County Observer and Monmouthshire Central Advertiser Abergavenny and Raglan Herald Usk and Pontypool Messenger and Chepstow Argus

LIFE ON THE ZULU BORDER, The Transvaal Argus publishes, from a letter placed at the editor's disposal, the following account; of a visit to the disputed territory: As it was still early, Koster and I went to look at the Zulus, who were bui ding their military krail on his farm. We found three kraals finished, stationed about the distanca of two miles from each other These kraals, or camps, are curious things, being 150 yards in diameter, six feet high, made with laths and polfa a sort of bask, t- work fashion. Besides these throe, another is being built close to Mr. Filter's. The Z ilus that are work- ing there are all armed with rifles and assegais, and number from 500 to 600, and every day cew | contingents are arriving. Their motives for building these kraals are now quite obvious to me. Zilu chiefs have given notice to all the whites down here to quit, as Odty- wayo says he wanta to take possession of his own, and now they are quietly o;cupying the count-y. So far I as they have built, they have blocked up the ra-ids, allowing no one to pass without paying tOll-VIZ, an ox or a waggon. Their chaak is unheard of they go into tha houses of the Germans when sitting dowa to dinner, two or three Z dus will cowe in, and, sitting down also, help themselves to whatever they like. At Filter's they actually swarmed the house, walked into the wife's bedroom, saying they wanted to see the Missus,' Tha Q-rmins have to buy their safety by giving these impudent Zalus s/hatever they ask for. From these kraa'.s we went to Umbeline's old place, being oa Koster's f*rm. I have never in <ny life seen such ravines The hole or cave whera Umbsline formerly livrd in is now occu- pied by the Zalus, into which they are carrying food and storing it a way. I have not been inside the cave, but those who know it well say it will bold about 400 head of cattle; having a stream of water running throug b. it. B'sides this the entrance is through an almost impenetrable bush. I enclose a. r ugh sketch of the position of the Zulus at Luneberg. The miseries these farmers have to endure are frightful. They knd a meeting last week, and sent a memorial to the Go- vernment, asking assistance and protection. If none is given, they intend to have their properties valued by some competent person, and apply for protection through the German Consul. The sitting of the Land I Commission has been indefinitely pmtpoRed in conse- quence of the witnesses refusing- to attend, because of I the disturbed state of the district." 0 AN EXTRAOHMNAHY GERMAN INTBNTIQN.— The Gorman military authorities have caused tele- phones with alaroa apparatus to, be constructed which will ba tested in the coming manoeuvres Another German invention threatens to aggravate the organ- grinding nuisance. Hitherto the cruel instrument required a new cylinder for each piece in fist-are the insertion of a new slip of paper will suffice too awaken fresh melody. The p tpar being properly perforated, the pegs of an adjoining cylinder moving the keys in accordance with the holes presented to them produce the tune. After thia the grinding organ, masic box, and orchestrion will treat us to a terrible variety of musical delights. THE WEDDING TROUSSKATJ O? THE PRINCESS MARY OF PRUSSIA.—The marriage of Prince Henry of the Netherlands with the Princess Mary, eldest daughter of Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia and sister of the Princess Louise, who is betrothed to the Duke of Connaught, is fixed for Saturday, the 2"1th inst, and will be celebrated at Potsdam. The wedding trousseau-for which, as i9 the case at all the marriages of Pruesian princesses, the Civil: List i provide a sum of < £ 4508'— will be displaytd I in one of the drawing-rooms of the palac. The w, dding- dress, of white silk embroidered with silver and with a train thirteen feet long, is being made at Berlin, and the whole of the trousseau se- lected by the Princes3 has been purchased in Among the most valuable presents is a diadem given by the Emperor and Empress, which is made up of eighty different parts, and a pearl necklace given by the bride's father. By the orders of Pnnce Henry, several bouquets of ilowers- are sent from Paris every day, and a lortnight after the wedding thÐ newly-mar- ried couple &re expected in that city upon a visit to the Exhibition. THOUSANDS OF DELICAI'S CHILDREN and consumptive persons are said to have acquired sound constitutions and permanent strength by taking that most agreeable and efficient steel preparation, Dr. Guinle's Steel Tablets, procurable of all respectable chemists, in boxes, or post free on receipt of postage stamps for Is licl., or 2s. 9d., by 0. Allen, Chemist Kilburn, London. ALARMING SLIP' AT THE TOO-LS-EE TUNNEL. -The Calcutta correspondent of the Times says News reaches us from Bombay that great anxiety has been caused by 9, slip having occurred at Tools^e tunnel, and that fears- were entertained lees the Toolsee dam should p,ive way and precipitate its water into Yehar. Although it is said that the whole contents of the Toolsee would only raise the water in the Vehar L.,ke 3rt, yet the terrific rush with which the water would burst through the Nonud Valley, leading to Vehar, would probably causa one of the Yehar dams to give way, in which case there would be a total end to I the water supply of Bombay. To prevent this calamity the water in the Yfthar Lake is being reduced by the escape pipe. A large quantity has been already drained ofi, in addition to which measures have been taken to lower the weir. If matters get worse, it is proposed to blast 10ft. of the weir, which would pro- pably insure the safety of Vehar. Later news informs us that Sir Richard Temple has visited Tookee Lake and consulted with the engineers with reference to precautionary measures. Tha dam was stated to be at present safe, but -t was necsssary to reduce the northern dam in order to lower the lake and remfeve the sevel e oressure on the threatened dam. HAVE IT IN YOUR HOUSE LAMPLOUGU'S PYRETIC SALINE—and use no other. The only safe anti- dote in Fevers, Eruptive Affections, Sea or Bilious Sickness, SIÜ!:I.!l-P(èX, and Headache; having peculiar and exclusive merits. Use no substitute. See per- petual injunction aga'nst imitators also the unani- I mous judgment before the Lords Justices Bramwell Brett, and Cotton, 22ad Jan., 1878, in Lamplough'a favour. 113, Holborn-hill, London. BANK FRAUD AT BUKTOL.—Stuek^y's bank at Bristol has been defrauded of S400 by means of a forged cheque so well executed that the bank authori- ties handed ovar the amount without the slightest suspicion. Later in the day another cheque for £ 850, purporting to be signed by the same firm, was pre- sented, but the cashier, thinking it unusual for so large an amount to be drawn out in one day by the I firm, despatched a messenger to their business pre- mises. It then transpired that they had not written a cheque for the amount, neither had they given one for the £ 400 which had been cashed in the morning. Tha information given to the police shows that some days ago the firm alluded to, Messrs. Fear and Co., wine merchants, of Red- cliffe-street, received a letter dated from 77, Poulte- ney-street, Bath, and signed S. J. Hundreds, asking for certain samples of wine to be forwarded. The letter contained a banker's draft for a larger sum than was required to pay for the wine, made payable to Messrs. Fear, with the request that they would remit the balance by cheque on their bankers. This was done, and Hundreds, who is known by numerous aliases, having in his possession a blank cheque of the same bank, copied off on to it the signature of Messrs. Fear and filled it up for £400. Having dummy offices in Bristol, he intrusted the cheque to one of the clerks there employed and obtained the money. The police have reason to think that Hundreds remained out. side the bank wbile his clerk endeavoured to cash the cheque, and, finding that he was detained, made good his escape. WOOD AND IVERY, LIMITED (J. W. Ivery, manager), Albion Blue Brick and Tile Works, West Bromwich, Staffordshire, manufacturers of vitrified blue bricks, garden border tiles, fiooriag quarries in blue, red, or buff colour. Illustrations and urices on application.

SENSATIONAL SHOOTING AFFAIR. The following are the details (says the Enquirer) of a sensational shooting affair in a hotel in Cincinnati, in which Mra. Black, a beautiful woman of Hamilton, Ohio, was the shooter, and Scott Symmes, grandson of Ciptain John Oleves Symmes, was the intended vic- tim. Some time ago Mra. Black's husband, a deputy sheriff and prominent citizen of Hamilton, discovered an intimacy between his wife and Symmes, who is a recognised libertine, and conf roatir. g her with the charge, she virtually confessed the truth. Black then started out in pursuit of Symmes, to kill him, when he fled leaving the town, and going first to Indiana, then to Kentucky, and finally to Cincinnati, and settling down to the practice of the law. After arriving there he made a statement, in which he threw most of the blame on the wo nan, alleging that she followad him around and urged him to meet her at various places, and at all hours or night, at first, professedly, to talk about a divorce from her husband. This statement she denouneed as untrue, unjust, and cowardly on his part, and so Bhe cime to the city, and calling on him, demanded a written re- traction. The statement which sha required him to sign being in substance, that it was not through her attentions to him, bat only by all the arts of the seducer on his part, that he had accomplished her rain. This, seeing her temper, and doubtless knowing that a refusal would cost him his life, he signed and then- rose to leave her, reaching out hi3 hand and saying, "Good-bye, Mam.ie." At this, she says, the thoughts of all the wrongs he had done her and her family came over her, and she drew a revolver from her pocket and fired two shots at him, one so near that the powder burned his face, but neither, unfortunately, taking eSect. She attempted to fire a third time, when he massaged to seiza the pistol and disarm her. She was arrested and taken to the office of the Chief of Police, bat he refustd to bring a charge against her, and she was dismissed. She is described as a very beautiful and intelligent woman, and the remark is everywhere heard that it ia pity her aim had not been better, and thus avenged herself and rid the country of a liber ine and a disgrace to society. Symmes is a good-looking fellow of 35, & lawyer by profession. Mrs* Biack has compromised with her husband, and is living with him again.

TItlE FISHERIES. The following condensed notes are from the Jiielå and private lettprsA slight improvement fe-ts taken place in the yield of salmon fishing in the north of Scotland after full a fortnight's almost entire dearth of news. At the sea stations in the Deveron district at Banff some fair takes of salmon and grilse have been got. The Earl of Seafiald nnd party, from Castle Gritnt, hauled a few pools on Tuesday, and although in the Spey, in those d'atricta the water is too shallow and clear for angling,, they succeeded in landing thirty-seven fish, weighing 2631b. In the Inverness districts some good hauls have been taken at the 6oW and ebb of the tide and at the mouth of the river, in- cludiDgone fine salmon of 4. taken at theLongm&n, and several others between 201b and 30Lb. But the net fishing quite sympathises with the returns from Billings- gate, which show a falling off for laat week of more thas 1200 boxes as compared wkh the corresponding week of last year. This week the difference is 87 boxes less. The upper pools of the Ness cave yielded better than those below. Rod fiahiiag in the northernmost district has scarcely begun. The Dee an..1 tha Don have been considerably enlarged by rainfall, and in the course of a few d.ys will be in order for the rod. The net fishing in the Syey has been almost a failure this season, A good deal of rain fell on the 7tll inst., and as the nets will be withdrawn soon, anglers will have excellent sport during the autusaa months. The Tav has not been so lov since the very dry season of 1823, when, for the first time in the memory of lliaS, there was no water issuing from the loch into the channel of the river. During the past week, however, the net fubing in the lower waters, especially about Newbury, has very considerably improved. Bat the cargoes brought in:o Perth by the gathering boats are greatly under the average of last year. The Lugg ia reported to be in. good order f-or the fly, and that grayling are rising, freely. As a proof of the great failure in the takes- of salmon this year in the Tweed, it is stated that at thia time of year the average takes used to ba above 2000 fish daily, includ- ing every kiad, whereas-at present Eearcely a tenth or that number ts realised. Mr. Heard er speaks of a school of sun fish off Plymouth.. One large one of about 3 cwt- was captured at Cawsand. The news from Killaraey is not of an encouraging nature, only six salmon being got by the rod during taa week. White trout fnhmg has, however, been good on the Ki'lorglin, Crcl, and Waterville districts, and the sea fishing along the shores of Kenmara and Glengariff Bays has a far better appearance, and where a pound of fish was not taken a short time since they are now ia a condition to supply almost any quantity. EXPLOSION Olf FIRE-DAMP.—An explosion ot I fire damp took place at the new winding colliery, I Soremerijton, about two miles from Berwick, It was at first believed that many lives had been lost,. ItS there were at the time of the accident thirty-nine men in the pit. Fortunately the consequences were much IES8 serious, and all the men were brought to bank. Only one, David Inglis, is dangerously injured, and three others are less severely burnt. BUGs, FLEAS, MOTHS, BEETLES, and all other ill- sects are destroyed by EEATINQ'S INSECT DESTROYING POWDER, which is quire harmless to domestic animals, In exterminating Beetles the success of this powder 18 extraordinary. It is perfectly clea.n in application* Sold in tins Is. and 2s. 6d. each by all Chemists. THE RUSSIAN EXPEDITION IN CENT it AL ASI>» -The Russian- expedition in Central Asia aims as the occupation of the six minor khanates between the southern course of the Amu Darya and Hindoo Koosh —viz-, Kara Zin, Shugnal, Darvas, Sarikol, and Vakhan. Of these khanates, the three first are inde- pendent Sarikol belongs to Kasbgsr, while tho Yak* ban Emir is a feudatory of the Khan of Afghanistan* The occupation of Yakhan will reduca the distance between the Russian and English frontiers to about 325 miles. From Yakhan there are reads to Indi0, over the intervening plateau easily passable ia summer, but not so in winter. WRIGHT'S COAL TAB SOAP (Sapo Carboais Detergent) Antiseptic, Detergent, Disinfectant. Tiie most healthm^ agreeable, and refreshing Toilet Soap in tbo world, w its daily use, freedom from infectious diseases is secured-5 the complexion improved; pimples, blotches, and roughness removed; and the skin made clear, smooth, a,nd lustrous- In our hanrJ s it has proved most elitctivein skin diseases- —The Lancet. It is the only true antiseptic Medical Journal. In Tablets, 8d. and Is. each of all Chemists- W. V. WEIGHT and Co., Southwark-street, London. ARMY RESERVE MEN EMPLOYED IN 0 DEPARTMENTS.—A rttum, obtained on the motion OF Colonel Arbuthnot, of the number of man beiongiBS to the army and militia reserves who are employe in the various civil departments of the Scate, sco# that of men belonging to the 1st class army reser?3 161 are employed as police, 23 as prison warded 1 as a lunatic attendant, 22 as letter carriers, 1 as ft mail guard, 1 in the telegraph department, 5 by the War Office as labourers, 1 as gunmaker, 1 as aer" goatit at the Royal Military Asylum, 6 in tbe Customs, 5 as labourers in dockyard, and 1 as attefi' dant at the Naval Asylum, making a total of 228. Of the men belonging to the militia reserve, 6 are employed as police, 1 as gasman in a gaol, 9 by the War Office as labourers, 1 by th3 Admiralty a9 blacksmith, 1 as painter, 1 as rivetter, 1 as black' smith, and 2 as labourers 1 as keeper in a Par^ by the Board of Works as a stonemason, 1 by the Education Department as a caretaker, making a total of 25. i FORAGING HORSES.—It is well to know where horses EFT'1 be foraged with the best of provender. MESSRS. HAk of Park-lane, W., Old Corn Exchange, E.C., and Ha^ Wharf, Grosvenor-road, S.W., have not only prepare scale for foraging horses at so much money per week, "Ut sell all descriptions of grain, oil-cakes, hay, straw, &-c-, j market prices for cash. Prices. particubrs, and sample.3 Oil application.

TOWN TALK. Qzkr* Readers win understand that too do not hola, ourselves responsible for owr able Correspondent's opinions. LET me venture to give a little advice to country clergynea, widows, and maiden ladies who have a little money to invest. They are exactly the kind of innooent3—sighing for large interest on their few hundreds—on -vham profes- sional promoters prey. A flaming pro ape nua and the idea of ten per cent. tikes tham, and they euffer. Now, Asia Minor is going to be the next grazing-grouad for specu a tors. There are I already m the air rumours that the Government has some wonderful scheme for creating a stable govern nent in those naturally rich regions. At a great gossip clab in Pill-matl [ heard of schemes for great agricultural operations, for working mines of previous metals, aad mountains of solid petroleum. There are also the iaevitable rail- roads, of which the Duke of Sutherland is to take the chair. Now, although the Latin pro- verb, 11 Everything unkaown is splendid," ought to be understood by this tine, let me warn those who cannot afford to lose to ba?e nothing to do with these Oriental visions. When, in any part of Ajia Minor, safety for life and property naa been established and roads opened, it will be time enoug i for the clergy and the spinsters to think of investing their s JQall sayings in these scriptural regions. For those who can off ^rd to loae, Asia will be quite as fit for inv^actnenas as American railways or Californian mines. FOREIGN politics have so entirely occupied London that very little attention has been paid to two important municipal events. Tha narrow bridge leading to Gioujester-gite, Regent'=- park, jmt round a corner, ha3 long been a. fertile soiree of accidents from rash or tipsy drivers. Fortunately the question was settled by the bridge preparing to tumble down. The local dis-rict and the Metropolitan Board of Works found :h* needful cash -a, year ago, and last weak a new, hindsome, and spaoiou3 bridge was opened almost without beat of drum. In the same week the Metropolitan Board opened a grand street which at present only ex en Is from the Farnng- don-stree5 Station to Hnrt-streat, Bloonasbury, several narrow thoroughfares, like Liquor- pond street, being improved in the process out of all knowledge. In a short time thta new street will ba expended all the way to Commercial-road close to the docks, and thus relieve the City and Holborn of some of its heaJY traffic. I rode over it oa horseback on Saturday from Clerk-mwell-green to Bedford, and w is delighted to fi id that already the ex- cellent gradients and capital paving had attracted a good many heavy waggons. Tais improvement will not be completed oefore it is urgently re- quired. The mam thoroughfares of London are blocked daily by the ever-iucreasiag traffic. THE new custom of exhibiting and sailing the photographs of fashionable beauties along side of those of ladies of the ballet, aad even more ques- tionable characters, is certainly, to say the least, odd! One of these beauties had herself photo- graphed hat; year at a watering phce in every con- oaiva.bia costume-as a fisher-girl, as a Welsh peasant, in full dress, In riding dress, and in the French swimming dress, with bare lega and arms. THE superfine Saturday Review is very much disgusted with Bank holidays and the people who enjoy them. Tais reminds me of a story told by the late Mrs. a.Holine Ohiahoim, the emi- grant's friend. Sie called on a millionaire, the son of a millionaire, by invitation, to talk over a plan of emigration to which all his immediate friends had subscribed. Just as she arrived a. servant came in to ask, "Will your lordship ride to-day?" "Well, let him meet me a, the Achilles' statue—I think l'il walk that far." Then, looking out of the window, H n looks like rain; send the Broughim round." Another look at the skies. Ni, I'll drive the phaeton with the browns. But; stop, send my hack and the phaeton too." In course of a con- versation with the strong minded lady, the original of Dickens's Mrs. JöEahy, his lordship re- marked that he did not believe that any honest, industrious persan need be in distresa,in England. il My lord," replied Mr. Chisholm, who had lots of pluck, I dont think a man who can either walk or ride on horsebaok, or use a close or an open carriage, according to his fasoy, knows anything about distress." The Saturday Reviewers have no sympathy for tha classes who have not time to be olean and cultivated, well dressed and well read. THE Nawab Nazim, Prince of Bengal, who left India be jause he owed £ 300,000, was nearly run over in the City the other day. Thia descendant of a Sovereign prince baa ducirded the mag- nificent costume and solenoid jewels in which he first appeared dresaea like an Eng- lishman, and look i like an Italian professor in his gold-rimmed spectacles travels in caba and omnibuses lives near Edmonton, the scene of John Gilpin's exploits has DO suite, but only a rather shab ->y-looking English attendant. The Government has by degrees paid off his debts. His Bengal income is olear, and yet he still lingers under cur own gloatmy skits, where he is only a coloured gentleman yeii in his native I country he would be a Highness, if not a Royal I Highness. P. x. —g> AT THE CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT an elderly man named Grant, m the service of a gentle- man at Twickenham, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment for firiag at and wounding a boy who I was bathing in- a narrow stream which runs into the Thames at Twickenham. ARTISAN REPRESENTATION OF SHEFFIELD AT j THE PARIS EXHIBITION.—A meeting of manufacturers j w--s held at Sheffield under the presidency of the ( Mayor ( Alderman M&ppin), when it was decided to send nineteen men, representing the various trades of I the town, to the Paris Exhibition for the purpose of reporting upon the exhibits in which they are especi- j ally interested. The Edge Tool Union declined to j name a representative on thegroundthathiavisitto Paris | might result in it jury to their trade. j SAILING MATCH OF THE BRITISH FLEET.— J From. Constantinople it is announced that the annua- j sailing match of the British fleet for Admiral Hoinby a cup came off at Prinkipo. The course was triangular, and its length four miles the boats were to sail twice round. The usual allowances were made for siza of j boats and rank of sailing masters. The favourite at starting was the launch of the Alexandra, sailed by j Captain Sutton, which took the lead at great speed, i but run foul of the spanker bcom of the Cruiser, which a cup was the cutter of the Cruiser, sailed by Lieutenp nt Trench the second boat, disqualified by time, was the barge of the Agincourt, sailed by Lieutenant Cresley the third boat, which took the second place, was the barge of the Alexandra, sailed by Mr. LFimbton. The fourth boat was the cutter of the Toaneraire, sailed by the staff commander of that ship. The fifth boat was the jolly boat of the Alexandra, sailed by Lieutenant Bawson, who had one minute to claim from the fourth boat, and therefore took third place. The weatLer was fine and the wind l:gbt.

Summary, of Passing Events. —» OWING to the changeableness of the English olimate it is desirable that, when harvest opara- tions hive onse begun, they should be conduced to completion with all de3pat3h. The reaping- machines, which have baen introduced of late years, greatly expedite the process oe cutting but these are likely now to be superseded by an Instrument which binds as well as reaps. So far back as 1858, according to Mr. James Hi ward, of Bedford, an American, Mr. Marsh by name, belonging: to the State of Illinois, conoeived the idea of constructing a reaping tnaohine with automatic appliances for elevating the out corn, and delivering it upon the table or platform at the side of the machine, provision being made for two people to ride who bound the sheaves as the reaping prooeeded. This is stated to have been the first really practical machine of the kiad, several thousands o" which were subse- quently soli in the States. The self-binders now coming into use on this side of the Atlantic are also American machines, constructed on the Marsh principle, with the addition of the necessary binding arm. Mr. Howard aooounts for American inventors bein* first in the field ny the circumstance that, in the sparsely- populated corn-growing districts of the Western States, t'lere was a difficulty of obtaining hands to tie up the corn aftsr being cut down by machines, and hence in this, as in other matters, necessity was ttle mother of invention.

MRS. BRASSEY, in her narrative of the San- baa til's voyage, does not forget to tell us of the railway excursions she and her has- btnd and family enjoyed in Brazil, Chili, Jajan, aud China. Nothing within the last twenty or thirty years has been more astonishing than railway progress unless it be the extensim of the elecrij telegraph. Bat railways are the first things needed when a country requires to be opened up. and thare is no appearance of any falling off, but rather an increase, of enterprise in this direction. A Euphrates Valley railway, connecting the Mediterranean and the Cispian Seas, has been for some time in ooatenaplation; and now that Britain has assumed the protectorate of Asia Minor we may expect, at no distant elate, to see engineers set to work to map out railway routeS which may not be so easily found, as the country is very mountainous. But engineers are not nowaday a in the habit of sticking at diffi- culties. Umil linei are constructed it will ba impossible properly to develop the resources of the vast territory, which the Turks have never been able to turn to any good account. Cyprus is also to be pierced by railways. Simultaneously with these schemea the Legislative Assembly of Newfoundland has passed a series of resolutions offering faci- lities for the formation of a railway across j the island from St. John's to St. George's Bay, or some other convenient spot on the west coast. This scheme will have the effect, when carried out, of opening up to trade the wealth of the interior of the colony, much of which has hitherto been inaccessible and useless. There are said to be, in the interior, enormous deposits of copper, iron, coal, nickel, lead, and other minerals, while the great pine and spruce forests have never yet echoed the sounds of the saw and the axe. One great advantage of the combination of the Newfoundland railway would be to bring America, so to speak, nearly a thousand miles nearer to England.

CYPRUS, according to all accounts, needs some other kind of works more urgently than rail- roads. Referring inoideatally to this island, in a paper which he read at the Paris Hygienic Con- gress, Mr. Edwin Chadwick remarked that, while formerly a seat of high oalture and of a large thriving population, it had now sparse Inhabit mta, was eaten up by sloth, and depressed by extensive marsh miasma. In order to revolutionise this state of things sanitary science and economical soience would require to be duly consulted and efficiently applied. Measures In reality efficient would include the draining of pestilential marshes, the collection and storage for distribu- tion of pure water, the opening up of the interior by roads, and the protection and encouragement of free trade. If these things were done, he held that the best military defences would then be obtained in a thriving and contented popu- lation under remunerative rule. Speaking further of the health of populations gene- rally, Mr. Chadwick urged that the magni- tude of the preventable evils to be dealt with re- quired the organisation of a distinct central department of the public health, presided over by a Minister of State of co-ordinate position with other Ministers members of the supreme Govern- ment. It is stated, in the rapoit of the proceed- ings, that an elaborate cumparison drawn by Mr. Chadwick between the importance of the func- tions 0: a Health Minister and those of the War Office or othtr departments appeared to make a strong impression on the Congress. 0 1 ?I

THE late famine in the Bombay Presidency wa-, caused hy prolonged drought, and now we hear of abnormally heavy fails of rain over tbe greater part of India. The Times Calcutta cor- respondent says: "Flooia are reported in various districts. In Rungpore irreparable damage has been done to crops in the low lands, especially in the eastern and noithern portions of the dis- tricts which are most exposed to inundation, la Bograh great damage has been done, the Hoods having submerged nearly the whole of the east and south of th3 district. In Patna rice and jute plants have been swamped by t1,c Eudden rise ot floods. In Coosh Behar all the rivers overflowed ihair banks and many parts of the country were coverei with water. Tiaere was .Ll I in consequence much distress among the people in places near the rivers. It is stated that there has been no Euch severe inundatien fer thirty y.ixr?. Similar mischief has been done in Dacca, Fureedpore, and Mymensing. In this last dis- trict the crops on the low lands have been almost entirely destroyed." An excess of rain, we thus perceive, has the same effect as no rain at all in destroying the crops. It is in tropical countries that the inhabitants are most liable to suffer by ext.remes of weather. SEVERE SENTENCE FOR INDECENT CONDUCT. —William Henry Taite, described as a gentleman, who, it will be recollected, was arrested in Liverpool about a. fortnight ago, charged with indecent conduct towards some ladies at Port Soderick, was indicted for the cffenc9. The evidence was very clear, the witnesses being two Liverpool ladies on a visit to the island. The prisoner, who was found guilty, was fined £õO, and also sentenced to six .months' imprisonment withOUG hard labour, and ordered at the expiration (i)f his sf-ntecce to find sureties in £100 for hit food behaviour for six months.

IMPORTANT CHANGES IN THE FLEET. Some important changes are shortly to be made in the fleet. The Shannon ironclad, which formed one of the Channel Squadron when despatched to the Mediterranean, and which, after escorting the Indian contingent through the Red Sea, was ordered to strengthen Admiral Hillyar's command in China, is to return home again, one armoured vessel, the flagship, being deemed quite sufficient upon that station. The Ruby, a powerful corvette, which accompanied the Shannon to China, also returns home immediately. Of the Mediterranean naval force the Minotaur, Black Prince, and Defence will shortly return, as also the Swiftsure while of the Home Squadron, the whole of the turret ship3 in all probability, with the exception of the Thunderer, will shortly be placed out of commission. The large number of ironclads and frigates in commission at this moment may be gathered from the fact that of the captains upon the active list, numbering upwards of one hurdred and seventy, nearly two-thirds are in command of vessels or have other naval appointments. The Dreadnought turret-ship is to be brought for- ward for commission forthwith, and it is not unlikely she will take the place of the De- vastation in the Mediterranean. The Dreadnought by reason of the flying deck that is raised upon the armour decking, is better adapted for ocean journeys than her lesser sisters, the Thunderer and Devasta- tion, and she affords, too, better accommodation for officars and men. The Neptune, Nelson, and Northampton, all masted ironclads, will also be shortly commissioned, and rslieve some of Admiral Hornby's ships in the Mediterranean. The Irb, steel despatch vessel, takes the First Lord of the Admiralty to Cyprus after Parliament has risen, where an inspection will be made of the ports, and the locality chosen for a yard and docks. Madta Dockyard is at present overweighted by the work un- dertaken in connection with the Mediterranean fleet, for there is scarcely an ironclad of Admiral Hornby's command that has not been docked during the pist twelvemonth. In fact, Malta yard has been of late busier than any naval arsenal in this country, with the exception of Portsmouth and Chatham. All the coast-guard men afloat are to rejoin their stations, and the crows on board the ships of the First Reserve will be reduced to their normal complement. The Par- ticular Service Squadron will be dissolved, and iho ships composing it sail for their respective stations around the coast.

A TRANS-A USTRALIAN RAIL WA Y. While schemes for the construction of a telegraph line across Africa, of a canal through the Isthmus of Panama, and of a Euphrates Valley railway are being talked of, an equally imposing idea is being actually put i&to operation at the antipode?. Australia already possesses a trans-continental telegraph lina of some 2200 milea in length through South Australia, and it is proposed to construct an alternative line, passing through Queensland but a far more stupend- ous undertaking is on the tapis, in the shape of a railway connecting the northern and the southern shores of the country. The contract for the first 200 miles northwards from Port Augusta, at the head of Spencer Gulf, has been signed, the works are begun, and this section is to be completed within two years. The route has been surveyed for a consider- able distance from the north, and the explorations made in connection with this work, and with the formation of the overland teJegraph- line, show that the nature of the country is far superior to the origi- nal estimate of its quality. The land is essentially wheat-bsaring and the only thing requisite for its de- velopment is better means of communication and transport. Twelve million bushels of wheat are ex- ported annually, and these figures would be capable of indefinite extension if the rich land were tapped by a railway. In the northern territory the search for gold and coal, and the settlement of "claims" for agricul- tural purposes, are causing a rapid extension of popu- lation toward* the interior, and a railway there will soon be a necessity. Owing to. the large immigration of Chinese, labour is cheap, and the construction of the line could be proceeded with from opposite extremi- ties. The completion of such a railway would bring Adelaide within a month's jaurney, or less, from L mdon, via either San Francisco or Suez. The nature of the country ia such as to offer compara- tively few obstacles to the progress of the work; embankments and cuttings would be seldom required, and there are no rocky mountains to surmount as in the case of the Trans American Railway. On the actual fulfilment of the bold scheme, there is little doubt that a great portion of the Australian trade would be transferred from Sydney and Melbourne to Port Darwin or Palmerston. <e>