The Aberystwith Observer

The HOUSE OF COMMONS on June 29 was entirely devoted to the consideration in Committee of the clauses of the Land Bill. On clause 5, the Government proposed a new scale of compensation which, after considerable discussion, a division being taken in each case, was agreed to. Clause 5 was added to the Bill by a majority of 238 to 142. Upon Clause 6 no amendment was proposed, and it was agreed to amid cheering. Clause 7, to which 12 pages of amendments stood on the day's paper, was entered upon at half-past four, and was under discus- sion when progress was reported. The House adjourned shortly before six o'clock.

THE "FREIHEIT" CASE. SENTENCE ON HERR MOST. At the sitting of the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday morning, Lord Coleridge attended for the purpose of passing sentence on Johann Most, the editor and proprietor of the tfreiheit, who was convicted last session of publishing a libel upon the late Emperor of Russia, and also with inciting to murder by articles published in his journal. Lord Coleridge, addressing the defendant, said he had been convicted of two separate offences, one of publishing a libel upon a Sovereign who was friendly to the Sovereign of this country, and which libel was calculated to destroy those feelings of amity which happily existed between our Sovereign and the Sovereigns of other countries. For that offence he was liable to imprisonment with a fine. But he had been convicted of a much mere serious offence-namely inciting persons to commit murder upon the Sove- reigns of other countries. At one time he would have been liable to the punishment of death for this offence, and it was undoubtedly one of a serious, and at the same time in his case a very cowardly offence, be- cause, while in safety himself, he had incited others to commit a most detestable offence. He believed that he was really serious in the incitements he had made, and he must treat the case as one of an aggra- vated character. He was liable to be sent to penal servitude, and but for the recommendation to mercy by the jury he should probably have inflicted that sen- tence upon him. As the jury, however, had recom- mended him to mercy he would not pass a sentence upon him that would reduce him to the condition of a slave, but, taking into consideration the imprison- ment he had already undergone, the sentence upon him would be that he be further imprisoned and kept to hard labour for sixteen months. M. Albert was proceeding to interpret his Lord- ship's observations when the Lord Chief Justice said there must be no speech after sentence. Mr. Smith (governor of Newgate) He wishes it to be translated he says he does not understand it. The Lord Chief Justice He should have said that before. The remarks of the Lord Chief Justice were then interpreted in German to the prisoner, who was re- moved from the dock.

THE MARKETS. METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET.—MONEAT. The cattle trade was quiet in tone, but steady. Supplies were rather short. The receipts of beasts from our own grazing districts were hardly so large as usual, but the quality and condition were up to the average. Although. trade was slow the market was steady, and for the best Scots and crosses &s. 2d. te 5s. 4d. per 81b. was paid. From Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex we received about 1,700, from the Midland and home counties about 500, from Scotland about 50. There was a fair shew of foreign beasts from America, Spain, and Denmark. The trade was quiet but steady at late rates. The sheep pens were moderately well iilled. The trade was much in the same position, a moderate de- mand prevailing. The best Downs and half-breds made 6s. 2d. to 6s. 4d. per 81b. Lambs were disposed of at 7s to 8s. per Slb. Calves and pigs sold at late rates. Inferior beasts, 4s. to 4s. 4d. second quality, 4s. 4d. to 4« 6d • prime large exen, 4s. 8d. to 5s. prime Scots. 5s to 5s 6d" inferior sheep, 4s. 6d. to 5s.; second qualitv 6s to 5s' 6d'- prime coarse woolled, 6s. to 6s. 2d. prime Southdowns,' 68. 2d. 1to 6s. 4d. large coarse calves, 5s. 2d. to 5s. 6d. prime small ditto, 5s. 8d. to 6s. large hogs, 4s. 4d. to 4s 6d.; small porkers, 4s. Sd. to 5s. lambs, 7s. to 8s. per SIb. sinking the offal. ° METROPOLITAN MEAT MARKET.-MojfDAT. There was a moderate supply of meat. The trade was slow, as followsInferior beef, 3s. to 3s. 8d. middling ditto, 3s. 8d. to 4s. 4d.; prime large ditto, 4s. 4d. to 4s. 6d. prime small ditto, 4s. Cd. to 4s. lOd. veal, 5s. to 5s. 6d. inferior mutton, 3s. 4d. to 4s.: middling ditto, 4s. 4d. to 5s. 4d. prime ditto, 5s. 8d. to 6s. 4i. large pork, 3s. 8d. to 4s. 4d. small pork, 4s. 6d. to 5s.; lamb, 6s. 4d. to 7s. per 81b. by the carcase. POTATO. Old potatoes are almost neslected. For new there is a good demand. Prices are as followsOld—Champions, 50s. to 70s. Victorias, 60s. to 80s. per ton. New—Cherbourg rounds, 6s. Jersey rounds, 6s.; ditto kidneys, 10s. to lis. per cwt. HOP. The hop market business is rather quieter, but for fine samples, full prices are still obtained. Inferior sorts sell slewly. The appearance of the plantations continues satis- factory. Kent, 1880, £4 to £1 Sussex, 1880, _3 18s. to £6; Farnham, 18S0, C7 to 47 15s. larnham (countrv) isso, £ 6 12s. to £ 7 10s.; American ISSO, £ 4 log. to £ s 105.. Belgian, 1880, £2 14s. to L2 18s.; English, 1879, £ •> i0s. to £ 4; foreign, 1879, t2 103. to £ 3; old, all kinds, 10s. to .e2 per cwt. GAME AND POULTRY. Pullets, 4s. 6d. to 5s 6d chickens, is. 9d. to 2s. 3d. capons, 6s. 6d. to 10s, 6u..ducklings, 2s. to 3s. 6d. goslings, 5s. to 7s.; rabbits, Is 6d. to 2s. Gd. wild ditto, 4d. to lOd.; quails, Is. 6d. to Is. 9d. pigeons, 4|d. to Is.; hares, 3s. 6d. to 5s haunches of venison, 50s. to 70s. each fore-quarters of ditto, 8d. to 10d. per lb. FISH. Smoked hadaoek, ing. to 12s. trawl ditto, 9s. 6d. to lis. 6d. ditto plaice, 15s. to 19s. ditto whiting, 6s. to 10s. ditto soles, to Z per basket; crimpsd salmon, Is lO.td. to 2s. 2d. per lb. pickle herrings, 80s. to 36s. roused ditto, 35s. to 45s.; red ditto. 10s. to 20s.; fresh ditto, 27s. Gd, to 35s. per barrel.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. In the HOUSE OF LORDS, June 27, the Royal Assent was given by Commission to 41 Bills, of which only four were public measures. The Marquis of Hertford having called attention to the state of the Cemeteries and Monuments of those who fell in the Crimean War, the Earl of Morley said a letter from the Consul-General at Odessa, who had visited the cemeteries, described them as in very fair order, and expressed the opinion that the annual grant was sufficient to make good the damage caused by the last exceptionally severe winter. Everything necessary to keep the cemeteries in proper order would be done, but it did not appear that any extra expenditure beyond that now voted was re- quired. The Duke of Cambridge said that a small annual sum laid out under proper supervision was all that was necessary to to secure that the cemeteries were maintained as all parties in this country would wish they should be. Several Bills having been advanced a stage, their Lord- ships adjourned at twenty-five minutes after seven o'clock. In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, the" questions" were close upon fifty in number, and ocupied the House until long after six o'clock. Mr. Carbutt asked the President of the Board of Trade whether in the returns by the Board of Trade on the 27th of May on the French tariff it was stated that rice had been freed from duty; whether that was not a mistake; and whether the duty was not about 15 per cent. on the value of rice coming from England, whereas rice coming from Italy Was admitted duty free. Mr. Chamberlain in reply said that rice coming from the country of production was under the French tariff free from duty, but coming from some other country there was a gurtaxa d'entrepdt placed upon it, which would amount to about 15 per cent. It was not upon rice only that this sur- daxe d'entrepdt was placed, but upon other articles also which did not come from the country of production. Mr. Pease asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Foreign Office had copies of the com- mercial treaty recently entered into between Germany and Chiua, which was read to the assembled Parliament at Berlin on the 23rd of May last, and the treaty recently entered into between Russia and China; and whether he would lay copies of those treaties upon the table of the House. Sir C. Dilke replied: The German Treaty will be pre- sented to Parliament. The formal Russian Treaty has not yet reached the Foreign Office, though we know its sub- stance, but it will De laid on the table as soon as a copy is received. Colonel Colthurst asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord- Lieutenant whether it had been brought to his notice that the funds available for relief works in Ireland were exhausted, and if so, whether he would recommend a further advance to be made for such works as had been applied for and formally reported upon. Mr. W. E. Forster replied that he would enquire into the matter. Mr. s. Leighton asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the Government would take steps to pro- cure the publication of the following particulars in the future lists of the dormant funds in Chancery :-Name of the cause or matter, cross references to sub-titles, names of persons supposed to be entitled, with last known addresses, amount of fund in court, how long lying unclaimed. Lord F. Cavendish said The Government do not propose to publish fuller particulars of dormant funds in Chancery. It appears to them that the information now given is sufficient for general purposes. The labour of preparing the list is already considerable, and should not be increased except on proof of necessity. In any case the Government could not undertake to offer an opinion upon such a point as supposed claimants. Mr. S. Leighton gave notice that he would take an early opportunity of calling attention to the subject. In reply to Mr. Biggar, Mr. Trevelyan said It is quite true that the senior assistant-paymasters of the Royal Navy reached that rank in 1866, and that their age is on the average that stated in the question, and it is true that between 1866 and 1868 promotion to paymaster was gained after nine years in the lower rank. It was in consequence of this slowness of pro- motion that in 1877 the pay of assistant-paymasters was raised very considerably in the later periods of their service so that the senior among them rise to 12s. 6d. a day, instead of 10s., an increase of £45 a year. Meanwhile, the prospects of the whole class have been much improved by the great amelioration in the position of retired pay- masters. In 1861 the average retired pay of a paymaster was £ 150 per annum. In 1881 it is £ 313. All assistant- paymasters rank after lieutenants. A paymaster of fifteen years' service ranks after a commander. Assistant-pay- masters have the option of going into the ward-room quite early in their career. There are only two ways of quicken- ing promotion. One is by increasing the higher ranks, but in this case, out of 200 paymasters, we have thirty still unemployed, and the Admiralty certainly could not consent, and I hope that the House would not permit them, to increase the number of officers above what is required by the service in order to give promotion to those below them. The other method is for a Government by stinting itself in patronnge to diminish the number of first entries. In 1865 and 1866, 51 and 45 youths were respectively entered in this line of service, and the lists were hopelessly clogged in con- sequence, just as was the case during the same years with the executive lists of the Navy. But between 1869 and 1874 the entries were reduced to an average of five a year. They then rose again to an average of nearly 30, but this year only 10 youths were entered, and that policy will continue to be pursued until the rate of promotion is again healthy and rapid. In reply to Mr. Jackson, Mr. Fawcett said he would en- deavour to obtain specimens of the forms of telegrams used by other countries and exhibit them along with the speci- mens of postcards. Mr. O'Donnell asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether lie was aware that the telegraph clerks at numerous important centres had instructed their committees to furnish the Members of Parliament with copies of the ob- jections of the clerks to the last scheme for the organization of the telegraph department, so that Parliament might be in possession of such information previous to voting public money for the Government scheme and whether the clerks Who furnished such information to members of Parliament would be punished by exclusion from any benefits under the Government scheme. Lord Fredej ick Cavendish No, sir. I have no knowledge, apart from the intimation conveyed by the question of the hon. member, or any such intention on the part of the tele- graphists as that described in his first question. As regards the supposed object of such instructions—namely, the in- formation of Parliament, I would suggest to the hon. mem- bers of this House when voting public money not to depend for its information upon representations made to individual members, but upon information open to all members alike, which can be duly examined into and tested. With respect to the second question, it is the wish of the Government that the scheme which has been framed with great care by the departments responsible for the service with the view of promoting efficiency and of removing all causes of well-founded complaint should be applied with as little delay as possible to the various offices throughout the country. It would, however, be impossible to acquiesce in the continuance of organized agitation, accompanied with threats of a general strike, unless claims which we cannot but regard as entirely inadmissible are conceded. If, there- fore such an agitation were to be continued, It may be neces- sary to suspend in particular cases the introduction of the new scheme. I trust, however, that no such necessity will arise. Mr. O'Donnell had not asked any question relating to strikes, but whether clerks in the Telegraph Department having furnished information to members of Parliament would be punished by the Government by exclusion from any benefit under the new scheme. Lord F. Cavendish did not think it useful to answer such a question. (Hear, hear.) There might be exceptional cases, which would be dealt with accordingly. Mr. O'Donnell felt he was strictly in his right in putting the question, which was a simple and straightforward one, and he thought the noble lord was bound to reply to it. He wished to know what rule it was the intention of the Depart- ment to apply to such cases. Lord F. Cavendish All I can say is that I am not aware of any such intention as the hon. member refers to. Mr. O'Donnell: The Secretary of the Treasury appears anxious to provoke a motion for the adjournment of the House. I must ask him to reply to the concluding part of my question—whether the clerks who furnished such information to members of Parliament will be punished by exclusion from any benefits under the Government scheme. Lord F. Cavendish I have already stated that the action of the Government would entirely depend on the circum- stances of the case. Mr. O'Donnell: Does the noble lord intend to make the rule general? The Speaker: The hon. member has put his question twice and received an answer. (Hear, hear.) Mr. O'Donnell said he was not about to repeat the ques- tion. He was going to ask whether the Government in- tended to apply as a general rule the curtailment of salaries of all officers who engaged in extra official agita- tions. Lord F. Gavendish: I do not know how the Govern- ment can make a rule general, the rule never having been stated. (Hear, hear.) A question put by Mr. R. Power as to the reasons for pro- claiming the city of Waterford occasioned a long dis- cussion by several Irish members on Mr. Forater's adminis- tration of the Coercion Acts. Mr. O'Donnell moved the adjournment of the House; Mr. Healy, Mr. T. O'Connor, Mr A O'Connor, Mr. Leamy, Sir J. M'Kenna, Mr. Blake, and Mr. Parnell spoke, and, a division being taken, the motion was negatived by 305 to 28. In answer to a question from Mr. Firth, Sir J. M'Garel Hogg said that the Metropolitan Board of Works had re- ferred the subject of Fish Supply to a committee. The House then went into Committee on the Land Bill, resuming with Clause 4, when several amendments were considered, and eventually the Fourth Clause, which had been under consideration for three days, was agreed to, and the Committee again adjourned. The House adjourned at five minutes past one o'clock.

GREAT RAILWAY DISASTER IN MEXICO. A Reuter s telegram, dated New York, June 26, says:- A telegram from Mexico of yesterday's date pub- lished here announces that a whole train on the Morelos Railroad was precipitated into the river San Antonio, near Cuartla, on the night of the 24th inst. The disaster was caused by the fall of a stone bridge. Nearly 200 passengers were killed outright, and many more injured. The passengers consisted mostly of soldiers.

Further particulars have been received from Mexico witk reference to the above accident. The storms which had been prevailing for some time weakened the supports of a bridge over a deep chasm. The train which was destroyed was conveying a bat- talion of soldiers, and as it came upon the bridge the entire structure gave way, precipitating" part of the train into the river, and part down a steep embank- ment which formed an approach to the bridge. A portion of the train consisted of freight waggons, loaded with casks of alcehol. This caught fire, and the entire mass of wreckage, with the unfortunate people jammed among it, was consumed. A hundred and ninety-two privates and thirteen officers are known to have been killed outright or were burned to death. Fifty other persons were either fatally or very seriously injured. The line had only been recently opened.

A Standard telegram says The scene was most agonising. A few only of the passengers could extricate themselves in time from the debris of the carriages and the ruins of the bridge. These could do nothing to assist the rest, who, wedged up in the broken cars, or so injured as to be unable to ex- tricate themselves, were burnt to death before the eyes of the horrified survivors. So complete was the conflagration that the whole of the debris of the train was consumed, and the bodies of the dead were re- duced to charred corpses. The Secretary of Public Works and a number of army surgeons went early next morning from the city of Mexico to the scene of the disaster, and did all in their power to relieve those who had escaped with their lives, but who were suffering terribly from burns and injuries of all kinds.

THE METEOROLOGICAL STATION ON BEN NEVIS. This station, situated on the highest spot in Great Britain, from which daily meteorological reports now appear in The Times, was opened on June 1. The Seotsman states that there is no permanent observatory, with habitation adjoining, but a set ef instruments has been placed on the summit upon suitable stands, and protected by a stone screen. With the exception of an anemometer, the set of instruments is complete, includ- ing radiation thermometer. Mr. Wragge, who is acting as observer on behalf of the Scottish Meteoro- logical Society, lives at Fort William, at the foot of the mountain, and on the sea-level. Every day he ascends the mountain, starting at five in the morning; and after spending about an hour on the top for taking observations—from nine to ten-he gets home again by 'o about two in the afternoon. In the early part of June the path up the mountain was often deep in snow and enveloped in mist, but Mr. Wragge has marked out the track with a succession of cairns.

The Bill having far its object the introduction of sea water te the metropolis has now passed both Houses, and awaits only the Royal assent to become an Act of Parlia- ment.

THE ALLEGED MURDER OF ABDUL AZIZ. The Correspondent of The Times, writing from Constanti- nople on the 27th, gives the following particulars respect- ing the trial of the persons accused of the assassination of Abdul Aziz The proceedings took place in a large tent imme- diately outside the wall of the Yildiz-Kiosk Park. The court was presided over by Sourouri Effendi, a venerable Alim, in a white turban. It was com- posed of five Judges, of whom two were Christians. At the beginning there wera ten prisoners in the dock—namely, the Sultan's two brothers- in-law, Mahmoud and Nouri Pasha, three officers of the guard, two palace officials, and three obscure individuals. The eleventh prisoner, Midhat, was present only during his own examination. The r audience consisted of about 120 persons, including several members of the Diplomatic Body, civil officials, officers of the Embassy, dragomans and representatives of the Press. The proceedings began at half-past eleven by proving the identity of the pri- soners and reading the indictment, which lasted till two o'clock. The theory of the prosecution is briefly this:— Immediately after the accession of Murad a Com- mission, composed of Hussein Avni, Midhat, Rushdi, the Sheikh-ul-Islam, Mahmoud Damad, and Nouri Damad Pasha, was instituted with extraordinary powers by an Imperial lradi. This Commission decided that Abdul Aziz should be assassinated, and that nearly all the Princesof the Imperial Family should likewise be put to death. Mahmoud and Nouri carried out the first part of the decision by means of Mustafa, the wrestler, and his two companions, but the second part of the infernal design was happily frustrated. For Mustafa, his two companions, and the Chamberlain, Fahri Bey, all of whom are accused of having taken an active part in the assassination, as well as Ali and Ned jib Beys, who stood at the door of the room with drawn swords, the Public Prosecutor demands capital punishment, while for the others, including Midhat, he pro- poses the application of the article of the Code which entails 15 years' penal servitude. The wrestler and his two companions, when ques- tioned by the Judge, made full confessions, which were supported by the evidence of three Eunuchs and one of the ladies of the palace, but the others stoutly denied all complicity, and Fahri Bey maintained the theory of suicide. Midhat declared he knew nothing of the death of Abdul Aziz until he heard about it some hours afterwards.

Writing on the 28th, the Correspondent of The Times contidues:- The great State trial which began yesterday, and of which I have already forwarded you a summary of the proceedings, presented an interesting and picturesque spectacle. Around the Malta guard-house, situate in a large open space immediately outside the Imperial park of Yildiz Kiosk, a goodly number of soldiers were posted at short distances from each other, and all persons not provided with a ticket of admission were prevented from approaching the building. The few who had been fortunate enough to obtain tickets found on approaching the guard-house a large green oval tent, and adjoining it a considerable space en- closed by a canvas screen and covered with an awning. One side of this tent was occupied by a bench on which sat the Judges, three Mussulmans and two Christians in black frockcoats a la Turque and red fezzes, pre- sided over by a gray-bearded ulema called Sourouri Effendi, in a black robe and white turban. To the right and left of the Judges sat the public prosecutor, the secretaries, and the subordinate judicial func- tionaries, and behind them stood several Imperial aides-de-camp, and Palace servants. Below the bench, in a trench cut for the purpose, sat on cane chairs the ten prisoners-Mahmoud and Nouri Pashas (both brothers-in-law of the Sultan), two ex-functionaries of the Palace, three officers of the Guard, two professional wrestlers, and a Palace watchman. Behind each of the prisoners stood a common soldier. The side of the tent facing the bench was left open, so that the spectators, seated on rows of chairs under an awning, immediately behind the prisoners, could witness the proceed- ings. Among the audience, comprising about 120 people, were the Persian Ambassador and other mem- bers of the diplomatic body, several high officials in and out of office, a score of Imperial aides-de-camp, a few officers of the Palace, several ulema in flowing robes and white or green turbans, and the representa- tives of the Press to a limited number. The spectators might have been considerably increased, for behind them were more than a hundred chairs unoccupied. The„first formality was the proving of the prisoners' identity, and immediately thereafter the indicment was read by three of the prosecutors, which may be briefly stated as follows A few days after the dethronement of Abdul Aziz, Mahmoud Damad and Nouri Damad engaged two professional wrestlers and a. Palace watchman to assassinate their ex-Sovereign, promising them 100 pounds each and a monthly pension of three pounds, as appears from the accounts of the Civil List. The crime was committed with the assistance of the Chamberlain Fahri Bey, while Ali and Nedjib Beys, who had introduced the assassins into the Palace, mounted guard with drawn swords at the door of the room. As there was at that time a Supreme Commission, composed of Mehmed Rushdi, Midhat, Hussein Avni, the Sheikh-ul-Islam, and Mahmoud Damad, and as no important orders could be given without the concurrence of this Commission, it may be assumed that all its members must have been cognizant of Mahinoud and Nouri's criminal proceedings, and it is for this reason that Midhat is among the accused. When the indictment setting forth this theory had been read, the President, in a quiet and dignified manner began to question the prisoners. The first called upon to state what he knew was Mustafa, the wrestler, a man of ordinary size, and not presenting any signs of abnormal muscular development. His face was of a common type, and betrayed no symp- toms of emotion as he related, in plain unvarnished terms, how he had cut open the ex-Sultan's veins with a knife given to him for the purpose by Mahmoud Damad. His description, accompanied by slight and significant gestures, was brutally graphic, and made a strong impression on the spectators, more than one of the older men in the audience giving vent to their feelings of horror by audible exclamations. Mustafa's account was fully confirmed by Hadji Mehmed Pasha, who declared that together with the Chamberlain Fahri Bey and Djezairii, he had hold of Abdul-Aziz whilst the crime was being perpetrated, Djezairli, who had made a full confession in his pre- liminary examination, was than questioned, and re- tracted what he had previously said. Fahri Bey, a young man with long fair moustache, delicately-cut effeminate features, and of tall and slender build, was next examined and denied the state- ments of the wrestler and his companion. In a tremulous tone, which gathered firmness as he proceeded, he described, from his personal observa- tion, the mental condition of Abdul Aziz after his dethronement, and obstinately insisted that the deposed monarch had committed suicide. The other pri- soners, without endeavouring to explain how the Sultan's death occurred, successively maintained their own innocence and found more or less plausible answers for all the questions put to them by the Judges. Mahmoud Damad Pasha, a tall stout man, with regular and hand- some features, and large dark eyes, fouad most diffi- culty in replying, and his deep gruff voice showed more than once signs of great emotion; but he denied em- phatically and indignantly the accusations brought against him by the wrestlers and others. About two o clock Midhat was introduced, and took his seat by Mahmoud Damad's side. His hair and beard had become much whiter since I last saw him, four years ago, and his complexion was still as morbidly florid as before, but he seemed well and sought to conceal his emotion by stroking his beard, and arranging his notes, from which he was prepared to speak. Starting up suddenly and leaning on the back of his chair, he made a short speech, in which he declared himself happy to have been cited before a public tribunal, and he rendered justice to his Majesty's sentiments of equity in causing the affair to be carefully exa- mined. To all the questions about the Supreme Commission, of which he was a member, and which must have had cognizance of the intended assassina- tion, he replied emphatically that such a Commission existed nowhere except in the imaginations of his accusers, and that all matters of State were considered by the regular Council of Ministers. When reproached by the presiding Judge for not having immediately ordered a searching inquiry, he admitted that he had been guilty of this sin of omission but at the same time he maintained that all the other Ministers were in this respect equally guilty. On the subject of his having sought refuge in the French Consulate his answers, though extremely ingenious, were not so satisfactory. Unlike the other prisoners, Midhat withdrew from the court as soon as he had finished what he had to say, and after his depar- ture a number of witnesses were called for the prosecution. The chief of these were three young men who had seen the crime perpetrated in the way the wrestlers described, and the wife of a certain Ali Bey, who, being at that time one of the ladies of Abdul Aziz's harem, had witnessed some of the incidents connected with the assassination. One of the most interesting witnesses was a frail, white- bearded Mussulman, in an old-fashioned costume, who related in a faltering voice that he had washed the body of Abdul Aziz, and noticed a small wound in the region of the heart. The Court rose about half-past seven o'clock without the witnesses having been cross- examined. The proceedings will be continued, and possibly terminated, to-day.

We condense the following account of the conclusion of the trial from The Times of Thursday :— The second day's hearing of the case against the persons accused of the murder of Abdul Aziz, the ex-Sultan, lasted for eight hours. Several additional witnesses appeared for the prosecution. Among them was Ibrahim Edhem Effendi, who acted as intermediary feetween the Ministers and the ex-Sultan, aud who described the harsh treatment to which the latter was subjected. The case for the defence was then opened; and after speeches on behalf of the prisoners from four advocates ap- pointed by the judicial authorities, Mahmoud Damad entered upon his defence, and, notwithstanding evident signs of illness, refuted some of the accusations brought against him. Midhat Pasha was then called, and the President, Sourouri Effendi, after remarking that Midhat had accused him of personal enmity, retired from the bench, leaving his colleague, Christoforides Effendi, to direct the proceedings, I he ex-Grand Vizier, who had taken such a prominent part in the dethronement, defended him- self for more than an hour against the charge of complicity in the assassination. Thoroughly conversant with the new laws of judicial procedure, he pointed out several mistakes whick had been committed, and demanded permission to cross-question the witnesses as well as the prisoners who had made confessions but all his demands were refused by the Court. Finding himself thus fettered, he took his stand on the solemnity of the law and declined to defend himself any further. The President, after three times vainly inviting him to proceed, declared the hearing closed, and retired with the other Judges to deliberate. Their verdict was, that all the prisoners were guilty, but in different degrees. Four were declared guilty of premedi- tated assassination five, including Midhat and the Sultan's two brothers-in-law, were condemned as accomplices and the two remaining prisoners were placed in the category of aiders and abettors. According to the Ottoman Code, premeditated assassina- tion entails capital punishment, while the lesser degrees of crime are punished by various terms of penal servitude. June 29. The remarks and general bearing of Midhat Pasha at the trial yesterday produced, on the whole, a very favourable impression on the public, and it was not difficult to perceive that he still enjoys a certain popularity even among good Mussulmans. The most interesting part of the proceedings at the State trial yesterday was the incident which terminated in Midhat Pasha's refusal to continue his defence. The facts are briefly as follows :—The President invited the accused not to continue his defence and to intrust that duty to his counsel. Midhat* replied that he would defend himself, because he had not been allowed to confer freely with the counsel officially appointed. He jus- tified his flight to the French Consulate in Smyrna, pointed out numerous errors in the procedure, ex- pressed astonishment at such grave accusations being founded on such insufficient evidence, reproached the Public Pro- secutor with having accepted the testimony of the Eunuchs, who professing to have seen the crime committed without denouncing it, should be themselves in the dock, and ridiculed the testimony of Marco Pasha, the chief physician of the Palace at that time, who professed to have seen from the Asiatic side of the Bosphorus what took place at the Palace ou the European shore, and yet could not see a wound said to have been inflicted on the body of Abdul Aziz in the region of the heart. He then demanded that the Court should examine the prisoners and witnesses in his presence, as he was not present at the previous examination, and requested that the Embassy doctors who examined the body should be sum- moned, offering to defray the necessary expenses at his own cost, in order to compare their reports with that of Marco Pasha. On the demand of the Public Prosecutor, the Court retired to consider Mid hat's request, and decided to grant it on condition that the prisoners should not be interrogated separately. To this reply Midhat opposed the text of the Code of Criminal Procedure and demanded its appli- cation, declaring that he must question those who had given evidence in order to prove that they had com- mitted perjury. The President answered that the article in question in the Code referred to witnesses, and not to the accused, and declared that if any persons had com- mitted perjury it would be for the Court to punish them hereatter. Midhat maintained that the prisoners who accused him should be regarded as witnesses against him, and considering, therefore, the decision of the tribunal as a miscarriage of justice, he declined to defend himself further, adding in a bitter tone that he would derive little practical advantage from the punishment of a false witness after he was in his grave. The Court again retired for deliberation, and on returning, after a few minutes, the f'resident declared that Midhat's request could not be granted. The prisoner having three times declined to continue his defence, the President de- clared the proceedings at an end, and the Court retired to deliberate, returning after about an hour with a verdict of "Guilty against all the accused.

A Reuter's telegram from Constantinople, dated June 29, says:- This morning the counsel for the persons charged with the murder of the late Sultan Abdul Aziz addressed the Court for their respective clients, and were replied to by the Public Prosecutor. The Court then pronounced judgment, and delivered sentence of death upon Midhat Pasha, Mahmoud Damad Pasha, Nouri Pasha, Ali Bey, Nedjib Bey, Fahri Bey, Hadji Mehmed, Mustafa the wrestler, and Mustafa the gardener. Izzet and Seyd are each sentenced to ten years' penal servitude. The prisoners have eight days allowed them to give notice of appeal, and the indictment and documents connected with the trial will be sent to the Court which will try the appeal.

EPITOME OF NEWS. BRITISH AND FOREIGN. The Agent-Genefal for New South Wales has been informed by a telegram of the arrival in Sydney of the ship Clyde, which sailed from Plymouth with emigrants in March. An attempt to acclimatise English pheasants in the Rocky Mountains is now being made, a number of fine birds having bees lately sent out. There is now a pretty general conviction that no immediate result is likely to come out of the present negotia- tions for a new treaty of commerce with France. A petition, signed by over 20,000 persons, has been forwarded from Bradford for presentation to the House of Commons, against any Treaty being made wit-h France that does not provide for a deduction of tariffs and does not con- tain a clause giving England the power to withdraw from any Treaty after twelve months' notice. The petition was signed in the streets, the whole of the working classes being most Guthusiastic in the matter. The Prince of Wales has intimated his intention to visit Derby during the Royal Agricultural Show, fixing Friday, July 15th, as the date of his journey. Arrangements will be made for decorating the town on the occasion. The Russian Government has decreed that hence- forth the execution of political offenders shall take place within the prison walls, the stoicism of the criminals exe- cuted hitherto having been found to have an injurious in- fluence upon the masses of the people. A New York telegram says that many employers have voluntarily conceded a half-holiday on Saturdays that others, yielding to pressure, are making the same conces- sion, and that the men who were on strike are returning to work. The United States Government has received from the Admiralty a chart showing the depots of provisions left in the Arctic regions, by the Alert and Discovtry Expedition, and her Majesty's Government has placed these depots un- reservedly at the disposal of the American search ships now being sent to leok for the Jeannotts. A few days since a fire destroyed nearly the whale town of Tombstone, Arizona; and seven thousand acres ef wheat near the Merced River, California, have also been burned, together with a number of farm-houses. On Thursday in last week there was admitted into the Small-pox Hospital at Fulham a patient of the patri- archal age of 91. The last accounts speak favourably of the old lady. Two Royal decrees have been published at Madrid, one dissolving the Cortes, and another putting an end to the forced cultivation of tobacco on the Philippine Islands on a system which amounted to a virtual slavery. At the recent sale of her Majesty's yearlings at Hampton Court, the highest price was given for a colt by Winslow— Crann Tair, who was sold to Mr. Sylvester for 666 guineas. Mr. Weston gave 580 guineas for a filly by Hermit —Land's End, and Mr. Leigh 550 guineas for a colt by Spring- fleld-Gunga Jee. The Nawab MukaramUd Dow la Bahadur, Revenue Minister to the Nizam of Hyderabad, and son-in-law and nephew of Sir Salar Jung, visited Manchester on Tuesday in the course of a tour to the chief centres of population and industry in Great Britain. He arrived in Manchester about noon from Liverpool, accompanied by Sir Seymour Fitzgerald, Aide-de-Camp to the Secretary for India, and Major-Genera Thornhill, and the party were met and shown over the Town- hall by the Mayor of Manchester. They were taken to the Exchange at the time of high change," and his Highness expressed his astonishment at the sight of so large a con- coarse of business men. The party lunched at the Town- hall, and were afterwards shown over Messrs. Jardine's mill, where the process of spinning cotton was explained, and Messrs. Phillip's warehouses. The Nawab, who was slightly indisposed, left Manchester for London in the evening. Lord Leigh (in the absence of the Duke of Man- chester in New Zealand) and General Sir Charles Daubeny, K.C.B., attended Kensington Palace on Tuesday as a depu- tation from the chapter, and presented the Duchess of Teck with the insignia and diploma of a Dame Chevaliere, her Royal Highness signing the "homage roll" of the order. A Reuter's telegram states: A waterspout burst on Saturday at Dobrzan, descending in a terrible shower of hail. A considerable tract of land was mundated, and great damage inflicted, the crops being partially destroyed." On Tuesday Lord Eustace Cecil, M.P., presided at the first annual meeting in connection with the Essex In- dustrial School at Chelmsford. In the course of his remarks he said he considered that one cause of the commercial and agricultural distress through which the country was passing might be owing to tite absence of general agricul- tural education. He attributed to the existence of this in America and on the Continent the sucoess with which their home manufactures was prosecuted, and inferred that a similar improvement would result to ourselves in the event of the adoption of the same principle. An appeal to the Irish voters in Great Britain, signed by Mr. Parnell, Mr. Justin McCarthy, and Mr. T. P. o Connor, was issued on Wednesday, urging them to organize themselves in every constituency, and pointing out that in Coventry a few Irish voters won the seat, and that their vote can be made of importance in constituencies where few Irish live. The Warren Line steamer Missouri arrived in Liver- pool, on Wednesday from Boston with 1,019 head of cattle, this being the largest importation ever made in a single vessel. The importation was a notable one in several respects. But one animal died on the passage, and this was through injuries received prior to shipment. The cattle were shipped by one individual and were consigned to one individual. The Missouri is specially fitted for the cattle trade, to which fact the safe delivery of so large a number of cattle is to be ascribed. She nevertheless had on board 2,000 tons of general cargo, including 10,000 quarters of Indian corn. She left Boston on the 18th June, the passage being thus accomplished in eleven days. ———i—an——i———i—H—MB—mmammm—mm An ingot of gold weighing 581b. has been found in a mine in Siberia. It is stated that no fewer than seventeen busts of Lord Beaconsfield are now in commission. Mr. John R. Buchtell has made an additional' gift of 75,000 dols. to the Buchtell College, Ohio, making 200,000 dols. in all. Reports from Manitoba, Canada, state that the crops are double the average of last year, and in fine condi- tion. The purchase of the Panama Railroad by M. de Lesseps and his friends has been completed. The first pay- ment of four million dollars is to be made on the 1st of July. It is said that the Czar is anxious to have his palace surrounded with electric light. A telegram from Athens says that a headless statue, believed to represent Hygieia, the daughter of Æsculapius, has been discovered close to the proscenium in the theatre at Epidaurus. It is declared to be the work of Polyclitus, the architect of the theatre. It is calculated (says the Cologne Gazette) that there are about 58,000,000 horses in the world. Of these Austro- Hungary has 3,486,000, France 3,000,000, Russia 21,470,000, Germany 3,352,000, Great Britain 2,250,000, Turkey 1,00i1,000, the United States 9,540,000, the Argentine Republic, 4,000,000, Canada 2,625,000, Uruguay 1,600,000, &c. A telegram from Dortmund (in Prussia) says that a fatal accident has occurred at the Luise Tiefbau coal pit, by which seventeen miners lost their lives, and five others were slightly injured. All the bodies were recovered. The ship labourers held a meeting at Montreal (Canada) on Sunday, at which it was unanimously resolved to continue the present strike. The Prince of Wales has subscribed one hundred guineas to the fund now being raised for a national memorial to the late Earl of Beacousfield.- Court Journal. The Americans have constructed a railway in Mexico, and its success has led to an immense number of schemes being prepared to open that country by railways, and to connect Mexico with the chief towns of the United States. On Sunday a great storm, with thunder, heavy wind, rain and hail, visited Pennsylvania and other districts in the United States. Several persons were killed, and great damage was done to the crops. The Queen of the Sandwich Islands has her gowns made all in one piece, in the native style. But they are of blue velvet striped with gold, of peach pink with white jet, and of blue satin with crimson crushed roses. Slippers for her majesty are made of the same material as the dresses. Lord Crewe, who owns very extensive estates in Cheshire, has given all his tenantry notice of a reduction of from 10 to 25 per cent., according to the varying circum- stances of their rentals. The younger tenantry who pay more per acre than the older leaseholders, will get the full benefit of the reduction, and the old lease holders will re- ceive 10 per cent. Last week's receipts of cotton at all United States ports were 23,000 bales, and since 1st September 5,610,500 bales. Shipments to Great Britain, 21,000 bales, and to the Con- tinent and Channel, 12,000 bales total since 1st September, 4,242,900 bales. Stock at all ports, 380,000 bales. An exhibition will be held at Simla about the middle of September for the encouragement of those decorative industries which have a direct connection with the fine arts of India, Persia, and Arabia handed down by tradition. Special prizes are offered for carving in ivory and wood, for lacquer and enamel work, for painting on copper and gold, and for the inlaid metal work of Moradabad. Letters from America says that Messrs. Moody and Sankey will commence "an evangelising mission" in Scot- land early next Oetober. They will begin at Edinburgh; then go to Glasgow; thence to Stirling, Perth, Aberdeen, Inverness, and Wick. At each of the two former places they will remain a fortnight; at the others their sojourn will be a week respectively. Seeing how all attempts to put a stop to street noises in London have failed, there is some sense in the suggestion which appears in a morning paper that our scientific men should set themselves to devise an instrument which-should give us the power of closing our ears at will, as nature enables us to close our eyes. Cannot the inventors and im- provers of telephones go to work in the opposite direction.- Glebe. A Daily News telegram (dated 25th), says that Mr. Griscom, the Chicago faster, "is exhausted by his walks during the last two days. He has now lost 32t lbs. since the fast began."—A telegram next day said-" Griscom enters upon his thirtieth day with slight change in his condition." New-hall, near Salisbury, the seat of the late General Buckley, M.P. for the city, and latterly the resi- dence of Mr. Lethbridge, was burnt down on Saturday afternoon. The premises were insured. Several valuable pictures and a considerable portion of the furniture were destroyed. There was some difficulty in obtaining a supply of water. The fire is supposed to have originated in the kitchen flue. The arrivals of live stock and fresh meat at Liver- pool from tke United States and Canada last week show a very large decrease on those of the preceding week, the totals being—1,901 cattle, 295 sheep, 4,670 quarters of beef, and 388 carcases of mutton Big wreaths of real flowers, suspended from the handles of parasols are worn in Paris by ultra-fashionables instead of the usual floral bouquets at the top of the sum- shade. The Second Dutch Chamber has adopted the bill of the Minister of Public Works to make a navigable canal from Amsterdam to the Merwede river, near Gorcum, to shorten the distance to the Rhine. The canal will cost 12,000,000 guilders. A State Convention of Iowa has passed a Resolution calling upon Congress to make a grant of five million dollars for the improvement of the navigation of the Missouri River. The Missouri Valley produces five hundred million bushels of grain annually. Trickett, the Australian sculler, soon after his arrival at New York, fell out of his boat, and was nearly drowned. After his recovery he was having some glove practice with his trainer, Harry Kelley, when he slipped and broke his leg, the same which was broken a few years since. The Queen, Princess Louise, Princess Beatrice, the Grand Duke of Hesse, Prince Leopold, and the Princesses Victoria and Elizabeth of Hesse attended Divine service on Sunday morning in the private chapel at Windsor. The Rev. Francis J. Holland, minister of Quebec Chapel, preached the sermon. The official report on the results of the earthquake at Chio gives the number of killed at 3,612 wounded 1,316. The surviving population numbers 66,573 souls. Preaching at Clayton-le-Moors, near Accrington, on Saturday, in connection with the laying of the foundation stone of a new church school, the Bishop of Manchester, said the Church of England educated considerably more than one-half of the children of this country. The Church was a great national institution worth preserving. If Churchmen did not want their privileges and endowments taken away from them they must make the right uses of them, and do their duty. Down to Monday night the Lord Mayor of London had received about £23,000, or nearly je2,000 more than during a corresponding number of days in 1880, on behalf of the Hospital Sunday Fund, and there yet remains a number of churches ud chapels which have still to pay in their col- sections. At the funeral of the late Sir Josiah Mason, which took place at Erdington on Saturday, the proceedings were, in accordance with the instructioos of the deceased, of a strictly private nature, only a few of his most intimate friends being invited. Sir Josiah was buried in a mausoleum erected by him in the Orphanage grounds for his wife. The coffin was carried to the grave by eight workmen and servants. The Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied by the Grand Duke of Hesse and attended by Colonel Clarke, left Windsor Castle on Monday afternoon, on a visit to the Empress Eugenie, at Coombe Cottage, near Maiden, Surrey. Their Royal Highnesses were received upon their arrival by the Empress and the ladies and gentlemen in waiting, the Prince and Princess and Grand Duke, after a short stay driving back in the evening through the Surrey lanes and south-western suburbs of the metropolis to Marlborough House. The health of Prince Bismarck is described as being anything but satisfactory. His physicians have ordered him complete abstention from work, and the closest confinement to his room. It is said the Chancellor is despondent with regard to his failing health. A Daily News telegram from Geneva states that Iserable, a village in the Valais, with about 308 houses, has been set on fire by lightning and totally destroyed. The pages of the London Gazette do not often con- tain material for public amusement (remarks the Pall Mall Gazette), but the recent supplement of unclaimed funds standing in the books of the Chancery Pay Office may cer- tainly serve to while away an unemployed half-hour. Most of the accounts deal with moneys deposited for pieces of land taken for railways and turnpike roads, and these are certainly as dull as can possibly be conceived. An important circular has been prepared, and will in a few days be issued from the Edueatioa Department. It recommends to those responsible for the direction of School Board schools the inculcation of thrift as a portion of the regular course of instruction. Practical suggestions will also, we understand, be offered for the establishment of penny savings banks in connection with the schools.—Daily News. Fat cattle have not been so cheap for many years in Scotland, as they are now, and even good store beasts are not dear. Bought in, as most of the fattening stock was last antumn, at high prices, and heavy as the outlay for extraneous feeding stuffs has been, farmers' profits for the season's cattle feeding will be very much under even the most moderate calculations. —Mark Lane JEzprest. A Prussian grenadier, who lately gave an exhibition of his pedestrian powers at the Agricultural Hall, London, has been astounding the Berlipers by the facility with which he can put a tough trotting horse off the path. Next he starts from Magdeburg for Berlin, a distance of twenty German, or rather more than ninety English miles, which he has undertaken to accomplish in twelve hours, while his next task will be to endeavour to walk from Berlin to Vienna in four days. A telegram from New York says that travel to Europe continues unprecedentedly heavy. Eight steamers sailed on Saturday with nearly 700 cabin passengers, making the total this week nearly 1,500. The steamship agents agree that travel this year is considerably greater than that of the year of the Paris Exhibition. The Agent-General for South Australia, Sir Arthur Blyth, K.C.M.G., has received the following telegram ■— The revenue for the year ending 25th June is £ 165 §00 more than last year. Splendid rains continue; prospects of whpat and wool excellent." The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens Regent's Park, London during last week include a Sma baboon, from South Africa presented by Mr. Thornburgh- Cropper; four harvest mice, British, presented by Mr. Henry Laver a banded grass finch from Queensland two yellow- bellied Lothnx, from India, presented by Mrs. Hylton A partridge, European, presented by Mr. Arthur Morrell, school ship Cornwall; a horrid rattlesnake, from Bahia, presented by Dr. A. Stradling, C.M.Z.S. a Patas monkey, from, West Africa; a blue jay, from North America, purchased; a Rhesus monkey, a Cape buffalo, born in the gardens; seven Australian wild ducks, five Chiloe widgeons, a Mandarin duck, two Geoffroy's Doves, two turquoisine parrakeets, bred in the gardens. mrnemmmm ■■■ to—win»u ■. m A Congress has passed a Bill making it compulsory for the shopkeepers of New York to provide seats for their employees. The authorities of the City of London, Ontario, have ordered a medal to be struck and presented to those who dis- played heroic conduct at the disaster to the steamer Victoria on the Thames River on the Queen's birthday. On Saturday Mr. Bradlaugh served formal notice of appeal against the judgment of Mr. Justice Denman and Mr. Justice Watkin Wiltiams, his object in giving notice thus early being to obtain a decision of the Court of Appeal before the judges leaves for circuit. A journalistic strike in Vienna during the recent wedding festivities created a good deal of annoyance there. The Court authorities treated the local reporters so shabbily by promising them twenty invitations for the Palace Ball, and not sending the cards, that the journals decided not to mention the ball at all. This decision caused much consterna- tion at Court, the Minister President trying in vain to induce the "officious" papers to publish a report, but the Vienna papers were totally silent on the subject, the omission being felt all the more by the Viennese as the English, French, and Belgian reporters had been invited. According to a New York telegram the visible supply of wheat on June 24 was 16,400,000 bushels; Ditto, Indian corn, 11,800,000 bushels. Export clearances of wheat for Europe during the past week, 2,150,000 bushels export clearances of Indian corn for Europe during the past week, 1,180,000 bushels. On Sunday the Baronne Caters Lablache died, after a short illness. She was the gifted daughter of the celebrated Signor Lablache, who for many years had the honour of giving musical instruction to the Queen. Her Majesty received the news of her death with much regret; and Prince Leopold and Princess Beatrice, who had had sing- ing lessons from her lately, were much distressed by the unex- pected intelligence. The Cologne Gazette records the first carrier pigeon match of the season. The competitors started from St. Denis, near Paris, at 4.45 a.m. on Sunday, and the first of them reached Cologne, a distance of 401 kilometreSj in ft hours 13 minutes. By noon 31 had arrived. A grand historical cavalcade through the streets of Utrecht on Tuesday celebrated the foundation of the University of that city. The costumes were very magni- ficent, the weather was delightful, and the spectacle W88 witnessed by many thousands of people. There were 88 deaths from small-pox in London last week, and these included 17 of children under five years of age, 3i of persons aged between 5 and 20, 28 aged between 20 and 40, and 12 aged upwards of 40. The number of small-pox patients in the Metropolitan Asylum Hospitals, which had been 1,644, 1,633, and 1,612 on the three pre- ceding Saturdays, was 1,578 on Saturday last. At the meeting of the Health Committee of the Liverpool City Council, it was stated that the medical officer had received the official statement of the population of the city from the Registrar-General. The total population was 652.425. Of these 210,161 were in the parish of Liverpool, and 342,264 in the out townships. In 1871 the population of Liverpool was 492,935. There has thus been an increase of 69,490 in the ten years. The Earl of Harrington died at Harrington House, Charing-cross, London, between cne and two o'clock on Sunday afternoon, after an illness of six weeks. His Lord- ship at first suffered from an affection of the liver, and after- wards was taken with rheumatic gout, followed by conges- tion of the lungs, which was the immediate cause of death. He was 72 years of age. I On Sunday afternoon the Princess of Wales, with Princesses Louise, Victoria, and Maud of Wales, was present at the annual Fruit and Flower Service at Berkeley Chapel, London. After their Royal Highnesses had presented their offerings of fruit and flowers at the altar rails the service commenced, the sermon being preached by the incumbent, the Rev. T. Teignmouth Shore, Chaplain to the Queen. The church was filled to overflowing. The American Arctic expedition has sailed from San Francisco in the Rodgers. The vessel is provisioned for three years, and has been fitted out by the aid of a grant of 175,000 dols. recently voted by Congress, her object being to search for the exploring vessel Jeannette (formerly the Pandora), of which nothing has been heard for so long. Many people in the United states believe that the Jeannett* is frozen up near Wrangell Land or Herald Island, where the Rodgers is to search for her. In London last week 2,504 births and 1,399 deaths were registered. Allowing for increase of population, the births exceeded by 24, and the deaths were 7 below, the average numbers in th3 corresponding week of the last ten years. The annual death-rate from all causes, which had been equal to 18.3 and 19-1 per 1,000 in the two preceeding weeks, was again 19-1. The Freetraders of Madrid have held a crowded meeting in the Alham bra Theatre. Eminent economists and Liberal statesmen advocated the early conclusion of the negotiations for the treaty of commerce with England and France. They cited the beneficial results of Free Trade in England, Franoe, and even Spain, her commerce having trebled in twelve years. In Barcelona imposing meetings and street demonstrations of the Protectionists have taken place amidst great enthusiasm. The example of the United States was eited and resolutions were passed asking Seflor Sagasta and the King for protection for the merchant navy and the manufactures of Spain. The work of re-opening the Maudlin seam of the New Seaham Colliery, where for the past nine months the bodies of 28 of the sufferers by the disaster have been lying. has now been commenced. On Monday the workmen had advanced to within about 1,000 yards of the spot where it is supposed the remainder of the bodies will be found. Mr. Fleuss's apparatus for enabling persons to work with safety in noxious atmospheres, and also a safety lamp of his inven- tion have been used with great advantage in the operations. Dr. Brewer presided over a meeting of the Metro- politan Asylums Board on Saturday, at which it was re- ported that the number ol small-pox patients admitted to the hospitals during the fortnight was 653 the deaths had been 113, and 559 persons had been discharged. There- remained under treatment 1,030, together with 538 con- valescents, making a total of 1,568, as compared with 1,680- for the previous fourteen days. According to official returns the exports of mer- chandise from the United States during the month of May exceeded the imports by 8,616,859 dols. The exports of specie during the same period were 517,508 dols. in excess of the imports. A notification has been received at Chester, from the Treasury, that the costs of the sittings of the Chester Bribery Commission amount to .M,352. and that the payment of that sum must be provided for. Apennyrate produces about 9.600, so that a sixpenny rate must be levied in order to pro- vide the requisite amount. Speaking at Birmingham, Mr. Broadhurst, M.P., said if foreign nations removed their tariffs England would again be the workshop of the world. This removal was a great work, and although trades unions had always refused to discuss political matters in a party sense, it would be un- wise to withhold discussion on a subject like this, which had so close an intimacy with the development of the trade of the nation. He strongly advised them to break down the large waste of human machinery as represented in the taxa- tion on military forces. It would seem that German twittering sparrows make themselves more unpleasant than their species elee- where, for in Vienna an official has been appointed by the City Council whose business it is to exterminate all sparrows who make their appearance in the Prater. The reason given for this wholesale slaughter of the innocents is, that by their incessant chatter they completely drown the melo- dious notes of the singing birds, so they are shot down with an air gun at the rate of between forty and fifty a day. The marriage of the Hon. Norman Grosvenor, third son of Lord and Lady Ebury, with Miss Caroline Susan Theodora, fourth daughter of the Right Hon. James and Hon. Mrs. Stuart Wortley, took place at St. George's, Hanover- square, London, on Saturday morning in last week, in the presence of a numerous family circle. The bride appeared in a dress of white brocaded satin, and over the wreath a fine old Brussels lace veil fastened by diamond and pearl brioches, and also wearing a necklace of pearls and diamonds, the gift of Lord Ebury. The four bridesmaids' dresses were ot white silk and muslin, with coral pink sashes and pretty bonnets to match. The ceremony was performed by the Hon. and Rev. Stephen Willoughby Lawley, M. A., uncle of the bride. The newly-married couple left early in the afternoon on their wedding tour.