The Illustrated Usk Observer and Raglan Herald

RAILWAY BILLS BEFORE PARLIA- MENT. We extract the following from a leading article of the Times upon this subject, and would beg to draw our readers' attention to the importance of the sub- ject :— There is a bill called the Private Bill Costs Bill," which has been going from House to House, and from special committee to special committee, and is now in the Lords. The object appears to be to give litigants before Parliamentary committees the same remedy as respects costs which litigants have in a court of jus- tice. In the Court of Chancery, and oftentimes in the courts of law, we all know it sometimes happens that the suit or action goes on until the sum in dispute has been all spent, and then the last serious battle takes place over the defunct corpus of litigation, and the victorious party bears away the empty armour to be melted down into costs. Not so in the Parlia- mentary contests. There, after thousands and thou- sands have bean wasted, a victory more or less barren is all that is obtained, and both parties retire to add up in sadness and sorrow the reams of bills. When the rival gauges marshal their forces, and when one great railway power makes an incursion into the territory of another iron potentate, the ex- penses of the war fall equally upon the just and the unjust. The invaded power is compelled to be satisfied with having escaped the danger of annexation, and the unreasonably resisting power pays no damages when his resistance is declared to have been without equity. This has long been considered an encourage ment to those ruinous contests which have given such dropsical proportions to the capital accounts of great companies, and have made the fortunes of so many meritorious barristers, solicitors, and engineers. In this year of grace 1865, after a tolerably long experience of these contests, it is proposed to introduce a certain in terrorem element into these Parliamentary battles. The House of Commons first proposed to take powers to give costs against the promoters of a bill whenever the committees should be unanimously of opinion that the preamble of a bill had not been proved or that any petitioner had unreasonably or vexatiously been put to expense in defending his rights. The House of Lords adopted the sugges- tion, but very reasonably extended its operations to Lords' committees also. This proposition recommends itself at once for adoption. It must occasion surprise to most persons that it should not be already law. That any party of adventurers should assemble and place a crude scheme before Parliament, disturbing the security of property throughout a district, occa- sioning great disquietude and vast expense, and then, when their useless project has been blown to the winds, should retire scot-free, leaving the owners of the threatened property to bear all the expense, does seem so inequitable that all will wonder that any such practice could have been obtained. So also when a company with a working scheme came before Parlia- ment, but attempted to deal unceremoniously with pri- vate interests, and would make no terms and give no compensations, except those which could be wrung from them through clauses forced upon them by counsel and witnesses before the committee, it was very hard that the private persons so coerced should be made to pay the tremendous costs of obtaining a necessary protection. So very unjust did this appear that when a private opposition was proved to be manifestly well-founded it was generally one of the conditions of the arrangement that the company should pay all costs, and a refusal to do this would generally have risked the fate of the bill with a fair committee. In strict law, however, there was no remedy, and the promoters of a private bill might have retired at any time from their scheme, or might have taken the judgment of the committee upon any individual opposition, without paying any costs to the persons they had ferced into action to defend their rights. The bill we are now criticising proposes that in all such cases, when the committee are unani- mous to that effect, the costs of such parties shall be taxed, and may be recovered. So far it is simple There is, however, a second enactment in this pro- posed measure which is by no means so clear in equity. It is further proposed that whenever a committee upon a bill shall unanimously report that the pro- moters have been unreasonably subjected to expense by the opposition of any petitioner, than the pro- moters' costs shall be taxed, and the luckless peti- tioner shall pay those costs. This is a very different matter. A company going for special legislative powers to take other people's property is, we submit, in a very different position from the private proprietor who stands upon his property right. Theirs is an aggression contrary to existing law; his is a defence standing upon the existing law. Surely he has a right to defend his possession without being put to do so at the risk of such a bill of costs as a company's Parliamentary agent can run up against him ? Surely it is sufficient warning to him not to embark in a vexatious or un- necessary opposition that he, if he fails, will have to pay his own costs, and will also come under the harrow of that new private Act. It is hard enough now, when no man can tell how long he may be allowed to enjoy his own in peace; but if no one dare oppose under the tremendous penalty of having to pay the company's costs, there is an end of all things. Com- mittees may be merciful or they may not; but how can any one tell a priori what view they may take of the reasonableness of an opposition to a. private bill? Who will dare to raise his voice against a company marching over and crushing down all private rights, and armed with such a threat as that given by this bill? We say that a man whose pro- perty it is proposed to injure or to take from him has a right to make the best opposition he can to any one who proposes to acquire that power, and that it would be a monstrous injustice to call his opposition unreasonable or vexatious, or to make him pay the costs of the persons who are seeking to obtain such a power over him. We hope attention may yet be drawn to the danger- ous provisions of this measure. We can very well understand that there may be occasions when vexa- tious opposition may be fairly punished with costs. Where rival companies, desirous of establish- ing or avoiding competition, take colourable grounds of opposition, it may be a salutary the great railway faction fights to establish such check to a power as is here proposed to be given. This is what we believe was originally intended. But the bill as it stands goes far beyond any such intention, and puts every man's property at the mercy of every projector. Parliament never can intend to give such advantage to the habitual applicants for exceptional and ultra-legal powers over other person's property that the presumption shall always be in favour of their having what they ask, and against the present owners retaining what they have legally acquired. It would be easy, by. the omission or alteration of the second clause, to make this a very useful and equit- able measure. At present, it is in this respect neither just nor expedient.

A WOMAN'S COURAGE. The Fayetteville Telegraph says, that a band of de- serters and escaped Yankee prisoners, 15 in number, and led by a Yankee naval officer, attacked the house of Mrs. Dr. M'Nair, in Robeson county, amd after spending nearly an hour in the attempt, forced an en- trance by breaking down the front door. Mr. William Stanton, of this county, was staying at Mrs. M'Nair's on the night in question, and being called by that lady to her assistance, soon after the attack commenced, promptly "reported for duty." An exciting contest In followed, Mrs. M'Nair and Mr. Stanton both being pro- vided with Colt's repeaters and a rifle, which they used with fatal effect-one of the attacking party being killed and another wounded in the breast. We regret to learn that Mrs. M'Nair was badly burned, and her face otherwise injured by fragments of glass and powder. Mr. Stanton was also slightly wounded. Mrs. M'Nair r*»d Mr. Stanton having exhausted their ammu- nition, the latter, at the urgent solicitation of Mrs. M'Nair (who feared the desperadoes would wreak ven- geance on him for the death of their comrade), retired, and she remained alone to brave their fury. On ap- proaching her the Yankee officer in command was so struck with her mien, that instead of harming her, he congratulated her warmly on her heroic conduct, stat- ing that she was the first person, man or woman, who had offered any resistance to his band. They carried Off nearly all the valuables they could find, including I silverware and jewellery, six thousand dollars in Con-I federate notes, and two breastpins, containing the pictures of Mrs. M'Nair's husband and son, the latter of whom fell in defence of his country on one of the battle-fields of Virginia.

THE MAIN DRAINAGE OF THE METROPOLIS. Completion of the Works. On Tuesday the Main Drainage Works of the Metro- polis were opened by his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, the whole proceedings being, if of a singular yet of a most interesting character. The Prince embarked at the Speaker's stairs at the Houses of Parliament. The Oread steamer was in readiness, and was neatly fitted up with carpeting, cushions, and flags. His Royal Highness was attended to the boat by the Speaker of the House of Commons; the right hon. gentleman, however, did not embark, but remained on the terrace until after the boat had left the stairs. As soon as the Prince went on board the Royal standard was hoisted, and in a few minutes the signal was given, and the steamer started. There was ample accommodation on deck for a number of passengers, but not more than fifty altogether were assembled. At Barking the Royal party landed in order to in- spect the northern outfall near Barking Creek, and, after spending about half an hour in the inspection, re-embarked and steamed across to the Thames Conservancy Pier at Crossness, on the south bank of the Thames, where they were received by those who had proceeded by the special train. The invitations included an immense number of mem- bers of public bodies. The members of the Metropolitan Board of Works were, of course, nearly all present, the most conspicuous position being assigned to their energetic and assiduous chairman, Mr. John Thwaites, the two Houses of Parliament, the, Lord Mayor of London, the sheriffs, the judges, and representatives of various public bodies. The bulk of these visitors were conveyed in two special trains which left Char- ing-cross respectively at twenty-five mintues past and half-past ten. The Lord Mayor and other civic au- thorities were in the first of these trains, and the t platform was for half an hour crowded with well- known legislators and other leading celebrities. When the Oread, with her illustrious freight, drew up alongside the landing-stage, the Prince and his Royal Highness's party were received by the directors of the Board of Works. A tremendous eheer was raised for his Royal Highness on landing, and the band of the Royal Marine Light Infantry struck up the National Anthem. His Royal Highness, after a hasty glance at the subterranean works, proceeded to the engine-house, when Mr. Bazalgette gave a brief datail of the nature, object, and extent of the works. Both the Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred listened with attention to Mr. Bazalgette's statement, and at its termination proceeded formally to turn the handle which was to let loose the contents of the great reser- voir. No perceptible results of this operation took place above ground, but it was taken for granted that the long vistas which had so recently been traversed dry-footed by the company were gradually becoming filled with a fetid and ever rolling current. The whole company then adjourned to an adjoining building, where a magnificent luncheon had been prepared; A round table had been set apart for the Prince of Wales and his Royal Highness's immediate party, and at it were seated the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of Sutherland, the Archbishop of York, and Lord Alfred Paget, Mr. Thwaites and Mr. Bazalgette. Prince Alfred sat on the right hand of the Prince of Wales, and the rest of the company got places how they could at the remaining tables. The band of the Engineers occupied the gallery, and Mr. Harker effi- ciently discharged the duties of toastmaster. The health of the Qaeen was proposed in brief but appro- priate terms by Mr. Thwaites, and most enthusiasti- cally responded to. The second toast was, "Success to the undertaking," which his Royal Highness gave in the following terms Your Royal Highness, my lords and gentlemen,—Although from the words you have heard from the chair you were led to suppose that there would be no further toasts, still I think there is one toast which on this occasion ought not to be omitted, and it is a toast which it gives me the greatest pleasure to propose—viz., "Success to the great national undertaking, the completion of which we have this day witnessed (loud cheers). It certainly appeals to me that we ought not to separate without drinking that toast (hear). And I may, perhaps, be allowed, in the name of all those who are present, to congratulate Mr. Thwaites, the chair- man of the Metropolitan xioard of Works, and the eminent and skilful engineer of the board, Mr. Bazalgette (cheers) upon the great success which they hare achieved-a. success which will be of material use to London; not so much now, perhaps, as in future years, when the Thames will have been completely purified, and London will have become what it ought to be—one of the healthiest cities in Europe (cheers). Gentlemen, I propose as a toast, "Success to the great national undertaking, the completion of which we have now witnessed (great cheering). This brief but appropriate address, delivered in a clear voice, elicited loud and universal cheering. His Royal Highness and party left immediately after this toast, when the general company also broke up, and returned to town by the special train. During the course of the proceedings instantaneous photographs of the scene were taken very successfully by Messrs. Negretti and Zambra, who were specially engaged for that purpose. The weather was fortunately splendid, a misty at- mosphere having, as the morning advanced, given way to a brilliant sunshine, and a genial spring tem- perature. The Plumstead station of the North Kent Railway was reached about twelve o'clock. The journey from Plumstead to the outfall works, a dis- tance of about three miles, was performed over the contractors' junction; and aoon after several hundred persons were engaged in viewing those works whioh, when in full operation, are at once to restore salmon to the Thames and to protect the health—such, at least, was the original pretext for their construction— efthe vast population of the capital.

A DEGRADING DEATH A few days ago Mr. Humphreys held an inquiry at the Duke's Head Tavern, Whitechapel-road, respect- ing the alleged murder of Ann Jones, alias Scotty, aged thirty-two years. Ann Levy, No. 7, Flower.and. Dean-street, Whitechapel, identified the deceased, a woman of the town. She left home sober at nine o'clock on Saturday night. Several witnesses deposed that between twelve and one o'clock the same night they saw her in a state of helpless intoxication, and in the company of a German sugar-baker, who was himself somewhat under the influence of liquor. Some of the crowd lifted her upon his shoulders, and he carried her a little way,, but becoming irritated at the pressing of the crowd, and being tired: he let her fall, and she fell upon her head. She was then put upon his shoulders. He held her by her legs, and her head hung down behind his back. When he carried her a. little distance he let go her legs, and she fell with great violence to the pavement. She was apparently killed on the spot. Benjamin How, John Hudson, and Cor- nelius Donovan, the three witnesses who deposed to these facts, all stated that the German, Varhoff, did not appear to desire to injure the deceased, but that he apparently let her fall through fatigue, or under irritation at the rude pushing of the crowd. Dr. J Budgett stated that the injury to the woman's head had caused her death. The deceased was a remark- ably fine, woman, and was said to have a husband and three children living in Scotland. The coroner said there was no case for a criminal charge against any one. The jury returned a verdict that deceased was killed in the streets by certain falls, which she received accidentally and by misfortune.

FEARFUL MURDER AT AUGSBURG. Criminal records can furnish but few parallels to the dreadful details recently elicited at the trial of a butcher's widow at Augsburg for the murder of her husband, under circumstances the perusal of which excites more than usual horror. The woman's name is Josepha Ried, and her age is 48. Partly from her own confession, and partly from the evidence brought forward, it would seem that her husband, an habitual sot, lived on very unfriendly terms with her, and that he often threatened to take her life. g}10} however, one night a few months since beat him about the head with a cudgel till he was insensible, and then strangled him with a rope. From the woman's confes- sion it seems that, fearing the discovery of the deed and the punishment, that awaited her she dismem- bered the body by first hacking at the neck with a hatchet, and then severing the head with a knife. Farther, to prevent discovery and also to prevent de. composition, she actually boiled some portions of the body in her cooking pots, and. these portions she con. cealed for ten days, when, having employed a man to out cabbage for her for the purpose of preparing sauerkraut, unobserved by hira she cast the trunk of her husband's body into the tub among the cut cab- bage, having already hid the head in a cask partly filled with meal and bran. The woman had long been known as a revengeful creature and for the ferocity of her disposition and it was also shown that she always took a particular delight to be in the presence of dead bodies. Once, it was stated, there was a diffi- culty in disposing of the body of a humpbacked ma-n in a coffin, but the accused removed the difficulty by Jrneeling on the body till she had succeeded in breaking the neck. The cabbage cutter stated, also, that, as she heaped the shreds of cabbage over the body in the tub, she appeared to be un- usually jolly and in a particularly good humour. The head of the deceased, although it had undergone the process of boiling, showed traces of thirteen wounds. In the night when the deed was committed, the children, who slept in two adjoining rooms, heard the groans of their father, and one of these poor things, a girl eleven years of age, heard him say, If I get over this, I'll have justice done to you." The child fell asleep again, and as she woke up at a later hour she heard her dying father exelaim, Holy mother of God, help me! but his voice was then quite changed, and sounded as though he was being choked. These were the last words she heard. The anxiety of the public to hear the evidence at the trial was so great that the judge was obliged to send for a party of soldiers to maintain order.

THE MURDER AT WINCHCOMBE. Richard Smith, a retired surgeon, living at Winch- combe, was indicted on Tuesday, at the Gloucester Assizes, for the murder of his wife on the 27th of De- cember. An eccentricity of conduct, which he had long displayed, increased within the last five years to such a pitch as often to call for the interference of the police; and the surgeon of the village said he had con- sidered Mr. Smith to have been of unsound mind for twenty years. The prisoner and his wife lived nearly alone, Tor their children were grown up, and had found new homes. On the 27th of December their sons were at the house two or three times during the day, but they noticed nothing unusual. Their father and mother had lived comfortably together, and they seemed to be on good terms then. In the morning, a double-barrelled gun, loaded with powder and shot, was left by one of the sons in the kitchen, and there was a single-barrelled gun in another part of the house. At night, when the sons left, their father fol- lowed them to the gate, and told them to run all the way to their uncle's, because he feared they would be waylaid and robbed. At cine o'clock a woman who lived next door heard the report of a gan in Mr. Smith's parlour. There was only a slight partition dividing the two houses. The woman went out and listened at the parlour shutters. She heard the chairs move about, and Mr. Smith spoke, but no one an- swered. As she turned away the hall door opened, but she did not stop to see if any one came out. Next morning, about a quarter to nine, a woman went to the house for milk. Mr. Smith gave it to her, and she asked him how his wife was, but he did not answer. He was dressed, and a fire was burning in the kitchen. A few minutes afterwards two of the sons at the farm saw Mr. Smith coming up the garden path dressed in bis topcoat- He inquired, "Where's your sister Martha ?" and was tald that she had not come down. Thereupon he said, "Your ^mother's dead," and handed the key of the house to one of his sons. "How did she die?" was the anxious query. Some reply was made, but the sons were so startled by what they had heard that all they could recollect of the answer was the word "gun." "Did you shoot her ? he was asked to which he replied, The gun went off." One of the sons was running away to the In house, but his father said, It's of no use your going, you can't see her, for she is dead." From the farm Mr. Smith then went to his other son, who lived with his aunt. He looked queer, and did not speak, and the son said, "What's the matter?" Your mother's dead," he answered. How did she die?" "Shots shot." "Who shot her?" "I had the gun in my hand, and it went off accidentally." The dreadful statement was soon confirmed. The poor woman was found lying on the floor of the parlour cold and stiff, with a gun-shot wound in the back of the neck and a fractured spine. Death must have been instantaneous. Abundant evidence having been given of the prisoner's state of mind when the deed was committed, the jury, after five minutes' consideration, returned a verdict of Not Guilty on the ground of insanity. a

AN AMERICANS TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF RICHARD COBDEN. Elihu Burritt, at the conclusion of his lecture on Tuesday evening before the Leeds Mechanics' Insti- tute, "The Higher Law and Mission of Commerce," thus alluded to the memory of the great life just ended on earth:— "As one who has watched, with the liveliest in- terest, all that makes for the brotherhood of nations, I am not willing to conclude without adverting to that new bond of peace which the recent commer. cial treaty has established between Great Britain and France. What mind can measure, even in imagina- tion, the good that may flow to the whole family of man from this interlinking of two neighbour-nations, whose mutual confidence and cordial co-operation might do so much for the peace of the world, and for the putting down of that terrible war system which is now devouring, theindustrialearnings of Christendom ? And when that consummation shall be realised when these two great countries shall walk hand-in-hand in the beautiful and enduring fellowship of mutual con- fidence and generous thoughts towards man- kind; when the whole family of nations shall become one peaceful brotherhood, moving on together in the happy harmony of friendly sentiments and blended interests; when the heavy burdens which mutual suspicions have imposed upon them shall be lifted from their shoulders, and those suspicions shall be lifted from their minds, like sombre mists of winter before the rising sun of May, then shall the memory of Richard Cobden come out of the past like the sweet smelling savour o' one of the great lives which God gives now and then to the world to brighten and bless it with their light. Then shall that wide-reaching life, now seemingly ended among men, live and move and have a glorious being in the life of nations. Then, with new forces and faculties of vitality, its im- mortal breath shall be felt in the pulse of the world's prosperity and progress, in the principles and policies that shall sway at the helm of Governments, and haven the domestic happiness and social intercourse of peoples. When such a man lies dead in the land; while the shadow of a great sorrow is on a nation's face, and millions of other countries feel the penumbra of the same grief moving over their spirits; while the electric wires of the world are yet thrilling with the news that one of the very foremost workers in the world's history for the well-being of mankind has just gone to his rest, I could not refrain on this occasion from offering a small tribute of reverence to a memory which, I trust and believe, the English-speaking race in both hemispheres will ever hold and cherish as a common treasure. If, in the grand words of the ablest of his political opponents, such a man, in the I ) working presence of his great mind, is still a member of Parliament, independent of dissolutions, of the caprice of constituencies, and even of the course of time,' he is in a wider sweep of influence an immortal citizen of the great commonwealth of States that speak the earth-engirdling tongue whose latent power his peerless logic unlocked and strengthened to its utmost capacity of expression in the advocacy of principles that shall live for ever among men-among the brightest immortalities of truth and right. All the millions that inhabit the American continent shall hold the life of Richard Cobden as one of the great gifts of God to a common race, and cherish and revere his memory as one of the priceless heir-looms which the motherland has presented to the multitudinous family of States she has planted on the outlying con- tinents and islands of the globe. In the proud and grateful sentiment of this relationship, they shall say we with her in the common patrimony of such a life, I and feel they have a children's right to light the lamp of their experience by its light, and follow its guidance, 1 without abstracting from the beams it sheds around her feet."

Serious Illness of Mrs. Yelverton.—It is with sincere regret, says the Caledonian Mercury, that we announce that the deeply injured Mrs. Yelver- ton continues to lie dangerously ill at her lodgings in Edinburgh. On Friday and Saturday last, so low had she sunk that little hope was entertained of her re- covery on Sunday night, however, she had rallied a little, and a more favourable impression was created among those in attendance upon her. It was as much as she was able on Saturday to indicate her mind as to a settlement of her affairs to her agent, who was called in for the purpose. Professor Simpson is unremitting 1 in his attendance.

UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE. The great event of the past week was the Oxford and Cambridge boat race which caused the greatest sensa- tion in London. All the week long both crews have been practising on the Thames. Saturday, the day of the race, was ushered in by a dense fog, which s e i.ed inclined to retnaia till near ten o'clock, when it suddenly disappeared, and, as usual, left a hot sun to casr. its more than genial rays upon a vast flotilh. of steamboats, tugs, and pleasure-boats on the way to Putney, where the passengers were destined to witne-s one of the finest university boat races that was, perhaps, ever seett over this course. There were twe'.ve steamers, six tugs, and numerous little pleasure screws, besides shoals of other small craft, of all descriptions, from the seaworthy six of Gmvesend to the tiny sculling skiff adapted to the smooth water above bridge. The start bad been arranged to take place at 12.15, from barges moored off the Star and Garter to a boat meored off Barker's rails, 200 yards above the Ship, at Mortlake, and in which honest John Phelps, the veteran of Ful- ham, officiated as jLicl,e, Mr. Edward Searle being starter; Mr. J. W. Chi-tty, of Exeter College, was the umpire. The crews left their boats' yards five minutes apart, Cambridge first, and were greeted with a perfect ovation, Oxford coming in for the best share, and although it was expected the Cantabs would get well away at first, the Oxonian party relied on the stamina and bottom of their men, who it was alleged — and as will be seen in the sequel, truly—could row all the way, while the others' capacity to do so was doubted. The Cantabs, as in the races of the last four years, lost the choice of stations, and their opponents took the Middlesex shore. Level money was laid, and five to four on Oxford. Among the steamboats were the Victoria (London and Rowing Club, from which we witnessed a fine race), the Citizen P (Captain Turner, conveying the gentlemen of Exeter College, Oxford), the L (umpire's boat), and the River Queen (Thames Subscription club boat). The umpire having in vain attempted to get the tugs and boats behind the com- petitors, and remonstrance being in vain with the masters of the "Puffing Billies," who seemed deter- mined, as usual, to hamper the crews, the contending gentlemen ordered the men who held their sterns to let go, and gave the best proof of their intention of stick- ing to their determination of not going to imperil their lives. After rowing in shore for about thirty-five minutes, during which time the irascible individuals spoken of gradually, though evidently reluctantly, backed to the Aqueduct, all things being ready to a. clear course up the reach, the gentlemen got ready for The Start. This took place at four minutes past one. The Can- tabs dashed off with the lead, and, rowing at no less than forty-three strokes per minute, cleared themselves in 200 yards and 2 to 1 was laid. The Oxonians were slow, and certainly put their backers in a fine pickle, for their opponents, gradually getting away, took their water before the Point, and gave them a tremendous amount of back wash, in which they rowed in the most plucky manner for a mile. The Oxonians for half a mile did not get well into their work, and when they did their men led them by a length and a half, and were so at Hammersmith (7 min. 30 sec.). They did not get further away to Chiswick, where the Oxonians, putting on a desperate spurt, began to collar them. (5 and 10 to 1 laid on Cambridge). Their stroke flagged; the steady Oxford drag was in the ascendant, and before the bathing place at Barnes, they went inside and in front 300 yards below the bridge. The Cantabs did all they knew, but it was no good; and the Oxonians, going well in front, rowed all the way, and won by three lengths, in 21 min. 30 sec., thus scoring the unprece- dented number of five following wins for their university < The Cantabsweremuch cutup, and thewinnners had their share of hard work. It may not be out of place here to state that, just above Hammersmith, a tug, in the most shameful and' brutal manner, cut a boat in half. The man in her struck out boldly for the London Rowing Club boat, and by the kindly aid of Messrs. Frank Playford and John Ireland, was rescued with difficulty from a watery grave. The question as to the merits of the Cambridge quick stroke against the long drag of the Oxford gentlemen is now decided; but, of course, it will be raised and backed again next year by the friends of the light blue. The race was rowed most pluckily throughout, and both crews were loudly cheeredp.t the finish. One tug-, to act as disgracefully as possible for the finale, we opine, ran into the Cambridge eight at the finish, and nearly swamped her, for which a full complement of curses, not deep but loud, were thun- dered forth from many throats of the gens de pen, who were distributed in boats at a crown a-head, and in some instances lower fares. The crews dined afterwards at Willis's-rooms, St. James's, with the Thames Sub- scription Club, the dinner being presided over by the Hon. Geo. Denman, Q.C., M.P. —

REPRESENTATION OF WESTMINSTER. On Thursday night a meeting of the electoral com- mittee of Westminster was held at St. James's-hall; Dr. Brewer in the chair. The circular convening the meeting stated that it was to meet Mr. Chadwick and others on behalf Mr. John Stuart Mill, and also Mr. Coningham, late M.P. for Brighton. Mr. Westertcn read a correspondence which he had had with Mr. Coningham. The first letter stated that he would hold himself in readiness to attend a committee meeting, and should esteem it a high honour to be asso- ciated with Mr. Mill by the electors. Three days after he (Mr. Wester ton) received a second letter from Mr. Coningham, in which he said, After an inquiry which I have made in Westminster, and taking the opinions of several friends, it has become evident to me that I should have no chance of obtaing a majority of votes at the general election. Mr. Mill would probably succeed, but the second candidate would go to the wall. I must, therefore, be allowed to withdraw from the contest before any overt step3 are taken." He telegraphed to him that day that the committee would feel disappointed if Mr. Coningham did not attend. To this Mr. Coningham replied, per telegraph: Very sorry I cannot reverse my decision, but I will write to you." This was the reason why he was not present. Mr. Chadwick explained that Mr. Mill's health would not permit him to meet sections of the electors, but he would be happy to answer any questions fully which might be sent to him in writing. Although Mr. Mill had examined the question of the ballot, pro and con, he (Mr. Chadwick) believed that he would vote for the ballot, and for the reason that Mr. Mill had thus expressed himself: "It may unquestionably be the fact that, if we attempt by publicity to make the voter responsible to the public for his vote, he will practically be made responsible for it to some powerful individual whose interest is more opposed to the general interest of the community than that of the voter himself would be, if, by the shield of secrecy, .he were released from responsibility altogether. When this is the condition, in a high degree, of a large pro- portion of the voters, the ballot may be the smaller evil." Mr. Roebuck, M.P., addressed the meeting in a, very energetic speech in favour of Mr. Mill. He was proud to say that all he knew of politics and philosophy he had learned from that mighty thinker. They would honour themselves if they elected a man who had made for himself a world-wide reputation, and who, in the House of Commons, would be able to render the most eminent services to his country and to mankind. He (Mp. Roebuck) would willingly undergo any labour to see him take his seat in the House of Commons. Mr. Christie, late British Minister at Brazil, and Professor Fawcett addressed the meeting in favour of Mr. Mill, and said that the electors could not do them- selves a greater honour than elect him. Mr. Biggs moved: "That Mr. John Stuart Mill be adopted as a candidate by this committee on the terms of his letter of the 7th of March; that with a view to his return, as the spontaneous act of the electors, subscriptions be invited for that end by the committee." Mr. Francis seconded the resolution, which was car- ried unanimously, as was the following one proposed by Mr. Beale, and seconded by Mr. Western, viz.: That the electors be invited with the friends of Mr. Mill to form a committee to promote his return." Mr. Beale said that friends of Mr. Mill had already and spontaneously sent in to say that they would give £ 400, £ 100 of which had been given by one firm. He believed that £ 1,200 would cover all the expenses, even if there was a contest; and there could be no doubt that this would be promptly subscribed. It was their intention to hold a series of large meetings (hear, hear), and do everything they could to secure his election. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the business.. Most of the gentlemen present expressed their deter- mination to exert themselves to the utmost to see Mr, Mill as their representative.