affair will be re- ceived with satisfaction, for no one could contemplate without horror the idea of a cowardly assassination of unarmed and inoffensive men being attempted in our oity.

THE SCOTCHMAN IN LONDON. At the Southwark Police-court in London, William Adams, aged fifty, a singular looking man, partially deformed, and who was described on the charge-sheet as a schoolmaster, was placed at the bar for final examination charged with being concerned with others not in custody, in stealing a £20 Bank of England note, a £5 ditto, and three sovereings, the property of James Brash, a young Scotchman, just arrived in London. The prosecutor, rather a simple-looking man, said that on Friday week he came from Scotland in search of a situation in London as a grocer's assistant. He at that time deposited in the London and Westminster Branch Bank, Whitechapel, £28, as he was residing in that neighbourhood. On Wednesday morning last being in want of money he withdrew it all out, and proceeded towards Notting-hill to arrange about a situation that was vacant. While looking in at a window in Oxford-street a country-looking man accosted him and they got into conversation, and after walking about for some time they entered a public- house somewhere eff Regent-street. They met the prisoner there, and he said he had just come into JE5,000 and a deal of property, and that a lady met him to whom he gave a sovereign to buy a pair of gloves, but she had not returned with the change. He said he, however, did not mind that, as he had just got JE200 from his lawyers, and could have S500 more on the following day. The prisoner then took out his purse, and showed what appeared to be fifty or sixty sovereigns, and two notes, looking like Bank of Eng- land notes. The first man then asked witness to take a glass of beer, which he refused, and they all three left the house and proceeded towards Westminster Abbey to compare the sights of London with Edin- burgh. They entered another public-house in that locality, when another man joined their company, and they all crossed over Westminster Bridge. On the way the prisoner asked him what business he was and what had brought him to London. He told him the whole of the circumstances, when the prisoner said he should not mind lending him £ 100 to help him on, as, he saia, his uncle had made his money by lending money to young beginners at 5 per cent. Two of the other men came up at the time and expressed a wish to borrow £ 50 each on similar terms. They then entered a beer-shop in Blackfriars-road, when the prisoner ordered some beer, but witness refused to drink. They went into an .p-stairs room, when the prisoner said, "Now, gentlemen, show me what money you have about you as capital." The other two meir pulled out what appeared to be bank-notes and sovereigns, and held them in their hands. Witness took from his pocket a JS20 and £5 Bank of England notes and three sovereigns, and held them out. The first man he met then took them from him, apparently to examine the amount, and took what appeared to be his own, and passed all to the prisoner. They then sat down, and after chalking something on the table the hrst man said that prisoner had won all the money. Witness then demanded his money back, when the pnsoner and the other man told him to go downstairs with the third man, and it would be all right. He went out of the house with that man. After going twenty yards he suspected he had been robbed. He consequently returned to the beer-house, to look after the prisoner and his two companions, but they had decamped. He then proceeded to the station-house and gave in- formation of the robbery. He did not play cards or gamble with any of the men, neither did he drink with them. He was perfectly sober. The numbers of the notes were as follow :—jB20, No. 93672, 21-8-67 £5, No. 213-16,27-11-67 both of which had been stopped at the Bank of England. In cross-examination by the prisoner, witness said that when in the beer-house near Westminster Abbey the prisoner wanted him to throw a 14 lb. weight but he refused. When in the yard witness picked up a piece of wood which the prisoner said was stone, and betted him 6d. on it. One of the other men cut it with a knife, and pronounced it te be wood, but the pri- soner nenr paid the sixpence (laughter.) He never made any- other bet, or gambled with cards or anything else. William Chandler, 117 H, said that when he arrested prisoner on the charge he told him he arrested him for robbing the prosecutor of J328 in a beer-shop. He said. Cannot that be squared, Mr. Chandler?" Witness told him there was no squaring about him and took him into custody. On the way to the station- house in a cab the prisoner said to the prosecutor "Mind how you word it. If you tell the truth I can get your money back, but not for a week The prosecutor replied, "If you can do that, that is all I want.' The prisoner also said, If you charge us with stealing- your money the magistrate will not allow us to settle it. The prosecutor's brother, who was in the cab, said he would not allow him to settle it, unleaa he was paid B10 besides the money taken from e ro The magistrate asked if he knew the prisoner. Witness replied that he had known him for many years as a card sharper and magsman. He called himself a schoolmaster (laughter). He saw him at Barnet fair two years ago delivering religious tracts, at the same time looking out for flats (renewed laughter). The prisoner said he did not recollect that. He, however, denied robbing the prosecutor. He made bete and lost m a fair way, and the other men had the money. He was eoximitted for trial at the next Surrey sessions.

HORRIBLE MURDER. The PmnmtM Star and Herald gives an aeoount of the following most horrible and mysterious murder committed in the Howard-house, Aspmwall, on the night of the 19th of January:— It appears that on the 4th two men, Carlos Fernan- dez (who formerly resided there) and hi» partner, dealers in cigars, arrived at Aspinwall from Cuba, in the steamer Barcelona, and went to Howard-house, where they carried on their business. They were but little known, and as they appeared daily in the dining- room, aocompanied by a woman who also came in the Barcelona, they attracted some notice. Subsequently, Fernandez's partner informed the manager that they had taken a house in town, and wished to move early next morning at the same time he paid the accounts. About four o'clock next morning a heavy wooden box, some 8ft. square, in which cigars had been packed, and which had been lying in Fernandez's room for some time previous, was taken from the hotel and carried to a house in one of the back streets. This early de- parture created no suspicion until a servant discovered their room saturated with blood. It was then found that the box had been conveyed by two negroes in a boat to the other side of the bay. During the day it was brought back, and was found to contain the mutilated remains of Pernandes. He is supposed to have been suffocated and the body dismembered in order to pack it in the box. The partner of Fernandez was permitted to decamp. The murdered man is said to have had several thou- sand dollars in his possession at the time of his death.

AN ITALIAN TRAGEDY. The Florence correspondent of the London Standard relates the following details of a tragedy Just enaoted at ventimiglia, in Italy, but he will not vouch for their perfect exactness:— A tragical event, which is not without a certain political importance, has just taken place at Venti- miglia, the extreme limit of the Italian kingdom, on the road from Genoa to Nice. A certain Colognese lady, named Emilia Mavuzzi, by marriage Baroness Ruggi, had formed a very intimate friendship with the young Couut of \^illafranca, one of the sons of tho deposed Duchess of Parma. In the course of time the youthful count, either cloyed with the mature charms of the baroness, who was some years older than himself, or from certain other reasons, desired to drop the connection, gave the lady the slip, and took refuge in Nice, whither he was speedily followed by his jilted mistress, who taxed him with his heartless ingratitude, and so obstinately refused to be separated from the object of her pas- sion, that the latter, at his wit's end, was fain to have recourse to the strong arm of authority, and have recourse to the strong arm of authority, and obtained from the French Government an order for the expulsion of Baroness Ruggi from the Im. perial territory. The lady was escorted to the Italian confine, and took up her residence at Ventimiglia, within sight of the spires of Mentone, in that pleasant land of France which she had been forced to leave with a bleeding heart. But even here the fugitive was not left long undisturbed. She was still too near to Nice for his Royal Highness the ex-Duke of Parma, who applied anew for protection to the French Government, by whose instrumentality an order was obtained from Florence directing the hapless lady to choose another place of residence, at a greater distance from the frontier. She was summoned to Porto Maurizio, and enjoined to take her departure from Ventimiglia within a specified period. rfhe baroness, however, whom the sequel proves to have been a woman of spirit and resolution, resisted the order, alleging her rights as an Italian subject, and declaring that she would never be removed alive from the place in which she had fixed her abode. The de. legate of Public Security in Ventimiglia had received his instructions and announced his intention of carry- ing them inro effect. The baroness telegraphed to the central government, but without effect, and when the delegate went to the Albergo del Sale on the day appointed for the removal, the baroness was found dead in her sleeping-room. She. had suffocated her- self with the fumes of burning cliarcoal. On her table were found a few lines in writing they ran as fol- lows :—" I am ioear>/ of life, and seek for relief in death. The Count, of Villa franca is the cause of my death.

THE AMERICANS AND THE FENIAN CONSPIRACY. The New York correspondent of the Daily Aeics,, writing on the 1st inst., after referring to Train's arrest ana subse- quent release, describes as follows the present feeling m the United States with reference to the Fenian conspiracy The American element in the Fenian business is cer- tainly not likely to be appeased by forbearance. In fact, it grows steadily on your forbearance. 1 was inclined to think that the extreme clemency with which the earlier Fenians were treated, particularly a.ter the Canadian outbreak, was wise policy, but I am now in great doubt whether it was or not. Ihe timidity of the English government has, in fact, greatly helped the more violent wings of the Fenians here, &?eat argument which those who were opposed to enian- ism have always used has been the impossibility of its accomplishing anything, owing to the strength and determination of the English government. There was nobody who was disposed to assert that Irish complaints were groundless, and that Irish grievances were not horrible. But there were plenty to say that the Fenian organisation could accomplish nothing, and was therefore simply a swindle. More- over, the public looked, or was disposed to look, on the invasion of Canada as one of the blackest of crimes, very much, for instance, as Mr. Gladstone looked on it. But after it was over, and some of those who were engaged in it had been brought to trial, the Oanndians themselves seemed to take such a lenient view of the matter, and let off the prisoners so easy, that naturally Americans came to look leniently on it too. bo aho, the elaborate attempts made in England to distinguish between murders committed from a political motive and other murders, and the shilly-shallying ot the Derby Cabinet about the execution of Burke, has ended in throwing a glamour over the whole business, which has done much to raise it in popular estima- tion. People are no longer as sure as they were that Fenianism is morally objectionable, inasmuch as the position of the English government seem to take of it is that it is simply a mistake, or a conventional offence, like that of a soldier who falls asleep at his post, which must he punished as a matter of expedi- ency, but which proves nothing against a mans moral character, and yet there are a hundred reasons why Englishmen should take a severer view of it than anybody else. In the second place, the argument aCTaiiist"Fenianism, which most influenced people here— its uselessness—may be said to have been upset, or at least greatly weakened by recent events. It appears plain that it is not useless. Its tactics may seem con- temptible and absurd, and be opposed to all one a no- tions of fitness, and decency, and morality; but they have evidently done what nothing else has done, that is, set the English public to think about Irish griev- ances with a diligence and candour which it has never displayed before! It seems to that (the abolition of the church m1?.t. afl the reform of the land laws are amongstthepolitica1 pro- babilities of the day, and it to that it is the Fenians, with their drillings and risings," and gunpowder plots, and infernal ma- chines, which have made them people there- fore say to one another that the" Brothers" were not such fools, after ™ch knaves either. They are admitted by £ e English to be, not brigands, but political ^h0111 the safety of the empire makes it Pumsh, but who are not such bad fellows after all; and it is quite plain that they are not mere visionaries, inas- much as their operations bid fall' to effect certain reforms, to which a century of were discontent and peaceful agitation has contribute ing. In fact, much abhorrence as the Clerkenwell and other out- rages excite, there is, it seems to me, no question that Fenianism stands higher in popular estimation than it did a year ago.

DEATH OF MR. W. HERAPATH. We have to record the death of Mr. Wm. Herapath, the well-known toxicologist, of deceased gentleman, who was seventy-two years of age, had only been ill for a short time, and expu-edon Thursday even- ing at his residence in the Old Park Bristol. Mi. Herepath was the son of a maltster, and for some little time followed the occupation of his father. He had, however, a strong inclination for scientific pursuits, and he devoted himself to the study of chymistry. Nearly forty years ago he gained a reputation by his analysis in a case in which a woman named Burdock was convicted at Bristol upon circumstantial evidence of poisoning. In the more celebrated case of Palmer, of Rugeley, Mr. Herapath was a witness, and he had also been concerned in many other important criminal and civil trials. Mr. Herapath was also a decided politician. In the period of the Reform agitation of 1831, when the disastrous riots took place at Bristol, he was the president of the body then known as the Political Union," and he exerted such power as he possessed to stop the tumultuous proceedings which then took place. On the passing of the Munici}jal Reform Act Mr. Herapath became a member of the Town Council; but with advancing years he ceased to be a democrat, and was at last expelled from the Radical ward he had long represented. Mr. Herapath was in the com- mission of the peace, and was the senior magistrate for Bristol. ^—

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE. The following sad occurrence has taken place near Lostwithiel :— About ten o'clock on Friday night Sergeant New- combe, of the county police, called at the house of a labourer, named Tinney, who lives near Lostwithiel, and charged the eldest daughter, Elizabeth Tinney, with stealing a large piece of bacon from a Mrs. Burn, for whom she had been working in the afternoon. All the inmates of the house were in bed when the constable arrived, and the accused came down, partly dressed, and let him in. She denied the charge. Newcombe found a large piece of bacon on a shelf, and the girl called to her mother and asked if it was not true that she had bought it ,2° mother replied in the neg.tive, J je W it SSr-1, Tb0 s:VSmoSld the the shawl which she wore in the two went upstairs together. He saw shawl, and having pointed out the grease andisalt upon it,, said that she must dress herself and go same room were the father, mother, two chddren in bed. The girl said, I cannot dressbefore you and the sergeant then went outsideithe aoor. inJess than a minute afterwaijls he heard s g a stream of water running on the floor, and heard the mother say, "Go, Tinney, and P- father called him in and said tbe g, C1^. ^er throat. He found blood gushing fr°^L roat in a large stream. He held an apron tightly over the wound until a medical gentleman j1- however, was useless, for the unfo^1^ 14 less than a quarter of an hour. A ta covered with blood, was found by her side. t"0r the deceased had brought tbe bating that it had been given to her by

INCIDENT OF THE AMERICAN WAR. During "Price's raid" i^^How^T^ place on the Une of Charlton Sk 68' Missouri, some four miles from GlasS' n which one of the reba was left on the dangerously wounded in the neck. While in ^ISS Sarah J. Smith, a school teacher i cinity, hap- pened to pass 'by Seeing the *°™ded man she went to him and staunched hisj™^ds, probably saving his life. She remained 1 If1 UTJ near nightfall, when he requested her to. as his com- panions would probably come in ght and take liim away. If not, she would fi^m where he was in the morning, living or dead. that he was known by the name of Tucker, h«t that his real name was H. C. M'Donald, and thatbe ^s from Louis- ville, Ky. Next moming M'P^^as gone, and Miss Smith knew nothing concerns hra afterwards. A few days ago, says the S¥'LJ T?™a\ Miss Smith (wlo still resides JJ^ neighbourhood) received a letter from the Administrator of H C. M'Donald, Sr., informing her that she waa named in the will of the deceased as the ^efa ?1?' in consideration of her having ^ved the life of his nephew and only heir, the Donald named in connection with the incident of 6 • Ihis is all the story, and The Timet indorses its correctness.

MEAT PRESERVING IN AUSTRALIA. The following is from the M*lbourm Argus of »ecem- ber 27:— The meat question has during last month created a good deal of discussion, and general satisfaction has been felt at the interest which the subject has called forth at home. Some facts have transpired during the month which clearly show enormous dispro- portion between the price of butcher's meat in Eng- land and Australia. While at the last date mutton was selling in London at 0d. and Is. a pound, ex- cellent legs of mutton were disposed of at Ballarat last week at 9d. each. The great question, however, is to get this meat sent to England without loss of quality or flavour, and we are happy to state that a system has been introduced which promises to solve the difficulty that has hitherto attended the matter. In the early part of the present month several cases reserved according to one of the simplest or most' inexpensive process that could be ima- gined, were opened at JJenae's Hotel in the pre- sence of a number of gentlemen chiefly interested in opening up a market for °"r meat produce. It was prepared in Melbourne, and had beeii over two months m the case There were samples of boiled beet, roast mutton, and roast beef and when the cases were opened the purity of the ^a which arose from the meat was sufficient to show that it had lost none of its essential qualities. The tasting proved equally satisfactory. Nearly all the gentlemen present lunched off the meat, and it was generally pronounced to be excellent, and to have lost neither its flavour, its suc- culence nor its tenderness. A case of tongue was also opened, which was prepared some two years ago, in Europe, after the same process. It was found to be in good condition, though perhaps its characteristics were not so completely preserved as in the beef and mutton. The process by which this result has been accomplished is of the most simple description, and requires only to be earned out with care and attention. The air is taken from the canister, and the meat is preserved in the vacuum. It is placed in the tin in a raw or parboiled state the tin is then put in a chemical solution, capable of producing a high temperature. By the heat the meat is cooked and the air evaporates in the form of steam. At the proper moment the canister is sealed, and the process is complete. The great recommendation of this method is that the meat is preserved entirely free from any gaseous or other unpleasant flavour which more or less attaches to the meat prepared by any other process. Then it is neither novel nor experi- mental. Large quantities of beef and mutton pre- pftred on this systeni were used by both the 1 rench and English armies during the Crimean war. Several gentlemen urvHer whose notice this process has been brought are endeavouring to form a company to carry | it on on an extensive scale. The company has a fine field of operations before it. Meat w;is lately selling in London at lOd. and Is. per pound, and prepared under this system it can be sold in the London market with a handsome profit at 3d. a pound. Great care, hotVever. must be taken to place meat of the best quality in the home market. People have been so frequently deceived with ill-preserved and flavourless meat that they have become sceptical of getting really good beef or mutton in a preserved state. If, however, a market is secured, it offers the most feasible and most profitable mode of using our waste meat, and may be the commencement of an in- dustry of great magnitude and value. It has been suggested that carcases might be sent home in ice. This would probably be a more expensive system than the other, but it would have this advantage, that the meat could be placed on the London market uncooked, I in joints—no slight consideration in the eyes of John Bull.

A SINGULAR HISTORY. A short time ago a human skeleton was found at Broughty Ferry Castle while making a drain. The skeleton appeared to be that of a strong, full-grown man, and was tound about two and a half feet from the surface of the ground. The skull bore a mark as if a wound had been inflicted with a rapier, threat numbers of persons visited the spot, and considerable curiosity was manifested as to how any skeleton could have been found there. A person residing in Dundee supposes the skeleton to be that of a I rench ofheer who was killed in an encounter with a British cavalry- man at Broughty Castle, and furnishes the follow- ing particulars as his reason for thinking so:—About 45 years ago there resided at Cupar an old man who earned his livelihood by teaching young men sword exercise. In his young days he belonged to a cavalry regiment, and had the reputation of being a first-class swordsman. His regiment was stationed at Cupar during the imprisonment of some French soldiers, but, notwithstanding the utmost cordiality exhibited between the French and British offi- cers, while the latter were dining together one day a conversation rose on sword exercise, and one of the French officers set himself forth as a match for any. The feeling of rivalry naturally existing between the officers of the two nations was excited to a high pitch, and the conversation ended by the officer of the British regiment engaging that he would even find a man in the ranks who would beat him. ) The day for the combat was fixed, and the betting was heavy on both sides. The young man befo-refnientioned was the man chosen to test the ability of the French officer. The combat resulted in the ignominious de- feat of the latl-^r, and in the British officers pocketing a large sum. The French officer left the ground indignant and ashamed at being defeated by a common private, and before his comrades and the British officers. To retrieve his lost honour he challenged the cavalryman to a second encounter, which the latter cavalryman to a second encounter, which the latter accepted, and again proved victorious, disarming his opponent, and carrying off his sword as a trophy. Shortly after this the officers entertained the gallant young swordsman to dinner, and offered to reward him with £200 if he would teach them the cub;" and "guards" which he used. This offer was refused by the young man replying that he would not, and but for the antagonistic relation of the two nations, he would have taught them for as many shillings. The French officers, determined if possible to "turn the tables" sent another chal- lenge to him a few days afterwards; but on this occasion he was to be opposed by another French offi- cer, a powerful man, reckoned to be one of the best swordsmen in the army. A spot at Broughty Castle was fixed upon as the meeting-place, and both men appeared punctually on the ground. The contest lasted for an hour, and the greatest excitement pre- vailed among those who were spectators. The French officer became enraged at being unable to take advantage of his opponent, and the latter, suspecting that his antagonist would kill him the first opportu- nity, dealt him a fatal blow and he fell to the ground lifeless. He was buried at the spot by his comrades, and the skeleton lately found is thought to be his from the supposed rapier mark on the skull.

MR. COLERIDGE AND THE TEETOTALLERS. Mr Coleridge, Q.C., M.P. for Exeter, writes as follows, iu reply to an intimation that at the next election he will be opposed by the teetotallers :— In the speech which appears to have given you effence I said that drunkenness had been our national shame and disgrace from the days of Shakspeare, and that if we could make England sober we might almost shut up our gaols. I am certainly not convinced that the particular measures you advocate would make England sober, or even tend to do so. and I am very much afraid that they would give rise, in the present state of things, to dangerous, and perhaps not un, founded, discontent on the part of large numbers of the people. While, therefore. I admit the immense importance of the question, it seems to me to be full of practical difficulties, and I am not prepared to pledge myself to support the particular measures of which you so much approve. I have never questioned any man's right to speak and vote as he thinks proper, and if you and others think fit to oppose my return tu Parliament at the next election, and succeed m your opposition, I shall certainly regret your course on many grounds (far more on public grounds than on private), but I shall never complain of It. The teetotallers have referred Mr. < oleridge to a charge delivered by Mr. Justice Coleridge, in which his lordship spoke of the evils of intemperance. Mr. Coleridge's reply to this is that his opposition to the Sunday Closing and the Permissive Bills is not in- consistent with a single word in the charge. The other evening Dr. Lees replied to Mr. Coleridge's recent speech, and at the meeting the letter given, above was read.

THE FAMINE AMONG THE A3ABSJ A letter from farmers, in the VlfrU of Cherbourg, gives some heartrending details of the famine among kw Arabs. The writer says :— At Orleansville I have seen from 1M to 200 of thee* poor wretches scarcely covered with ragged burnous, eating the leaves of the aloe plant, the roots of the dwarf palm, and the filthy fragments abandoned iu the streets I have witnessed natives coming down from the mountain with asses laden with dates robbeu of all in an instant by these famished Arabs. The latter I have seen cudgelled unmercifully by Europeans in order to make them desist, and yet they received the blows without seeming to feel them, rather thtui give up a single date. At Relizanne I noticed squatted on the footpath, with their backs against the wall, some dozen of Arab children, the oldegt of whom could scarcely be more than four. When I say children I make a mistake they were only skeletons their legs and arms were, in the most rigorous mean- ing of the words, no more than bones covered with shrivelled skin. On looking at those poor little things, so frightfully shrunk, one was at a loss to know by what effort they could stand on their feet. I bought a dozen pound loaves and distributed them to the starving children, but this was scarcely done when 1 was surrounded by a score of Arabs voiciferating for a share. Only with great difficulty could I get out from the midst of the poor wretches, the numbers of whom rapidly increased and had it not been for the assist- ance of some Europeans, I do not know what might bave become of me. Scarcely had I got clear of the crowd, when I saw them fall upon the children and snatch away the bread which I had distributed. At Oran, in the middle of the city, in front of the Hotel de 1 UmverR, I witnessed tho most disgusting of spectacles. Every evening there is thrown out of that establishment the remains of the kitchen, damaged leaves of salad, and other vegetables, the entrails of fowl and game, and filth of that kind. Well, on the evening I speak of, I saw a dozen Arabs fighting with the dogs of the neighbourhood over this offal.

ST. VALENTINE'S DAY.—Friday being St. Valentine's Day, as usual there was a vast, increase in the delivery of letters in the metropolis. The first de- livery (eight o'clock) commenced at an earlier hour, the number being so immense that supernumerary post- men had to be employed to assist the regular letter carriers. This delivery was not completed until long after the ordinary time, and at eleven o'clock the letters that passed through the General Post-office exceeded in number that of previous years. At mid- day substantial repasts were provided in the several districts for this overworked class, and those attached to the central district had their dinner in the graat hall, General Post-Office.