The Illustrated Usk Observer and Raglan Herald

THEGRAYEYARDS OF BELFAST AND ATHLONE. Extraordinary disclosures were made at the meeting of the Town Council of Belfast on Wed- nesday last with reference to the state of the burying-grounds in that town. A report from the Town Improvement Committee was read, from which the following is an extract:— The Friars'-bush graveyard is entirely occupied; there is no ground unopened. Human bodies are sometimes placed immediately beneath the surface of the ground, with a slight mound of earth laid above them. The graves when opened are found to be saturated with decomposed remains, and the surface has been gradually raised many feet above its original level. The ground has not been properly dried by deep draining, so that the soil gives off very noxious exha- lations, and the water, charged with putrid matter, is suffered to flow over the surface and to pollute the atmosphere. There is not sufficient soil to absorb any further animal matter, and, nevertheless, it is fre- quently opened to admit fresh bodies. The number of interments during the year 1862 was 717. The ob- servations made on Friars'-bush graveyard apply to a considerable extent to Shankhill burial-ground, and to the new burial-ground, Antrim-road. The Shankhill burial-ground consists of two parts. The older part is quite full of graves, and when interments occur partially decomposed remains must be disturbed, which should never occur, and the bodies are placed much too near the surface. The newer part has a good deal of ground as yet unopened, and, under proper restric- tions, might be used for some time. The total number of interments in the year 1862 was 692. The new burial-ground was not sufficiently drained, and is be- coming surrounded by buildings. The ground is all occupied, and, in order to prevent overcrowding and the consequent evils, interments should be discon- tinued, except under proper restrictions. The total number of interments in the year 1862 was 173. A memorial to the same effect was presented from the householders of Malone district, and in which they state that Beggar's-bush graveyard, close to the Botanic-gardens, which separate it from the Queen's College, was overcrowded more than twenty years ago, and that since that time probably 20,000 corpses have been deposited in it; that coffins are constantly deposited almost on the surface, oldcoffins and the putrefying remains of corpses are continually dug up and "burnt, by which, noisome and dangerous effluvia are produced, generating fever of a malignant type, which was spreading rapidly. It was proposed that the Lord-Lieutenant should be requested to exert the power vested in him to close that graveyard, but this was opposed by a member of the town council on the ground that it was chiefly used by Roman Catholics; that none of the inhabitants of that persuasion had signed the memorial, and that the interests of their clergy would be injuriously affected by the shutting up of that place of inter- ment. The Northern Whig says :— "In Ireland it-is hard to find a Catholic layman who will venture on any subject to disregard the pe- remptory bidding of his priest, though in England and on the Continent the manlier type of character, fami- liar to old days, is happily not yet extinct among Romanists. From Mr. Rea's statement, and he seemed to speak semi. officially, the conclusion will be general that the Catholic clergy of Belfast have issued orders to their submissive flocks to rally round the banner of pestilence, indecency, and sacred gain; and to fight for it to the last. Friars'-bush is their rotten borough; and they are unwilling to see it in Schedule A. If this be not the explanation of their conduct, they owe it to themselves to supply a more truthful and honourable one. Private, even though they be 'c priestly, profits cannot be allowed to shield monstrous public abuses. Religion itself suffers when its ministers, of any church, stand forward in the shame ful character of traders in corruption and death— claiming a vested interest in noisome pestilence and nameless outrage on the departed. We shall be sincerely glad to hear that Mr. Rae calumniates the Catholic clergy whose interests he affects to protect, and that they are lees covetous than he would fain make them appear."

CRYSTAL PALACE POULTRY SHOW. The winter may be said to have fairly set in when the Crystal Palace ceases to rely on the attractions of its magnificent terraced gardens, and has to supple- ment even the artistic adornment of the interior of the building itself with the wild novelties of a poultry show. Such an exhibition to the Londoner, whose only notion of poultry not on table is chiefly drawn from the scraggy bundles. of feathers which gain a precarious livelihood in back streets of the suburbs, constitutes an attraction of the most placid and least exciting kind. To amateurs who can detect the faintest blemish in the duck-winged game cock, or see at a glance among the magpie terifans where the le- gitimate chanticleer has been deceived, these shows are of course deeply interesting, but to the general visitor to Norwood their claims are but faintly recog- nised, and not often more than cursorily exam- ined. The Poultry Show which opened on Monday was most admirably arranged in the north wing, and in variety and number was one of the most ample that has ever been collected together. There were in all upwards of 1,000 pens of poultry, pigeons, and rabbits, including nearly 600 pens of poultry, 300 pens of pigeons, and .100 pens of rabbits. The poultry in- cluded every variety known to breeders, not even excepting such abstruse specimens as ornamental water fowl, common water fowl, gold and silver phea- sants, &c. There were 28 varieties of pigeons, some of which, such as the wonga wongas, archangels, agates, and priests, many spectators doubtless viewed for the first time. Of the eight distinct varieties of rabbits sent in, those exhibited for weight evidently excited the greatest amount of attention among the uninitiated, and there were in this class some really wonderful specimens. Altogether the whole show was well worth a visit from amateurs and breeders. The prize3 given on this occasion were unusually numerous, so much so, in fact, as to quite preclude any attempt to give a list of them. +

The Rev. William Oxenham, lower master of Harrow School, is dead. Himself educated at Harrow, Mr. Oxenham was appointed as assistant master in 1826, and on the death of the Rev. Henry Drury suc- ceeded to the post of lower master. Out of Practice.—A Canadian paper says that an American was recently arrested at Brockville on sus- picion of being one of the men concerned in the late stabbing affair at Kingston. He declared very inno- cently that "he had not killed a man for three months." He was found to be not the man wanted.

EARL DE GREY ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS. I The Mayor of Ripon entertained the Town Council of that borough at a public dinner at the Town-hall, and amongst the invited guests was the Earl de Grey and Ripon, who, in responding to the toast of "her Majesty's Ministers," said :— I am greatly ob'iged to you for the manner in which you have been pleased to receive the toast which has been proposed in so flattering terms by my friend Mr. Kearsley. Since, nearly a year ago, I had the henour of returning thanks in this room for this toast, I have been called to a more important office in the Government than that which I then filled, and I stand before you now more. fully entitled to return thanks for her Majesty's Ministers than I could have done in the subordinate position which I then occupied (cheers). But I cannot allude to that change in my own position without in the first place saying a few words about the great loss which the Government and the country have sustained in the death of that distinguished and illustrious statesman whose unworthy successor I now am. Those who had the honour and happiness of knowing Sir George Lewis, as I- knew him, were well aware of the many qualities of heart and intellect. which justly entitled him to hold his place among the foremost statesmen of his coun- try and his time (hear). He was a man of the most varied and eminent attainments (hear); equally remarkable in politics, in literature, and in science, and never wearied in the pursuit of knowledge, seeking recreation from his official labours in the studies which most men would have considered hard work, and combining with all that a rare modesty and singular soundness of judgment, which made him a honourable counsellor of his Sovereign and his colleagues, a man most trusted and respected by all parties in the State, and made his loss to be deeply felt, not only by his colleagues in the Government, of which he was one of the brightest ornaments, but by the country which he so well served (applause). I am well aware that I should do wrong if I were to attempt to interpret this teast in any party sense. We are not here to talk party politics or to discuss questions of that description; but I think I may fairly take it, coupled with the manner in which it has been received, as a proof that, apart from party considerations, you, as I believe the rest of the country, are inclined to express your approval of the gtneral course of policy which has been pursued by her Majesty's Government (hear). Our lot has been cast in times of no inconsiderable difficulty, and wherever we look abroad, whether it be to the East or to the West, we see signs of trouble and disorder, we hear rumours of war, and insurrection, and difficulty. In such times, although the position of our own country is due far more to our time-honoured and invaluable institutions than to the efforts of any man or the temporary policy of any Government, nevertheless we may, I think, say without presumption that if we have been able to maintain the position of this country and to preserve our peaceful relations amid the difficulties of the world, we have discharged, and so far we have discharged successfully, a task of no ordinary diffi- culty (cheers). If we have accomplished that, it has been by adhering to distinct and intelligible principles—principles which have commended themselves to the approval of the country, because they were founded in justice and fair dealing (hear, hear). When we look to the West and turn our eyes to that un- happy contest to which so large a share of the attention of this and every other country has been given now for the last few years, I think you will agree with me that the course taken by her Majesty's Government has been the only one which was consistent with the claims of justice and with the proper position of this country (cheers). We have from the outset declared our intention to preserve, in the contest going on in America, a posi- tion of strict neutrality (hear, hear). That position we have unswervingly maintained, and I think, if we wish to find a proof of the truth of that assertion, we should discover it in the fact that, by thus holding an equal balance between the two contending parties, we seem to have pleased neither- for, while at one time we are told by a statesman of the Northern States that we have pursued an improper and partial course in regard to them, scarcely do we hear these sentiments wafted across the Atlantic before we learn that Mr. Davis has directed Mr. Mason to leave thig country becausehewas not treated with proper consideration (cheers). It has been said recently by an American statesman of much influence, and occupying a high position in that country, that when we acknowledged the Southern States of America as belligerents we deviated from neutrality and inflicted an injury to the Northern States. I con- fees that-1 have heard that speech of Mr. Sumner with very deep regret. A gentleman occupying his position, and possessed of the influence in his own country which Mr. Sumner wields, speaks, when he does speak upon such topic?, under very grave responsibilities, and it is his duty to be very careful that he does not fan the feelings of men under unusual circumstances, and create disastrous war between two friendly countries (applause). I say that in admitting the position of the South as belligerents we admitted only that which was a fact that could not be denied; that in admitting that position we admitted only a fact that was acknowledged and secured by the supreme courts of justicein the Northern States; and I say, further, that that was the only posi- tion upon which it would have been possible for us to meet the Northern States and to discuss the various questions that in the course of such a contest were certain to arise in regard to the rights of neutrals and to the claims of English shipowners and others interested in English commerce. No known principles would have been before us to deal with these questions if we had obstinately refused to acknowledge as belligerents those who were every day proving in the clearest manner that they were belligerents, and belligerents of the most formidable character; and it is unreasonable and unjust to contend, as it is in my judgment absurd to hold, that the acknowledgment by England of the belligerent position of the Southern States can have that extraordinary influence upon the question which Mr. Seward and others endeavour to attribute to it. The noble lord pro- ceeded to contend ihat they had acted in accordance with inter- national law, and that the only course the Government could pursue was one of strict neutrality; and he also defended the course which the Government had adopted with respect to the Polish question.

TICKETS OF LEAVE. It is the fate of the benevolent to be often disap- pointed in the results of their best-intentioned actions, but we must admire those to whom disappointment is not discomfiture. Our ticket-of-leave system has not worked well. The temporary absence of some pro- fessional thievesJxom active practice seemed to have given additional zest to their ingenuity, for on repairing to the ordinary haunts of men they exercised their avocations with a pertinacity which the possession of a ticket of leave seemed to no ways lessen. Not long since the voice of the general public was loudly raised against the ticket-of-leave system, as exhibited in police reports, and our philanthropists found them- selves called upon to reconsider the means of convict reform. At the Social Science Congress in Edinburgh, Lord Neaves spoke upon this popttlar and perplexing problem. It is certain the Irish system is a wondrous success, whilst the English has proved a signal failure. The cause of this difference does not seem to be very clearly understood. Some attribute it to the existence of an intermediate prison in the Irish system, where the convict passes through a proba- tionary state before being allbwed to return to general society, and after receiving this permission he still remains under police surveillance until the full term of his original sentence has expired. This distinguish- ing feature in the Irish system is regarded by many as the cause why that system has worked so well. It may be, too, that there are influences at work in Ire- land which do not operate in England. It may be, too, that the character of crime in Ireland, dependent on national peculiarities or other causes, has rendered those convicts more susceptible of moral improvement than these in England. Be that as it may, Lord Neaves advocates the introduction of the Irish system into this country by the unanswerable argument that the English system is so bad that no alteration could a make it worse. Under these circumstances something ought to be done. At the same time it may be a nice question to determine whether the convict soil of England is precisely in the condition to benefit by the application of the Irish system. Lord Neaves spoke very wisely upon the nature and object of punishment administered by human laws, and in connection with these remarks he laid down certain conditions to be observed towards those upon whom punishment is inflicted. Of these conditions we shall consider three, premising that could they be carried into effect we should have very little more to desire on the convict question. Lord Neaves says that, firstly, crime should be made less easy of com- mission. We freely admit the principle; the only difficulty is in carrying' it into execution. To do this we must take into consideration the difference that exists between different classes of crime. There are some, such as burglaries and pocket picking, where the facility of commission may be lessened by me- chanical contrivances, but there are numerous other, and far more criminal offences, for whose prevention the barrier must be applied to the human will. And here is the great difficulty, for could such a pre- ventive be found it would be equally applicable to those for the commission of which strong physical obstacles are overcome. Whether the apprehension of punishment deters any from crime we know not; all we could be justified in saying is that it seems to have no influence on the actual transgressors. Secondly, Lord Neaves asserts that the detection of crime should be made more sure and rapid. Here again we are at one with the learned lord, and would be most happy to see a more complete police system in operation. Unfortunately, however, the ingenuity of the thief keeps pace with the activity of the detective, and so the result is nil. Thirdly, Lord Neaves proposes to carry off as early as possible those who are becoming professional or habitual thieves, and deal with them before they axe confirmed in their habits. It is this "dealing with the convict that constitutes the very problem so many are trying to solve. How are we to deal with him so as to prevent a return to his evil courses? The Irish system is said to work well. Would it work well in England ? We know not. All we can say is that our philanthropists have hitherto only pointed out the end we wish to attain without showing us the means of reaching it. No one has yet belled the eat.—Observer.

FUNERAL OF M. BILLAULT, AND tJ FRENCH POLITICS. a The special correspondent of a contemporary, in a ? Letter dated October 19th, gives the following:— M. Billault was buried yesterday. The funeral ser- j? vice was performed with great pomp and state, at a t cost of 20,000f., in the presence of the members of the Imperial household, the family of the deceased J statesman, the Senate, and the Corps Legislatif. '• The splendid ceremony attracted a great crowd, and 0 although I have heard complaints that there was very 0 little sympathy, yet I can answer for the fact that 0 there were eulogiums expressed in that crowd quite as T flattering to the memory of M. Billault as any that will be uttered by priest or statesman. Honours are ? to be thrust on the man "whom France regrets and his friends deplore." Viscount de la G-uerronrdere is a to write his life his bust is to be placed above the President's seat in the Corps Legislatif; a street is to t be called after him; and M. Busson, his son-in-law, is ° to be named senator. The day before, M. Billault's death he felt so much better that he determined to recommence his somewhat neglected work. When his doctor visited him rather late in the day, he said to t him, Here I am at work, doctor; what do you think ( of your patient ?—he has already signed three hundred t papers." He expired during the night, and was 1 buried yesterday, having £ ied in the service of his 1 country, like St. Arnaud, Bineau, Ducos, Fortoul, and Abbatucci, in Franoe-,Cavour, Farini, and La Farina, in Italy—all within the last ten years. Now comes the s question of replacing the faithful public servant. It 2 was said by another victim to his country that I France would no longer be France if the day should come when no man could be found to pick up a sword which has fallen, or to continue the tones of a voice t silenced by death;" but in spite of this assertion, it is 1 not easy to find on such short notice the right man. It would appear that it is not the mere replacing of a Minister, but the entire reformation of a Cabinet, which is the consequence of the death of the advocate of the Imperial policy. The official papers say nothing, and the other journals very little; but from private information I think I can give you a good idea of what will be the reconstituted Cabinet. M. Fould, Ministre d'Etat; Vuitry, Finances; M. Rouher remaining in the Conseild' Etat as orator. Then, again, we hear of Drouyn de l'Huys as the substitute of M. Billault, and M. Magne aselevatedtoafreshposition; while Mareschal Niel suc- ceeds Randon at the War-office, the latter general being about to be kicked upstairs," and shelved in Algeria, vice Malakoff relieved, and appointed to the Invalides. Rumour. is also busy with the names of Rouland and Delangle. M. Dupin is to succeed M. Troplong. Always keeping in mind the great love of the Emperor for a startling policy, and the possibility that lie may surprise Europe with some quaint and apparently im- possible combination, these are, I believe, the most probable changes. I must not forget a piece of political strategy which is to be employed against the oppo- sition. Le Due de Morny is to appear at the opening of the session as a leader of a Left Centre in the Corps Legislatif, this having for its object the weaken- ing by disunion of the opposition, and for its organ Le Pays. The statesman who succeeds to the port- folio of finance is not likely to inherit a bed of roses. I wonder," said to me yesterday one of the leading merchants of Paris, "what would have been done to any trader who manufactured bills at the rate of M. Fould! The first little bit of business which devolves on his successor is to raise a loan, they say, of 400,000, OOOf.

THE ASSAULT ON THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM. Last week, Messrs. George and William Norton, commercial travellers, of Reading, were charged on a summons before the Sessions Court of the Guildhall at Bath with having on the 8th of October assaulted Richard, Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, at the Bath railway station; and on another summons taken out by the Great Western Railway authorities with wilfully interfering with the comfort of the passengers in contravention of the bye-laws of the company. Mr. Slack, on behalf of the Great Western Railway Com- pany, stated that the -conduct complained of occurred on the 8th of Oct. On that evening the Duke of Buck- ingham arrived by an up train at the Bath station. He hadassistedtheDuchessof Buckingham and his children from the carriage, and was removing his parcels, when the defendants, who it seemed showed an impatient de- sire to obtain seats in the carriage which his grace had quitted, pressed forward in a rude manner, and com- mitted the assault. Since the summonses had been issued Mr. Burne, solicitor, of Bath, had on the part of the defendants, expressed their sincere regret for what had taken place, and tendered a donation of £5 to the funds of the Bath United Hospital. If, there- fore, their worships would consent, the summonses would be withdrawn. Mr. Robertson, solicitor of Bath, on behalf of the Duke of Buckingham, said that his client's object being accomplished, in showing that railway passengers had a legal right to protection from any sort of molestation, he had no personal, wish to press the case, and he was therefore willing to with- draw the summons, trusting the case "would be made thoroughly public, so as to prevent the occurrence of similar unpleasantness for the future. The sum- monses were dismissed, and the parties left the court.

NARROW ESCAPE. OF MAJOR COWELL.' One morning last week his Royal Highness Prince Alfred, attended by Major Cowell, and his Royal Highness Prince William of Hesse, attended by Capt. Zengler, rode out in the Queen's-park, Edinburgh. Shortly after leaving the palace, and while riding in the direction of St. Leonard's, an accident occurred to Major Cowell, which might have been followed by serious results. Just after the four gentlemen had got their steeds into a pleasant canter, Major Cowell's horse stumbled and came down upon its knees. In an instant, and before his companions were aware of the mishap, the major was hurled right over its head, turning a complete somersault in the air, and falling upon his back in the middle of the road. Apparently severely hurt, he lay prostrate for a few moments where he fell; but when the first effects of the shock had passed away he was able to rise without assistance, and it was found that he had received no injury beyond a rather disagreeable shake. Meanwhile, his horse bolted along the Drive in the direction of Dumbie- dykes, but had not proceeded far when it was brought to a stand by a man passing through the park, and was soon secured by Prince Alfred's groom. Major Cowell then remounted, and the whole party rode off up the Drive. As may readily be imagined, Major Cowell's peril caused considerable alarm to the Princes, who were quite taken aback by the sudden and dangerous occurrence, occupying, as it did, only a, few minutes. How the major escaped without some serious injury seems quite inexplicable. The Royal party returned to the palace by way of St. Leonard's, the Bridges, and the Regent's-road. Along the route Prince Alfred was frequently recognised, and politely acknowledged the salutations of the passers-by. In the evening their Royal Highnesses were present at the entertainment of the Christy's Minstrels.

A SCENE AT "BELL'S LIFE" OFFICE. The unmitigated scoundrelism of a certain class of the patrons of the noble art" seems to have reached its climax on the occasion of the late fight between Gannon and Baldock for X100 a side. The police twice put a stop to the brutal exhibition, and the referee (editor of Bell's Life) ordered the men to meet at his office on the next day. The meeting is thus re ported by the editor;—" On Thursday the representa- tive of tho men treated us to one of the usual levees which our position compels us to hold, in which loud voices and unabashed falsehood were used as the in- struments to blind our eyes to justice, and it was not till our room was cleared of all save one representative of each man that we could get on anything like terms, or ascertain the point at issue, which turned out to be that Gannon's friends accused Baldock of wilfully giving himself up to the police; while Baldock's backers as strenuously denied this fact, and declared the man could not get away from the police. Evidence was laid before us by Gannon's friends, which, coupled with inquiries we caused to be made, convinced us that their accusation was founded on fact, and the referee, on Friday morning, when the parties again met at our office, awarded the money to Gannon. Directly this just decision was given our office was filled by a band of ruffians, at the head of whom wore Ward of the Ironfounders' Arms, Greenwich, Young Billy Shaw, Tom Tyler, and Baldock himself, who assailed us and our reporter with the vilest abuse, and Baldock and another of his friends, a pedestrian named Myers, we believe, with frightful oaths deolared. that they would take the life of our Ring reporter the first time they caught him in the streets. Young Tyler and Ward were no way behindhand in their threats, and the scene altogether was of such a nature as we aever witnessed before, and will take care shall not oecur again in our office. Finally, we were compelled to summon the assistance of our whole staff of com- positors to clear the room, but the company did not take their departure without threatening to wreair their vengeance upon every one who did not think with them at the earliest opportunity. Before taking leave of this affair we are requested by the proprietors of this journal to state that unless the present system of terrorism, only exercised by a certain clique, is at once and for ever put an end to, which can be done with the greatest ease by the parties most interested- the pugilists themselves-Bells Life in London will' cease to be the organ of the Ring, and every effort will be used on our part to put an end to a sport which as at present carried on cannot be defended on any ground whatever. Whether gentlemen will ever again be per- suaded to venture to the Ring side is a problem yet to, be solved."

DENMARK AND GERMANY. The following is the text of Earl Russell's dispatch to Sir Alexander Malet, the British envoy to the German Diet, relating to the intended Federal execu- tion in Holstein. The dispatch, as has already been stated, has been communicated to the Federal Diet:- "Foreign-oiffce, Sept. 23. Sir,—Your dispatch, No. 1S8, of the 21st September, demon- strates conclusively that the position ofaffairs between Denmark and Germany is becoming very serious. You state that the re- port of a committee has been laid before the Federal Diet, and it appears from your analysis of the same that the committee re- commend Federal execution in the Duchy of Holstein that the report will be brought to the vote upon the 1st of October; and that. in me event of its approval, execution will take place within, at the earliest, a period cf three weeks. It appears further from your dispatch that the motives upon whieh Federal execution is based admit of the widest scope. The report states: The object of the execution unquestionably con- sists in carrying out the lesolutions of the Diet, dated the lltli February and 12th August, 1858, the 4th March, 136S, the 7th February, 1861, and the 9th July, 186?, in so far as these have not already taken place; also In fulfilment of the stipulations contracted in 1851 and 1852 with respect to the duchies of Hol- stein and Lauenburg, and announced by Royal proclamation; also in the establishment of a j« int constitution unitiig the above-mentioned duchies with Schleswig and with the kingdom of Denmark proper in a similar bend, establishing the independ- ence and equal rights of each portion in such a manner that no- part shall be subordinate t) another, and at the same time in the establishment of provincial consJtutions for the duchies of Hol- stein and Lauenburg, containing elective representation with, legislative power.' "Her Majesty's Government are unable to close their eyes to the gravity of the report which the Federal Diet has to take into its consideration. If the report of the committee had confined itself to stating that the Royal proclamations do not ccmply with the resolution of the Federal Diet in respect to the duchy of Holstein; that the Dnke of Holstein was not entitled to dis- pose of the finances of IIoHtein without the assent of his estates; that he had no right to promulgate laws for Holstein otherwise than with the co-rperation cf the Holstein Diet; and that the prolonged hesitation of the Danish Government to bring about a satisfactory state of things had rendered Federal execution necessary-her Majesty's Government, while regretting that the German Federal Diet intervened at the present time, would yet not have denied the claim of the principles advanced to be con- sidered the real and essential basis Gf constitutional government. But it cannot be required that the constitution of the entire Danish monarcbv should ba subjected to the jurisdiction o; the Germanic Confederation. If the estates of the Duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg were permitted to veto the proceedings of the- Danish Parliament and Danish Government, it is evident that the measures necessary for the defence of Denmark agsinst a foreign enemv might be prevented, the entire activity of the monarchy be paralysed, and the integrity and independence of Denmark be seriously threat(ned. By the convention of London of May 8, 1852, her Majesty is bound to respect the iniegrily and iudependetce of Denmark. The Emperor of Austria and the King of Prussia have undertaken a similar obligation. Her Majesty would not look with indifference upon a military occupation of Holstein, which would enly cease under seriously disadvantageous conditions to the constitution of the entire Danish monarchy. Her Mf.jesiy's Government csuld neither recognise such a military occupation as a legitimate exercise of the authority of the Confederation, nor admit its designation by the name of a Federal execution. Her Majesty's Government, could not remain indifferer t to the influence of such a proceeding upon Denmark and the interests of Europe. Her Majesty's Go- vernment, therefore, earnestly recommends the German Federal Diet to abstain from its intention, and to submit the question ire dispute between Germany arid Denmark to the mediation of other Po-vers uninterested in the difference, but deeply concerned in the maintenance of the peace cf Europe and the independence of Denmark-l am, &c, RUSSELL. "Sir Alexander Malet, Bart."

GROSS INHUMANITY TO A HORSE. At the Town-hall, Ramsgate. before Mr. Crofton» chairman, and a full ben,ch of magistrates, Charles Pearce, hawker, of Margate, was brought up on warrant, at the instance of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, charging him with, having cruelly abused and tortured a horse at Haine, on the 3rd inst. Mr. W. Love, from the office of the society, attended to pro- secute, and stated the facts, which were 'fully borne out. by respectable witnesses, from which it appeared that the horse in question was. purchased by the prisontr's employer for nine shillings, being at the time in the most horrible condition, on the 2nd inst. the prisoner left Margate early in the morning, vith the wretched animal and three other horses, to go to the Eastry Cattle Fair, seven miles distant. On reaching a place called Haine, about three miles from Margate, the horse in question fell in the road from sheer exhaustion. It was subse- quently got up and turned into, a field close by, where it again fell, and was left by the prisoner, plunging and beating its head about in great agony. The horse re- mained in that state throughout the day and the succeed- ing night without any attention being paid to it. On the following morning, at ten o'clock, the prisoner went to the spct and stabbed the horse with a knife below the shoulder. He then went away, leaving the animal kicking and groaning, and did not return again till late in the day. Meanwhile information had reached the society's officcr at Ramsgate, and he proceeded to Hame, and found the unfortunate animal writhing on the grounc1, some hours after the prisoner had left it, and an end was at onCII put to its sufferings The prisoner was remonstrated with by one of the witnesses, who saw him stab the horse, and who called his attention to the fact that the animal was not likely to die. He (the prisoner), however, treated the matter very coolly, saying he had run the knife in up to the hilt, and it would soon die. Mr. Town, who appeared for the prisoner, argued that there was no intentional cruelty on the part of the prisoner, for it was clearly his intention to kill and not to torture the horse w; en be stabbed it, and that being so the Bench could not properly con- vict. The magistrates having consulted together, The Chairman committed the prisoner to gaol for twenty-one days, with hard labour. ♦

The Duchess de Montebello is dead. The Duke de Montebello will shortly leave St. Petersburg. His Royal Highness Prince Frederick of Denmark (now in this country) intends to pass a year at Oxford, attending the university courses. Sir William Somerville is to be raised to the Irish peerage, to fill the vacancy now available. The; title the right hon. baronet is said to have chosen is C olville — rather a work of supererogation, as there are two peerages already distinguished by that title. Weyhill Hop Fair.-The large bulk of hops brought here for disposal occupied a considerable space. There was an active demand for new hops, and factors asked advanced prices. Brewers and merchants bought cautiously. The following was the scale of selling; figures-viz., ai per cwt., prime Worcesters, X- 6 Gs. to X7 7s., and common runs, X5 to £6; East and Mid Kents, X6 10s. to X7 10s., and Wealds, X5 12s to £ 010s.; Farnhams, £8 to £9, and choice growths, for bitter and pale ales, are eagerly bought up at from £10 to .£10 10s. Old hops sell as low as 40s to 55s per cwt. Foreign hops are represented by sample, but preference is decidedly in favour of English growths. An immense quantity of hops of this season's growth is yet on hand, and merchants and others refrain from any active speculation, anticipating an abatement cf factors' prices. There is a large cheese fair, and it is well attended. Good Somersets realise 54s. to 62s. per cwt., and prime Cheddars come up to 75s. per cwt. A Blind Man Receives his Slght.-A border paper is responsible for the following:—A few days ago, a middle-aged, thin, care-worn man was led by a dog into a house in Hawick. He was, he said, stone- blind," having lost his sight by an explosion of gun- powder five years ago. His tale was piteous, but failed to move the shrewd landlord, who thought the fellow was a knave. The guidwife, however, gave the sunless wanderer something to eat, and having finished his meal, he rose to depart, showering down on her head all the blessings he could remember. The guid- man meantime slipped out, and taking a half-crown from his pocket, laid it in the middle of the close lead- ing from the house, and retired to aside-door to watch the result. On came the trusty dog, who unheeding passed the shining coin. Not so its master, who stooped as agile as a panther to clutch the Queen's image. In a moment Boniface was upon him, and, grasping him by the neck, forced him to give up the half-crown. He further "opened his eyes a bit" by administering sundry disagreeable blows upon his shoulders with a cane, and, giving him a vigorous shove into the street, directed this silly blind beggar, so jolly green," to wend his steps towards a more gullible locality.