The Aberystwith Observer

,4LTTTTTSTNrr"U)''< iinrj'T, pop.BR'RY. A; Lw,•«?*-»<. !» •••'I S. A. 11 adley has n: 'ier IS- V;i. Ac: v. irii !i,-in«i at the U,.L„ l!o;el f.-r an unlawful j-tirp ■-e. Prisoner w |'i. Pa: to *i«!»: a ']:0"in. and fi };:5 for \Ya- '.viek rac.-st a gentle- rriao ra 'ied liolo-jps wa.- ro)-S,ed i:i 11;o n:^htj rj' iio'es h-o'i be-e bo; rd ill otbvl' bed- ,.s ,1.j. i* ], :hi ead had been fastened t .s r.i r,v.l (:>• ihaf be lx.lt« could 1, {1n;;1 lit- The principal cyi- r! ,> i.he r-s t: t he had (.b'I :)}(.(1 w; litVnie rur >. •. '• !i o :1. (1 f a •fii v.i:.ir it oa ..e i en! e fu^-d hw address or refcten c;. — \li fis remanded

Charles and W¡¡¡it11l ILChaplllan have been charged with being suspected of carrying on a "long firm" busi- neøs at Great Yarmouth, 1\1 Chapman and Son. Unpaid invoices for more than £ 100 and a considerable quan- tity of goods were found at the prisoners' house. Alicia Smith, the married woman who stands charged with having forged the name of Mrs. Maria Susan Reed .0 a deed purporting to he an assignment of the equity of redemption of a house in Frankfort terrace, Harrow.road, with having made a false declaration in describing herself as Mrs. Reed, and the property a* Jier own and unencumbered, and with having obtained by means of such forged documents and other tfalse pretenses £ 380 from the Lombard Deposit Bank (Xiizaited), has undergone a final examination at the ltfoftea Hoote, committed for trial,

f THE DUO DEOAZRS AT THE QUAI D'OKSA YR. (Fromth World.} The Dictiomnrire drs -porains for 1870 beg- "I'd {,¡¡¡d, lines on L >r.is Charles Elie Arma- nien. Due Docaies and G)iiek?berg, and summed up h s existence by i1110nuingthe reader that he was former!/ Pi cuch Minister in Spain and in Portugal, and that he w„ Commander of the Legion of IT-, nour. Grand Cross of Isabella the Catholic. Honorary Chamberlain of the King of Denmark, and member or the Conseil General of the Gironde. The revolution of 18-18 drove the Duke into private life (he was a duke during his fa.her s lifetime, but he then bore the second titIe, Glttoksberg). For twenty-two years. like all the other servants of the Orleans dynasty, he lived in ostracism. Before he was thirty he had represented his country at two Courts, and in those bright careless days he seemea to have 111 front of h1m a career as brilliant and as sure as even his father's son could hope for. And then all burst and broke on the 24th I of February. He tried in 1869 to get hirasel? elected deputy for-hii\ department, but he failed and it was not till he Wit" fifty-one years old that he saw .the future open to him onoe more. In 1871 he was at last able to stand out tuccessfully amcnget the men who asked France to appoint them her representatives.. But during the whole reign of M. Thiers he remained in the waiting ranks of those members of the Chamber who felt instinctively that their moment had n rt quite come. Tbc truth was that he was p..nd.. ring how to upset M. Thiers, and was waiting with labo- rious patience for the moment to arrive whcn his long- cherished though unavowed dream could at last be i realised—when he o"Rld splice on his life again to the rope that was broken in 1X18, ",Len he could leave the • Rue d'Albe, and organise in the Palace of the Quai d'Orsay a Ministry of Foreign Affairs worthy of France — and of the Due Decazes. The 24th of May came. M. Thiers knew perfectly that the Duke had been amongst the most active of th"se who overthrew him. France knew it too. But the Duke took no place in the first Ministry formed under the Marechal. He was not a man to rush at power. He coveted one single post, would accept nothing eIRe, and meant to have that one. Then came the visit of the Comtede Paris to Frohsdorff. The Duke was o:ie of the very first to be admitted into the secret of the fusion, and one of the first to recognise that it would fail. Then he decided thathiamoment had come the Ministry of the Interior was offered to him he refused it—it was not what he desired. He left it to his rash comrade, the Due de Broglie, and in November, 1873, became Minis- ter of Foreign Affairs. His manner is still charming; it is in 110 way changed by success he receives every body who comes to Rim. But the circumstances of his life and the influence of his habits have rendered him even morc nervous than he used to be, and his 1I.ttitudes t.nd movements have now become 110 full of meaning that you must indeed be blind if you fail to detect the moment when the pleasure of seeing you come in is re- placed hy (he desire of seeing you gu out. Hc rarely walk-, and if his doctor imperatively orders him to take exercise he gives himself two rapid turns in the gar, den, and comes back to Ins beloved chimney, to the warmth which so irresistibly attracts him. Heat and tobacco are the two physical necessities of his existence. He smokes llnceaiingly. MId when a friend observes to hIm that he smokes too much, he replies, Quite trne," lays down his half-burnt Ó¡;11.l'-and lights a fresh one. As to th- political value of the DllC Decazes, it may be said wIth truth thatProvideree could scarcely have bestowed on France a Minister more able to ser/e her by his defeds as well as by his quali ties. Even his faults are useful to him and to her. History will in all probability proclaim that the man who could manage tJ do what he has done during the last three years, under tho circumstances in whioh he has been placed, who has been perpetually executing a dnniedes ceufs without ever breaking a single egg, must have been really un vrai politique.

PRINCE BISMARCK ON THE SITUATION A Pall Mall Gazette special telegram from Berlin gays :—Replying to Deputy Richter'e question with regard tJ the new Customs regulations enaoted ùy Russia, Prince Bismarck expressed regret at the question being raised at all, inasmuch as it is likely to create unfriendly feelings. Limiting hia answer merely to the politioal aspect of the question, as re- fcrring to the Eastern crisis, Prince Bismarck gave the assurance that the Governments of Germany and Russia remain on the most friendly footing, and the three Emperors' alliance still exists in its full integrity. This doea not, however, in the least preclude cordial friendship with England, the friendly relations with Twhieh, as established by long trad:- j tion, Germany valmes as highly as those with any other Power. The Chancellor apparently expressed greater hopes of a peaeeable solution of the present crisis. Even should the Conference notachieve its full object,he has no doubt, that the dif- fercllce now npparcnt between Ellglish and Hll,sial1 interests will be composed. The endeavours of Germany continue to be directed to the maintennnce ùf peace. The Chancellor repeated that the alliance between the three empires is close and firm, and said the hopes of its enemies that it may be broken are Itbsollltely gr;JurJdles8. HE: a180 repeated his former assurance uf German neutrality. Should the Conference fail to achieve unanimity hetween the Powers and reform of Turkish administration, Germany cannot, he said, disapprove of Russia's attempt to carry the latter measure on her own responsibility. Germany, says the Standard, is now to act towards Russia as the latter acted towards Germany in 1870. In furllv r proof that it is so it is to be noted that Prince Bismarck distinctly states that, should war break nut, and war. he frankly admits, is almost incvi- table, his efforts will be directed tolocaliseit. Austria, he assured 1111 hearers, maintains the most friendly rphtiionswitt). Russia. In spite of all that has been said, the league of the three Emperors is intact. We may believe as much of that as we choose. But even if it be true for the moment, will it remain true if Russia crosses the Pruth especially will it remain true if she occnpips Bulgaria? We can hanily believe H. But if it ceases then to be true, what becomes of Prince Bismarck's professions of friendship for Austria? No doubt those professions are agreeable. But we venture to think that they would bo mure acceptable both at Vienna and at Pesth if they were confirmed by efforts to prevent Russia from pushing her demands too far. As to ourselves, we hope thav those ajiongst us who ignobly implored the great Chan- cellor to tpeak are now satisfied. He litis, indeed, spken, but hardly in a way tJ satisfy them. lie professes for us abo a warm friendship for which we hope we are duly grateful and he expresses a belief that the differences between this country and Russia will be amicably arranged. We trust this may prove a true prophecy; but we are bound to say that the prophet has not taken the best way of fulfilling his prediction. Nothing is easier than to arrnnge thc differences. We only ask of Russia that. she shall observe treaties to which she has solemnly set, her seal for the last time so lately as six years ago. We wish to impose no new conditions upon her. We do not even deny he" right to interest herself in the condition of the Christians of Turkey. We simply demand of her to observe her own solemnly reiterated engagements, and to refrain from troubling the peace of Europe. Its silient characteristic, saytthe Daily Telegraph, that which will most strike in upon reflective minds, is the ixmense reservation with regard to the future. We cannot overlook the recurrence of such phrases as the present Eastern Question," the present phase of the Eastern crisis," or fail to note that the declara- tions of policy are mainly, although not wholly, based upon what is before us and its possible immediate consequences. We understand the speech, wifh one or two important exceptions, as strictly limited to that comparatively narrow ground. Prince Bi8marck expresses his hopes of peace in strong language, but he looks forward to the not unliltely advent or a war which will not encounter his condemnation. It i8 to bc waged-if at all-lipon the responsibility of one Great Power acting alone and its avowed aim is to secure a better system of government in certain piovinccs of the Turkish Empire. But, it will be observed, the German Chancellor refuses to utter one word indicating what part he will think it expedient to play —should hostilities begin, and the terms of peace have again to be settJed-savc the broad aSEertion that his Government will never coment to the aggrandise- ment, of one friendly Power at the expense of another. The intentious of Germany, '"0 far as they concern the ultimate arrangements in Western Turkey — should the cannon speak—are nowhere disclosed. Prince Bismarck, as the organ of the empire, i. free to take nny coune he pl@ales, after Ruisia, on her own responsibility, shall have done her best to extort sub- mission frum the PortQ. If, ail he anticipates, the Conference should frame an acceptable plan, his states- manship, as a German Minister, willnot be rut to any new test. if the diplomatio intervention concludes nothing, and war ersues, Germany will remain neutral bntupto what point, and how long? We have 110 answer to t,his question. The whole address to the Reichstag proceeds on the assumption that the precedent of Samarcand and Khiva, we might say of Anapa and Poti at an earlier period, will not be followed. We are, like Prince Bismarck, to place implicit belief in the solemn assurances uttered in th« Palace of Livadta. But, should circumstances over which the Czar has 110 control exert an unlooked-for pressure on his Imp rial will,then we are without any guide to German policy, and can only guess at its direction. All we u'e entitled to say, on the faith of the Chancellor, 1 is that no friendly Power, if Germany can pre- vent it, shall gain in territory at the oosfc of another. <

( BUCKINGHAMSHIRE ELECTION. i The expenses 'ncurred at the recent Buckingham. <hir,i election, caused by the elevation of the Right n on. Benjamin Disiaelito the peerage, amounted in C the case of the Hon. Thomas Fremantle, who was re, turned,to £ fi 480 8s. lOd.; while those of the defeated andidate. the Hon. Rupert Carington, were £ 7,7904s. ] lid., shewing the efforts put forward by the latter and t ,1 ■ Reform Club, and who, it was confidently asserted \> nld be returned. Considering, however, the size of J the county—some sixty miles in length by twenty- three in width, and that it has not been earnestly con- tested for nearly no years, the amounts are not coil- J sidered very large.

MODERN ARTILLERY. The numerous improvements in war material and the remarkable growth of heavy guns during the last few years have rendered necessary a new official text-book for the instruction of the Royal Artillery in the practical course, and Captain Owen, Instruc- tor at the Royal Gun Factories, is engaged in the pre- paration of such a work, together with an abridged edi tion for the especial use of non-commissioned officers. Since the last text-book was prepared by Captains Jones and Stoney about seven years ago, the 35-ton, 38-ton, and SO ton guns have been produced, and the researches into the action of fired gunpowder have developed a large increase of working capacity in all the wrought-iron guns, while the inven- tion of "chambering,' the successful application of the gas check all a means of rotating the projectile, and the introduction of the polygroove rifling, all in- dicate the directions in which the artillery of the present day is diverging from that of only a few yean JL

« MAN ABOUT TOWN." (From the Sporting Gazette.) I am credibly informed that two young women from Reading set off alone to yh<it the Philadelphia Centenuial Exhibition—that their funds ran short sooner than they expected, and that they raised suffi- cient money to pay their passage back by-selling their hair I am glad to find that there are two girls in Eng- land who have enough hair of their own to enable them to perform such a feat. Ishonld not have believed it be- fore I heard this well-authenticated story. Ah times have degenerated since Petronilla, grandmother of Simon de Montfort, wove a chain of her own hair whereby to suspend the silver lamp presented to Leicester Abbey by her husband. When I think of the rich tresses that adorned the head of that mediseval dame, and contrast them with the scanty locks of gen- uine growth underlyii: > ;■' pyramids of false hair that surmount the hearts .f the ladies of my own day, I cannot but sigh, VVuai- a faliing off is there! They are lelling a grotesque story of General Schencit. which shews thai he is a trifle eccentricin his own manners. The Genesal is passionately addicted to cirds, and it is related of ii in that all one occasion, when he was 1\ guest at tiie country house of one of her Majes-y's Ministers, ho was so wild at the prospect of the evening passing 1 way without a game ofcarda that he se.zed the p iker 1'1'0111 the drawing-room fender ahojldered it. and to the amazement of the company went about the room, searching in every corner for some signs of cards and counters. At last he was successful, and shouting ill stentorian tonel Eureka! Eureka he spread the cards on the table, called out to the guests to give up moping and coddling over the fire and twaddling in corners, and eome and join in a good hearty game of American "Poker." At first the prevailing impression was that the General wag drnnk, and the host looked exceellingly uncomfort- able at the strange behaviour of his guest. However, there were those there who knew the General'* little eccentr cities, and soon set matters right. A goodly number responded to the General's appeal, and sat down to play. It was daybreak when the sast of them, including, of course. General Schenck, rose from the table, and the 'cute Yankee smiled, he dived his hand into the bulging pockets of hia "pants," and playfully fingered his winnings. They do say that the General cleared a "pile" that night— £ 2,000 is the figure I have heard named. And a facetioua Loser remaiked that, so far as the General was con- rerned, it was rather a OlSe of shovel than "peker." I think, a propos of Americans, that I mentioned some little time ago the approaching visit of MrH. Victoria C. Woodbull. the ellthnsiastic evangeli,t of Free Love. Mrs. Woodhull will be accompanied by her sister, Mrs. Jennie C. Claffin, and they propose appearing on the London stage in a piece written expressly for them. "Wonderment guesses who is the boid manager who will introduce these notorious ladies to the London public. Is it Mr. Chatterton. Mr. Hollinghhead, or the" People's Caterer ? Nobody knowl. It is probable that the Lord Chamberlain will interpose his feeble vpto, but. two such strong-minded women as Mrs. Woodhull and Mrs. Claffin will very soon talk poor Lord Hertford over. Fancy having to confront those two Amazons I would not be in the shoes of Mr. Pigott and his chief for worlds. Suppose these two awful women were to insist on making love to the Chamberlain and Censor—suppose they were to carry them oil bodily to dine, «ay atVerey's—they are quite capable of doing both, and I am sure the two victims would be utterly powerless in such determined hands—think what a vandal it would cau.e-think how the poor drama would suffer !—think—but, no, I oan't think more— lontemplation becomes a horror.

Sir Thomas White, the Lord Mayor of London, hM been presented by a number of his friends and neigh- bours in West Essex with service of a plate, all a mark )f respect on his attaining to the civic chair. A pitman, named Harris, was engaged in getting joa) ready in the Oakham Colliery Company's pits, Dudley, when several hundred tons of coal fell upon him. He was crushed in an awful manner. A St. Petersburg telegram states that the Duchesa )f Edinburgh's daughter has bein named Victoria. At t public meeting held at Darlington, to appoint lelegates to the forthcoming National Conference, a sommnrlication, dated November 19, from Mr. W. E. GHadstone was read, expressing his extreme satiafao kion at witnessing the energy of conviction and eha- raster which leads the people of Darlington to watch with an inureasing vigilance the course of the Eastern Question, and thus to confute the prctences of thoM irho think so ill of the people of this country as coolly to Wart that in the interval between September aad ntfialwr they have ohanged their minds," a yonng man ram? t lj.-wig, a COllfctor to Messrs C •! ish, tailors, of Liverpool, has bcencharpefl oerore the Liverpool stipendiary magistrate with embezzling about £ 200 belonging to the firm. Ikforc the case oommenced the prowniors expressed their desire to withdraw the chur., ifr. ll flies said he could not allow this, as it was a duty to the pubiic thai the case should be investigated, lie ihetefore remanded the prisoner for further evid-nce. iv:ua: kin,* that th* CM* ihewed the want of a public pro 0; ntor.

IT OT.I.O WAV'S Ol.NTJI L.JTT ANT1 PI L* -0:(1 SO:-l'«. '0 lld5 ntt Uf, cl"I'I1(' readiness wit Ii which IloMou. y's Unjucnd all obsiruc'tona in the ('[11 .on of 1í,e \r ,pj, Hnd !v-mphiHirs explain* 1hdr i.ifleenr-e in healing old )J't'1, bad wounds, find indole., t a1,. <. To in ue (he do-ire the I' f.1J I nundinp: lhadei ca-o.1 r.1 rt hwlt\ 1,1' fomen ¡ • I, (hied, and v nfd:. rtv wel1 J-1I1,j¡cd wi 1. the O'.irne.i! his wiM give ]Jt1l"\Y fo the 1'0111 blood Piid s rrno the woalceiifd nerves, tL:0 nnlv < ond't'ons wee o, v for the cure oj 11 the?e hidron u 1-. ion-* which render li en 1mo;t iiiiolf .vb'e. '\0 "ooner is fhi. Ointment's protective power exerted than tiie p" eee^s < cast's, and tile coast rut. i e Sew healthy growth*, appear to fill up il.e k.teiy puiriiul ex..a ated pit.

The fortnightly meeting of the council was held II the Town Hall on Tuesdny morning. The chair .v&s taken by the mayor (Alderman Wafkins) and there were also present Aid. rman Jones, Councillors Georg-e Green, John James, John Jones (Bridge- ?nd), J. P. Jon- s, T Gritliiti*, Thomas Dsvies, :l\nn John Jones (Great Darkgate-street) Messrs. W. H. Thomn.« (town-clerk), David Doyd, David Jonea (borough accountant), and Kara Jones (town aurveyor). The minutes of the last meeting were read and con ti rmed. Various bills rrere laid before the meeting, and were ordered to be paid.

COKt'O t: A TT ON ACCOI:5T3. A printed abstract of the accounts of the carpora- ton of Aberystwyth for the yenr ended August 31st, lb'. 6. was litd h. hue the council by the Borough Accountant.

GKNERAL DISTRICT RATE. llie mayor and several members of th.' council -•igned a Genet a! District rate ..f ts. in the £ on the t.i • assessable value of property in the borough, i tip moti.Tn for the confirmation of the rate wis made by Mr. Jones (Bridge-ewd), seconded by Mr. J. P. Jone*, and carried. A FURTHER LOAX. The Mayor said ihe hst iicm on the agenda was t-e following 1-" to pass a resolution to authorize be b irrowing on mongace, under the provisions of "AdHliy;wyUi Improvement and Water Act, Is. 2, of the sum of ^-Co50, being the remainder ot till' stitii P.uthori,:ed hy that Act, ior the purpose ot 'he Paving and Drainage fund." Mr James proposed, Alderman Jones seconded. a-;d it Web agre-rl, that the money should be borrowed THE WAfER QUESTION. lowu ( r" -;lid lh., council would remember tit the l»*i a). .|g the question ot tteafy with toe o-.viK-ra of the lands in the Melmdwr Valley wxp ■ ■•terred to the LD.-Bii, rs o-tl: JVolic Works com- oittee. Toe co^mi'ieo met. and, he btiiavod, bad en'listed ilu- metier to 'he Mayor and Alder- oiui Jones, w.i-j v, otilu L's nble therefore to say what ii L'. been done. The .iayor said nothing definite had been ar- ranged by Alderman Jones and himself. They met r. Hobe.-is in th" s'reet (Iile Town Glerk being "•'e«er.t at ti e liiut), ar.d on speaking to him re-»- ooc ing the sunject- e appeared to he ready and weiiitg to meet the eoti cillI1 any way. lie told tnetn, however, tlilt difiicnlty might arise in the e i>e of <be children of Mr. Williams, watchmaker, o we re under rustees, and had an interest in the 1 )0;par.dy field. Mr. Roberts was quite ready to ii.eet them with tIn) valuets, one on each side, for tiie corpotaiion and himself Mr. Tho.-i.as said that 1! ere were obstacles in the way, and that the child- r. n oeing- minors it was difficult to treat with them, riiey also had a long conversation with Mr Isaac Mo.gau, who promised to wriie 10 Captain Hughes, ,lid ascertain what his views were. However, Captain Hughes was coding lo 1 be town in a few day-. During •hei st ,-y, days ibey bad not been ab'e to do much. 1 1 "Wli Gle>k. said Mr. :5 rcbam, the Poor-Law vsp"- o', cade ;;r Iv- otfjoe :oiit 9 day" ago, o.>. 1. ii.- \,as noi in, and ->Ir. Bir- 'a-.in iU.T -fore h" 1 word ltd tOi, nim to go down in !J,|; cvi-nwi-: i.i H'II,- u>: Il.oel, where lit was -v '■■ •-«>. ,oo Mr. Bi'rcham then stated 1 ■; 1" lied ofii "la'iv but hat wlun ho ..to ..1.0 a fiis.m v. hici. he knew to be in cinmu- 1/ 1";11 wdb. the Local Government board he tried o "Ul js Woal ii!*ormatii.>-i he couid. Mr. Bireham had a primed copy of ,he Act of 1872—iird no i.o.bt staying at the Belle VuR Hotel was better in- orui'-d than he might otherwise have been—and seeaicd to be of opinion that the Corporation would not under that. Act be atde to borrow money for cir.-yir.u out another scheme. He told him that the .Melta 1 wr springs would be likely to prore more id\an ageous to the town, being by gravitation. Mr I. rcham himself thought the sain adding that tie was alraid there was a feeling that the Corporation w. re mer, Iy shelving the question. He replied that tne council, and every individual member of iiie corporation, were anxious ;o carry out the work, but that there wero undoubtedly certain work, but that there wero undoubtedly certain obstacles in the lay. and tbat the council must have tone to remove them. Mr. Bircham then sta'ed (hat if such were the case, tbe Local Govera- ment board would be inclined 10 afford every assistance. i tie Local Government board would r.Oi, however, send in the first ins'anee an engineer or-urveyor the council must obtain the piclonin- "y informs!-or, and th-n the bo ml would send an :n-.pecior Lo r. port Probably as Mr Arnold ay- lo. had vtsit. d uie town be'o'-e, he would do so agtiin. H. had since wriuen to the Lot* tl Govern- .netit board H full statement ot (he in titter, but l1a,j reet ived no rep] v. Mr. ,) an- s sa-d would it not be well to get the l'r; J ,v ':>TI prepni-p.t. .1 !!e i own t i. -iv :i-.S:-n!e(l, add;ng that ii would he n;ee Sai v In «(io'i» th.-m 10 the Local Gocem- ment bo .I'd for approV ,1. he oo.id, ,\j r. >reh;tin va.d, might peril ps by tn !Ui-v •" llr v s! "1 order enutde them to borrow the money. Mr. G- rn appn ')• nded that Mr. lo coam's opi.noo wa- that 1. «• board might or in gi;t not enah.'o hem to too ro.v the money hv IIOM .S (it It pt o .sionrd ord. r. Mr. Pm-ham", ro'bablv tooughi 1.1;. re was 110 po'v.-r to do SI. The 1 own C e:-lt said 1.0; Ibp corporation had !>'0, 0: > for bat • ow-nj under a pa l.c.-da: M'h. tne, and ,\1 t', Bircam s.ud he did not think that the CÔII:Ci! could hot row mom y for another scheme wnooiit the assiMtuice of toe "Local GovermnenL boat d. Mt James said t. Bircham ttljugbt it could not be done without the resistance of the Local Govera- irent board with that assistance they might do so. ,\1". James again urged that the preliminary pluns sitould be procured. Mr. David Lioyd then read the "case" which had hern drawn up for transmission to cou' gel for his opinion o-i the maiter and the Town Clerk was con.piimen.i d lor the complete and accurate w ay ill which tut :ael: bad been set f>,rih. i ae M.tj 1 • s j, y c .a 1, bad culled upon him J".>b.> wa about 'give notice to "ill.\I1, ,1.11 fi I .i.ncd eerta n rights ;• u'' 11 n i'l re-: o ..J.ibe. Mr. layhj. "• a:i,v.d ,7;a- hour co i.e p,t-- e.oi.g evci.in-. a ,d o,,„mies, ;bc fo,('L k ou 1': b■ ar OLU L;il1 i: :1- ;ev.- <ia vs. Aideiman Jones e.\p,-used an opinion that it 'u.d be be,ter lo g": a; jrce lor a watei supply to S lJl}ïarLll. i hti'e was no 0110 to int« rf« re with there. Jo;.er (Br age Led) thought tl.ey weie per- erU SUJC in the mnlfer, as all the wa'er could be O'ouiht thiuiigti the same pipes. >lr. Creen objected that he bad previously ..fed ihut ciai" would be raised against the pro- ¡ u,lIl the mine companies also could not be pre- tented irom diiving undt l-grllund and draining the water. Mr Jatnrs asserted that such was not the case. Mr. Green repeated his statement. Mr. James did not understand how Mr. Green could say so; Mr. Green went up and measured the now with pieces of stick, and came back saving that there was Jess and less water each time. Mr Green believed that Mr. James cf«uld not teach him anything in such a matter. The Mayor interposed amid general applause, saying that it was well te diMusa the subject with- out personalities. They could all do so, and at the same time be Lieiids. Mr. James was sure that he was nonetheless friendly with Mr. Green because he differed from him on the subject. Mr. Greet said .2IIr. James could not diicuss the question in any other way thiln a persollal one, for he kuew nothing about it. M('-thing could be done until 1. was know is what would have to be paid in compensation. Mr. Jones (Bridge End) said he believed the town would be willing to pay a special rate in order to hare the water. 1\J r. Green said the town should be asked. Mr. Jones (iiridtre End) said that could be done, and the matter then dropped.

TnK EXPLOSIVES ACT. Tee Town Clerk repd a letter from ihm. Secretary o Stair acknowledging the memorial from the council that thfy might be constituted a Local Authority under the Act, and reqnestirg informa- tion as to what s'eps it WHS proposed to take in the event of the application being granted, to enforce the Act within th< ir jurisdiction. Mr. Jones (Bridge Eud) said it was necessary to appoint one officer f. r the town, and another for the harbour, and the meeting was then adjourned.

ABKRYSTWYTH BOARD OF GUARDIANS. --+- The fortnightly meeting of this board was held at the Union work bouse on Monday Morning. The chair was taken by Mr. H. C. Fryer, and there were also present Sir Prytc Pryse, Bart., and Mr. Morris Davie*, cv-tfficio guardians Messrs. Abraham James, John Morgan (GVarallt), John James (Aberystwyth), John Jone. (Tre'rddol), Jaine* Jones (PierccAeld), Haith Hughes, David Roes, J. Paul!, Griffith Williams. James Morgans, John Morgan (IJvradrain), Thomas Smith (Gelmast), WiUiaii] Joncr, Evan Jon.g, Iiichard Morgan, Griffith Morgan, David Lewis, Richard Edwards, John Jones (Rhostie) Hugh Hughes (clerk), David Jones (ajsistaat-cl«rk), Morris Jones and J. E. Hughes (medical officers). The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. FINANCIAL. Ont-door relief during the past fortnight:—Mr. T, G Thorass, Aberystwyth district, 288 paupers, -!i1)Q 8s. 6d. Mr. John Jones, Llanfihangsl-Geneu'r- giyn district, 302 paupers, 5S. 6d Mr. Joseph Morgan, liar district. 207 paupers, £ 50 15;1. td. I'llanee in the bank dae to the board, ..£1011 93. 5d. The master (Mr. David Thomas) reported that there were 71 inmatet ill th« house, 00 being the number during the corresponding period of last year. Number of vagr?nts relieved during the past fortnight, 10: number during the corresponding fortnight of last year, 30. MEDICAL OFFICERS' SALARIES. The Clerk read 1 letier from tbe Local Govern- ment board stating that they had paid .£84 lbs. Od, the amount repayable to the guardians froia the or,"Mils made by Parliament in respect of the salaries of poor-law medical officers and school teachers. THE ABERT3TWTTII CALLS. Mr. David J ones, assistant el-rk, made a statement that fii the last Woird day the sum ot £:370 8s. 4d. wis due from the Abatyslwyth overseers, and that by 1:\yment of £:>70 8". 4d Oil December 2nd the babmce of calls hid been reduced to £ 3/2. The amou-tlp-tidm December 2nd cleared all calls payable to September 29th. The balance now due is a call payable oi. October 9th the December call wa« p.!so due on Monday, making a further sum of ,i;372. ib, «mou.it, however, not being included in the statement. i fu; Ci«?rk S'iid he had witten to the Local Goveinra.-nt boa.'d stating in veply to their letter tli-it the overseers expressed themselves satisfied wi'h th" present condition of the collector's accounts. The Chairman said that no doubt if the overseers had carried on their complaint Mr. Samuel's sus- pension would have been coufirmed by the Local Government board. There was 110 doubt that if the collector cared to do his duty no man at Aoeryst- wVlII could do it better. DIVIDED PARISHES. Th3 Chairman referred to a letter which had been r o-ive i from the Local Government board calling at: nt on to the Divided Pari-hes and Poor Law Amendment act, 1876, which was passed last session. Section 1 of 'he aci- provided thÜ where any parish was divided so as to have its parts or any of them isolated in s ine other prri-b. or otherwise detached, the Local Gov.oiim'iit boa id might, after a local in- 'juiry had been held (ol which notice was to be given by the Clerk of tiie Peace or according to the usual 111 ode of publishing parochial announcements), uaake an order either for con-dtuting separate parishes out ot the divided par.*h or fo, amalgamating some of the parts thereof with she parish or parches in w-iich the same may be locally included or to which they may be annexed. A return was enclosed, and the clerk was requested to fill it up supplying the desired Ï:,form¡.tion. The parishes of Parcel Cunol, Trefeirig, and Llanbtdarn Upper, were affected by tne act, aud the respective guardians were requested to call vestries for the purpose ot considering the matter. NEW Acre; OF PARLIAMENT. The Chairman commented on some features of the new Poor-Law Amendment Act. The measura nrovided that if any two persons, being husband and vfe, came into the house, au.l one ot them was dis- abled or either of them was over 60 years of age, hey need not be separated but might live together. A pauper, again, was prohibited from voting at an election of guardians. They had puwar now in any ca^es of wives deserted by their husbands to give them out-door relief without proving that uieir husbands were beyond seas and there were pro- visions for dealing in a more summary way with those who deserted their wives. The law of settle- ment, too, had received alteration. Residence in any pkee it«r th ec years made a ettl ment, though Any pauper now receiving the lawtul non-resident i.'i'.oi f.ooi aooinei' ui.ioii did not became charge- aine u> (uc.r un.-Oti. The Education act would also come shortly i" t,) force, and directed Lhat no person should employ any child under 10 years. As soon us the new yruir commenced the board would have to form a school attendance committee, to enforce Mte attendance of children at school. A clause is the act which somewhat modified its operation provided that no child could be prosecuted under tbe age of 10 for twelve months after the passing of the set. :1 r Morris Davi38 said there were also some provisions of exemption respecting the employment of ct);}drpl1 during harvest time, which was a very imporhnt m!ltll"r. The Chairman said the board would have power to give a certific ,1.(' enabling children to be employed during that ,im" for six weeks; an.i a parent might not- employ bis cMld, being under legal age, more than any other person. In the case, again, of poor people u.iable to pay for the schooling of a child I h" board hud power to ptiv for thorn—up tc 3d. per week, and the payment did not make either the r-hild or mother a paaper. The meeting was adjourned at the conclusion of the relief business.

"RUFFLER" IN "VANITY FAIR." A remarkable illustration of the severity of th, temperate climate is just now afforded by the fact that Captain Hares and the crews of the Discovery and Alert have suffered more from the inclemency of th. weather sinee their return to England than during th. whole of their sojourn in the Arctic regions, and that since their arrival they have almost all been under medical treatment foroolds and bronchitis. The late Lord St. Leonards' papers certainly had a most remarkable knack of .mislaying themselves. The tears were scarcely dried whioh the lotss of his will eaused to flow when it was dillcoTered thu a number of railway shares which formed part of his property were equally missing and to this day all efforts to find them have failed. There is one thing I have seen on earth which is a reproach to women and weariness of the flesh to men. It is the disappearance of linen in country hcuseil. A man goes on a scries of visits provided with shirts, neckt,'>s, handkerchiefs, nock*, and the rest, like the lan(h on the sea-shore "hidl cannutbe numbered and he comes bhck at the end of a tvro months' progress, without 80 much as a necktie to cover his nakedness, or a clean shirt to makemt-rry with his friends. This is a mystery which no man 1:JU eTer fathomed. He is assured that his wiD-hinj has always comeback, and been ticked off quiT. correctly his man and his wife's maid are the but and most precis of iTOt and maids; the servant ? ,-t; all t he places he has stayed in are the most trust worthy of old family retainers; and yet there he ill, standing in the mid tie uf hi3 dru.ing- room without a shirt to his back, a handkerchief to his nose, or a sock to his foot. Is it spii itualism, is it the vengeance of heaven np .01 him for his slaughter of game, or is it. perhaps, th* die eurvivors of the pheasant* and hares whose berths he has desolated come secretly into his room and carry off hi, wardrobe ? And if so. where do thej all go to ? Xd>ody knows, ■nobody ever has known or will know; but the fact 'emains that, by the laws of England, no mas cass ever move about in an'tni.ti with 1:lt, shedding his leave. like tho trees of the forvxt, a«-l finding himself; when he returns home, reduced like them to the condition of a blasted trill: 1;, Why all this orre-p nuance and fuss about Miss Mary Jackson, who. as her uncle asserts, has been forcibly converted to Roman Catholicism, and de- tained against her vri.1 in a convent at /nteuii? Monaignor Capel and, the uncle give each other the lie implied very In fly, bnt the controversy proves nothing. Surely the British Ambassador at Palis ought to in- vestigate the affair, taki.ig care, of course, that the damsel is protected from future conventual vengeance, in case she tells unpleasant truths. It is really a little too late in the day for an English yonnjf lady of nineteen to be trapped by any Church. Somebody has been guilty of a gross perversicn of the truth, and it it desirable to know who is the knave—Monsignor Capel and the Moth; r-General on the one hand, or the girl's unfle on the other. It is not everybody who is blessed with a taste for and knowledge of music. Fortunately, those who are ignorant of the art generally keep their ignorance in the background. This is not, however, always the case, as an anecdote related tome by McTosh the other day proves. The colonel of a. regiment, which I wid oall the 156i.h, or Royal Baratai ians, is a doughty warrior, but cannot distinguish The Marseillaise from God Seethe Queen." Of this fact tie is quite unaware, and the other d,ryordered the band-sergeaat to play "H,uv,tMian Miscellanies the next time the regiment marciicd out. The band-sergeant respectfully repre- sented that the air in question was a not & quick step. Possibly the colonel is not a good linguist. At all events, according to AIcTosh, he flew into a vio- lent rage with the luckless sergeant for making so frivolous an excuse. The marriage of Captain Drummond-Moray with j Lady Georgina Seymour,third daughter of the Marquis of Hertford, will take place on the 24oh of January next.

VARIOUS NOTES. (From the Examiner.) At the request of the National Reform Union, Mr. Arthur Arnold will deliver a lecture next month in Manchester, On the Abuses of a Landed Gentry." The Presidential [American] election,apart from its important political aspects, has given rise to several good stories, one of which is exceedingly amusing. According to the narrative in question, a man recorded his vote for Tilden on the ground that he "always sympathised with him.and thought tha.t Beecher a bad lot, any hot/! It is curious to learn, from the New York Nation, Viat at the Centennial Exhibition the French books Exhibited proved much more successful than either the English or German. The catalogue of the French collection gives some interesting facts about the grea.t Fi ench houses, as'• that the famous establishment of Mime, at, Tours, can turn out 20,000 volumes a day, or 0,000.<>00 a-year, and that the equally famous house of Firmm Didot, which dates back into the seven- teenth century, has had its collection of Greek classics setup entirely by female compositors, of whom it employs 260." Occasionally our London ,streets present to the ob- server exceedingly pretty pictures and much food for philosophical reflection. Tne other day, during the wet weather of the last few weeks, one of the stiff, stalwart Guardsmen who defend so many of our public build- ings was perceived by a watchful beholder to cast a rapid, hasty glance around to setO that no one was look- ing, hnd then take out of the wet street a poor little half-drowned kitten, and place it comfortably in his sentry-box. A moment la; er the relieving guard came by, and our soldier was erect again all traces of a pos- sible soft emotion banished from his face. What a charming essay Lamb would have made on as alighij a theme as this!

Si-itvcrons' HKroKT. The Town purveyor re-.d ¡he following report :— Gentlemen,—I ;> ,n srl?.d '0 report tint the paving of he footpaths of Upper Portland-street, as well as that ■)i Upper G:eat D.irbgale-st-ect, is BOW almost com- '.deled, the work, kithc to, having been executed by contractors agreeably with the sp°ei<5eaiionp and ,0 my satisfaction. I mny s cate for your in formal ion, -hat^tho only paving work si ill to be pe-formed by by Messrs. Elhs and Owen in pn^snanco of their con- i L'.od, is the footpath on tho east side of Baker-street, ;:n to enable the contractors to proceed therewith I ,,11 1" c'uiso curb stones to be laid as soon as possible. J- !,e W'jrk will, I hope, be finished within a period of 5 wet^ks, thug bringing- the contract to a close. The ,0.it-path Oil the west side of St. Jaraes'-square ia in a yet y dilapidated condition. Taking into consideration its e ose proximity to the Meat, Market, and for other reasons, I shall ask you to determine as to whether it would not be advisable to have the footpath pro- per.y p >.ved. A public drain should also be con- structed throng-ii St. James'-sqtiare, commencing- at the junction of Great Darkg-aJ e-strect. The branch w vtld be about 40 yards in lenpth, and pocket pipes of 3-inoh diameter would bo ample; should you decide to obstruct this drain, it is my intention to have the wo k (i ncluding the private drains) so carried out as not to inlerKn-e ivj'h the oaving- work proposed to be made for the same street. The bullock-sheds at the slaughter-house are not to be considered safe, as without prop" stalls the ani.nals in itie manner they are tied aro liable to bo ini d. A portion of the wall standing- between the Smithfie].! and the Hue of the Manchester <fc Afi'ford Railway recently fell to the ground. The length being- only 6 var.ts, I caused ihaw-dl in the interval since the I ts, meeting to be rebuil by the masons in vour employ. I am, Gentlemen. Youv ooedient servant, RBEB JOSES, Town Sir-rr-yor_ Mr. Jones mov. d that the prwposod drahl should be constructed, and also the flagging laid as sug- i*est.'d, the wotk to be done under the superintend- ence of the Public Works Co tnniitee. Mr. J. P. Jones seconded the mo^on, which was carried. The recommendations respecting the slaughfer- ho,s/ ««re referred to the Slaugliter-hou-.V cor mittee.

WAR BETWEEN SERVIA AND TURKEY. TEL^OT?AMS AND LETTERS. DEC.), 40.] f'r', ••51YKNA i ewapri>>er<. :q', tl11' Constantinople ndeiit of the Unity N>-irs. assert that several 'trlish engineers are there on their way to defend the ''I'hnrug. TTIK SERVIANS. says the Pesth correspondent of Ki(- have fc'"z'-A an Austro-Hungarian vessel "■tch WHS carrying Bulgarians to Ga'atz. Count ^nlrassy has addressed to Belgrade an energetic re- against this violation by the Servians of e.ti':i:'g treaties. THE SERVIAN Foreign Minister, says the Vienna ^respondent of the Daily News, has addressed a Circular to the Servian agents abroad, instructing them communicate to the Powers details of the massacre fii'ty Servian townspeople, mostly women and °aildren. on the 30th of October by the Turks, who nvertuok them in their flight from Alexinatz. Å Partial li-tof names is give" in the circular. EVERYTHING, says the St. Petersburg correspondent the Daily News, has beeome more gloomy during 'ta la*t few days. I do not believo in any general erithusiasm since the Servian defeat and demoralisation aed the issue of the internal loan. RUSSIAN WAR PREPARATIONS. The Emperor of Russia, says the Morning rOBI, ha3 J^fetioned a regulation prepared by the Minister of ar giving to the military authorities the nght to r#fluisition horses throughout the greater part of the '•spire in case of war.An indemnity from the Crown is be given incase of requisition. The horses of the ^perial Family, of Ambassadors, generals, and 8Uperior officers, and belonging to the postal service exempted, as well as those in the breeding eatab- •'•lunents of the empire. Ale ssrs. Baird. at St. Petersburg, have received an °rder from the Russian Government fo;- f!00 small gun ^rriages and 14 larger ones for 11-iuch gu; s. These *r« to ba made as soon as possible, and despatched to Odelisa and ot.her towns on the Black Sea. Similar ^tivity prevails in Government establishments, where "8 men are working night and day preparing war ^terial for South Russia. Turkey AND HER HELLENIC SUBJECTS. I am informed, Rays the Vienna correspondent of the faily Telegraph, that the measures taken by the Tuiks Or the defence of Thessaly and Epirus against an JJ^ack rom Greece, which seems to be seriously appre- hended by the Porte, are now well advanced towards £ « Nord announces, adds the Paris correspondent of game paper, that the agitation amongst the flellenic population of the Turkish Erspire is increas- l11!?. especially in Adrianople. The situation in Crete i* the same with Christians as with Mussulmans. phe Turkish authorities have great trouble in control- '"J the passions of their coreligionists in that island. few weeks ago energetic measures had to be taken in p&ndia to prevent bloodshed. The Turkish troops in whioh numbered 15,000 men, have been eonsider *"ly increased. THE PHILIPPOPOLIS COMMISSION. In this iame district of Philippopolis, says the Pera oorrespondent of the Times, dated December 1, the °°nitmssion lately sent out nominally to try and judge ^hefket Pasha are very actively getting up demonstra- tions on the part of the Bulgarian populat ion to express their full satisfaction with the Ottoman rule, and °oteining signatures to petitions depieca ing autonomy 9* any other change in the present order of things, ■"■he president of the commission. Ismail Bey, and one his colleague*, both friends of Midhst Pasha, are a* *he head of this mock agitation. PRINCE BISMARCK'S SPEECHES. From the Vienna correspondent of the Daily News ^~The Ministerial Fremdevhlatt, commenting again on "rince Bismarck's after dinner remarks. say6 that the K°od frierdship between Austria and Germany can °nly rest on a basis of equal rights. Any other friend- 'hip would be impossible. Count Andrassy, adds the correspondent of the Daily Newt, has not been surprised by Count Bis- marck's conversations. The general impression in Hungary is favourable, but it is likely to be modified *hen to day's speech of Prince Bismarck in the German "arliamerit reaches Pesth. There were some smiles, savs the Berlin correspon- dent of the same paper, when bespoke of the pledges of the Czar as proof that Russia sOIlRh! no acquisitions °f territory, but in gen'nil his declarations would be acceptable to English Liberals. In spite of the fact that the leader of the Liberal party is a Jew. the utmost enthusiasm was awakened by the statement that Germany made the ilu««ian cans.1 her own because Russia was the champion of the Christians in Turkey. The galleries to-day were full, but the members were not all present. Ou the whole, says the correspondent of the Stan- dard. the above statements by Prince Bismarck have not met with such general approval as the communi- cations at his dinner and evening paities led people to believe wculd be the case. He seemed to be ill-hum- °Ured, and consequently he spoke not so clearly and Panetiatingly as he usually does on important matters. PROSPECTS OF THE CONFERENCE. There is a rumour here to-day, which I see is pub- lished in La Presse of this evening, says the Paris correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, that the diplomatic agents of Rus.da have received instruc- tions from St.Petersburg to warn, in a confidential Way. the Cabinets to which they are accredited that the claims Russia intend? bringing forward at the Conference, the substance of which is already known, must be considered as the Czar's supreme ultimatum. This report requires confirmation. According to a fcelegra\jv from Count de Chaudordy, received this Mtjrnoon at the French Foreign Office, General Ignatieff expresses far more moderate views on the Present state of affairs than is generally supposed. He declares himself willing to examine, together with his colleagues at the Conference, other means of guaran- teeing reforms in the provinces in case the occupation of Bulgaria should be rejected. According to advices fiom Constantinople, says the Vienna correspondent of the Times, the question of the prolongation of the armistice ha.1 been Drought forward there by England. The precaution seems by Ho means superfluous. In spite of all expedition, It is not likely that thermal work of the Conference Mil begin much before the middle of the month. The Possibility is, indeed, not excluded that the fortnight Or so remaining before the expiration of the arcristice ^ay be quite sufficient to bring to light such antagonism '8 may make the negotiations, and consequently, a pro- longation of the armistioe, superfluous; but there 'ra all aorte of indications which would go far to shew that there is a growing disposition on all sides, above *11 in Turkey and Russia, as the parties nearest con- cerned, to prevent, at least, this possible antagonism from breaking forth at once.

SLAVERY IN TURKEY. Writine from Constantinople, the correspondent of the Standard says I have aheady informed you by telograph that the Sultan h ol forwarded to the Porte an iradd prohibiting the titiiu-in slaves throughout the empire. I added thai a law against the slave trade was already in exist eoee. This last statement, I however, requires quaiiiija■ ion. In the reign of Abdul Medjid. and ar. the request of Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, Vizierial letters were written to the governors of Tripoli and Trebizond, in whose provinces the slave trade was chiefly carried on, pro- nibitir.g the traffic. These letters, however, had not the force of law, and could not make the traffic illegal. The trade has never been altogether suppressed, and though the public slave markets of Stamboul have lung since disappeared, there are still establishments to which slaves are brought,and at which they can be purchased hy private arrangement. TheSul- tan's decree will have the force of law, and, by making the purchase of slaves illegal, tvill make the Turks afraid to purchase a property for the retention ofwhich they will have no security. This iracl^ will be levelled Hot merely at the patriarchal institution of domestic slavery, out of which has gr >wn the harem with its odalisques and its guards hut against the form of slavery which prevails among the Circassians, who ho'd in bondage as serfs the descendants of the Tartar tribes which they have subdued, and scruple not to sell the oir-pnng ot the unions which they have contracted between themselves and the women of the conquered tribes.

I LIE SXITIIFIELD CLUB SHOW. Ai this annual meeting WAS opened under some- what new conditions, both external and int;erna1. 0111 rwHers will, >ve think, !\f" p1r>a'0íl 1,0 have >.r> review :.s orj^io sml orogre- as well ag a smnTv^i >«■ tuc N'S :-OI' ed t!). W ..MI we iook n)).11} ,I i; ,,11.. it h", an agricu1'ur: tininon it x t:1 lie so:n»'rl.ing like a romantic incident thai it shoo!d have originated in a butcher's •hop in Bond-street, Lmdon. 131Jt, although this v. a. the case, the great agricultural dukp- who started the draining of what is termed the Medford Level was the chairman "IJ the occasion, and the great agricultural author, Arthur Young, was appointed aii secretary. This was i;¡ 1708, and the first Rhow was hdd in the following year, in a livery slahle in the neighhourhood of Smithfield Market. For forty years the annual show was held ill the purlieus of that, centre for Eng1and's best fat .stock. But. in 1R:1(J the Rhow hai outgrown tbe premises to hp, found in that locality, and It was rellloyerl to the Baker-street Baza1\r. where it was con- tinued for ijOI1.e years. Mr. Boulnois, the then pro- prietor of the repository, agreed to <«. somewhat whimsical arrangement, for hegave the club £ 300 per annum for the liberty of pocketlllg all the" gate money" he could get, and proviiled a joint or joints of corncd beef for the stewanhjudges,'1.nd other officials, on condition that he should have the privilege of eelline the club's catalogue of thc animals and ma"hine. exhibited. This IIgreernent lasted till 1851, when it wal renewed, tJw sum obtained by the club being increased to £ o00, which at the expiration of this time -0 popular had the Metropolitan fa:-»tock show bcrome wail increased to £ 700 per annum. Soon after this, however, the annual show may be doscrilled as haying come to a dead block. for not only had live stock owners become more anxious to exhibit, but agricultural implement makers found this meeting so gooil a centre for exhibiting their 8pecial articles that thpy competed and pressed the club more and more fur-Rb\nd spare. The revenue of the club from thi. source alone had become, in 1857, something like £ 800 per annum. This was a sure and certain nest egg th1\t promised an increased return if a suitable building were provided. Accordingly, in 1858, a company, to he called "The Agricultural Hall Company," was mooted, and in 1859, on the 17th of July, a meeting wag held at the Freemasons' Tavern, when it was moved by Mr. S. Sidney, the present able secretary, and seconded by Professor Simmons, that the aforesaid company bo formed. This pruposition was carried by a large majority, although there was much strong opposition, Sir John Shelley having led the opponents. Cajiital was subsequently subscrihed among the leading agriculturists present, and the hall at Islington-green was the result, the first show in which waa held in December, 1862. The arrangement between the Smlth- field Club and the Agricultural Hall Company WM that the latter should give the former £ 1,000 per annum for the privilege of holding the show in their hall. Thus we come down to the present year. We may add, however, that in 1802, at the first meeting in the Agricultural Hall. upwards of 120,000 visitors passed the turnstiles. This great return, of course, put the company into good spirits, and good dividends lJ1\ve since been paid on their investment. N0W we corne to the conditions mentioned which bore on this year's show. In the first place, the club have granted a lease of twenty-one years to the Hall Company, at an honorarium of £ 1,250, the company having agreci1 at the "ame time to give ClipS to the value of £111(1 per annum, the same to be at the. disposal of the club. The second i1"ernal change. we ll11\Y term it, consisted in givin" prizes for fat L\l1\' s. Previous to last yellr prizes werc (,fr, pd for ci- '.de bheep, which brought uninteresting e,-asses, II ]¡ile de offer of prizes for fat lawbs, wÍi}¡out regard to breed,was looked upon as so successful tJJat on this occasion prizes were offereri for fat lambs of all the leading breeds in the show. Con- sidering the number of hogs," or lioggetts," or teggs," that are now fully matured for the butcher at eight, nine, and ten months of age. this appear t, I be a most jU(1icioUB innovation. The thnl innovation was an arrangement to take the live weighl 0[' the pens of swine. The weights of cattle and sheep have been fa ken for several years, andtVe knowledge of this has been a great check upon "fancy or '• fashionable judging, or, if not so, it has been a great exposure of whimsical authorities, who prefer lines of beauty to look at to the avowed object of the Smithfield Club, viz., the production of the greatest weight, combined with finc quality, of butcher's meat." The external influences and changes, as WP. have termed them. were more singular. Nearly thirty years ago some Midland Counties agriculturists started a society in imitation of the SI11Jtbfield Club. the centre of which they made at Birmingham. Bingley 11;. I was the result of tJiÏs BirmingÍ1am Cattle Show,' as it is generally called. This show up to the present yeal was always held the week before the show uf tL" Smithfield club. This was arranged with a view 01 allowing animals of great merit to compel e for prizes and subsequently to shew thcmselves to the public, d both places. But of late years diseases have been so prevalent- -and particularly foot-and-mouth disci- that the euuncil of the Smithfield Club wisely provided that ne animal that had beend.way from home within a month from the opening day of the Smithfield Clt.b Show should he eligible for admission at the Airrie i tund Hall. This arrangement, oddly enough.consid r- ing the large number of first class animals we see at the Christmas fat stock markets in London and pro- vincial towns, appears to have greatly militated against the show and pecuniary tmccess of both meetings, 'tie result is the two olubs have now so far aecommodat 'd each other thlit the Smithfield Club meeting was held a week earlier than usual, and the Bingley Hall authori- tief. will allow any animal to enter their show irrespec- tive of its previous public career. Thus, as the L(¡IHlnn Club would allow the animals of the Birmingham show to enter the Agricultural Hall, the Birmingham Club have changed their front, and will rsceive with open arms the best of the stuck that hits figured in Loudon. How far this change will be beneficial to either or both clubs it is of course impossible to pre- dict with certainty. But we bave a strong opinion that it will act prejudicially in two ways—(1) that the L'n.don show il too early for the exhibitors generally to obtain the best mioes for thoir animaJ.î.as a butcJwr will not have means at hand for keeping fattel,r1 anima18 alive for a fortnight in a non-wasting condi- tion, and (2) if there be any fair ground for the SmitlJfield Club adhering ton their condition about anima18 leaving their homes before they come to their show, it cannot be less important that the animals should not be allowed to go the reverse way-yiz.. from London to Birmingham in8tead of from Birmingham to London. Fanning is not so prosperOUij at present, nor ili meat!!o cheap to the consumer, that one club may do with impunity, as regards risking the circnlatinn of diseases, what another club advisedly and wisely ob- jscts to (;0. In addition to the foregoing changes, every exhihi L'r Wils permitted to exhibit two animals in each of t tie cattle classes, and two pens in each of the breeds of sheep. Tho result was, all the best breeders of tho country well represented their herds and flocks, there- by making the show, from a thoroughly practical point of view, the best the club has ever held. The sheep werc remarkable for uniformity of character in the several breeds of them, while their form and qua: ity were never better. The LeiceEter .tood first, but they created but little interest, as their oreed and chancter are so well estab. lished. The Lincolns were, in extraordinary oolJection for weight .;¡f meat and wool. The Southdowns had two classcs- for red sheep and light weights-cut out of them. Lord Walsingham was first with a fine pen of yearlings, but tho Prince ef Wales fairly beat his lordship III ewes with a pen bred by his Royal Highness. This looks well for the Sandringham flock. The Oxfonbhireg and Shropshires aTe growing 110 much alike that it is diffi- cult atirne8 to tell one breed from the other. Both combine the production of mutton and wool, and b(*!h have dark face" awl legs. The Cotjwolds were better than usual, while the capital show of Dorsets, K viands, Scotch, and other mountain breeds (not Chevi, It 8) made up a highly intcresting collection of all the breeds of Great Britain. The pigs were in great show. There was a rplendid class of the large white breen. The small blacks and the large Berksh ire* were 3018,) exceJJen t. The candidates for the Champion Plate, value £ 100 who had any chance of success were Mr. Stratton, the owner of the first prize shorthorn heifer, and 31 r. Ktdner, the owner of the fir8t prize Devon ox. The judges soon dismissed the first prize animals of the Hereford, Sussex, Scotoli, and cr081- breeds, and suh. sequently awarded the much-coveted plate for the Devon. This animal was, no doubt, th2 fineft specimen of thili breed that has been shewn for many years, His lymmetJ7 was very beautiful, and his quality was very fine, whIle his live weight was the good amount ot l'Jawt. All the Devons, indeed, came to bmd in greatly increased weights. Such a change, in fact, m ihls relipect we have never seen in conn^ctiou wi-h any breed of animals,a?d this was so great an improve- ment that we may again look upon the Devon breed, a s represented at the Smithfield Club, as II. practical and profitable beef-producing varieiy of the bovine grnns. The other olasses of cattle improved on acquaintance, so good wers they in every regpect. Twenty vears ago, and enn later than that, half the animals shewn were simply monstrosItIes of patchy over-feeding hnt there wall not a single animal in the show fed out of proportion. The Ihorthom oxen were extraordinarily good. But we must not omit to mention that the first prize ox was shewn at Bingley Hall last year,when It, was said he deserved a pnze. Dunng the show he was bought b) the agent of Mr. Colman, M.P., for £ 65, and has been fed on since that time. The fair success the ox hai met wIth shewi that the critics who favoured him last year, as well as the buyer of him, displayed much sound judgment. BUI present weight ill 23owt., at four years five months of age. The Here- fordli were a very great show, the first prize weighing 21owt. 3qr., at the age of 3 yean and 9 months, while the 2nd prize in the same clals weighed 23cwt. lqr., at the age of 4 years 1 month. These were great weights, being about equal to the best shorthorns. The heaviest animals, however, were among the eross-breds Whl0h IS generally the Clase as it Ii an es¡¡abhshe:t fact that the issue, as the first cross, of two breeds generally grow to greater size than the Itock of either parent. The heaviest beast wai Mr. George /Elliott's cross between a Galloway Soot and shorthorn, his weight bemg 24 cwt. 3 qr. He ii "very heavy beast at his age of 4 years 2 months. The Welsh cattle were only two !!teen, but the.e were two grand speoi- men. úf the Runts, as they are termed of the Princi- pality. One was fed in Essex and the other in Kent, and óddly enough, they weighed within" pound of eaeh ■J»ER,TL«., 1 f(cwt. 8qr. 141b., belna the weight of th. aecoT\d prize, whose age and breeder are unknown, ana one pound more for the first prile, at the age ot three years and seven months. The heaviest Scotch polled weighed 21owt. lqr. 81b., at four years and six months, Sir Waiter Trevelyan's fine-baeked beast, for which the 3rd prize was awarded, weighing 18cwt. 2qr. J mb. at It year younger, three years and six month.. The Sussex cattle appeared at great weights and in greatly imprond quality, five animals over three yean of age weighing upwards of.. ton, and two of them exceeding that WÐllht by more than 1 ewt. The sheep were a very fine collection. The heaviest were I,incolnR. a pen of three of whIch weighed 9cwt. 2 qr.. and Cntswolds, a pen ef which weighed 21b. more. Lord Walsingham's 1st prize Southdowns weighed 5 cwt. 3qr. 1mb,. the second prize weighhg 111b. the pen more. Bv this it will be perceived thaT. the tint lion, 11rR do not hlwa) s go to the heaviest., in- deed this is seldom the case as great a'»wa1» r..l;J'n-- 'n¥O"WU' "Ç I* j formed parents. 'Lord Walsinghallis sneep Mere very smart inJc-ed, they might be termed the perfection of symmetry. The Oxfordshires were excellent for both mntton and wool, the heaviest pen weighing 8cwt. Cqr. l'llb. The llcavieRt. pen of Hants and Wilts Downs v. l-'ii -1 7ew t. 2nr. 141b. The implement department w'i ■ L-rearer than ever. An the leading makers were, of oursi'. present. A self-binding reaping machine was the: e, and looked like doing wnk In straight corn that is 110t too long. ?lJessrfl. Robey and Company, Lincoln, had a self-threshing and self-feeding threshing ma- chine 011 view, the parts of which were very in- geniously constructed. About four o'clock on Monday afternoon the Prince of Wales entered the Hall. His Royal Highness travelled from Sandringham ifl the morning. After inspecting the animals, amid the cheers of. and some obstructions by, the country visitors, his Royal Highness adjourned to the council-room of the club, where he, ?s president of the society, presented Mr. Brandreth Gibbs, the hon. secretary, with a vote of thanks engrossed on vellum,

THE ANNUAL MEETING. The annual general meeting of the Smithfield Club was held on Tuesday at the Agricultural Hall, Lord Chesham, the president, in the chair. The report stated that a new agreement with the Agricultural Hall Company had been entered into. It also announeed certain modifications decided upon by the council in the regulations as to the admission of animals, and the prizes to be awardcd to them; and recommended that the stewards should watch the operation of the alter- ations. The new arrangement with the Agricultural Hall Company would permit the club to offer the same amount in prizes as they had done this year. In conclusion the council urged upon the attention of members the desirableness of inducing their friendB to join the club, by which means the national objects of the club must still further be promoted.—Mr. J. J. Mechi moved the adoption of the report.— Mr. Stephenson seconded the motion, which was At once carried unanimously. -Mr. Hugh Aylmer moved, and Mr. Hawley, jun., seconded—" That his Grace the Duke uf Bedford be elected president for the year 1878."—The motion was carried unanimously. Next year his Grace will be president-elect during the pre- sidency ofLoid Walsingham,—The vice-presidents, trustees, and honorary secretary for the coming year were elected and reelected respectively the re-appointment of Mr. Brandreth Gibbs being hailed with some applause.—Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., took occasion to congratulate Mr. Brandreth Gibbs upon the ceremony of Monday, and remarked that all must feel gratified at the presentation made to their hon. secretary by tno Prinoe of Wales. (Hear, boar.) -Mr. Trethewy propolled a vote of thanks to the pre- sident for the able manner in which hehad fulfilled the duties of his office during the past year.—The motion was carried.—Lord Chesham said I am ex- tremely obliged to you for the honour you have done me. It is my last appearance here as president, and I hope that I have done my duty during my year of office. I can assure you that wdiere agriculture is talked aboutitismydelighttobe. I take great pleasure in the rearing of cattle of all sorts, but my land is much more adapted for sheep tlum for shorthorns, and I had therefore to give up the shorthorns and restrict myself to Ùeep. As regards shorthorns, I think the breeders are increasing their value by bringing over fine animals from America, and crossing them back with our own. The great thin*, in my opinion, is always to give good awards, and thus ensure their competition; then if you get co;npe:ition, those who are beaten will always try again until theyebtain prizes. On the other hand, those who are winners, like myself, will try to maintain their position.—The proceedings then terminated.

"> A JUTUALIST'S PROTEST AND DEFIANCE. The attendances at St. James's Church, Hatcham, on Sunday were unusually large. as it was generally supposed that an inhibition would be served upon the Rev. Arthur Tooth, the vicar, who was suspended by Lord Penzance on Saturday for Ritualistic practices. The rev. gentleman, however, appeared as usual with his curates, and the services were conducted with all that high ritual for which this church has for some years past been distinguished. At the high celebration at eleven o'oloek there were several lighted candles, and incense was freely used. The celebrant was the Rev. W. H. Browne. The Rev. Arthur Tooth, the vicar, preached an impressive and eloquent ser- mon, which was entirely extempore. The discourse abounded with reference to the position in which he had been placed by the judgment pronounced upon him by Lord Penzance on the previous day. The reverend gentleman preached from the 18th chapter of St. John and the 36th verse :—"My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight." They held it, said the reve- rend gentleman, aB their privilege and their joy to acknowledge the law of their King Jesus, and, despite Acts of Parliament and secular pflwers, they were determined at any and every cost to maintain their right to obey the law of their King. In conclusion, he said: And now, Lord, behold their threatenings, and grant unto Thy servants that with all boldness they may speak Thy word." The conclusion of the choral celebration followed the sermon. It was announced in the course of the service that a meeting of the parishioners would be held during the week to consider the steps to be taken consequent upon the suspension of the vicar. The following declaration was distributed amongst the congregation as they left the church at the conclusion of the choral celebration Declaration: Church of St. James, Hatcham, dio- cese of Rochester, Advent Sunday, A.D. 1876.—In the isame of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. I, Arthur Tooth, priest of the Church of England, vicar of this parish, desire in the present distress to make profession in the face of God and of my people n:y willing obedience to all lawful autho- rity, as binds every Christian by the Word of God, and the law ot His Church. It has become my duty, in consequence of certain proceedings taken against me in a secular court, in respect of the manner of worship of the Church of England, to enter at this time my solemn protest against the exercise of secular authority in matters spiritual. And further, in full reliance upon the Christian intelligence of my people, and upon their loving readinelll to suffer for the Truth's sake, I hereby call upon them to recognise no ministrations in the public congregation, nor any discharge among them of the office and duty of cure of souls, either in the immediate present, or in the fat me, other than my own, or of those acting in my behalf under my authority. I make this call upon my people as the lawful and canonically-inetituted priest of this parish, not inhibited therein nor de- prived of by any lawful and canonical authority and I implore them, and, if need be, require and charge them, to bear steadfastly in mind that all ministrations and discharge other than my own are schismatical, a. <i are an invasion and a robbery of the rights of the Church of England. Witness my hand this 3rd day of December, being Advent Sunday, in the year of our Lord 1876.—ARTHUR TOOTH, M.A. Trinity College, Cantab., Vicar of St. James's, Hatcham."

WHAT THE "WORLD" SAYS. (Notes by Atlas.") As more than one preposterous paragraph, professing >0 describe the position, &c., of Colonel Valentine Bilker at Constantinople, has gone the round of the Press, it ill aùvisable to give Borne authentio in form a- tion on the matter. Colonel Baker has not, up to the present time,nooepted service in the Turkish army and eonsequently has not been able to forward the views of the numerous applicants-one hundred and fifty— to serve under him. His whole time has been taken up in elabornting a plan for the defence of Constanti- nople. which he laid before our own military authori- ties in July, and which is now receiving their most serious attention. This plan he has also urged upon the Turkish Government, and it is very favourably re- garded by the Sultan; but want of money at present prerents any decided action. Should Russia take up a position hostile to the views of the English Govern- ment, and attack the integrity of the Ottoman Empire, Colonel Valentine Baker wm probably accept the p-osition of a lieutenant-general on the staff of the Turkish army in the field. Mr. Walter, M.P., arrived from America in the Bothnia last week. Lord Rosebery is on his way home. The bishopric of Truro has, it is understood, been unofficially offered to and accepted by Dr. Vaughaii. His agent* have been in the neighbourhood for sonic little time in search of a suitable house, but hitherto without much success. As a result,, the new Bishop will prohahly han to huild; but it is doubtfnl if the Ecclesiastical Commissioners will be quite so libeml in this case as they have been in some previous instances. A visit, which the Princess Louise and the Marquis of Lonv were to have paid to Pnnee Leopold, and for wh: h. as wrll us for the reception of a party of distinguished guests. Boyton House has been undergoing a general furbishing up, has had to be indefinitely postponed in consequence of the srrious illness of his R~,yal Highness. The young Prince, in addition, of course, to the superinten- dence of his medical adviser, is directly under the cat 3 of his former tutor and subsequent govenror," Mr. ft. H. Collins whom his Royal Highness litis always treated «s a personal friend, ar.d to wnom he is much attached. It is believed, therefore, that the Royal in- valid will remain at his Wiltshire residence, a', least for the present. Doar me. dear me, how unequally merit is recognised in this world! What have brains to do with a balance at your banker's? Here is poor little Lord Maidttone. who. as all the world kno vs. is the son of so literal-} and poetical a father, reduced to enlisting as a private soldier and there is a man said to have won on tho turf this )ear alone £:2,IO,0(10--fWt by backing honu; quite the contrary—asking if he can get to E<;ypt without sea travel, as he has b< .ni told by his doctor that he must winter in a v.rm place, and would like tog" to Egypt, which las be •. described to him as a warm and 111easan t to" 11, uly Ii" CR 11' "t abide the sea! It does not seem to be generally known that a torpedo Hchool. ur.der the superintendence of Cuptain Arthur, R.N., li^s been »ilcntly but sutely at work for some time past laying (town toipedoes round our coasts at every suitable point ,\1,<1 station. This t(ll pe(;" 8ervier lias gradually attained sucil develop- ment t lint urle can imagine some happy island, with internal resources snffi -ient, for its own maintenance, able through its agency to dispense in toto wiih anything In the shape of an army or fleet

IN TK JlK ST. The Mnyor sabl th" first business on the agenda yrvper was to order the payment of n half-year's t ntere«t on the sum of £ 1,8(K) due on mortgage on j he 4th insl," An order was made lor payment, 011 he moti»n of Mr. John .Tames, seconded by Mr. Jones (Great Darke;.ite-street). An or.ier was likewise nvide for tho p:\7s1eut of a half-year's interest dnw to M«!»or*. Pat. rson, Snow and Burney, solicitor*, on the sum of £ 3,000, s. cured upon mortgage of the Herbosr Works, on the 1st tist., on the rooliuu of Mr. Jones (UrfdRe-cnd).

A good deal of excitement prevails at Newbury in eonnection with th* late municipal election. Dr. Wat- son and Mr. James Stone were the nllw candidatet, and whin the votes were first cast up there appeared a majority of two for Stone, but a eeoond cast wai made, and he was deciared to be in a minority of one. The tth of Januaiy il fixed for the hearing of a petitioa. In the Crown Court at the Manchester Assizes John Athworth, a young man who had caused the iesth, by kicking, of Richard Holden, of Colne, hat been feund guilty. The two men were members or a church choir, nnd a quarrel aroee between thelll "about music. The prisoner ooneluded the argu- ments by kieking Holden in the abdomen, thereby sausing his death. A "strong recwmmezdatiwB t. merey accompanied the verdiet. At the Arches Court on Saturday, the Key. Arthur Tooth, of St. James's, Hatcham, New-crow, was suspended for three months for continuing Ritualistic practices in disobedience to the monition of the court. It is expected that his Grace the Duke of Mark borough, the incoming Lord-Lieutenant of Irelanoj will arrive at Muckross on Jan. 7 next, on a visit to hie son-in-law,Sir Iver GueBt, Bart., who has taken house and shooting until the end of next yean. .T. Ol.. \11 "("'ll r;. to,- »u-;l cL.dl i.u;ieritig -.vith idi* pa:u of cutting t.iih Go at ones to a clxeniicr, and g.it a bottle of ,;e. WiN.si.Gw's SooTHiso SnnTP, It will relieve the poor sufferer immediately. It. is perfectly harm, less'ar.d pleasant to taste, it produces natural, •psie,t sleep, by relieving the child from lain, and the lit Is cherub awasea a* bright as a button." It o;> <he? the child, it the gums, allays all t>* ii, relieves vdzc.I, regulates the bowels, and ib the t'-e t kuown remedy for dysentery and diarrlicta, v. lO'i-inc: ir'oi'ji teatihing or other causes. Mrs. .tow's ,:r-otl¡j,w Svrup in sold by Medicine dealers ..r> i 1,00:- at «• M.-A r>5r bottle—Mt. .ifa«t»?rM4 Is r ^RROVS AND HOARSJ-NKS-S.—AH snl- • ;■'■ fr.r. v -:>n of the throat and hoarseness "e-. i l.- ,arpri:(l y', the al;r,ost immediate 0. i(]io'o.'l by the use of "Brown's Bronchial t-'jc'oes." Tbf-sV famoas lozenges^ are-now acid o vi,»;t respoctable ehemMs in this country a.t .7 tie per oos. People troubled with a "hacking a "biigii! -old," or bronchial affections, can- ■1 rythem too ?• ,o;i, as similar troubles, if allowed to ■jfii'SS, rennk in scri- Pul~onary and Asthmatic 'oiosis. See that t' words Brown's Bronchial Ti o oi s" are on the Stair.n aveund AN-actursc' HY JOHN I. BROWN ft Sose, U)Ul;o fc'tates. 4Q3 Ot/ord-?TT«fet, V .> V~K ".TH A ARO VTFI,—A >• t, liquid i. sprinkled on a j-. oLi,! rtrodtu-fis » pleasant lathe' which v ^loco-OS the ;;o,.r;, irorn all nnra6ite8 or oo ]r ."s th* .Tnim-, rrcvonts Tartar, ",Lops O '<-■ TOE'' 1 PECULIAR PE-V-!Y-WM?E :K>RS -.•I -1 ,o 00 MTH'ioe to tiie breath. It removes *0 .0 -ar ..rising from decayed tesih or r.1 ■' T: •.• i r-ierai't l'loriiind," being 1 ,f 1; -.ro 1. -'s .oj. i.y -'d U-, o o.-t -v oi v. j0..W, 4*3 OiJord-sUfdi!