The Illustrated Usk Observer and Raglan Herald

THE ARTS, LITERATURE, &c. ♦—— THE excavations on the Cheviot Hills have led to the L discovery of the very perfect remains of several huts, composed of blocks of the basaltic stone of the district. They belong to a very remote period of British history. Remains of beads and other glass ornaments, flint arrow- heads, and broken pottery, have been recovered during the works. Remains of iron slag have also been dis- covered, whence it would appear that the smelting of iron was understood by our Celtic forefathers at a far earlier period than is generally supposed, A CONSTANTINOPLE letter states that a man named Dervisch Cadi-Mehemet, reading in the village of Ger- ger-Ali, in the district of Mossul, while recently making some repairs round his house, found an antique vase, containing about 200 coins, some dating back to the period of the Roman Empire, and others to the time of the Seleucides. They have been sent to Bagdad, whence they will be forwarded to the Porte. THE great, picture of James Ward, our English Paul Potter, the famous Bull," has been purchased for the nation. Many readers will be glad to know that this large and noble picture has been secured as public property. THE Manchester School of Art having engaged its maater,analIowaneeofjE300per annum, hitherto made by the Department of Ax, has been withheld. Without this sum the school must be closed, unless the local millionnaires, for whose benefit the school was originally established, will sustain the institution. If they fail to do this, their sentiments as to the value of Art-teaching, so far as their own experience goes, is significantly ex- pressed. It is to be hoped that this wealthy city will no, bliow EhI the labour ef many diligent masters and hundreds of workmen in this direction to be quite thrown away. THE celebrated mosaic table in th,e Roman Court, which has been so much admired, has been purchased by the King of Italy, on dit for £ 2,0 00. Mr. CORDEN, a talented artist at Windsor, has just painted for the Corporation of Plymouth a copy of Winterhalter's well-known portrait of the Prince Consort in the robes of the Garter—a task which he has accom- plished with happy fidelity to the original. SiR GEORGE CORNEWALL LHWIS has in the press a new edition of An Essay on the Origin and Formation of the Romance Languages; containing an examination of Mr. Raynouard's Theory on the Relation of the Italian, Spanish, Provence, and French to the Latin." IT is stated that the Emperor of the French has tendered the whole of the collection exhibited by the colonies of France to the South Kensington Museum. MR. HENRY HARLEY, of Windsor, is engaged by the descendants of the poet Waller tc put into thorough repair the beautiful marble tomb in the churchyard of Beaconsfteld to the memory of that poet. THE Bishop of Natal has an important book preparing, which will create some excitement in the theological world. It is on the Pentateuch. MR. WATTS'S forthcoming work is My Private Note Book; or, Recollections of an old Reporter." He is not the oldest reporter in the House of Lords," but one of the oldest parliamentary reporters. THE news-agents are striving hard to get together sufficient capital and numerical support to establish a weekly newspaper of their own, price 2d. THE new work which M. Proudhon has found a pub- lisher for, at last, in Dentu, relates to Proudhon's treat- ment in Belgium, at which he is much incensed, and would like Belgium annexed at once to France to appease his ire. Dentu has taken the precaution of having the book submitted to the Government censor for approval before it is issued. M. THIERS has just entered into an agreement with a publisher for a history of France from 1815 to 1848. That period in which the great historian has taken an active part in public affairs will not fail to be graphically and interestingly described by him. MR. H. K. BROWNE (Phiz) is about to publish twelve Hunting Bits," in oblong folio, coloured. "THE DUTIES OF MAN," a book by Joseph Mazzini, is announced. Miss KAVANAGH some time ago published two volumes on "French Women of Letters," and has now nearly ready two companion volumes on English Women of Letters." MR. A. TROLLOPE will have ready this month a volume descriptive of a "Lenten Journey in Umbria and the Marches of Ancona." MJR. THOMAS MAOKNIGHT'S "Life of Bolingbroke," Secretary of State in the reign of Queen Anne, is promised next month. IT is said that the first volume of Louis Napoleon's "Life of J uJins Caesar" has been atlast sent complete to the Emperor from the printer. M. Ingres had thrice to re- commence the portrait of Julius Cso ar, which was each time rsctified from ancient medals. The engravings, by M. Henrique Dupont, are remarkably fine, and, indeed, the volume is one which rightly merits the words de luxe. What will the critics say to the matter ? Will there be any warnings for those journals that speak freely, if not fondly ? A NEW society has been established in Turin, called the Franklin Society, the object of which is to circulate libraries of "useful" books throughout the country. Doubtless (says the Court Journal) the authorities will keep a good look-out after the books that aro circulated under the name of "useful;" and should the Govern- ment approve, it will be time for the public to be vigi- lant as' to what the Government considers useful" books to be. It is a pity that what sounds so progressive and beneficial should be surrounded by so many elements of suspicion. THE lectures at the Royal Institution for the coming winter session have been arranged as follow:—Christmas Lectures, 1862 Professor Frankland, six lectures, On Air and Water" (adapted to a juvenile auditory).* Be- fore Easter, 1863: Professor Marshall, twelve lectures, "On Physiology;" Professor Frankland, ten lectures, On Chemistry W. Savory, Esq., four lectures, On Life and Death;" Professor.Max Muller, twelve lectures. Afcer Easter: Professor Tyndall,, seven lectures; D. T. Ansted, Esq., nine lectures, On Geology; Professor William Thomson, three lectures, "On Electric Tele- graphy." THE picture galleries in the International Exhibition will be cleared on the 1st of November. The Belgians intend to exhibit their collection at Brussels. Mr. Gladstone on Italy and America.-

The following are some of the remarks of Mr. Gladstone, on Friday, at Sunderland, on the Italian and American questions:—"Mr. Mayor,—You have adverted, in this address, briefly to questions of the utmost interest, and to which my reference must likewise be brief. You have spoken of the anxiety of the population of this im- portant borough to witness a freei and united Italy ([cheers). And I may be permitted to assure you that I have received, in reference to-that subject, a new illustra- tion of the truth, that even where we think we are already informed, we may always be learning something. I have had free intercourse with the people, and free intercourse with various classes of the community and, from the common observation of public events, have long had the conviction that the cause of the people of Italy was dear to the hearts of the people of England; but I venture to assure you, with sincerity and truth, that from the visit now paid to the North, I have derived a new extended view of the degree in which that admirable people are possessed of your hearty sympathies (cheers). And I hope, Mr. Mayor and gentlemen, I may venture to assure you, on behalf of the distinguished nobleman at the head of the Government, on behalf of Earl Russell, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and on behalf of a united Cabinet, that, a9 it has been their study, so it will be their study, in whatever they may be called upon to say or to do with respect to that great Italian question, to make themselves faithful organs of what they know to be the deep-rooted con- viction of the people of this country (cheers). I join with you in deeply lamenting the sanguinary struggle which we see still unhappily continued on the other side of the Atlantic, and I am sure it is the duty of us all fervently to pray the Giver of all good that He may incline the hearts of men to peace, and may be pleased in His mercy to stop those floods of bloodshed which are beginning more and more to shock the sense of the world (loud cheers)." During the last stay of the King of Prussia at Baden, his Majesty's cash-box was stolen one evening in the room which Chancellor Bock occupied on the ground- floor of the hotel. The fact was discovered by a footman, who, on returning home, saw the window of the room open, and gave the alarm. As it became apparent that the thief could not have left the hotel, a strict search was made throughout the establishment, and the box was at length found in the garden under a bush. The thief had evidently tried hard to break it open, but had not suc- ceeded for want of the proper tools, with which a pro- fessional thief is generally provided. The perpetrator of the robbery has not yet been discovered.

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL ON THE NEW POACHING BILL. Sir William Atherton, in addressing his constituents in the City-hall,. Durham, made the following allusions to the new Poaching Act :Re now came to the last Act of the session, and of which be himself could say the least good. He meant what he called the Poaching Act. It was the very last Act on the statute book. It was carried with remarkable zeal and constancy of sitting, and voting, and dividing on the part of those-mainly country gentlemen-who thought, perhaps rightly, that the poacher was a very bad fellow, but who also appeared to thinlt-and in this he disagreed with them-that no means could be inexpedient or unjust that might be retorted to to put an end to poaching. Now (continued the learned gentleman) I quite agree with them that poaching is an unwarrantable and wicked thing, and that it is injurious to no man more than to the poacher him- self; but though I agree with these gentlemen on this point, I do not agree in the course they adopted. A proposal was made by Sir George Grey that the whole subject should be taken into consideration by a select committee. That proposal did not find favour with the country gentlemen. They were for instant and speedy legislation. They were unhappy in the scheme they devised; but there was not time for another scheme. By the assistance they obtained, added to their own firm conduct, the Poaching Bill became law-that bill haviiig two great defects. In the first place it was highly impolitic; and, in the second place, it was ill-con- sidered and ill-expressed. The mistake of the bill was this—With the view of putting an end to poaching, a provision was made which was utterly regardless of personal liberty; I bold that the main object of the laws which we enact and administer is to secure and continue personal liberty. Personal liberty is, if possible, before the rights of property. No country can be called a free country in which the personal liberty of individuals, merely on suspicion and surmise, with- out inquiry and without adjudication, can be interfered with. The principle of this bill was that suspected per- sons might be interfered with summarily and deprived of their liberty. This reminds me of one of the extremes to which the Federal Government in the United States have had recourse in this most afflictive war. We know that America was vaunted as a free country- indeed, as the home of freemen. We equally know that a very early step in the conduct of this War was to subordinate the personal liberty of its subjects to arbi- trary interference, on the allegation or surmise, either that they had done something or were Ikely to do something which would tend to perpetuate the exist- ing disunion. There can be no greater mistake than, with a view to the correction of some partial evils, to suspend those safeguards on the continu- ance of which personal liberty and personal rights are dependent.

A SYSTEMATIC SWINDLER. At the Wandsworth Police-court, on Saturday, Joseph Edwards, a thick-set, middle-aged man, was finally examined on a charge of fraud. There were three cases, but the details of one will be sufficient to show the system. Mr. W. H. Matthews, a soap-maker, in Southampton- street, Camberwell, said on the 24th ult. the prisoner came to him and exhibited a sample of fat in a small tin box, and represented that he had 24 casks of it for sale, and that they were lying at the South-Western Railway at Nine Elms. Witness agreed to purchase the 24 casks of fat at 38s. per cwt. The prisoner requested the wit- ness to send for t' em, and stated that there would be some charges, and asked him to pay them, and he could deduct the money from the amount. Believing the pri- soner had the fat at the railway, lie directed his carman to accompany the prisoner. He also gave his carman X5 for the purpose of paying the charges. Edward Callam, the carman, said the prisoner accom- panied him to Nine Elms station. He (the prisoner) then said he would go into the.office for the number of the truck the fat was in, and he afterwards came out with a paper in his hand, and represented that he bad obtained the number. He also said the charges were X3 2s., and asked him for the money to pay them. Witness gave him the money, and, after waiting some time, he made inquiries, but could not hear any thing of the prisoner or the fat. The prisoner was identified by the railway porters as having on that day inquired for some empty casks, which he represented came from Portsmouth about two months before; but no entry could be found relating to them, nor were there any such goods as 24 casks of fat. The prisoner was being watched at the time by a carman named Ford, in the service of Mr. Bryer, lime and oil merchant, of -Crucifix-lane, Bermondsey, who had been duped out of £ 4 in a similar manner on the 19th of the Mnc uiuuii'. iio oitw tiie prisoner wpeaKJug to Uallam, and afterwards to go in at one gate and out at another, and run towards Battersea-fields. He followed, auO him into custody, and on being searched, two sample boxes of grease and a pair of steelyards were found upon him. A sovereign was discovered concealed in his cap. There were two former convictions against him. Mr. Dayman committed the prisoner for trial at the next Old Baily Sessions on the three charge?. — Several convictions under the new Factory Act

took place at the West Riding Magistrates' Court, Hud- dersfield, on'Saturday. The offence in every case was employing children under the prescribed age, and without having their names entered on the register. A prospectus has been issued by the British Fire Prevention and Insurance Company, with a capital of £500,000., in shares of £5. The objects are stated to be the introduction of a system of fire prevention which may reduce the cost of insurance, and also to obtain a connection among the agents of life offices by a stipula- tion that the present undertaking shall never enter into competition in that branch of assurance. The Distress in Lancashire.—On Monday the Lord Mayor received the munificent sum ofXI,000 towards the fund at the Mansion-house, for the relief of the dis- ressed people in Lancashire and Cheshire, beirgthe amount of subscriptions paid into the Bengal Chamber of Com- merce, Calcutta, and including jS300 contributed by the residentsofMoulmein. The Bengal Chamber of Commerce had previously remitted large donations to the Mansion- house for this humane purpose, accompanied, as on this occasion, by an explanatory letter from Mr. Bullen, their chairman. The Lord Mayor also received yester- day, one half of the first instalment of £500, subscribed by readers of Cassell's Illustrated Family jPoper (the other half being for the Bridgewater house committee), through Messrs. Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, £250; from Mr. Frederick Pigon, £ 50; the captain, officers, and ship's company of her Majesty's ship Melpomene, through Captain Ewart, £ 48; and subscriptions paid into the Simla Bank Corporation at Simla, through Mr. Frederick Petereon, secretary, X57 14s. Singular Fatality to an Engine Tender.— On Friday an inqaest was held at Ince, near Wigan, on the body of John Kniveton, who met with his death on the 8th inst., under the following circumstances:—The deceased had charge of the pumping engine at No. 1 Pit of the Rose Bridge Collieries. About a quarter to 1 o'clock on the day named, a man named Peter Cart- wright went to the foreman of the engineers and informed him that he had been knocking nearly an hour at the pit eye, as he wished to ascend, but no notice had been taken of the signal, so he came up the shaft another way. Hopkinson, the foreman, accordingly went to the engine- house, where he found the deceased hanging fast by the neck between the spring beam and the radius rod, the space in which his neck was compressed being not more than two-and-a-half inches. The body was at once liberated, but was found quite cold. From the fact that the deceased's oil-can was lying upset near him, it is supposed that he had stopped his engine, and put his head through an aperture from the lower engine-room to an upper chamber, through which the engine cylinder worked, for the purpose of oiling some juints, when the engine suddenly crept" upon him and caused the fatality. The deceased ought to have ascended to th3 upper chamber to oil these joints, and he was well aware that the engine crept" occasionally after it had been stopped. Deceased leaves a wife, who, singularly enough, took her husband's dinner to the works at the usual hour on Wednesday, and, not seeing him about, placed the meal on the floor immediately beneath his suspended body, unconscious of the fate which had befallen him. Verdict, Accidental death." The Loss of the Lord Royston Steamer -The screw-steamer Dragon, from Charente, has just arrived in the Thames, with the captain and crew on board of the Lord Royston steamer, which, as already reported, was burnt in the Bay of Biscay, shortly after leaving Bordeaux for London. The crew had a narrow escape of losing their lives. The fire penetrated into the engine-room, and it is reported that the engines could not be stepped. Owing to the surface of the sea in the wake of the ship and round her sides being almost covered with flaming pitch, tar, and turpentine, there was great difficulty in getting away in the boats. One of the boats was burnt in lowering it. The crew were picked up bv the French galliot Gazelle, and landed at La Trem- blade.

CARDINAL WISEMAN ON TBE RIOTS IN HYDE PARK. A pastoral from Cardinal Wiseman to his "dear Irish children," was read on Sunday in all the Roman Catholic churches and chapels in the arch-diocese of Westminster. His Eminence, after observing that, as pastor over the Catholics of Westminster, it was painful to him to hear of any of them going astray, proceeds as follows:2 Now, unfortunately, this has been the case on the two last Sundays with a certain number of you (the Irish). Their riotous conduct in Hyde-park on those days, cannot, of course, be imputed to your whole body, nor even to a fraction of it, for a few hundreds only took part in it, while you are thousands in number. Still, even those who were present have been the cause of much sorrow and distress to myself, to your loving clergy, and to all the good of your nation and of your religion. My dear children, if any of you hear my words who took a share in those riotous proceedings on either of the last Sundays, and still more who intend to lenew those wicked scenes, I beg, I entreat, I conjure you, as your Father in Christ—nay, I solemnly enjoin and command you, as your bishop, not even to go to the park to-day, or on any future day when there may be the least danger of conflict or collision. "You will not, for a moment, suspect me of sympathy with those assemblies which have led to those distressing occurrences, and which I trust will be prevented in future by the good sense of the people and the watchfulness of our public authorities. Such senseless meetings become scandalous when, under a political pretence, the religion of others is insulted, and cries provocative of resentment and violence are uttered. But, dear children, if others choose to act wickedly as well as foolishly, this is no reason why you should do so. Leave them to their own folly, and be not the cause of greater evils ensuing from it. Children of St. Patrick, you have indured scoffs and calumnies against your faith from its avowed enemies; you have suffered much oppression and persecution in times past, fr-An which God has freed you, and which in better feelings throughout the empire will never allow to be renewed. But still more, you have borne the most terrible calamities that 'can befall a people-famine destitution, fever, wholesale death—with a patience that, has won you the respect and admiration of the world. In your patience you have indeed hitherto possessed your souls: in your impatience will you lose them now ? Because a fraction of tbe population of this one city are pleased to profane the holiness of God's day of rest by senseless outcries against our Holy Father Christ's vicar on earth, will you allow yourselves to be excited to an equal or greater profanation by deeds of riot and vio- lence, and even of bloodshed and possible murder ? God forbid I believe in, and hope for better things from you. Not only can you do no good by such a course to the cause which you wish to support, but you injure it most grievously. The cause of your dear Pon- tiff is the cause of justice, of truth, of virtue, of religion, of God himself. Now bludgeons, and blows, and tumults are not the means by which such a cause is to be enforced or de- fended. Nothing would afflict our sovereign Pontiff's tender heart more than to hear that you, his most cherished Irish children, have attempted to support his sacred cause by such violence. He himself has opposed meekness, gentleness, sweetness to thevaunts and vulgar abuse, as well as to the threats of his enemies, arrested by God's band when advancing against his capital. Imitate his conduct, act on the same noble principle, and leave his cause to God. "And why does this manner of acting succeed? Simply, because it is that of his Master and yours. It is tLe precept and example of your Supreme Lord and sweetest Master, Jesus Christ, tbat I am exhorting you to follow. Do you not remember that when Peter drew his sword and struck with it in his Lord's defence, he was rebuked for it. Put thy sword back into its scab- bard,' he was told, 'for all that take the sword shall perish by the sword' (Matt. xxvi, 52), and so may you, perhaps, perish in the violence you provoke; and if death seizes you amidst such scenes of lawleisness and blood, do you believe that your souls will escape the doom pronoufaced against the shedders of their neighbours' blood, and those who, like Barabbas, commit murder in sedition? Oh, dear children, be not like that man, that hateful wretch whom the Jews preferred to Jesus-the favoured by His deadly enemies; but be rather like that dear Jesus himself, 'who, when he was reviled, did not revile; when he suffered, he threatened not' (1 Peter ii, 23). Be you followers of Him, and suffer rather in silence and patience, that you may be known as His trre disciples. "Again, I repeat, go not even within the risk or possi- bility of danger, thia day in particular. Remain at home, or turn your steps in another direction. SeeK thA fresh air. anr1 «r>t tho -•ir jou must leave your Tiouse. But for the sake of your families, o your religion, of your souls, and of God's love, go not one of you to the scene of past riot or future provocation. Behold I speak to you in all charity, and with all authority; let me not have to beg pardon of God for a new sin of disobedience to his Church, com- mitted by you her children, in addition to past trans- gressions. "And now to you who have abstained from these offences, and who, I trust, do not intend to commit them now, I say, may God bless and prosper you. You do honour to Ireland and to your religion. Bat be not so satisfied. Exert all your influence with your more ardent and ill-advised fellow-countrymen. Counter- act the evil counsels of violent and often irreligious men who draw others after them to such acts of thoughtless excess. "And you, mothers, wives, and daughters, on whom falls the heaviest penalty, when the men of your families fall into crime and suffer its punishment, do you cling to the arms of your dear ones, if they attempt to rush from home to join in further disturbance, hang on their necks, and weep, and entreat, and caress them into Catholic sentiments of meekness and gentleness. Steal or tear away the weapons of lawless violence from their hands, and put the rosary or the sacred medal of Mary Immaculate in their place. No Irishman's heart will re- sist the united pleadings of religion and domestic affec- tion. Join these together, my dear daughters in Christ, and, for once, command those whom you habitually, affectionately obey. "God bless you all, beloved children, and give you ears to hear and hearts to perform what I, your bishop and holy father, the Pope's representative, earnestly en- join. N. Card. WISEMAN, "F. Can. SEARLE, Secretary.

OPENING OF A RAILWAY TO EPHESUS. The Smyrna Mail gives an account of the opening of the Ottoman Railway to Ayasolook, or Ephesus, which took pkee on the 15th September; Mehemet Reshid Pacha, the Governor-General of Smyrna, being present upon the occasion. A special train conducted the governor, the representatives of the various consuls, and the officials of the railway, along the line. On the arrival of the party at Ephesus, the opening of the line was announced by telegraph to the Sultan. At the station the authorities performed the mid-day prayer, and afterwards, near the line, the consecration prayer was read in Arabic. The following are extracts from the translation: — God preserve us from Satan the damned In the name of the most clement and merciful God. Amen "0 Thou who didst bestow intelligence on man, and who didst make him the superior of all other created beings; Thou who didst create the professions, and didst dis- tribute them to every man according to his capacity, bless the best of thy creatures (Mahomet), as well as those that believe in him. Amen! 0 Thou, ruler of the universe, preserve our' Padishah,' that upholder of the holy law, on the throne of his glorious ancestors, in strength and happiness. Amen! Strengthen more and more the foundations of the government of H. 1. M. Abd-Ul-Azis in progress and well being. Amen "Most High God, father of all creatures, grant that such works of prosperity and progress be multiplied a thousand fold, in all Mussulman countries with the concurrence of the great and magnanimous Queen of the Christians, her Majesty the Queen of England. Amen "Heap upon her thy celestial benedictions, cover her with thy wings, and render her happy in both worlds, in the world present and in the world to come. Amen! Grant that her friendship and help to the Ottoman Government and the Mahometan nations continue with- out interruption through all ages. Amen I May her heart be for ever filled with these noble sen- timents. Amen! "May the solid and amicable alliance which exists be- tween the two Governments last for ever. Amen! Allah prosper the vast expanse of the empire, by the increase of roads, and other communications, and by the progress of agriculture and commerce. Amen! "Great God, Lord of Lords, Almighty Maker, pre- serve in good health and long life the directors, con- tractors, and all those who are employed in this great and useful enterprise, and reward them with thy inex- haustible benefits. Amen. "0 God! our benefactor, author of our existence, ruler of heaven and earth, haste the completion of thia important road constructed with iron and multiply the number of similar undertakings. Amen! "Praise to God, ruler of the universe. Amen! Blessed be the God of stiength. Amen! Honour and glory to his saints elect. Amen! Salvation and blessings to the prophet, the best of men, as also to the prophets and all apostles sent by God. Amen I"

Hardy Fruit and Kitchen Garden. The weather hitherto has been tolerably favourable to the ripening of late fruits. Continue therefore gathering both apples and pears, most varieties of which will now be fit. Nonpareils should be amongst the last gathered,, and the same may be said of GlouMorceaú, BeurrQ Ranee, and Easter Buerre pears. If Coe's golden drop plums be carefully gathered, wrapped singly in thin paper after remaining some days in a dry airy room, and then packed in shallow boxes, they will keep a long time, and so will the blue imperatrice and the Ickworth imperatrice, t the latter being the more preferable plum of the two. It cannot be too often repeated that all choice fruit should be gathered when perfectly dry, and in storing,. wherever an extensive surface of fruit is exposed, air must be admitted freely, for at this period exhalations are most abundantly given out, and more especially by tbe early varieties on their becoming fit for use. These, in fact, ought to be in (.he same apartment with the moro valuable late-keenina- 1 '• frentionti*- «_- *«««■ room, and remove at once any fruit that appears to be unsound. Prepare ground for planting. Where there is foom to spare in the mush- room house, a little seakale, if wanted, may soon be forced. The roots should be placed on a slight bed of warm dung, filling up the spaces between then with old tan, or with the soil and manure mixed from an old mushroom bed, giving a good watering to wash it in amongst the roots. The bottom heat should not exceed 70°, as too much heat is not favourable to securing strong growth. Take advantage of wet days. for making fresh mushroom beds, and clearing out those that are spent; also collect and prepato droppings for forming fresh beds by spreading them in a shed, and turning them every day until they are suffi- ciently dried to prevent excessive fermentation after putting up. Carefully examine onion stores, and remove all in which there are any symptoms of decay. The celery maggot is reported to be very troublesome this autumn; the best remedy is perhaps picking off the affected leaves and burning them.—Gardener's Chronicle. Narrow Escape from a Railway Collision

-On Saturday, as the parliamentary train by the London and North Western Railway from London was on its way to Manchester, it had a narrow escape from destruction at Longsight. The train was due at Man- chester at 5'53 p.m., and as it approached Longsight soon after five o'clock, the driver saw approaching him a train from Manchester, on the same line of rails. He was slackening speed to stop at Longsight, but found it necessary to reverse his engine and put on breaks to avoid a collision, so imminent seemed the danger. The- driver of the other train did the same, and fortunately both trains were stopped; bat the two engines had ap- proached within a yard of each other before this could be effectually accomplished. The train from Manchester was an engine and two empty cattle tracks, and the driver appears to have been running up the wrong line to the Longsight depot for coke, notwithstanding every effort to stop him as he passed the Ardwick station. The train from London had fortunately been detained at Stockport four minutes beyond its time, to have extra carriage-, put on, or in all probability it would have met *iie other train between Longsight and Ardwick, when both were at high speed, and the loss of life might have been great, as there were 14 carriages nearly full with passengers in the parliamentary train. The conduct of the driver of the cattle train, who is said to be from Holyhead, will, no doubt, undergo inquiry, as the rules of the company are severe against driving on the wrong line under any circumstances. Danger of Jesting in Business Matters.— A letter from Prague mentions a curious affair uhich pioves that jesting in matters of business may sometimes cost dear. About a fortnight ago a hop-dealer of the neighbourhood entered the counting-house of a large merchant at Prague, with whom be had had commercial relations. The latter asked him how business was going on, when he replied, I am doing so little that I am am almost inclined to enter your service as a clerk. What salary should you require ? asked the merchant. —" Only 2,000 florins a-year," replied the other, laughing. The merchant shook hands with him, saying, Then it is a bargain." After a little further conversation the hop-dealer retired, and neither one nor the other appeared to think any more of the matter. Six days after a considerable rise began to take place in hops, and the merchant went to Saaz, the largest market in Bohemia, to make purchases, and to his annoyance found that the dealer had got the start of him, and purchased all he could find. Meeting the dealer in the street, the mer- chant asked him what hops ke had purchased, and the price ? That is my affair," was the reply. What do you mean by your affair ? You forget, then, that you are my clerk, and that I have a right to inquire what business you transact on my account. You are free to cancel your engagement hereafter, but for the present you act for me.' The dealer went to consult an advocate, who told him that his engagement was valid, and that in any case a trial would be a tedious affair. He then went to the merchant, and after a long discussion agreed to pay 4,000 florins (10,000f.), damages for cancelling his engagement in order to retain for his own account the profitable speculation he had made. When the money had been paid, the Prague merchant declared that he would not keep a farthing of it, and distributed it among some poor relations of the dealer.

POLITICAL GOSSIP. -+- ANOTHER letter of the late Count Cavour is brought to light in the Nazione of Florence. If genuine, it is important and interesting, as in it the Count states the proposals made by England to, and accepted bv, France for th9 settlement of the affairs of Italy at "the com- mencement of the yeai 1860. MRS. BROWN, the wife of the respected Mayor of Sheffield, has had the honour of receiving from Lady Palmerston a. costly gold bracelet, studded with precious stones, as a memento of the Premier's visit to Sheffield, and in recognition of the private hospitality received by his lordship at-the mayor's residence, Shirle-hill. GENERAL BIXIO has been sent to England to s'ujy naval matters in this country fo- the benefit of his own. We had no idea he was a naval officer, but foreigners look upon the military man as capable of anything in the •warlike way. On> of the most esteemed Prussian admi- rals of the present day we remember ss a comfortable old-fashioned major of cavalry, who had never seen more water than Father Rhine. Doubtless he is in the Horse Marines. MR. ROEBUCK has sent a characteristic letter to the Times, contradicting the statement which appeared in hat journal to the effect that ha had joined two other gentlemen in obtaining a concession for a railroad from Arad to Hermanstadt and Cronstadt. He "does not understand what the Times has to do with his movements on the Continent;" he is travelling privately with his family, "holding no public office and performing no public duty." THERE will be a cabinet council in Downing-street on Thursday, the 23rd instant. This is rather earlier than usual, and a long notice has been given for the convenience of those ministers who are at a distance. Conjectures are rife about the subjects to be discussed-- foremost amongst which in urgency are the protracted mischiefs of the American struggle, the Roman question, and the Lancashire distress. The American difficulty is the most likely to engage the public attention, and to be assigned a3 the pregnant source of ministerial anxiety. That it is so there is no doubt. But that there is any intention-or any chance-of departing from the course of caution and circumspection hitherto observed we do not see, and we do not believe, notwithstanding the signs and evidences that have been hailed with more or less of hope or fear by many, and with evident anxiety by all. —Observer. MR. LAiyc is likely soon to have a seat in Parlia- ment. Glasgow is stated to be the constituency which is to offer the hon. gentleman an opportunity of meeting Sir Charles Wood "at Philippi." WE learn that Sir Thomas Redington, K.C.B., has had a relapse, and the greatest fears are entertained for his ultimate recovery. IF we may credit intelligence received, Garibaldi will visit England as soon as the state of his health permits him to do so. AIR, REGINALD THYNNE, youngest son of the Rev. Lord John Thynne, Prebendary of Westminster, has just entered the army as Ensign and Lieutenant (by purchase) in the Grenadier Guards. WE understand that the Southern Association in Liverpool, at a meeting on Thursday, agreed to a pro- position which had for its object the memorialising of Government for the recognition of the Confederate States of America. This movement on the part of the Southern Association has been chiefly caused by the opinions enunciated at Newcastle on Tuesday last by Mr. Glad- stone. On dit, that the members of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce have or are abofat to petition Government as to the necessity of recognising the South as a separate nation. MAJOR-GENERAL W. F. HAMILTON, C. B., late of the Grenadier Guards, has been appointed Vice-President of the Council of Military Education, in the place of Lieut.- General Knollys, Comptroller of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales's Household. General Hamilton served with his regiment throughout the Crimean war, and was present at the battles of the Alma and Inkermann, where he was severely wounded. SIGN OR GAVAZZI was about to lecture on Italy in the town of Newrv, but the magistrates received information that if he did so, serious riots were certain to take place, which would end in the destruction of property, perhaps loss of life. Two of them intimated this fact to the minister in whose church the lecture was to be held, and, consequently, the lecturer did not appear. WE learn that it is proposed to give up all experiments with guns to the Ordnance Select Committee. This appears to be a matter of regret, as the manner in which the Plate Committee have carried on their experiments has won golden opinions from all concerned; there has been an absence of red tape, and no particular groove in which their sympathies ran. The president of the Plate Committee and its members have won the confidence of all, and we do not think that the dividing the guns to be fired from the targets to be fired at will be at all beneficial to the public service.—Army and Navy Gazette. IT is said that Viscount Laguéronnière, the editor of La France, gets 25,000fr. a-year from the Empress's private purse, besides his salary and his senator's pay, for his strenuous advocacy of the Pope's cause. OUR allies don't seem to relish over-much the Volun- teer system in England ,has the Patrie the other day, in noticing Lord Derby's election to the command of the 1st Lancashire Rifles, has the following;—<< It is a great piece of news this for us, for we thought the English people had done with this playing at soldiers, which was only the comic side cf Lord Palmerston's grand systems of defence. We cannot, however, but admire the English 1 character, which has adopted as a lasting institution the eccentric creation of riflemen 1" > l

Wheat Sowing. Mr. Mechi, in a letter to the Agricultural Gazette, gives the following information upon this subject. He says- It must never be forgotten that thin sowing is the parent or first cause of large and vigorous ears to select from; on this point there can be no mistake, seeing that thick sowing has an exactly reverse effect, diminishing and crippling the growth of the ear, until, with extreme quantities, there is scarcely a good kernel or good ear. Therefore, in order to get good ears to select from, must sow moderately.. It would be a very dangerous experiment to sow generally so small a quantity of seed as one peck per acre. In highly cultivated, warm, mellew soils, free from weeds and in good heart, where harvest is ready by the 1st of August or earlier, such small quantities may be sown, provided the sowing is done early, but we must ask ourselves how much or rather how little, of the land of this kingdom is in the state I have described. One kernel in a hole, at inter- vals of 9 inches by 4. would under favourable circum- stances be ample, and produce much more than if four times that number we*e sown, but then we have rooks, French partridges, birds, mice, and wire-worm to contend with. The latter may be easily got rid cf by sowing or ploughing in rape cake, with or without salt, the latter to be commended. Light land men would be astonished to see our cold tenacious bird-lime-like seed beds in & wet seed time, even where well drained and deeply cultivated. The seeding of friable manageable soiia cannot be compared with such a state of things. Besides, the time of harvesting depends upon the quantity of seed sown, and the period at which it is sown. It is all very well to talk of sowing in September, but in many districts this year all hands were then employed in harvesting, and in late districts seed time will probably be November and December. On my own farm, experience has taught me the danger of so small a quantity as one peck per acre, and I know of some cases this year where one peck of Mr. Hallett's wheat on one acre has been found to produce only three quarters of inferior quality per acre on land which generally produces five or six quarters. Parties who have been thus unsuccessful, should, equally with those who are successful, communicate their results for the in- formation and guidance of their brother farmers. Absurd quantities of seed continue to be sown as a general practice, but I would advise my brother agri- culturists to feel their way down to a proper minimum quantity, suited to their soil and climate by small ex- periments in their fields. I see so many farms where weeds are allowed to luxuriate and perfect their seeds almost undisturbed, in competition with the cereal crops, that in these it would be the height of folly to attempt thin sowing. There they must sow thick to pre-occupy the ground and smother the weeds, as they will not clean hoe. Thin sowing, to be successful, demands, like a thinned turnip crop, a frequent use of the hand and horse hoe, to which much of the land of this kingdom is still a stranger."